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Cats have always been very fascinating creatures and they are no less so today. They have become one of the worlds most sought after pets over the years as they are perfectly suited to the lifestyles of everyone. Independent, beautiful and easily cared for, cats are the ideal pet for many people.

Lions and tigers, today’s wild cats, descended from miacids, which were early carnivores. The wild cat developed into 3 main types of cats. These are the European wild cat, the African Wild Cat, and the Asiatic Desert Cat. The African Wild Cat is believed to have evolved into the domestic cat due to the Tabby markings they possess.

The domestic cats of today still show many of their wild ancestors’ traits. Those intelligent, almost human appearing eyes, their body shape as well as their feeding and grooming habits all come from these ancestors. They also possess the ability to spring into action at a moment’s notice. These are some of the characteristics that seem to make the cat so fascinating.

Cats were first domesticated around 4,000 years ago. The first people to realize the value of keeping cats were the Ancient Egyptians. They used them to protect their stores of food from vermin and other pests. The cats were also quite revered by the Egyptians as hunters, as well as being worshipped as gods and goddesses. Cats living in Ancient Egypt were quite safe as anyone who dared to kill a cat was put to death. In addition, cats were mummified upon death before they were buried.

It wasn’t long before other ancient civilizations began to domesticate cats. Tame felines made their way to Italy and spread throughout Europe from there. Shorthaired domestic cats began in Egypt and longhaired cats had their origins in Turkey and Iran. Domestic cats also began spreading over the world from India and into China and Japan. Eventually, the Pilgrims brought domestic cats to the New World with them. Aside from a brief period of time during the Middle Ages, when some people believed cats to be in league with the devil, they had become the most popular house pets in the world.

Read this guide and your cat will thank you for recognizing cat worm symptoms before these parasites do her long term harm. There are several types of parasitic worms that can infest your cat like: lungworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and cat heartworm. There’s plenty of synthetic parasiticides on the market, but you can opt for a natural approach to treating cat worms.Read this guide and your cat will thank you for recognizing cat worm symptoms before these parasites do her long term harm. There are several types of parasitic worms that can infest your cat like: lungworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and cat heartworm. There’s plenty of synthetic parasiticides on the market, but you can opt for a natural approach to treating cat worms.Some cat worm symptoms can be pretty darn obvious, like when kitty vomits an enormous load of half digested breakfast along with something that looks like short spaghetti. Chances are you’re looking at roundworms.Other times, the problems caused by cat worms aren’t as obvious. Perhaps your cat is wheezing – you may think she has asthma or a cold. Every year veterinarians are presented with thousands of cats showing all the signs of a respiratory illness. In fact, a microscopic exam of your cat’s feces may indicate the presence of lungworms in her respiratory tract. The presence of lungworms will cause her to exhibit symptoms similar to asthma, but the proper remedy is much different than the treatment for asthma.If you just adopted a kitten or an adult cat, its a pretty sure bet she came pre-loaded with cat worms. If you haven’t made it to the vet for a final diagnosis, monitor her stools in the litter box. A black, tarry or even bloody stool is a sure sign of a hookworm infection. Take her in to your vet for a reliable diagnosis.Cats that have an advanced case of roundworms may exhibit cat worm symptoms including serious diarrhea, frequent vomiting or both. Blood may be present in the the diarrhea and vomit. The poor creature is trying to expel these bloodsuckers naturally. Unfortunately, the persistent diarrhea dehydrates her. When she vomits she ends up swallowing some of the regurgitated roundworms.All cat worms are parasites; they suck blood. Cats and kittens are candidates for anemia. The most tragic health threat is an impacted intestinal tract – your kitten’s intestines packed with a mass of roundworms. Young cats are particularly susceptible to an intestinal perforation when this mass moves about.Tapeworms aren’t as devastating to your cat’s health as some of the other parasites. You can recognize these cat worm symptoms too. Take a look at her anal area. She’s probably showing it to you 2 or 3 times a day during your petting sessions. Seize the moment. Do you see small, white, rice-like segments? Well, its not rice – its a segment of tapeworm.A cat infected by a cat heartworm may be gagging, coughing, have difficult breathing or vomiting. Or she may show no signs of cat worms – she may suddenly drop dead.So here’s your “I’m Not An Idiot Guide To Recognizing To Recognizing Cat Worm Symptoms”Your cat is exhibiting one or more of these symptoms…1.  Coughing, wheezing or problems breathing;2.  Vomiting a batch of white, short spaghetti-like     casings;3.  Gagging;4.  Frequent bouts of vomiting;5.  Diarrhea;6.  Black, tarry stools;7.  White, rice-like casings sticking around her anal areaIts likely your vet will suggest a topical or oral synthetic treatment for purging cat worms. However, many cat owners are opting for more natural treatments using herbal remedies like Artemisia absinthinium (also called Wormwood). This herb is widely used in homeopathic practices to treat cat parasites. Consider it as a viable option to rid your cat’s parasites and free her of debilitating cat worm symptoms.

