Why You Need Cat Health Insurance

I can easily recall a few months back when I found my cat outside bleeding—he is an outdoor indoor cat with his own kitty door and sometimes he can get into fights with other cats when playing outside during the day—and I knew that I needed to take him right into the veterinarian office to get checked out; to make sure that all was well. So about two hundred dollars later, and after a nice disinfecting of the lacerations on his paw, and of course, some minor antibiotics, I realized, hey this is really darn expensive. Which was when I decided that for the future, some cat health insurance may be in order for my hyper one year old Tabby. Why You Need Pet Health Insurance I looked around, and since I already had my dog Amadeus insured through IAMS VPI pet health insurance, I decided to see about adding my kitten. It cost about thirty bucks per month and it kicked in right away—all they did was contact the vet who signed and faxed them back a local form. I received my cat health insurance cards in the mail about ten business days later. Now, whenever I take him into the vet, I print out a claim form for my vet to sign and simply mail or fax it in to get reimbursed. And yes, it really can add up in then end. What Procedures Does it Cover? Surprisingly, the pet health insurance policy that I have covers nearly every known medical procedure for both cats and dog, and other pets as well. Of course there is a percentage that it covers—it does not work like traditional human health insurance. But, if you factor that I spent nearly two hundred smackers at the vet last time with my cat, and they would have sent me check for half, that would have easily paid for a few months of pet health insurance. And, they cover checkups and routine visits, so they cost half as well; essentially it pays for itself in the end. Who Provides Cat Health Insurance? There are a number of great providers that offer quality and affordable pet health insurance. Here are some providers that I was able to find during my searches online for the best pet health insurance out there. IAMS VPI – I recommend this plan over others because they offer online claim forms. Pet Care Insurance Programs is another great pet health insurance company that offers similar rates and coverages to IAMS. And finally, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance is another great company that you can choose to go through. All offer similar rate plans and coverages, as well as claim processing efficiency. How Does it All Work? It is very basic how pet health insurance works. You bring a claim form into the office and have the vet sign it. You copy the invoice and mail it back in, or fax it back in with the claim form. They reimburse you for the difference of the percentage of the covered amount. Most pet health insurance companies will place an annual cap on the amounts that they will reimburse. For example, VPI will reimburse up to 14k annually.

Chinese Pet Lovers Protest Cat Slaughter

The Associated Press reports on a rising protest outside the Guangdong government office in Beijing. The protests were partly inspired by a series of articles recently in the Chinese press regarding the practice of rounding up cats in rural provinces, and butchering them for meat. On Monday, a Guangdong newspaper story claimed that about 1,000 cats were being transported to Guangdong for slaughter every day. The cat meat industry in China has come under fire in recent years, as China's increasing affluence means that more people can afford to keep pets. Some people feel that the cat meat market has become more desperate and underhanded in its tactics, possibly due to the bad economy. Animal rights activists have ambushed trucks loaded with cats for market, and in one case managed to liberate hundreds of cats. In Nanjing, "a major trading hub for cats," dealers come from all across the province bearing cats for sale. Although the cat meat dealer interviewed for the Associated Press article asserted that her cat meat came from legitimate cat farms, cat lovers have begun to worry about their cats being nabbed by a dealer on a "fishing expedition." PETA has published a press release decrying the practice. Spokesman Michael V. McGraw issued a statement which focused on the treatment of cats destined for the butcher, and pointed out that China has no animal protection laws on the books. Traditionally, cats were considered a legitimate food item for the Cantonese people, who have long been known as China's most inventive and adventurous gourmands.

More Gifts From my Cat – This Time it’s a Pigeon!

