Some people believe cats are magical. They are intelligent and independent, while being loving. It takes work to be a good cat owner. Give this article a read for some tips on cat care and how to keep your cat in good spirits.
Let kittens and cat-friendly pet dogs get to know each other slowly. Put up a baby gate to keep dogs in one room while your new kitten gets used to its surroundings. Supervise carefully when the kitten ventures to the gate to meet the dogs. When the kitten feels safe, it will climb the gate. If it feels threatened, it will pop right back out to safety.
Choose a high quality food. The key to a healthy cat starts with nutrition. Take a look at the ingredients label. If you look at most “popular” commercial cat foods, you may be surprised to see the top ingredient listed is corn. Cats are carnivores, so look for a food with a real meat as the top ingredient. You may pay more up front, but these foods are often more nutritionally dense, meaning your cat eats less and the bag lasts longer.
Don’t be pushy when you are getting to know your new cat. Cats prefer to be in control and take things at their own pace. Make sure your new cat is comfortable and safe. Let your cat take its time exploring its new environment. When your cat feels at home, it will be more likely to try to make friends with you.
Give your new cat some space. Moving to a new home can be stressful on a cat, especially one who is no longer a kitten. To help them adjust, give them a quiet place that they can call their own, such as a spare bathroom or laundry room. This gives them a safe space they can retreat to until they have become comfortable with exploring the whole house. Depending on the cat, this process may take a few days up to a month or more.
Protecting your cat from household chemicals is something that you may already know, but did you know that protecting them from medications is just as important? Common over the counter medicines such as ibuprofen can be toxic to your cat, even in small doses. Keep your medication safely out of the reach of your cat.
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.
Should you leave the house with your cat, make sure that she is wearing a collar with tags. This way, if anything happens and you two become separated, anyone can find her and know how to reach you. Your cat may not like the collar all the time, but when she’s out of the house it can save her.
A cat’s nails can grow really quickly. They sharpen their nails by scratching on different surfaces like a scratching post. You can help avoid your cat destroying your furniture by clipping their nails often. This will help to discourage your cat from scratching at different things around your house.
When bringing a new kitten home, take it slow. It is tempting for children to want to play with the new addition to your home immediately. But the young cat will likely be scared. Give the cat time to acclimate itself to your home and to get comfortable with everyone.
Cats enjoy being in high places. Make sure your cat has a safe place to play. If you can’t afford a cat tree, give the cat an empty shelf of his own. Adding a small pillow or blanket to the spot for napping will be very much appreciated too.
You should not get rid of your cat’s old scratching post. The cats loves it the most in this condition. Tossing it and getting a new one may cause your cat to find something old to scratch like your furniture.
If you desire a long-haired cat, it’s best to know what kind of care is involved before you do so. Silky, long hair can be stunning, but that fur won’t look as pretty when it’s on your sofa, clothes, and carpet. Don’t get a long haired cat unless you’re prepared to do a little extra cleaning. They can also have more health issues due to hairballs.
If there is a place where your cat likes to use the bathroom other than the litter box, there is a simple way to deal with this. There are sprays formulated to be very offensive to cats. If you apply this spray in these areas, the cat will stay away from there.
A kitty door is a great way to allow your cat to go in and out, without any help from you. You can also use kitty doors on doors inside your home. This can be great if you have a dog or small children, to keep them out of the room with the litter box.
Your cat should stay inside most of the time, and when it’s outside, you should ensure it remains close to home. It is shown that cats trained inside that then spend the majority of their lives inside tend to live longer than cats free to roam the neighborhood. Roaming around the house doesn’t cause as much risk as roaming the wild.
Don’t give your cat medicine intended for humans. If they have health issues, see a vet and give them what they provide. Pets that have taken human medications face serious injury or worse.
The unique and intelligent cat makes a great pet if you educate yourself about how to care for it. Study these tips carefully. Put the tips into practice today, then watch your feline companions thrive and grow in a healthy way.
