How to take care of cats at home

How to take care of cats at home

How to Care for Cats at Home

Learn how to care for cats at home. Cats are playful animals. If you plan to get one, you should know the basics of caring for indoor cats.

How to Care for Cats at Home

From the moment you bring a cat home, you should give it its own space with food, water, and a bed. If it has not been trained to use the litter box yet, you should start teaching it to prevent spots on the carpet.

You can initially teach a cat how to use the litter box by carrying it to the box when nature calls. When you see that the cat can do this, praise your pet and reward it so it knows this is the right thing to do.

The exact size of the litter box depends on the size of the cat. It should be cleaned regularly using soap and water, not disinfectants.

Also Read: Simple Tips on Training Your Pet Cat

If they do something wrong, like climbing on the table or scratching furniture, never scold them as they are very sensitive animals. You can enforce discipline without causing harm by spraying water on their faces.

How to Care for Cats at Home in a Short Period

There should always be food and water available. The feeding dish and bowl should be plastic or aluminum and cleaned regularly. Any leftover food should be disposed of properly.

Their diet should consist of high-quality cat food. Although this might be more expensive than other brands, you know it contains the right vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy. Besides food, you can also give them nutritional supplements. An example is Omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for their nutrition.

For those who have other pets at home, you should allocate some time for the pets to get to know each other. If you have a dog, make sure to keep it restrained initially. If you have another cat, be prepared for some squabbles as this usually happens.

House rules regarding what the cat can and cannot do at home should be established. For example, you can decide whether or not to allow the cat outside, even if experts say they should always stay indoors. There are other issues that you should discuss among yourselves.

You should also provide a scratching post so they can play without damaging your furniture. It should be 3 feet tall and placed near furniture or the bed. When their claws become too sharp, it’s best to trim them to avoid hurting yourself or the cat.

One of the most important things in caring for cats is proper grooming. You can bathe the cat by wetting its head and tail with shampoo. Never lather their ears or eyes and dry them with a clean towel. Gently brush the fur and apply combing powder to prevent tangles.

Finally, take your cat to the vet regularly, and if you notice anything new in its behavior, prompt action can prevent potential illness from worsening. If you don’t know anything, get a recommendation from a neighbor.

Caring for indoor cats is challenging but rewarding. You just need to invest the time and effort when you decide to bring a pet into your home.

What Cats Need:

• Preventive vaccinations to protect them from unsafe diseases.
• Flea sprays.
• Training them to use a specific area for relief.
• A spacious, safe area to roam.
• Brushing their teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste, and visiting the vet as cats often face oral issues.
• Neutering them at a very young age.
• Regularly and daily grooming if their fur is long.
• Clipping their claws as they can damage furniture and carpets.
• Companionship from other cats or people, though they don’t need to stay with them all day.
• A warm place to sleep.
• Clean water to drink.
• A balanced diet, ensuring there are no bones in their diet.

Pet Cat Lifespan:

The typical lifespan of cats ranges from 12-14 years and can include up to twenty years.

Handling Pet Cats:

Neutering to prevent reproduction is usually done early by the vet.

The breeding period for pet cats is 3-4 times a year, and each time they can have up to 6 kittens, and the kittens stay with their mother for at least 8 weeks.

How to Handle a Cat:

If you want to cuddle with your cat, you can lift it by placing one hand under its chest and the other around its hind legs. Never try to lift it by its neck or from the front of its body.

Cats vary in behavior. They prefer to spend most of their time relaxing and resting. However, they also need some exercise time each day, though less than other pets.

Medical Care:

Pet cats face several issues, including:

• Gastrointestinal problems from eating grass, which can cause vomiting but isn’t dangerous unless accompanied by other symptoms.
• Fleas and signs such as skin cracks and ear discharge. Consult a vet immediately.

Pet Safety at Home – What You Need to Know

Your pet is precious and, like family members, needs care and protection and, of course, unconditional love.

