Business and Life Lessons I Learned From Li-Li the Cat

Less than a year ago, I took up residence in a friend's condo in Salem, Massachusetts, while she was out of the state caring

for her ailing sister. She had been gone for a long time, and while neighbors had fed her cat, Li-Li, he was very lonely. It

took a while for him to trust me, but he did (yes, there is a forthcoming book with the full story!). And it took a while for

Why You Should Vaccinate Your Cat

Until fairly recently, cats, like people and dogs, were subject to illness and possible death from what are now preventable diseases. The lives of millions of cats have been made healthier and longer through the use of vaccines that prevent or mitigate the effects of various pathogens. Even if your cat never goes outside or comes into contact with another cat, you can inadvertently bring viruses into your home on your shoes or clothing. Protecting your indoor, as well as your outdoor cat against serious illness is the mark of a responsible and caring pet owner.

The best way to make sure that your kitten or cat is well protected against preventable illnesses is to set up a regular schedule of vaccinations with your veterinarian. Always keep in mind that kittens will be much more susceptible to infections because their immune systems are still developing. Nursing kittens will receive some antibodies through their mother's milk. However, this natural protection will actually interfere with vaccinations, and this is why kittens will need a series of shots to provide them with the maximum protection.

Owning a Cat - Some Costly Pitfalls To Avoid

Fluffy was a house cat which had been given to us by my sister-in-law. Fluffy was from a rough and tumble neighbourhood in South Western Sydney. She was a beautiful tortoiseshell kitten which made her stand out from the other four or five plain looking kittens in the litter. Her brothers and sisters were boisterous and adventurous. In contrast Fluffy was timid, probably as a result of being picked on by her brothers and sisters or perhaps by the little kids who lived in the house.

When we first took Fluffy home we kept her inside as much as possible. We soon discovered that the trouble with domesticated animals such as Fluffy, is that once you let them outside and give them a taste of freedom they were always scratching at the door wanting to get back out.

Bird Flu, your Cat, and You

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, caused by the H5N1 virus,(commonly called bird flu)
has been detected in cats and other felidae (e.g. leopards and tigers) from time to time since the start of the present poultry
avian influenza epidemic in 2003.

In 2004 researchers showed that cats can be infected with H5N1 virus and that the virus could
not only cause severe disease (and death) in cats, but also that cats could transmit the virus
to other cats.

Interesting Facts That Cats Lovers Should Know

If we are to believe the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), the US homes hosted approximately 81.721,000 cats in 2007, and only 72,114,000 dogs. Almost 32% of these houses had a cat in their care, and an average cat lover had minimum 2 felines.

Believe it or not, it is possible for dogs and cats to live together without creating a third WW. According to a study published in 2008 by the Applied Animal Behavior Science journal, cats and dogs can live in peace with one condition. The cat has to be under six months, and the dog mustn't be older than 1 year. The reasons that stand behind the clashes between species can result from a miscommunication. For instance, preventing aggression in the eyes of a cat and submission in those of a dog. Those animals who were introduced at an early stage develop a personal communication method.

Cats and Zoonosis

Zoonotic diseases (also called Zoonosis) can pass from animals to humans. Although, most diseases are species specific. Most diseases pose no threat to humans and are treatable. Rabies while rare, is a dangerous disease and any zoonotic disease can pose a dangerous threat to those with poor immune systems.

This article's purpose is to provide a short, simple guide to Zoonosis and is not all-inclusive and focuses on cat-related Zoonosis. Many people have had Zoonosis-related diseases and never realized it!

How to Choose the Right Vet For Your Cat

The vet is your cat's best friend (second to you of course!), so you need to make sure that they are well qualified for the job. Some people are fine with the closest vet to their home, however, that isn't always a great idea; would you just use the closest doctor's office for your child?

It is better to choose a clinic that is professional, and has a high standard of care. Choosing the right vet for your cat can be a tricky task, so here are three great tips to ensure that your precious kitty gets the best vet possible!

Introducing Your Cat to a New Litter Tray

Picking up a new cat litter tray for your cat seemed like a good idea, the old one was getting a bit smelly and didn't come

completely clean any more. There were loads in the pet shop to choose from so you picked one that went with the room. Now

there are unpleasant piles around the house and the litter tray sits pristine and untouched. What went wrong?

Picking a tray
While picking a cat litter tray isn't hard with the vast quantity available online or in the pet shops, picking the right

Miracle Mussi, the Cat, Survives Two Months Locked in a Basement Without Food!

