Cat Basics 101
The Beginner's Guide
To Being Owned by a Cat
So, you've got a new cat! Welcome to the wonderful world of cat ownership. I put together this page to help new cat owner's find quick answers to some of the most common questions about raising the majestic feline.
Welcome to a brand new world. You're going to enjoy your journey together.
Last Updated May 23, 2009
We now have Videos! Located at the end of each section.
CONTENTS:
1. Caring for Newborns & Orphans
2. Helping a Cat Adjust to a New Home
3. Basic Health Issues
4. Stages of Kitten Development
5. Emergency & First Aid
6. Giving Medications
7. Clipping Claws & Other Grooming Tips
8. Avoiding litterbox Problems
9. What You Need to Know about Spay/Neuter
10. Safety Tips & Kitten Proofing Your Home
11. Feeding Information
12. Behavior - What's This All About?
13. Introducing a New Cat to Resident Cat & Dogs
14. Why Indoors Only
15. What You Need to Know About Declawing
Caring for Newborns & Orphans
Some wonderful links on raising orphan kittens, socializing feral kittens, weaning and some pitfalls to be mindful of when raising very young motherless kittens:
Pregnancy - From Vetinfo
Fleas on Young Kittens:
NEVER put any flea control product on a young kitten without checking with your vet. Advantage is safe for kittens as young as 8 weeks, but if you are uncertain as to the kittens age check with a vet before applying.
Dr Mike Richards suggests "I agree entirely with you that many kittens do die from the effect of flea
infestation. There is a safer way to treat them, though. Ovitrol spray
is approved for use in neonatal cats and dogs and appears to be safe if
used according to directions. This consists of spraying a towel or cloth
with the spray and then wrapping the kitten in it for approximately five
minutes with its head out so that it can breathe, of course."
Basic Health Care
Some good basic information on cat health. For more information on specific diseases & conditions, please check the Feline Health, Illness & Behavior Links pages. Please note that these links are not intended to be a substitute for good veterinary care. If you have any doubts at all about the health of your cat, please consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Welcome Home Kitty:
Top 10 Things To Do Before You Bring Your New Cat Home - From the ASPCA
Routine Health Care:
Choosing & Caring For Your New Cat - From the Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine. Vaccinations, Internal & External Parasites, Warning Signs to be watchful for.
Stages of Development:
Stages of Kitten Growth & Development - from Kim Lance
Emergency!:
How to Tell if a Cat Needs Vet Care! - Humane Society of the United States. NOTE: PDF File open in separate window
Giving Medications:
How to Pill A Cat - Includes photos! Excellent help.
Clipping Those Claws!:
Clipping A Cat's Toenails - Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine
RECOMMENDED READING:
Avoiding Litterbox Problems
Note: If your cat has already developed Litterbox problems such as urinating or defecating outside the box, or Spraying, please refer to Litterbox Problem Help for specific suggestions on how to deal with this problem.
9 Steps To Prevent Litterbox Problems Before They Start - From PAWS
Spay/Neuter
Every new cat owner should understand why Spaying or Neutering your cat is a good and necessary thing for both you and your kitty. If you feel that neutering will lead to overweight cats, or that it is "unnatural" or that you would really like to have a litter of kittens, as a responsible cat owner you need to read this separate page of links which explain the health advantages of spay/neuter, debunk some of the common myths associated with desexing, and make you think about the seriousness of overpopulation and it's consequences. Please spay or neuter your pet.
Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet
Safety Tips
Cats are naturally curious creatures. Part of their charm is that they will get into everything. Protect your cat from common things around the house that might be harmful, even fatal. Read these links carefully and take steps to protect your pets.
KNOW YOUR VET'S EMERGENCY NUMBERS!
24 Hour Poison Control Center Hotline - (888) 426-4435. A $55 consultation fee
Did You Know This Was Harmful To Your Pet? - A list of common things you probably didn't know were poisonous. From the National Animal Poison Control Center
Feeding Your Cat - What's Best?
There are lots of things to consider when choosing food for your pet. Be especially careful of the foods & feeding habits to avoid that are listed in these links. And don't overfeed! Obesity in cats can be extremely serious. Check the Obesity and Nutrition links in the Feline Health, Illness & Well Being Topics Library to understand more about nutritional requirements and the health risks of Obesity.
Feeding Your Cat - From The Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine. Differences between Dry, Semi-Moist & Canned, nutrition labeling, basic feeding guidelines, nutritional supplements, common feeding errors.
