Cats are one of the most loved pets in the world, no question about it.  More than 50% of all households in the United States own dogs and cats.  Although cats are loved animals, cat allergies are one of the common forms of allergies.  Statistics in the past have shown that over 10 million people in the U.S. alone have allergic reactions to cats - especially their fur.

The biggest cause of cat allergies is dander.  The dander, is dust that is produced by the body of the cat.  Dander is basically shed skin that comes off of cats, normally in the form of small flakes.

Although dander can irritate your skin, it can also get into your immune system as well, resulting in a variety of symptoms and almost immediate allergic reactions.

The dander, once in the immune system, is perceived to be a threat.  Even though it isn’t classified as a disease, it’s more of a reflex by your body and your immune system.

Cat allergies occur quite often due to cats having allergens that are spread throughout their blood, urine, and saliva.  Although a cat may not be present at the time, the excretions probably still are.

Cat dander, urine, and saliva, are found throughout the home of cat owners.  Cats constantly groom themselves, which involves rubbing their saliva into their fur. 

When they do this, they spread their dander and allergens around.  Although you may try, there is really nothing that you can do about it.  Cats have a natural instinct to groom or bathe themselves, no matter how many baths you give them, you simply won’t stop them from grooming.

Normally, when someone is taking an allergic reaction to cats, he or she will wheeze, cough, sneeze, itch, have watery eyes, or a difficult time in breathing.  Different people react different ways to cat allergens, meaning that some symptoms may not occur at all.

Fever and chills is very rare, although it can happen.  If someone who has cat allergies comes down with fever and chills, you should contact a doctor immediately.  Chances are, it isn’t an allergic reaction to cats, but instead another type of disease that a doctor will need to identify.

Cat allergies are normally treated with antihistamines and decongestants.  Those that experience asthma attacks or other forms of allergies, normally take antihistamines.  Decongestants on the other hand, are normally used to cure coughs and swollen nasal passages.

Sometimes, doctors will recommend allergy shots as well.  Allergy shots can help to prevent the attack, especially if someone is really allergic to cats.  They are a good form of treatment and prevention, and they can also help to decrease the risk of allergies affecting the individual.

If you suspect that you have cat allergies, you should always make it a point to visit your doctor.  He will be able to further diagnose your situation, and give you the best options available for treatment.

If you do indeed suffer from cat allergies, the best way to stop the attacks is to get rid of your cat. 

Getting rid of a cat can be a very tough thing to do.  If you have become allergic to your cat’s fur, there may be no other way to prevent attacks than to get rid of him.  Although doctors can give you medicine and shots, it will only do so much. 

Cat allergens are no fun, especially if you develop them years after owning your cat.  Cats are great animals to own - although cat allergies are something we could all live without.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: http://www.catcaresecrets.com

Cats look cute and adorable.  That is until they start biting poor unsuspecting human beings.  Cats need to be taught good behavior.  A lot of biting that is done by cat is a result of uncorrected bad behavior. Keep in mind that cats came from the wild.  Even though now cats have been domesticated and live in close contact with humans, their instincts remain the same.  They are born hunters and are equipped with the natural tools designed to hunt a prey.

Cats have predatory instincts

Biting is a part of a cat's defense mechanism.  They do this when they feel threatened. Since biting is a cat's way to protect themselves, humans have to be careful that their cats don't think they are threatening them in any way when they are playing with their cats.

Remember that cats are predatory by nature.  They exhibit this trait by playfully pouncing and biting the hands and feet of their owners.

It's important for owners not to tolerate this behavior.  Otherwise, their cats will think it is acceptable.

Cat owners should not encourage their cats to think that their hands and feet are play things.  A lot of cat owners who tolerate this behavior have scars to prove this unfortunate mistake.

Look for the cause

Sometimes cats exhibit bad behavior such as scratching and biting when they are ill or have an injury.  They also do this when they feel anxiety or fear.

Cat owners need to pay close attention to the health of their cats.  They also need to examine their cat's environment to assess if there's something about their surroundings that is causing their cat's bad behavior.

Train your cat

When training a cat, owners should reward their pets for their good behavior and obedience!  This encourages the cat to maintain a good attitude.  You  can do this by giving them treats, or showering them with affection.

Fun activities

Sometimes cats bite when they get listless.  When a cat starts to scratch and bite, owners can put a stop to this by distracting the cat with a fun activity.  Give the cat a toy to play with.  This will get the cat's attention, and keep the cat preoccupied.

