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How to Keep a Cat Off Furniture

petshop — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:42:48 +0000

Sometimes, cats and furniture just don’t mix. One of the most frustrating parts of being a cat owner can be the possibility of having your furniture ripped up! But you don’t have to simply accept this as a fact of life. There are things you can do to reduce your cat’s desire to put his claws on your sofa:

Declawing your cat is the easiest option, but it’s also the most painful for him. Most veterinarians won’t even perform the surgery since they believe it’s inhumane to the animal. Instead, they will probably advise you to try a scratching post.

Providing multiple scratching prospects is a must for cats, who like to scratch after sleeping and eating. Placing a scratching post in your cat’s environment is a great way to encourage his claws to stay off your furniture.

You can try temporarily covering your furniture with something that cats dislike, such as double-sided tape or aluminum foil. Cats can’t stand stuff that sticks to them, and they generally avoid the sound of foil. Just make sure the tape won’t damage your furniture or your cat.

Provide stimulation so your cat dose not become bored. Boredom is usually the root cause of furniture destruction. Supply your cat with a variety of toys that cover the senses of smell, texture, sound and movement. Observing your cat while he plays with different toys will give you an idea of his preferences.

Make it a habit to clip your cat’s nails on a regular basis. This can curb the amount of furniture scratching your cat engages in, or at the very least, it will diminish the damage done by the scratching. Small cats will become easily accustomed to clipping when rewarded with treats following a clip.

If your cat has an affinity for a particular drape in your house, pin a doorknob alarm to it. When the cat tries to climb the curtain, the alarm will sound every time.

Provide endless entertainment for your cat by installing a window perch inside and a bird or squirrel feeder immediately outside. Your cat will spend so much time watching the locals, he’ll forget you have furniture!

If you see your cat scratching the furniture, use a squirt bottle to give him a shower and firmly say, “No!” Of course, this only works if you’re around to see him scratch.

Taping inflated balloons to the trouble areas may help, as your cat will avoid scratching in a place where he popped a balloon. However, you should only try this if you are around so you can keep your cat from eating the balloon pieces.

Pet supply stores and website sell training devices that deter cats from prohibited areas by emitting aggravating noises. You can also use fragrant deterrents, such as bitter apple sprays or orange peels.

Avoid physical punishments that can produce anxiety or hostility in your cat and will probably only teach them to avoid scratching in your presence. No matter which method you employ, it is unreasonable to think that your cat will stop scratching altogether. Scratching is part of a cat’s nature, and if you want to be a cat owner, you’ll have to put up with it to a certain degree.

Interesting Answers to Your Questions about Cats

petshop — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:15:42 +0000

The domesticated cat has spread to nearly every continent and is one of the most popular pets worldwide. However, there are many people who do not like cats and would never consider letting a cat share their home for several different reasons.

Although some people simply don’t enjoy animals, many prefer dogs over cats because of few liabilities that cats have, such as shedding, clawing furniture and carpet. The following questions and answers provide some information that can make cats easier to live with, explain some of their bothersome behaviors and how to remedy them, as well as how they purr and land on their feet, and the typical lifespan of a cat.

Do cats always land on their feet?

Well, that is actually a generalization. While housecats are very adept at falling gracefully, bigger cats that are not used to climbing or falling, like lions, have a lot of trouble landing on their feet. It isn’t entirely rare for a lion to have a painful descent on the rare occasion it climbs a tree. In some cases, large housecats that are less than athletic have similar issues.

Research compiled on cats that have fallen or jumped from windows have found that many of the cats who fell from a lower level or a higher level were able to land on their feet.

This phenomenon is called Highrise Syndrome and basically shows that cats that fall from six stories or higher are more likely to survive than cats falling from lower levels. Falling from higher up gives cats longer to get their feet underneath them and brace before they hit the ground.

Why does my cat shed all the time?

Cats shed their fur as a way of adjusting to their living conditions. Outdoor cats tend to put on a thick coat in the fall as winter sets in, and then shed the extra fur in the spring when it begins to get warmer. Outdoor cats shed in this manner because their brain can sense how much sunlight they are exposed to and use this to gauge how much fur they need to stay warm or cool for the season.

Indoor cats, on the other hand, have very little exposure to natural lighting and the artificial lighting inside home does not register the same to the part of their brain that controls shedding. Because the cat’s brain senses an imbalance, they grow and shed hair continually, unlike an outdoor cat.

Should I have my cat declawed?

