Author: Rona Limsy
If you notice something blackish and small crawling around your cat's fur, you are probably right to suspect that they are cat fleas. When cat fleas strike, they can mean big trouble and it’s important to get rid of cat fleas quickly and thoroughly. A flea infestation of your home can happen in no time at all as the fleas lay eggs on carpeting. A cat flea treatment often isn’t enough and you’ll have to deep clean your whole home.
It is quite easy to notice the presence of cat fleas. Your cat may be scratching very frequently and more intensely than normal. You or your family may have red itchy spots on your ankles or stomach as well.
Comb your cat's fur near its tail and you will find small bits of dead fur and blackish dirt. This is the excrement of fleas. To test, tap the hair and dirt onto a white piece of paper and sprinkle over with water. If the little bits of crumbling, dark stuff dissolve into what looks like blood, you can be sure it is definitely a case of cat fleas. You might even notice the tiny black insects crawling or leaping about. It is critical that you send your cat for a flea treatment immediately, as you need to get rid of cat flea problems as fast as you can.
Your vet will be able to offer easy solutions for cat flea treatment. "Advantage" is one product that will help get rid of the cat flea problem without having to give your cat a bath in insecticidal solutions (also available at your veterinarian). The Advantage cat flea treatment is a spot-on treatment. The pet owner places a drop of the solution onto your cat's skin in between its shoulder blades. Reapply at scheduled intervals to ensure that all fleas are killed. That’s it! "Frontline" is another popular choice for spot-on treatments.
Natural options for cat flea treatment exist as well. However, these are far more painstaking than spot-on treatments. Washing your pet with 1 - 2 rounds of soapy water and then combing (once it is dry) with a fine-toothed flea comb can help get rid of cat flea eggs, larvae and mature insects from your cat's fur. You’ll probably have to comb your cat every night for several in order for the cat flea treatment to be effective. Wiping a lemon-juice repellent on your cat's fur can help to remove any cat flea hitchhikers on your kitty, though you’ll still have to remove the eggs and larvae by hand.
Whichever treatment you choose, for the cat flea treatment to be effective, you’ll need to thoroughly vacuum your home and steam-clean all upholstery as well. Wash all bedding, throws, or blankets the cat is in contact with in hot, soapy water. Secure the vacuum bag in a plastic bag before throwing it into the outside garbage bin.
Prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can try these natural remedies to get rid of cat flea worries before the pests invade your pet. Feed your cat garlic in its meal and add a dash of apple cider vinegar to its water. If it doesn't want to drink it, then just use the apple cider vinegar as a spray to deter fleas by misting your pet every now and then.
To get cat care information, click http://www.My-Pet-Cat-Page.com
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Keeping Cats Out Of Your Garden
Author: Andi B.
Your first line of defense when keeping cats out of your garden is to make sure that you have your boundaries secure. If there are any gaps in your fence, you should make sure that you block them to prevent any low access. Cats are very agile animals, and can jump very high. Normally they can jump a fence, which is why you should also invest in string or taut wire across the top.
If a cat has made his way into your garden, it may be hard to get him out. Most people choose to use dogs, simply because dogs are known to dislike cats. There are several dog breeds out there that completely dislike cats, such as pit bulls and Dobermans. Cats are completely fearful of these breeds, and will flee if they see them around.
All cats are known to despise water as well. If you spot a cat in your garden, water almost always gets him out. All it takes is a bucket of water or a well aimed squirt with a garden hose to make him run away. After you have hit the cat with water several times, he should get the hint not to come back anymore. If he comes back, simply squirt him or throw more water on him until he gets the idea.
Protecting your plants is a different story. Mothballs are said to be very effective, as cats don’t like the smell. You can use mothballs around your plants, garden borders, or even along the fence. There are other repellents that you can use as well, such as cayenne peppers, tobacco, lavender oil, citronella oil, mustard oil, and even lemon grass oil.
If you visit your local hardware or lawn store, you can find motion activated sprinklers. They work great in keeping cats out of your garden. Once you install the sprinkler system and a cat comes into the area, the detector will pick up the cat’s presence and immediately shoot out a jet of water that will douse the cat. In most cases, all it takes is a few times of exposure to the sprinkler before a cat learns to stay out of that area.
Sound devices that feature high frequencies are also a great way to scare off cats, although they aren’t annoying to humans. You can find several different models, such as those that stay on all the time, and those that are motion detected. To use this type of device, you’ll need to make sure that the model you have is strong enough to cover the entire area. If you model you are using is strong enough to cover your entire garden, it should suffice in scaring off any unwanted animals.
You can also use commercial repellents as well. Commercial repellents use scents to keep cats away, and shouldn’t be used near any food crops. Due to their high chemical content, commercial repellents can pollute your crops. You can find them at your local department store, with several varieties to choose from, many of which will fend off other animals from your garden as well.
If you have a garden, it can be very annoying if cats and other animals decide to make your garden their home. If you stick to your guns and do your part, you can prevent them from bothering your garden or your crops. Once you have secured your boundaries around the garden, you should try using water first. If water doesn’t seem to work, you can look into another method, such as commercial repellents.
Article by Dog-and-Cat-Training.com
Visit http://www.dog-and-cat-training.com/cat-training/ for more cat training articles, over 100 dog and cat tips, and more!
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_145804_54.html
Your first line of defense when keeping cats out of your garden is to make sure that you have your boundaries secure. If there are any gaps in your fence, you should make sure that you block them to prevent any low access. Cats are very agile animals, and can jump very high. Normally they can jump a fence, which is why you should also invest in string or taut wire across the top.
If a cat has made his way into your garden, it may be hard to get him out. Most people choose to use dogs, simply because dogs are known to dislike cats. There are several dog breeds out there that completely dislike cats, such as pit bulls and Dobermans. Cats are completely fearful of these breeds, and will flee if they see them around.
All cats are known to despise water as well. If you spot a cat in your garden, water almost always gets him out. All it takes is a bucket of water or a well aimed squirt with a garden hose to make him run away. After you have hit the cat with water several times, he should get the hint not to come back anymore. If he comes back, simply squirt him or throw more water on him until he gets the idea.
Protecting your plants is a different story. Mothballs are said to be very effective, as cats don’t like the smell. You can use mothballs around your plants, garden borders, or even along the fence. There are other repellents that you can use as well, such as cayenne peppers, tobacco, lavender oil, citronella oil, mustard oil, and even lemon grass oil.
If you visit your local hardware or lawn store, you can find motion activated sprinklers. They work great in keeping cats out of your garden. Once you install the sprinkler system and a cat comes into the area, the detector will pick up the cat’s presence and immediately shoot out a jet of water that will douse the cat. In most cases, all it takes is a few times of exposure to the sprinkler before a cat learns to stay out of that area.
Sound devices that feature high frequencies are also a great way to scare off cats, although they aren’t annoying to humans. You can find several different models, such as those that stay on all the time, and those that are motion detected. To use this type of device, you’ll need to make sure that the model you have is strong enough to cover the entire area. If you model you are using is strong enough to cover your entire garden, it should suffice in scaring off any unwanted animals.
You can also use commercial repellents as well. Commercial repellents use scents to keep cats away, and shouldn’t be used near any food crops. Due to their high chemical content, commercial repellents can pollute your crops. You can find them at your local department store, with several varieties to choose from, many of which will fend off other animals from your garden as well.
If you have a garden, it can be very annoying if cats and other animals decide to make your garden their home. If you stick to your guns and do your part, you can prevent them from bothering your garden or your crops. Once you have secured your boundaries around the garden, you should try using water first. If water doesn’t seem to work, you can look into another method, such as commercial repellents.
Article by Dog-and-Cat-Training.com
Visit http://www.dog-and-cat-training.com/cat-training/ for more cat training articles, over 100 dog and cat tips, and more!
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_145804_54.html
Why Does My Cat Bring Home Her Prey?
Author: Larry Chamberlain
Have you ever had the nasty experience of finding some poor little dead creature slap-bang in the middle of your kitchen floor? Or, worse yet, has your 'oh so innocent looking cat' dropped a mutilated prey right at your feet and acted as if you should be pleased about it?
If things like the above have happened to you, you must have wondered why your cat does that. After all you feed her, and feed her well, don't you? So why does she feel the need to hunt wildlife, let alone bring the corpses or injured but still living creatures back home?
A well cared for domestic cat does not hunt through hunger. Just because she does not have the need to hunt doesn't mean that she doesn't have the instinct. Cats are predators. When cats first moved in with humans thousands of years ago it was because of their proficient hunting skills. The cats learnt that where there were humans there were also rodents. The humans learnt just how accomplished cats are at catching and killing, thereby keeping the rodent population down. It was to be many years later that felines became thought of as pets and were kept primarily for their companionship.
"So OK, cats are natural born hunters, but why do they have to bring their catch home?"
There is more than one theory on this, but the most likely explanation is that your cat views you as an incompetent kitten who needs schooling in the ways of hunting. Spayed females are the most likely to bring home their catch. Kitty may be deprived of the ability to reproduce, but she does retain maternal instincts it seems.
"So she thinks I need to learn to go out and hunt food. But why does she bring back half-dead mice and other creatures?"
Usually the first catch a mother cat brings to her kittens will be dead. She will eat the prey in front of the kittens - this is food, and this is how you eat it. Then mom moves on to bringing home prey that she has injured and mangled. She will finish off her catch in front of her kittens - this is prey, and this is how you kill it. Finally she will start to bring home captured but unharmed creatures. Mom will let the prey go in front of her young ones and demonstrate to them how she stalks, pounces and catches - this is prey, and this is what you have to do before you can kill it and eat it.
"Well OK, my cat thinks that it is not enough that I know how to use a can opener, she thinks I should know how to hunt. It's nice of her to look after my interest but dead, half eaten or mutilated little animals disgust me. And I don't like her killing wildlife especially birds. How can I stop her?"
You can't take away her hunting instinct. Punishing her in any way would be futile. Even showing your distaste at her activities will probably confuse her, she has done you a service and you are unhappy about it!
Cats will hunt. Some more successfully than others but they will do it. The only way you can prevent them from hunting wildlife is to keep them indoors. If you prefer your cat to enjoy the outdoors fitting her out with a bell (attached to a breakaway collar for your cat's safety,) will go a long way in preventing her destroying wild birds.
***********
Please feel free to use this article on your cat or pet related web site or in your ezine. Please keep it intact, including this resource box (you may make minor formatting alterations,) and keep all links as hyperlinks. Thank you.
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Have you ever had the nasty experience of finding some poor little dead creature slap-bang in the middle of your kitchen floor? Or, worse yet, has your 'oh so innocent looking cat' dropped a mutilated prey right at your feet and acted as if you should be pleased about it?
If things like the above have happened to you, you must have wondered why your cat does that. After all you feed her, and feed her well, don't you? So why does she feel the need to hunt wildlife, let alone bring the corpses or injured but still living creatures back home?
A well cared for domestic cat does not hunt through hunger. Just because she does not have the need to hunt doesn't mean that she doesn't have the instinct. Cats are predators. When cats first moved in with humans thousands of years ago it was because of their proficient hunting skills. The cats learnt that where there were humans there were also rodents. The humans learnt just how accomplished cats are at catching and killing, thereby keeping the rodent population down. It was to be many years later that felines became thought of as pets and were kept primarily for their companionship.
"So OK, cats are natural born hunters, but why do they have to bring their catch home?"
There is more than one theory on this, but the most likely explanation is that your cat views you as an incompetent kitten who needs schooling in the ways of hunting. Spayed females are the most likely to bring home their catch. Kitty may be deprived of the ability to reproduce, but she does retain maternal instincts it seems.
"So she thinks I need to learn to go out and hunt food. But why does she bring back half-dead mice and other creatures?"
Usually the first catch a mother cat brings to her kittens will be dead. She will eat the prey in front of the kittens - this is food, and this is how you eat it. Then mom moves on to bringing home prey that she has injured and mangled. She will finish off her catch in front of her kittens - this is prey, and this is how you kill it. Finally she will start to bring home captured but unharmed creatures. Mom will let the prey go in front of her young ones and demonstrate to them how she stalks, pounces and catches - this is prey, and this is what you have to do before you can kill it and eat it.
"Well OK, my cat thinks that it is not enough that I know how to use a can opener, she thinks I should know how to hunt. It's nice of her to look after my interest but dead, half eaten or mutilated little animals disgust me. And I don't like her killing wildlife especially birds. How can I stop her?"
You can't take away her hunting instinct. Punishing her in any way would be futile. Even showing your distaste at her activities will probably confuse her, she has done you a service and you are unhappy about it!
Cats will hunt. Some more successfully than others but they will do it. The only way you can prevent them from hunting wildlife is to keep them indoors. If you prefer your cat to enjoy the outdoors fitting her out with a bell (attached to a breakaway collar for your cat's safety,) will go a long way in preventing her destroying wild birds.
***********
Please feel free to use this article on your cat or pet related web site or in your ezine. Please keep it intact, including this resource box (you may make minor formatting alterations,) and keep all links as hyperlinks. Thank you.
http://www.best-cat-art.com
Find Great Cat Art Gifts
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_19599_54.html