Cat Scratching

By Doris J Canova
Cat scratching is normal behavior for a cat, and you need to re-direct his scratching to appropriate objects. The consensus from the various Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is that de-clawing is cruel and unnecessary. However, if you feel that you must either declaw your cat or give her up, we would rather see your cat stay in her home and be your lifelong companion. Scratching is an instinctive behavior for cats. It helps cats shed small sheaths on their claws, and also is a way of scent marking objects in the house or outside Scratching is also an instinctive method of marking territory. Each scratch leaves secretions from glands in a cat's feet, a scent the gets other cat's attention.

Scratching and climbing are highly enjoyable feline activities and are part of the essence of being a cat. It takes care of his claws and helps keep his muscles toned and healthy. Cat scratching is an innate behavior and because of this, you cannot get your cat to stop the scratching by chasing him away, squirting water, hitting or scolding. Regardless of what you do, they will still need to scratch. Since your cat will want and need to scratch, provide her with a variety of scratching posts and teach her to use them. Scratching is important, biologically, for your cat. So you can't really punish her for clawing the furniture, unless you have provided her with an alternative like a scratching post.

Covering a favored scratching area with tinfoil, sand paper, double-sided sticky tape or plastic carpet runner (pointy side up) makes the surface unappealing to scratch. Once the scratching habit has been broken and the cat has learned to prefer the post, the covering can be removed. Cover that corner of the couch with double-sided sticky tape that is completely unattractive to your cat (the tape can easily be removed for entertaining company). This will repel your cat away from your couch and right there is a post that they will love. Covered with carpet or sisal our cat scratching posts are made only from solid wood, and all they have sturdy bases that ensure stability. Put some of our cat scratching posts near a sunny window or draft-free corner, and your cat will leave your furniture untouched.

You can make your own scratching post by wrap the rope to the top, and drive several nails in to secure it. You can put some carpet on top of the post to give it a finished look, or you could run the rope over the top, and coil the rope to an end there. Wrap the post with the sisal, making sure it is tight and that there are no spaces between each row. You can tap it down with your hammer to ensure that it is tight. Carpet may not be the best of surfaces, it does not stand a lot of laceration, and it may lead your cat to think it is OK to also scratch at your floor covering!

Train your cat to scratch her post on command. Stand by the post with a treat in hand. Training is more commonly associated with dogs and cats are seen to be an easier type of pet to own. However, as many cat owners have found out - owning a cat can actually be an extremely frustrating experience!

Praise them whenever you see them using the new post, and gradually bring it closer to a preferred location, away from his old favorite. You may want to set it up near his regular resting place. Praising her when she goes for the real one? And can you move what you get to a prominent place? Praise him and tell him 'Good Kitty' and stroke him to make it an enjoyable pleasant experience. You will have to be diligent at first and try to catch him in the act of scratching your furniture.

Punishment in both cases is counter productive. Punishment after the fact won't change the behavior, may cause her to be afraid of you or the environment, and may elicit defensive aggression. Used by itself, punishment won't resolve scratching problems because it doesn't teach your cat where to scratch instead.

You can also try trimming there nails, one or two at a time, reward her with affection or food, and then let her do as she wishes. Cats are not strong on patience or restraint. Trim only the clear tip of the nail. Do not clip the area where pink tissue is visible or the slightly opaque region that outlines the pink tissue. Trim only the clear tip of the nail. Do not clip the area where pink tissue is visible or the slightly opaque region that outlines the pink tissue.

We plan to post articles that are informative and helpful to other cat lovers. Having been "owned" by cats for years, we know they can be demanding, but also be very entertaining and fun.

Best House Cat Care

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doris_J_Canova

Tags: cat, cat food, treating cat, training cat

Understanding Cheap Cat Insurance

By Jonathan L Walker
Do you own a cat? Then chances are that you have a couple, or even more. With this being the case it is of the utmost importance that you provide them with the protection of insurance. that way they, or it can be cared for in the face of illness or accidents. A cat insurance policy will pay a lump sum if your cat/s ever need veterinarian care. This will provide essential cover which otherwise may not be affordable in the event of something happening to your beloved pet/s.

These days what with the Internet, there are plenty of companies out there that offer affordable coverage packages that protect your pet in all circumstances. It is pretty much down to the owner to decide the level of coverage that they want for their cat/s, and they range from basic cover to really comprehensive cover that protects against just about anything.

You can get cover that provides your cat/s with protection against disease through vaccination, routine-care that will protect against any injuries that your cat/s sustain, as well as any illnesses or emergencies. A good policy will also provide cover for prescriptions, diagnostic tests, x-rays, laboratory fees, and anything else that may be related.

Obviously to be covered for all of the aforementioned you will need to go for a really comprehensive package. There are varying packages where you can pick and choose elements of cover, which will adjust the premium cost that you have to pay, in relation for the protection of your cat/s. therefore it is a really flexible type of policy and it is easy for a cat owner to get exactly the amount of cover that they require.

