cat litter: 2011

How to Reuse Plastic Bags

Using reusable bags has caught on with grocery stores across the country, but many other types of businesses are slow to catch on. At some point or another, you'll most likely be taking a plastic bag from some type of store. When you accumulate plastic bags, how can you reuse them?

Plastic bags became popular because they are a cheap, affordable way to bag groceries and goods. The bag could be thrown away after a single use. While it's convenient in theory, disposable plastic bags have grave consequences for the environment. A single plastic bag will never disappear. Unlike other materials, plastic doesn't biodegrade, it simply breaks apart into smaller pieces of plastic (which is actually far worse than larger pieces because they can't be collected).

Plastic bags:

Never biodegrade.
Cause animals to suffocate and die.
Use fossil fuels to create them, increasing our dependence on foreign oil.
Are an eyesore and get caught on car antennas, mufflers, and twisted into engines

Plastic grocery bags can first of all be recycled. Many grocery stores will accept plastic bags to be recycled (usually you'll find the receptacle near the entrance or near the can redemption center).

Recycling Plastic Bags vs. Reusing Plastic Bags

Recycling almost always uses more energy than reusing. By reusing, you'll be giving the product a second life. When your recycle something, you'll be using energy to turn that product into something else, which can use energy and produce emissions.

Five Reasons You Should Bring Your Own Bag

Plastic has a hugely negative effect on the environment, and also on our society. The cons far outweigh the positives of these disposable nuisances. Here are a few reasons you should consider switching to reusable bags instead of plastic:

Bringing your own bag means you'll be carrying less to and fro. Most reusable bags hold far more than traditional disposable bags. Less trips back and forth from the car!
Each time you use your own bag, you'll get a small credit back from grocery stores. It's usually between 5 and 10 cents, which can add up over time.
Using your own bag reduces our dependence on foreign oil. Plastic uses fossil fuels, which are largely found in countries that don't have the best intentions Western World. Cast your vote for locally made reusable bags instead.
You won't have to worry about throwing away, recycling, or reusing your disposable bags. By reusing your own bags, you'll have less clutter and less trash.
You'll be sending a green message to your children. When they see you using your own bags, they'll take notice and want to do the same in their lives.
If you'd like to reuse your plastic bags, they have hundreds of uses.

Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Bags

One of the most popular ways to reuse plastic bags is to use them as a trash bag.
Place them in small trash barrels in the bathroom, bedrooms, cellar, and near the cat's litter box. Another popular use for them is to use them as doggy poop bags. If you're going out for a walk, bring along a couple of these bags.

You can also reuse plastic bags as packaging. If you're shipping out an item on eBay or shipping something to a friend, the bags can act as a cushion, much like packing peanuts, if you use enough of them.
Keep a plastic bag in your car to contain all of the trash that accumulates in your car. Then, simply tie off, throw away, and use another bag.
Donate your plastic bags to a local thrift store or charity. These prevents them from having to buy brand new bags.
Post an ad on Craigslist for your bags. A local business may want to use them (you can't beat free!).
Use your bag to contain messy foods and leftovers that might otherwise leave spills. This is especially useful with soups and liquids.
Think of things that you traditionally would use plastic for and replace them with your grocery bags. If you usually put your lawn leaves in trash bags, save up your bigger shopping bags and put the leaves in there instead.
Wrap a bag around bags of flour, sugar, and other messy baking ingredients. This can help contain the mess and make for an easier clean up.

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Leather Repair - How To Repair Torn Leather Seat

There are so many different types of automotive leather seat repair, all with different situations and applications. There are holes, scratches, gouges, cuts, scrapes, worn or cracked, and just down right grungy looking leather seats. I think I got them all covered, well in this article we're going to talk about how to repair a small hole in a leather seat lean back, for those of you who don't know what a lean back is well it's the upper part of the seat.

Now when I say small this can apply for a tear up to 1 1/2" to 2", probably might go a little bigger, but lets not push it, if it needs to go to the upholstery shop for an insert then that would be better then a crappy looking leather repair on something that probably wouldn't hold anyways. When in doubt, insert it.

Prepping a seat is the key to success in any leather repair, and a lasting leather dye job. So, prep the whole lean back, and while your at it just clean the whole seat, why not, but you don't have to, with your prepping solution removing all grease, dirt, and grime. You need a clean surface and a well prepped area to work with. When I prep, I use a solution of rubbing alcohol, acetone, ammonia, and a small amount of TSP substitute, with water in a spray bottle. Spray the seat with the solution and scrub with a scotch brite pad to scuff the leather seat for leather dye adhesion and remove any grime that's on the seat, then wipe clean with a clean lint free towel. Once your clean, apply a grip base primer to the seat, I usually in most cases will dye the entire lean back when I do a repair or the entire seat, but sometimes it's not necessary, so you may not need to prime the whole seat, but do clean the seat good this cuts down on the amount of leather dye used and the ending result will be a premium leather repair.

Now to the hole. Lets say it's in a V shape, just for example. Like where you've gott'n out of the seat with something in your back pocket, ouch! I know the feeling, back in college I had a 1986 Mustang SVO, very rare and nice car (man I miss that car) and I got out to go to class with a pen in my back pocket and ripped about a 2" V shape in the seat, I about puked right there, and of course at the time I didn't know anything about leather repair. But now I do and here it is.

Sand the area around the tear with a 240 grit sandpaper, this gives a little more for the low heat compound to grip to. Take a piece of underpatch material and slide the under patch under the tear with a pair of tweezers, allowing about a 1/2" on the inside all the way around. I usually cut my patches in a circular shape, it makes it a little easier to slide under. You can use different types of under patches, I like the kind that is coated on one side with a heat activated glue.

Now take a drop of leather glue and spread a thin coat on the patch on the underside of the leather repair area. If the leather will lay down smoothly and match up then great, but sometimes it just won't. In this case we will use combo of the glue and your low cure leather repair compound and smooth a small amount over the patch then lay the leather down. Spread a small amount of low heat compound over the area and smooth it out with your pallet knife, remembering to keeping your area as small as possible, the smaller the better. Now heat the area with your heat gun, hold the heat gun out away from the leather repair and slowly move it into the repair area, this will give you just a little more control of the heat, you don't want to burn and shrink the leather. The idea is to cure the compound and get it to adhere before you cook the leather, it's a skill thing, practice makes perfect. Once the compound is cured immediately press the grain pad in your palm onto the repair, don't press to hard, but firm.

At this time using a wet paper towel apply a small amount of grip base to the repair area and dye with your color matched water based leather dye. Dry thin coats of dye, not wet. Then reapply and smooth out another thin coat of compound. Heat again and grain then dye, get the idea, what you are doing is building the repair up. Thin coats of compound applied and cured then reapplied, are much better then one thick coat. Once you have it built up and looking nice, blend the repair into the rest of the seat if needed, by applying thin coats of leather dye to finish it off. Drying between coats of dye with a hairdryer, and one great tip is rubbing the leather dye with your hands to force the dye into the creases of the leather helps a ton, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. I say that but I'm allergic to rubber gloves, it bites, so I come home every day with dye all over my hands, it's a pain, but I love the work and the job looks better with a little bit of love rubbed on those leather seat repairs. After the dye is cured, apply a top coat of satin or dull leather clear top coat mixed with a bit of slip additive added for the soft feel. Dry the seat thoroughly, then apply your leather conditioner to finish and give the seat the juice it needs and a great feel and look for you.

Now there are so many other variations to this fix, sometimes I will have to use an air dry leather repair compound over the top of the low heat compound to smooth out the leather repair. Sanding it with a 400 grit sandpaper until it looks right. You can also turn your air down on your paint gun until little droplets are coming out to give it a textured look, drying between coats. Texture coatings, can be used, but if you do it right the gun effect works great. When I do a leather repair I won't give up until it looks perfect. Patience is a virtue, right. Don't get in a hurry, this will only frustrate you more and then you really got issues.

Leather repair is a craft and profession. The dyes and compounds I use are top quality and are made to last. Giving you a lasting leather seat repair, and comfort knowing you have a leather repair that will last and look great for years to come.

