Your Cat and Aggressive Behavior

Your Cat and Aggressive Behavior Toward Humans

Sometimes cats will exhibit aggressive behavior toward their owners. For example, have you ever noticed that sometimes when you pet your cat he or she will sit purring calmly and allow it and then suddenly your cat seems to become angry and snap or hiss at you?

Your cat isn't trying to be mean, but since he or she can't speak, this is just your cat's way of letting you know that he or she has had enough petting for the moment. If your cat shows this sort of behavior stop petting him or her immediately. Your cat is only trying to communicate with you the only way he or she knows how.

Cats all have different personalities and some like to be petted more than others. If you have a cat that really doesn't like to be petted much then you should respect that wish.

Here is another common example of cat aggression: does your cat like to bite or chew on your fingers? One of mine does. I often have to hide my hands under the covers at night to prevent her from biting my hands. She seems to think it is some sort of a game and she isn't trying to hurt me (despite that she bites quite hard).

By watching the way that cats interact with one another (especially cats that get along) you can learn a lot about the social behaviors of cats.

If you watch cats playing with each other they will often bite one another. It doesn't seem to hurt them either. This is due to their layer of fur. I think that when cats bite us (at least when they are playing) that they don't realize that without the layer of fur that the bites really hurt.

One way to prevent this sort of behavior is not to play hand games with your cat or kitten. Often people start these types of games with their cats and then the cat doesn't realize when it is all right to play with their owners hands and when it isn't.

I got my little biting cat when she was already 10 months old. She was a stray that I started feeding and then brought in to live with me. I don't know what sort of background she had and what sort of hand games she may have played as a small kitten with her previous owner. However, I do know that she's been doing this biting thing since the day I met her.

My father also took in a stray cat that exhibits the same biting behavior. It is possible that this play biting behavior isn't learned by playing hand games with humans, but may just be a natural play-type behavior of cats (as mentioned above). This might explain why cats revert to this behavior after they have been on their own for awhile.

To try to curb this biting behavior from your cat you should firmly tell your cat no and then attempt to put your hands out of site (but not in such a way that your cat thinks it is still part of the game).

Sometimes cats will become aggressive out of fear. I have another cat that acts just fine at home, but the minute he goes to the veterinarian's office it takes 2 people to hold him so the vet can examine him and they also have to put a muzzle on him.

Is he a bad cat? No, but he becomes frightened around strangers. If you know that your cat doesn't like strangers then go ahead and let him hide when you have company (however, you'll still have to take him to the vet).

Cats that are in pain may also become aggressive. Anytime that your cat undergoes a personality change from what is usual you should contact your veterinarian to rule out an underlying illness.

For More Great information see www.aboutcatsonline.com/

When Cats Get Bored

Cats - Busy Minds, Busy Bodies - Mysterious. Independent. Intelligent. Destructive?

If cats get bored, it’s quite possible they’ll go looking for something to do, and it’s usually not what the owner wants.

“A cat can get bored if they’re alone too much, if there’s not enough mental stimulation,” said Marva Marrow, a certified cat behavior consultant in Southern California. “Sometimes they can just get apathetic, but other times they can actually become destructive. They can also just look for things around the house that they can destroy or knock down or make a mess of, like tearing up the toilet paper, knocking things over or getting into cupboards. Or they can also be destructive to themselves, such as licking off their fur or biting their tails.”

Such behavior can cause concerned and loving pet owners to wonder what’s best for their cats: keeping them inside, safe from predators and infectious diseases; or letting them out, where there’s more stimulation.

“Some people go through the dilemma of ‘Should I let my cat outside?’ because it would open up a whole new world,” said Susan Southwick, co-owner of Animal Spirit in Cambridge, Mass. “Some people reluctantly let their cats be indoor-outdoor cats because they assume their cats are happier outside.

See this Blog's September 8th Post titled "Indoor Cats Can Play Outdoors" that describes the KittyWalk System of interconnected fully enclosed outdoor cat play yards.

