How to take care of a cat

how to take care of a cat

Cat less than a year old, adapted to manipulation of its extremities.

Are you thinking of having a feline as a pet and you don't know how to take care of a cat?Despite the beliefs about them, they are sociable and affectionate animals. This will depend on how they are raised and their adaptation period. First of all, tell you that they are not like dogs. In fact, they have a somewhat special character and are a little more independent.

Before making the decision to give a cat a home, it is important that you inform yourself about how to care for a cat. If you want to know more about the subject here we are going to give you small tips on how to do it.

exotic kitty

exotic kitty

It is normal for the cat to be a little disoriented the first few days after arriving at his new home, since everything is new to him. If we compare it with a dog, they are a little more skittish and tend to be a little distrustful at first. But this should not stop you when it comes to welcoming a cat since with patience, attention and the necessary care you will get him to feel comfortable and adapt to his new home.

If you adopt a stray or traumatized cat, one suggestion is to use a pheromone diffuser to help the cat feel safe and reduce stress.

To welcome you It is convenient to provide him with a place to settle, certain foods and many tokens of love, and yes, without stressing him too much. Next, we will tell you how to take care of a cat from its reception at home.

Basic pack to take care of a cat. What do you need?

Basic elements to care for a cat: bed, feeders and food, litter box, scratching post and toys

Basic elements to care for a cat: bed, feeders and food, litter box, scratching post and toys.

We make a list of everything you will need to make it easier for your cat to settle into its new home:

  • dry and wet food
  • A place to sleep (bed, igloo…)
  • Hygiene cabin
  • Bowls for food and water (if they are stainless steel better)
  • Carrier
  • Entertainment (toys, scratcher…)
  • Toys (clock, with sounds...)
  • Collar (do not forget that they are with a special closure for cats)
  • cat treats
  • Catnip
  • Hygiene (brushes suitable for their fur, shampoo if necessary, nail clippers, dental products, malt)

Tips on how to care for a cat

Prepare the house to receive your cat

How to give your cat a safe and cheap space

Cardboard boxes are a cheap option to give your cat a space where they feel safe.

Cats are restless animals, you will see how your cat will sniff around every corner of the house. As they are exploring animals, it is recommended that you take certain precautions such as closing balconies, doors and windows or looking for alternatives such as mesh or some type of barrier to prevent jumps and falls.

Another danger that cats will encounter when wandering around the house are toxic products that may be within their reach due to carelessness, be especially careful with poisonous plants such as poinsettia, laurel, rhododendron, amaryllis, pesticides, medicines, among others.

You should also be careful and watch the cat when it is near a heat source such as a stove, oven or ceramic hob. It is more common than it seems that cats are treated in veterinary clinics for burns on pads when climbing on the ceramic hob.

As for furniture and home decoration, especially fragile and brittle decorations, make sure to protect it when it is within reach, because it could pass and break it without realizing it. A useful tip is that every time he climbs on the furniture you lower him without saying anything, or rewarding him with caresses.. He may try again but when you do it several times he will give up repeating it.

What they love are the ropes, the ropes and the ropes… what can be a nice scene can turn into a big accident. It is quite common for cats to be intervened due to a foreign body, that is, because they have eaten a thread, rope or hair bands. Therefore, do not let them play with these types of items without your supervision.

If there are children at home, they must be taught to respect it. Despite his great patience, he does not tolerate tail pulling, fear or lack of restraint. A little advice is to get the children used to approaching the cat carefully, without a guitar. And get the cat used to children by rewarding it with caresses and treats, so that it makes a good association with children.

Finally, If you already have other pets in your house, you should pay special attention to all animals that can be prey for cats: birds, fish or small rodents. Do not forget that they are natural predators, so you must protect the habitat of small animals and always keep them separated from felines.

Once you have eliminated all the possible "dangers" that your cat may encounter, it is necessary to take care of its health. Choose an area of ​​the house for him to sleep and play, and another to place his sandbox, where he can always satisfy his needs.

Bed

Cats sleep an average of 12 hours a day.

Cats sleep an average of 12 hours a day.

Something you should prepare is his bed, a quiet and safe place to rest, away from drafts, more or less silent and easily accessible. If cats are characterized by something, it is because they are sleepy. Therefore, provide him with a quality bed to sleep on. Although it is not known why, but cats are great lovers of cardboard boxes, so another alternative is a cardboard box with a blanket or a cushion inside, so that it adapts to the house.

