Who Else Wants To Avoid These Cat Claw Catastrophies?

Don’t get caught holding the bag when your cat decides to claw house guests and unsuspecting members of your family. Even after you have gotten your cat used to using her own personal scratching post to sharpen her claws on a regular basis, there are still times when your pet may suddenly lash out to claw people. But before you rush to judgment and perhaps punishment, ask yourself to consider the motivation behind such acting out behavior. Cats, like most animals, will lash out when they are afraid. So when your cat suddenly claws people, before you play the blame game with your pet, try to consider both sides of the equation. Is it your cat’s fault, or the people around her who have provoked her or made her frightened? I was prime witness to just such a situation when the family who gave me my cat Abby dropped by for a spontaneous, unannounced visit. They had not seen Abby for about a year. As she had been an exclusively indoor cat, she had no contact with people outside my family. I could tell she was startled when a group of five people barreled into the house. Abby’s first response was to dive under the dining room table. The children proceeded to try to yank her out from under the table. I could tell she was frightened. From under the table I could hear her hissing. A low rumbling growl which I had never heard before was coming from the pit of her stomach. The children kept poking and prodding her even though to me it was obvious she was distressed. They kept waving their hands in front of her face and then pulling them away. To make matters worse, they had also brought one of her litter mates, who she now seemed to consider a stranger. In a panic, I rushed to open a sliding glass door so Abby could jump through before the two cats could square off against each other. I remember thinking that this whole experience was so abrupt and traumatizing for Abby that I couldn’t blame her when the claws came out. Yet I’m sure from the looks on the faces of my guests that day, that they blamed me and my cat for their claw marks. They assumed Abby was afraid of or didn’t like children. I didn’t think that was the issue, it was their sudden entrance which had startled both of us. There are some cats that are afraid of children, but I think most pets respond well to acclimatization. You can expose your cat to young children, like I did. Just wait a while before you let them loose around your cat. Sit the child next to you and feed your kitty treats, then gradually let the child take over. Do this for small stretches over several sessions. This worked well for me. Abby is now comfortable around the neighborhood children. I’m grateful that Abby was able to get used to being around children, but I could detect that at times she would get jealous of the attention the children received, and would proceed to jump between us. Some cats do get jealous of certain people. Some cats start acting out and being mean to certain people too. If this situation persists, the only thing to do is remove the cat from the situation. When your cat starts growling or clawing, pick her up and take her to the bathroom until your guest is gone. You may also advise your guest that if they are also a pet owner, your cat may be responding to the scent on the person’s clothes. The worst thing is when your cat consistently claws a family member. If it’s a family member, try a commercially available cat repellent or lemon juice to keep the cat away, then acclimatization to get them used to the other person. If all this fails, you may be forced to consider declawing your pet. Remember that when your pet acts out, there is usually a reason for it. When animals are frightened, they go into defense mode. In these situations, we can often forgive their clawing mistakes. To avoid cat clawing catastrophes, try the steps outlined above. Small doses of exposure to people will usually cure your cat of its’ clawing outbursts. Then again, cats like people, can be finicky with their affections. If you have tried and tried for instance, to get your cat used to your mother in law, but to no avail, what can you do? How can you blame kitty for not liking her? After all, if the truth be known, it’s not like you like her that much either. About the Author: Romi Matsushita works hard not to frighten her cat. Find great cat care advice, tips, and articles at http://www.cat-advisors-online.com Read more articles by: Romi Matsushita Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

The Best Way To Discipline A Cat

My wife and I have owned 10 cats over the past twenty five years and we have never swatted them or raised a hand to them for discipline. Want to know our secrete? Here is what we do to train our young cats to stay off the counters and table. We have a cheap $2 squirt gun loaded with water in every room. When we see one of our cats doing something wrong we zap them with the water pistols. This method has worked for us for over twenty years. It only takes a few shots and even the most stubborn cat will learn your rules of the house. This has got to be one of the most humane ways to discipline cats that I know of. Water is safe for indoor use and will not stain anything and I must admit I do kind of enjoy shooting at live pray. Which brings me to the warning I must give you about this method of disciplining your cats. One day last wwek a gentlemen came by my office selling squirt guns. Not just any squirt guns mind you, he laid before me a super soaker 5000. My head immediately filled with visions of tagging my misbehaving cats from across the room. I was sold. That night after dinner I was casually lounging in my chair trying to not tip off the cats that I had a new secrete weapon in our war over who gets to set on the table. Just minutes before I filled my new toy with an amazing two gallons of water. Now you might say that’s a lot of water but my thinking was the more water the gun holds the less times I have to get up to fill it. Evidently the dudes at the toy company were serious when they named this gun the super soaker because, latter that night I took aim at one of our cats who jumped on the table, and pulled the trigger. In less then the time I could say oh s**t two gallons of water went whizzing toward my cat. All of my wives work papers lying on the table were under about two inches of water and the cat didn't have a drop on her. . . So much for shock and awe. My wife was in shock and I think the cat was in awe over my stupidity. The lesson to be learned here is when using this method of disciplining your cats remember there is such a thing as to much fire power. About the Author: Hey! Want to become a cat expert? Visit my website www.CatNews.org Become a cat expert - visit http://catnews.org Author: Russell Clark Editor - http://www.CatNews.org Read more articles by: Russell Clark Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Find Out How Cat Allergy Depends On Cat Breeds

