Cat General

What to do with Cats on a moving

Pili — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:57:00 GMT

I will be moving real soon from the house my cats were born 7 years ago to an apartment on the 4th floor with a big outside terrace, what they call here a "penthouse walk-up apartment". Any recomendations as to how to adapt them to the new place?

Thank you.

Claws

babycat — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:34:41 GMT

Our cat has one claw that grows longer than the others and gets inbedded in his pad on his foot. I hate to have it removed, has anybody else ever seen this/

COLLAR

BILL — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:12 GMT

I HAD BOUGHT A CAT COLLAR THAT BREAKS AWAY AND MY CAT HAS LOST 3 OF THEM ALREADY. I HATE TO HAVE A COLLAR THAT MIGHT HURT HIM BUT AT THIS RATE, I WILL GO BROKE.

ANY IDEAS?

Big anni-purr-sary

purrrplej — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:07:49 GMT

This past Friday marked a milestone for me and my cat - it was our fifth anniversary together. On Oct. 16, 2004, a big, beautiful Siamese stray I had seen hanging around the apartment complex ran inside my apartment with me when I opened the door coming home. He went right to the fridge and sat down, and all I had to feed him was some lunch meat - he ate the whole pack, poor hungry thing. I left the door open for him to leave whenever he was done, but he just stretched out in the living room watching TV with me, and when bedtime came he still didn't want to leave, so I just closed the door and let him stay. And the rest is history. I'm very lucky he chose me to move in with. He is a wonderful cat, very affectionate and sociable, and I often wonder how he came to be a "street cat."

Here's hoping for many more happy years together!

cat flea

mynexo — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:27:55 GMT

hi all, i try to get information review on cat flea ..cat-flea-medicine.blogspot.com

fleas on 4 week old kittens

MKristinaC — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:44:53 GMT

How do you treat fleas on infants kitties? Everything I look at says not until 8 weeks, but mine are infested. I have bathed them & picked them off, treated my adult cats with Frontline (except the nursing mother) I have some Adams flea mist that says you can spray along their back or put on your fingertips & rub into coat but I am afraid to do this because momcat still grooms them quite a lot. I feel so sorry for them. Any suggestions?

BestfriendsBestfriends.com - the best pet site yet!

bestfriendsbestfriends.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:41:48 GMT

Bestfriendsbestfriends.com is a social networking site for pets and their people. Meet other pets, their people, and their other online friends. Read important pet news and classifieds relevant to animals and owners alike. Share cute and cuddly pictures and cute and cuddly stories of your true bestfriend. Sign-up and make new bestfriends today!

Help!!! My cat is pulling out her fur!!!

Morgansmeme — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:42:11 GMT

My cat is 9 years old, she is stickly an indoor cat, as well as an 8 year old cat. We have a Pug who is also 9 years old. The dog must go outside several times a day. I spray the dog down with flea spray before she goes out, as the Vet rcommended. Now, bot cats are covered with fleas, and the house is full of them. My poor Duchess cries, abd is pulling her fur out, and it doesn't seem to be growing back. What can I do to help my precious baby?

Maine Coon Cat...Secrets Most Breeders Won't Tell You

mann09 — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:57:48 GMT

More Than 200 Years Of Evolution

This cat is a big cat lover’s cat. Although hugely popular outside of the state, these beautiful long-haired cats did actually originate in Maine. The seaports of the Colonies were breeding ground for rats, and thus attracted heavy bodied and powerful short haired cats, that had come from European countries such as France and England. Back than cats were used for rat control on any ship crossing the Atlantic, and than most of them simply let loose. It was during the formative years that our new country began to see ships from the Baltic and Scandinavian areas, bringing with them, their own breed of cats. Though smaller, these cats had something that let them adapt to the harsh climate of the central seaboard states, they had unbelievable long hair. The current residence had no problem crossbreeding with these cats, and so began the evolution of the uniquely American breed, known as the Maine Coon Cat.

For anyone who owns one, they are primarily known as a big cuddly, sweet, and an intelligent companion. Their evolution can be explained like that of any other pioneer. The thick weeds and bush of the New England countryside no doubt had something to do with its long, deep chested, rectangular body. Being able to fight the local carnivores, explains their incredible mass and strength. If you are just starting to consider them as a pet, the first thing you will notice is the 7-8 diameter furry tail, known as a brush. For those of you that are considering one for the first time you should know this. Although they have the look of a Persian, the Coon has no exotic wild-species bloodlines in them, and are at least 3-4 times the size of one. If there are young children you must also be made aware of the cat’s long "saber-tooth" like teeth. Remember, though the modern Maine Coon is sweet and cuddly, its roots are still that of a hunter. With all that said, despite its size and strength the Maine Coon is for the most part friendly, playful, and good with children.

