by: Ron King
It may come as a surprise, if you're a new cat owner, that many health problems may befall your feline friend. Some problems are easily preventable, while others are hereditary.
Hairballs
Hairballs are among the most common of cat health problems. Cats groom themselves almost constantly, and swallow the loose hair that comes off their tongues. Occasionally, the hair gathers into a ball and lodges in the cat's digestive tract instead of passing on through the body. If your cat starts coughing and hacking, he probably has a hairball. While the end product is unpleasant for the owner, most cats don't have a problem dislodging hairballs.
However, hairballs can occasionally pass into a cat's intestines and cause a blockage. This can be a life-threatening problem. There are a few signs to look for to see if your cat's hairball is dangerous. If your cat is constipated, off his feed, or is lethargic with a dull coat, then he could have a serious blockage. A vet exam is definitely in order.
To prevent hairballs, groom your cat frequently to remove loose hair. In addition, feed your cat food that helps control hairballs.
Worms
For many cats, worms are a recurring problem. Roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms most commonly infect cats. Cats can occasionally develop heartworms, as well. If your cat seems unable to gain wait, is infested with fleas, or has white specks that look like grains of rice in his stools, take him to the veterinarian for worm testing.
Worms are easily cured with a few doses of medication, but if left untreated, they can be fatal.
Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are another common health problem in cats. This infection is particularly common in unneutered male cats, although female cats can also develop this problem. If your cat suddenly stops using the litter box, a urinary tract infection is suspect. If your cat's urine smells strong, again a urinary tract infection may be the cause. These infections need to be treated by a veterinarian. Ask about cat foods that reduce the likelihood of another infection.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
FIP is caused by a mutation of the corona virus. According to some experts, cats living in multi-cat environments tend to test positive for enteric corona virus. Cats can live with that virus remaining quietly in the intestines with no sign of disease for their entire lifetime. In other cases, probably a genetic pre-disposition, the virus mutates into FIP.
Once a cat has contracted FIP, it will display symptoms of a mild upper respiratory infection: sneezing, watery eyes, and nasal discharge. It may also have diarrhea, weight loss and lethargy. Most cats fully recover from this primary infection, although some may become virus carriers. A small percentage of exposed cats develop lethal FIP weeks or even years after the primary infection.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
FIV, or cat AIDS, is not always fatal. FIV decreases the ability of the cat's immune system to fight infections. Cats with FIV may remain free of symptoms for years. It is when the cat contracts other illnesses in the chronic stage of FIV infection that FIV is first suspected. This long list of illnesses includes oral-cavity infections, upper-respiratory infections, weight loss, ear infections, kidney disease, and many others. Although there is, as yet, no vaccine, all cats should be tested for the virus. The virus is transmitted through saliva, usually when a cat is bitten in a cat fight.
Feline Leukemia Virus
FLV was, until recently, the most common fatal disease of cats. But with a vaccine now available, the number of cases is dwindling. Although the name leukemia means cancer of the white blood cells, this is only 1 of the many diseases associated with this virus, such as other types of cancer, anemia, arthritis and respiratory infections. FLV is preventable if the cat is immunized before being exposed to the virus. Although the disease is not always immediately fatal, cats with FLV rarely have a long life expectancy. NEVER bring other cats into your household when you have a cat with FLV.
Lyme Disease
If your cat spends time outdoors, you should check him regularly for ticks. If you find a tick on your cat's body and he has been lethargic and acts as if he is in pain, ask your vet to test for Lyme Disease. This disease is transmitted to people and animals by deer ticks.
Some cats may show subtle symptoms while others may show none -- symptoms are hard to recognize and often may be confused with other illnesses or old age. Be observant of your pet's behavior. It is the only way to know if your pet has contracted Lyme disease if no tick was found. Some symptoms of Feline Lyme Disease include:
(a) lethargy,
(b) reluctance to jump or climb stairs,
(c) limping, or reluctance to put weight on a paw,
(d) loss of appetite.
