cat litter: October 2011

Cat Tales

If you own a cat then you have Cat Tales of your own, guaranteed. This tale is from my youth and about my first Siamese Seal Point cat, his name was Singh.

Living in Florida in the 1960's was a simple lifestyle, we lived in a pool home with a screened enclosure. Singh was an indoor cat who had the joy of access to the pool area where he spent time watching the wildlife of the area stop by in their travels. This was the life for this cat, open airy space with birds to watch, sunshine, a warm pool deck to lay on. All was bliss until that fateful day.

A squirrel came to visit and ran up to the roof portion of the screen enclosure. This was not an unusual act for the squirrels of the neighborhood, however, this day Singh took exception to the act and decided to give chase. The cat went up the screen side panel as if it had stairs. When he continued onto the angled back roof panel he was hanging upside down. So far, so good. The squirrel panics and moves into retreat across the screened roof away from the approaching cat.

Enter my Dad, running from in the house he yells out "Singh, get down!!!". Singh is now over the deep end of the pool at its edge. The cat reacts to my Dad's insistence by letting go of the screen where he is hanging upside down attempts landing on the pool deck edge. Singh, in an error of judgment, misses the edge of the deck and lands in the water! In the grand fashion of all cartoon cats he rides to the drain on the slope of the pool as if he were skidding to a stop down a hill front legs extended compensating for the angle!

The priceless part was that once Singh was stopped on the drain, he looked left, then right, then up towards the surface. Meanwhile my Dad is emptying the pockets of his shorts, kicking off his shoes and preparing to rescue the cat! Singh now pushes off the drain, headed to the surface toward the opposite side of the pool from my Dad and this was the long way out of the pool. He broke the surface and swam like a pro for the edge of the pool. Singh then climbed out of the pool and made his way to the house and into my room completely avoiding my Dad as he went!

I learned that cats can swim quite well and do not seem to have a problem with being underwater! Just because they usually avoid water doesn't mean they cannot negotiate it! This has been just one of my Cat Tales, I hope you enjoyed it.

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How Often Should You Clean Your Cat's Litter Box?

How fun is it to clean the litter box? Unfortunately, if you own an indoor cat, it's a necessity to keep up with this chore otherwise, it will become an uncomfortable reminder that you do indeed own a cat and anyone that comes into your home will know it to. Cats make wonderful pets but you don't necessarily want the strong ammonia smell that stagnant urine brings to be clouding the air you breathe. Not only is it unpleasant but it can actually make you sick not to mention all the little rock formations that crowd your kitties sand box and leaves no room for more deposits. Some cats simply decide it's too dirty and go somewhere you don't want them to go.

Cat's are extremely clean and intelligent animals and somehow instinctively know what a litter box is and how to use it. When we first got our kitty, she was about 6 weeks old and the tiniest little thing. We went out and got her a small disposable box and larger hard plastic litter box. One to use while she was small and one to transition to as she grew. When we got home, we filled the disposable one with litter and decided to go ahead and put the rest of the litter in the big box and save it until later. Our little 6 week old kitty too a huge leap inside the big box, did her thing, covered it up, and jumped right out as if she's been doing it for years. We were all amazed just how intuitive she was.

So, how often should you "scoop" the litter box? Once a day, once a week, once a month? And, how often should you change the litter completely? I guess that all depends on how strong a smell you're willing to live with. Here's another consideration; when you don't clean the litter box on a regular basis, your cat is spreading feces and urine via his paws all over your house. Everything he touches with his feet; your bed, your couch, your chairs, everything is being contaminated by his paws. So, here's my advice, scoop your cats litter box daily, and change the litter completely weekly. This should ensure that the box and your kitties feet stay nice and clean.

There is one alternative that you could do if you really hate cleaning the litter box. Somebody invented a self-cleaning litter box that does the work for you so you don't have to. It's actually very ingenious and works with a sensor to detect when your cat has used his litter box. When the cat exists the litter box, the automatic self-cleaning mechanism kicks in and sweeps a rake-like device under and over the entire length of the box. When it gets to the end, it lifts up out of the litter and scoops the little rocks of urine and feces into a receptacle that you just pick up and dispose when it becomes full. Your cats box always stays clean and fresh instantly after using it.

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10 Reasons Why Your Cat Isn't Using Their Litter Box And What You Can Do About It

Sadly, one of the main reasons that cats are given away or abused is because they stop using their litter box. What's even sadder is that almost 100% of the time there is some underlying problem that is easily fixed if the owner would just take some time to understand why they are doing this.

Other than a physical problem which requires immediate attention from your Vet your cat is usually trying to send a message to you. Cats are smart animals and even though they can't talk they often use other means to communicate with you and not using the litter box is one such method.

10 reasons why your cat may not be using their litter box:

1) Your cat is ill and needs to see the Vet - There can be many medical reasons kitty isn't using the litter box and only a Vet can make the correct diagnosis and treat your cat appropriately. If your cat is sick it is critical to get them medical help immediately.

2) They have to share it with other cats - Experts agree that there should be one litter box per cat and some even recommend one extra box per household.

3) Lack of privacy - Cats need privacy just like humans when going to the bathroom. Maybe a litter box with a hood can solve the problem.

4) Using a different brand of cat litter - Your cat might need some adjustment time or simply does not like the new litter. An unscented clumping litter is usually the best type to use.

5) The litter box is hard to get into or out of - You cat might be getting older and having some trouble entering and exiting or the box could be too small for your cat.

6) The box has been moved recently - Once again your cat might need some time to adjust to the new location.

7) Litter box needs cleaning - This is very subjective as each cat has their own idea as to what constitutes a clean litter box. Some will want their box cleaned daily while other cats prefer every couple of days. A self cleaning litter box might be a good option if you can afford it.

8) Litter depth - Cat's get used to a certain depth of litter in their box with some liking a shallow layer of litter while others may prefer a deeper layer.

9) Food and water positioned near the box - Cats do not like their food and water next to their toilet.

10) Your cat is mad at you - If your cat is upset with you for some reason they will go to the bathroom in a place where you are guaranteed not to miss it. I have seen cats leave little presents in bathtubs and right inside the front door of an apartment.

Your cat not using their litter box is not the end of the world and with a little work you will have them back in the box in no time. Just remember, do not punish the cat as this will not do any good. Instead, show a little TLC towards your feline friend and they will love you for it.

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Cats - How to Easily Retrain Your Cat to Use the Litter Box Again

Contrary to what you might think, cats can be trained. Well...let me qualify that - only as much they're willing!

Cats want to use the litter box. But as you know, a whole lot of conditions have to be just right for your cat. It's easy to retrain kitty back to good cat litter box habits.

First off, give him or her a chance. If he or she was suffering from a Feline UTI, once the pain is gone, they'll forget they ever felt it. Once the pain medication has taken hold, and you've made positive diet changes, chances are good your cat will go back to using the box again on their own. Goodbye cat urine odor, cat litter box training is done!

If kitty had a urinary tract infection (UTI), he or she associates the pain of the infection with using his or her box.

But suppose your cat doesn't? You've run through the medication cycle, but they don't seem to "get it," and there's still a problem?

So, what do you do about cat litter box training? Well, kitty stays in one location to learn how to use the box again. Don't worry, it's not for long!

Pick a room that houses one of his or her boxes. Confine him or her to that room with food, water, the box, and some toys.

Keep your cat confined for a few days, and monitor their litter box use. They might "get it" quickly, and your problems will be over.

If your car uses their box while under monitoring and supervision, chances are good they're back in the groove. You'll need to continue confinement as long as your cat is confused about the litter box.

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Dwarf Cats - The Origin Of The Names Of The Breeds

The dwarf cat has some interesting breed names. Dwarf cats are unusual and popular. People are interested in them.What is equally unusual and fascinating are the names of the various dwarf breeds and, more particularly, how these interesting names came about.Here are the stories about how they were created.

The stories about the creation of the name come from the person who created the breed and invented the name. Fittingly, sometimes the name, just like the dwarf cat, is a hybrid itself.

Genetta: This is a dwarf cat created and named by Shannon Kiley of Pawstruk Cattery in 2006. Genettas are being registered as an experimental breed with The International cat Association (TICA).

