This article is being written at the end of December.  At this time of year many families take on a new pet.  Children clamour for a pet as a Christmas gift and all too often kittens are bought without adequate thought as to the long-term consquences.  If that has already happened in your house then some of what I’m about to write might come too late, but here goes anyway. (And the points below apply whatever the time of year)

Think before you buy. Never buy a kitten or adopt a cat on an impulse without thinking through the implications.  To take on the care of a dependent animal is a heavy commitment. Don’t do it lightly.  There’s going to be far more to deal with than those cuddly moments with a gentle furry friend.

Give attention to training. Give close attention to the training of your new pet.  It needs to know what are the boundaries of its behaviour. Invest time and patience in teaching it standards of conduct that will make your companionship a truly happy experience.

Feed your cat well – without over-feeding. Learn the principles of cat nutrition. Ensure that your pet is properly nourished so as to keep it healthy and full of vitality. Be very careful, though, to avoid over-feeding; far too many pet cats become obese with long-term damage to their health.

Neuter your cat. Unless you have a well-considered plan for deliberate breeding from your cat, have it neutered, whether male or female.  Unwanted litter with a female and tom-cat behaviour with a male can make life very difficult.

Keep your cat clean. Hygeine is one of the principal responsibilities of a cat owner.  Two areas stand out as of special importance – grooming and the litter box.  Short-haired cats will need less human grooming attention. Training in the use of the litter tray is important for cats; training in regular cleaning out of the litter tray is essential for humans.

Consider cat safety. Most cats are allowed outdoors unattended without problems.  I’ve noticed in recent months, however, that especially in the United States (in line with an increasingly zero-risk approach to life) there appears to be a movement toward being more protective and keeping cats indoors.  Personally I don’t agree with this, except possibly in highly urban environments where there is serious risk from intensive road traffic or with very expensive breeds where there is a significant risk of theft. In such cases the use of a leash or an outdoor pen might be advisable.  Generally, though, cats are very capable of taking care of themselves and don’t need pampering.

Don’t skimp on the Vet’s Fees. Most certainly it is a good thing to learn the basics of cat health, animal first aid and DIY treatments for minor ailments, but don’t skimp on veterinary fees.  And don’t delay treatment for serious conditions or the pain both to your pet and to your bank account could get much worse.

Tags: cat care, cat equipment, cat health, cat safety, cat training

Today, with pet beds on my mind, I thought that instead of a lengthy piece from myself I’d put together one or two links to useful cat bed articles written by others. Oh, but first I’ll add in a short video that might generate some good ideas.

Finally, as we’re in the thick of the gift-buying season, I thought you might want to treat your pet to a special bed. You can of course go to either our UK or USA cat store and see wide selections but for convenience I’m going to add a few possibilities from Amazon at the foot of this post.

And here’s the You Tube video I promised: How to Keep Your Cat Healthy : Determine which Cat Bed is Right for Your Cat

Understand the three types of cat beds: the cat tree house, soft bed and the cat tree in thisfree video. Expert: Dr. Adrienne Mulligan Bio: Dr. Adrienne Mulligan graduated from veterinary school at North Carolina State University in 1993, and now owns the Camp Verde Veterinary Clinic in Camp Verde, Arizona. Filmmaker: Chuck Tyler

In my first paragraph I said I’d put up links to some articles by other people. On looking through the ones that I had listed, however, I realised that most of them said very little that was useful – more ads than ideas. Here, however, is a recent piece that is worth reading, especially for the points made in its second and third paragraphs:

Cat Beds and Other Cat Necessities
From a blog by Caroline Stephenson, 3 Dec 2009
….. don’t undermine the tastes of your cat if they don’t sleep on it often at first, or even if they don’t sleep on it at all. Don’t worry – they will find out what is comfortable for them …..

Finally, as promised, I’m putting below a few suggestions taken from our Amazon.com data-feed. Apologies to our non-American visitors as shipping outside the US might be difficult or expensive. However, don’t forget that we have two online stores on this site: CatStore UK and CatStore USA. In both of them payment and delivery is serviced by Amazon – from their facilities on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Coolaroo Elevated Pet Bed Replacement Cover, Green The original Coolaroo Pet Bed replacement cover for large beds 51.5" x 31.5"....

Sentry HC Good Behavior Pheromone Cat Collar 15-Inch $7.89 Sentry HC Good Behavior Pheromone Collar for Cats Stress can cause inappropriate behaviors in anybody. If you’re a cat, this translates to excessive meowing, destructive behavior, and marking where those “marks” don’t belong. The Sentry® HC Good Behavior™ Pheromone Collar for Cats releases calming pheromones, similar to those released by a mother cat to comfort her kitt...

Slumber Pet Thermal Cat Mat - 22 L x 18 1/2 W - GRAY $9.99 Our Thermal Cat Mat keeps cats warm and comfortable without the use of electricity. This is also a perfect size for puppies and small dogs. This cozy mat features a lightweight core that actually reflects pets own body heat back to the animal. Provides soothing comfort to cats, kittens,puppies, aging pets, nursing females, or animals recovering from illness or injury. Machine-washable pad features...

Tags: cat beds, cat care, cat equipment, cat tree, cat tree house, pet beds