When cats aren’t sleeping, they have to do something to pass the time. When left on their own, cats can climb all over your furniture and scratch everything up. Having cat toys around can help prevent this. The article below will show you a few of the most popular toys that your cat will enjoy.

If your cat is female, you need to get it spayed at the proper age. While your cat may be an indoor one, there is always the possibility it can get out and you wind up with kittens one day. Spaying your cat is the best way to prevent this from happening.

TIP! If your cat ventures outdoors, it’s key to get your cat a collar which has a contact tag. Cats enjoy traveling far away, so a tag can help your cat get back home when lost.

Ensure that your cat goes to the vet often so that they are healthy. Cats need routine annual check-ups and possibly additional ones as well for vaccinations. Cats need to see a vet right away if they have health issues, injuries or conditions that require immediate attention.

It can be tricky to keep a cat off the kitchen counters. Cats like heights and like to see everything happening around them. Therefore, you should create high areas for resting. Sometimes strategically placing a tall cat tower near your kitchen will help.

Avoid the chance that your male cat will develop crystals in his system that will come out in his urine by feeding a high quality diet. It is painful for your cat to pass these crystals and the cost to have this treated by a vet is high. Feed your cat food that is low in magnesium. This means you should pay attention to labels on food. Fish products are usually higher in magnesium.

TIP! Your home furnishings can fall victim to your cat’s sharp claws. You need to get a scratching post or a cat tower to prevent your cat from ruining your furniture.

Sometimes children get too excited when playing with a new cat and may mishandle them. Teach your kid how to properly handle a cat. Children need to know how to hold a cat and what sorts of play a cat likes. Keep in mind that a cat’s bones are much more fragile than a dog’s.

Cat Bowl

Create a little tablecloth for your cat. Cats will sometimes pluck food from the bowl and enjoy it straight off the ground. That means you will have to tidy up the food left beside the cat bowl. An easier way to do that is to either buy a placemat and put it underneath the cat bowl, or to cut a bit of fabric to use as a tablecloth that you can pick up and wash or shake over the garbage can.

TIP! Try to avoid your cat from becoming bored each day. Cats need stimulation.

Don’t let your cat outside. This can put your cat in an unsafe position. You cat might pick up pests or fleas. Cats can be gravely injured or killed by eating poisonous plants, flowers or chemicals, hit by a car or even harmed by neighbors who are irritated with your cat on their property. If your cat must go outside, try to confine them to the backyard.

Do you have dogs and cats? Keep in mind that the two animals have separate dietary needs, and dogs will try cat food if given the chance. This is why it’s important that the cat’s feeding area is in a spot that’s too high for a dog to get to. This will also prevent squabbles between them.

You don’t want to punish a cat if they do their business outside of their litter box. Most of the time when this happens, it is because you are not taking proper care of the box. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.

TIP! Online outlets offer better prices for cat medicine than vets. In some situations, you may not have the choice to purchase meds over the Internet, such as a health emergency.

Do not throw away your cat’s scratching post because it is starting to look very old and worn. This is the time when your cats actually most prefer it. Something new is not necessarily better for a cat, and it may lead them to scratching the furniture.

You eat quality food, and if you want your cat to stick around a long time, they need quality food, too. Always look at the ingredients first. You want to see either fish, chicken or beef noted. Avoid foods like corn or other items without protein. You have a carnivorous cat, and a diet consisting of animal proteins is essential.

Cat Refuses

TIP! If your cat constantly meows, you need to try to figure out why. When your cat is a member of the family, their sounds start to become familiar to you.

Be aware of your cat stopping their litter box usage. If your cat refuses to use its litter box, there may be an underlying health concern. For example, the behavior may be caused by an infection of the kidneys or bladder. Consult with your veterinarian when your cat refuses to use its litter box.

If your cat is pregnant, make sure she has plenty of room to give birth. Delivery can take between three and four hours. If more than five or six hours have passed, and you think that kittens still remain inside, then you must get in touch with your vet.

Cats have lots of energy and toys can help keep them busy. If you value your home, then you need to know how to keep your cat from tearing it up because it’s bored. Use the recommendations from this article and others to help keep your cat and home happy.