Curing Night time Cat Behavior Problems

A friend of mine asked me how to keep her cat from waking her up at night.  Having just finished getting my cat to stop I know what she is going through.  So I offer the following advice. 

Please be aware if this is a new behavior you may want to take your furry friend to the vet to make sure there isn't something wrong. 

First thing you want to do is keep him busy during the day.  Play with him throughout the day, give him windows to look out of, pet him,  leave out toys, give him a good brushing and if he is willing you can try hooking him up to a harness and take him for a walk.  (for some cats this takes some getting use to.)

Make sure he has food available all day.  Unlike dogs, cats eat little meals all day long so make sure he has food available so he is not waking up due to hunger.  Along with this make sure you don't feed him right after you wake up.  You will be sending the message that wake up time is feeding time and he will wake you to feed him.

 Don't give in.  This one is hard and may take some time but you have to pull those covers over your head and completely ignore him during the time you want to sleep.  Even yelling at him is giving him the attention he is looking for.  Eventually he will get the message!  It also helps to make the room as dark as possible as they don't see well in complete darkness.  That means get those bright led electronics out of the room and some nice dark curtains on the windows.  Though once again if its a new behavior go ahead and check it out he may be ill.

Last if all else fails Close the Door.  If you cat just isn't getting the message then its' time to set him up a sleeping space somewhere else and shut him out.  You may have to work at this one too since having him yowl outside the door won't help you sleep either.  Try placing something in front of the door   like a prickly mat or double sided tape on the door if he is scratching (trust me they hate getting sticky stuff on their paws).

It will take some time to retrain your best friend but it will be worth the effort.

Boots The Cat Says

Sit Back and Relax Man

Indoor or Outdoor Cat ... a Message from Boots

Hello all Boots the Cat here. Ya know when we get visitors to the house I may be hiding under the bed but I'm still listening. Every now and then someone tells my human that they should let me outside to play.

Now I'm here to set the record straight I'm perfectly happy right here inside where it's safe!

Our vet told my human that the average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is only 2 to 5 years while an indoor cat can live for 15 years or more. I remember my old friend Fitz he lived for 18 years before he got sick.

There are all kind of deadly things waiting for a house cat like me cars, dogs , coyotes or foxes just to name a few. There's also those little biting bugs like fleas and ticks just waiting for a nice furry guy like me to happen along.

There is also a bigger exposure to cat illnesses like rabies leukemia and distemper. Not to mention WORMS ... ew can you imagine those crawling around inside you? Just thinking about it makes me want to hide under the couch.

When my humans are watching the box with the moving pictures, I'm watching the birds but I'm still listening. They say there are people who watch dogs fight for the fun of it. Now I"m not a big dog fan, let me tell you, but that sounds cruel even to me. My owners were talking of how those people steal other people pets like small dogs and cats to use as bait. Can you imagine the horror.... out for a nice stroll, stalking a bird or mouse and someone grabs you up hauls you away from your comfy home and throws you to a dog who proceeds to rip you to shreds.....

NO Thanks I'll stay inside! Thanks for your concern I'm happy, healthy and well intertained by my big picture window and my playful owners.

Now if you have been letting your cat out and want to keep him safe and not missing the outdoors make sure he has a nice window seat to look out from.
Play with him often and when your not home make sure he has so toys to play with. I love my empty box to climb in and hide out. I also love paper bags and tissue paper is a blast. Don't forget the Catnip (send some to me to please I LOVE the catnip its just soooo purrrfect.)
Keep his litter box clean.
Spay or neuter them to help reduce the wanderlust and un wanted kittens
Last don't forget those vet checkups to head off any problems.

Thanks for listening I'm off to make one of those mad dashes that leave my humans scratching their heads and wondering what I"m up to. Hey I gotta keep them guessing right?

Flea Control

We have had a lot of people coming in to the store lately looking for a way to get rid of fleas.


While there are several really good flea control formulas on the market there are reasons to try some natural remedies first. The reasons may be your own but here are a few. Its a Poison! Now most commercial flea formulas are designed to only kill the fleas and not harm your pets but you must use caution. We had tried one brand of flea collar on our cat and it made him drool uncontrollable. If you have little ones there is no telling what it will do to them. A manufacture can give you all the assurance they want but they have never tested it on children (an ethical impossibility) so they don't know! Last I haven't met a pet yet that when you put those little drops on the back of their neck shake to dry themselves sending drops of flea killer everywhere but where you want it.

