Re: Cat owners, help please?
Tips from a cat owner of 26 years.
General
Read all that you can about cats. I recommend books by Pam Johnson-Bennett and Jackson Galaxy. Any of those wil give you a wealth of information.
Have your vet's number, and the number for a pet poison hotline, just in case. It is better to be prepared and never need something, than the desperately search for it when time is of the essence.
Declawing
Please, please, please, do not declaw your cats for any reason.
I made this mistake once, because I thought it was like trimming nails. It is not. It is like removing the first joint of your finger. It made my playful unafraid cat completely insecure and much less playful. I will regret that decision til the day I die.
Litter Boxes
Litter box placement is key. Put the box in a quiet place, preferably one that you won't be walking through all the time. If you have a closet that doesn't get much use, a launry room that you aren't in often, a spare bedroom, those are places where the cat will feel that they have privacy. And that counts for a lot with cats.
If you have two cats, get at least two litter boxes, and be sure to place them in separate areas, just in case one cat decides to be a bully and run the other out of the box.
Covered litter boxes are aesthetically pleasing, but not necessarily best for the cat. Think of it this way. Would you like to go into a small enclosed bathroom that had not been cleaned yet?
From my experience, when the cat visits its litter box, it will normally make a lot of noise scratching in the litter, then go quiet, then scratch the litter some more to cover. It is perfectly normal for a cat to run out of the box and all around the house afterword. I'm not sure why, but most of mine have done this.
Litter boxes need to be cleaned every day, for the health of the cat. You can go a few days if you absolutely must, but it is not advisable. Bacteria can grow in the box if it goes uncleaned, and that could potentially lead to urinary infections.
You need to learn your cat's bathroom habits smells, in order to determine if something changes. The litter box will not smell great immediately after a cat has been in it. But if the smell persists long after the cat has left, that could indicate an illness. Two odors to take note of are a strong ammonia scent, and diarrhea. The litter box may smell of ammonia when you are cleaning it, but it shouldn't smell strongly of that otherwise. Cats can get urinary tract infections, and they are amazing at hiding it from you. If you suspect one, it needs attention from a vet. Diarrhea is one to pay attention to, but it could be a change in the cat's diet, stress, etc. So take note of it, and observe your cat's behavior to see if anything else seems off. If you are concerned, call a vet, let them know you are a first-time cat owner, and they will be happy to answer your questions.
I have two methods for cleaning the box.
I use a Ziplock bag, and a litter scooper. This keeps me from getting my hands dirty, and it is perfectly fine for daily cleaning.
If you suspect something is off with your cat's bathroom habits, then you need to go to plan B. I have boxes of cheap thin gloves that I put on, if I need to feel what is in the box. This is not lovely, but you cannot look at the cat litter to see if it appears normal, and if you suspect your cat is ill, you need to verify. It is worth using this method once a week or so, to get an idea of what feels normal and what does not.
I am happy to answer any questions and give my experiences to help if I can.
When I got my first cat, there was one book in the NLS library about caring for cats, and it was geared more toward young readers. I had no way to know what was right or wrong, and I lost my first cat to feline leuchemia. Knowing what I know now, if I observed the things he did today, I would immediately know something was wrong. So I have learned from a lot of experience.
Cats are easy to care for, and they make the most wonderful little companions. Like any other creature you are blessed to care for, you just need to learn a few simple tricks of the trade.
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