Cats are graceful, loving and beautiful. Cats grace the homes of people from all walks of life, and fill communities with life and energy. That said, having a cat in your home is very different! These critters can be stubborn little guys and can pose a big challenge to understanding all their little nuances.

Make sure your cat is always well groomed. Cats have to be brushed or combed on a regular basis. If yu do this quite often, it will help them stay clean. It will reduce shedding, which means that they won’t be experiencing a ton of hairballs. Your cat should be kept groomed so that they look great and you’ll also make your home look good.

TIP! Make sure you don’t allow your cat to be around drape cords. Whenever cats jump on these cords, they might get tangled up in them.

A vet trip should happen for your cat yearly. Not only will a veterinarian give a general physical exam, he or she will also make sure they have necessary vaccinations. Try using one veterinarian consistently. They will learn your cat’s history best.

Cats like to get into all sorts of small spaces. If you keep a collar on your pet, getting stuck in one of these spaces can be very dangerous. Breakaway collars are made to come off if tugged on vigorously. This could save your cat’s life!

Don’t use items on a cat that are meant for a dog. They can have very strong and possibly negative reactions to dog products. This particularly applies to flea products. These products can be fatal for your cat. If you own a dog, and they’ve been given a flea treatment, you should separate them from your cat for a few hours.

TIP! Look a local animal shelters for cats. Shelters have tons of great cats and their adoption fee will generally cover necessary vet care.

Cats can tend to be more nocturnal than not. This means that they will be the most active at night time. If your cats keep you up at night, kick them out of the bedroom. This can keep them from waking you up at night and from pouncing on feet under the blankets.

Though a veterinarian will almost always have a supply of medications that your cat needs, it can be more cost-effective to purchase them from online venues. You can’t always get it online. But for routine medication purchases, you may find a discount of 50 percent online.

Make a tablecloth that your cat can use. Cats sometimes like to eat food outside of their bowl. This may make a big mess that you need to clean up. The best thing for you to do is to have a place mat underneath the cat’s bowl.

TIP! Grooming is an essential part of your cat’s care. A cat’s fur must be brushed or combed on a regular basis.

Help your cat live a longer life by keeping them healthy and keeping them current with check-ups and vaccinations. Immunizations can prevent your cat from attaining viruses or diseases. Your cat is a family member and ought to be treated as such.

If you have a cat who is pregnant, make sure that you give her a private spot that is closed away from other animals and has room for her to move in easily. It could take 3-4 hours for every kitten to arrive, so be patient. Should the time run to six hours, and you think more kittens are due, get the cat to the vet immedietely

Litter Box

TIP! Cats spend lots of time grooming themselves. However, if it has a lot of hair, hairballs can occur.

If you’re dealing with a cat that won’t use the litter box, you should place it somewhere else. A cat will be more inclined to use the litter box if it is placed in a quiet and safe area in your home. A basement or laundry area might be a good option.

Put a collar on the cat that lists your name, address, and phone number on it. The cat may get out if it has a chance to, even house cats do this. If this occurs, make sure they can return home.

Your diet isn’t necessarily the best thing for your cat; some foods just aren’t good for them. These foods include grapes, onions green tomatoes and garlic. Your cat can get sick after eating these foods. Milk is something that can hurt your cat’s stomach, so beware of that too.

TIP! Male felines tend to get crystals in the urine that can be prevented with proper diet. This problem is painful for the cat and to your wallet, as well.

Your cat should remain indoors and near your home. Free-ranging cats who spend most of their time outdoors have a shorter lifespan than those that are raised and accustomed to indoor living. Outdoor cats can be attacked by other animals and exposed to many harmful influences. Play with your cat daily to give it adequate exercise.

If you were home all the time when you first adopted your cat and are now going to be out of the home, your cat might get lonely without you there. To help avoid boredom, consider bringing another cat into the household.

Dry food is a good choice for your cat. As kittens, cats need moist food to accommodate small teeth. Once they grow adult teeth, they benefit from chewing dry food. For those cats who are picky eaters, a mixture of both dry and wet food usually does the trick.

TIP! If you need cat medication, consider searching online instead of using your veterinarian in order to find a better deal. Sometimes, you may need the medicine immediately though.

Be on the lookout for any small holes in your home that you do not want your cat to crawl into. Cats can sneak into small gaps and areas. Be especially careful with kittens. This is essential when you purchase a new cat. Repair any holes, or change furniture arrangements in problem areas.

Vets are important, but the bills can be rough! You could save a lot of money if your order your cat’s medicine from an online retailer. Some places will even ship the medicine directly to your home. You can purchase ongoing medications for fleas or even treatments for heartworm from these websites.

You’ll be able to run circles around your cat once you have read these and other cat care tips. They will soon figure out what they need to avoid and where they can have a free reign. While dogs might be easier to train, cats are very respectable animals that stay well-trained and well-mannered.