As with shifting a food, cat litter changes should be done gradually.
Try adding a few handfuls each time you clean over the course of a week. Next time you have to clear out all the litter, do half old half new. If nothing indicating displeasure happens, change out the lot the time after that.
There are a number of ways in which cats show affection and trust, and not all of them are as immediately obvious as curling up into your lap and purring.
Blinking: If they feel threatened or uncomfortable, a cat will do its level best to keep its eyes open. Blinking, or half-closed eyes are a sign of trust.
Grooming: If a cat allows you to groom it, and even more if it grooms you, this is a sign of acceptance and trust. Cats use mutual grooming for stress relief and relationship building.
Head Rubbing: This is a combination affection and mark of ownership. Cats have scent glands on their faces, and when they rub their head against you, they are marking you as their own.
Stomach Display: This is one of the deepest signs of trust a cat can give. However, presenting the stomach does not necessarily mean asking for belly skritches. Depending on the cat, trying to do anything to the belly, even if presented, will provoke a defensive response, no matter how much they like you.
To begin with, before bringing a new cat home, you need to wander around your house and assess safety as you would for a toddler. There seems to be a consensus that you should not leave out anything you would not leave out and handy to a 2 year old. Keep in mind that there is not really an “out of reach” for a cat without putting it in a cabinet. With some cats I have known, that isn’t even enough, but it should suffice in most cases.
Keep all medication away from cats, especially OTC painkillers. Both aspirin and ibuprofen are toxic to them, and Tylenol contains acetaminophen, another cat-specific toxin.
Antifreeze is toxic to cats. Then again, antifreeze is toxic to most things that are not a car, so you’ve probably tucked that away somewhere safe already. Similar statement applies to cleaning products. Again, unless you lean towards green and non-chemical cleaning, they are fairly toxic.
Remove potentially dangerous houseplants – peonies, lillies, hyacinths, mistletoe, and evergreens.
Keep your toilet lids down. Kittens can drown trying to drink the water, and if you treat the water in the tank, adult cats can poison themselves doing the same.
If you keep cut flowers around, make sure all elements of the arrangements are non-toxic. A lot of ornamental plants are poisonous to both cats and people, but the cats may actually chew on them. (Lillies are a good example.)
Keep the flue to your fireplace closed. Cats are more than able to climb up a chimney, and between the soot, and the getting out (if you have an indoor cat) this can cause all sorts of complications.
Take care with ironing boards. They were not made stable enough to stay standing after being assaulted by a leaping cat.
Take precautions with electrical cords. Some cats will chew them.
Do not leave unattended candles. Cats are drawn to warmth, and could knock them over, or singe themselves, or worse.
Be careful with twine, string, ribbon, yarn, dental floss, etc…. Cats tongues are barbed, and long lengths of things can be involuntarily swallowed, as the design of both tongue and throat will just keep drawing the material down.
Name: Catnip
Latin: Nepeta Cataria
Other Common Names:
Family: Mint
Parts Used:
Vitamins/Minerals: Calcium
Used for: Can be used for easing menstruation, relieving colic, and to relax you into sleep. Also falls into the category of herbal pain relief, working by soothing and strengthening the nerves and muscles, rather than by deadening nerves. Also acts as a muscle relaxant and antispasmodic, and can assist with cramps and spasms. Good choice for herbal vinegars, due to the amount of calcium it contains. More commonly used for cats, to make them act somewhere between happy and a bit crazy.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings: