Cat Care Advice – Best Cat Care Tips
Miz Kitty
Cats are very popular pets – in the United States, a 2007-2008 survey showed that dog-owning households outnumbered those owning cats, but that the total number of pet cats was higher than that of dogs. A similar study in the UK found that 26% of UK households owned cats and 31% owned dogs, estimating total domestic populations of approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006. More recently in the UK, pet cats have outnumbered pet dogs. Cats are popular for many reasons but mainly because they are more self-sufficient and independent than dogs.However, if you’re thinking of becoming a cat owner, it’s not always easy to find good quality cat care advice, and you will often hear conflicting views. When you first acquire a kitten or adult cat, your first port of call should be your vet to ensure that your pet is healthy, and to get him or her vaccinated and neutered if this hasn’t already been done. If you choose a pedigree (purebred) kitten, the breeder should give you plenty of advice on cat care and information on suitable diet, grooming etc.Many people prefer to obtain their cat from a rescue shelter – this is a great option to choose as there are far too many unwanted cats around, often because owners did not bother to get their pet neutered and were then unable to cope with multiple litters of kittens. The best possible cat care advice for any owner is “have your pet neutered”! Neutering prevents unwanted kittens and it also makes for a better pet in the long run – hormonal behavior in both male and female cats can be very anti-social and even lead to disease.There’s always a big debate over the indoor/outdoor issue – should you allow your cat to roam outside or not? I’ve found that there are big differences between the UK and US on this topic. We in the UK mostly prefer to allow our cats to roam, whereas far more owners in the US like to keep them totally indoors. In terms of cat care advice, there are pros and cons to both – of course fresh air is beneficial for all pets but you have to weigh this against the risks of traffic, predators or being stolen. An indoor cat has none of these risks, but never gets the opportunity to hunt for prey or follow other natural instincts. However, it is possible to enrich the indoor environment so that cats do have plenty of stimulation; there are many books and articles on this subject. Whether or not you allow your pet cat access to the outdoors, you should certainly consider pet insurance to provide for your cat’s health care needs. Veterinary treatment can be extremely expensive nowadays and insurance gives the opportunity for specialist referral should this be necessary. There is a huge choice of insurance policies available so it’s vital to shop around and choose the best one for your needs and your budget. As a breeder, this is one particular piece of cat care advice that I emphasise very strongly when new owners take home their kittens.
I’ve been breeding pedigree cats for over 20 years and am also a judge in the UK cat fancy. I can offer a great deal of cat care advice. As a cat owner you need to be able to find help quickly and easily and I would like to help you do this. Just click here for top tips!