Ways To Show Your Cat Respect

March 28 is a pretty big day for Fluffy: it’s Respect Your Cat Day! Of course, if you were to ask your feline overlord how best to show her respect, she may very well demand massive temples, statues, stocked fishponds, and catnip gardens. While kitties may have convinced many ancient peoples to go to such extremes, you don’t have to go too crazy. In fact, the best way to show Fluffy respect is to understand her specific needs and purrsonality. A local Brampton, ON veterinarian lists some ways that you can show your kitty proper respect in this article.

Offer Your Cat Good Food

Good cat care really starts with giving your feline pal good, nourishing food. You don’t have to break the bank, but you do want to offer something that is age-appropriate. Ask your Brampton, ON vet for specific advice.

Make A Forever Commitment When Adopting A Cat

When you adopt an animal, you’re committing to caring for them for the rest of their natural lives. Don’t take Fluffy in unless you are ready, willing, and able to care for her no matter what.

Keep Your Cat Indoors

Given the chance, Fluffy may very well disagree with this one. Many cats enjoy going outdoors. To be fair, the exercise and stimulation they get outside can be beneficial. However, as soon as your pet sets her cute paws outside, she is at risk from many different hazards.

Here are a few of the common ones:

• Cars
• Weather
• Chemical Exposure
• Predators
• Stray Dogs
• Parasites
• Infections from cuts

Your kitty could also get lost, trapped, stolen, or even killed. This isn’t just hearsay: as many as 18 percent of cats go missing at least once over the course of their lives.

Get Your Feline Friend Fixed

If your feline pal hasn’t been fixed yet, we strongly urge you to schedule an appointment at your Brampton, ON pet clinic, and get that addressed as soon as possible. This will benefit both you and your kitty. Fluffy will be safer, healthier, and less prone to behavioral issues, such as spraying and yowling. 

It’s also a way to support good animal welfare. With millions of homeless cats out there, making sure your pet doesn’t add to those numbers is just the responsible thing to do!

Take Time To Play With Your Cat

Cats are really entertaining pets. Fluffy has a special way of making us laugh just by being her usual self. One reason these little balls of fur are so much fun to have around is because they are so playful and frisky. Your feline buddy may look silly chasing that paper ball or catnip mouse around, but it’s serious business for her!

Kitties are both predator and prey animals in the wild. That makes for an interesting mix of traits. However, while Fluffy may be cute, spoiled, and, well, a bit lazy, she really is a hunter at heart. Things like pouncing, jumping, and batting at your ankles as you pass by are all hunting skills she would use in the wild. It’s important to let your feline buddy unleash her inner lioness! (Plus, it’s just cute to watch.)

Provide your little buddy with lots of fun toys, and take a few minutes to play with her every day. This doesn’t have to be time-consuming: Just keep a laser pointer or cat toy on hand,

Playing is also beneficial for other reasons. It’s great for bonding, and gives your furry friend a safe, suitable way to burn off any excess energy she has.

Let Fluffy Snuggle With You

One of the many great things about cats? They fit purrfectly into our laps! Many kitties really just want to feel loved and safe. It’s always cute how Fluffy often starts her motor as soon as she settles in for some cuddle time. This is actually also good for both of you. When you snuggle your furry pal, a special hormone, oxytocin, is released in you both. This reinforces feeling loved, safe, and happy. It’s also released in nursing mothers and babies when they cuddle.

Letting your feline pal sleep with you at night isn’t mandatory. Fluffy can still be purrfectly healthy and content if you choose not to let her sleep in your room. That said, many kitties love to cuddle up with their humans at night. As to whether this is good for sleep? It’s a bit of a tossup. A purring cat snuggled up next to you can be very relaxing. A frisky feline pouncing on your toes in the middle of the night? Not so much. (Tip: if your kitty gets playful  at night, tire her out with a fun play session before you go to bed.)

Provide Your Kitty With Small Comforts

Cats are pretty easy keepers. However, while providing good food, a clean litterbox, and regular veterinary care will cover the basics, it’s also important to take steps to make your home fun and comfy for your pet. Simply providing things like beds and scratching posts will go a long way. Your kitty will also appreciate a comfy window seat. Cat towers are great, too: they provide kitties with lookout points, nail care stations, and jungle gyms. Don’t forget to give your feline pal the occasional empty box!

Provide A Good Litter Box Setup

The fact that cats use litterboxes really does help make it easy to care for them. However, it’s important to keep your pet’s purrsonal powder room clean. Cats don’t like dirty litterboxes, and who can blame them? We would advise scoomping once a day, and changing out the litter every week or so.

A good setup is also important. If you have more than one kitty, you’ll need more than one litterbox. Cats don’t like to share! Make sure the box is in a place that is easy for your pet to get to, not exposed to drafts or direct sunlight. It should also offer a bit of privacy.

Visit Your Brampton, ON Animal Clinic Regularly

Fluffy would probably rather take a nap than come visit us. We understand! We know that most kitties are homebodies. Our feline patients really aren’t big fans of car rides, either. In fact, the drive to the clinic is often more upsetting to cats than their actual appointments. That said, proper veterinary care is crucial to your pet’s health and well-being.

We recommend that all kitties be microchipped, spayed or neutered, and kept current on vaccines and parasite control. Regular exams and screenings are also very important, as they can detect things before symptoms appear. Ask your vet to recommend an appointment schedule. 

It’s also important to watch for signs of sickness. Some of these include vomiting, fever, diarrhea, changes in weight, loss of appetite, lethargy, and respiratory issues. you’ll really just want to watch for anything that seems unusual for your feline buddy.

Make Fluffy Feel Loved

Last but not least, just keep that motor going! Talk to your cat, pet her, and play with her. Our feline pals are actually very emotional, and can form powerful bonds with their humans. Pay lots of attention to your feline friend. Kitty purrs and cuddles are some of life’s most precious gifts in our book! 

Do you have questions about caring for your feline pal? Contact us, your local Brampton, ON pet hospital, today!