If you have a cat, then you’re probably familiar with how much you spend a year on it. There are many expenses associated with cats, including food and medical bills. There are steps you can take to spend less money on the things your cat needs, which you can see in the following article.
Before acquiring a cat, be sure that you have the wherewithal to take care of all necessary vet care. Cats reproduce at an alarming rate, and spaying or neutering is essential to keeping cat population under control. Check spay, neuter and vaccination costs and packages with local vets and clinics and be sure you can afford to give your cat proper medical care.
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.
Small places are spots cats love to get into. If they are wearing a collar this can pose a safety risk, in the event that your cat gets stuck. A breakaway collar let’s go if pulled on tightly. This can keep your cat alive.
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.
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.
Most cats spend a large amount of time on grooming themselves. Your cat’s long hair can cause hair balls. If your cat needs assistance with this problem, consider a special diet. There are foods that are made to reduce the frequency of hairballs. It’s a smart move for your cat and your sanity.
Speak with friends and family when you have difficulty with your cat. Though you want to handle problems on your own, you may require advice from others who own cats. There are also forums on the Internet which cater to cat parents.
Brush your cat often. This helps spread out the cat’s natural oils in their fur and stimulates blood flow in the skin. Furthermore, it helps reduce all the loose hair. Doing so reduces the occurrence of hairballs, which are a choking risk. It also benefits the cat’s stomach by reducing the animal’s need to clean itself.
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 your cat has recently given birth, be sure she has a safe, private area to take care of them. Mother cats can become frightened by strangers or loud noise, sometimes leading to decreased milk production. They may also hide the kittens in places where you cannot find them, such as closets, or under beds.
Help keep your cat’s fur soft and healthy with regular cleaning. While your pet might object violently to a dunk in the bathtub, there are other options. Many pet stores sell feline cleaning wipes. These convenient disposable wipes reduce allergens and remove oils and dirt. Some are scented with chamomile, which helps to calm your cat. These are especially useful if you have an older or injured pet that cannot groom itself properly.
Long-haired breeds are pretty, but understand how much work they are before you get one. The hair may be a gorgeous thing to behold, but it will require a lot of maintenance. Long-haired cats can be very high maintenance over the course of the year. Also, give them the right food which is anti-hairball.
When your cat first gives birth to her kittens, resist the urge to pick them up. This is a crucial time for kittens to bond with their mother and learn some basics, so leave them alone. You should be able to have more interaction with the kittens after about a week.
You should never let your cat use meds that were designed for people. If your cat is suffering from a medical condition, be sure and take them to a vet to get the proper medication. Providing your cat with a human medication can seriously harm them, and it just might kill them.
Try your best not to feed your cat any table scraps, even if you are sure this would be better than throwing the extra food away. Once you feed your cat this type of thing, they will no longer want to eat the cat food that you give them regularly.
Preventing hairballs can help keep your cat sanitary and safe. Mix in a few pinches of pumpkin into your cat’s food. A teaspoon of tuna water mixed with pumpkin can also work. Anti-hairball foods are available commercially as well.
Feed your kitten a variety of cat foods to avoid a finicky cat later. Pick different textures and different brands on a regular basis and your kitten will learn to enjoy new tastes. This can also avoid feeding problems if your usual brand is no longer available in your area.
Cats aren’t exactly the cheapest pets on the planet. Food bills alone are expensive enough, and when you add medical bills and more, things get even more expensive. If you take this article’s contents into consideration, you won’t have to worry about emptying your wallet in order to make sure your cat has the best.