The Household Omnivore [10-8-17]

The Household Omnivore

We all know that cats are efficient hunters. They're carnivores. They eat meat. So why do they stalk our houseplants? There are two possible reasons why cats crave greenery. One is that they eat grass and other plants as a dietary supplement. The other theory is that the roughage helps clean out their system, and aids in expelling hairballs.

Either way, their habit of nibbling on houseplants can be destructive to your decor (and dangerous if the plant is poisonous). Many cat owners grow small containers of grass, sprouted birdseed, or even catnip for their cats to munch on.

Cat Behavior Problems [29-5-17]

Cat Behavior Problems

The occasional cat fight is expected in multiple cat households, because cats are territorial. However, when aggressive behavior becomes the norm, you can take steps to stop it.

Confinement in a less attractive space; place a collar and bell on the “trouble maker”; squirt the “trouble maker” with a water bottle during agressive acts.

For the victim give rewards. Letting him/her roam the house, plus treats and affection rewards.

Gradually increase the supervised interaction, rewarding good behavior and using corrective measures against cat aggression.

Stretch [8-2-16]

Stretch

A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap just taken.

Save Your Christmas Tree From Your Cat

Save Your Christmas Tree From Your Cat

Laura Marsh

How many years have you spent, with your cat finding your Christmas Tree irresistible? Younger cats love to play with the baubles hanging off the tree, as they are shiny and interesting things that they don’t see very often. What normally happens when your cat spots the baubles is that it will tap it and tap it, then it grabs it and pulls the bauble off the tree. The chaos then follows!

If you have a large real tree, you can guarantee having an excess of pine needles covering your carpet, or if you have an artificial Christmas tree, your cat will probably have moved the lower branches causing your Christmas lights and tinsel to hang off the tree; which then causes even more of a problem by leaving the temptation of more hanging objects for your cat to pull down.

The only way to stop your cat from causing devastation around your Christmas tree is to use a deterrent. Many people will use all sorts of things to try and stop the cat from getting close to the tree, some people will put the Christmas tree in a children’s play pen (however often the cat will happily jump over this or squeeze through the bars), other people will recommend leaving citrus peel around the bottom of your tree, I don’t recommend this method as you can end up staining your floor or carpet if you are not very careful, especially as the fruits contain acid.

I have found by far the best cat deterrent for any type of Christmas tree is home made decorations. It is true that cats do not like the smell of citrus, their noses are very sensitive, and often citrus can be overpowering and they will not approach, this is why I recommend making the old fashioned orange and clove hanging tree ornaments. That way the Christmas tree will still look nicely decorated, and you’ve got a built in cat deterrent.

The ideal way to make these is to purchase large oranges (not the easy peel type), you’ll want to dry these out as much as possible. Dry them in a oven on a very low temperature, you want to evaporate the moisture in the orange rather than cooking the orange. When the orange has dried to a good degree (but not too hard), you need to push in the cloves all the way around the orange, covering as much of the skin as you can.

Decide now how you are going to attach the ribbon (to hang the orange on the tree), you could put the ribbon through the orange and secure it at the bottom with a loop at the top, or you could tie the ribbon like a parcel around the orange, if you want to pass the ribbon through the orange, then make sure you make a whole now. Return the oranges to the oven on a low temperature to finish drying. Once dry, let them cool and then tie on the ribbon.

Your oranges are now ready to decorate your Christmas tree. Your house will be wonderfully fragranced with the scent of oranges and cloves, and I can guarantee your cat will avoid the Christmas tree for the entire Christmas season. If it looks like your oranges won’t last that long, then purchase some more and start the process again.
 

Most dog and cat bites can be avoided! [10-9-15]

Most dog and cat bites can be avoided!

Each year, more than 800,000 people receive medical attention for dog bites. At least half of them are children, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. While that sounds like a lot of people, it's small when you consider that there are 70 million dogs in America.

What's more, according to Dr. Douglas Aspros, past president of the AVMA, most dog bites can be avoided; it's all about education. To that end, the AVMA is partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the U.S. Postal Service and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to support Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 18-24

"We can significantly reduce the number of dog bites," says Aspros, based in Pound Ridge, N.Y. (outside New York City). "So many times, people leave young children unsupervised around (what they think are) trustworthy animals."

This can be asking for trouble. For example, something as innocuous and natural as a hug might prompt a dog or cat to bite, says veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ilana Reisner, of Media, Penn. Dogs and cats don't naturally express their affection with hugs. While some dogs learn to tolerate or even enjoy hugs as a way to garner human attention, others dislike them. A young child can hurt a small dog or cat by hugging too hard. Of course, very young children might also pull at a pet's tail or fall over a pet.

"An adult must be supervising," Reisner stresses.

If an animal is, in fact, being hurt, the only way to stop the pain may be to bite.

"Often times, the pet has tried to warn us, and either we don't understand canine (or feline) body language, or we're not supervising to see what's about to happen and put a stop to it," Aspros says.

The most common explanations for dog bites are related either to fear (perhaps as a result of a lack of socialization) or resource guarding, such as dogs guarding their toys, food or property, Reisner explains.

Prevention is key. If there's no chance for a child to take away a pet's food, clearly the pet can't respond aggressively. Tip: Feed pets behind closed doors. Similarly, if you know your postal carrier comes to the door at a set time, and you're worried about your dog's reaction, make sure the pet is indoors at this time. Fortunately, treats can help solve this problem.

"Postal carriers do exactly what it takes to provoke dogs," says Aspros. "The carrier approaches, and the dog barks and postures on one side of the fence." Whether it's a fear-based or guarding behavior doesn't matter. From the dog's perspective, all that barking works because soon the postal carrier leaves. Many postal carriers counter this reaction by carrying dog treats. Once they expect a treat, many dogs adjust their attitudes -- and now that barking is about excitement!

Just as positive exposure can sway dogs who don't like postal carriers, it can do the same to boost pets' opinions of children.

Many families get a dog or cat as their first 'child.' When the real thing comes along, with no previous positive experience with babies, many pets don't know what to make of them, Aspros notes.

"They're loud, smelly and take attention away from them. Once they become toddlers, they move fast and unpredictably; for many pets that's scary," he points out.

Most dog bites occur in the home and to children known by the dog.

When children meet dogs outdoors, caution is equally important.

Before allowing your child to pet a strange dog, make sure the youngster asks the handler, "Can I pet?" Even if the answer is yes, it's a good idea to keep an eye on the dog's body language, Aspros says.

When meeting adults, some dogs just prefer not to interact.

"The reality is that not all dogs consider it a good thing to be petted or stroked by people they don't know," adds Reisner. "We should respect that."

Often, dogs who bite have a history of biting, or at the very least acting aggressively. But what about a dog or cat who suddenly and uncharacteristically bites?

"That might be about a person who treated a pet harshly," says Reisner. "Or the explanation might be medical, such as a pet who's in pain."

Cats are Explorers... 17-06-15

Cats are Explorers...

Cats are naturally explorative and inquisitive creatures. Their wild cousins creep through undergrowth, climb trees, bat at insects on water surface just to name a few adventures. Make sure you provide plenty of toys to stimulate your cat and consider rotating toys every few weeks to provide variety

Six Basic Steps to Eliminate Cat Behavioral Problems

Six Basic Steps to Eliminate Cat Behavioral Problems

Geri Stogsdill

Do you sometimes feel that your cat has become mean spirited and not the sweet loving kitten that he use to be? Sometimes when kittens get grown, they can be ill tempered and mean at their worst. But for even the most annoying cat behavioral problems, there is usually still a remedy for this behavior.

Below are six of the most common behavioral problems found in cats and some of the solutions that I would like to share with you that seem to work the best for my pets.

1. Clawing your furnishings and carpet. It is only natural that cats need to sharpen their claws. Their claws never stop growing, and what they're actually doing when they sharpen their claws is removing the outer layer of the claw. In most cases, I have found that people will simply declaw a cat that is having this type problem. Personally, I do not advocate this at all. In my opinion, there is always that chance that even an indoor cat could someday wind up outside by accident. And in that case if you do remove your cat's claws, then you are possibly taking away his or her primary form of defense.