Cats are wonderful pets to have.  Not only are they clean creatures- they keep themselves clean by licking their fur.  But they are also very useful.  The Ancient Egyptians used to keep cats to catch rodents.

But first things first, cats need to be trained and taught the rules of the house.  Luckily for cat owners, this means, no more biting!

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: http://www.catcaresecrets.com

A healthy animal makes for a happy pet. If you are a cat owner and you want to make your pet happy, you need to make sure that your cat is groomed properly, fed on time and is given enough love and attention.

Here are some tips on how you can have a healthy and happy cat:

1. Take care of your cat's health.

As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat is healthy and free from diseases that may even be transmitted to humans.

Visit the veterinarian if you notice that your cat has become lethargic or less active than usual.

If you see them 'shedding' excessively or has something unusual on their coat, immediately consult a professional.

Your cat might have a skin disease, or this could be a symptom of a sickness that you do not know about.

2. Groom your cat properly.

Cats are in the habit of grooming themselves. You will often see them using their tongue to clean their coat.

In spite of this, you should still do your part in grooming your cat if you want to keep them really clean.

Brush your cat's fur regularly. There are several short-haired cats that need minimal brushing. For this, you can use a comb with soft bristles.

There are also cat breeds which have long, silky furs and this variety needs a much longer grooming time.

Use a wide-toothed comb initially then brush up with a fine toothed one afterwards. You can also use talcum powder in order to separate the hair strands.

Make sure that you brush with gentle strokes so that their skin will not be hurt or scratched.

Cats are also not that fond of taking a bath. But there are times when your cat would need bathing.

This is when they have accumulated a lot of dirt on the skin and coat. Bathing will help eliminate ticks and lice.

Also, there might be substances that could cling on the fur which can be poisonous and it is important for them to bathe.

When bathing your pet, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats. Prepare the following before bathing:

-a small tub or sink
-slip-proof mat
-water spray attachment
-clean, dry towels
-shampoo
-comb

Adjust the water temperature, then place your cat in the small tub or sink before filling it up with water. It is better to attach a sprayer in the faucet rather than pouring water directly onto its body. Apply a liberal amount of shampoo on the cat's body, and try to avoid the face, especially the eyes and ears.

After rinsing, towel them dry and comb the coat. Bathing time should build trust and create some quality time between you and your pet cat.

This should prevent your cat from making much of a fuss the next time it needs a bath.

Another part of grooming is keeping the eyes, teeth and ears clean. Also remember to keep the paws clean and the nails trimmed.

Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean these parts. You can also look for a nail trimmer specifically designed to use on your pet cat.

Ask a professional groomer or a veterinarian so that you can learn how to properly clean your cat's eyes, ears, teeth and nails.

3. Feed them on time.

Another aspect of keeping your cat happy and healthy is by feeding them well and on time.

Your feline friends can learn how to "stick" to a schedule with your guidance and training.

Make time in your busy day to feed them. You can learn which variety of cat food they prefer by serving different brands and variants.

Along with cat food, you should give them plenty of clean water to drink.

If you have a lot of pet cats, give them individual feeding plates.

If there is just one dish, other cats might not be fed well because dominant felines will take the most part of the food that you serve.

4. Shower them with love and attention.

By giving your cats your undivided attention while grooming and feeding them, you are already showering them with love and attention.

In addition to this, make their play time a lot more fun by appreciating the things that they do.

By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cat and be a contented owner.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: cat health care

Cats are basically very tidy creatures. They are in the habit of grooming themselves by licking every part of their body clean with their tongue. This habit of tongue-bathing has several benefits to your pet cat:

- promotes better circulation of the blood
- gets rid of dead skin cells
- removes excess/dead hair on their coat
- tones their muscles
- keeps the fur soft and clean

Although your feline friends groom on their own, you should still do your part in keeping your cat clean and well-groomed.

Here are 4 ways to keep your cat well-groomed:

1. Brushing

Depending on the breed, your cat can either have long or short hair. Make sure that you brush your cat’s coat well enough to promote proper grooming.

- For cats with short hair, use a brush with soft bristles so that the skin will not be scratched or hurt in the grooming process.

Use soft, gentle strokes while brushing. This should make them purr in pleasure and you will have an easier job of grooming your pet cat. 

After brushing the coat with a comb, you can finish the job by wiping the fur with a dry, soft and clean piece of cloth. This should maintain the shine on your cat’s coat.

- As compared to cats with shorter hair, long-haired cats would require more brushing time.

For this, use a comb with wide-teeth that is specially designed for cats. This should initially remove the knots and tangles on their fur.

Afterwards, you can use a fine-toothed comb to work the smaller knots on the fur and eliminate the more stubborn knots.

Do not forget to brush the hair around the face with a smaller comb or a toothbrush.

Avoid the eye and whisker area when brushing.

Brushing your cats fur on a regular basis will help keep their coat shiny and healthy, and will also give the owner and the pet some bonding time together.

2. Bathing

Cats do not often require bathing because they basically take good care of  themselves when it comes to grooming.

However, there are some cases wherein you need to give them a bath no matter how you – and your pet – dread the chore.

You need to bathe your cat if the coat has excessive dirt.

Sometimes, a substance that can possibly poison them sticks on the fur and it is vital to give them a bath in this case.

Another instance where you need to bathe your cat is in case of fleas, ticks and lice clinging to their skin.

3. Cleaning the eyes and ears.

For the eyes and ears which are the most sensitive areas in your cat’s body, there are solutions that you may use.

Choose one which is specifically designed to prevent cats with light-colored eyes to develop stains.

For the ears, cats collect a considerable amount or wax so you have to take care of it when grooming.

Removing this would maintain your cat’s health and help prevent infections.

There are also cat wipes that you can use for the ears, eyes and teeth.

4. Keeping the paws clean.

Cats are in the habit of scratching surfaces so it is better to keep them away from the furniture items in the house. It would also help if you keep those paws clean and trim their nails.

You can go to a pet store and buy a nail trimmer specially designed for cats. 

Ask your veterinarian for the proper way to trim your cats nails so as not to hurt them in the process.

If you find that your cat exhibits a not-so-healthy clawing habit, you may go for the option of declawing your cat.

This is a surgical procedure where the nails are permanently removed so that it will not grow back.

However, you should still ask your vets advice if you want to go for declawing because with this, cats will lose a natural defense mechanism.

A better and kinder option is to regularly trim the cat’s nails, have them use a wooden post for scratching, or crate-training to prevent them from clawing at your most-treasured possessions.

By following these tips and making time in your busy schedule to groom your cat, you would have a healthy and happy cat and be a happy owner as well.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: natural cat care

These days, Persian cats are among the most popular breeds of cat.  Well known for their gentle and sweet personalities and their long hair, Persian cats have very attractive features.  They are great companions for virtually anyone, and not very demanding.  Unlike other breeds, such as the Siamese breed, Persian breeds need very little attention.

Although white is the color normally associated with Persian cats, they actually come in a variety of other colors as well.

During competitions, they are divided into seven color divisions – solid, silver and gold, tabby, shaded and smoke, particolor, bicolor, and Himalayan.

No matter what color of Persian cat it may be, they are best noticed during competitions by their long and flowing coats. 

Persian cats should always be kept inside of the house, to protect their coat.  If they travel outside, they can easily damage their coat. 

They will also need to be brushed daily with a metal comb, or their coat can become tangled, which will lead to hairballs.  You’ll need to bathe your Persian cat on a regular basis as well, to help protect his coat.  Bathing works best when the cat is young, as it will get him used to it. 

Bathing should never be overlooked, as it will keep your cats coat looking clean and healthy.  Although some breeds can maintain their coats on their own,

Persians can’t. Their fur is long and dense and you’ll need to groom them daily to ensure their coat stays healthy.

The Persian breed is gentle and sweet, getting along great with everyone – including kids.  They have a pleasant voice that is always good to hear.

Using their voice and their eyes, they can communicate very well with their owners.  They are very playful, yet they don’t require a lot of attention.  They love attention however, and love being admired. 

Unlike other cats, they don’t climb and jump much at all.  They aren’t destructive either; they just love being admired and lying around.

A majority of the time, Persian cats love to bask in the sun and show others just how beautiful they truly are.

Although most breeds can be kept indoors or outside, Persian cats should always be kept inside and never allowed to go outside of the house.

Keeping them inside with protect their coats and also keep diseases and common parasites away from them as well.  You won’t have to worry about cars or dogs either if you keep your pet inside. 

To ensure that your Persian pet stays healthy, you should always take him to the vet on an annual basis.  If cared for properly, such as grooming, shots, and checkups, Persian cats can live as long as 20 years.

One thing you’ll need to be aware of that’s common with Persians is their eyes.  Their eyes are very big and can sometimes be too much for the cat to clean.

This is a common healthy problem with the breed, and should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t get out of control.

When you compare Persians to other breeds, you’ll notice that the Persians are among the easiest to keep.

You don’t have to worry about things like jumping or climbing, as Persians don’t like to do either.  All you’ll need to do is feed your cat and groom him or him on a daily basis.

Even though grooming can be quite a bit of work in the long run – it’s well worth it when you have a healthy an beautiful Persian cat.

For more Information on Cats and there Health visit:  Himalayan cat care

When you decide to add a new cat to your home, it’s normally more exiting for you and your family than it is for the cat you already own.  Although most cats are solitary by nature, most will also come to accept or eventually tolerate any additions.  Cats can be very territorial, which is why you should always be careful when you introduce a new cat to your current cat.

If you are introducing kittens to one another, the entire introduction process can be short, lasting as little as 10 – 15 days. 

Introducing cats to each other all depends on their temperament and their personality. 

When you introduce a new cat to your current cat, you should always make sure that you give your current cat plenty of love and attention.

This way, your cat will feel secure and know that he isn’t in competition with your new cat for affection.

When you bring your new cat home, you should let him stay in a safe room until you have finished introducing the cats.  Your safe room can be any small room in your home, such as a bathroom or spare bedroom. 

The key here is to use a room that your current cat doesn’t go in.  In the room, you should leave your new cat a scratching post, bed, water dish, litter box, and food dish.

At first, your current cat may howl and hiss when he stands at the door, trying to tell the other cat that he doesn’t belong.

When this happens you should ignore it, as punishing your cat for his behavior will only lead to more problems.  After a while, the first cat will start to act calm when he is near the new cat’s door.

As he starts to act calm, you should pet him and give him praise.

When your first cat starts to go by your new cat’s door and doesn’t howl or hiss; you can start introducing them to each other. 

The best way to do this is to get them used to each others scent.  You can start letting them eat out of the same food dish, although you’ll want to feed them at different intervals at first.

This way, the scent of each cat will be present at the food dish, and each cat will get the scent when he eats his food.

Once both cats have got used to the scent, you can begin to feed them closer together.

To do this, you should keep your new cat in the safe room with the door closed, and your first cat on the other side of the door with his food dish.  This time, feed both cats at the same time.

After doing this a few times, they should start eating without any hissing or growling.  At this point, they are ready to be introduced to one another.

When you introduce them to each other in the same room, a bit of growling and hissing is to be expected.

Although they may be used to each others scent; your first cat will still feel a bit awkward with your new cat being in his territory.

You should play with them both at first, so they can smell one another and greet in their own way. If they start to fight you should break them up, and give them some time apart.

It may take some time to get them fully used to one another, although once they do they will become playmates for life.  Cats love to be social, although it may be a bit rough at first, especially for your first cat.

Cats can be very territorial, especially if you have a kitten around.  If you get both of them used to each other early on it will be a lot easier to add future cats to your home.

For more Information on Cats and there Health visit:  Taking Care of a Cat

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.

Cats that are in heat are easily attracted to the odor of urine.  For cats in heat, spraying is more or less an invitation for love.

Often times cats that spray while in heat results in a litter of kittens that are born in just a few short months. 

Keep in mind that cats not only spray during heat, as some will also spray during encounters with other cats, or when they are feeling stressed.

Although spraying is a way of communicating for cats, the smell for people is horrible.  The good thing here is that most cats will do a majority of their spraying outdoors.

If you have an indoor cat that never goes outside, spraying can indeed be a problem.  If you’ve noticed spraying in your home, you should take action and do something about it immediately.

The most effective and also the easiest way to stop spraying is to have your cat either neutered or spayed, which of course depends on the sex. 

Most male cats that have been neutered will stop spraying the same day they have the surgery. If you don’t want to get your cat neutered or spayed, you should look into other options.

If you hope to one day breed your cat, you certainly don’t want to have him neutered or spayed.

The best thing to do in this situation is to talk to your veterinarian.

He will be able to give you advice, and possibly even solve the problem without having surgery.  There may be a medical problem present that is causing the problem, which your vet can identify.

