Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Things Responsible Cat Parents Do

Hello, and happy Friday! It's me, Lola, and I'm welcoming you back to another of our "Top Five" posts. In our last post, we discussed household items that are poisonous to cats. Today Lexy and I have a topic that is very important to us.  

If you look at our About Page, you’ll see that one of the things we like to do on the blog is to promote responsible pet ownership. Too many pets in the world are abused, neglected, or just not taken care of properly. Lexy's first family (and I use that term loosely) moved away and left her behind. They put her outside and never looked back. In addition to being very mean, it was very irresponsible.

February is “Responsible Pet Owner’s Month” which inspired us to write about Five Things Responsible Cat Parents do. (I like the word parent rather than owner because pets are definitely part of the family.) Let's get into it. 

Lola and Lexy's Top Five Things Responsible Cat Parents Do

1. Commit to a Long-Term Relationship

When you bring a cat into the family you are committing to a relationship that will last the cat’s lifetime. If you are both lucky, that will be decades. Adding a cat to your family requires an investment of time and money. Cats are forever! We are not novelty gifts for holidays or birthdays, we are forever family members. So please, before you adopt a cat, make sure your lifestyle is one that is suitable for them.

2. Spay/Neuter Their Cat

Making sure your cat is spayed or neutered is one of the kindest things you can do for them because it helps them live longer, happier lives. If a female cat is spayed before she experiences her first heat cycle, her chances of developing uterine infections and uterine/breast cancer are greatly reduced. Male cats who are neutered have less of a chance of developing prostate gland enlargement and perianal tumors.

Unneutered male cats have a tendency to roam and are at a higher risk of being injured, or of becoming infected with feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia. Once neutered their instinct to breed is reduced, and they are happier to stay at home.

Spaying and neutering your cat also helps manage cat overpopulation and the number of unwanted cats that end up in shelters.

3. Provide Regular Medical Care

Routine veterinary checkups are important because cats are very adept at hiding illnesses. Preventive health care (vaccinations, flea controls, etc.) and annual exams (or more frequently depending on their age) will help your cat live a long and healthy life.

If medical problems are detected early, your cat will get faster, more effective treatment.

4. Maintain a Cat-Friendly Home

We have all heard the term “child-proofing”, but do you know that it is just as important to “cat-proof” your home? Some tips for this include making sure medications are safely put away, only having plants/flowers in the house that are non-poisonous for cats, and securing cleaning products. You should also consider keeping candles up high, buying cordless blinds (or tying up the cords), and keeping your clothes dryer closed. (For more ideas on how to keep your home a safe place for your cat, read our post about top household poisons for cats.) 

In addition to the environment being safe, it should also be exciting for your cat. Lack of stimulation can lead to boredom, which can lead to problem behaviors. A few ways you can provide an enriched environment for your cat include having a variety of toys (including interactive toys for you to play with together), giving them vertical space, making sure they have window views, giving them food puzzles, and supplying safe hiding places such as boxes and hideaway beds. You can read more ideas in our post about making your cat happy and tips to excite your bored cat. 

5. Form a Loving Bond with Their Cat

Doing all the things mentioned above is great, but your cat also needs your love and attention. Interactive play will enhance your human-feline bonding and give your cat exercise at the same time. Schedule at least 15 minutes a day for playtime. I bet it will be a great stress buster for you as well. Teaching your cat a trick is a super fun way to interact and spend more time with them. Lexy loves her “high five” time.

Cats are family members, and we need your love and devotion just like everyone else in the household. Not all cats have the same preferences when it comes to interacting with their humans, though. Individual preferences will determine how much they enjoy snuggling on your lap or being petted, and it’s important to respect their preferences. I love sitting on Mommy's, lap and snuggling, but that's not Lexy's thing. The more you know your cat’s preferences, the more you’ll both enjoy your special time spent together.

Bonus Tip

Your Cat is Included in Your Future Plans

We said earlier in this post that cats are forever, and they are. When making future plans cat parents need to keep their cat's best interests in mind, as well as their own. Our mom is thinking about moving next year, and she has been doing some research on pet friendly apartments in the area she's considering relocating to. If the listing says "no pets", she moves on to the next, no matter how nice the apartment sounds. She has a list of "musts" that she will give the realtor - pets, parking, and an elevator - in that order! And she also wants to make sure that the apartment will have nice window views for both of us so we can still have our bird and squirrel TV. 

The full list of things that responsible cat parents do is very long, but these are five (and a bonus) that are important to us. What do you do as a responsible cat parent? We'd love to hear about it in the comments. 

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You can catch up on all of our Top Five posts here. Join us next time for a discussion on the top five myths about spaying and neutering your cats. 

Lola and Lexy

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