First Coast Pet

Archive for January, 2009

The population of cats is the United States alone is unbelievable.  Nearly all experts will tell you that you should spay your cat instead of breed it.  No matter what experts have to say, a lot of people want to have a litter of kittens from their cat.  Before you decide to breed your cat, there are a few things that you should think about.

The first thing you should know is that breeding cat takes time.  For the next two months after the litter is born, you’ll need to clean the area on a daily basis.  You’ll also need to watch over the kittens as well, and keep a close eye on how they are developing.  If you plan to breed a litter of cats, you won’t have time for much of anything else.

Breeding cats will consume a a substantial amount of space too.You should not try breeding a cat, if your apartment is small.You should also be sure that your family approves this idea, because it is not good for the kittens if you keep them locked up.  Keep in mind that kittens like to see things; they’ll end up going all over your home as well. 

Breeding cats also requires a degree of responsibility as well.  You should always have a plan of approach, including homes for the kittens to go that you aren’t planning to keep.  Keep in mind that things can change, someone who wanted a cat may change his mind once the litter is born.  In this event, you must decide whether or not you can keep a kitten that doesn’t have a home.

Breeding also requires some education as well.  You should be prepared for any problems along the way, as well as what takes place during birth.  From cutting umbilical cords to delivering early, you’ll need to be well prepared.  You should also have the proper supplies, and know how to handle things in the event of a c-section.  You’ll also need to know what to feed pregnant cats, as their diets are very important if you are breeding.

Breeding will also cost money as well, with kittens costing a lot more money than you may think.  The food isn’t the only thing that’s expensive, as the vet bills can also get expensive.  Even though you may go through the entire pregnancy without going to the vet, you’ll still need de-worming and vaccination medicines as well.

In short, there is a lot to think about where breeding is concerned. If you have your mind set on it and you want to breed, you should be sure that you have the proper knowledge and everything you need before hand.  You should always be ready to handle anything associated with breeding – and prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario.

No cat wants to be dirty, and it’s up to you to ensure that your cat stays clean.  Grooming is very important, as it helps your cat remain clean and healthy.  Grooming starts with brushing, as brushing helps to keep the cats hair from becoming hairballs.  Brushing will remove loose hair, and help prevent the risk of hairballs.  A lot of cats have trouble dislodging hairballs.  If the cat isn’t able to get a hairball out, it could result in a blockage of the intestines.  Blockages are very serious, and can quickly become life threatening for your pet.

Cats that have long hair need to be brushed and combed on a daily basis, while cats with short hair need to be groomed on a weekly basis.Whenever brushing is done to your cat, you should be watchful for lumps in the coat or any marks of irritation on the cat’s skin.Going from head towards the tail, is the best way to start brushing your cat’s back.  Do this a few times on one side, and then switch to the other.  Each area should be brushed a few times in the direction of the way your cat’s hair is growing.

When you brush your cat, you should always avoid brushing his face and paws.  If a cat doesn’t like to be brushed, you can still groom him using another tool.The grooming glove is an excellent alternative to the brush, as most cats don’t mind it at all.  Starting out young is the key to grooming, as it will get your cat used to brushing and grooming.  Some cats that have started grooming when they were kittens grow to love it, many of which often look forward to their grooming time.

When brushing your cat, make sure that you check his ears, eyes, teeth, and claws.  His eyes should be bright and clear with nothing residing in the corners.The ears of the cat should be clean, with no sign of ear mites and the color of the ears should be pink.Dirty ear of your cat can result in manifestation of ear mites, and can result in the ears shriveling up and your feline might increase it’s risk of developing ear mites.  Ear mites are very annoying for the cat, and hard for you as an owner to get rid of.  The best way to get rid of them – is to ensure that your cat’s ears stay clean and healthy.

Each time you groom your cat, you should always aim to go a bit further with your examinations.  When your cat remains still, you should always praise him and give him a treat.  If your cat doesn’t cooperate and starts to struggle, you shouldn’t fight with him, but instead let him go and try the next day.  Once your cat gets used to grooming he will look forward to it each and every day.

Cats are elegant and beautiful creatures, often impelling the on lookers to admire it’s mysterious beauty. And it’s always been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Therefore, why not put on cat make up and a cat costume for your next costume party?

