Normally a cat has bowel movements once or twice a day. If the pet does not do it or strain to do it with hard feces, the cat is suffering from Constipation. It is a very common problem with cats and an occasional bout of Constipation is nothing to worry about.

But when a cat is chronically constipated it needs serious attention. As the cats age they are more prone to this problem. There are quite a few causes of Cat Constipation. Obstructions like hairballs, tumors and foreign bodies stop the movement of the feces inside the colon, and the fecal matter builds up. This becomes a hard dry mass and distends the colon, which looses its ability to contract and expel feces. This condition is known as megacolon.

When the cats are constipated they behave in a typical manner. They run to their litter box quite often and strain to pass stool. They make noise and start licking the anal area. They lose their appetite and become sluggish. Vomiting and passing a small amount of liquid feces is quite common.

If the Constipation is not very severe, an enema will clear the colon. Hard impacted feces may have to be physically removed in a veterinary clinic under anesthesia. Intravenous liquid is also given to prevent dehydration.

After the bout of Constipation is cleared, the underlying problem, like obstruction in the colon, has to be tackled. For the cats suffering from megacolon or an untreatable or unknown problem, a management regime has to be adopted. A high-fiber diet increases the bulk and assists in bowel movement. Increase the liquid consumption of the cat by feeding canned cat food rather than dry. Milk and soup can also be tried. We have to try and get the cat to consume liquid by a means that the cat likes.

If the megacolon is advanced, no amount of management can make it propel the stool to the exit. The only alternative is surgery. The colon is removed, and most surgeries are successful.

Constipation provides detailed information about constipation, cat constipation, causes of constipation, chronic constipation and more. Constipation is the sister site of Osteoarthritis Web.

So you have bought a new cat bed but your cat doesn’t seem to like it? While the majority of cats adore their new beds straight away, some cats don’t seem to take to them straight away. This isn’t a problem.

Sometimes a new bed straight from the store may have that “new” smell, or a “different” smell your cat just doesn’t like. Try airing the new bed for a couple of days where the cat can’t get to it, and then try reintroducing her to it.

If you have bought a second hand cat bed you will need to clean it thoroughly to get rid of any remaining smell from the previous cat. If it has a removable cover, take it off and hand wash it with mild soap. (Never use harsh detergents or cleansers as this may cause your cat to have a skin reaction). If the bed has a frame, wash thoroughly with a mild cleanser (baking soda and water is perfect). Air the bed for a couple of days and make sure it is completely dry before your cat sleeps in it.

If your cat normally sleeps in a place that’s warm, make sure the new bed is also in a nice, warm, inviting place. If your cat likes to sleep high, put the new bed high also. In other words, study your cat’s favourite sleeping places and then use that information to decide the best place to put the bed. Remeber, your cat will only sleep where it is comfortable!

If your cat loves your smell, you can put a piece of your worn but unwashed (so it still has your scent) clothing on or around the cat’s bed. An old jumper is perfect. Leave it there until your cat gets used to sleeping in it’s own bed.

If your cat goes onto her new bed of her own accord, make sure you give her plenty of attention and praise! Cats react most favourably to love and affection. Whatever you do, don’t try and force your cat or hold your cat onto it’s bed – this is most counter-productive. Just be patient and keep moving it somewhere else every few days.

If you leave the bed, and remove the temptation of other good sleeping spots(such as closing doors of rooms they like to sleep in, or putting a pile of books on their favourite sleeping shelf, or disturbing them while they are trying to sleep on the lounge) you will find they will move to their new cat bed by default.

Thomas Sodor is a cat expert helping cat owners understand their cat’s behaviour. You can find out all you need to know about cat beds and see cat bed photos at his website.

This means that you have to think about the cats’ living conditions, feeding, grooming, and clean-up.

Regarding your cat’s living conditions, this will be largely influenced by your own lifestyle. If you live in an apartment in a city, then your cat should live solely indoors. If you live in a farm, then your cat may live solely outdoors or live both indoors and outdoors. When your cat lives solely outdoors, it must be provided with some form of shelter, such as a barn. What you should not do is to keep a cat inside a cage. This will drive your cat crazy. Cats treasure the freedom to move freely.

When it comes to the food of your cat, you may give free-choice feedings or scheduled feedings. If the cat is given free choice, it will feed every few hours. This is usually for cats who lead active lives. But if the cat is facing an obesity problem, then scheduled feedings should be best. You must also remember that cats are genuine carnivores. They are natural hunters.

