Facts About Cats' Eating Behavior

Knowing what to feed your cat can make the difference between a healthy and happy cat, and one that is malnourished and hard to control. There are several misconceptions when it comes to feeding cats, what they like, and what they should eat. Here are some of the most basic facts about cats' eating behavior.·    Cats don't eat fruits and vegetables. There are many individuals who believe that cats eat the same things as human beings. This is not true; in fact feeding a cat fruits and vegetables can make a cat ill. Many people believe that wild cats roam the outdoors eating fruits and vegetable types of foods. This is a misconception as most wild cats eat meat, which is what your cat should mostly eat.·    Most cats need at least 140g of mouse per day. This measures out to be at least 5 mice a day that cats need in order to meet their caloric intake requirement.·    Cats are carnivores. Cats live and thrive mainly off of an exclusive animal diet and don't need the same kind of nutrients that we do.·    Many researchers believe that cats can distinguish between the four different tastes; sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Cats do not have a great attraction to sweet tastes.·    For the most part, cats enjoy eating things like fish, meats, and other proteins. Sometimes they can exhibit strange eating behaviors such as eating plants or green leafy vegetables they find lying around. Eating plants and greens makes cats vomit which can help get rid of hair balls in their throat. They will naturally eat grass in the wild to help with digestion so don't be too surprised when they start munching on house plants. They're just trying to find a substitute for grass.·    The key to good cat food is its nutritional content which should mimic nutritional composition of a "natural" diet for cats. The term natural refers to anything that they can catch and feed themselves. While supplemental food is sometimes needed, the natural foods are best for the health and diet of your cat. Cat food can sometimes be considered natural and contain no artificial ingredients, but it's not really a "natural" food in the same sense of what cats eat in the wild.·    A wild cat will instinctively know what they want and like to eat, while a domesticated cat does not. They are so used to being around people and "people" food that they don't really act like cats are supposed to act. As the owner of a cat it is your job to show them what kinds of foods they should be eating by providing for them. When owners don't provide the appropriate foods for their cats, it can lead to malnutrition and unhealthy eating habits.·    Cats can lose their appetite just as easily as an adult can lose theirs, and for various reasons. Loss of appetite can be a symptom of illness or something else. It's important to know your own cat's eating behaviors so you can properly assess the situation. Some cats will eat their meals quickly and others will eat slowly and are more reluctant eaters.These are just some general eating behaviors that can be seen in most cat breeds, however in order to really assess the eating habits of your cat you need to pay close attention to them every time they eat. Watch to see if they eat slow, or fast, or what kinds of foods they prefer. Do they eat mice or just hunt them? Are they chewing on plants around the house? Every little thing can make a difference when it comes to eating patterns so watch carefully.

Feeding Your Cat

Feeding your cat is a simple endeavor. With loving attention and care you will discover which foods your cat likes best. Buying name brand and upmarket cat food will ensure the best nutrition, health and longevity for your furry friend.Cats can be fed in two ways. You can either leave out a bowl of dry food for your cat to eat at its leisure or feed it wet/canned food once or twice a day and dispose of the uneaten remainder after 30 minutes. Kittens need to eat more than adult cats. When your kitten is 6-12 weeks old, feeding it four times a day is optimal. A kitten that is three to six months old needs to be fed three times per day.Adult cats need to be fed smaller meals, two or three times each day. Kittens sometimes refuse to eat or don't eat enough. To help them out, you can heat up the cat food or feed your kitten human baby food (turkey and chicken for babies six months and older), eventually phasing out the baby food as you mix with cat food over a short period of time.Cats need to drink plenty of clean, fresh water. Make sure their water bowls are washed on a daily basis and refilled at all times.Feeding your cat a saucer of milk is detrimental to them as the digestive system of cats and kittens are not suited for cow's milk, sometimes causing diarrhea.Most cats love treats and it is acceptable to offer a special snack to them every now and then. Treats can also cause weight gain in cats, which is unhealthy, and should be given to them sparingly. Some cats go crazy for fruits and vegetables such as peas or carrots. You will have to experiment to see which people food treats your cat enjoys.Some cats will eat like pigs! If this is your case, terminate the "free-feeding" method (when you leave out dry food all day for your cat to eat when it's hungry) and start your cat on a more precise feeding schedule. To avoid an upset and hungry cat, gradually trim down its meals slowly. If your cat eats too fast and vomits after eating, you can put out a few pieces of dry food and monitor the speed of its intake or place a few clean rock mix in with the food. Make sure the rocks are big enough that it won't eat them accidentally but not too big that it will ignore them. The cat will eat slower as it has to figure out which is the actual food in the bowl, making feeding time a slower operation.If you have more than one cat or have a house full of cats and one of them requires a specific diet (ask your vet), it is a good idea to put them on a morning/night feeding schedule and supervise the eating process. Some cats are more aggressive and hungrier than others and they may finish off their own bowl and move on to another cat's dish. If this happens, organize different feeding rooms for the greedy ones so every cat gets its proper share of food.

