by
Nancy E. Wigal
Successful cat litter box habits stem from many different factors. A small investment of time pays off big with timely, periodic cat litter box cleaning. The best "Thank You!" from your cat is when she deposits a gift in her clean cat litter box.
Why should you empty out the old litter and scrub the box? As your cat uses the box, she uses her claws to scratch litter to cover her urine and feces. Cat urine gets into these cracks and begins to smell so bad after awhile that your cat may begin to avoid the litter box. Old cat litter smells extremely bad, and as you scoop out cat deposits, the amount of cat litter is less and less with each scoop. If your cat feels she doesn't have enough litter to cover her mess, she'll find another solution - usually outside the cat litter box.
While not difficult, it is important to properly clean a cat litter box to eradicate as much cat urine odor as possible. With a little bit of practice, you can quickly and easily clean cat litter boxes to ensure consistent litter box habits from your kitties.
First, empty out the cat litter box into a trash can with a closeable bag. Don't get too close to the dust and breathe it - the stuff is foul and it'll cause you to cough! Repeat this step for all cat litter boxes in your home.
If you use clumping litter, be sure to scrape out all litter clumps and loose bits. When you're scrubbing out the cat litter box with hot water, you don't want major chunks going into your drain system. The clumping litter will do exactly what it's supposed to...clump! If this happens, you'll be calling your plumber!
Spray or pour a little bit of your favorite enzyme cleaner into the empty cat litter box. I either use Dumb Cat or Simple Solution. Let this sit in the box while you proceed to the next step.
Go back to the cat litter box location and sweep up all the loose litter. If you use a rug or a mat, pick it up, take it outside, and give it a hell of a shake to dislodge all loose litter granules. Go back inside and use your enzyme cleaner to wipe down the area where the cat litter box resides.
While this area is drying, run hot, soapy water and put some in the cat litter box, along with the enzyme cleaner. I recommend you wear rubber gloves during the entire cleaning process to keep a barrier between the box and your skin. Use a scrub brush, and scrub out the cat litter box thoroughly.
Rinse the box well, and let it dry for a few minutes. Check the cat litter box area, and make sure it's dry. Place the litter box mat or rug back in place.
Fill up the cat litter box with your cat's favorite litter. How much do you put in? It depends upon your cat. Some cats like the box filled up; others only require a couple inches worth of cat litter. Pay attention to your cat; she'll tell you how much she needs. Be sure to put enough in so kitty can cover her deposits when she's made them.
Finally, haul out the garbage bag that contains the old, dirty litter. There's less chance of your house smelling like cat urine odor if the bag is promptly removed from your home.
How often should you clean your cat litter boxes? I have three cat litter boxes for two cats. The two most heavily used cat litter boxes get cleaned weekly. The third, lesser-used one is cleaned every other week.
Repeat this for every cat litter box in your home. Sometimes JJ, my older cat, will hang around while I'm cleaning the boxes. Once I put them back in place, he often hops right into one and makes an immediate deposit, as if he was just waiting for me to finish!
When you're done, take a long, hot shower to clean yourself! It's a great reward after a dirty job.
Happy cleaning!
About the Author
Nancy has successfully eliminated cat urine odor from her home, and kept the kitty that caused it.
http://www.cat-urine-odor-advisor.com
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Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/905/easy-cat-litter-box-cleaning-techniques.html
Declawing Your Cat
by
Brad Knell
Declawing Your Cat
This is a very controversial topic which has a lot of emotion behind but it needs to be looked at. As a cat owner who has experienced difficulty dealing with the cat scratching issue in my home it is difficult not to be biased but let's give the issue of declawing its due and see what exactly the pros and cons are.
There are 2 types of surgical procedures which are commonly done to eradicate this problem. One involves cutting the tendon that attaches the claw to the bone in a cats foot. The claw stays intact but the cat can't use it at all because it is no longer attached to the tendon that works it.
The second procedure employs the use of a laser for cutting. This procedure removes the lateral attachment. The claw is then removed.
Proponents of both these procedures claim there is minimal blood loss and discomfort. They also state that most cats are up running around in no time after the surgery. Great!