Although tens of thousand cats are declawed each year, many vets and cat owners are against this procedure because of what declawing actually entails. A cat’s claws are not like ours. Our finger nails are simply dead cells while a cat’s claws are very similar to the last joint on your finger.

Cats use their claws for balance and movement, so the lack of them can be painful and removing them makes walking much different for the cat. If you plan on letting your cat live in the house, there are other measures you can take to ensure they don’t shred your furniture like getting them a scratching post covered in abrasive material instead of soft material that resembles carpet or upholstery.

Is there anything I can do to stop or slow down my indoor cat’s shedding?

There are a few things you can do to keep cat hair off of everything you own and make your cat more comfortable as well. Since cats shed constantly in response to being kept indoors, which is not exactly their natural environment, cats that shed excessively are, in effect, slightly out of balance.

The best thing you can do to reduce unwanted shedding is to make sure that they have a healthy and balanced diet and to brush them often. A good diet will ensure that they have a healthy coat that will shed a normal amount. Keeping your cat healthy and brushing excess hair will prevent cat hair from getting all over the place.

What are the benefits to having my cat spayed or neutered?

Other than preventing them from having unwanted kittens, having your cat spayed or neutered will preventing them from developing several activities that pet owners may consider undesirable, especially in indoor cats. In addition to making it impossible for your cat to mate, it also takes away their desire to mate and all the related activities.

This means that male cats will not mark their territory with urine spray or roam for miles trying to find a mate. Once female cats become mature, they will stay in heat nearly all the time until they become pregnant, which means that they will likely keep you awake at night by howling to attract a mate.

However, many cat owners have their pet spayed or neutered because the energy they would have spent on finding a mate is dedicated to their human companions instead and they become a much more devoted pet.

The Neutered Cat

petshop — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:06:04 +0000

The neutering of cats, castration under general anaesthetic of males and removing the ovaries (ovariectomy) of females, again under general anaesthetic, carries with it many benefits for animal and owner. Toms are far less inclined to wander off from home and get into scrapes, which can lead to serious injury and infection, and they can’t get any of the local queens pregnant with unwanted kittens any more. Queens don’t suffer the stress associated with heat periods and the pestering of toms and they do not continue to fill the world with more of the aforementioned unwanted kittens.

Un-neutered queens can have three litters of kittens a year for about twelve or thirteen years, although it is said that one tortoiseshell had her first, and last, kitten at the incredible age of twenty-eight. From about eight years of age, the size of litters drops, but it can be calculated easily that an unsupervised – let’s be honest about it – uncared-for, un-neutered queen could give birth to hundreds of young over her lifetime. The record for kitten production is held by a queen from (where else!) Texas, who had her 420th kitten at the age of eighteen in 1952.

Advantages of neutering

The advantages of neutering are obvious. Toms give up their gallivanting, and their urine, so often sprayed around the home as territorial marking, loses most of its pungent macho odour. Queens aren’t pestered by neighbourhood suitors who have the habit of leaving their urinary calling cards on your back doorstep. Oestrus periods, with all the restless caterwauling and attempts to go out cat clubbing, occur no more and, most important of all, the owner is not faced with home-finding for handfuls of young cats or, saddest of all, having them euthanazed.

Disadvantages of neutering

So, what are the disadvantages? Is neutering, as people sometimes say, ‘cruel’? What changes in the neutered Thinking Cat? Neutering is certainly not cruel. The operations are carried out under full anaesthesia, are very safe, and are most unlikely to involve complications or be followed by medical after-effects. As the whole purpose of neutering, as far as the cat itself is concerned, is to lessen stress, harassment and the incidence of illness and injury, it is more than justified. It is most essentially humane and its value to the cat population as a whole is quite clear.

Some, but by no means the majority, of neutered cats tend to put on extra weight after the operation. Most neuters continue automatically to regulate their daily food intake, avoiding any tendency to obesity and not needing to be put on one of the slimming regimes now available.

Mentally, there is no doubt that the neutered Thinking Cat becomes somewhat more of a home-loving, calm and contented character, untroubled by the periodic swings in mood and behaviour that are fired by the powerful urgings of the sex hormones. Of course, its niche in the hierarchy of cat society, particularly as a tom, plummets, certainly in the neighbourhood, and also very often in multi-cat households. But he or she remains as intelligent, responsive and alert as ever. As we shall see, some males like, so it is recorded, eunuchs in the Turkish sultans’ harems, may even retain a degree of sexual interest in the opposite sex.

