Don't KILL your CATS!

Eclipse i'm glad it's useful! i'd like to update it, do you know anything else that should be added? O:

A lot of the stuff on here is wrong, or you're missing some very important things. I'm only commenting to say so because some of what you're telling is actually dangerous.

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Chocolate- actually rats can digest chocolate just fine. But most every other animal cannot.

Caffeine is another one I didn't see on here but yeah caffeine is dangerous.

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Lillies and Aloe actually are very dangerous.

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Mylar toys are another one I wish was on the list



Mylar tears easily and the pieces can be ingested. Any foils are extremely harmful when ingested by cats. Simply just take a wad of paper and crumple it and that will do the job, as well as being safe to ingest by cats.

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Milk- A lot of cats are lactose intolerant, but mine weren't. If you can get your cat tested for lactose intolerance and come out negative, cream makes a fantastic treat every once in a while for tolerant cats.

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Raw eggs, meat and fish... hehniceman are you serious. Cats are obligate carnivores. When in the wild, guess what cats eat. Raw eggs, meat and fish. As long as the meat is without any seasoning, the cat will be 100% okay. The pet industry will continue to tell you that raw meat is dangerous for animals like cats and dogs because if you knew what they were trying to feed your animals you would puke.

Cats on raw meat diets are fucking gorgeous not to mention in mint health. The 'bacteria posonous' to them isn't poisonous to them at all. They're built to be able to withstand any bacteria raw meat can carry. All common issues that cats get- diabetes, kidney problems, liver failure can be avoided by just feeding a cat a complete raw meat diet.

Jackson Galaxy talks about the raw meat diet here: jacksongalaxy.com/blog/2014/05/15/cat-mojo-how-to-switch-your-cat-to-a-raw-meat-diet
He's an unbiased source of the best cat information so I recommend taking a look at all his videos.

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Dog Food- actually tends to have more protein than cat food if you get brands like Blue or Science Diet which is always a plus.

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Treat- If you're talking about the shitty pet store treats, then yes. Don't even use them. Dried meats however make a fantastic treat, and you can never give a cat too much of a raw meat treat.

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Scruffing your cat, stomping area around them- Are you KIDDING ME?! Humans who don't know the proper scruffing method can seriously damage the nerves and tissue of a cat's skin and neck. Please look up a proper tutorial on scruffing (Or ask a vet) before trying that.

Cats are not like dogs. You cannot condition them to behave a certain way. If a cat is 'misbehaving' its because you're failing to provide something that they require. If you use fear to scare your cat from doing something you don't like, the cat is just not going to like you, not associate it with the action.

Scruffing and stomping at your cat is destroying your bond, the cat won't take you seriously or desire to respect you. You're doing something it fails to understand when it's doing these things out of desire and need. PLEASE look at the link below.

Jackson Galaxy also talks about this:

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Outdoor cats, yes- statistically outdoor cats don't live as long as indoor cats. But it's not to say that the outdoors is BAD. The reason that outdoor cats don't live as long is because of many factors:
*The street- getting run over by a car
*Poisons left laying around outside like anti-freeze.
*Infections and diseases
*Improper diet

You can mitigate all of these things- and it's actually common practice now to relocate feral cats to barns where they can get the feral sensation but also become comfortable around humans.

*If you live in the middle of nowhere, or your cats don't cross the roads/have a REASON to cross the road- you'll be fine.
*If you don't keep things like anti-freeze or rat poison around, you'll be fine.
*If your cat is not up to date on shots, and you don't regularly handle your cat to check for lumps, cuts, and sores- well this would kill an indoor cat too. So if you do these things, you'll be fine.
*If your cat is actively hunting small fauna as well as being regularly provided with a meal from you in the case of failure to catch prey, your cat will be fine.

Also outdoor cats are NOT a danger to the bird population, that's another stupid rumour people use to keep their cats from living a full life. Humans are more dangerous and affecting of local wildlife than your cat EVER will be.

Cats can get outside, it can happen without you intending for them to- so do your best to service your cat's needs even when he's out of the house.

Thank

Awesome additions!!!!

Maybe add stuff about overall care for certain breeds.

Savannahs, Bengals might require walks or cat wheels to get out excess energy otherwise it manifests into aggression.

Exotic shorthairs, Persians and crosses between these two can leak from their tear ducts and require regular wiping with warm water and cat-safe soap for their face. (I had three Persians and they all did this lol)

Maine coons and any other long-hair breeds do not shed as much as short hair cats, but require daily brushing or fur cuts.

The best cat dishes are very wide and flat, most cat dishes are too narrow and irritate the cats whiskers which leads to cats making messes with their food as they put it on the floor.

Rice and pumpkin puree and great additions to meals for cats with irritable bowels. It's safe, fibrous and most cats will readily eat it. (Had a cat who would shit himself really awfully all the time, pumpkin was the only thing that kept his poop to normal consistency and he loved it.)

Some breeds of cat will naturally have allergies and get very sneezy during season changes and during dry weather like during the winter. If you don't have access to a humidifier, locking your cat in the bathroom with you while you take a shower will fill the room with warm and humid air that should clear their nasal passages and stop the sneezing for the day. It also doesn't hurt to wipe your cats nose and face with a warm damp towel.

thank you so much, i had no idea that some of the things on this list even affected cat's health. you're a life saver! (of all 4 of my cats)

We actually started mixing rice with our dog food after this woman from the pet store recommended it to us. She says it also makes their coats softer and healthier, and it works!