Thursday, November 29, 2007

Choosing a Cat



Choosing a Cat


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Not everyone chooses their cat, sometimes the cat chooses the owner. However if it is you doing the choosing then there are some important factors to first consider.
Is your cat to be a companion or for breeding and showing?
What other animals do you already have?
Is your property suitable? (high rise flats and busy roads)
Can you afford a cat?
Have you got the time to care for a cat?
Are there any asthmatics in the family?
Pedigree or Non-pedigree?If you want to show and/or breed cats then your probably better off with a pedigree. The main advantage of pedigree cats is the ability to predict what sort of cat you are going to end up with. Good breeders will allow you to see the mother and father which is the best indicator of what your cat is likely to be like. Generally pedigree cats have predictable temperaments and physical characteristics and inherited faults. Responsible pedigree kitten breeders do not allow kittens to go to new homes before 12 weeks of age by which time they are likely to be house trained and vaccinated. These are the recommendations of the GCCF. Some breeders have adult cats that are surplus to requirements that are sometimes available as pets once they have been neutered. It is easier to determine the temperament of an adult cat compared to a kitten. To obtain contact details for breeders of pedigree cats you could search the internet, contact the GCCF, look in cat magazines of contact your vet. Most pet cats are non-pedigree cats and you are unlikely to get much information about a kittens ancestry but if you're lucky you may get to meet the mother. Non-pedigree kittens are usually offered to homes between 6 and 8 weeks of age when they will be weaned, partly socialised but not house trained or vaccinated. Non-pedigree kittens and adult cats are often available from Animal Shelters. Kittens and cats that have been through Animal Shelters have an increased risk of exposure to and infections from contagious diseases. Kittens may be available form pet owners whose cats have had a litter and vets are often able to provide contact details in such cases.




Thursday, November 15, 2007

A guide to feeding your dog or cat

Like humans, cats and dogs need to eat right to stay healthy. Follow this guide to help keep your pet's weight under control.

An average adult 10-pound cat should eat about 275 calories a day. Ill or injured cats may need more.

Natural feeding cycle includes 12-20 small meals a day. Food can be available at all times, but portions can be limited. Water should always be available.

Overweight cats can be helped to lose weight by providing less food in their bowls throughout the day, serving less-tasty food and avoiding table scraps.

Vegetarian diets can lead to "harmful deficiences" in many nutrients. But a small amount of fiber may be useful.

Cats are indeed more finicky about their food. Owners should ensure that their cat's preferred foods contain enough nutrients.

Taste and texture are important. New food should be gradually mixed with familiar food.



Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Choosing the Right Cat for You

Cat forum

So many benefits can be obtained from choosing the right cat or kitten, but it can be a difficult choice. So they may experience the pleasures of growth, many people choose to adopt a kitten. Others will choose an adult cat, because they do not have the tolerance, patience and energy to deal with the training involved with owning a kitten, i.e. litter training, furniture climbing and the curious nature of all kittens. Also, since adult cats are less likely to be adopted than their cuter counter-parts, some people will choose a cat instead. There are definitely pros and cons regarding both.
The advantages of a kitten, is that you get to have the pleasure of watching them grow and mature. Kittens have quite an amusing curiosity. The bonds formed when a kitten is young, can be quite strong. The kitten's medical history is known somewhat by you, since the kitten has been in your presence for the most part. You get to have the pleasure to enjoy more years with them. You know their age. Kittens tend to adjust better with other pets that you may already have.



The advantages of a cat, is that they are already litter trained, a huge plus. Adult cats are calmer and they are less likely to destroy your favorite sofa and curtains. Cats may already be spayed or neutered. They can be left alone without too much stress and since they probably already know the outside dangers of the home, they are less likely to get into trouble. The biggest advantage to adopting a cat is that you're probably saving a life.
When trying to decide between a long- or short-haired cat, keep in mind the grooming that a long-haired cat requires. Though they may be quite beautiful, they can not keep up with their own coats and you'll need to groom them daily. A semi-longhaired cat also needs to be groomed, but probably only a few times a week. So, you're best bet, to keep from doing all that grooming is to choose a short-haired cat.
If choosing the sex of a cat comes into question, always remember to choose a cat of the opposite sex if you already have a cat, this will limit sexual competition. Also remember, if you have cats of the opposite sex, make sure you have them spayed or neutered.
Depending on if you want one cat or kitten or more, there are advantages and disadvantages in that area as well.
Advantages consist of the kittens having each other for company; so of course, they may not require as much attention from you. The interaction between kittens can be quite amusing. If you decide to get another cat down the road, introducing them to the other cats will be less complicated.
Disadvantages with multiple cats or kittens, is the amount of trouble they can get into together. The cost of owning multiple cats is more. The care and grooming is multiplied. If one of the cats happens to pass away, it can greatly affect the others. Think thoroughly about which cat or kitten may be the right choice for you. After you obtain your feline companion, you'll have many years to enjoy together.

Life-saving dog, cat honored for heroic acts

When Debbie Parkhurst choked on a piece of apple at her Maryland home, her dog jumped in, landing hard on her chest and forcing the morsel to pop out of her throat. When the Keesling family of Indiana was about to be overcome by carbon monoxide, their cat clawed at wife Cathy's hair until she woke up and called for help.
For their nick-of-time acts, Toby, a 2 1/2-year-old golden retriever, and Winnie, a gray-eyed American shorthair, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In addition, five humans were honored Thursday for their actions toward animals in the past year, including a Bronx firefighter who saved a dog and cat from a burning building.


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Neither Parkhurst nor Keesling could explain their pets' timely heroics, though Parkhurst suggested her pooch's Heimlich maneuver might have been guided by divine intervention.
"That's what our veterinarian said," she said. "He wasn't making a joke; he's very spiritual, and now I have to agree with him."
Both pets were themselves rescued in infancy — Toby as a 4-week-old puppy tossed into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Keesling's husband, Eric, had to feed her milk with an eyedropper.
As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump being used to remove flood waters from their basement in New Castle, Ind., last March malfunctioned, spreading carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie moved into rescue mode, the couple's 14-year-old son, Michael, was already unconscious.
"Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry meow," Cathy Keesling said. "When I woke up I felt like a T-bar had hit me across the head."
State police and sheriff's officers responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Cat health - Study links house dust to cat illness


Study links house dust to cat illness
Common flame retardant may cause thyroid condition; could affect children


Study links house dust to cat illness
Common flame retardant may cause thyroid condition; could affect children


A new federal study suggests that household dust containing a common flame retardant may be linked to an increase in cats getting sick from overactive thyroids.
That could be a warning sign for how young children could get exposed to the chemical, said Linda S. Birnbaum, director of experimental toxicology at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and co-author of the study.
The small study looks at chemical flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were used in foam, plastics, furniture, electronics, fabrics and carpet padding. The sole American manufacturer in 2004 agreed to phase out the types of PBDEs included in the study because of concern about toxicity in animals.


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But PBDEs remain in American homes.
The study of 23 cats found the older felines with high levels of certain types of PBDEs tended to have overactive thyroids, the researchers reported online Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology.
Hyperthyroidism is treatable in both cats and humans. In cats, the disease started soaring in America in the late 1970s and 1980s, soon after PBDEs became common, according to the researchers.
The EPA study adds to recent research that raises serious questions about human exposure to PBDE. One study found a significant relationship between indoor dust exposure and PBDE levels in first-time mothers in the Boston area. Another found PBDE levels in Americans are three to 10 times higher than in Europeans. And small studies in California and Norway show that children, especially toddlers, have higher PBDE levels than adults.
Tom Webster, a professor of environmental health at Boston University, said animal research has found PBDEs to damage the nervous system and disrupt hormones, but studies haven’t been done to look at people’s health.
“I don’t think we know about (human) health yet, but I don’t like the sound of this,” said Webster, who co-authored the Boston dust study but was not part of the EPA research, which he praised. “Levels in people are going up.”


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But because the cat study is so preliminary, Birnbaum said people shouldn’t overreact and sell their furniture or rid themselves of carpets. However, she said she makes sure to wash her grandchildren’s blankets more frequently and checks on flame retardant use when buying furniture.
Most people don’t have PBDE levels that are anywhere near that of cats, Birnbaum said. PBDE is just one of many chemicals that accumulate in our body with unknown effects, but the dust exposure route is unusual, Birnbaum said.
The EPA study suggests household dust as the key way PBDE gets into cats, and likely, people. It also found elevated PBDE levels in certain cat food, mostly fish, but tests showed food couldn’t be blamed for the high levels in cats, Birnbaum said.
She said if PBDEs get into bodies through household dust, that means children are likely to be more exposed than their parents.
“To me, it’s a consumer product issue,” said Myrto Petreas, chief of the state of California’s environmental chemistry branch and co-author of other studies looking at PBDE levels in women and San Francisco Bay harbor seals. “You get exposed while you’re in your home.... It’s in the carpet. It’s in the monitor. It’s in your chair.”




Friday, November 2, 2007

A Lifesaver For Dogs And Cats

When the winter skies open up to sunshine, animals catch spring fever just like anybody else wanting to go out and play. But while springtime encourages fun, exercise and nice walks in the park, it also could spell danger for pets who can be by your side one second and gone the next.

* More than one million pets are lost or stolen each year.* One in three pets will get lost during their lifetimes.* Without pet identification, 90 percent will not get home.* Overcrowded animal shelters often are forced to destroy lost pets unless they can be returned to their owners in a short time.* Dognappers eventually may release animals, but they may end up miles from home.The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) emphasizes identification as a lifesaver for pets."Unfortunately, many stories of lost or stolen pets don't end happily unless there is a simple way of identifying a pet," said CVMA President Ron Faoro, DVM. "The CVMA recommends that animals wear collars and tags and have microchips as a means of permanent identification."Identification tags might include:* Pet's name* Owner's name and address* Telephone numbers (day and evening)* Medical problems requiring medication* Veterinarian's name and number* Current rabies vaccination and licensing information

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Thursday, November 1, 2007

Dog gone gourmet


If you really want to start a heated debate up at the dog park, don't bring up Iraq or the presidential election: Ask the dog owners what kind of dog food they use.
You'll get an earful about raw food diets, antioxidants, organic and holistic dog foods, steamed vegetables for dogs and the best books with instructions for making your own dog food. Unsubstantiated rumors fly -- such as the particularly nasty one that big-brand dog and cat foods are made of euthanized companion animals. Cat owners can be just as vocal about the very best foods for their finicky feline friends.
It used to be that everyone picked up a big bag of dried dog or cat food and stuck it in the garage closet. Not anymore. Some pet owners drive to special stores and even have their frozen raw pet foods delivered to their doorsteps. Others buy specialty foods from their vets. Many owners turned to these specialty foods during the pet food recalls this spring and haven't turned back. By all accounts, it's a booming industry.
But do dogs and cats really need these specialty foods? Are they healthier and happier with holistic foods than with old-fashioned kibble? We called some animal-nutrition experts and asked them to fill us in on how our companion animals should fill themselves up.
What type of food is best for my dog or cat?
"If I'm dealing with a healthy animal, I will recommend any major brand of food," says Bonnie Beaver, who heads up the community practice service at Texas A&M veterinary school. Beaver says if dogs or cats are picky or finicky eaters, owners might consider changing flavors of pet foods, but they don't need to do it if the animals finish their bowls. Mainly, she said, owners can trust their own judgment.
"Owners know their animals. If Fido has always licked the bowl clean of brand X and all of a sudden he's not eating, that's not normal. Then we start to worry," Beaver says. "On the other hand, if Fluffy has always been a finicky eater and will not eat more than two days in a row of that flavor, then owners probably shouldn't worry if she leaves some food."
Can you just feed them the same dried food, day after day?
Yes, Beaver says, dogs and cats can eat the same food day after day with no ill effects. Often that bothers the people more than the pets, but if you do have a finicky eater, variety may help.
So do dogs and cats need food formulated especially for them?
Some do. Beaver says puppies and kittens should have special food, as should large-breed dogs. Older dogs and cats may have different needs, depending on the breed. "Giant-breed dogs, like St. Bernards, may be ancient by the time they are 6, while for a wirehaired fox terrier, 6 years old is middle-aged."
Beaver said activity can also affect the needs of dogs and cats -- active hunting dogs need more calories and energy than "couch potato" dogs. Pregnant animals also have special nutritional needs. Animals that are ill may need prescription diets -- for example, an animal with kidney problems may need a special diet that is low in protein and doesn't challenge the kidneys.
What about nutritional differences in canned versus dry food?
Beaver says canned food has more water per volume than dried food, so a cup of canned food has fewer calories and less nutrition than a cup of dry food. Big dogs, she says, have a hard time eating enough canned food to meet their needs, and "I don't want to be picking up all the poop that they are going to be putting out, either." (Hey, she's a vet, she's allowed to say these things.)
My dogs are always begging for table scraps. It's so tempting to scrape the leftovers into their bowls.
It may be tempting to give table scraps when facing those hard-to-resist puppy-dog eyes, but owners should be wary of overfeeding their pets and upsetting the nutritional balance of their regular pet food.
