Cat Biting Behavior - This cat MUST be happy, right?

Cat Biting Behavior - This cat MUST be happy, right? by Liz Barton

Let me give you some advice that can potentially stop your cat from ever biting you again.

Picture this:

You're relaxing on the couch, deeply involved in your favorite book or TV show, when your cat strolls across the top of the couch and rubs against you, wanting attention.

You give in (like always), let your cat get comfy in your warm lap and proceed to pet, massage and otherwise shower your spoiled cat with affection.

Soon, your cat's tail begins to wag. Slowly at first, and then faster and more enthusiastically. You think “This is great! My cat must be really happy!”

Then all of a sudden “out of nowhere”.....CHOMP – your cat has betrayed you and is suddenly attacking and biting you!

Has your cat gone crazy? Is it time for a trip to the kitty psychiatrist? Why the sudden 'unexpected' bite?

The simple answer is – you have no idea how to read your cat's signals.

Don't feel bad, you're not alone.

In fact, even some cat lovers who “know” that cats don't communicate the same way as dogs – somehow believe that their cat wags it's tail to show happiness.

This is partly true, although not in this particular situation.

Tail wagging and other feline body signals indicate completely different emotions than dog signals do.

For the most part, dogs wag their when they're happy. On the other hand, cat's usually wag their tail when they are distressed or agitated.

So pay close attention to the next time your cat wags it's tail. The faster and harder it's wagging – the quicker you better stop whatever it is you're doing, because your cat is trying to tell you to back off!

Okay, here's another scenario.

Imagine . . you go to a friend or neighbor's house and their cat rubs against your body and then backs up, sits on the floor and looks right at you.

What do you think this cat wants you to do?

Is this cat:

A. Begging you for attention and hoping to be petted.
B. Challenging you.

If you chose A, you've just been bitten.

This, and slashing it's tail back and forth are just a few of the many signals a cat may display right before biting.

Do you know what all of the other signals are?

If not, I invite you to visit www.secretsofcats.com



This article was written by Liz Barton, writer for the regular cat e-newsletter Secrets of Cats and author of Cat Secrets Revealed.

If you're even remotely interested in getting more information about cat training, cat grooming, cat health, or cat behavior.....you'll want to visit secretsofcats.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Fleas – Spot Them, Stop Them, Kill Them

Fleas – Spot Them, Stop Them, Kill Them by Mary Amos

Introduction

Your cat is your best friend. She plays in the house, snuggles with you when it’s cold and terrorizes the local wildlife. But whether your cat stays indoors or goes outdoors, she can be susceptible to fleas. While it’s more likely that an outdoor cat will pick up fleas, don’t feel safe if she’s an indoor only cat. Fleas can catch a ride on your clothes and when they find your cat they can multiply very quickly.

Fleas are an inevitable annoyance that can be avoided and you can keep your cat protected with a little effort and vigilance.

The Signs

You need to keep an eye on your cat, especially in summer when your cat is more likely to socialize with other cats and pick up those little pests! Watch for your cat scratching around her neck more that she usually does. This may be due to collar irritation, (your cat does have a collar – right?), but it’s more likely to be fleas if your cat has worn her collar for a while.

Another thing to watch for is more than normal grooming by your cat on her lower spine. The neck and lower spine are favorite places for fleas to hang out. A total give away is if you feel small bumps on your cat when you stroke her. If you do it’s probably skin irritation caused by the saliva of the flea when it bites. It may also be a tick on your cat that will need to be removed. If you find that it is a tick, take your cat to the vet, don’t try and remove it yourself.

If you’re still not sure if your cat has fleas or not, stand her on a large piece of white paper and run a comb, (flea combs are ideal for this!), through your cat’s hair and then check the paper. If you find small brown dots that turn red when wet then your cat has fleas. This is dried blood that the fleas excrete.

Prevention

Luckily for us prevention and cure has been made easy for cat owners with modern medicine. Today most flea prevention medications include a flea cure too. The most popular flea medications like Advantage® or Frontline Plus® are topical medications. When used regularly they will not only kill the adult fleas on your cat, they will also protect her from re-infection. Consult your vet for the best treatment for your cat.

If your cat has been infected with fleas it’s a good idea to clean and vacuum the areas where your cat likes to sit and sleep. Wash all of the cat’s bedding in very hot water to kill any fleas and eggs. Vacuum all of the carpets and curtains in the house, as we mentioned earlier fleas like to catch a ride on your clothes too. Finally if you’re really brave and your cat trusts you, give her a bath. Good luck with that?

