Cats are fantastic pets, but they may be very finicky. Some need special diets, and that is only the beginning. The information below will help you raise a happy and healthy feline friend.
Keep your cat occupied by making your own dangly toys. Using soft cotton rope, cut a length of about two feet. Tie a knot at one end. Tie another knot about three inches from the opposite end. Unravel the rope below this knot. Attach the rope to the back of a kitchen chair for your cat to play.
Avoid being kept awake by your cat romping through the house at night. When you first get your kitten, establish a habit of putting it to bed in a comfortable crate with a nice bed, litter box, food and water at night. If you start this early, your cat will appreciate having its own safe, cozy room.
Realize that cats do not normally pant. Dogs pant to keep cool. If a cat pants, it’s a sign of trouble. Your cat could be very anxious or in pain. Likewise, rapid breathing is a sign of pain or anxiety. Be sure to contact your vet right away if your cat starts panting.
Make sure to keep chemicals and dangerous substances away from your cat. Chemicals like antifreeze have a sweet taste. This encourages the cat to drink it, most often resulting in fatal consequences. Keeping your chemicals locked up in a cabinet will help to ensure that your curious cat does not end up ingesting poison.
Is your cat constantly munching on your house plants? If so there is a fix for this. Growing oat grass or catnip yourself can help entice your cats away from your plants. Giving them plants that they can eat and like will help draw them to those plants over and over again.
Do not feed your cat any kind of human food that contains bones in it. If you are giving your cat chicken or fish, be sure to remove the bones beforehand to prevent a choking hazard. Chop the food that you serve into small bits to make it easier to digest for your cat.
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.
Get your cat sprayed and neutered to prevent diseases and infections that form in the reproductive system. This can also help reduce the chance for overpopulation in the country, as just one male who is not neutered can produce up to half a million offspring over the course of his life.
If you have to travel with a cat you should remember their ears. You may prefer loud music as you drive down the freeway, blasting your stereo, but your feline friend likes softer sounds better. Therefore, the volume of your music should be minimized, and turn it off completely if necessary.
Consider adopting multiple cats, especially it will be spending a significant amount of time alone. One cat can do fine alone, however two are not much more work or expense than one, and can keep each other company and entertain each other. This will stave off boredom, especially if you work long hours.
Use your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.
Watch kittens around kids. Children under five years old should always be supervised when interacting with a pet. The maturity level isn’t there when it comes to your child. As a kid ages, they can show maturity with handling a little pet.
Give your cat a good brushing regularly. The act of brushing helps the coat become glossy, and it helps stimulate the skin. It can also get rid of hair that is loose. This avoids the hairball problem, which may lead to choking and a buildup of hair in the stomach.
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 chemicals that contain phenol, make sure that you do not use these around your cat. A lot of household cleaners have this in them, so you should read the labels before using them around your cat. This smell is very offensive to cats, and prolonged exposure can even damage their liver.
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
Place some sticky tape on your furniture. The tape will keep your cat from scratching your furniture and upholstery. You can even find tape specifically designed for this use in many pet stores. The tape throws the cat off when it starts to scratch the furniture. In addition, buy a scratching post to satisfy the cat’s instinctual need to scratch.
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. Use the information in this article to become a great cat owner so you can enjoy the experience fully. You’ll be glad you did.