What about gourmet cat foods? Are they better for your cat?
"Cat owners want to pamper their animals, so they give them all the different flavors. It doesn't matter to most cats," Beaver says.
She adds, however, that some cats do seem to prefer one flavor over another.
What about small "boutique" pet-food companies?
Beaver is wary of all the new brands of "natural" pet foods. She said the major brands have paid for the research to create a careful balance between vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin D and fatty acids. The amounts and balances have been worked out, she says, and tinkering too much with supplements can cause health problems.
Beaver says pet owners should look for foods that have passed the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO, the regulating body of the pet-food industry.
Why am I seeing more "alternative foods" for pets?
Scott Freeman, owner and manager of Tejas Pet Products, which manufactures and distributes Nature's Logic food for dogs and cats, says the market for holistic and organic foods has skyrocketed since he started in the business 20 years ago.
Although the "alternative" pet-food market is still only 5 percent to 7 percent of the pet-food industry, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Freeman says growth rates far outpace big name brands. He says that whereas the growth in sales for large-company pet foods has been below 5 percent, many natural-food companies have had double-digit growth for the past decade.
Even the traditional pet-food companies are getting in on the act. This year Iams launched a Healthy Naturals line, touting beta carotene, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
The same shoppers who have made Whole Foods Market a huge success in the United States want natural, organic or holistic food for their animals as well.
How about organic foods? Are they better for my animals?
Beaver says organic foods are a personal choice for pet owners.
"If I were a person who ate organic foods, wouldn't I love to have an organic food for my dogs?"
What about raw-food diets for dogs and cats? I've heard they are closer to the way animals are meant to eat. Are they healthier?
Beaver says raw-food diets have the potential for salmonella poisoning in dogs and in people who handle the foods. She says she had three salmonella cases in the past week in her office. (Warning: Mention to raw-food fans that dogs can get salmonella poisoning and you might find yourself in a fistfight.).
I've seen ads for new pet foods with antioxidants and omega-3s. Will these supplements make our pets healthier, happier, perhaps, even better-behaved?
Claudia Kirk, associate professor at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and head of the department of small-animal clinical sciences, specializes in animal nutrition. She says questions about supplements for pet food come down to two concepts: Does the food meet basic minimum requirements? Does it provide optimum nutrition? Years of research in animal nutrition have provided some good answers to the first question, but "we have only very few of the answers" for the second.
How long have nutritional scientists been studying vitamins and supplements for our pets?
"Vitamins have always been added to pet foods to make them complete and balanced," Kirk says; however, scientists and owners have become very interested in the question of optimizing vitamins for pets in the past 15 years. The research into antioxidants, vitamins and other supplements for dogs and cats has paralleled research into vitamins for humans. In fact, study results are often applied cross-species (and that goes both ways).
Kirk said the research on the benefit of individual vitamins varies. Minimum requirements for vitamins have been set by using growth rates. Figuring out levels for cancer prevention, for example, is much more complex.
In other words, it's one thing to give a dog or cat food that will allow a pet to grow and keep it alive. It's quite another if you want to try to find the perfect balance that will improve immune function, cognition and behavior and prevent cancer. Just like with humans.
So I understand this is a fairly new field. What does the research say so far?
Kirk said studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids may improve cognitive function in older dogs. Short-term studies show benefits for osteoarthritis, pain relief and reducing heart arrhythmias. There's even a study that shows omega-3s might improve trainability in puppies (but will it keep them from jumping up on the table for scraps?).
Vitamin E may benefit the immune system, improving resistance to disease. Other studies have shown antioxidants may improve cognitive dysfunction in aging dogs. Glucosamine is now regularly added to dog foods for joint health, although the research on whether it helps human joints is conflicting.
All of that sounds terrific, but as we've seen in humans, one study doesn't prove anything. Before animal nutritionists can make definitive statements, they need to repeat findings in longer-term studies.

