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! 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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

Train Your Cat To Be Groomed

Grooming for a cat should be done on a daily basis for proper care of your cat. In addition, with the proper care, your cat will stay healthy. Brushing, combing, clipping nails, and cleaning ears, are grooming that needs to be done. By doing basic grooming on a regular basis will help in prevention with scratching furniture, and hairball management. Hairball management can be managed using different products that can help with the hairball for the cat. Do not confuse this to substitute for this part of the grooming. Learn more about these products at your favorite pet store or internet site. When training your cat for grooming, one of the first things you will want done, is to have the cat to be able to relax in your lap. By petting your cat gently on the head and then you will want to pet him down the back and continue till you see that your cat is comfortable with you petting him in the areas that you will be grooming. Next, you will want to press gently on the paw pads to look at the nails, you will want to work on checking the ears. When you have achieved all these things, this is the time to introduce the brush by letting him check the brush out. Carefully start to brush him until you see your cat being comfortable with the brush. Remember a cat’s skin is sensitive and you will want to take real gentle precaution when grooming. Training your cat to be comb will be the same step you have taken to be able to brush your cat. Be gentle, cats hair is easily matted, snarled, and skin sensitive. If you using precaution with doing the combing and you cause pain to your cat, they may not let you do this. Brushing a cat’s hair is very important, also with long hair cats combing needs to be done. With combing it helps get out the lose hair, and will make a nice looking fur for the cat. Clipping nails, if you have never clipped your cat’s nails, please talk to a veterinarian, a local groomers, search articles about it, read books, and be very careful when you are cutting them. One thing to practice is having some one with you to help with this, so if the cat tries to move you have reinforcements. When cutting a cat’s nail, toward the paw is a pink area that you do not want to clip. This will be very painful for the cat and a visit to the vet quickly. Make sure when doing this that the cat is very comfortable with you touching its paws. Talk to him when cutting the nails to reassure it is fine and soon will be done. If your cat seems annoyed with cutting their nails, stop, and try later. If you are unable to do this, cat groomers trained to cut nails can do this for you and most time very inexpensive, a lot less then a vet bill. Cleaning your cat’s ears is another basic grooming process, as in the first part of the article, makes sure the cat is comfortable with the touching of their ears. Once you know that you are able to touch your cat’s ears, now is the time to clean. Use soft tip q-tips for this part, gently at first rub the q-tip around the out side of the ear working your way to the inside to be able to clean the ear. If at any time the cat resist, stop redirect the cat and then continue until you can successfully clean the ears. Grooming your cat is also caring for your pet; just feeding your cat is caring. Grooming is also a great way to interact with your pet, for healthy relationships. Search out more information on training your pet, tools to help with the training and caring for your pet. Check out books, pet stores, search on the internet there are great articles, ideas, and suggestions on training your pet. One way of training may not work but some one else may have different approach. Not all cats train the same, just as we do not teach the same. 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

You've Gotta Love Cat Art

As an artist, I have grown to appreciate all kinds of art. It took me studying art in college to really learn the fact that all people have different ideas of what art is and of what beauty is. I learned that I can value something as beautiful and that the next person might see it as strange or even lacking beauty. This is okay. And that is the true beauty of art. I have always loved cat art, for example, and it took a long time for the people around me to learn to appreciate my taste for cat art. I have been a lover of all things to do with cats since I was a little girl. My family had a constant flow of at least three or four cats at any given time throughout my growing up years. I began first with just loving cats, but my love of cats quickly grew to loving cat art. I guess because I am also an artist at heart, I found the combination of cats and art to fit me well. So I began searching for cat art and creating my own cat art before I entered junior high school. Cat art is great because it is such a visual way of representing and enjoying cats. I would enroll in a painting class and find myself choosing cat art anytime I had the choice. I would take an illustration class and find myself illustrating a story using entirely cat art. I couldn't get enough of cat art, nor was I ever satisfied with my ability to draw the perfect cat. I even signed up for private lessons one summer and had my instructor focus fully on cat art with me. So if you love cats as much as I do, then consider expanding your love for cats into a love for cat art. If you are an artist, then begin playing around with creating your own cat art. Use all different kinds of mediums. If you own a cat, begin your exploration of cat art by taking photographs of your cat. Don't worry about a certain skill level at the beginning, just start with the skill you have and move forward. If you aren't the hands on art type, then begin to search for great pieces of cat art to add to your home or office. Look for paintings, illustrations, photographs or any kind of cat art that appeals to you. Be proud that you love cats so much and be proud to show your affection through great pieces of cat art displayed for all to see. About the Author: Hallidae Thomason is an artist that loves to spend time developing new cat art. She wants to spread her love to other people. See www.allcatart.info for more news. Read more articles by: Hallidae Thomason Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Learn About Real Cat Care

