Veterinary experts recommend that the household cat’s litter container be placed in the area where the cat spends most of its time or somewhere accessible. This makes it difficult for owners who do not want to display plastic trays and tops as part of their well thought out home décor. There is the option of purchasing cat litter box furniture but it is tricky to choose the correct type with the array of choices available. Here are some tips on how to choose the perfect litter container furnishing for your home:

• Do you want it to be multi-functional?

Furniture litter boxes are great pieces that provide privacy for feline pets when doing their business and match your needs. If you think this is the best option, there are several functions these litter box furnishings fulfill, such as, TV stands, bookshelves, cabinets and benches. If your home needs any of these items, there are plenty out there in different materials, though mostly woods like maple, oak and mahogany. They’re available in rattan, fiberboard and carpet covered.

• What is your price range?

If this is the option you choose for you and your pet, it is important to know that these boxes are priced like the actual furniture in your home. Choosing a simple box that works as a small table and matches the design of your living room may cost in the $60-$100 range; however, if multi-functionality is a must, The price of these items does increase to $100-$400.

• What is inside of these furnishings?

While the litter box furniture is great for reducing odors, the furniture is not a litter container. A container has to be purchased, and the same amount of daily cleansing labor is required of owners. The interior area of each of these furnishings differs from one model to the next, and in some, the space for your cat to use the litter container is not large enough.

Before deciding if this type of home décor is right for you and your feline companion, inspect the interior space and make sure that your adult cat fits comfortably inside and make sure that the litter container you place inside is also to your pet’s liking.

• What if you have multiple cats?

If you have multiple feline pets, one litter container per pet is recommended, according to The Humane Society of the United States. Most of the litter box furnishings only supply enough room for one litter container. If your cats have shared a box with no issues, buying furnishings for one litter container should work but if not, you may have to sport the expense of more than one.

Using litter box furniture is an innovative way of keeping you and your feline pet happy, by providing privacy for your pet and keeping within the theme of the home décor. These furnishings are not litter boxes so while the choice of furnishing is important, there is no escape from seeking the right litter container for your cat.

Find the Best Cat Litter Box for your car. to find more info on Litter Box Furniture visit my website.

It may seem as if one minute your cat is loving you and allowing you to pet her nicely, and then the next, the cat is turning around and scratching you. Why on earth would your cat do such a thing? Well, it turns out, nature. Scratching is a natural instinct for a cat.

Even when a cat is declawed, they continue the scratching behavior. Additionally, when a cat is declawed, they tend to turn to biting instead, which can be even more dangerous. A better alternative to declawing, is training. If you know why cats scratch, you can often get them to stop.

One of the reasons why cats scratch is to leave their scent behind. They have scent glands in their footpads, when they scratch, they leave a bit of their scent behind, marking the object as theirs. Scratching also can help cats relieve stress. It allows them to exercise and stretch all of their muscles. Cats who are declawed have trouble stretching as well as other cats.

There is one method which works quite well when trying to prevent a cat from scratching you or the furniture. This involves giving the cat something else to scratch that they cannot resist, so they are not so tempted to scratch you.

Start by buying a good scratching post. The best ones are made with sisal, wood, or carpet. Do not buy one made from cardboard, it will not last. Make sure to place the post is an area where the cat will spend a lot of time. You may want to hide it, but this will not work as well.

When buying the cat posts, make sure you have enough. You should follow the same rule that goes with litter boxes: one for each cat, plus one extra. Make the posts as enticing as possible. You may wish to rub some catnip on them to make the cats want to use them more. Also try to give your cat treats on or near the posts.

In the meantime, you will want to make the laces the cat currently scratches less desirable. There are a few ways to do this. One is to put double sided tape down. The cats do not like how that feels on their paws. Another option is to cover the furniture in plastic. Do not punish them for scratching anything. Cats do not understand punishment.

Sally writes about cats and kittens on her site Kitten Advice. You can learn more about this subject on her page about cat scratching.

