Easy Ways to Know if Your Cat is Happy by Igor Purlantov

Cats are very intelligent animals that express various emotions including fear, grief, jealousy, anger and love according to animal rights advocate Igor Purlantov. For those that are lucky enough to have a cat in their home, it is important to know if your feline companion is happy.

Finding out if your cat is happy can sometimes be a difficult task since cats are very good at hiding their true feelings says Igor Purlantov. Here are several ways to help you know if you have a happy cat:

Playful Behavior
Cats enjoy playing with others that they like and trust. Any amount of playful activity, from running back and forth and playing catch to simply patting your leg or face for attention is a good indication of happiness. Cats can learn how to play catch and when they do it is a great sign they are happy.

Body Language
Cats that keep their whiskers slightly forward and their fur smooth with a relaxed tail are generally happy and curious. When a cat has their tail straight up in the air, they are greeting others around them that they consider friends. A relaxed happy cat will rest with their front paws tucked under, their ears forward, and their eyes half open. A cat that shows a sudden dilation of the eyes is having a sudden boost of happiness and excitement.

Eating Habits
Cats that are happy have a nice healthy appetite. Each time a cat tries to get you to give them more food and treats, they are simply playing with you and thus being happy.

Shiny Coat
Having a shiny coat of fur is a very good indication that your cat is in good health and thus happy. A shiny coat is also a good sign that your cat is getting the necessary nutrition and enjoying regular grooming which they enjoy.

Confident Behavior
A happy cat will show interest in their environment and will be responsive when approached. Some cats enjoy taking a proactive approach and touching everything new around the home while others may simply watch from a distance. In either case, a happy cat will react to a stranger with caution rather than fear and a confident cat will generally have the highest amount of happiness.

Vocal Cats
Cats are very good at giving vocal cues to indicate what they are thinking or feeling. Some cats are more vocal than others and like to engage in long conversation to show they are happy. Quiet cats on the other hand may express happiness with silence, and vocalize to express unhappiness. Higher pitched sounds are generally happy while lower pitched sounds can mean they are frustrated or being demanding.

Grooming Behavior
Cats that are happy enjoy grooming themselves so that they look their best. Cats that enjoy grooming other cats and even their human companions are also happy and are showing that they trust you. Although not all cats enjoy grooming others, cats that groom one another are happy with each other and enjoy each other's company.

Bathroom Behavior
When a cat starts missing the litter box and going elsewhere, this is a good sign that something is wrong and they are not happy. A happy cat that is adjusted and content with their environment will always use their litter box.

Sleep Patterns
Although some cats may sleep more when they are depressed, the location of where they sleep can be a good indication of happiness. Cats that enjoy sleeping close to other cats and seek them out are happy and showing that they enjoy being around others. If your cat sleeps next to you then be happy to know that your cat trusts you and enjoys being around you as much as possible. And if your cat is sleeping on its back, this is the ultimate sign that they feel safe and secure in their environment and are very happy. 

About the Author

Igor Purlantov is an animal rights advocate that follows and writes about animal news and trends to help raise awareness of animal rights and protection. You can read and learn about his work on http://www.igor-purlantov.info or follow him on twitter @igorpurlantov

http://igorpurlantov.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-easy-ways-to-know-if-your-cat-is.html

http://igorpurlantov.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/new-easy-ways-to-know-if-your-cat-is-happy/

Cat Training: Scratching by Romolo Lerza

Cats have a strange way of saying that they like you, they leave marks in a lot of places of your home. You will frequently know if the house you're in has a cat for a pet yet without seeing the cat. You will be able to see scratch marks in practically each corners of the house. Scratching is very normal behavior for cats and there are lots of factors as to why they do this. A few cats scratch furniture or flooring in order to discharge pent up energy inside of them, they scratch so they become fatigued instead of restless. An additional reason they scratch is because they want to get rid of some parts of their claws or they want to sharpen their claws. Cats also mark their territory by means of scratching surfaces or leaving their scent on it. Cats additionally scratch surfaces for the reason that they want to flex their bodies and move their muscles.Most owners take time to train their animal to change this type of destructive behavior. Kitties can be disciplined to follow instructions so they can also be disciplined to change their behavior towards objects and people. When cat training scratching should be one of the areas you should focus on. Because this is a natural trait for them, you can't actually prevent them from scratching but you can change where they do it. You can provide your cat with things that it can scratch freely. You have to observe what kinds of objects the cat likes scratching, look at where it is situated and aim to figure out what its texture is. You will have to make the cats preferred scratching object appear unappealing by covering it or by spraying it with an odor that cats do not like. Look for a scratching post that will match the consistency of the thing your cat likes scratching and place it close to the area where this favorite object is found. Make sure that the new scratching post has the precise same texture as the preferred object and remember to make it steady. When the cat utilizes the scratching post give it goodies and pet it lovingly. If that cat really comes to like the scratching post, you can gradually move it to a better location. These movements should not be big jumps, keep in mind that you need to take it slow with cats. The much loved scratching object of the cat has to remain unappealing until you are certain that the cat will not go back to using it and has really taken to the scratching post.
You will typically progress with altering this behavior gradually but surely. Just stick to it and you will see results in no time.

About the Author

As a pet lover and someone who devoted his life to animals I consider myself an expert trainer and the one person you can go to when needing advise with regards to your cats. [http://www.howtotoilettrainingcats.com]

Discover How to Treat Cat Bites and Scratches Without Risk of Infection by Madeleine Innocent

I think I'm a rescue freak. I can't bear to see an animal in need. I don't care what animal it is, I'll help them all. However, cats seem to have their own way of finding me. Once two stray cats turned up on my doorstep, the day after I had moved in.

