There's no question that our cats are full-fledged family members. Their loyalty, their love, and their ability to comfort us are unparalleled.

Sometimes, though, their hair or odors can leave an unwelcome footprint in our homes. Just as we clean up the spills made by our kids (or our spouses!), it's up to us to clean up after our cats. Luckily, there are any number of products that make pet care a breeze.

Who would believe such pleasure from a wee ball o'fur? An Irish saying about cats, perhaps best describes what pleasure-giving creature’s cats can be.

Jean Burden, beautifully defines the feline beauty. “A dog, I have always said, is prose; a cat is a poem.” Cats for many people, are really very lovable - remember ‘Snowbell’ - the cat of “Stuart Little”.

Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to many ailments. Cat grooming is a very important part of keeping a cat as a healthy pet. Cat supplies can be defined as important things that can be purchased for cat grooming, and maintaining general good cat health.

Cat supplies is a general term that covers a variety of important cat care products. These topics could be used when undertaking an online Internet search for good value cat supply products for your pets - cat-grooming supplies, cat pet supplies, cat training supplies and discount cat supplies.

If the new owner is not interested in feeding the pet cat processed food products, home made preparations will easily suffice. However, one should always try and avoid giving the cat table scraps as the main food source for the cat, as human food is not really complete and nutritious for the cat. The essential ingredients for cat food should be amino acid taurine and calcium which usually come in the form of a bone based meal.

Another basic cat requirement would be the litter box for its toilet facility. This should ideally be placed in a quiet area, where there is some privacy for the cat and no distractions to startle it when attempting to do its business.

As cats are naturally inclined to scratch various objects, such as furniture and curtains, it would be in the owner’s best interest to find ways to keep the pet cat from doing this very damaging act. Some people use sticky tape and tin foil on surfaces that would initially seem temping to the cat to scratch on, while others spray the area with scents, as generally cats dislike strong smells. Purchasing a scratching post is another alternative and the cat should be encouraged to use this instead of the furniture which is more often than not more tempting to the cat.

Providing the cat with an adequate amount of toys to keep it occupied will ensure it does not get into mischief when bored.

First, the main mode of transporting the cat is the pet carrier. Measures should be taken to try and get the cat to refrain from associating this with only visits to the vet. This is because the prospect of visiting the vet is never an enjoyable one in the cat’s mind. Therefore, taking the cat out in the pet carrier for less stressful reasons will help to confuse the cat sufficiently, so that it does not associate the carrier with the vet visits.

Cats often find the carrier confining, which leads to their natural dislike and aversion towards it. Adding a favorite toy in with the cat may help to eliminate some of the stress the cat undergoes while being confined to such as small place. Placing a cloth over the carrier when in transit will also help to reassure the cat and calm it down as the darkness will give it some sense of quiet and perhaps even encourage a nap.

Taking the trouble to find a good and caring vet that is inclined to make the animal feel comfortable before actually starting the examination session is also another thing to consider when it comes getting the cat calm and accepting. If the cat is comfortable, then it is less likely to squirm and create a fuss. This will also be less stressful for both the owner and the cat. Some vets keep treats handy to try and get the cat to calm down and be more settled during the visit.

Vaccinations are usually administered to provide an animal with the necessary help to keep their body safe from any outside invasion of organisms that will cause the cat to be sick. The cat’s immune system should be well guarded against all negative foreign intrusions, hence the necessity of the vaccinations. With the vaccinations, the cat’s immune system is able to withstand any onslaught from negative intrusion that may cause the cat’s health to deteriorate.

Cat’s that are not house bound are usually at higher risk of being exposed to disease causing organisms and thus the consequences of infection are always present. There is also the possibility of such conditions eventually affecting the owner of the cat and those around. One particular alarming disease which the owner can be exposed to is rabies, thus the need for vaccinations.

The following are some of the more popularly recommended vaccines for cats:

• Feline pan leukopenia virus vaccine – this vaccination is meant to keep the cat from contracting a highly infectious disease which can lie dormant before is actually causes fatal reactions.

• Feline claicivirus/herpes virus vaccine – this is meant to treat upper respiratory tract diseases which are prevalent in cats, which most cats are never completely free of but the vaccination helps to keep in under control.

• Rabies virus vaccine – in most countries, it is now mandatory to ensure the cat is inoculated with this as this disease is not only a threat to the cat but also to humans

There is really no need to know a lot about cat foods and diets, as the owner would only need to know a few facts, mainly based on the cat’s statistics, to make an informed decision on the types of foods required. These facts should include the age of the cat, its size, the lifestyle and history of the cat and its breed type. All these would be a good starting point for the owner to make an informed decision on what types of foods are suitable for their pet cat.

