Cat Q&A

Archive for January, 2009

Pet adoption should never be done spontaneously.  There are numerous reasons why pets are being surrendered in shelters and rescue organization, most common reason is deciding spontaneously about getting a pet and then failing to do the responsibility that taking care of pets requires.

Therefore, before adopting an animal from rescuers or shelters it is important that the animal that you are choosing will be a life-long companion.  Otherwise, this defeats the mission and goal of animal shelters and animal rescue organizations. 

Shelters and rescue groups have wide selection of puppies and full-grown cats and dogs.  It is important to identify which animal will be most suitable for the adopter’s personality and temperament.  Adoptable cats and dogs (whether purebred or mixed bred) displays different characteristics.  It is best not to rely only on the physical characteristics of these animals but focus more on their attitude and behaviour. 

Choosing Your Feline Companion

Cats make wonderful pets.  Although they value their independence, they crave for love and companionship.  What is good about cats is that they can easily adjust to different lifestyles and types of residences. 

When choosing cats in an animal shelter, it is best to ask permission or assistance from the adoption counsellor to spend some time with the animals. This is to better understand the behaviour and temperament of the animals.There are cats that tend to be passive, timid or frightened even if they are social by nature due to it’s lack of familiarity with the new environment. 

Having young children at home is another thing to consider.  Young children usually cannot handle the responsibility of kittens.A four months old cat, will be an appropriate choice. 

If the adopter have other animals at home, it is best to help the new member of the family to adjust to its surroundings.  Adopters can try isolating their new cats in a room and then slowly exposing them to the other animals.By this, they can gradually mix up together and accept the new feline presence in the same house. 

Choosing the Best Dog

Adopters sometimes get overwhelmed with the wide selection of purebreds and mixed bred animals in shelters.To narrow down the choices the best way is identifying the adopter’s personality and characteristics.  Another thing is learning about the different personalities and temperaments of purebreds and mixes. 

With this process, you can do a process of elimination by removing those breeds and mixes that do not match or complement the adopter’s lifestyle. 
When visiting animals in shelters; always keep in mind that this is a stressful and unfamiliar environment for the dogs.  The dog’s true character will be best displayed if they are in a secure and safe place. 

Again, ask for the adoption counsellor’s attention to known several information about the dogs you are interested.Inquire about the behaviour, the age, and also about its behaviour with children.  It is important to narrow down the choices before going to shelter, this also applies for cat adoption. 

Remember that the pets that you are adopting will be your companion for the next 10 until 15 years – or even longer. That’s why it is important for adopter’s to carefully choose their ideal pet.  Pet adoption makes the most wonderful unions between pets and owners, as long as the decisions were made in no rush and with guidance. 

Pet adoption is the process of taking responsibility for a pet or animal. The pet or animal may have been abandoned or surrendered to a shelter because their owners are unable to care for them. 

Common places where you can adopt a pet would be in animal shelters (for dogs, it is more known as dog pound).  Pets that are in captivity without any identification and unclaimed by the owner are also adoptable pets.  There are also people who put up advertisements putting their pet into adoption.  Aside from this, the internet is a good source of adoptable pets.  There are several websites that displays information, photos about adoptable pets. 

Irresponsible owners, owners who abuse their animals continuously, may lose their pets altogether.There are animal rescue groups that save animals from abusive and violent owners.Animal rescue groups or organizations are activly involved in providing protection to abused animals and rescue of stray or abandoned pets.  Rescue groups are frequently run by volunteers. 

Pet adoption from rescue groups most of the times has stricter or more rigid process. Most of the times, it would include veterinary reference, background check and conducting a home visit.  There would be adoption fees but these do not cover transportation for picking up the pet, providing veterinary care, vaccinations, training and food. 

It is important for most rescue organizations to do these since pet adoption really is about knowing if the new owners of the pet will be able to handle the responsibility and care of their new pet.  This is to avoid that the same thing happen again to the unfortunate animal. 

Animal shelters on the other hand, are run by the government.  However, animal shelters are the best place for pet adoption.  Not only do they have adult animals, they also have kittens and puppies.  An interesting fact about an animal shelter is that about 25 to 30 percent of animals in the shelters are purebreds. 

Animal shelters also follow necessary procedures to ensure the proper care of animals put up for adoption.  Many shelters offer adoption counselling and follow up assistance.  This process serves as a background check on the persons who will adopt but also an effort to provide good matches between people and animals. 

Animal shelters also do require adoption fees.  But adoption fees are much less than the animal’s purchase price in the pet store.  Another benefit from adopting from shelters is that the pet is more likely to be already vaccinated, dewormed and spayed or neutered. 

Even so, the new owner, most of the times, still encounter some challenges with the pet.  These cases happen mostly with animals victim of abuse and neglect. The new owners should always provide extra patience in understanding and training the animals. These will help the pets to overcome the past.

According to Kelly Connolly of the Humane Society of the United States, there is an estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year.In addition to these big numbers, there are only ad estimated 3,500 active animal shelter in a country like United States, the figure does not includes the unknown count of the smaller shelters as well as local and home based rescue organizations.These records is only substantiate the fact that there not sufficient space to accommodate our pets.

For people who are interested in having pets, pet adoption is a great way of saving money.  At the same time provide a life-long home and love for animals in shelters and rescue groups. 

It is amazing that  there are so many guides on dog training accessible. There are certainly a lack of cat training guides. Cats are also beloved by many people including you and me. Like dogs, cats are as smart and alert, and we are definitely able to train them as well.

Most of the cats in the household live a carefree life where food are provided and live comfortably curling up on their owner’s lap. Have you ever wondered that you are able to train your cat by teaching them how to do tricks and work with willingness?

There are so many amazing things that a cat can do, really. You will be totally stunned that a cat are able to perform like the acrobatics in the circus! You will never imagine what stuffs they can do! They can do things like roll over, pretend dead, shake your hands and even play fetch! Cats can actually do what a dog can do? Cats are as capable as well!

You are the few who have made a right choice by constantly finding the ideal guide on how to train your pet cat. End your search now. You will get to know Paula Robb, the author of Complete Cat Training Guide is the reputable cat trainer who really knows her stuff well.

This is the very unique guide.

Want to know how to teach your cat stunts, about your cat’s behavioral problems, health and how to communicate with your cat and more? Complete Cat Training is what you are looking for. This guide has all the information and advices that you will to know.

Complete Cat Training has 101 training tips for your cats, providing intructions based on true stories and real life experiences. You will not see lines and lines of instructions, instead there are pictures showing you step by step with training strategies. People are always overwhelmed by looking at strings of words, that is why this book provide pictures to allow readers to have a clearer view and easily shorten the whole process.

That is not all you will get. You will also get two bonus books which are “The Essential Cat Recipe Book” and “The Ultimate Guide to Pampering Your Cat”. You will find tips on preparing delicious food and treats for your cat and build bonds with your cat by giving you cat a quality life.

That’s is not all! You will also get a free, private email consultation which is worth $120, where you can ask any questions, and you will get solutions on any difficulties you experienced dealing with your cat.Your emails will be answered by a team of qualified cat trainers. It’s really worth a deal?

If your furball has been diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis in cats, you probably have a lot of questions.  Read on to learn more about this condition, and how you can help your cat with natural remedies for pets.

What Is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

“Idiopathic” is a fancy word that means “we don’t know what’s causing it.” This can be hard to deal with when your cat has feline lower urinary tract disease.  Cystitis in cats is a very common condition, unfortunately.  And an even more unfortunate fact is that in nearly half of the cats diagnosed with FLUTD, there doesn’t seem to be a cause. 

Some vets refer to this condition as “feline interstitial cystitis” because it’s very similar to interstitial cystitis in humans. 

How Feline Idiopathic Cystitis Resembles Interstitial Cystitis In People

Comparing these conditions in both cats and humans show some interesting results.

• People with interstitial cystitis have more sensory nerves in their bladders.  Many cats who have FLUTD do, too.
• Often a person with interstitial cystitis doesn’t have the mucus lining in their bladders that protects the bladder from becoming irritated by urine.  This is true of cats with idiopathic cystitis in cats, also.
• Both humans and cats are plagued by recurring bladder infections.
• Stress seems to be a precipitating factor for cystitis both in cats and in humans.

There are studies going on to find out if both people and cats are suffering from the same condition.  If so, human treatments may be helpful for kitties, as well.

Drug Treatments For Idiopathic Cystitis In Cats

If your cat is having a lot of severe episodes, your vet may prescribe amitriptyline.  It relieves the pain and inflammation associated with cystitis in cats.  Side effects can include sleepiness, weight gain, bladder stones, and urine retention.Your cat may spend less time grooming himself, too. 

To reduce the inflammation in his bladder, your vet may give him steroids.  Glucosamine has been found to repair the mucus lining of the bladder, so your vet may want to try that. 

What Can You Do At Home To Help A Cat With FLUTD?

Diet is very important for these cats.  There has always been an emphasis on reducing the acidity of the urine, along with decreasing the amount of magnesium and calcium in the urine.  But the latest research shows that the rate of water turnover is the most important. 

What you need to do find a way to get more water into your cat.  This will keep his urine dilute to keep the acidity lower, and prevent high mineral levels. 

If you feed your cat dry food, it’s very important to switch him over to canned food.  Dry food has moisture levels below ten percent.  Why is this a problem?  Because cats are made to get most of their water from their food.  In a natural setting, cats eat mice and other animals, which are 98% water.  They don’t need to drink much water. 

Canned food is has a 75% moisture level, which is certainly better than the moisture level in dry food.  It can be difficult to switch a cat who has always eaten dry food over to canned food, but patience and persistence over several months often pays off in better health for your kitty.

Reducing your cat’s stress levels is important, too.  Many cats will have episodes of feline lower urinary tract disease after a stressful event like moving.  Some cats are even affected by weather changes.

Natural Remedies For Pets Can Help

Many cat owners have had great success with treating their cats with a natural remedy produced especially for pets.  This cat uti remedy contains uva ursi and barberry, two herbs with a long history of use in treating human bladder problems.Cantharis and Staphysagria are homeopathic remedies that are included in this remedy.This remedy can be safely used on cats for long periods of time, and it’s also very effective for preventing cat urinary problems.

Put this to the test right away, and see how well this remedy works on your cat with feline idiopathic cystitis.

Visit Natural Pet Urinary Health, and learn how to prevent feline idiopathic cystitis, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies.

Most kids enjoy the presence of a pet in house. One advantage of having domestic pets is that you subconsciously inculcate a sense of responsibility in your children. Taking care of their pets such as cats and kittens, could be a very enjoyable task for your children that they don’t really mind if the care of their pets would take much of their time. As your children learn how to take care of their pets, they will also slowly become responsible and reliable.

Involving Your Kids In The Care Of Your Cats And Kittens

Having some cats and kittens in the house could be enjoyable but it will also take much of your time. If you have some kids, you should ask them to help you take care of the cats and kittens in the house so that you will have more time to do other task. You should also make sure that you know how your kids feel about taking care of the cats and kittens so that you will be able to gauge a to whether or not they are ready for the task.

Cats and kittens are not really so difficult to take care of so your kids can really do the job with less supervision. However, before you do turn over the task of taking care of the cats and kittens to your kids, you should first make sure that you understand each other well. When asking the help of your kids to take care of the cats and kittens, you should talk to them about the job first and make sure that they understand their responsibilities towards the cats and kittens. Discuss the concept of nurturing a Cat or Kitten with your children without hesitation. When discussing the responsibility of taking care of the cats and kittens in the house, you should explain to your kids the importance of giving the right care to your pets. Allow you kids to realize that Cats and Kittens are like us and require proper care. Do not just give out orders to your kids that they should feed the cats and kittens at certain times of the day because that will really raise much sense of responsibility in your kids. Awfully your children might dislike being forced to do something and not put efforts towards the assigned job.

The population of cats is the United States alone is unbelievable.Almost all the experts will tell you that you should not breed your cat and instead get it spayed.  No matter what experts have to say, a lot of people want to have a litter of kittens from their cat.There are some things that you should consider, before you make up your mind to breed your cat.

The very first thing you should keep in mind that breeding cats is a time taking process.  For the next two months after the litter is born, you’ll need to clean the area on a daily basis.  You’ll also need to watch over the kittens as well, and keep a close eye on how they are developing.  If you plan to breed a litter of cats, you won’t have time for much of anything else.

Breeding cats will also require a good degree of space as well.You should not try breeding a cat, if your apartment is small.You should also be sure that your family approves this idea, because it is not good for the kittens if you keep them locked up.  Keep in mind that kittens like to see things; they’ll end up going all over your home as well. 

Breeding cats also requires a degree of responsibility as well.  You should always have a plan of approach, including homes for the kittens to go that you aren’t planning to keep.  Keep in mind that things can change, someone who wanted a cat may change his mind once the litter is born.  In this event, you must decide whether or not you can keep a kitten that doesn’t have a home.

Breeding also requires some education as well.You should be prepared for any upcoming problem on this path, along with problems that come at the time of birth.You are required to be well prepared for procedures like cutting the umbilical cords and dealing with early delivery.  You should also have the proper supplies, and know how to handle things in the event of a c-section.  You’ll also need to know what to feed pregnant cats, as their diets are very important if you are breeding.

Breeding will have it’s economical impact also, with kittens costing a lot of money than you ever thought.  The food isn’t the only thing that’s expensive, as the vet bills can also get expensive.  Even though you may go through the entire pregnancy without going to the vet, you’ll still need de-worming and vaccination medicines as well.

In short, there is a lot to think about where breeding is concerned. If you have your mind set on it and you want to breed, you should be sure that you have the proper knowledge and everything you need before hand.  You should always be ready to handle anything associated with breeding – and prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario.

Cats which have been ill-treated can easily be identified with damaged and maimed  exteriors.  Some may appear to be in perfect shape on the outside, although all of the damage they sustained may be internal or emotional.  Even though physical damage is bad, emotional damage is much tougher to fix.Cats who have been ill-treated physically will still respond to a soft voice and soft touch, as long as they are under the impression that the bad situation has ended.

When you have a cat that has been emotionally abused, you’ll need to wait until the cat comes to you.  You’ll need to use patience, as the cat will be confused and not know if you plan to hurt him or not.  If you take your time and let him know that you are nothing to fear, he will eventually come to you.As soon as he starts to come near you, allow him to sniff you and pet him affectionately.  After a while, he will learn that he can trust you and he will come to you when you call him.

Yelling, raising your voice, or using disciplinary tools such as flyswatters or water guns the wrong way can lead to emotional damage.  If you continue to use the wrong means of discipline on an emotionally damaged cat, the cat can become mean or lethargic.  When a cat turns mean, it’s not always a bad thing.  Meaner cats are easier to reach, as they still care a bit about what happens to them – while lethargic cats could really care less.

Cats that have become lethargic won’t play, take treats, or respond to anything you say to them.  With a lethargic cat, the ideal way to get him to respond is to bring in a companion cat.  Over time, a lethargic cat will eventually look for attention, normally a scratch or a pat.When it happens, you should always snuggle and use a soft voice to him.  Never raise your voice at this point, and make sure you let the cat know that his behavior is a lot better.

You should make slow movements around a lethargic cat, as he is still quite traumatic.  Once he is coming around and letting you touch him again, he is getting back to his normal self.You should remember that it may take some time, as it is to be expected with this type of situation.  If your cat starts to get upset again or if you raise your voice, he will hide again.  If you continue to use a soft voice and have patience, your cat will eventually get past this.  If you get a cat that is lethargic, you should prepare yourself for a long and very intensive healing period.

Angry or mean cats on the other hand, will either fight and scratch with you, or simply run away from you.  With mean cats, the best thing to do is use gentle treatment with a soft voice.  You can never try to raise your voice or use strict discipline, as it will only make the cat meaner.Never make an attempt for trapping a cat, because trapping will only make the him react adversely.  If you take your time and let the cat know that you are there for him, he will eventually calm down. 

Abused cats are truly a sad thing, although they are out there.  Abused cats can be a sad thing to see indeed, especially those that were physically abused.  Abused cats need a loving home and a loving owner who will give them the type of lifestyle they deserve.  Always remember that if you are dealing with an abused cat – you should always be as gentle as you possibly can.

A Cat uses it’s claws for multiple purposes.  The claws are important to cats, as they are an essential part of balancing.  If you’ve ever noticed a cat jumping and latching on to a high object, you’ve probably noticed that he uses his claws to pull himself up.  When climbing trees, cats tend to use their claws to latch onto the bark and climb towards their destination.

Cats also use their claws for stretching, walking, and running as well.  The claws are also a cat’s primary source of defense against other animals and humans as well.  Most cats keep their claws extremely sharp, as their claws and teeth are basically their only weapons.The claws are also vital because cats use the claws to cover up litter after it has done it.

Cats also use their claws to scratch things, which mark their territory.  Their claws have glands, which contain a secretion.  When they leave their mark on something, the secretion is transferred to the area they scratched.  This is detectable to other cats although not to humans.  Sometimes, they will also scratch something to remove the older claw which will fall off and give them a brand new claw that resides underneath.

As sad as it is, a lot of pet owners choose to put their own possessions above their cat, such as their expensive furniture or carpets.  These cat owners are afraid that they cat will ruin their furniture or carpet, and therefore will choose to get their cat de-clawed.  Getting a cat’s claws removed is a surgical procedure, one that can only be performed by a veterinarian.  The owner will need a good reason though, as a vet won’t do the surgery just to keep one’s furniture or carpet protected.

If you’ve been thinking of getting your cat de-clawed, you should know that the process can totally change his personality.  Once the cat is de-clawed, he will be in pain and confused.  He may not be able to jump in the window or on the couch, and he may not be able to play like he once did.  Some cats, after being de-clawed, tend to get aggressive and bite with their teeth.  To make a long story short, the cat will be completely miserable – which is a tough thing to bear for those who love their cats.

Those who decide to own cats should know that a cat can scratch on occasion.If anyone is not ready to deal with this fact, then they should better not buy a cat .  Cats are great pets, although they do have claws and they will use them on occasion.  There are plenty of other great pets out there, if you aren’t up for handling a cat.  If you’re just worried about your furniture or carpet, there are ways that you can keep your cat from scratching on your belongings.

The first thing to do is to get your cat a scratching post and let him know where it is and how to use it.  You can also get a rush mat as well, which will help your cat with his instincts to scratch.Even though your cat should pick it up quickly,  you may have to give demonstration how to use the post or the mat initially.  Once you have shown him the ropes, he will scratch on the post or the mat – and not your furniture or your carpet.

Though most of us don’t believe it, there are other effective options to prevent your things other than having your pet cat de-clawed.  Getting a cat’s claws removed is very painful and confusing to the cat, and may totally change his outlook on things.Before making the decision to take the inhumane path of subjecting your cat to de-clawing process , you should also go for other options which are available- your cat might love these options far more than loosing it’s claws.

We all know that cats are loving and truly wonderful creatures.  These days, it isn’t out of the ordinary to see a cat in virtually every other home, sleeping in the window or cuddling up on the laps of their owners.  Although cats have been popular pets for as long as most can remember, they weren’t domesticated less than 5,000 years or so ago.The researchers say today to us, that domestication of cats started in the valley of the Nile.

In the beginning, people were very grateful to cats and encouraged them to stay with them by feeding them various scraps of food.  Once they were fed and perceived humans to be no threat, the cats would move in permanently with their human owners.  As time went by, even the wildest of cat would allows humans to approach him, often times even hold and touch as well.

In those days, cats were very loyal and endearing pets.  They proved to be great hunters, as they done their sleeping in short periods and were much easier to wake up than dogs.  Cats also have better night vision than dogs, and much better hearing as well.If they heard any suspicious noise or the noise of someone’s moving through the house, they would at once wake while the dog might be sleeping right through this incident.People love having cats in their surroundings, and they seemed to get  along good with dogs too.

These days, cats are used for both companionship and show.  They aren’t used much at all for hunting mice and rodent anymore at all.  There are a lot of breeds available, from the traditional alley cat to the well known Siamese.  All breeds are unique in their own way, and will provide you with years of companionship if you take care of them.

You will at first want to check the source, before you have a kitten or even an older one of the species.  If you are getting the kitten from a breeder, you’ll want to make sure that the breeder has a reputable reputation.  You’ll also want to ensure that the cattery is clean and in good shape.  The kittens that are still there shouldn’t be overcrowded, and their surroundings should be clean.  The litter boxes there should be kept up and both the food and water dish should be clean and full.  The kittens shouldn’t be caged, instead free to run around.  All cats that are there should appear healthy, with shiny coats and none of their ribs showing.

When you get your kitten, it should be used to being touched and handled.  The kitten should be sweet, not afraid in the least.  Kittens that have been handled young normally have a better temperament.  The better breeders won’t allow their kittens to leave the nest until they are around 12 weeks old, with some waiting until the kittens are 16 weeks.  By doing this, breeders ensure that the kitten is in good health and his immune system has properly developed.

There’s no mistaken the fact that cats are great to own.  You can get a kitten from a reputable breeder, through a local newspaper, or an adoption agency.  Cats can also be obtained from a local pound, although people normally don’t like to choose this option.  No matter which way you decide to pursue, you should always make sure that your cat is healthy.  If you get a healthy cat, you won’t have a lot of problems later on down the road.  Healthy cats were taken care of – and normally have everything up to date – including their vaccinations.

These days, cats are among the most popular pet you can own.  There are several breeds available, with the most popular being Persian and Siamese.  Cats are a domesticated animal, with origins dating back some 8,000 years and beyond.  Like any other pet that you may own, including dogs, cats cost money to take care of properly.

When you get a cat, you’ll need to think about the costs.  You’ll obviously need food, and you’ll also need to plan ahead for vet costs.  You’ll also need litter, which can tend to get quite expensive as the years go by.  Your cat will need a litter box, food dish, and water dish.  You should also invest in some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, a pet carrier, and a bed.  You should also look into getting an ID collar as well, just in case your cat ever gets lost.

Age of a pet is an important thing to keep in mind in order to feed them.An older cat needs two small meals or one large for the whole day.  Kittens on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks.  Cats that are between three and six months of age need to be fed three times a day.  Canned food can be fed to cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes need to be disposed of.{ Canned food can get expensive fast, and you should always keep in mind that some may get invariably wasted when you buy it}.  Cats loved canned food, although it doesn’t have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.

As an alternative plan, you can always leave a supply of dry food out for your pet.  When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that he has enough water. Dry food costs less than canned food, and it can also help to prevent the buildup of tartar on your cat’s teeth.  When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits, and stay away from generic food.Although generic food is devoid of quality nutrients up to the mark which your pet requires, but it may be cheaper in comparison to other foods.

If you own a kitten, you should only give you kitten food designed for him.  You’ll also need to clean and refill his water dish every day.  Even though kittens and adult cats like cow’s milk, you should avoid giving it to them as it can cause diarrhea.  Treats are fine on occasion, although too many of them can cause your pet to get fat.  Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it in with his cat food.

By themselves, cats stay fairly clean.  Although you don’t have to bathe them that often, you’ll need to give them a brushing at least once a day.  Brushing will reduce the risk of hairballs and keep your cat’s coat nice and clean.  If you are keeping your cat indoors, you’ll need to have a litter box in an area that is easy for your cat to access.  You should always scoop it on a daily basis, and clean it out once a week.Cats prefer clean and nice litter boxes and they are reluctant to use the dirty ones.

Although cats do require some work, they are great pets that will provide you with years and years of companionship.  As long as you take care of your cat and take him to the vet for his checkups, he should remain healthy.  Even though cats can get sick from time to time – knowing how to care for him will make a world of difference.