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Archive for March 2010

How to Entertain Your Cat

Some people think that cats don’t need human attention. Most felines do need human interaction and plenty of cat toys to keep them occupied or they may entertain themselves by doing something that you don’t appreciate like unwinding the toilet paper roll or batting your expensive figurines across the floor. How can you keep your cat entertained?

First, you will need to spend time with your pet to see what types of toys and games he or she enjoys. Hanging out in the same room with you while you surf the net or do the dishes does not count as interaction. Try one type of toy at each play session to see which ones capture your kitty’s interest.

A good toy to start with is a wand toy since many felines like to pounce on moving targets or enjoy a game of chase. Windup toys like mice are another good option. Contraptions that you can hide treats in will help keep kitty mentally stimulated in attempts to free the treat. Many cats enjoy chasing after balls, and you can find some that make sounds for more fun. Think about natural feline behavior such as stalking and chasing prey and provide opportunities for your pet to mimic the behavior.

Watch which toys your cat favors, and try to buy similar toys. You can rotate toys by not having them all out at once as you would do with a small child to help keep kitty’s interest. Toys with strings or others that could potentially cause injury should be put up and only enjoyed during playtime with you. If a toy has small parts that could break off, do not ever give it to your cat as choking could happen even if you are supervising.

If you only have one kitty, consider getting another as a companion. This will provide hours of daily fun for both animals, but you will still need to take the time to play with each animal.

Keeping your cat entertained is very important. Your possessions won’t get destroyed, your pet will be happier, and you will reduce the chance of feline getting overweight.

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Categories : Cats General
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Is Your Cat Waking You Up at Night?

There you are, blissfully sleeping away when suddenly a cat pounces on your stomach. Or, you are awakened to loud scratching or banging noises. What can you do to get your kitty to let you sleep?

Felines want you to get up because they are bored and want attention or are hungry. Also, their sleep habits are different then humans. Cats are hardwired to be up at dawn since this is prime hunting time in the wild.

For the hungry cat, try giving extra food for the last meal of the day to see if that holds your cat over until you want to get up. Also, don’t feed your cat first thing in the morning so they don’t associate getting you up with food arriving in their bowl.

The last thing that you want to do is get up and play or feed them. This just reinforces that waking you up is a good thing to do. In fact, you need to igrnore the cat. Even a negative response like scolding them may perpetuate the behavior since at least they are getting some attention.

Keep the toys, scratching post, cat bed, etc., out of your bedroom. Granted, your pet can bring toys with them, but don’t let the animal think of your room as a playroom or their bedroom.. If the scratching toy or other loud, stationary toy is on the other side of your house, kitty won’t be able to use that tactic to wake you up.

You might also get the cat a playmate. Another cat or even some dogs can provide entertainment so kitty is not completely relying on you for fun and mental stimulation.

When your feline wakes you up, remember that this is normal kitty behavior. Using the tips above can help you get more sleep.

Categories : Cat Behavior
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