Cat owners know for a fact that bad cat breath can be downright awful. It isn't that much different from bad human breath, as both are caused by bacteria found in the mouth that breaks protein down and releases the sulfur compounds out into the air. Sulfur smells really bad on its own, which is why breath containing it smells bad as well. The bacterium that causes bad breath with cats is normally associated with a buildup of tartar around the teeth. Tartar is yellow in color, known as a coating of bacteria, food, and minerals.
To cure your cat from bad breath, you'll need to remove the buildup of tartar. There are several cat foods out there that are designed to reduce the buildup of tartar, many containing enzymes that will literally dissolve it. You can also give your cat treats as well, as many of them will help eliminate and prevent tartar. If the buildup of tartar is bad, you may need to have your cat's teeth professionally cleaned. Once the tartar has been removed, the bad breath will go away.
You may be able to clean the tartar off your cat's teeth at home. There are several toothpastes available for pets, available in several different flavors. You'll need to get a mechanical toothbrush, as the motion is very important for removing tartar buildup. Toothpastes that contain enzymes will dissolve tartar, helping to cure bad breath. If you start early with brushing your cat's teeth, you can virtually eliminate any type of tartar buildup that will ultimately lead to bad breath.
Some bacteria that lead to tartar can be found in your cat's diet. When you feed him, you should always make sure that the food he consumes doesn't contain a lot of bacteria. If you shop healthy and feed him only healthy foods, it can help his bad breath a great deal. When you give your pet a treat, make sure that the treat is designed to help with tartar. After your cat has finished eating, you can brush his teeth or rinse his mouth out. This way, you'll get the bacteria out of his mouth before it has time to build up on his teeth.
Sometimes, cats may have a bad odor in their mouth that doesn't come from tartar or bad breath in general. In these rare cases, it can be either liver or kidney disease. If you notice bad breath and it isn't tartar, you should take your cat to the vet. Even though it may be something to do with tartar, it's better to be safe than sorry. Your veterinarian can pinpoint the problem, let you know what the cause is - and how you should go about fixing it.
By: Jay Schindler
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
To read about tiger facts and cat facts, visit the Animals Facts site.
Porcelain Cat Figurines
Porcelain cat figurines range from those that are very popular today and valued such as Lladro and Lomonosov and Lenox to those that were valued in the past such as Lefton. Some of the most valued of porcelain cat figurines are those that were used as carnival presents long ago in the 1950s and 60s. These vintage porcelain cat figurines can be found on auction sites.
The Jim Shore collection of porcelain cat figurines is one that a lot of people are collecting. These are more whimsical than other cat figures that try to depict the cat as it really look. The Jim Shore collection paints the in various shades and makes them very artistic.
One of the older makers of porcelain cat figurines, Lefton, made many other figures out of porcelain china. They were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s but then gradually lost favor with the public and went out of business. Today, Lefton is a collectible. You can tell if you have Lefton porcelain cat figurines if you look at the bottom and there is a red or green tag.
Lladro is one of the most pricey of all of the porcelain cat figurines today. Expect to pay several hundred dollars for porcelain cat figurines from this company. Next comes Lenox. For years, Lenox has been making exquisite china. Lenox makes porcelain cat figurines that are very prized among collectors.
You can also look for regular porcelain cat figurines from other companies that are not as well known as the others and expect to pay a lot less money. Cat figurines, unlike cat statues, are often smaller than 6 inches in height and are kept in a curio cabinet if the owner is smart. This will prevent them from getting dusty or damaged.
The Franklin Mint came out with a collection of cat figurines a few years ago that is not retired. A few of the cat figurines were made from porcelain and are very well prized among collectors. If you know someone who collects cat figures or is just starting this collection, you can look for the Franklin Mint cat figurine collection on some of the online auction sites.
Cat figurines come in all sorts of materials in addition to porcelain. The porcelain cat figurines are very well prized among collectors because of the fine attention the artist can make to detail. Some of them look very much like the real cats. The porcelain cat collection by Lomonosov is ideal for collectors because the cat figures are not very expensive as they are under $50 and they look like actual cats. The crystal cats, however, do not resemble actual cats. Those who want a figure that actually looks like a real cat will prefer the porcelain cat figurines that are available, especially those by Lomonosov.
