By : David Anthony
Providing your new kitten with proper cat food is crucial to raising your
new cat. In order for a baby kitten to stay happy and healthy, it is vital that all of their nutritional needs be met. It is not just a matter of dropping some cat food into your pet's bowl and then leaving to go on with your day. There is more to feeding your cat then this.
Early Nutritional Needs
A kitten will receive all of their nutritional needs from their mother for the first few weeks of their life. As the kitten approaches four to six weeks of age, the breeder will most likely start supplementing the mother cat's milk with hard kitten chow that is moistened with water, or with canned kitten food. The kitten will have been weaned off the mother's milk by eight weeks of age, and will be eating a primarily kitten food diet. It is important to make sure that your breeder provides you with some of the kitten food that your new kitten was eating, or at least get the name of the kitten chow.
If you are thinking of changing the kitten chow brand that your kitten started with, then you should still purchase a small bag of the their current brand and mix it with the new brand. This will aid your new kitten's digestive system and allow them to gradually adjust to the new food that they will be eating.
How Much Should They Eat
Young kittens are growing at an incredibly fast rate from the ages of eight weeks to approximately six months. They will require a large amount of food to start which means that they will need to eat a number of times during the day. Kittens that are under six months of age do not have very large stomachs but require a lot of fuel. For this reason it is best to feed them four small meals per day, and provide them with an unlimited supply of water all day long.
The growth rate of your kitten will dramatically start to slow down at around six months of age. At this time you may find your kitten becoming a bit less active. The amount of feedings necessary can also be cut back to around two to three meals per day. At this stage of their growth it is also important not to change their food from kitten chow to adult cat food. Your cat is still in a growing stage.
Your cat will be able to eat adult cat food when they reach a year old. Feeding adult cats is somewhat easier then feeding a kitten. You can simply fill their dish up with dry cat food. Adult cats will usually eat when they are hungry. At this stage is important to ensure that your cat does not overeat. If you find your cat becoming overweight then you will want to feed them approximately twice a day. Adult cats can be fed canned food, but you will also want to provide them with dry food as well. Canned food should not be left out for your cat to eat all day.
Cat Food Shopping
It is very important to choose food that is both nutritional and well-balanced. When looking at food labels, be sure to select only ingredients that have protein listed within the first few items. You also must be aware of your cat's health condition. If they suffer from any serious health matters, such as urinary tract infection or hairballs, then be sure to select foods that will help manage these medical issues.
You should also feed your cat both dry and soft foods. Although your pet will prefer soft foods, it is best to supply them with dry ones as well. This will help to maintain their dental health. A dentist should perform yearly checkups on your pet, to eliminate any tartar build-up on their teeth.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
David Anthony is the creater of www.onlinecatcare.com . You can find a wealth of information pertaining to a variety of cat related items. Read comprehensive articles on a number of cat care needs from cat food to behavior training, types of cats which one is right and more.
Types Of Cats Which One Is Right
By : David Anthony
There are a number of cat breeds out there today, and deciding on the right breed for you and your family need not be a difficult task at all. We have compiled a handy guide to help you select the perfect cat breed.
Quiet Or Noisy Cats
An important consideration when choosing a cat is the noise level that they will generate. You will need to consider whether you can handle a vocal type cat. There are cat breeds that can actually be very noisy. For the most part, many cat owners don't have a problem with vocal breeds. They realize that their cat is just trying to communicate with them. However, vocal cats may pose a problem if you are living in an apartment. The following breeds can be very vocal: the Korat, Siamese Cats, and the Burmese. If you are looking for a quieter cat then you might want to consider: the Somali, Scottish Fold, or the American Curl.
Cuddly Or Playful
The next decision that you will want to make is to determine whether you want a cat that is more of an aloof breed or one that is more affectionate and cuddly. Some of the considerations to keep in mind are the amount of free time that you can spare. If you have a lot of available time then a cuddly cat who craves attention may be a great choice. Affectionate cuddly cats are also a great choice for those with children.
