Anyone who has lived around a cat will tell you they are clever animals that learn quickly and have a mind of their own. If they are misbehaving, it may be that you need to show them how you want them to behave. But there are ways to do this that will work and other ways that will simply cause more problems. Here we look at some of them.

Understanding behaviour

Firstly, owners need to understand why a cat does what it does. While a kitten may seem like a little furry human in some ways, one area they aren’t like us is that they won’t act out. They won’t do something just to irritate you or to get back at you. So if they are urinating outside their litter box, it isn’t to wind you up but because there is some instinct that tells them to do this. This can range from not liking the litter box or the litter to be unsettled by its location or even having a medical condition that means it doesn’t have time to reach the box. So understanding why they are doing what they do helps to know how to discipline them effectively.

Dos and don’ts

One of the most common problems is what is called litter box avoidance. This is where the cat doesn’t use their litter box for some reason and deposits their waste elsewhere. To solve this problem, you need to play detective. Is it, as mentioned, the litter box or litter that has been changed? Is the box in a new location in a high traffic area of the house that makes the cat feel uncomfortable? Or is the cat showing any other symptoms that may indicate a health problem, such as blood in the urine, crying when going to the toilet or weight loss. Once you have figured out what the problem is, the cat will go back to using the litter box again. Don’t ever wipe their nose in the waste eliminated in the wrong place, as this means nothing to them.

Scratching the furniture is another frequently encountered problem. This stems from the cat’s urge to maintain their claws and the furniture takes the place of a tree that their ancestors would have used. The best way to stop this is to provide a scratching post. Whenever the cat begins to scratch the furniture, take them to the scratching post instead. A sharp clap of the hands will also put them off their scratching but never smack them as this won’t mean anything to them and will lead to a fear of your hands.

Fighting can be broken up in much the same way, a sharp clap of the hands or a loud shout of ‘no’. Cats often fight with others in the house, but it is key to recognise play and aggression to know if there is a bigger problem. Look for signs of anger or fear in their body language to indicate the fighting is serious, rather than just rough play.

Kittens particularly bite everything to investigate it and because their teeth hurt, much as a toddler goes through teething. Learning them not to include hands in their biting range is important from a young age. If you are bitten, don’t pull your hand away quickly as this will seem like playing. Again, a sharp ‘no’ will make them jump and release the hand. When playing, avoid using your hand as the focus, instead use a toy on a stick or rope so that your hands don’t come to be seen as a toy.

Natural Cat Care

Natural cat care ranges from use of homeopathic methods to simply choosing organic and natural products when they are available instead of using medicated ones. This can range from use of olive oil to combat ear mites, to creating homemade food for your cat. One can chose to use wheat, corn, pine or paper based litter instead of clay litters. There are even crystal litters that will absorb urine and break down feces to prevent disease and infection. There are vets that use acupuncture and other methods to treat illnesses instead of or alongside more traditional methods.

The basis of natural cat care is preventive grooming. By taking a more active role in the grooming of your cat, through daily brushing of coat and teeth, trimming nails or hair as needed, wiping the eyes and nose to keep mucus and crusting discharges under control, watching for fleas and ticks, and doing regular exams on your pet you can do a lot to prevent needing traditional medicines. Using massage, brushing, and exams can go a long way to allowing you to take steps to fight little problems before they become life threateningly large ones. Not only will this give you a happy, healthy pet, but it will improve the bond that exists between you and your cat.

A foundational approach to natural cat care includes cultivation of a relationship with a vet to ensure that natural remedies are correct for your pet. Use of homemade food might not be the best for all situations, but your vet can advise you if your pet has special needs that require supplements. If homemade food is not right, you can find organic or raw foods made for cats online through special stores. The vet can perform spaying and neutering as needed to eliminate behavior issues that might lead to the need for medicines in the future, like fighting, breeding, or trying to get outside. Keeping your pet happy and healthy is the vet’s job after all.

Combining natural cat care with bio-awareness means that in addition to sticking with natural remedies that you seek to use things that are environmentally sound. This would mean choosing litter for your cat that is biodegradable, avoiding the use of clay based litters. You can choose from corn-based, pine- based, or other type of “flushable” litter, or use a crystal based litter that has no clay. You can chose organic foods to reduce the use of chemicals in food production. These organic foods would be better for your pet because they do not have artificial dyes or coloring agents in them.

