Is Tug of War with Toys Safe?

If Pebbles pounces on your shoelaces every time you walk by her, she clearly wants to play. Engaging in a gentle game of tug-of-war helps her get out some of her pent-up energy and keeps you completely entertained. While tug-of-war is probably an OK game to play with the cat, it can be dangerous if the game gets out of hand or if you use the wrong types of long cat wand toys.


How to Play
Pick up a piece of yarn, Pebbles’ favorite wand or a long feather cat wand toy. Just avoid anything that stretches -- after all, you don’t want to let go and have the toy smack her between the eyes. Wiggle the toy in front of the cat until she takes a nibble and gentle tug at it. If she’s in the mood for tug-of-war, she’ll chomp down on the toy and pull back, trying to get it away from you. After several seconds, slowly let go. Likely, she'll drop the toy. Do it over again. Intrigue her by playing several short games of tug-of-war with a variety of toys rather than pulling at the same toy for an extended period of time.

When to Stop
Pebbles shouldn’t be growling, hissing, nipping or swatting at your hand during your game of tug-of-war. These signs of aggression let you know she is over-stimulated. She needs a few moments to cool down. Stop immediately and let her relax for a few minutes. When she settles down, pick up the toy and go back to playing. If she continues to exhibit aggressive behavior, tug-of-war may not be an ideal game to play with her.

Dangers
If Pebbles starts playing too rough, stop your tug-of-war session immediately. Felines have fragile teeth; if yours tugs at her cat toy wand elastic toy too hard, she could break or even pull out a tooth. Watch for blood, drooling or pawing at her face after your play session. These are signs something in her mouth is awry. In addition, if you’re playing with a string, put it away in a safe spot once you’re done playing. String can be a choking hazard if Pebbles decides to chomp on it on her own.

Other Games
As soon as Pebbles starts getting bored with tug-of-war -- or if it makes her act a little mean -- play fetch with her instead, just like you would with Fido. Toss Pebbles’ mouse toy across the room, giving her the opportunity to pounce on it and then encourage her to bring it back to you. Not all cats understand the game of fetch or care to play. Cats love to hunt, though, so you may pique your cat's interest by wiggling her feathery wand toy on the floor right next to the sofa. When she makes her move, quickly shake it in a new spot. Her natural hunting instincts will kick in, making her want to catch this prey.

Tapeworn Treatment in Cats

Almost all cats, at some point in their lives, are afflicted by internal parasites. One such parasite, the tapeworm, can be particularly troublesome, and should be treated as soon as possible. It is also possible to take some steps to prevent tapeworm infection. This article is designed to inform readers about how to prevent tapeworm infection, as well as how to cure a tapeworm infection in a cat.

Call your veterinarian if you notice the symptoms of a tapeworm infestation. A tapeworm infestation is most frequently discovered when segments of the tapeworm are found in and on a cat's stool and in the hair around the cat's anal region. Tapeworm segments often look similar to large grains of rice or small segments of a pasta noodle. They are easily visible to the naked eye.

Collect a sample of the stool and bring it to your veterinarian, who can often identify tapeworm segments on sight, but may also choose to do a fecal examination to confirm infestation. Wait for the right time to collect the sample. Play with your cat using da bird pack or cat wire wand with it before the grooming session. This da bird refill will help calm down the cat and less aggressive. It is likely that your veterinarian will require this, particularly if this is your cat's first infestation.

Cure the infestation by administering the medication that your veterinarian prescribes. Your veterinarian will likely prescribe a tapeworm dewormer, such as Droncit or Drontal, to eradicate the parasites. This medication usually consists of one dose immediately, and a second dose approximately two weeks later. After administering the medication, you may see the dead worms pass in the cat's stool. This is perfectly normal and nothing to become alarmed about.

Start your cat on some type of flea preventative to prevent further infestation, such as Frontline, Advantage or Revolution, and try to keep your pet from hunting and ingesting small animals, which can also cause infestation.

Consider obtaining a prescription from your veterinarian for the treatment medication, especially if your pet has repeated infestations. You will then be able to purchase the medication from online retailers, such as PetMeds, at a much lower cost and without having to pay for a veterinary visit.

