Cat Info Center

Cats Are Territorial

Cats are territorial in nature but the domesticated cats consider this differently to that of the wildcat. There are reasons why a cat is territorial.

The first reason is to ensure that it will have enough food and shelter for its requirements. As the domesticated cat gets that food and shelter from its owner it does not need to concern itself with becoming territorial for that reason.

The second reason why cats are territorial is because in the wild they will be vying for the female when they are in season. Once again this is eliminated in most cases as the domesticated household cat has been neutered and a desire to be territorial for this reason is no longer present.

In addition to this, the fact that the domesticated cat generally lives in areas where there are many more cats in close proximity to one another, thereby reducing the reality of any cats having the ability to dominate any area much greater than their own backyard, this is no longer a realistic concern.

This has often led to a somewhat more social behavior with domesticated cats where they can sometimes welcome neighbor’s cats or at the very least put up with the fact that other cats will sometimes wander through their territory.

The fact that they are comfortable with the property, and realize that the security, food and shelter requirements are being met without any action required on their part means they no longer feel the need to be territorial.

Fortunately this makes life a lot easier for cat owners living close to one another, as it reduces the incidence of cat fights and also the unwanted habit of cats leaving their scent on other people’s properties. It certainly makes for a lot happier environment than if our cats still possessed the behavior that is natural to them in the wild.

Litter Cleaning For Cats

Almost everyone, adults and kids alike have a natural fondness for cats.  They are loving, quiet, and very playful pets that can provide you with years of entertainment.  Although most of us have a fondness for cats, that fondness can rapidly diminish when it comes to the litter box.  Even the most hardened cat lover may get tired of litter box duty, especially when it comes down to scooping “you know what” from the litter box.

Cats are very intelligent, instinctively knowing how they should use the litter box.  After the cat has finished using the litter box, someone in the family will need to scoop the waste from the litter box.  This can be a very dirty and somewhat smelly job, one that is often overlooked during the day when the workload gets heavy. Cleaning up the litter box doesn’t take but a few minutes, although most would prefer not to do it at all.  Although the litter box will need to be scooped out daily, it will also need to be changed once a week as well, by throwing the current bag out and replacing the box with a new bag and fresh litter.

Those who don’t like to scoop out the litter box should invest in one of the best inventions ever – the self cleaning litter box.  These litter boxes are easy to use, and will keep the area clean.  After the cat has used it, the self cleaning litter box will automatically clean the litter either by sifting or using a device that resembles a rake.

Self cleaning boxes that use shifting will often times have a round design.  Once the cat leaves the covered box, the dome on top will revolve for the box to clean.  The litter in the box will be shifted with the waste being put below the litter where it is discarded.  Once the waste is properly disposed of, the litter will be returned to its normal position in the box for the cat to use again.

Boxes that have raking systems will often times sport a rectangular design.  Once the cat leaves the box, the rake will automatically come out and clean the litter.  The rake will clean all of the litter in the box, including the clumps of waste as well.  Rakes are popular, although the shifting litter boxes are by far more popular and more common.

Those who are often times away from home could greatly benefit from a self cleaning litter box.  They are great to have for cats that spend a lot of time by themselves, as they virtually eliminate any scooping of litter on your part.  You can find them at your local pet or department store, even online as well.  They are very affordable – and ideal for anyone who doesn’t like scooping waste from their litter box.

The Nature of Cats

While cats can’t talk they are extremely good at communicating with us.

They purr to let us know that they are happy. There are other reasons why cats will purr. A mother will know that her kittens are in good health by their purring. Kittens also purr when they want adult cats to play with them. There are other times when cats will purr such as when a superior cat is trying to approach another cat in a friendly manner.

Cats are very clean animals and even those that are strays, will regularly groom themselves by licking their fur. Male cats will also lick female cats when courting, and another cat will lick its kittens to help stimulate excretion.

Cats also like to mark their territory so that other cats know whose property they are on. They will generally do this by backing up to an object, tree or plant, where they believe another cat has been, and spray urine that will leave a pungent scent that other cats will notice. Cats will also mark their territory by rubbing the corners of their mouths and their temples against objects as these areas have scent glands.

Sometimes cats might even do this when they feel threatened and this can happen where there is more than one cat in the family and one of those cats is trying to assert itself. In circumstances such as this you can have a problem where the cats might spray inside the house. Unfortunately this becomes a difficult situation sometimes, as you feel like reprimanding the cat, whereas in reality, assuring the cat has your support might be the fastest solution to stop this from happening.

