Most cat owners have accepted the notion that cats are untrainable and to even try is a waste of time and energy, but this is simply not true. There is a growing trend in the cat world called clicker training that is proving successful at training cats. It takes a bit of patience, but a cat can be trained using this method and the reason it works so well is a very simple matter of voice replacement.

A cat constantly hears the voice of their owners, so much so that they become desensitized to it. The cat doesn’t know what the owner is saying, just that the human is making noise again, and they really do not have any desire to learn to distinguish pertinent words and phrases from those that don’t concern them. This is a cat’s nature. By replacing the human voice with a completely distinct sound, the cat is able to learn that when they hear that distinct sound it’s time for them to listen, and this is where the clicker device comes into play.

The Clicker
The cat clicker device is a small plastic device with a piece of metal inside that puts off a distinct clicking sound each time the plastic piece is pressed. Once the cat learns this sound means they need to listen, promoting good behavior is accomplished quickly and easily.

Charging the Clicker
The first step in the cat training process is to give the cat a reason to listen to the clicker. This is where the treats come into play. By making a habit of clicking the device once and then giving the cat a treat, the cat begins to associate the clicking noise with the administration of a treat. It will eventually get to the point where the cat will come out of hiding running to find their owner at the sound of the clicker. This is the time period called charging the clicker.

The Real Training Begins
Once the clicker is charged, the real training begins. Promoting good behavior should always be the primary function of clicker training, rather than punishing for bad behavior. It may seem convenient to go to town with the clicker if the cat is doing something they shouldn’t be doing just to get their attention, but this should be completely avoided. The clicking sound needs to be associated with treats and goodness or the cat will cease to listen to it.

Each time the cat is displaying good behavior; the owner should click the clicker once (and only once) and then administer the treat. Timing is very crucial. It’s important to note that once the cat hears the click, they’ll probably stop whatever good behavior in which they are engaging and come running for their treat. In addition, if the cat owner waits too long to use the clicker, the cat may not understand for what they are being praised. Below are a few tips to get started.

Cat Training Tips
1. Keep training sessions short.
2. Do not force the cat to perform a behavior just to give the reward. Be patient and wait for the cat to voluntarily engage in the behavior and then give praise by clicking and treating.
3. Start slow and simple by clicking and treating for a good behavior the cat engages in frequently. This will speed up the process of the cat associating good behavior with the reward.
4. Once a good behavior is learned, it doesn’t have to be rewarded with a treat, but praise should always follow.

For More Information
To get more information about cat clicker training, there are books and videos available online or at your local bookstore, or click here to learn more!

Cats have historically been thought of as independent and untrainable. A wise person once said, “A human doesn’t own a cat, but rather a cat owns a human.” Cat owners are a special group who accept this fact in exchange for the joy of watching their cat play and frolic around the house or snuggling with them at night. The benefits definitely outweigh the disadvantages in cat ownership, but even so it’s nice to know a tiny fragment of control has changed hands thanks to the cat clicker.

Cats are affectionate and loving creatures that make wonderful pets and companions. For all their good points, one drawback of a having a cat is that sometimes it may spray its urine. While this may be unpleasant or even a real nuisance, it is a problem you can do something about with a little bit of effort.

When a cat sprays he is marking his territory and leaving a message to other cats that this is his territory. While both female and male cats spray, it is more common in males who have not yet been neutered. When a female sprays, it may be due to stress about her territory and she wants to mark the area as “hers”.

One thing you can do to help stop a cat from spraying (or to at least reduce the frequency) is to have them spayed or neutered. Getting your cat “fixed” makes sense for so many reasons, and preventing spraying is an added bonus. The surgery is simple and inexpensive, and the younger the cat is when the surgery is performed, the greater the chance they will not develop the spraying habit.

If, for whatever reason, your cat has not been “fixed”, or if he or she has already developed the spraying habit, there are other steps you can take to help stop them from continuing their spraying habit. One option that you may wish to try is low doses of veterinary anti-anxiety medications. These are especially useful when your cat sprays due to anxiety. Talk to your veterinarian to see if this treatment plan is the right choice for your pet.