Facts About Cat Food & Ferret Food

Until the late 1990s, cat food was one of the choices added to a ferret's diet as it contains a good amount of protein and fat. Essential for the dietary needs of a ferret, and up to now, some people still use it as the main food given to their ferrets.What comprises a good food for ferrets? In order to meet their diet standards, the food given to them must contain at least 35% of protein and 20% of fat. If these two ingredients are contained in their meal, you could be rest assured that your ferret will be healthy and full of energy.The amount and type of food would be dependent on the kind of ferret that you have. If you have a kit (a young ferret) or an adult ferret, then certain factors are to be taken into consideration.Let's start with the case where you got your kit from a breeder. Ask all the information that you need to know about your new ferret, such as brand of cat food or ferret food, vaccination schedules, was your ferret already de-scented and neutered?If you decided to continue using the brand and type of food that the breeder is using, then there's not problem with that. Go ahead and purchase the food from the market or pet shop.In case that you decided to change the brand of food, with reasons such as availability in your area, cost, and/or quality. Then you need to follow a simple rule as you can't just suddenly change your ferret's current diet. Your new ferret will be in a surprise and most probably will not accept the sudden change in their regular meal.What you need to do is to gradually increase the amount of new food added to the old brand that you are going to replace. This means that you need to buy the old food from your area or from the breeder (this is much easier than looking for the brand yourself), and mix it with the new food that you have chosen.In choosing the right kind of food, in regards to cat food, I hope that you choose the highest quality available in the market. You wouldn't want your pet to receive a daily amount of nutrients lesser than the standard amount that we have set in. And this should only be given to adult ferrets.Ferret food is still the best food as it is especially made for ferrets and the amount of nutrients it contains fits the standard or recommended amount. Next thing to make sure is that the food should not be frozen meat, ferrets hate this kind of food and one more thing is that it has lesser nutrients. Always give the best for your ferrets.

Dry Food Versus Canned - Your Cat's Health Is In The Balance

If you feed your kitty dry food, you may be setting him up for feline diabetes and urinary tract problems.  Your furry friend is an "obligate carnivore," which means that he needs to be getting his protein requirements from a meat-based diet, not a grain-based one.  His body is not built to digest plant proteins like corn, wheat, and rice efficiently.Guess what most commercial dry foods are made of?  You've got it--corn, wheat, and rice.  And this includes dry foods formulated especially for diabetic cats.  Feeding a kitty with this disease a diet high in carbohydrates has been compared to pouring gasoline on a fire and wondering why you can't put it out.A kitty in the wild eats birds, mice, rabbits, and squirrels, not grains.  This meat-based diet contains only three to five percent carbohydrates.  Commercial dry foods, on the other hand, contain between 35 to 50% carbohydrates.  These excess carbs are stored in your kitty's body as fat.  And it's a known fact that fat cells secrete a substance that causes insulin resistance, a factor in type 2 diabetes.Water is another important nutrient.  Most kitties don't drink a lot of water.  Why is this?  Wild cats, large and small, get most of their water from the animals they eat, so felines don't have a strong thirst drive.  This can lead to problems when we feed dry food, which only contains about 10 percent water.  If your furball eats mostly dry food, he's probably in a constant state of low-level dehydration.High-quality canned foods not only contain about 78 percent water, but their carbohydrate level is around three to five percent.  This is much closer to what a cat would eat in the wild, and provides the water he needs.A kitty who eats dry food exclusively may drink more water than one who eats canned food.  But when you consider how much water he's getting from both his food and what he drinks, the kitty on dry food is taking in only half the amount of water the kitty on canned food is getting.  This is probably one reason why urinary tract infections are so common in kitties.Kidney disease is one of the leading causes of feline death.  A kitty who is chronically dehydrated is more than likely headed for kidney problems.  Any feline with kidney trouble needs to be fed a high-quality canned food, not dry food.It's important to read pet food labels.  This isn't as easy as you would think, since these labels don't really have a lot of information on them.  You can get an idea of what's in the food, but not how much of each ingredient.  For example, if "rice" is mentioned, you can't tell if the food contains a lot of rice or a small amount.  You may need to contact the pet food company and ask for a breakdown of the number of calories that come from protein, from fat, and from carbohydrates.  If more than ten percent of the calories come from carbohydrates, avoid that food.Look for a muscle meat as the first ingredient, not an organ meat like liver.  Words like "chicken" or "turkey" are preferable to "by-products" or "broth" or "meal."  "Meal" is a meat that has been cooked for a long time at high temperatures, which lowers its quality.  "By-products" includes yummy stuff like feet, intestines, feathers, and egg shells.There shouldn't be any grain listed, but since grains are inexpensive, most pet food companies include them as fillers.  Corn, wheat, and soy should not be among the first three ingredients, as they cause blood sugar to go up quickly.  These ingredients are also common allergens, along with yeast.Most of the "prescription" diets contain corn, wheat, soy, and meat by-products, and they're also very high in carbohydrates.  Be aware that words like "natural," "premium," or "veterinarian recommended" don't mean a lot.It's unfortunate, but many vets don't know a lot about nutrition.  Do your own research to prevent health problems for your kitty.Note:  If your kitty has diabetes and is being treated with insulin, be sure to check with your vet BEFORE making any changes to his diet.  Dietary changes can change the amount of insulin your furry friend needs, and too much or too little insulin will cause serious problems or death.

