Have you decided to take a cat into your home? Congratulations! In addition to being very affectionate and fun animals, which will make your life happier, cats are clean pets, it is not necessary to take them out for a walk and they adapt very well to life in an apartment.
Although cats are easy animals to keep and care for, it is important to know some typical mistakes in their upbringing to avoid unwanted behavior. On our site we will explain the 7 most common mistakes when raising a cat to make your job easier.
1. Thinking that a cat is like a dog
Unlike dogs, in the wild cats are solitary hunters, and although they can form integrated social groups with a defined hierarchy, cats are generally more independent and less hierarchical than dogs.
Therefore, and although there are cats that are much more submissive and affectionate than many dogs, if you are looking for an extremely faithful pet that shows unconditional love and obedience, you should opt for a dog, to avoid disappointment and frustrations.
On the other hand, we must not forget that when a cat seeks the company and affection of its owner it is because it really wants this attention and because it feels comfortable with it, not because its instinct forces it nor because they consider it a reference figure, and this is something that very positively values cat owners.
two. Neglecting the education of the cat
Cats are much more complicated to educate than dogs, since they are much less hierarchical animals, as has been mentioned. Creating a bond with the animalis fundamental, and for this it is important that the cat sees its owner as something positive and assimilates his presence to a pleasant state
In many cases, taking advantage of dogs' sense of hierarchy, to have an educated and balanced dog it is enough to give them fair, coherent and simple commands, but cats "have to be won over".
Playing regularly with him, correcting him when he does something wrong with clear orders and without resorting to violence is very beneficial. Cats can also respond well to positive training, although it is often not as easy and effective as it is for dogs.
3. Taking him in when he's too young
One of the most common mistakes people make when raising a cat is adopt too early, sometimes almost as soon as they are born, when the ideal is to do it once the kitten has been weaned naturally (after one month of life).
Although taking extreme care and providing adequate food (they sell special milk for lactating cats) there should be no major problems, it is beneficial for the animal's he alth to be with its mother during this period, which is also the who can best teach him the behaviours typical of his species.
On the other hand, we must not forget the importance of the socialization period [1] [2] of these animals, which occurs between two and seven weeks of life of the animal, in which it is convenient to present the stimuli that it will know during its life so that later it does not recognize them as something new and dangerous.
That a puppy has not finished its vaccination period does not mean that it should become a "bubble cat" isolated from the world, and that people or animals cannot be invited to the house while the cat that lives in it is a puppy without finishing vaccination.
Of course, if other animals come to the house where the pussycat is, it is necessary to make sure that they are not aggressive, are not sick and are correctly vaccinated and dewormed.
4. Do not vaccinate or deworm the cat
Another quite common mistake when caring for a cat is not giving it the he alth care it needs, thinking that since it does not leave the house and eats almost exclusively feed it cannot contract diseases or harbor parasites.
Although it is true that not having access to the outside makes it more difficult for you to get sick, it is also true that this is not entirely impossible, so these problems should be prevented.
Obviously the risk in cats that live at home is not the same as in cats with access to the outside and there are vaccines that it is not necessary to administer in the former, therefore it is necessary to go to a veterinarian who You must establish a specific vaccination program for cats for the life characteristics of each animal.
Regarding external deworming (against fleas and ticks, above all) and internal deworming (against intestinal worms), although it can be less strict than in the case of dogs, it is advisable deworm internally every 3 months and apply a flea and tick repellent product, especially in the months of summerFind out more about deworming cats.
In addition, in some places the Law requires vaccination against certain diseases and a minimum frequency of internal deworming. Thus, for example, in Spain it is currently mandatory to vaccinate cats against rabies and also deworm internally, once a year, with a product effective against Echinococcus (a type of tapeworm).
5. Do not assess the possibility of sterilizing the cat
The breeding season of these animals can lead to uncomfortable behavior for cat owners, as well as he alth hazards for kittens. This time occurs in spring-summer, in which female cats (seasonal polyestrous) have jealousy of approximately a week of duration, with breaks of one or two weeks.
In cats that live indoors, this period can last considerably longer since, as the lighting and temperature of the house are more or less constant, it is difficult for the animal's body detect seasonal changes.
During this period, many males tend to run away when detecting a female cat in heat and may display aggressive with other males, sometimes causing fights that can have serious consequences. This can be partially corrected by neutering the animal.
In cats that have access to the outside of the house, sterilization is necessary, otherwise their owner could find himself in a short time with offspring as numerous as they are unwanted.
In addition, sterilization can prevent diseases (such as tumors of the uterus or ovaries, for example) and help prevent behavior problems such as urine marking.
6. Not avoiding the ingestion of hairballs in cats
Generally, big mistakes are not usually made when feeding cats, but one of them is not providing a product to prevent digestive problems caused by swallowing balls of hair.
As explained in our post about hairballs in cats, cats are very clean animals that groom themselves regularly and can ingest hairballs, and this can end up causingvomiting and constipation or diarrhea.
Fortunately, there are m alt-based products available at veterinary centers and speci alty stores that are very useful. Another equally successful and more comfortable option is to buy a specific feed to prevent problems caused by hairballs.
7. Overweight in neutered cats
The other mistake that can occur when raising a cat is not controlling its weight, especially in animalssterilized Neutered animals tend to gain weight due to hormonal issues, so it is recommended to provide a low-calorie feed or one specifically for sterilized cats, which already contemplates this fact in its composition.
In any case, even if a light feed is used, it is necessary to measure the amount of it that is given to the cat, following the manufacturer's instructions, since having fewer calories the animal will eat more feed than if it were given a normal one with which it will continue to gain weight.
If you want to know more about being overweight in cats, we recommend you read our post on obesity in cats.