If you are one of the many people lucky enough to own a cat or several cats as pets, then you need to take time and make the effort to learn proper cat care. One of my biggest struggles with people is that they choose to have pets but then do nothing to intentionally take good care of them. This is why, as a veterinarian, I make all of my clients come to a seminar about good cat care and dog care before they can receive services at my office. Many other veterinarians think that this measure is extreme and that I cannot really subject all of my clients to that kind of seminar. While I have had a few clients disagree with my tactics, the majority of my clients have submitted to my request without hesitation. Why? Because I believe that people know that they need to learn proper cat care or dog care and so they are willing to atttend a seminar. I believe that taking the time and energy to learn proper cat care or dog care is absolutely essential for all pet owners. People need to realize that owning a pet is a serious responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. On the contrary, it must be given attention. I pride myself in being a veterinarian that is committed to preventative care by teaching my clients how to give good cat care and dog care. I find that the more education pet owners get at the start, the less problems they have that need my attention. If you are considering getting a cat, then I suggest you slow down a bit and take the time to really learn about proper cat care. Inform yourself about the reality of being a pet owner. Learn what your responsibilities will be before you commit to taking them on. If you are not sure where to look for information on good cat care, then talk with a veterinarian or other cat owners near you. An even easier method is to head off to your local library and check out a few good books on the subject of cat care. Inform yourself. Get online and see what you can learn about even the basics of cat care. The more you learn, the less question marks you will have later. Cats are amazing animals and they make great pets. Do what is most loving for your pet and learn about good cat care before you bring your new cat home to stay. About the Author: Julee Mitchelsin is a veterinarian that is passionate about teaching good cat care methods to future and current pet owners. See www.catcarehelp.info for more details. Read more articles by: Julee Mitchelsin Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Health

Cats are not your typical domesticated animal. Unlike dogs, which are always eager to please their owners and are in constant need of affection and attention, cats’ personality types vary considerably. While it is true that there are many cats that long to please their owners, as rubbing up against legs or letting out an elongated “purr” will attest, cats by their very nature are independent, fickle animals. At one moment they can be at your heels, the next they’ll be standoffish, wanting nothing more than to be away from human contact of any kind. It is no wonder, then, that cats are divided into two categories: the indoor cat and the outdoor cat. Depending on the owner and his or her trust of their cat’s intuition and their living environment, the independent cats are afforded the opportunity to roam free. This gives the cat the independence it desires, and in so doing, making him or her happier than if it were confined to indoor quarters. An outdoor cat does carry with it risk, though; the likelihood of the cat dying earlier, due to environmental factors, than it would as an indoor cat is considerably higher. The indoor cat doesn’t have the same independence, creating a sort of cabin fever effect that can negatively impact a cat’s personality and inborn independent nature. But, the likelihood of a cat living a long life is greatly increased because, of course, environmental dangers don’t factor into its life like it does with the outdoor cat. But because cats are so fickle and so hard to determine, how do you know the true nature of your cat? Furthermore, what can you do to guarantee the health a cat needs to survive in the quiet confines of your home or out on the range? With the electronic manual, you’ll find out this and a whole lot more. Things like how to know what your cat’s real needs are, the best diet for your cat, what the perfect environment is for your cat, things you should never do with your cat, the exercise plan that fits your cat, the proper weight for your cat, ways in which to get your cat to form good habits and much, much more. About the Author: For more information, go to http://www.infostormpublishing.com/ebooks/?bk=6 Read more articles by: Kent Sayre Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Three Reasons To Own A Cat Instead Of A Dog

Over the past 25 years that I have been a cat owner I have narrowed down the many reasons for having a cat as a companion to three main reasons. When I am trying to convince dog owners on the advantages of owning a cat, this is what I tell them. Reason one: Cats are a low maintains pet compared to dogs. I have 4 cats sharing my house with me and my wife. They eat dry food from one feeder that I fill once a day. Same with the water. We have four litter boxes located in strategic places in the house. I scoop these boxes every day and It takes me less then 10 minuets. Try walking 4 dogs in that amount of time and clean up after them. My wife and I travel for up to four days and leave the cats unattended. The worse we come home to is a 4 full litter boxes. Leave 4 dogs alone and I wouldn't want to come home. Reason two: Cats are really more social animals then dogs. Dogs are pack animals by nature and sees their owners as the dominate dog in the pack. That’s why you can smack a dog and he will most likely come back to you, try smacking a cat and you won’t see it again no time soon. Our four cats have their own social order and have let us into the mix. If you bring your cat indoors and make it part of the family it will entertain you with more social behaviors than a dog. Reason three: The size of most cats make them ideal pets. It pains me to see people that live in apartments that own a big dog. The cats size makes it the perrrfect (I couldn’t resist) companion for apartment dwellers. A good size apartment will be big enough for one or two cats to have enough space. I suppose I should add one or two arguments that you may have to face when convincing dog owners to give Fido the heave ho and get a real pet. The old argument of “ I allergic to cats” can be countered with the fact that they now have hypoallergenic cats. Tell them to Google it and then go get a cat. The last obstacle you may face is what I call the Fear Factor. Some people are deathly afraid of cats. When I have a visit from one of these people I try and get them and one of may cats locked in the bathroom for at least an hour. Most of the time it works but keep the phone line clear in case you have to dial 911. About the Author: Become a cat expert - visit http://catnews.org Author: Russell Clark - Editor http://www.CatNews.org Come visit me at www.CatNews.org Read more articles by: Russell Clark Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Invest In Some Cat Furniture

