A cat can be the most wonderful pet you ever have. Many people are surprised by that, since there are so many stories of cats being snobby or too independent. However, the simple truth is that cats can be quite a wonderful addition to any home. Below are a few tips to care for your cat.

When buying new cat for the home, contact a local pet shelter. Many shelters have significantly more cats than they can handle and the fees associated with adoption take care of vet visits. Adopting a cat in this manner helps to save their life and lessen unwanted animal births.

If your dog and cat are best friends, be sure you keep them separate after flea treatment. Your dog's flea products are very hazardous for cats. Cats that come in touch with dog flea products often die. Make sure to use only cat products on your own cat and only dog products on your own dog.

Ensure that your cat is properly hydrated. Like humans, cats need to drink lots of water. If they don't get enough water, they are able to get dehydrated, develop various health problems, or die. Make sure they always have a bowl of fresh and clean water. The bowl itself must also be cleaned and refilled each day. It's also advisable to keep this bowl in a single location.

An inexpensive rubber welcome mat helps keep cat food off your floor. That is also a great tool to help keep your cat from tracking litter out of the box. Black rubber mats cost about three dollars at dollar stores. Put your cat food dish using one and your litter box on another.

Cats are hunters naturally. They love to chase mice along with other small animals and insects. Buying little fuzzy mice filled with catnip and batting them around together with your cat is a superb idea. Your cat will feel as if they are really hunting prey. This will also help you to interact with your cat better.

Find out how much food you are supposed to be feeding your cat. While cat food containers give general information, learn from your vet just how much food your cat should be eating. Many owners do not do this, and end up overfeeding their cats. Take time to find out the correct amount so you don't end up getting an overweight kitty.

If you going to be gone for more than a day, you should have someone look in on your cat. Leave out a lot of food, but have someone arrived at make sure it doesn't go out. If you don't have a neighbor or family to check in on your cat, you can usually look for a cat sitter for some dollars each day.

Cats are pretty zero-maintenance pets. They do not need as much attention and one-on-one time as dogs do. Cleaning the litter box is one of the most dreaded chores inside your home. Investing in a good self-cleaning litter box can help reduce the level of times you need to clean it out.

You need to do regular checkups of one's cat between veterinarian visits. A good time to do this is when you are petting the animal. Check the entire body for things such as scabs and lesions. Also try and around the ears for any discharge, which can be an indicator of ear mites. Check the cat from check out tail.

When something seems amiss together with your feline friend, consult with other cat owners. It is possible to work out the issue yourself, but help from others could be invaluable. Your vet is a great source of advice, or you can find forums on the Internet to connect with other cat owners.

Cats may make a little mess outside their kitty litter box. Browse the box instead and see if it's been neglected; this is usually a cause of accidents. The cat will undoubtedly be fearful of you if you punish it.

Help your cat become accustomed to the carrier. Cats usually do not respond just as dogs do to punishment. Encouragement is more likely to encourage them to respond. Put their favorite toy and blanket in a carrier. Leave it somewhere they always head to. Soon that cat will walk into the carrier on its own. It's a much easier solution to get the cat in.

Cats can brighten the life span of most people, but only when the person knows how exactly to properly take care of their cat. This short article has hopefully given you some ideas about how you are able to do that. If you apply these tips to your own cat, viewers your cat is the best friend you ever had.