Cat Breeds: The Burmese Cat

Originally only sable (brown) in colour, selective breeding has produced a wide variety of colours, however, only sable, champagne, blue and platinum are recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA). This cat is longer-lived than most purebred cats, with an average lifespan of 16 to 18 years. It is small to medium sized, but much heavier than it appears, weighing 4 to 6 Kg (8 ¾ to 13 ¼ pounds).

The Burmese cat has eyes which are either yellow or gold in colour, and which are large and very expressive. They use these eyes to hypnotize their human family into loving them for a lifetime. They are very intelligent animals and as they mature, they take over running the household. They use their large eyes and velvet paws to aid them in this endeavour. Female Burmese cats take a very active role in managing the house, getting involved in everything that is going on. They frequently voice their opinions on the way things are being done. The males are more laid back in nature and prefer to supervise, occasionally vocally, but more quietly than the females. They like to do their supervision from a laying position, preferably from someone's lap.

The Burmese cat has a short-haired coat which is glossy, with a satin like finish. The only grooming required is a daily petting.

Burmese cats are very affectionate and love human company, often following family members around like a dog. They will “talk” but are not as vocal as Siamese cats and they have a softer and sweeter “meow.”

Because they enjoy human company, these cats are not suited for being left alone for long periods of time. As kittens they are quite clumsy, often landing on their backside with a thump. The usually maintain kitten energy and interests throughout their life. They can be taught to play fetch and tag, again demonstrating some dog-like characteristics. If introduced to vehicle rides as a kitten, they are comfortable travelling in vehicles. They are seldom aggressive, but if attacked by another cat they will vigorously defend themselves. They get along well with children and dogs.

If you would like an intelligent, affectionate cat that displays some dog-like characteristics, then a Burmese cat would be a very good choice.

Until next time,

Teia

Pedigree Cats

Most people buy pedigree kittens from cat breeders who usually breed a specific breed of cats. For example, if you wish to obtain a pedigree Siamese kitten, you should find a breeder who specializes in that breed. Usually these breeders are people who professionally breed cats to sell and/or show. They are very proud and knowledgeable about the breed they specialize in.

Once you have determined that you want a cat that has a pedigree, you need to find someone who breeds that type of cat. Ideally, you should get a breeder's name from someone who has already purchased a kitten from them. In this way, you can see the type of cat the breeder sells and determine if it meets your requirements. If you do not know anyone with the type of cat you wish to buy, then you can look in the pet section of your local newspaper to see if anyone local is selling this type of cat. You can also check with your local veterinarian as they usually have personal knowledge of all local cat and dog breeders.

Many cat magazines have listings of breeders near the back of the magazine. Or, you can call national organizations for listings of registered breeders. Another source is the Internet. For example a query of “siamese kittens for sale” performed on May 8, 2010, resulted in 163,000 responses from all over the world, so you should probably add some additional qualifications to your query to narrow down the number of responses, such as “toronto siamese kittens for sale” which resulted in 8010 responses which is still a large number, but a little more manageable.

Many professional breeders will usually have a range of ages of kittens for sale, from six weeks to six months old. Kittens under three months of age are the most popular, and you can expect to pay several hundred dollars for a quality pedigree kitten. Cat rescue groups and your local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) could also have kittens, but usually their pedigree is questionable, unless they were seized from a registered breeder.

You want to make sure that the breeder you choose is registered with a national cat registry and has been breeding cats for at least five years. (This ensures that their business and the lineage of their kittens is solid.) They should be able to give you a certificate of pedigree with the kitten to prove it's a purebred animal.

Find out if the breeder offers a written guarantee about the kitten's health. Also make sure they will give you a refund or exchange if the kitten develops a disease or genetic problem within the first six months to a year. Reputable breeders are more than happy to meet these conditions. If they are reluctant, or refuse, you do not want to do business with them - find another breeder.

