By understanding and responding the unique needs of your deaf cat, the two of you will develop a closer relationship and better communication skills. The sensitive pet owner can learn from watching how his or her pet reacts and adapts to its surroundings. It takes time, persistence, and patience for both owner and pet to know each other and learn to “speak” each other’s language.

Since there is no hearing to rely on, the remaining senses of the deaf cat are usually heightened. For example, a deaf pet may rely on vibration (touch), odors (smell), or lights (vision) for stimulation. My cat, Beau, a lovely and very rambunctious white Turkish Angora is profoundly deaf. He was a rescue from a shelter, and came to me at two years old, depressed and withdrawn due to his inability to connect to others. This beautiful cat sat under my coffee table for a month, forlorn and in his own little world, only coming out to eat, or use his cat box. In the following weeks, I watched his behavior and noticed that he responded when anyone walked on the hardwood floors around him. He could feel the vibrations in the floor and woke up whenever he felt movement.

To use the knowledge that he responded to vibration, I taught Beau to respond to my tapping on the floor, to come to dinner. He learned this quickly, along with quick, simple signs (wiggling my finger as to say “Come here”, for example). This was stimulating to him and his mood perked up with each new connection to his new family. He wanted to connect, and by giving him the ability to do this lifted his mood. In time, I used this combination of simple visual signs and floor tapping to teach him other basic commands ( such as “no”, “good kitty”, etc) as well.

Also, in observing him, I noticed that Beau sleeps very soundly but jumps through the roof if petted abruptly. Too much sudden touch stimulation is startling to him. So, to remedy this, I gently touch or tap whatever he is laying on, to let him know I am there and about to approach. This has cut down in the startle response tremendously.

Watching Beau in his everyday life, I also noticed that he enjoys fast moving lights and shadows. He will sit for hours, entertaining himself with any sudden movement on the walls. So, to give him a little play, using this knowledge, I bought a faceted, crystal ball sun catcher and hung it in the window. When sun hits it, rainbows fly everywhere. Being in Florida, there are always rainbows in my living room from this ball. Beau will spend the entire day chasing rainbows and will come sit next to me if there aren’t any. He looks toward the window, as if to ask if I’ll bring the rainbows back. This sun catcher is his only toy, as Beau doesn’t find normal cat toys the least bit entertaining. It is such an accomplishment for him to have something that truly makes him happy and excited.

Seeing how Beau reacts with happiness to touch, I have made a point to pet pet him frequently. If I walk by him, my hand reaches out to stroke him as I walk by. He melts like a furry, white blob of mush whenever touched, tail flapping happily. When he sees me get his brush out, he knows it is meant to use on him and sits expectantly, waiting for it. Something as small as a brush is a comfort to him, as if the brushing is like the grooming of his fur by his mother long ago.

Another way I use to connect to Beau is by holding him and talking into his fur so that he can feel the vibrations of my voice box. He purrs when I do this, delighted to know I am “talking” to him. When in college years ago, next door was a school for the deaf. I remember how hard of hearing or deaf people still liked to go to rock concerts. When I asked a friend of mine (who is partially deaf) why she liked concerts, she told me it was because she could feel the vibrations of the music. Her experience to music was different than that of mine, but still just as powerfully felt. So, I use this thought when it comes in talking into Beau’s fur as I hold him. He feels me talk and though it isn’t the same as word speaking, he finds the experience positive in his own way.

One puzzling behavior Beau regularly confounds me with is his midnight opera singing. This is my latest puzzle to figure out. Being deaf, he doesn’t realize that when he sings at the tops of his lungs, he wakes everyone up in the house. Sometimes he will sit in the big windows overlooking the lake, and sing loudly at the neighbors walking by. It is cute to see him try to communicate with others, but I am working to teach him ways to channel his singing talents without scaring anyone. By keeping him awake and stimulated all day, I found that Beau sleeps through the night, and that cuts down on the moonlight serenades. It’s all about adapting to eachother. We are still learning on this one.

Living with a deaf pet is a challenging yet very rewarding experience. Beau has added variety, love and much song to our lives. He is happy, loving and very good at letting me know what he needs now. We have developed a working system of communication, and as a result, he is by my side as I work in my home office, daily. He has taught me to be more sensitive and I have taught him to come out of hiding and enjoy life. With a little teamwork, we have both grown. I highly recommend adopting a deaf pet for anyone who is patient, caring and willing to put forth effort in understanding their new family member. Each pet is different, read about other deaf animals and learn. The result is a happy, well-adjusted cat who will give you endless love and devotion, and the peace of mind in knowing that you saved a pet from a life of total solitude. It is well worth the effort in the end.

People are confused as to where domestic cats came from. Researchers also argue on the place and time when cats became domesticated. Some of them also say that felines domesticated themselves. Take a look at the different theories regarding these.

The First Domesticated Cats

Some 40 centuries ago, Egyptians were believed to have domesticated cats. This belief is geographically sound since based on DNA evidence; domestic cats of today have the same ancestors as that of African wild cats. In 2004, though, when a Neolithic grave in Cyprus that is nine and a half thousand years old was excavated, the remains of a cat alongside a human hint that people took care of cats even before 4000 years.

On the other hand, some studies show that cat domestication could have started as early as 12,000 years ago during the boom of the agriculture industry in the Fertile Crescent ( crescent shaped fertile land surrounding Egypt and Syria) of the Middle East.

More agriculture is thought of bringing in more vermin that brings about more cats. This is a sensible theory considering the fact that even feral cats of today continue to group themselves to go and live in places with lots of food supply no matter if it is a restaurant with plentiful scraps or a farm where they could hunt vermin.

Greeks and Phoenician traders were believed to have brought domestic cats to Europe some 3000 years ago. Romans have a high regard for cats when it comes to controlling pests so Roman Legions take them along whenever they traveled to Gaul (modern day France) as well as Britain.

Cats Were Brought to Britain

When the Romans left Britain about 1600 years ago, most of their cats stayed behind. Around 1000 years ago when the Vikings invaded Britain, they took a number of domestic cats left behind by the Romans when they went back to Norway.

Witchcraft

Something unfortunate happened to cats some 700 years ago in Britain. During these middle ages, the news that cats were suddenly suspected to be involved in witchcraft has become widespread. That is why a cat massacre took place in Europe and hundreds of thousands of cats were slaughtered. Most people hypothesized that this cat slaughter has led to the increase of the rat population in Europe, which in turn caused the rise in the Bubonic plague spread from 1346 to 1353.

Cats Were Introduced to the New World

In the 16th century, cats not only regained their popularity but also took another huge leap. During the 17th and 18th centuries, new world explorers and traders left Britain and Spain to introduce domestic cats in the United States.

The Present Cat

Cats have become very popular and at present, there are about 8.5million pet cats in the UK. They are considered to be the most popular pet worldwide.

A lot of households have a dog but a lot of cat owners show their love by having multi cat households. At present, there are more than 100 domestic cat breeds and people continue to develop new breeds.

Cats Hate Feeling Lonely

Many people think that cats are solitary creatures but this is not the case. While cats can be left by themselves longer than dogs, kitties also long for love, attention and companionship just like our other humans or furry pets. When they are left alone for a long, long time, they can become sad, lethargic and even worse, depressed.

Even if they are too busy, cat owners should spend quality time with their pet cat. They can set aside 15 minutes to play with them every now and then so it will stay happy and healthy. Another solution is to adopt another feline, to always keep it company.

Cats Hate Filthy Litter Boxes

Whether at home or in public, people do not like to use a dirty toilet, which is disgusting. Actually, cats also feel this way when it comes to filthy litter boxes.

That being said, cat litter boxes should be cleaned every other day or better yet, every day. This depends on the number of cats as well as their toilet habits. If they do not like to clean poop every single day they can invest in a self-cleaning litter box.

Cleaning a liter box is not only about scooping poop. The frequency of replacing litter depends on the type of litter used, how often it is scooped and the number of cats in a home.

Cats Hate Spoiled Food

Cats, just like people, hate digging into spoiled food. Firstly, spoiled/stale food smells and tastes bad and worst of all; it is detrimental to their health. When food is exposed for a long time, particularly in warm weather, this can develop bacteria like Salmonella and Staphylococcus.

Every time they buy or serve meals to their cat, it is important to check the expiation dates on wet and dry food. In case there is lots of food left by their cat, they may have to evaluate the amount it really needs to eat. They can consult a veterinarian to know how much to feed them, based on their breed, age, size and activities.

Cats Hate Yucky Medicine

When people feel sick, they need to take some medicine no matter how yucky it tastes. Cats feel the same way too when taking their medicine. Most of them make their medicine foam inside their mouth, let the pill stay in their esophagus then spit it out.

