Archive for the ‘Cats’ Category

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Teaching Your Cat to Use Its Litter Box

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Quite a few folks realize that training a cat to use its litter box isn’t the complicated process that they envisioned it might be. Many of them will swiftly figure out where their box is. And more often than not the entire process of cat toilet training has already begun before you even bring your new kitty home. The mother cat starts the training phase before her brood is even weaned.

The other situation that makes it easy to train your cat is that they are fastidious pets and favor spotlessness in both their bodies and their environment. It’s instinctive for a cat to conceal its own waste. So offering them a handy spot to do it in the form of a clean litter box is typically all that’s needed.

If your kitty isn’t trained, however, the whole job of training your kitty to make use of its litter box can be completed in several easy steps. Litter box instruction is in reality all about producing a new routine for your cat.

Each time you feed your cat, get into the habit of taking it to the litter box immediately after it has completed its food. It’s customary for cats to want to do their business after eating, and you’ll encourage that normal tendency if you place them in the box on a regular basis. Once this has turned into an established practice, your kitten will begin to head off to its facilities after every meal.

If your attempts regarding litter training your cat don’t go as quickly or fruitfully as anticipated, it’s vital that you stay tolerant. There could be all sorts of causes for why your cat doesn’t wish to make use of the litter box you have provided for it. It may be in an area that’s very open. Cats don’t like to do their business when they are exposed and can be viewed by everyone who walks past.

As well, there may be a concern with the make of litter you’re using. Cats are extremely picky and a specific texture or scent might be adequate to discourage them from utilizing the box. If that’s the case, try out various brand names and types until you discover one your kitty finds acceptable.

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Why Cats Make Such Good Pets!

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Cat Scratching Furniture

Cats are very good pets as they don’t require as much attention as other options such as a dog.

You don’t have to walk the cat and you don’t have to deal with it barking at everything that happens to walk by your home.

The only thing you may have to spend on is cat furniture, which is essential for a healthy and happy cat.

With so much modern cat furniture available you should enjoy shopping for it.

Young cats are extremely playful and you can interact with them when you want to. However, most cats are content to play with toys or to be independent.

This doesn’t mean that cats aren’t excellent companions though. They can be silly at times and they often enjoy curling up on your lap and purring.

Your cat won’t come running when you are home at the end of day and knock you over.

They also don’t lick or bite so you won’t have to worry about how they will interact with others when you have company. Cats always seem to be able to tell when you need some comfort.

Taking care of a pet can help a child to become more responsible but some pets just come with too much time required.

A cat makes a perfect choice for children because they tend to take care of themselves. As long as they are given sufficient food and water they will remain happy.

Indoor cats will have to be trained to use a litter box but most of them learn very quickly so you won’t have to deal with cleaning up such messes around your home.

However, you need to clean the litter box regularly because cats do not like to use a dirty litter box.

There is an abundance of cat litter furniture to be found on the internet, and you will definitely find something to suit your taste in design, and budget.

Cats are clean animals as they spend a large amount of time grooming themselves each day.

In the majority of cases, cats lead a very happy and long life without too many problems.

They don’t cost very much because cat food and litter are very cheap. They don’t require as many vet visits for routine shots either like dogs do which can become quite expensive.

For those that have problems with mice, cats make a great natural system for taking care of them.

This means you won’t have to deal with messy traps or dangerous poisons around your home. Many cat owners claim they haven’t come across a mouse in their home for years with this line of defense.

Cats are very precious and beautiful animals as well. They have a gentle hum to them that can be relaxing for humans.

They have coats in all colors as well as eyes that are very shiny and bright. Each cat has their own personality and you just can’t help but adore them.

There are many breeds of cats if you want a particular kind but some of the most beautiful cats are those that are mixed breeds.

Cats are very smart animals too so they will quickly catch up to what you like from them and what you don’t based on the praise you give them.

Contrary to popular belief, cats are obedient and they want their owner’s to be happy with them.

They will learn fast that you don’t like them scratching on the furniture or putting their tail in your face while you are sleeping.

