Cat Maintenance

Although the Birman breeds and Ragdoll breeds share many similarities, they have differences as well. They both share long coats. Birman cats are more playful than the relaxed Ragdoll breed. Birman cats are very intelligent and have been around longer than Ragdolls. Ragdolls tend to be compared to dogs due to their companionable nature. Both are very affectionate.

They say if the mother cat doesn't show them how, that one needs to show the kittens how to use a litter box. Mine didn't show hers and at 6 weeks I took each one and sat them in the litter box and took their front paws and showed them how to scratch in the litter and all it took was that one time and they all used the litter box then.

your allowed only 2.

you can however have 2 cats and 2 dogs but you can't have 4 cats or 4 dogs.

pretty stupid to me but its the rules.

P.S

I know someone who has a special thing which says she is allowed three cats. so you should ask someone at a pet shop if your thinking about 3 to seeb if iits alright.

clearing a dogs anal gland is actually very easy and anyone can do it.But not all dogs need it done.Some dogs only need it done once every few years and some as often as once a year.It usual varies depending on age and diet.But if your dogs anal area seems swollen or if he/she seems to be bothered when using the restroom then you should go ahead and try.Also since not doing can make your dog sick and it doesnt hurt them to try to do it its good practice to check it and do it every now and then.
The way you do it is right above the dogs anus and some times right on top of the anus hole.Give it a simple squeeze as if your squeezing a boil or zit.You should do this in the bathtub or outside because it will come shooting out if the dog needed it done and it has a horrible odor.Good luck and keep your face back lol!!

You can cut the quick, which is the vein in the claw. It will cause bleeding but it will stop in 5 minutes. It won't kill your cat. But be very careful, try cutting the claw 2 millimeters after the quick and that would do. Some cats have a pretty visible quick. For some cats, the quick appears to be of pink color. My cat for some reason, appears to have it in a darker color, so it is very easy for me to cut his claws.

Good luck! Remember, trimming their claws will help your furniture!

You don't, unless the cat has gotten very dirty somehow, such as getting into oil or grease or something else that would harm the cat if it licks it off. Cats generally keep themselves quite clean. If you MUST wash a cat, run the lukewarm water before bringing the cat in the room. Turn it off and use a cup to scoop and pour it over the cat when the cat is in the tub or sink. Never use hot or cold water to wash a cat. Use cat shampoo or baby shampoo, never adult human shampoo, as that could irritate the cat's skin.

you dont unless its gotten dirty. get cat into tub with lukewarm water and put 2 pegs on each side of the cats scruff and wash . you do it because it thinks the mother is holding it so it will stay calm.

Mange is caused by an external parasite and can be treated by a veterinarian with several readily available dewormers. However, your vet should be the one to determine the medication based upon your cat's individual medical history and current condition.

Most cats will do that themselves, with their teeth. If a cat doesn't or cannot for some reason, tie a knot in the cord between the kitten and the mother, then cut it with scissors between the knot and the mother. See the link below for more information.

Once a day should be enough, at that age they will be growing quickly so fill their dish in the morning and check in the afternoon to see what is left. It's much to early to worry about them getting fat so let them eat as much as they need for their little growing body.

Give your kitten some warm kitten milk (never cow's milk). For food, if you have any plain meat such as chicken, turkey or beef you can lightly cook this for him. It is not ideal to feed him any processed meats due to the high amounts of salt and preservatives.

If the skin is not broken on the back of the neck where the Frontline should be applied then it should be fine. If the wound is near this area I would err on the side of caution and wait for the wound to heal.

your cats first litter normally has 5 or less kittens if you have any questions or concerns about your cats or dogs please email me at hovenkampgirl@gmail.com

Kittens can be spayed as early as 6 weeks; however, ideally they should be spayed between 8 weeks to 6 months. That is called "Juvenile" or "Early" spay. The younger the kitten, the more quickly they recover and less pain they experience. The risk involved with anesthesia are only slightly higher if they are under 8 weeks. Not all veterinarians are trained to perform surgery on young cats. It is special training, so if your veterinarian is not trained to perform juvenile spays, then as close to 6 months as your veterinarian advises. Definitely try to have her spayed before her first heat cycle to benefit her the most.

Ten weeks at a minimum, twelve weeks ideally. Any less and they may have health problems and difficulty bonding with other cats. They have to learn to socialise - that means hunting, cat language and normal cat behaviour - and the bonds to the mother need to dissolve naturally. This happens at about ten to twelve weeks. You will have a pretty messed up, skittish cat if you take it away from its mother too soon.

