There are lots of reasons why owning a cat is a great idea. They are comforting and relatively independent. However, owning a cat also requires a lot of work on your part. The following article will teach you everything you need to know about proper cat care. Read on and learn.
If your cat suddenly goes off its feed for no apparent reason, try tempting treats such as jack mackerel, tuna, or cream of chicken soup in small amounts. These are not complete foods and shouldn’t be fed long term, but they are extremely tasty to cats. A finicky cat may start eating again and keep on when given one of these treats.
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.
Keep your cat occupied by making your own dangly toys. Using soft cotton rope, cut a length of about two feet. Tie a knot at one end. Tie another knot about three inches from the opposite end. Unravel the rope below this knot. Attach the rope to the back of a kitchen chair for your cat to play.
Choose a high quality food. The key to a healthy cat starts with nutrition. Take a look at the ingredients label. If you look at most “popular” commercial cat foods, you may be surprised to see the top ingredient listed is corn. Cats are carnivores, so look for a food with a real meat as the top ingredient. You may pay more up front, but these foods are often more nutritionally dense, meaning your cat eats less and the bag lasts longer.
To keep your cat healthy and strengthen its bond with you, always set aside lots of play time. Kittens especially need lots of attention, which you can easily give to them through play. Pull a piece of string around for a fun and gentle way to keep a cat entertained for hours!
An indoor cat who gets a taste of the outdoors will forever want to go outside. If you know your cat will always be an indoor cat, do your best to keep them from sneaking out. You can try to train your cat to stay in your yard when you are outside.
Never have your cat declawed. Many people misunderstand declawing, thinking it is the simple removal of a cat’s nail. This is not true. In fact, the veterinarian must remove the top knuckle along with the claw during the procedure. This can result in arthritis pain later in life and many behavior problems, such as biting. There are many alternatives from scratching posts to glue-on claw caps that can protect your belongings from a cat’s claws without resorting to such a harsh surgical solution.
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.
If you don’t want your cat to scratch up furniture, try filling a small spray bottle with water and spritzing your cat whenever he tries. Cats generally avoid water altogether for reasons no one is sure about, so he will not like this. Eventually he will stop scratching to avoid getting sprayed.
If your cat has a tendency to eat your plants, you can stop him. You can either purchase bitter apple spray and spray the pot, or you can put a bit of clove oil on a cotton ball and bury it a bit in the soil. Your cat will avoid both.
Who says only dogs can do tricks? Cats are very intelligent and have the ability to learn as well, especially as young kittens. Some people train their cats to play fetch just like dogs do. There are even people who have successfully trained their cat to use a regular toilet, instead of a litter box.
Cats are pretty low maintenance pets. They do not need as much attention and one-on-one time as dogs do. Cleaning the litter box is one of the most dreaded chores in the house. Investing in a good self-cleaning litter box can help to reduce the amount of times you have to clean it out.
Don’t teach the basics of using a litter box. They do this by nature and don’t need to be taught. While some folks think you should pick up your cat and place their paws against the litter, this can actually be traumatic.
Play is an essential element of a cat’s daily life. No matter what age, play is common among cats and other animals. Even a mature cat that isn’t as spry anymore it still loves to play around. Take time to have fun with your cat.
Clean your cat’s eyes as frequently as possible because their vision is extremely important and extremely sensitive. Cats interpret five times as much visual stimuli during their day and the smallest particle can become stuck and cause damage. A pair of thumbs and a damp cloth are perfect for clearing the eyes and keeping your cat clean.
As was mentioned earlier in this article, there are many benefits to owning a cat. However, every cat owner should understand what it takes to take care of your feline friend. Be sure and use the advice given above and both you and your cat are sure to live happily together for years to come.
