Why Does My Cat Bite Me - And How Do I Stop It?

By Katherin Towers

Cat biting is the second most common cat behavioral problem after inappropriate cat peeing. Many cat owners just do not understand cat biting behavior, and fail to deal with it properly. Some owners get into a bad relationship with their cats, and end up putting them under. This is very sad. Do not let this happen to you and your cat.

The first question you want to ask yourself is: Does the biting draw blood, and when does it happen? If your cat bites you very often, and frequently draws blood, this is a behavior you want to stop. The best way is to carry a squeeze bottle of water with you. Anytime you are bitten, immediately spray a little bit of water at your cat's face. You want to lightly shock kitty, not drench it. This sends a message to him that biting is not appropriate behavior. If you do this immediately and consistently, you will eventually break your cat of this problem behavior.

Sometimes, you are having fun with kitty, either petting him or playing with him, and he suddenly bites you. You want to take note of his body language - is he sending you a message to "STOP!", or has he just switched to a different game? If he is telling you to stop, then you should stop. Maybe he has gotten bored, or just wants to do something else. You need to respect your cat - that is the only way to have a good relationship with him. On the other hand, if he has switched to a different game, then the ball is in your court. Do you want to play this new game, where he bites you? Or do you want to stop?

Now, you need to know the difference between your cat biting you and nipping you. One draws blood, the other does not. Cat bites which draw blood can be potentially dangerous, and is a behavioral problem you should stop. If kitty just nips you playfully, or gnaws on your knuckles or toes, he is just showing that he loves you. All of you new cat owners out there - this is NOT a problem. Repeat: this is not a problem.

Some cats just do not know how to control their strength. Sometimes, they were removed from their litter-mates or mother too early, and never learned that biting too hard is wrong. Other times, it is the fault of their owners. You may have unknowingly encouraged the cat biting problem. Either way, playtime can get pretty painful - unless you start using cat toys. A plushie or soft, stuffed toy is good. Let kitty play and wrestle with it instead of your fingers. You will both have fun without the pain. Another good toy is a little ball which bounces well. Or something which you can drag along the ground and let your cat chase after it.

Remember, do not over-react when your cat bites you. You need to be sensitive to your cat's moods - is the biting a message, and when is it a behavior problem you need fix?

Does your cat bite you badly? Click here to learn more about why your cat bites you.

What Removes Cat Urine Odors From Clothes, Fabric and Carpets

By Katherin Towers

We all love our cats - but it can be very aggravating when they pee on our clothes, or on the carpet. So what can we do to remove these cat urine odors? The simplest solution is to use a commercial enzymatic cleaner. You can buy these anywhere. The best of these cleaners specifically target cat urine. They forcibly remove the chemicals in the cat urine which bond to your clothes and carpets.

Many cat owners recommend using Nature's Miracle to remove cat urine. It normally comes in a white bottle with red lettering and a red cap. All you need to do is follow the directions on the bottle and the smell of cat urine will soon be gone. You should be able to find this cleaner at Petsmart, Target or WalMart. You should also be able to find it in your local pet shop, together with all the other things for litter training your cat.

If you are trying to remove cat urine from your carpet, you should get a blacklight as well. Nature's Miracle isn't exactly cheap, and you may need several applications to get rid of the smell. With the blacklight, you can see just the affected spots on your carpet, so you do not need to clean the whole carpet. Turn it on in complete darkness, and you will see new stains glow yellow, and old stains glow green.

Cat lovers on a very tight budget may need to rely on cheap powdered carpet fresheners. Just sprinkle it over your carpet and leave it for a few days, then vacuum it off. Unfortunately, this does not remove the odor, but only covers it up. You will need to choose a scent you like, and may need to repeat the process a few times.

For those of you who bleach your clothes, you may want to check what is inside your bleach. Make sure it does not contain ammonia. This is the same stuff that is inside cat urine, and can attract your cats to pee on your clothes. Just switch over to a different brand which uses a different active ingredient.

