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Cat Behavior
Cat Behavior includes ways in which cats act and behave, from purring when they are content to playing to other types of behavior.
5,595 Questions
What can you do about a roommate's un-neutered cat's behavior?
An unspayed cat will display many troubling behaviours. The cat should be neutered, for the cat's and your sake.
Assuming the behavior you are asking about is SPRAYING. A discussion with your room mate on getting this male neutered should be in order. Un-Neutered Male cats will alway's Spray. They are marking their territory. The smell is absolutly over whelming and needless to say if it's spraying in your home, is almost impossible to get out of anything.
Encourage your roomate to have the cat neutered. This procedure is simple, safe and inexpensive ( If you go to the Humane Society or the SPCA ). A neutered cat is also a healthier cat.
Most cats do not like nor readily take to being leash trained but, fear not! It can be done.
Most cats can be leash trained with patience. I have trained both my kitties successfully Make sure you get a harness specially made for cats, collars or dog harnesses are just too easy for kitty to escape.
Step One: Place the harness somewhere where kitty spends a lot of time. By his bed is a good spot. Let him sniff and explore the harness and leash. Don't interfere with this, or praise him for playing with it, just let him be.
Leave the harness there until he is used to it and ignores it. This can take up to several days.
Step Two: Place the harness on kitty just before a meal or treat. Kitty is likely to disapprove of the harness and either refuse to move, or squirm like a crazy kitty. If the harness is the right fit (you should be able to slip two fingers between the kitty and the harness comfortably) just wait for kitty to calm down and get used to the harness. Try distracting kitty with a toy.
Once kitty is comfortable running about the house with his harness on, it's time to move to the next step.
Step Three: Now, it's time to clip the leash to the harness and let kitty drag it about the house on his own. Watch and make sure that the lead doesn't tangle in anything The idea is to let the leash passively drag behind kitty. This can be difficult if you're trying to train two kitties at once, since kitty A will play with kitty B's lead and defeat the idea, and you may skip this step in that case.
Once kitty is unperturbed by the dangling leash, proceed to next step.
Step Four: Now pick up the loop of the leash and follow kitty about the house. This is a great opportunity to teach kitty the word "stay". Walk around after kitty and then stop while saying "stay" or whatever stop command you choose. Say the command calmly and simply stop moving. Kitty may freak out a little on his end of the leash, but if you wait for him to calm and talk reassuringly he'll learn that he's not going anywhere with out you. Don't give in on this one, if he learns that he can convince you to move, he won't accept your authority on this, and it's very important for his safety outdoors to have him stop when necessary.
Once kitty is comfortable stopping at your command, proceed to next step.
Step Five: Now's the time to start dictating kitty's route. In step four, you were simply following kitty wherever he wanted to go. Now you need to start coaxing him to go where you want him to. Start walking in the direction you want to go and give the leash a short, soft tug and say come. If kitty doesn't come, keep coaxing him gently until he does (this is where patience comes into play). When kitty comes to you, give him a favorite treat.
Keep doing this until kitty comes immediately to your side. Then gradually reduce the treat frequency until you only dole out occasional treats (keep praising up though!). Now it's time for step 6.
Step Six: It's FINALLY time to go outside with kitty. At this point, you should have kitty following you about the house on a leash pretty consistently, so it's time to bring leash walking to the great outdoors. Start somewhere quiet like your yard. If like me, you don't have one, try a quiet park where there aren't many dogs (the last thing you need after all this hard work is to have a dog scare your cat into hating walks!)
Once kitty's comfortable in a quite place, you can start venturing out to other more exciting routes.
Can a female cat die from going into estrus after being spayed?
Estrus is the time in a female cats reproductive cycle which the female cat is receptive to the male cat. According to the question posted the cat had been spayed.
If the cat has really been spayed it cannot come into estrus. If it has not actually been spayed and you just think it has, then it could come into estrus, but this is not dangerous (except she may get pregnant). Either way she will not die, or at least not of that!
If a cat is constipated is it normal if he scrapes his bum on the carpet and leaves stains on it?
No, it is not normal for a cat to scrape its bum on the carpet and leave stains. This behavior could indicate discomfort or irritation, and it is important to consult a veterinarian to address the underlying cause of the constipation and any related issues.
What is the best way to seal an open wound on a cat's stomach from ripped stitches after spaying?
