On Aggressive Cats

It's great fun and good exercise for your cat to stalk, chase, pounce, scratch and bite her toys. But you're not one of her toys! What should you do if your cat is a little bit too rough?
Make sure your cat has something interesting it can check out, like paper bags or cardboard boxes. Spend at least ten minutes fooling around with your cat. During playtime, don't let him bat your hands. Instead, focus your play away from you by using a long dangly toy like a ribbon. Give your cat regular “time-outs” when he plays too aggressively. And when he starts to bite and scratch you, end the game by simply leaving the room. Don't even think of picking him up. This will only increase the chances of being bitten – compared to being smitten. Have fun!

Travel with your cat by air

Air travel can be hectic for both you and your cat. Preparation goes a long way. One way is to have the vet microchip your cat. Breakaway collars are also great: make sure it has destination information in case your cat escapes. Book a direct flight. This way, your cat won't be left on the tarmac during extreme weather or be mishandled by baggage personnel.

Write the words “live animal” in huge letters on top of the crate. Also write the name, address and telephone number of where your cat is going, and whether you will be traveling with your cat or if someone else is picking him up. One more thing: line the crate with some type of bedding – shredded paper towels – to absorb accidents. Happy landings.

Feeding an older cat

You'll notice some age related changes when your cat is about seven to twelve years of age. You can start feeding your cat on a senior diet.

A diet with lower caloric density to avoid weight gain is a start, but with a normal protein level to help maintain muscle mass. Also talk to your vet about increasing your senior cat's vitamin E intake. Antibody response decreases as cats age. That's why you need to feed it vitamin E if it is actually older than seven. It will have an antibody level that's as strong as a younger cat. Any cat can get old. All it has to do is to live long enough in a healthy way.

Bathing your cat

Make sure your cat is mellow and relaxed. A play session with her will do the trick. Brush her to remove any loose hair. Also place some cotton in her ears to keep the water out. ?

Put rubber bath mat in the sink where you’ll be bathing your cat so she doesn’t slip. Fill with four inches of lukewarm water. ?Use a hand-held spray, hose or pitcher to thoroughly get her wet. Do not to spray directly in her ears, eyes and nose. If you don’t have a spray hose, a plastic pitcher works great. ?

Gently massage with a solution of one part cat shampoo to five parts water, working from head to tail. Through all of this, avoid your cats' face, ears and eyes. ?

Your little bathing beauty deserves endless praise—and her favorite treat—after all this! And with such a happy ending, next time she may find that bath time isn’t so bad.

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