Special needs cats: You don't often hear about or see information for special needs cats. These may be blind, very old (with limited mobility), or disabled in some way. Disabled cats may be amputees
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Cat Litter Box Strategies For Special Needs Kitties
You don't often hear about or see information for special needs kitties. These may be blind, very old (with limited mobility), or disabled in some way. Disabled cats may be amputees, or even paralyzed. There are special mobile devices you can purchase for your paralyzed cat.
But this article will talk a little bit about the cat litter box concerns for special needs kitties. Due to their limited mobility or lack of site, litter box type and location are absolutely critical.
If you have a blind cat, your best bet is maintain location consistency as much as possible. When your blind kitty has become accustomed to finding his cat litter box in one location, the most successful strategy is to leave the box there. However, if you have to move the box, you'll need to help retrain your blind cat to find his way to it again. A lot of patience will be necessary. You could even confine the blind cat to that particular location for awhile, so he'll re-learn how to find the litter box easily.
You'll also want to think about the type of cat litter box. If it's too high to climb up in, he's going to get discouraged, and he'll find another, easily accessible location to void his urine. You may even need to buy a large storage container, cut out a "U"-shaped entrance (the bottom of the "U" should be up about 3 - 4" to hold the cat litter in the box), and train kitty to find it.
Obviously, this depends upon the type of dwelling you live in, how many other cats and litter boxes are in your home, and if you own a multi-story house. Consult with your vet for other strategies.
Very old cats often develop mobility issues. If this true for your kitty, you may need to strategically place cat litter boxes in places you didn't previously consider, just to make it easy for your senior cat to make it to the box in time. Again, if you live in a multi-story house, you'll probably have to place cat litter boxes on different levels.
However, if your senior cat voluntarily confines herself to one area, then you may only need to consider litter box placement in that part of your home. And just like blind kitties, consider the type of cat litter box that's best for your senior cat. If she has stiff joints, be sure she can easily climb in and out of the box. If she's unable to squat to urinate, you'll need a high-sided box. The solution given above may be just the ticket to avoid cat urine odor problems for your senior kitty.
Talk to your vet to see if there are any medications that may ease your cat's joint pain. This removes most of the challenge of getting to the cat litter box in time.
Paralyzed cats face daunting challenges. They can't feel anything back in that region, so very often their voiding functions simply happen. I have had cat owners tell me that the best solution is to diaper the cat. The downside is you have to constantly check the diaper, but if it stops a cat urine odor problem in your home, and you can keep your wonderful, special kitty, that's a small price to pay.
You will probably want to make certain that your home has as much tile floor exposed as possible. Carpet cleaning can be costly, and eventually the material will not clean up as well as it used to, making replacement necessary and costly.
Some cat owners confine their paralyzed kitty to one area of their home that's easy to clean up. Consult with your vet on the best strategy for your paralyzed kitty.
If your special needs kitty is an amputee, you may either have a few cat litter box problems, or absolutely none. I have met cat owners who tell their three-legged cat has no trouble balancing in the litter box. Others report that the only thing they need to do to accomodate their amputee cat is to make sure they buy cat litter boxes that are low enough for kitty to hop in and out of.
Cats that lose a limb later in life may have some initial balancing issues. I recommend confining kitty to one area with a floor that's easy to clean up, while the amputee practices new cat litter box skills. Consult with your vet for more ideas.
With a little bit of thought and preparation, special needs kitties can as trouble-free as any cat when using the cat litter box.
About the Author: Nancy solved the cat urine odor problem in her home, and kept the cat that caused it. Read "18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems" to discover your solution. http://www.stopcaturineodor.com
Basic Cat Training: Every pet owner knows that if you and your pet have the same rules, the household is much happier. For instance, is there a
place you do not want your cats? Perhaps the kitchen counter?
Fancy a Cat Clone Sure, you can clone your favorite cat. But the copy will not necessarily act or even look like the original.
The Scottish Fold Cat The first Scottish Fold cat came from a farm in Pearthshire, Scotland, England in, 1961. The cat was discovered by a local shepherd who noticed the strange folded ears
Cats Help Shield Owners From Heart Attack Whether it's a frisky kitten or a tubby tabby, a cat at home could cut your heart attack risk by almost a third, a new study suggests
It is estimated that a cat can kill up to one hundred birds each year. Millions of birds are killed by pets and feral cats as are tens of millions of rodents and other small animals. Cats are not a natural part of the ecosystem. They were introduced to North America in large numbers in the 1800's. Unlike other predators, cats are fed and inoculated against disease, and are not reliant on their hunting skills for survival. In addition to killing birds through hunting, cats can transmit diseases, which kill wildlife.
Feral, or wild cats are descended from domesticated pets When cats are lost or abandoned, they return to a more primitive wild state, know as feral. Although feral cats may live alone, often they join large groups or colonies of other wild cats. Their lives are hard, and their life expectancies are much lower than their domesticated kin
Also see : I love cats and I figured that to help as many as I could I had to share this information with other like-minded folks like you. So I compiled it into a neat package just for people who love their cats ... and called it Cat Health Secrets.
How Many Cat Litter Boxes Do You Need?: The number of cat litter boxes available for your kitties is another key to good litter box habits. Many cats are fussy about their litter boxes, and if they aren't happy with number you provide, they communicate their unhappiness
Also see : Adopting A Cat: Whether or not to adopt a cat is by no means an easy decision. It carries with it huge responsibility. You will have to take care of a cat until its death, which could be in 15 to 20 years. In addition, you should be ready to spend a large amount of your time feeding the cat, grooming it, and playing with it on a daily basise
Training your cat for the outdoors
Your cat will love to go outdoors; the environment is excellent
for him and good way to get exercise and the energy that he will
need to use to settle for a while so that he may not be up all
night wanting to go out.
Also see :
Flea Control in dogs and cats: Flea control can be a very hard thing to do especially if you live in areas where fleas are largely populated. Weather has a lot to do with fleas and trying to keep them outdoors and off of your pets can be very changeling
So You Want a Cat or Kitten?
As an ardent reader of the Collins Dog Photoguide I came across this article, which I feel, might be of interest to readers.
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Save money and time by applying proven solutions to get rid of cat urine odor in your home Read more
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Meow Mix House - Cat Reality Television
My friends at Meow Mix have done it again, they have produced a reality TV show staring 10 homeless cats.
All ten cats were chosen from animal shelters from around the country.
The cats are spending their time in a storefront window in New York City. The players are brought to life with the use of voice over and the public votes one of the cats out of the house each week. Sound like something you've watched before?
The best part is when the cats gets voted out of the Meow Mix House they go to an adopted new home and the winner will be the new Meow Mix spokes-cat.
Thanks to Meow Mix for providing great entertainment for us cat lovers.
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.
About The Author Jim Moore Jim has come to appreciate throughout his life how you should take care and give loving attention to your cat.
7 Secrets to Successful Cat Toilet Training My family never thought of cat toilet training, but like to rear cats at home. I do not really mind them around, but the problem of dealing with their wastes poses some challenges to me.
Red fluorescent cats
Red fluorescent cats: This picture, taken through a special filter in a dark room, shows a cat, left, possessing a red fluorescent protein that makes the animal glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet rays, appearing next to a normal cloned cat.
Link Exchange If you have a pet related site and you'd like to link to Catnews.org feel free! Just copy the HTML code beneath the banner you want and paste it into your web page. If you want a reciprocal link in our link directory please email me at clark2368@aol.com with the page you have posted our banner and the information and graphic for your link
Home remedies for cats & other pets: Arthritis To make your overweight pet’s loose weight, 20 minute walk several times a day will help lighten the load on the achy joints and reduce the progression of arthritis. During winter season, let your pet sleep inside on soft bedding to reduce discomfort if any
Cat Litter Box Health Concerns You Need To Know: Cats are the most popular pets in the United States. According to the latest version of the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2002 Edition) there were almost 70 Million pet cats in the United States.
Finding a good trainer for your cat: Training a cat has been great interest to people, as to weather you can train a cat or not. Cats are independent animals, which leads people to believe training will not be able to be done.
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Black Cats Bad Luck For The Allergic A new study shows that dark-colored cats are the worst offenders when it comes to causing more wheezing, sneezing and overall misery to people unlucky enough to have allergies.
Cat Litter Box Location Strategies: Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat's litter boxes. Here's some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits.
How to Make a Smooth Move with your Pet Moving with Cats: You know how stressful a move can be, and now imagine how your cat can feel on seeing you packing boxes and movers wrapping the furniture and taking it away. Cats are territorial animals and feel the change of environment much stronger than dogs
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openDemocracy continues its Ulysses series with Erik Orsenna's travels along the 21st century cotton trail. From Mali to China, via the US, Brazil, Egypt, and Uzbekistan, he explores the mechanisms of globalisation, trade and livelihood. 26 - 09 ...
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Yemengzhu - The 3 Billion Dollar Rock What weighs 6.2 tons and is worth more then 3.1 billion dollars? Are your guessing a new high tech battleship or maybe a new stealth fighter? Well it's a big ball of glow in the dark fluorite. Thats right a rock! read more --- Yemengzhus, 亦稱傳奇光亮珍珠在中國, 是罕見的煥發的球在黑暗的熒石。
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