Home | Pets | Cat

Cat Care Tips - 10 Tips You Should Know

Cats and people come from very different worlds. As such, it's amazing that we can live together so well. These cat care tips cover subjects such as bringing out your kitty's hunting instincts, and preventing litter box problems. Following these tips will help you and your kitty to better bond and enjoy each other's company.

1. Lay your hands on your cat often - some cats just don't like to be picked up no matter what. But, if you can start handling your cat often when she's a kitten, chances are good she'll better accept it later in life. She'll also do better when it comes time to get checked by the vet or have her claws trimmed.

2. Give your cat a quickie physical - grooming sessions are a good time to examine your cat for common health problems. Check for fleas, ear mites, and signs of pain, swelling, or injury. Check your cat's eyes, teeth, gums, ears, skin, and limbs for problems.

3. Provide a bed by a window - house cats love warmth, so much so that they've been known to singe their tail hair on hot stoves. So set up a nice comfortable bed for your cat by a window so she can sunbathe.

4. Make kitty and indoor cat - following the recommendation from every major cat care organization, keep your cat indoors for better health, safety and a much longer life. Cats can live out a healthy life indoors. They can get the level of exercise they need, and survey their territory from a nice spot in front of the window.

5. Let your cat hunt - no, don't let your cat hunt mice outdoors. Instead, spread some treats around the house and bring out the hunting instincts in your cat. This will make feeding time a bit more fun. Also, your cat will probably enjoy it if you toss dry food bits and let her chase them down.

6. Lots of litter boxes - the objective is to have a fresh, available box to use at any given time for each cat. Some cats don't like using a box that was recently used, even if they were the one to use it. So, follow the one plus one rule, which is one box for each cat in the house plus one more additional box.

7. Keep a clean cat box - clean the box twice a day and change the litter every few weeks. When you do, thoroughly clean the box and use bleach to disinfect. Keeping the box squeaky clean will help prevent any possible litter box problems that might arise.

8. Play with your cat often - dangle toys for your cat to play with, or have your cat teach you to play fetch. Chase your cat around the house whenever you can. Get your cat exercising every day and you'll help lower risks of diabetes and other diseases.

9. Provide interesting cat toys - rotate the cat toys so that you keep it interesting, but always leave your cat's favorites accessible. With most cat toys, however, you should not leave your cat unsupervised as injury can occur. Also, a belt or a shoe lace, if used safely, can make a great interactive toy and provide exercise for your cat, and fun for both of you.

10. Get your cat a feline friend - every cat lover knows that two cats are better than one. When you can't pay attention to your cat, a playmate in the house will. A second cat around the house will help to stave off boredom, encourage exercise, and offer comfort. Bored kitties are prime candidates for behavior problems, and are more likely to cause mischief.

Keeping your cat indoors will help keep her safe, and ensuring she exercises will keep her healthy. Nurturing your cat's instincts, and paying more attention to her will make your kitty a better adjusted family member. The cat care tips concerning the litter box may prevent future headaches, and the health check is just a good habit for the two of you.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

For information on feline health and more cat care tips see Kurt Schmitt's website on cats. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entiretly, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE VISIBLE links (without "nofollow" tags).