Esther Chia
I am sure your cats love it when you pat and stroke them but there is more to it than you might imagine.Have you ever noticed that your cat will lift its chin to encourage you to pat it under there?
They also like it when you stroke the side of their face, and scratch at the base of the tail.
The reason being is that these areas have sebaceous glands which produce body odors.
So every time you pat or scratch your cat in this area you are effectively letting it mark you with its scent.
There are particular areas on the cat that are very sensitive to touch and the cat gets a lot of pleasure from you stroking these areas.
Not only is the skin of the cat very sensitive but also the hairless pads.
These areas of skin and pads are particularly sensitive as they help the cat to investigate and be aware of things that are happening around it in the wild.
More on how to pat cats
Friday, July 23, 2010
Cats to feed
Always try to feed your cat at the same time every day as cats become used to regular feeding times and it is a lot easier to feed them at these times.
Even though you might see your cat eating bits and pieces off the ground outside it is very important to ensure a high level of hygiene is maintained at all times.
If food has been left out for a day, throw it in the rubbish and give your pet fresh food with each meal.
If you find that you are throwing out too much food then this is a sign that you're giving your cat too much on its plate at each meal.
Reduce the portions and you'll find you won't be wasting as much food and you will be able to give your cat fresher portions each time.
Don't mix fresh food with leftovers.
Always clean the cat dish between feedings using hot water only, and no detergents or cleaning agents that could affect its health.More on feeding cats
Even though you might see your cat eating bits and pieces off the ground outside it is very important to ensure a high level of hygiene is maintained at all times.
If food has been left out for a day, throw it in the rubbish and give your pet fresh food with each meal.
If you find that you are throwing out too much food then this is a sign that you're giving your cat too much on its plate at each meal.
Reduce the portions and you'll find you won't be wasting as much food and you will be able to give your cat fresher portions each time.
Don't mix fresh food with leftovers.
Always clean the cat dish between feedings using hot water only, and no detergents or cleaning agents that could affect its health.More on feeding cats
Cats to Scratch
Do you want to know why cats scratch
Even cats that roam freely outside look for something when indoors that they can scratch.
There are several reasons why a cat needs to scratch:
They will scratch to sharpen their claws.
They will show their superiority over weaker cats.
They will be exercising the extension and retraction of their claws.
They will be marking their territory.
They might even be getting rid of anger or frustration.
You can see there are many reasons why cats we need to scratch, but you certainly don't want them to use your furniture as the scratching pad therefore it is a good idea to supply the cat with a good scratching pad and let them know that that is what it is intended to be used for. Put the scratching post in a place that is easily accessible to the cat particularly when it is finished eating or grooming itself and is likely to feel like having a scratch.More on cats scratch
Even cats that roam freely outside look for something when indoors that they can scratch.
There are several reasons why a cat needs to scratch:
They will scratch to sharpen their claws.
They will show their superiority over weaker cats.
They will be exercising the extension and retraction of their claws.
They will be marking their territory.
They might even be getting rid of anger or frustration.
You can see there are many reasons why cats we need to scratch, but you certainly don't want them to use your furniture as the scratching pad therefore it is a good idea to supply the cat with a good scratching pad and let them know that that is what it is intended to be used for. Put the scratching post in a place that is easily accessible to the cat particularly when it is finished eating or grooming itself and is likely to feel like having a scratch.More on cats scratch
Cats to Play
Playtime is essential for cats and is one of the ways that they can develop their natural instincts as predators.Where there are two cats in the household they generally swap positions in their role-play as prey and predator allowing both cats to develop their skills.
Young cats will generally play like this a lot more than older cats as they hone their skills for hunting.
Even though they are playing they are still concentrating on their natural hunting skills but they will very rarely cause injury to another cat in doing so.
They will bite and scratch each another but are generally very carefully not to hurt one another.
One cat will attempt to hunt the other and once caught turn around and escape allowing the captured cat to resume the pursuit.
Where there is only a single cat in the household it will be your position to play with the cat and help it to develop these skills by chasing and running away from it.More on playing with cats
Young cats will generally play like this a lot more than older cats as they hone their skills for hunting.
Even though they are playing they are still concentrating on their natural hunting skills but they will very rarely cause injury to another cat in doing so.
They will bite and scratch each another but are generally very carefully not to hurt one another.
