Beautiful movements, intelligence and many different noises. Those are the qualities that define a cat. Those furry little bodies can be a handful though, which is why you need this article. This article gives you the tips necessary to live a great life with your cat. Continue reading!
You need to take your pet to the vet on a regular basis. They should get their vaccinations and have a full check up. Try to stay with the same veterinarian throughout your pet’s life. This way they will know your cat’s history the best.
If you absolutely must bathe a cat, set everything up in advance. Set up two tubs large enough to dunk a cat. Fill them with comfortably warm water. Set your open bottle of cat shampoo, a heavy towel, and a secure pet carrier close by. Wear heavy rubber gloves. Grasp your cat by the scruff of the neck. Dunk, shampoo and scrub quickly in one tub. Dunk to rinse in the second tub. Wrap the cat securely in the towel and place in the carrier to dry.
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.
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.
While children should help with the care and responsibilities of a cat, leave the litterbox duties to the grownups or older children. A cat’s litterbox can carry diseases and parasites. Since younger children may not follow proper handwashing procedures, this job is better left to those older and more responsible.
If your cat has to have a surgery such as being spayed or neutered, they will need rest when they come home. It is hard to keep a cat from jumping up on furniture, but necessary to avoid pulling out stitches. Designate an area in your house for your cat to recuperate where they will be less likely to injure themselves, until they are healed enough to roam free.
There’s always a chance that you cat can slip outside your home and become lost. This can be prevented with a breakaway collar. The collar includes an ID, featuring your name, phone number, and address. If the cat is found, anyone can easily contact you and return the cat to you thanks to the information on the collar.
While it is perfectly normal for a dog to pant a lot of the time, you should be alarmed if you notice your cat doing it. It may only be a small case of anxiety, but in some cases it is something much more serious like cardiovascular or respiratory distress.
Most cats love to lounge right on your lap. As cozy as this can be, it is not always convenient. If your cat has a favorite spot, such as on your lap at the computer it can be hard to get things done. Getting a pet bed for your cat and perching it right next to your chair can help satisfy your cats need to be near you.
Take the time to make your cat familiar and comfortable with a carrier. Introducing your cat to a carrier as a kitten can really help to make this easier. Encouragement is a better way to get your cats to perform. Put a favorite blanket and toy in the carrier and leave it open somewhere the cat frequents. Over time the cat will not be stressed about the carrier and will enter it voluntarily. This will make getting the cat inside easier later.
You should not get rid of your cat’s old scratching post. Cats love them! When you bring in a new post, the cat may ignore it.
Feed a kitten proper food. A developing kitten survives exclusively on their mother’s milk for the first four weeks, a commercial formula if the mother isn’t around. When moving to regular food, feed them specially formulated kitten food until they reach maturity at the age of one. Kittens need plenty of protein while they are developing.
Ensure that your new cat is spayed or neutered. This is important even if your cat will not be outdoors or around cats of the opposite gender. Studies show that spayed cats are less vulnerable to uterine, mammary, and ovarian cancer. Neutering your male cat decreases his risk of developing prostate cancer. Another benefit of neutering is that your cat will not feel compelled to mark his territory by spraying.
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.
Keep cats inside as much as you can, or at least close to you or your home. Cats that stay inside have been shown to live much longer than the ones that are allowed to roam your neighborhood. While cats can get their exercise roaming the neighborhood and squaring off against other cats, they can also get diseases and injuries this way. Vigorous indoor play with an owner is a preferable way to get exercise.
Armed with the information from this article, you are now a more informed cat owner. All these tips can only make living with cats much easier. Your cat will be happier and more enjoyable when he or she is properly cared for. Follow the guidelines above to help ensure your cat remains content.
