Do’s and Don’ts for First Time Cat Owners
A lot of people love animals and want the best for their pets. They can go the extra mile to secure their comfort. Some families or individuals may decide to take a kitten to their home for a company or fun.
However, cats require a particular type of treatment, feeding, and care. Caring for your cat will go a long way to ensure you both enjoy each other’s company. First-timers may love having a furry friend around but may lack the knowledge of how to keep them.
If you just took in a cat to your home, there are basic dos and don’ts to beware about to avoid getting your new pet into domestic hazards and health complications. This article will take you through an adventure to discover what you should embrace and avoid while you grow your cat.
Below are some do’s and don’ts been outlined for first-time cat owners as a guideline to keeping your pet.
Do's For First Time Cat Owners
As you welcome the new family member to your house, you may want to consider certain things:
Ensure the Cat is Healthy
It is necessary to know the health status of the cat before bringing it into your home. It is also for your safety to avoid contracting animal to man diseases such as toxoplasmosis (an infection gotten from the feces of an infected cat). Make sure your new pet is healthy and glowing.
Allergic Issue
Most people have natural allergies for furry animals. These furs trigger an allergic reaction, which can keep most people uncomfortable as long as the allergy source is still within.
Make sure you are not allergic to hairs before bringing in a cat to your home. If you notice you have allergies to the cat fur, you can find another alternative.
Vet Number
Cats do not talk; they may not adhere to instructions immediately. So, there is a high risk of ingesting some poisonous substance, or they may fall sick (due to a new environment), and these may be unhealthy for the cat. It is your responsibility to monitor or observe your cat and seek medical emergency immediately you notice any abnormality in the cat.
Examples of abnormal cat behaviors include vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and even unexplained weight gain.
Warm Space
Cats generally love warm areas. They sleep comfortably in warm environments, and providing them with a friendly cat house will be a good idea. It will make them relaxed and have somewhere to return to when the weather is cold.
Scratching Post
Naturally, cats love scratching their claws on anything rough, such as uneven surfaces. The absence of a scratching post can make the cat destroy your furniture or walls; cats often scratch. So, a scratch post will let the cat scratch on it alone without damaging your properties.
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Grooming
Cat owners should always trim the nails of their cats and make sure they take a good bath once in a while. By cutting the nails, the chances of the cat scratching your furniture will decrease and by bathing, you can prevent fleas in your cat’s body.
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Interactive Toys
Cats are playful animals; when they are active, they love to play a lot. You can provide some toys they can play with all day, such as a toy mouse.
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Get a Leash
Cats are playful animals; when they are active, they love to play a lot. You can provide some toys they can play with all day, such as a toy mouse.
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Take it out for exercise
Cats need training too. You can take them on a walk; it is only fun and tightens the bond you have with your cat, and it is also healthy for the cat.
Feeding Technique and Training
Hiding foods in corners and different places help train your cat to hunt around the house or garden. It develops new skills for hunting its prey (mice and rats).
Regular Vaccinating
Vaccination is essential as it will keep the cat immune to some diseases and infections. You will need to take your cat to a Vet for it to be vaccinated.
Deworming
It is generally required to deworm your cats at least every three months, and apply anti-flea products. One of the reasons is because outside cats stand a high chance of carrying parasites, fleas, and ticks on their body.
Information on Cat's food
Get information on the type of food the cat fed with at the previous location. It will enable you to get more insight into the kind of food you can provide for it. If you decide to check out a different type of food, do well to feed it to get used to the new diet gradually.
Providing indoor plants like cat trees will make the cat stay away from your garden, flowers, and herbs.
Learn to train your cat early to enable it to get to its house on its own when feeling sleepy or about to sleep and prevent it from sleeping on the couch.
Train it not to urinate anywhere in the house. Provide a specific urinal for the cat to avoid making the whole room stink.
Make sure to clean the litter box. Cats naturally love clean environments, cleaning the litter house twice a month.
You are required to take your cat for vaccinations like a vaccination against rabies.
You’ll need to provide the right cat foods that are rich in protein and other essential nutrients. Nutrition is necessary for everyone, and so, you shouldn’t leave your cat behind. Ensure you provide premium cat food for stable and healthy growth.
You will need a GPS tracker collar or a micro-chip on your cat for easy identification and location if the cat strays away and while you travel.
Cats love carried, so you will need a carrier, one of the safest ways to transport your cat when you are about to hit the road.
Don'ts for First Time Cat Owners
Make sure you don’t make these common as Cat owner.
