By: Liz Barton
Cat training is not always easy, but it is possible. Though your cat may seem too independent and stubborn to change its behavior, you can get the job done if you make a commitment to the right strategies.
There are a few basic tents of successful training about whichever cat owner should be aware. Let us look at three of those cat training fundamentals:
The Need for Immediacy
Cats are incredibly smart animals, but they do not necessarily make the same kind of connections people do with respect to cause and effect. That is why it is essential to take action immediately when you observe inappropriate behavior. If your response is delayed by even a few seconds, it will lose a great deal of its effectiveness.
Never assume that your cat will remember what it did earlier in a day or that the cat will make any connection between your discipline and past behavior. Rarely, if ever, will that happen. If you correct your pet for something it did earlier, it will have no idea of why it is being corrected and may incorrectly link your actions to the behavior displayed immediately before you took action.
Encouraging Alternative Behaviors
One of the best ways to teach your cat not to engage in an undesirable behavior is to encourage the animal to do something else instead. This strategy works even better when the encouraged behavior is completely incompatible with the undesired action. This technique works because cats, like all animals, are more responsive to positive reinforcement.
You will have greater success encouraging and rewarding what you would like to see than you will by trying to stop what you do not. Instead of discouraging your cat from scratching a table leg, encourage your pet to exercise that instinct on its scratching post!
Avoiding Physical Discipline
Physical punishment will not contribute to successful cat training. Negative reinforcements do not work well for cats and hitting or otherwise physically reprimanding your pet will only make your relationship more difficult while inspiring unnecessary fear in the animal.
Cats are not always the easiest animals to train, but if one approaches the project with the right attitude and strategies, it is possible to direct a cat’s behavior. The three elements of cat training we’ve discussed all share features common to all successful techniques--they are all based on the understanding that positive reinforcement offers the greatest chance of success and that cat owners should always use the least aggressive means of correcting behavior.
Those three rules of thumb are at the very core of smart cat training.
Author's Resource:
This article was written by Liz Barton. Learn more about how to solve your cat behavior problems - you'll find another cat training article by visiting www.secretsofcats.com/training_cats.html
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
Cat Leukemia - What You Need To Know About This Deadly Cat Disease
By: David Lee
Cats, just like any other animal and their caretakers, can get sick. If you love cats and own them, there are some things you should know about the illnesses that can affect your feline friend.
Leukemia
Even for humans, this word is one you never hope to hear. For Felines, it's a virus, that works by producing an enzyme that it then inserts into healthy cells infecting them. Just like a retrovirus. Because of this, it is a particularly nasty illness.
Cats who have the feline leukemia virus are found all over the world. The likelihood of a cat becoming infected can depend a lot on the age of the cat, its health, environment and lifestyle. Cats who are very young or ill have an even greater chance of contracting the virus.
How Do Cats Become Infected?
Other cats are the main source of the infection being spread. The virus is
passed on in large amounts through saliva or nasal fluids. But it may also be passed on through urine, feces and milk from the cats that are infected. The virus is also passed on through cat-to-cat contact, such as fighting resulting in wounds, when cats groom each other and, sometimes, through sharing litter boxes.
What type of cats have a greater risk of being infected?
Any cat is at risk of being infected, although some cats are at a greater risk than most. If a cat is living with other cats that are infected or it is unknown whether they are infected with feline leukemia virus, risks of the cat becoming infected are very high.
If you allow your cats to roam free out of doors then their chances of contracting this disease increases. They run a greater risk of coming in contact with infected cats and being bitten or scratched, allowing the virus to transfer itself. Kittens have a greater risk of becoming infected, especially when they are nursing since the virus can be transmitted through the mother's milk. Also, they have weaker immune systems.
Feline Leukemia: How to spot the symptoms and what it does to your feline
Feline Leukemia works very much like HIV in humans. It attacks the immune system of your cat, making it difficult for your cat to fight off even the most minor of illnesses. It can cause other health problems for your cat as well, such as blood disorders and has been linked as being a source of cancer in cats.
The main things to look for with feline leukemia is loss of appetite, weight loss and general loss of health for your cat. These may not be noticeable at first, since this virus can progress slowly. If you don't see any other sign see if you notice your cat becoming sick more often. Continual illness is a possible sign.
There are also other signs that usually show up a bit later in the diseases progression. These include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, pale gums or gums that are inflamed.