You will also want to keep your cats away from your clothes. Most cats do not like the smell of lemon or mothballs. So washing your clothes with a lemon-scented detergent, or using a lemon-scented fabric softener should also help to prevent your cats from urinating on your clothes.

Does your cat just urinate somewhere nearby your closet, and the smell gets in to permeate your clothes? You may want to try spraying a commercial cat repellant around your closet to keep your cats away. You should be able to buy these chemicals at your local pet shop. Another alternative is to regularly wash the floor around your closet with a strong lemon-scented detergent.

With this two pronged approach - removing cat urine odors and keeping your cats away from your clothes - you will once again have clean and fresh smelling clothes.

However, just removing cat urine from your clothes and carpets is not enough. Prevention is better than cure - the best long-term solution is to litter train your cats.

Toys to Entertain Your Kitten

By Jasmine Tupniak

Many cat owners throw away a decent amount of money trying to find toys for their cat. Many toys are just not interesting enough to grab and maintain the attention of a kitten. So, how are we supposed to know what kind of toys we should buy for them?

For the most part, there are a few basic things you will need to keep in mind when you are looking for a toy for your kitten. First and most importantly, safety. Your cat should only play with toys that are safe for them. Be sure you stay away from a toy that can be quickly chewed and destroyed by your cat. If your cat chews a toy to get the little bell inside, he or she is risking the possibility of choking on the small pieces or on the plastic chewed up pieces.

Toys that will get your kitten up and moving around the house are ideal toys. Your cat will be able to get some needed exercise and constructive play at the same time. You actually, do not have to go and spend a lot of money on toys to entertain your cat. When you are putting up a new shower curtain and rings, recycle the rings. Your cat will love playing for hours with the rings. They are thick enough to not pose a threat to your cat is they are chewed. Although, you should sterilize them first. Wash them as you would your dishes and then boil them for a couple minutes. Once they are cool give them to your furry friend.

Old stuffed animals are great play toys for cats. If the stuffed animal has small eyes or anything else that can come off and possibly choke your cat, take it off before giving the toy to your cat. If the small stuffed animal has a tail, you cat will surely love it. Be sure to keep the size of the stuffed animal relatively close to the size of the cat playing with it.

A great way to keep your kitten stimulated with his or her toys is to only offer a select few each day. Continue to rotate the different toys. Each day will be a different set of toys for your fur ball to enjoy. Any toys that are not being left out for that particular day should be kept completely out of the cats sight. Although, if your furry family member has one particular toy that you know he or she is quite fond of, you can leave it out at all times for him or her.

You know your kitten better than anyone else. You will be able to decide what types of toys he or she is going to get the most enjoyment from. However, remember cats are very similar to children. They often get the most enjoyment from the box the gift came in. Therefore, there is no need to spend a lot of money on toys. Use your imagination and safe household items for toys.

Jasmine Tupniak For more information on kitten and cat care, visit My Kitty Care Site

To De-claw Or Not to De-claw?

By Jasmine Tupniak

If you have a cat, odds are that he or she might be tearing up your furniture with their claws. When a cat claws they are actually doing a few different things. A cat can leaves its scent and mark its territory with the pads of its feet. In many cases, this is what your cat is doing. Another common reason many cats claw furniture is the need to stretch. Similar to the way we stretch in the morning, from our toes all the way to our finger tips.

If you are considering de-clawing your cat, this article should prove to be very useful for you. Cats claws are similar to fingernails of humans. With that in mind, would you have your child's fingernails taken out if he or she scratched something? Obviously not, that would be inhumane and painful.

De-clawing a cat is when a veterinarian removes the front claws of the cat during a surgical procedure. This is not a procedure that is needed, more of a procedure that many owners have done as an alternative to training a cat where it is acceptable to scratch. This is an extremely painful surgery.

It can take several weeks for the cat to heal physically from this procedure. The cat will more than likely continue to be in pain for a minimum a couple of weeks. Something as simple as walking can be very traumatizing and incomparably painful for the cat.

There are long term problems that stem from having a cat de-clawed. It is very possible and likely that the cat is going to have an abscess and claws can begin to grow back. Recent studies have revealed out of the cats that have been de-clawed, 25% of them have had negative short and long term effects.

