Cat Health Archives - Page 5 of 7

How To Give Your Cat A Bath

A cat and a bath? It sounds incompatible right? As we know, cats really hate even the tiny drops of water splashing through her body. But for some owners, they showered their cats to make them cool and refreshing.

A domestic cat really hates getting bathe. For some reason, domestic cats have a coat that absorbs rather than deflects moisture which makes it harder for them to dry up after they got soaked in water. So bathing a cat in water is a little bit challenging.

Does the cat need to bath?

Obviously, when your own cat has soiled themselves in a litter box, you will have to bathe the cat to cleanse them up. And for your information, cats are automatically grooming and cleaning themselves. When you think that a wipe-down with a damp washcloth is not enough for your cat, prior for the better cleansing up, you tend to make them soaked in water.

It is normally that a cat get stinks and you can’t stand their disgusting smell cause by garbage or any trash. I’m sure that you don’t also want your house filled with dirty paws marks. This one situation is enough for you to have your cat a bath. It may seems not that easy, but for your own sake and safety, the cat needs to be clean up.

Preparing Your Cat in Advance

This is very important when attempting to bath your cats. Keep in mind that you should observe first how well they behave when they get soaked in water. But for those who are unsure of what will be their cat’s reaction, like freaking out and you think you will not handle the situation, seek first for the veterinarians. They can be of great help and may provide you the necessities and give you an advice of how to bath your cat.

If you don’t want to get injured by your cat, you can also choose to take your cat to a groomer. Make sure that you have a recommendation for a groomer that uses humane ad gentle handling techniques. But before doing so, visit first the grooming site to see if you are comfortable with the surroundings, handling techniques and cleanliness of the surroundings.

How To Bathe A Cat

Washing and bathing a cat can sometimes be a handful and tough. Knowing that they don’t want to get splashed by water, it is really hard to do this task.

And the question “how should I bathe my cat” will come next to your mind. It is known to everybody that when giving your cat a bath needs some extra care and some preparation for you to avoid any scratches and injuries. So, here are the things that you should have before starting to do the task

Small cloth to wipe and clean the face
A rubber gloves to protect you from getting scratches
a cat shampoo
Large pitcher for rinsing or a spray nozzle.
a cotton balls to cleanse the ears
of course, a large towel

Cat shampoos are readily available at the pet stores or even in the supermarkets. Make sure that the shampoo you are using is specifically formulated for cats. Many veterinarians have recommended a Virbac which is a good brand of shampoo for cats. This shampoo is also good when it comes to medications, antibacterial varieties and is also hypoallergenic.

Make sure that you don’t use any kinds of cleaning products because it may result to your cat’s eyes and skin get irritation. You can use a mild baby shampoo if you don’t have any cat shampoo.

Steps in Giving Cat a Bath

For easier access to bathe a cat, you should follow the following steps

The sink should be filled at least 2-3 inches of lukewarm water.

You need lukewarm water to make them not freak out and that they would feel relaxed and comfortable.

You can now wet the cat from the shoulder to the tail and then apply shampoo. Lather and rinse the cat thoroughly and thought of it just like your own hair.

This step should be done with care as your cat may freak out when you touch their tails. Make sure that you should not put any bubbles of shampoo in their eyes and face.

We know that cats really hate having water splashed to their face, so you just need to damp their face with washcloth gently to wipe off dirt and to cleanse their head.
After cleansing his head, aim now for their ears. Cleanse their ear by a cotton ball and never put any kind of objects inside your cat’s ears.

This step isn’t necessary to do as you may result to damage your cats’ ears especially when they are lively and is moves their head frequently

After shampooing and cleansing the cat, lift them up to the sink and wrap the large towel around their body. You should rub off water from their fur gently and as much as possible.
If you have any blower, use it to make their fur gets dry easier. But make sure that the blower will not terrify your cat.

The blower is mostly used for those cats that have thick hair and is not easy to dry their hair.

Giving a bath to your cat must be done with extra care if you are especially new to the task. Have some people to accompany you if you still doubt yourself. There are actually many ways on how to bathe your cat. There are groomers that specialize in this kind of thing and veterinarians that can help you providing things you’ll need the most. Have also some research on how to do things accurately, precise and thoroughly in taking care of your cat.

It is best to bath your cat for a short period of time and as quickly and efficiently as possible!

Harmful Food to Keep Away from Your Cat

Pets like cats and dogs are already part of the family. We feed them, we take a bath them and we also talk to them. Just like us humans, we also communicate with animals by talking to them. They may not answer us but at least, we know they are listening. They also need to take a bath, if possible, every day but it is okay if only once a week. Because they also need to be freshened up. And the most essential need of pets is foods. They also eat thrice a day just like us humans. But they cannot eat all the foods that humans can eat.

Having a pet is not that easy, we need to spend time taking care of them. Pet owner should also be responsible enough and knowledgeable about their pet. We need to be careful of the food we give to our pets because instead of giving them the love they might be in danger.

