It isn’t always easy to make a cat happy. From the time they sashay into your home, they can be a mystery. But even if you don’t know how to make your cat happy, you can take excellent care of them if you know what you’re doing. Here are a few helpful tips to teach you how to care for your cat.

Grooming is an essential part of your cat’s care. Cats must be brushed and groomed frequently. This helps them keep their precious coat properly clean at all times. It also reduces their shedding and hairballs. Grooming a cat properly will improve the appearance of your home and cat.

TIP! Move any drape cords out of a cat’s reach. If the cat becomes caught in a loop, they could choke to death.

If you have an old cat, you can help make its bed more comfortable by placing heated tiles underneath it. You can heat a terracotta tile in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Use an old towel to wrap it up safely before placing it beneath your cat’s favorite napping spot. Change every few hours if you like.

It is a good idea to microchip your cat. Even cats that live their lives entirely indoors can suddenly escape out a window or door. Tags and collars can help you cat return home, but cats can wiggle out of them or risk injury by snagging them on a tree branch or bush. Microchips are as small as a rice grain and have all of your important contact information. Most organizations that deal with animal care can scan your cat for microchips, and because they are implanted, they won’t get lost.

Do not allow your cat to stay bored all of the time. They need exercise and they get it through play. Sadly, this is overlooked by many cat owners. Bored cats can suffer from depression, extreme compulsive disorders, and other harmful issues that can negatively impact their overall health and well-being. Give them enough space to exercise in, with fun toys to keep them entertained. If they stay indoors make sure they have a scratching post for climbing.

TIP! Keeping your cats away from the counters can be hard. After all, cats prefer to stay high so that they can keep an eye out on everything.

Cats are generally nocturnal. It is likely that they will want to play while you are sleeping. Keep your bedroom door shut if your cats make too much noise at night. Your cat will not bother you in the middle of the night if this area is off limit.

It is likely that your feline friend enjoys grooming his fur. When your cat has long hair, this can cause hairballs. There are special foods you can buy to try to help with this particular problem. Some foods are in fact formulated specifically to reduce hairballs, and that is a good idea for your cat and you too.

Cat medications can be bought affordable online. 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 if you have to regularly buy pet medicine, you can save 50% or more on some medicines by buying online.

TIP! Cats can have nocturnal tendencies. Because of this, night time is when they are most active.

Reconsider outside time for your cat. The outside world is very dangerous for cats. There is a chance your cat can contract fleas or perhaps something much worse. There’s the chance that your pet could be harmed by other animals or passing vehicles. If your cat really wants to go outside, let it out into a small area in your yard.

Cats enjoy being high up. To keep your cat happy, offer him a spot of his own up high where he can survey his kingdom. You can use a cleared shelf if you’d rather not have a cat tree. You could even place a small bed or blanket on the shelf to make your cat feel more comfortable.

Is your pet’s scratching post starting to look beat up? Don’t toss it out! Cats prefer used scratching posts. By removing the old item and replacing it with a new one, your cat may try to find another item to scratch. This could end up being furniture.

TIP! If you’re taking kitty on a road trip, don’t play loud music. You may prefer loud music as you drive down the freeway, blasting your stereo, but your feline friend likes softer sounds better.

Purchase a drinking fountain for your cat. Wild cats like to drink flowing water, and domestic cats are the same. Cats generally respond better to a stream of water. Cats will often drink from a running sink and actually prefer it over the water in their bowl. Also, drinking fountains are more environmentally friendly and gives them the ability to drink naturally.

If you can’t please your cat, these tips will at least help you can take care of him. These tips can also keep your cat healthy and strong at all times. Your cat just might start playing nice! Maybe not.