Nuture Your Cat With These Simple Cat Care Tips

You may have trained several dogs in the past, but nothing can prepare you for raising your new feline friend. Cats are nothing like dogs. They require more attention during their growing years and more personal time playing with their owner. This article will highlight some of the main differences between the two.

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Cats will try to get into many different crevices. A collar can become a liability if your cat is especially adventurous. Breakaway collars will "break" if they're pulled too tight. This could save your cat's life if the collar gets caught in some branches.

 

Cats love to play so make sure that you provide them with lots of toys. Cats enjoy batting around a fake mouse or little ball around the room. Some cats even develop a favorite toy. Playing with your cat is not only fun, it helps them to get exercise too.

 

Regular vet visits are very important for your cat's health. Your cat needs to get a checkup about once every year, or more if there are issues that come up. Cats need to be seen by a vet right away if there are injuries or health problems that don't go away.

 

Cats and electrical cords don't mix. If you notice your cat has a habit of chewing on electric cords, try to bundle them up and hide them out of the cat's reach. If that's not possible, spray a little bit of bitter apple onto the cords. Not only is bitter apple non-toxic, cats absolutely hate the taste.

 

Have your cat spayed or neutered. Pet overpopulation is a growing problem, with millions of homeless cats and kittens euthanized every year. Besides the problem of too many kittens and not enough homes, unfixed cats can have a multitude of behavior problems. Males who are not neutered at a young age often start spraying to mark their territory, and females who are allowed to come into heat yowl incessantly as they try to escape to find a mate. Kittens can begin to breed as early as 4 months of age, so get your new kitten spayed or neutered as soon as possible.

 

Feed your cat a proper diet. Cats are carnivores and have specific dietary needs. Feed them quality cat food that has been approved by AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials. If you wish to make your cat's food yourself, make sure you speak with a vet about necessary supplements or specific recipes that your cat needs to eat.

 

Make sure your kids know the rules before kitty comes home. Make sure your children are aware of rooms that are open to your cat. If you're planning to have an indoor cat, explain to your children that the cat is not allowed to be outside. By getting these rules into place before having a cat, you'll be sure that your children can understand.

 

While both animals are great to have and can peacefully exist with one another under one roof, don't take adopting a new kitten too lightly. Plan ahead and have enough resources in reserve like cat food and such. If you are going to train your cat indoors, don't forget to buy extra litter for the first few months because they can get messy.