The importance of feeding your cat high protein, high fat & low carbohydrate diets is just emerging with new research. Dry food is between 35-50% carbohydrates while canned food is generally around 10%. Feeding cats diets where the main ingredients are corn or wheat - you might as well being throwing a can of Nibblets and a couple of slices of bread into the feeding dish. Canned food is better for urinary tract health, and high carb, dry food diets are being linked to the development of feline diabetes. These articles are MUST READS for new information on proper diets for carnivores:
Protein Requirements for Good Nutrition
- Drs. Foster & Smith
Cat Behavior: What is This All About?
We've had to move our Behavior links because they outgrew this page! We couldn't get another word in edgeways here, so to find information on: - Basic Cat Behavior & Training Information and a selected list of excellent books on feline behavior please go to our new page:
NOTE: If your cat has already developed a litterbox problem, pooping or peeing outside the litterbox or is territorial marking please go to the following page for help:
Litterbox Problems and & Spraying Help!
Introducing A New Cat Into Your Household
Thinking of doubling your fun and getting a playmate for your kitty? We have 9 indoor cats and have managed to successfully introduce them all together. These articles will help you introduce a new cat the *right* way to minimize stress on all of you. Feliway and Rescue Remedy are two invaluable products that I always keep on hand to help with introductions. The most important thing to understand about cat introductions is DON'T PANIC! Hissing, swatting, spitting, hiding are all common behavior traits when cats are attempting to figure out who's boss. It looks worse to humans. The cats don't take it personally, so stay calm, and don't communicate your own anxiety to them.
Cat Introductions Best Handled with Patience - By Gina Spadafori
Two products that can be extremely helpful in introducing a new cat to a resident cat's territory are Feliway and Rescue Remedy. The links below will explain what each does and how it can help alleviate anxiety:
RESCUE REMEDY:
Rescue Remedy Website - Downloadable brochure, Product information, testimonials.
FELIWAY:
Feliway Website - What it does, and how to use it. You can also order on-line through this site.
Indoors Only
Do you truly understand the health & safety risks of letting your cat free roam outdoors? Please read these links to understand the many, many dangers and hazards that your cat faces outside. Dangers which you cannot control, and from which you cannot protect them. Read why the ASPCA, Humane Society, many veterinarians, animal welfare associations and owners advocate indoors only, or cat proof outdoor enclosures for your pet. Please read the information on this separate page of links:
Indoors Only: Some Things to Consider
Declawing: Do you really understand what this is?
If you are considering declawing your cat, then before you have this procedure done, take the time to read these links and understand exactly what this means and why many European & British Commonwealth countries have made declawing illegal. The following page of links are to articles written by the ASPCA, The Humane Society, several veterinarians and owners. Please take the time to understand what you are doing to your cat.
Declawing! What You Need To Know
[Meet The Tally Household] Personal: [Personal Causes]
Heat Cycles & Pregnancy in Cats - Drs. Foster & Smith, DVMs
FAQ's on Reproduction - Drs. Foster & Smith
Delivering & Raising Kittens - from Cat Fancier's Organization
Tube Feeding Newborns
Fading puppy and kitten syndrome:
Do you know the signs? - Joni L. Freshman, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Medical Concerns for Orphan and Fading Kittens - Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD
Blood Type & It's Relationship to Fading Kitten Syndrome - The Petplace
The Kitten Fostering Handbook - an excellent starting point for those Help! I've found some kittens, what do I do questions!
Raising Orphan Kittens - from the Feral Cat Coalition
Orphan Kittens - MarVista Veterinary Clinic. Includes photos!
