Are Cats a Lot of Work?

Cats are fairly low maintenance pets. A warm place to rest, a clean litter box and an ample supply of food and treats keep our furry friends happy. Although cats are fairly independent creatures, they still require human contact and care to survive and thrive. If you̵7;re considering adding a cat to your family, take some time to familiarize yourself with basic cat care before you make your decision.

  1. Potty Planning

    • Regular litter box cleaning is essential if you don̵7;t want your house to smell of cat urine. That means dumping traditional, nonclumping clay litter every week and replacing it with fresh litter. You might need to replace the litter even more frequently if your cat is picky about litter box conditions. If you use clumping litter, remove solids and urine clumps every day. Clumping litter doesn̵7;t stay April fresh forever. You̵7;ll probably need to dump the litter at least once each month and replace it with fresh litter.

    Food, Fun and Fur

    • Your most important responsibility as far as a cat is concerned is to provide food. Your cat will be happy to provide reminders about this important task by sitting next to her food bowl and meowing loudly until you fill the bowl. Cats eat dry or wet cat food at least twice each day and need access to fresh water every day. Despite their aloof reputations, cats are very social animals and like spending time with their people. If you adopt a cat, plan to spend a few minutes each day playing and interacting with her. Although cats clean their own fur, your cat might need help from you to remove mats and loose hair that can lead to hairballs. Brushing should be done at least three times per week, although long-haired cats need more frequent brushing.

    You Did What?

    • Behavioral issues can crop up occasionally if you have a cat. Problems are more likely if you have several cats squabbling to determine status and territory. Spraying and urinating outside the litter box is a common behavioral problem and one that fur parents find particularly problematic. The ASPCA notes that urinating or pooping outside the litter box can occur for a variety of reasons, including a dirty litter box, too few litter boxes, or territory or health issues, such as a urinary tract infection. Figuring out the cause of elimination issues can be a time-consuming and smelly process that requires a great deal of patience.

    Youngsters and Senior Citizens

    • Energetic kittens can get into a lot of mischief. They race manically through your home, knocking over lamps, pausing only to unroll an entire roll of toilet paper before attacking the buzzing fly on the wall. Luckily kittens quickly outgrow their destructive phase and most become more settled by the age of 1 or 2. Cats tend to experience more health problems as they age, just as people do. If your cat eventually develops a serious health condition, such as diabetes, kidney disease or cancer, she̵7;ll require more care at home and will need more veterinary care than just an annual well cat examination.