Cats are one of the pets that people love because of their cuteness. But be careful, there are foods that are dangerous and poisonous to them and can also lead to death.

List of harmful foods and drinks for the cat:

Here is the list, find out why are these foods and drinks harmful and also the symptoms for you to know when will you bring your pet to the vet.

1. Onions and garlic

This can damage the red blood cells and be the main reason for the cats to have anemia. Aside from onions and garlic, shallots and scallions are also poisonous especially when large quantities are eaten. Veterinarians’ attention is need when cats have these following symptoms: lethargy, reduced appetite, weakness, orange to dark red urines and pale gums.

2. Raw egg, raw meat, and raw fish

Consumption of raw eggs or meat can poison cat with salmonella or E. coli bacteria. And the illness that can catch by the cat, vary with these symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. While eating raw fish has an enzyme that can destroy cat’s thiamine which can cause neurological problems and coma.

3. Chocolate

Cats don’t usually eat chocolates, but some owners want their cats to taste it even just a little bit. But chocolates have a toxic property of theobromine and a substance of methylxanthines which can cause abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, high body temperature, muscle tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst and sadly death.

4. Alcohol and raw dough

The effect of food and drinks with alcohol is ingestion that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, trouble in breathing and sadly death. While raw dough can create alcohol in the stomach and cause expansion in the stomach. When intake by the cat even just a little bit alcohol, better take the cat to vet immediately.

5. Milk and dairy products

Cats love to drink milk but too much is not good because they can not easily digest lactose in milk except milk form their mother when they are kittens.

6. Grapes and raisins

Can lead to rapid development of kidney failure. Then, when time past by vomiting, ingestion, diarrhea, abdominal pain, lethargy, reduced appetite, hyperactivity, and decreased urination.

7. Dog food

Dog food is made only for dogs. Cat food is made for cats which contain more proteins, plenty of vitamin A. taurine, arachidonic acid and fatty acids which cat needs. Straight eating of dog food as a substitute for the cat food may lead to malnourishment.

8. Coffee, tea, and energy drinks

Caffeine which is present in coffee, tea, and energy drinks are also dangerous. The effect of caffeine is restlessness, heart palpitation, rapid breathing, muscle tremor, and even death. Too much caffeine is really fatal to cats and there is no antidote.

9. Avocado

Persin is the toxic component of the avocado. It can damage heart, lung and other tissues of the cat. Most animals like dogs and cats should not allow them to eat avocado because it is very toxic.

10. Nuts

Nuts that are toxic are walnuts and macadamia nuts. As time pass by symptoms such as vomiting, high body temperature, inability to stand or walk, weakness, an elevated heart rate and even paralyzed to death. If cat ate chocolates with nuts are even more dangerous.

11. Candy

Untreated animals like a cat could die. They can first suffer to loss of coordination, seizures and sudden drop of blood sugar. Candies or anything that contain xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) are harmful to cats.

12. Medicine

Medicine for the human can be poisonous. Cats have their own medicine only if prescribed by the vet. Proper storage of the medicines will take the danger away from our pets.

13. Liver

Too much eating liver can cause toxicity of vitamin A. Deformed bones, bone growths on the spine and elbow, and osteoporosis is the symptoms brought by the serious condition that can affect the bones of the cat.

14. Fat trimmings and bones

Cooked and uncooked fats can lead to vomiting and diarrhea because of intestinal upset. While bones can choke a cat and can cut the digestive system of the cat.

15. Tuna

Tuna made for humans are not also good for the cat because it does not also contain the nutrients needed by the cat. So, don’t let open cans of tuna be left behind because cat might assume that you are giving it.

Conclusion

There you have it, the above list is the 15 harmful foods and drinks for our cats. We should be watchful to the foods and drinks we are giving to our pet. They don’t know what are the dangerous foods and drinks for themselves so we pet owner should be the one responsible about it.

So, again the harmful foods are onions, garlic, raw egg, raw meat, raw fish, chocolate, grapes, raisin, dog food, avocado, nuts, candy, medicine, liver, fat trimming, bones, and tuna. While the harmful drinks are alcohol, raw dough, milk, dairy products, coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Be sure you are mindful and careful before being a pet owner.

Can Getting a Cat Solve 99% of Your Problems?

Aside from having the word “cat lady”, there’s also what we call a “cat man”. There are certain people, either men or women, as so crazy about cats that they have dozens of them in their houses. Cats might seem scary because of their independent nature and “I-don’t-care-like” attitude, but they are very sweet and funny in their own way, and not to mention destructive once they go on top of the shelves and start pushing the breakable items.

But despite being destructive on certain things and kind of a bit scary, owning a cat also have a lot of benefits in mental and emotional health. Like dogs, cats can also make us happy just by being beside us. Life is much more fun when there are cats around, so in this article, we would learn the benefits of having a cat.

1. Relieves Stress and Improves Mood

Having a cat around can a big impact in our life. According to some scientists, spending at least 15 to 30 minutes of your time a day with your cat by playing, cuddling, or by simply watching them can boost up your mood greatly.

This has something to do with serotonin, which is a brain chemical that is in charge of our feelings, and cortisol which is a chemical that is associated with stress. Spending time with cats reduces your cortisol levels and increases your serotonin levels.

2. Better Health

Whether you believe it or not, getting a cat can actually have a lot of positive effects on your health. If we were to list down all the benefits, it would be quite long. So to mention some of the highlights, cats can help lower your risk of heart attack, improve your immune system, and even prevents children from developing allergies and/or asthma later on in life.

3. They Keep Rodents Away

Cats and mice have always been enemies. Cats killing mice, and mice running away from cats. However, there are some cases that cats are afraid of mice, while some get along with them.

If you have problems with mice intruding your property, or destroying things like wires, clothes, and other stuff then you should probably get yourself a cat in your house. When there’s a cat in play, they could keep the mouse at bay.

4. They Can Help with Emotional Problems

If you or your kid is suffering from a trauma, or depression which is very common, having a cat has a surprising healing benefit when it comes to emotional problems. This is ideal for those who don’t have anyone with them that they could count on as their emotional support.

Reports have also said that having a feline companionship can quickly improve their mental, and their physical setbacks.

5. They Can Keep You in Shape

When it comes to keeping you in tip-top shape, dogs would surely be number one on the job. Although dogs can help you stay in shape, cats can also help you out in staying active by making you play with them.

As most cat owners know, cats could get bored easily which means they would need regular stimulation where they could bring out their energy. And this is where you come in, you’ll have to play with them by using a feather duster, laser pointers, or by letting them chase a ball.

6. You Could Sleep Better

According to some research in the UK, they’ve concluded that a lot of people, especially the females, prefer to sleep with their feline friend over their partners. These people have also reported that they could sleep better with a cat companion than with a human.

Another study said that 41% of the people from the study said that they could sleep better with a pet, while only about 20% said that cats only disturbs their sleep.

7. You’ll Gain Some Companionship

If you live alone, getting a cat as your pet can help reduce your feeling of loneliness even if they’re known for being independent. The bond that you’ll have with your cat can reinforce a companionship, which is similar to having a human companionship.

Conclusion:

Cats don’t necessarily solve all of your problems, but they could make your life so much easier by decreasing your stress levels and improving your mood. Also, according to some swiss study in 2003, owning a cat is quite similar to having a romantic partner with you. So if you are feeling lonely, depressed, anxious, traumatized, or having a rodent problem at home then you should get a cat as your pet.

You can also get one even if you are not feeling any of the given problems above.

20 Healthy Foods to Supplement Your Cat’s Diet

On the search for a healthy snack for your feline buddy? Well, you do not have to look further than your own pantry for some healthy, cat-safe foods to feed him.

Here are some of the feline-friendly human foods to supplement your cat’s diet that is expert-recommended so you can start feeding him like every other member of the family.

1. Spinach

Full f minerals and vitamins including vitamins K, C, and A, calcium and iron, spinach can be healthy can cat-friendly treat. But, if your feline has a history of calcium oxalate bladder stone, then you will need to avoid this one.

Also, you can find cat foods that include spinach as its main ingredient because of its vast health benefits.

2. Salmon

Cats love fish. We all know this.

But the healthiest fish you should give him would be salmons. A good source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, salmon can be a tasty and delicious treat for cats. And salmons are usually already found in commercial cat food. However, you need to make sure that you only give your feline cooked salmons to prevent any problems.

3. Cooked Eggs

Raw eggs may be a problem to your cat’s health. However cooked eggs are a different story. Being a good source of B vitamins and protein, cooked eggs are generally safer for your feline. In fact, eggs can already be found in most cat foods.

4. Chicken

Since cats are carnivores and need a diet which contains mostly meat, their bodies want any type of meat, particularly chicken. Chicken is a good source of lean protein as long as it is cooked thoroughly and the skin is removed before feeding it to your feline buddy.

5. Cantaloupe

High in beta-carotene and antioxidants, cats will benefit from cantaloupe in maintaining healthy eyes and skin.

6. Cooked Carrots

Carrots are another excellent cat-safe food that comes with a lot of different minerals and vitamins including beta-carotene for eye health.

However, you need to cook the carrots first before feeding them and make sure to chop them up to small and easy-to-digest pieces in order to avoid choking.

7. Bananas

High in soluble fiber and potassium, bananas are great cat-safe snacks. But, even though bananas are a healthy treat, they need to make up less than 10 percent of your feline’s daily calorie intake to prevent obesity and other problems.

8. Pumpkin

Can felines eat pumpkin?

Of course, they can!

Not only these fall staples are high in fiber and low in calories, but pumpkins are also effective treatments for felines that suffer from abnormal stools. You can add pumpkin into your cat’s treats since it is healthy and safe.

To avoid digestion problems, create a pumpkin puree to support gut mobility and stool quality.

9. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another human food that can be found in most commercial cat foods. This superfood is a great source of B vitamins and energy for your pet.

But, even though oatmeal is a cat-safe food, not all felines will love it. So you will want to introduce it slowly and ensure that your cat likes them before you incorporate it into your cat’s regular diet.

10. Green Beans

Green bean is another one of the few approved and healthy veggies for your cat’s healthy diet— particularly if you one that happens to be overweight. Green beans are a great source of fiber, making it a great substitute for traditional kitty treats.

11. Cheese

Cats are lactose intolerant.

So, why cheese?

Well, cats can handle some cheese from time to time. And if your feline friend shows an interest in this cat-friendly food, then you can feed him hard cheese such as Gouda, Swiss or cheddar. This type of cheese is high in protein and calcium and can be easily baked into cat treat and fed to your feline in small amounts.

12. Apples

Apples are high in vitamin C and fiber and are considered cat-friendly as long as these are fed to your feline without the skin.

13. Bread

A favorite human snack, bread is a good source of fiber and protein and some cats love to snack on it with their owner.

14. Peas

Peas contain a rich amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. This veggie is usually found in commercial cat foods can be fed to your cat raw or frozen.

15. Blueberries

Blueberries are usually found in some cat foods. A good source of vitamins C and A, some feline will love to snack on frozen blueberries. However, even if it is healthy, you should still limit the amount you give to your cat.

16. Turkey

Another source of lean protein, turkey can be a great substitute for chicken when your cat seems to get tired of chicken foods. You can include sliced deli meat or cooked turkey breast into his diet as a cat-safe snack.

17. Broccoli Florets

Steamed broccoli is a great way to distract your feline buddy from chewing on any of other tempting leafy plants that you might have around your house. Broccoli contains a good amount of antioxidants which can be highly beneficial to your cat’s diet.

18. Zucchini

As a popular ingredient in most commercial cat food choices, zucchini is safe for cats to eat and the manganese, potassium, and magnesium are quite healthy for them.

19. Cranberries

Although this tart little berry is not likely to be your kitty’s favorite, in its whole food form, the nutrients of cranberries can help in promoting an overall kidney and urinary health. Not only that, but this super berry also happens to be rich in antioxidants as well as anti-cancer agents.

20. Yogurt

A great alternative to the saucer of cow’s milk is this plain, whole milk yogurt. Yogurt is loaded in calcium and protein and is also a great source of probiotics.

With yogurt, lactose is already broken down with the culturing process and milk proteins are limited or removed completely, so it is delicious and easy for cats to digest.

Is it Better to Have an Indoor Cat or an Outdoor Cat?

If you’ve just begun on taking care of a cat, you might be wondering which would be better – should you keep them permanently indoors or keep them outside? Or maybe you should allow them to have the two.

Admittedly, making this decision is quite difficult. Keeping them indoors might sound cruel, but keeping them outside means that you’ll be exposing them to a lot of risks and dangers. So, which is better, an indoor cat or an outdoor cat?

The Adventure of An Outdoor Cat

As you know, the major benefit of keeping your feline friend outdoor is that they will develop a natural behavior. This includes territory patrolling, socializing, scratching, marking, and hunting (even if it’s not something you don’t want to encourage). While at the same time they’ll enjoy an active lifestyle with enough daily exercise.

However, like with any other things, there are also some major downsides of letting them roam freely outdoors. Here, are some of the disadvantages that are worth noting for:

Your cat might get injured or fatal from road traffic accidents.
He might get caught in catfights that would lead to some injuries.
He might some cat diseases like FIV or cat flu.
Parasite infestation like worms or fleas.
He might get poisoned by accidental or mischievous consumption of substances that are contaminated, like grass, chips in the dumpster, and others.
You might lose your cat as someone might mistakenly think that he doesn’t have someone and adopt him.
He might get attacked by dogs and get injuries.
You might get some complaints from your neighbors, like your cat breaking their stuff, stealing food, or dumping at their backyards.

You can prevent some of the downsides listed above by getting the vaccination from the vet, making your cat wear proper identification like collars, and by training or limiting their time outside to avoid injuries and other fatalities. Regardless of the precautions you make, keeping your cat outdoors will always have a risk.

The Safety of An Indoor Cat

Keeping your cat indoors all the time, and away from the risks of hazards above, might seem like the most obvious solution. But like keeping them outside, there’s also a downside of keeping them inside as well as not all cats will have a happy life indoors.

