Cat Info Center

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.