Author: ron king
Cats are known for their curiosity. However, their curiosity can get them in trouble if they end up curious about the wrong thing, such as a poison. A cat can become very ill from accidentally ingesting a poison. If that happens, it needs immediate attention or the situation can be fatal.
Cat owners should be cognizant of the types of materials around the home that can poison a cat. Household chemicals, plants, trees and shrubs can all cause a cat to become ill. When you think your cat has ingested a poisonous substance, it is helpful to your vet if you can identify what has made the cat sick. If your cat goes outdoors, sometimes it is difficult to know what the cat has taken in. Here are some common plants and household chemicals that can make your cat ill.
There are certain plants, trees and shrubs that can cause your cat to vomit, become dehydrated and have diarrhea. Sometimes when a cat consumes a toxic plant, they can foam at the mouth or have excessive drooling followed by a need to drink lots of water. Their mouth can become red and irritated. In uncommon cases, a cat can fall into a coma and die.
Plants inside your home can pose a danger to your cat. Sometimes a cat does not even have to consume the plant, but can have exposure on their skin, causing irritations. Fig plants, chrysanthemums, poinsettias can all create reactions in cats. Most of the time these three kinds of plants will just cause skin irritation. More serious reactions such as staggering, swelling of the mouth and general weakness are caused by household plants such as Boston ivy, arrowhead vine, caladiums, elephant's ear, heart leaf, peace lily and dumb cane plants.
If your cat has consumed a great amount of amaryllis, ivy, azalea, spider mum and creeping Charlie plants or flowers, you can expect a more serious reaction. These plants, among others, can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors and heart and respiratory ailments. It will be necessary to talk to your vet if you cat has ingested any toxic plants.
Outdoor plants can also pose many of the same risks as some of the indoor plants. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, pain, and weakness, breathing difficulties and seizures and convulsions. Some of these plants and shrubs include larkspur, skunkweed, daffodils, foxglove, castor bean, almond plants, wild cherry, English holly, spinach, rhubarb, Jasmine, and pigweed. Other plants that can encourage your cat to experience hallucinations are marijuana, nutmeg, peyote, and morning glories.
Chemicals and cleaners found around the house are also cause for concern. Cats can ingest a toxic chemical and become very ill quickly. A common poison for cats is antifreeze. They like the taste and will lick it off of the garage floor from a puddle. Antifreeze can cause seizures and if enough is ingested, can kill a cat. Other common poisons found around the house are rat poisons, and insect sprays and treatments. If you treat your home with insecticides it is very important to keep your cat away from the treated area for several hours. In addition, if you spray the inside of your home, thoroughly wash the cat's food and water bowls to clean off any residue from the insecticide. Other common household items that can make a cat ill include bleach, alcohol, gasoline, turpentine, lead, acid, garbage waste and paint. Toads and salamanders can also cause cats to become very ill. If your cat eats a toad or salamander, it will be evident by excessive foaming at the mouth and drooling. Also, it is important to remember that if your cat eats a bird, insect or rat that has been infected by a poison, it is likely that your cat will become ill, as well.
It is always a good idea to contact your vet or the National Animal Poison Control Center if you think your cat has been poisoned. There will be different treatments for different poisons. Most vets will try to induce vomiting in order to eliminate the toxin from the body. If your cat has a toxin on the fur or skin, it will be necessary to thoroughly remove the residue by washing the cat's fur. Both mineral oil and vegetable oil are effective for removing poisons such as gasoline or turpentine. Cats that are experiencing nervous system disorders from ingesting toxins are in serious trouble. Your cat will need to be taken to medical care immediately. Cat with nervous disorders will experience convulsions, unconsciousness and difficulty breathing.
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Iriomote Cat
Author: Ailurophile
The beautiful Iriomote Cat resides only on the Iriomote island of Japan, situated nearly two hundred kilometers off the coast of Taiwan. It has lived for millennia on this small island (less than three hundred square kilometers) and has evolved to suit the habitat and environment of this particular place. Owing to similarities in appearance, for some time the Iriomote Cat was considered a subspecie of the Leopard Cat. Recent evidence however indicated that the Iriomote Cat separated from the Leopard Cat in evolution couple of million years ago. A small wild cat, the Iriomote Cat weighs around twelve pounds and is around one a half to two feet long (excluding tail). Males are slightly larger.
Fur is brownish with a number of dark brown spots that coalesce to form stripes which run along the body length. Legs are short in comparison to body size and tail is bushy. Toes are slightly webbed and claws lack a complete sheath, helping the cat in its aquatic pursuits of prey. Ears are short and rounded indicating that the Iriomote Cat primarily uses sight in its movement and hunting.
A variety of prey is taken by the Iriomote Cat. Its small body size enables it to move quickly through the underbrush and successfully hunt small mammals, birds, insects and fish. It is a solitary and territorial feline that frequently marks its territory (larger in case of males) and is primarily nocturnal, particularly in summer. Mating season is twice an year and pregnancy lasts two months after which a litter of one to four kittens is born.
Prionailurus Iriomotensis, the Iriomote Cat is critically endangered. Less than one hundred remain in the wild. Plus they appear to be breeding with feral cats, leading to dilution of their gene pool. Despite preservation of their territory on the island, the cats frequently stray out of the reserve area and are often hunted by humans.
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on iriomote cat.
This article is free for republishing
The beautiful Iriomote Cat resides only on the Iriomote island of Japan, situated nearly two hundred kilometers off the coast of Taiwan. It has lived for millennia on this small island (less than three hundred square kilometers) and has evolved to suit the habitat and environment of this particular place. Owing to similarities in appearance, for some time the Iriomote Cat was considered a subspecie of the Leopard Cat. Recent evidence however indicated that the Iriomote Cat separated from the Leopard Cat in evolution couple of million years ago. A small wild cat, the Iriomote Cat weighs around twelve pounds and is around one a half to two feet long (excluding tail). Males are slightly larger.
