Cats

Never buy any pets on a casual basis. Purchasing any type of animals is a long-term commitment that requires a lot of time, care, patience, finance, energy, love and companionship. Always read and research information on the animal you are interested in, to make sure you can meet all of its specific needs that will enable you to provide your companion pet with a long healthy life.

          Cats are adorable! They are charming, intelligent and are entertaining. They have a sense of balance that is incredible. You’ll find them climbing up anywhere with an acrobatic ease. They enrich our lives in so many ways, making us laugh with their playfulness and by providing companionship and unconditional love. It’s always a treat to hear them purring! Owning one cat or more is so rewarding on its own. You’d be amazed on just how much joy your cat will bring to you. Cats are great for anyone of any age, and I’ll assure you that it’s a pet you wouldn’t want to live without once you’ve already had one. They don’t require a lot of maintenance compared to dogs, but they need the same amount of love, time, patience, attention and care. If you have youngsters running around, it’s good for them to be involved because it brings them a sense of responsibility.

General Information: Purchasing any animal is a long-term commitment. Cats require time, care, patience, energy, finance, love and companionship. The owner should be fully committed to each of these when purchasing a cat. There are a variety of cat breeds to choose from, just be sure to research the characteristics of the breed before purchasing. Impulse buying is no way to go about it. Take the time to read up a little to know what to expect.

          There are over 30 different breeds for you to get to know. Among those you’ll find the Abyssinian, American Bobtail, Burmese, Himalayan, Maine Coon, Manx, Persian, Scottish Fold, Siamese and Sphynx. The following list is all purebred cats with different characteristics and care. You also have the regular house cats that most people have. Which makes just as great cats as any of the mentioned above. Some has long hair, others short hair, some has a short stubby tail, a flat nose, and some has amazing coat patterns. Each of them are unique and loving.

          They all need exercise and room to play. Cats love to climb; the higher they can reach the more enjoyable it is for them. Purchasing a floor to ceiling scratch post will be a great investment. You’ll enjoy it just as much as them, watching them having fun climbing and playing. Cats are great for apartment living. They don’t require a spacious environment. Cats also sleeps a lot, you’ll quite often find them resting throughout the day.

          If you have time to spend with your cat, owning just one is absolutely fine. However, owning two may be best. Cats can become bored and lonely just like us, so while you’re out working all day, they'll have each other to keep themselves company. It’s not a lot more care having two compared to one. Having two from the same litter is always great, but you can have two from different litters. If you already own a cat since he was a young kitten and he’s now roughly around 6 months to a year old, and you want to introduce another cat that is around the same age, it’s most likely going to work fine. You’ll need to expect a week or two of a little hissing, fighting or them basically just being tolerant with each other, but they usually become great friends afterwards. When they reach up to a few years old, you can still introduce another cat, but once they start reaching three, four, fives years and up, it might not work as fine. Always be sure to advise yourself with your local pet store retailer first concerning introducing multiple cats together.

          But owning two cats is really a treat. It’s really entertaining watching them play together and tackled each other to the floor. Watching them sleep cuddling together or washing each other is enough to make you reach for the camera.

          As for owning an inside or outside cat, it's really up to you. I will say though that owning an inside cat has its advantages. If a cat has never seen the outside, he won't know what he's missing, and since it's the unknown to him he won't ask for the door. You won't deprive your cat at all if you do not let him go outside. It's not like owning a dog. An indoor cat is apt for a longer and healthier life. Outdoor cats are faced with internal or external parasites, other animals that can lead to fighting, and traffic. These are just some of the dangers outdoor cats are faced with. Like I said, owning an inside cat is really not depriving them at all. They'll live just as happy inside. It only takes them one visit out to enhance their curiosity and soon you'll find them begging at the door. If that's the case, you can accommodate your cat with a harness and a nylon leash or tie out cable. That way, you'll know that he's safely outside in your yard, preventing them from getting hurt. However, when your cat is outside on a tie out cable, do not leave them unattended. They should always be supervised, because quite often they have the tendency to get tangled around things.