If you are one of those persons who have allergies due to cats, here is information on how different sort of cat breeds influence your reactions. To begin with you must remember that the majority of individuals cannot tolerate the saliva of a cat and not the cat’s hair. Cats are constantly grooming themselves, resulting in saliva spreading to all the parts of their hairy bodies. This hair could be found all around the room or vicinity and can trigger an allergy. Even those cats which are “hairless” will carry saliva on their bodies, creating what is called “dander.” In an average home the amount of “dead skin” scattered inside would amaze you. A human being rebuilds new skin every two to three weeks, so the upper most layers of skin is constantly wearing off resulting in the accumulation of a lot of dust. The same holds true for cats, dogs and other animals. Hence it becomes important to keep your house clean and vacuum regularly to keep a check on this dust. Cats with hair All the cats with hair on their bodies will inevitably have saliva on their hair. The cat will lick itself and then the hair will fall off. It’s absolutely necessary to tidy the house of all the hair and vacuum the rooms so as not to cause any problem to an allergic member. We possess a “Roomba” that wanders around each single day – and it is just amazing how much cat hair it gathers on a singular day. And we have just two cats at home. You need to chalk out a hair management system, if you have a cat with hair. If we clean up just a week, we see all the hair. But if vacuum everyday, then it becomes easier to keep the house clean and tidy. I have observed a big difference in my day to day “responses” on the basis of the levels of hair. Cats without hair Many people wrongly think that cats without hair can cause no allergy. Generally, I do not judge a pet by its capability to cause allergies, but I suppose I can feel it if you have swollen glands or eyes, that you would like to look for an alternative. All through life you will come across many things that can cause allergies, but pets are so adorable that they can compensate for a little bit of puffiness. Having said that, let me mention that cats without any hair do not rid you of any “allergy” problems. The allergies originate from the tongues. So a cat without hair does not mean a cat without allergies! So in this case there would not be floating hair all around – it is the dander of cat that would cause the allergy. All creatures that breathe shed and renew their skin. As a human individual you shed skin every two or three weeks, so there would be lot of dead skin fluttering around if you do not clean properly. Other pets including cats go through the same process. So it is crucial to keep your house neat and tidy to keep those allergens at bay. About the Author: Visit the following sites for more info on cat allergy, cat allergy symptoms and cat allergy treatments. Read more articles by: Lindsay Robertson Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

