Cats 101

Cats often compete with Dogs for their position as the favorite pet animal to humans; they are regarded as useful, sweet creatures that delight their owners. Cats are small domesticated animals that have gained popularity for their intelligence and their ability to follow simple commands once trained, and their capacity to catch and destroy vermin, more specifically rats. There are several dozens cat varieties in different colors, color patterns, fur type and size which have either been bred by humans or products of natural inter-breeding between cat species.

The African Wild Cat is believed to be the closes pre-domesticated of cats and present day cats still carry innately wild characteristics like being carnivorous and instinctive in hunting, known to hunt over a thousand species for food. Humans have lived in close association with cats for decades now, which started from the ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Vikings, who in many ways have revered the cat, even placing them in high regard over other animals both domesticated and wild.
Cat-Aloguing Cats
Cat are often called as Tom, while the female of the species is often called Queen, snow cats, pedigreed or purebred cats at times are referred as sirens for males and Dams for females. Purebred and pedigreed cats both have recorded ancestries; purebred, however, have a long-lineage of only one cat variety or breed, while pedigreed cats may have ancestors of different, mostly new breeds. Breeding different cat varieties are subject to strict rules of cat registries and associations that study, regulate and assess the compatibility of varieties to come up with better offspring, both in terms of health and appearance.
Domestic longhairs, shorthairs, random-bred and mongrels are some terms that refer to cats with mixed ancestry that vary from one country to the next. Most of the cat population the world over is comprised of random-bred felines, with purebreds only totaling to less than ten percent of the feline population. Domestic cats, in general, have been classified by Carolus Linnaeus as Felis catus back in the 17th century as the domestic sub-species of the wild cat family.
Cats commonly weigh anywhere between two to seven kilograms with some breeds such as the Maine Coon weighing over ten kilograms. As a result of overeating, some of the bigger cat varieties can weigh more than twenty kilograms but are considered by veterinarians as unhealthy and more susceptible to illnesses, ailments and diseases. Further, there are also adult smaller cats that weigh less than two kilograms but are not classified as miniature varieties but are only considered as smaller, underweight cats and are considered underweight or unhealthy.

Health tips according to the life stage of Cats

Proper cat health relies heavily on preventative measures; this includes routine veterinary care as well as grooming on a regular basis. To make sure you cat stays both happy and healthy it is a good idea to watch for any changes in their condition. An excellent time to monitor for cat health is during grooming sessions.

Cat Health According To Life Stages

The best way to keep on top of your cats health is by knowing the life stages and what proper cat health is for each stage. This way you can easily recognize when something is going wrong with your cats health and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

The debut life stage starts from day one on the planet till sixteen weeks. At this stage the feline animal begins to grasp survival tactics form the surrounding environment. Often cats are playful during this stage of life but they shy around human beings. Cat health is also extremely important in this stage so that they can grow up to be healthy throughout the rest of their life.

The next stage is from sixteen weeks to one year. During this period, cats are often still very playful. In order to ensure you pet cat remains healthy it is necessary to get it spayed or neutered when it is six months old.

Next comes the one to eight year period, which are the prime years for cat health. During this stage of your cat’s life, it is very important to have yearly visits to the veterinarian. Here onwards comes the stage which continues for next ten to twelve years. This is when pre-geriatric cat health comes into play. Your cat will often slow down but their behavior will remain the same.

Geriatric cat health will start when they turn twelve. This stage is often marked with health issues in the pet cat and it deteriorates as they grow older. Cats will often move very slowly since their joints will start to become stiff. Old cat often behave as irritated.

Common Cat Health Issues

There are varieties of health conditions that can affect your cat. A big part of keeping your cat healthy is proper prevention. Contact your veterinarian right away, if you notice any health problems. The following are some of the more common conditions your cat may get.

Flea allergy is one of the most common disorder observed in cats. A cat’s sensitivity to fleabites will increase as they age. Similar symptoms can be observed in an event of a food allergy or a flea bite allergy, the symptoms are vomiting or diarrhea , skin rashes and severe itching.

Hairballs are a persistent cause of vomiting in cats. You can reduce this issue by maintaining a regular schedule of coat brushing. Even with short hair cats, they can get hairballs if you don’t keep them down with routine brushing. You should take your cat into a veterinarian if they have persistent vomiting since this can also be a sign of thyroid or kidney problems.

Is Your Cat Aggresive?

Cats are generally quirky and lazy.  Their personalities range just like a human, and their moods fluctuate just like one as well.  But does your cat’s attitude have something to do with his or her breed? 

Stereotypically, people associate pit bulls with a bit more of a temper than, say, a golden retriever.  Could this hold true for cats as well?Is there a comparison between Calico and Tabby cats in terms of their behaviour? Are Siamese cats as grouchy and snobby as they are portrayed in children’s fairy tales?  What about a black cat, are they the angriest cat of all?

