Pampering Your Cat

“How to clean up cat urine or poo”

If you don’t clean it up thoroughly, the cat is likely to go again in the same spot. Clean up when your cat is not in the room. It may otherwise think its marks gets your attention!

Never use bleaches or disinfectants. They smell like urine to a cat, so does anything pine, rose or lemon scented.

Use warm water with ten per cent solution of biological liquid or powder. (One suggestion is one tablespoon of Napisan AND one tablespoon of biological washing powder to one pint of water.) Then rise the area thoroughly in cold water and let it dry or dry it with a hair dryer if time presses.

Next spray or apply some other way surgical spirit. Use a nail brush to get this into fabric and crevices. This gets rid of the fatty residues that prompt a cat to top up his own marks. Dry this off completely.

Patch-test cleaning on a small area in case it removes dyes from carpets or polish from furniture.

DIFFICULT AREAS
The edge where the skirting board meets a laminating flooring will have a pool of spray urine if the site has been used repeatedly. Use a silicon sealant between the two. Then cover with heavy varnish of the sort used to varnish boats to make a barrier between the sprayed urine pool area and the outside world.

The intersection between tiles. This too collects a pool. Clean the tiles then put the heavy boat varnish in the intersection or even over all the tile surface as well.

Cement floor. Wash and clean with a biological cleaner first and let dry out for two to three weeks. If the urine marking has gone on for ages, paint concrete floor with heavy paint as a sealant. Whether painting or not, put a sheet of heavy duty polythene (the sort builders mix concrete on) under the carpet underlay before putting on clean carpet.

Wooden plank floor. The urine pool will have been created between the planks. Lift carpet, clean boards and remove any rotten wood. Leave to dry two to three weeks. Use heavy paint as a sealant. Wait for two or three months to make marking is over. Cover the planks with a polythene sheet as a barrier before putting down new carpet. If worried, put an additional sheet of polythene between the carpet and the underlay so if the worst happens, the underlay isn’t ruined and it will be easier to clean up.

Carpet cleaning. If carpet has been used for urine for a long time, consider replacing with new rather than just shampooing etc.

AFTER CLEANING
When the area is thoroughly cleaned and completely dry, take a plain white piece of cloth and rub this round your cat’s cheeks. Then apply the cloth to the place where the cat sprayed. Do this daily (or twice daily for an indoor cat) for about a month.

If your cat will be frightened or spooked by the cloth technique use Feliway spray obtainable from your vet. In this case, do not use Feliway spray directly on the cleaned site for 24 hours. Cover the cleaned site with clingfilm and then spray on the cling film. 24 hours later remove cling film and spray Feliway directly on the area.

OTHER FABRICS
Send curtains etc to dry cleaners. Wash duvet covers and bedlinen. With moveable mats and small carpets get these cleaned somehow if you can. Throw away if you cannot clean. Before putting these back use the white cloth or Feliway on the previously soiled area. Do not try to save money on cleaning because in the long run the more thorough you are, the cheaper it all will be. A spraying or pooing cat can cause a lot of grief and nothing is too much to stop it early on.

This article reprinted with permission from
Celia Haddon
http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/

Sometimes out of the blue a cat will stop using the litter tray. Most owners just think “Oh, an accident!” and clear up. Then it happens again. And again.
For cats learn to feel a certain substance under their feet. For most cats this will be the litter, itself. But if (for some other reason) the cat has not been using the litter, it will start getting used to the feel of, say, carpet. And once carpet is the substance which triggers urination or defecation, you are in trouble.
So all “accidents” with litter need quick investigation and quick remedy.

1. IS THE LITTER CLEAN ENOUGH? It must be cleaned daily, or even twice a day. The cat may leave its bottom over the side because it doesn’t feel the box is clean enough. Some cats will tolerate a dirty tray. Others will refuse to use a tray that already has one lot of dirty material. So see if adding a second tray will solve the problem.