Companion Animal how to tide over the winter safely

Companion Animal how to tide over the winter safely
The weather becoming cooler, night temperature getting lower and lower. Winter is approaching. The temperature difference between day and night because of the harassment and cold wind, small animals can easily cold and illness, a runny nose, fever, cough and other symptoms. People need to take care of their extra careful. Whether indoor or outdoor life of small animals were all keen to have a warm and comfortable in the Waterloo to escape cold, suffering from a cold and prevention of arthritis limbs. You can buy specially made for companion animals of and cat care, can also build their own hands to create a warm and comfortable Waterloo.
A few suggested that here: First, the cold wind and tidal always blowing up close to the ground, lying on the ground partner animals susceptible tocold wind in our midst. Therefore, companion animals in the winter to the Waterloo to a high number pad, so from the ground a certain distance, and resettlement in the absence ofplace on the inside covered with clean and warm blankets, so that they are both inside and comfortable warmth. This pet arthritis can be prevented from happening. For the elderly and sick have been suffering from arthritis or pets, especially important to do so, they can avoid the rigidity in the limbs due to a cold and pain, her illness became more serious. In addition, the companion animals can withstand cold wind Waterloo to the invasion, the ideal choice is enclosed with solid material and Waterloo done, but bear in mind not to let the door towards Waterloo tuyere so cold winds to come. In Waterloo should prepare some comfortable can pad some old blankets, towels and such blanket from an easy cleaning materials, but also according to its own special animal-loving partners do some small layout. In winter to outdoordogs, and dog owners should wear warm and and the. Inyou can wear to the dogs of good tarpaulin waterproof raincoat to keep the body dry.dogs returned must canine systemic wiped away, Short-haired dogs can be used towels wiped away, while long-haired dogs will need to use heater hair dryer. In the cold winter, cats and dogs love to do one thing, that is to crouch together in the masters around heating. If it is possible, please find time to accompany them, it will enhance your companion animals and feelings.
The older companion animals, to the winter action becomes slow, appeared limb rigidity, and always reluctant to leave its Waterloo, usually suffering from the symptoms of arthritis, some of the older animals are very popular. You should look at it with professional veterinarians, veterinary will advise you on treatment methods, and tell you how to take Precautionary measures to help your "old friend" to survive the winter. If you spend some time thinking and your companion animal to the appropriate care, their health can be uncomfortable to spend long winter, to feel the warmth and caring endless.

Cat's Genome Map Purrfected

Cat's Genome Map Purrfected
Blueprint of feline DNA could help humans, too, scientists say



WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have sequenced the genome of the domestic cat (Felis catus), an advance they say will lead to health benefits for the popular pets and provide an excellent model for human disease.
A four-year-old Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon, whose lineage can be traced back several generations to Sweden, was the subject of the genome sequencing by scientists with the Cat Genome Project, based at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. The project was authorized three years ago by the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute.
Domestic cats have more than 250 naturally occurring hereditary disorders, many of with are similar to genetic problems in humans. For example, Cinnamon's lineage carries a genetic mutation that causes a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa that can cause blindness. The disease also occurs in humans and affects about 1 in 3,500 Americans.
The domestic cat also serves as an excellent model for infectious diseases that affect humans, such as HIV/AIDS. Cats can be infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), which is a genetic relative of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.
A report detailing the sequencing of the domestic cat genome is published in the journal Genome Research.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

For cats, better memory may be in the body.


A new study has measured just low long cats can remember certain kinds of information — 10 minutes.
The research was designed primarily to compare cats' working memory of their recent movements with their visual memories, and found that cats remember better with their bodies than their eyes when they have encountered an object placed in their path by say, an annoying owner or experimenter.
When a cat steps over a stray toy or shoe left on the floor on the way to its food dish, it has to coordinate the stepping action of its front legs with its hind legs.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Cat Food,Best Cat Food,learn how to feed cats.


Cat Food,Best Cat Food,learn how to feed cats.

You needn't know a lot about cat food when choosing the best cat food. What you need to know, however, is your cat. What's his age? Life stage? Health history? Body type? When you can answer these questions, choosing the best cat food will be a relatively simple choice.Today, most cat food is optimized for the life stage of your pet. These fall into three general categories: kitten, adult cat, and senior. When choosing the best cat food you need to make sure it is nutritionally designed to meet your pet's needs at each stage of life. In addition, there is cat food designed to help your pet lose weight, or to account for medical conditions like kidney failure, allergies, or digestive problems. Ask your veterinarian if you have any questions about your cat's health, and about which of these cat food choices is appropriate when choosing the best cat food for your feline friend.when choosing the best cat food, look for an emphasis on natural ingredients, and few artificial colors, flavors. Food ingredients are listed according to the amount present in the food, so if the first ingredient on the label is a rich protein source like eggs or meat, you can be reasonably sure you're getting a quality .


Cat Food & Nutrition, What Should You Feed Cats?


Your cat's nutritional needs will change as she grows from a kitten into an adult. Providing her with a premium cat food formula for each stage of her life gives her nutrition that will help her stay fit and healthy. Types of Cat Foods:The three main types of cat foods are dry, soft-moist and canned products. With today's advanced technology, all types of cat food products can be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for your cat.