Friendliest Cat Breeds:
Maine Coon
Snowshoe
Abyssinian
Ragdoll
Tonkinese
Himalayan Persian
Less Sociable Breeds
Nebelung
Russian Shorthair
Norwegian Forest
If you are looking for a cat breed that will not get into constant mischief, and ones that can amuse themselves, then the following breeds may be a bad choice:
Siamese
Rex
Sphynx
Balinese
British Angora
These cats have a lot of energy and can be very inquisitive. These breeds are an excellent choice for someone who has a lot of free time and is home-bound. They can be a great source of entertainment; in fact the Rex can be enjoyable and silly to watch as he attempts to amuse those around him.
Other Important Features
There are also other important features that you want to look at in addition to the right temperament of the cat. An important feature to consider when choosing the right cat is whether you want a long haired or short haired breed. This is especially important to those owners who do not have a great deal of time to devote to a pet. These owners may want to opt for a short haired breed. The attraction of a fuzzy ball of fluff may look great, but grooming adult long haired cats can be very time consuming. A cat's coat of hair can tangle and matt up right down to its skin at an alarming rate if you do not provide proper grooming. If this should happen, your only choice is to have him completely shaved, which can be very traumatic. Your cat would need to be sedated, and this could pose some potential health risks.
Making The Final Choice
Having looked at the many different cat breeds and their unique features, you are now able to begin selecting your new cat. You should first ask yourself a few questions such as: should I get a baby kitten, or start with a feline that is somewhat older or even one that has been abandoned.
There are many new kittens available at various cat shows, and you might want to check out your local listings. There will more than likely be a number of cat exhibitors who are looking at selling some of their kitten litter. A great place to find an older feline would be at the humane society, or possibly the animal shelter in your town.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
David Anthony has written a number of articles for www.onlinecatcare.com . This site features a number of comprehensive cat care articles and resources to help you in taking care of your beloved pet. Find information on choosing the right cat breed to cat training and more.
There are a number of cat breeds out there today, and deciding on the right breed for you and your family need not be a difficult task at all. We have compiled a handy guide to help you select the perfect cat breed.
Quiet Or Noisy Cats
An important consideration when choosing a cat is the noise level that they will generate. You will need to consider whether you can handle a vocal type cat. There are cat breeds that can actually be very noisy. For the most part, many cat owners don't have a problem with vocal breeds. They realize that their cat is just trying to communicate with them. However, vocal cats may pose a problem if you are living in an apartment. The following breeds can be very vocal: the Korat, Siamese Cats, and the Burmese. If you are looking for a quieter cat then you might want to consider: the Somali, Scottish Fold, or the American Curl.
Cuddly Or Playful
The next decision that you will want to make is to determine whether you want a cat that is more of an aloof breed or one that is more affectionate and cuddly. Some of the considerations to keep in mind are the amount of free time that you can spare. If you have a lot of available time then a cuddly cat who craves attention may be a great choice. Affectionate cuddly cats are also a great choice for those with children.
Friendliest Cat Breeds:
Maine Coon
Snowshoe
Abyssinian
Ragdoll
Tonkinese
Himalayan Persian
Less Sociable Breeds
Nebelung
Russian Shorthair
Norwegian Forest
If you are looking for a cat breed that will not get into constant mischief, and ones that can amuse themselves, then the following breeds may be a bad choice:
Siamese
Rex
Sphynx
Balinese
British Angora
These cats have a lot of energy and can be very inquisitive. These breeds are an excellent choice for someone who has a lot of free time and is home-bound. They can be a great source of entertainment; in fact the Rex can be enjoyable and silly to watch as he attempts to amuse those around him.
Other Important Features
There are also other important features that you want to look at in addition to the right temperament of the cat. An important feature to consider when choosing the right cat is whether you want a long haired or short haired breed. This is especially important to those owners who do not have a great deal of time to devote to a pet. These owners may want to opt for a short haired breed. The attraction of a fuzzy ball of fluff may look great, but grooming adult long haired cats can be very time consuming. A cat's coat of hair can tangle and matt up right down to its skin at an alarming rate if you do not provide proper grooming. If this should happen, your only choice is to have him completely shaved, which can be very traumatic. Your cat would need to be sedated, and this could pose some potential health risks.
