Cats are one of the leading choices for family pets in America. Their popularity isn’t there for no reason at all, people love to raise cats and enjoy the experience associated with owning a feline. You are probably ready for a cat yourself, but you shouldn’t rush out and adopt one without reading these tips first.
When looking for a new cat for your home, contact a local animal shelter. Shelters usually have many cats who need a home, and the fees typically include their shots and spaying or neutering. By choosing a cat from an animal shelter, you can do your part to help with overpopulation. Also, you become a lifesaver!
For a healthier, happier cat choose plain litter over scented litter. Cats like nice, clean, clumping cat litter. Scoop your cats litter box daily and change it completely every three days or so. When you change the box, wash it out with water and dish soap. Don’t waste your money on liners as cats tend to destroy them.
A lot of cat owners have a hard time keeping their cats off the counter. Cats enjoy going into high places so that they can see what’s going on around the house. To help prevent your cat from doing this, you can establish tall places specifically for your cat. Placing a cat tower near the kitchen will help the cats to not lay on the counter.
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.
It is important to only feed your kitten food specifically made for kittens. Kitten food contains more fat and protein to help keep your growing cats body healthy. Adult cat food is leaner and is not specially formulated the same way as the kitten food. Your kitten will grow really fast in a short time-frame, so it is important that they eat right.
Use your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.
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.
If you have more than one cat, you should have as many litter boxes as you have cats. If too many cats have to share the same litter box, it can mean disaster! The cats may choose not to share their eliminating space, instead, using other areas, such as clean laundry or hidden corners of the home to do their business.
To help avoid a finicky cat, feed your cat different brands of cat food. Cats who eat the same food day after day either grow tired of it, or it becomes the only food that they will eat.
Keep track of your feline friend by having the animal microchipped. This small device is implanted beneath the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades. Microchip implantation may sting for a few seconds, but the implant is otherwise unnoticeable and will not cause your pet any discomfort. This chip makes it easier for animal control to locate your cat if it goes missing.
If you plan to add a second cat to your household, be sure to allow two to three weeks for your resident cat and the new cat to get used to each other. They may fight with each other initially. Eventually they will grow accustomed to it and start tolerating or even enjoying each other’s company.
When your cat first gives birth to her kittens, resist the urge to pick them up. This is a crucial time for kittens to bond with their mother and learn some basics, so leave them alone. You should be able to have more interaction with the kittens after about a week.
Your cat will thrive if allowed to say indoors. Indoor kitties typically live longer than the outdoor variety. Daily exercise with you doesn’t need to create risks for other cat attacks or diseases from the wild.
If your cat has a problem with frequent hairballs, he may end up with digestive problems, retching and vomiting. The best way to avoid hairballs is to keep your cat well-groomed, brushing him daily to remove loose hair. Less hair means less hairballs. Another benefit of frequent brushing is that is great for bonding with your cat. Most cats love to be brushed and groomed.
If you have a cat that goes outdoors, consider having him micro chipped. A micro chip will help someone to locate you if they ever find your pet. This is especially important if your pet lands in a shelter, as shelters give pets a limited time if they cannot locate the owner easily.
Put a collar with tags on your cat at all times. Cats are intelligent creatures and will use any opportunity to wander outside. By having a tag collar on your cat, it will be easier for others to find your cat and return it to you in case it gets lost.
Try to keep your cat away from the tree during the Christmas season. Cats will get curious and climb your tree, which could cause major problems. To be safe, keep cats away from the holiday tree and make sure there are no ornaments or decor that can result in digestive problems for them.
This is only enough to help you get started with raising your new kittens. From here forward, you will need to seek advice from your friends, family, and other proud parents. The internet is also a great source of feline facts that come from every source and every walk of life.
