The Truth About Vaccinating Our Pets by Julia Sage

Why is it that yesterdays cats have far out lived the pets of today? More and more cats and other pets are acquiring diseases normally found in humans; cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart and liver disease, skin allergies, and sinus problems.

There is a great myth out there that we must vaccinate out pets on a regular basis. Experts say, Your pet NEEDS this vaccine and it won't do ANY harm€.

WRONG!

Vaccines, although have benefits for preventing serious illnesses in pets, are being over used, too often. Vaccines work by stimulation the immune system. They do have a positive effect by protecting against infectious diseases. However, over vaccinating has long-term negative effects that lead to hosting immune related diseases.

These diseases can include: immune mediated hemolytic anemia, immune mediated skin disease, vaccine induced skin cancer, skin allergies, arthritis, leukemia, inflammatory bowel disease and neurological conditions. Today we are seeing more cats and dogs acquiring cancer before the age of five years old. And autoimmune diseases are on the rise as well.

The combination of over vaccinating year after year, inadequate nutrition, poor breeding practices, and other environmental stresses have left each generation of our pets more susceptible to congenital disorders and chronic disease.

Veterinary schools are beginning to advise alternative vaccine protocols. New research is showing that vaccine immunity is lasting longer than previously thought.

The decision about vaccinating your pet is an individual choice. Although they can prevent serious illnesses in our pets, they should be used with caution. Research the vaccine you are giving your pet before visiting the vet.

Consider the risk factors for your particular animal. Are they an indoor or outdoor animal? Cats that strictly indoor pets, never going outside, are at low risk for acquiring infectious diseases from other animals that may be unvaccinated and infected. They may not require all the vaccines that an outdoor cat needs. In some cases, vaccines given at 1 year of age can provide life long protection.

Yes, it is important to protect our furry friends from serious illness, but we as humans owe it to these helpless creatures to do the research. They are depending on us for their well-being. Save yourself the agony of having a shorten life with your pet, and seek out the truth about vaccines.

About the Author

If this has been an eye opener for you and concerns you, visit my blog now. http://healthypet.blogspot.com

How To Introduce The New Cat

It is exciting to have a new cat but what if you already have one? It may look difficult at first but by following the recommendations here, you can successfully introduce the new to the old. Cats are very protective of their territory so you have to make sure that your new cat is introduced properly to the old one.

If your cats are still kittens, it may take only a short while to initiate them. They may get along within 10 to 15 days of introduction. Both cats’ temperament and personality influence the introductory process. Make sure that your old cat feels secured and do not show preferential treatment on the other cat so that it will not think that the new cat is a rival for affection.

When bringing the new pet home, allot a safe room for the new cat to live in for a while. Let it live there until you are in no doubt that both the old and new cat are properly introduced. There are no specifics for the room that you could make use of - it can be a spare bedroom or a bathroom. However, the room that your new cat will live in should be a place that your old cat does not go into. Place a scratching post, litter box, bed, water dish and food dish inside the room so the new cat will be comfortable.

Since a cat is new, the old one may try to dominate it and make it feel that it does not belong there. The old cat may hiss and howl at the new cat when it notices it by the door. Not paying any attention to what the old cat is doing is the best thing to do. Punishing the old cat for its aggressive behavior may cause bigger problems later on. Eventually, the old cat will calm down when it goes near the door of the new cat. When it does this, praise and pet your old cat.

The introduction starts when the new cat is no longer hostile when it sees the new cat by the door. An effective way to do this introduction is by using their odor. Having them utilize the same food dish is the first thing to do. It is strongly recommended that you give food to them at different times but using the same dish because it is important that they get accustomed to each other’s scent first.

In a few days, the old and the new cat will probably be used to each other’s scent; then you can attempt to feed them closer to each other. To do this, hide your new cat in the safe room then shut the door. Feed the new cat in the safe room with the door shut behind it. Then, set up the place at other side of the door as the new place to feed your old cat. Later on, they will stop hissing and growling at each other and eat peacefully at the same time. Then, the time to meet each other has come.

Introducing the two cats to each other in the same room can once again be tough because there might be some growling and hissing from both parties. Even though they are used to each other’s scent already, your old cat may still feel uncomfortable seeing the new cat in its territory. At first, play with them both so that they can greet and smell each other. Allow them some time to be apart if fighting commence.

Giving them time is important. Have patience. Both cat will turn into happy and satisfied pets if you have introduced them properly. Though it may be tough at first but your old cat will later appreciate its new company. Later on, if you want to add yet another kitty, it will then be easier on your part.