Cat Make Up Kits

There are several cat make up kits on the market. Some emphasize the sexuality of a hot blooded female cat, others focus more on the goofiness of the kitten, still others are slightly forbidding, reminding us that the cat is only partially domesticated whatever we may think. Many cat make up kits will transform you into a feline who looks like an extra for a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. 

The kits vary greatly in price, but they all come with basic cat make up and instructions for applying it.

Cat costumes are also readily available both online and in costume stores. Once more you will come across a variety of accessories to pick up from including Hat, Comic looking cat and skimpy dresses that would give a Hollywood actress a run for her money.

But I Want to Do My Own Cat Make Up!

You can’t go too far wrong with a cat make up kit, but there’s always the chance that you’ll show up for your Halloween event looking just like someone else. In order to become unique, insist on doing your own make up.

You’ll need grease paint (color according to your preference), a white highlighter, eyeliner, mascara or false eyelashes, and lipstick and lip liner. If you’re really into creating the perfect costume, consider purchasing a latex nose, some spirit gum, and a bristly black paint brush to provide whiskers.

There are several online sites that can coach you on the basics of applying cat make up. Study them to get ideas. Then, take a paper sheet and draw a sketch of a model cat face. imagine what you would like to project. Is your inner cat warm and cuddly, or aloof and mysterious? Are you a kitten or a crone?

When you’re ready to start applying your cat make up, do so carefully. If you make a mistake with grease paint, it’s hard to wash off. You might want to enlist a friend to help you get your make up just right.

When you’re finally finished, it’s off to the party. Just remember to conduct yourself with the appropriate amount of feline pride. After all, just a few thousand years ago, your ancestors were worshipped as gods.

Pet adoption is taking responsibility over an animal that has been put up for adoption due to experience of abuse, violence, neglect and etc. with previous owners. Through pet adoption, animals get a chance in finding its appropriate, caring and home for ever for themselves. Aside from this humane chance we are giving to man’s best friend, there are also benefits from adopting animals.

The United States Humane Society estimates an whopping of 8 to 10 million dogs and cats are forced to take shelter each year. From these numbers, there is estimated 4 to 5 million of pets euthanized in shelters. Numbers of strays that die due to starvation are not included in this data. 

With these sad figures, pet adoption is a great way of saving a life of a homeless animal. Animal euthanasia is being done because there are too many people giving up their pets and too few people adopting from shelters. There is limited space in shelters, euthanasia is a very hard decision to make by staff members to make way for new animals pouring into their doors. 

Animals in shelter dying by euthanasia can be dramatically removed by adopting pets in shelters instead of buying them in pet stores. By adopting an animal from shelters, other animals can be saved and rescued else where and provided a home. 

Animal shelters, unlike what pet adoption myths say, have healthy animals. Shelters often get as much information from previous owners to determine what kind of vaccination has already been provided. Aside from medical care investigation, shelters also provide the necessary vaccination and many spay o neuter the animals before being adopted. 

Worrying about the temperament or behaviour of the animals is also not a big issue. The common misconception that because of the behaviour problems the animals are taken into shelters, however the truth is that personal reasons of owner themselves are a reason for returning pets to shelter homes. 

Everybody knows that having pets have actual benefits. According to Sciencedaily.com, there are a lot of researches proving the pet parents have lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and experience lifts in their depression. One study actually proved that with a little than 10 minutes, a pet can lower blood pressure significantly. 

Pet parents even have overall better physical health due to exercise with their pets.  Actually senior, citizens who own pets actually need less medical attention. Not only the people who are old and sick have benefits from pets.  Children exposed to pets during their first year of life have a lower frequency of asthma and allergies. 

Pet parents who have undergone surgery even have lower recovery time. There is even a study saying that heart attack patients with pets have longer life expectancy than those who do not. There is even a study saying that pets decrease heart attack mortality rates by 3 percent which is 30,0000 lives every year. Those who have AIDS/HIV witness reduction in the intensity of depression and are also able to reduce their stress levels through the presence of a pet. 