Whether you bought your Persian cat as a show cat or simply as a house pet, the fact is that Persians need more grooming than the average cat and that responsibility falls upon you. If you don’t know where to start with learning how to groom your cat then this article is for you. We’ve put together some of the most pertinent information you need to know when it comes to grooming your cat. Persian cats are not particularly easy to maintain, although the trouble is worth it when one considers their beauty. There is a whole host of merchandise available when it comes to pet grooming these days and you are free to buy as much as you like. Generally though, the bear essentials needed for grooming and bathing your cat include a brush, blunt ended scissors, toothbrush, shampoo, sponge or wash cloth and a few towels.

Prior to the commencement of the grooming process it is imperative that you get yourself organized. This means knowing exactly what you are going to do and in what order. You also need to arrange the bathing space and have your tools handy. Not only will this help you to perform the grooming process in a much smoother process but your cat will appreciate this as well. Cats, like all animals pick up on the emotions we emit, so if you are organized you are more likely to be calm which in turn will help to keep your cat relaxed too. This is not so much an issue if you’ve bathed your cat dozens of times before, but when you are just starting out the grooming process can be quite scary for cats as they have no idea what is going on.  Owners of Persian kittens should try to get their pets in the bath by the time it reaches two months of age or shortly after. This ensures that as the cat grows it gets used to being bathed and will not put up resistance to the process. Routine is a key element to successful bathing of your Persian cat. This means both the regularity with which your groom your cat but also the sequence of activities that make up the grooming ritual should be the same. This helps the cat get used to a routine and come to know what to expect making them on the whole calmer. Generally most owners try to get their cats in the bath once a week, although if you own a Persian you should really commit to a daily brushing of the hair to keep it free from matting.

Giving your Persian cat a regular bath is the core activity of the day to day grooming process. Regularity is the key bathing as the more your cat gets used to it the less resistant he is likely to be to the whole process. Place your cat gently but firmly in a bath of lukewarm water. Too hot or too cold and you’re likely to cause resistance in your cat or even injure it.  The water needs to be well worked into the cat before you start to apply the shampoo. Initially this can be difficult as the cat does not have the patience to stay in the bath tub but with practice things should get easier.  Choosing a shampoo may involve some experimentation on your part to see what your cat likes but generally any cat shampoo or even a shampoo with a no tears formula designed for children works fine.  Work the shampoo in gently with your hands or a sponge but be careful not to vigorously scrub. Once this is done the only thing left to do is give the coat a good few rinses to get out any shampoo and gently pat your cat dry with a towel.

An ordinary hair dryer is sufficient to use when drying the hair of your Persian cat, although you should make sure that the setting is on low as otherwise you could cause unnecessary discomfort to your cat or even burning. Those willing ot spend the money will find that most pet stores sell dryers especially for cats which are generally lower in power. Once thoroughly dry you are ready to place your cat on the grooming area and begin cutting away excess hair. The face, ears and back side of the Persian tend to be the three places where the most excess hair appears and consequently where the bulk of your concentration needs to be focused. Be especially careful when doing the ears however as it is easy to accidentally cut into the ear leather of your cat if you aren’t careful. One way around this is to slightly wet the ears making the leather more easily distinguishable from the hair.

Trimming your Persian cat’s nails is an important part of the grooming process although it does not necessarily need to be done at the same time as the bath. The problem with nail trimming is that cats have a tendency to get inpatient and in particular do not like having their paws held. Even if you only get one or two nails done before your cat wants to be released that’s fine. You can do the rest the next day. In general it’s more important to clip the nails from the front as the rear nails are less prominent and the bulk of damage to household furniture due to cat scratching comes from the front nails. You can either place your cat on your lap or on a grooming table when cutting the nails. Gently hold the paw and apply a little pressure so as to bring the nails out. Once out simply clip away taking care not to cut too much off as you may accidentally cut into the paw leather causing injury.

Do you like to learn about new and interesting things? If so, this article will be right up your alley! A healthy animal makes for a happy pet. If you are a cat owner and you want to make your pet happy, you need to make sure that your cat is groomed properly, fed on time and is given enough love and attention.

Here are some tips on how you can have a healthy and happy cat:

1. Take care of your cat’s health.

As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat is healthy and free from diseases that may even be transmitted to humans.

Visit the veterinarian if you notice that your cat has become lethargic or less active than usual.

If you see them ’shedding’ excessively or has something unusual on their coat, immediately consult a professional.

Your cat might have a skin disease, or this could be a symptom of a sickness that you do not know about.

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 pet, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats. Prepare the following before bathing:

-a small tub or sink -slip-proof mat -water spray attachment -clean, dry towels -shampoo -comb

Adjust 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.

Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean these parts. 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. You can learn which variety of cat food they prefer by serving different brands and variants.

Along with 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.

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. When we learn, we continue on a path of growth. Therefore, learning about this subject has already helped you more than you know.

Many households have successfully adopted more than one cat. Other households have not been so lucky. What causes family cats to fight? Why do some multi-cat households live in peace while others are scenes of rivalry? What can be done to bring harmony back to your multi-cat household?
There are several possible causes for aggressive behavior between cats.TERRITORIAL AGGRESSION: Both male and female cats are very territorial; much more so than dogs. In this type of aggression, one cat will stalk, chase and ambush the “intruder.” This type of aggression may occur when a new cat is introduced into the household or when a kitten comes of age. It is not unusual for a cat to be aggressive towards one family cat, yet not towards another.REDIRECTED AGGRESSION: This type of aggression occurs against an animal (or person) who did not provoke the behavior. An example of this sort of behavior would be when an indoor cat, seeing an outdoor cat in the yard, will attack another cat sitting nearby his window as a substitute to attacking the cat outside. DEFENSIVE AGGRESSION: A cat who feels threatened or afraid may attack because he believes he cannot escape. In this type of aggressive behavior, the cat will crouch down, pulling his legs and tail underneath his body and laying his ears back. If you approach a cat in this posture, an attack is likely. Punishing a cat for this type of aggressive behavior will have the reverse effect. MALE-ON-MALE AGGRESSION: This type of aggression usually involves staring, howling and yowling, and much ritualized posturing. The attacker will leap forward, trying to bite his opponent’s neck. The opponent will fall to the ground, trying to bite and scratch the attacker’s belly. These cats may roll around, biting and screaming, and then suddenly stop to resume posturing. Cats exhibiting this type of aggression seldom injure each other in these bouts, buy you should always check for wounds that may become infected.

What can you do?

·   Don’t allow the fights to continue, hoping that the cats will “work things out” in time. The more often your cats fight, the worse the issue will become.
·   Spaying and neutering, a great idea any time, will reduce some types of aggression.
·   Separate the sparring cats, and keep them physically apart. Restart the introduction process slowly from the beginning. You should never expect the quarreling cats to become great friends, only to learn to tolerate each other without open combat.
·   Discuss the matter with your veterinarian who may have helpful advice (from a referral to an animal behavior consultant to temporary medication). Make sure the quarreling cats have thorough medical examinations; in addition to checking for wounds, the aggressive behavior could possibly be the result of some underlying medical issue.

Cats that were well socialized as young kittens — with positive experiences both around people and with other cats — are more likely to get along well in a multi-cat family. However, as you choose to invite more cats into your home, you will become far more likely to encounter conflicts. Reflect on your intentions and motivations before bringing more cats into your household.

Anytime you choose to get a new pet, you need to make sure that you have everything you will need to take care of that pet with. Cats need certain things so before you get your cat or kitten, you might want to make sure they have everything they need before they come to your home. Below is a list of the different materials you will need in order to make a home for your cat. The list will be followed in more detail as to what you need to consider with each item.• Food bowl• Cat food• Water bowl• Litter box• Litter box materials• Cat bed• Scratching post• Cat carrier• Cat Toys• Cat leash• Cat collar• Cat harness• Grooming toolsAlthough these seem like simple items, if you have never owned a cat there are certain things to consider before you go out and buy the most expensive of everything. You Cat Must Eat and DrinkThe food and water bowl does not have to cost you a fortune. You do not have to go out and buy one with your pets name on it unless you want to. Mainly they just need to be easy to clean and heavy so they won’t tip over easily. Because it is possible that your cat might be allergic to plastic, it might be a good precautionary note to opt for the stainless steel bowls. You also need to make sure that your cat has food and water in their bowls as well.Litter Box and the Materials That Go In Them to Clean Up MessesUnless you plan on teaching your cat how to use the toilet like in a popular movie, you will need to purchase a litter box and everything that goes in it. This involves the litter box, the scoop, and the litter. If you have a kitten it is important that the litter box is not so big that they cannot get into it, but on the other hand you need to get a litter box that is big enough for a full grown cat.What many cat owners may not know is that the litter boxes that have hoods or covers may actually trap foul smelling odors and make your can unwilling to further use the litter box, so it may be a good idea to avoid these altogether.Another helpful tip is to keep some sort of garbage container next to the litter box so that it will make it easier to scoop the box on a regular basis, just make sure that the container you choose will keep the odor inside the container and out of your room. The last item is of course to find litter that works best for you and your cat. There are many varieties that have odor control and clump better, what you choose is up to your own preferences.

Cats are curious and some love to chew on things, especially what they are not supposed to be chewing on. For this reason it is very important to cat proof your house. Part of cat proofing involves keeping electrical cords out of reach of your cat because they will invariably end up chewing on them. If it is not possible to have your cords shortened, there is another method that you can try to keep them from chewing on cords that have electrical current running through them.Try coating the cord with some different mixtures such as cayenne pepper, hot sauce, nail biting polish, or orange peel. You can also try organizing your electrical cords into tubes such as wrapping paper in on. This will keep them out of reach from your cat and help keep them safe from any electrical jolts.Climbing the Walls, Nope, Just the CurtainsCats love to climb and explore, if you have curtains in your home when you get a cat you are just asking for disaster. This would definitely be a good time to consider switching to blinds. If you don’t want to redecorate your house there are a few ways that you can make things a little safer for your cat. If you cat has a habit of climbing up the curtains, you might look into a rod that will fall when pressure is put on it, a few times of the curtains falling down might just scare your cat out of climbing them in the first place.Also, you want to make if you have a cord on your curtains that your cat cannot end up choking themselves on this. If the cord is in a loop, you will need to cut it so that your cat doesn’t get stuck and end up hanging themselves. Hopefully you can get your cat out of the habit of climbing your curtains before he ends up ruining them altogether.Jumping on Kitchen CountersIt is simply not safe for your curious little cat to be jumping up on counters and tables while in the kitchen. Not to mention that it is entirely unsanitary as well for them to go from doing their duty in their litter box and then walking around on the counters that you prepare your food on. In all, it is not a good idea for you or your cat. You really don’t want your cat to become accustomed to jumping up in the kitchen because eventually they are going to jump up onto a hot stove and seriously injure themselves.There are different ways you can go about training your cat that the kitchen is an off limits area for jumping and exploring. The first method is to simply pick them up whenever they jump onto a kitchen counter top or table and tell them No! In a firm voice, and then to put them back onto the floor. Another idea is to stack items that can not necessarily hurt your cat, but will make a loud noise near the edge of the counter so they will fall down and frighten your cat when the jump up.If neither of these ideas work, you can always resort to using the spray bottle of water, but try these first before you resort to more drastic means. Just remember that you are looking out for both the safety and health of your cat as well as yourself.

As any experienced cat lover knows, cats are wonderful, but they aren’t easy. Cats are independent and live life on their terms. They’ll give their human plenty affection and love, but in their own way and only in their own time. If you want attention and obedience when you ask for it, get a dog.Scratching is part of a cat’s nature, and no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to stop a cat from scratching. Some people try to prevent scratching damage by having a cat declawed, but declawing is never a solution. In many states declawing is illegal, and even where it isn’t, it is inhumane and causes the cat much pain.To stop your cat from scratching, it helps to understand why they do scratch. Cats do not just scratch to sharpen their nails. They scratch so that they mark their territory. They want to let other cats that might come along know that this area is “taken”.

They also scratch for exercise, as you’ll notice that they always stretch as they scratch. In addition, scratching helps the cats to remove older layers of their nails, so don’t panic if you find pieces of nails around the house. This is quite normal.When training a cat, the sooner you start, the better. Cat training is most effective with kittens, since older cats may have already formed bad habits. If you have an older cat who has not been trained, just start as soon as you can and hope for the best.If you want your cat to stop scratching your furniture and rugs you must give them something different to scratch. Pet stores carry a large selection of scratching post and mats. Choose a type according to whether your cat prefers to scratch up high, or out flat.

It is important while cat training that you show your cat the new scratching area. Sprinkle it with catnip and place your kitty in front of it. If he scratches, give him some praise or a tasty treat. Be patient, it takes time to train a cat.Training a cat goes beyond trying to get cats to use the fancy new scratching area that you’ve set up. At least equally important is getting the cat not to scratch where you don’t want him to. One successful technique has been to cover areas you don’t want scratched with aluminum foil or soda cans with pennies; the rattling of the foil or the falling cans will frighten your cat into not scratching there again.Above all, the most important rule of cat training is to always show your furry friend that you love him. Never make him fear you. And remember, you can never, ever, make a cat do something he doesn’t want to do.

Cats, being very independent-minded animals, require very different training motivations and methods than dogs, which usually want to please their owners. Training a cat can be frustrating for the new or inexperienced owner, but there are methods that work.Kitten training is much easier than training an adult cat. If you train a cat while it is young, the cat will remember the training throughout its adult life. There are many ways in which cats can be trained. Contact a professional or visit your local library for advice on training your cat.Cats enjoy being given toys and treats as rewards for their training. Treats, however, are quickly given and are gone within seconds, while toys can lead to distraction when the cat would rather play with the toy than train. Remember that the average cat’s brain is about the size of a peanut, and that cats do not tend to have long attention spans.Cat training should begin with simple tasks, getting your cat to raise its front paws for a treat is fairly simple, simply wait until the cat is sitting, then hold the treat close above their head. The cat will fairly naturally reach up for the treat.Repeat this action regularly on a daily basis. Soon your feline will put its paw in the air to meet yours as it approaches their cranium. Soon the same action will occur to receive a reward. This process can also be used to train your animal to sit.Hold a treat between your cat’s front paws while it is sitting down, and your cat will lay down to try to pick up the treat. Start by giving your cat the treat immediately, then wait a bit longer each time. Eventually, your cat will learn to lie down and stay down until you give it the treat.After the cat learns the behavior, introduce verbal commands associated with that behavior. Consistently verbalize the command after every time the cat performs the action. As this process is repeated over time, the cat learns to identify and associate the command with the desired behavior.Cat training can be rewarding for both your cat and you. Keep in mind that if your cat isn’t having fun, he probably isn’t learning anything, so stop when you and your cat get frustrated. Start again when both of you are ready, and you will make better progress.

If you have an indoor cat, it is important that it knows how to use a litter box, but it can be very convenient (and cool!) for the cat to use the toilet. This can make life with Kitty much more pleasant.Be ConsistentConsistency is very important. When you are using the litter box initially, make sure that kitty always uses it. Consistency is the key to train your cat, and toilet training success. Stick with it; keep showing your cat where he or she is supposed to go.

Place a kitten in a litter box right after eating and upon waking from naps and in the morning (Many kittens are diurnal and you can often keep them that way if you stick with it.That can make things much easier for you because the kitten will be sleeping when you are sleeping.). Be consistent in making the toilet accessible to the cat and while you are training, watch her and make sure that she places her feet on the seat and not in the bowl (until you remove it).Rewards Don’t Work – But Cleanliness DoesFace it; cats couldn’t care less if you reward them for good behavior. Where dogs love to be praised when they do something good, cats don’t care if you approve or not. Cleanliness, on the other hand, does influence your cat to use the litter box and later the toilet.Make It Seem Like Their IdeaWhen you are implementing toilet training with an older cat, this is even more important to remember. Any cat, especially older cats take to an idea faster, and more easily if they think it was their idea to begin with.

Let your feline friend, find their litter box all on their own. Then after they find the litter box and start to use it, move it. Don’t move it far, you must gradually take it to the toilet. This way your cat will use this new toilet idea right off the bat.If your cat is not accustomed to using the litter box, put the cat in a room by itself. Put the litter box in the room, along with food, water and a toy but make sure that there is very little in the room, including furniture and clothing or towels on the floor.Don’t Play Hide The Litter BoxCats are creatures of habit. If you put their litter box in one area, keep it there. If you are trying to toilet train the cat, place the litter box right next to the toilet.

Don’t switch it up and move it around. If you move your cat’s litter box, you will probably find that the cat will use the area where the litter box was. Don’t confuse poor Kitty.Leave the litter box where it is and don’t move it around a lot. Hide the litter box is not a fun game for Kitty, in fact, it is quite stressful.

Plus, you want to direct kitty to the toilet so the only time you should move it is when you are raising the litter box to be level with the toilet, then over the toilet, the remove it altogether.Move At The Cat’s PaceBe sure you are moving at your cats pace. If your cat stresses out they are more likely to have accidents. So if you notice your cat is having trouble or having accidents, go back a step until you are sure they understand. Then, you can move continue on with toilet training your cat.Cats like to be clean and they like having their own litter box, but they respond well to toilet training as well. With a little patience and a lot of love your kitty will be toilet trained in no time at all.