Details of Some Essential Cat Food Ingredients

Most people are not aware of the effect of various ingredients on the health of their cat. If people have knowledge about the food they give their cats, they can avoid health problems that are caused due to low quality food. There are many infections and illnesses that can be avoided if you give them food that has nutrients they need.If you are planning to feed your animal friend with packaged food, it is important that you known the ingredients used and the impact of these ingredients on the health of your cat. You can find out the details of the ingredients used by the manufacturer by reading the label. However, your efforts will not yield results if you don't known the pros and cons of the ingredients used.The dietary requirements of cats are similar to that of humans. When the right ingredients are used, the immune power of your animal friend increases and they are less likely to fall. Here are some important ingredients that must be a part of your pet's diet.AntioxidantsVitamins are the most important cat food ingredient as they are an important source of antioxidants. Most vets recommend that you give your pet vitamins like Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin K as they are a good source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential to improve the immunity system of your pet and to keep them safe from various diseases and their symptoms.ProteinsCats need both vegetable and meat protein for their healthy growth and development. Some of the best sources of meat protein include ducks, pork, egg, pork and chicken. You can give your pet rice, rye, wheat, oatmeal, beet pulp and corn as they are a good source of vegetable protein.Fibers and FatsThe importance of food that contains fiber and moderate amounts of healthy fats cannot be denied. Foods that have high fiber content help in maintaining the health of the cat. Hulls of grains are considered to be the best source of fiber. Giving your cat moderate amounts of healthy animal fats will help in maintaining their skin and add flavor to their food. You can give your pet fish oil as it is an important source of animal fat.So the next time you buy food for your cat, make sure you check the ingredients used. Avoid buying cheap food for your pet as it may be made using low quality ingredients. It is a good idea to buy premium food for your animal friend even if it is a bit expensive.

Choosing an Important Cat Food - An Important Aspect of Cat Health Care

The most basic duty for a cat owner is insuring that your cat receives proper health care. This includes vaccination shots, bringing your feline to veterinarian check-ups, providing food, shelter, and flea removal medicine. Unfortunately, sometimes the most important elements of proper health care is overlooked. Many cat owners spend countless hours and funds yet neglect one of the most basic needs; cat food.Just like humans, cats need a proper diet. Choosing the correct cat food for your feline is extremely important. To insure you have a healthy and satisfied cat it is essential. Before you go searching for a new cat food, you need to understand why it is so important. You also need to learn what to look for. There is a general guideline for choosing a cat food, but every cat has slightly different nutritional needs.Avoid food laden with preservatives and chemical additives. Most of the research available on the web does not contrast particular brand names. You will need to compile a list of ingredients that are great for your cat, and ones that are to be avoided. You will need to pay attention to the fat, carbohydrate, and protein contents of the food as well.A high protein diet is vital. House cats inherit their protein needs from their carnivorous wild cat ancestors. Carbohydrate content is also an important portion of a cats diet. Even though it is something you must consider, most of their nutritional needs are met by protein. You must remember that, even though carbohydrate content is important, foods high in carbohydrates are not best for them.Premium brands of cat food generally offer exactly what most cats need. They may be more expensive in the short term, but they will save you loads of money in the long term. Your cat will lead a fuller and healthier life. You will also be helping prevent serious complications that can result in the use of a low quality food.Another thing to consider is that the high end cat food generally has a smaller serving size. This is because the high end food includes all of the ingredients needed to keep your feline healthy, unlike cheaper foods. For example, when comparing a leading premium brand of cat food to a lower cost brand the difference for the recommended serving size ends up only being five cents a day!Not all chicken is the same! Try to find food containing "chicken meal". Chicken meal is one of the best protein types you can feed your car. It can not be made from byproducts, it must be made from the flesh, skin, and bones only. Byproducts are lower quality and contain nearly any animal part you can imagine.Examine any food that says "flavor" such as "chicken flavor". These food may not even contain that food in the ingredients. Food labeled this way often does not even contain any animal meat, it only tastes like whatever it is flavored as. Chicken, in general, is better than beef.

