Thursday, May 7, 2009

How do you cope with a sudden terrible loss?

I am devastated. My mum's cat got run over and killed by a car this morning while my mum was in hospital having minor surgery. She came back to find her cat lying dead in her parking space and a mark in the road where he had crawled to wait for her. He was officially my cat to start with until I moved away, so he's close to my heart and he was 12 years old so he's been part of the family for a long time. How do I move on from this? I cant stop crying thinking of him being knocked down, and the fact the person who killed him didn't even care enough to bother with him. My mum said he was fine when she left for the hospital this morning. It's happened so quick, and I feel heartbroken.
Answers:
So sorry for your loss. I have had cats all my life and each one brought me tremendous joy. But, death is part of life, and even though it sucks and it hurts, it happens. Right now it feels like your life is over and empty, but it won't always feel that way. I had to put my last cat to sleep after he became very ill. That was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but it was necessary. I swore I would never have another cat, because I could not bear another loss like that. But, guess what? A few months later I found two incredible kittens that I had to have. I did not get them to "replace" my other cat. I just wanted another cat companion, and ended up with two. They are awesome and we have been together for 9 years now. Am I going to die inside when one, or both, die? Absolutely.but thats just how it goes. I would rather have one day of joy with these guys, then spend the rest of my life without a cat. Adopt another cat if and when you are ready. There are tons of strays in need of a good home.

Don't listen to idiots who claim to be "cat lovers" tell you what a bad pet owner you are. Your cat's death was an accident. Don't waste your time blaming the person who hit your cat either. They probably felt horrible, but didn't know how to handle the situation.
*So sorry! It is always heartbreaking when one loses a pet, especially a soft, warm, fluffy cat and especially one who has been a family member for a long while.

The only true healer is time. YOu have to let yourself grieve, let the tears flow, let the pain out. Nothing can return this friend to you but after your grief lessens you will cherish all your memories.

If you bury him in your garden you can make a special little rock garden or herb garden that will flower for you every year and make him seem close.

We also lost a cat this way, though with far more gruesome consequences. Please consider the possibility that the driver did not see your cat; it happens more frequently than one thinks.
Sorry about your cat
Just try and deal with it as you would with anyone in your family. Only time will help. You have my sympathy.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I know, I've been there, too. We have to go through the grieving process, and there's no way to get around it. It does get better after a while, and it helps to talk to understanding people. You've made the first step by venting your feeling here! If you need to talk, you can email me through my profile page. I know how much it hurts. Take care and God Bless! :)
i know its hard,especially the way his life ended,but you have to think of the positive things: at least he didnt get lost and died in an unfamiliar place,you wouldnt of known where he was and your suffering would of went on..
he is in cat heaven now looking down on you all,you know he had a great life with both you and your mum and when the time feels right,go to your local shelter and adopt a cator kitten,you will feel better as you know you helped save another cat.
good luck..xXx
I really feel for you. Some people, non animal lovers, cannot understand how people can get attached to animals. I thank god i'm not one of them. Each and every animal that has become a part of our family we have creamated when that horrible day comes. It doesn't make things easier for us but there is a certain kind of peacefullness in the house knowing that our friend has come home.
How sad for your family! You have a lot to deal with here: grief, loss, self-imposed guilt. If you feel you need to talk with a professional counselor, you can call toll-free to the UC Davis pet loss hotline at 1-800-565-1526. They have free counselors available from 6:30-9:30 pm Pacific Standard Time.
You will get over it one day at a time.
I lost my second baby to spinal menenjitus at two months.
I lost my husband after he has a bad stroke.
I raised five kids alone.
I'm really sorry about your cat but I think
You'll have to do as I have to do, Live one day at a time.
Your cat is gone , just like my baby and husband.
But we can't bring them back. Just keep the memories,
but live in the present time, not past or future.
You never forget how much he meant to you and always think you did the best to make his life the happiest life on earth
I am devastated for you all, if that happened to my cat i just would be like you. My heart goes out to you and your family. All i can say to you is that i am so sorry. As for the driver of the car i hope he never sleeps at night.
The only consolation I can offer is that your cat actually died where he felt safe and loved, its heartbreaking I know but try and think of the happy times, funny times and times that are generally special in your heart. You will probably cry even more by doing this, but you do need to grieve and so does your mum.
Thinking of you both
you have got to move on and not think of this to much as my cat was run over 3 weeks ago she/he has gone to a better place.
Unfortunately There is no quick way to get over the death of a pet, especially if the death was sudden and again if it was not of natural causes. After all most of us that have pets think of them as family members, so react the same way as we would if a person was to die.
My dog died at the vets in an opetation to be spade when i was about 8, i am now 21 and im only starting to "get over it".
Pets have special bonds with us, as you can see when you said her came back to wait for your mum.
Grief is a natural process, dont bottle it up its there for a reason.
Just think any pain he was in has stopped and he wont remember it, and im sure he is up there, keeping his eyes on you!
first of all i am very sorry to hear about your beloved cat. i'm really sorry that you are in pain right now. the only way to heal this type of hurting is to be patient. it won't happen overnight but after some time, you won't cry anymore when you think of him, you'll just think of the happy times you had with him.

secondly catloverme 123 should never be allowed to voice her mean, insensitive, nasty opinions here again. i know everyone is entitled to their own opinions but my god, she doesn't have to be so thoughtless. one day she'll look to someone for sympathy and possibly a shoulder to cry on and i honestly hope she finds it because if not she will feel alone and awful.
Its really, really heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet. In a lot of ways its just like losing a member of the family. You need to mourn and get it out of your system, so don't feel bad about crying. I'm so, so sorry for your loss!
oh my, i am so sorry for your loss. i shed a tear for you and your mum. what a tragedy. i say go get a kitten. as you know you can never replace a loved one but you can help the healing process and get your mind off of it. it's been a while since you have had a kitten around and it can bring some joy back in your lives. rescue one at a shelter or at petsmart. you won't regret it. the way they play around, chase their tail, shadows, flies, feathers, string etc. it will have you laughing and ease the pain in your hearts. cheer up. i have lost many animals in my life due to old age, cancer, surgery etc. and you think the pain will never stop and you'll never get over it but you will. you just have to make up your mind to always remember the good times with him in the wonderful 12 years you were friends.
go get a cute little kitty, one that doesn't look like the last one and love it with all your heart and think of it as giving a kitty a great home. keep it inside at all times. cats do like the outdoors but it is not safe for them as you sadly had to witness. put a bird feeder by a window he can look out of and that will entertain him for hours. never let the kitty out so it doesn't know what it is missing and you will never have to go Through this again. best of luck finding your new friend. let us know how it goes.
let the pain fade away.
Starby-don't pay attention to catlover's nasty comments. I'm so sorry to hear of your loss :( Take your time to grieve, but then consider adopting another cat to fill that lonliness in your heart. it will make you fell 100% better (well at least 99%!) Best of luck.
Hello! Just reading what happen to your feline, has made me feel dearly very sad. There are special programs if you ask your vet. But if this gives you a little comfort. If you have a picture of him, you could put next to your night table and at night think of him as he went to sleep and is peaceful just like when he was in home, remember always how good he was. Like memories that would make you smile of all the funny thinks he use to do. Darling is very hard to forget about a pet because we tent to love them so much and see them as family or little babies even if they are adults.(Please don't take me wrong.I have two feline boys and I am so close to my babies that any time they are sad, It brakes my heart and I comfort them so much.) I really feel the way you are sad and I wish I could be of help. Time after time you will feel better and you know he was always there and he will always be so, now you have a little angel watching over you and mom. Always have a picture of him with you and you will feel his company even if he is gone you still have his memories that will always keep him alive. My blessings and God give you's lots of comfort.
Can I say how sorry I am,I lost my best friend five years ago a lovely white Retriever,he was
14 at the time but I still think about him.
Don't waste your time or energy on some-one who tells you a Cat should be kept in! A true CATLOVER knows the nature of the animal and LOVES it for that very nature! Most Cats HATE being indoors.It is an unnatural life for them and as long as you live in an area without a lot of traffic or other cats there is no reason they should be! It was an unfortunate accident which with SO MANY cars around is all too frequent!
The only thing I can tell you is.. You will get through this and soon be able to remember the cat without getting upset but if you feel like crying then cry! I'd be doing it at this early time!
An animal is a part of the family and if you were not grieving I'd think it VERY strange.Talk to your Mum about it as she will also be feeling it and someone to share your feelings with is the best MEDICINE in the world!
Any animals death is traumatic whatever age even when you know its going to happen! Unfortunately its a part of life and we all have to learn to accept that. Other animal lovers will sympathise with you, and if they have lost a pet will know how you feel as I do. Whatever emotion you feel try to find a way to release it.
I promise you it does get Better!!
Good Luck and 'virtual hugs to you and your Mum'
I know it's hard. My Morris was about to turn 12 when I lost him to cancer. He was the best thing I ever had in my life. He was there for me through so much. The vet we were taking him to was so incompetent, she couldn't see that there was obviously something more than ear mites going on in there. I was so heartbroken. Morris was my best friend. He too was an indoor-outdoor cat, we live on a dead end street with very little traffic. Accidents happen and it was not your fault, you should never blame yourself.
In due time, get her another. Morris died in February and I swore up and down NO MORE CATS!! But just a couple of weeks ago I found a 4 month old kitten in the garage that looked like Morris as a baby. I took him in, named him Cheeto and I was hooked. Turns out that Cheeto had been savagely attacked while outside and I'm not a holy roller or anything, as a matter of fact I rarely attend Church, but I believe God brought him to me because he needed someone as well as I needed another pet in my life. You will know when it's time. And don't worry about what "catlover" has to say about this because any veteranarian I have spoken to says it's healthy for a cat to get outdoors once in a while. You did nothing wrong.