2. IS IT TOO CLEAN?
Are you putting in deodorants, disinfectants or scented litter. A litter tray should be dry and clean but with an aroma of urine and faeces it should smell like a latrine. If you are cleaning the tray with disinfectants remember to rinse it thoroughly so their scent disappears.

3. IS THERE ENOUGH LITTER? There should also be enough litter some cats will stop using the tray if you are too mean with the litter.

4. HAVE YOU CHANGED THE TYPE OF LITTER? Change back. If you want to change it, start by adding one handful of the new litter, then two slowly changing over several weeks.

5. IS IT THE RIGHT LITTER? An outdoor cat may not like commercial litter. Try sand or earth. Then slowly change once the tray is being used. (see above). In general cats prefer thin grained litter to large grained.

6. IS YOUR CAT USED TO DOING IT OUT OF DOORS? For an outdoor cat (whom you want to be an indoor going cat) transfer some soil/sand from where they go. The familiar smell may trigger use. Some cats will use potting compost or peat, rather than other litters. Add some soiled material so the tray smells like a latrine.

7. IS THE TRAY IN THE RIGHT PLACE? Some cats stop using the litter tray if it has been moved to (for them) an unsuitable place. Put it back! Cats do not like a tray which is close to the feeding bowl.

8. IS IT THE RIGHT LITTER TRAY? If the problem is that the cat won’t use the litter tray (and therefore goes elsewhere) check that the cat is happy with a litter tray. Experiment with covering it up the tray, either just the sides or the top as well, using a cardboard box cut to fit. If the litter tray is unused, maybe transfer some material from the place the cat does go, into the box.

9. DOES YOUR CAT DISLIKE USING THE SAME TRAY FOR BOTH URINATION AND DEFECATION? Add a new tray so that it can urinate in one and defecate in the other.

10. ARE TOO MANY CATS USING THE SAME TRAY? There should be one litter tray per cat as a minimum. Some cats won’t go with other cats. A tray for each cat and one over makes extra sure.

11. DOES THE CAT NEED A SECLUDED TRAY? Experiment with a cardboard box, one that fits tightly over the litter tray as a cover. If this stops her sitting on the edge or doing it over the side, then buy a litter box with fitted cover. Use the same kind of litter and place some of the soiled litter in the new box, just so that it smells right to her.

12. IS YOUR CAT HANGING HER BOTTOM OVER THE SIDE OF THE TRAY? Make sure the tray is full enough and clean enough. Or who leave their bottom outside of the entrance into the covered litter. For these cats try placing a smaller tray inside a larger one with a gap of about two and a half inches at the entrance. This ensures that the cat has to step across the gap to enter and use the inner try. Any over spill is absorbed by a small amount of litter in the gap area.
The other idea is simply to buy a large deep round washing up bowl and use it instead of the conventional litter tray. “Our cat, Mitzi, was unable to get her tail over the side. It had other advantages in that the bowl was easier to lift with its rounded rim and easier to keep clean” reported Mitzi’s owner.

13. HAS YOUR CAT HAD AN UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE WHILE ON THE TRAY? Has your cat had an unhappy experience while using the tray ambush by a companion cat, ambush by a dog, stomach pains while eliminating (from diarrhea?), human interference while using the tray, a sudden loud noise while on the tray, pain from cystitis. If so, the cat may mistakenly decide that the tray isn’t safe any more. Therefore, experiment with a new (yes, new. Don’t be mean) tray.

14. IS YOUR CAT FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO CLIMB IN? Arthritic cats may need a shallow tray.

15. DOES YOUR CAT HAVE CYSTITIS?
Symptoms include straining, pain when urinating, blood in urine, frequent urination, urinating in the wrong place. More common in long haired, overweight, neutered males. Check with vet Cystitis attacks occur at stressful times.

