Caring for Cats

You see a stray cat in your yard with no tags.  What do you do?  A lot of that depends on whether or not you want the cat hanging around.  If you think the cat belongs to someone in the neighborhood, don’t feed it, don’t touch it, don’t let it into your house.  Just ignore it, and eventually it will leave.  On the other hand, if the cat seems starved and it’s been hanging around a while, you may want to set out bowls of food and water.  You must, however, proceed with caution, as you don’t know for sure if the cat has rabies or if it’ll bite or scratch you, or be otherwise aggressive.  

If you do decide to feed and care for the cat while you try to locate the owner and the cat will let you, get the animal to come into the house by coaxing him with a treat or some sort of toy.  Once inside, keep him confined to a room away from other members of the household.  Put an ad in the paper saying you found a lost cat, but don’t describe it to anyone when they call.  Have callers describe the cat to you.  This way, you are more likely to find the rightful owner and not just get someone who wants a free cat for who knows what reason.

If it turns out that you can’t find the owner and you do not wish to keep the cat, take it to a shelter where they will care for it.  Letting it continue to wander, especially if it’s cold outside, and starve would be cruel.  You may wish to find a no kill shelter if you don’t want it euthanized.

If the cat has won your heart, and you decide to keep it, take it to a vet and have it checked out for feline leukemia, rabies, and distemper.  If the cat tests negative for those diseases, make sure the cat gets the proper vaccinations.  You may also want to have the vet check to make sure the cat doesn’t have fleas.  If it does, give the cat a flea bath, using flea shampoo for cats.  Never use shampoo meant for humans on a cat.  You will also want to clean and sanitize your home to get rid of any fleas the cat may have brought inside.

If you have kids in the house, make sure you train the cat not to bite or scratch ( this includes furniture ) and to always use the litter box.  Also, teach your kids to be gentle with the cat. Eventually, you will all get to know and love each other, and the cat will be a nice addition to your family.

Fleas are small wingless insect. It is an external parasite living off the blood of your pets. Fleas prefer warm and humid conditions therefore they thrive more in summer and fall. Prevention is better than cure and this applies also while trying to get rid of fleas. Make a point of assessing where your pet stays more frequently.

For your cat to have fleas is very common and more so if it is allowed to go outdoors and mix with other animals like dogs. This does not mean that if your cat remains indoors it will be free of ticks. It is therefore important to look out for signs of fleas on your cat. The most common sign is that your cat will scratch itself excessively. You may also see the fleas on your cat fur and on your cat’s bedding. You can also check your cat for fleas by brushing through your cat’s fur with a flea comb.

To start with, getting rid of fleas on your cat isn’t enough – you’ll have to free the entire house of fleas in order to keep them away from your cats for good. It is a tedious process but worth it in the long run.

You can use a flea bomb but be sure to follow the instructions. Make sure you shampoo all the fabrics in your home from the carpet, curtains, bedding, upholstery, and much more areas where the cats sleep and play. Wash pet bedding in hot, soapy water weekly; this is the most likely site for flea eggs and larvae. Vacuuming your house is the number one priority in the battle against fleas. Pay particular attention to corners, dark crevices, under furniture, under beds, pet beds, rugs and especially around the skirting area.

Spray your upholstery with insecticide especially all the dark corners killing all the eggs. Your insecticide should contain Insect Growth Regulator, which is a birth control for fleas. Control fleas in your yard too by using the same spray that you use in the house. Prune foliage and keep grass trimmed short to increase sunlight, as flea larvae cannot survive in hot, dry areas. Remove any piles of yard debris close to your home. Pay attention to where your cat sleeps and plays.

You can also use topical treatments for cats like Advantage, Frontline, or Revolution which can even be used for kittens. The benefit of using these topical treatments on your cat is that all you have to do is put a small dab of it on the back of your cat’s neck where the cat won’t be able to reach. This should be done very carefully to avoid your cat licking the medicine. Another benefit of these products is that they will kill fleas within 12 hours and will continue to kill fleas for 30 days.

