If you’ve never owned any pets before, you should get some pet education before bringing your new furry friend home.
Probably the best way to find out about caring for an indoor cat is to visit the homes of friends who have indoor cats. Your friends can be an excellent resource for what’s going to be required of you to care for a cat. Other resources are community cat clubs, veterinarians, animal shelters, books, tapes, videos, and the Internet.
Before you get your first cat, decide what your commitment to this relationship will be. How much devotion, cost, effort, and attention are you willing to provide to your new friend. Also consider what your personal preferences are for the new family addition. Are you looking for?
Kitten or Adult Longhair or Shorthair Male or Female Breed (Persian, Burmese, etc) Pedigree or Non-Pedigree
To many, a kitten is a cute, cuddly bundle of joy, just like a new born baby. But like a baby, you’ll need to watch over carefully to the health of the kitten as it grows to adulthood. An adult cat, on the other hand, is more capable of attending to its own personal care.
Hair Cats shed hair, just like humans. Some breeds shed more hair than others. Cats are fastidious groomers. Be prepared and none too surprised when they vomit a hairball from time to time -- completely natural with little cause for alarm. It’s a good practice to routinely brush your cat to collect the loose hair.
Shorthair cats usually need less routine brushing than longhairs. If you brush your cat routinely, they can have less incidents of hairballs and upset digestion. Giving your cat a bath (cat formulated shampoo only) once in a great while is good also.
Gender Cats are individuals. Both female and male cats can make wonderful companions. If the cat has been spayed or neutered, then the cat's gender doesn't play a huge role. The cat's own unique personality will determine how good of a pet it will make. Your personal preference may be to choose a cat whose personality is agreeable to yours.
Breed Generally the cat's breed isn't a factor and your selection usually is a personal preference.
Pedigree You may choose a pedigree cat if your intention is to invest, breed, or show. There are other reasons why someone would choose a pedigree over a non-pedigree, and that’s a personal choice. Expect to pay more for a pedigree primarily because its lineage can be traced and its pedigree is highly prized by others.
Non-pedigree cats are just as cute and cuddly as the pedigree. A lot less expensive too!
Summary A cat is a wonderful addition to your family and will give you many years of enjoyable pleasure.
Cats can be happy and satisfied if kept entirely indoors. A survey has shown that they are likely to live twice as long, they cannot be stolen or run over, or pick up disease from another cat. Also, if your home has been made safe for your cat, he cannot get into danger such as being locked accidentally into a shed or vehicle, fall off a roof, get into fights, or be chased by a dog.
So many owners, when their cat no longer wants to go outside, ask how can they persuade him to do so. The simple answer is - do not. Your cat may have a very good reason for no longer wanting to go outside; perhaps a feline bruiser is making his life miserable, perhaps there is a cat-chasing dog that is always running loose, perhaps a neighbor is continually frightening him, or perhaps the cat is just old and prefers the comforts of indoors.
Many cats do not get the choice, because more and more owners are keeping their cats indoors from kitten-hood. This is not just pedigree animals (and many pedigree cats come from long lines of cats which have always been kept indoors), the non-pedigree cat is also being kept inside for safety. And they can lead happy and contented lives as long as everything they require is provided for them.
So what does an indoor cat need to keep him contented, fit and healthy? First of all, he needs space. You cannot keep a cat happy in one room. He must have places to play and hide, and halls or rooms large enough for him to run around in. He must also have things he can climb, whether this is a dresser or a cat climber; he must be able to get high off the floor and away from other cats if he feels like some peace and quiet.
An indoor cat should have other feline company to play with, to help exercise him and to keep him alert. In addition, he needs human companionship, which is why the most contented indoor cats have a non-working owner or an owner who works at home. He also needs somewhere to go when he wants to be alone, so a number of rooms which are not out-of-bounds is essential.
Regular exercise is just as important for an indoor cat. We, us humans, are all now convinced that we need daily exercise to counteract the sedentary life which most of us lead; we no longer need to hunt for our food, so we simply do not get the exercise which our ancestors did.
It is the same with the average domestic cat. Since they are well fed, they no longer need to hunt, nor do they have to fight other cats for territory, food, or a mate; so they get little natural exercise and an only cat may get virtually none at all. Two play sessions per day of around ten minutes each will therefore keep your cat fit and healthy and also strengthen his cardio vascular system.
Both David Johnson & Tristan Andrews are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
David Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Ford, Bathroom Home Improvement and Home. www.PetFoodStory.comVeterinarian formulated holistic pet food products for cats and dogs.. David Johnson's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.
Tristan Andrews has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Education and Collection Agencies. Tristan Andrews writes useful articles about and kittens. Discover and explore the feline world. Find out how to better care for, train and live with your. Tristan Andrews's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.