11 Things Cat Owners Should Do for Their Furry Friends

Your cat loves you and you love her, and you can show your appreciation by doing a few simple things every so often. Here are 11 things you should do for your furry friends.

1. Keep your cat groomed

Your cat does a pretty good job of cleaning herself, but she can’t trim her fur or get certain kinds of debris out of her fur by herself. If your cat goes out into the tall grass or forest, then you should check her for ticks and plant debris when she comes back. Some of these will stick to your cat’s fur and need to be removed by you if they have any hope of coming off. It’s important that you do that, as ticks can be very dangerous.

cat grooming

2. Get pet insurance

Protect your cat with the best pet insurance for cats. You can minimize your out-of-pocket costs and feel peace of mind that your cat will be well taken care of in the event that anything happens to her. There are a number of inexpensive plans that can be very beneficial for you and your furry friend.

3. Maintain a pleasant temperature

You should also think about how the temperature in your home affects your cat. You may be comfortable with the current heating and cooling system setting, but you don’t have a coat of warm fur over your entire body like your cat does. Check your cat for signs of her being too hot or too cold to see if you might need to adjust the temperature of the house to her liking from time to time.

4. Keep your cat’s teeth clean

Did you know that cats can benefit from having their teeth cleaned? You can gently brush them with approved dental tools and help your cat avoid a trip to the veterinarian due to periodontal disease.

5. Give your cat a space to climb

If you have an indoor cat, you can entertain and stimulate her natural instincts to climb by adding in shelves, keeping the top of bookcases clear and giving her designated perching spaces. Your cat will appreciate being able to look out over entire rooms at once. This engages her natural instincts and helps her to feel safe and protected. Your cat likes to be able to look for danger from a distance, and the perch enables her to do that easily.

cat place

6. Watch her weight

If you leave your cat to herself, she will eat until she is obese and then keep eating. Cats, like most animals, have poor appetite control. If food is available, they will either eat it until it is gone or come back and graze all day long. You can practice portion control for your cat to keep your feline friend fit and healthy and to ensure its weight stays at a nominal level. It’s also not true that you can’t find quality, nutritional and balanced cat food on a budget; check out online reviews for a roundup of the most balanced, best budget cat foods.

7. Give your cat a collar and ID

If your cat gets lost, you want a way for anyone who finds her to be able to return her home. If she is injured, she cannot get back on her own, so be sure to fit your cat with a collar and ID tag that lists your address and contact information.

8. Play with your cat

You might think that cats could entertain themselves, but sometimes they are not stimulated enough. It’s a good idea to give your cat about 25 minutes a day of play time with you at least. This will stimulate her brain and keep her active, heathy and mentally competent for longer. Experts like VetStreet recommend regular, daily play for best results.

9. Keep the litter box clean

You may do this regularly, but it is easy to forget to clean out our cat’s litter box when you get busy. It’s a good idea to schedule a regular cleaning day for the litter box to help you remember to do it often.

10. Take your cat for a walk

Just like dogs like to walk, cats can learn to enjoy this activity too. Your cat will benefit from the exercise and social time with you, but it may take some training to get the cat to be agreeable to the leash.

11. Make regular vet appointments

Don’t wait for something to happen to your cat to take her to the vet. Schedule routine checkups to keep your cat in good health and to catch problems early before they become serious.

Taking the time to do these tasks for your cat will make a huge difference in her quality of life. You’ll keep your cat healthier and happier, improving both her mental and physical wellbeing.