Cats are wonderful pets, if you understand how to take care of them. You have to learn all you can about how to give that cat the best life possible. The following tips will help you out.
Keep your older cat comfortable by placing a heated tile underneath its bed. You can heat a terracotta tile in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Put it inside a cloth and place underneath your feline’s blanket or bed. Change it frequently if you like.
If your cat is female, you need to get it spayed at the proper age. Even if you have an indoor female cat, if it escapes when it’s in heat it could get you a bunch of kittens you weren’t planning on having. The best method of stopping this is to have your cat spayed.
Electrical Cords
You can keep your cat away from electrical cords by spraying them with some bitter apple. If your cat happens to be a champion cord-chewer, you’ll need to use cord covers to protect your cords. Use paper towel or wrapping paper rolls to bundle up cords. If you have electrical cords laying out that are not being used, put them away as cats can play with them and then move on to live electrical cords.
A cat can do a lot of damage to your furniture with its claws. Purchase a scratching post to stop your cat from destroying your home. They can scratch this instead. It may take some time, but will be worth the effort and expense.
Think about having a microchip inserted in your cat. Even an indoor cat could someday jump through an open window. Although they provide the information needed to find your beloved pet, they can also accidentally get caught or even be wiggled out of. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and can hold all of your contact information. Many vets and shelters have scanners that can read these chips and since they lie under their skin, they won’t get lost.
Some male cats get urinary crystals, but this is preventable with proper diet. Passing these crystals is painful and the vet bill to have this corrected is expensive. Feed your cat food that is low in magnesium. Look over the label. Avoid fish products.
When you get a kitten for kids, you have to set up a few rules first. Make sure your kids know where the cat can be. If you’re planning on keeping your kitty inside full time, make sure your kids know their pet shouldn’t go outdoors. Establishing these boundaries ahead of time prevents any confusion.
You should think again before allowing your cat to go outside. It is dangerous in today’s society. They may acquire fleas or much worse things. It could be injured via a vehicle or another animal. If they have to go outside, make sure it’s a small area like your lawn or backyard.
Don’t leave a kitten with small kids. If a child is under the age of five, you should not leave the pet alone with them. They don’t know what harm they can do. Once the child is older and more mature, decide if they are ready for the responsibility of handling animals.
Reduce the chances of raising a finicky cat by feeding them several brands of food while they are young. If you feed them only one type of food, they may refuse to eat anything else. However, stick with the same brand, and just vary the flavors because cats can have stomach problems if you vary the food too much.
Cats are wonderful pets, but must be properly cared for. In order to become a good cat owner, check out the advice contained in this article and take it to heart. You and your cat can enjoy a long relationship by following the tips presented here.