Archive for the ‘Cat Care’ Category
May
2008
There are a number of reasons that cats, who are fastidious creatures, may choose to urinate outside their litterbox. The primary causes are a box that is dirty, and hasn’t been kept scooped or cleaned, and urinary tract infection. If your cat’s litterbox is pristine, then you may want to take them to the vet for a urinalysis, and then a discussion of possible behavioral causes.
But when a cat urinates indoors, particularly if they have done it more than once in the same spot, the smell can be pretty pervasive. The worst is from unaltered tom cats, whose hormones are announcing that he’s ready for romance. Neutering will not only cure the odor, but the behavior as well. However, you’ll still need to find a cure for the smells and/ or stains.
If you can smell it, but not locate the stains, get a blacklight at the hardware store. These are the “special effect” lights used for Halloween and stage productions. When turned on in total darkness, they have a purple glow, and make certain things like white articles, fluoresce and glow in the dark. It will also make urine glow. Put the bulb in an automobile “trouble lamp” receptacle and make a hood to go over the usual metal cage. This will help direct the light, making it more intensive and the stains easier to find.
May
2008
Special Needs Kitties Need Specific Litter Box Strategies
May 6th, 2008 at 10:47 am by Cat Lover in Cat Care, Cat HealthYou don’t often hear about or see information for special needs kitties. These may be blind, very old (with limited mobility), or disabled in some way. Disabled cats may be amputees, or even paralyzed. There are special mobile devices you can purchase for your paralyzed cat.
But this article will talk a little bit about the cat litter box concerns for special needs kitties. Due to their limited mobility or lack of site, litter box type and location are absolutely critical.
If you have a blind cat, your best bet is maintain location consistency as much as possible. When your blind kitty has become accustomed to finding his cat litter box in one location, the most successful strategy is to leave the box there. However, if you have to move the box, you’ll need to help retrain your blind cat to find his way to it again. A lot of patience will be necessary. You could even confine the blind cat to that particular location for awhile, so he’ll re-learn how to find the litter box easily.
May
2008
It may come as a surprise, if you’re a new cat owner, that many health problems may befall your feline friend. Some problems are easily preventable, while others are hereditary.
Hairballs
Hairballs are among the most common of cat health problems. Cats groom themselves almost constantly, and swallow the loose hair that comes off their tongues. Occasionally, the hair gathers into a ball and lodges in the cat’s digestive tract instead of passing on through the body. If your cat starts coughing and hacking, he probably has a hairball. While the end product is unpleasant for the owner, most cats don’t have a problem dislodging hairballs.
However, hairballs can occasionally pass into a cat’s intestines and cause a blockage. This can be a life-threatening problem. There are a few signs to look for to see if your cat’s hairball is dangerous. If your cat is constipated, off his feed, or is lethargic with a dull coat, then he could have a serious blockage. A vet exam is definitely in order.
May
2008
1. Keep your pregnant cat indoors
Don’t expose an expecting kitty to danger. But there are more reasons. Some queens go into heat even during pregnancy. Cats are capable to be pregnant of two different litters at the same them. And of course, a pregnant cat should not give birth in a cold place outside.
2. Give your kitty the right food
It should be high on calcium and protein. Kitten food is specially designed to meet the need of pregnant and nursing felines. Vitamin supplements are recommended too.
3. Do not give any medication during pregnancy
A pregnant cat should get medication only in emergency. The same goes for deworming products, or products against fleas. If she has worms or fleas, first consult your vet.
Apr
2008
Cats, despite their loveable and inimitable independent tendencies, really do thrive when attention is lavished upon them. Often nearly standoffish absent a great deal of attention, cats seem to develop a closer relationship to their owners when pampered.
As a result, cat owners often look for new and interesting ways to give their cats extra attention. Cat pampering can take a variety of forms, ranging form simple extended petting sessions to homemade meals to elaborate toys.
Many cat owners have been accused of giving too much attention to their pets. People will argue that these well-intended owners are actually “spoiling” their cats by going out their way to show them attention and concern. Is this a valid concern? Can one truly pamper their cat too much?
Apr
2008
We often think of cat pampering as nothing more than laying a series of high-priced custom cat food dinners and toys in front of a pet. Although great toys and tasty meals can be a part of cat pampering, there are many more options available to cat owners who want to spoil their fuzzy friends!
It should be noted that the desire to pamper a cat generally stems from a love for the animal, combined with an awareness that providing some additional attention might also improve the nature of the cat/owner relationship.
It can be helpful to look at the cat pampering landscape as being divided into three main components. There is emotional pampering, physical pampering and food pampering.
Apr
2008
We often think of cats as being very independent animals. It seems as if they merely put up with their human owners. They seem to have their own interests, plans and preferences — none of which are really tied to the desires of their owners.
“You own a dog,” they say, “but a cat owns you.” Sometimes it can seem that way. Calling a cat to come to your side is often a hit or miss proposition. The cat will seemingly come to you when he or she feels like it, instead of when you would like it to do so. The positive reinforcement techniques that work so well in dog training are often eyed with a menacingly glare by a cat who will walk away from an attempt at training whenever the mood hits him or her.
Apr
2008
Be Careful When Handling Or Restraining Your Cat
April 21st, 2008 at 08:29 am by Cat Lover in Cat CareI think most cat owners will have at one time or another experienced being bitten by your beloved pet. Especially when your cat had just experienced an unpleasant experience such as being severely injured, frighten or basically suffering in pain.
Any cat, no matter how docile he may be, has the potential to bite anyone at all time . It is important to recognize this and take proper precautions to keep from being bitten. It is therefore wise to always have control of a cat’s head when handling or restraining your cat.
There are several effective ways to handle and restrain a cat. Your choice will depend on whether the individual animal is tranquil and cooperative or frightened and aggressive. Remember that cats have five sets of weapons—one mouth and four feet. They are extremely skilled in using these weapons, and will not hesitate to do so.
Therefore, it pays to be extra careful and not fall into the complacent trap even though your cat has been acting docile all the time. In a way, you can not only prevent injuries to yourself, it will also help to maintain the close relationship that you have with your pet cat all along.
Apr
2008
Declawing is a surgical procedure involving removal of claws and should not be mistaken for pedicure. Declawing puts the pet in great pain not only during the surgery but also after it. Although it is practiced widely in many countries, it is still considered as an unnecessary mutilation and is illegal in some countries. Another drawback is that this surgical procedure isn’t reversible.
Before getting this surgery, owners should understand many aspects of it. The claw is very different from a toenail as it is attached to the bone. The last bone and the joint are removed along with the claw, during declawing. Nature has designed the body in a way such that everything is used to balance its movement, agility and grace. The main purpose of claws is to defend an enemy and to get proper grip while walking. By amputating the joint, the whole walk is altered. Other than walking, even other behaviors like eating, hunting, grip, etc. also gets changed. They can no longer enjoy climbing trees and tall objects which also means that they cannot jump from heights. Declawing changes the life of a cat. Some owners have even sworn that the whole personality of the animal is changed after the procedure. Although medical science hasn’t reported any side effects, but there are physical and emotional complications in the animal. The recovery is also full of pain and the pet can aggravate the situation by walking and scratching the litter box.
Apr
2008
With all of that long, thick fur, you may have questions regarding what is required from you in terms of grooming the Maine Coon Cat. The answer to this question largely depends on whether or not you show your Maine Coon.
If you do not show your Maine Coon, the great news is that very little is required from you when it comes to grooming. Your beautiful Maine Coon is very hygienic, and pretty much takes care of his own grooming. You will find that he usually does a fantastic job – that is fur is clean, tangle free, and that he does not smell.
If you do not show your Maine Coon, there are only four things that you must do, on a regular basis. The first is to brush the Maine Coon once a week. This cuts down on the amount of fur that will be flying around your home, as well as the amount of fur going down his throat, which later comes back up as disgusting hairballs.
Apr
2008
Has your cat been coughing and hacking? If so, he may have hairballs. If you see disgusting skinny oval blobs on the floor, you will know that your cat has managed to dislodge one of his hairballs.
What exactly is a hairball? It is a mass of hair and food that did not digest that forms inside a cat’s body. Loose hair that collects on his tongue when he grooms himself. For some reason, the hair comes together and forms a ball in his stomach instead of simply passing through his body. Since these hairballs aren’t able to break down and be digested, cats often cough them up to get rid of them.
While most cats don’t have a problem with dislodging hairballs, they can occasionally pass into a cat’s intestines and cause a blockage. This can be a life threatening problem. There are a few signs you should look for to find out if your cat’s hairball is dangerous. If your cat seems to be constipated, he may be experiencing a small blockage. If he seems lethargic and his coat is dull and unhealthy looking, or he is eating less than usual, then he may have a serious blockage. Either way, you should take him to your veterinarian to be sure a hairball is the problem and to have it removed.
