7 Vet-Approved Cat Hacks Every Kitty Parent Needs to Know

Cats can bring endless joy and entertainment to your life, but that doesn’t make sharing a home with one any easier sometimes. From scratching at new furniture to leaving hair on your clothes to keeping you up with nocturnal antics, a cat that runs your home can add to your stress. But there are ways you can alleviate the stress your differences cause.

Here are the top seven life hacks to make life with a cat a little easier and restore harmony in your home.

The 7 Cat Hacks Every Kitty Parent Needs to Know

1. Control Litter Box Odors

Litter boxes are one of the perks of owning a cat—no yard poop cleanup! But litter boxes might not always seem like a perk as they can bring their own challenges, including how to keep odors at bay. There are plenty of litter formulas that claim to eliminate odors, but they don’t always work. Adding litter additives to the litter can go a long way in keeping it smelling fresh. Of course, you still have to keep up with regular scooping and cleaning.

Combating tough cat litter smells is an ongoing battle for pet parents but luckily, there are products out there designed to help! Two products that significantly reduce odors are the Hepper Litter Additive and the Hepper Enzyme Spray.

Image	Product	Details
	Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray	Works on multiple surfaces Gentle yet effective Lifts stains & set-in odors	Check Price
	Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer	Neutralizes odor within cat litter Cat-safe Unscented	Check Price

At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

2. Make Your Own Cat Toys

There’s no shortage of cat toys on the market, ranging from basic and budget-friendly to expensive and elaborate. However, you can make your own cat toys on the cheap with stuff you have around the house, such as old boxes, tissue paper, and toilet paper rolls. Just make sure anything you give your cat is safe and non-toxic.

3. Simplify Mealtime

Cats can be relentless about food, which is why many owners rely on free-choice feeding. However, allowing your cat to eat as much as they want (and as often as they want!) can lead to obesity and health problems. Set a schedule when you can feed your cat at the same time to establish a routine.

However, if this is not possible because your daily schedule varies, invest in an automatic feeder with portion control to ensure your cat gets food on a schedule without disrupting your day.

4. Get Your Beauty Sleep

A common complaint among cat owners is a cat who is active and loud all night. There are many ways to address this problem, including feeding your cat later in the evening, but one surefire way is to tire your cat out before bed. A long play session that exercises their mind and body, such as chasing a lure or laser pointer, is often enough to keep your cat mellow throughout the night.

You may need to shut your bedroom door when you retire for the evening. This way, your cat cannot wake you up for a 2 AM play session!

5. Limit Cat Hair

Even short-haired cats tend to leave hair all over the house—on the floors, couches, and your clothes. You can’t stop shedding completely, but regular brushing can cut back on the amount of cat hair that embellishes your furniture. You should also invest in tools like a reusable lint roller, dryer sheets designed to remove pet hair, and wool dryer balls to make laundry and cleaning easier.

6. Safeguard Your Home Office

Cats can be a big distraction while you’re working from home. Instead of closing your cat out of your office, which may encourage incessant scratching and meowing, put a cozy box on your desk or nearby. Cats love spending time in boxes, and this gives them a safe and secure spot to relax close to you.

7. Provide a Lot of Scratching Surfaces

Cats need to scratch to keep their claws trimmed and stay in shape. If you don’t provide scratching surfaces, your cat will make their own out of furniture legs, moldings, and doorframes. It’s best to experiment with a few different scratching areas, including scratching posts and boards, to give your cat options. If you’re handy and have some free time, you could even make your own. If your cat insists on using the furniture, try wrapping some sisal rope around the legs to protect them.

We're quite fond of cardboard as a material in cat scratchers, which is why we love the Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher. Encased within a well-constructed, modern birch plywood frame, this scratcher is designed with both cats and their owners in mind. It offers three versatile configurations to keep your feline friend active and entertained while enticing them to fulfill their natural scratching instincts (and away from scratching things they shouldn't). For more details, click here!

At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest, so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

Conclusion

Sharing your life with a cat is rewarding, but you may need some ingenuity to streamline your routine. Use these tips to make your day a little easier, or let them inspire you to come up with your own life hacks for cat ownership. Applying some of these ideas will help you keep your cat happy while ensuring that your day runs smoothly.

Featured Image Credit: Olesya Kuznetsova, Shutterstock