How To Help Your Local Animal Shelter By Julie S. Montgomery

Many people have a deep love of animals. We love to hold them and comfort them, play with them and tell our secrets to them. Dogs and cats can be faithful companions, our best friends when times turn tough.

Unfortunately, some people aren't well equipped to manage the responsibility that pet ownership requires. Whether emotions cloud good judgment or someone simply doesn't understand the level of care required by pets, sometimes the wrong people end up owning a cat or a dog. At least for a while.

Shelters take in animals that are lost or abandoned, rescued from poor homes, or from people with good intentions but without the means. Whatever the reasons, shelter dogs and cats need medical attention, food, shelter and love just as any other living mammal.

Often cats in a shelter are adversely affected by their surroundings. Even shelters which are set up to attend to their emotional and psychological needs sometimes find that cats which have been waiting for adoption for several months become restless, agitated or even a little aggressive. Part of the reason is they lack stimulation. The small cages don't afford them an opportunity to run, pounce, hide and stalk.

You can help your local animal shelter by considering a donation of some cat trees. Cat trees are furniture items built for use by cats. Constructed primarily of wood, carpet and sisal rope, cat trees come in varying heights and widths. Good cat trees may have a platform perch, an enclosure for hiding, a swing or pouch for lounging, and sisal for scratching.

Cat trees range in expense from sixty to several hundred dollars. If you're thinking of making a donation to your local animal shelter this year, speak with a representative to find out if they have the space for a few cat trees. The cats will greatly benefit, and you'll get a write-off for your taxes.

As a long-time pet owner, Julie is passionate about supporting animal health and wellness. As a board member of her local rescue league, she understands the value proper mental and physical stimulation offers indoor cats in particular. Julie's Siamese cats, Sissy and Missy, enjoy the indoor life thanks to cat towers and cat trees from Ace Cat Furniture. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_S._Montgomery

Taking Part In Kitten Competitions By Flora Westbrooks

Kitten competitions are shows where kittens are paraded and made to compete with one another to win a variety of titles. Owners are used to training a kitten to enter these kinds of competitions. Kitten owners register themselves and their cats at such shows where judges check their breed standard and award them ribbons.

Kitten and cat competitions admit pedigreed as well as moggy cats, though the rules of admission differ with each organization hosting the competition. Often a kitten owner will register the pet at multiple kitten competitions to be held throughout the year. Based on points collected over several shows, the kitten is awarded an annual title. Additional titles at the national and regional levels are also awarded at times.

At any kitten competition, a kitten or a cat is judged against other felines of the same breed, age, sex and color. Kitty behavior is also an important criterion on which they receive points. Kittens which are not properly trained have a tendency to hiss, spit, scratch and bite. Such kittens are awarded negative points or no points at all. For this reason, training a kitten properly is very crucial. The largest and most prestigious cat competition in the world is held in November each year at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK. This competition is often described as the Crufts of the world of cats and kittens.

Nowadays, a lot of kitten competitions are held online. The criteria for winning these competitions are of course based solely on the cuteness of the kitten as it is hard to judge breeding and pedigree online. The online kitten competitions do not require the owners to train their cats. Owners send a nominal subscription fee along with their kitten's photo to the site owners who then display the pictures to a public vote. The kitten which gets the most number of votes in the good looks section wins the competition. Online kitten competitions hold no real value. Rather, they are more of fun events and work well to boost the ego of the kitty owners. Perhaps this is the reason why competitions like 'Cutest Pet Contest' and 'Cute Kitten' have become very popular with kitten owners.

If you wish to register your pet for a competition, by all means go ahead and have fun. It is important to remember that while it is good to be competitive, sometimes there can only be one winner and you should love your kitty all the same no matter how she is ranked.

Are you looking for Siamese breeders? Or simply looking for information on grooming cats? Visit our website today and have all your cat questions answered! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Flora_Westbrooks

Most Popular Cat Breeds By Carrie Atkin

While most people are familiar with the differences between dog breeds, cat breeds often remain a mystery. Below, we've collected information on the ten most popular cat breeds as ranked by the Cat Fanciers Association with information on each breed to help you decide which one would fit best into your home.

Persian

Since the CFA has been tracking cat breeds in 1871, the Persian has been the most popular breed. This large cat is generally calm, easy to handle and quiet with an affectionate temperament. Grooming is usually a chore for Persian owners because of their breed's thick coat.

Maine Coon

Like Persians, Maine Coons have also had a long stay on top of the most popular cat breed list. Maine Coons are very active, making them perfect for their original purpose of hunting mice and rats.

Exotic Shorthair

Exotic Shorthairs are basically Persians with much shorter hair. Like Persians, Exotic Shorthairs have a quiet, sweet temperament, but they only require brushing twice a week.

Siamese

This distinctive breed is very active and vocal. Siamese cats often "talk" with their owners, and can get frustrated if they are ignored. While Siamese cats love being the center of attention, they are also extremely loyal to their owner. Because Siamese cats have extremely short hair, they are very easy to care for.

Abyssinian

Abyssinians are often considered the friendliest type of cat. They are "people cats" and love being near their owners at all times. These cats are small and thin with a shiny coat.

Ragdoll

These cats are extremely large, weighing up to 30 pounds. While Ragdolls are often huge, they are also laid back and quiet. Ragdolls have a thick coat that requires constant attention.

Birman

Birmans will greet their owners at the door and follow them around the house. These are very loving cats and will do almost anything for attention and affection. Birman cats have beautiful eyes and a long coat that doesn't require much additional grooming.

American Shorthair

American Shorthairs make great family cats. While they are friendly and affectionate to all family members and other pets, they have also retained their hunting instinct and will go after household pests.

Oriental

The Oriental is similar to the Siamese. These cats are intelligent and curious, causing them to act like kittens for much longer than most other breeds. Orientals have distinct large ears and almond-shaped eyes.

Sphynx

The Sphynx makes it into the ten most popular breeds even though it is one of the rarest and most unusual types of cats. While the Sphynx looks like it is naked, it actually has very short hair that helps keep it warm. Sphynxes are affectionate, intelligent and extremely athletic.

The author, Carrie Atkin, represents Pawsitively Clean Pet, a leader in pet grooming products. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Atkin

Feline Leukemia: Know The Signs and Save Your Cat By Edward Varnum

Signs of feline leukemia are unmistakable. However, because the virus affects the immune system and results in other illnesses, these signs are often mistaken to be something else. They usually vary with the type of leukemia, depending on whether it is multicentric, chest or abdominal and keep changing as the disease progresses from one stage to the next.

Common Symptoms

If it is chest leukemia, the cat has difficulty in breathing due to accumulation of fluids in the chest and constricted windpipe and esophagus. Some common symptoms may include coughing, gargling and swollen lymph nodes in the chest region. Signs of feline leukemia of the abdomen include loss of appetite, jaundice, anemia, constipation, dehydration, depression and weight loss. Malignant cells may start forming in abdominal lymph nodes, intestines, kidneys and liver. Multicentric leukemia is characterized by swollen lymph nodes beneath the skin in different areas of the body and tumor formation occurs in several organs simultaneously.

Related Symptoms of Feline Leukemia

Feline leukemia virus can also cause other conditions like ulcers at body openings, immune suppression, reduced stamina, infertility, and immunity related diseases. You might also observe other signs of feline leukemia like more frequent urination, blood in stool and cloudy eyes. The cat sometimes suffers from cystitis, neurological disorders or inflammatory bowel disease. Since FeLV is transmitted via body fluids like tears, saliva, urine, etc., you'll need to be very particular about their hygiene. Other cats in the household too should be vaccinated and tested two to three times every year.

Pet Insurance for Cats

More than two out of every three cats contract FeLV once in their lifetime. One out of every five sick cats gets diagnosed with feline leukemia. Not only this, leukemia is also responsible for one-third of all malignant tumors in cats. The disease has no cure but there are ways to control and slow down its progress. Given an extremely high rate of incidence and expensive treatment and control procedures, it is advisable that you invest in a suitable pet insurance plan before your cat shows signs of feline leukemia as insurance doesn't cover diseases diagnosed as pre-existing conditions.

