Here are some of the most important things about toilet training a kitten:

• Don’t move the litter box drastically. If you want to move the litter box to a different room or outside, do it gradually over a number of weeks. This will prevent your kitten from becoming confused and not knowing where the litter box is. Move it a few centimetres each day until it is where you want it to end up.
• If you want your cat to go in the garden or outside, and it has been taught to use a litter box, use the same process. When the litter box is outside you can begin training the kitten to go places in the garden.
• Keep the litter box clean. Just like our toilets, a kitty litter should be kept clean so change the litter frequently. If your kitten goes somewhere it shouldn’t, be sure to clean it up as quickly as possible. The smell may attract the kitten to go in the same place again.
• Don’t give the kitten access to the whole house at once. Try keeping the kitten in one or two rooms while it’s still learning to use the litter box. That way it’ll be easier for both you and the kitten. The kitten will know the room where its litter tray is and you can watch for signs if it needs to go.

This site has some great tips for toilet training your kitten. Overall it is very important to remember that a kitten is still learning and you need to be patient while they become accustomed to their new home.

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Wondering what to give your cat this Christmas? We’ve got just the things…

We recently reported on the power of pets to boost the national economy after a study conducted by the Australian Companion Animal Council (ACAC) found that last year alone, expenditure on domestic pets totalled $6.02 billion.

This Christmas, the economy looks set to receive another boost from the pet-care industry, with the study also revealing that many owners treat their pets as part of the family, spoiling them with Santa stockings and special treats at Christmas time.

In an interview with The Queensland Times, luxury online pet boutique owner, Clea Sandler, confirmed, ‘Christmas is by far our busiest time of year’. Her store, Snooty Paws, stocks a range of special-treat items to spoil your pet, and even has a Christmas – and Chanukah –line with costumes and themed products for your furry friend.

If you’re thinking of leaving something special under the tree for your four-legged family this Christmas, we’ve got a few tips to help you make the choice!

• Be careful when choosing edible treats. A lot of Christmas treats have ingredients that pets can’t easily digest, so make sure you confirm that your goodies are a pet product and that they have no nasty surprises that may harm your pet.
• If you’re buying a toy, why not buy one that is interactive? More than any toy, your pet desires and thrives on the attention of its family. So you may want to consider a Christmas-themed toy that involves the kids – a springy ball on a string will keep both parties entertained and ensure your cat gets good use out of it.
• Practicality is a good thing to keep in mind when buying your pet a gift. If your cat needs a new scratching post, use Christmas as an excuse to splurge a little and satisfy your needs (and your furniture’s needs) as well as your pet’s!
• Never give your cat leftovers from dinner as a special treat at Christmas. Cooked turkey is always a no-no and could lead to digestive problems or a punctured oesophagus.

Image sourced from: petcentric and missbimbo

The recent heavy rainfall hasn’t just caused flooding issues in some parts of the country. For pet owners, it also means this is set to be one of the worst tick seasons on record.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) reports that ticks are thriving thanks to this year’s mild winter and the current wet weather. Plus the AVA warns that the previous years of drought means there is not enough antivenom (a natural product that can only be made during tick season) in stock to cope with this year’s onslaught.

Protect your pet

The recent Advantix Protect the One You Love pet owner survey conducted by Bayer Animal Health has shown that around 30 per cent of pet owners are unaware of paralysis ticks and the risks they pose to their pets.

Cat Diaries is therefore urging pet owners across the east coast of Australia, where paralysis ticks are found, to talk to their vet about the best way to guard against ticks.

‘The holiday season is approaching and many pet owners will be travelling to coastal regions with their pets where paralysis ticks are common. We love our pets and wouldn’t want anything terrible to happen to them, and whilst laboratories are working hard to produce enough antivenom to alleviate the shortage in the next few weeks, it is important to understand the risks and symptoms of tick paralysis and how to prevent your pets falling victim to these dangerous parasites,’ says Dr Bob Rees, Bayer Animal Health Technical Services Veterinarian.

What should you do during tick season?

1.      Prevention is better than cure – repelling ticks before they bite is the key to prevention, so talk to your vet about the best course of action.