9 Tips For Choosing The Best Cat Urine Cleaner

This is the best cat urine cleaner Guide for those who ask any of the following questions: How to choose a cat urine remover? How to select a cat urine remover? How to find a cat urine remover? With all this choice in an endless supply of products there is one problem and that is "CHOICE". How do you choose the right one? how do you select the best product for you and your pet? Well I am going to share with you this secret whether your question is how to choose a cat urine remover, how to find a cat urine remover or how to select a cat urine remover. The truth is you can spend days even weeks looking at different products and comparing features or value. But somewhere you have to draw the line, some time you will have to make a choice. That is the reason for this article, to save pet owners from wasting their time and money on something that they really are not sure on. I have already spent my time looking at different cat urine cleaners that remove serious pet urine and I'm giving you this information as an easy to understand rating system. To understand the system completely you will first need to have the 9 MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA you ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY must know before purchasing any cat urine cleaners. These following 9 criteria will allow you to make a quick sound judgment on any product, so you know instantly if it is a yes or a no! Without it you could be very disappointed with the product bought because of its lack of performance and with no way of refunding it, you would be wasting money. So for the pet owners who want to find the best cat urine cleaner to remove those serious pet urine stains just use these follow 9 criteria's. 1. No fragrance to hide or disguise the odor since this will only fix the problem temporarily. Masking the odor may work for the time being, but wait 2-3 hours and that smell will be back. It is important to be able to smell the urine stain with out fragrances to tell if it was effectively removed. If the smell persists then total removal was definitely ineffective even if no stain can be seen. 2. EASY to use SAVING you time, effort and MONEY! Make sure the product is an easy one step process for its use! The last thing you need is to spend more time then necessary applying two or three treatments for total removal. I don't think the company really cares how long it takes you to clean up since they are not the ones cleaning up the mess. I want it to be as easy as possible! And so should YOU! 3. No claim to absorb or sponge the stain, since this will later require effort to clean any remaining remnants. Any product that claims to absorb or sponge the stain usually (but not always) requires an applying step, then wait after X hours to do the second step, which is to vacuum or clean it up. To me this seems like double work and it would have to be cleaned thoroughly to remove all remnants of the cleaning agent. 4. Unmatched quality GUARANTEED by the manufacturer that will remove all components of the stain from color, texture, odor and the toughest component of ALL!.........Uric salt crystals! A clearly stated GUARANTEE is important to you as the purchaser. This is your insurance and leverage as a customer. And it would not be smart to shop online without any form of insurance. Businesses today usually accept this form of risk to them and I would be suspicious of any business that did not CLEARLY state a GUARANTEE. The toughest component of urine is the "Uric Salt Crystals". When looking for pet stain cleaner you should be looking to see what has it been tested on and what does it remove? Does it remove Uric Salt Crystals? 5. Must prevent your pet from repeated soiling in the same area. The reason I was emphasizing about the Uric Salt Crystals is because it is these crystals that hold the marking scents of your pet. Remember how dog marks his territory by urinating around their area. Well it is these crystals that hold their scent in which they can find that same spot over and over again. If you can remover these Uric Salt Crystals then you can prevent this habit. 6. Must be NON-TOXIC for YOU, children, pets and guests. I have a one and a half year old son at the time of writing this article and for anyone who is a parent, toxic chemicals are a concern. We place all ours outside in the shed and up high so they are out of the reach of little hands. But if you are not a parent then you too should give a thought about the toxics used in your house. This is for you, your pets and for the people you invite to come around to your house. 7. Must have a long history (i.e. 30 YEARS) of customer satisfaction. If the business or product has been around for a long period time then you can feel assured that the product may be good. The logic behind this statement is that with all the securities commissions around the world and the strong internet anti-fraud measures, a business will have to be legitimate to stay around for any long period of time. If they were not legitimate then they would only be around for a short time before getting shut down. Scams come and go but a good business or product is around for the long term, that you can TRUST! 8. Size. How much are you getting in one bottle? You want the bottle to last a while before you have to order a new one. 9. Unbeatable value, including FREE bonuses, with out any drop in quality. What I am about to say may be common knowledge to some people, but the problem with 'common knowledge' is that it is not common. Once you have found your pet stain cleaner that seems to be a high quality product. You MUST ask "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME!" If you purchase this product, what else are you going to get? By doing this you will always get more value for your dollar. There is a skill to this as well, since you need to look for the not so obvious. Most people look for the little free gimmicks like a free carpet cleaner included or a free black light to find stains (you will need the right UV frequency for it to work). But what I am talking about are extras that work for you. Are you receiving bonuses that you can sell? Might you get the opportunity to join the businesses affiliate program after the purchase and make money off the product you tested (used). Is that business going to work for you long term?, long after the purchase of their product. So if you are thinking of purchasing a Cat Urine Cleaner to remove the most serious pet urine stains keep these following 9 criteria's in mind as you will reach the best solution faster. They are valid points in which pet owners must consider and for anyone spending money it is important to ask if that money will return. For more detailed information on how to choose a cat urine remover, how to find a cat urine remover or how to select a cat urine remover, please look for the free ebook titled "Cat Matters Online". The ebook above is also useful to anyone searching for pet odor removal too. For example, san francisco pet odor removal or bay area pet odor removal. About the Author: By far the best product that meets all of the nine criteria is Herby's Pet Stain Remover with a FREE ebook, FREE software and Affiliate Program. You can visit the website for a different FREE ebook and you don't have to purchase anything. You will recieve the newest and best updates for your pet and they will not annoy you with routine emails. http://www.bestcaturinecleaner.com/go/ARTICLE/famecare Read more articles by: Hayden Brown Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Train Your Cat For Vacations

