Like humans, cats require many things, even a proper diet. With poor nutrition, your pet can become bloated and malnourished. Read on for more tips on caring for your cat.
Properly groom your cat. You should comb and/or brush them on a regular basis. This will help them maintain a clean and healthy coat. This will also cut down on shedding and can reduce issues with hairballs. Grooming a cat properly will improve the appearance of your home and cat.
You should be bringing your cat to their vet for a check-up regularly. Your cat should receive shots regularly to prevent health issues. Try using one veterinarian consistently. This ensures that your vet knows your cat’s medical history.
Your home likely has no small spaces a curious cat won’t want to investigate. Cats that wear collars are at risk should they become stuck somewhere cramped. A breakaway collar let’s go if pulled on tightly. This can save all “nine” of your cat’s lives.
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. The tag should contain your name and number for contact purposes.
Avoid letting your cat get bored. Cats should have a lot of exercise and playtime. Sadly, many cat owners do not understand the importance of this. Bored cats tend to develop emotional and mental disorders that may negatively impact their health. Give them toys and things to do. Indoor cats will be happier if you provide them with climbing resources and practical things such as scratching posts.
Cats can spend hours keeping themselves and their fur clean. In long-haired cats, hairballs can result from excess grooming. There is a special food on the market that does help out with hairball issues. Certain cat foods are formulated to lower the amount of hairballs.
Avoid bladder crystals and stones by feeding high quality food. Just like kidney stones, these crystals are painful and vet bills are pricey. Your cat’s food should be low in magnesium. Go over the label carefully. Poultry-based foods are generally lower in magnesium than fish.
If you take your cat with you when you travel, be mindful of their ears. You may enjoy it, but it could be hurting your cat’s ears. Therefore, keep your music or other sounds at an acceptable level.
Keep smaller children away from pets as they are typically too aggressive. Show your kids the proper way to handle cats. Spend some time showing them how to lift a cat and how they can interact with the cat. Cats have weaker bones than dogs do, and must be treated accordingly.
When you get a cat for your kids, make sure your kids know the rules in advance. Let your kids know where the cat can go. If you’re planning to have an indoor cat, explain to your children that the cat is not allowed to be outside. By making the rules well known to your children, your children will understand what is and is not allowed.
Do you own both a dog and a cat? Understand that dogs will usually eat cat’s food if they can. You should create a feeding space for the cat that is much too high for a dog to get to. This will also prevent squabbles between them.
Make sure to give your cats different types of food so that they aren’t as finicky. By giving them one kind of food all the time, it will be all they want to eat.
Consider getting your cat a fountain to drink from. When cats are in the wild they tend to prefer water that is running when they are thirsty, this applies to cats at home. Cats generally respond better to a stream of water. Running sink water is another alternative that you can use. Fountains keep the water cool and clean.
Litter Box
Take notice if and when your cat ever stops conducting their business in their litter box. Health problems may be causing your cat to urinate in places other than their litter box. Kidney or bladder infections may be the reason. Be sure to go see your vet if your cat stops using its box.
Let your cat give birth in a large space. Labor can last as long as four hours, so stay patient. If more than five or six hours have passed, and you think that kittens still remain inside, then you must get in touch with your vet.
Dogs will show a lot of enthusiasm through their tail when their owner comes back home. Cats move their tails for a very different reason. A cat wags its tail when it is upset. It’s especially important to keep an eye on your cat’s tail when you’re holding it. If you see it start to move, it’s time to put your pet down before you wind up getting scratched!
To the greatest extent possible, you’ll want to keep your cat close to you and your house. 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. Exercising every day with the owner doesn’t come with the risks of disease or attack that other cats face roaming the wild.
Don’t send a declawed cat outdoors for long periods of time. Without claws, the cat cannot defend against other animals, which can lead to real issues. Indoor cats are the only ones that should ever be declawed. Only take out the front claws. Don’t take the back claws as cats need them to stay balanced.
Your cat needs a healthy diet. Eating a poor diet can really harm a cat. Do what is best for your cat by giving them the right care.