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The language of felines consists of a large number of expressions and of particular sounds.

By observing your companion, you will learn to decipher her personal language because every cat has its character. Nevertheless, this article is going to help you to understand her better and to communicate with her and to give her proper cat care.

Understand her mews

The vocal register of a cat would include 16 different vocalizations for an adult and 9 for a kitten.

We distinguish mutterings emitted mouth closed, the “vowels” produced gradually by shutting up and the shouts with open mouth.

The mewing constitutes a request. According to its tone, it is made as a whisper or a protest.

 Namely:

- your cat vocalizes in buckle, with few silences between two mewings? She is experiencing a rather positive, exciting situation.

- your cat emits short vocalizations spaced out by long silences? It is a way of launching a S.O.S. Moreover, kittens use this signal to alert their mother.

Purring is associated with pleasure most often but also sometimes with anxiety: the cat purrs then to reassure herself.

The whistling or the spitting are a demonstration of anger or fear: in that case, it is better to leave her alone…

Understanding your cat: it happens that your cat produces a chattering with her teeth associated with a mewing? This behavior is characteristic of a cat watching her prey. Your cat emits it maybe when you are preparing her meal.

Understanding her attitudes

Ears and tail say a lot about the state of mind of our felines.

Offensive or defensive? Ears are turned to the outside, the posture is offensive. If they are to the back she is adopting a defensive strategy. Your cat, by the way, can pass very quickly from a posture to another one.

But your cat can simply feel confident and listen to the surrounding sounds: her ears are then straight, slightly pointed forward, mobile and independent one of the other one. Look at your cat! Sometimes she dozes by listening to the sounds of the house. If she hears an unusual noise, her ears then turn up forwards.

Attention!

Feeling of fear: when fear settles down, ears lie down, the neck is pulled in, the tail is on the ground, shaken by small nervous movements. This agitation of the tail often means a start of attack so attention!

Feeling of anger: with anger, the body rises, the hair raises, the tail draws a bow, fangs are out and claws also!

The movements of the tail are, indeed, easily perceptible indicators by the owner. The waving of the tail indicates an emotion, that can be positive or negative, but usually, it is an indication of aggression.

The hairs of the tail bristle for every kind of aggression (by irritation, territorial, by fear…)

Always here to welcome you: upon your arrival, your cat arrives towards you from the front, the tail up, vertical or slightly bent at its extremity. She feels in confidence and is attached to you. This welcome) often ends up with a friction against your legs.

All this information will allow you to better understand what pet care is all about and to improve the communication between you and your feline. It will contribute to her well-being.

Cats love to scratch and find it to be natural, never mind that they’re ruining your expensive new couch. Yet you shouldn’t see this as a sign of deliberate disobedience, but rather as a message. They simply need something to scratch on.

Cats won’t be too demanding – they just need something to satisfy their urge to scratch. In the wild, everything is fair game. Your cat doesn’t want to destroy things on purpose. A cat simply sharpens its claws by scratching on things.

A tree trunk in the wilderness or a post near a house are a cat’s usual scratching tools. But once inside your house, a cat doesn’t have a post or tree to scratch, so what it would do is look for wooden substitutes, like the exquisite coffee table you just bought for your family.

Declawing your cat isn’t the only way to protect your furniture. Instead of declawing, how about putting some scratching posts in strategic places around the house for your cat to scratch on? He’ll be happy to have his own scratching place – which is better suited to his needs anyway.

Scratching means more to your cat than just a way to tend his claws. Declawing your cat won’t stop the other natural reasons for scratching, like being playful. Scratching relieves stress, and a scratching post can keep your cat relaxed yet active.

Some cats use the post as a pretend playmate. Yes, that includes sharpening its claws for battle with household pests like rats. Your cat may take on the scratching post, gripping it with his claws and wrestling it into submission.

Make sure the post is anchored solidly. If the post is too easy to tip over, your cat may ignore it in favor of that nice, stable dining room table leg. On the other hand, if your cat still prefers your dining room table legs and not the scratching posts, here’s some trickery that could work – come on, let’s find out!

Knowing that your cat has very keen sense of smell, hang bold fragrance room deodorizer or commercial cat repellent near the chair. Make sure you use a bold deodorizer so you can effectively drive your cat away from your precious furniture.

The next step would be to place the scratching posts strategically so that the smell is neutral, safely away from the booby trapped furniture so that your cat can scratch on it like it should. When the scratching post looks worn out, don’t be so quick to toss it.

Instead, put the new post beside the old post until your cat starts to use it. Old posts are only to be discarded when the new ones are showing some wear.

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Urinary problems are a major cause of cat health care problems. Many of the illnesses, diseases and unwanted behaviour we observe in our cats are the result of urinary problems. The main three problems are Cystitis, or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, spraying and renal failure.

Inflammation in the urinary bladder is generally grouped under the cat health care terms of Cystitis and Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. The symptoms caused by the irritation and inflammation related to urination include the cat urinating more and needing to do so more urgently, experiencing difficulty urinating and the presence of any blood in the urine. These illnesses are caused by various triggers, although very often food causes urinary crystals to form into bladder stones. Also, cats which are overweight are often affected because they are susceptible to cat health care problems generally. Fortunately, cystitis can be treated by a vet.

Spraying is more of a problem behaviour than a cat health care problem. When male cats are eight or nine months old they will become more territorial and exhibit new behaviours. This will include spraying  very strong smelling urine around their territory- your house. The smell is very difficult to remove. With this behaviour will come other masculine, tom cat behaviour, including fighting with other cats, which can cause cat health care problems: this can be avoided by neutering the cat.

Kidney disease is a very common cat health care problem, particularly amongst middle aged and older cats. This is because cat urine is very concentrated and cats do not pass urine exceptionally often, meaning that their kidneys work very hard. That an older cat’s kidneys should begin to fail is therefore not surprising or uncommon. Renal failure causes cats to drink and urinate more and in serious cases, vomiting bile, appearing disorientated and losing weight are not uncommon. As well as advancing age, other causes of this cat health care problem include ingestion poison, cancer or other infections.

Animal lovers have been turning to pet health insurance policies — which functions pretty much like medical coverage for people — to assist them to defray the cost of the regular and emergency veterinary services that may arise. Pet insurance institutions offer various types of policies that have variable deductibles, terms and limitations. A lot of pet companies provide coverage for the kind of bills that pet owners face both for regular checkups and in emergency circumstances that calls for surgery, medications and lab fees.

For people who have needed to make tough choices with regard to budgeting of pet care, pet insurance provides a much appreciated safety net against the stress of not having the immediate funds to care for your pet, particularly when needing to go to an emergency animal hospital. Depending on the type of policy you select, you can as well have your yearly visits covered, dental services, boarding and grooming. VPI insurance is a popular pet insurance company and claims to be recommended by 9 out of 10 veterinarians. Pets’ Best Insurance provides a straight 80% reimbursement after deductible. 

When you think that it can cost around $2000 and $6000 to get standard vet services for one pet for a lifetime, it is no hard to see how emergency veterinary care can accumulate expenses up to $10,000. One of the causes is because a lot of the procedures used for human treatments, such as transplants, transfusions and radiation therapy, are also available to veterinarians to diagnose and treat their patients. Naturally, the cost is no different for an animal or human, so as a result the fees are the same you would anticipate to pay at your regular doctor. The good news is that such treatments are really as beneficial on animals as they are on humans, and for those who think of their animals as one of the family are grateful for being able to offer them with this choice for excellent care as well as a fast and precise diagnosis.

The most common incidents protected by insurance policies are longterm hospital stays, drugs, emergency care, lab fees and x-rays. Some policies cover care for the animal by any vet, so there are no restrictions on their qualifications or enrollment in their program. Luckily, pet insurance has smaller deductibles than normal medical insurance, normally around fifty dollars, and typically there is a one-time annual deduction, so if frequent visits are necessary, the insurance foots a large portion of the cost.