There are countless research proving that taking an animal into their homes is a great way to enhance their personal and family health. The love and care that pet parents provide to their pets in indeed reciprocated. Aside from humane and health benefits that pet adoption can give, it is also a great way of saving money.

For a price which is very much less compared to pet store pets, you will get an animal that will be able to provide you with loyalty and devotion.

A cat whisperers relate very well with the cats, even though a cat whisperers is very much like a horse or a dog whisperer.  These types of people are unusually lucky and very successfully with cats.  In most cases, a cat will be abandoned or just show up at someone’s door.  In this event, the cat will adopt this individual as the cat whisperer.

Often times, alley cats and black cats will show up at someone’s door and decide to move into their homes.  This can be a result of abandonment, or the cat’s family moving away and simply leaving the cat behind.  Sometimes, the cat may decide that he likes someone else’s home better and decide to move there instead of staying with his owner.

A lot of people will tell you that a cat whisperer can be thought of as a therapist for cats.Normally all cat whisperers have not gone through any training, it seems that what they know is by birth.  These types of people understand the way a cat thinks and knows how to work with the cat to achieve the results they want.Although many think that cat whisperer are a therapist, it really could not be related to the truth.

Cats who have been abused or mistreated, often times won’t respond to anyone but a cat whisperer.  Although others may have tried to help the cat, it will only make matters worse by making the cat feel scared and afraid.  In most cases, these cats will end up in a pound.  This is very tragic, as the cats have already endured more than they ever should have.  A majority of the cats who have been abused were once loved pets.  Along the way, they were abandoned, mistreated, attacked by dogs, and in some cases tortured.

Cats who have been treated unfairly often times won’t trust anyone. They are often times confused, in a lot of pain, and not sure what they should do.  Like humans, cats feel pain.Those who have been abused physically are a sad sight indeed.  Emotionally damaged cats may appear to be in perfect health on the outside, although their emotions are a wreck.  Emotionally abused cats are much harder to get through to, especially if they were stray cats to begin with.

On the other hand cat whisperers, are able to communicate with physically as well as emotionally ill-treated cats.  Cats know who they will choose to be their cat whisperer, which is normally an individual they sense trust with.  Cat whisperers are common with cats, although most people have never heard of them before.  Even though a cat whisperer may be able to communicate better with cats, it will still take time to heal a cat that has been abused.

As most pet owners already know, heartworm treatment for cats and dogs isn’t the same. You should never, under any condition, give your feline the heartworm treatment which is designed for dogs and the reverse is also true.Although you may have both cats and dogs as your pets, but you should always use the medicine which is made for that particular species.

No matter how you look at it, heartworm treatment isn’t easy.  Your goal is to get rid of the heartworms, although there are several factors that you’ll need to consider.First thing is take your cat to the vet, so that he will able to start the tests to examine just how many heartworms your pet has.  He can also find out how the worms are affecting your cat and if your cat can deal with any side effects that the treatment medicine may impose.

The worms will feast on the important areas of your feline’s heart, so heartworms are too serious condition to be ignored.  Treatment can be serious as well, especially if something goes wrong.  Veterinarians are trained to deal with heartworms though, in both cats and dogs.  Even though you may be able to buy treatment medicine at your local department store, you should always consult with your vet before you give anything to your pet.

Treating your cat for heartworms may indeed be no treatment at all, as cats are extremely difficult to treat.  The dying worms have side effects as well, often times causing more than 1/3 of the treated cats to end up with serious problems.  Dying worms can become lodged in the arteries of the heart, which are already inflamed due to the worms being there.  When a lodged worm starts to decompose, it can lead to very serious problems.  Pets that have a serious infestation with heartworms may need to spend some time at the hospital, to ensure that they are properly treated.

Some cats may not be able to take a certain type of heartworm treatment medicine.Considering on the affects and side affects of a particular medicine upon cats, few breeds may not capable of tolarating a particular medicine.  To determine the best treatment options for your cat, your vet will need to run several tests.  Once the tests have concluded, your vet will be able to tell you the best options available for treatment.

In all diseases, prevention is far better solution and safer than its treatment.  Be sure to talk to your vet and find out what heartworm prevention medication is the best to use.Your vet can recommend you the requirements, and appropriate use.  This way, you can prevent your pet from getting heartworms – and the serious side effects and life threatening issues that go along with them.

