@*!%$^ # Cats

[NATEizKING]

In general, treat cats with love and respect. They, like all animals, know how you really feel about them and will respond to that. How they respond depends on their personality, much like humans.

Young cats are full of energy like puppies or young dogs or kids and need productive ways to burn that off. Cat toys that work for your cats are a good place to start. Toys that focus on stalking skills. Get the kids to play with them and just make sure the cats don't get over-stimulated. Unlike a dog who cannot be petted enough, cats are more sensitive to petting and it varies by breed and individual cat. They'll let you know with a paw swipe without claws if a gentle sweet natured cat or claws out if more threatened or more ornery disposition. Sure sign a cat needs a break is agressive paw attacks or biting. Stop whatever you're doing and say no, but then leave them alone to calm down. If they're playing, once they've stopping doing that if they still want to play, resume and repeat as needed. Like kids, they will learn and respond with consistent and repeated actions around what works for you and what doesn't.

Male cats, like Male humans tend to be more stand offish and likely to react with anger or more rough responses. It's the testosterone. Gets better with age and love and respect. Without it, give the cats to someone who can do that and understands the cats personality.

Cats in general don't like being picked up - they feel vulnerable and are likely to squirm and jump or hiss or worse. And never pick up a cat on their back - paws up. Over time, with trust and the right disposition, some cats will allow or even enjoy being picked up if done properly. Pick them up and support them with your forearms and leave them space to jump without restriction is generally how to do this.

Cats like to be up off the floor. Get them a dog bed or cat bed and put it up on a desk or something like that off the floor. Makes them immediately calmer and more relaxed to have their "cat cave" space. You know what I mean. Same for high perches and areas with sunlight to sun themselves.

Young kittens are going to chase each other and break stuff. Same as little kids. Keep thiings you don't want broken locked up where cats and kids can't get at them.

Feed cats in morning and evening and then pick up the food. They like to eat at or around the same time as the family - they want and expect to be part of the family. Dogs are similar, but will eat anything anytime.

Make sure to clean the litter box daily. Cats HATE a dirty box and if not kept clean, they will pee elsewhere due to being disgusted. Get your daughter doing this chore as a responsibility building task. And clean anywhere they have peed outside the litter box with a pet oder cleanser, or they'll keep peeing their - marking their territory.

If the cats go outdoors at all, use frontline on them to keep ticks and fleas out of the house, but make sure you know where exactly to apply it or the cats will lick it off and you can poison your cat. Best to have a vet tech show you how to do this first time or maybe just let them do it if easier.

Check out My Cat from Hell for good cat behavioral advice.
my cat from hell full episodes - YouTube

Check out library/amazon for cat behavior books. You'll never realize how much you didn't know about how cats behave and why until you do.

To all those cat dissers, cats don't eat poop. Dogs do. If you're into poop eating, go with a dog.

Every thing you need to know about a cat without reading a book. I would recommend removing front claws, they don't tear **** up that way.

 

[Turn2]

Cats are too smart for many people. Those people need to have dogs, or something that lives in a tank.

 

[kilgore_trout]

Whatever you do, don't leave your car keys laying around...

[video=youtube;l_hwerqogzQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_hwerqogzQ[/video]

 

[bugs4cy]

Kittens are completely crazy balls of energy. The good news is that they grow out of it. Eventually.
Give them things to do/toys. Put rocks one top of the soil of your potted plants. If too small they'll use them like hockey pucks. If large enough, they'll give up on digging in your plants.

The squirt gun sometimes works. Worked like a charm with one cat, the other cat liked it, so it wasn't a punishment for him. When younger they did jump on our dining table for attention, because it's a few steps outside the living room where we were sitting. We bought foam balls in the toy section and would nail them with the balls when they jumped up that and didn't respond when we told them no/get down. It got to the point where all we had to do was clap and they'd get down. And eventually the behavior stopped all together. We were probably lucky that they didn't see the balls as toys. They didn't hurt them - more of a surprise factor.

I do pick up one my cats, feet up, all the time. But, he was orphaned when less than 2 weeks old, so we bottle fed him and he was used to being held like that. My big boy is now over 15 years old and a great pet. Sure, he yacks up a hairball now and then, less when we brush him. He's a talker - have whole conversations with him, he replies with meows. Cats have unique personalities - play it by ear, reward his good behavior, and you'll end up with a great pet.

We have all leather furniture - except one chair. It's his chair. If he scratches on it, meh, whatever. It's his.

My last piece of advice is about food. Don't feed him anything other than cat food and cat treats. Don't get them interested in anything other than the food they're supposed to have. We've never had a problem with them hawking plates or being on the counter. And, from the beginning we've had them on free-choice self feed. I know people who have to feed their cat everyday because if left to their own devices they'd eat everything in sight until they exploded. We also travel quite a bit and having to feed them everyday would not work in our world.

 

[Rabbuk]

At least they aren't Maine coon cats.

 

[ShopTalk]

Every thing you need to know about a cat without reading a book. I would recommend removing front claws, they don't tear **** up that way.

Removing claws hurts cats and leaves them vulnerable to other cats and animals and feeling that way. They don't only use claws for self defense, but also for climbing and jumping safely - traction. Only thing they can do after that to defend themselves is bite and some will. Much better to clip their nails and get them a scratching post they will use.

Besides, what's a little **** (your word, not mine) furniture between friends? Furniture can be repaired or replaced, claws not so much.

 

[terryleebr]

How do you make a cat sound like a dog?

 

[tim_redd]

All you need is another cat and a box.

 

[wxman1]

Have two cats (one female and one male) and a male golden retriever. My wife got both cats as rescues a couple of years apart when they were kittens. The male we call our ninja terrorist for good reason. The female is usually pretty solitary but as I write this she jumped up and started purring.

The clean litter boxes is pivotal. We have three that we clean at least twice a week.

 

[bringmagicback]

One of our farm cats is getting really annoying. Went through the fan belt about 3 weeks ago and is still in the engine somewhere. Cant smell it to bad until you get the motor warmed up. Cant decide if we should have another cat shoot or wait for the freeze to get em.

 

[cyclones500]

The female is usually pretty solitary but as I write this she jumped up and started purring.

She knew you were writing about her.

I don't "scientifically" believe that — but it seems entirely cat-plausible.

 

[CyAg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tRqlSYToKrA

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Ok, so I'm relatively convince my cat may be an @$#hole. I was taking a shower last night downstairs and left the door cracked a little so the cats had access to their litter box. I was in the shower a whole 10 seconds and the door flies open, my female cat lands on her front two paws, stares at me and walks off. Doesn't even come in! Just opens the door to let the cold air in and walks off.
:realmad:

 

[Sparkplug]

Just had to include this. Louie is 14 week old and gaining three pounds a week. And he loved tailgating at the game Saturday.

 

[The_Architect]

Buy or build a cat castle, the taller the better and put in front of a window.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Buy or build a cat castle, the taller the better and put in front of a window.

We bought one initially and they love it. I'm gonna build the next cat castle....complete with dungeon, boiling oil, heads on pikes....

 

[ImJustKCClone]

OP was "shoptalk"

great advice, it is spot on.

Unless I missed it, you forgot one...

BE SURE TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS IF YOU ARE NOT INTENDING TO BREED THEM!!!

 

[ImJustKCClone]

This is a trick best performed in someone else's house. Not even asking why you were taping your dog's butt.

:no:

Ummmmmm...maybe because of popcorn farts??? Believe me, I was tempted to stopper up my Brit when my kids would sneak him the popcorn. He slept in MY bedroom, not theirs!

 

[cyclonedave25]

I love big, fat, lazy cats. The ones that just snuggle up and purr and you can pet their soft, fat, furry stomachs. And just quietly whisper "poor kitty...." into their ear as you pet them and listen to them purr.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

We are down to three (lost three between July 2012 & March 2013). The eight-year-old male is a shoulder rider. The four-year-old male is a toes up kinda guy - most of the time that I'm on my computer at home, he's in my lap, feet up, sleeping. He particularly likes it when I'm wearing a t-shirt and I wrap it around him to hold him in place. His sister is the "don't pick me up" type, but snuggles behind our knees when one of us is laying on the couch or in bed. That's HER spot.

It's been my experience that my male cats were far more "needy" in terms of attention, cuddling time, lap time, etc. The females were the standoffish ones.


As for the plants...we gave up. Ours all hang from ceiling hooks. We can tell when they start draping too much...the bottom leaves get shredded.