The key to dealing with Feline Lyme Disease is prevention and early diagnosis and treatment. You should reduce the tick population around your home with simple landscape changes and spraying.
Good Health Care
Taking your cat for a regular check-up with the vet, and keeping all vaccinations on schedule will help assure your cat a long and healthy life. Prevention is the first line of defense for most feline illnesses.
Many owners keep their cats indoors to protect them from cars, from cat fights which may expose them to deadly viruses, from ticks, and other hazards.
Outdoor cats will enjoy greater freedom, but require a watchful eye, loving attention to their health status, and regular visits to the veterinarian.
About The Author :
Ron King. Visit http://www.new-cat.com to learn more. Copyright 2005 Ron King. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.
Showing posts with label cat fight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat fight. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Monday, May 8, 2006
Should Your Cat be de-clawed
To claw or declaw, that is the question
Cats are born with claws, the same way that humans are born with fingernails and toe nails. Cats need claws in order to mark or scratch a specific place or territory that they have been in. Humans need finger nails to, scratch themselves or others, or for opening a letter envelope. Cats basically stretch their agile bodies in order to prepare their muscles when they dig their claws deeply into wood perhaps or a tree, and then they pull back from their hold. Scratching is a basic physiological need of cats.
So do cats need to be declawed? If cat owners truly care for the welfare of their cats, they would have to think twice on declawing their cats.
Declawing, what is it?
Declawing is done by taking away all the front claws of a cat. In a way this procedure is equal to the amputation of all the finger tips of a human being. For cats this surgery is painful and, for someone who is walking on all fours, terribly unnecessary.
Though the recovery of declawed cats may only take a few weeks or so, its physical and/or psychological effects could last a cat’s lifetime.
The following are the possible results once a cat has been declawed.
Ouch, ouch and ouch
Immediately after surgery, declawed cats suffer severe pain, though it is quite impossible to gauge how much pain they are experiencing. Declawed cats could be considered as amputees. Cats usually try to go on with their cat lives even with pain unless the pain eventually becomes unbearable. Although they may look and act normal does not mean they are free from aches.
Complications after the surgery
After the surgery, declawed cats usually experience one of the following post-surgery effects: presence of abscess, feelings of lameness, claw re-growth. Based on studies performed on declawed cats, it has been found that twenty five percent of them develop various complications. The same result has been found on cats who went under tenectomy. This is also a form of surgery that is currently being offered as an alternative to declawing. It is called this because only the tendons extended on the toes are the ones amputated.
Stiffness of the joints
Cats that are declawed experience stiffness of the joints since the tendons that manipulate the toes retract because of the surgery. As time goes by, these same joints freeze and ultimately they will no longer be able to extend their toes.
It has been thought though that cats really do not miss their claws since they also “scratch” continually even if they no longer have anything to scratch with. However, this act is really the cats' way to stretch those frozen joints.
Catarthritis
Believe it or not, research shows that declawed cats immediately shift the weight of their bodies to the back and onto the larger pad in the front of their feet, away from their toes. The result is still evident despite giving these cats strong anti-pain relievers. If such an effect continues after declawing, the cat will ultimately stress its own joints in the leg, its spine and eventually suffer from arthritis.
Cats who cannot claw, bite
Since the natural instinct of cats is to claw especially when threatened or scared, in the absence of claws cats are forced to resort to another form of defense – their teeth. Declawed cats that are aggressive naturally are more prone to biting.
Declawed cats have no “nine lives”.
There is a serious risk of death for cats that are declawed. Death could be brought on by the anesthesia they received, or any complications in surgery or hemorrhage.
Declawed cats that resort to biting run the risk of being abandoned by their owners. These cats could then be put in a shelter, and since they turn to biting, the probability of being adopted becomes slim. Usually un-adoptable cats are put to sleep or they are used to train dogs to fight usually as bait.
