Cat: 2007

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Cat - Is Your Dog And Cat Food Healthy?

I have a written a few articles on premium dog food and premium cat food. Some articles even have included the importance of supplements, treats and even the bones you give as a reward. So you can only imagine how important it is to feed our pets the proper nutrition. This nutrition comes daily from the food we decide to give them. It is extremely important to feed premium, quality foods for their health and in some cases their mental well being.

This article is especially important to me because of the recent pet food recall including dog and cat food. Please visit your vet immediately if you see any signs that may appear "abnormal" behavior. It may have nothing to do with what they ate but it is better to be safe than sorry.

As I write this article on March 25, 2007, the recall has widened to include all wet food as a safety precaution regardless of the date code, reports the Globe & Mail. Retailers have been asked to remove all of these foods. The "recall" list can be found by visiting menufoods.com/recall/. As you may or may not have heard there has been a huge pet food recall on numerous brands of dog and cat food that may contain aminopterin, rat poison. Yes, rat poison. At this time there is no news as to how it got into the food. It has been reported this has been the cause of at least 16 deaths as well as more that are very ill and receiving treatment. What can separate the premium food from mainstream?

Unfortunately, current pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to your dog or cat. In fact, you may be shocked to learn what some brands of pet food really contain. For example: the use of by-products (feet, bones and intestines, etc.), chemical preservatives (BHA and BHT) and grains that are often difficult to digest (corn, wheat, gluten and soy), which are often used as a protein source instead of meat.

Be Aware of Undesirable Ingredients
By-products - basically this is what is left over when the good cuts of meat are taken for humans. Bones, intestines, heads, feet, tendons, ligaments and other body parts are known as by-products.

Grains like soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten are often used as protein sources; however, they are generally inferior and difficult to digest.

Chemical Preservatives like BHA, BHT and ethoxoquin can be very harmful to pets.

Freshness - Large manufacturers make pet food in tremendous batches that can last for a very long time, so you may be feeding food that is six months to a year old.

These are only some things to stay away from. Look to see if your dog or cat food contains vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and bacteria cultures to name a few.

Remember, what your vet recommends as premium dog food might be the farthest thing from healthy.

Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit her site containing information on quality, premium dog food by Lifes Abundance
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_Matthews

Cat - How to Keep Your Cat Free from Diseases with Your Quick Guide to Cat Grooming

Even a cat that compulsively cleans itself can benefit from a little grooming from her owner. Cats rarely need a bath, but frequent brushing removes a lot of loose hair which would otherwise end up either shed around your home or swallowed by the cat, creating constipating hairballs. Grooming your cat on a regular basis also helps you monitor her health and make her easier to handle.

Long-haired cats should be brushed and combed daily; short-haired cats only need grooming about once per week. While brushing your cat's coat, keep an eye out for lumps and skin irritations. Brush along your cats back, from head to tail with firm pressure. Repeat this several times, and then switch to one side. You should brush each area 4 or 5 times Always remember to brush in the direction of the hair growth.

If you find places where hair is missing, watch your cat for the next week to determine if she is over-grooming these spots, or if the hair loss could be a skin condition that requires a vet's attention. Be sure to watch for fleas and remove them immediately using a flea comb. If you notice rice-like particles around her anus (or in her bed), she probably has worms and needs medication from a veterinarian.

The grooming session is a good time to check your cat's ears, eyes, teeth and claws. If your cat is a young kitten, be sure to frequently manipulate these areas to get her used to handling. By the time she is an adult, looking inside her ears for mites will be a non-traumatic event. If your cat is an adult, proceed at her pace. If she will let you touch her ear, but not fold it back to look inside, that's fine. Each time you groom her, try going a little farther with your examination, praising her with words, strokes, and treats for letting you handle her. If she struggles, it is best to let her go, and try again another day.

