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

A new kitten needs behaviour training. If you allow it to do exactly what it wants, when and where it wants, your life is going to be very difficult and the relationship between you and your kitten could become very fraught.

Maybe you don’t have a young kitten, but have adopted an adult cat. It may be that you have inherited not only the pet but also bad cat behaviour which was not corrected by the previous owner. Training older cats takes longer but with patience and persistence it can be done.

One owner tells of a cat which scratches the furniture and irritatingly attempts to attract attention, and succeeds, by walking over the computer keyboard while she’s typing. Training a cat not to do damaging and annoying things is essential to the peace of the home. So how to stop the little monster from misbehaving, and to turn into a pleasant furry friend?

One trick is the water spray. Get a simple spray bottle of the kind often sold in garden stores. The very cheapest will do; this is not a sophisticated cat discipline method but something very plain and simple. Fill the bottle with water and after allowing time for it to stabilise at room temperature you’ll be ready for ‘battle’. Oh, if you have several such bottles containing different liquids (such as foliar feed for your houseplants) make sure you label it clearly as the “Cat” spray.

Now, whenever the cat misbehaves, speak her name firmly and spray her with water. Do it immediately or the cat won’t associate it with the wrong deed. You only need one short and not too strong burst of spray. You’re not trying to drench the poor animal completely, nor are you trying to hurt the cat. Never aim for the front of the head but for her body or tail.

Be consistent with this and it won’t be long before your cat associates the unpleasantness of the water spray with the misbehavior. She’ll start to think twice about running the risk. Eventually you should be able to drop the spray and just speak your pet’s name harshly. It may in some cases be necessary to return to the spray if misbehaviour recommences, but very often by using this simple method of cat behaviour training the cure is permanent.

Tags: cat behavior, cat behaviour, cat discipline, cat training, kitten training, training older cats