There is a lot that goes into taking care of a cat. If you’re a first time cat owner, or even if you’ve had a cat for a while, this article can help you out. Read over it carefully and you should have no problem taking better care of your cats.
Get your cat to a vet on a regular basis for the best health possible. Most vets recommend yearly check-ups. If the animal requires certain vaccinations, more visits are necessary. If there are more pressing health problems, take your cat to the vet right away.
A cat’s claws can cause lots of damage to your home. If your kitty is doing this, one way to redirect his behavior is to purchase a scratching post or cat tower. Give them some encouragement and let them know it is okay to scratch that. Sooner or later, they’ll love to use it.
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.
Keep an eye on early warning signs of health issues in cats. Cats usually display warning signs if they are struggling with health issues. Some common signs to look out for include eating habit changes, sleeping habit changes, not being able to groom properly, changes in eating habits, changes in sleeping habits, depression, sneezing, increased thirst, watery eyes, changes in behavior, hiding, and vomiting. If they display these symptoms, take them to a vet right away. The sooner you take, them the better.
If you’re looking for good prices on cat medications, check online sources. The prices will usually be substantially better than at your vet. Sometimes you might not have time to wait for an online order to arrive however, such as if your cat needs an immediate antibiotic or emergency treatment. You can save as much as fifty percent on the stuff you regularly use.
When you get a cat for your kids, make sure your kids know the rules in advance. Make sure your kids know where the cat can be. If you plan to raise an indoor cat, let your children know that the cat cannot go outside. Knowing the rules ahead will help your child understand.
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.
Give serious thought to spaying or neutering your cat. Your vet can give you the pros and cons of both, but if you plan to keep your cat for a long period of time you should consider this operation. Cat overpopulation is a real problem, and you can do your part.
Be very careful about allowing children to be alone with a kitten. A cat should not be left alone with a child under five years of age. These children just do not possess the maturity to handle a kitten. They aren’t aware of the danger that they can cause to it. As your child matures, carefully consider whether a small pet is safe with them.
Talk to people you know about any cat problems you’re having. Though you want to handle problems on your own, you may require advice from others who own cats. Your local veterinarian can be a valuable source of information, but there is also help available online by joining user forums geared toward cat owners.
It is important to make sure that your cat always has fresh water available. You should refill your cats water dish everyday with clean water. There are drinking fountains that provide your cat with a constant stream of fresh water, so you do not have to worry about changing it as often.
When the cat’s litter box starts to become rough and worn at the bottom, it is time to replace it. If you leave it this way, it will cause waste to accumulate in damaged areas. Your cat may be very offended by the odor and decide to use the bathroom somewhere else in the house.
If your cat is not getting trained to use the litter box as fast as you would like, there are sprays available that can make things a bit easier. These sprays have a scent that will attract your cat to the box, which means they will be more likely to go there when they need to use the bathroom.
If your cat is nursing a litter of kittens, it is vital that she have plenty of food and water near her nesting area. Mother cats are very protective, and do not want to leave their kittens for long lengths of time. Your cat can become dehydrated or malnourished just because she does not want to leave her kittens to eat and drink.
Don’t give your cat medicine intended for humans. The vet is the only one who should do the prescribing – not you. If you give a pet something that it shouldn’t take, you could injure it or even kill it.
Now you can probably see that there is quite a bit that goes into working with cats. It isn’t difficult, but it can be time consuming. Take everything you’ve gone over here and things won’t be all that difficult for you. Good luck and enjoy taking care of your pet!