I hope this was some help to you, in the coming months there will be more articles like this one but on different situations on leather repair, liked I talked about in the first. There are so many different ways that a leather seat can be damaged, we spend a lot of time in our cars and well "sh$$ happens", right. So check back to see my next article on automotive leather seat repairs. If you have anything you would like to ask feel free to shoot me some comments on Leather Repair - How To Repair Torn Leather Seat.

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How To Change The Battery On Your Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Mini Light

If you own a keychain size mini light swiss army knife by Victorinox, at some point your battery for the mini light feature will eventually run out. By "mini light", I mean a pocketknife that is 58 mm (about 2 1/4 inches) long when closed. It is simple to change and will allow you to enjoy your lighted swiss army knife and all its functions for years to come.

Battery changing steps:

Hold the mini light knife in your left hand with the red/white cross and shield logo facing up.
On the right side of the top scale you should see a small hole - it is on the side so you'll have to slightly rotate the knife in your hand to see it. It is towards the lower end of the scale on the right.
Take a paperclip and bend it so you can use it to poke into this hole.
Carefully poke into this hole and push out the old battery.
The old battery and a little plastic piece the same color as the knife scale will drop into your hand. Be careful not to lose that little plastic piece!
Insert a new battery with the positive side facing up.
Put the little plastic piece back into the side of the knife to hide/cover the battery you just put in.

The Victorinox Swiss Army Brands part number for the battery you need is 22068. The battery is a Panasonic CR 1025, 3V. Your new battery should be good for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 years under normal operation of your swiss lite knife. Your handy little swisslite should be as good as new.

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Shaun T Insanity VS the P90X Workout Program - Which One is Better?

Over the next couple minutes you will learn the comparisons and differences between these two rival "workout at home" exercise programs.

The P90X workout program used to be the one exercise program that everyone knew thanks to early morning and late night infomercials. Recently Beachbody added a new program to the game that to some may be considered a rival, that program is Shaun T Insanity.

But which one is more intense?

Comparably they are both equal in their own rights but each workout program focuses on a different approach towards fitness.

I have personally used both programs and this gives me the rare opportunity to offer a first hand look at both the P90X workout program and Shaun T Insanity. After this article you will be fully equipped with the answers you are looking for.

Which works better? P90X or the Insanity workout?

Great questions, though it's hard to put both workout programs side by side as it's not a simple apples to apples comparison but more like apples to oranges. Both programs are capable of offering a huge physical challenge but each has it's own approach and it's own target results. I'll explain.

The P90X workout program is a 90 day system which could otherwise be considered an "at home boot camp". You will need a chin up bar, a chair, a set of dumbbells and/or bands, shoes, plus about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half 6 days a week. The 7th day is an optional stretch or complete rest day.

From first hand experience I like to look at P90X as a "all-in-one" program. It is not designed to just bulk you up, it's not going to just help you lose weight, it's not just balance, and it's not just cardio.

The P90X workout program just tosses a bit of everything into the equation. You lift heavy one day (or light if you want);, you're punching and kicking with Kenpo karate another day, and to top it off on other days you will be doing 1 and a half hours of Yoga for a complete mind/ body/ soul adventure.

You will go through three phases of 1 month each in P90X with each month switching it up. Most of the cardio, stretch, and balance routines stay the same. The difference in each phase is that you change out the resistance workouts so that your muscles are constantly challenged so they will always be receptive to the workout rather than plateauing.

Shaun T Insanity takes a completely different approach. The workout program is 60-days in length and is based solely on Plyometrics, Core, and Cardio training. You will not lift weights, you will not do chin ups, you don't need a chair, and the workouts range from 35-45 minutes the first phase to 1 hour and 15 minutes the second phase.

You will need very good shoes, preferably a mat to jump on, and near perfect form to avoid injury.

You can already see that Shaun T Insanity is different than P90X so how are the comparable?

The Insanity workout program, though shorter in length, is based on maximum effort Interval cardio. Meaning it's all about fast, powerful, and coordinated moves. You will still be doing push-ups just like in P90X but otherwise you only use your body, gravity, and will power to push through.

I am telling you from personally experience, with Insanity you literally drip buckets of sweat, seriously! Just because it's shorter than P90X doesn't mean it's not as intense.

You will not be running in one place for an hour, you are jumping around, squatting, balancing, and crunching your core. Shaun T Insanity is on the same level as P90X but the difference is you don't need extra equipment, you won't be lifting weights, and the workouts go by much faster.

Insanity is more for the leaner ripped look while P90X will allow for more muscle size and strength.

If you have already completed P90X then I will tell you this. Shaun T Insanity is like taking P90X Plyometrics, doubling the intensity, and doing it 6 days a week.

So which one is better, P90X or Shaun T Insanity?

I don't think you will find one "better than the other" but what you will find are two different approaches towards fitness.

P90X is a longer 90 day program that has longer workouts but incorporates a slower pace compared to Insanity offering more time to adapt and become stronger. Also you are lifting weights so there is more potential to gain size and muscle definition.

Shaun T Insanity is 60 days with much shorter and faster pace workouts, you won't be able to adapt as fast and you won't get great results by pausing through each workout. Insanity is a balls to the walls style workout, it's straight forward and fast but demands major motivation and energy.

Both workout programs have a "mix-it-up" style so each one changes things throughout the program so there is no monotony.

One final note, if you have knees or lower body joint issues, Insanity may not be for you. It is based on a lot of jumping and really can and will tax your knees and joints if not performed correctly. It is much higher impact compared to P90X. That is something to consider when looking at the two side by side.

Because of the approach Insanity takes I like to look at it this way. If you feel you are P90X capable and are in decent shape, if you can do push-ups, chin-ups, and if you can handle interval cardio, then either program is suitable.

If you cannot do some or all of the previously mentioned exercises then it's better to avoid Insanity until you can at least complete P90X. Insanity is not a beginner workout, so if you just stepping back into the physical fitness game, throw the ego out, start somewhere small and build up.

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How to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets

Yellow jacket (or yellow-jacket) is the usual name in North America for predatory wasps of the genus Vespula and Dolichovespula. Members of these species are better-known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of them are black and yellow; some are black and white (such as the bald-faced hornet, Dolichovespula maculata), while others may have the abdomen background color red instead of black.

They can be identified by their characteristic markings, small size (similar to the size of a honey bee). They exist in colonies and have a characteristic rapid side-to-side flight pattern prior to landing. Yellow-jackets are often mistakenly called "bees." All their females are capable of stinging. Yellow jackets are important predators of pest insects, though they can be pests themselves as well.

II. Yellow Jackets as Pests

Eliminating yellow jackets can be time-consuming and excruciating. Yellow jacket (of the Vespula genus) are possibly the only wasp that can be considered pestiferous if you take its belligerent colony size and defensive nature into account.

This aggression on the part of the yellow jacket genus is most evident towards the end of the summer when the colony starts to crumble and workers find more sugars and sweets to nourish themselves and what's left of their young. Not only does the yellow jacket wasp's demeanor change toward the end of the warm season, but the size of a colony can also be imposingly astronomical if left unobstructed.

For the most part, wasps are predators and rarely scavengers, and this, by and large, applies to yellow jackets as well, but there are particular species within the Vespula genus that tend to salvage more aggressively than others.

Vespula Vulgaris, for example, is one of these scavenging species, and because of their scavenging behavior, they tend to come into contact with humans on a more regular basis than wasps that hunt live prey.

III. Basic Yellow Jacket Control

* Sometimes getting rid of yellow jackets or reducing yellow jacket populations is as easy as keeping your garbage cans properly sealed. Your garbage bins are a windfall not only for stray dogs, stray cats, and the occasional raccoon, but also for yellow jacket wasps, which will feed on the leftover proteins and sugars you tend to throw out with the trash.

Scraps of meat and fish are particularly pleasing to a yellow jacket's appetite, as well as old bottles of pop, bottles of syrup, and fruit.

* One way to get rid of yellow jackets is to keep pet food and other sources of refined proteins indoors. Yellow jackets, like other wasps, really do enjoy protein, and nothing is packed with more accessible proteins than pet food floating around in a water dish.

Keep your dog or cat's food bowl inside during the warmer months, or find a way to protect the pet food from foraging pests like yellow jackets and other scavenging wasps.