It is worth noting that some cats which, instead of being neutered, receive progestagen type contraceptive/ anti sexual aggression medication for a long time can become rather lethargic and over weight, and occasionally lose hair and develop a ‘pot belly’. Long-term use of this type of drug has also been implicated in triggering cases of diabetes, uterus inflammation and abnormality in function of the adrenal gland. I think these compounds are perfectly good and safe for the short term, but for a permanent effect on the cat, spaying or castration is much to be preferred.

How long will my cat live?

petshop — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:41:15 +0000

The answer to that depends upon several factors.

The care that you give your cat, the quality of the food that your cat eats the kind of lifestyle that your cat lives. All these things play their part in the chances of your cat enjoying a long life.

Veterinary medicine has made some great advances in recent years, and this is one of the reasons the average age of domestic cats is increasing. A well cared for cat that is kept indoors and is fed a good nutritional diet, would be expected to live for about 15 years.

Some cats do live to 20 plus years and there are records of a few cats reaching over 30 years. These sort of ages for a cat are very much the exception however.

The genetic make up of a cat can be a factor in determining its life span. Some breeds of cat appear to be more resilient than others. Selective breeding can have the effect that some breeds are genetically prone to ailments which shorten their life expectancy. Mixed breeds, the typical moggie or mouser, is usually more vigorous in its genetic make up and may expect to live slightly longer than a pure breed cat.

Cats that are kept strictly as indoor only cats stand a better chance of living to a ripe old age than cats that are allowed outside. The reasons for this are many. Outdoor cats face danger from traffic, from being attacked by other cats or by other animals. They run increased risk of being accidentally poisoned by pesticides or deliberately poisoned by malicious humans. Outdoor cats are also at risk from catching feline diseases particularly from the feral cat population.

The are many things to consider in deciding to keep your cat as an indoor only cat or an outdoor-indoor cat, life expectancy is only one of them.

Overfeeding your cat is a good way to shorten its life. An overfed cat stands more chance of health problems than a cat that is weight controlled. Diabetes, arthritis, breathing difficulties, heart and liver disease can all result as a consequence of overfeeding. All of these conditions may mean your little pet not living a long and healthy feline life. Your veterinarian can advise on the best diet for your cat.

Exercise too, is important for your cat’s health and in maintaining its weight. Healthy cats mostly exercise themselves of course, but the playtime you enjoy with your cat can contribute to keeping kitty healthy. Elderly cats particularly benefit from gentle play-exercise.

Regular visits to the vets for routine checks will give your cat the best chance to live a long life, and to live that life healthily. Many life shortening problems can be tackled successfully if detected early.

Neutered or spayed cats often enjoy a slightly longer life than unaltered felines. This is particularly so for male cats as an unaltered male will often receive injuries defending his territory. There are many other good reasons for spaying and neutering of course, aside from extending the life of your cat.

Introduction to Cat Breeds

petshop — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:07:55 +0000

Cats have been closely associated with humans for thousands of years. Today cats are the second most popular pet, with dogs being first. If you are away from your house for an extended period of time, either at work or at school cats are good pet for you.

Unlike other pets cats do not need much time, they only need to be given food and a little attention, for example dogs need to be walked on a regular basis and this can be very exhausting and time consuming. Cats can be a great pet for anyone because they are very adaptable and can live almost anywhere and would even live happily, healthy and comfortably in a small apartment. Cats are very affectionate, playful and loyal to people of all ages, to many people a cat makes the perfect pet.

Most domestic cats that people own are not pedigree cats, meaning that they are a mix of different breeds. Only 3 percent of domestic cats are purebred, there are no distinct advantages or disadvantages of buying a purebred cat and they can be very expensive. Different groups from around the globe have classified just over 100 different purebred cats.

The differences in breeds consist of the shape of the body, the size, and length of coat, colour of coat, colour of eyes, personality and more. Today, there are two main categories that cats are grouped in, short hair and long hair. The most common out of the two being short hair cats.

Long hair cats are harder to care for because they need daily grooming, they are at a higher risk of having hairballs, it is much harder to get rid of fleas and when they cut or graze their skin it is harder to care for.

About The Pixie Bob Cat Breeds

petshop — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:49:17 +0000

Choosing between cat breeds can be like trying to decide which snowflake is prettier. Each new kitten is cuter than the next. There are so many varieties to choose from, each with its own distinct look and personality. Do you want a cat breed that is sleek, like an Abyssinian or Siamese?

Alternatively, do you want a cat such as a Persian that gives an air of sophistication? Maybe you want something that resembles a cat’s wild cousins? Bengal cats have beautiful spotted coats reminiscent of leopards and ocelots, and the Pixie Bob looks like the bobcats of North America.

