Sunday, January 6, 2008

American Shorthair Cats

Want a non-demanding house cat that will treasure each little sign of affection from you with-out lingering all day? You should consider the American shorthair cat, a classic breed that has managed to be in the top 10 most famous cat breeds.

It seems that the pilgrims took some cats on the boat to America to take care of the rats and other pests and after reaching shore they remained near their masters. They proved themselves and their strength to survive as don’t you think for a moment that anyone took after them, fed them three times a day or nurtured them like babies! They actually had to survive for a while and they did it quite well. This made the breed strong for the following generations, so the American shorthair cat can live up to 20 years not needing much but a warm home, proper feeding and regular visits to the vet.

They still have that agility to hunt pests if you ever need them to, but in most cases this ability is turned into playing energy and dedication to your happiness. The great thing about this breed is that you don’t have to worry about always grooming them, because it doesn’t have long hair to leave all over the house.

Cute face, juggling eyes and fast moves, the American shorthair cat has managed to take a bite of the show business and revealed to the US a new and stable icon. She appeared on a lot of cat food commercials as the adorable pet everyone has at home – and they did. This breed was the most common in the 19th century in America and people could relate to the commercials, understanding that those products could only be for their cat, and even that there was no other breed needed.

The American shorthair cats come in more than 80 colors of fur or eyes, but it managed to keep its temperament and affectionate manner of behaving. She gets along well with other animals, even dogs, if raised together from pups and kittens. Your kid will love her too because there is no sign of aggression in her behavior and she isn’t even a bit fussy.

Cats for Adoption

Your home seems to need another soul running around? Your kid wants a fury small thing to play with and a dog is too much bother? It’s time to get a cat! But what should you do first? What are your options? Let me share my experience when I got my cat, Freddy.

First I gathered the people in the house to make sure that everyone agrees to the new addition. It is important to know that you don’t bother someone because then the cat won’t be as welcome as it should be. Next we agreed on who should be the caregiver and how the chores will be divided. We even decided what breed we wanted and the age.

The next day I started looking for a small kitten with a cute face and medium hair length – we didn’t want a pet that wasn’t nice to stroke. The obvious was standing in my face: we needed a normal cat, not a special breed or an eccentric one. The reason was simple: normal cats are not so demanding and don’t need a lot of special care, and also people sell those other breeds at an expensive rate. Then there was one way to do this – adopting a kitten!

I started to search on the Internet for cats put up for adoption because it seemed the easiest way. I knew there were other options, like going to a pound or an animal shelter – which is a great thing to do, but didn’t have the time then. After no longer than a half an hour of searching, I found 3 kittens that were around 2 months old and started making phone calls. People were very nice about it and were interested what my living arrangements were because it matters if I live in a house or a flat and if I had other pets.

My decision to get the little orange kitten named Freddy was based on his picture and the fact that he was the last of the kittens to give by the last owner. It’s nice to take an animal that needs a home and a friend and it’s not all a great deal to make money of affectionate creatures.
We took him into our home and our hearts and cared for him and started with the training. My advice is to get a cat that really needs a home, like those in animal shelters – they will be more grateful to you and won’t make a fuss about the conditions or the food.

How To Train Cats to Use the Toilet

Playing and stroking your cat is all fun and games but when it comes to cleaning after your cat it’s not that much of a kick, right? What if I can tell you that you can leave that behind you two and begin a better smelling relationship? It’s not that hard… you just have to be patient with the cat and praise every improvement.

It’s usually easier when the cat is a kitten but if you take into your home an adult cat, it can also be done. First thing you must do is to get her used to the litter box. She will like that because it is in a cat’s instinct to play with something sand-like before and after they “go”. But after a while you are glad she’s not “going” on your carpet, the frequent disposal of the litter and cleaning of the litter box will become a drag.

The next step is to put the litter box next to the toilet and put some newspapers underneath it to raise it some inches. Remember to tape the two together so that the cat won’t play and destroy the paper. The idea is to rise up the litter box until it is at the toilet’s level and you should do that in a gradual way so that she will have time to get used to the change. She will eventually jump on the toilet first and then on the litter box and this is a great point because she will be then used to it. Always remember to let the lid up and the seat down!

Then, you take a metallic bowl by the size of the toilet’s diameter and place it in the toilet and the litter box in it. After a day or two when she is used to the toilet put the litter in the metallic bowl and then gradually in time leave as less litter as possible in it. After she gets used to the situation put some water in the bowl to resemble the usual quantity in the toilet. Flush her leavings after she is done.

There is something you should take care of that isn’t easy but think about no more litter box cleaning days! You have to teach her how to seat on the toilet with all four paws; you can do it, just have patience and reward each progress!

Finally, get rid of the bowl and voila! Your cat will no longer leave a messy litter box; she is toilet-trained!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Famous Cartoon Cats

Cartoon makers through-out history have decided that cats can be very funny to kids so they put them into cartoons that soon made famous a lot of characters. It’s no wonder that things turned up like this: how can you resist a small playful creature all fluffy and furry who only wants affection? Below are some facts about some of the most famous cartoon cats.

TOM – from the Tom and Jerry show – who can forget about the most famous cat that almost never could catch the smart mouse? The two quarreled in 154 episodes.
GARFIELD – the chubby cat that always got into trouble but never forgot to eat something in order to keep that orange fur looking dashing for the ladies. He first appeared in comic books and newspapers, then in cartoons and now he is in the movie business.
TC – the top cat from the alley that never stopped joking around with his friends and trying to put a slip on the police man was first draw in 1961.
DUCHESS – the lovely cat from the Aristocats brought new meaning to stylish in Paris and joy to play with kittens.
LUCIFER was the spoiled cat in Cinderella’s house that let no mouse be at peace when he was around.
HEATHCLIFF – seemed like a normal house cat at first sight but as you watch at the show, you just know by his grin that he’s no ordinary pet.
SYLVESTER – “I thought I saw a putty cat…” this foolish cat didn’t catch the canary, not once, but still went on and on from his first appearance on the “Life with Feathers” Show.
FIGARO – is the small affectionate kitten that followed Pinocchio no matter the dangers
FELIX – the classic cartoon cat that always got hurt in his pursuit for the pesky mouse.

These cats have become famous and I am sure more will come and bring smile on our faces and our children’s faces. It goes to show that cats are goofy, smirky and affectionate and this has been transposed in cartoons so that kids will understand how cats are and what is their temperament, what they like and don’t like.
From all these cartoon cats the most famous is and I think will surely be for a long time Tom from the Tom and Jerry show because this is the classic cat-mouse fight.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Exotic House Cats

If you want a cute playful fur ball in your house and dogs are not your thing, than the answer is a kitten. Great to play with, affectionate and caring, cats love to be nurtured and make you feel better when your mood is down. More and more people take these wonderful creatures into their homes mostly because cats are easier to take after in the apartment than dogs. They don’t need to be taken out, don’t chew your shoes or make a mess!

Having a cat is more for people that like a lot of affection and can give it back to their companion and also don’t want to bother a lot to take care of their pets. What breed of cat you want in your home depends on you and your personality. It has become a fashionable thing to have exotic house cats, so that guests that come into the owners’ home will appreciate their excellent taste and eccentric way of life. Ordinary cats have become old-fashioned and are no longer taken into homes as much as five/ten years ago.

A lot of people think that the Persian cat is one of the most exotic breed. She comes in different colors but it can’t be mistaken by her long hair, lingering temperament and royal-like moves. Very affectionate, the Persian cat will try as much as possible to get your attention and love. That aside, this breed needs to be constantly groomed because of her long hair and of course of her need to be spoiled. This will take a lot of your time so it’s up to people that have the time or have the money to hire people to take care of this action, to take in their homes this breed.

What is more exotic than the Exotic cat? Yes you understood right. She is called like this because people consider it is very exotic to have a Persian cat with shorter hair! She’s easier to take after, also named “the lazy man cat” and even playful. Maybe it’s the loss of burden, but these cats like to move more than the Persians but they didn’t lose constant need to be near you, usually following their masters wherever they go.

If you’re that kind of cat owner that likes to have your little darling be admired by everyone at sight, you should welcome in your home the Eccentric!