Kittie Tips -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.thedailycat.com/about...index.html Fair use and all that

Never let your cat drink from the toilet bowl. Even if you don't use "drop-in" cleaners (which are toxic), residue from toilet cleaning products can still make your cat sick. Just keep the lid down. There is absolutely no medical or behavioral reason for a cat to have a litter of kittens before she is spayed. It offers no benefits of any kind, and increases her risk of developing mammary cancer. The aroma of catnip loses potency over time. To keep kitty's catnip toys fresh, store them in a plastic container and take them out for a special play session two or three times a week.

Cats in Cars

Cats, like dogs, overheat easily. Leaving them in parked cars while you pop into a restaurant can be fatal to them. Even on relatively cool days, the interior of a car can get too hot for a cat in a remarkably short period of time. Opening the window a crack won't do much to help...and you'd be amazed at what small openings your cat can escape through!

Avoid letting kitty have the run of the car while you're driving. Sure, she's curled up asleep on the back seat now, but do you really want a frenzied cat clinging to your neck or hiding under the brake pedal in an emergency?

Travel Worries

Cats are territorial beasties--that's why a 6-pound cat can take up half a king-sized bed. A traveling cat is generally an unhappy cat because he's in unfamiliar territory.

Cats spray and mark to define their territory. French researchers have detected 17 different pheromones cats leave to establish their range. A cat can relax, knowing that everything around him is his because it has his familiar scent.

A synthetic pheromone spray can relieve much of your cat's travel stress. Lightly spray the inside of his carrier and any confinement area, such as a car interior or hotel room. When you arrive at your destination, a light mist of pheromone spray is like a kitty welcome mat.

Teaching Tricks

Teaching your cat tricks isn't impossible. Watch how your cat operates, and select tricks that match his personality. If he likes jumping into paper bags, reinforce that behavior with treats until he does it on demand. (Teaching him to chase a treat thrown into his carrier might come in handy.)

Want him to jump through a hoop? When you feed him, place the hoop between him and the food at floor-level. He'll likely just walk through the hoop to reach the dish. Over time, gradually raise the hoop so he has to hop through it. He'll come to associate the hoop with food. Just keep your end of the bargain and have treats ready after he jumps.

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Sick Cat

A sick cat is more comfortable convalescing at home than at the vet's office. If your vet gives you the okay to take the cat home, you'll have to spend time and energy ensuring her comfort during convalescence:

--Keep her in a clean, warm and comfortable area. --Keep things quiet; keep kids or other pets away. --Change her bedding often if necessary. --Don't place her bed in a draft, and don't allow her to go outdoors. --Monitor her condition and report any changes to the vet. --Treat a sick cat much as you'd treat a sick child: with plenty of patience, care and love.

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Cat Breeds

Since the 1950s, a veritable explosion of new cat breeds has occurred. This has been mostly due to selective breeding to produce cats with specific attributes. Many recent breeds have originated with one or two cats with unusual genetic mutations. The mutant cats are carefully bred to make the mutation a dominant part of their genetic make-up.

An example of such breeding is the Rex cat, with its short, curly coat. The Rex began as a single cat with a coat mutation, which was then bred into successive generations

Adding a Cat

Introducing a new kitten to your older cat calls for some delicacy--World War III pales in comparison. Here are some tips to make it easier:

--Introduce the new kitten gradually. --Be careful introducing a kitten that's younger than six months. If they fight, he could wind up seriously injured. --Roll the new cat in the old cat's litter box before introducing them. With the old cat's scent on the kitten, the old cat may see the new kitten as "hers." --Give your older cat plenty of love, so that jealousy is minimized. --Remain calm and don't necessarily interpret introductory growling and hissing as a prelude to disaster.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2002

Answers

Introducing kitties--generally, a kitten of the opposite sex will be better accepted. Borrow a large cage, put the new kitty in it until the other cat (cats?) starts to pretty much ignore it. If you can't procure a cage, put the new kitty in another room with the door closed. The kitties will be able to play sniff and hiss under the door. Of course, the new kitty has to have been checked and given the all-clear by your vet before ANY contact is made.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2002