If you are thinking about adopting a cat you are in for a long commitment because cats can live to 15 years old. Following these easy cat care tips should allow your pet to enjoy a healthy, long life. Before you adopt your pet take into consideration such things as daily feeding, health care and play time requirements. People who have never owned pets before do not realize the amount of time that is required to take good care of a cat.

Before you bring your cat home, purchase a few toys for them to play with, food, a bed, a scratching post and a litter box. It is a good idea to take a blanket or toy over to your new pet a couple of days before you take them home. This will lessen the trauma of moving to a new place because they will have a blanket or toy that has become familiar to them and will provide them with some comfort while they are adjusting to their new surroundings.

Once you’ve adopted your cat, make an appointment with your veterinarian and have your pet thoroughly checked out. You’ll want to set up follow up appointments for vaccines and other routine preventative medical care. It is much easier and more cost effective to keep your cat healthy with regular veterinarian visits instead of waiting until they have developed a preventable illness which can then be very costly for medical treatment. You can also ask your veterinarian to micro-chip your cat in case your cat should get lost. The micro-chip contains information such as your name, address and your vets name which will make it easier to identify your pet in case you get separated.

Grooming or brushing your cat is another easy cat care tip that you should follow. Using a soft brush on your cat will help eliminate loose hair which will reduce the amount of hairballs in your cat’s stomach. Cat’s will lick their hair to stay clean and groom themselves and it is the loose hair that becomes hairballs. So reducing even a small amount of loose hair will reduce stomach problems for your cat.

Cats are known to be more independent than other domesticated pets but still require your attention on a daily basis. These easy cat care tips should allow you and your cat to enjoy a healthy, life long companionship.