Cats don’t have to compete with any other animal and they are great to have around your house because of a few reasons. They are very entertaining, and they are experts at keeping your home free from rodents, bugs and other pests. People often underestimate how helpful a kitty can be, and how much one can do to get rid of pests.

Keep your drape cords out of your cats reach. These are not great play toys for cats. They can wrap around a cat’s neck pretty easily. This may hurt them or possibly cause death. All drape cords should be fastened and kept away from any harm that might come to the cats.

TIP! Make frequent checkups with your vet to keep your cat healthy. Understand that cats require vaccinations in order to stay healthy, and the veterinarian needs to regularly check for any health problems.

Make sure you keep all the recommended appointments with your cat’s veterinarian. Your vet can give you an idea of your cat’s overall health, in addition to administering any shots it may need. Try keeping the same vet throughout your cat’s life. This ensures that your vet will have an excellent understanding of your pet’s medical history.

Take your cat to the vet regularly to make sure they remain in good health. Your cat needs to get a checkup about once every year, or more if there are issues that come up. When the cat seems to be acting abnormally, take it to the vet immediately.

Don’t try using dog food or products for your cat. Cats usually react negatively to items made especially for dogs. This definitely applies to flea products. Canine flea medications are strong and often made from a different formula than the feline version. They can cause death in cats. After your dog receives a flea treatment, keep your cat away for at least a few hours.

Scratching Post

The claws of a cat can really destroy parts of your house and furniture. If you find your cat tearing up things around your home, buy a scratching post or cat tower. You should scold your cat when it scratches your furniture and direct its attention to the scratching post or tower. Eventually it will cause you less of a headache.

Cats are generally nocturnal. This means their behavior is quite active during the night. If you have trouble sleeping because of cats, you may want to close the door to your bedroom. This will keep the cats away while you’re trying to sleep because they won’t be jumping all over you.

TIP! Dog products shouldn’t be used on cats. Your cat will have a bad reaction to anything that has been specifically formulated for a dog.

Cats are known for spending inordinate amounts of time grooming themselves. Long hair encourages hairballs. To assist your cat if it has this problem, you should get food that’s special. Some foods are in fact formulated specifically to reduce hairballs, and that is a good idea for your cat and you too.

Place a “tablecloth” under your cat’s food bowl. Sometimes cats like to take food out of the bowl and eat it to the side of the bowl. This can really make a mess, and you might have to spend significant time cleaning around your cat’s food bowl. Something as simple as a place mat can help make cleanup easier.

You should try your hardest to figure out the reason that you are hearing your cat meow. If you stay around a cat for a period of time you will figure out what their verbal cues mean. She could be trying to tell you she’s hungry or needs to go outside. You should pay attention to these cues and you will eventually learn to decipher them.

TIP! Pick the right location for your cat’s litter box. It shouldn’t be put in an area with high traffic and should be far from their food.

Do you own a dog and a cat? Dogs will always try to eat a cat’s food. Because of this, you should keep your cat’s food in a high spot that your dog won’t be able to reach. Doing this will also help you avoid fights over the water bowl.

Understand that cats enjoy being elevated. To make your cat really happy, give it a place to safely survey its area. If you can’t afford a cat tree, give the cat an empty shelf of his own. To make it really special, put a bed or blanket up there too.

You may want to try different types of cat food. Cats can easily become finicky eaters. If you feed your cat the same food all the time, your cat will likely be uninterested any any other brand or flavor.

TIP! Cats appreciate all the affection you can give. Cats provide warmth and affection, and they also require the same from you.

Invest in a cat friendly fountain. In the wild, cats prefer running water to drink from, and they do in the home as well. Cats seem to like a water stream better. In fact, many cats like drinking from faucets more than from their water bowls. A drinking fountain designed for your cat is the ideal solution to keep the cat happy.

Litter Box

If kitty won’t use the litter box, try moving it. Instinctively, cat’s will search out a safe place to eliminate, so try relocating the litter box to a quiet and secluded area. Great suggestions include your basement and laundry room.

TIP! Some male cats get urinary crystals, but this is preventable with proper diet. Your cat will experience considerable pain when he has to pass these crystals, and it’s not an easy (or cheap) problem for your veterinarian to fix.

Although cats may not be considered man’s best friend like dogs are, they can make excellent household pets. You should consider getting a cat if you do not already have one. It’s easy to see why so many people have fallen for the company of cats.