January 3rd, 2009 at 08:26am
Under Cat Care+ Cat Toys+ Furniture
By David P Lee
You’ve heard the hype about how, historically, cats have been
revered, even worshiped by some cultures. Some people walk
through pet stores and think that this is still happening today.
After all, look at all of the elaborate cat trees and cat
furniture that is available. People who do not have cats often
scoff at all of the cat tree furniture and other type of cat
furniture they see available in pet and department stores. They
seem to think that cat owners who buy these things for their
pets are spoiling them. What they don’t understand is that cat
trees and furniture for cats are not always purchased as
presents. Sometimes a cat’s owner will purchase these things as
a survival tactic. After all, if the cat has its own trees and
furniture to scratch and play on, maybe it will leave the human
furniture intact.
There are several basic types of cat trees and cat furniture
available. The first, and most basic, of all cat accessories is
the scratching post. A scratching post is a “must have” for any
cat owner. Cats have an intrinsic need to work their claws. They
work their claws a lot. The way they work their claws and keep
them sharp is by scratching on things. They are not picky about
what they scratch as long as it provides a tiny bit of
resistance to their claws and can give their paws a good
workout, so providing your cat with a scratching post will be
one of the best things you can do if you want to save your
furniture. A scratching post is basically a piece of wood that
is attached to a base and then covered in cheap carpet.
The most basic form of cat furniture is the “cat condo” which
is a round and hollow tower that usually has between one and
three “rooms” that have their own entrances. The whole thing is
usually covered with the same carpet that covers scratching
posts and provides your cat with its own “private space.” These
are not as essential to buy as a scratching post, but they can
be helpful in keeping your cat off of the furniture. This,
again, speaks to the cat’s territorial nature. Apparently cats
never learned to share when they were being revered as gods.
Once they are given their own spaces for hiding, sleeping and
playing they are likely to lose all interest in the rest of your
belongings.
Interesting fact: Some cats work their claws as a way of
dealing with stress. Keep an eye on your cat—when they get
freaked out about something, do they head straight for their
scratching post (or the side of your couch)? Chances are they
are calming themselves down!The best part about cat trees and
cat furniture is that all of it is covered in the same carpet
that covers scratching posts. This gives your cat even more
surfaces to attack safely. The more places they have to play,
the safer your furniture will be.
About the Author: For more pet information see David’s site on
cat leukemia, dog steps, pet steps, Dog Illnesses.
www.AceCatFurniture.com
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=219313&ca=Pets
By Fred
April 14th, 2008 at 01:47pm
Under Cat Training
By Matthew Hick
If you have ever tried to train a cat or any pet, you have
probably realized that it isn’t the simplest process. Training a
cat is not the same thing as training a dog, as cats are not
performance pets like dogs can be. There are three rules to
follow when training a cat; reward, praise, and positive
reinforcement. If you can learn how to use these rules and how
to apply them to your cat’s training, you will be able to teach
your cat simple tricks - and perhaps even toilet train it!
Basic cat training tries to encourage good behavior and
discourage bad behavior. Anything you want your cat to do should
be rewarding, enjoyable, and pleasant. Likewise, those things
you don’t want your cat to do should be unpleasant, not
enjoyable, and should never be rewarded. It is important to
remember that reprimands don’t work in cat training. Punishment
will only cause the cat to mistrust you and to repeat the bad
behavior, when you are not around. Sometimes cats won’t align
the crime with the punishment and act out with another bad
behavior.
Training will require time and diligence. You should never
stray from your routine. If a cat has a pleasant experience when
he does something, and is rewarded with food or praise, you can
bet he will repeat this behavior. So, help your feline friend
achieve a desired behavior, such as litter box training, with
this in mind. When litter box training, you can control what
your cat takes in and determine where it comes out. A short time
after eating, take your cat in an enclosed room with the litter
box. Make him sit in the box. When he has used the litter box,
provide plenty of oral praise and hugs, maybe even a little
treat, and your little friend will get the point. Soon he won’t
need to be kept in the box to achieve the desired result.
No one wants their cats to use their new couch as a scratching
post. Of course, initially, they really don’t know any better,
so make it an unpleasant experience. Cats don’t like to get
their claws caught up in anything, so cover the bottom of your
sofa with netting. The cat will realize this is not any fun and
retreat to his scratching post. Once again, positive
reinforcement with the good behavior is key.
As important as it is to reward good behavior, it is also as
important not to reward bad behavior. If your cat does something
you don’t like, don’t give him a treat to divert him from the
bad behavior. He will associate the improper behavior with
rewards and continue to do it. Instead, ignore him or squirt him
with water. He will get your point. Also, keep in mind that
sometimes a cat will behave badly to get attention. So be sure
to schedule regular playtime with your feline and provide them
with plenty of toys.
Once you’ve accomplished the basics in training, you can teach
your cat to do many things. They have been taught to sit, lay,
walk on a leash and, as mentioned before, even potty trained.
Your well-behaved cat will be the envy of all.
About the Author: Cats & Kitten Articles at
Cats-Today.com. Learn how to operate a Successful Adsense
Website Network at eWebCreator.com. Matthew Hick has been
designing profitable Niche Adsense Websites for over 5 years.
Award winning Adsense Website Service at eWebCreator.com
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=102418&ca=Pets
By Fred