If you are one of the lucky people in the world to own one or many cats as pets, then congratulations because you have chosen one of the best pets you can own. If you have made the commitment to owning cats, then don't you want to be the best cat owner that you can be? Of course you do. Just like parents who go all out buying everything they could possibly need for their new babies, so you should make sure that you have all of the cat furniture and supplies you need for welcoming your new cat and for giving it a great life. If owning cat furniture seems a bit excessive to you, then perhaps you are not cut out to own a cat. In fact, I'd suggest that true cat lovers know that owning some simple cat furniture can make all the difference in their experience with their furry friends. So consider carefully whether you are ready and willing to be the kind of cat owner that you should be. If you are ready to really be a cat owner and to purchase some great cat furniture, then let the adventure begin. There is a wide variety of cat furniture, so you'll have to do a little research and see what is best for you and your cat. Do this by talking with other cat owners first. Make a visit to friends that own cats and see what kinds of cat furniture they are using. Get their advice about furniture that is good and about furniture that you could do without. You should also stop into a pet supply store or two when you are trying to determine what cat furniture is right for your home and your cat. Talking to people that are experts and cats and cat life is a great way to learn all you can. People at supply stores will be able to show you different kinds of cat furniture and will be able to help you compare and contrast them right in the store. You do not want to purchase cat furniture and then wind up regretting it once you get it home. Great cat furniture can be purchased new or used at a variety of great places. You can even look in the newspaper to see if any cat lovers are trying to sell some cat furniture. Just keep your eyes open and you should have no problems finding cat furniture that fits into your budget. About the Author: Triston Huntsmin is a veterinarian that believes cat furniture is essential for the wellbeing of cats. See www.finecatfurniture.info for more on finding great cat furniture for your furry friend. Read more articles by: Triston Huntsmin Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Claw Survival Solutions To The Rescue!

Cats can be ill tempered and mean on their worst days, but even the most annoying problems have a remedy somewhere. If your cat is clawing your furniture, your carpet, and your legs with the same ferocity, understanding the how and why behind the behavior can help you redirect your feline friend’s clawing instinct to be expressed in less destructive ways. So why IS your cat clawing everything in sight? Here’s the jaw dropper: a cat’s claws never stop growing. Let me repeat that: They NEVER stop growing. When I found that out, a big light went off in my head. Just like a pet hamster that constantly needs to knaw on wood to keep their teeth from growing too long, what cats are actually doing when they sharpen their claws is removing the outermost layer of their claws. O.K. Kitty Cat, we finally get it! So what to do? What to do? The first thought bubble that forms is to scoop kitty up for a little declawing action at the nearest vet’s office. But before you take such a drastic step, keep in mind that once those claws are gone, they’re GONE. Take away those claws, and you’re taking away your pet’s primary form of defense. Even if you have an indoor cat like I do, chances are, sooner or later, a window of opportunity is going to open up just long enough for your cat to slip outside and be vulnerable to attacks from other animals and people. O.K. So now you know why your cat is actually using you as a scratching post. Let’s move away from the word “using”. In a way, it’s kind of flattering. That doesn’t make it hurt any less. Let’s get your cat to branch out. It’s time to get a REAL scratching post, so that your pet can get into the habit of using it instead of YOU, whenever those claw sharpening impulses may strike. So how do we get kitty to break her bad habits and start to use the proper place where she can scratch to her heart’s content? The answer lies in you. That is of course, IF you are your cat’s favorite person in the family. If so, then try hanging an article of clothing that belongs to you on your virgin scratching post. The idea is to make the area smell familiar. A day or two should be enough for your cat to become accustomed to its’new scratching outlet. Don’t want to part with something from your wardrobe? Time to get a little sneakier then. Catnip can be your secret weapon. Sprinkle catnip over the scratching post and watch what happens. This one may be even worth breaking out the video camera for. This next option sounds a little weird, but believe me, it WORKS! Try sprinkling the post area with powdered chicken bouillon. The idea is to get the cat to feel friendly enough toward the scratching post to attack it. While your cat is making the transition to a designated area for scratching, there are several ways to make your cat’s favorite scratching areas a lot less attractive. This will help ease the transition from the old spots to the new. Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over them. Cover or wrap the areas in aluminum foil. Remember what it felt like when your fingernails went down the chalkboard? Ever try it again? Cats will experience the same thing and be deterred from using the areas. Finally, clean the areas well to eradicate any cat odor. This will go a long way toward removing the aura of familiarity that creates the habit of using the space. Also, just keep the doors closed to make those places inaccessible to the cat. Now that you know more about the how and why of your cat’s clawing instinct and behavior, take these simple steps and you’ll soon see a resolution to the cat clawing issues in your household. With a little time and patience, your cat’s claw sharpening activities should be limited to its favorite spot: the scratching post! About the Author: Romi Matsushita is a Cat Claw Survivor who has the scars to prove it. Learn more reasons your cat’s claws come out 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