Cat Food Review - What Is In A Bag of Cat Food

Cats have been known throughout the centuries as beautiful and magical creatures. There has been folklore, cat items in Egyptian tombs, and even Cat Woman in movies. These animals are so easy to care for. They can be playful, extremely smart, and so full of love. To keep these cats healthy, their food has to be made a certain way. They have sensitive tummies and are prone to terrible kitty diseases like the dreaded Leukemia. When is the last time the ingredients were checked in a bag of pet food? Read on to review cat food.The first five ingredients on the label should say: What is the protein source? What are the grains? Are there by-products? What are the fat sources? What are the healthy promoting ingredients if any?If two or more grains are found in the top five ingredients in a cat food review this means there is more vegetable protein than animal protein. These grains are harder to digest and so it is eliminated as waste. A cat is not a human who is on a Vegan diet. Cats are animals that must have real protein to have proper nutrition.There should never ever be by products in healthy cat food. By-products are ground up items that come off animals that should never be considered to put in pet food.With fats, it needs to be animal fat to make the skin and fur beautiful and shiny. Vegetable fats and oils do not do the job. The best source to use is chicken. A cat can metabolize animal fats much better.In a bag of cat food, healthy and holistic foods have antioxidants, Probiotics, beet fiber, and plenty of vitamins and minerals.Now, what is in the bag of cat food sitting on the shelf right now? In the cat food review, a person could have their mouth on the ground. Thinking it is a name brand company surely the cat's nutrition would be fine. Well, think again!Within five minutes of reading this article, a person has learned things a cat should be having. Beets help the cat with their sensitive tummy by helping their digestive track. A cat is always nibbling grass because they know from the wild it helps their stomach.A bag of cat food is not designed for all cats. There are different life stages, breeds, personality, living environment, and activity levels in each cat.A holistic pet food company knows cat nutrition inside and out. Everything is certified as holistic cat food. Even the plant and the packaging are designed for optimal health of the pets. Everything mentioned above in the first five ingredients that is supposed to be there in cat food, is. That is a great pet food company.

Cats Can Have Food Allergies Too

Food allergies can effect many creatures other than just humans. Cats are one of the creatures that you would never expect to get a food allergy. While it can be great to have a pet to keep you company when you are all alone in your house, it becomes your responsibility to make sure that animal stays in good healthy. Cats can show food allergies when they are only a few months old, but it generally takes upwards of 2 years for them to begin go exhibit symptoms. Cats with food allergies may also suffer from contact or inhalant allergies as well.Most people often confuse their cat's food allergies with a food intolerance. A food allergy will have a few different symptoms. These symptoms usually include skin problems and itching. If a cat has a food intolerance it will have diarrhea or vomit after eating. Both food intolerance and food allergies can be cured the same way however. Simply by taking away the cats food and switching it to a much more mild hypoallergenic diet you will completely remove the symptoms.Dairy products, beef, and fish are the most common food types that will likely give your cat allergies. These are also very common ingredients in cat foods. The proteins in these ingredients are what causes the allergic reaction.Itchy skin is the main symptom your cat will show if it is suffering from a cat allergic. This will often lead to excessive scratching and hair loss. Merely by looking at the physical symptoms your cat is showing you can quickly tell if the cat is suffering from a food allergy or another kind of allergy such as an Atopy allergy. A cat suffering from a food allergy will also show symptoms all year round, as opposed to in a certain season.

Cat Dandruff - 4 Steps to Get Rid of Cat Dandruff For Good

If your cat has a lot of loose dead skin cell flakes caught in his fur, you may be dealing with cat dandruff. Its not unusual for dogs and cats to experience a bit of dry skin during their lifetime, but its important to identify the underlying cause of the problem. Common causes include allergies, diabetes, poor diet, fur mites, and even sun burn. Here's some tips on identifying the root cause of cat dandruff and how to deal with the problem for good.Dandruff is loose dead skin cells from the outer layer of your cat's skin usually visible in his fur. He may even scratch himself bloody resulting in missing patches of fur. The most common causes of cat dandruff are:
Feline diabetes;

Fungal infection;
 Environmental allergy;
 Food allergy;
Poor diet;
 Parasites including fleas, mites and especially the Cheyletiella mite;
 Low humidity environments;
 Sunburn Four steps to get rid of cat dandruff for good:Step 1: Take a trip to the vet to rule out a serious medical conditions. You are going to need your vet to help you diagnose feline diabetes, a skin fungus or to pinpoint a food or airborne allergy.Step 2: Get your cat on a proper high meat protein diet. You may think your cat is eating high quality cat food, however, commercial pet food companies are good at advertising poor quality cat food as a high-end product. Commercial cat food is packed with vegetable proteins, not meat proteins. Vegetable proteins don't help you cat one bit. Read the ingredients. If corn or soy grains are listed first on the list of ingredients you are feeding you cat vegetable proteins. You want a cat food product, preferably canned, that contains a meat protein as the first ingredient.Step 3: Remove complications caused by a dry climate and sunburns. In a dry climate, your cat's skin (your skin too) benefits by adding a humidifier to your home space. If you have a fair skinned cat, typically white fur feline, give her plenty of places to get in the shade when she is outside.Step 4: Now for the parasites. If you ever hear someone talking about 'walking dandruff' they are talking about the Chyletiella mite. These cat parasites are large enough to see with the naked eye. They are often the cause of skin problems and cat dandruff.You can treat skin parasites fairly easily, but you are going to have to treat all the animals in your household, the carpeting, the bedding and maybe even your family members. Use hot water and Oxyfresh or your favorite detergent to wash cat bedding, sheets, blankets and anything that you cat likes to lie on. Get out the vacuum and go over the carpet 2 or 3 times a week.Finally, get rid of the Cheyletiella mite once and for all using a flea and mite prevention program like Revolution, Frontline or Advantage. You will need a vet's prescription for these products but they are highly effective at controlling fleas and mites.You can help your cat's skin heal naturally using a homeopathic remedy such as Equisetum arvense and Taraxacum officinalis. The herbs are known for their ability to soothe your cat's skin sores and keep his skin hydrated. Fucus vesiculosis is a sea vegetable used in natural remedies to support the thyroid. The thyroid is key to producing hormones that are necessary for maintaining skin and coat.  You can even add a tablespoon of olive oil to your cat's food once or twice a week to stimulate natural oil production.So there you have it, how to get rid of cat dandruff for good by ruling out serious medical conditions like feline diabetes, making sure your cat is eating a high meat protein diet, adding moisture to your home environment with a humidifier and eliminating fleas, mites and especially the Cheyletiella mite. Your vet will need to help you to diagnose physical problems and to provide a prescription for flea products like Revolution. However, you can include natural cat skin care products to help your cat heal and provide long term relief from cat dandruff and other feline skin problems - no prescription required.