2.      Check your pet every day for ticks – the best way is to feel, not look, for ticks. Start in the common places such as the head and neck, but make sure you search everywhere, including the ears, around the eyes, under the collar, between toes, etc. Your pet is also bound to enjoy the extra attention!

3.      Look out for the telltale signs:

• Weakness in the hind legs or staggering, which may be followed by paralysis;
• Vomiting or regurgitation;
• Change in you cat’s meow due to paralysis of the throat and voice box;
• Laboured breathing, which may include a ‘grunting’ sound.

4.      If you are travelling with your pet – check with your vet if you will be travelling to an area where there are paralysis ticks. If so, make sure your pet is treated every two weeks and checked for ticks daily.

5.      If you notice any of the warning signs, take your pet to your vet immediately.

Take the time to protect the one you love!

Image sourced from: about.com

Do you laugh when you see a pampered cat strutting his stuff in a Louis Vuitton jacket? Do you chuckle when you spy that “kooky” cat with the fluffy ear-muffs? While some of the cat -fashion gear may seem excessive, it is important to keep in mind  – as the mercury drops this winter – that animals feel the cold too! Tender care of your cat may mean taking steps, especially overnight, to ensure your pet stays snug this season.

Dr Graham Swinney, (President of the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association) in an article for HCF’s fit and well magazine, suggests that letting your cat or dog sleep inside in the coldest months is the best way to protect against cold-related illnesses.

Kittens, puppies, elderly animals and short-haired animals may need special consideration, especially if you live somewhere where the temperature drops below freezing overnight.

Experts warn us that a cat can get hypothermia if they are left out in the bitter cold- and can even go into a coma! Older animals, like humans, can experience arthritis, a disease that is greatly exacerbated by cold weather.

If you do keep your cat outside, vets recommend that you ensure that they have a snug well-lined and protected sleeping area available that is free from draughts. Dr Swinney also reminds us to make sure that our pet always has access to a bowl of unfrozen water. It may seem obvious when it’s pointed out – but how often does the temperature drop below freezing when we least expect it to?

If you need an extra excuse to relax the rules and let your furry friend sleep inside this winter, consider this: A well-placed kitty or pooch at the foot of your bed provides the best hot-water bottle alternative we’ve come across in years!

Images sourced from: messmor and cats-facts

Crispy Liver Morsels
•    1/2 cup cooked chicken livers
•    1/4 cup water
•    1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
•    1/4 cup cooked carrot, mashed
•    1 tablespoon soft margarine

Preheat the oven to 165C. Place well-done livers in a blender with 1/4 cup water. In a bowl, combine flour and margarine. Add liver mixture and carrots and knead dough into a ball. Roll dough to ½-centimetre thick and cut into 2.5-centimetre sized pieces. Place biscuits on a greased baking sheet and bake at 165C for 10 minutes. Makes 12 biscuit treats.

Ham-It-Up Kitty Treats
•    1 jar (about 70g) strained ham baby food
•    2/3 cup wheat germ
•    2/3 cup skim milk powder
•    1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 175C. Spray baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Mix baby food, wheat germ, milk powder, and egg in medium bowl. Place 1/2 tsp-size balls of mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Store baked treats in airtight container or plastic bag and place in refrigerator or freezer. Makes about 3 dozen.

NOTE: Beef or chicken baby food may be substituted for ham baby food.

Tuna Treats for Cats
•    225g can tuna in oil
•    2 cups cornmeal
•    2 cups flour
•    3/4 cup water
•    2/3 cup oil

Preheat oven to 175C and grease a baking sheet. Mix ingredients until just combined and, on a floured surface, roll dough to ½ centimetre thickness. Cut dough into small squares, place squares on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Trust us… your cat will love you for the extra love and care you put into making his or her treats!

Images 1 and 2 by meantux

If your cat has been scratching, licking, rubbing or sneezing excessively, you should consider allergies as a possible cause. Changing around variables like what food he’s eating, where he’s sleeping and what he’s coming in contact with could help you determine exactly what your cat is allergic to. A vet can perform a blood-test, skin-test or diet-tests, depending on which allergen is suspected to be the problem.

How should I treat my cat’s allergies?
If possible, removing the allergen is obviously the best solution. If your cat is allergic to fleas, you can increase the frequency of his flea treatments so that he is protected all year round. Keeping your cat’s bed and litter tray extra-clean and dust-free is another good solution if dust is causing your cat’s allergies, as is switching the kind of cleaning products you use in the house, or the shampoos you use on your cat.

