Poet T.S. Eliot once made a quote about cats. Eliot said that a household will depend upon a cat. A cat that is healthy and well mannered can be a great addition to any home. If you’ve spent any amount of time browsing the Internet, you probably know that cats aren’t always that agreeable. Here are some tips on how you and your pet can better co-exist.
Don’t let your cats play with drape cords. Cats should not be allowed to play with these cords, as they can get parts of their body stuck in the cord loops. This could seriously injure or even kill them. To stop this from happening, pin your drapes and hide them out of sight.
Be sure to have your pet cat spayed or neutered by the time it is six months old. A spayed or neutered cat is a more satisfactory pet because it is calmer, quieter and more likely to stay home. Neutered male cats do not spray urine to mark their territory. This is definitely a plus when it comes to cat ownership.
Good grooming is important for cats. Cats should have regular combings. If this is done frequently, your cat’s coat will be much cleaner. This will also reduce things like shedding and hairballs because it keeps them from having extra hair. Regularly grooming keeps cats looking well and keeps your home neater.
Keep a clean litter box. Like you, a cat will generally not use a bathroom that is filthy. Find a quiet area out of the way that the box can stay in, and don’t move it unless absolutely necessary. Scoop solids out a couple time of day. Make sure to dump the whole box, wash it with a gentle detergent, and refill it once a week.
Ensure that your cat goes to the vet often so that they are healthy. A yearly visit for a regular check-up is important, with more frequent visits for shots as required. If you notice that your cat appears to be experiencing some sort of illness or injury, do not delay a trip to the vet.
Clip your cats nails regularly. Cats do have to scratch. However, when cats scratch, their nail sheaths come off and their sharp, pointy claws are exposed. Clipping your cat’s claws every two to three weeks keeps them blunt and helps keep harm to furniture, humans, and other pets to a minimum.
If you don’t want your cat to scratch up furniture, try filling a small spray bottle with water and spritzing your cat whenever he tries. Cats generally avoid water altogether for reasons no one is sure about, so he will not like this. Eventually he will stop scratching to avoid getting sprayed.
Be careful as small kids may treat kittens too roughly. Make sure that you teach your children the proper way to handle a kitten or cat. You should show them everything from how to properly carry the cat to the best ways to play with it. Cats have weaker bones than dogs so should be treated carefully.
Cats can really be so much more than pets, they can be lifelong companions. It has been proven that cats can decrease your blood pressure, lessen the symptoms of depression and help you to live a longer happier life. If you feel like something is missing in your life, you might just need a cat.
Brush your cat regularly. It helps with blood flow, and it also moves the natural oils around in the fur. It will also remove loose hair. Loose hair causes hairballs, a common problem for cats. The hair enters the pet’s stomach and they later cough it up.
If you live in an area that is populated by wild animals, such as coyote and fox, you may need to make you cat an indoor cat. Wild animals pose a real threat to cats, and to avoid the loss of a beloved pet, it is sometimes best to keep them indoors for the course of their lives.
Most cats are prone to wax build up and ear mites. You can purchase a solution at the pet store that will clean out your cats ears. You put a couple drops in each of your cats ears and then hold them closed while massaging them for a minute. When you let go, stand back or you will get covered in the liquid when your cat shakes its head.
Pay attention to your cat’s litter box habits. If it stops using the box, medical problems could be to blame. This could be a side effect of a health problem. Issues like a kidney infection are often behind such behaviors. If your cat stops using the litter box suddenly, get him to a vet for a visit.
It is a misconception that cats should drink milk or cream after they are weaned. Once a kitten is weaned from its mother’s milk, it no longer needs milk of any kind. In fact, milk or cream can cause digestive problems when given to an adult cat. So, to be on the safe side, skip the milk, and offer your pets lots of clean water instead.
It’s not easy to be a cat owner sometimes, but is is very rewarding. No matter what type of cat you have, these tips will assist you in a more positive experience with your pet. If you have a happy cat, you will probably be happy too!
