There is a running misconception about dogs and cats as being mortal enemies to each other. This has become a very popular notion especially because nowadays you can watch on television cartoons where a cat is always being chased by a dog.

What people probably do not know is that dogs and cats share similar characteristic traits where both of them are considered among the predator group of animals. This means that they are preying animals or looking to catch an inferior animal for food. By nature a dog or a cat get very much excited once they sense strange or sudden movements around them. This is the reason why some cats are wont to leap at any moving object, for instance a moving curtain that is being blown by the wind. They get excited by flying objects and swift moving tiny animals like rats which have become their favorite target for food.

Dogs, on the other hand have the preying instinct to catch animals that are smaller in size than themselves, also termed as the prey drive. So then people should always watch out and be careful even if their pet dogs are considered tame because their prey drive is just dormant.

In the meantime, kittens get their training in catching prey when they play around with moving objects, even chase their very own tail. When they grow older, their animal instinct takes over.

Meanwhile dogs are motivated to start a chase when cats disturb the dog’s peace. It would be very wise for the owners to protect these animals from hurting each other by practically putting them away from one another like separate areas in the house.

Nevertheless if you plan to have both the pet dog and pet cat together inside the house and at the same time expect them to coexist peacefully then you better do some good dog training for your pet. There are many ways to train a dog and perhaps the first thing that it has to learn is to get acquainted with a future friend in the house which is the cat.

You shouldn’t forget though that the animal instinct in the dog or the cat may come to play when any of these pets detect each others presence. A fight will of course ensue and expectedly a chase between the two pets will surely follow. There will be chaos all over the house because of this and the peace that you long for is abruptly shattered.

Therefore you better start the training of your pet dog before any untoward disaster occurs in your house. The next step in training the pet dog is to make it familiarize itself with the presence of another predator inside the house. You should be able to show appreciation for the dog’s behavior as it get used to having the cat around. You may give the dog a pat or a treat whenever it is able to ignore the taunting of the cat.

A single cat should never be mingled or brought together in the company of two or more dogs. Remember that there is always the danger that any of the dogs might want to play catch a prey with the cat. Distancing the dog and cat from one another should be brought to mind particularly during feeding time. Their animal instinct is for survival so they really get harsh when their food is being eyed by another animal.

The leave it command should be obeyed by the dog at all times especially when its preying instinct is triggered. You should treat both animals equally with kindness and reward them with their good behavior.

On the part of the owner, patience is required because of the limited means of communication with the pets. Instruction is usually made through body language and done over and over until the dog learns. The prize is worth your while anyways because you will attain a peaceful and harmonious coexistence with your pet dog and cat.

Article by Sven Ullmann, who runs My Lovely Cat – Useful information about cats. Read more about Cats and Dogs living together.

Black-Footed Cat, Felis Nigripes, is one of the tiniest wild cat species in the world. Despite its small size, the cat is quite powerful and resilient, well known in local folklore for its bravery.

Fur is tawny to reddish in color and marked by dark spots that form stripes on limbs. The undersides of the feet are black, thus the name, and so is the tip of tail. Head is broad and ears rounded, the former often appearing large in contrast to the small body size. In aggressive and hunting profile, the ears are often flattened as the cat goes after its prey with practically no cover over the vast plains of its natural habitat.

Usually insects, small animals including rodents and birds are taken by this solitary and nocturnal feline. Opportunistic predators, they often attack birds and their young in the nest, consuming eggs. Larger prey species including adult Cape Hares and even the young of sheep are preyed upon by this courageous feline as it takes down bigger animals by hanging to their neck and biting through the victim’s jugular vein. Successful hunters, Black-footed cats usually employ the stalk and ambush method and often consume large feeds during a hunting session, up to one fifth of their own body weight. Like some big cats, they have a habit of caching and returning to their prey later on. The lack of water in their habitat means that the cats quench their thirst through the moisture obtained from their kills. At times grass is also eaten, possibly to regulate the digestive system.

