Benefits of Cat Grooming
-Reduces painful knots
-Prevents shedding throughout the house
-Prevents flea outbreaks
-Cats ingest fewer hairballs
-Pet and owner relax and bond
-Produces a beautiful, shining coat

Eyes, Ears, and Coat Maintenance
The most important things to maintain during grooming are the eyes, ears, and coat. First, the eyes should be checked regularly for signs of irritation or infection. Consult a veterinarian if your cat’s eyes have any unusual discharge, redness, film, cloudiness, or change in colour, or if your cat is scratching at the eye area or seems irritated there.

Next, the ears should be inspected regularly. Carefully fold back the ear. A healthy inner ear should be pink without discharge. If there is excessive fluid, swelling, odour, or if it appears unusual in any way, consult a veterinarian. Do not try to clean the ear canal, as this could cause infection or trauma.

Lastly, the coat should be maintained regularly. Cats with short, fine hair need only be combed once or twice per week. Those with long, thick hair and manes are prone to knotting and matting, and should be combed and brushed on a daily basis. Combs with wide-apart teeth should be used for cats with thick or long hair, as in Persian cat grooming, while fine-tooth combs are appropriate for short-haired breeds. Follow with a cat grooming brush to distribute oils and add lustre throughout the coat.

Cat Grooming Tools
There are a wide variety of cat grooming supplies on the market today. The tools used will depend largely on the density, length, and thickness of a cat’s coat. Below are some commonly used cat grooming tools:

-Flea comb (metal, fine-toothed comb)
-Slicker brush (flat, metal, with fine wires to remove excess hair)
-Undercoat rake (a mini-rake, prevents undercoat matting)
-Grooming glove (no brush needed)
-Palm-held brush (brush is hidden under the palm)
-Seam ripper (a sewing tool, can be used to carefully remove knots)
-Cat shampoos, conditioners, de-greasers

Bathing Your Cat
Although cats generally keep themselves clean, they may benefit from a bath if their coat becomes dirty or greasy, or if they have come into contact with a foul-smelling or unsanitary substance. Long or thick haired cats may need to be washed more often than fine or short haired cats. Additionally, a bath can be a great benefit because many shampoos and cat grooming products are designed to combat fleas.

First, comb the cat’s hair well to remove dead hair, skin, and matting. Next, fill a tub or sink with a few inches of lukewarm water. It is best to use a non-slippery surface, such as a rubber mat.

When bathing the cat, wet and rinse the fur gently with a hand-held spray nozzle or a plastic cup. Throughout the process, avoid wetting the ears, eyes, and nose. Carefully and gently work the shampoo into the cat’s coat, starting at the head and ending at the tail. Rinse carefully and thoroughly. If additional conditioners or de-greasers are needed, apply them after the initial shampoo.

Rinse thoroughly and dry your cat with a large towel. Comb the hair to prevent tangles, especially in long-haired breeds. If desired, and if its possible!, dry the fur with a hair-dryer, blowing against the hair’s lay. Start with the upper body and end with the stomach.

Cat Grooming Tips
-For best results, groom your cat at a time when he/she is relaxed (after dinner normally).
-Speak soothingly to your cat while grooming.
-A cat’s stomach is a sensitive area—be especially gentle when brushing or washing there.
-Brush and comb in the direction of the cat’s hair growth.
-Groom with confidence!

The Automatic Litter Box
Keeping the cat litter box clean is important to keeping your cat healthy and using it properly. Cats don’t typically care what kind of litter you are providing them with, as long as it’s clean. By investing in an automatic cat litter box, the litter box will actually clean itself. You will have to occasionally clean out the box’s holding area, but the litter for your cat will be kept clean and ready to use. Some of these litter boxes even have a pad attached for the cat to walk across, cleaning their paws as they leave. You will be able to choose between hooded and unhooded boxes. You can also find some models that are quieter than others, or are designed especially for use by multiple cats. These are all important things to keep in mind when you begin shopping.

The Hidden Litter Box
While the self-cleaning box offers convenience, it is still visible to visitors in your home. However, for those who really don’t want their guests to ever see it, you can choose a hidden cat litter box and completely hide it from view. These boxes are cleverly disguised as planters. A square opening is cut into the side of the planter for your cat to get into his wonderfully private bathroom. The top of the planter lifts off for changing the litter and there are even interchangeable plants available so you can truly personalize your cat’s box. The opening can be turned towards the wall so that your guests will never know it’s there. Another great feature of these boxes is that they also do a great job of containing both odour and litter mess. These are a great option for anyone living in a small home where there really is no good spot for the cat tray.

The Covered Litter Box
These clever boxes allow you to hide your cat’s litter while also keeping the overall expense low. They will not disguise the litter box, but they are very effective at containing the smell of the litter, the dust that can be kicked up, and any aiming accidents. A covered cat litter box will keep the area around it clean, and your cat will also appreciate the privacy.

Cat Litter Box Furniture
These litter boxes are true to their names. They are pieces of furniture that cleverly disguise and contain litter boxes. The cats hop up through an opening in the furniture and down to their private bathroom. Most of the furniture resembles basic cabinets, although there are also options available that resemble filing cabinets and bookshelves. You can even choose a clever bench for hiding your cat box.

Any litter box that allows your cat privacy is the best cat litter box to choose. Your cat does like his privacy, and he will be more likely to use a box that offers him that privacy.

There are more options for cat litter boxes than there have ever been. Years ago all cat pans were basic, open pans that offered no privacy, no hope of containing odour and no way of disguising them. However, with all the choices available today you can find a perfectly disguised box for any room in the house. Or you can choose the convenience of an automatic self cleaning box.

Anyone who really enjoys their cats loves to spoil them with cat toys and special cat food. We tend to pamper our felines because they are the ones that keep us company when the chips are down and keep us humble when things are going well.

Cat Health 

If you love your cat, you know that staying on top of things like the cat litter and taking your feline to the vet is part of the job description. Cat health can be unpredictable, particularly in later years, when many felines tend to develop issues. Cat insurance can be a good way to ensure that you don’t go broke from trying to keep your kitty healthy.

A great way to make sure your pet stays nice and strong is to ensure that the cat food you are feeding your cat is of the best quality you can afford. Stay away from table scraps, much as your feline might love them and watch your cat’s weight, just like you’d watch your own. Overweight pets can suffer from some serious health complications, so it’s a good idea to check with your vet if you feel Tabby is getting a little too round.

Playtime

Plenty of playtime is also vital for both a healthy kitten and the older feline. While cat toys are great fun, don’t forget to get down and play with your kitten for bonding time. It will really pay off when you need your pet to snuggle up with you later on! A loving relationship with your pet is the best way to enjoy having a cat around and put up with their hoity attitudes from time to time.

There are plenty of cat toys to help your feline enjoy his time while you’re away at work, as well. Something as simple as rolling a ball across the floor can be tremendously entertaining for your kitty and for you, as well!

Cats can be a real joy to live with. They need so little and are so easy to look after that it’s well worth having them around. If you like to cuddle up to your cat while watching television, then you’ll want to take a look around this site. You’ll find plenty of information here on how to make life even better for you and your feline companions. We’ve got more than enough to keep you busy reading about cat health, cat insurance, cat toys and looking after your pet, so take a look around! Come and meet Saffi & her friends on the About Me page.

Nearly 70% of all cat litter on the market is clumping cat litter, for many people this is the best cat litter of choice.  This kind of litter, when it gets wet, comes together to make a solid mass, which in turn makes it very easy to separate from the unused litter left in the cat litter tray.  The clumping cat litter helps reduce waste, as you do not have to change the entire contents of the cat litter box every time a cat goes to the bathroom.  Due the fact this kind of kitty litter clumps together when wet, it is advised to not flush it down the toilet as it could clog it up.

Another kind of cat litter is a biodegradable kind and this is made from a variety of resources including wood pellets, dried orange peels, barley, sawdust, and recycled paper.  This type of litter is good for the environment, which a good thing since every year, more than 2 million tons of litter ends up in UK landfills.  Some people prefer biodegradable litter because it is eco friendly.  Others might like it because biodegradable litter can be flushed down a toilet and has deodorizing mechanisms.  If your cat has asthma, this type of kitty litter may also help its breathing because of the reduced dust in the litter.

The third type of cat litter is a silicon gel, usually called crystal cat litter, and is the most absorbent of any kitty litter.  It is also excellent for controlling odors and moisture.  Some cat owners like this kind of litter because it has the ability to absorb odors and liquid for around 30 days.  It needs to be stirred when the solid waste is scooped out, but the cat urine can stay in the box.  It will start to smell in 30 days, meaning it’s time to change it.  Others don’t like it because they say it give too little of a warning for when it needs to be changed.

If you are feeling ambitious and want to change your life and that of your cats, consider investing some money (and a good amount of patience) in toilet training the little tyke. The Litter Kwitter is an amazing invention and the support and information that backs it up is really great.

Get them a cat scratcher post, a cat scratcher tree or something similar that your kitty can dig its claws into rather than your valuable belongings.

So you finally get tired of having your cat scratch and claw its way through your personal stuff, and you decide to go buy it a cat scratcher that hopefully it will use instead.  You head to the nearest pet shop and see tons of different cat scratchers there.  Surely there can’t be that big of a difference between all of them, can there?  Actually, there is a big difference.  In addition to all the various sizes and shapes, the main thing that sets all the cat scratchers apart is the material.

You will want to buy a sisal cat scratcher, as sisal textile material is ideal for cat’s claws.  They like to shred things into pieces and that is exactly what a sisal cat scratcher allows them to do.  Sisal textile material, not the rope kind, has a texture and grain to it that is perfect for your cat to shred to pieces, which is what their instincts tell them to do.  Cats like to claim their territory by making marks that go up and down, and sisal material has the best surface to do this on.  After your cat has used it some, do not throw the shredded material away, as they will see that as being broken in and ideal for their scratching habits.

Be sure to get a cat scratcher post or cat scratcher tree that is high enough for your cat to stretch out completely and it also needs to be stable.  You don’t want a cat scratcher that is wobbly and might fall over on your kitty.  That may frighten them and make them not want to use it anymore due to fear of it falling over on them.  And if they are too afraid to use one of the cat scratchers you got for them, where do you think they are going to return to for their claw sharpening urges?

Getting a Picky Cat to Eat

So, just what can you do to make sure your cat is going to eat the dry cat food you buy for him? You might want to try a few samples first. It can be quite frustrating to find that your cat detests Royal Canin cat food or Hills cat food after you’ve just bought an economy size bag! The best cat food is going to be one that is actually eaten.

First, check around to see if there are samples available of the brand you’d like to try for your reigning feline. Often pet stores will have samples that you can try or you might borrow a bit from a friend who also has cats.

Choosing the Best Cat Food
The right cat food will be designed to fit your feline’s needs. This means plenty of animal based proteins which are important for feline health, few dyes or unnecessary additives, etc. You want the best for your cat, even if he doesn’t really believe that, so it’s your job as the human to do the due diligence and make sure you research what is in the food, even organic cat food, that you buy.

Often extra ingredients can cause problems. Some cats are allergic to the chemicals and dyes used in non-organic dry cat food, so be careful. Read the ingredient list and make sure there’s nothing that could harm your cat. For this reason it’s often best to stick with well-known cat food brands.

Getting Your Cat to Eat
Sometimes you have no real choice as to which food your cat needs to eat. If he has a health problem that necessitates a special diet, you’ll have to do a little conniving. Leave the food out as long as you can. If your cat is refusing to touch it, you might just want to put a little amount out at a time to let him know that this is the food now. He’ll glare at you, ignore you and stalk past the food dish for a while, but eventually hunger will get him to give in. Remember to keep lots of water on hand while your cat is getting used to the new organic cat food!

There are a number of different brand names in cat food out there which are well respected. For example, Whiskas cat food has been around for many years, as has Felix cat food and Hills cat food, as well as Royal Canin cat food. Some, like Science Diet cat food are specifically designed for the overweight cat facing health issues. Whatever the reason you’re switching foods, hang in there and try to find something that your cat will take to without too much trouble!

Adopting a cat isn’t just a matter of choosing the one you like the looks of. You want to make sure that your cat is going to be a good match for you and your family as well. Many of these cats for adoption don’t have much of a known history, but in some cat adoptions, you’ll be able to learn all about the animal’s past. This can help you decide if you should adopt a cat. For example, if a feline has been abused by children, she might not be a good choice for a house full of kids. You should look at the temperament of each cat to help make your decision.

Many animal organizations have a cat adoption team that can help you find the right cat for your situation.

Why Adopt a Cat?
Cat adoption is something that many people don’t really think about. They might “adopt” a cat from a friend’s litter, but for the most part they avoid the idea of older cats who need homes. Often these cats are still fairly young, but they’ve simply outgrown their owners. In some cases, they may have been dumped as soon as they lost the kitten cuteness, which happens often when kittens are given as gifts to children.

By adopting a cat, you are filling two needs. First of all, you are giving a cat a home. It can be very difficult to place older cats, particularly those who might not be as pretty as a new kitten. These felines have lived for a while and they may have had a rough life. Secondly, you’re gaining companionship. Unlike dogs, cats offer a special kind of companionship. They’re friendly and independent at the same time and can be much easier to look after.

If you’re looking for a cat to snuggle up with on long winter evenings and enjoy playing with, then why not look into cat adoption? Cats for adoption may be older, but they are also wiser. A cat adoption team can help you find the right feline for your cat adoption and ensure that the process goes smoothly. Integrating a new member into your family might take a little time, but it will be very worth it when you are rewarded with happy paws and purring!

We’ve all seen celebrities who show off their tiny dogs with fancy collars and clothes. While your cat probably isn’t going to stand for any cute jackets, a cat collar can be just the thing to create a neat look. If you want your cat to be recognized as a loved pet, then a personalized cat collar can show off their carefully chosen name.

There are all types of cat collars. For the feminine feline who loves to preen and looks for constant praise, a pink cat collar might do the trick. You’ll also find that there are a number of very feminine collars, with rhinestones or even little charms hanging from them, so there’s something to suit the princess cat in your home.

For the more masculine cat, you might want something a bit more subdued. There are plain colored cat collars, as well as those that come in fun patterns for a more playful look. With so many options, you’re bound to find just the right one for your cat and his attitude.

Why Use Cat Collars?
Some people might wonder why you would put a cat collar on your pet. Apart from looking great, your cat will enjoy the added advantage of being easier to identify should he slip out the door and make an escape. Personalized cat collars make this even simpler. You can also attach tags so anyone who sees your cat will know where he belongs. If you have a runaway who does his best to get outside on a continual basis, this can be invaluable.

Should your cat be turned in to the vet or other animal agency, a cat with a personalized cat collar will be easier to recover. The authorities can give you a call if the information is on his tags, making it a simple thing to recover your feline pet.

Cat collars are a great way to enhance your cat’s natural sense of style. Cats collars come in a range of sizes and designs and personalized cat collars make it easy to identify your pet. A breakaway cat collar is a good idea, too, since it makes it impossible for your pet to choke himself by getting caught on something. No matter what your reasoning for the purchase, you’ll find a great cat collar for your pet, especially with the huge range of online cat supplies available these days.

