Groom The Cat

Removing Cat Urine and Feces
As a cat owner I know all too well the problems that cats bring when left in the house for too long with nowhere to ‘go’. Those with trained cats that have access to a litter tray are lucky, however untrained cats or cats that prefer to do the dirty outside present problems for carpets across the nation.

Urine
If a cat urinates on a tile or laminate floor, it usually is easily enough cleaned up with a mop and some hot soapy water.

However, if your cat decides to go on the carpet, it’s not just as simple. As the urine is left on the carpet for longer it seeps deeper, even into the floorboards, causing a nasty look and an equally nasty smell to accompany. Fresh urine should quickly be covered with an old towel to absorb as much of the urine as possible, paper towels should then be used to soak up any excess urine; sometimes even using a hoover proves affective. After removing all the urine, spray the area with water, or use a weak solution of white vinegar and water. If you have no white vinegar, or prefer to not use it, then dampen the area with water and sprinkle baking soda over it. Rub the baking soda into the material and let it dry, once dry hoover the area to remove the remainder of the soda.

If using the white vinegar and water solution, leave it to sit for about 10 minutes, then blot the area with paper towels again. If an odour still lingers, then invest in a neutralising detergent, these can be bought in all supermarkets in the detergent isle and aren’t expensive.

If there’s a litter box present and your cat is litter trained, but refuses to go in the box, and instead makes a mess of your house, take your cat to the vet as this behaviour is unusual and usually indicates the cat has a urine infection.

Feces
As soon as your cat makes a mistake like this, pick it up either with a scooper or a paper towel and bin it. A mixture of water and a little detergent should clean the area quickly and should be followed by blotting with paper towels. However if the faeces aren’t hard i.e. diarrhea, the area should be cleaned as quick as possible with a mixture of water and a little detergent, blotting with paper towels should follow. However, the area may need more cleaning, so a special detergent for removing odours and neutralising the bacteria should be used if needs be. If your cat vomits, then treat the area the same as if it were diarrhea and clean it as quick as possible.

Tags: cat odor, cat smell, cat urine, remove cat urine | Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Fighting Cats

If you have several pet cats, you have probably been faced with fighting cats from time to time. Even cats who generally get along will have and argument now and then. Sometimes, the fighting is more serious and there is a real danger to one of the cats. If you understand why this happens you can do a lot to prevent it and help the cats to get along better.

Fighting for territory

The most common reason that cats fight is because they feel their territory has been invaded by another cat. This is to be expected when you bring a new cat into the household, but it can can happen between cats even when they have been living together a long time. Suddenly one of them seems to need to ‘own’ the territory more fully. Female cats feel this way as well as male cats, and neutering does not always prevent it, although it usually makes male cats less aggressive in their territorial defence.

Displaced aggression

You may also see a strange phenomenon when your cats are inside the house. If one cat is watching through the window and sees a strange cat or a dog crossing ‘his’ yard, he will feel aggressive and want to chase it, but because he cannot get out through the window, instead he takes out his aggression on another cat that is inside the house. This is known as displaced aggression.

Social ranking

If you have more than one cat, then they will operate a ranking system with one of them at the top, and this ‘pecking order’ is established by fighting. Usually the top cat will be a male. If all of your cats are either neutered males or females, you can expect the matter to be settled without anything more than posturing and threats. Often times it is very like the play of kittens, and the cats will simply hiss, howl or try to bite and then walk away as if nothing has happened. However if you have two unneutered males they may fight constantly and cause each other some serious injuries, and you may have to consider neutering or giving one of them to a new home.

Most times you do not need to intervene in a cat fight, but if you do want to stop it the best way is to frighten them with a sudden loud noise, such as clapping your hands. Spraying them with water can also separate them. Do not try to get in between them, you will almost certainly be scratched.

There is no point in punishing cats for fighting. They do not see it as bad behavior but something perfectly natural. They will not understand the punishment. If they are fighting more than you like, consider what they may be fighting over. It could be something like the litter box, the food bowl, or the best place to sit at the window on a sunny day. Be sure to give each cat its own food bowl, litter tray and bed or quiet place that it can retreat to.

