Taking proper care of cats is not as easy as it sounds. Perhaps you would suppose that cats can take care of themselves and are used to not having too much physical contact with humans compared to dogs. You are not wrong; however, owning a pet cat is not entirely effortless. As a cat owner, you will not only have responsibilities over your pet’s well-being, but also to your community. This is because domestic animals are also part of your neighbourhood, and you are responsible if any mishap caused by your cat takes place. Written below are five things you should do to be a responsible cat owner.
Always keep them indoors. This prevents them from roaming around the neighbourhood and cause animal nuisance to other people. When cats are left alone outside, they may rummage through garbage bins and defecate on neighbours’ lawns. In addition, leaving them outdoors may cause them to reproduce and contribute to pet overpopulation. To keep your feline friends entertained indoors, you can provide them with some toys and a cat kennel to prevent them from going out of the house. If you are to leave your cats home alone, you could consider hiring a pet sitter who offers cat minding service to keep watch of your pets while you are gone. You may also want to consider sending them to a cat boarding service especially if you are to leave for a couple of days.
Have them neutered or spayed. Spaying is for female cats, whereas neutering is for males. There are a number of benefits from having your cats’ reproductive organs surgically removed. It reduces the risks for female cats of having ovarian and breast cancer, and lessens the chances for male cats of having prostate problems, which ultimately contributes to their lives longevity. It is also less likely for neutered cats to spray and mark territories, while erratic heat cycles are prevented for spayed cats. Aside from these, neutered and spayed cats tend to show more affection to their owners than those that are not.
Keep them healthy. Like children, cats need to have a balanced diet to keep them healthy and strong. You also have to take them to the veterinarian regularly and to keep track of their periodical shots that prevent them from incurring and causing diseases. Get to know basic care for your pets, continue reading here
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Have them tagged. Tagging your cats serves as their identification as cats with proper homes and owners. It should include the cat’s name, your address and contact details should they get lost. ID tags and collars represent your responsibility over those fur balls, and you must take note that you are at fault for whatever happens to them in and outside your house.
Commit to them. Remember that cats are not just cute little balls of fur that you can play with just whenever you want. Like humans, they are living creatures that need constant care and affection, and committing to becoming their companion means having responsibility over them for the rest of their nine lives.
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