If you feel that stress may be the cause of your cat spraying, then finding the source of the stress and addressing it may help your cat feel more relaxed and less likely to spray. Some common causes of stress in a cat include things like: a new baby in the home, a change in your daily schedule, having a new pet in the home, or even illness in the cat. If any of these are an issue, then it’s important to spend lots of extra time with your pet and make them feel comfortable, loved and secure in their place within your home. If the stress is due to illness, then a trip to the vet can take care of this problem.

If your cat always sprays in a particular area, then there are mechanical devices on the market that can help. I have personally used motion sensor device in the past, with a lot of success, the motion sensor detects when the cat is in the area and it will spray a harmless aerosol to repel them. The cat soon learns to avoid the area. This may break the spraying habit. Some people recommend using an aerosol bottle to gently squirt their cat with water should they see them getting ready to spray. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations for what is best for your pet.

Spraying is one of the reasons that so many cats are abandoned each year. With a little effort, you can stop them from developing the spraying habit and you can enjoy a long and happy, spray free life with your cat.

As a cat owner, I love the hypnotic sound of a cat’s purr. But, I’ve always asked myself the question, “Why do cats purr?” So, I decided to do some research on the topic and found some interesting answers.

Weird Science – My Homegrown Investigation
The initial investigation started right here in my own home with my family of cats. I have eleven cats that I have rescued over the years and they are of varying breeds and personalities. Personally, I felt eleven subjects were enough to make a good home-based experiment, wouldn’t you agree? Over time and under different circumstances, I began to note when I observed my cats purring and here are my findings.

Happy
My first cat Liberty came into my life after showing-up on my front door step on Liberty Street, which is how he got his name. He walked up to me and started to rub around my legs and was purring. Anytime I’m in front of my computer blogging, my big orange tabby, Neko jumps into my lap and starts to purr… now that’s a happy cat.

Content
My little firecracker kitty named Chiwa is always running around, jumping and playing. When she finally settles down and is just lying around on the couch after a nice meal, she seems to be completely content and purring. I’ve observed her while she is alone and she just purrs away while relaxing.

Hungry
This observation is a little confusing but, here it goes. When Neko and his litter-mate Domino were born to their mother Chloe, I noticed as kittens while they were still unable to see, they would purr. Chloe would then come near, lie down and she would begin to purr. The kittens would then zero in on mom like a radar and start nursing. So, does the mother hear the purring of her kittens and respond to their hungry cries by purring herself which audibly guides the kittens to the mother to feed?

Sleepy
My black cat, Sammy is an athletic and high energy kitty. He’s also a teenager and is constantly playing with the older cats and two kittens, Chiwa and Lydia. He runs himself as hard as he can, literally fighting sleep. But, when he comes in and is completely exhausted, he seems to purr extremely loud, then flops down and purrs himself to sleep.

Hurt/Injured
Our toughest cat has to be Oliver (aka Ollie or Mr. Bubbles as we like to call him). He was named after the street that we found him on; he was barely alive after being hit by a car. He had severe injuries to his head causing paralysis and blindness from brain swelling. Also, he had a broken hip, shoulder and tail. We stabilized his body in a stiff cardboard box to transport him to an emergency animal hospital. The whole time he was purring? I believe he was purring because he was injured and scared and it brought comfort to him.

Fear/Scarred
We have a 4,000 square foot yard that is fenced in with special cat fencing to contain our family of cats. Occasionally, a neighborhood stray or feral cat will come around and approach the fence. When this occurs, approximately 8-10 of our cats will gather in a semi-circle about 4 feet from the fence and stare the poor stray cat down. I’ve noticed that some of our cats will start a pattern of growling and then purring then growling again. They will continue this pattern until the offending stray leaves the area. I believe our cats are nervous or fearful of the stray cat during this confrontation of growling but then have a need to calm themselves to prepare for a fight or to at least make a stand.

