Cats

It is natural for cats to spend a lot of time sleeping. A cat will sleep an average of eighteen hours a day. It is natural for a cat to be lethargic after completing a meal. The modern domesticated cat is prone to lethargy primarily because the human caregiver overfeeds and under exercises her! Of course, there are other causes of cat lethargy.

There are many reasons why cats cry excessively. A healthy cat may cry a lot because of loneliness and boredom. An older cat will cry excessively because of illness or disorientation. A spoiled cat will cry incessantly because she is constantly rewarded, usually with food, every time she cries.

As described in Adopting the Right Cat for You, set up a room as a home base for your new cat—this will allow for a gradual introduction to the family. For the first 72 hours, do nothing. It is important to allow your new cat to become accustomed to her surroundings. Your new cat is not only acclimating to home base, she also is using her fine-tuned senses to discover what is beyond the closed door of her home base, including resident cats.

You must first decide whether or not you want a kitten or a cat. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A kitten will adjust more easily to your lifestyle than will an adult cat. But, an adult cat will already have gone through that rambunctious, crazy period. It is easier to recognize the personality type, e.g., shy or outgoing, if the cat is half-grown or older. The most important consideration is whether or not the cat is healthy and psychologically undamaged.

Your cat may feel quite upset at the arrival of a new baby. It is important to follow certain steps to reduce this stress and, if you do, baby and kitty will be friends and companions for a long time.

If you are already the guardian of a cat and want to adopt another, it is best to adopt one that is younger, smaller, and the opposite sex of the one you now have. Your older, larger cat will be more accepting of a younger, smaller cat. To avoid inter/male, inter/female rivalry, it is best to adopt the opposite sex.