Shannon came up with the name "Genetta" as the breed is "being modeled after the African Genet and part of the scientific name for a genet is 'genetta'. So I thought that would be very fitting and unique" (Shannon Kiley). The African Genet is catlike in appearance and habit but not a cat. It has a longish body and widely spaced black spots. It is a member of the family Viverridae, which includes mongooses.

To achieve the look Shannon developed the Genetta using breeds such as munchkins, bengals, savannahs, DSH, and Oriental Shorthairs.

Skookum: This dwarf cat breed was developed Roy Galusha through the intentional breeding of the Munchkin to the LaPerm. When I asked him how he arrived at the name for this dwarf cat breed he gave this full and interesting answer, which is reproduced here with his permission:

"I can tell you the answer on the Skookum, since we created the breed.

When the breed was first started (our first accidental cross), we (not just us, several people in our circle who knew about them), jokingly referred to them as LaMerms (taking the M from Munchkin and replacing the P in the LaPerm.) When we sought recognition as a breed, we wanted to find a good descriptor of the breed, and considered the name "Poco Chino" which means short and curly in Spanish. However, someone in UFO who knew Spanish pointed out that that also means "Little Chineese", so we scrapped that. After doing a lot of talking and brainstorming, we decided to give it a Native American name. My wife is part Cherokee, so we researched Cherokee names; however, the descriptor names did not have a good flow. We then decided to go with a local North West Native American name (since we were living in Washington State). We looked at quite a few names, and researched the meanings. A local Native American word that comes from the Chinook language and was part of the Chinook Trade Language was Skookum (pronounced Skoo Kum). The word Skookum means mighty, powerful or great. It is also used to signify good health or good spirits. If someone really likes something, they might refer to it as being really skookum ("Boy that apple pie is skookum") or if you really like a horse ("that is one skookum horse). So we figured that was the perfect name for the breed. Certain TICA officials used the name to object to it being accepted as a breed claiming that the word Skookum means scary monster such as a big foot. This is partially correct in the fact that the spelling Skookum is also used to describe Big Foot, the pronunciation is completely different. Below is the explanation from Tony Johnson, Cultural Committee Chair for the Chinook Tribe.

"As per our conversation this morning, the Chinuk Wawa language has two words differing only by their stress that have been popularly written as "skookum." We write these two words the same, except for their stress: "sku'kum" for something that is strong, tough, brave or impressive, and "skuku'm" for something scary or a "monster." Typically English speakers stress the first syllable of a word, and your spelling (which is typical historically) reflects that. The word "skookum" for your useis both not "demonic," and is in fact appropriate. Further discussion of the word "skuku'm seems unnecessary in that it is not the term you are using. As I noted, the word you are using also can be used in a context to mean something like English "healthy." In this case it basically means your (body is) "strong." I hope this helps you, and I can see where this confusion would come from. The confusion is entirely based on the problematic nature of people writing Native words and then other people reading them who have never heard actual pronunciation. In our language you could never confuse these two words or their associated meanings."

hayu masi (many thanks),Tony A. JohnsonCulture committee ChairChinook Indian Tribe / Chinook Nation

The person who I believe started all the flack in TICA about the name Skookum would know the difference as her husband is one of the leading experts on big foots nation wide, and I understand that he has written several books and manuscripts on Big Foot, to include a passage about the use of the word Skookum in Chinook language and how it pertains to Big Foot. They would know the correct pronunciation for Big Foot as used by the local natives and would know the differences in the meanings; however used that to side rail the registration process. The Skookum has also been referred to as the Shirley Temple cat, because it is short and curly. That was a marketing strategy when Cat Fancy first allowed us to advertise them. We came up with that slogan as the best descriptor of the cat. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

I can't add a thing to that! Great answer.

Napolean: This little dwarf cat was developed by the intentional mating of the Munchkin to the Persian or exotic shorthair, by Joe Smith. Napoleons are currently registered as Experimental with TICA but recognized as a breed with TDCA (The Dwarf Cat Association).

I confess that I have yet to get an answer to my enquiries about this name. However, a bit of rational and logical thought leads me to this conclusion. This cat is a dwarf cat which is short of stature. Napolean Bonaparte (the French general during the French Revolution) was short of stature by the standards of today (5 feet 6 inches). Also most of the napoleons that I have seen are white and Napoleaon Bonaparte rode a white horse (is there a connection there?). There probably is no connection there and the name simply originated from the short stocky compact profile of this dwarf cat which mirrored Napolean Bonaparte.

Kinkalow: The kinkalow dwarf cat results from the mating of an American Curl to a Munchkin. Terri Harris developed this breed and says this about the name:

"The Kinkalow name was decided on while I was at Kinkos getting some copies make. The Kinkalow has kinky ears and low legs, Kink+low = Kinkalow". Although Terri doesn't mention this there is a cat-like animal called a Kinkajou (a Honey Bear or Cat Monkey) and I wonder if this name influenced her decision.

Dwelf: This is simple! It is a mixture of dwarf cat and elf. Being a Cross between Muchkin, Sphynx and American Curl. This dwarf cat is short, hairless and ears that curl back at the tips.

Munchkin: In 1983 music teacher Sandra Hochenedel discovered two cats hiding under a vehicle. She rescued them; both had short, stubby legs. She called them Munchkins after the little people in The Wizard of Oz. This is the founding dwarf cat.

Bambino: Stephanie and Pat Osborne of the Holy Moly cattery organised this dwarf cat breed. As Pat is of Italian extraction and as the cat keeps its kitten like appearance and character throughout its life they named it "Bambino".

Lambkins: A straight dictionary definition, I think, provides the answer. Lambkins means "very young lamb". Lambkin cats are a new dwarf cat breed that comes from the cross of a Munchkin and Selkirk Rex to produce curly haired kittens, just like a little lamb.

Knook: A Knook is a type of immortal being or fairy in the work of L.Frank Baum. Knooks are the guardians over the animals. They had a crooked appearance. (source: Wikipedia). I confess I research on the name of this dwarf cat breed produced nothing.

However, if a knook is a fairy that gives the clue. A fairy is delicate and small. A knook is a Kinkalow with a LaPerm/Skookam-type curled coat and that means this cat is going to be pretty delicate and small....

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Easily Disposable Cat Litter

For those of us who are both cat lovers and Mother Earth lovers, the idea of easily disposable cat litter is very appealing; as long as easily disposable means that it won't end up in a landfill! Luckily, there are some excellent kitty litters out there that can be flushed or even composted because they are completely biodegradable - talk about easily disposable cat litter!

It's estimated that over 2 million tons of non-biodegradable clay litter ends up in landfills every year! Biodegradable litter is great in many ways - it's made without chemicals and is fragrance free, so it is not harmful to your cat(s) and because it's made from a renewable resource, it's great for the environment. Clay litter is not made from renewable resource, but comes from mined clay.

Many cat owners like the biodegradable litters because once the cat poop has been scooped out and flushed the litter itself can be composted (not for your vegetable garden, though). Many of these litters are clumping for scooping ease and some can be flushed. If you won't be flushing them, or composting them, because they are biodegradable, you can still dispose of them in the back forty and they will simply become part of the soil.

Cat lovers seem to like the following brands of easily disposal cat litter:
Swheat Scoop - A scoopable litter made from naturally processed wheat. It can be licked or digested without serious problems, and it's easy on paws. It is safe for septic systems, so it can be flushed. It is compostable.
Feline Pine - All natural, made from (you guessed it) pine shavings that have been compressed into little pellets. It is clumping for easy scooping, compostable and flushable.
CareFresh - this isn't really cat litter, it's animal bedding (small pets), but it's made from reclaimed wood pulp waste and contains no chemicals, etc. Very soft and good for when kitty has delicate toes after declawing. It's also good for pets with allergies.

All of the above are easily disposal cat litters that are healthy for your kitty and good for the environment as well. If you want to make sure that your cat is getting the healthiest litter for her and that you are getting easily disposable cat litter for your own convenience, you may want to give some of these a try.

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Names For Kittens and Cats - How to Brainstorm For a Unique Kitten Name

Finding great names for kittens or cats can seem overwhelming at first. You want something that's unique, different, and cute. And it has to be something you won't get tired of repeating every day for the next fifteen to twenty years! It has to fit your new kittens looks, personality, and your lifestyle.

