The Importance of Lap Cats

Valentine's Day has passed by recently, and some people unfortunately didn't have a Valentine to spend the day with. This is where that wonderful furry creature that we own comes in handy. When we are feeling down, that really nice dog, cat, or any other huggable animal we own is always there to comfort us when we are feeling down.

Most people have heard of "lap dogs", but lap cats are also around, though not quite as often. Since cats are very independent, they may not want to hang out quite as much around people as dogs do. Thankfully, I have my very own lap cat, a 4 year old Bengal named Tigger. After one of our cats had died, we were looking for a new cat for a couple years. About every couple months, we fostered a new cat. Finally we found our Mr. Tigger after we was recommended to us from my sister, who worked at Fat Kitty City, a local cat rescue. Ever since then, we had truly enjoyed having this cat around. What can be better than having a warm cat sitting on your lap on a cold day? He happens to look kind of like all these cats:

(From Google Images)

Bengal cats are half Egyptian Mau, and half Asian Leopard Cat. Tigger is only 80% Bengal, and so he was considered undesirable for some people who wanted a show cat, and thus was left behind at Fat Kitty City. This cat has given our family some huge scares plenty of times before. We're pretty sure he was bitten by a rattle snake, at least once. Although it seems as though he is immune to venom since he only had a small bit of swelling where he was bit, and he was all better the next day. He also extremely enjoys hot weather. During the hot summers when it's 100+ degrees outside, he just doesn't want to come inside. 

Attack of the Fur

As winter is coming to a close, we realize that the long beautiful furry days come to an end as well. Spring is a time of warmer weather, singing birds, and new life. It is also the beginning of the dreaded shedding season. If you have a wonderfully fluffy cat like mine, or maybe one that is just prone to leaving fur all over the place, here is a guide to making the allergy season a little less fluffy. 

1. START EARLY. 

As you are reading this probably in the mid of February, think about what will happen in the next 3 months. There will be fur from any hair-bearing animals EVERYWHERE. It's best to begin brushing down those animals ahead of time. When the start shedding in clumps, you would have already caught it. Brushing a cat's coat not only helps with the shedding problem, but it also helps the fur to look better and well groomed, and it keeps your precious cat from hacking up hairballs. 

2. CLEAN OFTEN.

In fact, keep a vacuum nearby. And any kind of floor cleaner and sponge. All those pesky hairs will be everywhere, so its necessary to vacuum often, especially is someone in the household has any allergies. If the cat still has any loose fur in its coat, it may leave some nasty surprises around the house. We have some problems with my cat Chloe since she has a weak stomach and some thick fur, so we have to clean the carpets a lot during the spring time.

3. INVEST IN HEALTHY FUR.

Try feeding your cat some of that special cat food for healthy coats. This is like a finishing touch to a healthy fur coat, and could cut down on the amount of stray fur. Some pet stores offer vitamins for healthy fur too. 

One last tip during shedding season: Get some sticky tape rollers. These things are great for getting that pesky fur off of clothes and furniture.

Stay fur-free this spring!

How to Annoy your Pet Cat (in a nice way)

How to annoy (but NOT torture) your cat in a cute and fun way.

(I am not responsible for any and all injuries from that of cats paws, claws, or jaws.)

Please steer clear of harming your cat in any way. This list is only for fun and safe entertainment only.

1. The Static technique:
Find a piece of paper or plastic that can easily stick to fur. When the paper is rubbed against the cat's fur, it will create some static electricity and stick to the kitties fur. This can really annoy and confuse your cat, especially when it can't get the paper off.

2. Water technique:
As some (not all!) cats really hate water, it can really annoy a cat if water is being dripped onto their fur. This is best done if the cat doesn't know you are the one dropping water droplets on it. (Of course, do NOT pour water or spray a cat. That becomes mean and a bit harmful. The goal is to simply annoy the cat, not make it kill you.)

3. Dress your Cat up:
Use doll clothes or baby clothes to dress up your cat. Some cats will tolerate this, but may get upset, so be careful. :D

4. Hug your Cat:
Holding a cat for too long is an easy way to annoy them. Also, kissing a cat against its will is another way they might push you away: physically, with their adorable paws.

5. Meow:
Start calling in cat language, and your cat is bound to get annoyed. Better yet, whenever your cat is meowing, intercept its meow with your own. This is an effective way really annoy your cat, and works really well with me cat Tigger.

Thanks for reading, and remember not to bully your cat or do any of these aggressively. You may get hurt.