So, you have finally made the leap and decided to bring a cat into your home to be loved and cherished. Cats, even though they tend to be more independent than dogs, still come with a lot of responsibility.
Besides the obvious things that every cat lover needs to have read up on, such as immunisations, spaying, and general kitty care, it is vital now that you have a cat in the household to keep their diet on point.
It can be very tempting to let your cat overindulge by feeding them more than they need, especially as you won’t want to disappoint them as their new companion.
Here are some tips for all the new cat lovers out there to keep their kitties in shape.
It All Starts With Diet
As with looking after any animal, what you feed them plays a huge role in their overall health and wellbeing. For the new cat lovers out there, it can be tempting to feed your cat processed kibble or wet food pouches day in, day out.
These foods are okay for your cat to consume from time to time, but they shouldn’t make up the majority of your four-legged friend’s diet. Quite the opposite.
Your cat should be eating raw food as much as possible. It is also important to note that cats are obligatory carnivores and need to eat meat. Try not to feed them too many vegetables. Chances are their tummies won’t be able to handle it.
Create A Stimulating Environment For Them
All animals – and humans – need a stimulating environment. For you, that could mean scrolling on Instagram or making sure your home is picture perfect just the way you want it.
For cats, they need a place to call their own and they need plenty of things to keep them occupied. Otherwise, the curtain will begin to look like an appealing jungle gym to them.
There are so many genius ways to create a place your cats will love. Sometimes it is a simple case of buying a jungle gym online or making one at home from tough cardboard boxes.
If you want to dedicate more time to it, you could even add in a few wooden beams and shelves in a spare room that will make for a nice perch!
Having all these climbable places in your home will encourage them to, well, climb! It’ll help them get their daily exercise in.
You can also create a stimulating environment by;
Investing In Toys
And there are lots of them out there. Your local pet store should have a wonderful variety if you want to get some today. Anything from little balls with a bell inside of them to fake mice stuffed with catnip.
If you don’t want to spend then you can DIY some cat toys too. Things like laser pens, bits of string, bouncy balls, marbles, torchlight, or even a scrunched up bit of paper can do the trick.
But don’t just get a toy and leave them to it – join in! It is a great way to have fun and bond with your kitty. Not to mention it is a great stress buster if you’ve had a hard day at the office and it keeps them active!
Parting Advice
While it is important to do your research, part of the fun of bringing on a cat as your companion is learning what they love and what goes well for their personality.
Spend a lot of time with them and get to know them. Before long, you’ll know exactly how to get and keep your kitty active without it feeling like a chore for your cat, or you.
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