Choosing A Cat

By: Crystal Chan
The basic classification of the breeds is into groups based on coat length. There are thus longhairs and shorthairs. The longhairs comprise two quite distinct types.

A fat cat is not a healthy cat. If your cat is overweight, ask your vet for advice on a slimming diet. It could be that you are overfeeding your cat, or your cat may be tricking your neighbours into supplying extra meals! Like humans, some cats put on weight because they have a lazy lifestyle. Indoor cats especially need plenty of play.

If your kitten will be left alone all day, it may be kinder to have two, to keep each other company. But an only cat will be perfectly happy so long as its needs are met. Two kittens may be twice as much fun - but also twice the cost in neutering, vaccinations and food.

Ensure that curiosity does not kill your cat by checking the house for dangers. Tuck electrical wires out of the way where they can not be chewed, and remember to put away posionous household chemicals such as bleach. With a new cat or kitten, it 's good idea to protect your home as well, by moving breakable ornaments and house plants.

New breeds are constantly in the making. In order to be aacepted as such, they fulfill certain criteria as laid down by the various cat registration associations. Some of the latter are very particular about breed qualification. Others are less strict, which is why there are thus a variable number of recognized breeds. However, most of the long established breeds are recognized by all registrations, including the famous Manx cat. A long-haired version of the Manx can be found in Canada during the mid- 1960s.

It can be very rewarding to adopt a homeless cat from a rescue society. These charities normally check out the health and character of cats before re-housing them, and go to some trouble to match animals with suitable owners. They usually make a small charge.



Author's Resource:

1st Cat Care is to provide information and guidance to pet care lovers in taking care of their feline health, cat toilet training, tips on using the cat litter box, kitten vaccinations, pregnancy and more on pet care and kitten care ........

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Home Decorating Tips For Cat Owners – Finding Your Own Beauty In Your Cats Home

By: Joey Teers
For the most part cat décor is less about being beautiful and more about keeping your pet safe and comfortable. However there are so many manufacturers of cat products that you can fine almost any of the items mentioned above in several different colors. Try purchasing items such as litter boxes and scratching posts in matching or complimentary colors. If you match the hue to the rest of your setting you may be able to blend them seamlessly into the area.

Alternatively, you may want to set aside a space just for the cat’s things, in order to separate them from the look of the rest of the room. While this won’t completely eliminate the intrusion of cat toys onto your setting, it can allow you to create interplay between the cat’s possessions and yours. If your home is predominated by a single color such as green or blue, purchasing matching black cat possessions can actually compliment this look. If your colors are more mottled, then patterned cat toys, or subdued sandy colored ones, may be a better way to create equality in the room’s hue.

The litter box is one of the most troublesome cat possessions to decorate around. It stinks, it’s dirty, and it’s generally surrounded by stray litter tramped out of the box by your oblivious cat. One way to deal with this item is to hide it, either in a bathroom, or somewhere out of the way such as a closet. If you don’t have anywhere to hide it, then you should consider getting a covered cat box. They are much more attractive then leaving the litter bare, and will also reduce the smell. Unfortunately these are rarely attractive, and become dirty easy. To create your own custom covering, get a giant cardboard box and place it over the litter. Cut a hole in the front where the door is. Cover the box in decorative paper, such as wrapping paper, and then coat this in plastic to protect it from moisture. This method should only be used in conjunction with an existing plastic cat cover; otherwise moisture will seep into the cardboard and turn it to mush.

Cats can make wonderful loving pets. They are fairly self sufficient, and don’t require much attention. However, they are still animals, and will be oblivious to the beauty of your home. In order to maintain the look of your setting, while maintaining the safety of your pet, you will have to plan the décor that you develop in your home. Every cat is different, so let your home evolve with the pet, until you reach a stasis in which safety and beauty are at their best.



Author's Resource:

This article provided by PebbleZ.com – The internets leading resource for natural stone décor, materials, and information

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The Behavior Of Cats

By: Mark and Cindi
The behavior of cats indoors or outdoors. Cats prefer to patrol their territories in the same systematic way, day after day. Felines are very sensitive to changes in their environment, which may be a sign of a disturbance or danger pending.

The behavior of cats in the domesticated role follows a love for daily routine. Cats like to do today what they did yesterday, and the day before and would prefer to do the same thing tomorrow. Basically, the behavior of cats does not include the human emotion of boredom.

Cats have an inherent very strong biological clock. They quickly learn when it is time for food, or when it is time for a certain person to get up in the morning. I personally am not sure how with pinpoint accuracy they are able to determine exactly what time it is. For example five minutes before my alarm clock rings at 5:50 a.m. My cat Thomas gets in position to greet me and to make sure I get out of bed.

The behavior of domestic cats

The behavior of cats in the domesticated role can also become very sensitive to any unusual activities in the home such as preparations for moving or packing your stuff to go away on vacation.

These events could disturb the behavior of your cat, and this may be expressed in a lack of appetite or hiding in a place where they are not usually found. Your best course of action during these activities is to provide extra attention to the cat and a few extra cat treats to assure the feline that everything will be okay.

The behavior of cats is based on routine and consistency in the way that you and your family treat your cat. When I talk about consistency you do want to established guidelines for your feline friend that the whole family will follow.

It can be confusing to the animal, if it is all right to sleep in an armchair, on one day, but not the next day. This also applies to when one human tells the cat it's okay to sleep in that chair and then another human will walk in and chase the cat away from the same chair.
You and your family must get together and design a plan of consistency of what your cat can do and can not do. A confused cat can develop a behavior problem.

Most cats are willing to accept restrictions on where they can go, but they cannot be expected to observe rules that are not consistent. To improve the behavior of cats you must make a rule then stick to that rule.

