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Aggressive Cat

An aggressive cat can be dangerous, so attempting to resolve a chronic cat aggression problem often requires assistance from a professional who is knowledgeable about cat behavior.

Types of Aggression in cats

Play motivated aggressive behaviors are commonly observed in young, active cats less than two years of age and who live in one-cat households. Most aggressive cat problems stem from a traumatic experience that the cat has previously had. For example, perhaps as a kitten your cat was hurt by another person?

The environmental and behavior modification techniques will be the most effective when the causes of the problem can be determined. For example, after moving, providing a new secure territory including an area for elimination, food, and resting is most effective. If you notice anything strange about your cat, it could be a sign of unhappiness and stress, which could very well lead to aggressive behavior. Aggression, Anxiety, and Mental Health are three behaviors that are effectively treated by the natural and herbal remedies.

"Play behavior aggression" is considered a rehearsal of adult roles and is helpful, though not absolutely necessary, for kittens' future development. During the process of rough and tumble play, kittens exercise just about every sense and muscle in their bodies, helping to prepare the youngsters for the life that lies ahead.

If sudden introductions lead to aggression, this can set the stage for future battles and may not go well for the future. The way to circumvent this problem is to gradually introduce unfamiliar cats to each other across a closed door. Be very careful of picking up strays and feral, not only because of potential diseases (which you could spread to your other pets, if you have them) but to avoid future problems. It is sad, but a feral cat does best being feral, as long as it is safe. Try restoring cat friendships damaged in this way using the same techniques used for inter-cat aggression, reintroducing the cats to one another by mixing facial pheromones or using wire mesh pens. An individual may control

Redirected cat aggression by following two steps:
1. the strange cat must be kept out of the yard
2. Defensive, territorial, redirected and idiopathic (meaning the cause is unknown) forms of cat aggression can be quite serious and usually require professional help to resolve. You should never attempt to handle a fearful or aggressive cat.

A way to deal with Aggression in cats is to take control of all rewards. Teach your cat that an obedient behavior is the way to get the reward. Territorial aggressive cats can be exhibited with addition on a new cat to the family, some change in the environment or an already established pecking order. If a new cat is to be added to the family, the introduction process should be gradual and may take 2-3 weeks. However, there are other causes of cat aggression and they include over excitement and illness.

"Fear aggression," is a defensive behavior towards unfamiliar people, animals, noises and even new places. Unpleasant experiences, like a trip to the veterinarians office, may also trigger fear aggression in your cat. We hope that this will help you to understand why the behavior occurs, what you are dealing with, and how to correct it. In order to correct this behavior, you need to redirect your kittens aggressive behavior onto acceptable objects. Drag a toy along the floor to encourage your kitten to pounce on it, or throw a toy away from your kitten to give her even more exercise by chasing the

We plan to post articles that are informative and helpful to other cat lovers. Having been "owned" by cats for years, we know they can be demanding, but also be very entertaining and fun.

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Cat Pregnancy - The Important Information That You Should Know Right After Your Cat Gives Birth

After giving birth, most queens will immediately open the sacs over the kittens' faces so that they can take their first breath. If this is your queen's first litter and she is struggling, or if she does not do this straight away, you should tear open the sacs for her with your nails.

Then place each kitten near the queen's mouth so that she can stimulate the kittens' breathing by licking them. If any of the kittens appear to be in distress, you should dry them and keep them warm.

You should consult your veterinarian if the kitten does not nurse. Most queens will chew off the umbilical cord and then eat the placenta. Give her 15 minutes or so to perform this chore. If she still has not cut the cord by this time, then you can do so by tying a piece of string around the umbilical cord about 1 inch or 2.5cm from the kitten's stomach.

Then, using sterilized scissors cut the cord on the outside of the string, farthest from the kitten's stomach. Or, using your fingernails, clamp the cord tightly, and using a scissor motion, cut back and forth, until the cord has been severed.

Then with sterilized scissors, cut the cord, again about one inch or 2.5cm from the kitten's abdomen. The queen will generally eat the placenta and excess umbilical cord. She has an instinctive fear that predators will be attracted by them and will harm the newborn kittens.

Even the completely domesticated queen has these instincts, passed down to her through generations of ancestors who lived in the wild. The queen will them wash her kittens, and at this stage you may want to weigh the newborn kittens.

The queen will nurse her kittens until they are about three weeks of age. At this time they will start eating semi solid and solid foods, but may still nurse occasionally for several weeks. Closely inspect the newborn kittens to check that they are properly formed. Be very careful not to cause them any unnecessary harm or anxiety.

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Choosing an Automatic Litter Box

The automatic litter box is a match made in heaven for cat owners who want as little contact as possible with the litter box. Or perhaps, you're the proud owner of multiple cats and you are tired of scooping the litter box all day long....

Whatever your reason may be, you may find yourself a bit overwhelmed with all the litter box choices. "Which is the best, the least expensive, will it last?"... are some questions that might concern you.

They certainly are valid since the average self cleaning litter box costs around $80-100! Yikes.... So how do you choose one that your cats will like?

First, you'll need to decide a few things:

  • Do you want the freedom to use your favorite litter or change it whenever you find a sale?
  • Is your cat picky about using a particular type of litter?
  • Are you okay with buying refill cartridges every month?
  • Are you aware that even though the boxes are automatic they still need routine maintenance such as cleaning or replacing cartridges?

If you'd like something more traditional looking, there are boxes with rakes such as the Littermaid that are designed like a typical litter box. They have built in sensors to detect when your cat exits the box.
The sensors will then set off the cleaning cycle 10 minutes after your cat leaves the box. Some boxes, such as the ScoopFree Ultra have a timer that can be pre-set by you.

Because chances are... if there's something smelly in the litter box, you won't want to wait 10 whole minutes to be rid of it!

With the ScoopFree, you are limited to a certain type of litter (Fresh Step Crystals recommended) so if you like to bargain hunt for the cheapest litter this may pose a problem. Of course, you'll also need to keep your furry friend's needs in mind... she may not like using crystal litter!

The ScoopFree, has received some very good reviews with only minor complaints about purchasing refill cartridges frequently.

However, the great benefit of the disposable cartridge is that you can change out the litter easily by covering the cartridge and disposing it in the garbage. You simply replace it with another, no washing required.

For best results, the disposable cartridge needs to be replaced every 20-30 days for one cat and more frequently for multiples.

The ScoopFree Ultra, is an upgraded version which allows you to set the timer to 5, 10 or 20 minutes after your cat leaves the box, it also comes with a hood for privacy and a "health counter" which tracks your cats litter box visits.

There are some self cleaning boxes that have a unique design such as the Litter Robot which takes the shape of a round globe with an entryway for your cat. Once your cat enters, the built in sensor will count down from 7 minutes and start the cleaning cycle and rotate the globe upside down to then sift the litter and dispose of any dirty litter in the storage compartment below.

It also has a weight sensor to detect if another cat has entered the box and if they do, the timer then resets itself, so you won't have to worry about your cat being trapped.

With the Litter Robot, you have the freedom to use the litter of your choice. There are no other extra refill cartridges to purchase, however, it is not the least expensive box available if not one of the most expensive.

This self cleaning box has also been raved as a good investment and some owners claim it has lasted them many years.

Before making an investment in a self cleaning litter box, be sure to research the user reviews on each one and be mindful of complaints that warrant attention. It is also important to find out the return policy of the manufacturer and what you should do if you have a box malfunction.

Read more automatic litter box reviews from cat lovers (and their cats).
Please also visit Cat Litter Critic for more cat litter and box reviews.
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The Truth About Cat Stress and Idiopathic Cystitis in Cats

Are you frustrated with constant bouts of cystitis in cats in your feline companion? Has your vet diagnosed him with idiopathic cystitis in cats? Have you wondered if cat stress has something to do with the recurring episodes of FLUTD? Read on for answers to your questions.

What Is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

Your cat shows all the symptoms of cystitis in cats. He strains to urinate, but doesn't pass much urine. His urine may be bloody. He's obviously in pain when he's using the litter box. And he may be urinating in places other than his litter box.

But when your vet examines him and runs a urinalysis and a urine culture, there's no sign of a bladder infection. There's no bacteria in his urine, and bladder stones, tumors, and even an anatomical defect have all been ruled out.

Feline idiopathic cystitis is the diagnosis when there doesn't seem to be any reason for feline urinary problems. It's very difficult to watch your cat suffer with FLUTD symptoms when there doesn't appear to be any reason for these cat urinary problems. The worst thing is that this condition is becoming more common in cats as time goes on.

Is Cat Stress Related To Idiopathic Cystitis In Cats?

Research is showing that this condition in cats is very similar to interstitial cystitis in people. In both cats and people, some sort of stressful event often happens just before the cat or person suffers another bout of cystitis.

Sometimes we don't realize how much stress our cats face. It may be hard to believe, but being an indoor cat is stressful for felines. We keep them inside for their own safety, but this is an unnatural environment for felines. They do like to prowl around, especially at night. Hunting for food provides lots of exercise that keeps them in shape.

We also feed them the wrong type of diet, which is another stressor. Most dry cat foods are made mostly from corn, which is very high in carbohydrates. Too much of the wrong type of food leads to obesity, feline diabetes, and other health issues.

Something that many cat owners don't consider is that the moisture level in dry cat food is extremely low. Cats are meant to get most of their water from their diet, which should be mostly meat-based. A cat who is always fed dry food is more than likely chronically dehydrated. Even if a cat who is fed dry food does drink water, it's hard for him to drink enough.

