Every Cat

Posts Tagged ‘cat care’

Domestic long hair cat is a term used to describe a standard cat with medium or long hair. Domestic long hair come in many types of colour including, tortoiseshell, tabby, smoke, bi-coloured. Because they are of varied ancestry the domestic longhair normally have a good disposition. They will exhibit their own individual entity that will be moulded in their early stages by their surroundings and owners. Constant interest and petting will more likely lead to a friendly, home loving cat. The mixed breeding also results they come in a wide variety of body shapes and sizes, ranging from 10 to twenty pounds (4 to eight kilograms) however the males are normally   heavier.
The long hair comes from a recessive gene, so you can see short hair offspring from them and vice versa from a domestic shorthair.
Cat sitters love them for their long hair, but this means they are not able to look after their own coats, so require to be groomed every day. This is a crucial part of cat care. Often experts recommend that they be bathed every week or two. However many breeders believe that if they are regularly groomed and they do not go outside that this is not needed.
Bathing is not straight forward with a cat, unless it is introduced as a kitten as part of a regular routine.
The very long haired cats are very prone to matting, particularly if they go outside. In extreme cases so bad that they grow “wings”. The nastiest places for matted fur are under the arms and upper leg regions. This will irritate the cat and inhibit his movements and on an outside cat, might result in him being caught in bushes or trees. The cats forcing away, could lead to bald patches and sometimes injuries.  If the cat develops such matting, it is advised to use a de-matting comb will often detangle it. The domestic longhair may not like grooming, but regular brushing will ease the fur off and will slowly remove the matted areas.
New cat owners will be tempted to cut the matted fur away with scissors, instead of combing it out. Take care with doing this, as it is difficult to distinguish the hard-matted fur from the skin and flesh of the cat. If you feel you must do this, take care, little by little and cutting away from the cat. An alternative is to use special grooming electric clippers, but be careful with these as well. Best is probably to use a professional cat groomer if there is any doubt. Many professional cat sitters such as London pet sitting will demat the cat as part of their regular visits.
The matted fur and uncleaned skin in the area can contain a lot of bacteria, so be careful if you cut the cat and if you do, rapidly cleanup and disinfect the area.

Cats can make excellent pets as they don’t require as much attention as dogs or other pets. Cats don’t need to be taken for a walk, and they don’t bark all day like a dog.Young cats are extremely playful and you can interact with them when you want to, and they are very independent. Most cats are content to play with toys by themselves.

This doesn’t mean that cats aren’t excellent companions though. They can be silly at times and they often enjoy curling up on your lap and purring. However your cat won’t come running when you come home at the end of day and knock you over. You don’t have to worry about them biting people when you have visitors. Why you’re feeling down and lonely, a cat will sense this and jump up on your lap and give you a fuss.

A cat is a perfect choice for children because they tend to take care of themselves. As long as they are given sufficient food and water they will remain happy. Indoor cats learn quickly to use a litter box so you won’t have to deal with cleaning up such messes around your home. However, you need to clean the litter box regularly because cats do not like to use a dirty litter box.

In the majority of cases, cats lead a very happy and long life without too many problems. They don’t cost very much because cat food and litter are very cheap. Another bonus is they don’t require as many vet visits for routine vacinations like dogs do and these are quite expensive. Cats are clean animals as they spend a large amount of time grooming themselves each day.

For those that have problems with mice, cats make a great natural system for taking care of them. This means you won’t have to deal with messy traps or dangerous poisons around your home.

Cats are very precious and beautiful animals as well. They have coats in all colors as well as eyes that are very shiny and bright. Each cat has their own personality and you just can’t help but adore them. There are many breeds of cats if you want a particular kind but some of the most beautiful cats are those that are mixed breeds.

Cats are very smart animals too so they will quickly catch up to what you like from them and what you don’t based on the praise you give them. Contrary to popular belief, cats are obedient and they want their owner’s to be happy with them. They will learn fast that you don’t like them scratching on the furniture or putting their tail in your face while you are sleeping.

In the wild, cats have a natural ability and instinct to care for themselves.  House cats, on the other hand, depend on humans for care and feeding.  They require a considerable amount of attention.  Bookstores and local humane societies can provide cat owners with a plethora of educational materials on the responsibility of cat ownership and the care of cats. Here are some tips for how to care for a cat.