Whatever kind of medicine cats need to take, whether to treat a cold, infection or chronic condition that needs to be given continuously, the experience should be more pleasant for them.

They can train their cat to feel comfortable when holding its face and mouth, give a reward like a small treat when giving the medicine to associate it with something positive. Finally, they can set a schedule to give medicine so cats know when to expect it to be given.

If still they find it hand to administer pills, soft treats that have pockets to hold pills will do the trick.

If you know anything about Ragdoll cats, you know just how easy it is to fall in love with them. Ragdoll cats require care that other breeds of cat may not. When you are considering ownership of a Ragdoll, it’s important to think about what breed specific care your kitty will need.

I’ve created a short True or False quiz about Ragdoll cats and how to care for them.

Ragdolls are a small breed of cat and reach maturity at about 18-months-old. True or False?

The answer is false. Ragdolls are large cats at maturity. A normal weight for a male Ragdoll is around 15-20 pounds and females tend to be a few pounds less. It takes Ragdolls three to four years to reach full maturity.

Ragdoll cats are easy-going and don’t require any maintenance. True or False?

False again. This is sort of a trick question because Ragdoll cats do tend to be easy-going and are not high-maintenance cats. Still, it is best to brush your Ragdoll at least weekly. Ragdolls have beautiful, soft, rabbit-like fur. Matting is not likely to be an issue with Ragdolls, but brushing will help to remove dead hair and prevent shedding.

Ragdoll cats do not feel pain. True or False?

False. There is no question that Ragdolls feel pain. They absolutely do. This myth came from Ann Baker, the creator of the Ragdoll breed herself. Fortunately this myth has been thoroughly refuted.

Ragdoll lovers probably instantly knew the answers to the quiz, but if you’re new to the world of Ragdolls, maybe you learned something. There is a lot of information out there about the breed. If you continue studying these amazing cats, I’m sure you will be as much in love with them as I am.

My good kisser cat (the subject of my article, “How to Teach A Cat to Kiss”) is a castrated five year old male mongrel.

When another kitten took refuge in my house, I was apprehensive because I wasn’t sure how my first cat will react. Would he be happy to have a playmate? Or would he be antagonistic and jealous if he would see another cat sharing with him my love and attention? Upon introduction, he gave the kitten a passive look then rolled his eyes and shifted his attention to the vacuum cleaner. He would softly snarl whenever the kitten came near him. I had to think of a probable solution to a problem that might possibly arise when time comes that the two cats could not get along well together. It was farthest from my mind to get rid of the little kitten for he already charmed my heart. I decided to keep the kitten at the basement and let the older cat stay inside the house.

I learned two things:

1. It’s not good to make the kitten and the older cat stranger to each other.
2. Cat owners must take initiative to create a friendly atmosphere for the two cats by allowing both to mingle with each other. But always be on guard to protect the kitten from being bitten or scratched by the older cat.

If you are in the same situation as mine, you can observe the behaviors of your cats as they go through the process of getting to know each other and become more than friends in the future.

At first, the older cat will go far whenever the kitten approaches. The act insinuates that the bigger cat avoids the kitten because he does not want to harm the kitten. It is also a gesture that he can possibly accept the kitten’s presence. He then starts to play with the kitten by allowing it to play with his wagging tail. There may be an instance when the cat becomes overexcited that he can hurt the kitten unintentionally. You can always call his attention but don’t scold the older cat. Instead, let him lick the kitten. Then encourage him to play again with the little one. As the older cat licks the kitten, there is a certain character trait that is being developed in him.

In the case of my good kisser cat, a motherly instinct was developed in him. He took care of the kitten and pampered it. Even now, that the kitten is already a matured cat, the older cat still pampers it.

Experts explained that the behavior of a female is developed among castrated male cats because the estrogen hormone is the only hormone present in the cats’ body after the source of testosterone was removed. It creates a tendency for male cats to behave like females. Estrogen and testosterone are both present in humans and animals. In females (both human and animal), the estrogens are dominant over the testosterones and in males (both human and animal), the testosterones are dominant over the estrogens.

I’ve been relieved from my worries before-the thought of seeing my two cats quarrel. It’s indeed a wonderful experience to see two matured cats loving each other like mother and son. And it is me now who is jealous because the kitten that I love so much prefers his “surrogate mother” than his loving mistress.

