Pussy Cat Love & Tips

When to start weaning

2005-01-18T14:53:00.000-08:00

You will probably never see a mother cat who refuses to wean her kittens starting when they are 4 to 5 weeks old. Mother Nature always tells them when to start weaning... however, you might have experience with other odd quirks in First Time Mothers, so the timing can vary between cats.

And as always, when in doubt, ask your vet. They can offer other ideas and helpful hints on this.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Cat Talk - Tail tip twitching

2005-01-16T22:01:00.000-08:00

Cat is becoming irritated. Last warning before the tail thump.

Cat Talk - Wide open eyes, staring

2005-01-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

Processing information. It hears something and is trying to figure it out.

Kids and Kitty feeding & bedtime

2005-01-15T01:27:00.000-08:00

An easy way of teaching your children discipline and responsibilty is to work with them at bedtime to check your cat or kittens food and water bowls, and sand box. By establishing a routine each and every night, the children unwind for bed, while your pets get the routine that they naturally crave.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Cat Talk - Yeowling

2005-01-13T23:53:00.000-08:00

Lonely or restless. The Golden Hour is about to begin.

When Kitty meows meows meows

2005-01-13T01:40:00.000-08:00

More about cat vocalizations - Some cats vocalize more than others (e.g. Siamese), but all do it to get your attention. It can be cute, but it also can turn into a problem, especially if it occurs at night or early in the morning when everyone is trying to sleep.

The meowing may be a sign that the cat is in discomfort or has a medical problem. Cats meow as a form of communication, as well. However, most cats meow simply because they are bored and want some human interaction. The solution is to provide the cat with an entertaining environment with more cat toys and possibly another cat to play with.

One Last Tip: It is not wise to pay attention to the constant crying, as this will only encourage the cat to continue and will create an ongoing cat behavior problem. After all, all she wants is your attention.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Good and Bad Table Scraps

2005-01-12T04:14:00.000-08:00

Here�s a good cat food nutrition tip - Table scraps should be used as treats, not the main course in your kitty�s diet. I recommend no more than a Tablespoon of scraps at a time.

Suggested scraps are: Meats without bones, cooked vegetables, cooked grains, and brown rice.

TABLE SCRAPS YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE YOUR KITTY: Corn is very difficult for our pets to digest. Chocolate has chemicals that are toxic to almost all pets.

Sweets are not good for our kitties, since their systems are not desgined to process the sugars as easily as human bodies.

Bones, cooked or raw, are a definite NO-NO.

There is a movement to feed pets raw uncooked meat-bones included, but my vet tech lost a puppy from a perferated colon when he couldn�t properly chew and digest a bone. My parents lost a Siamese when she choked on a pork chop bone.

It is safer to not let your cat or kitten have bones, unless they are ground to a fine mush or powder.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Cat Talk - Upright tail-arched back

2005-01-11T01:27:00.000-08:00

Cat is afraid or senses something is not right. Cat is exploring the situation.

When Kitty meows meows meows

2005-01-11T01:14:00.000-08:00

Cat Insurance

2005-01-10T13:27:00.000-08:00

There are many Companies who offer pet insurance and it is certainly worth thinking about as it could save your Mum & Dad many hundreds of pounds in vet bills and third party risks etc. Ask them to investigate this as it is definitely to be recommended.

As you can see from the above, owning a kitten involves responsibilities as well as pleasures but if you follow this advice you will have a friendly, contented kitten who is a joy to own and who will repay the time and effort you have made many times over.

Cat Talk - Upright tail-arched back

2005-01-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

Cat is afraid or senses something is not right. Cat is exploring the situation.

Plastic bowl problems

2005-01-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

About Cat Food Dishes - You probably know that cats want you to clean their food bowls after each meal, and that you should not use dishwashing liquid, because they dislike the smell. What you might not know is that plastic bowls always retain some �old food smell�. A cat or kitten will notice, even if you don�t. She�ll refuse to eat out of this bowl for no apparent reason. Therefore, invest in some porcelain bowls and make sure they are dishwasher safe.

When washing bowls in the dishwasher, rinse again once the washing cycle is finished for best results.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

De-Clawing you Kitty?

