You probably look at your cat as a family member. Therefore, you need to make sure your cat is well-behaved and sanitary. Things like these can harm your cat. Keep reading to learn how you can take care of your beloved cat.
If you have outdoor cats, be sure to discourage pests such as coyotes, possums and raccoons by bringing cat food indoors at night. Feed your cats first thing in the morning, and make sure there is no food left at nightfall. This will keep your cats safe from attack and illness.
Keep your cat healthy and non-finicky by introducing a varied diet. Always purchase several different brands of food and rotate them. In this way, your cat will be used to trying and accepting new tastes. If one food brand goes out of business, you will always have lots of other acceptable choices to offer.
Protect your cat from choking. Be sure to dispose of poultry and fish bones safely. Wrap them in a paper or plastic bag and put them in your outdoor garbage can with the lid tightly secured. Alternately, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them until garbage pick up day.
You may want to have a microchip put into your car. You never know when your cat could get away from you. Cat collars are a great thing to have in case your cat gets lost, but they also pose a risk if they get caught on something. Microchips are very small, and you can note your name, address and phone number in there. Every shelter and most veterinarian offices have microchip scanners that can read the chips, and best of all, they chips can’t be lost.
If your cat takes all the ornaments off the Christmas tree, don’t fight it. Begin collecting attractive cat toys and unbreakable ornaments to decorate the tree next year. Be sure not to decorate with potentially dangerous items like tinsel and garlands. Tinsel is a choking hazard for cats and garlands can cause strangulation.
It is important to make sure that your cat always has fresh water available. You should refill your cats water dish everyday with clean water. There are drinking fountains that provide your cat with a constant stream of fresh water, so you do not have to worry about changing it as often.
When you introduce a new cat into your home, you have to be careful with how your other cat reacts. Try giving the new cat a little space in one room at first, and then introduce him to the rest of the house. Make sure to have different litter boxes at first too. If you ease the new cat in, it will go more smoothly for everyone.
Many people do not realize that it is perfectly normal for you to take cats on walks so they can get exercise and fresh air. There are special harnesses made for you to use with your cat. If you use the type that were made for dogs, there is a chance your cat can get away.
If you are adding a kitten to a household that already contains a dog, it is important to socialize the kitten to the dog at an early age. At first, constant supervision is essential. Let the kitten and dog spend time together while you hold the kitten, letting them explore and get used to each other’s smells. When socialized early, cats and dogs can live happily and peacefully together.
Think about the extra work before buying a long-haired cat. While the long hair on a cat is beautiful, it doesn’t look so beautiful all over your home. Unless you have time to dedicate to cleaning up their fur, don’t get long haired cats. Additionally, consider that longer-haired cats are more likely to have issues with hairballs.
Understand the difference between cat play and real aggression. Both activities can look the same to an untrained eye, but there are differences. When two cats are playing, they will bat each other around with claws retracted. They will “bite” with their jaws loose. Real aggression will involve hisses, squeals and hard biting.
If you have more than one cat, you need more than one litter box. Ideally, each cat should have its own box. This prevents the box from becoming overfilled or crowded. An unappealing shared litter box sometimes causes cats to take their bathroom business elsewhere in your house. As you can imagine, this can be quite a nasty surprise!
Be aware of your cat stopping their litter box usage. If your cat refuses to use its litter box, there may be an underlying health concern. Bladder troubles, kidney ailments, or infections can all cause this sort of behavior. If your cat stops using the litter box suddenly, get him to a vet for a visit.
Your cat, just like every other cat in the world, is susceptible to getting many different parasites. A parasitic problem will not fix itself. You can eliminate them and prevent their return if you use these recommended methods. Your cat will be happy that you did.