You can find shops, webpages, blogs, forums and other online resources to help you decide if natural cat care is right for you and your cat. With an active community online, finding help with answering your questions is easy. Taking a natural approach does not mean ignoring the vet trips, but rather seeking ways to protect your cat from dangers that commercial products might pose.

As a cat owner, a trip to the vets is stressful enough for both you and cat and when you hear the words ‘just give them this medicine’ the whole day just got worse. Giving cats’ medicine can be a battle but sometimes is necessary for their health and wellbeing. So what are the expert tips to help make the process easier?

Pills and powders

The easiest way to give your cat medication is to use a commercial treat designed specifically for the job. Cats are good at finding a pill hidden in their food but these treats are sticky so that taking it away is almost impossible. They are soft in texture so can even be moulded around the pill to hide its presence. This is far easier than physically administering a pill for both you and for your cat.

If you can’t find these treats, then forming their food into little meatballs with the pill inside is an idea. Give them a couple of meatballs of food without the pill so they eat them automatically then slip in the one with the medication inside.

If you have to give the cat the medication without food then it will likely to necessary to restrain the cat to protect you both. Wrap their legs and body in a towel then place one thumb and finger on either side of the face from above and behind their whiskers. Put gentle pressure on the space between the teeth so the mouth opens then deposit the pill at the back of the tongue. Close the mouth and rub the throat gently to cause a swallow reflex or even blow gently in their face, which stimulates the same response. Follow it up with at least 5ml of water from a dropper or syringe to help the pill enter the stomach. If the cat licks its nose then you know it has swallowed the pill successfully.

Liquids

Liquid medicines including water solutions and electrolytes can be given to the cat into the cheek pouch between the molars and the cheek. Most bottles will have their own dropper but otherwise a plastic syringe or eye dropped can be used. Normally, around 15ml of medicine is a single dose. To administer, tilt the cat’s head upwards once they are secured as above. Put the end of the dropper into the cheek pouch and inject the liquid. The cat will automatically swallow and take the medicine.

Injections

Various medicines or treatments need an injection as well as scenarios such as anaphylactic shock. Vets will show you how to give an injection to your cat if you need to but the best places to do this are either under the skin (subcutaneous) or into the muscle (intramuscular). One spot that is quite simple to master is into the skin just below the shoulder blades as this can be gathered in one hand and the injection administer with the other. But your vet will always provide you with all the information for this type of medication of treatment.

A cat’s health is directly related to the food it eats. And as a responsible pet owner you are the one who decides what is on the menu. While there is a lot to choose from, dry cat food is the most convenient option for both owners and their felines.

Top Reasons To Make The Switch

Why go dry, well there are actually a lot of reasons. Many cat owners prefer it over the wet variety because there is no mess making it a simple solution that can also be bought in bulk. By purchasing in larger amounts you get better deals and that is a good thing since you will of course be buying food for the entire life span of your cat. Of course we’re not saying to cut corners by purchasing food of inferior quality, quite the contrary as all of the best dry cat food brands can be found in cost saving sizes. And by buying in bulk you won’t have to shop as often which means less time waiting in line and in traffic. Luckily for consumers nowadays you can compound your savings by shopping on the internet and don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home to provide your kitty with the proper nutrition.

Flavors, Flavors, Flavors

Dry food comes in flavors which cats love so even if you have a picky eater on your hands it’s not hard to find something they will crave. Poultry, beef, lamb and many more are all typical options that you can find just about anywhere. Plus, there are a ton of combinations of flavors to choose from as well. It just takes a little testing out to see what your pet likes most.

A Little More Natural

Today manufacturers offer choices that would make any of your cats larger and wilder cousins jealous. Game flavors such as venison, duck, and salmon are taking the market by storm. A lot of the companies which offer these will also have these same options as grain free dry cat food which is quickly becoming very popular with pet owners since it has high protein and no grains which are what cats as predatory animals have evolved to eat as their natural diet. This trend of going back to nature isn’t going to stop anytime soon and is well-worth checking out and investing in.

Special Diets For Special Pets

Many owners have felines which need their own special diet and dry cat food can accommodate all of them. Whether you have a kitten, underweight cat or one that is a little too chubby there are a wealth of options. There are even dry diets designed to help cats who have a problem with coughing up too many furballs. And don’t forget about older pets either who may need more fiber and calcium.