Cure

Fleas can live anywhere from 2 months to 2 years. The eggs lay dormant just waiting for a warm body to pass by so that they can hatch. They are not too particular about what warm body it is, which includes you! It’s reasonably rare that you will be bitten though, fleas are species particular and will usually only bite by mistake.

You can find sprays that will kill and protect your carpets and curtains from fleas and ticks. In the main these are very effective. However if you do use a spray, make sure that you air the room afterwards, the vapors can be pretty toxic. Also make sure you spray the edges and seams of carpets as these areas are hard to vacuum and can be collection points for eggs.

Ideally you should talk to your vet to find out the best flea and tick control for your circumstances and your cat. There are various factors that determine what’s best such as the climate you live in, the time of year, your cat’s habits and activities and how she responds to the various available control methods.

Fleas and ticks are an annoyance and with some common sense and a good control regime they are a problem that can be easily managed and controlled.



Mary Amos is a cat lover and long time cat owner. Find more articles and resources about caring for your cat or kitten at Cat Care and Cat Health

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Who Else Wants To Avoid These Cat Claw Catastrophies?

Who Else Wants To Avoid These Cat Claw Catastrophies? by Romi Matsushita

Don’t get caught holding the bag when your cat decides to claw houseguests and unsuspecting members of your family.

Even after you have gotten your cat used to using her own personal scratching post to sharpen her claws on a regular basis, there are still times when your pet may suddenly lash out to claw people.

But before you rush to judgement and perhaps punishment, ask yourself to consider the motivation behind such acting out behavior. Cats, like most animals, will lash out when they are afraid. So when your cat suddenly claws people, before you play the blame game with your pet, try to consider both sides of the equation. Is it your cat’s fault, or the people around her who have provoked her or made her frightened?

I was prime witness to just such a situation when the family who gave me my cat Abby dropped by for a spontaneous, unannounced visit. They had not seen Abby for about a year. As she had been an exclusively indoor cat, she had no contact with people outside my family. I could tell she was startled when a group of five people barreled into the house. Abby’s first response was to dive under the dining room table. The children proceeded to try to yank her out from under the table. I could tell she was frightened. From under the table I could hear her hissing. A low rumbling growl which I had never heard before was coming from the pit of her stomach. The children kept poking and prodding her even though to me it was obvious she was distressed. They kept waving their hands in front of her face and then pulling them away. To make matters worse, they had also brought one of her littermates, who she now seemed to consider a stranger. In a panic, I rushed to open a sliding glass door so Abby could jump through before the two cats could square off against each other.

I remember thinking that this whole experience was so abrupt and traumatizing for Abby that I couldn’t blame her when the claws came out. Yet I’m sure from the looks on the faces of my guests that day, that they blamed me and my cat for their claw marks. They assumed Abby was afraid of or didn’t like children. I didn’t think that was the issue, it was their sudden entrance which had startled both of us.

There are some cats that are afraid of children, but I think most pets respond well to acclimatization. You can expose your cat to young children, like I did. Just wait a while before you let them loose around your cat. Sit the child next to you and feed your kitty treats, then gradually let the child take over. Do this for small stretches over several sessions. This worked well for me. Abby is now comfortable around the neighborhood children.

I’m grateful that Abby was able to get used to being around children, but I could detect that at times she would get jealous of the attention the children received, and would proceed to jump between us. Some cats do get jealous of certain people. Some cats start acting out and being mean to certain people too. If this situation persists, the only thing to do is remove the cat from the situation. When your cat starts growling or clawing, pick her up and take her to the bathroom until your guest is gone. You may also advise your guest that if they are also a pet owner, your cat may be responding to the scent on the person’s clothes.

The worst thing is when your cat consistently claws a family member. If it’s a family member, try a commercially available cat repellant or lemon juice to keep the cat away, then acclimatization to get them used to the other person. If all this fails, you may be forced to consider declawing your pet.

Remember that when your pet acts out, there is usually a reason for it. When animals are frightened, they go into defense mode. In these situations, we can often forgive their clawing mistakes. To avoid cat clawing catastrophies, try the steps outlined above. Small doses of exposure to people will usually cure your cat of its’ clawing outbursts. Then again, cats like people, can be finicky with their affections. If you have tried and tried for instance, to get your cat used to your mother in law, but to no avail, what can you do? How can you blame kitty for not liking her? After all, if the truth be known, it’s not like you like her that much either.



