Cat Friendship

 

Healthy Cat Basics

Cat and kitten care should be your responsibility if you have your cat at home. An important aspect to understanding your cat’s health would require that you understand how to observe how your cat looks. You should be able to judge if you have an overweight cat or a cat that is too thin. The best thing to do it is to observe your pet cat and see how it looks.

When examining your cat’s weight, you may be able to see the telltale signs if it is either too thin or too heavy. Your cat may be too thin if the ribs are obviously visible on your short haired cat. The ribs may show or you may be able to feel it on a thick haired cat with seemingly no palpable fat anywhere. You may also observe some slight abdominal tuck as well as no visible fat on your pet.

A cat that is too heavy may have their ribs not easily obvious that may be covered by excess fat. If you observe your cat, you may notice that it might not have a visible waist that has become rounded with excess fat. Your cat would seem rounded with the prominent abdominal fat as well as with fat deposits over the back area. This would be one of the signs that your cat may be overweight.

One of the solutions to problems concerning an overweight cat would be the proper feeding regimen that you cat goes through. It is important that, as a pet owner, you will know the right proportion of cat or kitten food to give to your pet. At different points of their life, cat diets would require different nutritional needs and therefore a varied feeding program.

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When you have a kitten, you should know that they require twice as much energy per pound of their body weight as compared to a mature cat to keep up proper kitten health. Kittens need to be weaned for about the first six to eight weeks of their life and then they can be given a regular cat diet composed of a well balanced cat or kitten food that will ensure proper growth and a healthy cat. Kittens should be fed three to four times a day with a source of clean drinking water always made available for them at all times. This regimen is to help provide the cat’s nutritional needs during its rapid growth.

After seven months to one year, you may now need to bring down feeding your kitten food to just twice a day. But this should be decided on an individual basis. The amount that you would eventually feed would depend on the level of activity and body condition of your health cat. Your cat’s veterinary team can assess and would be able to provide you with the right cat diet to provide for your new kitten.

When you have an adult cat that go through just the normal day to day activity, a cat diet wold be to maintain that type of feline lifestyle. At this time, a healthy cat food that is well-balanced for maintenance of cats in all life stages may already be used. Be also aware that cats are occasional eaters.

They do not seem to finish up their food at just one sitting. You may observe them to eat a bit of the food you serve but never seem to finish them. They usually try to eat at various times of the day when they feel like it.

For this reason, you might need to provide all-day access to food for your cat along with a clean source of water supply.

Holidaying with Pets

If you're thinking about bringing your pet with you on your next vacation, here are a few steps to help everyone enjoy the experience.

Since the summer season is quickly approaching, holidays are top of mind, but choosing to include the family pets on the trip or not can be a tough decision. Including your pet on your trip might be harmful to its health; to ensure everyone enjoys the summer vacation, here are a few ideas to help you decide if you should bring your pets with you or leave them at home.

Some trips can be pet appropriate, including camping trips with appropriate facilities, or short stays in pet-friendly hotels. If you’re planning a short trip that involves air travel, save your pet the discomfort of the flight and choose to have someone look after it at home. Additionally, cross border trips with your pet should be researched early in the planning process, as there might be concerns about quarantine periods and immunization that will need to be officially addressed before you leave.

If 

you are bringing your pet on your next trip:

• Minimize the amount of change it will experience. New foods, new routines, and new rules can be very stressful on your pet, so try to make sure changes are made well in advance of your departure.
• Ensure they are in perfect health and fully immunized. It’s unlikely that an emergency trip to the vet is going to be enjoyed by anyone, pets included.
• Verify that the information on your pet’s tag is correct, and that the contact number on the tag can be answered by you or someone that can reach you in the event your pet gets lost during the trip. Kennels, crates, and leashes should also have tags with your contact information.

Depending on the length of your vacation, you might consider having your pet stay at a competent friend or family member's home, or ideally, have the pet stay at your home and have the friend/family member stay with it. In addition to reducing the stress on your pet, your home will be more secure if it looks like someone is staying there.

Another option is to have the pet stay at a trusted boarding facility. This should be budgeted into any travel planning to ensure there is no stress about additional costs. While you might prefer to have your pet with you all the time, leaving it in its home is the least stressful for it, allowing everyone to enjoy the vacation.

If you’re going to board your pet at friends or family, make up a “care kit” that includes some or all of the following:

• Favorite toy
• Favorite treats
• An old T-Shirt that you’ve warn (don’t wash it)
• Detailed schedule (feeding /play /exercise/bed times)
• Emergency contact info and access to medical history

If you choose to bring your pets with you on your trip, it’s important to ensure they have all of the comforts of home, since strange environments can be very stressful to your furry friends. Lots of love and encouragement can help your pet quickly adapt to minor changes.

Flying with your pet

Check to see if your airline allows pets in the passenger cabin. Many, but not all, allow this, providing they meet specific requirements.

