Can cats be jealous? Is jealously an emotion that cats can feel? Can cats be jealous of dogs? Other cats? People?

Jealousy typically refers to the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that occur when a person believes a rival is threatening a valued relationship. For some, a jealous cat may go something like this. It is theoretical to be one of the happiest, most wholesome moments of your life. You bring your new baby home and take her to her brand new nursery, where you cuddle her and give her all your attention.

Your cat, the previous baby of the family, comes in to say hi, but soon he begins hissing at you and your little one. He even sprays the leg of the crib with urine! Your bundle of joy has made your cat quite jealous! Any change that affects a cat’s privileges, attention received, and normal daily life can lead to the cat feeling jealous and territorial. A new baby or a new pet causes the cat to receive less attention than he previously received. The new addition may also be playing with the existing cat’s toys or living in the existing cat’s favorite spaces, making him feel threatened and jealous.

Cats show jealousy through a modify in their normal behaviors. The outspoken cat that is not blunt about his unhappiness may hiss, growl, or swat at the new arrival. A quieter kitty may hide or stop eating. He may also seem extra needy, following you around and seeking attention. A cat may also feel that his territory is threatened by a new arrival, so he will claim what is his by spraying vertical surfaces with urine.

It is important to set up that changes in behavior are because of the cat’s emotional state, and not a health problem. If your cat is persistently not eating, hiding, or acting odd in any way, a visit to the veterinarian is necessary. There may be an underlying problem that happened to correlate with or was exasperated by a household change, or the stress of the change may be leading to illness. Stress can lead to gastrointestinal upset and urinary problems, such as FIC and urinary blockage.

When introducing a new cat to the home, it is extremely important to control. A gradual introduction is also an important factor. Place the new kitty in a room by herself, with her own food, water, and litter box. Do not allow the resident cat to enter the room or hiss and growl at the new arrival from outside the door. Sniffing at one another or playing under the door is fine.
Do not allow the new cat to take over the old cat’s favorite things. For example, do not allow the new cat to lie in your old cat’s usual spot on the back of the couch. You should purchase new toys, food bowls, and a bed for the new cat so the resident cat feels less threatened.

When bringing a new dog into the home, supervision is again extremely important when introducing pooch to kitty. If you feel your cat won’t tolerate the energy of a pup, consider getting an older dog that is friendly towards cats. Keep the dog on a leash, and make sure there are places for your cat to get away and hide when introducing the dog.

When introducing a new baby, start before the baby is born. Use baby lotions and powders on your skin so your cat can adjust to the new smells. Play recordings of crying babies to help your kitty become accustomed to the new noises. Encourage friends to bring their babies and children to your home for short visits. When the baby arrives, allow your cat to sniff and inspect the new arrival, but closely supervise the interaction and watch your cat’s body language. Give your cat positive reinforcement for being friendly to the baby.

The key to minimizing jealousy in your cat when introducing a new pet or baby is to be sure your cat continues to get adequate attention and love from you. Do not cut back on this; do not allow your cat to feel replaced by the new arrival. In fact, provide your cat with extra attention while he adjusts to the new situation.

Not everyone believes that a cat can feel emotions. Regardless of how you feel about the existence of your cat’s psyche, it is obvious that cats need and thrive on the love and attention given by their owners. Quality time spent with others is crucial to the well being of humans and animals alike. Even if you do not agree that your cat may become jealous of a new baby or pet, do not deny your cat the gift of your time and affection.

Feline was born normal but developed appendages at age 1, family says

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a … cat?

A kitty in Chongqing, China, is getting some extra-special attention these days: The furry feline has developed wings! Though born looking completely normal, once the cat hit the age of 1, he began growing wing-shaped appendages on either side of his spine, the U.K.’s Daily Mail reports.

While some think the bony limbs may be a mutation of some kind — or even a Siamese twin growing inside the cat — others speculate it’s a genetic change perhaps caused by chemicals ingested by the kitty’s mother while she was pregnant.

According to the cat’s owners, he doesn’t seem to mind his new wings — and he’s loving the attention he’s received because of them!

Strange as the case may sound, winged felines are not unheard of. Back in August 2008, the U.K. Telegraph reported that tomcats in China’s Sichuan province developed wing-like growths on their backs.

Veterinary experts said then that despite the hard inner core, the “wings” don’t harm cats’ quality of life or safety. According to the Telegraph’s report, scientists believe the appendages developed due to grooming habits, a genetic defect or a hereditary skin condition.

Source

It’s about time. That’s how pet owners nationwide reacted to NUTRO Products’ decision last Thursday to recall two varieties of its dry cat food.

NUTRO pulled seven flavors — in 28 different bag sizes — of its dry Natural Choice Complete Care and NUTRO Max cat food off store shelves, saying the products had incorrect levels of zinc and potassium. The company blamed the problem on a production error by its U.S. premix supplier, Trouw Nutrition.

