Cat Forum: Focus on Safety

October 8, 2022 | cat9984

Greetings. Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. Did you know that October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month? Guess humans need to be reminded on a regular basis how important it is that they take care of us. We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you and your humans of some common sense ways to keep us happy and healthy.

How To Prevent A Cat From Chewing Electrical Cords - All About Cats

Electrical Cords are Not Food or Toys

Some cats love playing with yarn. And some cats love playing with anything that looks like yarn, including electrical cords. If you’re not careful, you can get zapped chewing on a cord. Even if that doesn’t happen, it could start a fire and ruin your happy home. If you are one of those kitties who can’t seem to resist cords, we recommend your human coat them in cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, or orange/lemon peel. Or possibly bundle them together and put cardboard tubing around them (of course, some of us also love gnawing on a good cardboard tube.)

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Houseplants Also are Not Food

A lot of plants are not good for kitties. Additionally, some humans get really attached to their houseplants and are upset if you eat them. We have written about the types of plants that are not good for kitties here and here. We recommend hanging plants, although a previous resident cat here managed to devour a huge hanging spider plant in one sitting so that’s no guarantee.

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Just Because it’s Good for Humans, Doesn’t Mean it Will Help Cats

Humans put a lot of things in their bodies that are just not good for cats. We have talked about poisonous foods before. In particular, avoid onions and garlic. Some of us love milk, and some of us are lactose-intolerant. Some of us love beef, and some of us have trouble digesting it. Also, do not let your human give you aspirin or Tylenol. They work well for humans, but may be toxic to kitties. Also encourage your human not to throw their trash where you can get into it.

PsBattle: this kitty climbing curtains : r/photoshopbattles

Curtains and Drapes aren’t as Much Fun as They Look Like

Curtains look like a lot of fun to climb. But it’s really easy to get a claw caught. You can pull a muscle trying to get down. And humans are really fussy about having pulls or tears in their curtains. Vertical blinds are the best; there’s nothing to get stuck on. Avoid pull-cords that have loops. You can get your neck caught in it, and that will not end well.

Brown Tabby cat under floor rug HD wallpaper | Wallpaper Flare

Carpets and Rugs are Potential Traps

You shouldn’t sharpen your claws in the carpet; it really upsets the humans. Besides, you can get caught and hurt yourself trying to get free. Additionally, don’t play beneath rugs (particularly if you’re small or a kitten). The humans might not see you and could step on you. Encourage your humans to get tight weaves if they’re looking for new carpeting.

Why Are Some Cats Obsessed With Plastic Bags?

Plastic Bags and Buckets

It’s fun to play in bags. But if you get caught in a plastic bag, you can’t breathe. Make sure your human doesn’t leave them laying around where temptation may get the best of you. Also, watch out for buckets/trash cans that have lids that can close on you. Being trapped is scary and could end badly.

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Cleaning Products Don’t Just Smell Bad

You know how bad it smells when your human is cleaning the kitchen? Some of those products are really bad for kitties. In particular, stay away from drain cleaners and oven sprays. Make sure your human never uses bleach or industrial-strength cleaners on your litter box. Those cleaners are irritating to a lot of cats; and If there’s still urine in the box, it can create toxic fumes. (And the smell may drive you away from your box.)

He looks so innocent you'd think the vase broke on its own : r/Eyebleach

If You Break It, Run Away

Humans really shouldn’t leave breakable things in a place where we can push them off the counter/shelf, but you know how they are. If you do break something, we recommend you run. First, they’re probably going to be mad. Second, you don’t want to cut yourself on the pieces.

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Don’t Play in the Machines

The humans have a lot of big toys that we really should stay away from. The washing machines, dryers, ovens, dish washers, and refrigerators all look like fun places to explore and maybe take a nap. Problem is, humans are pretty absent-minded and might turn them on with you inside. That would be extremely unpleasant.

cat safety | Adventures in Cheeseland

Miscellaneous Tips

Visit the vet as needed (you know your schedule).
Make sure you’re micro-chipped or have a collar with contact information in case you get separated from your human
Have your humans draw up a plan in case of emergency (who is responsible for you)
Have your human learn basic animal first aid
If you’re not feeling well, make sure your human knows it. They know what’s normal for you.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed going over this information with your human. If not, we’ll be back next week with something more fun.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images

Cat Forum: Cats and Herbs

June 11, 2022 | cat9984

Greetings. Snoops and Kommando here. We’ve probably told you that our human brother is an outstanding cook – if you’re a human. He’s the one who introduced lentils to the menu. And chickpeas. And lots of dried beans. He also uses a lot of different herbs. Some of them smell good. Others just smell.

