Tomcat

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Checking in on this fine Thursday.

Here are a few pics of some of our cats. Razz Sierra Cosmo Willow

A kitten grows rapidly for the first few months and needs extra, yet balanced, sources of nutrients during this growth phase. Excesses, deficiencies and imbalances of certain dietary nutrients can predispose your kitten to many problems such as diseases of the central nervous system, heart, kidney and bones. Excess calories consumed by growing kittens will stimulate the formation of excessive numbers of fat cells and lead to obesity in adulthood. The following tips will get you off to a good start. 1. When to wean? Kittens should be weaned at 4 to 6 weeks to a diet specifically designed for growing kittens. Kittens should not be weaned on baby foods, cows milk or other human foods. 2. Choose your kitten's diet carefully. The diets we recommend are scientifically designed and tested to promote health, vitality and longevity. Optimal nutrition contributes to the health and well-being of your pet and can help reduce the likelihood of illness and disease. If a dry food is selected, it may be advisable to moisten the dry food with warm water for a period of time while your kitten is very young. We recommend feeding some canned food to accustom your kitten to both types of food. 3. How much? How often? Most kittens are initially fed 4 times daily until 3 months of age. After three months of age, it is best to feed your cat a measured, daily allotment divided into two or three meals. To select the amount of food required for each meal, consult the feeding guides provided by the pet food manufacturer or those calculated by your veterinarian. The amount of food recommended in the manufacturer's feeding guides should only be used as a guideline. Each individual pet needs to be monitored and fed appropriately to achieve an optimal body weight. If you have more than one kitten or cat, it is best to feed each cat a measured portion in their own dish. If your kittens or cats are significantly different in body weight (one heavy, one light), try feeding a specific amount of food to both, with an "extra" small meal for the thinner kitten or cat. NEVER reduce your kitten's or cat's caloric intake by more than 20%. 4. Avoid feeding your kitten "human food". Additions of any human food will cause an imbalance of nutrients in your cat's diet and could be detrimental. It is particularly important to avoid feeding raw fish, raw eggs, large amounts of liver or small bones. Table foods not only cause nutritional imbalances but may contribute to bad eating habits, nutritional deficiencies and obesity. 5. Change diets slowly. Sudden changes in diet can cause digestive disturbances such as diarrhea. Even when changing from one high quality diet to another, gradually increase the proportions of the new diet and decrease the old one, over a one-week period. Be sure your kitten is eating the new food. Do not let your kitten go without eating for more than 48 hours. 6. Dogs and cats have different requirements. The diets formulated for dogs and cats are significantly different. It is dangerous to feed your cat dog food. Cats require specific nutrients, which are not included in dog foods. In addition, cats require significantly more protein. 7. Always have fresh water available. This is particularly important for cats, as most cats tend to drink more if the water is fresh, clean or moving (i.e. dripping from the tap). If you live in an area where water has a significant odour or taste (chlorine, iron, sulfur, etc.), you may want to consider giving your cat bottled or Brita water (cats are more sensitive to odours and tastes than we are!). Your cat's nutritional requirements may never be more demanding then when it is a kitten. Therefore, it is essential that you choose a high quality food that is nutritionally complete and balanced for optimum nutrition during this critical growth stage.

KittyKat Meat Cake 1 lb. of calf or pork liver 1 cup of flour 1/2 cup corn meal Add all ingredients to food processor and mix well. Pour onto greased cookie sheet and press flat. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Cake is done when no longer pink.

KITTY CATNIP COOKIES 1-cup whole-wheat flour 2 tablespoons wheat germ 1/4-cup soy flour 1/3-cup confectioners' milk 1-tablespoon kelp 1/2-teaspoon bonemeal 1 teaspoon crushed dried catnip leaves 1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses 1 egg 2 tablespoons oil, butter or fat 1/3-cup milk or water Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the molasses, egg, oil, butter or fat and milk or water. Roll out flat on an oiled cookie sheet and cut into narrow strips or ribbons. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Break into pea-size pieces, suitable for cats. Good for treats, exercising gums and cleaning teeth, but too low in protein to use for regular fare.

