Cats are a popular pet for millions, and they deserve love and proper care. It pays to learn all you can about proper cat care. This article has lots of useful cat tips.
You should be bringing your cat to their vet for a check-up regularly. 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 the same veterinarian for your pet throughout its life. This ensures that your vet knows your cat’s medical history.
Prevent your cat from getting zapped by coating exposed wires with bitter apple. Keep your cords covered if you feel like your cat is hellbent on chewing them. Tuck loose cords into old toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Whenever you aren’t using any thin, electronic cords, you should store them away.
Scratching Post
The claws of a cat can really destroy parts of your house and furniture. Purchase a scratching post to stop your cat from destroying your home. Redirect your cat to the scratching post when they start to go after your furniture. Catnip can be put in the posts or on the tower to help train the cat to use it. This solution might take time to take, but it will help in the end.
Make a tablecloth that your cat can use. Often, a cat will remove food from his bowl to eat on the side. This habit means you will end up with cat food on the floor to clean up. An easy solution to this problem is a placemat underneath the food dish, or a piece of fabric you can easily wash.
Think hard before allowing your cat outside. This isn’t safe for your cat. Your cat may get fleas or something even worse than that. There’s the chance that your pet could be harmed by other animals or passing vehicles. If you must let your cat outside, do so in a very small area of your backyard or lawn.
Be very careful about allowing children to be alone with a kitten. Up until your child is five, children shouldn’t be alone with your pet. They aren’t mature enough in order to handle the potential dangers of a kitten. When children get a little older, they develop the skills needed to be around small animals.
Speak to other people if you’re having cat troubles. Although you might want to take care of things on your own, advice from other people with cats can be a big help. Your vet is a great source of advice, or you can find forums on the Internet to connect with other cat owners.
Never punish a cat for a mess outside of its box. They’re doing it because the box is too dirty, or they may be sick. Punishing the cat will only make him afraid to be around you in the future.
If you offer a variety of foods to your cat, it will be less picky about what it eats. By giving them one kind of food all the time, it will be all they want to eat.
Provide your cat with a drinking fountain. Cats like running water for drink more than water that is just sitting there. Cat usually respond well to streams. In fact, some cats prefer running sink water to their own water bowls. A fountain will allow your cat to drink like he or she is in the wild.
Ensure your cat is collared and wears an identification tag. This applies even to indoor cats. You know how curious cats are, and any open door can mean the cat disappears. Tags should include contact information for you and your vet. Obviously, this is particularly important for pets who have special health concerns.
If you plan to add a second cat to your household, be sure to allow two to three weeks for your resident cat and the new cat to get used to each other. They may swat at each other or hiss; that’s nothing to be concerned about. Your cats will grow used to the presence of the other animal and will eventually get along.
Play is an essential element of a cat’s daily life. Play is necessary for all mammals no matter the age or species. A cats energy might fade over time, but that does not mean that it no longer likes to play. Make sure you spend time doing fun things with your cat.
Cats are popular pets but they need to be cared for properly. If you’re going to own a cat and be responsible about it you should reread this article and use the information that is in it. With good, solid practices and lots of love, you can have a truly happy cat that lives a long life.