Okay, I am just going to put this out there... because I keep reading this and frankly it is making me soooooo angry!

WHY IN HEAVENS SAKE WOULD PEOPLE DE-CLAW THEIR CATS!!!!

In my opinion, if you are so worried about your materialistic stuff in your house, like furniture, tables etc WHY would you get a cat... IN FACT why would you have pets in the first place. Cats AND dogs can make a pretty big mess, IF they're not trained! My kitties very seldom scratch my furniture, BECAUSE i have provided enough scratching posts for them...

uuuurrrrggg! Sorry y'all, I just get so angry! I mean, how would they like it if someone cut off the tips of their fingers and told them TO DEAL WITH IT!

Even though cats can't talk they still have rights... AND THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT! Oh, I'm so angry!!!

Even if my little babies scratch my furniture (and they do, don't get me wrong...) the furniture is materialistic... I can replace that... BUT I can't replace Dizi and Sasha, and the way they are today!

Some people would argue that its the same with neutering and spaying, but that isn't permanent damage physically and mentally for them... in fact, since I've had my Sasha spayed, she is FINE! If it ever affected her behaviour it has been positively! Its ironic, people come onto this site claiming that they are such big cat lovers but THEY DO THAT! WHAAAAT???? Please explain this to me... why do they even have cats if they're so concerned about how their furniture etc is going to look in a couple of years... WHO CARES! For me it adds character in my house... its like theres a sign up that says "spoilt cats live here"

Sorry, it just really affects me as to how cruel and inhumane people can be, and they wonder why their cats have behavioural problems... :confused:

Okay, I've vented... where was I...

If you ever had a bladder infection, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Imagine what your cat is going through if it has one? Typically, your poor cat will display an array of peculiar behaviors as it suffers in silence.

Amazingly, feline bladder infections are rather common and occur for any number of reasons.

The primary cause of this condition is when bacteria gets inside the bladder or urethra. The urethra is the tube that your cat's urine flows through. When such things happen the urinary bladder becomes inflamed. When bladder stones occur, usually cat bladder infections appear too.

And, as you could imagine, a urinary tract or bladder infection can be quite painful for your cat. As a pet owner, you know your cat's usual behavior. That being said, look for any signs of unusual behavior or that your kitty is in pain. Be aware of the most common signs of a bladder infection to help get your pet get the care it needs.

The first sign of an infection might be if your cat starts to frequently lick the urinary opening. Along with that your cat might have blood in its urine, possess painful urination, and show signs of straining to only pass small amounts of liquid.

So what can you do to help prevent feline bladder infections from occurring? Normally, holistic and traditional veterinarians treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. You will see this especially if the case is too far gone and highly serious. But today, the holistic vet can help you do more to enhance your cat's urinary health for the long-term.

A variety of natural remedies are used to help support a cat's immune system. This way it has more power to fight infections. What is so special about this type of care is that a holistic animal specialist will focus on correcting the imbalances that allow bacteria to flourish in a cat.

There are some rather unique natural products on the market with a wide variety of abilities. What they do is to maintain the proper function of the bladder and urinary track and reduce any bloating or inflammation.

After cat bladder infections have occurred, the animals need help maintaining a natural flow of urine and get the proper nutrients to live healthily. As you can imagine, this is quite important.

When a cat's health in this area is ignored it can fall prey to more serious conditions. That's why you need to help support your cat's overall nutrition and bodily mechanisms, as well. There are effective natural remedies to help support the production of hormones that affect the kidney and bladder issues, as well as maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.

If your pet is poorly cared for, there is a better chance it will have feline bladder infections. Not to say that some healthy animals can fall prey to such conditions, but it is less likely. So embrace as much healthy living for your beloved pets as possible.

Remember, if feline bladder infections aren't treated early, they can spread to the kidneys and cause further complications. Some herbal ingredients especially provide support to the urinary tract structure.

See this site for more helpful information on feline bladder infections and treatment options. The author of this article, Jeff Grill is a passionate cat lover and is an editor of the Cat-Health-Guide.org.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://jeffgrill.articlealley.com/feline-bladder-infections--causes-consequences-and-care-1335587.html

can some body point me in the right direction please.. my cat has 5 kittens 1 tom black and white 1 ginger tom and 3 ginger queens i have been told the ginger queens are rare and should put a higher price for them....... please help

As cat owners we find that the behavior of cats can be somewhat of a mystery to us. We see our cat bring us dead animals and drop them at our feet. They claw and scratch at practically anything that they can get their claws in.

Sometimes it seems that they are out to get us when they pounce on our face in the middle of the night. As troubling as it seems, these actions are actually perfectly normal for cat behavior. Your cat is not manic, nor is it insane. It is acting like a cat. Although cat have been domesticated they have retained most of there wild instincts.

When your cat drops a dead or dying animal at your feet it is actually the utmost compliment. Your cat is essentially feeding you as one of its own. It doesn't understand that we would much prefer a cooked cheeseburger instead of a raw half dead wiggling animal. In the wild a cat will bring food to there young or even to another cat that they see as elderly.

There are other theories as to why cats will bring in food. Such as a cat will bring food to teach a kitten how to hunt. So, next time your cat brings you a tasty treat of mouse or squirrel, don't scold or punish. This will only confuse and insult your cat. Just quietly accept the food and dispose of it properly.

Your cat may just think that you are not sufficient hunter and need help hunting because you don't know how or possibly that you just need a little more nourishment in your diet. Either way, they are just doing this because they see you as part of their colony.

Cat owners all know what it is like when our cats start using anything near them as scratching posts. Furniture, speakers, walls, even counters take damage that cat owners would rather they not take.

Unfortunately, this is something that can not really be stopped. A lot of people think that they do it to sharpen their claws, but that is not the reason at all. In fact, they do it to shed their old claws. A cat grows layers of claws like humans grow layers of skin. When they start to claw furniture it is to loosen the old layer of claws and shed them.

Also, cats have scent glands between the pads of their feet. By pawing at furniture, it essentially marks it as theirs. The only way to really avert damage from furniture is to draw the cats attention from the things you do not want your cat to claw.

By putting catnip or cat treats on a scratching post, it draws the attention to it and entices them to use the scratching post for what it is meant for. If you find that your cats are still scratching your furniture, put small strips of aluminum foil on the spots that your cat likes to scratch at.

Cats are creatures of habit and they will find the sensation of scratching aluminum foil very unpleasant. Eventually they will look for something that is more pleasant to scratch, which will be the scratch post.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://danielpmartin.articlealley.com/why-cats-act-the-way-they-do-1203341.html

Blood in cat urine can be caused by many different things. Veterinarians will tell you that cat urine with blood in it can either be "gross", meaning you can see it with the naked eye, or it may be microscopic, meaning you cannot see it except under a microscope. The medical name for the presence of blood in cat urine is hematuria.

Causes of Blood in Cat Urine

As mentioned above, there can be many reasons for hematuria in your pet. Some of them include:

* Various types of urinary tract infections
* Bladder infections
* Vaginitis in females
* Some forms of urinary cancer
* Urinary tract stones
* Poisoning (especially from rat poison products)
* Accidents or injury

As you can see, cat urine with blood in it can be caused by some very serious conditions, all of which need to be treated by a professionally qualified veterinarian. In some cases, blood in cat urine can indicate a life-threatening condition, and getting your pet to the vet quickly can save its life.

Other Symptoms Associated with Blood in Cat Urine

In addition to seeing cat urine with blood discharges, you may also notice some other signs and symptoms. For instance, you may notice your pet is experiencing pain when urinating. You may also notice that your pet has become weak or is unable to move. There may be pain in the abdominal area, and you may also notice that your pet urinates more often than usual. All of these, along with cat urine with blood in it, are signs of a problem.

Treatment of Blood in Cat urine

Treatment for cat urine with blood depends on the cause. Your vet may need to do several tests to rule out possible causes. This might include anything from urine test to X-rays. Once the underlying cause has been identified, treatment can begin such as making sure your cat is properly hydrated (drinking enough) or if urinary or bladder stones are blocking the path of the urine.

In many cases the reason for blood in cat urine can be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics will take care of most bacterial infections that lead to cat urine with blood in it. In some cases, you may need to change your pet's diet to help reduce the presence of cat bladder stones. More often than not, blood in cat urine will require increased levels of hydration. And if poisoning is suspected, additional levels of Vitamin K may be required.

The key to remember is that blood in cat urine is not normal and should be reported to your vet as soon as possible. Once the underlying reason for the cat urine with blood is known, treatments can begin and recovery can start.

