How can I clean cat urine out of a memory foam mattress? Tips & Products

My cat just peed on my memory foam mattress. I can wash the comforter but I cant put the memory foam in the washer.
What do I do? I think it’s gone through the foam. It was over 300 dollars for the mattress so I cant just throw it away.
What do I do to clean it and remove the odor?

One of the most effective formulas I´ve found for removing ANY odor was from Popular Science Magazine.
Mix 1 quart of Hydrogen Peroxide, with 1/4 cup of Baking Soda, and one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap. Saturate the affected area, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and the smell is gone. This is non-toxic and safe for your animals and children, and those with allergies. This is especially helpful for removing skunk odor from your outdoor animals.

As always, test a small portion of fabric for color fastness, before treating a large area.
There are many home remedies for treating pet stains and odors, and let me stress that most of them are not too bad as far as removing odors for humans´ noses.

Vinegar, amonia, baking soda, laundry detergents, lemon juice, fabric softeners, and commercial strength pet stain removers are all great for removing the odors that humans can smell.
HOWEVER; you will need more to remove the odor for your cat´s nose. An enzymatic cleaner is the best answer, but it is slow and may take more than one application. (Nature´s Miracle is one of them.)

The Hydrogen Peroxide/Baking Soda combo is fast, but can alter the colors of some fabrics.
In the end, you must decide which application is best for your situation.

To remove the smell of urine from just about anything, first clean it with some sort of soap or kitchen cleaner. Then clean it with lemon juice. If you dont like the smell of lemon juice follow it up with a little bit of vanilla extract.

9 Responses to “How can I clean cat pee out of a memory foam mattress?”

1. Margaret v Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 8:39 am When my cat did this all I did was run water thought the wet spot and let it dry . Then I spray it with something that will get rid of any order remaining.
   
   
2. r8drzz Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 9:19 am Go to the pet store and purchase "Natures Miracle" It comes in a red and white bottle. When you apply it, put it on heavy! Cat urine is extremely concentrated (desert animals you know they don’t drink much water) and needs to be flushed out. The Natures Miracle has enzymes in it that dissolve the urine compounds that cause the odor.
   
   
3. DIY_Diva Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 10:02 am Wow. Ok, well the only way to really get cat pee out is to use Urine Off or Natures Miracle.
   
   
4. Royael Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 10:32 am Wow! Normally I would say through it out, but $300. is a lot of money for memory foam.
   Maybe you can clean it with Fresh scented Clorox Bleach, and then let it air out for a couple of days.
   You will need something strong to get that stuff out.
   Also, get the cat fixed (spayed or neutered) so it won’t do that anymore.
   If the cat is not trained to use the litter box, keep him outside in your yard.
   If you can’t keep the cat outside, find someone with a farm to adopt the cat.
   You can’t keep a cat indoors if it refuses to use the litter box. Yuk!
   
   
5. sue t Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 10:46 am contact a local vet and see what they recommend. Most vets will sell cleaning agents. Supermarkets and stores often have weaker versions.
   
   
6. izo Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 10:54 am Oh HELLO… my cat (male) done exactly the same thing to me .. my brand new king size memory foam mattress …(£500!!!!) he peed on it not once, but a zillion times and he done a number 2 on it…. I was not a happy bunny… each and everytime he saw a chance to get it (including one time, i was lying in my bed, and i thought nah he wouldn’t dare in front of me …. !!!!) I have no idea what he had against it, but hey… I have yukky stains both sides of my mattress now!!! but the smell? i soaked it with a water/bleach/white vinegar solution… SOAKED it … (mild solution) and I done it about 3/4 times per piddle!!!! …it doesn’t smell, but it looks bloody awful, if you have any tips on the actual stains i will be grateful … good luck!!! xxx
   
   
7. Sydney Bristow's Other Alias Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 11:01 am Nature’s Miracle is by far one of the best products I’ve used to get the smell and stain of cat urine out of stuff. They even make a cat specific formula. If you go to your local pet store, or a Petco or Petsmart, they’ll have it in the cat section, most likely near where the litter is kept.
   
   I work in a pet store and I have two cats that use the area behind my tv as a litter box when they feel like it…
8. canikeepthisname4ever Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 11:11 am One of the most effective formulas I´ve found for removing ANY odor was from Popular Science Magazine.
   Mix 1 quart of Hydrogen Peroxide, with 1/4 cup of Baking Soda, and one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap. Saturate the affected area, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and the smell is gone. This is non-toxic and safe for your animals and children, and those with allergies. This is especially helpful for removing skunk odor from your outdoor animals.
   As always, test a small portion of fabric for color fastness, before treating a large area.
   There are many home remedies for treating pet stains and odors, and let me stress that most of them are not too bad as far as removing odors for humans´ noses.
   Vinegar, amonia, baking soda, laundry detergents, lemon juice, fabric softeners, and commercial strength pet stain removers are all great for removing the odors that humans can smell.
   HOWEVER; you will need more to remove the odor for your cat´s nose. An enzymatic cleaner is the best answer, but it is slow and may take more than one application. (Nature´s Miracle is one of them.)
   The Hydrogen Peroxide/Baking Soda combo is fast, but can alter the colors of some fabrics.
   In the end, you must decide which application is best for your situation.
   To remove the smell of urine from just about anything, first clean it with some sort of soap or kitchen cleaner. Then clean it with lemon juice. If you dont like the smell of lemon juice follow it up with a little bit of vanilla extract.
   
   
9. PaulMor909 Says:
   October 28th, 2009 at 12:00 pm Nature’s Miracle or Simple Solution is good, but you have to get it all the way down where the urine has soaked into. With foam, I would think it would be difficult (and not damage the mattress). But you can certaintly try and see how it dries? But it has to soak all the way through (just like the urine did).
   

Get A Cute Tea Cup Persian Cat For Pet

By Cynthia Turner

It is quite odd to hear the term tea cup cats when someone talks about it and you dont know what it means. You may be aware of miniature cats in the market but tea cup cats are supposed to be something different.

You can imagine that tea cup cats as miniature cats but they are little different as far as their characteristics are concerned. When we refer to normal cats the female weighs around fourteen pounds and a male up to seventeen pounds.

A tea cup cat never weighs more than eight pounds and at the lower level they remain at only three pounds. So when you see a tea cup cat being sold in the market for sale you can find out if the cat is a genuine tea cup or not by keeping these weight marks in mind.

Buying a teacup cat requires you to know certain facts like this otherwise you might fall into the trap that is set by some unscrupulous cat breeders. The cheats in the business often try to sell any Persian cat that is less than ten pounds as a teacup cat whereas in reality such a cat is actually to be counted amongst the common Persians. Hence be informed that just because a Persian cat weighs less than ten pounds doesnt make it a teacup cat.

Tea cup cats make excellent pets as they are so cute and cuddly. Therefore many people like to bring them these charming cats home as they are great choice for a pet.

The teacup Persian cat with its extremely small size and fragile nature is all the more demanding of love and care which is one of the things that cat owners instinctively do.

One often wonders that where the tea cup variety comes from. essentially the cats are not commonly produced but is bred by a system called inbreeding. In this the breeders mate two types of cats from different breeds which are smallest in size. This process goes on for a couple of times till the right cat size of the cat and weight is acquired.

If you are familiar with Japanese Bonsai process you will realize how the trees size is reduced by the process of dwarfism. In the same way the cats size is decreased with the process of dwarfism. The dwarfism of Persian tea cup cats involves two methods.

The key procedure which is followed in dwarfism is mutating of genes which goes by the name of achondroplasia. Here the mutation affects the balance of the cats body. Owing to this balance the bone growth of the cat is controlled resulting in overall smaller bones. Tea cup Persians is more popular than any other tea cup cats in the world.

About the Author:

There are a whole host of different varieties of Persian cats including cute blue persian cats. Interested persons wanting to learn more about cute teacup persians should click on the hyperlinks. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.

October: Black Cat Month the Perils of Halloween

cats.about.com
While October may be the favorite month of thousands of humans, who excitedly plan their costumes of spooks, vampires and monsters, in anticipation of Halloween, cats, particularly black cats, have little cause for celebration this month.

Much has been said about the more violent indignities that may be practiced on black cats at this time of year, but a more subtle cruelty has surfaced in recent years. Some shelters have noted a spate of black cat adoptions shortly before Halloween, with many of these cats returned to the shelters in the days after the holiday because "He just didn't work out." One might assume that these people just wanted another Halloween decoration for their house - a black cat in the window, perhaps, or a "familiar" to go with that new witch costume. It probably did not even occur to them that this practice is cruel and inhumane - this kind of individual typically thinks of cats as property, and not as sentient beings who suffer real trauma from being dragged back and forth from shelter to home and back again.

Let's Talk About the Violence.

It is true that statistics on black cat torture during October are lacking - most of the stories we hear are heresay, and some, no doubt, have been drummed up simply for the shock value. The conundrum is that the problem can be self-fulfilling. Young minds are vulnerable, particularly the minds of youths who have themselves been abused. When they hear stories of ritual Satanic abuse of cats, a spark ignites, and a new crime wave is off and running, with a "stray" black cat the target.

Ritual sacrifice still exists. Talk to almost any police officer in a rural area about it and you may hear a story or two about cattle found, completely drained of blood, often with vital organs missing. These stories crop up in newspapers once in awhile, and while some may be dismissed as "urban legends," the possibility exists that some are true.

No Adoption of Black Cats During October

The perception of danger to black cats on Halloween has become so prevalent that many shelters and humane societies refuse to allow adoption of black cats during the entire month of October. Lacking this previously easy source of victims, practitioners of the black occult and other sadists look to the streets for their sacrificial cats, and color is not always the highest priority.

Myths About Black Cats

Black cats have taken a bad rap throughout history. Greek mythology taught that a woman named Galenthias was turned into a cat and became a priestess at the temple of Hecate, the "Dark Mother," and sometimes known as the Mother of Witchcraft. During the 12th and 13th century, witches in Europe were often found with their "familiars," usually black cats, and were said to turn themselves into cats at times. During the witch-burning era of the 17th century, witches' cats were put into baskets and burned alongside the witches.

Even in the 21st century, old superstitions have survived. In many European countries and in the U.S., black cats signify bad luck, while in England, your luck is said to turn good if a black cat crosses your path.

Keep Them Indoors

For the reasons cited above, it is best to keep all cats indoors during the month of October, regardless of their color, but especially if they happen to be black. (Indeed, cats are safer indoors any time of year.) Even though there may be no cultists in your neighborhood or community, the sheer numbers of people out and about on Halloween, along with increased vehicular traffic make the outdoors a frightening and unsafe place for small furry creatures.

In addition, on Halloween night and the weekend before, you'll be wise to keep your cats locked inside an interior room in the house, lest they panic and slip out when hobgoblins come to your door. Even the calmest cat can become upset at endless doorbell ringing and youthful voices shouting "Trick or treat!" Enjoy your holiday while saving your kitties from unnecessary stress.

Happy Halloween!

Warning: Wysong Canine Dry Diet and Senior Brand Possible Recall - Third Recall in Recent Weeks

Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 1:39 p.m., EDT

Wysong Corp. of Midland, Mich., has issued a limited recall of select canine dry diets due to increased moisture levels and the possibility of mold.
The products are:

• Wysong Canine Diets Maintenance: lot numbers 090617, 090624, 090706 and 090720
  .
• Wysong Senior: lot number 090623

A couple of cases of diarrhea have been reported, but they have not been directly linked to the pet food, according to a company representative, adding that Wysong will continue to look into the matter.
In the meantime, a notice on the corporate website--Wysong.net--asks pet owners not to feed any of these Wysong products to their pet.

Pet owners can contact Wysong for product replacement or return or exchange the product at the store from which it was purchased. Retailers will be credited through the company’s distributors.
To contact Wysong, e-mail wysong@wysong.net and write “product replacement” in the subject line.


ConsumerAffairs.com talked to a pet owner in Hawaii who says her Doberman Pinscher recently died -- and her eight other dogs became sick -- after eating Wysong's moldy food.

Lucas Wysong said his family's company is working closely with that pet owner. He called the case "exceptional" and said his company has received only two other minor complaints -- reports of diarrhea -- linked to the recalled food.

Wysong told us his company discovered the problem in late September after it investigated customer complaints' of possible mold contamination in the food.

In a prepared statement, Wysong said "At first report of potential mold in our products, Wysong launched an internal investigation. Batch records were re-examined, numerous bags of product opened and scrutinized, product samples were acquired from customers, and testing in-house and out-of-house conducted."

That investigation, the company said, revealed the problem with the food stemmed from the "unusually high heat and humidity" on the days the products were made in June and July. The company also blamed the higher moisture issues on a "malfunctioning moisture checking device."

Wysong said his company notified its distributors about the problem on September 29, 2009.

"Once Wysong ascertained that there was mold presence and the potential for mold (based on moisture tests) in certain batches we alerted our distributors, who were the primary recipients of these batches of product," he said. "Distributors were instructed to dispose of the product, as well as pull product from stores that had already received the product."

The company also said it contacted stores that received the recalled product and asked them to remove the food from store shelves. In addition, the company destroyed any "problematic" batches that remained in-house.

Wysong also told us that his company notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)about the mold problem. The FDA's new Reportable Food Registry requires U.S. companies to file a report when there is a "reasonable probability" that their food will cause serious health consequences to people or animals.

Wysong also posted a recall notice on its Web site, but that warning is buried under the dry dog food section.

When asked why his company didn't immediately notify pet owners about the mold problem, Wysong said "The vast majority of the recalled product was sent to our distributors and retailers. We have therefore focused our efforts on alerting distributors and stores and asked them to dispose of the product."

"In other words, we are focusing on the supply chain because the customers at the retail/store level are not identifiable," he said.

Wysong admitted that posting a notice on the company's Web site is not the most effective way to reach customers who may have the recalled products.

"The actual recipients of the product -- distributors and retailers -- have already been alerted, and those that buy our product in stores are likely not Wysong.net site visitors," he said. "The notice on the site therefore serves as an alert to those who did not receive these products."

"We keep records of the distributors and stores that were shipped this product," he added. "Our best chance at notifying customers is through these mediums."

Pet owners who have any of the recalled food should immediately stop feeding it to their dogs, Wysong said.
"She did not deserve to die that way"

That warning, however, came too late for Julie P. of Hawaii. She says her healthy Doberman Pinscher, Scarlet, died on September 26, 2009, after eating some of Wysong's moldy food.