The possibilities are endless. That's the great thing about naming an animal. There are no boundaries on your creativity. He doesn't have to fit in on the playground, and no one will make fun of his name if it's really off-the-wall. So go ahead, express yourself!

Right, so now what? Well one idea is to browse lists of popular cat names. But, that just might defeat your plan to be original. You want to be unique, so why choose the same name as everyone else? It is a good way to get started, though. It might give you some ideas.

The first thing to think about with each name is how it will sound. You are going to have to say it a lot, and you don't want to get tired of it. Also, you want your cat to hear it easily. That's why many cats have a name with a long vowel sound- they quickly pick up on their name if it has a long vowel, such as the "e" in Leo.

Names for kittens can reflect their appearance. If you have a black cat, how about Luna, Midnight, or Ninja? A white cat could be called Bianca. A tiger cat could be named, well, you know!

The next idea is to take brainstorming one step further. For example, let's say you have a gray kitten. Smokey is an obvious choice. Instead, think about all things gray. Gray weather makes me think about clouds, storms, how about Twister, or Nimbus (short for the cumulonimbus cloud type)? Or maybe your kitten is more silver? Platinum is a clever name. Silver leads to jewelry, how about Bling?

You might want to think about your kittens personality. Does he love to climb? Is she a total snuggle-bug? These traits can lead into a name! I once knew a kitten that was just crazy. His owner gave him a Native American name that reflected his wild nature.

Some of the best names for kittens are ones that reflect your unique character. Do you have a favorite author, sports hero, or even hobby? Take some time to think about it, and you may just come up with the perfect name!

If you are getting two kittens, you may opt to have their names match. Twin kitten names are fun and convey a special relationship between the kittens. On the other hand, many choose to name each kitten individually. It's totally your choice.

Want to get outlandish? I've personally known a Hosehead, Chainsaw, and Three. There really are no boundaries when it comes to unique kitten names!

Some of the greatest names for kittens are human names, precisely because they are human! Some of the best human name choices are so very human, that they are absolutely quirky and unique on a cat!

There is no rush. Get to know your kitten. Spend some time bonding and observing him, and in the meantime think about some of these categories:

Human Names
Mythology
Real Life Celebrities
Mythology
Literature
Weather
Your Hobbies and Personal Interests

Names for kittens can come from anywhere. These all provide great inspiration, and once you pick the perfect name, you'll know it!

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Silica Cat Litter - A Wise Or Unhealthy Choice?

Silica cat litter is one of the newest types of cat litter on the market. What makes it different is that it can absorb and "dry" many times its weight in liquid, and thus greatly reduce and even eliminate cat box odor. You simply put litter in the cat box to the depth of about one inch. As the cat uses the box, the liquid waste is absorbed and then "dried" so that no smell remains and the letter itself remains dry. Solid waste is basically "petrified" and is removed regularly by scooping it out and flushing or disposing of it.

The biggest advantage is that a single inch worth of litter can last up to two weeks or even a month for a single cat. As a result, many owners swear by this type of litter since it makes litter box maintenance so much easier. However, there are drawbacks and concerns, especially in regard to the health of your cat.

First of all, silica litter can be sharp and rough on your cat's feet when he or she uses the litter box. Although manufacturers have tried to address this concern by purportedly giving subsequent litters a "softer feel," the concern still remains. In addition, some fear that cats may ingest small particles of this silica (which is much like glass in terms of how it functions internally) when they clean themselves, and ingestion of silica can be very unhealthy.

Finally, a third concern is that it's not healthy for litter to remain unchanged for up to a month's time. Unlike clumping litter where all waste is removed in solid form, with silica, solid "petrified" waste is removed, but liquid waste including urine and the liquid from feces remains in the litter itself and is merely "dried.". This means that there may be bacterial or other health concerns present when your cat continues using litter that has been unchanged for so long.

An advantage to using silica litter is that it is, indeed, cost-effective for owners, since one roughly $10 box of litter can last up to two weeks to a month's time per cat. It's also generally less trouble to take care of, since solid waste can be removed only daily. Finally, the litter box itself only needs to be changed one to two times a month per cat.

However, despite this, it's no less expensive to use than a good clumping litter for the same time period per cat. In addition, with clumping litter, you can usually scoop just once or twice per day. Although you will not be able to flush solid waste with clumping litter as you do with silica litter, you can remove all waste (including liquid) from the box every day with clumping litter, where you cannot with silica litter.

Finally, the sharpness of litter on cats' feet is a concern for many owners. This is one reason many choose to avoid it. You can buy scooping letters mixed with silica to help with odor control, so that you can have the advantages of silica without all of the disadvantages. This type of litter is also much more comfortable for your pet.

Therefore, although it's up to you to decide whether you want to try it, silica cat litter is probably not a good option for many cats. The health concerns inherent in leaving litter unchanged for up to a month's time are great, as is the effect on cats' feet. It may be best to use a combination litter that uses a small amount of silica along with a good clumping litter to get the same odor-controlling results, but with much less potential risk to your cat's health.

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Why Does Catnip Make Cats Go Crazy?

'Catnip' or Nepeta cataria is a particular herb which belongs to the mint family, which was originally it was native to only Europe. It is famous for causing different levels of feline enjoyment! There are over 250 species of this herb, but "Common Catnip" is the variety that most felines enjoy!

Catnip will affect around 50% of cats, and their reaction may range from the weird to the bizarre, but will generally give them great enjoyment, and you a whole lot of laughs!

So What Will Catnip do to my Cat?!

Many cats will roll in catnip to their hearts content. Other will lick it, dribble in it and sniff it - amongst many others no doubt!

The effect will last in many cases around 10 minutes after which the catnip's effects will wear off. But these 10 minutes are great fun for the cat and the owner alike!

Their behaviour may be strange to you - they may appear drunk, noisy or wobbly whilst under the effects of catnip, but don't worry, catnip is harmless.

Some cats, however, are completely unaffected by catnip, and some may become aggressive. But these are rare cases.

Catnip toys are a great way of combining a regular toy with this funny herb, to add another level of enjoyment to your cat's playtime!

Catnip is also known by the following names: Cataria, Catmint, Catnep, Catrup, Cat's Heal All, Cat's-play, Cat's Wort, Catswort, Catwort, Chi Hsueh Tsao, Field Balm, Garden Nep, Herba Cataria, Herba Catti, Nebada, Nep.

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Radioactive Cat Litter

Cat box fillers made from absorbent clay account for approximately 95% of all cat litter. Although inexpensive, clay litter can be dusty and may encourage digging in the litter box releasing even more dust. What is so interesting or scary about these cat litter facts?

Read on for a surprising eye opening. Sodium bentonite expands when wet - it can absorb several times its dry weight in water. It is mostly used in drilling mud in the oil and gas well drilling industries. But bentonite, clay that's usually yellow or greenish-gray, is not just used by the energy industry. Traditional clay-based cat litter contains sodium bentonite as the clumping agent. Since clay typically contains elevated levels of naturally occurring radionuclides, large amounts of cat litter can be measurably radioactive. Most cat litters contain clay or sodium bentonite, as it is highly absorbent. The clay in cat litter gives off enough gamma rays (gamma -rays) to trigger a detector. Yes, the clay in cat litter does give off radiation in very small quantities.

That's not all to keep you up late at night worrying. Bentonite toxicosis can occur in cats from the ingestion of clay cat litter. "Suspected Bentonite Toxicosis in a Cat from Ingestion of Clay Cat Litter" was originally published in the Journal of Veterinary and Human Toxicology Vol. 38, No. 6, October 1996 (Fred Oehme, DVM, editor). Products traditionally thought to be nontoxic can produce toxicosis. Bentonite toxicosis causes hypokalemia and macrocytic hypochromic anemia consistent with iron-deficiency anemia. The cat in this study became ill from the chronic ingestion of a bentonite-containing cat litter. The signs of that cat were remarkably similar to those reported in humans from the chronic ingestion of bentonite clays. If you scoop out your cat litter box at least once a day, breathing in the dust produced over several years, is that enough to cause bentonite toxicosis in you?

