CAT OF THE MONTH: Mookey

Mookey is a 6 year old Manx, which means he was born completely without a tail. He was rescued from an animal hoarding situation in North Carolina by Prince William/Raleigh County Animal Rescue. He then went to live with his foster family Andrew and Kristen and is considered a "foster fail" since they loved Mookey so much they decided to adopt him! He loves sitting on laps and kneading. He enjoys stretching out and dangling his leg off of things which we like to call "trucker foot." A shy, but affectionate boy, Mookey is in LOVE with belly rubs and frequently will put his bikini patch on display while awaiting pets. Congrats Mookey for being our June Cat of the Month!

Common Behaviors Of Cats And Their Meanings

How well do you understand your cat? Even if it were only days or decades, perhaps you have observed a cat's actions. The acts of your pet are different from other animals. Some people think it perplexing when they see their pet behaving in a strange way. You may have a dilemma in raising your pet if you fail to read your cat's action. It may be difficult to find out what your cat means when it acts differently but there are methods to uncover your kitty's mystery.

You probably have become aware of your cat pushing an object (e.g., cabinet, stool, table leg) or a person. Then it strokes its head against the individual or thing. You will most probably notice this action done on individuals with allergies to cats or to those who have other animals. The cat does this because it wants to mark the person or object as its possession by putting a hint of its spit on that person or thing. This kind of cat behavior can be irritating for others. In the cat's point of view, however, the individual or object stands as someone or something odd; thus, it exhibits this action to establish it as part of its property.

For the cat, it serves it well to perform this pushing and rubbing act. In this world, however, there are some with pet peeves and those allergic to cats. They will try to get rid of the saliva because it upsets them. If they are successful, they will rid themselves with the cat's scent. The feline will, however, repeat the same process if it cannot smell the scent that it left on the guest. This will really pose as a predicament for the individual with allergies or with pet peeves. As a cat owner, you have to explicate to the inconvenienced person why it does this behavior - that it is just a welcome greeting for the cat. What you should do is to talk to the guest and request him to permit your cat to do this behavior. Once the cat does its business, it will leave your guest alone eventually.

Hunting is almost a must for cats. Do not be shocked if your cat is peeking out the window, creating strange sounds and doing bizarre movements. It just has its hunting instinct acting out. If your cat sees a cat or some movement, it will readily be on its paws. Again, do not be shocked because it is normal for cats.

There are individuals who think it baffling why cats pounce at things. Pouncing is one of a cat's favorite activities. Pouncing is part of play for them. Do not stop your cat from doing this behavior unless you want to get some troubles. You and your cat may wind up with trouble breaking a lot of stuff in the house. If you like to manage how your cat plays, buy a toy that it can pounce on. A yarn or a string may even be adequate enough for it to play with. Your cat will surely enjoy your company as it runs after the yarn or string.

If you have detailed understanding of how your cat behaves, you will have lesser problems because you will be dealing with it the correct way. Go beyond feeding and providing litter to your cat. Know your cat a little more by knowing its behavior.

About the Author

Kitty Bee is the owner of two lovable cats.

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Is Cat Food Making Your Cat Sick? by Julia Sage

Are you concerned that what you are feeding your cat is making him/her sick? Are you worried with all the pet food recalls that have happened in the last year? More and more animals today are getting sick, and some of the causes are directly linked to the commercial pet food that we are feeding them.

If your cat has symptoms such as: bad breath, itchy skin, dull dry coats, and intestinal gas, then chances are it is coming from the food they eat. A common disease that can be attributed to diet is diabetes in cats.

Not all commercial pet food provides all of the nutrients our pets need to be healthy at different times in their lives. Some pet food has ingredients that our pets do not need and can cause them to be extremely ill. A common ingredient found in pet food is a preservative called propylene glycol. It is used to keep pet foods moist. This preservative has been linked to anemia and bloat in animals, as well as other conditions.

What is propylene glycol? A petroleum derivative acts as a wetting agent. Propylene glycol is a colorless, vicious, hygroscopic liquid, CH3CHOHCH2OH, which is used in anti-freeze, laundry detergent, deodorant, floor wax, processed foods, and Pet Food.

Factory workers are warned by the FDA to avoid direct skin contact with propylene glycol because it penetrates the skin quickly and can cause brain damage, skin irritation, and kidney malfunction. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for propylene glycol says that it may be harmful by ingestion or skin contact.

The philosophy here is that if used in small amounts, and with other chemicals, that it will not produce harm to our bodies or our pets. Perhaps a small teaspoon or a quarter of a teaspoon will not produce serious side effects if given once. What is ignored is that it is not given once. In addition, most preservatives that are ingested DO NOT pass their way through the body. It is a foreign substance that builds up and stays in the body. Each teaspoon that may remain in the body is added by another -teaspoon, and another, and so on.

If you are using commercial cat food, check the ingredients. If propylene glycol is listed, do yourself and your pet a favor and stop giving it to them.

If this toxic substance is not present, other things to consider to determine if your commercial pet food is quality food are how the ingredients are listed. The ingredients will always be listed in descending order. That means what is listed first, is the primary ingredient.

A whole animal-based protein should be listed first. Stay away from by-products, these are left over's from processing human foods. Avoid other ingredients that are fraction of a whole; wheat middlings, corn gluten, anything that is not a whole grain.

You will want natural preservatives like ascorbic acid, Vitamin E or mixed tocopherols. Cats do not need artificial food coloring or flavors to be healthy. Essential fatty acids are a must; they help to prevent cancer, skin problems, and allergies. Taking these out, as is done in some special formulas will actually harm our pets in the long run.

We as humans are beginning to be more cautious about our own diets and what we ingest. Isn't it time we start considering the same for our furry friends?

About the Author

If this concerns you and you want to learn healthier alternatives that will prolong your cats life, visit:
http://healthycat.blogspot.com