2005-01-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

De-clawing is a very painful experience. The claws are not the only thing removed. The bone attached to the claws as well as the tendons are also removed. Deciding whether to De-claw or not is no easy choice. Many people frown on the practice and feel it is inhumane. It has to be your decision. There are ways to keep a cat from ruining furniture and drapes while keeping their claws. One is to teach your cat at an early age to use a scratching post. Another is to use the plastic claw covers that are available. But... not all cats will "learn" not to destroy furniture. In these rare situations, I must say that de-clawing the front paws would be a better alternative than putting the cat to sleep. Consider this only if other methods do not work. Some would disagree. Many people claim the cat is so traumatized they change their behavior. I have never seen this to be true, although I am sure one could find a case other wise. I have had both, and never really noticed any difference between either. If you decide to de-claw, only do the front claws. The back claws are needed for running. NEVER- NEVER- NEVER remove claws from a cat that goes outdoors, even just a few times. Do NOT de-claw a cat if other cats in the home still have their claws. This would be VERY inhumane. Personally, I am against de-clawing unless all other methods have failed. Some say "just give the cat up for adoption if you are worried about your furniture". I say... sometimes removing a cat from its loving family can be the worse alternative.

Thanks to this great cat info site.

Dry versus Wet Cat Foods

2005-01-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

About Cat Food Nutrition - Feeding is critical in the long term care of any animal. What types of cat foods should you feed your cats? Dry cat foods are best for cats, because it will help clean their teeth and prevent the teeth from decaying in their later years. And you can leave dry cat food out without fear of it spoiling.

However, there are cats and kittens who will not touch dry cat food. For those fussy eaters, feed them small amounts of wet cat food once a day at the same time every day. Keep dry food out for them also, and eventually they will get hungry and try the dry food.

Canned cat food is more expensive, and once you open it, it lasts about a half hour before your cat decides it is no longer fresh enough! Canned cat food can be great for nursing ill or older cats.

My recommendation would be a basic diet of dry cat food, with small amounts of canned cat food for variety and interest.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Allow kitty to make the first move.

2005-01-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

Cats do things ONLY when they are ready. This is the nature of cats. When cats come to you, they are accepting you. Cats do nothing they do not feel like doing. When petting your cat, be gentle. Kitty is not a 85 pound dog. When kitty wants on your lap, if you allow it, let kitty jump up and find its comfort spot. Your cat has now accepted you, and now OWNS you.

Thanks to this great cat info site.

Qualtiy vs. Price - Premium Cat Food

2005-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

How much can you afford to spend on food for your kitty is your decision. In all my years with cats, I have seen what quality food can do for them. Large, established pet food companies have a large investment in maintaining the quality of their products, so you can trust them to give your cat or kitten the vitamins and minerals they need.

The best brands, that more vets and breeders prefer are: Iams, Eukanuba, & Science Diet. If these are out of your price range, then Kal Kan and Purina are good alternatives. However, if you feed your cat healthy cat food, the fewer visits to the vet you�ll have to make because of cat health problems.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Cat Talk - Wide open eyes, staring

2005-01-05T00:53:00.000-08:00

Processing information. It hears something and is trying to figure it out.

Communication

2005-01-04T01:13:00.000-08:00

The way to tell how a cat is feeling is to look at its body language.

An alert cat has an open, direct gaze, and points its ears and whiskers foward. If it is nervous too, the nostrils may twitch in trying to identify the scent. If the cat recognizes the scent as a friend, his tail will go straight in the air and aproach the person or animal in greeting.

If the cat does not recognise the scent and finds it threatening it will act very differently. It will first freeze and stare at the intruder with a direct wide stare and the tail with flick back and forth. The ears and whiskers will be foward to try to continue identification. If the intruder approaches, the cat will draw its chin in close, to protect the neck area, flatten his ears and gradually turn its body sideways whilst begin to erect the hairs on its body to appear larger. If the intruder persist the cat will begin to snarl fiercely, lips drawn back to bare teeth and narrow the eyes. The muscles will be tense and ready for an attack.

Tail movement is also a way to distinguish the feeling of a cat. A tail sticking straight in the air means contentment and usually can be noticed when someone the cat recognised enters the room. An erect tail with the tip slightly waving back and forth is a contented cat, but also one who will be annoyed easily. A tail violently lashing indicates an angry cat who may be ready to attack. This cat should probably not be touched because it may attack. It should be talked down until it resumes normal composure.

Purring is another way to distinguish the cats feelings. Purring signals great contentment. A cat may purr when they are close to those they love, in response to petting, while eating, a friendly voice, or even just a look of aknowledgement from their owners. Kittens purr as they nurse their mothers. Some cats even purr when they are in pain, such as labor or durring a terminal illness.

4 Tips about Cats Clawing Furniture

2005-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Frustrated about the cat clawing your furniture or carpets? Here are a few facts and �how to� hints that may help:

1) Clawing has a dual purpose for the cat: It�s just cat instinct to work their claws and mark their territory. Once a cat claws something their scent is left on that object so they will come back and claw it again.