* Pop cans, humming bird feeders, and other sweets should not be left out, or should be sealed in such a way as to prevent yellow jackets from gaining access to the sugar. Studies done on yellow jackets show that populations with access to large amounts of refined sugars build incredibly large colonies much faster than colonies whose access to food is restricted to their natural diet of nectar and live prey.

* Make sure awnings and siding is properly sealed to get rid of yellow jackets. Preventing yellow jackets from gaining entrance to the voids in the siding and roofing of your home is highly recommended because hidden wasp nests are particularly difficult to get rid of and may require the services of a pest control professional.

If you can't stand having wasps living behind your walls, having a professional remove them for you is going to be like having a root canal on your wallet. If you're patient, cold weather will eventually kill the colony, and then you can seal the entrance without driving wasps into your home.

* Mechanical, non-toxic traps are a good way to get rid of yellow jackets - or at least reduce the local population to a less noticeable level. There are a couple of theories surrounding the right timing of yellow jacket and wasp traps, but most experts agree that traps should be put out during the earlier months of the warm season.

If traps are set before yellow jacket queens begin their search for proper nesting grounds, it's possible to spare your community one more yellow jacket colony by killing that one queen. Otherwise, traps set during the first few weeks of summer should keep yellow jacket populations at a manageable level during the peak season.

IV. Natural and Organic Yellow Jacket Control

The do-it-yourself wasp trap is perhaps one of the most effective traps your money doesn't need to buy. All you'll need is an empty 2-liter bottle, scissors, and some sugar water or fruit juice.

* Cut the cone off about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the bottle, flip it over, and staple it into place so that it looks like a minnow trap. Then, fill the bottle with fruit juice concentrate or sugar water with a little soap, and hang it from an awning or in your garden if you prefer.

* Pouring boiling water or just soapy water into the entrance of a yellow jacket nest is one way of killing yellow jackets and rendering their nest uninhabitable. Of course, this particular tactic should be done during the late evening, and measures should be taken to cover the skin in case the colony is feeling particularly bloodthirsty that evening.

*If you're going to use soap water, why not do it with some organic dish soap like the kind Seventh Generation makes? Sure, you'll still be the Tamerlane of the wasp world, but at least you'll be remembered as the environmentally-friendly murderer of wasps.

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Everybody Poops - What Your Poop May Be Trying to Tell You

I have to admit up front, this is going to be the crappiest article I've ever written.

You see, as I was walking my dogs Marty and Rosie the other day, it occurred to me that poop plays a huge role in my life. I'm not afraid to admit it. I pick up after my dogs every day, I scoop my cat's litter box every day (OK, not EVERY day, but it certainly feels that way), and I talk with my clients about their bowel movements. In fact, while I was in India this past summer, poop was actually the number one topic of conversation between my colleagues and me, as we compared notes on who had diarrhea and who was still healthy. I even remained on "poop watch," for several weeks after my return to the States, making sure that everything was OK (and thankfully, it was!)

So, if you are a pet owner, parent, health care professional, or world traveler, you probably know what I mean!

But many people don't get to talk about poop as much as I do. I know this because when I ask people about their poop, I often get blank stares and uncomfortable looks. So, I let's talk about all of the questions that people want answered but are usually afraid to ask. After all, your poop is an important indicator of your overall health!

What is Poop?

Have you ever wondered what poop actually is? About 75% of your average poop is water, although this will vary depending on the person. Water is absorbed out of fecal material as it passes through the large intestine, so the longer you take to "go," the drier your poop will be.

The remaining 25% is comprised of dead bacteria that helped us digest our food, living bacteria, protein, undigested food residue (also known as fiber), waste material from food, cellular linings, fats, cholesterol, salts, protein, and substances released from the liver and the intestines (such as mucus).

What Makes a Healthy Poop?

Your feces are a clear indicator of the health of your gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Mehmet Oz says, "At the end of the day you can analyze your body really effectively by looking at what comes out of your body."

So what should you look for? A healthy poop will be:

Golden brown, which is due to pigments formed by the bacteria in the gut and bile from the liver. You want to make sure the color is normal because that tells you a lot about what's going on in your gastrointestinal tract (more on color below).

Formed into one long shape. Dr. Michael Levitt, an Australian colorectal surgeon who has written a book called The Bowel Book, says that the healthy human stool resembles the shape and consistency (although not the same color) of an unripe banana. Dr. Oz says " You don't want [pieces]." Some experts disagree, saying they don't have to be well- formed. Patrick Donovan, N.D., a naturopath in Seattle, WA says "Stools don't have to be well- formed logs. They can disperse in the toilet water; they can break down."

Nearly odorless.

About 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 18 inches long.

What About Other Colors?

Sometimes we don't see that "golden guru," and are faced with something else instead. Here's some insight into what those other colors might mean.

Black: Feces can be black if dried blood is present in it from internal bleeding in the upper digestive tract. See a doctor if this is the case.

Very Dark Brown: Drinking wine the night before may result in dark brown poop. This could also be the result of eating too much salt, or not enough vegetables.

Yellow: One condition that can cause yellow poop is an infection known as giardia, a dangerous infection that can spread to others. Another cause of yellow poop may be a condition known as Gilbert's syndrome. See your doctor if you are consistently seeing yellow poop.

Green: Babies often have green poop when they are given food for the first time. Children may have green or blue poop from certain illnesses or from ingesting food colorings. Adults may also have green poop if they eat large amounts of green, leafy vegetables or if they eat large amounts of foods with green food coloring. Light green poop may indicate excessive sugar in the diet. Green feces can also occur with diarrhea if bile salts pass through the intestine unchanged. Again, see a doctor if you are concerned!

White/pale: Feces can appear white or pale after drinking barium sulfate, which is often given to patients getting an X-ray of the digestive tract. A white or pale stool may also be an indication of problems with the gallbladder or liver.

Red: Bright red in the feces may be indicative of active bleeding, possibly the result of hemorrhoids. A magenta color may result form eating intense red food coloring, or red foods such as beets.

How Often Should I Poop?

Ah - the big question! Experts disagree on how often a person should poop. The National Institute for Diabetes, Kidney, and Digestive Diseases says three times a week is normal and healthy for some people. According to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, once a day is ideal. Other experts advocate once or twice a day, while still others say a person should have a bowel movement within two to three hours of a major meal- -or two to three times a day. So you can see that it really depends on who you talk to. My personal opinion is that you above all want to be regular in your pooping schedule, and that one poop a day is ideal.

When someone poops four times a day or more and the poop has a liquid consistency, this is referred to as diarrhea. When someone poops less than two or three days a week and the poop is hard, dry, and difficult to pass, this is known as constipation.

What's the Deal with Corn?

It's funny, so it's ok to laugh. But most people I know have experienced it and they ask why it is that when you eat corn, the next time you poop there it is again! There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that most of us do not thoroughly chew our food. Another interesting tidbit I've learned that there is an outer coating on corn that is made up of indigestible cellulose. This outer coating slips off the inner kernel and, since it's indigestible, passes through the gut intact. It then emerges looking like a whole kernel, even though it's just the outer skin. The inside of the kernel is starchy and digestible, and that is the part that we succeed in chewing and digesting.

Well, hopefully you know now a lot more about this important topic. And that's the scoop on poop!

13 Home Remedies For Keeping Squirrels Away

Squirrels may be a major thorn in your side. They spend enormous amounts of time eating and digging in your garden (or bird feeder) - but what can you do?

You can take major steps and set out poison, but that has its drawbacks.

You can try and trap them, but that has its drawbacks too.

Or, you can try and repel them with simple things found around your house.

People have found all types of things that can be used for repelling squirrels, but as with all things - some work for some people and not for others.

Take for instance - mothballs. They used to be the number one choice to repel squirrels. Some people still swear by them, but the consensus now is that moth balls are absolutely useless.

So what can you use?

A survey of the net found the following 13 home remedies that people have used to repel squirrels.

Nutmeg and cinnamon
Peppermint oil
Capacin
Jalapeño peppers (mashed in blender)
Serrano peppers (mashed in blender)
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Tabasco sauce
WD-40
Aspirins and peanut butter (crush 100 aspirins and mix with peanut butter)
Dog hair clumps
Hair clippings
Used cat litter (placed around plants)

Some of these items you would place around your plants. Things like chili powder, cayenne pepper and similar things can be mixed with bird seed. Believe it or not, these hot spices don't bother birds but their unruly squirrel pals can't stand it.