Some people have the misperception that cat’s can’t be trained.  That’s not true.  Cats can be trained through gentle, positive reinforcement.  Reward good behavior with a treat.  Try to ignore bad behavior, if your cat’s bad behavior illicit a reaction from you that is attention, which the cat considers a reward.

Cats are very clean animals and like to spruce themselves up every day.  It is still a good idea to bath your cat about once every three weeks. You can use a specialty cat product, but mild soap will work fine.  Remember to keep the soap away from your cat’s eyes.  Some cats are difficult to bathe, and you may find it takes a lot of effort and a little first aid.  Train your cat to enjoy baths from the time they are a kitten and reward them after a bath with a treat.  As they say, start out like you can hold out.  You don’t want every bath to be a battle.

Try to keep going into the bathroom for a bath calm.  If the only time you take your cat in the bathroom is for a bath, it is going to tense up when you pick it up and head for the bathroom.  Allow the cat to enter the bathroom with you at other times so that it becomes just another room in the house.  Then, when it is bath time, try to keep your cat calm and entertained.

Don’t forget to clean your cat’s ears and nails with a gentle q-tip.  Towel dry your cat after its bath.  Don’t even consider using a blow dryer.  The noise and hot air will scare the cat, and the hot air can damage your cat’s sensitive skin.  Brush your cat after the towel dry.

It’s a good idea to buy your cat its own bed.  While it is common for cats to sleep with their owner, your cat will be just as satisfied sleeping beside your bed.  This will keep your clothes and bed linens from always being full of cat hair.  Some people are allergic to cat hair, and you don’t want to have to choose between your cat and your sleeping mate.

Keep the litter box where any odor will not disturb your family.  No one wants to smell the litter box, so clean it often.  The less you clean the litter box the worse it will be when you do clean it. Keep some of these tips in mind when it comes to choosing a pet for kids as well.

Be careful to protect your cat from dehydration.  Since your cat is unable to communicate with you, you will have to keep a sharp eye on your pet.  Watch for any changes in behavior that may be related to heat.  If you aren’t home enough to keep an eye on your cat, make arrangements for cool living conditions so that your cat doesn’t dehydrate and overheat.Learning how to take care of a cat during this season is important.

Pet cats don’t have the same street smarts as stray cats.  They may not be able to find a cool place outdoors.  If they do find one your cat will probably not come home until after the sun goes down.  It’s a good idea, then, to keep your cat inside during hot weather.  Concrete, which may be a cool place for your cat to lay when the weather is not hot, gets too hot for a cat’s tender paws during the hottest seasons.

If you are the kind of cat owner who likes to take your cat with you in the car, take extra care to get the cat out of the car with you every time you park.  In a very short period of time the interior temperature of your car can soar on a sunny day. 

Don’t leave your cat in the car even if you are parked in the shade.  As the sun moves your car may end up in the sun, or it can  get too hot from the sun heated air.  A dog barking or panting is a signal to you or passers-by that it is in distress.  A cat can’t communicate like that, so get your cat out of the car whenever you get out.  A cat can pass out and die in as short as fifteen minutes in a stuffy, hot car. 

Groom your cat to keep its fur short to help keep it cool.  A good combing will remove shed fur that is hanging on adding a layer of heat insulation.  Long-haired cats, like Persians and Siberians, almost leave you with no other option than providing a cooler environment.

Make sure your cat always has access to a bowl of clean water, regardless of the season.  You must always help guard against dehydration.   Change the water often during the summer to keep it cool.  The important thing is to help your cat maintain a healthy body temperature. Keep some of these tips when you are also choosing a pet for kids.

If you haven’t owned a cat for a while, or even had a cat “guest” for a long time, you’re going to need to get familiar with some of the basics in house cat care. A house cat has special requirements, as would any pet, and if you are prepared with the right information, you’ll be more likely to guarantee that your cat will be healthy and content. Try to remember some of the fundamentals of cat care given here, and you’ll be in good shape.

You have to pay attention first to cat-proofing your home. Try to visualize what the cat sees before you bring the new cat into your home. Go from room to room in your house and check that there is no danger that the cat could get exposed to. To prevent some significant problems, be aware that you will need to remove any important furniture that you value to another room that your cat won’t be going into.