Some pet stores sell pedigree kittens, although most are likely to only carry non-pedigree kittens. Most pet store kittens are young, usually under 12 weeks of age. They are often kept together in a pen or crate, which is great for display purposes, but not so great if one of the kittens becomes ill, because then all of the kittens would be exposed to that illness. Pet store kittens are often placed in the main area of the store. This is so people can get close to the kittens and even hold them if they want. Although this is a bit risky, it does socialize the kittens at an early age, which is a desirable thing.

If you are interested in a pet store kitten, try to find out how the store got the animals - from a breeder, pet wholesaler, or maybe just a neighbourhood family looking to place a litter from their cat. The source of the kittens matters, because it should be reflected in the price the store is charging for the kittens. Prices at pet stores can range from about fifty dollars to several hundred dollars for a pedigree kitten. (Again the actual pedigree of the animal is questionable because many pet stores do not provide a certificate of pedigree with the kitten.)

Whatever method you use to locate a pedigree kitten, if you do thorough research, you will find a great kitten which will give you many years of faithful companionship.

Until next time,

Teia

Using Positive Reinforcement to Train Your Cat or Kitten

I’m sorry for the delay in posting this entry, but this month has been very trying. On December 2, my soon to be 89 year old grandmother (dad’s mom) fell in her seniors apartment and broke her left arm at the elbow. She couldn’t get up on her own, but she had a “Lifeline” button on her necklace and she pressed it. This caused her phone to contact an emergency operator who phoned dad. He rushed over to grandma’s and called an ambulance. The ambulance took grandma to the hospital, but they did not have an orthopedic surgeon available, so grandma spent the night at the local hospital and then was sent out via air ambulance to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. She had her operation to pin the broken bones back together on Saturday, December 5, then flown back to the local hospital on Monday December 7. She is recovering nicely. On Thursday December 10, dad got his Windows 7 upgrade and he spent over 8 hours trying to get it properly loaded onto his computer so that the numerous crashes of Windows Vista would be a nightmare of the past. It was not an easy upgrade, as Windows 7 doesn’t use the mail system that Windows Vista used, so dad had to export all his mail contacts to another file and then import them into Windows hotmail. Quite a lot of dad’s software was not compatible with Windows 7, so it had to either be updated or removed before Windows 7 could be loaded. It was not a fun time, but hopefully everything is going to be OK….at least there have been no crashes so far today…unlike Vista which crashed multiple times a day…particularly when dad was trying to add a picture to these posts, or review his “my pictures file”. Finally he can post this entry for me. Enjoy!

Pets make your home more complete by being there to greet you after a hard day at work or snuggling up to you while you sleep. Cats have been termed the most fickle of creatures; however, they are sweet lovable animals if you raise them from infancy. Most cats will recognize you by the sound of your voice and the car you drive. They will particularly know you if you are the one who spoils them the most. Like dogs, cats can be trained. A cat can be trained to come to your call, to bring their toys when they want to play, as well as more domestic issues such as using a litter box. The key to training a cat or kitten is reinforcement.

Reinforcement starts at any age, but it is wise to start when they are still a kitten. Cats cannot distinguish words, but they are very astute at distinguishing the tones of your voice. They will know they have done something wrong just by the tone of voice you use. This is why it is important to use your upset voice when they have done something wrong, otherwise they will become confused. Let’s go back to reinforcement. Reinforcement is either positive or negative. Stern words are a negative reinforcement for a cat or kitten because they typically do not care for harsh tones. Positive reinforcement can be gentle hugs, full body petting, treats, or play time. (If you wonder why I said gentle hugs, it is because many cats become panicky if they are held tightly.)

To train your kitty to come to your call you must repeat her name while she is looking at you. Look right at your cat while you are using a nice tone of voice. Another way to call your cat is to have another sound, like snapping fingers, or clicking noises with your tongue. These typically gain the attention of your cat or kitten so they learn to come when you call.