Many cats begin to suffer from stiff joints. This is because the cats claws can not extend and retract as a form of exercise. The tendons can no longer function properly, causing more unnecessary pain for your fluffy friend. Most cats will continue to try and scratch after they have been de-clawed, however this is an attempt to lubricate the painful joints once again.

Cats use their claws as a means of defending themselves. If you take away their defense, what do they have left? Yes, they will then turn into a biter. When the cat feels that harm is eminent, he or she might bite in order to remain safe. Even the friendliest cat can resort to biting. Many cats go through many mood changes, especially when they have to deal with the pain after having their claws taken out.

In the event a de-clawed cat finds its way out of the house and is left to fend for itself, even for a night, could lead to a tragedy. Because the cat can no longer defend itself against other animals, it can fall victim and become food. If you are forced to give your cat to a shelter for one reason or another, if it is de-clawed it is very likely that he or she will not be adopted out. More than likely, your loved animal will be put to sleep.

Jasmine Tupniak For more information on kitten and cat care, visit My Kitty Care Site

Get Your Cat to Use a Scratching Post

By Jasmine Tupniak

For many proud cat owners, having a cat is wonderful. Being a cat owner is growing in popularity because it is often hard for someone to own a dog in an apartment. Most landlords are dead set against allowing a dog into their house for the fear of damage to the property. However, cats enjoy scratching and digging their claws into things. It is important, especially if you do not own your home, that you teach your cat to scratch in an you to appropriate area.

The best way for keep your furniture in good condition and free of claw marks from your cat is to provide a scratch post. This will give your furry friend a way to safely mark his or her territory and stretch, without damaging your belongings. Don't be misled into thinking a scratching post needs to be costly.

You can make a simple scratch post to match some of the more expensive ones in stores. The most important thing about a scratching post is the safety factor. If you are building a tower scratching post, obviously you want to be sure it can stand up to your cat pouncing on it and clawing at it.

Once you have built or bought the scratching post, you are gong to have to teach your furry friend how to use it. This might seem a little funny, especially if your cat already scratches at your furniture. To show him or her the appropriate place to claw, you will need to do a few things.

First, you will need to find a good location for the new scratch post to be put. Keep in mind, if you want the post to be used by your cat, it will need to be accessible at all times. If you have already established a favorite location for your cat to scratch, try to put the new post as close to this spot as possible. Close to a common sleeping area for the cat is ideal.

Next, you are gong to need to entice your cat to use the scratching post. To do this, you can rub catnip all over it. The scent will spark your fur balls curiosity. Soon after he or she shows interest, the scratching should begin. If your cat is not fond of catnip, you can put some other treats on top of the post and get the same outcome.

For the first week or so, every time you notice your cat is using the post, be sure to positively reinforce the behavior. Give him or her a treat, and verbally praise him or her. A quick stroke is also a great way for you to show your cat that the behavior is acceptable to you.

If you notice that your cat is still using your furniture as a scratching post, you will need to modify this behavior. One way to do this is to sharply and firmly say 'scratch' as you are redirecting your cat towards the acceptable scratching post. If this does not seem to work, you can use a spray bottle. Putting the bottle on mist, one squirt should do the trick. Your cat should take off running away from the unacceptable location. As soon as he or she goes back to your furniture, again squirt once and firmly say 'scratch' as you are pointing in the appropriate location.

Jasmine Tupniak For more information on kitten and cat care, visit My Kitty Care Site

Deciding on the Right Cat Litter

By Jasmine Tupniak

There are so many different types of cat litter available today. From organic to clumping to deodorizing and everything in between. So, how is the average person supposed to be able to decide the right kitty litter to use for the cat in our lives?

One of the most important factors in deciding the right kitty litter for your cat should be the effectiveness of odor control. Cats have a great sense of smell, which is the reason it is vital to have good odor control. Try to keep the litter dust at a minimal amount. If the dust or aroma of the litter is irritating for the cat, it will not use the litter box.

If you are unsure of the best cat littler for your loved kitty, you should ask questions. Have everything cleared up for you, there are so many different types of litter, so the more you know about each of them will help you to make an educated decision. Here is a sample of some questions you might want to ask:

Which cat litters can be flushed down the toilet?

Which cat litters will trap odors?

Which cat litter does not have artificial scents added to them?

Which litter is environmentally safe?

Is it a litter that is normally carried at local stores?

How expensive is it?

Many people are becoming more cautious about the environment. With a higher demand for green products, came a need for green kitty litter. If you buy eco-friendly cat litter you can flush the waste down the toilet without causing harm to your septic system, pipes or the Earth. The majority of environmentally friendly kitty litter is virtually dust free, making it healthier for your little ball of joy as well.

As much as we would all love for the odor of a kitty box to be completely eliminated, that is solely up to us, as the humans. The best way for you to keep the odor down from your litter box is to frequently scoop out and get rid of the waste. This can be done every time your cat eliminates in the box. At a minimum the litter box should be washed, disinfected and refilled once a week. Of course, if you have more than one cat using the litter box, this is going to have to be done more frequently.

It is important that the box is completely emptied and disinfected in order to kill any bacteria that might be living in the litter. You will know if you have waited too long before completely cleaning out the cat box. There will be a strong ammonia odor that is very over powering. Take not of how long it has been since you changed the box last. If it has been exactly one week, change your cleaning time to maybe every 3 days or so. This should help eliminate the possibilities of having such a strong smell the next time you change the box.

Jasmine Tupniak For more information on kitten and cat care, visit My Kitty Care Site

What Removes Cat Urine

By Ian Pennington

What removes cat urine sounds as easy as wiping out a mere dust on your table. But it's doesn't seem to be that way because there are instances when a cat's urine can be as stubborn as a blood stain. The how-to's in taking out the mess from your carpet, bed sheets or couch covers can be learned by following specific procedures.

In handling what removes cat urine from any part of your house, you must be able to tolerate the wackiness of its odor. You must bear in mind that all scent and stain remains must be thoroughly washed out so that the cat won't pee on the same spot again. A cat's sense of smell is strong for all you know. Cats normally urinate on flat surfaces like litter boxes, ground or floor. The cat's urine is yellowish brown liquid waste expelled out by the kidneys. The staining ability of cat's urine will depend on her food diet, sex, age and medications, if any. The waste can penetrate deeply into mattresses, upholstery items and padding.

If you don't notice your cat has messed up your carpet, act upon it immediately before house guests can be irritated with Eau de Fluffy. What removes cat urine from the carpet are bacteria or enzyme cleansers along with several paper towels, carpet shampoos and pet stain removers. First, you must disfigure urine stains on the carpet by placing paper towels to absorb them. By gently stepping on the towels against the stain, you will gradually dry the carpet off. Replace some paper towels and do the same stepping procedure. Remove the paper towels and place some specialized odor-and-stain removing cleanser. Apply some carpet shampoo and rinse it with water.

Stubborn cat meows sarcastically after peeing. You can't do anything except doing the cleaning procedures and apply absorbent paper tower. Think about what removes cat urine and your worries about cleanliness and orderliness will be gone. If solvents are necessary to take out the urine, you must prevent putting them directly to the stain. Through a circular motion, you can dry up the stain first. You might want to use a handheld hairdryer to do so. Careful rubbing must be applied or you can also use soft bristled brushes.

If you worry what moves cat urine from hardwood floors or tables, you must not hesitate to do it because a cat's urine can cause wooden areas to rot. While the urine is still fresh, you can take it out. Eliminate any excrement and place firmly some paper towels just like how you do it on carpets. By pouring in some vinegar onto the stained spots, you can wash the stain off. Do it several times as needed until the stain is gone. You might want to use warm water to cleanse the stain completely. Let the affected area to dry up before pouring some enzyme cleaner. If you cannot take out old stains, you can resort to wood sanding or resealing.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about cats, please visit A Cats Guide for current articles and discussions.