Some General Tips For Cat Lovers Everywhere.

There is a lot that goes into taking care of a cat. If youre a first time cat owner, or even if youve had a cat for a while, this article can help you out. Read over it carefully and you should have no problem taking better care of your cats.

If you want to add a cat to your family, go to the shelter first to see what is available. Shelters usually have many cats who need a home, and the fees typically include their shots and spaying or neutering. When you adopt a cat from a shelter, you save a life and help keep the cat population under control.

Make sure that your cat is well groomed. A cat requires regularly brushing and combing. This can keep them clean. This will also reduce things like shedding and hairballs because it keeps them from having extra hair. Cat grooming will not only keep kitty looking great, but it will also help to reduce the effort spent picking up cat hair around the home.

If your cat is an outdoor cat or a cat that has a habit of getting outside, they need proper identification. The cat should have a safety collar and an ID tag. Safety collars that have elastic bands allow cats to get out of the collar if they get it caught on something. An ID tag or an implanted microchip can help your cat get returned if theyre lost.

Exercise

Cats love to play so make sure that you provide them with lots of toys. Cats enjoy batting around a fake mouse or little ball around the room. Some cats even develop a favorite toy. Playing with your cat is not only fun, it helps them to get exercise too.

A great toy for your cat is a laser pointer. Cats love to chase the laser around and try to catch it. This will help you give your cat some exercise, while your cat is having fun at the same time. It will also help to fine-tune their hunting skills.

Keep your cat amused. Cats need play and exercise like other pets. Unfortunately, lots of people who own cats neglect this. Bored cats tend to develop emotional and mental disorders that may negatively impact their health. Give them plenty of room to exercise and a wide selections of toys. If you have an indoor cat, offer him a variety of toys, scratching post or objects he can climb on.

Nutrition

Choose a high quality food. The key to a healthy cat starts with nutrition. Take a look at the ingredients label. If you look at most "popular" commercial cat foods, you may be surprised to see the top ingredient listed is corn. Cats are carnivores, so look for a food with a real meat as the top ingredient. You may pay more up front, but these foods are often more nutritionally dense, meaning your cat eats less and the bag lasts longer.

Although depicted in countless movies and cartoons, milk is not the best source of nutrition for your cat. Once cats have grown, they do not need milk as a regular part of their diet. Milk can cause stomach distress and bloating. Instead of giving your cat milk, always have fresh, clean water available to them instead.

Provide your cat with high-quality cat food. Beef, fish or chicken, all great protein sources, should head the list of main ingredients. Dont give your cat foods that have corn or other elements that have no protein. The main part of a cats diet should be meat protein, so his cat food should be mostly real meat.

Now you can probably see that there is quite a bit that goes into working with cats. It isnt difficult, but it can be time consuming. Take everything youve gone over here and things wont be all that difficult for you. Good luck and enjoy taking care of your pet!