"Losing Scarlet was just horrible and totally needless," Julie told us. "She died a very painful and agonizing death on the morning of her fifth birthday after suffering all night long. She had gone completely toxic."

But Julie's nightmare didn't end with Scarlet's death. Her other eight Dobermans also became seriously ill after eating Wysong's moldy food.

"They're lethargic and continued to get more and more down as time went by," says Julie, who switched her dogs to Wysong in August. "They have very red eyes with yellow gunk that they have had the whole time I was feeding Wysong. That has now finally gone away because I took them off the food after Scarlet died," she said.

"They also had severe diarrhea the whole time, too. At first I thought it was from the changing of their food, but it got worse with some bloody stools and did not go away until again I stopped feeding them Wysong."

One of Julie's dogs, a male named Doug, also developed a sore on his leg that would not heal and had "dry flaky skin with red bumps on his neck."

"Several of my other dogs, including my Daddy, Ruby, and Maybelle all have a bad rash on their groin areas that I also could not get to go away for the last two months," Julie says. "They have had gaseous upset stomachs many times in the last two months. They have been throwing up, and at times, Doug refused to even get near his feeding dish."

Julie says she didn't make a connection between Wysong's food and her dogs' death and illnesses until she opened a new bag on October 4, 2009.

"When I opened that bag, I noticed a moldy look to the kibble -- a look I had seen on several previous bags in the two months I feed it to my dogs. I did not notice any smell, but I think my dog Doug did."

Julie contacted the company that same day. "I was afraid to feed them what looked to me like moldy food," she says. "And I started putting all these symptoms together as being from the food."

"I'm not sure how I can prove that all of these symptoms were from eating the bad dog food," she adds. "But now that I've stopped feeding the food to them, they are all getting better, which seems to prove that it was."

Julie says Wysong should give her some compensation -- at least enough to cover her vet bills -- but no amount of money can ever replace Scarlet.

"She did not deserve to die that way," Julie says. "She was still a young and vibrant dog and very, very special to us. She could have gone on to live another ten years...it's hard to put a price tag on that. What would you pay to have your loved one with you for all those days?"

Lucas Wysong told us his company is "immensely sorry" for any worry or inconvenience this issue has caused its customers.

In Julie's case, Wysong said his company is in "direct communication" with her regarding the death of Scarlet and the illnesses of her other dogs.

"We have requested specific tests be conducted in an attempt to definitively determined the cause of death/sickness," he said, adding the company has not received any other reports of serious adverse reactions linked to the recalled food.

The company, he added, has also taken steps to ensure a mold problem like this doesn't surface again.

"We are in the midst of scrutinizing each and every step of our quality assurance processes," he said. "All products going back for months are being tested for moisture and mold, thus eliminating the possibility of further problematic product (if any exists) being released.

"We vow to all interested parties to do everything we can to ensure that this never happens again."

Julie, however, isn't taking any more chances with Wysong's food.

"Like a lot of people I am going to be making my own food for my dogs. But with this many to feed, that's a challenge. It can be hard to get all the vitamins in there, so I would like to supplement with a small amount of kibble."

Meanwhile, pet owners who have any of Wysong's recalled food -- or questions about the recall -- can e-mail the company at Wysong@Wysong.net.
Third in a series

Wysong is the third pet food maker in recent weeks to quietly pull some of its products off the market.

Earlier this month, Diamond Pet Foods removed some of its Premium Edge Finicky Adult and Hairball cat food off the market because of deficiencies in the thiamine levels.

Diamond's action came just days after Nutro Products quietly pulled from the market three types of its puppy food because of a production error.

The company said it voluntarily withdrew the puppy food after it had discovered pieces of melted plastic in the "production line of select varieties of NUTRO dry dog and cat food products."

When Do Cats Reach Full Size?

Egyptian Mau Cat

By Moses Wright

When does a cat reach full size? The answer to this question depends on the breed of the kitten.

Most domestic shorthair kittens, including American shorthair kittens, reach full size within the first three years and often within the first two years. Several cat breeds also mature within this time frame, but some mature much faster or slower than this general time frame.

A Singapura kitten is one of the fastest maturing cat breeds. Singapura kittens reach full size when they are between fifteen and twenty-four months old.

Chartreux kittens reach full adult size when they are about three years old. Kittens of the Somali cat breed are about eighteen months old when they reach full size.

Savannah kittens often reach full size in two to three years. Most resources state that Bengal kittens reach full size in two to three years but some Bengal kittens may take slightly longer.

American Bobtail cats may be three years old before they reach full size. A hybrid of domestic cats and jungle cats known as Chausie cats can take two to three years to reach adult size.

It is possible for a Ragdoll kitten to take up to five years to reach full size. Most Ragdoll kittens reach full size in three to four years.

Like Ragdoll kittens, Turkish Van kittens can take three to five years to mature. Most Maine Coon kittens reach full size in three to four years, but may take up to five years.

