Good Care of Cats

How to Choose a Cat

Before you actually get a cat, it is important to figure out what kind of cat you want: kitten or grown-up cat; longhair or shorthair; purebred or alley cat; male or female; tabby, patched, or solid-color.

If you've got your heart set on a particular size, age, sex, breed, or look of cat, you can provide us with the details and we will keep you in our search database. When the matching cat comes, we will get an alert and inform you accordingly.

However, you might be surprised to find that the look you prefer doesn't fit well with your lifestyle. For example, if you like a quiet home, a Siamese may not be the cat for you: They're notorious "talkers." Likewise, a Persian is gorgeous to look at, but you should not forget that it requires almost daily grooming (either by you or you have to pay a professional to do it regularly), a nice shorthair cat might be a better idea. Are you a busy professional or traveling a lot? Then you are better off with an adult cat of one year of age or more. It may be a wise idea to have two cats so they can keep each other company while you're away.

Do you want a cat or kitten?

Of course, all cat lovers love kittens. They're cute, cuddly and funny - but they are not "babies". By the time a kitten is ready to be away from his mother and live in your home, you can expect a very active and lively family member that will turn everything upside down. And don’t forget - in just a few short months you'll have a full-grown cat with a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years.

Feeding, Grooming and Husbandry
Now you have your cat – and need to take proper care of her: this means proper bathing, feeding, and grooming.

Feeding

Commercially available cat food includes everything that your cat requires. But never offer your cat bones -- they can splinter into sharp pieces and get stuck in your cat's throat which is an emergency and can be life-threatening. Do not feed dog food as it does not contain all vitamins and minerals that cats require to stay healthy.
Free access to water is essential for cats as they frequently suffer from urinary and kidney problems. You should fill your cat's water bowl daily with cold tap water and freshen it often.
If moist pet food is not eaten within two hours, refrigerate it. Dry food and biscuits are the only foods that can be left out for any length of time.

Grooming

Brushing of cats should be done daily especially for long hair cats. They often suffer from matted or tangled fur.
Cats normally don't require bathing very often, but if they need a bath, it is better to get it done by professional groomers. Some cats do not behave very friendly when getting their bath and this can be quite exhausting for cat owners.
Professional grooming place like the Royal Grooming Parlour of the ADFH Pet Care Center have not only extensive experience and specialized staff, but also special equipment to care for all different cat breeds. Before you get your cat for adoption, it will be bathed and combed already.
Nails can be clipped regularly but the claws should never be removed as cats require them e.g. for jumping.

Husbandry

Your cat requires its own place, special cat toys and scratching trees to keep them happy and healthy. Moreover, each cat should have their own litter box. The litter should be regularly changed.
When you are traveling and do not have somebody taking care of your cat, do NOT throw your cat in the street and abandon her. You have always a possibility to bring her to boarding facilities like the catteries of the ADFH Pet Care Center where you can keep her for the time of your stay abroad. Very competitive boarding charges enable everybody to keep their cat in boarding and to take them back home after your return.
Regular check-ups and vaccination are required to keep you cat healthy. When you adopt a cat, it will be already vaccinated in the ADFH Pet Care Center. Our professional staff will advise you at time of adoption about the needs and requirements of your cat with regard to disease preventions, regular examinations and future vaccinations.