Toys Your Cat(s) Will Love

Do you walk through the pet store, see the many toys available for your cat, and wonder if the expense will be worth it? Cats can be fickle creatures, but they can have a good time with almost any toy. Cats are like children. They go through stages and sometimes need age appropriate toys. They can also get bored very easily. Some suggestions for toys include cat towers, stuffed toy mice, small amounts of catnip, stuffed toy animals, ribbons, plastic balls and paper bags. When mom and dad had cats, they spent as much time darting in and out of an open paper bag or a small cardboard box as they did with any purchased toy. They also enjoyed playing with empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls. A wadded up piece of newspaper tied to a string hung from a doorknob was also a great favourite of their cats.

From an early age, kittens learn to pick up things with their mouth. It is an instinct, just like using their claws. When a cat plays, they like to grab and bite their toys.

Let’s look at the toys listed above. A cat tower is a great way to teach your cat where it is appropriate to climb. It will keep them off the blinds or curtains while giving them hours of fun. There are many styles of cat towers from the two story towers to the ones rising to the ceiling. The answer to your question is, the more levels they have, the more fun and enjoyment they will receive out of a cat tower. A cat will use the tower for play as well as sleep. They like to bat at ropes and other items dangling off the tower as well as going through little tunnels up to the next level. If you have two cats, you will have fun watching them give chase to the top often trying to knock the other off. A cat tower can be practical because they will scratch at it, rather than your furniture.

Stuffed toy mice are also important to any kitty’s playtime. Not all mice are the same; most cats prefer the small leather mice with the multi-coloured fur and long tails. Cloth mice are typically second during playtime. If you find your kitty to be uninterested in toy mice you might want to check the type of mouse you bought her and consider switching to another style of mouse.

Catnip toys are very popular. Catnip will cause your cat to be more rowdy, which can be a plus because they become tired more quickly. Catnip a while before bedtime is a great way to get your cat to sleep for quite a while and allow you to slumber too. Catnip should be given out sparingly. You do not want to give your cat catnip every day because it can adversely affect their behaviour. They can start to depend on it and have mood swings.

Cats like the feel of certain things in their mouth, that is why they chew on paper, plastic and even your blankets. The feel of the material in their mouth allows them to clean their teeth or when they are teething, it helps reduce the pain. A stuffed toy animal can work in much the same way and it will keep them away from other items which could be harmful.

You do not have to go to great expense to entertain your cat, however when you spend a little on toys, you may keep your kitty from getting bored. You can even hide some toys and reintroduce them after a few months to keep from purchasing new ones all the time. Just make sure it is not your pet’s favourite toy or she may find other ways to entertain herself that you do not find amusing.

Until next time,

Teia

Teaching Your Cat Proper Manners

Establishing the relationship between you and your cat can either fall into place smoothly or take patience and time.

This article is not about how to train your kitten to roll over, jump through a hoop or sit. It's about setting boundaries for him. You do not want him jumping on the table during mealtime or swinging on the curtains. Nor do you want him using your speakers or that beautiful sofa you have as a scratching post. It's about getting him to use the litter box, instead of your closet, your best cozy comforter or Grandma Lil's beautiful hand made bedspread covering your bed!

Your job as an owner is to make the cat understand what you will and won't accept. With setting boundaries, you are showing him that you rank #1 when it comes to hierarchy.

So how are you going to do that? It is common sense really. Make all experiences rewarding for your cat when he does something you want him to do. When he is doing something he should not do, tell him no and stop him from doing the offending habit. Do not strike your cat or you will make him afraid of you. If your cat is afraid of you, it will be very difficult to establish a loving relationship with him. Even when you catch him in the act of doing something wrong, he will not associate the punishment with his actions. Reward based training works far better than punishment-based training.

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips:

LITTER BOX TRAINING

When the majority of people see a wet spot on the floor, carpet or wherever it may be, their initial reaction is to go and get their cat, take him to the litter box and hold him down. Some people even rub the cat's nose in it! This is not acceptable and most likely will have a bad impact on the cat's psyche. If punished like this, he will associate the punishment with his litter box and avoid using it altogether. He also could get angry or anxious and lash out in some erratic behaviour.