A Gentle Giant
Guinness World Record Holder

As I have stated, the Maine Coon is one of the largest breeds of domestic cats. In 2006 a purebred named Leo was awarded “Longest Cat,” measuring 48 in(129cm) in length, from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. Incidentally, he weighed 35 lb. or
(16 kg). Although his age is not stated, he would have been at least three or four, because the Coon doesn’t normally reach his full potential size until then. Before you get too excited, that by no means is anywhere near the normal size of a Maine Coon. On the average the male will weigh between 13 and 18 lbs. ( 5.9 and 8.2 kg) with females weighing between 8 and 12 lb. (3.6 and 5.4 kg). The height of the adult will also vary, 10 and 16 in (25 and 41 cm),
and length, including the tail, which can reach lengths of up to 14 in (36 cm), up to 40 in (100cm).

Can the Maine Coon Be Trained?
Intelligent But Stubborn

For anyone considering a Coon, or if you just recently acquired one, or you have one that is completely running the show, the answer is yes. If not controlled, it will turn your furniture into scratching posts, jump up wherever it chooses, and be so aggressive as to keeping friends and visitors away. Not to mention biting and clawing, to name just a few problems you’ll have if not properly trained.

There are all sorts of places you can go for help. If you are looking into professional breeders and trainers, make sure that they specialize in the Maine Coon. There are of course all sorts of Forums on the web that might be able to give you some guidance. In my research I came across someone that took a full-grown Coon and trained it. Boy, wouldn’t you like to have her help? Well, she has made her information available, and whether you are new to the breed or a seasoned veteran you will discover something new so that you can appreciate and live a great life with your wonderful cat. Of course I can’t go into everything that she will be able to help you with, but if you want to learn more about The Secrets of the Maine Coon, including a year of personal e-mail help, please go to: my RecomMANNdations

In the Pet Lovers section you also find out how to get rid of fleas, once and for all.

Ragdolls...Here's To Ol Blue Eyes

mann09 — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:54:29 GMT

Its Origin Clouded In Intrigue And Controversy

The fact that this breed of cat has beautiful blue eyes and highly recognizable color point coat is no accident or result of evolution.
If we believe the breeder, Ann Baker, the original Ragdoll cats were the consequence of a government experiment back in the 1960's. It seems that one of her neighbor’s cats named Josephine, got into an accident involving a car, and for some reason was taken to a laboratory at the University of California. There was nothing special about Josephine. She was a non pedigreed Persian/Angora mix, white domestic long-haired cat, who by that time already had provided her owners with several litters, that was nothing special. Sired by several unknown Burmese-like cats, one of which had the Siamese point coloration, her litters tended typically to be playfully aggressive.

The next litter following her surgery however, produced a litter of
unusually docile and friendly cats. Mrs. Baker claimed that it was all part of a secret government genetic experiment. Genetic experts have rejected this theory and of course the government denied any such project. None the less when Josephine’s subsequent litter produced more of the “ragdoll” type kittens, Baker knew she was on to something. The name “Ragdoll” was coined because these original kittens, and all that have followed, have the tendency to go limp and completely relaxed when being picked up. Already a savvy breeder Mrs. Baker, believing she was on to something new and wonderful, bought several of the kittens and set out to create the new breed known as The Ragdoll cat.

In a brilliant move Mrs. Baker shunned the established cat registry, trademarked the name Ragdoll and started her own registry, International Ragdoll Cat Association (IRCA) in 1971. Her strict breeding guidelines led to several riffs within the organization, until in 1975 Denny and Laura Dayton, began breeding what is now widely accepted as to days Ragdoll standard. The IRCA dissipated over the years, and after Baker’s death in 1997 other factions emerged which eventually brought us the Ragamuffin line. If you are considering getting involved or you would like more in depth history, the largest international Ragdoll association is the Ragdoll Fanciers' Club International (RFCI)

Disposition And Health
The Breed For You

Remember how this breed of cat got its name. Unlike the Maine Coon, a large cuddly cat whose origins are that of a hunter, the Ragdoll is docile, non aggressive, and a people lover. It is a very striking cat with those beautiful blue eyes, and long-haired Persian-like appearance, without posing the grooming problems usually associated the typical Persian. They get along wonderfully in a mufti pet environment, and kids just adore them.

