Treat Your Cat Well With These Tips.

TIP! If you have an outside cat, you need to give it a collar and some identification tags. Cats can get lost, and they need a tag to be found.

You have the opportunity to make an animal’s life better. Many cats are available for those who can offer a loving home. Simply bring one home, make a friend for the rest of the cat’s life, and use the advice in this article.

TIP! Avoid letting your cat get bored. Cats require plenty of exercise.

Shop at your local pet shelter for your next cat. Shelters always have plenty of cats available and adoption fees are usually very affordable. When you bring home a shelter cat, you will be saving its life and you will be doing your part to help out.

TIP! It’s often cheaper to buy medicine for your cat on the Internet instead of through your vet. Naturally, some stuff won’t be available online.

To help your aging cat feel cozy, place a warmed tile under his bed. Place a tile made of terra cotta or a similar material in an oven heated to 200 degrees for around 15 to 20 minutes. Wrap it up in a towel and place it under where your cat sleeps. Replace it every three hours or so.

TIP! If your cat is traveling with you, remember their ears. You may enjoy it, but it could be hurting your cat’s ears.

Male cats often develop crystals in their bladder that come out in their urine. This can be prevented with a proper diet. Just like kidney stones, these crystals are painful and vet bills are pricey. Choose a low magnesium food. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Avoid fish products.

TIP! Brush your cat at regular times. It helps with blood flow, and it also moves the natural oils around in the fur.

Be very careful about allowing children to be alone with a kitten. Kids under five should not be left alone with a pet. Young children are not yet mature enough to realize what behaviors are dangerous to a cat. As children get older, decide when they show the maturity to handle a small pet.

TIP! Invest in a cat friendly fountain. Cats like running water for drink more than water that is just sitting there.

Do not punish your cat if they make a mess in the area outside of the litter box. It might be happening because you aren’t caring for the box good enough. Your cat will become afraid of you if you punish it or scold it too often.

TIP! Pay attention if your cat won’t use their litter box. Lots of cat conditions will make it difficult for a cat to defecate or urinate in their litter box.

Feeding your cat different types of food helps ensure they don’t get finicky. By giving them one kind of food all the time, it will be all they want to eat.

TIP! When your cat is close to giving birth, provide a spacious area for her. It can take several hours for the process to unfold and all kittens to be born, so be prepared to spend some time with your cat.

Provide your cat with a drinking fountain. Cats that live in the wild like drinking from running water, and they have the same desires in a home. Cats respond well to this stream of water. Cats will often drink from a running sink and actually prefer it over the water in their bowl. Fountains keep the water cool and clean.

TIP! One way a dog shows affection for his owner is to wag his tail. Cats may wag as well, but the meaning can be quite different.

If adding an additional cat to your home, give the cats a couple of weeks to get comfortable with each other. The cats might hiss, swat and hide from each other at first. Eventually they will grow accustomed to it and start tolerating or even enjoying each other’s company.

Haired Cats

TIP! Some food you eat isn’t good to feed your cat. Grapes, onions and garlic are a few of the food items.

Long-haired breeds are pretty, but understand how much work they are before you get one. While long haired cats are soft and look great, understand that there will be a lot more fur around the rest of the house. Unless you are prepared to do more cleaning, don’t buy a long haired cat. You should keep in mind that long haired cats are more prone to hairballs.

TIP! Don’t give your cat medicine intended for humans. Only use medicine that has been prescribed or recommended by a vet.

If a cat is about to give birth, provide them an area that’s spacious. You need to be patient, as it will be three or four hours before all the kittens have been born. If it’s been over 6 hours and you think there are more kittens inside, they need to see a vet immediately.

TIP! Cats have a great sense of smell, which helps them easily grasp changes to their environment. This applies to new pets and food in the home.

If you have chemicals that contain phenol, make sure that you do not use these around your cat. This chemical is often found in cleaning products such as Pine-Sol and Lysol. The smell of the chemical isn’t pleasant for your cat and prolonged exposure may cause liver problems.

TIP! Cats may be affected by the same illnesses humans get. You will probably be able to tell if your cat isn’t at 100 percent.

An indoor cat is a healthy, happy cat. Indoor cats live longer and have less illness and pests than outdoor cats. You should go outside with your cat every day to play and exercise.

TIP! It’s tempting to give your cat a bath to get them all fresh and shiny again. This definitely isn’t a fun task, so you’ll be pleased to know it generally is not necessary except in unusual circumstances.

Cats are able to smell very well and will notice changes to their environment. Sometimes this causes problems if you introduce a new food dish, bed, or scratching post. Don’t get discouraged if you find that your cat is not interested in these things right away. After your cat adjusts to the new scent, they’ll be more interested in the new object.

TIP! While you might think that a cat is the ideal holiday gift for your child, it’s simply too hectic of a time. Let your child have a hand in the choosing of their new pet by taking them to a shelter or store.

Try to feed your cat dry food as much as possible. Kittens need wet food, though. As they grow older, dry foods ensure that their teeth are strong. Try combining both dry and wet food together should you have a finicky feline.

TIP! No matter what type or breed of cat it is, they can trigger allergies in people who may not have even had allergy troubles before. If you are picking out a cat, do your best to select one that won’t ignite a storm of sneezing.

It’s important to only feed your cat the amount of food that it should have to ensure a healthy life. If your pet eats much more than it should, it may become overweight, which can lead to a number of illnesses. Keep an eye on how much your pet is eating, and be sure that their diet is balanced.

TIP! Fresh water is a must for your cat. Even though you may not think your cats drinks much water, it is essential for his health and happiness.

You should reconsider a choice of providing table scraps to your cat. Cats can’t digest many human foods, and many are even dangerous to them. You can give your cat a little treat every now and then, such as a tiny bit of egg or beef. Giving your cat the recommended amount of cat food provides a complete feline diet.

TIP! There are cats that do not want to be groomed. If this is your cat, keep in mind that you can groom them over several days.

Trips to the vet are necessary, however those bills can pile up quick. Keep money in your pocket by ordering your medicine online. Some places will even ship the medicine directly to your home. Buying frequently-used medicine this way can save you a lot of money.

TIP! If you have an old scratching post, keep it. Your cat will probably prefer an old, battered post to a shiny new one, even if you think the latter looks more attractive.

Think about your cat and how it should be strictly one that remains inside. Outdoor cats are less friendly to humans and are more likely to catch diseases. Certain of the diseases can spread to humans as well. Indoor cats love to have a sunny place to lounge and be comfortable.

TIP! If your pet cat has halitosis, be sure it’s not from a medical issue by taking them to a vet check-up. There is a chance that your cat needs his or her teeth professionally cleaned.

Successfully caring for a cat is a difficult but rewarding thing. You’ve given a good home to an animal in need. This will most certainly cause a strong bond to form, lasting even longer than the animal is alive. Take good care of your cat and cherish the time you spend together.