Cat Tree Furniture

A recent survey of insurance claims by VPI Pet Insurance revealed the top 10 kitten accidents needing immediate attention to be:
1. Soft tissue trauma
2. Laceration or bite wound
3. Foreign body ingestion
4. Abrasion
5. Let fracture
6. Eye trauma
7. Sprain
8. Insect bites and stings
9. Torn nail
10. Skin puncture

Must Have Reference

If a kitten emergency happened at your home, would you know what to do until you could get professional help?  A great resource every cat owner should have is the Cat First Aid book published by the American Red Cross.

There are over 60 different topics covered.  Each provides an easy to follow step by step call to action.  The book is accompanied by a DVD that demonstrates how to perform many of the first aid steps described in the book.  The DVD is even closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

The cost of the book and DVD is only $15.90 – and this price includes the shipping anywhere in the continental U.S.  Order your copy of Cat First Aid before an emergency happens.  This could also be a great gift idea for that hard to buy for cat lover on your list.

Cats, just like humans, can suffer from depression, and if the condition continues and goes untreated can lead to many more serious problems.

Sign of depression

We all know that cats are very good at hiding problems they are experiencing, and the first sign that your cat is suffering from depression will probably be something that only you will notice as being slightly different in your cats’ normal behavior.

At the first sign of  “change” that triggers your awareness be more attentive to see if the behavior repeats.  If you begin to notice that the behavioral change is turning into a habit then you need to evaluate if it should be checked out by your vet.  The main reason you want to have a vet look at your cat is to rule out any medical reasons as the cause for the change.  The old adage “an ounce of prevention, …” is very true when it comes to your cats’ health.

Here is a link to an article we published in our newsletter that lists a number of behavioral changes that may be clues to your cat suffering from depression – don’t ignore them, they won’t get better by themselves.

Signs of Cat Depression

"Missing"

Every year thousands of pet cats are lost because people who find them have no way of reuniting them with their rightful owner.  The real sad thing about this situation is that it doesn’t have to happen.  Technology exists to place a permanent ID under the skin of your cat that will greatly enhance the chances that if lost the animal will be reunited with you.

This procedure is called “microchipping”, and the term “chip” is slang for microchip.  A microchip is a small piece of material that allows for a unique identification number to be encrypted on it and read by electronic scanners found in shelters and vet offices.  The chip is no bigger than a grain of rice and is inserted under your cats’ skin between the shoulder blades.  It is no more discomforting than a vaccination.  Once read, the ID number is referenced back to your personal file and contact is made and plans to reunite you and your cat are set in motion.

If you have ever worried about being separated from your cat and not knowing if you would be reunited then microchipping is something you should seriously consider.  It is surprisingly inexpensive for the amount of peace of mind it brings.  Plan on talking to the veterinarian at your cats’ next appointment.

If you would like to read more about “microchipping” here is a link to a good article on the subject:
reuniting with a lost pet

Just like humans, as cats get older many will develop joint and back problems.  It is estimated that 45 percent of cats suffer from painful arthritis.  The Morris Animal Foundation which has conducted studies of arthritis in cats advise that most of these cats suffer from osteoarthritis, otherwise known as degenerative joint disease.

Because your cat can’t tell you what is bothering it you have to be observant for telltale behavioral signs such as a limp or lameness, stiffness in the back or legs, reluctance to run or jump, and just the general slowing down of its activity level.  If you notice these changes in behavior you need to discuss them with your veterinarian – they will advise the best course to take.

Something you can do at home to make your cat more comfortable is to provide it with a modified

The Spider Cat Tree

cat tree that it will enjoy using but not be physically taxed climbing or jumping.  There are several low profile cat trees that include all the comfort features young health cats enjoy that you can get for your more mature cat.

One such cat tree is the Spider.  Its cat bed is about 8 inches off the floor which makes it very accessible for a mature cat.  The cat bed itself is lined with a heat retention layer that absorbs the heat from the sun or from a cat’s body and radiates it back in a therapeutic manner.  The bed is also cushioned for additional comfort.  The petals surrounding the cat bed gives the cat more support when laying up against them and also affords them a more secure feeling.

Treat your mature arthritic cat to a new cat tree it will be able to enjoy for many ’senior’ years.

Did you know that cats have a natural craving for grass?

Cat Grass is easy to grow

Cat experts say there are three main reasons for this: 1) they instinctively know that eating grass gives them more dietary fiber, 2) eating grass helps a cat cough up a hairball, and 3) grass acts as a laxative, relieving constipation.

If your indoor cat isn’t able to satisfy its craving for natural grass it may turn to nibbling on your house plants.  This not only is undesirable, but it may be deadly because there are certain popular household plants that if eaten can be fatal to our pets.

If you are interested in more information about cat grass, and how to start growing your own, check out this article we published in a previous Great Lakes Pet Furniture newsletter.

Cat Tree Newsletter

Two short items we had in our last newsletter bear repeating because of their importance to cat health.

