Given the chance to do so, would you like to save the life of a cat? Many, many cats are waiting for a loving home. Simply adopt a cat and use this article as your guide to properly caring for it.

If you are planning to get a pet cat, be sure to check with your local shelter. Shelters have lots of great cats available, and your adoption fee often covers key veterinary services. A cat gets a new chance at life and the cat population stays in check with adoption.

Regular veterinary checkups are important for the health of your cat. Cats need yearly shots and overall health assessments. Your cat will be more comfortable if you continue using the same vet. They will learn your cat’s history best.

You may want to have a microchip put into your car. Even an indoor cat can get the urge to run out of a door or leap through a window. A tagged collar might help get kitty home, but it can just as easily come off if snagged on a branch. Microchips are very small, approximately as large as a single grain of rice. Although they are small, they can hold your entire contact information. Nearly all veterinarians and shelters now have scanners capable of reading the information on these chips, and since they are under the skin, there is no chance of the chip getting lost.

Keep your cat away from boredom. Although you may believe that cats just lie around, this isn’t the case. They need their exercise. Unfortunately, a lot of cat owners neglect this. Cats who get bored can actually become depressed or display other undesirable behaviors. Provide them with space to exercise and lots of toys to play with. Provide them with an indoor climbing area or scratching post.

A tablecloth for the feeding area can be quite useful. Cats often take food from their bowls to eat on the side. Sometimes, this results in food outside the bowl that you have to clean up. There are two ways to do this. You can either put a placemat under the food bowl or use some stray fabric that you have lying around. Either way, you can easily get rid of debris by dumping them in the garbage.

If you’re thinking about raising an outdoor cat, you should strongly reconsider. There are many dangers to your cat outside. Your cat may get fleas or something even worse than that. Other animals and vehicles could also injure your cat. If the cat must go outside, set aside a small part of the backyard or front lawn as a place where they can go.

Cats have a love affair with heights. For a happy cat, make sure you establish a safe environment for them to scan their surroundings. You should install a cat tree or allow your cat to climb on some shelves. Put a blanket on it so they can rest peacefully.

Scratching Post

Don’t get rid of an old scratching post. It may not look as nice, but cats love a scratching post with some wear and tear. There is a good chance if you got rid of it and bought a new one that your cat would start scratching up your furniture.

Feed canned food to your cat. Dry food is usually cheaper, but canned food boasts a number of benefits. There is more water, more fat and more protein in it. Canned food is much easier to chew for older cats. Speak with your vet, however generally speaking, canned cat food is better for your cat.

When your cat starts urinating often or in odd places, it may be time to see the vet. They’re trying to tell you something is wrong. Affordable antibiotics can quickly resolve the problem.

If your pet is expecting kittens, be sure she has a spacious area to give birth in. Labor can last as long as four hours, so stay patient. If six hours have gone by and you think there are still more kitten inside the cat, take her to a vet immediately.

Cat Wags

Dogs are known to way their tails. This means they are content or excited and is normal dog behavior. Cats also wag their tails, but for totally different reasons. When a cat wags its tail, it can mean that it is conflicted or that it is trying to decide if it should run away from a situation or attack. Along the same line, if your cat wags its tail while you are holding it, you should put it down to avoid getting scratched.

You may often eat things that are quite bad for cats. Some of these include onions, grapes, garlic and green tomatoes. Your cat can get very sick from eating these foods. Milk can also upset your cats’ stomach.

It is crucial that you never make the mistake of giving your cat any medications that are meant for human use. If your cat is sick, take it to the veterinarian and use the medication recommended. Drugs and medicines designed for human consumption can cause serious health problems for cats, and in extreme cases, can even be fatal.

Beginning a new job out of the house can have an impact on your cat. One tried-and-true way to keep a cat from getting lonely is to pair it up with another cat.

Line your furniture with sticky tape. Cats naturally like to claw things and often your furniture is what they use. The tape will help prevent this. There is specific tape for this sold at pet stores. By keeping your furniture covered with tape and getting a scratching post put up, you will get your cat to scratch that instead.

Being a good cat owner is something to take pride in. You’re providing affection and shelter to a create that needs it badly. You new little friend will be there for you for the rest of their lives. If you give your cat love, you will get it in return.