The problem with a dehydrated cat is that water doesn't pass through his body often enough to flush out toxins. His urine is also concentrated. Urine is caustic, and if it's too concentrated, it can irritate the bladder, which leads to cystitis. Concentrated urine also has high mineral levels, which can result in cat bladder stones, and urinary blockage in cats.

This type of stress is low-level, but it can lead to problems over time.

Your cat may be facing other types of stress. Cats are very set in their ways, and any kind of change can be upsetting for them. Moving to a new home, remodeling, adding another person or pet to the household, even a change in the weather, can all be stressful for your cat. Your cat may be having problems with another cat in the home, too, especially if the other pet is more aggressive and seems to bother him a lot.

Reducing Cat Stress

It's been shown that reducing stress in cats does reduce the frequency of cystitis in cats. It's also important to feed your cat a diet more naturally suited for felines to reduce stress on his body.

You may also want to consider trying a natural remedy for cat bladder infection. The incidence of feline urinary problems can often reduced by giving your kitty a cat uti remedy that contains herbs and homeopathic remedies known to cure bladder problems.

By taking these steps to help your furball, you can solve the problem of idiopathic cystitis in cats.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how to prevent idiopathic cystitis in cats, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com

Has Your Cat Been Diagnosed With Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

If your furball has been diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis in cats, you probably have a lot of questions. Read on to learn more about this condition, and how you can help your cat with natural remedies for pets.

What Is Feline Idiopathic Cystitis?

"Idiopathic" is a fancy word that means "we don't know what's causing it." When it comes to feline lower urinary tract disease, this can be very frustrating. Cystitis in cats is a very common condition, unfortunately. And an even more unfortunate fact is that in nearly half of the cats diagnosed with FLUTD, there doesn't seem to be a cause.

Some vets refer to this condition as "feline interstitial cystitis" because it's very similar to interstitial cystitis in humans.

How Feline Idiopathic Cystitis Resembles Interstitial Cystitis In People

Comparing these conditions in both cats and humans show some interesting results.

  • People with interstitial cystitis have more sensory nerves in their bladders. Many cats who have FLUTD do, too.
  • Often a person with interstitial cystitis doesn't have the mucus lining in their bladders that protects the bladder from becoming irritated by urine. This is true of cats with idiopathic cystitis in cats, also.
  • Recurring bladder infections are a problem in both humans and cats.
  • Stress seems to be a precipitating factor for cystitis both in cats and in humans.

There are studies going on to find out if both people and cats are suffering from the same condition. If so, human treatments may be helpful for kitties, as well.

Drug Treatments For Idiopathic Cystitis In Cats

If your cat is having a lot of severe episodes, your vet may prescribe amitriptyline. It relieves the pain and inflammation associated with cystitis in cats. Side effects can include sleepiness, weight gain, bladder stones, and urine retention. Your cat may not groom himself as much, either.

Steroids may be given to reduce bladder inflammation. Glucosamine has been found to repair the mucus lining of the bladder, so your vet may want to try that.

What Can You Do At Home To Help A Cat With FLUTD?

Diet is very important for these cats. There has always been an emphasis on reducing the acidity of the urine, along with decreasing the amount of magnesium and calcium in the urine. But the latest research shows that the rate of water turnover is the most important.

What this means is that you need to increase your cat's water intake. This will keep his urine dilute to keep the acidity lower, and prevent high mineral levels.

If you feed your cat dry food, it's very important to switch him over to canned food. Dry food has moisture levels below ten percent. Why is this a problem? Because cats are made to get most of their water from their food. In a natural setting, cats eat mice and other animals, which are 98% water. They don't need to drink much water.

Canned food is has a 75% moisture level, which is certainly better than the moisture level in dry food. It can be difficult to switch a cat who has always eaten dry food over to canned food, but patience and persistence over several months often pays off in better health for your kitty.

Reducing your cat's stress levels is important, too. Many cats will have episodes of feline lower urinary tract disease after a stressful event like moving. Some cats are even affected by weather changes.

Natural Remedies For Pets Can Help

Many cat owners have had great success with treating their cats with a natural remedy made especially for pets. This cat uti remedy contains uva ursi and barberry, two herbs with a long history of use in treating human bladder problems. It also contains the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagria. This remedy is safe for long-term use in cats, and is very effective for preventing cat urinary problems.

Put this to the test right away, and see how well this remedy works on your cat with feline idiopathic cystitis.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how to prevent feline idiopathic cystitis, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com

Cat Towers & Gyms - Providing Your Feline With a Great Place to Have Fun

Does your feline like to run all over the house jumping on and off your furniture in the process? You know why she is doing it right? She is not doing it to irritate you, but she is doing it to play and have a good time. So, if you want to keep your furniture from taking a beating and getting ruined by her claws, you need to give her a nice place to play and cat towers and gyms would be a perfect spot for her to do just that.

