What to feed your cat

By: Ric Wiley

Well what can I say about feeding your cat. If your cat will eat it then generally let them eat it but there are some foods that you should keep away from your cat, chocolate being one of them but more of that later.

What does my cat like, well most things especially if I have spent my money on it for him. He’s like that. I mainly feed him on a famous brand cat food, which provides him with a balanced diet, and he tends to concentrate on his favorite flavors which are fish or chicken based. He has his favorites and as such I don’t tend to waste my time buying stuff he doesn’t like.

He also likes me to cook, as he knows there will be lots of spare food. He likes prawns and other shellfish which have been shelled, chicken and virtually any meat, raw or cooked although I refuse to give him raw meat. He doesn’t like vegetarian, which is not that surprising for an animal which is basically a hunter.

What you need to remember is that your cat will let you know what he likes so that’s what you should feed to your cat. There are exceptions though and one of those is chocolate. It may be OK for you, but is it OK for your cat. It is not any good for me as it just tends to move from my mouth to my waistline, but then again that is like most foods I eat.

So what about chocolate and cats? Well chocolate speeds up the heart beat of a cat; it acts as a diuretic and as you well know it is loaded with calories. Don’t make your cat a heavy weight, as that’s bad for them as well.

My cat, Tigger, loved chocolate but I found out early on it was bad for him so I used to buy him a special chocolate developed for cats. It was sold by a major cat food manufacturer so I assumed it was safe and I have since found out that these companies which sell cat chocolate either produce a vegetable based substitute which looks and tastes like chocolate or they take out a substance in the chocolate called theobromine, which is what causes the problems for cats. Just be careful when you are buying chocolate for your cat. Make sure it is safe as apparently the treatment for chocolate poisoning in cats is not nice for the cat and the owner.

Apart from that give then what they like but don’t give them too much. I always bought Tigger a special Christmas Stocking full of cat treats. The first time I ever got him one I wrapped it up and placed it under the Christmas tree. When he came into the room he sniffed a little, went under the tree and rummaged round all the presents till he found his present. There wasn’t any waiting for Christmas, he ripped it open and ate everything he found. As for the squeaky mouse and the flea collar, well if I hadn’t moved them they would still be there today. He was too much a real cat to play with a squeaky mouse. He liked the little plastic balls with the bells in though and played for hours chasing those. I suppose that burned a lot of the calories off that he had gained eating the treats.

Just be careful, but in general feed you cat the food it likes. It will soon let you know what it doesn’t like and what it does, just like a child will.

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com


Ric Wiley is an established writer and Internet author. His latest site about his relationship with his cat, Tigger, can be found at www.love-your-cat.com

The Cat With 10 Lives

By: Reed Langdon

I have had many pets in my lifetime, in fact I have lost track of how many cats I have had over the years. Certainly each Cat had its own unique character, style and needs.

I guess that makes them somewhat special as a Pet. I publish quiet a bit regarding Pet care, tips and guidelines for many types of Pets in general, and all from my own real life experiences.

Well, the experience I am going to share with you, is so unique regarding Cat Care, tips and real guidelines, I can assure you, you have never heard from anyone, read in any article, book, etc. One of the reasons, as I mention in many of my Pet care articles, is because, I live in a very unique location, Northern Thailand, subject to every or any imaginable critter out there since Im surrounded by Jungle.

So, I wanted to share a special experience with my cat. This of course is a Thai cat, and they certainly do have a very different character from other cats stateside. Not to be confused with a Siamese type cat, this was just a stray domestic cat, its mom decided to give birth under my patio, and leave it alone to survive, and boy did this cat survive. In fact, this was the smartest cat I have ever experienced.

It began about 3:00am, I woke up early , as usual. One might think this is a peaceful quiet environment, however on the contrary , the local roosters start at 1:00am, screech owls, all thru the night, and other interesting jungle noises, many I am not even sure what they are.

Up at 3:00am I heard a quiet, meow, meow noise outside. That got my attention, now what I ask. Walking outside at night is one of those things you really need to be careful, and have a super flashlight. That is tip number one. So right around the corner is a baby kitten, just had its eyes open, and had climbed up a tree, about 60 feet high. When I called it, she came down, and right to me.

Now that was a big surprise, no pet owner could ever so no to this, so setup an area in the house, here comes the milk, and a can of tuna, which vanished in minutes, and then she slept for the entire next day.

Sounds like a nice story, but actually only the beginning, as I joke with friends, the cat from hell and back. Many days, weeks had past, She really grew fast, probably the extra rich food, and chasing Geckos in the house. Yes, they are all around, but keep the flying critter population way down, so it was a win situation living in the tropics.

Tip number two, I realized over a few weeks, she tended to take over the house, not only was she a night hunter, all Geckos vanished, many pictures, vases, glasses, tended to break and she enjoyed climbing curtains, and screens.

So I had to make the decision, indoor, or outdoor. I ended up making her an outdoor cat. But that was never good enough, since she knew how comfortable inside was.

Well overtime, she seemed ok, until one morning I found her resting in the shade. I noticed her right paw was swollen. After talking to the locals, we concluded she had been bitten by a very poisonous snake. For example, 60 Thailand, 12 in Africa, so they are out there, especially at night.

I brought her back in the house, and over a few weeks, back to health. But what next, inside or out. I decided she really belonged outside, the cat hair alone was difficult for me with allergy problems.

Well another week went by, she was doing fine, and then again, her right paw was swollen. A giant black bee, stung her. I believe she was playing with both. So back in the house, a few weeks later recovered fine. Well, I travel at times, and this just wasnt going to workout, very time consuming.

Nobody seemed to want a cat. But my neighbors thought the Temple , a few miles away, where the monks take care of pets. This seemed OK after talking with the local monk.

About two months later, 3:00am, I hear a meow, meow outside, way up in a tree. Yep, there she was, traveled all the way back, dog bite on one leg, and was she very upset. So, back to recovery again, cleaned her up, a few weeks went by, but just to much to handle.

Tip number three, pet responsibility. Never take on a new pet unless you can truly take care of it . In this case though, there are no vets., animal hospitals, or animal shelters. Simply put, a challenge.

I talked with neighbors again, and they couldnt believe what had happened, how could it have possibly traveled all that way with dogs, jungle, etc. Now you do hear these stories sometimes, about dogs getting separated from families traveling and finding their way back over a thousand miles, but a cat was hard to imagine.

Now Thai people are strong believers in spirits, with all do respect, so they were starting to have some interesting ideas about this cat, let your imagination figure that one.

We drove 15 miles away to a very well known Temple, spoke with a very high level monk, and he suggested best if they took care of her, especially since many foreign tourists pass through, which sounded reasonable. But two months went by, I thought it was a bad dream, but 3:00am , there was that cat sound outside, up the tree. At this point , I went from happy to shock in less than 1 minute, and immediately needed a serious plan, as the cat from hell had returned, what are the locals going to think, Ive been cursed ? Well, something close to that.

Then something occurred to me, my mother in law, was all alone in her own house, miles away. This was the only cat that would sit on her lap, and talk with her, she couldnt believe how smart it was, so there was a happy ending, they both get along great, we supply the food, shots, all healthy requirements, etc. But there was certainly a lesson to be learned from this experience.

In short, I mentioned a few tips along the way, which I hope from this unusual experience help as guidelines when considering a cat for a pet. Its good to know the history of the parents as well when possible. But last, its also really about responsibility. I felt very uncomfortable, knowing how she traveled so far to return to where she remembered as home. She is healthy now. In the title I did mention Cat with 10 lives. Well, it is hard to imagine, but there were many other life threatening events for her, and we believe she has in fact used all 9 lives already, and still healthy. In good hands, and with a bit of luck, she should live a very long happy life.

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com


Reed Langdon has many pets and unique personal events he shares in his publications. If you would like more information on Cat tips and guidelines, feel free to visit his site. www.cats-care-guide.info

Cat Training Aids on The Market

By: Ken Snow

There are many types of cat-training aids on the market. Some of the most helpful training tools are leashes, a scat mat, catnip, toys, and food treats.

