Training Your New Kitten

The difference between dogs and cats is no more obvious then when they are puppies and kittens. Cats aren’t small dogs, so training a kitten is not the same as training a puppy. Training a cat is more challenging for people who are used to training dogs because of the notorious cat independence and their disinterest in the opinion of their owner. But with patience and diligence, you can train your kitten to be happy, healthy and obedient.

The Training Process
It is important to begin training as soon as possible for the purpose of the kitten growing up to learn and respect your boundaries. Kitten obedience will keep your cat’s mind active, teaching them good social skills, while also strengthening their bond with you.

Toys are an essential with a new kitten. If your kitten starts doing something she’s not supposed to, bring their attention back to the toys, providing them to it as a reward for avoiding bad behavior. Your kitten will be kept mentally and physically occupied by having toys to play with regularly.

Your cat can be willing to learn from you, but it can also be willing to ignore you, too. Being that every cat is different, training can be frustrating. The best thing to do is take time out every day to train your cat. Be aware that cats don’t like punishment. They will most likely run away from you, which can lead to stress and cause behavioral and health problems. The proper thing to do is encourage good behavior through rewards and affection. Keep training sessions short because cats have low attention spans and become bored quickly. Focusing on one command at a time, not moving on until the trick is learned, is the best approach.

Addressing Your Cat’s Bad Behavior

There are many possible reasons for your cat’s disobedience. Changes in their home environment, an unaddressed medical condition or the simple misunderstanding on your cat’s part that their behavior is wrong. It is important to remember that your cat is not misbehaving out of spite towards you.

Instead of punishing your cat like you would a dog, redirect their behavior. Doing so will put them back into an obedient state of mind. Unlike a dog, if you actually punish your cat, they may feel threatened by you and rebel or misbehave even more as a result, not to mention the break in the bond you two share. But they should still be made aware of their wrongdoing. One very effective way is through making them associate their bad behavior with something unpleasant. If your cat doesn’t like a certain perfume or cologne you wear, soak a cotton ball in the scent and rub them in places you don’t want your cat to go to. Always praise your cat for good behavior, too. Praise when your cat has done something good lets them know their good behavior comes with rewards.

Common Cat Behavior Problems

• Furniture Scratching 
• Urinating (or ‘Spraying’) 
• Avoiding their litter box 
• Aggressive behavior towards people or other animals.

The Importance of Vaccinations and Their Different Types

Vaccinating your dog or cat is one of the most essential steps in assuring that they will have a healthy life. Like people, animals need vaccines regularly for proper effectiveness. But vaccines can become complicated and can vary from one pet to another. Asking your veterinarian which vaccines are right for your dog or cat (especially if they are a puppy or kitten getting their vaccines for the first time) is the best place to start.

What are Vaccines?

Vaccines are products designed to enable protective immune responses and prepare the immune system for combating future infections from disease-causing agents. They stimulate the immune system’s antibody production and can provide immunity against several diseases. Vaccines can ease the severity, or even prevent, some diseases completely.

Essential Vaccines for Pets

It is important to know that necessary vaccines differ between dogs and cats. While dogs need one kind of vaccine set for diseases that they come into contact with often, cats need another set for the diseases that they come into contact with. Some essential vaccines for a dog or cat (such as a rabies vaccine) are even requiring by law to have.

Essential Vaccines for Dogs:

• Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus (DHPP) - This all-in-one combination vaccination shot is commonly called the ‘distemper shot’. It protects against the four diseases in its name. 
• Rabies - The rabies virus is fatal in both pets and humans. The rabies vaccine is required by law in most states.  

Your veterinarian may also recommend additional vaccines for your dog based on where you live and your dog’s lifestyle:

• Leptospirosis - This bacterial infection is most common in moist climates where there are standing or slow-moving water areas. This is a disease that can also be spread from animals to humans. 
• Bordetella (‘Kennel Cough’) - A virus that causes an extremely contagious upper respiratory infection and cough. Your veterinarian may recommend this vaccine before your dog goes to a dog park, kennel, groomer, or anywhere else where there are other dogs that possibly haven’t had their shots. 
• Lyme Disease - A bacterial infection carried by ticks. This disease is extremely common in certain parts of the country (both the East and West coasts and the Great Lakes areas, especially). 
• Canine Influenza - A viral upper respiratory disease that originated in Florida in 2004 and has quickly spread across the United States. Outbreaks happen often in animal shelters and kennels. 
• Corona Virus - A virus that infects the intestinal tract and is more common in the Southern United States. 