It can be terrible to give a feline a pill.  No cat wants something shoved down his throat, and he will fight you tooth and nail to prevent it. Although most cats are small in size, you’d be quite amazed with how much power they actually have.We will mention below, ways to give your cat his pills.

The easiest way to give a cat pill is to crush the power into a powdery form by putting it between two spoons.  Once the pill is powder, mix it in with some wet cat food.  Cats that are used to eating dry cat food will see the wet food and think of it as a treat.Generally they will eat it, because they don’t realize that it contains their medicine.

If the medicine happens to be in capsule form, all you have to do is pry the capsule apart then sprinkle the medicine on some wet food and serve it to your pet.  If the food also contains the pill or if your pet is sick, chances are he won’t eat it. In this event, you should look into a pet piller.  You can get these handy devices from your veterinarian.  They are plastic rods that hold the pill until you press a plunger.  When you get one, you should always get a long one with a softer tip.

When you have your gun, your vet should let you how it is used. The most difficult aspect of using the gun is getting your cat to open his mouth. The gun will more or less shoot the pill in the cat’s mouth, and down his throat.You will be required to hold him firmly, to be ensure that he does not twist and get loose from your hold.  Once you have his mouth open, you’ll need to squeeze the trigger and pull the gun away quickly. After the pill has been inserted, make sure you give your cat a treat.

If you aren’t comfortable using the gun, you can always try giving your cat his pills by hand.You need to hold your cat properly and open his mouth by the help of your hand in order to do it this way.Your aim should be throwing the pill down through his throat, once you succeed in opening the mouth of your pet cat.  Once it is in his mouth, you should close his mouth with your hand and hold it shut for a few moments. This way, your cat will swallow the pill if he hasn’t already. 

If you can’t get any of the above techniques to work, you can always go to a local pharmacy and get them to a make flavored gel or liquid using your cats medication.  You should use this as a last resort though, as it can tend to get expensive.

Cats are one of the most loved pets in the world, no question about it.  More than 50% of all households in the United States own dogs and cats.  Although cats are loved animals, cat allergies are one of the common forms of allergies.  Statistics in the past have shown that over 10 million people in the U.S. alone have allergic reactions to cats – especially their fur.

The biggest cause of cat allergies is dander.  The dander, is dust that is produced by the body of the cat.  Dander is basically shed skin that comes off of cats, normally in the form of small flakes.While dander is responsible for irritating your skin, possibly it can get into your immune system, as a result you can find variety of symptoms and almost instant allergic reactions.

The dander, once in the immune system, is perceived to be a threat.  Even though it isn’t classified as a disease, it’s more of a reflex by your body and your immune system.  Cat allergies occur quite often due to cats having allergens that are spread throughout their blood, urine, and saliva.  Although a cat may not be present at the time, the excretions probably still are.

Things that are found in homes that keep pet cats are saliva, dander, urine of cat etc.  Cats constantly groom themselves, which involves rubbing their saliva into their fur.They spread their allergens and dander in the surroundings, as they do this.  Although you may try, there is really nothing that you can do about it.  Cats have a natural instinct to groom or bathe themselves, no matter how many baths you give them, you simply won’t stop them from grooming.

Generally, while someone is having allergic reaction from a feline, he or she will cough, sneeze, itch, wheeze, have watery eyes, or even might face problem in breathing.Each susceptible individual responds to the cat allergens in different way, it means symptoms might differ in different individuals. Fever and chills is very rare, although it can happen.  If someone who has cat allergies comes down with fever and chills, you should contact a doctor immediately.  Chances are, it isn’t an allergic reaction to cats, but instead another type of disease that a doctor will need to identify.

Cat allergies are normally treated with antihistamines and decongestants. Those that experience asthma attacks or other forms of allergies, normally take antihistamines.  Decongestants on the other hand, are normally used to cure coughs and swollen nasal passages.Often, doctors will prescribe the allergy shot too. Allergy shots can help to prevent the attack, especially if someone is really allergic to cats.  They are a good form of treatment and prevention, and they can also help to decrease the risk of allergies affecting the individual.