As some cat foods are designed to fit into specific categories such as the age of the cat, its nutritional needs and its probable eating capabilities, the owner will be less challenged in making the most appropriate choice. There is a variety of choices for the cat which include dry and wet foods. Either a combination of the two or just one type would be sufficient for the cat as it usually covers a whole spectrum of vitamins and minerals that the cat would need for optimal health.

As budget is probably the main dictating factor when it comes to purchasing the most appropriate foods for the cat, most brands will suffice. However, if cost is not an issue, then making the effort to purchase premium or natural cat food products would be the ideal option, as the quality of such products would be far better than the regular ones on the shelf.

Nearly everything alive becomes ill at some stage in its life, and pets are no exception. I have been very fortunate in that my two cats have been very healthy for most of their lives.

Recently the oldest cat become ill and had to go to the vet. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with a form of cancer. The treatment options were pills or radiation 'therapy'. The radiation therapy was very expensive so that left the pills. Pills are fine for humans, but if you have ever tried to administer pills to your cat then you would know some of the problems I have had.

I usually feed my cats on a dry 'all in one' biscuit diet. This diet and a supplement of fresh food has kept them very healthy for over 14years. But now I need to add pills to her diet every twelve hours. So, what do I feed her that will hide the pill well enough for her to eat it without complaining? Well after some experimentation I came to the conclusion that hiding a whole pill was not the answer. Not the answer at all. Whole pills are located and removed from the food with amazing accuracy. The simple answer is to crush the pills before adding them to the food.

Note: The pill should be added to a small quantity of food - half a normal serve or less, and that small quantity should be given to your pet BEFORE the rest of the meal. This helps to ensure your cat is hungry enough to eat the entire pill. Once the pill food is eaten you can give them the rest of the meal.

Pills are usually quite easy to crush into powder, I use two spoons, one small teaspoon as the crusher, and a larger desert spoon to hold the pill. Place the pill into the larger spoon and using the edge of the small spoon as a blunt knife, carefully break the pill into smaller chunks.

Now use the small teaspoon to gently crush the chunks into powder. In less than two minutes you should be ready to sprinkle the powdered pill onto a small serve of food. Crushing the pill gets much easier once you have done two or three.

This is how I prepare chicken or fish for my cat at pill time:

• Chicken: Cooked (cold)

Cooked chicken is a favorite food of my cats so it is a good pill food for them. To make the most reliable pill hiding food from cold chicken is really quite easy. First of all, you need to prepare the pill by crushing it into a powder as described above. Then you need a small serve of chicken that you can breakup into smallish pieces - use your fingers, it gives the best results. Once you have broken up the chicken add a small quantity of water to the serving plate and roll the chicken in the water until it is wet all over.

Now drain the excess water from the plate - too much water will leave the pill on the plate and not on the food where it needs to be. The next step is optional, but it makes a big difference for my pets. The next step is to place the food in a microwave oven. All you want to do is VERY GENTLY warm up the food, I use about 6 SECONDS on high. What you are looking for is to remove the coldness of the food - which activates the SMELL of the food.

Do not make the food hot! (The heat could damage the pill that you are trying to feed them, and not many cats will eat hot food anyway.) Now that you have a very gently warmed serve of food it is time to add the pill. Just sprinkle the crushed pill over the wet, warm chicken and serve it up!

Note: Always add the Pill LAST!

• Fish: Raw

If you want to use raw fish as a pill serving food then it pays to make sure that the cat in question likes the fish that you are going to use. (Cats are fussy!) I have two cats, one eats fish at every opportunity, and the other will walk right past it and ask for something else.

So, get a small piece of fish to test the cat with, and assuming that the fish is accepted it is easy to prepare. I use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the fish into small pieces. A sharp knife is ok but the skin on fish is very tough, so for safety and ease of preparation I use scissors.

Once you have the fish cut up all you need to do is sprinkle the powdered pill over the fish and serve it up. Raw fish is usually wet and quite smelly, so it doesn't require water to be added or the microwave to warm it up.

• Fish: Cooked (cold)

To prepare a cooked cold fish you basically follow the steps outlined for cooked chicken. Prepare the pill, get a small bit of cooked fish and cut or break it up into small pieces. Make it wet, drain off the excess water and zap it in the microwave for a few seconds - do not make the food hot! Add the crushed pill to the warm wet fish and serve it up.

