Welcome
Welcome to The Kitty Zone
Cats have been a part of our life for
centuries, no one is sure of just
when they were domesticated, but it was so long enough ago that I'm
surprised they haven't adopted our language...maybe they
have...hummmmmmmmm...*ack*...*hack*...sorry, fur ball.
How to care
for your kitten
by Niall Kennedy
Caring for a kitten is a lot of work. With her
high energy and
intense curiosity and sense of adventure, raising a kitten will
keep you on your toes. Careful attention during the first year of
life will set a strong foundation for a long, loving relationship
with your cat.
Kittens aged 8-12 weeks need four meals a day, 3-6 months three
meals, and kittens over 6 months old, two meals.
Follow the guidelines on the food packaging as to how much to
provide in each feeding. Give your kitten both moist and dry
food, so she is less likely to become a finicky eater later. When
you offer moist food, be sure to pick it up after about 30
minutes. Cats love moist food, but if you let them eat it at
their leisure, they will become "lazy" eaters. Limit the
availability of the good stuff, and your kitten will learn to
"get it while the getting is good." It is a good idea to leave
dry food out all day so she can snack on it as she pleases. It is
vital that your kitten learn to eat dry kibble, as the crunchy
food helps keep her teeth and gums healthy.
Your kitten will likely spend a lot of time licking her fur, so
you won't need to bathe her. Both she and you will benefit from
regular brushing sessions, however. Time spent grooming your
kitten gets her used to handling and lets you monitor her health
and development. Many kittens are afraid of a brush at first, or
think it are a toy. If you are patient and loving, you can teach
your young cat to enjoy the soothing sensation of being brushed.
Cats often mutually groom each other, so by brushing her you are
expressing your "love" to her.
While you groom your cat, begin getting her used to having her
ears, eyes, mouth and paws handled. Move your hands over her
body, restraining her from time to time as you touch and
manipulate different body parts. At first you may only be able to
touch her lip, but over a period of days and weeks you should be
able to lift her lip and touch her gums. When you handle her
paws, gently squeeze her toes to extend her claws. This the
technique you will use later to trim her claws, and the sooner
you begin getting her used to it the less traumatic it will be
for both of you.
Kittens have a lot of energy. If you don't provide an outlet for
it, she will find one of her own. Chasing a wind-up toy or ball,
stalking and pouncing on a lure attached to a string or just
racing around the room are all positive outlets for her energy.
Be careful, however, to keep the rough play under control. Never
use your hands or feet as a lure. Strongly discourage her from
attacking your hands or feet; what seems cute when she's a kitten
encourages her to be aggressive with you. Always keep a stuffed
toy within reach so that if she tries to attack you, you can rub
the animal against her tummy to encourage her to wrestle with it.
To care for a cat you will need to:
* Provide plenty of human companionship
* Provide regular, suitable meals with a constant supply of fresh
water
* Provide a clean and comfortable bed
* Provide the cat with outdoor access or be prepared to empty and
clean a litter tray on a daily basis
* Groom it regularly. Longhaired cats require daily grooming
* Have it neutered between 4 and 6 months old
* Vaccinate against the major feline diseases regularly
* Worm regularly and provide treatment for fleas
* Take the cat to the vet when it shows any sign of illness - pet
insurance can help offset the cost of veterinary treatment.
What every
cat lover should know about cat health:
by Peter Lenkefi
What Every Cat Lover Should Know About Cat
Health
Peter Lenkefi
Our pets can sometimes be as close to us as members of our family,
that's
why cat owners will want to know as much as they can about cat health.
The
following are the major things to know about caring for your cat in a
loving
way:
DIET: Cat health is strongly affected by what your pet eats. Obesity is
a
major factor in heart disease particularly as you cat gets older.
Choose a
pet food for your cat that is right for it's age but feed it regularly.
Consistency is the key to a well-fed pet.
GROOMING: Longhaired cats should be groomed regularly for optimum cat
health. Use a pet brush and groom no less than once a week.
LITTER: The litter box can be a danger to both cat health and human
health
if it isn't cleaned regularly. Change your pet's letter no less than
once
every four days and keep a small dish of baking soda near the litter
area.
ELDERLY CATS: Some diseases occur because your pet gets older. These
can be
labeled elderly cat health problems. As cats age their kidneys and
eyesight
fail and may need special diets.
SCRATCHING: Scratching is a major cat health concern because if a cat
scratches regularly it is often a sign of other problems. If your cat is
scratching an area a lot try a delousing product and then take your pet
to
the vet.
BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS: Many cat health problems relate to difficult or
uncommon
behavior. Listlessness can be a symptom of depression. Strange
aggression is
sometimes caused by hormone imbalances.
DECLAWING: Choosing to declaw can be a major factor in Cat health. If
you
choose to declaw your pet it is important to remember to keep them
inside at
all times.
PARASITES: Parasites like ringworm, heart worm and rabies can greatly
affect
cat health. Blood in a cat's stool or uncommon appetite are common
signs of
parasites.
STRESS: Stressful situations like moving, traveling, natural disasters
or
even changes in the family can affect cat health. To minimize the
effects of
stress on your pet, purchase a tranquilizer for distance traveling and
have
a place in your home where your cat can escape if there are busy
changes in
the house.
POISON: Part of managing cat health is making sure dangerous poisons
like
antifreeze are inaccessible to your pet. Some plants are fatal to cats
so
make sure to raise your plants and lock your toxins.
MOUTH: Cat's often have mouth diseases and this can impact cat health.
Cat's
are just as prone to gingivitis as humans and cats can also develop. For
problems like rodents ulcer or bad breath, brush your cat's teeth with a
small child's toothbrush.
INDOORS/OUTDOORS: One of the greatest factors in determining cat health
is
whether you cat goes out of doors. Cars, children, other animals and
toxins
are all dangerous and should be avoided by keeping your cat indoors.
Cat health is an issue that concerns us all and hopefully this article
has
provided you with information that will make your cat's life safer and
healthier.
For more more information about cat health please visit
http://www.1health-center.com/articles/How-to-Make-Your-Pets-Healthier-and-Happier.php
Disclaimer
To the best
of our knowledge these are all from either the public domain or free to
use, and a link either has been or will soon be placed on our link page
whenever possible to credit the sources of the photos and tips.
If for some
reason we have inadvertantly placed a photo or image or article that is
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available we will be glad to remove it upon request.
We hope you enjoy these photos and tips.