We should think twice about bringing any clay cat litter into our homes and exposing our cats and families to these health hazards. Natural cat litter is sanitized litter box filler which controls odor naturally. No clay, no radioactive materials or health hazards used in these litters. There are many natural cat litters on the market today made from a variety of materials such as pine, corn, newspaper and wheat. There is no need to worry or potentially suffer devastating health problems from clay cat litter. Switch to natural cat litter and protect the lives of all your family members, not just your cats.

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Cat Not Using Litter Box - Does Your Cat Not Using Litter Box?

A cat not using litter box is probably the main reason why cat owners give up. It's frustrating and annoying find your cat pee all around home. Fortunately many people have been in your shoes before, so there are lots of answers for this problem.

These are the four main reasons for a cat not using his box.

- Urinary Tract Infection.

Do you noticed any change in your cat behavior? If so, you may handle with an urinary tract infection and this is the reason why your cat not using litter box.

Immediately take your cat to the vet and make sure that's not a healthy issue. Vet are trained to treat urinary tract infection.

- The box is in a loud or high traffic area.

Is your cat toilet in a loud and high traffic area? If your answer is yes, this is the reason why your cat not using litter box. Moving the box form the loud and traffic room to a more quiet and silent room, you can easily solve the problem. Cats need privacy to do their business.

It can happen that your cat was scared by a loud washing-machine and she may associate the fear with the litterbox itself (and not with the room) and start avoiding it. Since cats leave a fear scent when they get scared, this scent can be the reason why your cat not using the litter box.

To solve this problem, thoroughly clean the bathroom box with mild soap and water. You can also use some ammonia type cleaners (you should have it in your home), so your cat will be more attract to use it. This way, you also avoid your cat not using the litter box.

- The box cause pain.

This can happen very often when your cat needs to recover from a surgery. Your cat may associate the pain with the litter box - and avoid it in order to prevent further pain. This happens most often with cats that have been recently declawed because the recovery is so long and painful. Rarely, it may happen with a cat that has been spayed - but cats typically recover from being spayed/neutered very quickly.

Once your cat associate the pain with the litter box there is almost nothing to do. You should buy a new litterbox.

But, if you know ahead of time your cat is going to have a surgery, get a new box just for use during the recovery period. To save money you can also use a large Tupperware storage container.

- Litterbox smells.

Cats are very clean creatures and they don't want to use a dirty litter box that hasn't been cleaned for 3 weeks any more than you would want to use a toilet that hasn't been flushed in 3 weeks - especially since they have to stand in their litter box.

Make sure you scoop out clumps daily and do a complete dump once a week. (Or every 2 weeks for clumping litter). By doing this you'll stop your cat not using the litter box.

If the litterbox still smell, maybe you cleaned it with something that your spoiled kitty considers stinky.

Make sure you don't use any strong chemicals like bleach or comet to clean you cat box. Plain water, or water with diluted dish soap will work fine. Definitely avoid using anything with a citrus smell, because most cats despise the smell of citrus.

Another reason not to use harsh chemicals is because cats like to be able to smell their familiar scent in the box. The scent reminds them it's safe, comfortable place to do their business.

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Automatic Litter Boxes - 2 Awesome Styles of Electric Cat Litter Boxes

Wouldn't it be nice to not have to use that wretched cat litter scoop anymore? Well these days you don't have to with the invention of automatic litter boxes. These cat litter boxes are awesome they take all of the chore out of cleaning up after your cat. There are many different types and styles of these boxes on the market today and they all vary in pricing. Let it be known now though that these boxes are not cheap, but when you are talking about never having to use a kitty litter scoop again, I believe they are worth every penny. I am going to list a couple different styles below that should give you a little bit of clarity about what is out there.

Rake Style Electric Cat Litter Box

One of the really innovative styles on the market today is the rake style. These boxes have sensors in them that detect when the cat enters and leaves. After a predetermined amount of time (commonly ten minutes) the unit will send its rake across the litter which effectively clears the box of the waste. It is scraped into a removable receptacle that is easily disposed of or emptied.

Turning Automatic Litter Box

There is another type of automated box on the market the cleans by spinning very slowly. Some of these units are totally enclosed and might not be great if your cat has issues with being in enclosed areas. Others though aren't. I am particularly impressed with the mode of operation for a particular model that spins very slowly and move the wast up a little conveyor belt into a waste receptacle, effectively keeping the litter always fresh and clean. The enclosed container also keeps the odors down.

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Letters of the Alphabet in Brand Names

Fewer than 1% of words in English begin with the letter K, but it is a very popular letter for brand and company names. Words are often deliberately misspelled to include a K rather than a C or Q - Krispy Kreme, Kwik Fit, Kraft.

Brand names containing K stand out. The letter itself is very strong and distinct; it cannot easily be confused with another letter of the alphabet, as G and C, or O and Q can. When it comes to saying the name out loud, K has another advantage. Unless it is silent in words such as knife or knit, K is always pronounced the same way, so consumers never have a dilemma with the pronunciation of a brand name they have not seen before. The same can't be said about other letters of the alphabet - C, for instance - which can be pronounced in several different ways; think of cat, cinema, ocean, accept, capuccino and czar.

Q and Z

Q and Z are even rarer in ordinary English words. Manufacturers of hi-tech and computing products like to include these letters in brand names as they suggest that the company is innovative and different from the crowd. Think of the names Compaq, Zune, ZVUE and QinetiQ.

Z is a letter with positive connotations; it sounds lively and energetic - as in the words buzzing and pizzazz. It is often used instead of S in names designed to appeal to young people such as Bratz Dolls. That is why pop groups like the letter - Gorillaz, Boyz II Men and Limp Bizkit.

The letter X has similar appeal. It's seen as slightly daring and risqué, as in an X-rated film. It is a versatile letter in brand names as it can replace the syllable ex as in Xtreme, or cs or ks as in Topix and Spanx, which is useful where the words Extreme, Topics and Spanks have already been trademarked.

Masculine letters

X and Z are seen as masculine letters because of their straight lines and sharp angles. That's why they appear so often in the names of fast cars, razor blades and various gizmos designed to appeal to men: X-Type (a car manufactured by the UK company Jaguar), Xbox.

Feminine letters

The curvy C and S, on the other hand, are perceived as feminine letters, which is why they are often used in lingerie and perfume brand names and in other products marketed to women: Chanel, Sensuelle, Silhouette, Gossard and Coco de Mer.

Consonants

Consonants are classified either as obstruents or sonorants. Obstruents are sounds formed by obstructing the air flow in the mouth, so that pressure builds up and the air is released all at once. B, P, D, T, K, C (when pronounced like a K) and G (when pronounced as in golf) are obstruents. These sounds are more easily remembered and are often used by companies which want to emphasize speed or oomph - think of BlackBerry, PayPal, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The name Tic Tac evokes the zingy taste of mint; it would be a completely unsuitable name for a perfume or a bedtime drink.

Sonorants are smooth-flowing sounds which continue for as long as you have breath. S, L, M, N and Z are sonorants. These sounds often appear in names of products which want to emphasize softness or smoothness. Think of Mercedes, Lenor (a brand of fabric softener sold in the UK) and La Senza (a lingerie chain).

Vowels

Vowels (A, E, I, O and U) can be pronounced in lots of different ways and for that reason consumers feel less strongly about them than consonants, thus they are not associated with particular qualities. Just one point, however - short vowel sounds (ie the vowel sound in cat as opposed to cart, or bit as opposed to beat) are associated with haste and speed. The handheld device BlackBerry has two short vowels. Someone originally suggested the name Strawberry for the product, but the long a sound, combined with the smooth-sounding S evokes a completely different image from the word BlackBerry, which evinces immediacy and practicality.

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Giving Cats Medicine Made Easy

My two cats, Violet and Sakkara, are a lesson in contrasts when it comes to taking medication. With Sakkara, a buff colored tabby, all I have to do is offer her a pill and her mouth opens like a baby bird whose parent has just returned to the nest. Violet, my highly opinionated Siamese, cautiously sniffed everything and rejected pills immediately as inedible and possibly poisonous. She also doesn't want me to open her mouth for any reason. Even attempts to admire her teeth are rejected out of paw.