Cat Training Techniques & Information

The most popular form of cat training is that of learning them how to use the litterbox. This is especially important for indoor cats, but is also ideal for an indoor/outdoor pet. Many people are surprised to know that cat training can also involve an actual toilet, which will eliminate the expense and odor associated with a litterbox. This type of cat training will consist of several weeks during which time the litterbox is elevated and moved until it is near the toilet. The move should be gradual so as to not cause the cat a great deal of confusion or, even worse, cause him/her to misplace the litterbox. During this type of cat training, the litter can be suspended above the toilet using either a small bowl or box. At the conclusion of cat training involving the toilet, the cat will be able to use the toilet by perching over the bowl. Cat training for indoor cats may also involve the implementation of a scratching post, which will prevent them from ruining furniture or carpet with their nails. While it is very possible to trim the nails, great care must be taken so as to avoid cutting a vein if the nails are cut too short. It is best to begin cat training as early as possible. If you have a kitten, start early and teach him/her the basic behavior that is expected from an indoor pet, such as not clawing the furniture and how to use the litterbox. Experts believe that cats can and often do bond with their owner. In fact, cats are thought to be able to initiate eye contact in an effort to convey a message or may even mimic the actions of their owner. The bonding process is especially important while you attempt cat training. As with any pet, training can be very daunting and often stressful to the owner. It is much easier to instill cat training techniques on a kitten as opposed to a cat, which is something that every pet owner should consider prior to selecting a new addition to their family. Cat training is the best way for indoor pets to live a happy and healthy life with their owner. A cat that is not properly trained will not understand what is acceptable and what is not, which is why cat training is so important to both the cat and his/her owner. About the Author: Want to learn more about car transport? Make sure you visit our site at: http://www.cartransportguide.info for access to additional car transport tips and information. Read more articles by: John H. Rogers Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Go For A Cat Instead

I know many people that are considering getting a pet for themselves or for family members of friends. When I ask most of them what kinds of pets they are considering they sort of laugh and say that "they are only considering dogs, of course." I'm not sure what causes this particular response in people, but I have done my best in the past few months and begun speaking up for getting a cat instead of a dog. It's true that I am a little biased about the benefits of owning a cat over a dog. After all, I have been a cat owner since I was three years old and I am now a cat breeder by profession. I will attempt to keep all of my bias away as I share with you a few great reasons why you should at least consider choosing a cat rather than a dog for your next pet. First, a cat is the perfect pet for many people because they require much less work than dogs. Think about it. Getting a dog requires someone to be home nearly all the time at least for the first few months of owning the dog. With a cat there is no need to potty train them, take them outside, walk them or spend endless hours playing with them. A cat is definitely a more independent animal and the perfect pet for more independent people. Who really wants to be tied down with an animal that takes so much time and attention? Another great reason for getting a cat rather than a dog is to have a quiet and constant companion. One of my least favorite things about dogs is how loud and noisy they can be. Of course, a cat will occasionally meow, but nowhere near as much noise as a dog. Cats pretty much keep quiet and are the perfect companion for most people. They are also great because they usually love to be around people, so if you are looking for a pet that will be quiet but will be near you, then the cat is the perfect choice for you. Cats in general take a lot less work than dogs. Talk to most cat owners and you will hear great stories of people who love owning a cat. So if you are thinking of getting a pet, take the time to check out the benefits of getting a cat. See how great having a cat can be with your stressful and busy lifestyle. About the Author: Analeese Burnabaker is a professional cat breeder and a long time cat owner. See www.cattimes.info for more about getting a cat, the perfect pet. Read more articles by: Analeese Burnabaker Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Five Ways For A Cat Lover To Make Extra Money