Like a curious child, it can get into all sorts of trouble. Therefore, you should ensure pet safety at home.

Check Your Pet’s Home

Pets often get injured if they escape the home without supervision.

You should close all doors and gates properly.

If you want to let them out, use a leash. Also, ensure there are no holes or gaps in fences or barriers; otherwise, your pet can escape through these openings.

Ensure that substances like fertilizers and chemicals are not within the pet’s reach.

It’s also important to fence ponds or pools temporarily when your pets are not old enough to understand any better.

Healthy Pets are Safe Pets

You can’t ignore health factors when it comes to safety. Pay close attention to your pet and its interaction with other animals.

Avoid exposing your pet to any animal that might be sick.

If your pet is ill, it’s crucial to consult a good vet for treatment.

Also, keep your pet clean, bathing them at least twice a month.

A Pet in Your Home

As mentioned earlier, treat your pet like a respected and loved family member.

Teach your children to be kind to pets and enjoy their company.

Also, teach children how to care for the pet, but be cautious not to leave a young child alone with a new pet.

This is when accidents can happen if the child teases the pet or does something the pet dislikes.

Checking the Pet’s Collar

Regularly checking your pet’s collar is essential for its safety.

Pets outgrow their collars quickly. If not replaced or adjusted, it can tighten around the pet’s neck and become embedded.

The tight collar will cause your pet persistent and painful discomfort.

Check the collar weekly.

You’ll get some indications if the pet is comfortable with the collar or not.

Adjust it accordingly. Also, remember to put an ID tag on your pet’s collar, which will help you find it if it gets lost.

String and Your Cat

You must have seen countless pictures of cats playing with strings.

They look cute, don’t they? However, if you value pet safety, don’t let your cat play with a string ball unsupervised.

If left unsupervised, cats are likely to ingest string balls, which is harmful to their health.

However, if your cat swallows a piece of string, here are some considerations:

• If the string is still protruding from the mouth, do not pull it out. Pulling the string may cut the intestinal wall, leading to a condition called peritonitis.
• Take your pet to a vet immediately.

Pets Inside or Outside

There is a school of thought that suggests pets should spend most of their time outside rather than inside.

However, this might be true for some pets, especially certain dog breeds, but “thinking” cannot be generalized.

It’s a fact that there are numerous dangers outside, especially for pets.

Take cats, for example. Cats are better off indoors than outside.

Cats like to fight for territory and will engage in fights at the drop of a hat.

This is just one reason why cats are safer in their home surroundings.

Dogs are not better off and are more prone to getting into trouble when outside.

Of course, this doesn’t mean pets should be confined all the time. They need their daily dose of exercise for a healthy life.

Individual Awareness Issue

Ultimately, pet safety is about awareness of the pet you have and its intrinsic behavior.

There are pets that are easy to manage and others that are more challenging.

After addressing standard safety procedures, you’ll need to incorporate some specific safety features for pets that tend to be more unruly.

Once you have a pet, it’s best to focus on pet safety before something undesirable happens.

Love Your Pet: Ensure Their Health

Deciding to get a pet should be done with great care due to many considerations.

This so-called hobby not only requires a lot of money but also a lot of time and dedication, considering you’re caring for a living being.

By the time you bring your pet home, you need to be prepared for various aspects like food, vaccinations, vet bills, and property damage.

Pet owners usually consider their pets part of the family and must properly care for their health and well-being.

If your cat or dog falls ill or gets injured, you don’t want to bear the burden of medical bills.

Pet health insurance should cover unexpected vet bills.

Recent studies show that one in three pet owners has made unscheduled vet visits in the past two years.

Betting on your pet’s health by chance is a risky decision.

It’s natural to be shocked by the cost of pet health insurance.

However, the immediate cost will be much less compared to spending on numerous future vet bills.

Before making this final decision on purchasing pet health insurance, consider your requirements.

Many pet health insurance companies offer different types of policies for various pets and breeds.

Keep in mind that insurance for a cat will be more expensive than for a dog.