Being a Good Cat Owner

Today we are continuing our pet series with, Being a Good Cat Owner. If one actually owns a cat. Our cats, even though they are farm cats, still seem to view us as their servants but every cat has a different personality.

It is often said that ‘a cat looks after itself’. This is obviously not really true, but they do have a more independent nature than some other domesticated pets. That said, they still make ideal companions when they ‘allow’ you to be their friend.

You will need a great deal of commitment in order to own a cat as they do require some care (although not as much as dogs!) and can live as old as 15 years (or even longer in some cases). Cats require feeding (daily), care and ‘play time’ on a regular basis.

A. Reasons To Get a Cat

1. Cats Require Less Care Than Some Pets

Cats are very good pets as they don’t require as much attention as other options such as a dog. You don’t have to walk the cat, like you do a dog but some cats will like to go on a walk with you. Normally, cats do not do as much barking as dogs. That being said, it is rare for a cat to bark but it can happen.

2. Make good companions.

Most cats are content to play with toys or to be independent.

This doesn’t mean that cats aren’t excellent companions though. Young cats are extremely playful and you can interact with them when you want to. They can be silly at times. Your cat won’t come running when you are home at the end of the day and knock you over. Cats always seem to be able to tell when you need some comfort.

3. Come in all colors and sizes.

Cats are very precious and beautiful animals. They often enjoy curling up on your lap and purring, a gentle hum to them that can be relaxing for humans. They have coats in all colors as well as eyes that are very shiny and bright. Each cat has their own personality and you just can’t help but adore them. There are many breeds of cats if you want a particular kind but some of the most beautiful cats are those that are mixed breeds.

4. Are very smart and can be trained.

Cats are very smart animals too so they will quickly catch up to what you like from them and what you don’t based on the praise you give them. Contrary to popular belief, cats are obedient and they want their owner’s to be happy with them. They will learn fast that you don’t like them scratching on the furniture or putting their tail in your face while you are sleeping.

5. Are generally clean and self-grooming.

Cats are clean animals as they spend a large amount of time grooming themselves each day.

6. Caring for a pet is a good life lesson for kids.

Taking care of a pet can help a child to become more responsible but some pets just come with too much time required. A cat makes a perfect choice for children because they tend to take care of themselves. As long as they are given sufficient food and water they will remain happy.

7. Make for good rodent control.

For those who have problems with mice, cats make a great natural system for taking care of them. This means you won’t have to deal with messy traps or dangerous poisons around your home. Many cat owners claim they haven’t come across a mouse in their home for years with this line of defense. As we have a farm, we can not say we do not have mice or rats around but they do not stay around long. We have one cat that will bring up rats more than half her size and she is not a small cat. It makes you wonder where she is finding these things.

B. How Do You Choose the Right Cat?

Kitten or adult? A difficult choice since the kitten of today is going to be a member of your household for a long time. And remember a kitten will grow up to the an adult cat pretty quickly. It will not stay small and cute for long. So if you only want a kitten because it is small and cute, you may want to try one of the small breed cats. Kittens also have not yet developed their adult personality so they may go through a personality change as they get older. Perhaps it is better to get an adult cat since it has already developed a personality and you will know what you are getting. Adult cats easily adapt to a new home and get attached to the new owner as easily as a kitten. It does not matter whether you get a male or female because their behavior is not dependent on their gender. Neutered and spayed cats make pleasant companions. It is, of course, always best to get your pet, any pet, spayed or neutered. This will keep you from any surprised litters of kittens and will keep your cat from roaming, spraying in the house, and “cat calling”.

Any good animal shelter will have healthy cats available. Remember the cat you picked up from the shelter, you saved from being killed. Thousands of cats and dogs are put to sleep every month due to over population. The saying “do not shop, adopt” is a very real thing these days. For every cat that is adopted from a shelter, two are saved. You take one home to a new life and the shelter has room to take in another. Please consider this before you buy a cat from a pet store and when you are deciding on getting your pets spayed and neutered.

Another important part of Being a Good Cat Owner is knowing what your responsibilities to your cat will be. Understanding what you need to do for your cat is just as important as knowing what benefits a cat can have for you.

C. Your Responsibility to Your Cat

A. BUDGET

As we said, cats will require daily care and regular play time.

But the first thing to consider here is a monthly or yearly budget for your cat’s needs. It may sound funny but you will need to budget for your cat’s allowance.

A cat will depend on you throughout its life – around 15 years with proper care – so properly budget for visits to the vets and other costs before making a decision to get a cat. Be sure you will be able to afford giving your cat a good life.

1. Vet Bills

Vet bills are one of the biggest parts of a cat’s expense. You will, hopefully, want to get your new cat to the vet and get your females spayed and your males neutered. This is a standard procedure that will help with population control.

Vet bill could be for annual vaccines, these vaccinations will help protect the cat from various diseases. Your cat will also need regular deworming and any treatments required for illnesses.

Cats can also get hairballs from licking and grooming. There are various treatments for this.

As with all pets the number of injuries and diseases varies by individual animal.

These bills can sometimes be very costly, but you can purchase insurance for pets. It may be a good idea to ‘shop around’ to get the best deal on that insurance, It is also good to note, not all vets will take pet insurance, so ask before you start seeing a new vet.

2. Microchip

Another important thing to consider when budgeting for your vet bills is for a microchip.

If you are concerned about your cat going missing, or it is involved in an accident, you can have a microchip. Usually, the microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice inserted under the skin a the back of the cat’s neck. The chip contains a number, which can help to identify the cat as belonging to you. This works like a store bar code. When the animal is scanned and the number comes up, the company is called and the company has the owner’s info on file. You must keep your info up-to-date or it is of little use. Microchips range in price but they all are about the same. In some companies, you have to pay an annual fee and in others, you do not.

A tracking collar is another way to keep track of your pet. These are actually “in real time” and you use your computer or phone app to find your pet. This type of thing is generally more expensive but shows immediate results.

If you want more info about missing pets, we did a talk on Ways to Safeguard Against Losing Your Pet.

3. Cat Accessories

Now that you have a cat or several cats in the house, you need to think about how you can be a responsible cat owner and provide for the needs of your cats. This means that you have to think about the cats’ living conditions, feeding, grooming, and clean-up.

You have to budget for cat food, cat litter scoops, and other accessories to make the cat’s life comfortable at your home.

Now open your purse so that your cat can feel pampered. You can get elegant and lavishly designed dining bowls or plain ones at almost any store.

a. Water

To promote their health and well being encourage your cat to drink more water. Like humans, pets require water as a vital element for survival. Water constitutes approximately 70% of a cat’s or dog’s body. Drinking fountains for cats which re-circulate water and provide fresh tasting filtered water are a great idea. These also come in a wide range of prices and styles.

b. Food

Food is a very important consideration. Not just any old cat food will do. A kitten should be fed throughout the day 4 times with a small amount of food each meal, reducing to 3 times a day at 3 months old, then at 6-8 months 2 meals per day. Older cats (over 12 months) should only be fed twice in the day, usually morning and early evening.

When it comes to the food of your cat, you may give free-choice feedings or scheduled feedings. If the cat is given free choice, it will feed every few hours. This is usually for cats who lead active lives. But if the cat is facing an obesity problem, then scheduled feedings should be best. You must also remember that cats are genuine carnivores. They are natural hunters. Their bodies require a greater amount of protein than any other mammal.

You may opt to give your cat canned cat food or dry food. The canned food tastes a lot better but the dry food is advisable for the cat’s teeth. You may alternate the use of both types. If you feed only canned food, your cats teeth will get dirty more quickly and you will need to see that vet again for a teeth cleaning to keep your cats teeth healthy. Healthy teeth is very important for a good, healthy, happy life.

What you should avoid is giving your cat cow’s milk. Cow’s milk has proteins that are too large for the cat to digest. This milk will make your cat suffer from diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal upset.

At all times, there should be fresh clean water available to your cat.

c. Collars

Cat collars (if you want the cat to wear one) can be bought at most stores. Big pet stores have all kinds, sizes, colors, and themes of collars. And, of course every price range. Specially for cats, the breakaway collar can be helpful. This kind of collar will let loose if your cats collar gets stuck in something that it can not get out of. Breakaway collars keep your cat from being stuck and not being able to get out.

d. Bedding

Your cat will need its own personal space. A bed or pet quilt will do nicely and give your cat a sense of safety. Make sure where your cats sleep is quiet and comfortable. Provide your cat with a covered basket, with a soft filling such as a blanket or towel. Your cat can get away in there and feel safe, but still be able to see things going on.