Tuna Catnip Balls! 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup nonfat, dry, powdered milk 1/2 can tuna, in water OR 1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces 1 tb cod liver oil 1 egg 1/4 cup water Catnip (garnish) Preheat oven to 350. Chop tuna/chicken into bits, add flour and milk and mix well. Add water and oil and mix well. Whip egg then add to mix and mix well. Shape dough into cat bite-size balls and flatten on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes, turn them over and bake an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle catnip on the top of each cookie.

(Sardines and Rice) 2 Flat cans of sardines in oil 2/3 c Cooked rice 1 tb Liver 1/4 c Parsey, chopped Combine all ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up sardines into bite-sized pieces. Store unused portion in refrigerator, tightly covered.

Chick N'Biscuits 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/3 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon soft margarine Preheat the over to 350 F. Combine chicken, broth and margarine and blend well.

1 bullion cube Left over chicken - boned and shredded Grated cheese 1/2 cup water Cat Food Recipe Directions: Pour 1/2 cup warm water over bullion cube and stir to dissolve. Add shredded chicken to water mixture just enough to form soupy consistency. Sprinkle with grated cheese

Cat Food Recipe Ingredients: 7 oz mashed sardines 1/4 cup dry non-fat milk 1/2 cup wheat germ Cat Food Recipe Directions: Mix ingredients. Roll into 24 small balls. Placed on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees until brown.

This link is pretty cute...sums up very good why we should all have a cat! www.purpleslinky.com/Humor/An...e-a-Cat.249217

(This is from Chicken Soup for the Soul. I thought it was really cute. I bet we all can relate to this, those of us that have kittens.) I got a kitty recently. A cuddly bundle of joy and delight who is always endeavoring to figure out the world around her. She is constantly reminding me of the awkward but endearing quality of learning, and of the play and bizarreness of the world. Yesterday she put her head in a small backpack sitting on a chair. Sticking her face in the outside pocket, she sniffed around to discover leftover cucumber slices from my picnic lunch. At first with interest, and then with vigor, she was stuffing her head and then her whole upper body into the pocket to make sure she hadn't missed anything. But before long, having that curiosity satisfied, she sat up ready to move on to another adventure. In one zesty move she jumped off the chair -- hooking one of her little back legs on the backpack strap on the way down. Suddenly, what she thought was a harmless inanimate object with some boring human food was a fierce and attacking animal, right on her tail! Onto the floor and around and around the LIVE and wild backpack was chasing her. I watched. First I worried that her little legs would be injured in her fight for life with the luggage. Then I felt the mild concern of seeing a terrified expression on someone you love, even in the face of something you know to be harmless. And then came humor -- this kitten was doing battle with an inanimate object. How many times had I done battle with things that were completely harmless to me? Expending much energy and great fright defending myself from "a backpack," so to speak. It got funnier and funnier as the scene went on -- a terrifying backpack of all things. Man, the world can be strange! Slashing around on the wood floor in a fury, she managed to free herself from the horrific monster before too long. However, her bold curiosity of moments before was gone. She slunk away from the terrible scene and hid under the nearby wood stove, collecting herself. I don't even remember the moment when she discovered it was just a stupid backpack -- the same uninteresting one with the dying cucumber slices she had seen and tried to leave behind only moments ago. Though I know it wasn't long afterward. I just remember sitting there laughing. Laughing at the funny situations that life deals us and at the weird ways we forget and then rediscover the illusion. Laughing at seeing myself battle luggage on the kitchen floor. Attaching to things that I could be rid of -- perhaps just for the drama of it all. Sometimes the most random moments bring a clarity that can't be ignored, making the game so obvious -- all you can do is sit back and laugh.

