The ancient Egyptians viewed cats as gods. If you glance over at your cat, that isn’t difficult to understand. These creatures are beautiful and elegant, mysterious and fascinating. You can never truly understand a cat, but you can do your best to care for them. Here are some cat tips to assist you in caring for this wonderful animal.
Set up a nice, warm and comfortable area for your cat to rest in your home. It should be lined with a warm towel or blanket. Make sure to wash the bedding regularly since it can acquire dust, dander, and anything from outside if your cat is an outdoor cat.
Although depicted in countless movies and cartoons, milk is not the best source of nutrition for your cat. Once cats have grown, they do not need milk as a regular part of their diet. Milk can cause stomach distress and bloating. Instead of giving your cat milk, always have fresh, clean water available to them instead.
If you just got your cat you want to take them to the veterinarian right away, especially if it is a feral cat or kitten. Kittens are born with parasites and need shots and medication to get rid of them. Feral cats can carry diseases. This is why it is important to have them checked out immediately.
Give your cats easier access to a window in order to keep your curtains from getting scratched. Putting vertical blinds up will allow the easiest access for your cat, but if you need to keep your curtains, use a lightweight rod that will fall if your cat attempts to climb the curtains. It will keep both your curtains and your cat safe.
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.
Cats can spend hours keeping themselves and their fur clean. If your cat is long haired, this may cause hairballs. If your cat needs assistance with this problem, consider a special diet. Some foods are in fact formulated specifically to reduce hairballs, and that is a good idea for your cat and you too.
Online outlets offer better prices for cat medicine than vets. There may be some cases in which you cannot buy online, such as in an emergency. However, if your pet gets regular prescriptions for a chronic or ongoing issue, you can often save up to 50 percent by shopping online.
If you have more than one cat, you should have as many litter boxes as you have cats. If too many cats have to share the same litter box, it can mean disaster! The cats may choose not to share their eliminating space, instead, using other areas, such as clean laundry or hidden corners of the home to do their business.
Feed your cat high-quality cat food. Check out the list of ingredients of any food you are considering buying. Ensure that an animal protein source, including fish, chicken, or beef, is the main ingredient. If the food uses fillers like corn and other things that are not protein, that’s not a sign of the good nutrition a cat needs. This type of food should be avoided. Cats need meat, not vegetables.
Cats have an uncanny ability to always find their way home. If you move to a new home, keep your cat inside for about a month. This will help your cat to familiarize themselves with the smells of your new place. If you let your cat out too soon, they might go home to the wrong house.
Your cat needs to get regular checkups and vaccinations. This is the only way to make sure that they stay healthy and don’t pick up any illnesses or parasites. A veterinarian can provide these services for you. Animal shelters can be used as well if there isn’t a vet near you.
When you’re smitten with your kitten, it’s tempting to dole out treats generously. However, treats are meant to be just that. They lack the nutritional value of regular cat food. Treats should not make up more than 5 percent of your pet’s daily diet. Any more than that may prevent your cat from receiving the nutrients it needs for good health.
You may not think your cat is a god, but he probably does! The best you can do is to take care of his health and care for him. Use the advice in this article to take care of your cat in the way he is used to. Even if you never get a thank you, he appreciates it.