They will not survive on a diet of grains and vegetables. In fact, they don’t need these types of food. They only need meat. Their bodies require a great amount of protein than any other mammal. You may opt to give your cat the canned cat food or the dry food. The canned food tastes a lot better but the dry food is advisable for the cat’s teeth. You may alternate the use of both types. What you should avoid is giving your cat cow’s milk. Cow’s milk has proteins that are too large for the cat to digest. This milk will make your cat suffer from diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal upset. At all times, there should be fresh clean water available to your cat.

Cats usually take care of their own grooming so the owner need not worry about this aspect. Cats like to clean themselves using their rough tongue. Although, the owner can help comb his cat when the breed has long hair. When the cat stops grooming itself, then that is the time that the owner should worry. The cat may not be feeling well.

Cats like to eliminate in relatively clean places. In fact, you will find outdoor cats digging the ground before releasing their waste. Afterwards, the cover the waste. For indoor cats, the owner should provide a litter box. This box should be changed and cleaned every week because when the cat finds that the box is not clean enough, it will find other places to take care of its waste. This is certainly bad and smelly news for the owner.

Peter Garant’s pet medicine site has an extensive collection of cat medicine articles.

I didn’t grow up with pets, so when I came of age, it was one of my first priorities to get a dog.

And I’ve adopted lots of them from rescue organizations, mostly Dobermans and Bearded Collies, one of which I have now.

While I’ve enjoyed playing with cats, and especially talking with them and having them respond, I never had one I could call my own, until now.

Cleopa was born a feral, or wild cat, nearby my urban home. Somewhere, nestled between yards and parking lots, she arrived on the scene with at least two sisters and a couple of brothers.

About six months ago, I started leaving some food out for these teeny creatures, and I took a liking to Cleopa, who is snow white with beautiful black and red markings, mostly on her head and tail.

I resolved to adopt her, to tame her, and here’s how I did it.

(1) I talked to her, every chance I got. Having a door that opens out onto a front terrace made this fairly easy to do. Before too long, she spoke back.

(2) I tried to pet her, but she bit me. Next, I decided to hand-feed her some food, which she was wary of, but couldn’t resist.

(3) Petting her back while feeding her came next.

(4) Next, I placed a bowl of food inside my door, moving it closer and closer to the kitchen with subsequent feedings. Finally, it came to rest next to the stove, where I feed her now.

(5) Before long, she allowed me to pet her without food, and then she jumped on my lap for petting, and finally she meowed to get in to be petted, without any promise of food.

Now, she’s like a regular house cat, and she doesn’t want very much to go out.

What happened to her brothers and sisters? The boys split long ago, but the sisters, Marquesa and Nochka are still hanging around, and I feed them outdoors.

For some reason, they resisted my efforts to civilize them!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone®, You Can Sell Anything By Telephone! and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Cats are known for their great fighting skills. Some can even win a fight against snakes. And cats survive in almost all climates and geographical conditions.

Historians cannot pinpoint nor described the details of how and when the first cat was domesticated. What is known, however, is that domesticated cats have existed for more than five thousand years now. According to biologists, the modern domestic cat is either a direct descendant or a subspecies of the African Wildcat. And this is why the domestic cat belongs to the genus Felis. Some artifacts indicated that the domestic cats first appeared in ancient Egypt. Today, these cats have occupied all continents, Asia, Europe, and America, except for Antarctica. And they have evolved into over fifty different breeds.

Being one of the most popular pets in the world, cats are certainly not listed as endangered species. Female cats are also known to produce an average of three kittens about twice a year. Thus, the spaying and neutering of cats cannot hurt their world population.

A spayed and neutered cat will be to the advantage of the owner’s house. Cats that are not altered, especially the female ones, may just spray their urine in areas that they consider their territory. All owners of cats are too familiar with the obnoxious smell of the urine. And no matter how much cleaning one does, the smell can never be entirely removed, especially from carpets, beddings, upholstery, and furniture made of wood. The urine of neutered cats are less smelly and these cats may not even consider marking many territories in the house.

When not neutered, a female cat in heat will howl terrible noises at inappropriate hours, like midnight or dawn. The noises will be eagerly answered by male cats that howl outside your door. You will certainly lose your sleep. And your neighbors may not be too happy about all the racket. These cats in heat will be restless and will forget whatever toilet training you may have taught it. And such condition can last up to three weeks and occur three or more times a year.

Some cats who are not neutered may choose to roam far away from your house. This will cause you endless worry. And you certainly have reason to do so. Your cat will be facing cat fights and fast-moving cars. When in danger, dogs tend to run away. But cats stay frozen in its place. This is why many cats are run over by vehicles.