In this article, I present five great tips for caring for your Ragdoll Cat. I hope you enjoy reading it and learn something new at the same time.

1. Always make time for your Ragdoll

Ragdoll Cats are notoriously sociable creatures and require a lot more attention than other breeds. It is important to make you spend time with your Ragdoll preferably every day. Without your interaction, they could quickly develop behavioural problems. You can give your cat the attention it needs by simply playing with them or grooming them.

2. Groom your Ragdoll at least once a week

Although Ragdoll Cat’s require less grooming than other long-haired cats, it is important to groom them at least once a week. Not only will your cat have a beautifully groomed coat but it will also prevent the chances of them getting hairballs.

3. Don’t let your Ragdoll outdoors alone

These cats should be either be kept indoors or be closely monitored if they are outdoors. Their gentle demeanour means that they will not defend themselves if attacked and they are at risk of contracting parasites.

4. Prevent scratching by covering the affected area with tin foil

Many cat breeders and owners have problems with their cats clawing furniture and other objects around the home. An easy way to stop this is by wrapping tin foil around the object. Cats do not like the texture of the foil and cease scratching it.

5. Make sure your Ragdoll has plenty of toys to play with

One of the most rewarding aspects of owning a Cat is watching it play (and even joining in!). Playing is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for your Ragdoll. Not only does it provide fantastic exercise but allows cat and owner to bond, so it is important that your Ragdoll has plenty of toys to play with. Toys can either be bought from a pet store or found around the house. Something as mundane as a cardboard box or a large bottle top can provide hours of entertainment.

Cats Love To Scratch And Claw

It is instinctive of cats to scratch and claw different surfaces as the way of sharpening their claws. Actually, they have lots of fun doing this.

In addition to sharpening their claws, scratching can help relax and rejuvenate cats. Think of it as the human equivalent to a nice, long stretch when your muscles are tired or achy. A quick scratch session on a cat tree or scratching post can wake a tired kitty up immediately.

Cats Love Daily Playtime

Playtime is serious business for cats, all the way from kittenhood to their senior years. It doesn’t take much to keep a cat entertained – she’ll play with anything from lint and string, to tricked-out cat toys-but it is a vital part of their health and development. Not only does playtime hark back to their days in the wild when they had to stalk, hunt, and capture their prey, but it keeps them exercised, engaged, and happy, too.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of cat toys on the market, but your cat may like playing games, such as hide and seek, too. No matter your cat’s choice of play, it’s important to sneak in a few minutes daily.

Cats Love Watching Birds

It’s not uncommon to see cats curled up on windowsills. Why? It’s a prime bird watching location! Whether cats love to watch birds because they’re prey or simply because the movement captures their attention, some cats can spend hours observing birds every day.

If your cat loves to curl up in windows, be sure to protect her skin from the sun’s harsh rays, especially if she has light-colored fur. Try to limit her hours next to the window when the sun is strongest-between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.-and talk to your vet about kitty-approved sunscreens.

Cats Love Their Humans

Although cats are often depicted as solitary animals, they need love, attention, and companionship-and love to get it from their humans. The ways cats say “I love you” are just a little bit different than we humans.

Some signs your cat loves you include purring, bunting (or putting her head on you), sleeping on or near you, meowing, licking, and even sticking her butt in your face. Yes, really.

Cats Love to Eat Fresh, Nutritious Food

It’s unlikely that you’d want to dive into a big plate of spoiled food at dinnertime. The same goes for your cat. Stale and spoiled food doesn’t just taste bad, either-it can host different types of bacteria, like Salmonella and Staphylococcus, too.

Whenever you serve your kitty’s meals, be sure to check the expiration dates on both wet and dry food. This will ensure you’re only feeding her fresh, nutritious, and safe meals.

Believe it or not, there are no bad cats. Cats are just unique. They live in a cat world and do what cats do, no matter what you try to say or do to convince them to adjust to your world. The most important thing for you as a cat parent is to understand why your cat does what it does. Cats do not go to obedience school. If they had their way, you as a pet parent would go to obedience school to learn how to deal with your pet.

A cat is not a dog; a cat does not act like a dog, think like a dog or behave like a dog. If you want a pet that behaves as a dog, get a dog not a cat. That said, let’s get to the point of understanding cat behavior. Punishing a cat for wrong behavior is like trying to empty the ocean one-cup at a time. Try as you may, you will never empty the ocean or get your cat to understand why you are punishing him/her.

