There is a great deal of interest in the Norwegian Forest Cat. The breed was recognized in Norway in 1973 and then sold in Sweden in 1977. Shortly thereafter it came to the United States. Its history goes back further to the days of the Vikings, who enjoyed them as companions and mousers. In Norway, its name is Norsk Skogkatt and its natural habitat was in the surrounding forests. Yet, this breed is not a cat from the wilds, but lived with the Norwegians in their homes. The Norwegian Forest Cat is not only a hunter, but a loving companion. It gets along with other animals and children. Despite its muscular, large size; it demonstrates a gentle spirit. This gentleness is expresses itself in the almond-shaped green eyes.

It is featured in the ancient folk tales of Norway where it was considered a fairy cat. The fairy cats pulled the chariot of the goddess, Freya. She was the goddess of fertility. Forest Cat kittens were given to new brides. The Skogkatt has been around for centuries and it was told that even the god of Thunder, Thorr, could not lift the cat. The cat was always described as the cat with the big bushy tale. Some historians have reported that this breed was given to the Scandinavians by the Turks.

It was not until the Second World War the breed became official due to the threat of extinction. A serious breeding of the Norwegian Forest Cat was developed. In 1977 it was officially recognized in Paris, which brought great joy to Norway. Until then, this breed was pretty much left outside on its own, while other breeds were sought to live in Norwegian homes.

The first longest living forest cat belonged to Vibeke Poulsen and died at the age of 16. Its name was Sidser and was well known as Norway’s April Dream. There were three males who gained the same recognition for their age when they died. Their names were Et eller Felis Jubatus, Hedda Gabler Felis Jubatus and Skovhugger Felis Jubatus. These three males were the only recognized World Winners.

This breed has won over the hearts of many American owners. It has the air of enchantment as important character in Norway’s folktales and the history of the Vikings. The breed has also been given the name of “Wegie” and was described as “huge and furry tolls”. The breed has won its place in the cat kingdom. It is the most versatile breed in the world with the characteristics of a strong hunter and the playfulness of a kitten. It is no wonder that this breed is such a delight and so loved by young to old alike.

Check out the facts every owner of Norwegian forest cat breed should know here. For more detail of Norwegian forest cat click here.

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Origins of the Norwegian Forest Cat

There are cats, which are universally characterized as finicky eaters, who orally obsess upon objects such as fabric, string and plastic. They can proceed to suck, chew or ingest these materials as well.

Some animal behaviorists believe kittens that are orphaned or weaned too early were never taught by their mother to stop nursing. Consequently, later in life the cat may pick up where it left off using a synthetic mother-substitute. A little chewing or sucking is absolutely normal for inquisitive kittens, however, it can be a problem when the behavior is repeated over and over again or damaging to the cat and/or household that has been thought to be an obsessive-compulsive disorder. The disorder can occur with any cat breed of any age, but wait; animal researchers now believe there appears to be some genetic components to these behaviors.

Some veterinary behaviorists believe that when it comes to chewing disorders, wool sucking and chewing in Oriental breeds (the Siamese and Burmese Cats) are the number one problem seen for diagnosis and treatment on the behaviorist’s couch.

Kittens are much like human toddlers, therefore, many of their weird chewing or ingestive behaviors can be related to their natural desire to play and put things in their mouths for exploration purposes.

It is the adult cats that suck, chew, or eat strange things who are more likely afflicted with a compulsive disorder. Some veterinary behaviorists theorize these cats may be simply following the saying of, “if it feels good….do it!” Others theorize that the act of chewing releases endorphins in the brain that gives cats a “meow high.” When these cats suck or chew, the happy-hormones are released, and consequently these cats become happy-hormone addicts.

If you are experiencing a cat with a chewing disorder, the experience is certainly a challenge. You may find yourself trying to cat-proof your entire house very much like you would do for young human toddlers. And it may seem, regardless of how good you cat-proof things, the cat still finds something “unusual or abnormal” to chew on or eat.

