Thursday, July 3, 2008


By Jovan Johnson

Wonderful you have a new kitten! Now its time for your kittens litter box training and believe me you and her will be really happy once she's trained. Rest assured litter box training is going to be really easy for you and your kitten I promise. Most kittens naturally feel the urge to dig in litter as early as 4 weeks, but here our some 10 tips that will make litter box training for cats much easier....

Tip 1: Do not interfere with your kitten while she in the litter box, it will only make your cat develop an aversion to using it.

Tip 2: Be patient! Instinct will guide your kitten to the litter box.

Tip 3: Make sure you place the litter box in a quiet, non traffic location that your cat has access to at all times.

Tip 4: Make sure you always keep their litter box clean. Scoop daily

Tip 5: Don't let litter sit for more than a week. Change the litter as often as possible and you and your cat will be happy

Tip 6: Do not use any strong cleaners in the litter box; it may make your kitten not want to go potty

Tip 7: Place your kitten in their litter box when they awake and after a meal

Tip 8: When your kitten start to go potty on their own, praise her lavishly to reinforce the fact that she doing a good job

Tip 9: Do not, I mean do not move your kittens litter box unless absolutely necessary and when doing so move it gradually.

Tip 10: Last but not least, if you have more than one kitten, make sure you have a litter box for each cat.

More cat owner tips

WAIT! Don't put your cat up for adoption just yet. A well crafted training plain is all you need to a well behaved cat. FIND OUT HOW - click here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jovan_Johnson

By Jovan Johnson

All cat food is not good for cats and the best way to make sure what is going in your cat's mouth is good is to make homemade cat treats. Here are a couple of home made cat food recipes my cats love and I am sure you will find them really easy to cook as well.

Cat tuna cookies

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. can tuna (in oil), 2 cups cornmeal, 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup water, 2/3 cup vegetable. oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking instructions:

Mix all ingredients well, kneading just to combine. On a floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into little squares or any shape. Put the cookies on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!

Cat Go Fishes

Ingredients

1 envelope ( 2 1/4 teaspoons) dry active yeast ,1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees) ,1 cup warm chicken or fish stock ,2 tablespoons molasses ,2 cups all purpose flour ( approx.) ,1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour ,1 cup cracked wheat ,1/2 cup cornmeal,1/2 cup dry milk powder,1/3 cup fish food flakes, 1 teaspoon salt ,1 large egg,1 tablespoon milk

Cooking instructions:

Combine the yeast and with warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in broth and molasses. Add 1 cup of all purpose flour and all the rest (except egg and milk). Place the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough of remaining flour to make very stiff dough (5 minutes). Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10-15 minutes. Roll out each portion to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes, preferably 1 inch fish shapes. Place on un-greased cookie sheet. Combine beaten egg with milk. Brush over biscuits. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn off oven and let biscuits cool in oven overnight.

More cat owner tips

WAIT! Don't put your cat up for adoption just yet. A well crafted training plain is all you need to a well behaved cat. FIND OUT HOW - click here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jovan_Johnson

By Derek Rogers

Looking along the aisles of your local pet food store, you will find an enormous selection of so-called gourmet cat foods available. These foods usually claim to include exotic human-like ingredients, such as shrimp, lobster, filet mignon, prawns, and even rare Kobe beef from Japan. The question is whether or not these foods taste better and are better for your cat.

Cats and Their Food

Cats need a different type of diet than humans and dogs. While the latter can eat and digest animal and plant matter fairly easily, cats are considered obligate carnivores. This means they are physically better able to digest meat products than anything else.

Another reason for the meat-heavy diet is a need for taurine, an acid found in the flesh of animals. Cats need taurine in their diets because their bodies can't produce it. Without taurine, cats can end up losing their sight.

You might think that offering your cat any type of meat-based food would appeal to them but that's not always the case. Cats can be such picky eaters they will literally starve themselves if they don't want to eat what is being offered.

And that brings us back to the main question: Are gourmet cat foods tastier?

Does it Taste Better?

The truth is that there's no real way humans can determine what tastes better for their cat. Cats are unique creatures. They have their own preferences when it comes to food. No third party can really predict what any one cat will like anymore than someone who doesn't know you can guess your dietary preferences.

Gourmet cat foods can be appealing because of their variety of flavours. Cats do enjoy a variety of flavours and can become bored if they are fed even something scrumptious day after day. However, some cats like to keep it simple and are just as happy eating the cheap foods.

The only way to know for sure what tastes best is to ask your cat.

The Bigger Question

While cats may have their own preferences for food, you need to make sure the food they choose from provides them with all of the nutrients they need for a healthy diet. Gourmet foods may cost more to buy but that doesn't necessarily mean they will provide the best health benefits for your cat.