Hand Raising Orphan Kittens - From Foothills Felines
Care of Orphaned or Rejected Kittens - From Columbia Veterinary Associates
Taming Feral Kittens - from the Feral Cat Coalition
Raising Orphan Kittens & Taming Ferals - a personal website of experience
Newborns! - from Safe Haven
Orphaned Puppy & Kitten Care - The Pet Center
Hand Raising Orphaned Kittens - From Alley Cats. NOTE: PDF File! Open in new window
Bottle Feeding Orphaned Kittens - Ron Hines DVM PhD
Hand-Raising Orphaned Kittens - American Cat Fanciers Association
Care of Orphaned Kittens - Read all 5 pages. From Susan Little DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Feline Practice)
Neonatal Orphan Kitten Care - Several Chapters from Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Cat Pregnancy & Newborn Kitten Care - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Caring for Your Kitten - Video Discussions from veterinarian Dr. Tracy Carreiro
Pregnancy & Newborn Kitten Care - Huge amount of newborn info from Dr. James Talbott
Newborn Kitten Care - 26 Topics discussed by Dr. James Talbott
Caring for Newborns - Handling, keeping warm, giving food & water - Carolyn Haynie
Period of Adjustment, for You and Your Cat - From Little Shelter
Welcome Home Kitty! - Tips for making your new cat feel at home in your home
Helping Your Cat Adjust to a New Home - From PAWS
Bringing A Cat Home - from Animal Planet
How to Care for Your Kitten - Several Video Topics from Purina
Medical Recommendations for Bringing a New Cat Home - Dr. Tracy Carriero
Starting Off Right - from Videojug.com
The First Days Home - from Purina
Helping A New Cat Adjust - Dr. Tracy Carriero
Introducing Cats to New Homes - Several videos from Dr. Tracy Carreiro
Feline Vaccinations: Risks & Benefits - From Cornell
Routine Feline Maintenance - Questions & Answers from a vet about a wide variety of health care issues.
General Cat Care - From the ASPCA
The Value of Preventative Care - CompanionCare.com
Wellness Checklist - American Association of Feline Practioners
Hairballs! - PetStyle.com
Cat Hairballs - Dr. Carol Osborne
Flea Control - Vetcentric
Feline Heartworm Control - Vetcentric
A Guide to Feline Dental Care - By Jan Bellows D.V.M. DipAVDC
Health & Wellness - From Animal Planet
How To Care For Your Cat - Several Chapters from Dr. Candy Osborne. Includes articles on Giving a Home Exam, giving medications, teeth care, parasites & flea control, microchipping, grooming, diet, litterbox and exercise tips
Caring for New Cats and Kittens - Several video discussions from Dr. Greg McDonald
Common Medical Problems - Several topics discussed by Dr. Tracy Carreeiro
Brushing Your Cat's Teeth - Jodi Korich, DVM and Eric Davis, DVM, DACVD from Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine
Cat Dental Health & Teeth Care - Brushing, dental hygiene, procedures, diet, dental disease from Dr. Greg McDonald
The Developmental Stages of a Kitten - Denver Animal League PDF File!
Developmental Stages of Kitten Behavior - From PAWS
Monitoring Your Pet's Health - Warning Signs - From Purina
Feline First Aid - From Foothill Felines. Includes Warning Signs, components of a feline first aid kit and other techniques including checking for dehydration, checking for pulse, and how to give medications.
Subtle Signs of Sickness - American Association of Feline Practioners
How to Tell If Your Cat is Ill - Montvale Animal Hospital
Warning Signs - Companioncare.com
When to Call The Vet - Companioncare.com
Getting Your Cat to the Clinic - American Association of Feline Practioners
Tips for Traveling to the Vet - Companioncare.com
First Aid For Cats - car accidents, bleeding, posioning, broken bones, abcesses and the basics of first aid from Dr. Greg McDonald.
First Aid For Cats : Think About Keeping Your Cat Indoors - Dr. Greg McDonald
Emergency Cat Health Care - CPR, upper respiratory infections, wounds, vomitting, parasites, choking from Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Relaxing At The Vet - From Animal Planet
Cat Veterinary Exam - Dr. Greg McDonald
Carrier Training - From Animal Planet
Giving a Cat Oral Medications - WSU College of Veterinary Medicine
Giving Your Cat a Pill - From Iams
Careful Steps in Giving Your Cat Medicine - Veterinary Partners
Pilling Cats (and Dogs) and Erosive Esophagitis - Giving liquids with pills! Important info from Lisa A. Pierson, DVM
Giving Your Cat a Pill or Capsule - Jodi Korich, DVM and James Richards, DVM from Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine
Giving Your Cat Liquid Medications - Jodi Korich, DVM and James Richards, DVM
from Cornell
How to Give Your Cat Oral Medications - From WonderHowTo
How To Give Pills to a Cat - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Common Mistakes Cat Owners Make When Giving Medication - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Trimming Your Cat's Claws - with photos!
Tips For Trimming Claws - Community Animal Welfare Society
If You Accidently Cut Too Close - quick tips for bleeding toes
Trimming Your Cat's Claws - The Humane Society of the United States. NOTE: pdf file. Right click to open in new window
Trimming Your Cat's Claws - Jodi Korich, DVM and James Richards, DVM from Cornell
How to Clip Your Cat's Claws - from WonderHowTo
How to Cut Your Cat's Nails - from WonderHowTo
Cat Grooming Tips - Trimming Claws, Bathing, Ears, Matting, Shedding, Teeth
Basic Tips for your new kitten - Several video discussions From professional groomer Carolyn Haynie
How to Groom a Cat - Bathing, fur, teeth, claws, shampoos, fleas from Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
The Cornell Book of Cats by Mordecai Siegal (Editor), James R. Richards (Editor), Cornell Feline Health Center
The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Delbert G. Carlson, James M. Giffin
The Pill Book Guide: to Medication for Your Cat and Dog by Kate A.W. Roby and Lenny Southam
Starting Out Right With the Litterbox - From PAWS
Litterbox Problem Prevention - Starting out right with your new cat and the litterbox.
LitterBox Training: Avoiding Potential Problems - From Perfect Paws
The Unabridged Guide to Litterbox Problems –
Part One: How to Prevent Housesoiling Problems - Cats International
Prevention of Litter Box Problems - Cats International
Preventing Litter Box Problems - From the Humane Society of the U.S.
Litter Box Problem Prevention Tips - Tips from the Idaho Humane Society
Litterbox Training - Montvale Animal Hospital
Trainers Tips on Litterbox Training - From Animal Planet
Training a Kitten to Use the Litterbox - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Choose and Maintain a Sanitary Litterbox - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Placing the Litterbox, Types of Litters and reducing odors - Dr. Adrienne Mulligan
Litterbox Training - Dr. Greg McDonald
HAVE EMERGENCY NUMBERS & DIRECTIONS NEAR YOUR PHONE!
What to do if your Cat is poisoned - Scroll down to bottom of page for info on emergency care
Poison Proof Your Home - from the National Animal Poison Control Center
Plants Poisonous to Cats - from Cat Fancier's Association
Lilies are Deadly to your Cat! - From Cat Fanciers
Non-Toxic Plants - a list of safe plants from Cat Fancier's Association
Ten Tips for a Poison-Safe Household- from Cat Fancier's Association
Poisons in the Home - From The Feline Advisory Bureau
Kitten-Proofing Your Home - from Little Shelter
What the Heck is Kitten Proofing? - From Cyberpets
Kitten Proofing Your Home - Feline Bengals Association
Just Say No To Onions - Causes Heinz body anemia. Very dangerous!!
Onions are Toxic to Cats!
Onion Flavoring in Baby Food - Be very cautious about feeding Baby food to your cat
Onions, Garlic & Other Toxic Substances - Q&A from Dr. Mike Richards, DVM
Why Are Onions A Deadly Vegetable? - Cooked, fresh or Dehydrated. From American Animal Hospital
Safe Cat Toys - From PAWS
The Right and Wrong Toys for your Cat - from Petco
Unsafe Toys for your Cat - Cats International
Halloween Safety Tips
Christmas Safety Tips
Hot Weather Tips - From the ASPCA
Cold Weather Tips - From the ASPCA
URGENT WARNING Phenol Cleaning / Disinfectant Products (Lysol, Pine Sol) - Feline Advisory Bureau
Disinfectants - What You Need to Know - Companioncare.com
Don't Let Your Cat Loose in the Car! - CatFanciersInternational
Travelling With Your Pet - The Columbia Animal Hospital
How To Cat Proof Your Home - Safety Tips for your Cat's Safety!
How To Prevent Your Pets From Getting Overheated - from WonderHowTo
A Commonsense Guiding to Feeding Your Pet - EXCELLENT Resource from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Answers questions like How often?, Table Scraps?, Nutritional supplements?, Food additives?, Homemade Diets? Reading pet food labels. PDF File.
Proper Nutrition for your Cat or Dog - From PAWS
Adult Cat
Feeding Guide - Talk to the Vet
Dog & Cat Food Brand Ratings - Brand pet food ratings - informative article from PAWS
Pet Food Primer - From AltVetMed
What's Really in Pet Food? - UGH! Mandatory reading for all pet owners!
