As a pet owner, you want the best for your feline friend. Having a furry friend provides great joy to your life. They are your family members, so you want to treat them like one. You want to provide the best for your cat. Although cats are quite low-maintenance pets, keeping them indoors can be challenging. Cats are outdoor animals by nature and can get bored easily when only kept indoors. Cats are curious animals and love to explore, which may cause problems. Providing stimulation through different means is necessary to keep your cat happy. If your cat is happy then it can also stay healthy. You need to understand your cat’s basic needs to raise them healthy and happy. You must be wondering, How and where to start from? Don’t worry, in this blog we are going to talk about all the ways to keep your cat happy and healthy. Keep in mind that consistency is the key to keeping your cat happy. Building the habits that are beneficial for your cat requires time and patience. Here are some ways you can keep your cat happy.

Good Food Keeps Your Cat Happy

Food plays a vital role in a cat’s health. Having a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight are important for cat-like every human. It is best to make a feeding schedule for your cat with a duration of 8 to 12 hours. You should feed them based on their age, weight, and size. If you are not sure how much to feed then you can take suggestions from your vet. It is also important to educate yourself regarding the food that may be harmful to your cat. When choosing the food for your cat, be sure to choose high-quality food with a higher level of proteins best for your feline friend. Also, make sure to read the ingredient list of the food that you are giving to your cat. With good food, fresh water is also necessary for your cat. If possible make sure that your cat has access to fresh water 24/7. You can leave extra bowls of water to encourage your cat to drink water frequently.

Playtime Happytime

Cats need fun and games to stay happy. Engaging in playtime allows the cat to stay healthy and fit mentally and physically. When they are playing, they use their brain and perform different exercises. This helps tone their muscle and help burn excess calories by elevating the cat’s heart rate. It is best to play with your cat each day. This helps form a tight bond with your feline and also allows your cat to stay active and stimulated. You can include different toys which can stimulate different actions like jumping, stalking, kicking, running, and many more. There are different toys available that are specially designed for cats as well. Sometimes the store toys can be harmful to your cat when you left them unattended with the toys. Toys with strings and small toys that can fit inside your cat’s mouth can cause problems. So, it’s best to leave safer options for your cats such as paper bags, different boxes, and many more. Cats easily get bored so rotate new toys every one to two weeks. It is also not necessary to buy store toys for your cat. You can convert your daily items into toys for your cat. Don’t worry your cat will be satisfied with what you give them. Here are some ways you can allow your cat to have fun: – Large Cardboard Boxes – Paper Bags without Handle – Stuffed Old Socks Ball – A shoelace – Laser Light Pointers – Playing Hide and Seek

Let Them Hunt Freely

Cats are predators by nature and have this urge to kill small animals. Rather than preventing them from hunting, allow them to hunt freely. They will usually hunt small animals like mice and birds. So, don’t be shocked when your cats bring you one. Cats don’t always hunt for food, they also hunt out for fun. So, hunting is important for the cat to stay happy. Before letting your cat outdoor for hunting you need to keep a few things in mind. Sometimes cat hunting behavior can go out of hand it might stress you. During that time don’t scold your cat for doing so. As they are not capable to understand their mistake. You can train them. Be aware of the environment you are letting your cat out. Make sure that there are no dangerous animals to prevent your cat from getting hurt. You also don’t want your cat killing a small endangered animal. Don’t let your cat outside if you are living in such an area. You might be wondering what to do in such a situation where your cat is unable to go outside. You can create a hunting environment for them. Hide your cat’s favorite treat to stimulate its natural hunting instinct. You can also freeze the treats in ice cubes to make your cat do extra work for the reward as well.

Bring Them a Friend

Like humans, cats also love companionship. If you have to stay away from your cat for long hours then you should consider getting a friend for your cat. It doesn’t have to be limited to cats. You can also bring dogs as well. Having companionship allows your cat to have a playtime friend. Your cat is able to stay away from trouble due to the natural distraction. This helps your cat to remain happy, healthy and stimulated. You can also adopt cats or dogs from the shelter. Fostering is a great way to find the animal that matches your cat’s personality.

