How to wash your cat?

How to wash your cat?

Everyone knows that cats absolutely hate water, so why on earth would someone want to bathe their cat? Well, although cats don't enjoy paddling in the swimming pool with their doggie pals, they still can get just as dirty or flea-infested as dogs. There are times when there is just no other option besides giving your cat a bath. As long as you do not bathe your cat more frequently than once a month, you will not damage his hair or skin.

Before you begin bathing your cat, you will need to gather a few supplies. At the minimum, you will need two absorbent terry cloth towels, a pet-safe shampoo, a pet-safe conditioner, a sponge, and a sprayer attachment for your sink or tub. If you don't have a sprayer attachment, you should have a pitcher or large cup that you can use to scoop clean water over your cat's body. Ideally, you should also have a non-skid mat to help your cat feel more secure.

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Scratching Post That You Could Ever Make For Your Cat

Scratching Post That

You Could Ever Make For Your Cat

A cat's need to scratch is just as important as its need for oxygen. This is one area that new cat owners fail to understand. Your cat must scratch (he NEEDS to scratch) and it is your duty to provide something that your cat can paw at whenever he wants to. Basically, your cat should have what is called a “scratching post”.

When shopping for a scratching post it is very important to find one that is sturdy and is made of material that your cat enjoys scratching. And remember, you do not want to go to cheap when it comes to a good scratching post because your cat will literally scratch away an inexpensive post that you will have to replace with more money. It is best to spend a little more now and have it last for a while. A stable scratching post is vital because you do not want the structure to come crashing down on your cat or even worse, your glass table or that antique vase your grandmother gave you.

When it comes to the material that the scratching post will be made of, in my personal experience it is best to go with sisal. Sisal is a rope-like natural covering that is extremely popular with cat owners. It is very similar to a carpet that is not too shaggy but is made of loops that cats absolutely love to paw at.

Most scratching posts that are sold in standard pet stores are typically very small. Standard posts stand less than 3 ½ feet tall. Most are vertical yet some come in a horizontal structure. I myself actually made a 6 foot tall scratching post that sits nicely in the corner of my living room. It is very sturdy and in between the vertical pole I have a 4 foot pole that goes across horizontally, kind of like a cross. These poles are wrapped in sisal. This cross-shaped scratching post allows all three of my cats to enjoy crawling up, hanging out, and scratching away on a tall perch. 

If you're not as handy as I am when it comes to building stuff, you can find yourself a nice cat tree that is specifically made for this purpose. They are tall and are built with a top perch which enables the cats to look down as they relax and scratch away in their own little sanctuary. This type of scratching Post also gives a cat somewhere to go when he wants to be alone. You can also place dangling cat toys from the perch and other areas of the post which will give hours upon hours of fun and freedom for your pets.

How To Spot A Bad Cat Breeder

How To Spot A Bad Cat Breeder

I hate to say it, but there are a few breeders out there that have despicable breeding practices and are just plain evil. Yes, this is a strong statement to make, but you must know that not all people who claim to be “professional breeders” are as they seem. There are some people out there that are only concerned with the fast buck and who cannot even provide the basic essentials and needs of their animals. The good news is that these types of people are easy to spot and can be avoided. 

Most of these bad breeders that I am referring to do not think that they are being non-caring or poor breeders, they are just uneducated and uninformed as to the proper etiquette and lifestyle that a professional breeder is supposed to maintain. At some point in their life they saw a moneymaking opportunity with selling pets and decided to take advantage of it. You can spot a lot of these types of breeders, or what I call backyard breeders, who sell in major newspapers and on Internet ads. They will make claims of pure pedigree cats available but their prices will be insanely low. 

What these people do not realize is that most of these cats that they are selling are being provided to other uneducated people who are just looking for a nice pet (at a cheap cost) but will end up giving this pet away or placing the animal in a shelter.

Kittens and adult cats that are sold at cheap dollar will also end up obtaining some sort of illness or virus because they are not being raised in a proper environment by pet owners who have passions for their animals. Keep in mind that these are not bad people or bad pet owners, they just do not understand the scope of what it takes to raise a healthy cat, or any other animal for that matter. 