Removing Static Cling on Cats

Excessive static cling occurs when friction between two separate surfaces results in either a positive or a negative electrical charge. Cats with long hair commonly collect quite a bit of the shocking stuff, particularly during the fall and winter. Dry and overheated environments build up static, and combing your cat adds the electrical charge, turning your kitty into a walking static cling factory. However, there are a few simple things that you can do to remove static cling from your cat's fur.

Calm him if he is agitated by petting him for a few minutes or giving him healthy treats. You can also play or exercise with your feline prior to the cleaning. You may want to do this with long cat wand. Some of these include da bird toy, cat teasers, lion cat hat etc. These products will keep your cat relaxed before the grooming session.

Apply hand cream or talcum powder to your hands before touching your cat.

Rub the cat's entire coat with a nylon stocking. This is often all that is needed.

Add moisture to your cat's fur before brushing. A completely dry coat will produce static electricity when brushed or combed. Fill a plastic spray bottle with warm water and spritz the cat's coat lightly with a fine mist. However, many cats consider this to be rude treatment, and won't stand for it. If that is your kitty, just use a clean washcloth dampened with warm water to give the pet an all-over wipe. This works very well for removing static cling.

Spritz the cat's fur with an anti-static pet spray, if the pet will permit you to do so. Otherwise, apply some of the spray to a clean washcloth, and lightly rub the entire coat with it.

Groom the cat only as much as necessary with metal or Teflon-coated combs and brushes. Don't use wire slickers or plastics. Excessive brushing and combing creates static cling in the fur.

Dog training for a Cat?!

Think you can't train a cat like a dog? Think again! Unlike dogs, cats will not do anything they don't want to do. With a little patience, food, some best cat toys and a little plastic and metal clicker, soon you will have your cat sitting, staying and coming when called.

Study your cat's behavior to see what it does naturally, then reinforce that behavior with praise. Whenever action you'd like your cat to repeat, such as fetching, or coming to its name, praise it by saying, "Good!" and pet it at the same time. It will quickly learn to associate the praise by performing this act.

Use food and a plastic and metal clicker as training tools. To get the cat to associate food with the clicker, give her a treat, then use the clicker. Do this every time you feed her a treat or her regular meal or play with her favorite da bird cat catcher. To make sure she's made the connection between the clicker and food, use the clicker to see if she runs to where you would normally feed her.

Be consistent with the commands you use. Do not use "come" and then "here." It will only confuse the cat.

Use the cat's name with each command, and praise her with petting and saying, "Good Tigger" (or whatever your cat's name is). Positive reinforcement goes a long way.

To get a cat to sit on command, hold the food reward over her head. Speak her name, say, "sit," then move the food back over the cat's head. This will make her sit down, as her head naturally follows the food. The second she sits, use the clicker, say "sit" again, then give her the food reward. It won't take long for her to associate the food reward with the command, and the clicker will become a thing of the past.

After teaching your cat to sit, it will be easier to teach her to come. Once she's gotten to the point of coming to the food station at the sound of the clicker, say, "come" and then use the clicker. When she arrives, give her some food, play around with go cat toys and praise her, as with every training command. Try this at different locations around your house. Eventually she will come to you without having to use the clicker.

Getting your cat to stay is one of the harder training sessions you might have. Take the food, put it about ten feet away from the cat. As she walks toward the food, put out your hand and say, "stay." If she stops moving, use the clicker, and give her the food reward. If she keeps moving, keep repeating the command, "stay" until she stops. Only reward her if she stops. Repeat this until she understands that "stay" means "stop where you are."

Keeping your Cat's Coat Shiny

As cat owners, it is such a delight to see and touch our cat's shiny furry coat. There can be as many as 130,000 hairs per square inch in a cat’s coat. And these hairs do many things: they give a cat sensory data, protect it from heat and cold, wind and rain and even help a cat manufacture vital nutrients like vitamin D. Although cats can be so meticulous in cleaning their furry treasure, once in a while they can lose this amazing shine.

There are a lot of reasons why a feline's coat can be dull or its skin dry and flaky. Some causes include:

• Poor nutrition. A cat needs a diet that consists a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fat to achieve healthy and shiny hair, skin and body. So if your feed your kitty poor quality of food then he'll end up lacking on those vital minerals and nutrients.
• Weight problems. When cats become fat or obese, it becomes difficult for them to reach their whole bodies to clean. Therefore, keeping the hair dull and ungroomed.
• Age. As cats get older, they become less flexible or arthritic. As a result, they can't twist and turn as they used to. So, age or pain could leave your cat's coat dull.
• Frequent bathing. Bathing kitty too often could bedraggle your cat's coat.