Pet stores have all kinds of beds, blankets, pet tents, and pads available. As usual, these come in all kinds of colors, sizes, themes, and prices.

e. Toys

Grab a few suitable toys and you have a good start to a posh cat home. Again, toys are available for the different ages of cats, sizes, and energy levels. Prices range all over the place for cat toys depending on how posh you want to go.

f. Grooming Supplies

Cats groom themselves using their rough tongue but using a soft brush on the cat, especially the long-haired variety, can help control cat hair issues in the house. Brushing your cat will help to cut down the number of hairballs, as mentioned above in the vet section, in the cat’s stomach, which are caused by them licking / grooming themselves. When the cat stops grooming itself, then that is the time that the owner should worry. The cat may not be feeling well.

Brushes, combs, hand gloves and the like can all be used to help groom your cat. Just look at the grooming section of any pet store and you will see the many options.

Here we want to offer some tips on how to help your cat keep itself well groomed. Before we begin to give you additional information on this topic, take a moment to think about what you already know. Cats are basically very tidy creatures. They are in the habit of grooming themselves by licking every part of their body clean with their tongue.

This habit of tongue-bathing has several benefits to your pet cat:

– promotes better circulation of the blood

– gets rid of dead skin cells

– removes excess/dead hair on their coat

– tones their muscles

– keeps the fur soft and clean

Here are several ways to keep your cat well-groomed:

1. Brushing

Depending on the breed, your cat can either have long or short hair. Make sure that you brush your cat’s coat well enough to promote proper grooming.

– For cats with short hair, use a brush with soft bristles so that the skin will not be scratched or hurt in the grooming process.

Use soft, gentle strokes while brushing. This should make them purr in pleasure and you will have an easier job of grooming your pet cat. After brushing the coat with a comb, you can finish the job by wiping the fur with a dry, soft, and clean piece of cloth. This should maintain the shine on your cat’s coat.

– As compared to cats with shorter hair, long-haired cats would require more brushing time.

For this, use a comb with wide-teeth that is specially designed for cats. This should initially remove the knots and tangles on their fur. Afterwards, you can use a fine-toothed comb to work the smaller knots on the fur and eliminate the more stubborn knots.

2. Bathing

Cats do not often require bathing because they basically take good care of themselves when it comes to grooming. However, there are some cases wherein you need to give them a bath no matter how you – and your pet – dread the chore. You need to bathe your cat if the coat has excessive dirt. It is rare but on the occasion, a cat will get something nasty on its fur or feet, which may require you to bathe it. Older cats or obese cats may have issues with doing their potty business, in this case, they may need you to bathe them off from time to time. Dirty fur or feet can lead to other health issues.

3. Cleaning the eyes and ears.

For the eyes and ears which are the most sensitive areas in your cat’s body, there are solutions that you may use. Choose one which is specifically designed to prevent cats with light-colored eyes to develop stains. For the ears, cats collect a considerable amount or wax so you have to take care of it when grooming. It is fairly easy to learn how to clean the eyes and ears properly and safely. But if you prefer you can get a vet or pet groomer to do this for you.

4. Keeping the paws clean.

Cats are in the habit of scratching surfaces so it is better to keep them away from the furniture items in the house. It would also help if you keep those paws clean and trim their nails.

You can go to a pet store and buy a nail trimmer specially designed for cats.

Ask your veterinarian for the proper way to trim your cat’s nails so as not to hurt them in the process.

Nail trimming, like ear cleaning is not hard to learn to do but there is a proper way to do it. Doing it wrong will not only hurt your cat but it will make your cat not want it done again. There is nothing more difficult to handle than an angry, uncooperative cat.

g. Decor

Colorful placemats for the cat with some hilarious or funny drawings make a great gift and liven up the cat pen.

Scratching posts, pillows, Cat trees, and many other things can be used as cat décor. The pet store industry makes millions a year on pet stuff. Any old towel will do but you can get cat-themed stuff of all kinds and again, prices. It just depends on how much you are willing to spend to make your cat’s area cute.

h. Out Door Gear

To make your cat enjoy the outdoors along with you buy a pet stroller or a cat harness. So yes, you can walk your cat, if you want to. A cat can be trained to a cat harness just like a dog. And yes, those cute little dog strollers are made for cats also. Size, color, theme, and price all vary by design and model.