Apparently, it has nothing to do with breed or color at all, it’s just ingrained in their personalities to be the angriest cats around.  According to sources, about 15% of cats become antisocial and would rather be admired from afar than to be petted or doted on.  This has nothing to do with breed or color, it’s just a general preference. 

Do You Think You Have The Angriest Cat?

If you are worried that you bought the angriest cat at the shelter due to constant hissing and a general aggravation that surrounds your little critter, give him some time!  Don’t immediately regret your purchase.  Let him get used to the family.  Cats are very sensitive creatures, and often, you just need to allow them time to adjust at their own pace.  He or she may hide out under the bed for a few days, or not even touch his or her cat food.  This doesn’t necessarily make him a one of the grouchiest, or angriest cats, it could just mean he’s a little shy, or maybe has a rough memory of what a family is like.Keep in mind that quite a few animals have an fogettable experience befor coming to a rescue pet shelter.  Your cat could have been a stray or an alley cat, making your “getting to know you” process a little more difficult.

What Do You Do?

A good rule of thumb for starting out on the right foot with the angriest cat in the batch, is to start slow.  Don’t force interaction, this will just cause him to become more distant.  Let him get used to the new atmosphere, eventually he will come up and want to check you out.  It might be a little frustrating at first, thinking you ended up with the angriest cat you’ve ever seen, but he could turn out to be a great pet once he gets used to his new home.  There are also products on the market to ease his introduction like Feliway, which is a spray that is advertised to help relax a cats nerves.  You may find that these types of products make your first few weeks of pet ownership a little more tolerable. 

Food of Different Cats

If you are getting a new cat, one of the most important first decisions you will make is which cat food to feed them. Your cat food selection should be made carefully since it has a lot to do with your cat’s health and longevity. At times it becomes really cumbersome to select the appropriate cat food from the pile of options available in today's market.

What To Look For In Cat Food

When it comes to dry cat food, it is important that you choose one to meet your cat’s specific life stage. In case you are buying food for your new kitten ensure the food is for kitten and not for adult cat. When a cat reaches the adult stage then you should use a regular dry food. Once your cat is in the senior stage a food specifically formulated for their age can go a long way to helping them age gracefully.

When selecting your dry food always check the package and make sure it is AAFCO approved. This means it will have a seal on the package showing the contents are approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. This means the food conforms to the minimal diet standards that the association has set up to guarantee good cat food.

Finally, you should consider what your veterinarian recommends. No one knows better than your cat’s doctor does what food is best for his or her needs. In absence of a veterinarian advice you should opt for a high quality product by evaluating the product content through the ingredient list marked on the label.

What To Take Into Consideration

The most important aspect of your cat’s health is good nutrition, which as a major affect. The fact especially holds true for growing kittens. Try to give the best quality food available to you loved pet within a budget you can afford.

Before you choose which cat food to purchase you should consider several things. Included in this is your specific cat breed, their age, size and health. It is also a good idea to keep in mind where you will be feeding your cat and how much you are willing to spend on cat food. By keeping in mind these facts, you will easily be able to choose appropriate cat food for your pet, that will ensure your cats health and life.

The Truth about Cat Flea Medicine

If you have pets you know that fleas can really be a big annoyance. If you are allergic to fleas your self you may find that they are painfully irritating as well. A good cat flea medicine can help you keep pest free all year long.

I am allergic to bites from fleas and I have had my share of painful experiences with these little buggers. I know that when I see my pet scratching and squirming that I need to invest in a cat flea medicine that will do the trick, the last thing I want is for boys bedding of my little one for be infected, not only for my cat but for me as well. I will get nasty welts from a few bites and I want to avoid this by any means possible.

I try to keep my pets chemical free so I avoided getting cat flea medicine in order to try natural methods instead. Nothing really worked. Most of the home remedies for these pests are lacking and they are basically ineffectual in keeping my boys bedding sets free of fleas. One item did a little better than the rest.

A flea comb is a good method that can replace cat flea medicine but I don’t recommend it on a regular basis. The comb is useful when your cat is unable to take medication because she is having kittens or she is nursing kittens. Cat flea medicine is not for pregnant and nursing cats.

I make sure to use the comb instead when a feline is expecting a litter and when she is nursing them. Once the kittens are grown and ready to move on I start the mother on the cat flea medication again after consulting with the vet.

Since I have cats and dogs in my house I use two different treatments. It is important to remember that dog and cat flea medicine are quite different from one another. You should avoid using dog products on felines because they can be harsh on your kitty’s system.

This can be a little tricky. Some bottles are difficult to read and others can be really vague. Just because a product boasts insect and boys bedding control does not mean that it is cat flea medicine. You really want a product designed specifically for your pet. When in doubt, talk to you vet.

I found that the veterinarian is the single most important resource when it comes to making sure that my home stays flea-free. The perfect cat flea medicine will be preventative in nature. Hopefully, we won’t see another one ever again.