Cats Family and Travel Articles

If you’re considering taking a family trip and you don’t want to leave your cat behind, you can travel with your cat fairly easy if you bring just a few small items with you on your trip. These few items keep your cat happy, safe, and comfortable including clean cat bowls, his favorite toys, plenty of fresh water, any vitamins, supplements, or medications that he may be taking, and a clean cat bed. In addition, you should always carry a first aid kit for any unexpected accidents that may occur. Learn more about cat family and travel by browsing through the articles listed here.

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Why Your Cat Chews on Wires

Cats tend to chew on wires and cords primarily out of boredom. Chewing on wires and cords is quite serious and can result in minor shock or death.
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Why a Cat Climbing Tree Is More Than a Luxury

A cat climbing tree offers a wide range of activities for your cat. First, it provides an intriguing spot for cat play, especially since most cats love to climb. Second, it keeps cats and kittens away from furnishings you do not want ruined.
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Where to Take Unwanted Cats

The number of unwanted cats is on the rise and it may increase even more in the future. If you have unwanted cats, you will have to find a home for them.
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What to Look for in Cat Litter Pans

Cat litter pans come in different styles and sizes. Some have several added features, while others are pretty plain.
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What to Look for in Cat Kennels

Cat kennels can be used when you are away for a long time and you can't take your pet along. When choosing a cat kennel you should make sure that the facility is clean and accredited, having a professional and caring staff.
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What to Look for in a Cat Ramp

A cat ramp may be needed if the pet is old and has difficulties moving around the house or is recuperating from an injury. If your cat needs a ramp, you can manufacture one at home or you can buy it in pet stores.
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What to Look for in a Cat Crate

A cat crate can be the place where your pet sleeps, but it may also be an important device when your cat needs to travel or be transported to the vet. When purchasing a cat crate you will need to look for a number of features that will make the crate suitable for the cat’s sleeping place but also for transportation.
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What to Know Before You Adopt a Kitten

Choosing to adopt a kitten is a decision that requires some forethought. People who choose to bring an animal into their homes should not do so in haste; only once they have thought the decision through should they choose to adopt a cat.
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Using Citronella Oil as a Cat Repellent

Cat's can cause issues if they are hanging out where they don't belong. Because of this, many people look for types of cat repellent.
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Toxoplasmosis, Human Pregnancy, Infants and Cats

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be transmitted from cats to humans (although other infection routes such as undercooked meat are much more frequent). If a pregnant woman is infected with this parasite for the first time during a pregnancy the effect on the baby can be severe.
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Tips for Looking After Kittens

Whether you're kitten sitting, acquired a new pet or found a stray, looking after kittens requires time and patience. Kittens are still learning expected behaviors.
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Tips for Domestic House Cat Care

A house cat may seem easy to care for, since it requires little beyond a bowl of food and a box of litter. You may not realize what some of your house cat's other needs are.
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Tips for Cleaning Cat Litter

Cleaning cat litter is possibly the least pleasant chore cat owners perform. Here are some tips on how you can make this job as painless as possible.
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Three Unnecessary Feline Pet Care Products

Some feline pet care products, while they may seem beneficial, aren't actually necessary to maintain the health of your cat. Three particular products, which are highlighted below, are not needed in order for your cat to thrive and be in good health.
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Three Best Indoor Cat Breeds

Three popular indoor cat breeds in the United States include Maine Coons, Russian Blues and Siamese. You should choose your feline breed by the quirks you most admire in cats.
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The Traveler’s Guide to Caring for Pets

Caring for pets while traveling can be a task in itself if proper preparations are not made first. Air travel with pets can be especially difficult...
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The Pros and Cons of Crystal Cat Litter

Silica gel, or crystal cat litter, is becoming popular with cat owners. Its growing popularity rests largely in its ability to absorb large amounts of liquid and control odors. However, along with its benefits come a few drawbacks. Let’s look at the pros and cons of crystal cat litter.
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The Human Risks and Pet Cats

The risk to pregnant women, from cats, is primarily due to the disease toxoplasmosis, which is caused by a protozoan, not a bacteria. Protozoans are single celled organisms that sometimes have complex life cycles. In the case of toxoplasmosis, the organism that causes it is Toxoplasma gondii.
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The Benefits of Soft Claws for Cats

Soft claws are specially designed vinyl claw caps that attach easily to a cat’s natural claws. They offer benefits for both cats and their owners.
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The Benefits of Pine Cat Litter

Pine cat litter is a natural alternative to clay-based litters. It offers health benefits to cat owners and cats alike, and it offers several important benefits for cat owners, including odor control.
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The Benefits of Dust Free Cat Litter

Dust free cat litter provides many benefits to cats and their owners. These include both intangible health benefits as well as the tangible benefits of a cleaner, less dusty home.
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The Benefits of Cat Microchip Identification

A cat microchip is a safe, permanent method of identifying your pet in the event she becomes lost or is taken from your home.
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The Benefits of a Heated Cat Bed

Providing a heated cat bed for a cat improves both the health and the mood of the pet. Owners looking into purchasing a new cat bed should consider the benefits of seeking out a bed with heating properties.
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The Benefits and Drawbacks of Litter Crystals

Litter crystals are made from silica dioxide sand, oxygen and water. It's more familiar use is in those tiny packets you find packaged with vitamins, cameras and other products that might be damaged by moisture.
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The 16 Safest Plants for Cats

If you get a cat and you also have some plants in your home or would like to get some plants, you need to bear in mind that there are a few plants that are toxic for cats. There are a number of plants for cats that are safe, so you need to know which these plants are.
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Teething Toys for Cats

Like other animals that grow in different sets of teeth, your cat will often require a set of teething toys for cats in order to make this procedure easier. Teething typically occurs in the first few months of life, and it lasts a different amount of time for each animal.
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Teaching Kids to Take Care of Kittens

When you add new kittens to your family, you should expect everyone in the family to participate in the care of the kittens. However, some responsibilities are too large for young children and should be taken care of by the adults in the household.
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Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease

Cat scratch disease or cat scratch fever passes from cat to human through scratches. Usually, cat scratch fever affects children more than adults.
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Should You Take in Feral Cats as Pets?

Feral cats are animals that spend their life in colonies and are not domesticated. Feral cats may present a number of problems, ranging from numerous diseases to behavior problems, but if properly vaccinated and trained, they can be taken as pets.
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Selecting the Best Clumping Litter

Clumping litter can be an easy and convenient option, because it lasts longer than non-clumping litter and offers a much higher level of odor control. But not all clumping litters are of equal effectiveness.
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Selecting and Using Cat Nail Clippers

Cat nail clippers can help you keep your cat's claws trimmed to reduce incidences of injury from cat scratches and damage to home furnishings from cat scratching behavior. Cat claws can be quite long and sharp, but most cats are willing to accept having their nails trimmed.
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Safety Cat Collar Recommendations

A safety cat collar can be one of the most important accessories a cat owner can buy for his or her pet. A safety collar not only provides a place for your cat to wear his identification tags, it also offers him a way out of trouble in case his collar becomes caught on a tree branch or other obstacle.
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Safe Cat Toys

Cat toys are important to keep your cat busy, stimulated and active. You need to find safe cat toys to prevent accidents such as swallowing or teeth fractures.
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Reporting and Dealing with Cat Abuse

Unfortunately, cat abuse happens each day. Concerned, observant citizens may be the first line of defense against feline neglect and abuse.
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Reducing Outdoor Cat Cage Vulnerabilities to Parasites

The cat cage has evolved as one of the most convenient methods of travelling safely with your pet cat. A cat cage ensures that your cat is safe and relatively less stressed from a visit outside.
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Reducing Infectious Waste With an Automatic Cat Litter Box

Automatic cat litter boxes can make cleaning cat litter trays easier and more convenient than ever before. They work well with almost all types of clumping cat litter, even litters made with natural ingredients such as wheat and corn.
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Qualities of a Good Scratching Post

Buying a scratching post for your cat is an essential step towards developing a healthy, active and well-behaved animal. Scratching posts allow your cat to keep his claws healthy and at a good length, provide exercise and stress relief, and prevent bad cat behavior, such as destroying couches,
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Proper Cat Litter Disposal

Cat litter disposal presents a unique set of challenges for cat owners. Some estimates indicate that more than 2 million tons of clay litter is disposed of each year in the United States, so the sheer volume of used cat litter has a significant impact on landfills.
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Proper Cat and Kitty Litter Disposal