Litter box training is perhaps the easiest part of having a kitty in your life. It is best to keep them confined to one room, the room you will have the litter box in, to train them. They will learn by you putting them in the box and allowing them to familiarize themselves with the smell. Mom and dad found that during the training period if you leave a small bit of damp litter in the litter box when you change the litter, the kitten will smell this and return to the litter box more easily. Cats by nature understand the feel of litter associating it with dirt. You may have to pick them up when they first begin to go, if they do not understand the litter box, and place them inside. Occasionally a cat does not like the litter you have purchased. They usually show their displeasure by using the floor. If this happens, try a different brand. Another thing that you must ensure is that the litter box is cleaned frequently. Many cats will not use a box that is full of stool and damp clumps of urine soaked litter. Cats are naturally clean animals and they do not like to be dirty. That is why they are easy to litter train and why they spend so much time grooming themselves. Most female adult cats will train their kittens to use the litter box, so it is important they do not leave their mother’s care too quickly.

Food works in much the same way. Once you show them where their food bowls are they will continue to go there. Cats are creatures of habit. Make sure that their food and water bowls are not located near their litter box. You do not like to eat your meals in your bathroom and neither does your cat.


Habits are how you will train your kitty to bring you toys. Some cats will simply meow when they want to play and casually bat their toy. However, if you respond positively by playing with them every time they carry a toy mouse or stuffed toy to you, they will continue to bring the toy without the reinforcement of a treat. For example, a family friend’s kitty, Spooky, brings a stuffed animal to the family friend every time she wants to play. She lays it down near the end of our friend’s couch and meows until our friend recognizes the good deed and begins to play with her.

Cats are trainable, perhaps not to the degree that a dog is trainable, but they can be trained to respond to your voice commands if you are consistent with both the tones and the words you use. Cats will enliven any home and, given a lot of positive reinforcement, they can be just as much fun, if not more fun, than other pets. This is especially true when they give you comfort by stepping onto your lap and begin kneading and purring. These moments can take away a bad day at work within a few seconds.

Cats, by nature, are very independent animals. However, if you make a fuss of them and treat them well, while allowing them to have their own “private time,” they will give you countless hours of love and affection. What more could you want from a pet?

Until next time,

Teia

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

Grooming Your Pet Cat

Regular grooming of your cat is vital to keeping it healthy, especially if your cat has long hair. Think of the cat's coat as the fur and skin together: You cannot have a healthy coat unless both the skin and fur are healthy.

It is the nature of most cats to maintain well-groomed coats. If you examine your cat's tongue, you will see little bristles on it that face toward the back of the tongue. Cats use these bristles to groom themselves, often for hours at a time.

Most cats do their own grooming, but they need your help to do a complete job. For example, your cat's tongue cannot reach behind her ears or on top of her head or back. Also, the bristles on her tongue cannot always get through matted hair. That's where you come in.

Grooming a cat, whether it has long or short hair, requires both work and patience. These guidelines will aid an amateur groomer. However, there may be times, even when following these guidelines, when you will not be able to do it yourself and will need professional assistance. This is especially true if you have a long-haired cat that mats badly, or a cat that becomes violent during grooming.

Most cats do not like water and if bathing is necessary you may require assistance from a professional who knows the special handling needed to bathe an objecting cat. Some cats object so strenuously to bathing that you will need to get them sedated. If that's the case with your pet, do not let your groomer do it, let only veterinarians give your pet sedatives of any kind.

When you get a kitten, it should not need to be groomed until it is at least 14 to 16 weeks of age.

When brushing your cat or kitten, always brush with the hair. If you brush against the lay of the hair, you could scratch your cat’s skin. In addition, most cats do not like to have their hair pushed backward. Since you want grooming your cat to be enjoyable for both of you, start at the head and work toward the tip of the tail. On the sides of your cat, start at the back bone and brush toward the stomach. Most cats are ticklish, so be very gentle when grooming your cat’s tummy. If your cat has mats in its hair, use a dematting comb. These combs are available from most pet supply stores. Unless you are well versed in cutting cats’ hair, I suggest that you leave getting your cat’s hair cut to a professional groomer. My mom and dad have owned a number of cats over the years and they never found it necessary to have the hair cut on any of these cats. Brushing is another matter. As long as you are gentle, most cats enjoy being brushed.

