Do You Know Why Your Cat Bites - Cat Behavior Explained

Ow! Your cat just bit you, and those little teeth are sharp. Read on for some reasons why your cat bites you. Your cat may be afraid. Your kid might be pulling on the cat's tail. Or, maybe an unfamiliar person is tried to pick up the cat. Cats bite to protect themselves.

Playtime is another time when cats may bite. You could be ambling across the room and all of the sudden get a toe attacked. Some cats hate to get their bellies tickled and will bite you. Whilte biting is normal cat behavior, a bite to you or a family member is probably not what you would like. Help your cat release energy by playing chase and pounce with cat toys that have long poles so your hands don't get in the way. Don't use your hand or other body part as the object to be chased as this cat training will only encourage biting.

Some felines actually bite to express their love. Cats bite each other lightly to demonstrate their affection for each other, and your cat may be giving you love cat-style. Cats may also give gentle bites while they are licking you. The cat is really grooming you, and it is normal for cats to softly bite when they are grooming each other.

Cats may bite to communicate to you that they have had enough of your attention for the time being. Your cat may be purring contently while you pet her and then turn around and bite to get you to stop petting. Before biting, cats will generally signal that they are at their limit by making tail circles or laying their ears back. Being in pain can cause a cat to bite. If your cat suddenly starts biting for no apparent reason, get a vet exam to rule out any physical problems.

Handling kittens in the presence of the mother cat can also get you bitten since cat mothers tend to be very protective of their offspring. Usually the mother will stop biting once the kittens are older. You should understand now why your cat bites. By not playing aggressively with your cat, treating underlying medical conditions, and learning cat behavior secrets , you can reduce or eliminate the biting and enjoy your cat friend.

6 Important Cat Facts

Some items a cat owner needs are obvious, like the litter box or cat food. But others are not so apparent; you realize they are necessities only after error and trial. If you are a new cat owner, you should really try to learn from others’ experiences. In this article we will present the most common and important cat items, and others that are meant to make owning a cat much easier for a new owner. It is highly recommended to have these items before bringing a cat home, to make it comfortable and welcomed from the moment it enters your door.

1. Food-Related Items
First item you should consider is a place for the food. The best containers water and food are the ceramic or metal ones. Plastic dishes could cause rash to some cats. If you are a busy person, a good option that you can consider would be automatic water and food servers. As for the food, buy just a little before you bring the cat home. You should remember your cat has special nutritional needs. For instance, extra nutrients are recommended at kittens, helping them grow healthy; on the other hand, an overweight cat should have a restricted diet. Your cat may have preferences, so until you figure out what she likes most, give it several flavors and brands of food. Remember: it should be in both dry and canned varieties.

2. Litter Box
As a cat owner or a future one, you already know that the litter box is indispensable. But there are different types of litter. Nowadays the most popular one is clumping clay; it clumps around the cat’s waste. But it can be dangerous if ingested, so it’s not recommended at kitten. Another option can be the plant-based litter.

3. Grooming Tools
A cat is happier and healthier when it is groomed properly. But also it is a way to bound with your cat. Further more, it helps you keep your house clean, preventing hairballs. For this you must buy a fine-tooth comb and a rubber-backed brush. Also you can find in stores specially designed cat nail clippers; you should really purchase one.

4. Cat Toys
It is a well known fact: cats love playing with different toys. But before buying a toy make sure all the parts are well connected, so it can’t be a danger for your cat.

5. Cat Carrier
Many cat owners neglect to buy a cat carrier. But it is necessary. Even if your cat lives indoors, you still have to take it outside for vet appointments, or when you go on a trip and you want to take it with you. It is advisable to buy a sturdy plastic one with a latching door.

6. Scratching Post
This is another neglected item by the new cat owners. It’s in a cat’s nature to scratch. So purchasing this item helps you save drapes, furniture and other things in your house. Besides that, it keeps your kitty happy. When you buy a scratching post you should also consider your cat’s personality.

Now that you found out about some important items for a cat owner, you can make your home welcoming and comfortable for your kitty.

Adopt a Cat from the Cat Shelter

When you decide to adopt a cat from an animal shelter, you have to consider several things. First one, and probably the most important, is that the little furry friend will probably be a long time companion. In fact, cats can easily reach 20 years. This means that owning a cat is a big commitment in time. Once you decided to adopt one, there are four important things you have to remember so you can be sure the kitty will have a healthy life, and that it matches the family’s members and their lifestyle.