If, however, the allergy is to something that can’t be easily eliminated from your cat’s environment, there are a range of medical options for treatment, such as antihistamines, allergy injections and cortisol creams to relieve itching. These will not cure the allergies, but will effectively manage your cat’s symptoms and make life a lot more comfortable for the both of you!

And remember, for the best advice, always consult your vet.

Images by Helen hsd and Russ Crib

It is the number one killer of cats worldwide, and an incurable disease, but how much do we really know about the feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)? Knowledge is power, so Cat Diaries has put together an easy-to-understand fact sheet to help you protect your moggy’s health.

What is FeLV?
Only found in and transferred between cats, FeLV is a highly-contagious disease that affects the feline immune system, causing it to break down from within and leaving your cat susceptible to cancers and blood disorders. In addition, illnesses that may otherwise have only had mild can prove fatal in a cat with FeLV.

Symptoms
Early signs your cat could be infected include loss of appetite, swollen lymph glands and fever. According to Cornell University’s Feline Health Centre in the US, as the disease progresses the cat’s health will visibly deteriorate, with more general symptoms such as:
•    Loss of appetite;
•    Slow but progressive weight loss, followed by severe wasting late in the disease process;
•    Poor coat condition;
•    Enlarged lymph nodes;
•    Persistent fever;
•    Pale gums and other mucus membranes;
•    Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and mouth (stomatitis);
•    Infections of the skin, urinary bladder and upper respiratory tract;
•    Persistent diarrhoea;
•    Seizures, behaviour changes and other neurological disorders;
•    A variety of eye conditions;
•    In un-desexed female cats, abortion of kittens or other reproductive failures.

Transmission
The virus is transmitted from feline to feline only, through blood, mucus, saliva, faeces and urine. It can also be transmitted from a mother to her kittens either in the womb or through feeding.

Progression of FeLV
FeLV travels to the lymph nodes and begins to reproduce as soon as a cat is infected. Some cats will be able to fight off the virus here and suffer no further symptoms, while other cats are simply immune to the virus yet become carriers who can spread the virus but who are not affected themselves. For many, however, the virus quickly spreads to the bone marrow, where the red and white blood cells are produced. From here, it begins to attack several other tissues, breaking down the immune system.

Prevention
The good news in all of this is that there are vaccines available, and while none are completely effective, they offer a 75 to 85 per cent prevention rate, meaning that most cats who receive the vaccine are able to fight off the virus before it damages their immune system.

Speak to your vet about FeLV and to discuss the best options for vaccination and prevention.

Images by meantux and Habub3

In many ways, cats are just like people. Just as some humans get more wound up in certain situations than others, so it is with cats. Some feline friends are naturally chilled, whereas others become all tense and twitchy at the slightest provocation.

Classical treatment
If your cat is highly strung, you should consider playing music to her. Not just any music, mind you, but classical music. Research has shown that cats (in common with other animals, including dogs and even chimpanzees!) respond particularly well to soothing classical sounds.

Choose music that doesn’t have too many dynamics (no great changes in volume or tempo – a classical guitar or harp piece is believed to be best), and within a few minutes your cat should slip into a far more calm, serene state.

However, do not be tempted to leave the television or radio on when you are leaving your pet alone in the house. People often do this in the belief that the background noise provides ‘companionship’ for the animal. However, because of the natural changes in dynamics between different songs or different TV programmes, it can actually do more harm than good – meaning you come home to a cat that is anything but relaxed!

Do cats sense stress in people?
Yes, is the short answer. However, some cats are more highly attuned to their owners’ feelings than others and are correspondingly more likely to react to changes in human mood.

Surprisingly, though, despite innumerable accounts from cat owners, scientists are not convinced that cats can sense stress (or other moods). The boffins claim that there is a lack of hard evidence supporting the claims.

Moggy stress-busters
Again, the evidence is largely anecdotal, but it is compelling. Stories abound of people feeling their anxieties melt away as they watch kittens at play. And it has been scientifically proven that pet ownership helps reduce high blood pressure in humans. According to David Frei of the Delta Organisation in the US, ‘Watching your pet’s silly antics can make you laugh and help relieve stress’.

