By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Terry_King]Terry King
So you�ve got a new cat or a kitten and you were wondering what you needed. The following is a list of the equipment required for looking after your new pussy.
Cat carrier: These are now usually made of plastic, with a vented door made from plastic, metal or wicker. Plastic carriers are easy to clean and come in different sizes. Cat carriers are a must for taking your cat from the breeder, or rescue centre to its new home or for trips to the vets.
Litter Tray: Even outdoor cats will use a litter tray when the weather is bad.
Food and Water Bowls: These should be easy to clean and preferably unbreakable. The best are made of light-weight metal or plastic.
Combs and Brushes: Exactly what you need will depend on whether your cat is shorthaired, longhaired or semi-longhaired.
Scratching Post: I think these are a must, especially if a cat is to spend most of its time indoors. If your new kitten is presented with a scratching post as soon as it arrives it will get used to the idea of clawing this rather than your best furniture. If you delay the kitten scratch your furniture and may be reluctant to use the scratch post later.
Toys: Kittens love toys especially ones impregnated with catnip. These will help keep the cat occupied and healthy.
Collar and disc: If your cat is going to go outside it must wear a collar and disc in case it gets lost. The collar should be partly elasticated to help prevent strangling if the cat or kitten gets caught somewhere. The disc should show your telephone number and address so you can be contacted.
Bed: These are not vital as most cats and kittens are happy to sleep anywhere. If you do want a bed for your cat, there are many designs to choose from, but don�t expect your cat to sleep in it all the time.
Food: Cats are carnivores and need a meat based diet.
Young kittens have small stomachs, but need a lot of protein and other nutrients to grow and develop. Because of this, a kitten has to be fed a concentrated diet, which usually means special kitten food.
If you attempt to feed home cooked foods to your cat check recipes carefully and research ingredients carefully to ensure your cat is getting the correct nutrients. Always seek advice from your veterinary.
When using commercial food whether wet or dry always use a quality brand, as a cheap cat food often contains too much cereal and not enough protein.
A kitten up to the age of six months will need for meals a day. From six to nine months three meals a day should be served. Two meals a day will be fine once the cat has reached nine months and becomes an adult.
It is best to provide weaned kittens and adult cats water to drink as they have no need for milk. If feeding dry food extra water should be made available. Do not give cows milk as this will often upset a cats stomach.
Terry King runs [http://www.pets2home.co.uk/]Parcel Pets, a leading UK [http://www.pets2home.co.uk/]pet supplies web site and has had pets all his life. He lives with his wife Louise, dog Sam, Cat Sabrina and 5 fish!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Feline Constipation - Treatment Methods for Curing Feline Constipation
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Oscar_Uzoma]Oscar Uzoma
Constipation is a malady that doesn�t discriminate. It cuts across all categories of living animals and man. As long as the creature eats and digests food, it is likely to someday, somehow develop constipation. Cats are part of the animals that can be plagued by constipation. Therefore, you can say that feline constipation is a relatively common thing. Feline constipation is restricted to just the older cats even though it is more rampant and widespread among them that in the younger kittens.
Cats generally have a predictable pattern of lifestyle. They use the litter box about twice a day as their bowel movements are about the same period too. If there�s a sudden change in this habit, then you could say that it is constipating.
The common symptoms associated with feline constipation include
Frequency to the litter box. A cat doesn�t just go to the litter box anyhow. So, when you notice it is doing that a lot without successfully passing out any stool, then you know it is suffering from constipation. If it does, it may just pass out some milky stool and in extreme cases, it might be mixed with blood.Loss of interest in food. A cat that is constipating may not have the desire to eat. If it does, it will take less than the normal quantity it consumes.Less active. Cats suffering from constipation tend to be lethargic and lonesome. They are usually less than their normal active self.
Therefore, when you notice these symptoms, don�t assume it is diarrhea because of the passing of mucus containing a tinge of blood.
Cats suffer from three types of bowel disorder:
Megacolon caused by the expanding or dilation of the colon as a result of the strain involved in trying to pass out feces. Most cats with Megacolon suffer consistently from constipation. But not all cats that suffer constipation have megacolons.
Constipation is a result of the cat not being able to pass out feces
Obstipation is the complete blockage of the colon resulting in little to no bowel movement
The major causes of feline constipation are dehydration, hygiene, diet, and lack of exercise. Cats tend to be choosy about their litter box. So, a dirty litter box can be repulsive to a cat and it would rather not �go� than use a dirty litter box. Also, feeding cats with foods rich in fat and salt makes them dehydrate.
To treat the cat requires some simple steps. Take the cat to the veterinarian so he can determine the cause of the constipation and administer adequate treatment. Avoid feeding the cat with dry foods instead. Include lots of water in their diet and you�ll have less incidence of feline constipation.
For More information on How to Cure feline Constipation fast, Visit Your One-stop resource to Constipation Remedies. http://www.Constipationremedies.blogspot.com
Constipation is a malady that doesn�t discriminate. It cuts across all categories of living animals and man. As long as the creature eats and digests food, it is likely to someday, somehow develop constipation. Cats are part of the animals that can be plagued by constipation. Therefore, you can say that feline constipation is a relatively common thing. Feline constipation is restricted to just the older cats even though it is more rampant and widespread among them that in the younger kittens.
Cats generally have a predictable pattern of lifestyle. They use the litter box about twice a day as their bowel movements are about the same period too. If there�s a sudden change in this habit, then you could say that it is constipating.
The common symptoms associated with feline constipation include
Frequency to the litter box. A cat doesn�t just go to the litter box anyhow. So, when you notice it is doing that a lot without successfully passing out any stool, then you know it is suffering from constipation. If it does, it may just pass out some milky stool and in extreme cases, it might be mixed with blood.Loss of interest in food. A cat that is constipating may not have the desire to eat. If it does, it will take less than the normal quantity it consumes.Less active. Cats suffering from constipation tend to be lethargic and lonesome. They are usually less than their normal active self.
Therefore, when you notice these symptoms, don�t assume it is diarrhea because of the passing of mucus containing a tinge of blood.
Cats suffer from three types of bowel disorder:
Megacolon caused by the expanding or dilation of the colon as a result of the strain involved in trying to pass out feces. Most cats with Megacolon suffer consistently from constipation. But not all cats that suffer constipation have megacolons.
Constipation is a result of the cat not being able to pass out feces
Obstipation is the complete blockage of the colon resulting in little to no bowel movement
The major causes of feline constipation are dehydration, hygiene, diet, and lack of exercise. Cats tend to be choosy about their litter box. So, a dirty litter box can be repulsive to a cat and it would rather not �go� than use a dirty litter box. Also, feeding cats with foods rich in fat and salt makes them dehydrate.
To treat the cat requires some simple steps. Take the cat to the veterinarian so he can determine the cause of the constipation and administer adequate treatment. Avoid feeding the cat with dry foods instead. Include lots of water in their diet and you�ll have less incidence of feline constipation.
For More information on How to Cure feline Constipation fast, Visit Your One-stop resource to Constipation Remedies. http://www.Constipationremedies.blogspot.com
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
All Natural Cat Treat Recipes
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_Gilmore]David Gilmore
Homes with cats in the United States outnumber homes with dogs by a good number. With cats, you can live in a small apartment and not have to worry about your pet not getting enough exercise. But you do have to worry about what you feed your kitty. These days, cat food and treats are filled with all sorts of fillers and junk that is just plain bad for your pet. One way you can cut down on what your cat eats is by making your own cat treats at home with this awesome cat treat recipe! This is about as easy a cat treat recipe as you�ll find anywhere and it is almost a guarantee that your tabby will be begging for more!
You�ll only need four main ingredients for this cat treat recipe. Start wit a can of fresh tuna, or, if you can get it, fresh tuna from your local fish market. Chop up a cup and a half of fresh fish, or simply use one can of minced tuna. Add a half cup of cooked turkey or chicken, also chopped very fine. Add in two thirds of a cup of dry cat food. Make sure that the dry cat food you use for these treats is wholesome and natural. Many popular brands of cat food contain chemicals and ingredients that aren�t good for your cat. Finally, you can add some grated cheese or grated veggies for extra fiber and taste. Combine all of these ingredients in a bowl and mix. Once the ingredients are properly mixed, use a spoonful and roll into balls about half the size of a golf ball. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and place in the fridge for 2 hours so the balls harden a little. Once the tuna balls are cooled, remove them from the fridge and roll them in breadcrumbs. Serve to your kitty when they do something good, but be prepared for a bit of a mess! This way, you can serve your cats 100 percent natural [http://thepettreatskinny.com/ ]cat treats and you don�t have to worry about preservatives getting into their system. Be aware though that these treats will go bad, so don�t make too big of a batch at once.
David Gilmore - Owner / Operator http://thepettreatskinny.com/
Homes with cats in the United States outnumber homes with dogs by a good number. With cats, you can live in a small apartment and not have to worry about your pet not getting enough exercise. But you do have to worry about what you feed your kitty. These days, cat food and treats are filled with all sorts of fillers and junk that is just plain bad for your pet. One way you can cut down on what your cat eats is by making your own cat treats at home with this awesome cat treat recipe! This is about as easy a cat treat recipe as you�ll find anywhere and it is almost a guarantee that your tabby will be begging for more!
You�ll only need four main ingredients for this cat treat recipe. Start wit a can of fresh tuna, or, if you can get it, fresh tuna from your local fish market. Chop up a cup and a half of fresh fish, or simply use one can of minced tuna. Add a half cup of cooked turkey or chicken, also chopped very fine. Add in two thirds of a cup of dry cat food. Make sure that the dry cat food you use for these treats is wholesome and natural. Many popular brands of cat food contain chemicals and ingredients that aren�t good for your cat. Finally, you can add some grated cheese or grated veggies for extra fiber and taste. Combine all of these ingredients in a bowl and mix. Once the ingredients are properly mixed, use a spoonful and roll into balls about half the size of a golf ball. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and place in the fridge for 2 hours so the balls harden a little. Once the tuna balls are cooled, remove them from the fridge and roll them in breadcrumbs. Serve to your kitty when they do something good, but be prepared for a bit of a mess! This way, you can serve your cats 100 percent natural [http://thepettreatskinny.com/ ]cat treats and you don�t have to worry about preservatives getting into their system. Be aware though that these treats will go bad, so don�t make too big of a batch at once.
David Gilmore - Owner / Operator http://thepettreatskinny.com/
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Is Kitty Guilty As Charged?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_W_Krause]Cheryl W Krause
It is no secret that pet allergies and cat allergy in particular are common in the United States. We are a pet loving nation with approximately 73 million dogs and 90 million cats in the United States according to the 2005 � 2006 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) survey of pet owners.
With such a large number of pets in our homes, it is no wonder that pet allergy is a common problem. But how often is kitty blamed and removed from the family without a proper trial, including evidence? Stop into any animal shelter and you will find many animals that came from loving homes all because a doctor said they must go.
