Essential Cat Care Tips And Tricks

You may have trained several dogs in the past, but nothing can prepare you for raising your new feline friend. Cats are nothing like dogs. They require more attention during their growing years and more personal time playing with their owner. This article will highlight some of the main differences between the two.

Grooming is an essential part of your cats care. Regular combing and brushing is usually all that is required. Doing this frequently can help them keep their coat clean. It will reduce shedding, which means that they wont be experiencing a ton of hairballs. Your cat should be kept groomed so that they look great and youll also make your home look good.

Dont be pushy when you are getting to know your new cat. Cats prefer to be in control and take things at their own pace. Make sure your new cat is comfortable and safe. Let your cat take its time exploring its new environment. When your cat feels at home, it will be more likely to try to make friends with you.

Exercise

Cats love to play so make sure that you provide them with lots of toys. Cats enjoy batting around a fake mouse or little ball around the room. Some cats even develop a favorite toy. Playing with your cat is not only fun, it helps them to get exercise too.

A great toy for your cat is a laser pointer. Cats love to chase the laser around and try to catch it. This will help you give your cat some exercise, while your cat is having fun at the same time. It will also help to fine-tune their hunting skills.

Keep your cat amused. They need exercise and they get it through play. A lot of cat owners do not keep their cats busy. If your cat is bored, it might develop a depression, obsessive compulsive behaviors or ruin some of your furniture. You need to give it new toys regularly and make sure your cat has plenty of space to run and play. If you have an indoor cat, provide a kitty gym for them to climb on or a scratching post.

Nutrition

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.

Although depicted in countless movies and cartoons, milk is not the best source of nutrition for your cat. Once cats have grown, they do not need milk as a regular part of their diet. Milk can cause stomach distress and bloating. Instead of giving your cat milk, always have fresh, clean water available to them instead.

You need to buy some quality food for your cat. Read the ingredients, and make sure a source of protein, like fish or chicken, is near the top. Dont choose a food which is mainly corn. Cats in the wild are meat eaters, and domestic cats need meat to ensure optimum health.

While both animals are great to have and can peacefully exist with one another under one roof, dont take adopting a new kitten too lightly. Plan ahead and have enough resources in reserve like cat food and such. If you are going to train your cat indoors, dont forget to buy extra litter for the first few months because they can get messy.