For help with cat stress [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/understanding-cat-stress/] and how to treat an abused cat [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/dealing-with-an-abused-cat/], check out introducing a new cat [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/techniques-in-introducing-a-new-cat/].

About the Author

Kitty Bee is the owner of two lovable cats.

Cat Spraying Issues And Solutions

Cat spraying is a large problem if it happens indoors due to cat urine smell and stains. Your pet can urinate in different areas of your home. Unfortunately, it truly is the main primal instinct of a cat. Cats that live with other cats are more inclined to spray than those who reside in single-feline homes.

What is cat spraying?
It is when your cat sprays small quantities of urine to announce his presence. It could possibly be peeing directly beyond your litter box or in various places within the home.

Reasons why a cat would spray
There are numerous reasons why a cat would spray. Peeing directly outside the box can often mean a dislike for their litter, the position, location of the box or a dirty box.

Marking their territory is really a natural thing for cats to do. Marking can occur as a result of other cats nearby, either outdoors or among cats that live within the same household. Cats will also mark their territory whenever they feel threatened or anxious. This can happen with a change in household routine, living arrangements, moving to a new home, and other environmental and social changes. Cats in multi cat households may find it difficult to overcome spraying issues.

Cat may spray when they feel endangered or threatened. Harsh discipline or yelling will not likely help the situation. This will likely frighten you cat and then make the situation worst.

Female cat spraying may begin as an instinctive behavior when indoors. Female cats in most cases spray while in heat. They utilize the pheromones which are expelled to pull in male cats. Neutered male cats may spray when they're angry or displeased about something. Also if the feline is in heat she will be attracted by the scent of cat urine.

Solutions
Cat behavior problems such as your cat urinating outside of the litter box can be very challenging to handle. Main complaints from feline owners are that their pets are going beyond the kitty litter box, spraying and scratching furniture. Male cats that are neutered before they become sexually mature may never develop this annoying and frustrating problem behavior in the first place. If you don't neuter until sexual maturity, spraying might be a habit tough to break. Neutering males that are already sexually mature stops the behavior about 80% of times. As stated, female cats are certainly drawn to cat spray smell when they're in heat.

Although castration is generally pushed as the best approach to stop this behavior, it's not a 100% solution and won't prevent spraying from developing down the road. Rather than try to alter a cat's behavior to quit spraying, try to prevent the situations where spraying might occur. If you do start to realize that your house, or a specific room, is beginning to smell of cat urine it can be difficult to find the areas that have been sprayed, especially if the damage started weeks ago and you are now only becoming acutely aware of the problem. The amount of areas sprayed differs between cats limiting spraying to one place, for instance behind the TV while others spray in multiple sites around the house. If you can smell the problem but aren't able to find it, get a black light. A great one is Nature's Secret Weapon Cat Urine Detector to reveal odor locations.

The method that you approach removing cat urine and odor will be based upon where the cat made the mess, when it was done and the kind of surface it was left on. Meds OMG Pet Urine and Odor Eliminator is great for carpets, floors and upholstery. Not using the litter is amongst the most predominant problem. If the problem persists, it could be a serious condition. Take your pet to the veterinarian. They will decide if medications and therapy are needed.

About the Author

If you would like more information about cat spraying [http://coolcatsguide.com/cat-spraying-2/] and other cat related issues, please visit Cool Cats Guide. Jewell Davis is an avid cat lover and a proud owner of a senior cat.

What are Your Leading Cat Health Questions?

Cats don't seem to be as healthy as I remember them to be when I was a child, many moons ago.

Now they seem to be prone to any and every disease under the sun, with exotic breeds succumbing the most.

Whether your cat health questions are infertility, upper respiratory issues, "inevitable" ageing diseases, renal problems, fleas, dead babies, or anything else it all comes down to the fact that domestic cats don't have the healthy immune systems they once did.

You think you're doing all the right things by taking her to the vet regularly and doing as they suggest, whether it's vaccinating or feeding the cat food they supply.

But still your cat's health is failing.

Why is this so?

I think there are several reasons for this, but there is one outstanding reason which you can address without much knowledge.

And that's diet.

Food is consumed daily. Which makes it the number one area of importance.

If you are feeding your cat a commercial brand of cat food, her health will be deteriorating.

Why?

Cats evolved over many tens of thousands of years on a diet of fresh kills, which means fresh, raw meat. Their domesticity is comparatively recent, and commercial pet food only came into being about the middle of the 20th century.

So, think of your most pressing cat health questions and then look at the food you are feeding her? Is the food in accordance with how wild cats eat? If not, then maybe you need to think about a change.

