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Feline Buddies

Finding the Right Litter Box for the Cat

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Before bringing home a cat for a pet, one should do some research on what items are needed to make this feline friend of yours feel comfortable indoors.

Since such pets are not yet toilet trained, it is important to get a litter box to train the cat on where to go when nature calls. Doing this will save the person time and effort cleaning up the waste the creature has left in various places of one’s home.

To make this happen, choosing the right litter box for the cat is important. This depends on the size of the cat and if the pet finds it spacious inside. Since the litter box is the toilet for the pet, this should be easily accessible both for going in and out of the box.

One can buy a litter box that can easily be cleaned from time to time. This can be found in the internet or at the local pet store that will cost twenty-five dollars and above. The price depends on the kind of material that is used in making the box- whether it is plastic or another kind of non-absorbent material.

If the person is too lazy to clean it, there is an electronic version that will cost more than a hundred dollars. Should the person decide not to buy either of the two and would prefer to use a disposable kind, one can use a soda box which should also be changed.

The litter box must have fillers making it easy for the person to clean. This is needed to prevent odors from staying inside the box that can produce bacteria causing the cat to get sick.

In order for the cat to have some privacy, it is best to choose a litter box that can have a cover on top. This will make it warm and comfortable for the cat when it is time to go to the toilet.

There are many types of litter boxes available from the small versions for the kittens to the big ones for the full grown cats. With the many types of fillers available, one should choose the best that will be comfortable for the pet.

Should the person have a hard time choosing the right litter box, one can ask the sales person in the pet store or ask people who have cats for advice.

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posted by advisor, 1:57 PM | link | 0 comments |

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Cat Training Requirements

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

There are several things you have to know before training your feline companion:

• cats are not very enthusiastic in being trained, and;
• they are not interested in pleasing their owners.

Therefore, PATIENCE, consistency, a good reward or positive reinforcement system and an enjoyable experience for your cats are the key ingredients towards successful cat training sessions.

Training your cats for proper toilet, litter box, playing and leash manners and patterns require a good amount of time and patience. The task of your cat is to do the lesson at hand but yours is the patience.

Because of the known independent nature of cats, some owners view them as untrainable which is wrong. Besides, physical exertions and mental stimulation are good for your cat’s health. Your veterinarian may even suggest some helpful exercises and games for your cat.

Behavior and psychology are the things you have to understand before training your cat. You may want to ask your veterinarians or consult books about cat training.

Cats respond to REWARDS or bribery very well. This is how they learn basic tricks. By words of praises, affection from pats, rubs and a loving voice and of course food, they can learn what you want them to learn fast and well done. They, too, have natural instincts and behaviors that help them do the tricks. At times, you would want them to use these instincts and aide them too in their training.

There are some tips you can do to ensure success in training your cats.

• Keep in mind that cats are not dogs. Their endurance for longer activities is less compared to dogs. Be sure to keep your training sessions to at least 15 minutes maximum per day. They respond very well to trainings before mealtimes when they are hungry.

• Cats are good in doing tricks especially when they are given rewards like foods and affection. Yelling, beating and force never work for them.

• If you catch their attention by using distinct sounds and commands, be sure that it is brief and repeated not more than twice. It will lose its effects if overused.

• Make your training session not only short but an enjoyable experience.

• Always make use of your cats name when commanding them. Afterwards, praise and reward them.

• Choose the best reward for your cat training.

• Cats have this sense of performance, the best time and who to perform for. Do not force them to do a trick in front of visitors.

• Be consistent in your training. Cats have very good memory.

For all you feline lovers, learn to do the tricks and practice PATIENCE.

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posted by advisor, 11:25 AM | link | 0 comments |

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Cat Toilet Training: Make the Cat More Loveable

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Cats are very lovable creatures. They are tame, cuddly and are indeed beautiful. Most cat owners want them to be indoors, to keep them safe and clean always. However, keeping cats indoors poses the problem of dealing with their wastes. Thus it is necessary to toilet train the cat.

Toilet Training Essentials

1. Cats should be trained early on. It should start when the kitten is around 8 weeks old.

2. Before starting with the toilet training, make sure that the cat already responds to its name. This will be very helpful in responding to the behavior of the cat.

3. Cats generally are not difficult to toilet train. For one, they have the instinct already to bury their wastes. Thus all that is needed is to provide a litter tray.

This can be bought in pet shops. A litter tray usually is made of plastic or enamel. The container should be filled with soil, sand, sawdust or commercial cat litters.

4. Generally, a kitten that is raised together with a mother that uses the litter tray will learn to use the tray itself eventually.

5. For kittens or cats that still have to be trained, it is best to acquaint them with the litter tray. The cat should be placed inside the tray after being fed, after play or when it wakes up.