So Violet and I needed a system of giving medicine that would work 100% of the time for her and for me. I had to learn how to give the medicine in a way that made taking it easy for Violet. Violet had to learn to allow me to open her mouth, swallow the medicine, and still be relaxed and in my lap. She also had to teach me what was comfortable for her and to let me know what wasn't working.

Violet is very good at spitting out pills. She is also small, muscular, and strong, and can wriggle around easily in my arms. She is very quick, and there is no way I can chase her and catch her, and even if I could, both of us would end up exhausted, exasperated, and emotionally revved. It was a challenge to find a way to give her medication that wouldn't be traumatic for either of us.

Part of the solution was to use Bach's Rescue Remedy, the well known flower essence formula that reduces stress and trauma. I also decided to desensitize Violet to the process of taking medications. I soon discovered that we needed to develop a rhythm so that all the pills and liquids would be consumed while both of us were still calm and speaking to each other politely.

Anitra Frazier, in her book, "The New Natural Cat," gives some excellent descriptions for medicating cats. This proved to be a good starting place as I began learning to give meds. Today, I can hold either cat in my lap without a towel wrapped around her and give any needed medicine. Here are some basic principles that work for us.

Patience is essential. Decide that you will be patient with yourself and your cat. Leave plenty of time so you don't feel rushed.

Decide that you and your cat are going to LEARN together. Tell your cat why you are giving the medicine and ask for your cat's cooperation. Tell your cat you are learning how to do this and ask your cat to help you learn. Animals can understand you when you say their name and speak clearly, lovingly, and fill in details using mental pictures.

Before you begin giving medication, be lavish with your use of Rescue Remedy. You can't overdose with a flower essence. Take plenty of it yourself. Put it on your cat's lips and nose pad, or even on his paw pads. Do this several times until you both feel the calming effect. It also helps to take some deep relaxing breaths and to open your heart center.

Success depends upon how you define it. I define "success" as a peaceful training session that ends peacefully. While getting medicine into your cat might seem like the highest priority, in the beginning, your highest priority is for you and your cat to have a positive experience. When you succeed in creating a positive experience, subsequent medication sessions will become easier and easier.

Prepare in advance by setting out everything you will use prior to picking up your cat.

When you go to get your cat to begin the session, think about something else - anything else. Cats are telepathic and know what we are thinking. They can move quickly and disappear when they know you have medicine on your mind.

Never chase your cat to catch him to give medicine. You are intelligent enough to come up with ways to make chasing unnecessary. Plan ahead. Trickery is best avoided since cats learn fast and the same trick may not work more than once.

Be firm and gentle with your cat when giving medicine. Do not handle her roughly, but do hold her so that getting away is not a possibility. If your cat gets away, do not chase, but instead try again at a later time.

After giving the medicine, be sure to praise and thank your cat for cooperating. Most sick animals know you are trying to help them and really do try to get the medicine down especially when you've explained why they need it.

When you are finished, do not allow your cat to jump out of your arms. Cats will interpret this as a successful escape, and it is important that they believe that escape is not an option. Instead, gently put your cat down.

As I was writing this article, Violet told me she has some additional comments to share. Since the feline perspective is important here, I suggest you take her advice seriously:

"Pills that are slippery go down more easily. Pills rolled in butter that has been softened to room temperature slip down just fine and taste good, too!

"Cats cannot swallow pills when their mouths are held shut and/or their heads are tilted back.

"Cats cannot swallow and breathe at the same time. We feel like we are choking if you give us too much liquid too quickly or too many pills in a row, and we panic. Please give us time to breathe between swallows and to lick our lips.

"Take frequent breaks. This gives us time to breathe and you can stroke and pet us, which is relaxing. Remember, finding your cat's natural rhythm for swallowing and breathing is important to keeping him calm.

"When you take a break, check to make sure you are still relaxed and not holding your own breath. Make sure your heart center is still open.

"If a pill or liquid has a bad taste, Nedda gives me a few drops of plain water with a clean dropper after I swallow it. This helps wash away the bad taste and I really appreciate it."

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How to Teach Your Cat How to Sit

Although teaching cat tricks such as sitting, staying and heeling is normally not very often accomplished. Cats can be trained in much the same way as dogs. Cats are intelligent creatures with minds of their own which is why they have become renowned for not being taught cat tricks but with a few cat training tips and a little bit of patience, you will soon find that there is nothing that you cannot teach your cat to do.

If you are looking to teach your cat to sit then a few cat training tips will come in rather useful. First of all you need to have a fair bit of patience and plenty of cat treats but aside from this, it should only take you around ten minutes to teach your cat tricks such as this.

Repetition is essential for training a cat and it is better to train them when they are at kitten age as it will take considerably longer for an adult cat to pick up cat tricks like the sit trick. You should make sure that you have plenty of treats to bribe your cat and also to reward it when it has followed your commands.

Ideally your cat should be on an elevated surface with its back to one wall. Move the treat to just above the cats head in a straight line from the nose to the middle of both ears and then wait for your cat to sit and accept the treat. Praise is essential as you need to let the cat know that they have followed your command and that you are happy about it and one of the most useful cat training tips for cat tricks such as this is to buy a clicker that is the same for when you are training a dog.

When holding the treat above the cats head, you should try to say the name of the cat as well as saying "Sit" in a voice that is friendly yet stern. Do not reward your cat if he or she does not sit but make sure that you do treat them when they have completed the expected action.

Once you have done this a few times, your cat will soon have learned that the sit command from you is rewarded with a treat when he or she sits down and you will have successfully mastered one of the cat tricks!

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ScoopFree Tray - Buy the Best One

If you are interested in purchasing the ScoopFree Tray, there are some very important facts to know beforehand. Users report a specific type of litter tray does not work and another type of tray makes the ScoopFree Litter box system a real winner. Read on to learn more.

ScoopFree Tray: The Flavors

The tray comes in three varieties:

(1) a replacement version;
(2) a competitors version of the replacement model; and,
(3) an independendent manufacter's "forever" model.

ScoopFree Tray: Replacement Refills

While customers report great satisfaction with the ScoopFree Litter Box, their attitude towards the replaceable tray is mixed. The biggest complaint is the cost of having to replace these trays every seven to thirty days, depending on usage.

ScoopMaid Tray: The Competitor's Version

LitterMaid has begun selling the ScoopMaid Tray. This is a direct competitor to the ScoopFree Tray. Perhaps they want to capitalize on the popularity of ScoopFree by selling their trays? Since the trays do not work very well according to reviews of the product, they might be trying to sabotage their primary competitor's popularity.

Whatever the reason, customers do not give this product very good feedback. The primary problem is that it does not absorb liquid very well, allowing the tray to get soggy, creating a big mess. I would recommend staying away from this tray as it does not do a good job and is just as expensive as buying the ScoopFree Tray.

Forever Litter Tray (Permanent version of the ScoopFree Tray)

This product has been very well received by the user community. The main benefit is that it will save you money from having to buy the replacement ScoopFree Tray. If you are going to buy the ScoopFree litter box, do buy this tray to go with it. The most satisfied users have done this.

Conclusion

Silica litter crystals have many benefits. They do not track the house as much as clay litter. They control odor better. Because they are light and do not clump, they do not clog the litter box rakes, allowing the ScoopFree litter box a very reliable performance reputation.

The best version of the three trays available is the Forever Litter Tray. If you are considering buying or have the ScoopFree Litter box, then buy this tray to enjoy a superior experience.

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Cat Mites

Mites are small parasites that burrow into a cat's skin. There they lay eggs and feed and the cycle continues. Mites are extremely contagious and can be easily passed from cat to cat. Because these parasites are under the skin, they can cause your cat to scratch at the skin until it is almost raw and bloody. If left untreated this can become infected. Any irritation such as mites is going to be very uncomfortable for your cat and make her unwell. They can be hard to diagnose and are sometimes thought to be an allergic dermatitis.

There are three main types of mites - ear mite, mange mite and cheyletiella mite.