Sorry for your loss and good luck.
write a poem
I am so sorry for the loss of your pet what a pitty no one thought to check the cat for ID my heart goes out to you and your mom
thank you
i think you should let all your feelings out on a piece of papper or just tell sum
worked 4 me
good luck coping with it xx
I'm so sorry to hear that, it is traumatic to see a pet lying dead outside. He was obviously well loved and now you have to grieve, there's no escaping that I'm afraid, and feeling guilty just makes it worse, all the what if's, but dont be hard on yourself. I wish you healing. You wouldnt be so upset if you didnt care.

Catlover, I'd hate to be a cat in your house, imprisoned all my life. What a callous answer to give to someone who's just lost a pet.

How do you convince a kitten to use the bathroom outside, when it is used to a litter box inside?


Answers:
put the litter box out side
I'm not sure. I have a cat that is inside and outside. Last summer he would run back into the house to use the litter box. It was cute. This summer he was better about using the bathroom outside.

Sorry I wasn't much help.
And where do you find a bathroom outside for the kitten to use even if you could train it.

Do kittens like baths?
Not sure why you would want to in the first place. it's not a good idea to try and encourage a cat to go outside.
Every day, move the litter box a little closer to the door you expect him/her to go out until the box is outside. He/she should get the picture, cats are smart.
How about . putting the litter box OUTSIDE.
Does some one in your house have a medical condition that rules out an indoor litter box? I find that cats are usually healthier, live longer, and have less parisite problems if they never set foot outside. Fewer vet bills, too.
If this is the way it has to be, though, take some of the litter box filler it is used to and put some on the ground in an acceptable place in your yard and show your cat this place, moving the paws in the litter a few times.
If the kitten is used to using litter you should be ok to remove the tray outside without worring about the kitten soiling the carpets. Both my cats made the move to outdoor use with no fuss.If your kitty reverts to soiling your carpets she is not ready.in that case clean area as normal and spray some surgical spirit on soiled area which will repel kitty from re offending on same spot of carpet.
my two cats Muffin and Berry were reluctant to go to the toilet outside but every now and then in summer we would put the tray outside and then put some of their litter where the we would prefer them to go and after they adapted to the litter being outside we removed the litter and put down some new soil and that inspired them to go any where there is soil. This got annoying as if we wanted to plant a new plant they would poop all around the flower and sometimes dig it up but we kept a close eye and now they only go in sheltered arias where know one can see them. my cats are just over a year old - yes it really did take that long!! good luck!

How do you clean wooden utensils . . .?

Wooden spoons and spatulas never seem to dish wash really clean; is there a special method or a special soap for wooden spoon etc.
I just bought an expensive set of wooden spoons etc. and I hate using them because I can' t seem to get them really clean after using them for cooking.
Answers:
Never put your wooden utensils in the dishwasher. The harsh detergent can ruin them (causes splitting and splintering). Use warm water and liquid dish washing soap with a scrubby pad. And wash them right after you have finished using them. Never allow them to soak in dishwater. If they feel a little on the rough side you can use fine sand paper and rub over them gently to get rid of the roughness. Use a food grade mineral oil and rub the oil over the utensils about every 3 months to keep the wood from drying out. Never use vegetable oil, olive oil, etc. because those oils can go rancid and can ruin the wood. After a few treatments of mineral oil you won't want to use anything else. They become soft and worn after years of use. My favorite wooden spoon is the one my grandmother used in her kitchen. I'd say it's about 40 years old now. It's lasted much longer than any plactic or metal utensil I've bought.
Sandpaper.
Just hold them over an open flame. Works every time.
Clean them as well as you can with a course sponge and then let them soak in a little bleach and then rinse.
Hi there.found this info on iVillage's website:

In hot, sudsy water -- and scrub hard to really get rid of grease after each use! Rinse well, wipe, and let air dry. To reseason wooden utensils, warm a small amount of mineral oil over medium heat; brush each piece with it, coating completely; drain on paper towels until cool; and wipe.

To help preserve these tools, do not put them into the dishwasher or let them soak in dishwater. Utensils made from rubber or plastic and with nonstick-coated surfaces won't scratch pans either.

Another source:
http://www.thecookinginn.com/woodcare.ht.
I rub them off first w/dishrag, then put them in the dishwasher and they wash just fine. My spoons are from Pampered Chef and they don't stain and do wash up better than some varieties, however.

How do you check the heartrate of a cat?


Answers:
A vet told me to feel up under the leg at the top of the femur, in the hollow area we consider the groin.

What do you hope to accomplish by this? A vet usually checks heart rate when he does an annual exam. The vet usually does this with a stethoscope to the chest.
You put your finger up its bumbum
I wouldn't; the Vet would. With first a stethoscope, than a heart meter.
put it in the microwave for ten minutes on high and then put your ear up to its asteroid
first of all catch the cat and then bell the cat..
the number of frequency of the ringing bell is = to the heart beat of the cat..
bye the way it is = to the number of times u see u r parents fuc king in a week..
ha ha ha
You can simply "feel" the heartbeat on the cat and count, I usually count the beats for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4. This will tell you the beats per minute. They also have a pulse that you can usually feel on the inside of their rear legs, near the center. You will have to feel around on the cat's rear legs to feel the exact spot, and again count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 for the bpm. This is similar to taking your own pulse on your wrist or neck, and may not be quite as accurate as a vet actually listening to the heartbeat by a stethascope.

How do you celebrate your cat's birthday?


Answers:
With sushi and cat nip, of course. Get some baked goods from your local pet mart - maybe a party hat for the special kitty. Oh, and don't forget the invites because, really, what's a partay without your friends?!? Will people think you're nuts? Probably. Will you care? Hell no!
my friend and my cat share the same date 4/20 and we have a party, charles gets a cake and candles and Bo gets a Fancy Feast with a 2 candles in it this year, we take pictures and open gifts, Bo knows how to claw open a present, its all really fun, we invited 15 peopel to the party for his 1st BDAY
you don't its just a cat and if you do anything just give it a new toy or some extra food
by letting theme smash the cake up into bits and then let theme lick the rest
I have 2 cats and 1 kitten.Its crazy..but i get lil party hats for them.I find alot of different kinds of treats and alot of toys for them..(i actually wrap them.Hahaha.)You dont have to invite other cats over just have a family party.most ppl think its stupid to give ur pet a party..but i dont think it is.Good luck! :)
Feed it to the dog
some awesome new treat and something new to play with. i want to get my cat one of those huge things to climb on.the kitty condos
Partyyyyyyyyy!!.not only all the cats in the neighborhood but all the cats in the city!.lol
share a joint.. cats luv it!






just kidding, i'll buy her a new toy!
No I don;t celebrate my animals birthday.
My cat loves Mahi Mahi.
Yeah.. Cats don't really follow the concept of "birthday". I give them tons of love everyday, but no birthday celebration.
why dont you just invite people who you know willin come to the party and if they do have cats and kittens yeah you can inivited them to your cat bday party . if you can also go to the pets shop where they bake and sell cats %26dogs treats just only they eatting . do u have a store like that in your town ? plus you can also buy special gifts for your cat too.
No party, but I buy him some special treat. He likes turkey. One year I grilled some salmon for him, but he didn't like it!

A new toy is always nice also.
i buy the mouse toy or a ball that she loves to play with. cats usually do not like cat company. unless they are friendly to one another.
My husband the shrimp lover insists that the cats told him that is want they want so he gets some and they have a nice dinner!! Maybe a new toy and cat nip. They get spoiled all the time so it is hard to tell a difference in the birthday and any other day.
sending it to the livery


limey tosser!
I usually make a cake (for my family) and give him a whole bunch of love, and maybe a new toy. I'll also give him some of his good food.
No. Just get it a new toy and some new cat treat's.

How do you catch a wild cat?

there is a really cute kitten that hangs out with my dogs, but every time i go to pet it it runs away. how do i catch it with out a trap or harming it or me?
Answers:
Well, you can't catch it. It must adopt you!

See, what if a guy said, "What a pretty girl! How can I catch her! Wouldn't work, you see. And that is where the cat is coming from. He is sayin', "What?"

Invite. Put food out and keep a difference. This is a gift, not even an invitation really.

Then, if she likes that, you can probably get a little closer each day.

Isn't it strange that she hangs out with the dogs already, though? That's cute!
You shouldn't try. My sister caught a wild cat when she was a little girl and it left a scar on her face cause it clawed her up so bad.

