Cats | Pet Lover Blog

You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl.

What does your cat do? Maybe gives the bowl a sniff and walks away from it, or just ignores the bowl completely, as if water were the last thing a self respecting cat would consider drinking.

“Okay”, you think to yourself, “Kitty just isn’t thirsty at the moment”. But then later, you happen to spy your cat busily lapping up stale water from a puddle in your garden as if it was nectar.

Cats are self-reliant, independent creatures, but surely your cat is not going to turn its nose up at the nice clean water you provide, just to let you know it can survive without you? After all, kitty does not reject the food you provide even though it is perfectly capable of catching mice.

No, the answer is not your mouser’s independence. Tap water is usually treated with chemicals, often chlorinated strongly enough for a cat to smell it. Cats noses are far more sensitive than human noses and many cats find this chemical odor very offensive. Stale water in puddles and pools has a far more attractive smell are far as a cat is concerned. Puddles may be full of rotten vegetation and microbes, but cats find this organic soup very tasty.

As well as the off-putting odor of chemicals in tap water, cats find the smell of detergents repugnant. So, because you diligently clean your cat’s water bowl in the interest of hygiene, the detergent that you use deters your cat from drinking from it. You use the same detergent to wash your cat’s food bowl, why then, does your feline friend eat heartily from the bowl, and not be repelled by the smell of the detergent? This is because the aroma of the fish or meat is stronger than the smell of the detergent.

With the water bowl, the combination of the two unpleasant smells, the chemicals in the tap water and the detergent, means that your cat will only quench its thirst from the water bowl if there is no better smelling option to be had.

So, what can you do? You need to rinse your cat’s bowl more thoroughly than you would a plate for a human. Remember feline noses are far more sensitive than ours, every trace of detergent needs to be rinsed off. Secondly, let the water from the tap stand for a while before putting the bowl down for your cat, this will allow the chemicals to dissipate.

These two things should have kitty drinking happily from the dish, unless, of course, kitty has got so used to drinking from puddles it just can’t kick the organic water habit!

About The Author

Larry Chamberlain

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If you are looking for a cat breed that won’t mind if your children decide they want to play dress up, you may want to take a look at the Ragamuffin cat breed. These cats are very tolerant of children and other pets and will allow children to play games that would have other cat breeds and even many dog breeds running for cover.

The same characteristics that make the Ragamuffin such a wonderful family pet make it a bad choice for people who are not home for long periods of time. This breed thrives on attention and enjoys ‘helping’ its family do routine household chores, such as putting away groceries or folding laundry. Spending a lot of time alone can make your cat very unhappy. After all, a cat breed that will ride around in your child’s doll carriage or attend a tea party obviously loves plenty of company and attention.

The Ragamuffin is one of the biggest cat breeds, weighing in at a very hefty ten to twenty pounds. Although these cats have larger than normal bones, part of their weight also comes from their tendency to carry a bit of extra fat on their bellies. This breed has a big, solidly built body, a wedge shaped head that is a bit round and large eyes that are so expressive that many people say that their cats seem to talk with their eyes. This breed has a long, gracefully tapered tail that is covered in long hair, giving it a bushy appearance. You can find the Ragamuffin in almost any coat color and any pattern. However cats with points can not be shown.

The Cat Fancier’s Association classifies the Ragamuffin as a member of the Miscellaneous class. This cat breed is the only one currently in this category. As the breed becomes more established, it will eventually move to the Provisional class. While the Ragamuffin can be shown, it can not receive any ribbons or awards until it moves from the Miscellaneous class and into a different class.

Ragamuffins have long hair with an extremely soft texture. Despite the fact that these cats are longhairs, the silkiness of their hair makes them easy to care for. This breed is not prone to developing matted hair and one of these cats only needs to be groomed about once a week to keep his coat looking beautiful and tangle free.

Since these cats have a tendency to carry a few more pounds than necessary around their stomachs, you may need to keep a close eye on your Ragamuffin’s weight. If he grows too overweight, you should ask your veterinarian about feeding your cat a weight management cat food. Except for this weight problem, this cat breed has no hereditary health conditions and is an extremely healthy breed overall.

If you want a large, gentle cat that actually enjoys being around children, then the Ragamuffin is the perfect breed for you.

I would love to share my secrets with you and my new special articles on
cat training do just that! Everything you need to know to train your cat is included in these special reports: See our section on Cat Breads.

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There are plenty of reasons why your cat loves you. Ten of the main reasons are listed below. Enjoy!

1. You provide food - Cats love food and they love you for giving them that food. If it wasn’t for you, they’d go hungry, and of course, if it wasn’t for you, they wouldn’t get those tasty scraps of meat after a meal. Those crunchy little biscuits aren’t half bad either.

2. You clean the litter tray - You always keep their bathroom area very clean. After all, cats are very clean animals, and they’re very appreciative of the work you do in cleaning out their litter tray, as well as the area around it. Poor things, they can’t help spraying litter all over the floor!

3. You are a great companion - You’re always there to play with them, whether it be with a piece of string or with a toy mouse which looks so amazingly real yet it magically comes back to life every time its head has just been chewed on for five minutes by your cat!

4. You’re comfortable to sit (and sleep) on - On those cold dark evenings, you’re always there to be sat on and nuzzled into. You’re so warm compared to some of the places they could sleep, and the gap between your knees makes a great paw warmer!

5. You provide shelter - They have a whole house to themselves thanks to you. While it’s raining outside they can cheerfully look out the window at all the other poor animals that have to put up with the rain. There’s always a corner in your house where they can curl up and go to sleep as well. Luxury!

6. You’re bigger than any dog - You’re (almost) always there to fend off any nasty big dogs that could eat them whole and they appreciate this greatly. Especially at the vets when a huge hairy dog is eyeing them up, they know that you’re behind them so they’ll be safe.

7. You always know where to scratch - Whether it’s behind the ears, under the chin, or on their stomach, cats just love the way you always scratch, stroke, and pet them. Its one of the things they love most, and they love you for it, and when you get that special brush out, it’s just the best thing in the world!

8. You always talk back - Whenever they meow, you always give a consoling reply either in native cat language by meowing back, or by saying something in a high pitched voice that only babies would understand!

9. You provide things to claw - Whether it is furniture, carpet, or a delicate set of curtains, there’s always something for your cat to get their claws into. What would they do without all the clawing material you provide…? It’s possible that they might consider using the specially designed scratch post that you bought for them.

10. You love them - The greatest reason of all, which encompasses all those mentioned above. They love you because you love them.

Well, those were ten of the main reasons your cat loves you. I’m sure you related to most, if not all, of them. Rest assured, your cat does love you, because they couldn’t live without you, just as you couldn’t live without them!

About The Author

Larry Chamberlain is a lifelong cat lover and webmaster of http://www.best-cat-art.com. Cat art posters, art prints, cat calendars and cat collectibles. Great cat gifts for yoursellf or your cat loving friends Cat Lover Gift. larry.chamberlain@best-cat-art.com

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