2) If you buy a carpet or sisal covered scratching post or cat tree, rub it down with catnip and Kitty may find this is better than your carpet or furniture.

3) You can trim a cats nails which will lessen the damage they can cause without having to declaw them. Special cat trimmers are available at your local pet supply store, but when trimming don�t trim too close to the pink part of their claws, you could seriously hurt the cat.

4) Everytime you catch the cat clawing something they shouldn�t, spray them with a special water bottle (tap water) you should already have handy. This method used consistently should minimize the number of times they claw and helpfully eliminate the unwanted cat behavior problem.

All credits for this tip go to: Cat Tips Site

Cat Talk - Soft tiny meow

2005-01-02T05:13:00.000-08:00

your cat really wants attention and is a plea for sympathy, like maybe a spot on your lap.

Humor - How to Give a Cat a Bath

2005-01-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

1. Know that although the kitty cat has the advantage of quickness and lack of concern for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, we recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)

2. Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. We recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face-mask, and a long-sleeved flak jacket.

3. Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule.)

4. Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have now begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.

5. Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more than two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record for cats is three latherings, so don't expect too much.)

6. Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared with what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg.

You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.

In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psychoceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.

You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But at least now he smells a lot better.

Deciding on a MALE or FEMALE cat.

2005-01-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

Both are great pets, but different personalities. Males tend to be more affectionate and kind, and more willing to share their new home with others, particularly other females. They have the tendency to be less moody than females, but have the ability to spray the house thus marking their territory with a very foul smell and become aggressive in fights. Females can be more moody, attract males if not spayed and more independent, although there are plenty of females that display a lot of affection. Again both make excellent pets. I have a female and she has

really been a treat, although she truly believes she is my wife!

Thanks to this great cat info site.

Humor - How to Give a Cat a Bath..Again

2005-01-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

1. First .... dress for the occasion. A 4-ply rubber wet suit is suggested, along with a helmet, face mask and welders gloves.

2. A Bathtub with a glass enclosure is preferred to the one with a shower curtain. A frenzied cat can shred one of these in about 2.5 seconds.

3. Have the Kitty Bubbles and towel in the enclosed bathtub area before hand. No ... blow drying the cat after the bath is not suggested.

4. Draw the water, making it a little warmer than needed as you still need to find the cat. Position everything strategically in the shower, so you can reach it even if you are face down or prone in the tub.

5. Find your cat. Use the element of surprise. Pick the cat up, nonchalantly as if you were simply carrying him/her to the supper dish. No need to worry about the cat noticing your strange attire... the cat barely notices you anyway.

6. Once you and the cat are inside the bathroom ... speed is essential. In one single liquid motion shut the door to the bathroom, step into the shower, close the sliding doors, and drop the cat into the water. While the cat is still in a state of shock, locate the Kitty Bubbles and squirt whatever part of him is above the water line. You have just begun the wildest 45 seconds of your life. Remember that cats have no handles and add the fact that he now has soapy fur. His state of shock has worn off and he's madder than a wet hornet.

7. As best, you can, wearing welder's gloves, try to field his body as he catapults through the air toward the ceiling. If possible, give another squirt of Kitty Bubbles with his body now fully exposed.

8. During the 5 seconds you are able to hold onto him, rub vigorously. No need to worry about rinsing. As he slide down the glass enclosure into the tub, he will fall back into the water, rinsing himself in the process.

9. Only attempt the lather and rinse process about 3 times. The cat will realize the lack of traction on the glass by then and will use the next attempt on the first available part of you.

10. Next, the cat must be dried. No...this is NOT the easiest part. By this stage, you are worn out and the cat has just become semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. We suggest here that you drain the tub and in full view of your cat reach for the bottle of Kitty Bubbles.

11. If you have done step 10 correctly, the cat will be off your leg and hanging precariously from your helmet. Although this view of the cat is most disgusting, he will be in a much better position for wrapping the towel around him.

12. Be sure cat is firmly wrapped in towel before opening tub enclosure. Open bathroom door ... put towel wrapped cat on floor and step back quickly. Into tub, if possible, and do not open enclosure until all you can see is the shredded towel.

13. In about 2 hours .... it will be safe to exit the bathroom. Your cat will be sitting out there somewhere looking like a small hedgehog while plotting revenge.

Cat Talk - Slow, sneaky low to the ground crawl

2005-01-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

Cat is going after something, stalking its "victim", beware cat will start a full speed assault.

Cat Talk - Looking up at a piece of furniture

2005-01-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

Cat is about to claim it.