Essential Vaccines for Cats:

• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicvirus and Panleukopenia (FVRCP) - The feline ‘distemper shot’. This combination vaccine protects against three different diseases: feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicvirus and panleukopenia (known as ‘Feline Distemper’). 
• Rabies - Like dogs, rabies is deadly for cats and a rabies shot is required by law in most of the United States. 

Additional Vaccines for Your Cat:

• Chlamydia - A bacterial infection that causes severe conjuctivitis. The vaccination for it is often included in the distemper combo vaccine. 
• Feline Leukemia (Felv) - A viral infection that is only transmitted through close contact and this vaccine is generally only recommended for outdoor cats. 
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) - Like feline leukemia, FIV is only transmitted through close contact and is generally only recommended for cats that go outdoors. 
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) - A viral infection most common in feral colonies, it is almost always fatal. Most house cats don’t run a significant risk of contracting this disease. 

When it comes to making sure that your pet receives their vaccines on time (which is essential), be sure to create a schedule to follow from the time your pet receives their latest vaccine to the time suggested by your veterinarian.

Tapeworms

Every pet owner knows a series of different possible hazards to their pet— fleas, ticks, rabies, etc. One of the most well-known and frightening is the tapeworm. Tapeworms are tiny parasites that develop into long, tape-like problems inside your dog’s intestinal system. While they are easily treatable, the average dog owner should educate themselves.

Tapeworms: What They Are and Where They Come From

Tapeworms are flat, white worms that are made up of segments. Each segment is roughly the size of a grain of rice and they are shedded regularly through your dog’s feces as they grow. As they get bigger and longer, tapeworms can begin to resemble their namesake form—tape. Tapeworms attach themselves to the lining walls of your dog’s intestines using their hooked suction mouths. From there they feed and grow inside your dog.

There are different types of tapeworms, but the most common is caused by ingesting an infected flea. Fleas can carry the tapeworm’s larvae and if your dog swallows the flea—either through biting and licking themselves because of a flea infestation or simply due to regular grooming—an adult tapeworm will grow inside your dog’s intestines.

Symptoms
Tapeworms can grown between 4 to 6 inches in length. You will not see the actual adult tapeworm, but its segments that fall off and pass through your dog’s feces. You may also see them crawling around your dog’s hind end or on their bedding, or even in their feces.

The reason why the segments come off is because they die and dry out, becoming hard specks that can stick to the hair on your dog’s backside. Some dogs will scoot (or dragging their behinds across the floor) or lick their hind quarters frequently.

Though it is rare, if tapeworm segments get ingested into your dog’s stomach, they can make it vomit. Weight loss is a common symptom of a heavy tapeworm infection.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian can confirm a diagnosis after either seeing segments on your dog or seeing segments or eggs in your dog’s feces under a microscope. Several fecal samples are sometimes needed, since tapeworms eggs and segments are not passed every time.

Treatment

There are many safe prescription treatments that treat tapeworms inside your dog. Your veterinarian will choose the right one for your dog. They can be given by tablet or as a shot. The medicine dissolves the worms, so they will not pass through your dog when it defecates.

How To Prevent Tapeworms
Because fleas are the main cause of tapeworms, control them in your home, yard and in your pet. Talk to your vet about flea preventatives. Working with your veterinarian on keeping a de-worming plan for your dog is a wise decision. Don’t let your dog wander unsupervised in places where other animals have been, such as dog parks or wooded areas. It is important to clean up after your dog in your yard or in parks.

Though rare, people can develop tapeworms from their pets. You have to swallow an infected flea, of course, and this happens most in children. Be safe and wash your hands after playing with animals or outside.