Below is a list of red flags that should give you the signal to walk away from a breeder: 

1. The breeder has no participation in showing cats. Your odds of getting a high-quality purebred are much higher if you are dealing with the breeder that takes pride in showing his or her cats. This proves that the breeder has a commitment to their passion. 

2. The breeder lacks particular knowledge of the breed. This should be common sense but some people do not ask the right questions and cannot discover whether the breeder is truly educated about the bloodline or not. If the person does not know the history, the standard, or other information about the breed then they should be avoided. 

3. The breeder denies your request to meet the other cats from the litter or allowing you to see where the animals were raised. This is a big red flag that should go up in your head when you request these items. Should a person refused to allow you to see the litter or the grounds in which they are raised, then it is obvious they are maintaining a dirty environment and/or are in possession of diseased and sick cats.

You should choose another breeder immediately.

By Teri Champigny

Cat Breeds

Cat Breeds

The many breeds of cats vary greatly in appearance. Cat breeders have developed numerous breeds by se­lectively mating animals with certain desirable and distinctive characteristics. These characteristics appear consistently in the offspring of purebred cats. A pure­bred cat is one whose mother and father belong to the same breed. The offspring of cats that have mated ran­domly are known as crossbreds or alley cats. 

Many people prefer the special features of a certain breed of cats. For example, such purebreds as the Abys­sinian and the Birman are among the most beautiful and unusual animals in the world. But crossbreds may be just as beautiful and lovable as purebreds. 

Certain associations officially recognize cat breeds and establish standards for the ideal characteristics of each breed. However, different cat associations recog­nize different breeds, and breed standards also vary somewhat. In the United States, cat breeds are com­monly divided into two major groups: short-haired breeds and long-haired breeds. 

Short haired breeds. 

Most cat associations in the United States commonly recognize 10 short-haired breeds. They are the Abyssinian, American shorthair, Burmese, Havana brown, Japanese bobtail, Korat, Manx, Rex, Russian blue, and Siamese. 

Abyssinian is a slender, muscular, medium-sized cat with a long, tapering tail. Aby cats, as they are some­times called, have a rounded, wedge shaped head and large, pointed ears. Their almond-shaped eyes may be green or gold. These cats are known for their melodic voices and their agouti coat pattern, which is common in wild animals. Each hair of an Aby's soft coat has two or three bands of alternating light and dark colors. The coat may have red and chocolate bands, or reddish-brown and black or dark brown bands. 

Abyssinians have been bred in Ethiopia (formerly called Abyssinia) for thousands of years. Many people believe the quiet, graceful Aby is descended directly from the sacred cats of ancient Egypt 

American shorthair, also called the domestic shorthair, is the best known breed of cats. American shorthairs resemble many alley cats but are purebreds. The American shorthair is a muscular, medium to large sized animal. Its large head features full cheeks; a broad, squarish muzzle; large, round eyes, and rounded, medium-sized ears. The coat and eyes may be any color. The breed probably developed from cats originally brought to the American Colonies by Europeans. The British shorthair is similar to the American shorthair but is stockier and has a thicker coat. 

Breed Organizations 

Recognition and acceptance of a breed usually must come from an established group of cat fanciers. Groups of breeders and other persons interested in showing cats have formed organizations to establish rules for shows and standards by which cats can be judged at the shows. They also keep stud books and validate the registration papers needed for purebred cats. In most countries there is only one organization that acts as the governing body. 

In the United States, there are many, each of which sets its own judging standards and rules. The two largest of these are the Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc., and the American Cat Fanciers Association. In Canada the governing body is the Canadian Cat Association. 

In most parts of the United States there are many organizations to which persons interested in cats may belong. Some of these are affiliated with national associations, but many arc strictly local clubs that invite the participation of anyone in the neighborhood. Membership in the large clubs usually consists chiefly of breeders and owners of purebred cats. Such organizations serve as clearinghouses for disseminating information about specific breeds, giving members’ advice about breeding methods, and helping establish standards for breeds. 

Most of the organizations conduct shows in which competitions for champion ships are held. Cat fanciers take their animals to vie with others in their breed or class for top honors. No purebred cats may also be shown in the household-pet class. These cat shows are extremely popular, and in a large one there may be more than a thousand cats entered for competition.