Make sure, when buying these figurines, that they are wholly intact and are not chipped or broken in any way. Porcelain cat figurines that are chipped or have been repaired are usually without any value.
By: Paul J Easton
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
www.CatfigurinesOnline.com/ has largest amount of collections of Cat Figurines plus links to many other site which other the biggest range and lowest prices.
The Jim Shore collection of porcelain cat figurines is one that a lot of people are collecting. These are more whimsical than other cat figures that try to depict the cat as it really look. The Jim Shore collection paints the in various shades and makes them very artistic.
One of the older makers of porcelain cat figurines, Lefton, made many other figures out of porcelain china. They were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s but then gradually lost favor with the public and went out of business. Today, Lefton is a collectible. You can tell if you have Lefton porcelain cat figurines if you look at the bottom and there is a red or green tag.
Lladro is one of the most pricey of all of the porcelain cat figurines today. Expect to pay several hundred dollars for porcelain cat figurines from this company. Next comes Lenox. For years, Lenox has been making exquisite china. Lenox makes porcelain cat figurines that are very prized among collectors.
You can also look for regular porcelain cat figurines from other companies that are not as well known as the others and expect to pay a lot less money. Cat figurines, unlike cat statues, are often smaller than 6 inches in height and are kept in a curio cabinet if the owner is smart. This will prevent them from getting dusty or damaged.
The Franklin Mint came out with a collection of cat figurines a few years ago that is not retired. A few of the cat figurines were made from porcelain and are very well prized among collectors. If you know someone who collects cat figures or is just starting this collection, you can look for the Franklin Mint cat figurine collection on some of the online auction sites.
Cat figurines come in all sorts of materials in addition to porcelain. The porcelain cat figurines are very well prized among collectors because of the fine attention the artist can make to detail. Some of them look very much like the real cats. The porcelain cat collection by Lomonosov is ideal for collectors because the cat figures are not very expensive as they are under $50 and they look like actual cats. The crystal cats, however, do not resemble actual cats. Those who want a figure that actually looks like a real cat will prefer the porcelain cat figurines that are available, especially those by Lomonosov.
Make sure, when buying these figurines, that they are wholly intact and are not chipped or broken in any way. Porcelain cat figurines that are chipped or have been repaired are usually without any value.
By: Paul J Easton
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
www.CatfigurinesOnline.com/ has largest amount of collections of Cat Figurines plus links to many other site which other the biggest range and lowest prices.
Cat Spray: An Appeal To Be Fair To Yourself And Your Cat - How To Stop Cat Spraying Problems
Nothing smells worse than cat spray. Together with cat pee outside the litter box, cat spraying is one of the leading causes of cats being given away, abandoned or put down. Marriages have come under enormous strain, when one spouse puts down their foot to stop the cat's spraying problem or give up the cat. Tenants have been forced by landlords to either move out or get rid of the spraying cat.
This is very sad, because cat spraying problems can be solved or greatly reduced in many cases. First, though, we need to tell the difference between cat spray and cat urine. Spray is actually a bit of urine mixed with pheromones secreted by glands in your cat. The positions your cat takes for spraying is also different from peeing - they stand straight up and lift their bottoms high up in the air to spray instead of squatting to urinate.
Both male and female cats spray. Unneutered males are the most likely to have this problem, neutered female the least likely. Although spraying is considered a problem by people, it is a perfectly natural behavior for cats.
Do be aware that your cat may suddenly start spraying when he is sick. For example, inflammations of the bladder are known to cause cats to spray. If your cat is neutered and he suddenly develops this behavior, you should take him for a check-up at the vet before doing anything else.