Cat Care - 9 Treats To Avoid Feeding Your Cat

Our feline friends are carnivores and as such their digestive systems are designed for high protein diets and not suited to treats fit for human consumption.Digestion is a process designed to break down food that supplies your cat with the necessary nutrients and subsequent energy to live a healthy, energy-filled life. As a cat's digestive system is developed for a high protein diet it has powerful gastric juices that assist in breaking down bones and meat. Their digestive systems do not have the necessary enzymes for a diet rich in plant matter or carbohydrates.As a responsible cat owner, it is important to understand what makes for good cat nutrition and what cat treats should be avoided. The following 'foods' and 'treats' are not recommended for cats:

Dog Food - Dog food does not contain sufficient proteins and taurine, which is an essential amino acid that cats produce in insufficient amounts. Dog food is not nutritionally balanced for cats. Similarly, dogs should not be fed cat food.
Canned Human Tuna - Canned tuna is not harmful provided it is an occasional treat and does not constitute your cat's main diet. Tuna is high in mercury and may result in mercury poisoning. Canned tuna also has a high sodium (salt) content and it not nutritionally balanced.
Garlic and Onion - Whilst a single feeding of food containing onions and garlic is not likely to make your cat ill, longterm, the sulfoxides and disulfides contained in these bulbs damages red blood cells which contain hemoglobin that is the oxygen carrying component of red blood cells. Reduced oxygen supply to the cat's organs can cause severe health problems and in severe cases - death
Tomatoes - Unripe or green tomatoes contain solanine, a toxin harmful to cats. Ingestion of tomatoes can cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Grapes and raisins - Whilst the experts have not established what component contained in grapes and raisins causes renal (kidney) damage, cat's that have ingested them have reportedly suffered renal failure.
Chocolate - This sweet treat is a no-no for cats and dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that cats cannot metabolize. Apart from nausea and vomiting, chocolate stimulates the central nervous system, increases the heart rate and may cause seizures and death. The more pure the chocolate the more dangerous it is.
Dairy Products - Whilst there is much debate on the subject of cow's milk for cats, the fact is that cats do not have the right enzymes to breakdown dairy products made from cow's milk (ice cream, cheese). They may suffer from gastrointestinal problems as a result of a lactose intolerance. The question of growth hormone in cow's milk is also a matter of separate debate.
Caffeine - tea and coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and not recommended for cats.
Alcohol - save the Budweiser and Johnnie Walker for human consumption. Finally, it's advisable to feed your cat a veterinary approved commercial cat food. If you are trained in the field of animal nutrition, organic cat foods or even homemade foods are perfect alternatives, provided they are nutritionally balanced. Give your cat occasional treats - but cat treats designed for cats.

Cat Behaviors - Eating Out Of and Tearing Up the Bag of Cat Food

We have had a guest cat living with us for awhile and he brought with him some strange cat behavior. One of the things he does is bite and claw at the cat food in the bag, even if the bowl is full. I think its a game to him but it make a real mess. He doesn't stop until he gets it open and spreads it all over the floor.Now he isn't our cat but I figure he needs to live by our rules. We could put the food up but we have two cats now and our cat Sid eats out of the bowl and we can leave the bag of cat food on the floor next to where we feed the cats. It's convenient for us and that's how we like it, were the humans.When training our Sid since he was a kitten we had certain rules in mind and those were the Cat behaviors we worked on teaching him.These are cat behaviors we believe any cat in our house should obey(and Sid Does) 

  Eat the cat food out of a bowl and not the bag of food
 
 
  Know it's name and come when called(at least most of the time)
 
 
  Stay off of the sink
 
 
  Use the cat box at all times
 
  Don't bite the hand that feeds youWhen it came to the new cat Tabby, he needed some discipline so we started working with him after a period of time at least until we knew he felt comfortable in our home. We used the same tactics that we used with Sid, since they worked pretty well with him. There are many trains of thought for training a cat but this is what we did,


  We use repetition when teaching him his name, call him a lot, and everyone be consistent. Don't use similar sounding words when calling your cat. Keep on until you get a response
 

 
  Teach them the word NO. Again be consistent and get a response. Everyone should use the same word, not stop or don't do that, stick with the same word.
 

 
  For biting use OUCH or NO and loudly. Make sure your not petting your cat to the point they have had enough. They will bite to tell you to stop. Sometimes they just want to sit on your lap.
 

