Author: Laura Weers

Do not let your cat be exposed to freezing temperatures for an extended period.

Areas that generally get frostbitten are the ears and tail, as they don’t have much of a blood supply.

Put warm moist heat on the affected area to get the blood flowing again. I had kittens lose the tips of their ears years ago. The kittens lived in an old barn we had years ago. Cats’ paw pads can crack from cold weather and bleed. In cases of frostbite, bring your cat to your vet ASAP. Never let your house cat out in cold weather. The wind chill temperature can affect your cat within a matter of minutes.

We once had an elderly farm tom cat that got disoriented in a blizzard. He must have been trying to find our barn. My Grandfather found the tom cat in the morning. He was in our driveway and looked like a statue. Grandpa took him in and sat him by the furnace in the basement. He defrosted after a while and was fine. In a blizzard, always keep watch over your farm cats. Cats can get disoriented in a blizzard, just like we can.

Ensure your outdoor farm cat has an area in the building that the wind cannot reach. An old chicken metal or wood chicken nest works well with a lot of straw in the holes for your cats to curl up in. I also like enclosed boxes with lots of bedding in them. I have also put a small safety heater in the building in the coldest months to keep the cats cozy. Pets heating pads work well with a burn-proof cover to keep the heat in.

Always check on outdoor cats daily, as it could be life or death. I hope you and your cats stay nice and warm, and safe this winter.

Tags Picking Out A Kitten

Picking Out A Kitten

Before picking out a kitten, remember your kitten’s life span is possibly up to eighteen years or longer.

Make sure the kitten is the most outgoing one in the litter. Its eyes should be bright. The tail should be upright. The hair should look bright and shiny. It should be very alert to its surroundings. Make sure the kitten interacts well with you.

Do you want long hair or short hair for your kitten? Make sure the kitten has gone through a vet check. Do you have enough time to train your kitten? Do not bring a kitten into a house with an elderly cat. Your old cat does not want to be tormented by a young playful kitten.

Christmas has come and gone, and chances are you know someone who has received a kitten for Christmas. I have found from experience that it is good to have the following on hand when you bring home a new kitten:

litter box and litter scoop
kitten food
K and H heated cat bed
assorted kitten toys
water bowl
cat/kitten litter
food bowl
pet grooming tools (claw trimmers, brush, comb, shampoo, and toothbrush)
pet first aid kit
a book on kitten care

Check your kitten for ear mites, as it is no fun to have the kitten scratching at its ears. In case you don’t know what ear mites look like, they look like little microscopic pieces of black sand. If your kitten has ear mites, I recommend taking a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide and rubbing it around in their ears.

Make sure you have time to play with your new kitten. I like a stick with feathers for them to bat with their paw. Have plenty of bright-colored toy mice and balls to keep them out of mischief.

How are you and your new kitten adjusting to each other?

Tags kitten, kitten grooming, kitten toys

Catching a Cat

Catching a wild cat can be pretty challenging.

Over the years, I have caught several cats by using tuna or butter to see them. I put the butter on the end of my finger. The cat came and licked the butter off of my finger. I then grabbed the cat by the nape of his neck and put him in a secure box.

I use a fishing net with a long handle to catch wild farm cats. I put tuna in a bowl, and while they eat, I put the fish net over them. I knocked on a building they were in, and they then ran into the net. Flip the net to the side so the cat cannot escape. Have your cage on end to gently drop the cat in from your bounty. Always wear a thick pair of gloves if catching them by hand. A live animal trap with tuna in it works well.

“catch me if you can,” the cat would say if it could.

Tags Catching a Cat

Hairballs

Cats are very fastidious, and this can cause a hairball problem. Cats groom themselves by licking their fur. The cat’s tongue feels like sandpaper because it has many tiny barbs. The barbs catch the hair, and it is swallowed. If enough hair collects without passing, the cat will vomit to rid itself of it. The hairball is cigar-shaped.

