Cats need to eat good quality food to keep them healthy. The problem is that so many different kinds of wet and dry cat foods on the market are expensive. Here are some ways that you can feed your cat without resorting to feeding them unhealthy foods or table scraps.
Create a warm bed for an outdoor or feral cat by lining a banana box with a thick layer of newspaper. Cut a piece of Mylar to fit the bottom of the box. Put another layer of newspaper on top. Add a warm blanket. Place the whole box inside a dog house or under a porch where it can’t get wet.
Keep your cat occupied by making your own dangly toys. Using soft cotton rope, cut a length of about two feet. Tie a knot at one end. Tie another knot about three inches from the opposite end. Unravel the rope below this knot. Attach the rope to the back of a kitchen chair for your cat to play.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. You may believe that this is unnecessary if your cat stays inside all the time; however, cats almost always find a way to get outside, especially when they are in heat. When this occurs, your cat could get pregnant. The best method of preventing your cat from pregnancy is to get her spayed.
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.
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.
If your cat is pregnant, set up a comfortable, safe place for her to have her kittens. A big cardboard box equipped with a pillow and blanket is good. Place it in the back of a closet or other out of the way place. Keep food and water dishes nearby.
Is your cat constantly munching on your house plants? If so there is a fix for this. Growing oat grass or catnip yourself can help entice your cats away from your plants. Giving them plants that they can eat and like will help draw them to those plants over and over again.
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.
If you going to be gone for more than a day, you should have someone look in on your cat. Leave out plenty of food, but have someone come to make sure it doesn’t run out. If you do not have a neighbor or family to look in on your cat, you can usually find a cat sitter for a few dollars each day.
You should think before allowing your cat to go outside. This could be harmful and unsafe. Your cat could get fleas or even worse parasites. Cats can be gravely injured or killed by eating poisonous plants, flowers or chemicals, hit by a car or even harmed by neighbors who are irritated with your cat on their property. When your cats go outside, keep an eye out to make sure they do not wander too far away.
Brush your cat often. This keeps the fur well oiled and the skin healthy. Brushing will also help to remove loose hair. This avoids the hairball problem, which may lead to choking and a buildup of hair in the stomach.
Just as important as it is to take care of your own teeth, you need to take care of your cats as well. Cats can develop tarter and plaque build-up over time. Purchasing a toothbrush and toothpaste made specially for felines is a great way to keep your cats teeth clean and healthy.
If you have more than one cat, it is a good idea for you to give them each their own food bowls. Place them far apart so that each cat has their space. If you provide just one bowl for the cats to share, it may cause larger cats to bully the smaller ones.
Do not place the cat litter box in the same area where you place the bowl your cat eats from. Cats want a clear separation between the two areas, so make sure you give it to them. It is not likely you would want to eat in the same place where you use the bathroom, so give your cat the same courtesy.
You get out of your cat what you put into it. If you give your cat the best, you get the best behavior, and the best level of health from your cat. Cat food can be expensive, but you don’t have to let this discourage you. Use these tips and feed your cat for less.