If one home remedy does not work, try another. As said earlier, some people have more success with some than others.

As a last resort, there are commercial repellents which you can buy at your local hardware store. These obviously will cost more but are a stronger repellent and may have a better effect.

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Can My Cat Catch a Cold?

If you are like me, you probably have never had a cat with a cold, but cats with colds are fairly common.

How does a cat get a cold? The first thought that comes to mind is "can my cat catch my cold?"

The answer to that is no and "no" you cannot catch your cat's cold. It is said that cold viruses are species-specific, which means pets and humans cannot pass a cold back and forth.

While we can (for the most part) "doctor" our colds with over-the-counter remedies, our cats cannot.

A cold is serious business for a cat and even more serious if you have a multiple cat household.

Oddly enough, your cat's symptoms will be very similar to yours, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, wheezing and sometimes a mucous discharge either from its nose or mouth. It is also possible for your cat to have a breathing problem, cold sore type ulcers around it mouth and red teary eyes that have a discharge.

Cat colds are very contagious and interestingly, cats are more susceptible to colds in the summer time.

Where can your cat pick up a cold?

At a boarding kennel, the groomers, at your vets and if your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, it can pick up the virus from any cat it encounters outside.

What can you do for your cat's cold?

First of all do not try any human over-the-counter remedies. Usually a cat cold lasts just about as long as a human cold (7 to 10 days) and the cat will get over it just as we do.

Where it gets complicated is, if the viral infection travels to the lungs or bronchial area causing a lower respiratory infection or if a secondary bacterial infection occurs in the nose, mouth or eye area.

This is why at the first sign your cat is coming down with a cold, you should call your vet. This ounce of prevention can honestly save you many vet dollars, should the cold develop into something more serious.

Once a cat gets a respiratory infection it is possible that it will re-occur time and time again (like the proverbial bad penny.)

Another important thing to take under consideration is cats smell their food before they eat it. This is normal cat behavior and if your cat has a stuffy nose, it cannot smell its food.

What happens when a cat can't smell its food?

The cat will not eat or even drink. The cat becomes dehydrated and starts using up its own fat stores for energy.

A cat needs to eat and drink (most canned cat food provides not only nutrition, but water,) the result of not eating can cause a condition known as hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver syndrome, which can be life threatening.

This is why, if your cat shows any sign of a cold or stops eating for any reason call your vet at once.

I can't say this enough, that one simple phone call may save you many future vet dollars.

A cat's cold can be a simple runny nose (wipe it with a warm wet washcloth, cats can't blow) and require nothing more than some TLC from you, but check with your vet first.

There are two types of viruses that can cause a cat to have cold like symptoms, the first is felline herpesvirus (FHV) and feline calicivirus (FCV). Keep up all of your cat's recommended vaccinations as the vaccine for FHV and FCV is given at regular intervals.

Keeping your cat indoors is truly the best way to protect your cat from being the recipient of "what is going around."

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Cats With Liver Disease - The Symptoms and How To Prepare The Best Diet For Them

It is difficult to identify if a cat is suffering from liver disease because the signs and symptoms are difficult to spot. Showing non-specific symptoms, some might show decrease in appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, depression and jaundice. (Jaundice in cats can be seen by the yellow discoloration of the skin at the base of the ear, and the whites of the eyes.

While other cats pass off pasty looking stool and display inappropriate urination and defecation behavior, according to Dr. Richard Pitcairn, author of the "Complete Guide to the Natural Health for Dogs and Cats," Rodale Press. This happen because fatty liver disease causes the liver to be is weighed down by rapid fat accumulation and simply shut down.

In some cases, Dr. Richard mentions that cat owners who use the free feeding method, and has more than one cat must be more vigilant. As it's more difficult to note if your cat is eating regularly, fatty liver disease can develop rapidly in a cat's body if he stops feeding for a week or two. This would be a serious case and immediate medical care would be needed.

Immediate medication treatment is necessary for the recovery of liver disease. The treatment would depends on the cause and may include antibiotics, coagulation treatment for bleeding disorder, intravenous fluid therapy, appetite stimulants, anti-emetics and diet management.

When preparing a diet plan for a cat with liver disease, note that he would require a high-quality protein diet in moderate amount, with most of the cat's caloric intake coming from non-protein sources. If you are preparing your own food, it is recommended that the diet be based around eggs, cottage cheese, rice and liver. Your cat may also need multivitamin supplement.

Commercial restorative foods for felines suffering from with liver disease include Hill's Feline L/D formula. Royal Canin has several different formulas for hepatic disease, and your veterinarian can help you decide which is best for your cat depending on its current condition. Small, easily digestible and frequent meals are generally recommended. Many experts also recommend organic foods because they are not exposed to chemicals, artificial colors or preservatives.

You might also want to ask your veterinarian if you should add digestive enzymes and S-adenyl-methionine supplement to your cat's diet. Remember that in order to support your cat's liver function; you will have to plan a proper suitable diet that is fresh, organic, with low and quality protein and certainly low fat.

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Vegetables Can Help You Lose Weight Easily

Although many people hope of losing weight, few people achieve it in the right way. When it comes to weight loss dieting, most people think that they can do so by taking on crash diets. Crash diets are not healthy because you will have to cut down on various kinds of food items such as fruits and vegetables. When you do this, you do not allow your body to receive essential nutrients.

Vegetables are one of the food items that must be present in everyone's food diet. Vegetables have many weight loss benefits. It contains a low level of sugar and it also keeps the body sugar and insulin level under check. The fats that are present in the body are then converted into energy at a faster rate. Now you know, why vegetables must be included in your diet in order to achieve weight loss.

Healthy hygienic conditions must be followed before consuming vegetables. Vegetables are sprayed with different chemicals and preservatives so that they last long without decay. However, you must keep in mind; consuming such vegetables may cause serious health problems. You need to wash them thoroughly before consumption.

Over cooking the vegetables takes away the nutrients present in it. The best way to take advantage of all its nutrients is by consuming them raw. However, some may do not like to consume them raw, in such a case, you can have them after steaming. Whenever you have your lunch and dinner, make sure you also add salad to your menu.

Here are some of the vegetables that can help immensely in losing weight: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, avocado, asparagus, beans, peas, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. Alternatively, you may also add vegetable juices to your diet plan. You can have them in between your meals whenever you feel hungry.

You can also have weight loss diet pills made up of natural ingredients of fruits and vegetables. Such weight loss pills can help you immensely in losing weight.

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How to Stop Your Cat's Urination Problems

Having your cat urinating all over your home can be extremely troublesome. Especially when it happens after you thought you had successfully litter trained your cat. Rather than getting angry, it may be more appropriate for you to be worried. You should strongly consider taking kitty for a check-up at the vet. There are a number of diseases which can cause your cat to suddenly start urinating uncontrollably. One of these diseases is a urinary tract infection which could be potentially fatal if left untreated. As a matter of fact, any sudden change in kitty's behavior merits a visit to the vet, just in case.

While kitty peeing outside the litter box is an obvious clue, you should also be on alert about your cat's urination habits. If you notice kitty making more trips to the litter box than normal, or releasing a greater than usual volume of urine, or its urine having a different smell, etc, all these are warning signs of illness. If you truly love your cat, then you need to be vigilant about its health.

Once ill health has been ruled out, you need to look into environmental factors. The most obvious one is moving house. There are one or two cat owners who somehow failed to realize that their cats became confused and could not find the litter box in their new homes. Or simply did not like the new location of the litter box. In any case, if you move house, be prepared to litter train your cat all over again.

Any number of factors could cause stress to your cat and cause it to urinate away from its litter box, even something as subtle as a change in your working schedule. On the one hand, this is rather inconvenient to you. On the other hand, a part of me would be happy, because this shows that kitty misses me and cares about me. It's nice to know that you are more than just the person who fills kitty's food dish, isn't it? Anyway, if you cannot remove the cause of kitty's stress, you will just have to toilet train your cat again. Besides this, you may want to learn cat massage. Just like for humans, massage can soothe away some of your cat's stress. If all else fails, you may need to get a something from your vet to help soothe kitty. However, I strongly advise against aromatherapy or the use of massage oils unless your vet can recommend a safe brand. Cats are often sensitive to such oils and scents. There have been cases of poisoning reported.

