We all love our cats, but even the most dedicated pet parent can make some mistakes. These mistakes are not life or death per say, however some common mistakes that seem normal can be quite detrimental to your cats health. So without further ado, let's dive in!
Keeping an "Outdoor" Cat
I'm sure you all have heard this one before. On average, outdoor cats live an entire 5 years less than indoor cats. When you let your cat out at night, you are putting them at risk for trauma, illness, or potentially death (including traffic, wildlife like coyotes, and hazardous substances). You may think or even KNOW that your cat is well behaved outside, however that does not stop anything or anyone else from harming your cat, accidental or intentionally. If you want to let your cat outside, scheduled supervised outdoor times using a properly fitting kitty harness. Pisces recommends Rc Pets Adventure Kitty Harness! Aside from the health of your cat, outdoor cats can be destructive. It is not uncommon for outdoor cats to dig up neighbors backyards! So for the safety of your cat and the sanity of your neighbors, please keep your cat indoors!
Overfeeding
Overfeeding is a very common problem in modern house cats. A 2011 study by APOP (association for Pet Obesity Prevention) found that over 50% of house cats were either overweight or obese. Giving your cat food (or too much food) is not an act of love, in fact, it is quite the opposite and can effect your cats quality of life. Cats like to fun, jump and play! Overweight or obese cats have a hard time doing many of the regular activities a healthy cat will do on the regular, and can lead to respiratory issues, joint pain and diabetes. The sooner you fix your cats appropriate portions of food, the better! Pisces recommends a product called "I Am Not A Dog" Indoor Hunting Feeder. This products helps keep your cat busy through out the night, while exercising their natural instinct to hunt, and prevents binge eating.
Shouting / Punishing
Your cat does not hate you! Cats are not people, and will not consciously defy your rules or wishes. What cat owners perceive as "bad behavior" is often a stressful response by something bothering them in their environment. Punishing your cat with screaming or physical correcting causes them a great deal of stress, which again will result in more undesired behavior. Instead of punishing bad behavior (negative reinforcement), try praising good behavior (positive reinforcement)! Cats will not learn from negative reinforcement, in fact, the only thing it will teach the cat is to fear you. Scratching is normal or healthy behavior. If your cat is scratching furniture, try re-directing your cat to appropriate scratch surfaces around your home.
Maintaining a Proper Litter Box
Cats are very very particular about their bathroom habits. It is imperative that you do research on how to keep a cat happy with their litter box, otherwise they may release outside of the box. Each cat should have their OWN LITTER BOX! Cats do not like sharing their bathroom space, and prefer to only have their scent associated with it. Multiple cats sharing litter boxes will often result in stress and eliminating outside of the litter. Litter placement is also important. If the litter box is too hard to find or too far away, your cat may just go where they please. The litter box should be far away from their food and water source, they do not like to poop where they eat! Replace the litter every 2 weeks and scoop out every day or every other day to maintain a healthy litter. Use Versele-Laga Deodo Flower to cover up any litter smell if you litter is in an open area!
Ignoring the Vet
It is important to keep an eye on your cat and notice any irregularities. A big mistake by many cat owners is failing to notice the signs of a sick cat. While vomiting in cats is not uncommon, its important to remember its never truly "normal". If your cat is vomiting repeatedly or there is blood present, take to the vet asap. If your cat is making frequent trips to the litter box or is showing signs of pain when eliminating, they could have a UTI. Trust your instincts! If you think you should maybe go see a vet, you probably should. A pet store is not a vet!! Pet store employees may be knowledgeable but are not a replacement for a professional veterinarian.
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