Several different types of brushes are available for pets. Some of them are slicker types with wire bristles. Others are pin brushes with thicker metal bristles with rounded tips. Others have bristles with little plastic balls on the ends and still others have bristles just like your own hair brush. Pin brushes are better than slicker brushes because they are gentler on the skin and do not scratch or hurt. All are relatively inexpensive, so use the one that does the best job with the least amount of fuss from your cat. I cannot recommend any specific type of brush, because like dogs, each cat will feel comfortable with a different style of brush depending on their particular coat.

The finale of a thorough grooming is trimming your cat's nails. There is a special nail clipper designed for cat nails. Dog nail clippers are too cumbersome and splinter cats' nails. So, when buying nail clippers, you may want to get a recommendation from your vet. Mom and dad got the nail clippers for their cats from a veterinarian and they were very effective.

Mom and dad found that an overall brushing once a week was sufficient for most of their cats. They had one cat that created a grooming problem. This cat was a little strange. He would walk along the picket fence to avoid getting his feet wet, but whenever he saw the neighbour’s daughter he would jump into the nearest puddle and lie there feebly meowing. She would rush over and pick him up and cuddle him, getting covered in mud, much to her mother’s annoyance. She would pack the cat home and he would lay in her arms with a sappy look on his face and purr like mad. I think he had a crush on her. Fortunately, he enjoyed a bath when he got muddy, so this made cleaning him up a little easier to do.

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

Cat Breeds: Siamese Cats

The Siamese cat has been in existence for hundreds of years, making it one of the oldest established cat breeds. Even though the precise origins of these cats are in dispute, it is generally suggested that they come from Southeast Asia. A plausible speculation is that they are distant descendants of the King of Siam's revered palace cats. In the late 1800's the first pair of Siamese cats was transported from Siam (now called Thailand) to Britain. Since then, their popularity has increased so much that they are one of today's most admired cat breeds.

There are two very distinct varieties of Siamese cats. The first one is the Traditional or Apple head type. These cats have a circular head with proportionate rounded ears. Their eyes are also more rounded. They are normal-sized cats with stockier athletic bodies. This type maintains the original characteristics of the early imports from Siam.

The second variety is the Modern or Wedge head Siamese. In comparison, they have elongated wedge or triangular heads with obviously large pointed ears. Their eyes are almond shaped and somewhat slanted. Their agile bodies are long, slim and graceful with whip-like tails. This type was refined by breeders and is the kind you will see competing in cat shows.

In the past, Siamese cats had unusual traits, such as kinked tails and crossed eyes. While these tendencies can still be found in the Siamese, they are considered flaws and through breeders using discriminating breeding practices, occur much less frequently. All Siamese cats are shorthaired and have brilliant blue eyes, except for albinos.

Siamese cats are recognized for their point color pattern, which means the body coat is lighter in color, while the points are darker. The points are the cat's face, ears, lower legs, paws and tail. Siamese kittens are born entirely white. Slowly but surely, the color points begin to appear and improve until one year of age, when most color points are totally developed. Siamese come in four basic color points. The first is the well-known Seal Point. The body color is fawn with dark brown points. Next is the Chocolate Point. As the name suggests, the points are a chocolate color and the body is off-white. After that, comes the Blue Point, which has a white body color with a bluish tint. Its points are a deep bluish-gray. Finally is the scarce Lilac Point that has a white body and pinky gray points. Later, crosses with other breeds developed Siamese-mix cats with points in other cat colors and patterns, including red point, lynx (tabby) point and tortoiseshell ("tortie") point. In the United Kingdom, all pointed Siamese-style cats are considered to be part of the Siamese breed. In the United States, the major cat registry, the Cat Fanciers' Association, considers only the four original colorations as Siamese: seal point, blue point, chocolate point, and lilac point. Oriental cats with color points in colors or patterns aside from these four are considered “Colorpoint Shorthairs” in the American Cat Fanciers’ Association.

Along with a curious nature, Siamese are regarded as extremely intelligent. They are a social animal that is very loyal and loving to “their people.” They can form a strong bond with their owner. In fact, they require a fair amount of attention from their humans or they may become lonely if not given their proper affection. If that becomes the case, the owner may hear what these cats are famous for, which is their ability to communicate vocally. Their yowl is very loud and frequently sounds like the cat is hurt and in pain.