To treat hairballs, I feed my cats a hairball treat. I also put two teaspoons of butter on their food. My vet sells a formula in a tube that also works.

Treatment should be continued daily until the hair has passed in a stool and the vomiting has passed. If vomiting continues for over three days, take your cat to your vet ASAP.

Tags Hairballs

Cleaning your Cats teeth Grooming

Cleaning your cats Teeth

I prefer feeding my cats dental treats to keep their teeth clean.

I once tried one of the plastic toothbrushes you put on your finger. I put my finger with the brush on in my cat’s mouth, and he bit down, and blood ran down my finger. I brushed his teeth regardless. Ordinary cat toothbrushes work well. I put a particular toothpaste on for cats that you can purchase from your vet or pet supply store.

My cats are fed mainly dry cat food. Providing a lot of wet canned cat food can lead to quicker tooth decay.

My cats go to the vet to have their teeth cleaned. The general age for their first cleaning is 5 to 9 years old. Neglecting clean your cat’s teeth can lead to heart disease and other serious health issues.

I adopted an older cat that had not had her teeth cleaned when she should have over the years. I took her to my vet. He found that several of her teeth needed to be removed. He removed the bad teeth and also cleaned her teeth at the same time. Her teeth were bright and shiny when I picked her up.

When I scratched her under her chin, I discovered that she had bad teeth. She would wince in pain when I scratched her under her chin. Cats will also start licking their teeth and putting their paw in their mouth to rub at the wrong tooth. You may notice your cat having difficulty eating her food.

Certain breeds of cats will need their teeth cleaned sooner than others will. I have had more problems with cats that have long hair.

Even if your cat has had a lot of teeth removed over the years, they still seem to get along fine with eating dry cat food. If they don’t eat dry cat food, switch to canned cat food.

Give your cat the gift of bright and shiny teeth.

Tags dental treats, toothbrush

Christmas and your cat

Christmas and your Cat

Christmas is a festive time of the year. Let Christmas be safe and happy for your cat.

I quit putting up a Christmas tree about eight years ago because of my cats. I had three house cats; the oldest one climbed up the tree and knocked it over. I blamed the youngest one naturally at first. I saw the most senior cat climbing up later on. I never put up a tree again. Cats can eat and chew tinsel, bulbs, string, etc. I once had a cat take a plastic bird off of my tree and take off its wings. My older cat looked at him. What is your problem? Don’t you know that it is not a real bird?

My Siamese cat once swallowed a piece of string. I was able to remove the line from her mouth, luckily.

Cats have had horrible internal injuries and surgeries from items they have ingested on Christmas and other occasions.

Error on the side of caution this Christmas for your cat well being. No one would want their cat to die from something they ate on Christmas or any other time of the year.

Merry Christmas, Dear Cats.

Tags Christmas and Your Cat

Cat Toys

When buying cat toys, consider their color.

Cats can see in color, but the colors are less vibrant. Cats have six to eight times more rod cells, which can detect light at low levels than humans. Blue, red, yellow, and green are the easiest to distinguish between.

My cat’s favorite toys are small stuffed green-colored dinosaurs, gray stuffed mice, a green plastic frog, and bright-colored balls. My cats also like to bat a mouse or ball around with their paw enclosed in a plastic circle. I also once had a cat that used to play with sponges. My cats also like to play with balls with flashing lights inside them.

My cats love any toy that has catnip in it. They like to play with catnip-filled mice, birds, balls, etc. I have a stick with a catnip toy on the end of it. My cats love to bat that toy around.

My cats love to retrieve cat snacks out of a Snacky Mouse. When they play with that toy, they also get a lot of exercise. My house cat Conrad even carries the Snacky Mouse to bed with him.

My cats can entertain themselves for some time with any circle toy with a ball in the middle. They will bat at the ball for at least ten minutes. I also have a circle toy with a mouse in the middle. The mouse in the circle toy is battery-operated, and my cats love it.