Just leave it alone and let it hang with the dogs.
TRY SOME MILK
use food.
start feeding it and it will hang around because it knows it is g etting something to eat
You can try sitting quietly outside with some really yummy food like tuna or soft canned cat food. Do not approach the cat, let it come to you. When it trusts you, you can pick it up.
You can try to lure it with food and gain it's trust or you can use a hav-a-hart trap to capture it w/o injury. If you put food out and just sit there, curiosity and hunger could eventually cause it to approach you. I'd use the trap and then confine it to a small room where I could feed and socialize it.
try using a mouse trap and put a bait such as fried fish
get some soft cat food or raw meat and a wild rabbit trap cage. the kitten will run into the cage to retrieve the food and the door will then snap shut. and you can later, when the kittie is calm, open the door and save a sweet lil kitten!
Slowly. You have to get the cat to trust you first. One idea is to put out food/milk when you know it's near by..it will recognize the smell on the bowl as being you. Slowly bring the bowl closer to your house/apt building to where you have a back door or a garage or cage. Watch the cat, see when it does what it does when it does it.It may take a couple of weeks, but you can do it. Remember, this "kitty" may be part of a homeless family and taking it away may be a really bad thing.try and see where it lives. If it is a kitten and not a cat it more than likely is part of a family.
There are alot of things that you could do, you could live trap it with a trap and you would just put some good smelling food into the trap or you could maybe atempt to befriend it to the point where you could touch it or you could just call animal control.
i know that many wild animals are very cute but the problems is that you shouldnt have it as a pet. Most all vet hospitals will not even look at wild cats because they want to defend themselves and will be very violent. I am sorry to tell you this but it is better to leave the cat alone. If you would like a cat go to your local animal shelter and they have many animals that you could give a home to.
there are traps that you can buy that are harmless they just have a spot for them to step on that shuts the door. if anythign it frightens the kitty. otherwise you could bribe it with food by going out there when you go to pet it with food or leave food near your door so it comes there.

be careful though, you said it is a wild cat so dont get too close if it doesnt want it to. it may have a illness or disease so when adn if you do catch it you should take it to the vet.
If the kitten doesn't want to be caught, let it go. Wild cats don't make very good cats anyway. If you want a kitten, find one that was just born from a good home or check your local animal shelter. The way I always tell if a kitten will make a good cat is to hold it in your arms on its back and if it doesn't resist then it will be a good trusting, cuddly cat. Leave the wild ones be.
Start by feeding it canned food. After a while let is know you are watching it eat and slowly get closer day by day, but stop when it acts like it's going to run. Eventually it will start to trust you, when it's feeding time just sit near the the empty bowl and make it approach you and beg for food.
I think all animals are all about food. Try hand feeding the cat.
Ask your local animal shelter to loan you a humane live trap.
set some food out same time same place once a day, i'll get used to the place where the food is, thats how we trap pigeons, yes pest control, they are a rat with wings, anyway if you do get it make sure it doesn't have fleas, and take it to the vet immediatley.
One way to catch a wild cat is to leave cat food out and wait till the cat comes. Or just snap your fingers and say "come here kitty kitty". The first one works the best thought.
just show yourself to him/her a little everyday getting closer slowly..have some food with you - kitty will warm up to you eventually. Don't set a trap, though, kitty is likely to never want to come near you again!
put a can of wet cat food in a cage and when it comes in close the door.
Use Fish! It's smelly and cats adore it.. Then throw her a very small fish, another one closer.. Closer.. Then Put a box over it to prison it and head to a vet..
My answer assumes that you wish to adopt this cat, not just charm it.

If the kitten is more than 4 months old, the odds are that it will retain its elusive non-social personality for life. Ferrel (wild) cats are impressed with jungle instincts which means avoiding humans. So you are competing against it's very instincts to survive. Along those lines, food is a basic survival instinct. That will be your best means of gaining this wild cat's trust. Start with offering food (boiled chicken is great) and then maintain a far distance that feels safe for the cat. Work you way closer over time.

But remember, cats born with mistrusting personalities stay that way. Lovers are born lovers - this one will never be a lover. If you do charm this cat into trusting you, don't expect it to ever be the cuddly type as it matures.
You have to groom them..meaning take your time letting them get to know you.

Ferals by nature DO NOT like humans and will avoid them.

We did tame one years ago however. We left food by the door for her and moved it closer and closer to the door with us sitting in the door watching, not touching. She eventually let us touch her and then she would come looking for attention. She was a kitten about 12-16 weeks old. She wouldn't housebreak and that was a problem. She became an outside cat for that reason.

AlleyCat Allies is a good source of information on Ferals.

Also be very careful, ferals can and do carry diseases as they don't get immunizations and tend to fight alot, which passes the infections and disease along. Many of the ones we have caught over the years had to be destroyed due to the diseases they had.
i don't think you should trap a cat like that..wild cat;s get really tramatized when they get in a trap.. sometimes the trama will scare them from humans forever. what you could do is put food down for kitty from afar,,,, soon kitty will get used to you and your smell of food for her;; good-luck

How do you capture your cat that you lost if it is skitish and run away?

I was adopting a cat that I met once, the lady asked a neighbor to house the cat 4 her since she had many other cats up 4 adoption.she put the cat out on her front porch 4 the neighbor to pick up and when the neighbor came to pick up the cat, the cat was gone. I am going to search 4 her mostly around her house and block, most likely she's hiding somewhere and is scared. I am going to bring my cat carrier with me while searching 4 her. How am I to get a cat that's not too familar with me and freaked out into that carrier so I can take her home. that's all I want to know. I know she could have been picked up by someone else but i am focusing on trying to find her and how to capture her even if it's not pretty and upsets her at least she'll have a loving home with me. she can't stay outside, she's mostly an indoor cat. thank you.
Answers:
bring a pouch of food with you, she will probably be hungry and once she smells the food , she should come to you giving you the chance to snag her up (gently of course)
a raccoon trap work great with cats too. its safe for that cat, using food to lure it in to a boxed cage and when it steps on a panel on the floor of the cage a door swing shut trapping it.
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec.
Cats are attached to the place unlike dogs which are attached to people. So it will eventually turn up unless it is hurt or dead. Our cat was once badly hurt, but still it managed to crawl back. It healed and had many litters after that. When we shifted our house it refused to come with us. It scratched us and fled. Then we'd go and visit it there for some time. I am not trying to be pessimistic. Cheer up.
Don't be aggressive. Find a spot to sit and just sit there calmly calling for the cat. Use a pleasant, high-pitched tone. Be very gentle and calm and patient. When the cat appears, do not jump up to capture it. Make it trust you and come to you. When it does, don't snatch it right away. Pet it and talk to it. Eventually pick it up calmly and very gently put it into the cat carrier. You can take some toys or food with you to help the process along.

How do you calm down a kitten?

My new kitten has too much energyWhen im sleeping she is always attacking me or jumping up and down.I know she wonts to play but i need to sleep.Please help me!
Answers:
Hi Becky.to help your kitten settle down a bit more it's very helpful to play with her for 10-15 minutes right before bedtime with an activity such as chasing a feather toy. The key is to get her to exercise a lot so it tires her out. Think of kittens like young human children.kids have boundless/endless energy and love to run and get into all kinds of things as so with young cats. Therefore, we need to help them understand with time and training what is acceptable.

If it also becomes too much when it's bedtime giving her own place to sleep in another room may help you get some soundful rest until she is a little older.
Petco has a new plug in device that sends out a slight sound or frequency that calms down cats, I just saw it last week at the store,
Play with her and make her run around for a while. That should tire her out.
Well sometimes if you rub there belly that helps! if that don't work then try behind it ears. And if that don't work maybe you should play with her until you were her out!!
Best to put the kitten in another room when you're sleeping.
Take out about half an hour before you go to bed to play with her. Use cat toys only, never your hands and/or feet.

Some people advise putting a kitten in his or her own room while you're asleep. Like a bathroom with the essentials; litter box, food and water (try keeping them on a counter so they're not right by the box), and some toys.and perhaps a bed to sleep in when she needs to. This way she'll still be able to play, but it won't be keeping you up at night.

Don't worry, this too shall pass.
Take his food away so he'll be hungry and feed him just before bed. The first thing kittens do after a tasty satisfying meal is take a nap!
Crate training works great for cats as well as dogs. Put her in the crate (pet carrier, preferrable plastic) when it's bedtime and cover just the front portion with a towel so she knows it's nighttime. It could take some time to get her used to the routine because cats are by nature nighttime animals, which is why she gets so full of energy then. But it will work if you're adamant about it. Crating for behavioral issues works as well just as long as you're leaving her in for hours except at night during sleep. For punishments, a few minutes will work wonders!
My kitten is now 5 months old and what I did for several months is: Put a litter box in the bathroom and shut her in during night hours, cause this is the only place I could close her in and someone wasn't sleeping in the room. She cried for the first few nights, but after that it trained her to sleep nights, now she picks a bed and sleeps at the foot of the bed each night until about 5 minutes before my alarms goes off. She knows I am due to wake up and starts playing, purring.. So try this, it worked for me and I hope it works for you to. Cats are nocturnal, but they can still be trained, good luck.
Kittens are, by nature, energetic. One answer is to get another kitten, as pets in general do better when they have another of their kind to play with - then you don't get "attacked" while you're trying to sleep. Keep the kittens involved in lots of play during the day (leave little balls of newspaper on the floor for them to "attack" and carry around. Leave some loose newspaper on the floor for them to run under and slide on. Put a small box on the floor with one end open for them to run into and "hide" and then "surprise" the other kitten. With one all by itself, however, if you are its sole playmate, then you're stuck being attacked at night, I fear. Enjoy this energy while you have the chance, too. Kittens soon become cats, and cats sleep a large portion of each 24 hours - they're calm and peaceful for the most part, but I enjoy that bubbly energy kittens have. Right now I have three cavorting all over the floor in the room I'm working in and in two adjacent rooms.fun.
I have a remedy that I have been using for years, Kittens can be quite hyper and irrirating if your trying to sleep. Now if your kitten weighs over a pound do the following (I assure you it is completely safe, just ask my cat) take a tylenol pm capsule or pill. Crush it to powder if its a pill and mix it with your cats favorite wet catfood. Make sure you mix it well, not only will this knock them on their but it also takes away their feline headaches which is an added incentive. Good luck.

