 The
Cat's Meow
|
| Issue 27, Vol. 4 | Happy Cat | June 26, 2005 |
|
|
    |
 Cat News Headlines (live news feed) |
|
Welcome!
To subscribe or
unsubscribe, please follow these links: |
|
Happy Cat |
||
|
| ||
|
This week, The Cat's Meow celebrates Happy Cat Week (June 26 - July 2). As our first article reveals, there are many ways to help your favorite feline be a healthy and happy cat. And, with summer's heat, you can make them even happier cats by dealing with shedding hair and fleas. June is National Adopt A Cat Month. Please visit your local humane society or animal shelter and to bring home a new friend! And, while you're making new friends, please meet some of TCM's new friends in our Announcements section!!! |
|
|
|
Happy & Stress-free Cats |
||
 |
||
Is your cat happy and contented? Does she still like to play as much as when she was a kitten? Does she seek you out to play with her? If you didn't answer YES to these questions, it could be that your cat is bored or stressed out. It isn't so hard to figure out your cat's psyche, as they leave lots of clues around to help us. Here are some of the ways you can help your fur-balls maintain a healthy, stress free life. 1. Have you remembered to clean their litter box today? How would you like to answer the calls of nature in a messy, soiled bathroom? No? I didn't think you would, and neither does your kitty. Experiment with the different litter types, until you find one that suits both of you. Remember, if you don't keep the litter box user friendly, your cat may seek out an alternative place in which to do the crossword. 2. While we're on the subject of litters, try and arrange things so that they have a little privacy. While this doesn't bother many cats, there are always some who will not use a litter box in a busy traffic area. 3. Have you ever sung to your kitty? They don't care if you sound like a foghorn. They just really enjoy the interaction with you, and may even feel inclined to join in. I like to sing to my cats at the same time as I dance with them, and they love it, purring constantly. 4. In the same vein, cuddle them frequently and whisper words of love and appreciation for them. They adore soft sound such as the swishing of a whisper, and react very favorably to this. They don't like harsh sounds like car horns or alarms. 5. You can whisper to your furbie while you curl up and cuddle her. It's always nice to give your kitty some undivided attention, especially in a multi-cat home. They know they are loved when you do this. 6. Think long and hard about the declawing issue. There are so many options today, and it will save the cat going through a painful and unnecessary operation. Just be sure to have scratching posts available in more than one place. 7. Invest in some fresh catnip and place it in an old sock. You will be as delighted as your moggies when you see them playing with it. It is so much better than buying a toy already stuffed with a little catnip, because the catnip in them will be old and lose its appeal almost before you even buy it. 8. Give your cats a choice of games. Some can be the type they play with themselves, either alone or with another cat, and some should be interactive, such as wand toys. If you (like me at times) are financially challenged, make them yourself. A black film roll holder with a few grains of rice in to make it rattle is a favorite. Another idea is a ping-pong ball. Cats love brightly coloured streamers, especially if they have reflective properties, so tape or glue some on the end of a thin piece of wood, and tease them with it. Feathers work equally as well. Tissue paper - the kind that rustles when handled - makes a lovely light weight ball. Favorite self-play games include a track-ball, or bits of fuzz and/or furry mice. Toys are not an optional pastime for your cat. Every cat needs things to play with and to keep their mind and body exercised 9. Get your baby used to a cat harness, and go out for walks with them. If you have never done this, leave the harness and collar where the cat can reach it, so she may get used to the odor of it etc. Then try the harness on, and play with them while they wear it, so they will become accustomed quickly. It will take a few tries, but the rewards are great to both of you. 10. Do you work? Do you have a machine to pick up calls while you are out? If it's the kind that you can hear when the message is left, try calling home occasionally, and talk to your babies. Providing you can call their name at work, and say "How's Mommy's little wiggly worm today?" or similar, without half the office laughing at you, you have it made. 11. Bringing home groceries - the cat will help by watching that no one steals the bags away. Encourage this, as you will get as much out of watching them play as they will. 12. Finally, please spay and neuter your pet. If you don't, you place their stress level far higher than it need be, by letting nature push up the odds for serious illness. Altered pets are far happier and healthier. |
||
| Reprinted from Penmarric Cornish Rex website |
Read About Happy, Healthy Cats |
||
| |
Learn How To Overcome Fleas |
||
 |
||
|
|
|
| Ads by Google |
|
|
| Announcements |
|
THE CAT'S MEOW would love
to hear from you! Visit Our ARCHIVES
for all issues of The Cat's Meow! |
|
Meet Our New Friends!