However, what they fail to mention is that both procedures are invasive (any surgical procedure is), both require general anethestic, and both can result in complications especially for older cats. The second procedure is quite plainly amputation. They also fail to mention what many people have stated - that post-surgery their cat developed a biting problem that was not prevelant prior to the surgery. What I have read also doesn't account for the many reports of people's cats undergoing drastic behavior changes afterwards.
One such advocate I read about stated that "there will be medical reasons and other circumstances where this procedure will be necessary." But it fails to cite any of those reasons.
For me at least, it all comes back to the question - "How would you like to have part of the anatomy God gave you amputated?" For me, there is only one "pro" After declawing, no matter what procedure you opt to have done, your cat will no longer be able to claw your furniture and carpets. The "cons" however, are still stacked against this and they are many!
We had a terrible experience with our cat Milo, when he recently developed a lower urinary tract infection and had to be admitted to stay 2 nights in a local vet clinic while he underwent surgery and monitoring for this common cat health problem. After seeing how terrified he was at the clinic and then worrying whether he would live or not because he refused to eat anything for a week after we got him home and had to be forcibly fed water to keep him hydrated, we simply could not bring ourselves to consider the idea of declawing no matter how stressful his clawing behavior was.
Milo is part of our family. God gave him all the parts he has for a reason and declawing to us is tantamount to saying he is less important than any other member of our family; something that we couldn't bring ourselves to think.
Pets count on us to look after their best interests. When we take on the responsibility of owning a pet we make what should be a statement of promise to protect them, nuture them and ensure that they are looked after. If you are considering declawing as a way to deal with your cats clawing behavior, I would urge you to please try some less invasive methods first before you resort to such a drastic measure. Why risk potential side-effects and the trauma that can accompany any surgical procedure if there are clearly other, less invasive ways of dealing with this problem?
About the Author
Brad Knell is the webmaster at http://www.stopcatscratching.com and several other websites designed to help people solve their pet problems.
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/197/declawing-your-cat.html
Brad Knell
Declawing Your Cat
This is a very controversial topic which has a lot of emotion behind but it needs to be looked at. As a cat owner who has experienced difficulty dealing with the cat scratching issue in my home it is difficult not to be biased but let's give the issue of declawing its due and see what exactly the pros and cons are.
There are 2 types of surgical procedures which are commonly done to eradicate this problem. One involves cutting the tendon that attaches the claw to the bone in a cats foot. The claw stays intact but the cat can't use it at all because it is no longer attached to the tendon that works it.
The second procedure employs the use of a laser for cutting. This procedure removes the lateral attachment. The claw is then removed.
Proponents of both these procedures claim there is minimal blood loss and discomfort. They also state that most cats are up running around in no time after the surgery. Great!
However, what they fail to mention is that both procedures are invasive (any surgical procedure is), both require general anethestic, and both can result in complications especially for older cats. The second procedure is quite plainly amputation. They also fail to mention what many people have stated - that post-surgery their cat developed a biting problem that was not prevelant prior to the surgery. What I have read also doesn't account for the many reports of people's cats undergoing drastic behavior changes afterwards.
One such advocate I read about stated that "there will be medical reasons and other circumstances where this procedure will be necessary." But it fails to cite any of those reasons.
For me at least, it all comes back to the question - "How would you like to have part of the anatomy God gave you amputated?" For me, there is only one "pro" After declawing, no matter what procedure you opt to have done, your cat will no longer be able to claw your furniture and carpets. The "cons" however, are still stacked against this and they are many!
We had a terrible experience with our cat Milo, when he recently developed a lower urinary tract infection and had to be admitted to stay 2 nights in a local vet clinic while he underwent surgery and monitoring for this common cat health problem. After seeing how terrified he was at the clinic and then worrying whether he would live or not because he refused to eat anything for a week after we got him home and had to be forcibly fed water to keep him hydrated, we simply could not bring ourselves to consider the idea of declawing no matter how stressful his clawing behavior was.
Milo is part of our family. God gave him all the parts he has for a reason and declawing to us is tantamount to saying he is less important than any other member of our family; something that we couldn't bring ourselves to think.
Pets count on us to look after their best interests. When we take on the responsibility of owning a pet we make what should be a statement of promise to protect them, nuture them and ensure that they are looked after. If you are considering declawing as a way to deal with your cats clawing behavior, I would urge you to please try some less invasive methods first before you resort to such a drastic measure. Why risk potential side-effects and the trauma that can accompany any surgical procedure if there are clearly other, less invasive ways of dealing with this problem?