You can use a cotton ball slightly dampened with warm water to clean the inside surface of your cat's ears. Never put a cotton ball or swab into her ear canal. If she reacts and jerks, you could injure her. Dark, coffee ground-like flecks inside her ears indicates possible ear mites. If you also notice her shaking her head or scratching at her ears a lot, or notice a strong odor in her ears, have your vet take a look.

A healthy cat's eyes are bright, clear and free of discharge.

Lift her upper lip to check her gums, which should be pink, and take a look at her teeth. If you choose to brush your cat's teeth, be sure to use toothpaste made for cats, as human-type toothpaste can be toxic to your pet. Pet supply stores carry a variety of cat toothpastes, as well as toothbrushes designed to be gentle and easy to use.

When you start to clean your cat's teeth don't even use a toothbrush. Stroke the outside of her cheeks with your finger. When she becomes comfortable with that, add a little toothpaste to your finger and let her taste it. C.E.T. poultry flavored toothpaste can be used to start as cats like the taste. When the cat is comfortable you are ready to introduce the toothbrush. With a small amount of toothpaste on the brush, brush two teeth and the adjoining gum line with a slow circular motion. This will get your cat accustomed to the feel of the brush. You will then be able to gradually increase the number of teeth brushed.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Cat - How to Keep Your Cat Free from Diseases with Your Quick Guide to Cat Grooming

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A healthy cat's eyes are bright, clear and free of discharge.

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Cat - What Makes A Cat - A Cat?

And why does a cat stubbornly insist on behaving like a cat?

Just about everyone can list the things that most accurately identifies what a cat is to them. Some will cite their amazing grace, agility and speed. Others will wax nostalgically about their intrinsic beauty. There will always be comments about their powers of concentration, excellent night vision, the cuteness of kittens that elicits such strong maternal instincts, and their seeming aloofness and self-confidence. And why does it seem that cats don't handle changes or stress well? In reality, these traits and others, are all just the symptoms of underlying characteristics that more rightly define the make-up and nature of cats. The feline characteristics elicit both enjoyable and maddening responses from humans, especially those who expect cats to act like people, dogs or other domesticated animals. Without question, cats are unique.

What needs to be kept in mind is the fact that cats are the newest of any of the domesticated species. This puts them very close to their 'wild' roots. Studies of small wildcats, that is, undomesticated or untamed cats that live beyond the comfort of human households, gives insight to what the 'natural' character of the cat is. It is generally agreed upon that today's house cat has descended from a small African wildcat, Felis silvestris libyca. One of the notable characteristics of the wildcat is that in order to insure its own food supply and decrease its chances of becoming prey itself, is to limit it's activities to seeking food when others aren't. Namely, at night. Cats have perfected this night-time strategy and can function very well in limited light, or even in what a person might consider total darkness. Along with excellent night vision, some other characteristics have also been developed:

A broken, erratic tabby pattern and coloring of the fur coat which offers a well conceived camouflage for hiding in tall grass or forest settings. A black cat may possess the best camouflage on a dark, moonless night.
How about a keen sense of hearing that can track predators or follow a prospective meal as it moves through the darkness.
In addition to excellent night vision that makes the most of limited light, there's the additional advantage of eyes that also detect even the slightest motion.

Along with all this night-time advantage, a cat must also be able to move swiftly and precisely through it's territory to escape predators or other threats. They are able to accomplish this with the use of scent glands located on their feet and on the sides of their face. As they pass through their territory, they'll mark prominent objects along their path. With these scent glands they can lay down a trail that's extremely easy to follow. Now, these scent marks can communicate on the brightest day or darkest night and unlike sound, they won't alert predators. Unfortunately, these marks have to be freshened up from time to time, as well as added to if a new trail is to be explored. A resident cat, that is a cat that has claimed a territory for herself, must continually inspect her territory to keep the scents fresh and to mark any changes to it, such as a newly downed tree or other obstruction on her path. She doesn't want any surprise encounters in the dead of night while fleeing a predator.

