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Now that you have a cat in your home, what are you going to do with him? Cats can be mysterious creatures, so you aren’t ever sure how to handle them. You might not be able to make them happy, but you can make sure that you’re taking care of them. Here are some tips to help you.

Let kittens and cat-friendly pet dogs get to know each other slowly. Put up a baby gate to keep dogs in one room while your new kitten gets used to its surroundings. Supervise carefully when the kitten ventures to the gate to meet the dogs. When the kitten feels safe, it will climb the gate. If it feels threatened, it will pop right back out to safety.

If you have outdoor cats, be sure to discourage pests such as coyotes, possums and raccoons by bringing cat food indoors at night. Feed your cats first thing in the morning, and make sure there is no food left at nightfall. This will keep your cats safe from attack and illness.

Make a free toy for your cat by placing a little dry rice or a few dry beans inside an empty pill bottle. Close the lid and roll the rattly toy across the floor. Most cats can’t resist the sound and motion. You can also tie a length of twine around the neck of the bottle to make a pull toy or a dangly toy.

If you have a male cat, it is important to have him neutered before he goes into heat. When male cats start maturing, they will begin to spray around the house. It smells like ammonia and is hard to remove. Having your male cat neutered can help to prevent this from happening.

Cats are hunters by nature. They love to chase mice and other small animals and insects. Buying little fuzzy mice filled with catnip and batting them around with your cat is a great idea. Your cat will feel as though they are really hunting prey. This will also help you to connect with your cat better.

If your cat has a tendency to eat your plants, you can stop him. You can either purchase bitter apple spray and spray the pot, or you can put a bit of clove oil on a cotton ball and bury it a bit in the soil. Your cat will avoid both.

Let your cat exercise their hunting instinct. Cats are natural born hunters; however, this does not mean you need to allow mice to invade your home. Hide treats and toys throughout your home, and your cat will have a blast hunting down their treats. You can also find feather and laser toys that your cat can chase and pounce on.

Cats have a natural instinct to hunt small prey. This can sometimes be a problem if you have other small animals in your home. Make sure that bird cages are hanging from the ceiling. If you have a gerbil or hamster, make sure their cages are secure and up high out of your cats reach.

If you want a cat to come your way, it may be a good idea for you to refrain from looking at them. Cats do not like it when people look them directly in the eye, so they tend to go the other way. This is why it seems as if cats always gravitate toward people who are not really fond of animals.

It is important for a cat to have play time. Play is necessary for all mammals no matter the age or species. Older cats might not be quite as energetic as they used to be, but light play can still be fun for them. Make sure you play with your cat at least once a day.

When your cat has kittens, it can be tempting to get rid of them as soon as possible, but you should wait a reasonable amount of time. A kitten needs to learn a few things from mom before going off into the world alone, so give him six weeks to learn all he can.

One of the most delightful things about a dog is the way they happily greet their owners. Cats may wag as well, but the meaning can be quite different. Tail wagging in a cat usually indicates a mental conflict that your cat is mulling over, such as deciding whether to flee or attack. If you’re holding the cat and their tail begins wagging, they should be put down so that you don’t get scratched or hit.

There are certain human foods that you should never feed to cats. Some of these include onions, grapes, garlic and green tomatoes. If your cat eats these things, they could become very sick. Milk upsets a cat’s stomach, too.

Cats catch illnesses just like you do. You see your cat each day, so you should develop an intuition about when it is sick. It’s crucial that you have them checked by a vet. Your vet will be able to notice the signs of an illness and give your cat preventive shots.

Even if you aren’t sure how you can make your cat happy, or figure out how to make them purr, you can take care of him. The tips laid out here will help you to make sure that you’ve done everything you can to care for your cat. Happiness is more elusive.

cat with bunny ears