About the Author
Brad Knell is the webmaster at http://www.stopcatscratching.com and several other websites designed to help people solve their pet problems.
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/197/declawing-your-cat.html
The Best Definition of a Typical Cat
by
Michael Haydon
How many times have you heard that the typical cat is a predator? More times than you can imagine. But when you are trying to come up with the definition of a typical cat surely it is better to study the overall habits of a cat and come up with the best summary. For starters, what does a cat do during a typical day? Here is my list of the things that acts do: • They purr. • They sleep. • They chase moving objects. • They eat. • They sleep some more. I think the most common activities are sleeping and purring. From kittens to senior cats, purring is the earliest most easily distinguishable hallmark of all cats. All Cats Purr Whilst purring is common to all cats, it is not always indicative of its being happy. Sometimes, cats purr when they are distressed or sick. Some scientists believe that cats use purring as a mechanism to calm itself down in much the same way humans do during meditation. When they purr they produce similar brainwaves to the human ‘alpha wave’ patterns, which induce a feeling of inner calm. There have been recent suggestions that having a purring act on your lap will have a calming effect on you as well. In other words, the benefits of purring can be transferred. Many nursing homes for the elderly are keeping cats as pets for their residents with beneficial effects being noted. Cats can sleep for up to sixteen hours a day as well as taking catnaps of ten or fifteen minutes at a time during periods of activity. Many cats also love catnip plant and will munch at it and roll around in it and, to all appearances, appear to be addicted to it. Any change in behavior should be carefully observed and may require a visit to the vet if you become concerned. Your cat might seem to be an unusually good climber. This is typical of al cats. It is here that the similarity to a predator role is seen most clearly. From a high vantage point, the cat can observe the movement and presence of possible prey. They do this from a position of safety as they have excellent all round vision and can stay out of the way of danger. I think the best way to think of a cat is not so much as a predator, but an independent animal keeping up its hunting skills so they will always be prepared for the possibility that they may be abandoned by their owners. They maintain their independence and their predator behavior is nothing more than this. Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for your kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314593/the-best-definition-of-a-typical-cat.html
Michael Haydon
How many times have you heard that the typical cat is a predator? More times than you can imagine. But when you are trying to come up with the definition of a typical cat surely it is better to study the overall habits of a cat and come up with the best summary. For starters, what does a cat do during a typical day? Here is my list of the things that acts do: • They purr. • They sleep. • They chase moving objects. • They eat. • They sleep some more. I think the most common activities are sleeping and purring. From kittens to senior cats, purring is the earliest most easily distinguishable hallmark of all cats. All Cats Purr Whilst purring is common to all cats, it is not always indicative of its being happy. Sometimes, cats purr when they are distressed or sick. Some scientists believe that cats use purring as a mechanism to calm itself down in much the same way humans do during meditation. When they purr they produce similar brainwaves to the human ‘alpha wave’ patterns, which induce a feeling of inner calm. There have been recent suggestions that having a purring act on your lap will have a calming effect on you as well. In other words, the benefits of purring can be transferred. Many nursing homes for the elderly are keeping cats as pets for their residents with beneficial effects being noted. Cats can sleep for up to sixteen hours a day as well as taking catnaps of ten or fifteen minutes at a time during periods of activity. Many cats also love catnip plant and will munch at it and roll around in it and, to all appearances, appear to be addicted to it. Any change in behavior should be carefully observed and may require a visit to the vet if you become concerned. Your cat might seem to be an unusually good climber. This is typical of al cats. It is here that the similarity to a predator role is seen most clearly. From a high vantage point, the cat can observe the movement and presence of possible prey. They do this from a position of safety as they have excellent all round vision and can stay out of the way of danger. I think the best way to think of a cat is not so much as a predator, but an independent animal keeping up its hunting skills so they will always be prepared for the possibility that they may be abandoned by their owners. They maintain their independence and their predator behavior is nothing more than this. Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for your kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314593/the-best-definition-of-a-typical-cat.html
Is Your Cat Grumpy?