Please let us know if there are additional features you'd like to see added to either www.the-cats-meow.com or www.online-thecatsmeow.com! We appreciate your feedback!!! |
Love the Pet, Hate the Hair |
||
 |
||
I have two cats, and I am having trouble getting the cat hair off the carpets. I have tried vacuuming it with three different vacuum cleaners, but it just sits there. I have low-pile rugs.
After a thorough vacuuming of the rugs, I use a barely dampened sponge mop on low-pile rugs to remove cat hair. I keep this mop for only this purpose so I'm not transferring soap residue and soil to the rug. For upholstered furniture, I use a regular (again, clean) kitchen sponge. These sponges are cheaper than the ones sold especially for this purpose and they work. The fur rolls up into clumps that make it easy to pick them off. BAT
To get pet hair off carpet, clothes, etc., try using a rubber glove. It's a great hair and lint remover.
Try using a squeegee that is long enough to use like a push broom. Anything that is rubber should get the pet hair up! I use a rubber glove to get pet hair off of clothing and the back of the couch where my cat likes to lay!
My best tool for removing cat hair is one of those lint removal brushes. Mine has a red "napped" fabric on it, with an arrow to direct which way to brush to remove lint. To clean the brush, simply brush in the reverse direction on a scrap of fabric you can throw out. Occasionally, you can find these brushes in Wal-Mart with the laundry products.
The Dyson "Animal" model vacuum that we recently purchased is the best thing to get up pet hair. My husband is practically able to reconstruct another cat from the amount of fur he pulls from our upholstery, hardwood floors, and flat pile carpet. We waited until Linens & Things had a 20% coupon, plus free shipping for online purchases. Be sure to get the "Animal" model because it comes with a turbo tool specifically made for getting fur out.
I found a rubber bristle push broom at CVS pharmacy. The rubber bristles roll up the hair in a pile and you can pick up the rolled hair by hand to throw it away.
Spray Static Guard lightly over carpet, wait a few minutes, and then vacuum as usual.
Sprinkling baking soda over rugs helps loosen pet hair. Let a light coat of baking soda sit just a bit, and then vacuum. It deodorizes as well!
I use a horse shedding blade on my rug before vacuuming and it does a fantastic job. It pulls the hair without ripping the carpet fibers.
I have found two unusual, but effective ways to lift pet hair from carpets and furniture. For large clumps of hair, purchase cloth gardening gloves with plastic "nubs" on the fingers and palms. These nubs will catch the hair as you rub your hand over the furniture or across the floor. Keep a trashcan at your elbow, and as your hand gets full, simply pick the hair off the glove and throw it away. For small amounts of hair, or for short hair that's hard to see, use static electricity. Inflate a balloon and rub it across the carpet. The static on the balloon's surface will pick up the pet hair, and it will stick to the balloon. Once you use a "side" of the balloon, switch to a clean side or you'll just keep transferring the hair back to the carpet. Mist with Water and Fabric Softener Mix a little bit of fabric softener with water and spray (mist) on carpet. Allow to dry. Misting will dry quickly. Do not over spray and "drench" the carpet. After the carpet is dry, go back over with your vacuum cleaner. |
||
Sent to TCM by Hart Dowd |
||
|
If you'd
like to share The Cat's Meow, 
|
|
Privacy Notice: We do not sell or share our subscribers email addresses. Disclaimer: All articles and images in this newsletter are believed to be reprintable. Where a source is available, it has been stated. If you believe a mistake has been made or know the source of an unattributed article or image, please email: JC@online-thecatsmeow.com... and a correction will be made!!!
|
|
|