Cat Health Weight Loss

By W. P. Allen

When it comes too cat health, weight loss is an important topic. While any pet owner knows all too well the urge to pamper and spoil our animal companions, there is definitely such a thing as too many treats and too much food. It can be hard to resist those plaintive meows and those oh-so-expressive eyes, but be strong; being overweight is not good for your cat. While a overweight cat may appear happy, at least after getting those excessive treats, in the long run an overweight cat is an unhappy cat - with an unhappy owner.

Just like humans, cats can gain excess weight due to overfeeding, lack of exercise and insufficient exercise. It can be difficult for cats to lose weight, just as it is for people but at least in the case of a pet cat, you have control over their diet. If you are interested in cat health, weight loss for your pet is something which you should know about. Being overweight can lead to diabetes, a growing health concern for cats in our country where it is estimated that as many of 40% of housecats are overweight. A cat that is obese can suffer from a variety of other health problems as a result and may not be able to clean themselves properly due to the excess pounds they are carrying - a very sad problem.

For better cat health, weight loss needs to be considered if your pet has gotten a bit heavy. A weight loss program for your cat should be approached cautiously and after consultation with your vet. A few steps which may help your cat lose that extra weight is to stop making food available to your cat all the time. While some cats do quite well as "grazers", many will overeat if food is constantly present for them. Instead, feed your cat two to four small amounts of food daily and keep an eye on portion sizes! Your cat will likely complain a bit, but stick to your guns as this will be better for your cat in the long run.

Cat health weight loss should be done gradually, since a crash diet is no healthier for your cat than it is for you. Watch your cat's progress gradually and make sure that they don't get too thin. Keep in touch with your vet during your cat's weight loss and ask their advice if you have any questions. Being the proper weight is healthy for your cat and will ensure a longer, happier life for your cat.

Commercial cat food is loaded with TOXINS that are slowly poisoning your cat! Want proof? CLICK HERE!

The Importance of Sterilizing Cats!

By Audrey Frederick

Numerous articles have been written about the importance of spaying and neutering cats and the health benefits that are gained by doing so. Many people are aware that the sterilization process is a good thing and abide by the usual recommendations. However, every once in a while it is a good thing to write a reminder to those, who do not believe in spaying or neutering, about why they should.

Spring and summer is known across our country as the "kitten season." Many female cats will be giving birth and many kittens will be unwanted and end up in shelters or even put to death by their owners.

A female cat can come into heat as early as four months - especially in the springtime. Locking a cat in the house may seem like a great alternative, but it plays havoc with a cat's health.

The reproductive system that nature created in a female cat is amazingly efficient. Having kittens is a very natural part of a female cat's life and not having kittens, without the help of being spayed is very hard on a cat.

Male cats are always willing and able to mate, and if they do not have anyone to mate with, it does not present a problem. They will just sit around and wait until a female presents itself.

Female cats on the other hand have reproductive needs that have to be met, that is the way nature created the female cat. If you do not want kittens, it is important to have your female spayed by at least six months of age.

Why? The cat's breeding season is usually between January and October and females go into heat every two weeks until they are bred and have a litter of kittens. A female can produce a litter of kittens every 65 days!

If a female does not mate and repeatedly comes into heat, the danger of life threatening uterine infections and uterine and ovarian cancer can become a sad part of your cat's life. Spaying also reduces the risk of mammary cancer.

Spaying your female between four and six months is easier on them, as they have less postoperative complications, they suffer less bleeding, require less surgery time, their organs are seen more easily and they recuperate more rapidly.

Males that are not neutered can become aggressive toward their owners, will get into fights with other males as they search for amorous females. The frequent fights expose them to infectious diseases, abscesses from wounds and many males will spray pungent urine to mark their territory, which can and usually includes the house. It is recommended that males be neutered between nine and ten months of age, this is before they reach their sexual maturity.

I recently had our new male kitten neutered at six months, his surgery took less than five minutes, he needed only two minutes of anesthesia and we had him home by the end of the day, happy as he could be.

Veterinary research has shown that the earlier you neuter cats the less behavioral problems you will have. Sterilized cats tend to be friendlier.

Both male and female cats that are not spayed or neutered have a tendency to spray, wander off and are apt to get lost or hit by a car.

A single cat (spayed/neutered) has no need for sex and does not miss what is never has known. Even though a spayed/neutered cat has a lower metabolism there is no need for the cat to become overweight or obese, that blame falls on the owner's shoulders for over feeding. Our 12-year-old male has maintained his same weight for over the last 7 years and is beautiful, slim and trim.

Reduce your cat's health risks by spaying/neutering, the earlier the better and you will have one happy cat, less vet bills and when the news man on the television asks "do you know where your children are," you will know your cat(s) are home where they belong.

If this article has been of benefit, please visit my web site and blog at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com

Herbal Treatments For Cats - The Safe Alternative

By W. P. Allen

Ours is an increasingly health conscious world, no doubt about that - just as people are seeking out alternative and natural remedies both to treat ailments and preserve health, pet owners are doing the same for their furry friends, even using herbal treatments for cats. While this may be an unfamiliar concept to you, in fact our pets can get many of the same benefits from herbal treatments and remedies as we ourselves do. If you are interested in taking a natural route to keeping your pet the picture of health, read on for a little more information on this topic.