Preventing Cat Urine and Feline Urinary Tract Problems

Your cat's urinary tract leads to the outside of the body so that your cat can urinate. While this allows urine to exit the body, it also provides a path for bacteria to enter. The body uses the chemical makeup of urine (high concentrations of urea) to cleanse the tract and kill organisms such as bacteria to prevent infection. The key to health then is frequent urination which has the effect of "cleansing all the organs in the urinary pathway including the ureters, bladder and kidneys and preventing other problems such as cat bladder infections which leads to problems such as cat urine with blood. You should also make sure your cat's liter box is clean so bacteria that resides on feces isn't entering the body.

Cat's by nature may not drink enough water as they tend to get the moisture they need through their food. Dietary change from dry kibble to canned food may be something to try if your cat is subject to feline urinary tract infections or has minor cases of blood in cat urine. You might also try natural remedies which help the urine and urinary tract maintain the PH necessary for the urine to properly cleanse the system. Ingredients such as Arctostaphylos uva ursi, Berberis vulgaris, Cantharis and Staphysagris are known to safely help maintain and possibly have a positive impact on the bladder and urinary tract. Discuss this option with your veterinarian if blood in cat urine is a continuing concern.

Jeff Grill ihas written hundreds of articles on cat health problems. See this site for more information on Blood in Cat Urine treatment options.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://jeffgrill.articlealley.com/blood-in-cat-urine--ideas-for-helping-your-cat-1335499.html

Tolly was at the vet this morning. Routine 3 month check up and blood work, not a sick visit.

After we came home I spent some time on the computer. Queen Eva had the coveted Behind the Computer Bed so Mazy cat kept trying to get on my lap.

However I smelled like vet, and Mazy didn't like it. She kept jumping onto my lap <oof! from above, not below>. Then she would get a whiff of me, wrinkle her nose, and jump down. She tried several times but I smelled bad every time so she gave up.

Read this guide and your cat will thank you for recognizing cat worm symptoms before these parasites do her long term harm. There are several types of parasitic worms that can infest your cat like: lungworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and cat heartworm. There's plenty of synthetic parasiticides on the market, but you can opt for a natural approach to treating cat worms.

Some cat worm symptoms can be pretty darn obvious, like when kitty vomits an enormous load of half digested breakfast along with something that looks like short spaghetti. Chances are you're looking at roundworms.

Other times, the problems caused by cat worms aren't as obvious. Perhaps your cat is wheezing - you may think she has asthma or a cold. Every year veterinarians are presented with thousands of cats showing all the signs of a respiratory illness. In fact, a microscopic exam of your cat's feces may indicate the presence of lungworms in her respiratory tract. The presence of lungworms will cause her to exhibit symptoms similar to asthma, but the proper remedy is much different than the treatment for asthma.

If you just adopted a kitten or an adult cat, its a pretty sure bet she came pre-loaded with cat worms. If you haven't made it to the vet for a final diagnosis, monitor her stools in the litter box. A black, tarry or even bloody stool is a sure sign of a hookworm infection. Take her in to your vet for a reliable diagnosis.

Cats that have an advanced case of roundworms may exhibit cat worm symptoms including serious diarrhea, frequent vomiting or both. Blood may be present in the the diarrhea and vomit. The poor creature is trying to expel these bloodsuckers naturally. Unfortunately, the persistent diarrhea dehydrates her. When she vomits she ends up swallowing some of the regurgitated roundworms.

All cat worms are parasites; they suck blood. Cats and kittens are candidates for anemia. The most tragic health threat is an impacted intestinal tract - your kitten's intestines packed with a mass of roundworms. Young cats are particularly susceptible to an intestinal perforation when this mass moves about.

Tapeworms aren't as devastating to your cat's health as some of the other parasites. You can recognize these cat worm symptoms too. Take a look at her anal area. She's probably showing it to you 2 or 3 times a day during your petting sessions. Seize the moment. Do you see small, white, rice-like segments? Well, its not rice - its a segment of tapeworm.

A cat infected by a cat heartworm may be gagging, coughing, have difficult breathing or vomiting. Or she may show no signs of cat worms - she may suddenly drop dead.

So here's your "I'm Not An Idiot Guide To Recognizing To Recognizing Cat Worm Symptoms"

Your cat is exhibiting one or more of these symptoms...

1. Coughing, wheezing or problems breathing;
2. Vomiting a batch of white, short spaghetti-like casings;
3. Gagging;
4. Frequent bouts of vomiting;
5. Diarrhea;
6. Black, tarry stools;
7. White, rice-like casings sticking around her anal area

Its likely your vet will suggest a topical or oral synthetic treatment for purging cat worms. However, many cat owners are opting for more natural treatments using herbal remedies like Artemisia absinthinium (also called Wormwood). This herb is widely used in homeopathic practices to treat cat parasites. Consider it as a viable option to rid your cat's parasites and free her of debilitating cat worm symptoms.

