If you are not familiar with the term, feral cats are those that live out in the street. These abandoned cats make up about half of the entire population of domestic cats, and are often a nuisance in urban locations. Many businesses lose customers and money because of these cats.

Check with your shelter before you purchase a cat. Shelters have great pets available for adoption, and the fee isn’t that high. By choosing a cat from an animal shelter, you can do your part to help with overpopulation. Also, you become a lifesaver!

Cats enjoy finding small spaces to fit into. Collars can be a safety risk if your kitty gets stuck. Purchase breakaway collars that will give if they are yanked tightly. Using this collar will prevent your cat from injuring itself.

Electrical Cords

Prevent your cat from chewing on electrical cords by spraying bitter apple on them. If this does not work, make sure you cover the cords. An inexpensive way to hide electrical cords is to thread them through used paper towel rolls. Put away electronics that have tempting, thin cords when you’re not using them.

The claws of a cat can really destroy parts of your house and furniture. Think about a scratching post or kitty tower if your cat’s claws become a problem. Use catnip or other scents that are attractive to your kitty to encourage him to go there. It might take a little while, but eventually it should stop the problem.

You should be sure to place your pet’s litter box in a good location. Put the litter box in a secluded area, and make sure that it is not near the cat’s food. Also be sure that the cat litter area is ventilated so the smell doesn’t linger. Your cat and your nose will thank you for the effort.

If you’re taking a trip with your cat, be sure to protect its ears. Although you may love singing loudly to your favorite songs while driving, your cat would probably prefer softer sounds. Keep your music off, and talk to your cat instead.

Buy your cat a fountain it can drink from. A cat will always drink from running water if possible. Cats respond well to this stream of water. Actually, certain cats like to drink right from the sink faucet as it runs. Also, drinking fountains are more environmentally friendly and gives them the ability to drink naturally.

Litter Box

Make sure that the litter box placement is easy for your cat to get to. Many cat owners feel inclined to hide the litter box. However, it’s important to make sure your cat can easily access its litter box. It helps to make life easy for the cat, as they can be quite picky about things. If you keep the litter box on a cold cement floor, put a mat or rug down underneath it.

Put a collar your cat with your contact information on it. You may have an indoor pet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever get out. Fitting your cat with a tag and collar greatly increases the chance that your cat will make it home safely.

Keep cats inside as much as you can, or at least close to you or your home. Indoor cats live longer than others allowed to walk around the neighborhood freely. Daily exercise with you doesn’t need to create risks for other cat attacks or diseases from the wild.

You should not let your de-clawed cat outdoors. The cat won’t be able to fight back if other animals attack it and that could get it hurt or killed. Declaw your cat if you plan on always having it inside. It is still best to just remove the front claws. Allow your cat to retain their back claws which are less damaging to indoor surfaces.

Be aware of any panting. Dogs normally do pant. Panting can indicate anxiety or overheating, but it can also mean something quite serious. Be sure you get in touch with a vet, especially if your animal has had problems with breathing before.

Keep an eye out for holes in your house you’d prefer your cat stay away from. Cats can fit into very small spaces. This sort of behavior is particularly common in kittens. Know this when bringing another cat into your home. Make immediate repairs on any holes that you locate.

Vet visits are unavoidable, but the bills can be very expensive. Consider purchasing cat medication over the Internet to save money. There are a number of businesses that will ship the medication right to you. This is particularly effective for heart-worm pills and flea treatments, which your cat will need on a monthly basis.

It’s tempting to give your cat a bath to get them all fresh and shiny again. Fortunately, you don’t have to bathe your feline very often. The only exception is if the animal gets into something particular sticky or gooey. Cats are self groomers, with barbed tongues that make for excellent cleaning utensils to rid themselves of any dirt. Cat are persnickety when it comes to appearance.

Make sure to give your cat frequent flea medication. There are many different types of flea and tick medications that work really well. These types of medications help keep the parasites away. You must use a brand that is designed specifically for cats.

Stray cats should no longer be a problem after reading this article. Cats can attack your other pets, tear up gardens, or call for their friends. Just remember that cats are delicate creatures that need to always be handled with love and affection. You never know what the future holds, and it could be that you find a certain feral cat your life winds up incomplete without!