This would really depend on your cat’s personality and their needs. You might also face some of your cat’s behavioral problems, which could cause some practical problems as well, but most of them can be managed. The practical problems that we are talking about are things like:

House damage like scratching on walls, furniture, curtains, and by marking on things.
Roaming indoors like walking on the kitchen shelf, on a cupboard filled with medications, a wobbly bookshelf, or climbing on a lamp which could lead to some glasses breaking.
They might eat some of your poisonous indoor plants due to hunger, boredom, or by seeing it as an attractive treat.
They’ll more likely escape from an open window or door due to the curiosity of the outside world and could risk them to a lot of dangers outside.
It could lead your cat to become obese because of the lack of exercise.

If you want to minimize some of the problems above, you should provide your cat with enough playtime and interaction outside the house to keep them satisfied, and to prevent them from getting bored. If you have a backyard at home, it would be a good idea to let your cat roam and have a good sniff of the outside.

However, you should keep your eyes on your cat as he might jump over your fence and into your neighbor’s backyard. This could be alarming especially if your neighbor has a pet dog.

So Which is Better? Indoor Cats or Outdoors?

This is a difficult question to answer, to be honest, and it would really depend on your cat’s personality and needs. If you have the right environmental enrichment, you can make your cat happy by only living indoors. However, providing him with both indoor and outdoor interaction for a good overall feline development.

If you want to keep your cat for a long time outside without supervision, then you should invest for an outdoor enclosure. It can be as simple or as magnificent as your imagination, as long as your cat gets to enjoy the sight, smell, and others that are provided by the outdoors without risking your pet of becoming a true outdoor cat.

This way, you can protect your pet from the dangers of outdoor, such as being chased by a dog, the dangers of a busy road, cat fights, cat diseases, and others.

Conclusion:

Indoors or not, having a feline companion at home is enough to keep you happy and lonely-free. However, if you also want to make your cat live a happy and healthy life, provide all the needs and care they needed like food, regular vet check-ups, proper grooming, enough water, litter boxes, and enough exercise and playtime both inside and outside of the house.

7 Cat Care Mistakes to Avoid

Some people treat their cat as a part of the family, not only as a pet. They put so much attention to them. And they also want their four-legged family member to be happy and healthy. As much as possible they will spend so much money just to make sure they are safe and healthy.

We are taking care of our pets because they serve as a stress reliever and they bring joy to the family. Their cuteness and a playful attitude make the family happy.

Here are the mistakes to avoid while taking care of your cat

1. Failure to bring the cat to vet for a regular check-up

Bringing your cat to vet regularly will ensure their health. Some owners set aside the fact that their cat needs veterinary care. The cat cannot tell what they feel and you cannot even notice it if they are suffering from illness or they aren’t feeling well. So, if you do a regular check-up for your cat dangerous illness will prevent.

The owner sometimes setting aside bringing their cats to vet, but they cry so hard when their cat passed away.

2. Serve the cats so much foods

Just like humans, if the cat eats so many foods which exceeds to normal it will be bad to the body of the cat. Obesity is the health problem of those who eats so much. And a cat can also suffer from this illness. And if the cat will be obese, numerous illness will possibly be caught by their body. It is normal for the cat to look for their food even it is not meal time. That why you should not spoil your cats, just give them food when only it is meal time.

3. Comfortable that your indoor cat will not fleas

When your cat stays inside the house, it doesn’t mean they will not catch fleas or another parasite. These pest, fleas and parasites, have their own way how to enter the house so be careful. The cats are prone to tapeworms and roundworms which causes a problem. And also, mosquitos can bring heartworms to the cat. So, a regular check-up for parasite prevention is needed.

4. Don’t care about the cat’s teeth

Dental health is also important for the cat. When they are 3 years and up, they are prone to dental health issues. Thus, don’t wait for them to suffer from that before doing something for them. Always remember, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, act now before it too late later. Brushing your cat’s teeth on your own can be an option. But knowing your cat, they don’t want it. So, it is better to ask the vet for other option on how to take care of your cat’s teeth to be healthy and pain-free.

5. Punishing the cat when doing bad

Cats are innocent, they don’t know if they are doing good or bad. I guest punishing them is okay but not brutally. They just need to know that what they are doing is not good. But if your cat starts to walk away from you, you should stop punishing them when they do bad. Think of something or another way for them to prevent from doing thing bad in your eyes.

6. Using the product of dogs or other animals to your cat

Products made for the dog are for dogs only. And product for cats is for cats only. Why? Because those products are labeled and made for what their body can accept. Other products made for the dog are much more dangerous to cats. Just like flea-control products, if you use it to cat there is the chance that they may die. Before using any product for our cat, be sure to ask first their vet because they are the one who knows what are the best for your cat and what is bad for them.

7. Ignoring the litterbox of the cat

The litterbox is where your cat poop and pee. Cleaning this is one of the most annoying things you will do for your cat. But when you clean it and see the difference in your cat’s poop will serve as a warning or sign that they have an illness. You can’t easily see if your cat is not feeling well and their litterbox can be a way for you to know if they aren’t well.

