You might have already raised a pet in the past. You might have even said that you would never raise another pet, but it’s never too late to look towards the future and adopt a lonely kitten. Adopting cats at the local shelter helps get them off of the streets and back in a healthy home. You should keep a few key questions in mind while visiting your local shelters.
If your cat suddenly goes off its feed for no apparent reason, try tempting treats such as jack mackerel, tuna, or cream of chicken soup in small amounts. These are not complete foods and shouldn’t be fed long term, but they are extremely tasty to cats. A finicky cat may start eating again and keep on when given one of these treats.
If you have an outdoor cat, make sure he is fitted with a tag and collar. This way, if your cat gets lost and is found by a stranger, that person will know how to contact you. Ensure that you at least put the name of your cat and your personal phone number on this tag.
Make sure to keep chemicals and dangerous substances away from your cat. Chemicals like antifreeze have a sweet taste. This encourages the cat to drink it, most often resulting in fatal consequences. Keeping your chemicals locked up in a cabinet will help to ensure that your curious cat does not end up ingesting poison.
Use short words when you want to express displeasure with your cat. A short ‘no’ will be remembered, even if not always followed. A lot of people think that cats don’t listen to anything, but short word commands are certainly understood by cats, and they will respond to those commands if you are consistent with them.
While children should help with the care and responsibilities of a cat, leave the litterbox duties to the grownups or older children. A cat’s litterbox can carry diseases and parasites. Since younger children may not follow proper handwashing procedures, this job is better left to those older and more responsible.
Do you have dogs and cats? Dogs love to eat cat food! Consider placing the cat food on a location away from where the dog can reach. This will help prevent any fights that may occur between your animals.
If your cat goes outdoors a lot, the chances are good that they come home filthy once in a while. When your cat is especially dirty or smelling like a skunk, you should make an appointment with the local groomer. Groomers will be gentle with your cat, resulting in a less traumatic experience.
Purchase good quality food for your cat. Your cat needs a lot of protein from meat, so read the labels before you choose a food. Some foods contain a lot of fillers like corn products, don’t buy those. Cats are carnivores so it is important for them to get enough animal protein in their diet.
Make canned food the mainstay of your cat’s diet. While dry food is less expensive, canned food is healthier. Canned foods are also richer in fat, proteins and will help hydrate your cat. Aging cats find it makes it much easier to chew. Speak with your veterinarian before making any major changes, however in general, canned food is better for your cat.
It is important that your cat always where a collar that identifies them. This applies even to indoor cats. Cats are naturally curious and a door or window that’s open invites exploration. The identification tags should contain your home phone number and the number for your veterinarian. This is also vital if your animal has health issues.
Ensure that your new cat is spayed or neutered. This is important even if your cat will not be outdoors or around cats of the opposite gender. Studies show that spayed cats are less vulnerable to uterine, mammary, and ovarian cancer. Neutering your male cat decreases his risk of developing prostate cancer. Another benefit of neutering is that your cat will not feel compelled to mark his territory by spraying.
Cats have an uncanny ability to always find their way home. If you move to a new home, keep your cat inside for about a month. This will help your cat to familiarize themselves with the smells of your new place. If you let your cat out too soon, they might go home to the wrong house.
If possible, clip your cat’s toenails once weekly. If the nails grow too long, your pet cannot retract the claws. This causes your pet to experience discomfort. Regular trimmings also prevent the claws from snagging carpet fibers, clothing, and other fabrics. If you cannot do this, you should at least provide scratching toys and posts for your cat.
Refrain from cleaning or using chemicals in the vicinity of your cat. Pine-Sol and Lysol contain this ingredient. It causes liver problems in felines.
You should try to keep your cat indoors most of the time since there are many things out there that can hurt them. Poison, injury and disease are just a few of the things that can happen to him. If he needs fresh air, open a screened window and allow him to sit there.
Shelters are not the only source of local pet adoptions. You can find classifieds in the papers or online where citizens are offering cats, kittens, and everything else in between for little-to-no cost.. Many times, these people are giving these pets away for free in hopes of giving them a good home.
