Although cats can be great pets, they can be quite expensive to take care of. Food, medical expenses, litter and toys can really add up. These tips will help you own a cat without spending a fortune.
Cats need a certain amount of grooming to stay healthy and presentable. Brushing is a very important component towards taking care of your cat. If you do this frequently you’ll be able to help the cat have clean fur. Also, this can eliminate the constant shedding that you will deal with. In order to keep shed hair down to a minimum, plus have a beautiful cat, you must groom your cat regularly.
Cats can get into even the tiniest of spaces. A collar can become a liability if your cat is especially adventurous. Collars designed to release when sufficient force is applied (“breakaway” collars) are a great idea. This can make the difference in whether your cat have nine lives or only a couple of them.
If you have an old cat, you can help make its bed more comfortable by placing heated tiles underneath it. Place a tile made of terra cotta or a similar material in an oven heated to 200 degrees for around 15 to 20 minutes. Then, wrap this up into a towel and place it underneath your cat’s bed. If you want, you can change it for a newly warmed tile a few hours later.
If your kitty is a female, make sure to plan a spaying once she is of age to breed. Whether or not she typically goes outside, she may escape while in heat and you might have kittens! If your cat has been spayed, however, you won’t have to worry about this happening.
The claws of a cat can really destroy parts of your house and furniture. If you find your cat shredding your furniture, consider purchasing a scratching post or cat tower. Put cat nip on it to attract them to it. It may take some time, but will be worth the effort and expense.
Cats sometimes will spend hours grooming themselves to perfection. Hairballs are very common for long-haired cats. There are special foods you can buy to try to help with this particular problem. There are foods on the market for cats that specifically deal with the hairball problems and are good for the cat.
Try figuring out why the cat is purring. When your cat is a member of the family, their sounds start to become familiar to you. This makes it easy to determine what various meows might mean. Your cat might need food or might want to go out. Getting to know your cats cues will help you to interpret her meows.
Understand that cats enjoy being elevated. Designating a high-up area where your cat can hang out and watch everything from will help him to feel comfortable. If you don’t wish to have a big cat tree inside your house, try a sturdy shelf made of breakables. The cat will especially enjoy it if you put a blanket on top.
Cat Owners
Speak with other cat owners about any issues you may be having. Although you might want to attempt to handle the problem yourself, other cat owners can provide you with excellent advice that may help you to resolve it. There are online cat forums that allow you to ask questions as well.
Cats may make a small mess outside their litter box. It might be happening because you aren’t caring for the box good enough. Punishing your cat will make it afraid of being close to you.
Get your cat accustomed to a carrier. Dogs and cats will respond differently to punishment. Encouragement is a much better strategy. Put a favorite blanket and toy in the carrier and leave it open somewhere the cat frequents. Sooner or later, your cat will try out the appealing space and learn to be comfortable in it. This makes transporting much easier.
Keep a breakaway collar and tag on your cat. Even if yours is an indoor cat, this is still an important safety measure. An adventurous cat can easily slip through an open door or window. You should use a tag with your contact information and the address of your veterinarian. This is particularly important if you have a cat with medical needs.
If you are thinking about adding another cat to your home, you need to set aside a couple of weeks where you let the animals get used to being around each other. They may be leery of each other at first and fight. Over time, though, they will learn to tolerate each other and eventually form a close bond.
If your cat will not use the litter box, try placing it at a different spot in your home. Cat’s sometimes just don’t like the location you’ve picked for the box. A basement or laundry area might be a good option.
Dogs let you know when they are excited and/or happy when they wag their tails. Cats move their tails for a very different reason. Tail-wagging in cats tends to suggest conflict or anxiety. If kitty starts wagging his tail while you’re holding him, it’s best to put him down so you don’t get scratched.
Cats are one of many pets that are pricy to care for. There’s so much that you have to do for them that it’s almost like taking care of a child. The information here should have helped you see that you can lessen costs, but still give you the ability to give your cat tip top care.