As a pet owner, keeping our animals safe and healthy is a primary concern in the household. However, there are often times that we don't realize we are putting our animals at risk of illnesses and other safety hazards. Cats specifically can be neglected because they are such independent animals, and despite their lack of dependency, there are still things we can do as owners to protect their wellbeing! Continue reading for a few helpful tips in order to keep your cat healthy and happy!

Keeping your house cat indoors is one of the simplest ways to have a healthy cat, kept from harm. When we allow our cats to roam freely in the neighborhood, there is the constant risk of their being attacked by animal's outdoors—especially at night. Depending on where you live, there may be coyotes or stray dogs and cats, which could result in a devastating outcome for your pet. Also, by letting your cat roam freely, you are risking the possibility of it coming into contact with animals carrying various diseases and viruses, particularly parasites. The last reason for keeping your cat indoors as much as possible is to prevent it from an accident with an oncoming vehicle. Studies show that every year there are more cats killed by cars than there are euthanizations.

Another helpful tip to consider is to keep a close eye on your cats litter boxes. By keeping a close eye on your cats litter, you will be able to learn a lot about the state of their health. Make sure that you are cleaning the litter daily, and check it every time you do. A simple way to learn about their health is to learn their litter patterns, and then when there is a change you know it is time to visit your local vet. For example, if you notice that there is less urine spots or none at all, for a few days there is likely something not right with your feline. Addressing small urinary issues is absolutely essential to the health of your cat because if left undetected they can develop into much more serious health concerns, some of which may be life-threatening. Make sure your cat is drinking enough water; because more urination means the less likely of a chance they will develop one of these diseases. Another common tip when it comes to litter boxes is that you should always have one more in the home than there are cats. So, if you have two cats, place three boxes in your home to give them options.

In order to keep your cat safe in the home, make sure that your house is clear of obvious hazards that may be dangerous for your animals. Hazards in the home may include small strings left in the open such as dental floss or even certain types of plants may be considered dangerous if ingested. Their digestive tracts will suffer if they swallow mistletoe, eater grass, fishing lines, etc. so do what you can to not only throw away your trash but to keep it covered.

Lastly, be diligent to schedule annual veterinarian appointments for your cat (or any other animal) in your home! It is not unheard of that cats don't receive the veterinarian care that they need because are such independent creatures. However, don't let this stop you from giving them the care that they need. Cats may be suffering from the smallest of illness, and if left untreated they can become very ill. Common illnesses in cats that go left undetected such as hyperthyroidism, arthritis, heart disease, and periodontal disease.