All this scent marking plays a critical role in the survival of the small wildcat. With only so many hours in the day, she can't spend all her time marking a territory and leave no time for hunting, finding water or mating. If she did she would become extinct quite soon. She can only claim an area that supports her with food (and her kittens, too), and that area must be efficiently maintained with her scent trails. Under these conditions, it's easy to see that it's not practical for her to share her space for (2) reasons:

There's usually a limited food supply in the territory she has to maintain on a regular basis.
The scent trails from other cats would probably be confusing.

Finally, there's the unique maternal nature of a cat that makes it very different from all other domestic animals. The answer to that question lies in her wildcat heritage, also. Survival of the cat species is dependant upon the survival of the kittens. Unlike 'pack' animals, a mother cat, or queen as they are known, is totally responsible for the care of her young. There's no one else around for her to rely on. She must teach her young everything they need to know to survive and do it before their food requirements exceeds the ability of her territory to provide for them. She must do this is a very short time and the kittens must have the capacity to learn all she has to teach. Needless to say, a very strong maternal bond is necessary if either mom or the kids are going to be successful at survival. And, as they learn to survive on their own, the young will one day leave the queen's territory and establish territories of their own. Or else, mom will kick them out. Now, we have (5) characteristics that make a cat... a cat:

Cats are nocturnal
Cats are territorial
Cats are solitary
Cats are predatory
Cats are maternal

So, What's all this Heat About??

The female cat's usual heat cycles are influenced by seasonal changes in the amount of daylight. These cycles run from January (as the days begin to grow longer) to October (when the days begin to shorten). She will cycle every 10 to 14 days until she is bred. Heat cycles are easily identified with a lot of vocal calling, rolling on the ground and constantly rubbing against furniture or your legs. She will assume a breeding position with her rump in the air and forepaws near the ground. Note: Spaying and neutering is the perfect cure for this situation. Heat symptoms will be eliminated as well as the risk for ovarian cancers and infections of the uterus. Not to mention the eliminating of kitten litters that can't be properly cared for.

Mating in cats presents an interesting diversion for animals known for their solitary nature and a strong sense of territory. In feral colonies it has been noted that a female in heat will mate with 18 or more males in a single day. Some ethologists attribute this rather promiscuous behavior to the fact that cats must really enjoy sex as much as humans do. The point is moot and probably can't be determined one way or the other. But, it does offer one answer as to why such solitary creatures would gather and form complex social interactions on a seasonal basis. As noted above, the maternal characteristic of a mother cat and her kittens is necessarily strong thus providing a kind of social interaction for cats at a young, impressionable age. So, it's not like cats never experience any degree of socialization from which they can draw the tools of getting along in a large gathering of like minded animals.

When cats gather around a regular, dependable food supply, such as a dump or rodent infested barn, a queen may not wean her young for up to eighteen months. This does have some distinct advantages:

Nursing keeps the queen and kittens together longer than is usual in the wild, keeping everyone social longer and living peacefully.
Since lactating females won't come into heat, the population is limited and preserves peace.
The nursing kittens won't mature sexually quite as fast which also keeps peace and provides some population control.
With a more complex social environment, the kittens will learn more social skills. The longer a kitten nurses, the longer she is in a learning mode, hence, the more she learns.

When a wildcat queen teaches her kittens to accept kill as nourishment and then to hunt for themselves, they will make the transition back to solitary behavior. As the kittens provide more for themselves, the queen will resist nursing. The kitten play will become more aggressive and each will eventually make their way to the solitary life. She will resume her solitary life and the kittens will assume theirs. But, in the feral colony supported with a reliable food supply the driving survival instincts may be ameliorated or softened because of the plentiful food resources and an enhanced social development amongst the neighboring cats. That's not to say that the colony won't outgrow the ability of the territory (dump or barn) to provide food and some may find themselves striking out on their own for greener pastures. One might surmise that cats can get along in groups, establish rules of engagement for mutual survival and be quite successful at it. But, they are not afraid to go it alone and can be very efficient at surviving by their own guile if they have to. They really are quite amazing animals.

So, when you watch your cat as she displays her everyday habits, remember she has a lot of inherited behaviors that are motivating her. Whether it's her scratching or spraying instincts, or walking her domain in the same fashion every day reestablishing her scent trail, or arguing with other pets in your home or neighborhood (because it is after all, her territory). She does so because she learned to survive in an elegant, complex, yet sophisticated way. And it's probably just as hard for her to adjust to your domesticated life as it would be for you to adjust to surviving in the wild. It helps to remember... you're both pretty smart creatures.

The next time someone asks what makes a cat... a cat. Go ahead and tell them. "It's their cute paws, nubby nose, soothing purr, the way she rubs against your leg when you come home, etc, etc, etc". But, you'll know there's a lot more to it than that.

Cat - What Makes A Cat - A Cat?

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And why does a cat stubbornly insist on behaving like a cat?

A broken, erratic tabby pattern and coloring of the fur coat which offers a well conceived camouflage for hiding in tall grass or forest settings. A black cat may possess the best camouflage on a dark, moonless night.
How about a keen sense of hearing that can track predators or follow a prospective meal as it moves through the darkness.
In addition to excellent night vision that makes the most of limited light, there's the additional advantage of eyes that also detect even the slightest motion.

There's usually a limited food supply in the territory she has to maintain on a regular basis.
The scent trails from other cats would probably be confusing.

Cats are nocturnal
Cats are territorial
Cats are solitary
Cats are predatory
Cats are maternal

So, What's all this Heat About??

When cats gather around a regular, dependable food supply, such as a dump or rodent infested barn, a queen may not wean her young for up to eighteen months. This does have some distinct advantages:

Nursing keeps the queen and kittens together longer than is usual in the wild, keeping everyone social longer and living peacefully.
Since lactating females won't come into heat, the population is limited and preserves peace.
The nursing kittens won't mature sexually quite as fast which also keeps peace and provides some population control.
With a more complex social environment, the kittens will learn more social skills. The longer a kitten nurses, the longer she is in a learning mode, hence, the more she learns.

Robert J Gallegos, author of http://www.catlover-giftsworld.com a web site dedicated to proper cat care with quality cat lover gifts based on an understanding of cat behavior, instincts and the unique requirements for healthy cats as pets. Cats are the newest of animals to be domesticated and still have one paw in the wild. It's a major reason why they're so mysterious and resistant to human expectations.

Robert is a life long lover of cats. He is dedicated to sharing his understanding of the cat experience, reducing the epidemic feral cat situation, and helping cat lovers to provide the best care for their cats.
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Gallegos

Cat - How Are You Treating Your Pet?

Can you comprehend a time when dog food, cat food, or pet treats did not even exist?

The very first commercial dog food was a product produced in the year 1860. James Pratt, an American, was visiting England from the US when he saw dogs surviving off left-over biscuits from ships. So he prepared a dog biscuit product consisting of wheat meal, vegetable, beetroot and meat, and began selling them entirely to British rural gentlemen who owned sporting dogs.

Much has changed since then....... as our ideas of nutrition have advanced, so have our pets' foods.

New products such as dry kibble, canned foods, and moist products have varied our choices substantially.

For many dog and cat owners, the food that we give our animals means a great deal, while the treats we give them are merely an afterthought. Even the most health-conscious pet owners who purchase expensive cat and dog food often go to the supermarket and buy the least expensive treats. Why is it that so many of us have a habit of feeding our pets top shelf foods and then give them relatively poor treats with the nutritional value of paper? We ask a lot of our pets' foods. Even the healthiest cat or dog food does not have everything. Each pet has specific needs. Because we only feed our pets around 2 times a day or so, treats are a superb supplement to their diets. Even 2 or 3 treats a day really adds up in the long haul. If we are going to add calories, they really should be healthy ones.