In summary, cats are extremely and highly trainable to be taught to use a post for scratching instead of common household furniture, rugs or curtains. Though declawing cats is one of the options a cat owner can take, it is basically an unkind and a very animal-unfriendly thing to do. It all depends on the cat owner whether Kitty is more (or less than) valuable than that expensive Italian rug. The choice is theirs.
Cats are born with claws, the same way that humans are born with fingernails and toe nails. Cats need claws in order to mark or scratch a specific place or territory that they have been in. Humans need finger nails to, scratch themselves or others, or for opening a letter envelope. Cats basically stretch their agile bodies in order to prepare their muscles when they dig their claws deeply into wood perhaps or a tree, and then they pull back from their hold. Scratching is a basic physiological need of cats.
So do cats need to be declawed? If cat owners truly care for the welfare of their cats, they would have to think twice on declawing their cats.
Declawing, what is it?
Declawing is done by taking away all the front claws of a cat. In a way this procedure is equal to the amputation of all the finger tips of a human being. For cats this surgery is painful and, for someone who is walking on all fours, terribly unnecessary.
Though the recovery of declawed cats may only take a few weeks or so, its physical and/or psychological effects could last a cat’s lifetime.
The following are the possible results once a cat has been declawed.
Ouch, ouch and ouch
Immediately after surgery, declawed cats suffer severe pain, though it is quite impossible to gauge how much pain they are experiencing. Declawed cats could be considered as amputees. Cats usually try to go on with their cat lives even with pain unless the pain eventually becomes unbearable. Although they may look and act normal does not mean they are free from aches.
Complications after the surgery
After the surgery, declawed cats usually experience one of the following post-surgery effects: presence of abscess, feelings of lameness, claw re-growth. Based on studies performed on declawed cats, it has been found that twenty five percent of them develop various complications. The same result has been found on cats who went under tenectomy. This is also a form of surgery that is currently being offered as an alternative to declawing. It is called this because only the tendons extended on the toes are the ones amputated.
Stiffness of the joints
Cats that are declawed experience stiffness of the joints since the tendons that manipulate the toes retract because of the surgery. As time goes by, these same joints freeze and ultimately they will no longer be able to extend their toes.
It has been thought though that cats really do not miss their claws since they also “scratch” continually even if they no longer have anything to scratch with. However, this act is really the cats' way to stretch those frozen joints.
Catarthritis
Believe it or not, research shows that declawed cats immediately shift the weight of their bodies to the back and onto the larger pad in the front of their feet, away from their toes. The result is still evident despite giving these cats strong anti-pain relievers. If such an effect continues after declawing, the cat will ultimately stress its own joints in the leg, its spine and eventually suffer from arthritis.
Cats who cannot claw, bite
Since the natural instinct of cats is to claw especially when threatened or scared, in the absence of claws cats are forced to resort to another form of defense – their teeth. Declawed cats that are aggressive naturally are more prone to biting.
Declawed cats have no “nine lives”.
There is a serious risk of death for cats that are declawed. Death could be brought on by the anesthesia they received, or any complications in surgery or hemorrhage.
Declawed cats that resort to biting run the risk of being abandoned by their owners. These cats could then be put in a shelter, and since they turn to biting, the probability of being adopted becomes slim. Usually un-adoptable cats are put to sleep or they are used to train dogs to fight usually as bait.
In summary, cats are extremely and highly trainable to be taught to use a post for scratching instead of common household furniture, rugs or curtains. Though declawing cats is one of the options a cat owner can take, it is basically an unkind and a very animal-unfriendly thing to do. It all depends on the cat owner whether Kitty is more (or less than) valuable than that expensive Italian rug. The choice is theirs.
Friday, April 28, 2006
How to Correct a Cat in Cat Training
Punishing is the hardest part in training a pet especially with cat. There are many ways a trainer can punish the cat. It can be through words, actions or something physical. However, there are things that need to be considered when punishing a cat during cat training.
