Animal Friendships

  Animal friendships, especially among predator-prey species, are often fascinating and adorable to watch. Cats in particular are known for forming powerful bonds with all kinds of other animals. Here are a few entertaining videos we've found across the web.

Cat and Owl

 

Cat and Dolphin

  

Rat Loves Cat

Five Funny Cat Videos

   Youtube is bursting with cat videos. Cats have gained international fame by the entertaining antics they have demonstrated on the web. Here are five cat videos guaranteed to make you smile.

Cat Taking a Shower!

Engineer's Guide to Cats

Dramatic Cat

Puma the Talking Bengal Kitten

Slinky Cat (no, seriously)

Cats and Camping: For Adventurous Felines Only

   Usually when we tell people that we take our cat Sushi tent camping we receive some strange looks. It was a common occurrence for us to see dogs camping with their owners and after noticing this, we questioned why dogs should be the only ones having all the fun. We then decided that we would try it with our curious and brave little cat, who already loved walking on her leash outdoors. Most people would be surprised to know that Sushi loves to go camping. Cats can enjoy camping if they have the right temperament and an owner who understands how to take them along safely. You may be wondering how you could possibly take your cat camping with you without it being a traumatic experience where you end up chasing your escaped cat through the woods. Here's our recipe for success.

   Bring your cat in his carrier, making sure to pack a bag with food, bottled water, litter, cat bed or blankets, litter box, and toys for the trip. Having a large tent also helps to allow the cat plenty of room, and space to put a litter box. I also highly recommend having your cat leash trained for an extra level of protection against escape. Please make sure before the trip that your cat cannot pull out of his harness as well, just in case he is frightened by a sudden noise and tries to pull away.

Sushi the Camping Cat

   When you arrive, set up your tent and campsite while keeping your cat in his carrier inside the car with it running, so he can stay in a temperature controlled environment. Remember, if you would not take a small child camping with you in a certain type of weather, leave your cat at home. Transfer your cat to the tent after you have finished setting up and allow him to explore the inside of your tent. Set out a litter box, food, and water inside the tent. Your cat may need some time adjusting and exploring her new surroundings. When you exit and enter the tent be very careful not to let your cat escape and if your cat is an escape artist, consider buying a tent with zip-off rooms where you can confine him upon opening or closing of the tent to the outside.

   Tents with mesh windows are ideal for cat tent camping, so that the cat can look outside to see all the excitement that nature has to offer. You can also take your leashed cat on walks and use a dog's tie-out stake to allow him to be outside with you while you are cooking or hanging out around the campfire. Make sure your cat is not staked close enough to the fire that he may injure himself and that he is never left outside unsupervised, as he could be a dangerously appealing snack to passing predators without your protection. Happy cat camping!

Collars and Leashes

   After a trip to my local pet store, I noticed that cats seem to suffer from a lack of attractive collars and leashes as compared to dogs. Upon this discovery I took it upon myself to find cat or cat sized collars that were appealing. My favorite places to get collars are usually dog bakeries or on the internet. Here there are usually a variety of different designs that are more appealing than your average blue or red collar for cats. Make sure to know your feline's size before purchasing. If you are purchasing collars on the internet they usually provide a size guide for your benefit so that you can measure your cat to find the appropriate collar. Here are a few of my favorite collars and some links to stores that sell cat collars.

  

Pampered Whiskers

Willow Tree Ragdolls
Pattern and Paw
Feline Fido

  

Flea Problems

   Occasionally some of us will have the unfortunate luck or circumstance of having a cat with a flea problem. Thankfully, there are a variety of options that are very successful at treating them. Fleas can be a very persistent pest and may have to be treated on multiple levels in order to eliminate them.

   First, you need to evaluate your cat's flea problem. If it is severe your cat may need to go to the vet, where she can receive more extensive treatment than the average owner can provide. Examine your cat's body, checking to see how many fleas are on her skin and to see if she has been chewing any sections of her fur. After you get a sense of the scope of the flea problem, it's time to go to your nearest pet supply store for flea treatment.

 There are a few ways you can treat your cat for fleas. One, is by giving your cat a bath with flea shampoo or regular cat shampoo and then using a flea comb to remove any remaining fleas. This is an effective initial treatment to kill the fleas on your pet, but it is not very effective in dealing with the problem long term. The worst part of having a flea ridden cat is that the fleas will take residence in your home. Only 5 to 10 percent of the fleas in your home live on your cat, while the rest are living in your carpet, fabrics, and yes, even on you! Fleas can carry a variety of parasites and diseases, such as tapeworms and the Bubonic Plague. Cats can also chew their fur excessively and rip it out, leading to infections which can create further medical complications.

   If you want to avoid fleas and their nasty friends, you can treat your home by washing all sheets, towels, and curtains. This should also include vacuuming carpets and floors. You can put down carpet flea sprays or powders, and if you are experiencing an extreme infestation, a flea bomb. I do not recommend using flea bombs because you will likely have to spend the night elsewhere for a day or two. They are horrible smelling and also toxic, so only use them in extreme cases. I personally have used powder when I rescued my flea covered kitten, and it worked very well to get rid of them.  There are also flea sprays and flea collars that you can put on your cat. I have found that these last two methods are ineffective, foul smelling, and possibly stressful for the cat.

   The most important tool in eliminating a flea problem is a flea treatment that goes on your cat's neck like Advantage or Frontline. This is the single best way to kill fleas and keep them off. Usually as long as you use this monthly, fleas will never be a problem for your cat. When you use them initially you can apply them once a week until the fleas are gone from your pet, and then taper down to once a month doses. I usually give my cats a treat while I put on their Advantage and it helps to keep the cats distracted so it doesn't startle them when I apply the medicine to their neck. Make sure when applying flea treatments like these that you put them in an area on the back of the neck where they aren't likely to lick. Best of luck handling your flea problems and having a happy, healthy cat!

Cats in Costumes

   Here at Florida Felines, we share a passion for cats in costume. Here are some of our favorite pictures of cats in costumes.

Japan Disaster

    Today is the one month anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It is one of the most devastating disasters in modern history, with thousands of people and animals killed or displaced. There is an active effort on the ground to get to animals that have been trapped or separated from their owners. The situation for cats presents a special problem, where many cats have little to no experience living outside and are hiding amongst the rubble of collapsed buildings. Feral cats present another problem, because many of them need care and are wary of humans. Rescue organizations such as the Japan Cat Network have assembled teams of volunteers who are going into impacted areas to find and trap cats to bring them back to shelters. They also providing medical treatment to injured cats and starting the process of reuniting them with their owners.

    Despite all the sadness and loss, there are rays of hope. Many cats have already been reunited with their owners and are living in special temporary shelters created in pet stores or other locations until their owners can find a more permanent place for their families to live. Other owners have chosen to say in damaged homes with their pets because some shelters for people are not allowing pets. The overall feeling is that of perseverance and workers are putting in long hours to help improve the situation. Provided below are a list of organizations that need assistance and donations, and if possible, we want to encourage you all to donate or help in whatever way you can.

Japan Cat Network
Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support
Animal Refuge Kansai