When you are going on a vacation or taking your cat out for a length of time you will want to have the cat trained to ride in a car or vehicle so that the cat is not jumping all over and over the seats. Purchasing a pet carrier will be the first thing that you will want to do. Searching for the right carrier is another thing that you will want to do. Knowing the right size and fit for the cat will be very important to the cat and you. A carrier in which your cat will like and a carrier that easily picked up and put in the car. The first thing that you will want to do after purchasing the carrier for your cat is. Let the cat get use to the carrier being around. Set the carrier in the cat area for a couple of days and let the cat investigate with it. Do not push the cat into the carrier or your cat will not want to go in the carrier. After that, you will want to play with the cat with the carrier by putting something that the cat loves to play with in the carrier and see if the cat will go in by it. Once you have the cat going in and playing with the item then you will want to start with the rewarding of small treats, for the cat. Allow the cat for a few days to do this, once the cat is comfortable and maybe laying down in the pet carrier, you will want to start with the door, not to close and lock it, by allowing the door be slightly open for a period of time till the cat is comfortable. Once you are able to have the cat comfortable in the carrier and you may start with closing the door all the way and then locking the door. Leave the carrier in the place for a few days when doing this. Next, you can pick up the carrier and carry the cat gently around the house, to get the cat to be comfortable in the pet carrier with you walking. You should do this for several times a day for a few days, just so the cat is comfortable. Now is the big day, to go for the first ride, remember that your cat has not maybe been in the car. Sounds from the car and near by cars and traffic noise will tend to startle your cat. You may want to do the first drive in a quiet area, with your cat next to you. There is music out to play while you are driving, with your cat to help the cat to relax. Talk to your cat to help it relax and assure it that everything is all right. If at anytime the cat does get frighten you will want to stop and help the cat to relax to assure there is nothing wrong. By doing this the cat will want to go back in the carrier the next time. Remember to take treats with on the drive; this will help the cat to know that they are doing a good job and that you are keeping them safe. When your cat is doing well in the pet carrier as you are moving you can give the cat a treat to let it know they are doing a good behavior. Do not at anytime yell or do anything to startle the cat, as your cat will have a fear of the pet carrier. Have patience and practice with training the cat for travel. Now you can pack the bags and cats items that you will need and off on the wonderful vacation with you. About the Author: Burt Cotton http://www.petcarenews.org Read more articles by: Burt Cotton Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Training With A Clicker

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition (they associate the sound with food.) and operant conditioning (cat performs movement to receive food). Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around. With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click. Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available. Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat. The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 mins a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief. Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat. To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the clicker. About the Author: Burt Cotton http://www.catcarenews.org Read more articles by: Burt Cotton Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Toilet Training

One of the first things as an owner that wants to toilet train your cat is to know about your cat. The behavior of a cat; the does, and don’ts of training a cat. Since we are going to talk about potty training a cat, we need to set some basic rules down. Most important one is that if you do not catch the cat going potty on the floor at the very moment; it will not make any sense to the cat what you do to them about it. Cats remember things like that only shortly. No rubbing the nose of the cat in it, that will only cause pain, or do anything that would harm or hurt your cat. By doing any of these painful acts will only make the cat afraid of you and you will have a very hard time training your cat to do any behaviors, or taking care of your cat. Let us look over the potty training a cat. Having a cat potty trained on any household toilet will save you thousands of dollars in kitty litter. Will keep the cats area clean, safe and dry, and since a cat does not like messes this is a great way to get rid of the mess for you. Now you are wondering why someone would want to have the cat use the toilet and not the litter box. In the fecal, of the feline, when mixed with kitty litter can cause people of all ages to get sick. When the cat comes out of the litter box to a person, on its paws are the germs from the litter box. When you or family member is sick or aged people, they are very expectable to this disease. With a cat being potty trained, the fecal goes under the water this will help prevent the disease from spreading. There are devices on the market that will help you potty train your cat. The devices come with books to help and support you with toilet training your cat. Let’s look at the potty device, to see what steps are taken to get the cat to use the toilet. First, you will need to put the device in the toilet. It is basically a small shallow version of a toilet bowl that fits under the ring on the toilet. The recommendation is to put small amount of cat litter in the small portion of the plastic bowl. Then remove all other cat litter boxes, so the cat will only find litter in one place. Another thought is to cover the plants on the floor, so the cat will not be able to dig in the dirt. With the device, that you get, there could be some type of fragrances to put on the toilet device to help attract the cat to that area. Leave the cat for a while in the bathroom, with the door closed, privacy is something that cat need and want and will the cat will explore that the litter in on the toilet and use it there. If there seems to be a problem with the cat going, you may want to put the litter box next to the toilet, this way the cat will get use to this and see the toilet, before getting the training started. In this time if you see that cat needs to go, pick the cat up and put it on the toilet with the device on so that kitty will see the device and the litter This will all take time and lots of patience from you and some good training to the cat. The cat does not have natural instincts to go in the bathroom and go on the toilet. When a cat is older, this can be a real task as the older cats are usually set in their ways and do not like change. With this, you will want to use the slow approach. In the end, you and your cat will be happy that there are no more kitty litter boxes in the home. Rewards are very important in this training and hard also; you may not see or catch your cat on there going but remember to reward them when you do see them. About the Author: Burt Cotton http://www.catcarenews.org Read more articles by: Burt Cotton Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Finding The Ideal Cat Collar

