Cats are amazing creatures. Independent and loving at the same time, they make ideal pets. Before bringing a kitty cat into your home, however, it is important to educate yourself on cat care so that you know what to do and what to expect. Use the helpful tips discussed in this article to ensure that your cat is well cared for.
Before acquiring a cat, be sure that you have the wherewithal to take care of all necessary vet care. Cats reproduce at an alarming rate, and spaying or neutering is essential to keeping cat population under control. Check spay, neuter and vaccination costs and packages with local vets and clinics and be sure you can afford to give your cat proper medical care.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. Even though your cat stays indoors all the time, there might be that one time she slips through the door when she goes into heat, which results in a litter of unexpected kittens. Unless you want the hassle of getting rid of kittens, spaying is the best option for your cat.
Get a pet water fountain. Cats can be prone to dehydration, and running water entices them to drink. It is an evolutionary habit that developed because in the wild, running water is less likely to be contaminated than a stagnant pool. Your pet will enjoy the water more, and will drink more often.
Cats are constantly grooming themselves, and this is why they rarely need a bath. If your cat gets into something particularly stinky, a bath will not hurt them. If your cat does not like water you might want to wear gloves so that you do not get scratched. You might also want to enlist the help of a friend or family member.
Clip your cats nails regularly. Cats do have to scratch. However, when cats scratch, their nail sheaths come off and their sharp, pointy claws are exposed. Clipping your cat’s claws every two to three weeks keeps them blunt and helps keep harm to furniture, humans, and other pets to a minimum.
Save your furniture with scratching posts and pads. It is natural for cats to want to stretch their claws out and scratch. This does not mean that a cat owner must have damaged furniture. Provide your cat with places that it is okay to scratch and redirect them there if they decide to try out your sofa. Cat scratching posts come in many shapes and materials and some cats prefer a particular type so it may take some trial and error before you find the right combination for your kitty.
Have your cat spayed or neutered. Pet overpopulation is a growing problem, with millions of homeless cats and kittens euthanized every year. Besides the problem of too many kittens and not enough homes, unfixed cats can have a multitude of behavior problems. Males who are not neutered at a young age often start spraying to mark their territory, and females who are allowed to come into heat yowl incessantly as they try to escape to find a mate. Kittens can begin to breed as early as 4 months of age, so get your new kitten spayed or neutered as soon as possible.
Your cat probably spends a lot of time grooming himself to perfection. When the cat’s hair is longer, this could lead to hairballs. Buy special food in order to help that problem. They help the hair pass through by breaking it down.
Handle your kitten often. The longer your cat is handled as a kitten, the more readily they will accept being handled when they are grown, especially around their paws. This is important as all cats will have to visit the vet occasionally, and this process is much easier and less stressful if the cat is accustomed to being handled. It will also make grooming and nail trimming much easier.
Use your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.
You should do regular checkups of your cat between veterinarian visits. A good time to do this is when you are petting the animal. Check the entire body for things like scabs and lesions. Also look in and around the ears for any discharge, which can be a sign of ear mites. Check the cat from head to tail.
Understand that your cat is easily influenced by its surroundings. Cats have superior memories and will usually retain training for a lifetime. Conversely, they also retain frightening experiences and it takes them a long time to get over their fears. Be encouraging with your cat and avoid situations that scare them.
If you live in an area that is populated by wild animals, such as coyote and fox, you may need to make you cat an indoor cat. Wild animals pose a real threat to cats, and to avoid the loss of a beloved pet, it is sometimes best to keep them indoors for the course of their lives.
Do not place the cat litter box in the same area where you place the bowl your cat eats from. Cats want a clear separation between the two areas, so make sure you give it to them. It is not likely you would want to eat in the same place where you use the bathroom, so give your cat the same courtesy.
Independent, intelligent and loving, cats can make exceptional house pets. Before deciding to adopt a cat however, it is a good idea to educate yourself on proper cat care. Utilize all of the information you’ve learned from this article to take great care of your kitty and keep her healthy for years to come.
