cat well being Archives - Page 5 of 8 - MyThreeCats.com CatBlog

Outdoor cats – what they do that you don’t know

Didga the Cat (with his human, not pictured). — Didga the Cat (***supervised*** by his human, not pictured).

OK, so your cat has had his dinner, and is now pleading to you to let him outside, using his most convincing, nagging meowwwwwww. You oblige.

So….what’s your cat’s next move? Any number of potential adventures awaits him.

Unless your cat is Didga (see the picture above), I would suspect he is completely on his own, at will to come and go as he pleases. Here are just a few of the many options he has available to him, depending on his environment and the time he spends out there.

He finds and chases insects (name your preference); birds; rodents and other wildlife. Keep in mind your cat is not wild, he is domesticated and not created to run wild. However, once his hunting instincts kick in, he would tell you otherwise.
If he’s lucky enough (again, from his perspective), he will catch them, play with them, and then consume them, in part or in full. He may even bring the remains, intact or not, to your front door, as his gift to you.
Your cat may end up very sick from eating these various vermin, which may cause him and you much distress and cost you a pretty penny at the animal hospital. If he’s fortunate, he will recover.
Crossing the street is another routine, as your cat will undoubtedly want to get from Point A to Point B. It may be a quiet street, rarely occupied by vehicles. On the other hand, it may be a busy highway. It doesn’t matter to your cat. He will try to cross it. (Can you tell where this story is heading?)
Your cat likes to think that all humans are kind and really, really like him, just like you do. He is trusting. Unfortunately, the world has both kind people and those who are nasty to animals.. Will he lead a charmed life and never encounter any of the nasties out there, while outdoors? We hope and pray so, but it’s not certain.
Finally, what happens if the sunny, mild weather suddenly changes into a dark, threatening thunderstorm. Where will your cat go to seek shelter? He may run right home to you if he’s close enough, but that’s not always possible. As for me, knowing my cat might be out there cowering somewhere would really bother me to think about.

As you can see, it’s not all sun and butterflies out there. And, as you can tell, we definitely have a bias in this matter, and believe that companion cats should, whenever possible, remain indoors. However, we understand it’s entirely up to you as a responsible and cat loving human, to make that decision.

Fortunately, there are plenty of cat toys and safer diversions available for indoor cats. We invite you to go to MyThreeCats.com and check them out!

Cats are amazing. Did you know…

A cat’s heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110-140 beats per minute.
A cat’s normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees. This is slightly warmer than a humans.
Cats have 290 bones in their body, and 517 muscles.
A cat has five more vertebrae in her spinal column than her human does.
A cat will almost never “meow” at another cat. This sound is reserved for humans.
During her productive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens. (Spay and/or neuter your cat!)
Kittens begin dreaming at just one week old.
If your cat is 3, your cat is 21 in human years. If your cat is 8, your cat is 40 in human years. If your cat is 14, your cat is 70 in human years.
The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.
Cats are partially color blind. They have the equivalency of human red/green color blindness. (Reds appear green and greens appear red; or shades thereof.)
Cats need 1/6th the amount of light that humans do to see. Their night vision is amazing!
Cats can see up to 120 feet away. Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees.
A cat’s ear pivots 180 degrees. They have 30 muscles in each ear, and use twelve or more muscles to control their ear movement.

Miraculous Story – Frozen Kitten Saved by Man With CPR

A small, white kitten camouflaged by freshly fallen snow, was discovered frozen by the Bingham children playing outdoors.

The seemingly lifeless kitten was rushed inside their house. A quick thinking father called his vet trained brother, Justin, who rushed to the scene and started to work on the motionless kitten.

After Justin dedicated an hour of rubbing the kitten and pumping his chest in an effort to get his blood flowing (see video at: Lazarus Kitty ), the miracle baby started to revive. By the end of the day, the little guy was up on his paws and meowing.

The family named him Lazarus, after the Bible story of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Lazarus was adopted into the family, and is now romping energetically around their home.

Miracles do happen!

Texas Former Shelter Cat Sheds 22 Lbs., Purr-sonality Blooming at 19 Lbs!

