Would you save the life of an animal? So many cats could use a great home. The only thing you need to do is bring one home and take good care of it, something the tips below will help you do.
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.
If your cat is getting older, you can increase it’s comfort by placing its bed over a heated tile. Put a square foot of terra cotta tile into your oven heated to 200 degrees. Keep the tile in the oven for about 15 minutes. Place it in an older towel and place it underneath of the feline’s bed. If necessary, repeat this every few hours.
Avoid being kept awake by your cat romping through the house at night. When you first get your kitten, establish a habit of putting it to bed in a comfortable crate with a nice bed, litter box, food and water at night. If you start this early, your cat will appreciate having its own safe, cozy room.
To keep your cat happy and healthy, its important to schedule regular visits to the vet. Not only are regular checkups good for catching problems early, but regular visits can insure that your cat keeps up to date on its vaccinations. If you don’t know when the last time your cat had its shots, schedule an appointment for booster shots as soon as possible.
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!
For a healthier, happier cat choose plain litter over scented litter. Cats like nice, clean, clumping cat litter. Scoop your cats litter box daily and change it completely every three days or so. When you change the box, wash it out with water and dish soap. Don’t waste your money on liners as cats tend to destroy them.
Keep your cat’s coat healthy by giving them a supplement of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is an inexpensive supplement that can be found in most health food stores. Simply sprinkle a little bit on your cat’s dry food, or mix it in with their wet food. Not only do they love how it tastes, but it’s full of protein and vitamins that will keep them looking their best!
You can often find better deals for cat medicine online rather than buying them from the veterinarian. Sometimes, you may need the medicine immediately though. 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 your cat goes outdoors a lot, the chances are good that they come home filthy once in a while. When your cat is especially dirty or smelling like a skunk, you should make an appointment with the local groomer. Groomers will be gentle with your cat, resulting in a less traumatic experience.
Don’t stress yourself out about instructing your cat on proper litter box usage. Cats instinctively understand what to do and teaching is not required. 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.
There are a lot of cats that are overweight. An obese cat can end up developing health problems such as arthritis or diabetes. If your cat could stand to lose a pound or two, try cutting back their food a little bit at each feeding. You can also buy some toys and encourage your cat to play and exercise.
You cat will not be likely to be a finicky eater if you vary the type of food you are feeding from time to time. If you feed them only one type of food, they may refuse to eat anything else. However, stick with the same brand, and just vary the flavors because cats can have stomach problems if you vary the food too much.
Sometime a second cat will calm a single destructive cat. This seems counter-intuitive, asking for twice the destruction, but a second cat can give them both something to do. Introduce them slowly and expect some initial squabbles. After a while, though, the cats will usually get along and the destructive behavior will subside.
While cats can be finicky, you should not encourage this behavior. A cat will eat the exact same cat food their whole life if it is tasty and nutritious. You do not need to mix up the flavors. Doing this can encourage the cat to skip certain foods they previously ate and wait for another.
Do not place the cat litter box in the same area where you place the bowl your cat eats from. Cats want a clear separation between the two areas, so make sure you give it to them. It is not likely you would want to eat in the same place where you use the bathroom, so give your cat the same courtesy.
Successfully caring for a cat is a difficult but rewarding thing. You’ve given it a safe home in which it is loved. You’ll also build a relationship with your pet. Take great care of your cat and it will be rewarding.
