Best Gifts for Cats -- the Easy Way to Pick Them

Do you have a gift list that includes a true cat lover? If so, you're in luck! Buying for a cat owner is more simple than ever, especially with the selection and specialty items available on the web. Before you purchase the first kitty-themed item, stop to consider the following idea. The best gifts for cat lovers are unique and specific to their cat.

Before you buy a present for the cat lover on your list, think about the following:

What type of cat breed does the prospective recipient like or own? Many potential offerings given to cat lovers are also breed specific. If possible, purchase a gift that reminds the recipient of their favorite pussy cat.

If you are buying a gift for someone who currently owns a cat, find out the sex of the cat. Many cat-themed gifts are gender-specific, so you should know what sex your recipient's cat is.

Does your recipient like to dress up your cat? If you are buying a gift for someone who likes to dress their cats in sweaters or other types of apparel, your search for an appropriate gift will be much easier. Don't assume that the receiver dresses their cat, however.

Now that you've taken a few moments to ponder on your recipient's cat, here are the top 6 gifts that any cat lover would be happy to get.

1. A cat-themed picture frame. What better way to show your love for your animal than putting the feline's picture on display? Anyone looking for gifts for cat lovers would be pleased to receive a lovely picture frame to show their pride and joy. You may desire to ensure your intended recipient doesn't already own a lot of cat picture frames. This is a popular gift to give and to receive, so it is not uncommon for avid cat lovers to have more than one cat picture frame.

2. Cat-themed jewelry. It may be common to run across a lovely cat broach, pin, charm bracelet, necklace, or other piece of jewelry. Nothing could be more personal or intimate than a lovely piece of jewelry. If you have a close friend who you think would enjoy this type of present, you will find many online retail websites dedicated to offerings for cat lovers that carry a great selection of cat-related jewelry. For an even more personal touch, you can additionally have these type of gifts inscribed with a message as well.

3. Cat-related stationary, desk calendar, engagement calendar, diary, or books. Every New Year, hundreds of beautifully-designed calendars are put on the market for purchase. The selection can be astounding with hundreds of breeds and cat themes represented. This is a fabulous choice that any cat owner would enjoy receiving, particularly if you can find a calendar that represents the recipient's favorite breed. If you desire to go beyond the ever-popular cat calendar, you can also purchase lovely cat-related stationary for your recipient. Another superior choice is to locate a nice cat-themed diary for your recipient.

Gifts for cat lovers may include a cat calendar, stationary set, or diary that you like. Consider buying the cat lover on your list a beautiful cat-themed coffee table book. Most cat lovers will delight in feasting on the gorgeous photography and text of a good cat coffee table book.

4. Cat themed clothes and coffee mugs. Cat lovers will enjoy receiving cat-themed T-shirts and sweaters. You can frequently find funny cat-themed coffee mugs too.

5. A work of kitty art. Cat lovers abound nowadays, so it easy to find works of art that is cat related. For the true cat lover, a lovely cat sculpture can be a wonderful and whimsical gift. You can easily find all sorts of cat-related ceramic pieces, wooden sculptures, planter, fountain, or other types of cat art. For the truly dedicated cat owner, you can even commission a local artist to do a portrait of your friend's cat!

6. A gift subscription to Cat Fancy magazine! For people looking for gifts for cat lovers, the die-hard cat fanatic will love a subscription to a cat themed magazine. If you can't locate cat-related magazines at your local newsstand, go to your local pet supplies store. You'll see other magazines besides Cat Fancy that your recipient can enjoy to be receiving for many issues to come.

Finding The Perfect Cat Tree Furniture For Your Cat, Not As Easy As You Might Think

Many cats need a good amount of stimulation in order to keep them from becoming board, and we all know what a board cat is capable of! Cat trees provide that type of stimulation.

Most people wonder what to look for in a cat tree. As a cat tree manufacturer and a cat breeder, I would like to point out what is important to me.

Safety first:

All cat breeders know what mischief our cats are capable of. If there's danger in your house, your cats are going to find it. Not only is the cat tree manufacturer responsible for making a well built, safe cat tree but the cat owner is responsible for using good judgement in the selection and use of it..