Do you love your cat, but are concerned that you might not be able to afford feline leukemia treatment? If so, pet insurance was made for you. With pet insurance, you can rest easily knowing you'll never have to choose between your precious cat's life and your own financial health. But you need to know what to look for in a policy to make sure you get the coverage you expect.http://www.pet-insurance-info.com will give you all that information and more. Go ahead. Visit today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_Varnum

Cat Behavior - Help Your Cat to Stop Peeing Everywhere By Bryan Burbank

Cats are funny creatures and they seem to have a mind of there own sometimes. You can never really understand how they think and act and this is normal amongst cats. It is common that male cats like to mark there territory and by doing this they pee in certain areas. If you have more than one cat this can be a major problem for you.

It can cause you a lot of problems because when a male cat urinates it can cause real bad smells. There urine is also laces with ammonia and can cause your carpet and furniture to be ruined so it is important to address this issue sooner than later. You do not want them to continue doing this bad habit for an extended period of time

You may have yelled at them and told them this is the last time you are going to allow them to do this. In truth we love our cats and it is hard to see past there faults but you need to take action so that they can learn new better habits.

This is a common problem when you have a male cat and other cats in the house. You have to remember that they are creatures of habit and they want to alert the other cats in the house that they have territory and they should not get near it. The truth is if you see this happen early on in there life then you should take action then.

Remember that cats urinating in your house is usually a sign that they are marking there territory. You think that they are trying to upset you on purpose but this is a natural thing that they do. Make sure that you deal with this situation before they destroy your carpet and your furniture.

Get Free: Cat Urination Tips How to Improve: Your Cats Behavior Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Animals and Pet Issues Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Burbank

Feline Kidney Disease - What Are Some Common Causes and Symptoms? By B. A. Williams

Feline kidney disease is one of the most common cat ailments. It usually occurs in older cats, but it has been known to happen at almost any age. Although not all causes and symptoms of cat kidney failure are well known, veterinarians have been able to identify some of the reasons why the disease occurs, some of the things to watch for, and a few things that can be done to help prevent it in your cat, and help him to live a longer, fuller life.

Causes of Kidney Disease in Cats

One of the most frequent contributors to the development of feline kidney disease is lack of enough water in the diet. Remember that cats originated in Africa, and are genetically evolved to live in a very dry climate. In such a habitat, most of the water in the diet comes from the prey that the cat hunts and eats. As a result, cats do not tend to drink enough water. Many cat owners feed their cats strictly a dry food diet, which can cause them to become dehydrated over time. This is hard on the kidneys, and if continued can help to cause kidney disease.

Another thing that has been linked to disease of the kidneys is when the cat has dental or periodontal problems. Good hygiene is a very important part of taking care of a cat's teeth. If the teeth or gums get swollen with infection, the toxic substances leach into the cat's bloodstream and eventually get into his kidneys. Although the kidney's function is to filter out toxins in the blood, the antibodies produced to fight the infection can accumulate over time, causing disease and lasting damage.

Finally, there is some indication that the vaccine for feline distemper may be related to development of swelling in the kidneys, which probably contributes to the cause of disease. Keep in mind that your cat does not need distemper shots every year. Talk about this with your veterinarian to make sure you have the latest information about vaccine recommendations. In fact, as your vet will probably tell you, if your cat has feline kidney disease, he should not be given any shots whatsoever.

Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Cats

It's a good idea to watch your cat for any signs of kidney trouble. Early detection can be extremely valuable, and would allow you to get a head start on any treatments put in place by your vet. It is generally recommended to start testing your cat's blood for signs of kidney disease once he reaches the age of about seven. In addition, you can do your part at home by observing your cat's behavior and appearance.

One of the first and most noticeable symptoms of the disease is an increase in drinking and in urination. Keep an eye on your cat, especially as he ages. If you notice him drinking more water than normal, or visiting the litter box to urinate more often, you should talk to your veterinarian. She will most likely recommend a blood test for your cat, so that any disorder can be positively identified. There are several conditions that can cause increased drinking and peeing, so it's important to find out what is going on in your cat's case!