Is This An Elaborate Form of Kitty Kommunication?
After all my observations over the years, I’ve come to a conclusion that this purring must be an elaborate form of kitty communication. There has to be some scientific or biological reason why these feline frequencies are being emitted by our cats under different circumstances. So, I decided to hit the internet to find a scientific explanation.

Real Science – What the Nerds Say
Well, there seems to be some interesting scientific theories that explain the question, “why do cats purr?” Let’s take a look at several theories below.

Purr Frequency
The tonal range of a cat’s purr is 25hz-250hz, which is 25 to 250 vibrations purr second. They appear to be able to generate the purr from either nerves or blood vessels in their voice box.

Communication
Many vets believe purring is definitely a communication tool for cats and is tied to their emotions to signal different moods, desires and needs. Socially, a cat may purr to signal to other animals that they are not a threat. Some believe that a cat’s purr is a sign of friendship or a sign of anxiety. Also, purring may be associated with hunger, if a cat starts to purr, maybe the owner will come to investigate the reason for the purring which usually leads to the owner feeding the cat.

Healing Power
There is scientific evidence that the frequency ranges in a cat’s purr can stimulate bone growth and healing. Vets feel that a cat will purr to extend their life by lowering levels of heart and bone problems. Other theorists believe the purring may release a pain reliever in the brain called endogenous morphine (aka endorphins). Endorphins resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being. Also, some say that purring is like that of a cat’s mantra of self-healing, vibrating, relaxing sound. 

Human Comfort
Some scientists believe that a cat’s purr has a therapeutic effect on their owners and can be a healing method for humans. There is evidence that cat owners have lower blood pressure than those who don’t own a cat. Many times a cat will lie and arrange themselves on their owner’s body over a painful area and the heat and vibration from purring will relieve their owner’s pain. Many retirement communities approve cats as a healing animal.

My Conclusion
My observations appear to be somewhat aligned with the scientific and veterinarian community on the reasons why cats purr. I suggest you do your own investigation and observations with your cats and hopefully you’ll find the answer to the question, “why do cats purr?”

If you’re a cat owner, then no doubt you have a litter box for your kitty. Unfortunately, some cats do need encouragement to use the litter box, and some owners end up wondering why they are not doing so.

First and foremost, if you’re having problems with your cat peeing outside the litter box; take your cat to the vet to have them examined to make certain that it’s not a medical condition causing the problem. If your cat checks out okay, then let’s take a look at some ways to encourage kitty to use the litter box:

Location, location, location…the first thing you’ll need to consider is the location of the litter box. Cats like their privacy, so if you have a basement or laundry room that is quiet, this can be an ideal place; it’s private and will keep odors away from the living areas of your home. If you don’t have a basement, laundry room or a suitable closet, try putting the litter tray under a table, preferably in a tiled or non-carpeted room for easy cleaning.

If you have more than one cat, make sure to give each cat their own litter box. It is recommended that you have one litter box per cat, with one additional. For example, if you have two cats, I would suggest having three litter boxes.

If your cat was using the litter box, but suddenly stopped, it may be a change you’ve made in the environment to cause the problem. For example, have you recently moved the box to a less private, higher traffic area?  Or perhaps the box needs cleaning more regularly, or you’ve changed to a different brand of kitty litter which is highly scented?

Other possible causes could be that your cat has simply outgrown their litter box and a bigger one is needed, or perhaps the litter isn’t deep enough for them to be able to dig and bury their business.

Cats are by nature very clean creatures, so make sure you keep their food area separate from their toilet area.  This is actually a good trick if your cat has started using a particular room that is off limits to do their business – either keep the door closed, or if that’s not practical, put their food in that room to discourage its use as a toilet.

Cats are creatures of habit, so any change in their environment or their routine can make them anxious until they adapt to the changes.  Always be patient if your cat is new to your family because it takes time for them to settle into their environment.  Likewise if you’ve recently moved, the cat has to get used to its new home all over again.  This can take anywhere from three weeks up to eight weeks to fully settle in.