The most favorite kind of materials for cats seems to be “wool fabric,” especially in the winter season. Fabric chewing cats like the crunch of the fabric. This is especially true of cats fed only soft foods. Behaviorists theorize that cats start this bad habit because they are bored, anxious, stressed or inadvertently rewarded for the behavior.

Tips for owners of cat chewing disorders:

* The best preventive for chewing disorders and strange appetites is to provide kittens with proper chew toys and interactive forms of exercise

* You can teach kittens good habits by praising him or her for good chewing and healthy, desirable behaviors.

* Nutritional deficiencies are seldom the reason behind chewing and strange appetites

Cat chewing disorders can be a serious health and medical problem. For example, imagine if your cat chewed and swallowed something such as your daughter’s hair crunchy. The cat would probably require a major surgery to remove the foreign object. Eating substances that can cause intestinal blockage are the most dangerous, and can carry a high fatality rate.

Experts recommend:

* Stopping the nasty chewing habits before the cat gains a substantial appetite for them and stops being a cat with regular routines of playing, resting and grooming itself

Treatment might include:

* Keeping household changes to a minimum

* Switching “good chew” objects for bad ones

* Using repellents or other deterrents around taboo areas

* As a last resort, drug therapy

* Remove wool or plastic or any other foreign objects for the cat and give them dry food, lettuce or whole baby carrots

* Provide alternative oral stimulation in the form of rawhide soaked in chicken broth or other dog chew treats

* Create a cat-tractive window box filled with catnip, grass and other items designed to lure your cat away from the offending items

* Bored cats can become destructive cats. Provide plenty of places to climb, crept, leap and race, use cat activity centers and the newer interactive toys to engage kittens mind and body

* Consult with a veterinarian at the earliest signs of a problem as treatment is always easiest in the early stages of any kind of problem

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any kind of health problem in your cat. You should always consult with a trusted veterinarian for all health problems.
Source: The Winn Feline Foundation Online

Written by: Connie Limon. I raise the elegant silver green-eyed Persian cats from champion and grand champion bloodlines. Please visit my website at http://smalldogs2.com/PersianCats

Post from: Pets On The Blog

Chewing Disorders and strange Appetites in Cats

Cats are prone to bladder infections. Other names for this disease are feline lower urinary tract disease and feline urological syndrome. The result is bloody urine and microscopic crystals. Other signs are your cat urinating elsewhere than the litter box, drinking excessive amounts of water, vomiting, depression, and loud meowing when it pees. These symptoms are created by the inflammation in the cat’s bladder. Detecting this illness promptly can save your friend from suffering serious illness. A male cat’s urethra can be blocked, which can make his bladder expand too much and rupture because of toxins and he will die.

Treatments

There are several treatments for this disease, but antibiotics is the most used treatment. The vet will do an urinalysis, which determines if white blood cells are in the urine. He’ll take a urine culture to find the bacteria responsible for the bladder infection. That way he’ll know the right antibiotic to use.

A different treatment for feline lower urinary tract disease is herbal using uva ursi and barberry. Uva ursi promotes normal pH in your cat’s urinary tract and it is a good diuretic that removes bacteria from his urine. Cantharis and staphysagria are good for stopping pain, which your cat will have, if he has to strain to pee. Staphysagria heals inflammation too. Berberis promotes a healthy immune system. Scullcap soothes his nervous system, which if he has been stressed this will calm him and stress for a prolonged time causes his pH to get out of balance. There are already prepared products that have several of these herbs in them.

The causes of stress for your pet include: new home or person, travel or a new pet. Never take this illness in a light manner. Your cat may need to go to a vet. You can administer herbal remedies and give your cat an antibiotic that your vet prescribes. Check with him concerning this, but usually herbs don’t interfere with the medication. You can research to see, if the herbs you want to use are known to interfere with the medicine he prescribes.

While your feline friend is sick, give him or her a lot of attention. Be kind when giving the medication. Sit and talk sweetly to your cat. Your love will help him get well.