1. Find the perfect time. There is a perfect time a cat should be punished during training. A punishment will only be effective if delivered immediately after the cat has done something that is not desirable.
If the cat is punished later after the misbehavior, it will not be able to associate the punishment with the misbehavior. Cats do not understand the same way people do. That is why it is important to associate the undesired action to communication of the punishment.
2. Punishment does not mean that the trainer has to hurt the cat. Cats are just animals and do not have a sense of what is right or wrong. Punishing a cat by inflicting pain in their body is not right.
Aside from the fact that inflicting physical pain is against Animal Rights, the cat will only be provoked and might fight back. It may only cause the trainer to be bitten by the cat. This will also result in making the cat become violent which may be very dangerous to kids and other people who may come close to it.
3. Other alternatives may also be used in correcting a cat. One effective way is the reward and recognition method. In the rewards and recognition, the cat is reinforced to continue a likable behavior because a reward is associated to it.
Rewards can be in the form of praises, petting, food or toys. If a cat did something good that it was taught to do, the cat may be given rewards like food, a yarn toy, or a hug. The trainer can immediately remove the rewards if something undesirable is done. The cat will then learn that the treats will be removed if the undesirable action is made again.
Training a cat, like any other pets, requires patience and understanding in order to be effective. Results may not be fast, but if one is consistent in training, results will be a lot faster. Cats are the sweetest pets one could have and it is only fair that they be treated the same.
Realted articles about pets training :
1. Find the perfect time. There is a perfect time a cat should be punished during training. A punishment will only be effective if delivered immediately after the cat has done something that is not desirable.
If the cat is punished later after the misbehavior, it will not be able to associate the punishment with the misbehavior. Cats do not understand the same way people do. That is why it is important to associate the undesired action to communication of the punishment.
2. Punishment does not mean that the trainer has to hurt the cat. Cats are just animals and do not have a sense of what is right or wrong. Punishing a cat by inflicting pain in their body is not right.
Aside from the fact that inflicting physical pain is against Animal Rights, the cat will only be provoked and might fight back. It may only cause the trainer to be bitten by the cat. This will also result in making the cat become violent which may be very dangerous to kids and other people who may come close to it.
3. Other alternatives may also be used in correcting a cat. One effective way is the reward and recognition method. In the rewards and recognition, the cat is reinforced to continue a likable behavior because a reward is associated to it.
Rewards can be in the form of praises, petting, food or toys. If a cat did something good that it was taught to do, the cat may be given rewards like food, a yarn toy, or a hug. The trainer can immediately remove the rewards if something undesirable is done. The cat will then learn that the treats will be removed if the undesirable action is made again.
Training a cat, like any other pets, requires patience and understanding in order to be effective. Results may not be fast, but if one is consistent in training, results will be a lot faster. Cats are the sweetest pets one could have and it is only fair that they be treated the same.
Realted articles about pets training :
- Dog Training Tips
- Potty Training Your Puppy!
- The Rewards Of Training Your Dog
- Training Your Dog to Sit
- Basic Puppy Training
- Obedience Training for Your Dog
- Dog Training
- The Happy Puppy Owner's Guide To Housetraining Your Puppy
- Training Your Cat To Use The Toilet
- Bribery and Cat Training
- A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course
- Cat Care While Training
- Cat Litter Training
- Cat Potty Training
- Cat Toilet Training Tips
- Cat Training Aids
- Clicker Training Cats
- How to Correct a Cat in Cat Training
- Kitten Training Tips
- Training Your Cat to Coexist with Your Dog
- Cat Health : Litter Training
- Cat Training devices
- Cat Training Products
- Cat Training Requirements
- Cat Training Supplies
- Cat Training Tips for Different Breeds
- Reinforcing Cat Training
- Training Your Cats to Use The Scratch Post
- Treats While Training Your Cat
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Training Your Cat to Coexist with Your Dog
Tips for Your Cat and Dog to Coexist
The phrase “fighting like cats and dogs” didn’t come up as someone’s idea of a joke just for cartoons (Tom and Jerry comes into mind). Dogs are often territorial and will fight not just new cats but other new dogs as well. They tend to mark their territory and will fight anyone who invades their space. Cats have the same tendencies and even if they are smaller than to dogs, they will scratch and fight for their territory.