Maybe before declawing your cat, why not try getting a scratching post instead. If you can't get your cat to use the scratching post, then one solution that I have found is to try hanging a dirty sock on the post. Use a dirty sock that belongs to someone in the family that your cat is the fondest of so that it will smell familiar to your pet (you can take it off after about a day). You can also sprinkle catnip over the scratching post or - this is weird but it works - powdered chicken bouillon. The idea is to get the cat to feel friendly enough to the scratching post to attack it.

Then meanwhile, make your cat's favorite scratching areas less attractive. For example, sprinkle fresh lemon juice over those areas. Or you could wrap them or cover them with aluminum foil (fingernails on the chalkboard, anyone?). Do anything that will clean that area as well as to eradicate any cat odor. If possible, another option would be to close the doors to that area so that those places are inaccessible to the cat.

2. Eliminating outside the litter box. Could this be your fault or the cat's fault? I have found that many cats won't use a litter box that is too dirty. If you think this could be the problem, then start changing out the litter box about twice as often as you currently do. You can also be prompt about cleaning any places the cat goes, spraying these areas down well with Lysol or a similar disinfectant with a nice strong smell. You can also try putting the litter box in a more attractive place to the cat; the bathroom, for instance. If it's not in too obnoxious of a place, you can put the litter box on top of the place your cat has chosen to go, too, just to make the point. As last resorts, put down bleach, safely, in those spots, and cover the area with aluminum foil.

3. Clawing people. I have found that cats generally do this because for some reason they are afraid. If that is the case, then you should take in to consideration if this is the fault of the cat or of the people around him. For instances if you have a cat that is generically afraid of children, then maybe try exposing the cat to young children until he's calmer about it. Don't let the child loose around the cat. Either have the child sit down in your lap or next to you, while feeding Kitty treats.

Not all cats are afraid. In some cases, they are just plain mean to certain people. The only thing you can do about this is to remove the cat from the situation. When the cat starts clawing or growling, pick her up and take her to the bathroom until your guest is gone. In most cases, it is usually a guest that this happens to, often one who owns pets. If it's a family member, try cat repellant or lemon juice to keep the cat away, then acclimatization to get them used to the other person. If all this fails, you may be forced with no other choice but to have the cat declawed.

4. Caterwauling. Siamese cats do this by nature, and you may not be able to get them to stop. But other cats do it because they are hungry, tired, sick, or to let you know she has done something good. There aren't many things that you can do about this, unfortunately. If you think it's a hunger thing, then feed her more promptly, and refuse to feed her when she caterwauls. Of course, your cat won't understand what you're doing, but she'll almost certainly quit after she figures out it does her no good. If she caterwauls because she is in heat, you should get her fixed. For other caterwauling problems, try to ignore her, and keep her as far away from yourself as possible.

5. Spraying. Normally, male cats do this to mark a territory, and they usually do it when they feel threatened. In most cases, it is done whenever dogs or small children threaten them, or when other male cats are around. There is little you can do about this beyond having your cat neutered. Please don't punish your cat for doing this because the cat will not understand at all.

6. Running outside. Indoor cats tend to get very curious about the outside world. The first thing you should do is to be more careful and not to have the door open allowing your cat to run out. But you can also try to get the cat accustomed to the outdoors by getting a cat leash and walking her, or by carrying her in your arms when you do go outside. Once your cat knows what is out there, then more than likely she will be less curious and not so anxious the next time to get outside. And this is particularly true if you should ever expose your cat sometime to snow or wet conditions.

Keeping the kitten confined 24-08-2014

Keeping the kitten confined

To prevent a new kitten from getting lost in your house, try placing a two foot tall piece of plexiglass in the door to the kitten´s ´nursery´-the one room you keep her confined to while unsupervised. This will allow the kitten to see outside her room, but she won´t be able to climb over the glass. Then as she learns where her litter box, food dish, and other areas of the house are, you can remove the glass.

