Guide to Feline Feeding: You can take the easy option and throw some discount cat feed into a bowl for your feline friend, but will she remain your friend for long if you don't give a bit more thought into what you feed her?

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<H1>Your Cat or Kitten Will Love You More, When You Follow this Guide to Feline Feeding </H1>

You can take the easy option and throw some discount cat feed
into a bowl for your feline friend, but will she remain your
friend for long if you don't give a bit more thought into what
you feed her? Here is some advice that will have her purring
with delight at feeding time, and keep her healthy at the same
time.

In order to keep your cat or kitten healthy, you need to choose
quality foods that will provide him with nutrients he needs.
But, what are they? You can't just give your cat any type of
food that is available. There are several things you should do
to improve your cat's nutrition.

Kitten Food

During the first few weeks, the food will come from mom cat.
But, when he begins to reach the age of four to six weeks, he
needs to supplement his foods with canned kitten food or you can
provide him with dry cat food that is softened with water. At
eight weeks, he should be weaned from the mother and eating
kitten food solely. The breeder at this point can allow him to
be adopted and should provide you with some of the food that he
is eating. If you plan to switch brands, you can do so but make
sure that you mix the food together until he is used to it.

Growing kittens will eat a good amount of food. They are growing
very fast and need it. They will eat more than once a day. They
are likely to eat up to four smaller meals until they are six
months old. You should give him plenty of clean water as well.
Remember, kittens have smaller stomachs and need smaller amounts
but use a lot of energy nonetheless.

As Your Kitten Gets Older

At six months, the cat will begin to taper off in growing. He
will likely be less active as well. This means you can cut back
to feeding him to two or three meals a day. You should not
change from kitten food to adult food since he is still growing.

At a year, you can provide him with adult food. Adult cats will
eat when they are hungry so you can simply leave a dish filled
with dry food for him. But, if he overeats and becomes
overweight, he will need to be limited to eating twice a day
instead. If you give him canned food, you can still offer dry
food as well. Canned food should not be left out all day.

What Kind of Cat Food?

To purchase cat food, you should look for the types that have
protein sources in the first few ingredients that are listed.
You should make sure that the food is well balanced too. If the
cat has problems that are health related look for foods designed
to help with these conditions.

Many cats will enjoy both wet and dry food. But, some are
finicky about it. If your cat does not seem to like dry cat
food, moisten it or provide him with regular check ups at the
vet to keep his teeth clean. Providing well balanced food for
your cat will allow him to live a healthy, long life.

About the author: 
Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you
information and news, tips and reviews to ensure you have the
correct <a href="http://www.best-pet-health.info">cat health
products</a> to keep your moggy happy.
<a href="http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info">http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info</a> Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info
All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so
long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

This Article was provided by CatNews.org 
<a href="http://www.catnews.org">Give your cat and kittens a longer and healthier 
life. Visit CatNews.org </a><a>an easy to navigate feline resource site filled 
with informative articles about cat and kitten health and care. New pet articles are 
added daily. Enter your cats picture in the Mac Daddy Cat Challenge.</a>

Your Cat or Kitten Will Love You More, When You Follow this Guide to Feline Feeding

You can take the easy option and throw some discount cat feed into a bowl for your feline friend, but will she remain your friend for long if you don't give a bit more thought into what you feed her? Here is some advice that will have her purring with delight at feeding time, and keep her healthy at the same time.

In order to keep your cat or kitten healthy, you need to choose quality foods that will provide him with nutrients he needs. But, what are they? You can't just give your cat any type of food that is available. There are several things you should do to improve your cat's nutrition.

Kitten Food

During the first few weeks, the food will come from mom cat. But, when he begins to reach the age of four to six weeks, he needs to supplement his foods with canned kitten food or you can provide him with dry cat food that is softened with water. At eight weeks, he should be weaned from the mother and eating kitten food solely. The breeder at this point can allow him to be adopted and should provide you with some of the food that he is eating. If you plan to switch brands, you can do so but make sure that you mix the food together until he is used to it.

Growing kittens will eat a good amount of food. They are growing very fast and need it. They will eat more than once a day. They are likely to eat up to four smaller meals until they are six months old. You should give him plenty of clean water as well. Remember, kittens have smaller stomachs and need smaller amounts but use a lot of energy nonetheless.

As Your Kitten Gets Older

At six months, the cat will begin to taper off in growing. He will likely be less active as well. This means you can cut back to feeding him to two or three meals a day. You should not change from kitten food to adult food since he is still growing.

At a year, you can provide him with adult food. Adult cats will eat when they are hungry so you can simply leave a dish filled with dry food for him. But, if he overeats and becomes overweight, he will need to be limited to eating twice a day instead. If you give him canned food, you can still offer dry food as well. Canned food should not be left out all day.

What Kind of Cat Food?

To purchase cat food, you should look for the types that have protein sources in the first few ingredients that are listed. You should make sure that the food is well balanced too. If the cat has problems that are health related look for foods designed to help with these conditions.

Many cats will enjoy both wet and dry food. But, some are finicky about it. If your cat does not seem to like dry cat food, moisten it or provide him with regular check ups at the vet to keep his teeth clean. Providing well balanced food for your cat will allow him to live a healthy, long life.

About the author:

Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you information and news, tips and reviews to ensure you have the correct cat health products to keep your moggy happy. http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

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You need to make sure that you read the label on the food that you are getting for your cat. Although it may seem strange because you can is a pet, their nutrition is still just as important as yours is which is why you should read the ingredients so that you are aware of what is in the food you are giving your cat. You also need to pay attention to what formula of cat food that you are purchasing. They have food for adult cats, kittens, aging cats, cats on diets, and everything in between. You don't want to be feeding your kitten adult food and vice versa.

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If your child misses a lot of school due to illness, maybe you should get a cat. Research has shown that children who own pets attend school up to 9 more days a year than their non pet-owning counterparts. The immune function of pet owners is more stable, making them better able to fend off illness. Pet owners visit doctors less.

But what about allergies? Isn't cat hair is a common source of irritation to immune systems? A leading theory under investigation by asthma researchers suggests that the presence of pets in the home from an early age may adapt the immune system so it is less sensitive to allergens later in life. So it may in fact be the lack of pets in a child's life that contributes to asthma sensitivities.

Studies have also connected pet ownership with lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety levels. In fact, a recent long-term study has shown that people who have never owned a cat, face a 40% greater risk of death due to heart attack than current and even previous cat owners. Dog owners did not have the same level of protection against heart disease as cat owners.

State University of New York researchers found that the cat doesn't even have to be present to achieve this. A group of stockbrokers with hypertension who owned pets showed lower blood pressure even when not with their cats.

It is well known that cat owners have lower stress levels overall, so perhaps the health advantages are a result of being more relaxed.

Cat ownership may be a surprising remedy for absenteeism, however, good health and more days at school are just two of the many benefits to children of having a cat in their lives. Studies have associated numerous psychological benefits with pet ownership.

Children who live with cats show more empathy for others and help others more. This translates to being able to understand others and get along better. Children who live with animals develop a better understanding of body language and other non-verbal cues. A study of 455 school children between the ages of 11 and 16 revealed that children with pets had a better ability to understand non-verbal communications. As a result, these children are more popular with classmates than those who don't have pets at home.

Additionally, children who own pets are more likely to be involved in sports, hobbies, clubs and other social activities. Some studies even show that children who own cats have a higher IQ.

Children with pets learn develop an early sense of responsibility. The responsibility of owning a pet can give children the experience of being needed and this may translate into other areas of life. Cats are relatively easy to care for, as they clean themselves and don't need to be walked.

Social skills and responsibility make a great foundation for life. A US study of 394 university students revealed that those who had owned dogs or cats as childhood pets were more self-confident than those who did not. This may be related to other findings that children raised with pets have higher self-esteem, thought to result from the unconditional love a pet provides. No matter what's going on at school, or with friends, pets treat children the same way.

It seems obvious to say then, that pets hold an important place in many children's lives, often on a par with parents, grandparents and siblings. Children often talk to their pets and regard them as an important friends and confidantes. A five-year study of 600 children aged 3-18 years showed that pet-owning children who have challenges such as being slow learners or having divorced parents cope better with life than those who don't have a pet. Again, having a pet that shows unconditional love regardless of what is happening, can cushion other difficulties in life.

It's not surprising that pets have been used successfully in therapy for some time now. They help sick kids relax and take their minds off their illnesses. Some doctors, recognizing the importance of pets in children's lives ensure that pet names are included in their patients' medical records along with other family members. Even in the most depressing clinical environment, talking about a pet can lighten a situation.

If you already have cat members of your family, know that they are doing your children the world of good. If you don't, it's worth serious consideration.

About the Author
Jenny
Jenny is a cat lover and webmaster of Pictures of Cats You are welcome to reproduce this article on your pet or family related web site, as long as you reproduce the article in full, including this resource box and link to her website featuring photo and video galleries of beautiful cats.

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QUICK CAT FACTS

ARE GINGER CATS ALWAYS MALE?
No. This is a common misconception. Ginger cats can be either male or female although ginger females are less common.

The genetics of ginger is explained in more detail in Tortoiseshell and Tri-Colour Cats (ginger is caused by the same gene as tortoiseshell), but this is a short version for those wanting a quick answer.

The ginger gene changes black pigment into a reddish pigment. The ginger gene is carried on the X chromosome. A normal male cat has XY genetic makeup so he only needs to inherit one ginger gene for him to be a ginger cat. A normal female is XX genetic makeup so she must inherit two ginger genes to be a ginger cat. If she inherits only one ginger gene, she will be tortoiseshell with some ginger areas and some black/brown areas.

The ginger gene is called a sex-linked gene because it is carried on a sex chromosome.

Also, if you look closely, ginger cats have tabby markings though these may be faint or only visible on the face, tail and lower legs. They are also visible in the ginger areas of tortie cats. This is because the gene that turns off tabby to give solid colour cats does not work on the ginger colour.

ARE GINGER FEMALES RARE?
No. They are less common than ginger males, but they are not rare. It is possible to selectively breed ginger female cats by mating ginger males and ginger females together. They will have ginger offspring.

ARE GINGER FEMALES STERILE?
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Focus On Cat Health

Understanding Cat Arthritis Symptoms - Caring For An Arthritic Cat

The increasing amount of cat owners feeding highly processed commercial cat food is reported by many veterinary experts to be a contributing factor in the increasing amount of cat arthritis happening in cats.

It is certainly not coincidence that owners who feed their cats homemade and raw food see lower occurrence of degenerative arthritis in their cats.

Today, although there are no concrete proof to show that commercial cat food contribute to arthritis development in cats, it is widely believe that they play a big part, From there, we understand that your cat’s diet would play a major effect in preventing this stressful cat disease.

Apart from diet, overweight older cats are also more likely to develop arthritis because of the extra pressure they put on their joints causing the cartilage and bones to wear off faster. Naturally, a cat who enjoys a healthy diet and who exercise regularly will be less likely to suffer from the same condition.

The symptoms of arthritis in cats would be that he will find it difficult to walk around and run. Moving around stiffly, he will not make jumps that he use to make and will have difficulty in climbing up stairs. Showing signs of depression, your cat would hide away and appear listless and even bad tempered. Not allowing you to touch and stroke him in areas where he is painful, he might cry out if you touch him on a painful joint.

To diagnose arthritis in cats, veterinary will observe, use blood test and most importantly the x-ray examination. The X-ray will show joint degeneration in areas of worn, irregular bone position and possible distortion of the joint and see if the bone is causing pain and forcing the cat to stand in an awkward position to compensate for the discomfort.
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PICA In Cats: EATING THE INEDIBLE

Pica means eating non-food items. The behaviour ranges from sucking, chewing and biting through to swallowing bites of items. Pica (from the Latin for "magpie"). It should not be confused with the suckling/nursing behaviour that some cats retain into adulthood. Commonly consumed target items include wool, string, elastic bands, electrical cords, tissues, tinsel and houseplants. Other objects have included cassette tape and the rubber "teat" section of a child's dummy (pacifier). Eating a little grass or herbs is normal cat behaviour; indoor cats may eat houseplants if there is no grass accessible.

Like many obsessive or abnormal behaviours, the cat persists in doing it because the it is comforting or rewarding. The reward might be a nice taste, a full stomach or simply getting attention from the owner. The challenge is to make the behaviour unrewarding and redirect the behaviour into something rewarding for the cat and acceptable to the owner. Sometimes it is a displacement activity where an abnormal activity is substituted for normal behaviour because the cat can't express the more normal behaviour i.e. the normal behaviour is being thwarted.

PICA, WOOL-SUCKING OR PREY-PLUCKING?
Wool-sucking (or fabric-sucking) is a misdirected form of nursing. It's similar to a child's thumb-sucking in providing comfort.. Though sometimes mistaken for wool-eating, the item (sweater, blanket etc) is only sucked, not chewed, bitten or swallowed. Other commonly suckled objects include the cat's own tail, other cats or pet dogs. Behavioural treatment may be needed to build up the cat's confidence so it no longer resorts to "comfort nursing".

In general, the younger a kitten is when it is weaned, the stronger the urge to nurse and the more persistent the comfort-nursing. Usually it decreases naturally as the kitten grows up, but it may persist or resurface in early-weaned or hand-reared cats, particularly at times of stress. More rarely it becomes a compulsive behaviour or progresses to pica.

Some owners provide an old sweater for the cat to suckle on while protecting other garments by storing them away from the cat or dabbing hot chilli sauce onto them.

Plucking the target resembles pica but is a misdirected prey-related activity. The cat holds down the (often woollen) blanket or garment with its paws and uses its teeth to pluck or tear at it. This is the same behaviour found when a cat plucks or tears fur, feather or flesh from larger prey items (e.g. pigeons). The clothing/blanket isn't swallowed anything the cats tears off is discarded. One of my cats, Sappho, exhibited this behaviour towards crochet blankets.

In the case of one Siamese cat, it took a sock to its eating area and plucked at it periodically during the meal (canned food). The owner attributed this to "teeth cleaning" but it was probably misdirected prey-plucking/tearing behaviour as it only occurred at mealtimes.

BREED PREDISPOSITIONS
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Focus On Cat Breeds

What Are The Characteristics Of Somali Cat?

The Somali is an intelligent playful cat and for those who like longhaired cats, this may be the breed for you. Somalis are descendants of the Abyssinian cat breed, and have a lot of similar traits. Abyssinian litters have seen the birth of longhair cats for many generations and in the 1960s, a Canadian breeder thought of coming up with a new breed from these kittens. He called it the Somali and their popularity spread fast to the United States and Europe. This breed was developed from the Abyssinian and they were known as the longhair Abyssinian.

A very distinguishing feature of these cats is the markings on the face which are often described as heavy stage makeup. The eyes look like they have been outlined with kohl and around the dark ring there is a ring of light hair. So the effect is that of a cat with glasses. The body has a wedge shaped head with large ears, a well muscled body, a long bushy tail and very expressive eyes. This is one breed that can be found in colors like chocolate, red, blue, lilac, ruddy, sorrel, cream colors, fawn, with silver tabby patterns or tortoiseshell tabby.

These are highly trainable cats that are happiest when they have something to play with. The toy can be a paper bag or some small toy. They can do all the things one would train dogs for, like fetch the paper, walk on a leash and come when called or they are just as happy to cuddle in your lap for the six o' clock news. If you plan to be out for most of the day, then get a small companion for your Somali because a lonely Somali can get really unhappy.
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History, Temperament of the Maine Coon.

History of the Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coons have been on this earth for many centuries, they were well documented at being in large numbers at American Cat Shows in the mid 1800’s alongside the other popular breed at the time the Persian cat.

There are several theories as to the origin of Maine Coons, the Darwin Theory of an animal’s origin being disregarded and obscured, from being an outcross between a Bobcat/Wildcat and a domestic, coming across as ship cats from Scandinavian countries as Forest type cats and mating with the domestic cats, to Marie Antoinette sending her royal cats on a ship to the safety of Maine, prior to her beheading. Nobody really knows and the cat’s aren’t saying.

Maine Coons are a natural breed of cat or at least the original ones were, and anyone who has ever met one and to everyone who has ever lived with one, the Maine Coon is a very special breed of cat. [1]

Appearance of The Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coons are the largest breed of domestic cat and have a rugged, working cat appearance. They have a lovely semi-longhaired coat of varying lengths and were well built to survive in the harsh North American winters. This coat is very water repellent, but quite soft to the touch. An amazing plumed tail of large proportions finishes off this wonderful coat. They come in a large variety of colours and in several tabby patterns as well as solid and particolours. Brown tabby is the original colouring of a Maine Coon but the rainbow of colours range through blues, reds and creams, silvers tortoiseshell and solid blacks through to solid white.
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Adopting a kitten or cat is a wonderful and exciting occasion. But, adding a cat to your family involves much more than simply bringing it home. You must learn to take care of it daily in a safe fashion. Feline care is mostly common-sense, and doesn't take much time. In fact, I can give you a little cat training in ten minutes with an important lesson on how to handle your cat.

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Humans are not the only animals diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately 1.4 million Americans suffer from ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, two specific disorders that fall under the umbrella term of IBD. Although it is hard to keep statistics on how many of our feline companions have the disease (dogs can be affected as well), it is not an uncommon diagnosis.

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