Kate Rieger has been owned by 15+ cats and is a champion of natural alternatives for healing cats with cat worm symptoms. Drop by and pick up a free copy of her eHandout '111 Things You Don't Know That Could Harm Your Cat'. You can find out more about natural remedies for cat health care too.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://katerieger.articlealley.com/cat-worm-symptoms--your-your-im-not-an-idiot-guide-to-recognizing-the-symptoms-of-cat-worms-793326.html

With the current busy lifestyle that we are leading in modern days, few cat owners can be blamed for feeding their cat commercial food. When it comes to selecting commercial food, busy cat owners are often troubled by how to choose and select the most nutrient and balance commercial diet.

There are two main type of commercial cat food to choose from, namely canned and dry cat food and each has his pros and cons to how they can benefit your cats and yourself.

Commercial canned cat food would contain more animal protein and less grains than dry food. This is good for your cats because they need a lot of protein in their diet. Canned food also contains a greater percentage of water content and cats need plenty of water in their body to maintain a healthy kidney and urinary tract.

If you look carefully at the content of most canned food, it is not difficult to see that they often contain lesser grain products and carbohydrate fillers than dry food that are more difficult for cats to digest since cats are natural true carnivores. Take note that carbohydrate is not an important element of a cat diet and you will actually find more of them in dry food.

There are many in the market who believes that the ultra high heat processing of the cat dry food during manufacturing destroys the necessary nutrients that the canned food would be able to provide. It is also believed that cats are more likely to get fat on dry food (with its carbohydrates, grain, fillers and coatings to make it smell and taste more appealing) rather than canned food even though it has higher calories.

On the other hand, feeding dry food is often cheaper, faster, and odorless in the house and not much of a hassle. Busy cat owners can leave the food out for longer period while he is at work. It is definitely a much more convenience choice.

Feeding a wet diet would be more beneficial to your cat in terms of nutrient values; nevertheless it is also more expensive. Many experts agree that in the end, a diet mixed with wet and dry can be use to cover a balance diet. The important thing to remember though is that you must always give your cat free access to fresh, clean water 24 hours a day.

If you are unsure of choosing the best commercial, it might be advisable to seek your veterinary advice, as your cat life long health is at stake. You ought to give him the best start you can.

Moses Wright is the webmaster of Feline Cat Diet. More helpful information on Commercial Cat Food and Special Medical Cat Diet can be found on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if the content and live link are keep intact.
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When was the last time you have seen the world's cutest kittens? Unless you have been to Meow House Kittens, you have not seen the world's cutest kittens. MeowHouseKittens specializes in selling Himalayan Kittens and Persian Kittens. If you aren't familiar with these kittens, these are the kittens you see that look like a big huge fur ball. They are absolutely adorable. When I see them, I just want to hold them and pet them all day, but unfortunately I can't make a living petting Persian kittens.

MeowHouseKittens is owned and operated by founder Shannon McGraw. Shannon McGraw started MeowHouseKittens when her child went off to college. Shannon teaches full time as an art teacher and she runs Meow House Kittens part time.

Meow House Kittens is a really unique cattery. In addition to being accredited with the Cat Fanciers' Association, MeowHouseKittens is also recommended by catsdaily.com. With credentials like that, you know that you are dealing with a reputable cattery.

I love like the philosophy of Meow House Kittens. They believe in running a tight ship, meaning they run a cattery with a select few amount of kittens. This lets MeowHouseKittens to fully focus and give attention to each kitten. This is the kind of attention that is sadly missing from large pet stores.

The other reason for keeping things small is for the customers. In addition to giving her kittens full and undivided attention, she follows the same orders when dealing with customers. Shannon McGraw really treats you like a friend instead of a dollar bill. She is very attentive to her customers and makes sure to follow up promptly with ever customers' email or phone call. This is truly first class service.

About Persian Kittens:

The Persian Breed Standard is by its nature somewhat open ended and focused on a rounded head, large, wide-spaced round eyes with the top of the nose leather placed no lower than the bottom of the eyes. They are a medium sized cat and the standard calls for a short, cobby body with short, well boned legs, a broad chest, and a round appearance. Everything about the ideal persian cat is round.

It is generally accepted (and by the Breed Council) that through selective breeding, in an attempt to develop the ideal Persian appearance, the Ultra Face came about. This has been called ultra-typing. The Persian Breed Council's standard was changed during the late 1980s to limit the development of the extreme appearance. In 2007 the Persian Breed Standard was altered to reflect the flat face and it now states that the forehead, nose, and chin should be in vertical alignment.

Persian cats can have any color or markings including pointed, golden, tortoiseshell, blue, and tabby. Tipped varieties are known as Chinchilla. Point varieties are called Himalayan in the United States and Colorpoint Persian in Europe.

In the USA, there was an attempt to establish the Silver Persian as a separate breed called the Sterling, but it was not accepted and Silver and Golden longhaired cats, recognized by CFA more specially as Chinchilla Silvers, Shaded Silvers, Chinchilla Goldens or Shaded Goldens are judged in the Persian category of cat shows. In South Africa, the attempt to separate the breed was more successful: the SA Cat Council (SACC) registers cats with 5 generations of pure bred Chinchilla as a Chinchilla Longhair. The Chinchilla Longhair has a slightly longer nose than the Persian, resulting in healthy breathing and no tearing of the eyes. Its hair is translucent with only the tips carrying black pigment: a feature that gets lost when out-crossed to other colored Persians. Out-crossing also may result in losing nose and lip liner, which is a fault in the Chinchilla Longhair breed standard. One of the distinctions of this breed is the blue-green or green eyecolor only with kittens having blue or bluish purple eyecolor.

Since Persian cats have long, thick dense fur that they cannot keep clean themselves, they need daily grooming. To keep their fur in its best condition, they must be bathed regularly, dried carefully afterwards, and brushed thoroughly every day. Their eyes need to be checked for problems on a regular basis because some animals have trouble keeping them clean. Likewise, Persians are particularly susceptible to a genetic disease which causes kidney failure, PKD, Polycystic kidney disease.
Meow House Kittens is the place to go to get the cutest and best bred Persian and Himalayan Kittens on the planet. MeowHouseKittens is owned and operated by Shannon McGraw.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://chaoticconformity.articlealley.com/meow-house-kittens-himalayan-cuties-906392.html

I have had LOTS of cats over the years. All were easily litter trained. One trip to the box and BINGO trained. I got a 4 month old kitten, Blossom, last Sat. She will use the litter box only if I put her in it. I do not have a large house (the box is easy to find and get to). She has peed on my bed 2 times already, gggrrrr.................... I can't lock her in the room with the box until she starts to use it, she will cry and carry on. As it is if I go outside to she cries for me. She follows me all over the house and even wakes up if I move off the couch. I have another cat. An adult, spayed female, Lucy. They don't fight and Lucy is NOT keeping Blossom out of the box. Does anyone have any ideas? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most people like cats due to the mystery they bring into your life. While dog's are fairly simple and indelibly loyal: A cat will make you work for their loyalty and have many mysterious actions and gestures that need to be decoded, in order for you to be the best cat owner you can be. Decoding cat behavior is an intellectual journey, as much as it is a labor of love.

Below you will find some common cat behavior, along with their general meaning:

Paw Flicking

We've all seen our cat lift their paws and flick them around, one by one. This cat behavior is generally accepted as disgust, or displeasure with something around them. Those of you who have strictly indoor cats may have never seen their cat get their paws wet: But when they do the look on their face becomes unhappy and paw flicking soon follows.

Ear Positioning

When a cat has their ear straight up in the air and/or slightly forward, it usually means they're interested in you or what's going on around them. When their ears point backward, it indicates they're not happy or not interested. Ears backward can also indicate a feeling of rejection.

"Paw Massage"

Sometimes referred to as kneading: The paw massage is your cat's way of showing you how happy they are. When you snuggle with your contented kitty cat, they will often start massaging your body with their front paws. They also do this with their blankets and bedding, but when they massage you it's a sure sign of contentedness.

Tail Movements

Tail movements can be the easiest cat behavior to interpret, or the easiest depending on the situation. When a cat wags their tail with short movements, it can indicate interest, happiness, or be interpreted in any number of different ways. When they move their tail in wide, side-to-side, concentric movements it usually indicate they're getting reading to fight, defend themselves, or they will also show this kind of tail movement before pouncing on their prey (or a toy).

Find out more on cat behavior and read many interesting articles on pet health.
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