It is true that cats secrete a glycoprotein, Fel d 1, in their saliva and urine. Small amounts also come from the sebaceous glands. When the cat grooms, the saliva adheres to the fur and skin (dander) of the animal. This then flakes off and becomes airborne. It may be quickly inhaled, or it may stick to any of a number of fibers in the house. Carpets, upholstered furniture, and bedding are the most common places for the allergen to hide. Then, as the inhabitants (two and four-legged) move about the house, they will eventually cause the settled allergen to become airborne, where it is inhaled.
In an allergic person, the immune system is not functioning correctly. The body misidentifies the Fel d 1 protein as something else and calls the immune system into action. The body produces a human immunoglobulin (IgE) that binds to the surface and causes the release of histamine. The result is red, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, stuffiness or conversely a runny nose. The skin may be involved with the onset of hives, rash, or eczema. Not fun, no matter the culprit.
Proper diagnosis of pet allergy should include not only family history, history of symptoms and exposure but either a skin prick test or if the skin is in poor condition due to allergy a RAST (radioallergosorbent) test. Either of these methods will identify for certain if kitty is the offender. Many times, it turns out that kitty is not guilty as charged but instead it is the notorious household dust mite that is the offender. Do not accept a diagnosis of animal allergy that is not preceded by a positive result on either of these two tests. This is the only hard evidence available to date.
If kitty is indeed found guilty, the sentence doesn�t necessarily have to include banishment for life. The key to controlling all allergic reactions is to reduce or eliminate exposure to the allergen. Since the cat allergen is a protein, it can be denatured. Denaturing is where a protein is altered so that it can no longer carry out its function at the cellular level. This happens through exposure to heat, acids, or alkali. Cooking an egg is a great example of this denaturing process in action. When you crack open a chicken egg, you see the �white� which is made up of protein. It is a thin, clear liquid. Drop it on a hot frying pan and the white becomes opaque and strands form. The protein has been denatured by heat, and I�ll take mine sunny-side up with lots of black pepper.
It would not be practical or pleasant to drop kitty�s saliva in the frying pan, but the same result can be achieved with certain plant-based acids and alkalis. Two companies have had success in creating denaturing agents powerful enough to neutralize the protein, but safe enough to use on kitty. The Allerpet Corporation makes 3 formulas of denaturing agents for animals. The Allerpet/C formula is specific for the Fel d 1 protein and is mild enough to be used on furred animals as small as a rabbit. Weekly application not only neutralizes any present protein, but residual action will take care of subsequent grooming by the cat. The formula must be applied weekly to be effective. The Alkaline Labs have created two sprays that can be used on furniture, carpets, drapes, and other fibers in the house. The ADS solution uses tannic acid as the denaturing agent. The downside to tannic acid is that it can stain or discolor white fabrics. Fortunately, they have recently released the ADMS spray that uses a different denaturing agent. The ADMS spray will not stain or discolor fabrics. The allergic person will also benefit from keeping the cat out of the bedroom and running a good quality HEPA filter. Some great strategies for coping with cat allergy are contained at [http://allergystore.com/cat_allergies.htm]http://allergystore.com/cat_allergies.htm.
Cheryl Krause - CEO and President of Cee DeeKay, Inc.
Cheryl has owned and operated the Allergy Store in Plantation Florida for the past 10 years. My goal is to help allergy, asthma sufferers as well as those who just want a healthier place to live and work.
www.AllergyStore.com
It is no secret that pet allergies and cat allergy in particular are common in the United States. We are a pet loving nation with approximately 73 million dogs and 90 million cats in the United States according to the 2005 � 2006 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) survey of pet owners.
With such a large number of pets in our homes, it is no wonder that pet allergy is a common problem. But how often is kitty blamed and removed from the family without a proper trial, including evidence? Stop into any animal shelter and you will find many animals that came from loving homes all because a doctor said they must go.
It is true that cats secrete a glycoprotein, Fel d 1, in their saliva and urine. Small amounts also come from the sebaceous glands. When the cat grooms, the saliva adheres to the fur and skin (dander) of the animal. This then flakes off and becomes airborne. It may be quickly inhaled, or it may stick to any of a number of fibers in the house. Carpets, upholstered furniture, and bedding are the most common places for the allergen to hide. Then, as the inhabitants (two and four-legged) move about the house, they will eventually cause the settled allergen to become airborne, where it is inhaled.
In an allergic person, the immune system is not functioning correctly. The body misidentifies the Fel d 1 protein as something else and calls the immune system into action. The body produces a human immunoglobulin (IgE) that binds to the surface and causes the release of histamine. The result is red, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, stuffiness or conversely a runny nose. The skin may be involved with the onset of hives, rash, or eczema. Not fun, no matter the culprit.
Proper diagnosis of pet allergy should include not only family history, history of symptoms and exposure but either a skin prick test or if the skin is in poor condition due to allergy a RAST (radioallergosorbent) test. Either of these methods will identify for certain if kitty is the offender. Many times, it turns out that kitty is not guilty as charged but instead it is the notorious household dust mite that is the offender. Do not accept a diagnosis of animal allergy that is not preceded by a positive result on either of these two tests. This is the only hard evidence available to date.
If kitty is indeed found guilty, the sentence doesn�t necessarily have to include banishment for life. The key to controlling all allergic reactions is to reduce or eliminate exposure to the allergen. Since the cat allergen is a protein, it can be denatured. Denaturing is where a protein is altered so that it can no longer carry out its function at the cellular level. This happens through exposure to heat, acids, or alkali. Cooking an egg is a great example of this denaturing process in action. When you crack open a chicken egg, you see the �white� which is made up of protein. It is a thin, clear liquid. Drop it on a hot frying pan and the white becomes opaque and strands form. The protein has been denatured by heat, and I�ll take mine sunny-side up with lots of black pepper.
It would not be practical or pleasant to drop kitty�s saliva in the frying pan, but the same result can be achieved with certain plant-based acids and alkalis. Two companies have had success in creating denaturing agents powerful enough to neutralize the protein, but safe enough to use on kitty. The Allerpet Corporation makes 3 formulas of denaturing agents for animals. The Allerpet/C formula is specific for the Fel d 1 protein and is mild enough to be used on furred animals as small as a rabbit. Weekly application not only neutralizes any present protein, but residual action will take care of subsequent grooming by the cat. The formula must be applied weekly to be effective. The Alkaline Labs have created two sprays that can be used on furniture, carpets, drapes, and other fibers in the house. The ADS solution uses tannic acid as the denaturing agent. The downside to tannic acid is that it can stain or discolor white fabrics. Fortunately, they have recently released the ADMS spray that uses a different denaturing agent. The ADMS spray will not stain or discolor fabrics. The allergic person will also benefit from keeping the cat out of the bedroom and running a good quality HEPA filter. Some great strategies for coping with cat allergy are contained at [http://allergystore.com/cat_allergies.htm]http://allergystore.com/cat_allergies.htm.
Cheryl Krause - CEO and President of Cee DeeKay, Inc.
Cheryl has owned and operated the Allergy Store in Plantation Florida for the past 10 years. My goal is to help allergy, asthma sufferers as well as those who just want a healthier place to live and work.
www.AllergyStore.com
Friday, September 21, 2007
Feline Arthritis - Nothing to Purr About
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Flor_Serquina]Flor Serquina
Cats are usually very stoic creatures but when it comes to feline arthritis, even the toughest tabby of them all will eventually give in and complain. Feline arthritis is a progressive, non-infectious disease characterized by joint swelling and pain. It can appear at any age but it usually affects middle-aged or geriatric cats.
What causes feline arthritis?
Certain factors contribute to the development of feline arthritis. These may include trauma, such as those caused by accidents or injuries to the joints, congenital disorders and developmental disorders. A commonly overlooked factor that usually leads to feline arthritis is obesity, which usually causes excessive weight to bear down on joints and cause too much pressure.
There are several types of cat arthritis - these include:
Progressive polyarthritis. This is characterized by arthritis affecting multiple joints and often worsens with age. Progressive polyarthritis usually affects the hock, wrist and feet. It can be severely painful, especially once the cartilage has eroded and bones are exposed.
Traumatic arthritis. This type is caused by injury to the joint from accidents, fights or even a fall. When left unchecked, the trauma can degenerate the joint and cause swelling and bone damage.
Osteoarthritis. Also referred to as degenerative arthritis, this is a chronic disease that often comes with age, characterized by the slow wear and tear of a joint. This usually occurs at the shoulder and elbow.
What are the symptoms?
When your cat shows symptoms of feline arthritis, it's usually when the disease has already progressed. These are some of the most common symptoms associated with feline arthritis:
Difficulty in moving or obvious expression of pain when moving.
Reluctance to engage in the usual physical activities.
Altered gait or limping.
Stiffness, difficulty in rising from a resting position.
Irritability, nervousness, aggression or depression.
Getting your cat diagnosed
Feline arthritis isn't arthritis until it's confirmed. If your cat shows signs of limping or inflammation, don't assume it is arthritis immediately and try to comfort your cat by giving him painkillers. Feline arthritis is best left for a veterinarian to diagnose and whatever medications you might need to administer should have the vet's approval.
During your visit to the vet, your cat will undergo a series of check ups in order to rule out any other diseases that may contribute to similar symptoms. It is also important that the vet examines your cat's medical history to find out if the problem is related to past injuries and diseases.
To check for the progress of the disease, an x-ray may be used which will show any deformed or damaged joints. An x-ray will often tell the veterinarian whether your cat needs to undergo surgery or will perform well with certain medications. Other forms of diagnosis may also be used by your veterinarian, including ultrasound, radiographs and blood tests.
Treatment for feline arthritis
A proper diagnosis from the veterinarian is important in order to determine the type and progress of the disease. This will help the vet prescribe the proper medication and therapies for your cat based on his age, the severity of his condition and medical history. The approach of treatment for feline arthritis is two-fold: one to treat the pain and inflammation and the other is to improve your cat's mobility.
If pain and swelling are present, medications may be prescribed, which can offer temporary relief. Common medications used include painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs must be prescribed by your veterinarian and should not be administered without the doctor's advice. Some drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and certain NSAIDs have adverse side effects that may not be well tolerated by cats.
Some supplements, such as chondroitin and glucosamine, are sometimes recommended to help in the healing of damaged joints. Glucosamine is one of the components that make up the cartilage while chondroitin inhibits damaging enzymes as it encourages cartilage formation. If the disease has progressed and joint malformation is already present, corrective and reconstructive surgery may be performed. Supplementing medication
Your cat may have to deal with feline arthritis for the rest of his life, so it's important that he is provided a comfortable place to rest and sleep. A heating pad will greatly increase your cat's comfort although providing a warm place to sleep will usually suffice. Since it often requires extra effort for your cat to move, make sure he has easy access to his bed, food and water bowls. It may also be necessary to help your cat lose weight, as some forms of arthritis are caused and made worse by excess weight.