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Mom is trying to help. She bought a bunch of herb plants. Some are outside in pots, and some are inside in pots. It looks like a basil jungle under the plant light. Neither one of us is much for plants, so we’ve been avoiding them. But it did make us wonder if there were any herbs we should look out for.

As is the case for flowers and other plants, some herbs are good for us and we need to avoid some. In the case of herbs that may be beneficial for cats, make sure your vet is on board before taking them medicinally.

Safe (and possibly beneficial) Herbs

Basil – Has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It also relieves anxiety in some kitties.

Calendula – It has anti-inflammatory properties. It might even be able to help speed up wound healing.

Catnip – It is a mood and activity stimulant and can help calm stress and anxiety. It also has anti-itch properties. Note that it is a member of the mint family and can cause vomiting and diarrhea if you overindulge.

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Cat’s Claw – It helps with allergic reactions. It might help with your immune system.

Dandelion Root – It has anti-itch properties so it can help alleviate allergies. It also aids digestion and liver detoxification.

Dill – It can calm the stomach. It also alleviates bloating and gas.

Echinacea – It helps support good immune health. If you’re prone to upper respiratory infections (like the human cold), maybe you should ask your vet about it.

Goldenseal – It has antibacterial properties. It may be useful as a natural disinfectant on cuts and scrapes.

Licorice Root – It’s like the cortisone your human uses, so it helps your mucus membranes. It can reduce allergic itchiness, digestive issues (it is particularly soothing to your bowels), and respiratory problems.

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Mint – It’s a natural pest repellent. It also soothes your skin and helps you relax. But too much can be rough on your tummy.

Parsley – It can help boost your immune system and support good eyesight (it provides vitamins A, C, and K).

Rosemary – It has antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It can help with your skin, coat, and eyesight. It also improves digestion.

Thyme – It has antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It also provides fiber to your diet.

Valerian – It is a mood and activity stimulant for cats. It can be used as an alternative to catnip or silver vine. Weirdly enough, it usually has the opposite effect on humans. It is also known to boost the immune system.

Witch Hazel – It can be used to treat feline acne. Simply dab your skin once or twice a day.

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Unsafe for Kitties

Chamomile – There are several types of chamomile. German chamomile is safe for cats. However, English, Roman or True chamomile can cause dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, and allergic reactions.

Foxglove – It can cause cardiac failure and death.

Garlic – It is extremely toxic. It can cause vomiting, increased heart rate, and damage to your red blood cells leading to hemolytic anemia.

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Lemongrass – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Marijuana – It can cause vomiting, low blood pressure, hypersalivation, and possibly even seizure, coma, and death. No form is safe.

Onions and Chives – They can cause diarrhea, vomiting or an upset stomach and severe damage to the red blood cells. Onion powder is as dangerous as the whole onion.

Oregano – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

St. John’s Wort – It can make you more sensitive to the sun, leading to ulcerative or peeling dermatitis.

Tarragon – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Catnip and Cats — In Defense of Plants

We’ve decided to leave the herbs to the humans. Although we are going to try to get Mom to move the catnip inside.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images (not us or our plants)

“And the Home of the Brave (Cat)”

July 4, 2020 | cat9984

Cats Can Be Your Hero. Cats Who Saved The Humans They Love ...

In honor of the United State’s Independence Day, we were going to tell you about some cats who served in the military. But since there is no record of George Washington having cats with his troops, we decided to look a little farther to see what we could find.

German cats were messengers during the World Wars. And cats are excellent at sniffing out drugs and bombs. But we decided to focus closer to home. We found five cats who displayed great bravery at home.

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First, we have Tara. She was outside with her small human (4 years old), when he was attacked by several dogs. Without a thought for her own safety, Tara ran into the group of dogs. She hissed, growled, and attacked the dogs until they ran away. The boy ran into the house and is fine. We assume he is now a “cat person” for life.

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Next we have Jack. Jack is a cat who knows how to protect his turf. When a bear wandered into his yard, Jack was not pleased. He went into full attack mode. Jack chased the bear out of his yard and up a neighbor’s tree. We assume the bear went home and told his friends to avoid the crazy cat’s yard.

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Next, we have Baby. Baby’s human parents were sleeping on the sofa when Baby smelled smoke in the back bedroom. She went into the front room and wouldn’t stop crying and pawing them until the humans woke up. Everyone was fine, and the mom had twins a few weeks later. Baby probably doesn’t have to worry about her humans sleeping too soundly anymore.