When you choose a cat food, you need to look at the list of ingredients carefully. Here are some pointers:

* First ingredient - On any cat food, the first ingredient should be some type of real meat or fish. You do not want "chicken meal," for example. If possible, the first handful of ingredients should all be real meat.
* Anything artificial - Most foods do need some types of preservatives to keep it from spoiling. However, the food should not include artificial flavours or colours.
* Filler ingredients - Cheap pet foods often contain a lot of filler, such as rice or grains, which doesn't do much for your pet's health but do help them cut their own production costs.

If you pay attention to labels using the pointers above, you'll be able to find the tastiest and the healthiest food for your cat.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on gourmet cat foods, he recommends Seapets, one of the UK's leading suppliers of cat foods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Rogers

By Jovan Johnson

Do you have a cat with aggression problems and you don't know what's wrong with your cat? It is a very complicated and upsetting problem for any owner to solve, so with that said lets learn how to stop our cat behavioral problems now instead of later......Worry no more about your cat aggression problems, here are some of the most asked questions and I will answer each of them for you...

Why is my cat aggressive towards my other cat and me?

This problem can be solved many ways but the most common for this is that your cat may have a medical problem. Cat Aggression problems can be caused by medical problems so first take your cat to you veterinarian, who will perform a physical examination of your cat. Alleviation of medical conditions often resolves the aggressive behavior of your cat. If your cat is fine (healthy that is), determine what kind of aggression your cat is displaying in order to formulate a good strategy, and ultimately, a solution.

How do I stop my kittens from biting and scratching me when we play?

It's normal for your kitten to want to play by scratching and biting so don't be too worried about it. Biting and scratching during play time is typical and is look at as "play aggression," a behavior most commonly observed in young cats and kittens. When you play with your kitten jus make you play with a distance between your hands and the kitten, so your cat has no opportunity to bite or scratch you.

For examploe:

Toss moving objects like ping-pong balls, walnuts, or aluminum foil balls for your cat to chase them or Provide climbing perches, scratching posts, and ball toys that deliver food when batted about. This will reduce all of the aches and pains guaranteed.

Why does my cat get very agitated whenever someone new comes into my house?

This is a sign of "fear aggression," a defensive behavior towards unfamiliar people, animals, noises and even new places. Unpleasant experiences, like a trip to the veterinarian's office, may also trigger fear aggression in your cat. With a fear aggressive cat there are two things I recommend you not do.

First, do not console your cat! By trying to calm your cat down with a low tone and petting it does nothing but lets the cat think that you approve of their inappropriate behavior and that is not the case.

Secondly, when visitors come to your home tell them to not retreat or show any fear in front of a fear aggressive cat, because this teaches the cat that her behavior can make unwanted visitors go away. Lack of attention is a better strategy and it will work a lot better.

Why does my cat growls and hisses when I try to move her ff my bed?

This cat is attempting to control the situation through status-induced aggression. Other examples include cats that block doorways, or solicit attention from their owner. The signs of this kind of aggression include tail swishing, flattened ears, dilated pupils, growling, and hissing. You must ignore the cat's demands for play, food and attention, and make sure that any rewards must be given when the cat is relaxed (a relaxed cat holds her tail up, has normal sized pupils, and does not swat). The most effective reaction to status-induced aggression is to just ignore your cat completely.

More cat owner tips

WAIT! DONT PUT YOUR CAT UP FOR ADOPTION JUST YET. A WELL CRAFTED TRAINING PLAIN IS ALL YOU NEED TO A WELL BEHAVED CAT. FIND OUT HOW.. CLICK HERE

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jovan_Johnson
By D Swain

In most cases, feline sneezing is a result of your cat's respiratory system functioning properly. However, your cat may possibly be sick if he starts to sneeze a lot. There are various things that can cause an episode of feline sneezing. Let's take a look at some of the most common causes.

Infection

An upper respiratory infection is one of the most common causes of feline sneezing. Infections that cause sneezing episodes are usually caused by the Adenovirus or the Parainfluenza virus. These viruses are highly contagious and can easily infect your cat after he comes into contact with other animals. The infections produce other symptoms besides sneezing such as swollen glands, coughing, and mucus discharge.

Rhinotracheitis

Another common cause of feline sneezing is the rhinotracheitis virus. This virus is responsible for causing herpes-1 in cats. Feline sneezing can be a difficult condition to treat if it is caused by this virus. Kittens infected with this virus can suffer permanent damage to the linings in their nose.

Allergies

Feline sneezing can also be caused by allergies. Your cat can be allergic to household cleaning chemicals, smoke, or even perfume or cologne that you wear. Similar to people, some cats also have episodes of feline sneezing at certain times of the year. This is likely due to the fact that the cat is allergic to something in the air.

Airways

One of the final causes of feline sneezing is a change in your cat's airways. Fungal infections can occur in your cat's nasal passages and cause problems. Also, tumors or nasal polyps can form and cause feline sneezing. This usually affects only one nostril and commonly occurs in older cats.

As a cat owner, you want to keep your special friend as healthy as possible. To learn more about various cat illnesses such as feline acne, stop by cat-illnesses.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_Swain