Cats are quickly overtaking dogs as mans best friend. Cats are incredibly intelligent and built for agile maneuvering along any unusual environment you can imagine. Having such an awesome pet means that they are that much harder to keep entertained during their day. This article will provide only the most awesome techniques for entertaining the most awesome cats.
Make sure to keep your cat’s litter box clean at all times. Most cats do not like to use a dirty litter box, much like you would not want to use a dirty toilet. Scoop it at least once a day. Empty and give it a good cleaning once a week or more if needed.
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.
Cats are constantly grooming themselves, and this is why they rarely need a bath. If your cat gets into something particularly stinky, a bath will not hurt them. If your cat does not like water you might want to wear gloves so that you do not get scratched. You might also want to enlist the help of a friend or family member.
For a healthier, happier cat choose plain litter over scented litter. Cats like nice, clean, clumping cat litter. Scoop your cats litter box daily and change it completely every three days or so. When you change the box, wash it out with water and dish soap. Don’t waste your money on liners as cats tend to destroy them.
A lot of cat owners have a hard time keeping their cats off the counter. Cats naturally love heights so they can easily see everyone and everything. You can get your cat to quit doing this if you make areas that it can climb up to. Having a cat tower near your kitchen will keep them off your counters.
If you absolutely must bathe a cat, set everything up in advance. Set up two tubs large enough to dunk a cat. Fill them with comfortably warm water. Set your open bottle of cat shampoo, a heavy towel, and a secure pet carrier close by. Wear heavy rubber gloves. Grasp your cat by the scruff of the neck. Dunk, shampoo and scrub quickly in one tub. Dunk to rinse in the second tub. Wrap the cat securely in the towel and place in the carrier to dry.
Be careful if you leave a kitten with a young child. If children are younger than five years old, pets ought not be left with them. Their immaturity prevents them from understanding how easily they could hurt the kitten. Once the child grows up a little, he might be more able to handle the kitten.
You should do regular checkups of your cat between veterinarian visits. A good time to do this is when you are petting the animal. Check the entire body for things like scabs and lesions. Also look in and around the ears for any discharge, which can be a sign of ear mites. Check the cat from head to tail.
You cat will not be likely to be a finicky eater if you vary the type of food you are feeding from time to time. Cats who eat the same food day after day either grow tired of it, or it becomes the only food that they will eat.
You cat should get cat food that is of a good quality. Check out the ingredients, and make sure meat tops the list. Try omitting non-protein based foods such as corn from your regular diet. Cats are meant to eat meat, and that means that they need to have foods that are high in protein.
If your cat bothers your Christmas tree or other plants, try beating him at his own game. Make his favorite chewing and climbing areas unattractive to him by placing the peelings of oranges, lemons or grapefruit around the places you wish for him to avoid. Cats hate citrus, and this is a natural way to keep them from getting into trouble.
Pay attention if your cat suddenly stops using the litter box properly. It may be the sign of an underlying medical issue. Cats sometimes exhibit this type of behavior when they have a urinary tract infection or other health concern. A course of antibiotics often does the trick.
Before bringing home a long-haired cat, consider the extra care involved. Long-haired cats shed constantly, and the fur ends up on your clothing, floors, and everything else in your home. You should not get a cat with long-hair unless you are ready to do a lot of cleaning. Long-haired cats usually suffer from hairball problems too.
Make sure you consider where you are going to place the cat’s litter box. Your first instinct will be to put it in a nook or cranny so that you won’t see or smell it. It is important to locate the litter box where your cat can easily get to it. Cats are finicky, so you must provide an environment that is not inconvenient or off-putting to the animal. If the litter box is kept on a cement floor, then place a rug or mat underneath it.
At least one of the above ideas should keep your cat entertained on those rainy nights. Try to work it as an activity the both of you can partake in. Playing games with your cat teaches it that the two of you can have an exciting time together while keeping it active and healthy.
