How To Deal With An Abused Cat

It’s not always easy to tell if a cat has been abused just by looking at it. Some abused cats may show telltale signs such as scars, wounds, or a limp while many will show no visible signs at all. There are two different types of abuse; physical and mental. It is a terrible thing when a cat is abused in any way, but believe it or not, a mentally abused cat is much harder to deal with than a physically abused one. Regardless of how the abuse occurred the experience will leave the cat traumatized and distrustful.
 
If you are dealing with a cat that has been abused emotionally you will need a lot of patience. The cat must learn to trust you and this takes time. How much time it will take to make friends and establish a relationship with the cat will depend upon how you approach it, the cat’s age,  the level of it’s abuse experiences, and of course it’s natural personality.
 
The key is to take your time with the cat. Always speak to it in a low calm voice and try not to make sudden movements that may be mistaken as a threat. Every time you scare the cat it pushes it farther away from developing a bond with you. However, if you persevere by showing patience and kindness to the cat it will almost certainly become one of your best friends.
 
Keep in mind that in some cases, when a cat has been severely abused over a period of time, the healing process can be very slow. Also, the older a cat is, the more difficult it can be for it to be “healed”. If you love cats and you want to help an emotionally abused cat then I wish you all the best. Just be patient and loving and you will succeed.

April 22, 2008 | Filed Under Cat Health, Cat Owner Advice | Leave a Comment 

Cat Care Tips

Having a cat as a pet can be an enjoyable experience, but taking care of your cat and training it to behave can take some effort. Here are some great tips to help you to keep your cat as healthy and happy as you can.

1. One of the first things you should always do whenever you get a new kitten or cat is to take it to the veterinarian. The vet will check out your cat to make sure that nothing is wrong and give it any needed shots.

2. If your cat is old enough you should seriously consider having it spayed or neutered. Studies have shown that spayed or neutered cats live longer, and of course, it helps to control the cat population and avoid having unwanted kittens to deal with.

3. Whenever your cat misbehaves you should use a spray bottle, you should not hit your cat. All you need to do, in most cases, is to spray your cat with the water bottle while you say, “No” or something similar. It is a good idea to use the same word or words each time as your cat will soon learn the meaning and may not even need to be sprayed. Just take care not to over spray your cat, you don’t want to soak it down.

4. Depending upon the age of your cat you should probably change your litter about once a week. With an adult cat you may have to change the litter more often than with a kitten. Use a scooper to remove waste at least once a day. Consider getting one of those nice covered litter boxes to minimize the amount of litter your cat may scatter.

5. If you are considering having your cat declawed you should read this: Reconsider Removing Your Cats Claws.

6. Last, but not least, give your cat plenty of love and attention.

April 2, 2008 | Filed Under Cat Owner Advice | 1 Comment