Herbal remedies basically aim to strengthen the body, but are also employed in the treatment of diseases as they occur; in fact, many of our modern medicines were originally derived from herbs. These are now produced synthetically rather than naturally and as such have lost some of the health benefits which are given by the natural products. Herbal treatments for cats are much the same as are herbal supplements for people, giving them the benefits of the herbal ingredients without the sometimes nasty side effects which come along with their synthetic analogues.

Herbal treatments for cats are available for the treatment of a wide variety of common health problems in cats, including skin problems, eye ailments, kidney and liver health and simply keeping your cat in good general health - today's pets live longer and this means they are prone to many of the same illnesses that older people are; diabetes, cancers and so on. They, just like us, are exposed to environmental factors which can cause poor health and disease in humans. Fortunately, there are natural alternatives to the chemically based treatments offered by your vet. Herbal remedies are often just as effective as the synthetic medicines which modern science develops for us (and our pets!), while having little if any side effects - so they are far safer to use.

If you are interested in better health and a longer, happier life for your pet cat, you should educate yourself on the various herbal and natural remedies and supplement options available to the modern pet owner. Everyone who has a cat in their home should take interest in this topic; it is a field which is rapidly growing as more pet owners become aware of the health giving possibilities opened up by alternative medicine for pets and begin to seek out herbal treatments for cats.

Commercial cat food is loaded with TOXINS that are slowly poisoning your cat! Want proof? CLICK HERE!

What Kind of Food Should My Cat Eat?

By W. P. Allen

What kind of food should my cat eat? It's a common question asked by cat owners, whether they have had cats all their lives or are just welcoming a cat into their home for the first time. The answer to this question seems simple enough: healthy food. However, it is not always as simple in practice as it may sound.

Living with a cat comes with a lot of responsibilities, chief among them being the feeding of your cat (and as you are probably well aware, your cat would certainly agree heartily with this sentiment). As I said earlier, healthy food is the answer to "what kind of food should my cat eat?" But commercially produced pet foods, including cat food is often not exactly healthy; some of it can even damage your cat's health! It can be difficult to know what to feed your cat, but the answer is certainly not in that small box or can at your corner convenience store. Avoid these kinds of mass marketed, industrially produced cat foods for starters.

When wondering what kind of food should my cat eat? You may want to consider going all-out and making your own pet foods at home; these will be made of ingredients you can see and pronounce, as such these will be inherently healthier than some byproduct and additive laden commercial cat food. A diet which is free of additives and made instead of healthy natural ingredients like meat (beef or chicken), small amounts of vegetables and natural supplements is far better for providing a long, happy and healthy life for you and your cat to enjoy together. Again, your cat would agree, but may still eye up that can of store-brand cat food enviously from time to time....

If you want to ensure good health for your feline friend; and certainly you do, since you are reading this article in the first place, think carefully about your cat's diet. Stay away from commercial cat foods and do your research on any brand of cat food which you are considering feeding to your beloved cat. The internet is a good place to research these cat foods and to see what other pet owners experience has been with any given brand. This way you can be sure that your cat's food will be beneficial, not harmful to their health. You can also consider a natural, homemade diet as an answer to the common question: what kind of food should my cat eat?

Commercial cat food is loaded with TOXINS that are slowly poisoning your cat! Want proof? CLICK HERE!

New Kitten Care -Ten Tips For Raising Your Kitten

By Liz Allan

You've picked your brand new kitten from a litter, and you're now ready to bring him home. You naturally want to give him the best possible start in life. Here are 10 tips to help him develop into a confident, affectionate adult cat who'll give you years of stress-free pleasure.

1. Make sure you're fully prepared for his arrival. Have his toys, food, litter box, scratching post and bed all ready for him. This will help him to settle in more quickly.

2. Handle him - a lot. If kittens are handled a lot when they're young, they get used to it and learn to enjoy it. As a result, they're much more likely to turn into affectionate adults that love to be cuddled and stroked. Your new kitten should always be handled gently. If you have young kids, you'll need to supervise them with Kitty at first, to make sure they don't accidentally hurt him.

3. Get him used to receiving everyday care from you. This includes grooming him, washing his face, bathing him and cleaning his ears and eyes. If he gets comfortable with all this when he's a kitten, you'll have few problems with it when he's an adult.

4. Safely introduce him to the everyday things that will form part of his world as soon as possible. This may include other people, kids, other pets, travelling in your car, boarding at your sister's house when you go on holiday etc. etc. Doing this will turn him into a confident, happy, adaptable adult.

5. Play with him and talk to him every day. Bored kittens and cats often seek amusement in activities that you won't be too keen on, such as destroying the furniture. Playing with your kitten will build your relationship with him and help to prevent boredom.

6. Feed him a wide selection of foods that are suitable for kittens. This gets him used to a varied diet, and reduces the risk of him becoming a gourmet cuisine snob who'll only eat fresh wild salmon caught in the Scottish Highlands...