It’s not hard to see that dry cat food is a much easier solution to your cat’s dietary needs regardless of what those may be. With no smelly, messy, or quick to expire wet foods to deal with as an owner daily life is much easier, just don’t forget to buy in bulk for the best deals so that while your pet is feasting on healthy foods your wallet stays as full as possible.

Siberian Cats have been termed hypoallergenic. For me this is true. The definition of hypoallergenic is lower in allergens, not allergy free. Each and every cat is different as is each and every person. We have 5 breeding cats here at Kings Choice Siberians and one neuter plus kittens off and on. I am highly allergic (hives, asthma, allergy, etc.) complete with the allergists’ test to prove it. I can live with 2, no problems. This many, I do need some slight medication. I bath them every 2 – 4 weeks – Siberians can be bathed and in fact many enjoy the water, it removes any small amount of Fel d1 and after I always indulge myself by burying my face in their clean, dry fur. In my home, I have no curtains just blinds and carpets are throw only. I also don’t let my cats sleep in my personal bedroom, to create a free zone. Finally, I assign litter duty to others and have rolling self clean litter boxes in case I do end up doing it. With all of that, I do fine. Temporarily, until the kittens are homed – we have 10. I am currently sitting here fine typing this, in the spring no less, not clawing out my eyes like I would be in the home of someone with just one domestic cat. Each person and cat differs. I do get slight itching when a kitten’s claw punctures me, but they are very young and covered in momma saliva. Just a touch of Benadryl cream and it is gone.

Vacuum, bath them and invest in an actual purebred Siberian – not a shelter cat. Honestly it is very doubtful any purebred Siberians are in shelters. If you are willing to take medicine occasionally and/or Benadryl cream for scratches (assuming you are very high allergy like me) you should do well. Customers with lesser allergies tell me that they have no symptoms whatsoever. As I said, all cats and people differ. We raise traditional Siberians only. The difference between a traditional and “not” is that the others have a color-point gene. They received this somewhere in their backgrounds by crossing to Siamese. These, I shy from as I do not wish to add any potential allergy level to what is already an amazing breed. They have been named Nevas, Neva Masquerade, Color Point Siberians, CP or even Lynx – all are the same. Some allergy sufferers also claim to do well with the Nevas, but for me, it is not worth the risk. You will know them immediately by their white coloring and Siamese style markings. Traditional Siberians come in every tabby color and many solids. Cinnamon, lilac and fawn are the only non-allowed colors. The reason for that is that again it was produced through out-crosses. They are not natural traditional colors for Siberians.

I have people ask me about Fel d1 testing. This is not a great way to choose your Siberian. The testing facility will tell you they have a 50% error margin on perfect tests. That percentage of failure actually increases with any errors in the collection. This makes the test worthless. It is also very expensive. Breeders offer these numbers more to please the public than for any real worth. Fur testing is also useless as the breeder could have bathed the cat 1st. Bathing with the month before voids the test. Another cat may have licked the test cat transferring saliva with Fel d1. So how does this boil down? Well, NOTHING is allergy free. They have recently discovered people can be allergic to cold air. So to say allergy free is to lie. However, as I said hypoallergenic means lower in allergens. Yes, it is possible for a Siberian to be hypoallergenic. Even a sever allergy sufferer like myself can live happily with a cat of their own. You have to be willing to do the footwork to investigate your cattery of choice, to pay the fees required for the breeding of such a miracle animal and to take cleanliness precautions so that you can live a long happy life with a wonderful pet that often lives past 20 years. If you always wanted a cat – it’s your dearest wish and you’d be willing and responsible, then I do suggest you check out the breed. It might be just what you always wanted.

Fleas are a big problem and when it comes to your kitty, the situation becomes even more difficult due to the irritation caused by these pesky parasites. The problem is that your cat scratches and bites itself, which results in skin irritation due to the presence of fleas. The most important thing as a cat owner is to recognize that your tabby is actually suffering due to fleas. This write-up will give you enough ideas about that along with the serious effects that fleas can have on her.

Before beginning with the central topic, it is very important to understand what exactly are fleas and how do they affect your furry friend? Fleas are bloodsucking parasites that are visible when you part the fur of your kitty and scrutinize the skin with close scrutinization. These pests have mighty back legs that enable them to jump and move easily through the cat’s fur. In order to confirm the presence of fleas on your feline, keep the pet in an upright position. Keep a piece of white paper beneath her paws. Try to rough up the coat. If you see dark things falling on the paper softly, spray them with a demister bottle containing water.

