If you are not familiar with the term, feral cats are those that live out in the street. These abandoned cats make up about half of the entire population of domestic cats, and are often a nuisance in urban locations. Dealing with these issues is troubling.
If your cat is an outdoor cat or a cat that has a habit of getting outside, they need proper identification. The cat should have a safety collar and an ID tag. Safety collars that have elastic bands allow cats to get out of the collar if they get it caught on something. An ID tag or an implanted microchip can help your cat get returned if they’re lost.
Make sure you have a good pet carrier or basket for transporting your cats from one location to the next. A proper carrier or basket should have enough room for them to turn around in comfortably. It should also be easy to clean. Make sure that it is lined with a blanket, cushion, or towel to help it stay comfortable and cozy for them when traveling.
Make your own enclosed litter box from a large tote box with a lid. Use a coffee can lid as a pattern to cut a door in one side of the tote. Place the coffee can lid fairly high up on the side of the tote. Trace around it with a permanent marker. Cut out the circle with tin snips or a box cutter. Add litter. Put on the lid.
Do not assume that because a medication is okay for you to take, that it is safe for your cat as well. Many medications made for humans are lethal to cats, such as acetaminophen containing drugs and aspirin. Always check with your veterinarian before you give your cat anything.
The litter box for your cat needs to be in a good location. Try and put it in an isolated area away from the cat bowl. Also, minimize the smell by making sure it is a well ventilated area. This will make you and your cat happy.
Wash your cat’s bed at least once a week to remove all of the bacteria from it. Even if the bed looks like it is clean, it will usually have toxins in it that can cause your pet to become sick. Replace the bed every six months to keep your cat in a sanitary environment.
Make sure your cat gets lots of love. They usually offer us warm companionship, and they require the same. Cats are social animals and will thrive when they are included in daily activities and life. Make her feel like she is part of your family.
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.
Having a hard time giving your cat a bath? Try this. Take an old window screen and put it in your sink or bathtub. Put your cat in, and he will claw the screen and stay there. Then start washing, but do don’t dilly dally. Use a cup to help you to pour warm water on your cat unless you have a movable shower head.
Cats are pretty low maintenance pets. They do not need as much attention and one-on-one time as dogs do. Cleaning the litter box is one of the most dreaded chores in the house. Investing in a good self-cleaning litter box can help to reduce the amount of times you have to clean it out.
Set boundaries for your children when it comes to having a cat as a pet. Make sure your kids know where the cat can be. It’s also important to let them know that outside doors must be kept closed so that the cat doesn’t escape. Your children will be able to understand the rules more easily if they know them ahead of time.
Don’t get rid of an old scratching post. Cats love them! By removing the old item and replacing it with a new one, your cat may try to find another item to scratch. This could end up being furniture.
Feed your cat quality cat food. Read the ingredient label, and make sure a protein from meat tops the list. If the food uses fillers like corn and other things that are not protein, that’s not a sign of the good nutrition a cat needs. This type of food should be avoided. Cats are carnivores, so if you want them to be as healthy as possible, you need to be sure they’re eating enough animal protein.
There are a few human foods that can be quite dangerous if consumed by a cat. Chocolate and onions are two of the foods out there that can be toxic to cats. You should do all of the research you can to make sure that you are not giving your cat any food that can hurt them.
Consider your cat if you are going to make a schedule change. To help avoid boredom, consider bringing another cat into the household.
If you are a responsible pet owner, you need to keep your cat indoors. The outdoors is no place for your pet. There are lots of dangers out in the world. Your cat can be injured by wild animals, hit by a car or get infested with bugs and diseases if you let them roam free.
Hopefully, this article has prepared you to treat cats a bit better and deal with them in an appropriate manner. Start using this advice right away to give your cat the loving attention that it deserves. Be wary handling or trying to remove feral cats from your yard. You might even surprise yourself and decide to take a member of the feral litter home with you!