Something that few people think about is the litter. Just because you still buy the same brand does not mean the manufacturer is still making the litter exactly the same. There could be major or even just minor changes to the final end product, and it could be noticeable to your cat. Remember that its sense of touch and smell is much better than yours.

The problem could even be the litter box. Are your cat still using the same litter box as when it was a kitten? Or has your cat grown old... You may need to try a different-sized litter box.

Did I mention that smell is important? Did you change the cleaner you used to wash the litter box? Are you cleaning the area around the litter box with a different cleaner? Perhaps kitty hates the smell of the new cleaning product and that is why it is urinating elsewhere. Or did you use a different cleaning product for your house. The new cleaner could be confusing kitty.

Your cat is a sensitive creature of habit. First, you need to eliminate health problems as the cause of your cat's urination problem. After that, it takes time and patience and loving care to investigate the cause of the problem. A case study published by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (JAVMA, Vol 224, No. 10, May 15, 2004) reported that they took several years to resolve the problem. Partly it was because the cat in question had health problems. The vet needed to try different medications which would both clear up the medical conditions as well as not cause the cat to urinate uncontrollably. At the same time, there was no stability in the home environment. The owner got a divorce, and found a new boyfriend. And apparently some stray cats moved into the neighborhood.

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Cat Food - The Best, the Healthiest, the Most Nutritious

We humans have a capacity of extremes. There are those of us who are honest to the letter and there are those of us who are equally dishonest. Stress often plays an important part of being dishonest, especially for a struggling businessman desperately trying to provide for his family.

Then there are those who are just plain greedy and don't care how they arrive at their fortune as long as they do.

Luckily, in most countries, there is now a system in place that ensures a basic (some might say very basic) standard that all manufacturers or suppliers of human food must meet.

Sadly this is either not the case for animal feed, or the standards are so low as to be useless.

So despite all the pretty advertising, all the logically convincing and reassuring words from your vet, chances are, if you're feeding your cat a processed cat food, you're directly contributing to her ill health.

The big brand names in cat food contribute financially to veterinary colleges, which explains why vets surgery reception areas are now piled high with these brands. But does it spell quality?

To find out we need to look at what's in processed cat food. Most fresh meat goes for human consumption as more money can be made there. So pet food tends to get the dregs. Dregs can include meat meal or meat by-products (chicken feet, feathers, hair, skin, intestinal waste (poo to you and me), general slaughterhouse wastes), meat not considered safe (spoiled or toxic) or desirable for human consumption, fat, diseased carcasses (which may be far from fresh), including euthanised animals.

To bulk this out, low cost carbohydrates are used, which can include sugar, propylene glycol, leftover fast food, mouldy and rancid grain deemed unsuitable for human consumption, corn syrup, non-nutritive fillers such as sawdust or newspaper and so forth.

So the cat food starts out as low quality, too low in digestible protein essential to a cats well being, too high in fat, too high in carbohydrates and possibly poisonous - 100 Bald and Golden Eagles in North America have died recently from eating a euthanized animal.

Then the 'food' is cooked, usually at very high temperatures. Cooking destroys many nutrients which are essential for good health. Cats evolved by killing and eating their food instantly, showing that freshness is essential for a cats overall good health.

To address this, the cat food manufacturers add synthetic nutrients. Synthetic nutrients are isolated and not easily digested by anyone let alone your cat. So a label reassuringly boasting of a 'nutritionally complete' or 'scientific' diet are purposefully vague as neither are true. Unqualified claims are legally acceptable in most countries with their poor or non-existent pet food regulations.

As this resultant cat food doesn't look very appealing, colour is added (Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 2), obviously for your benefit as I doubt your cat cares much about the colour of cat food.

Now, most processed food is in a dry or semi dry form. This means that you have to preserve the food to keep it. If you purchase any meat product that keeps longer than a couple of days in the fridge, you know it has preservative in.

Some common preservatives include disodium guanylate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (a very controversial synthetic vitamin K.), mixed-tocopherols (synthetic form of Vitamin E) and others considered unfit for human consumption.

All processed food is 'dead' food, with no life. Dead food is that which has been cooked, particularly at high temperature and for long periods.

So you might think that buying cat food direct from a pet food supplier or butcher might be the answer. A quality butcher I buy from once told me that most pet mince sold at butchers is all the excess fat they can't use, mixed with beetroot juice. On further inspection of the pet mince in discussion, I didn't doubt him.

I read recently of someone buying from a pet shop. As she walked up to the shop from the car park, she noticed a pickup truck loaded down with large boxes marked poultry. On closer inspection she saw they contained pre-packaged chicken pieces. Fresh chicken sitting in boxes, in the hot summer sun, not on ice, not in a refrigerated truck, but in the back of an open pickup truck waiting to be carried into the store for sale to consumers.

Just like your own diet, it's time to take control of the diet of your cat. Good quality cat food can never, by definition, be found in a can, a packet or a box. While it may be convenient for you, this diet will never contribute to a healthy, happy cat. What you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabout, with increased cost of professional therapist fees as the health of your cat deteriorates. Good quality cat food can only come from lovingly preparing a meal from the freshest ingredients.

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Baiting a Cat Trap

Feral cats are smart. If something looks like a cage, they will avoid it. This is one reason why a cat trap often does not work - because the cats are suspicious. There are some tricks that cat rescue groups do in order to make sure their humane traps work in catching even the most wary alley cat.

Setting Up the Trap
Cats are not attracted to cages, but are attracted to dark hiding places. This makes it more difficult to trick the cats into a set trap. Make the humane trap look more like a comfortable den by placing a blanket all around the sides and back of the trap. Often, cat rescue volunteers will leave cat traps baited and open for a week or more before setting it to spring shut when a cat walks in. In this way, the cat is used to walking in and out of the trap getting tasty treats without incident.

Choosing Food
Cats are strongly attracted to very smelly foods like fish. Canned mackerel, tuna or sardines are ideal. You can always pick up some cat food from a pet supply store as it could be familiar to them. Do not place a bowl in the trap as it will hit the cat when the trap door springs shut. Soak a piece of old newspaper in the liquid in canned fish and place a spoonful on the top. Feed this at dawn or dusk when feral cats are most likely to be searching for food.

Placing the Food
Do not place the food close right up against the edges of the trap walls. They will learn to push the blanket aside and eat through the mesh or barred walls and will not bother inside the trap. Place the food just beyond the center of the cat trap Be sure to check a trap every day and more often if the weather is bad. Keep thick leather gloves with you in case the animal caught is a creature other than a cat.

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Cat Treat Recipes

Want to cook something special for your feline friend ? Try these cat treat recipes. They are easy to make and require little time. Your cat will love them !

CAT TREAT RECIPES - KITTY TREATS

1 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Tuna Oil, Chicken broth, or Beef Bouillon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients into a dough. Dust hands with flour and form small,
1/2 inch thick, round biscuits. Set on greased cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes or until biscuits are slightly browned.
Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Your cat will adopt it as one of his favourite cat treat !

CAT TREAT RECIPES - PURR-FECT SALMON PATE

1 - 6 Ounce can of boneless, skinless salmon

1/4 Cup Bread crumbs

1/2 Cup Finely chopped celery

1 Egg, beaten

1 Unflavoured gelatine

1/2 Cup Water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pack into a small fish-shaped mold (or other small mold) and bake 45 minutes.
Serve at room temperature.

One of the most Purr...fect cat treat you can make !

CAT TREAT RECIPES - MEOWSLI

1 Teaspoon Oats

1/2 Banana, mashed

2 Teaspoon plain yogourt

1/2 Cup Orange juice

1/4 Apple, Chopped

2 ounces Berries, in season

Mix oats and bananas, blending well. Add yogourt, orange juice and apple immediately to prevent browning.
Mash berries and add to mixture. Serve in small portions (1 tablespoon per cat). Too much fruit can cause diarrhea
in a cat's digestive system if he is not used to it.

Serve small portions from this treat occasionally !