If your kitten is with its mother and has not been outdoors, you do not need to bathe it for the first several weeks, as its mother should take care of that with licking and by about 4 weeks old the kittens should start to clean themselves. If your kitten is an orphan and is 1-2 weeks old you should bathe him/her immediately once checked by a veterinarian, as it likely has fleas and other bugs that need to be picked off it's skin and fur. To bathe an infant kitten (1-4 weeks) you can use either specialty kitten shampoo from the vet or a pet store. If you don't have these, you can use a small amount of Joy dishwashing liquid in a basin of lukewarm water. A few bubbles are okay, but not too many so the kitten won't ingest them. Only make the water high enough to just cover their bellies sitting upright. PREPARING THE BASINBefore placing your kitten into the basin, first take some kitten shampoo/Joy and a little water and make a thick soapy ring all around its neck. Fleas tend to migrate up to the head in a bath, and this will help lessen the amount that make it to your kittens eyes/nose/etc. While stroking their head/backs, gently place the kitten in the basin and begin splashing the soap water gently on their bodies. If they have fleas you will see them start to emerge. Use a flea comb and your fingers to pick off the fleas and put them in the basin (they will quickly drown). VERY IMPORTANT!!! Temperature is critical for your kitten. The water should not be too hot, but needs to stay warm enough to prevent their going into hypothermia. Kittens can't regulate their body temp yet, but for the first few weeks their temperature should not be lower than 97 degrees, so you need to regulate it for them. Replace water as it gets cooler for new warm soapy water, and keep most of the kitten's body in your hands so your body heat helps warm them. FLEAS If this is a rescued orphan kitten who was found outdoors, be prepared to spend at least an hour picking off the fleas and flea eggs. Even the smallest kittens can come in with 100s of fleas on them, and each one needs to be removed. Keeping the kittens bottom in the water for a while will help drown the attached fleas, so they just need to be picked off. When you think you have removed all the fleas (and dirt, etc) finish by rinsing them off with clean warm water. DRYING YOUR KITTEN This needs to be done quickly after removal from the last rinse of water, and needs to be done with gradual heating. First use paper towels to rub and blot the moisture from the kitten's fur. You can use a hair blow dryer on low heat, but you need to keep the dryer back about a foot from the kitten's body, constantly move the dryer, and avoid blowing hot air into the kitten's face. Wrap the kitten in a warm cloth/blanket and place in a very warm place to assure that they do not lose body heat.

They do stink (if you don't clean them). Especially covered litter boxes tend to stink less as the odor gets trapped inside. There are also self cleaning litter boxes, they tend to stink less as they automatically clean the litter after 20 seconds. The details of the litter boxes and a guide on how to maintain them are here: catlitterboxguide.com/3-best-litter-boxes-for-your-cat/

Depends on the cat. Smaller, lighter cats will naturally eat less, whereas a bigger or bulky cat will eat more. That said, a cat will eat far more if fed a lower quality food to get the nutrition it needs, and will eat much less if fed a premium quality food that has a high meat content and no grains.

The best way to find out how much you should feed your own cat is to keep an eye on his or her weight. You can do this by weighing him once a week to see if he gains or loses weight, or feeling for any extra layers of fat over his ribs. Be sure to consult a veterinarian first in order to find out the cat's weight and health.

Kittens under 8 weeks of age should not be treated with any chemical flea/tick control products. Believe it or not, Dawn dish detergent is the best thing. The surfactants in the soap smother the fleas. Dawn does not kill flea eggs, so it is best to bathe the kitten often until no more fleas are found. Try to leave the soap on the kitten for at least 5-7 minutes. I have done this to many kittens that have been rescued from flea infested areas and after 2 or 3 baths they are flea free until it's time to start the Frontline! Just be careful not to get it on their face or eyes. You will have to manually pick off the fleas that migrate there to avoid the dishsoap. Remember to keep your kitty warm and give him lots of hugs while he warms up!

I don't know for sure how to do this, having never done it myself, but I think I know how, though be sure to check with someone who knows before you do anything. I think that you get whatever it is you are feeding the kitten in the syringe, and then you squirt it ,or whatever ,into the kitten's mouth.

Did you know that cats have blue eyes and later their eye color changes? Cats are said to have a sixth sense, which is sort of like supernatural powers. Once, a woman was hiding in her home when there was a war going on in her country. She was sitting in an armchair reading. Her cat suddenly started acting strange, meowing and leaping around the room, trying to get the women to follow him. right after the woman finally got up to see what was wrong, a tank fired through the wall, and the chair she was just sitting in was destroyed. if she had still been there, she would have been dead. this is a sign of the cat being able to sense that something was about to happen, and he saved his owner.

There are no specific weight qualifications for a kitten to receive a rabies shot. All cats, regardless or weight, breed, or age, are given the same vaccination dose.

Yes, as long as the mother is okay with it. If she is, you can handle the baby all you want. The more you handle baby critters, the friendlier they generally will be:) Make sure not to take the kittens out of their mothers sight or she may get uneasy. Make sure to wash your hands well before picking up the kittens as well.