How to provide the items
   your cat needs 101       








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    Food and water
    Use bags of dry cat food, or “kibble,” from a reputable manufacturer.  This isn’t the
    place to save money.  Your cat needs the nutrients that are in the better foods.  
    Don’t use dog food, as cats have different needs.  Give them different kinds of
    kibble from the start, so they get used to variety.  You can keep a little bit of kibble
    out at all times.  This is called free feeding, and works for cats because they stop
    eating when they’ve had enough.  See, cats are not dogs!!!  You can’t treat them
    in the same way.  They eat several snacks throughout the day.  Refresh the kibble
    daily.  
    Cats love moist or canned cat foods, but it’s not as good for their teeth.  You can
    give them a little each day but, if left out, it can spoil, so remove it after a few
    hours.  Refrigerate the part you don’t give them, and then bring it back to room
    temperature the next time you serve it.  Why?  The refrigerated food won’t have as
    much odor, and cats choose to eat what smells good.  The part of the canned food
    that cats love best is the sauce.  Take a little extra effort to remove as much of the
    sauce from the can and place it with the meat in the cat's dish.  In addition, you
    can add a little water to the moist food.        
    Try the specially formulated food for kittens, which will provide the nutrients they
    need as they grow.  
    Cats don’t need to drink milk but they love it.  Serve only lactose free milk in very
    small quantities if you decide to do this.  Fresh water is good enough.  Change it at
    least once a day.     
    Catnip gives the cats a wonderful pleasure.  Some cats eat it, while others roll in
    it.  Cats will eat other grasses, too.  You can grow a small pot of regular lawn grass
    for them, and snip off a few pieces every day.  
    When you empty a can of tuna-in-water for humans, drain off the fluid and give it
    to the cats.  They'll really like it.  I call it tuna-luna and call the cats when I have it
    ready for them.  They all come running.  They take turns drinking from the same
    tiny bowl.  The meat in the canned tuna for human consumption is not as good for
    the cat as the meat in the tuna for cats, so eat it yourself.       
    Don’t feed them scraps from the table.  Don’t even start doing it.  And chocolate,
    even in small doses, can be poisonous.  
    Even if you have an outdoor cat, don't expect all its food to come from resident
    rodents or birds.  The adult cat will need the equivalent of ten mouse-sized meals
    daily.  You may be willing to let the cat reduce the rodent population, but do you
    really want the bird population to be reduced?    























    Bowls
    Use different bowls for moist and dry food.  Wash the bowl carefully after each
    use.  Use heavy dishes or ones with rubberized bottoms, so they don’t slide
    around.  Same with the water.  Mismatched china from your own dishes can be set
    aside for cats to use.
    Keep water and food areas away from the litter areas.  It’s easier to keep the food
    area clean when you use a plastic place mat under the food and water dishes.  
    When you have more than one cat, they can all eat or drink from the same bowls.  
    I have a double bowl for food and a separate water dish beside it.  Two cats can
    eat peacefully from the same double bowl.  Or a larger bowl will feed several
    kittens at the same time.  It’s as if they’re going to a dinner party.    

    Litter box
    You can use any plain plastic box that’s low enough for easy access.  I find the
    under-bed storage boxes cheaper than the commercial litter boxes.  They work just
    as well and are larger to accommodate larger cats.  
    Boxes with covers are not usually as good.  The cover concentrates the odors for
    the cats and keeps more dust inside, so they may cause breathing problems.  Also,
    as your cat grows, they may not fit conveniently inside.  
    However, dogs think cat poop is yummy and you may want to keep your dogs from
    the litter.  Training the dog can accomplish this.  Or you can place the litter box in
    an area the dogs can’t reach.  For example, place the litter box in an indoor room
    and install a cat door that’s too small for the dog.  Or you can take your chances on
    the boxes with covers.  
    Don’t keep the litter box outdoors because it can attract wild animals in the area.  
    By the way, male cats pee in a squatting position, the same as female cats.   

    Here’s an important warning for pregnant women or people with lowered immune
    systems.  Use latex gloves and a nose mask, or get someone else to clean the
    litter box.  Litter from cats may hold toxoplasmosis, which can them infect you
    and/or your fetus.      

    Litter
    I recommend the clumping kind that is also called scoopable.  So you’ll also need a
    scoop, a large flat bottomed spoon with holes in it.  Experiment with the litter filled
    about two inches deep and see if that keeps the contents from sticking to the
    bottom of the box.  Increase if needed.  Keep one litter box for each two cats and
    at least one on each floor of the house.  Cats will use the litter box individually.   

    You and I don't like using a filthy bathroom in a unattended gas station.  Cats don't
    like to use dirty litter boxes either.  Keep the box clean by emptying out the clumps
    at least once a day. Scoop out the poop, which will look like Tootsie Rolls!  The pee
    will be a larger amount and will be solidified with the odor-controlling litter.  The
    loose unused litter will fall through the holes in the scoop.  Then you’ll need some
    kind of bag to place the refuse in.  I use zip lock bags to keep the odor inside and
    then place the bag in a closed garbage can.  
    Never put poop or pee from any meat-eating animals in your compost.   
    Clean the litter box thoroughly every season.  Empty the contents into a large
    plastic bag, then use the hose on the litter box, spraying both inside and out.  Let
    it dry thoroughly in the sun before putting litter back into it.   
    If you have a child's sandbox outdoors and let your cat out, be aware that your cat
    may think it's one huge litter box.    

    Be prepared.  Have these items in your home before you bring your cat home for
    the first time.  All these items can be bought at specialty cat stores or large
    discount chains.  However, stay away from house brands of cat food.   

    I’ve tried to mention the less expensive ways to provide for your cat, but there will
    be times when you’ll want to splurge.  That’s OK.  

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How to provide 101