Not quite sure what cat towers and gyms are? Well, they are these large structures that are filled with different juxtaposing limbs, perches, ramps, tunnels, and curved areas where your cat can jump, play, and even swing to her heart's content. One will give your feline an awesome place to expel some of her energy all while doing it in a safe way since these structures are covered in a soft, yet durable fabric with carpeting being the most often used material option. That plush fabric also provides your kitty with a nice place to take a nap if she wants to too. So, if she is really worn down after jumping and running around, she could just curl up in the tunnel or on one of the perches.

Some cat towers and gyms will have toys built right into them too. Like you can get ones with hanging toys, providing your kitty with something fun to swat and paw at. And, there are other options that will have sisal rope scratching posts providing your feline with a nice place to scratch, something that will also keep her paws in check as well.

Okay, so maybe you do not have enough room in your home for cat towers and gyms, yet still need a way for your furry companion to play and have a good time. Well, there are still some options that you can take advantage of. For instance, you could just get a small scratching post for her to scratch on. One would be just the right size for putting in a corner. Or you could get her a ton of toys too. For example, there are interactive puzzle toys or others zip around on the floor and do not forget about the catnip toy options.

Sold on the idea of cat towers and gyms and purchasing one for your feline friend? If you answered yes to that question, then head over to your computer to do some online shopping to find the perfect one for her. Yes, online shopping is the way to go since you do not have to get in the car to drive anywhere to do it. Plus, when you do decide on something, you can compare the price of it on different sites to find it at the best prices possible.

When it comes down it, cat towers and gyms are just a great way for your kitty to have a good time so make sure to get one for her today.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on pets. Whether it is pet supplies for your family companion, or even cat furniture for your cat, there are many tips you can use to help you make your home a better place for your pet. Click today and indulge your pet's senses.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - Will Your Cat Be a Victim?

Are you concerned about feline lower urinary tract disease? All cat owners should be aware of cat urinary health issues to prevent their cats from becoming victims of this common feline problem.

What Cat Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms Should You Be Aware Of?

Sometimes the most obvious symptom is that your cat is urinating outside the litter box. As wonderful as cats are, they don't have advanced powers of reasoning. If your cat is hurting every time he uses the litter pan, he thinks that somehow the litter pan is causing his pain. In his little kitty mind, if he urinates someplace else, it won't hurt when he goes.

Of course, we humans know it doesn't work that way. But if your cat suddenly stops using his litter box, it may not be a behavior issue. It could be one of several cat urinary tract infection symptoms.

If you use clumping cat litter, be observant of the size of the clumps when you scoop or change his litter. You should see a few large clumps. A whole bunch of little clumps indicates that he can't pass much urine at one time. This is another symptom of feline urinary problems.

Bloody urine is another clue to watch for. It's a little harder to see in cats than it is in dogs. However, if your cat is urinating outside his box, you may be more apt to notice it.

Be aware of your cat's behavior in his litter box. Is he crying out in pain when he tries to urinate? Is he straining to pass urine? Often cat owners mistake this for constipation.

Your cat should be using his litter box several times a day. If he is urinating less and less, or stops completely, he may have a cat urinary blockage, which is a veterinary emergency.

Treatments For FLUTD

In order to treat feline lower urinary tract disease, your vet will need to run several tests to find out what's going on with your cat. A urinalysis is necessary to determine if your cat has a bladder infection, or if he has feline bladder stones. A cat urine culture will tell your vet which bacteria are causing the problem, and a sensitivity test indicates which antibiotic will work best.

If your cat has a feline bladder infection, antibiotics are the usual course of treatment. Bladder stones in cats are a common problem, too. Your cat may have to eat a special diet so the stones can dissolve. If your cat is blocked, he may need to be catheterized.

Can FLUTD Be Prevented?

You can prevent your cat from becoming a statistic by taking these easy steps.

First, feed your cat a high-quality canned food. In the wild, cats are meant to get their water from their food, which is why cats don't seem to drink much water. When we take our cats out of a natural situation and feed them an unnatural diet of dry food with an extremely low moisture content, we're setting them up for urinary tract infection symptoms.

Canned cat food has a moisture level of about 75%, which is much closer to a cat's natural diet. If your cat has always been fed dry food, he may resist a change in his diet. Cats are notoriously resistant to change, but with patience, time, and persistence, you can switch him over to canned food.

A steady supply of clean, fresh water is a must, too.

Consider giving your feline friend a natural cat UTI remedy that supports bladder health. Look for a remedy that's made especially for cats. You'll want to deal only with a company with a sterling reputation for producing only the highest quality pet remedies.

Don't let your cat become a victim of FLUTD. Start taking steps now to protect your cat from feline lower urinary tract disease.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how you can prevent feline lower urinary tract disease, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com