Feb 11, 2013: Mussi, my beloved tabby from South Chicago, did not return from his nightly outing! At first, I thought he was

just extending his nightly trip for a few hours, but Mussi remained gone until after midnight. I started searching the

neighborhood over and over, calling his name. After hours of fruitless search activities, I gave up and went to bed. I tossed

Vet Products For Cats

They say that a dog is a man's best friend, but there are many among us who would contest that position and argue that it is not in fact the canine companions that are our best friends, but rather the feline variety. There are many things to love about cats - and this includes the fact that they are such a calming and relaxing influence, that they are so much easier to take care of than dogs, and that they are such beautiful and poised creatures. These are animals that will share a living space with you, but be happy to be take care of itself - until you get to the point where it's evening and you hear the calming purr of a cat rubbing up against your leg or curling up on your lap.

Your Cat's Vet

Your cat's vet is an incredibly important person in both your lives so choose wisely. In fact, your vet is as important to your cat as your doctor is to you and your family. Please, don't wait until an emergency to start looking. In fact, I would suggest finding a vet before or as soon as you bring your new cat or kitten home. Speak to the people where you got your kitten from. If you live in a different area, do some research and ask your friends or the local pet shop for recommendations. And as vets deal with many different types of animals, asking around will help you find one that is particularly good with domestic animals.

How to Lessen Hairballs for Your Cat

Every cat owner is well familiar with the 'horking' sound that their cat makes every week or two that results in a compact hair sausage being deposited on the floor. Owners generally become fairly blasé after cleaning up a few hairballs, but you should also be aware of how they form, how to prevent them from developing as frequently, and the complications that can arise.

Unlike most dogs who will take a lick of two at their paws and consider that they have groomed enough, cats are grooming dynamos. Even tiny kittens will start grooming at a very early age and this continues throughout the life of the cat.

How to Know If You're a Cat or Dog Person

There is a lot of social debate about the personality

differences which set cat and dog people apart. Scientific

results are inconclusive, and where specific patterns exist,

the differences are often attributed to the behavioral

differences of the two animals. Despite that, there are some

logical questions that can determine whether you would be

better suited for a feline companion or a canine.

Do You Want a Loyal Companion?

Cats tend to be more solitary than dogs. Cats are more active

at night, and dogs are daytime creatures.. It is rare to find

a cat that will allow you to put it on a leash, while dogs

adjust to the idea quite quickly. Convincing a cat that it

wants to be available at your slightest beckoning is

difficult, while a dog is anxious for you to call it's name.

Companionship Considerations:

Dogs are obedient and submissive.
Cats are independent and aloof.

Dogs are more aggressive.
Cats are indifferent or shy.

Dogs are typically larger and less coordinated.
Cats are smaller and more graceful.

This is not to say that cats are not great companions. When a

cat wants to be petted or cuddled, it can be insistently

loving. But, cats are not waiting around for you to notice

them, while dogs seem to relish the slightest bit of

attention. A cat is happy to play alone with a ball, while the

dog would rather you participated in a game of fetch.

What is Your Pet Environment?

Except for small dogs, canines require more care and

maintenance. Cats are happy with a litter box and are more

finicky, while most dogs need to be taken outside, and are

willing to help themselves to table scraps. Because of these

differences, a dog person should be enthusiastic about

spending more time interacting with their pet, while a cat

person should be willing to accept that the cat wants and

expects very little interference.

There is also the consideration of pet hygiene. Both types of

pet need to be groomed regularly, including clipping their

nails. Dogs need to be bathed regularly or they will develop

an odor. Cats clean themselves regularly and need human-

assisted bathing only on rare occasions. Flea and tick

prevention was once the major reason for giving your cat a

bath, but there are products on the market today that

eliminate flea shampooing for both species, unless you simply

wish to use it.

Allergies and Phobias

More people are allergic to cat dander than a dog's. Whether

they enjoy cats or not, those people may require medication in

order to be exposed to their cat on a regular basis. A dog

will roll in foul-scented things, while a cat will not. By

nature, cats are hunters and dogs are scavengers, and even the

best of breeding will not remove those traits from the animal

because it is an instinctual part of their existence.

Attraction is the Final Test

The ultimate factor of whether you are a cat person or a dog

person is which one you find more appealing. This has nothing

to do with behavior or dining habits, and everything to do

with your personal tastes of what you are attracted to. It

could be something as simple as the fact that most cats take

up less room on the bed at night, or that dogs give you a

better sense of security. Many people choose to have the best

of both worlds, but most choose a side and become fixated on

the notion.

This article was written by Son M. Ferguson, courtesy of Bay

Area Pet Store, Alameda See Spot Run. Visit their site at

AlamedaSeeSpotRun.com to keep up to date on in store

promotions and happenings.

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Why Cats Are Frusrating

This article assumes that you want to understand cats and

would like to live in your home harmoniously with them.

Cats may frustrate some dog lovers because, well, they are

small animals: they "should" act like pets, i.e., they should

"appreciate" what you do for them the way dogs seem to. They

should "love" you unquestioningly, dammit! You give them food

and shelter, so they darn well better appreciate it, right?

Actually, you might know already that the "love" you see in

your dog's eyes is really not love for you, it's a plea for

acceptance by you. You are the leader of its "pack". You may

notice that your dog acts like this with pretty much anybody

in the family, but this behavior actually comes from the dog's

heritage. Dogs, as we all know, were originally bred and

domesticated from wolves, and the behavior and instincts that

your pet dog has are very similar to those of the wolf cub.

Dogs are really wolf pups that never grew up.

They bark, which is characteristic of the wolf pup as it calls

its mother, or members of the pack. Mature wolves have no

"bark" because as they grew up and their basic nurturing needs

were met, they no longer needed the bark, and they actually,

as predators, need to be silent as they approach their prey.

The only noise that mature wolves display is the baying often

heard at night in the northern areas of the continent, as they

call to other members of their pack.

Back to cats: The first thing one has to accept about cats if

they are ever going to take on the responsibility of owning

one is that they cannot help being cats!

Repeat: A cat CANNOT HELP being a cat!

What do I mean? Well, the complex behaviors that cats display

are identical to the ones found in their wild counterparts.

For example, I'm sure you've seen as a cat "sneaks up" on a

toy and pounces-this is the exact skill that a cat needs to

hunt its prey. Now, domestic cats seldom need to hunt,

however, they won't ever lose this instinct. And cats are

simply not intelligent enough-intelligent though they are-to

learn to behave in any other way than cats do. Sounds pretty

simple, but it's amazing how many people I run into who forget

this.

Secondly: CATS ARE NOT HUMAN!

They are not "sneaky", they are not "aloof", they do not "try

to make you angry". They do not need these traits, therefore,

they don't have them. I know you are going to say I'm crazy to

make these statements, but no, a cat does not have the human

intelligence and motivation to do these things. One MUST

understand these things in order to understand the cat.

OK, here's a scenario: The cat jumps up onto the counter.

(Cats actually instinctively want to be in the highest places

they see in order to survey their territory.) But, you do not

want your cat on the counter so you hiss or yell at the cat to

get it the heck OFF the counter. The cat jumps down, startled.

You exit the kitchen, and when you come back in, there's the

darn cat, right back on the counter! Didn't you JUST tell it

to GET OFF?

OK, now, keeping in mind that cats are NOT HUMAN, and

therefore do NOT have human emotions; and are not "sneaky", we

have to take this logically: You startled the cat off the

counter. The cat knows only that you startled it off the

counter. And that's all!

Wait a minute-the cat not only is on the counter when you come

back, but jumps off when it sees you. Right? That obviously

means the damn thing is sneaky, right? Wrong! The cat only

knows that you startled it off the counter. The cat does not

"think": " Oh-oh, he doesn't want me to ever be on the

counter, even when he isn't in the room, but I'm going to try

to get away with being on that counter when he leaves.

Screw him!"

Can you see how this is not only attributing to the cat human

behaviors- of which it's not even capable, but further: that

it has the ability to reason; to think abstractly, something a

housecat is decidedly unable to do. Instinct is the primary

drive in cats. Repeating:

The cat can't help being a cat!

You might think: Bull, that cat knows I don't want it on that

counter!

To this I ask, How does it "know" this?

Again: all the cat "knows" is that you startled it off the

counter! And that is it! Cats are survivors: they remember

when they are startled-also a natural reaction of cats, by the

way-so the cat jumps off when it sees you again. When the cat

sees you, all its instincts are telling it is that you are the

source of a startling experience, so it reacts. See? Stimulus,

instinct, reaction. That's it. The cat DOES NOT have the

ability to think in the abstract, which is what you are asking

of it.

Not fair, sorry.

Second: Cats are not dogs!

Cats also are not "aloof". They do not "ignore" you, and they

do not choose who they come in contact with by logical

reasoning. Coming when they are summoned is simply NOT a part

of the cat's survival set. Cats do not NEED to come when

called to survive. Maybe in some households they do. Yikes! If

you just remember these 2 things: that cats are survivors

(that's why they will run like hell from someone who has

struck them-an absolute no-no!) and they will do what it takes

to ensure their survival.

OK, if cats are this way, can we ever develop a relationship

with them like the one we have with dogs? We certainly can,

and I will cover that subject in my next article.

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Does Cat Toilet Training Really Work?

Imagine a cat on a toilet? That'd look comical, yet it's as

true as it is practical. With a bit of cat toilet training,

you won't have to worry about bad odor from cat litter. You

get to say goodbye to the litter box and there's no more

litter scattered everywhere inside the house or within the

home compound.