by
Michael Haydon
Is Your Cat Grumpy? You know all cats have attitude right? I think thats a well accepted fact. Its also a fact that cats have quite individual personalities that set them apart from other pets. They are independent and selfish. The question is, are they reflecting their owner, or is it just a part of their particular breed? If you try to compare them with say, Pit Bull Terriers. Its true that this is an aggressive breed of dog, and, whilst they can be calm when with their owner, when they are off leash, well anything can happen. Compare them to, say, a Golden Labrador and youll see what a difference a breed makes. Is it the same with cats. Are tabby cats the angriest? Or black cats, do they own the title? Im happy to tell you that it has nothing to do with color, breed, or length of coat. Its just a part of their little personalities. You wont be able to predict it but you will get an idea from their early behavior. A small percentage of cats develop anti-social behavior and simply dont like being petted. In fact its a bit like being a human isnt it? Do You Have The Angriest Cat? I think it is helpful to think of an angry cat as a little human. What do you do to cure the temper tantrums. Well here are some steps and points you might want to consider: 1. Try to create and maintain a calm environment. Your new kitty can form some early habits based on early experiences. If the household has calm feeing there is a reduced likelihood of anxiety. 2. Give your new housemate some time to settle in. If he/she wants to hide under the bed, you can bet there may be a good reason, so let her stay there and come out when she wants to. 3. Remember that kitty is a sensitive creature by nature and can be easily spooked. If she doesnt have the confidence to mix with the rest of the family immediately, a little time could be all that is required. 4. Even after the passage of time, perhaps kitty still wants time alone. This is normal in all animals including humans, so allow kitty time alone if thats what she is seeking. 5. Remember that kitty may just be shy. People can be and so can cats. You may just have to accept kitty the way she is and leave her alone. 6. If you have adopted your cat and find that she is having difficulty settling in, remember her history may not have been a happy one and she is acting on past experiences whatever they may have been. I hope the above thoughts have reduced your anxiety about owning the angriest cat in the town, and have helped you and, hopefully, kitty to adapt as naturally as possible to her new surroundings. And remember, there is always someone who has a story to tell as to why their cat is angrier than yours! Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314537/is-your-cat-grumpy.html
Michael Haydon
Is Your Cat Grumpy? You know all cats have attitude right? I think thats a well accepted fact. Its also a fact that cats have quite individual personalities that set them apart from other pets. They are independent and selfish. The question is, are they reflecting their owner, or is it just a part of their particular breed? If you try to compare them with say, Pit Bull Terriers. Its true that this is an aggressive breed of dog, and, whilst they can be calm when with their owner, when they are off leash, well anything can happen. Compare them to, say, a Golden Labrador and youll see what a difference a breed makes. Is it the same with cats. Are tabby cats the angriest? Or black cats, do they own the title? Im happy to tell you that it has nothing to do with color, breed, or length of coat. Its just a part of their little personalities. You wont be able to predict it but you will get an idea from their early behavior. A small percentage of cats develop anti-social behavior and simply dont like being petted. In fact its a bit like being a human isnt it? Do You Have The Angriest Cat? I think it is helpful to think of an angry cat as a little human. What do you do to cure the temper tantrums. Well here are some steps and points you might want to consider: 1. Try to create and maintain a calm environment. Your new kitty can form some early habits based on early experiences. If the household has calm feeing there is a reduced likelihood of anxiety. 2. Give your new housemate some time to settle in. If he/she wants to hide under the bed, you can bet there may be a good reason, so let her stay there and come out when she wants to. 3. Remember that kitty is a sensitive creature by nature and can be easily spooked. If she doesnt have the confidence to mix with the rest of the family immediately, a little time could be all that is required. 4. Even after the passage of time, perhaps kitty still wants time alone. This is normal in all animals including humans, so allow kitty time alone if thats what she is seeking. 5. Remember that kitty may just be shy. People can be and so can cats. You may just have to accept kitty the way she is and leave her alone. 6. If you have adopted your cat and find that she is having difficulty settling in, remember her history may not have been a happy one and she is acting on past experiences whatever they may have been. I hope the above thoughts have reduced your anxiety about owning the angriest cat in the town, and have helped you and, hopefully, kitty to adapt as naturally as possible to her new surroundings. And remember, there is always someone who has a story to tell as to why their cat is angrier than yours! Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314537/is-your-cat-grumpy.html
How to Take Proper Care of Cats and Kittens
by
Michael Haydon
How to Take Proper Care of Cats and Kittens Owning a new kitten is just about the most exciting time of your family life. Those first few weeks are something special which will live long in your minds. It’s also a great chance to involve your children in learning how to take care of their new pet. It can become a really meaningful bonding time for the entire family. What better way to introduce children to new responsibilities where they learn to become accountable for the smallest member of the family. children can learn to become more reliable and as well, they will appreciate the satisfaction that comes with the added responsibility. Getting Your Kids Involved in Caring For Your Cats And Kittens It’s always a good starting point to involve the kids in the selection and naming of your new cat. Just as important is making sure your children understand the range of caring activities that will be involved and to emphasize that they will be responsible, along with the rest of the family, for a living creature not a toy that can be put away. It is a whole new ball game. Now, it’s not necessarily a difficult task to care for your pet if you really love them. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love their cat? I’ve seen people who say they hate cats simply melt after they’ve spent a few days with our family and go on to buy one for themselves. What I’m saying here is that although the enjoyment you will get from your kitty will have to be balance against the daily tasks of feeding, cleaning up the bowls, refreshing the water and the medical concerns like fleas, heartworm and general grooming and cleaning up cat hair. But, when all is said and done the time you have to allocate to these matters pales into insignificance when you experience the ultimate enjoyment of watching kitty at play and sleeping soundly on your lap. I have found that kids really respond to the responsibilities when tasks are allocated equally among family members wherever possible. This ensures that tasks are seen as a family responsibility and can be a great learning experience and contribute to the children coming to understand that life’s pleasures are balanced with responsibilities and that is the way life works. If you concentrate only on the jobs that need to be done or leave the “dirty” tasks to only one family member, then it could lead to resentment and then everyone, including kitty, will lose out. Having a balanced approach to pet ownership will have life long benefits when you learn to enjoy your cat and take care of them with love. It’s a life lesson we can all benefit from. Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for your kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314585/how-to-take-proper-care-of-cats-and-kittens.html
Michael Haydon
How to Take Proper Care of Cats and Kittens Owning a new kitten is just about the most exciting time of your family life. Those first few weeks are something special which will live long in your minds. It’s also a great chance to involve your children in learning how to take care of their new pet. It can become a really meaningful bonding time for the entire family. What better way to introduce children to new responsibilities where they learn to become accountable for the smallest member of the family. children can learn to become more reliable and as well, they will appreciate the satisfaction that comes with the added responsibility. Getting Your Kids Involved in Caring For Your Cats And Kittens It’s always a good starting point to involve the kids in the selection and naming of your new cat. Just as important is making sure your children understand the range of caring activities that will be involved and to emphasize that they will be responsible, along with the rest of the family, for a living creature not a toy that can be put away. It is a whole new ball game. Now, it’s not necessarily a difficult task to care for your pet if you really love them. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love their cat? I’ve seen people who say they hate cats simply melt after they’ve spent a few days with our family and go on to buy one for themselves. What I’m saying here is that although the enjoyment you will get from your kitty will have to be balance against the daily tasks of feeding, cleaning up the bowls, refreshing the water and the medical concerns like fleas, heartworm and general grooming and cleaning up cat hair. But, when all is said and done the time you have to allocate to these matters pales into insignificance when you experience the ultimate enjoyment of watching kitty at play and sleeping soundly on your lap. I have found that kids really respond to the responsibilities when tasks are allocated equally among family members wherever possible. This ensures that tasks are seen as a family responsibility and can be a great learning experience and contribute to the children coming to understand that life’s pleasures are balanced with responsibilities and that is the way life works. If you concentrate only on the jobs that need to be done or leave the “dirty” tasks to only one family member, then it could lead to resentment and then everyone, including kitty, will lose out. Having a balanced approach to pet ownership will have life long benefits when you learn to enjoy your cat and take care of them with love. It’s a life lesson we can all benefit from. Michael is the owner of Love Your Kitty, the BEST site for looking after your cat properly. You will also find great gift ideas for your kitty at www.PussyCatsAlive.com
Article Source: http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/314585/how-to-take-proper-care-of-cats-and-kittens.html