Pixie Bobs may have a wild look to them, but you couldn’t ask for a more charming, loving companion. This breed has a reputation for being the Golden Retrievers of the cat world. These cats, first bred in the Pacific Northwestern United States, were thought to be the product of a Bobcat and a feral cat.

DNA results have yet to prove any bloodline relation, though. The only “fierceness” this cat has is in its loyalty to its owner and family. Breeders have found that after a Pixie Bob reaches the age of one or two, they don’t adapt well to new owners.

The Pixie Bob is a medium to large cat that some have described as “big boned”. They have spotted markings and black tufts on their ears. Their tails are either short or full length. If you’re planning on showing your Pixie Bob, make sure that the breeder hasn’t had the tail docked (cut).

A docked tail is not acceptable in the show ring. Pixie Bobs also have huge paws that are “straight toed” or “poly toed”. A Pixie Bob with straight toes has paws with the usual number of toes on it (five in the front and four in the back).

A poly-toed Pixie Bob will have more than the usual number of toes, maybe six on the front paws instead of five. Unlike most cats, Pixie Bobs take three years to reach maturity as opposed to the usual one year. The males can reach 22 pounds and the females top out at 16 pounds.

If you are looking for a Pixie Bob, you can expect to sign a contract for the protection of the cattery, the kitten, and you. A contract outlines what the cattery will be responsible for (such as a 72-hour guarantee on the health of the kitten and what records the cattery’s veterinarian will provide), refunds, replacements, and expenses.

The contract will also inform you of the buyer’s responsibilities once the kitten leaves the possession of the cattery. Some other things you can expect to find on the contract are holding fees (if you request that a specific kitten be held for you), a promise from you to give the kitten a good home and reasonable care, and advertising rights (the cattery might want to use photos of your kitten for future promotions).

Now that you have decided that you would like to have a Pixie Bob of your own, where can you find one? It’s highly unlikely that you will be able to find one in a cat shelter, although there are Pixie Bob rescues out there.

While most of the Pixie Bob catteries are located in Washington State in the United States, you can find them all over the US and in the UK as well. The International Cat Association has listings for Pixie Bob catteries and practically every other breed of cat out there.

Make a Scratch Post for Your Cat

petshop — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:10:00 +0000

Cats are generally lovable animals until the time when they ruin your sofa and your carpet, no thanks to their scratching talent. How does one get rid of this irritating hobby called cat scratching?

Well, there is no remedy for your cats scratching mannerisms. In fact, cat experts discourage human from interfering with their scratching because it is already second nature to cats.

Scratching is inherent in cats as they were made to scratch. The rear paws of a cat were made for scratching. As your cat grows, their claws also grow. Cats have to remove the sheath on their claws by scratching, so they can expose their new claws.

Remember that maxim “if you can’t lick them, then join them”? This is especially true for cats. If you do not want further damage to your furniture, draperies or carpets, then encourage your cats to scratch – but not on your things. Instead, buy him his own scratching post.

Buying a scratching post for your cat will give them an outlet for their scratching urge. It will not only save your precious furniture but will also keep your cats happy.

Why do cats use a scratching post

A scratching post is used for: 1. Scratching to remove an outer layer of the cat’s nails. 2. Cats also need to exercise and move their muscles by climbing on the post 3. The post is not only used for scratching but also for stretching because while trying to scratch himself, the cat will stretch his whole body towards the post. 4. Marking the post for territorial purposes. 5. Just for the fun of it.

Outdoor cats usually use wooden fences or objects for scratching, so a good scratching post would be one made of wood. A cat owner can get firewood or a log and convert it into a scratching post. Others who are still training their cats make do with the less expensive cardboard posts.

Since the primary use of the post is for the cats to sharpen their claws, the scratching post must be upright and steady. It should also be tall enough, or a half size more than the cat, to make sure your cat can stretch his whole body on the post. Much care should be placed in choosing the right post because if the cat feels it is not steady enough for him, then he might not use it and will revert to scratching your furniture.

Domestic Cat Breeds – The Persian, Siamese And Manx Breed

petshop — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:39:07 +0000

Do you want to own a cat but you don\’t know which breed makes for the best pet? Or, do you want to own a cat but you have no idea what to do with it? You can find all the information you need by searching online, including what breed will work best with your own personality.

One of the things you need to consider is if you want an outdoor or indoor cat. Outdoor cats are those that are smarter and tougher, something they need so they can survive. If the cat is small, you should keep it inside the house, so it doesn\’t become food for wild animals or big birds. If you own a tomcat, it\’s a great breed that survives well in the outdoors.

The Siamese: Siamese cats are a fickle breed, that will ask for your attention and you need to give it to them. They make plenty of noise and if you leave them on their own for long periods of time, they will tear up everything around them. While those are the downsides to owning a Siamese cat, it doesn\’t mean that they can\’t be great to own. This is especially true when you raise them from infancy.

In most cases, Siamese cats will have blue eyes and brown ears. You probably saw this breed if you\’ve seen the movie \”Lady and the Tramp\”. But, the cats in the movie were mean, not the usual type of a Siamese cat. In most cases, Siamese cats are an affectionate breed that likes people. When they ask for attention from their master, they will meow a lot, just like babies do when they cry.

The Persian Cat: this breed has been around for a very long time. Their coat is shinny and beautiful, with long hair. The good part about them is that they are friendly and soft, but they also have a chance of getting allergies or other health problems. When there are people around it will enjoy playing, but in most cases it\’s not a very playful race. They also enjoy beeing around other cats and will play with them. There are a lot of colours that might find their way on a cats fur, like white, brown, black or a mix of different colors. The Himalayan is a popular breed of Persian cats.

The Manx Breed: some of the things people know about this cat is that it lacks the tail or it has a stubby one. That\’s the downside of this breed of cats. In some cases the manx will have different parasites or worms, because it\’s not protected by the tail and it\’s not cleaned properly.

Still, the Manx is a good breed, so you shouldn\’t avoid it completely. These cats are quite playful and clever and they can even fetch things, just like a dog does when you play with him. They do love human company though, so they need them around. If you leave the house for longer periods of time you should probably have another cat to play with the Manx, because they dislike being alone. If there are children in the house, then it\’s the perfect environment for them.

What you read above is just three of the types of cat breeds that you can choose from. There are many more cat breeds available to you, and you can choose the one that fits your way of life best. While most cats are intelligent and social, some of them are more of the loner type. In most cases, the cat is the one that decides when she needs attention, not the master.

Types of Cat Scratching Posts

petshop — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:02:26 +0000

Cats scratch for different reasons and the act of scratching provides the cat with the necessary exercise in order to keep their bodies supple. By scratching, cats also mark their territories and indoor cats that don’t have any scratching posts, have as their only option your furniture and carpets. Fortunately for cat owners, nowadays there is a wide selection of cat scratching posts available and it is practically impossible not to find something your cat would like.

Since cats differ greatly in the way they scratch, the diversified types of cat scratching posts available on the market represent a good thing. Nowadays manufacturers use various surfaces for covering scratching posts and the most frequent is the sisal fabric. Another material used as a carpet is the jute, but it does not stand a lot of laceration. A cat scratching post can also be made from cardboard but this is not very durable and it will need to be changed frequently. However, cardboard scratching posts are cheap and there are cats that prefer them.

There are three main types of cat scratching posts and some posts are made of combinations of materials. Although your decision will be influenced by your budget and particular needs, the cat will definitely be the one to determine the type of cat scratching post you will buy. Sisal posts have a rough surface and they are not recommended in the case of cats with very sensitive paws. However, there are other cats which find these posts delightful and use them frequently.

Carpet cat scratching posts are the most common and they can be found even in grocery stores. These have a soft surface and they wear out in a short period of time. However, if you have a cat scratching post that must be replaced, make sure you choose one of the same colors because kittens don’t like change and a replacement will confuse them. There are scratching posts that will need to be assembled once you get home but all you need for that is a screwdriver.

Cardboard posts are boxes filled with exposed corrugations; usually, they are placed on the floor so that the cat can scratch without leaning up. Many cats like cardboards and the glue used in making them while others enjoy chewing it. As you can imagine the cardboard material will wear out faster than other posts but luckily, these posts are quite thick.

Another type of cat scratching posts is those made of natural wood. These consist of a tree limb or log with bark on it and although it is very natural, it can contain insects or mold that can be harmful for your cats. Many cats have their own preferences when it comes to scratching positions so we advise you to observe your cat while scratching before purchasing a cat scratching post. Note the details regarding its preferred texture and see if its scratching locations vary or if he always returns to the same place. Once you observe all these aspects, you will know what you have to do.

Our experience has taught us that cats should own several cat scratching posts, of different sizes, angles and scratching surface. These posts are essential for the cats because they provide the needed physical exercised and they relieve stress. Scratching posts will save your furniture and carpets from being scratched.