Is There Something I'm Doing Wrong Since My Cat Is Overweight?

You've come to the realization that your cat is a little overweight. Even though you've thought about his eating habits, you can't seem to figure out why he has become so fat! Sure, he's a little bit lazy; but, aren't all felines? Believe it or not, 48% of cats are considered to be obese. Cats were once considered to be wild animals, so keeping them indoors can't be the only reason. He wouldn't get off the couch if the door was wide open anyway. There doesn't seem to be an end in sight, so does this mean he continues to gain? So, why exactly is your cat overweight?

First of all, there are many different variables that contribute to the health of a pet cat. For instance, the type and quality of cat food plays a major role. Many brands of dry and low quality cat foods contain large amounts of corn and grains that have a negative effect on the metabolism. Being that cats are carnivorous, their stomach digests natural, raw meat easier than a plant-based protein. Consuming large portions of vegetable-based products can increase weight in a short period of time.

Not only does dry cat food hold some responsibility for your obese cat, but the amount eaten holds another large part as well. Typically, people believe that if the cat bowl is completely full, then that's the amount that should be fed. This has been proven to be false. Studies have shown that cutting food intake by half and distributing twice a day will make a huge difference within one week.

Another question to ask is, How much does my cat exercise? The answer is just as important as the question. Regular exercise is healthy for a feline physically and mentally. It also can improve the bond between you and your cat which is the best gift. The activity that is more beneficial depends on whether he lives indoor or outdoor. Chances are, if he's overweight, then he's an indoor cat. Over 65% of indoor felines are overweight by at least 5 pounds.

There are scratching posts for the vastly passive cat and a multi-post "city" complete with beds and carpeted shelves for the adventurous ones. A number of toys combine the urge to scratch with the urge to hunt (play). Throw in some of your pet feline's natural curiosity and a toy, which can be very inexpensive, is designed. Regardless of the exercise of choice, the more active the cat is the less he will weigh. Combining the extra activity with the decreased amount of food will help solve the riddle of why your cat is overweight.

The fact is, it is half your fault as to why your cat is overweight. Saving money on cat food doesn't help provide him with all the nutrients that he needs. Not making any time to interact with him doesn't assist with the life change he needs to become a skinny kitty. The only way you are able to accept full blame is if you don't take this information and apply it. Now that you've been informed, it's time to do something about it.

Raised with six (6) cats I was not really aware of many of the problems poor nutrition and lack of exercise caused. I have since discovered so much, right here.

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Six Tell Tale Signs That Indicate Your Cat Is Suffering From Joint Pain

Cats are living creatures and in many ways, they suffer from the same ailments that affect humans too. As we age, we will find that our bones and joints become less strong. It is the same with your cat. In fact, it is quite common for senior cats to suffer from joint pain just like us, humans. But how can you tell for sure if kitty is indeed suffering in silence? Read on.

Older cats may suffer from Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. One possible cause of this disease is excess weight, the other is of course, age.

So how can you tell if your cat is indeed suffering from joint pain or Osteoarthritis? Here are 6 tell tale signs:-

1. Altered gait

-- You may suddenly notice that your cat does not walk the same she always does. Her gait may change or she may limp on one side indicating pain on one or 2 of her legs.

2. Difficulty getting into and out of the litter box

-- She may exhibit lethargy or stiffness when getting up and about. That includes getting into and out of her litter box. Such lethargy indicates pain in the legs or joints

3. Obvious pain when walking

-- You should be able to tell that kitty is obviously feeling pain when walking, like an old lady. That's another danger sign.

4. Not so willing to jump

-- If you notice kitty is not so "bouncy", that's a red alert. Healthy cats are normally playful so her reluctance to jump and play is not a good sign but an indication of pain somewhere in her body

5. Loss in appetite

-- Is your cat eating less these days? While this alone does not indicate joint pain but taken together with the other points above, you should, nonetheless, be concerned.

6. Personality changes

-- Another subtle indication is that your cat may suddenly become nervous, more aggressive or even depressed. These emotional changes are strong indications that things are not right.

What should you do if your cat is suffering from joint pain? Obviously, bringing her to the vet is one option but this may be unnecessary and costly. So here are some things you can do at home to treat kitty:

1. Control her diet and weight

-- is kitty putting on too much weight? If so, she needs to slim down because excessive body weight can put pressure on her joints and cause joint pain. Put less food on her feeder but do so gradually, not suddenly.

2. More exercises

-- your cat may actually need more exercises to reduce her weight. But there is also another side to exercises - they warm up the joints so that kitty becomes more flexible. Give her more space to move and stretch, even to run around the house.

3. Provide more warm

-- warmth can be soothing for painful joints as it aids in blood circulation. You may want to buy heated pads for cats or simply provide more cushions and blankets to keep your cat warm

4. Gentle massages

-- gentle massages can help improve blood circulation and also ease pain.

If the above home treatment does not help, then it is time to take her to the vet.

Besides the above, you may also want to seriously consider giving your cat some product for cat pain relief. These pain relief remedies can help if your cat is really in pain and need immediate attention. Also, consider getting some pet or cat vitamins because cats do need these in order to keep healthy.

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Understanding Feline AIDS

FIV, also known as the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, is one of the most serious cat health problems today, often having devastating consequences. Feline AIDs is said to have affected nearly 14% of the feline population worldwide while affecting nearly 2% within the United States. The following article describes some of the basic symptoms, causes and treatment as well as prevention techniques to understand and deal with this disease.

Causes of Feline AIDS

Blood and saliva are the two major transmitters of Feline AIDS. If your cat has gotten into a fight, there is a possibility of it contracting the disease through bites, cuts, and scratches etc. Interestingly, female cats can also get them during mating as they are prone to getting bitten or scratched then. Kittens might also contract this disease from their mothers during nursing. If your cats are spend long periods of times outdoors or with stray cats, they have a higher chance of contracting this condition.

