Cat Care Tips

Adding a new cat as a member of your family is often more exciting than tending to the one you already have. Most will accept new additions as they are basically solitary by instinct. You should exercise special care when introducing a new feline to your home as cats tend to be territorial. Ten to fifteen days is the normal time required for a successful introduction of your new addition.

This time may vary due to their individual personality and temperament. Be sure that you give your present pet plenty of love and affection during this introduction process. This will allow your present pet to feel that happy, secure, and that he is not in competition with your new pet for your affections.

It is advised that you keep you new family member in a separate space until the introduction process has been fully completed. Recommended locations for new cats could be areas such as a bathroom, a spare room or any small space away from where your current pet sleeps.

Be sure to leave toys, food and water dishes and a litter box in the room for your new feline. Your current cat may howl and hiss at the new one. This behavior is natural as your current cat is trying to send the new cat a message that he doesn’t belong. If you find this situation happening, simply ignore it. If you punish it for this type of behavior, it will most certainly lead to more serious problems later on.

At the start, your current cat and your new cat should eat from separate dishes in separate areas. In time, you can begin the socializing process by allowing them to eat from the same dish but at different times. This will allow the scent of each to be present at the food dish.

In time, each will get used to the different scents on the food dish. You can begin to bring their feeding times closer and closer together until eventually you can feed them together at the same time from the same dish. In time, and with much patience, they will soon adjust and enjoy their meals without hissing or growling at each other. Once this step has been achieved, you can begin introducing the new cat to the areas of the house where your present cat is accustomed to.

Allow them to smell and greet each other in their own way. There may be occasional growling or hissing. When this occurs, simply break them up and re introduce them to each other at a later time.

1. Keep your pregnant cat indoors.

Don’t expose an expecting kitty to danger. But there are more reasons. Some queens go into heat even during pregnancy. Cats are capable of being pregnant of two different litters at the same time. And of course, a pregnant cat should not give birth in a cold place outside.

2. Give your kitty the right food.

It should be high on calcium and protein. Kitten food is specially designed to meet the need of pregnant and nursing felines. Vitamin supplements are recommended too.

3. Do not give any medication during pregnancy.

A pregnant cat should get medication only in emergency. The same goes for deworming products, or products against fleas. If she has worms or fleas, first consult your vet.

4. Make your cat a comfortable nest bed.

A box filled with newspaper usually does the trick. Put in a warm sheltered place, preferably a location your cat frequently visits. Make sure all is ready two weeks before birth.

5. Find a home for your kittens – before they are born.

It will give you peace of mind to know where the kittens will go. Finding a home for a kitty can be time consuming. You’ll have more time for that before they are born.

6. Use non-clumping litter for her box.

Sometimes cats give birth in the litter box. If a kitten is delivered in clumping litter, the mother kitty might refuse to clean her newborn off as the clump is all over the sac. And the baby drowns in its own fluid.

7. Keep other cats away from her.

You have more than one kitty? Your pregnant cat wants privacy. She doesn’t like the company of other cats during this period, even if she knows these cats very well.

8. Buy enough food for your kitty… and you.

You should have no reason to leave your kitty alone on the days before and after birth.

9. Check which vet is available.

Have a piece of paper with the phone number of the closest emergency veterinary clinic. If there’s no such clinic in your area, find out which vet is available for emergency care. One phone call to a local vet is usually enough.

10. Get the right information about cat pregnancy.

Only if you understand what you see and hear, you will be able to recognize complications. Plus… there are many problems you can solve yourself, if you know how. So, do not panic. Get the right information instead.

We have all seen cats sleeping in windows and cuddling up with their owners. The fact is that cats are wonderful, loving pets that are a joy to own.

However, the cat species that we know of today was very different thousands of years ago. History tells us that cat domestication took place thousands of years ago in the Nile valley. Wild cats became friendly to humans as we began to approach them and encourage them to stay by feeding them food.

Cats then began to see humans as friendly and allowed themselves to be taken in as companions. As time progressed, cats have become loyal and endearing members to human families. In the early days, cats were used as hunters against pests and rodents. They proved themselves to be effective hunters as the would sleep in the daytime and offer protection at night.

Compared to dogs, cats have superior night vision and superb hearing skills. Cats would alarm their owners if they heard someone moving in the house of if they perceived some type of danger, while a dog would continue to sleep. Now a days, the role of cats has changed mostly to the role of companions and for show.

There are a wide variety of cat breeds available today, from the Siamese and Persian to the alley cat. If well taken care of, all breeds will provide you with loving companionship. If you are thinking of getting a older cat or a kitten, it is important to investigate where the cat is originating from.