For the most part the Ragdoll is a hearty, and healthy cat. A healthy Ragdoll with proper diet and exercise can live to be twenty years old. I don’t want to scare you with big medical terms, so I will just say that Ragdolls can suffer from certain heart conditions. They also have a tendency to eat to fast which can stir up their sensitive stomachs and on occasion lead to vomiting. Of course like most cats, they can get upper respiratory and urinary tract infections.

Should We Bother To Train A Ragdoll
All They do Is Lay Around

It is the between time that you might have to worry about. There are Ragdoll cats that go about their business using the litter box properly every day, get along with their house mates, and leave your furniture alone. Then there are Ragdoll cats that are prone to litter box mishaps, have fits of aggressive behavior, and sink their claws into every piece of furniture you own on a daily basis. If you are considering getting a Ragdoll for the first time or your cat falls into problem type, or you just want to learn everything you can about this magnificent breed than there is help for you. If you continue to surf the net you will be able to find a lot of information on cats, but very few breed specific total information on Ragdolls. For about what it might cost for bag of fancy cat food, a real Ragdoll owner and trainer has written just such a book. You will learn the secrets and tips on how to guarantee that your cat is healthy, happy, and well mannered. Please go to: My RecomMANNdations

When clicking on Pet Lovers you will also find other pet related information like how to get rid of fleas once and for all.

101 Dog Trainging Secrets Revealed

timtomtum — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:33:15 GMT

101 Dog Trainging Secrets Revealed

http://cru.ms/27bd2c

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Cats Leaving

LAURA WAKEFIELD — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:33:48 GMT

My cat of 13 years has disappeared. He was not the kind to go past our neighbors yard. He did act strange a for a few days before he left. He didn't sleep with me as usual or sit with me at all. My concern is that he went off to die somewhere. I have put out flyers- in mail boxes and taped them up at the street poles. I have looked everywhere. We do not usually have stray dogs in the area... it is a fairly new area. Plus I really think I would have heard something if he had been in trouble. What opinions do you have about cats going off to die?

Help a cat out, please(Nicky)

mrcat — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:18:27 GMT

I entered my cat Nicky in a beauty contest but Nicky isn't generating the votes that he should, if you guys could take a look at him he is the sixth kitty down on a pink blanket, he is really cute! and then vote for Nicky I would really appreciate it! thanks so much, here is the link: http://anovelmenagerie.com/ghost/2009/05/17/contestants/

Male kitten 7 weeks old likes to bite alot.What can i do?

witness — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:13:15 GMT

Hello,

I have a cute kitten he is seven weeks old. He is in the bitting stage. Is there anything I can do to train him to not bite legs feet and hands? We have a water bottle but that does not seem to work all of the time. The advice would greatly be appreciated. From Witness.

Scary bug!!

purrrplej — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:57:16 GMT

My cat, Murray, recently had a bit of a tiff with me. Or rather, I had one with him! I came home from a long day/night of working two jobs, and just wanted to go to bed. But Murray was going crazy in the living room, meowing insistently and pawing at the glass at the patio door. I didn't know what was going on, but I just wanted him to be quiet, so I went to the living room to look and see what was outside - and saw nothing amiss. So I scolded him, telling him there was nothing out there to get excited about and told him to be quiet. He didn't listen, of course - kept meowing and meowing. I thought maybe he wanted me to sit up with him for a while and spend some time with him. So I went back to the living room and sat down on the sofa, and Murray indeed was quiet, and rolled around on the floor like he does when he's happy. I spent a few minutes sitting with him before deciding to try heading to bed again. The meowing immediately started up again. I got up to sit with him a few more minutes, and he quieted down - but when I went back to bed, he ran up behind me and scratched at my legs. And he scratched at my legs while I tried to climb into bed. So I got angry, especially when he started meowing again, and I grabbed the squirt bottle and sprayed him. And he was quiet. But I felt bad about squirting him and probably scaring him by playing the role of Mean Old Mommy, so I got up again and talked softly to him, apologizing, and petted him... he was a bit wary at first, but soon relaxed. I brushed him (which he loves) and gave him a snack. Harmony was restored. But then I went back to bed and he started meowing again. So I got up again to sit with him.... and then I finally saw what the problem was. There was a bug in the house - it looked like a moth. And I figured it out - Murray was scared of the bug and wanted me to sit up with him to protect him. I felt so bad about losing my temper with him! After all, he was showing a lot of love and trust in me to want me to protect him. Well, my presence seemed to embolden him, because he started hunting that bug, and he caught it and ate it. Then I went back to bed for what turned out to be the final time, and he was silent. The threat was gone, and he no longer needed my protection.

