We Heart Cats

Spring is quickly approaching (hopefully) with warmer, longer days and milder nights. Chances are if you have spring fever, your cat does to. If you have been an owner for more than a year or two, you have probably noticed that with the first signs of a sunny warm day, just as the birds are returning, your cat is suddenly energized and playful.

Cats that are allowed outdoors will be spending more and more time outside roaming than indoors sleeping. Cats that are kept indoors all the time will be looking for entertainment, too. So, while you are doing your spring cleaning and revamping your wardrobe, don’t forget about kitty. Below are a few things you should remember to get your cat ready for spring.

Make sure all vaccinations including rabies are up to date. The warmer months of spring and summer mean more animals are on the move and more likely to cross another’s path, thus aiding the spread of diseases.

Stock up on flea and tick treatments for your pets and your home. The ASPCA recommends checking your cat for fleas and ticks at least once per week. If your cat has fleas, your home does to, and both should be treated properly with safe flea and tick pesticide products. Preventive treatments do help, but they are not fail-proof.

Make sure your cat has access to plenty of clean water both indoors and outdoors. Cats need a lot of water during hot weather. For outdoors, provide a sturdy, non-tip bowl in a shaded area. If you are away from home for most of the day, or take overnight trips, a self-waterer is the best way to make sure they don’t run out. Wash the bowls and replace with fresh water daily.

Provide entertainment. Especially for indoor cats, the renewed energy and playfullness of spring fever means they are going to be looking for stimulation. If you don’t provide it, they will find it on their own, and likely up the curtains. Purchasing some new toys and scratching posts will help to keep them entertained.

Make sure your cat will have access to a cool surface for sleeping. Tile floors, sinks and bathtubs are favored napping spots during the summer because the surfaces stay cooler. If you normally keep bathrooms and kitchen areas closed off from your cat, make sure there is another cool spot in the rooms they are allowed into. If necessary, go to your local home and hardware store and ask for remnants of kitchen laminate or tile squares. You can place these in a dark corner away from windows and sunlight, and the surface will stay colder than carpet or furniture.

Enjoy your cat’s energetic boost this spring. Spring fever makes for some great funny video and photo opportunities!

Image source: Thanks to Greekgeek for sharing this great picture of Samhain the cat.

cat care, cats and spring, cats and weather

We Heart Cats has been idle for a few months and without a writer. I am happy to announce that I am taking over the site for 451Press. In these first few days, I am going to be doing some “housecleaning” and tidying up the site. I have added a new banner, and I hope you will let me know what you think about it. For those of you who may have been readers in the past, all previous posts have now been combined into the General category. When I realized that the list of categories had reached 103, I knew I had to do something for the sake of organization. So for now all old posts are in General, and as I get time I may go back through them and re-categorize them. I will build a new, consolidated list as I add posts.

I have lots of ideas about this site. One major change I want to make is to open the site up to discussions and information about ALL types of cats: domestic, wild, big cats, extinct cats, and any other feline.

I also want to invite readers to submit photos of your cats, cat stories, artwork, and anything else you would like to share. You may use the contact link in the sidebar or e-mail me at Aprilfreelance@aol.com. Please be sure to include the name of the animal (when possible) and whether you want the image to carry a copyright notice. I have already begun collecting some from people I know. The photo here is of Hugger (the cat) and Dolphy. They are my “nephews” so to speak. I’ll be sharing pictures of my own two cats, Smokey and Shadow, as soon as I can reload some into my recently reformatted computer.

KIDS! I will be starting a category called “Kiddie Cats” that will carry information, fun and games for kids about cats. I also would like to have a special collection of artwork by kids to add to this section. So if you have children or friends with children that love cats, I want to hear from them. Artwork, stories, letters, questions from kids: I am game for anything. I want to make it as appealing as possible and a place where the children can share their passion about cats. My own son, who is 11, will be contributing from time to time with book reviews, drawings and stories.

So, who am I? I’m April Gilford, also known around the Internet as Aprilfreelance. I have another blog here on 451Press called Life as a Christian Woman. I also write for other projects both online and in print. My personal website with more about me and my writing projects is at Aprilfreelance.com.

I have shared my life with cats since I was a small child. A little stray calico climbed under the hood of the family car to stay warm, and soon had all the love, warmth and food she could want in our home. She promptly repaid our kindness with a litter of kittens, and I have been a multi-cat owner ever since. I am fascinated by all things feline, both large and small, wild or domestic. I hope to hear from you soon!