If your cat goes outside it’s a really good idea to use a collar. It lets other people know that the cat has a home, and if your cat should stray or get lost then the contact details on the collar will have you re-united with your cat in no time. Deciding what cat collar to buy can be a more difficult choice than you think. Do you go with a flea control collar, a reflective collar, an elasticated collar, a buckle on collar, or no collar at all. Do flea collars really work? My experience has been that they, but they don’t hurt either so we can look at form and fit. Fit is the most important consideration when buying a cat collar. If the collar is too tight it can cut off the cat’s air and blood supply. Choking your cat is not a good thing!! If it’s too loose the collar can get caught up on branches and fences while your cat is out playing. Cats have an uncanny knack of getting out of any collar that’s too loose. For kittens and still growing cats you’ll want an adjustable collar to allow for some growth, but make sure you check the fit on a regular basis. Most collars have 2 methods of fastening around the cat’s neck. You have the traditional buckle style which is easy to put on and take off but the buckle can break. Then there is the slide through adjustable kind. This is a more secure way of fastening but it’s also more difficult to adjust, especially if you have a cat that doesn’t like having a collar on. Most cat collars come with an elasticated or a breakaway section. This is a safety feature that allows your cat to escape the collar if it becomes stuck on bushes or fences. It helps avoid strangulation as well as being trapped. Even though a smart cat can figure out how to escape its collar, this is an important safety feature that you should seriously consider. Along these lines buy a collar made of a material that can be easily cut through in emergencies. Another feature you may consider is a reflective strip in the cat collar. This can be helpful at night especially in areas that have a lot of traffic. The number one killer of cats is traffic so give the driver every chance to see your cat, especially if it’s a dark colored cat. Many collars come with bells or some other noise making device. This is designed to warn potential prey animals that your cat is out hunting. The idea behind these is to avoid your cat bringing home gifts and presents, especially ones that are still alive!! In the main these devices are ineffective and its usually best to remove them so there’s less to get caught up in bushes and fences. If you have an indoor cat that you’d like to introduce to the great outdoors, try buying a cat harness and attach a leash. You should first practice with this indoors until the cat becomes accustomed to it. The next step - take the cat for walks; to the park, to the beach, or to Aunty Jane’s house! You can train your cat to use the leash but it will take some time, practice and a lot of patience. About the Author: Mary Amos is a cat lover and long time cat owner. Find more articles and resources at Cat Toys and Articles Read more articles by: Mary Amos Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

How To Keep Your Cat Or Kitten Amused For Hours

Cats and kittens love to play. Kittens especially love to play and sharing your life with them is so much more rewarding if you play with your cat. It’s really great fun even if you do pick up the occasional scratch and it’s important for your cat’s fitness and well being too. How do you keep your cat entertained? After all a cat is not the same as a dog, you can’t play catch or fetch with a cat – or can you? To keep your cat enthralled and interested in playing with you, you need to have a challenging and ever changing environment. Now before you go off the deep end it’s not as bad as you think. All you really need to do is to have a few cat toys out at a time and rotate them to keep your cat interested. It doesn’t have to be expensive toys either. String, paper, balls and boxes are all great cat toys. Kittens use play as a way of learning. Its fun to watch your kitten carefully stalk a ball, pause, then pounce on it, which causes the ball to quickly scoot off. Your kitten will then chase it all over the house for hours! Even better is having two kittens and watch them play with each other, the toys, and pretty much anything that moves, including your toes!! As with dogs you need to take care that the toys you give your cat are safe. Even though a cat is not as destructive, (generally), as a dog, cats can and do pull toys apart. Then they eat the bits. Make sure that the components of the toy are non toxic and have no sharp parts that can cut your cat. Technology innovation is being applied to cat toys. There are toys being introduced such as laser pointers and even remote controlled mice. The problem with these is that most cats and kittens dislike the noise of the motor so remote control toys are not a big hit. On the other hand a laser pointer is a huge hit, your cat will chase that elusive red dot all over the house for as long as you can stand it. Beware, this can be frustrating for the cat though, as it can’t get its claws into anything so it can have an affect on your cat’s behavior over time. To relax, what better than to put on a special cat video. Now your cat can sit and watch TV. These video’s and DVD’s are supposed to be very effective but do you really want to turn your cat into a TV addict? The secret to keeping your cats happy and healthy is to continually challenge them physically and mentally. Don’t forget that cats like to jump and climb too. Some of the best toys are designed to be played with in 3 dimensions and you’ll be amazed by the acrobatics that your cat can perform. Use your imagination too. Try putting two toys together to make a new toy. Become creative and play with your cat on a regular basis. This helps strengthen the bond between your cat and you, keeps her mentally stimulated and physically fit. Your Reward will be hours of fun and pleasure and a fit healthy cat. About the Author: Mary Amos is a cat lover and long time cat owner. Find more articles and resources at Cat Toys and Articles Read more articles by: Mary Amos Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Feline Diabetes Is Not A Cat And Mouse Game!

