Caring For Your Cat

A cat’s mesmerizing eyes create the feeling that you can
look deep into their soul.  Have you sat and looked deep
into your cat’s eyes?  Wondering what they are thinking
or if they are trying to tell you something?  I know that I
have sat gazing into my cat’s eyes looking for something
magical to happen; searching for answers to questions like
“Can you understand what I am saying?” or “Are you trying
to tell me something?”  Their eyes are so mysterious looking
that I just feel like I am falling deep within their being as I
look into their eyes. 

Cat’s eyes can give you signs of their current mood by the
size of their pupil.  When the cat’s eyes are open and the
pupil becomes large, the cat can be very excited or frightened. 
I have seen my cats’ pupils become very large when they
suddenly get frightened by something.  The large pupils in
this instance are also usually accompanied with the hair on
their back sticking straight up and their tails bushed out.  I
will immediately try to calm them down when I find them in
this state.  When the pupils become narrowed, looking like
slits in the cat’s eyes, it could be an indication that the cat is
angry or the sun is in the cat’s eyes.  I have watched, on many
occasions, Tiggy go from being in a peaceful mood to being
very angry and seeing it in her eyes.  The nice calm look of
her pupil as it is large turning into a very narrow slit just as
she becomes irritated.  Her irritation is usually the direct
response from one of Cooper’s momentary agitations.  He
really loves to get her going, and when I watch him I can see
his excitement has his pupils get larger.   

The pupils also change in size by the amount of sunlight that
enters the eye.  When the sun is bright and shining directly
into the cat’s eyes, their pupils will become narrow.  The
brighter the sunlight, the narrower their pupils will become;
appearing to be the size of pinpricks.  The opposite happens
when there is little or no sunlight.  Their pupils become large
and sometimes almost spherical to allow as much of the
available light to enter.   

Both pupils will simultaneously be the same size at all times. 
When one becomes a different size it is an indication of an eye
condition that can range from mild to serious.  It would be good
to seek medical attention to be sure that it is not serious.  When
the cat’s eye color changes it could also be an indication of a disease
and should be consulted by a veterinarian. 

Another interesting part of the cat’s eyes is the color.  Most
cats have eye colors that range from gold to greenish-yellow. 
I find it fascinating to look at the colors in my cats’ eyes.  I also
find it odd that of the four cats that I have owned, the ones related
to each other, have had totally different eye color from each other. 
Tiggy has yellowish colored eyes and Cuddles had green to yellowish
colored eyes.  They were sisters, yet their eye colors were different. 
Kittens are born with blue eyes that will change when they are
between 4 to 8 weeks old.  Blue eyes are also found in cats with
pointed coats such as the Siamese. 

Since the cat’s eye is so interesting and mysterious looking, have
you wondered what they see while looking through their eyes? 
I think that it would be interesting if we were able to look through
the eyes of a cat and see exactly what they see.  It would give me
a different viewpoint on what I look at everyday.  Did you know
that your cat is not color blind?  They can see colors, just not the
same colors that we see.  Cats can see green and blue but not red.   

I still find the cat’s eyes to be mysterious and amazing.  I can sit
for hours looking deep into the souls of my cats through their eyes. 
The next time you are near your cat, look deep into their eyes and
see if you find something mysterious lurking there.

This article was written by Denise at The Gardener’s Rake.  I thought
that it would be a good article to post for other cat lover’s to read
about, especially if you have plants or want to get some. If you also
want more information about Organic Gardening, Denise offers great
tips and information at The Gardener’s Rake.

Cats are frequently attracted to your houseplants. If you’re like me you
love the plants as much as you love the cat and there has to be a way to
get them to live in peace without the cat digging, chewing or attempting
to use the plant as a kitty litter box.

There are several different ways to keep the cat away from your plants.

To prevent chewing you can spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange on
the leaves. These are special sprays made to use on plants and will not
harm the plant or cat. The only disadvantage is cost for the spray but
with regular use the cat will learn to leave the plants alone and you can
stop using the spray after a while. When I first bring a new plant in the
house I spray Stay Off training spray by Hartz on the pot. My cats know
this spray and know it means keep out. The smell sends them running!

