Cat And Kitten BootCamp

2 Common Misconceptions About Cats

Even though cats are probably one of the most popular pets in the typical household, there are many people that still hold misconceptions about these wonderful animals. There is no doubt that some people who dislike cats (based on false information) would probably enjoy having them as pets if they would just open up their minds.

Most of these misconceptions that people have about cats stem from constantly comparing them to dogs and let's face it, that's probably not the best way to look at it. Not everybody loves the way dogs act yet may appreciate the independent character of the cat. It's the same as a cat lover who might not be attracted to an animal that constantly needs love and attention like a dog does.

 Let us dispel a few of these common misconceptions about cats. Below are two that you may be familiar with:

 Cats have no personality and are very cold towards people

It is no secret that cats are very independent animals and are not the most affectionate of pets. This is probably the most common reason why some people may assume that a cat would not make a great pet for them. Yes, cats certainly do choose their moments when it comes to affection and may not always be willing to be overly friendly, but they are in fact very loving animals.

 And when cats do try to nestle up to your leg or try to get a pat on the back, cat critics again claim that they are just in it for the food or a treat. But this is not true. Cats love and appreciate the warmth and affection from their owners, just not as much as dogs do. Cats love to hang out on your lap, lay around your table areas, or smuggle in most places next to you when they are ready to rest.

 Cats take care of themselves and do not need human contact

 This is another misconception that is not entirely true. Sure there may be more wild cats walking around the neighborhood than dogs, but that doesn't mean that a house cat that has been raised as your pet will want to escape from your home and wonder all into the streets.

 Of course it is true that cats are very easy to maintain and pretty much to take care of themselves. However, a healthy cat who has been raised with lots of love will always show affection and want to be in contact with its owners. But that is what many people appreciate about cats that they are extremely low maintenance compared to other pets.

Are You Risking Your Cat’s Life?

How do you protect your cat from getting hurt or even killed around the house? I realize that that question may seem odd in that your house in which you and your cats live in could be so dangerous that it may risk your pet’s life, but the fact of the matter is that hazards exist everywhere you look and it is your duty to prevent your pets from getting into danger.

Let’s take a simple piece of yarn or string for example. Cats absolutely love to play with this stuff, especially kittens. They look at these squirmy little strings as prey and enjoy pouncing on them, throwing them in the air, and stalking them. It may sound fun, and it is, however, sometimes your cat will choose to eat this stuff. This is where good clean fun can turn into a dangerous situation for your cat’s intestines. Yarn, strain, rope, Christmas tinsel, etc. can all be swallowed and then create serious problems that may lead to surgery.

For instance, I bought a “twirl a whirl” from a major department store once for my two new kittens. It was a small plastic stand with about six handles flared around from the center of the stand. Connected to these plastic handles were strings with some cat toys connected to the tips. It twirled around and bounced about when the kittens would swat it or tackle it. OK, one night I was heading to bed and saw the whirly toy was no where in sight. That was odd to me, yet i thought nothing of it. So I as I was about to head upstairs I wanted to take my kittens with me.. I was looking around the chair and saw the toy wrapped underneath. As I got a little closer I saw my kitten underneath with the string completely wrapped around his neck!

I freaked out and gave him a little nudge, no response. I grabbed him without a thought and broke the string free from his neck, he wobbled away from me, then started to meow at me. I was totally relieved to him moving about like nothing had happened. Just think if I didn’t go back for them to begin with and take that second look. He would have died.

Be sure to do your best and keep all string, yarn, and any other similar type supplies out of reach of your cat. If you have a sewing hobby or love to knit then be sure to keep your supplies locked away securely where your feline friends cannot get to it. Do not forget about package wrapping or even shoestrings in order to be on the safe side. Another hazard which is not stringy but just as dangerous are those small foam balls that come with boxes that are shipped to your house. You do not want your cat to choke, especially if you’re not at home to help.

Another hazard that you might not have considered are items that are thrown in the trash from packaging, as well strained related material from meat products like turkeys and chickens. Even though you have thrown away these items, the attractive smell from the trash can can lure even though most behaved of any cats into the danger zone. So as you can probably already guess what I’m going to tell you, it is common sense to simply keep your trash cans sealed and perhaps even locked to prevent the trash from spilling if your cat decides to pounce.

Cat And Kitten BootCamp

Training : Keep your house and apartment “baby” proof.

Why Do Cats Behave Badly?

Bringing a new cat into your home may not be as smooth of a process as you might have thought it would be. Some cats are very stressed out by the change of their environment and may display numerous behavioral problems. You need to figure out what’s causing these problems to occur and take the proper training action to eliminate it.

If your cat is unwilling to cooperate and does not seem to be able to respond to your training methods, you must figure out what it is that is truly pushing your cat to act this way. Below are some possibilities and common issues that many cats experience.

1. Stressful Situations: One of the first things that cats usually do when faced with a stressful condition is to react by changing and altering their behavior in a desperate attempt to cope with the situation. For example, many pet owners complain that their well-behaved cats will suddenly mark their territory inside the house after someone has visited or a new animal has been introduced into the home. This is obviously a way for the cat to calm himself and feel good knowing that no matter who or what has come through “his” territory, it is now marked and smells like his “turf”. To the cat, it ensures that he is safe and is still the master of his domain.

2. Being Bored: Cats are naturally adventurous and their entire life revolves around sleeping and getting into trouble. This is why so many cats enjoy and prefer to be outdoors. There is a limitless amount of opportunity to explore, seek prey, and investigate. When you leave your cat inside the house for a long period of time, he is bound to become extremely bored.

As you can imagine, the inside of the house is not quite as exciting as the great outdoors, especially once you’ve safe-proofed the area. What’s a cat to do? The next best thing for him is to explore your house and play and dig into whatever he can find, such as your couch, your shoes, or maybe your bookshelf. In order to solve this problem you need to have an abundant amount of cat toys, rolling balls, and any assortment of fun stuff that your cat can occupy his time with. He will then spend more time with his toys and less time scratching your expensive couch.

Why Do Cats Purr, Hiss, & Spit?

That “purring” sound that cats make can be traced back to when they were kittens. This sound is what kittens make when they need to communicate to their mother that they are content. You will notice that your cat purrs when being pet and rubbed in a caressing manner. Well as kittens, this was their way of letting mom know that everything is fine and that they are happy.

Another reason why cats make a purring sound is to alert their nest of kittens as they approach them. Why does a mother cat need to do this? Well it reassures the little kittens that it is their mom and not an enemy. Of course today’s domesticated cat and its litter does not need to worry about real danger from outside animals, but this behavior are in a cat’s genes that trace back to their ancestors.

Older cats will also make a purring sound if they want to play with other cats. It is their way of saying “Hey you, please come play with me”. And because purring is a non-aggressive approach, another cat will not confuse this as troublesome and threatening behavior. Adult cats may also purr when approaching a more dominant cat that they want to befriend or let it be known that they are submissive and will not start any trouble. It is more of a precautionary move on their part to soothe potential aggression.

Cats That Hiss

Another familiar sound that cats are known for is the way they hiss. Unlike purring, hissing tends to be on side of aggression and relates to threats of danger or protection. Hissing is a form of cat expression that affects a cat’s sense of sight, touch, as well as hearing.

When a cat hisses, their mouths are open slightly – about halfway. Their upper lip gets drawn back and their faces get extremely wrinkled up. While doing this, their breath gets expelled so much that the air pressure can be felt a few feet away. When a cat is facing this hissing sound from another cat, you can see why it would give the immediate warning signs of danger.

Cats That Spit

We now come to cat spitting. When a cat spits it is sending a signal to be threatening or to give off a warning to potential danger. Spitting almost always is followed up by the cat actually stomping its paws on the ground. Although this behavior looks as though the cat is ready to fight, it is more of a bluff in hopes that the enemy will be intimidated enough to run away. And in most cases, the cat who reaches the point of spitting and paw stomping does indeed accomplish the goal of running off the enemy.

These are my favorite breed of cats. I love the mini persians as well and plan to adopt one here soon. The money is what is keeping me from getting one now! They range from one thousand to twenty five hundred. There are three sizes; The mini, toy and teacup. These rare breeds are one that never grow past a certain size and weight. So if you are so much into cats staying that perfect kitten size, then these are the kittens you want to own. Just know they cost a pretty penny.