Cats will also play with an empty toilet paper roll. My house cat Garfunkel likes to play with a rubber practice golf ball. Garfunkel bats the ball around as if he were playing soccer.

I hope your cat can have some fun with a new cat toy, and you can have a lot of fun watching your feline friend play with his new cat toy.

Tags cat Toys, Christmas and Your Cat, Picking Out A Kitten

Grooming

Grooming your cat is very important for its overall health.

I prefer using a long-wire comb purchased at a pet store. The wire combs are good at pulling out their matted fur. I used a comb for a person on my short-haired cats. An older cat cannot effectively clean the back of their back anymore. Combating all the old furs from their back is essential to maintain a healthy, shiny coat.

Your old cat will need your help with grooming, as they are not as flexible as they used to be. They cannot clean the top of their back anymore and tend to get dander and lose fur if you do not comb and brush out their hair often enough.

I also use pet brushes that have rubber tips as it does not hurt your cat to brush out their fur with soft tips. I recently purchased pet gloves that remove the dead hair from your cat’s coat, and my cats seem to like them. The gloves have rubber tips that remove the old fur safely and effectively. I also have all rubber brushes, baby brushes, and more.

Bathing your cat occasionally is also an excellent way to rid them of old dead fur. I use a gentle pet shampoo or a water-less pet shampoo. Some cats do not mind a bath, and others will fight you every step of the way. Start bathing your cat when he is very young, and then he will not mind taking a bath as much later in life.

Do not let a long-haired cat get all mated up or any cat. If you cannot groom them, take them to your vet to get them groomed. Depending on how long they were wild, a feral cat can be impossible to work with. Your vet can give them a mild sedative so they can groom them.

One of my cats next door have talked another cat into grooming him, and he does an excellent job. My house cats tend to clean each other’s faces and ears from time to time. If you do not groom your cat, it is easier for him to get fleas, roundworms, and pesky hairballs.

Trimming your cat’s claws is a big part of grooming also. I use human nail clippers or pet claw trimmers. Bent or broken or turned over claws can insure your cat as they can land wrong when they jump down from something. When your cat grooms himself with destructive feet, he can bleed and get infected. If your cat does not let you trim his nails, have your vet do it for you.

A well-groomed cat looks healthy and cared for and shows that you genuinely love your feline friend.

Tags Grooming, Hairballs, Picking Out A Kitten

Cleaning your Cats teeth What Should I be feeding my Cat

What should I be feeding my cat?

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date November 12, 2014
No Comments on What should I be feeding my cat?

I prefer feeding my cats dry food without many dyes or byproducts in the food. My cats love Purina One Pro Plan with turkey and chicken.

On occasion, I will feed them canned cat food. I look for canned food with a low ash level. High levels of ash in cat food can cause health problems. Cats love tuna in water. Cats will not eat tuna packed in oil. Never let your cat eat chocolate, as it can kill your cat. Two teaspoons of whiskey can kill a five lb. cat. Cali loves Hartz squeezable’s. My cats also love Fancy feast turkey canned cat food. They like wet cat food that has pumpkins in it, also.

When my cats have a sensitive stomach or another health issue, I go to my vet and purchase their cat food for that particular issue.

A cat will starve to death before it eats a cat food that it does not like. If your cat does not want his new food, don’t think he will eventually give in and eat it. He will not. An excellent way to get them to eat different foods is to introduce new food along with their old food. I put a dish of fresh food next to the old food. Never obliterate their old food until you are positive they like their new food. My cats have never eaten or enjoyed cat foods with many dyes or byproducts. Your cat is an excellent judge of what is and isn’t good for his health.

I like to give my cats healthy treats to eat. An excellent time to pleasure your cat is if he has been a good cat. A treat is good to reward your cat. I give catnip to my cats now and then. Your cat will roll around on the floor after eating the catnip. He will also act like a playful young kitten again. They love Friskies and Purina cat treats and treats with catnip.

Never feed your cat a lot of food from a family gathering, as this could cause pancreatitis.

Tags Cat food