Cats make great animal friends, but they’re not exactly maintenance-free. After paying for shots, toys, cat food, litter and grooming, you may feel like reconsidering your choice to own a cat. Here are a few ways that you can still keep your cat and save money while caring for them.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. Even if your cat is an indoor cat, if she escapes while she is in heat you might end up with a lot of kittens on your hands. Spaying the feline is really the optimal way of dealing with this.
Never use any product intended for dogs on a cat. Cats usually react negatively to items made especially for dogs. When it comes to flea products this is particularly true. Products used for flea prevention in dogs can be very harmful to your cat. You need to separate your pets when you treat them for fleas.
Cats Love
Cats love to play on kitchen counters, and it can be hard to break them of the habit. Cats love being up high so that they can see. You may mitigate the problem by providing designated heights for them to use. A cat tower near your kitchen can give them a place to watch you that is out of the way.
Pick the right location for your cat’s litter box. Never put the box near your cat’s food, and pick a quiet place away from areas that are heavily used. Choose an area that is well-ventilated to avoid bad smells. Not only will your cat appreciate it but you will too.
Be very careful about allowing children to be alone with a kitten. Younger children, especially under 5, cannot be left alone with your cat. Most of them simply aren’t mature enough to grasp the concept of danger to themselves or the animal. When your children age, you will realize when they’re able to deal with a pet.
Cats love to be high up. A cat will only be happy if you give it a safe spot to look over everything. If you do not want cats making a mess in your house, remove breakable items from your shelves. For an additional treat, put a little bed or blanket in there, too.
Use a brush on your cat regularly. Brushing improves the circulation of your cat and helps spread natural oils in the fur. It also gets rid of shedding hair. Doing so reduces the occurrence of hairballs, which are a choking risk. It also benefits the cat’s stomach by reducing the animal’s need to clean itself.
Never punish the cat if he or she causes a mess outside the litter box. If this happens, it may be because you have not kept the box as clean as you should. It isn’t fair to punish a cat for wanting a clean area to do its business, and you don’t want to make the cat wary of you.
If you are considering a long-haired cat breed then you should also consider the extra maintenance required. The hair looks good, except when it’s all over your furniture. These breeds are best left to those with the time and energy to do a lot of cleaning. Be prepared to deal with hairballs, which are a problem for long-haired cats.
It’s difficult to deny that owning any type of pet comes with costs and conundrums. You should care for your pet like you would care for a child. Clearly, it really is possible to economize without sacrificing your cat’s care.