Prevention

Feeding your cat some moist food each day helps prevent this illness. You can add a bit of these herbs to his daily food. Find remedies made for cats at sites providing natural remedies for animals. That way you can find something easy to give to your cat too. Buy a food with reduced ash content. Make sure he drinks clean water;using a filter or filter pitcher to insure clean water will help. Keep his litter box tidy.

Preventing and curing bladder infections in your cat is very important to his health. This information should help you see the symptoms and take care of your feline so he’ll live a long and healthy life.

About the Author

Tristan Andrews is a freelance author who writes articles about pet supplies and the cat supplies.

Post from: Pets On The Blog

Avoiding Cat Bladder Infection

In my opinion cats make some of the best pets to have. They are much cleaner then dogs, able to do more things on their own, and love to cuddle with you. But they won’t get in your face and try to jump all over you. When you have a cat you will want to make sure that you take care of them.

This includes keeping them up to date with their inoculations, feeding them the correct food, washing them, and even brushing their teeth. Not many people think that they should brush their teeth – but like with humans it assists to prevent gum disease and other things that can come about within the mouth. However, it is not always a simple process.

The easiest time to start brushing their teeth is when they are still kittens. This will help them to grow accustomed to the process and make it simpler for you to do it when they are a good deal older. There are specific techniques that you are able to use which can help to make the process easier not just for you – but also on your kitten.

You should begin by brushing their teeth with a gauze strip that is wound round your finger. Put a small measure of toothpaste along the gauze and lightly work it into their teeth and gums. Ensure that you are gentle with them and reassuring so they are not fearful of it. Their first instinct may be too bite the finger. You want the strip to be thick and do not correct them too much when they do.

When they are older cleaning cat’s teeth will become easier and they might be ready and happy for you to do it. Once they are accustomed to it you will have the ability to advance to a cat toothbrush and clean their teeth more exhaustively.

About the Author

Feline Bronchial Asthma is something that cats might have. Learn how to Brush Cat’s Teeth and how to make it easier.

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Cat Health: Tips On How To Clean Your Cat’s Teeth

If we’re talking about human’s best friends, the answers are dogs or cats. Consider having cats around in the house is the good way to give your kids good friends/companions.

Pets/Cats can bring happiness to family, but as the owner you need to give them time and find great way to show your cats caring.

As you may have already known that cats are very independent, so it is very important that you start out on the right foot to ensure a positive and long-lasting relationship, you need to communicate with your cats to give some understanding about house rules.

There are tips for your first or new cat, start the first tip is that you need to create his/her own space. Think about the good environment for your cats.

Cats are similar to children so always recognize and reward good behavior. Be prepared for bad behavior, never punish but give your cat praise, stroking, toys or a treat if they do well. They’re smart enough to learn to repeat performances that will get rewards.

Schedule feeding time, it’s more convenient to feed your cat at the same time as your eating time so she will not feast on leftovers. Make sure she has the good food and very important not to overfeed your cat.

Visit your veterinarian for the necessary vaccination that she should receive and the frequency of the vaccination. This will protect her from serious diseases. Mostly the first vaccination starts when she’s about 2 months. The next is 2 weeks after the first.

Cats really hate water but it is also a good thing to bathe them once in awhile. They may be trained to love it while they are still young. Do not spray water on your cat, slowly pouring. You can apply shampoo but don’t use it too frequently as it can also cause damage to their furs. Comb their furs regularly to help it free from fleas as well.

It is important to trim their claws but the cat’s claws have pink tissues called ‘the quick’ that may lead to bleeding when trimmed so be careful. The best timing is when she is sleeping or relaxed.

Start training your cat as early as possible, it will also help you prevent and avoid problems early. Let them learn to stop the bad behaviors like scratching your furniture and train your cat to use the litter box.

Have your cats trained to stop bad behaviors and learn many more from Secret Cat Training Tips

About the Author

I’m one of the pet lovers, I have cats and dogs in my house. Please check here for more Cat Training Tips

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Secret Tips For Training Your Cats

Chocolate or lilac Persians?