16. Sits on your newspaper in the morning and carefully reads the coded message that Garfield sends out every day. 15. Used to sleep on top of TV, now monitors CNN 24 hours a day. 14. Notably absent from home during surprise feline invasion of Poland. 13. When you enter the room, Snowball and the other members of the Tri-Cateral Commission stop talking and begin playing with yarn. 12. Behind the couch you find a forged passport, plane tickets, and nine suicide bombs. 11. What you thought was "heat" is actually a four-legged goose step. 10. Well, "somebody" subscribed to alt.cats.world.domination. 9. Autopsy of the last mouse left on your doormat reveals "tattoo" to be blueprint of the UN Building. 8. Constantly petting that bald man he keeps on his lap. 7. Kitty Chow spilled on the floor spells out "Drop the car keys and leave the door open or the dog gets it in the head." 6. Then -- dead mice in the kitchen. Now -- dead third world dictators in the basement. 5. Judging from the kitchen, he seems to be working on some kind of "land mine" technology. 4. Fluffy is now sleeping only 21 hours a day, down from 23. 3. Has recently been acting somewhat... aloof. 2. What your cat lacks in charisma and good looks, he makes up for with his ruthless handling of rival software companies. and the Number 1 Sign Your Cat is Plotting World Domination... 1. Somehow, you're now subscribed to "Feline of Fortune" magazine.

Our cats don't get these much.

Cats are one of the most loved pets in the world, no question about it. More than 50% of all households in the United States own dogs and cats. Although cats are loved animals, cat allergies are one of the common forms of allergies. Statistics in the past have shown that over 10 million people in the U.S. alone have allergic reactions to cats - especially their fur. The biggest cause of cat allergies is dander. The dander, is dust that is produced by the body of the cat. Dander is basically shed skin that comes off of cats, normally in the form of small flakes. Although dander can irritate your skin, it can also get into your immune system as well, resulting in a variety of symptoms and almost immediate allergic reactions. The dander, once in the immune system, is perceived to be a threat. Even though it isn't classified as a disease, it's more of a reflex by your body and your immune system. Cat allergies occur quite often due to cats having allergens that are spread throughout their blood, urine, and saliva. Although a cat may not be present at the time, the excretions probably still are. Cat dander, urine, and saliva, are found throughout the home of cat owners. Cats constantly groom themselves, which involves rubbing their saliva into their fur. When they do this, they spread their dander and allergens around. Although you may try, there is really nothing that you can do about it. Cats have a natural instinct to groom or bathe themselves, no matter how many baths you give them, you simply won't stop them from grooming. Normally, when someone is taking an allergic reaction to cats, he or she will wheeze, cough, sneeze, itch, have watery eyes, or a difficult time in breathing. Different people react different ways to cat allergens, meaning that some symptoms may not occur at all. Fever and chills is very rare, although it can happen. If someone who has cat allergies comes down with fever and chills, you should contact a doctor immediately. Chances are, it isn't an allergic reaction to cats, but instead another type of disease that a doctor will need to identify. Cat allergies are normally treated with antihistamines and decongestants. Those that experience asthma attacks or other forms of allergies, normally take antihistamines. Decongestants on the other hand, are normally used to cure coughs and swollen nasal passages. Sometimes, doctors will recommend allergy shots as well. Allergy shots can help to prevent the attack, especially if someone is really allergic to cats. They are a good form of treatment and prevention, and they can also help to decrease the risk of allergies affecting the individual. If you suspect that you have cat allergies, you should always make it a point to visit your doctor. He will be able to further diagnose your situation, and give you the best options available for treatment. If you do indeed suffer from cat allergies, the best way to stop the attacks is to get rid of your cat. Getting rid of a cat can be a very tough thing to do. If you have become allergic to your cat's fur, there may be no other way to prevent attacks than to get rid of him. Although doctors can give you medicine and shots, it will only do so much. Cat allergens are no fun, especially if you develop them years after owning your cat. Cats are great animals to own - although cat allergies are something we could all live without.

