Caring for Cats – the Easy Way
Mark Buckingham asked:
You will need a great deal of commitment in order to own a cat as they do require some care (although not as much as dogs!) and can live as old as 15 years (or even longer in some cases).
Cats require feeding (daily), care and ‘play time’ on a regular basis. You will also have to take into consideration, before getting your cat, that you will have vets’ bills to pay for annual vaccines, worming and if treatment is required for any illnesses. These bills can sometimes be very costly, but you can purchase insurance for pets – it may be a good idea to ‘shop around’ to get the best deal.
Before getting your cat, you should purchase bowls for food and water, a collar (if you want the cat to wear one), a bed (or pet quilt), a few suitable toys, and some food.
A kitten should be fed throughout the day 4 times with a small amount of food each meal, reducing to 3 times a day at 3 months old, then at 6-8 months 2 meals per day. Older cats (over 12 months) should only be fed twice in the day (usually morning and early evening).
Cats groom themselves, but using a soft brush on the cat, especially the long haired variety, will help to cut down the number of hairballs in the cat’s stomach, which are caused by them licking / grooming themselves.
If you decide to have a cat-flap fitted to your door in order that the cat can come and go as it pleases, you will have to train it to use the flap. You can use tit-bits to entice the cat to go through the flap, when it is fully open. Start by opening the flap fully, just showing the tit-bit, then next time close the flap a little bit and keep on doing so until the cat realises that the flap will open with a small push of the head.
Cats like to sharpen their claws on most household furniture! Suites, corners of walls (thick paper), carpets. Invest in a scratch post – there are many to choose from. When the cat starts to scratch, lift the cat and place him/her next to the scratch post, they will soon get the message and use the post instead of the furniture.
If you are concerned about your cat going missing, or it being involved in an accident, you can have a micro-chip (approximately the size of a grain of rice) inserted into the back of the cat’s neck. The chip contains information, which can help to identify the cat as belonging to you.
It is often said that ‘a cat looks after itself’. This is obviously not really true, but they do have a more independent nature than some other domesticated pets. That said, they still make ideal companions when they ‘allow’ you to be their friend.
You will need a great deal of commitment in order to own a cat as they do require some care (although not as much as dogs!) and can live as old as 15 years (or even longer in some cases).
Cats require feeding (daily), care and ‘play time’ on a regular basis. You will also have to take into consideration, before getting your cat, that you will have vets’ bills to pay for annual vaccines, worming and if treatment is required for any illnesses. These bills can sometimes be very costly, but you can purchase insurance for pets – it may be a good idea to ‘shop around’ to get the best deal.
Before getting your cat, you should purchase bowls for food and water, a collar (if you want the cat to wear one), a bed (or pet quilt), a few suitable toys, and some food.
A kitten should be fed throughout the day 4 times with a small amount of food each meal, reducing to 3 times a day at 3 months old, then at 6-8 months 2 meals per day. Older cats (over 12 months) should only be fed twice in the day (usually morning and early evening).
Cats groom themselves, but using a soft brush on the cat, especially the long haired variety, will help to cut down the number of hairballs in the cat’s stomach, which are caused by them licking / grooming themselves.
If you decide to have a cat-flap fitted to your door in order that the cat can come and go as it pleases, you will have to train it to use the flap. You can use tit-bits to entice the cat to go through the flap, when it is fully open. Start by opening the flap fully, just showing the tit-bit, then next time close the flap a little bit and keep on doing so until the cat realises that the flap will open with a small push of the head.
Cats like to sharpen their claws on most household furniture! Suites, corners of walls (thick paper), carpets. Invest in a scratch post – there are many to choose from. When the cat starts to scratch, lift the cat and place him/her next to the scratch post, they will soon get the message and use the post instead of the furniture.
If you are concerned about your cat going missing, or it being involved in an accident, you can have a micro-chip (approximately the size of a grain of rice) inserted into the back of the cat’s neck. The chip contains information, which can help to identify the cat as belonging to you.
It is often said that ‘a cat looks after itself’. This is obviously not really true, but they do have a more independent nature than some other domesticated pets. That said, they still make ideal companions when they ‘allow’ you to be their friend.
Feline Health: Caring for Your New Kitten – What’s First?
Michael D. Rosenthal asked:
When it comes to household pets, there are very few that bring as much excitement and joy than bringing home a new kitten. Just remember that you will be responsible for this pet’s care and health for an average of 10-15 years. Suffice it to say, felines make for very special and unique pets and their uniqueness is the key to knowing how to care for them properly. Their needs are the key to working with your veterinarian so that your new kitten will have the best care possible and be a member of your family for years to come.