Try some of these non-pesticide remedies first.

1. Start with a bath and a flea comb. Make sure you suds up from the face down as the tenacious little buggers will move in that direction if you start from the other end. Get your fingers in and scrub making sure you get all the way to the skin. Then rinse, once again from the head down washing them down the drain. Then use a flea comb to remove any stragglers.

2. Take care of the carpets. Mixing four parts borax and one part salt can create a powerful flea killer for your carpets. Make sure to keep an eye on the kids around borax though, as eating it can be harmful. If you have a washing machine big enough go ahead and throw the dog or cats be in the with some borax to kill any hiding there.

3. Build your own flea trap using a shallow bowl and some soapy water and a light. Put the soapy water in the bowl and place it in the affected area. Place the light about 6 inches over the bowl and turn on the light. ( A small desk lamp works great for this.) Then leave on all night. The fleas will be attracted to the light.

4. Keep your yard clean of debris. It makes an excellent place for the little buggers to hang out while waiting for your pet to come by. Also try planting some pennyroyal, fennel, peppermint, rosemary or citronella which are natural bug repellents.

Now if there are any eggs they will hatch anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks so keep vacuuming and combing your pet and if any fleas are noticed time for another bath.

We could learn a lot from our pets!

When was the last time you felt this relaxed?
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know it's Pet Cancer Awareness Month. With our beloved friends living longer they are becoming susceptible to some of the same ravages of time that we are. Blue Buffalo is one of the Brands we sell over at the pet store and they are raising money to fight Animal Cancer. From their website on Pet Cancer Awareness I got these Pet Cancer Facts to share with you.

1.	Cancer accounts for nearly 50% of all disease-related pet deaths each year. Source: Veterinary Oncology & Hematology Center
2.	Cancer is the #1 natural cause of death in older pets. Source: Veterinary Oncology & Hematology Center
3.	Dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans. Source: AVMA.org
4.	One in four dogs die of cancer. Source: MorrisAnimalFoundation.org
5.	Over 50% of the dogs over age 10 will die of cancer. Source: DogTopics.com
6.	Just like in humans, cancer can occur in virtually any part of your dog's body. Source: DogTopics.com
7.	Approximately 1 in 4 dogs develops a tumor of some kind during his lifetime. Source: AVMA.org
8.	The cause of cancer in pets, just like people, is largely unknown. Source: Veterinary Oncology & Hematology Center
9.	Common risks of obesity in pets include many forms of cancer. Source: PetObesityPrevention.com

I have also included some videos over on the left about Pet Cancer sponsored by Betty White.

It was cancer that finally got to my friend Fitzs at 18 years old and I miss him terribly.

HEY WHO LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG??

Boots the cat decided to repurpose my reusable bags into his new hideaway.

He Lies In Wait

Watch Out He's waiting for you

Duck past if you think your fast enough

I'll get you My Pretty

Boots the cat loves to attack my hubby every time he tries to walk into our office. We hung his door perch on this door because its the only place it really fits and we can still get past it. So every time my hubby comes in to do his homework he risks getting a whack from Boots. The first couple times it happened he had no warning. Boots just popped out and smacked him in the back of the head as he walked past. Now its a constant concern for him as he tries to get to the desk. The funny thing is no matter how riled up he is he won't attack me.

I'm having a great laugh at my hubby's expense everytime I hear Damn it BOOTS!

Help My cat might be plotting to kill me.... Is Yours?

Fitz 1991 - 2010

My best friend died yesterday and I can't talk to anyone about it. Every time I try, a giant knot forms in my throat and the words can't get past it. He left my life the same way he came into it meowing all the way. He was the noisiest little bundle of fur you could possible imagine. He was my awwww pet. You know the one you get when you see them and they are just so cute you buy them without thinking ahead. He is the one I broke the rules for since I was living in a military dorm at the time and pets are a no no. Now if I had thought ahead, if I had had any rational thought at all he would have never come home with me. Why would any rational person get the loudest cat conceivable when you live in a place where you aren't suppose to have pets at all? We managed though. He lived with my little sister for a short while and my parents too. My hubby and I bought our first home and the first thing we did was to retrieve my buddy and bring him home. He was with me for so long …. longer then my kids have been alive…. longer then I've been married…. almost all of my adult life. Now he's gone. No more meowing to eat in the morning… No more fluffy furball in front of the computer screen when he wants attention. … No more help with the laundry. Just a quiet Nothing that fills the house.