Your pet is caught in a serious type of disease! And do not be under the impression that this disease is the 'privilege' of human beings alone! Feline Diabetes is one of the most common feline endocrine diseases. Its direct link is to the high carbohydrate diet of dry food. Many canned foods contain too many carbohydrates, which your cat may eat with great speed and gusto; but your poor choices, will definitely damage the health of your pet. Cats by nature are obligate carnivores and their system, as created by the nature is not suitable for a carbohydrate diet. Just don't put anything and everything before your cat. Understand its requirements, from its biological point of view. Feline Diabetes is not a cat and mouse game. Cats and insulin shots...sounds odd? But, it's true. If the diabetic condition in your cat is a longstanding one, then insulin shots are necessary. Once you start giving it the low carbohydrate diet, and once the cats recoup their original health, no further insulin shots are required. “Feeding a diabetic cat with a high-carbohydrate diet is analogous to pouring gasoline on a fire and wondering why you can't put it out.” There are two types of diabetes - Type I and Type II. Type II is the more common, both in humans and in cats. But the cat has a unique metabolism. Cats are obligate carnivores and are adapted to consume a diet that is high in protein, moderate in fat, and include a very small amount of carbohydrates (roughly 3 to 5%). Since nature designed them thus, cats do not have many of the important enzymes that are necessary to process these types of foods. So, it is not sufficient that you love your cat. You have to understand the cat and its food habits! The food you give to your cat can put it in its grave! About the Author: Ashish Jain writes about many topics. For more information on diabetes visit http://www.diabitieslife.com and for additional diabetes articles visit the main articles page: http://www.diabitieslife.com/index.html To comment on this article visit: http://www.diabitieslife.com/diabetes Read more articles by: Ashish Jain Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Behavior Mystery: Does Your Cat Really Bond With You?

Most of us cat owners have these two burning question in the back of our minds, that we can't seem to easily resolve: Question one, are cats really capable of bonding with us humans? Question two, what can we do, as desperate cat lovers, to encourage our cats to actually bond with us? So in this article, let's have a detailed look at what could be possible answers to these two deep-rooted questions that have been bugging cat lovers, and others alike, for decades! As an extra bonus, you'll also gain some rare hints into how to better connect with your cat on a day to day basis. Before we get into any techniques, we really need to examine the very nature of a cat's essence, their souls if you will, to give us some clues to answer these questions on cat psychology and their relationship to us humans. When you have an animal that's been with humans for over 5000 years, there must be something profound that the humans, as well as the cats, are getting out of this relationship. Something that's keeping them together for so long, and no doubt for eons to come! Imagine, in say the year 3000, we may have technology to travel through space in luxurious aircraft, and of course, one of the first things that people will want to bring with them is their favorite book, favorite music, and... their cat! But why is this so? There must be a level of bonding between cats and humans that is beyond that of many other animals, that make us feel so attached to them, want to share our life experiences with them... because our feelings tell us that these feelings goes both ways. But is this really the case? Do cats use us for food and warmth mainly? Or is there a level of feeling behind the cat behavior that's on a higher level than that, and resembles the feelings that we have for them? These are valid questions. Let's first have a look at our human emotional responses to our cats. When humans first met cats, it was presumed to be at a camp fire. This is not proven, though it is a strong possibility. Why a camp fire? Well cats love warmth and probably couldn't resist sitting around a man-made camp fire. So they sat, appreciating the warmth, and also may have found they don't have to hunt for. And then the humans were attracted to their cuteness. More likely, it was their kittens that may have clinched this bond. As when interacted, they would have shown cute playfulness, and when nursed, would snuggle up. Now the question is whether a cat can have snuggling up and playfulness without the emotions of tenderness and enjoyment? We'll come back to this in a moment. Let's take one more example from history. It was documented 5000 years ago that cats were domesticated into both Egyptian culture as well as Indian culture at roughly the same time. In fact, for period of over 2000 years in Egypt, there was such respect and admiration for the cat, that the penalty for anyone killing a cat, was death. During this period, a Roman soldier accidentally killed a cat and was nearly lynched by a crowd who witnessed this event. This became a political conflict, and is thought to be one of the events that led to the war between Egypt and Rome! So, the humble cat has caused all this! An animal causing people to be irrational over them. But, does the cat reciprocate our feelings? One example that could help us with this question is from Jeffrey Masson, who wrote The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats. Among his many examples of bonding is where he discovers that his cats will put up with getting soaked, just to be with him: "Like most cats, mine do not like rain. Yet when Leila, Ilan, Manu and I walk up the hill in the evening in the rain, such is the cats' devotion that they come with us... it is beyond question that the cats are doing something because they want to... Moreover, since they walk in the rain only when we are there, never alone, the love of our companionship must be a strong component of their pleasure..." It gets even better. The strength of our bond actually increases depending on the extent that our cat's range of behavior and emotional responses matches our emotional needs. Some people who really love attention from their cat, and want the full gamut of personality, do find heaven, and so does the cat, when they have for example, a Siamese cat that is able to show a strong desire to lie on their laps for comfort every night, run around like crazy when they play with, and is also slightly neurotic and anxious when there is too much happening... So there's some food for thought for you. You've now got some deep insight into how cats really feel about us, and how cats may indeed have deeper feelings about us that are closer to our own feelings about them than we previously realised. Watch out for part two of this article, which will be coming soon. In that part, you'll learn specific ways to capture your cat's attention and affection. However, for right now, be aware of your emotions when you're about to talk or even look at your cat. If you want to tell him something like "There you are, I'm glad to see you!", do so with your feeling, and it will come out in your voice, body language and tons of other clues that we're not even aware of. Your cat is sensing your thoughts and feelings very acutely. This is exactly where bonding starts... And the beauty of it is, that once the bonding starts, you can't stop it…it just keeps getting better. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start bonding! About the Author: Learn more about bonding with and training your cat. Cassandra Mandello helps you to go from cat novice, to training your cat in no time. To get more valuable tips and hints on cat training, visit http://www.secretsofcattraining.com Read more articles by: Cassandra Mandello Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Taking Care Of Your Pet Cat

