Before you bring your new cat home it will be necessary first be prepared with all the necessary equipment and cat products so as to ensure that your cat settles in without too much difficulty.
The domesticated cat will require you to provide a cat bed and although there are a variety of cat beds available made of wicker, plastic or fibreglass in practice your cat may not want any type of basket or cat bed, at all. Often the cat’s bed will not be as important to them as it may be to you, they will choose their own favourite place to sleep, usually somewhere where it is quiet and warm and in a raised position where they can survey easily what is going on around them. However, you will want to avoid them taking up a position on your bed or on your favourite armchair and so make up a bed basket using plenty of layers of newspaper and cover with a soft sheet or blanket and place it in an area where it is warm, free from draughts and if possible raise it slightly off floor level.
You will want to protect your furniture and carpets from your cat’s claws and so buy or make up a cat scratching post. A piece of old carpet or sacking glued to the post will prove acceptable to most cats. They are not sharpening their claws but stretching and exercising their claws when they scratch. The cat scratching post should be kept in an easily accessible location but you will need to observe the cat’s behaviour with regard to scratching before you achieve success in getting the cat to use your made up post. It may prefer to scratch in a different location and at a different material with a different scent, by making note you can adjust, location and make up of your own made up post accordingly.
The cat’s litter box is a most important item and you will need to introduce your cat to the box so that it can explore both the box itself and its contents, you will need to be patient when toilet training your cat. Keep the litter box in an easily accessible area and do not continually move it around or your cat will soon become confused. The cat should be placed in the litter box following a meal so as to suggest to it the purpose of the cat litter box and if the cat attempts to escape from the box try to limit its area of straying. Pat the sand to get the cat’s attention but scratching at the sand in an attempt to mimic the cat’s natural actions will only serve as to make the cat believe you are offering it boring and un-amusing games to play. Once you have seen success and the cat has performed you might like to offer praise or give a little treat but if success does not come quickly be careful not to show impatience by being loud and unreasonable, your cat will not understand punishment, it has natural instincts and character and does not have human ideas and reactions; important points to remember.
Feeding dishes and water bowls come in different shapes and sizes but those made of stainless steel or a sturdy plastic prove to be long lasting and easy to keep clean, they should be disinfected and cleaned daily.
You should play regularly with your cat; you will find a variety of cat toys available at pet shops but home made cat toys such as wool, yarn or other materials can be all just as suitable.
Amusing and occupying your cat will often mean that it is less inclined to visit and explore off-limit areas. It takes up little time and in the end playing with your cat will add to the rewards of cat ownership and of course your cat will be happier too.
Looking after your cat will mean that you will need consideration and responsibility, time to feed it, time to play with it, to clean out the cat litter, groom the cat, let it in and out of the home, arrange for its care whilst you are away and to meet the cost of veterinary expenses.
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