Posts Tagged ‘cats’

 

My Cat Bites Me - Why?

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Ow! Your cat just attacked you, and those tiny teeth are very sharp. Below are some reasons why your cat bites you.

The cat might be afraid. Your kid might be pulling on the cat’s tail. An unfamiliar person may have tried to pick the cat up. Cats often will bite for protection.

Playing with you or other animals may lead a cat to bite. You might be walking across the room and suddenly feel your toe attacked. Some cats hate to have their bellies tickled and will bite your hand. Whilte biting is normal cat behavior, a bite to you or a family member is probably not what you would like. Give your cat exercise by playing chasing and pouncing games with cat toys with long poles so your hands will not get in the way. Don’t use your hand or other body part as the object to be chased as this cat training will only encourage biting.

Some felines actually bite to express their love. Cats bite each other lightly to demonstrate their affection for each other, and your cat may be giving you love cat-style. Cats may also give gentle bites while they are licking you. Actually, the cat is grooming you, and cats normally give gentle bites when they groom each other.

Cats bite to let you know that they have had enough attention for awhile. Your feline could be purring happily as you pet her and then bite you to get you to stop petting her. Cats generally will use body language that can tell you they have reached their limit before they actually bite by laying back their ears or creating circles with their tails.

Pain can cause cats to bite. If your cat suddenly starts biting for no apparent reason, get a vet exam to rule out any physical problems.

Handling small kittens in front of their mother can result in a bite since they are extremely protective of their young. Usually, the mama cat will quit biting as the kittens grow older.

Now, you should understand why your cat bites. By not playing aggressively with your cat, treating underlying medical conditions, and learning cat behavior secrets , you can reduce or eliminate the biting and enjoy your cat friend.

 

Cat Care Symptoms That You Need To Know

Friday, October 17th, 2008

When we feel pain in our bodies, we can easily tell someone that there is something wrong and that person will be able to take you to the infirmary. Pets cannot do that merely watching them can tell you a lot of things. which is why owners should exercise cat care and be aware of the symptoms.

Talked About beneath are a few diseases and their symptoms you should look out for.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is the most feared disease by cat owners. It is a acknowledged fact, that it is the leading cause of death amongst cats. It is caused by a coronavirus infection and what is even worse, is that the symptoms are very much like other diseases so it is very difficult to diagnose.

There is also Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) that is similar to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Just like the version in humans, it is a life long infection that advances slowly and kills the cat.

Cats may as well be infected by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). This is a is a retrovirus that causes fatal cancerous and non cancerous diseases. As Luck Would Have It, it can be easily treated by using some household bleach and detergents, also your pet must be kept warm. This disease is transmissible through the saliva, tears, urine and feces of other cats that are infected. unlike the other two diseases, it is unable to live that long in the environment. Hence, it is only transmissible when the infected cat stays with some other cat for any period of time. 

Worms are another threat to cats and this is caused by a fungal infection that is spread through spores.. Since this disease is self limiting, you will not have do anything to make it clear up. It will in eventually clear up on its own, but it may take a few months to do so.

If you have a obese cat, then the prospects are it will already have feline diabetes. The symptoms of this disease are pretty simple to see and are excessive urination and thirst as well as weight loss or gain. Veterinaries are of yet uncertain what is the cause of this, but recent research studies that have been done, have proved that there is a link between pancreatic disease, hormonal imbalance and certain medications.

The symptoms of most of the diseases mentioned are very alike. These include diarrhea, vomiting, lameness lasting for more than 5 days in one leg, a reduction in vision, excessive panting, a seizure, blood in the stool or urine, hair loss, persistent coughing or gagging and breathing heavily or rapidly at rest. In order to find the answer, your cat will have to undergo some tests.

Your veterinarian will take some blood, urine and feces samples and ask for input from you, about any observation you have made. When the tests results come back, only then will the proper treatment be administered to your cat as each case is different, so what worked for another cat may not have the identical positive effect with yours.

Your cat could still be healthy if you gave it constant attention. This can be done by feeding it superior quality food, giving it fresh water, allowing it to exercise, proper grooming, making for sure it stays inside and taking it regularly to the veterinarian.

If you miss any of these simple steps, then something wrong is sure to happen to your cat and you will soon notice a change in the behavior of your cat and if you do nothing about it, it is just going to make matters far worse. So you need to observe proper cat care and look out for any symptoms.

For further Free information on Long Term Cat Care try visiting Caring For Your Cat Help.

 

Training a Cat That Bites

Friday, October 10th, 2008

Learning to bite and scratch is a main part of a cat’s development. These accomplishments are especially essential for cats that live mainly out-of-doors, as they provide their sole means of defense. These two activities will also form the main staple of your cat’s leisure time, playing out conflicts with toys, other cats or humans.

If you do not want to be bitten by your cat, the 1st rule of thumb is to train your cat not to bite your hands. If your cat thinks your hands are play toys, their little talons and fangs will soon find their way to your flesh.

However, if it is too late for that rule, there are some steps you are able to take to minimize the damage done from cat biting attacks.

First of all, as you train your cat to behave in new ways, you should trim his claws (don’t declaw, as this is severely painful for the cat). This will take a lot of the sharpness away and make your encounters less painful.

Once your cat grabs on to your hand, react with a loud and firm, “Ouch!Do not yell, and don’t yank your hand away or the cat will think it is a toy and follow it again. Take away your hand slowly from his mouth after your determined “Ouch!”

Most of the time, your cat is scratching and biting because he is bored and would like to play. Setting aside time to play with a different cat toy should help stop boredom.

Aggression is an inherent aspect of your cat’s predatory nature: behaviors like stalking, chasing, leaping, pouncing, swatting, and biting are all common displays, and are always a major component of any play session.

Usually, this does not constitute a problem: it’s just how cats play, and catering to your cat’s innate whims can be pretty fun. When your finished, your cat will give you a break so you can watch som Animal Planet on Direct TV.