Expert at climbing and digging, the Black-footed cats usually spend their day time residing in burrows and termite mounds, giving rise to their name ‘the Ant-hill Tiger’. At night the felines move over large distances, eliciting loud meows to communicate with each other – the sounds often compared to a tiger’s roar. As part of adaptation for survival on the unforgiving African plains the Black-footed Cat, also known as the ‘little spotted cat’, has a limited estrus cycle and gestation period – the female only receptive for a few hours over a day and a half period, and giving birth to a small litter of one to two kittens after a pregnancy lasting just over two months, meaning that the tiny cat is vulnerable for a very short period of time from predators like jackals and big night owls. Young grow quickly but gain independence at a longish age of nearly two years. Lifespan of over ten years is recorded in captivity.

Like its northern cousin the Sand Cat, the Black-footed Cat resides in dry areas and plains, only in the southern African nations of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, even though sightings have been reported in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Two subspecies are described over its geographical range:

Felis Nigripes Nigripes – northern South Africa and Namibia

Felis Nigripes Thomasi – southern South Africa and Botswana

Experts argue over the conservation status of the Black-footed Cat. It’s exact numbers in the wild are not certain.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Black-footed Cat

Cat lovers tend to be very passionate about their furry friends. Not only do we share our homes and our lives with our feline companions, we want to take care of those outside our families. There are many charitable organizations that rescue, rehabilitate and foster cats.

There are groups devoted to education about particular types and breeds, and others, which concentrate on feral or wild cat populations. Some organizations are more political in nature, working toward policy change, which would benefit all animals. If you have either time or money to donate, there is an organization out there that will fit your interest.

Probably the largest and best known pet charities in the US are the Humane Society, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These are large organizations with many diverse programs and educational branches. Both groups are committed to providing resources to pet owners and the general public to help us keep animals safe in an increasingly dangerous world. Donations are gladly accepted.

Membership in each group begins at $25 per year. Donors are automatically sent news and information. In addition to free gifts to members, both the ASPCA and the HSUS have online gift stores open to anyone. They provide lots of pet-themed gifts and treats.

If you are looking for a local charity, there is no shortage of these. Almost every city in America has some sort of local animal shelter, in some cases there are several. A quick computer search will show you more cat helping organizations than you can imagine! There are rescue groups of all kinds: some concentrate on specific breeds of cat, others work with feral cats, and many are devoted to finding homes for all cats. There are many “no kill” shelters, which are committed to caring for animals throughout their lives.

If you were interested in making a donation, any one of these groups would be glad to have you as a member! Before you send a check, you may want to visit the facility, to make sure that the organization is doing the kind of work you believe in. Get to know the staff. A donation of food, blankets, medicine or other animal related goods might be needed. If you have any extra cat supplies, call your local shelter or other favorite cat charity to see what their current needs is.

Most cat charities need volunteers just as much as financial donations. Maybe you are in a position to foster a cat while an appropriate home is found for her. Volunteers are needed for outreach, office assistance, grooming and exercising cats, and just giving them love and affection. Whether you want to work directly with the animals or use your talents to further the organizations goals, there are many different opportunities to help cats through these charities. Look for one that supports your favorite breed, or that is devoted to education on spaying and neutering. Cats can’t speak for themselves; they need the humans who love them to help out!

Catpert is the most complete website about cats and kittens.

Ear infections and other ear related issues are the leading cause of irritation for your dogs and cats. In fact, vets often see dogs and cats with ear problems that their owners didn’t know about. When you have a dog or cat, it is imperative that you check their ears on a weekly if not daily basis. Dogs tend to be more prone to ear problems because we let them outside more often, whereas cats are often indoor pets. A vet will hardly see a day without any ear related issues for dogs and cats. Most pets have itchy, reddened, bloody or crusty ears. In some cases, the ears can be infected to the point of swelling. Since these problems are frequent, it is important that all owners learn how to spot trouble and what causes that trouble.

If you are up on pet hygiene you may be able to see these little parasites before they decide to take up residence in the inner ear. Parasites, especially bacteria are very small. It is best to use a magnifying glass, and you may still miss them. Another leading cause of bacteria in the ear is water.