Trimming Nails
Do not ignore the nails. The claws of a cat are so painful, and they can grow to a very extreme length. It is why it is necessary to trim your cat’s nails, don’t let the claws grow too long. Take good care of your new pet’s physical appearance.
Cat's behaviors
As cute as cats are, they do not communicate verbally with humans. If they feel sick, the best way they talk to their owners is through their behavior. Ignoring your cats’ unusual behavior could lead to further complications if not treated early.
Ignoring injuries
When your cat is injured, immediate action should get taken. If the injury is grave or has a broken or dislocated limb, you may have to consult the Vet immediately.
Leaving injuries untreated leaves room for infections, which will make your cat sick, and if not correctly taken care of, the cat may die.
Overfeeding
Yes, cats get overweight quickly. Constant food availability for your cat will increase its chance of obesity. Obesity generally is a health condition and is not suitable for the health of your cat. Overfeeding your cat will make them uncomfortable, and you are only putting their life at risk.
Overfeeding will result in health complications like diabetics and arthritis, which will find it challenging to handle as a first-time cat owner.
Environmental Importance
Cats can consume or eat almost anything they think is edible. You may want to be conscious of the situation you keep your cats. Some things they consume may be extremely toxic and can even kill them in a matter of minutes. You have to make sure there are no traces of poisonous substances that may be a health threat to your cat.
As a new cat owner, you do not want to bring your already existing pet dogs in a cat. Cats and dogs are natural enemies, but they will adjust and adapt to proper and careful training.
Keep the Cat in your Radar
Cats can get distracted during a walk or in a park. Your cat may see a rodent or prey, and while carrying out or displaying its hunting skills could go far away from you while you’re not watching. It would be best if you placed a tag on your cat. Using a GPS microchip is recommended, and you should also put it on a leach.
Medication for Pets
Yes, so many pet owners think or assume all medications can serve the same purpose is all pets. NO, this doesn’t seem right. Some canine or dog drugs can be hazardous to your cat.
Some of these medications can instantly kill your cat if not taken in the right dosage. If you get confused while giving or choosing medicines for your cat, consult your Vet for further guidelines.
Do not think cats are not affectionate. Cats are very loving animals, and they love attention, do not neglect that from them.
Cats are not Dogs
Cats are harder to train than dogs. You will need to apply techniques to prepare them like being too close to them and correcting them without using force or violence when they do something wrong or act wrongly.
Afterbirth Adoption
Do not adopt a cat when it is still young or shortly after birth. The best time to take a cat is the moment weaning ends, which occurs naturally before the cat even reach one month old. It is because the cat must be with the mother cat throughout their lactation period.
Knowledge of Food for Cats
You may want to feed your cats with different types of food. But not all food is good and healthy for your cats. Some food can keep them uncomfortable for some time; examples are wheat and corn.
Cats do not need wheat and corn, and they will have a harder time digesting after consuming them.
Pet Insurance
Most cat owners ignore this part. Getting pet insurance is necessary, but not compulsory. If anything should happen to your cat, you will have the insurance company where you insured your cat to compensate you.
Cheap Food
Do not buy “cheap food” for your cats. Cats love the right treatment with love and well-fed. You do not want to provide your cat with foods that have low nutritional content.
Overweight in Castrated Cats
Castrated cats tend to gain more weight than healthy cats. It is due to hormonal issues. Always provide them with diets with low-calorie content. Always give the cats the amount or quantity of food recommended by your Vet.
Cats love to play
Do not think that cats do not play. Cats love to play, especially with toy mice, feathers, empty boxes, strings, etc. They are not expensive, and some of them are homemade toys. It is to keep the cat happy, mentally occupied, and mentally fit too.
Avoiding dental Hygiene
Cats are so neat that you do not want to ignore their dental hygiene. Dental care is necessary for cats, and this involves daily brushing of their teeth. It is so because it helps to prevent the risk of having gingivitis.
Bedding
Do not forget to provide your cat with its bed, water bowl, food bowl, and litter box. A cat’s home is not complete without the availability of these items.
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Covered Electrical Sockets
You may need to turn off electricity before your cat gets electrocuted while looking for warmth.
Conclusion
As the vital knowledge of keeping your cats and making them the best pet to have has been outlined and deeply discussed, try to keep your cats away from dangers and avoid stressing them, especially if they don’t use the litter box right. Reach out to your Vet if issues get complicated. Ensure your cat is happy for an assured cat and human relationship.