Note: Always add the Pill LAST!

The purpose of warming up the food is to make it smellier. Most food has a much stronger scent or smell when it is at room temperature than it does straight from the fridge.

If you need a small quantity of fresh raw fish it can usually be purchased from your local take away food shop. If you want to use cooked fish from a take away shop bear in mind that the batter or bread crumbs should be removed before it is served to the cat.

(Well, it should be removed if your cat won't eat the fish with it still on there..) Also remember to cool the fish down to about room temperature before you add the pill - otherwise the heat may damage the pill.

Never microwave any pill - it could damage the active ingredients or even make them toxic to your pet.

For those that are interested, my cats name is "Eff-Gee" ( "F"+"G" ) and she can tell the time as well if not better than I can. Every 12 hours (+ or - 30mins) she is asking me for her pill food.

My other cat - that doesn't like fish, is called "Sox". He doesn't really like chicken either. Actually he prefers the biscuits over most other foods - unless it is meat with chili on it. He is a nice cat.

Most people find it hard to believe that a Siberian cat is hypoallergenic because of its beautiful long coat. On the contrary, it is one of the safest cats to own for allergy sufferers. It produces less Fel d 1 just like the Balinese and therefore less likely to cause an allergic reaction .

It has an impressive appearance with the long and dense coat that is beautiful. Its undercoat is tight and thick and you won’t be worried about your pet feeling cold. You can make your pick from a variety of colors of this breed.

In addition to the great qualities, its personality is likeable. The cat is highly affectionate and intelligent. You will fall in love with it once its comfortable and its playful nature is revealed.

Long haired cats can be particularly hard to up keep and the owner will have to be committed to constantly grooming the cat. Even the cat itself will spend the better half of a day licking every hair into place. This of course is not really good as the cat is likely to eventually suffer from hairballs and get its coat all matted up. The owner would ideally have to engage the services of a pet groomer to keep the coat manageable and also brush the cat regularly to remove any clumps of hair or excessive hair. Short hair cats are no different as they too need grooming attention and this would include the owner setting aside time daily to brush their coats.

This hair bushing routine is very important and can sometimes be the difference between the cat enjoying a good quality of life and having to run to the vet for an emergency operation to remove a hairball clogging its intestinal track. Daily brushing will help to minimize the amount of hair the cat swallows through its own grooming sessions. Cats often protect themselves by coughing up these hairballs and this can be quite nasty to handle but a better alternative than having a surgical procedure done.

Having some of the tools handy at home would help to create a daily routine that would be enjoyable for both the cat and the owner. Initially the cat may not be too excited about being brushed, but if the owner is persistent and gentle, the cat will eventually come around and learn to accept it as part of the daily necessary routine.

Cats are generally low maintenance pets, but their litter boxes often contribute little to you home decor, and can become a smelly nuisance. Today's litter boxes, though, can bring a touch of whimsy to your interior design, while their functionality can put an end to messes and odors.

One line of litter boxes comes in an assortment of patterns and colors, from solid silver and solid black, to polka dot, leopard print and wood grain. The litter tray door pulls out, and a metal sifter rake pulls and lifts litter out of the tray for easy cleaning. Another ingenious design has a triangular shape so that you can easily place it otherwise used corner space.

If you want to make cat care even easier, self-cleaning litter boxes are the answer. One style has an internal grill that traps used litter. You simply roll the enclosed litter box on its side and remove the waste tray. Another type takes self-cleaning to the next level by having a slowly but rotating system that quietly but continuously scoops used cat litter into a receptacle.

The ultimate litter box is one that automatically flushes cat waste down your toilet. Instead of cat litter, this box uses permanent granules that are washable. After your cat uses the box, the granules are automatically washed, disinfected, and dried. Liquid and any solid waste are flushed down the toilet with fresh water.

When it comes to kitty litter, many cats have a preference for one brand over another. But if you start with the right litter or are persistent, you can find kitty litter that can help eliminate odors while keep your cat healthy. One brand of kitty litter on the market not only neutralizes litter box odors, but also changes color if your cat has a urinary tract infection.

Given that urinary tract infections can quickly become life threatening, early detection is key. It's also helpful to have information about a potential infection to give to your veterinarian.

Many people who love cats are troubled by allergies, or by the cat hair that clings to furniture and clothes. Products that help with shedding take one of two approaches: either they work at the source of the problem (your furry feline) or they make it a snap to clean up hair off of furniture​.