How do you Calculate a Cats age to Human years?

I know for Dogs it's seven Dog years to one Human year. What about Cats? Is there a way to make the same Comparison?
Answers:
It's not a simple linear comparison (and it isn't for dogs, either.) That's because they develop so rapidly in their first year or two.

At one year of age a cat is about like a human of fifteen: approaching adult size but still has some growing to do; sexually mature and able to breed, but emotionally not really ready for effective parenthood.

At age two they're established in young adulthood, about like a human of twenty-three.

After that they age about four times as fast as we do.

This comes from the Cornell Feline Health Center:

Cat = Human
1 = 15
2 = 23
3 = 27
4 = 31
5 = 35
6 = 39
7 = 43
8 = 47
9 = 51
10 = 55 (the ages at which we're considered "seniors")
11 = 59
12 = 63
13 = 67
14 = 71
15 = 75
16 = 79
17 = 83
18 = 87
19 = 91
20 = 95
21 = 99
22 = 103

The normal life expectancy of the domestic cat is about seventeen. Twenty is no longer really rare.
i'm pretty sure its the same. maybe like 5 years tho instead of 7
cuz most cats live to be around 15
It's a little bit less.like between 6 and 7 years, but for all practical purposes I've just used 7.
here is the best way

http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/.
http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/cat_yrs.h.
At one year it is 16, two years is 21, three, 25.
1human year 6 cat years
2 human years 13 cat years
3 human years 18 cat years
4 human years 23 cat years
5 human years 30 cat years
6 human years 40 cat years
7human years 45 cat years
http://www.juliagreen.com/cat.asp.
go to catage.com and take the little survey they have there. it's free, easy, and a lot of fun. it takes your cat's actual age, and calculates how old it really is in human years based on how it's living, it's personality, all kinds of stuff. i did it with my 13 year old kitty, and he's 62 in people years.

how do you build a cat mansion? of course a playground type thing.?

i want to build my cat a play fort before Christmas
Answers:
Have fun building.
I have used the below web page to buy pet furniture from in the past. When I saw your question, I copied the URL. Perhaps you can get some ideas from their site, or purchase what you need for a DIY project.

http://www.angelicalcat.com/
I know I see tons of cat toys around at yard sales and thrift stores. You might be able to buy some cheap and put them together. Your cat also won't care if it is made from a plan--my cats' favorite scratching post is a piece of railroad tie we have in the corner of our dining room. If you are creative, you could probably create something using shelves, carpeting, carboard for claw sharpening, etc.
im not sure if you can do this but in CAT FANCY, it showed u that u can use your garage and make it a cat mansion. get 2 scratching trees, get shelves and cover then with carpet and atatch it..its really fun building.. this link is really cool!!
Thanks people for wonderful links, i've added my favorities for future reference.

I've browsed through many website about "Cat Tree" but I'm sure you can expand more by yourself and make sure the top and bottom are attached to the floor and ceiling by using T or L device and screw it through to increase stablization or it'll fall down and injure your cat or yourself.

Here's my link which i've looked months ago. (those websites give me good ideas) ---- prices are a bit high for me but if you or I are going to make it, the prices will be much lower haha.. Also, make sure you don't use any carpet that have "Formaldehyde" it is a chemical known to be toxic to cats.

"use untreated or unbleached, pre-dried" sisal rope 50' long or longer to wrap the vertical surfaces like post and use toxic-free chemical carpeting or strong velvet with batting under for shelves or around the hidding spaces. You also may purchase those ropes at any home hardware stores , those fabrics could be find anywhere walmart, or fabric stores nearby you.

To attach the shevles etc to the post 4" X 4" or 6x6 post, make sure you use "Endless Screws or Allen Head Screws" they're safer for cats (i did my research last July)

http://www.purrrniture.com/index.shtml.
http://www.pandecats.com/x/building_a_ca.
http://www.catsplay.com/index.php3.
http://www.comfycatfurniture.com/home.
http://www.woodruffforpets.com/index.htm.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/i.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/i.

I wish i have room to build a cat tree or cat mansion for my cats

Let us know the results :) smile
I've made one for my cats. I wouldn't advise buying one, because they're way too expensive and you can build one specially designed for your cats. Also, store-bought playgrounds tend to be rickety. You don't have to have a pattern, though you might want one if you're a perfectionist and want all the angles to turn out perfectly. I didn't use one. What I did was look at different playgrounds in pet stores and online, then I took the ideas I thought my cats would like and put them all together. My cats don't usually like store cat toys, but they love the gym I built for them. Buy some cheap carpet from Home Depot or something (I got a small roll of the type that is used in high-traffic areas like mobile homes and offices), and cover most of the playground surfaces with it. You can use a glue gun to glue it down. Wrap the poles with rope (sisal rope is best, but I used a cheaper type), and nail or staple the rope down. I nailed it down because I didn't have a staple gun, but I'd use a staple gun if it's possible--it's more durable. For the base of the playground, use your heaviest piece of wood. Use long screws to put the playground together except for the bottom "pillars": for those, use bolts and washers to make the playground stable. If you want to have fun with it, add little fun details like a kitty hammock or little toys hanging off some of the platforms. Just be careful not to make the playground too tall, or it will start falling over. Make the biggest platforms towards the bottom, and make them smaller towards the top.

Just have fun with it, and think of what your cats will like (tunnels, steps, ladders, little look-out platforms?) I used one of my cat's fave blankets to make a little hammock for them so they'd already have something they liked on their new toy. Hint: make sure your cats can fit into whatever you make, especially tunnels! I remembered at the last minute to do a "test run" with my cats and found out they were bigger than I'd thought they were and couldn't fit into a tunnel I was going to put on the playground. If your cat's a kitten, too, take that into account. It should be easy to complete before Christmas--I think it took me about three weekends (not working all weekend, just working parts of it). It helps if you have a friend with good tools, too.

Hope that helps, and have fun!! :) Your kitty will love it, I know. Gives him/her a good place to scratch besides your furniture, too.

How do you bring up a cat so that it is ok with birds and will not eat them?

One of my neighbours has raised a dog to get along with cats can you do it with cats along birds?
Answers:
It is hard but it can be done although I think instinct tend to take over occasionally. None of my cats will touch my aviary birds or the little bantam chicks which run about outside. If a cat brings a bird in, I squirt them with cold water and say "no" very sternly. However when they bring a rat, mouse, vole or other rodent in, I tell them how clever they are and praise them and give them a treat. It doesn't take long for them to learn. However whether they actually learn not to kill birds or just not to bring them home is something I cannot say for sure.
However, I do have many many pairs or wild birds which nest in the hedges here and feed the birds in winter and the cats don't seem to bother with them. Certainly I don't find feathers or little bodies about. I think you might have to accept though that cats are predators and wild birds breed lots of chicks because mother nature has deemed that they will become food for animals furhter up the food chain, be it your cat , a fox, hawk, owl or any other predator.
its instinct with some cats and you cant break them of it no matter what you do
Speak slowly (cats can't write very well).
It's a cat - thats what they do.
cats are like people with their own personality.
if you try to control a cat for any reason, you are wasting your time.
some cats like birds, some like bugs,mice or cat food.
just let them do their own thing for your own peace of mind.
the dog is probably afraid of the cat anyway.
is you neighbor worried about their doggie?
cheers
I have two cats and I had a parakeet (it died recently). The female never really bothered the bird. When she got curious we would squirt her with water. The male on the other hand never really seemed to care that he got squirted and at one point had the parakeet in his mouth. The bird was ok, but after that we never let him out of his cage unless we were right there.

how do you bring an out door cat inside?

my mom had two barn cats, brothers, fixed. two years old , diapeared a few days ago she wants to bring the other one inside because he is very upset. she doesnt want any thing to upset him. how can she introduce him to the inside?
Answers:
Hello

No easy way. Just bring him in. but put him a bed in a quiet area, and make sure he has food and water and a littler box handy.. You may find out the litter box is not to his liking though if he is an outdoor kitty.

IF he does not use it and poops in the house.. try taking the poo and putting it in his litter box.

Introduce him to the litter box right away by putting him in it.

Dont let him back outside for a couple of months if you wish to keep him inside.

Good Luck

Wismom
kitty..meet inside. inside.kitty.
Just bring him inside, he shouldn't have problems with the liter box either. He may want to go outside from time to time.
Good luck I love cats
try calling kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty.
Just bring him in.
PUT A LITTER BOX INSIDE AND WATER AND FOOD AND DON'T LET THE KITTY OUTSIDE FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH, THEN HE WILL GET USE TO BEING INSIDE.
Flea spray.fresh litter box.a cozy place to rest and a can of wet cat food..little half/half.he'll bea happy camper!
It's easy - just wear thick gloves, eye protection and boots with steel toe caps.
You need to first take him to the vet for shots and/or a routine check up. This way it gets rid of all the dieseases he may have. Then the cat should be ready to come inside.
bring a wild cat indoors when you decide you really hate you furniture
I found a stray in bad shape that I had some problems assimilating to indoors. He cried at the door for a few days and was obviously depressed and anxious to go back outside. After a short time he stopped sitting at the door and crying and started to get back to his lovable self. It doesn't take them long to realize it's better in than out. I would make sure to flea treat before you bring him in though.
You'll break their spirit.avoid this
If he has been outside his whole life he may not like being inside. Bringing him inside may upset him more. I think that it's easier to acclimate a house cat to go outside on occassion than it is to have an outside cat become an indoor animal.