Most pet lovers who have both a cat and dog have a hard time making their pets coexist with each other. The usual response to this is separating the two pets and making sure they won’t meet. This is not really a practical solution to this problem as both pets tend to wander around the house and there will come a time when they will meet. This will also cause a lot of wasted time if you have to allot twice the time for playing with your pets. Another response would be to cage both pets but this method is frowned upon by most pet lovers. The best thing to do is to train both cat and dog to coexist peacefully. In this article is a series of steps to finding harmony between cats and dogs.
Perhaps the hardest thing for pet lovers to do is the introduction. Introducing a new pet requires both time and patience as both cats and dogs requires time to adjust to something new. Both cats and dogs take up to 30 days to adjust. It is even longer if you have older pet, but with proper retraining you can teach your old dogs and cat’s new tricks.
The first step is obedience. This is necessary especially for the dog which is usually the aggressor in this kind of situation. You have to train your dog to obey when you say “no”. This can be done by showing him some treat and every time he looks at it you say “no” you stop him from eating it. Do this every day and reward him every time he obeys.
While doing this with your dog, make sure the cat and dog are isolated from each other, allowing your cat to wander around the house. Cats love to roam and this will make her scent scattered in your home. After doing this, lock your cat in one room and let your dog wander around the house sniffing for the cat’s scent. This will make your dog acquainted to your cats smell and train the dog that the cat is part of the household.
Once you’ve done this for about a week, it’s time for them to see each other physically. This part requires that you have someone to help you. Have someone who can hold your cat safely and that knows how to react quickly and get your cat to safety if the dog is showing aggressiveness. Your part is to be able to restrain your dog and making sure that if he starts lunging for your cat, you’ll be there to stop him.
Dogs usually start barking whenever they see some other animals in their territory, hoping to scare them away. They won’t really lunge at something immediately. Once he starts barking, this is where the obedience part starts to come in. Say “no” and make him realize that the cat is also a pet.
If your dog starts to calm down when in the presence of the cat, then it’s the time to let him sniff the cat. Once your dog starts to decide not to bark at your cat you know that you’ve done the introduction part successfully.
The final step is making sure that both pets have the time to coexist. This part is usually the cat’s fault. Cats have the tendency to be aloof and stay away from the dog and other people. It’s not because they are afraid of the dog but more because it’s their nature to be alone. Be sure that your dog sees your cat as often as possible. You can allot some time nightly where you can do some activities with both your cat and dog. This will allow them to play with each other and you’ll have the confidence that they won’t start fighting when they’re unsupervised.
Realted articles about pets training :
The phrase “fighting like cats and dogs” didn’t come up as someone’s idea of a joke just for cartoons (Tom and Jerry comes into mind). Dogs are often territorial and will fight not just new cats but other new dogs as well. They tend to mark their territory and will fight anyone who invades their space. Cats have the same tendencies and even if they are smaller than to dogs, they will scratch and fight for their territory.
Most pet lovers who have both a cat and dog have a hard time making their pets coexist with each other. The usual response to this is separating the two pets and making sure they won’t meet. This is not really a practical solution to this problem as both pets tend to wander around the house and there will come a time when they will meet. This will also cause a lot of wasted time if you have to allot twice the time for playing with your pets. Another response would be to cage both pets but this method is frowned upon by most pet lovers. The best thing to do is to train both cat and dog to coexist peacefully. In this article is a series of steps to finding harmony between cats and dogs.