Initially, when you first bring the new kitten into your home, there are issues that need to be addressed immediately. Obviously, if you have decided to have a cat for a pet, you have accepted the responsibilities of providing the following:
· food
· grooming
· proper veterinary care
· shelter
And let’s not forget lots of TLC and affection. In return for all the love, money, and time that we spend on them and with them, we are rewarded with a content companion that is affectionate and healthy.
The Adjustment Period
First and foremost, you’ll need to put in some due diligence as you prepare your home for the new family member. Addressing the kitten’s needs is paramount because they will first require your patience as they adjust to their new surroundings. By the same token, you will need to adjust to them now being a family member. Additionally, if you have children and other pets in your home, there will most likely be some adjustment issues in those arenas as well.
It is necessary that you ease the kitten through this adjustment period, especially when there are young children around, as well as other pets. In addition to supervising your children when they are playing with the new kitten, you should teach them how to handle the kitten with the utmost care and respect.
The Kitten’s Basic Needs
There are certain basic resources that the new kitten will need specifically, food and water. Initially, it is a good idea to provide them with their own private food and water bowls. Once they have integrated well with the other pets, a single feeding and watering station should be the norm. However, until that time arises, keeping them separated from other animals in the house (especially dogs) is the best idea.
If you haven’t chosen a veterinarian, then do it now. Besides the medical issues, your veterinarian will be able to recommend a proper diet for the kitten as well. Where the kitten’s food and water are concerned, it is imperative that they have water at all times and that you clean their food and water bowls regularly and thoroughly.
The next order of business is their litter box. Make sure that it is situated in a quiet yet easily accessible location and that it is not too tall for them to get in and out of. Seeing as how there are a multitude of choices in the marketplace, you may find this somewhat challenging. Just remember that cats normally prefer very fine-grained litter when selecting one for your kitten. Also, the clumping kinds will make your job of cleaning out the litter box on a daily basis a lot easier. Additionally, the box should be completely, disinfected, emptied, and refilled with fresh litter on a regular basis.
When it comes to household pets, there are very few that bring as much excitement and joy than bringing home a new kitten. Just remember that you will be responsible for this pet’s care and health for an average of 10-15 years. Suffice it to say, felines make for very special and unique pets and their uniqueness is the key to knowing how to care for them properly. Their needs are the key to working with your veterinarian so that your new kitten will have the best care possible and be a member of your family for years to come.
Initially, when you first bring the new kitten into your home, there are issues that need to be addressed immediately. Obviously, if you have decided to have a cat for a pet, you have accepted the responsibilities of providing the following:
· food
· grooming
· proper veterinary care
· shelter
And let’s not forget lots of TLC and affection. In return for all the love, money, and time that we spend on them and with them, we are rewarded with a content companion that is affectionate and healthy.
The Adjustment Period
First and foremost, you’ll need to put in some due diligence as you prepare your home for the new family member. Addressing the kitten’s needs is paramount because they will first require your patience as they adjust to their new surroundings. By the same token, you will need to adjust to them now being a family member. Additionally, if you have children and other pets in your home, there will most likely be some adjustment issues in those arenas as well.
It is necessary that you ease the kitten through this adjustment period, especially when there are young children around, as well as other pets. In addition to supervising your children when they are playing with the new kitten, you should teach them how to handle the kitten with the utmost care and respect.
The Kitten’s Basic Needs
There are certain basic resources that the new kitten will need specifically, food and water. Initially, it is a good idea to provide them with their own private food and water bowls. Once they have integrated well with the other pets, a single feeding and watering station should be the norm. However, until that time arises, keeping them separated from other animals in the house (especially dogs) is the best idea.
If you haven’t chosen a veterinarian, then do it now. Besides the medical issues, your veterinarian will be able to recommend a proper diet for the kitten as well. Where the kitten’s food and water are concerned, it is imperative that they have water at all times and that you clean their food and water bowls regularly and thoroughly.
The next order of business is their litter box. Make sure that it is situated in a quiet yet easily accessible location and that it is not too tall for them to get in and out of. Seeing as how there are a multitude of choices in the marketplace, you may find this somewhat challenging. Just remember that cats normally prefer very fine-grained litter when selecting one for your kitten. Also, the clumping kinds will make your job of cleaning out the litter box on a daily basis a lot easier. Additionally, the box should be completely, disinfected, emptied, and refilled with fresh litter on a regular basis.