CAT TREAT RECIPES - MACKEREL CAT MUNCHIES

1/2 Cup canned mackerel, drained

1 Cup whole-grain bread crumbs

1 Teaspoon vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

1/2 Teaspoon brewer's yeast, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium-size bowl, mash the mackerel with a fork into tiny pieces. Combine it with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Dop mixture by 1/4 teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature and store in an
airtight container in the refrigerator.

Kitty will love the munchies !

CAT TREAT RECIPES - EMERGENCY KITTEN MILK

12 Ounces boiling water

1 Envelope Knox unflavored gelatin

Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and add:
1 - 12 ounce can evaporated canned milk

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

1 Egg yolk

Mix well in mixer. Place in covered bowl and store in refrigerator. Warm a small amount for feedings. This will keep for
about 7 days.

It adds between 15-20 grams on kittens a day. One of the best recipes to make for your kitten !

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Joints of the Thumb - Learn the Correct Names of All Three of Them

In this series of articles, I'll go through some of these terms along with some helpful diagrams and shed some light on the common language of hand and arm surgery.

The three joints are as follows:

* Carpometacarpal (CMC)
* Metacarpophalangeal (MP)
* Interphalangeal (IP)

CMC

The CMC joint of the thumb is located at the junction point of the thumb and the wrist. Break down the words in the name, carpometacarpal, and you get carpo- (wrist) and metacarpal (hand bone). This joint is commonly affected by arthritis.

The CMC joint's main function is to allow the thumb to open and grasp wide objects, like a basketball or (for us mortals) a large glass of your favorite beverage.

The MP joint of the thumb is the middle joint of the thumb, located between the CMC joint and the tip of the thumb. Break down the words in the name, metacarpophalangeal, and you get metacarpo- (hand bone) and phalangeal (finger bone). This joint moves a lot in some people and just a little in other people. Compare MP thumb joints around your family and you may find some big differences.

Sometimes this joint is injured when you jam it in a skiing or sports injury. This causes the joint to pop out of place and tear a ligament. This is sometimes called skiier's thumb. The ligament can heal without surgery if it's not moved out of place.

The IP joint of the thumb is at the tip of the thumb. The word interphalangeal means "between the phalanges". Important tendons attach on the bottom and top of this joint and move the tip of your thumb back and forth.

If you jam your thumb and the tip of the thumb doesn't move normally, this could be a sign of a ruptured or torn tendon. Tendons move joints - when a tendon is ripped off the bone, the joint no longer moves normally.

Familiarity with the language of the joints of the thumb will help streamline your visit with a hand specialist or other health care provider.

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My Cat Has Stopped Pooping in the Litter Box

If you are asking yourself why has my cat stopped pooping in the litter box then I think I can help you. Cats often display strange behaviours for a lot of weird reasons. My cat stopped going in the right place and apart from being smelly I knew something was wrong and started to research. Here are some of my top tips on people who ask themselves why my cat has stopped pooping in the litter box.

Stress - Cats get stressed out easily, a lot more easily that dogs who are joyous and full of fun at all times. You have to find out what exactly it is that is stressing out your cat and return it to the normal state. It is often a change in the environment of where the cat stays for most of the day. If you have its basket in one place and moved it or if you have rearranged the furniture or there is a new cat in the neighbourhood this could be causing the lack of pooping in the litter box. Try to return everything to normal and see if a week make a difference.

Is it clean? - Your cat may have gone in the litter box when you were not there and then thought about going again and saw how unclean it was. They are clean animals. They prefer the carpet to a dirty litter tray. What you can do though is make sure that it is cleaned thoroughly each and every day for a week to see if it makes a difference.

Treats - It is worth learning to train your cat with treats because this will save you hours in the long run and smelly carpets too. Seriously, the amount of time spend training your cat is nothing in the short term and when you do it you can relax because you never have to train a cat twice.

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Heartgard For Cats

Heartgard is the #1 choice of veterinarians for heartworm disease prevention in dogs. But did you know that the preventative is also used for the control of heartworms in cats?

Heartgard For Cats was the first preventive made for our feline pets. Manufactured by Merck, it is the only preventative specifically designed for cats and is recommended for use in cats 6 weeks of age and older. It also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.

Heartgard for Cats has a wide margin of safety for all sizes and breeds of cats. it should be given at monthly intervals when mosquitoes potentially carrying infective heartworm larvae are active.

Medications are available for two weight ranges and in two strengths; up to 5lbs and 5-15lbs; and 55mcg and 165mcg, which refer to two weight ranges respectively.

Heartgard for Cats comes in a real-beef chewable that cats love, and can be offered to your cat by hand or may be added to a small amount of cat food. It comes in 6-dose dispensing packs.

Heartgard Plus is also 100% effective against heartworms; plus it controls roundworms and hookworms in dogs and cats.

It is available as flavored chewable tablets and should be chewed rather than swallowed whole. The medicine is approved for puppies and kittens as young as 6 weeks of age.

The tablets come in a 6 month or convenient new 12 month supply. And just like Heartgard, Heartgard Plus is available only through a licensed veterinarian.

Heartworm Disease is a real threat, even to cats who live strictly indoors. Heartgard for Cats will help control and prevent heartworms in your cat. But remember, it is available only through a licensed veterinarian. And you should be to consult with your vet before beginning any preventative program.

Want more information on Heartgard? Then visit our website!

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How to Stop a Cat Urinating on Carpet

Your cat is a sweet and wonderful pet that the entire family enjoys. For the most part, he or she is very well behaved, but for some reason he or she just will not stop using your carpet for a litter box.

Here are a few tips to stop a cat urinating on carpet.

Begin by cleaning the carpet thoroughly. You may want to use a heavy-duty cleaning machine, or even have a professional come and treat the area.

You need to make sure all stains and odors are fully removed.

Next, make sure your cat understands where his or her litter box is located and that he or she can get to it with no problem. The cat may avoid using the proper location if he or she feels as though the box is blocked.

If your cat continues to urinate on the carpet, mix up a solution of white vinegar and water. Saturate the area fully with the solution, then blot and allow to air dry. The vinegar will neutralize the spot and should help to deter the cat from revisiting the area.

Keep a watch on your cat and act swiftly if you notice any bad behavior.

Try yelling or clapping if you catch him or her urinating inappropriately. Your cat will not like this and will start to associate the consequence with his or her actions.

These simple tips should help to stop a cat urinating on carpet. If you find they have not worked, try relocating the litter box or have your cat checked by a veterinarian for an underlying medical condition.

My wife and I have a cat that used to be a bit of a "sneaky leaker". We searched high and low for answers as to how to make him stop peeing outside the litter box but never found a good solution.

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Stress in Cats - Things That Stress Felines Out

Sure, your cat may not have to worry about money or getting a job, but that does not mean that your pet does not have stress in his or her life. Every living thing, at one point in their life, will be stressed out. As humans, we know that there are different options on how we will deal with our stress. Most people do not realize that there is stress in cats. When a cat is stressed out, this can lead to a number of different behavior issues. Below, we are going to give you the top five things that stress out a cat.

A new family member: Did you know that cats can get stressed when a new family member comes into your home? Whether they are a new baby, an animal or some other person moving in, cats can get stressed.

Holidays: Cats can get stressed during the holidays too? Yes, they can. Cats enjoy having peace and quiet around their home. People have a tendency to hold parties during the holidays, which means a lot of people will be coming into the home. There is going to be loud music and talking, which can cause your cat to get stressed out. In fact, have you noticed that your cat hides out when you have company over? They are usually nowhere to be found during those special occasions. The best thing you can do would be to give your cat his or her own place (a secret hideout) where no one is going to bother them.

Moving homes: When you move your home, this could cause anxiety for your cat. When you do this, your cat will be moving into a new environment, which they do not like doing.

For some cats, they like the big adventure they have in a new house, but others get quite scared. The best thing you could do would be to bring your cats toys, bed, litter box, etc. With you and put it in the room that they will be the most comfortable in.

A change in the routine: when there is a change in your routine, there is a change in your felines routine. Even something such as a change in your employment can be stressful for the pet.

When you go to work, dangle your keys around beforehand in order to desensitize your feline to the sound of you getting ready each morning to leave. When you finally leave, do not make a big scene. If you make a big deal out of it, then this may cause the pet to get even more anxiety.