Making The Final Choice
Having looked at the many different cat breeds and their unique features, you are now able to begin selecting your new cat. You should first ask yourself a few questions such as: should I get a baby kitten, or start with a feline that is somewhat older or even one that has been abandoned.
There are many new kittens available at various cat shows, and you might want to check out your local listings. There will more than likely be a number of cat exhibitors who are looking at selling some of their kitten litter. A great place to find an older feline would be at the humane society, or possibly the animal shelter in your town.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
David Anthony has written a number of articles for www.onlinecatcare.com . This site features a number of comprehensive cat care articles and resources to help you in taking care of your beloved pet. Find information on choosing the right cat breed to cat training and more.
Cleaning Cat Urine
By : Kristy Mason
To say cleaning cat urine is not much fun, is like saying that the arctic ocean
is a bit chilly. As the owner of three cats, including a young one which has yet to learn to control its bladder and an old one which has forgotten how, I'll tell you: cleaning cat urine is the pits.
It's hands down the worst part of my day to clean cat urine, unless I am having a terribly bad day, with the boss yelling me, a fight with my girlfriend, and perhaps a stabbing or car crash on the way home. Otherwise, what I really dread is the rancid smell with which my cats have inevitably filled my house by the time I arrive in the evening.
There are some things that will make cleaning cat urine a bit more bearable, but there is nothing that will make it fun. I like to use Oxiclean, or some comparable product, since I am at the disadvantage of having carpets. In my previous apartment, cleaning cat urine was easy, because all I'd have to do was to get a mop and some lysol. You see, the floors were all easy to clean tile, so there was nothing to cleaning cat urine up neat as you please.
Despite the joys of cleaning cat urine, I still love my cats a lot, though, and make no mistake about that. My little one, Furrball, is the cutest little snuggums which you ever laid your eyes on. He's spindly and playful, stumbling around joyously battling at shoelaces of sniffing around at any insects that get into the apartment.
And he is good at getting into things himself, that Furrball. Why, one time I found him in my clothes drawer and my clothes drawer was closed! To this day, I can't figure out how he could have gotten in to there, never the less, I was putting on my socks one morning and there he was, as plain as the day is long.
I'll tell you, there's no end to the mischief that these cats will make. Even the old one, Tiger, still gives me a run for my money sometimes, hiding under the sofa and then sneaking out to rub against my feet at the one moment when it will startle me – right when I'm putting on my slippers in the morning. If I didn't love them so much, these cats would drive me crazy.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
To say cleaning cat urine is not much fun, is like saying that the arctic ocean
is a bit chilly. As the owner of three cats, including a young one which has yet to learn to control its bladder and an old one which has forgotten how, I'll tell you: cleaning cat urine is the pits.
It's hands down the worst part of my day to clean cat urine, unless I am having a terribly bad day, with the boss yelling me, a fight with my girlfriend, and perhaps a stabbing or car crash on the way home. Otherwise, what I really dread is the rancid smell with which my cats have inevitably filled my house by the time I arrive in the evening.
There are some things that will make cleaning cat urine a bit more bearable, but there is nothing that will make it fun. I like to use Oxiclean, or some comparable product, since I am at the disadvantage of having carpets. In my previous apartment, cleaning cat urine was easy, because all I'd have to do was to get a mop and some lysol. You see, the floors were all easy to clean tile, so there was nothing to cleaning cat urine up neat as you please.
Despite the joys of cleaning cat urine, I still love my cats a lot, though, and make no mistake about that. My little one, Furrball, is the cutest little snuggums which you ever laid your eyes on. He's spindly and playful, stumbling around joyously battling at shoelaces of sniffing around at any insects that get into the apartment.
And he is good at getting into things himself, that Furrball. Why, one time I found him in my clothes drawer and my clothes drawer was closed! To this day, I can't figure out how he could have gotten in to there, never the less, I was putting on my socks one morning and there he was, as plain as the day is long.