In case, the dark things are bleeding on the paper with a reddish stain, it means that these are flea dirt – the fecal matter of adult fleas, that mainly is composed from your cat’s dried blood. If sand and pepper colored residue is present on the kitty’s skin, it means that there are fleas on her body. The white things that you see are nothing, but the flea eggs. While the dark ones are dirt flea, upon which the freshly born larvae will soon be fed.

Three Serious Effects Of Fleas On Cats

• These pesky parasites can have adverse effects on your feline along with other pets residing in the household. It also harms humans that share the environment. A flea bite can cause irritation and itchiness in cats. Certain felines are allergic to the saliva of fleas that can result in great distress and discomfort in them. If your kitty is allergic to the flea bites, she would bite the affected area, until the hairs come out and the area becomes red and raw. It can even result in dermatitis, that can cause further aggravation, if the itchiness does not go away.

• Even dog tapeworm can lead to a flea infestation, as fleas become host of these worms that get ingested by the feline, while grooming. There are certain fleas that carry tapeworm cyst. The peculiar thing about these tapeworms is that they grow in the intestine of the kitty, that can be seen in the form of small worm segments close to the anus. This is the most commonly found tapeworm form that can be seen in cats. It is mainly caused due to fleas.

• Human beings are also not spared by fleas. Young kitties get painful and allergic reaction with the flea bite. The problem is that since these pesky parasites have the ability to fly more than 12 inches. They can swarm your feet and lower legs and ankles, while attacking you and sucking your blood.

Since flea bites are extremely lethal for the health of your kitty, it is important to get a good flea preventative treatment from the market; to get rid of these irritating pests.

The Cat as Part of Your Life

There are days when you wake up at the wrong side of the bed. Your alarm did not ring, and the whole day is spent catching up. As you run yourself ragged on errands and projects, your old car goes caput. When the tow truck pulls away your car as well as your patience, it is about time to retire for the day. The levels of stress and frustration have hit an all time high. It is a good thing that when you reach home, your top fans Tom and Kitty are there to welcome you. Ever since these two amazing cats have arrived in your home, so far, you have not experienced an uneventful day.

Even if you feel weak after what has occurred during the day, you manage to find your way to your room while Kitty does her customary habit of quickly rubbing her body against your leg. When you drop your bags and settle in, Tom jumps on your lap so you can scratch the back of his ears and neck. This is when your body and breathing begin to relax. Your shoulders release all the tension. You smile with ease. Soon enough, you and Tom are enjoying the quiet time together. During these moments, the things you have been thinking of have flown away from your mind and your stress levels have plummeted, liberating you from the negative emotions that have built up in the last 10 hours.

Don’t you believe in a cat’s capability to do all this? Well, it is the truth. According to studies, stroking a cat for a number of minutes actually releases “feel good” endorphins inside the brain and produces tranquility in the person who strokes the cat. Petting on its own, though, is not the only thing that relieves stress. Loneliness or the feeling of isolation aggravates sadness and depression. Pets give unconditional love and companionship. As an example, when you lose a spouse, or kids have left for school, it can be overwhelming to be left home alone. However, with a Kitty or a Tom to accompany you while reading the newspaper, you can overcome loneliness. Just by being around, cats can complete your day and home as well.

Taking care of a cat can be comforting and fulfills the humans’ need to be caregivers. Shopping also take on another dimension when you own a cat. You need to add cat food, toys and litter to your cart. You can imagine the fun in store for your cats when you buy new toys and treats. Cats are fond of exploring the contents of that shopping bag or that intriguing closet. You can brighten your mood when you use a kitty fishing pole or feather wand in interactive cat play. You will smile and laugh like you never thought you could.

Studies have proven that support of family and friends is vital in protecting our health. Pets help maintain our healthy emotional balance when treated as family or friends. Owning a cat adds to that sense of family, contributing to a healthy emotional balance. For this reason, pet owners are confined in hospitals less often than non-pet owners. If ever they are hospitalized, pet owners stay for a shorter time. They have every reason to get well. Their cat is at home, waiting for them.

Rabies is deservedly one of the most feared diseases on earth. Basically incurable and always fatal, this disease affects the central nervous system resulting in seizures, intense salivation, staggering, uncontrollable aggression or fear, and blindness. Spread by bite, rabies can be acquired by humans from an unvaccinated cat with the disease.

