Cats are awesome pets, but they are also very finicky felines! When it comes to cats, you have to be aware of many things in order to properly raise it. Continue reading to learn excellent tips on properly providing for your cat.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. You may keep your cat inside, but she could still slip outside and become pregnant. Your best bet is to have your female cat spayed.
Be sure your cat gets regular checkups at the vet. Cats should go to a vet at least once each year for a check up, and more frequently for required shots. If there are obvious issues with your cat, it needs to see the vet immediately. Don’t wait!
You shouldn’t ever use products designed to be used on dogs on your cat. Cats are not the same as dogs, and products meant for dogs can make cats very ill. Flea products are a prime example. Products used for flea prevention in dogs can be very harmful to your cat. After getting the dog treated, keep the cat away for many hours.
Lessen the chances of your cat becoming harmed or killed by spraying all electric cords with something to keep them from chewing it. Bitter apple is a good choice and can be found at most pet stores. Most office stores sell a tube that you can stick all of your wires and cords through if the spray doesn’t work. Any loose cords should be bundled up and placed in things like paper towel rolls. Electronic items with tasty-looking, thin cords (video game controllers, phone chargers, and so on) should be stored securely when you’re not using them.
Often, the best cat medicine deals are found online. You can’t always get it online. But if you have to regularly buy pet medicine, you can save 50% or more on some medicines by buying online.
Consider all the options before you let your cat be an outdoors cat. The outside world is very dangerous for cats. It takes mere minutes for your cats to pick up fleas, be bitten by a tick or something far worse. Your cat may be targeted by another animal, or get injured by a vehicle or another person. Let your cat go out in your backyard and play on your lawn.
Avoid leaving a kitten alone with small children. If a child is under the age of five, you should not leave the pet alone with them. You may not have noticed a problem when you see them together, but very kids do not really understand they can accidentally harm or kill a kitten. As a kid ages, they can show maturity with handling a little pet.
Cats enjoy being in high places. A happy cat is one that has a safe living environment. If a cat tower is not ideal, a simple shelf that does not have any breakable items can work. For an additional treat, put a little bed or blanket in there, too.
If your cat dirties the space near his litter box, don’t punish them. They’re doing it because the box is too dirty, or they may be sick. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.
High quality cat food is important to your cat. Read the ingredient label, and make sure a protein from meat tops the list. Try omitting non-protein based foods such as corn from your regular diet. Cats are carnivores so it is important for them to get enough animal protein in their diet.
Many foods that are fine for humans are not good to give to your cat. Some of these foods include garlic, grapes, onions and green tomatoes. If your cat eats these things, they could become very sick. Milk is another food to stay away from.
Chemicals that have phenol in the should not be used around a cat. This type of chemical can be found in Pine-Sol, Lysol, and other types of cleaners. Not only do cats intensely dislike the smell, the chemical can also cause liver damaged if they are exposed to it for a lengthy time.
If you own a declawed cat, do not let it outdoors. Without claws, the cat cannot defend against other animals, which can lead to real issues. Indoor cats can be declawed, though. If you must declaw a cat, only do it to the front paws. A cat’s back claws are not used when scratching furniture, so those can be left.
If your cat gets hairballs often and you have been brushing her regularly, there are other things that may help. Put 1 tsp of pumpkin puree in their food. A teaspoon or so of water from a can of tuna can also be mixed in with the pumpkin. Cat food sometimes has an anti hairball formulation, which includes extra fiber in order to solve this issue.
Dry food is a good choice for your cat. When cats are young they are going to have to have wet food due to having small teeth. Hard, dry food is best for grown-up cats because it helps keep their teeth healthy and strong. Try also mixing together dry and wet food if you’ve got a picky cat.
There are cats out there that are relatively self-sufficient, and owning one can really be a breeze. Other cats demand more from an owner, though, so you need to be ready to provide the assistance they require. The tips on this article will make the job of cat care easier. The research you have done will pay off in a big way, for both you and your cat!