Perhaps the hardest thing for pet lovers to do is the introduction. Introducing a new pet requires both time and patience as both cats and dogs requires time to adjust to something new. Both cats and dogs take up to 30 days to adjust. It is even longer if you have older pet, but with proper retraining you can teach your old dogs and cat’s new tricks.
The first step is obedience. This is necessary especially for the dog which is usually the aggressor in this kind of situation. You have to train your dog to obey when you say “no”. This can be done by showing him some treat and every time he looks at it you say “no” you stop him from eating it. Do this every day and reward him every time he obeys.
While doing this with your dog, make sure the cat and dog are isolated from each other, allowing your cat to wander around the house. Cats love to roam and this will make her scent scattered in your home. After doing this, lock your cat in one room and let your dog wander around the house sniffing for the cat’s scent. This will make your dog acquainted to your cats smell and train the dog that the cat is part of the household.
Once you’ve done this for about a week, it’s time for them to see each other physically. This part requires that you have someone to help you. Have someone who can hold your cat safely and that knows how to react quickly and get your cat to safety if the dog is showing aggressiveness. Your part is to be able to restrain your dog and making sure that if he starts lunging for your cat, you’ll be there to stop him.
Dogs usually start barking whenever they see some other animals in their territory, hoping to scare them away. They won’t really lunge at something immediately. Once he starts barking, this is where the obedience part starts to come in. Say “no” and make him realize that the cat is also a pet.
If your dog starts to calm down when in the presence of the cat, then it’s the time to let him sniff the cat. Once your dog starts to decide not to bark at your cat you know that you’ve done the introduction part successfully.
The final step is making sure that both pets have the time to coexist. This part is usually the cat’s fault. Cats have the tendency to be aloof and stay away from the dog and other people. It’s not because they are afraid of the dog but more because it’s their nature to be alone. Be sure that your dog sees your cat as often as possible. You can allot some time nightly where you can do some activities with both your cat and dog. This will allow them to play with each other and you’ll have the confidence that they won’t start fighting when they’re unsupervised.
Realted articles about pets training :
- Dog Training Tips
- Potty Training Your Puppy!
- The Rewards Of Training Your Dog
- Training Your Dog to Sit
- Basic Puppy Training
- Obedience Training for Your Dog
- Dog Training
- The Happy Puppy Owner's Guide To Housetraining Your Puppy
- Training Your Cat To Use The Toilet
- Bribery and Cat Training
- A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course
- Cat Care While Training
- Cat Litter Training
- Cat Potty Training
- Cat Toilet Training Tips
- Cat Training Aids
- Clicker Training Cats
- How to Correct a Cat in Cat Training
- Kitten Training Tips
- Training Your Cat to Coexist with Your Dog
- Cat Health : Litter Training
- Cat Training devices
- Cat Training Products
- Cat Training Requirements
- Cat Training Supplies
- Cat Training Tips for Different Breeds
- Reinforcing Cat Training
- Training Your Cats to Use The Scratch Post
- Treats While Training Your Cat
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Selecting Cat Toys
Toys for girl cats and boys
When the mouse is away, cats play. And cats have the tendency to both play hard and play soft. Toys are to cats the same as toys are to dogs. It helps fight the boredom experienced by these pets as well as gives our feline friends the opportunity to practice and use their natural inclination to chase and hunt for prey. It also gives the cat owner that great chance to play with their pets, an experience that will aid in bonding their relationship.
But what toys are best for cats? The following are tips and helpful advice to get that perfect toy for the cat owners perfect pets.
Play safe
The good thing about cats is that they can play ball inside the house and the owners will never know it. Still, there may be things inside the house that cats could find attractive yet might actually endanger their health and safety. Houses must be cat-friendly. As much as possible, take away any string, yarn, needles, rubber bands or other objects that could easily be swallowed by cats. These things could be lethal to cats. Do not let them play with these articles no matter how cute they may appear to be.
