Cat Tips

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Food & Nutrition
The space behind the refrigerator is a dangerous place
November 2nd, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   One of the places that seems to naturally attract cats is that space behind the refrigerator – it’s dark and warm there. It’s also a terrible nuisance to try and get a cat out from behind the huge immovable fridge.

The best thing you can do is to block off the sides of the refrigerator. Some people duct tape a strip of cardboard (or something more attractive) down the sides of the fridge, blocking the cat’s access to the motor area behind.

Radio show host and pet expert Tracie Hotchner is the author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible. Click here to follow her on Twitter.
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Food & Nutrition
How much food does a kitten need?
October 26th, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   Kittens do not need food that’s too different from what adult cats consume, but they do need more protein-rich food and they need to eat more frequently.

A kitten needs a greater quantity because he has a tiny stomach and a fast metabolism that burns the fuel up quickly, leaving him ready for more food more often.

Radio show host and pet expert Tracie Hotchner is the author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible. Click here to follow her on Twitter.
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Food & Nutrition
Poison alert: BHA and BHT are toxic preservatives
September 25th, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   The two ingredients BHA and BHT have been considered toxic for decades, and they used to be found in snack foods for humans, too.

They are chemical antioxidants that keep the fatty contents of pet food from turning rancid. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects and liver and kidney damage. If a cat ingests them at every single meal it has to take a toll.

The value of BHA and BHT to pet food makers, who still routinely use them, is that once they are doused on kibble, the stuff can stay “fresh” for endless amounts of time.

Radio show host and pet expert Tracie Hotchner is the author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible. Click here to follow her on Twitter.
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Food & Nutrition
Tasty time: Tantalize your cat’s tastebuds
July 3rd, 2009
by Kelly Modzelewski, Dog and Cat Writer

   Making homemade dog treats can be easy – flour, beef broth, an egg. But cats can be so finicky, that they’re bound to turn up their noses at something quite common. So, what can you make to tempt them? You might try a catnip treat. Or try these tidbits

made with dried fish flakes), though most of us don’t keep those on hand. If your cat has a sweet tooth, try something made with molasses!
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Food & Nutrition
Crash diet: Talk to your vet before you switch foods with your cat
March 24th, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   Before starting a new diet, talk to your vet if you have any doubts about your cat’s health and whether or not she can safely go a day where she might refuse the new food. Cats with cancer, diabetes, thyroid issues, or kidney damage – or very old cats – cannot run the risk of going without food. Your vet will tell you if your cat needs to make that diet switchover very swiftly. The issue isn’t whether your cat can benefit from the better diet, but how to make the transition to the new improved food quickly, without putting strain on her system during the switchover that might entail fasting as a reaction to the new food.
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Food & Nutrition
Mix it up: Changing brands and flavors of your cat’s food can keep him interested
March 6th, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   Even though cats are creatures of habit in some areas, many of them like variety in their menu. Rotate different ingredients and you’ll see that frequent changes can make for more enthusiastic dining in the cat cafe.
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Food & Nutrition
Out of the cold: Room temperature food is the most appealing
March 2nd, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   When feeding your cat canned food, think of it being the equivalent of the temperature a cat would encounter in a bird or rodent he or she hunted. Cold food, directly from the fridge, is a turn-off to many cats.
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Food & Nutrition
Pick it up: Don’t leave wet food down for more than about 20 minutes
February 17th, 2009
by Anders Porter,

You should take up the saucer of canned food whether your cat has eaten it or not after 20 to 30 minutes. Fresh food can go bad in a short amount of time at room temperature, so you want to cover the uneaten portion with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.

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To each his own: Individual dinner bowls make for harmonious cats
February 3rd, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   Each cat in a household needs to have his or her own dish with his or her own portion of food. Try to notice which style or size of shallow bowl your cat prefers so you can always choose that one.
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Food & Nutrition
When nature calls: How often would a cat eat in the wild?
January 26th, 2009
by Tracie Hotchner, Author & Radio Show Host

   Since cats are true carnivores, their diet should consist almost entirely of meat, which takes many hours to digest. Therefore, a good meal once a day is ideal for a cat’s natural cycle of digestion, which naturally takes about 24 hours. Cats in the wild hunt at twilight, eat what they catch, and then sleep until dusk the next day. This allows for proper and complete digestion of a meat-based diet and elimination of the by-products. However, since our housebound cats are obviously not wild animals, we have gotten them used to eating more frequently than once a day. Also, we would probably not be comfortable feeding a cat that infrequently – it may be feline nature to gorge and fast (like a lion in the jungle), but it’ s human nature to feel good about our pets having a nice full belly!
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