Cats make wonderful pets for anyone. Cat owners need to learn proper cat care and learn all that they can so that their companion can live a fulfilling and healthy life. Read this article and follow the suggestions it contains.
Make sure to keep your cat’s litter box clean at all times. Most cats do not like to use a dirty litter box, much like you would not want to use a dirty toilet. Scoop it at least once a day. Empty and give it a good cleaning once a week or more if needed.
If you have an old cat, you can help make its bed more comfortable by placing heated tiles underneath it. Use a terra cotta tile to help relieve your cat’s aches and pains; put it in the oven on low heat – 200 degrees or so – for 15 minutes. Place it in an older towel and place it underneath of the feline’s bed. Change every few hours if you like.
Your furnishings and belongings can easily be ruined by a cat’s claws. Buy a scratching post if you need to protect the furniture in your home. Redirect your cat to the scratching post when they start to go after your furniture. Catnip can be put in the posts or on the tower to help train the cat to use it. This approach takes time, but it usually works.
Protect your cat from choking. Be sure to dispose of poultry and fish bones safely. Wrap them in a paper or plastic bag and put them in your outdoor garbage can with the lid tightly secured. Alternately, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them until garbage pick up day.
Give your cats easier access to a window in order to keep your curtains from getting scratched. Putting vertical blinds up will allow the easiest access for your cat, but if you need to keep your curtains, use a lightweight rod that will fall if your cat attempts to climb the curtains. It will keep both your curtains and your cat safe.
An inexpensive rubber welcome mat helps keep cat food off your floor. This is also a great tool to keep your cat from tracking litter out of the box. Black rubber mats cost about three dollars at dollar stores. Put your cat food dish on one and your litter box on another.
Having a hard time giving your cat a bath? Try this. Take an old window screen and put it in your sink or bathtub. Put your cat in, and he will claw the screen and stay there. Then start washing, but do don’t dilly dally. Use a cup to help you to pour warm water on your cat unless you have a movable shower head.
When training a cat, take the proper approach. Encouragement works better than anger. If you are trying to teach a kitten to use a litterbox, for instance, yelling will only frighten a small cat. When the cat starts to go outside the box, gently place them in the box so they learn.
Be careful when leaving your cat with your children. Under five, the child needs to be watched. Younger children cannot fully understand how to properly handle a small pet. Once the child is older and more mature, decide if they are ready for the responsibility of handling animals.
Put the right amount of cat litter in the litter box. Some people try to get out of cleaning the box by putting too much litter in there. Cats don’t like walking on sand dunes! Two inches or so should be sufficient for the cat’s needs, and you just have to be vigilant about cleaning the box out.
It is important that you do not feed your cat too much food from the table. Cats do not digest human food the same way that your does. It can also lead to your cat becoming overweight. If your cat is carrying around too much weight, it will be hard for them to jump up on furniture and get around.
If you have more than one cat, it is a good idea for you to give them each their own food bowls. Place them far apart so that each cat has their space. If you provide just one bowl for the cats to share, it may cause larger cats to bully the smaller ones.
Carefully consider where you will locate your cats’ litter box. It’s sometimes tempting to put the box somewhere that you don’t have to smell or see it. The litter box should be somewhere that is easy for your cat to get to, however. Your cat will use the litter box if it is placed in a quiet place and away from smells your cat does not enjoy. The area around the litter box should be comfortable and warm to walk on, so make adjustments as needed.
If there is a place where your cat likes to use the bathroom other than the litter box, there is a simple way to deal with this. There are sprays formulated to be very offensive to cats. If you apply this spray in these areas, the cat will stay away from there.
Give the cat a collar with your contact information. Even a cat you plan to keep indoors can sometimes get out or get lost. Do everything possible to make sure your cat is returned safely to you in the event it gets out.
Try to be consistent with the type of cat litter and food you buy your cat. If you change up, it may cause some issues. Cats are creatures of habit, and they do not adapt well to change. If you must make some changes, it would be a good idea to do them gradually.
As you’ve read, a cat can be a wonderful companion. To make sure your cat remains happy and healthy, you must become educated on how to care for them properly. Keep these tips in mind as you take care of your cat. Your cat will show you gratitude.