I read somewhere that the best way to make money is to do something you enjoy doing. I think the quote was “do something you love and you will never have to work for the rest of your life.” What a profound statement I thought. It got me thinking of ways I could make money from the love of my life, my cats. I spent a few nights researching business ideas on the net. After I compiled a list I sat down and chiseled the list to five ways a cat lover could make extra money. I needed ventures that I could start with very little cash and I could do part time. Cat Sitting seems attractive to me. What I found is a whole host of websites for budding pet sitters, like me. Pet sitting has matured into a billion dollar industry. There are trade associations that will be glad to assist you in setting up your pet sitting business. Google: start your own cat setting service. Cat Breeding is an option for someone who has the space and the know how. Breeding cats for profit is not as easy as it sounds and should not be attempted by the average cat owner. If you want to go down this cash highway then I suggest you talk to more then one breeder already in the industry. Attend cat shows and soak up as much information as you can. Check the breed asocialtions web sites for good information. Google: Cat breeding for profit How about cat photography? Now days a good digital camera can be had for under a hundred bucks. From what I read the trick is to know how to get the cat to sit still. No small feat, I’m sure. Every breeder could use some professional pictures of their cats. Google: How to photograph your cat Want to sit at home all day with your cats? Maybe a cat related website is for you. My website is www.CatNews.org and it has several income sources. I make money from clicks on my ads and from sales from the sites I advertise on my site. You can purchase ready made websites from Ebay cheap. Google: Cat adsense websites for sale Selling cat related gifts on Ebay would make you a good living. You can find thousands of wholesale suppliers for cat gifts on the net. You may have to get a state tax number. Check your local comptrollers office. Christmas season will your best time of year. Google: Selling cat gifts on Ebay These five ideas should get the creative money juices flowing in any cat lover. Good luck and I hope you make your fortune. About the Author: Become a cat expert - visit http://catnews.org Author: Russell Clark - Editor http://www.CatNews.org Come visit me at www.CatNews.org Read more articles by: Russell Clark Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

The Most Important Things You Need To Know Before Adopting A Cat Part 2

Would you rather have a long or a short hair cat? Hair length of your cat is an important part of your decision. Although long fur cats may look nicer, they need more care and attention than their short fur counterparts. It is especially true for the period when they cast off their fur because you have to brush them every day and in the mean time once in 2 or three days. Taking care of short hair cats is much easier in this respect because they can keep their hair tidy by cleaning themselves and taking care of their falling fur with their rugged tongues. It is also recommended to brush this variety every 4 or 5 days. It is important to make them get used to being brushed when they are kittens. How many cats should you adopt? You can keep two or more cats if you live in a big flat or in a detached house, but the cats you adopt should be from the same litter. They already know each other well; they play with each other and get out of each other’s way, too, when they want to. If you keep kittens of mixed gender it is important to neuter them when they are about 8 months old. Each cat requires a separate resting area. As far as the number of toilet boxes are concerned, there should always be at least more than one than the number of cats you keep with the help of this method you can easily make your cat house-trained. Toilet boxes should be placed in different parts of the house so that the cats can reach them according to their needs in the shortest possible time. It is not recommended to keep more than one cat in a small flat because they will fight for their own territory. Cats and other pets around the house It can happen quite often that you have to keep under one roof two or more pets belonging to different species. There are a great number of households where cats and dogs can get on well with each other, moreover they become even friends. Although it has to be emphasised that pets should not share in the food or the sleeping area with each other, in other words they should have their own designated territories. It is highly important that you start to make them become accustomed to each other at an early age because it is much harder for older pets to become friends. It is a well-tried tactics to use the same shampoo the first time you bathe them, because they get used to each other better if they have the same smell. You should not treat them differently. To make them become accustomed to each other successfully, you need to give the same amount of love, care, patience and attention to both pets in the house. Cats cannot get used to certain animals because of their genetically coded hunting instinct no matter how hard you try. These are the following: fish, mice, guinea pigs, squirrels, and birds. Before you choose your kitten you should check the following things carefully, if you want to bring home a healthy pet: - Healthy kittens are full of vitality; they play a lot and frisk about. - A healthy pet should not be visibly skinny to the naked eye. - An ill kitten is indifferent, apathetic, and has a lack of appetite. - A healthy kitten’s fur is never ruffled; it must be thick and soft. - A kitten’s eye should never be in tears and should not be full of mucus. - A healthy kitten’s nose should be warm and dry but it must not be hot. - The inner part of its ears should always be clean and its gum should be pink. - It is a sign of diarrhoea if the area of the anus is jammed and tainted with faeces. - A cat’s stomach should never be swollen; it can only be big and swollen directly after eating. - White pedigree cats are often deaf. You can test their deafness if you call them or make noises behind their backs. After you have selected your pet, there is one thing left. You should find a suitable name for your pet. Experienced pet owners already know that it can be a hard task to find a good pet name. www.cat-dog-names.com can help to find the perfect name for your pet. About the Author: If you need suggestion for naming your pet, visit cat-dog-names.com. This site offers lot's of cat, kitten, puppy and dog names. You can find names based on color, gender, country of origin and other categories. Read more articles by: Odett France Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Good Cat Care Means A Happy Cat

Cat care is the most important part of keeping your cat healthy and happy. The more you know about cat care, the better you will be able to meet your feline’s physical and emotional needs. The stronger your cat’s health and the better your cat’s attitude are, the more you will be able to enjoy your cat’s unique personality. Good cat care will make your cat more affectionate, and can dramatically reduce any behavior problems that your cat may be displaying. If you want a richer and fuller relationship with your cat, try improving your cat care. Having a cat is a two way street. The better the level of cat care that you can provide for your pet, the more energetic, affectionate, and well behaved it will be. By giving your pet with optimum cat care, you will make it more agreeable to the training and gentle behavior modification techniques that can take the headaches out of pet ownership. Good cat care often translates into a good cat that will take commands more willingly than a cat who does not receive enough attention, affection, and care. The more you learn about how to care for your cat, the better the level of health you will be able to bring your feline friend to. The healthier your cat is, the stronger the emotional bond between you and your pet will be, and that bond often serves as the core of obedience training. By educating yourself about cat care and practicing the best, scientifically tested cat care techniques to provide your cat with optimum attention, you can make sure that your cat is as happy as possible. The happier your cat is, the happier it will be able to make you. A cat that is well cared for is a cat that will be interested in active playtime and in calm relaxation. The better your cat care abilities are, the more fully you will be able to sharing time with your cat doing all of you pet’s, and your, favorite activities together. Great cat care provides a strong foundation for your bond with your cat. Good cat care can help you grow closer with your beloved pet by making sure that he or she is always up for spending time with you. This is why cat care is an important part of your emotional relationship with your cat. If your cat isn’t getting the right kind of care, from the best kind of diet to the ideal grooming schedule, your cat may develop behavior issues that can make your pet feel like a problem child. However, the positive side of this equation is that conscientious and responsible cat care can help your cat overcome issues ranging from constant mewling to weight issues to destructive tendencies. Good cat care means a happier pet, and even a problematic cat who receives enough of the right kind of care can become a pleasant companion. About the Author: For more Cat Care information please visit "The Cat Care Compendium" Located at: http://www.cat-guide.com This Blog created by Doug Rogers shares with readers helpful cat care information for all cat lovers. Read more articles by: Douglas Rogers Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Curbing Your Cat’s Natural Nasty Enthusiasms

If your cat’s bad behavior is driving you crazy, here are the best solutions to the most common problems you may be facing. 1. Eliminating Outside the litter box. Is it your fault or the cat’s fault? Many cats won’t use the litter box if it is too dirty. They just don’t like it. If you think this may be the problem, change the litter box twice as often as you currently do. When your cat goes outside the box, make like a speed demon to clean all the places the cat goes. Spray the areas down with Lysol or something similar with a nice strong smell that will obliterate the blessed odor of you know what. What is your cat’s favorite place? Put the litter box there. Maybe if you simply put the litter box in the bathroom, the situation will change. If it’s not in too obnoxious a place, you can put the litter box on top of the place your cat has chosen to go to, just to make the point. As a last resort, put down bleach, safely, in those spots, and cover the area with aluminum foil. 2. Spraying Male animals of many different species do this to mark their territory, and cats are no exception. You may find your cat does this when it feels threatened, especially by dogs and small children, or maybe perhaps when other male cats are around. There is little to be done for this beyond neutering your male cat. Don’t punish your cat for this behavior though. They won’t understand at all. 3. Clawing people This is another example of something cats tend to do when they feel afraid or threatened. But again, is it the cat’s fault, or the people around him? If you have a cat that is generally afraid of children, you should do something about it. Try exposing the cat to young children in small doses until he gets used to it. Don’t just let children loose around the cat. Have the child sit in your lap or next to you and feed your pet kitty treats. Some cats are afraid, but let’s face it, some are just mean to certain people. As soon as the cat starts clawing or growling, quickly pick her up and remove her from the situation. If the object of derision is a family member, try spraying lemon juice to keep the cat away. Again, try exposing the cat to the person in small pockets of time, until your pet gets used to being around that individual. If the derided person is your mother in law, there may be nothing you can do. 4. Caterwauling What is that sound? Who hasn’t wondered or thought that some disaster has occurred after hearing their cat making ululating noises in the middle of the night. Siamese cats actually do this by nature, so you may not be able to get them to stop, but other cats do it because they are tired, hungry, or sick. There aren’t many things you can do about this unfortunately. If you think it’s a hunger thing, feed your pet more promptly, and refuse to feed her when she caterwauls. She won’t understand what you are doing, but she’ll almost certainly quit after she figures out it does her no good. If she caterwauls because she is in heat, you should get her fixed. For other caterwauling problems, try to ignore her, and keep her as far away from yourself as possible. However there are times when your cat caterwauls to let you know she has done something good. If you approve of the behavior, by all means praise your pet to let her know. 5. Running Outside Curiousity killed the cat. The cliché exists because it’s so true. Indoor cats get very curious about the outside, what’s BEYOND THE DOOR. The first thing you should do is not open the door when the cat runs out. Try to get the cat accustomed to the outdoors by getting a cat leash and walking her on it or by carrying her in your arms when you go outside. Once the mystery of what’s out there is gone, she’s less likely to want to get to it, particularly if you expose her to snow or other extreme conditions. Your cat can be by turns lovable and frustrating. Like children, pets often behave in ways that perplex us. By being aware of what makes your cat do the things that it does, you can learn how to curb its’ enthusiasm for undesirable habits, as well as to accept those you cannot change. About the Author: Romi Matsushita curbs her cat's natural nasty enthusiasms daily. Find great cat care tips, articles, and advice 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

Cat Litter Box Problems: 7 Essential Keys To Solve The Problem Quickly!

Has this ever happened to you? Your cat's peeing outside the litter box, and you're desperately trying to clean up after your cat, wondering if you're actually doing anything to stop it from happening in the first place! Well, if you're like me, you probably want some quick solutions to the problem, or at least a list of checkpoints that you know you must, like a detective on a trail, work through, to get the litter box behavior problem under control. By the time you finish this article, you will have learnt the 7 most important steps you must know, when it comes to this problem of the cat peeing outside the litter box. Firstly, let's have a look at the reasons why this happens. The reasons for peeing outside the litter box are: 1. A medical problem. 2. The cat that has never been properly house trained to use the litter box in the first place. 3. Problems with the litter tray itself. 4. An unpleasant event that occurred while the cat was at the litter box. 5. A temporary physical or emotional stress, or change in the household causing the cat to urinate in an area outside the box, which is perpetuated by the urine smell reminding the cat to return to the same area over and over again. 6. Old age causing a cat to not be easily able to get to the litter box. Now, keep these causes in mind, when checking out the 7 action steps: 1. If there's a change in toilet behavior with no obvious cause, it may be caused by illnesses such as urinary tract infections, blocked anal glands, worms and parasites, diabetes and tumors. These illnesses may have no other obvious signs, apart from this urination problem. So you must consider a visit to the vet. In other cases you may see symptoms such as lethargy, blood in the urine, diarrhea, or constant licking in the anal area. If you see this, then your first stop is the vet! 2. Look at the litter box itself. Ensure you're cleaning out the waste once or twice a day, and changing the litter every 3-4 days for non-clumping litter (2-3 weeks for clumping litter). Clean the tray with hot water and mild detergent, without any strong odors such as citrus or ammonia, which will repel the cat from the box. If you have multiple cats, remember - the number of trays should equal number of cats, plus one or two. If you've changed brands of litter, this may have caused the problem as many cats dislike this change, especially to scented litter. Return to the older litter. If you want to change, introduce unscented litter gradually by mixing the old with the new over 2 weeks. And ensure that the location of the box is acceptable: no loud noises, has some privacy, and is not in view of other cats. 3. Consider adding in 1 more litter box to another suitable private location of the house. This is because sometimes it's not the litter box that's the problem, but a negative experience there. For example, if your kids played with the cat while she was on the litter box, or if the cat had pain when urinating, such as during a urine infection, after having kittens, or had a procedure done on the bladder or urethra at the vet, then the cat would associate pain with that litter box. Even if the pain is gone, the association and is still there. 4. Thoroughly clean the area that has been peed on. This is important because no matter what the cause, the fact that the urine remains on the bed, carpet, or sofa is a reminder for the cat to return to pee there. The cat's sense of smell is more acute than ours, so ensure you clean with a solution such as Brampton's Simple Solution. If you have remaining urine smell together with a bad association at the box, then you have 2 forces causing the problem to continue. So get rid of both! 5. Next, if possible, deny the cat access to the area that is peed on, especially if it's an area that is repeatedly used. Many people forget to do this, and their problem is prolonged. By stopping access, the cycle of repeated urination is stopped. Will the cat pee somewhere else? Possible, though less likely if you provide a second litter box, show him where it is a few times, and also do the step 7 below. 6. If you can't stop the cat from accessing the area, make the area less attractive for peeing instead. You can do this by either placing a scent, or, by placing a bowl of dried cat food there. If using a scent, try citrus or eucalyptus. If using dried food, which often works better, ensure that you top up the food bowl during the day. Either way, once you have success, continue for another 1-2 weeks to ensure it stays that way. 7. If you're at home when the cat is, then you have this step up your sleeve as well: the startle technique. Only do this method if you actually catch the cat about to urinate because if you do it at any other time, that cat will not be able to associate that urinating in the area with the unpleasant startle. Startle the cat with a loud "No!" or clap of the hands. Wait 5 minutes, then bring the cat to the litter tray, and if she toilets at the tray, reward her with praise and a food treat. As long as the length and enjoyment of the reward if far greater than the startle, this will be unlikely to cause stress. Use this method carefully as some cats may experience stress with it. Make sure that the cat seems relaxed after the food treat, and that it's actually improving the situation. If you follow the above steps, most problems of peeing outside the litter box will be solved within days or gradually improve over 1-2 weeks. Remember in all cases, you'll be even more effective if you reduce stress at the same time. This means more play time and attention. In conclusion, it does take some effort and detective work to see what has caused the litter box behavior problem in the first place. And you now know how to apply 7 essential steps to help you solve this issue, as quickly and effectively as possible. If you'd like to learn more advanced tips on solving your cat's litter box behavior problem, go to the website in the resource box below: About the Author: Cassandra Mandello helps you to go from cat novice, to successfully training your cat in no time. To learn more valuable cat training techniques, including more tips on solving your cat's litter box problem, visit http://www.secretsofcattraining.com Read more articles by: Cassandra Mandello Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Cat Mailboxes Can Mean So Much