Conclusion

There is 7 way to take good care of your cat. They may demand some of your time but thinking that you are doing it for your lovely cat will serve as a motivation. You should think the reason why did you decide to have a pet like a cat. It is not just to abandon them, right? It is because you want to take care of them.

10 Things You Do That Annoy Cat

Being known as flurry, squishy and lovable, cats are also known as a sensitive animal. For they also possess cuteness, people sometimes can’t handle their joy and make fun with them. We also used to play with them and sometimes, they are our source of happiness.

But do you even notice when are the times they get angry or being annoyed and enough of being played at?

Here are the things you do that annoy cat.

1. Taking a bath.

We all know that cats don’t want their bodies to be washed or even taking a bath, especially for those domestic cats. But sometimes, knowing that fact, we tend to splash water and played with them which is why they will run away from us. But if it is necessary, like if something smelly attaches to their bodies, we should at least wash them or wipe with clean towel or any cloth so that no stinks could come in between your cuddling!

2. Being ignored.

Cats are also known as a soft and touchy pet. They tend to rub the body to us and even sit on our laps to show their affections. But sometimes, our works can consume all of our time that we forgot to pay attention to our cat and they don’t really want to get ignored.

3. Being pulled at their tail.

As they are known to be sensitive, cats usually don’t want their tail to be handled and pulled at.

4. Eating spoiled foods.

Cats also have a sensitive smell and taste when it comes to their food just like us. Who on the earth would like to eat spoiled food? Surely you will also get annoyed by that and same as through with the cats.

5. Rubbing their tummies.

Usually, cats don’t want their bellies to be stroked and rubbed on and are mostly not welcome to do. You will notice when they are annoyed when they strike you with their paws with claws extended! So be careful when you try to do it.

6. Letting them interact with strangers.

Some people usually throw their cats right in front of an animal especially to their number one enemy, the dogs! You will usually notice that their paws and claws are already ready to attack right when you are thinking to let them closed with a dog they can’t stand to be with. Self-defense mode on!

7. Being picked up against their will.

Cats don’t want to be picked by only some strangers. Just observe them for a while. If they do like to get along with you, they voluntarily will come to you. Mostly, their steps are slow in coming towards you and if the cat is near to you, they will start to feel your warmth by rubbing their bodies and see the affection to their eyes. But if they don’t like to come, try not to pick them up against their will!

8. Disappoint in playing.

Most known tricks that we used to play with cats is by laser pointers. The red dot light on the laser is used to make the cat run until we used to turn off the laser leaving them confused where the light goes! Also, we tend to use other things, (sometimes attached to a string) and let them catch without making them impossible to reach by a cat. And mostly, this is one of the effective ways of getting them annoyed. Not getting what you want to reach is really disappointing!

9. Leaving the cat alone.

Cats also don’t want to be left by their beloved pet owner alone. But sometimes, we do need to go on with our daily activities and leave them in our house either if we are on school or work. But understanding their nature, they will also feel loneliness because they don’t have someone to play with them during the day.

10. Getting them dressed up in costumes.

This is typically one of the things that cats don’t want to experience and encounter! Being dressed in some manners like a doll will automatically get them irritated and feeling uncomfortable.

Conclusion

Those things listed above were just some of the things that might be the reason for cats to be annoyed. Cats are renowned as one of the best pets you could ever have alongside with the dogs. But we all know that cats are extremely tender in giving care and concerns for their owners but also scary when they are annoyed.

7 Signs Your Cat Is Unhappy

If your cats are usually jolly, then you notice that the other day they are not. Then don’t just ignore it. The change in their behavior and personality might be a sign that there is something wrong with them.

Our pets also feel happiness and sadness just like us humans. But the big difference is that humans can tell when they are happy or sad, while our pets can’t. Because they can’t talk. We just usually notice their changes through body language and change of their usual habits.

Let us know what is the signs that your cat is sad or depressed.

1. Body Language

The body language is the first thing the owner can notice when their cat is sad or frightening. What the cats do is tail tucking, hair standing, and ears held back. And sometimes you as the owner can also see it in their eyes if something is wrong. The cat makes a different body position as a clue for being unhappy.

2. Hiding

Hiding is what cats do when they see other people to the house where they are living. Mostly, when their owner came home from work and call them, cats immediately go to their owner to welcome them. Because they are happy seeing their owner. But when they were called by the stranger, they hide.

Aside from hiding, the cat is also being clingy when they are sad. Because they have lost their interest in other things, they do like playing.

3. Sleeping too much

It is not new if you can see your cat laying down and sleeping. But it is not normal if you see them in the other place where they don’t usually nap. Sleeping too much is a sign of depression not only to the cat but also to human. And if the cat sleeps much and changes their favorite spot to nap are signs that they are sad.