You should always do something about spraying the moment it starts simply because cat urine stinks and it can leave stains all over your home.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: http://www.catcaresecrets.com

Cats are very lovable creatures.  They are tame, cuddly and are indeed beautiful.  Most cat owners want them to be indoors, to keep them safe and clean always.  However, keeping cats indoors poses the problem of dealing with their wastes.  Thus it is necessary to toilet train the cat.

Toilet Training Essentials

1. Cats should be trained early on.  It should start when the kitten is around 8 weeks old.

2. Before starting with the toilet training, make sure that the cat already responds to its name.  This will be very helpful in responding to the behavior of the cat.

3. Cats generally are not difficult to toilet train.  For one, they have the instinct already to bury their wastes.  Thus all that is needed is to provide a litter tray.

This can be bought in pet shops.  A litter tray usually is made of plastic or enamel.  The container should be filled with soil, sand, sawdust or commercial cat litters.

4. Generally, a kitten that is raised together with a mother that uses the litter tray will learn to use the tray itself eventually.

5. For kittens or cats that still have to be trained, it is best to acquaint them with the litter tray.  The cat should be placed inside the tray after being fed, after play or when it wakes up.

6. Make sure that the litter tray is placed in a quiet and secluded place.  Cats would not like to be seen when they use the litter tray.

7. When the cat uses the litter tray, make sure that you praise it for the good behavior.

The best way to praise the cat is to pet it or pat it on its head.  Food rewards are also good tools to praise the cat.

8. However, a cat or kitten being trained that failed to make use of the litter tray should be reprimanded.  The cat must be corrected immediately.  A loud and sharp "no" or squirting the cat with water are the usual ways to reprimand the cat.  Never use physical punishment. It is not a good practice. It also affects the relationship of the cat to the owners.

The cat has to be constantly praised or reprimanded for its toilet behavior until it finally learns to go to the litter tray by itself.

Owning a toilet trained cat can be very rewarding. Attention and consistent effort will be greatly needed at the toilet training stage. Just be patient always.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: http://www.catcaresecrets.com

Okay who's first……..Just like to say thanks to Lisa for sending in this photograph of her Cat ( Archie ) trying to eat her brothers gold fish. Please keep the pictures coming in.

Cat owners know for a fact that bad cat breath can be downright awful.  It isn’t that much different from bad human breath, as both are caused by bacteria found in the mouth that breaks protein down and releases the sulfur compounds out into the air.  Sulfur smells really bad on its own, which is why breath containing it smells bad as well. 

The bacterium that causes bad breath with cats is normally associated with a buildup of tartar around the teeth.  Tartar is yellow in color, known as a coating of bacteria, food, and minerals.

To cure your cat from bad breath, you’ll need to remove the buildup of tartar.  There are several cat foods out there that are designed to reduce the buildup of tartar, many containing enzymes that will literally dissolve it.

You can also give your cat treats as well, as many of them will help eliminate and prevent tartar.  If the buildup of tartar is bad, you may need to have your cat’s teeth professionally cleaned.

Once the tartar has been removed, the bad breath will go away.

You may be able to clean the tartar off your cat’s teeth at home.  There are several toothpastes available for pets, available in several different flavors. 

You’ll need to get a mechanical toothbrush, as the motion is very important for removing tartar buildup.  Toothpastes that contain enzymes will dissolve tartar, helping to cure bad breath.

If you start early with brushing your cat’s teeth, you can virtually eliminate any type of tartar buildup that will ultimately lead to bad breath.

Some bacteria that lead to tartar can be found in your cat’s diet.  When you feed him, you should always make sure that the food he consumes doesn’t contain a lot of bacteria.

If you shop healthy and feed him only healthy foods, it can help his bad breath a great deal.  When you give your pet a treat, make sure that the treat is designed to help with tartar.

After your cat has finished eating, you can brush his teeth or rinse his mouth out.  This way, you’ll get the bacteria out of his mouth before it has time to build up on his teeth.

Sometimes, cats may have a bad odor in their mouth that doesn’t come from tartar or bad breath in general.  In these rare cases, it can be either liver or kidney disease.  If you notice bad breath and it isn’t tartar, you should take your cat to the vet. 

Even though it may be something to do with tartar, it’s better to be safe than sorry.  Your veterinarian can pinpoint the problem, let you know what the cause is – and how you should go about fixing it.

For more Information on cats and there Health visit: http://www.catcaresecrets.com