Your kitty is a big part of your family. Do everything in your power to help your cat stay away from ticks, fleas and other things. These organisms can be detrimental to your cat’s health. The advice presented below can be helpful for you as a cat owner, and possibly life-saving!

Cats like sneaking into small spaces. A collar can become a liability if your cat is especially adventurous. The advantage to a breakaway type collar is that if enough pressure is put on it, it will just let go rather than strangle the cat. Purchasing one could be the difference between whether your cat lives or dies when he gets stuck.

TIP! Prevent your cats from playing with drapery cords. These are not great play toys for cats.

When your female cat is old enough, you should have her spayed. It does not matter if you an indoor cat; if she gets out when in heat, you can end up with many kittens. Spaying the feline is really the optimal way of dealing with this.

It is not safe to use dog products for your feline friend. Some can be quite dangerous, and even deadly, when used on a cat. When it comes to flea products this is particularly true. Canine flea medications are strong and often made from a different formula than the feline version. They can cause death in cats. Keep them separated by at least one door for a few hours after treatment.

Cats can use their claws to destroy furniture and other parts of the house. If you have a cat that is wreaking havoc, buy a scratching post. Teach your cat to scratch this instead of the legs of a couch or sofa. It might not happen overnight, but the problem should eventually stop.

TIP! Take your cat in for regular vet exams. Your cat should receive shots regularly to prevent health issues.

Feeding your male cat the proper food can help prevent crystals from forming in his urine. Just like kidney stones, these crystals are painful and vet bills are pricey. Choose a low magnesium food. Look over the label. Fish usually has more magnesium than poultry.

Think over whether or not you should let your cat go outdoors. This could be harmful and unsafe. It takes mere minutes for your cats to pick up fleas, be bitten by a tick or something far worse. Cats can be harmed by cars, people and other animals. If the cat must go outside, set aside a small part of the backyard or front lawn as a place where they can go.

Make sure you are cautious about leaving a young child alone with a small kitten. Up until your child is five, children shouldn’t be alone with your pet. Their immaturity prevents them from understanding how easily they could hurt the kitten. As children get older, decide when they show the maturity to handle a small pet.

TIP! Regular visits to the vet will preserve your cat’s health. Cats need routine shots and wellness checks just like people.

If you’re having an issue with your cat, try to get some input from other cat owners. Although you may want to go it alone, it can be helpful to seek advice from other people that have experience owning cats. Your vet is a great source of advice, or you can find forums on the Internet to connect with other cat owners.

Litter Box

Cats do not need to be taught how they should use the cat litter box. This is a natural instinct that cannot be taught. Some cat owners believe they should expose their cat to the litter box and rub its paws into the litter; however, this may actually have the opposite effect and make your cat scared of it.

TIP! Cats are partially nocturnal. This means nighttime is an active time for your cat.

Rotate the variety of food you feed your cat. If they eat the same food all the time without changing it, that may be the only one they’ll eat later on.

Provide your cat with canned food rather than dry. Dry food is less expensive, but canned food provides more benefits. Your cat can get more water, fat and protein from canned food. For older cats, canned food chew easier. Ask your vet for more info, bun in general, canned food is much better for a number of reasons.

You should give your cat at least three weeks to grow used to the presence of a new animal. They may seem like they’re fighting all the time. Give them a bit more time to begin to get used to each other face to face, too.

TIP! Pick the right location for your cat’s litter box. Put the litter box in a secluded area, and make sure that it is not near the cat’s food.

Cats, like many other pets, are susceptible to different parasites. A parasitic problem will not fix itself. Prevention is often the key to successful treatment. Follow these guidelines, and everyone is sure to benefit.