20 Common Mistakes Cat Owners Make
5,490,981
Published 2021-02-18
Washing their water bowl.
A cat's sense of smell is 14 times better than that of humans.
If you wash their water or food bowl, make sure not to use scented dishwashing liquids. Cats hate strong odors and these scents can discourage your pet from drinking water from their bowl.
Toxic houseplants
Some plants are toxic to cats.
Cats may ingest toxic plant substances while they lick themselves because there can be pollen or seeds stuck in their fur. Among the most toxic plants are daffodils, English Ivy, azaleas, Calla lilies, aloe, begonias, and ficus.
Giving bones to them
Cooked bones are a serious danger to felines because they can splinter and get stuck in a cat's throat or stomach
Essential oils and diffusers
Essential oils can be toxic to cats whether ingested orally, applied to the skin, or simply inhaled. It’s because cats lack the enzymes that are needed to metabolize essential oils properly.
Ingredients matter
Improper feeding can lead to obesity, malnutrition and many health issues. Always monitor the calories in your chosen pet food and adhere to the suggested serving sizes. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, over 50% of dogs and cats in the US are obese or overweight.
Litter Box Mistakes
As the rule of thumb, it’s best to have at least 1.5 litter boxes per cat. So, if you have one cat, you need two litter boxes; two cats, three litter boxes. it is important to invest in a good, fragrance-free cat litter box and place it in a quiet room that’s free of frequent activity. If your cat is litter trained but urinates on the floor, it’s usually either a sign of urinary tract infections, or a dirty litter box.
Sudden change of diet.
Sudden changes in a cat’s diet may result in vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite and a sick feline. Your cat should be transitioned slowly from one food to another. Plan on taking at least a week to transition your kitty from one food to another.
Not training them
Just like dogs, cats can be trained. Training your cat will improve your life and theirs, and enhance the bond between you.
For example, you can train them to get off the counter, or not to scratch your furniture!
Forcing them to interact with you
Cats are very independent creatures. They don’t like to be smothered with affection and they need some personal space every now and then.
Storing food in packaging it didn’t originally come in
The food’s original packaging keeps it from going stale and drying out. it’s important to properly store and seal the cat food in an air-tight container so it doesn’t go rancid or lose its useful substances.
Exercise for Cats
Just like dogs, felines need regular exercise to work off extra energy and stay healthy!
The best way to exercise a cat is by making them chase their favorite toys around the house. Interactive toys, like a wand toy with feathers, strings, or other prey-like attachments that evoke a cat’s predatory behavior are an excellent way to keep them fit.
Feeding them milk
Cats are lactose intolerant. In fact, cats will have a stomach problem within ten to twelve hours after consuming it.
Not enough water
Many cats don't like water so they don't drink enough of it. Because of this, they are more prone to developing urinary crystals and even kidney problems. More often than not, this can be prevented simply by adding wet food to your cat's diet. You can even add a little water to your cat’s food. And be sure to keep several water bowls in your home, and move their water bowl to somewhere that isn't alongside their food or litter box.
Ignore their vomiting
Some people think it's ok for a cat to vomit once a week, but it's not. While vomiting a few times a year or an occasional hairball is normal, vomiting once a week means there is a problem, and a vet visit is necessary.
Neglecting Their Dental Hygiene
Like humans, cats need regular dental care. Their teeth are often home to hundreds of bacteria and need to be brushed just like yours do.
Rarely Visiting a Vet
The only way to ensure that your pet is as healthy as they can be is by taking them to the vet for a checkup.
An occasional checkup makes it easy to catch potential problems . You also want to make sure that your pet gets all of their vaccinations.
Expecting a Cat to Not Harm a Smaller Pet
A cat is very likely to kill smaller pets like rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters because of their natural prey drive.
Bathing Them
Cats are excellent at grooming themselves and they rarely need to be washed. If you decide to wash them, once or twice a year is enough.
Not avoiding hairballs
To avoid the hairballs, you can brush your cat once a day and add more fiber to their diet. High-fiber diet improves the health of a cat’s coat and minimizes shedding.
Declawing them
Declawing is torturous to cats. It would be akin to cutting off our fingers at the last knuckle, leading to pain and mobility issues.
All Comments (21)
-
"Forcing them to interact with you, cats are very independant creatures. They dont like to be smothered with affection and they like some personal space every now and then.." - Listening to this on the sofa next to a cat that hasn't even let me go to the toilet alone for 13 years.
-
Video:cats fear change in their diet. My cat: I want a bite of everything you eat and I mean everything
-
20 common mistakes cat owners make Me, who has never owned a cat: ah yes, the perfect 4:48am video.
-
"eating a new food is scary for cats" My cat eats cucumbers and mushrooms and watermelon and would like to speak to your manager
-
Never, ever try to make your cat vegaterian/vegan, their insides are 100% carnivore!
-
In New Zealand declawing a cat is unheard of. We just don't do it. You will never find a vet who will ever do it.
-
Yes! I knew it, I've just washed my cats water bowl with water because I liked it pristine! It was easy enough running it under tap water and just wiping it dry with paper towel then refilling it with crisp, cold water. She always went to drink afterwards I've done that and knew it somewhat felt right.
-
This is some very good advice. Especially the part about the oils. So many people don't know that. And the part about the milk. Good stuff. Better than the usual "5 things you didn't know" videos.
-
10 common mistakes of cat owners Me who has never owned a cat: well well well
-
2:39 that broke my heart because we didn't know that and my cat started to pee on the floor right in front of us probably to show us that he was sick but we didn't understand and he died from rocks in his pee that blocked his pee hole. Im so mad that i didn't realize, i love him more than anything else in my life and when he died i lost myself for a while. He was my soulmate and maybe if i saw this video 2 years ago i could of helped him.
-
Best most informative straight to the point video! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 it answered all my questions!
-
Thanks so very much for the detailed description which will be very very very helpful.
-
Declawing should be banned worldwide
-
I've found the best exercise for a cat is having another cat around....
-
I really appreciate this video and hope that some fellow cat lovers learn a few things from it. Great info.
-
I had one cat that did loved human contacts. He was a big sweetheart. He was more than my cat and I had a very special bond with him. He was a very good friend. He even became friends with our 1st cat. He did loved his fur to be brushed. He was a very gentle big cat,too.
-
I've never had an issue with only having one litterbox for 2-3 cats.
-
I grew up with dogs. Never had s cat--until I left military service. A black cat entered my apt and never left. The Vet said she was about 5, spayed, and healthy. I kept her until she was almost 20 then had to put her down. I learned a lot about cats during those 15 years. People who say they do not like cats usually are because they expect a cat to act like a dog. That's like expecting a giraffe to act like an elephant. They are two completely different species. I've never had a cat scratch anyone. I presently own two spayed females. One is a rescued feral cat. They are both 100% indoor cats. They do not care to go outside, and that is just fine with me. I give them lots of love, attention, toys to play with, two litter boxes, dry food, wet food, treats, and a water feeder thingy. My cats are well-behaved and very loving in return. They often make me laugh out loud! I love dogs, cats, and horses, but I am a 70% disabled Veteran in an apt complex, so I am not able to have a dog--I can't walk a dog. However, every single dog in this complex knows me, and when I travel in my electric wheelchair, if one of the dogs sees me while it is being walked, it runs up to me to lick my face and is so happy to see me. I shoulda been a Veterinarian. I love animals!
-
I had no clue!Im so glad i clicked on this video!My cat always gets sick?I always wondered why?Watching this video helped my cat!I had some of those Toxic plants!So i moved them into a room that my cat is not allowed into.My cat Bug just gave birth a few minutes ago so i provided her with a heating pad:)Her and her kittens were very happy!Thank you so much!
-
Thank you for talking about essential oils! I don’t use them, but they seem to be in so many products. We just got two kittens in April, and it’s been many years since I was a cat owner.