Kitty litter contains bacteria and other infectious agents, such as Toxoplasma gondi, the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. Here's how you can dispose of cat litter properly to prevent health concerns associated with infectious agents in cat feces.
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Prevent Your Cat from Scratching Furniture

Cat scratching is a natural behavior in cats but becomes a problem if the cat damages drapes, furniture or carpets. It would be unrealistic to expect to stop cat scratching altogether unless you declawed your cat.
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Pregnancy and Cat Litter Management

When it comes to pregnancy and cat litter, many women are concerned that being around their cat's litter box will affect their health. How dangerous is cat litter and waste and how can it be dealt with?
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Pet Therapy: Healing though Companionship

Owning a pet can have many benefits; pet therapy is an alternative type of therapy and is one of the advantages of having a dog or a cat. The presence of a pet can cure depression, stress and may also help the owner lose weight or lower the cholesterol levels or the blood pressure.
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Pet Door Safety Examined

Many pet owners prefer to allow their animals to come and go from the home as they please, and a pet door makes it possible for both cats and dogs to venture freely between the house and the outdoors. There are, however, certain safety risks that a dog door or cat flaps bring to a home.
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Pet Care Tips for Winter Climates

It's important to know pet care tips to help your pet survive a winter climate. Frostbite, hypothermia and poisonings commonly occur in the winter months.
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Non-Toxic Cat Litter

Non-toxic cat litter is a wise option for the health-conscious cat owner, and the owner concerned about the environment. Kitty litter with toxic chemical additives increases the chance of respiratory problems developing in both the cat who uses the litter and the humans who may inhale some of the kicked-up dust.
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No-Kill Cat Rescue Shelters

No-kill cat rescue shelters are shelters that do not use euthanasia as a form of population control. No-kill shelters do not put cats to sleep unless they are too ill for treatment, or violent and aggressive.
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Nine Ways to Keep Cats out of the Yard

Keep cats out of your yard for good. Neighborhood cats love to use gardens and sand boxes as their litter boxes.
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Newborn Kitten Care: Where to Start

Newborn kittens are fragile and defenseless. Consequently, newborn kitten care is essential; otherwise the cat can die before reaching the milestone of 2 weeks.
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Natural Cat Deterrent Products

If you're looking to keep cats out of your yard or away from your home, you may wish to purchase a cat deterrent product. These products work to discourage cats from approaching your area. Typically, this is done by means of a scent of some kind that most cats will find extremely unpleasant.
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Moving with Your Cat: A Checklist

Cat moving can be a safe and fairly easy task if you are prepared and have the proper equipment. With the proper cat carrier or crate, and specific checklists for before, during and after the transition, moving stress can be minimized for you and your cat.
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Medical Considerations for Cat Airline Travel

If you're travelling with your cat, airline staff need to know well in advance. That way, you can be fully prepared for the trip and help make it as relaxed as possible for your cat.
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Managing Common Feline Problems at Home

Many common feline problems do not warrant a trip to the veterinarian. Although a visit to the vet's office is necessary for serious issues and regular check ups, it can be a stressful place for pets and can make a stressful situation worse.
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Managing Cat Travel Anxiety with Diphenhydramine

Cats travel is not fun. Going for a trip, no matter how long or short, can cause a cat a lot anxiety, which may be helped with the use of Diphenhydramine.
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Litter Boxes for Older Cats

The use of litter boxes sometimes becomes a problem for older cats, but many owners don't realize something is wrong until their pet begins eliminating in out-of-the-way places. Let's look at some possible litter box issues for older cats so you can help solve problems before they exist for your cat.
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Kitten Gender Determination Simplified

When you are adopting a new cat or adding a cat to a household with preexisting pets, kitten gender is an important consideration. A female kitten may fare better...
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Kitten and Cat Sex Determination

Cat sex determination is often confusing for many pet owners. It's necessary to identify the gender of the kitten particularly when acquiring a new pet.
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Keeping Your Garden Safe with Cat Repellent

Keeping your cat away from your garden with a cat repellent is helpful for both maintaining your garden and keeping your cat safe. Cats like to explore their surroundings, and getting in the garden can damage your cultures; there are also a lot of poisonous plants for cats, starting from the common plants from the potato family.
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Keeping Cats Safe Around Dogs

Cats are quick and agile animals; but they are very easily harmed when around dogs. Chasing cats is an age old tradition and natural reflex for dogs.
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Is Shipping Cats by Air Safe or Traumatic?

