For example, if you notice your cat playing and clawing at your brand new pair of slippers, encourage your pet to play with a toy instead. As with almost all pets, cats will respond to cat training well if there is a reward tied to their good behavior. Purchase your cat’s favorite treats and be sure to reward your cat with one whenever good behavior is observed. It can also be helpful to reward your cat with your affection.

Many times a cuddle or affectionate pat can be just as effective. Though you may be thinking that your cat is disobeying you purposefully you must never harm them for any reason. Both your cat training and your relationship with your cat as a pet will be negatively effected by physical punishment.

Make sure that you focus on training that reinforces positively, and at the same time is not cruel to your pet. Training your cat isn’t going to be effortless, but if you try to train your cat armed with the correct methods you will succeed. Always be sensitive to a cat’s fight-or-flight instinct and try to be as non-aggressive as possible. Also give your cat plenty of positive reinforcement. Working this way will help your cat to behave better and will also help the two of you get closer.

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When conducting cat training, remember that reprimands are completely ineffective. If you catch you cat doing something wrong and reprimand him, he will act up when you’re not there. If you punish your cat after the fact, he won’t associate the punishment with the act. Many cats misbehave because they believe you’re not giving them enough attention; give them attention and they will continue to act in ways that you don’t want.

Many owners become frustrated because they can’t catch the cat in the act of the crime, so instead they show the cat the evidence, usually a wet spot on the carpet or pieces of shredded drapery and discipline the cat at that time. However kitten training is pretty straightforward and easy. Provide them with a litter box and show it to them, they’ll use it. Put their little paws on a scratching post and watch them go to town. A common malpractice in cat training is grabbing the cat, pointing out the wet spot, then dragging him to the litter box and forcing him to dig in the litter.

What the cat is learning is that being reached for by the owner is a bad experience and that the litter box is a torture chamber. Behavioral problems in cats can be eliminated with the help of these resources, and a program of gradual retraining. Common problems such as litter box avoidance, excessive howling, biting, or destructive scratching should first be addressed by eliminating any potential physical causes.

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Other Body Types: Below mentioned are some other popular body types of cats:
1. Cobby: Cobby cat has a muscular, short and compact build. It has short nose, small ears and roundish eyes. Persian cat is one good example of cobby cat.
2. Persian Cat: Persian cat has a round, broad head. It has large eyes, full cheeks and short nose. The cat has round-tipped ears that tilt forwards and has ear tufts. Neck of the cat is short and thick. The cat has a solid body with broad chest across the shoulders. It has large paws. Body coat is silky, wavy and shiny. It has a short tail.
3. Turkish Van: This cat has a thick, strong body. It has round, large, slanted eyes. The cat has a long bushy tail. Its large ears rest on the top of its head. The cat’s body coat is pure white.

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Expert: Tracy Car. . .

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Judging the safety or the nutritional value of a pet food starts by ignoring the advertising, the price of the pet food, and ignoring the front of the bag. The real signs to the safety of a dog food or cat food lie on the back or side of the bag or can in the ‘Ingredient Listing’. Regardless of what marketing terms (‘choice’, ‘premium’, and so on) are on the front of the bag or can of pet food, a pet owner cannot determine the quality or how safe the food is unless they look at the ingredients. With dry foods there can be 90 different ingredients (or more), with canned foods there can be 50 or more different ingredients. But don’t panic…you don’t have to understand hundreds of different pet food ingredients! You just need to be aware of a few key ingredients…pet food ingredients that you do NOT want to see in a dog food or cat food (or treats).

‘Wheat Gluten’, ‘Corn Gluten’, or ‘Rice Gluten’. These three ingredients were the bad boy pet food ingredients of 2007. Tainted glutens were found to be the cause of thousands of dogs and cats becoming ill and dying. It is not that glutens themselves are toxic to pets – these ingredients have been used in pet foods for years. The problem was the source or manufacturer of the glutens – imported from countries with far less quality standards than in the US. (The majority of glutens used in the US pet foods are from imported sources. ) These imported glutens contained added chemicals that caused crystals to form in the kidneys of dogs and cats.

Not only is it important to avoid dog foods and cat foods (and dog and cat treats) that contain glutens because of the possibility of dangerous added chemicals, it is important because they add no real quality nutrition to the food. Glutens are used as a thickener AND as a source of protein in pet food. Adult maintenance dog foods must provide a minimum of 18% protein, adult maintenance cat foods must provide a minimum of 26% protein. If the meat source of the pet food does not provide enough protein, glutens are often added to boost the protein level of the pet food. The best nutrition for your pet comes from a meat protein pet food not from a gluten protein. Avoid dog foods and cat foods (and treats) that contain ‘corn gluten’, ‘wheat gluten’, or ‘soy gluten’.

‘By Products’. By-products have never been the cause of a pet food recall, but they are definitely ingredients you want to avoid feeding your pet. To give you an understanding of by-products, I’d like to compare this pet food ingredient to pies – you know, the dessert! How many different types of pies you can think of? There are apple pies, cherry pies, chocolate pies, meringue pies, meat pies, mud pies, pie in math, cow pies (yuck!) – I think you get my point. Now imagine if you purchased yourself a prepared ravioli dinner at the grocery and you looked at the ingredients and you see ‘pie’ listed as the first ingredient in your dinner. Hmmm, pie in ravioli – what kind of pie? You wouldn’t know if it was apple pie or mud pie or even cow pie. All you would know is that your dinner contained ‘pie’. Considering ‘pie’ could be anything from apple pie to cow pie – my guess is that you wouldn’t be having ravioli for dinner. Same thing with by-products in pet food.

AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials – the organization responsible for all animal feed manufacturing rules and regulations) defines by-products as “meat by-products is the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, and hoofs. It shall be suitable for use in animal food. If it bears name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto. ”

So, with respect to pet food – a by-product is a catch-all ingredient name. All left over meat materials from the human food industry are clumped into one ingredient name – by-product. There is NO certainty of what you are feeding – one batch of pet food might be more intestine by-products while the next batch of pet food might be more liver or bone by-products. There is NO way of knowing what is actually contained in the pet food ingredient by-product (the pet food manufacturers themselves couldn’t tell you exactly). Avoid dog foods and cat foods (and treats) that contain By-products of any kind…Chicken By-Products, Beef By-Products, Chicken By-Product Meal, Beef By-Product Meal, and so forth.

‘Meat Meal’, ‘Meat and Bone Meal’, or ‘Animal Digest’. These three ingredients are similar to by-products. AAFCO defines Meat and Bone Meal as “the rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably to good processing practices. ” Again, a catch all ingredient name for the left-over parts of animals used for human food. No consistency to what is contained in these ingredients (all three of these pet food ingredient definitions are similar) – no way of knowing what is actually in your pet’s food. Avoid dog foods, cat foods, and dog and cat treats that contain ‘meat meal’, ‘meat and bone meal’, or ‘animal digest’.

‘Animal Fat’. In 2002 the FDA tested many different brands of dog food (cat food was not tested) for the presence of the drug pentobarbital. Many brands of dog food tested positive to contain the drug. Pentobarbital is the drug used to euthanize dogs, cats, cattle, and horses.

How can the drug that is used to euthanize animals be found in pet food? The answer – euthanized animals are rendered (cooked) and the end ingredients are placed in pet food. It has long been rumored that euthanized dogs and cats (from animal shelters and veterinarian offices) is the major source of the pentobarbital in pet food. However no one has been able to prove or disprove this rumor to date. The FDA/CVM (Center for Veterinary Management) developed testing methods on two separate occasions to determine the species source of the drug. No results have ever been determined. The pet food manufacturers adamantly deny they use rendered dogs or cats – but NO clinical evidence has ever been released to confirm the pentobarbital is from euthanized cattle and horses in pet food as they claim.

However, the one thing the FDA/CVM has determined through their testing is the pet food ingredient ‘animal fat’ is the most common ingredient to contain pentobarbital. In other words, if you are feeding a dog food or cat food (or treats) with the ingredient ‘animal fat’ in the ingredient listing – you are (more than likely) feeding your pet euthanized animals. Not every batch of pet food tested that contained the ingredient ‘animal fat’ has proved to contain pentobarbital – but why would any pet owner want to take the chance? Avoid dog foods, cat foods, and dog and cat treats that contain the ingredient ‘animal fat’.

‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, ‘TBHQ’, and ‘Ethoxyquin’. These pet food ingredients are chemical preservatives and you might have to look through the entire ingredient list to find them. It is worth the look because there is plenty of clinical evidence to associate all four of these chemical preservatives with cancer and tumors (simply do a Google search on any one of these chemicals). All four of these chemical preservatives are rarely used to preserve human food and if so, are used in quantities far less than what is allowed in pet food. Avoid any dog food, cat food, or dog and cat treat that contains ‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, ‘TBHQ’, and ‘Ethoxyquin’ on the label.