ACTIVITY

First, when you visit a cat shelter, you have to observe all the felines there, how active they are and what type of personality they have. For example, if you see that a cat cramped in a corner and seems lethargic, it could be a sign of illness. The last thing you want is to bring home a sick animal. Besides racking up the vet’s bills, if you own other pets, the illness could spread to them.

So it is important to observe carefully the cat’s attitude. Some people want docile cats that like to spend a lot of time cuddled up in his or her lap, while others would like a playful cat that would play with toys or chase everything they could find. Therefore examining them is helpful to understand their type of personality. But the fact that almost all cats sleep during the biggest part of the day could be an inconvenient, so it is indicated to try to wake them, so you can see their behavior.

LOOK AT A CAT

The next step is to inspect the cat’s eyes. If they are bright and clear, it’s a good thing. Discharge or running eyes indicate illness. Next, you should look at the nose. It is advisable to be slightly moist and clear. Again, you should avoid a cat if there is any discharge. Again, the ears have to be clean. Extremely dirty ears could indicate contamination with ear mites. These ear mites are very hard to get rid off, and can easily infect other cats. In the end, the kitty’s fur should be free of fleas, shiny and clean. You don’t want fleas infesting your home.

LISTEN TO A CAT

After inspecting the nose, eyes and ears, the next thing to do is to listen to it. Listening, you can detect signs of illness for example if it sounds congested, sneezes or coughs. On the other hand, purring could indicate a sign of health. After all this, it is highly recommended to wash your hands with antiseptic.

PLAY WITH THE CAT

Finally, you should play with the cat, see how it gets along with other cats, with people and how active it is. These being said, we hope you chose the right kitty for you.

Cat Destroying Furniture or Carpets?

Every cat owner out there knows that they can be bad at times. The one fact that needs to be highlighted is that there is a remedy for most of the annoying problems you will have with your cat. One of those problems is destruction of carpets or furniture. You basically notice that the cat simply starts scratching and destroying various areas of the house. Your first thought is usually that the cat is having problems and needs to be disciplined.

The truth is that cats have to sharpen claws as they always grow. Your cat is not actually destroying your furniture but it is sharpening claws. The pet needs to remove an outer layer from the claw and this is what it does. We do see a lot of owners that declaw cats and I emphasize on the fact that you should not do this. You never know when the cat needs those claws, especially for defense. I recommend that you buy a scratching post. If your cat has a special member of the family then take a sock and hang it on this post so that the smell is familiar. After around 1 day you can take it off. The real trick stands in getting the cat to be familiar with the scratching post so that it will attack it. You can also choose to attack the scratching problem by making the favorite area of claw sharpening less attractive. You can easily do this by using lemon juice, wrapping in aluminum foil or clean them constantly so that there is no cat odor present.

Persian Cats Behavior

Talking about Persian cats behavior the problem is that the pets are misunderstood often as we are not able to properly read their body language. Just like humans, Persian cats and basically all cats will use body language in order to send us information. There are also a lot of body signals that are linked to Persian cats behavior, signals that aid you in understanding everything better. It is crucial that you analyze these in order to have a good cat-owner relationship.

In some cases the feet of the pet will tell you the Persian cat behavior signs you are looking for. For instance, the cat's paws will knead when he/she is happy or really nervous. Also, when the cat extends its claws pay attention as it is usually to attack or for sharpening purposes.

Most owners will tell you that Persian Cats behavior can be traced to vocalizations, although this varies from cat to cat. There are, of course, general variations from one species to the other but in most cases attention will take a long way. Persian cats might meow when she/he is content, playful or hungry. In most cases purring means contentment and spitting, snarling and hissing means that the cat feels dissatisfaction, anger or fear. You might also notice rapid blinking. This usually means anxiety but it can also refer to a sign that the Persian Cat's behavior means being friendly towards another cat. In an opposite fashion, slow blinking and half closed eyes means contentment in most situations. Interest can be noticed through the dilation of the pupils.

Keep in mind that responding wrong to the Persian Cats behavior signs that are given could lead to unpleasant behavior problems. The cat can lose trust in its owner and even turn towards aggressiveness or timidity. If you are having problems with your cat then pay close attention to its body language and observe everything. This is all that is basically needed in order to maintain a perfect relationship and understanding Persian Cats behavior.

Giving your Cat a Bath

If you have a cat you will need to give it a bath sooner or later and this might be a problem for you. This is because most cats do not really like getting baths, although you might be lucky enough to own a cat that loves baths. If you are not then let us take a look at how we can make it a lot easier for you to give your cat a proper bath and how you should do it right. You will need a plastic cup, towels, a bathtub and cat shampoo, of course.

