If you are going to be bringing a cat home, then you want to make sure you educate yourself on some of the things you should know in order to be a responsible cat owner who ends up with a healthy and happy cat. While some people think owning a cat is as easy as throwing down a bowl of food and water once a day, there is actually much more you should educate yourself on in order to become a good cat owner. This article is full of that important information and will prove to be a valuable resource.
Consider keeping your cat as an indoor only cat
If you aren't going to be able to keep a cat as an inside one, then you may want to reconsider getting one. Cats that spend a good amount of time outside tend to have much shorter lifespans than cats that spend all of their time indoors. Outdoor cats are subjected to a great deal of threats on a daily basis. If you have an outdoor cat then you should try the best you can to prepare yourself for many veterinarian bills caused by cat fights, dog attacks, and even incidences with vehicles, mean people, and more.
Do not have your cat declawed
You can train your cat to not claw your furniture. One way to train them is to use a spray bottle full of water to spray them anytime you see them going to claw something. Also, making sure your cat has access to a good number of cat scratching posts and other toys can help to convince them not to scratch the furniture, carpeting, blinds or anything else you don't want them digging their claws into. However, declawing your cat is not something you should consider doing. In fact, this procedure is one that some vets won't even perform anymore. Declawing a cat is done by removing the last knuckle of the cat's paw, taking the nail bed with the amputation. The process is a very painful one that the cats will have to heal through.
Have your cat spayed or neutered
Whether you end up raising your cat as an indoor or outdoor cat, you'll want to have your cat spayed or neutered. A cat that's not fixed will have an increased chance of spraying all over things that you don't want them to. They will also try harder to escape and if they do spend time outside, they may run away. Unaltered cats also tend to get in a lot more fights.
Now that you have a better idea of some of the things you should do when you own a cat, you can take the extra steps to be a better cat owner.
Share28 December 2016
Do you own a small animal like a mouse, hamster or even a lizard? Did you know that even these tiny creatures can benefit from veterinary care? My name is Emma, and I own a number of small pets. I have found out through my experiences that veterinary care can give my little pets a longer, healthier life. This blog will cover what a small animal needs from regular medical care as well as special situations that require emergency veterinary intervention. Tiny pets deserve a healthy life, too. Learn how to do all your can for the littlest animals in your care.
