Intelligence, grace, and occasional affection. These are some of the great characteristics of a cat. Cats can take a lot of work and this article can help you out. In this article are suggestions and tips that will be pinnacle in ensuring your happiness through your cat's happiness. By the end of this article you will be relating to your cat on a whole new level.

Avoid being kept awake by your cat romping through the house at night. When you first get your kitten, establish a habit of putting it to bed in a comfortable crate with a nice bed, litter box, food and water at night. If you start this early, your cat will appreciate having its own safe, cozy room.

If your cat is pregnant, set up a comfortable, safe place for her to have her kittens. A big cardboard box equipped with a pillow and blanket is good. Place it in the back of a closet or other out of the way place. Keep food and water dishes nearby.

Keep the litter box clean. Cats are naturally very clean animals, and a dirty litter box will have your cat looking for alternative places to relieve himself. Cats also value their privacy, so try to locate the box in an area that does not get a lot of foot traffic.

When training a cat, take the proper approach. Encouragement works better than anger. If you are trying to teach a kitten to use a litterbox, for instance, yelling will only frighten a small cat. When the cat starts to go outside the box, gently place them in the box so they learn.

Use your cat to teach your children responsibilities. A pet demands care that the whole family can participate in. Each child can take different day to feed the cat, for instance. Same thing for litterbox care. You can make a schedule and post it on the refrigerator. Then, everyone knows what they are responsible for.

Do not try to bathe a kitten that is less than four weeks old. It is not very easy for a young kitten to regulate the temperature of their body. This may result in the kitten getting a chill. To be on the safe side you should wait between 12 and 16 weeks after they are born to bathe them for the first time.

Do not throw away your cat's scratching post because it is starting to look very old and worn. While it doesn't appear clean and new, your cat probably thinks otherwise. For a cat, it is comfortable and familiar. Your cat might not want to use the new scratching post and start ruining your furniture instead.

Splurge on your cat's food. Read the ingredient label, and make sure a protein from meat tops the list. Don't choose a food which is mainly corn. Understand that your cat needs a lot of animal protein to stay healthy.

Provide your cat with a drinking fountain. Cats out in the wild like to drink from running water, so they would like that at home too. Cat usually respond well to streams. Actually, you will see many cats prefer running tap water from the sink instead of the water bowl. Also, a cat drinking fountain is better for the environment and allows them to be more natural.

If your cat has recently given birth, be sure she has a safe, private area to take care of them. Mother cats can become frightened by strangers or loud noise, sometimes leading to decreased milk production. They may also hide the kittens in places where you cannot find them, such as closets, or under beds.

If you have more than one cat, it is a good idea for you to give them each their own food bowls. Place them far apart so that each cat has their space. If you provide just one bowl for the cats to share, it may cause larger cats to bully the smaller ones.

Sometime a second cat will calm a single destructive cat. This seems counter-intuitive, asking for twice the destruction, but a second cat can give them both something to do. Introduce them slowly and expect some initial squabbles. After a while, though, the cats will usually get along and the destructive behavior will subside.

Help keep your cat's fur soft and healthy with regular cleaning. While your pet might object violently to a dunk in the bathtub, there are other options. Many pet stores sell feline cleaning wipes. These convenient disposable wipes reduce allergens and remove oils and dirt. Some are scented with chamomile, which helps to calm your cat. These are especially useful if you have an older or injured pet that cannot groom itself properly.

Long-haired cats require more care than their short-haired comrades. There is no denying that long-haired cats are beautiful, but that beautiful coat takes a lot of work and also means a lot of shedding. Unless you're committed to taking care of the furry mess, avoid getting cat with long hair. Also, give them the right food which is anti-hairball.

If your cat has been scratching things that they should not have, do not think of declawing them as a good way to deal with the issue. While this surgical procedure would stop them from causing any more damage, it is a very painful procedure and it is pretty difficult to recover from.

You do not have to spend a bunch of cash on fancy toys for your cat to play with. Simple things like feathers and string are great for them to play with, and they are very economical. While you can still buy fancy toys if you like, you may get more benefit from them than your cat does.

It is important to make sure your cat has flee and tick medication. There are many monthly drops that are quite effective. Using these chemicals protects your pet from parasitic organisms, many of which are capable of causing serious illness. You must use a brand that is designed specifically for cats.

You should now have some ideas you can use. It will help you be much better cat owner. A loving cat will improve your quality of life. Put these tips into practice and reap the benefits.