Can it be possible? I, as an owner, breeding Persians and exots, pose myself such a problem quite recently. Of, course they exist, if to see from genetic point of view. These colors are included into standard, there is their description, but… Where are they? By all accounts from abroad, they have such animals but for some reason they are more often met in pedigrees of British cats as experimental partners for leading new color into the breed, but not like exhibition stars. It had to spent lots of time to answer the question: ‘What is the real situation with Lilac and Chocolate in the Persian group?’

The paradox came to light at once: there is enough big number of Points with Chocolate and Lilac masques and practically full absence of equally colored individuals. Probably, the fashion played its role in it. After all, from the genetic point of view Lilac-Point color is more difficult in receiving than, for example, Chocolate Solid (solid-monochromatic, ‘firm’ colour). Now, thanks to fashion’s jokes, selectionists are forced to word for word take out Chocolate and Lilac either from Solid-carriers CRC (carriers of Color-Point gene) or to work simpliciter with color lines, making copulations Solids (moreover it is desirable of stronger type) with Colors and further interbreeding on the Color parents. Such copulations are made for a long time, but purposeful selection are begun recently in this direction.

Only several breeding nurseries work today in this direction:

” This is JUKI in Poland. It is world-famous nursery. But again they have Chocolate and Lilac not like purpose of selection, but like a side effect of Color-Points’ breeding of modern type.

” This is Smaragd in Estonia, which specializes in Persian and Exotic cats of Lilac color and uses in the work cats from JUKI and Finnish nurseries. Today the nursery has

” Lilac cat of strong type, reached high victories by FIFE system. Pedigree program of the nursery is various and includes copulations with Chocolate sires.

” This is Tair Polling in Ukraine, using also bloods of JUKI, but specializing, vice versa, only in Chocolates and Tabbys. You can see first kittens from this oldest Kharkov nursery in Moscow.

” This is club Irbis (FIFE) in Krasnodar, working at the Colors’ bloods and carriers of Chocolate. Today the nursery Rarity of one sire, cat of Lilac color. Now you can see the first Lilac prosterity of show-quality. ” The nursery Kelisa in Sochi is the nursery of Chocolate Persians. Prosterity of the same type, thought-out pedigree program. The nursery plans the receiving of Lilac Exots and the perfection of the type.

” Several animals of Chocolate color appeared in Russia and Ukraine, but you can’t see the result of breeding yet. Or these cats still too young, or the pedigree program is not thought out, giving a soon result. Chocolate Exot of Kharkov bloods lives in Saint Petersburg (owner is Orlova S.), also the city on Neva can boast of Chocolate Color-Point, imported from Poland, one more Exot from Kharkov is purchased by the nursery Dimarsh (Moscow).

” Ther are animals of modern type in Perm and Voronezh, but because of their remoteness from the capital or passivity of the owners we have a few information about them.

” The nursery Alexander-Fred (Moscow) has three Chocolate Persian cats ( of different blood lines), one Chocolate Exot, Chocolate Cream cat, and also several cats-carriers of chocolate gene. The nursery plans the receiving of Chocolate and Lilac Bicolor cats. The nursery leads common pedigree program with Kelisa (Sochi).

” Several enthusiasts in Moscow started the breeding of Chocolate and Lilac Persians, but probably they either didn’t have enough means to purchase interesting sires or purposefully decided to go all the way of coming-into-being of animals’ type, who originally received chocolate color by the way of interbreeding.

It is necessary to understand genetic appropriatenesses of these colors to know the rules of breeding and receiving of Lilacs and Chocolates.

Black color of the hair equally with red is considered to be the basic color. Pigment melanin in black color – eumelanin, in red – pheomelanin. All the rest various colors (except white) are only derivatives of these two. Black color of the hair is formed under the influence of gene B – black, which is defined full chromogenesis. The pigment equally assignes to the axis of hair from the root till the tip. Gene B – black of black color is prepotent, and behind it the row of recessive genes can be hiden:

” Gene brightener D (delutor – i.e. diluent), that gives an opportunity to receive from the given sire kittens of blue color. This gene is charged with distribution of pigments, their more thin location along the axis of hair, making the tone of the hair more light;

” Gene b of chocolate color ( special location of pigments along the axis of the hair) , giving an opportunity to receive from the giving animal kittens of chocolate color and, in combination with gene-brightener D, lilac color. Consideration must be given to the fact that gene b is recessive. I.e. to receive kittens of chocolate color, both of parents must be carrier of this gene, and to receive the posterity of lilac color, both of parents must have at the same time genes D and b;

” Gene of siamese color is interesting by opportunity to receive the posterity with siamese marks, including blue, chocolate and lilac colors (in the presence of genes of clarification and chocolate color at the same time).