Most cats are quite happy to be on their own and often prefer the company of humans to that of other cats. They can in fact get quite jealous if they think another cat is getting their share of the attention.

Pat the Cat

Cats love it when you pat and stroke them but there is more to it than you might imagine. Have you ever noticed that your cat will lift its chin to encourage you to pat it under there? They also like it when you stroke the side of their face, and scratch at the base of the tail. The reason being is that these areas have sebaceous glands which produce body odors. So every time you pat or scratch your cat in this area you are effectively letting it mark you with its scent.

There are particular areas on the cat that are very sensitive to touch and the cat gets a lot of pleasure from you stroking these areas.

Not only is the skin of the cat very sensitive but also the hairless pads. These areas of skin and pads are particularly sensitive as they help the cat to investigate and be aware of things that are happening around it in the wild.

While most cats don’t mind their body being patted, quite a lot of them don’t like their paws to be touched although a light massage between the paws is one thing that many cats enjoy even if they don’t normally like their paws touched.

If you have been patting your cat for some time and its tail begins to start flicking rather rapidly then this is a sign that it is starting to get somewhat agitated and it might be wise to stop patting for a while.

Cats can get a little carried away when you pat them and particularly if you’re patting them on their underside and they are lying on their back. One moment they can be purring with pleasure, and the next they can be biting and scratching your hand. Often they are just playing and don’t realize that they can be causing some damage to your hands. It is certainly not something that they should be reprimanded for. Cats will often give you a little nip when showing their affection towards you too.

Dry Food Diet Problems For Cats

Too many people feed their cats on a diet of dried food, and in particular biscuits and nibbles because they are convenient and they know that their cats generally like to eat them.

While this might be easy, convenient and a relatively economical way to feed the cat it is certainly not good for it’s health.

Most dry foods are nutritionally deficient no matter what the manufacturers might say, and contrary to the list of nutrients that they list on the back of these packs the best diet that you can give your cat is one that most closely resembles the type of food that they would eat in the wild.

The food that the cat eats in the wild is considerably higher in protein than any of the dry foods on the market. Another problem with dry food is the lack of moisture in the food and it is necessary for the cat to get a sufficient supply of fresh water at any time and in particular when eating these types of dried food diets.

While there are formulations for young and old cats, fur ball formulas, and many of the different combinations that are supposed to boost health of your pet, a diet high in fresh meat, fish and poultry, we’ll do a lot more for your cat health than any of these processed foods.

There are some high quality tinned cat foods on the market that have both high protein and sufficient moisture to keep your cat healthy.

Once again you need to consider the ingredients that are put into these tinned cat foods as some of them are still quite high in carbohydrates which can cause your cat to become diabetic due to the imbalance.

There are also a lot of byproducts used in pet foods and some of these are not very high in nutritional value.

Many cat foods also contain wheat products, garlic and onion, corn and other ingredients that are not only wrong for your cat, but they can cause it to become quite sick.

Good nutrition for your pet is as important as offering it a safe environment to ensure that you will have the pleasure of enjoying it for many years.

Understanding Why Cats Fight

If you have a household with multiple cats, you know that cat fights do happen. Even if you cats generally get along, at times, they can still fight. While humans may not completely understand why their kitties are fighting, cats have their reasons for fighting.  Some of these reasons are similar to the reasons that humans have disputes. Cats express their discontent with other cats by picking fights. The reasons why cats fight can help you determine how to prevent your cats from fighting in the future.

Fighting for their territory: Many cats fight because of their territory. One of the reasons that cats fight is because they feel like an unwanted cat has invaded their territory, even if it is a cat that has lived with them for a long time.  Cats are much more territorial than dogs and the gender of the cat has very little to do with it.  Contrary to what many people believe, female cats are sometimes just as territorial as their male counterparts are.  If you have two cats in your home, you might notice that one cat hisses and swats at the other whenever he feels his territory has been invaded.  This can also happen if you bring a new cat into the home. They are simply defending their territory.

Social ranking: Either male cats frequently threaten and fight with each other for social ranking or despite what you may think; even neutered males may do this. If you have multiple cats, especially more than one male cat, one cat is usually considered the “alpha male” and will be at the top of the cat hierarchy. Two cats might posture their bodies, then begin howling and screaming at one another.  If one of the cats walks away or backs down, then the catfight is usually avoided.   However, if neither one wants to throw in the towel and surrender, then one cat will attack the other by jumping forward and attempting to bite the neck.  The other cat will fall on his back and tries to bite or scratch the attacker with its hind legs.  The two cats might go through this several times before walking away.  There are usually no injuries sustained in these kinds of fights. You may even notice that kittens or young cats play with one another this way. Most of the time, you will not need to interfere.

Aggression: Cats also fight as a result of some kind of redirected aggression and this is quite common, especially with indoor cats.  Your cat might be looking outside the window at another cat or dog crossing the yard.  Your cat begins to feel territorial and aggressive at this cat, but since this other cat cannot be reached, he may instead attack the other family cat. Another example is if you are giving your cats treats. One cat may reach the treat first and begin eating. The other one wants a bite, but the cat that is eating may become aggressive over the treat and begin to swipe or yowl and the other cat.

If you find your cats fighting occasionally, you should know that this is common and quite typical of cats. Most of the time, you will be able to tell whether or not your cats are fighting for “blood” or just playing around. The time to stop a fight is when it gets nasty otherwise; allow your cats to work it out themselves. If you feel the need to stop a catfight, then you should do it carefully. Even the most loving cat can bite or scratch you in aggressive passion. To stop a fight, you should make some kind of loud noise, such as a handclap.  Since cats are startled by loud noises, they will both stop to see what is making the noise.  You can also spray water on them to interfere with the aggressive behavior..

When you find your cats fighting, it is best not to punish the cats for their fight. Cats do not understand punishment and fighting is a natural instinct in cats. The best thing to do is only interfere when necessary. If you find your cats are fighting more than they should, it is time that you find out why. Do they fight over a litter box, a food bowl or a prime window location? Make sure each kitty has his or her own “things” and a place to retreat when they feel overwhelmed by other pets in the house. This will go a long way in preventing real catfights.

The Toys Cats Will Love

Do you walk through the pet store, see the many toys available for your cat, and wonder if the expense will be worth it? Cats can be fickle creatures, but a good time can be found with almost any toy. Cats are like children they go through stages and sometimes need age appropriate toys and can get bored very easily. Some suggestions for toys include the cat towers, stuffed mice, small amounts of catnip, stuffed animals, ribbons, and plastic balls.

From an early age, kittens learn to pick up things in their mouths. It is an instinct, just like using their claws. When a cat plays, they like to grab and bit their toys. Let us look at the toys listed above. A cat tower is a great way to teach you cat where it is appropriate to climb. It will keep them off the blinds or curtains while giving them hours of fun. There are many styles of cat towers from the two story towers to the ones rising to the ceiling.  The answer to your question is, the more levels they have the more fun and enjoyment they will receive out of a cat tower. A cat will use the tower for play as well as sleep.  They like to bat at ropes and other items dangling off the tower as well as going through little tunnels up to the next level. If you have two cats you will have fun watching them give chase to the top often trying to knock the other off. A cat tower can be practical because they will scratch at it rather than your couch.

Stuffed mice are also important to any kitty’s playtime. Not all mice are the same; most cats prefer the small leather mice with the multi colored fur and long tails. These mice come in twelve packs or three packs, and believe me if they are anything like my kitty they will tear them apart. Cloth mice are typically second during playtime. If you find your kitty to be uninterested in mice you might want to check the type of mouse you have bought them.

Catnip toys are very popular. Catnip will cause your cat to be more rowdy, which can be a plus because they wear down faster. Catnip before bedtime is a great way to get your cat to sleep for quite a while and leave you to slumber. Catnip should be given out sparingly. You do not want to give your cat catnip everyday because it can have adverse affects to their behavior. They can start to depend on it and have mood swings.

I have found the best toy may just be your old stuffed animal lying around the house. My kitty, Ida, will bring me a stuffed animal when she is ready to play and she has stuffed animals in her toy basket. There is nothing more amusing than watching my kitty brings me a stuffed animal bigger than she is and proceeds to toss it in the air and pounce.  Cats like the feel of certain things in their mouths that is why they chew on paper, plastic and even your blankets. The feel of the material in their mouths allows them to clean their teeth or when they are teething help reduce the pain. The stuffed animal can work in much the same way and keep them away from harmful products.

