Cats are interesting, unique and make for a family member to share your home with. They’re perfect for people who are very busy. You can improve the quality and quantity of your cat’s years by following the guidelines below.

Contact local shelters if you want to adopt a cat. Many shelters are overcrowded with lovable and adoptable cats. When you adopt a cat from a shelter, you save a life and help keep the cat population under control.

Flea Products

Do not use dog products on your cat. Cats have very strong, negative reactions to products formulated for dogs. Flea products for dogs are one of the worst products to give a cat. Flea products meant for dogs can seriously harm or kill a cat. If your dog has been treated for fleas, keep him away from your cat for at least three hours.

Generally, cats love to stay on the counter. A cat will naturally want to be high enough to view everything around them. You can get your cat to quit doing this if you make areas that it can climb up to. If you don’t want your cats to jump on your counters, you can put a cat condo in or around the kitchen.

TIP! Taking your cat to the vet is part of being a responsible pet owner. Cats need routine shots and wellness checks just like people.

Keep your cat away from boredom. Every cat needs exercise time and play! But, too many cat owners fail to realize this. Bored cats can really be a problem. They can have health issues, OCD, and even depression. Give them toys they can play with, play with them yourself, or at the least give them room to exercise. Indoor cats will appreciate having a structure they can climb on or a dedicated scratching post.

There needs to be set boundaries with your children and a new kitty. You can then teach your kids which areas your cat can go into. If your cat is going to be one that stays inside, let the kids know that it’s not allowed outside. Knowing the rules ahead will help your child understand.

Brush your pet often. This will help stimulate blood flow. It can help decrease the amount of loose hair as well. Avoid the choking that can be a result of hairballs which slowly build up as your cat grooms himself.

TIP! If you have an outside cat, you need to give it a collar and some identification tags. Cats love to roam, so you need to give someone who finds your cat a way to contact you.

If your cat or kitten begins to urinate frequently or in places other than his litter box, a trip to the vet may be in order. This sort of behavior is common among cats with UTIs and other health problems. A course of antibiotics often does the trick.

Litter Box

Make sure you put your catbox in the optimal location. It is temping to put it someplace where the odor will not be noticed. It is important to locate the litter box where your cat can easily get to it. It has to be a quiet area with little traffic. If the litter box is kept on a cement floor, then place a rug or mat underneath it.

TIP! Prevent your cat from chewing on electrical cords by spraying bitter apple on them. You can also cover your cords under a rug or tape them to walls.

Keep your cat healthy, and ensure him a longer life, by keeping him up-to-date on his vaccinations and health check-ups. Not unlike kids, kittens require vaccinations and check ups every so often so that they do not get sick. Your cat will be a part of your home and that means it should be treated as good as you would treat a family member.

Confine a sanitary area of the house for your cat to give birth. Labor can last as long as four hours, so stay patient. You should take your cat to the vet if deliveries lasts for more than five or six hours.

When dogs are excited or happy, they will wag their tails when they see their owners. Cats wag their tails, but definitely not for the same reason. Tail-wagging in cats tends to suggest conflict or anxiety. If your cat wags his tail while you’re holding him, putting him down keeps you safe.

TIP! It may prove quite a challenge to make your cat stay off counter tops. Cats instinctively want to be at a high vantage point so they can survey their surroundings.

Don’t give a cat medicine that is intended for humans. If your cat has any health problems, you should take them to the vet and administer whatever he provides. When you make the mistake of giving any type of human medication to your cat, it can kill them or cause them some other type of grave medical misfortune.

Are hairballs posing a serious problem for your cat, and additional brushing does not help to reduce them? Adding in just 1 teaspoon of pumpkin mixed in with their food bowl can help with prevention. You can also mix one teaspoon of tuna water in with the pumpkin. Find a cat food with some extra fibers or another anti-hairball ingredient to get rid of this problem.

It’s good to keep your cat well fed, but overfeeding can cause a number of health problems. If your cat eats too much, it may end up being overweight and have health issues. Don’t overfeed your cat and ensure that his diet is healthy.

TIP! Never let your cat experience frequent boredom. Cats need play and exercise like other pets.

Cats get some illnesses that we do. Your cat lives in your household so you are more aware that it is not feeling well than anyone else. If you notice something, seek the advice of your veterinarian. That way the vet can rule out other more serious conditions.

Since cats can catch many diseases outside, such as rabies or fungal infections, plan on keeping your pet cat inside. These things may happen to an indoor cat, but they will more likely happen to a cat who lives most of his life outside.

A fun, intelligent and loving cat is a great pet for your family. You need to learn more on how you can take care of a cat before you decide to adopt one. Remember the included information and you can be the best cat owner imaginable. This lets your cat be happy for a long time.