For the most part, animal owners who have acquired pet insurance have reported that even the cheaper coverage plans have saved them considerable expense on medications, checkups and emergency animal clinic fees. Naturally, some institutions impose restrictions regarding pre-existing conditions and very old pets, even though others sell insurance for all pets in your home, regardless of age. Those who are interested you can customize their plans to suit their specific circumstances, and many companies offer no obligation quotes online. As expected, choosing a higher deductible means you only have to make low monthly payments, but on the other hand, selecting a cheaper deductible actually lessens the vet fees you will need to pay.

Do you walk through the pet store, see the many toys available for your cat, and wonder if the expense will be worth it? Cats can be fickle creatures, but a good time can be found with almost any toy. Cats are like children they go through stages and sometimes need age appropriate toys and can get bored very easily. Some suggestions for toys include the cat towers, stuffed mice, small amounts of catnip, stuffed animals, ribbons, and plastic balls.

From an early age, kittens learn to pick up things in their mouths. It is an instinct, just like using their claws. When a cat plays, they like to grab and bit their toys. Let us look at the toys listed above. A cat tower is a great way to teach you cat where it is appropriate to climb. It will keep them off the blinds or curtains while giving them hours of fun. There are many styles of cat towers from the two story towers to the ones rising to the ceiling.  The answer to your question is, the more levels they have the more fun and enjoyment they will receive out of a cat tower. A cat will use the tower for play as well as sleep.  They like to bat at ropes and other items dangling off the tower as well as going through little tunnels up to the next level. If you have two cats you will have fun watching them give chase to the top often trying to knock the other off. A cat tower can be practical because they will scratch at it rather than your couch.

Stuffed mice are also important to any kitty’s playtime. Not all mice are the same; most cats prefer the small leather mice with the multi colored fur and long tails. These mice come in twelve packs or three packs, and believe me if they are anything like my kitty they will tear them apart. Cloth mice are typically second during playtime. If you find your kitty to be uninterested in mice you might want to check the type of mouse you have bought them.

Catnip toys are very popular. Catnip will cause your cat to be more rowdy, which can be a plus because they wear down faster. Catnip before bedtime is a great way to get your cat to sleep for quite a while and leave you to slumber. Catnip should be given out sparingly. You do not want to give your cat catnip everyday because it can have adverse affects to their behavior. They can start to depend on it and have mood swings.

I have found the best toy may just be your old stuffed animal lying around the house. My kitty, Spooky, will bring me a stuffed animal when she is ready to play and she has stuffed animals in her toy basket. There is nothing more amusing than watching my kitty brings me a stuffed animal bigger than she is and proceeds to toss it in the air and pounce.  Cats like the feel of certain things in their mouths that is why they chew on paper, plastic and even your blankets. The feel of the material in their mouths allows them to clean their teeth or when they are teething help reduce the pain. The stuffed animal can work in much the same way and keep them away from harmful products.

To answer my above question you do not have to go to great expense to entertain your cats and kittens, however when you spend a little on toys you keep your kitty from getting bored.  You may even decide to hide a few toys and reintroduce them after a few months to keep from purchasing new ones all the time. Just make sure it is not the favorite toy of your pet or they may find other ways to entertain themselves that you do not find amusing.

For the new cat owner, litter training their cat or kitten can seem like an impossible task. Many wonder just how to accomplish this seemingly daunting feat. In reality, cat or kitten litter training is as easy as pie, and something that anyone can accomplish with great ease.