When the behavior of cats turns aggressive dealing with this problem immediately should be priority one.

The aggressive behavior of cats can be due to many problems. When you're experiencing bad behavior in your own cat, the first thing to do is to take the cat for a vet visit and ask for a full comprehensive checkup. Especially if it has been a year of more since your last vet appointment.

The aggressive behavior of cats can sometimes be attributed to medical conditions. If your cat doesn't feel good, or has an ailment that causes pain, such as arthritis, a nerve condition or other pain related problems, this can lead to aggressive behavior in the form of lashing out at the hand that feeds them.



Author's Resource:

Mark and Cindi have created the cat health and behavior website because of there love for cats. Visit their cats behavior page for free cat behavior articles. For cat health issues visit here for the most recent cat health articles provided for cat lovers all over the world

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Cat Health Insurance Comparisons

By: Mark and Cindi
For many people who own and love pets, there is just nothing worse than worrying about not being able to afford the cost of taking proper care of them. If you have been thinking that it is time to look into purchasing veterinarian insurance for pets, then you most likely will want to take some time to do a pet insurance comparison.

In recent years, having cat insurance to provide for the four-legged members of the family has almost become a must-have item, especially for households that have several cats. As veterinary bills mount, it makes sense to invest in pet health insurance, just as you do for the human members of the household. Such cat health insurance can make very good economic sense, but it is important to conduct a comparison before purchasing animal care insurance.

You will find that there are many companies today that offer pet health insurance coverage. Doing a pet insurance comparison can be very beneficial in helping you to sort through and find the best type of coverage for your family pets and the best cost for the premiums. One of the most efficient ways of making such comparisons is by going online and checking the various offerings of the different pet insurance companies.

There are even some websites that will help you to do your insurance comparison, by showing a side-by-side listing of the different aspects of pet insurance so that you can quickly compare the different policies and companies. This is a great time saver and can help you quickly eliminate pet insurance company offerings or a pet plan that does not offer what you need most. Once you have identified the plan that will provide the type of coverage you want, then it is easier to make the comparisons.

When doing an insurance comparison, some of the things you will want to consider and perhaps even seek out additional information about are: whether the plan includes coverage for kennel fees; whether you can take your pet to any licensed veterinarian or if you must choose from a list of approved animal care professionals; if the plan covers wellness or preventative care benefits; whether the plan covers boarding fees in the event that you become ill and cannot care for your pet yourself and if you need to find a plan that will also extend coverage to related events such as being reimbursed for cancellation fees associated with travel. These are just a few of the many considerations that should be taken into account when deciding upon veterinary pet insurance plans to meet your specific needs.

In addition to these concerns, there are also a number of things that should be looked at with regard to each pet insurance company. In doing an insurance comparison, you should know the answers to at least these questions about the various companies: how long have they been in the pet health insurance business? Is the pet insurance company stable and does it have a good reputation? Has your veterinarian had any dealings with the company and have those dealings been positive? Does the pet insurance company only employ certified or licensed professionals for key positions?

Even though it can often be very tempting to look for the cheapest pet insurance, a complete pet insurance comparison can help you to make the best decision and find the balance between cost and coverage. In addition, part of the comparison should take into account the track record and reliability of the different pet insurance companies that you are considering. In general, it is better to be sure you have the right coverage, versus saving a few dollars on the monthly premium.



Author's Resource:

Mark and Cindi own dogs and cats and have created the cats health and behavior website because of their love for pets. Visit the pet health insurance page for answers about pet insurance coverage. For cat health issues visit here for the cat symptoms related to the most common cat illnesses.

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Catnip And Your Cat

By: Mark and Cindi
Catnip isn’t just a cat thing. Actually cat nip is a nickname for a plant that comes from the mint family. For a cat, this herb is like one too many martinis. The reaction may be wild and crazy or totally oblivious in that classic “who cares” manner that cats do so well.

Inside this plant is a chemical element called nepetalactone, which seems to prompt amazing reactions that are different for each cat. While you can’t smell it, this herbal plant has a unique scent to a feline.

The typical cat pauses to sniff this unusual substance and maybe give it a small lick. Then the cat returns to chew on the plants leaves. Some cats love to roll around in it and get it all over their fur.

Shortly after ingesting cat nip, a cat may leap, roll, wiggle, purr and seem to freak out. The cat may become aggressive toward another pet when under the influence of this hypnotic plant. Another cat may nibble the catnip, grin broadly and quietly savor the experience. Fortunately this “trip” lasts just a matter of minutes.

Although coming down from the high may take a few hours before your cat responds normally. Older cats seem less vulnerable or perhaps less interested in the whole experience. Very young kittens also are less interested in the plant.

This herbal plant can be purchased in a pet store in dried leaf form or as an essential oil. Just a small drop of the oil is all that’s needed to get a reaction. You can also purchase catnip-scented toys. But keep in mind the potency of the herb declines quickly over time. So you want purchase well sealed cat toys or even vacuum packaged for the best freshness.

So toss out the old toys regularly and get fresh toys so your cat gets the same enjoyment out of it. While catnip is related to other common plants like basil, spearmint and oregano, those plants don’t have the same effect on cats.

Catnip is an aphrodisiac for some cats - causing them to become very amorous with another cat. So you have to wonder, can a cat become addicted to it? While each catnip nibble is a delight for your cat, he’s not going to trash the house or sell your car to get more.

Cats won’t become addicted to cat nip, so it's a treat you can provide for your feline friend a few times a week. If you have more than one cat, give them each their own little pile of the herb so that they don’t have to compete for the pleasure against one another.



Author's Resource:

Mark and Cindi have created the cat health and behavior website because they love cats. Visit the free cat food recipes page to find out more about home cooked meals for your pets. Or visit this page for answers to the most common cat behavior problems!

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