Cat Supplies Store

For understandable reasons, many cat owners, especially in the U.S., keep their cat indoors. However, if your cat is an indoor pet, it is crucial that he, or she, is getting enough mental and physical stimulation. Cats are incredibly intelligent and can therefore become bored if not entertained, which may lead to overeating, weight gain and, subsequently, serious health difficulties later in life.

So, to keep your cat amused while your family is at work or school, you may like to try some of the following tips.

1. Some cats enjoy watching the television, so try leaving the TV on during the day. Nature programs or kids’ shows may be particularly appealing, but just the sound of a human voice should help your cat to feel less lonely. In addition, you may find it helpful to leave a radio on in another room. The volume of a TV or radio should be the level of a normal conversation, any louder and it may distress rather than comfort your cat.

2. Make sure that your cat has access to toys, whether they are ones bought from a pet store or ones that you have made yourself.

3. To make your own cat toy, try attaching a piece of string to a hook in the ceiling. The string should be long enough to reach approximately two feet from the ground. Next, attach a toy to the end, for example, a teething ring, ping-pong ball or a small bell. It is crucial to ensure that your cat cannot harm itself on whatever you use as a toy. Therefore, if there is a possibility that it can become detached, ensure your cat could not swallow it.

4. Don’t overload your cat with too many toys. Of course, you want to ensure that your cat does not become bored, but too many toys can be overwhelming and your cat will not play with any of them. Three of four toys should keep your cat amused for the duration of your absence.

5. Similarly, it is advisable to put out your cat’s toys on a rotation system. In other words, ensure that your cat is getting a mixture of toys. If offered the same playthings everyday, your cat will soon become bored with them. Additionally, if you are making your own toys, try to alter things or place them in a different location.

6. Always keep your garbage secure and make sure that your cat cannot get up to any mischief while you are gone. Remember, there are many things that will cause serious harm if swallowed or chewed, so ensure that your home is kitty safe before you leave.

7. It is always advisable to provide your cat with some climbing apparatus. You may even like to place some of his, or her, toys on different levels to encourage physical activity as well as mental stimulation.

8. Sometimes, all cats need to amuse themselves are simple things, such as paper bags and cardboard boxes. Just leaving an empty box on the floor could provide hours of fun.

9. If you decide to welcome a second cat into your home, then it is wise to ensure that the two do not fight before leaving them alone for any extended period of time.

10. Bear in mind that all cats are different. Therefore, some toys will simply not appeal to your cat. Subsequently, it is advisable to experiment with an array of toys to find your cats favorites. Laser pointers, fishing toys and balls are often successful.

Obviously, there are many more things that you can try. Experiment with different toys and in different locations and, most importantly, remember to keep changing things around. Cats are naturally curious and new or different things are bound to keep them interested.

Great news for cat lovers who like to spoil their super furry animals! You no longer need to search through stacks of dog products and every-pet-in-the-world-shops to find the stylish cat accessories that you need. Nice Cat Stuff is a new and chic website devoted to all things fashionable and feline, specialising in high quality, luxury accessories for cats… and only cats! The extremely easy to use website with super safe and secure online ordering means splashing out on mister or miss pussy cat has never been easier or more fun.

The carefully selected product range delivers the finest selection of cat goodies ranging from cosy cat beds to dazzling diamanté collars, fabulous furniture for climbing and scratching and tons of cute cat toys for feline fun and development. A quick look around and you will soon find the perfect gift for your puss.

Not only will great products and excellent customer service keep you coming back, there is also the ‘Kitty Cash Cat Lovers Loyalty Reward Scheme’ which is a super generous rewards scheme offering 5% back on everything you spend at Nice Cat Stuff. The more you spend, the more you get back! There is no signing up required. If you buy nice cat stuff, you get kitty cash to buy cat treats. Unlike other loyalty schemes, the maths is very simple. Every £1 you spend gets you 5 Puss Points and 1 Puss Point = 1 penny. What’s more, you can cash in the Kitty Cash whenever you like. Simple, no nonsense and head-scratching involved.