Nutritional deficiencies in cats that are not fed complete and balanced diets may result in pica, which is a condition where cats will eat nonfood materials.  Even cats on a good commercial diet may benefit from increased levels of fiber in their diets.  Some cats do better having some high fiber kibble available to snack on; fiber will cause a feeling of fullness and may satisfy a cats’ need to eat excessively or chew.  You may also consider potted cat grass or catnip for your cat to nibble on.

Speaking of nibbling … Veterinary Pet Insurance has released a list of plants and plant products most likely to poison animals, based on the number of claims received:  1) raisins and grapes, 2) mushrooms (backyard variety), 3) marijuana (even medical marijuana is not good for your cat), 4) lily, 5) walnuts, 6) onions, 7) sago palm, macadamia nuts, 9) azalea and 10) hydrangea.

If you haven’t already subscribed to our newsletter – now would be an excellent time to do so.  Each month we include an article that matches the features and benefits of particular cat trees to a cat breed, provide numerous “cat links” to other informative cat websites, feature a recently published book on any number of feline topics, publish our show schedule to give you an opportunity to see our product first hand, and include numerous ’snippets’ of interesting information targeted at making you a little more ‘cat smart’.

You can subscribe today by going to our website.
When you are there be sure to “bookmark” it.

Whiskers working to sense the environment

A cats’ whiskers serve as delicate sense organs of touch.  The whiskers are constantly moving back and forth detecting subtle changes in air movement, vibration or temperature change.

Most people think “whiskers” are only the long hair found around the cats’ muzzle.  Actually, whiskers are found in many places on the cats’ body.

Interestingly, even during sleep, twitching whiskers are an indication that your cat has entered into the deepest kind of sleep, which is often accompanied by rapid eye movement – and probably dreams.

If you want to learn more about these incredible sense organs and how your cat uses them to detect prey and keep out of harms way, then read the article in the Great Lakes Cat Furniture February newsletter.

Check Travel Restrictions

Cooler weather has started sweeping across the northern states, and it won’t be long before the real cold weather of winter will be here.  The cold weather creates some additional challenges when wanting to take your cat along on a trip when your plans call for traveling by air .

The number one thing to remember is to check with the air carrier before making that final decision about taking your cat.  Most carriers have restrictions not allowing small pets in the unheated baggage compartment during the winter months.  That means your cat can only go so long as it can travel with you in the cabin of the aircraft.

The cost of bringing your cat into the aircraft cabin will be more than if you were able to check the kennel as an extra piece of luggage.  There are also restrictions on how many pets an airline will allow on the same aircraft;  it is the first passengers confirming their reservations that will get the “pet space” – another good reason to plan early.

Any mode of travel is going to be particularly stressful for your cat.  Try to familiarize your cat with the kennel for a few days before your trip – this may be as simple as leaving the kennel open in the middle of your living area and let your cat’s curiosity take over.  Always fly the most direct route with the least amount of elapsed time between take off and landing at your final destination.  The less actual travel time the better for your cat.  If you think your cat will not travel well talk to your vet about getting some type of medication that will make the experience less stressful.

The final tip, and perhaps the most important after the decision is made to take your pet, is to check out if the state or country to which you are traveling has any restrictions about bringing in live animals .  Some areas have a minimum number of days the animal has to be in quarantine, and if you are planning to make this a quick trip the quarantine period may be longer than you were planning to stay.  Your vet can also help you out with obtaining this information.

Click on this highlight -  Cat Air Travel – to find out some specific carrier information.

We all know how important it is to take our cats to the veterinarian on a regular basis – but not all of us heed the advise.

According to a recent poll conducted by the cat litter manufacturer, Feline Pine, only 47% of cat owners schedule their cats annual checkup with their veterinarian.  The poll showed another 35% take their cats to the vet only when the cat is sick.  This begs the question – What is happening to the other 18%?  18% doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you apply the percentage to the number of estimated cats in the U.S. you come up with 15.8 million cats who never see a vet – and that is appalling.

We encourage you to be a responsible owner, and if you are one of the cat owners in the 18% category, we ask that you do all possible to have your feline friend checked out by a vet.  A few dollars spent now could save you a lot of money in the future.

Here is a tip to keep in mind … soon we will all be getting our 2010 calendars, and we will be sitting down to enter reminders for birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates we don’t want to forget during the year.  This would be a good time to list a reminder to make a vet appointment for your cat.

And if you are in the market for a new cat tree for your buddy don’t forget to enter the following web address to check out the cat trees preferred by more cats than any other cat tree -

www.greatlakespetfurniture.com

Better Health

Maintaining your cats’ good health is an important factor in increasing its longevity and quality of life.

The aging process in cats is a very natural thing and as a responsible owner you need to be aware of subtle changes in your cats’ behavior that are tell-tale signs that your cats’ health is being challenged.

A healthy cat today can live to 18 plus years.  But in order to become a ’senior cat’ with good quality of life it needs your help and that of your veterinarian to minimize the negative impact that the aging process brings.  Early detection of a problem and bringing it to the attention of your veterinarian is the best assurance that your cats’ senior years will be productive and enjoyable.

We have published an article that contains information about what you should be asking your veterinarian to make sure you are working together as a team, and we list some of the signs to look for that are early indicators of a possible health problem.  To read the entire text simply click on this link: Senior Cat Health