Other symptoms that occur as a cat's kidney disease becomes more serious are lack of interest in eating, weight loss, vomiting, and worsening quality of his coat. These symptoms normally start to happen only after the disease has progressed significantly. So again, do your best to detect any signs of problems in your cat, and see your veterinarian right away if you notice something wrong. With feline kidney disease, time truly is of the essence!

*** In honor of my beloved Felix, who passed away from kidney failure on November 4, 2009 *** All the best to you and your feline friends, Beth I am a life long lover of cats who has shared my various homes with more than twenty cats over the years. I always enjoy learning from my cats and sharing what I learn with others. Please visit my blog at Our Cat's Place for the latest tips and articles. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=B._A._Williams

How To Help Shy Or Fearful Cats By Dr. Signe Dayhoff

When I first encountered "Smoochie" on the street, this small brown tabby looked at me with dilated pupils, hair standing on end, her back arched, and her thin tail bushed to twice its size. She looked petrified and indecisive, unsure whether to run or attack. Then after I rescued her, she would not come near me. She ate warily, constantly glancing from side to side. She was afraid, but not just because I had captured her. She was afraid more likely because of fearful experiences in her past.

While cats need to feel fear to respond appropriately to potentially dangerous situations, some cats seem more shy or fearful of the non-threatening and unfamiliar than do others. They may hide, disengage in the presence of other people, new cats, or other animals, or become aggressive. As a consequence, they may not appear very sociable. However, this does not mean they cannot or will not change and become more relaxed and friendly... with a little help from you.

Shyness and fearfulness in cats tend to be primarily the result of fearful experiences. While these bad experiences make a particularly big impression on the cat during its critical stage of development (from about 2 to 7 weeks of age), such experiences later on can be traumatizing as well. Like humans, cats have to learn that they are accepted, belong, and can depend upon those conditions. They need to learn to associate people, other animals, and inanimate objects with something positive and pleasant--non-threatening--so they can become more sociable.

Of course, prevention is always much better than a cure. But when you have not raised the cat from kittenhood, given it frequent and loving handling, exposed it to positive social situations during its first 7 weeks, you can only employ counter-conditioning methods, patience, persistence, lots of love and understanding--and FOOD--to help it work through its fear or shyness.

Desensitizing a fearful cat uses essentially the same procedure as desensitizing a child who is afraid of cats, except you are probably not going to be using food to attract and reward the child in the presence of the feared object or person. Overall, you want the cat to be experiencing something positive as it sees the feared object at a distance. For the exposure to have its positive effect, it is necessary to keep the cat within eyesight of the object. You can do this by having it on a harness and leash or in a carrier. In a stepwise process, you move the feared object closer while the cat is enjoying something pleasurable. By following these guidelines, I helped "Smoochie" feel more comfortable, confident, and secure with me. In fact, now she is a "pet-aholic," frequently dogging my heels for a tummy rub. Of course, not all cats will recover to the same extent or as quickly as some others. But fearful and shy cats can lead much happier lives if you will help them tame their fears and become more sociable. That is a win-win situation.

Signe A. Dayhoff, Ph.D., is a Cat Whisperer, Social Psychologist, Cognitive-Behaviorist, Cat Rescuer, and "Kitty Mom of 20." She and her feline alter ego, "Smoochie," show you how to become "cat smart." Becoming cat smart is discovering how to communicate with your cat's "inner tiger" in order to create the rewarding relationship with your cat you desire. Your cat's "inner tiger" is that mysterious intangible, seemingly reflecting something secret and special. It is what resonates with the core of your being and magnetically draws you to your cat. Discover how you can communicate with your cat like a cat whisperer athttp://www.LoveYourCatsInnerTiger.com/. Subscribe to Dr. Signe's free weekly "Cat Smart Inner Tiger Tips" and claim your complimentary "Cat Gratitude Letter Exercise." (It's great for use with humans too!) You and your cat will be glad you did. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Signe_Dayhoff