A Pet Owner’s Basic Guide to Cat Care
So you have a new cat in the house, congratulations! Regardless of breed and size, cats are incredibly cute, loving, and purring.
Taking care of them is effortful, but it gets easier every day. Make sure, though, to take them to a veterinarian regularly, and if you notice odd behaviour, ensure they’re always healthy.
Now, in this guide, we’ll cover the basic things you can do for cat care. Without any further ado, let’s start!
Basic Care
A cat needs tender loving care just like us humans. You can show or care for it through the five main aspects of cat care, namely feeding, handling, grooming, housing, and littering.
Feeding
Every cat differs in age, diet, and lifestyle. You should feed them excellent-quality, branded cat food, as this contains many nutrients their body needs to be healthy.
It’s also very helpful to consult a vet who should be able to suggest the best cat food as well as to check on their overall well-being.
Here are some important things you should keep in mind about feeding them:
- Cats and kittens need food that has taurine. This is a type of amino acid that’s essential for their eye and heart health.
Throughout their life, they need to eat well-balanced food. This includes cat food or food you cook that contains taurine.
- Get a water bowl for your cat to drink from. The water should be fresh and clean in the water bowl, which should be replaced at least once a day.
- Sweets should be given in moderation. It should only constitute between 5% to 10% of their diet.
- Some folks feed kittens or cats with baby food. Be careful, check its ingredients first to ensure that there’s no onion or garlic powder, as this can cause food poisoning.
- Take the cat to the veterinarian if you notice signs of anorexia, diarrhoea, vomiting, or fatigue that continue for over two days.
Handling
Carrying a cat should be done with the utmost care. First, place one hand behind the front leg, and another under its hind legs, and then with both hands, gently pick up the cat.
Also, never pinch the cat by its neck or abruptly lift it by its front legs, as this will hurt them.
Grooming
The nice thing about cats is they are very clean. As a result, you don’t have to bathe them often, although they have to be brushed or combed so their coat of fur will stay clean.
Furthermore, regularly combing them will prevent the instance of hairball formations and shed skin around your house. But, even if that happens, you can just rely on your vacuum cleaner to keep your house free of these allergens.
Housing
Cats need a clean and cosy bed to lounge, rest, and sleep in. You can line its bed with a warm blanket or towel so that the bed will feel soft for them.
Some people buy cat box beds in stores, while others create a makeshift comfortable bed. This is up to you; what’s important is that the cat feels comfortable, safe, and secure in it.
Also, keep your cats indoors as much as possible to keep them safe from fleas and ticks, feisty dogs, and cars speeding by.
Litter Box
Create or buy a litter box for a cat to urinate or defecate on. Place it in a quiet and safe location, and train your cat to go to it whenever nature calls.
Bear in mind that it should always be clean and fresh for the cat, or they might not use it. So, after they’ve used it, make sure to dump the solid and liquid waste and re-clean the box with water and detergent.
However, in doing so, don’t use products with a strong scent, for example, deodorisers, lemon, and essential oils. A lot of cats dislike them.