So you are finally ready to adopt a cat, but it is your first time and you are still nervous about your choice? Choosing the right cat can be an extremely challenging process. There are certain variables that you should keep in mind to help select a cat that works well in your environment.
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.
Make a free toy for your cat by placing a little dry rice or a few dry beans inside an empty pill bottle. Close the lid and roll the rattly toy across the floor. Most cats can’t resist the sound and motion. You can also tie a length of twine around the neck of the bottle to make a pull toy or a dangly toy.
If your cat is misbehaving, you can influence its behavior in a safe and humane way by using water. Fill a small squirt gun or a spray water bottle with plain water. Give your cat a few light squirts of water when you catch it misbehaving and it will soon learn to stop doing the unwanted behavior.
Give your new cat some space. Moving to a new home can be stressful on a cat, especially one who is no longer a kitten. To help them adjust, give them a quiet place that they can call their own, such as a spare bathroom or laundry room. This gives them a safe space they can retreat to until they have become comfortable with exploring the whole house. Depending on the cat, this process may take a few days up to a month or more.
Protect your cat from strangling by making sure the cords of curtains and blinds are secured and out of reach. When you make or purchase a dangly toy for your cat, be sure to supervise during play. Put the toy away if you will not be around to watch.
Nice furniture and cat claws don’t get along very well. If your cat is ripping up and shredding your home, invest in a kitty tower or scratching post. Encourage your cat to scratch where you want them to. This solution might take time to take, but it will help in the end.
Take your cat to the vet periodically. A lot of cat owners tend to avoid the vet because it can be harder to get a cat ready to go anywhere she does not want to go! It is also easy to avoid the vet because cats seem so self-reliant. However, it’s smart to get your cat to the vet to avoid any problems.
Use your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.
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.
If you are thinking about adding another cat to your home, you need to set aside a couple of weeks where you let the animals get used to being around each other. They will probably hide from each other, hiss or even attack each other. After the initial period though, they should start to settle and begin to get along like old friends.
If you suspect that your cat is pregnant, make an appointment with the vet as soon as you can to make sure that is really the case. There are a few serious illnesses that can mimic pregnancy, so you want to make sure that none of these has affected your cat.
One way to get a cat to use the litter box is to move it to a different place in the house. A cat has instincts that tell it when it goes to the bathroom it is vulnerable. This is why a box should be placed in an area that is quiet and safe. Low-traffic areas like basements and laundry rooms are great places to put the litter box.
When you are looking to finally adopt a new kitten, but don’t want to spend big bucks on an expensive bloodline, you should investigate your local shelters. Most animal shelters offer dogs and cats that need a home badly, regardless of their heritage or costs.You may be able to find a similar cat with a different cost.
Try your best not to feed your cat any table scraps, even if you are sure this would be better than throwing the extra food away. Once you feed your cat this type of thing, they will no longer want to eat the cat food that you give them regularly.
Try putting sticky tape on the furniture if your cat decides to scratch it. If they scratch the upholstery up, place some tape on it to keep them from doing it. Some pet stores sell tape especially for this. By keeping your furniture covered with tape and getting a scratching post put up, you will get your cat to scratch that instead.
Your cat should fit in right along side your friends, and this requires some thorough searching with certain attributes in mind. Take the time to follow these tips and pick a kitten that stands out from the rest. Before long, you will have a new addition to the family that everyone loves!
