What You Should Know To Care For Your Cat

There are some unexpected obstacles that you first buy a cat. Never take on a pet unless you plan in advance.

Local rescue organizations are a great place to look for a new pet cat. Shelters are overflowing with wonderful cats, and the adoption fee usually covers essential vet care. Besides, adopting a cat from an animal shelter means you are saving this cat’s life.

TIP! Your home likely has no small spaces a curious cat won’t want to investigate. If they have a collar on, this can be dangerous.

Check your shelter before you purchase a cat. Shelters have plenty of cats and you can get one adopted for a small fee. Adopting from a pet shelter benefits the cat this way helps to save their life and cut down on unwanted animal births.

Cats like to get into even the tiniest of spaces. A breakaway collar will literally “break away” if pulled too tightly. This can save a couple of your cat’s lives.

Regular vet visits are very important for your cat’s health. They should have regular check ups annually, and more appointments should be made if they need to get important shots. Cats need to see a vet right away if they have health issues, injuries or conditions that require immediate attention.

TIP! Never use a product on your cat that is intended for dogs. It is possible that a dog’s product could cause a serious adverse effect on a cat.

Be sure your cat has regular vet visits. Cats need routine annual check-ups and wellness checks just like people.Cats should see a vet right away if they are having any health problems or injuries needing treatment occur.

Don’t let your cat to get frequently bored. Cats need play and play. Bored cats tend to develop emotional and other harmful health conditions. Give them room to play and a wide selections of toys. Indoor cats will appreciate having a structure they can climb on or a dedicated scratching posts.

Spray electrical cords with some bitter apple to prevent cats from getting electrocuted. If this does not work, make sure you cover the cords. You can take loose cords, bundle them up, and stick them inside the tube from an old roll of paper towels. 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.

Be sure to show your cat lots of love. Cats need just as much companionship they offer to humans. They also like a big member of the family.

Avoid bladder crystals in his system that will come out in his urine by feeding a high quality diet. Passing these crystals is painful and can cost you a ton in vet bills if they don’t come out naturally. Choose a low magnesium content. Be sure that you read the ingredient label.Fish products are usually higher in magnesium than poultry products.

Cats love to be clean. In long-haired cats, hairballs can result from excess grooming. There are foods which help combat this problem. Some cat foods are specially formulated to help reduce hairballs, which is good for both you and your pet.

TIP! Look online for cat medicine. In some cases you may not be able to buy online, in the case of emergencies, for instance.

Try to figure out the cause if you find your cat meows. After living with your cat for long, you’ll start to recognize what some of the noises your cats makes mean. When you pay attention to the cat’s actions and cues, you can improve your relationship.

If you raise your kitten with the same food for their entire life, it will be the only thing that they are able to eat later on down the road.

While cats are good pets for children generally, smaller children may treat them too roughly. Teach your kids how to treat a cat. Teach them about appropriate activities and how to gentle pick up the cat. The bones of a cat are weaker than a dogs, therefore, they should be handled with care.

Cats are carnivores and their diet.

Your cat should always wear a collar. Even a cat you plan on always staying indoors should have this. Cats can be very curious and an open door or window is likely to be explored. This is very important especially if your pet is likely to get lost or has some medical needs.

Do you happen to own both a dog and a cat? Most dogs will not hesitate before munching on your cat’s food. This is why it’s important that the cat’s feeding area is in a spot that’s too high for a dog to get to. This will prevent the two from fighting over the water when the food dishes are empty.

It’s important for your cat to get play time.Make sure you have playtime with your cat whenever you can!

If a cat is about to give birth, make sure to give her lots of room to birth in. It can take several hours for the process to unfold and all kittens to be born, so be patient. If the time has surpassed six hours and your cat is not finished, you need to get her to the vet right away.

Never try to teach a cat to use a litter box. Cats instinctively understand what to do and teaching is not required. You may have heard that rubbing your cat;s paws in litter will help them learn, but that may have a traumatizing effect.

TIP! Splurge on your cat’s food. Check out the ingredients, and make sure it includes protein, such as meat, as the first item in the list.

Try moving your cat’s litter box somewhere else if the cat won’t use it. A cat’s instinct tells him that eliminating puts him in a vulnerable state, so you should make sure the box is in a calm, quiet area of the house.

Your cat should be kept inside whenever it can be near your home. Cats trained to live inside for most of outside live longer according to certain studies.

Make sure your cat has routine check ups and vaccinations to ensure longevity and good health. Kittens need proper medical care just like young children, and its best to bring them in every so often for health checks to ensure nothing terrible is going on. Treat your cat as if it were a member of the family.

TIP! If your cat has been declawed, outdoors should be off-limits. The cat is defenseless against other animals, which may lead to injury or possibly death.

Don’t let a declawed cat that’s had its claws removed go outside. The cat will have difficulty playing with other animals and may get it hurt or killed. Indoor cats are the only ones that needs to be declawed. Even with that, only remove the front claws when you do so. The back claws should remain as they will not scratch your furniture or floors.

You should never let your cat with something that was meant for humans. If they have health issues, you need to take him to the vet to get proper treatment. Giving your pet medication that was meant for humans is very dangerous and could even kill them.

There are some options for a cat with hairballs. Mix in a few pinches of pumpkin into your cat’s food. You might even want to try to add a teaspoon of tuna water mixed together with the pumpkin to see if that helps. Cat food sometimes has an anti hairball formulation, which includes extra fiber in order to solve this issue.

TIP! Use sticky tape to protect your furniture. This style tape will really make your cat stop scratching the furniture.

The above advice is helpful for cats of all ages and breeds. These tips are the basics concerning cat care, and individual circumstances will apply. More important than anything else is to enjoy every precious moment with you new little kitten.