Cats typically shed their undercoat (rather than the hair you see), so a product that helps you remove hair from your pet - a "furminator" of sorts - means you'll never see it on your couch. These products brush out the dead hair from the undercoat (but don't cut it), while bringing your cat's natural oils to the surface. Because this type of product also helps stops overzealous self-cleaning, your cat may be less likely to be bothered by hairballs.

Cat care isn't difficult, and the great litter boxes, kitty litter, and shedding tools make it even easier!

​​The following are some tips of how to be affectionate toward a pet cat and the correct toys needed to make the equation complete:

• Although cats are not enormously fond to cuddling up, there are instances when they will allow themselves to be picked up for a quick and gentle cuddle. However, once the cat becomes fidgety, it’s time to ease up.

• Cats love to play and the most suitable toys need not be the expensively designed ones. Simple toys made of scraps of paper rolled into a ball or simply scrunched up make perfect toys for the cat. However, the size should be too big to swallow. Dangling a string or dangling something on a string will be a very attractive prospect for the cat’s immediate attention. Running it along the floor will really excited the cat and usually ensue a healthy and happy workout for the cat.

• Cats also enjoy being stroked, petted or scratched, however they are rather picky on the areas they allow anyone to come in contact with. Initially, the owner would have to put up with a few scratches before finding the ideal areas the cat would like the attention focused on. The popular spots include under the chin and around the cheeks and also behind the ears and sometimes across the back just before it meets the tail.

• Colorful small balls with bells inside are another popular toy that most cats enjoy playing with. However, the balls should be just big enough so that the cat cannot swallow it.

There are several elements to contend with when the owner has failed to consider training the pet cat early on. Some of these would include having to deal with toilet training problems, furniture being destroyed indiscriminately, items going missing and a whole host of other things.

When it comes to addressing the toilet training, the cat that is not trained will think nothing of simply using any place suitable to its thought process for this purpose. Therefore, the owner is likely to be cleaning up after the cat and not to mention the awful stink that this will create in the immediate environment. It should be noted that cat’s urine and feces have extremely strong odors.

Another problem would be the scratching habits of the cat which would be unleashed on almost anything and everything. However, the primary object that would suffer the most would be the sofa and the carpets. Cats seem to enjoy digging their nails into these items as it seems to provide some primal pleasurable relief for the cat. Having to replace furniture periodically is not a workable option and some form of curbing tactics should be enforced.

Cat’s stealing things is also another very popular complaint from owners who don’t seem to see the merits of training their cats. Cats are curios by nature and love to explore, thus finding objects that are fascinating to them would result in them trying to keep it for themselves, thus the hiding instinct.

One of the first things as an owner that wants to toilet train your cat is to know about your cat.

The behavior of a cat; the does, and don’ts of training a cat.

Since we are going to talk about potty training a cat, we need to set some basic rules down. Most important one is that if you do not catch the cat going potty on the floor at the very moment; it will not make any sense to the cat what you do to them about it. Cats remember things like that only shortly.

No rubbing the nose of the cat in it, that will only cause pain, or do anything that would harm or hurt your cat. By doing any of these painful acts will only make the cat afraid of you and you will have a very hard time training your cat to do any behaviors, or taking care of your cat.

Let us look over the potty training a cat. Having a cat potty trained on any household toilet will save you thousands of dollars in kitty litter. Will keep the cat’s area clean, safe and dry, and since a cat does not like messes this is a great way to get rid of the mess for you.

Now you are wondering why someone would want to have the cat use the toilet and not the litter box. In the fecal, of the feline, when mixed with kitty litter can cause people of all ages to get sick. When the cat comes out of the litter box to a person, on its paws are the germs from the litter box. When you or family member is sick or aged people, they are very expectable to this disease.

With a cat being potty trained, the fecal goes under the water this will help prevent the disease from spreading. There are devices on the market that will help you potty train your cat. The devices come with books to help and support you with toilet training your cat.

Let’s look at the potty device, to see what steps are taken to get the cat to use the toilet.

First, you will need to put the device in the toilet. It is basically a small shallow version of a toilet bowl that fits under the ring on the toilet.

The recommendation is to put small amount of cat litter in the small portion of the plastic bowl. Then remove all other cat litter boxes, so the cat will only find litter in one place. Another thought is to cover the plants on the floor, so the cat will not be able to dig in the dirt.

With the device, that you get, there could be some type of fragrances to put on the toilet device to help attract the cat to that area. Leave the cat for a while in the bathroom, with the door closed, privacy is something that cat need and want and will the cat will explore that the litter in on the toilet and use it there.