If you have ever had the distinct pleasure with the company of a cat for a pet, then you already know where I am going with this one merely based off the title. But where my story may beg to differ from the others that surround this often talked about topic, with regards to our cats, is that the present he (my cat) brought to me this time, for a change, was still alive. Cats like to let their parents (owners, handlers, what have you) know that they love them. They are happy little hunters in the pride that we call our homes. And from time to time, they will display such affections to us in the forms of tiny little creatures that they have hunted for and captured on our behalf. It’s purely a form of love, or them saying, ‘Meow’ (which translates into thank you for all the kibble, kitten treats and toys…I love you). Why Do Cats Leave us Dead Presents? Of course, on most occasions these poor creatures have suffered a terrible fate, all to appease the offerings of our cat to us! Thanks kitty! In many cases the cat will leave the present on the doorstep of the home, for those of you who have outdoor cats, as a reminder when you leave, “Hey, you see that dead thing? I caught that, and it’s for you buddy! Cause I love you so much!” Then we are left to clean up their loving mess, which can be gruesome task for most people who are not fond of having tiny dead animals rotting on their doorstep. But I guess the most important notion here is that cats will always catch things, and leave them for us—they are saying they love us, that is all. Throwing out a Dead Bird Really Sucks! Then there is the present that you don’t find for quite sometime: my cat caught a bird once and decided to hide the dead body underneath the bed, where he likes to hang out; only after a few days of a horrid smell did I dissect the room to find his thoughtful gift. But in most instances, the cat will leave your dead present on the stoop of your front door or your back door. Firstly, it’s a present from your cat to you – so you don’t want to let them see you hocking it in a plastic bag and heading to the trash can. Put your cat somewhere inside where they are unable to observe what you do with their ‘gift.’ Then don some gloves, and wrap the present in a plastic grocery bag, and keep your garbage bin outside until the truck comes by mid-week. And always thoroughly sanitize your hands afterwards.  Please Comment on the Weirdest Thing your Cat Ever Caught or Killed to Bring You! Even though I have some odd stories, what have you experienced with gifts from your cat? My latest experience was my cat bringing a pigeon in by the wings while I was watching a movie in my bedroom – poor bird. Please, comment back with your stories, I am eager to hear them all!

Kitten Safety Tips

Keeping your kittens safe is much like doing the same for a puppy. Both are very curious and will get into anything. Kittens however have a tendency to get themselves into more trouble since they have the ability to climb and jump from virtually anywhere they so please.
 
Playful kittens love to play with anything that dangles like cords, jewelry and house plants. If you have a kitten at home or are thinking about bringing a kitten home, you need to pretty much baby proof your house only with a cat in mind. Electrical cords and such can be very dangerous for a kitten to play with not to mention that whatever the cord goes to chances are you aren't going to want to spend the money to replace it.
 
Tacky as it may look, duck tape will take care of most cords. Tape them together if there is more than one going to the same place then tape them to the wall or floor. This prevents the cords from being a source of batting around fun. You can use furniture or wall hangings to try to hide the tackiness of it all if you feel necessary. For the cords on the floor, find a small area carpet to throw over it and you're done.
 
Jewelry should be put away as it can be a choking hazard or cause internal damage if swallowed. If a part or piece of the jewelry does get stuck in the stomach or intestine, the cat will have to undergo surgery to have it removed and this is a very costly procedure. So if you value your precious belongings and your kitten make sure you put your shiny jewelry away. 
 
House plants should be put up or out doors if that is an option until you feel comfortable in your kittens behavior. Research the plants you do have in your home as some of them can be very poisonous and deadly to cats if ingested. Seasonal plants like Easter Lillies fall into this category and should not be in the house for the kitten to play with at all.
 
Cabinets in the kitchen, bathroom and throughout the house make for great fun. These cupboards can be deadly for your kitten if they are getting into cupboards that have cleaning products in them, poisons or foods that they shouldn't be eating. In the baby section of any store you can find many different packages of devices that will lock your cupboards that are easy to use but still keep kittens out. Don't put it past your kitten to get those cupboards that are up high. A jump on the counter followed by a long stretch to reach and they are in.
 
As mentioned cats are great jumpers and not always very graceful about it either. Keep this in mind when looking around your house for possible dangers for your new kitten as well as things that you value. Breakable family heirlooms that you have neatly placed on the fireplace hearth or on top of the entertainment center may end up shattered on the floor. This can cause your kitten some injuries if they get into the broken pieces and you to be very upset.
 