And do not for get travel supplies: carrier, leash, travel bowls, first aid kid, emergency box, ect.

All of these thing can be found anywhere from your local grogery to huge pet stores. And again, in all kinds of price ranges.

B. Litter Box

Indoor cats will have to be trained to use a litter box but most of them learn very quickly so you won’t have to deal with cleaning up such messes around your home. However, you need to clean the litter box regularly because cats do not like to use a dirty litter box.

Litter boxes also come in several different sizes, models, colors, themes, and prices. Liners are available for cat litter boxes so all you have to do for clean up is to pull the liner out and replace it with a clean one.

There are self-cleaning, mechanical litter boxes, litter boxes with covers for privacy and other special kinds of litter boxes. Just like all other pet supplies, prices vary by how posh you want to get.

Remember to keep your cat healthy by changing the litter box frequently.

C. Cat’s Living Conditions

Regarding your cat’s living conditions, this will be largely influenced by your own lifestyle. If you live in an apartment in a city, then your cat should live solely indoors. If you live in a farm, then your cat may live solely outdoors or live both indoors and outdoors. When your cat lives solely outdoors, it must be provided with some form of shelter, such as a barn.

What you should not do is keep a cat inside a cage. This will drive your cat crazy. Cats treasure the freedom to move freely.

D. The Best Way To Feed Your Cat

Think that your cat needs a fancy set of dishes to eat from? He doesn’t. But, what he does need is something that is sturdy and durable and it needs to be easy for you to clean as well. Cat feeders and bowls should be cat-proof.

One type of cat feeder is a type that refills from a reservoir as your cat eats from the bowl. These can be used to feed one cat for several days even. You can use these to feed multiple cats too. There are some disadvantages to using them though. For example an aggressive cat can easily prevent the other shyer cats from getting enough food. It is also harder to know just how much food the cat is eating so you may not realize if he is eating less than he normally does. This is an important sign that he’s not feeling well and it can be a serious problem then. Cats that are finicky may waste a lot of food by refusing to eat it if it has been sitting in the feeder for too long.

Another type to consider is the automatic cat feeder. These have several compartments. The feeder’s lid has an opening that will allow the cat to eat out of one compartment at a time. A battery powers it to rotate the lid using a timer so that different compartments are opened at the set time.

Cat owners who are not around for a long period of time should make sure that the feeders that they use are large enough to hold enough food for the entire time the cat is alone. This way, cats are cared for no matter what you are doing.

Cats who are territorial really do need their own dish. Then, you can feed the different cats at different areas of the house. When looking for bowls for your cat, make sure to look for those that can be put into the dishwasher as well as those that are not going to break.

Only have one cat? Then look at a combination feeder that holds two bowls one for each food and water. These allow you to keep the feeding organized and they are easy to clean. The bowls can be removed from the feeder to be cleaned.

Some cats are picky and for these you may need to choose a heated food bowl. Heated food and water bowl also come in several different sizes and models.

These are a great way to provide local strays with water during the winter months too.

Make sure to clean the food bowls everyday. Put them in the dishwasher if possible after throwing out the old food and dropping the dish in the dishwasher. Don’t leave the food sitting out as it can spoil. And, make sure to clean your cat’s water bowl daily as well. Keep it full of clean fresh water.

If you think you cat if finiky about its food, see what it does when you offer it old, dry, or spoiled food. Not to mention spoiled food can make your cat sick, same as with people, and then you have another trip to the vet for meds and treatments. So it is best to give fresh food and clean water daily.

When you do these things, you will provide your cat with a place to get their food that is clean, safe and keeps them happy. This can help you to have a well taken care of cat.

Following these suggestions will go a long way to keeping you cat happy and well nourished. They’ll love you all the more for it.

Training your cat is also a big step in Being a Good Cat Owner. If you do not bother to train your cat or if you do it badly, neither you nor your cat will be happy.

E. How to Train Your Cat

1. Tips For Training Your Cat

Normally you can not train a cat, like you can a dog. If you try to, you’ll probably cause behavioral problems later on. But you can teach it not to perform bad habits. But most times the owner will have to change to fit in with the cat.

Everyone in your house should agree with what you are going to allow the cat to do. Do not change the rules when you’ve decided them, as this can cause difficulties.