When you have a flea problem it does not mean that you stop associating with your pets. Pets are a valuable and in addition to giving us companionship, they teach us a lot as well.

From the site Getting Rid of Fleas

One of the most common accidents is a cut or laceration that causes bleeding. Bandage material, cleaning agents and anticoagulant powder (for nails that have been cut too short) take care of most minor wounds. Larger wounds should be seen by a vet.

WHAT YOU AND YOUR VET CAN DO

If a cat is bleeding the principle is the same for pets and people. Apply direct pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. It is best to use gauze or a clean bandage, but anything available — including your hand — will do if necessary. Release the pressure after a couple of minutes.

If the bleeding stops, access the wound. Use clippers or scissors to remove hair from the area, then take an iodine-type soap and clean up wound. Rinse it out again with hydrogen peroxide. If there is a lot of hair surrounding the wound, before you clip the hair; coat it with water-soluble KY jelly. The hairs will stick to the jelly and not to the wound and will be much easier to wash away. Cover minor wounds with gauze and reassess them the next morning. Always give your vet a call just to be sure.

If the bleeding doesn’t stop, continue applying direct pressure to the wound while on your way to the vet. For foot wounds, once the cat has been treated by your vet, placing a clean sock over the paw helps keep the dressing clean. Use adhesive tape to secure the sock in place.

If you think your cat might bite you because he is hurt, scared, and in pain, protect yourself by wrapping her head in a towel. Don’t leave the towel on too long or wrap it too tightly.

FACT: An Elizabethan collar helps prevent cats from traumatizing a wound but most cats don’t like them.

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY

HERBAL REMEDIES

Calendula (Marigold) lotion- 6 drops of Calendula tincture in 2 tablespoons of water. Apply to the wound, cover with gauze, and tape the gauze to the skin. This will decrease pain.

Calendula-hypericum ointment applied to a minor wound will promote healing. Leave the wound open.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Calendula 6x is often recommended for superficial wounds. One tablet twice daily promotes healing.

Arnica decreases bruising.

If the wound becomes infected, Hepar sulphuris helps to heal the infection.

Rescue Remedy, 1-2 drops in your cat’s mouth or food or water dish is calming and will help him/her to relax.

Comfort. A little tender loving care (TLC) can help calm your cat and spead the healing process.

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The market is flooded with all different types of aids for training a cat. From simple little things to very large expense items, there are sprays to keep cats off furniture to large housing for cats, to a simple leash to help with training a cat.
Let us take a Looking at some of the training tools that can be helpful in training.
A simple lightweight leash is a good idea. The leash can be use for many purposes when training. Letting the cat outside is a time to use a leash to train the cat for staying in the yard. Using a leash to take a walk, or ride in a car. Cats need exercise and using a leash when walking is a perfect way to get a cat to walk with you not run off or walk ahead of you. When walking the cat you want the cat to walk with you. Train the cat, as they are not the leader in the walk that you are. This will make the walk more enjoyable for both you and the cat.
Another good tool to use when training a cat is scat mat. By using a mat with training, mats can serve the purpose of not allowing the cat on that area. Scat mats send out pulses to static electricity to let the cat know they are not to be on that item. There are many different sizes, colors, even clear ones so that the cat can see the area. The mats are battery operated with no real electricity running in them. In addition, scat mats are safe to use with your cat. You can also purchase scat mats to connect to each other for larger areas to cover. Dummy scat mats do not have pulse or static going though them. These are for after the cat is trained just a reminder to stay off.

