Cats are adorable and precious pet animals. They have a perfect relationship and companionship with their owners. As a responsible cat owner, you must follow some rules and habits. Cats need regular care, monitoring, and periodic tasks. Cats are the most popular domestic animals for their affectionate behaviour, independence, and playful nature.
Duties of A Responsible Cat Owner
Cats require a regular nutritious diet, grooming, health care, deworming, vaccination, companionship, a safe environment, and mental support. Mental support, such as engaging in play and stimulating environments, is crucial for a cat’s well-being. As a cat owner, you must ensure the above care and management. In my article, I briefly discuss the most common responsibilities of a responsible owner.
1. Create a Safe Environment
You must create a safe and sound environment for your lovely cat. This includes a good sleeping box, litter box, space for exercise/playing, and toys. No materials should disturb your cat.
2. Provide Food and Nutrition
Healthy food is essential for a healthy cat. You must give nutritious and healthy food to your lovely pet after consultation with a vet. You must schedule feeding and other management practices for your cat. You can provide healthy commercial cat food on the market or prepare it at home with a simple recipe.
3. Responsible Cat Owner: Veterinary Care
A domestic cat requires a veterinary check-up for injury, health assessment, and behaviour. You must visit a vet at least every three months and get the necessary advice on deworming, vaccination, training, behaviour, and care.
4. Regular Grooming
House cats require daily grooming. Proper and effective grooming tools are essential. Grooming helps shed loose hair, improves blood circulation, and gives cats a pleasant look. You must trim extra nails regularly with a sharp nail cutter.
5. Monitor Behavior
Cat behaviour is essential for healthy living. You must monitor your cat’s behaviour for any sudden change. Behaviour is the early indication of any disease or deformity in cats. You must give your lovely cats basic obedience training, litter training, playing, and sleeping techniques.
6. Respect their Space
You must provide a calm, comfortable, and quiet place for your cat to retreat and rest. You must understand that the cat needs some alone time. Never forcefully interact with your cat; rather, allow the cat to come to you willfully.
7. Responsible Cat Owner: Mental Support
You must provide a helpful environment with some attractive toys to keep your cat physically and mentally active. You must provide a scratching pad at home to give scratching support and keep the paws active.
8. Plan for Emergencies
You have a first-aid box with emergency medicines, dressing items, and life-saving materials for any unwanted emergencies. You should keep away of harmful materials for cat houses and premises.
9. Provide Companionship
You must spend quality time with your cat to develop a strong bond with him/her. Cats like to live in groups or as companions. Cats are fond of love and affection.
10. Lifetime Commitment
You must decide that owning a cat is a lifetime commitment. You can never leave a cat after a certain time. This is unethical. If you go for a leave or vacation, you must have a separate arrangement for your cat. You give your cat to daycare or to a friend’s house.
Final Advice for Responsible Cat Owners
Cats are very adorable and playful pets. They give you companionship, enjoyment, commitment, and pleasure. As a responsible cat owner, you must ensure their food, nutrition, health, behaviour, and well-being. This is a lifetime commitment with pets. So, these basic responsibilities you must ensure to become a cat owner.