Neutered cats, on the other hand, will always stay in your house. They will be more content and less restless. They will also have longer life spans.

Grace Palce is writing articles for pet meds 101, a comprehensive cat medicine site.

Cats don’t want to be unclean and they need you to help them remain clean. Grooming your cat is important.

You need to do it to take off the loose hair on the cat. Brushing Brushing your cat’s hair will keep it from ending up in his stomach. It is not effortless to digest and often the cat can only get rid of it through hairballs. Many cats have trouble with getting rid of hairballs. If the cat can not get them up, it can get into the intestines and cause a blockage. This is life threatening to the pet. If your cat seems to be constipated it may be a indication of a blockage.

Long-haired cats should be brushed and combed daily; short-haired cats only need grooming about once per week. While brushing your cat’s coat, keep an eye out for lumps and skin irritations. Brush along your cats back, from head to tail with firm pressure. Repeat this a few times, and then switch to the other side. You should brush each area 4 or 5 times and always remember to brush in the direction of the hair growth.

Don’t groom the face or paws with the brush though. Cats who do not like to be brushed can still be groomed with a different tool for instance the grooming glove. Many cats won’t even mind if you do this to their face either. If you begin to groom him when he is still young, he will learn to allow it. He may even look forward to being groomed. Many cats will even carry their combs to their owners.

Check Eyes, Ears, Claws and Teeth, too When you do brush him, make sure to check his eyes and his ears too. They should be clear and bright without anything in the corners. The ears should be clean and pink. Dirt that gets into the ears can be a sign of ear mites. These can cause the ears to shrivel up and your cat to lose his ability to hear.

Each time you groom her, try going a bit farther with your examination, praising her with words, strokes, and treats for letting you handle her. If she struggles, it is best to let her go, and try again another day. You can use a cotton ball slightly dampened with warm water to clean the inside skin of your cat’s ears. Never put a cotton ball or swab into her ear canal. If she reacts and jerks, you could harm her.

Huge amount of Cat Health information on this site – go there!

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Twelve years ago, after he started living on his own, my son adopted a Siamese mix and called him, “Yoda.” Although a mix, Yoda has the temperament, large ears, huge blue eyes, and the cute, dark face of a true Siamese. He has also acquired the thermosensitivity of the Siamese’s coat coloring. The only part of Yoda that would alert a knowing eye to his iffy bloodline is the slightly rounded shape of his face, as the pure-bred Siamese are known to have elongated faces.

Yoda only takes to my son, nobody else. He has gotten used to my daughter-in-law, and just that, because no one can replace his true owner. Although I have taken care of Yoda numerous times and he stays with me every now and then, he barely tolerates me, and that is when he needs fed or asks for a treat.

Knowing the Siamese psychology, I don’t blame myself or my cat-sitting skills, but I sort of wish he’d jump on my lap and purr like the tabbies I once owned. Maybe it is the Himalayan gene that the Siamese share with rabbits and mice that makes Yoda hop away from me after his needs are met. This could be also because Yoda’s gene memory prevents him from getting on with too many people at a time.

In their country of origin, Siam (now called Thailand), the Siamese cats guarded the Buddhist temples and were considered sacred. Their blood lines were vigilantly protected; and the cats were bred as if they were angels sent from heaven. Later on, the Siamese became the cats of royalty, babysitting for the King’s children.

Inside the “Cat-Book Poems,” a manuscript written in Siam during 1350′s, seal-point Siamese looking like Yoda are pictured. Those cats in those old pictures must be the representations of adult Siamese cats, because a Siamese kitten is pure white at birth. Since the Siamese kitten’s coat is heat-sensitive, in time, it develops the point color: that is, the points on his tail, paws, and face.

At his advanced age, Yoda’s coat still changes color according to heat. When he stays with us, Yoda demands to be let out to the porch. From behind the screen and the glass doors, this cat loves to watch the golf course, the squirrels, the birds, and the golfers goofing up their swings. When Yoda stays in our house, because he goes on the porch so often, his coat lightens up, giving him a younger look.

For an aged cat, Yoda is also very agile. A few days ago, when a squirrel dared climb on the screen mesh to the roof, Yoda suddenly jumped at it, higher than my height.

Yoda’s love of high places must have come down from being of royalty. When alone in the house with me, I usually find him perched on a table or on any other high place as if to rule the world, his kinked tail moving ever so slightly and his large ears alert, watching his environs. Although I don’t tell on this transgression of his, the cat still avoids me. I guess, Yoda can’t help the way he is, since Siamese are famous for emotionally attaching to only one owner.

From the time they are kittens, the Siamese develop their own loud voice and conversational tone. On the occasions when my son is walking out the front door and leaving his cat with me, Yoda stops evading me to complain of his misfortune with his loud voice, as if he is suffering at the hands of a torturer. In those times, he sounds like a baby in pain.

If you want to adopt a Siamese mix, several states have organizations called Siamese Rescue, but if you want to buy a Siamese kitten, you have to go to a breeder. On the average a Siamese kitten will cost for about $500 if pedigreed, or about $250, if he will only be your pet.

Frankly, I don’t care if Yoda is not a purebred. To us, he is royalty and he thinks he is royalty. Still, I wish his highness would give me the some of that a purring affection he exhibits when my son is around.

This article has been submitted by Joy Cagil in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums. Joy Cagil is an author whose education is in linguistics and foreign languages. She is an animal lover.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, caused by the H5N1 virus,(commonly called bird flu)
has been detected in cats and other felidae (e.g. leopards and tigers) from time to time since the start of the present poultry
avian influenza epidemic in 2003.

In 2004 researchers showed that cats can be infected with H5N1 virus and that the virus could
not only cause severe disease (and death) in cats, but also that cats could transmit the virus
to other cats.

On present evidence however, it is highly unlikely that cats play any major role in the natural
transmission of H5N1 viruses. In other words, although susceptible to the virus, they
are “accidental” hosts.

However, because cats can be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, it does mean that there is
the potential for domestic cats to contract the disease and then to pass it on to other
cats, other species, and perhaps humans.

How might cats become infected with the H5N1 virus? There are 2 main scenarios.

a) Eat infected poultry meat – hence the association between infected cats and outbreaks of
bird flu in poultry.

b)Many migratory waterfowl are carriers of the H5N1 virus. These are unlikely to come
into close contact with cats, but they intermingle with other bird types that might well
come into close contact with cats.

Cats are not the only mammals that can be infected with the H5N1 influenza virus. Tigers,
Leopards, Civets, dogs and pigs are all recorded as having been infected and there is little
reason to suggest that other mammals could not be infected by the virus.

While this information is slightly unsettling, it needs to be put in context. Mammals (including
humans) need to be exposed to massive amounts of virus to become infected. This is supported by
the fact that most human deaths from H5N1 have occurred where those people have
had prolonged exposure to poultry circulating the H5N1 virus.

In addition, infected mammals
shed very small amounts of virus, thus further reducing the potential for transmitting
the virus from mammal to mammal (e.g. from cat to human).

A few other things worth mentioning.

1) The H5N1 virus is quickly killed at 70C. Thus normal cooking of chicken meat will
kill the virus.

2) Commercial poultry routinely slaughtered at an approved slaughter plant does not
represent a health hazard. This means that 99.9% of dressed poultry available in all
first world economies (and many developing economies) is perfectly safe to eat. Not eating
chicken “because of bird flu” is a nonsensical, uninformed reaction.

3) Not every cat that develops the sniffles now has bird flu! However, if you are in an
area that has had an H5N1 outbreak in poultry, then a sick cat should ring some alarm bells.

4) Practice normal good hygiene – wash your hands with soap and water after handling animals
or cleaning out litter trays etc.

So while cats can become infected with the bird flu virus, the chances of them transmitting it to other animals or humans at the moment is very slim indeed. Unfortunately, Influenza viruses are
constantly changing through mechanisms known as antigenic shift and antigenic drift, which means that
what is true today may change in six months time.

Watch this space!

Keith Perrett is a qualified Veterinarian
http://www.pet-health-for-humans.com/bird-flu.html

Maine coon cats are an American classic, a contribution to our history and culture that only Maine could provide. This hardy, handsome breed of domestic cat was established at least 150 years ago, and its unique characteristics developed as it adapted to Maine’s own unique characteristics. And as America has become a nation of animal lovers, the Maine coon has only become more appreciated.

Maine coons are one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and are regarded as a native of Maine. “Around the origins of the Maine Coon cat swirls a fog of legend and conjecture as obscuring to reality as the fogs of its homeland,” says Marilis Hornidge in That Yankee Cat–the Maine Coon. “Of the many legendary tales of the Coon cat’s beginnings, the one most completely discredited is the best known, the mating of the raccoon and the domestic house cat. This is, of course, a physical impossibility.”

Most Maine coon breeders believe that the breed originated from matings between pre-existing shorthaired domestic cats and longhaired types brought to America from overseas by New England seamen or by Vikings. We know from history that the old sailing ships kept cats for rodent control, and Maine was a commerce area, so it is not difficult to imagine how this could happen.