I think they have good bush telegraph.

Or maybe I was a cat in a past life...

Catching abandoned animals can be tricky, though.

Some years ago, I adopted a very frightened young cat. Before she had properly settled in, she managed to escape from the house and luckily, ran up a nearby tree.

I HAD to retrieve her as otherwise she would run feral, not knowing where home was.

I knew I was in for a hard time. Happily the tree wasn't very high and a short step ladder was sufficient to get myself to her level. Then the fun started. She kept backing herself further and further down a narrow branch, until she could go no further. By now, she was really frightened.

I made a grab for her.

She fought and bit and scratched, but I managed to hang on. Somehow we made it back to the house and she bolted to hide under a bed. Well, she was safe, if traumatised. I'll deal with her later. How about me?

My arms and hands were covered in deep scratches and bite marks which were beginning to become sore and swell up.

I found my bottle of homoeopathic Ledum and started dosing myself. Within a couple of doses a few minutes apart, I could feel the pain ebbing away.

A few more doses and there was really only the marks left, the swelling having gone down. A few days later and they were gone too.

How I wished I had known of this remedy some years earlier when I was in a similar situation. Then, my hands and arms were swollen and very sore for over two weeks.

The most obvious problem in such a situation, apart from the pain and swelling, is the risk of infection. Because the remedy had worked quickly on the immediate symptoms (the pain and swelling), I knew it would prevent any infection, and it did.

Ledum is a great acute remedy for any puncture wound. This can be from a cat bite (or any other animal), a splinter, a shard of glass, a vaccination, a rusty nail, a poisonous spider or snake bite. They're all puncture wounds. I routinely give parents and pet owners Ledum to take before and after they have their child or pet vaccinated. This helps with any swelling and limits the harm.

If Ledum is given quickly after a bite, it will prevent an abscess. Abscesses are common in cats who fight other cats, or in cats who hunt.

A quirky keynote of Ledum is that they are cold, but feel better for cold applications. Heat aggravates the situation. So if the area of the bite feels relief from cold applications (we're not talking about the numbing effect of ice here), Ledum is the first remedy to use.

If the remedy doesn't help the acute symptoms (pain and swelling), then infection could set in. If relief is obtained from the remedy, it will also stop infection, even tetanus. So it's important to keep an eye on this.

The homeopathic remedy Ledum is available from homeopaths, homeopathic pharmacies, health shops and now even some chemists. It is in any homoeopathic first aid kit.

About the Author

Madeleine Innocent is a practicing homeopath, a specialised modality of natural health care. She treats both people and animals in her busy West Australian practice. Madeleine loves to spread the good work of homeopathy and other areas of natural health care and writes extensively on the subject.

For a complimentary ebook on how to naturally treat some common ailments at home, visithttp://www.twolegsandfour.com.au or http://www.twolegsandfour.blogspot.com

The Health Benefits of Keeping Pets

Pets: you can love and hate them at the same time. One moment theyre sinking their teeth into your expensive shoes, and the next, they shower you with affection. But regardless of what they do and how you feel about them, there is no denying that there are various health advantages of having a pet:

1) Lower stress levels and blood pressure. According to studies conducted at the University of Warwick, interacting with pets (such as stroking them or playing with them) has the tendency to lower a persons blood pressure and relax them. In another study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure readings were asked to adopt a cat or a dog, and those who did were later found to have much lower blood pressure levels in stressful situations that those who did not adopt a pet. Of course, this will not work if you do not like animals or are afraid of them " then they will probably cause more anxiety than they resolve.

2) Recovery from illness. Pets have been known to help people in astounding ways, but they have the greatest number of success stories with heart attack patients. Various studies show that patients who have suffered from a heart attack tend to live longer if they have a pet at home, and they are also less prone to heart disease than non-pet owners. Pets can also serve as a loyal support system to their bed-ridden owners, providing them with the comfort that results in a quicker recovery.

In extreme cases, such as when a person is in a coma, surgeons have even recommended for a pet to be brought to the patients bedside. While there is no real evidence to support this claim, there have been incidences when the pets presence helped the patient awake from their coma. Dogs, in particular, have also been known to offer relief to Alzheimers and Parkinsons patients.

3) Improves social life. Many domesticated animals are social creatures, and therefore provide much social interaction " whether it is a cat that curls up and falls a sleep on your lap or a dog that follows you from room to room " a pet owner is very rarely alone. Pets also serve as great ice-breakers or conversation starters among strangers, both inside and outside the home.

4) Happiness. It is often underestimated how much pets can influence our happiness. In many cases they have helped their owners deal with loss and hardships, even helping them fight depression. Some psychologists have even recommended the use of pets in therapy sessions, as petting a rabbit or playing with a dog raises the serotonin levels in our brain. Being greeted by an energetic dog or purring cat that is excited to see you can be very uplifting if you feel like the life just isnt going your way. This is why pets are also used in elderly homes, to help individuals feel less lonely and isolated.

Regardless of whether you face unemployment or divorce, your pet will continue to love you unconditionally; and it is precisely this love that keeps human beings healthy and happy.

About the Author

Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath Network, writes articles about musculo-skeletal conditions and Glasgow Osteopaths [http://www.osteopath-help.co.uk/osteopaths/cranial-osteopathy/uk/scotland/glasgow]. The Osteopath Network has more than 550 clinics located throughout the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours.