Below are some helpful training tips for your cat or kitten. As well as other helpful information below.

• GET YOUR KITTY USE TO THINGS AT A YOUNG AGE -If you hold your cat/kitten all the time, he/she will get use to it and start to enjoy it on a regular basis. Never hold a kitten or cat against his will. This will only bring negative reactions in the future. I’ve had people tell me that their cat doesn’t like being held. It is simply because they stopped doing it. So go pick up your cat!
• KITTY IS ATTACKING MY HAND – Say it with me, “Hands are for petting, Toys are for playing!” Please DO NOT use your hand as a toy! Your cat will associate your hand as a toy and it will hurt, especially as the kitten grows! If your cat is in a playful stage, grab a toy, string, or near-by object to play with. Teach your kitten that hands are NOT for biting!
• CUTTING YOUR CATS/KITTENS NAILS: Cutting kitten’s nails is easier than you think. It is a vital key to saving your furniture and drapes during the first year (or more) as they go through the crazy kitten stage and fly around your home like a ninja. Trust me, I have my own ninja attack cat. You can go out and buy some fancy “cat” clippers, but I chose to use good old fashion human nail clippers. WHY? Because I’m use to them and I can cut nails super fast, like a ninja! I sit on the floor, and wrap a towel around the feline and by pressing down slightly on their paws, will cut off the sharp claws. Remember, do not clip the nail where it is pink! Try using treats to distract them, but just do it fast! I set my phone to remind me to cut his nails every 2 weeks. This will be a huge help with your furniture.
• HOW TO DISCIPLINE (The RIGHT way): Always start with a stern or deep, “NO” followed by a secondary action such as blowing in their face, using a squirt bottle filled with water, or a tap on the nose. You can even use a coke can filled with pennies inside and taped shut to make a loud noise after a bad behavior. You can even try clapping your hands. NEVER EVER hit a cat or kitten using your hands or objects as the cat will only start to fear you and not want to be petted by that same hand.
• STAY OFF THE COUNTER! – To keep your cats off the counters or any other area (plants, curtains, or couch) say a stern or deep “NO” first then try spraying them with water in a spray bottle. It is very efficient as cats don’t like getting wet and the cat will become afraid of the water bottle but not you, which is what you want.
• KEEPING CATS AWAY FROM FURNITURE AND OTHER AREAS  – Give your cat a quality scratching post to deter her or him from scratching your furniture.  I have found that those cardboard scratching pads (that lay horizontal on the ground) work great! Still scratching?  Try putting lemon scent or orange scent on the area.  Cats hate these smells. Also try double sided sticky tape (Found at most pet supermarkets) or aluminum foil. *For more intense cases where you don’t want your animal coming anywhere near your expensive couch there is a mat called the “Scat Mat or Pawz Away” which is a clear plastic mat that is placed on the couch and once the animal touches the mat it sends out a harmless little static shock. It will teach your cat to never come near it and is what we have used in the past and YES it worked wonderfully.

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION:

• WET FOOD IS IMPORTANT IN A CAT’S DIET: Wet food is important in a cat’s diet! Wet food is about 75 percent water. Dry food is only about ten percent water. Studies show that cats fed solely dry food have a lower water intake and lower urine volume than cats on a wet food diet, even if they have constant access to fresh water. Some veterinarians warn that insufficient moisture in the diet may increase the risk of crystals or stones in the urinary tract. An ample volume of urine is necessary to dilute solid materials that could otherwise accumulate and form stones. FEED your cat wet food. To avoid those crack heads that wake you up in the morning for their wet food, give a nice portion in the evening time. Or give twice a day. Talk with your veterinarian. I add water to my cats wet food every night as he loves gravy and the more water, the better!
• TAGS AND COLLARS WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF FINDING YOUR LOST ANIMAL-1 IN 3 CATS WILL GO MISSING IN THEIR LIFETIME! A collar and tag can help your animal find his way home should he ever be lost. Many times, a cat finds a new food source and never comes back home! Better yet, outfit your animal a microchip, which greatly increases your chances of finding your animal. You can register any microchip for FREE at www.FoundAnimals.org.  To make sure your cat’s collar fits properly, see that you can slip two fingers under the collar between the collar and your cat’s neck. Make sure it is not too loose as it can get caught in your cat’s mouth or on a branch. You can get a tag engraved at your local Walmart or order a collar with the name/phone number sewn into the collar.They also make break-away collars (rubber band type works best as it stays on better or ones where the whole collar is elastic) so your cat can’t get trapped on a branch as the collar will “break away.” Those are HIGHLY recommended.  I DO NOT recommend getting any break away collar that is a clasp type (like a seat belt). The cats lose these way too easy. To find excellent break-away collars you can go to Pet Supplies Plus, PetCo, Walmart, or PetSmart. Ones that have the rubber band on one portion or the whole collar is stretchable work great.
• WET FOOD IS IMPORTANT IN A CAT’S DIET: Wet food is important in a cat’s diet! Wet food is about 75 percent water. Dry food is only about ten percent water. Studies show that cats fed solely dry food have a lower water intake and lower urine volume than cats on a wet food diet, even if they have constant access to fresh water. Some veterinarians warn that insufficient moisture in the diet may increase the risk of crystals or stones in the urinary tract. An ample volume of urine is necessary to dilute solid materials that could otherwise accumulate and form stones. FEED your cat wet food. To avoid those crack heads that wake you up in the morning for their wet food, give a nice portion in the evening time. Or give twice a day. Talk with your veterinarian.
• HELP! MY ANIMAL IS MISSING! – Don’t delay looking for your cat. The longer the cat is gone, the further away it may be.  Statistics show that owners don’t start looking for their cat for several days. If your cat has been taken to a crowded shelter or municipal pound they may only be able to hold cats for a few days before euthanizing him/her. REMEMBER to call your local humane societies right away and give a description of your animal and where it was lost so they can keep it on file in case they come in contact with him/her at the shelter. Also put out fliers around the neighborhood with a recent photo of your cat/kitten on it. Don’t forget to put an ad in the lost section of the News Journal and on Craigslist.
• A CLEAN LITTER BOX MAKES YOUR KITTY HAPPY – Keep your cat’s catbox clean by scooping it daily! You wouldn’t want to use a toilet that was previously used multiple times without flushing so why would your cat?   This would prevent him or her from using the bathroom elsewhere. Scoopable clumping litters work the best for odor control. You can also try putting a thin layer of baking soda at the bottom of the cat box as well.
• FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR A GROWING KITTEN – A bowl of dry food and fresh water should be available at all times. Wet food should be given morning, midday and evening (as much as a growing kitten wants). You can always try adding a little bit of water to the wet food to get it more mushy. The best nutrition you can give your new family member is natural food made for cats without by-products. NEVER give milk to any cat unless it is specifically made for cats.
• FLEA CONTROL ON YOUR PET – Use only vet recommended flea control. Over the counter ones can kill your cat. Revolution & Advantage MULTI (Has to be multi)  kills fleas, ear mites, and most internal parasites when used regularly. There are a couple places you can look to find discounted flea controls.
  1. CCFAW (www.ccfaw.org) – they offer these at a discount.
  2. I use PetCareRx (www.petcarerx.com) or (www.revivalanimal.com) which are always less expensive to buy flea control than a veterinarian’s office. You will need a prescription (give the sites your vet’s name and number so they can call).
  3. Regular Dawn dish soap will kill fleas on your cat/kitten and is safe to use at any age.  Start at his head and then work your way down. Make sure to rinse it all off and dry off the kitten good. *Place the dish soap directly on the kitten.
• FLEAS IN THE HOME – You can find flea sprays for carpeting/floor at your local Walmart or other stores. Flea bombs work well also just make sure your animals are OUT OF THE HOUSE when using them. Vacuum your floor every day for 7 days and dispose of the contents of the vacuum OUTSIDE of your home. This will suck up any fleas/eggs in your home and is a method I use very often.