By paying attention to your cats health and following these tips, you may be able to avoid this dangerous cat illness.
Author's Resource:
Learn more about your pet from David's pet sites. Cat Feline Leukemia, Dog Disease, Dog Illness, Cat Furniture.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
Cats, just like any other animal and their caretakers, can get sick. If you love cats and own them, there are some things you should know about the illnesses that can affect your feline friend.
Leukemia
Even for humans, this word is one you never hope to hear. For Felines, it's a virus, that works by producing an enzyme that it then inserts into healthy cells infecting them. Just like a retrovirus. Because of this, it is a particularly nasty illness.
Cats who have the feline leukemia virus are found all over the world. The likelihood of a cat becoming infected can depend a lot on the age of the cat, its health, environment and lifestyle. Cats who are very young or ill have an even greater chance of contracting the virus.
How Do Cats Become Infected?
Other cats are the main source of the infection being spread. The virus is
passed on in large amounts through saliva or nasal fluids. But it may also be passed on through urine, feces and milk from the cats that are infected. The virus is also passed on through cat-to-cat contact, such as fighting resulting in wounds, when cats groom each other and, sometimes, through sharing litter boxes.
What type of cats have a greater risk of being infected?
Any cat is at risk of being infected, although some cats are at a greater risk than most. If a cat is living with other cats that are infected or it is unknown whether they are infected with feline leukemia virus, risks of the cat becoming infected are very high.
If you allow your cats to roam free out of doors then their chances of contracting this disease increases. They run a greater risk of coming in contact with infected cats and being bitten or scratched, allowing the virus to transfer itself. Kittens have a greater risk of becoming infected, especially when they are nursing since the virus can be transmitted through the mother's milk. Also, they have weaker immune systems.
Feline Leukemia: How to spot the symptoms and what it does to your feline
Feline Leukemia works very much like HIV in humans. It attacks the immune system of your cat, making it difficult for your cat to fight off even the most minor of illnesses. It can cause other health problems for your cat as well, such as blood disorders and has been linked as being a source of cancer in cats.
The main things to look for with feline leukemia is loss of appetite, weight loss and general loss of health for your cat. These may not be noticeable at first, since this virus can progress slowly. If you don't see any other sign see if you notice your cat becoming sick more often. Continual illness is a possible sign.
There are also other signs that usually show up a bit later in the diseases progression. These include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, pale gums or gums that are inflamed.
By paying attention to your cats health and following these tips, you may be able to avoid this dangerous cat illness.
Author's Resource:
Learn more about your pet from David's pet sites. Cat Feline Leukemia, Dog Disease, Dog Illness, Cat Furniture.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
On Holiday With Your Cat
By: Laura Marsh
It’s that time of year again, your off on your family holiday, and second to booking your holiday, you ring the cattery and book a place for your cat. Think about the money and inconvenient this can cause, having to sort your cat out a few days before you go, paying extra if you are late back, the list is endless.
But did you know that you can take your cat with you, on your holiday? This doesn’t really apply for overseas holidays unless your cat has a pet passport. All over the country holiday accommodation owners are starting to realise there is a whole market of people that they’ve over looked – the pet owner.
If you use a travel agent, ask them to provide a list of accommodation that accepts pets. If you book your holiday online, there are plenty of websites out there that will list places in your country that will accept you cat. You’ll find these are no more expensive than your normal accommodation, simply because you don’t have to add the price of an extra room, just make sure you take your cats bed with you.
Before you on holiday make sure you take your cat to the vet and get it checked over. The last thing you want is to have an emergency with your cat while you’re away. Once you’re sure your cat is in good health, make sure you’ve got everything you need; make sure you cats travel box is clean and comfortable especially if you’ll be travelling for a long time. You may also find it useful to take an extra blanket and cover the travel box with a blanket while you travel, as this will calm your cat down and it will probably sleep most of the way.
Pack sufficient food and cat litter for the entire holiday, as if you run out you may not be able to get to a shop easily, and you’ll have a very upset cat.
When you arrive to your holiday destination, let your cat out and let it investigate the accommodation, once its done that it should settle in just fine. Show your cat where you are going to put its food and litter so there are no accidents. And if you are on a short break, say about 1 week, then keep your cat indoors, the last thing you want is to loose your cat when your on holiday. If your there for 2 or 3 weeks, that’s not so bad, and your cat should be fine roaming about in the garden (if there is one).
