Why Choose Hypoallergenic Cat Food?

When it comes to taking great care of your pets, many people will spare no expense. These fur babies are like children, and as such they deserve the best of everything. So what do you do when your "baby" has special dietary needs? It can be a challenge to find the right hypoallergenic cat food to keep your kitty healthy. Though many people don't think about things like allergies or dietary sensitivities when at the pet shop choosing which fluffy bundle of joy to bring home, the health of your pet can be expensive and difficult to handle if you are not truly prepared for the responsibility of pet ownership.

There are many modern pet food companies that have made researching and developing the perfect foods for pets with sensitive digestive systems. The balance of nutritional quality and ingredients that are the least likely to cause upset makes choosing a high quality hypoallergenic cat food a great choice for problem pets. It may not be as easy as picking up any old brand at the grocery story, but the additional effort it can take to keep your cat's system functioning flawlessly will be well worth it. Allergy symptoms can be highly unpleasant, ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to itchiness and open sores.

With so many different foods on the market offering a variety of claims toward healthiness, how can you be sure the food you choose offers up the right balance of nutrition of your pet's individual needs. Unfortunately, if you don't know exactly what bothers your cat, it can be a game of trial and error. Though there are many ingredients that are well known problems and any hypoallergenic product will more often than not be the perfect solution.

If your pet is exhibiting signs of digestive discomfort, the first step may be to choose a food made from wholesome hypoallergenic ingredients. You will want to watch how your pet reacts to the slow introduction of the new food. If problems continue it may become necessary to take your pet in for a check up. You never want to risk the health of your pet by treating health problems without the advice of a trained professional. Your veterinarian may even be able to point you in the direction of a great food choice.

The best Hypoallergenic cat foods can be found at stores that specialize in pet needs. These stores often carry a wide variety of options to meet just about any food sensitive animals needs. Other types of high quality food can be purchased through the veterinarian or from online pet resources. Once you know what works for your pet, be sure to stick with it. Unexpected changes in diet can bring back your pet's problems all over again. Find that happy and healthy balance of great taste, simple ingredients and a price you can live with over the long haul. Your pet will be with you for many years and this relationship can be a very rewarding one for both of you.

Things That You Can Do When You Have A Destructive Cat

Cats are some of the best companions humans can have, and they have been for thousands of years. Unfortunately as good and as they are in some cases you will find cats that seem to enjoy destroying your furniture, drapes, carpets and wires. Those destructive tendencies can be downright dangerous and no one has the heart to give up on their kitty. That means that you have to stop those actions so that your pet does not give you more stress than joy. Here are some ways in which you can stop a destructive cat from doing those things.

Spay And Neuter

The first thing that you have to look at is the possibility of spaying or neutering the cat. Spaying or neutering a cat could a lot of times stop any destructive tendencies your kitty has. The reality is that having the procedure done for this reason is more effective in younger males, and the operation is recommended anyway as a way to stop the over population of cats. There are also other benefits to the procedure that not all have to do with destructive cats, but actually with the lifespan in general as pets tend to live longer and healthier lives after the procedure.

Remove The Temptation

Cats are not dogs so even though you could train a cat, it is a much harder process that can take a long time. Instead you should try to remove the problem item altogether. If it is the wires a destructive cat is going for then try to cover those wires. If it is your clothes, then make sure to put away the clothes so that your cat does not see the item that triggers the destructive tendencies. The old saying is "out of sight, out of mind" and that is very true when it comes to your kitty.

Water Gun

A small water gun is a great solution for those times when your pet is doing something you do not want them to do. Cats are not fond of water to say the least so if they get sprayed with it each time they are doing something they will associate the negative feeling of the water with that activity. Try to not let the cat know that you are the one spraying him with water so that he does not associate it with you. Also you should use a small water gun that does not spray much (no super soakers here) and only spray when your cat is doing the thing you want to avoid (Except for wires).

Offer An Alternative

If you have a destructive cat making shreds out of your sofa or carpet, then try to give them a different option for scratching. Cats can be described as creatures of habit, so unless you give them a better option they will keep doing what they have always done. A scratch post or a scratch board is usually a great option. If your kitty is not going for it then try using some cat nip in order to attract it to the post or board.