• If your cat trusts you, it will probably do what you want, so speak in a calm tone.

• Your cat can tell if you are anxious, so don’t worry if things go wrong. Keep calm and start again.

• Don’t force training on your cat, only attempt it when it seems happy to do so.

• Don’t move too quickly, or the cat might misunderstand.

• When teaching a kitten only do it for half an hour a day and only repeat a few times. An annoyed kitten will not learn anything.

• If you are forbidding something, be consistent. Don’t change your mind, and stick to the same command.

• If you’ve caught your cat doing something bad, give it a quick squirt of water from a plant sprayer. This will soon curb the behavior.

• Never hurt or shout at your cat, or it will associate you with the unpleasantness. Instead put some dry beans in a tin and shake it briefly if you cat is being bad.

• When the cat obeys, praise and stroke it.

• Treat your cat with food when it does well, it will learn to associate a good behavior with food. But don’t over do it, it will soon do it without help.

• Do not ignore your cat when you are mad at it, cats do not understand this behavior and will feel insecure.

It is always best, as will all training, to give an alternative to bad behavior instead of a negative response.

2. Cat Door Flap

If you decide to have a cat flap fitted to your door in order that the cat can come and go as it pleases, you will have to train it to use the flap. You can use tidbits to entice the cat to go through the flap when it is fully open. Start by opening the flap fully, just showing the tidbit, then next time close the flap a little bit and keep on doing so until the cat understands that the flap will open with a small push of the head.

As we live in the country, we do not do pet doors. There is no telling what kind of animals we would have in and out of those pet doors.

3. Scratching Post

Cats like to sharpen their claws on most household furniture! Suites, corners of walls, carpets, and furniture legs are all great fun for cats. Invest in a scratch post – there are many to choose from. When the cat starts to scratch, lift the cat and place him/her next to the scratch post, they will soon get the message and use the post instead of the furniture.

It’s natural for cats to scratch but often it destroys your good furniture. Thankfully there are some things that you can do to relieve the problem.

Many people watch in sadness as their cat destroys virtually everything that he can get his claws into. You can improve this behavior. To do so, you need to know why he is doing what he is doing.

Why Do Cats Scratch Things Up? Cats were hunters. They needed those sharp teeth to help them to climb trees and to leap down on their prey. Although your cat is not likely to be pouncing on their dinner anymore, they still instinctively need to sharpen their claws and that is exactly what they are doing on your furniture. The scratching that they do is a way of trimming their nails and it removes the old outer part of the claws. Another reason they are ruining your home is because they know it to be their territory. They release a scent from special glands in their paws which helps them mark the area as theirs. They also do it because they are working the kinks out of their body as well as burning some energy.

Providing a scratching post is one way is to stop your cat from scratching things. As with all negative behavior, give them something else to do. There are a wide variety of them available including those that are part of a cat condo. You can even make your own by using two foot high section of a four by four, two foot by two foot piece of heavy plywood and a carpet remnant. When you have one of these, take it and put it right next to his favorite piece of furniture to destroy. Then, gradually move it away from the furniture as he gets accustomed to it.

You can also use a pet repellant spray such as Bitter Apple on the furniture that the pet is clawing at. Take the time to test the spray on a non visible area of the furniture before using it though.

Also, a note of importance, Bitter Apple is a cousin to mace, so be careful when you are spraying it around your house.

We made that mistake at work one day. There was an issue so out came the Bitter Apple and spraying happened. But no thought was put into the closed space and no ventilation. It was just like pumping mace into the room. Eyes were red, noses ran, and there was a lot of coughing, from us not the animals. We do not actually recommend Bitter Apple but if it it something you want to try, do it with caution.

Or if you do not want to spray the furniture, then cover the material with aluminum foil or tape that is placed sticky side up. The cat will not like the material and will turn to the scratching post instead.

4. Cat Training With A Clicker

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are used most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with a classical condition they associate the sound with food.

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate with good behavior. With words, the tones in our voice can change from time to time, and a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. Using a clicker is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted by other people or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wandering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Getting a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click. Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go through the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes through the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go through the hoop a snack is available.

This example is just an example of information. We do not have any of our cats trained to jump through a hoop.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 mins a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

F. Protecting Your Cat From Parasites

One of the most important parts of Being a Good Cat Owner is protecting your cat. This means protecting your can from the elements, predators, and household dangers but also from internal parasites.