Not all cats will accept holidaying with the family. Elderly cats can find travel difficult and may get very upset when not in their own environment. The same goes for any sick cats. Some timid cats may find it hard to settle in to a new environment so quickly, and it may be disturbing for them. But for the average, boisterous, family cat they’ll enjoy the experience of exploring new places.
So next time you have to fork out for cattery fees, consider taking your cat on holiday with you.
Author's Resource:
www.caringforyourcat.info
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
It’s that time of year again, your off on your family holiday, and second to booking your holiday, you ring the cattery and book a place for your cat. Think about the money and inconvenient this can cause, having to sort your cat out a few days before you go, paying extra if you are late back, the list is endless.
But did you know that you can take your cat with you, on your holiday? This doesn’t really apply for overseas holidays unless your cat has a pet passport. All over the country holiday accommodation owners are starting to realise there is a whole market of people that they’ve over looked – the pet owner.
If you use a travel agent, ask them to provide a list of accommodation that accepts pets. If you book your holiday online, there are plenty of websites out there that will list places in your country that will accept you cat. You’ll find these are no more expensive than your normal accommodation, simply because you don’t have to add the price of an extra room, just make sure you take your cats bed with you.
Before you on holiday make sure you take your cat to the vet and get it checked over. The last thing you want is to have an emergency with your cat while you’re away. Once you’re sure your cat is in good health, make sure you’ve got everything you need; make sure you cats travel box is clean and comfortable especially if you’ll be travelling for a long time. You may also find it useful to take an extra blanket and cover the travel box with a blanket while you travel, as this will calm your cat down and it will probably sleep most of the way.
Pack sufficient food and cat litter for the entire holiday, as if you run out you may not be able to get to a shop easily, and you’ll have a very upset cat.
When you arrive to your holiday destination, let your cat out and let it investigate the accommodation, once its done that it should settle in just fine. Show your cat where you are going to put its food and litter so there are no accidents. And if you are on a short break, say about 1 week, then keep your cat indoors, the last thing you want is to loose your cat when your on holiday. If your there for 2 or 3 weeks, that’s not so bad, and your cat should be fine roaming about in the garden (if there is one).
Not all cats will accept holidaying with the family. Elderly cats can find travel difficult and may get very upset when not in their own environment. The same goes for any sick cats. Some timid cats may find it hard to settle in to a new environment so quickly, and it may be disturbing for them. But for the average, boisterous, family cat they’ll enjoy the experience of exploring new places.
So next time you have to fork out for cattery fees, consider taking your cat on holiday with you.
Author's Resource:
www.caringforyourcat.info
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
What Makes A Cat... A Cat??
By: Alexander
And why does a cat stubbornly insist on behaving like a cat??
Just about everyone can list the things that most accurately identifies what a cat is to them. Some will cite their amazing grace, agility and speed. Others will wax nostalgically about their intrinsic beauty. There will always be comments about their powers of concentration, excellent night vision, the cuteness of kittens that elicits such strong maternal instincts, and their seeming aloofness and self-confidence. And why does it seem that cats don't handle changes or stress well? In reality, these traits and others, are all just the symptoms of underlying characteristics that more rightly define the make-up and nature of cats. The feline characteristics elicit both enjoyable and maddening responses from humans, especially those who expect cats to act like people, dogs or other domesticated animals. Without question, cats are unique. What needs to be kept in mind is the fact that cats are the newest of any of the domesticated species. This puts them very close to their 'wild' roots.
Studies of small wildcats, that is, undomesticated or untamed cats that live beyond the comfort of human households, gives insight to what the 'natural' character of the cat is. It is generally agreed upon that today's house cat has descended from a small African wildcat, Felis silvestris libyca. One of the notable characteristics of the wildcat is that in order to insure its own food supply and decrease its chances of becoming prey itself, is to limit it's activities to seeking food when others aren't. Namely, at night. Cats have perfected this night-time strategy and can function very well in limited light, or even in what a person might consider total darkness. Along with excellent night vision, some other characteristics have also been developed:
1. A broken, erratic tabby pattern and coloring of the fur coat which offers a well conceived camouflage for hiding in tall grass or forest settings. A black cat may possess the best camouflage on a dark, moonless night.
2. How about a keen sense of hearing that can track predators or follow a prospective meal as it moves through the darkness.
