I'm not sure how some people are so against or do not like cat. I've witnessed few moments where adults and kids chasing and kicking (stray) cat...Huh! so uncivilized! :-P Cat does not speak and think but on the other side they are brilliantly smart & adorable on their way.
Having a cat as a pet is definitely pleasure & fun. Research has shown that petting a cat can lower your levels of stress and build tone of loves within yourself. I would certainly recommend other people to give a cat a home as they give you no trouble at all yet uncounted fun & entertainment to the household.
Some people may concern about having too many cats as they can multiply fast & easy within years, or maybe worry about pooh and wee on the floor or sofa. Deciding having a cat especially a resident cat will need your commitment, love & time. Here, I'm glad to share few tips & experience of mine of having this wonderful feline in my life.
Firstly, you need to prepare cat basic needs like cat's bed, litter tray, food & water bowls and perhaps some toys to keep them playful :) Normally, cat requires meal twice a day, in the morning and late afternoon. But no harm to leave the bowl loaded with food so they can eat anytime they want and please ensure the fresh & clean water (tap water is good enough) is accessible easily all the time if you don't want them end up drinking toilet water..hahahaha
For example I'm feeding my cat Royale Canin dry food for Indoor cat as this will control the odour since she is a totally resident cat that does not walk outside. I don't feed my cat with any household or junk food and believe or not my cat doesn’t like fish but crazy about cheese! As a treat I give her anchovies especially to bribe her out from the kitchen.
Cat sleeps at least 13-16hrs/day most of it in day time and stay awake in night time. It’s good if you can prepare a cat’s bed. Currently, my cat has 4 different beds. 1 in the living hall for her to chill out, 1 specialized for boarding or travel & another 2 placed in her room for bedtime.
It is easy to train cat to pooh or wee. They are fast learner. What you have to do is fill the litter tray with litter sand (preferably clumping & scented type) and they will certainly help themselves. Normally cat pooh only once and wee at least twice a day but it depends though :-)
Taking cat for traveling? Not a problem. What you need is a carrier, the easiest way to transfer cat from one place to another. My cat loves car ride. She likes watching other cars go by. Previously I do let her roams loose in the car but not anymore ever since they car's interior has been fully changed to leather.
If I’m taking her for a long distance/out station trip, I’ll make sure to stop few times and let her out for stretching and relaxing. But must put her harness & leash on as I don’t trust my cat anymore since the escape episode but she never bother to drink or eat as she’s too curious looking around.
Unfortunately, sometimes I have to send my cat for boarding (@ petshop) if I travel to oversea or on vacation. It costs me a lot! RM15/nite and could you imagine for 6-7 days? Hemmm...Never thought to leave her to relatives or friends as I don't want to trouble anyone :-)
Hey! Cat does vomit, cough, sneeze, yawn & fart (hahaha...sound funny rite?). They are just like us. They do fall sick as well. To avoid this, cat needs to be vaccinated and taking some vitamin. It is impractical to recommend a standard vaccination protocol for all cats. A vaccine risk assessment should be performed yearly for all cats, and each cat’s individual needs evaluated.
As in my previous post, cat needs to eat grass once in a while to help them vomit up hairballs & to relieve stomach ache. But be careful if you give your cat grass from lawns, fields, under hedgerows etc. The grass could contain weedkiller or other chemicals that could be poisonous.
If you love cat, PLEASE spay or neuter your cat as this will help to control producing stray or neglected cats. An average cat has 1-8 kittens per litter, and 2-3 litters per year. During her productive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens! Wow!
It is an easy process and cheap if you go to government vet clinic. I had my cat neutered 4yrs ago at DBKL vet @ only RM50 (it covers the surgery, medicine & 3 days diet food). Another thing to consider, because of cat’s unquenchable curiosity, you need to keep attic or basement doors, windows etc. closed so that your cat cannot wander into dangerous territories, like what had happened to my cat. She escaped from the kitchen balcony and went missing for 3 days! Huhuuhuu..and she also fell from 4th floor but survived...hemmm…strong baby :-P
Cat is a clean animal. They are normally fastidious about their fur and spend countless hours licking and cleaning themselves. To clean itself, a cat uses its raspy tongue to comb out dirt particles and dead hair. Since a cat cannot reach all of its fur with its tongue, it first licks its paw and rubs the fur with the moistened paw. The cat will usually clean its paws last.
Even so, it's a good idea to brush your cat, especially if it is one of the long-haired breed, in order to help keep them clean and free from loose fur. Many people are wrong by thinking that cat requires bath frequently like dog. No, they aren’t. Anyhow, a bath in 3-4 months once will refresh your cat and help them feel good & gorgeous.