One of the slowest maturing cat breeds is the Norwegian Forest cats. The Norwegian Forest kitten may take four to five years to reach full adult size. Siberian kittens may be five years old until they reach adult size.

Size is not the only physical change that a kitten may experience as it matures. Though they may be born with amber eyes, the Egyptian Mau kittens' eyes turn green by the time they are eighteen months old. Coat color and coat texture changes are common in many cat breeds.

Kitten owners should not wait until a kitten is completely mature before spaying or neutering the kitten. A delay of spaying or neutering can lead to undesirable behavior, unwanted kittens, and an increase in some cancers for female cats.

About the Author:

Moses Wright is an expert who can answer your cat health questions and perhaps also give you hundreds of unique cat names for you to choose from if you are getting a new cat. Visit his cat health resource website now.

Cat Care: What is Feline Acne and How to Treat It

By Moses Wright

Feline acne is usually a mild skin condition that is fairly common. The faces of cats are most commonly affected. The acne that affects cats is similar to acne in humans.

This condition often appears as blackheads on the cat's chin. The chin may appear dirty instead of the presence of blackheads being clearly noticeable.

Severe cases of feline acne can cause open sores, skin irritation, hair loss, swelling, and infection though most cases of feline acne are minor. If the cat is scratching the area, the risk of these complications increases.

Poor grooming, stress, allergic reactions, and food or dirt cause in skin creases are common causes of feline acne. Overactive oil glands of the cat's skin can cause this condition.

Mange, ringworm, yeast infections of the skin, and bacterial infections can be mistaken for cat acne. The skin pigmentation changes that light-colored cats can undergo can cause black dots on the chin that resembles this condition.

The skin condition should be examined and properly diagnosed by a veterinarian. A skin scraping, skin biopsy, or other tests may be done to determine the appropriate diagnosis.

The veterinarian may recommend mild soap, special shampoo, Epsom salts, or other treatment for the cat acne. The veterinarian may prescribe a topical ointment or antibiotics. If the cat acne does not respond to these treatments, the veterinarian may administer a corticosteroid injection.

The cat owner may be able to help prevent feline acne. The cat owner may need to pay more attention to keeping the cat's face clean. If the cat is getting feline acne on its chin, the cat owner might help this condition by cleaning the cat's chin after the cat eats.

In some cases, the feline acne is caused by an allergic reaction to food bowls. Switching from plastic food and water dishes to stainless steel, glass, or ceramic can help prevent allergic reactions to plastics.

The cat owner should not squeeze the blackheads since this can create sores that are prone to infection. The skin condition should be checked by the veterinarian again if the condition does not clear up with the recommended treatment. A different treatment may be prescribed.

About the Author:

Moses Wright has been a pet lover since young. He started this site to provide pet lovers with free pet advices and tips on homemade pet food.

Improve your pet's diet during October's National Pet Wellness Month

October is National Pet Wellness month. It is never too late to institute better habits and doing so can lead to improvements in many chronic disease conditions.  The physiologic changes caused by such diseases may be irreversible, so begin your pet’s wellness plan early on in life.

Wellness can be broken down into multiple facets, each individually contributing to a complete picture of health for your pet.  The first in this four part pet wellness series will focus on diet.

Your pet’s food provides the building blocks of body tissue and is the key to maintenance of optimally functioning body systems.  Diets consumed by active, healthy people should serve as models for the foods given to your pet.  Fresh, moist protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources are more energetically useful to your pet than dehydrated, hermetically sealed, and highly processed foods.

My view that a pet’s food should consist less of commercial food and more of home prepared foods is somewhat controversial in the veterinary community.  Yet, two prime examples of the benefits of such food choices are prevalent in both human and animal health fields:

Healthy, fit people do not subsist solely on dehydrated, chemically stagnant foods capable of remaining in their kitchen cabinet for months (i.e. commercially available dry pet food).  When we eat a combination of moist, fresh, preservative-free foods, our energetic state and organ systems improve.  See “Super Size Me” to second handedly experience the adverse health effects of “McFoods”.

Pets diagnosed with cancer typically undergo dietary modification to include more human grade, whole food sources.  Pet owners should be proactive to potentially prevent adult and geriatric diseases by feeding their pets freshly prepared, nutrient rich food sources early in life.

Calorie restriction and portion control

Pet owners love to feed their pets.  Unfortunately, then number of calories American pets are fed often exceeds their daily requirements.  A  2002 study, done in part by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, reports that dogs fed a calorie restricted diet lived almost two years longer than dogs that consumed additional calories.  The dogs involved in the fourteen year long study also were less likely to develop osteoarthritis and experienced delayed onset of clinical signs associated with the disease.

Dry foods are a significant culprit in the burgeoning US pet obesity epidemic.  Dry pet foods are very nutrient dense and often are dispensed in excessive volume.  The metric portion appropriate for a pet typically “seems too small” according to average pet owner responsible for feeding.  More food is then added to the bowl to achieve a more visually appealing quantity, thereby satisfying the owner’s need for their pet to eat more.  