Are you prepared to deal with any potty issues (not using a litterbox) because he's probably going wherever he dang well pleases now.

I'd make it his idea. See if he is interested in coming in on his own rather than forcing him.

We did have several "barn" cats that ALL eventually became house cats but they still wanted to go outside everyday.
give it food

How do you break kittens that almost 3 months old, form nursing on blankets?

I got these kittens when they was about 5 weeks old, Think they was taken from mommy to young. as they be nursing on blankets, How do you break them from this habit.
Answers:
My Baby nucks on my shoulder at night.sometimes it's all the love I get from him, he's a no-hold-um boy, very tough.it's so adorable I nearly cry when he starts it. Can't imagine why you want them to stop! If it comforts them, let them enjoy it. Put your fancy blankets away if it bothers you. Personally, I don't have ANYTHING in my house more valuable than my babies.and hubby knows it!
You probably cant. Ive seen older cats do this, it comforts them. The only thing you can really do is put all the blankets away. Otherwise if its not hurting them then why make them stop?
The only thing you can do is to give the kitty his/her own blankie,
All cat's seem to have a natural instinct to do this, other then take it away theres not much you can do. They'll just find another object to use.
You can't break them because it is part of their nature at this stage. They are still supposed to be suckling milk from their mother. Let nature takes its course. If interrupted, they find other means.
i have a cat who is 2 years old now and he always was nursing on the shoulder of my shirt when i laid down. i usually just move him over when he does that and he gets the hint.
not gonna happen i have one that i got when it was just a couple days old and now he is 3 and he still does it when he lays on a certain blanket
Often cats do this .Its not because they were removed from their mom to young.Its just a comfort thing. No need to break them from doing what cats do.

How do you bathe a cat without getting your arms scratched off.?

My cats run away from a few drops of rain.They fall out with me if i spray frontline on them..
Answers:
why are you trying to give your cat a bath? Cats can keep themselve clean.
Well you could get them declawed and if that is not an option then I would talk them to the vet. They do a nice job. You don't want the bathe your cat too much because this will remove esstinal oils from their skin.
I do not bathe my cats and haven't for the fourteen years or so I have had them. I have a 22 yr old cat who does not groom herself and she gets a monthly bath from a groomer.

My cats can go out into my garden and not leave the garden because of cat fence-in. At this time in CA we have had no rain since April and my cats do get "dusty".
Dunno? scratching my head.
Have a groomer do it, much easier!
Take them to the local pet store that has a grooming service. Have them wash the cat, way easier!

Do not get them declawed that is a cruel and barbaric practice. The human equivalent is cutting off the last joint of the fingers (the one with our nails on). The cat will suffer pain from that trauma along with the psychological terror of having no defense. A cruel and unusual method of abusing a natural predator.
drop him in the toilet.close the lid.flush.whirlpool bath, heh heh heh!
Holed there paws so they don't claw you to death or holed the back of there necks and don't let it touch you.
I got for my cat Pre-Moistened Bathing Cloths,they work great. They remove Dander,Dirt,Loose hair,Dust and Odor.They are very thick and they don't contain alcohol,so it will not dry you cat coat. I got them at PETCO.
We have a cat carrier that has barred windows all around it, and we put the cat in it, place it in the bath tube, and pour buckets of water (with a little of mixed in baby shampoo, so it won't hurt its eyes) over it, over and over. Sounds like a cat in a storm at sea but it works.
Try holding him/her by the skin on the back of their necks with one hand and wash them with the other. It doesn't hurt them at all. Just try not to let them get twisted around to get a hold of you cause you can't hardly get them off.
I usually wait until my cat is in a fairly docile mood, before I trim her nails, then bathe her in the laundry tub (1/2 filled with warm water) and baby shampoo. By holding her gently but firmly by the scruff of the neck, I can manage to work up a lather then rinse her off by using a jug. (slow movements is better). Human shampoo I find helps keep away flees, and baby shampoo is gentle enough not to remove too much of the natural oils in her fur.
First of all don't use the hose. Too noisy for the cat. Fill the bathtub up with very little water. Make sure the cat is facing the back end of the tub. A cat that can see the facets and the water running will surely scare the cat. I have to do this with my cat. And talk with a low tone voice to let your cat know it's ok. Make sure there is no water touching the front paws. The less water the cat see's in front of him the better. When people get kittens that is the best time to start with bathing. If the cat is older or a stranger to a new place? This can be a problem. You can also try those heavy duty rubber gloves like the ones you do dishes with. But get the thick ones. But remember to put them aside only for bathing your cat. Your cat will get used to bathing after awhile. As long as your nice to your cat during this time your cat will get better at it. And if you have to rinse the cat refill tub with the cat out of tub. Just shut the bathroom door. Should not refill water with cat in it. Well not with your cat. Scratch.
Take care %26 Good luck.
You could use pet bath clothes or you can hold the cat by the extra skin that is located on top of the neck area. They become very submissive when you hold them that way and will cooperate. Also if you give them a bath just fill up a small bucket or something with water and turn off the water before you bring the cat to the area where the bucket is. Half the time they freak out because of the noise. I think you should be able to do it if your just cautious about it. Use a damp washcloth and some pet shampoo and your good to go. Good luck!
put them in a bath tub and put soap along the sides so the cat can't escape. have someone hold that cat by the stomach so you can spray it
take him to a professional groomer
Don't give your cat a bath unless it's really i mean REALLY dirty. (Like it's been rolling in some dog sh*t or something like that. Normal cats usually don't do that, but alla cats can't be intelligent)
The best thing to do is to just wash the dirty area of the cat, if it has to be the whole cat, let someone professional take that risk.

And please never de-claw a cat. They're losing a lot of their balance, can't defend themselves. It's just like their fingers, and taking away someones fingers is just cruel, isn't it?
Take them to a groomer. Don't take AbeLincolnParty's advice. That sounds like cat torture. I wonder if he could be arrested for animal abuse.
I give my cats a bath, but I have started them when they were a kitten now they love the water. also try to use a waterless bath you can get this product at wal-mart and pet stores
you shouldn't be bathing a cat
I think it's impossible. You really don't need to bathe cats. They bathe themselves.

how do you bath a cat?

i know its with great difficulty but im being serious my cat needs a bath.

i aint got a clue where he went this morning but he smells rank now.
Answers:
Try this website. Good solid info! Good luck to you.I hope you have lots of band-aids!

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement10.
in water
should clean itself in time to be honest. I really wouldnt try to bath it unless you knock it unconscious first
turn on shower and throw cat in.
if an adult cat its almost impossible. uhave to start bath it when they were young. if it resist, bath them while grabbing it on the skin of the neck.
OK i have 3 cats and they all hate water so here is what i do hold them by the scruff of the neck it doesn't hurt them cuse that's how there moms held them and they wont move
you kill it first.
With water
by bathing me too
Stick a towel over its head then go for the back and work towards the head. I'm thinking that this is a 2-person job.
With a little force, I had to wash a cat once, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, dunked him in a warm bath, already prepared, and kept one hand on his scruff tight all the time, everything was to hand, once done, wrapped him in a huge towel, and then let him lose in the closed conservatory to dry off
I know how to get creosote off a cat. Is it that?
you dont! just sponge him over
Get a bucket of water, approach from rear, throw bucket
I think it's easier than bathing a dog. The cat is smaller, all you have to do is to make sure that he will go no where when u take the bath for him. And I don't think he will bite or scratch you because he then will be afraid of being cold..lol well my cat is just like that.
very carefully! watch out for the claws. Only fill the tub with just the amount of water that you need, don't yell at the cat, she is already having a bad day. give him lots of love and keep treats by the tub. NEVER bathe him in a sink, there are too many germs! Make sure you get off all the soap when your done, it could cause his skin to itch if you leave it on.
if you take a damp wash cloth with a little animal friendly soap on it and gently stroke it, they think you are just giving them a cuddle and dont tent to squirm as much. then wipe off with a clean cloth. a gentle approach is probably best. try and catch it when its settled down for a snooze and be gentle. if you just chuck it in the bath it will never forgive you and trying to bathe it again will be near impossible. there are a few certain breeds of cats that enjoy being in the water but for your basic moggy, its like trying to get a teengae boy to tidy his room! hope this helps!
Make sure you have trimmed his nails first or you will be so sorry! I have 8 cats and out of the 8, there is only 1 that absolutely will not tolerate a bath. The others are actually very cute when in the shower/bath. Don't get me wrong, they don't LIKE it, but they won't kill you. Don't use human shampoo on them. Buy shampoo specifically for CATS. If not, it will make them very, very ill. Be careful when bathing - don't get cat shampoo in your cat's eyes, and be on the lookout for a jumping cat just when you least expect it.