If there seems to be a problem with the cat going, you may want to put the litter box next to the toilet, this way the cat will get use to this and see the toilet, before getting the training started. In this time if you see that cat needs to go, pick the cat up and put it on the toilet with the device on so that kitty will see the device and the litter

This will all take time and lots of patience from you and some good training to the cat. The cat does not have natural instincts to go in the bathroom and go on the toilet. When a cat is older, this can be a real task as the older cats are usually set in their ways and do not like change. With this, you will want to use the slow approach.

In the end, you and your cat will be happy that there are no more kitty litter boxes in the home.

Rewards are very important in this training and hard also, you may not see or catch your cat on there going but remember to reward them when you do see them.

Cats and dogs spend a lot of their time sleeping so a comfortable bed is very important.

Cats like to be very comfortable when they are sleeping so getting them a cat bed that will keep them warm is a good idea. Heated cat beds can be found right here, with a click of your mouse.

If you are looking for a more traditional cat bed then why not consider a wicker cat bed. Wicker cat beds are great for cats, they offer needed support, as well as comfort for size. A window cat bed is also great, and then your cat can lie lazily in the sun in its cat bed looking out the window. Windowsill cat beds take into consideration the cat’s curiosity.

If your cat is definitely a prince or princess then by all means a fancy cat bed or a designer cat bed is definitely what your cat needs. If you have multiple cats then look at getting a cat bunk bed for them to share, or a cat bed tree. Cats like to be close and share with other cats this will give them the opportunity.

If your cat stays outside most of the time then look at getting your cat an outdoor cat bed or a cheap cat bed that you can replace every few months. Discount cat beds are also great for this reason. Don’t forget to consider pet bedding for your cat bed.

It is important to remember that because cats do shed, a washable cat bed is very important to help keep the cat dander and cat hair to a minimum in your house. Another good idea it to have two cat beds (even if you only have one cat) this will ensure that you wash your cat bed regularly because you know that there is always a clean one waiting to take its place.

Whatever your style as well as your cats needs get the bed that is right.

Feral or un-feral, you kitty may get tangled up in one of these if they are in particular an outdoor cat.

Indoor cats if by themselves are obviously not as prone to this risk, unless they find themselves outside, or a stray visitor inside. but two or more indoor cats can have their "bad" days as well.

If you allow your cat to roam outside in the big wild outdoors, I seriously recommend you take kitty to your veterinarian from a young age and start getting him vaccinated! And make sure this is done every year no questions! This is necessary if you don't want your kitty to get infected by nasties like Feline Aids (FIV) which is transmitted through blood while fighting.

This also protects your kitty among a lot of other different diseases out there like Feline Leukemia. (FLV). It is also highly advisable to get him (or her) neutered. Unsprayed males will fight feisty for a female if she is in heat, which can leave both cats in tatters and spayed males can find themselves in the middle of something they don't understand if an unsprayed male get the wrong idea.

Cats fighting outside at night time can be quite of a shock, as sometimes they can sound close to a child shrieking or yelling, and it is definitely the last thing you want to hear when you’re trying to sleep at night! My ultimate way of getting rid of cats engaged in a fight is to turn the hose on them, as noises won't startle them hardly as they are concentrating too much on the other cat!

For indoor cats, obviously water all over the carpet is unwanted so I find usually placing a large object between the two which will cut of eye contact with both cats, if they are engaged in a fight, don't get in their way as cat bites can not only hurt, but are more likely to become infected than dog bites.

Use a chair and turn upside down and use the back of the chair and gently slide the chair between the cats, this will startle them and stop them from fighting. Give the cats 'time out' by placing one in a closed room for a short period of time.

A good tell-tale sign if a cat is frightened, the hair will stand up all over the body and when the cat threatens or is ready to attack, you will see the hair stand up in a narrow band along the spine and tail to make him look bigger, and this is also a good time to get out that hose or chair!

With the average lifespan of an outdoor only cat if they are feral or un-feral, is only about three years! Which is why if you love your kitty and want him to have a healthy live, keep him indoors and he can live a whopping 16 years longer!

Not only will you benefit from keeping your kitty living longer indoors, it will save you expensive veterinarian bills for infected scratches, broken teeth, torn ears, and so on by these nasty one-on-ones.

Keeping your feline in line can sometimes be quite a tricky task to accomplish. It is possible, it just takes some hard work and effort from both the pet and the owner. As mentioned before, there are many tools that can be used in the training process of the cat to make the process much simpler. With proper use of tools and the tips you have just learned about, you and your cat should be able to share your home with minimal issues. Good luck! :)

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