Pet Health Care

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition were they associate the sound with food. and operant conditioning (cat will do certain movement to receive food).

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click.

Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 minutes a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker

Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.

To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the use of the clicker.
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1.) Savannahs are like any other domestic pet. They need food, shelter, basic veterinary care, and a safe, loving home. If you can't provide for these basic needs, you shouldn't consider buying a savannah or any other pet, really.

2.) Savannahs are a larger breed of cat. They can reach weights of 15 -20 pounds or more. While you may not mind a large loving lump of fur greeting you at the door every day, you'll have to consider if your home has enough space for you, your family and your savannah, too.

3.) Savannahs need room to romp and opportunities to play. They are extremely energetic, playful and active. You'll need to ensure that your home provides plenty of safe space for your savannah to roam, while giving it lots of interesting and stimulating toys. Savannahs love toys. They also love to chew, so toys that have buttons, loose strings or other small parts that could be chewed off and swallowed should be avoided, as the small parts could pos a choking hazard. Savannahs are very agile and great jumpers. It's no sweat for a savannah to bound from the floor to the top of the refrigerator. So, you may need to "cat proof" areas in your home you hadn't considered. They love water, too, so you may need to buy a heavy-duty metal dog watering bowl, or one of those self-waterers, to keep your savannah from dragging the bowl around or playing in it. Don't be surprised to find that your savannah likes showering with you, too.

4.) Savannahs are highly intelligent. They need lots of stimulation and interaction. They can learn to play fetch with small dowels or pencils. They are very curious and will explore closets, cupboards and other areas of your home with abandon. They can be trained to walk on a leash with a harness or leash jacket, and seem to enjoy going out and about. Owners have reported that savannahs have learned how to do things like turn on light switches, pat at the remote control buttons to turn on or off the tv or stereo, turn on and off paddle-style faucet handles, and even one who learned to turn doorknobs so that he could enter or exit any interior room he pleased, when he pleased.

5.) Savannahs are cats. As with other cats, they typically don't take too well to changes in their diet, or their environment. If you do need to change your savannah's food, you'll want to do so gradually, adding a bit more of the newer food in with the old, until you've switched over completely. One owner reports that her savannah shows displeasure with new food by dumping the entire bowl over and scattering the offensive offering all over the kitchen floor. Remember, savannahs are highly intelligent, and will find ways of making their opinions known.

6.) Savannahs are very vocal animals. They have a distinctive cry and can be quite loud about it, too. Thin-walled condos may not be the best environment for a savannah, unless your neighbors don't mind.

7.) Savannahs are hybrid animals. Some states and counties within states don't allow hybrids to reside there. You'll want to check with your local veterinarian, ASPCA, Humane Society or law enforcement officials before purchasing a kitty you can have, but can't live with.

8.) Savannahs are only a few generations from the wild. The earlier the generation, say an F1 or F2 savannah, the closer to a wild animal they are. They will see other small animals in the home, like birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, fish, mice and the like as prey. Their hunting instincts combined with their high intelligence will have them figuring out ways to open cages, aquariums and other small animal habitats. It is probably best if you have a collection of small pets to purchase a later generation savannah, as it will be less inclined to see Bongo the hamster as lunch.

9.) Savannah males are sterile, but should be neutered anyway. They will still have the hormones, and won't be aware that they are sterile. To avoid spraying and marking of territory, aggressive behaviors towards female cats and other unpleasant incidences, you should have them neutered at about 5 to 6 months of age, as you would any other domestic male cat.

10.) Savannahs are hybrids, and are difficult to breed. This makes them a bit rare and exotic. Therefore, the kittens, especially the F1 and F2 generations, will be more expensive than other breeds and later generations of savannahs, such as F3 and F4 kittens. Paying more or less for a savannah isn't always an indication of the quality of the kitten or its breeding stock. It has more to do with what generation of cat you are looking into purchasing.
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Kidney failure in cats is also referred to as chronic renal failure or CRF and it is a very serious pet health issue. If it is not treated on time then it can lead major health concerns and can also lead to death.

CRF or chronic renal failure can occur due to several reasons. The first and most common of all the factors that contribute towards kidney failure in cats and derogating pet health includes genetics, age, disease and environment. In the last couple of years, vets have directed their attention towards this pet health issue more than ever. Their focus has been more and more on various aspects that lead to such a critical pet health issue like low potassium levels, high blood pressure, dental diseases and acidified diets.

Research conducted by various laboratories across the world has confirmed that some of the breeds of cats have higher rates of CRF as compared to others. Some of the cat breeds prone to chronic renal failure include Abyssinian, The Maine Coon, Siamese, Burmese, Russian Blue, and Balinese. Of course CRF is a pet health problem that can plague your cat at just about any age but it usually occurs more in older cats. Due to various dietary improvements that have been brought about in cat food and owing to the advances in feline medical science, today cats fighting the dreaded chronic renal failure have a far better chance than their predecessors. Today thanks to medical science and the availability of good pet health care facilities, cats can live longer and die naturally.

At the end of the day, one truth that remains unchanged is the fact that most renal diseases transform into chronic renal failure in the later stages of the disease or the cats life. In cases involving younger cats, congenital kidney disease can transform into CRF.

Symptoms of chronic renal failure

Chronic renal failure can be diagnosed only through various clinical tests. There are certain behaviors and symptoms that indicate the existence of this critical pet health condition. If you find any of the following symptoms in your cat then you should head straight for your vet and get the CRF tests conducted as soon as possible. Here are the symptoms to watch out for:

• Increasing thirst
• Excess urination
• Nausea
• Grinding sound from the jaw
• Licking his lips
• Drooling
• Vomiting, which can be food vomit as well as foamy
• Dehydration
• Uuremic gastritis
• Constipation
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle wasting
• Hair coat becomes unhealthy
• Emaciation
• Halitosis
• Sensitive to sound
• Lethargy
• Eating litter
• Depression
• Weakness
• Detached retina
• Oral ulcers
• Convulsion combined with low temperature and coma (last-stage)

The most common symptoms are that of increased thirst or polydipsia as well as excessive urination or polyuria in cats. Please visit your vet if you have any major issues or if you think your cat may have this health problem.
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