A lot of people get a cat because kittens are so adorable. Then, when they get the cat home, they’re not sure what to do. They are not always as expressive as dogs are, so cats can sometimes be puzzling. Here are a couple ways you can keep your cat happy.
Play with your cat using proper cat toys. Cats love toys that help them feel like the predators that they think they are. Try sticking with toys that help them dance around or jump. This can also help them use extra energy by pouncing on toys instead of people’s feet.
Make sure your cat has a collar if it goes outside. Cats can range far from your home and the tag will help them find their way home. Even if the tag just has your phone number, it can be the difference between your pet coming home and being lost forever.
An indoor cat who gets a taste of the outdoors will forever want to go outside. If you know your cat will always be an indoor cat, do your best to keep them from sneaking out. You can try to train your cat to stay in your yard when you are outside.
Spraying the electrical cords in your home with a bitter apple solution helps keep the cats from chewing on them. If your cat is especially intent on chewing cords, keep them covered as much as possible. An inexpensive way to hide electrical cords is to thread them through used paper towel rolls. All thin cords should be put up when you’re not using them.
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.
If you cat is pregnant is with babies, you can expect to have a lot of kittens on your hands. Create a comfortable place for the cat to deliver her babies somewhere in your home. Make sure the spot is big enough for the kittens to move around as they grow.
Never let your cat experience frequent boredom. Cats should have a lot of exercise and playtime. Unfortunately, many owners do not realize this important part of ownership. Cats who get bored can actually become depressed or display other undesirable behaviors. Give them exercise space and a lot of toys. If they’re an indoor cat, get them an object to climb on or a scratching post.
If your cat is male, understand that he could develop crystals inside his urine, which can be very painful to him. Therefore, prevent this issue from occurring in the first place by feeding your cat the right type of food. It can be painful to pass these crystals and your vet bill will be priced accordingly. Try to find a cat food that has a low level of magnesium. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Products that have fish in them have more magnesium usually when compared to products with poultry.
It is important to only feed your kitten food specifically made for kittens. Kitten food contains more fat and protein to help keep your growing cats body healthy. Adult cat food is leaner and is not specially formulated the same way as the kitten food. Your kitten will grow really fast in a short time-frame, so it is important that they eat right.
When you get a kitten for kids, you have to set up a few rules first. Let your children know what rooms you will allow the cat to go into. Make sure that your children know if the cat is strictly an indoor cat. Setting up rules ahead of time can help your kids understand better.
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.
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 bothers your Christmas tree or other plants, try beating him at his own game. Make his favorite chewing and climbing areas unattractive to him by placing the peelings of oranges, lemons or grapefruit around the places you wish for him to avoid. Cats hate citrus, and this is a natural way to keep them from getting into trouble.
Feed a kitten proper food. A developing kitten survives exclusively on their mother’s milk for the first four weeks, a commercial formula if the mother isn’t around. When moving to regular food, feed them specially formulated kitten food until they reach maturity at the age of one. Kittens need plenty of protein while they are developing.
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.
After reading this article, you are probably going to be better at taking care of your cat. Try each tip out, to see what your cat responds best to. You can always find out more, so make sure you keep learning about cats so that yours always feels taken care of.