Cat Trained To Use Utensils

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Why Cats Flip For Catnip

By Andrew Markison

If you've ever watched as a cat "flipped" over fresh catnip perhaps you've been struck with the question; "what causes Catnip to affect cats that way?" Catnip is indeed an unusual phenomenon among cats, it has the ability to alter your cat's behavior like nothing else can. So what exactly is the reason for what scientists have coined as "the Catnip effect"?

Unfortunately for such inquisitive minds the exact reason of why Catnip affects cats in such a manner remains mostly a mystery. There is however much that we do know about Catnip and cats even if we don't have the ultimate answer of exactly "why?" yet answered.

The Science Stuff

Catnip is scientifically classified as Nepeta cataria and is a perennial herb from the mint family and is in fact also referred to as "Catmint". It is a plant indigenous to Europe but has been exported and is now found all over including the United States and Canada.

The active ingredient in Catnip is an oil; Nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves of the plant. This is the reason you are able to find Catnip in a bottle or spray form in some pet stores.

Other Uses For Catnip

Catnip is not only good to stimulate activity in cats, it can also be used by humans as an herb for a medicinal tea which may soothe toothaches, help against coughs, and may also perform as a sleep aid. Furthermore, Catnip can be used as an herb on salads or other foods as has been the case for centuries in France. Lately Catnip has also been garnering favor as a natural insect repellant rivaling the effectiveness of many store bought varieties of repellant.

Catnip and Kitty

Catnip affects approximately half of all cats. What determines whether or not a cat will react to Catnip is a genome that is inherited (or not inherited as the case may be) at birth. Kittens, regardless of whether or not they carry this genome, do not react to Catnip until reaching about 3 or 4 months of age and becoming sexually mature. Older cats are also more likely to have a diminished or non-existing reaction to Catnip, which leads scientists to believe that the Catnip effect is based at least partially on sexuality and that the reaction may be something like an aphrodisiac. Further adding to this belief is the similarity of a sexual pheromone found in the urine of the male cat to nepetalactone (the active product in Catnip).

Cats that can be traced to regions where Catnip is not indigenous appear to be unaffected by Catnip. The domesticated housecat is not the only cat that may be affected by Catnip. Larger cats can also be affected by the Catnip effect, felines such as the bobcat, lynx, tiger and even lion are known to react much the same way the common housecat would. It is interesting to note that while Catnip can act as a stimulant when a cat sniffs it, it can conversely act as a relaxant if ingested. Therefore, you may see a different, nearly opposite result depending on whether your cat chooses to eat the Catnip you provide for him/her or merely sniffs it (the latter being the more typical behavior).

How to Use Catnip With Your Cat

Catnip can prove to be a very useful tool for a few common problems with your cat. If you are lucky enough to have a cat that does react favorably to Catnip then here are a couple of ideas for you and your furry little friend.

Catnip and Lazy Cats:

Catnip can be used to get a lazy cat off his or her butt. Some cats are notoriously lazy, choosing to sleep much of their day away in a nice golden patch of sunlight on the living room carpet, only waking up to eat and gather some necessary attention from their indulgent owners. If this sounds like your cat, you may soon see (if you haven't already) that your cat is becoming more and more round. This is generally not a good thing. Catnip may be able to help. Presenting catnip to your cat encourages activity (of course provided the cat sniffs rather than eats the herb).

Many adult cats will respond to Catnip in a manner that resembles their childlike kitten hyperactivity, jumping, playing and running around as if it was given an injection of kitty adrenaline, which in essence, is the case. The effect of Catnip on a cat can last somewhere between two and fifteen minutes. If the latter is the case, then this is a decent amount of exercise and will help keep your cat a little more svelte than without a Catnip treatment. Furthermore, if you leave the Catnip out for a few hours then your cat may return to the herb later (an hour or two after the effect has worn off) and again react in an energetic fashion. So in this sense you may consider Catnip sort of like a kitty energy drink.

Catnip and Cats That Scratch Furniture:

If you have a cat that seems bent on the destruction of your furniture then Catnip may again be able to come to the rescue. Cats can be frustratingly picky about just about anything under the sun including where they want to sharpen their furniture destroying claws. It is not uncommon for a cat to damage or destroy a piece of furniture just because the owners finally gave up on trying to redirect their cat to the unused cat scratching post that set them back anywhere up to a hundred dollars and more. A good way to attempt to change this frustrating and expensive behavior is to rub some Catnip or Catnip oil on a scratching post that you are attempting to get the cat to use. Introduce your cat to the newly "Catnipped" scratching post and see how he/she reacts. If all goes well, your cat will sniff and inspect the post and then begin clawing at it. After a few times (you may have to re-Catnip the post) hopefully kitty will be trained to use the post rather than the sofa.

Using Catnip with Multiple Cats

If you've never used Catnip before and you have more than one cat it is advisable to try it out individually on each cat before introducing it to all of your cats at the same time. The reason is because Catnip affects some cats in a negative manner causing the cat in question to become aggressive rather than merely playful. Introducing it to your cats individually enables you to control the situation and keep a cat that may react aggressively isolated from your other cats. This of course means avoiding a possible catfight that could result in broken furniture, hurt kitties (possibly requiring a vet visit), annoyed neighbors (and probably owners), or a combination of all of the above.

Growing and Keeping Catnip

Growing your own Catnip can be rewarding as it can save you money, give you the satisfaction of doing something yourself and ensuring that you always get fresh, high-quality Catnip for your cat. A word of caution however; the exact kitty reaction you want to grow your own Catnip is something to be wary of. If you plan on growing your Catnip out of doors and other cats can access your Catnip garden then be prepared for unwelcome feline visitors. This may not be a problem for you personally, but cats are by nature territorial and if you have a cat that lives alone without the company of other cats this could prove to be an area of stress for your cat. Even if you keep your cat inside at all times, your cat may get agitated if he/she looks out the window to see another cat frolicking in territory your cat considers his or her own. If you choose to grow your Catnip indoors, be careful to keep it out of reach of kitty. Otherwise you'll likely have Fluffy jumping up on furniture even to the most out of the way place to get access to the tempting herb. Cats are great jumpers and not really known for respecting precious household knick-knacks. So if you do decide to grow it indoors for a cat that reacts to Catnip, be careful to grow it in a place that your cat won't be able to access it. A room that you always keep closed to the cat is probably the best solution for indoor grown Catnip.

If you do find that your cat reacts positively to Catnip you should be sure to use it sparingly so as not to dull the effect which can be the result of overexposure. A good rule of thumb is to not treat your kitty more than once a week on average to Catnip.

Given all the positive effects that Catnip may have on your cat you owe it to yourself (and naturally your fluffy little ball of affection) to see how he/she reacts to this strange and well known herb. It will provide enjoyment and exercise for your cat and most likely an entertaining show for yourself as well. It's a win win situation.

Andy Markison is an illustrator, graphic designer, animal lover and pet owner living in Germany. His website, ZapGraphix.com, sells fun and humorous pet related merchandise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Markison

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How To Tell If Your Cat Is Ill

It may not be this obvious when your cat is not feeling well

Thinking that your much loved cat might be ill is a worrying time, they can't tell you what's wrong and unless you're a trained vet you're not going to know if their illness is serious or just something simple like a common cold.

Symptoms to suggest that your cat maybe ill 

If you're cat has a complete change in behaviour such as spending even more time sleeping, being aggressive, not wanting to interact and hiding out in quiet dark areas of the house then there's a possibility that your cat might be ill.

It's important to think about the changes in behaviour as certain behaviours or symptoms indicate more serious cat illnesses such as feline diabetes.  Symptoms such as increased urination, weight loss, vomiting and increased thirst would indication diabetes.  But unless you're looking closely at your cats behaviour you may miss the increased thirst and urination.

Keep an eye on your cats litter tray especially when your cat is using it, do they seem to be in pain when they urinate as they may have a urinary track infection that need to be dealt with immediately.

If your cat is healthy this will shown in their fur so if there coat isn't as shiny as normal or they seem to be loosing a lot fur as opposed to just malting, get them checked out at the vet as it may be a sign of something more serious.

When stroking your cat pay attention to their joints as lumps on these areas could indicate serious illnesses such as cancer.

The better you know your cat the easier it will be to spot changes in behaviour and appearance and if they are ill, it will allow you to take them to the vets early and hopefully in time to deal with any serious health issues.

I hope this has helped you with your concerns over your cats health you can find more details on this website about your cat

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The Phenomenon of LolCats

LOLcat

Come and find out about the LolCats pictures which are taking the world by storm.

One of the latest trends on the Internet these days is pictures of LolCats. These pictures are basically cute or funny snaps of cats which are combined with funny lines. You must have seen the popular "I Can Haz Cheezburger" around the internet. The main characteristic of this text is that it is grammatically incorrect, but that is to add to the effect of the text.

However, not many know that these funny cat pictures are not a recent concept. Since the 1970s, pictures of cats in different poses were used with interesting text. However, the usage of the word LolCats and the development of the pictures you see today started back in 2005. In 2006, the word became attested and a website was launched to provide fans of LolCats with the pictures they wanted.

As for their format, these pictures are made up of cats with captions typed in sans serif, impact or Arial black. These captions can either be placed across the image or in a speech balloon to show that it is the cat's own words. The themes of these captions are quite similar. For example, many pictures which state, "I am in ur (somewhere), (verb)ing." Others can include the infamous character, Ceiling Cat, or the word Cheezburger, as the latter is considered the favorite food for LolCats.

These pictures are usually artistically clicked. However, you can find many people creating their own LolCat art. Check out different forums and even the official LolCats website to go through the numerous pictures uploaded by amateurs. You can start from there, get ideas and feedback, and maybe even become an expert on LolCat art. Though they seem to be quite idiotic in nature, LolCat pictures can make people smile or at least go "awww" at the image of the kitten or cat included.

Keith has been an hairdresser, baker, business owner,photographer and SEO expert... visit his latest website at How To Put On Eye Makeup which helps people find the best tips on How To Put On Eye Makeup Professionally

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