Follow the per day feeding guidelines on the bag or can of pet food. Ideally, feed your pet at the lower end of the range recommended for their body weight. Use a metric measuring cup to dispense your pet’s food.

Reduce dry food and add fresh vegetables

Dilute your pet’s calories by adding fresh, steamed vegetable sources to your pet’s commercial food.  Fresh or frozen carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and mushrooms are excellent choices.  Beneficial fiber, moisture, antioxidants, and other healthful substances will provide additional nourishment for body systems stressed by activity or illness.

Reduce your pet’s commercial food by 25-33% and replace that volume by incorporating the same (or slightly larger) quantity of vegetables. Ideally, choose locally grown, organic food sources. Once lightly steamed, puree the vegetables in a blender or food processor to permit easy mixing into your pet’s existing foods.  Multiple portions of vegetable puree can be prepared and kept in the refrigerator or freezer for convenient access.  

Increase feeding frequency

Establish a regular feeding interval by feeding your pet at least every 12 hours.  More frequent feeding promotes improved digestion, slower eating, less aerophagia (swallowing of air), and more consistent insulin and blood glucose levels.

There is no one correct food, nor one singular feeding system, that you should employ over your pet’s lifetime.  As your pet ages or is afflicted by bouts of illness, their dietary needs will change.  Please use common sense and the guidance of veterinarian (one who believes in the value of more healthful dietary habits) when designing a feeding program for your pet.

Source: Pet Care ExaminerPatrick Mahaney

Feline Coccidia and Other Parasites: A Pet Owner's Guide

There are many intestinal parasites that kittens can catch from their environment or from their mother. These parasites are very common in kittens and some of them can infect humans. Routine deworming kills roundworms and hookworms. Other common parasites include giardia, coccidia and tapeworms, and can only be treated when diagnosed on a fecal examination.

Roundworms are transmitted to kittens by nursing on their mother, through coming into contact with parasite eggs in the environment or by hunting. Hookworms are transmitted by burrowing into the skin, environmental contamination with eggs, or by hunting. Giardia and coccidia are spread through environmental contamination. Tapeworms are spread through hunting or ingestion of fleas.

If your kitten has worms, you may not be able to identify the parasite by looking at it. Sometimes roundworms will be evident in the stool as long, spaghetti-like strands. Tapeworm segments (small, white, rectangular) may be seen around the rectum.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) sets the guidelines that many veternarians use. They recommend that your veterinarian deworm your kitten at three, five, seven and nine weeks of age, and then place her on a monthly heartworm preventative product that also kills roundworms and hookworms. Every kitten should also adhere to a monthly flea preventative (some products do all of this). ONLY use products that are recommended by your veterinarian. Just because it is sold in a reputable store does not mean it is safe!

Fecal samples should be checked for parasites two to four times in your kitten's first year and then one to two times per year thereafter. If your kitten is indoor-only, aim for two negative fecal examinations during kittenhood, and then annual fecal exams as an adult. This is important because fleas can transmit tapeworms to your indoor-only cat. If your kitten becomes an indoor-outdoor cat, err on the side of performing fecal examinations twice per year.

Why would indoor-only cats need to adhere to these deworming and fecal examination guidelines? We bring roundworm and hookworm eggs, as well as fleas, into the house on our shoes. Remember that fleas are a source of tapeworms. Few houses are completely free of rodents or insects, which act as carriers for many parasites. Also, raw food diets and raw meat out of the trash can are possible sources of infection.

Why would a kitten need both routine fecal exams and routine deworming? A fecal examination could result in a false-negative and deworming may not be 100 percent effective, but the combination of both decreases the potential for misdiagnosis.

By John Rhodes

Abdominal pains, vomiting, dehydration and watery stool are all signs that a cat is suffering from feline coccidiosis. Kittens and debilitated cats are prime candidates for its more severe manifestations.

Actually, coccidia is very common among both felines and canines. Recent surveys suggest that about 37% of cats and dogs are infected by coccidia. However, not all of these animals will show symptoms of infection.

Protozoa, which are one celled organisms, are the cause of coccidiosis. These organisms take residence in the intestinal tract of the cat and may cause symptoms that resemble other parasites such as worms.

However, though the symptoms of worms and coccidia are similar, the conditions must be cured using different treatments. You should therefore take your cat to a veterinarian for a diagnosis before proceeding with any treatment, to ensure that you get the correct medicine.

So, how does your cat get it? Coccidia are transferred via fecal matter. All cat stool contain immature protozoa (referred to as oocytes), which are relatively harmless until they mature in an open environment. The longer a cat stool has been to decay, the more the oocytes develop, and the more at risk cats coming into contact with it become. Cats may also acquire coccidiosis from eating mice infected with the protozoan.

To prevent against coccidia infestations, you should...

1. Pay attention to where your pet spends most of its time. You should make sure your catteries and kennels are tidy and well-maintained. Of particular importance is the disposing of stool within a day or two of it appearing.