Having a simply and lightweight cat leash lets you train your cat to go for a walk or ride in the car. Cats require exercise, and using a leash while taking a walk with your cat outside will provide protection and keep the cat from running off. You want the cat to walk with you, not ahead of you, so train the cat to expect that you will be the leader. Both of you will enjoy your walks much more if this approach is taken.

The scat mat is good for showing cats that certain areas are not open to them. These devices send out pulses of static electricity when a cat enters the forbidden area. There are many sizes and colors of scat mats. Some even come in transparent versions so the cat cannot see that they are on the area. Additionally, scat mats are safe to use. They can be connected if you have especially large areas where you do not want your cat to go. Dummy scat mats do not include the electric pulse and may be used after the cat is trained to provide reminders of appropriate behavior.

Catnip can be used on cat litter to attract the cat to the litter box. Male cats tend to respond more to catnip, which has a scent similar to the urine of a female cat. Catnip comes in different forms for training. Toys that are filled with catnip can help a cat to learn a specific behavior. For fund, catnip in bubble form is available. It is similar to the kind of soap-bubble toy that children play with, but it has an added scent of catnip. The product is safe for your cat and will not harm him or her. Catnip is also available in a powered form that you can rub on your hand. You can even buy catnip seed and plant it inside or outside your home to give the cat a real treat.

If your cat is pouncing on things like it would pounce on a mouse, it may be useful to give the cat a toy mouse. Cats, by nature, will pounce as if they are killing something. Having a toy mouse lets the cat act in a normal way. Some toy mice on the market can be wound up so the cat can chase them. Others may be stuffed with catnip. Training a cat has a lot to do with letting it fulfill its natural instincts. A cat that can perform its normal activities will be a happier and healthier companion.

Offering healthy food rewards is another good tool for training a cat. Many cat treats include vitamins so you will know that the cat is getting what it needs nutritionally. If you are a baker, you might want to try to make your own cat treats. There are even prepackaged mixes available.

Remember to be patient with your cat while it is learning.

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com


Discover more articles and resources offering tips and advice about cats and pets by visiting petsize.com

What cats like to play with

By: Guido Nussbaum

Your cat wants to play, but what kind of tools and materials should you use? You don't need to buy them, build them for free out of simple house-hold materials.

In order to understand what cats like to play with, you need to first understand the nature of you cat. We call cats pets but actually 90% of their nature is still "wild". Cats don't "think", they act in most cases on their natural instincts.

Cats can be categorized as "sneakers and hunters". They hunt birds, mice and other small animals. Their method is, they sneak as close as possible towards their prey. Then they have the best chances to suddenly appear right next to the prey and grab it. If you understand this hunting behavior, you can have a lot of fun playing with your cat. Playing is absolutely necessary for the health and feelings of your cat. Here are some ideas on how you can do it:

- Take a straw and hide behind a furniture. Leave only a little piece of the straw that can be seen by your cat. Then move the straw backwards, so that the cat can see less of it. I bet you, the cat will jump at it before it's all gone behind the furniture.

- Take a piece of paper and crumple it to a ball. Then put a little cord around it and tie it up. Your cat will love this toy, you can use it for any kind of stuff. You hand hold it just as high that your cat can reach the ball. You can will jump at it. My cat used to do even somersaults when I used that toy.

- Cats will run after all kinds of little balls, like those little ones made of paper. Unfortunately they don't bring the balls back like dogs do it...

- You can use long tiny branches, sticks or blade of gras to play with your cat.

- You can use any tool that you cat can chase after, but make sure your cat can not be hurt. Use paper or other materials that make noises when you crumple them and roll them over the floor. Cats love these cruble noises and they love to chase these little balls.

- Wool is another good source of self made cat toys. Create a little wool-ball or just uset the wool string. Cats like to chase wool strings.