First off you will want all supplies in hand reach. Fill the tub (or alternatively the sink if you want to use that instead of the tub) with warm water. It must not be too warm and a general rule of thumb is that the water needs to be a less warm than the water you would use to bathe yourself. Getting the cat to trust you is the next step. You have to pet him/her and make sure that the cat is calm. Next we have the first tough moment. You will need to dip the cat into the water and be ready for potential scratches and bites. Keep talking to the cat and do not stop saying loving words. Use your wet hand to smooth out the fur and praise the pet. Be ready to receive that characteristic cat's death stare during the entire process.

Next take out the cat shampoo and use your free hand to start working it in the pet's fur. The cat will not like it but just keep on going until the cat is covered in shampoo. Be careful with the eyes, facial area and ears so that no shampoo reaches them, especially in the ears. Now you will want to drain the water and keep on holding the cat still through the entire process. Start up the water again and pay attention to the temperature. Use a cup and fill it with lean water. Then start poring over the cat while rinsing the soap out of its fur. When no more soap runs down the cat you can stop.

Turn off the water now and use a towel on the cat. Wrap it up just like a small baby and dry the pet as much as you can. Now just hold him/her for some time while petting and praising. You can also use treats so that he/she understands that the bath was not as bad as first seen. Now the cat just took a bath and its coat is as smooth and clean as possible.

Abyssinian Cat Facts

Abyssinian Cats (also known as Abyss cats - no link whatsoever with the professional wrestler) are a breed of domesticated cats that is believed to come from one female kitten called Zula, which was taken from a port in Alexandria and brought to England by a British Soldier. It was in England that the Abyssinian breed was developed through breeding Zula with an English tabby and then another breeding with the pet's mother. As time passed this cat breed became one of the most popular shorthair breed in the USA and people believe that there are still wild Abyssinians present in North Africa.

The Abyssinian cat presents a characteristic tawny, ticked coat. Tabby markings might be present on the paws and tail but none will be found on the body. Its eyes are of an almond shape and can be green or gold, with a fine dark line present around them. Large ears and a warm golden coat are also characteristic of the Abyssinian. Color variations of the coat include fawn, cinnamon, red and blue with a rare Silver Abyssinian cat variant also present.

These cats are quite active and friendly. They are not really lap cats because of their active nature that makes them want to play and explore. If there is a lack of attention and daily activity the Abyssinian cat can easily become depressed. This breed is characterized by high intelligence and the long haired version of it is called the Somali. When thinking about the Abyssinian we are linked with a medium sized cat that is powerful but graceful at the same time.

Angry Cats - Quit being ignorant

I have noticed one strange thing while browsing the internet: there are a lot of people in the world that are totally obsessed with cats. I don’t mean obsessed as in you are a cat loving person and you take pictures of it sharing them with the world, and stuff like this. I mean obsession! Everything is all about cats, cats, cats. Even this would be ok to some point, if not taken to extreme, to the point where one can’t make the difference between funny, cute, little “fur ball” that is your precious little cat and the dangerous thing that is your cat when it suffers from what is called “the angry cat” syndrome.

The reason I say this is because when I heard about this and browsed the internet to learn more about it I was seriously shocked to find thousands of pictures and videos of cats that were obviously suffering of this disease and people were just having fun on it. My God! A creature, no! a living being is suffering in great pain, probably your cat, and you are having fun on this? I for one find it sick. Here is something that I think every cat owner (especially those that find this amusing) should know about this disease, called “Hyperesthesia Syndrome”. It is called the “angry cat syndrome” as the cat will unexpectedly growl, bite, or even attack their owners and not want to be held or petted by them.

According to D.V.M Judson H. Pierce, from the Reno Animal Hospital, a cat that has hyperesthesia syndrome can have few or many of these symptoms, ranging from mild to severe:

1. Not tolerating petting or holding
2. Rippling or rolling of skin on the back
3. Sudden licking excessively or biting themselves
4. Abruptly running around the house as if something were after them
5. Hiding under bed or elsewhere
6. Frantic meowing and swishing of the tail
7. Attacking objects or their owners without any provocation
8. Apparent hallucinations with glassy eyes and dilated pupils
9. Some cats spray urine or urinate in the wrong place.
10. Some vomit more often

So if your cat present these symptoms, don’t videotape it and laugh with your friends, simply quit being an ignorant, and take it to the vet. It might help it feel better, and release her from the pain it is suffering.