You can dust the plant lightly with cayenne pepper. This will usually break
the cat from touching plants. I have done this in desperation but it’s not my
favorite practice. I am not sure how humane it is for the cat.

Plants provide cats with needed nutrients and may be why they are
attacking your plants. My favorite practice is to grow some Lemongrass
or catnip for my two cats. Both plants are easy to grow and attractive.
I put these plants near the place my cats like to watch birds and rest and
they will enjoy these plants and leave my others alone. Both plant types
can be placed on porches or in the yard if your cat goes outdoors. You can
even make a special place in your yard for you cat to enjoy these plants
and play. Place a few toys and a litter box in this area and the cats will
head to their play area.

It’s been suggested for digging or urinating, you should cover the dirt
with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, you can add some
vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. This works
but unless the plant needs foil on the soil I prefer the Rose Technique.

A friend of mine suggested using rose clippings and it works! Trim some
rose bushes and put the smaller stems and prickly rose parts in the soil.
When the cats go to dig in the soil they notice the rose clippings immediately!
They may try digging one more time but after that they stay away from
the plants. This is fast and effective and does not harm the plant or cat.

It’s also helpful to provide a variety of toys for your cat to play with while
you’re away they will forget about you houseplants. Cat towers and automatic
laser chasers, or wall or door mounted toys that they can swipe at make
great make good “play-alone” toys.  You may want to buy teething kittens
special toys. And as old as a cat may get, they still seem to like balls, string,
cardboard boxes and paper bags.

One last suggestion is to get rid of any plants that could be toxic to your cat.
Toxic plants include azaleas, caladium, dieffenbachia, ivy, lilies, mistletoe,
poinsettias and philodendron.  I do own a poinsettia but it’s up and away from
where my cats go and has rose trimming to keep the cats away, just in case.

Have you ever experienced the tickle from one of your cat’s
whiskers as they brush against your face or neck?  I have
been tickled on many occasions from each of my cat’s as they
rub up against me for attention or curling up on my shoulder
to go to sleep.  I never really thought about what they use their
whiskers for, all I really knew is that they tickled me a lot. 

Besides giving each cat their own unique distinction, whiskers
are a functional part of a cat. Whiskers are a sensory system
for cats made up of nerve endings that allow them to feel the
lightest touch, even an air current. 

Cats are known to be farsighted and they will use their whiskers
to move around in those areas that they are not able to see clearly. 
Even cats that are blind or their vision is deteriorating will rely
more on their whiskers to move about.  Cats that are born with
their vision impaired will often have longer whiskers to help them
move around.  If a cat were to lose their whiskers, they would
more than likely bump into things. 

You also can tell the mood of your cat from their whiskers.  When
your cat is calm you will see that their whiskers will be pushed
forward.  And if your cat is stressed out or is being defensive their
whiskers will be pulled closer to their face. 

If you have more than one cat, have you noticed that the whiskers
of each of them are not the same?  The length of a cat’s whiskers
even varies between breeds.  I currently have three cats and have
noticed that each one has whiskers that are different in length to
the others.  I have also noticed that Tiggy my oldest cat has a few
whiskers that are not all white, but have some black in them.  While
the other two, Leena and Cooper, have whiskers that are all white. 

Most of us see the cat’s whiskers above their eyes and around their
mouth, also called muzzle. But did you know that they also have
whiskers on the back of their front legs or what would be considered
their wrists.  I never knew that, but after I read about it, I looked on
mine and they have them. They are not as long as the whiskers on
their face, but they have them. 

Whiskers do get very long and some people are tempted to trim them
thinking that they should be to help the cat. But whiskers are never to
be trimmed, cut, or any other method of removing them.  The cats do
have nerve endings in the whiskers and they will feel the trimming and
it will not be pleasant for them. Have you ever touched one of the whiskers
on your cat’s face?  Did you notice them blink or twitch?  It is because
their whiskers are very sensitive and should be treated with care. 

Whiskers can be ticklish when applied to us in the right fashion, and
they are a very distinctive characteristic on a cat.  We should always
leave a cat’s whiskers alone, as they are their guide to moving around.

