by Nomi Berger
 
There are two kinds of kitties in the wide and wacky world of cats. The “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” feline and the “Out of sight, out of mind” minx.
 
What kind is yours?
 
Whether you’re gone for an hour or gone for the day, the former is purr-sonified by clinging climbers and shameless shadows, and the latter by snooty snubbers and punishing pouters.
 
How long, then, should a cat be left home alone? Most experts agree that pet parents should never be away longer than overnight without someone checking in on their charge. Never was a twist on the old adage truer: When the folks are away, the felines will play. Accidents can and do happen, and whether minor or major, the consequences may range from nominal to fatal.
 
While cats spend much of their day catnapping, without human companionship or mental stimulation, they’re easily bored. To prevent both boredom and separation anxiety, ensure that they’re effectively entertained. A cat tree allows your cat to climb, stretch out, curl up, and look out the window. A video of soaring birds, buzzing bees or scampering mice will keep her spellbound for an hour. Treats cannily hidden throughout your home will lure her into a kitty cat scavenger hunt and deter her from clawing the furniture or shredding the curtains. Puzzle feeders not only challenge her brain, but serve her dinner as well.
 
For overnight trips or those of a day or two, swap “sitting” services with highly reliable and feline friendly family members or friends. For trips lasting several days, hire a professional pet sitter to be your eyes and ears while you’re gone. To visit your cat daily and engage her in play, clean and replenish her food and water bowls, clean and refill the litter box, and check off any household chores (from bringing in the mail to watering the plants) you may have listed.
 
Although not overly fond of change, finicky felines may, at times, have no other choice than to embrace it: temporarily. Research and pinpoint the most highly recommended and reliable boarding kennel in your area and visit it ahead of time. Peruse the general layout and actual, individual accommodations. Ask if your particular brand of cat food is included in the daily rate or if you should supply it yourself. If your kitty takes medications of any kind, be specific about the doses and dosing schedule. Question them about their emergency procedures should the animals have to be evacuated. Once your decision is made, provide them with a comprehensive a list of contacts, instructions and information, then leave, reassured that your furry family member will remain safe and secure until your return.
 
As to what kind of kitty will greet you upon your return? Only you know your kitty best.

by Nomi Berger

Thanksgiving is a festive time, filled with feasting, family, and friends. But it’s also a time of potential distress for our feline companions. Any changes in a cat’s regular routine – a calm home now crammed with new scents, sounds and strangers -- can send even the least “fraidy cat” cat scampering for cover.
 
To reduce your furry friend’s stress level (and YOURS), maintain her regular feeding and playing routine with some extra interactive play sessions for good measure. Keep all but the most social cats in a separate room, then ensure that your social “cat-erfly” doesn’t dart out into the night when the door opens and your guests arrive. Should the worst happen and she does disappear, make certain that she has either been micro-chipped or is wearing a collar with up-to-date tags for proper identification and a swift return to your waiting arms.
 
As tantalizing as Thanksgiving food is for people, some can prove painful, even fatal for cats. The most notorious offenders are:

Chocolate: All chocolate, especially semi-sweet, dark and baking chocolate contain the toxic, caffeine-like ingredient theobromine. Candy containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, is also dangerous. If you suspect that your cat has eaten something toxic, promptly call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Turkey stuffing: It often contains onions and garlic, raisins and spices – all of them toxic to cats. The sulfoxides and disulfides in onions and garlic destroy the red blood cells and can cause serious blood problems, including anemia. The effects of ingesting raisins and/or spices usually occur within 24 hours and include lack of appetite, lethargy, weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and decreased urination.

Cooked turkey bones and gristle: Turkey bones splinter easily and can get caught in your cat’s throat or esophagus. They can also cause intestinal blockages or perforations leading to infection, while turkey gristle presents a clear and present choking hazard. To safeguard against these painful possibilities, all leftovers should be carefully wrapped and promptly disposed of.

Alcohol: To avoid intoxication and alcohol poisoning, keep all full glasses and half-filled glasses of wine or spirits out of reach of your cat’s curious nose and playful paws.
 
And yet, there’s no harm in providing your kitty with her own Thanksgiving feast, one that includes a few small, boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie.

by Nomi Berger
 
Do you often find more water ON the floor than IN the water bowl itself? Does your cat play with the water, bat at the water, dip a paw in the water, and lick off the droplets?
 
If so, here, according to some cat behaviorists, are the most common reasons for kitty’s kinky antics.
 
Play Behavior:
Many cats view water in a bowl as an irresistible game. Since it moves with the slightest touch, they quickly learn that the more they splash, the more it moves. Cats allowed to drink from a faucet may also develop this behavior because they expect THAT water to move. Cats deprived of adequate stimulation may also use water splashing as a chance to both play and banish some of their boredom.
 
Paw Dippers:
Cats averse to putting their faces in the water bowl may, instead, dip their paws in the bowl and then lick the water from their fur. If the water level in the bowl is inconsistent, cats may also choose to paw dip.
 
Safety:
Fearful of having their vision obscured or feelings of being at risk may cause some cats to spill the water out of the bowl in order to lick it off the floor. This behavior can also result from the bowl being too deep, too small or too big, or its being located in an unappealing place.
 
Reflections:
When cats see their reflections in or glints of light bouncing off the water’s surface and bat at them – whether experimentally or enthusiastically – the results can range from spilled water to overturned bowls.
 
To alter your kitty’s kooky behavior, begin by re-evaluating the type of bowl you’re using. If it’s a lightweight one, replace it with a heavy ceramic or glass bowl that your cat can’t knock over. Make certain that its size and type are appropriate for your cat. (Short-nosed breeds, such as Persians, balk at bumping their noses into the sides of too-narrow bowls). To protect your floor, set your bowl on a specially designed pet place mat with raised edges.
 
If, on the other hand, you feel your cat’s behavior is born of boredom and therefore play related, provide her with more visual and physical stimulation and enrich her overall environmental. Add puzzle feeders to the picture to keep her occupied when she’s at home alone. And increase your daily, interactive play sessions -- replete with tasty treats as rewards -- to teach her that playing with toys is far more satisfying than playing with water.

by Nomi Berger

 
Whether a trip in the car or a trip to the vet, a cat carrier is usually involved. And most felines are famous for fleeing the scene at the mere sight of them. But fear not, furry friend fanciers, there ARE ways to nip this particular “scaredy cat” scenario in the proverbial bud.
 
The first rule of paw is that YOU must keep calm. If you exhibit any signs of anxiety by assuming some epic struggle lies ahead, your sensitive kitty will “sixth sense” your tension and grow stressed in the blink of an eye.
 
To reduce the fear factor associated with the sudden, surprise appearance of the carrier, accustom your cat to its shape, size and smell by leaving it out all the time. If you use a kennel-type carrier, remove the door and line the bottom with a soft, plush towel, thereby converting it into a cozy cat hideaway. Start placing several tempting treats near the carrier, and gradually progress, with each successful “treating”, to putting them closer and closer until they’re finally inside. Or you can opt to feed your cat her meals near, on, and then, ultimately, inside the carrier.
 
Once she’s grown comfortable being in the carrier, replace the door. On subsequent training sessions, close the door while your cat is in there, promptly open it again, and offer her a treat. Work slowly but surely towards closing the door with her nestled inside, then walk around the room with the carrier awhile before setting it back down.
 
Move on to getting your cat comfortable in the car. Put her in the carrier, place the carrier inside the car, but don’t start the engine. Allow your cat to adjust to being there, and if she’ll accept them, offer her treats. Once you’re assured that she’s at ease in the car, your next training sessions should progress from simply starting the engine, to going for a drive around the block, to taking successively longer drives.
 
In short, by allowing the carrier to remain in plain sight, it should no longer be seen as an object of fear by your cat, but rather as a source of security. A private “go to” place for some quiet time or a tranquil catnap. It also serves a second, perhaps, even more essential purpose – being conveniently within reach in case of an emergency.
 
Whether your cat is, one day, injured or ill, or a disaster, natural or manmade, forces you to evacuate your home, think of the precious seconds you’ll save knowing just where that carrier is.