Go For A Cat Instead

I know many people that are considering getting a pet for themselves or for family members of friends. When I ask most of them what kinds of pets they are considering they sort of laugh and say that "they are only considering dogs, of course." I'm not sure what causes this particular response in people, but I have done my best in the past few months and begun speaking up for getting a cat instead of a dog.

It's true that I am a little biased about the benefits of owning a cat over a dog. After all, I have been a cat owner since I was three years old and I am now a cat breeder by profession. I will attempt to keep all of my bias away as I share with you a few great reasons why you should at least consider choosing a cat rather than a dog for your next pet.

First, a cat is the perfect pet for many people because they require much less work than dogs. Think about it. Getting a dog requires someone to be home nearly all the time at least for the first few months of owning the dog. With a cat there is no need to potty train them, take them outside, walk them or spend endless hours playing with them. A cat is definitely a more independent animal and the perfect pet for more independent people. Who really wants to be tied down with an animal that takes so much time and attention?

Another great reason for getting a cat rather than a dog is to have a quiet and constant companion. One of my least favorite things about dogs is how loud and noisy they can be. Of course, a cat will occasionally meow, but nowhere near as much noise as a dog. Cats pretty much keep quiet and are the perfect companion for most people. They are also great because they usually love to be around people, so if you are looking for a pet that will be quiet but will be near you, then the cat is the perfect choice for you.

Cats in general take a lot less work than dogs. Talk to most cat owners and you will hear great stories of people who love owning a cat. So if you are thinking of getting a pet, take the time to check out the benefits of getting a cat. See how great having a cat can be with your stressful and busy
lifestyle.

Cat Products: Automatic Litter Boxe

Litter boxes are important to cats and are considered to be the next in importance to their food. Like people who love their toilets clean, cats don’t really love messy and smelly litter boxes. They want some place where they can move around and do their stuff. Litter boxes are available on the market and come in different size and shapes.

Be sure to buy something your cat won’t outgrow easily. Most cats, especially those below 5-6 months old can easily outgrow their litter boxes. Make sure to buy something that your cat will not out-grow or you’ll end up buying more litter boxes in a short time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some cats don’t want to poop in the same box they pee in.  Peeing is an animal’s way of marking her territory and she may not want to poop because it will erase her scent. So if your cat is like this, just buy another litter box and put it some place far away from the first one so she will not look at it as another box to pee in.

Automatic litter boxes are for people who don’t cherish the chore of cleaning litter boxes each day. These boxes are not cheap but a great idea when time is of importance.

These self-cleaning boxes use robotic trays where your cat’s waste is automatically raked into a sealable container shortly after your cat uses the litter box. These will not operate until your cat leaves the box since it uses motion detectors and a safety bar to stop the cleaning rake from harming your cat.

The best thing about these automatic litter boxes is that you’ll find that the odor is greatly reduced. Once the cat’s waste is in the container, it will automatically seal itself and cause the odor to be trapped inside. However, you must remember to empty this container once it is full or close to being full or its odor will become unbearable. Simply empty the storage container and reinsert it or purchase a replacement container.

One thing about automatic litter boxes is that they generally need electricity to run so you should place it close to a power outlet. There are some automatic litter boxes that can be operated with batteries so it is advisable to keep extra batteries on hand.

Another thing to remember is that the automatic litter box should be one-half to three-fourths full of litter. Use premium litter with it because some litter clumps will break up and cause the box not to be properly cleaned.

Most of the cat owners who have tried automatic litter boxes are happy with them and would prefer them to scooping up a mess.. Other cat owners though have a hard time adjusting to it. Automatic litter boxes, especially when the rake is in motion are not that quiet and the noise is something that needs to take time to get used to.

One good reason for using automatic litter boxes is health considerations. There are certain flu-like diseases that are caused by cat’s waste and can cause a person to have swollen glands, muscle pain, fever and headache. In some cases it can also cause brain damage and damage to your eyes and internal organs. For newly born children, this could cause mental retardation and/or hearing and sight loss. This is often caused by coming in contact with a cat’s waste and accidentally swallowing the virus in it. This can happen by touching your face after cleaning your cat’s litter box so wash your hands thoroughly after contact.

