How To Care For Your Cat

• Grooming:

An indoor cat will groom himself and rarely needs to be bathed by the owner. Bathe your cat only if he needs flea treatment, gets into something really nasty or poisonous. If you must bathe your cat, don’t put him in the tub while water is running. Your cat will become panicked and a bath will be impossible. Before bathing, put cotton in the cat’s ears and a drop of mineral oil in each eye. Place your cat in a few inches of warm water and wash well with tearless shampoo. Rinse and wrap cat in warm towel and dry well. Avoid chills. Try putting plastic mesh in the bottom of the tub so the cat will have something to hold onto.

Brush your indoor cat regularly as cats shed all year. Brushing also helps keep hair off the furniture and helps prevent fur balls. Use a plastic or rubber bristled brush. Never use metal. If your cat’s coat loses it sheen or begins to look scraggly, take it to the vet for a checkup.

• Scratching:

Teach your cat to use a scratching post. If it scratches where it shouldn’t, keep a bottle of water handy and spray the cat in the act. Trim the cat’s claws with clippers available in pet stores. Gently press the cat’s toes to see the nail. Clip off only the sharp tip while aiming the clippers from above the nail, not across. Don’t cut into the pink area. Make this part of your cat’s weekly routine. Declawing should never be done on older cats. It is a surgical procedure which can cause problems related to a cat’s strong instinct for clawing.

A cat’s ears should not be touched. If you suspect an infection take your cat to the vet. If the vet discovers wax build up, clean the ears with a cotton swab and mineral oil. Never soap and water. Brush your cats teeth with a child’s tooth brush and a paste made of soda and water twice a month.

• Toilet Training :

Cats are naturally inclined to use a litter box so very little effort on your part is required. A good way to introduce the litter box is to take the cat to the litter box right after meals for a few days. Put the cat in the box and then move its front feet in the litter. This should be enough to explain what the box is for. Don’t be surprised if there is a relapse or two in the beginning. If there is a problem the cat might need more privacy or might be uncomfortable with something near the box. Clean the box often to keep odors down. Every other day empty the box of the cat soiling and stir the litter to freshen it. Every two weeks empty the box completely and wash with soap. If your cat stops using the box take him to the vet. He is likely sick.