Ear Mites

These are the most common infection of a cat's outer ear. They are noticeable as tiny brown waxy flecks in your cat's ear. Often the first sign of an ear mite infestation in your cat will be continual shaking of the head and scratching at the ears. This type of behavior always needs checking to find the problem. Ear mites can lead to secondary infection due to excess scratching. The mites live off dead skin and blood. If you suspect your cat has ear mites, take it to the vet as soon as possible so he treat it.

Mange Mites

Of the two main mange mites, the sarcoptic mite is much more serious than the demodex mite. Both are extremely contagious from animal to animal so it is extremely important to keep your cat away from an infected cat.

The demodex mite is usually present on the skin and doesn't normally become a problem unless the cat is unwell from infection, stress, old age or has some underlying condition such as feline diabetes. If the cat immune system is compromised in any way, the demodecit mite can cause a skin irritation which then causes itching, scratching and even red and raw sores. Dedmodecit mites are usually passed to kittens from their mother. Sarcoptic mites are passed from cat to cat and need to be treated by a vet. He will prescribe either an oral or injected medication. These mites actually burrow under the skin which causes an intense irritation which leads to scratching. This scratching often causes hair loss and possible infection. Sarcoptic mites are easily misdiagnosed as an allergic dermatitis as this is exactly what it looks like. This can then lead to incorrect treatment with a cortisone based cream which reduces the itch. Unfortunately cortisone allows the sarcoptic mites to reproduce at a faster rate while decreasing the cat's capacity to defend itself against the mites.

Cheyletiella Mites

Cheyletiella mites are sometimes known as 'walking dandruff' as they appear as small white flecks of dandruff on the cat's skin and throughout the fur. These mites do not burrow but live in the top layer of the skin. They move about rapidly on the host cat and you may notice your cat scratching and grooming more than is normal. Occasionally they attach to the skin and suck fluids from it. Your cat can develop some scaling and a slightly oily coat with cheyletiella mites. If you notice what looks like dandruff on your cat, contact your vet as he will prescribe a topical medication. The life cycle of cheyletiella mites is 21 days. Sarcoptic and cheyletiella mites are contagious to people so don't delay in contacting your vet for a correct diagnosis and treatment.

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Four Tips for Reducing Cat Stress and Anxiety

Do you know kitties experience emotional stress, the same as people can? Too much emotional stress can be a hassle for the cat in several ways. Symptoms of stress and anxiety in cats can include being over-excited or over-tired, pulling out hair, changes in eating patterns, peeing or defecating out of the litter box, loud meowing, and others.

The good thing is you can do a number of simple things to reduce the stress your cat endures. That will help to make both of you feel much better. Here are several tricks for eliminating stress in your cats.

Tip 1: Take good care of the basics

The easiest thing that you can do to reduce your cat's stress would be to make sure the essentials are taken care of. It may seem easy, but making sure the cat has sufficient water and food plus a fresh litter box will go a good way.

There are many feeding tactics you may use, and you might need to experiment to find out what works well with your cat. If your cat eats daily, consider splitting the meal to a morning and a dinner meal. Or, you might try feeding daily, but change to the evening hours instead of the morning hours (or vice versa). For a lot of kitties, a night time feeding may help calm them before you head to sleep, so this can have an additional advantage to you too. One particular technique to stay away from would be to constantly feed your cats - leaving a bowl out all day is not good for your cats because they will frequently eat way too much and become obese.

The litter box location and litter choice is also something to think about. Usually, you will need a minimum of one litter box for each cat. In case you have more than one floor in your house, think about placing a cat litter box on each story, with no less than one per cat. Ensure that you choose a basic cat litter box free of gizmos like entrance doors or sweeping mechanisms that could scare your cat, and make sure that you scoop it daily. Additionally, consider using an all natural cat litter to help encourage your kitty to use the litter box, and help to keep her healthy as well.

Tip 2: Never forget play time

All cats - including mature kitties - enjoy a chance to play. Taking 15 minutes out of your day to amuse your cats will do wonders to help you decrease their stress. Playtime energizes your pet's brain and offers them exercise that they normally would not get.

There are numerous cat toys on the market to select from, and you really should have a wide variety. Laser pointing devices are a fantastic, affordable toy that almost all cats enjoy, although you need to be mindful not to point the beam at your pet's eyes. Many kitties love catnip products, in particular catnip stuffed mouse toys. Some indoor-only cats will even handle mouse toys just like a real mouse, delivering you a "gift"!

You may also create handmade cat toys from things in your home and found objects. Kitties really like old cardboard containers, so when you find a box your kitty might possibly fit in, provide it to her to have fun with. Tying a piece of string around a stick is yet another good idea. Should you be handy and have the supplies, you can create your cats a scratching post or kitty house too using some lumber and old carpet.

Tip 3: Be sure your kitty has company

Despite the fact that kitties can look like loners, a lot of them like company, particularly when that company is human company. Kitties whose owners aren't home often are often stressed out from simply being by themselves all day. If you only have one cat and are also gone frequently, consider getting a second cat (or even a puppy!) to help keep each other company. Clearly the kitties need to get along and that might take time for that to happen, but spending the time and effort to adopt your cat a feline buddy is definitely worth it.

In the event you travel for a living, you're probably accustomed to either leaving extra food and water out for your cats, or having them boarded should you be gone for a longer period. Alternatively, consider a cat sitter. Cat sitters are often inexpensive and always come to your house to give food to and spend playtime with your cats while you are gone. You don't need to concern yourself with driving the cats to the boarding facility, plus your kitties are usually much less anxious.

Tip 4: Consider using a pheromone diffuser

If you have tried the other ideas and your cats still continue to have stress and anxiety problems, consider a pheromone diffuser. Pheromone diffusers plug to a wall outlet and emit an all natural scent that relaxes your cats. You won't have the ability to detect the pheromone, but your kitties will really feel more comfortable. If you choose to try a diffuser, ensure that you read the instructions and buy enough diffusers to cover the locations that your cats devote most of their time. These devices really can make a difference for over-stressed kitties.

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Senility in Dogs and Cats

It is sad to see our beloved dogs and cats grow old. While physical changes in aging pets may be obvious, mental changes may be misunderstood. This article will help you understand your older dog or cat.

Some dogs as they reach old age may exhibit a number of behavioral changes linked to senility. This condition is now commonly called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. While this syndrome is recognized in dogs, it has not been scientifically established in cats.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction shows signs in four distinct ways. They are disorientation, interaction with people, activity level and sleep, and house-training. Any combination of symptoms may be apparent.

Disorientation can be seen as an animal that wanders aimlessly, gets stuck in corners, stands at the wrong side of a door or appears not to recognize people or familiar commands and words. Changes in interaction with people include seeking more or less attention than normal, not wanting to be petted, and not responding to his or her name. Activity level and sleep changes show in such behaviors as sleeping more during the day and less at night, barking for no reason, forgetting meal times, and wandering aimlessly.

House training changes are obvious - things as urinating in the house, not asking to go outside or forgetting why they are there when they do go out. This is not the same as incontinence, which is usually a physical problem.

Cats may show some of these same signs, though they are often more subtle. There are also a number of other reasons for behavior changes in both dogs and cats. No syndrome has yet been recognized in cats.

Chronic pain can cause be another cause of changes in behavior, in particular activities such as pacing or not sleeping at night. Cats may show a marked decrease in activity. Hyperthyroidism and other hormonal disorders in cats can also cause changes, especially those involving eating patterns or aggression. Medications can cause changes in behavior as well, as can many other diseases and medical conditions. Cats are also prone to small strokes, which can cause changes such as walking into walls, or appearing disorientated. A thorough medical exam with blood work will be necessary in order to determine if your pet has a cognitive disorder due to aging.

There is also a syndrome called societal dissociative disorder, which is similar to CDS and is caused by loss of senses such as hearing and sight. Loss of one sense can often be compensated for by using another. Animals will do this instinctively, but we can also use this knowledge in our interaction with them. For example, when training your dogs they can be taught hand signals as well as verbal commands. As long as they are reinforced throughout the dogs life, the hand signals will be in place should an older dog lose its hearing.

For a dog or cat that has lost some or all of its sight, you can help him cope by not moving furniture or making any major changes in his environment. If the animal has lost both hearing and sight, you may still be able to communicate with it by using vibrations, such as stomping on the floor near the pet.