Intestinal Parasites (Worms) in Cats

Cats, or even most pets, can acquire intestinal parasites as well as some of what we call "worms". Infestations of intestinal worms can cause a variety of symptoms. In some cases cats show only few of these symptoms. Sometimes they don't even show up, thus, the infestation can develop without detection despite being a potentially serious health problem. Some feline parasitic worms are hazards for humane health as well. We must be aware of these parasite as well as how to manage if we are in such situation.

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So what are the most common types of worms in cats? Here is a list of them:

• Roundworms - the most common internal parasites in cats. They resemble spaghetti and can grow up to 3 to 4 inches long. Cats can be affected by this in several ways. Nursing kittens can get roundworms from an infected mother’s milk, while adult cats can acquire them by ingesting an infected rodent or the feces of an infected cat.
•  Hookworms - smaller than roundworms-less than an inch long-and reside primarily in the small intestine. These worms can cause life-threatening anemia especially in kittens since they feed on blood. Hookworm eggs are passed in the stool and hatch into larvae. A cat can become infected through ingestion or skin contact. However it is worth noting that hookworms are more common on dogs than cats.
• Tapeworms - segmented parasites that can range from 4 to 28 inches in length. These worms are usually long and flat. An infestation can cause vomiting or weight loss. Cats acquire tapeworms by ingesting an intermediate host, like an infected flea or rodent. When cats are infected, tapeworm segments.
•  Lungworms - resides at the lungs unlike intestinal parasites. Cats develop coughs as a symptom of acquiring this worm. However, some will show no signs at all. They can acquire this worm after eating a bird or rodent who has ingested an intermediate host, such as, slugs or snails.

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 Usual transmissions of these worms to your cat may be through the digestion of the feces of an infected cat. Mother cats can also pass on worms to their kittens. Also, the symptoms depend on the type of worm infecting your cats. Nonetheless, the most common clinical signs include:

• Diarrhea
• Worms visible in stool or segments of worm seen near anus
• Bloody stool
• Bloating or round, potbellied appearance to abdomen
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Coughing
• Trouble breathing

 
Are certain cats prone to these worms? Outdoor cats that hunt and eat rodents, and those who are routinely exposed to soil where other animals defecate are prone to worms. Cats that have fleas are also likely to get tapeworms. Kittens and cats that do not receive regular preventative health care are most at risk for developing complications associated with internal parasites. So if your think your cat has displayed a number of these symptoms, bring them to your veterinarian immediately. Avoid self-diagnosis, since worms are not always visible or identifiable.

 A cat is treated specifically by what type of worm it has. For instance, a dewormer that eradicates tapeworms will not kill roundworms. And some over-the-counter deworming medications can be damaging. After your vet has accurately diagnosed the type of parasite your pet has, he or she will then prescribe the best course of treatment.

Prevent your cat from having these worms by keeping your cat indoors to avoid exposure from infected cats, rodents, fleas and feces. Also, make sure your home or yard is free from fleas. In addition, be sure to practice frequently disposing litter box waste and don't forget to wear gloves while doing this. You can also talk to your vet on parasite prevention programs available for your cat.

Having worms that can be bad for your cat should always be prevented. If your love your cat, be cautious always. 'Til next time!

Human Food Your Cat Can Eat

 Cats and humans have different diets. Not all human food or even food that we think our feline friend can benefit must be served to them. Some include onion, garlic, raw eggs, alcohol, caffiene, etc. The list is long, let me tell you. And as cat owners we must know these things because most of these items can cause digestive upset and or affect the nervous system.

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However, it is so hard not to treat your cat with some food from the table. I give my cat, Scott, some tables scraps and he's perfectly fine. I learned that some of the items on these DO NOT EAT lists are safe for your cat but must be maintained in very small doses. They say it is better to keep in mind that human food should only make up 15% or less of a cat's diet. But the question is: what human food can we serve for our cats? Today I will share to you five human food I feed my Scott. Oh, and a word of caution, some items of these lists are perfectly safe IF given in same amounts so be careful and read thoroughly.