In nature, cats hunt for a living, but they are very playful. When your feline pal is cooped up indoors with no mice to catch, then he needs something to do. Enter the cat toys. When you roll a ball across the floor, you’ll notice that your cat twitches his tail and leaps. These are signs of hunting and that means your cat is enjoying using the skills he misses from not being outdoors.

There are a number of benefits from playing, as well. In general, housecats tend to gain more weight than their outdoor counterparts. They eat more and get less exercise. This can also result in your cat going a bit bonkers from boredom and excess energy. With interactive cat toys, they burn off some of that energy and keep their weight in check. The health and mental benefits are great, so it’s more than just a toy – your cat is getting a full workout, too!

Which Will Your Cat Enjoy?
There are a number of different options when it comes to cat toys. All cats enjoy pouncing on things from time to time, so a cat toy that makes this easy will always be enjoyed. Its pretty easy to make your own homemade cat toys if your feeling creative and want something unique for your cat. If you like to play with your pet, then something like a ball on a string can be a lot of fun. You can jerk it back and give your cat a real challenge!

Likewise, catnip cat toys are always a big hit. Catnip is a great herb for felines and just about any toy stuffed with it instantly becomes more exciting. For those cats who prefer to jump on things when you aren’t looking, a catnip mouse or ball can be a fun way to ensure that they have plenty to do while you’re out and about.

When looking for a popular cat toy, you might want to consider interactive toys, ones that will make a noise or perhaps zip away when your cat bats at them. This can increase the fun for your pet and for you. There’s nothing more entertaining than watching your cat, who usually has quite the attitude, turn back into a kitten, pouncing and attacking a fake mouse or ball or other fun toys for cats.

You have a number of options in cat toys. Look at what your feline likes to do. If he is a climber, look at interactive cat toys that involve climbing. If he likes to sneak and attack, then a self-running cat toy might be better, and for the cat who pretends to be above all play, a catnip cat toy is perfect.

In ancient Egypt, cats were revered as gods, and they certainly seemed to have carried that aristocracy down through the generations. No ordinary cat bedding will do, of course, for a royal pet like your feline. There’s really nothing wrong with spoiling your cat; beds are a necessity after all, and if you want him to actually stay in it for the night, then you need to look at an awesome one, like a heated cat bed. Heated cat beds are pure kitty-decadence, as is the radiator cat bed, one that your feline will love to snuggle into to enjoy the warmth. We already know that cats tend to head for heating vents, the washing machine and anywhere else that is warm, particularly in the cooler months. So, why not look at an alternative to the regular wicker cat bed and get one with a built in heater?

Cats might not care about colors, such as that garish pink cat bed you just bought!, but textures and comfort are extremely important. We tend to do just about anything to make sure our pets are happy. There’s really nothing like that contented purr as they knead their paws in a happy relaxation ritual, and most cat owners are capable of doing some pretty crazy things to get that purr fix! A nice bed is a lot easier than crawling around on your belly, batting at cat toys. A heated cat bed will get the same happy response, though, so it’s a great way to go.

Making the Choice 
Of course, there are a number of options when it comes to beds for your feline. Make sure you choose one that is the right size. If you have a kitten, don’t forget that he’s going to grow, so pick accordingly. Look for cat bedding that mimics a favorite texture of your cat. If he likes to curl up on your chenille throw, for example, look for something similar in a bed. If your jeans are his favorite spot to nap, then a denim-covered bed might be just the thing to entice your pet off your pillow and onto one of his own.

For shy felines, a snuggle cat bed might be a good choice, since it allows them to “hide” from the excitement of their surroundings. You’ll know if this is a good choice for a cat bed if your pet tends to hide under the couch or bed or likes to sleep in cupboards and other hidden spaces.

Whether you go the expensive route with luxury cat beds, or just a good old slumber ball, your cat deserves the best. Spoil him rotten with a comfy place to sleep and you’ll be rewarded with more purrs. And hopefully fewer disdainful looks!