A Personal Space For Your Cat

Having personal space is a must for your cat. They love marking their territory and do not like others invading their space. They enjoy their me-time. They don’t always like to be around their favorite human being 24/7. Having a personal space where they can hide and feel safe allows them to stay happy. They also need a peaceful environment to rest and chill. This helps your cat de-stress from all the hustle and bustle and human interaction. This keeps your cat healthy for a long time.  The personal space for the cat should be cozy and comfortable. It should be safe for our cats. Cat caves are one of the great options for your cat. They are specially designed for your cat and are usually made of wool. Your cat will also love cat caves. (Read: Why do Cat Love Cat Cave so Much?) Since most of the cat caves are closed space with great coverage, makes it perfect for the cat to hide and sleep peacefully.

Clean and Convenient Littering Space

Cats are neat animals. They love keeping themselves clean all the time and also prefer a clean environment. Cats have very sensitive nos and do not like to be around a dirty environment. They also prefer a clean litter box. If it is not clean then they would litter outside the litterbox. Putting them in a suitable place also plays a great part in encouraging your cat to use the litter box. Scooping the cat’s waste daily and washing the box periodically is important for proper littering. Here are some other things that you can do to prevent your cat from littering outside the designated place. – If you have more than one cat then provide each of them their own littering box. – Scoop the case waste daily. – Clean the litter box every month with cleaning products that are non-toxic to pets. – Place the litter boxes in different parts of the home This also keeps you aware of the issues related to your cat’s urinary and digestive systems. If you notice any blood in your cat’s urine or stool then take your cat immediately to the vet. If you also notice your cat littering outside the box then it can be due to infections as well. Litter boxes are available in different designs. You can experiment with different litter boxes and find the one which suits your cat. it is

Catnip- A Fun Treat For Your Cat

Catnip is a plant in the mint family that contains a natural oil called nepetalactone. It has a stimulating effect on the cat making their playtime more fun. The effect is quite pleasurable to the cat. The effect of catnip doesn’t last for long and is harmless for the cat. It also has no effects on kittens under six months. So, if you want to provide an extra dose of pleasure and happiness for your cat then you can use catnip. There are different ways to use the catnip for your cat. They are also available in dried form in small sachets, inside special cat toys, or in form of a spray.

Keep Them Groomed

Cats love grooming themselves. You will notice them spending hours grooming themselves most of the time. Sometimes they need an extra hand to groom themselves. You can help them by combing and stroking them. Sometimes cats with long hair get their all tangled up and they are unable to loosen up the hair. This causes dirt and dust to get collected in the knots resulting in infections. So, extra help by combing the knots may be necessary for the cat.  Your extra attention will also create a bond between your cat and you.

Spay And Neuter Your Cat

Spaying and neutering the cat is one of the most beneficial things for your cat. It helps to keep your cat safe. When a female cat goes into heat it can be very uncomfortable for the cat. It might go outside to find a mate. An unexpected pregnancy is not always good for your cat and its health. Likewise, male cats also fight with each other over the female cats to mate. This may injure the cat and also transmit disease through bites and scratches. There is also stress of cat giving birth. Did you know that cats can give birth to multiple litters to multiple partners? (Read: How many kittens can a cat have in its lifetime?) Many kittens are left unwanted in shelter homes. They are not able to get proper care as well.

Routine Health Check-Up

When your cat’s health declines, there is a low chance of knowing its problem before it goes out of hand. So, routine health check-up is a must for keeping your cat healthy. Routine health checkup includes checking up on every part of the cat’s body. Depending on the age and the health condition of the cat, the routine for the checkup should be determined. During routine checkups, you might be asked about your diet, behavior, exercise, thirst, lifestyle, and general health for your cat. Then the doctor might run some tests and make recommendations for different preventive medications like vaccination, parasite control, nutrition, coat care, dental care, weight management, and joint health. Many cat owner tends to make the mistake of not taking the cat to the veterinarian for a routine checkup. Due to this many cats have become extremely sick and also had to lose their life.

Conclusion

So. keeping your cat happy is not only limited to treats and playtime. Your cat requires more than that. A good diet, adequate liquid, good companion, proper grooming, and many more are needed for the cat. Like every human being, cats need more than just eating, sitting, and playing. If you want to keep your cat healthy, mentally and physically then you might need to start following the above-mentioned ways. They cannot be done at once. It requires great effort, patience, and consistency. Keeping your cat happy will make you happy.