In addition, cats reduce feelings of loneliness in people who live by themselves, particularly the elderly, while the sense of companionship has also been shown to help combat depression.

All in all, the reasons for having a cat just keep getting better!

•    Is your cat a stress-buster? Use the Comment facility below to let us know your experiences…

Images by timvdl and tt24813055

The iPhone’s reach just keeps growing. Once the preserve of tech-heads, accessory junkies and fashionistas, the latest Apple goldmine is rapidly turning out to be as indispensible as the iPod that preceeded it.

Of course, as good as the iPhone is, it’s the ‘apps’ (to the uninitiated, it’s short for ‘applications’) that really make it. And cat lovers will be pleased to know that there are innumerable apps aimed at you and your furry friend, ranging from the functional to the fun.

Here are some you may like to consider next time you’re browsing iTunes:

Cat First Aid
This app costs $2.49 and is intended to provide ‘fast and clear advice for the most common cat emergencies’. Cat First Aid is not meant to replace seeking prompt medical attention from a professional. Rather, it is designed to help you understand the situation and inform you what you can do to give your cat first aid until you cant get to a vet. Easy to operate (you simply find the appropriate medical emergency in the list and tap to read the instructions), it has received very positive online reviews.

PetSnap
Have you ever wanted to enter one of the Cat Diaries photo competitions only to find it almost impossible to get your cat to stay still and look at the camera? Then this is the app for you. PetSnap ($2.49) features 32 sounds, including various meows and bell rings, designed to attract a cat’s attention, ensuring she’s looking directly at the iPhone when you use it to take a photo. You are able to instantly review your shots, zoom in and out and change the size. There’s even a function that allows you to instantly upload your pic to Facebook.

Twitkitteh
And speaking of social media… Twitkitteh ($1.19) is the first Twitter application written specifically for cats. Thanks to what the makers call ‘a simple multi-paw interface’, your cat (or you, if you think she can’t be bothered) can now post insightful comments to the Twitterverse. So if the thought of your cat having hundreds of thousands of followers appeals, get Twitkittteh!

Simon’s Cat in ‘Purrfect Pitch’
Cat Diaries has already sung the praises of Simon’s Cat. And this app allows you to release your inner musician. For $2.49, you can compose your own tunes, save them and then watch as cartoon hero Simon’s Cat sings them back. Alternatively, you can take on Simon’s Cat as he tests your ability to follow his lead in a series of increasingly difficult musical challenges. It’s a fun, time-wasting (in the best possible way) device, with different language options also available.

Images by Apple

We’ve all heard anecdotes like the one about $15 rabbit that needed a $1000 leg splint after an unfortunate incident with a trampoline, or of the even-more-expensive maladies that can befall a dog. When faced with an unexpected pet illness, we’re stuck in the unenviable position of trying to scrape together what is often the cost of a small car, or… what?

For many loving pet owners, there is no ‘or what’, which leads us to the subject of Pet Insurance. Due to the increasing cost of vet care in Australia (a trip to the vet for a Siamese’s blocked  tear duct can cost triple what you’ll pay for your human child’s visit to the GP for their two-year-old vaccinations), more and more pet owners are considering investing in Pet Insurance.

What it entails
Very similar in function to human health insurance, customers can choose a wide range of coverage for their animal, ranging from basic coverage to supreme coverage, which pays out up to $18,000 in vet costs and the price of a new pet in the sad event of its death.

Many established insurance companies such as Medibank Private offer pet insurance policies for dogs and cats, and there are also well-established pet-specific insurers, for example Pet Insurance Australia, out there. You can even cover your pets and support a worthy charity by taking out pet insurance through the RSPCA, where up to 20 per cent of your premiums go to support the work of that organisation.

But just as with your personal insurance, regardless of which policy you choose and which insurer you use, make sure you read all the documents carefully to make sure the policy is right for you and to ensure you know precisely what your pet is – and is not – covered for.

If you can’t stand the thought of anything happening to your cat, but can’t afford a lump sum payment in the event of an emergency, perhaps pet insurance might be something to consider.

• Do you have pet insurance? Is it worth it or a rip-off? Use the Comment facility below to share your thoughts…

Images by Carpe Feline and greyObeard