The FAA’s rules regarding pets in the passenger cabin:

• The pet container must be small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you.
• The pet container must be stored properly before the plane leaves the gate
• The pet container must be stowed for takeoff and landing, as well as anytime the plane is on the airport surface

Your airline will likely have additional rules concerning pets in the passenger cabin, and it’s your responsibility to ensure everyone in your party abides by these rules.

If your pet is too large to fly in the passenger cabin, consult with your trusted veterinarian to create a plan to travel with your pet. There are a number of variables that must be considered prior to arriving at the airport, including sedation, kennel requirements, connecting flights, and expected temperature of your destination. The airlines have strict regulations about pets in the cargo hold, as this is an area of the plane that can be subject to extreme temperatures.

Driving with your pet

If you choose to drive with your pet in your vehicle, here are few simple tricks to ensure a pleasant road trip for everyone:

• Acclimate to your vehicle – Make sure your pet has spent some time in the vehicle with you prior to this trip. Let it get accustomed to the sounds and smells before spending extended periods in a new place.
• Keep your pet secure - Travelling in their crate can help them keep their balance, and if properly secured can prevent them from being launched out of the vehicle in the case of an accident.
• Keep your pet on a leash – Chasing your pet around a busy rest stop, or through a hotel parking lot is not as much fun as it looks on TV. For the safety of your pet and your sanity, ensure your pet is on a leash at all times. One effective technique is to use a two-leash setup, One leash to keep the pet secure in the vehicle, and the other to keep it safe outside of the vehicle. Attach one leash before you detach the other – this ensures your pet is on at least one leash at all times.
• Plan for bathroom breaks – schedule your trip to accommodate bathroom breaks for everyone. Include enough time to let your pet sniff around the new environment while they stretch their legs.

With proper planning, you and your pet can have a fun and relaxing vacation together. Your pets love you and your family, so help them build their confidence by taking a few extra steps before your next trip. 

Bon Voyage!

Training Tips for Your Cat or Kitten

Most people believe that cats can’t be trained because cats don’t seem to respond to many of the methods used to train dogs. But cats do respond to training! In fact one of the first scientific studies highlighting the importance of reinforcement in animal behavior was done with cats.

The first step to training your cat is to understand him. Cats aren’t as social as dogs. Dogs have been bred specifically to work together with people, whereas the primary reason cats were domesticated was to kill vermin on their own. So they’re independent, and they aren’t as naturally inclined to work for praise and attention as dogs are. They’re also not as easy to motivate. You have to use really special treats that your cat finds irresistible. Training a cat requires some creativity and patience.

Training your cat has important benefits. You’re stimulating his body and his mind, which helps keep him healthy. And spending time together means you’re strengthening the bond you share. In addition to teaching fun tricks like wave and fetch, you can also teach him a range of useful behaviors like sit, stay and to come when called. You could even teach your cat to pee in the toilet and flush afterwards!

Tips for Adopting a Cat from a Shelter

Use Tasty Treats

The first step is to find a treat that your cat goes crazy for. Fresh chicken diced in tiny cubes, bits of tuna, meat-flavored baby food, and commercial cat treats are all good choices. Once you’ve identified treats your cat likes, follow the basic steps of positive reinforcement training (reward-based training) to teach him the behavior you want. Suppose you’d like your cat to sit and stay on a stool while you prepare his dinner. You’ll first need to start with teaching him to sit when you ask him to:

• First, make sure you have your cat’s attention. Hold the tasty treat in your fingers right at your cat’s nose. When your cat begins to sniff the treat, slowly move it in an arc from his nose up just over his head between his ears. (Don’t raise it straight up, or you’ll be teaching your cat to stand on his rear legs rather than sit!) Many cats will follow this arc motion with their eyes and nose, and as their chin raises up and back, their butt will go down.

• Second, the instant your cat’s bottom hits the floor, praise him and offer him the treat. If his rear doesn’t go all the way down on the first try, give him the treat anyway. Over several repetitions of practice, give him a treat each time his rear gets slightly closer, until he’s gets into a complete sit with his rear all the way on the floor.

Cats don’t see things well that are still and close-up, so if your cat has difficulty taking the treat from your fingers, try offering it to him in your flat palm or tossing it on the floor. He’ll see the movement when you toss it and know where the treat is.

Use a Clicker

A clicker can make training easier and faster. If you don’t have a clicker, you can use a pen that makes a clicking sound. The instant your cat does the correct behavior, click and then offer a treat. The click lets your cat know the instant he does the right thing, so it helps him catch on faster. Just make sure you click at the exact moment he does the behavior you want, and then give him a treat. Cats learn through repetition, just like we do, so you’ll need to practice a few times in a row. Keep your training sessions short though-just a few minutes at a time. Most cats get bored if you try to drill the same thing over and over.

No Punishment!

While training your cat, keep in mind that cats respond very poorly to punishment! Rather than learning what behavior not to do, a punished cat usually just learns to run away. Depending on your cat’s temperament, punishment can frighten your cat to the point where he may hide from you and your family members. Punishment creates stress, and stress is one of the most common causes for problem behaviors in cats, including eliminating outside of the litter box and compulsive grooming. Stress also compromises the immune system, making your cat more vulnerable to disease, including feline idiopathic cystitis (inflammation of the bladder).

It’s much easier to train your cat when you reward behaviors you want and offer him more attractive alternatives for behaviors you don’t want. Persuasion, not punishment, is the key to training your cat. If you patiently practice and reward your cat with treats, you’ll soon have a cat who’s sitting on cue and purring contentedly.

Cat Pregnancy, What To Do Next?

Here you will learn more about cat pregnancy and how to assist your cat prior to and during delivery. If your female cat, foster cat or if you welcomed a stray pregnant cat into your home, the first thing you need to do is to take her to the Vet. Note, in the case of a stray cat, you will need to have her tested for FeLV and FIV, and ask your Vet about the pros and cons of vaccination.

Signs that your cat is pregnant.

If your female cat is not spayed and was in heat when she met a male cat that is also not neutered, you should prepare yourself for the new addition that will come in soon. Cat Pregnancy period normally runs from 57 to 69 days, with the average of 63 to 64 days.

Cats will start showing signs of pregnancy in about three weeks, which include physical and personality changes.

Physical changes in a pregnant cat include:

* Increased appetite

* Nipples swell and become rosier in color

* Heat cycles cease

* Abdominal enlargement

* Nausea/Possible Vomiting

Personality changes in a pregnant cat include:

* "Nesting" - searching for a secluded place to nest prior to delivery

* Increased need of affection and attention from her owner

* Irritability toward other pets

The number of kittens in a given litter is hard to predict, although it can range from one to eight kittens. Your veterinarian may be able to tell you the correct number of kittens by counting the heads - by palpating your cat's abdomen, or he can perform an ultrasound.

Things to do during your cat's pregnancy.

If your cat was healthy prior its pregnancy, it will be easier to keep her in good health through delivery. Although, if your cat had any health issues or issues prior its pregnancy, make sure your veterinarian will be involved throughout the entire pregnancy time and delivery.

A pregnant cat will need to exercise, have a balanced nutrition and plenty love and care. You can play with your cat as before its pregnancy, she will tell you how far she can go. By engaging in normal exercise during cat pregnancy will help the cat to maintain her muscle tone and good health.

Nutritious food is also important to a healthy cat pregnancy. Make sure you feed your cat with the highest quality food. If you are planning to give your cat supplements, be sure to ask your veterinarian for the right supplement. Some supplements can compromise the nutrition in your cat's balanced diet and hurt more than help.

Four weeks into the cat pregnancy you should start increasing the amount of food you give your cat. Once the little kittens start to grow inside your cat's body, she will start to eat smaller, but more frequent meals.

The pregnant cat will eat several times a day, so be sure to leave plenty food. Note that one or two days before she gives birth she may stop eating.

It is also recommended that during the last three to four weeks prior to delivery and while nursing, your cat should eat about two to four times her regular amount of food.

Cat Pregnancy - Delivery time!

Giving birth is a natural process, and your cat will rely on her maternal instincts. The only thing you will need to do is to stay by her side during the birthing process to monitor what happens. Only intervene if she needs your assistance.

The kittens are born within their amniotic sacs, which your cat will remove. If for any reason, she does not remove the kitten from its sac, you will need to do it. You will need to carefully cut the sac and stimulate the kitten's breathing by rubbing it gently with a rough dry towel. 

During the birth of her kittens, a mother cat will sever the umbilical cord by chewing it, and she will remove the sac by licking it. Then she will stimulate the kittens to breathe by washing them with her rough tongue. It is also normal for a cat to eat the placenta. Once the kittens are breathing, they will move toward the cat's nipple.

If you notice that your cat is having any complications during the delivery, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Postnatal care of your cat and kittens.

Now that the kittens have arrived, the next three weeks will be the extremely important for your cat and her newborn kittens. During this time the female cat should be recovering from the delivery, keep your eyes open for any signs of post-partum problems, such as bleeding or vomiting. If your cat is having problems take her to the Vet immediately.

It is also important that you, family members and other pets leave her alone, your cat and her kittens should be in a quiet part of your house. You can stop by to check up on them, but let your cat come to you for attention. And, make sure the room is warm enough, chilling temperature can be harmful to the kittens.

Finding homes for the kittens.

This is a very sensitive time, for your cat and for you as well. It time to find a good home for your kittens, so be sure to do your homework before sending them away. We recommend that your find a home for your kittens before they are born. You can ask friends and family if they would like to adopt one or more kittens, utilize social media communities or even contact your local pet adoption center.

It will take a little work, but we are sure you will find good homes for your kittens!