If only he could have told me about the bug right away, so we could have understood each other and not "quarreled"!

soft claws

Susan Seiple — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:11:13 GMT

Has anyone ever heard of soft claws or tried them? They go on your cats claws so they don't distroy your furniture

cats and moving

Virginia Adams — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:46:54 GMT

My husband, cat and myself are moving to FL. We are concerned about traveling with our cat and how to make it comfortable for him. He is 15 and does not like being in the car either in his carrier or loose, which we don't think would be safe on a long trip. Any tips on food, water and especially litter use would be appreciated!

Virginia

cat marking

cherylannscott — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:22:45 GMT

My cat is 5 years old. He's neutered. He never marked until we moved a year ago and now he does it daily. How do I get him to stop?!

Cats and a ferret

hsxjedi — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:08:35 GMT

Anyone ever have these two kinds of pets living in the same room?

Makes life interesting.

One cat could cae less and is curious about the ferret while the other cat is unsure and skittish.

FYI: The cats have the run of a huge bedroom and the ferret is in a rathr large hutch/aviary.

treatments for elderly cats

seluk — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:30:31 GMT

lookimg for the best economical treatments forsenior cats.

just joined the forum Cat/dog and other Momma

kindlemomma — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:10:12 GMT

I have a number of critters. Multi cat and dog household. With 2 guinea pigs, a rabbit, some fish, and a couple of little lizards. The majority of my cats are older. Our youngest is my avatar. His name is Romeo. He found me at a rural county fair ground where he was living the wild kitty life. Litterally climbed in my car and decided to come home with me.

Have cats & Chihuahua's..

KrisJim — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:52:27 GMT

Hi, I am new here. I know pet owners are the nicest people, so this must be a friendly site. I have 3 cats. Two are about 11 yrs old and the other just 1.5 yrs. Our Chihuahua's 'tolerate' the youngest cat, and sometimes they play together. So, we have a pretty happy mix around here.

Cat drinking more than average?

joywa — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:15:12 GMT

My Siamese Himalayan started to drain his drinking bowl very fast. It was gradual enough that it didn't send out a red flag. However, more and more I was filling his water bowl AGAIN. I later found out that this was a symptom of Hyperthyroidism. Eventually the clumps in his litter box grew increasingly large, causing me to change his litter more often.

If your cat seems to be going through his water more quickly, and the clumps in his litter grow, please make sure to have a Veterinarian run blood tests to check for ANY underlying conditions.

My cat is on medication, which comes in gel form, that you place on the non-hairy parts inside his/her ear. Progress is slow but hopefully my cat will improve.

Lifesaver for Cat Owners!!

cat_fan78 — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:44:58 GMT

Hello everyone,
A friend sent me a link to this funny cat cartoon:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EUys0W7yawM

I thought it would be worth posting a link to this video as I think it highlights a common problem. With a couple of cats I've had over the years, I have found it extremely stressful taking them to the vets as neither of us particularly wants to go!
Having purchased this product, however, life has become a lot easier and now Tigger, my tabby, has no problems. I would thoroughly recommend to any troubled cat owners.

Now, if only someone could make those vet bills cheaper...! LOL.

Murray has become a toy boy

purrrplej — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:48:55 GMT

Well, back when Murray first moved in with me as a stray, I tried buying him some toys, including catnip toys. And he showed no interest whatsoever. I ended up donating them to a shelter, and just figured he didn't like to play with toys (one exception - an interactive mouse on a string). He would bat bottlecaps around the house, and recently discovered the pleasure of making tissue paper rattle, but that was about it. (Though he did like some tinselly balls that were sent by the co. I got his unsuccessful walking jacket from - but he lost them, probably under some furniture.)

But then, for this Xmas, a member of a cat chat group I belong to sent Murray a catnip sock with feathers on top. I didn't expect much, given his track record. But he loves it! He was licking it and biting it and rolling around with it and batting it around. He promptly pulled off the three feathers on top, LOL. That sock is looking pretty beat up already. So, he's apparently learned how to appreciate catnip and appreciate toys. It was a real eye-opener.

So, I bought him some more toys to give to him gradually, so he doesn't get confused/overwhelmed by too many new toys at once. The other day I gave him a plush carrot (with feathers on top) with a catnip pouch inside. It's a big hit. Like the sock, he licks and bites it and rolls around with it and bats it high in the air. I'm so happy to see him having fun. I guess maybe it just took him some time to learn how to be a housecat, after living out on the streets where toys and catnip don't exist.

I also got him some fuzzy balls and some sticky balls, which I will eventually give him to see how he likes them. And later will get him more catnip toys.

Well, merry Xmas, Murray, and thanks to the cat-chat lady for allowing my eyes to be opened to Murray's new possibilities.