A new home can be disturbing for your cat if they can smell that the previous owner had pets, especially if there is a lingering smell of the other cat’s urine. It goes without saying that you should never physically punish your cat for doing something you don’t like.  Rubbing your cat’s nose in the urine if they’ve peed where you didn’t want them to will not make them use the litter tray because the smell isn’t pungent to them like it is to humans.  Additionally, they won’t understand why you are punishing them – they will only know that you’ve hurt them and this can only make matters worse.

In conclusion, if your cat is peeing outside the litter box, always remember to be patient with your cat while you try the tips suggested above and you should soon have a well trained cat using their litter box as second nature.

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box

There are about 250 different species of catnip, but the figure can easily be more if you consider hybrid species as well. This particular herb is believed to be effective for influencing cat behavior.

How does catnip work for cats?
This herb contains nepetalactone, which is a special type of essential oil found on the leaves and stem. If it’s sniffed by your cat, then several things can happen:

• Hyperactivity

• Significant increase in aggressive behavior

• Moderation of aggressive behavior (e.g. drooling and rolling on the floor)

All of these, as well as other types of reactions can happen because nepetalactone tends to have a hallucinogenic effect on felines. It’s been likened mostly to the effects of marijuana as well as the “sexual” high a creature has during intercourse or activities leading to the latter.

One thing you should know; however, is that catnip does not affect all cats.

• Studies show that only 50% of cats experience effects when exposed to this herb.

• Kittens appear not to be affected by exposure to catnip.

• Although the effects of this herb are also like an aphrodisiac, it has been proven that it can affect female cats as well as those which have been spayed.

Sniffing versus eating
Cats do not always end up sniffing this herb. Sometimes, you’ll find your cat eating it instead. If this happens, then most of the time the herb will act as a sedative instead and cause your cat to feel sleepy. This can be beneficial when dealing with an aggressive cat as it will help to put an end to their aggressive behavior, especially if it has become uncontrollable.

Is It Dangerous to your cat’s health?
No. The possibility of your pet overdosing on it is quite low – or even nil in fact. Like many animals in the world, cats are smart creatures and they will know when they’ve had too much of something. If they’ve reached their limit, then they will be the first to shy away from having to continually sniff or even swallow this herb.

How long do the effects last?
In most cases, the effects of this herb on cat behavior would last about five to ten minutes. It depends on various factors, such as how long your cat’s been sniffing it or what its natural level of susceptibility is to catnip. Once the effects wear off, you will notice that your cat want have anything else to do with the herb. You will have to wait maybe two hours at least before you can “reintroduce” the herb to your cat.

Other Benefits
Although most people know it as a benefit to feline health and behavior, this herb actually has benefits in other areas to offer as well. Studies show that this herb can get rid of insects and pests like cockroaches, mice, and even ants. It can also be of help to humans.

Where to get catnip
If you are hoping to use this to influence your cat’s behavior and make it easier to train, then you have two choices – you can either buy it from your local pet store or you can grow catnip in your own herb garden, your cat will thank you for it!

Simply mention the “V” word, and you will most likely have frantic cats along with cowering canines. But a trip to the vet doesn’t have to be disturbing. Here are a few suggestions for making the experience much more pleasant for everyone:

1. Be relaxed as well as upbeat. Animals pick up on our body language. In the event that you are extremely distressed and nervous, your animal may end up being so too.

2. Help your pet to loosen up. Calming agents, like Feliway Comfort Spray, may help reduce your cat’s stress and anxiety. It will help comfort your cat in new or stressful environments like a trip to the vet, and can also be used when moving to a new home, while traveling or boarding, and when introducing a new cat to your home. Comfort Zone Feliway’s ingredients mimic feline pheromones that calm stressed cats and works quickly and effectively.