Cruelty to Free Kittens

Recent reports of the expected release of a man jailed for cruelty to kittens has brought into focus the horror of giving these animals for free. They are the most innocent of creatures when born and reared to be independent of their mothers. Properly done the outcome is one of a good household pet with an expected long life of joy for the family who adopts it. Bad breeders, however, will take kittens from the mother long before they are weaned or properly prepared by her to face the world.
In the case of the latter they are often scared, develop psychological problems and may never bond well to humans. An animal in this category may also be prone to disease and other conditions requiring vet treatment over a long period. While ever people accept free kittens, however, the practice will continue.
Responsible breeders ensure that the kittens in their care are well-adjusted by never being separated from the moms for at least 8 weeks after birth. They are given the best of food and all the nurturing they require to ensure they will make the best pets possible. They are also toilet trained, properly weaned and happily adjust to their homes.
The contrast with free kittens involves the type of new owners likely to take them. Free kittens offer no control over the prospective new owners who may, in turn, do whatever they like with the animal. A responsible breeder will ensure that all placements are into homes of good situations where the ongoing nurturing and love will endure.
When freely given kittens are facing a rough road into the future. The man likely to be released now for cruelty took free kittens, bound their legs with duct tape and then split them open through their abdomen. There were 6 kittens involved and they were then left to die. This was an appalling thing to hear but men will take free kittens for other things as well, such as training greyhounds. In that case the animals are chased down and torn apart. In other cases people will take them and treat them like vermin. That means no good food and certainly not much love.
While not all people are cruel to them and some will give these pets' good homes the risk to them from others is too great to support the practice. If something is for nothing then the value is equal to the price paid. Is someone wants a nice healthy pet who has few problems and a long life ahead of it they are usually more than willing to pay for it.

Dimensional Shifting Toy Mouse

Mouse? Mouse! Where's the Mouse?

Starlight and I were playing with a new toy mouse last night. I threw the mouse and Starlight chased it, grabbed it, tossed it, wacked it about, and brought it back to me.

Did you know that Siamese cats retrieve? Well, they do. At least they do until they teach YOU to retrieve for them, which was the game Violet likes to play. She sits atop the cat tree and I toss toys at her and she bats them away like a keeper in Quiddich. Great eye-paw coordination. Then I'm supposed to find all the toys, pick them up, and throw them again. But I digress.

So I tossed the mouse again and Starlight chased after it again and it rolled under the hassock, which has a skirt so you can't see under it. Starlight dived completely underneath (she still fits), but soon emerged mouseless.

"Where's the mouse?" I asked her. Starlight gave a telepathic shoulder shrug.

I saw it go under.

Starlight saw it go under.

Starlight FOLLOWED it under.

So I peeked under the hassock. No mouse.

I looked out the other side and under the chair behind the hassock. No mouse.

Starlight looked bewildered. I probably did, too.

From my childhood, I knew that things sometimes dimensional shift. This is not the same as misplacing an item and forgetting where you put it.

The other evening, I misplaced a pair of reading glasses and despite searching unsuccessfully for a long time, I gave up and went to bed. The next morning, the glasses were still missing. I finally found them when I decided to put some books back in a bookcase in my office. There on the shelf were the glasses, which I probably placed there while looking for the books. I hadn't looked there during my search, I so can't claim to know for sure that they didn't shift dimensionally, but it's probably safe to say that they didn't.

When I was a child, my sisters and I would throw a ball to each other on the lawn. If one of us missed the ball, we could usually go right to the spot where we saw the ball land and pick it up to resume our game. But not always. Sometimes, we'd go to the spot and the ball had just disappeared. Dimensional shift!! Weeks or months later, the ball might show up - in exactly the spot where we had looked for it!!

But back to the mouse.

I carefully checked the entire side of the room where the mouse might have rolled or been batted by Starlight.

No mouse.

A little later, while talking on the phone with a friend, I spied a mouse of the same color on the far side of the room just sitting quietly with a few other cat toys.

Is that the missing mouse?

Did it not only dimensional shift, but shift in space as well?

I'm not sure we'll ever know.

But you and I and Starlight will know that toy mice CAN dimensional shift. Hmmm.

Namaste,
Nedda

Why I'm Always Looking For Cat Litter Coupons

I have a cat. Or maybe I should say my cat has me! I don't know where my cat came from but it can't possibly be from Earth. She seems to go through litter so quickly I can't believe it. She's not a big kitty and she doesn't really eat that much but she uses her litter box so much it's downright absurd. It seems like I'm always out of litter and running to the store for more. I'd buy it buy the truckload if I could afford it and that's why I'm always clipping cat litter coupons. Without the savings I get from the coupons I'd probably have to sell my car and move out of my house into a condo!

Any cat owner knows that litter isn't free. We can't train our cats to use the toilet like a person either, so that definitely isn't an option. I'm the kind of diligent cat owner that can't stand a messy cat box and that's why I'm always searching for cat litter coupons. The little bit of savings I get each time I have to buy a twenty pound bag of cat litter really adds up throughout the year. I save enough that I don't go into a fit of rage each time I see the bag is empty and I've got to buy more. But how does this little kitty do it?

I kind of think my cat is possessed or something. Or maybe I'm cursed and this kitty cat is my punishment for some past misdeeds in a former life. There is no way that my cat is normal. She uses the potty at least one hundred times a day... OK, she doesn't use it that much, but you get my point, she's a pooper! I really can't express it in words, but thanks to the cat litter coupons I don't resent the little furball.

I've had a few cats in the past and none of them were like this one. They all seemed to use the litter box "normally" and didn't go through it like it was going out of style! I don't remember ever thinking to myself that my cat was abnormal until now. This cat of mine really is a unique specimen when it comes to dropping some waste. I kind of wonder if she's doing it on purpose because she thinks it's fun or she's trying to get back at me for some reason. I don't know if that's the case, but I do know she's special.