I never expect people to believe me any more than I expect them to believe anyone. But I always try to put forward logical and reasonable arguments to support my way of thinking.

In the 1930's Dr Pottenger carried out some experiments on cats. He discovered that the offspring of cats who were only fed cooked food were born with immune deficiencies.

He also discovered that within three generations, the immune system would be virtually useless unless some raw food had been eaten.

I suggest to you that no matter what your cat health questions are, the answer is always the same.

Raw meat and bones, just as wild cats eat.

Wild cats are very healthy (they have to be to survive), have few fleas and worms and don't suffer the chronic, degenerative diseases that so afflict our domestic cats.

However, there is an enormous industry at the heart of cat health. Veterinarians and drug companies make enormous sums of money treating ailing cats. Many would go out of business if you decided to answer your own cat health questions by solid research.

But I'm encouraging you to do just that.

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 have a healthy cat, starting today, visithttp://www.naturallyhealthycats.com or http://www.bestcathealth.blogspot.com

RESCUE STORY: Goodyear!

Goodyear's owner Sarah Y. explains how she came to find him: "I adopted him after he was found as a stray kitten and he turns two on the 20th! He is a little bit of a psycho but he is also the biggest sweetheart. I wouldn't trade him for anything." Aren't all cats a little bit psycho?! ;) Congrats Goodyear!

What Constitutes Bad Cat Behavior?

It is interesting that you can hear one person talk about the bad cat behavior that they are dealing with while someone else assumes this is perfectly normal behavior because they deal with it every day. Although some behaviors may be up for debate whether they are really bad or not, there are some things that cats do that can make anyone's ears turn a little red.

Please do NOT Lift the Leg!

You know you are doomed when you see that leg go up! Cat spraying is one of the worst behaviors to have to deal with. Urine stains found on walls and furniture at about nose-level are signs that your cat is marking his territory, frustrated, stressed or letting others know his status in the home.

If your cat sprays, figure out the reason and address it immediately or else it will turn into a serious problem. Once it's done a few times, it turns into a behavioral trait which is harder to change. Scrub, scrub, scrub and neutralize!

Scratching

Little Lovebug doesn't seem to quite fit her name when you come home to shredded curtains, furniture and window screens now does it? Cats need to scratch so if you are not providing something to use, they will find something themselves; plain and simple. You may be interested to learn that just like a dog; you can trim or file your cat's claws if you are very careful. Ask your vet to show you how or take your cat for a manicure. Maybe she needs a little pampering! Of course, a new scratching post won't hurt either!

Put that Tongue Away!

While a little lick here and there may seem sweet and innocent, some cats will start licking a lot. Not only can their rough tongue irritate your skin, it can damage wood surfaces. Also, it should be noted that cats that lick more than normal are more prone to bite when irritated as well.

If there is a spot on the wood arm of your chair or the coffee table that your cat consistently revisits to lick, spray a little lemon juice on it and it won't seem so appealing anymore; just the mere smell will often keep them away.

Stealth Attack

There is a huge difference between pouncing because the cat wants to play and you have a toy compared to the cat that stalks your feet, jumps at your ankles as you walk by and might even bite or scratch. While you may think that this is normal behavior because cats have a strong prey instinct, it's not! This is actually most commonly seen in single-cat homes, especially those that are left alone a lot. Yes, cats are independent but they still want companionship. If you are gone all day, come home and leave to go to dinner, run errands, etc., and don't spend time with your cat, consider getting a second one. Really, how much room do they take up anyway?

Biting

No amount of cat biting is cute! Cats bite hard, even when they are just giving you a warning nibble and these types of bites are prone to infection. Cats will bite for many different reasons; frustration, redirected aggression, pain or illnesses are all common causes. Sometimes, they bite because they just don't want to be petted anymore! Watch for subtle signals like twitching ears or tail or a stiff body and you can avoid feeling the pain of this bad cat behavior.

About the Author

Sonia Manning provides interesting information and helpful tips about cats and their behaviors. For more help on problem cat behaviors, go to http://www.catbehaviorsolutions.com/cats-problem-behavior.html.

Visit her website at http://www.catbehaviorsolutions.com for more topics, and solutions for problem cat behaviors. You can also receive free an 8-day Email Mini-Course on "Secrets About Your Cat's Behavior: Why He Does the Things He Does!"

CAT OF THE MONTH: LINCOLN!

Congratulations to Olivia S. and her cat Lincoln, who she describes as "the strangest cat I've ever met." Strange indeed! Seems only fitting for the month notorious for April Fool's Day that we pick this goofball. Way to go, Lincoln! Keep bein' weird!