Maine coons are tall, muscular, big-boned cats, with a long, rectangular body and deep chest. Males commonly reach 13 to 18 pounds; females, normally about nine to 12; they may continue to grow until three to five years of age. They have long muzzles and long teeth. All of these traits would have given them an advantage against competitors as well as predators.

Maine coons, with their heavy coats, are well suited to the harsh New England winters. Adult Maine coons have a three-layer coat; in winter, their undercoats thicken. They have long guard hairs to keep off the snow and repel water, and a long, bushy tail to wrap around themselves for warmth. Maine coons have large, furry feet (all the better for walking on snow); furry, tufted ears that stay warm against the cold; and extremely long whiskers, which help them stay clear of brush that may entangle their long fur.

According to the Maine.gov website, “Maine coons’ voices set them apart from other cats; they have a distinctive, chirping trill.”

Initially appreciated for their rodent hunting skills, they were also highly admired by the families of Maine for their friendly personalities and high intelligence, and began to take on an important role as pets. As they became a more important part of New England culture, it became a popular pastime for families to admire, pamper, and brag about their cats.

In the mid-19th century, the Maine coon became a special exhibit at many county fairs in Maine, thus becoming America’s very first “show cat.” Maine coons come in almost all colors; although the classic brown tabby may be the first that comes to mind, they can be red tabby, silver tabby, tortoiseshell, black and white–almost anything except the Siamese pattern and a few others.

As Cat Fancy Magazine says, “Maine coons are a furry piece of American history.”

Lisa J. Lehr © 2006

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer and Internet marketer specializing in direct response and marketing collateral. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health, pets, and conservative issues.

Please visit her blogs at http://mymaine.blogspot.com and http://warmfuzziesanimalrescue.blogspot.com.
If you’re looking for a copywriter, go to http://www.justrightcopy.com. Just Right Copy–because words sell.

At the end of a long day, who wants to sift through a messy litter box? Certainly not me. Up until now, the litter-box has been a necessary evil, a small price to pay for our beloved companions. But not anymore. In fact, there’s an underground alternative designed for those of us who are ready to kick the litter habit: toilet training your cat.

Sounds complicated, right? Not at all. Although far from mainstream, cat toilet training is gaining momentum and cat owners across the country are beginning to embrace the trend. But before you toss that box in the trash, there’s a few ways to tell if your cat is ready to take the leap into a litter-free lifestyle. Think Fluffy has what it takes? Read on.

1. Your cat is already litter-box trained.

OK, I know what you’re thinking: “Of course my cat knows how to use the litter-box” But the simple fact is, cats that already know how to use the litter-box can be reconditioned to use the toilet instead. That’s because cat toilet training utilizes your cat’s natural instincts to bury their waste to hide their scent from predators. During the training process your cat will learn to put its waste in water instead of in litter. Once your cat makes this transition toilet training becomes a breeze and – voila! Your cat is successfully potty trained!

2. Your cat is eager to please you.
Does your cat love making you happy? Whether she leaves the occasional “gift” on your doorstep or offers a warm nuzzle while you’re reading, cats who are eager to please are the purr-fect candidates for toilet training. After she learns that using the toilet pleases you, she’ll be happy to oblige!

3. You have trained your cat to do something in the past.
Does your cat come when you call them? Believe it or not, simple actions like responding to a voice command can help lay the groundwork for the toilet training process. After all, if your kitty already knows how to “follow the leader”, toilet training will be a breeze.

4. Your cat is healthy.
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but healthy cats have a much easier time jumping up onto their new throne. Illnesses like arthritis or urinary tract infections can affect their ability to learn how to use the toilet, so sick kitties should stick to the box.

5. You know your cat.
Can you tell when your feline friend is having a rough day? If you’re like many pet owners, you’re probably very in tune with your cat’s feelings. This unique bond works as a positive force during the toilet training process. How? Cats will use body language to tell you if they are comfortable with a particular training step. When you pick up on these signals, both of you can work together to achieve a relaxed training pace. You’ll both feel satisfied when you work as a team!

Want to read more? Check out www.citikitty.com to see a video of a toilet trained cat and read how to successfully toilet train your cat with a training kit.

Rebecca Rescate is the creator of the CitiKitty Cat Toilet Training Kit.
She has helped thousands of cat owners pursue their dream of a litter-free life with their beloved feline. Visit her site to find out more about CitiKitty – http://www.citikitty.com