Catnip, or as it’s known by feline scientists, “neapata cataria” is an herb that is a member of the mint family.It’s been used for 1000’s of years by both humans and cats. Remarkable in its effect on almost all cats, it can give them stimulating energy and relax them at the same time. The plan is common to both Europe and Asia, and is also found in North America after being introduced many years ago. It is not native to North America. The appeal to cats all over the world appears to come from a chemical called “nepetalactone” which is contained in the stem and leaves of the plant. You can smell this when the plant is alive and fresh, but cats seem to like more when it has been dried out. This is why it’s more common to see it for sale this way instead of the live plant. It’s been suggested that the active chemical in Catnip does for our feline friends what marijuana does to some people. You may have noticed that after your cat gets ahold of some of this plant, they seem to “space off” for about ten minutes or so, rub and roll themselves all over the plant and then appear to get very relaxed. All cat species do this, including lions! It’s interesting to note that not all cats will have this reaction, as it’s genetic. Surprisingly, kittens do not like Catnip! Give a kitten some, and they’ll be repelled by it. If your cat has the genetics that will make them responsive to it, you’ll know when they’re about six months old. Feline scientists do not know exactly how or why the chemical substance in catnip affects cats. They say that it does not create any lasting damage, and that the effects one sees your cat experience are temporary. Did you know that there are other plants that have a similar effect? Two of the most well known are Valerian and Honeysuckle. While cat owners might have reservations about letting their furry friends have loose catnip, they will be more interested in toys and cloth bags stuffed with catnip. It’s speculated that doing this makes the toy more “alive” to the cat. The other advantage is that a toy or bag can be refilled with fresh catnip from time to time. Like any other herb, over time, it will lose the essential oils that give its distinct smell. To prolong the life of the toys and catnip, you may want to keep them stored in an airtight bag. Did you know that there are many types of catnip? And that your cat might prefer one over the other? What we think of as catnip is also known as “common catnip”. This is the type that is most loved by felines. The leaves are heart shaped, and have a scalloped edge. It also has tall spikes and white flowers. It can grow to be over 36? in height.Catnip – Camphor – instead of the typical catnip smell, this one smells more acidic, and tends to be the least liked by cats. It looks very much like the common variety, except that it will have purple dots on the flowers and will only reach a height of about 18 inches. Greek catnip – appears very pale green, with pink flowers. It grows smaller than the other varieties. Lemon catnip – this catnip looks a lot like the common variety, and there are often purple spots on the flowers, but not all of the time. Like it’s name, no surprise, it smells like lightly of lemon. It’s not a favorite of cats, but humans love to make tea with it! Catmint – this is the smallest of the family, and will only grow to be about 15 inches in height. It has purple flowers. It’s rare to find a cat that will enjoy it as much as the common catnip. However, it does make a great decorative plant and many people put it in their garden as a filler. If you have questions, just ask us! The post Catnip – is it safe? appeared first on Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products. via Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products http://ift.tt/1SgUqE9 Do you have a diabetic cat? Is your cat getting older and having issues with the litter box? Sadly, as our feline friends age, they have quality of life issues that appear as time moves on. A very common one is that cats, like humans, can become diabetic. And when they do, the amount of urine they produce can increase greatly, and often times, the smell. You may notice that the urine has a stronger, more ammonia smell. As Catastic Stain and Odor Remover was being developed, we understood this need personally. Our eldest office cat, Greyson, had become diabetic and we were challenged with taking care of him and the increased smell. We found that a few sprays of Catastic right into the litter box totally eliminated the problem. We found it worked so well that we decided to bottle it and share it with other cat lovers all across the United States. We made sure that it addressed the most common problems when keeping cats indoors such as urine smell, vomit, stains and feces smell. Our secret is a patented technology that literally breaks up the offending molecules instead of masking the smell like so many other products. We’re proud that Catastic! is 100% manufactured in the United States. Safe for cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits and other pets, it’s also kid and family safe. Use it on cloth, leather, upholstery, plastic and wood floors with confidence. We have lots of satisfied customers, just ask them! The post Help For Diabetic Cats appeared first on Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products. via Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products http://ift.tt/1qNggGg Thanks to modern veterinary science, better nutrition, and many owners keeping their cats inside all of the time, our feline friends are living a lot longer.In fact, it’s now common that an indoor cat can easily live up to fifteen years, and some even making it to the twenty-year mark. Did you know there are even vets that will make house calls? There’s a pretty simple formula for calculating the age of a cat in human years. The first two years of a cat’s life are about the same as twenty-four years for a human. Every year past twenty-four is the same as about four years of a human life. So for example, a cat that’s sixteen years old would be about the same as a human who is eighty years old. With age comes changes– most notable is that your cat will likely move around slower, and might sleep more. As they age, cats become more vulnerable to As cats age, you may find that their behavior changes as well, often as a result of the physiological changes taking place. Cats do seem to take these changes in stride through, and you might miss the changes unless you’re taking notes. Older cats don’t hunt that often (if you let your cat outside), tend to be less active, and spend a lot more time sleeping, and yes, that’s on top of all the regular napping they do already. Your cat might change its food preference, being extra fussy about what they’ll eat, and more vocal about what they don’t want to have for dinner. They might also develop a sense of insecurity, and become clingy or more dependent on you. This is the now the time when, more than ever, your feline companion needs essential care. Checking your cat regularly will enable you to detect problems that need to be tackled right away, and as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Elderly cats may have more problems with their claws, and might find them themselves getting caught on carpet and furniture more often than they did when they were younger. Bear in mind that if you don’t preventive health care, it can lead to things as serious as surgery. Not only can that be expensive, but is extra stressful on an elder cat. When cats are young, they keep themselves very clean, but that may change as they become older. Keep an eye on your cat’s cleaning habits, and give them a hand when they need it. Sometimes you might to use a moist cloth and wipe their faces clean. If you use a brush, don’t use one with very sharp bristles. Cats, like people, tend to lose hair density with age and you don’t want to be jabbing their skin and bones with pin pricks. While you’re grooming your cat, be sure to check for any odd bumps, sores or other items that would require the attention of a professional veterinarian. If you do brush and groom your cat, make sure you’re covering their whole body, and not just the easy to reach places. Keep an eye out for matted fur and areas where hair is tangled or clumped together. If things have gotten really out of hand, you can always go to the kitty day care and have them give your cat some pampering. Elderly cats are more susceptible to becoming dehydrated.This is especially true if they are suffering from medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease, or high blood pressure, so always make sure that a variety of water sources are available. Place bowls throughout the home in easy to reach places. Don’t place the water bowl anywhere near their litter boxes, as cats are genetically programmed to and and drink far away from where they do their business. Your older cat might get picky about water as well as food, so be prepared to try different types of bowls including metal, ceramic and plastic. They might like tap water just fine, but prefer spring water or distilled. You’ll only really know by offering your cat different choices and see how they react. You might also want to raise the bowl off the floor making it easier for them the reach the bowl. Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that your home is elder-cat friendly.There are a few small changes you can make that will ensure life is a little bit easier. If your cat is going up and down the stairs less, find somewhere on the main floor that you cat can make its new resting place, lessening the time spent navigating what might be a more difficult environment now. If your cat likes to sleep with you, invest in some pet stairs so that they can navigate up and down with ease. If you’ve got a cat tower, you might want to make sure your cat can still climb in an out of it without too much trouble. If you’ve got a three story tower, you might need to downsize to a two story. You don’t want your cat jumping out of high places and potentially injuring themselves. All in all, remember that you cat has feelings, concerns and feels both pleasure and pain just like you do. Take good care of your cat, especially as they age, and they’ll love you back ten-fold! The post Elderly cats – what you need to know and special considerations appeared first on Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products. via Cat Odor Eliminator from Catastic Products http://ift.tt/25Qpj9N |
AuthorMy name is Melinda. I work for an awesome company called Catatsic. I love my fur babies too! ArchivesCategories |