Domesticated cats have lost their ability to fend for themselves. They are no longer like cats in the wild. Household pets depend on human beings for proper care and feeding. To learn more about caring for your cat read up on educational materials. Your local humane society will provide you with free educational materials, as will your vet. You can also find good reading on responsible cat ownership at the bookstore or library. Here are some tips for how to care for a cat.
Many people falsely believe that it is impossible to train a cat. You can train a cat with any positive training program that is based on a system of gentle training and rewards. Rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad behavior is a proven way of training your cat.
It’s true that cats keep themselves clean. They like to clean themselves up a little daily. Nonetheless, your cat needs a good bath every three weeks. Products designed just for cats are available at your local pet store, but any mild soap is sufficient. Some, if not most, cats don’t care for baths. Unless you train your cat from the time it is a kitten to get used to bath water and reward it with a treat following every bath, you will have a scratchy situation on your hands when you try to bath the cat when it gets older. Start when your cat is a kitten and you should be able to acclimate the cat to bathing.
Do everything you can to make the bath fun and rewarding for your cat. Don’t hit or punish your cat at bath time. This will only cause your cat to be more apprehensive about bathing in the future.
Use a q-tip to gently clean and dry your cat’s ears and nails after bathing. Do not use a hair dryer because your cat’s skin is much too sensitive and can easily be burned. Not only that, but the noise and strong, hot air will probably cause your cat to freak out and try to run away. Towel dry your cat and finish with a good, gentle brushing.
Unless you want to sleep in cat hair, consider getting the cat its own bed. Most cats like to sleep with their owner or beside the bed. You can set up their bed beside your own.
It’s best to place the litter box where the odor will not bother the family. Keep the litter box clean or your family may not appreciate you or your cat! Keep some of these tips in mind when it comes to choosing a pet for kids as well.
