Cats are kept as domestic pets and the species has been living with us for thousands of years. There are many breeds of cat, including ones without hair and tails. They are capable of hunting many different types of species and are highly intelligent. Because they are so intelligent, it is possible to train them to do the most unlikely of tasks, such as opening doors (although obviously not with a key of course).

How Do Cats Communicate?

They purr, miaow and hiss. They also use body language and use a combination of these things when communicating with ‘fellow felines’. They are still capable of living in the wild.

Defining Terms

A male cat is known as a tom. A female, believe it or not, is called a queen. The cute young variety are known as kittens. If the cat in question has registered ancestry, then it is referred to as a pedigree cat. Purebred cats constitute only one tenth of the total cat population.

How Long Do They Live?

If kept at home as domesticated pets, cats live a very long time. The average is fourteen to twenty years. The oldest cat in recorded history lived to the grand age of thirty six. Generally speaking, cats that don’t venture outside tend to live longer because they don’t get into fights or risk injury from accidents.

How Much Sleep Do They Need?

Cats sleep… a lot ! The older they get, the more sleep they need, but the average is between thirteen and fourteen hours a day. Some cats though, will sleep the majority of the day ( upto twenty hours ). If only the average working person could enjoy such sleeping luxury.

Reading A Cats Body Language

If a cat is angry it will twitch the end of its tail. A tail held high in the air means your cat is happy, whereas a tail pointing down will usually indicate it is not happy. If you encounter a surprised cat, or one that is in fear, the hair on its back may become raised, along with its tail.

When a cat is being friendly with another, it will tend to touch the others nose. If a cat is happy and sitting on your lap, it may paw you. They will often use this in combination with purring as a display of affection towards their owner.

Please visit our site resource dedicated specifically to cat pictures.

Article by Sarah Parker of catpictures-information.com catpictures-information.com ( Providing you with a wide variety of cat pictures )

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Tags: kitten

Pet cats hold a very special place in the hearts of their owners. Wouldn’t it be nice to give a pet cat the loveliest name one can think of? Wouldn’t it be great to give a pet cat a name that would reflect its personality as seen by the one who owns it or a name which would give recognition to the cat’s breed? There are actually a lot of names to choose from in books or in the internet. But generally, how can an owner choose a name which he will find fit for his cat?

Many cat owners name their pet cats with human names. Actually, a whopping fifty percent of pet names are those of persons. This primarily is because there are owners who are enamored with a certain name and actually desire to christen someone, or something for that matter, with that favorite name.

Another basis for names is personality or appearance. In this category, examples are Midnight (should the pet be a black cat), Fluffy (obviously, if the cat is fluffy or has long, soft and bouncy coat) and Whitey (of course, if the cat is white). Pet names based on appearances or personality make up an amazing twenty percent of all pet names. However, unlike human infants where the parents can opt to wait for a few weeks to see the baby’s personality before naming the child, cats must be named more quickly.

So how does an owner actually name his pet cat? Here are some tips which cat owners can give some thought.

First off, keep in mind that the name that the owner chooses for his pet cat will not only reflect the cat’s character but also how the owner views his relationship with his pet cat. As much as it says a lot about the cat, the name given by the owner will tell much about the owner himself. It can then be seen how the name can portray an image of the characteristics of the cat. Many cat names give either a positive or negative impression of the cat. So, it is important to choose a name which will best convey the proper image of the pet.

A cat’s name is for keeps. No matter which name the owner chooses, the cat’s name should be that for the rest of his life. It is absolutely not fair to change the cat’s name every two weeks just because the owner finds another name he thinks he might prefer. If the cat already recognizes the sound of its name it should not be changed.

Although the cat won’t mind any name its owner may wish to use, it is just not fair to give the cat an embarrassing name. While the cat would not mind being named “Ooga Booga”, it would be embarrassing for the owner to actually use this name. Imagine a person calling out “Ooga Booga” at least eight times a day every time he is looking for his cat. The cat’s owner should find his pet a name which he will be proud to use. Also please remember to pick a name which will be appropriate when your cat is full-grown. A large tabby cat with a silly name like Mimi or Kitten seems ridiculous.