So there are various ways to play with your cat. Keep in mind that they like to chase, hide and creap than you will be able to come up with all kinds of new ideas on how to play with your cat. Be aware that cats don't always want to play. Cats sleep a lot during daytime and they might not want to be boughered. They are just different than dogs, they have their own "will". You can not force a cat to do anything, the cat will show you what it likes and what not, so listen carefully!

Finally you should give your cat the possibility to go outside the house, if possible. Cats love the nature and they love to play in the garden. Don't be afraid that your cat runs away, it will come back if you treated it good... You should get the cat used to be outside the house when it is little, then it will be able to build it's natural instincts.

More articles about cats: http://www.caturine-cleaner.com/

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com


About the author: My name is Guido Nussbaum, I am a 28 year old cat-friend from Germany. I have 2 cats (brother and sister) that are 13 years old. My website www.caturine-cleaner.com deals with cat urine cleaning products and cats in general. My male cat had a couple of "accidents" and I had to get rid of the odor and stains from that cat urine. So I decided to create a website to help others with that topic.

Cats love to hunt - it's in their genes

By: Guido Nussbaum

Cats are one of the best developed species when it comes to hunting. They are very effective predators, even domestic cats can hunt and eat more than 1000 species including mice, birds, rats, moles and fish. Their whole body is made for hunting, their senses are much better developed than those of humans. Cats can hear and see better, they have skills and instincts that helps them to catch their prey. If they didn't have these skills they would starve to death in a natural environment.

Cats can hunt a huge variety of animals. They eat very little animals like roaches but also bigger ones like rabbits or rats. The fact that cats are not specialized on a small number of preys gives them a better chance to find an animal to hunt. If there is no tasty rabbit to hunt, they go for a mouse or a bird or even small animals like spiders, roaches or other insects.
In order to hunt these little fast insects, cats need to be also very fast as well as intelligent.

Cats use different strategies to hunt their prey like sneaking or pouncing. Cats have developed these skills throughout thousands of years and unlike us humans even domestic cats still have these skills. Humans had similar skills but we lost them due to civilization and industrialization.

There are cats hunting in groups like lions or tiger. As you can see in various wildlife reports on TV they are very successful by hunting in a group. Although there are cats hunting in groups most cats are single hunters. They simply sneak as close to their prey as possible. If they are close enough the prey has no chance to escape. In most cases cats hunt in woods or in areas with high grass, this way they can hide and not be seen by their prey. Cats are very silent when hunting, you will not hear them coming, they suddenly appear.

You can see some domestic cats presenting their victims to their owners. These trophies are kind of a present, they give you something back in return for feeding them. This is a highly social behavior and means that the cat has adopted the human owner in her social group. Sometimes this means that the cat wants to take care of you. This behavior can be seen in wildlife , cats help each other in case one was not successful at hunting.

Cats are specialized on killing and eating other animals. They have developed special teeth to kill the pray fast and shear it up in pieces that fit into the mouth. It is probably good to give your cat raw meat once in a while for a better development of her teeth. This natural food is healthy for the cat because it provides needed amino acids, taurine, vitamines and quality fat.

Cats can not live on a vegetarian diet, they are carnivores so they need their meat. They need a high percentage of amino acids and vitamins provided by the meat. A vegetarian diet can not provide enough amino acids, it contains too many carbohydrates and other low quality ingredients. Feed your cat with a high quality meat or special cat food. Make sure the cat food does not consist of too many carbohydrates or low quality ingredients.

If you want to be nice to your cat provide her a way to get outside the house. You cat can then develop its natural instincts and behavior. It has a chance to develop its skills at hunting and sneaking. Your cat will love the nature and it will be thankful for getting outside. Maybe your cat will come home with a little present for you, something like a bird or a mouse...

If you life in a city where there is no possibility for your cat to go outside then at least play with her at home to develop her skills. This can be done in several ways, read about it in other articles on my website.

Enjoy having a cat!

Article Source: http://articles-galore.com


Guido Nussbaum, a 28 year old cat-friend from Germany. I run the website cat urine cleaner