Cat Tales with Laura and Inspirations with Laura

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date January 23, 2015
1 Comment on Introducing a New Cat Into Your Home

I put the new cat in quarantine for a week or more. I watch and observe the cat for sickness. I take the cat to my vet for distemper, rabies, and feline leukemia shots and deworming. The new cat is placed in my bathroom or a large cage with water, food, and cat litter. The other cats can sniff at the newcomer through the door. They will slowly get used to each other’s scent and meow by smelling or hearing each other through the gate. I let the new cat out only when I am home; so I can break up any disagreements.

I give all of my cats treats at this time. Each cat gets the same amount of treats. Cats know if they are being treated equally very quickly.

When I am satisfied that everyone is getting along fine, I free the newcomer. I have not experienced any problems using this method.

Spend much time with your new cat away from your other cats. Pat your new cat on the head and talk gently to him, as this will reassure him that he will not be harmed. Have toys available for him to play with, as this will also calm him.

Please bring all of your cats into a room, patting them all equally on the head for an equal amount of time. Play radio with soft music or have a clock ticking softly in the background—cats like gentle, calming sounds.

Have a nice warm cat bed available for the new cat. The new mattress can be a hideaway spot for him to get away from your other cats if he gets nervous now and then.

Have a variety of toys available for everyone to interact together with. They can take turns batting a mouse around in a circle cat toy.

All of your cats should be content with each other’s company now.

Tags Picking Out A Kitten, Whats Upsetting My Cat ?

Wishes Cat Treats from Chewy.Com

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date January 20, 2015
1 Comment on Wishes Cat Treats from Chewy.Com

I strive to feed my cats food without a lot of by-products or fillers in it.

I discovered Wishes pure Icelandic haddock fillets for cats and dogs. Wishes have only one ingredient, dehydrated haddock. Honest Kitchen, Inc., a USA-based Co, makes wishes. I purchased Wishes from Chewy.Com.

If you have a cat sensitive to foods with many fillers or additives, Wishes is perfect with only one ingredient dehydrated haddock. The haddock is caught in cold, pristine waters off the coast of Iceland and packaged in the USA. It is human-grade food.

I first gave Wishes to two of my male cats. They loved the treat and fought over it for more. They could not get enough of this healthy treat.

My calico cat Cali also thought this was a delicious treat. My cats love the smell of the haddock. The minute I open the cupboard door where I store Wishes, my cat Lorenzo stands on his hind legs. I break off several pieces of Wishes, and he devours the treat. My cat Russ is always ready for more Wishes and treats. My cat Peter is timid and would only eat Wishes if I did not watch him.

I went to the cupboard and looked for the Wishes treats. I could not find them anywhere. I finally looked at the carpet in the Living Room. I saw the Wishes treat bag on the mat empty. I am sure Lorenzo had chewed a hole in the bag and eaten most of the treats. When I gave them their dry cat food, he was not hungry.

I would highly recommend Wishes cat and dog treats. It is hard to find a genuinely healthy cat treat. I love the fact it only has dehydrated haddock in it. I love products that are packaged in the USA.

Tags What Should I be Feeding my Cat

Should I Declaw My Cat?

Declawing your cat will save the life of your furniture.

I would only declaw a young cat. An older cat is used to a life of having its claws. The cat has climbed up and down many trees. If your cat is older, this would be a terrible shock to him to be without his claws suddenly. I heard of a case where a lady took her cat, which was four years old, to her vet to be declawed, and her cat bled to death.

A cat’s instinct is to claw at things. Your cat needs sharp claws to survive out in the wild. Cats’ claws are their hunting tools. Their claws help to catch and hold their prey. My farm cats have sharpened their claws on barn doors, pieces of wood, etc.

Your house cat can destroy your window sills with his claws. He can take off small sections of your carpet with his feet. He may climb your drapes and also shred them to pieces. Your clothes can be snagged by his claws catching on the material. The tops of your wooden furniture can get horrible scratch marks from your cat jumping up and down.

I had an older Siamese cat that was very good about not scratching things. She liked scratching the carpet, but it did not cause much damage. I also had a red tabby male cat that did not strike at anything.

If you do declaw your indoor cat, do not let him outside. Your cat will be utterly defenseless to a dog attack or other wild animal that may harm him.

All of my indoor cats are declawed. I had them declawed between six months and ten months of age. They did fine at my vet and got along fine in my house.

I have used a scratching post for some of my older cats. They have used it to some degree. They were hard on the carpet and the wooden floors. A scratching post with some catnip will help your cat get used to it.

Deciding to declaw or not depends on you and how you want your house to look and your cat’s age. Have a complete vet check for your cat if you decide to declaw him.

Tags Picking Out A Kitten

Keeping Your Carpets Clean With Natures Miracle From Chewy.Com

Keeping Your Carpets Clean With Natures Miracle from Chewy.Com

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date January 17, 2015
2 Comments on Keeping Your Carpets Clean With Natures Miracle from Chewy.Com

I use Natures Miracle to clean my carpets. The formula has natural enzymes. I wouldn’t say I like cleaners with harsh chemicals. Sometimes your cat makes a mess, and you don’t see it for a while. Your cat may vomit back of your couch. Nature’s Miracle is a stain and odor remover. I have had excellent luck with this product. I purchase Natures Miracle at Chewy.Com. I clean the spot by wiping up as much as possible with paper towels. I then put the cleaner on the site for a few minutes and let it soak in. First, always check the area for colorfastness. I use a white cloth and blot the stain out. I use the product at full strength.

I have also put Nature’s Miracle in my carpet shampooer to freshen up my house. I have used Nature’s Miracle on my cloth furniture. First, test the area to be cleaned for colorfastness. It has permanently removed the stain and left my furniture odor free. Once, I scrubbed an area with Nature’s Miracle, and my cats never had an accident there again. The product is truly a Miracle cleaner. I have another house I keep cats in, and sometimes a stain will set for several days. I use Nature’s Miracle, and the colors are gone quickly.

I like the natural citrus scent. I wouldn’t say I like cleaners that smell toxic or overpowering. My carpet and furniture smell extra good after using Nature’s Miracle.

If your cat has an accident on your bedding, use this product. Blot the area with paper towels. Remove your bedding. Put Natures Miracle on the stain and let it soak in. Put your bedding in your washing machine; it will be as -colorful and fresh as new.

For extra tough stains, use a brush to work in the formula. I like to use a brush on different thick carpets and fabrics. I then blot the area clean with a white cloth.

I have used Nature’s Miracle Stain and odor remover on clothing. Your clothes will smell like new again.

I highly recommend Nature’s Miracle. I have used it many times and have always received exceptional results. Keep your pets away from the area until the area is dry. You and your cats will be better off using Nature’s Miracle stain and odor remover.

Cat Emergency

What to do if your cat is injured.

Your cat depends on you in an emergency. First, you should figure out exactly where your cat is hurt. Remember, minutes count in an emergency; you’ll want a first aid kit.

What you will need in your first aid kit:

Gauze
Gauze pads
scissors
Ice Pack
Hot water bottle
Old blanket
Towels
Needle nose pliers
Eye dropper
Strips of clean cloth
Safety pins
Pepto Bismol
hydrogen peroxide
Wound powder
Boric acid eyewash
Razor blade

Approach an injured cat with extreme caution. Talk gently to the cat. If the cat’s ears are back, and it is growling, do not pick him up. I put a fish net over my injured cat, put him in a cage, and took him to the vet.

One of my cats was bitten by a raccoon. She was bitten on the bottom of her foot. I cleaned the area with three percent hydrogen peroxide. Her foot kept swelling over several days. I took her to the vet; he gave her antibiotics. She recovered quickly.

Cover the damage with a clean cloth if your cat has a wound or excessive bleeding. Keep pressure on the damage until the bleeding has stopped. Take your cat to the vet ASAP to ensure he will be alright.

You should do the following if your cat chews on a poisonous house plant; if he has not vomited, induce vomiting by giving him a unique solution you can buy from your vet until he vomits. Hold the cat’s mouth shut and slant its head up. Place a dose syringe at the corner of your cat’s mouth. Only give a little at a time, allowing him time to swallow. Rub the throat gently to stimulate swallowing. If a lack of breathing or convulsions occurs, take him to the vet ASAP. Have the solution on hand ahead of time if you have house plants that could be poisonous.

One of my cats chewed on a poinsettia plant once. He could not talk for a whole week. He did make a full recovery, luckily. I do not keep any houseplants in my house anymore for the sake of my cats.

Tags Christmas and Your Cat

Frostbite

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

Cat Toys Christmas and your cat Cleaning your Cats teeth Grooming Hairballs Picking Out A Kitten What Should I be feeding my Cat

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