Happy Birthday, Carmine!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARMINE!!!!!

I don't know Carmine's exact birthday, but I do know it's in February, so I thought we should all celebrate the month Carmine was born!!

Carmine turned three years old this month. It's so hard to believe I've had him for over two and a half years now. It seems like just yesterday that I brought him home from the adoption center.

I love Carmine so much; he has been such a blessing in my life!

Carmine is much younger in the picture above, but it's one of my favorite pictures of my little baby kitty.

How to Prevent Your Cat from Chewing on Electrical Cords

When Carmine was a young kitten, he really loved chewing on electrical cords! This always terrified me because I knew how dangerous it was for him to chew on cords.

If your cat chews on electrical cords, he or she may get electricuted or get severe electrical burns in and/or around his or her mouth.

To prevent your kitty from chewing on cords, you can do several things:

-Spray your cords with Bitter Apple spray, which can be found at pet supply stores

-Put tabasco sauce on the cords

-Cover your cords with plastic covers

-Wrap your cords in duct tape or electrical tape (I have heard this works for some cats, but I have not tried it myself)

I used to spray Bitter Apple on all of my cords, which Carmine really didn't like. He eventually grew out of the behavior he had as a kitten and it is no longer necessary for me to spray my cords.

I hope you find these suggestions useful for the curious cat who loves to chew on cords.

How to Brush Your Cat's Teeth

Brushing your cat's teeth may be challenging, but you can acclimate your kitty to regular teeth cleaning.

Acclimating your kitty to regular teeth cleaning may take a while, so be patient with your little furry friend.

Talk to your kitty throughout the process of teeth brushing. Tell your cat what a good kitty he or she is, that everything is okay. Keep your voice gentle and calm. This will let your furry friend know that everything is okay.

First, take the toothpaste cap off the tube of toothpaste and allow your kitty to smell it. Put a little bit on your finger and let your kitty smell it and taste it if he or she desires.

Next, you can stick your finger or a finger toothbrush into your cat's mouth and gently rub the gums and touch the teeth so that your kitty can get used to what it feels like to have your finger or toothbrush in his or her mouth. Don't attempt to actually clean your cat's teeth just yet.

On another occasion, brush one or two teeth with a small toothbrush or finger brush.

Keep working with your kitty gradually. Build your way up to brushing all of his or her teeth every week, if not more.

Each time you take a new step, reward your kitty with a treat, a nice scratching, some extra play time, or something else your kitty really enjoys.

Acclimating your cat to teeth brushing may take some time, but with patience and positive reinforcement for good behavior, you can teach your kitty to tolerate teeth brushing.

Cats Reduce Risk of Heart Attack in America

I know I promised a guide to brushing your cat's teeth, and I still plan on sharing one with you, but I simply couldn't resist sharing this with everyone!

A new study lends more evidence to support that cats are excellent promoters of physical and mental health.

In this study, Dr. Adam Qureshi and his colleagues followed 4,435 individuals for ten years. Two-thousand individuals in the study were not cat owners while the remaining 2,435 were cat owners.

The researchers indicated that their results show cat owners have a 30% reduced risk of having a heart attack. They also found that people who owned cats were less likely to die from a heart attack than those who did not own cats.

If you'd like to read more about this study, you may do so at Forbes.

Signs Your Cat Needs a Professional Dental Cleaning

You can tell when your cat's teeth need cleaned professionally by a veterinarian if he or she exhibits any of the following signs:

-Bleeding and/or red gums

-It appears to be difficult for your kitty to eat crunchy or hard food (like dry cat food)

-Yellow staining on the gum line

-Bad breath

-Tartar on the back teeth, which looks yellowish-brown

In my next post, I will review how you can acclimate your cat to regular teeth brushing at home.

Making Teeth Brushing More Enjoyable for Your Feline

In between professional teeth cleaning by your veterinarian, it is recommended that cat owners brush their cat's teeth at least once a week at home.

You can buy special beef flavored toothpaste in some pet stores (like PetSmart). You can also buy a traditional toothbrush for your kitty; however he or she may tolerate a finger brush better. Sometimes a finger toothbrush is included with a traditional toothbrush at pet stores.

National Pet Dental Health Month

February is National Pet Dental Health Month.

It's important to remember that, like humans, cats need regular dental check-ups and care.