Sunday, April 30, 2006

Cat Training devices

Cat Training Must-Haves

It is given that the cat is an adorable and lovable pet.  But if it starts to mess the house with all its litter, then it starts to annoy the heck out of an owner.  What to do?  Of course, cat training devices are there to solve this problem.  Remember that a cat is intelligent, therefore constant push from the owner and assistance from a training device can whip out a litter-free, sensible kitty.

Here are some of the cat training devices that can magically transform a misbehaved pet to an obedient one :

1. "The Potty-Cat" This quirky and cute-looking system is a magic of sorts as it has everything - a handy manual and the device that can train the cat without him knowing about it!   No more foul litter, just a smart-aleck of a cat!  Incredible and true !

2. "Pet Agree Training Device" What does it do?   Its ultrasonic system emits sounds that can easily catch the pet's attention.  With its built-in verbal orders, the cat is trained in an instant !

3. "SSSCAT" Because it combines the power of an aerosol can and a motion detector, the SSSCAT emits sound and the spray that can shoo the cat away from places where it is prohibited.

4. "Electrostatic Pet Scat Mat" The name sounds ominous but the "Electronic Pet Scat Mat" is pretty harmless. But that doesn't mean it is ineffective. The electrical pulse and the static electricity can keep the pet cat from messing around the sofas, windows and front yards.

5. "Pet Boundary Indoor Pet Barrier System" It keeps the cat away as it makes its own "unwanted zone" that can be as far as ten feet. The owner just has to place the transmitter to the collar and voila.

6. "Scarecrow Water Spraying Animal Repeller" Introducing the Scarecrow Water Spraying Animal Repeller which goes to water-spraying when it notices an intruder aka the pet cat.

7. "Tattle Tale Vibration Alarm Pet Trainer" Pets keep out!  That's what this device intends to warn the pet cats.  Advanced as it is with the structural vibration technology, the Tattle Tale is so sensitive it detects vibration right away even if there is no apparent movement.

8. "Cat Stop! Ultrasonic" Gardens and front yards will no longer welcome the cats, because of its high-quality motion sensor.

Cat training devices abound, the cat lover will never run out of alternatives on how to keep his cat from getting litter-crazy.

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.







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Wednesday, April 26, 2006

How to Deal with Feline Manners

Cats find security in their own territory.  They establish a special place where they can eat, sleep, and where they can hunt and play with their mates.  There are signs which cats use to mark their home base by spraying, leaving urine and feces, scratching, and even rubbing.  These marks provide vital information about their age, sex, and health, thus preventing any close encounters with rival cats.

Since cats have high regard for their territory.  They make sure that their little home bases are kept well tended so they will get a prospective mate’s attention.  Their being keen observers allows them to master each piece of furniture in the house.  They would love to be pampered, fed, bathed, and put to sleep in a routinely manner as to maintain anticipation in their minds.  Familiar situations make them aware of their activities for the day as well as the sequence of actions of their masters.  Once they’ve gotten used to the routine, they will surely give a reminder if someone forgets in the future.

Heard of any deep and long sleepers?  Yes, cats!  They can spend the whole 15 hours of the day just sleeping.  Believe it or not, an eight-year-old feline has only had his eyes open for less than three years.  They have three different categories of sleep:  the short nap, the long but brief sleep, and the deep full sleep.  They have a way of slipping in to a deep full sleep and alternating it with just a short nap.

Be aware that cats spend at least three to four hours of cleaning themselves when they are awake.  The sequence is as follows:

  • licking the lips

  • licking the sides of their paws

  • rubbing the head, the eyes, the ears, with the wet paw

  • licking the front shoulders and legs

  • licking the flanks

  • licking the genitals

  • licking the hinds

  • licking the tail

  • and lastly, the cat’s most awaited part, sleep.

Cats love to have their nap times in an area where they can actually have a bird’s eye view of what is going on around and below them.  In this way they can be quickly awakened if some unusual things happen from afar or beneath them.  Work hand in hand with the cat to develop their instincts.  Endow them with standard home bases where they can feel the security they need.