It is that time of year when many families will be preparing
to put up their Christmas trees. It all starts either by getting
your tree out of the attic or storage place, or going and picking
out the perfect tree from a tree farm or local store.  No matter
which way you start with, if you have a cat or two in the house
you need to consider a few potential dangers when preparing
this yearly ritual. 

The type of tree is important to consider, if you do not keep it
in a separate room away from your cat.  Live Christmas trees
can be deadly to a cat.  If they eat the pine needles they could
puncture the intestines.  Pine is also toxic to cats causing damage
to the liver or death.  An artificial Christmas tree is safer than a
live one, but it can also cause blockage if it is eaten. 

I put up an artificial Christmas tree, not just for the safety, but
also for the convenience of the clean up.  It still takes more
planning and preparation to keep the cats off and away from
the Christmas tree. 

Start by finding a good spot where you can place the tree that
will allow you to secure to something so that the cats cannot
knock or pull it down.  It is also a good idea to keep the tree away
from other items, such as tables, chairs, or anything else your
cat can climb on that will give it closer access to the tree.   

After you have found the perfect spot for your Christmas tree,
the next part of the yearly tradition is going to be the most fun.
Decorating the tree! Now this is the best part of getting the tree
up and ready, but it can also be the most mind boggling and nerve
wrecking task.  Especially when you have to consider the placement
of all of the decorations in proportion to your cat’s interest in any
and all of the decorations. 

Now, I have learned the hard way with placing my decorations on
the tree, that you must never put your glass bulbs near the bottom
where the cats can reach them.  The first year that we had our cats
and I decorated the tree not thinking that they would play with it, I
put the glass ornaments as well as other ornaments on the bottom
branches. Well, later that day I heard a bang, and smash of glass
breaking, only to look out and see that both cats were playing with the
dangling ornaments and knocking them on the floor.  A lot of our
ornaments were smashed and broken that year, but I learned to not
do that again.  I now put the ornaments on the upper branches, and
I no longer use glass bulbs or any other ornaments that they can break. 

Another thing to consider doing if you have cats is not to put tinsel on
your tree.  When I was growing up, we always put tinsel on our Christmas
tree. I never liked putting up the tinsel because it was so hard cleaning
up and getting it off of the tree.  I am glad that I do not put tinsel on my
Christmas tree, especially since I have cats and it can harm them if they
swallow it.  It is better to not put tinsel on your tree if you have cats.

 Also, take care in the placement of the lights.  You do not want your cat
to chew on the cord and get a nasty shock.  I did have two cats that liked
to chew on cords and I took extra care on making sure that they were
placed where they would not be tempted to chew.  A wonderful tip to keep
your cat from chewing on the cord is to place it in a plastic strip and tape it
to the floor.  Another thing to do is to tape down or remove the tag that is
attached to the lights; this is often a tempting object for cats to chew on also. 

Once you have your tree up and decorated it is now the time to become
creative in keeping your kitty away from the tree to keep your decorations
safe from its curiosity.  There are a few things that you can try to keep your
cat away from the tree.  You can place foil or two sided tape around the tree,
they do not like the feel of it and will often times stay away. Another tactic to
try is to place citrus rinds or fresheners around the tree; cats do not like the
smell of citrus and will stay away.  You can also spray your cat with water each
time it attempts to get close to the tree and it will soon stay away.  I have found
that using the water bottle to be the most effective and easiest for me to do.
Try each one and find one that will work for you and your cat.  

Make this Christmas a memorable one and do not forget to keep your cat in
mind when making preparations for your Christmas traditions, especially
those involving a tree.

If you live in the United States, you would have just observed
Thanksgiving. This is a time that many will reflect on the blessings
in their life.  This Thanksgiving was no different than the previous
ones for me, except that I have been more aware of the little Furry
Angels in my life. 

I have been reflecting on all the things that I am thankful for in my
life.  The most important of course is my family and the relationships
that I have built with each one of them.  The next most important thing
that I am very thankful for are my little Furry Angels.  Polar Bear, Tiggy,
Leena, and Cooper have brought many joyful days in my life. They also
bring frustration and worry, but their love and devotion outweighs any
trouble they bring. 

