Provided that you know how to properly care for them, cats make absolutely delightful pets. Every owner should learn the ways to care for a cat. Read these tips to be the best cat owner you can be.

If your cat is female, you need to get it spayed at the proper age. If an indoor cat gets out, you may soon have kittens. Spaying a cat can prevent this.

TIP! Don’t leave drape cords near your cats. Don’t let the cat play with them since they can jump into them or play with them and get them around their neck if they have loops.

It is likely that your feline friend enjoys grooming his fur. When the cat’s hair is longer, this could lead to hairballs. There are foods which help combat this problem. Some cat foods are specially formulated to help reduce hairballs, which is good for both you and your pet.

Use quality food to prevent crystals from forming in a cat’s urine. These crystals can cause your cat pain to pass, and your vet bill can be expensive. Your cat needs food low in magnesium. Always read labels. Fish is often high in magnesium compared to chicken.

Many times, cat meds can be purchased on the internet for less than they’d cost if you got them from your vet. Sometimes you might not have time to wait for an online order to arrive however, such as if your cat needs an immediate antibiotic or emergency treatment. But for routine medication purchases, you may find a discount of 50 percent online.

TIP! Be sure you have a vet that your cat sees regularly so it stays healthy. They need a check-up and possibly vaccinations.

Children usually take well to cats, but if you have a small child, you may need to provide some instruction. It is important that you teach children how to properly interact with a new cat. You should show them everything from how to properly carry the cat to the best ways to play with it. Cats’ bones are more fragile than those of dogs, so they need gentler treatment.

Think hard before allowing your cat outside. This can be very unsafe for your cat. Your cat could get fleas or even worse parasites. There’s the chance that your pet could be harmed by other animals or passing vehicles. Cage in an area for a cat in your backyard if they must go outside.

Take care if you leave a kitten with youngsters. Kids under five should not be left alone with a pet. They simply lack the maturity to comprehend the harm they can potentially do to kittens. When they mature, they can spend alone time with the kitty.

TIP! If you have an outside cat, you need to give it a collar and some identification tags. This can help if your cat becomes lost while wandering in the great outdoors.

Cats enjoy heights. A happy cat is one that has a safe living environment. You can have a cat tree or even a strong wall shelf. The cat will especially enjoy it if you put a blanket on top.

Be sure to brush or comb your cat’s fur on a regular basis. This helps spread out the cat’s natural oils in their fur and stimulates blood flow in the skin. Additionally, brushing helps to expedite hair shedding. Doing so reduces the occurrence of hairballs, which are a choking risk. It also benefits the cat’s stomach by reducing the animal’s need to clean itself.

To avoid having a picky cat, switch up the kinds of foods you give him. If you feed them the same cat food every day, they may not accept anything else. This makes it difficult to find food they’ll eat when a store runs out of a certain brand, or you are traveling.

TIP! Deter cats from shocking themselves on electrical wires by spraying them with bitter apple. Cats who love to chew need to be kept away from cords.

If your cat has a scratching post that is beginning to look worn, don’t get rid of it. To your cat the post is just right. There is a good chance if you got rid of it and bought a new one that your cat would start scratching up your furniture.

You cannot keep a cat as a pet if you are not prepared to properly care for it. Use what you learned here for a happy and healthy cat. With the proper care and love, your cat will live a long, healthy life.