Fortunately, you can also help keep cats indoors and safe by providing the most stimulating environment possible. Products such as toys; furniture that enables cats to scratch, rest or watch outside activity; and even bird feeders creates a winning situation for everyone.

Cat owners may or may not know that their cats are bored, —especially if they work a lot and the cat spends a lot of time alone.

Understanding cats and their behavioral motivations can help in selecting the best products for any given cat.

“Even when they live among humans and are well-fed, cats are natural hunters and their instinct to hunt remains strong,” said Jerry Spelic, marketing manager for OurPet’s Co., in Cleveland. “With no natural prey in their indoor environment, they express their hunting instincts by chasing imaginary prey.”

At the Cat Shoppe and the Dog Store in Nashville, Chris Achord recommends to her customers toys that appeal to cats’ senses, such as sparkle balls for vision, catnip toys for scent (she especially likes cigar-shaped catnip toys), and toys that make bird-like flutters and rodent-like sounds. She’s on to something.

Cats like to hunt birds, bugs and small rodents, said C. A. Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVN, a professor at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Ohio State University, which runs the Indoor Cat Initiative. Some cats don’t have a bird, bug or small-rodent preference, but some do. Helping customers decipher if their cats have such preferences and, if so, which ones, can pair cats up with toys best matching their personalities—that will help make sales.

Ask yourself if your cat shows any preferences for one type of toy over another. Do they prefer laser pointers over other toys? Those that mimic bugs? Do they like fuzzy toys or even, say, attack cotton balls on the floor? If so, they prefer rodents.

“When I make recommendations for change,” Dr. Buffington said, “I [offer choices] and say, ‘Here are some things that, in my experience, worked really well for some people. Some of these might interest you, and I can help you with you that. And if they don’t, maybe it will help stimulate your thinking for something that will work for you.’ And I do find that clients respond to that.”

Mud Bay’s website contains information to help bring up the topic, including a brochure called “For Healthy and Happy Indoor Cats.”

“It includes information about transitioning an outdoor cat to an indoor lifestyle, toy selection based on hunting preferences, importance of play, feline scent communication, cats’ territorial needs, introducing new cats to existing dogs and cats, hairball control and a few other topics,” Kells said.

Even after careful toy selection, though, cats can still grow tired of them. Rotating toys keeps things fresh for cats, which is especially important for cats alone during the day. It also leads to additional sales.

For optimal play response try only setting out one or two toys at a time, suggested Marrow, “and rotate them on a weekly basis because [cats] get bored playing with the same thing over and over for the most part.”

Toys aren’t the only things that keep cats from getting bored. Myriad products stimulate them and keep them busy. Tall posts enable cats to stretch and align their spines, while channeling natural scratching instincts. Cat trees provide exercise, scratching surfaces, and help stimulate their hunting instincts.

“Cats are the most three-dimensional mammal we come in contact with,” Buffington said. “In fact, when they’re looking for prey or hiding from predators, they climb.”

Lipscomb suggested owners get cats trees, since the animals like to be in high places, and “they feel more secure if they’re up high surveying their territory.”

Window seats for cats or shorter cat trees in front of windows enable cats to watch birds and other little animals outside. Achord even sells bird feeders and birdhouses in her store.

Lipscomb said sturdy, well-made furniture is a must for safety.

Jeff Simpson, president of Mr. Herzher’s Pet Accessories with Style in Auburn, Ala., agreed and added that nice-looking, well-constructed furniture that is made with quality materials sells even in tough economic times. Click on picture for examples of several styles.

“There’s a segment of the consumer population that’s willing to pay for quality from a manufacturing materials standpoint, as well as an aesthetic standpoint,” he said.

“Once people find a perch their cat likes, its placement is really important,” Kells said. “Some cats love perching in a window, where they can watch people and cars go by. Other cats prefer windows that look out on wooded areas, where they can watch birds, raccoons and other wildlife. Then there are those cats who like to watch TV.”

Whether it’s woodland animals, birds or the television, it’s all the same concept: motion.

“[Cats] have these little motion detectors in their eyes, and as soon as something moves, they want to get on it right away,” Lipscomb said. “So movement is a big thing.”

Some people may know this, others might not. Owners should figure out what keeps their cats busy and happy.

Window perches are viable options for pet owners looking to provide a window of entertainment to the great outdoors for their cats. Courtesy of Mr. Herzher’s—Pet Accessories with Style Available through www.blueridgepetcenter.com

Cats Need Play, Too

They may not seek attention as readily as dogs do, but cats still need stimulation to keep their minds active and healthy.

“The unique thing about cats is that they’re not a pack species,” said C. A. Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVN, a professor at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Ohio State University.

“They’re an independent species. We as humans—we’re a pack species; dogs are a pack species, horses, cattle, sheep, ducks, pigs all the rest pretty much.”

That independent streak may lead some to believe that cats enjoy being alone. While they do sleep about 18 hours per day, some customers may not realize they haven’t given their cats enough to do throughout the day when they’re awake and alone.

“When they wake up, watch out,” said Betsy Lipscomb, who is co-owner of product manufacturer SmartCat and is a cat behaviorist who runs CatsInternational.org. “They need to have a little stimulation once they are awake.”

Many toys are designed to keep cats entertained while they’re unsupervised, such crinkle balls, fuzzy mice, balls that have food them—they can work for food like in the wild—or balls on tracks that work as games, all contribute to their mental stimulation.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate time with their humans. Cats love to interact with their humans, and it benefits them physically, too.

“They probably get more exercise playing with owners than just by playing with themselves,” said Chris Achord, owner of the Cat Shoppe and the Dog Store in Nashville.

Remember to put interactive toys, such as wands, feathers, fishing poles and so on, away so cats don’t have access to them when unsupervised. Many customers may be aware they need to do this, while others may not have thought about it or have just adopted a cat for the first time. A reminder never hurts.

Hot Sellers per Pet Product News

So, which toys are retailers selling like crazy?

• CatCharmer (CatDancer)
• Catnip Cigars (DuckyWorld)
• Da Bird (Go-Cat)
• Wubba Cat (Kong Co.)
• SlimCat treat ball (MultiVet)
• Play-N-Squeak hunting instinct toy line (OurPet’s Co.)
• Boca Rat (Kittybird)
• Peek-and-Play Toy Box (SmartCat)

Toys for Unsupervised Cats
People who want to pamper their cats that are left home alone have a variety of choices available to them, including:

• Crinkle balls
• Fuzzy mice
• Balls with rattles inside
• Plushy balls
• Sparkly balls
• Catnip toys
• DVDs featuring other animals in the wild, to engage the hunting instinct
• CDs of calming music
• Scratching posts and surfaces
• Cat furniture (including trees, towers, wall-shelving and window perches)
• Puzzle games (such as balls on tracks or treat-dispensing toys)

Interactive Toys
Toys that encourage the human-feline bond come in all shapes and sizes, such as:

• Peacock feathers
• Laser pointers
• Fishing poles
• Wand toys
• Teasers
• Bubbles

Some Material from an article By Elisa Jordan

What is meant by "Kittywalk® Systems"?

The Systems in Kittywalk© Systems refers to the inter-connectivity of the different outdoor pet components. They can go together in a variety of different configurations giving you and your indoor pets a wide variety of options to enjoy the great outdoors.

Manufacturers’ latest foraging toy designs are meant to mimic the wild and strengthen cats’ natural hunting instincts. Courtesy of OurPets’s

Pet Shedding and Other Messes

Pet Shedding & Other Messes

PET SHEDDING 101

Is pet shedding a problem for you?

Does your furniture appear upholstered with pet hair?

