Why Do Cats Get Bladder Stones? Here's the Answer

Why do cats get bladder stones? If you are a cat owner, it is important that you know the answer to this question. Unless you know what causes feline bladder stones, you cannot treat them and prevent them from recurring. So, in this article, we are going to take a look at the causes of feline stones.

Diet
If I were to give a short answer to the question 'why do cats get bladder stones', I would simply say 'poor diet'. A diet rich in minerals, particularly magnesium, could cause struvite crystals in cats, although this is now rare, since all AAFCO certified foods (check the label of your food) are formulated to prevent these types of stones.

Too much of protein intake is also not advisable as it could cause bladder stones. Dry food should also be avoided as it concentrates your cat's urine and increases the risk of bladder crystals significantly.

The most common type of stone is calcium oxalate, which can also form as a result of minerals in the diet and crystal concentration in the urine. Cat's that suffer from these types of stones are often switched to a Prescription diet that has properly controlled levels of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and oxalate, which in turn will help to limit these building blocks of crystals.

Insufficient water intake
If your cat does not drink enough water, there is no need for you to look for the answer to the question 'why do cats get stones'. It is obvious - insufficient water intake. If the urinary tract is not flushed regularly, the risks of stones increase significantly.

Lack of physical exercise
As surprising it might sound to some of you, lack of physical exercise is one of the answers to the question 'why do cats get bladder stones'. Regular exercise increases fluid intake and reduces stress. In other words, it prevents dehydration and stress - two factors which increase the risk of stone formation in the bladder.

Bacterial infections
The presence of a bacterial infection usually affects the urine pH balance adversely and creates the ideal environment for the formation of bladder stones. Due to bladder infection, the minerals present in your cat's urine crystallize and form bladder crystals. Infection also causes inflammation which constricts or makes it more difficult for crystals to naturally pass with the urine.

Genetic predisposition
One of the least known answers to the question 'why do cats get bladder stones' is genetic predisposition. Persian, Himalayan Persian, British Shorthair, Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Havana Brown, Ragdoll, and Scottish Fold are some of the breeds that are vulnerable to this problem. If you happen to own one of these breeds, you need to be twice as careful as a normal cat owner.

The answer to the question 'why do cats get bladder stones', as you can see, is not simple. There are a number of factors that contribute to the formation of bladder crystals in cats. The good news, however, is that they can be treated and prevented as well. A combination of holistic diet, increased fluid intake, regular physical exercise, and natural homeopathic remedies is known to reduce the risk of feline bladder stones significantly.

About the Author

Jeff Grill is an editor of the Cat Health Guide which has more information on cat bladder stones. See this site to learn more about the natural treatment and prevention of bladder stones in cats.

Undesirable Cat Behavior Training Tips

Cats are amazing, magnificent creatures, and are full of inquisitiveness. They can be snuggly, loving and sociable companions; often satisfied to nap on a person's lap and be stroked until their fur glistens. Some like Henry, my flame point Himalayan, are more standoffish and will only allow the occasional solemn head pat before majestically stalking off to stretch and preen in the warmth of the sunshine. Others are just way out there wild cats, bent on running straight up the walls in quest of unseen prey, knocking down all who dare get in their way. While you can't change the fundamental nature of the cat that you have in your home, you can change some of his more intolerable activities.

Your first undesirable cat behavior training tip should be to recognize why they do some of the things that they do. Some feline behavior is out of boredom, some out of transitional changes as they grow out of kitten stages into adulthood, and some can be a warning sign of looming or continuing illnesses. Understanding the difference can help you to steer clear of potentially dangerous problems before they become life threatening.

Once you have a fundamental understanding of the why of your cat's behavior, you can begin working on the things that he will need to change. Make sure that you have a list of the undesirable behavior, and begin with the worst behavior offender first. Attempt to teach new behaviors one at a time, because too many changes will make the cat confused and potentially cause worst actions than before. If a cat is doing something that is possibly unsafe that problem should be addressed first, otherwise, it is at your own discretion in using these undesirable cat behavior training tips.

Realize that training a cat is a matter of persistence triumphing over aggravation. Shouting at a cat doesn't work at all, and in fact will bring up an entire new set of problems. Shy cats will become even more timid, and aggressive cats may take your shouting as an actual threat, so remember that a distressed cat will not always react with coolness, sometimes they bite.

Reprimanding your cat is often an ineffective tactic as well. Cats will learn that getting caught doing the targeted behavior brings about some awful reactions, so they will simply learn to hide better. This is seen often with toileting problems. A cat will stop using his litter box for a number of reasons, including illness, so you must find out why. Finding kitty messes after the fact is annoying, but it will not do you any good to haul the offending furball back to the spot, show it to him and then take him to the litter box. Unless he is a brand new cat or you have moved residences recently, he knows very well where that litter box was, he just chose not to use it. Find out why your cat is doing this and the behavior should be stopped. Remove all causes, including illness, and then work from there. Some cats will never use a litter box, but will allow themselves to be trained to use an alternative. Liam, the big fluffy Manxcat is too large for the litter box, but he does scratch at the door when he needs to go. For this one, he deserves a good kitty!

Using the undesirable cat training behavior tips should be effective with time and patience. For undesirable cat behavior training tips information on a first of its kind formula recipe used to prevent pets from urinating where they are not welcome and to help eliminate smelly urine odors, here is a simple recipe that you make yourself from ingredients commonly found around your house! http://freetrainingblog.com/g7i

About the Author

Website: http://quick-people-searches.com Linda operates a people search engine,is an active affiliate marketer,blogger,webmaster,author and Super Sponsor at Acme/GDI Support Forum helping to "Pay it Forward" by helping others. She enjoys her grandchildren, 5 beloved cats,music,inspirational reading,movies,and lives with her family in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO.

Meow House Kittens | Certified Cattery

I absolutely love Persian Kittens and Himalayan Kittens. I also love MeowHouseKittens. Meow House Kittens is a world renowned cattery, but you would never know it based on their business practices. They absolutely love kittens. They love kittens even more than I do as hard as that is to imagine.

MeowHouseKittens is the most levelheaded and kindhearted cattery I've ever come across. I've come across some pet breeders that really stick their nose in the air and think they are better than others. Some even think their customers are worth nothing more than just money.

Meow House Kittens certainly does not operate that way. The kittens and the customer truly come first. It is really hard to find honest and trustworthy people these days, but I truly trust and believe in MeowHouseKittens. I've personally met and spoke with the founder of Meow House Kittens several times and she is the kindest lady you will ever encounter. MeowHouseKittens was founded by a middle school art teacher by the name of Shannon McGraw.

Shannon has a really interesting and compelling story. She started Meow House Kittens after her kids left the house to go off to college. It was apparently a dream of hers for a while to start a cattery. She's truly living her dream now and is receiving a lot of credit for the great kittens she breeds.

MeowHouseKittens is a member of several different cattery organizations and they have even been rated on popular cat sites such as: KittySites.com.

Meow House Kittens has pictures of some of the cutest kittens they've raised on their website. They are bright eyed and ready to be loved. I am not sure how Shannon is able to give up those cute little kittens. I would want to keep them forever.

MeowHouseKittens prides itself on the pure breed bloodline their kittens have. They have kittens who come from Lake Hyco, Homerkits, South Paw, Prancenpaws, Degentilly, Kitty Charm, Sulltans, Wren Brook, Impeza and Rosegarth breeds.

With the niche and breed specific cats that Meow House Kittens offers, you can get almost any color of Himalayan or Persian kitten of your dreams. So no matter what your heart desires, MeowHouseKittens can get it.

Meow House Kittens are also a PKD/DNA negative cattery, so you do not have to worry about the health of the kitten you purchase. MeowHouseKittens backs up their claims with a written health contract.

As you can tell I simply love Meow House Kittens, and I really wish the best for their great company and their cute kitties.

About the Author

Meow House Kittens is the place to go to get the cutest and best bred Persian and Himalayan Kittens on the planet. MeowHouseKittens is owned and operated by Shannon McGraw.

Meow House Kittens Kittens at Their Best

I really adore Persian Kittens and Himalayan Kittens. I also adore MeowHouseKittens. Meow House Kittens is a world renowned cattery, but you would never know it based on their business practices. They really adore kittens. They adore kittens even more than I do as hard as that is to imagine.

MeowHouseKittens is the most levelheaded and kindhearted cattery I have ever come across. I have come across some pet breeders that really stick their nose in the air and think they are better than others. Some even think their customers are worth nothing more than just money.

Meow House Kittens certainly does not operate that way. The kittens and the customer truly come first. It is really hard to find honest and trustworthy people these days, but I truly trust and believe in MeowHouseKittens. I have personally met and spoke with the founder of Meow House Kittens several times and she is the kindest lady you will ever encounter. MeowHouseKittens was founded by a middle school art teacher by the name of Shannon McGraw.