While you understand how stressful moving is for the human members of your family, it’s a little different understanding how this upheaval affects your feline family members. Depending on how old your children (if you have any) are, they can grasp the situation because you explain it to them, but your cat? The poor animal hasn’t a clue what is happening and you can talk yourself blue in the face, but your kitty is unlikely to absorb what you are saying! From a feline point of view, relocation is nothing short of cataclysmic, a complete and utter upheaval of their small world. Here are some tips from a professional mover to help with moving your cat.

· The moment that you begin to pack, your cat will know that something is up. Try to leave the area where he spends most of his time undisturbed until the last possible minute to reduce his anxiety. If you can, isolate the cat in a quiet room while you are packing;

· If your cat is unaccustomed to travelling in a carrier, familiarize him with it beforehand by putting it in the room where the cat spends most of his time. Put a bit of food or some of his favourite treats inside so that the cat will get used to it and hopefully, get to like the carrier;

· Place some old towels or rags in the cat’s sleeping area to absorb her scent. After you’ve arrived at your new home you can place these in the new sleeping area to make your cat feel more at ease in his new surroundings;

· You should confine your cat to one room at the new house for a while. Put his bed, litter box, food and water dishes and a few favourite toys in the room, and restrict traffic going in and out to diminish further stress;

· Even if your cat is customarily allowed outside, don’t let him out until he is settled at the new house, this can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending upon your cat’s temperament. When you do take him out, use a leash so he doesn’t run off. There are endless stories of cats running away from a new neighborhood and trying to make their way back to their old stomping grounds, not always successfully

· Give your cat a little extra TLC after you move to reassure him that all is well and that his place is still with you, safe and secure, and

· Get a new id tag with your new contact info on it immediately so that if your cat does run away it’s easier for you to be reunited.

Professional movers like me have plenty of advice to offer about moving. We have the experience and knowledge that will help your move go smoothly, for every member of your family, even your cat!

Jay Doehl is an experienced moving consultant with the Jay’s Moving team. Jay’s Moving is a respected moving company in Saskatchewan and Alberta with an exemplary record of customer service. Articles are written by Jay Doehl to share his knowledge of the moving industry. For more info check out Jay’s Moving Alberta blog.

The weight of humans is publicised across the media but the weight of your pets seems to be almost disregarded. If you, as a person are concerned and conscious about your weight then you should put the effort in for your pets as well. There has been a recent up rise of pet obesity across the UK and USA and it is extremely damaging to their health and could potentially end in fatality.

In the past year, researchers have found that the rate of pets being overweight has remained the same yet the rate of obese pets has rapidly increased. It has been said that 53 per cent of adult dogs and 55 per cent of cats are now classed as being overweight and almost half of that percentage are obese.

These horrifying statistics show that pet owners are not caring for their pets properly and they over-feed them and have a lack of exercise. It is almost as important that pets are healthy as it is humans and they need caring for correctly in order to survive and be happy. A lot of owners admit to over-feeding their pets with food and treats but many of them do not think there is anything they can do about these growing statistics.

Pet owners are being held completely responsible for this exponential up rise as they are completely accountable for the amount that their friendly companions eat. From this, pet owners are the only people who can help put a stop to the up rise of overweight and obese animals.

How Can I Improve My Pet’s Health?

Different pets have alternative requirements for a healthy diet but whether you have a cat, dog, hamster, rabbit or bird they all have a particular healthy diet similar to humans. Most pets cannot survive on a human diet and this goes for cats in comparison to dogs etc. As cats and dogs are the most popular pets to keep these are the main focus at the moment.

Dog Nutrition

Dogs need a balanced diet of meat, cereals and vegetables a lot like us humans – but do not be deceived as a complete human diet is unhealthy for dogs. Dogs are classed as omnivores but they do not need any necessary carbohydrates in their body. Also, be sure to supply your dogs with clean water at all times. ‘Wet foods’ need to be served at room temperature and given once or twice a day in comparison to dry foods/breakfast cereals which need to be given in small portions and the directions on the packaging should be followed. Chocolate should never be fed to a dog, as much as 3oz of cooking chocolate can kill a medium-sized dog.

Cat Nutrition

Unlike other animals, cats cannot live on a vegetarian diet as they need a lot of protein in order to stay healthy. Cats need protein, fats & oils, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates to stay happy and healthy – they also need plenty of fresh water as they can become seriously ill after not having water for a few hours. Kittens need to be fed small meals several times a day and need to eat more than adult cats whereas adult cats need to be fed differently. Adult male cats need 250 to 300 calories a day and adult female cats need around 200 to 300 calories a day. An average cup of dry food contains 400 calories and an average cup of wet food contains 150 calories. Depending on your cats eating habits will essentially depend on how much you feed them.

Animal and pet obesity is a huge issue and it needs resolving as soon as possible so do not hesitate to join in on the nutritional way to feed pets!

Jade Jennison is an enthusiastic writer in the subject matter of pets and their well-being and aims to provide information to people who share the same interests as her own. The websites recommended by Jade have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. Take a look at Snack and Tack for a vast array of healthy food for every one of your pets.

Devoted cat parents would worry about the content of commercial cat food. Often times, first time cat parents are guided by buying cat food right off the grocery shelf without really knowing if that is good for their pet. There are a lot of reports that popular brands of cat food had been recalled due to some adverse effects of their products. This adds to the dilemma of the cat parent when it comes to feeding their pets the right food that is truly healthy and helpful for them.

According to some reports, the best cat food that you should give must resemble the kind of food that they eat in the wild. You must remember, cats are born hunters and carnivores. They do occasionally eat grass, leaves and some vegetation whenever they feel some intestinal trouble. Sometimes, cats do it just for the heck of it. By nature the cat does not really need to drink a lot of water because the fluids they need, they get from the meat of their prey.

Which comes to my conclusion, that the best alternative to cat food that you can give your pet is actually real and natural food. These foods are in the form of meats, grain and vegetables. To be exact, the proportions of the best natural cat diet should be 60% protein, 20% grain and 20% vegetables.

Hence, the 60-20-20 rule in the natural diet of a cat. It is a lot healthier, chemical free and totally safe for your pet.

60% protein of the natural cat diet comes from raw or cooked meat like ground beef, turkey, chicken, rabbit, fish and organ meats. You can cook these by lightly steaming them or by boiling. You can also feed your cat some eggs but limit the feeding to only once a week. Organ meats should be given as a treat and in very minimal amounts like 2 teaspoons once or twice in a week.

20% of their vegetable diet comes from a wide variety of vegetables. You can feed cats steamed broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, squash, corn, potatoes and chayote. Some cats have preferences for leafy vegetables like water spinach or chinese lettuce. You can also give cats chopped fruits like melon, mango and apples. To make it easy for them to eat and digest the veggies and fruits, make sure to wash and boil or slightly cook them. It would help if you chop these into tiny cubes or mash them and mix with dry cat food or boiled grain like rice.

20% of the cat’s diet should also contain grain. Surprisingly, although most people know that cats are carnivores, they do need some grain in their diet. It is actually good for their digestive system. Brown rice is the most preferred type of grain that you should feed your cats. It can be served steamed or boiled, then puree finely mixed with a little chicken broth along with a few meats and vegetables. You can also use grains like oatmeal, amaranth, couscous, millet, barley.

As a cat parent, I’m always in the lookout for what’s best for my furry babies. I’ve done research for the best food alternatives when it comes to cat food and did my own experiments right in my home. I am guided by my 4 cat babies and in my personal blog, I am posting the results of my 60-20-20 natural cat diet. You can view the results by visiting http://catsandpajamas.wordpress.com.

Proper cat grooming practices are not only important in maintaining smooth and silky coat for your pet. Actually, cats that are left alone with tangled and matted fur are left with higher risks of developing diseases and infection. Not only that, sticky and improperly groomed cat fur results to hair pulling, scratching and skin gnawing tendencies, and might even turn your car’s coat into a big ball of fur. Although grooming is a normal part of a cat’s life, it would be best for you to practice proper grooming practices to safeguard the health of your furry friend. For all you know, all you need to have is a nice cat grooming comb.