Naturally very curious as these creatures are, there are some experiences that are best left to be unlearned such as a horrible injury or sickness. You won't have to keep your things put up or out of sight forever but while your kitten is learning the ropes of the house and it's boundaries it is better to play it safe than sorry. 

Does your cat like to hang upside down?

Okay, this is a weird anomaly, at least I think so. I have a very eccentric, lovable and cuddly kitten that loves to curl up, snuggle, is very fond of laps and is indeed, a fantastically tempered cat. But he does one thing that I find to be very uncharacteristic of cats: he likes to hang upside down from my arms. Not once in a while, but all of the time. He will jump up into my arms for a cuddle, and then wiggle his butt and his body so he overhangs my arm. He even sleeps on his back most of time, looking up at the ceiling. Is this abnormal behavior for a cat? To sleep upside down, enjoy hanging upside down, and so on? The Upside-Down Loving Kitten It has gotten to be so frequent, in fact, that now he will jump up into my arms and immediately try to hang upside down. I will droop him over my arms and then support his head with my other hand and arm. He will do this several times per day, and likes for me to walk around with him like this, so he can view the entire world upside down. Is my cat a Regenerated Possum? Here is the conclusion that I have been so far able to digest: I think he was a possum or something similar in a former life; if cats have former lives, I know that they already have nine of them. But the upside down loving cat is a mystery to me. I have had plenty of cats during my life, but have had none that so loved this possum aperture to the extent that my kitten does.

Is Man’s Best Friend Really a Dog?

Ah Dogs and cats, forever friends and equally enemies – in many cases that is. But is a dog man’s best friend, really? I actually happen to own a long haired tabby named Migs – because he is silver and streaks across the house faster than a Russian Mig Fighter Jet. But, I also own a full grown Timber wolf, yes wolf, and a full grown Lab, and mind you, my cat and my dog, and my wolf, are all the best of friends, so no worries, there. The wolf even lets the cat eat out of his dish and drink water out of his dish, and will even drop pieces of food for the cat to share. How cute. But the point that I am getting at is that cats are equally, if not more so, affectionate as dogs. My purpose with this blog is to plainly exclaim that dogs and cats are both men’s best friend. My cat will find me several times throughout the day (I work from home) he needs cuddles, he needs love, he gives me kisses aplenty on my hands. He likes to sleep under the covers with me at night, and he is always there. So are my dogs. But, the cat seems more affectionate than my dogs at some times. Cats are just as gently, more agile than and as sensitive as dogs. They learn as fast, sometimes faster. They are always checking up on us to make sure we are okay. When we are sad they cuddle us. When we are happy they play with us. They are indeed our best friends.

Re: hairball remedy

both of my cats have been vomiting their food up along with occasional hairballs, more than usual. i find a mess almost every day. is there something i can give them to help them out?

Cats Mating Behavior

I have a cat that was homeless and I believe she is spayed. However this male cat keeps trying to mate. Do spayed cats still engage in sexual behavior?

What to do

I have three kittens I took in from the outdoors a couple of weeks ago. They are approximately 10 weeks old now. I was wondering if anyone had any training ideas. Currently I am keeping them in one of my bathrooms. They like to get into things, and I am worried about what could happen to them. One has already fallen down a heat vent (the vents were not screwed in and they knocked if off somehow) and crawled out of a very narrow vent on the opposite side of my house. Anyway, I let them roam in one of the bedrooms for a little while and they tended to go towards cords, etc. How can I prevent them from chewing on them!? Right now they all have their claws and are not fixed yet, but I plan to have this done ASAP (pending when their testicles drop and are able to be fixed). All three are males. I was wondering if anyone has any advice!? I am new to cat ownership, as I have grown up with dogs only and don't know much about cats and training them! Thanks much!

My cats in heat AGAIN

My cat is in heat AGAIN! It's only been about two month's and she hasbeen in heat 3 times. Whats wrong with her? Any ideas?

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