Where to Get a Cat or Kitten

Before purchasing a cat or kitten for your home, make sure that one, you're not allergic to cats and secondly, your place of living allows pets.

If you aren't allergic to cats and live in a place where you are allowed to have one, then be sure to check the local animal shelter. They usually have plenty of cats and kittens that need a good home.

Often animal shelters are desperate for foster homes for mother cats and the kittens during the spring and summer. Many shelters will give you first choice in adopting one or more of the kittens you fostered.

Preparing Your Home

If you own a cat or are planning to get one, then designing the décor of your home will require taking several precautions in order to protect your pet from harm. Cats often love to chew plants, poisonous or not. Before bringing a cat or kitten home, verify that each indoor plant in your home is not harmful to cats.

Cats and kittens also might accidentally swallow string or any other small item. These will often obstruct their digestive system, possibly leading to expensive surgery or death. So it is extremely important that no small items are left lying around that could be swallowed.

Helping to Keep the Population Down

When your kitten is about 4 months old call your local veterinarian to make an appointment for your kitten to be spayed or neutered. Neutering or spaying your cat can help to keep the pet population under control and prevent unwanted cats that end up living on the street or being euthanized at shelters. It doesn't cost much (in our area it's $30), and also makes your cat a better pet.

Cat Toys

Toys play a major and important role in emotional and mental development of your pet. Be sure to rotate your cat pet toy(s) on a regular basis, to keep interest levels high.

There are a multitude of toys to choose from. A scratching post or cat tree, catnip, and some furry balls or mice are a good start for your cat's collection.

Cat Food – What to Feed Your Cat

Be careful when choosing your cat's food. Natural Balance, high in protein and devoid of any toxin, is one of the best. Many commercial cat foods are filled with toxins, harshly processed, and high in carbohydrates which in no way match the natural diets cats would have eaten in the wild.

If Natural Balance is too costly for you, then be sure you at least get your food at a pet shop. Ask the workers what they would recommend, or check the ingredients yourself. A good, high-protein cat food will provide your cat with better health and a longer life. Just keep in mind that the latest findings lean towards the importance of a diet with less carbohydrates and more protein.

Conclusion – Enjoying Your Cat

One cat is nice, but two or more is even better. Quieter than dogs, generally low-maintenance, and usually not under foot, cats make terrific pets and companions.