Flor Serquina is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Arthritis-Education.com. She provides more information on topics such as [http://www.arthritis-education.com/feline-arthritis.html ]feline arthritis, other forms of [http://www.arthritis-education.com/cat-arthritis.html ]cat arthritis and [http://www.arthritis-education.com/canine-rheumatoid-arthritis.html ]canine rheumatoid arthritis that you can research on her website even while lounging in your living room.
Cats are usually very stoic creatures but when it comes to feline arthritis, even the toughest tabby of them all will eventually give in and complain. Feline arthritis is a progressive, non-infectious disease characterized by joint swelling and pain. It can appear at any age but it usually affects middle-aged or geriatric cats.
What causes feline arthritis?
Certain factors contribute to the development of feline arthritis. These may include trauma, such as those caused by accidents or injuries to the joints, congenital disorders and developmental disorders. A commonly overlooked factor that usually leads to feline arthritis is obesity, which usually causes excessive weight to bear down on joints and cause too much pressure.
There are several types of cat arthritis - these include:
Progressive polyarthritis. This is characterized by arthritis affecting multiple joints and often worsens with age. Progressive polyarthritis usually affects the hock, wrist and feet. It can be severely painful, especially once the cartilage has eroded and bones are exposed.
Traumatic arthritis. This type is caused by injury to the joint from accidents, fights or even a fall. When left unchecked, the trauma can degenerate the joint and cause swelling and bone damage.
Osteoarthritis. Also referred to as degenerative arthritis, this is a chronic disease that often comes with age, characterized by the slow wear and tear of a joint. This usually occurs at the shoulder and elbow.
What are the symptoms?
When your cat shows symptoms of feline arthritis, it's usually when the disease has already progressed. These are some of the most common symptoms associated with feline arthritis:
Difficulty in moving or obvious expression of pain when moving.
Reluctance to engage in the usual physical activities.
Altered gait or limping.
Stiffness, difficulty in rising from a resting position.
Irritability, nervousness, aggression or depression.
Getting your cat diagnosed
Feline arthritis isn't arthritis until it's confirmed. If your cat shows signs of limping or inflammation, don't assume it is arthritis immediately and try to comfort your cat by giving him painkillers. Feline arthritis is best left for a veterinarian to diagnose and whatever medications you might need to administer should have the vet's approval.
During your visit to the vet, your cat will undergo a series of check ups in order to rule out any other diseases that may contribute to similar symptoms. It is also important that the vet examines your cat's medical history to find out if the problem is related to past injuries and diseases.
To check for the progress of the disease, an x-ray may be used which will show any deformed or damaged joints. An x-ray will often tell the veterinarian whether your cat needs to undergo surgery or will perform well with certain medications. Other forms of diagnosis may also be used by your veterinarian, including ultrasound, radiographs and blood tests.
Treatment for feline arthritis
A proper diagnosis from the veterinarian is important in order to determine the type and progress of the disease. This will help the vet prescribe the proper medication and therapies for your cat based on his age, the severity of his condition and medical history. The approach of treatment for feline arthritis is two-fold: one to treat the pain and inflammation and the other is to improve your cat's mobility.
If pain and swelling are present, medications may be prescribed, which can offer temporary relief. Common medications used include painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs must be prescribed by your veterinarian and should not be administered without the doctor's advice. Some drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and certain NSAIDs have adverse side effects that may not be well tolerated by cats.
Some supplements, such as chondroitin and glucosamine, are sometimes recommended to help in the healing of damaged joints. Glucosamine is one of the components that make up the cartilage while chondroitin inhibits damaging enzymes as it encourages cartilage formation. If the disease has progressed and joint malformation is already present, corrective and reconstructive surgery may be performed. Supplementing medication
Your cat may have to deal with feline arthritis for the rest of his life, so it's important that he is provided a comfortable place to rest and sleep. A heating pad will greatly increase your cat's comfort although providing a warm place to sleep will usually suffice. Since it often requires extra effort for your cat to move, make sure he has easy access to his bed, food and water bowls. It may also be necessary to help your cat lose weight, as some forms of arthritis are caused and made worse by excess weight.
Flor Serquina is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Arthritis-Education.com. She provides more information on topics such as [http://www.arthritis-education.com/feline-arthritis.html ]feline arthritis, other forms of [http://www.arthritis-education.com/cat-arthritis.html ]cat arthritis and [http://www.arthritis-education.com/canine-rheumatoid-arthritis.html ]canine rheumatoid arthritis that you can research on her website even while lounging in your living room.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Cat Spraying - A Condition That Can Be Cured
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Paul_Proctor]Paul Proctor
The cat spraying problems have become increasingly recognized in recent years. For some cats, spraying can indicate other medical problems and so you should always, if in any doubt get your cat examined at the vets before putting the spraying down to behavioral problems only. Cat spraying is a very simple behavior that the cat performs and it can cause major problems in many households.
The most common way to try and ensure that your male cats do not spray is to have them neutered. By having the male cats neutered it will help prevent them from spraying around the house. This however is not something that is possible for every cat owner.
Some cat owners feel that the actual action of neutering a cat is inhumane and feel that they should not ever subject their pets to such cruel treatment. For people that feel that hurting their cats and preventing them from breeding and have additional cute little teeny baby kittens there are other options that they may be able to utilize in lieu of having their little baby kittens neutered.
On the other hand, some people feel that they have some particular issues which would create a serious problem if they neutered their male cats. For example, some pet owners who have kittens also have the intention of breeding their kittens once they have grown into cats. This is also the case for cat owners, who want to breed their male cat. Behavior modification is an option you have to think about under these circumstances.
The best way to keep a cat from spraying all over the house is to neuter it. But if there are reasons you can't have your cat neutered, you'll have to find some other way to keep it from spraying. Spraying can result in odor and nasty-looking stains all over everything, and it becomes a big problem when the cat is continually spraying furniture, clothes, and carpets. [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/ ]Cat spraying can be one of the biggest [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/ ]cat problems for pet owners. Because spraying can be linked to medical problems, always get your [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/content/70193-cat-sprayingcat.php ]cats health checked before assuming that the spraying is just a behavioral problem. The most effective way to prevent a cat from spraying is to have it neutered. However, neutering is not always possible: for example, some owners feel they do not have the right to neuter their cats, and others plan to breed their cats. If neutering is not possible, you will need to find another way to prevent spraying.
The cat spraying problems have become increasingly recognized in recent years. For some cats, spraying can indicate other medical problems and so you should always, if in any doubt get your cat examined at the vets before putting the spraying down to behavioral problems only. Cat spraying is a very simple behavior that the cat performs and it can cause major problems in many households.
The most common way to try and ensure that your male cats do not spray is to have them neutered. By having the male cats neutered it will help prevent them from spraying around the house. This however is not something that is possible for every cat owner.
Some cat owners feel that the actual action of neutering a cat is inhumane and feel that they should not ever subject their pets to such cruel treatment. For people that feel that hurting their cats and preventing them from breeding and have additional cute little teeny baby kittens there are other options that they may be able to utilize in lieu of having their little baby kittens neutered.
On the other hand, some people feel that they have some particular issues which would create a serious problem if they neutered their male cats. For example, some pet owners who have kittens also have the intention of breeding their kittens once they have grown into cats. This is also the case for cat owners, who want to breed their male cat. Behavior modification is an option you have to think about under these circumstances.
The best way to keep a cat from spraying all over the house is to neuter it. But if there are reasons you can't have your cat neutered, you'll have to find some other way to keep it from spraying. Spraying can result in odor and nasty-looking stains all over everything, and it becomes a big problem when the cat is continually spraying furniture, clothes, and carpets. [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/ ]Cat spraying can be one of the biggest [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/ ]cat problems for pet owners. Because spraying can be linked to medical problems, always get your [http://www.purrfectcatbehavior.com/content/70193-cat-sprayingcat.php ]cats health checked before assuming that the spraying is just a behavioral problem. The most effective way to prevent a cat from spraying is to have it neutered. However, neutering is not always possible: for example, some owners feel they do not have the right to neuter their cats, and others plan to breed their cats. If neutering is not possible, you will need to find another way to prevent spraying.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Remove Cat Urine - Part One
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Laurie]Jennifer Laurie
One of the most frustrating things about owning a cat is the unacceptable behaviour of inappropriate urination. I know this as I have experienced this problem first hand. It can drive you nuts especially if your cat has previously been meticulous about using the litter box.
What inappropriate urination means is that your cat decides to urinate in places other than his litter box. He might decide that your carpet or furniture is a suitable place to eliminate. However if you are able to understand the reasons behind this behaviour then you will be able to employ restraining techniques or perhaps medical therapy, which will in most cases result in the behaviour being resolved.
To understand this behaviour then you need to know that there are two types of inappropriate urination. The first one is house soiling where the cat will use your carpet/floor as he would his litter box, by scratching and squatting and then releasing a puddle of urine. He may even try to cover the puddle after he is finished.
The second type is spraying where your cat will back up to a surface and let loose a small amount of urine. This is usually done as a display of territorial or sexual behaviour and doesn't have anything to do with whether he has a need for urination.
If your cat starts displaying this behaviour you should get him examined by your vet so as to rule out any underlying medical problem that may be the cause of the problem. If there is a medical problem then this needs to be addressed first before any behaviour modification takes place. If your cat has a problem that is causing him pain on urination he will avoid the litter box as he will think that this is what is causing him pain. The likely cause of painful urination is cystitis which is inflammation of the bladder.
If your cat is older then he may be suffering from arthritis. If this is the case getting in and out of the litter box is probably painful for him and he will find other places to urinate that don't require him to lift his legs. Other disorders such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism can cause your cat to drink more therefore produce more urine. The need to go will increase and your cat may not be able to make it to the litter box in time.
Other reasons for your cat to develop an inappropriate urination problem:
It could be that the litter box is dirty. Cats don't like to use a dirty litter box so you should change the litter daily making sure to wash the litter box in hot soapy water at least every couple of day.
Your cat may not like the brand of litter you use. Or he may not like the location of the litter box.
Stress is another cause of this problem. Cats are creatures of habit, they don't like disruptions to there daily routine. If you have multiple cats this can cause stress. Some cats don't like sharing the litter box with other cats and will look for other places to urinate. You may find pooping is also a problem in a household with several cats. Urination problems are hardest to solve in a household with multiple cats. Not impossible, but harder.
If you have had your cat de-clawed then it may be too painful for him to scratch in the litter. De-clawing is a very painful procedure and it is not recommended that you do it. De-clawing is essentially an amputation of not just the claws, but the whole phalanx, that is up to the joint, including bones, ligaments and tendons.
If you catch your cat in the act of urinating in an inappropriate place don't yell at him or chastise him as this will only add to the stress he is feeling and will make the situation worse. Instead pick him up and take to the litter box a place him in it so that he knows what you want him to do.
