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.

Cats have been loved by people all over the world. They’ve been around for ages and were even found sacred by some religions and cultures. Now ages later there’s thousands getting put down each week and many dieing from leukemia. A cat’s nutrition is important in preventing diseases even Leukemia and Feline Aids. Leukemia has become a common disease in outdoor cats. There are vaccines available to prevent them from catching it but it only prevents 95% so there is still a 5% chance of contracting the disease. Domestic cats have a much lower chance of catching the disease as long as they’re not exposed to other cats that haven’t been tested for the virus. There are many symptoms of the disease so it’s hard to diagnose without a test. Most vets offer the test in their clinic. Make sure you get your cat tested and keep them healthy. Besides cats catching the disease from each other the second way is through very bad nutrition. Most cats are fed a dry diet. Owners don’t know better and just grab the cheapest food they get their hands on from a local supermarket. Before we even own a cat as a pet we have to understand what their needs are when it comes to their diet and nutrition. Cats naturally are carnivorous animals. They have short intestines and a small stomach so their diet needs to be concentrated, highly digestible, low in residue and high in protein. Adult dog’s protein intake will decrease to a third of a puppy’s required protein consumption. A kitten needs 1 ½ the intake of an adult. An adult cat needs a high protein diet. A cat can’t receive nutrients and vitamins from most plants so it is required for them to eat meat. They eat even the organs of the animal so they absorb the digested nutrients derived from the animals. Since they are partially or wholly digested the cat can process the vitamins in its own body. They do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates. They do need a lot of water though. All living cells revolve around water but the cat has evolved to get most of their water through their food. The difference in moisture from dry to wet food is about a 60% difference! Cats increase their water intake voluntarily but it’s not enough to keep them hydrated. The water intake in their diet is really important but if they have all the water in the world and their vitamins are lacking then it will do no good. They have to have a complete diet. Make sure your cat is receiving all of the vitamins and water it needs to function correctly. They will love you forever for it.

Cat Food Info #2 Cat Food with Taurine Also check the cat food
you typically buy for an amino acid called taurine. This
particular amino acid is very important in the overall health of
your cat, and your cat will eat as much food as it has to in
order to supplement this particular amino acid. So, if you are
buying cheap cat food that does not have the proper nutrients
your cat will eat a lot. If you buy a nutrient rich cat food
then your cat will eat little and save you more money while
still getting proper nutrition.

Cat Food Info #3 Canned Cat Food or Dry Cat Food? Many people do
not know whether they should buy canned or dry cat food, or
whether it even matters. Because of this, many people simply buy
the cat food that is most affordable or convenient for them.
This is actually a mistake. Cats should be fed a mixture of cat
food. The dry cat food should be given for free feeding,
especially if you are away on vacation or out for the day.
Canned cat food should be supplemented at other times as well
because it has water in the food and significantly more protein
than the carbohydrate rich dry cat food. Not to mention the same
food over and over might bore your cat and cause him to stop
eating that cat food altogether.

Cat Food Info #4 Avoid Cat Food Fillers Cats need to eat a cat
food that is rich in protein, so make sure the amount of fillers
is kept to a minimum. Carbohydrates are not essential for a
cat’s existence, so don’t buy cat food that is full of them.
Instead, read labels and buy cat food that is not filled with
fillers and other by products.

There area many common sense rules to follow when caring for
your cat. These rules are simple and will ensure your cat will
be healthy and happy.

1. When your cat arrives at home: Bringing your new cat home cat
be frightening for it. Be prepared by having a food and water
spot already set up. Also have a litter box setup in a quite
spot away from the food. Your new cat should be transported in a
cat carrier. When you bring the cat inside set the carrier down
and open the door. Let the cat come out and explore on its own.
Confining the cat to a quiet room for a day or two will make the
experience less overwhelming.

2. Going Outside: Before letting your cat outside for the first
time be sure it is comfortable with you and its indoor
surroundings. There are many dangers outside so let your cat
have an escape route in case it needs it. My cat uses a cat door
and it has save him a few times.

Judge the risk to letting your cat outdoors. If you live close
to lots of traffic having an outdoor cat may not be a good idea.

3. Litter Boxes: If you are using a cat box it should be cleaned
daily. Clumping cat litter makes this easy. Simply scoop out the
clumps and you’re done. Put the litter box in a place where the
cat will not be disturbed.

4. Food and water: Your cat should always have a supply of fresh
food and water. I prefer to use a heavy ceramic bowl to prevent
the cat from pushing it or tipping them over.

The water bowl should be changed daily and food should be added
to maintain a good supply.

My cat is now on a high quality dry food. I found feeding him
can food was a waste. He generally left some behind at each meal
regardless of the portion. At 15 I weaned him onto dry food only.

5. Scratching Posts: Any cat is going to have the urge to
scratch. The question is where is it going to do it? Best to
have a scratching post that is safe and secure. Play with your
cat on the post so it gets used to being allowed to scratch
there. Rubbing a bit of cat nip on the scratching post will
encourage your cat to scratch.

6. Cat Toys: There are so many different cat toys on the market
these days it is hard to choose a toy your cat will like. After
much trial and error I determined my cat likes the string
attached to the toy much better then the toy. Whenever I want to
play I get a string, or better yet, my gold necklace (his
favorite).

7. Sleeping Places: A cat always needs a quiet, out of the way
place to sleep the day away. A bed near a heater or furnace vent
is ideal. In the winter most of the vents in my house have a cat
bed near them.

If you have small children make sure they can’t disturb your cat
when it sleeps

8. Care for eyes and ears: When cats get a build up of discharge
around the eye simply clean it with a damp cloth. A small amount
of discharge is normal for a healthy cat but if there are
excessive amount then consult a vet.

Regularly check your cats ears for dirt or ear mites. Any dirt
can be removed with a damp Q-tip. If you spot small brown clumps
of discharge you should consult your vet. This is a sign of ear
mites.

9. Care for the claws: If you have an outside cat, claw care is
less important. Climbing trees, and other outdoor stuff helps to
keep claws well maintained.

An inside cat has far less need for its claws. There is really
no environment where your cat needs to use its claws. You should
trim your cats claws once or twice a year. Clip the very tip of
each claw. Taking any more then just the tip can hurt your cat.
It is recommended that you have a vet show you how to clip their
claws properly.

10. Care of the mouth and teeth: As cats age their teeth start
to get calcium build up which can cause gum inflammation. Check
your cats mouth every 6 or 8 weeks. Find and remove and calcium
build up before deposits get too large.

Caring for a cat is quite simple, common sense really. I believe
that good food, fresh water, lots of love and exercise is best
for a cat. By following these 10 simple guidelines your cat can
live a long and healthy life.

GROOMING: Long-haired cats should be groomed regularly for
optimum cat health. Use a pet brush and groom no less frequently
than once a week.

DIET: Cat health is strongly affected by what your cat eats.
Obesity is a major factor in heart disease particularly as your
cat gets older. Choose a pet food for your cat that is right for
it’s age but feed it regularly. Consistency is the key to a
well-fed cat.

OLDER CATS: Some diseases occur simply because your cat is
getting older. These can be labeled elderly cat health problems.
As cats age their kidneys and eyesight fail and they may need
special diets.

LITTER: The litter box can be dangerous to both cat health and
human health if it isn’t cleaned regularly. Change your pet’s
litter no less than once every four days and keep a small dish
of baking soda near the litter area.

SCRATCHING: Scratching is a major cat health concern because if
a cat scratches regularly it is often a sign of other problems.
If your cat is scratching a particular area often try a
delousing product and then take your pet to the vet.

DECLAWING: Declawing your cat can be a major factor in Cat
health. If you choose to declaw your pet it is important to
remember to keep them inside at all times.

BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS: Many cat health problems relate to difficult
or uncommon behavior. Listlessness can be a symptom of
depression. Strange aggression is sometimes caused by hormone
imbalances.

STRESS: Your cat can easily get stressed out. Stressful
situations like moving, travelling, natural disasters or even
changes in the family can affect cat health. To minimize the
effects of stress on your pet, buy a tranquilizer for distance
travelling and have a place in your home where your cat can
escape if there are busy changes in the house.

POISON: Make sure dangerous poisons like antifreeze cannot be
reached by your pet. Some plants are fatal to cats so make sure
to raise your plants and lock your toxins.

PARASITES: Parasites such as ringworms, heart worms and rabies
can greatly affect cat health. Blood in a cat’s stool or
uncommon appetite are common signs of parasites.

MOUTH: Cats often have mouth diseases and this can influence cat
health. Cats are just as prone to gingivitis as humans. For
problems like rodents ulcer or bad breath, brush your cat’s
teeth with a small child’s toothbrush.

INDOORS/OUTDOORS: One of the greatest factors in determining cat
health is whether your pet goes outdoors. Cars, children, other
animals and toxins are all dangerous and should be avoided by
keeping your cat indoors.

Taking care of your cat is critical to your cats health.
Hopefully this article has provided you with information that
will make your pet’s life much safer, healthier, happier and
longer