NUTRO said it discovered the error on May 18 during an audit of documentation from that Illinois-based supplier. The company, however, waited another three days — until May 21 — to recall the products. Some pet owners wonder why it took so long for NUTRO to pull the cat food, but are grateful the company finally took some action.

“I was relieved, but not very surprised,” says Kristin K. of Trenton, N.J., whose kitten started vomiting bile and experiencing uncontrollable diarrhea after eating NUTRO Natural Choice. “I figured with all the complaints I’ve seen on your Web site about these (health) problems, they weren’t coincidence and eventually NUTRO would do something. But I definitely think that NUTRO needs to take a hard look at all its food — not just its cat foods.”

NUTRO claims it hasn’t received any reports of illnesses linked to the recalled products — distributed in the United States and ten other countries — but warned pet owners to monitor their cats for vomiting, diarrhea, reduction in appetite, refusal to eat food, or weight loss.

That claim outraged pet owners nationwide, who have told ConsumerAffairs.com for the past two years that their cats and dogs have experienced those same health problems after eating various flavors and varieties of NUTRO. ConsumerAffairs.com now has more than 800 complaints from dog and cat owners who say their pets have battled sudden and recurring bouts of vomiting yellow bile and explosive and often bloody diarrhea after eating NUTRO’s foods.

Many pet owners also say their dogs and cats became lethargic, had elevated liver enzymes, crystals in their urine, or been treated for pancreatitis and gastroenteritis after eating NUTRO’s pet food.

In nearly every case, pet owners say their animals’ health improved once they switched to another brand of food. Some pet owners also suspect NUTRO’s food played a role in their animals’ deaths.

NUTRO, however, says its food is 100 percent safe and meets all federal guidelines. The company also denies that it’s under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — even though the FDA’s Freedom of Information Office confirmed that probe to ConsumerAffairs.com.

Continue reading…

MARION, Ark. - When Bubba the cat disappeared inside the home he shares with Cheryl and Phillip Albers, they knocked holes in walls looking for him, but he couldn’t be found. Bubba’s meows could be heard through the night last Monday, Cheryl Albers said, after he vanished following a visit from an air-conditioner repairman.

Bubba normally hides high atop a kitchen cabinet when there is a stranger in the house that he doesn’t want to meet, Albers said. He wasn’t there, however, after the repairman left.

Taking their cue from where they thought the meowing was coming from, the Albers cut holes in the walls of their dining room, their hallway and their closet. Then, they cut through the floor boards in their attic and ripped out insulation — all to no avail. The meows continued, but there was no sign of the cat making them.

Finally, on Thursday, the Albers called Roto Rooter.

“We’re plumbers, not cat finders,” Roto Rooter’s Fred Simmons told Memphis, Tenn., television station WMC.

But using a camera-equipped metal snake to search between the walls, Simmons turned out to be a cat finder after all.

“We just run the camera down through it and seen two eyes,” Simmons said.

Bubba had fallen into a hole in the wall at her favorite hiding place and got stuck in a narrow passageway between the cabinet and the wall. After putting one more hole in the hall closet, Bubba was set free.

“She’s really good today,” Albers said Friday. “She’s eating and drinking and we’re all happy again.”

In typical cat style, Bubba snubbed the man who saved her life, but her owner couldn’t be more grateful.

Simmons said Roto Rooter won’t be charging the Albers for the hours spent looking for Bubba.

But Bubba’s adventure won’t be cheap — they still have to repair the damage they did to their home.

Source

TORONTO — One of 10 kittens found abandoned in a grocery bag has died, the Toronto Humane Society said yesterday.

The kittens, still with their umbilical cords attached, were found by Jonathan Breedon near Vaughan Rd. and Oakwood Ave.

Breedon took them home to wash before handing them to the THS on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, this one was too weak from her ordeal, wasn’t able to latch on to her new foster mother and subsequently died,” THS spokesman Ian McConachie said.

“It’s despicable and irresponsible that someone would do this.”

Breedon was saddened to hear one of the kittens he found crying in a No Frills bag didn’t survive.

“There was a black one that I had trouble trying to feed,” he said. “It wasn’t moving as much either. Hopefully the rest do (survive).”

BEING NURSED

He said he hopes to adopt one of the cats.

The remaining newborns are being nourished by two cats at the humane society who are also nursing their own babies. The kittens are also being fed supplements to help build up their strength.

“It’s touch-and-go, but we are doing our best,” McConachie said, adding the kittens need to be nursed for a minimum of eight weeks.

It was a sad day for a Mississauga dog owner as well.

A dog that ate from a tainted yogurt cup in a Mississauga park was put down by a vet yesterday, as police continued their hunt for clues into the poisoning.

The dog’s owner decided to euthanize the pet after being informed its condition was deteriorating, police said.

The man was walking his dog in an off-leash section of Tom Chater Memorial Park, near Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. and Winston Churchill Blvd., when the pet was poisoned Monday morning.

Source