Looking out the window: As a cat owner, we know that they love looking out the window. When your cat is gazing out the window, if a strange cat passes by and marks their territory and your cat cannot get to it, then is going to cause your cat to get even more stressed or even angry.

Cats are wonderful creatures who need to have attention. It is important to pay attention to the behavior changes in your feline.

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Using the Litter Box - The First Steps in Kitten Training

Kitten training is very simple when it comes to the use of the litter box. Even newborn kittens are instinctually driven to bury their feces, so very little effort will be necessary on your part. If the mother cat is available, you will need to do even less, because she will show them where the litter box is and what to do there. If they need a little encouragement or there is no mother cat, there are some things you can do to help them and get your kitten training off to a good start.

Step 1
Ensure that the litter box is low enough that the kittens are able to climb into it without a great deal of effort. Most litter boxes for adult cats have outer walls that are too high for a kitten to crawl over, and a kitten who can't get into the litter box on its own is a kitten that will not be using it at all.

Step 2
Use a plain, simple, non clumping kitty litter. Kittens are prone to eat a bit of the litter when they are learning, and the clumping varieties are very dangerous if eaten. It binds up in their intestines and can cause serious medical problems.

Step 3
Just like when potty training a child, privacy and safety are important if the kitten is going to be able to "perform" and learn what to do. Place the box in a quiet, out of the way place that is also a good distance from their food and water bowls. Just like you wouldn't want to eat in your bathroom, neither would they.

Step 4
Place the kitten in the litter box periodically throughout the day when they would normally need to relieve themselves. Mornings, after waking up, and after eating are a few of the most common times, and good times to start. After placing the kitten in the box, gently take their front paws and scratch at the litter. It may take a number of tries before they get the idea, but they will.

Step 5
If your kitten relieves him or herself outside of the litter box, punishment will most likely be ineffective at best. Kitten training involves a surprisingly little amount of punishment when compared to other pets, such as dogs. Their minds simply work differently. Just pick them up and put them in the box when you see them starting to go. They will learn before long.

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Flea Removal - How Do Natural Cat and Dog Flea Treatment Solutions Measure Up?

There are many natural cat and dog flea treatment solutions available in the market and many more new found holistic home control measures that seem to have proven effective for a healthier and safe flea removal regime.

In fact, a lot of owners tend to have the misconception that because a product or treatment is natural at its origin, it must be safe to use as well. Unfortunately that is not always the case. When one originally natural product is applied for a healing purpose, there exists chemical reactions which might be adverse to the overall expected result. Hence, it is not always true that all natural products and treatments are safe when applied for specific purposes.

That said, there are still certain natural products that have been used over time, and proven to be effective in flea removal without the harmful effects on health. Take for instance the simple flea comb. Designed to help remove the remnants of the parasites, their eggs and incubating larvae from animal fur, it is a proven effective product without causing undue harm to the environment, the pet and family members. Also, using the time tested borate powder to for flea extermination by sprinkling the powder form onto carpets, furniture and upholstery. Of course there is need for thoroughly vacuum cleaning the areas thereafter.

Application of chemical based or natural treatments do have their drawbacks when used on dogs and cats separately. Take for instance, certain topical applications available in the market are specifically meant for dogs and should never be used on cats as the latter lack certain enzymes within their systems which fail to breakdown the harsh chemicals. Natural pet flea control treatments like essential oils can literally cause more physical harm to cats then good. Garlic too should be avoided whenever possible.

An overall effective flea removal regime will only be successful with extensive and regular cleaning, a sharp and heighten awareness of what natural cat and dog flea treatment solutions work best, complete with conventionally used methods of conscientious shampooing and combing to get rid of the fleas.

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What's The Best Cat Litter For Your Cat - Part 2

In Part 1 we covered the history of cat litter and some general points to consider when choosing a litter type. In Part 2 we will begin our coverage of litter types starting with clay cat litter.

Clay Cat Litter

Clay cat litter comes in both clumping and non-clumping varieties. Clumping litter is a relatively new litter type having been invented in the mid 80s. It is made from a specific type of clay and has a fine texture which forms little clumps or balls when it gets wet.

This clumping action makes it very easy to remove cat urine along with any solid waste with a slotted scoop. Since only part of the litter is removed you just need to add a little more after each scooping session to keep the box "topped off".

A big advantage with clumping litter is you don't have to clean the litter box as often as you do with the non-clumping type. Figure on a thorough cleaning about once a month if you use clumping litter and only have one cat.

Non-clumping litter has a more sandy or granular texture and does not produce clumps that can be scooped when the litter gets wet. You can still scoop out solid waste but any cat urine is absorbed by the litter.

This can cause an odor build-up after a few days and because of this you need to clean the box and replace it with fresh litter at least once a week to keep urine odors in check. You can buy non-clumping either scented or unscented but most experts recommend not buying scented as some scents can irritate a cat's nose.

Supposedly there has been a lot of research done on finding an odor control that a cat does not find offensive but the bottom line is either your cat will like the litter scented or they will not. You just have to experiment with different brands to see what works best for your cat.

Dust is the main problem with clay cat litters and despite manufacturer's claims that their products are dust-free all clay contains silicon particles that have been shown to cause respiratory problems in both cats and humans. This dust gets tracked through your house as it clings to your cat's paws and fur and can end up everywhere.

A disadvantage with clumping cat litter is that not all brands can be flushed down the toilet as the litter can swell and clog your pipes. This means it has to go into the trash which could cause an odor problem for you. Note: Always read the label on a clumping litter to see if it is flushable before trying to flush it down the toilet.

When deciding which type of litter is more economical remember that non-clumping litter must be replaced at least once a week while the clumping variety only needs to be completely replaced once a month.

As you can see there are many factors to consider when choosing a clay based litter. You have to weigh things like convenience with costs and possibly health concerns. I myself would put the health of my cat and family before convenience but that's just me.

In part 3 we will take a look at other types of cat litter currently on the market.

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What Removes Cat Urine Odor? Thousands of Cat Owners Want to Know

Pet cats are wonderful. They're beautiful, intelligent and relatively easy to care for. But, they can present their owners with a special problem that begs for a solution -- finding what removes cat urine odor.

The most important part of eliminating cat urine stains and smells is in understanding why they choose to urinate outside of their litter box. If you can discover the cause of the problem, then you'll be able to work towards a solution of what removes cat urine smells.

Poor Location

Your cat might not like where his litter box is located. If it's placed in a busy, high--traffic area, they could decide to do their business elsewhere. Try moving it to another, less--busy area.

Dirty Conditions

Cats are relatively clean creatures and don't appreciate having to use a dirty litterbox that's filled to the brim with waste. Clean their litterbox often. And be sure to provide multiple litterboxes if you have multiple cats or a multi--story house.

Cat Health Issues

A health problem could be causing your cat to urinate in odd locations. If you observe your cat straining to pee, or there's blood in the urine -- take them to the veterinarian and get them checked out immediately.

Cats are Territorial

Your cat may feel threatened by another cat in the house or even one outside (on the other side of the window or door). An insecure cat may feel the need to spray objects with urine to mark their territory.

This behavior is more commonly seen in males than females. And having your cat spayed or neutered will help to curb this behavior, but it might not eliminate it completely.

If there are neighborhood cats on the loose outside your doors or windows, then you might want to invest in an outdoor cat deterrent. There are quite a few humane cat deterrents on the market.

Unfortunately, if it's caused by another one of your pet cats you might be forced to give up one of them -- or be prepared to clean up cat urine on a regular basis.

What Removes Cat Urine?

First you'll need to locate the cat urine stain -- which is pretty easy if you catch them in the act. But it can be a bit of challenge for older, dried spots. In this case you can use a black light to locate the urine stains. Black lights are widely available and relatively inexpensive.

Once you've located the stain, use a towel to soak up every drop of urine you can. Add water and use a blotting motion (do not rub the stain, as this spreads the stain over a larger area).

Your next step is to clean the stain using a product specially designed to deal with cat urine (Nature's Miracle is one of the most popular brands). These cat urine cleaning products are ammonia--free (ammonia based cleaners do no good), and contain special enzymes and bacteria designed to break down all the odor causing agents.

Now you can proceed with any other cleaning required -- such as shampooing the carpet or upholstery.