 
  We use a water bottle for really stubborn behavior. A quick spray and a loud NO will work very well. All we have to do now is pick up the water bottle if Sid is misbehaving.
 
 With using all of the above we have taught Tabby to leave the bag of cat food alone and eat out of the bowl. He has also learned to recognize his name much better and will come to me sometimes, all are huge strides since Tabby has been an outside cat and his inside manners needed some improvement.

Cat Food Allergies - Signs and Symptoms That Your Cat is Allergic to the Food You Are Giving It

You cannot exactly tell you that you are giving him or her the wrong type of food. In fact, your cat may not realize how the food that he or she is eating is making him or her uncomfortable. According to studies, cat food allergies is very common among cats in the country. There are many types of cat food being sold in the market today that does not really sit well the stomach of some cats. Most of these foot that cause allergies are meat based products such as those that are made out of beef. In some cases, it containing fish and dairy products could also make your cat sick.Since your cat will not be able to tell you that the food you are giving him or her is making him or her sick, you better be alert to the signs and symptoms of food allergies. You quick attention to the condition of your cat may well save his or her life.Signs and SymptomsAllergies may be manifested in the dryness and flaking of your cat's skin. If you notice that your cat has flakes and that it constantly scratching itself in some parts of its body, it would be wise for you to investigate the cause of this behavior. Experts believe that there are certain ingredients that can cause allergies that may lead to balding of your cat. If you don't want your cat to lose its beautiful coat, you better switch to another type of food and see what happens. In most cases, cat allergies symptoms disappear once you discontinue giving your cat something that caused the allergies.Another sign of cat food allergies is the loss of appetite on your cat. In some cases, you cat may experience irritable bowel syndrome where your cat will have loose stools or constipation. If you notice that your cat is less active that he or she used to be, observe your cat for a day and note the way he or she defecates. If your cat does not eat much, strains when passing stool or pass loose stool, you should take your cat to the vet at once. Cat food allergies can have some serious on some cats so make sure that your cat is okay by taking it to the vet immediately.

Caring For Older Cats - Nutritional Cat Food

Older or senior cats need and deserve special dietary consideration. They are like us in that things don't always work as well as they did when we were younger.As our cat ages, food moves more slowly through the digestive tracts. The older cat also has a slower metabolism than when she was younger. Quite often the stomach and intestines don't do quite as good a job of digestion and absorption which can lead to malnutrition.Unfortunately our older cats taste buds will start to fail so food doesn't taste as good as it used to. If your cat as lost interest in eating I suggest talking to your vet about some taste enhancers. These can entice our senior feline friends into eating again.Older cats need less protein in their foods otherwise it could cause strain on the kidneys and liver which may already have deteriorated due to age. Protein for older cats should make up around 30% of the meal instead of the 40% you would feed a younger cat. However, do make the proteins of good quality food such as very lean red or white meat, fresh white fish plus some well cooked green vegetables. I would avoid carbohydrates or starchy foods as these can be harder for your older cat to digest. Too much of these can also cause diarrhea and other problems. Make sure your older cat has a diet which includes increased fat levels to provide for sufficient energy for your cat to move around easily.Quite often the older cat's teeth are worn and they can develop gum disease. For these reasons it is kinder to feed them on soft moist foods. You can try adding a spoonful of tinned to some dry food to make easier to eat and it could also cut costs. Alternatively you can soak some dry food in warm water or a broth to make a change in diet. Remember that wet food has more smell and taste which can entice the older cat to eat.I am lucky as we have rain water for drinking but I would suggest having a soft water for your older cat. He doesn't need and can't digest all the chemicals that usually come from a tap. Why not buy your cat some bottled water. It will last at least a day or so and to me is well worth the small cost involved. Keep an eye out for constipation if your cat is not drinking enough.As your cat ages start feeding it smaller meals more frequently. This will put far less stress on the aging digestive system. I would also suggest adding a vitamin-mineral supplement to senior cat's diet daily. I recommend discussing this with your vet.Old age is seldom kind. It doesn't matter if you are human or feline; things start to go wrong when we get older. The best thing you can do for your aging cat is to make sure that his diet provides enough nutrition for his needs, that he has somewhere comfortable to sleep and enough cuddles to make him feel wanted and loved.

