Friday, October 26, 2007

Cat - 10 Essential Pregnant Cat Care Tips

1. Keep your pregnant cat indoors.
Don't expose an expecting kitty to danger. But there are more reasons. Some queens go into heat even during pregnancy. Cats are capable of being pregnant of two different litters at the same time. And of course, a pregnant cat should not give birth in a cold place outside.

2. Give your kitty the right food.
It should be high on calcium and protein. Kitten food is specially designed to meet the need of pregnant and nursing felines. Vitamin supplements are recommended too.

3. Do not give any medication during pregnancy.
A pregnant cat should get medication only in emergency. The same goes for deworming products, or products against fleas. If she has worms or fleas, first consult your vet.

4. Make your cat a comfortable nest bed.
A box filled with newspaper usually does the trick. Put in a warm sheltered place, preferably a location your cat frequently visits. Make sure all is ready two weeks before birth.

5. Find a home for your kittens - before they are born.
It will give you peace of mind to know where the kittens will go. Finding a home for a kitty can be time consuming. You'll have more time for that before they are born.

6. Use non-clumping litter for her box.
Sometimes cats give birth in the litter box. If a kitten is delivered in clumping litter, the mother kitty might refuse to clean her newborn off as the clump is all over the sac. And the baby drowns in its own fluid.

7. Keep other cats away from her.
You have more than one kitty? Your pregnant cat wants privacy. She doesn't like the company of other cats during this period, even if she knows these cats very well.

8. Buy enough food for your kitty... and you.
You should have no reason to leave your kitty alone on the days before and after birth.

9. Check which vet is available.
Have a piece of paper with the phone number of the closest emergency veterinary clinic. If there's no such clinic in your area, find out which vet is available for emergency care. One phone call to a local vet is usually enough.

10. Get the right information about cat pregnancy.
Only if you understand what you see and hear, you will be able to recognize complications. Plus... there are many problems you can solve yourself, if you know how. So, do not panic. Get the right information instead.

Marc de Jong is a journalist and long-time cat lover. For his easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidebook How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat - available through http://www.pregnant-cat-care.com - he interviewed several award-winning breeders and specialized vets.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_De_Jong

Cat - Will a Cat Litter Mat Do the Job?

Keeping your cat's liter box and the surround area clean and fresh can be quite a chore. One of the ways you can help to minimize the cleaning that has to be done is by using a cat litter mat. Here are a couple of ways that a litter mat for your cat will make a big difference to both of you.

One of the innovative things about the litter mat is the way it is designed. In effect, it is a platform for any regular sized litter box. The platform comes with side rails that can keep bits of cat litter from flying all over the place when your cat scratches in the litter. Also, the entry way to the litter box is designed with an array of lattice work that helps to separate the paws so that when the cat emerges, any and all residue that is on the paws is captured on the way out. This means your cat will not be tracking cat litter all over the house. The mess is effectively contained in the immediate area of the litter box, do you do not have to worry about cleaning a wider section as often.

Because of the open-ended design of the cat litter mat, you can easily pick up the litter box and take it off to be cleaned. You do not have to detach it from the mat in any manner. You simply lift up the box and go. When it comes to cleaning the mat itself, you will find that plain soap and water will do the trick. It is small enough to clean in the tub or in a utility sized sink in the garage if you prefer. Because most of the mats are made of a durable plastic, they are easy to clean and dry, so you can have the mat back in place in a matter of minutes.

A cat litter mat can save you a lot of time when it comes to cleaning up around the litter box, as well as making it harder for your cat to track litter all over the house. Why not take a closer look at the mats at your local pet store? The mat may be the solution you have been looking for.

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