3. In addition to excellent night vision that makes the most of limited light, there's the additional advantage of eyes that also detect even the slightest motion.
Along with all this night-time advantage, a cat must also be able to move swiftly and precisely through it's territory to escape predators or other threats. They are able to accomplish this with the use of scent glands located on their feet and on the sides of their face. As they pass through their territory, they'll mark prominent objects along their path. With these scent glands they can lay down a trail that's extremely easy to follow. Now, these scent marks can communicate on the brightest day or darkest night and unlike sound, they won't alert predators. Unfortunately, these marks have to be freshened up from time to time, as well as added to if a new trail is to be explored. A resident cat, that is a cat that has claimed a territory for herself, must continually inspect her territory to keep the scents fresh and to mark any changes to it, such as a newly downed tree or other obstruction on her path. She doesn't want any surprise encounters in the dead of night while fleeing a predator.
All this scent marking plays a critical role in the survival of the small wildcat. With only so many hours in the day, she can't spend all her time marking a territory and leave no time for hunting, finding water or mating. If she did she would become extinct quite soon. She can only claim an area that supports her with food (and her kittens, too), and that area must be efficiently maintained with her scent trails. Under these conditions, it's easy to see that it's not practical for her to share her space for (2) reasons:
1. There's usually a limited food supply in the territory she has to maintain on a regular basis.
2. The scent trails from other cats would probably be confusing.
Finally, there's the unique maternal nature of a cat that makes it very different from all other domestic animals. The answer to that question lies in her wildcat heritage, also. Survival of the cat species is dependant upon the survival of the kittens. Unlike 'pack' animals, a mother cat, or queen as they are known, is totally responsible for the care of her young. There's no one else around for her to rely on. She must teach her young everything they need to know to survive and do it before their food requirements exceeds the ability of her territory to provide for them. She must do this is a very short time and the kittens must have the capacity to learn all she has to teach. Needless to say, a very strong maternal bond is necessary if either mom or the kids are going to be successful at survival. And, as they learn to survive on their own, the young will one day leave the queen's territory and establish territories of their own. Or else, mom will kick them out.
Now, we have (5) characteristics that make a cat... a cat:
Cats are nocturnal
Cats are territorial
Cats are solitary
Cats are predatory
Cats are maternal
So, What's all this Heat About??
The female cat's usual heat cycles are influenced by seasonal changes in the amount of daylight. These cycles run from January (as the days begin to grow longer) to October (when the days begin to shorten). She will cycle every 10 to 14 days until she is bred. Heat cycles are easily identified with a lot of vocal calling, rolling on the ground and constantly rubbing against furniture or your legs. She will assume a breeding position with her rump in the air and forepaws near the ground.
Note: Spaying and neutering is the perfect cure for this situation. Heat symptoms will be eliminated as well as the risk for ovarian cancers and infections of the uterus. Not to mention the eliminating of kitten litters that can't be properly cared for.
Mating in cats presents an interesting diversion for animals known for their solitary nature and a strong sense of territory. In feral colonies it has been noted that a female in heat will mate with 18 or more males in a single day. Some ethologists attribute this rather promiscuous behavior to the fact that cats must really enjoy sex as much as humans do. The point is moot and probably can't be determined one way or the other. But, it does offer one answer as to why such solitary creatures would gather and form complex social interactions on a seasonal basis. As noted above, the maternal characteristic of a mother cat and her kittens is necessarily strong thus providing a kind of social interaction for cats at a young, impressionable age. So, it's not like cats never experience any degree of socialization from which they can draw the tools of getting along in a large gathering of like minded animals.
When cats gather around a regular, dependable food supply, such as a dump or rodent infested barn, a queen may not wean her young for up to eighteen months. This does have some distinct advantages:
1. Nursing keeps the queen and kittens together longer than is usual in the wild, keeping everyone social longer and living peacefully.
2. Since lactating females won't come into heat, the population is limited and preserves peace.
3. The nursing kittens won't mature sexually quite as fast which also keeps peace and provides some population control.
4. With a more complex social environment, the kittens will learn more social skills. The longer a kitten nurses, the longer she is in a learning mode, hence, the more she learns.