Apr
2008
You love your Maine Coon Cat, and you do everything to keep him healthy. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your Maine Coon may become ill. All cats, however, work hard to hide pain and illness. In their ‘natural’ habitat, illness and pain are signs of weakness that could cost them their lives. So, because your Maine Coon is a master at hiding how he feels – physically – how will you know when he is sick?
Sometimes, despite his best efforts, he won’t be able to hide it. There will be physical signs that you can’t help but notice. These may include diarrhea, vomiting, listlessness, and excessive sleeping. If any of these things occur, you have to determine whether or not a veterinarian is needed.
First, access the situation. How long has it been going on? If it has been more than a couple of days, call the vet. If it is new, you need to watch the cat to see if the condition worsens, and call the vet if it goes on for more than forty-eight hours.
Mar
2008
Feeding Suggestions for Your Maine Coon Cat
March 30th, 2008 at 02:36 am by Cat Lover in Cat Care, Cat HealthYour Maine Coon Cat is special. This is evident from the price that you paid for him to the fact that he is sociable to the point of behaving more like a dog than a cat. Because he is special, you want to be sure that you feed him the way that he needs to be fed, and that you are feeding him the right things.
First, let’s discuss water. Fresh water should be made available to your Maine Coon Cat at all times – otherwise, it won’t be long before he learns how to lift the lid on the toilet, or how to turn on faucet on the kitchen sink. He is perfectly capable of turning that faucet on, and since he’s been paying attention, and he knows that this is where the water comes from, he will do it if other water is not available to him. He will not, however, turn the water off when he is finished.
While fresh water should always be available, food should not. Free feeding is highly discouraged for Maine Coon Cats. Most cat breeds eat what their body requires, and then they walk away from the food bowl – regardless of how much food is still in it. Maine Coon Cats do not. They will eat until the food is gone – like dogs do. If you free feed, it won’t be long before your precious kitty has a weighty issue.
Mar
2008
When considering pet grooming options, one must decide which pet groomer will be best. There are many dog groomers out there, but very few cat groomers. If you have a cat you should look carefully at what specific facilities offer cat grooming expertise. Cats are finicky animals and they can be very hard to groom, putting the groomer at risk for bites or scratches. Choosing a professional cat groomer is a important decision the pet owner must make to ensure the health and happiness of their cat. As with all animals a bad pet groomer can make mistakes and unintentionally hurt the animal destroying confidence in making the cat emotionally distraught.
Cat pet grooming is a difficult job and not many people are up to the task. Some of the best dog groomers refuse to groom cats due to the fact of the danger to both themselves and the animal. Most cats do not like water and bathing them can be a adventure as both cat and human fight for dominance. Most cats become emotionally distraught when immersed in water, and it takes a experience pet groomer to calm the cat and at the same time protect both parties involved.
Pet grooming techniques have been designed to keep the animal safe and give the animal confidence in the person doing the bathing. A good cat groomer will use the necessary gloves and other equipment to make bathing a more pleasant experience for the feline.
Mar
2008
Cat Flea Control – Get Rid of Those Itchy Insects
March 28th, 2008 at 01:54 pm by Cat Lover in Cat Care, Cat HealthHas your cat become infested with fleas or ticks? If his buggy skin has been keeping you up all night, it is time for you to get those fleas or ticks under control.
Even the cleanest cats can end up with a flea infestation. All it takes to turn your flealess pet into a flea bag is one friendly stray cat or dog that comes along for a visit and leaves his fleas behind. When a person or cat walks outside, he will pick up the fleas and bring them inside. Even one flea can lay quite a few eggs. When the eggs hatch, you will have a full scale infestation.
Some people don’t want to risk having fleas or ticks at all and use a flea and tick preventative before the insects even appear. Two of the most well known flea and tick preventatives for cats are Frontline and Advantix. These products both come as pre-measured liquid treatments. The treatment is applied directly to your cat’s skin and works to kill fleas and ticks right away when they hop on your cat.
However, most people wait until they see fleas or ticks before they begin fighting them. Of course, if you see tiny black or dark brown insects hopping around, there is little doubt that your cat is flea infested. By the time you see fleas, though, you probably already have a major infestation on your hands.
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