          As for either owning a males or females, that comes down to your personal opinion and preference. They both make equally great house pets. Some say a male are more affectionate than a female, which in a lot of cases is true, but it can also be the other way around. It also depends on the cats' own character. Some will be more affectionate and while others will be more independent. Either which sex you'll choose, always have them spayed or neutered if you don't intend to have any litters. And especially if you decide to have outdoor cats, please have them spayed or neutered. It will prevent a lot of homeless pets

          After finding the right cat for you just have fun and enjoy the company of your new family member.

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Things You Will Need:
Food:The proper diet is crucial. Find a high quality hard food that is highly digestible. A young kitten should be fed a kitten formula till he reaches a year old. At a year old you can gradually switch to the adult formula.

Dishes: Stainless steel bowls are great because they are durable for a lifetime. It’s easy to clean and unlike plastic, bacteria’s cannot settle in after a few years of use.

Leash, collar, harness and tie out cable: Just having a collar is cute but if you intend to bring your cat outside under supervision, a harness is safer. They can’t get out of it like they could with a collar and having a nylon cat tie out cable will prevent them from wandering off.

Treats: Your cats will enjoy a variety of treats. Nutrience offers a wide range of treats that will suit any cat. Hairball control, odor control, breath and tartar care and light are a few of them. Treats can simply be offered as a reward, to prevent hairballs and to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Try to choose hard and healthy treats. Some treats can be fattening and contain no nutritional value that will be beneficial to your cats' health.

Toys: Cats enjoy all plastic toys, balls, plastic springs, knitted toys, furry mice and many more. Cats are very playful, therefore offer them a variety of toys that will help keep them active and you'll have fun just watching them playing with them and seeing which one is they favors most

Scratch post: Cats have an instinctive need to scratch and sharpen their claws. This provides a special spot just for them to fulfill that natural need. You can almost call it a furniture saver. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Cats also love to climb and take naps in high spots, so by purchasing a medium to tall one, your cat will be in heaven.

Catnip: Often, young kittens or older cats don't have much reaction to catnip, but what it does is the dried herb can either just be smelled by your cat or eaten and it attracts them and makes them a little hyper and playful, so you can sprinkle some over their favorite toys or on the scratch post to attract them to sharpen their claws there and not on your furniture. Not all cats will be attracted to catnip, but most of them will enjoy it.

Repellent: This is very good to have because although cats are very intelligent, they can be very stubborn. And if there is some areas you don't want them to go or they have bad habits you want to break, like them drinking water from the aquarium, playing in your plants, scratching your furniture to sharpens its claws or is always on the kitchen counter when visit comes by, all you have to do is spray the repellent where ever the problem is, daily for a few weeks or until the habit is broken, and they will stop. The scent of this product will repel your cat from any specific spot. The scent wears off; therefore it is important you spray the repellent at that very spot daily for the first few weeks to ensure it will be effective. This particular product is safe on any material and furniture's, however; you should always test on the back of the spot in particular, like your sofa for instance, first in order to be safe. It is also safe to spray in the soil of your houseplants, but a really effective way to use the repellent that will stop your cats from playing in your plants is by simply spraying a cloth, and placing the cloth in the flowerpot, on top of the soil. Remember to spray the cloth daily.

Shampoo: Like mentioned before, washing cats is usually not necessary. Cats are constantly grooming themselves, and it is recommended not to wash a shorthaired cat more than once a year and a longhaired cat more than twice a year, unless needed. But there is a cat shampoo selection for you to choose from including tearless, for dry itchy skin, for long hair, for white angora hair and flea shampoo.

Nail clipper: Regularly clip your cats nails, but only the tip. You don’t want to cut too far. In case of bleeding, always have an antiseptic cream or powder on hand. This will immediately stop bleeding if it occurs.

Antiseptic cream or powder: You should always have some antiseptic cream or powder on hand to cease bleeding from a nail cut too short.

Brush/Comb: No matter what type of hair your cat has, regular brushing is highly recommended. You should brush daily for longhaired cats and at least weekly for short hair cats. By doing so, you will prevent matting and remove any dead hair.

Toothbrush/Toothpaste: If you feed you cat only soft or moist food, it his highly recommended that you brush your cats teeth on a regular basis to prevent dental problems. Never use human toothpaste. The fluoride is harmful for your pet. Dry food is always best for one reason being because of dental hygiene. Hard, healthy treats can also be given regularly to keep your cats teeth and gums healthy.

Litter box: Training a cat is very easy. Once you bring your cat home, you just need to show them where the litter box is set up a few times, and that’s pretty much it. If you have more that one cat, it’s best to get an extra litter box. They say one litter box per cat is best.

Litter sand: When owning a young kitten, pick a litter that doesn't clump, because at that age they sometimes like to play in their litter box. Dust or sand from the clumping litter can be swallowed or go through their nasal and it could be harmful. It is not a common situation, but it is still recommended to wait till they are around 6 months of age before purchasing the clumping litter, if preferred.

Litter scoop: Using a good, solid litter scoop, the litter should be scooped daily.

Bye Bye Odor: It has a nice aromatic smell, it just needs to be sprinkled in your litter box and it absorbs the ammonia smell from your cats' urine and it expels a nicer smell when your cat scratches in the litter.

Hairball remedy: This is a paste that your cat should be fed weekly that will prevent hairballs to buildup, especially for longhaired cats, but it is just as equally important to feed your shorthaired cats. You can also get cat treats that will prevent hairballs as well.

ID tag/bell/pet blinker: Bells are pretty much optional, but if you will have a cat that will go outdoor, having a small pet blinker on your cat's collar will make your cat visible to car drivers at night time, and also having and ID tag with his or her name and your home phone number can save a lot of strayed cats and kittens.

S.O.X Stain and Odor Eliminator: This is a non-ammonia base product that has enzymes take away any stain or urine odor. It’s good for cleaning the litter box and if ever your cat goes comes home after being sprayed by a skunk, this is absolutely safe to spray your cat with to take away the harsh skunk urine smell.

Zodiac Flea drops/flea collar: Any outdoor cat should have one or the other, never both at the same time. The Zodiac Flea drops are a lot more efficient and work best. You simply empty the small tube of oil between your cats' shoulder blades and naturally, the oil will expand throughout its whole body and make any flea fertile. No flea will be able to hatch any eggs what so ever on your cat. Please note that your cat must be 8 weeks of age before applying the Zodiac Flea drops

Cage for transportation: All cats should be in a cage when either traveling for a vet visit or on a trip. Most cats aren't use to be in a moving car and will be very nervous, having them loose in a car could be very dangerous.

Cat bed: This is optional, but it’s always good to have a little sleeping area for your cat with all his toys near.

Book: Read up on kitten care and the particular cat breed before purchasing a kitten. Some breeds require specific care; therefore learn the most you can on the characteristics and all the proper care they require. Don’t hesitate to read up and learn all you can on your companion.

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General Care: If you find yourself owning a longhaired cat, daily brushing will be required to prevent matting and to remove dead hair. Shorthaired breeds should be brushed at least weekly, to remove any dead hair. Try to start with a soft baby brush when they are very young just to help them get use to the routine. The soft baby hair will barely remove or even untangle your cats’ hair, but this first step is mainly to show your cat that brushing is harmless. You just want your cat to get accustomed so that you can brush your cats regularly without any hassle. After they are used to it you can start brushing with a regular cat brush. A lot of cats don’t like to get brushed, but starting early with a soft baby brush is an excellent tip.

          Bathing is not really required in cats. Cats are constantly grooming themselves, and it is recommended not to wash a shorthaired cat more than once a year and a longhaired cat more than twice a year, unless needed. If it's for a flea infestation, make sure to get the flea shampoo, and if it's just because your cat has been roaming somewhere and he arrived home all dirty; tearless shampoo is good for kitten or older cats since it's going to be gentle on the eyes if some happens to go in the face. But there is a little cat shampoo selection for you to choose from. If your cat is longhair, just make sure to brush your cat first to remove any mats, if you don't, washing your cat can worsen the mats. The most important part is to make sure you rinse your cat thoroughly. If any shampoo residue is left, it will leave your cat itching and uncomfortable. Never use any human or baby shampoo or even dog shampoo. Cat or kitten shampoo is gentle and balanced for a cats' skin.

          Grooming is also not necessarily. However, some longhaired cat owners will groom there cats hair short during the summer time. That is absolutely fine. The cats’ hair will grow back and your cat might appreciate a clipping when the weather is very hot.

          Dental care is also very important. Regular teeth brushing are great to keep your cat’s teeth and gums healthy. Try to start them when they are of a young age. This should also be started at a young age if you want your cat to get accustom to the routine. Older cats have trouble getting use to it and will make a fuss whenever it’s brushing time. Never use human toothpaste. The fluoride in the product is toxic for your cat. Always use toothpaste made for pets. It’s safe and can be swallowed. Older cats might make a little of a struggle if they are not used to it. Hard, dental treats are a great way to keep their dental healthy. A lot of treats, such as Nutrience treats are offered to specifically provide them with a dental hygiene.

          Regular nail clipping is also good. If you have an indoor cat, you can get them declawed in the front paws. If you have an outdoor cat, declawing is not really necessarily. You do want to leave your cat a method of defense if he needs it. But regular clipping will do no harm. Be careful not to trim the nails too short because of the circulating vessels. Have your local veterinarian or pet shop retailer cut them for you or have them instruct you on how it has to be done. If you do it yourself, always have an Antiseptic cream or powder on hand to stop the bleeding rapidly if ever it occurs. Depending on veterinarians, you can always get your cat declawed around the age of 3 months, or wait till they reach the age of 6 months and get them spayed/neutered and get them declawed at the same time.

          Regular ear cleaning is also good, just to remove any excess earwax. Watch out for ear mites. This is more of a dark brownish, rough texture. That will have to be cleaned with a specific ear cleaner to remove the ear mites. Do not fail to treat it, doing so will affect your cats health.

          If you have more than one cat, you should have one litter for every cat. The litter should be scooped daily and should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis, adding new litter sand afterwards.

*Pregnant women should not clean the litter box. It’s a prevention to take seriously because cats can be carriers of Taxoplasmosis, which is contracted by killing and eating live prey. Having an indoor cat greatly reduces the risk of exposure of taxoplasmosis and many other common diseases. Taxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that can be transmitted by an animal to a human. This disease can cause extensive damage to the developing human fetus.

          Newborn kittens should also be dewormed, usually around 6 weeks of age. Always treat your cat twice a year afterwards.

          Your new kitten should always go for a veterinarian visit to receive booster shot if desired. Outidoor cats especially, should receive annual shots to help eliminate the risk of catching numerous diseases.

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Nutrition: A blend of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water is vital for your cat's diet. Always offer some fresh water along with their food, daily. A healthy life for your cat is what you want. A proper diet will provide your cat with a shiny coat. By offering a highly digestible diet, such as NUTRIENCE, you are preventing itching, dry skin and excessive shedding. A cat has different nutritional needs at different stages of their lives. For instance, a kitten will require more fat and protein than an adult will. On the other hand, an older, less active cat will require less and glucosamine will need to be added to their diet for their bones and joints. Also, they require different amounts of food intake depending on the age, weight and energy level. You will find behind each bag of cat food a chart that will help you give the recommended amount to your cat.

          When bringing a new cat home, it's always best to know what the cat initially eats and have some on hand. Then if you decide to change the diet to a higher quality, it will have to be gradually mixed together to avoid upsetting or irritating his stomach. It's recommended to mix together, half and half, for about 5-7 days.

          There are three types of cat food: canned, semi-moist, and dry.

          Canned foods are very moist, aromatic and appealing to cats. It contains 75% of water, not leaving a lot of room for all the proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates…If feeding this to your cat, it should not be left in the bowl for more than 30 minutes, otherwise bacteria may develop. Because of the very moist texture, hard treats and regular brushing should always be offered to your cat to help maintain teeth care.

          The semi-moist food is better than canned food, except some brands can be very high in sugar and color agents. Even though they contain less water than the can food, you still need to offer hard treats and occasional brushing for teeth care.

          Dry food is highly recommended over any other types of food. Because of the crunch the kibbles give, it will reduce tartar buildup and will help to keep healthy teeth and gums. There are a lot of different brands of cat food on the market. Not all of them are best suited for your cat. Some of them may seem good, but don't be infatuated by all the advertisement and the attractive packaging. Turn the bag around and take a look at the ingredient list and the guaranteed analysis. The guaranteed analysis lists the maximum fiber and water content and the minimum fat and protein content in the food. You will then need the ingredient list to identify the quality of protein and fat listed. Learning how to read cat food labels can help you find just the right cat food for your cat. Some ingredients cannot be digested at all by your cat, while other ingredients are easier for them to digest. In a cat food list, a meat ingredient like poultry or chicken should always be the first or the second ingredient. Also look for quality fats such as poultry fat rather than unspecified "animal fats".

          It is very important to remember that cats require a nutritionally, well balanced diet suited for THEM. When a cat eats table scraps, it causes gas and the food doesn't have time to break down because they have a shorter intestinal tract than us. Even though cats might enjoy table scraps, you shouldn't feed it to your cat.

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Nutrience:
Why should NUTRIENCE be your top choice?

          NUTRIENCE is an exceptional quality pet food, which offers a complete and balanced nutrition. They use dehydrated chicken, poultry meal, chicken fat, essential levels carbohydrates and beet pulp. All combined with numerous natural herbs that have long been relied upon for medicinal purpose. Thousands of plants help combat illness and help maintain good health. NUTRIENCE uses these natural herbs to promote better health at every stage of your cat's life. Not only do these herbs also enhance the flavor of the food, but it also acts like a preservatives.

• Kitten Transition - from 6 to 16 weeks
• Kitten - from 4 to 12 months
• Adult Original - 1 year and more
• Adult Derma - 1 year and more
• Adult Supreme - 1 year and more
• Adult Hairball Control - 1 year and more
• Adult Light - 1 year and more
• Senior - 8 years and more

• Chicken Meal: Exclusively skin and flesh with minimal bone.
• Dehydrated Chicken: Exclusively air-dried. No skin or bone.
• Dried Eggs: 100% biological value.
• Corn and Rice: Optimal carbohydrate digestibility and void of irritating fibers associated with wheat, oats and barley.
• Chicken Fat: Single source fat; highest in linoleic and arachidonic acids.

• It contains high quality proteins.
• The high quality chicken fat helps keep healthy skin and a shiny coat.
• It contains lutein that helps boost your kitten's immunity system against diseases and helps optimize healthy eye function and vision.
• The unique blend of herbs helps your kitten's growth such as; Dried Carob stimulates the growth in bones and the development of the articulations; Dried Fennel helps to calm the stomach and evacuate gas; Dried Ginger contributes at the digestion process; and Dried Fenugreek helps to treat anæmia, diabetes and weight loss.
• Yucca Schidigera reduces the production of ammonia in the stool and bad odors
• Dried Kelp increases appetite, improves digestion and promotes a healthy skin and coat, it's also a very good source of protein-bound iodine and a great source of highly digestible chelated minerals.
• Glucosamine Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate is added to the senior formula for the joint development and repair. It's suggested for animals suffering for arthritis.
• Cayenne Pepper increases blood flow, activates and optimizes digestion, tones the nervous system, revives appetite, and helps respiration.
• Dandelion is an excellent tonic and detoxifying agent and it also helps heal skin problems such as eczema, when mixed with turmeric and fenugreek, it reduces the risk of diabetes and it also helps control excess weight gain.
• Fenugreek is also known to promote milk production.
• Oregano helps to prevent respiratory and digestive spasms.
• Rosemary's essential oils (extracts) are recognized for their anti-oxidant properties and it also increases bile production, which favors the digestion of fats.
• Thyme is used for its toning and antiseptic effects, especially at the respiratory level; it also has a very important deodorizing property.
• Turmeric protects the liver, increasing bile secretion and preventing gall bladder stones, it is also anti-arthritic (anti-inflammatory).
• Valeriana Root acts has a natural tranquilizer and has important calming effects on the nervous system, and it also reduces anxiety.
• Bromelain is a natural enzyme extracted from pineapples that prevents hairball formation and aids digestion.
• Chelated minerals, herbal antioxidant, prebiotics and probiotics help digestion and intestinal stability.