In the majority of cases, the problem may be resolved if the primary cause can be treated. To read the second half of this article please go to the address in the resource box below. There I will discuss the types of urination behaviours in more depth and I will offer some solutions to the problem.
Jennifer Laurie has been involved with Cats all her life and has a wealth of information to share with you. To read Part Two of this article go to [http://removecaturine.weebly.com]Remove Cat Urine Part Two
One of the most frustrating things about owning a cat is the unacceptable behaviour of inappropriate urination. I know this as I have experienced this problem first hand. It can drive you nuts especially if your cat has previously been meticulous about using the litter box.
What inappropriate urination means is that your cat decides to urinate in places other than his litter box. He might decide that your carpet or furniture is a suitable place to eliminate. However if you are able to understand the reasons behind this behaviour then you will be able to employ restraining techniques or perhaps medical therapy, which will in most cases result in the behaviour being resolved.
To understand this behaviour then you need to know that there are two types of inappropriate urination. The first one is house soiling where the cat will use your carpet/floor as he would his litter box, by scratching and squatting and then releasing a puddle of urine. He may even try to cover the puddle after he is finished.
The second type is spraying where your cat will back up to a surface and let loose a small amount of urine. This is usually done as a display of territorial or sexual behaviour and doesn't have anything to do with whether he has a need for urination.
If your cat starts displaying this behaviour you should get him examined by your vet so as to rule out any underlying medical problem that may be the cause of the problem. If there is a medical problem then this needs to be addressed first before any behaviour modification takes place. If your cat has a problem that is causing him pain on urination he will avoid the litter box as he will think that this is what is causing him pain. The likely cause of painful urination is cystitis which is inflammation of the bladder.
If your cat is older then he may be suffering from arthritis. If this is the case getting in and out of the litter box is probably painful for him and he will find other places to urinate that don't require him to lift his legs. Other disorders such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism can cause your cat to drink more therefore produce more urine. The need to go will increase and your cat may not be able to make it to the litter box in time.
Other reasons for your cat to develop an inappropriate urination problem:
It could be that the litter box is dirty. Cats don't like to use a dirty litter box so you should change the litter daily making sure to wash the litter box in hot soapy water at least every couple of day.
Your cat may not like the brand of litter you use. Or he may not like the location of the litter box.
Stress is another cause of this problem. Cats are creatures of habit, they don't like disruptions to there daily routine. If you have multiple cats this can cause stress. Some cats don't like sharing the litter box with other cats and will look for other places to urinate. You may find pooping is also a problem in a household with several cats. Urination problems are hardest to solve in a household with multiple cats. Not impossible, but harder.
If you have had your cat de-clawed then it may be too painful for him to scratch in the litter. De-clawing is a very painful procedure and it is not recommended that you do it. De-clawing is essentially an amputation of not just the claws, but the whole phalanx, that is up to the joint, including bones, ligaments and tendons.
If you catch your cat in the act of urinating in an inappropriate place don't yell at him or chastise him as this will only add to the stress he is feeling and will make the situation worse. Instead pick him up and take to the litter box a place him in it so that he knows what you want him to do.
In the majority of cases, the problem may be resolved if the primary cause can be treated. To read the second half of this article please go to the address in the resource box below. There I will discuss the types of urination behaviours in more depth and I will offer some solutions to the problem.
Jennifer Laurie has been involved with Cats all her life and has a wealth of information to share with you. To read Part Two of this article go to [http://removecaturine.weebly.com]Remove Cat Urine Part Two
Saturday, September 15, 2007
A Cat by Design
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jean_Sheldon]Jean Sheldon
I wanted to write an article about the complex physical structure that allows cats to behave the way they do. My cat, Xena, quickly informed me she had better address the subject, so she has. You�ll have to put your cats in front of the monitor, because she wrote it for them.
Feline Basics
It never hurts to know who you are and how your various parts work. With a little luck, you�ll be able to impart some of this knowledge to your human. Here are just a few of the basics. We�re carnivorous mammals of the Felidae family and well designed for hunting (and sleeping). We have somewhere around 60 thousand hairs per square inch on our backs and an amazing 120 thousand hairs per square inch on our cute little bellies. (I don�t shed. I simply add to the texture and decor of our home.) We have both an undercoat and an outer coat, and because we no longer need to camouflage ourselves, we have many more varieties of fur patterns and colors than our big cat brothers and sisters. Other than that we�re pretty much the same cats we were thirty million years ago. With our sleek bodies, superb sight, excellent ears and remarkable leaping abilities we are hunting machines. To paraphrase a famous human philosopher: �I hunt, therefore I am.�
We have over 230 bones and over 500 skeletal muscles. We don�t have collarbones, the better to allow us entrance to anywhere we darn well please. Our spines are the reason for the suppleness of our movement. We have 30 vertebrae as opposed to 25 in humans and they have inflexible backbones and NO TAIL! We can run over 30 miles an hour and jump five to eight times our height, whereas humans can jump only a little more than half their height. Hey, Michael Jordan, how about a little one on one?
Our brains are more similar to human�s than are dog brains. The order in rank I believe is cat brain, human brain and then dog brain. Our brains also contain an area that controls emotion just as the human brain. Really? When was the last time you sat and cried over a movie or a card you got in the mail? I think it�s safe to say we both have emotions�one species controls them and the other doesn�t.
Because you are purr-fect
Humans don�t seem to know why we purr. Why do cats do anything? Because we want to. Rather than answer why, I�ll explain how we purr. We breathe air over our vocal cords causing vibrations that are heard, and felt throughout our bodies. One human theory claims that purring happens because of rapid contractions of the muscles of the larynx. Good try folks, but I guess I should know. They also generally think we purr when we�re happy. Heck, we purr all the time�they just aren�t paying attention.
As we see it
Our eyes are relatively larger than any other animal�s and most of us do not have eyelashes. We have an extra eyelid that is usually only visible if we don�t feel well. Our day and night vision are both great and we have excellent depth perception so we can hunt and stalk from a distance, and then without warning, capture our prey. This also applies to those balls and toys your humans scatter around the house. Because of our large pupils, we have much better night vision than humans�quite an advantage when playing �catch me if you can.� I know my mom has terrible night vision. I�ve watched her stumble around the house at night and whenever she steps on one of my toys, she apologizes to it. Of course, maybe she�s just polite.
There�s something you have to keep in mind when you are out and about in the evening hours. One of the reasons our night vision is so good is because of a special tissue behind the retina that reflects the light back out through our eyes causing them to �glow.� This makes us easy to spot, and has the potential of turning us into prey.
One rather interesting, dare I say, �flaw� in our otherwise incredible vision is that we can�t see something directly in front of our nose. We can smell it all right. We just don�t see it and often will walk away from a few extra kibbles because we didn�t see them.
We don�t see colors the way most humans do. Unfortunately they don�t know that and will buy toys that are bright red thinking they will be more interesting for us, when in fact what we see is a rather dull grey. Don�t disappoint them. Pretend you like the red ball too.
We�re all ears and then some
We have great hearing to compensate for a questionable sense of smell. We hear much higher pitched sounds than our humans or their canine friends (our range is between 100 and 65 thousand Hz), but the best thing about our ears is that they turn. Humans have six muscles for the outer ear. We have 30, giving us a sort of natural surround sound. We can rotate our ears 180 degrees and tune in on sound ten times faster than a dog.
Because of the way our ears are shaped, we can gather in sound and focus it into the ear channel. Since our hearing is three to four times more sensitive than that of our human, it�s almost painful to listen to their TV or stereo. Feel free to use the remote to lower the volume on their noise boxes. If you do it in small increments your dad may not even notice and you will be doing him a great service by lessening the damage to his hearing too. Humans may yet learn that silence really is golden.
We also communicate a lot with the positioning of our ears. When we�re quite comfortable, our ears are erect. On the rare occasion when we get scared, our ears press back on our heads. When we�re investigating, they�re erect and pointing to the front. When we turn our ears backwards�watch out. I think my mom has finally nailed that one.
Okay, I�ll bite
We have 30 teeth: 12 incisors, 10 premolars, 4 felines, (oops) canines and 4 molars. Our canines grab on to our prey and because these teeth are embedded in sensitive tissue, we can feel the prey�s movement. Our incisors hold on to it, our molars, and premolars chew it. I personally have totally massacred a number of little cloth mice with these ivories.
How do we use our tongues?
I guess the question could more aptly be, �How don�t we use our tongues?� With the backward, scoop-like hairs that cover our tongues, we drink, eat, and remain very well groomed. Our tongues also have a special coating that removes old hair and dander. In addition, it helps our fur stay waterproof.
Smells as sweet
As I said earlier, our sense of smell isn�t our strong suit, but we do have over 60 million olfactory cells and something called the Jacobson�s Organ in the roof our mouth. It�s behind our front teeth and it enables us to analyze the air. (Some bats and reptiles have this organ too.) People think we�re grimacing or making a face when we lift our lips to draw air over the organ, but we�re just checking things out. I don�t need any extra organ to smell catnip though, do you?
Making scents of things
We use almost our entire bodies to figure out what is going on, or has gone on around us. Humans often think that when we rub up against them we�re showing them love or affection. In fact, we�re actually protecting them from intruders by leaving our scent.
We have glands in our paws that leave our scent as we walk. Humans, of course, can�t smell this, but it�s a great way to make our presence known to each other. We also have hairs like whiskers above our eyes and on either side of our mouths that take in information about our surroundings.
Our whiskers are special. They�re stiffer than our fur and extremely sensitive. They�re largely responsible for keeping us from banging into things when it�s totally dark. Most of us have four rows of whiskers on our faces that we can push out for �feeling� our way around, or pull back flat in order to smell.
All of our senses are fine-tuned and help us survive and keep our humans as safe as we possibly can. Sniff, sense, touch, listen, watch, and most of all feel the vibrations in the air. Use your body with the precision of its design.
A tale of a tail
Ten percent of our bones are in our tail, which helps us stay balanced. I don�t know about that. I think balance is every cat�s middle name.
There�s been quite a bit of human research on our tails and frankly, it�s taken a lot of the fun out of it. Many humans now think they can analyze our mood by the movement of our tail so it may be time to change our language a bit. I mean, helping your human is fine, but letting them know, or think they know, what we�re thinking is rather extreme. So, watch your backside!
Paws and jaws
We usually have five toes on our front paws and four toes on the back. Some of us though have extra toes on our feet, a condition known as polydactylism. We�re the only species to walk on our claws instead of the pads of our feet.
Our jaws are short but strong. When we chomp down on our toys, we can crush the catnip out of them. We can�t move our jaws sideways so we get the most out of moving them up and down.
Grooming
No matter what you are doing, no matter what your human is doing, take a break and groom. You have just knocked your mom�s favorite coffee cup (filled with coffee) off the desk. While she�s scrambling to wipe it up you can be cleaning and conditioning your fur.