I'll tell you, there's no end to the mischief that these cats will make. Even the old one, Tiger, still gives me a run for my money sometimes, hiding under the sofa and then sneaking out to rub against my feet at the one moment when it will startle me – right when I'm putting on my slippers in the morning. If I didn't love them so much, these cats would drive me crazy.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
Cat Photos
By : Helen Schikkein
The other day I was watching a local news story on television about a woman that had 32 cats in her home. The cat photos in the story were very disturbing. I love cats and have two of my own. Cats are a wonderful addition to a home, but 32 of them! In the cat photos that accompanied the story the kitties were thin and some appeared deformed. These were definitely not cat photos that would be included in anyone’s collection.
Being a cat lover I personally have a large selection of cat photos. Some of the cat photos I have taken myself of my own furry friends, and others I have collected from various sources throughout the years. Cats seem to have a great effect on people. You either love them or hate them. I have several friends that hate cats, so they go out of their way to find cat photos the depict cats in dangerous situations, or doing stupid things. Some of my husband’s favorite cat photos depict hundreds of cats in a variety of sizes sitting in a room. The captions on these cat photos were definitely written by a cat hater. In this collection of cat photos is one caption that reads “so many cats, so few recipes”. The friend that sent the cat photos with that one included knows that I collect recipes so he thought this was extra humorous.
Along with the funny cat photos I also have a wide variety of pictures of cats that are sweet and dignified. The great thing about cat photos is that cat lovers and haters both enjoy looking at them. As I was looking through several cat photos the other day I noticed that I had many that showed cats sleeping in a variety of positions and in a variety of places. I guess this is not surprising considering cats sleep about 20 hours out of every day. I thought it would be fun to make copies of the sleeping cat photos and spread them throughout the guest bedroom. Nothing looks more relaxed than a cat sleeping, so I thought these cat photos would lend to a good nights rest. I am still trying to convince my husband that this is a good idea.
This year I sent out holiday cards that included cat photos of our Siamese and long haired cat. I sent these greetings to the pets of our friends and signed our cat’s names. Several of our friends fear that I am tuning into a weird cat lady and that they will be seeing me on the news some day with cat photos of hundreds of cats in my home. They say it is a fine line between cat lover and weird cat lady.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
More digital photo tips at: www.digitalphotographyfacts.org.
The other day I was watching a local news story on television about a woman that had 32 cats in her home. The cat photos in the story were very disturbing. I love cats and have two of my own. Cats are a wonderful addition to a home, but 32 of them! In the cat photos that accompanied the story the kitties were thin and some appeared deformed. These were definitely not cat photos that would be included in anyone’s collection.
Being a cat lover I personally have a large selection of cat photos. Some of the cat photos I have taken myself of my own furry friends, and others I have collected from various sources throughout the years. Cats seem to have a great effect on people. You either love them or hate them. I have several friends that hate cats, so they go out of their way to find cat photos the depict cats in dangerous situations, or doing stupid things. Some of my husband’s favorite cat photos depict hundreds of cats in a variety of sizes sitting in a room. The captions on these cat photos were definitely written by a cat hater. In this collection of cat photos is one caption that reads “so many cats, so few recipes”. The friend that sent the cat photos with that one included knows that I collect recipes so he thought this was extra humorous.
Along with the funny cat photos I also have a wide variety of pictures of cats that are sweet and dignified. The great thing about cat photos is that cat lovers and haters both enjoy looking at them. As I was looking through several cat photos the other day I noticed that I had many that showed cats sleeping in a variety of positions and in a variety of places. I guess this is not surprising considering cats sleep about 20 hours out of every day. I thought it would be fun to make copies of the sleeping cat photos and spread them throughout the guest bedroom. Nothing looks more relaxed than a cat sleeping, so I thought these cat photos would lend to a good nights rest. I am still trying to convince my husband that this is a good idea.
This year I sent out holiday cards that included cat photos of our Siamese and long haired cat. I sent these greetings to the pets of our friends and signed our cat’s names. Several of our friends fear that I am tuning into a weird cat lady and that they will be seeing me on the news some day with cat photos of hundreds of cats in my home. They say it is a fine line between cat lover and weird cat lady.
Article Source: http://animalarticles.com
More digital photo tips at: www.digitalphotographyfacts.org.