Panleukopenia is a nasty disease that will hit kittens the hardest. Death can result from this illness and the virus responsible attacks the bone marrow and gastrointestinal system. A kitten or cat that is lethargic and has fever and diarrhea could well be infected with this virus. Humans cannot catch this disease from their cats.

Feline leukemia mostly affects cats that go outside. However, if you have several cats and allow even one to roam outdoors, all the cats could become sick with this viral disease. Cats with feline leukemia will suffer weight loss, fever, anemia, and listlessness. Unfortunately, many cats with feline leukemia do not survive.

Feline calcivirus is a relative newcomer on the scene and often occurs in combination with other respiratory viruses. Calcivirus will cause, in addition to the usual respiratory symptoms of sneezing, coughing, and discharge, sores in the mouth and on the tongue; it has also been linked to arthritis. This disease will sometimes mutate to a more severe form that can affect and cause damage to multiple organs and systems in the cat’s body.

Vaccines for the above illness are considered to provide ‘core protection’ for your cat. Unvaccinated cats are at the risk of chronic conditions or death from diseases that can be easily prevented. Caring for a sick cat at the veterinary hospital is costly, and home care to nurse a sick cat back to health is time consuming and emotionally draining.

It is quite true that side-effects can occur when your cat is vaccinated. Fortunately, in most cases, the cat may run a slight fever or be fussy for a day or two. At times, a knot will form at the site of the injection, and if this does not vanish within a few weeks, your vet should take a look at it. There is also a very slight chance of a severe allergic reaction to a vaccination, which is why your vet may ask you to remain in the clinic for a few minutes to make sure that no such reaction is occurring in your cat.

Rabies vaccines are the ones most likely to cause problems. It is possible for a mast cell tumor to develop where the vaccination was given. However, the severity of rabies and the possibility of your infected cat spreading the virus to you and your family should overrule any fears you may have about side-effects from the vaccine.

As a dependable feline holder, you can help keep the repeat of the sickness. There are approaches to treat and keep the repeat of bladders stones. One route is to give your pet abundant measures of fluid consistently. Fluid or water can help keep the pee ph of creatures at an ordinary level, keeping the development of struvite stones. Struvite gems can structure and piece the bladder when the ph of the pee is excessively basic or acidic. At the point when the ph level of the pee is typical, urinary stones can’t structure and subsequently, no blockage will happen.

An alternate common cat bladder stone treatment is verifying that the pet gets enough sustenance and is consuming the privilege diet and proper cat supplement for stones. Sustenance and eating regimen assumes an incredible part on whether bladder stones will structure. Some business pet nourishments that we are sustaining our pet may really contain fixings that can incline out pet to bladder stones and other urinary issues. To guarantee that the feline is consuming right, you may need to cook a hand crafted formula complete with nutritious elements for it.

Giving cats natural and homeopathic cures and other common cat supplement for stones likewise help in treating and forestalling bladder stones. Common supplement items, for example, UTI Free may contain characteristic fixings that are particularly helpful to feline’s wellbeing. Normal elements for these items incorporate Staphysagris, Cantharis, Berberis vulgaris and uva ursi which are known to support the resistant framework and keep the event of disease and other urinary sicknesses.

• Clay is heavy, so bags and containers can be harder to lift.
• Although clay is a natural product, it’s a nonrenewable resource.
• It can be dusty.

SCOOPABLE LITTER

This is also known as clumping. Basically it clumps together when wet into balls and for that reason it can be easily scooped and disposed of.

Benefits of This Kind of Litter:

• With this kind of litter, manufacturers add some kind of odor control such as baking soda or activated charcoal.
• As it is scoop able, so the clean up process is really very easy.

Drawbacks of This Kind of Litter:

• As these are scoop able so the base of this product is often non renewable resource.
• There are many cat owners who used to flush this product down the toilet which in future can clog the plumbing system and hurt the environment.

BIO-DEGRADABLE LITTER

Among the other litter, this is known as the best cat litter. They are made from various plant resources like wood, products, corn, wheat, barley and even dried citrus peels.

If you are a new cat owner then you need to consult with an experienced and professional specialist as they are the best medium to help you out from the problem. They can suggest you the best possible measure to make you and your cat happy.