No amount of articles can prepare you for raising your first cat! This is a wonderful and exciting experience that you may only have once in life. Make every moment count by having fun with your pet, feeding it delicious food, and keeping it active outside of the home. If this is your first cat, you’ll be glad you took the time to read this article and get prepared.
Keep your drape cords out of your cats reach. These can cause your cat to choke if they get a hold of it. This accident could trap or injure your cat, or even be fatal. Be sure your drape cords are strongly secured.
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.
Keep your cat’s coat healthy by giving them a supplement of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is an inexpensive supplement that can be found in most health food stores. Simply sprinkle a little bit on your cat’s dry food, or mix it in with their wet food. Not only do they love how it tastes, but it’s full of protein and vitamins that will keep them looking their best!
Keep your cat indoors. Unlike dogs, it is nearly impossible to confine a cat to a yard. This can lead to many dangers for your cat, from cars, dogs, diseases from feral cats, and simply disappearing to parts unknown. Loose cats also be a nuisance to others, often killing songbirds and leaving unwelcome “deposits” in neighbor’s gardens. If your cat really enjoys the outdoors, they can be trained to wear a harness and leash or you can invest in a specialty cat fence or screened-in porch.
Whenever you take your cat anywhere, use a cat carrier. No matter how gentle your cat is, it could become frightened. If this happens, it could bolt off and be quickly lost, injured or killed. At the vet’s office, your cat will be safe from unpredictable animals if you use a pet carrier.
Do not isolate the litter box in a distant place. Do not place it in a busy area or close to where your cat eats meals. In addition, you should ensure you place the litter box in a well-ventilated area to minimize the smell. This will make you and your cat happy.
Your cat most likely spends quite a bit of time grooming. When your cat has long hair, this can cause hairballs. There are special foods you can buy to try to help with this particular problem. Some foods contain extra oils and nutrients, specifically designed to prevent or diminish hairball concerns.
Is your cat constantly destroying your toilet paper? Make sure that your bath tissue is stopping it from rolling over the top. You can also make or buy a toilet paper cover. These covers are not expensive and will save you money if your furry friend insists on playing with your tissue.
Who says only dogs can do tricks? Cats are very intelligent and have the ability to learn as well, especially as young kittens. Some people train their cats to play fetch just like dogs do. There are even people who have successfully trained their cat to use a regular toilet, instead of a litter box.
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.
If your cat relieves itself away from its litter box, do not spring into action with punishment. Check out the box instead and see if it has been neglected; this is often a cause of accidents. Punishing your cat will make it afraid of being close to you.
Your cat deserves a high quality food. Look at ingredient lists, making sure that a protein source, such as beef, chicken or fish, is at the top of the list. Steer clear of food made primarily of corn and fillers. Cats are carnivores and need animal protein to stay healthy.
Feed canned food to your cat. Dry foods are cheaper but canned foods are richer in vitamins and nutrients. Your cat will get extra protein and fats from canned food along with some of the water it needs every day. This food is easier to chew for old cat. Can food is generally better, but consult your vet first before feeding it to your cat.
It is important that your cat always where a collar that identifies them. Even indoor cats should have identification on them. Your cat will go out as soon as you leave a door or a window open. The identification tags should contain your home phone number and the number for your veterinarian. This precaution is especially important when your cat has an existing medical condition.
Your first cat is a special pet that should remain in your memories as a great time spent raising an adorable animal. Future pets will get easier to train and feed, but cats will always be a complex, confusing, messy animal. Small changes here and there help make this a unique experience.
