How To Care For Your New Cat

Here are some essential tips for caring for your new cat as a first-time owner.

A cat can be a great addition to your family. Cats are known for their love, cuddles, and affection that they give unconditionally. They can also teach responsibility to you or your children, an important life lesson! However, there are many benefits when owning a cat as a pet - but how does one prepare themselves to welcome them into the household? If you're planning on bringing home either an adult or kitten, these first-time essentials will come in handy!

Cats are a Huge Responsibility 
Are you an animal owner? Being one is a big responsibility. If you are new to the game and want your pet to live well, then these first-time cat starter essentials will help them out.

Tips on Caring for Your Cat

You can buy your cat all of the newest toys. But if you have no idea how to care for them, they won't feel happy or comfortable in your home! Avoid these mistakes.

Don't Flush Cat Litter Down the Toilet

Disposing of cat litter properly can prevent plumbing issues. Flushing it down the toilet is not a good idea! To save you some trouble, scoop out the droppings and place them in a sealable bag. There is no need to dispose. Wash your scooper thoroughly with hot water and soap before placing it in another sealable bag. The last step would be to clean off any remaining dust from the edge of the box with water and soap before adding fresh litter for your kitty!

Keep Your Medicine Safe

Cats are curious creatures that are likely to investigate anything new. Early detection can save your cat from a poisoning incident, which could be life-threatening for them. This includes doctor-prescribed medicine, herbs, and plants in the household or nearby garden. Cats have been known to eat things they shouldn't on more than one occasion because they were left out while someone was cooking or cleaning without realizing it!

Which Foods Are Safe For Your Cat to Eat?

Cats are known to be very picky about what they eat. They also have a sensitive digestive system, so they mustn't consume human foods that can harm their health and overall well-being. You might think you're being nice by giving your cat some pizza or broccoli crust. Still, in reality, this will only mess up their stomachs and digestive systems, which could lead to long-term consequences if the food isn't properly excreted from the body quickly enough.

Avoid these food items, as well. 

• Chocolate or chocolate milk 
• Candy
• Yeast Dough
• Coffee
• Fat Trimmings
• Garlic and grapes: these foods can be toxic to dogs – if you feed them, it could kill your dog! Yeast doughs are not the best for digestion either. As for coffee and fatty trimmings - they may contain high levels of caffeine which is terrible when consumed in large quantities by children without going through a detoxification process first.

How to Clean up Messes

Accidents happen! If your cat has an accident on the rug, here's how to clean it up.

1. Getting angry at your cat will only frighten them. This is why it's best not to yell or scold them for doing something wrong because the loud noises and gestures can be scary for cats.
2. To protect yourself, put on a pair of gloves before handling the mess.
3. Wipe up the mess with paper towels.
4. Do not use ammonia, as this may entice the cat to spray again! Use something like citrus or vinegar that smells good to a cat instead.
5. Saturate the stain with soap and water, and leave it to soak for 3 hours.
6. Once this is done, rinse the area with a wet sponge.
7. The next day, use an odor eliminator and keep your cat away from the place. They may want to mark their territory again or spray that same spot.
8. Or, finally, take your rug to an oriental rug restoration. You may be surprised and end up with a new-looking carpet!

Your Cat May Suffer From Illnesses and Skin Conditions

Your pet will probably get sick at least once during its lifetime. Knowing how to care for cats can help them live a longer, healthier life. Ringworm is familiar- it causes patches of hair loss on the skin and fur surrounding irritated areas. It spreads easily to humans, so take your cat in immediately if you see symptoms or suspect an infection! Cats are also prone to diabetes-- they may not be eating as much as usual, have excessive thirst, or weight loss/gain- these may be signs that they need their blood sugar checked by vet professionals soon! Another risk your pet faces is cancer-- make sure you're getting regular checks from their veterinarian because catching this disease early can save lives.

Keep Trash Out of Your Cat's Reach

Cats are notorious for being curious-they will get into your trash unless you seal it securely. If this is an issue, change to a new garbage can and place it in the garage. Cats also eat spoiled food when they get into your trash, but if this happens, there's more than just messes involved! Cats may end up harming themselves by eating broken glass or tin cans with sharp edges-so be careful what you throw out!

Close Your Windows

Cats love to perch on window sills and the light coming from them. As a cat owner, you must be careful leaving your windows open when you can - they may pose a hazard for your cats! When left wide open, they can be dangerous as there is potential for an animal to fall out. The results of such falls include broken jaws, hips, or even death - so much no good!

Do You Have a Great Vet?

You don't want to wait until your pet is sick to find a great doctor for your animal. Take charge now and look into the vets in your area before they arrive. If you are adopting a kitten, you'll also need to find a vet who can administer his or her vaccines by him/herself as he/she grows older. You can ask another animal-loving friend if they have any vet recommendations - talking through word of mouth usually provides better results than just looking at online reviews alone (although this may come close). However, if you're part of an animal Facebook group, reach out and see what 5-star doctors members might know about!