7. Gently and calmly set boundaries. Kittens are like kids - they'll push their luck to see how much they can get away with. Common naughty kitten behavior includes scratching, biting, jumping on the kitchen worktops, scratching the furniture and abseiling the curtains. If your kitten is being naughty, stop him, say "no" (don't shout) and move him away from the scene of his crime. It's much easier to train a new kitten to be good than an adult cat, so setting the boundaries whilst he's young can save you years of frustration in the future.

8. Don't give in to vocal blackmail. Some kittens try to get what they want by meowing non-stop. If you keep giving in to this, your kitten will turn into a very vocal adult cat who'll drive you nuts with his constant noisy demands.

9. Keep him safe. Nasty frights - for example falling down the toilet, being tormented by a kid or having a dog bark in his face - will have a negative impact on him. The more unpleasant experiences he has as a kitten, the more likely he is to become a nervous, mistrusting adult.

10. Accept that your new kitten is a baby with loads of energy. Whilst you can discourage him from acts of willful destruction, you'll need to accept that your house is unlikely to survive completely unscathed. But hey, he's worth it!

Liz Allan is a cat behavior expert with 25 years experience of caring for cats. She lived and worked in a cat rescue centre for 3 years, and has fostered hundreds of cats at home. For more information on cat care and behavior, sign up for her FREE ezine at http://www.cat-behavior-explained.com/cat-behavior-explained.html To find out how to deal with the most common, frustrating cat behavior problems, visit her website: http://www.cat-behavior-explained.com/index.html

Choosing Names For Kittens

By Catherine Conway

It's exciting to bring home a kitten for the very first time. But even if you have everything your kitten needs--a place to sleep, a litter box, food, toys, water--you still need to think of a good name for her. It needs to be a special name that you'll enjoy using whenever you call her.

When picking names for kittens, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, kittens don't stay kittens forever. Kittens grow up to be cats, and if you don't bear this in mind, you might pick a name that your kitten outgrows. So you should think ahead and decide if you really want to name your kitten Tiny. Will you still be all right with this name if she grows up to be a 15 pound feline?

One way to choose a name is to consider your kitten's appearance. If you have a white kitten, you might name her something like Snow, Blizzard, Opal, Milky, or Vanilla. If you have a black kitten, your kitten's name might end up being Obsidian, Soot, or Raven. If you have an especially fluffy kitten, you might decide Fuzzy is the best name.

You could also take your kitten's personality into account. Is your kitty shy and nervous around other people? Perhaps you should name her Ghost or Mouse. Is your kitten in the habit of dashing around the house at top speed? Maybe her name is Flash or Speedy. Does your kitten demand attention and do goofy things? She might be a Clown or a Ham.

If you prefer something more dignified, you could name your kitten after famous people in history. An especially intelligent or dignified cat might be well suited with a name like Plato or Aristotle. Or you might prefer to lift names out of famous works of fiction, such as Juliet or Sherlock Holmes.

Other possibilities might occur to you in a sudden flash of inspiration. If your kitten has a strange fondness for black olives, you might decide Olive is the best name for her.

It's up to you to decide what name is best for your kitten; there is no right or wrong way when it comes to choosing names for kittens. Just take your time, get to know your kitten, and you'll soon pick the perfect name for her.

Catherine L. Conway is a freelance writer who adores cats. If you want to learn more about choosing names for kittens, be sure to visit her site at http://kittykittennames.com

Black Names For Kittens

By Catherine Conway

Do you have a kitten with the darkest fur you've ever seen? Perhaps your kitten is as dark as midnight, or perhaps his fur is more like a shining drop of ink. Or perhaps your kitten is a shade between gray and black, like a shadow or a dark wisp of smoke?

Whatever the shade, there are a lot of good names for kittens with dark fur! Have a look:

Black Beauty - This is the name of a horse from a great work of fiction by Anna Sewell. But there's no reason why you can't name your pretty black kitten Black Beauty as well!

Blackbeard - An infamous pirate who made himself look even more frightening by tying lit fuses to his large black beard. Your cat probably doesn't have a beard, but it's still a good name if your cat somehow reminds you of a pirate.

Blackberry - A cute name for a playful, sweet-natured black kitten.

Domino - A great name for a black-and-white cat, since dominos are usually black with white spots.

Ebony - A hard, highly prized wood from a tropical tree. The color ebony is a deep, lustrous black.

Ink - For the kitten as dark as an inkwell.

Ninja - The deadly assassins who dress in black. An appropriate name for a black cat that has a habit of stalking and striking out when you least expect it.

Obsidian - Dark volcanic glass. A great name for a cat with sleek, shiny black fur.

Onyx - A black mineral, often used as a gem stone.

Panther - A fine name for a sleek, graceful black cat.

Raven - Might be best for a slightly spooky cat, since it brings Edgar Allen Poe to mind.

Soot - The fine particles that are produced when something is consumed by flames.

Catherine L. Conway is a freelance writer who loves cats. If you need more ideas for kitten names, visit her site at http://kittykittennames.com.