Symptoms of Feline AIDS

Feline AIDS can basically be divided into three stages. The first is marked by the presence of fever, infection and swollen lymph nodes. Persistent puffiness around the region of the throat, dry nose, smelly litter box, and diarrhea combined with excessive thirst are all symptoms of the first stage of this disease. This stage lasts anywhere between a few weeks to months.

The second stage can last for months or years and can be misleading as your cat is often healthy while the virus is dormant during this period. The third stage is a chronic stage, where your pet will suffer from various cat health problems, including cancer, infections etc. Once the disease has reached the chronic stage, the cat unfortunately does not last for more than a year.

Treatment and Prevention

Feline AIDS cannot be treated successfully, although there are several treatments available to deal with the condition. However, this disease can be easily prevented through vaccination. It would thus be a good idea if you are able to vaccinate your pet against this disease as soon as possible.

Caring for your pet is very essential once it has contracted Feline AIDS. You should always ensure that it is fed properly and that infections are nipped in the bud. Immune boosters, replication inhibitors as well as food and diet supplements are some of the treatments available for this disease.

We hope that this article is useful to you in understanding feline AIDS and what you can do to prevent your pet from contracting this disease.

We hope that this article is informative to you. Visit our website today if you wish to learn more about feline leukemia symptoms and feline AIDS. Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Understanding Frontline for Cats to Keep Your Pets Healthy

According to statistics quoted by humansociety.org, there are approximately 93.6 million owned cats in the United States and 21% of the owned cats have been adopted from animal shelters. Any pet, whether it's a cat or a dog, becomes a part of the family. You begin to care for him/her and take steps to ensure that he/she lives a happy and healthy life. Several medicines and other products are available in the market to help you take good care of your pets. Fleas and ticks can be quite dangerous for your pets and harm them. Moreover, through the body of your pets, these fleas and ticks enter your home and, thereafter, can be found on your carpet, bed sheets, cushions and even your house plants. An effective and easy to use remedy to deal with this problem is frontline for cats. This product not only kills fleas and ticks but also prevents their re-infestation.

Frontline for Cats: Composition And Working

The generic name of frontline for cats is Fipronil, a broad spectrum insecticide and methoprene. The manufacturers of this product claim that it: 

• Kills 100% of all adult fleas on your cats within 18 hours and
• Kills flea eggs and larvae of all ticks within 48 hours

Precautions While Using Frontline for Cats

Several precautions need to be taken while using frontline for cats so as to avoid any kind of harm to your adorable pet. 

• The product should be stored in a cool and dry place. One should never place any unused portion of the product in any indoor or outdoor drain.
• The product should be used only in the original container.
• The original container should never be reused.
• One should not refrigerate frontline for cats.
• Children should not be allowed to put it on your pet.
• Use this product only on cats that are eight weeks or older.
• In case of overdose, contact a veterinarian immediately.

Application and Side Effects of Frontline for Cats

This product needs to be used properly and its improper application will not produce the desired results. The product's package should not be opened until your cat is ready to be treated. It is essential that you first clam your cat in a neutral area, bring it into your lap and wait until it is relaxed to apply the product. You may need somebody's help to hold the cat. The usage involves snapping of the application tip from the Frontline tip and then placing it between the cat's shoulder blades. Some temporary irritation may be experienced by your cat after application of frontline for cats.

You can buy Frontline For Cats or any other medical product for pets from www.Petplanrx.com, a leading pet pharmacy offering a wide range of products and medicines for your pets. The company sells branded products as well as generic products at competitive prices.

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Tips to Use Advantage Flea Control for Your Cat

Research has proven that one female flea is capable of producing more than a trillion descendants within a year. Advantage flea control works by restricting the adult fleas from laying eggs. The active ingredient in the medication, imidacloprid, also kills larvae in less than 20 minutes of contact, thereby breaking the flea life cycle and eradicating the fleas on your cat. Besides, imidacloprid is completely water-resistant and works effectively even after exposure to harsh sunlight.

It prevents fleas from biting on your cat's skin in 3-5 minutes of application. And, 98 to 100 percent of the fleas die in less than 12 hours. Fleas that re-infest are terminated within 2 hours. A single treatment with this medication can defend your cat from fleas for almost a month.

How to Effectively Apply Advantage Flea Control on Your Cat

This product is a topical solution, which is to be applied on your cat's neck. It will seep through its coat and protect the whole-body from flea. Ensure that the product does not get in your cat's' mouth or eyes. It tastes bitter and may trigger chronic salvation for some time if your cat licks it when freshly applied on the skin.

Some other instruction guidelines to use Advantage Flea Control are: 

• Take only one applicator tube at a time from the package.
• Hold the applicator tube in a vertical position.
• Twist the cap to break the seal and pull it off from the tube.
• Part the hair on your cat's neck till the skin is visible.
• Place the tube's tip on your cat's skin and squeeze the solution on it directly.
• Discard the empty tube in the trash by wrapping it in multiple layers of paper. This is because if your cat accidentally tastes it, there may produce detrimental bodily reactions.

Safety Considerations

This product has lower toxicity than other traditional flea control medications, particularly those containing organophosphates or carbamates. A majority of veterinarians consider Advantage an effective and safe method of flea control. It even works on kittens as young as eight weeks old.

Advantage Flea Control can be safely used on lactating and pregnant cats. In fact, if your cat is nursing and undergoing treatment with this medication, the kittens will also be protected from fleas.