We love our cats. Throughout the centuries, Cats have been revered, even worshipped. They can be our cuddly friends or fearsome hunters. Through it all, they are our beloved pets. For some, coming through the door at the end of a long day, being greeted by a furry feline it the best part of the day. Our cats love us unconditionally; we can do no wrong with them. Now, there is something that can lift your spirits as soon as you turn into the driveway. A new and unique way to pay tribute to the one who enriches our lives in so many different ways and this is with cat mailboxes. Cat mailboxes, what’s not to love? A cat mailbox is a cute, fun, decorative novelty item that can bring you home to life. It is a way to personalize your property. It can show to the world that you are friend to felines. The assortment of different cat mailboxes is as astounding. There are so many different shapes and sizes that it makes the decision to purchase just one difficult. There have been some who have purchased cat mailboxes just for décor. They can be created a playful kittens or in a stalking pose. The design is limited only by cat lovers’ imagination. Cat mailboxes are approved by the United States Postal service and are made of heavy-duty steel that is rust and weather resistant. They also can be made out of wood, or vinyl, and are all durable to withstand the often-frigid temperatures of winter or scorching heat of summer. Cat mailboxes come in many different designs. They can be freestanding, or attach to a building. They can have locks attached by request. By searching the Internet, there are hundreds of links that will assist the cat lover in finding the perfect cat mailbox. There are even sites that will create a specific cat mailbox from a picture that is sent. It can be made to be a life size model of the your favorite pet. What better was to express love for a furry feline friends. A cat mailbox can also have a message inscribed on it to welcome guests to your home. This services is usually offer by request only. These adorable designs are usually hand crafted, and made to look exactly like a treasured family pet. A cat mailbox can even be made with movable whiskers and tails. They are a delightful novelty item that all cat lovers would love to receive as a gift. A cat mailbox will make an incredible addition to a home that will keep friends and loved one amazed at the quality and workmanship of the design. Most sites on the Internet will send a cat mailbox complete with everything you need for installation. This feature is appealing to most people as all they have to do is unwrap and install their cat mailbox for all to see. Big or small, black or white a cat mailbox will be the talk of every neighborhood. About the Author: Mailboxes HQ contains information about mailboxes from designer mailboxes through how to keep your mail safe from criminals. Read more articles by: Carl Walker Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Is Your Cat Ready For Toilet Training?

At the end of a long day, who wants to sift through a messy litter box? Certainly not me. Up until now, the litter-box has been a necessary evil, a small price to pay for our beloved companions. But not anymore. In fact, there's an underground alternative designed for those of us who are ready to kick the litter habit: toilet training your cat. Sounds complicated, right? Not at all. Although far from mainstream, cat toilet training is gaining momentum and cat owners across the country are beginning to embrace the trend. But before you toss that box in the trash, there's a few ways to tell if your cat is ready to take the leap into a litter-free lifestyle. Think Fluffy has what it takes? Read on. 1. Your cat is already litter-box trained. OK, I know what you're thinking: "Of course my cat knows how to use the litter-box" But the simple fact is, cats that already know how to use the litter-box can be reconditioned to use the toilet instead. That's because cat toilet training utilizes your cat's natural instincts to bury their waste to hide their scent from predators. During the training process your cat will learn to put its waste in water instead of in litter. Once your cat makes this transition toilet training becomes a breeze and - voila! Your cat is successfully potty trained! 2. Your cat is eager to please you. Does your cat love making you happy? Whether she leaves the occasional "gift" on your doorstep or offers a warm nuzzle while you're reading, cats who are eager to please are the purr-fect candidates for toilet training. After she learns that using the toilet pleases you, she'll be happy to oblige! 3. You have trained your cat to do something in the past. Does your cat come when you call them? Believe it or not, simple actions like responding to a voice command can help lay the groundwork for the toilet training process. After all, if your kitty already knows how to "follow the leader", toilet training will be a breeze. 4. Your cat is healthy. This one might seem like a no-brainer, but healthy cats have a much easier time jumping up onto their new throne. Illnesses like arthritis or urinary tract infections can affect their ability to learn how to use the toilet, so sick kitties should stick to the box. 5. You know your cat. Can you tell when your feline friend is having a rough day? If you're like many pet owners, you're probably very in tune with your cat's feelings. This unique bond works as a positive force during the toilet training process. How? Cats will use body language to tell you if they are comfortable with a particular training step. When you pick up on these signals, both of you can work together to achieve a relaxed training pace. You'll both feel satisfied when you work as a team! About the Author: Rebecca Rescate is the creator of the CitiKitty Cat Toilet Training Kit. She has helped thousands of cat owners pursue their dream of a litter-free life with their beloved feline. Visit her site to find out more about CitiKitty - http://www.citikitty.com Read more articles by: Rebecca Rescate Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg