07
- July
2020
Posted By : PawBoost
6 Tips on Providing Your Cat the Best Life

This article is contributed by guest writer, Emily G. (Author of Cattail Gardens).

6 Tips on Providing Your Cat the Best Life

Our cats are part of the family, but not everyone knows how to make their lives great. There’s a little more to it than just making sure your tabby has some crunchies and a litter box. If you’re trying to make sure your cat has a long, healthy, amazing life then you’re in the right place. Read on for some great ideas on how to make that happen!

1. Invest in Some Catnip

Catnip is one thing that many cats love.

Not all cats, however, since some aren’t affected by the plant. You should check with a smaller bag or toy before you decide to get some more.

If they are affected? It’s a great treat, good to introduce cats to new beds, and it can be put in or sprinkled on just about everything. Catnip just makes cats happy and there aren’t any side effects despite its strong effect.

If your cat isn’t affected, you’ll have to find something else to motivate them, of course. Pheromone sprays are now available that keep cats calm and content, so purchasing a bottle of a good brand may be just what you need.

Photo Credit: Manja Vitolic via Unsplash

2. Have a Flea Plan

Fleas are a pain. When a cat brings them into the household, it can cause chaos. Everyone ends up getting bit, after all, since fleas aren’t exactly discriminatory with their blood-sucking.

That means you should have a plan in place for any cat which is allowed outdoors. Veterinarians can provide medication that repel fleas but some people feel that these pharmaceutical compounds do more harm than good.

If that’s the case for you, then you’ll want to have a plan ready anyways. Natural cures, like apple cider vinegar, should be used alongside mechanical methods of removing the fleas and their eggs.

A flea comb provides a good way to remove them. They’re a bit specialized, but they allow you to groom your cat while removing any remaining fleas or eggs after they’ve been treated for fleas.

3. Veterinarian Visits

You’ll need to take your furry friend to the vet on a regular basis. They’ll be able to catch any problems that have cropped up, let you know if they’re in good health, and generally aid your cat in living a long and storied life.

Most veterinarians also have groomers on staff. A good groomer is invaluable for those with long-haired cats, particularly if you’re looking at fierce summers in the region you live in.

While not as common as with dogs, some breeds also suffer from genetic health problems. It’s doubly important to bring any purebred feline to the veterinarian to have these issues monitored regularly for the duration of the cat’s lifespan.

Make your appointments and keep them. Your cat will thank you in the long run.

Photo Credit: Michael Sum via Unsplash

4. Keep Them Inside

There’s a lot of evidence that a cat that is kept indoors tends to live a longer life. And most felines don’t seem to mind once they’ve been acclimated.

This is a bit harder if you adopt an adult cat who is used to being outdoors, but it’s a wise idea to do so for a kitten. Many of the biggest killers of cats occur outdoors. Predatory animals, parasites, fleas, and even poisons abound… and your cat can get into them.

You’ll have to decide this for yourself but indoor cats tend to live for years longer than those which are allowed free access to the outdoors. Make them pampered and cozy inside and you’ll find that you have a content cat in your home in the end.

Outdoor time can still be had, especially if the area is fenced in. Just make sure to supervise.

5. Toy Variety

Cats get bored easily and one of their favorite things is toys. You should always have a variety on hand, just to mix things up if your cat doesn’t seem into it.

Ball-type toys often let a cat entertain themselves. There are also things like “mice” on a track that react when your cat engages with them. A good laser pointer is a way to pass hours with your cat and stick toys with feathers or plumes are always a favorite.

As you get to know your cat’s particular tastes in toys, you’ll be able to buy some great things for them. It’ll be a learning process for both of you, so take it slow and find the right entertainment.

Play isn’t just fun: it satisfies the predatory instincts as well.

Photo Credit: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos via Unsplash

6. Engage With Them Daily

Cats are social animals, despite their reputation as stand-off loners. It can be seen in any feral cat colony, where many cats coexist alongside each other.

Due to that simple fact, you’ll need to make sure that your cat is engaged with daily and feels like part of the family. You’re their colony, after all, and that means you’re responsible for taking care of them and continuing to engage on a daily basis.

It can be a bit of play, just picking them up and petting them for ten minutes, or lying in bed with them while you scroll through social media.

When you don’t interact in a friendly manner with your cat regularly it can cause bad habits and stand-offish behavior. Your kitty is there for you when you need them, but you need to be there for them daily!

It’s a simple way to give your cat a great life. It’ll also let you know when your cat is feeling under the weather or generally bad, allowing you to catch problems early and get them the help they need!

A Long, Content Life

It’s not hard to provide your cat with an amazing life as long as you’re open to learning and doing. The above tips are essential to keep your cat happy as the years roll on. Our cats give us a lot of love, the best thing we can do for them is providing them with an amazing life!

Comments

  • Cats that live inside do live a longer happier life. We have 5 indoor cats. They are absolutely happy and healthy. Regular vet visits. They are also chipped . Plenty of toys!! and if course they have their catnip!!

  • Cats that live indoors only DON’T necessarily live a longer or happier life, in fact they tend to be very fearful, terrified of strangers and run and hide when there is someone they don’t know in the house.. Whereas cats who are allowed to go in and out still keep that natural cat curiosity and are not afraid of their own shadows. As long as you don’t live near a busy road, it’s perfectly safe to let your cat out and they live often into their 20s

    • My sister is a perpetual cat rescuer and has had several indoor/outdoor cats hit the 20 or 20+ age range. Mine are in/outdoor and are in their late teens now. They have to be in between sunset and sunrise, but other than that they tend to come and go, often only out the backyard to sit on the patio, some times they disappear for an hour or so,.

    • When I have let my cat out to roam, she comes back in a bad mood and kinda ticks herself off. When I keep her inside and play with her and let her roam inside, yes she is a little skiddish but she is a lot more friendly. I have friends that have cats and the same thing happens to their cats that happens to mine.

    • This is so true my cat is out all summer and stays in during the winter he us 10 and in great shape

    • Have had cats all my life. All my outside cats come home all beat up and eventually disappear. My indoor cats live to be 12-14 yrs old.
      I choose indoor & responsible.

  • My sweet boy is an indoor cat, but he goes outside every day on a leash; we are usually out for an hour. I also purchased a Zampa indoor outdoor playpen and I put that out on my deck about twice a week near one of my birdfeeders; he loves watching the birds, chipmunks, and squirrels. He is treated monthly for fleas/ ticks April through October also. He loves being outside, but this is quite a commitment so be forewarned.

  • Nothing here about their food! Cats who eat raw meat, either frozen or freeze-dried, have much better digestion of food and you can tell how well it works by the appearance of super soft fur and less stinky feces. Additionally, there are now litter products on the market that can early detect an infection or PH imbalance meaning they need to drink more water. We use that and have already been alerted very early to a urinary tract infection which we caught early and the vet could treat with only three days of medicine. Something to think about, yes?

  • For handy people, cats can get outside safely if one builds a “catio” outside a window. Many cats love the freedom of being able to go outside whenever they wish yet be safely confined to a structure. There are also kits available online.

Leave a Reply