Play soft
Choose soft toys that can easily be machine-washed. It is best that the toys chosen to be played with by cats are also the toys marked as safe to be played with by children below three years old. Toys such as these usually contain fillings that are not hazardous. Also, avoid giving cats toys that are hard and rigid, these types do not appeal to them that much.
Know your cat, know their toy
It is best that one also familiarize themselves with your cat. Doing so helps in ones selection of the kind of plaything that best serves the size of ones cat - the kind of activity the cat likes and its unique preferences. Know the environment in which the cat likes to spend its time the most.
Choose active toys
Toys that are great to play with for cats are usually the round plastic ones (such as rings from shower curtains, plastic balls, golf balls, balls used in ping-pong) as these give cats the opportunity to chase and paw around. They could also carry these in their mouths, make sure though that these are big enough they cannot be swallowed but not so large that they cannot carry them in their mouths.
Choose active play
Balls can be placed inside bath tubs filled with water. Watch as cats frolic and play on and around the toy. It is just as enjoyable to the cat as it is fun for the cat owner. Another added feature that could be placed on balls are bells. One not only sees how cats play, one could also listen and take pleasure in the playful sound.
Another simple yet effective plaything for cats is a paper bag. Use paper bags that do not have handles. These bags are good for pouncing around. Cats hide in them too. As much as possible, avoid the plastic ones as cats have the tendency to chew these and they may eat the plastic. This is not good.
Toys with tails
Cats like playing with soft toy animals - specially the ones that have tails. They either bite them, paw them or chase these little stuffed toys around. It is best if these toys are as big or as small as the cats playing them.
Toys with catnip
Catnip is sometimes used as stuffing for toys that are soft. Putting catnip in such playthings make the toys more enjoyable to carry, kick and throw around. More importantly, it is safe for cats to chew on, roll around in, or eat.
It is okay for owners to place catnip on carpeted floors, or (to make clean-up easy) on towels. There are now catnip oils that can be placed on carpets, and they usually stay there. Cats detect these too. Although small cats, specifically kittens who are younger than six months have shown a certain kind of immunity to catnip.
All in all, it is best that cat owners define what kind of toy should be played by their cats. It is advisable that different kinds of toys be given on certain days, and that displaying all toys simultaneously may not be a good idea. Cats can easily tire of seeing the same fluffy toy animal again and again. Variety always works best. However if cats show a certain liking to a specific toy, let them play with it, or sleep with it - whichever they like.
When the mouse is away, cats play. And cats have the tendency to both play hard and play soft. Toys are to cats the same as toys are to dogs. It helps fight the boredom experienced by these pets as well as gives our feline friends the opportunity to practice and use their natural inclination to chase and hunt for prey. It also gives the cat owner that great chance to play with their pets, an experience that will aid in bonding their relationship.
But what toys are best for cats? The following are tips and helpful advice to get that perfect toy for the cat owners perfect pets.
Play safe
The good thing about cats is that they can play ball inside the house and the owners will never know it. Still, there may be things inside the house that cats could find attractive yet might actually endanger their health and safety. Houses must be cat-friendly. As much as possible, take away any string, yarn, needles, rubber bands or other objects that could easily be swallowed by cats. These things could be lethal to cats. Do not let them play with these articles no matter how cute they may appear to be.
Play soft
Choose soft toys that can easily be machine-washed. It is best that the toys chosen to be played with by cats are also the toys marked as safe to be played with by children below three years old. Toys such as these usually contain fillings that are not hazardous. Also, avoid giving cats toys that are hard and rigid, these types do not appeal to them that much.
Know your cat, know their toy
It is best that one also familiarize themselves with your cat. Doing so helps in ones selection of the kind of plaything that best serves the size of ones cat - the kind of activity the cat likes and its unique preferences. Know the environment in which the cat likes to spend its time the most.