I had a bad night!

I woke up last night to find Fitz,my elderly cat, snuggled up in my arm. He hasn't done this in a very long while. He prefers sleeping in a box next to the computer. Now you may not think this is scary but I thought for sure that he had crawled into my arms and passed away! He wasn't moving and I couldn't feel him breathing. I was so relieved when he finally moved that I cried!

How To Help a New Pet Adjust To Their New Home

Lets face it moving to a new home is a stressful experience for anyone. If you are getting ready to bring a new pet home the move is just as stressful for them. But I know a few tips that will help you introduce your new family member that will help them feel more at home sooner with less stress.

Some of these tips will be easier to use then others and they can be applied to most pets with the exception of the exotics such as snakes, frogs, spiders and lizards.

The first thing you want to do is make sure their is a spot in your home that is just for your pet. Someplace they can retreat to when they need to be alone. It should be someplace where every family member understands is just for the pet. Whether it is a crate for your new puppy or a bed in a corner for your new kitten, or a plastic igloo for your new hamster or guinea pig they need someplace to escape too.

When you go to pick up your new family member get some of the bedding that is in the cage with your small animal. If you are getting your dog or cat from a reputable breeder see if you can drop off your puppies new bed a couple days early so it gets the scent of home on it. To help close down puppy mills make sure you know where your puppy or kitty comes from. Avoid pet stores because the only way to make sure of where your pet comes from is to get it from the breeder yourself. Now if your like me and get your pet from a shelter then check with the shelter to see if you can drop off the bed before pick-up.

Now to help get the pet use to you faster, before you bring them home take an old worn out shirt (one you don't want any more) and where it to bed (don't wash it). When you bring your pet home add it to their sleep area or cut it into pieces and add it to the small animal bedding. This will help them get use to you faster.

Last but not least and especially important if you have small children. Give your new pet some room to explore their new home with out being mobbed with attention. You should give small animals at least a week before you try handling them. (this of course depends on where you get them since some pet stores do an excellent job of handling their small animals) By giving your new family member some room to explore you will help prevent agressive behavior based on fear.

The Rosco Report + 1

I have two pictures to share today the first is little Rosco the Frog who has finally gotten his front legs. He still has his tail though you can't see it in this shot because of the fake plant.

You Grow Rosco

This second one is of my old friend Fitz once again trying to thwart my computing efforts as he snuggles down for a nap on my chair leg.

Awww How could I make him move I had to save blogging for another day.

Pets and Vacations

We are planning on going on Vacation and the problem arises.....How to care for your pets when your not there.

Dogs and Cats have a very simple solution though kind of expensive. There are kennels and "pet motels" everywhere you go. You simple have to find one you think will care for your pet they way you want them cared for. I am choosing to go with the kennel at my vets. Simply because I have an extremely elderly cat and a dog with a gimpy hip. I know they will get the best care there. But what about the fish, frog, tadpole and turtle?

Fish aren't a big problem either. We have timers from past trips we can place on the lights and picked up some vacation fish food from Petco. It is pyramid shaped and will dissolve over the time we are gone to release food for the fish. If you want to go a little more high tech you can get a battery powered feeder that will drop food in every day.

The real problem is the exotic pets in my case the turtle, tadpole and frog. My solution was to talk to some of the experts and here are the solutions I've decided on. For Rex the Turtle we will be adding some live plants and some feeder fish to his tank since we have a canister filter we shouldn't have to worry about cleaning his tank. We will probably put in some of the small snails to give him something to dig around for too.

We took Kermit the Frog out and put him in his new habitat it's not as finished as I would have liked. I wanted to get some moss growing in there but haven't been successful yet so we added some "Frog Moss" I purchased at Petco to put on the land side until I get the moss to grow. There is enough room that I will be able to add several crickets for him and he will eat some of the fish food that will be released from the vacation food.

As for the Rocso the tad pole he will be a little tricky. You see his little tank wont support a battery operated vacation feeder and though he would eat the food in a vacation pyramid the water would quickly become filthy and he would suffocate. We have added some plants to his habitat. We have chosen Anicharis, which is a long plant that can be placed in the rocks to grow roots or left to float (which is important since the tadpole habitat has no rocks) and some duck weed which is also a floating plant. These will feed the tadpole and help keep the water a little cleaner.

