You may have trained several dogs in the past, but nothing can prepare you for raising your new feline friend. Cats are nothing like dogs. They require more attention during their growing years and more personal time playing with their owner. This article will highlight some of the main differences between the two.
Keep your drapery cords out of the reach of your cat. It is easy for the cat to get his head caught among the cords when playing with them. This may harm or kill them. Make sure that the cords are completely out of sight.
If your cat is misbehaving, you can influence its behavior in a safe and humane way by using water. Fill a small squirt gun or a spray water bottle with plain water. Give your cat a few light squirts of water when you catch it misbehaving and it will soon learn to stop doing the unwanted behavior.
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!
If your cat kicks litter all over the floor, simply use a bigger container. A large, roomy tote with high sides makes a good litter box. A big round tub also makes a good litter box. A restaurant size bus tub is a capacious litter box. Providing higher sides and more space will solve your cat’s litter kicking problem.
Wash your cat’s bed at least once a week to remove all of the bacteria from it. Even if the bed looks like it is clean, it will usually have toxins in it that can cause your pet to become sick. Replace the bed every six months to keep your cat in a sanitary environment.
Attend cat shows for tips about your cat. A cat show only costs a few dollars to attend. But when you attend one, you see vendors selling cat items, and show pet owners that give their cats the best of everything. You can get ideas for best brands to feed your cat, as well as ideas for grooming and caring for your cat.
Get your cat a breakaway collar. Make sure it has tags that reflect a phone number, even if you are uncomfortable with an address. Cats can run outdoors or slip away, and you don’t want to worry that you’ll never see your cat again. Make sure that there is adequate information so you can be reached.
Give your cat a good brushing regularly. This will help spread the natural oils within their fur while stimulating their skin’s blood flow. It also gets rid of shedding hair. This is a good way to avoid hairballs, which are a serious health problem since they can cause choking.
If you’ve just met a cat, don’t look at them in their eyes. Cats do not like being stared at by people they don’t know. That’s why they are more comfortable if you are not looking at them. They are more likely to approach you that way, and more likely to kindly regard you in the future.
When you bring home a new cat for the first time, the experience can be overwhelming for both of you. Instead of granting access to your entire home, introduce your pet to its new environment one room at a time. For example, you might place your cat’s carrier in your study or den. As long as the carrier door is open, you should be in the room with the animal.
Make sure your cat has routine check ups and vaccinations to ensure longevity and good health. Just like children, a kitten needs to have immunizations and wellness checks periodically to avoid disease and other health problems later in life. A cat is a member of the family, and therefore, is entitled to the same treatment as other loved ones.
If you have a female cat that is in the process of giving birth, make sure you provide her a spacious area. The birth of the kittens will take approximately four hours, so use a little patience. Once 6 hours have passed, if all the kittens have not been delivered you should seek the help of a vet.
You should not let your de-clawed cat outdoors. The cat won’t be able to fight back if other animals attack it and that could get it hurt or killed. Indoor cats are the only ones who should be considered for declawing. Only take out the front claws. Don’t cut the back claws because they won’t scratch up your furniture or floors.
You do not have to spend a bunch of cash on fancy toys for your cat to play with. Simple things like feathers and string are great for them to play with, and they are very economical. While you can still buy fancy toys if you like, you may get more benefit from them than your cat does.
Once your cat starts to age, they may have to go to the vet more often than they did before. To make sure that your senior cat is in optimal health, you should take him to see the vet at least twice a year. Make sure that you follow any advice given to you during the visit.
Make sure that your cat wears a collar with a tag on it at all times. Cats are smart and will try to get out whenever they get the chance. When they have a collar on with a tag, or a microchip, they’ll easily be returned to you.
While both animals are great to have and can peacefully exist with one another under one roof, don’t take adopting a new kitten too lightly. Plan ahead and have enough resources in reserve like cat food and such. If you are going to train your cat indoors, don’t forget to buy extra litter for the first few months because they can get messy.