I also cannot forget the other Furry Angels that have appeared throughout
my life. The most recent that passed was Cuddles who will always be
remembered as she was always loving and willing to give you her attention
when you needed it most. I also have had other pets that have always brought
something special to my life that helped me to cope and get through some
difficult times. 

My little Furry Angels will always have a special place in my heart.  It is
amazing how they can shower you with love without even a second thought. 
I feel that they really are little Angels watching over us. They are there when
you need someone to talk to, even if they do not understand what you are
saying.  They are there when you need someone to warm you up, they make
great lap warmers.  They are there when you need some laughter, they can
do something funny and off the wall to make you laugh.  I am very thankful
for my little Furry Angels. 

There are many of us who consider our pets as part of our family and share
our lives with them. We also realize that they give us as much as we give them
and sometimes even more.  They truly are wonderful beings, and I will always
keep mine safe and give them all of my love.

Have you ever wondered what your cat is feeling?  Did you
know that you can tell by the movement of their tail?  A cat
will convey their emotions through a simple motion of their
tale.  Just as we can show our feelings without talking through
our body language, cats do the same with their tail.

Now to interpret their movements is going to allow you to
know exactly what your cat is feeling or experiencing at that
moment. This will also help you to leave a cat alone who does
not want to be bothered or shower them with love when
they want attention.

When your cat’s tail is swishing violently back and forth,
sometimes called a Sword Tail, it is your indicator that they
are agitated or anxious.  This movement is also a warning
that they could attack at any time.  When you see your cat
moving its tail in this motion you want to either leave it be
and let it relax.  You can also try to get its attention away
from you or whatever is agitating it, by tossing a toy for it
to play with. 

A cat will curl up with its tail tucked all around it, showing
that it is content.  They may also want to keep to themselves
for awhile in this position.  Wrapping their tail around them
also allows them to keep their feet warm and protected. 

The tip of your cat’s tail will also tell you a lot when you are
watching it.  If your cat’s tail is lowered but the tip is curved
upward, also known as the Tip-Off, it could mean that it is
very nervous or unsure about its surroundings for something
that has gotten its attention.  You will want to approach your
cat with caution when you see its tail in this position as it could
get aggressive.  You can soothingly talk to your cat to calm it
down.  If it continues to hold the tail with the tip curved upward
give it space to calm down. 

There is one tail position that will portray different emotions
depending on other movements of your cat; this position is
holding the tail straight up.  If your cat is holding its tail straight
up or curling slightly means it is in a friendly mood or really
happy to see you.  When a tail is straight up but quivering, your
cat is showing its love.  I have only seen this particular tail
position in one of my cats.  Cuddles used to jump on my lap
and her tail would be straight up and quivering, it was a good
feeling knowing that she loved me so much.  You do however
want to watch out for your cat when their tail is straight up
and fully bristled, it is angry and is telling you to “Watch Out.” 

Another tail movement that has more than one meaning is
when your cat is swishing its tail back and forth.  If the
swishing movement is rapid and forceful, your cat is not
in the mood to play.  However, the opposite is true if the
movement  is gentle.  A swishing motion is often an indication
that something has caught your cat’s attention.  It could be
thinking about pouncing on a toy or climbing a tree.

There is one movement that may appear cute or harmless,
but if your cat is against something with its tail straight up
and quivering it could mean that it is marking that object. 
This type of tail movement is an indication that it is spraying. 
If you catch your cat backing up to an object, get its attention
away from spraying. 

Have you seen your cat’s tail bush out to make it look larger
than it really is?  I have seen this type of tail movement in all
of my cats. It is done when they are frightened or very irritated.
I have only seen my cats’ tail in the bushy position when they
get frightened, and it usually occurs when something catches
them by surprise. 

Another movement that only involves the tip of the tail is a
tick tock motion.  If the tip of the tail is sharply moving from
side to side it is a very good sign that your cat is very irritated
and that it wants to be left alone. 

Knowing the different movements that your cat’s tail make is
good to know, but what if your cat does not have a tail? There
are breeds of cats that do not have tails, and a cat can also lose
its tail in an accident.  So how do you know what they are saying? 
If you have a cat without a tail, listen to its meow, purring, or
watch how it is arching its back. It will show you what it is trying
to tell you without its tail.

Have you noticed the distinct characteristics of your cat
that make him or her unique.  Is your cat loveable, full
of energy, always exploring every nook and cranny,
aggressive, scared of unusual sounds or movements, or
always wanting to play? These are just a few characteristics
that shape the personality of your beloved cat.

I have noticed that each cat I have encountered or owned
are different.  No two are alike, just like us. They each also
have some characteristics that are similar to another cat,
but they are not identical, giving them their own personality.

All of my cats have been loveable, but not so much that they
want my attention all the time. Tiggy likes to sit on my lap
for awhile nuzzling and sucking on my shirt, but when she
no longer needs my attention she will go and do something
else.  None of my cats like to be picked up and held, they will
allow you to hold them when they are ready and willing. 
They also like to play, and again each one has a different level
of playing. Cooper will run around playing with any item that
he finds interesting at that moment. He also loves to tease
Tiggy and Leena until one of them will play with him.  Leena
does not play much unless Cooper entices her for a game of
wrestling.  Tiggy will not play with Leena and she occasionally
plays with Cooper.  She does like to play by herself on occasion.
It is funny watching her chase her tail.  There is one game that
they all like to play and I can get them to do it at the drop of
a hat, all I have to do is grab some string and dangle it about
and run it across the floor and all three of them are running
and chasing it, trying to grab it.  It is the only time that all three
will play together.  Before Cuddles passed, her and Tiggy played
a lot together, especially when they were kittens.  I can definitely
see a different personality in each of my cats.

So how does a cat get its personality?  Is it from it nature or is
it from nurturing?  The answer is both.  Just like us, cats will
carry a part of their parents’ traits with them.  They will get
different characteristics from each of their mom and dad.  They
are still unique because they are a creation from both their mom
and dad.  I also believe that their personality is built by the way
they are raised and by what they are surrounded by.

Do you want to know what your cat’s personality is? There is a
fun “Cat Personality Quiz” at Cat Channel.  Click HERE to take
the quiz and find out your cat’s personality.  I took it for each
of my cats.  Cuddles ranked a Nervous Nelly, and she was.  She
hid when people came to visit.  Tiggy, Leena, and Cooper all
ranked as a Steady Sam, although each one did not have the
same point value in each category.  So go now and find out if
your cat is a Fun Fluffy, Nervous Nelly, Steady Sam, Hyper
Hank, or a Cuddly Cutie.  Click HERE now.

For some more fun and entertaining tidbits about your cat,
if you know the day your cat was born, check out to see their
Cat Astrological Sign.  If you do not know the exact day, you
can still read each of the Cat Astrological Signs and find one
that describes your cat.  It is fun and interesting what it says
about your cat.  Click HERE to view your cat’s sign.

Have you ever wondered why a cat purrs and how?  It
really seems to be a mystery as to why that little rumble
you hear coming from your cat occurs at any given time. 
I thought that a cat would purr out of contentment or
happiness.

I have heard my own cats’ purr start whenever I begin to
stroke or pet them while comforting or loving them.  They
also start to roar up a storm after jumping up into my lap
and curling up to sleep.  I thought that the only time they
would purr was when they were cuddled up sleeping on my
lap or from my soothing touch.  At least until I walked by
Tiggy lying on the bed by herself fast asleep, I could hear
her little rumble.

I became curious after finding that it wasn’t just when my
cats were around me that they would purr.  So with my
curiosity peaked, I started to search for information to
answer my question – Why do my cats’ purr?  I came across
some different sources of information and all appeared to
have a common answer.  There is not a definite answer to
why a cat purrs.

Little research has been done on this aspect of the cat. 
There may be more done in the future to answer the
questions to those of us who are curious about a cat’s purr.

It is believed that a cat does purr when it is happy and
content.  I must agree with this, as I have witnessed my
cats’ purring when they are content.  At least it appears
that they are content as they are curled up on my lap
singing up a storm.

There are also some who believe that a cat also purrs when
they are in pain, suffering, or even stressed.  I have not
experienced the purring when my cats’ have been stressed
or suffering.  Even with the loss of one of my cat’s, Cuddles,
when she was sick I did not notice her purring out of stress
or suffering.  Her purring still occurred just as it did before,
while sitting on my lap when I stroked or massaged her.  I
am not saying that this theory is not true; I am just stating
that I have no actual experience of my cats’ purring when
stressed or suffering.