‘Corn’, ‘Wheat’, ‘Soy’. While there is no scientific evidence that proves these ingredients are dangerous to pets – they are potentially dangerous ingredients associated with recalls in the past (1995, 1999, and 2005). These grains are highly prone to a deadly mold (aflatoxin). It is suggested (by AAFCO) that all pet food manufacturers test grains for the mold, but as recalls of the past have proven – that doesn’t always happen. I do not think these ingredients are as risky as others mentioned above, but they are ingredients I avoid for my own pets.

There is more to selecting a true healthy pet food for your dog or cat than avoiding the above mentioned ingredients. This is just a start – based on pet food history, AAFCO ingredient definitions, science and opinion of many pet food experts including myself. There are many quality pet foods available that do NOT use the above ingredients and that add health promoting ingredients to their foods and treats. Continue to learn as much as you can about what you are feeding your pet and ALWAYS read the labels!

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2 cups ground chicken, lean beef or turkey, thoroughly cooked and diced;

4 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth;

1/2 cup potatoes, ground;

1/4 cup spinach or carrots, ground;

1/4 cup green beans, ground;

2 tbsp melted butter;

dash of garlic powder

Mix everything together in large pot or bowl. Make sure it is completely cool before feeding to your cat. Store in covered container in refrigerator. Homemade Cat Treats

1 1/2 cup oats, ground;

1/4 cup butter;

1/2 cup flour;

1/2 cup chicken broth;

1/4 cup cubed or shredded American or mild cheddar cheese -or- shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together, form small cookies and bake on greased cookie sheet until done at 350 degrees. Roughly 25 minutes but check as ovens vary. Do not overcook.

Our pets deserve food that is safe, so hopefully, this current pet food crisis will alert the authorities to make sure they buy quality products and be more careful of what they put in their pet food recipes. Cats have specific nutritional needs so don’t feed them any of these recipes on a long term basis, as I do not know the breakdown of nutritional value for them. But, by using fresh, healthful ingredients, cooking the meat thoroughly and storing the food you make in the refrigerator, it can help to tie your kitty over until it is safe to go buy food at the store again. Enjoy.

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The first thing you need to know is the difference between a cat comb and a cat brush. A cat comb is used to remove excess hair, remove knots and to remove dirt. A cat brush is to fluff up the fur and make it smooth and look good. If you own long-hair cat I would recommend buying both a comb and a brush as you will learn later on, if you own a short-hair cat it is not as important but you can if you want.

You could alternatively choose to buy a cat grooming kit which includes a comb, brush and everything else you need. You can buy the right equipment from your local pet shop but you could also consider buying online. There are many different combs and brushes to choose from and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. If you want to get the best results and not spend a fortune you should buy a wide toothed comb, a brush and a flea comb. This should all cost under $10 USD.

It is a waste of time brushing your cat with a normal comb/brush. The advantages of using a cat brush is that it shelters the natural body oils, the bristles gently remove tangles and after brushing your cat it will have a shiny, good looking and healthy coat. But most importantly it is designed to remove excess hair, then in future when your cat cleans itself it does not swallow as much hair, preventing it from having a hairball.
If you have a kitten, it should be brushed from an early age so it becomes accustomed to the process and doesn’t find it a scary and distressing experience. It will enjoy the grooming procedure but most of all you will not have to train it later on in its life. If you have an adult cat that does not like to be brushed and finds the experience frightening, introduce grooming slowly and do not make the sessions more than five minutes. If this does not work you could try ending the grooming session with playtime so your cat will look forward to it each day. One of the most important things to remember is that a short session each day is better than a long session each week.

As I briefly mentioned before, short hair cats are easier to groom than long-hair cats, it is a bit more difficult and the process can take a bit longer. If you own a short-hair cat you should groom it on a weekly basis or every few days and it should take from 5 to 10 minutes. If you own a long-hair cat grooming should be done everyday or every two days and it should take about 10 to 20 minutes. By now you are probably thinking ‘how can you brush a cat for 20 minutes’. The grooming process is not just brushing but is also cleaning nose and ears if necessary and sometimes brushing your cat’s teeth. For more information about these, read on.