Due to the fact that cats have an atavistic propensity to develop cancer, the majority of cat insurance policies carry the option to have coverage against the treat of your cat/s developing cancer. This is seen as very important, due to the fact that all cats carry the risk of developing cats, at any stage during their lives.

Prior to choosing a cat insurance policy you need to be aware of the type of cover that you require. Then you need to access all of the different websites in order to decide which company is offering you the best deal in relation to your personal coverage requirements. It is then a case of making sure that you understand the terms and conditions of a policy before you sign anything.

Many people keep cats as pets, but some will ultimately struggle to cope financially should anything happen. Look online for some Cheap Cat Insurance quotes online at http://www.CompareIt4Me.com

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Tags: cat, cat food, treating cat, training cat

Are You Abusing Your Cat?

By Ike Lowe

Do you do it out of ignorance?
Please allow me to educate you. This article could very well upset you but I urge you to read it in its entirety because your cat's life hangs in the balance.
The first thing you must understand is that the physiology of cats is very different from humans. Humans are omnivores - meaning that our bodies are well designed to digest fruits, vegetables and meats. Our bodies have long digestive systems therefore our bodies can extract nutrients from fruits, vegetables and meats and benefit from them.
Cats are obligate carnivores their bodies have a short, acidic digestive tract. Their bodies are well suited for digesting raw meat but they have difficulty digesting fruits, vegetables and processed carbohydrates. Prolong use of fruits, vegetables and processed carbohydrates will cause your cat to develop food related illnesses such as; diabetes and irritable bowel disease also known as IBD.
The commercial cat food companies sell large amounts of the cheaply produced, bagged dry cat foods. Cat caregivers purchase this food out of convenience and after viewing misleading ads produced by the commercial cat food companies. Their ads make you think that such things as; fruits, vegetables and large amounts of processed carbohydrates are beneficial to your cat.
When you enter a supermarket or other places that sell cat food and you see bags of cat food with fruits and vegetables on them, this gives you the false impression that since fruits and vegetables are good for humans, then they must be good for your cat. But this is a wrong and dangerous belief.
This is the same as taking a human that's been a vegetarian for many years and changing his diet to a strict meat-based diet. This would wreck havoc on his digestive system. It will cause constipation coupled with deterioration in his health and a premature death.
You do the exact same thing to your cat, an obligate carnivore, when you feed him/her foods their bodies were never designed to digest. Feeding those fruits, vegetables and processed carbohydrates is wrecking havoc on their digestive system and as a result, they are dying prematurely.
Although the commercial cat food companies are responsible for perpetrating these false beliefs on an unsuspecting public, you have the responsibility of ensuring that your cat's food is nutritional.
The commercial cat food companies do it for money. They are part of a multi-billion dollar, mostly unregulated pet food industry. You do it out of love for your cat. I know you really do believe that by feeding your cat what the commercial cat companies tell you is nutritional - is right but that is not true. Do you really know what goes into a bag of dry cat food?
Your cat could be a cannibal without you knowing it. Yes, dead dogs and cats have been known to find their way into pet foods. It is not uncommon for pet food companies to use the four D's (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) animals.
The four D's can include road-kill (dead animals found on the side of the roadways), euthanized animal from Veterinarian clinics, dying circus animals and ill farm animals that are not fit for human consumption and other animals that are riddled with cancerous tumors. You will find these ingredients listed on the bag as meat meal, animal digest, animal by-product or meat by-product.
It's as if the commercial cat food companies thought that the aforementioned toxic ingredients are not enough because to exacerbate the situation, they add known toxic preservatives.
In order to extend the shelf life of their foods, they use such deadly preservatives as; Ethoxyquin, BHA and BHT. All these preservatives have been linked to kidney and liver failure in cats.
How can any food that sits in a hot warehouse for twelve to eighteen months be considered nutritional?
It's time for you to break the strangle-hold the pet food companies have on you and your cats. You need to take control of their diets and stop feeding them foods that are harmful. This is not a difficult process. The one thing you must be cognizance of is the fact that cats are carnivores. They should be fed a meat-based diet and by doing so, you and your cat will have many years together.
About the Author: Ike Lowe, Researcher and Cat Nutrition Expert is avid about and writes extensively on proper cat nutrition. His unsurpassed nutritional knowledge boldly comes alive in his riveting must read book. "21 Nutritious Cat Food Alternatives the Commercial Pet Food Industry Hopes You Never Discover" He goes for the juggler of the commercial cat food industry exposing the horrible truth about the toxic ingredients causing premature cat deaths. Get the facts on proper cat nutrition and prevent your cat from a premature and painful death. click here http://www.whatiskillingourcats.com
This is a win win for you and your cat.
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Tags: cat, cat food, treating cat, training cat