Before purchasing for yourself a Siamese cat or a rag doll as your pet, make sure that one, you’re not allergic to cats and secondly, your place of living allows house owners to have pets. If you have a problem with any of the two options, you might have to reconsider your decision to own a pet after all. But if there’s no problem with any of those, here are our general tips to help you take good care of your pet cat. There’s a reason why cats are said to have nine lives so if you’re planning to own a pet cat, be aware that the normal lifespan of a pet cat kept indoors could reach up to 17 years or so. If that’s okay with you then great, proceed with your purchase of a pet cat. When you do finally own a pet cat, do keep in mind that your pet cat has to be neutered or spayed before he reaches maturity. This is a necessity if you don’t want your house to be reeking of your pet cat’s urine. The best possible time for spaying would be before your pet cat is seven to eight months old. With pet cats, you must have dry food ready for their consumption at all times. Letting your pet cat live on a daily and regular canned food diet will only result to having a malnourished pet cat and surely you don’t want that? And although dogs can certainly consume and stay healthy with cat food, this is not a vice versa thing with pet cats. With pet cats, a vaccination is necessary to prevent and minimize the chances of your pet cat experiencing respiratory problems later on. It’s better to have your pet cat vaccinated as early as possible. In fact, your pet kitten must be vaccinated several times just to make sure that your pet cat will experience the desired outcome. Always check and feel your pet cat for scratches, burns, wounds and other things that could result to infection or pain for your pet cat. If your children are fond of playing with your pet cat, there could be times that they’ve left a rubber band around the neck of your pet cat for a long time, long enough to form a bruise. And that’s the end of our article on pet cats. Hope you have fun with your pet cat! About the Author: Michael Colucci is a writer for a cat training website at http://www.cat-training.knowledgesearch.net which is part of http://www.knowledgesearch.net Read more articles by: Michael Colucci Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Grooming - More Than A Good Licking

Cats are magical, aren’t they? They’re graceful. They can leap tall armoires in a single bound. They can clean themselves without any help from us humans. Okay, maybe not all cats are graceful. And maybe not all cats can leap tall armoires in a single bound. But, they can clean themselves without our help, right? Right? Actually, while our feline friends spend a great deal of time grooming themselves, once in awhile they really do need our help sprucing up. And, a good brushing once a week helps remove the loose fur that eventually can cause hairballs in your cat’s stomach as she licks herself clean. Let’s take a look at some areas where you can help in your cat’s hygiene. Your Cat’s Coat You can either use a brush or grooming glove purchased from a pet store to brush your cat’s fur. Some pet combs with teeth set closely together also help to remove fleas from your cat’s coat. Be sure to use soft, gentle strokes while brushing, so as not to harm her skin. Short-haired cats are generally easier to brush, while some long-haired cats may need extra attention, especially if the fur is matted. I’ve heard of some people using baby powder (or other powders designed for cats) to make the fur smoother for brushing out mats. You can also break up matted cat fur with scissors, and then brush them out, starting on the outside of the mat and working your way inward. For severely-matted fur, it’s best to take your cat to a professional groomer or your veterinarian. Should you bathe your cat? Normally it’s not necessary, but if your cat is unusually dirty it may be necessary. If you don’t know by now, most cats don’t like taking baths, so it may be something you want to leave to a professional groomer. If you want to take on the task yourself however, just be sure to use a shampoo specially formulated for cats. And, avoid getting water in your cats face or ears. Cats don’t like that. And, you know what happens when cats don’t like something. That’s right…they have claws. Your Cat’s Claws We’re all familiar with our cat’s claws. In a word, they’re sharp. And, they need regular grooming, every two weeks, particularly if you want to lessen scratches on your and your furniture. I happen to be squeamish when it comes to trimming my cat’s claws; therefore, I leave that task to my vet and his assistants. But, if you don’t mind the challenge, just be sure you follow some safety rules. 1. Buy a pair of nail clippers designed for cats. Don’t use the type of clippers meant for humans as these can split your cat’s nails. 2. Become familiar with the two parts of your cat’s nail. The thin part with the point at the end, and the thick, pink part near the paw (the “quick”). Clip only the thin part, not the thick part. The thick part contains blood vessels and nerves. (See why I’m squeamish?) You can also look at the nail and clip beyond the point where it starts its downward curve. Remember that cat’s claws are retractable, so you will have to extend the nail by squeezing the toe between your forefinger and thumb. Your Cat’s Teeth Should you brush your cat’s teeth? Absolutely, and the sooner you begin the habit with your cat, the better. You can use a child’s toothbrush, a finger brush, or one designed for a cat. Be sure to buy a toothpaste designed for cats, as human toothpaste may be harmful to your cat. If you’re just beginning to brush your cat’s teeth, you might want to start slowly with one or two teeth, working up to the whole mouth. Brushing your cat’s teeth is a good habit to get into, and can help save on dental bills later in your cat’s life. It’s also good to have your cat’s teeth checked once or twice a year by your veterinarian. Practicing good hygiene with your cat not only makes your kitty look good, but also makes her feel better. And, if she feels better, you feel better. About the Author: Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of http://www.cattraining411.com. Read more articles by: Shari Hearn Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Save Your Furniture, Sanity And Your Cat Claws!

