Cats can be fun and frustrating. From food preferences to vet examinations, there are many issues to overcome if you own one. This article will show you some great tips and advice about cats and what they need.

Cats need a certain amount of grooming to stay healthy and presentable. Brushing is a very important component towards taking care of your cat. Brushing rids your cat’s coat of dirt and helps keep them clean. It will reduce shedding, which means that they won’t be experiencing a ton of hairballs. Your cat should be kept groomed so that they look great and you’ll also make your home look good.

Make sure you keep all the recommended appointments with your cat’s veterinarian. Cats need vaccinations to keep them healthy, and your vet can keep an eye out for any other health issues. Try using one veterinarian consistently. This way, the vet will be very familiar with your cat and its history.

If your cat is female, you need to get it spayed at the proper age. Even though your cat stays indoors all the time, there might be that one time she slips through the door when she goes into heat, which results in a litter of unexpected kittens. Spray your cat so that this does not occur.

A cat’s claws can cause lots of damage to your home. Think about a scratching post or kitty tower if your cat’s claws become a problem. This can encourage cats to scratch something other than things that are off-limits. Your cat will eventually understand they should only use the post or tower for scratching.

It’s not easy to keep cats off counters. After all, cats prefer to stay high so that they can keep an eye out on everything. You can try to combat this problem by designating some high-up places for your cat to hang out. Putting a cat tower in or near the kitchen can help keep the cats from laying on the counter.

Cats are great family pets, but small children might be too rough. Always train your child the proper way to handle a pet. Children need to know how to hold a cat and what sorts of play a cat likes. Cats have weaker bones than dogs do, and must be treated accordingly.

Do all you can to figure out what’s causing your cat to meow. By paying attention, you should eventually learn why your cat is meowing. Your cat might need food or might want to go out. You’ll learn her cues quickly.

Do you happen to own both a dog and a cat? That dog will really love stalking (and eating) that cat food. Thus, you must keep cat food out of the dog’s reach. Doing this will also help you avoid fights over the water bowl.

Watch kittens around kids. Children under five years old should always be supervised when interacting with a pet. They’re not really mature enough to know how dangerous a kitten can be. As they age, you can determine how much interaction they should have with the animal.

Cats like to be high up to see the surrounding area. Allow them the space they need to feel safe while checking their world out. If a cat tree is not in your future, providing a stable shelving unit with no small items on it will do very well. For an extra treat, place a blanket or small bed up there too.

Talk to people you know about any cat problems you’re having. You may try to handle it yourself, but you might need input from other cat owners. You can find online cat forums to ask questions, or you can speak with your vet.

Give your cat a wide array of foods in order to prevent pickiness. If you feed them the same cat food every day, they may not accept anything else. This makes it difficult to find food they’ll eat when a store runs out of a certain brand, or you are traveling.

Make sure your cat has identification and a collar all the time. Even an indoor pet should have this. Cats are endlessly curious and may head out an open door or window. Your cat’s identification tags should provide your contact info and that of your veterinarian. This is also important if your cat has special medical needs.

If your cat begins defecating or urinating too frequently, it’s time to see the vet. This sort of behavior is common among cats with UTIs and other health problems. A potentially serious illness can be prevented with some inexpensive antibiotics.

Your kitty’s litter box should be strategically placed. You may want to place in some out-of-the-way corner so the smell doesn’t bother anyone. The thing to remember is that your cat must have easy access to the box. Felines can be finicky. This means you must give them the right location and make sure it is inviting. If the littler box is on cold, hard floor, try placing a rug beneath it.

Confine a sanitary area of the house for your cat to give birth. The process generally takes about three hours, so you must exercise patience. If, after six hours, you think there are still kittens stuck inside your pet, a trip to the vet is in order.

If you decide to declaw your cat, never allow it to go outside. Cats without claws cannot stand up for themselves if they encounter another animal. The result could be injuries or death. Indoor cats can be declawed, though. Only take out the front claws. Don’t have the back claws removed, since cats don’t use them to scratch up your house.

Though caring for a cat can seem like no big deal, there are actually a lot of things to consider, including veterinarian visits and giving them extra amounts of attention. Use the information in this article to become a great cat owner so you can enjoy the experience fully. Reading this article will better your relationship with your furry friend.