Archive for the ‘Cat Training’ Category

Meow! That is the sound you hear when you meet your cat walking down the doorway. It will move with his head and tail held high, looking directly at your eyes and emitting a faint sound summoning you to follow wherever it goes. That is your cat? Right? The fluffy little mass, whose behavior seems quite odd at times, and leaves you baffling with a variety of questions.

Have you ever thought that your cat is an aloof creature to you? Then it is because you do not understand it. Your cat is always trying to communicate to you through its gestures and body language, so to know your cat more, you need to know more about the cat’s body language. The sweeping of the tail or rubbing of the cheeks, pricking of the ears or purring under breath – each has a significance of its own. Your cat will often rub its cheeks against you or against the cheeks of another cat. Through this it actually tries to pick up or leave scent markers so that it can again create a future physical contact.

Importance of tail movement

The tail is the most important part of your cat’s body, to indicate a variety of actions and reactions. The tail often denotes its mood and intention. If your cat is sweeping its tail in broad gestures, then it symbolizes annoyance or impatience at your excessive petting. If you continue to cuddle the cat might result in growling softly or giving you a “bat” with its paws. A rapid sweeping of tail back and forth, right from the center shows an extreme agitation in your cat.

If you find your cat turning its body fully sideways and extending its bristled tail upwards, then be sure that your cat is heralding a conflict with the fellow cats. When your cat is busy trapping a prey, you will find it to be more cautious, involved in subtle movements and inflating its tummy while all the time intently aiming at the prey. Often you will find your cat lowering its tail to tuck it between her legs, which show her complete obedience. A raised tail also indicates that your cat wants to be friendly, and a twitching of the tail will confirm its anticipation to be with you after the whole day of outing.

Movement of other body parts

Along with the tail, the cat’s body gestures speak volumes about its mood and behavior. While bent legs denote defending of self, outstretched legs will denote self-confidence and self-assurance. If the cat’s ears are back and the body low, it will impart its shame or remorse; pricked ears will denote interest in the happenings around it. If you find your cat with the head completely lowered then it will show boredom and sneaking subtly with its head lowered on the ground should make you aware of full-fledged assault on the victim ahead.

Knowledge about these kitty-cat behaviors will definitely strengthen the bond between you and your cat.

Do you have a pet dog or cat in your house?

We treat them as part of the household; we are obliged to give proper care and attention for them to make them look good and healthy, just like what we are doing to other family members.

There are different pet parlors where you can bring your pet dogs and cats to have them groomed properly. Pet parlor owners also give some basic home pet grooming tips and advices for pet owners to follow so that they can personally attend to their pets’ grooming needs.

Have your Dog the Best Look

Pet dogs are one of the most adventurous pet animals. They tend to explore— different parts of the house, backyard, and even in the streets. Because of this, they acquire different smell (a stinky one, for instance), their furs are stained, and different parasites sticks to their body and make them itchy.

Proper hygiene practices that are similar to human beings are one of the basics in dog grooming. It is important that you give your dog the best bath. Below are the tips to help you bathe your dog successfully.

• Prepare the bathtub and the bath supplies that you will use in bathing your pet dog. Make the bathroom comfortably warm so that you can encourage your dog to have it bathe. Gather all the pet bath supplies such as dog shampoo, bucket, towel, and hair dryer that will be used before bringing them into the bathroom.

• After you have gathered these bath supplies, bring your dog to the bathroom. Pet them and make them comfortable while you are waiting for the water to reach a soothing temperature ideal for them.

• Bathe them in the tub by using a bucket to splash water on their body. You can also use a hose with a sprayer on the end.

• Use medicated dog shampoos against fleas and ticks. You can also have shampoos of sweet scent and good for your dog’s sensitive skin.

• Just a reminder: Never use dish soaps or your own shampoo because it will plague your dog with painful skin irritations. If you are not sure of what dog shampoos and soaps are fit for them, consult your veterinarian first.

• Once you have splashed their body with water, apply now their shampoo. Be sure that you will not let the shampoo reach their eyes. Massage their body carefully. Rinse it with water once again.

• Dry them using a towel first. Wipe their paws gently. Give extra attention to their ears, for any moisture cam lead to wax and bacteria build up that can lead to ear infections.

• Then use a hair dryer. Set the dryer to its medium setting and place it at least six inches from your dog’s fur so that it will not burn. Continue drying until their furs are dry, but not completely. Then brush through their hair as you dry it to give it style.

Hydrophobic Cat Grooming Tips

It is a well-known fact that cats are really afraid of water. It is a challenge for you to lure your pet cat to take a bathe. Here are some pointers that you can consider in bathing your pet:

• Make the water warm. Cats have high body temperature than ours, so it will make them comfortable if you will bathe them in warm water. Nevertheless, it must not be too hot for them.

• Have them bathe in a flat surface. You can also place it in a rubber mat so that they will not slip.

• Splash a little amount of water on their body. Use a hose with sprayer if necessary.

• Apply a little amount of cat shampoo in their furs. Be sure it will not get into their eyes or else it will irritate them. Use shampoos specifically intended for them.

• After rinsing, dry them by using a towel and then later on a hair dryer in medium setting. Be sure you will not dry their furs completely. Use a brush to style their furs.

So there you have the basic tips in grooming your pet dogs and cats. Make them the most-groomed pets you ever had.

Just like having a child, it can be incredibly fulfilling bringing a kitten into your family and watching it grow up. It takes only a year for your cute little kitten to mature into a cat.  It can seem hard to believe but it will happen fast.  Being prepared is the goal here. So what are the key milestones for a young cat?

The First Moments

Kittens are born blind and they are completely dependant on their mother.  The first stages will involve learning to eat and then growing.  The kitten’s eyes will open and he will want to explore.  At four weeks old, he is romping around shakily with his siblings.  At this time he can begin to learn to use the litter box and should start to become a social animal.  In the wild, the kitten’s mother will start to supplement his diet with dead mice and other small pretty.  But, you may want to give him some soft kitten food or some dry food that is softened a little with water.

Six Weeks

He’s now six weeks old and he is more than ready to explore the home.  If he’s indoors, he will move from room to room.  A feral kitten will follow his mother when she goes to hang out with the other cats.  These cats will still receive mice from their mother, but they aren’t dead anymore.  Instead, the kitten has to learn to hunt the animal.  Those who are eight weeks old will be completely weaned from their mother and are ready to go to a new home.

The Next Months

Through the next several months, the cats will grow really fast.  You’ll need to get them in to be vaccinated at this time so that they are healthy and strong.  They will begin to learn what they have to do to live with their families and learn which behaviors are okay.  You can teach your kitten his name as well as a few simple commands now.  If the cat has long hair, make sure to get him used to allowing you to groom him, although the cat’s coat doesn’t need to be brushed just yet.

Sometimes, cats will suddenly develop a bad attitude.  Believe it or not this is an adolescent stage for them.  This happens when the cat goes from being a kitten into being a mature cat.  Sounds just like children, right?  This will happen around the fifth to six month and may last until the cat reaches a year old.  They will still be playful but may get carried away to play too aggressively.  If your cat is not neutered at six months of age, he will be mature enough to reproduce now.  Neutering the cat will help this stage of his development go more smoothly.  At six months, the cat looks the way he will look as an adult even though he may still become larger.

Adulthood

Just like humans, adult cats will continue to go through stages.  But, these stages can be dealt with quite easily.  And, unlike that mid life crisis you may have, the cat isn’t likely to go out to purchase a sports car at this age!

If you take care of your kitten’s health as he grows into an adult cat you will have a fulfilling relationship that will bring both you and the cat great satisfaction.