A former 41 pound cat dubbed Skinny has lost more than half of his weight to become the darling of a Dallas based veterinary clinic.

Skinny admits he's a much happier cat these days. — Skinny admits he’s a much happier cat these days.

It's all in a day's work. Skinny sails through his exercise routine. — It’s all in a day’s work. Skinny sails through his exercise routine.

Dr. Brittney Barton says the orange tabby she adopted in 2013 has slimmed down to 19 pounds with exercise and a special diet. Barton calls Skinny the “resident cat” at her practice, HEAL Veterinary Hospital.

Barton said last week that Skinny spends weekdays roaming the clinic. The ex-fat cat’s weekends are spent at home with Barton and her family.

Skinny was founds abandoned near Dallas in 2012 and ended up at a shelter. The vet says Skinny just had his annual checkup and is healthy.

Source: Associated Press

5 Tips for Keeping Your Cat-Occupied Home Smelling Fresh

5 ways for keeping your cat-occupied home smelling fresh

Sharing your home with cats has many benefits but one of the downsides is that owning cats also means owning the odors that come along with them.

The irony of course is that cats themselves don’t smell! In fact, they are fastidious about cleanliness. The “smell” people associate with cats is usually because the humans aren’t doing their part to keep things clean.

Bacteria are usually the source of smells, so focus on areas where these bacteria breed and grow and you can catch odor early before it gets bad.

Here are 5 ways to keep your home fresh, whether you have one cat or a whole gang of them.

1. Start With The Litter Box

Not surprisingly, litter box smell can be overpowering and permeate your entire home if left unattended. Make sure you are scooping litter boxes at least once a day and more often if you can. Then, get that waste out of the house quickly!

Consider sprinkling a bit of baking soda in the bags you use to collect the litter box contents. This might help keep the odors in check in your outdoor garbage until garbage day. Another great use for baking soda is to sprinkle some at the bottom of the litter box to help absorb odors.

Even if you’re scooping regularly, make sure to change the litter completely a couple of times a month because bacteria remain in the box even after you scoop.

Wash out the box with unscented soap and water each time you change the litter and remember to replace the entire box once or twice a year. Also, be sure to check out the litter boxes and accessories at MyThreeCats.com!

2. Investigate the Entire House For Smells

If you can’t easily determine the source of an odor in your home, do some detective work to find out if your cat’s doing his business outside the box. Check corners, behind furniture and in closets to find out if your cat’s been peeing or pooping where he shouldn’t.

Also check along walls and the walls themselves to determine if you have a spraying cat. If your cat has been using a spot in your home as his alternative potty spot, use an enzymatic cleaner to clean the area or items or, ideally, throw them away.

Also, it’s important to remember that if your cat is peeing or pooping in strange places, please schedule a vet visit. Sometimes this type of behavior is a symptom of a medical issue.

3. Get the Vacuum Out

If you have cats or any type of pet, be diligent about vacuuming. And don’t stop with the carpet. Make sure you regularly vacuum rugs, couches, chairs and even draperies to capture fur, dander and, yes, odors. Again, sprinkling baking soda on carpets or furniture and then vacuuming it up can help keep things fresh.

4. Wash Cat Beds and Blankets

Don’t forget to wash your cat’s favorite blankets or cat bed on a regular basis. Remember, your cat’s paws dig in the litter box several times a day. There’s bound to be some transfer of germs and odor-causing bacteria. Keep those snuggle spots clean!

5. Keep Food and Water Area Clean

Your cat’s food and water areas are another prime breeding ground for bacteria. Sitting water, like the water in your cat’s bowl, can quickly grow bacteria, eventually leading to an unpleasant smell. And, you certainly don’t want your cat drinking out of it! Wash the water bowls and replace with clean water at least once a day.

Food that sits out can also lead to a smelly mess. Make sure to clean up spilled kibble and especially chunks of uneaten canned food that your cat may have missed.

Just because you have cats in your home doesn’t mean it has to smell like you have cats in your home! Keep on top of regular cleaning and be aware of stinky trouble zones, and you’ll have a fresh clean house for everyone in your family to enjoy!

Do you have a tip to share us with us? How do you keep your cat-occupied home smelling fresh? Let’s chat about it in comments below!