On major reason for cats spraying is to attract mates. Female cats in heat spray to advertise that they are ready. Male cats spray to mark their territory - they are saying "Keep out! Females here are mine!". This is one reason why you should always neuter your cats. Unneutered tomcats are very likely to spray. Once he develops this behavior, it is very difficult to stop even after you neuter him. Many vets are willing to neuter your male cat as long as he is at least 6 months old. Some prefer to wait until he is 9 months old while others are willing to do it even earlier. You should also spay female cats when they reach 6 months of age, before their first heat.
When you bring a new pet or new family member home, this can also cause your cat to spray. Whether you explain it as stress and insecurity or territoriality or dominance behavior, it does not really matter. The point is to make kitty feel safe and secure again. Once you successfully make him feel that he is still Numero Uno, he will stop spraying. While your vet can help you to investigate why your cat is spraying, you know kitty best. You are the best person to figure out why he is spraying. Asking your vet to play private investigator can take quite a long time - he will take a step-by-step methodical approach to the problem. Cases have been published in journals for veterinarians where it took years to resolve the problem. If you really love your cat, you are still the best person to make him stop spraying.
Once your cat has sprayed a particular location, he is likely to go back and spray it again. One way to stop this is to thoroughly clean the area he sprayed. Normal soap and water will not do the job. Just because you cannot smell anything does not mean your cat cannot smell anything. The best solution is to use a blacklight (UV lamp) in the dark to find the spots and clean it with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle.
Cat spray is a very smelly problem which has caused many cats to be abandoned by their owners. However, this is a problem which can be solved. If you love your cat, you have an obligation to him and to yourself to stop him from spraying.
By: Katherin Towers
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Does your cat spray? Click here to learn more about cat behavior problems and how to stop your cat spraying.
This is very sad, because cat spraying problems can be solved or greatly reduced in many cases. First, though, we need to tell the difference between cat spray and cat urine. Spray is actually a bit of urine mixed with pheromones secreted by glands in your cat. The positions your cat takes for spraying is also different from peeing - they stand straight up and lift their bottoms high up in the air to spray instead of squatting to urinate.
Both male and female cats spray. Unneutered males are the most likely to have this problem, neutered female the least likely. Although spraying is considered a problem by people, it is a perfectly natural behavior for cats.
Do be aware that your cat may suddenly start spraying when he is sick. For example, inflammations of the bladder are known to cause cats to spray. If your cat is neutered and he suddenly develops this behavior, you should take him for a check-up at the vet before doing anything else.
On major reason for cats spraying is to attract mates. Female cats in heat spray to advertise that they are ready. Male cats spray to mark their territory - they are saying "Keep out! Females here are mine!". This is one reason why you should always neuter your cats. Unneutered tomcats are very likely to spray. Once he develops this behavior, it is very difficult to stop even after you neuter him. Many vets are willing to neuter your male cat as long as he is at least 6 months old. Some prefer to wait until he is 9 months old while others are willing to do it even earlier. You should also spay female cats when they reach 6 months of age, before their first heat.
When you bring a new pet or new family member home, this can also cause your cat to spray. Whether you explain it as stress and insecurity or territoriality or dominance behavior, it does not really matter. The point is to make kitty feel safe and secure again. Once you successfully make him feel that he is still Numero Uno, he will stop spraying. While your vet can help you to investigate why your cat is spraying, you know kitty best. You are the best person to figure out why he is spraying. Asking your vet to play private investigator can take quite a long time - he will take a step-by-step methodical approach to the problem. Cases have been published in journals for veterinarians where it took years to resolve the problem. If you really love your cat, you are still the best person to make him stop spraying.
Once your cat has sprayed a particular location, he is likely to go back and spray it again. One way to stop this is to thoroughly clean the area he sprayed. Normal soap and water will not do the job. Just because you cannot smell anything does not mean your cat cannot smell anything. The best solution is to use a blacklight (UV lamp) in the dark to find the spots and clean it with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle.
Cat spray is a very smelly problem which has caused many cats to be abandoned by their owners. However, this is a problem which can be solved. If you love your cat, you have an obligation to him and to yourself to stop him from spraying.
By: Katherin Towers
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Does your cat spray? Click here to learn more about cat behavior problems and how to stop your cat spraying.