Whatever you do, don't get mad at him/her and hurt them!! It's not their fault! :)
you shouldn't bath him. It will cause him distress and get you very wet! They are very good at cleaning themselves.
very very carefully. remember every end is a jaggy end
OK, what you do is: you get the cat in the bathroom, then you put in the toilet, then you quickly close the toilet lid, then you flush, open the toilet lid an wha-la, you have a clean cat and a clean toilet bowl.. I would never do that but I thought it was a bit funny.
steps for giving a cat a bath- takes 2 people
1. catch the cat
2. take it to the bath room - make sure you shut the door behind you
3.put some shampoo in toilet
4. throw in the cat - shut lid real fast
5. while holding lid down -stand on the lid so cat can't get out
6. flush 3 or 4 times
7. yell at 2nd guy to open front door and bathroom door
8. remove your feet from toilet
9. lift the lid
10 and watch that cat run for its life

no give it a bath in the sink its easy-er to hold them - but most cats will fight you any way you try
With EXTREME CAUTION !!
put on a metal mask metal gloves and hold out the cat at arms length and then start to wash. the first scratch may hurt but after that you will not feel any pain
good luck From Dortmund Germany
Um, very carefully! We have 2 cats (they are 20 pounders!) and it takes 2 or 3 people to hold them down! Good luck!
i was asking the same question but then my best friend got a cat.she uses kitty wipes.
If you have never bathed a cat before, beware! They hate water, and will try to get out at any cost. I have sustained a few injuries from my cats when trying.

The best way is to ensure the water is just right, not too hot or cold. I find it best if there is a large are or water, like a bath, rather than a tub or bucket. The cat feels less inclined to sprint!.

Talk to him/her gently as you are slowly lowering him/her into the water. Get ready to hold tight!!

Good luck!
In the case of my cat - you had to wear protective clothing! On tip do not put the cat on the draining board in the kitchen - it will slide around like mad.

Maybe if you put him in an empty bath - no escape route, then filled a bucket or basin with water and pour it over him.

I don't know what you would use to clean him or make him have a nice smell, but be careful what you use because the cat will lick it into his coat and skin afterwards, so beware of any nasty chemicals.

P.s empty bath important - if the cat sees water it will resist!
Had Persian that often got in mess. Best way I've found is to run a little warm water in bath, hold cat firmly by scruff of neck at the sloping end of the bath so head is well clear of water. Very gently wash cat with other hand as tho stroking and petting.

Make sure to stay clear of ears and eyes. Mild washing up liquid, very diluted, is apparently really good for the fur (according to breeders at cat shows). I used baby shampoo.

Ensure you rinse very thoroughly, a shower head can be good for this if cat is calm enough.

A quick run with a towel and a warm place to settle and let the cat preen itself, followed by lots of love and treats.

Be brave and don't pass your fear on to the cat. Good luck.
Get some protection for your arms unless your pain threshold is very high. If you can, get some help to hold the cat while you wash it (or vice-versa).

Turn on shower, make sure it's not too hot or too cold. Should be lukewarm. Get special pet shampoo, NOT human stuff.

Put cat in shower, wash cat with pet shampoo, avoiding eyes if possible.

Have patience with the cat. He'll be at worst terrified or at best mightily pi$$ed off that you're doing this.

Good luck.

how do you attract a stray cat?

there is a black and white cat that comes to my backyard every time because we have cats and they are really afraid
Answers:
try a bowl of milk outside your door.
also making that "tsk, tsk" sound will sometimes work.
food.. if it sees food it'll come everyday for it
By sitting food outside usually
Make sure that you dont have any food out side. If you dont maybe they just go there for fun. Just scare them away all the time and they mght go away. I had a cat problem but I luved when the stray cats come, But there was one cat that had babies. If they anoy you a lot try catching then and bring it to the animsal shelter / pound.
Leave some food and water outside near where the cats come from, slowly move the food towards the house each week and spend some time outside just sitting and doing non threatening things. Just sit, and as the cats food bowl comes closer during the weeks.gently talk to the cat and maybe play with your othe cats so the strays will know that you aren't going to hurt them. Eventually.the strays will get to know you and may become part of the family.
food, and patience. with food the cat will definately come around. you may not ever be able to pet the cat though. start off by letting the cat approach you, or approach the cat slowly. sudden movement may scare her off. To a cat a person seems big and scary so squat down a bit when you approach her, and leave one hand extended so she can smell u.
Get some food, and put it in a container, and shake it lighty, so it makes a noise, or just leave some cat food out there at night.
we fed two stray cats and made a bed for them outside. when they got used to us, i took a string and played with them. then like 2 days later i threw the string and played with them until they chased the string in my house then i shut the door, put them in a huge walk in closet then took them got them fixed put them back in the closet with a liter box for 3 days then they were litter trained and then we left them alone until they came to us for food. finally they got used to us but one liked us more, the other one hated us
it jumped out the window and we never seen it again but the other one made the best cat ever. but this process took about 3 months.
food and water
Feed it .
It will stay about. !
if you want to capture it and take it to the shelter put some food in your hand and go up to it. stay there long enough and if it is hungry it will come to you. then you can take it to the shelter
you could put a small dish of cat food outside and fill it each time its gone and don't forget a bowl for water then when it startes to come around more then once or twice then start to sit out side and let it come to you when its ready to make friends and be your buddy for your life and his/her life.
when i notice one coming around i let it watch me for awhile out in the yard interacting with my other cats and sometimes meowing i put a separate food dish out for him and eventually he will come around you wait til he's ready to be petted sometimes you don"t get to pet him depending on long he has been a stray i had one once that was wild and i could only pet him on the head it'll take some time for the cat to trust you but when he does he'll probally be the best cat you ever had
If you have any food out there, that will attract the stray. If you have any cats that have not been neutered or spayed that will attract other cats. The poor thing is probably hungry.
Leave a bowl of milk and food out for it and keep your cats inside at night and when you are going to be gone. After that, wait and see what happens.
I have a stray around my apartment complex that I got to know originally just be coaxing it over to me. I don't feed it (it catches birds, mice, etc. on it's own). I looking at buying a house and thinking of taking it with me, since no one else around has anything to do with it.
My cat was a stray also. She was crying by my kitchen window. i went outside and sat by the door, she was afraid at first, she would get close then walk away. I just sat there with my hand out, she eventually got close enough to sniff my hand, then she started licking it, I petted her for a while. After a little bit she wouldn't leave me, she followed me inside and I fed her, and ever since then she's been in my home. Maybe putting some food next to you may help as well. Whatever the approach I hope you save him/her.

How do you "ship" a live cat & how much will it cost?

I have a cat that is having litterbox issues and has been using my family room as a litterbox. It's been going on for a while now, and I've realized she's going to continue to do it until the smell is completely eliminated, which is hard since the room is completely carpeted and there is no way to keep her out of there. She used to be my mom's cat, and my mom lives in New York. My mom agreed to take her back until we move there next spring (that's another thing too- we are going to be trying to sell our house so I don't need her there continually stinking it up). We live in St. Louis. What is the best way to get the cat to her (I really can't afford to hop on an airplane just to take the cat there). Can you ship a cat? How much does it cost? Thanks!
Answers:
I had to ship a dog about 800 miles once and I imagine the procedure would be similar for a cat. I bought an airline-approved shipping crate for the dog, took the dog to a veterinarian for a health check and to get it sedated, took the crate to an airline freight terminal at an airport, and paid about $50 for shipping. The recipient and I had contacted the airline in advance to find a flight for which it would be convenient for me to drop the dog off and for the recipient to pick the dog up, so the dog was only out of our hands for about 5 hours total. Everything worked well. The dog acted drunk for a couple of days after the trip, presumably on account of the sedation.

With the cost of the shipping crate, the vet bill, and shipping, it wound up costing about $150 total.
ship a mouse in front of it for $2 and the cat will follow
Depends where and when
I shipped a cat by air on US Airways about ten years ago and the cost was about $50.
For a cat with a problem like that the best way to ship it is in a small wooden box after it has been reduced to ashes by a local vet. No kidding, cat pee will devalue your mom's house just like it is devaluing yours. Put an ad on craigslist and give it away to someone who can keep it outside. Is it fixed? Maybe it is maeking territory. I know it's harsh but I'd get rid of it.
You need a kennel-cab (a type of shipping crate that has been approved by the airline) and these are available at most pet shops. Some airlines require a health certificate. But before you go to all this, check to make sure that the airlines will transport the animal..some don't. It's not cheap, and if memory serves it is about 2 1/2 times the cost of regular freight.
the air carrier all have special shipping boxes cost depends on how far how much it weights.greyhond bus also but short distances only.

How do we stop our cat (fluffykins)from eating our food?

I had left the duck on the worksurface to cool, when I went in to carve he had scoffed the lot and we had a duckfilled fattypuss, please help ! no Australians please until they stop killing our back packers.
Answers:
You should never leave food on the counter, and expect the cat to leave it alone. That is not the cat's fault, it's yours!