Hot to Buy Advantage Flea Control

This medication is available in two dosage sizes, in packages containing four or six tubes. Your cat will have to be weighed to be prescribed the right dosage. Advantage Flea Control can be purchased even without a vet's prescription. You can get it at a veterinarian's office or you could choose a more affordable option- buying it online.

Visit a reputable discount pet pharmacy like www.petplanrx.com to get great deals on several branded and generic medications like Advantage Flea Control for keeping your cat hail and hearty. This site also offers live assistance to help you find the best medical solutions to your cat's problems.

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Importance of Frontline for Cats

Any pet, whether it's a cat, a dog or a horse, is precious to its owner and requires adequate care. You can guarantee a happy and healthy life for your pet by giving him/her love and affection, proper food and nutrition and adequate treatment in case of illness. Of the various problems that may be faced by your pet, viruses and infections caused by fleas and ticks are the most dangerous. One should take steps to control flea and tick outbreaks on their cats or kittens, particularly if the cat plays outdoors. Frontline for cats has been found to be very effective in controlling the spread of fleas and ticks.

Role of Frontline for Cats in Flea and Tick Control

Although several types of flea shampoos and flea collars are available for the treatment of fleas and ticks in cats, frontline for cats has been found to provide long lasting results. The product is one of several new treatments that get rid of fleas before they can produce more fleas in your cat. These products also prevent the production and multiplication of the fleas and ticks for a month, even after washing. Another major advantage of this product is that it is waterproof and works even when your cat gets wet.

The product contains Fipronil, a broad spectrum insecticide, and Methoprene, an insect growth regulator which kills flea eggs and larvae. Frontline for cats spreads over the cat's body by a process called translocation. Fipronil, the active ingredient in Frontline gets stored in the old glands under your pet's skin. It is then distributed continuously to the skin and the hair of your pet through hair follicles. The translocation process can take up to 24 hours to complete. The fleas will die within 12 hours of contact with your treated pet, and ticks will die within 48 hours.

One should not panic if one sees more flies after the application of the frontline for cats. This is actually an indication that the treatment is working. Frontline makes the fleas hyper-excited, drawing them to the top of the haircoat before dying. This makes them more visible.

The product is quite useful to eliminate the indoor flea life cycle if applied for several consecutive months. So, you may see some fleas in your home even after using frontline.

This treatment for fleas and ticks should be applied on the body of your cat only when its skin is totally dry. Again, ensure that your cat's body remains dry for 24 hours after the application of the medicine. Although frontline for cats has minimal side effects, your cat may experience some temporary irritation at the site of application. Frontline is approved for use on breeding, pregnant or nursing cats.

You can buy Frontline For Cats and several other pet medications at affordable prices from www.petplanrx.com, a leading pharmacy for pet products. The company offers its customers the facility to place their orders over the phone or via the internet or even by fax.

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How To Avoid An Expensive Appointment With The Vet With These Home Remedies For Cat Hair Loss

Is your feline friend not as furry as before? Do not worry, cat hair loss is a common and treatable disease. If you visit your vet or pet store, you will find that there are various remedies to stop the hair loss problem in cats. However, buying over the counter medicines can sometimes give nasty surprises. What if you want to try to ease your pet's misery at home rather than fixing an expensive appointment with the vet? This is where home remedies can come into play. Most of these home remedies are simple, easily available, and free of any bad side effects.

Some of these remedies can be used during your cat's regular grooming sessions such as using natural shampoo while bathing your kitty. In addition, you may want to choose shampoos and soaps that come with catnip. This ingredient does a few things at once; it calms the cat, kills any existing fleas, and also makes sure that the skin of your cat remains insect-free.

Just like catnip, chamomile too can assist in relaxing your cat and keeping its stress levels under check. As some cats may often feel stressed while having their bath because of their discomfort with water, chamomile can be used to keep them in a good mood. Lack of stress is often a factor in preventing cat hair loss. Cleavers can also be tried as they provide excellent protection against dandruff. Using a flea comb to brush the fur of your cat is another good idea. However, the ideal comb should have 32 teeth in every inch. As soon as the fleas fall, make sure you kill them in detergent water.

The best way to keep your cat free from fleas and other parasites is to keep its environment clean. In addition, you can also massage your cat's body with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Spray this mildly on her body, at various places of the house, and on your kitty's bed and sitting areas for added protection.

There are some fatty acid supplements that can help in further growth of hair or can prevent too much cat hair loss. Omega 3 is a great starter and sunflower seed oils and flax seed oils are also believed to be quite effective in such cases.

Try out these home remedies for cat hair loss and you might be able to prevent an expensive trip to the vet!

Visit our website today for more information on cat hair loss and cat dandruff. Remember to sign up for your 7-part Healing Your Pets At Home mini-course, absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Are You Feeding Your Cat The Correct Food?

Cat health problems are inevitable for every pet owner but did you know that you can help prevent most problems with proper nutrition and diet? Since it is obvious that you have to feed your cat properly and correctly to avoid all kinds of health issues in the future, the following article lists some of the basic dos and don'ts with regards to feeding your cat.

What to Avoid When Feeding Your Cat

In their concern to feed their cats properly, many pet owners tend to feed them food that is best avoided in the long run, without actually realizing it. One of the primary food items to avoid when feeding your cat is meals that have any byproducts such as meat with bone meal or food with animal digest or any other food items with the words digest and meal in them along with added sugars. Such foods are often the cause of cat health problems and are bad for them. Secondly, avoid cornmeal as fillers as this again is bad for cat health. Similarly, it would also be a good idea to stay away from foods with carbohydrate fillers or with large amounts of preservatives.