It's a Good Thing I Can Touch Type

My eldest cat Fitz has started demanding more attention lately. No matter how much petting, cuddling, scratching or tummy rubs he gets (yes he likes his tummy rubbed) he still wants more. He has taken to sitting in front of me anytime I sit down at the computer. I have had to start working around him which is not easy when you can't see the screen.

Why you might ask don't I just put him on the floor? I've tried that but he is very very determined and what I end up with is claws in my leg as he climbs his way back up instead of jumping. He is also very very old. He is older then my kids even older then my marriage. I adopted him in California in 1991. I was in the Air Force at the time and living in the dorms. (You are not suppose to have pets in the dorm but I couldn't resist the cute little kitten in need of a home) He went to live with my sister for a little while then he moved in with my mom when I cross trained from Areospace Ground Equipment into a Loadmaster for the C-141. After a year living at McGuire my future Hubby and I bought a trailer and Fitz came to live with us permanently. You are looking at a cat that has lived in more states then most Americans have visited. Here is a list. California, Arizona, Ohio (for a week) New Jersey, Arkansas and New York. With some sleep overs in the states inbetween as we moved from state to state. I don't really know how much longer Fitz has with me so if he wants lots of loving I'm going to give it to him. He has been my best friend for many many years.

Pets Help with the Chores

Our pets are wonderful additions to our family they even help out with our chores

You've seen Boots and Fitz help answer E-mails but have you seen

Fitz helping with the laundry? Or...

Cricket Helping with the Vacuuming?

Ok Rex can't help with the chores but these are cute

This is Rex taking a nap he is sleeping on his log with his head in the water resting on the fake plant in his tank.

And finally a decent shot of DA TA TA TA................SUPER TURTLE!

and just in case you can't see his legs in the first pic here is a close up LOL

Some Cute Pictures and a Word of Warning!

A rare quiet moment with Fitz and Spot

(usually its Spot attacking Fitz)

Ok I know these aren't the best shots of Rex but he is very camera shy!

I've been trying to get a good shot of him in his Super Turtle pose but when ever he sees me coming with the camera he dives into the water. I took these shots across the room using the Zoom.

Some new Additions to the Family Menagerie. Since the Frogs haven't come in we got these colorful fish to fill the tank. We've got an order of tadpoles coming in with a local store and when they come in these will go to the tank in my sons room.

Ok now for the word of warning. If you get snails for your tank and they lay eggs you may want to think twice about having them hatch. The tank in the picture above is NOT dirty those are all snails. While the big ones crawled up the side of the tank and laid their eggs when they are little apparently they lay them on plant leaves the filter where every. Now we have hundreds of snails (no I"m not exaggerating).
It may seem mean but right now I'm really glad the turtle likes to eat snails!

Meet The Cast

CATS



Old Man Fitz

The oldest of the gang He joined our family in 1991 and he has out lived 4 other pets. If you picked him up you would swear he is virtually boneless. He will just blob over in your hands. He also likes to help on the computer as you can see.

Boots

He is our youngest cat. When we adopted him from the pound he was the nicest quietest cat you can possible imagine. BUT when we had him fixed he became rather mental. He will suddenly jump up and tear around the house or attack the dog. You can tell when its about to happen because of the wild look in his eyes.

DOG

Cricket

We got Cricket from the pound at the same time we adopted Boots. He has Hip Dyspepsia in both back legs and has already been operated on once. He is the sweetest dog you can possible imagine. We think he is half Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Half Chow. He has all the colors of the retriever with the curly tail and purple tongue of the Chow. Though after his operation his tail doesn't curl quite right any more.

Turtle

Temporary Name Rex

Rex is the newest addition to our family. We adopted him when his previous owner could no longer care for him. His name is only Temporary because we got him on my Husbands Birthday and told him he could name him but hasn't done so yet. He is very entertaining to watch though he is very camera shy and I've been having a heck of a time getting a good picture of him.


Frogs
To Be Announced
To Be Announced
The frogs haven't arrived yet we ordered them to replace the one my son lost before we moved. Boots the cat got him out of the tank somehow but I've fixed that problem the tank will be on a higher ledge with a lid that latches closed.

Supporting Cast of Characters Snails, Plecos, and Feeder Guppies

I don't have good pictures of the plecos yet and the feeder guppies are rather small and there are lots of them. We bought a dozen to give the turtle some exercise (he looked really bored) and they had babies. The babies are in a seperate tank.