Are you plagued with what looks like "tumbleweeds" of fluff blowing across your floors?

Shedding is constant part of most pet owner’s lives, but there are ways to make it more manageable. Keep reading for a lesson in "Pet Shedding 101."

What is the purpose of pet shedding?

Animals shed hair so the new coat can grow in. As dead hair detaches from the follicles it is replaced with new hair. The dead hair will then either fall off or remain ensnared in the coat.

The degree to which pet shedding occurs depends upon the breed of your cat or dog. Both long-haired and short-haired pets can shed a lot. Outdoor pets grow heavier coats in winter so pet shedding is accelerated considerably in the springtime. For indoor pets, shedding depends on the time of year, weather conditions and the temperature you keep your home.

Additionally, changes in the length of daylight stimulate hormones which activate shedding. Genetics and nutrition play a part in shedding; however, excessive pet shedding may be symptomatic of an underlying medical condition, which should be discussed with your veterinarian.

What is pet shedding?

Pet shedding is composed of not only fur, but also tiny skin particles called dander. Similar to dandruff, it is often referred to as "pet pollen."

Do some breeds shed a lot more or less than others?

Pets without undercoats shed less. Cornish and Devon Rex cats have undercoats, but lack guard hairs, so they shed less than other feline breeds. Other low-shed cat breeds are the Siamese, Oriental Shorthairs, Tonkinese and Burmese.


Cats that shed a lot are the Persian, Maine Coon and the Somali.

When is the high season for pet shedding?

Pets living in northern latitudes generally shed in the spring and fall when daylight and outside temperatures change. Maximum hair growth occurs in the summer and is reduced in winter. Artificial lighting causes shedding year-round for indoor pets.

What are some ways to control pet shedding?

Grooming pets is crucial to control about-to-be shed hair. Bathing your dog regularly helps to substantially reduce pet shedding. Since cats bathe themselves daily, unless they come into contact with dirt, grease or oily substances, bathing is not necessary. Just brushing and combing will control shedding.

Talk with your veterinarian about adding vitamin A and E, Omega 3, Omega 6 fish oils and Linoleic Acid in conjunction with a high quality diet. Rich in antioxidants, they may aid in excessive pet shedding.

How do I protect my home from pet shedding?

Keep upholstered furniture covered with throws or towels, which are easy to wash and launder. Watch for freshly shed hair and remove it before it embeds in fabric. A tape roller works well for this chore.

Vacuum carpets frequently. For hardwood and laminate floors, the Swiffer® Sweeper is a great tool for daily fur removal because the dry cloth picks up 50 percent more dust, dirt and hair than a regular broom. A slightly dampened sponge works wonders to pick up pet hair from upholstered furniture and tufts of fur on carpets. For hardwood furniture and counter tops, try a Swiffer Duster®, which grabs fur that feather dusters can just spread around.

5 HIDDEN PET HAIR HOTSPOTS IN YOUR HOME

Pet owners are certainly aware of obvious pet fur that takes up residence on clothes, couches, carpets and hardwood floors. But what about places in the house that contain hidden hair and dust?

Let's uncover some common concealed locations of pet hair.

1. Window Blinds and Ledges: Fur kicked up into the air may settle on the top ledges around your windows that you can't see. Hair on blinds can be pushed back into the air when the blinds are used, spreading the hair around your home.
   
   How to clean it: The Swiffer Duster with an extendable handle extends up to three feet, so you can clean hard to reach places. And the Duster's fibers trap hair instead of spreading it around like a feather duster.
   
   
2. Area Rug Edges: Regular sweeping around rugs can cause a pesky build up of fur stuck to the sides and corners of the fabric. This often unnoticeable fur can then be tracked back through the house.
   
   How to clean it: Remember to lift up edges when you vacuum the rug or use a hand vacuum for touch ups. For very embedded fur, try running a tape roller over the areas.
   
