Hangin’ with the Animals

posted by Animal Lover2 on Oct 31

By: Tony Robinson

Leash training, like any other training, a cat will require the proper tools, research, patience and good reinforcement. Cats are intelligent and sensitive which you will never want to use force or physical threats on a cat. Any of the force behaviors that you use on the cat will only result in a cat fearing you.

You will be the one that will have to change the behavior in positive reinforcement. Good words used, the cat’s name, and the behavior the cat is doing. Treats are another way of showing your cat a positive reinforcement for good behavior. Use small treats; you do not want them to have a full meal when training them. Later after the positive reinforcement is established, you will be able to phase the treats out.

Treats should be just that treats. Never use the cat’s dinner food for treats. Use good healthy treats in bit size portions. Do not give large amounts, as this is a treat and not the dinner.

Training your cat to be on a leash or wear a collar can take time. Two weeks should be set a side to do the training. Do not every start training a cat for a behavior and stop. If you ever want to start, again the cat can become confused and very stressful. If the cat gets sick or an illness, this it self will be stressful on a cat and you will have to stop the training. At this time, you will want to get the cat to the vet.

After the sickness or illness is taken care of you can continue the training, also during this time you will want to gently and carefully continue at the step of training your are at. This will reinforce the training that you have done and can continue.

Next, you will want to seek out good equipment for the leash training of the cat. Looking at the equipment, you will want to keep in mind that a cat’s neck is sensitive. Harness are great for walking cats, keeping your cat safe, trying to escape, and much more comfortable to the cat. A lightweight short leash would be perfect for walking. Do not get a long one, as you will want the cat close to you for easy pickup in case danger is near. In addition, you are walking the cat the cat is not walking you.

You will need to work with your cat once you get the harness, so that the cat will be comfortable with it on. Use steps in doing this like, let the cat look it over to get their scent on it, after that put the harness on carefully and remove it. Do this until the cat is comfortable with the harness on in the house. Do not take the cat outside to do this. Your cat will try to escape and with being outside you have no boundaries for the cat to stay in.

Once you have accomplished those steps, and the cat is comfortable with the harness then start with the leash. Walk the cat in side the house before trying outside. Once you see that cat is comfortable with this step, now is the final training.

Take the cat outside and do walking in the yard until you and the cat feel comfortable. Make sure the cat is walking with you and you are not pulling the cat with the leash. You cat at first will be distracted with many things that the outside world has to offer.

Then it is out to the sidewalk or path to take that first walk. Remember you will want the cat to walk with you. Your cat will be distracted with other animals, other cats’ scents, smells and other objects. Remind your cat that you are walking and tell him it is time to go and continue slowly walking until the cat is next to you.

Training your cat on a leash has advantages not only for walking but also for other trainings. Taking your cat to a vet, instead of the carrier, you might try the leash once the cat is comfortable with walking with the leash.

Reward your cat each step of the way, and happy trails to you and your cat.

About the author: Tony Robinson is a webmaster, international author and cat lover. Visit his website at http://www.officialcats.com

posted by Animal Lover2 on Oct 30

By: Mary Majorda

Out of all the pet animals, the cat is most expressive about its needs. The feline loves to be pampered and cared for. Don�t you just love the pretty pussy pictures they make? They can also become �sulkily aggressive� at times. Understanding their feelings and needs is not at all difficult.

Just like your body language, behavior, and words give away your intentions and feelings, similarly, your pets also communicate through their bodies, and noises they make. As a pet owner, it is important for you to understand the signs, scents, and body language of your pet. Other than those, the visual information is also very important for understanding what your pet wants to communicate.

No longer �The Mystery Cat�

The cat language can be understood by your cat�s postures. Cats can be lazy and furtive at the same time. Its arched back depicts the no-nonsense attitude where you need to be careful! There are various other postures like its lying on its side, and lying down with tucked paws. The former is the relaxed state, and you need to careful about the latter. It makes evident that your little pet is definitely up to some nuisance.

When a cat feels sleepy, like most human beings and animals, it adopts the fetal position.

Purrs, Sounds, and Noises

Your cat�s purr in various pitches can foretell the things in store for you. For cats, you�the owner is like family. They look up to you as bigger cats. Outsiders are like prospective predators and they are considered threatening. So, if your cat comes across a new face, please make sure they are at a safe distance from each other.

If you make a loud noise, your little companion might hide away somewhere out of fear. They love to spend quieter moments. They show their affection by purring politely at you. The cats love to hear female voices, as they are more attractive. Half-mews, �Prrrh� and trills friendly greetings when you are also welcomed with a little �fluffy� rub.

