I’ve been around cats all my life and have two of my own at the moment. I’ve noticed some cats when they go to lay down will just fall over sideways while others will lay down gently. In my findings most of the fall over cats are always the extremly friendly ones. Has anyone else ever noticed this and how does your cat lay down?
If you have a cat – or more than one cat – then you’re in the market for some quick and easy training tips. The following tips . . . tricks . . . and techniques cover a variety of situations that most cat owners encounter.
The key to effective training is consistency. Whatever you choose, be sure to do it on regularly, otherwise, you’ll be sending your cat mixed signals. And that will only make it that much harder to train her. Forget about cat training in 10 minutes!
Below are ten “must have” tips that will get you through your initial phase cat ownership.
1. Cats really don’t care that you punish them. It’s true. If you’ve owned a dog, you know that punishing him will help change his behavior. It doesn’t with cats. Bottom line. Don’t waste your time. They’ll sit there purring at you and just perform that same behavior again.
2. Corporal punishment is out of the question. Because a cat’s body is so delicate, you can’t “spank” a cat the way you do a dog to get its attention. That means when you’re training your cat, you have to match wits with it. Don’t worry. I’m confident you’ll win. There are things out there like cat clicker training, but I don’t recommend it.
3. Use a form of positive reinforcement. As you become a seasoned cat owner, you’ll discover that it’s difficult to catch your cat in the actual “crime”. It’s far easier, then, to reward your cat when you see her performing a right behavior. Keep some cat “treats” on hand. Feed one to your cat whenever she is doing something positive – like using the litter box or using her scratching post.
4. Keep plenty of toys – either store bought or make shift – around the house. Much of the “bad” behavior of cats is simply because they’re board. The feline is by nature a predatory animal. Remember the scene in the Disney movie, The Lion King, where little Simba gets “pouncing lessons.” When you think your cat is literally bouncing off the walls and tearing down the curtains, he’s only practicing his predatory skills. Provide him with alternatives and he’ll tame down – at least some.
5. When you’re away, keep him busy. If your cat is used to company, he may get bored and inadvertently destruction while you’re at work or are gone for any length of time. Here’s a quick hint. Buy a timer for your television set, make sure the TV is tuned to an animal-friendly channel (an outdoor channel or Animal Planet for instance) and then have the television automatically turn on at different times of the day. Cats can see images on the screen. He’ll come to investigate the noise and stay to watch the picture – at least for a while.
6. The value of a spray bottle of water. In some instances, spraying a cat with a harmless water bottle is enough to get their attention and stop the bad behavior. You only need a simple spray bottle that you use for misting plants. Squirt the cat if it misbehaves. Soon, he’ll know that he can’t do that.
7. Blow a harmless puff of air in your cat’s face. Yes, this sounds crazy, but it really works. If your cat is literally in your face and you need to teach him to keep a certain distance and give you some space, try it. Blow a puff of air into his face. It’ll startle and puzzle him. Soon, he’ll associate the two and you won’t be bothered by the unpleasant attention he gives you.
8. Make sure you cat has “a room with a view”. You know what they say, “curiosity killed the cat.” More appropriately, an irate owner went berserk over something a bored cat got into. Much of the bad behavior of your cat is simply due to his innate curiosity. Make sure he has a ledge or window sill that he can sit in comfortably to check out the birds and squirrels in your yard. If your window sill isn’t large enough for him to sit for extended periods, you can by an extension at the pet store. Or, if someone you know is handy, you can make your own.
9. Spend quality time with your cat. As a training technique, this may sound a bit unorthodox. But, it’s really a savvy move on your part. The more time you spend with your kitty, the better you’ll be able to communicate with her. Cats definitely have a form of communication skills that involves more than just “talking.” The better you know your cat – and just as importantly, the better your cat knows you – you’ll be able “to read her mind”. You’ll just “know” when she’s considering an improper move. And she’ll know when you disapprove just by reading your body language and the look on your face.
10. Confine the aggressive cat. Reward the victim. Got more than one cat? Then you probably have that occasional “cat fight.” Felines are territorial animals. They will get into a fight now and then over their “catdom.” If you view the fight, your first step is to disengage the action. Using a water sprayer is the best method. Squirt the aggressor. Try to avoid squirting the victim. After that, confine the “bully” in a less attractive space. In the meantime, reward the cat who didn’t attack – even when she was being attacked. Give her a treat and let her free roam the house. When you do put this pair of felines together again, try to keep them as supervised as possible.
These ideas are only the tip of the iceberg when you’re training your cat. As you and your pet begin to know each better, you’ll discover a language of your own. It may be through speech – you talk and she meows. But more than likely, the two of you will eventually be able to read each other’s body language. You’ll soon learn the subtle nuances of this very effective form of communication . . . and teaching your cat what she needs to know will be easier than you can ever imagine.
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Okay, so I got a new cat about 1 year old like 4 weeks ago, and i already have 2 cats both about 2. And My cats hate the new one, if they see her they’ll hide and not come out. We’ve been keeping her in my room. My one cat Precious, if my new cat gets near her will grow and hiss like crazy. Nothing seems to be working.
Most of us know that feeding our cat is not really a chore at all. Dump the food in a big bowl or dish, and the cat will eat when it’s ready. Unlike a dog, cats tend to not overeat and therefore are more easily manageable than most other house pets. However, we need to be careful when assuming that the food that we are feeding our cat, and the manner by which we feed our cat, are the best choices for our cat. Here are some tips on how to maintain a healthy diet for your kitty.
Feed your cat based on their activity.
Is your cat an active cat or does it to lay around the house all day waiting for its next meal? If your cat is overweight and not very active at all, leaving a bowl full of food is probably not the best idea. It is at this point that you should begin to manage how much you feed your cat, what you feed your cat, and how often. By taking charge of your cat’s feeding habits, you will be able to increase the life and longevity of your cat by making this simple and easy choice. A simple “Here kitty kitty kitty” will make your overweight and hungry feline run for the bowl to eat your rationed healthy amount of cat food.
Watch the weather!
Simply put, the environment in which your animal lives directly affects and influences their energy needs. Extreme hot or cold weather can increases a pet’s energy needs and drinking habits. Make sure that on hot days water is readily available and that you feed your cat more canned food then dry. The water content within the canned food will help the cat retain water if it is not able to get to the water dish on a regular basis. If the weather is cold, make sure that you are feeding your cat very nutritional cat food that is not full of filler so that your cat will have more of the necessary nutrients to digest to ensure that it stays healthy.
Cat feeding times
Although discussed previously, there is much more to say about having a specific feeding time for your cat. Not only does this allow you to feed your cat nutritional canned food, you will also know that it will not be left in the open. Preservatives are nice, but let’s not take any chances with the food left out.
Also, by having specific feeding times, this allows you to monitor your cat’s diet by providing the food at regular times. It is a kind of portion-control feeding, however, most cats will simply eat until they have what they need.
Bottom line: keep a bowl full of a regular dry cat food and monitor the intake of canned food to ensure that your cat does not get overweight and is as healthy as it can be.
Buy the best
Though this sounds economically wrong, the truth of the matter is this: cheap cat food usually is cheap because of the added fillers that are put into the food.
As a general rule, cats need a daily regimen of protein found in meat, fish, or poultry. They also need an essential amino acid called Taurine and various other vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
If you have looked at a label for cat food, you will notice that wheat, rice, and even corn is used as filler for both canned and dry cat foods. Make sure that the cat food that you choose has the proper amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals and not as much filler. The price of the cat food usually justifies its quality. And, as an added benefit, cats usually only eat as much as their bodies need. Therefore, your cat will probably eat less of the expensive of cat food because it contains more of the nutrients that it needs and not as much filler.
Avoid food addictions
Cats are said to be finicky animals. Whether this is true or not, cats have been known to develop a certain affinity toward particular brands and types of food. This could become a problem, especially if your cat develops a food allergy to certain ingredients and preservatives that may be contained within that cat food.
In order to avoid this, it is recommended that early in a cat’s life that it gets used to having different varieties of cat food and different flavors. This way, the cat is less likely to develop an affinity for a particular brand which may inevitably lead to the cat developing a food allergy because of the lack of variety in its daily diet.
Overall, by avoiding cat food products that have chemical preservatives like BHA, cornmeal, and other carbohydrate fillers, you should be able to maintain your cat’s health at an optimal level.
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When are you that wierdo, the cat lady? Do the cats have to be in your house to qualify, or is living in the yard enough to make you the cat lady? How many cats make you the cat lady? What makes people cross that line from normal pet ownership into being the cat lady?
Table scraps are not a healthy cat food diet and are a major cause of digestive disorders in cats.
People give their pet dogs and cats all kinds of foods that are not good for them, forgetting they are animals, have different digestive systems than we do and do not brush teeth.
Then some are surprised their poor little kitty cat has the runs (Diarrhea) or constipation issues, and next, they suppose that pumping meds into their cats’ body will resolve the issue…
Remember, camouflaging the simptoms with meds is not treating the root cause of the problem.
The worst is giving your pet cats
Some people don’t want cats in their yard, so they rent cat traps or may try other less humane methods.
Whether you are someone who believes in vaccinations or not, they are extremely important to the health and well being of your cat. Just as with humans, there are certain viruses that can attack a cat’s system if they are not properly protected. Even if your cat never goes outside, they still interact with whoever comes into your home and whatever germs that they are carrying. It is really easier to take your cat to the veterinarian for their vaccinations instead of dealing with all of the bills that come from a sick cat. Ask your doctor about any vaccinations that your cat may need and have them explain them to you if you have any concerns.
Another major decision when having a cat is the question of whether or not you are going to have your cat spayed or neutered. For those who plan on breeding their cats, this is not a major concern, but for those who don’t have any plans on breeding should strongly consider these options in order to avoid a lot of complications down the road.
Not only are you protecting your cat from contributing to a litter of kittens that weren’t exactly in the cards, but you might avoid a lot of behaviors that occur when a male or female is fertile. As mentioned in an earlier article, when a male or female cat is not spayed or neutered they may demonstrate such behaviors as urination, spraying their spent, and having to deal with a females heat cycles.
Spaying refers to a female cat in which the cat’s reproductive organs are removed in order to eliminate any chance of having kittens. By spaying your female cat you will have a more relaxed, active, and happy cat. Neutering refers to the removal of a male cat’s reproductive organs. Again, they will not be able to reproduce but you will find that are not as aggressive as when they are unneutered.
Part of having a cat involves keeping an eye on their general health and well being. This is why it’s important to have a good veterinarian that you can go to when you have any questions or concerns. You need to be able to ask questions and receive helpful answers; after all you need to keep in mind that your cat’s health is at stake.
After many question and answer sessions with your veterinarian as you become accustomed to your cat, you will begin to be able to decipher when something is wrong with your cat. It won’t hurt if your make it a regular habit to check out your cat for any indicators that they may have a health problem. Below are the main characteristics you need to look for.
• Eyes: a healthy cat has bright and clear eyes. If you notice any irritation such as discoloration or discharge, you might want to ask your veterinarian.
• Ears: a healthy cat has clean ears that don’t stink or have anything icky coming out of them. If you notice that there is any discharge or discoloration your cat might have ear mites. Refer to your veterinarian for questions or how to clean their ears.
• Mouth: a healthy cat has pink and healthy looking gums. Indicators that there might be a problem are stinky breath, swollen gums, or sores.
• Body and Fur: a healthy cat has a thick and lustrous coat. If your cat’s coat is not shiny and thick, there might be a health problem that you should check into such as lumps, ticks, dandruff, and fleas.
• Nose: a healthy cat should have a clean nose.
If there is any cause for concern you should speak to your veterinarian immediately.
Even if you keep your cat clean, well fed, and vaccinated there is a good chance that your cat is going to be sick at one time or another in their life. This is similar to people, no matter how hard you try, eventually you get sick.
I have 1 kitten who is 3 months old and one adult cat who is 5 years old. Since both cats need different kinds of food (kitten food which has nutrients found in a mother’s milk, and adult formula that has nutrients designed for older cats), I have two separate food bowls. One for the kitten and one for the older cat. The older cat steals food from the kittens bowl which is making her overweight, and the younger one is stealing food from the older cat’s food bowl. I’ve tried mixing some kitten food in with the adult food, but that hasn’t worked. I’ve tried putting the bowls in differnt spots in the house which also hasn’t worked. What would you suggest? Thanks.
Most cats love eating natural cat food such as raw chicken and other raw meats. Chicken, meat and fish is a Cats’ favorite and healthy food.
In nature, cats would hunt birds and eat them up – uncooked, naturally!
Some cat owners don’t like looking at raw food and feel disgusted by giving bloody meat to their cats.
Cats however love it. Eating raw meat such as [chicken cat food->], turkey, beef, rabbit etc and of course the all-addicting raw fish meat is the natural healthy diet cat food.
Cats love drinking fresh blood, so don’t feel horrified if your kitten or kitty cat wants to drink blood from meat or chicken.
Look, when cats run around outdoors they hunt small snakes in the garden, bugs, flying things… When cats climb trees they catch lizards, birds and eat up raw eggs. Cats love raw eggs and raw meat foods.
You might see your cat looking so ravenous with the raw chicken, turkey or other meat or fish you give it… Then you know they are happy and were starved for natural raw cat food.
We might not like them eating such stuff, but it is their natural healthy cat food diet.
Some folks swear by dry cat food for cats. They might have 19 YO cat living solely on dry cat food diet and their cat seem quite fine.
They say dry cat food is the most balanced, fiber and nutrition rich. And of course, it is easier and less hassles, especially when one travels a lot away from home or is gone for long hours every day.
The quality of commercial cat food, however, depends upon the brand of dry or even wet cat foods you buy for your cat.
As a rule, RAW cat food is VERY GOOD for cats. It is their natural food.
Do you suppose they have a kitchen and pots in nature?
The younger you start cats on raw food diet, the better…