Kitten Litter Training Step 1 – Equipment

The first important step is to choose a good cat litter box and brand of cat litter.  Keep in mind that although your kitten may be tiny at this point, he or she is going to grow – sometimes to massive proportions.  Be sure to get a cat litter box that is  big  enough for a fully grown  cat to turn around in, and deep enough to keep  litter  from being thrown  across the room, but shallow enough to allow your kitten to enter. Most quality cat litter boxes have an entrance area that is lower than the rest of the box sides. You can spend a little on a simple plastic box with no special features – or spend a lot more on a fancy self-cleaning cat litter box. Whatever you choose will certainly work for any kitten. You’re also going to need a supply of cat litter.  There are many varieties of cat litter on the market, from clay to wheat to silicone.  The choice is up to you, and you may need to experiment to find the brand that works best for your kitty . My personal favorite is a brand called Kitty Scoop, a scoopable, clumping, deodorized cat litter.  It keeps odors at bay, and all my cats to date have liked it. Once you find the cat litter that you prefer, be sure to stick to the same brand and type at all times – switching cat litter can have messy results.  Even worse, mixing two different brands of cat litter in the same box can spell disaster, and leave you with a litter box filled with a goopy mixture of unpleasantness.

Finally, you’ll probably need a cat litter scoop. This inexpensive item looks a bit like a slatted spoon crossed with a child’s plastic shovel.  You’ll need this handy dandy device for – you guessed it – digging for treasure in your cat’s litter box. Look for one that is large and sturdy for best results. You’ll find it in the same area as the litter and litter boxes at most pet stores.

Cat Litter Training – Step 2 – Introducing Kitty to Litter Box

Now that you have your litter box ready to go, it’s time to introduce your kitten to it’s loo. Just place your kitten in the box and let her explore  If she doesn’t seem to know what to do, you can help her by gently moving her paws in a digging motion in the litter.

Cats instinctively bury their bathroom deposits, so most kittens will know what to do with little help. just make sure your kitten knows where the sand box is, and always has access to it. If your kitten has an accident, don’t reprimand  her – just put her in her box and reminder her of what to do there. Your kitten will be using the litter box in no time.

Cat Litter Training – Step 3  – Litter Box Location

One thing that is an important consideration in kitten litter training is where you place your litter box . Be sure to put your cat litter box in a discreet, quiet and private area. Cats are modest creatures by nature; they don’t just stop and drop like dogs.  Your kitty  will prefer an area  that is safe and quiet – away from the noise and activity of your household. A quiet spot  in the basement usually works well. If you’re pressed for space in a small apartment, the bathroom or a corner of  your storage area works well. Just make sure your kitten always has access to her box.

Cat Litter Training – Step 3 – Maintaining Your Litter Box

I can’t stress  this enough: “KEEP IT CLEAN !” Make sure that your cat litter box is always kept clean and tidy . Remember that small device we talked about above? Well it’s time to make use of it.  If you had fun digging in the sand as a child, you have a lot to look forward to. On a daily basis, you will need to scoop out any clumps from kitty’s litter box.  The beauty of clumping cat litter is that it makes this task much easier.  Clumping litter turns lumps of yuck into neat little balls of clay, making it way  easier to remove from the box. Just dig in  and place any lumps into a double-plastic bag. I like grocery store bags for this purpose, but you can also use those deodorized dog poop bags for this purpose. If you double bag your cat litter deposits and securely tie them, then I think it’s fine to just put them in the trash. Be very sure to wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning your cat’s litter box.

NOTE: If you are pregant or nursing, let someone else in your home do this job. Don’t allow small kids to do this either

Although you can purchase a special rubber mat to keep the area around the litter box relatively free of debris, there will invariably be some errant bits of litter scattered about.  You’ll also want to keep a broom and dustpan (or electric broom) nearby so that you can keep the area clean .

When Kitten Litter Training Fails

What happens when your cat or kitten refuses to use the litter box, and you have tried everything detailed above?