Romi Matsushita works hard not to frighten her cat. Find great cat care advice, tips, and articles at http://www.cat-advisors-online.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Curbing Your Cat’s Natural Nasty Enthusiasms

Curbing Your Cat’s Natural Nasty Enthusiasms by Romi Matsushita

If your cat’s bad behavior is driving you crazy, here are the best solutions to the most common problems you may be facing.

1. Eliminating Outside the litter box.

Is it your fault or the cat’s fault? Many cats won’t use the litter box if it is too dirty. They just don’t like it. If you think this may be the problem, change the litter box twice as often as you currently do. When your cat goes outside the box, make like a speed demon to clean all the places the cat goes. Spray the areas down with Lysol or something similar with a nice strong smell that will obliterate the blessed odor of you know what.

What is your cat’s favorite place? Put the litter box there. Maybe if you simply put the litter box in the bathroom, the situation will change. If it’s not in too obnoxious a place, you can put the litter box on top of the place your cat has chosen to go to, just to make the point. As a last resort, put down bleach, safely, in those spots, and cover the area with aluminum foil.

2. Spraying

Male animals of many different species do this to mark their territory, and cats are no exception. You may find your cat does this when it feels threatened, especially by dogs and small children, or maybe perhaps when other male cats are around. There is little to be done for this beyond neutering your male cat. Don’t punish your cat for this behavior though. They won’t understand at all.

3. Clawing people

This is another example of something cats tend to do when they feel afraid or threatened. But again, is it the cat’s fault, or the people around him? If you have a cat that is generally afraid of children, you should do something about it. Try exposing the cat to young children in small doses until he gets used to it. Don’t just let children loose around the cat. Have the child sit in your lap or next to you and feed your pet kitty treats.

Some cats are afraid, but let’s face it, some are just mean to certain people. As soon as the cat starts clawing or growling, quickly pick her up and remove her from the situation. If the object of derision is a family member, try spraying lemon juice to keep the cat away. Again, try exposing the cat to the person in small pockets of time, until your pet gets used to being around that individual. If the derided person is your mother in law, there may be nothing you can do.

4. Caterwauling

What is that sound? Who hasn’t wondered or thought that some disaster has occurred after hearing their cat making ululating noises in the middle of the night. Siamese cats actually do this by nature, so you may not be able to get them to stop, but other cats do it because they are tired, hungry, or sick. There aren’t many things you can do about this unfortunately. If you think it’s a hunger thing, feed your pet more promptly, and refuse to feed her when she caterwauls. She won’t understand what you are doing, but she’ll almost certainly quit after she figures out it does her no good. If she caterwauls because she is in heat, you should get her fixed. For other caterwauling problems, try to ignore her, and keep her as far away from yourself as possible. However there are times when your cat caterwauls to let you know she has done something good. If you approve of the behavior, by all means praise your pet to let her know.

5. Running Outside

Curiousity killed the cat. The cliché exists because it’s so true. Indoor cats get very curious about the outside, what’s BEYOND THE DOOR. The first thing you should do is not open the door when the cat runs out. Try to get the cat accustomed to the outdoors by getting a cat leash and walking her on it or by carrying her in your arms when you go outside. Once the mystery of what’s out there is gone, she’s less likely to want to get to it, particularly if you expose her to snow or other extreme conditions.

Your cat can be by turns lovable and frustrating. Like children, pets often behave in ways that perplex us. By being aware of what makes your cat do the things that it does, you can learn how to curb its’ enthusiasm for undesirable habits, as well as to accept those you cannot change.



Romi Matsushita curbs her cat's natural nasty enthusiasms daily. Find great cat care tips, articles, and advice at http://www.cat-advisors-online.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Cat Training With A Clicker

Cat Training With A Clicker by Burt Cotton

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition (they associate the sound with food.) and operant conditioning (cat performs movement to receive food).

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click. Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 mins a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker

Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.

To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the clicker.



Burt Cotton http://www.catcarenews.org

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Good Cat Care Means A Happy Cat

Good Cat Care Means A Happy Cat by Douglas Rogers

Cat care is the most important part of keeping your cat healthy and happy. The more you know about cat care, the better you will be able to meet your feline’s physical and emotional needs. The stronger your cat’s health and the better your cat’s attitude are, the more you will be able to enjoy your cat’s unique personality. Good cat care will make your cat more affectionate, and can dramatically reduce any behavior problems that your cat may be displaying. If you want a richer and fuller relationship with your cat, try improving your cat care.

