How To Care For A Stray Cat

How To Care For A Stray Cat

If you have a stray cat or plan on getting one any time soon, you are probably wondering how to care for a stray cat properly. Stray cats get picked up for a variety of reasons, from being abandoned by their owners, to getting caught up in neighborhood cats versus dogs debate, and just for being unlucky. Regardless of why they were picked up, you should know how to care for a stray cat so it will be healthy for you and your family. When caring for a stray cat, the first thing you should do is visit your local animal shelter. At the shelter, you can find the best way to care for a stray cat, as well as learn about how to avoid future cat problems.

Once you have picked out a shelter, you need to find out how to care for a stray cat appropriately. First, you should make sure that you pick up the cat immediately after it has been spayed or neutered. Cats that have not been spayed or neutered are not fertile, and can sometimes get pregnant before they are old enough to get an infection. This means that a pregnant stray cat is in high risk for illness or disease. Talk to your vet, and make sure to bring along proof of vaccinations so you can also get your cat spayed or neutered if necessary.

Next, you will need to learn how to care for a stray cat properly in terms of its diet. Look for a brand that is formulated for cats, as some brands may cause an adverse reaction in an unbalanced cat. You will also want to buy a product that is low-fat. This is a good idea because your cat is not likely to overeat if it does not have a full stomach. Make sure to wash the food off your cat immediately after you get it home, to avoid any potentially harmful salmonella contamination. If you feed it table scraps, be sure to wash them immediately so that there is no chance for infection to take hold.

How to care for a stray cat is not all that difficult once you have established a regular feeding schedule and as long as the cat is getting enough attention and food. If it becomes necessary, seek the help of your vet for flea treatment. If your cat becomes infested with fleas, it is important to remove all the fleas from its body, as well as the hair that has been attached to them. Then, you can try flea shampoo for a reasonable price. Shampoos are not recommended for cats under six months old or those that weigh more than twenty pounds, as their ingredients could be too harsh for them.

One of the most important things about how to care for a stray cat is to have patience. Cats are very sensitive creatures, and it is your job to understand this and show it to them. While it is true that a cat will usually return to its owner, sometimes that may not happen and it is your responsibility at that point in time to take care of the cat until it does.

Cats that end up outdoors are subject to many predators and should be protected from them in any way possible. For this reason, it is imperative that you learn how to properly protect yourself if you encounter a wild animal that may attack your cat. This may mean learning how to use pepper spray, or it may mean bringing an airsoft gun with you to protect you and the cat. You should also call your local law enforcement agency or call the humane society to be sure that the cat is safe and sound.

Another important factor on how to care for a stray cat is that, depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to adopt the cat rather than having it put up for adoption. If the cat were to be adopted, chances are that it would have to be placed in a facility such as a vet’s office where it would probably have to undergo medical treatment and possibly be put up for adoption. In this case, you can take on the cat yourself, as it will need all the basic care it receives under the caretaker of a sympathetic person.

One final note on how to care for a stray cat is to remember that adopting a cat does not mean that you are taking responsibility for it. You can still play an active role in how it is taken cared of. After all, even animals like dogs need to feel like they are part of a group if they are going to be happy. You can play an important role by making sure that the animal feels like it has a home and by assuring it that you are there for it to feel secure.