1. Fleas

You know how annoying it can be when you have an itch, but you can’t reach it to give it a scratch? Well, when your cat has fleas it’s like your problem, just multiplied a hundred times.

If your cat has fleas or ticks, you need to take immediate action. If they are scratching or have irritated skin, you to get it under control quickly or it may become a much larger problem.

Even clean cats can end up with fleas. All it takes is a visit from a pet that already has fleas, a squirrel in the yard, or just a trip into the yard. Fleas can live in your environment without you even knowing it. One flea can lay thousands of eggs and cause a full-scale attack on your pet.

To stop them before they start, you can use a product such as Frontline or Advantix. These are pre-measured liquid treatments that are applied directly to the cat’s skin. When fleas get onto the pet, these products kill them before they can lay eggs. These are good preventative measures for keeping the cat safe.

For many people, it takes seeing the fleas to get them to realize they have a problem. If you see tiny black or brown insects on your animal, there is no doubt that your cat is flea-infested. If you do see them, realize that the problem is already a big problem. As they say, if you see one there are hundreds that you do not see.

What you need to do is make sure to check your pet for fleas all the time. You can do this with a flea comb. This can be part of your regular grooming routine. Carefully comb through the cat’s hair and pay attention to the hair around the cat’s head and his belly. These are the ideal places for fleas to hide including the ears, eyes, and nose. And, they like to burrow in the creases where the cat’s legs and body meet. A flea comb can be found at pet stores and some large department stores.

When combing your pet, if you find a flea you know they have already made a home on your cat and in your home. But, if you end up with a few black or brown specks, this too is a sign that they are hiding somewhere on the pet’s body. These specks are called “Flea Dirt” basically flea poo.

In order to get them under control, you’ll need to use one of the liquid flea and tick treatments. You can also use flea or tick collars and baths as well. If the fleas are in your house, as they probably are, then you will need to use a powder or spray for the bedding and upholstered furniture too. As a last resort, you can use a flea and tick bomb in your home. But, in this case, the animals will need to stay out of your home for at least 24 hours.

Fleas are a serious concern and you need to keep them from affecting your pet. If your pet has them, also talk to your vet about treatments he can provide as these are professional strengths that can help. Before they make your pet sick, take measures at the first sign of trouble.

2. Ticks

While petting or grooming your cat, run your hands over the cat’s body feeling for raised spots on him. If you find one or more, check it closely to see if it has little legs. If so the cat has ticks. You’ll need to ask your vet about having the tick removed as you can not do this yourself without risking the tick’s head staying behind in your pet’s skin. This can be done at home, if you know how but it must be done carefully. A flea and tick preventative or collar will help keep ticks off your cat and any that do get on your cat will die quickly.

3. Internal Parasites (worms)

This was touched on in the vet section but it is worth another mention. Usually, your vet will check your cat for internal parasites when you take your cat in for their yearly vaccines. But cats can get worms from the yard and other animals so you should watch for out for that. One kind of worm that cats get is tapeworms, these come from fleas, so if you have had a fight with fleas, your cat may have tapeworms.

Dogs will normally get a monthly preventative which kills any parasites the dog picked up monthly. However, many cat owners do not give their cats a monthly preventative, but they are available from your vet. If you are unfortunate enough to see worms, take your cat to the vet immediately. Worms will steal the nutrition from your pet, making them loose weight, be hungry all the time, and your cat can become sick from worms.

Being a Good Cat Owner is by no means a complete list of all you need to know about cats nor does it cover all of your cat’s needs but it is a good start.

If you need more information on cats in general or a specific issue with your cat, you can find books, magazines, and articles in the library, pet stores, and online. If it is a medical issue you are concerned about, you should talk to your vet for advise.

As we have said before, this is for information purposes only. We are not vets and we are not giving medical advise. If you have a medical issue, see your vet. It is always best to check with your vet before you start any new foods or meds.

We hope this talk, Being a Good Cat Owner, has given you some things to think about. Remember to do your research before you jump into getting a cat. Cats can be wonderful friends but you need to know what you are getting into and what you need to do to make your new cat friend happy.

In case you missed any of the other talks in our pet series, check them out below.

You Are Thinking of Getting a Pet?

Being a Good Parrot Parent

Being a Good Fish Aquarium Keeper

Thank you for visiting and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.