Cats will have certain problems when using non-automatic litter boxes also.  Cats can have UTI (urinary tract infection) after using a dirty litter box. After using litter boxes, cats usually clean themselves up by licking their paws causing them to ingest the virus and cause them to get sick. Although not really fatal, this will cause discomfort for your pet and can only be cured by consulting a veterinarian.

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.

Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat

The population of cats is the United States alone is unbelievable.  Nearly all experts will tell you that you should spay your cat instead of breed it.  No matter what experts have to say, a lot of people want to have a litter of kittens from their cat.  Before you decide to breed your cat, there are a few things that you should think about.

The first thing you should know is that breeding cats takes time.  For the next two months after the litter is born, you’ll need to clean the area on a daily basis.  You’ll also need to watch over the kittens as well, and keep a close eye on how they are developing.  If you plan to breed a litter of cats, you won’t have time for much of anything else.

Breeding cats will also require a good degree of space as well.  If you have a small apartment, you shouldn’t attempt to breed a cat.  You should also make sure that your family agrees with the idea, as it isn’t good for the kittens if you keep them locked up.  Keep in mind that kittens like to see things; they’ll end up going all over your home as well. 

Breeding cats also requires a degree of responsibility as well.  You should always have a plan of approach, including homes for the kittens to go that you aren’t planning to keep.  Keep in mind that things can change, someone who wanted a cat may change his mind once the litter is born.  In this event, you must decide whether or not you can keep a kitten that doesn’t have a home.

Breeding also requires some education as well.  You should be prepared for any problems along the way, as well as what takes place during birth.  From cutting umbilical cords to delivering early, you’ll need to be well prepared.  You should also have the proper supplies, and know how to handle things in the event of a c-section.  You’ll also need to know what to feed pregnant cats, as their diets are very important if you are breeding.

Breeding will also cost money as well, with kittens costing a lot more money than you may think.  The food isn’t the only thing that’s expensive, as the vet bills can also get expensive.  Even though you may go through the entire pregnancy without going to the vet, you’ll still need de-worming and vaccination medicines as well.

In short, there is a lot to think about where breeding is concerned. If you have your mind set on it and you want to breed, you should be sure that you have the proper knowledge and everything you need before hand.  You should always be ready to handle anything associated with breeding – and prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario.

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.

Tips For Introducing Cats

When you decide to add a new cat to your home, it’s normally more exiting for you and your family than it is for the cat you already own.  Although most cats are solitary by nature, most will also come to accept or eventually tolerate any additions.  Cats can be very territorial, which is why you should always be careful when you introduce a new cat to your current cat.

If you are introducing kittens to one another, the entire introduction process can be short, lasting as little as 10 – 15 days.  Introducing cats to each other all depends on their temperament and their personality.  When you introduce a new cat to your current cat, you should always make sure that you give your current cat plenty of love and attention.  This way, your cat will feel secure and know that he isn’t in competition with your new cat for affection.

When you bring your new cat home, you should let him stay in a safe room until you have finished introducing the cats.  Your safe room can be any small room in your home, such as a bathroom or spare bedroom.   The key here is to use a room that your current cat doesn’t go in.  In the room, you should leave your new cat a scratching post, bed, water dish, litter box, and food dish.

At first, your current cat may howl and hiss when he stands at the door, trying to tell the other cat that he doesn’t belong.  When this happens you should ignore it, as punishing your cat for his behavior will only lead to more problems.  After a while, the first cat will start to act calm when he is near the new cat’s door.  As he starts to act calm, you should pet him and give him praise.

When your first cat starts to go by your new cat’s door and doesn’t howl or hiss; you can start introducing them to each other.  The best way to do this is to get them used to each others scent.  You can start letting them eat out of the same food dish, although you’ll want to feed them at different intervals at first.  This way, the scent of each cat will be present at the food dish, and each cat will get the scent when he eats his food.

Once both cats have got used to the scent, you can begin to feed them closer together.  To do this, you should keep your new cat in the safe room with the door closed, and your first cat on the other side of the door with his food dish.  This time, feed both cats at the same time.  After doing this a few times, they should start eating without any hissing or growling.  At this point, they are ready to be introduced to one another.

When you introduce them to each other in the same room, a bit of growling and hissing is to be expected.  Although they may be used to each others scent; your first cat will still feel a bit awkward with your new cat being in his territory.  You should play with them both at first, so they can smell one another and greet in their own way. If they start to fight you should break them up, and give them some time apart.

It may take some time to get them fully used to one another, although once they do – they will become playmates for life.  Cats love to be social, although it may be a bit rough at first, especially for your first cat.  Cats can be very territorial, especially if you have a kitten around.  If you get both of them used to each other early on – it will be a lot easier to add future cats to your home.

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.

Choosing the better cat litter

Cat litters used in the olden days, meaning prior to the commercial cat litters now found in neighborhood grocery stores, are literally litters.  Usually these were dirt gathered from gardens.  

Now, there are a variety of cat litters to choose from.  These cat litters, for the most part, are great for the cat as well as good for the environment.  

The following are tips and advice to make better a cat owner’s selection of the best litter possible for their cats.

Choose wisely
The choice of cat litters should primarily be based on how much this litter will affect the environment just as how much such litter is preferred by cats.  Although cats really do not care much about how the litter may soon end up in a landfill, cats really prefer if their litter has no bad scent.  They also care if the litter feels good.       

Cats have a very keen sense of smell, so it is important that litters have little or no scents that are made artificially.  It is also best if the litter contains no dust.  It will do cats no good if their noses are irritated since they will try to avoid going thru the litter if it displeases them in any way.

Ask wisely
Cats love the feel of sand with pellets or any surface that has shreds and bits of chunks.  It is best that a cat owner know which kind his or her cat prefers. 
But to further help a confused cat owner decide, questions such as the following should be best asked:
Is the cat litter easily flushed in the toilet?  Is it free from odors?  Does the litter contain any form of perfumes or chemicals?  Is the litter safe for the cat, the owner, the environment?  Does the cat like the feel of the litter?  How much does it cost and is it easily accessible?  
Be aware
There are environment-friendly litters that are made from newspapers that are recycled.  These types of litters can be easily flushed, can easily be burned and are almost a hundred percent free from dust.  

There are also litters that came from plants.  These litters usually come from corn – its husks, the cob and the corn itself.  Byproducts of wheat such as wheat grass are also a source of cat litter.

But the best among all of these are the corn cobs because they are odorless as well as it control odor.  It is absorbent as well.  They also do not produce a lot of dust and are easily flushed.
Litter from pine and sawdust
These types of litter are also biodegradable.  They are made by drying and compressing them into pellet-forms.  They absorb moisture a number of times more than their weight until they break down again into natural sawdust. Due to their easily absorbent nature, any odor is naturally eliminated.

Be wary though, pine has natural resins and chemicals that aid in the elimination of insects and odor-causing bacteria because of its insecticide-like properties.  This same feature could also cause respiratory damage as well as asthma and allergies.  Humans as well as cats may easily be susceptible to such allergens.  

Do not be afraid of odor
Odor is one way by which nature tells the un-aware cat owner that it is time to replace the litter.  Cat litter should be regularly changed so that bacteria or micro-organisms will not collect in it.  If odor persists check the diet your cat is consuming as that may also be the cause.

Cats and Clay 
Clay is the most common type of litter being used today.  A specific kind of clay made of sodium bentonite has a special feature that when it is urinated on by cats a clump is formed making it more convenient to remove the clumps from the litter.  However, such  
clay is carcinogenic and is easily absorbed by the lungs of cats.
All in all, the choice depends on the cat owner’s preference, budget and favorites.  After all, cats are everyone’s best fuzzy, soft, cuddly and gentle meowing friends. 

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.

toys for girl cats and boys

the cats have the tendency to both play hard and play soft. It helps fight the boredom experienced by these pets as well as gives our feline friends the opportunity to practice and use their natural inclination to chase and hunt for prey. It also gives the cat owner that great chance to play with their pets, an experience that will aid in bonding their relationship.

But what toys are best for cats? The following are tips and helpful advice to get that perfect toy for the cat owners perfect pets.

Play safe

The good thing about cats is that they can play ball inside the house and the owners will never know it. Still, there may be things inside the house that cats could find attractive yet might actually endanger their health and safety. Houses must be cat-friendly. As much as possible, take away any string, yarn, needles, rubber bands or other objects that could easily be swallowed by cats. These things could be lethal to cats. Do not let them play with these articles no matter how cute they may appear to be.

Play soft

Choose soft toys that can easily be machine-washed. It is best that the toys chosen to be played with by cats are also the toys marked as safe to be played with by children below three years old. Toys such as these usually contain fillings that are not hazardous. Also, avoid giving cats toys that are hard and rigid, these types do not appeal to them that much. 