Make sure that the cat breeder has an excellent reputation if you choose to get your cat from a breeder. The cattery should be clean and be in good shape. Verify that the kittens that are still in the cattery are living in clean, open surroundings. Check to see if their food and water dishes are clean and if their litter boxes have been well maintained.

Kittens should be free to run in the open and not be left in a cage. A good sign of a healthy cat is that they have a shiny fur coat and none of their ribs should be visible. Kittens should be used to being handled and touched. Kittens that have been handled young should be sweet and show no signs of fear.

Kittens should not be allowed to leave their nest until they are about twelve weeks to sixteen weeks. This allows for the cats immune system to fully develop.

Cats make for excellent pets. If you take your time and check for these basic signs of good cat health, you will have less problems in the future and have a more enjoyable experience with your feline friend.

The cat population of the U.S. is exploding. Many experts recommend spaying your cat instead of breeding it.

While this is a viable option, the fact remains that many cat owners wish to have a litter of kittens from their pet. If this is your desire, there are a few things you should consider before breeding your cat. It takes time and patience to properly breed cats. You will need to choose an area to have the litter and it should be kept clean on a regular basis. You will need to keep a close eye on your kittens and monitor their development.

Breeding a litter of cats is very time consuming and requires a great deal of space. It is not recommended that you attempt to breed cats if you have a small house or apartment. You should also be sure that your family is in agreement if you want to breed your cat as cat breeding will place a burden on all members of the household.

Kittens are curious by nature and they love visiting all the places in your house. As a cat breeder, you should think and act responsibly, including having a plan to have owners ready for the kittens you don’t plan on keeping. Also consider the unexpected, such as someone who originally wanted a cat but later changed their mind once the litter is born.

You need to be aware of any potential problems that may occur during the birthing process. You should be aware of what to do in situations such as an early delivery or in cutting the umbilical cord.

Other factors could come into play such as how to proceed if a c-section is required. Do you have the proper supplies? Do you know what to feed a pregnant cat? These are all critical points you should know before attempting to breed a cat. Cost is an important factor as well. Food and vet expenses can quickly add up. In addition, there are de-worming and vaccination medicines to consider.

The bottom line is that if you want to breed your cat, be sure that you obtain the necessary knowledge and be financially prepared before hand. Be patient, careful, responsible and always be ready for the worst thing that can happen.

A large majority of cats that are maimed and damaged have probably been abused. Most cat mental health damage is internal and emotional as opposed to their physical appearance. Emotional and internal cat mental health are the most difficult problems to fix. A soft voice and a gentle touch are key elements when dealing with a cat that has been abused. The cat needs to be made to understand that the abuse has come to an end.

When dealing with a cat that has been neglected, you should wait until he approaches you for affection. Because the cat is confused and unsure of your intentions, you will need to exercise extreme patience.

The cat will eventually feel confident in approaching you if you convey to him that he has nothing to fear from you. Let him smell you and pet him when he decided to come to you. He will quickly learn that he can trust you and in time, he will come to you when you call him. As this is a critical time, yelling and raising your voice to your cat can add to his fragile emotional state of mind.

Your cat will become lethargic or even mean if you use incorrect methods of discipline. However, it is important to understand that if a cat does become mean, it is not always a negative thing. If a cat is mean, it shows that they care and are still concerned about what happens to them. A lethargic cat, on the other hand, is tougher to reach as they have lost the will to care.

Lack of response, lack of playing or lack of eating properly are all signs of a lethargic cat. The recommended method to inspire a lethargic cat is to introduce a companion cat. Over a period of time, a lethargic cat will soon desire attention. You should always use a gentile voice and allow him to snuggle with you when this happens.

Give positive reinforcement to your cat and praise him when you notice his behavior improving. Be careful not to raise your voice or make sudden movements as your cat is still recovering from a traumatic experience. You can consider him returning to his normal self once he approaches you and allows you to pet him again. Remember, this is a delicate situation and requires the utmost of patience on your part.

Finally, if you do have to discipline your cat, use a soft, gentile voice. If you are patient and let the cat know that you are here to help him, he will eventually recover and develop into a loving and warm companion.

So you’ve just adopted a precious little kitten or cat. Now what do you do? Well you need to get prepared before bringing your new cat home. There are certain things you absolutely must have on hand.

1. A litterbox, litter and scoops are vital. Get a nice covered litter pan that will give your cat privacy and keep odors to a minimum. It is a good idea to get the clumping type of litter because it’s so easy to scoop out and throw away. If you only have one cat, you might want to invest in an automated litter system such as the Litter Maid – but these don’t work well with multiple cats.

2. Your cat will require 2 bowls that won’t tip over. The food dish should be relatively shallow and the water bowl should be a bit deeper. It is a good idea to feed your cat twice a day – both dry food and canned food. And water should be changed daily.