It is very easy to care for a Siamese cat, since they are able to groom themselves quite well. However, your cat will certainly appreciate an occasional brushing. Generally, it is a healthy breed, although there are a few genetic diseases that they are susceptible to as with most purebreds. By keeping inoculations up-to-date, spaying or neutering and not allowing the cat outdoors, you can have an enduring friendship. This cat is tolerant of smaller children and its usually calm temperament is perfect for seniors, making it a terrific all-around family pet.

Until next time,

Teia

Tips for Playing with Your Cat

As a dog, I do not know a lot about cats, but I’ve had some interactions with them and this is what I have found out.

Much like humans and dogs, cats become bored if they do not have enough stimulating activities in their life. Boredom can sometimes be the root of feline behavior problems such as neurotic chewing, compulsive grooming, over eating and in some cases aggression.

As little as 15 minutes of quality play with your cat will prove to be beneficial when it comes to improving your cat's mental health and physical well-being. In addition, playing with your cat regularly will help to strengthen the bond between the two of you.

Following are some simple fun ideas to add a bit of excitement to your cat's every day routine.

FIND THE TREASURE GAME

Stuff one of your cat’s favorite toys in between the cushions of the couch, or under a pillow. Your kitty will enjoy this hunting game. Once the toy has been retrieved, try another hiding place.

PAPER BAGS (without handles as kitty could get the handles tangled around her neck)

Cats love little places where they think nobody can see them. Get out a paper bag open it up and watch how much fun your cat has with it. Your cat will love playing inside it, running in and out of it and jumping on top of it. As a variation, you can even cut a few holes in the bag and put in a favorite toy. This is sure to keep him or her busy.

THE SWATTING GAME

If you don't have a cat toy which you can dangle in front of your cat, create one. Simply tie a string to the end of a stick and attach an object to the string. You can try a rolled up piece of paper, a feather or a small toy. Cats love this swatting game.

THE TOILET PAPER ROLL GAME

Make sure the toilet paper roll has no toilet paper on it. Your cat will bat it around, pick it up and carry it, claw it and possibly even chew it a little (make sure your cat doesn’t ingest the paper as it could make him sick). As a variation, you could also put an object in it, such as a solid ball that has a bit of weight to it and then tape up both ends of the roll. This gives it a wobble when it is batted around.

TISSUE IN A BOX GAME

Your cat will enjoy taking the tissues out. This could make quite a mess, but your cat will have great fun doing it.

CHASE THE LIGHT GAME

Take CAUTION if using a laser light. You should NEVER SHINE IT IN THE EYES!!! A flashlight is a much safer light and it will provide hours of fun for your cat.

Your cat will love to chase the light around the floors and walls; it's a great challenge for kitty and gives your cat a workout too.

BOUNCY BALLS GAME

They are always BIG fun for your cat! Use a small ball, about one inch in diameter. This will allow your cat to pick it up.

SOCKS GAME

Your cat will surely enjoy a stuffed sock! Stuff an old sock with different sized cotton balls or wads of crumpled newspaper and a bit of catnip, and watch your cat go "wild" chasing it around. Some cats even "wrestle" with it by holding it in their front paws and kicking it with their back paws.

PING PONG BALLS GAME

A couple of ping pong balls dropped in your empty bathtub is another great way to keep your cat entertained. Only do this if you have a non slip coating on the bottom of your tub. You wouldn’t want kitty to slip and suffer an injury.

ICE CUBES GAME
Slide an ice cube back and forth across your kitchen floor. Your cat will chase it and begin to swat at the ice cube. You now have a game of feline ice hockey. This game gets messy because the ice will start to melt and leave little bits of water on your floor, so make sure that you have a floor that is not damaged by water.

These are games you and your can enjoy together. One session a day is a necessity, but two or three play sessions a day, preferably at times when your cat tends to be most active, will keep him or her happy and fit.

Note! These homemade toys and games should only be played by kitty when you are there. Don’t leave these toys around when you are not home as kitty could tear them up and ingest the pieces with possible disastrous results.

Have fun!

Until next time,

Teia