Long-haired breeds of cats like Siberians, Main Coons and Persians can tolerate combing much easier than brushing. This is because combs are better able to detangle the mat and tangles on their coat. Regularly combing your cat helps lift our lose hair and gently breaks up and removes painful mats. Do not make unsightly hair situations even more painful for your pet. A nice cat grooming comb can take the pain out of your grooming routine.

Cat grooming comb manufacturers have produced a number of types of combs to deliver gentle and specific grooming purposes and benefits for your pet. For instance, pet grooming combs with rotating teeth have been invented to prevent the hair snagging and pulling tendencies of your cat. Compared to conventional rigid combs, combs with rotating teeth work gently against the hair shaft, painlessly combing and detangling hair in easy motions.

Another type of cat grooming comb is the flea comb. As the name implies, this tool is best used in preventing flea infestation. It helps comb out the fleas that cause your cat to constantly scratch and gnaw on its skin, which result to rapid hair loss, bald spots or infection. This type of comb is ideally used on cats that are usually allowed to wonder outside the household and during climates when fleas thrive. Also, if you have a number of pets in your household, this type of comb will give your cat the best protection against possible flea infestation.

Metal combs are usually mistaken for flea combs. But while flea combs have finer and closely bunched teeth, metal combs appear to be an ordinary comb made out of metal.

Shredding combs are ideally used for removing loose and dead hair. They are usually available in two styles to meet the grooming needs of either long or short haired cat breeds.

Although combs play crucial roles in keeping your cat healthy, happy and pest-free, it needs to follow a good brushing routine achieve best grooming results. All types of cat grooming comb serve as helpful brush routine add-on.

Although it is normal for your cat to be able to groom itself, you still need to help them in cleaning and maintaining their coat to effectively avoid the pains of dealing with occasional fur mats and tangles. By treating your feline friends to a routine of brushing and combing, you prevent them from swallowing hair ball or too much hair, which can severely affect their health. Hence, investing on a good cat grooming comb ensures a happy, healthy and well-groomed cat.

About this Author

Learn more about cat grooming at RaiseAKitten.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Sites

Naming your new female cat is a serious matter, contrary to popular belief. It isn’t something you can do at the last minute or emotionally, rather it’s a complex exercise that should be embarked upon with the utmost diligence. To prevent your cat undue embarrassment and of course to shield yourself from the scorn of other cat owners, follow these five simple steps and you will be assured of a great cat name.

Tip 1 – Take a long term view. As is the case when naming a baby human, you need to consider the longevity of the name you give to your kitten. Granted, parents are becoming increasingly flippant with this long-term outlook naming their human children “Talitha” and “Lucifer” and the like, thinking it’s funny or a salute to some sub-culture, but when it comes to cats the matter is much more serious. Cats are infinitely more social than humans, wandering around all night and meowing all the time, so think about how important their names must be to them!

Tip 2 – Don’t be ironic with colors. If your cat is black, it deserves a black name. If your cat is white, it deserves a white sounding name (I don’t mean black and white in the sense of African versus Caucasian – I am speaking strictly about the colors here of course). Don’t be led into the dark side way of thinking where you name your ginger cat “Greenie” or your black cat “Milk”. It isn’t funny and it doesn’t help your cat’s self esteem at all, trust me on that.

Tip 3 – Research the history of the name before you apply it. How embarrassing it would be to name your cat something only to realise later the word is an adaptation of the ancient Hebrew for the word “poo” or similar. It’s important to be thorough in your examination of the etymology of your cat’s name before you apply it to your cat. Cats are very smart and you never know what they’ll learn – especially when they go roaming around at night.

Tip 4 – Be creative. In particular, I’m referring to all those people who name their cat “cat” and their dogs “dog”. There have been numerous surveys all around the world that show year after year the most popular name for cats is “cat”, and to my way of thinking this is completely unacceptable. If you can’t be bothered creating an appropriate name that reflects something of the cat beyond its genus, you don’t deserve to be a cat owner. Give your cat the compliment of caring about her by actually putting effort into her naming!

Tip 5 – Market research is fundamental. Your cat will become part of your family and circle of friends (if you have any and of course it’s fine if you don’t because not everyone does and being alone is cool, that’s what cats are for) so you want to make sure your cat’s name is appropriate for your group. Compile a short list of names and run it by your contacts first and get some feedback. The terrible names will be quickly tossed into the litter tray and the best ones will shine. I love cats.

Proper preparation prevents poor performance! Never forget this and put as much effort into naming your new cat as you would with naming a new human… this is a very serious activity and make sure you treat it that way. Your cat will thank you for it.

Get some great suggestions on girl cat names by visiting this great site which is all about how to choose the best girl and black cat names.

So you want to help your local shelter, but aren’t sure how. Do you love animals, wish you could adopt a pet, but aren’t living in the right situation to do so at this time? Even if you aren’t in a place to adopt at this time, you can help so much by becoming an animal shelter volunteer in more ways than one. Read these helpful tips and you will be making a difference in no time!

1) Donate.

If you have tons of spare change in your pockets and wallets that you don’t know what to do with, the best way to spend it would be to donate it. Every penny counts. Money donated to shelters goes towards animals’ medical bills, maintenance of the building, toys and food for the animals and so much more.

2) Volunteer.

Shelters are always looking for volunteers. You will have a number of responsibilities that will allow you to build relationships with the animals, the people you are working with and the community. Volunteers are one of the most important aspects of shelters. They essentially keep the organizations running.

3) Adopt!

It’s understandable if you cannot adopt a pet right now or simply aren’t interested, however, if you are, adopting a pet from your local shelter is the perfect way to support it. You will provide an animal with a better life than it had before, as well as supporting the existence of shelters.

4) Foster.

Fostering pets has become more popular these days. A person who “fosters” an animal keeps it at their home temporarily until someone decides to officially adopt it. Shelters are always looking for foster parents to prevent overcrowding. This is the perfect option for an animal lover who cannot afford to take care of an animal on their own for the long term.

5) Advertise.

Volunteering to help advertise your local animal shelter will definitely help to keep it running. Talk about the shelter with your friends, co-workers and family to see if anyone is looking to adopt or volunteer. The more people you can recruit to help out at the shelter, the better. If you use Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus, you can post information about your local shelter, the adoptable pets available and how others can help support the shelter. Some shelters allow volunteers to write newsletters which are a great way to keep members, supporters, adopters and the public informed about what the shelter does and what it needs.

All of these are exceptional ways to become an animal shelter volunteer. No matter what you choose to do, you are making a difference to more than one animal’s life. You don’t have to be an animal expert to help out at an animal shelter either-most of them will allow people who don’t have experience with animals at all to volunteer. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call your local shelter, or make a trip there in order to start making a difference!

We love pets! Probioticsmart.com knows your pet deserves the very best care possible, and we’re here to help. Visit our blog for more information, tips and stories on all things pet health. See you there!

If like me you have a cat that loves to run up and down, in and out and lay around looking relaxed, then you might be thinking about how to build your own cat tree. Cats love nothing more than exploring, lying around, scratching things, usually your furniture or walls, but give them their own cat tree, and they will love you for life.

Building your own cat tree is not a difficult project, and can be completed within a couple of days if you have the right tools and plans. The key to building any woodworking project is to be prepared. Take it from me, not starting off on the right foot, and making it up as it goes is nothing but bad news. Get yourself a good set of plans, and everything from then on, will fall into place.

Many people may wonder why many cat lovers build their own cat trees, and the answer is simple, you can create a unique woodworking piece, built to the size you need, and with the right amount of scratch posts, beds and houses you need. It is not always about saving money, it is more about making something that fits your home and your cat.

Working out how to build your own cat tree can be a great challenge for many, and simple for others. Having the right tools is the first step. You don’t have to have the most expensive and all the tools that a large woodworking shop may have. You can for instance get most of the timber you need to build your own cat tree, pre cut at your local timber yard, saving you money and also time.

Once you have your build plans and your timber cut to the size you need, you can now start to assemble. Building a cat tree starts from the ground up, with a nice solid base which can hold the size and shape of the tree. Many people who don’t have cat tree plans may overlook this, and find the tree falling over when their cat climbs up high, a common mistake.

The right set of build plans will show you how to not make mistakes like this, and tell you how to assemble a fantastic looking tree which is strong and safe. Safety is often overlooked also, from the types of glues, nails, screws and materials you are going to use in your build. I mentioned above about the base not being big enough, and using the right materials is another safety point to look out for.

You don’t need many different materials, only timber, carpet, sisal, glue, nails and screws. A secret additive for me is catnip, which drives my cat insane, but he loves it. Adding a small amount of catnip in certain areas will attract your cat, and keep him from scratching other areas in your house.

To get your hands on a set of Cat Tree plans, and to find more information and inspiration, please visit my website, How to Build Your Own Cat Tree. Once you have the right plans, you are on your way to building something both you and your cat will love.

Lots of us already realize that animals add to our emotional and spiritual well-being. Since we live in times where just about everything can and is often researched, countless tests have confirmed that owning a pet is good for our physical health as well! Evidently, whilst we are taking care of our pets, our pets are taking care of us.

We live longer, age better, have reduced bouts of loneliness, and are generally healthier if we have pets. Studies abound showing that sharing our lives with animals has a positive influence on our stress levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, moods, immunity, fitness, the span and quality of our lives, and can even reduce health care expenses.

Here are just a few of the amazing benefits you can expect from animal companionship:

• Pet owners were found to have lower levels of cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels.
• Having a feline companion has been shown to decrease your heart attack risk by nearly one third.
• In recent times, therapy dogs have been introduced into hospitals, mental health centers, and nursing homes where their positive effects on patients are well documented. Visits from these compassionate canines commonly lift the spirits of patients, calm their nerves, and alleviate their loneliness.
• Pets commonly serve to facilitate social interactions between people. Individuals who are mobility impaired speak of increased “freedom to be capable” after getting an assistance dog. Additionally, participants reported increased independence and self-esteem, decreased loneliness, and experienced regular sociability from strangers.
• Dogs and cats have been known to be able to detect cancer in people and will constantly lick and smell the affected area as a warning to their owners.
• Alzheimer’s patients who are still living at home with pets had fewer mood swings, confusion, episodes of aggression and anxiety than patients not exposed to pets.
• Pets can improve our social lives. I have met many interesting people while walking my dogs or volunteering at our local animal shelter.
• Unconditional Love; I love my family and they love me. My family is always happy to see me but it’s my dogs that show the most excitement, wagging their tails gleefully and celebrating my return every time I walk in the door from a hard day at work.
• Dogs can help you keep fit. Some mornings I find it hard to get motivated to go on my daily walk. Then I find those big pleading eyes of anticipation looking up at me and I simply can’t say no.
• Pets and Children: Psychological research and analysis of the relationship between children and animals has determined that the mere presence of animals can positively alter a child’s attitude about themselves and increases their ability to relate to others. Additionally, pets can assist children to develop positive skills in several areas including love, attachment, wellbeing and caring. Yet further studies suggest that children exposed to pets in early life experience improved immune function with reduced allergies, less wheezing and asthma.
• Quality of life can be improved dramatically in families of epileptic children when a dog that that is trained to respond to seizures is present in the home.

The ways that animal companions affect our well being are apparently never-ending. The afore-mentioned examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amazing benefits and complexities of human-animal companionship.

There are so many heart-felt stories about the bond that exists between animals and humans but they are too numerous to mention here. Sharing your life with animals will provide you with spiritual health benefits that are beyond description. Animals have a way for touching our heart and soul. They ask for nothing and will go to the ends of the earth to protect you.

Thanks for reading my article. My name is Jessica Louise and I am passionate about animals of all types, large and small.

I invite you to visit my website. It’s all about Pet Health Care and comparisons, reviews and ratings of the best Pet Insurance Companies Pet Health Insurance Comparisons. View leading insurance companies and their insurance policies for Dogs, Cats, Birds, Horses, Reptiles, Exotic Animals and More!

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