   
3. Underneath and on the Legs of Tables: Static on the legs and undersides of tables, where pets often rub against, can cause pet hair to accumulate there. You may not notice the fur in these cat and dog height areas, but that doesn't mean it isn't there!
   
   How to clean it: To reach underneath tables and around table legs, try using a Swiffer Duster. The fibers can reach corners under the table and around furniture legs, to grab fur that's hard to get by hand.
   
   
4. Electronics Cords: Computers and TVs are magnets for pet fur, but what you may not notice is the fur sticking to the cords under your desk and behind the entertainment center. If ignored, this fur can get inside electronics and damage or block fans, causing systems to overheat.
   
   How to clean it: Use the hand-held attachment on your vacuum to suck up the hair and dust. You can also use the attachment to clean out computer and TV air vents. Don't forget to unplug electronics before cleaning around them.
   
   
5. Kitchen Stove: "Out of sight, out of mind" often applies to pet fur under the stove. But this spot is a pet hair hotspot, and grease from cooking combined with pet fur can cause very nasty odors.
   
   How to clean it: Getting under low appliances is difficult with a broom or mop. Instead, try the Swiffer Sweeper. Its head swivels 360 degrees so it can lay flat and get far under or behind the stove to grab hidden fur.

Pet hair, muddy paws, and more. Clean pet messes with Swiffer.

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The Pet Series is specially designed for pet owners with special features to tackle those hairy situations.

TOP PET MESSES AND HOW TO CLEAN THEM

Hair. Urine. Vomit.

For some owners, these common messes caused by pets are a big problem, staining their carpets and ruining furniture. So to find out how the pros handle these cleaning challenges, we spoke with two of the country's top domestic divas to learn their secrets. Here what the cleaning mavens had to say:

Pet Hair – Everywhere!
Brushing your dog or cat weekly helps reduce tumbleweeds of hair from floating across your floors. But even the most vigilant brushers still find pet hair in their homes. Luckily, the solution is simple, says Linda Cobb (a.k.a Queen of Clean), a former owner of one of the largest cleaning companies in Michigan.

On fabric, wipe a damp sponge over the surface. "I usually wipe from the back to the front and the sponge just rolls the hair up," she says, emphasizing that vacuuming alone won’t get rid of all the hair.

Another trick is using inexpensive netting (yup, netting) purchased from your local fabric store. "You just ball it up, and wipe it over the furniture and that picks up hair like crazy," says Cobb, the author of four books, including How the Queen Cleans Everything (2002, Atria).

On floors, try the Swiffer Sweeper, a two–in–one system designed to both sweep and mop by using two types of cloths. Swiffer Sweeper dry cloths pick up 50 percent more hair, dust and dirt than a regular broom.

Piddling.

Immediately blot-up as much of the urine as you possibly can. "Standing on a big wad of paper towels is a good way to draw things out of the carpet," explains Cobb. Next, pour club soda on the spot. She says the carbonation in the club soda lifts the urine to the surface, while the salt helps prevent staining. Lastly, dry the area with a clean towel.

To keep pets from re-soiling your carpet, she recommends OdorZout, an all natural granule that when sprinkled on previously soiled areas removes the smell of urine. That odor is what often attracts pets back to a particular area to potty.

Schar Ward, who owned a professional maid service for 35 years in Saint Paul, Minnesota, takes a different approach to bathroom accidents. Using a mixture of one cup white vinegar and four cups of water, she sprays the soiled area, waits a few minutes, then rubs the spot with a damp cloth.

Next she sprinkles the area (even if it’s still wet) with a mixture of one cup baking soda and two drops of bergamot oil (a pleasant smelling essential oil sold in health food stores.) "You might see it start to bubble but that’s OK," says Ward. "That means it’s just starting to work." Simply let the mixture dry before vacuuming.

Kitty Hair Balls.