As you can see, what removes cat urine odor the best is prevention. Identify the reason your cat is not using his or her litterbox and fix the problem.

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Why Doesn't My Cat Use The Litter Box?

You've always heard that cats are clean animals, and your cat has always used the litter box. Then, to your horror, you discover a mess on your carpet, and worse, it keeps happening. What happened?

Your cat may have a disease such as feline lower urinary tract disease or other medical conditions. Take your cat to the vet as soon as you start having issues with the cat not using the litter box so that you can begin treatment immediately if there is a medical cause. If you notice your cat having difficulty urinating, get the cat to the vet right away as this can lead to death.

Another cause of the cat not using the litter box can be the location of the litter box. Cats prefer privacy, so a location in a noisy area such as a family room or a laundry room can cause the cat to seek another place for toileting. Make sure to have a litter box on each floor of your home, and if a litter box is in a room with a door that could accidentally be closed, have at least one litter box in another place in case the door gets shut.

Changing litter box products can also lead to cats not using the litter box. Your cat may not approve of the new brand of litter that you tried. Or, your cat may prefer to use a litter box without a liner or one with a liner if you haven't been using one.

The litter box can be an issue. Is your cat easily able to get into and out of the litter box? Many cats like the large, open litter boxes even though owners find the covered versions more attractive. A large male cat in a covered box may not leave him enough room to maneveur. Automatic litter boxes can scare cats when they switch on to sift the litter, causing the cat to avoid the litter box in the future.

Are you scooping daily? Some cats will protest an unclean litter box by refusing to use it. And, you need to completely change out the litter approximately every two weeks even if you use scooping litter as there will be an odor after weeks of use.

How many litter boxes do you have? You need to have at least one for each cat and one extra. Locate them in different places so your cat has more likelihood of having a box nearby when the urge strikes. Also, more boxes can help you out if you occasionally miss that daily scooping.

Stress and anxiety can also be a cause of cats not using the litter box. Bringing a new cat home or a new family member can be stressful for your cat. Your cat being locked inside the house while another is outside looking in the window can cause your cat to start spraying to mark his or her territory. Anti-anxiety drugs can sometimes be successful in alleviating the cat's stress and changing the cat's litter box behavior. Or, neutering male cats is highly successful in getting spraying behavior stopped.

There are many reasons for cats not using the litter box. With a little detective work, you should be able to find the cause and help your cat to use the litter box once again.

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Clever Dog Names

What's in a name?

You have made the big decision to get a new puppy or your adding another pet to your home, picking a clever dog name for you new family pet is the top priority. The name of your pet says just as much about you as it does your new dog, and "Sox" just will not do for your new puppy.

Naming Tips:

-Don't name your dog similar to a command you will be using. This will just confuse the dog and cause you frustration in training.

-Don't name it anything embarrassing that you won't want to say in public or tell your vet. A name might be funny for a few days but avoid the temptation.

-Don't feel like you have to name your new puppy the first day. Take some time and get to know your new puppy and see what names fits.

If you are stuck and can't think of names think about the size of your dog, its traits, you're favorite sports teams, its looks, the breed, or your hobbies.

Here is a list of top dog names. If you are looking for something more clever then common names this is a good list to avoid. There is nothing wrong with the common names either if they fit your new little puppy.

Top 20 Female Dog Names

Maggie Molly Lady Sadie Lucy Daisy Ginger Abby Sasha Sandy Dakota Katie Annie Chelsea Princess Missy Sophie Bo Coco Tasha

Top 20 Male Dog Names

Max Jake Buddy Bailey Sam Rocky Buster Casey Cody Duke Charlie Jack Harley Rusty Toby Murphy Shelby Sparky Barney Winston

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Rules Of Chihuahua Litter Box Training

A Chihuahua is a proud little dog that takes itself very seriously even when those around it do not take it seriously. It can also be a stubborn little dog and these reasons combine to make housebreaking a Chihuahua very difficult. Chihuahuas are also not very fond of the outside when it is windy, raining, or cold so they will refuse to do anything outside if the weather is ugly. This can make a Chihuahua owner's life a problem and that is why many Chihuahua owners turn to Chihuahua litter box training.

Not all housebreaking problems are behavioral, some are physical and before you get your Chihuahua started on a behavior that you might regret later you may want to check and see if there is a physical reason why they are relieving themselves in the house. Sometimes a physical condition can make holding it impossible and they just relieve wherever they stand. Make sure you rule out any physical problems with a vet visit first.

A Chihuahua can be a very stubborn and frustrating animal and before you go to Chihuahua litter box training you may want to make sure you have tried all the proper housebreaking techniques first. Take your dog outside after every feeding and after every time you notice it drinks water. Never feed your dog or allow it to have water before you crate it for the night, as it won't be able to hold everything in until morning. If your dog does its thing outside in the appropriate area then reward it and praise it profusely.

If you are convinced you have tried everything and it is time to use the litter box then place a litter box in the area the dog soils the most. Make sure it is nowhere near their food and water as a Chihuahua will not soil near its food and water. Take it to the litter box frequently during the day and praise it when it uses the litter box for what it was intended.

Be warned that once a Chihuahua realizes it can go to the bathroom in the litter box in the house you are probably stuck with a dog that will be doing its business inside and Chihuahua litter box training would then replace housebreaking. The Chihuahua will always take the easy way out and if it can relieve itself in the warmth and comfort of the home without getting in trouble then that is what it will do.

Avoid using litter for the litter box and instead fill it with shredded newspapers or other organic filler like that. Chihuahuas will sometimes eat litter if it is in a litter box and kitty litter will burn through their stomach and kill them. So use paper and be prepared to clean it several times a week. That is the joy of Chihuahua litter box training. You now have a completely indoor dog that may make you think you should have just gotten a cat in the first place.

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Funny Team Names

Coming up with a team name is all about being yourself. Think of something and put your own comedic twist on it. Be random. The Gold Fish Bowlers for a bowling league is a perfect example and that just came right of the top of my head. I was looking around the room, saw the goldfish bowl and wala. The next part is being creative. Do not do one that you have seen before because that mean someone else has seen it before as well. Like who has not seen some of those most common ones like the master batters. Besides that being common try to be clean. Your team name represents yourselves so do not do something dirty, but something that will represent yourself in the way you want it to.

Now here is a list to help you get some ideas. I know that you have seen some of these before. They may have caught your eye and made you glance back at that basketball team name and ask, are you serious. Yes, here is going to be a list of those funny basketball names that add excitement to the game we all love to play. But this isn't going to be just any list. The is going to be the biggest, largest, hugest, gigantic, massive, mammoth, colossal, titanic, vast, gargantuan, giant, very big list you might every see, or maybe not. I have to see it is a decent size, but what would make it that substantial sized list is if you would leave a comment of name you have heard over the years.

Unleash The Furry
The School Bus Drivers
The Four Skins
Technical Knockout.
Players of Talent Players out of Talent
Wonderful Excellent Enormous Dudes
The Intentional Foulers
The Technical Foulders...
Basket Brawlers
The Wet Wedgies
Super Heroes in Training.....
The Extrema
Already Lost
We Lose
Control Freaks
Foodoo Doctors
Wii Not Fit
Smoking Tress and Stroking 3's
Winged Beavers
Snapping Turtles
King Salmons
Wampus Cats
Wii Fat
The Three Basketeers
The Boston Three Party
The Three Amigos
Cunning Stunts
The Baseball Team
The Monkey Yummies
Lightning Zappers
Yahooligans
The Cereal Killers
Staying Yummy
The Fugitive Mangoes
Dazzling Stars
The Hot Dawgz
The Razzle Dazzle of Fantazzmanglers
Mighty Morphin Ginyu Force
Mischievous Polar Bears
The Flying Monkeys
Athletic Hippies
The Flying Apes
The Bankers
Flying Bacons
Crazy Catz
Lunch Ladies
You Lead And Afflalo

P.S. You are best of in tournaments trying to get a sponsor and using them as your team name. It is all about the money, isn't it.

P.S.S. It should not be about the money. Play just to play the game. Enjoy it because you do not know when your playing will come to an end for some reason you do not see coming.

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Rules Of Chihuahua Litter Box Training

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