New cats and kittens are a fantastic addition to any family. But after you’ve bough the litter tray it’s time to worry about the furniture. You see cat’s love to scratch. They actually need to scratch and if you’re not careful they can quickly ruin your prized furniture. But before you give up hope there are things you can do to protect your furniture without having your cat de-clawed. You need to encourage your cat to scratch a scratching post rather than your furniture. An understanding of why cats scratch will help us here.... Cats scratch for many reasons. They scratch as a way to exercise and to tone their muscles. They also scratch as a way to stretch. They have scent glands in their paws so cats scratch to scent and mark their territory. They love to dig their claws into the post, (or your furniture!), not because they want to ruin it but as a way to clean and sharpen their claws. Oh we almost forgot they scratch and claw because it feels sooooooo good!! So you can see that scratching is a cat’s natural behavior and should be supported and encouraged to keep your cat fit and healthy. If your cat is scratching the furniture you’ll find that physical punishment does not work and will alienate your cat. Sometimes a stern word or a loud clap will stop kitty while you’re there, but what happens when you’re gone? For a happy cat and a harmonious household with intact furniture the following tips may be of use: The most important thing you can do is to buy a scratching post BEFORE you get the cat. This way the post will be an integral part of the cat’s environment when it arrives. Once a cat has established a behavior it’s very hard to break. Ideally buy more than one post and place them in the areas that you think the cat will use most often. At a minimum place one near where the cat will sleep. Cats love to stretch when they wake up – who doesn’t. Buy a stable post, one that doesn’t wobble and feels very sturdy. Cats really dislike instability and if the post falls over its very unlikely the cat will ever use that post again. Look for a good solid base and the post should feel well made – not flimsy. Place a post in your main family area. Your cat wants to be part of the family spend time with you. There’s nothing nicer than a cap napping in your lap on a winters day. After a hard hour or so sleeping in your lap its time to stretch. I hope there’s a post nearby or there goes the furniture! At the outset you will need to encourage the cat to scratch the post. You don’t need to show your cat how to scratch – it already knows!! Try rubbing some cat nip on the post, or tie toys and string on the post. Play with the cat around the post so that it gets used to clawing the post. Trailing wool or string up the spot will encourage clawing and is my favorite method! Make sure the post is big enough. Your cat should be able to fully stretch on the post, so look at a minimum height of 3 feet. Cats love to dig in their front claws and arch their back to stretch their front legs. This is difficult to do if the post is too short. Beware, if the post is too short then your cat will find out that human furniture is an ideal height! Play with your cat. Keep it happy and entertained, especially around the posts and it will be less likely to take it out on your furniture! Finally get a post that is course and can be destroyed. Cat’s love rough surfaces. They will happily pull and tear at their post and enjoy watching it deteriorate. Nylon backed carpet makes an excellent post covering, as is sisal rope. A cat can really get its claws into both these materials. If you currently have a cat which is scratching and clawing the furniture then look for a post made from similar material. If you can’t find the ideal post try making your own. About the Author: Mary Amos is a cat love and long time cat owner. Find more articles and resources at Cat Furniture Web Read more articles by: Mary Amos Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg