Adopting A Cat

Cats are sweet and cuddly! It's easy to get swept up in the emotion and buy a cat without thinking. But that's not how it should be. Whether or not to adopt a cat is by no means an easy decision. It carries with it huge responsibility. You will have to take care of a cat until its death, which could be in 15 to 20 years. In addition, you should be ready to spend a large amount of your time feeding the cat, grooming it, and playing with it on a daily basis. Keep the following points in mind before deciding to adopt a cat: 1. Prior to bringing a cat home, it is essential to know if any member of your household is allergic to cats. Having to get rid of your new pet would be cruel. 2. Cats are social animals and need regular attention and care. They must not be left alone for extended periods, nor be handled roughly, as this will make them aggressive and nervous. 3. Cat care can take a financial toll. You must ensure that you have sufficient funds to take care of your cat's food, toys, medication, and so on. 4. Decide whether you want to adopt a kitten or an adult cat. The only advantage of getting a kitten is that kittens are cute. On the other hand, an adult cat has a well defined personality. Moreover, adult cats are more likely to be litter-box trained and less likely to scratch every bit of furniture in your house. 5. Children and cats can prove to be a bad combination, especially if the child is very young. He or she may mistreat the cat (knowingly or unknowingly) and get a nasty bite in return. 6. A cat requires proper care and medical treatment. This includes annual check-ups, vaccines, and prescription medication for any health problems that could occur. 7. It does not really matter whether you get a female cat or male cat; both genders are equally affable. However, always have your cat spayed or neutered. This helps avoid the unhealthy effects of the mating season in female cats and curb aggression in males. 8. Cat adoption is the most humane way to get a cat, due to the large number of homeless felines. However, it helps to remember that sometimes cats from the animal shelter can be prone to stress. Moving a cat to a home environment allows it to relax and show its true personality. Cats are creatures of habit -- they don't like change. It may take them a month or more to adjust to your home. Keeping these points in mind when choosing to adopt a cat can help you find the feline that is right for you. It's a big decision, don't leave it to chance! About the Author: Christopher Thomas contributes to several web sites, on home and family topics. Read more articles by: Christopher Thomas Article Source: www.iSnare.com Share: Del.icio.us Google Y! MyWeb Digg

Buying A Cat

Who can resist a sweet little kitten? You want a cat, but do you know the best way to get one? When it comes to buying a cat, several options are available. You can buy a cat from a pet store, a breeder, from someone you know, or from a shelter or rescue organization. You can even find a cat from an ad in the classified section of your local newspaper. However, no matter where you get your cat, you should keep a few points in mind. These are: 1. Only buy a cat from some you know you can trust. This is very important. You should buy a cat from a person who you know treats pets well, and who will not lie to you. Often, people sell cats that are less than 6-8 weeks old, knowing full well that cats should not be separated from their mothers at such a young age. 2. The cat you buy should be a healthy, affable, and well-treated creature. You will end up paying hefty bills to your vet if you buy a sick cat. Whenever you visit a seller, check out where the cats are kept. Don't buy cats from a place which keeps cats in an unhealthy or unhygienic environment. 3. Ask for pedigrees, registration certificates, and records of vaccinations and de-worming. Check to see if the cat or kitten is alert and well fed, and find out if its parents are at the same place. Seeing your potential pet's parents will give you a clue as to its personality and pedigree. 4. Keep your eyes open for signs of an unhealthy cat. Cats who are sneezing, have a cold, or are suffering from diarrhea are not a good choice -- even if the condition is only temporary. Do not take chances, request permission to take the cat to a vet before taking it home. This will give you a better idea of the cat's real health. 5. Be alert for fidgety or suspicious answers. Sellers who are honest will not have any hesitation in answering your questions. On the other hand, sellers who have something to hide will be very reluctant to share information. When buying a cat from a rescue organization or animal shelter, check their policies. It is possible that you may need to return the pet after a few days for some unforeseen reason. Shelters or organizations that won't take a cat back should be avoided. No matter where you choose to get your new pet, make sure to base your decision on sound reasoning, and not just the emotional appeal of a furry face. About the Author: Dorothy Brown writes for several web sites, on home tips and family topics. Read more articles by: Dorothy Brown 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