All Cat Breeds

Having a pet can bring people joy because of the companionship and the love pets give their owners. However, taking care of a pet is a big responsibility because certain pets have very specific needs that pet owners should cater to. Some of these needs may include specialized cages, special diet or grooming. These are true for most domesticated animals such as cats and dogs. Given this, there is a need for pet owners to know what steps they can take to make their pets physically and emotionally healthy. For cat owners, one of the things they can do is to provide them with cat furniture that will make their cats more comfortable and help their cats remain healthy and well trained. There is a wide range of cat furniture that pet owners can choose from and it is readily available in pet stores and other sources like the Internet.

Some Common Cat Furniture

One of the most common and essential cat furniture that cat owners should have is litter boxes which help manage the litter of their pets. Another important piece of furniture designed for cats are cat trees. They provide cats with scratching posts so that they will not scratch your furniture at home. Cat trees also provide your cat with a playground which can make his stay in your home more fun while you are away at work.

If you would like to go a step further, you can buy your cat his own cat house or cat condo. Some of these have two to three “stories” and are even equipped with cat beds. Apart from cat trees, there are also scratching posts that are available in the market. These posts also protect your home furniture from your cat’s claws. There are also types of cat furniture designed for different purposes such as those built for kittens and for cats that may have a medical condition.

Owning a pet requires you to be responsible. You should see to it that your pets remain healthy especially those that are delicate and are vulnerable to many ailments such as cats. Providing your cat with cat furniture will make your cat comfortable in your home and will also train it properly.

Cat Furniture provides detailed information on Cat Furniture, Discount Cat Furniture, Build Your Own Cat Furniture, Custom Cat Furniture and more. Cat Furniture is affiliated with Cat Health Insurance.

Author: Jason Gluckman
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Although a cat is an obligate carnivore, most cat foods contain meat and plant ingredients with vitamins, minerals and nutrients added. The food must include taurine or it may develop retinal degeneration and go blind.

The food usually comes in a dry(kibble) or wet version. Dry food can contain up to 10% of moisture. Depending on the food, it contains some level of carbohydrates which a cat has no need for because it produces glucose from protein. Dry food can be left out for longer periods than wet food. Some believe it aids in the control of dental calculus. Overall it is more convenient and cost effective than wet food.

Wet food contains up to 78% of moisture. Some believe the increased water content over dry food is beneficial in reducing constipation, obesity, renal failure and urinary tract disorders. Fish is a common ingredient of wet food but to much of it can cause yellow fat disease.

Other alternatives are prescription food to treat certain ailments and home made food. If using homemade food, it is important that the animal is getting the necessary nutrients which may have to come from supplements.

Another alternative is vegetarian or vegan food. Unfortunately, vegetables do not contain the nutrients that meat provides. Adding supplements to the vegan food may not be adequate and can cause urine acidity problems. There is a debate if a vegan diet is good for a cat.

Malnutrition can occur if the diet is not adequate. Excessive feeding of raw, freshwater fish can cause a thiamine deficiency. An exclusive liver diet can cause a Vitamin A toxicity. Many organic, natural or vegan diets may not have the correct balance of nutrients causing malnutrition and other diseases.

There are many brands of food on the market. The basic needs are:

- Protein from meat, fish or poultry.
- Taurine.
- Vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fatty acids.
- Water.

When reading the food label look for:

AAFCO compliance with requirements for complete and balanced. The criteria for complete and balanced is:
* The food must pass feeding tests for the life stage recommended on the label
* The composition of the food must meet or exceed nutrient levels established by AAFCO
* Preservatives, at the level included in commercial pet foods, have never been scientifically demonstrated to cause any problems in pets (or people) at less than 100 times the levels found in such foods. On the other hand, the current trend for many cat food manufacturers is toward using natural preservatives, such as vitamins C and E.

Protein source – chicken, lamb or beef rather than meat.
Protein source should be the first ingredient especially on canned food.
Expiration date for freshness.

Avoid foods with labels that have:
Words like by-products, meat and/or bone meal or animal digest.
Chemical preservatives like BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin or propyl gallate.
Corn meal as a filler.
Excessive carbohydrate fillers.

If unsure of a proper diet, consult with a veterinarian.

Frank Loethen lives with his wife and three cats, Sunny, Sinclair and Midnite, in Georgia. If you enjoyed this article, please visit my cat products website, http://www.purrfectcatproducts.com, your one stop site for all your cat and kitten needs. Cat food, cat toys, litter accessories and cat treats are among the many items on the site. You can also see my three cats on the site.

Author: Frank Loethen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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