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

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