To prevent them scratching on your furniture you can buy them their own cat scratching furniture.

For your entire cat furniture needs please visit www.catbedandtoy.com.

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Top Tips for Keeping a Cat on a Budget

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Living through the credit crunch is difficult enough, but add animals which depend on you for sustenance, a home and veterinary attention, anything that can be done, helps.

It’s a sad fact that many animals are given up or abandoned every week, as cat lovers fight to cope with the current economic climate.

This is particularly difficult for animal charities who have look after pets when money is limited, living off on contributions to keep their cats in good wellbeing. 

Here are a few points which could help make owning a cat on a budget a little easier:

1. Consider every cat expenditure? Is it a key part of pet care? Do you need that branded pet food or product? Easier said than done, raise cats up with variety, equally dry and wet, as well as different brands and flavours. Watch out for special deals. You can stock up. Think of vouchers, search on the net for some promotions. Buy based on price per pound / Kg, as sometimes, particularly with promotions, the smaller pack can be cheaper.

2.      Wherever possible, cat owners can often club together to buy feed and bedding in bulk, reducing the overall price and passing on savings to all.

3.      Vets bills are unknown but must be considered. If money’s a little difficult, you may find a lot of Vets will allow you to spread the cost, and pay monthly. If you can, afford it – have or keep cat insurance.

4.      Many people can make lifestyle changes! It’s not all about finding ways to keep your cat more cheaply, see if you can do it for yourself!

5. What about earning some money?  There is also the idea of becoming a cat sitter, though professional companies such as London Cat Sitting will require you also to do dog walking. Perhaps find a dog walking  job Dog Walking as a profession Good companies such as London Dog Walking will require you do it regularly.

 6. What about your other cats, you may have put cats in kennels, what about considering a cat sitter? The cat may prefer it and the cat sitters often do other things.

7.  Are you thinking of choosing an animal, please consider taking a cat from a charity, they have so many pets looking for a home during this crisis.

Enjoy your cat, they are worth every cent.

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Five Steps to Alleviate Your Cat Dander Problem

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

I hear about cat dander problems all the time and it’s really sad if you love cats. If you’re one of the unlucky cat owners who are sensitive to cat dander, then good news, you may not have to give up your feline friend.

Cat dander are very tiny pieces of cat skin shed by your pet and propagated all over your home. If you are allergic to them, here are some ways to minimise your problem:

1) Don’t let your kitty into the bedroom or onto your bed. I know this is tough especially for those who share the bed with the cat, but the close proximity of your body to the bedsheet and pillow means that you’ll be breathing in cat dander whenever you sleep. Try to train your cat to recognise your bedroom as a no go zone and you should see immediate improvement.

Also clean your bedsheets, pillow cases and blankets with hot water as much as possible.

2) Do you have carpets in your home? You may want to throw them out as cat dander cling on to them and bacteria breeds easily there. If that isn’t possible, give them a good vacuum whenever possible.

3) Same for fabric sofas. The cloth of the sofa is really conducive for cat dander. Replace them with leather sofa sets or clean the fabric as often as possible.

4) Now you need to take a look at your curtains. If you have the heavy fabric ones, cat dander might stick to them easily. You might want to consider curtains of another material or alternatives like blinds.

5) As cat dander spread by the air due to their tiny size, you have to consider cleaning the air too. It would be a great idea to invest in a good air purifier.

These five basic strategies should help you get started though by no way are they the only solutions. More cat dander information can be found at CatDandruffAway.com

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Three Simple Solutions to Cure Cat Dandruff

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Cat dandruff is a question that I’ve read about too many times. It’s a nuisance that affects most of us cat owners, and if you have a cat, it’s a matter of time before you have to look into it.

But fear not, there is a home remedy for cat dandruff that you can try without spending an expensive trip to the vet, just by observing the symptoms and environment and taking action based on these symptoms.

This is what I learnt from the excellent website on cat dandruff…

The majority of cat dandruff problems have in common three factors:

1. The cat dandruff is on the rump or tail and your pet is aged or overweight.

If you have a pet that is overweight or has sudden weight gain and dandruff on her rump and tail, it’s a clear sign that she’s not able to reach these areas to clean herself. This is also a problem for old cats that no longer have the mobility to groom themselves.

Simply brush you cat and I suggest you groom her every couple of months. If you decide to give your cat a bath, I suggest avoid using human shampoos as that might dry her skin further and worsen the condition. Always use a cat shampoo and don’t forget to clean thoroughly as remaining shampoo stuck on her undercoat may start the problem all over again.

2. It’s winter

If your cat only experiences dandruff issues in winter, then it could be the result of the cold and dry weather. Worse of all, many cats like to lay about in the warm comforts of the fireplace, which rapidly dries her skin causing it to flake.

A good idea is to take her away from the fireplace every once in a while and see if the cat dandruff persists. Purchasing a humidifier would be a good idea, both for your feline friend and also yourself (humans get dry skin too…)

3. My kitty still has cat dandruff problems

If none of the above apply, just think, have you got any new furniture lately? A new rug perhaps? See if there are any changes to her surroundings that she might be sensitive to and try to make the necessary adjustments.

If all three tips still don’t work, don’t worry, check out this cat dandruff guide.

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Litter Boxes for Cats Are Not That Tough to Choose

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

If you are thinking about bringing home a kitty cat, you really need to take the time to understand what it is that your cat is going to need to make it feel comfortable and secure.

Since such pets are not yet toilet trained, it is important to get a litter box to train the cat on where to go when nature calls.  Making sure that this is done is going to ensure that you’re not going to have to clean up a lot of accidents on your floor.

To make this happen, choosing the right litter box for the cat is important.  This is all going to depend on how big your cat is and how spacious the cat box is in comparison. Since this is the toilet for your cat, your going to need to make it easily accessible both going in and out of the box.

It is easy to find a litter box the you can clean on a regular basis. This can be found in the internet or at the local pet store that will cost twenty-five dollars and above.  The price depends on the kind of material that is used in making the box- whether it is plastic or another kind of non-absorbent material.

If you don’t like to clean your cat litter box, then you can spend some extra money and get one that is electronic.  If you don’t like the idea of either of these, you can pick up a disposable type i.e. a soda box, which is also going to have to be changed regularly.

The litter box must have fillers making it easy for the person to clean.  Most of your cat litters these days are designed to prevent odors and prevent the production of bacteria that can make your cat sick.

In order for the cat to have some privacy, it is best to choose a litter box that can have a cover on top.  When it is time for your cat to use the box, this can help to feel more comfortable in doing so.

There are many types of litter boxes available from the small versions for the kittens to the big ones for the full grown cats.  With the many different types of cat litters to choose from, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one that your pet is comfortable with.

Should the person have a hard time choosing the right litter box, one can ask the sales person in the pet store or ask people who have cats for advice.

 

Find your next automatic litter box at litter boxes for cats

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Sisal Cat Scratching Post

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

Cat Scratching posts

Cat Scratching posts

She looks so forlorn in the shelter’s cage, so you decide to take her home. You couldn’t be happier!

Apart from being litter trained, she is sweet and affectionate! You cannot help the feeling of wanting to take her back at the week’s end!

Thanks to your precious little kitty, the front corner of your once beautiful chintz love seat is now reduced to shreds.

Wait! Don’t take her back! A solution is at hand. What you need to buy, right away, is a good cat scratch post. Searching for and finding a strong and stable to scratch comes naturally to a cat when she is placed in a new surrounding. Your loveseat is the best available option!

Cats have to establish their territory. It is their territorial instinct that prompts them to scratch and leave a mark.

They inform other cats that they are coming into marked territory, by leaving a distinctive scent on the surface they scratch from the sweat glands in their paws.

Not knowing when another cat would turn up, your kitty would do it even if you don’t have any other cats! Cats also scratch simply because it feels good!

By purchasing a cat scratching post, you solve two problems:

Number one:
Your kitty doesn’t scratch your furniture anymore, and

Number two:
She keeps herself in shape, and at the same time satisfies the urge to scratch. By stretching, pulling and working the muscles of her front quarters, she’ll get the workout that she needs each time she attacks the scratching post!

Actually, she’ll prefer her cat scratch post to your loveseat, as long as you purchase one made of rough sisal material or something similar. Forget the soft, pretty posts! They will not gain her interest al all.

Sisal material and not sisal rope is perfect for satisfying the cats’ need to shred. Cats cannot resist the urge to shred things! Your kitty needs to get a healthy stretch while she scratches, so make sure that the cat scratch post is at least 28″ high.

The post should not move during one of her heavy duty scratching sessions, so it is imperative that it is sturdy! If the post topples on her, she will be frightened of it, and not come near it ever again!

Do not hesitate another minute, now that you know the reason why kitty scratches! You need your love seat, and you need your kitty, so the both of you need a cat scratch post!

For quality cat furniture visit www.catbedandtoy.com and www.pussycatfurniture.com

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How To Toilet Train Your Cat

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

 

If you can toilet train a dog, you can surely toilet train your cat, too. One of the dilemmas for pet cat owners is how their little furry and purr-ty buddy spreads his poop all over the place. Sometimes, they will find solutions by letting other people train their pets and they just need to do just that because of all animals that are domesticated like dogs or cats, based on personal experiences, the cat has the worst smell for poop and they can compromise everyone’s health in the house. Many have complained about asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis not only because of hairball but also because of poop. But going back to toilet training a cat, why should they try to let others train their cats when they can do it by themselves?

If you have the same problems with your cats, the best thing that you can do is to find something that can teach you how to do just that. According to a Toilet Train Your Cat review, what you need is just a book guide to help you out. You don’t need a lot of things to train your cat how to use the litter box. But the problem for most cat owners if they decide to train their own cats on how to dispose properly of their waste is what kind of learning tool or book guide they might want to choose?

There are many things that you need to consider when buying a book guide for such purpose. A proper toilet training your cat book guide will not only teach you this but will also give you some ideas for cat nutrition, the proper cat diet, how to care for cats properly and how to train them in a general way. According to some Toilet Train Your Cat reviews, if you can teach yourself what kinds of food you give to your cats, you can properly toilet train him. You wouldn’t want your cat to catch diarrhea and then, it will just go into one corner of your house and do his “own thing” there now, would you?

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Problems With Cats Skin

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

In this article we will take a look at some skin disorders which could affect your cat, the symptoms of these conditions and what you can do about them. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of your cat suffering then you should consult with your vet.

The majority of cats have a thick, protective layer of fur.  This makes it extremely difficult to tell if a cat has a skin problem before it becomes extreme.  It is important to take time on a regular basis to examine your cat’s skin closely for anything that may be wrong.

Run your hand gently over his body and explore the skin for any unusual patches. If you find any, move the fur by brushing it gently, so that you can see below the fur and have a better look at the skin. If you carry this out regularly and understand your cat’s body, you should notice any problems very quickly. You will learn to spot what is regular and what is not.

Cheyletiellosis is a skin disorder in cats is caused by skin mites and is very contagious between cats as well as humans. In cats, the symptoms are itching and it usually results in heavy scaling and flaking of the skin, which is why Cheyletiellosis in cats is often known as “walking dandruff”. This particluar condition is usually not deadly and can be easily treated with the correct medication as soon as the condition has been diagnosed and confirm.

Alopecia is a skin disorder in cats that will cause hair loss due to endocrine disturbances, localized infections, or generalized illnesses. The condition can also be a result of stress. The cats symptoms included bald patches on the skin and can be accompanied by reddened or inflamed skin. Not a deadly skin disease, and with quick and correct treatment, the fur would in most occasions grow back. 

While most skin conditions are cause by allergies to food and pesticides bite, and can be easily managed and treated, early detection is still important.  A few minutes each day could very well prevent days of discomfort later.

Please see cats fleas and cat illnesses for related articles.

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Cat Urinary Infection: Homeopathic Medicine for Cats

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Urinary tract infection is a phrase used to describe a collection of symptoms that occur due to irritation, inflammation or obstruction of the urinary tract. In felines, it is most often related to the lower urinary tract which is comprised of the urinary bladder, urethra and penile urethra. Symptoms to look for include:

  • Foul smelling urine.
  • The cat strains to urinate, or cries out while urinating.
  • The urine contains traces of blood.
  • The cat is urinating in unusual places and often in small amounts.

Any of the organs along the urinary tract can be affected by urinary infections in cats. Infections of the bladder and inflammation of the urinary bladder, known as cystitis, are two of more common disorders of the lower feline urinary tract. Although infection is mostly due to bacteria, inflammation can certainly occur in the absence of infection. Treatment of a cat’s urinary infection generally depends on the underlying cause and level of severity.

The common conventional treatment of antibiotics to eliminate the infection. While feline urinary tract infections respond well to them, it is common knowledge that antibiotics should be used only when necessary as there is a tendency for them to become ineffective over time and if overused. They do a good job of killing the bacteria that caused the UTI, but have an unfortunate tendency to kill the good bacteria at the same time. This decline in friendly flora in the cat’s body can lead to the rise of other diseases that may be a great deal less responsive to treatment than the original urinary tract infection.

Unlike conventional medical solutions, alternative homeopathic and holistic medicines to treat urinary infections in cats look beyond the immediate cause and instead concentrate on treatment in conjunction with boosting immunity. There are herbal remedies derived from natural substances that have antibiotic properties. This approach not only spares the cat from the harmful side effects of antibiotics, it provides a safeguard against the probability of a recurrence.

A combination of herbal tinctures of equal parts of buchu, Echinacea, uva ursi and pipsissewa is the most recommended natural remedy for optimum feline urinary tract health. It can be mixed into the cat’s food, but bear in mind that, while useful for the urinary tract infection, alcohol tinctures are generally recommended for short term use only in felines. Herbal teas prepared from a combination of horsetail, marshmallow root, goldenrod, elderberry and parsley are a better choice for extensive treatment. You may give your cat a tablespoon of cooled tea three times daily while the symptoms last.

You may be familiar with the efficacy of cranberry juice for the mitigation of UTIs in humans. It performs the same service for cats urinary infections as well. It works by preventing bacteria from clinging to the cells lining the walls of the urinary tract. It also acidifies the urine, and as bacteria cannot survive in such an environment, urinary infections are thus held off. As cats tend to dislike the taste, a better choice would be cranberry extract, as a concentrate can be more easily forced in.

Another homeopathic remedy effective in the treatment of cat urinary infections is cantharis, and is especially recommended if you have discovered blood in your cat’s urine. Cantharis eases the discomfort that arises while the cat is straining to urinate. Swift relief is had when two to three pellets of 30C potency is provided at hourly intervals. You may place the pellets in the cat’s mouth, and they are automatically absorbed by the mucous membrane.

If it is necessary for your cat to submit to a course of antibiotics to fight off the infection, you can counter the deleterious effects of the drugs on friendly bacteria with supplements of lactobacillus. One eighth of a tablespoon twice daily is sufficient for cats weighing 20 pounds or less. Be sure to administer the supplement at least 2 hours after the antibiotic has been given. Fresh yogurt is an excellent alternative for restoring the balance of the flora in the cat’s body, and is very enthusiastically received by the patient.

In tandem with a natural diet, homeopathic remedies for cats provide a great arsenal in the fight against feline urinary tract infections. Make sure your cat is drinking a sufficient amount of water — filtered or spring water, if your cat objects to the chemicals coming from your taps. To help prevent recurrences, periodically add vitamin C supplements to your cat’s diet, and either provide them with home cooked food or one of the many excellent commercial cat foods formulated specifically to deal with feline bladder and urinary health.

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