Don’t immediately clean hair balls or vomit from your carpet. Instead, Cobb recommends sprinkling a heavy coat of baking soda on the accident and walking away. That’s right, walk away. The baking soda does all the hard work for you by lifting moisture out of the carpet from food and stomach acids. After the baking soda dries, pick–up heavier pieces with a paper towel and use your vacuum’s attachment to suction away whatever is left.

Stinky Litter Boxes.

Keep icky odors at bay by emptying the pan at least once a week and washing it with straight vinegar, says Ward, author of Coming Clean: Dirty Little Secrets From a Professional Housecleaner (2002, Book Peddlers.). Next, rinse the pan with water and thoroughly dry. Then pour a thin layer of baking soda on the bottom before filling it with your favorite litter.

To prevent small paws from tracking litter through your home, place a mat where your cat exits the box. Or, forgo litter all together by using Yesterday’s News. These moisture locking pellets, made from recycled newspaper, are frequently used in animal hospitals and humane societies instead of dusty litter.

So there you have it! Armed with the right techniques and supplies you can now quickly clean pet messes in your home just like the pros.

We can’t imagine life without pets, but keeping up with pet messes can be a challenge. From trapping and locking pet hair to managing muddy paws and more, Swiffer gives pet cleaning a whole new meaning.

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The Pet Series is specially designed for pet owners with special features to tackle those hairy situations.

All Feline Products Are NOT Created Equal

All Feline Products Are NOT Created Equal: SpoilMyKitty.Com™ understands that purchasing cat furniture can be an overwhelming task when considering all the choices and requirements involved. We also understand that there are several types of feline fanciers with varying needs and wants.

With this in mind, they offer their customers several choices and products designed especially for their kitty. Whether you are looking for great value on a limited budget, or have refined taste that only a premium product can offer, they have got you covered.

Spoil My Kitty's Standard Cat Furniture: is an exceptional value and should satisfy your kitty and yourself for many years to come (All Models Starting With A Or B). These models are designed with value and simplicity in mind, while offering great benefits for your cats enrichment. You'll never find furniture this large at a local pet store for 2 times the money!

Spoil My Kitty guarantee all standard models for a full 6 months from the date of purchase to be free from factory defects, and will replace any part should it become broken or is not to the customer's standard free of charge during that time.

Spoil My Kitty's Premium Furniture: is designed to have more lives than your kitty, and is truly the best feline furniture money can buy! Their premium pieces are a little more expensive, but, worth more than their weight in gold. Discerning customers choose this line of product because they want nothing but the best when they Spoil The Kitty (All Models Starting With PC-).

Premium Model Key Features:

- Indestructible 5" Diameter 100% Natural Sisal Wrapped Posts
- Welded Steel Frame Sleepers & Hammocks
- Zippered & Removable Washable Sleeper/Hammock Covers
- Huge Kitty Lounging Trays With 4" Lips
- Spacious Oversized Tunnels And Crawl Tubes
- Heavy Duty 2" Thick Tip-Proof Standard Base Plates
- Premium Faux Fur Cover Materials In Several Color Choices (No Cheap Carpet)
- All Parts Are Replaceable (No Need To Buy Another Cat Tree Ever Again!)
- 2 Year Warranty Including The Sisal Wrapping On The Posts

Spoil My Kitty guarantees the scratch posts on each and every premium model for TWO (2) YEARS. They are so confident that your feline friend(s) will not be able to "destroy" these tightly wrapped Sisal products, because, we've never had to replace a single one of these posts during the three decades we have been manufacturing cat trees.

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Construction & Covering Materials: Spoil My Kitty does not use materials which resemble household items such as carpets or upholstery to cover our products. Their products are covered with the latest state-of-the-art faux materials designed especially for long lasting cat furniture. They use only the highest grade slick (washable) sliver velour (faux fur/faux fleece) fabric for their covering materials.

Your cats will feel more comfortable playing on their cat trees because these unique coverings feel and look different from the regular carpet in your home. Once your kitty gets acquainted with this cat furniture, they normally do not claw on your home carpet or furniture ever again!

