Cats are mysterious animals. As independent as your cat may seem, he or she probably enjoys your company. Cats are confusing, but a purring cat can be very comforting. The following are terrific tips for keeping a happy cat.
If you have a male cat, it is important to have him neutered before he goes into heat. When male cats start maturing, they will begin to spray around the house. It smells like ammonia and is hard to remove. Having your male cat neutered can help to prevent this from happening.
When you move your cat from one house to another, be sure to move the cat last. Set up a quiet room with familiar items for the cat. Keep your cat in the room and quiet for a day or two. Visit and feed the cat in the room. After a couple of days, the cat can explore the rest of the house.
Make your own enclosed litter box from a large tote box with a lid. Use a coffee can lid as a pattern to cut a door in one side of the tote. Place the coffee can lid fairly high up on the side of the tote. Trace around it with a permanent marker. Cut out the circle with tin snips or a box cutter. Add litter. Put on the lid.
Use short words when you want to express displeasure with your cat. A short ‘no’ will be remembered, even if not always followed. A lot of people think that cats don’t listen to anything, but short word commands are certainly understood by cats, and they will respond to those commands if you are consistent with them.
A tablecloth for the feeding area can be quite useful. Certain cats prefer removing their food from their bowl and putting it on the side to eat it. This can lead to a big clean-up. You can get a pet mat or use a piece of old fabric to put under it for easy cleanup.
While children should help with the care and responsibilities of a cat, leave the litterbox duties to the grownups or older children. A cat’s litterbox can carry diseases and parasites. Since younger children may not follow proper handwashing procedures, this job is better left to those older and more responsible.
Do you have both a cat and dog? Dogs will eat a cat’s food any time they’re given the chance. Because of this, you should keep your cat’s food in a high spot that your dog won’t be able to reach. Doing this will also help you avoid fights over the water bowl.
Brush your pet often. This can help spread their fur’s natural oils around and stimulate blood flow to their skin. It also gets rid of shedding hair. This helps prevent hairballs, which can lead to choking and other health issues.
Make sure your cats always have identification tags on. This is essential, even for indoor pets. Cats are curious creatures and an open door or window is likely to be explored. The tag should have your name and address and also your vet’s. This is very critical if your feline has specific medical issues.
You should keep wet cat food in the refrigerator after it has been opened. Bring it to room temperature before serving it to your cat, because it will smell more enticing to them and be less likely to cause an upset stomach. If you like, place it in the microwave for a bit to warm it up.
Do not leave wet cat food in the bowl for longer than twenty minutes after your cat is done eating it. After you see your kitten is done for the time being, throw out the rest of the food and make sure to wash their bowl thoroughly with light soap and water.
When your cat starts urinating often or in odd places, it may be time to see the vet. This sort of behavior is common among cats with UTIs and other health problems. Take the cat to the vet if it stops using the litter-box and let the vet diagnose the problem.
Sometime a second cat will calm a single destructive cat. This seems counter-intuitive, asking for twice the destruction, but a second cat can give them both something to do. Introduce them slowly and expect some initial squabbles. After a while, though, the cats will usually get along and the destructive behavior will subside.
There is no need to bathe a cat since they are able to do most of their cleaning by themselves. The only way that you should bathe a cat is if there is something on their coat that has not come off for a good length of time, like oil and chemicals.
Never use chemicals that have phenol in it near your cat. This chemical is present in many household cleaners, such as Pine-Sol and Lysol. Cats hate the smell of phenol and continuously exposing them to it could cause liver problems later in their lives.
Protect your cat and your kid by demonstrating the proper way to show affection for the animal. Few things are more appealing to children than the sight of a soft, fluffy cat, and they might be tempted to hug or squeeze the animal. Instead, teach your child to allow the animal to come to you rather than pursuing it. Tell them to use a light touch and avoid making direct eye contact with the cat
Cats aren’t simple creatures, but they are great friends once you get to know them. The tips here will help you keep them that way. Anyone can benefit from having a cat and when properly cared for, a cat can be someone’s best friend.
