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The Amazing Cat Species

May 24th, 2010 No comments

We all know that cats are loving and truly wonderful creatures. These days, it isn’t out of the ordinary to see a cat in virtually every other home, sleeping in the window or cuddling up on the laps of their owners. Although cats have been popular pets for as long as most can remember, they weren’t domesticated less than 5,000 years or so ago. Domestication took place in the valley of the Nile, which is what research tells us today.

In the beginning, people were very grateful to cats and encouraged them to stay with them by feeding them various scraps of food. Once they were fed and perceived humans to be no threat, the cats would move in permanently with their human owners. As time went by, even the wildest of cat would allows humans to approach him, often times even hold and touch as well.

In those days, cats were very loyal and endearing pets. They proved to be great hunters, as they done their sleeping in short periods and were much easier to wake up than dogs. Cats also have better night vision than dogs, and much better hearing as well. If someone moved through the house or if they heard suspicious noises, they would wake while dogs would sleep right through it. Humans loved having cats around, and they seemed to get along good with dogs as well.

These days, cats are used for both companionship and show. They aren’t used much at all for hunting mice and rodent anymore at all. There are a lot of breeds available, from the traditional alley cat to the well known Siamese. All breeds are unique in their own way, and will provide you with years of companionship if you take care of them.

Before you get a kitten or older cat, you’ll first want to examine the source. If you are getting the kitten from a breeder, you’ll want to make sure that the breeder has a reputable reputation. You’ll also want to ensure that the cattery is clean and in good shape. The kittens that are still there shouldn’t be overcrowded, and their surroundings should be clean. The litter boxes there should be kept up and both the food and water dish should be clean and full. The kittens shouldn’t be caged, instead free to run around. All cats that are there should appear healthy, with shiny coats and none of their ribs showing.

When you get your kitten, it should be used to being touched and handled. The kitten should be sweet, not afraid in the least. Kittens that have been handled young normally have a better temperament. The better breeders won’t allow their kittens to leave the nest until they are around 12 weeks old, with some waiting until the kittens are 16 weeks. By doing this, breeders ensure that the kitten is in good health and his immune system has properly developed.

There’s no mistaken the fact that cats are great to own. You can get a kitten from a reputable breeder, through a local newspaper, or an adoption agency. Cats can also be obtained from a local pound, although people normally don’t like to choose this option. No matter which way you decide to pursue, you should always make sure that your cat is healthy. If you get a healthy cat, you won’t have a lot of problems later on down the road. Healthy cats were taken care of ? and normally have everything up to date ? including their vaccinations.

How to Take Care of Your Cat

April 6th, 2010 No comments

Cats are cute creatures that can take care of themselves. But if you were to have one as a pet, you should know certain things about how to take care of your cat. It is different when you got this as a kitten to a full grown feline.

If you got this as a kitten, it will easily be able to adapt itself to the environment because it will allow itself to be ruled by other pets. This means there will be fewer incidents of fighting among themselves.

Lucky for you, kittens that often sold to owners are already litter trained. The only thing you have to do now is teach it where to go when nature calls.

Your kitten will follow you wherever you go and at times jump or climb up to the kitchen counter or table. This isn’t good if you have food there so discourage this habit by having a bottle full of water around so you can squirt it into their face.

It will also be a good idea to install a scratching post since this is their way of sharpening their nails. If they do this elsewhere, spray them again in the face.

Apart from working on the scratch pad, you should trim their nails before it gets too sharp that it could hurt someone or damage the furniture in the house. You do this by pressing down on each toe which makes the claws extend. This should be inspected regularly so they also get used to it as they grow older.

Kittens do not shed that much hair compared to bigger cats. But you should comb them anyway so they get used to it regardless if your pet is a short or long haired cat.

Don’t just give your cat anything to eat. They must be of good quality that can be found in the pet store. If you are not sure about which brand has the highest vitamins and minerals, go ask your vet for some recommendations. There must be a clean bowl of water as well so they don’t get dehydrated.

Aside from feeding the kitten, he or she should be brought to the vet for shots. They usually get a few while they are young but get a regular one annually as they get bigger. Be sure to keep a record of the shots so this can be shown to the doctor.

If you have a big cat, give them room to adapt to the new environment on their own. If your pets quarrel, don’t worry or get in between them because this is normal. But if things are really bad, then you have to separate them by confining both in different rooms.

An older cat also needs to be disciplined so they know what they can and cannot do. This is why you need to keep the squirt bottle handy as this is the best way to tell them it is wrong without physically hurting them.

House cats should always be kept indoors. Studies have shown that this extends their life for over ten years since going outside puts them at risk of being hit by a car or contaminated with a virus from stray animals. Just so you know strays cats that live outdoors only live for a couple of years.

It doesn’t take much to know how to take care of a cat. Do some research and practice so both of you will enjoy each other’s company.