By Mike Ray
Cats can live longer than many people think... 18 to 20 years is common.
Here's how to keep your cat purring into advanced old age.
Steps:
1. Take your cat to the veterinarian at least once a year for a complete physical exam, and follow your veterinarian's advice regarding preventive health-care measures. Preventing disease and maintaining optimum health are the first steps toward a long, healthy life.
2. Spay or neuter your cat as soon as possible. Having kittens, especially repeated litters, is stressful and will contribute to premature aging.
3. Keep your cat inside at all times to reduce the risk of accidents, injuries from fights or disease. (Some research suggests inside cats live twice as long as outdoor cats!)
4. Feed your cat high-quality food designed to meet the specific nutritional requirements during all stages of his life.
5. Prevent obesity at all costs by controlling your cat's diet and engaging him in play activities.
6. Talk to your veterinarian about adding vitamin and mineral supplements, antioxidants and extra fiber to your cat's diet.
7. Have your cat's teeth cleaned professionally. Good dental health will add years to his life.
8. Groom your cat daily, checking for abnormalities, and seek medical help promptly when you discover anything suspicious
9. Make sure no harmful chemicals such as pesticides or household cleaners find their way onto your cat's fur, since cats groom themselves with their tongues constantly. Even small amounts of harmful chemicals on their bodies can have adverse effects if consumed over many years.
10. Protect your cat from environmental dangers such as household cleaners and secondhand smoke.
11. Help your cat avoid the stress of harassment from other animals by providing a quiet place for undisturbed catnaps.
12. Provide your older cat with a heat source such as a heating pad set on low, since cats more than 12 years old require extra heat. You'll notice a difference in his attitude and activity level.
13. Give your cat daily full-body massages and lots of love. Despite their aloof demeanor, cats thrive on affection.
14. Protect your cat from dangerous plants such as cactus and poinsettia.
Find a veterinarian with a special interest in aging who keeps abreast of advancements in this rapidly developing area of pet care.
Be sure to call your veterinarian before giving your cat any product not specifically approved for cats. Some products, such as acetaminophen, commonly consumed safely by people or dogs, are poisonous to cats.
Here's a quick way to treat your cat...Instead of a heating pad, fold up your down comforter on the end of the bed. Your aging cat will sink into its own warm cocoon for all its naps.
Remeber cats are like people... when they feel loved and happy their health is affected. So be sure to give your cat as much attention as you can.
Find out much more about everything cat related with our free newsletter at http://UltimateCatSecrets.com We cover health issues, behavior and training, cat selection and even non verbal cat communication, cat massage and more. Sign up for free now at http://UltimateCatSecrets.com
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Cat Spraying: A Medical Or Behavioral Problem?
By Paul Proctor
In the last few years, cat spraying has become more recognized as a treatable problem. Many cats spray for a variety of physical and behavioral reasons, so take your cat to the veterinarian to determine which is the problem in your cat's case. While cat spraying is a simple behavior, it can lead to serious problems in cat owners' homes unless it is stopped.
Neutering cats is the most common way to ensure that they will not breed and produce unwanted baby kittens. In addition, neutered cats will not spray around the house and foul the owner's furniture. However, this is not an option for all cat owners.
There are people who do not believe in the neutering of their cats. Some of them feel that it is not the owners right to subject their pet to this surgery while others feel that it is the cats right to reproduce while others are actually planning on breeding additional kittens. Other options are available to those individuals who do not want to neuter their cute little kittens.
In some instances, owners do not wish to neuter their male cats because of certain concerns or other issues. For example, some people may want to use their pets in a breeding program when the kittens reach reproductive maturity and therefore do not intend to neuter any of the kittens.
Behavioral modifications must be considered when neutering is not an option because the pet owner is considering breeding of their male cat with a female cat.
Cat spraying can be an enormous problem in your household. Cat spraying results in an offensive smell and difficult to remove stains, making your home very unpleasant. The damage to your furnishings and other belongings can be expensive to remedy. If you are unable to neuter your cat as a solution to its spraying problem, you can take advantage of other solutions to prevent this behavior from continuing.
Cat Spraying can be a real unpleasant and destructive problem for a cat owner. It may well top the list of cat problems. Both the stains and strong odor are very difficult to remove. Neutering is the most common solution. Neutering usually solves the problem. Neutering may not be an option.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
In the last few years, cat spraying has become more recognized as a treatable problem. Many cats spray for a variety of physical and behavioral reasons, so take your cat to the veterinarian to determine which is the problem in your cat's case. While cat spraying is a simple behavior, it can lead to serious problems in cat owners' homes unless it is stopped.