Keep in mind that house cat care includes providing a litter box for the cat, of course. You will need to scoop the waste from the litter box daily, sometimes more frequently, and it can’t be in an area of the house with heavy traffic, or around other animals or young children. Cats naturally know how to use the litter box, but when you introduce it to them, you may have to put them in it and just show them how to scratch at the loose gravel.

If your cat has longer hair, you will also want to remember that your cat needs to get used to being brushed. By keeping your cat brushed, you’ll be able to avoid having your cat swallow its own hair and develop hairballs.

You could run into worse health issues because of this later. House cat care requires that you handle and brush your cat. To make things easier, start this practice when your cat is a kitten, if you are able to.

Generally the most important aspect of how to care for a cat is to carefully observe your cat. If you notice anything unusual or different you should pay attention. In this way, you’ll not only avoid a problem that could develop into something more serious, you’ll also get to know the behavior of your cat.

heart disease

Diseases affecting their heart, kidneys and other organs can develop as cats age. The most common diseases of older cats are cancer, renal or kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism (disease of the thyroid gland), dental disease and heart disease. Because cats age seven times faster than we do, examinations done by your veterinarian twice a year can help detect problems earlier when they can still be treated. Diagnostic tests such as blood work, ECG, ultrasound and blood pressure monitoring can help detect problems sooner.

A common heart disease that develops in cats is hypertrophic cardipmyopathy (HCM). Cardiomyopathy is found more often in cats than in dogs. HCM is an acquired heart disease that affects the walls of the heart causing them to become abnormally thick. As the heart walls get thicker, heart function decreases. The heart muscle eventually thickens and stiffens decreasing its ability to contract and pump the blood. The narrow heart chamber holds a smaller volume of blood, so less blood is pumped out of the heart with each beat of the heart., This results in the amount of blood that once filled the heart is less than it should be and the heart muscle can’t contract as well to move the blood out of the heart into the body. The diseased heart has to pump faster and harder than normal to keep the blood flowing throughout the body. The resulting pressure begins to back up the blood into the lungs causing edema and congestion and eventually leads to congestive heart failure.

Sometimes, the faulty heart can have changes in the conduction system that tells the heart when to contract. Arrhythmias may develop in the diseased heart resulting in sudden death, similar to young athletes that die during practice.

Cardiomyopathy can also cause feline aortic thromboembolism or FATE. Occasionally, blood clots can dislodge and clog the arteries going to the rear legs. The dislodged blood clot causes blockage of the blood flow to the legs resulting in severe pain and paralysis. The blood clot is sometimes referred to as a saddle thrombus. About 40% of the cats recover from a saddle thrombus with intensive therapy and may regain use of their legs over time. However, these cats can still risk develop another episode and will continue to suffer from the primary heart condition.

Cats are sometimes good as masking underlying physical problems and early detection is key to helping these cats live a full life. A cat that is fat and lazy and doesn’t move around a lot, may actually have a heart disease. Of course not all fat and lazy cats a have heart disease, but the only way to tell is with full exams by your veterinarian. Diagnostics needed to detect heart disease in cats includes an EKG, blood pressure monitoring and doppler ultrasound to measure the thickness in the heart. The thickened walls of the heart can be seen with ultrasound and is a screening tool for cats as well as our young athletes.

Special medication can be given to help cats with their heart function and reduce the edema in their lungs. The prognosis for a cat that has already developed the congestive heart failure is guarded, and even with medication, survival rates are 12-18 months after diagnosis and sudden death can occur at any time.

Develop a wellness plan with your veterinarian for early detection and diagnostics. By detecting diseases earlier, changes in diet and medication can help your cat live longer.

You can find more on Cat Health Care at LuvUrCat.com

Dog is considered to be man’s best friend. Cats today are considered to be dog’s best friend, therefore, a cat can also be man’s best friend & in the ethics of logic or the logic or ethics, whichever you favor, this is now a reality and it can be probable (whoever made the notion that dogs and cats are worst enemies? And why the phrase “raining cats and dogs”, eh?) Anyway, that’s right and you can confirm that any time today because a lot of people choose to have cats as pets over dogs. There is even this social networking site on the Net that has a subject about how other people loved cats most than the beagle. That’s why, today, buying a kitten can also be one of the best thing that people, especially cat lovers, need to know about.

