Care and Feeding

All Cats Need an Identity
Only 3% of lost cats in shelters ever make it home again, but you can increase your kitty's odds with proper identification.

Caring for Young Kittens
Essential information for someone with a new kitten or a rescued litter. Part 1 deals with preparation (shopping list and cat-proofing your home), introducing the kitten to your household, and the all-important health check.

Caring for Kittens - the Basics
Part 2 covers the basics of kitten care: nutrition, socializing and bonding, training and discipline, and getting them to sleep at night.

Caring for Kittens- Raising Tiny Newborns
Final part of a 3-part series. Raising an orphaned newborn or a whole litter of them can be a demanding, intensely rewarding, but potentially heartbreaking job. If you think you're up to it, here are some tools to help you.

Cat Food Labels - A Can of Confusion
Cat food labeling standards can be a 'can of confusion'.

Cats Age Conversion Chart
A simple chart to use for converting your cat's age to human years

Deskunking a Cat
This is a handy forumla for ridding your cat of skunk smell, without the mess of tomato juice. Caution: don't store it mixed-- it is a chemical concoction.

Disaster Preparation for Your Cats
Disaster: We don't want it, we don't expect it, but when it arrives, we need to be prepared, particularly for our cats, who look to us for protection.

Feline Owners Manual and Maintenance Guide
In a purrfect world, all cats would come equipped with an instruction manual, but if yours did not, this will fit the bill.

Feline Owners Manual and Maintenance Guide: Ch.2
Chapter 2 covers Diagnostics: Breakdown, those times when it appears parts of your cat are simply not working right. Can you fix it yourself, or does the problem warrant a trip to the shop?

Feline Owners Manual and Maintenance Guide Ch. 3
Chapter 3 covers Diagnostics: Erratic Performance. Please be assured that in most cases, these problems are only matters of "driver error," and can be resolved once you know what you are doing wrong.

Gifts for the Discerning Cat
Up a tree about what to get Spike for Christmas? Here are some tips from your Guide.

The Great Indoors-Outdoors Controversy
Opinions runs hot among cat circles over whether cats should be allowed outdoors. Your guide voices her personal opinions on this issue.

How to Articles Index
Index of all the How to articles on how to do almost anything related to cats from choosing on at a shelter to training a kitty to walk on a leash.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Summer
Keeping cool with kitty, travelling with your cat, and other summer concerns for cat-owned humans.

Kitten Supplement
A recipe for "Kitty Glop", favored by breeders for newborn kittens and their nursing mothers. Also good for convalescent cats and older cats who need a supplement.

Kitty Is What Kitty Eats - Guest Article
Veggies and Herbs for your cat? Guest Writer Donna Watkins suggests adding them, along with Fatty acid oils, to bring kitty's food alive and to make him a healthier cat at the same time.

Local Pets and Animal Links
Here is a comprehensive list of pet and animal links provided by your local About.com Guides. This is a good page to bookmark in case you're travelling to any of these cities.

The Natural Cat
Your guide conducts an experiment in growing wheat grass and other herbal remedies for her brood.

No Pets Allowed
According to researchers, if all rental housing units permitted pets, approximately 6.5 million animals could be placed in homes. No one should ever have to give up a beloved family member because of lack of pet-friendly housing, and help is at hand for those in that situation.

Primer for Cat Newbies - Part 1
Considering adopting a cat for the first time? Let these tips be your guide to the right decision.

Primer for Cat Newbies - Part 2
Now that you've decided you need a cat, let's talk about where to look for one.

Primer for Cat Newbies - Part 3
A shopping list of essentials to have on hand before you bring that new kitty home.

Primer for Cat Newbies - Part 4
Cat-proofing your home against the arrival of your new kitty companion.

Feline Q & A
An index of the most frequently answered questions about cats, from my mailbox.

Seasonal Reminders
Hints and tips for making the winter holidays a joyous and companionable occasion for both you and your cat.

Travelling With Kitty
Hints and tips from your guide on making automobile travel with your cat an enjoyable experience, and ensuring that you'll both be welcome back next time.

Turkey Surprise
A nutritious recipe for your own kitty's Thanksgiving dinner.

What Happens to Tiger if You Die?
Guest article by Colleen discusses something we'd rather not think about: What would happen to our beloved pets if something happened to us.

What Makes Cats Work
Answers to many questions you may have had about the functioning parts of cats and how they use them to demonstrate their superiority.

When to Call Your Veterinarian
Our cats can't always tell us what's wrong, so it helps to know the syptoms that indicate a trip to the veterinarian is needed.