Neutering cats is the most common way to ensure that they will not breed and produce unwanted baby kittens. In addition, neutered cats will not spray around the house and foul the owner's furniture. However, this is not an option for all cat owners.
There are people who do not believe in the neutering of their cats. Some of them feel that it is not the owners right to subject their pet to this surgery while others feel that it is the cats right to reproduce while others are actually planning on breeding additional kittens. Other options are available to those individuals who do not want to neuter their cute little kittens.
In some instances, owners do not wish to neuter their male cats because of certain concerns or other issues. For example, some people may want to use their pets in a breeding program when the kittens reach reproductive maturity and therefore do not intend to neuter any of the kittens.
Behavioral modifications must be considered when neutering is not an option because the pet owner is considering breeding of their male cat with a female cat.
Cat spraying can be an enormous problem in your household. Cat spraying results in an offensive smell and difficult to remove stains, making your home very unpleasant. The damage to your furnishings and other belongings can be expensive to remedy. If you are unable to neuter your cat as a solution to its spraying problem, you can take advantage of other solutions to prevent this behavior from continuing.
Cat Spraying can be a real unpleasant and destructive problem for a cat owner. It may well top the list of cat problems. Both the stains and strong odor are very difficult to remove. Neutering is the most common solution. Neutering usually solves the problem. Neutering may not be an option.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Cat Hairballs - Information And Suggestions
By Ron King
One may often encounter hairball problems with cats. Undigested hair that builds up inside a cats body are called "cat hairballs". There are only 2 ways for a cat to get rid of the hair caught inside - with the aid of the digestive system or coughing it out. Since cats have rough tongues which they use vigorously to clean their fur, their stomach collects dead hair in large quantities. It is common for hair to be processed through their digestive system and find its way out with other materials that "flows down the drain". From time to time too much hair will pile up inside the body, blocking the paths in such a way that an alternative path must be used.
Cats with long fur many times develop more hairballs than other cats. If a cat is not able to rid itself of cat hairballs through vomiting or through the digestive system, it may suffer from a blockage in the intestine or stomach. Left untreated for too long, it can be life-threatening. Without surgery, that blockage caused by a hairball may be deadly. Cat hairballs are wide spread in felines and seem to be harmless, yet that is a false view. Cats and hairballs may seem to go together, yet some times complications happen. To minimize hairballs you can assist your cat with taking care of dead hair. First, brush your cat to strengthen the hair. Secondly, improve your cats eating habits. Feed it healthy food containing minerals that strengthen the hair and assist the digestive system with getting rid of the hair. Research different manufactures that produces such kind of food.
Special treats for your cats containing petroleum products may also help fighting cat hairballs. These petroleum-based treats help coat the tummy and digestive system for smooth passage through the body. There are several possibilities to administer these petroleum-based treats. Some cats may be fed simply by spoon. With others, try putting some food on their snout and maybe they will lick it off. If these methods fail, put some on their paws and watch them lick the treats off that way. If you follow this advice you will encounter the cats and hairballs phenomenon less and less.
When a blockage caused by cat hairballs will happen is impossible to predict, yet once it happens you must look for complication symptoms. If the cat coughs for 24 hours with no relief, if it lacks appetite, and can not release his bowel movements you must act immediately. Take it to a vet for surgery, because this may be the only way to remove the blockage. Keep a close eye on your cat and take preventive measures.
For more info, see Cats And Hairballs and Cat Hairballs. Ron King is a web developer; visit his website Cats. Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
One may often encounter hairball problems with cats. Undigested hair that builds up inside a cats body are called "cat hairballs". There are only 2 ways for a cat to get rid of the hair caught inside - with the aid of the digestive system or coughing it out. Since cats have rough tongues which they use vigorously to clean their fur, their stomach collects dead hair in large quantities. It is common for hair to be processed through their digestive system and find its way out with other materials that "flows down the drain". From time to time too much hair will pile up inside the body, blocking the paths in such a way that an alternative path must be used.
Cats with long fur many times develop more hairballs than other cats. If a cat is not able to rid itself of cat hairballs through vomiting or through the digestive system, it may suffer from a blockage in the intestine or stomach. Left untreated for too long, it can be life-threatening. Without surgery, that blockage caused by a hairball may be deadly. Cat hairballs are wide spread in felines and seem to be harmless, yet that is a false view. Cats and hairballs may seem to go together, yet some times complications happen. To minimize hairballs you can assist your cat with taking care of dead hair. First, brush your cat to strengthen the hair. Secondly, improve your cats eating habits. Feed it healthy food containing minerals that strengthen the hair and assist the digestive system with getting rid of the hair. Research different manufactures that produces such kind of food.
Special treats for your cats containing petroleum products may also help fighting cat hairballs. These petroleum-based treats help coat the tummy and digestive system for smooth passage through the body. There are several possibilities to administer these petroleum-based treats. Some cats may be fed simply by spoon. With others, try putting some food on their snout and maybe they will lick it off. If these methods fail, put some on their paws and watch them lick the treats off that way. If you follow this advice you will encounter the cats and hairballs phenomenon less and less.
When a blockage caused by cat hairballs will happen is impossible to predict, yet once it happens you must look for complication symptoms. If the cat coughs for 24 hours with no relief, if it lacks appetite, and can not release his bowel movements you must act immediately. Take it to a vet for surgery, because this may be the only way to remove the blockage. Keep a close eye on your cat and take preventive measures.
For more info, see Cats And Hairballs and Cat Hairballs. Ron King is a web developer; visit his website Cats. Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Cat Allergies? Some things which might help.
By Judith Allison
Being allergic to cats can be very distressing to a lover of cats. Wheezing, tearing eyes, nose running, sinus headache, hives, and other symptoms can be very mild and annoying or extreme and life threatening. In actuality, if the symptoms are very severe and the reason is tested and found to be cats, finding the cat a new place to live just might turn out to be the only solution. However if the symptoms are mild, there is cause for hope. There are processes to at least minimize the discomforts of cat allergies and live with a cat, and immunotherapy offers desensitization from an allergen.
Various symptoms of allergies can take on a number of forms. There are many widespread nasal symptoms which can include itching, sneezing and congestion. Eye symptoms can include redness, itching, swelling and watering. Throat symptoms include post-nasal drip, itching or hoarseness and the need to clear the throat often. Skin symptoms can involve an itchy rash or hives. Ear symptoms can include itching, plugging or popping in the ear. There can be more serious symptoms which involve the lungs. Symptoms with the lungs can include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, frequent bronchitis and shortness of breath.
Cat allergen, the allergy causing material from cats, is not cat hair, but rather a protein present in the cat dander and saliva. These allergens get to be airborne as microscopic particles, which when inhaled into the nose or lungs can produce allergic reactions.
The main reason why folks can get a new pet and not develop any of these allergies until much later is because of the amount of time required to produce these antibodies. It can take from three weeks to three years for a person's body to build up sufficient amounts of the specific antibody so that an allergen can cross-link two identical antigens. This cross-linkage is the signal to mast cells to spill their contents, which results in the typical allergy symptoms.
An allergy desensitization regimen is the obvious and very effective method to work around a cat allergy. Immunotherapy gradually makes a person more and more resistant to the allergens. The goal of immunotherapy is to increase a person's tolerance by at least ten times. This is one of the most effective remedies as it treats the root cause and doesn't just mask the symptoms.
It is dangerous and unfair for any indoor cat to be put out. As well as the diseases and illnesses that can be caught out of doors, the indoor cat has no experience with outdoor life and so many times it is unable to protect against cars, animals, and other hazards or to effectively search for food.
Judith Brandy writes a number of articles and blog posts for different websites including Just Cute Cats.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Being allergic to cats can be very distressing to a lover of cats. Wheezing, tearing eyes, nose running, sinus headache, hives, and other symptoms can be very mild and annoying or extreme and life threatening. In actuality, if the symptoms are very severe and the reason is tested and found to be cats, finding the cat a new place to live just might turn out to be the only solution. However if the symptoms are mild, there is cause for hope. There are processes to at least minimize the discomforts of cat allergies and live with a cat, and immunotherapy offers desensitization from an allergen.
Various symptoms of allergies can take on a number of forms. There are many widespread nasal symptoms which can include itching, sneezing and congestion. Eye symptoms can include redness, itching, swelling and watering. Throat symptoms include post-nasal drip, itching or hoarseness and the need to clear the throat often. Skin symptoms can involve an itchy rash or hives. Ear symptoms can include itching, plugging or popping in the ear. There can be more serious symptoms which involve the lungs. Symptoms with the lungs can include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, frequent bronchitis and shortness of breath.
Cat allergen, the allergy causing material from cats, is not cat hair, but rather a protein present in the cat dander and saliva. These allergens get to be airborne as microscopic particles, which when inhaled into the nose or lungs can produce allergic reactions.
The main reason why folks can get a new pet and not develop any of these allergies until much later is because of the amount of time required to produce these antibodies. It can take from three weeks to three years for a person's body to build up sufficient amounts of the specific antibody so that an allergen can cross-link two identical antigens. This cross-linkage is the signal to mast cells to spill their contents, which results in the typical allergy symptoms.
An allergy desensitization regimen is the obvious and very effective method to work around a cat allergy. Immunotherapy gradually makes a person more and more resistant to the allergens. The goal of immunotherapy is to increase a person's tolerance by at least ten times. This is one of the most effective remedies as it treats the root cause and doesn't just mask the symptoms.
It is dangerous and unfair for any indoor cat to be put out. As well as the diseases and illnesses that can be caught out of doors, the indoor cat has no experience with outdoor life and so many times it is unable to protect against cars, animals, and other hazards or to effectively search for food.
Judith Brandy writes a number of articles and blog posts for different websites including Just Cute Cats.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Halloween Treats - Dirt & Cats
By Jill Seader
Dirt Cake
20 ounce package of Oreo cookies
8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 packages (3 ounces) chocolate pudding
12 ounce package of whipped topping
Crush the cookies in a food processor. You can also put the cookies in a couple of large bags and crush them with a rolling pin or a meat mallet. Prepare the pudding according to the package directions. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, margarine, and sugar together. Add in the pudding and mix well. Add in the whipped topping. In a square 8 x 8-inch pan, layer the cookie crumbs and the pudding mixture, making sure to end with the cookie crumbs on top. Push some gummy worms into the cake mixture partway and put others on top of the cake. For added Halloween fun, you can put small plastic black spiders and other plastic bugs on the cake. If you do this, just make sure to warn your guests that the bugs are not edible! If you want to make it into a Halloween graveyard cake, break a graham cracker into fourths and frost the pieces with white or gray icing. With black icing, write "RIP", the names of some of your party guests, etc onto the frosted graham crackers. Push the finished "gravestones" partway into the cake. Candy pumpkins can also make easy and fun decorative accents for this Halloween cake. (Be sure to store this cake in the refrigerator.)
Black Cat Cookies
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 package chocolate cake mix
M & M’s or candy corn
Red hots
In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, eggs, and water together. Slowly add in the cake mix and mix well. Roll the dough into1-inch balls and flatten them. Pinch two ears into the top of each cookie. Add the M&M’s or the candy corn for the eyes and use a red hot for the nose. Press a fork into the dough on each side of the cat’s "face" to form the whiskers. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. A tasty and fun Halloween treat.
Jill Seader shares her favorite baking recipes along with her stories at http://www.YourBakingStory.com. She also invites you to share your own baking recipes and stories. Happy Baking!
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Dirt Cake
20 ounce package of Oreo cookies
8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 packages (3 ounces) chocolate pudding
12 ounce package of whipped topping
Crush the cookies in a food processor. You can also put the cookies in a couple of large bags and crush them with a rolling pin or a meat mallet. Prepare the pudding according to the package directions. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, margarine, and sugar together. Add in the pudding and mix well. Add in the whipped topping. In a square 8 x 8-inch pan, layer the cookie crumbs and the pudding mixture, making sure to end with the cookie crumbs on top. Push some gummy worms into the cake mixture partway and put others on top of the cake. For added Halloween fun, you can put small plastic black spiders and other plastic bugs on the cake. If you do this, just make sure to warn your guests that the bugs are not edible! If you want to make it into a Halloween graveyard cake, break a graham cracker into fourths and frost the pieces with white or gray icing. With black icing, write "RIP", the names of some of your party guests, etc onto the frosted graham crackers. Push the finished "gravestones" partway into the cake. Candy pumpkins can also make easy and fun decorative accents for this Halloween cake. (Be sure to store this cake in the refrigerator.)
Black Cat Cookies
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 package chocolate cake mix
M & M’s or candy corn
Red hots
In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, eggs, and water together. Slowly add in the cake mix and mix well. Roll the dough into1-inch balls and flatten them. Pinch two ears into the top of each cookie. Add the M&M’s or the candy corn for the eyes and use a red hot for the nose. Press a fork into the dough on each side of the cat’s "face" to form the whiskers. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. A tasty and fun Halloween treat.
Jill Seader shares her favorite baking recipes along with her stories at http://www.YourBakingStory.com. She also invites you to share your own baking recipes and stories. Happy Baking!
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com