Many airlines allow shipping cats on the plane. Some will let you bring them in the cabin, if kept in a cage by your feet, but usually they'll be placed in the cargo.
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Is Clay Litter Bad for Cat Health?

Clay litter has received criticism in recent years, as anecdotal evidence arises that it may be unsafe for cats. While no scientific studies have been done, many cat owners have become concerned enough to switch to natural cat litter for the sake of their cat's health.
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Introducing a New Kitten to Your Pets

Introducing a new kitten to your established pets takes time, but usually it goes better than you'd imagine. An old cat or dog will accept a kitten as a new family member if you let them do it at their pace.
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Introducing a New Kitten to an Adult Cat

Introducing your adult cat to a new kitten doesn't have to be a stressful event. Providing you remain patient and allow your cat time to adjust, most older cats happily accept new playmates in a couple of days.
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Important Considerations for Scoopable Cat Litter

Your choice in a cat litter should be based on its effectiveness, odor control ability, and sanitary benefits. A scoop-able cat litter, for example, is one of the more convenient choices as it allows for easy disposal.
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How to Take Care of Rescue Kittens

Taking care of rescue kittens is a daunting task as they need a lot of care and love. You must know what to do in order to be able to keep these fragile pets in good health.
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How to Take Care of Cats While Travelling

If you are traveling, it’s imperative that you take care of your cats. Cats are not overly adaptive animals that adjust very well to change, and traveling can be a scary venture for them.
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How to Keep Your Cat Warm

While it may seem like Mother Nature has taken the upper hand by providing a solid amount of fur for the insulation of your cat, it is still important to make every effort to keep your cat warm during the winter months.
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How to Get Cats to Like Each Other

There are some methods to better get cats to like each other. Cats have powerful personalities and 2 felines may often fight for the dominant position in your home.
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How Safe Are Large Cat Breeds as Pets?

Most domestic large cat breeds are the result of crossbreeding wild feline species with domestics, which eventually produces an exotic-looking domestic cat. Raising an exotic cat (a wild species) as a pet is both challenging and dangerous.
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Housebreaking Cats and Kittens

Cats are neat by nature, which increases success of housebreaking. Even kittens learn this instinct early in development.
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Holiday Safety for Cats

The holidays are always fun and exciting for the whole family, but if your family has pets, it is important to take a little time off from the holiday fun to think about holiday safety. Since the environment a cat lives in changes so dramatically during the holiday season, there are threats to your cat's health during this time that are not present during other times of the year.
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Hidden Dangers of Cat Doors

Cat doors make it easier for your cat to come and go as he pleases, but it puts your cat and family at risk. Numerous problems occur when you install a cat door, so carefully think whether the risks outweigh the benefits.
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Helping Mother Cats Take Care of Kittens

Most mother cats have the natural instinct to care for their kittens after birth. However, while the mother cat means well, sometimes she cannot handle all of her kittens or she is at a loss for how best to do it.
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Healthy Cat Litter

The health of a cat may depend on several factors. The type of litter you choose may also influence your cat's health.
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Health Risks Associated With Cat Feces

It is important to know about the health risks associated with cat feces and cat diarrhea. You can keep the risk low by properly managing the cat litter and by taking special care around cats with diarrhea.
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Health Benefits of an Automatic Litter Pan

Automatic litter pans are not only convenient and easy to use, but they can offer health benefits to you and your cat by keeping you more safe. Here are some of them.
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GPS and Radio Cat Tracking Collar Products

Rely on a cat tracking collar to prevent the loss of your cherished pet. Keep track of your cat whether he is an indoor or outdoor cat.
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Getting a Kitten Accustomed to a Cat Tree

A kitten tree provides a permissible area for a kitten and cat to scratch, climb and wrestle. By introducing your new pet to a climbing tree, odds are great that he will use the tree for destructive behavior like scratching and climbing.
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Four Important Tips for New Cat Owners

A new cat can be an exciting addition to a home, but you should know how to care for your new cat, preferably before you bring it home. Do your research so that you know what caring for your new cat will require.
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Flying With Your Cat: What You Need To Know

It's important to know what you are getting into when it comes to flying with your cat. In order to make your cat as careful as possible, you'll need to get some supplies.
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Flea Yard Control

