Cats are truly very finicky creatures; however, they can make great pets. The following piece offers great insights into feline dietary needs, vet requirements and a number of other key issues.
Regular vet checkups for your cat are very important. The vet will be able to provide your cat with needed vaccinations and any medications it requires. Veterinarians also keep tabs on your cat’s overall health and diagnose any problems they find. Try to keep the same vet during the life of your pet. This will ensure they know the history of your cat well.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. Even if you own an indoor cat, it might produce many kittens if it escapes during mating season. If your cat has been spayed, however, you won’t have to worry about this happening.
Taking your cat to the vet is part of being a responsible pet owner. Cats need routine annual check-ups and possibly additional ones as well for vaccinations. Cats need to be seen by a vet right away if there are injuries or health problems that don’t go away.
Keeping cats from a counter really can be tough. Cats enjoy going into high places so that they can see what’s going on around the house. Making a place high-up for your cat can solve this issue. An excellent tool for preventing your cat from jumping on the counter is a cat tower that is in the kitchen.
Have your cat chipped so you can find him if he runs away. You may not have had trouble with your cat getting loose previously, but it can happen at any time by accident. A collar and identification tags can help bring your pet back to you. But experts point out that collars that do not snap apart quickly if your cat gets it caught on a branch or even a bush can accidentally strangle your cat. You can use a microchip instead; you can store your contact information in the chip and it will not bother your cat. Every shelter and most veterinarian offices have microchip scanners that can read the chips, and best of all, they chips can’t be lost.
Be sure you show your cat lots of love. Cats are looking for a response in kind in exchange for all of the friendly companionship they offer to humans. Like most folks, cats have the need to socialize to feel like part of the family. They want to feel like a contented and satisfied member of the family.
Children usually take well to cats, but if you have a small child, you may need to provide some instruction. You need to show your children how the cat should be treated. Teach them what are appropriate activities and how to gently touch it. Tell them that a cat’s bones need to be handled more gently than those of a dog.
Are you the owner of both a dog and cat? That dog will really love stalking (and eating) that cat food. Because of this, you should keep your cat’s food in a high spot that your dog won’t be able to reach. This also has the effect of stopping fights over the water before they start.
Don’t stress yourself out about instructing your cat on proper litter box usage. This should come naturally for your cat. You cannot teach it to do this. It’s not a good idea to rub your cats paws in litter. Some people think this is the way to train. It isn’t.
Never punish a cat for a mess outside of its box. The major cause of such accidents is usually because the litter box hasn’t been given the proper care. Punishing the cat will only make him afraid to be around you in the future.
Get your cat used to a carrier. Cats do not respond in the same way dogs do to punishment. Encouragement is a better way to get your cats to perform. Put a nice blanket inside the carrier then leave it where the cat is most often. In time, the cat will head inside and be happy. This will make it easier to mobilize your cat.
While a torn up scratching post might look unattractive, do not get rid of it. Cats tend to enjoy a scratching toy more after they’ve gotten comfortable with it and made it their own. When you bring in a new post, the cat may ignore it.
Be patient with your pets when you introduce a second cat into your home. There will be an inevitable adjustment period as your two cats get to know each other. The cats might hiss, swat and hide from each other at first. However, if you allow them to slowly get used to each other, they will eventually become friends.
Aired Cat
Before bringing home a long-haired cat, consider the extra care involved. That hair will truly get everywhere! If you don’t mind cleaning, get a long-haired cat. Not to mention cats that have long hair are more prone to getting issues with hairballs.
Keep your cat’s vaccinations and checkups up to date with the vet. Kids need shots, and so do cats. You need to stay up to date with immunization and booster shots to improve the health of your cat.
While taking care of a feline friend might appear to be a simple chore, they do require special care, TLC and a fair amount of money to raise to adulthood. Use what you have learned in the article above and you’ll be a great cat owner who enjoys their pet. The time that you spent reading this article will be worth it.
