HAVE TO DO

1. Pay attention to diet and thirst
High-quality wet food is most beneficial to your cat’s health because it is most similar to their diet in the wild. You can combine wet cat food and kibble food. You need to distribute cat food wisely to avoid health problems caused by obesity. At the same time, you need to prepare enough water for your cat to avoid constipation caused by lack of water.

2. Give your cat a safe space
Cats and dogs have very different personalities. Even if your cat likes to socialize, you need to prepare a safe space for them to stay by themselves. You also need to make sure that the area where you put the litter box is safe, clean, and does not put any pressure on your favorite cat. In addition, if you have more than one cat, it is recommended that you prepare a litter box for each of your cats.

3. Enrich your cat’s environment
Although most cats now live indoors, this does not equate to cat happiness. Cats are natural hunters. When they are outside, they will chase, smell, touch and explore their surroundings. Therefore, if you leave them indoors, you need to enrich their environment to keep them active and stimulated. You can buy some things for your cat, such as cat tree, cat scratching board, cat hammock…

4. Make Your Vet Visit a Priority
Whether you adopt a cat or a kitten, make sure a visit to the vet is at the top of your list of priorities. You need to ensure proper cat vaccinations and that your cat’s been tested for FeLV (feline leukemia), to get them on flea and tick preventative, and that all cat deworming protocols are being followed. Your vet wants to work with you to ensure you get your cat on a solid path to wellness.

5. Sterilize or neuter cats
Sterilization/neutering can not only control the number of cats and the consequent high euthanasia rate associated with overpopulation, but also prevent cats from becoming very uncomfortable due to heat.

NEVER TO DO

1. Don’t force your attention on the cat.
Although cats like human attention, they prefer a smaller dose than dogs, and it is based on their own conditions. You should respect the basic needs of your feline friends, and don’t force them to pay attention to them, such as forcing them against their wishes.

2. Don’t bring plants into your home before checking if they are safe for cats.
Lilies often appear in bouquets and are highly toxic to cats. Eating any part of this plant can cause kidney failure and death. In fact, lilies are very toxic to cats, even sipping water in a vase containing lilies can cause kidney damage.

3. Don’t let your cat play with yarn or rope.

Ingestion of yarn or rope can cause what the veterinarian calls linear foreign bodies. When they try to pass through the yarn, the intestines will shrink and become knotted. This resulted in the death of intestinal segments that had to be surgically removed. Toys that are certified as cat-safe are a better choice for feline fun. If you are not sure whether any pet toys are suitable, please consult your veterinarian.

4. Don’t teach cats to “play hands”.

Whether it’s a laser pointer or light, cats like to hit moving things. This is because cats are born to chase and hunt prey. When humans tell their cats that their hands are suitable prey, the result is usually unpleasant and potentially dangerous to both humans and cats. A more appropriate way to play with cats is to use inanimate objects (usually toys) as intermediaries.

5. Don’t feed your cat milk.

Cats tend to like the sweetness of milk, but you should avoid letting them indulge in a saucer of milk. Most cats are actually lactose intolerant, so giving them milk can cause serious health problems.

6. Don’t let young children (under 6 years of age) interact with your kittens unattended.
Although children and kittens are very cute, they cannot be trusted alone. The most obvious one is that children will do bad things to kittens through experiments, and kittens will react in the opposite way. This is not good for children or kittens.

Sources:

1. https://www.valleywestvets.com/services/cats/blog/7-tips-raising-healthy-cat-honor-national-adopt-cat-month
2. https://pasadenahumane.org/10-things-you-should-never-do-to-your-cat/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIseWun5v39AIVlxmtBh071ATOEAAYAiAAEgKCmvD_BwE
3. https://www.mypetneedsthat.com/raising-a-friendly-cat/
4. https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-care/kitten-care-must-know-tips-for-raising-kittens/
5. https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-care/what-not-to-do-with-your-new-kitten/