Cats have been a longtime human companion. Cats have inspired the songs, poetry and visual arts of many cultures. It’s easy to understand why they feel that they’re in charge. In the article below, you’ll discover great tips to help you control your cat and ensure it lives a good life.
Choose a high quality food. The key to a healthy cat starts with nutrition. Take a look at the ingredients label. If you look at most “popular” commercial cat foods, you may be surprised to see the top ingredient listed is corn. Cats are carnivores, so look for a food with a real meat as the top ingredient. You may pay more up front, but these foods are often more nutritionally dense, meaning your cat eats less and the bag lasts longer.
Take your cat to the vet every year. They need a routine check-up every year, maybe more of important shots are necessary. Don’t hesitate to take your cat to the vet immediately if you notice anything unusual about their health or if they are injured.
Don’t be pushy when you are getting to know your new cat. Cats prefer to be in control and take things at their own pace. Make sure your new cat is comfortable and safe. Let your cat take its time exploring its new environment. When your cat feels at home, it will be more likely to try to make friends with you.
Keep your cat healthy and non-finicky by introducing a varied diet. Always purchase several different brands of food and rotate them. In this way, your cat will be used to trying and accepting new tastes. If one food brand goes out of business, you will always have lots of other acceptable choices to offer.
An inexpensive rubber welcome mat helps keep cat food off your floor. This is also a great tool to keep your cat from tracking litter out of the box. Black rubber mats cost about three dollars at dollar stores. Put your cat food dish on one and your litter box on another.
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.
When training a cat, take the proper approach. Encouragement works better than anger. If you are trying to teach a kitten to use a litterbox, for instance, yelling will only frighten a small cat. When the cat starts to go outside the box, gently place them in the box so they learn.
Give cat box liners a try. These may not work for everyone, but they can be helpful if they work for you. Line the litter box with one of these liners, and then put cat litter in as usual. If it works correctly, you should be able to gather the liner and dispose of the litter. Unfortunately, sometimes cats just scratch the liner to pieces as they are doing their business.
Don’t think that you can teach a cat to use its litter box. They will do it on their own and don’t need to be taught. It’s not a good idea to rub your cats paws in litter. Some people think this is the way to train. It isn’t.
Keeping vaccinations up-to-date is the way to make sure your cat lives longer and more healthy. Stick to regular check-ups. Similar to kids, cats need shots and check-ups to prevent health problems. Remember that the four-pawed members of your family need healthcare just as much as the ones that walk on two feet.
Your cat’s choice to potty outside the litter box could signal something more worrisome than misbehavior. There are conditions that will cause a kitty to do this. Bladder troubles, kidney ailments, or infections can all cause this sort of behavior. Contact your veterinarian if your pet abandons its litter box.
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.
Try to be consistent with the type of cat litter and food you buy your cat. If you change up, it may cause some issues. Cats are creatures of habit, and they do not adapt well to change. If you must make some changes, it would be a good idea to do them gradually.
The cat in your home may think it owns the place. Using the given tips, your cat will finally learn who runs the show. People love cats because they can be amazing pets, and this advice will help you enjoy yours more.