The best way to deal with litter box training is containing him in an area of the house or apartment that does not have carpet on the floor. Set up his litter box a little away from his bed and food. Frequently place him into the litter box and stir the litter a bit with his front paws. Do this gently so you do not hurt him or frighten him. Continue doing this until he gets the idea that this is where he needs to do his business! It is best to put him in his litter box about 10 - 20 minutes after he eats. Again, you may want to stir the litter to give him something to mimic. Although this usually comes naturally to most cats, there are the occasional few that need a bit of help.

If he simply jumps out of the box, that's OK. It's just a reminder to let him know it's there. When you see him using the litter box, praise him by petting him a lot, talking to him and giving him a little piece of his favourite treat. After a number of times of getting this kind of treatment when he uses the litter box he should get the idea. However, if he has an accident on your carpet, don't yell at him, just ignore him. Clean it up thoroughly to remove any remnants of urine or feces odour so that he won’t be attracted to do it there again. With patience and use of the reward system it won't take him long to master the concept of using his litter box. Cats are fastidious creatures and the learn to use the litter box fairly quickly. One note of caution though, cats, like most people, do not like smelly litter boxes, so make sure that you clean the litter box daily or the cat could stop using it.

SCRATCHING FURNITURE

For cats, scratching is a natural thing to do and necessary too. It not only feels good on their claws, but it helps to keep their claws filed down and marks the territory with their scent. You should always provide your cat with an outlet for scratching. Most pet stores sell scratching posts and many have a place to put a bit of catnip to make the post even more appealing.

Sometimes your cat will favour an object such as your couch, speakers or a favourite rug. Usually, it's just one or two objects that he will pick to get his claws into. It's up to you then to make this an unacceptable scratching object and less appealing to him.

All cats are different. Some do not like the feel of two-sided sticky tape and a citrus or menthol scent repels others. You could also try covering his selected scratching spot with some sort of netting or loosely knitted fabric. Although this may not be the most attractive decor in your house, remember that it's only temporary. Cats do not like to get their nails snagged on anything and this could deter him.

If you are trying to get your cat to use that scratching post you bought him, make it attractive for him. Place it in a location where he feels comfortable. Then either rub it down with some catnip, or buy a catnip spray to make it more appealing.

AGGRESSION

It may be cute when you and your new kitten are playing and at eight weeks old he's biting and scratching your hand and tearing up anything he can get his little claws on. As time goes by though and your cute little kitten turns into a 10-pound cat, things could seem a whole lot different! So, it is important to deter any bad behaviour as early as possible.

When it comes to cat aggression, there is most definitely a difference between normal behaviour and behaviour that you want to curb. For example, it is perfectly normal and acceptable that a cat will bite and scratch out of self-defence, when attacked or forced to do something he fears.

However, when you're walking through the comfort of your own home and all of a sudden your cat leaps out from behind a door and scratches or bites your ankles hard, this is not acceptable. This kind of attack can have a number of reasons. The cat could be playing out his predatory hunting instincts, or he could be frustrated and angry because of something as simple as having no food in his dish. He may simply be feeling bored or left out and this is his way to ask for your attention. Never allow your cat to play with you in an aggressive way!

While pouncing and biting softly are normal actions when a cat is playing, vicious attacks are not. They are the kind of attack that could send somebody to an emergency room. In some cases, vicious outbursts can be seen in cats that weren't socialized properly when they were kittens. Your cat could also have a painful condition you may be unaware of, or an undetected neurological problem, so if your cat suddenly starts to exhibit an unexplained outburst of aggression, it is important that you have him examined by a veterinarian to make sure there's actually nothing physically or mentally wrong with him.

In the majority of healthy cats, biting is an action that is developed by miscommunication, or a learned habit. With a little persistence and patience though, this habit can easily be broken over time.

Cats are intelligent animals and can learn fast. Remember, they learn by praise and reward. Stick to this method of dealing with your cat and the two of you will have many years of happiness together.

Until next time,

Teia