Create an environment that is suitable to their needs and wants.  It could be for their viewing pleasures or even just for resting.  This will give them the sense of feeling important and being cared for and that they are indeed part of household.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Kitten Training Tips

Tips for Training Kittens

Deciding to get a pet and keeping it indoors will take a lot of responsibility. Chores such as feeding the animal or giving it a bath are just one of the few things the owner will have to do but there is more. Since these pets are not yet trained how to behave, the person will have to devote a lot of time and effort to make this happen.  

The best time to train animals especially if one decides to keep it indoors is when it is still young and having kittens in the house is no exception. The good news about raising a cat is that it is easier to teach and maintain, unlike dogs that may require some assistance in a school.

The first thing that a person needs to know before getting a cat is learning about its behaviors. In general, these animals are very affectionate and are well behaved. When one notices certain changes in the mood of the cat, there is usually something wrong that can be corrected once the cause has been determined.

Here are some tips that can help a person train a kitten at home :

  1. Kittens need exercise. If this is not done in the form of toys for the animal to play with, it will become restless and could do damage to your home.

  2. Since kittens are not yet toilet trained, it is best to start by teaching it what to do with a litter box. The litter box should be big enough for the pet to enter and move around in. By adding newspaper and perhaps carpet, the animal will soon learn where to release waste when it is time.

  3. The claws of kittens are not that sharp yet compared to older cats. So that these creatures will not damage the furniture in the future, it is best to get a scratching pad and teaching it that this is the proper place to scratch.


Praising the kitten for doing a good job and feeding it as a reward will help in teaching the kitten how to behave inside the house. The owner should not shout or hit the kitten since this will make the animal fear the person and no amount of effort in teaching it will work after that experience.

Kittens are lovable animals and by spending some time daily with them and with a little patience, this will all pay off as one can finally see that the animal has been finally house trained.  




  







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Monday, April 24, 2006

How to have a happy cat

"Taking Care of Your Cat”

A healthy animal makes for a happy pet. If you are a cat owner and you want to make your pet happy, you need to make sure that your cat is groomed properly, fed on time and is given enough love and attention.

Here are some tips on how you can have a healthy and happy cat :

1. Take care of your cat's health.

As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat is healthy and free from diseases that may even be transmitted to humans.

Visit the veterinarian if you notice that your cat has become lethargic or less active than usual.

If you see them 'shedding' excessively or has something unusual on their coat, immediately consult a professional.

Your cat might have a skin disease, or this could be a symptom of a sickness that you do not know about.

2. Groom your cat properly.

Cats are in the habit of grooming themselves. You will often see them using their tongue to clean their coat.

In spite of this, you should still do your part in grooming your cat if you want to keep them really clean.

Brush your cat's fur regularly. There are several short-haired cats that need minimal brushing. For this, you can use a comb with soft bristles.

There are also cat breeds which have long, silky furs and this variety needs a much longer grooming time.

Use a wide-toothed comb initially then brush up with a fine toothed one afterwards. You can also use talcum powder in order to separate the hair strands.

Make sure that you brush with gentle strokes so that their skin will not be hurt or scratched.

Cats are also not that fond of taking a bath. But there are times when your cat would need bathing.

This is when they have accumulated a lot of dirt on the skin and coat. Bathing will help eliminate ticks and lice.

Also, there might be substances that could cling on the fur which can be poisonous and it is important for them to bathe.

When bathing your pet, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats.
Prepare the following before bathing:

-a small tub or sink
-slip-proof mat
-water spray attachment
-clean, dry towels
-shampoo
-comb


Adjust the water temperature, then place your cat in the small tub or sink before filling it up with water. It is better to attach a sprayer in the faucet rather than pouring water directly onto its body. Apply a liberal amount of shampoo on the cat's body, and try to avoid the face, especially the eyes and ears.

After rinsing, towel them dry and comb the coat. Bathing time should build trust and create some quality time between you and your pet cat.

This should prevent your cat from making much of a fuss the next time it needs a bath.

Another part of grooming is keeping the eyes, teeth and ears clean. Also remember to keep the paws clean and the nails trimmed.


Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean these parts. You can also look for a nail trimmer specifically designed to use on your pet cat.

Ask a professional groomer or a veterinarian so that you can learn how to properly clean your cat's eyes, ears, teeth and nails.

3. Feed them on time.

Another aspect of keeping your cat happy and healthy is by feeding them well and on time.

Your feline friends can learn how to "stick" to a schedule with your guidance and training.

Make time in your busy day to feed them. You can learn which variety of cat food they prefer by serving different brands and variants.

Along with cat food, you should give them plenty of clean water to drink.

If you have a lot of pet cats, give them individual feeding plates.

If there is just one dish, other cats might not be fed well because dominant felines will take the most part of the food that you serve.

4. Shower them with love and attention.

By giving your cats your undivided attention while grooming and feeding them, you are already showering them with love and attention.

In addition to this, make their play time a lot more fun by appreciating the things that they do.

By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cat and be a contented owner.












Naming Your Cats Properly

Pet cats hold a very special place in the hearts of their owners.   Wouldn't it be nice to give a pet cat the loveliest name one can think of ?
Wouldn't it be great to give a pet cat a name that would reflect its personality as seen by the one who owns it or a name which would give recognition to the cat's breed ?  
There are actually a lot of names to choose from in books or in the internet.  But generally, how can an owner choose a name which he will find fit for his cat ?

Many cat owners name their pet cats with human names.   Actually, a whopping fifty percent of pet names are those of persons.  This primarily is because there are owners who are enamored with a certain name and actually desire to christen someone, or something for that matter, with that favorite name.

Another basis for names is personality or appearance.  In this category, examples are Midnight (should the pet be a black cat), Fluffy (obviously, if the cat is fluffy or has long, soft and bouncy coat) and Whitey (of course, if the cat is white).  Pet names based on appearances or personality make up an amazing twenty percent of all pet names. However, unlike human infants where the parents can opt to wait for a few weeks to see the baby's personality before naming the child, cats must be named more quickly.

So how does an owner actually name his pet cat ?  

Here are some tips which cat owners can give some thought.

First off, keep in mind that the name that the owner chooses for his pet cat will not only reflect the cat's character but also how the owner views his relationship with his pet cat. As much as it says a lot about the cat, the name given by the owner will tell much about the owner himself.   It can then be seen how the name can portray an image of the characteristics of the cat.  Many cat names give either a positive or negative impression of the cat.  So, it is important to choose a name which will best convey the proper image of the pet.

A cat's name is for keeps.  No matter which name the owner chooses, the cat's name should be that for the rest of his life.  It is absolutely not fair to change the cat's name every two weeks just because the owner finds another name he thinks he might prefer.   If the cat already recognizes the sound of its name it should not be changed.

Although the cat won’t mind any name its owner may wish to use, it is just not fair to give the cat an embarrassing name.  While the cat would not mind being named "Ooga Booga", it would be embarrassing for the owner to actually use this name. Imagine a person calling out "Ooga Booga" at least eight times a day every time he is looking for his cat. The cat's owner should find his pet a name which he will be proud to use.  Also please remember to pick a name which will be appropriate when your cat is full-grown.  A large tabby cat with a silly name like Mimi or Kitten seems ridiculous.

A name with two syllables will do best.  The response of animals is better to two-syllable names.  A cat owner may decide to give his pet a long name as well as a nick name.  However, the longer name inevitably would be shortened, and this would probably ruin the effect the cat owner originally sought.

The cat's breed heritage may provide great ideas for names.  For instance, if the cat owner owns a Siamese cat, why not name it Siam?  If the cat is a Russian Blue, it would be nice to give it a Russian-sounding or Russian inspired name such as Sofia or Chekov.

Speaking of inspiration, there are a lot of things out there from which you can gain inspiration.  As was said earlier, the name the owner gives his cat will speak just as much about himself.  So why not pick a name for the cat which is derived from the owner's likes, hobbies and favorites?  If the owner were passionate about world history, maybe the names Isis, Genghis, Voltaire or Osiris would sound very classy.  If the owner were an avid fan of the Greek mythology the names Zeus, Athena, Hercules or Jason would be sure to make a good first impression on other people.

On the more contemporary side, names of characters from favorite movies, cartoon series, TV programs or bands will do just as well. Huey, Louie and Duey would sound cute as well as Bonnie and Clyde. A more posh touch would be naming your cat after signature designers. Tommy, Donna, Karan, Calvin and Gianni would not sound so bad for cats--just as long as they are well groomed as their names imply. Naming cats is not the easiest task there is, honestly.  But it can be a lot of fun if these considerations and suggestions are always kept in mind.  Then no doubt, that perfect name will come easily. Wouldn't it be great for an owner to call his pet cat a name which is close to his heart and a name he will be proud to call out no matter what time of the day ?



Choosing the better Cat litter

Cat litters used in the olden days, meaning prior to the commercial cat litters now found in neighborhood grocery stores, are literally litters.  Usually these were dirt gathered from gardens.

Now, there are a variety of cat litters to choose from.  These cat litters, for the most part, are great for the cat as well as good for the environment.  
The following are tips and advice to make better a cat owner’s selection of the best litter possible for their cats.

Choose wisely

The choice of cat litters should primarily be based on how much this litter will affect the environment just as how much such litter is preferred by cats.  Although cats really do not care much about how the litter may soon end up in a landfill, cats really prefer if their litter has no bad scent.  They also care if the litter feels good.

Cats have a very keen sense of smell, so it is important that litters have little or no scents that are made artificially.  It is also best if the litter contains no dust.  It will do cats no good if their noses are irritated since they will try to avoid going thru the litter if it displeases them in any way.

Ask wisely

Cats love the feel of sand with pellets or any surface that has shreds and bits of chunks.  It is best that a cat owner know which kind his or her cat prefers.

But to further help a confused cat owner decide, questions such as the following should be best asked :

Is the cat litter easily flushed in the toilet?  Is it free from odors?  Does the litter contain any form of perfumes or chemicals?  Is the litter safe for the cat, the owner, the environment?  Does the cat like the feel of the litter?  How much does it cost and is it easily accessible ?  

Be aware

There are environment-friendly litters that are made from newspapers that are recycled.  These types of litters can be easily flushed, can easily be burned and are almost a hundred percent free from dust.

There are also litters that came from plants.  These litters usually come from corn – its husks, the cob and the corn itself.  Byproducts of wheat such as wheat grass are also a source of cat litter.

But the best among all of these are the corn cobs because they are odorless as well as it control odor.  It is absorbent as well.  They also do not produce a lot of dust and are easily flushed.

Litter from pine and sawdust

These types of litter are also biodegradable.  They are made by drying and compressing them into pellet-forms.  They absorb moisture a number of times more than their weight until they break down again into natural sawdust. Due to their easily absorbent nature, any odor is naturally eliminated.

Be wary though, pine has natural resins and chemicals that aid in the elimination of insects and odor-causing bacteria because of its insecticide-like properties.  This same feature could also cause respiratory damage as well as asthma and allergies.  Humans as well as cats may easily be susceptible to such allergens.

Do not be afraid of odor

Odor is one way by which nature tells the un-aware cat owner that it is time to replace the litter.  Cat litter should be regularly changed so that bacteria or micro-organisms will not collect in it.  If odor persists check the diet your cat is consuming as that may also be the cause.

Cats and Clay

Clay is the most common type of litter being used today.  A specific kind of clay made of sodium bentonite has a special feature that when it is urinated on by cats a clump is formed making it more convenient to remove the clumps from the litter.  However, such  clay is carcinogenic and is easily absorbed by the lungs of cats.

All in all, the choice depends on the cat owner’s preference, budget and favorites.  After all, cats are everyone’s best fuzzy, soft, cuddly and gentle meowing friends.