Presence of given genes can define, studied the pedigree of sire or in practice, choosing partners with known genetics. But to receive the color, close to ideal, it is necessary to keep to the rule – to pair similar with similar. The main requirement for the quality of lilac and chocolate color is their tender, warm tone. These colors go well together, but as possible partners it is allowed to choose cats of Red, Cream colors, who give their Lilac and Chocolate progeny pinkish tint of hair and bright eye color. To Lilac and Chocolate Tabbys can be recommended Golden Tabbys as possible partners or improvers of type.

Peculiarity of today’s situation in Chocolate breeding of Persian is that the task to get rid of Siamese gene became the purpose of the selectionists. At the first stage of the work it comes to the leading this gene into the recessive state. In future, numerous copulations of Chocolates and Lilacs ‘inside them’ will allow to clear up the color gene of the population.

It would seem that there is nothing simplier to pair Lilac-Point with Red cat, and then interbreed littermates between each other. But the question of the type stands the most sharply in Persians than in other breeds. That’s why such way is inconvinient – doing the step forward, it has to do two steps back. What we have to do? Very often animals of black color, especially in extreme breeds are the carriers of the strongest, modern type, that’s why they are used as improvers in the breeding of animals of different colors such as Points, Smokes, Bicolors and even Chinchillas. That’s why it is appropriate to attract exactly them (or Tortoiseshell cats, received from black, high-class sires) to the chocolate program.

Extract from the standard of Persian colors WCF (edition by 1995) ” PER b CHOCOLATE Color: All colors of brown are accepted, without rust, white hairs or picture. Without grey undercoat, color must be equal. Lobe of the nose: Color of milky chocolate Pads: Color of cinnamon or chocolate Eye color: Copper or deep-orange

” PER c LILAC Color: Color of hair is pale lilac with light pink shimmer, without white hairs or picture.Without grey undercoat, color must be equal. Lobe of the nose: Lilac Pads: Lilac-pink Eye color: Copper or deep-orange

Today the interest to the rare Persian colors increases. That’s why I hope that very soon we can often see the rarest and the most mysterious Chocolates and Lilacs on the shows!

About the Author

Creator and a person!

Post from: Pets On The Blog

Persian cat: Chocolate and Lilac color

Natural cat immunity enhancers are a relatively new development in the area of veterinary medicine, but they are based on centuries old principles which have been put to successful use on animals and humans alike. The basic idea is that maintaining a healthy immune system will lead to overall good health. It’s really that simple, and now a range of natural products make it that much easier when it comes to helping our furry friends.

Just like humans, cats are exposed to a host of environmental toxins on a daily basis. This exposure, combined with a less than ideal diet and lack of exercise, can leave the immune system compromised, opening the door to a host of different ailments. In order to avoid this kind of damage, it is necessary for cats to maintain a healthy daily routine including getting the proper vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Cats that go outdoors on a regular basis are naturally drawn to certain plants which can provide healing. These natural cat immunity enhancers offer protection and enable the immune system to function properly. Supplements which contain these kinds of natural ingredients can offer the same kind of healing power for indoor cats.

Of course, supplements are only one part of a larger health regimen which your cat should be exposed to on a daily basis. A well balanced diet, free of artificial colorings and preservatives, and continual access to a clean water supply will help your cat to feel healthy, as will making sure that it gets plenty of exercise, whether it leaves the house or not.

Along with a regular daily routine, natural cat immunity enhancers such as comprehensive supplements can go a long way toward ensuring good overall health. Created by experienced homeopaths, these products contain a specific blend of herbs and other plant based ingredients which are targeted toward maintaining proper immune system function and battling specific symptoms which are the result of a weakened immune system.

Included among these natural ingredients are herbs such as Milk Thistle, Echinacea, Huang Qi and Mistletoe. Huang Qi is a powerful whole body tonic which has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. It boosts the immune system and can actually repair damage caused by cancer and other illnesses. Milk Thistle targets the liver, stimulating bile production and improving liver function.

One of the more important cat immunity enhancers is Echinacea. This particular herb works on the lymphatic system, preventing various forms of cancer as well as immune deficiency. Mistletoe helps maintain proper blood pressure and strengthens immune system function. By combining these and other herbs, these supplements offer your pet the to natural cat immunity enhancers that will allow the body to heal and ward off disease and infection.

As concerned owners, we only want what is best for our pets and nothing is better than the healing power of nature. So do your homework and find an all natural supplement which will work for your pet. Because supporting good immune system function naturally is truly the cat’s meow!

About the Author

Laura Ramirez is a passionate researcher of products that help restore health and vitality to pets and people and keep their immune system strong for prevention. To learn more about her findings, go to www.pet-health-supplements.com.

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The Best Natural Cat Immunity Enhancers

When we have pets we do not think of the challenging illnesses that they are vulnerable to. We recognize that they should have average trips to the vet to ensure that they do not have ring worm or fleas – but we never think about how they might have cancer or other similar problems.

One disease that your cat might hurt through is alopecia – or hair loss. It may take a month or two to determine that all or parts of your cat’s body has lost big quantities of hair that does not seem to be growing back. This problem may be caused by many various things.

Infection

The most likely cause for hair loss is an infection that is going through their bodies. It is potential that they contracted a fungal or bacterial infection from some other cat or from other natural things. Usually the vet will consider ringworm when it is a kitten or a much older cat that has the disease. They might also have folliculitis – which is a rare bacterial infection that damages the cat’s hair follicles.

Demeanor

Older cats usually start to over groom themselves. When doing this they pull out their hair in large clumps. This condition is recognized as psychogenic alopecia. The most popular grooming regions that are impacted is the back and lower part of the legs. One of the more ordinary reasons that they do this is because of stress. It is possible that the stress is coming from their owners dropping or abusing them.

Hormonal

The cat’s body has the ability to sometimes produce too much or too little hormones causing the cat’s hair to thin out. If they have problems with their thyroid this is able to cause their power to amend and re-grow the hair almost impossible. Cat hair loss may also be attributed to the adrenal glands malfunctioning and producing large amounts of the cortical hormone.

About the Author

Hair Loss In Cats is something that some people have to worry about and how to spot signs for Ear Mites.

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What Causes Cats To Lose Their Hair

Is your cat urinating outside its litter box? Are you fed up of cleaning cat pee off the floor? Then you have to read on. I am going to reveal why a cat starts urinating in the house so that you can fix them.

Before we start on how to stop a cat from urinating in the house are you sure that your cat is urinating or is it spraying? How do you know the difference? Well if you are finding urine low down on your walls or furniture then your cat is spraying not urinating. Spraying is a different problem to urinating because it is not related to an aversion to a litter tray but simply your cat marking out its territory. Follow the link for more information on spraying.

To stop a cat from urinating in the house there are two main steps that you need to take. The first step is to discover the underlying cause of your cat urinating in the house. This step is the hardest as you obviously can’t simply ask your cat why he doesn’t want to use his litter box. Instead you need to do a little investigative work to get to the cause of your cats sudden aversion to its litter tray. The second step is to actually fix the root cause and then reintroduce your cat to its litter box. This is actually the easiest step as you already know the cause so its easy to fix it.

Below I have listed some of the more common causes to a cats dislike of its litter tray. The list is by no means exhaustive but hopefully it will give you a good starting point to determining your own cats cause.

Location of litter box
Make sure its in a quiet area of the home with escape routes

Size of litter box
Should be large enough for your cat to move about easily in

Depth of litter
Ensure a good depth of litter so that your cat can dig into it and then bury their business

Type of litter
Some cats prefer one type of litter over another

Cleanliness of litter
Cats are clean animals by nature so make sure that you clean the litter regularly

Amount of Litter boxes
If you have a number of cats ensure there is a minimum of one box for each cat. If your cat is getting old then an extra litter tray can help to prevent them getting caught short

Moved house
Make sure to introduce your cat to its litter box a few times so that his knows its location.

New baby
Make a little time to spend with your cat every day so that he doesn’t feel abandoned and start to attention seek.

As soon as you think you know the cause you need to take the necessary action to fix it. For example, if you have moved house recently then you need to keep reminding your cat where its litter box is. Or if you think that the location of the litter box may be the cause then move it to somewhere quiet and reintroduce your cat to its litter box.

In extreme cases the cat may be so used to not using a litter box that your cat thinks that it is normal to use your floors in these cases you will have to retrain to stop your cat urinating in the house.

About the Author

I have lived with cats all my life and have had to deal with many litter box issues but always managed to resolve them so far. Visit my website for more information on Training a cat. Or for information on how to remove cat urine smell from carpet

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Two Steps To Stop A Cat From Urinating In The House Ever Again

If you have a cat as a pet, you might have observed that they usually have different play styles than their canine counterparts. Toys are very important for cats than they are for dogs. Cat toys help fight boredom and it also gives them an outlet for their instinctive prey chasing behaviors. Playing with your pet can also be a bonding experience for the two of you.

However, when you are planning to buy a toy for your pet, you should make sure that the toys you are buying are safe for them. The type of toy that you buy depends on the size of your pet, their activity level, and preferences. You should also consider the environment that your pets play in or spends their time in as well. Here are some tips that you should consider in buying a cat toys.

Remember that most cats are attractive to things that are dangerous to them. So the first thing you have to do is to cat proof your home. You should remove string, ribbon, yarn, rubber bands, plastic bands, plastic milk jug rings, paper clips, pins, needles, dental floss, and anything else that can be ingested. These things are dangerous to your pet.

In buying a toy, you should avoid those that have ribbons, feathers, strings, eyes, or other small parts that can be chewed and ingested. Alternatively, you just avoid those that have these things. You could buy stuffed animals that are labeled as safe for children less than three years of age and that do contain any dangerous fillings like nutshells and polystyrene beads. It would be better if the toy can be machine-washed. The toy should be soft as rigid toys are not as attractive to cats.

There are different categories of cat toys. They can be active, comfortable or filled with catnip. Active types can be round plastic shower curtain rings, plastic balls, or you can put a ping-pong ball or plastic golf ball in a dry bathtub to keep your mind occupied. Paper bags are also good for pouncing, hiding and interactive play.

A toy for comfort can include soft stuffed animals, which serve several functions. The stuff animal should be small animal to be carried around. Alternatively, it should be the same size as the cat for it to wrestle it around with. You can also consider buying a toy with legs and a tail, as this is more appealing to cats. Cardboard boxes are also comfort toys for your cat.

You can also consider buying catnip filled soft toys. These are fun to kick, carry and rub. It is also perfectly safe as it is not addictive and cats can roll in, rub in or eat. Catnip can also be crushed and sprinkled on the carpet. Or, you can put it on a towel placed on the floor so it will be easy to clean as catnip oils can stay in the carpet. However, we might not see the oil, but your cat will be able to smell them.

You can also get the most of your toys by rotating your cat toys weekly or by making only a few available at a time. Keep different types easily accessible. Alternatively, you can leave a toy that your cat loves available at all times. Make sure that the toys are of different uses like a toy to carry, a toy to wrestle with, one to roll, and one to baby.

About the Author

Tom has had pets since he was a young child. He hopes to share many years of experience along with targeted research to help cat owners. This includes cat health as well. For more information, please visit his site today. http://www.mycatfacts.com
By T. Houser

Post from: Pets On The Blog

Picking Safe Cat Toys