I mean, my cat's not doing it on purpose is she? That wouldn't be possible, would it? No, I can't start thinking like that or I'll never look at my cat the same way again. She's just doing what she does and there's nothing wrong with that. She doesn't anything about money, or finances, or that the little granules she uses for her business costs me money. I have to remember that she's just being herself and she loves me, so I'll continue clipping and searching online for coupons and taking care of her little self.

How to Groom a Cat

Some cat breeds especially long haired cats require a lot more caring for than others since the fur can become matted or knotted (tangled in a ball) and matted fur can be painful if pulled.

Simple Tips for Home Grooming

1) Have fun. Most cats love being stroked and enjoy the feeling of light grooming. Use gentle strokes!

2) Don't push your cat! It's okay to hold your cat in a gentle manner as long as he/she is comfortable. If he/she is not in the mood, then don't push it! Yes cats do have their mood swings from time to time just like women.

3) Get professional help. If your cat has a bad mat and you are not sure how to remove it, call your professional groomer! Don't do something you will regret!! Trust me.

What supplies should I have on hand to properly groom my cat?

Your cat grooming tool options are a wonderful mix of items. Choose the supplies that you think will best fit your cat's needs as well as their tolerance levels. What you should get:

-Brushes
-Combs
-Dental finger brushes
-Flea combs

Tips when Brushing

When you are using a comb or brush:

1) Start with one that has wide teeth to prevent the harsh pulling on any mats. If you encounter any, try to pull the mats apart gently while trying not to pull on the fur. Once you are able to remove it, you can then switch to a comb with narrower spaces between the teeth when you have the mats almost all the way untangled.

2) DO NOT USE scissors or clippers for mat removal unless it is absolutely necessary otherwise if you make a mistake, you can cut your cat. Ouch!

3) Reward you cat and say good things while brushing e.g. "Good Kitty, Nice Kitty" so that it helps to encourage the cat to want more grooming and to not to fuss too much since those words tend to re-enforce that for behaving, he/she is being rewarded.

4) Do not brush too quickly, rather take your time - If you encounter any mats you might hurt your cat if your brush stroke is too quick!

5) Pass your hand on his/her fur after each brush stroke - They like this. Don't know why.

6) Don't forget the tummy - It is usually quite ticklish, but with time, I'm sure the cat will get used to it. Try not to tickle the cat too much otherwise you might be cat slapped.

Finally have fun and enjoy the time spent while grooming. Don't think of it as a chore but rather a fun activity with your cat!

Understanding The Advantages of Catteries

"A dog is man's best friend." - That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship most people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent house pets as they are great companions, they are civilized members of the household, and they are easy to care for. Cats are clean and graceful animals, requiring very little care. They instinctively clean themselves and do their "business" in dirt or cat litter before covering it up with their paws.

Most people enjoy the companionship of cats as many cats are affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin. Cats also will genuinely care about an owner they love. Therefore, why shouldn't the cats also get the love they need the care they always desire from their owners? You can do special things for your cat also just as you would do for your best-friend such as treating them with care and affection and also planning out some holiday plans for them.

If you are a frequent traveller and animal owner, you are probably aware of the dilemma you face on where to keep your pet while you are on the road. If you hate leaving your pets at your neighbour's place while you are travelling, you could now plan out on keeping your cat at a holiday home, where it will enjoy the luxury like you enjoy hotels and spend a holiday away from home.

Each cat has their own personality, but most cats are very independent and can be very stubborn. Most hotels have a lot of services specially designed for the well-being of your pet, they are created by keeping into account of the different animal behaviours they exhibit. These cat holiday homes are known as catteries, they provide an excellent and safe option for those who are concerned about the safety of their cats.

All the cats who board in a cattery receive the best possible care. They provide individual or family housing. Each cat has an insulated bedroom, with a cat flap or heavy cloth leading to its own exercise area with shelves and branches providing the opportunity for lots of exercise and play. Each chalet's entrance is leading into a safety area to ensure your cat/kittens security, and only cats from the same home are housed together. Also, the food that they provide is a good variety of premium food, both wet and dry, and they try their best to accommodate the fussiest of eaters. You can also give them instructions on feeding your cat the timings, the diet plan and all other essential information you can provide for the best care of your cat.

You will have a professional to watch your cat while you are away. Many boarding catteries have an enclosed outdoor play area so your cat can enjoy the sunshine in the safety of an enclosure. As boarding catteries usually have other pets in their care, time in an outdoor play area is usually limited so each of their guests can enjoy specialized time outside. You will have somebody keeping a watch over your cat's health & well being. As well as providing the basic requirements such as feeding many boarding catteries will spend time playing, grooming & petting your cat.

Your cat will have to be up to date on its vaccinations prior to arrival, and if fleas or parasites are found on the cat, most boarding cattery owners will treat your cat, but at your expense. If you are going away for an extended period of time you can be assured that your pet will be in the best of health and probably even better when you return home. It will be enjoying its vacation as you enjoy yours!