          These are only some of the special ingredients and reasons that are all beneficial for your kitten or cat's health. NUTRIENCE offers a wide range of food design to offer a complete and balanced nutrition for every stage of your cat's life. They are all chicken flavored except for the Derma formula; which is oceanfish. And different herbs are added in each and single formula. However, they do not consist of the exact same herbal blend. Each formula meets a specific need.

          The most important stage of your cat's life is his kitten years. Kitten Transition offers an even richer diet for his first month ½ to 4 months. It includes ingredients that stimulate the immunity system's defense. It comes in smaller kibbles for your small kitten. Kitten formulas are richer because a kitten requires more fat and proteins than adults do. The kitten formula should be fed till they are a year old.

          After your cat's first birthday, you can choose from Adult Original, Derma, Supreme or Hairball Control. The Original formula is chicken flavored for generally every cat. If you find that your cat sheds a lot or has dry skin, you can choose the Derma formula because Omega + 3-6 are added for the skin and coat. Derma is the only formula not being chicken flavored, it's actually oceanfish flavored. The Supreme formula contains more natural herbs than any other kind, to help the digestion process. For cats that have sensitive stomachs, this one is designed for them. And especially for longhaired cats, if your cat has a lot of trouble with hairballs, you can feed the Hairball Control formula. Bromelain is added to this specific formula. It's a natural enzyme extracted from pineapples that prevents hairball formation and it aids the digestion.

          The Diet formula is lighter. It contains less fat to help an overweight cat safely reduce weight. When feeding Diet, you feed on three months intervals. After the first three months, you continue with his regular food such as Original, Derma, Supreme or Hairball Control, even if your cat hasn't lost all the weight recommended. If your cat needs to shed off more pounds, after another three month of his regular food, you can feed him diet for another three months. Always mix both food together for 5-7 days when switching to diet or to regular.

          As for older cats, usually 8 years and up, you can feed the Senior formula. Usually senior cats are less active than kittens or adult cats, for that reason this formula is less fattening and Glucosamine is added for the joints and articulations.

ALWAYS REMEMEBER to mix together both food for at least 5-7 days whenever switching from one stage to another.

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Internal Parasites: The two most common worms are the Roundworms and the Tapeworms. The Roundworms have a round body and can be up to several inches in length. They are of a whitish or pinkish brown color. It looks similar to a strain of spaghetti. As for the Tapeworm, it consists of a whitish colored segments. They can sometime be found joined together which can be up to 3 feet in length. The individual segments can be around one half of and inch in length, resembling a grain of rice. Roundworms are commonly found in young kittens while the Tapeworms are usually found in adult cats.

          There is also Hookworms that are much less seen. They are blood-sucking worms, which can cause serious loss of condition. Whipworms are also another rare type of worms that can only be diagnosed by a veterinarian who needs to look for microscopic eggs in the feces. Even though they are a little less seen than Roundworms and Tapeworms, these types can still be easily spread to your cat.

          The Roundworms can be spread directly from one cat to another. The eggs are microscopic in size and are passed in the feces. Another cat just need to lick off some of the feces and he then ingest the eggs, which will then eventually hatch into larvae in the intestines of the cat. Tapeworms however, are never transmitted from cat to cat. They always go through an intermediate host, such as birds, mice and lice. Your cat becomes infected, for example, by eating a bird or even a mouse that is in fact infected. However, the most common intermediate host for the Tapeworm is actually the flea. It all starts by your cat having fleas. Naturally licking himself and swallowing the flea containing the larvae of the tapeworm, he then becomes infested.

          Symptoms may vary in their intensity of Roundworms, but usually abdominal swelling, loss of weight; vomiting and diarrhea can be some of the signs. In young kittens, the common sign is when they have a 'pot belly'. In adults, symptoms can be less visible except for seeing an adult worm in feces or vomit. As for Tapeworms, it is only when the worms are present in large quantities that they may interfere with normal digestion. They usually do not cause weight loss, however they usually cause some discomfort or irritation around the anus.

          Even if your cat shows no sign of being infected with worms, it is still absolutely vital to have them dewormed at least twice a year

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Hopefully you have found our information enjoyable and helpful on cats. Please, do not hesitate to contact us for any additional information or if you have any questions concerning your pet.