5 Common Mistakes Cat Owners Make And How To Fix Them
Owners always want what’s best for their pet. After all we want our four-legged friends to be healthy, feel happy, and thrive in their environment. However, it happens from time to time that isn’t the case. While cats have gained the reputation of being very independent, they still requite a lot of time, love, effort, and money. And while you may have the best intention, some decision you make might cause issues that can affect your cat’s health and behaviors in the long run. Especially if you are new to owning a cat it might be difficult to understand what is right or and what is wrong. That’s why it’s important to learn what possible mistakes you might be making. Once you know if you are doing something wrong, you can easily fix it. So, let’s see what are some common mistakes cat owners make and how to correct them.
Owners always want what’s best for their pet
Some decision you make might cause issues that can affect your cat’s health
In this article
Common Mistakes Cat Owners Make
No matter how big of a cat enthusiast you are, one thing is certain – cats are mysterious creatures. Sometimes trying to understand them can see impossible, and it takes some time to figure out how to properly take care of your furry pal. But don’t worry you aren’t the only one. That’s why we’ve decided to help out by showing you some potential mistakes you might be making that can affect your cat and how to easily fix them.
One thing is certain – cats are mysterious creatures
Sometimes trying to understand them can see impossible
#Covered Litter Box
Unlike humans, cats don’t really need a lot of privacy to do their business. In fact, they don’t need any privacy at all. In nature cats prefer to choose exposed, open locations to do their business so that they can have a good view of potential predators. So, getting a covered litter box goes against their nature, and they are less likely to use it and create a mess somewhere in your home. Closed, badly ventilated litter boxes also means that the smell may be too much for your cat’s sensitive nose, giving them yet another reason to not use it. Plus, it makes it way harder for you to keep up with the cleaning, which means it may be dirty more often. And cat’s, like us, don’t like a dirty toilet.
Cats don’t really need a lot of privacy to do their business
How To Fix It: Get your cat an open litter box. And make sure it is large enough for your cat to fit inside comfortably and has some room to spare. As a general rule, the litter box should be at least as long s your cat (from the tip of their nose to their tail extended) and as wide as your cat is long. If your cat is a sprayer or kicker you can get one with three tall sides that is still open on top. Another thing you need to consider is how many cats you have. The general rule is to have one more litter box than the number of cats.
Get your cat an open litter box
#Declawing
Unless it is medically necessary, declawing is absolutely unnecessary. Declawing does not simply mean removing the claw itself, but also the whole of the bone that the claw is attached to. This is truly not needed and will not help your furry friend in any way, it will actually do quite the opposite. Claws and scratching is natural to cats and removing them can be considered a form of mutilating. If you are concerned about your cat scratching your furniture, there are more humane solutions.
Unless it is medically necessary, declawing is absolutely unnecessary
How To Fix It: Well, the easiest solution to this is to not declaw your cat. If destructive scratching behavior is your concern there are plenty of ways to stop your cat from scratching furniture and encourage them to use a scratch post. You can use catnip on the scratching post, laying the post on it’s side, treats as a reward and so on.
There are plenty of ways to encourage your cat to use a scratch post
#Water Placement
While to us, it may seem logical and practical to have your cat’s water and food close together, it’s actually quite the opposite. Cats instinctively avoid water that is near their prey, which in the wild would most likely be contaminated by bacteria. Plus, keeping the water bowl near the food means that it may end up filled with a lot of fur and dust that is floating around on the surface. Both of these things may be causing your cat to avoid the water bowl and thus not getting enough hydration throughout the day.
Cats instinctively avoid water that is near their prey
How To Fix It: It’s best to keep the food and water bowl in two separate rooms, as well as make sure that your cat’s water is nice and fresh and there are no particles floating around. Cat’s also tend to enjoy drinking from moving water sources (streams and rivers in the wild), so getting them a cat fountain may encourage them to drink more.
It’s best to keep the food and water bowl in two separate rooms
#Small Bowls
Fun facts: cats can get whisker fatigue. This happens when over-stimulation occurs of the sensory system of the whiskers. It usually happens when the whiskers are touched too much, as they get a tiny shock every time their whiskers touch something. This can happen if the cat’s food and water bowls are too small. If you put their food in a bowl with a diameter that’s smaller than the span of their whiskers, they can feel uncomfortable eating since their whiskers will keep touching the sides. And if the bowl is also too deep they won’t eat the food at the bottom. This leaves you with a hungry, depressed and overstimulated cat.
Fun facts: cats can get whisker fatigue
How To Fix It: When it comes to choosing the correct bowl, there are a few things you should consider. First, it’s best to use a wide, shallow bowl to feed your cat. Second, it’s important for the dish to be nonporous, so plastic is out. Then you gotta make sure to practice good hygiene and wash your cat’s bowl after every use.
It’s best to use a wide, shallow bowl to feed your cat
#Lack of Teeth Care
This is one of the most common mistakes cat owners make. Your cat’s oral health is definitely something that shouldn’t be overlooked. The majority of cats in adulthood have some evidence of dental disease in some degree. This is because cat teeth come into contact with a lot of bacteria on the daily, which leads to plaque building up and the appearance of periodontal disease.
Your cat’s oral health is definitely something that shouldn’t be overlooked
How To Fix It: Learn how to brush your cat’s teeth. Introducing brushing is a bit easier with kittens than adult cats, but it is not impossible. However, if you can’t get to clean your cat’s teeth, then make sure to ask your vet for alternative methods.
Introducing brushing is a bit easier with kittens than adult cats
Learn how to brush your cat’s teeth
These were some common mistakes cat owners make and how to easily fix them. We hope you found this article useful. Now you know how to create a better and safer environment for your beloved furry friend.
These were some common mistakes cat owners make and how to easily fix them
Here are some other mistakes you might also be making
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