If you haven’t owned a cat for a while, or even had a cat “guest” for a long time, you’re going to need to get familiar with some of the basics in house cat care. A house cat has special requirements, as would any pet, and if you are prepared with the right information, you’ll be more likely to guarantee that your cat will be healthy and content. Try to remember some of the fundamentals of cat care given here, and you’ll be in good shape.

The first thing that you should do is consider cat-proofing your home. Before you bring your new cat home, try to see what the cat will be seeing. Wander throughout the rooms that you will be using to house your cat, and make sure that there are no dangerous places that he or she could get to. To save yourself some headaches, remember that you will also want to move any valuable pieces of furniture away to a room that is off limits for your cat.

Keep in mind that house cat care includes providing a litter box for the cat, of course. You will need to scoop the waste from the litter box daily, sometimes more frequently, and it can’t be in an area of the house with heavy traffic, or around other animals or young children. Cats naturally know how to use the litter box, but when you introduce it to them, you may have to put them in it and just show them how to scratch at the loose gravel.

If you have a long hair cat, you have to regularly brush your cat’s hair. If you stay consistent with the practice of brushing your cat, you won’t have the unpleasant problem of your cat swallowing its hair and developing hairballs.

This can lead to more serious health issues later in life. Remember that house cat care means your cat needs to be picked up and brushed. The best time to begin this is when the cat is young, if you can.

Watching your cat like a detective will guarantee good house cat care, generally speaking. You should notice if there is something strange or different about your cat’s behavior. This is the best way to care for a cat and will help keep any smaller problems from growing and becoming worse later, and you will also get better acquainted with your feline friend!