You can help cats to become accustomed to each other by separating them for a while. Keep one in a room while the other is allowed to wander around the house, then shut the second one in a different room and let the first one walk around. This will help them get used to each other’s scent. Then bring out the younger or newer cat inside a carrier. Let them investigate and bat at each other through the carrier if they want. When they seem fine with that you can let them meet face to face, making sure that both have an escape route. You can resolve most problems with fighting cats this way.

Tags: cat fight | Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

About Excessive Grooming In Cats

Excessive grooming in cats is something that may seem harmless at first but in fact is very bad for the cat. It is a stress-related condition that is a little like self-mutilation or obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans. It can result in physical problems such as skin disorders but primarily it is a sign that the cat needs help and you should talk to your vet right away to see what can be done for your pet.

As you might expect, over-grooming usually starts with a stressful event, which is often a big change in your life too. This may be something like a new pet in the household, a move, a new baby, or something that means that you are around a lot less than you used to be. Normal grooming is pleasant and relaxing for the cat, like a massage. So when they feel stressed about anything, cats will tend to perform this activity to excess, constantly licking or pulling out fur, resulting in bald patches on the legs.

Sometimes over-grooming is not caused by stress but by skin irritations, allergies, ringworm or parasites such as fleas and mites. Either way, you should see your vet right away because either the physical cause or the stress will need to be treated. The longer the habit of over-grooming continues, the harder it will be for the cat to stop. Also, the constant licking at fur is very likely to cause hairballs in the cat’s stomach which can interfere with digestion and cause discomfort for the cat.

If your cat’s constant grooming is caused by stress, there are several things that you can do to help your pet get over it. You may be able to make changes in the house or in your life that will put things back to normal for your cat. Spending more time with the cat will help him adjust to most of the major changes that may have happened. When you see him licking and biting at his fur, don’t scold him but stroke him or talk gently to him.

Playing with the cat and encouraging him to take an interest in toys instead of in his own coat can help too. Take him with you when you go someplace if you can. If you have to leave him in the house when you are not home, think about leaving a cat video playing, put him in a room where he can easily watch out the window, or get a fish tank to keep him entertained.

Your veterinarian may also recommend medications to help relieve your cat’s stress and help him get over the constant grooming. It is possible to get anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds for pets and a course of these will help your cat to break his self-destructive habit.  Excessive grooming in cats should not be ignored so do not hesitate about seeking treatment for your pet.

Tags: brush cat, cat, cat groom, cat hair, furr balls, groom | Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Cat Bad Breath Cure

If your pet suffers from feline halitosis (cat bad breath) you will know that it can be unpleasant. It is embarrassing too when you have visitors to the house who may think you do not care for the cat well. What can you do to make your cat nicer to be around again?

Bad breath can occasionally be caused by digestive disorders so if you have recently made any change in the cat’s diet, this should be the first thing you consider. Try switching back to what he ate before and see if the problem goes away.

If not, look in the mouth. Bad breath in cats, as in humans, is most often caused by bacteria in the mouth that break down protein in scraps of food, causing sulfur and other chemicals to be released into the air through the breath. It is the sulfur that smells so bad. The bacteria are found in plaque and tartar (a hard yellow substance that forms around the base of teeth).

You can often cure this type of halitosis with special cat foods and treats containing enzymes that will help to keep the cat’s teeth free of tartar. Alternatively, you can have your cat’s teeth professionally cleaned. This should eliminate the problem immediately, although you may need to incorporate some changes to prevent it recurring. Your veterinarian may also prescribe an antibacterial mouth spray to treat gingivitis (a common gum disease caused by oral bacteria).

Brushing your cat’s teeth from time to time is a good idea and if you can start this with a kitten you will probably be able to prevent tartar buildup and many more serious cat dental problems. You can find special pet toothbrushes and toothpaste. A powered toothbrush gives the best motion for tartar prevention. Cleaning is best done soon after a meal but with a cat it may be best not to clean the teeth immediately after eating because he is likely to dislike it and he may become afraid to eat in the house. Waiting for a half hour or an hour may be more effective so that he does not associate the dental cleaning with mealtime.

If your cat does not have any sign of tartar and cleaning the teeth does not cure the bad breath problem, then the cause may be more serious. There could be an underlying dental problem such as an abcess or tumor or resorptive dental disease, which can lead to the loss of teeth. Bad breath in cats has also been linked to feline leukemia, lung cancer and liver or kidney disease. Only your veterinarian can diagnose these conditions so you should have any signs of persistent cat bad breath checked out professionally right away.

Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

A kitty story by my friend Velvet.

I had two female cats. One black, one white…about 10 years ago. (still have the white one) Spooky and Starla. Well, they get out, from someone leaving the door open and bam, get pregnant.

On Mother’s day, May of 1999….I get up to get ready for work. Open my closet door and there is both cats, together on a blanket, with about 13 kittens between them. It was too funny. They would nurse each other’s kittens. Spooky would go out of the closet and be gone for awhile, while Starla would stay with all the kittens and nurse them. Then Spooky would return and it would be Starla’s turn to go out and have some ‘alone’ time….lol

Tags: cat story, kittens | Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Is your Cat Healthy?

From fur balls to fleas, many things can bring our cats under the weather; but do we really know if our pet is healthy? Follow the guidelines to see if you’re cat is as healthy as it should be.

Balance

Does your cat seem a little off balance? If your cat is having problems balancing and landing on it’s paws, then see your vet as it’s a clear indication of health problems.

Fur

Your cats fur should be clean and shiny. Dry or rough coats with bald patches indicate health problems, such as a lack of nutrients. Remember to check your cat for flees too as they present a huge problem and can spread easily from pet to pet around your house. If your cat seems to have any of these problems, again take it to the vet.
Character

As the owner of the cat or kitten, you know your pet best. Some cats are affectionate and loving, whilst others are playful and outgoing, every cats characteristics vary; yet you know it best. If your cat has seemed a bit under the weather for an ongoing period of time, then perhaps something more serious than the lack of mice around is getting it down. If your cat seems to be sleeping for long periods of time, refusing food and meowing constantly then take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

Bodily Functions

As well as having a healthy coat you should frequently check other body parts of your cat to make sure everything is fine. Your cat or kittens eyes should be clean and shiny, if the eyelids are showing it’s an indication your cat is under stress. It’s nose should be moist and soft to touch, not excessively wet or dried out. It’s also important to check your cats ears, as cats are prone to getting ear mites. Your cats ears should be pink and clean, however if a dark crusty material or discharge has built up, it’s a clear indication that your cat has ear mites. Other signs of ear mites include constant scratching of the ears, and shaking of the head. Take your cat to the vet if any of these symptoms show, but don’t worry ear mites are common and can be easily treated.

Like your cats ears, its mouth should be pink and clean. Make sure to frequently check your cats teeth as these often go unchecked. Your cats breath should be odourless, or almost and its teeth should be white with the help of frequent oral cleaning. If your cats coat seems unkempt, then check its oral health as drooling or odour could have contributed to this.

As the owner, it’s up to you to notice when your pet isn’t feeling its best, if anything seems a little strange, then take your cat or kitten along to the vet and get it checked out. It’s best to be safe than sorry, and if your cat isn’t feeling that great, it’s best to nip it in the butt in order to get your cat back to its usual self as soon as possible!

Tags: cat, cat food, cat fur, cat health, fur balls, healthy cat, kittens, kitty | Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Feline Diabetes Symptoms

Feline diabetes symptoms can vary from cat to cat and they will not all be seen in all cats with diabetes. Many of the symptoms of diabetes in cats (also known as feline diabetes mellitus) could equally be caused by some other health problem.

A feature of diabetes is an imbalance in blood sugar levels. In a normal human or animal, blood glucose is controlled by the production of insulin in the pancreas. In a diabetic human or animal, either the pancreas is not producing enough insulin to control sugar levels, or the cells have become insulin-resistant so a normal amount of insulin is not sufficient.

Diabetes most commonly develops in older cats. As with humans, there is a greater risk if the cat is overweight. Neutered male cats have a higher than average tendency to develop diabetes.

Here are some common symptoms of diabetes that you may notice in your cat:

- increased thirst

- increased urination

- weight loss

- loss of appetite

- dull coat

- walking on hocks instead of paws

- cataracts forming in the eyes

Increased thirst may be what you notice first. Most cats that are fed on canned foods do not drink much from their water bowl because of the high water content of their food. So you are likely to become aware if the level of water in your cat’s bowl is dropping much faster than usual.