Punishment will never cure bad behavior; it will only make your cat frightened and leery of you. Cats are smart enough to know that once punished for a misdeed they will not do it again, in front of you. They will wait until your back is turned or you are out the door. Though you may believe your cat understands what you are saying, or rather yelling about, it will pay you no heed except to run away, ignore you or wait to do it again later.

A perfect example is our male cat Smokey, he dislikes our female cat Tiger and every chance he gets he will chase her. However, if he starts out to chase her and then sees me he stops, looks at me and then will turn away as if he was just out taking a walk. He knows I will say “No” quite loudly and scold him. Of course, it doesn’t do any good to scold him, but it makes me feel better.

There are several good reasons why your cat does what it does to annoy you. First of all, cats really don’t have a good grasp of the English language; they are not furry little people. However, they do understand positive and negative responses to their actions. Cats love praise, pets and treats and this is our secret weapon. Screaming, yelling, spanking or throwing (heaven forbid) will only traumatize your cat and make it fearful of you.

Stop for a moment and think about the life your cat is leading (okay, you wish you could lead that life) take into consideration its day. You are at work all day and may get home late and tired. Your fur ball has been sleeping all day and wants to play.

You want to sit, eat and watch TV. You give your cat a few pets and while you are doing that he/she gives you a little nip on your hand. You react by jumping up and possibly yelling and chasing him/her. Hey, this is fun your cat got your attention and you are “playing.” We humans sometimes reward our cats for their bad behavior by giving them the attention they want.

In our house I am the perfect example of what not to do. Our Smokey is a night eater. Why? Cause he sleeps all day while I am at work. He started at a young age to come into our bedroom and nudge me with his head when he wanted to be fed, even though I would feed him before I went to sleep. Knowing what he wanted I would get up and feed him. This would happen several times a night and I would get up (truthfully this has been going on for years.)

However, since I started doing research for this book I suddenly came to realize that this is silly, the cat is not starving and I do not have to get up at all hours. I gradually started to push him away (nicely) whenever he nudged me and quietly said “No” as a result he moved over to the nightstand where he likes to sleep and laid down. It has been several weeks and he will once in a while nudge me and I say “no” and he goes away and waits until he sees me stir. Most cats when they are doing “wrong behavior” are really doing exactly what a cat should be doing.

Cats need to scratch and stretch their claws. It is a natural thing to do and it feels good. It is up to you as the pet parent to provide scratching material, whether it is the couch or a scratching post, it is immaterial to the cat. Cats learn by experience, if they do something and it turns out to be a good experience in their eyes, they will do it again, a bad experience may eliminate, the behavior or they just might try it again to see if something good happens.

One important thing to remember, if your cat suddenly starts doing things that he/she never attempted before and the behavior is not to your liking, observe the current situation in your household. Have there been sudden and unusual changes in the household routine, new furniture, new people or a new pet? Has there been a change in your cat’s bathroom routine; is kitty eating, do you notice any changes in your cat’s grooming habits?

It does not take much to disturb the serenity of a cat’s world as cats like routine and changes can cause reactions, which are not always to their liking. Also, consider medical problems, your cat may not feeling well and this too can cause behavioral problems. Since cats cannot talk they may misbehave in order to show their concern or displeasure to the changes that have occurred.

Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind while you are trying to reform kitty.

First of all stop all reprimands and punishment– they seldom do any good anyway. Make life with your cat fun and rewarding. Create an environment for yourself and your cat that satisfies you both. Remember a cat does not read minds and has little knowledge of English.

Help your cat understand what you want it to do by making the “yes” experiences rewarding and finding ways to eliminate most of the “no” experiences. We are going to list below some typical behavioral problems and possible solutions. It is important should you have any questions about your cat’s behavior that you consult your vet to discuss it.

Aggressive behavior: Can be caused by fear, being disturbed when napping, injury or sickness, or being in a bad mood.

Solution: Should the cat nip or scratch you while petting, say NO and stop petting. Do not play rough with your cat as it does not know nice from not nice. Were you petting or scratching in

a sensitive area of the cat’s body? If your cat hisses or its ears are flattened back, leave the cat alone. Check for injury.

Begging: Can be caused by the cat being hungry or just wanting attention.

Solution: Feed the cat just before your sit down to eat or if the begging is for attention take a minute or two to pet and talk to your cat a little quality attention will go a long ways.

Constant meowing: Females that are not spayed will meow constantly while looking for a “fellow.” Or your cat may need some quality time with you, remember just a few minute of undivided attention will do wonders. Another thought is your cat may be ill or hurt.

Solution: Spay or neuter your cat (really should anyway), give your cat some quality time, cats need to know that they are loved, or your cat maybe sick or hurt, especially if the crying occurs when kitty is trying to go to the bathroom. If so, take a quick trip to the vet or call for advice.

Jumping on the counters and/or furniture: Cats love high places and cats are generally nosey, exploring is part of a cat’s nature.

Solution: When it comes to the counters, stove and the dining table in our house, a consistent NO and placing the cat on the floor worked fine. It took several tries at this, but it worked. Another solution is put double sticky tape on the counter for a day or two, the cat will walk on it and get stuck, not a good experience and will stop, as it is no fun. Also keep food and other attractive smells off the counter or table. Things that make noise and may fall off the counter also work, as it will scare the cat. Cats do not like to be scared.

If your cat is getting on the furniture and you do not want that, provide a comfortable nesting place high up if possible. There are window seats that you can fasten to a window sill. We have a small bed on top of a section of our entertainment center where our female can escape.

If you have a particular piece of furniture you do not want the cat on, put foil, plastic or some inexpensive netting that you can buy at a fabric store over it when you are not at home. Cats do not like the feel of that and will stay off it and soon will ignore it. There are also things called “scat mats” which can be purchased on the Internet or at major pet stores.

Fighting with other cats: Cats are inclined to protect their habitat, they might be looking to mate, and some cats just want to show who is boss.

Solution: First of all spay or neuter your cat as they make much better pets and are less inclined to fight. Never break up a cat fight with your hands. Use a hose to spray them, throw a towel on them or make a loud noise to scare them. If your resident cats are having a dispute, separate them by putting them in separate rooms for a while. Usually they will simmer down and become tolerant of each other again.

In our household a sharp “No” works for a while with our male and female. Be certain to give each one plenty of affection, out of sight of each other. Some cats are like people and they just don’t like each other no matter what you try to do.

In our household our female is wise enough to stay out of Smokey’s reach. Smokey doesn’t want to fight with her, he just wants to chase her.

Spraying: A cat operates on smell and spraying is a natural way to mark its territory. Also a cat will spray if it feels threatened, stressed or anxious.

Solution: Spay or neuter your pet to decrease the need to be overly territorial. Give your pet a lot of pets and attention, as it may feel stressed and/or unloved.

Provide a safe haven preferably high up (off the ground) if you pet feels threatened by another household pet.

If your cat is spraying near or on a window your pet may be marking its territory because of an outside cat. Keep curtains or drapes closed.

Do not punish your cat for spraying as it may increase his/her anxiety. Using a citrus-based cleaner will remove the scent and keep kitty hopefully from doing it again. We have found that the male cats usually do spraying, we have not seen our females do it, though they might. Interestingly, when our one male cat sprayed there was no odor after we had him neutered. However, the spraying left an oily substance that had to be cleaned up. There is a spray you can buy that has a calming effect on cats and has helped in stopping the spraying it is called “Feliway” and it can be purchased at major pet stores and on the Internet.

Scratching and tearing furniture: Scratching is a natural instinct of a cat. Boredom or a lack of a scratching post can cause the problem.

Solution: Scratching is part of a cat’s life it provides exercise, an opportunity to stretch, relieves stress and allows them to shed their claws. If your cat is a house cat and does not have the opportunity to find a tree or post to scratch, it is up to you the pet parent to provide one. Cats are not overly particular about what they scratch as long as it fulfills its criteria.

Couches and stereo speakers fit the bill nicely. Providing a good scratching post (actually several are better) is a great alternative to your couch. You can make your own with a little effort or buy one at your favorite pet store. A good scratching post should be at least 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall, be sturdy enough so it won’t fall over and scare the cat and be covered with either hemp rope or the reverse side of some leftover carpet.

Do not use the right side of the carpet for a post; use the backside as it provides the proper grabbing material. Actually you can make a post that lies on the floor, as long as it is long enough for the cat to stretch out on. There are some inexpensive ones made of cardboard that have a catnip scent that cats enjoy.

When teaching your cat to use the post it is a good idea to rub some catnip on it to attract the kitty. Whenever you see your cat using its post, praise the cat and give it a small treat, this conditions the cat into thinking this is a great thing to do. If you cat is scratching the furniture punishing will not help the matter. Remember that a cat knows better than to do something it has been reprimanded for in front of you.

If kitty is still going back to his/her old tricks the solution is to make the article of choice unacceptable. Cover it with a piece of plastic, foil, double-sided sticky tape or netting you can buy at a fabric store when you are not home. Continue to show kitty the scratching post, give praise and treats for using it, persistence pays on your part and soon kitty will leave your stuff alone.

Some people resort to having their pets declawed. We have a chapter on Declawing in this book. We do not recommend doing that, as there are other alternatives such as clipping your cat’s nails or using the nail covers that are sold in pet stores and glue on the claws.

There are also spray repellents sold in pet stores to use on furniture that make the furniture unattractive to your cat. Scat mats are also available at major pet stores and on the Internet, they give a “static” type shock to the pet that climbs on it (it is not harmful, just annoying.) We have covered what we feel are the most common bad habits of cats in this chapter.

Cats really do not have any bad habits; the things they do are the things that, as one of nature’s critters are natural to them. Climbing, hunting, spraying, biting, fighting, and clawing are all things the natural cat does. We have brought this magnificent creature in from the wild, domesticated it and demanded that it live by our rules. “We’ll see,” says the kitty as it settles down for a nap.

Depending in where you come from in the world having a black cat cross your path can either be bad luck or good luck.

Traditionally black cats are associated with Witches and evil, which often gives them the stigma of being bad luck.

However, luck is what you make it. If a black cat crosses your path, and you are so busy looking at the cat you do no do see the curb stone at the edge of the road, and you fall over it injuring your arm, then you are most likely to consider a black cat bad luck. On the other hand, if you have a black cat cross your path, and next to it is a ten dollar bill that some one has dropped and you pick it up, then you will consider the back cat to be good luck.

What ever your first experience was with a black cat, which will make the decision as to whether the black cat is good or bad luck for you.

Pure black cats are actually quite a rare thing. Often they will have little specks of other colors in their coats or on their paws. And very often if there a pure back cat has been bred with a tabby cat at some time in the cats ancestor the cat will appear to be black, however when the light is right you will be able to see the tabby markings very faintly on the coat.

The true black cat is the Bombay cat, which is an Asian cat and is completely black. This cat originates from Burmese cats and has a pure black coat, paws and nose with copper and green eyes. The Bombay black cat of Asian origin should not be confused with the American cat of the same name, which is a newer breed of cat originating in 1958.

So are black cats good or bad luck? They could be either. Next time you see a black cat, make sure you are alert so nothing bad will happen and perhaps something good will instead!

As most cat lovers will agree, cats are not just pets, they are part of the family. Felines are affectionate, like to play, and are charming creatures. They give us companionship and friendship, and we want to keep our feline friends healthy and happy. Some cats can sleep for 18 hours a day, so choosing the right cat bedding is very important. Even though some cats may like to nap in many different places throughout the house, providing your buddy with their own cat bedding may stop this and they will stay in their own bed.

Some cats prefer sleeping on a sofa or chair. It this case you can choose a blanket or throw for the furniture to keep their hair off your sofa or chair, which makes both you and your feline happy.

Cats like to sleep in warm, cozy places, and many times they will choose your bed to sleep in. Providing them with their own bed will eliminate this, and both you and your cat will sleep more peacefully.

It is sometimes hard to choose between the many different styles, color, and quality. There are bolster beds, bumper beds, raised beds, blankets, and others to choose from. The bolster beds and bumper beds have raised sides that help make your cat feel secure and safe. Some cats prefer the raised beds because they feel more secure in a higher position. The size of the cat bedding is very important. Your kitty will need to be able to stretch out and turned around and not be restricted, otherwise they will not stay in it. On the other hand, do not get a bed that is too large, or your cat will not feel secure.

The bed you choose should be placed in a position where your cat feels safe, secure and comfortable. This will help them adapt to their new bed and sleep there all the time. Also, placing the bed in the location where they usually sleep will help encourage them to use their new bed. Putting a favorite toy in the cat bed may help, also. Remember, cats respond to praise, so make a big deal when your cat uses their bed.

Another consideration when purchasing a bed for your cat is to find one that has a washable, removable cover. Since many cats shed quite a bit, this will help keep control of cat hair in your home.

In conclusion, purchasing a cat bed for your feline friend can have several advantages for both you and your cat.