Cats make the world a lovelier place, and introducing a cat to your home is a joyful thing. They desire nothing more than you coming home at the close of the day and snuggling up with them, playing with them, or waving while they lie cozily.
These feline friends depend on their owners. This means as a cat owner, you have a big role in appropriately taking care of them. In this article are useful tips that can help you become the best cat owner you can be, as well as make your cat healthy and proud.
6 Tips to Help You Become the Best Cat Owner Ever
1. Feed Them With High-Quality Food
Cats are known to thrive on high-quality food. Therefore, ensure you feed your cat with a diet rich in nutrients and proteins. The right dry or wet food diet can also be provided, according to recommendations by a veterinarian.
Additionally, you should always make sure there is a substantial quantity of water available for it to drink. Moreover, if it is possible, ensure its water bowl is situated quite far from their litter.
Furthermore, ensure you avoid human foods that are dangerous to cats. You should only keep house plants that are safe for your cat. Note that cats are good at getting into all things. Hence, always lock up anything that may harm your cat, such as cleaning products.
2. Be Creative With Water and Food Bowls
If you also keep dogs, it is necessary to know that sometimes, they tend to get into the cat’s food. Therefore, you can consider using a food bowl for your cat that sticks to a window. To be on a safer side, you could keep it up high, where your dog will not be able to reach.
Since cats tend to drink less water than they require, you can set up water bowls in various places in your house. You can also consider the usage of filtered bowls or a water fountain bowl, due to the fact that some cats would rather drink running water. Running water is more oxygenated, which makes it taste better to them. Besides, they can hear it running, which informs them that it is fresher.
3. Try Out Various Kinds of Boxes and Litter
It is a great idea to have only one litter box per cat, with an extra box. Note that cats can get quite territorial with their litter boxes. Hence, ensure there is enough space for your cat.
Moreover, you may want different kinds of boxes and litter. Some cats like softer litter, while long-haired cats can generally prefer crystal litter which does not gum to their fur. Likewise, cats may prefer boxes with low edges, uncovered boxes, covered boxes, or other types.
Whichever type is chosen, make sure the litter boxes are kept away from loud noises or heavy foot traffic. Essentially, bear in mind to always spot clean your cat’s litter daily, with a deeper clean weekly.
4. Set Up an Exciting Indoor Environment
As a cat owner, you are encouraged to keep your cat indoors, rather than roaming around the neighborhood. This will help ensure that she does not get lost or catch potential diseases.
However, while cats tend to be safer with being inside, they can also get bored. As a result, you should set up an enticing indoor environment. You could set up condos and cat trees so she can climb at any time. Furthermore, endeavor to open the shades and create window perches to give your cat a small “cat television” to watch outside. You can also put a bird feeder outside the window for additional fun.
Furthermore, you can get a number of toys for your cat to always play with, coupled with interactive toys for whenever you are not around. Summarily, your cat can have a perfectly happy life indoors, particularly if you supply them with sufficient stimulation and enrichment.
5. Create Cat Scratchers
Cats need to frequently scratch, so as to eliminate the dead outer layers of their class. This will enable them to stretch their bodies and mark their territory. Scratching can also be a means of expressing happiness or easing stress. However, if you do not set up scratchers, your cat can become your carpet or furniture
Note that it is better to set up excessive cat scratchers than insufficient cat scratchers. You should also provide scratchers in various rooms your cat enjoys hanging out. Additionally, consider trying both horizontal and vertical scratchers, because some cats will only make use of one type.
6. Have a Little Outdoor Fun
You may not be comfortable allowing your car roam outside. Yet, you can have safe outdoor adventures together. You could create an enclosed outdoor space for your cat to play in, such as a catio or cat tent that is currently staked to the ground. It will not be a bad idea to place your cat on a secure harness and take him for a short walk in the backyard on a leash, nor will it be a bad decision to take your cat to cat shows.
When your cat gets used to the harness indoors, some will “belly crawl” on the ground for a while before they feel comfortable with the harness. On the other hand, some may not move at all for some minutes, while they become used to the feel of it. With time, the majority will learn to love it, especially with the awareness that putting it on means they are going outside.
Spend Time With Your Cat
Keeping a cat as a pet is a way you can joyfully own a pet. In order to become the best car owner ever and create the best environment for a healthy cat, these tips will help a great deal.
You should endeavor to spend a lot of time playing with your cat. This is because it will help to ensure consistent engagement. It will also help her develop awesome socialization skills.