Another great tool for train a cat is catnip. Cats love the scent of catnip. Transneptalactone a substance found in a plant used for catnip. Catnip scent is close to the urine of female cats. Male cat are usually more intrigued with catnip than female cats.
Catnip comes in different forms for training for cats. Toys with catnip fill in them may also attract the cat to play with. Catnip does come in Sprays design to spray areas for the cat to help learn a behavior. Such as spraying around the cat, litter to let it knows that is where they should go. For fun play, they have catnip in bubble form. Just like the kind, the children play with. It is made of safe products so it will not harm your cat. With blowing bubble, the cat will enjoy pawing at the bubbles and enjoy the scent of it. Catnip also comes in ground dry form so that you can rub on your hand to let the scent fill the air for the cat. You can also purchase catnip seed, which you can plant inside or outside of your home.
Is your cat pouncing on items thinking that it is a mouse? By nature, a cat will do this for killing purpose. There are many different play mice out on the market. From simple little stuff ones to ones that have catnip in them to large one that can be wound up and let go for a fun chase and capture. Remember in training that the cat has natural instincts to do things. We need to fulfill them to have a happy healthy cat.
Healthy rewards for the cat is another tool when training the cat. Many different treats can provided for a reward for the cat. There are vitamins that are natural to give the cat. This is a good idea, as you know that they are getting the vitamins for strong healthy bones, hair, and body. When looking for a good healthy snack, simple little biscuits are a good choice. Alternatively, if you are a good baker there are recipes or prepackage treat mix you may purchase and baked for your cat. With the family making snacks for your cat, can be a great family project.
Have patience with your cat they are learning, and you are learning more about them.

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Having a cat to love and play with around the house can be a lot of fun, but training your cat is an entirely different story. Unlike dogs, which learn basic obedience to the alpha male, cats require a great deal of patience and know how.

For this very reason, there is a wide variety of cat training aids that exist to assist you in properly training your cats. However, in order to assure the best cat training results through the use of these aids, you must use them the right way.

When wanting to fully and effectively train your cat with training aids the right way, there are a few things you must know first. You’re going to have to develop a great deal of patience. Cats like to be treated like royalty and will do whatever they want, which makes training them a potentially long process. What many cat training aids will tell you is that cats tend to learn through experience.

If they have a good experience doing something, chances are they’ll do it again. You must follow these aids to the letter when they say to make certain things a good or bad experience to the cat. If your cat wakes you up super early, don’t reward it with any attention. You may be instructed to act like you’re asleep so the cat will just learn to give up.

One of the first things to train your cat to do is to use the litter box. Many household kittens have already used the litter box as it learned from its mother. However extremely young or orphaned cats and kittens need to be trained.

Many cat training aids will tell you that cats already prefer cleanliness and neatness, and litter training will be easy to do. Again, to properly do it, you must follow the aid to the letter in order to do it the right way.

So if you’re instructed to get a small box or container that even the smallest of kittens can step into, place a small layer of litter, and place the cat in it, you’re going to have to do exactly as it says.

The best way to train your cats is with a combination of cat training aids and the patience to follow through and do exactly as instructed. Before you know it you’ll have a fully trained house cat.

Isn’t it time you discovered why most cat training aids don’t work, and how to get inside your cat’s mind and quickly teach them perfect behaviour from any age?

Well, right now, you can discover these secrets for free, with my 9 part guide to perfect cat behaviour at http://cattrainingtricks.com

There, you’ll discover why most cat training aids don’t work, and how to train your cat from scratch, in as little as 9 days.

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Some people don’t realise that kittens and cats need regular vaccinations just like puppies and dogs do. By getting routine vaccinations for your feline companions will greatly reduced their risk of contracting several feline diseases. 

A kitten should be vaccinated around nine weeks old and a second round of vaccinations should be given at 12 weeks.  Then they should have a booster vaccination yearly. These regular boosters will help give your cat protection against cat “flu”, feline parvovirus and feline leukemia. 

Below are some of the diseases and vaccinations that your cat should have to keep them healthy and fit.

also known as FIE is a severe and often fatal internal infection. It is caused by feline parvovirus and this type of vaccination has been very successful in preventing this condition. This is a widespread disease and unvaccinated cats are at high risk of developing this disease.

has two types of vaccinations which are to prevent feline herpesvirus also known as FHV-1 and feline calicivirus (FCV). These vaccinations help protect your cat from prolonged illness caused by the different kinds of “flu” that are commonly seen in your area.

also known as FeLV vaccination is a must if your cat goes outdoors. It is not an airborn disease and can only be passed on via direct contact between cats. This disease is a lifelong infection which is usually fatal. It is very important to protect your cats from this very serious disease.

causes conjunctivitis in cats. It is spread by direct contact between cats. If you have a multi-cat household or have kittens you should ask your vet if your cats should be vaccinated for this.