• Try a few different types of kitty litter (but don’t mix them together!). Some cats and kittens avoid strong smells, (and prefer to pee in your closet   ). Often a simple change in litter brand will do the trick .
• Try putting the litter box in a different location . Your pet  may dislike where the litter box is located ; it might be drafty, near a strange noise, or near commotion of some kind. Make sure it’s in  a quiet, safe and calm place.
• The litter box itself may be the problem. It may be too cramped  for your cat to move around in, or the entrance may be too high for kitten to gain entry to .
• Remember what I said about keeping it clean? Are you?? Cats are fastidious creatures, and most will object to a dirty or smelly litter box.  Be sure to clean deposits daily (or twice a day if your cat is really finicky about it). Completely empty your litter box every month and put in  fresh cat litter.
• Cats can develop disorders that make it difficult for them to make it to the litter box, or make them prefer to pee elsewhere (like on a pile of freshly washed clothes !) If none of the above suggestions have been fruitful , take your cat or kitten to see the veterinarian . Your kitty could have a kidney infection, diabetes or other health problem that is causing your litter box woes . Your vet may be able to solve the problem, and will be able to offer additional advice to help you.

If you follow the advice laid out above, you should have a litter trained kitty in no time.  Some kittens take to litter training like a fish to water, while others can be a little slower on the uptake. Patience and perseverance are important here, so don’t be disheartened if your kitten isn’t trained in a day. Of course if none of this works, you should consult your veterinarian to rule out a medical condition.

All set? Happy digging!

Debbie Moore is a writer, web site designer and die-hard cat lover. She is the mastermind behind Cats and Kittens Central – a web site devoted to everything related to our fine feline friends.

In the United States, domesticed cats are allowed to be declawed. In a lot of countries around the world have outlawed this practice , because it is considered inhumane. Here in the US people take this option in order to protect their furniture. As you may know, felines have a inclination to scratch at furniture to keep their claws penetrating in order to capture and eat prey. It is in their instinct since the domestication of cats.

Now when a cat is declawed, you leave it defenseless. So if it escapes outside, it is vulnerable to its enemies and cannot capture prey to feed itself. Declawing is actually the removal of your cats toe. The surgery I am sure is painful and I am sure the convalescence is painful also. So what can you do to stop your cat from scratching your furniture? There are several things that can be done:

1. You can train your cat to scratch something else, such as a scratching post. We had a scratching post and put cat nip on it to train our felines to use the scratching post. In addition, if they slipped up and started scratching our furniture, we would shake a can which had coins in it. This would startle the cats and cause them to stop scratching our furniture.

2. You can also have cat nail caps put on them. This is painless and very effectual.

3. Trimming of your cats claws on a regular bases will also help your furniture.

4. You can also put double-sided tape on your furniture. This helps stop scratching, too.

5. There are also repellent sprays you can purchase .

These are some of the things you can do without having your cats declawed.  I am sure there is more, take the time to learn and implement these actions to protect your cat from unneeded surgey.  They never had this problem before the domesticated themselves.

You’ll find a quantity of several cat epidermis issues that you require to be aware of so you’ll be able to keep an eye out for them.  In case you locate that your cat has a skin tone problem you need to let your veterinarian know.

Some from the most typical cat skin tone complications are:

Macule – a change in the color on the skin tone

Nodule – an elevated bump on the epidermis

Papule – an elevated skin tone lesion

Postule – a pus-filled lesion

Tumor- big tissue mass

Vesicle – a lump underneath the skin tone

Wheal – a raised area that heals rapidly

You can find a quantity of several potential causes of these skin color troubles.  Several of these causes include allergies, fleas, mites, ringworm, fungus and cancer.  It is essential that you meticulously examine your cat’s skin tone if they have any epidermis troubles that you notice.

You really should alert your veterinarian in the event you come across that your cat has a epidermis difficulty which is not healing itself (e.g. a wheal will generally heal easily on its own).  Your veterinarian will examine your cat closely to establish what the cause from the pores and skin complications are.  They will wish to rule things out and decide what the cause and treatment is.

Your cat will most likely need to undergo a range of various tests which you need to not worry about.  It can be normal for a vet to wish to do a thorough exam and make sure he or she can identify the bring about from the skin color problems with pet health care.

The treatment can contain special shampoos, ointments, medications and possibly antibiotics.  This will all be determined once your vet is capable to figure out the underlying lead to with the skin tone troubles.   You’ll wish to ensure you follow the veterinarian’s directions very carefully to be able to aid alleviate the cat skin problems and any underlying lead to.