Popular poet T.S. He described them as creatures that the house depends on, and there is some truth to that. A happy, well-behaved feline is a great addition to any home. Unfortunately, cats aren’t the easiest pets to live with. Here are some things you need to know if you’re going to be living with a cat.
Your cat will want to climb into small spaces. If your cat wears a collar they might get hurt, and stuck. A collar that will breakaway is the best idea for safety. Using this collar will prevent your cat from injuring itself.
Deter cats from shocking themselves on electrical wires by spraying them with bitter apple. If that doesn’t work, cover those cords up however you can. You can bundle loose cords together and place them inside paper towel rolls. If you have electrical cords laying out that are not being used, put them away as cats can play with them and then move on to live electrical cords.
Nice furniture and cat claws don’t get along very well. If your kitty is doing this, one way to redirect his behavior is to purchase a scratching post or cat tower. Redirect your cat to the scratching post when they start to go after your furniture. Catnip can be put in the posts or on the tower to help train the cat to use it. Eventually it will cause you less of a headache.
It’s not easy convincing your pet that the kitchen counter is a no-cats zone. Cats enjoy going into high places so that they can see what’s going on around the house. One good way to beat this problem is by giving your kitty some safe, high perches throughout the house. Your cat will not go on your counters if there’s a cat tower close to the kitchen.
You can also consider outfitting your cat with a chip so you can monitor its whereabouts. Indoor cats could run out your door or jump out the window. Collars and tags can help get your cat home, however cats are experts at wiggling out of these, not to mention the risk they pose if they were to get snagged on a bush or tree branch. Microchips are as small as a rice grain and have all of your important contact information. Scanners to read pet microchips are available in every town and they will not come out from under the skin.
The litter box for your cat needs to be in a good location. Try to keep it away from areas of household traffic and away from your cat’s eating areas. Make sure it’s properly ventilated to keep smell down. Both your cat and you will appreciate this.
Reconsider having an outdoor cat. This can be very unsafe for your cat. There is a chance your cat can contract fleas or perhaps something much worse. It can also be potentially hurt by cars, people or other animals. If your cat must go outside, try to confine them to the backyard.
Although owning a cat isn’t a easy process, the rewards are great. You need to get to know your cat better so you can focus on the kind of attention it needs the most. You’ll have your cat purring in no time.