Yard flea control is an essential part of controlling flea infestation outside the home. No matter how diligent you are about controlling fleas inside the home, if your cat goes outside, he could pick up fleas in an uncontrolled yard and bring them inside, making indoor flea control difficult if not impossible.
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Feral Cats

If you catch the kittens the best idea might be to neuter or spay them and then let them out again. This might keep the population stable since they will occupy the territory without reproducing. This approach doesn't always work but it can be helpful in some cases.
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Features to Look for and Avoid in a Cat Harness

Cats are wonderful, adventurous animals. Due to their exploratory nature, a well-fitting cat harness can be a great option. Collars and harnesses play a vital role in identifying your cat if he were to become lost.
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Features of an Ideal Cat Enclosure

When selecting a cat enclosure, there are many options and features to choose from. Safety should be key in your selection and choosing an appropriate enclosure for your cat's size and age are also factors.
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Features of a Safe Cat Collar

A safe cat collar is a crucial accessory for any pet cat. Without a collar, your cat may be impossible to identify if he gets lost or wanders off. It will also be difficult to tell if he is a stray or if he has a permanent home.
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Exercise Your Cat With a Scratching Post

For a cat, a scratching post is an essential item to have in the house for exercise and to maintain healthy claws. There are a large number of scratching post materials and types in the market today, and having more than one option for your cat can add variety and prevent your cat from ripping apart furniture, stereo speakers, carpets or any other household items.
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Everything About Cat Airline Travel You Need to Know

For a cat, airline travel is extremely stressful. Prevent anxiety and stress in your cat by following a few simple guidelines. Each airline has specific rules on traveling with your cat, so make sure you know if your cat will be stored in the baggage area or if you can keep your cat and cat carrier with you on the flight.
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Euthanasia

Thiobarbiturates have three effects that can induce death. They are fairly potent depressives of the central nervous system activity in the brain stem, which leads to depression of all bodily functions controlled by the brain stem. This action is responsible for the loss of conciousness associated with barbiturates in adequate doses.
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Eco-Friendly Cat Litter Products

Cat litter can be both dangerous for your pet's health and bad for the environment. Many of the most common cat litter brands are made from clay compounds that are mined from protected areas, and some of these compounds may actually be carcinogenic as well.
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Domesticating a Feral Cat

While domestication of a feral cat is neither an easy nor an overnight process, it is possible to socialize these near wild creatures. The keys of success to this endeavor are great amounts of love and patience.
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Distinguishing Useful Cat Training Aids From Gimmicks

Cat training aids can help improve cat behavior or start good habits early. Some products are better than others, and often the best tools are simple training aids without gimmicks.
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Creating a Safe Home for Newborn Kittens

Newborn kittens are very vulnerable to outside diseases, hypothermia and dehydration so you must give special care to their environment for the best chance of survival. If their mother is not present, you face even greater challenges.
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Coping with Cat Loss

No matter how long you’ve owned your cat, it’s never easy coping with cat loss. Learn how to offer condolences to those who have lost their cherished…
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Comparing Cat Litter: Pine vs. Clay

Pine cat litter is becoming quite popular, though many owners still rely on clay cat litter to take care of their cat's mess. Let's see how they both stack up.
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Common Cat Microchip Questions

The cat microchip is a useful tool for cat owners that can help reunite them with a lost pet, control which cat(s) can leave and enter the home and even save their cats' lives.
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Choosing the Best Cat Litter for Odor Control

The best cat litter for odor control can be hard to find. You might have try some out to find what works for you and your cat.
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Choosing Between Cat Travel Carriers for Maximum Safety

Cat travel can be stressful. Since cats don't travel as easily or as well as dogs in a car, it is important to find a cat carrier that is practical and safe.
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Choosing an Herbal Sedative for Cats

Rather than provide your cat with a medicine to help calm him down in times where he may be stressed, you may consider using an herbal sedative to accomplish the same task. Herbal sedatives are all natural and will have fewer risks of side effects when used properly.
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Choosing a Safe Cat Plant

If you are a pet owner but you also like plants, choosing a safe cat plant is a priority. Some plants are toxic for cats when ingested.
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Choosing a Pet

I think that the choice of a dog vs. a cat boils down to personal preference and am not aware of much research done on why people chose one over the other.
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Choosing a Cat Scratching Tree

Adding at least one cat scratching tree to your home is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety in your cat and avoiding the destruction of your carpets, blinds and furniture from cat scratching and biting.