Keep in mind that some of these symptoms may have other causes. For example there are many conditions that may cause loss of appetite, including viruses. But if your cat is displaying several of these symptoms you should have him or her checked by a veterinarian.

Cats can have temporary imbalances in blood glucose levels due to stress or other illnesses, so a veterinarian will run several tests on the cat’s blood and urine before diagnosing diabetes, and will probably check your cat for other problems too.

If diabetes is discovered early, your cat has a good chance of living a normal healthy life. However, he will need regular checks at the veterinarian’s office, and twice daily shots of insulin that you can give him at home. The veterinarian will show you how to do this. You will need to establish a regular routine of giving the cat an insulin shot morning and evening after he has eaten. In some cases the amount of insulin can be reduced once the diabetes is under control.

Your veterinarian may also recommend special diabetic pet food and if so, you will need to keep your cat in the house so that you can control his diet. There is no point you buying special food for your cat if he is sneaking food or treats from a neighbor every day!

If diabetes goes untreated it will eventually be fatal. The cat becomes inactive, falls into a coma and dies. So the most important point is to act on any feline diabetes symptoms immediately by having tests run on your cat.

Tags: animal diabetes, feline diabetes, symptoms of feline diabetes, vet | Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Choosing your cat
As a wise woman once told me, ‘you won’t pick the cat, the cat will pick you’. Bewildered at the time I didn’t exactly know what she meant by the phrase, but now as I look back I understand.

I collected my kitten from a rescue centre, abandoned at only a few weeks old she was taken into care with her sisters and brothers. Of course the womans advice was strange, I’d never picked a kitten before as my previous cat showed up on my doorstep one day and that was that for seven years. Faced with the task of picking one kitten out of the dozens the sanctuary offered was tricky; I didn’t know what one to pick.
All the kittens were timid, they looked at me with their huge fixating eyes wondering who I was. As I peeked into each of the baskets, one kitten popped out and began playfully staring at me. I asked the lady to let this kitten out, as she did she let out several other kittens. Most of the kittens ran away from me as if I was some sort of cat repellent which was a change given I seem to attract every breed of cat. I wondered if any of them would let me approach them, to my surprise the playful kitten popped out of nowhere and approached me slowly allowing me to pick her up. The lady then ranted off in some philosophical rant about cats senses, although her advice was amusing at the time, it was right; I chose the playful kitten and a year down the line I still have her.

So, the moral of the story? When picking your kitten or cat, don’t go by gender or breed unless you already have cats or wish to breed them, but instead go by their characteristics. There’s no point picking the timid cute cat if you want an affectionate outgoing cat, if the cat you like is missing an eye, take pity on it and give it the loving home it deserves. Love your cat and treat it well and I guarantee it will return the favour.
Welcoming your cat

Now you’ve adopted your kitten or cat, you need to prepare your home! See here for more information on the basics to buy before your cat arrives.
For the first two months or so it’s highly advised to keep your cat indoors, kittens are curious and playful and tend to get lost in areas they don’t know well especially when they’re surrounded by people they’ve yet to grow close to. Adult cats will have previously been homed, or they may have lived in a sanctuary all their life meaning they may take longer to get use to the area as it’s entirely new to them.
Once your cat or kitten arrives, they may be very scared and as a result of this will hide behind, below and above furniture; or anywhere that’s possible. Due to the cats fear, it’s best to keep it one room, perhaps the kitchen or a room that people will always be in meaning your cat will feel as if it’s not alone. Try to keep noise levels down, as it may scare the cat even more and every time the cat wonders around the area, let it smell it’s surroundings. Once you feel the cat is happy enough, begin to introduce it to the rest of the house keeping an eye on it and then in due course let it wonder around outside.

It’s best to let your cat outside for the first time on an empty stomach. If your cat or kitten is hungry, it won’t wonder far as it knows it will be receiving it’s food soon. Continue to only let your cat out on an empty stomach for a week or two so the cat will get to know the outside area of your house and also so you have peace of mind knowing your cat will return. If necessary leads can be purchased, check your local pet store as they’re not expensive. It’s especially good to walk your cat around your garden for the first time if you feel it’s not ready to go outside on it’s own; especially if you live in a busy urban area.

Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Cats are mischievous animals, they enjoy lurking around corners preying on anything that moves. As they say, ‘curiosity killed the cat’, even a piece of thread blowing in the wind could set your cat off in a wild playful frenzy; it just depends on your cats nature. Kittens in particular are prone to this playful sort of nature. We always seem to associate them with yarns of wool, unfortunately it’s not quite like that. If offered a sofa to pluck or a yarn of wool to play with, I’m sure most kittens would opt for the sofa. So, if your cat does the dirty in the wrong place, prowls around on your kitchen table or attempts to rip your furniture to shreds; how do we go about scolding them?

Some think it’s best to ’slap’ the kitten or cat on its side, however this is highly unadvised. If your cat has done something wrong, instead of attempting to cause your cat any pain (which you shouldn’t do!), lightly tap your cat or kitten on the nose and warn the cat in a low angry voice. Pointing the finger often works too, but remember you should gently tap your cat on the nose, not hit or beat as the cats mother once patted the kitten gently on the nose as this was a sign of wrongdoing.

Others suggest spraying the cat with water, whilst others advise diluting the water with a cheap fragrance. From my experience, a combination of tapping the nose and a low loud angry voice seems to work. Spraying your cat with water usually means having to lift out a spray bottle, and as time passes the cat will see the bottle and run a mile; meaning no punishment can be given. However, each cat is different and each will respond to punishments differently. I guess it’s best to prevent as opposed to curing the problem, if you bring your kitten up to learn what’s wrong and right i.e. use the litter tray and not the carpet, then most problems should be avoided early and very little scolding should need to be done.

Tags: cat punishment, cat scolding | Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Before you purchase any cat health insurance for your cat or kitten there are some very important points to consider. If you choose the wrong plan or do not take out pet health insurance at all, you may yourself unable to afford a treatment that your cat needs later in its life.

There is no pet health insurance plan that will be perfect for every pet and owner. You will need to consider each of these questions depending on where you live, whether you have other pets and a trusted veterinary service already, and your financial circumstances.

Firstly, if you are already using a veterinarian or have a recommendation and do not want to switch, you will need to check what pet health insurance companies they will accept. Most veterinarians prefer to only deal with a small number of companies or even just one. There are many reasons for this but as an example, a veterinarian who is familiar with the policies of your pet health insurance company can usually recommend treatment that he knows will be covered.

Keep in mind too that sometimes your family veterinarian may not have the equipment or specialist skill to carry out some treatments himself. This could result in a referral to a specialist animal hospital or the veterinary school of your State University. Check whether the company you plan to use is approved there.

Then you will want to look at the different options available. Most companies offer several different levels of cover and some are much more comprehensive than others. Usually they will cover expensive surgical procedures after an accident, for example, but they may or may not include cover for hereditary conditions or pre-existing conditions (problems that your cat already had before you took out the insurance).

They will often also give you a choice of deductible, that is the amount that you pay from each claim. For example you might have 90% cover where you paid 10% of each claim, or 70% cover where you paid 30%. Of course the higher the deductible, the lower the monthly premium that you pay, but you cannot know whether this would work out cheaper over the lifetime of the cat. Some operations and follow-up can cost a couple thousand dollars or more, so the 30% that you would have to pay could be a large sum.

Many plans do not cover prescribed medications, or they offer this option at an additional cost. Prescription medication can be expensive if your cat develops a chronic condition such as feline diabetes. Some plans do not cover the cost of the visit to the veterinarian’s office, but only the treatment that is prescribed.

The more expensive plans often include a certain amount for wellness treatments such as vaccination shots and may cover spaying or neutering the cat if this has not already been done before you got him. Wellness treatments are predictable costs and the insurance will probably not save you any money here but it will spread the cost so that your budgeting is easier.

In the end, as with any insurance plan, it is a gamble. If your cat is perfectly healthy every day of its life, then you do not need insurance. But if it turns out to develop something that requires expensive surgery or frequent visits to the veterinarian, you could save a lot of money by having good insurance cover. You cannot know this ahead of time. The best thing to do is read all the papers carefully, look at what is covered in all of the different options, think about how much you can afford to pay each month and consider how you would manage financially if your cat required something that was not fully covered in the plan. This will help you to make an informed choice to find the best cat health insurance for you and your pet.

Category: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »