Your cat may not be a picky eater, but that’s no excuse for feeding it processed can foods during each meal. Focus on setting up a customized diet with your veterinarian that works well with your cats individual physical needs. This guide was written to help organize this diet along with other health-conscious activities that you should be apart of.

Play with your cat using proper cat toys. Cats love toys that help them feel like the predators that they think they are. Try sticking with toys that help them dance around or jump. This can also help them use extra energy by pouncing on toys instead of people’s feet.

If you find you cat is harming furniture or other objects, it may be bored. Keep a few safe toys around for your cat to play with. Scratching posts can also deter your cat from scratching your furniture. Or, build a small cat house out of cardboard. Your cat will love having a place to hide, and the cardboard can also be used to scratch on!

You may want to have a microchip implanted in your cat. Even though a cat may live inside, you never know if it will run out the door to escape. Although collars and tags are beneficial, some cats may even wiggle out of them. Your important information can all fit nicely on a rice grain sized microchip. Every shelter and most veterinarian offices have microchip scanners that can read the chips, and best of all, they chips can’t be lost.

Get your cat sprayed and neutered to prevent diseases and infections that form in the reproductive system. This can also help reduce the chance for overpopulation in the country, as just one male who is not neutered can produce up to half a million offspring over the course of his life.

Use short words when you want to express displeasure with your cat. A short ‘no’ will be remembered, even if not always followed. A lot of people think that cats don’t listen to anything, but short word commands are certainly understood by cats, and they will respond to those commands if you are consistent with them.

Let your cat exercise their hunting instinct. Cats are natural born hunters; however, this does not mean you need to allow mice to invade your home. Hide treats and toys throughout your home, and your cat will have a blast hunting down their treats. You can also find feather and laser toys that your cat can chase and pounce on.

When taking your cat or kitten to the vet, or to other places that involve a car ride, it is wise to socialize him to this situation. Try taking your cat, always in a carrier, on short rides, adding time to the ride every so often. Getting your pet used to the car can mean the end of his fear and frustration, as well as yours.

Play is essential to your cat’s life. Of course, all mammals like to play, regardless of age or species. Although older cats won’t be as active as younger cats, they still need a little exercise. Play with your cat and give them the fun time it needs.

Before bringing home a long-haired cat, consider the extra care involved. While long, silky hair is beautiful on a cat, the same fur appears far less beautiful covering your floor, dark clothing, and furniture. Don’t adopt a cat with long fur unless you’re sure you can handle the extra cleaning. It should also be noted that long haired cats are much more susceptible to hairballs.

Be mindful of where you place the litter box. Although you may want to have the litter box hidden in a place where you won’t smell it, your cat’s needs should be before your wants. However, it is important to keep their litter box in an area they can easily get to. A finicky cat may not use the litter box if the environment is very inconvenient. If your litter box is on a cold surface, place a rug or mater underneath it.

If you are expecting a child, this is more than enough reason for you to have your pet spayed or neutered. Some cats get very aggressive when they see little ones in the house. After having this procedure done it is less likely for your cat to do anything to harm the baby.

If your cat is nursing a litter of kittens, it is vital that she have plenty of food and water near her nesting area. Mother cats are very protective, and do not want to leave their kittens for long lengths of time. Your cat can become dehydrated or malnourished just because she does not want to leave her kittens to eat and drink.

Cats have their own body-types much like humans and they face their own problems while whipping that body into shape. Make a point to take your cat outside every day and practice a few of these activities to help burn the fat away. Once your cat is lean and healthy, you can turn your focus towards keeping it at that stage.