4. Stressed eating signs

The stressed eating signs are losing appetite or eating too much than usual. What you can observe to cats when they are not happy is that they don’t eat even a single bite. Others can eat too much when they are depressed but only a few. If you can prefer to lay down and continue to sleep than to eat in their meal time, is a sign. So, the owner must also watch your cat’s eating habit to observe the difference, for you to know if they are okay or not.

5. Excessive vocalization

Some cats are more active at night when all people sleep tight. But when your cat creates different vocal sounds you must take a look at them, maybe they are afraid or they are in trouble. Usually, they have loud but low-pitch when they are in trouble. Mournful yowls are what you can hear. Obviously, it indicates that they are unhappy.

6. Aggressive behavior

Unhappy cats have a tendency to be more sensitive and act violently. The cats have an aggressive behavior when they are sad, even though they are in their comfort zone. You as the owner becomes angry to the cats when you touch and slide your hands in their smooth fur but what they do is bite your finger. If they do that, don’t hit them. Be sensitive enough and know that they are sad or depressed that why they do that.

7. Crying out loud

When cats crying out loud, some owner feels annoyed. Especially when they saw their cat’s bowl still full of cat food. They usually come up to the conclusion that their cat is so picky when it comes to food. But that is not the reason. The cat’s stomach is still full of food, but they are a pet lack of attention of their owner. What they want are your time and attention, they want to play with you or just to lay down in your lap then feel the slide of your hands back and forth to their smooth fur.

Another reason why your cats are sad or depressed.

They have illness
They have injury
They have lost their loved ones

Final Thought

Don’t panic when you observe depression to your pet. Just bring them to their vet and listen carefully to what their vet has to say. A happy cat is a sign of a healthy one. So, don’t just ignore them suffering from sadness or depression. As a pet lover and owner, you have to do something.

Being with them and feeling loved by their owner is a good practice and a good treatment for your cat to stay happy and healthy.

10 Tips That Will Make Any Cat Owners Life Easier

Being a pet owner is not that easy. You have to allow some of your time for them and spend extra effort to take care of them. Some owner has many cats at home or even at their workplace. And some cat lover makes their pet as a lucky charm in their café business.

That’s why others have so many questions. Is it safe for the cat to interact with other people? Would it be okay for the owner to see other of their thing be destroyed but the cat? Would people enjoy to drink coffee in a messy place because there are so many cats?

Well, here are the answers to those questions. Some cats are not picky with the people whom they should interact with. They are born as social animals. And yes, another cat tends to play with something interesting to them to the point that they can destroy it and play to the place where it can be a messy place. But if you train them well and give them their own toy, they will not touch anything that can be destroyed or disorganized.

Here are 10 tips that will make cat owners life easier.

1. Pour the cat food with a plastic pitcher

Instead of scooping the cat food from the container. Just directly transfer the cat food from the box to the plastic pitcher for easy refilling their bowls with the cat food.

2. Avoid your cat to jump in some surface with double-sided tape

The cats don’t step on a sticky surface.

3. The shallow plate will help you avoid your cat to eat quickly then throws up

Some cat is excited to eat much and quick especially when they are really starving or when they want to eat more than the other cats. And results in improper digestion that leads to throwing up the food they ate. So just put their food in a shallow plate so that they will eat slowly. Because if they throw up, it is another job for you to clean their mess.

4. Lighting candle can trap fleas

The fleas are a trap in a lighted candle because fleas are jumping into the melted wax. But be sure to stay beside the lighted candle. If you will leave the area, turn off the candle.

5. Do an inexpensive toy for your cat by toilet paper roll.

The toilet paper in the comfort room is what the cats want to play. They unroll the toilet paper every time they go and enter the comfort room. So instead of dealing with that mess. You should try to think a substitute toy for them using toilet paper roll.

6. Shelves with ropes tied up serve as a scratch post.

Sometimes cat’s scratches to different things in the house using their claws. They scratch after waking up. So, as an alternative thing for them to scratch on, is the rope that is placed in the shelve where they sleep.

7. Create a display-like scratch post with glued carpet in a wooden frame.

The cat has the habit of scratching everywhere using their claws. On the sofa, rugs, carpet, legs of the tables or chairs, and in the bed. That result in the ugliness of those things. A display-like scratch, using a small squared carpet that is glued to the frame.

8. DIY cat scratch themselves with toilet bowl brushes

You can do a DIY body scratch for your cats. They want their body to scratch as a way of their body massage. So, using your toilet bowl brushes you can straighten it up then make an arch out of it so that cats can use it to scratch their body on.

9. Hide the litter box into a cabinet with curtain

The litterbox is not to be displayed. because it is not good to see it and the smell will spread around the house. But you cannot also put it inside the cabinet because cats cannot enter. So, instead of locking the litterbox in the cabinet with a door, why not change the door into a curtain. The cat can freely enter and exit to the location where their litterbox is placed.

10. Rubber gloves to remove cat hair

Rubbing a rubber gloves serves as a magnet to the hair of the cat which you can see everywhere in the house.