When a wildcat queen teaches her kittens to accept kill as nourishment and then to hunt for themselves, they will make the transition back to solitary behavior. As the kittens provide more for themselves, the queen will resist nursing. The kitten play will become more aggressive and each will eventually make their way to the solitary life. She will resume her solitary life and the kittens will assume theirs. But, in the feral colony supported with a reliable food supply the driving survival instincts may be ameliorated or softened because of the plentiful food resources and an enhanced social development amongst the neighboring cats. That's not to say that the colony won't outgrow the ability of the territory (dump or barn) to provide food and some may find themselves striking out on their own for greener pastures. One might surmise that cats can get along in groups, establish rules of engagement for mutual survival and be quite successful at it. But, they are not afraid to go it alone and can be very efficient at surviving by their own guile if they have to. They really are quite amazing animals.
So, when you watch your cat as she displays her everyday habits, remember she has a lot of inherited behaviors that are motivating her. Whether it's her scratching or spraying instincts, or walking her domain in the same fashion every day reestablishing her scent trail, or arguing with other pets in your home or neighborhood (because it is after all, her territory). She does so because she learned to survive in an elegant, complex, yet sophisticated way. And it's probably just as hard for her to adjust to your domesticated life as it would be for you to adjust to surviving in the wild. It helps to remember... you're both pretty smart creatures.
The next time someone asks what makes a cat... a cat. Go ahead and tell them. "It's their cute paws, nubby nose, soothing purr, the way she rubs against your leg when you come home, etc, etc, etc". But, you'll know there's a lot more to it than that.
Author's Resource:
Robert J Gallegos, author of Cat Lover Gifts World a web site dedicated to proper cat care with quality cat lover gifts based on an understanding of cat behavior, instincts and the unique requirements for healthy cats as pets. Robert is a life long lover of cats. He is dedicated to sharing his understanding of the cat experience, reducing the epidemic feral cat situation, and helping cat lovers to provide the best care for their cats.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
And why does a cat stubbornly insist on behaving like a cat??
Just about everyone can list the things that most accurately identifies what a cat is to them. Some will cite their amazing grace, agility and speed. Others will wax nostalgically about their intrinsic beauty. There will always be comments about their powers of concentration, excellent night vision, the cuteness of kittens that elicits such strong maternal instincts, and their seeming aloofness and self-confidence. And why does it seem that cats don't handle changes or stress well? In reality, these traits and others, are all just the symptoms of underlying characteristics that more rightly define the make-up and nature of cats. The feline characteristics elicit both enjoyable and maddening responses from humans, especially those who expect cats to act like people, dogs or other domesticated animals. Without question, cats are unique. What needs to be kept in mind is the fact that cats are the newest of any of the domesticated species. This puts them very close to their 'wild' roots.
Studies of small wildcats, that is, undomesticated or untamed cats that live beyond the comfort of human households, gives insight to what the 'natural' character of the cat is. It is generally agreed upon that today's house cat has descended from a small African wildcat, Felis silvestris libyca. One of the notable characteristics of the wildcat is that in order to insure its own food supply and decrease its chances of becoming prey itself, is to limit it's activities to seeking food when others aren't. Namely, at night. Cats have perfected this night-time strategy and can function very well in limited light, or even in what a person might consider total darkness. Along with excellent night vision, some other characteristics have also been developed:
1. A broken, erratic tabby pattern and coloring of the fur coat which offers a well conceived camouflage for hiding in tall grass or forest settings. A black cat may possess the best camouflage on a dark, moonless night.
2. How about a keen sense of hearing that can track predators or follow a prospective meal as it moves through the darkness.
3. In addition to excellent night vision that makes the most of limited light, there's the additional advantage of eyes that also detect even the slightest motion.
Along with all this night-time advantage, a cat must also be able to move swiftly and precisely through it's territory to escape predators or other threats. They are able to accomplish this with the use of scent glands located on their feet and on the sides of their face. As they pass through their territory, they'll mark prominent objects along their path. With these scent glands they can lay down a trail that's extremely easy to follow. Now, these scent marks can communicate on the brightest day or darkest night and unlike sound, they won't alert predators. Unfortunately, these marks have to be freshened up from time to time, as well as added to if a new trail is to be explored. A resident cat, that is a cat that has claimed a territory for herself, must continually inspect her territory to keep the scents fresh and to mark any changes to it, such as a newly downed tree or other obstruction on her path. She doesn't want any surprise encounters in the dead of night while fleeing a predator.