You should also rename Fluffykins to Garfield. It's obvious that the two share the same appetite.
Don't leave it out unsupervised.
Teach your cat that it is not allowed where your food is or put it in a separate room when you eat.
get a cage sort of thing
ok, get a water gun, a small cheap $1 one, and fill it with water. when he jumps to food, or begs, squirt him in the head, not eyes or ears, but top of the head.

second, if that don't work, i yell and tell the cat to get the hel l down! smack its asz, not hard, but enough he knows you mean buziness.

idon't know what else todo, a animal is just like having kids, you need to set limits for them and their health,lol.
What you can do is when its time for you to eat, go ahead and feed your cat its food just before you sit down to eat. Do this consistently so that Fluffykins will learn not to jump on counters to gets its food. Eventually the cat will learn where to get its food from. Make sure that the cat has plenty of water and possibly dry cat food down during the day.
You don't. Fluffkins LIKES your food. Fluffykins NEEDS your food. From the day you named me "Fluffykins" I made it my solemn vow. To refuse all cat food, and eat the food YOU eat. Oh, sure, you can try to cover up your plates, but eventually you'll lean back. You always do. And then I'm in. Mashed potatoes. Corn. Rhubarb pie. If you put it on a table, I'm all over it. Want me to stop? Change my name.change my name like I BEGGED you so many years ago. "No, Fluffykins." "Get off the table, Fluffykins." YOU try getting along in the world with that name. Now if you'll excuse me. I see Jello in the fridge.
Put foil paper over it while it cools. My cat would love nothing better than to eat my freshly cooked chicken as soon as he could but I simply wrap foil it blocks the sent and the chicken is fine. But as soon as I lift one tiny corner he is right there crying for some!
Cats can also be taught manners. Start by not feeding table scraps to him it will be best also for his weight! And health!
LMAO i thought pussykins died when your girl chucked it outta the window?

how do we remove tangled fur on his belly?

2 year old cat.long hair .doesnt like to be brushed. just want to know a gentle way to remove hair balls on his belly
Answers:
You are going to have to brush gently and cut off what you can't brush
You could try and brush it out with someone holding him.or you could cut the hairballs out.
just cut it off with sissors
You are going to have to cut them off him, in the future you will have to brush him. He will get used to it.
He should be taking care of those himself. Believe me the belly is one place he probably won't tolerate your messing with.

My long-haired cat won't even let me work on mats back by his hips. Thank heaven he takes care of his belly!
well unless he will lay in ur lap quietly with his belly facing u so u can gentlely cut it out , i'm afraid u will have to take him to a pet salon
1. Slowly detangle the hair with a wire comb
2. Cut off the tangled hair

best bet number2!
cuz cat's claws hurt you know?
CAn you cut them out?
if you put cream rinse on your cat it will be easier to control the tangles. it's easier to maintain if you brush every day. this time I see no way out but to cut out the tangles .
to remove and avoid more hairballs in the feature, bathe your cat more often, twice a month, every two weeks. try brushing your cat's upper back and sides of his body while you bathe him to get off extra fur. while your bathing your cat, wash his belly with cat shampoo from acme and giant, wash his area where the fur is matted, and then use regular conditioner on it. use regular conditioner in a dime sized amount on the hair ball amount is safe, because i have used it on my cats before. the hair ball should be looser, and then you can cut it out.
Marfshoe,
You said it is a long hair cat, you may not like this answer, but I take my cat to Petsmart about three times a year to get her hair cut. There's no solving this, long hair cats all have the same problem.
TDCWH
you may have to take him to a groomer and have it shaven try the groomer at petsmart they do cats as well
vet used a combination of a wire brush and scissors.

How do we help the stray kitten?

We recently found (as in had someone drive up to our house and beg that we take) a kitten, who's probably about 6 weeks, by now. We've been feeding him every few hours - put out the milk (kitten formula) first, and when he's done with that he moves on to the dry kitten food and the water. He's recently all but quit drinking the formula. (We had tried bottle-feeding that, about a week or two ago, but he bit the nipple in half.)

Also, this kitten is more thin and gangly than usual, but his stomach's always huge and round. His stools aren't at all solid and, while he knows how to use the litterbox, he'll often go anywhere else, and I do mean anywhere. My mom diagnosed his "diarrhea and potbellied appearance" as roundworms according to an in-depth cat book I have, and she's given him the proper dose of roundworm medicine as indicated on the packaging.

So my main question is this: Is there anything that you think we're doing wrong or not at all that we should be to help this kitten?
Answers:
I used to work in a diagnostic vet lab. You need to take the kitten to the vet and get it's stools tested. He probably doesn't have roundworm: its probably giardia (be really careful, humans can contract giardia from animals). With the proper diagnosis, and the proper care, your kitten will be well in no time at all.

Also, it is very dangerous to try and diagnose an animal by yourself. If the treatment is for the proper ailment, it will help. But sometimes treating an animal for something it's not sick with will harm the animal and sometimes cause death.
just lots of love, sunshine, rainbows and kisses
Ok. This kitten needs to see a vet. He will need his vaccinations and a proper health check, not one out of a book. A vet will also worm the kitten properly, not just for roundworm but tapeworms and all sorts of other nasties, some of which humans can catch too (ewww). If you can't afford to see a vet then you need to contact a local rescue society and get them to take the cat. Unvaccinated cats will pass diseases to other cats and to people too. There is a particularly nasty disease called toxicara that can make you go blind (I'm not kidding). Good luck with your kitty.
you should take the kitten food and put water in it so it moistens t up because 6 weeks is a little to young to be eating hard foods. and some kittens do get roundworms. just treat it as advised and do not give it any milk or that stuff but try to give it cottage cheese that helps with its diarrhea
I hope that the worm medication was appropriate and that the kitten will be relieved of that burden on his system. Meat is the natural food for a kitten as that is what the mother uses to wean them (the mouse). Something like Max canned kitten food will be much healthier than any dry food you might give him now.
please take the kitten to a vet to have shots and a check up. Good luck
If you want to keep him than take him to a vet.

If you do not..take him the humane society. They will treat him and find a home for him as well.
barring taking her to the vet, there is not much else you can do

you can keep hot water bottles in her bed for her to keep her really warm (just fill a 2 liter with very hot water and wrap in a towel, change every 2 hours) this will also help with any pain she may feel in her belly.

feeding kittens canned foods instead of dry helps them to stay regular, they will poop less, this is from personal experience
It is not wrong to help another living creature or person, If more people were like you and your mum the world would be a better place
This is like me,but i got a stray dog.What you should do is make flayers and put them around your area and see if anyone calls.You really shouldn't feed or give the cat water but ever so often you can.
ask your mom to make an appointment with the vet to have this kitten checked out
thank you
well it might help if you take him to the vet for a check up. otherwise just keep doing what your doing. love him and care for him, play with him and cuddle with him.
take him to the vet
Your mom is probably correct about the roundworms. Normally you will see them in the feces appearing as "spaghetti". Also, they travel into the digestive system, and often the pet will vomit them as well. Treatment is normally given in two doses based upon weight and age. Once treated, dead roundworms will appear in the feces. Over the counter medications are often not well suited for young animals. At our practice, we have seen 4 kittens die from toxicity after being treated with over the counter flea product. It is a much better idea to have the vet treat. We charge $6.75 per treatment for worming. We treat twice.

Also, you should not give cow milk to any cat, as they do not have the ability to digest it correctly. From your note, it sounds as though you must be using kitten replacer milk. Bottle feeding is a bad idea as it can cause aspiration pneumonia. A kitten who is able to drink water and eat dry food on his own does not need formula, just a good quality pet food. At 6 weeks, the mama cat would be weaning them anyways, and they would have been eating solid food already.

Your plan should be to get an appoinment at your veterinarian. Take a fecal sample with you so that it can be checked for ALL parasites. You should also consider having him tested for Feline Leukemia. This has the ability to cross the placenta during gestation. Without knowing the health status of the mama cat, he could be at risk.

In the meantime, get a good quality diet (Purina One, Eukanuba, IAMS). Give lots of love, and make an appointment with the vet.
Your kitten probably has worms. It is very common in stray cats and kittens. Treating for roundworms is fine, but more than likely he has multiple kinds. You can order Droncit liquid from 1-800-Pet-Meds. That will cover all the bases as far as worms go. Your will probably need to dose the kitten a couple of times before the problem goes away. You will know if it is working when you see little white segments in their stool.

Another thing to remember is that kittens get VERY round after eating. They will eat nearly everything given to them, so limit the amount of food offered. Switch it over to one kind of wet food. I recommend anything chicken or turkey flavored. Don't get fish flavored. Give them 1/4 of a large can or 1/2 of a small can about 4 times a day. Get rid of the formula. Gradually start mixing the dry food into the wet food lessening the wet food day by day. They should be on dry food only at about 10 weeks. Switching foods back and forth can just aggravate their stomach and cause diarrhea. Just make sure water is available at all times. Good luck!
i think Ur Mom is right. please for the cats sake take him to a Vet.

How do we get our old kitten used to our new kitten?

We just got a new kitten it is about 7u weeks and our old kitten who we have had for a week who is now about 9 weeks is kissing and thjen ignoring our other 7 week old kitten who we just brought home to day? what do i do to get them used to each other.
Answers:
It is going to take some time, but they will get used to each other, take it from me, I have 5. All grown now, but got them when they were kittens. When they are fixed it usually takes their aggression away, that helped with my last one. Good luck.
give them time.
That's about normal, Amanda. If you're really concerned, you could try closing the kitten in a room and let them sniff eachother through the door until they get used to eachother's scents.

After that, let them be back together again. There will still be some hissing and spatting until they decide who the top cat is. Meanwhile, make sure to give your old cat lots of attention so he won't feel he's being ousted by the little intruder.

Good luck!
make own over the other kitten. Meanwhile put the two together.
they already are u just don't know it cats aren't like dogs puppy's would jump and play with each other but cats r the opposite if your still r worried try to put them in the same room (like a bathroom) for a little bit every once and awhile u should c them play
ok what i would would do is this give it some more time and soon they will be great friends good luck
Give them time. evenutally they will get along, especailly since they are so close in age. buy them little play mice. One will play with it, then the other will want to join in, and soon they'll be playing with each other.