Another burning question that I had wondered about was
how do they purr?  How can a rumbling sound make their
whole body vibrate and get you to feel safe and relaxed.  I
find my cats’ purr to be very comforting and wanted to know
how they did it.

A cat’s purr is believed to be produced by vibrating the
voice box or larynx.  This vibrating can occur at a frequency
between 25 and 150 Hertz.  This is also a frequency that is
believed to promote healing and bone growth.  Each cat will
have their own tone of vibration.  Some cats have a loud purr
while others are barely audible, the only way you know they
are purring is by touching them and feel the vibration of
their body.

The mechanism in which the cat purrs can actually explain
a lot when referring to healing.  Cats are known to have
“9 lives”, which can be explained with the frequency of the
purr enabling the cat to heal itself.  Most cat owners will
also confirm that they experience less stress in their daily
lives or are able to relax after a very stressful day just by
sitting with their cat and stroking their silky fur and listening
to the melodic tone of the purr. 

I do believe that the purr promotes overall good health and
well-being for both the cat and the owner or anyone who
has daily contact with a loving cat.  My cats have been a pure
joy and definitely help to keep my relaxed at the end of a
stressful day. 

The next time you are next to your cat or any cat and you
hear that little rumble, reach down and feel the vibration. 
Also, know that there is more to that little rumble than the
noise that you hear pouring from your cat.  It is a powerful
tool for your cat to keep it happy and healthy.

Have you ever received a cat massage?  Do you know what
a cat massage is?  It is where your frisky little friend hops
on your back and gives you a gentle massage.  This little
technique is actually something that my precious Cuddles
made up on her own, and it had many benefits for both of us.

It was rather comical when it first started.  I was lying in
bed when Cuddles jumped on my back and started kneading
away and purring up a storm.  She was kneading with such
intensity that it actually felt like I was at a spa getting a real
massage.

She would not do it often, but I certainly enjoyed it when
she was in her loving mood and I let her know with some
extra hugs and stroking.  She is gone now and the other cats
have never done the kneading massage on my back, so now
it is up to my husband to do the back massages.

There is another type of cat massage.  It is a massage that
you give your cat.  You must do this with care as you do not
want to turn your cat off to a wonderful bonding experience.

There are two main purposes of massaging your cat.  Getting
your cat to relax and for you to do a self-examination of your
cat.  It will also allow you to get to know your cat very well
and create a special bond.

Massaging a cat can be a little tricky, depending on how touchy
or loveable your cat can be with your touch.  Some cats love
to be rubbed down all over and some do not.  It will take time
for you to find the areas that your cat will allow you to do a
gentle massage.  Be patient and take it slow, you want it to be
enjoyable for both of you.

While you are exploring with massaging your cat, notice how
they feel to your touch.  Get to know each area of them, at
least the ones that they will allow you to touch and massage.
After awhile you will notice your cat relaxing more and this
will allow them to relieve any stress they have felt during
the day.

Each one of my cats is different in the areas that they will
allow me to massage. Tiggy is very fussy about her tummy
and refuses to let me rub or massage it, so I leave it alone and
just work the rest of her muscles.  Cooper loves a massage
anyway he can get it, as long as it is when he wants it.  Leena
also does not like her tummy to be rubbed or massaged,
but she sure does love her neck to be rubbed.

When massaging them also pay attention to things like lumps,
bumps, or anything that doesn’t feel normal.  Or even a new
irritation that they didn’t have with the massage before.  I
actually found a lump on Leena’s neck during one of her massages. 
I did not like how it felt, so I immediately made an appointment
for her to see the vet.  She had a skin infection on her chin and
it was her limp nodes that I felt as being lumpy.  I am glad that
I found it, because she could have gotten really sick from the
infection. 

Learning to give your cat a massage has many benefits.  You
create a loving bond with your cat.  It releases any stress and
relaxes them, so they feel better.  And you can even discover
a condition that is not normal and have it looked at before it
becomes serious.

Get your cat and discover the benefits of massage with them,
maybe you will even be lucky and they will surprise you by
giving you a massage.