Note: If you're looking for cat furniture covered with traditional household carpeting, you will not find it on SpoilMyKitty.Com!

PLEASE DO NOT: purchase scratching posts and cat furniture that are covered with carpet/remnants! Why? Because you can not expect your kitty to distinguish the difference between carpet they are allowed to attack, and the carpet on your floors you want them to leave alone. Most carpets are constructed in a pile loop or cut loop and your cat's claws can easily become snagged and damaged, also many contain formaldehyde which is poisonous to your kitty!

Since covering cat furniture with regular household carpeting never made good sense, why do so many other manufacturers still do it? In A Nutshell...It's Cheap To Come By And Very Profitable For Them!

All Vertical Posts Are Sisal Wrapped: Sisal rope is a wonderful scratching surface for cats because it is extremely durable. Sisal is a natural fiber and comes in many different sizes, colors and twist. Hiigh torque, pre-dried 1/4" rope is by far the best choice for your cat, this is what they use on their premium models, and 3/8" on their standard models.

Spoil My Kitty's products are built with your kitty in mind from the first step of the process! Why should a sisal post be an additional cost and option in the final purchase step? All of Spoil My Kitty'scat furniture comes standard with sisal scratching posts at no additional cost!

Protect your home furnishings and carpet while giving your special friends a place they will come to enjoy for years! Smartly placed and designed cat furniture can save you thousands in home repair, not to mention how much your kitty will appreciate you for spoiling them a little more!

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Plants Poisonous to Cats

Plants add the needed finishing touches to any decor. But, if you have a feline, that beautiful plant could become a deadly enemy.

Listed here are plants poisonous to cats that must be avoided if there are cats in your home.

While in some cases, just parts of a plant (bark, leaves, seeds, berries, roots, tubers, spouts, green shells) might be poisonous, this list rules out the whole plant. If you must have any of them, keep them safely out of reach.

Should your feline friend eat part of a poisonous plant, rush the cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can, take the plant with you for ease of identification.

Plants Poisonous to Cats

Almond (Pits of) Aloe Vera Alocasia Amaryllis Apple (seeds) Apple Leaf Croton Apricot (Pits of) Arrowgrass Asparagus Fern Autumn Crocus Avacado (fuit and pit) Azalea Baby's Breath Baneberry Bayonet Beargrass Beech Belladonna Bird of Paradise Bittersweet Black-eyed Susan Black Locust Bleeding Heart Bloodroot Bluebonnet Box Boxwood Branching Ivy Buckeyes Buddist Pine Burning Bush Buttercup Cactus, Candelabra Caladium Calla Lily Castor Bean Ceriman Charming Dieffenbachia Cherry (pits, seeds & wilting leaves) Cherry, most wild varieties Cherry, ground Cherry, Laurel Chinaberry Chinese Evergreen Christmas Rose Chrysanthemum Cineria Clematis Cordatum Coriaria Cornflower Corn Plant Cornstalk Plant Croton Corydalis Crocus, Autumn Crown of Thorns Cuban Laurel Cutleaf Philodendron Cycads Cyclamen Daffodil Daphne Datura Deadly Nightshade Death Camas Devil's Ivy Delphinium Decentrea Dieffenbachia Dracaena Palm Dragon Tree Dumb Cane Easter Lily * Eggplant Elaine Elderberry

Elephant Ear Emerald Feather English Ivy Eucalyptus Euonymus Evergreen Ferns Fiddle-leaf fig Florida Beauty Flax Four O'Clock Foxglove Fruit Salad Plant Geranium German Ivy Giant Dumb Cane Glacier IvyGolden Chain Gold Dieffenbachia Gold Dust Dracaena Golden Glow Golden Pothos Gopher Purge Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy Heartland Philodendron Hellebore Hemlock, Poison Hemlock, Water Henbane Holly Honeysuckle Horsebeans Horsebrush Horse Chestnuts Hurricane Plant Hyacinth Hydrangea Indian Rubber Plant Indian Tobacco Iris Iris Ivy Jack in the Pulpit Janet Craig Dracaena Japanese Show Lily * Java Beans Jessamine Jerusalem Cherry Jimson Weed Jonquil Jungle Trumpets Kalanchoe Lacy Tree Philodendron Lantana Larkspur Laurel Lily Lily Spider Lily of the Valley Locoweed Lupine Madagascar Dragon Tree Marble Queen Marigold Marijuana Mescal Bean Mexican Breadfruit Miniature Croton Mistletoe Mock Orange Monkshood Moonseed Morning Glory Mother-in Law's Tongue Morning Glory Mountain Laurel Mushrooms

Narcissus Needlepoint Ivy Nephytis Nightshade Oleander Onion Oriental Lily * Peace Lily Peach (pits and wilting leaves) Pencil Cactus Peony Periwinkle Philodendron Pimpernel Plumosa Fern Poinciana Poinsettia (low toxicity) Poison Hemlock Poison Ivy Poison Oak Pokeweed Poppy Potato Pothos Precatory Bean Primrose Privet, Common Red Emerald Red Princess Red-Margined Dracaena Rhododendron Rhubarb Ribbon Plant Rosemary Pea Rubber Plant Saddle Leaf Philodendron Sago Palm Satin Pothos Schefflera Scotch Broom Silver Pothos Skunk Cabbage Snowdrops Snow on the Mountain Spotted Dumb Cane Staggerweed Star of Bethlehem String of Pearls Striped Dracaena Sweetheart Ivy Sweetpea Swiss Cheese plant Tansy Mustard Taro Vine Tiger Lily * Tobacco Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves) Tree Philodendron Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia Tulip Tung Tree Virginia Creeper Water Hemlock Weeping Fig Wild Call Wisteria Yews -- e.g. Japanese Yew English Yew Western Yew American Yew

List compiled by Jeffrey D. Rakes
Reprinted from PET Magazine's Cat Care Guide, Summer 1987

Updated with the assistance of Dr. Jill Richardson,
ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center, December 1997

Reprinted from The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA).
The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) has partnered with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center to help raise awareness among cat owners nationally about the dangers of toxic plants as well as offering safe alternatives. Note that lilies(*), in particular, are dangerous to cats.





Part of the KittyWalk System for outdoor fun



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Your Pet Could Be a Tax Write-Off

Your Pet Could Be a Tax Write-Off

Imagine if your pet care expenses were tax deductible. I would wager that most pet owners have thought about it before - I do every year. After all, we can deduct our own health care expenses and many of our purchases, so why not our pets?

Soon, tax-deductible pets could become a reality if a proposed bill passes.

Enter H.R. 3501: the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter. The proposed legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow taxpayers to deduct up to $3,500 per year for the expenses of legally owned pets. Best of all, it includes veterinary expenses.

According to the proposal, there are two major factors to justify the bill. First, the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey states that 63 percent of US households own a pet. In addition, they acknowledge the positive impact that the human - animal bond has upon people's well-being, both emotional and physical.

If passed, the legislation would be effective beginning in the tax year 2010.

To me, this is utterly amazing and, quite frankly, a bit shocking. We all know the high cost of dog ownership and that every little bit helps. This bill could bring a whole new light to saving money on our pets' expenses.

Do you want to show your support for this bill and help it get passed? With the help of the ASPCA, write to your U.S. representative and ask him or her to support and cosponsor the HAPPY Act.

Now we want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on this bill? Is there a downside, or is this simply a dream come true? Tell us what you think.

Due to the importance of getting this information out to as many people as possible this Post was taken from Jenna's Dogs Blog By Jenna Stregowski, RVT, About.com Guide to Dogs. Please contact your U.S. Represenative about H.R. 3501.