How do we get an 8 week old male kitten to stop pooping and use the litter box again?

10 days ago my boyfriend and I adopted two sibling kittens that are currently 8 weeks. Ones female the%26 other is male (Bonnie and Clyde ) Clyde is the one having the litter problems. The first three days we had them home, both kittens used the litterbox. On the fourth day, Clyde started pooping in a box of books. We removed the books and cleaned the corner. He then choose another corner. We bought a 2nd litter box that he has used twice. We remind him many times a day but still find that he is pooping. All of this stuff started the same day we gave them both baths, so we wondered if he is retaliating for that, or if hes just too young to think that way. He is highly territorial, especially with Bonnie-- jealous if we pet her without petting him, or blockng her access to food (we got another dish which helped some on that). Sunday night Clyde jumped onto the couch and onto my boyfriends plate and grabbed the steak right off the fork and ran. Hebitemewhenittookitaway-help?.
Answers:
He might not like the litter you are using, or he won't use it if it smells like Bonnie. Some don't like crystals or scented litter. The big chain pet stores have litter that has a chemical in it that attracts cats to use the litter box. I believe it is called Cat Attract. You can also spray repellent in areas where he messes to keep him away from them. Good luck.
he is confused i would allow him to be a outside cat if possible..
Litter box trouble is annoying and cumbersome. When cats start deficating in other places, it is usually the result of some type of stress or a full litter box. If he is getting territorial, and the litter has some of Bonnie's waste, then he will be disinclined to go there.

I would suggest (1) cleaning the litter box on a regular basis; (2) setting up a second litter box in another spot of the room/house; (3) if you see him squatting, throw him into the litter.

He's young, and you don't want him developing bad habits.

You should also try changing the litter to large granules. Sometimes cats get smaller ganules stuck in their paws.

Just be thankful that he isn't pissing elsewhere. Cat urine stinks, and it's virtually impossible to remove.
I've had 2 different experiences like this. The first one ended badly, the second has worked out great. The first time I had a cat do this was one I adopted as a grown cat from a shelter. In the beginning she was great, pooed in her box. Then she started pooing everywhere like in my bedroom and around the litter box. I did everything I could think of: bigger litter box, different type of litter, and it never got better. Finally when I was out of town my boyfriend brought her back to the shelter (this was after about 2 weeks of living with her) because he finally realized how bad it was when I wasn't there to clean up.

That was years ago. Just a few months ago we adopted a little kitten, again from a shelter. She started out fine with her litter box, and then pooed in a few inappropriate places. I heard about this trick that really worked. When kitty poos in the wrong spot you pick up her and her poo, take them both to the litter box, and help kitty bury her poo. Literally you hold her little paws and scratch the litter and bury it. It might not look like she's paying attention, but they really do catch on.

I hope this tip works for you! Our little MiMi hasn't pooed anywhere but in her box after doing it 2 or 3 times.

How do u train a cat?

my cat wont do any thing i say what do i do
Answers:
Food? My two cats will do anything for food! Tap the can of cat food or shake the dry food before you feed them. They will come running when they hear that sound. My one cat comes running when he hears the can opener.
put here in the litter box
i think you would get a cat trianer
Put it on the tracks %26 wait for the train..!Just kidding!
cuz cats r independant animals they only do what they want to do
start with simple commands such as "sit" say the word while placing it physically gently in a sitting position then praise it and give it a treat right away. after a few tries it will understand what you want it to do start off slow and show it what you want so it remembers the words you are saying so it knows what to do
my cat can sit, stay, lie down, shake a paw, jump up on command, if i say "litter box" or "food" it knows what i want it to do.
the best way to train a cat is to "rape it",then it will do wahatever you desire.
it's best not think of a cat as something trainable. 99 times out of 100 they end up training their owners they way they want you ;-)
hey, is a Cat. What did you expect?
Well, you make them do something in order to get a special treat that they want.

For instance, most cats --love-- going into closed-off areas.
Example: close off a bedroom door for a while and kitty will naturaly want to go in even more. Tie a bell to the door and ring it when ever you go through. Hold kitty near the door and carefuly take her paw and have her ring the bell. Do this and then let her in the room. Eventualy, kitty will learn and cats have pretty good memories. They should remember this skill even if it is not used for a long time. (just remember to put the bell up if you aren't around to let her/him in!)

I did this with my sister's cat.

Another trick we taught her was to hop onto my knee if she wanted let outside. That way she would meow at the door and if I felt like letting her out (and watching her the entire time) , I'd crouch by the door and let her hop up onto my knee.

Another 'trick' is to make a kissy noise everytime you kiss your kitty and give him/her love. When I make the kissy sound, my cat will give me a kitty kiss (nose in the air nudge/rub thing) on my face. They love giving and receiving kisses.

They should learn their name and come to it. though some cats will only come to their name, others will come when the dog is called, other cat is called, kid is called, lol

Another thing we taught our cats is 'back'. This is a signal that they shouldn't go through the door or be going in whatever direction they are going. We succesfuly taught this to 10+ cats who all lived in the same area. When they hear 'back' they either know there is danger and trust me, or know that they'll get in big trouble if they disobey, lol.

I've heard of using clickers too but never actualy did it. My cats respond to my voice well enough.

Good luck.
Keep repeating what you want the cat to do over and over and praise it when it does what you want. Cats do what they want, but I've found that they also like to please their people and can be trained.
Try using it's favorite treats to re-enforce what you want.
For example:I wanted my cat to sit %26 meow for her treats before I give them to her. So I'd tell her as well as show her what she needed to do for her treats. After a few months she does it.
Now all I have to do is shake the bag %26 she comes over to me,sits down %26 meows.
Hope this helps :)
you have to train it when its a baby I have 4 cats and they do everything [almost] everything Ive trained them to do i even have a 4 month old kitten who trys to talk. lol..
http://www.wikihow.com/teach-your-cat-to.

you can teach your kitty to give you handshake
Lets put it this way. A dog can be trained not to get on the furniture, the table, the counter, etc. A cat can be trained to do the same, but they just don't care. I have been trained by many cats in my lifetime.
Lots of treats and patience.

My cats are 12 and 13. They climb ladders, jump on command (we use a snap of the fingers for jumping and climbing the ladder). they sing for their supper (another reinforced natural behavior). most cats I've met will sit pretty for a treat (Hold the treat about 6 inches above them when they are sitting. my cats will sit pretty if I hold my fingers up above their heads even without a treat. LOTS of praise then)

If you see the cat doing something you think is cute and want them to repeat it, try giving it a treat when it does that and saying something that relates to the action.

To get our cats to jump on command, whenever they hunched down to jump up on something, we'd snap our fingers. eventually they took the hint. Now if the stepladder is out and we snap our fingers, they automatically climb it.

Also, to get your cat to sit, don't force them down, take a piece of food, put it over their head and move it towards the back of their head so they have to sit to continue to see it.

Remember, PATIENCE and yummy treats are the key.

How Do U Toilet Train UR Cat??


Answers:
Go to catsclaw.com for a kit.
When I box-trained my kittens, I showed them where the boxes were and put them in them whenever I caught them doing no-nos elsewhere. For a while when they were too small to use the bog boxes easily, I used a small painter's tray so it would be less scary to them. Gradually as they got bigger, I started moving the little tray closer to the big boxes, then took it up. I've not had trouble with them since then.
Don't you mean litter box train? Its near impossible to get a cat to go in the toilet. Inorder to do so you would have to rig a cat box to the toilet and get the cat to go in it with litter for a month then switch it from litter to shallow water. When the cat goes in that just remove the box and leave the lid up . In theory this would work but depends on the cat.
What I've heard it's as easy as
1. Get a kitty litter box
2. Fill the kitty litter box with kitty litter mix
3. Get your cat's paw and slide it over the mix and ta da! Your cat gets instantaneously house trained.

I wouldn't know I have two dogs, and man they are hard to train! Or retrain anyway grrrr!
If you send me your email address, I have a cute one stored about the cat and flushing the toilet. megofish2day@yahoo.com
There is a device on the market you put on your toilet and the cat uses the toilet . I found the easiest way to train the cat to use the litter box first, which is very easy. Get some info on the net about the toilet training, can't remember the name of the product. It exists, this is not a joke.
check this web site out.
I had a cat who actually trained himself to go in the toilet. As most cats, he was very curious and used to watch when we went. Soon after, I'd find unflushed matter in the toilet and asked my husband if he had forgotten to flush -I knew I hadn't. Eventually, we caught kitty, and just laughed. He kept on doing this until the day he died! True story.
You have place a litter box on the toilet. There are these devices called sitz baths, women often use them after giving birth, can be found at most pharmacies. Fits right in the bowl - fill it with litter and get the cat to use it by showing her where it is. A few times and they usually get the idea. After awhile try removing the litter box from the toilet, take it out of the picture all together, you're cat should use the toilet. Make sure you leave the lid up and seat down. Now if you can teach them how to flush I'd love to know. My Siamese was never taught to use the toilet she just does for some strange reason.
Hi there.here is a website the explains toilet training in great detail: http://www.karawynn.net/mishacat/toilet.. . Please remember that toilet training a cat truly requires dedication of patience, time and commitment once you decide to begin as each cat learns at a different pace and there will be occasional accidents when it's time to remove the litter box. The average cat learns in about 3 months some as long as 18 months.