Cats are great animals and they can be a fantastic member of the family. If you own a cat, then you need to inform yourself on how to properly care for your cat to ensure it is healthy. Read this article and follow the suggestions it contains.
Take your cat in for regular vet exams. Your cat requires a variety of vaccines and shots to prevent illness, and it is also important to identify health problems before they become too severe. Try to stay with the same veterinarian throughout your pet’s life. This person will be more knowledgeable on your cat’s history.
Be sure you have a vet that your cat sees regularly so it stays healthy. Cats should go to a vet at least once each year for a check up, and more frequently for required shots. If there are obvious issues with your cat, it needs to see the vet immediately. Don’t wait!
Make sure your cat has a collar if it goes outside. A lost cat is much easier to locate if they are properly tagged. Some required information on the tag would be the cat’s name and your personal phone number.
Your cat can devastate your furniture with its claws. A kitty tower can really save your furniture. You should scold your cat when it scratches your furniture and direct its attention to the scratching post or tower. It might not happen overnight, but the problem should eventually stop.
Keeping your cats away from the counters can be hard. 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. Keep your cats off the kitchen counter by placing their towers near the kitchen or even in it.
Have your cat chipped so you can find him if he runs away. Even though a cat may live inside, you never know if it will run out the door to escape. Tags and collars are great, but if a cat escapes them, there’s no guaranteeing they’ll make it home safe and sound. Your important information can all fit nicely on a rice grain sized microchip. The majority of veterinarians possess scanners that can read your chips. Because these chips are placed underneath your cat’s skin, they won’t get lost.
Never let a cat become bored. Just like dogs, cats need playtime and physical exercise, too. Sadly, many cat owners do not understand the importance of this. Bored cats can become depressed and inactive, causing harm to their well-being. Give them plenty of room to exercise and a wide selections of toys. If they stay indoors make sure they have a scratching post for climbing.
Cats sometimes will spend hours grooming themselves to perfection. If the cat has longer hair, it can be the cause of hairballs. Special food can help. Some foods are enriched in fibers and vitamins to facilitate the digestion of the hairballs.
Do you have both a cat and dog? That dog will really love stalking (and eating) that cat food. Consider placing the cat food on a location away from where the dog can reach. This also has the effect of stopping fights over the water before they start.
There is no need to spend hours trying to litter train your cat. This should come naturally for your cat. You cannot teach it to do this. Some individuals believe they should carry their cat to the litter box and rub paws into the litter. This actually can be quite traumatic for a cat.
Feeding them lots of different foods can lower their chances of becoming finicky eaters. Keeping the same kind of food around most of the time makes it to where they only want that specific food.
Feed canned food to your cat. Even though the dry versions can be more cost-effective, canned cat food usually is more beneficial. There is more water in canned food and more protein and fat too. Aging cats will find it easier to chew. Speak with your vet to determine the proper course of action to take.
If adding an additional cat to your home, give the cats a couple of weeks to get comfortable with each other. They may still hiss and growl when they are in the same room together. However, cats should eventually learn to co-habitate properly.
Make sure your cat has routine check ups and vaccinations to ensure longevity and good health. Your cat needs to get some shots regularly to prevent different illnesses and parasites. Your cat will be a valued member of your family, which means treating it just as you would other loved ones.
One way a dog shows affection for his owner is to wag his tail. Cats wag or move their tails from side to side as well, but not for the reasons dogs do. A cat that is flicking its tail is either feeling threatened or predatory and is considering his next move. If while being held by you your cat’s tail begins to wag, you may want to put him down so that you are not scratched or hit.
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. Kittens need some wet food because they have very small teeth. As an adult, the harder texture of dry food keeps their teeth strong. You can also try mixing dry and wet food until you get the consistency your cat prefers.
As stated earlier in this article, cats are great pets. If you want to make sure that your cat remains healthy, you need to learn all you can about caring for cats. Be sure you thoroughly read over the advice found here in order to do this. Your cat will love that you did.