All this scent marking plays a critical role in the survival of the small wildcat. With only so many hours in the day, she can't spend all her time marking a territory and leave no time for hunting, finding water or mating. If she did she would become extinct quite soon. She can only claim an area that supports her with food (and her kittens, too), and that area must be efficiently maintained with her scent trails. Under these conditions, it's easy to see that it's not practical for her to share her space for (2) reasons:
1. There's usually a limited food supply in the territory she has to maintain on a regular basis.
2. The scent trails from other cats would probably be confusing.
Finally, there's the unique maternal nature of a cat that makes it very different from all other domestic animals. The answer to that question lies in her wildcat heritage, also. Survival of the cat species is dependant upon the survival of the kittens. Unlike 'pack' animals, a mother cat, or queen as they are known, is totally responsible for the care of her young. There's no one else around for her to rely on. She must teach her young everything they need to know to survive and do it before their food requirements exceeds the ability of her territory to provide for them. She must do this is a very short time and the kittens must have the capacity to learn all she has to teach. Needless to say, a very strong maternal bond is necessary if either mom or the kids are going to be successful at survival. And, as they learn to survive on their own, the young will one day leave the queen's territory and establish territories of their own. Or else, mom will kick them out.
Now, we have (5) characteristics that make a cat... a cat:
Cats are nocturnal
Cats are territorial
Cats are solitary
Cats are predatory
Cats are maternal
So, What's all this Heat About??
The female cat's usual heat cycles are influenced by seasonal changes in the amount of daylight. These cycles run from January (as the days begin to grow longer) to October (when the days begin to shorten). She will cycle every 10 to 14 days until she is bred. Heat cycles are easily identified with a lot of vocal calling, rolling on the ground and constantly rubbing against furniture or your legs. She will assume a breeding position with her rump in the air and forepaws near the ground.
Note: Spaying and neutering is the perfect cure for this situation. Heat symptoms will be eliminated as well as the risk for ovarian cancers and infections of the uterus. Not to mention the eliminating of kitten litters that can't be properly cared for.
Mating in cats presents an interesting diversion for animals known for their solitary nature and a strong sense of territory. In feral colonies it has been noted that a female in heat will mate with 18 or more males in a single day. Some ethologists attribute this rather promiscuous behavior to the fact that cats must really enjoy sex as much as humans do. The point is moot and probably can't be determined one way or the other. But, it does offer one answer as to why such solitary creatures would gather and form complex social interactions on a seasonal basis. As noted above, the maternal characteristic of a mother cat and her kittens is necessarily strong thus providing a kind of social interaction for cats at a young, impressionable age. So, it's not like cats never experience any degree of socialization from which they can draw the tools of getting along in a large gathering of like minded animals.
When cats gather around a regular, dependable food supply, such as a dump or rodent infested barn, a queen may not wean her young for up to eighteen months. This does have some distinct advantages:
1. Nursing keeps the queen and kittens together longer than is usual in the wild, keeping everyone social longer and living peacefully.
2. Since lactating females won't come into heat, the population is limited and preserves peace.
3. The nursing kittens won't mature sexually quite as fast which also keeps peace and provides some population control.
4. With a more complex social environment, the kittens will learn more social skills. The longer a kitten nurses, the longer she is in a learning mode, hence, the more she learns.
When a wildcat queen teaches her kittens to accept kill as nourishment and then to hunt for themselves, they will make the transition back to solitary behavior. As the kittens provide more for themselves, the queen will resist nursing. The kitten play will become more aggressive and each will eventually make their way to the solitary life. She will resume her solitary life and the kittens will assume theirs. But, in the feral colony supported with a reliable food supply the driving survival instincts may be ameliorated or softened because of the plentiful food resources and an enhanced social development amongst the neighboring cats. That's not to say that the colony won't outgrow the ability of the territory (dump or barn) to provide food and some may find themselves striking out on their own for greener pastures. One might surmise that cats can get along in groups, establish rules of engagement for mutual survival and be quite successful at it. But, they are not afraid to go it alone and can be very efficient at surviving by their own guile if they have to. They really are quite amazing animals.
So, when you watch your cat as she displays her everyday habits, remember she has a lot of inherited behaviors that are motivating her. Whether it's her scratching or spraying instincts, or walking her domain in the same fashion every day reestablishing her scent trail, or arguing with other pets in your home or neighborhood (because it is after all, her territory). She does so because she learned to survive in an elegant, complex, yet sophisticated way. And it's probably just as hard for her to adjust to your domesticated life as it would be for you to adjust to surviving in the wild. It helps to remember... you're both pretty smart creatures.