As most pet owners already know, heartworm treatment for cats and dogs isn't the same. Never, under any circumstances, should you give your cat heartworm treatment that is designed for a dog“ or vice versa. Even though you may own both dogs and cats, you should always give them medicine that is designed for their species. No matter how you look at it, heartworm treatment isn't easy. Your goal is to get rid of the heartworms, although there are several factors that you'll need to consider. The first thing to do is take your cat to the vet, as he will be able to run tests to determine just how many heartworms your pet has. He can also find out how the worms are affecting your cat and if your cat can deal with any side effects that the treatment medicine may impose. Heartworms are a very serious condition, as the worms will feast on the vital areas around your cats heart. Treatment can be serious as well, especially if something goes wrong. Veterinarians are trained to deal with heartworms though, in both cats and dogs. Even though you may be able to buy treatment medicine at your local department store, you should always consult with your vet before you give anything to your pet. Treating your cat for heartworms may indeed be no treatment at all, as cats are extremely difficult to treat. The dying worms have side effects as well, often times causing more than 1/3 of the treated cats to end up with serious problems. Dying worms can become lodged in the arteries of the heart, which are already inflamed due to the worms being there. When a lodged worm starts to decompose, it can lead to very serious problems. Pets that have a serious infestation with heartworms may need to spend some time at the hospital, to ensure that they are properly treated. Some cats may not be able to take a certain type of heartworm treatment medicine. Depending on the side affects and how the medicine affects the cat, some breeds may not be able to take some of the better medicines. To determine the best treatment options for your cat, your vet will need to run several tests. Once the tests have concluded, your vet will be able to tell you the best options available for treatment. With all diseases, prevention is a lot better and safer than treatment. Be sure to talk to your vet and find out what heartworm prevention medication is the best to use. Your vet can tell you what you need to get, and how to use it. This way, you can prevent your pet from getting heartworm and the serious side effects and life threatening issues that go along with them.

No cat wants to be dirty, and it's up to you to ensure that your cat stays clean. Grooming is very important, as it helps your cat remain clean and healthy. Grooming starts with brushing, as brushing helps to keep the cats hair from becoming hairballs. Brushing will remove loose hair, and help prevent the risk of hairballs. A lot of cats have trouble dislodging hairballs. If the cat isn't able to get a hairball out, it could result in a blockage of the intestines. Blockages are very serious, and can quickly become life threatening for your pet. Cats that have long hair need to be brushed and combed on a daily basis, while cats with short hair need to be groomed on a weekly basis. When you brush your cat, you should always watch for lumps in the coat and skin irritations. You should start brushing along the cats back, going from his head to his tail. Do this a few times on one side, and then switch to the other. Each area should be brushed a few times in the direction of the way your cats hair is growing. When you brush your cat, you should always avoid brushing his face and paws. If a cat doesn't like to be brushed, you can still groom him using another tool. The grooming glove is an excellent alternative to the brush, as most cats doesn't mind it at all. Starting out young is the key to grooming, as it will get your cat used to brushing and grooming. Some cats that have started grooming when they were kittens grow to love it, many of which often look forward to their grooming time. When brushing your cat, make sure that you check his ears, eyes, teeth, and claws. His eyes should be bright and clear with nothing residing in the corners. His ears should be clean, pink in color, and no sign of ear mites. Ear mites result from dirt built up in a cats ears, and can result in the ears shriveling up and your cat losing his hearing. Ear mites are very annoying for the cat, and hard for you as an owner to get rid of. The best way to get rid of them is to ensure that your cats ears stay clean and healthy. Each time you groom your cat, you should always aim to go a bit further with your examinations. When your cat remains still, you should always praise him and give him a treat. If your cat doesn't cooperate and starts to struggle, you shouldn't fight with him, but instead let him go and try the next day. Once your cat gets used to grooming he will look forward to it each and every day.

A lot of people think that cats work on their own agenda, not paying much attention to their owner as long as you provided they have clean litter, food, and water. Cats can behave in odd manners at times, which can easily confuse their owners and make it really hard to determine what the cat wants. As much as cat behavior can be confusing, there are some ways that you can solve common cat behavior mysteries. A common behavior that almost all cats do is push their heads into any type of object that will allow them to do it. You've probably seen your cat do this before, probably against table legs, TV stands, or another object. This can be noticed more when you have other people who own animals or those with allergies over at your house. When a cat notices this, he will rub his head against the person. In doing so, he will put a touch of saliva on the individual. In a cats mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on. By putting his saliva on something, that object or person will have a familiar scent. Although this can be very annoying, you have to understand that other people in your home are seen as odd or weird to your cat. When a cat does this, he is simply trying to make the visitor belong. When he brushes up against them and puts his saliva on them, he is trying to put his scent on them which in his mind will mean that they belong in his territory. Even though marking someone or something with saliva is beneficial to the cat, saliva is one of the most common forms of pet allergies. When someone wipes the saliva off of them, the scent will be gone and the cat will go back and attempt to do it again. Even though it may appear that cats target those with allergies, cats are actually just trying to make the visitor belong at the house. If the guest simply cannot take the saliva, allow the cat to rub himself on their pants leg a few times. Normally, this is all takes for a cat to leave the person alone. Those of you who an indoor cat should expect the cat to spend quite a bit of time lying near windows. During this time, you may hear your cat make very strange noises or weird movements. You shouldn't fear though, as he is simply acting out his hunting instincts. Whether it's another cat or object outside moving about, the cat will see it and simply go into his native hunting instinct. As most already know, cats love to play. They love to played with, especially with toys. They will pounce on things on occasion, which should always be expected. If you try to prevent this type of behavior, your cat will take a very negative approach and you'll end up with a lot of broken things in your home. You can always play with your cat using a string, as he will love to chase the string around the room. The longer you own your cat, the more odd behavior you'll see him exhibit. Cats behave in strange ways, although they always have a reason for behaving the way they do. If you can understand why your cat behaves like he does, you'll have no problems keeping him healthy and happy. If you simply pay attention to your cat and the way he behaves at times you'll be able to understand him better than ever before. Read more: http://the-cat-forum.proboards.com/thread/23/common-meanings-cat-behavior#ixzz3lNSUqAba

Why do they go crazy with this?

Ours have their own big room in our basement with lots of windows to look out and other fun things.

We have 5. Cosmo, Sierra, Jupiter, Razz and Willow.

Here are some tips for keeping your cats out of danger during the holiday season. FOOD ITEMS AVOID Holiday Food Items That Could Cause Problems For Your Cat Alcoholic beverages Chocolate (baker's, semi-sweet, milk chocolate) Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans) Moldy or spoiled foods Onions, onion powder Salt Yeast dough PLANTS Lilies that may be found in holiday flower arrangements could be deadly to your cat. Many types of lily, such as Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Easter, Stargazer, and the Casa Blanca, can cause kidney failure in cats. Poinsettias are generally over-rated in toxicity. If ingested, poinsettias can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, and may cause mild vomiting or nausea. Mistletoe has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems. However, mistletoe ingestion usually only causes gastrointestinal upset. Holly ingestion could cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and lethargy. HAZARDS AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers, which, if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water can be breeding grounds for bacteria, which can also lead to vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, if ingested. Electric cords - Avoid pet exposure to electric cords. If they were chewed, they could electrocute your cat. Cover up or hide electric cords, never let your cat chew on them. Ribbons or tinsel can get caught up in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction. Batteries contain corrosives. If ingested they can cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. Glass ornaments can cut the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract if ingested. MEDICATIONS Keep all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs out of the reach of your cats, preferably in closed cabinets. Remind holiday guests to store their medications safely as well. Pain killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer, drugs, antidepressants, vitamins, and diet pills are common examples of human medication that could be potentially lethal even in small dosages. Less than one regular-strength ibuprofen tablet (200mg) could stomach ulceration in a 7-pound cat. During the holidays, many veterinary clinics have limited office hours. In some cases, pet owners try to medicate their animals without their veterinarian's advice. Never give your cat any medications unless under the directions of a veterinarian. Many medications that are used safely in humans can be deadly when used inappropriately. Less than one regular strength acetaminophen tablet (325mg) can be dangerous to a cat weighing 7lbs. OTHER WINTER HAZARDS Antifreeze has a pleasant taste. Unfortunately, very small amounts can be lethal. As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze can be deadly to a cat. Thoroughly clean up any spills, store antifreeze in tightly closed containers and store in secured cabinets. If you think your cat has consumed antifreeze, contact your veterinarian right away! Liquid potpourris are popular household fragrances commonly used during the holiday season. Cats are often exposed to liquid potpourri by direct ingestion from simmer pots or spills, or by rubbing against leaky bottles or simmer pots containing the potpourri, or from spilling the containers upon themselves. Oral exposures result following grooming. Exposure of cats to some types of liquid potpourris can result in severe oral, dermal and ocular damage. Ice melting products can be irritating to skin and mouth. Depending on the actual ingredient of the ice melt and the quantity, signs of ingestion would include excessive drooling, depression, vomiting or even electrolyte imbalances. Rat and mouse killers are used more commonly during colder weather. When using rat and mouse bait, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your cats. ALWAYS Be Prepared !!!!

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