If you suspect that you have cat allergies, you should always make it a point to visit your doctor.He will be in a position to further detect the extent of your problem, and provide you the best treatment option available.The best way to protect yourself from the attacks of cat allergies, is to get rid of your feline. 

Getting rid of a cat can be a very tough thing to do.  If you have become allergic to your cat’s fur, there may be no other way to prevent attacks than to get rid of him. Although doctors can give you medicine and shots, it will only do so much.  Cat allergens are no fun, especially if you develop them years after owning your cat.  Cats are great animals to own – although cat allergies are something we could all live without.

Over the last thousands of years, cats have pretty much handled their breeding themselves.  In the beginning, they were used for one purpose – hunting and killing rodents.  As the years progressed, we began to breed cats more to our liking.  Now days, there are several different breeds of cats – which you can tell if you look closely.

These days there are over 70 distinct cat breeds, which are recognized through cat registries.  There are several registries that will recognize around 40 breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds such as tigers.  There are also many variations as well, including wild cats that have longer hair.

There are some cat breeds who have roots going back quite a bit in history.  Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail, can be traced back more than 1,000 years in history.  These cats were very common and well known throughout Medieval Japan.  Now days though, they are all but a myth throughout Japan and the entire world.

The more common cat breeds that are found in North America include the alley cat, long haired cat, and Persian cat.  Siamese cats are also common, although they are well known to be destructive and to have a foul temper.  Persian cats are very popular, proving to be loving companions.  Persian cats can be very expense, depending on where you get it and what type of Persian cat it is.

Alley cats are the most common in North America.  There are actually several different breeds, although most of us just refer to them as alley cats.  They make good pets, although there are literally thousands of them in existence.  Cats are known to breed more than any other pet, and they will continue to breed until they are stopped.  Alley cats are among the most bred, as there are hundreds of thousands of cats that are homeless – and have nothing to do but breed.

The look of the cat is the easiest way to tell what breed he or shemay be.  Some people choose to go by color, although color isn’t as easy to identify.  Different breeds of cats have different looks, such as the Siamese and Persian cats.As a rule Siamese cats are always black with very few exception, it can easily be recognized by color of eyes and fur color.  Persian cats on the other hand, are easily identified by their body type and their hair.

Over the years, there has been quite a few breeds come along.Cats are among the most ancient pets, and surly one of the most popular.  Millions of people around the world own cats, with many people preferring a cat over any other pet – including dogs.  No matter breed of cat you get – you’re sure to get a pet who make for a great companion for years and years to come.

The cat has five toes on its front paw and the back paw has four and, there are also cats that have seven front toes and, extra toes on their hind feet. A cat is known to step with both of its front legs and, then both of its right legs, when walking or running and they normally walk on their toes. Domestic cats are known to sprint at approximately thirty-one miles an hour.

Special Manner Of Walking

The cat is a skilful hunter and this may be the reason for a cat to walk in a special manner. Most animals will walk with alternate legs with the left front and right rear followed by the right front and the left rear. Three out of the entire list of animals deviate from this trend, these are Cat, Camel and Giraffe. The cat walk moves two legs on one side together first and, then shifts to repeat the motion with the other side. The good thing of this manner of walking is that it is a diagonal movement that saves the animal’s energy and provides speed, agility as well as silence.

Cat beautifully uses its tail for balance similar to a tightrope walker employes pole to balance himself. A cat that walks along a narrow ledge or fence can peer over in one direction by taking the help of its tail that moves in the opposite direction. Also, the footpads of the cat are extremely calloused and are of a modified skin that will cover the connective tissue and, thus is much tougher than normal skin. This allows the cat to walk even in the cold, without any problem.

When the cat walks, its paws bear the full weight and a cat will stand as well as walk on the entire paw and, if were to be de-clawed, it will have to modify its stance. This would force the cat to walk unnaturally and puts extra strain on its paws. It might take a while for your cat to get used to the new ambience, but once your pet gets accustomed it will adjust its speed, once more.

Big cats walk with their tails tucked behind them or tucked between their legs and this may be a ploy to conceal them to avoid being spotted by their enemies and, domestic cats may also walk this way, when stalking a mouse. That may be the reason why the term ‘cat walk’ was coined.