A name with two syllables will do best. The response of animals is better to two-syllable names. A cat owner may decide to give his pet a long name as well as a nick name. However, the longer name inevitably would be shortened, and this would probably ruin the effect the cat owner originally sought.

The cat’s breed heritage may provide great ideas for names. For instance, if the cat owner owns a Siamese cat, why not name it Siam? If the cat is a Russian Blue, it would be nice to give it a Russian-sounding or Russian inspired name such as Sofia or Chekov.

Speaking of inspiration, there are a lot of things out there from which you can gain inspiration. As was said earlier, the name the owner gives his cat will speak just as much about himself. So why not pick a name for the cat which is derived from the owner’s likes, hobbies and favorites? If the owner were passionate about world history, maybe the names Isis, Genghis, Voltaire or Osiris would sound very classy. If the owner were an avid fan of the Greek mythology the names Zeus, Athena, Hercules or Jason would be sure to make a good first impression on other people.

On the more contemporary side, names of characters from favorite movies, cartoon series, TV programs or bands will do just as well. Huey, Louie and Duey would sound cute as well as Bonnie and Clyde. A more posh touch would be naming your cat after signature designers. Tommy, Donna, Karan, Calvin and Gianni would not sound so bad for cats–just as long as they are well groomed as their names imply. Naming cats is not the easiest task there is, honestly. But it can be a lot of fun if these considerations and suggestions are always kept in mind. Then no doubt, that perfect name will come easily. Wouldn’t it be great for an owner to call his pet cat a name which is close to his heart and a name he will be proud to call out no matter what time of the day?

Anita Hampton cat-health-tips.com cat-health-tips.com

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Tags: groom, kitten

How to get rid of flea on a cat without harming it

There are many ways to get rid of fleas on cats and dogs but doing it without harming your pet is a bit more of a challenge. This is probably most true with cats and especially kittens because they seem to be far more vulnerable to the poisons in home flea control remedies than your average dog is.

All flea sprays and other chemical cat flea killing solutions have one thing in common and that is that they are poisonous both to your pets and to you to some extent. If you are going to use any of these then please consult your vet first and try not to overdo the treatment.

The best way to get rid of fleas on cats

All the cat flea remedies that I know of have some drawbacks. They are either toxic to you or your pets or they don’t get rid of the fleas very well. In any event it’s likely that you’ll have to repeat the process regularly because fleas have a habit of coming back sooner or later. Here are some ways to get rid of fleas:

Cat flea collar

Simple but in my experience they’re not very effective. They’re not expensive and not too harmful to your pet but they do contain poison to kill the fleas. More about that in this article: thecatcollar.com/articles/does_your_pet_wear_a_cat_flea_collar.php Does Your Cat Wear A Cat Flea Collar?

Cat flea spray

You can get sprays for your pet and for the home. Make sure that you use the correct one on your cat because the house flea spray could be more deadly. Consult your vet first.

Cat flea shampoo

You could try and use one of the flea killing shampoos on your cat if you feel up to it. I tried it once on my cat but he turned into a monster. He hated it and I’ve got the scars to prove it.

Frontline

This is a product that you put on the back of your cats neck out of their reach. It’s absorbed into their body and should reduce flea numbers over a period of about 3 months. It prevents the fleas from reproducing.

Cat flea comb

This is the only way that I know of how to get rid of flea naturally. You need to use it on your pet every day to keep them from becoming a problem. When you find a flea you must kill it between two hard surfaces. You won’t get rid of fleas completely like this but it won’t harm your cat at all.

How to get rid of flea in your home and in your carpet

To eradicate fleas in your home you must get a suitable flea spray that is toxic to fleas. Again you should consult your vet before using it. You have to make sure that you spray everywhere and I mean everywhere because fleas can live in all sorts of places. It’s best to vacate the premises for several hours after treatment and you will probably need to do it again a few weeks later to kill any fleas that hatch since the last spraying.

More interesting articles on cats and flea control: thecatcollar.com/articles/index.php The Cat Collar Articles at thecatcollar.com thecatcollar.com

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Tags: kitten, monster

If you are thinking about breeding your cat, you should really take the decision seriously. There are so many cats that end up in rescue homes each day because people no longer want them. There are kittens as well as older cats in rescue homes, so it is important to remember that and be responsible about breeding. If you want to breed pedigree cats, that is a responsible decision, but if you are looking to just breed any two cats together, you may need to think again!

The Most Common Problems Which Could Occur

There are a variety of problems that can occur when breeding your cat. The ones mentioned here are just a few of the most common.

Not Enough Space In The Home

Many owners do not take into account that your cat will need somewhere private and spacious in order to give birth to her kittens. If you do not have enough space, your cat may wander off and have the kittens elsewhere. This would obviously be a problem as you will not know where they are. If you are planning to sell them, you need to make sure that they are healthy and well looked after once they have been born. So, creating a nice, quiet and spacious area for your female cat to give birth is essential.

Your Cat May Not Take to Motherhood

Some animals do not take to motherhood simply because they have given birth. This means that some cats will give birth to healthy kittens but they will not be interested in them and, therefore, they will not feed them or look after them. If you were not prepared for this, it could be disastrous for you and you wouldn’t know how to look after the kittens yourself, so they could all die. So, do as much research as you can and have a back up plan in case something does go wrong. Of course, it is also entirely possible that the mother will only reject one of her kittens, but either way, you will end up looking after it if that is the case.

You need to be aware of all problems that could occur. Abandonment after birth is one of the biggest concerns, but kittens can also be born deformed. Obviously, you may not be able to find a home for that kitten, so you will need to decide if you are willing to keep and raise the kitten yourself? You also need to think about the costs involved when breeding a cat. It will need to be checked regularly before the kittens are born and the kittens will need to be checked after they are born. You may need to give vaccinations and also pay for other costs so it certainly isn’t cheap!

If you keep everything in mind, it should be OK to breed your cat. You just need to know what you are letting yourself in for.

If you decide to breed your animal and want help selling the resulting kittens the best way to do so would be with a site to help you Petwebdesigner.com Sell Your Pets Check out Petwebdesigner.com Petwebdesigner.com for assistance getting a great site online to help you get top dollar!

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Tags: kitten

Pregnant cats have to eat for two, three, four, five, even six cats. So her regular meal is just not enough. What should you give instead?

Pregnant and lactating queens need more calories than normal. However, you won’t have to force her to eat. Cats are very intelligent animals. They know when they have to eat and how much.

Don’t get worried if your cat’s appetite decreases in the very early stages of pregnancy. Soon her appetite will increase, and this time dramatically.

The quality of the food is essential. Of course you should always give your cat a nutritionally balanced meal, but this time it’s even more important than usual. You are not feeding one cat anymore, but a few (soon-to-be) kittens as well!

It’s recommended to buy food from a pet store. Most experienced breeders agree that kitten food is the best for your pregnant cat – yes, even when the kittens are not there yet. Why? Because kitten food contains more calories and protein, and that’s just what your queen needs.

Gradually start mixing your cat’s regular food with this high-quality kitten food you found in your pet store. Add more kitten food every week. During the week of birth your queen should eat only kitten food.

Some breeders also serve raw meat and say that’s good for a pregnant cat as well. However, there is some controversy about this.

About 24 to 48 hours before delivery a pregnant queen will refuse food. Her appetite should return within one day after she gave birth.

Keep her on a kitten food diet until the kittens are weaned.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Journalist Marc de Jong is a long-time cat lover and owner of a popular web site on cats. More in-depth information about food for kittens and pregnant cats is found in his ebook How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat, available through

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Tags: kitten