To answer my above question you do not have to go to great expense to entertain your cat, however when you spend a little on toys you keep your kitty from getting bored.  You may even decide to hide a few toys and reintroduce them after a few months to keep from purchasing new ones all the time. Just make sure it is not the favorite toy of your pet or they may find other ways to entertain themselves that you do not find amusing.

Climbing and Jumping

Cats are able to jump up to six times their own height and have an incredible ability to climb.
Not only can they jump up high but they also have the ability to jump down from great heights without injuring themselves.

When a cat is trying to scale a tall tree it will initially jump as high as it can and then use the momentum to run up the remainder of the tree using its claws to hold on.

Their ability to climb up the tree is a lot better than their ability to get back down again.
And when chased a cat can climb a considerable way up a tree for security, and then realize that the climb down is a lot higher than expected. If a fireman isn’t present to help it down from its perilous position the cat will initially stretch down as far as possible with its front legs before making a final jump.

Sometimes the cat will reverse back down the tree using its hind claws for grip until it gets to a height that it is comfortable with, to jump the remaining distance, knowing that it has an inherent ability to always land the right way up.

Their ability to jump from one object to another is a lot better, as they are able to judge distance very well and always land just on the edge of any object no matter how much the distances might change.

In less than a fifth of a second a cat can right itself, even if it has started falling upside down.
This allows a cat that is dropped upside down from a height of only 1 1/2 feet to land on its feet. It will land with all feet together helping to spread the impact and reducing the chance of injury.

If the cat falls from any great height it will spread its legs out to slow down it’s rate of descent similar to that of a parachute. The only injury that generally happens in these cases is where the cat will fracture its jaw by not being able to stop the impact of its head hitting the ground.

Cats Natural Instincts

Kittens love to play and they appear to have boundless energy. They are very inquisitive creatures and love to explore and giving them things to play with and look at will help to keep them occupied and out of trouble as much as possible.

There are lots of different excellent toys available to keep young kittens happy for hours on end, but there is nothing better than the time that you spend to interact with your kitten and develop a relationship that will ensure you have a lot of fun for its entire lifetime.

Kittens will go through various stages in the first weeks of their life, and they will learn about their surroundings and how to interact with other pets and people in the house, and more importantly how to interact with you.

Playing with your kitten will teach it a lot as it develops all the natural instincts from playing around to hunting. You will find that after about six weeks the cat will begin stalking and hunting and often jump out from behind things to attack your leg as you walk by. This is a natural instinct that needs to be developed for you to have a healthy happy cat.

If you find your kitten is jumping out and attacking you or others in the house it should not be reprimanded otherwise it will get confused about something that is only natural.

It won’t do you a lot of harm but it will do your kitten a lot of good to develop these instincts.

Naturally you will have to stop it from misbehaving, and that is something that it needs to learn as well as all its other natural instincts, but common sense will let you know what it should and shouldn’t be doing.

Just like children, kittens will test the boundaries and if left unchecked you can have a cat that is very difficult to manage as it gets older.

Playtime for a Cat

Playtime is essential for cats and is one of the ways that they can develop their natural instincts as predators. Where there are two cats in the household they generally swap positions in their role-play as prey and predator allowing both cats to develop their skills.

Young cats will generally play like this a lot more than older cats as they hone their skills for hunting. Even though they are playing they are still concentrating on their natural hunting skills but they will very rarely cause injury to another cat in doing so. They will bite and scratch each another but are generally very carefully not to hurt one another.

One cat will attempt to hunt the other and once caught turn around and escape allowing the captured cat to resume the pursuit. Where there is only a single cat in the household it will be your position to play with the cat and help it to develop these skills by chasing and running away from it.

This also keeps the cat occupied and reduces the boredom as unlike their counterparts in the wild they don’t have to go and find their food as it gets delivered to them on a plate each day. By relieving their boredom they remain a lot happier and are less likely to develop behavioral problems which has a higher incidence with cat that are bored or unhappy.

This playtime also helps to develop a better bond between you and your cat as they become to trust and respect you and are more likely to allow you to train them in specific tasks.

Playtime also helps to develop a better appetite insuring that your cat eats well, sleeps well, and remains healthier by using its muscles and limbs regularly.

An active cat is less likely to become overweight and have the health problems that are associated with obesity.