There are some purchases that justify spending the extra dollar and what your cat eats is definitely one of them. The difference between the “good food” and the “cheap food” is phenomenal. Just stick with buying the natural, healthy food from the beginning and you won’t ever have to worry about a picky kitten.
Good grooming is important for cats. Just like dogs, cats require regular brushing and de-tangling. This will help them maintain a clean and healthy coat. It can cut down on shedding and spitting up hairballs, too. A well groomed cat will be much more pleasant for everyone and will also help you keep your home clean.
If you have outdoor cats, be sure to discourage pests such as coyotes, possums and raccoons by bringing cat food indoors at night. Feed your cats first thing in the morning, and make sure there is no food left at nightfall. This will keep your cats safe from attack and illness.
If you own a female cat, you should have her spayed when she is old enough. Even if she stays inside all the time, she could get out when in heat and end up pregnant. The best method of stopping this is to have your cat spayed.
Protect your cat from choking. Be sure to dispose of poultry and fish bones safely. Wrap them in a paper or plastic bag and put them in your outdoor garbage can with the lid tightly secured. Alternately, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them until garbage pick up day.
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.
Make your own enclosed litter box from a large tote box with a lid. Use a coffee can lid as a pattern to cut a door in one side of the tote. Place the coffee can lid fairly high up on the side of the tote. Trace around it with a permanent marker. Cut out the circle with tin snips or a box cutter. Add litter. Put on the lid.
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.
Consider getting your cat a scratching post. Scratching is something that comes extremely easy to cats; it is part of their nature. Don’t force your cat to play with it. Rather, interest him in it by spraying catnip spray on it, or by dangling a string from the top. Soon he’ll get the idea that it’s there for a reason!
A cat’s nails can grow really quickly. They sharpen their nails by scratching on different surfaces like a scratching post. You can help avoid your cat destroying your furniture by clipping their nails often. This will help to discourage your cat from scratching at different things around your house.
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.
When getting a small kitten to eat dry kitten food, be patient. At first they usually just play with food. It may take a little while, but they’ll eventually learn that they are supposed to eat it rather than toy with it. If the food is moistened first with milk, a kitten may take to it faster.
Many people do not realize that it is perfectly normal for you to take cats on walks so they can get exercise and fresh air. There are special harnesses made for you to use with your cat. If you use the type that were made for dogs, there is a chance your cat can get away.
Provide safe and engaging entertainment for your cat at all times. Even if you cannot be in the house with your pet, you should ensure that it has access to toys and other diversions. Sometimes we perceive that cats are lazy animals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy playing to pass the time. This is especially important if your cat is alone in your house for long periods of time.
Understand the difference between cat play and real aggression. Both activities can look the same to an untrained eye, but there are differences. When two cats are playing, they will bat each other around with claws retracted. They will “bite” with their jaws loose. Real aggression will involve hisses, squeals and hard biting.
If you have more than one cat, you need more than one litter box. Ideally, each cat should have its own box. This prevents the box from becoming overfilled or crowded. An unappealing shared litter box sometimes causes cats to take their bathroom business elsewhere in your house. As you can imagine, this can be quite a nasty surprise!
There is no need to bathe a cat since they are able to do most of their cleaning by themselves. The only way that you should bathe a cat is if there is something on their coat that has not come off for a good length of time, like oil and chemicals.
Cats are all unique and some cats prefer different kinds of food than others and nothing is harder to please than a picky feline. As you get to know your pet, experiment with different foods and treats until you learn what they do and don’t like to eat. You will likely find that you both enjoy some of the same foods.