Once your cat has been vaccinated or receives a booster shot, you will be given a certificate stating that your cat has been vaccinated and for what. You should keep this certificate in a safe place and take it with you when you get your cat its yearly booster shots. Many animal boarding places won’t allow your feline companion to stay unless you have a certificate verifying they have up-to-date vaccinations.

Another thing to remember is that you should de-worm and use some type of flea application regularly on your cat. Depending on which products you choose to use will depend on how often you will need to do this. If you are unsure, ask your vet for suggestions on products to use and how often.

The average lifespan of a healthy indoor cat is 15 years. You might want to consider getting pet insurance on your cat or kitten in case their will be any unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. You have health insurance on the rest of your family and for peace of mind you might want to consider buying cat insurance on your feline friend.

When getting a cat whether from rescue or purchasing a pedigree you need to ensure that you understand the responsibility that comes with getting a new pet, family member. Just as we do with our children we must also ensure that our furry friends are looked after. Keeping up to date with their vaccinations is one of the most important things you could do for your cat to ensure he or she stays happy and healthy.

Feline panleucopaenia is a very serious disease of cats which carries a high risk of mortality especially in young cats and kittens. The virus is very similar to the one that causes parvovirus in dogs and indeed recent parvovirus strains of dogs have been show to infect cats and cause feline panleucopaenia. Who is at risk? All unvaccinated animals, but particularly young kittens.

How is it spread? Infected cats pass virus in their urine and faeces for a maximum of six weeks. The virus persists in the environment for long periods (many months or even years) and is resistant to many cleaning products and disinfectants. For these reasons, contact with a contaminated environment is the most likely source of infection. Kittens may also be infected inside the womb by the virus passing across the placenta from their mother, if she is infected while pregnant.

Panleucopaenia causes severe vomiting, anorexia and fever. Sometimes the disease can progress so quickly that a kitten may die before the owner even notices any signs. The disease may initially be mistaken for foreign bodies stuck in the gut or poisoning. Kittens deteriorate very quickly because once they stop eating and drinking, they become severely dehydrated. Older cats tend to show less severe signs and, if queens are infected whilst they are pregnant, they often show no signs of illness. The unborn kittens, however, can be infected inside the womb and this may lead to their death ‘in-utero’ or damage to their developing brains.

Cats that survive more than five days without developing complications have a better chance of recovery although frequently it takes several weeks for this to occur. If a cat recovers from panleucopaenia, it is highly unlikely that they will catch the disease again.
Treatment is typically supportive often including intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Without intensive nursing, many cats can die from the effects of the disease.

Most cat vaccines on the UK market includes panleucopaenia as one of the diseases it protects against and is recommended for all cats as part of their regular healthcare. Boosters are required to maintain immunity and it is particularly important that queens are up-to-date before any planned breeding. One of the vaccines on the UK market has been shown to cross protect against the canine parvo strains that can cause panleucopaenia.

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It is extremely important that cat and dog owners get their pets vaccinated as part of their total health care program. Regular vaccinations prevent a dog or cat from contracting a number of debilitating, and sometimes fatal, diseases. Vaccinations are looked at as a cornerstone of current animal preventative medicine. As with the advancement of modern human vaccinations, current canine and feline vaccinations have evolved over the years leading to a decrease in adverse reactions and an increase in the ability of the vaccination to keep pets healthy.