6. Make sure that the litter tray is placed in a quiet and secluded place. Cats would not like to be seen when they use the litter tray.

7. When the cat uses the litter tray, make sure that you praise it for the good behavior.

The best way to praise the cat is to pet it or pat it on its head. Food rewards are also good tools to praise the cat.

8. However, a cat or kitten being trained that failed to make use of the litter tray should be reprimanded. The cat must be corrected immediately. A loud and sharp "no" or squirting the cat with water are the usual ways to reprimand the cat. Never use physical punishment. It is not a good practice. It also affects the relationship of the cat to the owners.

The cat has to be constantly praised or reprimanded for its toilet behavior until it finally learns to go to the litter tray by itself.

Owning a toilet trained cat can be very rewarding. Attention and consistent effort will be greatly needed at the toilet training stage. Just be patient always.

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posted by advisor, 11:59 AM | link | 1 comments |

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Cat Training: Do It With Gentle Care

Monday, September 10, 2007

Cats are trained and encouraged by treats or rewards. A clear illustration of such behavior is when cats come running when it hears the food bag rustle or the can opener’s sound. Cats often relate the sounds to food rewards.

Keep in mind that your cat must be closely examined on a regular basis by the veterinarian, to ensure that there are no unknown problems in your cat’s health that could be aggravated or intensified during training activities.

To further encourage your cat to maintain a good behavior, the most effective way is to offer immediate treats, a full tasty meal, or a favorite toy as rewards.

When saying “good” and offering a treat all together, your cat will later relate the word with its positive act, even if later, food is not available and upcoming. In place of food rewards, you can give your cat an enjoyable playtime or a rub behind its ears.

With the use of positive emphasis and reinforcement, your cat will be willing to learn good behaviors and basic instructions or commands.

Here are training guidelines:

1. It is best to begin training with kittens. They will be more open and responsive to training. Bad behaviors have not yet been formed and not given a chance to develop.

2. Use positive emphasis and reinforcement at all times. A gentle hug, caress, or a whisper has a longer lasting effect than harsh or bitter words.

3. Limit the training time. Make it brief but frequent. Cats normally have short attention and interest spans; so it is much more effective to have four to six sessions of five minutes each, during the course of the day than an hour or two of continuous training.

4. Confine the training to indoors. This is essential so that your cat will not be distracted by other neighboring pets or be attracted to climbing trees instead.

Discipline should be instilled for a well behaved cat, but tough punishment must be avoided. In training your cat so to avoid negative acts, you need to approach it positively. Cats generally will not respond to certain punishments like hitting or yelling. They usually correlate the undesirable act with you rather than with their bad behavior. The outcome will be that your pet either stops loving you or will be afraid of you; not the result that will lead to a loving and warm relationship with your wonderful pet cat!

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posted by advisor, 9:55 AM | link | 0 comments |

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Caring For Your Cat's Health

Just like humans, cats feel miserable when they are sick. As a pet owner, it is your primary responsibility to keep your feline friends healthy and happy.

With proper care and nutrition you will have a friend for life in the form of your pet cat.

Here are some tips on how you can properly care for your cat's health:

1. Feed them properly.

Every cat has a preference when it comes to food. There are several types of cat food available in the market. Try each one until you find out which variety your cat prefers.

However, you can still try to mix the variety of cat food you prepare so that your pet will have a nutritious and balanced diet.

Commercial cat foods have been well-researched so you do not need to worry about the nutritional value of what you are feeding your pet.

Also, supply your pet with a lot of clean water to drink. Having an ample supply of drinking water will lead to a healthier animal.

It does not matter if you serve dry, canned or moist cat food. Just make sure that you preserve the freshness of the food that they eat.

You would also want to opt for a healthy and natural cat food. Remember that it should be made of quality ingredients.

2. Remember that even domestic cats are natural hunters.

Mice can serve two purposes in your cat's life: prey and dinner. Hunting for mice would preserve their natural abilities to hunt and seek prey.

If you decide that you do not like the idea of your cat regularly "hunting" for dinner, make sure that you provide them with a proper diet. This will result to your cat ending up just chasing and running after their prey for satisfying their natural hunting urges.

3. Watch out for unusual behavior.

If your pet is exhibiting unusual behavior, then the cat might not be at its best condition.

Try to look out for the following symptoms:

- being lethargic or less active than usual
- shedding of the fur or coat
- it has waxy ears
- looks poor and unhealthy

If you see these symptoms, you might want to change the food that you are serving your cat.

Better yet, consult a professional if you see your pet being less active than usual. Your pet might have a sickness or disease, and as a pet owner and cat lover, you would not want that to happen.

