Cat Tips

Saving a Bundle on kitty litter

We have four large cats and use shredded paper as litter to save us money. The cats don't mind as long as they have a little bit of granular cat litter on top and litter liners underneath. They have adjusted to the paper littler very well. We shred the flyers, newspapers, and unwanted letter and generate our own litter. In the past I used to get a professional shredding company to shred paper for me. It cost $35 for 100 pounds. Today, my husband and I each have a shredder and use it for the cats.

The Neurotically Clean Cat

Cats are incredibly clean animals. A healthy cat will groom as frequently as possible during the day no matter how clean its living area is. The reason for this is part of their predatory nature, cats clean themselves to remove any scent on themselves so that no prey can smell them as they approach. This is vital for hunting and the cleanest cats make the best hunters (assuming they actually know how to hunt too). So, your cat is probably just trying to stay clean on the off chance some prey wanders around and she decides to stalk it (or more likely out of instinct). What you want to watch out for is if your cat starts to lick itself so much that it starts to lose fur in places on its body. This suggests a neurotic behavior, or an allergy or a skin disease, and, if your cat is licking to this extent, then you need to take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible as this can be symptomatic of a more serious condition.

The Goofiness of Cats

Cats can be pretty funny creatures, but there is a method to the madness. First of all, cats sleep for the majority of the day (sometimes close to 20 hours) so, for the few hours that they are awake they have A LOT of excess energy to burn. Which is why, when you are sound asleep at 3:00am, your cat may suddenly decide it needs to run laps around your house at mach 10, stop suddenly and pretend like nothing happened, and then do the same thing again, but this time counter-clockwise. It is also why cats engage in a number of odd behaviors during the day. Another reason that cat's act "strange" is that they are practicing their predatory skills. An activity that may look very odd to you (like jumping from the floor to a 4ft high banister, stopping on a dime and then sitting there for a minute before jumping back down) may very well be your cat honing it's hunting and survival skills (this is also why they will make an obstacle course out of various parts of your house and run it a few times in a row before settling down to a nice cat nap). As to why cats sometimes knead, (when they look like they're running in place if they are de-clawed or when the pull at the carpet, a blanket or your tummy if they have claws) this is a vestige of when they were kittens and were still nursing. In order to get more milk from a mother cat kittens will knead the area around her teat while they are suckling. This helps the flow of milk to the teat and enables them to consume more. Once cats grow up they sometimes still do this just as a comfort activity, perhaps it reminds them of mom.

Declawed Cat Bites, Behaves Aggressively

Unfortunately, declawed cats often behave aggressively. It's possible that they feel defenseless and resort to biting as a means of communication. According to veterinarian David Hammett, "A declawed cat frequently
resorts to biting when confronted with even minor threats. Biting
becomes an overcompensation for the insecurity of having no claws."

You may or may not be able to train your cat to bite less. First, she must feel as comfortable as possible - she's biting because she feels threatened. Second, you introduce something that makes her uncomfortable ONLY when she misbehaves. At the exact moment that she tries to bite, use a spray bottle to mist her (do not spray directly in her eyes). Alternatively, you can shake a can with a few coins in it or make another startling noise. Third, if she is biting when she interacts with you, and it is pleasurable for her (such as petting or playing), stop interacting with her immediately. These tactics will require a lot of patience and may never completely stop the biting behavior.

For future cats, please consider alternatives to declawing. There are many scratching posts available and it is easier to train a cat to use one than to teach a cat not to bite. You can also cut the claws or apply "Soft Paws" or another claw covering as needed to protect your furnishings.

Cat Leaves Bad Odor

A cat with a continuing odor problem may have a hidden abscess. Cats are very good at hiding problems, and you must be extremely careful to check for hidden lumps or bumps. If your cat goes outdoors, it is at risk of getting into fights with other cats (even females can fight) or being attacked by dogs or wild animals.

Sometimes abscesses or infection hide in the mouth. You may not see an obvious problem, but when your cat grooms herself, she's actually transferring bad-smelling bacteria and toxins to her fur. A good first step is a veterinary check-up. Your vet can look deep into the mouth and determine if there is an underlying issue, or if there is another medical cause. A course of antibiotics may be able to clear up the problem.