3. Leave your own cat’s carrier out all the time. Put a towel inside in addition to sprinkling it with catnip. The cat will associate the carrier with a pleasant, private place to nap as opposed to a ride in the car. If your pet doesn’t hear you getting the carrier from a closet, he will not have the chance to wedge himself underneath a bed.

4. Get your pets accustomed to riding in the car. Even a fast spin around the block will help your dog or cat associate riding in the car with a pleasant experience. Open the windows a bit and tune the stereo to a classical music station. Classical music is comforting to animals. Whenever you get home, reward your “traveler” with a few treats. Never leave your animal alone inside a locked car, even for a few moments.

5. Make sure your animal can tolerate being handled. Touch their feet and toes, open your pet’s mouth area, look in their ears, and get them accustomed to being touched on almost all parts of their entire body.

6. Socialize your animals. Make an effort to get your dog or cat familiar with hearing, seeing as well as being touched by different people. Even leaving a television or radio station on for indoor cats will help them get accustomed to the sounds of different human voices.

7. Lavish your pet with praise. During the vet visit as well as afterwards, reward your animal with praise for being calm and also cooperative. Several treats on the ride home may help make your pet think the entire experience had been well worth it.

There are quite a few cat breeds on the market. If you’re like most people, you don’t understand much about them. In order to help you make an informed decision about the different cat breeds, here’s some helpful information.

Do you want a cat that will entertain himself and not get into trouble? Then don’t consider the Sphynx, the Rex, the British Angora or the Siamese. These cat breeds are very energetic and seem to look for trouble. For those who are trying to find a cat to provide them with amusement, these are the ideal choice. The Rex is a silly cat who will definitely entertain you.

There are other crucial elements to consider when choosing a breed. For example, when trying to decide if you’d like to own a long hair or a short hair cat, think about how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to grooming, if you don’t feel you have the time for daily grooming, you shouldn’t consider a long haired breed. Those who choose a long haired cat will need to recognize the commitment to taking care of that coat. Should you not, it may tangle and also matt and have to end up being shaven and it can also present a health risk.

Vocal cats are often something which many people either think about or want absolutely nothing to do with. They may be very loud. Many cat owners don’t have a problem with vocal cats, they recognize that communication with them is essential. While other pet parents don’t feel that a vocal cat is a good choice for them.

Vocal/Loud Feline Breeds:

• Siamese
• Burmese
• Korat

Quiet Feline Breeds:

• American Curl
• Scottish Fold
• Somali

Attitude is your next determining aspect. Some cats want to be held and cuddled, while others want absolutely nothing to do with people at all. Some cats want the attention while others don’t. Selecting which one is right for you is a personal decision you will need to make as a pet owner.

Loving Breeds are perfect for children:

• Snowshoe
• Maine Coon
• Ragdoll
• Abyssinian
• Tonkinese
• Himalayan Persian

Reserved Breeds:

• Nebelung
• Russian Shorthair
• Norwegian Forest Cat

Finally, in the event that you would like to opt for a kitten or even an abandoned older cat, bear in mind that kittens have to be trained; however adult cats can be set in their ways. You can discover a number of breeds to choose from at the nearby cat show and look for these breeds at your neighborhood humane society as well. These types of cats need homes and these organizations are generally full to the brim with them.

I hope that you found this information helpful and you’re able to discover the best breed that is right for you and your family.

So, you read somewhere that introducing a new kitten into your home could be great for your current cat for companionship. And you remembered how much fun your cat was when she was a kitten, and you might love to re-live those glory days.

It’s generally thought that cats thrive better with the company of one more feline, particularly cats limited indoors. However, before you rush off to your local cat shelter or breeder, here are a few suggestions to make bringing home a new kitten as relaxed as possible.

Choose a time when your home is not too active and you have the time and energy to dedicate to your brand new kitty and your existing pet, avoid holidays, for example, or some other occasions when family and friends tend to visit.

Before bringing home the new kitten, take her to your animal medical practitioner to get her examined in addition to vaccinated, kittens possess fragile immune systems and are generally more likely to pick up something at the shelter or perhaps cattery. Consider adopting a kitty of the opposite gender to your current cat, this will steer clear of same sex competition and also associated issues. For several reasons all your felines should be spayed/neutered.