You�re not grooming to irritate your human. Quite the opposite. People have to learn to relax, for the sake of all of us, and if they can see how you just stop, amidst noise and chaos, to take a relaxing grooming break, maybe they will get the idea. Of course grooming for them is a little more complicated and involves getting under a stream of hot water (yuck!) but our lesson for them isn�t grooming, it�s relaxing.
We groom not only to look our best, but also because we don�t have sweat glands and it�s necessary to apply the moisture that will evaporate and cool us off. We do not need humans to groom us, besides they don�t really seem to enjoy giving us baths any more than we enjoy getting them. Even so, they seem to think they can help us get clean. You�re in charge, so take care of your fur and everything that lies beneath it.
Do we age differently than humans? (Notice I didn�t say grow up)
We age at a different rate than our human companions and because of that, they may seem childish and immature. Of course, that is partially true, but what is also true is they have a lot more time to get as wise as us and still many of them never manage to. Aging is as natural as sleeping�part of the great cycle that we we know as life. The secret is never to worry about how old you are but to know how well you lived every minute of every day. Cat�s Truth.
So, aren�t we remarkable creatures? Actually most humans find us not only physically remarkable but mysterious and intriguing as well. To us there�s no mystery, it�s our way of being. Give them a break, and no matter how difficult the task may seem, try to help them see the way.
Jean Sheldon, a native Chicagoan, spent much of her life as a graphic artist. She self-published a book of poems called Jelly Side Down, a book on basic car repair called Glove Box Guide to Keeping it on the Road, and co-authored, with her cat, Xena, The Way of the Cat: Teaching Humans to Be. At fifty-three, she began writing mysteries. Website: http://www.jeansheldon.com
I wanted to write an article about the complex physical structure that allows cats to behave the way they do. My cat, Xena, quickly informed me she had better address the subject, so she has. You�ll have to put your cats in front of the monitor, because she wrote it for them.
Feline Basics
It never hurts to know who you are and how your various parts work. With a little luck, you�ll be able to impart some of this knowledge to your human. Here are just a few of the basics. We�re carnivorous mammals of the Felidae family and well designed for hunting (and sleeping). We have somewhere around 60 thousand hairs per square inch on our backs and an amazing 120 thousand hairs per square inch on our cute little bellies. (I don�t shed. I simply add to the texture and decor of our home.) We have both an undercoat and an outer coat, and because we no longer need to camouflage ourselves, we have many more varieties of fur patterns and colors than our big cat brothers and sisters. Other than that we�re pretty much the same cats we were thirty million years ago. With our sleek bodies, superb sight, excellent ears and remarkable leaping abilities we are hunting machines. To paraphrase a famous human philosopher: �I hunt, therefore I am.�
We have over 230 bones and over 500 skeletal muscles. We don�t have collarbones, the better to allow us entrance to anywhere we darn well please. Our spines are the reason for the suppleness of our movement. We have 30 vertebrae as opposed to 25 in humans and they have inflexible backbones and NO TAIL! We can run over 30 miles an hour and jump five to eight times our height, whereas humans can jump only a little more than half their height. Hey, Michael Jordan, how about a little one on one?
Our brains are more similar to human�s than are dog brains. The order in rank I believe is cat brain, human brain and then dog brain. Our brains also contain an area that controls emotion just as the human brain. Really? When was the last time you sat and cried over a movie or a card you got in the mail? I think it�s safe to say we both have emotions�one species controls them and the other doesn�t.
Because you are purr-fect
Humans don�t seem to know why we purr. Why do cats do anything? Because we want to. Rather than answer why, I�ll explain how we purr. We breathe air over our vocal cords causing vibrations that are heard, and felt throughout our bodies. One human theory claims that purring happens because of rapid contractions of the muscles of the larynx. Good try folks, but I guess I should know. They also generally think we purr when we�re happy. Heck, we purr all the time�they just aren�t paying attention.
As we see it
Our eyes are relatively larger than any other animal�s and most of us do not have eyelashes. We have an extra eyelid that is usually only visible if we don�t feel well. Our day and night vision are both great and we have excellent depth perception so we can hunt and stalk from a distance, and then without warning, capture our prey. This also applies to those balls and toys your humans scatter around the house. Because of our large pupils, we have much better night vision than humans�quite an advantage when playing �catch me if you can.� I know my mom has terrible night vision. I�ve watched her stumble around the house at night and whenever she steps on one of my toys, she apologizes to it. Of course, maybe she�s just polite.
There�s something you have to keep in mind when you are out and about in the evening hours. One of the reasons our night vision is so good is because of a special tissue behind the retina that reflects the light back out through our eyes causing them to �glow.� This makes us easy to spot, and has the potential of turning us into prey.
One rather interesting, dare I say, �flaw� in our otherwise incredible vision is that we can�t see something directly in front of our nose. We can smell it all right. We just don�t see it and often will walk away from a few extra kibbles because we didn�t see them.
We don�t see colors the way most humans do. Unfortunately they don�t know that and will buy toys that are bright red thinking they will be more interesting for us, when in fact what we see is a rather dull grey. Don�t disappoint them. Pretend you like the red ball too.
We�re all ears and then some
We have great hearing to compensate for a questionable sense of smell. We hear much higher pitched sounds than our humans or their canine friends (our range is between 100 and 65 thousand Hz), but the best thing about our ears is that they turn. Humans have six muscles for the outer ear. We have 30, giving us a sort of natural surround sound. We can rotate our ears 180 degrees and tune in on sound ten times faster than a dog.
Because of the way our ears are shaped, we can gather in sound and focus it into the ear channel. Since our hearing is three to four times more sensitive than that of our human, it�s almost painful to listen to their TV or stereo. Feel free to use the remote to lower the volume on their noise boxes. If you do it in small increments your dad may not even notice and you will be doing him a great service by lessening the damage to his hearing too. Humans may yet learn that silence really is golden.
We also communicate a lot with the positioning of our ears. When we�re quite comfortable, our ears are erect. On the rare occasion when we get scared, our ears press back on our heads. When we�re investigating, they�re erect and pointing to the front. When we turn our ears backwards�watch out. I think my mom has finally nailed that one.
Okay, I�ll bite
We have 30 teeth: 12 incisors, 10 premolars, 4 felines, (oops) canines and 4 molars. Our canines grab on to our prey and because these teeth are embedded in sensitive tissue, we can feel the prey�s movement. Our incisors hold on to it, our molars, and premolars chew it. I personally have totally massacred a number of little cloth mice with these ivories.
How do we use our tongues?
I guess the question could more aptly be, �How don�t we use our tongues?� With the backward, scoop-like hairs that cover our tongues, we drink, eat, and remain very well groomed. Our tongues also have a special coating that removes old hair and dander. In addition, it helps our fur stay waterproof.
Smells as sweet
As I said earlier, our sense of smell isn�t our strong suit, but we do have over 60 million olfactory cells and something called the Jacobson�s Organ in the roof our mouth. It�s behind our front teeth and it enables us to analyze the air. (Some bats and reptiles have this organ too.) People think we�re grimacing or making a face when we lift our lips to draw air over the organ, but we�re just checking things out. I don�t need any extra organ to smell catnip though, do you?
Making scents of things
We use almost our entire bodies to figure out what is going on, or has gone on around us. Humans often think that when we rub up against them we�re showing them love or affection. In fact, we�re actually protecting them from intruders by leaving our scent.
We have glands in our paws that leave our scent as we walk. Humans, of course, can�t smell this, but it�s a great way to make our presence known to each other. We also have hairs like whiskers above our eyes and on either side of our mouths that take in information about our surroundings.
Our whiskers are special. They�re stiffer than our fur and extremely sensitive. They�re largely responsible for keeping us from banging into things when it�s totally dark. Most of us have four rows of whiskers on our faces that we can push out for �feeling� our way around, or pull back flat in order to smell.
All of our senses are fine-tuned and help us survive and keep our humans as safe as we possibly can. Sniff, sense, touch, listen, watch, and most of all feel the vibrations in the air. Use your body with the precision of its design.
A tale of a tail
Ten percent of our bones are in our tail, which helps us stay balanced. I don�t know about that. I think balance is every cat�s middle name.
There�s been quite a bit of human research on our tails and frankly, it�s taken a lot of the fun out of it. Many humans now think they can analyze our mood by the movement of our tail so it may be time to change our language a bit. I mean, helping your human is fine, but letting them know, or think they know, what we�re thinking is rather extreme. So, watch your backside!
Paws and jaws
We usually have five toes on our front paws and four toes on the back. Some of us though have extra toes on our feet, a condition known as polydactylism. We�re the only species to walk on our claws instead of the pads of our feet.
Our jaws are short but strong. When we chomp down on our toys, we can crush the catnip out of them. We can�t move our jaws sideways so we get the most out of moving them up and down.
Grooming
No matter what you are doing, no matter what your human is doing, take a break and groom. You have just knocked your mom�s favorite coffee cup (filled with coffee) off the desk. While she�s scrambling to wipe it up you can be cleaning and conditioning your fur.
You�re not grooming to irritate your human. Quite the opposite. People have to learn to relax, for the sake of all of us, and if they can see how you just stop, amidst noise and chaos, to take a relaxing grooming break, maybe they will get the idea. Of course grooming for them is a little more complicated and involves getting under a stream of hot water (yuck!) but our lesson for them isn�t grooming, it�s relaxing.
We groom not only to look our best, but also because we don�t have sweat glands and it�s necessary to apply the moisture that will evaporate and cool us off. We do not need humans to groom us, besides they don�t really seem to enjoy giving us baths any more than we enjoy getting them. Even so, they seem to think they can help us get clean. You�re in charge, so take care of your fur and everything that lies beneath it.
Do we age differently than humans? (Notice I didn�t say grow up)
We age at a different rate than our human companions and because of that, they may seem childish and immature. Of course, that is partially true, but what is also true is they have a lot more time to get as wise as us and still many of them never manage to. Aging is as natural as sleeping�part of the great cycle that we we know as life. The secret is never to worry about how old you are but to know how well you lived every minute of every day. Cat�s Truth.
So, aren�t we remarkable creatures? Actually most humans find us not only physically remarkable but mysterious and intriguing as well. To us there�s no mystery, it�s our way of being. Give them a break, and no matter how difficult the task may seem, try to help them see the way.
Jean Sheldon, a native Chicagoan, spent much of her life as a graphic artist. She self-published a book of poems called Jelly Side Down, a book on basic car repair called Glove Box Guide to Keeping it on the Road, and co-authored, with her cat, Xena, The Way of the Cat: Teaching Humans to Be. At fifty-three, she began writing mysteries. Website: http://www.jeansheldon.com
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Household Dangers from Kittens
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Carpos]Jerry Carpos
Kittens and children are a lot less compatible than you would think. Most pregnant women are aware of the risks associated with cat feces during pregnancy, which in a worst-case scenario can lead to such severe complications as cerebral palsy in the unborn child. This awareness of the risks tends to relax, though, after the child has reached the toddler stage, to be replaced by a consciousness of the positive benefits to the child of keeping a pet.