The next time someone asks what makes a cat... a cat. Go ahead and tell them. "It's their cute paws, nubby nose, soothing purr, the way she rubs against your leg when you come home, etc, etc, etc". But, you'll know there's a lot more to it than that.
Author's Resource:
Robert J Gallegos, author of Cat Lover Gifts World a web site dedicated to proper cat care with quality cat lover gifts based on an understanding of cat behavior, instincts and the unique requirements for healthy cats as pets. Robert is a life long lover of cats. He is dedicated to sharing his understanding of the cat experience, reducing the epidemic feral cat situation, and helping cat lovers to provide the best care for their cats.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
Cats - What You Need To Know Before Bringing Home A Cat
By: Jeff Mcclure
To be able to have a good experience with any pet there are a few things to consider before bringing them home. The first thing is the lifestyle of both you and the cat. It is important for the cat to be happy as well as you. Can you afford a cat? Your cat can not go without food or cat litter even for just one day. It’s important to think about the real costs of pet ownership. When you decide a cat is the right pet for you the next questions are what breed of cat and where to get your new pet.
A pet needs care on a daily basis. You can not leave your cat alone for the weekend because it has to be fed, let out and played with. You need to examine your lifestyle and decide if a cat will fit in and be happy. An unhappy cat will make you unhappy by looking for your attention doing things like clawing and peeing on furniture. The cats needs are as important as yours.
Can you afford a cat? There are costs involved in pet ownership that you may have not thought about. Such as vet bills and medicine if the cat gets hurt or falls ill. Going to a Vet can cost as much as a you seeing a Doctor and any medicine the cat may need may be expensive as well. You should make a list of the things a cat needs every month like food and cat litter then find out what it will all cost and if you can afford it.
Buying a cat of a specific breed from a reputable breeder can help to assure that you get a healthy animal. You should research both the breed and the breeder thoroughly. Some breeds require more care than others, for example long haired cats need to be brushed more. Also the cost varies greatly between both different breeds and also between different breeders. Another good option is getting your cat from a pet shelter. They have many cats that need a good home at a low cost if any.
Cats have a lot of personality and are a good choice for a pet. If you think through what you want from a pet and what the pet needs both you and your cat will be happy in the end. Pick a cat that will suit your lifestyle and budget. Most important always take good care of your pet.
Author's Resource:
Jeff Mcclure is a featured author at JimsPets.com and you can read more of his cat articles at JimsPets.com.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.
To be able to have a good experience with any pet there are a few things to consider before bringing them home. The first thing is the lifestyle of both you and the cat. It is important for the cat to be happy as well as you. Can you afford a cat? Your cat can not go without food or cat litter even for just one day. It’s important to think about the real costs of pet ownership. When you decide a cat is the right pet for you the next questions are what breed of cat and where to get your new pet.
A pet needs care on a daily basis. You can not leave your cat alone for the weekend because it has to be fed, let out and played with. You need to examine your lifestyle and decide if a cat will fit in and be happy. An unhappy cat will make you unhappy by looking for your attention doing things like clawing and peeing on furniture. The cats needs are as important as yours.
Can you afford a cat? There are costs involved in pet ownership that you may have not thought about. Such as vet bills and medicine if the cat gets hurt or falls ill. Going to a Vet can cost as much as a you seeing a Doctor and any medicine the cat may need may be expensive as well. You should make a list of the things a cat needs every month like food and cat litter then find out what it will all cost and if you can afford it.
Buying a cat of a specific breed from a reputable breeder can help to assure that you get a healthy animal. You should research both the breed and the breeder thoroughly. Some breeds require more care than others, for example long haired cats need to be brushed more. Also the cost varies greatly between both different breeds and also between different breeders. Another good option is getting your cat from a pet shelter. They have many cats that need a good home at a low cost if any.
Cats have a lot of personality and are a good choice for a pet. If you think through what you want from a pet and what the pet needs both you and your cat will be happy in the end. Pick a cat that will suit your lifestyle and budget. Most important always take good care of your pet.
Author's Resource:
Jeff Mcclure is a featured author at JimsPets.com and you can read more of his cat articles at JimsPets.com.
Visit Animal Pets & Friends for more pet and animal articles.