Know your cat, know their toy

It is best that one also familiarize themselves with your cat. Doing so helps in ones selection of the kind of plaything that best serves the size of ones cat - the kind of activity the cat likes and its unique preferences. Know the environment in which the cat likes to spend its time the most. 

Choose active toys

Toys that are great to play with for cats are usually the round plastic ones (such as rings from shower curtains, plastic balls, golf balls, balls used in ping-pong) as these give cats the opportunity to chase and paw around. They could also carry these in their mouths, make sure though that these are big enough they cannot be swallowed but not so large that they cannot carry them in their mouths.

Choose active play

Balls can be placed inside bath tubs filled with water. Watch as cats frolic and play on and around the toy. It is just as enjoyable to the cat as it is fun for the cat owner.

Another simple yet effective plaything for cats is a paper bag. Use paper bags that do not have handles. These bags are good for pouncing around. Cats hide in them too. As much as possible, avoid the plastic ones as cats have the tendency to chew these and they may eat the plastic. This is not good.

Toys with tails

Cats like playing with soft toy animals - specially the ones that have tails. They either bite them, paw them or chase these little stuffed toys around. It is best if these toys are as big or as small as the cats playing them.

All in all, it is best that cat owners define what kind of toy should be played by their cats. It is advisable that different kinds of toys be given on certain days, and that displaying all toys simultaneously may not be a good idea. Cats can easily tire of seeing the same fluffy toy animal again and again. Variety always works best. However if cats show a certain liking to a specific toy, let them play with it, or sleep with it - whichever they like.

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.

Naming Your Cats Properly

How to choose the cat breed that works for you

the cats are a man's caprice.  
Aside from being expensive, purebred cats are difficult to care for as they require their owner's love and attention.  Cats are like babies, because they need to be fed, sometimes bathed, combed, played with and cared for.
Cats are best bought from responsible cat breeders.  Hobbyists choose to own purebred cats because their temperaments are more predictable than cats with unknown pedigrees.
If you are getting a cat from a cat breeder, ask him about the number of cat breeds that he has so you can choose from them.  Also, ask him how many years he has been breeding cats and whether he can give you a health guarantee and complete papers for the cat.
Top cat breeds
If you want to show off your cat then it is best to choose from among the top five cat breeds throughout the world.
1. Persian-Persian cats are called Persian for their country of origin.  Persians have a long coat, sweet personality and have the ability to blend into the household.  These are the qualities that made Persians one of the top choices of cat lovers.  However, its long coat requires daily combing to avoid tangles.
2. Maine Coon-These are long-haired cats with good mouse hunting skills.  These cats are good companions for children.
3. Exotic-This breed can offer you the better of two worlds.  The Exotic cat has the look of a Persian cat, but it has short hair, making it easy to groom.  They look like teddy bears with their thick and short coats.  These cats are sweet and good companions like the Persians.
4. Siamese-Siamese cats originally came from Siam or Thailand.  This cat possesses an aristocratic head, looks almost like a deer because of it’s  stiff ears, and  has a short coat.   Siamese cats have long bodies, long legs and long necks.
5. Abyssinian-These cats are very elegant-looking.  Abyssinia is the former name of Ethiopia.  However, Abyssinian cats did not originate in Ethiopia.  They got the name because the first 
cats of Abyssinian breed, which were exhibited in England, were from Abyssinia.
No matter what your choice of a cat breed is, make sure that your cat is healthy and that it has already been weaned.  The ideal age to get a kitten is about 14 weeks, when their immune systems are already developed.

See More

Caring For Persian Cats, An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats, Cat Training:  Do It With Gentle Care, Cats Can Behave:  A Cat Behavior Training Crash Course, Clicker Training Cats:  Easy and Effective, Finding the Purr-fect Cat Box for Your Kitty, Go For A Cat Instead, If the Bribe is Right: Tips on Cat Training and Bribery, Make your cat happy by providing a scratching post, Naming Your Cats Properly, Not Produce: Tips on Responsible Cat Breeding, Reinforcing Cat Training, Pet Lovers: How to Crate-Train Your Cat, The Right Recipe for Teaching Tricks to Your Cat, Tips on Grooming Your Cat, toys for girl cats and boys, Things To Know Before Breeding Your Cat.