First, make sure the design of the cat tree does not compromise safety. Only purchase stable, well built cat trees. Beware of cat trees that are cheaply made and can collapse under the weight of your cats. You also want to purchase a cat tree that will not tip over when your cat , who has invisible wings it seems, takes a flying leap and lands on top or on the side of the tree. You have to take into account that smaller, lighter cat trees will not be as stable when used by a big, heavy cat, but even if you buy a small cat tree there are ways to test for stability. You can test your cat tree before purchase by taking it through the tip test. Tip the cat tree a bit and see if it falls over or if it rights itself (be careful if it's a large tree, you don't want a large tree falling on you and the store might not appreciate you knocking over all of the large trees in the place). Rock it a bit to see if it stays upright. It's ok if the tree sways some with the movement of the cat, that's normal, but it is not OK if the cat tree tips over easily.

If you purchase your tree from an internet website you won't be able to put it through the tip test, but you can always ask for customer testimonials to see how other customers feel about the stability of the products you intend to buy. Be sure that there is a return policy in case the tree does not meet stability requirements, however, also be sure to read and agree to the store's return policy before you make the purchase. Many stores will not let you return a used product so be sure to take the tip test before you let your cats use the tree.

Your cat tree should be sturdy enough to surface clean and sanitize. There are a large number of cats trees on the market that are made with cardboard tubing as the core of the structure. I don't recommend cat trees made with cardboard because cardboard may not hold up well, especially if you surface clean your cat tree regularly with anything moist. If you have a cat tree with cardboard tubing as the main supportive structure, be sure to inspect it regularly for any weakness.

Many cat trees use toxic chemicals, dyes, and glues in the manufacturing process. It is not a good idea to use a cat tree with any of these items, particularly for cats that tend to bite at the carpeting and materials used on cat trees.

Be sure to buy a tree suitable for it's purpose. Don't buy a carpeted cat tree for outside unless it will be in an area protected from rain and moisture. If you keep a carpet and wood cat tree outside, even under a covered patio, moisture may still cause mold to develop on or inside of your cat tree.

For outside cat furniture, make sure that the cat house is suitable for cats. Most outdoor houses on the market are designed for dogs and not for cats, so do your homework when looking for those type of items.

Accessability:

Make sure the cat tree you intend to purchase is accessible to your cats. There are all kinds of situations that call for a really accessible cat tree. Your cats may be old, overweight, declawed, or have health issues. If you have large cats, will your cat tree be large enough to accommodate them? Will they fit into the cubby holes or house(if the cat tree has holes or houses)?

The cats also need to be able to get up and down the tree easily or they probably wont use it.

A good idea is to get a cat tree that you can purchase additional parts in case your tree needs to be more accessible. If the cat tree looks like a cat tree, can your purchase extra branch steps? If it looks like a regular, multi level structure, can your purchase more steps? It's also a good idea to purchase some sort of ladder for cats who are declawed (I am not a supporter of declawing but should you end up with a declawed cat you need to be able to accommodate it too). Your cat trees are no good unless your cats like them and will use them, so be sure your cat tree is designed with your cat in mind. We've had take a second look and to improve the accessability of our cat trees over the years.

Durability:

Durability is not only an issue of getting your moneys worth but also of safety. Most mass manufactured cat trees on the market today are made with the cheapest materials possible. As stated previously, many use cardboard tubing as the main support structure. Cardboard is not very durable, especially if you clean your cat tree. All plywood has some amount of chemicals in it, however, press board and chipboard has a large amount of undesirable chemicals in it and is not as durable as plywood or solid wood.

Fabric is not as durable as carpeting, which is thicker and can stand up to cats scratching better. Of course, no carpeting is going to last forever, but you will get more bang for your buck if your cat tree is carpet covered rather then fabric covered.

Appeal:

Appeal is more important then most people think. Not only should the tree appeal to your cats but it should appeal to you and your visitors. The cat tree should be designed in a way that is attractive to your cats. If a cat tree is designed with cats in mind, usually cats will take to it instantly. Many cats are territorial, so if you have a large number of cats or territorial, cats it is recommended that you buy a large cat tree with multiple, separate spaces for each cat to claim as it's own.

There are certain materials that most cats are attracted to. Cats like warmth and softness when sleeping and they like things they can really dig their claws into when playing. Having a cat tree that provides spaces where you can put soft, warm cat beds is always a plus, as is having a cat tree that can withstand rough play.

Next we want a cat tree that will appeal to our design and style. It does no good to spend $2000.00 on a new leather sofa and thousands on decor if you're going to have a big, ugly, rickety cat tree sitting in the middle of your livingroom! The idea is not to detract from your decor, but to add to it. There's no reason you should compromise your style because you have cats to please (although your cats would tell you different). If that is the case, you might as well pick up the 70's checkerboard sofa sitting on your street corner and throw that into the living room for your cats to use as a scratching post. Of course, different people have different styles, likes and dislikes, so my idea of attractive might not be yours, but im sure you get the drift.

Finally, we come to PRICE::

It's not true that 100% of the time if you spend less you'll get less and if you spend more you get more, but generally speaking, you get what you pay for.

I'll let you in on a not so secret, secret. I'm a penny pincher. I drive my family crazy. Let me tell you a story about my uh - hmmm..."penny pinching abilities". When I was in school my father would take us to a restaurant every morning to eat breakfast before school. I'd buy the heaviest meal, and eat well every morning because I knew he'd give me $2.00 for lunch everyday. I never used the $2.00 to buy lunch. Instead, I would starve myself all day to be able to save the $2.00.

I would go home famished but never broke. I saved so much money that way that when my other family members needed to borrow money they knew I always had some to lend them. Sure, I lent them the money, but I always charged interest! So what's the moral of my story? If you can save a buck or two, please do. That being said, I never, ever, will compromise quality to save money. I feel that if you're compromising quality to save money, then you really haven't saved anything, in fact, you've lost money because it will be just that much faster that you'll have to replace the item. I also, never buy anything im not 100% happy with buying. I won't settle for second best because to me, second best is money not well spent. I don't mind getting used items, but I have to be sure that those are of good quality as well. When it comes to cat trees, it's not a good idea to get a used cat tree unless you know the person who your getting the cat tree from and know that the cats who used the tree are disease free. There are a terrible amount of diseases and parasites that can hide in cat trees.

If you're anything like me, and I suspect that you are since I've done business with probably thousands of cat breeders and pet owners, you spend inordinate amounts on your cats but nothing on yourself. I'll wear the same pair of tennis shoes until they fall apart (husband has to sneak into the closet and get them and throw them away because he knows I will wear them till I'm waking on insole liners held together with shoelaces), but when it comes to my cats, I have to have the latest, greatest and cutest. So, if you're like me, I feel bad for you, but at least now you know how to find a perfect cat tree for your beloved furbabies.

How cats communicate with each other

Cats do not use words and vocabulary like we do, but they still communicate with one another. Imagine a society without words, where you can determine someone’s mood by just looking at them. Where you can have an entire conversation with someone and not say a word. How do cats do it? How do two unfamiliar cats greet one another? Do cats have social hierarchies like dogs do?

Cats have very subtle ways of speaking with one another and use various means to communicate, including vocal and body language. Any cat owner can tell you that their cat makes many different sounds.

When speaking with us, cats will often meow and display different body postures. Each meow may differ in meaning by the tone, volume, pitch, rhythm, and pronunciation.

However, when feral cats meet, do they greet one another with a meow? The familiar loud ‘miaow’ that our cat uses to speak with us is often not used to communicate with other cats. Body language is very important in the cat world. Most cats do not need to make a sound when communicating with one another. Posture, tail movement, eye contact, and even scents send signals to other cats. A cat can communicate with another cat from across a field without even having to say a word.

This is best illustrated in an example. A cat that I know named Hanoko, is accustomed to roaming the neighbourhood and is particularly fond of her yard. The new neighbours next door have bought a new cat, named Cassie. Cassie decides to explore the neighbourhood and finds herself in Hanoko’s yard. Cassie is walking around with her tail up, ears forward and relaxed body posture. When Hanoko spots Cassie, she realizes that this new cat is trespassing onto her property. Hanoko’s pupils dilate and her ears turn backwards and begin to flatten. Dilated pupils and flattened ears are an indication of fear, aggression, and/or excitement. Cassie sees Hanoko and she freezes for a moment to observe Hanoko’s body language. Seeing her dilated pupils and flattened ears, Cassie realizes that Hanoko is saying, “I do not like your presence!” Cassie’s tail drops and her pupils dilate in excitement. However, she remains adventurous and continues to inch forward with a lower, submissive body position in hopes that this strange cat will warm up to her. Her ears and whiskers are pointed forward, indicating that she is curious. Cassie is saying, “I am just being curious.” As Cassie inches closer, Hanoko gets more and more agitated, and her hair begins to stand on end. She maintains eye contact with Cassie while a growl begins at the back of her throat. Direct eye contact indicates assertiveness or threat. With her hair standing on end, Hanoko is trying to make herself look larger and more threatening. Hanoko is saying, “Back off! Do not come any closer!” Cassie stops in her tracks and flattens her ears back in fear. Her whiskers flatten down against her face as well, making her face look smaller. Her body position shrinks to the ground and her tail is between her legs, indicating submissiveness. Cassie is saying, “Okay, okay. I can see you are angry, I don’t want to start a fight.” Cassie understands the signals that Hanoko is sending her, and she backs away slowly and scurries off. This entire feline conversation happened without a single meow.

Cats therefore use the same signals to communicate with one another as they use to communicate with us. However, cats are far better at observing and responding to those signals. They use body language to do most of the communicating, and less verbal noises (such as meows) are needed to gain another cat’s attention.

In dogs, hierarchy would be determined by means similar to the example with Cassie and Hanoko. It is based on the outcomes of social interactions between the animals. The communication that occurs is often non-vocal. Aggressiveness, submissiveness, reproductive status, sex, and environment are all factors that determine hierarchy. However, hierarchy in cats is a bit more complicated. When compared to dog colonies, hierarchy amongst a group of cats is often difficult for humans to decipher. Dogs display more obvious stereotypic dominance behaviours, such as a constant stare, growl or subtle body check. However, felines are non-obligatory social creatures and they do not live in packs. The tom cat, for example, lives without any long-lasting social relationships with other cats. Hierarchy may be present in a group of cats that live together, but dominance signals may not be obviously present. Hierarchy issues may be more prominent when a new animal is introduced into the family. The hierarchy will be upset because the newcomer’s place is unclear.

Cats are territorial creatures. Their territory may contain areas that they share with other cats and areas that they want exclusively for themselves. They mark their territory by rubbing up against an object, by scratching a tree and/or urinating. These signs act like posted signs, telling other cats whose property they are trespassing. Other cats can not only see the marks, but they can detect the pheromones left from the rubbing or in the urine. Therefore, besides body language, a cat’s sense of smell is also very important for communication.

Another example where smell is important is when cats groom one another. When two cats live together, they will sniff and groom one another. Grooming is done not only to keep clean, but to provide comfort, remove parasites and relief social tension. This is also known as social grooming. A queen (mother cat) will be able to recognize the familiar smell of her own offspring. Queens will groom her kittens regularly to keep them clean, to stimulate bowel movements, and to provide comfort.

When observing feline behaviour, one may notice that cats seem to have a dual personality. They can be friendly and inviting one minute, and then unexpectedly strike you the next. This is due to the cat’s unique place in the food chain – they are both predator and prey. So they can be stealthy rodent hunters at the same time as being aware of their surroundings for potential dangers, like large dogs or other carnivores. Therefore, cats have a wide range of behaviours that enable them to adapt quickly to different situations. Owners often get upset when their cat suddenly turns and bites them after petting the cat a minute earlier. This dual personality behaviour is important when trying to understand feline behaviour and communication.

Not all cat communication is understood, even by those who have owned and observed many cats. Humans cannot detect pheromones or read every subtle movement of their feline companions. Sometimes we observe our cat staring out the window at the stray cat outside. Are they having silent conversations with one another? What factors determine social hierarchies? Many questions are yet to be answered, but at least humans are capable of understanding some basic words in the complex feline language.

By Amy Cheung - Pets.ca writer

Cat Communication

Cats may not be able to speak English but they do have many other ways in which they can 'talk' to you. Cats are cognitive animals, they solve problems just like any other highly developed species. Cats can and will communicate with you if you allow them to express themselves, talk back to them and try to understand what they are saying. Learn what your cat's different signals mean so that you and your cat can communicate regularly. This will not only improve the bond with your cat and keep your cat happy, but it will also allow you to better read your cat's signals so you know when your cat wants to play or just wants to be left alone!

Tails
Tails are probably one of the best communication indicators that cats have. One can almost read every cat feeling and thought by looking at his/her tail.

• Tail arched and puffed out or bristled - your cat is scared or fearful and is ready to attack or defend itself. The bristling is instinctual as it makes the cat look larger.
  
• Tail straight up in the air and fully puffed out or bristled - your cat is angered, aggressive and ready to attack.
  
• Tail straight up in the air and quivering a bit - your cat's tail moves this way when spraying urine to mark territory; however, once your cat is spayed or neutered he/she will continue to move his/her tail this way (without any spray or urine being excreted) when you greet him/her. This is your cats way of saying, 'hi, it's your loving cat!'
  
• Tail straight up and unmoving - an unabashed greeting. This is what a mother cat does to her kitten to tell him/her to inspect her rear.
  
• Tail straight up but the tip tilted to one side - your cat is very interested and intrigued by something; your cat is happy and friendly.
  
• Tail straight up or just slightly raised and curved like a question mark - your cat is very excited and interested in something.
  
• Tail curved down and then back up again near the tip - your cat is very relaxed and content.
  
• Tail still but tip of tail quivering or twitching - your cat is mildly irritated. Your cat may attack if the twitching becomes violent enough.
  
• Tail swishing from side to side rapidly or violently - your cat is about to attack something, this is seen during fights and play time. This is not the same as tail wagging in dogs.
  
• Tail held to one side - your cat is giving a sexual invitation (generally only females in heat do this).
  
• Tail held low and puffed out or bristled - your cat is intensely afraid.
  
• Tail held low and tucked between the hind legs - your cat is showing his submission or defeat.
  

Ears
Cats ears are another way that a cat expresses his/her emotions.

• Ears pointing forward and slightly outward - your cat is relaxed and happy.
  
• Ears very straight up and forward - your cat is listening to something that is intriguing.
  
• Ears twitching nervously - your cat is agitated and nervous.
  
• Ears flat against the head - your cat is frightened and may attack (this is instinctual as to protect the ears during a fight).
  
• Ears back or in between alert and defensive position - your cat is aggressive and may attack.
  

Back/Fur
In general a cat's body fur remains fairly consistent; however, if you notice your cat arching his or her back and bristling you can rest assured that your cat is frightened and on the defensive. Your cat may attack at this point.

Meowing
Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds (dogs can only make 10). These sounds encompasses a variety of meows, purrs, gurgles, and eeps which occur in a variety of tones and octaves and can mean a plethora of things. The more you talk to your cat, the more your cat will talk back and extend his/her 'vocabulary'. And a good owner will learn over time what his/her cat means by each of his/her vocal sounds. By listening to your cat and talking back, eventually you and your cat can start to 'talk' back and forth to each other with understanding. This will help the bond between you and your cat grow and entice your cat to become even more expressive.

Purring
It is still not known why cats purr. Some theories on the origin of purring include 1) the possession of false vocal cords 2) the contraction of laryngeal muscles 3) blood flow that is amplified by the diaphragm. Whatever the cause of purring a cat purrs when he or she is generally happy; although, some cats are known to only purr when they are ill. However, most cat owners will attest to the fact that their cats only purr when the are content or happy.

Growling/Hissing
Growling and or hissing means only one thing - your cat means business and wants you to back off. If your cat growls or hisses at you don't push the issue or you will be attacked.

Pupils
Cat's pupils for the most part change with the amount of the light in the room. However, if your cat become very aroused, excited or angered his/her pupils will become greatly enlarged regardless of the amount of light in the room.

Eyes
Your cats eyes can also tell you a lot about what kitty is thinking:

• Wide open eyes - your cat is awake and ready to go
  
• Wide open eyes with a little sparkle - your cat is feeling a little mischievous
  
• Half closed eyes - your kitty is relaxed and ready for a cat nap! This can also mean your cat is ill if the eyes are like this on a consistent basis, even when awake.
  
• Closed eyes - your cat is napping, obviously.
  
• Winking/Blinking - A long slow blink means that your cat is content and relaxed.
  

Other Behaviors
Rolling on his/her back and exposing the belly - your cat is letting you know that he/she totally trusts you as he/she is exposing the most vulnerable part of the body. This doesn't necessarily mean that your cat wants a belly rub, just that he/she is totally comfortable with you.

Kneading - this stems from 'milk threading' that kittens do. Kittens knead their mother's belly to stimulate milk production. In doing this to you your cat is not only expressing his/her love for you as a mother-figure but also remembering the happy feelings that used to occur when the mother was kneaded.

Snoring - if your cat snores when he/she sleeps he/she is totally relaxed!

Sniffing - cats sniff each other in the wild to say hello and get to know each other. If your cat sniffs your face consider it a greeting and a way of showing that your cat trusts and likes you. Many owners even get down on the floor (face level with their cats) and touch noses when they greet.

Article courtesy of 21cats.org; All Rights Reserved.

© Pets.ca 2004
www.pets.ca