You might think that there is no big deal in buying a pussycat on your own or you might way, you just go to a pet store blindfolded, then, let your fingers point to a line of cats and then, whatever you are pointing to whilst you uncover your eyes is what you’re going to get, talking about cat random selection. No, that’s not the way, for serious cat lovers, maybe. There are lots of things to consider when buying a cat from a pet store or from any establishment that sells cats or from a legitimate cat breeder.

When planning to get a cat, you need to regardmake some contemplation before you do. Choosing a cat as a pet is a big task and should not be taken nonchalantly. It will need attention, routine veterinary treatment, grooming and daily care, that is, if you really are a lover of cats and not just some bloke who wants to have a pet cat, period. When you take a cat for a pet, you have to know that it would take 10 to 15 years to groom it, pet it and taking care of it. Here are some tips in buying a cat. First of all, it is always strongly recommended that you find a good and competent breeder. The advantage of buying from a breeder is that the breeding has already been carefully planned and well taken care of. The breeder will just have to orient you with all the necessary things you need to know about that cat. When buying from a pet store, be sure that the cat you choose is healthy and with a breeder, you can get personal views of cat care tips. You wouldn’t want to buy a weakling and then having heartaches when you don’t know how to take care of it, right?

These days, cats are among the most popular pet you can own.  There are several breeds available, with the most popular being Persian and Siamese.  Cats are a domesticated animal, with origins dating back some 8,000 years and beyond.  Like any other pet that you may own, including dogs, cats cost money to take care of properly.

When you get a cat, you’ll need to think about the costs.  You’ll obviously need food, and you’ll also need to plan ahead for vet costs.  You’ll also need litter, which can tend to get quite expensive as the years go by.  Your cat will need a litter box, food dish, and water dish.  You should also invest in some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, a pet carrier, and a bed.  You should also look into getting an ID collar as well, just in case your cat ever gets lost.

Age of a pet is an important thing to keep in mind in order to feed them.An older cat needs two small meals or one large for the whole day.  Kittens on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks.  Cats that are between three and six months of age need to be fed three times a day.Canned food can be given to the pet cats, though any food which is left open for more than half hour should be disposed of.{ Canned food can get expensive fast, and you should always keep in mind that some may get invariably wasted when you buy it}.  Cats loved canned food, although it doesn’t have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.

As an alternative plan, you can always leave a supply of dry food out for your pet.  When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that he has enough water.Dry foods are cheaper than the canned ones, additionally it helps in preventing the buildup of tartar on the teeth of your pet cat.  When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits, and stay away from generic food.Although generic food is devoid of quality nutrients up to the mark which your pet requires, but it may be cheaper in comparison to other foods.

If you own a kitten, you should only give you kitten food designed for him.  You’ll also need to clean and refill his water dish every day.You should avoid giving cow milk to your kittens and adult cats even though they love to have it, as it can cause diarrhea to them.  Treats are fine on occasion, although too many of them can cause your pet to get fat.  Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it in with his cat food.

By themselves, cats stay fairly clean.  Although you don’t have to bathe them that often, you’ll need to give them a brushing at least once a day.  Brushing will reduce the risk of hairballs and keep your cat’s coat nice and clean.  If you are keeping your cat indoors, you’ll need to have a litter box in an area that is easy for your cat to access.  You should always scoop it on a daily basis, and clean it out once a week.Cats prefer clean and nice litter boxes and they are reluctant to use the dirty ones.

Although cats do require some work, they are great pets that will provide you with years and years of companionship.  As long as you take care of your cat and take him to the vet for his checkups, he should remain healthy.  Even though cats can get sick from time to time – knowing how to care for him will make a world of difference.

We all know that cats are loving and truly wonderful creatures.  These days, it isn’t out of the ordinary to see a cat in virtually every other home, sleeping in the window or cuddling up on the laps of their owners.  Although cats have been popular pets for as long as most can remember, they weren’t domesticated less than 5,000 years or so ago.  Domestication took place in the valley of the Nile, which is what research tells us today.

In the early days, people were obliged to cats and they encouraged them to stay with them by providing them several scraps of food to eat.  Once they were fed and perceived humans to be no threat, the cats would move in permanently with their human owners.  As time went by, even the wildest of cat would allows humans to approach him, often times even hold and touch as well.

In those days, cats were very loyal and endearing pets.  They proved to be great hunters, as they done their sleeping in short periods and were much easier to wake up than dogs.  Cats also have better night vision than dogs, and much better hearing as well.If they heard any suspicious noise or the noise of someone’s moving through the house, they would at once wake while the dog might be sleeping right through this incident.  Humans loved having cats around, and they seemed to get along good with dogs as well.