Francis Dillon, the cat crazy marketing manager of Nice Cat Stuff commented on the website’s launch saying “We are overwhelmed with the initial response from cat loving customers and have received great feedback and taken lots more orders than expected within the first weeks of business. We all feel very positive and look forward to expanding our range of luxury cat products throughout 2008″.

Other incentives to shop at Nice Cat Stuff include the remarkably generous free delivery of all orders over £35. Nice Cat Stuff also publish a funky email newsletter every month full of news, cat care tips and lots of fun as the quirky title ‘No Dogs Allowed’ suggests. Subscribing to the ‘No Dogs Allowed’ newsletter gives you the chance to win 1000 Puss Points in the monthly prize draw.

Well, it’s no wonder cat lovers are going crazy for Nice Cat Stuff. Presuming you are the loving owner of at least one super furry animal of the fashionable pussy cat variety, why not have a curious look on behalf of your furry feline friend? After all, if cats could go shopping, www.nicecatstuff.co.uk is where they would go.

Cats have been around since the beginning of recorded history. In some early cultures they were idolized and in some they were feared. In medieval times they believed cats were godlike due to the way their eyes glowed at night.

Cats will communicate with their owners in many different ways. They purr when they are happy and content. They meow loudly when they are hungry. When a cat is not happy or on the defense they will give a low pitched growl or a hiss.

Cats can communicate other ways besides audibly. They use body language, posture and ear and tail movements to communicate their feelings or emotions. When a cat feels challenged they will flick their tail starting at the tip and whip it around so it becomes more pronounced. The front of their body is flat to the ground and their hind end is higher. They mean business if they are in this stance and their ears are plastered back.

Unusual Cat Facts
Cats have thirty-two muscles in each ear which allows them to rotate their ears in many directions.

The reason a cat usually lands on their feet is because they have a tiny chamber in their ear that keeps their head level in relationship to the ground when they fall or jump.

Cats use their whiskers as feelers. Besides having about twelve whiskers on each side of their face they also have whiskers or “feelers” above their eyes and on the back of their legs which comes in very handy in the dark.

When a cat rubs its head on any object whether it be your leg or a piece of furniture this is not a sign of affection. They are actually marking their territory. They have glands in their cheeks which leave their smell on people and objects to tell other cats that this is theirs.

A cat uses their claws for climbing and marking their territory.

A cat’s nose pad is unique to them just like a fingerprint is to a human.

The reason a cat has such good nocturnal vision is because of crystal like mirrors that are located in the back of their eyes.

You have probably noticed that cats love to sun themselves. Sunning themselves makes them a happy cat. The sun is also a good source of Vitamin D which they need. Usually a stretched out cat is a warm one and one that is curled in a ball is usually cold or chilly.

You can learn a lot about your kitten or cat by just watching them. They use all parts of their bodies to communicate with you. If your cat’s pupils are wide that means they are excited or scared. Cats do not like to be stared at and consider this to be a challenge. If you watch two cats together they will usually try to avoid staring at each other and will turn their bodies away if they are not trying to be aggressive.

Most cats are very independent and don’t like to take orders or play on command. That is one of the things that set them apart from other pets; they like to do things on their own terms. Training them to not to run out an open door or to stay off counters can be tricky, if not impossible! However, there are some tricks that have been successful. Fill a can with some pennies and shake it when they jump somewhere they don’t belong, or use a spray bottle filled with water. Cats do not like surprises, especially loud noises or water in their face and this will help deter them from going where they are not supposed to.

Cats and kittens love to have fun and play, especially with their owners. You can make many toys for your cat with items you have around the house. They like to play with wads of paper or an aluminum foil ball. Any type of string with something on the end for them to chase is also a favorite. Cats like to play with light weight, colorful, and noisy toys, especially ones with bells in them.

The average lifespan of an indoor cat is 15 years. You might want to consider getting pet insurance on your cat or kitten for there may be unforeseen medical expenses in the years to come. Just like health insurance on the rest of your family, buying cat insurance for your feline friend will give you peace of mind that you could cover the cost of veterinary treatment should the worst happen.

All cats like to scratch and dig their claws into things. This is just a natural characteristic of cats. It’s as natural for them as eating and sleeping. The scratching action is good for a cat’s physical and mental health. A good cat owner will provide something for the sole purpose of a cat’s scratching. Without one, your carpet, furniture, and walls will be in danger of being remodeled with claw marks and damage.

There are many different things that your cat may like to scratch. Most things made out of wood or carpet can be appealing for most cats. Scratching posts, scratching trees, and various scratching toys are available in most pet stores and on many websites. A base item for scratching won’t cost you a lot of money and you can always upgrade to a nice scratching tree or post in the future.

If you do purchase (or build) a scratching post or scratching tree, make sure it has a wide and secure base on it. This will ensure that it remains standing while your cat is using it. If it falls while being used, your cat may be tentative to use it in the future and might go back to using your furniture.

Some scratching posts are made to lay down on the floor. The nice thing about these is they are in a natural position for your cat to scratch, plus they won’t fall over.

An alternative to purchasing something to use for scratching is to make one yourself. This can be a lot more simple than it sounds. Gather some branches or tree limbs and screw them together. This would be a very basic scratching tree but will serve the same purpose of store bought ones. If you are a little more creative you can build an actual scratching post and cover it with carpet. Do some research on retail scratching items to figure out the dimensions that you want yours to be. Another option is a simple wooden log on the floor. A wooden log laying down can be heaven for a scratching cat.

Cats may be very common pets but not all owners understand the importance of a designated area or item for cats to scratch on. For the health of your cat and your furniture, either purchase or make a scratching tree, post, or log. It will be an investment well worth it.

Food allergy is an abnormal or a hypersensitive reaction to a food ingredient which is usually a protein. 10-20% of allergies in cats are caused by food.

CAUSES

Beef, dairy products and fish, especially tuna and mackerel are responsible for almost 90 percent of food allergies in cats. These products cause a skin reaction as opposed to diarrhea.

Note: Food preservatives including Benzoic Acid and Propylene Glycol (read labels) are toxic to cats.

Milk causes diarrhea as opposed to a skin reaction. This is called Lactose Intolerance.

SYMPTOM BOX

* Severe itching all over the body

* Itching with small scabs located primarily on the head, neck and ears.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

* 1/3 of cats with food allergies also have concurrent flea allergies, therefore scab like lesions and itching are focused on the head, neck and ears.

* Siamese and/or Siamese cross bred cats less than 2 years old may be at increased risk of food allergies.

* A relatively new dietary option for food allergy therapy involves using Hydrolyzed Proteins. These are conventional proteins broken down into such a small size they are unable to cause an allergic reaction. Hypoallergenic diets containing Hydrolyzed Protein are available commercially.

* Purina’s Prescription Diet Division offers CNM HA (the HA stands for Hypoallergenic)

* Exclude is a diet made by DVM Dermatologies. It comes in a powder form and is mixed with water to the desired consistency.

* If itching and skin lesions resolve then reappear within 2 weeks of feeding the cat his former food, a food allergy diagnosis may also be confirmed.

The cat’s nutritional history should include a complete list of commercial and homemade foods as well as snacks, treats, toys, medications and human foods.

The only way to find out the true cause of a food allergy is to use an elimination diet. A single source of protein is used for 12 weeks to see if the cat’s condition improves.

Then new ingredients are added back into the diet one at a time, every five to seven days, until the problem recurs. Using this method, and noting what was added when, if there is a reaction you will know which food ingredient is responsible for the problem.

* For the elimination diet to work, start by using a protein source the cat has not been previously exposed to.

* Ingredients recommended for homemade Feline diets that work best initially for cats include one protein source or a combination of one protein and one carbohydrate source.

For example:

* Lamb baby food

* Lamb (mutton) and brown rice

* Venison and potato

* Use distilled water or boil tap water and refrigerate — this helps avoid chlorine, which can be a factor.

* If diarrhea is present, avoid foods with wheat barley, rye and avoid milk.

* Food allergies tend to be life long but once you identify the offending allergen, you can find a variety of suitable diets that don’t include the problem foods but still provide a balanced diet.

Several “allergen” free diets are available. Keep a daily diary during the elimination phase to keep track of the type of food eaten and any signs that occurred as a result.

If a food allergy is the only cause of the problem, itching should stop and signs should improve 100%. Up to 1/3 of cats with food allergies also have other allergies and therefore, may only respond partially to an elimination diet. Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Inhalant Allergies are the two most common causes and should be ruled out through other testing.

COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Vitamin C in high does acts as an antihistamine and may help with itching, if present. Ascorbate powder is a source of Vitamin C — 100 milligrams 3 times daily is an average daily dose. Check with your vet to be sure.

Giving medication to a pet can prove to be a real struggle; they bark and howl, they hide under the furniture, and they spit up their pill without even ingesting the minimal amount beforehand. You find yourself worried that they will not get better, simply because you are unable to get anything down their throat successfully. But there is no need to throw in the towel and hope for the best outcome just yet. If you own a feline in particular, there are methods for getting them to take their medicine. By following the below steps, the odds will be in your favor. 

Hiding It in Food 

1. Go to your local pet store and pick out a certain treat or wet food that your cat is rarely fed or absolutely loves. When the cat spots something different or special in their food bowl, they will probably eat the meal so quickly and efficiently that they would not notice if you were to place a foreign object inside it. 

2. Keeping the above information in mind, hide the pill as best you can inside the treat. This will make sure that the cat will be unable to tell that a pill is inside, at least right away. 

3. Once the cat has finished, inspect to be certain that the whole pill was swallowed. If not, do the steps again until you get the desired results. It is recommended that you divide up the treat or wet food into sections so that it can be used for several attempts. 

4. If you would rather use something from your own kitchen, cream cheese and baby food has been known to work well. Consult your vet for further ideas and recommendations. 

Giving It By Hand 

If you would prefer to do it another way, or the vet has advised that the pill cannot be mixed in any form, this method may work.  

1. Take a towel and wrap the cat inside it. Pretend he is a bean and the towel is a burrito; this will help you determine how to enclose your pet. This is done so that the cat will feel safe. In case of any problems, choose a towel that you would not mind throwing out. 

2. Hold the cat in your arms, cradling it like you would a baby. To prevent any wriggling, speak in a calming voice. 

3. Using your free hand, gently pry the cat’s mouth open, placing the pill at the back of their mouth. 

4. Stroke the cat’s neck and chin area in a calm manner to coax the pill down. Once you are sure that the pill is gone, offer your pet something for their troubles. Eventually, they may associate taking a pill with good things if you are consistent.

Cats are one of the best developed species when it comes to hunting. They are very effective predators, even domestic cats can hunt and eat more than 1000 species including mice, birds, rats, moles and fish. Their whole body is made for hunting, their senses are much better developed than those of humans. Cats can hear and see better, they have skills and instincts that helps them to catch their prey. If they didn’t have these skills they would starve to death in a natural environment.

Cats can hunt a huge variety of animals. They eat very little animals like roaches but also bigger ones like rabbits or rats.

The fact that cats are not specialized on a small number of preys gives them a better chance to find an animal to hunt. If there is no tasty rabbit to hunt, they go for a mouse or a bird or even small animals like spiders, roaches or other insects.

In order to hunt these little fast insects, cats need to be also very fast as well as intelligent.

Cats use different strategies to hunt their prey like sneaking or pouncing. Cats have developed these skills throughout thousands of years and unlike us humans even domestic cats still have these skills. Humans had similar skills but we lost them due to civilization and industrialization.

There are cats hunting in groups like lions or tiger. As you can see in various wildlife reports on tv they are very successful by huntig in a group. Although there are cats hunting in groups most cats are single hunters. They simply sneak as close to their prey as possible. If they are close enough the prey has no chance to escape. In most cases cats hunt in woods or in areas with high grass, this way they can hide and not be seen by their prey. Cats are very silent when hunting, you will not hear them coming, they suddenly appear.

You can see some domestic cats presenting their victims to their owners. These trophies are kind of a present, they give you something back in return for feeding them. This is a highly social behavior and means that the cat has adopted the human owner in her social group. Sometimes this means that the cat wants to take care of you. This behavior can be seen in wildlife , cats help each other in case one was not successful at hunting.

Cats are specialized on killing and eating other animals. They have developed special teeth to kill the pray fast and shear it up in pieces that fit into the mouth. It is probably good to give your cat raw meat once in a while for a better development of her teeth. This natural food is healthy for the cat because it provides needed amino acids, taurine, vitamines and quatiy fat.

Cats can not live on a vegetarian diet, they are carnivores so they need their meat. They need a high percentage of amino acids and vitamins provided by the meat. A vegetarian diet can not provide enough amino acids, it contains too many carbohydrates and other low quality ingredients. Feed your cat with a high quality meat or special cat food. Make sure the cat food does not consist of too many carbohydrates or low quality ingredients.

If you want to be nice to your cat provide her a way to get outside the house. You cat can then develop its natural instincts and behavior. It has a chance to develop its skills at hunting and sneaking. Your cat will love the nature and it will be thanful for getting outside. Maybe your cat will come home with a little present for you, something like a bird or a mouse…

If you life in a city where there is no possibility for your cat to go outside then at least play with her at home to develop her skills. This can be done in several ways, read about it in other articles on my website.

Enjoy having a cat!

Cats are known for scratching and clawing. This is a natural behavior that you can control with a little training. Fist you need to know the reasons behind the clawing. Cats claw mainly to mark their territory and to exercise and stretch. You will not be able to completely stop your cat from clawing and scratching things, but you can control what the cat scratches.

Step one is to give your cat an alternative to clawing your furniture. Scratching posts and toys will give the cat an expectable outlet for their natural behavior. A scratching post can be inexpensively built out of a couple pieces of wood nailed together and then covered with carpet. The trick is to train the cat as soon as you get them before they start on the furniture.

Scratching posts are perfectly designed to fulfill the cats scratching needs, they are usually covered with carpet and cats love them. Place the scratching post near where the cat eats or where he likes to sleep because the cat will want to establish these areas as their own personal territory. Hopefully the cat will pick the scratching post instead of the furniture and no further training will be necessary.

When your cat does pick a piece of furniture to scratch what you need to do is change his mind and redirect his attention to the scratching post. First try to pick the cat up when you find him clawing the furniture and put him down at his scratching post. The next thing to try is to temporarily cover what the cat wants to scratch so the post is more desirable. If all else fails chaise the cat away with a firm “no” or “bad cat”, however be sure not to be overly aggressive as you do not want your cat to be afraid of you. Extreme measures such as spraying the cat with water or putting chemical deterrents on the furniture being scratched is usually a short cut that does not work in the long run because the point of the training should be to show the cat where he can scratch not to just scare or punish him.

Declawing your cat is not a good solution to a clawing problem. Declawing is painful for your pet. Not only is the claw removed but part of the toe as well. If you think declawing is your only alternative you should consider that owning a cat is not for you and give the cat to someone that has the time to train the cat so that both the cat and the owner can be happy.

Understanding your cat’s behavior will help you have a positive experience with your pet. It has been my experience that cats are smart and learn fast so very little effort on your part will be needed and the cat will stop its bad behavior in a few days or so. If you can meet the needs of the cat you will have a happy cat that will give you what you need.

You can read more cat articles at JimsPets.com.

It is necessary for a person to think very carefully before putting a house cat indoors. This is because cats habitually scratch household furniture. Scratching is a standard feline behavior.

Cats living outside do not face this problem, since they hone their claws on trees and so on. The most important reason for cat scratching is that by doing so they mark their territory. They exercise themselves and remove dead nails by doing so. Scratching also makes them feel good.

Methods To Prevent Cat Scratching:

It is unreasonable and wrong to expect cats to end scratching. To prevent scratching, one needs to build or design a scratching post, provide suitable play toys and so on.

It will be beneficial to build scratching posts in areas where the cat spends most of its time, with one near the cat’s resting area. The height of the post needs to be such that the cat is able to scratch it, while on its hind legs with extended forelegs.

The post also has to be very sturdy to prevent it from toppling. A scratching post having a corner is preferable so that the cats can scratch on both the sides. Some cats also like a horizontal scratching post.

Give special thought to the surface quality of the scratching post. Firmly woven fabrics often covers commercial scratching posts for permanence, but a cat generally like a slackly woven fabric, since its claws clasp and rip while scratching. A carpet covering is acceptable. It is necessary to ensure that no taut loops are present in it. Many cats favor sisal, a part of an old chair and even bare lumber for scratching. It is advisory to use a material that a cat prefers.

If this consumes a lot of time, then soft claws are another beneficial alternative. Individuals can apply these light vinyl caps over a cat’s claw. These caps have curved ends and thus the scratching of a cat does not destroy one’s home and fittings.

It is possible to prevent a cat’s destructive scratching by cautiously trimming the sharp tips of the cat’s claw. Two people can easily accomplish this task. One person holds the cat, while the other cuts its nails.

Declawing:

Another solution to prevent cat scratching is declawing. This is however a very severe action and will harm the cat. People need to think of onychectomy, when the cat suffers a persistent infection, disturbing wounds or neoplastic disease.

Terms such as mayhem, mutilation, dismemberment and disjointing aptly define declawing. Unlike to what people think, the declawing surgery includes severing of the claws, the entire phalanges, joints, ligaments, bones, nerves and tendons.

Ten separate hurtful amputations involving the third phalanx and the last joint of every toe is done in the declawing surgery. Unlike the human fingernail, the cat’s claw is a segment of the final bone in the toe.

Apart from declawing, other training methods are also present, which cat owners may try to employ their cats to avoid scratching indoors. Training is possible for all cats with some time, love and consideration.

Are you bringing a new cat into your home? You will need to make sure that you have the appropriate cat training supplies available at the outset so that your kitty gets started off on the right foot. Find out what cat training supplies you will need.

Litter Box
A litter box is highly important. Make sure to select one that your pet can easily maneuver in. Typically, cats favor large, open litter boxes even though owners may like the covered ones better for aesthetic reasons. Be sure that the box is reasonably deep so litter doesn’t fly out when the cat scratches. If you think that you may want an automatic litter box at some point, it would be best to introduce this type of box right away so that the cat can get used to it from the beginning.

Scratching Post
Since scratching is an instinctive cat behavior, you will need a scratching post unless the cat is declawed or wears nail caps. Many variants exist, so you might have to try out several types before finding one that your cat likes. The post will need to be sturdy because if the cat knocks it over, he may be too afraid to use it again. Make certain to place the post in an accessible spot so that it will be used.

Cat Bed
Unless you enjoy sleeping with felines or don’t mind them on your furniture, you will require a cat bed. Felines love warmth and softness, so find a bed that will be comfy for your pet. Remember that cats like to curl up when they sleep, and do not purchase a bed that is too large.

Cat Toys
Since felines love to play, you will need to provide some toys or household objects that are reserved especially for your cat. Yarn, balls, and spools are a few examples of items that you may already have around your home that can provide hours of kitty fun. Many commercial cat toys are available. Cats seem to especially appreciate feathers or other items that dangle from a stick and toys that can be chased..

Cat Deterrents
Since your kitty will in all probability go places that you do not want, consider a cat deterrent. This could be as simple as a sprayer full of water that you spray the animal with when you see it climbing your curtain or putting a piece of foil on the couch. Commercial deterrents use sound, odor or other methods to discourage the cat.

Enzyme Cleaner
In case kitty has an accident outside of the litter box, you will need to have enzyme cleaner available to clean up the mess as soon as it occurs. Otherwise, your pet will smell the urine odor and continue to urinate in the area. You definitely do not want this to become a habit.

Before you bring your new feline home, be sure that you have all of these cat training supplies. Then, you can begin teaching your kitty acceptable behavior right away.