What to Feed Your Cat

With so much food to avoid, the natural question would then be what can you feed your feline friend? The simple answer to this question is proteins, especially from fish, meat or any poultry source. Taurine, an amino acid, is an important ingredient for overcoming cat health problems and should be included in her diet along with minerals, enzymes, vitamins, and fatty acids. Moreover, water intake should also be high to ensure that your cat is well hydrated.

Given that cats are extremely fussy eaters, changing their diet regularly will help them eat well and be healthy. Moreover, even though cats are normally playful creatures, they require a quiet place to eat their food. For this reason, you should always make sure that their eating place is quiet and clean. In a household having more than one cat, it becomes important to ensure that the bowls are placed faraway from each other to avoid confrontation. Finally, if you are planning to make changes in the diet, don't be in a hurry. Rather, do so gradually.

We hope this article is useful in helping you understand the best kinds of food to feed your kitty in order to prevent future cat health problems.

Visit our website today if you are facing cat health problems such as feline leukemia symptoms. Don't forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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6 Must Know Tips Before Getting A Kitten

Getting a kitten can be one of the most wonderful experiences in a person's life. For anyone wishing to bring home a kitten for the first time, there are lots of important points that have to be noted by the members of his or her household. Since it is a huge step to bring a pet home, it is always a good idea to make sure that you can take proper care of it and are prepared to invest time in mingling with the new pet to know about its behavior, likes and dislikes, and don't mind spending time in training it.

Before getting a kitten, the members of your household should make sure that their house has been made suitable for the cat. All dangerous items such as pesticides, insect killing sprays, and sharp items should be moved out of the range of the kitten. A kitten is just like an infant baby, unaware of the items inside a home that can prove to be dangerous for its health.

To prepare for your new pet and in order to make her feel comfortable, a few treats such as cat condos, cat food, and a cat carrier should be purchased before the kitten is brought home.

One vital tip that potential kitten owners have to keep in their mind is that their feeding dish should always be kept clean. If you notice that your kitty is not consuming her food that was kept in the dish, the food should immediately be disposed off and the dish be cleaned properly.

Kittens often love to sleep on carpets as it gives them a warm and soft feeling. For this reason, they should be kept as clean as possible and vacuumed regularly so that parasites do not trouble your delicate new friend.

Cleaning the litter tray of kittens is equally important and should be done on a regular basis. If their litter tray is not cleaned regularly, kittens would usually get into the habit of making other corners of your home dirty. Try sprinkling baking soda on the tray to avoid bad smells coming from it.

Before getting a kitten, it is always advisable that her new owners are aware of the type of food that kittens usually consume. If your kitty is exposed to food of new brands, there is a chance that her delicate stomach may get into trouble.

Bringing home a new pet is a great responsibility and we hope that you will bear these tips in mind before getting a kitten.

Visit our website today and discover valuable tips for training a kitten or if you are planning to toilet train cats! Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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3 Feline Skin Diseases That All Cat Owners Should Know About

Just like humans, your precious kitty is also prone to several skin diseases. Cat dandruff, ring worms and acne are 3 of the common feline skin diseases that can affect your pet. Although proper grooming is the best method to prevent these skin problems from occurring in the first place, you have to be extra aware and attentive in case your feline friend has been already affected by any of these ailments. Here are some general facts that will help you keep these skin problems at bay.

Cat Dandruff

Skin diseases in cats are usually a result of poor nutrition and improper grooming. Though cats groom themselves, it is seldom enough to keep them healthy. Dandruff is mainly caused due to the dryness of the skin, which again is the result of lack of nutritional elements in the body. If you are continuously feeding your cat cheap dry food, change her diet immediately to good quality canned food as these will provide the essential nutrients to her body and keep her skin hydrated. You might also want to use special cat dandruff shampoo to prevent the occurrence of dandruff.

Ringworm

This is another skin problem that can affect a cat at any point of time. Mainly caused by fungus, ring worms can spread to the surrounding areas if you are not grooming your cat regularly. The skin of the affected area shows signs of crusting, scaling and redness. If your kitty has been affected, bring her to the vet and he will prescribe oral medication and specific shampoo to deal with this problem. Your vet may also ask you to clip the hair in that area.

Acne

Feline acne is one of the most common skin irritations that a cat may experience. Symptoms of this ailment include the cat getting a lot of blackheads on its chin. Acne occurs mostly due to excessive oil secretion in the skin. However, poor diet and improper grooming can also be a factor. Though acne is not as serious as other cat health problems, you should not ignore this skin condition as it might worsen anytime. Fortunately, you should be able to find special acne shampoo and antibiotic creams that can help take care of this condition. However, in case of excessive inflammation, you have to take your pet to the vet.

These 3 common skin conditions are some of the cat health problems that might affect your kitty. When in doubt, always check with your vet.

Visit our website today if you are facing cat health problems such as feline leukemia symptoms. Don't forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Basics of Cat Training

If you are planning on getting a kitten or are already a cat owner, one of your first priorities should be to train your pet. Training a kitten would naturally be easier than training an adult cat so it would be best if you could start as early as possible.

While cats cannot be trained in the manner adopted by dogs, they can be trained to develop good habits. Effective cat training almost always includes discouraging bad habits while encouraging new ones, in order to avoid potential cat behavior problems in the future. In order to achieve this, it is important to maintain a fine balance while training your pet.

The following article lists some basic cat training pointers that should be kept in mind.

Rules for Cat Training

The most important thing that you have to ensure that your training sessions are full of love and that you never overdo it. Traumatic training sessions could lead to cat behavior problems and of course, aborted trainings. Therefore, make sure that you maintain the trust and bond between your cat and yourself throughout your training sessions.

Certain aspects of training are essential to overcome cat health problems and unless your training falls under that category, never force your cat to do something that he or she does not want to do. Starting at a young age will help accelerate learning. Moreover, the use of rewards such as cat treats is always a good idea for successful training.