If possible arrange to bathe your new cat at a friend’s house before you bring it home, this will neutralize kitty’s odor, and go along way in preventing further disturbance with your current cat.

A shorter isolation period is important when presenting a completely new cat. It would be ideal to have a separate room for the brand new kitten; your new kitty will need her own litter box, water and food bowl. A few cats will hide out beneath furniture for a few days, much more adventurous ones will be eager to investigate their new house almost straightaway. Don’t try and pressure your new kitten to leave the area, you’ll know when she is ready.

Give your new kitty time to explore your house while your older cat is in another area. Help make the introduction, slowly, bit by bit, it’s an excellent idea to allow your current cat the opportunity to smell your new kitten’s blanket a couple of times before they actually meet. Help make the preliminary periods of contact short. Progressively increase the time they invest together as they get used to one another. It’s not uncommon for them to end up having a couple of quarrels in these first meetings, therefore do not let them be together unsupervised for long periods until they get along. If a fight should break out, distract the combatants and get them directly into individual rooms as soon as possible, never punish either cat.

The process of introducing a new kitten to an older cat can be relatively relaxed and need not be full of problems. The bottom line is making the introduction slowly, and perhaps the best idea would be to give your more mature cat just as much attention as well as affection as you give the newcomer.

Before long you will have two feline friends that enjoy each others company.

Cat care is an integral part of keeping your cat happy and healthy. The more you know in regards to cat care, the more equipped you’ll be to meet your own feline’s physical and emotional needs. The healthier your cat, the better your cat’s attitude will be and the more you’ll be able to enjoy your cat’s unique personality. Great cat care will help make your cat a lot more loving, and can dramatically reduce any kind of behavior difficulties that your feline friend might be exhibiting. If you want to experience a richer and fuller relationship with your pet, try enhancing your cat care.

Caring for your cat can be a two-way street. The better the level of cat care you give your pet, the more energetic, loving, and well behaved he or she will be. By providing your pet with ideal care, you’ll help facilitate training and also gentle behavior modification methods that may take the headaches out of pet ownership. Great cat care frequently translates into an excellent cat that may take commands a lot more willingly when compared to a cat who does not receive enough tender loving care. The more you find out about how to care for your cat, the better level of health you will bring your feline friend. The healthier your cat is, the stronger the emotional bond between both you and your pet will be, and that bond frequently serves as the core of obedience training.

By teaching yourself about pet care and also practicing the very best, scientifically tested techniques to supply your cat with the best possible care, you may help to make certain that your cat is as happy as possible. The happier your cat, the happier you’ll be. A cat that is properly cared for is a pet who’ll be interested in active playtime and in peaceful relaxation. Excellent cat care offers a powerful foundation for your bond with you and your cat. This is why cat care is an important part of your own emotional relationship with your cat.

If your cat isn’t receiving the proper care, from diet to the ideal grooming schedule, your cat will begin to manifest behavior problems and possibly become a very bad kitty. Nonetheless, the positive side of this particular equation is the fact that conscientious and responsible cat care can help your cat overcome troubles which range from continuous mewling and body-weight problems to destructive behavior. Good cat care indicates a happier pet, and actually a challenging cat who receives the proper type of care can become a pleasant companion.

Recently my husband and I were giving Penelope our Torti a bath and after her towel drying session, (which might I add is the only part she seems to tolerate) we opened the door for her to make her great escape… when she was ambushed by Sammy “the bully”. He is the newest member of our kitty family and seems to like to shake things up a bit. This little squabble, escalated to a complete melee and all we could see were two balls of hair spinning and lots of screaming which makes for a rather formidable barrier, but being the hero he is, my husband stepped in and made an attempt to intervene and was able to break up the ball of furry masses.

