Feline Behavior
Never Underestimate the Power of the Purrfect Picture!
This photo of DGC Mericat Kansas Sonset, aka Sonny, was taken by our petsitter. She said, "I don't know how I got that picture." Sonny has developed the habit of climbing to the highest perch of the cat tree. There is just one problem, he can't get down. He is afraid of falling. An appropriate caption for this pic would be, "Get Me Down From Here, NOW!!" And, the good parents we are, we have to get up on a stool/stepladder to lift his 17+ pound torso down, safely. And it isn't always an easy task. Now, just to remind him of the inconvenience he has caused, we leave him up there several, "painful" minutes before scrambling to get him down.
DO CATS HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES?
Research tells us that there are thirty some different feline personalities. The large animal rescue, Wayside Waifs, in Kansas City, personality tests each new cat surrendered to the rescue. Their goal is to match the cat's personality to the potential adopter, resulting in a compatible match to insure placement in the "right" home.
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Interested parties have contacted us looking for a cat to adopt that is, "not aloof, independent or stand offish." When we get those kind of questions/comments, we realize that person has limited knowledge about cats. The truth is, cats take on the personality of their owners. Cats are social creatures and the more time you spend with them, talking to them, making physical contact with them, the more responsive they are. A cat who does not make eye contact or respond to the people in the household, is a cat that has not been incorporated into that household. The result is a cat who is not well socialized and does not interact with its humans. Every new cat we have brought into our home has learned its name within two weeks. The more you give to them, the more they will give to you. It is the simple law of sowing and reaping. What you give, is what you get in return.
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People will say to us, "My cat won't make eye contact with me." The truth is, you are not making eye contact with them, by talking to them and frequently saying their name. Play with them every day using wands and teasers. Hold them, pet them and spend some extra time combing them. If they want to jump up on your lap, don't quickly shew them away. Give them lap time. Soon, you will have a new best friend.
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A WORD OF WARNING:
Cats can be trained just like children but it takes time and consistency. Never hit, scare or make acts of aggression towards a cat. If you do, you will create serious behavioral issues with your cat, that can be irreversible. It can also create litter box issues and urinating and soiling in unwanted areas of your home.
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Do's And Don'ts:
1. One litter box per cat plus one.
2. Place litter boxes in low traffic areas and on multiple levels of your home.
3. Clean litter boxes at least twice daily and completely sanitize boxes monthly with new litter.
3. Keep your cats INDOORS. They will live longer with less disease and injury.
4. Feed moist, canned food. Consider making your own or feeding raw meat.
5. Avoid feeding dry kibbles.
6. For separation anxiety, use a pheromone diffuser. Two cats do better than one cat alone.
7. Use an in home pet sitter to minimize stress, rather than taking your cats to a kennel.
8. Find a good feline Veterinarian with yearly visits.
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This video shows how you can interact with your cat(s) using feather wands and toys. It doesn't take a lot of time and we wouldn't recommend doing it for more than 10 minutes in one period. Like kids, cats don't know when to stop playing and too long a playtime can stress their heart, lungs and overheat the cat. This video of Sammy doesn't really show the acrobats he is capable of doing in the air with flips and somersaults. I woke him up from a nap just before shooting the video and he wasn't in his "best form."
LITTER BOXES:
The rule for litter boxes -- if you have two cats, then you will need three litter boxes...one box per cat plus one. Just like humans, cats do not like a dirty bathroom. KEEP THE BOXES CLEAN! Unless, you like cleaning up messes elsewhere in your house. We recommend using a natural biodegradable litter like corn or wheat litter. Clay is harder to clean up, especially if it gets wet. There is evidence in the literature that clay may be a carcinogen (cancer causing). Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter is clay but if you are having problems with a cat not using the litter box, this litter has a natural attractant and it does work. Just don't use it for an extended period of time. Our favorite "go to" litter is a corn base litter called World's Best Cat Litter. Petco and Petsmart carry it, as well as online sites.
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What type of litter box to use?
The electric self-cleaning boxes are not all that efficient and are often more work than they are worth. We recommend boxes with high sides to avoid "overshooting" and large enough to accommodate the size of your cat(s). Hooded boxes are OK but the consensus is most cats prefer NOT to be "closed in" by the hooded type.
GROOMING:
Our American Shorthair cats require daily eye care. We prefer to use Drs. Fosters & Smith Eyeclens Pads followed by a dry cotton makeup removal pad. Never clean or dry the eyes with the eyes open, which could cause a corneal abrasion. A corneal abrasion is a medical emergency. One drop of Restore Tears Drops in each eye, daily. Always instill eyedrops in the inner canthus of the eye.
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Daily combing will greatly reduce shedding. It takes less than 15 minutes to comb four cats. For shorthair cats, we use a metal buttercomb 006 size. Always comb "with" the hair and not "against" the hair on shorthair cats. Never use a brush.
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The best way to control shedding is regular bathing, especially in the warmer months. Yes, you can actually bathe a cat! It is no different than bathing a dog. Ideally, it is best to introduce bathing at a young age, like at three to four months of age. We have a written protocol for feline bathing, if you are interested. The protocol we have will make the bathing task much easier, for you and the cat. We developed our protocol by listening to other breeders and through trial and error. On our Home page, in the comment section, just message us and we will email you the protocol. >''<