You can also help your pet through these times by being aware of the causes of its behavior, and by not taking it personally or punishing the animal for inappropriate acts. You can offer extra attention and reassurance. Try to keep a consistent schedule, and to not make a lot of physical changes in the dog or cat's environment.

Medications are available to deal with some symptoms, but there are natural options you can use. The use of flower essences, aromatherapy, herbs and touch therapy can all be helpful in keeping your dog or cat free of anxiety.

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Can My Cat Get the Swine Flu?

Cats are vulnerable to certain viruses, but generally, they are not the same ones that afflict us. For example, the flu viruses come in different "strains," basically A, B, or C. And they affect different species in different ways.

Anyone who has watched the news recently may have noticed that public health authorities have given the Swine Flu a new name: H1N1. As for the strain that affects cats, it's called H5N1... a different form of it altogether.

Since the Swine Flu is considered more likely to be found in swine, and not cats or dogs, that's probably how it got its name. But more importantly, because it's transmissible to humans, it became a huge health issue for the first time in 1976. However, at that time, more people became ill or died from the vaccine rather than the disease, which is now remembered as the "swine flu fiasco." However, this time around, not even swine are infected. Only people.

The biggest lesson learned from the 1976 episode is that it's useful to prepare for an epidemic but without committing to it prematurely.

The same lesson should apply to how we manage ourselves in relation to our pets within the potential crisis. And that is, not to panic and begin treatments that do not apply and could be harmful in themselves, either to us or to our pets. However, it is extremely important to monitor everyone in the household and to exercise good hygiene.

Even if your cat becomes ill, and it turns out to be a cat version of the flu, or H5N1, there is absolutely no reason to believe you will be infected. For this virus, there is no evidence of a trans-species infectiousness in either direction. In other words, if you fall ill, you can't pass it on to the cat, either.

Public health officials have announced that cats and dogs seem to be safe and that there is no evidence anywhere that these pets can contract the infection.

For now, it appears that pigs are in more danger from us than the other way around.

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Is Your Cat a Finicky Eater?

Please refrain from becoming angry with your cat when he turns up his nose at the food you just went to a lot of trouble to put down for him. It's not his fault... and he's not really being finicky!

To understand this annoying and frustrating behavior, we must realize where cats came from, and what they've evolved into.

In the times before humans allowed animals into their lives and homes as pets, they were completely on their own, to survive in the ways that Nature provided, with instincts, aided by the chemical processes of their own physiologies. These things are beyond their own control to change.

Dogs, presumed to have evolved from wolves, needed to live in packs and always had to compete for any morsels, just to survive, no matter what it was or how it tasted. This may be why they don't seem very discriminating in their tastes.

Cats did not come from that background. They were typically more solitary and prey could be finished later, at the next meal. This could explain why cats don't "wolf" down their food and can easily walk away from their food bowls, knowing they can simply come back later to finish it.

But what about the "finicky" part? Cats will eat one food more readily than another. That's the part where their chemical makeup comes into play. For one thing, cats don't have the four basic taste groups that we have. They can taste salty, bitter and sour. But they have no ability to detect sweet.

So if your cat seems to like ice cream, for example, it's not because it's sweet, which is why we like it. Your cat likes it because of other factors, namely, the fat content, the fact that it's cold (interesting to some cats) and may have an unusual texture they also find interesting.

Since they needed to locate prey to eat, they were equipped with the abilities to hear small animal sounds, smell their scents, and detect the slightest movements out of the corner of an eye.

Thus, it may be said that cats do have a more discriminating taste than dogs, since they do have some preferences. It is up to us to help locate and provide the flavors they like. Concentrate on tastes such as fish or poultry, interesting textures, and strong aromas. Try mixing some canned or wet food in with or beside their dry food. Also, while some cats may enjoy the cold of ice cream, they mostly like their food to be slightly warmer than room temperature, you know, like the body temperature of prey.

If someone made a dry food that crackled when it got wet (you could call it Kitty Krispies!), you can be sure a cat would run over to inspect it immediately. If it smelled good, and it was warm or moved a tiny bit, they would eat it! You can't offer boring, tasteless food with a bad smell and then accuse the cat of being picky.

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Litter Training a Puppy - Litter, Not Just For Cats Anymore?

There are many reasons why one may want to go the route of litter training a puppy. Sometimes the traditional methods of paper training or crate training are not feasible, appropriate or preferred by the puppy's owner. Perhaps there is no yard, taking the pup for walks is not feasible, and let's face it, cleaning up pee and poop covered paper is not fun. Owners now have another option, litter train your puppy like you would a cat, well not exactly like a cat but you get the idea. Below I have outlined the basic process of litter training.

Before continuing ensure you have an adequately sized dog litter box, this is one that will accommodate your pup when full grown as well as proper dog litter, do not use cat litter for your dog. I have used various brands and will leave the decision of brand in your hands.

You new puppy has more than likely been started on paper training; this will greatly facilitate the litter training process. If your puppy has not been paper trained, hope is not lost, you just have an extra step. Once your pup is consistently using paper it is time to transition to the litter box. Once you have cleaned up the last soiled newspaper you want to place the litter box in the same spot that you had laid the paper previously, now place the paper in box. Once you have your puppy using the litter box with just paper in regularly you now place litter in the box and cover it with the paper, this helps get your puppy use to the feeling of the litter. Finally, once you have a pup that uses the paper covered litter consistently, you remove the paper and they now use the box as intended.

Litter training a puppy is a bit of a process but it will allow you to have a dog that can be trusted indoors at all times. As with the more traditional methods, training your puppy to use a litter will require patience, perseverance and understanding. As well, as stated in just about every article I write on training, never harm your puppy in any way, shape, or form, positive reinforcement is the key. As with other methods, if your pup has an accident clean it well and move on, if you didn't catch them in the act than you were remiss in your supervision duties.

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Why is My Cat Urinating in the House? - A Checklist of Answers

A cat urinating in your house can be frustrating for you, but could also mean that your kitty is stressed or has a serious health issue. In this article, you'll find a checklist for determining why your cat is urinating outside the litter box and what you can do about it.

Why Is My Cat Urinating in the House?

To answer this, ask yourself the following questions:

Has something changed recently that could have stressed out my cat? For instance, have you moved or rearranged the furniture? If you have moved, your cat may be marking territory that was marked by the previous owner's animals. If so, hire a professional carpet cleaner and pay extra for the application of a product that will eliminate pet odors. If you have rearranged the furniture, give your cat time to get used to the new arrangement.

When you see your cat urinating in house, what does its body position look like? When a cat is spraying, it points its rear toward an upright surface. This is how you can tell the difference between marking territory and urinating.

If have more than one cat or have recently brought home a new kitty, does each cat have it's own litter box? If not, they should. If you have brought home a new animal, your cat may be marking territory in a show of dominance over the new kitty.

Is there a new person living in your home? Your cat may be reacting to this person with a show of dominance. Cats are creatures of habit and are very sensitive to disruptions in their routine. If this is the problem, give your cat time to adjust.

Does your cat have a urinary tract infection? To find out, look for the following signs:
Pain during urination.

Cat urinating in house (rather than in the litter box). See above for the difference between spraying and urination. (The answer to the question why is my cat urinating in house may mean it's time to take your cat to the vet.) Cats urinate in the house because they associate painful urination with the litter box.

Bad-smelling urine.

Blood in the urine.

If your cat has a urinary tract infection, take her to the vet. Although your vet will probably prescribe antibiotics, keep in mind that they do have side effects. Instead of giving your pet antibiotics, you may want to consider natural remedies instead. They are just as effective as antibiotics, but have no side effects.

Best of all, natural remedies can be used for treatment and prevention. Used daily, a supplement will support bladder health by keeping the tissues healthy and infection-free. Taking the steps to prevent a common health issue in your cat is the best way to ensure your cat has a long and healthy life. it may also mean that you will never again have to answer the question: why is my cat urinating in house?

Before giving your cat a supplement, make sure to do your research.

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Cat Litter Box Furniture to Hide the Mess and Give Style to Your Home

Cat litter box furniture can be a great way to hide your kitty's toileting area. You can find pieces that offer various functions or are decorative in addition to housing the litter pan. Besides disguising the area, these pieces also give your pet some much-needed privacy when toileting. Several styles are discussed below.

