Thursday, August 9, 2018

7 Tips for Transitioning from Dog Parenthood to Cat Parenthood


Dogs are the most common house pets around the world. Which means that most people who have had pets in their lives are likely to have had dogs in the family.
Going into cat ownership with dog parenting experience is not the best idea. Cats have needs that are different
from dogs. As an experienced dog owner consider some things before getting a cat.
Dietary Difference
While dogs can have a very varied diet, cats are obligate carnivores. This means that if they do not get meat,
their health can deteriorate fast. Feeding your cat, a vegan diet is a definite NO. Debating that a vegan diet,
along with supplements can support your cat, means that you really should not be getting a carnivorous pet.
For your cat’s source of taurine, you need to give them fish. Cat foods claim to be balanced but making their
food at home is always a better option.
Scratching Needs
Your cat may not expose their nails when interacting with you. But their nails keep growing constantly.
You either have to keep them trimmed or have to give them a scratching post. A cat scratching at your
furniture is out of necessity. To avoid this damage, you can make them a scratching post or look for
discount pet items for cats online.
Toilet Setup
Toilet training your dog and toilet training your cat are very different. Cats come pre-programmed to doing their
business in sandy areas. Potty training your cat can be as simple as setting up a box with kitty litter. The only
time a cat misses their litter box is if they are sick or if the litter box is too dirty. You need to frequently clean the
litter box.
Climbing Area
Cats love to climb. By not providing them with space to climb you put your furniture and curtains at risk. Giving
them space to climb might be as simple as cutting holes in cardboard boxes and stacking them up.
Separation Space
Unlike dogs, cats need their personal space. You need to have a covered set up for your cat to use as a cave.
Without such caves, your cat will start hiding under any furniture they find. This leads to unwanted surprises on
cleaning days.
Medical Attention
Some vets that handle dogs great may not be able to handle cats well. Before taking your cat to a vet ask
around to find vets that are more cat-friendly. Cats have different vaccine requirements as well. Ask you
r vet the full details of what vaccines your cat needs and stick to the schedule.
Leave of Absence
Explorative nature of cats takes them to far away destinations. As a first-time cat parent, you might be gripped
with panic when your cat does not return. Before jumping to conclusions give it a few days. Cats go on long
walks but they come back when they are hungry or tired. Keep some food out to lure your cat back home.
However, if you are scared of losing your cat, there are ways of preventing them from going out of the house.
Once they reach a certain age they will no longer want to leave the comforts of home.


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