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then remedy the situation as quickly as possible. If not, then the likelihood is that your cat is marking its territory either with urination or defecation

This article reprinted with permission from
Celia Haddon
http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/

One of many choices of diets for your cat is a vegetarian cat food. A cat is considered an obligate carnivore. Their body cannot manufacture certain nutrients such as vitamin A and niacin among others. In the wild a cat would obtain these nutrients from animals they consumed. There is some controversy as to whether a cat can survive without meat. It is believed by many that these nutrients can be extracted from vegetables and concentrated to meet the nutritional needs of a cat. Manufacturers of vegetarian cat food should have a detailed ingredient list and nutritional value on their labels.

You can purchase supplements to add to your vegetarian cat food or purchase it premixed and add a few ingredients at home, making your own dry cat food.

If you do decide on a vegetarian cat food diet for your feline, we highly recommend you consult with your veterinarian before changing your cats diet. Also, do some research on your own. A cats nutritional needs can vary greatly with breed, age and existing health condition.

Veterinary Secrets Revealed

Easily Care For Your Pet At Home Using
Simple Techniques And Inexpensive Natural Ingredients! Learn about it here…

Premium cat food is considered by many to be of the highest quality available. It should not contain any by products such as chicken heads, feet, feathers or intestines to name a few. Many manufacturers use meat and grain suitable for human consumption in their premium cat food formulas.

There are many formulas of premium cat food on the market. There are formulas for the obese cat, for the senior cat and formulas designed to reduce hair balls to name just a few.

Most premium cat food brands use natural preservatives. Some top of the line premium cat food blend animal proteins and vegetable proteins in canned food.

There is a large variety of formulas for premium cat food to meet almost any of your cats nutritional needs. Some contain not only meat and grain but contain some fresh fruits and vegetables as well.

Cats have health needs the same as their owners. Quality does matter. Even though many veterinarians recommend premium cat food, do your own research of the quality of the ingredients of the many brands and formulas available today.

We highly recommend you consult your veterinarian before changing your cats diet to a premium cat food. Nutritional needs vary greatly with age, breed and existing health condition of your cat.

Veterinary Secrets Revealed

Easily Care For Your Pet At Home Using
Simple Techniques And Inexpensive Natural Ingredients! Learn about it here…

Cat Health Secrets

How to Have Happy, Healthy, Long-Living Cats… Without Spending a Penny on Vets, Medicines or Special Foods! Click here…

Did you know as a cat owner your feline family member is considered by many as America’s favorite house pet? A cats biological makeup is as complex as his or her personality and habits. Because of this complex functioning of a cats body, organic cat food is believed by many to be the healthiest diet for your cat. Organic cat food can be purchased as dry or canned cat food.

A cat is considered a carnivore. In nature they receive many vitamins and nutrients from animals they consume that their bodies cannot process on their own. Their body does not have the ability to manufacture these nutrients such as vitamin A and some B vitamins. Another example is taurine, an amino acid, necessary for a cats healthy heart function among other organs. In choosing an organic cat food, you could be choosing the healthiest diet possible for your cat.

Many organic cat food manufacturers consider the ingredients they use (meat as well grain) as suitable for human consumption. Many attempt to purchase organically raised animals as well as grain to strive for a true organic cat food. They do not use by products such as heads, feet, etc. in their formulas.

It is suggested by many veterinarians that feeding your cat food made from slaughter house waste increases the risk of cancer and other diseases in your cat. Some also believe, in feeding your pet organic cat food, you decrease the risk of your cat developing allergies which could be caused by antibiotics and hormones that possibly remain in waste products not fit for human consumption.

It is also suggested that you read the ingredients label on any organic cat food you purchase to be confident your pet is receiving the best possible nutrition. Don’t you strive to purchase the best possible food for yourself? Why should your cat not be fed the best organic cat food available?

We highly recommend you check with your vet and do your own research before changing your cats diet, whether it be an organic cat food or another of your choice. Cats nutritional needs vary with breeds and age.