It's not the kind of stuff you only see in the movies because

every household can learn how to train their cat to use the

toilet. Besides, cats have a good level of intelligence to

learn and master new habits, making cat toilet training way

easier than it sounds.

Where Was it Developed?

The original concept was developed by a woman, who

successfully taught her own cat how to use the toilet. Cat

toilet training is commonly packaged as the Litter Kwitter,

which is a manual a pet owner can follow to introduce this new

level of pet civilization to their cat. It involves taking a

cat through a series of steps until it gets accustomed to the

routine of using a toilet as opposed to the litter box.

Whatever cat toilet training tool you use, it will have a

series of plastic trays that fit over a standard toilet's rim.

Each tray is introduced at its own time and it's where the cat

stands so he does fall in. The hole in the tray gets bigger

each time a new one is introduced, with the final tray looking

like a ring because of the large hole in it.

The training ends when the cat is finally able to use the

toilet while stepping on the seat without tripping.

Is it Difficult?

Many cat owners who have tried to train their pet to use the

toilet say that it's not that difficult to accomplish,

although it calls for a great deal of patience. It involves

getting to understand cat behavior to avoid ruining the only

shot at taking pet sanitation at home to a new level. Thus,

until the pet has grasped the new bathroom routine, you'll

need to be there every step of the way.

Successful deployment of the Litter Kwitter means that you can

focus on other household cleaning tasks without having to

worry about cat stool. It's not only time-saving but also

appreciably hygienic, putting households at no risk of feces-

related infection.

Cat toilet training is a brand new system that households can

employ as opposed to litter boxes. Cats like to follow

routines and can pick up this new concept easily with the aid

of their owner.

David is an educated and motivated cat owner who talks

regularly about Cat Toilet Training at his blog. He talks

about useful tips for helping your cat transition from the

litter box to the toilet.

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What's the All-Time Best Selling Cat Toy?

You would think it's one of those cat toys that you see on TV

right? You know the one that seems to have a TV commercial

every ten minutes? While thousands of that [as seen on TV] toy

may have been sold, the number sold does not surpass the all-

time best selling toy for kitty. Which is... Mice, mice and

mice!

If your cat has been part of your family for a while, I'm sure

that mouse toys have been a hit in the entertainment

department for your cat. Mice just never seem to fail at

making your cat want to play.

If you're getting a new kitty, some of the necessities that

should be included in your preparation for his or her arrival

is, of course, cat toys. With a new cat or kitten, you don't

yet know the preference of your fur baby. Therefore, it's best

to get a variety of toys and let the cat decide which type of

toy he or she likes best. Cats seem to like mice better than

some of the other toy types because of their natural instinct

to hunt mice.

The overall best selling cat toy is the toy mouse. Of course,

that in itself is not simple. Cat toy mice come in so many

varieties that it can make your head spin. There are tiny

mice, realistic looking mice, mice that rattle, some have

catnip inside, some come in bright colors, some are natural

colors, long tails, furry tails, corded tails, tails with

bells, yarn tails, corded mice, yarn mice, you get the picture

right?

Kitty needs a mixture of balls, mice, toys on a string and

battery-powered toys are usually a hit too! Getting your new

fur baby an assortment of toy types is a plus. This lets him

or her choose what type of toy they like best.

Once your cat shows a preference to the type of toy they like

best, branch out with some variations of that toy. For

example, if your cat likes mice the best, you could literally

provide a hundred different variations such as: Mice with

feathers, bells or rabbit fur, plush mice, rattling mice, big

mice, small mice and brightly colored or real looking mice.

Then, let kitty decide which ones are the best for them.

When your cat has decided what type of toy mice they prefer,

stock up! I can't say this enough! I talk with pet parents

daily and I can't tell you the devastation they feel when

their cats favorite toy suddenly gets discontinued by the

manufacturer. It's not uncommon for a toy that's in demand to

be discontinued and no longer available. You've never seen

such a sad face as that on a cat that has just lost the very

last one of his favorite and special toys. You'll find

yourself turning the house upside down trying to find that

special toy that has gone missing and your cat will continue

to give you that sad face hoping that you find it. It helps to

keep at least a few of the top picks of cat toys that your cat

likes on hand. Then, if that toy becomes unavailable, you'll

have some in reserve until you can find an alternative that

kitty will hopefully like just as much.

Mice toys are without a doubt the most loved toy by cats and

are probably less expensive than some of the other toy types.

I sure hope you won't encounter that "look" from your cat when

that loved toy disappears into who knows where!

Cat Toys For Less offers you an ever-growing selection of fun

cat toys that will keep your special friend busy (and active)

for hours. Keeping your indoor cat active helps prevent health

risks such as obesity. http://www.cattoysforless.com

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