Are you a cat owner? If this happens to be you, then you already recognize how great they are. Cats are finicky creatures who need lots of love and excellent care. You are well-situated to provide for the many needs of your cat. This article will discuss some great cat care ideas.
If you want to add a cat to your family, go to the shelter first to see what is available. Shelters have a lot of cats in them and you can get one adopted for a small fee. When a cat is adopted from an animal shelter it saves its life and it helps control the cat population.
Spay your cat as soon as she is old enough. Even though your cat stays indoors all the time, there might be that one time she slips through the door when she goes into heat, which results in a litter of unexpected kittens. Spray your cat so that this does not occur.
Dog Products
Do not use dog products on your cat. They can have very strong and possibly negative reactions to dog products. This is especially true of flea products. Products used for flea prevention in dogs can be very harmful to your cat. If you own a dog, and they’ve been given a flea treatment, you should separate them from your cat for a few hours.
If your cat is outdoors, it needs to have a tagged collar. Cats can go far from home and without a tag they could become lost forever. At least put your phone number and pets name on the tag.
Deter cats from shocking themselves on electrical wires by spraying them with bitter apple. If your cat plays with cords, put them up and out of the way, or you can hide them in old paper towel rolls. Use paper towel or wrapping paper rolls to bundle up cords. If you have electrical cords laying out that are not being used, put them away as cats can play with them and then move on to live electrical cords.
Cats can use their claws to destroy furniture and other parts of the house. If your cat is ripping up and shredding your home, invest in a kitty tower or scratching post. Encourage them to scratch that instead. Be patient, it might take some time for your cat to learn to use the post or tower.
You may want to have a microchip implanted in your cat. Even indoor cats may get out of your home at some point. A collar and identification tags can help bring your pet back to you. But experts point out that collars that do not snap apart quickly if your cat gets it caught on a branch or even a bush can accidentally strangle your cat. Microchips are extremely small, but they can hold all the same information as an identification tag. Most shelters and veterinarians can scan your pet to read the information on the chip, and the chip cannot be lost since it is beneath the skin.
Cats are known for spending inordinate amounts of time grooming themselves. If your cat has hair that’s long it could get hairballs. There is a special food on the market that does help out with hairball issues. Some food are produced specifically for hairball reduction, which will help.
Some male cats get urinary crystals, but this is preventable with proper diet. This problem is painful for the cat and to your wallet, as well. To stop this from happening, make sure your cat’s food doesn’t have much magnesium in it. This means you should pay attention to labels on food. Fish is often high in magnesium compared to chicken.
Cats are great family pets, but small children might be too rough. Always train your child the proper way to handle a pet. Demonstrate how the cat should be petted and handled and encourage your children to be very gentle. Cat’s bones aren’t quite as strong as dogs, so they must be treated gingerly.
If your thinking about allowing your cat to go outside, you may want to reconsider. This can be very unsafe for your cat. Your cat may pick up some fleas, or worse. It can also be potentially hurt by cars, people or other animals. Let your cat go out in your backyard and play on your lawn.
Although cats can be difficult, they are very sweet creatures that need love. WIth the tips here, you are more ready than ever to care for your cat. Try these steps to help your cat live its best life. Love your cat, and in return, it will love you.