3. Your cat will also need plenty of toys to keep him/her stimulated. My cats have always enjoyed the bizzy balls best of all. They go by different names, but here’s what I’m talking about – they’re plastic balls with bells inside. There’s a wide variety of great cat toys on the market and most are pretty cheap – just try out a bunch and you’ll find what suits your kitty best.

4. A scratching post is very important as cats have an inborn need to stretch and sharpen their claws. If you don’t provide them with a suitable place to scratch, then they’ll end up doing it on your furniture or carpet. Even with a scratching post, they’ll probably still scratch where you don’t want them to. So you might want to spray cat deterrent or put double sided tape on your best furniture.

5. Of course a collar and id tag is important whether you have an indoor or outdoor cat. An indoor cat can slip out the door in a flash and without some form of identification – you might never see her again.

6. Cat beds are optional. I’ve bought different cat beds over the years and to tell you the truth, they’ve rarely been used. Most cats like to seek and find their own places to nap – and it usually varies from day to day. One day it may be on your bed; one day it may be on your couch; one day it may be on the floor; and one day it may be in a kitchen chair.

7. Flea and tick prevention are extremely important too. I am partial to the Frontline liquid stuff that you place between your cat’s shoulder blades – it works well and doesn’t cause any problems for your cat.

8. Be sure and schedule a visit to your veterinarian. The vet will let you know if there are any underlying health problems or conditions that you should be aware of and get your cat started on a good regimen of disease prevention.

A ragdoll cat is a specific breed of cat, a rather large, actually very large, breed of cat. Caring for the ragdoll isn’t too difficult; ragdoll cat care is much the same as caring for a non ragdoll cat.

If you are buying a little kitten from a breeder, then you will probably find the kitten will be nervous and uneasy for the first few days. It might even cry a little – you know the sound, that little meowing sound kitten’s make that breaks our hearts.

Some people choose to allow the kitten to sleep in their beds to make it feel better, and I’m sure your ragdoll will be happy to snuggle down under the covers. But ideally, your kitten should be kept in a smallish room, just for the first few days, because a large room might confuse and scare the kitty.

Make sure the ragdoll kitten has access to a litter box and clean water. Give them a nice big snuggly toy to cuddle up to; it will make them feel warm and safe.

Once you have bought your kitten home, you will be given a list of the food your ragdoll kitten has been weaned on. Whatever you do, don’t change the diet for the first couple of weeks, not unless you want a kitten with diarrhea – all over your house.

I’m sure you would rather not be cleaning up that mess, plus it could result in dehydration – for the kitten, not you.

So use the same food, and after a couple of weeks, if you want to change the diet without causing rampant diarrhea, then add a small amount of the new food to the old food, and slowly increase the mixture each week.

As kittens are so small and cute, they can’t eat a lot at once, but they do need a lot of food, with all that growing to do. So feed them little and often – at least 4 times a day at first, you can add some nice fish, a little beef or tuna to add variety.

Now, I know you probably think cats like milk, well, they do, but it will likely give them that dreaded diarrhea as well, so no cow’s milk I’m afraid.

Now, a ragdoll cat has some benefits to a normal cat – their coat being one of them. They shed less than normal cats, and it doesn’t tend to get matted too easily. What does this mean? Well, it means you don’t have to have them professionally groomed often, and you don’t need to brush them daily.

Once or twice a week will suffice. But it is important to groom weekly, to keep knots at bay and plus your new ragdoll kitten will love the attention.

You will be VERY glad to hear that you don’t need to bath your ragdoll very often, once or twice a year is fine, and that saves on running around after a soapy cat and trying to stop it escaping.

As your ragdoll is an indoor cat, not an outdoor cat (due to their over trusting nature) it you should only need to worm them about 3 times a year maximum, compared to an average of every three months for an outdoor cat, also check for fleas.

If you do want to take you cat outside, treat it as you would a dog, ensure your garden is secure, and sit outside with them while they play, remember cat’s can get in some pretty small holes, so they do need watching.

When we feel pain in our bodies, we can easily tell someone that there is something wrong and that person will be able to take you to the infirmary. Pets cannot do that merely observing them can tell you a lot of things. which is why owners should employ cat care and be aware of the symptoms.

Discussed beneath are a few diseases and their symptoms you should look out for.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is the most feared disease by cat owners. It is a acknowledged fact, that it is the leading cause of death amongst cats. It is caused by a coronavirus infection and what is yet worse, is that the symptoms are very much like other diseases so it is really hard to diagnose.

There is also Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) that is similar to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Just like the human variant, it is a life long infection that progresses slowly and kills the cat.