ASPCA Warning Regarding Tuna - why feeding tuna is not good for your cat
Oh No! Not Tuna! - why feeding tuna is not good for your cat
Tuna Facts & Cats - NOTE: pdf file. Right click to open in separate window
Tuna is Bad for Cats! - Connelly Animal Clinic
ALERT! New Tuna Warning! - 2006 Study of Mercury levels in tuna
Cutting Carbs for Diabetic Cats - Vetcentric
The Dry Food Cat Crisis - Feline Future
Dry Food & Kidney Stones - Implication of dry food related urinary tract disease
Focusing On Protein - The Pet Center
Contrasting Grain-based and Meat-based Diets Fed To Dogs and Cats - The Pet Center
The 'CatKins' diet: The feline diet: a historical look - Notes from the AVMA 2003 Convention
Bite Into the Catkins Diet - DVM Magazine
Dry Cat Food Nutritional Information - Protein, Fat & Carbohydrate Percentages of Name Brand Dry Cat Food
Canned Cat Food Nutritional Information - Protein, Fat & Carbohydrate Percentages of Name Brand Canned Cat Food
- Body language
- Alarm clock kitties and nocturnal behavior
- Excessive vocalization
- Aggression towards people
- Aggression between cats
- Redirected Aggression
- Compulsive licking
- Correcting biting and scratching
- Dealing with a fearful or shy cat
- Avoiding litterbox problems
- Cats and babies
- Feliway
- Rescue Remedy
- Prescription medications to relieve anxiety
Two Cats in One Home - Veterinary Partners
I Have Other Pets in my Home! - 4Paws Rescue Team
Yelpline!Introducing Your New Cat to Your Other Pets - From Animal Plant (continue to second page)
Introducing Your Cat to Other Cats - Feline Advisory Bureau, United Kingdom
Cat Introductions Must be Handled Delicately - Veterinary Partners
Slowly is the Word When Introducing New Cats - Veterinary Partners
How do I introduce the new cat to my cat/cats & household? - Operation Foster
Protocol for Introducing a New Cat - San Francisco SPCA
The Importance of Confinement - San Francisco SPCA
Introducing Your New Cat to your Household - The Pet Place Veterinarians
How to Introduce an Adopted Cat into Your Household - John Wright, Animal Behavioralist
Introducing Your New Cat to Other Pets - From the Denver Animal League. Includes cat and dog intros
Adding a New Animal to the Household - from Cyberpets. Read all 3 parts. Article includes cat and dog intros.
The New Cat Meets the Dog of the House - From Little Shelter
Introducing Cats & Dogs: Dos and Dont's - San Francisco SPCA
How to Introduce An Adopted Cat Into Your Household - From John C. Wright, Ph.D, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
May I Introduce You? - Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Introducing a New Cat Tips from Champaigne County Animal Shelter
Choosing A Cat - From Cats International
Helly New Kitty!
Introducing New Pets to Resident Pets - From Home Vet
Dogs & Cats: Getting Along
Introducing Your Cat to Your Other Pets - From PAWS
Proper Dog-Cat Introductions - Dr. M.C. Lane
Introducing a Dog to Your Cat - From the Champaign County Humane Society
Introducing Cats and Dogs - Donna Brander, Animal Behavioralist
Cats and Dogs Can Live Together - with the proper introductions
Introducing a New Dog to a Resident Cat - Excerpts from "Creating a Peacable Kingdom". Excellent!
Introducing a New Dog to a Resident Cat - Excellent advice from the ASPCA
Introducing Your Cat To Your Kids! - From Animal Planet
How To Introduce New Pets to Residents - From Animal Planet
Teaching Kids to Handle Cats - From Animal Planet
How to Choose A Cat That's Right For You - from WonderHowTo
How To Adopt The Right Cat For You - From Animal Planet
Rescue Remedy can be obtained at any Health Food Store. Use 4-8 drops twice a day mixed in food, food gravy, water or squirted directly into the mouth. This is homeopathic, so you can't overdose. Adjust upwards or down as necessary. It works well on anxious parents too! *grin*
What Is Rescue Remedy
Rescue Remedy pet news articles - More info from RR website
Rescue Remedy Forum Discussion - A good link to understanding Rescue Remedy and the Bach Flower Essences.
Rescue Remedy - Dr. Jean Hovfre, DVM
Purchase Rescue Remedy On Line - from Drs. Foster & Smith
Feliway is an artifical pheromone that mimics the scent a cat leaves when it rubs its face or scratches against a surface. By leaving it's scent, the cat marks its territory. Spraying or diffusing Feliway reassures the cat that it's in a safe and secure environment.
Feliway: A New Method to Discourage Spraying & Stress - It lowers their anxiety level. I also spray some on a washcloth and put it inside the cat carrier when we go to the vet.
Feliway Diffuser - from Drs. Foster & Smith.
Feliway FAQ's - Good article from Catfaeries On Line
Lisaviolet's Comments on Feliway
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