July 7, 2008

• Stop that Cat from Scratching Up Your Home

  Cats’ claws are an essential part of their paw and regardless of what type of scratching or clawing you may be experiencing you should never consider declawing your cat. Any cat can be trained to stop unwanted behaviors that involve the use of their claws, it just takes a little creativity and a lot of [...]

July 3, 2008

• Choosing a Veterinarian for Your Kitty

  For many people, our furry feline friends are like our children, and as such we want to make sure that we have the best care possible for them in the event of an emergency. Not every veterinarian is equipped to handle cats, and even if they say they care for cats that doesn’t mean they [...]

June 23, 2008

• Things That Cause Stress in Cats

  Even though cats seem to live a simple, carefree existence they are not immune from experiencing stress and anxiety. When left untreated, stress and anxiety in a cat can lead to physical problems and behavioral problems along with depression and withdrawal. Stress and anxiety in cats can often be traced to environmental changes or physical [...]

June 16, 2008

• Make Your Cat a Star with the ASPCA and PBS

  If you have been thinking about adopting a new cat or dog and you live in the Boulder, Colorado area, then you may just end up on TV. The ASPCA is filming a new show for PBS called Meet Your Match at the Boulder Valley Humane Society. This documentary series will air on the PBS [...]

March 13, 2008

• Will Cigarette Smoke Harm My Cat?

  During the past few decades, people have become more concerned about the effects of second-hand smoke on others. Studies have shown that living in a house with a smoker can be just as hazardous to the people in the dwelling who never smoke. This, of course, begs the question of what effects does smoking have [...]

March 12, 2008

• What Happens When My Cat Requires Surgery?

  As much as we dislike thinking of our beloved pets having a surgical operation, sometimes they are necessary for the health of the cat. Most owners choose to neuter their cats, and some choose to have their animals declawed for various reasons. These operations are planned, but cats must also have emergency surgeries at various [...]

March 6, 2008

• Using Positive Reinforcement to Change a Cat’s Behavior

  Positive reinforcement, such as praise, treats, cuddling, or rewards, works to teach a child about expected behavior. It is just as effective in changing behaviors in the feline world.
  The key to both is consistency.
  When training a cat to exhibit a particular behavior, it should be rewarded every single time it responds in an appropriate manner. [...]

March 5, 2008

• The History of Cats

  How did cats, tiger, lions, pumas, ever become domesticated animals? Well, originally, one of the cat’s ancestors might have been a small creature called Miacis which looked like a weasel. The Miacis may also have been the ancestor of dogs, raccoons, and bears.
  Scientists are not completely sure when the cat was tamed into a [...]

March 4, 2008

• Providing Furniture for a Cat

  New cat owners often complain that their animal is destroying their nice furnishing, carpeting, and draperies. This is because they have not provided the proper atmosphere in their home to cohabitate with a cat. Cats prefer their own furniture and will use it when given the choice.
  Consider a cat’s natural behaviors and habitat. It spends [...]

February 28, 2008

• Ordinary Objects that May Prove Dangerous to a Cat

  New parents usually spend an inordinate amount of time baby proofing their abode. They often get on their hands and knees to make a circuit of the house, trying to see any dangers from an infant’s point of view. New pet owner should be just as cautious to ensure that their cats do not find [...]

February 25, 2008

• Living with an Aging Cat

  Just as changes occur in people as they age, so do they become noticeable in our pets. Because of excellent veterinary care and modern research, our cats are living longer than in the past. Somewhere between the age of eight and nine, a cat may move more slowly than it has in the past. Owners [...]

February 21, 2008

• Living with a “Fraidy Cat”

  Medusa, so named because she had been snake bitten when adopted into our household, is a “fraidy cat.” From the beginning, her behavior was quite different from most other cats, and the family was sure that this was because of the trauma she had experienced. She seemed to feel more comfortable when left to her [...]

February 12, 2008

• Do Cats Mourn?

  Scientifically, there is no way to answer this question. We can’t prove any of the emotions attributed to an animal, but we do know that they experience them. Pet owners who have several different animals notice behavioral changes that point to a cat’s knowledge that something is different after the death of a beloved owner [...]

February 11, 2008

• Decisions Concerning a Cat’s Pregnancy

  Most responsible cat owners have their animals spayed or neutered, but accidents caused by timing or adoption do occur. At this point, some major decisions must be made as to whether to go ahead with the birth or to spay at this point. A talk with a veterinarian may make this an easier decision.
  If [...]

February 6, 2008

• Coping with Hairballs

  Cats clean themselves better than most other animals. To do this, they use their tongue to lick foreign substances from their fur. A cat also keeps its face clean by washing it at least once a day. It licks its paw and then uses the wet paw to clean its face and head. They then [...]

February 4, 2008

• Choosing a Long-Haired Cat

  The first decision to be made before purchasing or adopting a cat is whether to get a short-haired breed or one of the long-haired breeds. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, but beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder in this case. Once a preference for a long-haired breed has been established, [...]

January 30, 2008

• Can My Cat Talk?

  Most cat owner will insist that their cats understand them when they talk, particularly when they give them a command. Others will go so far as to insist that their cat talks back after being addressed. Neither of these scenarios are completely beyond the realm of reality.
  We know that cats are able to communicate or [...]

January 25, 2008

• Adding Years to a Cat’s Life

  Because of our great love for our feline friends, most cat owners would do everything in their power to make sure their beloved pets live as long as possible. Depending on which study may be believed, a cat’s average lifespan is somewhere between 12 and 16 years. Owners want to think that through the proper [...]

January 24, 2008

• A Cat’s Fascinating Eyes

  As a cat moves forward in the dark, the glowing eyes to have a magnetic, almost hypnotic quality that people find fascinating. What is it about a cat’s eyes that causes this reaction in both children and adults? Why don’t human eyes appear as riveting?
  In some ways a cat’s eyes are formed exactly like a [...]

January 23, 2008

• A Cat’s Astonishing Senses

  Most cat owners are fascinated by the differences between the senses of their pets, and their own human senses. These differences include a cat’s sight, its sense of smell, and its sense of hearing, as well as its sense of touch.
  Cat owners often find it astonishing that cats seem to see so well in the [...]