Cats need to eat good quality food to keep them healthy. The problem is that so many different kinds of wet and dry cat foods on the market are expensive. Here are some ways that you can feed your cat without resorting to feeding them unhealthy foods or table scraps.
If your cat suddenly goes off its feed for no apparent reason, try tempting treats such as jack mackerel, tuna, or cream of chicken soup in small amounts. These are not complete foods and shouldn’t be fed long term, but they are extremely tasty to cats. A finicky cat may start eating again and keep on when given one of these treats.
If you have outdoor cats, be sure to discourage pests such as coyotes, possums and raccoons by bringing cat food indoors at night. Feed your cats first thing in the morning, and make sure there is no food left at nightfall. This will keep your cats safe from attack and illness.
Play with your cat using proper cat toys. Cats love toys that help them feel like the predators that they think they are. Try sticking with toys that help them dance around or jump. This can also help them use extra energy by pouncing on toys instead of people’s feet.
Realize that cats do not normally pant. Dogs pant to keep cool. If a cat pants, it’s a sign of trouble. Your cat could be very anxious or in pain. Likewise, rapid breathing is a sign of pain or anxiety. Be sure to contact your vet right away if your cat starts panting.
Cats are hunters by nature. They love to chase mice and other small animals and insects. Buying little fuzzy mice filled with catnip and batting them around with your cat is a great idea. Your cat will feel as though they are really hunting prey. This will also help you to connect with your cat better.
If your cat takes all the ornaments off the Christmas tree, don’t fight it. Begin collecting attractive cat toys and unbreakable ornaments to decorate the tree next year. Be sure not to decorate with potentially dangerous items like tinsel and garlands. Tinsel is a choking hazard for cats and garlands can cause strangulation.
A proper diet for male cats will help prevent kidney problems that cause them to pass crystals with their urine. These crystals can cause a lot of pain to your cat and could end up costing you a lot in medical expenses. Your cat’s food should be low in magnesium. Go over the label carefully. Fish usually has more magnesium than poultry.
If your cat has to have a surgery such as being spayed or neutered, they will need rest when they come home. It is hard to keep a cat from jumping up on furniture, but necessary to avoid pulling out stitches. Designate an area in your house for your cat to recuperate where they will be less likely to injure themselves, until they are healed enough to roam free.
When you are washing a cat litter box, it is a good idea to use basic soap and water. You may think that it would be more sanitary to use a harsh cleaner like bleach or ammonia, but all that will do is create a smell that the cat will find offensive.
Let your cat get comfortable using a carrier. Punishment affects cats differently from dogs. They prefer encouragement instead. Put their favorite toy and blanket in a carrier. Leave it somewhere they always go to. Cats are natural explorers and sooner or later he will check it out. In the future, your cat will not get scared when you put him in the carrier.
Feed a kitten proper food. A developing kitten survives exclusively on their mother’s milk for the first four weeks, a commercial formula if the mother isn’t around. When moving to regular food, feed them specially formulated kitten food until they reach maturity at the age of one. Kittens need plenty of protein while they are developing.
If you’ve just met a cat, don’t look at them in their eyes. Cats do not like being stared at by people they don’t know. That’s why they are more comfortable if you are not looking at them. They are more likely to approach you that way, and more likely to kindly regard you in the future.
Frequent urination outside the litter box may indicate a visit to the vet is required. They’re trying to tell you something is wrong. Most of the time, these conditions can be resolved with relatively affordable antibiotic treatments.
Consider the placement of your cat’s litter box. Do not hide the box simply to reduce the smell. Make sure that your cat can get to its litter box very easily. Cats are finicky, so you must provide an environment that is not inconvenient or off-putting to the animal. The area around the litter box should be comfortable and warm to walk on, so make adjustments as needed.
If you have a cat who is pregnant, make sure that you give her a private spot that is closed away from other animals and has room for her to move in easily. It can take several hours for the process to unfold and all kittens to be born, so be prepared to spend some time with your cat. Should the time run to six hours, and you think more kittens are due, get the cat to the vet immedietely
You get out of your cat what you put into it. If you give your cat the best, you get the best behavior, and the best level of health from your cat. Cat food can be expensive, but you don’t have to let this discourage you. Use these tips and feed your cat for less.
