What’s waiting for your cat just outside your front door? Yes, there are trees and grass and all the sights, sounds, smells, and joys of nature — good things for all of us to savor. But there are also vicious animals, cruel people, traffic, disease, and animal control officers (who may be within their legal right to grab and impound your cat, if he steps off your property). The only reliable way to keep your cat safe from all of these deadly hazards is to keep him indoors.

Truth be told, country cats aren’t necessarily safer outdoors than city cats. Sure, there’s a lot more chance of being hit by a car or mauled by a stray dog in the city. But out in the country, we’ve got some predators that run bigger, quicker, and savvier than a feral city dog. We’ve also got less light on the roads, making strays harder to see — and easier to hit — and usually more kinds of disease-bearing insects, such as ticks.

So be careful with which you choose. If you want an outside cat, then be sure the outside environment is safe.

Animal shelters. Millions of homeless cats end up being euthanized in animal shelters every year. Adopting from a shelter saves a life, makes room for another cat, and is an inexpensive way to obtain a pet with low-cost shots and neutering. Be prepared to go through applications and interviews, some of which might seem a little too personal and pushy. Don’t take it personally — they have good reasons for it. Also, be sure to check the facilities and the condition of the adoptable pets. Since the animals live in close company, illness, worms, and fleas can be a problem.

Breeders. If you want a purebred cat, this is the way to go. Good breeders are extremely knowledgeable about cats in general and their breed in particular and are careful about who they sell their cats to. Beware of “bargain” purebreds and “basement breeders” (people who breed strictly for profit). A reputable breeder is interested in maintaining a high-quality animal, keeps careful records, and usually only produces one or two litters per breeding female per year.

• Unexplained weight loss
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting
• Really bad diarrhea
• Not eating or drinking
• Abnormal inactivity
• Lumps on the body
• Blood in urine or not urinating at all
• Abnormal behaviors
• Sneezing and hacking
• Abnormal aggressiveness
• They aren’t using the litter box

If any of these behaviors catch your attention you should take your cat to the veterinarian.

No matter how clean you keep your cat there is always the chance that some little parasite is going to call your cat’s body its home. If you are keeping a good eye on the health and well being of your cat, you might be able to determine when one of these pesky parasites are moving in.

Dog-to-dog introductions are best begun on “neutral” territory such as a park. But cat-to-cat introductions are different because cats aren’t willing to meet anybody until they are familiar with their environment. So an off-site meeting won’t work when introducing cats to dogs. Compromise by introducing the pets in your home, with accommodations made to the sensitivities of the cat and dog involved.

Confine your new pet (cat or dog) in a single room, door closed, with all the necessary pet paraphernalia. Include the new guy’s favorite bed or toy so the old, familiar smells help keep him calm. Isolating the new cat or dog tells your resident pet that not all of the house and territory has been invaded.

When the new kid is a cat, she’ll need an opportunity to wander around the rest of the house and become comfortable with her surroundings. Remember, cats aren’t interested in meeting new friends until they know all the good hiding places and have cheek-rubbed and mapped the territory. So send the dog outside for a while so that your new cat can explore his or her surroundings.

- cats are not very enthusiastic in being trained
- they are not interested in pleasing their owners

Therefore, patience, consistency, a good reward or positive reinforcement system and an enjoyable experience for your cats are the key ingredients toward successful cat training sessions. Training your cats for proper toilet, litter box, playing and leash manners and patterns require a good amount of time and patience. The task of your cat is to do the lesson at hand but yours is the patience. Cat training aids like treats are essential.

Because of the known independent nature of cats, some owners view them as untrainable which is wrong. Besides, physical exertions and mental stimulation are good for your cat’s health.

Your veterinarian may even suggest some helpful exercises and games for your cat. Behavior and psychology are the things you have to understand before training your cat. You may want to ask your veterinarians or consult books about cat training.

A Cat Has No Master
Unlike dogs, cats do not run in pack and his human is not a “pack master,” but, if you are very fortunate, he will consider you an equal.

A Cat Loves Unconditionally

While very few humans are able to love unconditionally, if you are kind and loving to your cat, he will love you without reservation, until he draws his last breath. A cat, if kept indoors, can live as long as 20 years or older. Rodents such as hamsters, rats, and gerbils have a limited life span, with 3.5 years being the maximum for most except for guinea pigs, which can live 7.5 years or longer.

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular size, age, sex, breed, or look of cat, do a little extra research before you set out to find one. You might be surprised to find that the look you love doesn’t fit well with your lifestyle. For example, if you like a quiet home, a Siamese may not be the cat for you: They’re notorious “talkers.” Likewise, a Persian is gorgeous to look at, but unless you’re committed to do almost daily grooming (or to pay a professional to do it every week or so), a nice shorthair cat might be a better idea. Do you travel a lot? Then you need a more mature cat — at least eight months old or more. Two cats are better still so they can keep each other company while you’re away.

Many cat owners look at plant eating as a behavior problem — and it is if the cat is eating plants you don’t want her to. Some folks assume that a cat who eats plants isn’t getting enough of the right kinds of food in her diet. They’re right, too — but only in the sense that what the cat needs more of in her diet is…plants.

You can create a cat garden specially designed to be eaten by your cat. Otherwise, be sure to keep your prized house plants out of your cat’s reach. You can also create a shield around your plants by putting up a fence or chicken wire around them so they aren’t mauled by your pet.

If you have the time, environment, and energy to raise a kitten, by all means do it — it’s a wonderful experience. Just remember that kittens are high-maintenance. They demand a lot of attention. They need routine veterinary care consisting of booster shots, worming, and spaying or neutering. Most all young kittens start off affectionate and passive, but they need some socialization and training to stay that way; and even still, you won’t know what their adult personality will be like until they grow up.

Of course, cats get water by drinking. But there’s another important source of water for your cat: the food she eats. The more water there is in her food, the less she needs to drink. Canned cat food is more expensive because you’re buying water along with the food (up to 75 percent of wet cat food is water) and paying a little more for the container. Dry cat food has much less water (perhaps 10 percent by weight), which means a cat whose diet consists of only dry food has to drink a lot more.

Dehydration (not enough water in the body) is a serious problem for any living creature, and cats are especially prone to it. A cat can go without food for days, losing up to 40 percent of her body weight, and still survive. But a loss of body water of only 10 to 15 percent can kill her. Other liquids — like milk, if it doesn’t make your cat sick — are a good source of water, but nothing beats the real thing. Be sure your cat has plenty of clean, fresh water available at all times.