________________________________________________
Weekly Creature Tip 1/14/12
This week’s creature tip on cats is titled, “Fleas”
Weekly Bible Verse: Genesis 2:19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
There are hundreds and hundreds of flea species found worldwide (about 3,000). There are only about 250 species inAmericaand of those, only a few common ones are normally found. One common flea is the Cat Flea. Cat Fleas live on a number of different kinds of animals including dogs and sometimes humans. It gets its name, Cat Flea, because when you look at it under a microscope you can see several hairs by their mouth that look like cat whiskers. It is true that fleas can carry diseases but it is not very common here in theU.S. Fleas are prolific egg layers and can lay 20-50 eggs a day.
There are many different products for cats that kill fleas such as shampoos, flea dips, sprays, powders, drops, and collars. There are also a number of products that can be used on you carpet. Flea eggs can survive up to a year before hatching (e.g., in your carpet) if there is no host present. Fleas are difficult to get rid of because the egg protects the larva inside and many flea products can not kill them. This is why it is important to treat your carpet and pets several times, even if you don’t see any fleas. Most products say to apply treatment to your cat again in two weeks. This is because when flea eggs are on a host their incubation time can be from a few days up to two weeks after being laid. Also, vacuuming your carpet will help remove fleas and eggs.
Most times fleas will be seen first on your cats’ ears. Often you will see fleas attached and feeding on the inside edge of the ears. Eventually, the fleas will spread to other areas of the cats’ body and face. If you keep your cats indoors you should not have any problems with fleas, providing that you do not have dogs that go in and out of the house. If your cat should get fleas, don’t worry it happens. Talk to your veterinarian about the best, but safest, products to use to rid yourselves of these pests.
________________________________________________
Weekly Creature Tip 11/26/11
This week’s creature tip is on cats and is titled, “Why should I Spay or Neuter my cat?”
Weekly Bible Verse: Proverbs 12:10 “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
Cats reproduce quickly:
A female cat, on average, has 2-3 litters a year ranging from 1-8 kittens each time. Imagine this scenario: Let’s say a pair of cats has 10 kittens a year (5 males and 5 females). Now you have six female cats and six males. Year two there would be 60 cats, year three 300 cats, and by the fourth year 6,000 cats. Keep in mind that in this scenario it just started with one pair of cats and it is possible that a cat could have more than ten kittens in one year. Wow, that is a lot of cats!
So many cats are put down each year in the US. Estimated number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year is 3-4 million. If you still think it is not a big deal to Spay/Neuter your cat think of it this way. Even if you find a home for your unwanted kittens, many other kittens will still be euthanized. If you could prevent your cat from having an unwanted pregnancy, other kittens might find homes that would otherwise be put to sleep.
Go to your local shelter and take a look at all the cats needing homes. Then ask yourself, “Would I want my cat’s kittens to end up here?” Be a responsible pet owner and Spay/Neuter your cat. It is a shame that there are so many cats that have to be killed because people aren’t responsible enough with their cats to have them spayed or nuetered.
________________________________________________
Weekly Creature Tip 10/15/11
This week’s creature tip is on cats titled “Cats and Drinking Water”
Weekly Bible Verse: Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”
Some cats can become very picky about drinking water. Usually these are pampered cats that have the tendency to develop a taste for the freshest water possible. Some cats are so bad that they lick the faucet or sink right after it has been tuned off even though the water bowl is right there on the counter top. I know it sounds crazy, but some cats are like that. For some cats it’s the running water that they like. For other cats they don’t like water that has been sitting in a bowl for 3 days because they can taste it is stale even though it is perfectly good clean water.
You can buy a pet fountain that constantly runs and filters water; some cats love them. Also evaluate your cat’s life style. Are you serving your cat and going above and beyond what your cat needs and spoiling the cat; thus leading the cat to believe they should have new water every time it drinks? You can change the cat’s water every day (it is always a good idea to give an animal fresh water daily). Changing your cat’s water daily is not too much to ask but maybe buying that expensive pet fountain is. On the other hand you may be able to find a cheap pet fountain. I found an expensive pet fountain at a yard sale for only about $4.00 (of course I sterilized it before letting my cats use it). Every cat is different and it is great to cater to each cat’s individual personality but you don’t always have to go above and beyond. So maybe a pet fountain would be great for your cat but maybe your cat can get by just fine without one. If you have the money for a pet fountain get one and see if your cat likes it. If you don’t have the money for one don’t worry you can always change the cats water daily.
Always remember to use some soap to clean your cats water dish every few days and rinse thoroughly. This will help remove and prevent scum build up. Also it is best to keep your cats water away from it’s food and litter box so the water will stay cleaner.
One last thing to consider is take a look at your cat’s health. If your cat is hardly drinking or stops drinking you need to take him/her to a vet.
________________________________________________
Weekly Creature Tip 8/20/11 
This week’s creature tip is on cats titled “My cat’s hair is on everything!”
Weekly Bible Verse: Genesis 1:24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.
I love my 3 cats but all that hair is not much my favorite thing. Cats with short hair will shed just like the long haired ones. But the shorter haired cats will shed shorter hair. If you are considering a cat as your next pet keep in mind that there will be hair. Keeping your cat or cats in one part of the house will help keep the hair out of the rest of the house. My kitties live in my big bedroom primarily but they do get to come out for a short amount of time.
Provide soft pet beds for your cat(s) to sleep in. This will help keep hair contained. If you have a kitty that loves to sleep on your bed put a pet bed there so most of the hair will stay in your cat’s bed. Never let your cat(s) sleep with you under the covers. Keep your bed made when you are not in it. If you can, stay away from flannel and plush soft blankets as your bedding because they are magnets for cat hair. Never leave your closet open or your kitty may take a nap inside. Vacuum regularly and never leave clothes on top of your dresser.
Brushing your cats with a special comb like a shedding blade (see photo) 1-2 times a week will help a lot! Get your cat accustom to the comb and soon they will enjoy it but be carful to comb gently.
Stop by next week for our creature tip on fish titled “Cleaning a Freshwater Fish tank”