One cat will attempt to hunt the other and once caught turn around and escape allowing the captured cat to resume the pursuit.
Where there is only a single cat in the household it will be your position to play with the cat and help it to develop these skills by chasing and running away from it.More on playing with cats
Cats to Live in Harmony
Cats love to be touched, stroked, and petted.Cats will not only derive pleasure from having humans pat them, but they will also enjoy the company and bodily contact of other cats.
Where cats are living together in harmony, or where they have been brought up together, they will often sleep curled up together and also groom one another.
This happens more often with neutered female cats than with male cats, although it is not uncommon to see male cats grooming one another too. Cats love to rub their body up against humans, in a show of affection and often also to leave their scent as a sign of ownership.
Cats will exhibit the same behavior with other cats as they rub up against one another, but it is mainly as a sign of affection when they do this to other cats.
They can feel a sense of comfort and security by sharing their space with another cat and sleeping beside each other.
More on living in harmony with cats
Where cats are living together in harmony, or where they have been brought up together, they will often sleep curled up together and also groom one another.
This happens more often with neutered female cats than with male cats, although it is not uncommon to see male cats grooming one another too. Cats love to rub their body up against humans, in a show of affection and often also to leave their scent as a sign of ownership.
Cats will exhibit the same behavior with other cats as they rub up against one another, but it is mainly as a sign of affection when they do this to other cats.
They can feel a sense of comfort and security by sharing their space with another cat and sleeping beside each other.
More on living in harmony with cats
Cats to Feel at Home
There are several things that you should do to make a new kitten feel at home.
First of all they need a good place to sleep that is private and they can feel safe.
Fortunately there are many different types of beds and baskets that are available.
The area that the kitten will be sleeping needs to be free from drafts and as warm and comfortable as possible.
It will need a litter box initially as it will have to stay inside until it becomes accustomed to its surroundings.
The litter box can have shredded newspaper for a cheap alternative but the best content for a litter box is commercial cat litter as it will absorb urine better and won't smell as newspaper will tend to do. This needs to be cleaned out regularly to ensure that it is always clean.
Put the litter box in a quiet corner where the kitten can be private and don't have it where the kitten will be eating its food.
Cleanliness is another important factor with kittens and any utensils, or feeding dishes that are used with its food need to be thoroughly cleaned after every meal.More on making cats feel at home
First of all they need a good place to sleep that is private and they can feel safe.
Fortunately there are many different types of beds and baskets that are available.
The area that the kitten will be sleeping needs to be free from drafts and as warm and comfortable as possible.
It will need a litter box initially as it will have to stay inside until it becomes accustomed to its surroundings.
The litter box can have shredded newspaper for a cheap alternative but the best content for a litter box is commercial cat litter as it will absorb urine better and won't smell as newspaper will tend to do. This needs to be cleaned out regularly to ensure that it is always clean.
Put the litter box in a quiet corner where the kitten can be private and don't have it where the kitten will be eating its food.
Cleanliness is another important factor with kittens and any utensils, or feeding dishes that are used with its food need to be thoroughly cleaned after every meal.More on making cats feel at home
Saturday, July 17, 2010
What Does Your Cat Need?
By being aware of how your cats are feeling and what they are doing you will help to ensure that their health remains at an optimum level.
There are various different signs that will let you know when your cat is not feeling the best or when some action is necessary where you might need to take it to the vet for a checkup.
For instance, if you find that your cat is vomiting, it is not necessarily a problem unless it appears to be apathetic and low on energy.
Cats will eat grass to induce vomiting often to eliminate hair that they've ingested while grooming themselves.
If this is happening consistently then you might need to spend a little more time grooming your cat to remove the excess hair and stop it from swallowing it when it licks itself.
Cold food can also cause your cat to vomit and it is not a good idea to take the cat food directly from the refrigerator and feed it to your pet.
More on cats needs
There are various different signs that will let you know when your cat is not feeling the best or when some action is necessary where you might need to take it to the vet for a checkup.
For instance, if you find that your cat is vomiting, it is not necessarily a problem unless it appears to be apathetic and low on energy.
Cats will eat grass to induce vomiting often to eliminate hair that they've ingested while grooming themselves.
If this is happening consistently then you might need to spend a little more time grooming your cat to remove the excess hair and stop it from swallowing it when it licks itself.
Cold food can also cause your cat to vomit and it is not a good idea to take the cat food directly from the refrigerator and feed it to your pet.
More on cats needs
Training a Cat
The best way to train a cat is by letting it imitate you as though you were its mother. This is easier done when it is a kitten as older cats become a lot more difficult to teach. We all know how cats have a mind of their own and are very independent animals. This only becomes more so as they age.
You need to get your cat to trust you and shouting and growling at it is not the right approach to do this. Speak softly and encourage and reward it when it does the right thing as this is the fastest way to get your cat to do what you want.
Cats love praise, and teaching them that they will get more from doing something that you want them to do, will ensure that they will be more inclined to obey you for the reward.
If you do have to reprimand your cat don't use its name when doing so as you don't want it to associate its name with something that might upset it...
More on training cats
You need to get your cat to trust you and shouting and growling at it is not the right approach to do this. Speak softly and encourage and reward it when it does the right thing as this is the fastest way to get your cat to do what you want.
Cats love praise, and teaching them that they will get more from doing something that you want them to do, will ensure that they will be more inclined to obey you for the reward.
If you do have to reprimand your cat don't use its name when doing so as you don't want it to associate its name with something that might upset it...
More on training cats
Taking Care of Cats Health
It is always wise to talk to your vet about vaccination for your cats to keep them healthy and free of parasites.
Inoculations can help to prevent health problems and keep your cat in top shape and free of any diseases. Diseases such as feline leukemia are easily detectable by your vet and well worth testing for. Feline leukemia can be transmitted from one cat to another so you need to be aware of this if you take your cat to visit other cats or if it is to be left in a cattery while you are away on holiday.
One of the most common illnesses that cats can suffer from is feline respiratory disease. Cats can become very ill with feline respiratory disease and while it is still possible for a vaccinated cat to become ill it will not be as serious as those cats that have been vaccinated so talk to your vet if you have any concerns in that area. There are contagious viral infections such as Panleukopenia that can be transmitted to your pet from various different sources including the shoes that you have been wearing out and about during the day.
Worming is something that most people administer to their kittens and cats, however many people are unaware that by doing so too frequently you can cause other problems by upsetting their intestinal membranes. If there are no signs of worms in the cats stool, and this can be tested by a veterinarian, then it is unnecessary to give your cat any worming treatments.
More on taking care of cats health
Inoculations can help to prevent health problems and keep your cat in top shape and free of any diseases. Diseases such as feline leukemia are easily detectable by your vet and well worth testing for. Feline leukemia can be transmitted from one cat to another so you need to be aware of this if you take your cat to visit other cats or if it is to be left in a cattery while you are away on holiday.
One of the most common illnesses that cats can suffer from is feline respiratory disease. Cats can become very ill with feline respiratory disease and while it is still possible for a vaccinated cat to become ill it will not be as serious as those cats that have been vaccinated so talk to your vet if you have any concerns in that area. There are contagious viral infections such as Panleukopenia that can be transmitted to your pet from various different sources including the shoes that you have been wearing out and about during the day.
Worming is something that most people administer to their kittens and cats, however many people are unaware that by doing so too frequently you can cause other problems by upsetting their intestinal membranes. If there are no signs of worms in the cats stool, and this can be tested by a veterinarian, then it is unnecessary to give your cat any worming treatments.
More on taking care of cats health
Aging Cats
Aging cats are going to take a little more maintenance as they get older and visits to the vet should become more regular to ensure that any problems are dealt with before they become a bigger worry.
Older cats will need a little more comfort as they are not as limber as they once were and giving them a nice soft surface to sleep on, away from drafts and in the warmth, will ensure that they remain in good health for longer.
Quite often cats will find a favorite place to sleep and as they are very clean animals, this place will need to be cleaned on regular basis or they will tend to move to other sleeping areas after a while. There are some excellent cat beds available on the market designed to be very comfortable.
More on aging cats
Older cats will need a little more comfort as they are not as limber as they once were and giving them a nice soft surface to sleep on, away from drafts and in the warmth, will ensure that they remain in good health for longer.
Quite often cats will find a favorite place to sleep and as they are very clean animals, this place will need to be cleaned on regular basis or they will tend to move to other sleeping areas after a while. There are some excellent cat beds available on the market designed to be very comfortable.
More on aging cats
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