To groom your cat, follow these easy steps:
-Place your cat on a bench or table. It depends on what your cat is most comfortable with; some owners brush their cat on their laps.
-Gently brush from head to tale using short and gentle strokes with your comb to remove knots, do not pull hard otherwise it will hurt and distress your cat, making the experience unpleasant and enjoyable. For best results also brush under its neck and stomach. If you have a flea comb, brush again from head to tale.
-Use a brush to fluff up the fur, if you are unsure of what brush to use ask your local pet shop. A cat brush is good for your cat’s appearance and health and can be brought from a number of different places.

Bathing your cat
It is not necessary to bath your cat unless it becomes very dirty. Most people who have prize-winning cats bath their cat on a regular basis. Many cats do not like water and find a bath a frightening and traumatic experience. If you ever need to bath your cat, the below information will tell you how. The first thing you need to do is to brush your cat to remove excess hair and dirt. Talk to your cat with relaxed voice to keep it as calm as possible and do no make quick movements. Have everything ready before you start which should consist of 4-6 towels, shampoo, a hair dryer and cotton balls. You can use special cat shampoo or you can use regular shampoo but it really doesn’t make a difference.

Use cotton balls to protect water from getting into your cats ears. If your cat has smaller ears use only half or even a quarter. If you have a bathroom or laundry hose, use it because it makes it much easier. If you don’t have a hose use a cup or plastic container. You should not wear good clothes because the chances are that you will end up as wet as your cat. Wash your cat in a bath or a laundry sink. Start by wetting it with warm water. Avoid wetting its eyes and ears as much as possible unless it particularly dirty.
Hold your cat firmly because it will try to escape and probably bite and scratch you. Once the cat is wet apply shampoo and gently massage. If your cat is really dirty you can shampoo twice. Rinse your cat from top to bottom and make sure you get all of the shampoo out. Use the towels to dry your cat as best as you can then finish the job off with a hairdryer.

Cleaning your cats ears
Cleaning your cat’s ears should be a part of your grooming routine. To get rid of the dirt and wax, use a cotton swab but never go deeper than you can see because it can cause permanent damage to your cats hearing. It should be done every month.

Dental Care
Many people do not brush their cats teeth often enough, some have never done it. If your cat’s teeth are not brushed, bacteria will build up and could result in loss of teeth. You should brush your cat’s teeth every week. If you have a kitten you should start brushing when all of its 36 teeth have grown which is around 6 months of age. If you have an adult cat, introduce slowly and keep the sessions short.
You can buy special toothbrushes designed for cats but a child’s toothbrush will be just as good, just make sure the bristles are soft so they do not cut the gums. Do not use normal toothpaste because it will cause digestive problems and make your cat sick. You can buy special cat toothpaste from your pet shop, vet or online.

To properly brush your cat’s teeth start by gently brushing the outer surface of the teeth. Do not brush the inside of the teeth until your cat is used to the process. Brush in a circular motion from the bottom of the gum to the tips of the teeth. Some cats require professional cleaning when there is a severe build up of tartar. When brushing your cat’s teeth note the condition of your cat’s gums.

Consult your vet if the gums are swollen, if there is any bleeding, bad breath, drooling, dark spots, sores, refusal to open mouth or reluctance to eat. If your cat has any of these symptoms there is a chance that it has gum disease. Gum disease is common in cats and can be fatal unless treated. It begins with the build up of plaque and tartar which causes the roots to become infected. This can be prevented by regular brushing.

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Bad cat foods will not do this but nutritional cat foods will. Such foods as carbohydrates will damage your cats’ digestive system and cause food related diseases that will severely shorten his life. These are not nutritional cat foods but rather bad cat foods and they are the main cause of premature cat deaths For your educational benefit as well as your cats’ lives, let’s take a look at some cat foods and examine their ingredients. AvodermUse of Carbohydrates which include;Oat Bran and Rice Flour also included isAvocado oil and Guar gumOat bran is the outer husk of the oat grain – it is a carbohydrate. Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice – another carbohydrate. Avocado oil is oil pressed from the fruit of avocados. The fruit, leaves, bark and seeds of avocados have been reported as being toxic to cats.

The toxic component in avocado is “Persin” which is a fatty acid preservative. Oat bran, rice flour, avocado oil and guar gum are all bad cat food ingredients EukanubaUse of Carbohydrates which include;Brewers Rice and Corn Grits alsoincludes Beef-by-Product, Dried EggProduct, Dried Beet Pulp and MenadioneDimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite Brewers rice and corn grits are starchy carbohydrates with no nutritional benefit to catsBeef by-product is the parts of the cow other than muscle meat. It could be organs and skin. Its origin is Rendering Plants. Dried Beet Pulp is free from crowns and leaves extracted from the process of manufacturing sugar. It’s mostly used as a filler in cat food. Dried Egg Product – Cheap source of protein – waste product of the egg industry. It could include undeveloped eggs, shells and other tissue deemed unfit for humans. Brewers rice, corn grits, beef by-products, dried egg products, dried beet pulp and MDB are all bad cat food ingredients. Fancy FeastUse of a Carbohydrate; Wheat Glutenalso includes Meat by-Product andMenadione Sodium Bisulfite Wheat Gluten – The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch.

Wheat gluten is a cheap by-product of human food processing, the starchy liquid left after washing wheat. It is used mostly to bind food together. Wheat gluten is included in a number of human food products, as well as pet foods. Contaminated wheat gluten from China has been found responsible for a large number of the reported sicknesses and death of pets from melamine toxicity. Meat by-product – Is the product that’s derived from Rendering Plants; road-kill, and the four Ds (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) and decaying animals flesh. I’ve already explained what menadione derivatives are. Wheat gluten, meat by-products and MSB are all bad cat food ingredients. FriskiesUse of Meat by-Products, PoultryGiblets, Poultry and Bone Meal,Vegetable Gums and Onion Salt,I’ve already defined meat by-products earlier and we all know what poultry giblets are, correct? In case you don’t know, it’s the gizzards and hearts of chickens and turkeys provided that’s their origin but we don’t really know, they could come from buzzards as their source is not identified. Bone Meal is another unidentified ingredient. It could come from the five Ds (dead, dying, diseased, disabled and decaying) animals that are products of Rendering Plants.

Vegetable Gum is another carbohydrate and its main purpose is a thickener or binder and it serves no nutritional purpose for cats and it could be toxic. Onion Salt – No form of garlic or onion should be used in cat foods. Onions contain Thiosulphate which is toxic to cats. Meat by-products, poultry giblets, poultry and bone meal, vegetable gums and onion salt are all bad cat food ingredients. The above cat foods and their ingredients are a mere sample of what’s available as cat foods. Now that you have some information to improve you cats’ diet, use it and your cat will appreciate you taking their health into consideration. Stop feeding your cat bad cat foods that are harming them. Stop buying bad food for your cats and lining the pockets of commercial cat food companies because they are laughing at how uninformed cat owners really are by actually purchasing the stuff they call food and feeding it to your pets. It’s unbelievable that caring pet owners could actually create a market for bad cat food.

If we don’t stop buying bad cat foods and start feeding our cats nutritional cat foods, our cats’ mortally rate will continue to skyrocket. Since uninformed cat caregivers are the ones that created the market for bad cat food, what do you think would happen to the commercial cat food companies if suddenly cat caregivers became informed and stopped buying their bad cat foods? They would stop making bad cat foods and begin making nutritional cat foods or go out of business. Most cat caregivers are not that responsible. They have refused to stop buying bad cat foods and each year the commercial cat food company’s profits continue to increase. At this rate, the pet food industry will never act responsible enough to produce nutritional cat foods. Because of convenience, cat caregivers buy bad cat foods that are loaded with toxins.

A bag of dry cat food is killing your cat but do you care? Do you prefer your convenience over providing your cat with nutritional cat food? The commercial cat food industry is banking on their research and it suggests that cat caregivers are uninformed relative to nutritional cat foods and they are more concerned with their convenience. Therefore, there is no incentive for the commercial cat food industry to produce nutritional cat foods so they will continue producing cheap and bad cat foods and you will continue buying it and they will continue laughing all the way to the banks and your cats will continue dying prematurely

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Some owners really feel very annoyed by several of their cat’s behavioral problems, so they just hire cat trainers for long-term solutions. Attitude problems are very common in cats. If you have a cat, it is not enough that you shower your pet with utmost attention and care. It is your responsibility to instill in the cat righteous attitudes especially when there are other people living in your house. Being adorable and cute are not enough for the cat to get away from every offense it makes.

Tips for dealing with behavior problems of catsHere are some practical tips that would help you control the unwanted behavior problems of cats. Take note that cats also need to act nicely especially when there are other people in the house or if there are guests: Discipline your cat. This is one way to deal with the behavior problems of cats. You could teach the animal about right and wrong behavior. For example, if you see your cat do a nice thing, pat it gently on the head. Otherwise, push your palm on the cat’s face.

This would give it the signal that what it just did is not acceptable. Do not surprise your cat. Cats hate surprises so to avoid behavior problems of cats avoid surprises. Do not disturb a sleeping cat or suddenly take away food from an eating cat. Doing so would provoke the cat and make it really angry to attack you or anyone.

Do not ever hit a cat whenever it does nasty things. This is not a good way to deal with behavior problems of cats. Hitting, just like in kids, is not very effective in making cats realize what deed is wrong. Do not ever teach your cat to develop fear of you. Make specific cat misbehavior impossible to be accomplished. This is another good way to deal with behavior problems of cats. For example, if the cat wants to steel food from containers, keep the containers tightly closed and sealed. Also make light objects and figurines in the house out of reach of cats, or place them in a glass cabinet.

For littering and waste elimination behavior problems of cats, you could invest in cat litter boxes. Cat litter boxes are very ideal in training the cat to urinate or eliminate feces responsibly. Take your cat to the vet regularly. That way, you could immediately tell if there is a physiological problem in the cat. Behavior problems of cats may also due to pains. Usually, when cats fall ill, they also tend to misbehave. Cats are possessive. They want your sole attention. If there are other pets in the house, your cat might sense that you are not faithful. To remedy this situation, do not let the cat see you care for and nurture other pets. Use reward and punishment to deal with behavior problems of cats. To make the cat also behave properly, you could also make use of the reward system.

For every good deed you see in the cat, reward it by giving its special cat snack. Whenever the cat does bad acts, punish it by not giving it any cat snack, though you must show the cat that there is cat snack that is supposed to be given to it. If you have tried the above mentioned tips and found no success do not lose hope, you can still tame your cat and you can have a much more rewarding life with your cat if you only learn a few secrets on cat behavior. Did you know that you can transform your cat’s behavior with proven techniques that will give you immediate results? Discover how to end the behavior problems of cats visit All About Pets

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When the first long-haired cats appeared in England (which is now called ‘the second motherland of the Persian cats) they were called ‘French cats’. It’s not exactly known whether those were the cats of one and the same breed. Nowadays it is the recognized fact that there existed several breeds of long-haired cats in the East. Angora cats were described as fluffy, light and active animals of a medium size, while well-known Alfred Edmund Brehm described long-haired Angora cats as big-sized and clumsy cats. He as well noted that grey and blue Angora cats were observed in the South of Siberia. It’s not easy to answer the question why the animal from hot Asian counties has got long hair, while Mother Nature usually gifted long-hair to animals from severe Northern countries.

There are several versions regarding the long-haired cats origin. Some believe that among the ancestors of the Persian cat breed there were long-haired cats form Siberia which at first got into East and Small Asia, and only then were brought to Western Europe. Others believe that long hair was a mutation which happened to a short-haired cat in the East, which then was kept in the process of domestication and some sort of selection – thus the cats which got into Europe and Siberia were aborigineous to Eastern countries. The third theory roots in the phenotypic differences between the Persian cats and other domestic cats. This theory suggests that massive stocky with the ears set wide, big round head are related to Pallas’ Cat ( Felis manul ) otherwise known as Manul – wild cat which lives in Central Asia and has comparatively long hair, flat face with round eyes and ears set low on the head. Recent research however refutes this theory.

Such are the different Persian cat origin theories but anyway, all of them are pointing to Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan as the Persian cat native lands. England is rightfully called the second Motherland of the Persian cats, as it were British cat fanciers who started to purposefully breed cat breeds (and primarily – Persian cat breed) in the 19th century. Although that was the time when the long-haired cats started being differentiated into Turkish Angora (long flexible body, silky but less thick coat, big pointed ears) and Persian cats (massive, with big round head and small ears), as a matter of fact only blue cats of the latter were called Persian, and all the rest were simply called ‘long-haired’ cats.

Every of about 50 colors of long-haired cats was considered to be a separate breed. Till nowadays the Persian cat in England is not in fact called ‘Persian’ but rather ‘long-haired’, and every color variation is attributed to a separate cat breed. Also the official ruling of the British cat fanciers club regarding this issue was issued as early as 1910, the Englishmen still follow this kind of breed distinction. The Persian cats arrived into America in the eighties of the 19th century and soon became a very popular cat breed. Unlike British clubs, in America all the color variations of the long-haired cats were attributed to one cat breed – “the Persian cat”. There are lots of color variations for Persian cats but Persian show cats are limited to the following colors: solid color, shaded and smoke, tabby, particolor, bicolor. For today we know about 150 variations of the persian cat breed and contemporary persian cat, due to the efforts of many breeders, is a work of art among the other cat breeds.