Common Male Cat Trouble

In the field of Emergency Veterinary Medicine, one of the most common problems I saw was the male cat unable to urinate. It is more commonly known as being 'Blocked' or Feline Lower Urinary Disease. There is no absolute specific criteria as far as age, gender, or breed. The main common thread between almost all cases I have seen has been diet. More specifically, its effect on the urine PH. There are other reasons for inability to urinate, like trauma or even genetic deformity. What I want to talk about is being unable to urinate due to crystal formation.It may sound a little different from what I said before. PH versus crystal formation, but they both go hand in hand. If the PH is too alkalotic or too acidic, it can encourage crystal formation. As the crystals form they do not necessarily stay in the bladder but travel down the Urethra to the penis. At any point along the line, a build up of crystalline debris can cause an obstruction. This blockage in turn leads to an accumulation of metabolite waste and can cause renal failure.If this happen, some of the things you the pet owner may notice would be, frequent trips to the litter box, but with little to no results. You may see blood in the urine or small drops around or in the litter box. You may hear him cry out as he is pushing to urinate. This is usually a very painful time as he has a painfully distended bladder. Think about it, have you ever been somewhere without a bathroom and you really had to go. Feeling like your bladder will burst at any minute. Now multiply that feeling times a thousand and that is what he may be feeling.The difference of course is he is not purposely holding urine in. In very unfortunate cases, if not treated or treated to late, the bladder can rupture.But a far more frequent result before a rupture, is cause by the fact that he is not eliminating the waste from the body that is normally passed when he urinates. A build up of these waste materials, as I previously mentioned can cause renal failure. It can also result in an extremely fast heart beat. This is known as bradycardia. The causes of this hyperkalemia and pain. Lets go back for a minute to the fact that he is not eliminating his metabolic waste. One waste product is potassium. Hyperkalemia is in fact an excessive amount of potassium in the blood. you may be asking why the blood and not the bladder. Well if too much is in the bladder it can cause, essentially a backlog in the body to a point of excess in the blood.If the feline was at this point, which many emergency technicians have seen, they may be presented to the clinic in lateral recumbency or laying on their side. With an extremely high heart rate the risk of cardiac failure is increased. He would be considered a critical case. The prognosis at that point is very guarded. This is indeed a very extreme case, where perhaps he has been blocked for possibly six or seven hours. Now that is not to say that he could not get to this point in a matter of one to two hours, but it can usually be more than two.The main thing once the DVM has evaluated him is to get treatment started as soon as possible. The main thing that will need to be done is the actual unblocking. Because this is painful it will be done under anesthesia. That is assuming he is not one of the critical cases. If he is very critical, he may not be a very good candidate for anesthesia. This is something the doctor for your case will take into consideration when they formulates a treatment plan. Another thing they will consider is his medical history. If he has any issues or history of anesthetic difficulties, any medications he may be on, any other medical problems he may have and age. These are only a few of the things you will be asked and are necessary information for the doctor.If all is fairly straight forward, the doctor will formulate a plan and implement it. It will most likely include IV fluids for Diuresis, Pain management, urinary catheterization and collection set, Blood Work and urinalysis, possible antibiotics, and hospitalization for maybe three to five days. At many emergency facilities before any treatment is started, (unless he is very critical) the doctor and in some cases the technician will go over the plans and cost associated with the treatment.The owner needs to always be aware of the treatment costs. With that said, I don't want you to think that every clinic is all about the money. The staff at emergency clinics first priority is the pet. They have chosen this field because of the passion for helping, and empathy and compassion towards all creatures. But all pet owners should be aware that emergencies happen, and it is your responsibility to be prepared. It is true that most day clinics, while having a client relationship with owners will set up payment plans, But at two in the morning when they are not available, it is important to have a backup plan.The last thing I want to discuss is after treatment is done, and he is now urinating on his own. The urinary catheter has been removed and his blood work is looking more normal. When he is discharged from the clinic. The doctor will write up and discuss with you instruction to help prevent this from happening again. There is no guarantee that this will not happen again, but with a diet change and monitoring it will be less likely. It is important that you, the owner, follow the instructions given to you. As I previously mentioned the doctor will want to adjust the urine PH, and make the bladder a little less inviting to crystal formation. Mainly this is achieved through diet change. They may put him on a commercially available diet or a prescription diet that you can only get through a veterinarian. In any case it is important to stick with it and not change it. In most cases your male cat will be on the new diet for the remainder of his life, which hopefully will be many more years.I hope this article has helped. I have only touched on a few informative highlights. If you have any questions, you can call your local veterinarian or the next time you take your pet in for a check up bring it up. I'm sure they will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Cat Clothes When Shelter and Food Is Not Enough

When you have pets, you would like to provide them with the best care you can possibly give. When you've crossed out shelter and food off your list, you might be thinking about getting clothing for your pet. Even if your cat already has fur, you can still get him or her a good batch of cat clothes. Maybe you're going out in the cold and you think their fur won't be enough or maybe you just want your cat to be stylish and fashionable. There are many options when you're thinking about getting clothing for your cat.If you want to get cat clothes, you have to be ready to put a little effort into the shopping. Compared to dog clothes, cat outfits can be pretty scarce and even the most stocked up pet stores might not be selling them. Do your search online if you want something less time consuming but extensive. Online, you can find a great many choices as well as clothes in a wide range of price brackets. It's going to be easy to start a collection when you see all the possible choices in the market.You might like to get your cat some cat clothes in the form of cat dresses. Of course, that would mean, your cat is a girl. In this case, there are many styles, colors, and patterns to choose from. You only have to choose one depending on what you like and also what matches your cat well. If you want a cat dress with satin bows, they're readily available online. There might be a very special party coming up and you want your cat to be dress up to the nines as you. When it comes to pet clothes, cat dresses are the perfect choice.If you and your cat like to spend a lot of time outdoors, the cat clothes you might want to stock up on are cat coats. Again, their fur might not be enough for the coldness of the day and also the day you want to go out with your cat might be a bit wet. With a good cat coat, you can ensure that your cat is warm and dry in any kind of weather. If you get coats in a waterproof material, you have the ability to go out with your cat even if the day is raining cats and dogs.

