Cats

Enriching the environment for your indoor cat can help her live a happy, fulfilled life and may prevent behavioral problems. Cats love having access to multiple resources. If you have more than one cat, the need increases. Resources can include: litter boxes, food, resting spots, window perches, toys, cat trees, etc.

There are many factors that contribute to the safety or danger of a toy. Many of those factors; however, are completely dependent upon your cat's size, activity level, and personal preference. Another factor to be considered is the environment in which your cat spends her time. Although we cannot guarantee your cat's enthusiasm or her safety with a specific toy, we can offer the following guidelines.

Cats are intelligent, sensitive animals who are completely dependent on their human caregivers. These qualities make them very trainable. In fact, cats have been trained to do certain "tricks" in television commercials and movies. Cats are trained to help the hearing impaired by responding to smoke alarms, doorbells, and telephones. I know of a blind person who is using a cat as a guide in her home. The cat meows a warning just before the person is about to bump into something. Cats can even be taught to use the toilet. Now, if we could only get them to flush it!

Since neutering requires surgery, it is emotionally traumatic. Handled properly, your cat will recover quickly. Let us first dispel the myths surrounding the neutering of cats. Cats do not get fat and lazy after being neutered. They get that way because of overeating and lack of exercise. Cats do not become more satisfactory pets after they have had sexual intercourse, had their first heat, or given birth to a litter of kittens.

Before taking your new adoptee home and risking exposing her to any infectious disease, take her to a veterinarian for a thorough health check-up, including a test for feline leukemia, de-worming, inoculations and, if appropriate, neutering. Plan on staying home with your new kitty for several days, helping her get over the stress of the visit to the veterinarian and the move from her previous home.

Some cats are quite traumatized by a move to a new home; others take it in stride. It is best, however, to prepare for this usually upsetting time in a cat's life. Since cats are very territorial, moving one to a new territory can be terrifying, especially if the new territory is inhabited by a number of other cats.