One option is cat furniture that incorporates a hidden toileting spot. These pieces may include scratching posts, perches, sleeping cubbies and more. This can be a great way to give your feline exercise and fun as well as a 'bathroom.' Some models fit into a corner of a room to maximize your space.

Wooden cabinets are a popular style. These look like pieces of furniture, and you can find one to blend in with any room in your home. These cabinets can offer various features including room for a large pan, two pans, and storage space for supplies like scoops and bags. Particularly for someone with limited space, these can be a perfect way to give your feline his or her area without having your bathroom taken over. You can find some styles that are designed so you can place knickknacks on top to further blend in the piece with your decor.

Another possibility are litterbox covers. These have various designs such as a kitty house or carpeted perch with a scratching post and are just placed over the pan. These cleverly hide the area and help to prevent waste from being kicked onto your floor.

You will also find benches which have a door for your pet to access the box, and a lift-off cover for cleaning access. Kitty can use the top as a perch, or you can use the top for temporary storage which would work well in a mudroom area.

Cat litter box furniture is an excellent way to hide unsightly messes and odors. Choose the perfect one for your home from the many available styles. Your kitty will thank you!

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Which Cat Litter Is Best For You?

Although cats have been kept domestically as pets since the early Egyptians, it wasn't until the late 1940s that commercial cat litter came to be. Prior to that people either let their cats outside to do their business or used cardboard box full with stand in the home.

This was less than ideal and, in fact, the first commercial cat litter was "discovered" mostly by accident when a cat owner sought out the help of her neighbor after the sand she used for her cat litter box was frozen solid. This neighbor made a product that consisted of clay and gave her little clay pellets to use as litter. The pellets proved to be so absorbent this was an immediate success and soon everyone wanted to use these little clay pellets which soon became sold under the name "Kitty Litter".

Since than there have been hundreds of brands and types of litter manufactured and sold on the market. But how do you know which type is right for you?

The answer that might have a little bit to do with your cat is some cats can do not like different types of litter. Needless to say, if your cat isn't comfortable going in the box you can probably find someplace else to go and you may not like it. Although most cats take to most types of litter you may find you need to experiment a little bit if you cat doesn't seem to like his litter box.

Here are some of the materials you might consider for your cat litter:

Clay

The original Kitty Litter was made from clay and this brand is still available today and very popular. It is made from sodium bentonite which is a type of clay that is very absorbent. When the cat would use the litter box, his waist with clump up making it easy to change out. Most cat litter has claimed today in fact this is what makes the clumpable cat litters so easy to use.

Clay litters, however to have some problems they can clump onto your cat's paws and fur and can be destiny. Some of the newer brands claim to be less dusty but these contain silicon particles which are a known carcinogen. You might want to think twice before buying any cat litter with this in it, but a lot of them do use it so you have to read labels carefully.

Silica Gel

This is a fairly new material for cat litter and is made from silica dioxide sand, oxygen and water. It is said to absorb up to 40 times its weight and does not track so you won't have to worry about it getting all over your house. Manufactures claim this is non toxic, and although it can be expensive and might save you in the long run since holds the moisture inside the silica gel balls, the same cat litter can be used for months without changing up the box so you save on material and maintenance.

Newspaper

You can buy some litters made from recycled newspapers that are crunched up into pellet form. This cat litter is dust free, non-tracking and is biodegradable so you can flush it.

Wheat And Plant Based

These are the most natural kinds of litters and while you might think that these don't work as good as the other letters I used a wheat based cat litter and I can assure you it works just as good in his last dusty and smelly as the clay litters. They can be a little bit more expensive car very good at controlling odor and can be flushed. My cat seems to like it too!

Other natural types of cat litter include those made from corn kernel, ground corncobs, beet pulp, and wheat grass.

Sawdust

Some cat litters used pine or cedar sawdust which is dried and compressed into pellets. These naturally neutralize the odor from the ammonia in the past year and enter pretty absorbant as well. These plants have natural bacterial and insecticidal properties and the natural smell the plant. If you have allergies or asthma, you may want to be careful with these as I know personally the pine smell can set off my asthma.

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Wild Cats of Africa - The Serval

Serval Serval Leptailurus

Did you know there are ten wild cat species in Africa? Besides the three well known big cats: the lion, leopard and cheetah; there are seven smaller species of wild cats. These are the caracal, serval, African wildcat, black footed cat, sand cat, jungle cat and golden cat.

Serval occur only on the African continent, inhabiting the wetter areas and are absent from the deserts in the north and south west. The name 'Serval' is derived from a Portuguese word meaning "deer-like wolf" (cervus = deer). In Africa it is commonly referred to as a bush cat, and in Afrikaans (South Africa) it is known as a 'tierboskat' which means tiger bush cat.

Serval are similar in size to the Caracal species however are more slender and longer. Serval have a combination spots and stripes on their coats, and they have very large rounded ears for picking up the sounds of prey in long grasses.

The Serval has a very characteristic pouncing technique when hunting rodents. It leaps high into the air and then lands on the prey with its forepaws, stunning the prey in the process.

The Serval was the symbol of the Italian Tomasi family, princes of the island of Lampedusa. Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, wrote the famous Italian novel Il Gattopardo. Despite being known as The Leopard in English, the Italian title actually refers to a Serval. One of the Serval's North African ranges is quite near to Lampedusa.

So, in summary, three unique characteristics of a Serval are:

Endemic to Africa
Large ears
Pouncing technique

The Serval is one of the wild cats that are often tamed and kept as exotic pets in the western world. They have also been interbred with the domestic cat to produce the Savannah cat.

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Tips to Help Stop Your Cat From Urinating in the House - How to Stop Urinary Accidents

Medical or Behavioral Issue?

The first thing we need to figure out is whether your cat is doing this because of a medical or a behavioural problem. Some cats can have struvite crystals in their urine or interstitial cystitis, or possibly even an infection, all of which can cause some irritation in the bladder and make them want to urinate in places that they normally would not. It is not always immediately obvious if there is a medical problem. I have had some cats that were about to be euthanized for spraying in the house until we found out that they had urinary tract problems.

You will need to have your veterinarian examine your cat and do some urine tests and they will be able to tell you if there is a problem. It is good to do this soon, especially if you have a male cat. If there is a problem and we wait too long then he can get a urinary tract blockage and this is very serious.

Behavioral cat urinary problems

However, if the tests come back fine then this is likely a behavioral issue. Usually if a cat urinates in the house and there is no medical cause then the source is some kind of stress or anxiety. It is often hard to tell what the source is. Some possibilities include:

Changes in the environment such as renovations
New houseguests
New pets in the house
The owners are under stress themselves
A new baby in the house (or coming soon)

Often though, the cause can not be found.

How to help stop behavioral problems causing inappropriate urination:

The first thing to do, if possible, is to restrict your cat from the areas where he or she is urinating. If the cat pees on the bed regularly, then close the bedroom door.

Litter Boxes

It is also a good idea to get a new cat box as sometimes odors can collect in a box we have used for years. If you have more than one cat then you should have a litter box for each cat, plus one extra. Do your best to clean these every day. If you have a covered litter box, get rid of the cover as many cats hate the odors that are in these boxes.

Medication

If all of this is done and your cat is still peeing in the house then you can talk to your vet about medicine to help reduce his or her anxiety level such as amitryptiline. This medicine is tolerated well by most cats. It is given either in a pill form or as a gel that is applied to the inside of the ear. While the gel is easier to give, it is sometimes unpredictable how much of the gel actually gets absorbed by your cat.

Many cats will be a little sedated when first starting this medication but usually after 3-4 days they have adjusted to it. This medication must be given daily. It is important to not stop giving it. If you think your cat no longer needs amitriptyline, speak to your vet about tapering him or her off of the medication.

You may also want to look into a product called Feliway. This comes in either a spray or a plug in electric diffuser. It diffuses a feline pheromone which has been proven to help reduce stress levels. Follow this link to read more about Feliway and the research that is behind it.

When your cat urinates in the house it is a frustrating problem! But, in most cases, this problem can be greatly reduced or even cured.

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