Vaccinations offer protection to cats and dogs against a variety of diseases. For cats, vaccinations protect against rabies, feline viral rhinotracheitis, and feline immunodeficiency virus. For dogs, vaccinations protect against rabies as well, but also canine parvovirus, canine distemper, and even Lyme disease. The vaccinations enable the immune system of the cat or dog to build up a resistance in the event they are exposed to the virus. There are three functions of a vaccination. The first is a live form of the modified infectious agent that will not create the virus; the second is a killed form of the selected infectious agent that cannot produce a disease; and the third is only a fraction of the selected infection agent which cannot cause the disease. The immune system reacts in a way that it builds a protective defense against the disease. A number of pets experience no harmful side effects associated with the vaccinations, but there can be mild symptoms, including lethargy, listlessness, mild fever, and mild swelling and discomfort around the site of the injection.

Although there is the possibility of abnormal adverse reactions to pet vaccinations, it is extremely important that pets get vaccinated. Vaccinating not only protects the cat or dog from various infection diseases, but it also protects pet owners. Some diseases, such as rabies, can be transmitted to humans as well. When a dog or cat contracts a disease, not only is it extremely painful for them, it is also very costly to treat. Vaccinations are seen as a great preventative method to keep a dog or cat healthy. The build up the immune system so if they are exposed to the disease, the likelihood of them becoming sick is a lot less. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that just like humans can get the flu even with getting a flue vaccination, dogs and cats can still get sick. Vaccines may not prevent the disease fully, but the vaccination will minimize the overall seriousness of the disease if the dog or cat does contract it. Many professional veterinarians will always recommend that puppies and kittens get the necessary vaccinations. Young kittens and puppies are at higher risk of contracting diseases as their immune system is not fully developed.

Pet owners want to keep their dogs and cats healthy at all times possible. To do this, they will need regular vaccinations as scheduled by their local veterinarian. Vaccinations are the best way to ensure a long and healthy life for all pets.

Cats need many shots and vaccines to stay healthy, including vaccines for rabies, distemper and feline leukemia. Discover information on what shots pet cats need with tips from an experiencedveterinarian in this free video on pet care. Expert: Dr. James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

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Help the cat groom regularly brushing its fur. It will remove the cat’s loose hair and lessens the risk of hairballs. Cats lick their fur instinctively. This causes fur to gather inside them, which eventually turn into hairballs. Many cats have difficulty dislodging the hairballs. If the cat fails to cough out the hairballs, it may cause blockage of the intestines. Serious cases of blockages can be life threatening for a cat.

Long-haired cats need to be brushed or combed daily. Short-haired cats have to be groomed weekly on a weekly basis. Watch for lumps in the coat and skin irritations whenever you brush your cat. Brushing should start along the cat’s back, running the brush from head toward the tail. Do this several times on one

side then repeat it on the other side. Brush each area in the same direction of your cat’s fur growth.

When grooming your cat, avoid brushing the face and paws. A cat may have preferences. If it does not like to be brushed, try using another tool. An excellent alternative to the brush is the grooming glove, because most cats do not mind being brushed with it.

It is advisable to start out young with the cat grooming ritual. This is the secret to grooming your cat, or any pet for that matter. Cats who started being groomed as kittens grow to love it, often, they look forward to their grooming time.

During grooming, don’t forget to check his eyes, ears, teeth and claws. The cat’s eyes should be bright and clear with no dirt or parasite in the corners. The ears should be clean, pinkish, and no traces of mites. A dirty cat’s ear is a breeding place for ear mites. Infestation of mites can result in shriveling up of ears and worse, your cat can lose its hearing. Cats get very annoyed by ear mites. These can burrow under the skin and may be very difficult for you to get rid of it without extra help from a vet or a special medication. The best way to avoid these mites is to keep your cat’s ears clean and healthy.

A cat who is not used to grooming may pose a challenge to the owner. You have to keep trying gently so each grooming session will go a bit further. Always praise and give your cat a treat if it stays still during grooming. Don’t fight with your cat if it doesn’t cooperate or starts to struggle. Instead, let it go and try another time or day. When your cat gets used to being groomed, it will to look forward to it each and every time.