Shannon has a really interesting and compelling story. She began Meow House Kittens after her kids left the house to go off to college. It was apparently a dream of hers for a while to start a cattery. She's truly living her dream now and is receiving a lot of credit for the great kittens she breeds.

MeowHouseKittens is a member of several different cattery organizations and they have even been rated on popular cat sites such as: KittySites.com.

About Himalayan Cats:
The Himalayan is a breed of long-haired cat identical in type to the Persian, with the exception of its blue eyes and point coloration, which were derived from the crossing of the Persian with the Siamese. In Europe they are referred to as colorpoint Persians.

While the Himalayan is considered a breed separate from the Persian by The International Cat Association, it is grouped together with the Persian and Exotic Shorthair(shorthaired version of the Persian) under a "Persian Breed Group standard". The Cat Fanciers' Association considers the Himalayan a color variation of the Persian rather than as a separate breed, although they do compete in their own color division.

The body of a Himalayan is white or cream, but the points come in many different colors: blue, brown, lilac, chocolate, flame, red and cream. The points can also be tabby or tortoiseshell-patterned. Both the chocolate and lilac point Himalayan are the most difficult to produce. These color traits are autosomal recessive, meaning both parents must possess the gene in order for any offspring to express the trait. The Himalayan cat has short legs which makes it harder for them to jump as high as other cats do. Also they have very round bodies and weigh around 13 pounds on average.

These cats are sweet-tempered, intelligent and generally very social and good companions. Because of their heritage from the Siamese cats they tend to be more active than Persians. They are more prone to hairballs than other breeds. Due to the amount of inbreeding involved in breeding these cats commercially, they are prone to genetic deformities and have a greater likelihood for developing inherited problems such as joint problems, organ abnormalities, and particularly Polycystic kidney disease among other diseases.

About the Author

Meow House Kittens is the place to go to get the cutest and best bred Persian and Himalayan Kittens on the planet. MeowHouseKittens is owned and operated by Shannon McGraw.

What is a Chocolate Persian Or Himalayan Cat?

Many people are surprised to find out that there is actually a chocolate gene in breeding Persian and Himalayans.  First, it's important to know that all Himalayans are a Persian; just a type of Persian.  The Himalayan has Siamese in it' background and one can tell a Himmy by their dark 'points' and blue eyes.  The points are the ears, head, tail and paws.

Unlike the other genetic colors of black and red and white, in order to have a 'visual' chocolate, both parents have to carry the chocolate gene.  That's what makes a chocolate Persian or Himalayan more rare.

Each color has a dominate and a dilute, or recessive color of the particular gene.  With the black gene, it's blue; with the red gene, it's cream; and with the chocolate gene, it is lilac.

With me so far?  So, a Himalayan (which are always 'pointed') you can have a chocolate pointed Himalayan or a lilac point Himalayan.  You can also have a chocolate cream or a lilac cream Himalayan.  If you see little patches of 'cream' on the nose or paws, you have a color-cream point.  There is also a chocolate tortoishell point.  Only females can be cream or tortie points.

Now, there are many more chocolate possibilities with a Persian.  You can a chocolate tortoiseshell (very rare) or a chocolate tabby (even more rare!)  There are also chocolate and white bi colors,  chocolate calico's, and chocolate smoke Persians.  And then of course, the dilute, lilac is also possible in all these markings.

What is most fun being a breeder of Persians and Himalayans is the surprise each litter brings.  Since all chocolate Persians are CPC (which mean they carry the pointed gene), pairing a chocolate Persian and a pointed Himalayan will always give you a unique litter; of some Persians and some Himalayans.  It's always like Christmas!

If you'd like to see some examples of these chocolate wonders, you can visit my website http://www.meowhousekittens.com Or visit http://www.chocolatecats.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Mcgraw

The ABC's of Himalayan Cat Care

A is for annual check-ups. Himalayan cat care must include an annual visit to the veterinarian. This can be for a routine check-up, annual vaccinations, and a time to discuss any concerns or issues you may have. If your Himalayan is still a kitten, make sure that you discuss spaying or neutering (if you are going to be having this done) at your initial appointment to ensure that all the shots are up to date before the surgery is scheduled and when the vet recommends the surgery takes place. This is not to say that you should be waiting for your annual appointment if you do have any health concerns regarding your cat, in that case make the call and talk to your vet about when you should bring in your cat.

B is for brushing, and a lot of it. For your Himalayan cat care regimen to be complete, your cat will have to be groomed on a daily basis. This includes a good brushing to keep this long-haired breed’s fur from tangling. You should also schedule a bath at least once per week, if you start bathing your cat when it is a kitten it should get used to this ritual in time (but may never like it).

C is for culinary needs. A brief Himalayan cat care tutorial would not be complete without mentioning dietary requirements. You should not be feeding your cat scraps from the table, people food is meant for people – instead invests in a premium brand dry food (as recommended by your breeder). In addition, pay attention to the different stages that are available for the brand of food you choose and progress as your kitten grows into an adult cat.

For More Information on Cat Care Please Visit Kitty Cat Care Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mylar_Skye

jim corbett national park

Jim Corbett National Park Jim Corbett National Park is the most exciting ecotourism destination in India encapsulating 488 different species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna that includes 580 bird species and 25 reptile species. Located in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India named after great hunter turned conservationist Jim Corbett. Jim Corbett National park was established in 1936 as a part of Indian wildlife protection initiative to ensure protection of endangered Tigers in India, specially the Bengal tigers. Jim Corbett Park is been the first wildlife reserve of India extended over an area of more than 520 sq km in the Himalayan foothills. Covering more than 520 sq km area of hills, river belts, marshy depressions, grass lands and large lake, Jim Corbett National Park is a heaven for the adventure seekers and wildlife adventure lovers from across the world. Dense moist deciduous forest mainly comprise of Sal, haldu, pipal, rohini and mango trees cover almost 73 per cent of Jim Corbett National Park. Winter nights in Corbett national park are generally cold but the days are bright and quite sunny. Jim Corbett Park receives rains from July to September. Jim Corbett National Park is a shelter for Tigers and a refuge for its prey as well. Among the major wildlife attractions of Jim Corbett National Park are nocturnal cats like Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat and Fishing Cat; sloth bear, black bear and wild dogs known as Dole. You can also find some small residents of Jim Corbett Park such as Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare and Porcupine. Elephants are among one of the most sought-after attractions of Jim Corbett National Park. One can also spot the long-snouted, fish-eating Gharial Crocodile and Mugger Crocodile along the Ramganga river shore. Then there are four kinds of Deer, Wild Boar, Jackal, Langur and Rhesus Monkeys that move your adventure lover heart by the kind of diversity they add to glory and wild life of Jim Corbett National Park. Jeeps Safari seems to be the most convenient way to travel within Jim Corbett Park. These jeeps can be rented for the park trips from any of the travel agencies at Ramnagar. The essence of wildlife viewing opportunity you get at Jim Corbett National Park remains in your heart forever. The best visiting season of Jim Corbett Park is from November 15 to June 15 every year. It should be noted that Jim Corbett National Park remains closed between June 16 and November 14 because at this time of the year monsoons flood the river beds and cut the fragile road links. Jim Corbett National Park is home to innumerous kind of beautiful birds. Pond Heron, Crested Hawk Eagle, Booted Hawk Eagle, Pallas Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Greyheaded Fishing Eagle, Cinerous Vulture, Crested Serpent Eagle, Kestrel, Black Partridge, Himalayan Pied Kingfisher, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Stork billed Kingfisher, Green Bee eater, Indian Roller are a few names among the huge list of birds found in Jim Corbett Park. Best time for birding at Jim Corbett is November to March. Visiting Jim Corbett National park, without a minute doubt, is a rewarding experience for ornithologists and bird lovers not only from India but from across the globe. The Corbett National Park is at a distance of about 145kms from Lucknow and 51kms away from Ramnagar. The route to be followed spans Hapur- Moradabd- Ramnagar. The route from Lucknow goes like Bareilly-Kichha-Rudrapur-Doraha-Kashipur. Bijrani is 9 kilometers from Ramnagar. Phoolbagh, Pantnagar at a distance of 50-kms from Jim Corbett Park is the nearest airport whereas if we talk about nearest international airport, then it's -Delhi which is 300 km from Jim Corbett National Park. There are many hotels and resorts at Ram Nagar for accommodations. So getting to Jim Corbett National Park and accommodation won't be a problem for you. So enjoy the most exhilarating and diverse ecological tourist destination by visiting Jim Corbett National Park.

About the Author

My name is Ajay Shanker Jha. I have become involved in Internet marketing for Travel and Tourism products.