Having a cat is a two way street. The better the level of cat care that you can provide for your pet, the more energetic, affectionate, and well behaved it will be. By giving your pet with optimum cat care, you will make it more agreeable to the training and gentle behavior modification techniques that can take the headaches out of pet ownership. Good cat care often translates into a good cat that will take commands more willingly than a cat who does not receive enough attention, affection, and care. The more you learn about how to care for your cat, the better the level of health you will be able to bring your feline friend to. The healthier your cat is, the stronger the emotional bond between you and your pet will be, and that bond often serves as the core of obedience training.

By educating yourself about cat care and practicing the best, scientifically tested cat care techniques to provide your cat with optimum attention, you can make sure that your cat is as happy as possible. The happier your cat is, the happier it will be able to make you. A cat that is well cared for is a cat that will be interested in active playtime and in calm relaxation. The better your cat care abilities are, the more fully you will be able to sharing time with your cat doing all of you pet’s, and your, favorite activities together. Great cat care provides a strong foundation for your bond with your cat. Good cat care can help you grow closer with your beloved pet by making sure that he or she is always up for spending time with you. This is why cat care is an important part of your emotional relationship with your cat.

If your cat isn’t getting the right kind of care, from the best kind of diet to the ideal grooming schedule, your cat may develop behavior issues that can make your pet feel like a problem child. However, the positive side of this equation is that conscientious and responsible cat care can help your cat overcome issues ranging from constant mewling to weight issues to destructive tendencies. Good cat care means a happier pet, and even a problematic cat who receives enough of the right kind of care can become a pleasant companion.



For more Cat Care information please visit "The Cat Care Compendium" Located at: http://www.cat-guide.com This Blog created by Doug Rogers shares with readers helpful cat care information for all cat lovers.

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

Tips For Training Your Cat

Tips For Training Your Cat by Laura Marsh

You can’t train a cat, like you can a dog. If you try to, you’ll probably cause behavioural problems later on. But you can teach it not to perform bad habits. But most times the owner will have to change to fit in with the cat.

Every one in your house, should agree with what you are going to allow the cat to do. Do not change the rules when you’ve decided them, as this can cause difficulties.

• If your cat trusts you, it will probably do what you want, so speak in a calm tone.
• Your cat can tell if you are anxious, so don’t worry if things go wrong. Keep calm and start again.
• Don’t force training on your cat, only attempt it when it seems happy to do so.
• Don’t move too quickly, or the cat might misunderstand.
• When teaching a kitten only do it for ½ hour a day and only repeat a few times. As an annoyed kitten will not learn anything.
• If you are forbidding something, be consistent. Don’t change your mind, and stick to the same command.
• If you’ve caught your cat doing something bad, give it a quick squirt of water from a plant sprayer. This will soon curb the behaviour.
• Never hurt or shout at your cat, or it will associate you with the unpleasantness. Instead put some dry beans in a tin and shake it briefly if you cat is being bad.
• When the cat obeys, praise and stroke it.
• Treat your cat with food when it does well, it will learn to associate a good behaviour with food. But don’t over do it, it will soon so it without help.
• Do not ignore your cat when you are mad at it, cats do not understand this behaviour and will feel insecure.

Your cat will not know from the start that it has to use a scratch post to sharpen its claws. You need to teach it to do so.

If your cat beings to attack the furniture, clearly say ‘NO’. Then take the cat to the scratching post and put its paws on it. You can scratch with your own nails too, as the noise will make the cat curious.

If your cat refuses to use the scratch post, then it may not like the fabric that covers it. Try putting an old piece of clothing that smells like you over the board; put some hemp rope around the scratching tree, or put down some straw mats, cats often like these better.

Make sure where your cat sleeps is quiet and comfortable. Provide your cat with a covered basket, with a soft filling such as a blanket or towel. You cat can get away in here and feel safe, but still be able to see things going on.

Don’t let your cat beg, once it has formed this habit, you won’t be able to break it. Don’t give in to a meowing cat! Keep your cat away from the dining table!
• Don’t offer your cat food from the table.
• Don’t give treats outside of feeding time, just because it wants them.
• Don’t put your cat on your lap when eating dinner at the table.
• Set your cat certain feeding times.
• Feed your cat when you eat, so it will be occupied.
• If you cat jumps on your lap or the chair next door while you are eating say ‘NO’ and place it far from the table.



www.caringforyourcat.info

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com