When my cat was spayed I used a plastic collar on her so she could rip at her stitches. Just like in humans when the stitches start to dry out and the wound is healing it can prickle or become very irritating. Please see the vet that performed the operation. Most cities have a humane society that can help with animal care, often at no charge. Call and find out. If that absolutely won't work for you, get steri-strips from the drug store and use them to close the incision. Keep it clean with peroxide and antibiotic cream. there are products on the market for human use that could be used on a cat, one being NEW SKIN. if you can not afford that try SUPPER GLUE. i have even used that on myself once. If none works take the cat to the vet. you should call the vet and explain what happened they will be able to tell you what you should use and do. If anything you should use Neosporin. Yeah, you gotta take your buddy to the vet. She could get a bad infection if you don't get that closed back up. The person who performed the surgery has seen this before, he/she will know what to do, and may not charge you (and if he does, probably not too much). This happened to a 5 month tabby that was supposed to be released after 5 days. Her spay wound was swelling and the outer stitches were gone. I gave her a round of amoxicillin 250mg/5ml suspension, 2.5 ml twice daily for 7 days. The swelling subsided and thank God, the wound closed. Best thing to do though is ask a vet about it. Better yet bring the animal to the vet for an examination.
Why does a female cat go into heat after being sprayed by a male cat?
Whether that is the reason or not, is indefinite. However, the male has hormones in his urine that the female cat responds to, and these could trigger her mating response.
no, don't they sniff each other out?
The female emits pheromones when she is in heat that the male cat responds to. So the order is, the female is in heat and THEN the male sprays to mark territory.
ANSWER:
you might want to think:''is it a tick?'',and take you cat,and the bump(a.k.a,do not skratch it of,yet)to the vet NOW.thank you and good night.
Is it normal for a cat to lose one or two whiskers now and again and do they grow back?
- Yes, it is normal, and yes, they will grow back. Cats shed whiskers just as they shed fur. Losing a whisker is no problem unless there is bleeeding or swelling and drainage at the site.
- Provided there are no signs of illness, injury, or infection. If there are get your friend to the vet ASAP. Then yes, it is ok and quite normal for a cat to loose their whiskers. Even though they may be a little clumsy at times. Cats whiskers are used to help them keep their balance, sense of direction, as well as to judge how close they are to certain objects. So if your cat is missing more than a couple of whiskers and is occasionally bumping into things he never has before, don't be surprised by it. Give it a couple of weeks and you should notice the whiskers starting to regrow.
- Whiskers are a form of hair shaft that just grows longer and stronger than the rest of the cat's fur. Losing a few is normal as cats shed these just like they shed and regrow the rest of the hairs all over their body. If you notice that the cat has a brittle coat with lots of hairs breaking easily it could signal a health problem usually malnutrition but a couple of whiskers being lost is fine and normal. Kittens playing rough with each other may have caused yours to break a couple of them.
== == * Well, this depends. Usually a cat will have a little bit of dried feces around the opening -which is dark and usually hard. If what you see is white/beige and looks like small rice grains, then kitty has tapeworms. There are different medications for the various types of worms so be sure to familiarize yourself with the symptoms. You can buy some of them at good pet shops and others at the vet. == == == == == == * As the person above me states, there will be a small amount of fecal matter around the anal exit, it will be dry and brown or black, most of the time it will cause discomfort if you try to remove it, so you're best of just leaving it be. Also true on the fact that if there are specks outward more and they appear to be small grains of rice it could be worms and you need to have your pet seen. * If it seems like the cat is having diarrhea or another condition and there is a large amount of fecal matter around the anus, think about any changes in your cats diet or surroundings that might have caused an upset tummy. * Always remember that cats are generally clean animals and if they seem to be lacking in this area there could be issues going on that have nothing to do with what you see is wrong. You are the best judge of your pet and if it doesn't seem right get him seen ASAP!
== == == == * If it seems to get worse and it doesn't look to just be feces, then yes take it to the vet. But keep in mind cats can't wipe themselves, and some just don't like there behinds either, my cats anus isn't always clean either. == == * If your cat has worms you may be seeing the eggs and shedding worm bodies around the anus. This is more likely if your cat is licking its bum more than usual, or dragging its bottom along the floor to rub it * This is NOT normal. This could be worms, which can be very dangerous to a cat. Visit the vet immediately and ask what he/she thinks you should do. Usually patients like this start worming programs.
If a cat with two kittens is living under your deck and you do not feed them do you have a problem?
You need to trap the mother cat and take the babies and cat into a safe place like the garage.Get the kittens around people so they are not wild anymore.Then when the kittens get better you can set the mother cat back into the wild , you can keep the cat as your own ,or give the the cat to the shelter.With the babies you can give them away or whatever you want to do with them.It wont be a problem if do this right. By the way get the cat fixed so they don't have babies in your yard again.
How do you know if a kitten still needs its mother?
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No kitten should be adopted and taken from the mother before 8-9 weeks, at a minimum, but 12 weeks is much better, as long as they are getting plenty of attention and socialization with people.
Kittens will be able to begin eating some solid food at about 4 weeks of age, but that does not mean they can be taken from their mother. They will continue to nurse up to 12 weeks, and occasionally even longer. Kittens who are taken from their mother sooner sometimes develop a behavior called "wool sucking": they will suck and chew on fabric, your neck or hand, clothing, and pillows.
While a mother dog begins to wean her pups at around 5 weeks, and they are fully weaned by around 7-8 weeks (or a little older if they are kept with the mother), a mother cat will allow her kittens to nurse sometimes even after 12 weeks of age.
An orphaned kitten can be fed by bottle, and given lots of attention. It can start to eat solid food, along with the bottle at around 4 weeks, gradually eating more solid and less bottled formula, but not taking the bottle completely away too early. It will survive, but psychologically/behaviorally it is much better for them to stay with their mother until about 3 months, or at least between 9-12 weeks.
A kitten will often if allowed to, take milk from the mother up to a year old. Until the mother says no that is enough, usually a first mother will let the kitten take a long time to wean, for comfort needs. With human intervention, you can stop it much earlier, but never for a 6 week old. That is just too short a time; many kittens weaned young go on to develop suckling habits for the rest of their lives.
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Most mothers will wean the babies when they are ready. It will need soft kitten food for a while after that. Occasionally, some mothers wean early, though. But if it's been at least six weeks, the kitten is fine and doesn't need the mother. It may want her, but that's different. If it is weaned before six weeks, the kitten will need special kitten milk for a few weeks before giving it wet kitten food. If you go to a good pet store, they will be able to help you better.
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Most kittens need their mother for 3 months. If they are departed sooner than that, it can cause strong emotional damage to the queen (mother cat) and the kitten. But by 3 months, they should be noticeably dependable on themselves.
from dedicated cat owner:
Normally a kitten that is not old enough will try and 'pad' for milk on things that resembles a mother cat; e.g. a cuddly toy. For a pedigree, normally 12 weeks, and a non pedigree normally 10-12 weeks.
I have owned over 20 cats in my life time, and have helped raise at least ten different litters of kittens. Yes, it is better to wait until 10 weeks of age. A kitten needs a mothers' milk at first, for the colostrum, extra nutrition, and short term protection against some diseases until they are five weeks of age. At five weeks you can start giving it soft food or kitten food mixed with some milk replacer. At six weeks they don't need the milk anymore to survive. Some people like to wait a little longer, but it is not required for them to drink the mothers milk that long to survive. At the moment I have a five week old kitten and I am feeding it a mix of "Precision nutrition" Milk replacer and some good quality wet kitten food.
(If you do plan on hand raising a kitten, never forget that a kitten is not able to poo or pee on its own until about 4-5 weeks of age, use a warm wet rag and gently rub the kittens genitals to help it eliminate. The mother would lick it clean, so try to imitate a mothers licking).
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The answer depends upon what you mean by "need their mother." If you mean only physical needs, then the answers that suggest 6-8-weeks MAY be considered correct. HOWEVER, kittens continue to learn important social skills from BOTH their mother and their litter mates and, for optimal health, should remain with the mother and litter for 12 weeks.
You would know if a kitten needs his/her mother if it was taken away before 8-12 weeks of birth. Kittens need their mothers because they give milk. Puppies are used to being away from their birth parents because dogs are more of a travel pet. Kittens, however are not meant to be away from their mothers early. If your kitten is looking unhappy, then you should not give h/im/er milk from your refrigerator. The mother's milk is not carbonated, and cats cannot have any type of food related substances. If you give your cat food, it could lead to tapeworms: A bacterium inside a being that eats the dissolved food that you have eaten; A flesh eating disease.
I kept my kittens nursing until they were at least 9 months because I wasn't really sure at first.
What do you do if your cat is excessively tired and losing his hair and appetite?
The Hair loss sounds like an allergic reaction. Allergy test are expensive. If your cat has a loss of appetite and is tired all of the time then he'she may be diabetic. You definetly need to carry it to the vet.
How can you treat your cat if it has a cold?
I have had 2 cats that lived for 22 years . I bathed them once a month, combed there long hair every day, provided dry food for them at all times, and warmed there can wet food before I gave it to them . When they got the sniffles I gave them Vit. E 1 pill and C . I got there shots for the first 2 years and Never had to take them to the Vet after that. I believe that keeping them Clean and there litter box clean by using 1 half cup Vinegar to 1 quart of water in a spray bottle to clean out the box and spraying the littler with vinegar after scooping it out on top 2 to 4 sprays In Between .... and Changing the box once a week, had A Lot to do with there Long life. Along with a lot of love and play and of course good treats . I never gave them cat nip until they were 2 years of age, and not very often, its not that good for them really . The Secret To Along Life.
Why would your cat want to eat your hair?
Well it is because they either are bored or they want to play one way to get them to stop is to play with them. It is as simple as that just a little play could do the heart and soulgood. Also cats like the smell of anything sweet and fragrant and could be attracted to your shampoo like a bee is attracted to a flower.
Cats often bond socially by grooming. Since modern humans tend to remove or cover every bit of hair from their bodies except on the top of the head, cats may seem to want to "eat" human hair.
It has been said that the method in which they eat, or suck hair is similar to the sucking motion of a cat on its mother's teat. Your cat could be showing affection for you as she would her mother, or be equating you to her mother.
Is your cat talented if he can climb 2 feet up a tree on his first try?
It shows that your cat has natural climbing abilities, but it may be too soon to determine if he is talented. Keep observing his behavior and skills over time to see if he consistently demonstrates impressive climbing abilities.
Do a seed need anything while it is still dormant?
Seeds in dormancy do not require much. They need to be kept in a dry and cool environment to prevent germination. Some seeds may benefit from stratification (exposure to cold temperatures) to break dormancy and improve germination rates.
These are superstitions or old wives' tales with no scientific basis. Cats scratching posts help maintain their claws, grooming is a regular behavior, and seeking warmth near a fire is common in cold weather. These actions do not predict weather patterns.
Your 4 month old cat scratches you on purpose WHY?
Cats scratch as a natural behavior to mark their territory, stretch their muscles, and maintain their claws. If your 4-month-old cat is scratching you, it may be due to playfulness or overstimulation, rather than intentional harm. Providing appropriate scratching posts and toys, along with positive reinforcement for good behavior, can help redirect this behavior.
Are calicos more viscous than tabbies?
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that calico cats are more vicious than tabby cats. Cat behavior is influenced by a combination of genetics, environment, and individual personality, rather than coat color. It is important to treat each cat as an individual regardless of their coat color.
What does it mean when a cat flutters its eyes at you?
Yes cats always blink. They just don't blink as often as we humans do. I have tried to have staring contest with my cats but so far I have been losing... I hope this answer your question, so in short yes they blink.
How long can you live with no food and water with stage 4 cancer in final stage?
Living without food or water can vary depending on the individual, but in general, most people can only survive a few days without water and several weeks without food. However, with stage 4 cancer in the final stages, the body's ability to survive without nourishment may be significantly reduced due to the disease's impact on organ function and overall health. It is essential for individuals in this situation to receive appropriate medical care and support to ensure comfort and quality of life.
It's uncommon for domestic cats to live in meadows, as they are typically kept as pets or confined to a specific area by their owners. However, wild cats such as cougars or bobcats can be found in meadows as part of their natural habitats.
There are many factors that cause constipation in felines, such as hair balls, ingestion of foreign bodies, dehydration, obstructions caused by tumors or masses blocking the large intestine to name a few. Constipation is most common in the middle age cat. Make sure you clean the litter tray frequently to encourage defecation. Lax-eze, is an all natural food additive that regulates digestion and food absorption. However,make an apppointment with your veterinarian, and they will best advise you on how to treat this problem.
What is it called when your cat gets scared and makes that screaming noise?
When cats make a loud, piercing noise when scared, it is often referred to as "yowling" or "caterwauling." This vocalization is a common response to fear, stress, or perceived threats. It's important to address the underlying cause of the fear to help your cat feel more secure.
How do cats freak out before an earthquake?
Cats may show signs of anxiety or restlessness before an earthquake, such as pacing, meowing excessively, or hiding. Their acute senses can pick up on precursor environmental changes like vibrations or sounds that signal an impending earthquake, causing them to become agitated.