Your supermarket is filled with treats that are full of poor ingredients. Here are a few things you will definately want to look out for: Soybean meal, wheat, wheat meal, corn gluten meal, corn meal, whole/crushed corn, and maize are very frequently used for their protein. They cost far less to include in a treat than the superior quality carbohydrates or meat protein such as chicken or fish. In addition to this, soybean meal as well as ground corn and wheat are common pet allergens. Also keep this in mind when choosing a cat food or a dog food.

Artificial food coloring is widely used even though they are completely unnecessary and have even been linked to medical issues. It is believed by some in the medical field that if an ingredient is foreign to the body the body reacts to it and can cause numerous health issues. Pets care more about taste than color. By-products are an easy way for dog food or cat food and treat firms to keep costs down. Instead of using whole meats, they use by-products. These are obviously the less desirable parts of animals.

Essentially, by-products are all of the items that you would not willingly feed to your pet. Stawa away from them if possible.

There are a number of other items that the labels do not always reveal to us. For example, condemned parts of animals not good enough for human injestion are sometimes rerouted into commercial treats. These parts may be the parts of animals who are dead, dying, decayed or even diseased

In addition, certain meats, grains and other ingredients cannot be sold for use by people. They are either damaged or else the meat does not have the look that the US Dept. of Agriculture officials want. Sadly, we cannot always decipher this from the label. This goes for treats, dog food as well as cat food.

Furthermore, some companies have lower standards pertaining to the freshness of the ingredients they use. Though there should be a "use by" date or code on most packages. We would not eat stale cookies so why would we want to give anything but fresh ingredients to our pets? Again this applies to dog food and treats and cat products.

For additional information go to Dog Food, Premium, from Life's Abundance and find out about premium dog food and healthy pet products.

Cat - How Are You Treating Your Pet?

Can you comprehend a time when dog food, cat food, or pet treats did not even exist?

Much has changed since then....... as our ideas of nutrition have advanced, so have our pets' foods.

New products such as dry kibble, canned foods, and moist products have varied our choices substantially.

Essentially, by-products are all of the items that you would not willingly feed to your pet. Stawa away from them if possible.

For additional information go to Dog Food, Premium, from Life's Abundance and find out about premium dog food and healthy pet products.

Ryan Joseph is a writer and researcher. For more info. go to http://www.premium4pets.com and http://www.premium-cat-food.com/
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Joseph

Cat - Advantages of Flushable Cat Litter

You may have read about flushable cat litter or seen some brands of this type of litter at the supermarket or pet store. There are some excellent reasons why more people are choosing to use this sort of litter. Here are a couple of scenarios in which cat litter that is flushable is a very good idea.

One of the main situations where this sort of litter is extra helpful is when one lives in an apartment building. Often, trash is dumped down a chute from each floor. While this is convenient for most of the tenants, it also usually involves some regulations as to what may be dumped down the chute. In most cases, dirty cat littler is not among the items that are considered proper to dump. However, flushable litter will easily dissolve in the septic system, so flushing it down the toilet allows the apartment dweller to take proper care of the cat, without having to make trips off site to dispose of the waste.

Another scenario involves the weather. Many of us live in parts of the country where cold weather can make us think twice about going outside for a nice portion of the year. Do we really want to have to trudge out in the ice and snow, or even freezing rain just to clean up the litter box? With flushable cat litter, you don't have to deal with inclement weather. Simply dump the contents into the toilet and flush, then clean the box itself and put in fresh litter. That is all there is to it.

Flushable cat litter does cost a little more than some types of cat litter, but the convenience factor can make all the difference in the world. Why not give it a try today? You may find that once you go through one round of usage that you never want to go back to any other type of litter.

Cat - Advantages of Flushable Cat Litter