If you understand good cat care, you will have yourself a wonderful pet. A little self-education can transform you into the kind of responsible cat owner that keeps their feline friends happy and affectionate over the course of a long and healthy life. This article has lots of useful cat tips.
Make sure your cat is always groomed. Remember to brush your cat’s fur and comb it regularly. Doing it constantly can help you keep their coats clean. Having a clean fur coat helps reduce the amount of hairballs that get spit up around the house. Brushing your cat will keep your home cleaner, too.
Make sure your cat is regularly visiting the vet for checkups. Cats need yearly shots and overall health assessments. If you find a vet you are comfortable with, use them for the duration of your cat’s life. This also allows the vet to become more familiar with your cat’s unique health needs and personality.
If you have an outdoor kitty, make sure to invest in a break away collar with an identification tag. Cats enjoy traveling far away, so a tag can help your cat get back home when lost. Even if the tag just has your phone number, it can be the difference between your pet coming home and being lost forever.
A lot of cat owners have a hard time keeping their cats off the counter. Cats instinctively want to be at a high vantage point so they can survey their surroundings. It helps to provide your cat with certain high spaces where it is allowed. A cat tower near the kitchen will ensure that cats won’t lay on your counter.
Never let your cat experience frequent boredom. Just like dogs, cats need playtime and physical exercise, too. Sadly, many cat owners do not understand the importance of this. Bored cats can suffer from depression, extreme compulsive disorders, and other harmful issues that can negatively impact their overall health and well-being. Make sure you give them lots of toys and room to play. An indoor cat needs a good scratching post.
Cats are usually more active during the night. Thus, the bulk of their activity will occur at night. Try closing the door if your cats are keeping you awake at night. This will keep them from attacking your toes.
Cats can spend hours keeping themselves and their fur clean. If the cats hair is too long, this is what causes hairballs. To help your cat out with this problem, try buying him special food. There are foods on the market for cats that specifically deal with the hairball problems and are good for the cat.
Try to figure out why your cat meows. If you live with a cat for any amount of time, you will soon start to understand what your cat wants when she meows. She will let you know when her demands are for food or when you need to let her out. Understand your cat’s preferences, and you’ll be that much better off.
If you want to let your cat outside, think again. It might not be safe for your cat to go outdoors. The cat can get fleas or something much worse. Cars, people, or animals could hurt your beloved pet. When your cats go outside, keep an eye out to make sure they do not wander too far away.
Speak with friends and family when you have difficulty with your cat. You may think it’s something you can take care of on your own, but other people that own cats could help. Participate in online discussion boards for cat owners, or pick up the telephone and speak with your vet.
If your cat does not use the litter box, do not use punishments to try to discipline him. If this happens, it may be because you have not kept the box as clean as you should. Punishing your cat may cause him to become afraid of you or their litter box.
Feed your cat top quality food. Your cat needs a lot of protein from meat, so read the labels before you choose a food. Don’t feed your cat food that includes corn or other fillers. Since cats are carnivorous, they require animal protein to stay in the best health.
You cannot keep a cat as a pet if you are not prepared to properly care for it. As a responsible cat owner, take the time to read through this article a few times and utilize all of the great cat care information that it contains. If you care for your cat properly, you are giving your cat the gift of a long, healthy life.
