When cats are awake, they need to be kept busy. If not, they may find entertainment in tearing up your home. You can help prevent this via cat toys. Read on to find many more great tips.

Small places are spots cats love to get into. If they have a collar on, this might prove to be a safety risk if they happen to get stuck. A breakaway collar let’s go if pulled on tightly. That’ll keep kitty safe.

A heated tile for underneath your cat’s bed can provide real comfort. Heat a fabric covered heating pad in the microwave for a couple of minutes, making sure that is not too hot to the touch. Wrap it in an old towel and put it under your cat’s bed or blanket. If you want, you can change it for a newly warmed tile a few hours later.

Flea Products

Never use a product on your cat that is intended for dogs. Some can be quite dangerous, and even deadly, when used on a cat. When it comes to flea products this is particularly true. When used on your cat, flea products for dogs can be lethal. If your dog has been treated for fleas, keep him away from your cat for at least three hours.

Cats can use their claws to destroy furniture and other parts of the house. If you want to prevent or stop your cat from scratching up your furniture, the best thing to do is buy a scratching post or kitty tower for them to climb in. It is much better if your cat uses his claws on that, rather than your furniture. It may take some time, but will be worth the effort and expense.

Your cat needs love and attention. They give lots of affection and need some in return. Without love, cats may not socialize with your family. This will increase the love that surrounds the family.

Crystals form in urine from male cats. This can be prevented with good food choices. The cat is in pain passing the crystals, and the correction for this is costly. Look for foods that are low in magnesium for your cat. Read the label. Fish-based foods usually contain more magnesium than poultry-based foods.

Make sure that you have a good tablecloth for your kitten. Cats sometimes like to eat food outside of their bowl. This creates extra work since you must then clean up the leftover loose food. You can get a pet mat or use a piece of old fabric to put under it for easy cleanup.

Brush your cat at regular times. It really helps move natural oils around the cat’s fur, and it improves blood flow. Furthermore, it helps reduce all the loose hair. Doing so reduces the occurrence of hairballs, which are a choking risk. It also benefits the cat’s stomach by reducing the animal’s need to clean itself.

Although your cat’s old scratching post may look very worn out, you shouldn’t throw it away. You may believe that it’s in terrible condition, but cats typically prefer it this way. By removing the old item and replacing it with a new one, your cat may try to find another item to scratch. This could end up being furniture.

Plan on spending the money for good cat food that contains the nutrients that your cat needs. Carefully look over ingredients, and be sure that a quality protein source like chicken, fish, or beef is at the beginning of the list. Don’t give your cat foods that have corn or other elements that have no protein. Cats are carnivores, and they need a good amount of protein in their diet.

A collar and tags are a great way that your cat can be identified if it is found stray. Even if yours is an indoor cat, this is still an important safety measure. Cats are naturally curious and a door or window that’s open invites exploration. Your cat’s identification tags should provide your contact info and that of your veterinarian. Include your cat’s special diet or medical needs on his identification.

It is important for a cat to have play time. Really play is something that all mammals share, no matter the age. Older cats might not be quite as energetic as they used to be, but light play can still be fun for them. Play with your cat and give them the fun time it needs.

Haired Cats

If you desire a long-haired cat, it’s best to know what kind of care is involved before you do so. While long haired cats are soft and look great, understand that there will be a lot more fur around the rest of the house. You must be willing to spend more time cleaning your home. It should also be noted that long haired cats are much more susceptible to hairballs.

Is there cat hair everywhere? Cats shed frequently; therefore, you need to brush them on a regular basis. If your cat sheds a lot, brush it a lot. This will ensure your cat’s coat is tangle-free and not matted.

Litter Box

Make sure you consider where you are going to place the cat’s litter box. It’s sometimes tempting to put the box somewhere that you don’t have to smell or see it. The thing to remember is that your cat must have easy access to the box. Understand that cats are extremely picky. If its litter box is not in a convenient location, then your cat might not use it. A litter box located in the basement should be placed on a thick mat or rug.

Cats have lots of energy, so make sure they expel that energy on their toys instead of your furniture. The more you know about cats, the better your cat will be. The above advice offers many accessible ways that you can better care for your cat.