Conclusion

Those are the thing you can do as a help to take care of your cats. Almost all of the list above is doing it your self-project. So, fewer expenses that help you to have an easier life.

The list above are just some tips to help you have an easier life. But you can do more thing to keep you moving in a straight path with your lovely cats.

7 Creative Ways To Hide Your Cats Litter Box

Cats are great pets.

And one of the greatest things about a feline buddy is that they poop indoors and practically toilet train themselves.

However, also one of the worst things about them is that they do poop indoors. And you, as their human owner, are stuck with the dilemma of where to put that nasty cat toilet.

Surely, you do not want your house smelling, you know, cat poop! And most certainly you do not want your guests to see an unappealing and unpleasant “thing” left somewhere inside your home, right?

Right.

So, if you are looking for some ways to hide the litter box and also give your cat privacy in doing their own business, then here are 7 creative ways you can try.

1. IKEA Hack Hidden Litter Box

A DIY litter box has a primary purpose: to hide it in plain sight. And IKEA Hackers, an infamous ingenious blogging site, nails just that purpose with their “FAKTUM Kitty Loo” which is an appropriated wall cabinet that is turned horizontal.

With a hole on one side of the cabinet, your cat can secretly enter and do his business. Placing a textured carpet or mat between the exit and litter box can help catch particles on your cat’s paw before they move outside and reduce cleanup.

2. Under the Table Litter Box

When space is questionable, you may not have the chance to get a new cat box furniture to your house. But, that does not mean that a hidden box is off the table— instead, it is UNDER it!

In case you have areas going to waste, then put them to good use. For instance, Towne & Main uses an area underneath a side table in order to store their cat’s litter box. And in order to provide the needed privacy, as well as hiding the mess from guests, they installed a curtain using a staple gun and an unused fabric.

3. Wicker Chest Enclosure

This hidden litter box will look perfect in a bedroom or even in a bathroom. This easy DIY project is originally posted in Imgur and can be tackled even by beginners.

Take note, however, that this is not a great choice for owners with cats that loves scratching up wicker baskets or artificial turfs which might cause intestinal obstruction if consumed.

But surely you can let your imagination run wild and use other alternatives such as a sturdy box, bin or trunk and just install a cat flap.

4. Repurposed Cabinet Cat Center

If your home is especially short on space, then a “cat center” can triple its purpose. Not only does it does a great job in hiding your cat’s litter box but it also stores your cat’s supplies as well as keeping your feline’s bowl or of canine’s reach.

This solution from Chaotically Creative involved repurposing a rustic cabinet to a cat box furniture. A textured mat is placed in order to remove litter particles from your feline’s paw. The cabinet keeps all your cat’s supplies in one place and minimizes the risk of being packrat or running out. Plus, everything is within your sight and arm’s reach.

5. Under the Stairs Hideout

Stairs are among the most underutilized spaces in a home, making it a great location for hiding litter boxes. Just cut a hole in the wall, place a litter box inside and install a cat door to repurpose that unused space your cat’s own private washroom.

Plus, it can also be a lounging and play area for your feline buddy or as a hideout from the grabby hands of kids.

6. Laundry Room Hideout

This one works particularly well for a renovated laundry room which often has enough storage space for hiding your feline’s litter box. Like the previous hack, you can cut a cat flap in the door under a cabinet or sink and place the litter box there.

The great thing about this is that the smell of fresh laundry can help in masking the odor of the litter box.

7. Potted Potty

If you keep plants inside your home, then it is a great way to make a kitty potty box within your potted plants. Just pick a plant pot that is large enough to be a base for your cat’s litter box. Bonus point if you can find a pot with lid. Otherwise, you will need to cut a piece of plywood that will serve as a help that closes of the top of the pot.

You can place a liner at the bottom and fill it with cat litter. Cut an opening on the side for your cat’s entrance and exit. Add a fake plant, or much better a real plant, on top and there you have it— a private bathroom for your cat that blends with the rest of your home’s floral design.

Additional Tips in Maintaining Litter Boxes

Now, these methods may have hidden your cat’s litter box, but it does not mean that they clean themselves. It is still up to you to clean and maintain the hidden litter boxes and make sure that an awful odor will not dominate your home.

1. SCOOP OUT LITTER DAILY: If you wish to prevent a smelly situation, then you will need to scoop out the litter box daily. This will prevent your feline buddy from scattering the litter in search for a clean spot.

2. WASH THE LITTER BOX REGULARLY: Scooping every day is a good start, however, if you want your cat’s litter box to not stink, then you need to wash it regularly. Ideally, you need to empty out the litterbox once a week, wash in warm water and use vinegar or baking soda to deodorize the box.

3. SWEEP AND VACUUM WEEKLY: Regularly sweeping and vacuuming can help battle the mess around a litter box. Also, utilizing a texturized mat or carpet beside the litter box can help catch litter from your cat’s paw and preventing your cat from scattering debris all over the house.