Cats can make great pets! These abandoned kittens make up nearly half of the population of domesticated felines and can become a troublesome pest if you live in urban areas. Dealing with the problem of feral cats can cost a great deal of money.

Make sure your cat has a collar and tag if outside. Cats can roam far, so a tag will ensure you find them quickly when they’re lost. The tag should contain at least the cat’s name and your contact information.

A cat’s claws can cause lots of damage to your home. 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. Eventually it will cause you less of a headache.

It is likely that your feline friend enjoys grooming his fur. However, if it has a lot of hair, hairballs can occur. There is a special food on the market that does help out with hairball issues. The are specially formulated cat foods that help reduce the instances of hairballs, which is not only good for your cat, but also good for you and your feet in the middle of the night.

Cats are great family pets, but small children might be too rough. Make sure your child knows how to treat a cat. The objective is to be as gentle as possible with your cat. Cats have weaker bones than dogs so should be treated carefully.

Create a tablecloth for the feline. Some cats like removing food from their bowl and eating it beside their bowl. Sometimes, this results in food outside the bowl that you have to clean up. Simply place a cloth placemat that will grab at the food under their plate and then shaken out over the trash. You can put a vinyl one underneath that can be picked up wiped down easily if you prefer.

Rules Ahead

If you get a small kitten for your children, make sure they understand the rules ahead of time. Make sure that you let your kids know which areas of the house the cat will be allowed in. It’s also important to let them know that outside doors must be kept closed so that the cat doesn’t escape. Knowing the rules ahead will help your child understand.

If you want to let your cat outside, think again. It can be unsafe. You cat might pick up pests or fleas. Other animals and vehicles could also injure your cat. If your cat has to be outside, make sure it is only in a small area near the house.

Talk to others when you have a problem with your cat. You won’t have the knowledge to handle every cat issue properly, so take advantage of the experiences of others. There are a number of message boards for cat owners on the Internet, or you can go to your vet with problems.

Don’t think that you can teach a cat to use its litter box. Cats instinctively understand what to do and teaching is not required. Contrary to what most people believe, it’s actually incorrect to rub a cat’s paw in the litter.

Litter Box

When your cat makes a mess somewhere other than their litter box, don’t get mad. Many times, this is caused by failure to properly clean or place the litter box. If you get mad, they’ll never use the box again.

Increase the variety of food that you give your cat. If you start them off eating the same type of food all of the time and you never change it up, this will most likely be the only food they will eat in the future.

Buy your cat a fountain it can drink from. Cats that live in the wild like drinking from running water, and they have the same desires in a home. Cats react better to a moving water stream. Many cats prefer running water over their water dish. A fountain will give them the same effect, and it is more environmentally friendly.

Feed canned food to your cat. Although dry food is usually less expensive, canned food is better for your cat. The water content is higher, and there is more protein and fat in the canned food. For older cats, canned food chew easier. Ask your vet for more info, bun in general, canned food is much better for a number of reasons.

Make sure your cat is always wearing a collar with proper identification tags. This is even true for indoor cats. Cats can be very curious and they may escape out of a door or a window. It is a good idea to include your own phone number along with the name and contact number of your veterinarian. This is very critical if your feline has specific medical issues.

Make sure that you play with your cat as often as possible. All animals of all ages need to play and a cat is no different. While older cats have less energy than their younger counterparts, they can still play a little. Make sure you play with your cat at least once a day.

You are now ready to protect your home and pets from feral cats. Cats are prone to a number of issues, but with the right knowledge, you’ll be able to handle all of them. Obviously, cats are animals too, so they should still be handled carefully. Now that you’ve read this article, you are more knowledgeable on how to deal with all cats.