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Schnautzie started her career as a hero early. When she was just a kitten, she smelled something strange. She went in to wake up her human parents. They were a little difficult to wake up, but she didn’t stop nuzzling them and crying until they wre awake. It was lucky that sh e was so persistent. She saved the family from a possible explosion due to a gas leak. With a little fresh air, the family was fine.

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Last, but not least, is Pudding. He had just settled in for his first night in his new forever home. Suddenly, his human ,Mom started to act strangely. He didn’t know what was going on, so he went over to his human and tried to make her stop. He was so persistent that she oused herself from a diabetic seizure to call out to her son. He called 911, and she is fine. Puddinghas no worries about ever losing his forever home.

Just thinking about these brave cats makes us proud to be feline. It also makes us very tired.

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Cat Forum: Summer Safety

June 9, 2018 | cat9984

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Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We are taking a break from our interviews to pass along some summer safety tips. We suggest you read them and leave several copies around the house for the humans. In front of the computer screen is usually a good place. In their “bathroom” is another.

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Roads – Hopefully you all remember the rhyme your mother taught you, “Road + Cat = Splat”. You should never play in the street. If you must cross the road, “Listen well, sound will tell.” The things humans drive are noisy. You may hear them before you see them. Be sure your adolescents know that playing “chicken” waiting for the car is a stupid idea. Girls are not impressed by idiocy.

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Machinery – Humans use a lot of things that make noise. They want the grass shorter. They want the tree and bush limbs a certain length. They want to get rid of the high weeds. And they don’t know how to do anything quietly. Or by hand. The general rule here is, “If it makes your ears sore, head straight for the door.” All of the human machines are dangerous to kitties.

Note – do not let any small human convince you that you will have “fun” riding on one of these loud machines.

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Heat – It seems like we cats should like summer. After all, it’s basically one big sunspot. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, “Sidewalks are hot. Walk on them not.” If like to take the occasional stroll by yourself or with your human, try to stick to the grass. Our paw pads aren’t covered with fur and are sensitive to heat.

If you do feel your feet burning, find some water to put them in. It will stop the burning. Stay off of them as much as possible until they feel better. Do not let a helpful human try to use one of their remedies. Just because it’s safe for humans, doesn’t mean it’s safe for cats.

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Note – especially stay away from aloe. It’s a plant that humans use on burns and seems to work really well for them. It’s like poison to cats.

Make sure you drink plenty of water. It’s important to keep your body at peak efficiency, How else will you be able to chase after the bugs and moths that are so tasty this time of year?

If you are an indoor/outdoor cat, make sure your human leaves you water both inside and out. The outside water needs to be in a shady spot. That way you can enjoy a drink and nap in the same place.

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Water – Speaking of water, we know that some of you cats like to participate in water sports. Things like sailing, surfing, kayaking, etc. Remember, “Wear a vest for water past your chest.” Most cats are pretty small, so it’s safest to always wear a vest when you go to the beach.

Life vests come in a variety of sizes. Make sure yours is snug but not too tight. The idea is to keep you safe, not turn you into a sausage.

Note – sand is usually hot. Have your human carry you, if possible. If they forget, jump on them. You won’t have fun with sore feet.

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Children – Remember that summer is the time when the human children will be around full-time. They are usually fun and good to sleep with.

Try to avoid being dressed up as a doll. The clothes will be hot and uncomfortable. You will most likely be strapped into a carriage or stroller where you can’t see what is going on. And you won’t be able to get out on your own. Cats hate that.

Note – the older ones will be around more. Be careful. They usually have some sort of gadget in their hands that they are looking at. They will walk around looking at the screen and may trip over you. You should avoid this unless they have irritated you. In that case, get out of the way before they fall.

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Parties – Humans like to get together outside in the summer. Generally speaking, it involves food and some sort of hot surface to cook it.

No matter how good it smells, avoid these parties. There are a lot of noisy humans who may step on you. They may sit without looking and some of them are rather large. Try to snatch your food when no one is looking.

We hope these rules will help you have a safe, healthy summer. We are not responsible for humans who do not cooperate. You may want to find a large spider (or two) to put under the covers of their bed.

Image result for cat and life jacket

All pictures courtesy of Google Images

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Category Archives: safety

Cat Forum: Focus on Safety

Cat Forum: Cats and Herbs

“And the Home of the Brave (Cat)”

Cat Forum: Summer Safety