New age Persian cats are quite different form their ancestors. The Persian cats of the ‘old type’ had a narrower face, the color variations were not so rich and the coat was not so thick and delightful. Contemporary Persian cat might have its coat as long as 10 centimeters. One could say that the contemporary persian cat is the result of selective breeding by cat breeders from different countries. Probably due to that fact there are several Persian breed standards and some of the traits are still not agreed upon. For one, starting form the middle of the 20th century, American cat breeders’s efforts were aimed at reinforcing traits peculiar to Persian breed – they were trying to breed a cat with even more massive, short body, even more round head and flat muzzle. As a result a new variation – Extreme Persian (or Peeked Faced Persian) – emerged. The first kittens of that type were born to red and red tabby persians in 1920-s. Although veterinarians believe that extreme manifestation of such traits is harmful to the animals health (specifically affecting their sinuses and breathing), and the despite the fact that British cat fanciers stand against such breeding, extreme persians are extremely popular in America and many European countries.

Contemporary persian cat became progenitor to a new breed – Exotic cat – a short-haired cat breed which has all the traits specific for the Persian cat breed with the exception of the coat length. Exotic cat is a hybrid with adorable temperament and excellent physical condition. The breed was created by American cat breeders in 1960-s. FIFe (Federation Internationale Feline) recognized the Exotic cat breed in 1984. Short (though longer than with other short-haired cat breeds) but awesome sparkly coat of the Exotic cat does not cause any problems with grooming.

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• A double chin is always a telling sign of a weight problem. If you find that your cat has a bunch of fat underneath their chin, they might have a weight problem.

• A big stomach is another sign, if their stomach is hanging, they might have a weight problem• Another is whether or not you can feel your cat’s ribs. On a healthy cat you should be able to feel their rib cage, if you cannot feel your cat’s rib cage then you cat is definitely overweight. Just as people think that their weight might not be a big deal, many cat owners might not feel it too distressing that their cat is a little overweight. The reality is that being overweight can cause many health problems in your cat. The more weight your cat has on their body, the more weight and pressure they have to carry around on a daily basis. This is why it is so important to pay attention to what and how much your cat is eating. If you do find that your cat is overweight you should probably speak to your veterinarian about it and look into buying a specially formulated cat food for overweight cats.

Whether you have an overweight cat or not, it’s important to make sure that your cat gets the exercise they need. If you can’t isn’t overweight then the exercise will help keep them active and avoid such a predicament, but if your cat is overweight then the exercise will help them to trim off a few pounds. The great thing is that exercising with your cat doesn’t have to be a tedious activity; it can be a lot of fun. Below are a few ideas that will help you get an exercise program started with your cat. • Try to get your cat to run around some• Take a walk with your cat• Get your cat some new toys that will encourage him to exercise and jump around• Strategically place toys and treats all around the house to encourage your cat to walk around• Switch up the games that you play with your cat so he doesn’t get bored• Even if you are away for the day, leave approved toys out for your cat to play with.

• Also, it sometimes helps your cat’s activity level if they have another feline companion to play with while you are awayJust because you like to switch your food around because something was cheaper at the store, or a new product looked better, doesn’t mean that you cat should jump around from one cat food to another. Pets are funny this way, once they become used to a certain type of food, switching to another brand because it was on sale doesn’t always agree with their stomachs. If it happens that you want to switch your cat’s food then you need to do it slowly. Do not just decide to replace cat food A with cat food B the next day, if so you might find you have a cat with a very upset stomach. In order to switch your cat’s food without all of the digestion trouble you will need to put just a bit more into each meal, this process can take a few weeks before the switch is complete. Trying to Feed Your KittenDealing with a kitten is completely different that feed a grown cat. A kitten is essentially a baby in every way and needs the right amount of nutrition in order to go from being a kitten to a healthy grown cat. Kittens are just like babies in that they need to eat right in order to have strong bones, muscles, and nervous system. You can’t feed a kitten the same things that a full grown cat eats; they need their own special food until they are old enough to move onto the next step. It’s always smart to consult with your doctor before you start a regular feeding routine for your kitten, but you do need to recognize that because they have such high energy, they need the proper food to fuel their bodies. You will find that your kitten will nibble throughout the day because they have smaller stomach than a full grown cat.