Cats can as well be infected by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). It is a retrovirus that causes fatal cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. Fortuitously, it can be treated using some household detergents and bleach as well as warmth and drying. It is carried through the saliva, tears, urine and feces of infected cats. Unlike the other two, it is unable to survive that long in the environment so it is only transmissible when the infected cat stays with some other cat for a long period of time.

Worms are also another threat to cats and this is caused by a fungal infection that is spread through spores. Since it is a self-limiting disease, you do not need to do anything to make it go away. It will in time clear up but it may just take a few months.

If you have a overweight cat, then the prospects are it will already have feline diabetes. The symptoms of this disease are pretty easy to see and are excessive urination and thirst as well as weight loss or gain. Veterinaries are of yet uncertain what is the cause of this, but recent research studies that have been done, have indicated that there is a link between pancreatic disease, hormonal imbalance and particular medications.

The symptoms of most of the above diseases mentioned are very similar. These include diarrhea, vomiting, lameness lasting for more than 5 days in one leg, a reduction in vision, excessive panting, a seizure, blood in the stool or urine, hair loss, persistent coughing or gagging and breathing heavily or rapidly while at rest. In order to find the answer, your cat will have to undergo some tests, at your local veterinary surgeons.

Your veterinarian will take some blood, urine and feces samples and ask for input from you, about any observation you have made. When the tests results come back, only then will the proper treatment be administered to your cat as each case is different, so what worked for another cat may not have the identical positive effect with yours.

Your cat will always be healthy if you give it constant attention. This is done by giving it leading quality natural food, giving it fresh water daily, allowing it to exercise, proper grooming, making sure it stays indoors and taking it for frequent visits to your veterinary surgeon.

If you miss any of these simple steps, then something wrong is certain to happen to your cat and you will soon notice a change in the behavior of your cat and if you do nothing about it, it is just going to make matters far worse. So you require to observe proper cat care and watch out for any symptoms.

Creating a new home for your new feline friend will require some basic understanding of house cat care. House cats require the proper food to help them live a healthier and happier life. Routine feeding times will help your cat remain happy and healthy. A routine of the right food and consistent feeding times will alleviate bad eating habits later.

When feeding your cat stay away from cow’s milk. Cow’s milk can cause diarrhea. Cats require fresh water that is the only liquid they need. The digestive system of a cat is affected as they age, so feeding them small meals that are easily digested are recommended. This commonly occurs around 7 years old, and your cat will require food that has easily digested proteins. Most moist pellets, tinned foods, and some dry food will meet your cat’s dietary needs. Feeding your cat dry or tinned food is entirely up to you. If your cat has issues with their teeth, the moist food may be the best option.

Long haired cats usually do not groom all of their hair which results in nasty hair mats that are dirty and painful. Cats use their tongue and teeth to groom their coats. The problem is that when cats groom themselves they swallow hair. The unfortunate part of this is hair will not digest. The hair creates clumps in the stomach and intestines creating hairballs. These hairballs can cause a blockage in cat’s intestinal tract. Grooming your cat with a brush or comb can help reduce the hair the cat swallows.

House cat care also requires the use of a litter box for your cat. This litter box should be scooped several times a day and needs to be placed away from the well traveled parts of the house. Cats are easy to litter box train, all you need to do is place them in the litter box and show them where to scratch at the loose gravel.

Using good observational skills can help alleviate a small problem from turning into a bigger problem. Behavioral changes in your cat may be a sign of a problem. If you notice these changes you might want to consult a veterinarian. Regular vet visits for checkups and vaccinations are also a requirement for general good health of your cat. By following these general rules of house cat care, your cat will enjoy a very long and happy life.

You are going to get a new family member and it’s a new kitten. So you will need to have a checklist of everything that you need for caring that kitten. So just think of this checklist like a “cat owner manual”.

1. Cat food is the most obvious choice. It may sound simple and basic but sometimes we just find our in a situation where they are not enough cat food for our pets.

2. Cat litter box is the next most important choice that you have to make. You will need to scoop the poop every day and change the litter too. You will also need to wash the litter box once a week.

3. Cat toys are great things to have. But is it a little bit too early for your kittens now? However, most often than not, your kitten will start playing with something else rather than the toy that you bought. This is because your cat is absolutely thrilled at anything he can get its hands on whenever he is in the playful mood.

4. Reliable vet is another important decision you will have to make. A good and reliable vet will definitely make sure that your cat receives the best medical care possible. You can try asking your friends with pets or just call the local animal shelters for any good recommendations on a reliable vet.

5. A brush for grooming your cat is vital. You two can build better bonds when you groom him. A brush also helps to control his shedding so that he will have less fur to groom himself. This is definitely a good thing for your cat because with less fur, this will reduce the risks of hairballs going into his digestive systems.