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posted by advisor, 9:53 AM | link | 0 comments |

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Caring For Persian Cats

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

These days, Persian cats are among the most popular breeds of cat. Well known for their gentle and sweet personalities and their long hair, Persian cats have very attractive features. They are great companions for virtually anyone, and not very demanding. Unlike other breeds, such as the Siamese breed, Persian breeds need very little attention.

Although white is the color normally associated with Persian cats, they actually come in a variety of other colors as well. During competitions, they are divided into seven color divisions – solid, silver and gold, tabby, shaded and smoke, particolor, bicolor, and Himalayan. No matter what color of Persian cat it may be, they are best noticed during competitions by their long and flowing coats.

Persian cats should always be kept inside of the house, to protect their coat. If they travel outside, they can easily damage their coat. They will also need to be brushed daily with a metal comb, or their coat can become tangled, which will lead to hairballs. You’ll need to bathe your Persian cat on a regular basis as well, to help protect his coat. Bathing works best when the cat is young, as it will get him used to it. Bathing should never be overlooked, as it will keep your cats coat looking clean and healthy. Although some breeds can maintain their coats on their own, Persians can’t. Their fur is long and dense and you’ll need to groom them daily to ensure their coat stays healthy.

The Persian breed is gentle and sweet, getting along great with everyone – including kids. They have a pleasant voice that is always good to hear. Using their voice and their eyes, they can communicate very well with their owners. They are very playful, yet they don’t require a lot of attention. They love attention however, and love being admired. Unlike other cats, they don’t climb and jump much at all. They aren’t destructive either; they just love being admired and lying around. A majority of the time, Persian cats love to bask in the sun and show others just how beautiful they truly are.

Although most breeds can be kept indoors or outside, Persian cats should always be kept inside and never allowed to go outside of the house. Keeping them inside with protect their coats and also keep diseases and common parasites away from them as well. You won’t have to worry about cars or dogs either if you keep your pet inside.

To ensure that your Persian pet stays healthy, you should always take him to the vet on an annual basis. If cared for properly, such as grooming, shots, and checkups, Persian cats can live as long as 20 years. One thing you’ll need to be aware of that’s common with Persians is their eyes. Their eyes are very big and can sometimes be too much for the cat to clean. This is a common healthy problem with the breed, and should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t get out of control.

When you compare Persians to other breeds, you’ll notice that the Persians are among the easiest to keep. You don’t have to worry about things like jumping or climbing, as Persians don’t like to do either. All you’ll need to do is feed your cat and groom him or him on a daily basis. Even though grooming can be quite a bit of work in the long run – it’s well worth it when you have a healthy an beautiful Persian cat.

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posted by advisor, 12:38 PM | link | 0 comments |

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Different Cat Breeds

Cats have pretty much handled their breeding themselves. In the beginning, they were used for one purpose - hunting and killing rodents. As the years progressed, we began to breed cats more to our liking. Now days, there are several different breeds of cats - which you can tell if you look closely.

These days there are over 70 distinct cat breeds, which are recognized through cat registries. There are several registries that will recognize around 40 breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds such as tigers. There are also many variations as well, including wild cats that have longer hair.

There are some cat breeds who have roots going back quite a bit in history. Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail, can be traced back more than 1,000 years in history. These cats were very common and well known throughout Medieval Japan. Now days though, they are all but a myth throughout Japan and the entire world.

The more common cat breeds that are found in North America include the alley cat, long haired cat, and Persian cat. Siamese cats are also common, although they are well known to be destructive and to have a foul temper. Persian cats are very popular, proving to be loving companions. Persian cats can be very expensive, depending on where you get it and what type of Persian cat it is.

Alley cats are the most common in North America. There are actually several different breeds, although most of us just refer to them as alley cats. They make good pets, although there are literally thousands of them in existence. Cats are known to breed more than any other pet, and they will continue to breed until they are stopped. Alley cats are among the most bred, as there are hundreds of thousands of cats that are homeless - and have nothing to do but breed.

The look of the cat is the easiest way to tell what breed he or she may be. Some people choose to go by color, although color isn’t as easy to identify. Different breeds of cats have different looks, such as the Siamese and Persian cats. Siamese cats are almost always black, and easy to identify by their color and their eyes. Persian cats on the other hand, are easily identified by their body type and their hair.

Over the years, there has been quite a few breeds come along. Cats were one of the first pets, and easily one of the most popular. Millions of people around the world own cats, with many people preferring a cat over any other pet - including dogs. No matter breed of cat you get - you’re sure to get a pet who make for a great companion for years and years to come.

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posted by advisor, 12:20 PM | link | 0 comments |

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