Cats Make the Purrfect Pet

Cats Make the Purrfect Pet
Looking for a new pet? Look no further! For almost four thousand years, people have kept cats as pets and it’s no wonder. Although cats don’t commonly play fetch and “play dead” like dogs do, they are a far cry from inferior. Cats make excellent pets for four reasons: their rodent hunting skills, ability to be on their own, instinct to use litter boxes, and desire to keep themselves clean. The first reason why cats are so great is that they are natural hunters. With a pet cat, chances are you will not have to worry about having mice in the house. Beetles, spiders, ladybugs, and centipedes will not stand a chance. Cats are playful by nature and will usually want to get anything that moves. You may even be lucky enough to have a cat that will clean up the dead animal mess all on its own! Another reason cats make great pets is that they do not require constant attention. Cat owners can safely leave their cat on their own for short trips with little worry. A clean litter box, plenty of fresh food and water, and a few toys will ensure that your cat is happy until you return. Although cats need attention like any other pet, they will not demand it in the quantities that some others would. Third, cats want to bury their waste, which comes in handy for you! No need to get up in the early morning on a snowy December weekend because your dog needs to potty. Simply let your cat do it by herself and sleep in. Training a cat to use a litter box is hardly training at all. Most cats naturally know what they are supposed to do. Aside from a medical issue or a major life change, a cat will rarely use the bathroom anywhere but where it is supposed to. Just make sure to empty the litter box frequently. Lastly, cats clean themselves. On occasion, your cat might need a real bath, but as a whole cats will take care of this for you. Cats usually enjoy being brushed and this can help minimize shedding and the recurrence of hairballs in long haired breeds, but simple licking might be enough for a short haired breed. The tongue of a cat is covered in spiny papillae which act as a hairbrush. A cat can spend many hours grooming itself or another cat. By nature, cats are very clean animals. Some people might not think a cat makes a good pet because they can ruin the furniture and carpeting with their claws, but this can be avoided. If cats are given a scratching post, they can be trained to use it rather than furniture and such. Rough surfaces such as corrugated cardboard or the back of carpet remnant work well for this. If a cat begins to scratch on something it is not allowed to scratch on, firmly say “no” and carry it to the proper scratching place. Cats need to scratch in order to keep their nails trimmed, but there is no reason why they have to do it on furniture. If a cat sounds like the right choice, make sure to check your local animal rescue shelter for an animal that needs a home. Many of the pets in shelters are perfectly healthy and normal; they just need a new place to live. By adopting a pet at a shelter, you will be saving an animal from being euthanized. Make sure to take good care of your cat and enjoy your new pet!

Domestic cat. (2009). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved September, 15, 2009, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

White, Ian. (2005). Cats make great pets if you understand them. Pet-sitters.biz. Retrieved September, 15, 2009 from http://www.pet-sitters.biz/cats_make_great_pets.cfm