Merging Cats - How To Introduce A New Kitten Or Cat To An Older Cat /23-08-2014

Merging Cats - How To Introduce A New Kitten Or Cat To An Older Cat

Kate Garvey

The following technique can be used to introduce a new kitten or cat to your other cat(s). I've been involved in pet rescue most of my life and this technique worked successfully every time. Over the years I've had to make a few modifications when introducing older males or feral cats, but in most cases this will work exactly as outlined. It's assumed your pet is neutered and the new pet is either neutered or less than six months old.

If you have a choice you may want to follow a "wives tale" recommendation and pick a young new cat that is the opposite sex of your pet. For example if you have a neutered male select a female kitten or young female. If you have an older female, select a young male kitten. Many people believe these combinations are the best choices to insure a compatible match. There is some biological support for this argument, but I've merged many same sex, same age cats and it's always been successful.

1. Before you bring a new kitten or cat home, make sure it is free of communicable diseases-Feline Leukemia, Distemper, Rabies, worms, and fleas. Most people avoid adopting a cat that has been exposed to Feline Aids, but there's a mixed jury on how Feline Aides is spread. You may want to read about this topic and form your own opinion before you consider merging a cat exposed to FIV with a healthy cat.

2. While the cats are still in separate locations feed them both a large meal. For example, give both cats a meal that would be comparable to our thanksgiving dinner; choices include their favorite canned food, sardines, tuna, or chicken. Give them at least an extra half serving. You may also want to give a little natural herb relaxant such as "Rescue Remedy".

3. Place the new cat or kitten inside a cat carrier approximately a half hour after the cats finish eating their large meal. Have a friend bring the new cat or kitten into your house and place the carrier in the middle of a living room floor-make sure there is a place where the new cat will be able to hide once it's released from the cage (i.e. a sofa, chair, etc.). If you can't find a friend, to bring in the carrier you can do this yourself, but you must ignore the new cat at all times.

4. Let your cats smell and hiss at each other with your cat running loose in your house and the new cat safe inside the carrier. Since both cats are full and relaxed-it may take 20-30 minutes before the cats notice each other.

5. One hour after you bring the new cat inside open the carrier door, but ignore both cats. Let the new cat come out as it feels ready, this may take up to 30 minutes. The cats may continue to hiss and scream at each other, but usually it's pretty minimal. Most often the new cat will look for a safe place to hide such as under a sofa or chair. If the new cat runs to you, ignore it.

6. For the next 3-4 days, you must ignore the new cat. Allow your cats to scream and hiss at each other as much as they need to. This let's your current pet and the new pet establish their own pecking order. The only time you want to interfere would be if the cats got in a bad fight. If this occurs throw a large amount of cold water on both cats, and start the process over. (One time I had to merge two older sickly male cats. They had both been "Tom" cats for years. After this one hour merger technique they got in a horrible fight. I broke up the fight with water, got a large dog crate and for two days I rotated which cat was in the cage and which cat got to be loose. At the end of two days, these cats got along great.)

A final thought, you may want to start the introduction at a time when you can be home for a few days. For example, if you work Monday through Friday, you may want to merge the cats on Friday night so you can observe them over the weekend.

Adding a New Cat

Adding a New Cat

The solution I have found to work best is to give the new cat, especially if he is an adult, his own room for a couple of days, one that isn’t another cat’s favored room, of course. (The younger your cats are, the less time will be needed by the way; older cats, like people, become very set in their ways and don’t welcome change.) Keep the door closed, and visit the newcomer frequently, talking with him and petting him. Remember he’ll need a litter box; preferably, feed him in the room for at least the first day as well. Then, open the door for longer and longer periods, so he can come out and explore. When you see one of your existing cats go into the room, follow him inside – then sit on the floor, one cat on each side, and pet and talk to each at the same time. The idea is to demonstrate to both of them that they are each mutually loved and appreciated. It is very important in a multi-cat household that you give each cat the same amount of affection – they will have enough to deal with amongst themselves when establishing who’s top-cat, without you compounding the situation by showing favoritism.

Does your Cat Sweat? /24-07-2014

Does your Cat Sweat?

• Have you ever wondered if your cat sweats? While her heat regulation is primarily achieved through grooming (evaporation of saliva on the body), cats do sweat through the pads of their feet. If you place a warm and excited cat on a glass table, you will be able to see her sweat- induced paw prints on the surface.

.