Cats are one of those animals that you will want to train indoors for most of the time. This means protecting your important valuables and moving the breakables to the top-shelf before they arrive. There are several different approaches shown to have great results, but this is a choice left up to the intuition of the owner.
Be sure to have your pet cat spayed or neutered by the time it is six months old. A spayed or neutered cat is a more satisfactory pet because it is calmer, quieter and more likely to stay home. Neutered male cats do not spray urine to mark their territory. This is definitely a plus when it comes to cat ownership.
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.
If you find you cat is harming furniture or other objects, it may be bored. Keep a few safe toys around for your cat to play with. Scratching posts can also deter your cat from scratching your furniture. Or, build a small cat house out of cardboard. Your cat will love having a place to hide, and the cardboard can also be used to scratch on!
Protecting your cat from household chemicals is something that you may already know, but did you know that protecting them from medications is just as important? Common over the counter medicines such as ibuprofen can be toxic to your cat, even in small doses. Keep your medication safely out of the reach of your cat.
An inexpensive rubber welcome mat helps keep cat food off your floor. This is also a great tool to keep your cat from tracking litter out of the box. Black rubber mats cost about three dollars at dollar stores. Put your cat food dish on one and your litter box on another.
When you move your cat from one house to another, be sure to move the cat last. Set up a quiet room with familiar items for the cat. Keep your cat in the room and quiet for a day or two. Visit and feed the cat in the room. After a couple of days, the cat can explore the rest of the house.
When bringing a new kitten home, take it slow. It is tempting for children to want to play with the new addition to your home immediately. But the young cat will likely be scared. Give the cat time to acclimate itself to your home and to get comfortable with everyone.
Put the right amount of cat litter in the litter box. Some people try to get out of cleaning the box by putting too much litter in there. Cats don’t like walking on sand dunes! Two inches or so should be sufficient for the cat’s needs, and you just have to be vigilant about cleaning the box out.
Use a brush on your cat regularly. Brushing improves the circulation of your cat and helps spread natural oils in the fur. Additionally, brushing helps to expedite hair shedding. Brushing eliminates the formation of hairballs which may choke your cat and lead to buildup of excess hair in the abdomen when the cat grooms himself.
If you are adding a kitten to a household that already contains a dog, it is important to socialize the kitten to the dog at an early age. At first, constant supervision is essential. Let the kitten and dog spend time together while you hold the kitten, letting them explore and get used to each other’s smells. When socialized early, cats and dogs can live happily and peacefully together.
Do not leave wet cat food in the bowl for longer than twenty minutes after your cat is done eating it. After you see your kitten is done for the time being, throw out the rest of the food and make sure to wash their bowl thoroughly with light soap and water.
Entertain your cat with simple “toys” made from household objects. Many cats enjoy exploring boxes, such as those that hold 12-packs, small appliances, or other products. Before allowing your pet to play with a box, you should be sure that the animal cannot get stuck in small openings or tight spaces. This would be dangerous and very frightening to your pet!
If you have a problem with your cats scratching furniture and doors, here is a natural way to curb this destructive behavior. Take a cloth, or soft brush, and apply a thin coating of citrus juice or hot sauce to the areas your cat is scratching. Try to find something that will not discolor the wood. Cats hate citrus and anything spicy, and should eventually learn to avoid these areas.
If you are bringing a new kitten into a home with one or more cats, purchase an extra litter box so that your other cats do not have to share right away. It may take some time for your established cats to become used to the new scent in the house.
You will surely make the right choices while training your cat and will never be forced to deal with a misbehaving cat tearing your furniture apart. Don’t forget to let your kittens outside at times because they are animals and do love the sunlight. Regular activities keep the pet healthy and entertained.
