At some point in our life, we might be graced with the experienced of being a pet owner. Regardless of whether it happened because we wanted it to happen or by complete accident, at times, it can be an experience that might completely change our life, and most of the time, it changes for the better.
There are many animals that can enter our life and bring this change. Dogs and cats, however, are among the most popular options. In this particular article, though, we will mainly focus on cats, and talk about how it is to be a first-time cat owner, and how to take care of them as efficiently as possible.
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Why Cats Are Great
Cats are incredible pets, and there are many reasons for that. First of all, they can be incredibly independent, so they might not need as much attention, training, and maintenance. That being said, they can be very affectionate and social animals, and they can provide a level of companionship that otherwise would be impossible.
Some of the particular traits I think should be mentioned include:
1. Being very smart and instinctive.
A cat will easily learn during the first days of its coexistence with you things like where to do their necessities, when and where they are expected to eat, how to behave during specific situations, how to handle children and other animals, and the things they should and shouldn’t do.
2. How to take care of themselves.
Most of the time, cats will learn how to groom and clean themselves from a very young age. This means that the amount of time and effort you will put to bathe them and groom them will be considerably less in comparison to other animals such as dogs.
3. How to handle loneliness.
One of the reasons why cats are incredibly good choices for people that don’t have time to be at home most of the time is because they are very good at handling loneliness. They are very independent and can manage themselves in most situations, and they are less likely to suffer from separation anxiety.
However, something important to note is that this is not always the case. Some cats might develop separation anxiety and might not handle loneliness as well as others. If that is the case, you might want to consider adopting another cat and considering how little expensive they are, this is always a viable idea.
4. They are very cheap to own.
Cats eat a lot less than most dogs out there, and this will significantly influence the amount of money you will spend on food. They also require less maintenance, thus, hiring professional groomers is often not necessary to take care of them. Since they don’t require as much exercise, you won’t have to spend a lot of time exercising them too!
Breeds of Cats to Keep in Mind
It is important to note that a lot of the cat’s personality traits, physical features, and behavioral patterns will be heavily influenced by its breeds. As showcased in this article, there are some breeds that are more recommended for beginners than others. Some of them include:
- Ragdolls
- Maine Coons
- American Shorthairs
- Scottish Folds
- Persians
- Bengals
This is because these specific breeds are very gentle and sweet, so they are much easier to manage than other breeds, and this, of course, will make your experience much easier to handle.
How You Should Handle the Experience
However, it is always important to understand the basics of how to handle a cat, especially if we are talking about your first experience. Besides preparing all the supplies you might need, such as grooming tools, food, bowls, toys, a litter box, a bed, and a scratching spot, you will need to learn how to train your cat to encourage and discourage certain behaviors.
You might also want to play with them to introduce a certain level of exercise to their lives, enough for them to spend some of their energy.
Litter Boxes
Preparing a litter box as soon as possible and placing it in a strategic spot will make a huge difference when it comes to the cat taking care of its necessities. First of all, you should choose a place with easy access where the possible smell won’t be a bother, and this place shouldn’t be near the place the cat eats!
After choosing the right place, if you place the cat on top of the litter box with its sad, he will instinctively know it is the right place to go when the time comes, just because of the texture of the sand. If the cats have troubles, make sure to take it to the littler box when the time comes. You will have to learn how to clean the litter box, and it is recommended to have a scoop since it will make it a lot easier to handle.
Diet
Now, when it comes to food, dry food is often recommended not only because it is very nutritional and affordable, but also because it ensures their teeth’ health. That being said, you should pick a brand that is healthy and provides enough nutritive value! Also, it is recommended to give them wet canned food from time to time.
If your cat has a specific physical condition, you might want to follow your veterinary’s advice on this matter. As shown at https://www.holistapet.com/cat-breeds/, some breeds are more prompt to suffer from certain conditions, so it is your responsibility to research the breed of your choice to get to know it better.
Teaching Them How to Act
As you might know, you can’t possibly control how the cat will act all the time. However, you can surely encourage or discourage specific behaviors, all with the help of the right tools.
For example, a scratching spot will heavily reduce the chances of the cat ruining your furniture because of scratching urges, and a bottle of water spray will be your best friend when it comes to discouraging negative or destructive behaviors that can affect your coexistence with it.
If you take your time to bathe them the right way from a young age, you will also get rid of some of the complications when bath time is needed, and the same can be said from brushing their teeth and grooming them.
Ideally, you should take your time to get them used to baths and grooming, and congratulate them with treats and positive reinforcements when they behave!
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