The sand

Another basic item your cat needs from the start is a litter box for pooping and peeing. There are different types of cat litter. Cats are very meticulous about hygiene and humidityTherefore, we advise you to use odourless, clumping litter so that it stays as dry as possible. Once you choose the one that suits you best, you should spread it at the bottom of the drawer until it absorbs enough urine and so that your cat can dig to hide the droppings. Place the litter box in a quiet place that you can easily access, You can use the bathroom if you live in an apartment or if you have the option to put it in a laundry room or patio if you live in a house.

the sandbox

litter boxes for cats

Keeping the litter dry and clean is essential to avoid infections and behavioral changes in our cats.

Cats have many personalities and are very demanding. Therefore, you should test if your cat prefers a basic litter box, a covered or semi-covered litter box. There's also automatic litter boxes for homeowners who are short on time. If you decide to use a covered litter box, we advise you to use it first with only the bottom part so that it adapts little by little. After about two weeks, he tries to put the lid on it, but that does not coincide with the cleaning of the sand. In this way, he will associate that this is the place where he has to relieve himself. Veterinary advice is that for each cat there are two litter boxes. But since we understand that it is not possible, try to make it a wide sandbox. In the event that you have several cats, you will have to have more than one litter box.

Hygiene

Cats are very clean animals. From three months they are able to perform daily hygiene tasks. Since they are washed directly with the tongue, we can help them prevent unwanted hairballs from forming, brushing them weekly in the case of short-haired cats and twice a week in long-haired cats. In addition to giving him adequate food.

As a general rule, cats are fairly clean animals, so it is not necessary to bathe them monthly . In the event that you had to clean it because it has been stained with something that persists, you can use dry shampoo, especially for cats. Or if it could not be dry, a specific shampoo for cats. You have to keep in mind that you have to remove a lot of moisture from their fur. Until he is fully vaccinated, it is not the most appropriate thing to bathe him. Excessive bathing can remove the protective film of the skin and cause dermatitis and hair problems. In fact, if you keep a good brushing of his hair, it will not be necessary to bathe him.

Scrapers

How to take care of a cat

The use of scratchers is essential in cats

Cats by nature love to scratch. This behavior has different reasons:

  • Marking. They are territorial animals by nature, they do so by scratching and/or urinating. Although the latter if it is sterilized since childhood does not usually occur.
    Match. Although they are adorable, they are like little panthers and need to maintain a mock hunt and places to climb.
  • Nail sharpening. It is important to get him used to cutting his nails, because many times with the same scratching post they tend to "splinter", it is normal so do not be scared if you find your cat's nails on the scratching post.
  • stretch out Yes! As strange as it may seem, they use scratching posts to stretch. Note that after a long nap your cat will go to the scratching post.

The scratchers are an essential element in the life of a domestic cat. Therefore, place the scratchers in places in the house where there is usually more activity, for example, in the living room. Get rid of the myth that cats are loners, they like their space but also interact with us. Another point in favor of why put it in the living room or in the places where you usually do more life at home is because this way you will prevent it from scratching furniture, curtains or the sofa.
You may notice that at first it does not use it, be patient. To encourage him to use it, you can use it as an interaction with the game through toys, making him have to go up to "hunt" a toy, you can also use spray pheromones as Feliway.

Toys

kitten playing

The game in cats is essential for their cognitive and social development.

Cats are very curious and restless animals and need to play, so provide them with toys while they are active to help them develop feline instincts such as stalking or hunting for prey.

Food

For a cat to grow healthy, their food must be of quality and in the right quantity according to their size and age.
The optimal thing is that you offer dry food (I think) and wet can, or Barf diet. If you opt for the Barf diet, always do so with the recommendation of a veterinarian who is an expert in nutrition, for example Adrian Count. A Barf diet that is not well calculated and controlled can lead to important physiological problems.

Why offer him wet food? Very simply, cats, unlike dogs, are strictly carnivorous, so it is easier for them to assimilate water from food than the water they drink per se. This does not exempt you from always having fresh water at your fingertips. It also has a high palatability, which will make you have a cat that enjoys food more and you will avoid aversion to different types of food.
It is important that you choose a food suitable for his age, as a baby he will need food richer in calcium. As he grows, and depending on how active he is, he will need a more or less caloric meal.

Lastly, remember to leave a proportion of money earmarked for veterinary expenses for your cat It is essential for your health to have up to date: the vaccination plan, deworming for ectoparasites and endoparasites and, at least, one annual routine visit to the veterinary center. I hope these points on how to care for a cat will serve as a guide.


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