These days, cats are used for both companionship and show.  They aren’t used much at all for hunting mice and rodent anymore at all.  There are a lot of breeds available, from the traditional alley cat to the well known Siamese.  All breeds are unique in their own way, and will provide you with years of companionship if you take care of them.

Before you get a kitten or older cat, you’ll first want to examine the source.If you are going to buy a kitten from a breeder, ensure that the breeder has a good reputation.  You’ll also want to ensure that the cattery is clean and in good shape.  The kittens that are still there shouldn’t be overcrowded, and their surroundings should be clean.  The litter boxes there should be kept up and both the food and water dish should be clean and full.  The kittens shouldn’t be caged, instead free to run around.  All cats that are there should appear healthy, with shiny coats and none of their ribs showing.

When you get your kitten, it should be used to being touched and handled.  The kitten should be sweet, not afraid in the least.  Kittens that have been handled young normally have a better temperament.The quality breeders would not let their kittens come out of its nest till they are 12 weeks old, even some wait for 16 weeks form its birth.  By doing this, breeders ensure that the kitten is in good health and his immune system has properly developed.

There’s no mistaken the fact that cats are great to own.  You can get a kitten from a reputable breeder, through a local newspaper, or an adoption agency.  Cats can also be obtained from a local pound, although people normally don’t like to choose this option.  No matter which way you decide to pursue, you should always make sure that your cat is healthy.If you buy a healthy cat, you would not face a lot of problems further down the road.  Healthy cats were taken care of – and normally have everything up to date – including their vaccinations.

To keep your cat healthy a majority of time, all you really need to do is give him good shelter, food, and plenty of water.  Like other living things however, cats can get sick from time to time no matter what you do. 

As a cat owner, you’ll want to ensure that you feed your cat only the best.  Premium cat food is the ideal for cats, as the food is designed to keep your pet happy and healthy.  You’ll also need to pay attention to his behavior, so you’ll know when he’s sick and when to take him to the vet.  Most of the more common ailments and sicknesses are minor, although there are some cases where a vet can be the determining factor between life and death for your cat.

Your cat’s behavior will be one of the most critical factors when you are trying to determine whether or not he is under the weather.  Acting sluggish, laying around all the time, lack of energy and not eating are all signs that you need to take him to the vet immediately.  His coat is also a good thing to watch as well.  If you notice his coat dull and patchy or notice him shedding abnormally, you should contact your vet as soon as you possibly can.

Diarrhea and vomiting are sometimes common, even with basic sickness.  On the other hand, if your cat seems to be doing either one of the two for more than a day, you should contact your veterinarian.  Coughing is common as well, simply because coughing will cats dislodge hairballs.  If your cat seems to be coughing for another reason, you should have him checked out as soon as possible.

In order to protect you cat from most common cat diseases, you should see to it that it’s vaccination is not neglected. There are several diseases out there that require vaccinations, including rabies and feline distemper.  Feline distemper is one of most devastating diseases a cat can get, yet it is also one of the easiest to prevent as well.  The disease strikes cats very fast, and leaves you as an own very little time to seek treatment.

Feline leukemia is another disease that is very deadly, yet can be prevented early on with the proper vaccinations.  Although the disease isn’t possible for humans to contract, it can be spread quickly among cats.  There are vaccinations that can treat the disease these days, although you’ll still want to be careful and not expose other cats around a cat you know has feline leukemia.

One more issue, especially with cats those spend a lot of time out of the house, is worms.  Cats that have worms will normally have a lackluster coat and little to no appetite.   There are several different types of worms, including ringworm and hookworm.  Worms can come from fleas, lice, or even the organs of dead rodents that cats consume.  Normally, the cat will digest the eggs which will later mature and attach themselves to the walls of the intestines.If you include garlic in your cats feed on regular basis then you can surely reduce the risk of worm infestation to your cat drastically.

If you take care of your cat, chances are you’ll keep him healthy for years to come.  You should always make sure he has quality food, and doesn’t miss any of his scheduled checkups with the vet.  If he gets the proper vaccinations when he is required to get them, he should be safe against numerous pests and diseases.  Taking the proper steps with your cat now will prevent anything from happening in the future.