Everything for cats and cat lovers

This is something new to me, I have to say. But the more I looked into it, the more information I found about toilet training for cats. There are actually methods by which you can train your cat to use your toilet, as it would a litter tray, but without the mess and hassle for you. As a cat lover this would have been great news for me when I had five cats, and when I was living in a flat without a garden. Messy, smelly cat litter trays are the worst part of your beloved fur faces but, like children, they can't help their toilet habits and are actually very clean, and very trainable.

My cats hated the vets - what animal does like them? They hated the journey in the car and box, they hated the waiting room with it's different animals and smells, and they hated the vet touching them where they didn't want to be touched and often injecting them! Then I would have the hassle, if needed, of trying to give them tablets. All in all it made for an unhappy life for a while. And although every pet lover wants the best for their animals could a visit to the vet actually be making them worse?

I worked in a vets for nearly five years and have seen first hand how pharmaceutical companies play on peoples fear to sell products. The chemical in fles treatments have to be really harsh these days as they become resistant to them through over use. And, as with humans, the reliance on antibiotics for conditions that may very well clear up on their own means that your animals tolerance for them increases with each dose.

The vet I worked for was happy to advise me over the phone when I moved away. Indeed when one of my cats was run over, though not badly hurt, he talked me through checking him over from tail to ears so that I did not need to stress him with a visit to the hated vets. And from my work I knew when I could treat my cats at home and when I needed extra help. I also managed to gets my partners' dog to start eating again, something that no vet, or anyone in the family, had been able to do.

There is nothing worse than watching your cat shred your favourite chair or pull holes in your carpets, but how can you stop them without resorting to surgery? Some owners go for the nasty practice of de-clawing (having the cats fore-claws sugically removed), which is not only barbaric but means that your cat is no longer able to outside as it has had both it's means of defending itself and escape removed.

Cats use their claws to mark their territory, as well as sharpening them. The best way to stop them scratching a certain area is with redirection. Make another area more attractive to them for scratching; you can use sissal boards and scratching posts or even branches (which cats find irresistable), if you can stomach bits of tree in your house. Cats are quick to learn, and will soon use an area that you have specified if you have made it an attractive prospect for them.

You can also try citrus which cats hate the smell of. Some 'cat repellent' sprays contain natural citrus for the reason, but if you do use these check the ingredients before use as some chemicals can cause even more problems.

There is always a final solution to the problem; if the scratching bothers you that much just keep them from the room.

This is a subject that is very real to me at the moment. Last week I found one of my beautiful cats had died during the night. She was not ill or showing signs of stress and even though she was 14 was still running around the garden like a mad thing the day before she died.

I was devestated; she had been a big part of my life for fourteen years, had helped me through bad times and good times and was a real character. Her death was a real shock and was as upsetting for me as the death of a relation a couple of years ago.

So what do you do when your pet dies? Do you show grief or is this 'just being silly'? Well, I have two very small children and had to contain my sadness, to point. To my eldest I was able to say that 'Mummy is sad today' but how can you explain to a nine month old why mummy is so tearful? Yes, losing a pet hurts, and hurts badly as anyone who has ever shared a life with an animal will tell you. Even my rough, tough husband broke down after the boys had gone to bed - Tink was always his little girl and he felt her loss badly.

Grief is a real feeling, hiding it or shoving it aside can cause more harm than good. My husband and I can now share stories about her crazy antics, even though it does leave a lump in the throat. So when you lose your loved one, as we all sadly have to, don't shy away from your saddness. Grief is part of the healing process.

A cat flap is a great way of getting rid of that cat littler tray problem. With a cat flap fitted you can go out knowing that your loved one can have access to the outside world, but also has a way of getting back into the sanctuary of the house. A cat waould also much prefer to use the outside world rather than a litter tray and this can make for both a happier cat, and human!

There are many types of cat flaps on the market; the secret is to make sure you get the right one. Think of the door it will be fitted to; how thick is it, what is it made of, how secure will your door be? You can also get slightly more technical ones than the straight forward 'use your head to open it' ones. There are magnetic ones that work in conjunction with a magnetic attachment on your cats collar, or sensor ones. Please consider your cat as well when buying one; if your cat will NOT wear a collar don't even consider getting a magnetic type.

Most cats will be a little shy of a cat flap to start with. You need to tempt them into using it. To start with prop the door open so they can see that it leads to the outside. You can tempt them through it with food if neccessary. You can then lower the door gradually until your cat is used to using it's head to get through. With the cat flap closed you can use the food bribe to help them use it. Once your cat has used the door you will find there will be no stopping them.

If you want some more information on cat training have a look at this site:
http://traincat.url-Site.com