Your cat needs attention or food when its mews are shorter vowel sounds. The sounds without vowels can either be questions or greetings. At that instant you need to look at its facial expressions to gauge what is in your love�s mind. Sounds like �Mrrrheor� or �Ree-orh� are made to seek your attention.

Sweet Emotions

Your pet recognizes your touch and loves it. Patting your cat�s head for a sweet �hello� can make him/her feel on top of the world. This strengthens your bond with your furry friend and enhances trust. Touching noses increases the level of intimacy and love at both ends.

The �Cat� and Tail of it�

A cat�s tail is the best way to gauge its emotions. A low tail indicates that the cat is not too sure of its environment and is ready for any happening, whereas, an upright tail suggests its confidence and alertness. A lashing tail expresses pending aggression.

Your cat can become dangerous when its hair fluffs out. This is where it means, �Do not mess with me�. You�ll be able to make out if your pet has been engrossed in some violent sessions with its other �friends� when its hair is all out of place and makes noises like it is crying.

Your cat�s flattened ears show fear or threat. When its ears are facing forward, it shows that it is paying attention.

But, other than these indicators, you need to read your �purrfect� companion�s face and eyes to understand its emotions and what it is thinking.

Author’s Bio: Mary Majorda of California has lived along with kittens since as long as she can remember. She got her 1st kitten at the age of 2 as a birthday gift from her dad and since then she hasn�t parted from cats and kittens. Besides having a family of a husband, 2 kids and 4 kittens, her love for them has pursued her to become a vet. Get Kitten Pictures from www.cutelittlekittens.com

About the author:

Author’s Bio: Mary Majorda of California has lived along with kittens since as long as she can remember. She got her 1st kitten at the age of 2 as a birthday gift from her dad and since then she hasn�t parted from cats and kittens Get Kitten Pictures from http://www.cutelittlekittens.com

posted by Animal Lover2 on Oct 28

By Michael Russell

There are an astounding number of ways in which animals move on the land, in the air and in water.

Land-dwelling mammals can to walk, run and jump. Salamanders, turtles and lizards also walk, but are often said to crawl. Termites and ants are among the many insects that walk a great deal too. Grasshoppers and crickets jump, but they also walk about slowly when they are eating. Even flying birds must be able to walk or hop on land. The garden snail produces a watery liquid that serves as a private lake. This snail rolls through this lake by contracting muscles that move its skin. This is also another form of animal movement on land.

Many animals live in the ground and must get from place to place. Moles and other burrowing animals dig their way through the earth rapidly with shovel-like legs. Earthworms often eat their way through. When the soil is loose, they push through it in the same way that they move on the surface of the ground. A worm also moves about by digging into the ground and making itself longer and then shorter. In this way it pulls itself ahead.

Several other animals fly through the air to transport themselves. Others, like flying squirrels, flying frogs, flying fish and flying lizards do not really fly but instead glide through the air. The best gliders are the flying fish that leap from the water with such force that they can glide as far as 50 yards.

A true flying animal has the ability to propel itself through the air by beating its wings against the air. Only four groups of animals have produced species that can truly fly: they are the bats, the birds, the insects and the flying reptiles that died out with the dinosaurs. Each group has its own kind of wing design and aerodynamics. However, the wings of bats, birds and flying reptiles are alike in having bones. An insect’s wing, like an insect’s body, has no bones at all. The veins that strengthen its wing are really air tubes with strong walls.

A great many animals also live in the water, primarily because there is much more room for them than on land. Mammals, such as dolphins and whales, live only in the water. Many birds do a great deal of paddling about in the water. Reptiles, like turtles and amphibian animals, like frogs, can also live half their lives in a body of water. But most of the swimming animals belong to the class of fishes. The movement of a fish’s tail fin helps propel a fish through the water. Yet many fish can still swim even if most of the tail fin is a bitten or cut off.

They can push themselves through the water by twisting their bodies from side to side. Some fish can also move forward or backward by means of their side fins. Other animals move through the water by jet propulsion. Squids and cuttlefish suck water into their bodies and then squirt it out. This shoots them forward. Jellyfish also swim by jet propulsion. They open their jelly umbrellas and then rapidly close them. When the stream of water gets out, the jellyfish is pushed forward. Many tiny animals row themselves through water. They have tiny hairs called cilia which act as oars. Other tiny creatures have whiplike threads with which they pull themselves forward.

There are still more curious ways in which animals move. Some ride from place to place on other animals, like the remora fish. It fastens itself onto sharks or other big fish so that when the sharks kill another fish, the remora frees itself to go after a part of the meal.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Animals
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell