Cats are naturally independent and adventurous creatures so they should be allowed to go outdoors from time to time. If you have a feline at home, you should install pet doors in strategic places in the house to allow your pet to go outdoors every now and then. After installing doors in your home, train your cat to use these doors to go outside and then come back inside the house.
Teaching your feline friend how to use these doors can be a bit challenging. Some cats are rather reluctant to use the doors for various reasons. To help your precious get comfortable with the idea of using cat doors, here are some tips for you.
Show Your Cat How To Use The Door
After installing cat doors in your home, show your pet where these doors are located. To do this, place the animal in front of the door and open the flap to show your cat that the door leads to the lawn outside. Your pet may not jump at the opportunity to use the door immediately so you should be patient. If your kitty refuses to go through the door, gently push your cat through it. You may also use treats to lure your moggy into using the cat doors.
It may take a while before your pet gets used to the idea of using the pet doors instead of the kitchen door to get out. In fact, it may take a while before your cat stops pestering you to open the kitchen door and let him out. To train your feline to use the pet doors in the house, do not open the kitchen door to let him out. Instead of opening the kitchen door, pick up your animal and bring it to the door, open the flap and gently push your friend outside. Repeat this process until your precious gets the idea that it can go out of the house without your help.
Safety Precautions
Before you let you let your cat out of the house, make sure that it is wearing its collar. A lot of owners who lost their cats were never able to retrieve their pets simply because their pets were not wearing collars.
To make sure that your cat is able to get inside the house with ease, see to it that the cat doors are free from obstructions. Do not put any heavy objects near cat doors and if you have kids in the house, tell your kids to keep their toys away from the doors.
Because there are several cat doors to select from, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your pet. A simple rule is to first make sure you get the right size of pet door - either small, medium, or large. Then reduce your search of all the cat doors by choosing the one that would best suit your home.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4092601
If you are a cat owner, you have no doubt had the debate with yourself as to whether your cat should be an indoor or an outdoor animal. On the one hand your cat will be safe and you will always know where he is but on the other hand he will probably get bored and a bored cat is a destructive cat. However, there are a range of outdoor cat cages on the market so you can have the best of both worlds.
Cats are, by nature, hunting creatures and they were never bred to stay indoors however, you will know how cats can wander and you have probably had days of worry, only to see your cat casually stroll in the door without a care in the world.
Outdoor cat cages come in a range of shapes and sizes from the complete garden surround to something little bigger than a carrying case but obviously, from the cat's point of view, bigger is better and very small is pointless; he might as well stay inside.
Probably the best product is a large cat enclosure which gives the illusion of giving the cat the run of the whole garden or better still, the version which attaches to the top of an existing fence which really does give the cat the whole garden as his domain but he won't be able to escape unless he's a relative of Houdini.
Other products such as wire playpens and mesh tents and runs are alternative outdoor cat cages and are more portable while still giving the cat plenty of room to move around and an opportunity for fresh air and sunshine. Do make sure that the cat has plenty of toys to keep boredom at bay and somewhere high to sit and observe the world.
Don't forget that kitty will still need food and water while in his outside accommodation and if the weather is hot, some shade too.
If the cat is to spend long periods of time in his garden home, you should provide a scratching post as well or he'll start using the structure of the cage itself to keep his claws trimmed.
Outdoor cat cages are great for the peace of mind of owners and are better for the cat than being cooped up inside all the time, but don't forget that the cat would rather be out and about mousing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6916423
Tapeworms and Stomach worms are internal parasites that feed off your cat in order for them to live and multiply. There are some creatures that live inside your cat without causing harm. However, some parasites, including tapeworms and stomach worms can cause adverse reactions in your cat.
Tapeworms
If you see a worm or something you aren't sure about, put it in a baggie along with a piece of moist paper towel and take it to your vet. Little short white worms around 1/2 inch or 1cm long or less are probably tapeworm segments. The adult tapeworm lives in the small intestine with its head embedded in the mucosa which is moist tissue that lines some organs and body cavities. The body is comprised of a small head connected to a series of segments that are filled with eggs. The older segments of tapeworm containing eggs are shed and attach themselves to the fur around the anus of your cat. They often look like grains of rice.
Tapeworms are usually passed by fleas. Flea larvae eat the secreted eggs. As the flea moves through its life cycle, the eggs reach their infective stage as the flea reaches adulthood. Cats can then inadvertently swallow the flea during grooming which will in turn leads to infection. Fleas and rodents become infected by eating the tapeworm eggs that are in the environment.
Finding tapeworm segments can be quite worrying to cat owners; tapeworm infections only rarely cause significant disease in cats. As eggs are passed within the segments instead of on their own, microscopic examination of faecal samples may not always reveal the presence of tapeworms. It may be necessary for more than one stool to be examined to test for tapeworm.
These days most medications are very successful in treating tapeworm infections. However, re-infection is fairly common. I would suggest a second vaccination two weeks after the first one to control the larvae. Managing or eliminating flea and rodent populations will go a long way towards reducing the risk of tapeworm infection in cats.
Stomach Worms
The main species that inhabit the stomach of your cat are Ollanulus tricuspis and Physaloptera. These are not as common in the United States as other worms with Physaloptera more rare than Ollanulus tricuspis. They are more common in outdoor cats and those housed in multiple-cat facilities. Cats become infected with Ollanulus tricuspis after consuming vomit that contains the parasite. Symptoms include chronic vomiting along with loss of appetite. Due to these, you will see dramatic weight loss and even malnutrition. Diagnosis of Ollanulus can be difficult as it is necessary for the vet to find the larvae in the cat's vomit.
With Physaloptera infections, adult female worms attach to the stomach lining and pass eggs which are then ingested by an appropriate intermediate host, often a cockroach or cricket. The parasite will develop and will then infect other animals such as rodents when they eat the infected insect. Your cat becomes infected when he eats the affected rodent or other animal. Cats infected with Physaloptera may experience similar symptoms to an Ollanulus tricuspis infection such as vomiting and loss of appetite. Diagnosis relies upon microscopic detection of parasite eggs in the stool, or by seeing the parasite in the vomit. See your vet regarding diagnosis and treatment. Wherever possible, keep the rodent population down to prevent the spread of these stomach worms.
Kathy Robinson has been writing articles on cat problems and the care of cats on her website http://www.CatProblemsResolved.com for a number of years. Why not download your free copy of The Joy of Owning and Caring for a Cat when you sign up for her free Cat Care Newsletter at http://www.catproblemsresolved.com/660
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4411022