Those who have lived with cats and especially kittens will know how common it is to be scratched and bitten by a playful pet. Most owners will minimize the risks, because in their experience nothing bad has ever come of a cat scratch. However, if people are better informed of the risks, they would not necessarily take these injuries so lightly. More than half all cat bites result in infection of some kind, most commonly from the Pasteurella multocida bacteria, which form part of the normal flora of cats.
A local infection, at the site of the wound only, can lead to swelling or the formation of puss. This in itself is not always dangerous, but may lead to complications, perhaps with the joints becoming infected, or even the whole lymphatic system being invaded. Clearly those more at risk to such forms of infection are the very young, the elderly or those with suppressed immunosufficiency, such as cancer patients on medication and AIDS sufferers.
Cat scratch disease is an infectious illness associated with cat scratches, bites, or exposure to cat saliva. The bacteria Afipia felis and Bartonella henselae do not necessarily provoke symptoms in the carrier cat. But complications arising from infections with these bacteria can lead to nasty complications in humans, not just locally where the skin has been torn. CSD is perhaps the most common cause of chronic lymph node swelling in children, a feverous infection lasting up to two months.
Children under nine years of age are especially vulnerable to scratches and bites in the face and neck regions, most especially from kittens, which happen to be the most likely carriers of the Bartonella henselae group of organisms. Thus the advice is not to let children play too roughly with kittens � and any scratches or bites should be washed immediately with soap and warm water.
Osteomyelitis or septic arthritis from cat bites is not uncommon. The synovial capsules of the joints are usually completely sterile and infection at these points is both extremely painful and potentially very harmful. Osteomyelitis and septic arthritis can affect any joint or bone, but most commonly involve the lower limbs. Both are most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and require urgent treatment. The initial symptoms are tenderness and an unwillingness to use the joint or limb in question. Swelling and redness do not necessarily appear straight away.
Some authorities claim that fleas carry B. henselae bacteria, but the evidence is not conclusive. Nevertheless, it makes sense to keep fleas in check to guard against unnecessary risks. Cats should never be allowed to lick any wounds you or your child may have, as the saliva is where the bacteria come from.
If you or your child are bitten or scratched by a cat, at the first signs of any symptoms such as swelling, pustules, fatigue, fever, headache or swollen glands, consult your physician. [http://www.portraitkingdom.com/pets.php]Custom pet portraits painted in wonderfully life-like type hand paint a lasting memory of your cats and kittens. [http://www.portraitkingdom.com]Oil paintings art make thoughtful presents for pet lovers.
Kittens and children are a lot less compatible than you would think. Most pregnant women are aware of the risks associated with cat feces during pregnancy, which in a worst-case scenario can lead to such severe complications as cerebral palsy in the unborn child. This awareness of the risks tends to relax, though, after the child has reached the toddler stage, to be replaced by a consciousness of the positive benefits to the child of keeping a pet.
Those who have lived with cats and especially kittens will know how common it is to be scratched and bitten by a playful pet. Most owners will minimize the risks, because in their experience nothing bad has ever come of a cat scratch. However, if people are better informed of the risks, they would not necessarily take these injuries so lightly. More than half all cat bites result in infection of some kind, most commonly from the Pasteurella multocida bacteria, which form part of the normal flora of cats.
A local infection, at the site of the wound only, can lead to swelling or the formation of puss. This in itself is not always dangerous, but may lead to complications, perhaps with the joints becoming infected, or even the whole lymphatic system being invaded. Clearly those more at risk to such forms of infection are the very young, the elderly or those with suppressed immunosufficiency, such as cancer patients on medication and AIDS sufferers.
Cat scratch disease is an infectious illness associated with cat scratches, bites, or exposure to cat saliva. The bacteria Afipia felis and Bartonella henselae do not necessarily provoke symptoms in the carrier cat. But complications arising from infections with these bacteria can lead to nasty complications in humans, not just locally where the skin has been torn. CSD is perhaps the most common cause of chronic lymph node swelling in children, a feverous infection lasting up to two months.
Children under nine years of age are especially vulnerable to scratches and bites in the face and neck regions, most especially from kittens, which happen to be the most likely carriers of the Bartonella henselae group of organisms. Thus the advice is not to let children play too roughly with kittens � and any scratches or bites should be washed immediately with soap and warm water.
Osteomyelitis or septic arthritis from cat bites is not uncommon. The synovial capsules of the joints are usually completely sterile and infection at these points is both extremely painful and potentially very harmful. Osteomyelitis and septic arthritis can affect any joint or bone, but most commonly involve the lower limbs. Both are most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and require urgent treatment. The initial symptoms are tenderness and an unwillingness to use the joint or limb in question. Swelling and redness do not necessarily appear straight away.
Some authorities claim that fleas carry B. henselae bacteria, but the evidence is not conclusive. Nevertheless, it makes sense to keep fleas in check to guard against unnecessary risks. Cats should never be allowed to lick any wounds you or your child may have, as the saliva is where the bacteria come from.
If you or your child are bitten or scratched by a cat, at the first signs of any symptoms such as swelling, pustules, fatigue, fever, headache or swollen glands, consult your physician. [http://www.portraitkingdom.com/pets.php]Custom pet portraits painted in wonderfully life-like type hand paint a lasting memory of your cats and kittens. [http://www.portraitkingdom.com]Oil paintings art make thoughtful presents for pet lovers.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Take Away Your Fear Of Cats!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Johan_Geuze]Johan Geuze
Many people think that cats naturally dislike them.. That there is some kind of evil force that makes cats hate you.. Well they are wrong.. cats don�t hate people, you just need to know some rules when dealing with cats!
1. Don�t approach cats standing up. Can you imagine someone walking to you that is 15 times taller then you.. would you just stay there? I don�t think so. Make yourself small.. and ask the cat to come to you. Or approach it slowly.
2. Cats are not dogs, so don�t pet them like they are dogs. You can be rough with dogs, with cats you need to be more gentle.
3. When you first want to pet the cat, simply put your hand in front of the cat, and it will smell you and start to hug your hand� Take it from there.
4. Don't touch the belly of a cat, most cats don�t like that. Some do, but only after they know you for some time.
5. When a cat is looking at you, you simply look back and close your eyes slowly. The cat will respond the same and will feel conferable with you. Repeat a couple of times, but don�t stare. You will see that the cat will accept you.
6. Cats get scared easy, so if you pick them up and a car backfires or something falls of the table, you are going to be hurt� So don�t pick up cats you don�t know well.
7. Cats don�t react very well to strong smells, like toothpaste for example. Their reaction could be to jump away.
8. Some cats have been mistreated, and are very shy. The same rules apply, you will just need more time.
9. Cats do not forget, hit them and you will loose their respect. And it will be almost impossible to regain their trust.
10. Keep your movements slow, making quick movements will usually scare the cats.
These rules apply to any cat, and hopefully take away your fear or anger for cats. But if you need more convincing, go to http://www.cuterthencute.com
Learn more about cats at http://www.moreaboutcats.com/
Many people think that cats naturally dislike them.. That there is some kind of evil force that makes cats hate you.. Well they are wrong.. cats don�t hate people, you just need to know some rules when dealing with cats!
1. Don�t approach cats standing up. Can you imagine someone walking to you that is 15 times taller then you.. would you just stay there? I don�t think so. Make yourself small.. and ask the cat to come to you. Or approach it slowly.
2. Cats are not dogs, so don�t pet them like they are dogs. You can be rough with dogs, with cats you need to be more gentle.
3. When you first want to pet the cat, simply put your hand in front of the cat, and it will smell you and start to hug your hand� Take it from there.
4. Don't touch the belly of a cat, most cats don�t like that. Some do, but only after they know you for some time.
5. When a cat is looking at you, you simply look back and close your eyes slowly. The cat will respond the same and will feel conferable with you. Repeat a couple of times, but don�t stare. You will see that the cat will accept you.
6. Cats get scared easy, so if you pick them up and a car backfires or something falls of the table, you are going to be hurt� So don�t pick up cats you don�t know well.
7. Cats don�t react very well to strong smells, like toothpaste for example. Their reaction could be to jump away.
8. Some cats have been mistreated, and are very shy. The same rules apply, you will just need more time.
9. Cats do not forget, hit them and you will loose their respect. And it will be almost impossible to regain their trust.
10. Keep your movements slow, making quick movements will usually scare the cats.
These rules apply to any cat, and hopefully take away your fear or anger for cats. But if you need more convincing, go to http://www.cuterthencute.com
Learn more about cats at http://www.moreaboutcats.com/
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Cat Health Problems May be Connected With Dental Disease
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr._R.J._Peters]Dr. R.J. Peters
Just as humans can develop health problems because of infections of the mouth, our beloved pets can, too.
Middle aged and older cats are more susceptible than young ones, because their teeth have had longer to deteriorate, especially if they have not had proper care or adequate nutrition.
Although many veterinarians and other pet care experts recommend feeding primarily dry kibble style foods, presumably to keep the teeth "brushed," so to speak, it is a complete myth.
One look at a cat's teeth will tell you why.
There are no flat molar teeth, which you will see with omnivores... animals whose diets include the widest variety of food items. No, a cat's teeth all have sharp edges, and some are pointed, like spikes or claws. Those are the "fangs," technically known as incisors. The primary use of cat teeth is shredding and tearing... not grinding. That's because cats are "obligate carnivores," that is, they are "obligated" by Nature to be meat eaters. Not kibble eaters, not grain eaters, not even canned food eaters.
Just watch a cat eating dry food. A lot of it is swallowed whole. Some of it is crunched, maybe once, and they swallow the particles when each kibble bit shatters. It simply does not scrape the teeth.
Soft, or canned food is too soft and is best used as a treat item. For one thing, it's cooked. It does nothing for dental health, and some products may even be deficient in some nutrients found only in a raw diet.
Humans have created pet foods as a convenience to themselves, and not always as the best quality for their pets. It's pretty messy to cut up carcasses for Precious and Fluffy, who are supposed to be domesticated, cultured kitties, lying around the house, cool, calm and collected. It just isn't "civilized" to be tearing into small animals like little barbarians. The whole idea assaults OUR sensibilities, not theirs.
So, if Nature created their digestive systems to require that kind of diet, why have we been trying to tame it out of them? It's because we can't stand it.
But the fact remains that Fluffy still has to eat some real meat to meet feline dietary requirements, which, because of the way he was created, are not even his idea.
If you can't stand to feed your kitties some raw meat now and then, along with raw bones to give them something to really chew on to strengthen their jaw muscles and that really do clean their teeth, then you need to resort to alternatives.
These alternatives involve YOU cleaning their teeth for them. You have to brush their teeth! Ask a vet to show you how. (Don't use a human tooth brush, unless you use a small one with softer bristles, and NEVER use human tooth paste.)
You also can obtain products that help, such as chewy toys for cats, and some chewy treats made specifically for this purpose.
And lastly, it doesn't hurt to provide some kitty vitamins to be sure their nutritional needs are met if you just can't do the raw meat thing.
Dr. R.J. Peters has an extensive background in health care and animal care. For more info on cat health care, and to get personalized answers to your questions, stop by: http://www.theproblemcat.com/faq.html
Just as humans can develop health problems because of infections of the mouth, our beloved pets can, too.
Middle aged and older cats are more susceptible than young ones, because their teeth have had longer to deteriorate, especially if they have not had proper care or adequate nutrition.
Although many veterinarians and other pet care experts recommend feeding primarily dry kibble style foods, presumably to keep the teeth "brushed," so to speak, it is a complete myth.
One look at a cat's teeth will tell you why.
There are no flat molar teeth, which you will see with omnivores... animals whose diets include the widest variety of food items. No, a cat's teeth all have sharp edges, and some are pointed, like spikes or claws. Those are the "fangs," technically known as incisors. The primary use of cat teeth is shredding and tearing... not grinding. That's because cats are "obligate carnivores," that is, they are "obligated" by Nature to be meat eaters. Not kibble eaters, not grain eaters, not even canned food eaters.
Just watch a cat eating dry food. A lot of it is swallowed whole. Some of it is crunched, maybe once, and they swallow the particles when each kibble bit shatters. It simply does not scrape the teeth.
Soft, or canned food is too soft and is best used as a treat item. For one thing, it's cooked. It does nothing for dental health, and some products may even be deficient in some nutrients found only in a raw diet.
Humans have created pet foods as a convenience to themselves, and not always as the best quality for their pets. It's pretty messy to cut up carcasses for Precious and Fluffy, who are supposed to be domesticated, cultured kitties, lying around the house, cool, calm and collected. It just isn't "civilized" to be tearing into small animals like little barbarians. The whole idea assaults OUR sensibilities, not theirs.
So, if Nature created their digestive systems to require that kind of diet, why have we been trying to tame it out of them? It's because we can't stand it.
But the fact remains that Fluffy still has to eat some real meat to meet feline dietary requirements, which, because of the way he was created, are not even his idea.
If you can't stand to feed your kitties some raw meat now and then, along with raw bones to give them something to really chew on to strengthen their jaw muscles and that really do clean their teeth, then you need to resort to alternatives.
These alternatives involve YOU cleaning their teeth for them. You have to brush their teeth! Ask a vet to show you how. (Don't use a human tooth brush, unless you use a small one with softer bristles, and NEVER use human tooth paste.)
You also can obtain products that help, such as chewy toys for cats, and some chewy treats made specifically for this purpose.
And lastly, it doesn't hurt to provide some kitty vitamins to be sure their nutritional needs are met if you just can't do the raw meat thing.
Dr. R.J. Peters has an extensive background in health care and animal care. For more info on cat health care, and to get personalized answers to your questions, stop by: http://www.theproblemcat.com/faq.html
Friday, September 7, 2007
Training Your Siamese - Three Ideas to Keep In Mind
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Koenig]Bonnie Koenig
Siamese cat owners understand that their cats have a strong will. Stubborn is too mild a word for these cats. Although Siamese love people and are generally easy to be around, sometimes they have habits that people might not want to live with.
Siamese are curious and active cats. They have the long athletic lines as well as the ability to jump well. They can easily navigate countertops or cooking spaces that might be off limits. Because they tend to be easily excitable, they may also scratch on surfaces that are not appropriate, like the formal living room sofa.
When attempting to train your stubborn Siamese out of these habits, you may find yourself frustrated. Pet owners often make certain mistakes when trying to train their pets. Siamese cats can be particularly frustrating. It helps to remember these three things
First, remember that your cat learns at the moment of the action. After the cat has scratched the furniture or gotten off the counter is not the time to punish them. This is one problem with the squirt gun approach. The cat has nearly finished with the behavior before you, as the owner, are able to get there with the squirt gun. If you say no to a cat, it may listen and then do exactly what they want a moment later�the time of the �no� has passed.
Second, be consistent. This can be difficult if your cat loves to be on the counters while you are at work or in another room. You might hear them and come running. However, the cat has learned that they just need to not get caught. Remember the first thing, you need to train during the event.
Third, let your environment do the work. This is probably the most effective training method. Spray something the cat doesn�t like on the nice sofa to keep them from scratching that and make the scratching post very available. Citrus scents work well as cats dislike this smell. Another idea is to place double sided tape where the cat scratches. It can also be placed on counters. Low jelly-roll pans filled with water along the counter can be useful for a short retraining. This is actually more effective than the noisemakers that are sold. Siamese are light footed and can thwart the sensors on these.
The environment can be consistent in its application of punishment. It is always there when the cat performs the action. The environment is the perfect teacher. You can sit back and reward your cat with treats when they do the things you want them to do. You can enjoy the house the way you want your house, while still enjoying the love of your Siamese cat.
Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website [http://www.mysiamese.com]My Siamese
Siamese cat owners understand that their cats have a strong will. Stubborn is too mild a word for these cats. Although Siamese love people and are generally easy to be around, sometimes they have habits that people might not want to live with.
Siamese are curious and active cats. They have the long athletic lines as well as the ability to jump well. They can easily navigate countertops or cooking spaces that might be off limits. Because they tend to be easily excitable, they may also scratch on surfaces that are not appropriate, like the formal living room sofa.
When attempting to train your stubborn Siamese out of these habits, you may find yourself frustrated. Pet owners often make certain mistakes when trying to train their pets. Siamese cats can be particularly frustrating. It helps to remember these three things
First, remember that your cat learns at the moment of the action. After the cat has scratched the furniture or gotten off the counter is not the time to punish them. This is one problem with the squirt gun approach. The cat has nearly finished with the behavior before you, as the owner, are able to get there with the squirt gun. If you say no to a cat, it may listen and then do exactly what they want a moment later�the time of the �no� has passed.
Second, be consistent. This can be difficult if your cat loves to be on the counters while you are at work or in another room. You might hear them and come running. However, the cat has learned that they just need to not get caught. Remember the first thing, you need to train during the event.
Third, let your environment do the work. This is probably the most effective training method. Spray something the cat doesn�t like on the nice sofa to keep them from scratching that and make the scratching post very available. Citrus scents work well as cats dislike this smell. Another idea is to place double sided tape where the cat scratches. It can also be placed on counters. Low jelly-roll pans filled with water along the counter can be useful for a short retraining. This is actually more effective than the noisemakers that are sold. Siamese are light footed and can thwart the sensors on these.
The environment can be consistent in its application of punishment. It is always there when the cat performs the action. The environment is the perfect teacher. You can sit back and reward your cat with treats when they do the things you want them to do. You can enjoy the house the way you want your house, while still enjoying the love of your Siamese cat.
Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website [http://www.mysiamese.com]My Siamese
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
What Is The Persian Cat?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Idham_Effendi]Idham Effendi
A show-quality Persian has an extremely long thick coat, short legs, a wide head with the ears set far apart, large eyes, and an extremely foreshortened muzzle. The breed was originally established with a short (but not non-existent) muzzle, but over time this feature has become extremely exaggerated, particularly in North America, and Persians with the more extreme brachycephalic head type are prone to a number of health problems (specifically affecting their sinuses and breathing) caused by it. However, conscientious breeders eliminate this by careful choice of breeding stock with more moderate head type, as the stated goal of most breeders is first and always healthy cats.
Keeping them indoors is the best policy if you want to preserve their coat. You should ensure regular bathing and daily brushing of the coat with a metal comb.
The Persian breed is popular because it is gentle and sweet and have a pleasant voice. They love attention and love being admired. Unlike other cats, they don�t climb and jump much at all.
To ensure that your Persian pet stays healthy, you should always take him to the vet on an annual basis. If cared for properly, such as grooming, shots, and checkups, Persian cats can live as long as 20 years. One thing you�ll need to be aware of that�s common with Persians is their eyes. Their eyes are very big and can sometimes be too much for the cat to clean. This is a common healthy problem with the breed, and should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn�t get out of control.
You can expect a life span of almost 0 years for your Persian cat if you take proper medical care like regular check up with a Vet, at least once a year. Eyes need special attention.
When you compare Persians to other breeds, you�ll notice that the Persians are among the easiest to keep. You don�t have to worry about things like jumping or climbing, as Persians don�t like to do either. All you�ll need to do is feed your cat and groom him or him on a daily basis. Even though grooming can be quite a bit of work in the long run � it�s well worth it when you have a healthy an beautiful Persian cat.
If you want learn more about cat, make sure you visit this website of my suggestion: http://cat-world.50webs.com
Idham Effendi
mail: [mailto:chip_arm@yahoo.com]chip_arm@yahoo.com
website: http://cat-world.50webs.com
A show-quality Persian has an extremely long thick coat, short legs, a wide head with the ears set far apart, large eyes, and an extremely foreshortened muzzle. The breed was originally established with a short (but not non-existent) muzzle, but over time this feature has become extremely exaggerated, particularly in North America, and Persians with the more extreme brachycephalic head type are prone to a number of health problems (specifically affecting their sinuses and breathing) caused by it. However, conscientious breeders eliminate this by careful choice of breeding stock with more moderate head type, as the stated goal of most breeders is first and always healthy cats.
Keeping them indoors is the best policy if you want to preserve their coat. You should ensure regular bathing and daily brushing of the coat with a metal comb.
The Persian breed is popular because it is gentle and sweet and have a pleasant voice. They love attention and love being admired. Unlike other cats, they don�t climb and jump much at all.
To ensure that your Persian pet stays healthy, you should always take him to the vet on an annual basis. If cared for properly, such as grooming, shots, and checkups, Persian cats can live as long as 20 years. One thing you�ll need to be aware of that�s common with Persians is their eyes. Their eyes are very big and can sometimes be too much for the cat to clean. This is a common healthy problem with the breed, and should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn�t get out of control.
You can expect a life span of almost 0 years for your Persian cat if you take proper medical care like regular check up with a Vet, at least once a year. Eyes need special attention.
When you compare Persians to other breeds, you�ll notice that the Persians are among the easiest to keep. You don�t have to worry about things like jumping or climbing, as Persians don�t like to do either. All you�ll need to do is feed your cat and groom him or him on a daily basis. Even though grooming can be quite a bit of work in the long run � it�s well worth it when you have a healthy an beautiful Persian cat.
If you want learn more about cat, make sure you visit this website of my suggestion: http://cat-world.50webs.com
Idham Effendi
mail: [mailto:chip_arm@yahoo.com]chip_arm@yahoo.com
website: http://cat-world.50webs.com
Monday, September 3, 2007
Preparing Your Home For Your New Kitty
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Cowherd]Sharon Cowherd
You will want to make preparations in your house before bringing home your new cat or kitten. If you have several plants in your house, you will want to make sure that they will not be harmful to your cat. There are some plants that are very poisonous to cats and you do not want your new cat to try to eat one that could be very harmful. You can do a search on poisonous plants for cats to get a list of plants that are harmful to your cat. If you have any of the plants listed, it would be better to remove them from your home or to an area that your cat would not be able to get into contact with the plant.
Something else to watch for are small items that will peak their curiosity and encourage them to play with and then possibly swallow � such as string, rubber bands, or any other item that would be small enough for them to swallow. Swallowing these small items could cause an obstruction in their digestive system and could cause death. It is sometimes difficult to think of every small item that your cat might want to play with and try to swallow. I have gone through my house several times looking for string, rubber bands, or anything else that I think may be harmful to my cats. But they are sometimes smarter than I think they are and will find that one item that they are not supposed to play with. I have on many occasions had to retrieve a rubber band, string, or a leaf that was brought in from outside from Tiggy as she is choking on it. It is the scariest thing to watch at first not knowing why they are choking, but instinct to help takes over and I can get the string, or whatever she swallowed. I have not had to retrieve anything from her in a very long time; I have learned to hide things so that she cannot find them or put them where she cannot get to them.
You will also want to get all of the necessary accessories to take care of your cat; food and water dishes, and a litter box. Placement of these items are also important, a good place for the food dish is up where other animals in the house cannot get to it especially if you have a dog, but where your cat can. I have my food dish for the cats up on a storage tub where our dog, Polar Bear, cannot get to but they can jump on it and eat whenever they want. I would not recommend putting their food dish on the counter as this gives them permission to get up on counters. I do have and highly recommend a pet water fountain that all the cats and the dog drink out of. The water fountain keeps their water fresh and they drink more, which is a great health benefit. The Pet Water fountain does come in different sizes so you can choose the one that will meet your needs. The litter box should be kept away from the food and water dish, your cat does not want to eat or drink near the litter box. If you have a dog it would be good if you could have the litter box in an area where they cannot get to it. If you do not have an area where the dog cannot get to it, that is fine, I do not either. Just keep it scooped out so that they have nothing to get out of it when they do inspect it. As far as the type of litter box to use or how many will depend on how many cats you have. I have read a few articles that say that you should have one litter box for every cat. We have three cats, but I only have two litter boxes. I use the large hooded boxes. It gives them privacy and it also keeps them smell down. There are several different types and sizes of litter boxes that can be chosen. Usually it will depend on your preference and how many cats have in the house.
A few more things that you will want to get for your new kitty is fun stuff. A scratching post is not just a fun toy for them but could also save your furniture from their scratching. And lots of toys that will keep them occupied and will give you lots of laughs. It is fun to watch them discover a new toy and to find out which ones they like the best. It is also fun when you get toys that allow you to interact with your cat. It is good for bonding and for just having fun.
With these few tips on preparing your house, you will be able to bring your new kitty home and have fun with it.
Sharon Cowherd maintains Caring for Your Cat, a blog about her experiences and knowledge of caring for her cats. You can read more about Sharon and her cats at http://www.caringforyourcat.com
You will want to make preparations in your house before bringing home your new cat or kitten. If you have several plants in your house, you will want to make sure that they will not be harmful to your cat. There are some plants that are very poisonous to cats and you do not want your new cat to try to eat one that could be very harmful. You can do a search on poisonous plants for cats to get a list of plants that are harmful to your cat. If you have any of the plants listed, it would be better to remove them from your home or to an area that your cat would not be able to get into contact with the plant.
Something else to watch for are small items that will peak their curiosity and encourage them to play with and then possibly swallow � such as string, rubber bands, or any other item that would be small enough for them to swallow. Swallowing these small items could cause an obstruction in their digestive system and could cause death. It is sometimes difficult to think of every small item that your cat might want to play with and try to swallow. I have gone through my house several times looking for string, rubber bands, or anything else that I think may be harmful to my cats. But they are sometimes smarter than I think they are and will find that one item that they are not supposed to play with. I have on many occasions had to retrieve a rubber band, string, or a leaf that was brought in from outside from Tiggy as she is choking on it. It is the scariest thing to watch at first not knowing why they are choking, but instinct to help takes over and I can get the string, or whatever she swallowed. I have not had to retrieve anything from her in a very long time; I have learned to hide things so that she cannot find them or put them where she cannot get to them.
You will also want to get all of the necessary accessories to take care of your cat; food and water dishes, and a litter box. Placement of these items are also important, a good place for the food dish is up where other animals in the house cannot get to it especially if you have a dog, but where your cat can. I have my food dish for the cats up on a storage tub where our dog, Polar Bear, cannot get to but they can jump on it and eat whenever they want. I would not recommend putting their food dish on the counter as this gives them permission to get up on counters. I do have and highly recommend a pet water fountain that all the cats and the dog drink out of. The water fountain keeps their water fresh and they drink more, which is a great health benefit. The Pet Water fountain does come in different sizes so you can choose the one that will meet your needs. The litter box should be kept away from the food and water dish, your cat does not want to eat or drink near the litter box. If you have a dog it would be good if you could have the litter box in an area where they cannot get to it. If you do not have an area where the dog cannot get to it, that is fine, I do not either. Just keep it scooped out so that they have nothing to get out of it when they do inspect it. As far as the type of litter box to use or how many will depend on how many cats you have. I have read a few articles that say that you should have one litter box for every cat. We have three cats, but I only have two litter boxes. I use the large hooded boxes. It gives them privacy and it also keeps them smell down. There are several different types and sizes of litter boxes that can be chosen. Usually it will depend on your preference and how many cats have in the house.
A few more things that you will want to get for your new kitty is fun stuff. A scratching post is not just a fun toy for them but could also save your furniture from their scratching. And lots of toys that will keep them occupied and will give you lots of laughs. It is fun to watch them discover a new toy and to find out which ones they like the best. It is also fun when you get toys that allow you to interact with your cat. It is good for bonding and for just having fun.
With these few tips on preparing your house, you will be able to bring your new kitty home and have fun with it.
Sharon Cowherd maintains Caring for Your Cat, a blog about her experiences and knowledge of caring for her cats. You can read more about Sharon and her cats at http://www.caringforyourcat.com
Saturday, September 1, 2007
The Indoor Siamese - Living Longer, Living Better
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Koenig]Bonnie Koenig
Siamese cats are wonderful people-loving cats. They are stubborn and demanding and it�s difficult to deny them anything. Some Siamese see the world outside and won�t take no for answer. They slip out between our legs as we walk in with groceries. They howl at the window. They stand by the door, watching us, waiting for an opportunity.
It�s tough not to give in, but by not giving in, your cat will live a longer and better life. Cars are only one danger to outdoor cats. Other dangers include strangers, and dogs. Other people can steal a cat. Knowingly or unknowingly, a neighbor might leave out a poison. Dogs can frighten a cat and disorient it. Dogs can attack.
In some areas, raccoons, coyotes, cougars and even certain hawks can pose a threat. As our suburbs reach ever farther into the wild areas these creatures called home, they stray into our safe suburban areas. Our outdoor cats are often the first to discover a wild intruder, with disastrous results. Your Siamese is a beautiful cat and was bred to look wonderful. It wasn�t bred to fight or to understand how to get away. Their coloring allows them to stand out to predators. Keep them inside where they are safe.
Your Siamese may love the outdoors but it�s important to keep your cat confined. Large windows are wonderful. Make sure they have screens. Many companies make outdoor enclosures for cats. These enclosures often have perches that allow cats to climb. They have covered areas for cats to hide if they feel threatened. They are solidly made.
Many Siamese can be trained to walk on a leash. So long as a human is always in attendance, cats are typically safe. It�s a rare predator who will try and injure a cat with a human around. Children may still want to pet your cat, so if you have a cat, which is unsure, pick them up and warn the child that they may not be friendly. Many Siamese adore this attention, so allow them some time to bask in the admiration!
There are now strollers out that can be used for cats. These are covered so that the cat is safe inside, while still able to look out at the world. While they can�t explore up close, this is a nice option if you like to walk but your cat likes to linger. You will go farther faster with your cat looking outside in a stroller than you will walking them on a leash. Your cat also has more protection if a dog suddenly bursts out of nowhere to try and attack. In fact, the dog may not even know your cat is there.
Siamese love to do what they want to do. Realize that part of being a pet owner is keeping your pet as safe as possible. There are ways to keep your cat indoor only but allow them to experience the outside world as they may long to do.
Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website [http://www.mysiamese.com]My Siamese
Siamese cats are wonderful people-loving cats. They are stubborn and demanding and it�s difficult to deny them anything. Some Siamese see the world outside and won�t take no for answer. They slip out between our legs as we walk in with groceries. They howl at the window. They stand by the door, watching us, waiting for an opportunity.
It�s tough not to give in, but by not giving in, your cat will live a longer and better life. Cars are only one danger to outdoor cats. Other dangers include strangers, and dogs. Other people can steal a cat. Knowingly or unknowingly, a neighbor might leave out a poison. Dogs can frighten a cat and disorient it. Dogs can attack.
In some areas, raccoons, coyotes, cougars and even certain hawks can pose a threat. As our suburbs reach ever farther into the wild areas these creatures called home, they stray into our safe suburban areas. Our outdoor cats are often the first to discover a wild intruder, with disastrous results. Your Siamese is a beautiful cat and was bred to look wonderful. It wasn�t bred to fight or to understand how to get away. Their coloring allows them to stand out to predators. Keep them inside where they are safe.
Your Siamese may love the outdoors but it�s important to keep your cat confined. Large windows are wonderful. Make sure they have screens. Many companies make outdoor enclosures for cats. These enclosures often have perches that allow cats to climb. They have covered areas for cats to hide if they feel threatened. They are solidly made.
Many Siamese can be trained to walk on a leash. So long as a human is always in attendance, cats are typically safe. It�s a rare predator who will try and injure a cat with a human around. Children may still want to pet your cat, so if you have a cat, which is unsure, pick them up and warn the child that they may not be friendly. Many Siamese adore this attention, so allow them some time to bask in the admiration!
There are now strollers out that can be used for cats. These are covered so that the cat is safe inside, while still able to look out at the world. While they can�t explore up close, this is a nice option if you like to walk but your cat likes to linger. You will go farther faster with your cat looking outside in a stroller than you will walking them on a leash. Your cat also has more protection if a dog suddenly bursts out of nowhere to try and attack. In fact, the dog may not even know your cat is there.
Siamese love to do what they want to do. Realize that part of being a pet owner is keeping your pet as safe as possible. There are ways to keep your cat indoor only but allow them to experience the outside world as they may long to do.
Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website [http://www.mysiamese.com]My Siamese
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