Be The Purr-fect Cat Owner With This Advice.

Once a cat is adopted, many obstacles may present themselves to the family taking on the new pet. When one adopts unprepared, bad things can happen. Just remember, even with proper planning, there will always be unknowns when dealing with cats. The more you know, the better, though, so read on.

Be sure to have your pet cat spayed or neutered by the time it is six months old. A spayed or neutered cat is a more satisfactory pet because it is calmer, quieter and more likely to stay home. Neutered male cats do not spray urine to mark their territory. This is definitely a plus when it comes to cat ownership.

Good grooming is important for cats. Regular combing and brushing is usually all that is required. This will keep your cat’s coat clean. It also reduces their shedding and hairballs. If you groom your cat with care, both your pet and your home will look their best.

You must always take your cat for regular vet check-ups. Cats require special shots to prevent illness and the vet can check their overall health. Try to keep the same vet during the life of your pet. You won’t have to worry that the vet won’t have all of your cat’s medical records.

If your cat is misbehaving, you can influence its behavior in a safe and humane way by using water. Fill a small squirt gun or a spray water bottle with plain water. Give your cat a few light squirts of water when you catch it misbehaving and it will soon learn to stop doing the unwanted behavior.

To keep your cat happy and healthy, its important to schedule regular visits to the vet. Not only are regular checkups good for catching problems early, but regular visits can insure that your cat keeps up to date on its vaccinations. If you don’t know when the last time your cat had its shots, schedule an appointment for booster shots as soon as possible.

Check your cats ears frequently for ear mites. You may notice your cat shaking their head or scratching their ears a lot if they have them. They are tiny parasites that look like coffee grounds in your cat’s ears. If you have more than one cat, they can also travel from cat to cat. See a vet before using any medication on them since their ears need properly cleaned first.

Make your own enclosed litter box from a large tote box with a lid. Use a coffee can lid as a pattern to cut a door in one side of the tote. Place the coffee can lid fairly high up on the side of the tote. Trace around it with a permanent marker. Cut out the circle with tin snips or a box cutter. Add litter. Put on the lid.

Don’t let your cat’s days pass without stimulation and excitement! Cats need stimulation. Too many cat owners forget this simple fact. Boredom can beget illness. You need to give it new toys regularly and make sure your cat has plenty of space to run and play. Indoor cats will be happier if you provide them with climbing resources and practical things such as scratching posts.

You can tap fellow cat owners for advice if you’re having problems with your pet. You can often get great advice from friends and family. There are many online forums that discuss cats. Most vets will also be happy to help you with some advice.

These tips for training cats can be applied to any breed or age as well as to any location. These are tried and true ideas that have been proven to help raise a cat properly, however there are always individual instances where things change. Remember to enjoy your new kitten because that’s the most important part of the process.