Cat Adoption How to Choose a Shelter Cat

        I've adopted two cats from shelters. The first one was actually for my mother who needed a new animal companion after her dog died, but was getting too old to look after another dog. I wanted to get her a very friendly cat that would enjoy her company and sitting on her lap. I was looking for a cat at least a year old so that my mother would have it for a while.The second adoption was for my own family. We had a 6-month-old Burmese who had just lost his sister. He really needed the company of another cat, so we went looking for a playful cat of similar age that liked being with other cats.In both cases, knowing what characteristics I wanted was crucial. In the first instance, the shelter did not provide much information about each cat's temperament, so I entered the large room housing the adoptable cats and first looked for the ones that responded to me with interest and friendliness. I observed which cats enjoyed being petted. One very quickly rubbed against my hand and followed me around the room as I checked out the others. She was the one! And a great success she was too. She and my mother adored each other and lived together for many years.The second adoption occurred with more technological assistance! My family found her on the shelter's website where her photo and biography were posted. We put her on a list with the other cats of the right age that liked cat company. Although our Burmese was initially defensive about the new arrival, after a couple of days we knew we had made the right choice as they started to play with each other the way the two siblings had done. She loves her humans as well.How can you be sure you'll have similar success choosing a shelter cat? When you get there, look at all the cats and interact with them as much as you can. Read the information available on each cat - the staff and volunteers will have described their temperaments and any special needs. Notice which cats are good with other animals and children if these are requirements. Do you want a quiet or outgoing cat?Ask to hold and play with particular cats. If there are toys to play with, try to engage with the cats that interest you. If you want a mouser, you'll want a playful cat.Often shelter cats choose you! That certainly seemed to happen with my mother's cat. You'll most likely have stronger feelings towards one or two cats. If you can't decide, try asking the shelter staff for help. Tell them what you're looking for, where you live, whether you intend the cat to be indoors or outdoors, how many hours a day the cat will spend alone and so on.If you can't decide, just sit or stand quietly and see which cat comes to you. If worst comes to worst, you can always get two!    

Abyssinian Cat Breeders - Abyssinian Cat Breeders Have A Wild Time

If you hang around Abyssinian cat breeders you will be convinced that must have raised squirrels at some point in their lives.  Abyssinian cat breeders and owners say that living with an Abyssinian is like living with squirrels.

Abys have the wildcat look of felis lybica, the African wildcat ancestor of all domestic cats.  You might think they  bear some resemblance to a mountain lion, a mini-cougar.  Unlike their wild cousin, they area very sweet and affectionate animals that love to interact with their human families.  Images in ancient Egypt show cats with a very similar appearance, right down to the ticked appearance of their coats.  In the early eighteen hundreds, the first Abyssinian cats arrived in England from Ethiopia on trader ships

The Abyssinian cat has a graceful tail that is as long as the rest of its body.  Although Abyssinians can have coats in several shades, including ruddy, red, blue and fawn, they all are tabbies with a ticked appearance.  This means that each individual hair has four to six bands of dark and light color.  This cat breed has a wedge shaped face with eyes that are green, amber, or hazel colored.

It is no surprise that such a curious breed is also extremely active.  While they will spend some loving time in the lap, do not consider them a lap cat.   You should also put up your breakables, and rethink your decorating.   It may be time to add some cat furniture decor for climbing.

Owners spend a lot of time playing with these 'feline squirrels'.   Abyssinians can scale any fences, rail or wall trim as they explore their surroundings.   If you adopt an Aby, you'll grow accustomed to seeing her cross shelving and even jump several feet in the air.

Did I mention toys?  These cats need lots of toys.  If you don't provide playthings, your cat will use your belongings to create his own toys.  There goes your necklace, earrings and grandmother's ring.

Perhaps more than any other breed you must keep a close eye on your Abyssinian if you allow him to go outdoors.    He is an escape artist.   Plus he has to introduce himself to the neighbors.

This breed's personality means that it needs a lot of attention and affection from its owner.  An Abyssinian is the wrong choice for anyone who spends most of their time away from home at the office or traveling.  This breed does enjoy playing and interacting with other cats.  You could add another Abyssinian to the fray, but an Aby really doesn't make a good latchkey kid.

It won't take long for you to teach your cat a few simple commands.  He can learn to come to you when he is called, fetch and chase.  This  helps keep him trim too.   It shouldn't be a chore to spend time playing and training this agile descendant of Ethiopian wildcats.

As a breed, Abyssinians are very healthy.   The breed can be prone to kidney problems (feline renal amyloidosis), become anemic, have a tendency to develop gingivitis, and develop a degenerative eye disorder (progressive retinal atrophy) which can end up in blindness.

With its short sleek coat, the Abyssinian needs very little grooming.  However, they have been known to love water and have fun in the bath -- with or without their human bather.

All Abyssinian cat breeders know, their felines probably won't spend a lot of time in your lap, but they will learn quickly and have a wild time with you and your family.