Natural Pet Health

Anytime your cat backs himself up to a door or other object in your house, lifts his tail, and releases urine – you have a problem. This problem is known as spraying, and is very common with cats kept indoors. Even though it is a very annoying problem, it’s a problem that can be solved.

Contrary to what many think, spraying isn’t a litter box problem, but rather a problem with marking. Cat urine that is sprayed contains pheromones, which is a substance that cats and other animals use for communicating. Pheromones are much like fingerprints with humans, as they are used to identify the cat to other animals.

When a cat sprays something, he is simply marking his territory through his urine. The spraying is simply the cat’s way of letting others know that the territory is his. Even though it may make you mad and annoy you, getting angry with your cat will solve nothing. If you raise your voice or show angry towards your cat, it can very well result in more spraying.

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A lot of people believe that cats work on their own agenda, not paying much attention to their owner – provided they have clean litter, food, and water.

Cats can behave in odd manners at times, which can easily confuse their owners and make it really hard to determine what the cat wants. As much as cat behavior can be confusing, there are some ways that you can solve common cat behavior mysteries.

A common behavior that almost all cats do is push their heads into any type of object that will allow them to do it. You’ve probably seen your cat do this before, probably against table legs, TV stands, or another object.

This can be noticed more when you have other people who own animals or those with allergies over at your house. When a cat notices this, he will rub his head against the person. In doing so, he will put a spot of saliva on the individual. In a cat’s mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on.

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A common misconception about cats is that they are on their own agenda and simply tolerate their owner’s existence, provided there’s food and a clean litter box. The seemingly erratic behavior that cats exhibit can confuse owners and guests alike and make it difficult to tell what exactly your cat wants. However, there are some common trends that will help take the mystery out of two of the more common behaviors.

One common thing you will inevitably see your cat do is push their head into anything that will support the weight: couch legs, tables, piles of paper and, if you’re lucky, maybe even your outstretched hand. You’ll notice this behavior even more when people who either own other animals are over, or people who are allergic are visiting.

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Q. Does anybody know of a way to keep cats from using my garden and potted plants as a toilet?

* I found a remedy which works for us. I hope it does the same for you. We sprayed the plants with a solution of a little cayenne and water. It’s nontoxic to the animals, doesn’t hurt the plants, and boy, the cats sure hate the smell of it when they sniff around to prepare to answer nature’s call.

* One is to put human hair around your plants (on top of the soil). It’s my understanding that animals hate the smell and are deterred from it. Any hair salon would probably be more than happy to sweep some up into a bag for you. Another is one my neighbor uses. She puts moth balls around her plants. Again, I think it’s the smell. I don’t know, however, how viable either of these options are for a food garden.

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They’re cute, they’re loveable, and they can tear up your favorite chair before you can say, “bad cat!”

Well, of course I’m talking about America’s favorite pet - the cat. (I know, some of you think the dog is America’s favorite pet. But, us cat lovers know better.) But, as most people who have cats (particularly indoor cats) also know, these adorable creatures can make messes outside their boxes and tear up furniture if not properly trained. And the best time to do the training is when the cat is young.

Since there is no such thing as a “kittygarten,” it’s up to you make sure your kitten learns the rules of the house. And quick. Don’t let the kitten develop bad habits that will come to haunt you later. For example, while it might be cute when Kitty manages to climb up to your dining room table during dinnertime, it’s not so cute three years later and your cat is still interrupting your mealtime. The best time to put a stop to unwanted behavior is now.

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You can’t train a cat, like you can a dog. If you try to, you’ll probably cause behavioural problems later on. But you can teach it not to perform bad habits. But most times the owner will have to change to fit in with the cat.

Every one in your house, should agree with what you are going to allow the cat to do. Do not change the rules when you’ve decided them, as this can cause difficulties.

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You have settled into your favorite armchair, perhaps reading the final chapters of a gripping novel. Suddenly you are aware of the imploring stare of your cat sitting at your feet. You invite her onto your lap. Gently you begin to stroke her and your cat signals her appreciation with an audible purr.

One hand holding your book the other hand continuing to pet your mouser, you again get lost in your novel. All is well in the world with you and with your cat.

Suddenly your cat bites your hand!

Why did kitty do that? Why did she Bite the hand that strokes her?

The experts don’t agree on exactly why it is that some cats enjoy being petted, but end up Biting. One thing that they do agree on is that when kitty bites at you, it’s a sure sign that she has decided that she’s had enough stroking.

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Hyperactivity and delinquency in pets

A Hyperactive, Out-of-control pet is enough to drive even the most laid back owner straight to therapy.

Some animals become increasingly Hyperactive and delinquent over a period of time while others are that way from the start. Either way you need to do something to calm their errant ways!

It’s important to try to understand, if possible, why your pet is behaving the way he is. For instance, some breeds of pets such as border collies, are naturally more Highly Strung than others. Border collies are typically bred as working dogs so if instead they are kept as pets their owners need to be aware that they need lots of exercise and attention.

Other factors that can contribute to Hyperactivity and delinquency include boredom, lack of stimulation, an inadequate diet (especially one with too much protein), allergies, Stress, lack of attention and/or lack of exercise.

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