2. Use disinfectants. Before doing this, you may want to move your pets to a different location for the time being. You don't want your pets to inhale the potentially harmful fumes from disinfectants. As for what disinfectant to use, find one that contains a fair amount of ammonia. Alternatively, just mix a little bleach in with some water.

3. Not forget to tend to crevices, and hard to reach areas. You should pay close attention to them as many forms of parasites ? oocytes notwithstanding, could make their home there.

4. Consider repainting. Repainting the area where your pets live could help destroy coccidian oocytes where they mature.

About the Author:

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Trainer Popovich says your cat, too, can learn all the tricks

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Anyone who has seen his Comedy Pet Theater in Las Vegas knows Gregory Popovich can train cats to do the unbelievable.

Train a cat? Isn't that like training a goldfish? Seeing Popovich perform with his troupe at Planet Hollywood on Las Vegas Boulevard is believing. His cats perform in skits, jump through hoops, fly and stand and do acts on their hind legs, all within safe limits, he says.

The trainer writes about his methods in You Can Train Your Cat (St. Martin's Griffin), due Oct. 13. His message is that you, too, can teach your cat to stop clawing furniture or waking you up in the middle of the night or displaying other annoying behaviors, if you take time to get to know your cat, learn how your cat likes to be rewarded, understand how your behaviors affect your cat and then work with your cat. And keep working with your cat.

"Each kitty has a different way of being rewarded," says Popovich, a son of animal trainers with the Great Moscow Circus. "No two cats are alike."

Popovich rarely uses food treats as rewards. Praise is his main motivation, and he saves it for when the cat achieves a goal. He says he changes the pitch and volume of his voice dramatically when rewarding. After the praise is made, he resumes his normal tone and he walks away. "I never shower the cat with effusive praise except during training," he says.

He strongly disagrees with critics who say the Vegas act is unfair to cats. He says he doesn't push his cats. Instead, the shows allow for a cat to decline participation.

"Cats are very independent. You cannot push them," he says. "They will not do a trick they do not want to do.

"Because I do the show every day and some cats have bad days, to make my show happen every day, I have two or three kitties lined up do a trick. If Kitty doesn't want to do it, I go to another kitty. You can tell by the look in the cat's eye if it will do it."

Feline expert Beth Adelman of Brooklyn, N.Y., agrees cats can master just about anything. Popovich's cat even pushes dogs in baby strollers.

"You can train a cat to touch anything on command," Adelman says.

Popovich is a fourth-generation circus performer and also a master juggler. And the cats themselves? All of his pets are from local animal shelters.

Popovich says friends in Las Vegas taught him about shelters in the early '90s when he first came to the USA. "We did not have shelters in Russia. I could not believe my eyes when I walked into the shelter and saw so many animals needing homes."

source:usatoday.c0m

Cat trainer answers readers questions

Gregory Popovich uses a feather to teach a cat to jump through a hoop.

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Cat trainer Gregory Popovich answered several questions readers asked about troublesome cat behaviors ranging from defecating outside the litter box to biting and crying in the middle of the night."A key to understanding cats," Gregory Popovich writes in his new book "You Can Train Your Cat (St. Martin's Griffin, $14.99)  "is they think they're gods. And the mythologies of many cultures warn us: You better take extra caution if you offend the gods. Its behavior is governed by its personality, but it can range from annoyance to outright hostility."
So know what you're dealing with and then be consistent when trying to correct behaviors, he says. His overall advice:  nip things in the bud and use positive reinforcement. You need to know what your cats likes and how he likes to be rewarded. Every cat is different.
Many of the questions for Popovich had to do with litter box issues.

Gregory Popovich has more 16 cats and 13 dogs, all from animal shelters, in his Comedy Pet Theater in Las Vegas.

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Question: I have three neutered male cats (2 Maine coon cats and 1 Russian blue) that we adopted from a shelter. One of our Maine coons insists on urinating and defecating right next to the litter box even though the box is clean.   How do we get him to use the litter box instead of the floor?  We have tried various things including having another litter box, changing the brand of litter. - Tammy

Question: My cat, who seems very content, well adjusted and affectionate, urinates in the same place on the carpet for no apparent reason. Sometimes, right in front of me. She does this about twice or more a week. She's about 3-5 years old. Her litter box is clean. She is my only pet. She is an outdoor/indoor cat. No amount of verbal scolding seems to help.  - David

Answer: Keep an eye on the cats, especially after meals, If you catch them defecating, say ''No'' in a disapproving voice,  pick them and the poop up and put  both the cat and poop in the litter box.  Do this for several weeks. Clean the area thoroughly with a urine odor remover you buy at pet stores that neutralizes the area.
If this does not work, put the cat in a room with the litter box and do not let the cat out of he room until it goes once in the litter box. Then reward it by letting it out of  the room. It might also help to let the cats outside, where they can mark and defecate where they please. Most male cats will stop spraying after the are neutered. When I get a kitty from the shelter, I bring home some of its poop and put it in the litter box right away so it knows where to go. Another trick is to put the pets food near the spot where it is defecating or wetting.  A cat will not like to go to the bathroom near its food.
Among  tips in his book: The location of the litter box is very important. Cats like quiet places where there is not a lot of vibration. Laundry rooms with washing machines and dryers might not be a good place for your cat box.

