Why can't you keep these cats...?

The answer is: But every cat should be able to have at least one litter. Keep her inside, then the male cats won't bother her. Spaying/neutering your pet prevents unwanted litters and needless suffering.

Seventy thousand (70,000!!) kittens and puppies are born every day just in our

country. These unwanted kittens are tossed out the door, and join feral colonies, scrounging for food each and every day. They suffer from hunger and/or disease, become an annoyance in the neighborhood, and either continue to add to the population, or are killed. Spaying/neutering your pet ensures it will have a longer, healthier life. It prevents unwanted litters, needless suffering, and an increase in taxes to pay animal shelter costs.


2. "I don't like the smell of the litterbox."




The answer is; Changing the kitty litter frequently nearly eliminates the odor. That's just the way it is.


3. "I'm allergic to cat fur."



The answer is; There are several treatments available for allergies.

4. "He gets hair on the beds and upholstery."




The answer is; Brush him daily; you'll both enjoy it.
Most cats enjoy being brushed, and will soon come running as soon as they see the brush in your hand. Daily or frequent brushing will greatly minimize the amount of loose fur settling in the corners of your house, and will also prevent a lot of hair balls being coughed up.

5. "He keeps scratching the furniture."




The answer is; Cats are easily trained to use a scratching post.
Train your cat to use a scratching post. It should be sturdy and tall enough to let the cat stretch to his full height. If he still persists in scratching the furniture, try placing a few balloons or pieces of aluminum foil around the area. The noise of a bursting balloon or crackling foil should frighten him off without hurting him. Many times you can simply "redirect" him to the scratching post, and he will eventually get the idea.

6. "He keeps getting into fights with other male cats; he sprays everywhere."



My comment; That's just the way all males are. He's defending/marking his territory. Having him neutered is the solution. You don't want to take away his manhood; you'll have to put up with it.
Persistent spraying occurs in unneutered males as a form of territory marking. But some unspayed females spray also. Neutering should stop the spraying habit in most cats -- especially if done while the cat is still young. Note that in some cases, a cat who has been neutered and hasn't sprayed, may start doing so when it is very stressed, such as when you bring a new person or animal into the house. If that happens, lavish a great deal of affection on the cat and try to eliminate the stress factor.


7. "He has worms, or he's always shaking his head and spraying black gook around."



The answer is; Check with your vet - both of those are easily fixed.
Medication for the treatment of worms is easily and inexpensively obtained from your vet. If your cat is constantly shaking his head or scratching at his ears, he has ear mites. Treatment options from your vet for ear mites may include: medicine which you put in his ear; one or two shots of medication; or using an ear dropper to put a few drops of slightly warmed mineral oil in his ear; or (new) a vial of liquid that you break open and put on the kitty's skin between his shoulders.


8. "I'm going to have a baby and I've heard that cats suck out their breath."



The answer is; That's an old, untrue, wives tale.
Many superstitions still abound about cats. Here are some more.


9. "He spits up hair balls on my new carpet."




The answer is; There are several excellent carpet cleaners and ways to minimize hair balls.


10. "My boyfriend doesn't like cats."



The answer is; Don't decide too quickly; your relationship with your cat may outlast your human relationships. You should not always obey whatever the man in your life wants.

11. "I thought cats were cheap to keep."




The answer is; Keeping a pet is a responsibility, just like raising a child.


12. "The kitten shreds my drapes."




The answer is; All kittens are playful, but will calm down in a few months. Give her "approved toys" such as a kitty tree, so she can exercise. And since the draperies are already shredded, you can replace them with horizontal blinds, so kitty can go through them to sit on the windowsill.

13. "She wants to sleep on my bed."



The answer is: Your cat thinks you are simply another cat (a rather large one. For that reason, she wants to sleep where you are, to cement the bond. If you really don't want kitty to sleep in your bed, keep the bedroom door closed.

14. "He picks fights with my children."

The answer is; Um, maybe your kids are picking on the cat? Cats are generally very tolerant of children, and will defend themselves only if they are being hurt. Don't let your youngster pull your kitty's tail or ears, and show him the proper way to carry the kitty. Instill in your child a respect for all lifeforms; studies have shown that serial killers started out abusing animals.

15. "I can't afford to take him to the vet."



The answer is; The cost of owning a pet is considerably less than that of raising a child, but it is, nonetheless, a responsibility. You are literally responsible for another life. Spay or neuter your pet, and have your pet vaccinated against disease. Give your cat the most healthy food (no, it doesn't have to be the most expensive), and the care of a good veterinarian (yes, do shop around - quality care is not ensured just because he's a vet, and be aware that all fees are not the same at all offices).


16. "He keeps jumping on the counter."




The answer is; To keep your cat off the kitchen counter, stack a few baking pans or other noise-making devices along the edge of the counter so that they fall down when the cat jumps up. In many cases, though, you can simply pick the cat up off the counter, say "No!" firmly, and drop him (firmly but not sufficient to hurt) onto the floor.

17. "He sleeps on the hood of my new car."


The answer is; Keep the kitty inside; it's safer and better all around.
Get in the habit of hitting the hood of your car a couple times before starting the engine, just in case a "neighbor's" cat is sleeping under the hood.

18. "She tears up our Christmas tree."

The answer is; You can purchase a small bottle of a substance that can be sprayed onto your Christmas tree that will persuade him to stay far away. The spray can also be useful for keeping him off of furniture; be sure to follow the directions and don't spray directly on that beloved Victorian antique, however.

19. "He shreds the toilet paper."



The answer is: Keep the bathroom door closed at all times.
Load the roll so the end no longer rolls over the top.

20. "She doesn't like the new kitten we bought."



The answer is: Give her time, and show them both the same amount of attention. If your existing cat displays animosity toward your new one, it is probably feeling jealous. A very workable solution is for you to sit down, with a cat on each side, and pet them both at the same time. This will let your existing kitty know he's not being replaced in your affection, as well as subtly inform the new kitten that his new sister/brother is his equal in your eyes.

21. "He kicks out too much litter around the litter box."



The answer is; I've heard that some people have trained their cat to use the toilet. How about getting a bigger litter box, or a covered one? If your cat pushes out too much kitty litter, the litter pan may be too small, or the sides may not be high enough. Numerous shapes and sizes of litter pans are available, including those with high sides and a lip, or completely enclosed.

22. "He demands too much attention when I watch TV." Your answer is.




The answer is; If your cat craves attention while you're sitting quietly, why not go ahead and indulge him by letting him sit next to you on the sofa, and petting him softly? If he persists in bothering you, you might want to ask yourself if you've remembered to feed him. Or, you might want to give him a very good hug, to show that you do love him, so that he can be calmed and satisfied. I did that, and it works :)


23. "He used to play, but now he sleeps all the time."




The answer is; Cats get boring when they get old. Sometimes cats get bored - do you invite him to play with you?
Cats spend at least 18 hours out of every 24 sleeping, and will sleep even more if they're bored. Spend some time daily with your cat, letting it chase a feather or string. [Aside: You might want to invest in several toys and keep them in a basket - though your cat won't put them back in the basket, you may be surprised to find that they go to it regularly to pick out a favorite toy to play with.]


24. "I changed furniture, and her fur doesn't match my new colors."





The answer is; You are entirely too much of a dolt to have a pet.