Other Important Aspects of Cat Training

Unlike dogs, cats are not naturally trained and thus do not respond to the usual reward and punishment routine in the expected manner. It is for this reason that cat training requires more patience than any other training. Punishing your cat for bad behavior will actually worsen the situation than actually teach the cat. Therefore, it is never a good idea to punish your cat even if you are frustrated that she is not progressing well.

You should always try to control the environment in which you want your cat to learn. Finally, try to make the experience of unwanted behavior something that your cat will not want to repeat, as this will help the cat avoid it in the future.

Other than training a kitten, it is also important to ensure that your pet does not suffer from any cat health problems by taking her to regular checkups at the vet.

Visit our website today and discover valuable tips for training a kitten or if you are planning to toilet train cats! Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Feline Vaccination - Do You Know All The Facts?

The majority of pet owners are aware that sooner or later their furry friends will fall sick. Given the ubiquitous nature of cat health problems, most kitty owners opt for feline vaccination as a means to avoid potential illnesses. However, not all vaccinations are truly necessary or effective in cats. Believe it or not, some may even be harmful to your pet. If are thinking of vaccinating your kitty, it is important to understand the pros and cons of feline vaccination.

This article describes why feline vaccination is necessary, how to choose the right vaccine for your cat as well as the potential risks involved.

How To Choose the Right Vaccine

Irrespective of the various kinds of cat health problems today, it is not necessary to vaccinate your cat with all available vaccines. Instead, the choice of vaccines should depend on factors such as the environment in which your cat is living along with the extent of exposure to disease.

Moreover, the consequence and risk caused by any infection should also be taken into account before vaccinating your cat. The age and overall health of your cat will also play a large part in determining whether or not to opt for a particular vaccine. Similarly, it is important to understand the efficiency and effectiveness of the vaccine before opting for it.

Why Feline Vaccination Is Necessary

According to veterinarians, kittens ingest an antibody called colostrums along with breast milk that is fed immediately after birth. This antibody suppresses the stimulation of the immune system of the cat, and thus external stimulation by vaccination is recommended. This is largely the sole reason for vaccinating kittens at a young age. Moreover, certain vaccines such as the one for rabies has an ability to last up to one year and are often recommended.

Risks Involved in Feline Vaccination

While most vaccines that are available today are safe, they are not totally free from risk. Many cats will experience pain in the area of vaccination accompanied by a mild fever, as well as a decrease in appetite and movement. Sometimes, the area of vaccination may even swell. Often, certain vaccines can also cause serious cat health problems, including cancer. However, you do not need to panic as these are extremely rare cases.

Whilst feline vaccination is an important aspect of taking care of your pet, it is important to take the advice of your vet before going ahead with it.

Visit our website today for more information on feline vaccination or if you have any other cat questions. Remember to sign up for your 7-part Healing Your Pets At Home mini-course, absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Effective Cat Urine Cleaner To Remove Atrocious Odor

Having cats at home may give us a lot of benefits at the same time a huge responsibility. These pets have the ability to catch small dirty animals that may bring sickness to the family such as, rats, pests, bugs, roaches and many more. That is how helpful cats can be, however, as pet owners we also have a responsibility to keep them clean and train these animals about hygiene. Somehow, the odor of its urine is so atrocious that we need to have a cleaner that could get rid of the smell. Good thing there are effective cat urine cleaning soaps readily available for purchase.

It is very important to keep our cats clean since they stay with us inside the house most of the time. Cat's can cause sickness if they are not cleaned regularly. For instance, its hairs may cause respiratory illness especially to small children and to people with asthma. Some other cats have fleas which can cause skin irritation to people. Its long nails may also scratch our skin every time we play to them. These are just simple problems that our cat may cause us if we do not have the proper grooming. Therefore, it is best to pay attention on small things than get astounded with problems.

It is a joy and fulfillment to most pet owners to see their kitty well-groomed, fresh, and clean. Bear in mind that to maintain its cleanliness pussycats must bathe regularly, cut nails with cat clippers, brush coats often, and check for possible fleas which are loathed by most if not all pet owners. Provide them also with an appropriate shampoo to prevent fleas from emanating and hair from falling. All these are just simple things to keep in mind but they are very useful in maintaining your pet's well-being.

Today we can see plenty of pet stores marketing different kinds of cleaning materials and grooming kits for cats. However not all their products are effective so be circumspect in choosing. Mull over certain products, try to research on it if possible and ask friends for opinions. Never jeopardize quality over price. What are a few differences in amount but outstandingly do wonders for you and your tomcat, right? So be rational and purchase only effective cat urine cleaning soaps may be availed in reputable online stores nowadays. Gladly, we can now get-rid of atrocious odors caused by cat's urine.

Nathalie Batch is a cat enthusiast, who has been caring them for many years now. His passion for these pets moved him to share his experience to many especially those novices who wanted to give excellent grooming to their cats. A cat urine [http://www.catgroomingplus.com/home.html] supply should be used such as coat maintenance aids, cat nail maintenance tools, waterless shampoo, and flea maintenance products among the many supplies needed by your cat to ensure soft coats and clean body. Visit [http://www.catgroomingplus.com/home.html] - the only online store that can supply enthusiast with effective, safe, and affordable cat grooming tools.

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6 Common Cat Health Problems Faced By Pet Owners Today

If you are an existing cat owner or thinking of getting a kitten, you have to understand that similar to humans, felines too are prone to health conditions, some of which are common while others more severe. Immediate and effective treatment is essential for the well-being of your kitty and understanding the common cat health problems and symptoms will enable you to care for your cat in a more responsible manner. The following article lists 6 common problems faced by cats today.

Cat Hairballs

As cats often groom themselves, they are prone to hairballs. These are conditions that occur when the cat swallows balls of hair that are shed from their body while they are in the process of cleaning themselves. This becomes a serious problem when it goes to the intestines and creates a blockage, which could result in the death of the cat.

Fleas and Mites

If you allow your cats to venture outdoors often, you have to mentally prepare yourself for the day that it contracts fleas, especially those that cause anemia or carry the tapeworm egg. Another common problem in cats is mites, which occur in their ears. When you see your cat scratching or shaking her head excessively, it is likely that it has mites.

Worming

Roundworms and tapeworms infection are also two common cat health problems today. Roundworms often lead to vomiting and diarrhea in cats while tapeworms can cause skin irritation, especially around the anus. Regular de-worming is essential for cats to keep them away from such ailments.

Urinary Tract Infection

Cat urinary tract infection is more common in males though it can affect female cats as well. It is a condition where felines need to pass excessive urine, either in quantity or frequency. Cat urinary tract infection is also marked by an enlarged bladder and requires immediate attention.

Kidney Diseases

Cat renal failure or kidney failure is also a common occurrence in cats, which require immediate attention to avoid further problems, especially death. Increased thirst is one of the symptoms of renal failure in cats.

Bronchial or Respiratory Diseases

Bronchitis, especially of a chronic nature, and asthma are two common diseases in cats. Coughing is a common symptom of chronic respiratory diseases in cats and requires attention from your vet.

While these are just a sample of some common cat health problems today, pet owners are advised to keep a look out for the above symptoms and to consult a vet if necessary.

Visit our website today if you are facing cat health problems such as feline leukemia symptoms. Don't forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Is Cat Dander Giving You The Sniffles? Prevent This Problem With These Easy Tips

Cat allergies are a common problem for millions of people around the world. While for some, it is restricted to sniffles and the occasional headaches, it is often more severe for others. Cat dander is airborne and can be carried quite far from its source. So, even if someone does not own a cat, a reaction may be triggered if there are other cats in the vicinity. Dander sticks to everything, which means that getting rid of cat dander can be quite a task

The allergic reaction to cat dander is triggered by a glycoprotein Fel D 1 which is secreted by a cat's sebaceous glands, saliva and is present in little amounts in its urine. This Fel D 1 is also present on the microscopic bits of skin that is attached at the end of cat fur. To prevent allergies, you have to make sure that your house is free of cat fur, saliva and cat urine.

You can reduce the allergens by washing all the walls and ceiling with hot soapy water. This is recommended before you even move into a house in case the previous owner or any neighbor has cats. If necessary, get the house painted. Vacuum the house with a HEPA filter fitted vacuum cleaner, especially the crevices such as windowsills, drapes and baseboards as these are places where dander tends to get trapped. Carpets are especially susceptible to dander and should be steam vacuumed regularly and cleaned periodically by professionals. The same should be done with upholstery. If possible, use vinyl or leather covers for furniture as woven fabrics trap more dander.

Beds can be covered with anti-mite sheets to reduce dander accumulation. The furnace filters should be cleaned every three months. A great way to go about this is by using a cheese cloth as it offers additional filtering. You should always dust with a wet cloth since dry dusting will scatter dander and may aggravate allergies. Since cat urine has traces of Fel D 1, try using a dust-free kitty litter, as well as gloves and a facial mask while cleaning the litter box.

Unfortunately, the struggle to remove cat dander is rarely successful. You can reduce it, but it is nearly impossible to eliminate it completely. However, with proper cleaning, allergies can be successfully kept at bay. It is for this reason that if you are planning on getting a kitten, it is always a good idea to check if any members of your family have a history of allergic reactions to cats.

Visit our website today if you want to solve your cat dandruff or cat dander problems!

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Cat Condos: Exercise And Fun For Our Feline Friends

Having been rescuing and befriending abandoned cats for over 26 years, I have become very cognizant of the importance of providing and maintaining our furry friends' once active outdoor lifestyles to their new indoor environment. My current three "wonder cats" - Mikko, Panther and Buddy - used to be very active outdoors; some activities were of a "fending one's turf", resulting in the showing of "battle scars"; some were more of a playful nature, i.e. running, chasing and climbing. Deciding to transition my kids to be solely indoor inhabitants was due mostly to their well-being and overall health. Because of this I was concerned about how to maintain their active lifestyles, maintain a healthy body weight, and offer a quality of life which was both fun and relaxing.

After succeeding in coaxing my guys indoors (it took me 2 YEARS to finally get Panther to trust me enough to come indoors, and even then continued to be a "process"!), I wanted to offer them a quality of life where I felt I wasn't depriving them in any way by keeping them indoors, while maintaining their health.

Along with investigating the most optimal nutritional needs for my guys, I wanted them to get the most out of indoor exercising tools. I researched and discovered that cat condos, trees and beds (also known as furniture) offered a specific place for cats to call their own, in addition to providing them with fun, relaxation and most importantly exercise, due to the climbing, jumping, chasing and scratching (most coming with scratching posts) that seem to be common activities.

My two black and white cats - Mikko and Panther - seem to have been developing a very unique and special relationship, playing, "stalking" each other and hanging out together quite frequently during the day and into the night. Although Buddy has a very loving and kind personality, he and Panther tend to continue to be "territorial" around each other, causing them to mostly avoid the other, with occasional "scruffs." And Mikko seems to be the "peace keeper" between the other two.

I totally love watching my three felines in their cat tree. I have found on many occasions I turn the tv (and other "distractions") off, and watch the "kids go at it", they seeming to be totally immersed in their "jungle gym" and with each other. Knowing they are all having fun, and getting their exercise at the same time, makes me one happy dad!

I have my own online business specializing in cat trees, condos and beds, both self-standing and wall mounted. I also have included on my website litter box cabinets with additional drawers, for those humans who prefer a more "hidden look" with cat's "bathrooms" from the standard litter box areas.

If you would like to check out my website, I can be found at http://www.CatCondoFun.com. I have an assortment of high quality hand-built cat condos and trees to choose from, suitable for every budget.
All the best,
Joe Fazio

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Pet Stroller With a Cat in It

On the corner of a city street there was a little crowd gathering. I wandered over to see what was going on. People were complimenting and admiring a very smart lady wheeling a pet stroller. In fact the scarf she was wearing matched the stroller material. Inside this warm little cocoon on wheels was a cat! Right there in the middle of all the city traffic a cat, obviously enjoying every single moment of it.

Until a year or two ago this scene would never have happened. However much you and your cat wanted to be together there was no way to arrange it. With the invention of the pet stroller, now you can take your pet anywhere you want to. However, some cats would be much too nervous to ride in the city. In that case a nice little stroll down a country lane would be better.

Have you noticed how cats sit in the window for hours on end, watching what goes on outside? I'm convinced most of them really want to be out there. There's only one way to find out. Borrow or buy a pet stroller. Leave it standing around in the house. Cats love new places to hide and sleep in. One day when the cat is in the stroller, just wheel it gently into the yard. If the cat is absolutely terrified and freaks out, then either you've done a bad job of introducing the stroller or a stroller is not for this particular cat. However, don't give up after only one try. Humans as well as animals need to get used to something new before they like it.

Going back to the beginning, where the smart lady stood on the city street corner with her smart cat in a smart pet stroller; it turned out she was meeting a friend. The crowd grew as the friend approached wheeling a double pet stroller. There was a cat in the bottom and a little dog on the top. Gasps of appreciation and envy came from the crowd, which soon dispersed when the two ladies walked off to the shops.

However, there was a small faction of people, off to the side, who were laughing and sniggering about lazy pet owners and show offs. Others were questioning the selfish treatment of pets by the pet owners. Is forcing them into a stroller a good thing for them? Only you can decide. You love your pets and you will surely know whether they are enjoying their pet stroller ride or not. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube! Pet strollers have been invented and are here to stay. It is only fair to your pet to give them a try.

http://petstrollerdepot.com

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How To Combat Ticks On Cats

Ticks are small parasites that survive on the blood they suck from the body of their host. The reason why most pet owners are concerned with ticks is that there is always the danger of these parasites injecting saliva into the body of their pets via the infected area. This could lead to serious diseases, some of which could be even fatal. Ticks on cats are generally tiny in size and often become difficult to locate. They remain attached to the host for a few days, enjoying its feast of your kitty's blood.

During the period where the ticks remain attached to the cat's body, the spot gradually tends to get sore, leading to skin inflammation. Generally, the cat would not pay much heed to these ticks and is unlikely to try to remove them, even if the affected area becomes inflammable. For this reason, it becomes necessary for you to keep an eye on the cat so that you can remove the ticks as soon as you locate them. If the ticks' count happens to be minimal, you should be able to take care of them easily. However, if the number gets alarming, it is necessary to consult a vet to get rid of them.

While you are in the process of removing the ticks, it often happens that the body of the parasite gets detached but the jaws or the head remains attached. Tweezers designed for the purpose of removing ticks on cats often helps in detaching the blood suckers minutely without causing much concern to the pet. However, there are also sprays which you should be able to get if prescribed by your vet. These sprays kill the ticks and eventually the parasites fall off your cat's body. In most cases, the afflicted area will start to heal in a short amount of time. In case the sore threatens to remain unhealed and becomes swollen, it is advisable to get it checked by your vet. Antiseptic lotions can also be applied on the infected area to facilitate soothing of the inflamed region.

In general, ticks on cats are not that harmful. However in certain cases, they have been found to be threatening and fatal as well, especially if the cat is attacked by Lyme disease or is a victim of cytauxzoonosis.

Thus, proper care and regular checkups should be able to mitigate the threats of ticks on cats and keep the cats healthy.

Visit our website today if you are facing cat health problems such as cat diabetes and ticks on cats. Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Flora_Westbrooks

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All You Need To Know About Cat Condos

Experienced cat owners will know that cats, just like most domestic animals, love to explore and are fascinated by new things around them. While your favorite couch could be their favorite scratch toy as well, there are ways to ensure that this does not happen. One of the avenues that many pet owners resort to is to purchase a cat condo for their feline friend. These are excellent tools to ensure that your kitty enjoys a fun, safe and comfortable environment within your home, where it can play, nap or just relax.

Understanding the Concept of Cat Condos

Cat condos are cat furniture designed specifically to allure and excite your pet into playing or relaxing for hours, without really spoiling your furniture. They come as platforms and poles, often covered with a variety of fabrics, which can offer exciting play options for cats. Available in various sizes and types, these useful cat treats are extremely popular with most cat owners today. However, choosing the perfect one would largely depend on the activity level of your cat. These are extremely useful furniture as they will make your cat stay away from your own furniture, while actually allowing it to have its own share of fun.

Caring For and Cleaning Cat Condos

Cat condos, like all other furniture in your house, require regular maintenance and cleaning, especially if you want to avoid potential cat health problems. Cleaning these equipment is extremely simple and requires taking them down into individual pieces. Disassembling them into singular pieces will actually help clean them better than if they were assembled. Once this is done, you will have to remove the cat hair with a brush and then vacuum the surface areas of the pieces to remove dust and hair. Stains on the furniture should be treated akin to stains on your carpeted floor. Odors can be removed by spraying freshener. Once this is done, it can be reassembled and set for play.

Before actually buying anything, it is important to understand the nature of your cat, its level of activity, your budget and the space that's available. Thanks to the availability of a wide array of cat condos in the market these days, choosing the perfect one has become an easy job provided you have done your homework well and taken into consideration the factors as mentioned above.

Purchase a cat condo today and have countless hours of fun with your feline friend!

Cat Condos and Outdoor Cat Enclosures are a great way to treat your cat. Visit our website today and sign up for your 7-part Healing Your Pets At Home mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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Toilet Train Cats With These Easy Tips

The process to toilet train cats might be easier than you think. If you are keen to do so, the most important thing to consider during such training is to progress gradually and not be impatient and try to speed up the process. The following article lists some important tips worth following when training a kitten or adult cat to use the toilet.

Steps for Toilet Training

The first thing you need to do before toilet training your cats is to move their litter boxes closer to the toilet. Once this is done, slowly elevate the litter box in such a way that it is parallel to the toilet seat. Make sure that the change is gradual and look out for cat behavior problems while doing so. After your cat is comfortable with the height, try to fit the box into the toilet and fix it. At this stage, make sure that you teach your cat how to sit on the seat with its four paws, so as to avoid any potential accidents. Now all you have to do is to wait until your cat is comfortable with this arrangement before trying and filling it with water gradually. In the meantime, keep cleaning the box to avoid bad odors. Once your cat is used to the box filled with water, you can try to get it to use the toilet directly.

What You Need To Keep In Mind While Toilet Training

When you toilet train cats, make sure that you progress gradually, taking note of all kinds of cat behavior problems that may come up along the way. If your cat stops using the toilet at any point of the training, make sure that you go back a few steps and start again. It is important to note that it is not usual or normal for cats to use human toilets. Moreover, given that accidents can be caused due to the height involved, it is important that you observe all safety measures as an accident could also affect the progress of your training schedule.

You should only attempt to toilet train cats when you are sure of being in the house for a long period of time. Moreover, make sure that your guests and family members are aware that such training is in progress and that they do not place the toilet lid down.

Toilet training cats should be an easy task if you know what you are doing.

Visit our website today and discover valuable tips for training a kitten or if you are planning to toilet train cats! Do not forget to sign up for your 7-part mini-course absolutely free for a limited time only!

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The Five Most Common Cat Problems and Their Causes

Living with cats will mean experiencing cat problems in some form at some point. In each case the first thing to look into is the cat's health. Changes in a cat's well-being can often lead to changes in behaviour. Other problems with cats are often a reaction to changes and other things cats perceive to be stressful. Problems with cats are often more pronounced with cats that have been adopted from animal shelters.

Cat problems can have serious causes. Mistreatment may have had adverse effects on a cat's personality. In many cases, to gain such a cat's trust requires extra patience and reassurance. But it's very rewarding in the end.

It's important to be prepared for the kind and amount of effort it can take to gain the friendship of an abused cat. There's nothing worse for a cat than an unprepared person having to return it to the shelter. This not only exposes the cat to extra stress and another instance of rejection, but many shelters put cats down that are difficult to place.

On the other hand it's important to remember that what we consider cat problems may be just natural behaviour patterns. It's a good idea to be familiar with the feline personality to avoid misunderstandings. Trying to override the feline nature will not lead to good results. If someone's situation in life can't accommodate cats' natural behaviour, it's best for everyone's sake not to adopt a cat.

But it is possible to avoid or get a handle on existing cat problems. Some compromise can be achieved with the right training.

The five most common cat problems are:

- avoiding the litter box
- scratching furniture
- aggression/biting/scratching
- being too noisy
- eating/digging up houseplants

After eliminating health problems as a possible cause, you can explore them further as to other possible causes.Interestingly, many cat problems are in some form manmade. Let's look at a few examples.

Many types of cat litter and litter boxes are designed to appeal to the human customer. They might not appeal to cat quite so much. Or the litter box in kept in an awkward place. Cats like them to be as far as possible from their food and water dishes, away from drafts and allow them some privacy. Some cats don't like sharing with others. A new litter box can solve this. Even the most conscientious cat person may be stressed and forget to clean out the box. The cat might just have reacted the way we react to a dirty public toilet, by going somewhere else.

Scratching is also a normal activity. Clipping the claws can minimize the need to scratch. The absence of proper scratching posts may give cats an excuse to take it out on the furniture. To further put off cats, non-toxic scents that they dislike can be applied to the furniture. It can also help one's peace of mind to keep valuable pieces of furniture in a cat free room.

People that complain about cats scratching and biting have often brought this on by themselves. Whether it's playful or serious, it should be discouraged firmly but kindly. Over time cats will come to understand that such behaviour doesn't get them what they want but gets them ignored.

Similar to the previous problems, cats that practice vocal blackmail have trained their human to give in to harassment. Steadily ignoring it is the only way to end it. But it requires patience. The cat should never be punished physically or go without anything it really needs.

Eating grass and other plants is another unpopular but perfectly normal habit. One wouldn't really be happy about one's prize orchids being eaten or chewed. In addition to being unpopular with humans it can be very dangerous. By providing safe grasses (most are safe, but prior research is vital) and keeping dangerous and valuable plants out of a cat's reach, danger and damage can be avoided. Citrus and eucalyptus essential oils can be applied to the soil to discourage digging.

This article illustrates that many cat problems are relatively simple to manage. But in some cases, more elaborate measure are needed. I plan to discuss this in future article.

Amy L Watson is a lifelong cat lover, currently living with two Siamese girls and one Oriental Shorthair boy, and also maintains the site http://www.solvecatproblems.com/cat-problems-in-general/ under the pseudonym Kat Summers. Solve Cat Problems is an informative site dealing with cat care and training. Please visit for more information.

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