Q: Snickers is temperamental and he nips.  He'll be happy and purring one minute and then he'll be ready to pounce and attack us the next.  What do you think would be the root cause of his mood swings and what can we do to prevent them? - Anne
A: It is very important to find out why they did it. Is the cats being pushed or are they hungry?   Maybe they are jealous or are trying to attract attention of the owner. My recommendation is to think what the owner did before or did not do correctly. Some cats are shy and do not want to be touched. Also, cats play by biting so it's important to not encourage your kitty to do this when it is young.

Q: My 2 cats have wrecked havoc on my sofa and chair.  I clip their nails frequently and have provided a number of acceptable scratching alternatives.  They do use the turbo scratcher and  the slanted scratcher, but still persist on my sofa and chair.  I have tried the sticky tape (will not stick to the fabric), herbal deterrent sprays and spritzing them with water when I catch them at it, but nothing works! What do you suggest I try next.- Frances
A: You have tried many things I recommend. One thing to try is put catnip on the scratching posts. I like to use positive reinforcement but when nothing else works, you can keep trying to spray a cat with a  water pistol.

Q: I have six house cats and a border collie mix. Can she be trained to break up cat fights and other cat behaviors. If the answer is yes, where do I go to find out how to do it?- Samuel
A:  Dogs and cats are two different societies. I would not recommend trying this. I keep cats and dogs separated. They can all relax that way. My cats have kennels and my dogs have kennel. Most cats would like to stay alone. Some cats have friends and sleep together in the kennel area, but for the night they stay alone.

Q: How do we get our cat to stop crying in the middle of the night?- Dave
A: Cats have different sleeping cycle. They usually jump on the owner to wake them up. Easiest for human to lock the door. If the cats start meowing and banging on bedroom door, two things you can do: do  feed them before you go to bed and give them food far away from the bedroom. Second thing, plugs for the ear and ignore arguments for two to three nights and cats give up.

Cat Urine Smell -Get Rid Of It The Easy Way

By Sonia Kekkonen

Cat urine. One of the less appealing odors one can ever have in the house... And trying to get cat urine out of carpet is for some people in the same category as having a root canal.Yes, it is distressing and it is easy to get angry with the cat. Who wants a smelly house?

Cat urine can be a challenge to remove,the key is to use the proper cleaners. When the urine is allowed to dry into the rug it forms strong chemical bonds with the material of the carpet.

Not only do amino acids bind with the carpet, so do salts. Salts cause a bond with an ionic charge that is increasingly difficult to dissolve the longer the urine has been on the carpet. Steam cleaning, or home made cleaners will not dissolve these strong bonds, actually steam cleaning the carpet may make the problem worse.

Some commercially available "pet odor removers" work by masking the odor by masking the foul smell caused by the bacteria that is using the urine as it's source for fuel.Other products use compounds in the attempt to absorb the smell.

These products, along with the home made remedies, may have short term results, but in order to completely eliminate the odor, (and to not encourage your cat to soil in the same place) every trace of the urine needs to be removed by cleaners that can undo the strong bonds between the fibers of your rug and the urine.

So, you got cat pee on your rug? What is the first thing you should do?

1. Mop up as much of the urine as you possibly can. Use absorbent paper towels or old towels. Lay them on the spot and blot until there is no trace of wetness. Recognize that you may only see a small part of the spot as the urine soaks into the padding under the carpet. Be careful adding water to the spot. You don't want the spot to spread out into the padding underneath.

2. Use an enzymatic cleaner that you can inject into the padding underneath the carpet. Inject the cleaner in order to cover a spot 1/2 a foot in diameter, then spray the surface of the spot with the cleaner.

3. When using a proper cleaner, that is all you need to do. No rinsing needed. Keep your cat away from the area until it is completely dry which can take a few days.

Remember, even though it may be easy when you are "in the moment", do not scold your cat. Cats are fastidious about cleanliness and do not want to eliminate where they eat, sleep or play.

Some of the "good" reasons may be that kitty has a urinary tract infection and has associated the litter box with pain. Maybe the box isn't clean? Maybe there is a new litter not acceptable, or possibly another cat is aggressive whenever kitty wants to use the box. Finding the cause may be crucial to your success.

Cleaning the area properly, eliminating all traces of urine along with understanding the cause, and maybe using an attractant like the very popular Dr Elsey's Cat Attract, will soon see a kitty using her box and a sweet smelling home.

About the Author:

Cat Urine Cleaners and How To Remove Pet Urine Effectively along with other articles and tips can be found on www.catsdogsandpets.com the website dedicated to our cats and dogs.