Nevertheless, my husband was not pleased about this incident, as it has been the first of many to occur… as Sammy seems to be quite the despot. My husbands next words to me were… you need to handle this or I will…so my answer to all life’s problems are found online…so off I went to do a quick Google search and here is what I found… Bach Flower Remedies, which were developed by Dr. Edward Bach, an English Physician, in the early 1900′s. Bach Flower Remedies are a natural system of medicine that focuses on the emotional instead of the physical. Utilizing various plant and flowers, Bach created remedies aimed at a particular mental or emotional state to aid in unlocking the body’s natural healing power. These remedies were originally developed for humans, but also work beautifully on animals!

Bach Flower Remedies can be used on cats with great success and I can vouch for their effectiveness! These remedies can be very effective for the transition of new cats into the home, to discourage cats who are bullies, to help with grieving cats, assist in recovery from injury or illness, and to cope with the stress of a vet visit. That’s only a small sampling of what Bach Flower Remedies can offer to owners of cats experiencing aggression, stress or anxiety.

One thing that I like most about using flower essence is that they’re non-toxic and won’t harm my cats, besides the fact that they are extremely effective. Even if you administer an essence they really don’t need it will simply have no effect . For example, in the case where you have two cats, an aggressive cat and a non-aggressive cat and give them both an essence for aggression,  it will simply have no effect on the non-aggressive cat. But, your aggressive cat will begin to become amiable and more tolerant of his other house-mates!

The following chart lists some of the most common flower essences used with cats and their purpose.

• Aspen = helps cats who experience fear of the unknown and constant anxiety.
• Beech = cats who have an intolerance of other animals or people, or changes in their routine.
• Centaury = cats who are meek and are picked on by other cats.
• Chicory = this flower essence is for manipulative, possessive, or clingy cats or cats with separation anxiety.
• Crab Apple = cats who are constantly over-grooming and have compulsive behavior.
• Elm = this flower essence is for cats that are easily overwhelmed, obsessive-compulsive behavior, or for territorial stress.
• Holly = helps cats who have experienced lost status or attention, jealousy, abandonment, or for abused cats.
• Impatiens = cats who are impatient, nervous, and irritable.
• Larch = this flower essence is for cats who feel intimidated by other cats, and cats who spray.
• Mimulus = this is for cats who have certain fears (like a trip to the vet) and also for timid cats and those that fear other animals or people.
• Pine = for cats feeling guilt even though they have done nothing wrong, or have feelings of rejection, abuse or fear.
• Rescue Remedy = a blend of five flower essences resulting in an essence all its own. For cats who have experienced trauma, an emergency or any stressful event. Drops or spray is recommended only. Do not use the cream or pastilles with animals because they are too strong.
• Star of Bethlehem = this essesene is for cats who have a need for comfort or have experienced some type of physical or emotional trauma/shock.
• Vine = for a dominating cat who is intent on control, who bullies and is aggressive towards other cats.
• Walnut = for cats who are going to experience a change… in a new environment, switching from outdoors to indoors only, or with meeting new animals.
• Water Violet = cats who are reclusive, loners, or for a cat that is grieving.

Another great advantage of flower essences is that it can be used in combination to treat a multi-faceted issue. When a problem develops, you can use several Bach Flower essences at the same time. For example, when Sammy started tormenting Penelope, we used Centaury to help Penelope who was being harrassed and then used Vine for Sammy’s aggressive behavior.

Bach Flower Essences can be purchased at most health food stores, and of course, over the internet. I order my flower essences from http://feelbach.com/ they seem to have the best prices on the internet. I also discovered a very interesting article on their website about Courtney Cuddler – who may soon be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest living cat.

Bach Flower Remedies taste terrible! So remember to always dilute them in water before using any flower essence with your cats. Diluting the essence does not in any way dilute its effectiveness.

You may be asking yourself “Which Bach Flower remedy does my cat need?” Animals, especially cats, are surprisingly easy to “read” emotionally. All it takes is observation and a bit of insight and you’ll find the right flower essence for your cat’s specific needs.