Just as with human babies, there are going to be times that your kitten doesn’t seem particularly interested in food such as when they are teething or have lost a baby tooth. In the same instance your kitten may eat a little more during growth spurts and such. Even when you kitten begins to look and act like an adult cat, don’t rush out and buy adult cat food, they need to stick with the kitten cat food until they are a year old because of their need for a lot of calories. There might also come instances that you need to consult with your veterinarian about your cat’s food needs such as if your female feline becomes pregnant or if you cat has health problems that are related to what they eat.

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2. Groom your cat properly. Cats are in the habit of grooming themselves. You will often see them using their tongue to clean their coat. In spite of this, you should still do your part in grooming your cat if you want to keep them really clean. Brush your cat’s fur regularly. There are several short-haired cats that need minimal brushing. For this, you can use a comb with soft bristles. There are also cat breeds which have long, silky furs and this variety needs a much longer grooming time.

Use a wide-toothed comb initially then brush up with a fine toothed one afterwards. You can also use talcum powder in order to separate the hair strands. Make sure that you brush with gentle strokes so that their skin will not be hurt or scratched. Cats are also not that fond of taking a bath. But there are times when your cat would need bathing. This is when they have accumulated a lot of dirt on the skin and coat. Bathing will help eliminate ticks and lice. Also, there might be substances that could cling on the fur which can be poisonous and it is important for them to bathe. When bathing your cat, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats. Do not be tempted to use your shampoo because of the great smell. . . it could have adverse effects on your cat’s skin and fur. Prepare the following before bathing:-a small tub or sink-slip-proof mat-water spray attachment-clean, dry towels-shampoo-combAdjust the water temperature, then place your cat in the small tub or sink before filling it up with water. It is better to attach a sprayer in the faucet rather than pouring water directly onto its body.

Apply a liberal amount of shampoo on the cat’s body, and try to avoid the face, especially the eyes and ears. After rinsing, towel them dry and comb the coat. Bathing time should build trust and create some quality time between you and your pet cat. This should prevent your cat from making much of a fuss the next time it needs a bath. Another part of grooming is keeping the eyes, teeth and ears clean. Also remember to keep the paws clean and the nails trimmed. Most cats can’t tolerate dirty paws and will lick them clean but they can’t yet trim their own nails. Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean the eyes, teeth and ears. You can also look for a nail trimmer specifically designed to use on your pet cat. Ask a professional groomer or a veterinarian so that you can learn how to properly clean your cat’s eyes, ears, teeth and nails.

3. Feed them on time. Another aspect of keeping your cat happy and healthy is by feeding them well and on time. Your feline friends can learn how to “stick” to a schedule with your guidance and training. Make time in your busy day to feed them. Along with homemade and natural cat food, you should give them plenty of clean water to drink. If you have a lot of pet cats, give them individual feeding plates. If there is just one dish, other cats might not be fed well because dominant felines will take the most part of the food that you serve. And a lot of cats are too finiky to eat after another one.

4. Shower them with love and attention. By giving your cats your undivided attention while grooming and feeding them, you are already showering them with love and attention. In addition to this, make their play time a lot more fun by appreciating the things that they do. By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cat and be a contented owner. Save your cat’s health and his life!

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It is a walnut finished bookcase with cushioned sleeping and play areas for your cats. It also has two enclosed compartments: one for your litter box and one for extra storage. The bookcase climber is an excellent space for your cats. The litter tray smell will decrease, and you have extra storage for your cat’s food and litter mix. A wonderful alternative to this, which doesn’t take up nearly as much space, is a set of pet steps, which are great for both cats and dogs, and are available with built-in compartments. A litter robot is also an interesting and practical option for solving your cat box problems. It is a spherical, dome-like, self-cleaning litter unit. The entrance is small to give your cat privacy.

The litter robot automatically sifts through the litter and stores the waste in a carrier bag that can simply be taken out and thrown away. This unit is extremely efficient at keeping odors from escaping. It’s also intriguing to look at. Are you starting to like the idea of cat furniture? It is very beneficial to hiding the litter box and its nasty smells. You can find cat litter furniture at many pet stores and online. In addition to cat furniture, those of you who own dogs as well may find the many uses of dog stairs to be beneficial to you and your pet. These can be found online in pre-constructed format or custom-built.

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