In rare cases, a blood vessel on the ear can burst to allow a large amount of blood to congeal in the ear. Surgery usually takes care of this outer issue, but this doesn’t resolve the inner ear. The inner ear can be affected with several things. Water in the ear can be a main cause. The bacteria that live around water can get into the ear. Typically, a dog is more prone to water issues because they tend to swim, but if you bath your cat, the water could cause damage if it gets in the canal. The water has to get out somehow, usually through evaporation. However, if the environment doesn’t allow for evaporation, the bacteria or other organisms can cause an infection in the inner ear. This happens when the water remains in the ear longer than it should. One of the reasons it can be detrimental is the growing of more bacteria. Bacteria replicates extremely fast.

So how do you treat an ear infection? Well, first you need to know that there is one. Then you can treat the ear infection with topical ointments that will kill bacteria. There are also sprays available if that works better for you. When the ear tissue is swollen then you need a little more help than just ointment. Antibiotics administered orally will help to gain control of a deeper infection. Most dogs and cats are going to be on this medication for ten days. In some cases, the topical ointment or spray can cause further damage. It is important that when you use these medications you clean out the ear canal by flushing. Flushing means that you place water at pressure to flush the puss and bacteria out of the ear. Flushing should be done by the vet. Most dogs and cats will not sit still long enough and get rather irritated with the procedures, so sedation works better.

The last method of helping your pet is surgery. If the other options have not worked or your pet has seen a great deal of infections in their lives there could be an underlying cause that you don’t realize. Some dog or cat ears can grow with a defect or just have a small inner ear. This can cause a build up of debris like bacteria. The scar tissue which can result from multiple ear infections can also trap the bacteria to the point of causing severe pain for your pet. When this happens surgery to remove the scar tissue or to correct the imperfection in the ear canal is suggested. Your vet should explain the entire procedure to you and the benefits you pet can gain. With most dogs or cats after the surgery and healing process you can see a significant change. First you dog or cat will no longer be in pain. They will be happier after the surgery. They may also have an improvement regarding their hearing. They may answer you more often or come when you call at a softer voice.

Dogs and cats tend to heal rather quickly from surgery and you can usually notice an improvement within a few weeks with their hearing as well as behavior. Most animals that have pain will have an altered temperament. This can be a sign that something is wrong. Even though the dog or cat may have surgery there is still a potential for other infections. It is up to you are the owner to make sure you are providing the best health care and proper visits to the vet’s office. Proper care can include frequent washing of the ear surface especially after a day outdoors.

Any cat owner will tell you, cats are wonderful pets to have around. However, that same owner can also tell you that one of the downsides is needing to deal with their pet’s toilet business.

But that should not be a drawn out problem if you take the time and proper care in training your cat to use the litter box.

Before any training should commence, make sure you have the right litter box. Choose one that is made of durable plastic for easy washing. It should also be deep enough to contain just a little less than 2 inches of litter.

Do not think that by putting more litter in the box will mean fewer times you would have to change it. Your cat will very likely refuse a soiled box even if there’s a lot of litter in it.

Cat litter comes in different varieties of grades and scents. However, the benefits of scented litter only applies to the pet owners. In fact, cats dislike scented litter because it seems unnatural to them. They will very likely reject eliminating in the box and go somewhere else.

The kind of litter grade your pet will prefer varies with each one, but it is observed that cats are particularly fond of smaller grades. Perhaps this is because smaller grains make the litter softer.

Next, place litter boxes in areas where your cat usually soils. You are building on the cat’s association of places and activities. Eventually, you may move the litter box around when your pet has gotten used to eliminating in the box.

Now that you have a good litter box set up, it’s time to teach your pet to use it.

Cats usually do their business after a meal or a nap. So take note of these times. Before feeding take 10-15 minutes to play with your pet.

Allow about 15 minutes for the meal and clear up leftovers after that period. When the meal is finished, play with your cat for another 10-15 minutes, this time somewhere near the litter box. 

Lead your cat to the box. Move the litter around with your hand to intrigue the cat with the texture of the litter, inviting it to step into it.

Encourage your pet once it steps inside, speaking to it in gentle tones. Make the cat feel that the box is a nice and comfortable place. Whether your cat soils in the box or not, be consistent with that tone. Eventually, your pet will like the litter box and do its business there.

Finally, be consistent and patient. Results may not come right away, but the training will pay off in time.

Find tips about panda facts and turtle facts at the Animals Facts website.

To many, the British Shorthair is a the epitome of a lazy feline, one who loves to relax. This misrepresentation owes itself to the plump body of the British Shorthair. In actual fact, the British Shorthair is actually a cat that was common in farms and is acknowledged for its skill in trapping and hunting mice and other small rodents.

History – Created in the nineteenth century, the British Shorthair became a very popular cat to own, that is until the mid twentieth century, when other unique breeds began to emerge. Not wanting this beautiful, historical cat to become extinct, a couple of dedicated cat lover’s worked perilously to ensure its survival. It wasn’t until the late twentieth century, that these wonderful cats were introduced in the United States, where cat fanciers became enthralled with their unusual personality and size.

Appearance – There are a variety of colors and one shade was so popular; it quickly became the only color recognized by cat associations for many years. British Blue was the name of the color of choice, but after World War II, this distinct color of British Shorthairs almost became nonexistent.

In order to preserve this gorgeous shade of blue, dedicated cat lover’s bred the remaining blue shorthairs with Blue Persians. This created an increase in the gene pool and literally saved the specific shade from utter elimination. Additional colors from which to choose include orange eyed or blue eyed white, red or silver tabby, tortoiseshell, smoke, bi-colors, and point.

Unique features of British Shorthair are a circular shaped head with broad cheeks and a tail that appears short and thick. The British Shorthair, also known for its stockiness, is a large specimen of cat weighing in at a substantial nine to eighteen pounds.

British Shorthair cat behavior and Characteristics – Referred to as the “four feet on the ground” cat, the British Shorthair is not one for constant offerings of affection. This breed behavior is highly content to go about its day doing its own thing. The British Shorthair is not suitable for those who desire friendly felines as this breed is not as socially inclined. This breed is truly happy when the food bowl is filled and his activities are his to control. No play time or cuddle time is required to keep this self-contained cat happy.

Since this breed does not demand much of an owner’s time, it is the perfect addition to the family of someone who doesn’t have a lot of time to spend at home.

British Shorthair cat health Problems – With the British Shorthair having so many ancestors contributing to the gene pool, this large breed is very healthy overall, with only one flaw that requires consideration.

The average blood type of a domestic cat is Type A Blood; but, the British Shorthair might have a rare blood type, Type B blood. It is an issue of concern should an operation be needed one day. You should have your local vet check you British Shorthair’s blood type to ascertain if it is a rare blood type, to decrease the chances of confusion late on.

It is easy to care for and groom your British Shorthair. With the texture of their coat being rough and thick, a once a week combing should be sufficient to remove loose hairs and particles of dirt.

If your short on time, but still want a cat, the unassuming, self contained personality of a British Shorthair is definitely worth looking in to. It’s sure to be a perfect fit.

Moses Wright is the webmaster of petquery.com. He provides more info on feline cat care tips and list of cat breed facts on his web site.

Litter Kwitter is the original world famous cat toilet training system. You can teach your cat to use the toilet in 3-easy steps. No more messing around with cat litter, a litter maid, scoop free litter boxes or other automatic cleaning litter boxes – say goodbye to the mess, germs, smell & hassle of the litter tray… forever!

Litter Kwitter starts next to the toilet with a seat device and a red plastic disk full of litter so your cat knows what it is & where to go to use it. Then you put it on the porcelain rim of the toilet, so your cat learns to hop up. Once your cat gets the idea that the toilet is where the action is, you can move to the amber disk. It has a hole in the middle and room for some litter around the edges so that your cat can use it but also starts to learn how to perch on the edge of the seat itself. It doesn’t usually take too long to get the hang of this so then it’s time to use the green disk. It has a bigger hole so that your cat can balance on the seat and, know that everything will end up in the toilet.

Most cats figure it out in about 8 weeks or so, as long as you are patient and understanding. If your cat is older (above 8 years) or not litter trained, it will probably take a bit longer. They have more bad habits to un-learn.

The Litter kwitter is made from the same material as a Firefighter’s Hard Hat – it’s about as hard and stiff as plastic can get. It won’t bend, flex, crack, split or move no matter how large your cat is. It’s so strong that it can cope with a cat weighing up to whopping 30kg (65 lb).

Cats look different but their bodies work the same way as humans in the ‘Yum to Yuk’ process: they eat (Yum!), they get energy from digesting the food (to be able to claw the furniture & chase the balls of paper), and they deposit the waste (Yuk!). Toilets are designed to deal with the waste better than any other device in the house (and definitely better than plastic trays on the floor in the laundry room).

Still not convinced? Think about this: cats use the litter tray, bury the waste (by treading in it) then tread around your home on bench tops, beds, laps and rugs. Yuk! A toilet trained cat treads on a clean toilet seat (it is clean, I hope!), deposits their waste in the water, then treads around your home with clean paws: no more mess, no more germs, no more smells, no more hassle. Enough said.

Drew Keenan
Cleverlad Pets
http://www.cleverlad.org

As you have already decided, or are thinking seriously about, providing your cat with homemade cat food, I want to congratulate you!

This is the first huge step anyone can make in re-establishing the health of their cat.

But you do need to be aware of the pitfalls. You do need to ensure that you are providing Fido with all the essential nutrients for a healthy body. That’s not all. You need to ensure Fido’s mind is equally healthy.

Like it or not, your cat evolved by killing and eating small animals, up to about their own size. When making your own homemade cat food, you need to keep this firmly in mind.

By preventing them from killing their own dinner, you are removing something very important in Fido’s life, so you have to try to compensate for this, as much as you can.

Unless Fido is a working cat, keeping mice or rat numbers down, I’m sure you don’t really like to see him hunt.

How do you provide him with such a good and adequate diet that he really just can’t bothered to hunt?

First of all, you look to nature for the answers.

Since a wild cat tends only to eat what he has just killed, this immediately tells us four things:

he likes his food fresh
he likes his food raw
he likes his food warm
he likes bones with his meal

That’s a bit of a contradiction, isn’t it? Raw, but warm?

Surely you need to cook the food to kill off any worms or bacteria?

What about bones? Won’t they splinter and get caught up in his gut which will require expensive and distressing veterinary surgery to remove?

You know, there’s a lot of misleading information about the best food for cats, ‘out there’. Most of it comes from pet food manufacturers or those who sell or promote it, so have a vested interest in it.

In my opinion, you can’t improve on nature. So when making your own homemade cat food, try to stick as close to a natural diet as you can.

You can’t duplicate it, but you can come close.

While kittens will have no trouble adapting to eating a healthy homemade cat food, adults who have got used to the appetite stimulants in most processed food, can have a hard time adapting.

You will probably get a lot of accusing looks, turning his head away in disgust, walking away, turning his back on you, pawing the food as if to bury it, the works, during the transition period and you will feel a really nasty, uncaring cat person – rest assured Fido will make you feel that way! However, you do need to persevere for his sake.

He will come round. You just need to stick at it longer than he does… Trust me, he won’t starve himself!

Homemade cat food, is without a doubt, the healthiest food you can feed your cat, as long as you follow nature’s laws. You can restore good health in an ailing cat, you can keep your cat healthier, longer.

You have made the first giant step forward in considering a homemade cat food. The next step is in working out what the best one is.

I wish you every success!

Madeleine Innocent is a practicing homeopath, a specialised modality of natural health care. She treats both people and animals in her busy West Australian practice. Madeleine loves to spread the good work of homeopathy and other areas of natural health care and writes extensively on the subject.

For a complimentary ebook on how to have a healthy cat, starting today, visit http://www.naturallyhealthycats.com or http://www.bestcathealth.blogspot.com

Cats are trained and encouraged by treats or rewards. A clear illustration of such behavior is when cats come running when it hears the food bag rustle or the can opener’s sound. Cats often relate the sounds to food rewards.

Keep in mind that your cat must be closely examined on a regular basis by the veterinarian, to ensure that there are no unknown problems in your cat’s health that could be aggravated or intensified during training activities.  To further encourage your cat to maintain a good behavior, the most effective way is to offer immediate treats, a full tasty meal, or a favorite toy as rewards.

When saying “good” and offering a treat all together, your cat will later relate the word with its positive act, even if later, food is not available and upcoming. In place of food rewards, you can give your cat an enjoyable playtime or a rub behind its ears.

With the use of positive emphasis and reinforcement, your cat will be willing to learn good behaviors and basic instructions or commands.

Here are training guidelines:

1. It is best to begin training with kittens. They will be more open and responsive to training. Bad behaviors have not yet been formed and not given a chance to develop.

2. Use positive emphasis and reinforcement at all times. A gentle hug, caress, or a whisper has a longer lasting effect than harsh or bitter words.

3. Limit the training time. Make it brief but frequent. Cats normally have short attention and interest spans; so it is much more effective to have four to six sessions of five minutes each, during the course of the day than an hour or two of continuous training. 

4. Confine the training to indoors. This is essential so that your cat will not be distracted by other neighboring pets or be attracted to climbing trees instead. 

Discipline should be instilled for a well behaved cat, but tough punishment must be avoided. In training your cat so to avoid negative acts, you need to approach it positively. Cats generally will not respond to certain punishments like hitting or yelling. They usually correlate the undesirable act with you rather than with their bad behavior. The outcome will be that your pet either stops loving you or will be afraid of you; not the result that will lead to a loving and warm relationship with your wonderful pet cat!

Learn about horse facts and penguin facts at the Animals Facts site.

Home remedies for urinary tract problems in cats do work very well, however, the best time to use them is before a major infection breaks out.  An infection involving bacteria in the bladder or urethra usually is very painful for your cat, as are bladder stones which if not treated immediately can result in very serious complications or death.

If your cat has had a urinary problem before, the likelihood of it happening again is very common. If this is the case, home remedies for urinary tract problems in cats can help prevent another occurrence.  Natural remedies can improve the immune system so an infection can not take hold.  Certain remedies actually improve urine flow to flush out crystals before they become stones and bacteria that causes infections.

Home remedies for people are somewhat the same home remedies for urinary tract problems in cats.  Cranberry juice is often used by women who are prone to UTI’s and the same for cats; they will not want to drink the juice, but you can give them powdered capsules emptied into their food. Cranberry works by creating a pH balance that is more acidic so bacteria are less likely to develop. 

Ester C which is gentler than vitamin C can also be mixed in with the cat food.  Ester C will help with the immune system, and usually does not cause diarrhea.  For a 10 pound cat try 250mg morning and evening and if they develop diarrhea cut back to half the dose.  For a much larger cat over 15 pounds you could probably double the dose, but again keep an eye for loose stools.  If they get diarrhea skip a dose and also cut the dose back by half.

If you cat is on antibiotics, home remedies for urinary tract problems in cats wouldn’t be complete without yogurt to restore the friendly flora that is destroyed by antibiotics.  My cats love plain yogurt, but if your cats do not, then you can mix powdered or liquid probiotics, usually available at health food stores.  It would not hurt to give them some probiotics on a regular basis to help them fight infections and keep their intestines healthy.

Just as important is the diet the cats are being fed, which has been linked to the development of infections and stones.  A raw diet is best, but if you are not able to do this then make sure they have high quality canned food instead of dry.  It provides much needed moisture to flush out the bladder.  You can also add moisture to dry food which broth or water if needed.  Always make sure they have plenty of fresh water and are allowed to urinate when they need to.

There are also homeopathic products on the market which are specifically designed for <a href=”http://www.pet-natural-cures.com”>cat and dog urinary tract problems</a> which can help your pet stay infection free.  These products usually include arctostaphylos uva ursi that maintains normal pH levels, berberis vulgaris which has a healing effect on the bladder and urinary tract and supports the immune system.

Rebecca Shelly has been studying alternative cat health applications for a many years. She is a regular contributor to natural pet health sites, discussing some of the most promising natural treatments for pet health on the market today. For more information on urinary tract health cat food visit Pet Natural Cures to learn more about UTI medications and why we choose this natural remedy above all others.