Choose active toys
Toys that are great to play with for cats are usually the round plastic ones (such as rings from shower curtains, plastic balls, golf balls, balls used in ping-pong) as these give cats the opportunity to chase and paw around. They could also carry these in their mouths, make sure though that these are big enough they cannot be swallowed but not so large that they cannot carry them in their mouths.
Choose active play
Balls can be placed inside bath tubs filled with water. Watch as cats frolic and play on and around the toy. It is just as enjoyable to the cat as it is fun for the cat owner. Another added feature that could be placed on balls are bells. One not only sees how cats play, one could also listen and take pleasure in the playful sound.
Another simple yet effective plaything for cats is a paper bag. Use paper bags that do not have handles. These bags are good for pouncing around. Cats hide in them too. As much as possible, avoid the plastic ones as cats have the tendency to chew these and they may eat the plastic. This is not good.
Toys with tails
Cats like playing with soft toy animals - specially the ones that have tails. They either bite them, paw them or chase these little stuffed toys around. It is best if these toys are as big or as small as the cats playing them.
Toys with catnip
Catnip is sometimes used as stuffing for toys that are soft. Putting catnip in such playthings make the toys more enjoyable to carry, kick and throw around. More importantly, it is safe for cats to chew on, roll around in, or eat.
It is okay for owners to place catnip on carpeted floors, or (to make clean-up easy) on towels. There are now catnip oils that can be placed on carpets, and they usually stay there. Cats detect these too. Although small cats, specifically kittens who are younger than six months have shown a certain kind of immunity to catnip.
All in all, it is best that cat owners define what kind of toy should be played by their cats. It is advisable that different kinds of toys be given on certain days, and that displaying all toys simultaneously may not be a good idea. Cats can easily tire of seeing the same fluffy toy animal again and again. Variety always works best. However if cats show a certain liking to a specific toy, let them play with it, or sleep with it - whichever they like.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Cat Fights - How to Avoid Aggression Between Cats
Your older cat is easy going and slow. She still has a lot of life in her but you'd like to get another cat as well. You know your existing cat is tolerant of children and other pets, but what will happen when you bring the new cat home?
It may surprise you, but even cats who have been housemates for many years - even siblings - can become aggressive and territorial if one of them is gone for even a few days. So if you have two cats and take one to the vet overnight you may be starting at square one when bringing the cat home. It is important to have some techniques in your 'bag of tricks' to deal with this situation should it occur.
Cats are VERY territorial. They will easily adopt an entire house whether it's 700 square feet or 3000.
The first and most basic step to take is to give the new, or returning cat, a secluded area within the home along with it's own litter box and feeding dishes. This allows the original cat to have 'ownership' of most of the home while allowing both cats to become familiar with each other's scent.
If the secluded area can be viewed through a glass door (such as a sunroom) the cats will also have opportunity to view each other without physical contact.
It is important to avoid ANY aggressive acts on the part of either cat.
Start introducing them into the same physical space by using feeding or playing times together. This will keep their attention on the task and not each other. It will also cause them to associate good things with the other cat's presence. This is the ONLY time the cats should be in the same area.
At first you may wish to have them feed at a good distance from each other with some barrier such as cages or harnesses. This will prevent any attacks or retreating.
The activity MUST engage them. If they are not eating then they are still having too much anxiety. Try more distance or possibly use a spray like Feliway which is a synthetic pheromone spray. Although not proven, it replicates the natural cat pheromone that is friendly and may calm anxiety when sprayed around the home.
Once the cats are willing to eat or play separately and at a protected distance, than you might try rubbing the cats with the same towel and mixing their scents - or alternating the cages so they become accustomed to each others smell during feeding.
It requires a lot of patience to introduce cats. Very slowly decrease the distance from each other. When they are able to eat fairly close and confined then increase the distance again and allow them to eat with no confinement. Slowly decrease the distance and never allow unsupervised contact until you are confident in their behavior.
If serious problems still persist you may wish to contact your vet or may have to consider one cat being removed from the home or keeping them in separate areas indefinitely.
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