Cats are truly very finicky creatures; however, they can make great pets. From visits to the vet to dietary needs, cats require a lot of maintenance and work. Luckily, the article below will teach you everything you need to know.

If you have a female cat it is important to have her spayed once she becomes old enough. It is best to spay your cat, even if you want to keep it as an indoor pet. A spayed cat is a safe cat.

Take your cat to the vet regularly to make sure they remain in good health. A yearly visit for a regular check-up is important, with more frequent visits for shots as required. Cats should see a vet right away if any health problems or injuries needing treatment occur.

It may prove quite a challenge to make your cat stay off counter tops. Cats enjoy high places so they can see what is happening around them. It helps to provide your cat with certain high spaces where it is allowed. Having a cat tower near your kitchen will keep them off your counters.

It’s important that you don’t forget your cat and allow them to become bored too easily. They need exercise and they get it through play. Too frequently this need is overlooked by owners. Bored cats can develop depression and other harmful health conditions. Provide your cats with the toys and space it needs. Indoor cats will appreciate having a structure they can climb on or a dedicated scratching post.

Feeding your male cat the proper food can help prevent crystals from forming in his urine. A cat passing the crystals can be very hurtful with an expensive vet bill to boot. Give your cat foods that are low in magnesium. Read the label on any food you choose. Products that contain fish are normally much higher in magnesium over ones containing poultry.

Though a veterinarian will almost always have a supply of medications that your cat needs, it can be more cost-effective to purchase them from online venues. Naturally, some stuff won’t be available online. For more routine situations, saving 50% by buying online is quite possible.

Use a tablecloth underneath your cat’s dish. Certain cats prefer removing their food from their bowl and putting it on the side to eat it. Sometimes, this results in food outside the bowl that you have to clean up. There are two ways to do this. You can either put a placemat under the food bowl or use some stray fabric that you have lying around. Either way, you can easily get rid of debris by dumping them in the garbage.

Just because your family did it when you were a child, does not mean allowing your cat to go outside is a wise decision. This isn’t safe for your cat. Your cat may pick up some fleas, or worse. Cars, people, or animals could hurt your beloved pet. If your cat has to be outside, make sure it is only in a small area near the house.

Litter Box

Avoid spending too much time trying to train your cat to utilize its litter box. This skill is something your cats pick up on their own, not something that can be taught to them. Don’t try to force them into the litter box by rubbing their paws or face in it.

If your cats create messes near the litter box, don’t punish them. The major cause of such accidents is usually because the litter box hasn’t been given the proper care. If you attempt to punish your pet, you may cause fear and resentment–and more accidents!

Scratching Post

A battered appearance isn’t a good reason to discard a beloved cat condo or scratching post. Cats tend to enjoy a scratching toy more after they’ve gotten comfortable with it and made it their own. Your cat might not want to use the new scratching post and start ruining your furniture instead.

Make sure your cat is always wearing a collar with proper identification tags. Even if your cat is a house cat, this is still a good idea. Cats are curious creatures and an open door or window is likely to be explored. The tag should have your phone number on it. This is also essential if they have specific medical needs.

Expect it to take several weeks for your current cat to accept a new cat in the home. Cats usually do not like change, especially when it comes to another cat. Therefore, they may hide, hiss, or even fight one another. After a bit of time, you’ll have two cats that will tolerate, and possibly enjoy, each other.

When a dog wags it’s tail, it’s telling you that it is excited or happy. Cats wag their tail as well, but have different reasons psychologically. A cat that is flicking its tail is either feeling threatened or predatory and is considering his next move. If you hold your cat and it starts wagging its tail, you should put your cat down right away.

Give the cat a collar with your contact information. Even if they’re an indoor cat, they may get out. If your cat were to escape, it’s important for them to get back home safely.

Although caring for a cat might sound easy, this is not the case. All cats need a lot of care in order to be happy and healthy. If you follow the advice in this article you can be a great cat owner. Everything you learn will improve the quality of your life and of your pet’s!