If you’re welcoming a new furry friend into your life, you may be wondering what you can do to make your cat feel like a special and welcome part of the family. You may also be wondering how you can be the best possible cat owner you can be, which is a fantastic goal to set for yourself. This is especially the case at the beginning of your cat journey, but deciding to improve even years down the line is far better than nothing.

Do you take your kitty to the vet often enough? Should you get cat insurance? How much time should you be playing with your cat? And is there anything else you might be missing when it comes to kitten care? Fear not! We’re here to help you out and break down all of the information you might need to know.

Have Regular Vet Visits

If you’ve just adopted a kitten into your life, you might be going to the vet relatively often to make sure you can get them fixed, actually getting them fixed, and then making sure their incisions are healing up correctly.

However, once your cat reaches adult life, you may not have as many reasons to go to the vet. Because this is the case for many cat owners, with the exception of those kitties who need more regular health upkeep, you may be wondering how often to take your furry friend to the vet for a check-up. Most veterinarians recommend taking your cat to the vet approximately once a year, mainly to make sure your friend is healthy and to prevent any health issues.

Get Cat Insurance

There are many companies that offer cat insurance all over the country, which means you get to pick your provider. However, what’s more important than the provider is making sure that you have cat insurance at all. Why is this?

By getting cat insurance, you’ll be able to save money in the case of an emergency. And, depending on the coverage you decide to get, you may even be able to use cat insurance to save on the expenses you’ll incur from regular check-ups as well. This is great for keeping your cat healthy and you feeling stress-free about money.

Give Them Plenty of Toys and Playtime

Just because cats have a penchant for spending a lot of the day napping, this doesn’t mean they’ll be happy getting by on the bare minimum. Your cat will want to feel invigorated and challenged by their surroundings, meaning they’ll want lots of different kinds of toys to keep them entertained.

This may mean that the best toys for your cats are the ones that allow them to use their instincts, including laser pointers or other mobile toys that might entice them to chase. It might also be helpful to get them scratching posts to keep their claws short and your living quarters from getting damaged. Some cats like climbing as well, so it might be helpful to get your furry friend a tree or shelves to explore.

It’s also important to play with your furry friend. Just like humans, cats can be very social animals. In order to keep them exercised and assured of your care, try to play with each kitty for at least ten to 15 minutes per day. That might also mean you need to get toys that you and your cat can play with together.

Trim Kitty’s Nails

Even if you have scratches all over your home, you’ll still need to trim your kitty’s nails every once in a while. This helps to prevent them from damaging your home, you, and themselves while they walk. Also, it might be helpful to look up tutorials to clip their claws properly in order to avoid hitting them quickly.

Brush Your Cat’s Fur

Shedding throughout the year is pretty standard, and your cat will likely do an excellent job of keeping their fur neat and tidy most of the time. However, if you’d like to avoid gastrointestinal problems related to having too much hair in your cat’s stomach, it would be wise to brush them a few times a week.

Give Your Kitten Space

When you first bring your new friend home, they may be shy and disinterested in you. This is likely because they’re stressed, trying to get to know their new surroundings and their new housemates. In the beginning, try not to overwhelm your cat and give them the space to come to you instead. This may encourage them to trust you a little bit faster.

Show Your Furry Friend Some Love

After your cat trusts you, it’s a good idea to show them some love relatively frequently. Of course, this won’t be the case all at once. Your kitty will trust you more as time goes on, which they’ll communicate with you through their actions. The more comfortable your furry friend feels around you, pet them and give them opportunities to cuddle with you. They’ll be sure to appreciate it and show you love in return.

One Litter Box Per Cat, Plus One

If you have more than one cat, many veterinarians recommend having at least one litter box per furry friend, plus one. For example, if you have three cats, you’ll want at least four litter boxes. This is because cats, especially males, are known to be territorial. If your kitties don’t feel safe going to the restroom, they may begin to act more irritable or develop poor litter habits.

In order to keep every member of your family feeling comfortable and happy, try to stick to this litter box formula of one per cat plus one. We promise your kittens and your home will thank you for this extra consideration.