Fur is brownish with a number of dark brown spots that coalesce to form stripes which run along the body length. Legs are short in comparison to body size and tail is bushy. Toes are slightly webbed and claws lack a complete sheath, helping the cat in its aquatic pursuits of prey. Ears are short and rounded indicating that the Iriomote Cat primarily uses sight in its movement and hunting.
A variety of prey is taken by the Iriomote Cat. Its small body size enables it to move quickly through the underbrush and successfully hunt small mammals, birds, insects and fish. It is a solitary and territorial feline that frequently marks its territory (larger in case of males) and is primarily nocturnal, particularly in summer. Mating season is twice an year and pregnancy lasts two months after which a litter of one to four kittens is born.
Prionailurus Iriomotensis, the Iriomote Cat is critically endangered. Less than one hundred remain in the wild. Plus they appear to be breeding with feral cats, leading to dilution of their gene pool. Despite preservation of their territory on the island, the cats frequently stray out of the reserve area and are often hunted by humans.
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on iriomote cat.
This article is free for republishing
Cat Trees - An Introduction
Author: Stan Beck
Cats are highly physical creatures that need plenty of healthy physical outlets. Often, cats are adopted with the new owners not fully appreciating the real needs of our feline friends. It is natural for cats to climb, stretch, scratch and pounce. Any owner not understanding this sets up their household for real potential problems.
The happiest cat owners are those that work in concert with their pet's genetic predispositions. Bringing a new kitten home and expecting it to restrain its natural, God-given urges is a recipe for frustration for both pet and owner alike.
Cat Trees are often made of wood and range in size from 2 to 8 eight feet. The 'tree limbs' are typically covered with bark, sisal or carpet. Although they come in many designs from Rustic to Modern, from single piece to modular, they all have the goal of providing 'Fluffy' a safe place to romp and play. There is typically a scratch post or posts built in. Some have tunnels which allow the cat to hide. Most have perches so that a cat can watch and observe from on-high. Some of the large units have cat beds for sleeping.
Many owners, frustrated with the expensive cost of their cat clawing the furniture often purchase expensive Cat Tree apparatuses out of desperation. However, they many times find that their cat does not like the Cat Tree, at least not at first (at least not for scratching). Cats that are used to clawing the furniture often resist changing their old habits. There is an element of transition that needs to be planned for to assist 'Fluffy' in making the change.
How do you wean a kitty from scratching your furniture to using the cat tree? One suggestion is to do something to start the scratching instinct - pay close attention to their scratching habits during the first few days. Attract your cat's attention to the cat tree by running a string with a small toy on it up and down the lower part of the cat tree - enough to get their attention. Praise your cat lavishly if he catches on quickly and grabs for the toy, then starts to scratch. Another option is scratch with your own fingernails thereby demonstrating the desired action. Most important, be patient - you cat will get the hang of it.
In summary, Cat Trees are a great tool and if used correctly, will help to bring peace and harmony to your home for you and your kitty. It is my advice to shop around and try to buy an apparatus that will fit in your home and also provide enough variety for your furry pet.
Copyright 2006
You can get more quality information is this 5-part mini-course called Kitty Health Secrets Mini-Course - http://kittychef.com/kittyhealth
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_98583_54.html
Cats are highly physical creatures that need plenty of healthy physical outlets. Often, cats are adopted with the new owners not fully appreciating the real needs of our feline friends. It is natural for cats to climb, stretch, scratch and pounce. Any owner not understanding this sets up their household for real potential problems.
The happiest cat owners are those that work in concert with their pet's genetic predispositions. Bringing a new kitten home and expecting it to restrain its natural, God-given urges is a recipe for frustration for both pet and owner alike.
Cat Trees are often made of wood and range in size from 2 to 8 eight feet. The 'tree limbs' are typically covered with bark, sisal or carpet. Although they come in many designs from Rustic to Modern, from single piece to modular, they all have the goal of providing 'Fluffy' a safe place to romp and play. There is typically a scratch post or posts built in. Some have tunnels which allow the cat to hide. Most have perches so that a cat can watch and observe from on-high. Some of the large units have cat beds for sleeping.
Many owners, frustrated with the expensive cost of their cat clawing the furniture often purchase expensive Cat Tree apparatuses out of desperation. However, they many times find that their cat does not like the Cat Tree, at least not at first (at least not for scratching). Cats that are used to clawing the furniture often resist changing their old habits. There is an element of transition that needs to be planned for to assist 'Fluffy' in making the change.
How do you wean a kitty from scratching your furniture to using the cat tree? One suggestion is to do something to start the scratching instinct - pay close attention to their scratching habits during the first few days. Attract your cat's attention to the cat tree by running a string with a small toy on it up and down the lower part of the cat tree - enough to get their attention. Praise your cat lavishly if he catches on quickly and grabs for the toy, then starts to scratch. Another option is scratch with your own fingernails thereby demonstrating the desired action. Most important, be patient - you cat will get the hang of it.
In summary, Cat Trees are a great tool and if used correctly, will help to bring peace and harmony to your home for you and your kitty. It is my advice to shop around and try to buy an apparatus that will fit in your home and also provide enough variety for your furry pet.
Copyright 2006
You can get more quality information is this 5-part mini-course called Kitty Health Secrets Mini-Course - http://kittychef.com/kittyhealth
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_98583_54.html