Many people feel that feral cats cannot be kept indoors as pets. This is not true. In fact, feral cats are happy being kept as indoor only pets if you don't attempt to treat them exactly like tame cats.

What are Feral Cats?

Feral cats are cats that haven't been properly socialized. What this means behaviorally is that feral cats are not tame toward humans. Very often, feral cats result from the offspring of cats that were once owned and then abandoned. As a result, the kittens are not properly socialized to humans and become feral.

There is a critical period during kitten development in which kittens must be exposed to human caretakers, otherwise they will be feral or at least semi-feral. This critical developmental period is generally from birth to 8 weeks old. If the first human exposure occurs past the age of 8 weeks this usually results in a feral or semi-feral cat. Sometimes older feral kittens can be tamed toward one or two human caretakers.

What to do if You Find a Feral Cat or Kitten

Many well meaning cat lovers will find feral kittens and take them to their local animal shelter. Unfortunately, feral kittens aren't very adoptable and most of the time animal shelters will destroy the feral kittens to make room for tame kittens that are more likely to be adopted.

Fortunately, there are some shelters that will spay or neuter the kittens and then return the kittens to their natural environment. This at least gives the feral cat a chance to live without the ability of producing more feral cats. This program is called Trap-Neuter-Return, and it is being implemented in many areas to control the outdoor cat population without having to kill the cats. It generally works like this: The kittens are caught in a humane trap, such as Havahart live animal traps. The animal is unharmed. Then the cat is taken to the vet or the shelter that participates in Trap-Neuter-Return and the animal is spayed or neutered and is usually given some vaccines. When the cat has recovered from the spay or neuter surgery the cat is returned outdoors in the same location where it was found. Trap-Neuter-Return is a much more humane way of dealing with feral cats and kittens than euthanasia.

Feral Kittens Can Also Make Very Rewarding Pets

Some people who find feral kittens take them into their homes as pets. This can be a very rewarding experience as you gain the trust of these special cats. It is also the best option for the well-being of the feral cat or kitten. Taking them into your home as a pet is even better than Trap-Neuter-Return programs. Taking them in as pets generally works best if you catch them when they are relatively young. The younger the better, although some people have taken older feral cats into their homes as pets and they have been fine.

It is also best to take in two feral kittens or cats from the same litter if possible. If this isn't possible it is best to have at least one other cat in the household because feral kittens and cats really enjoy the company of other cats.

Feral cats need to be kept as indoor only cats. Cats sometimes behave differently once they get outside. Because feral kittens and cats don't trust humans very much they may be fearful of approaching your house once they are outside and they may get lost. In general, they are very fearful of any humans other than the human caretakers that they have grown to trust.

I have four feral cats that have lived with me for about 2 years now and they have been very happy indoors. Three were caught when they were 10 weeks old and the fourth cat was caught when she was 12 weeks old.

For the first few weeks after I brought them in the house, all of the kittens used to hiss when I walked by them. Eventually they came to trust me and stopped hissing when they saw me. In fact, now they greet me at the door after work. When I wake up in the morning they come up on the bed to greet me the very first thing. They love playing with toys and with each other. They are still semi-feral, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing how happy they are and knowing that they are indoors where it is warm and safe.

However, they aren't exactly like other cats. For the most part you can't pick them up. One of the kittens lets me pick her up and kiss her on top of her little head, but the other kittens don't allow it (Actually, they are no longer kittens, but they still seem like babies to me). However, they do like to play toys with me, and except for one of them, they do like to be petted and to have their fur brushed.

Feral cats and kittens would not make good pets for children. Basically feral cats that live indoors with humans like to do their own thing most of the time. They don't want to be held and will usually only let you pet them on a limited basis. Because of this they are likely to scratch a child that attempts to have more contact with them than the cat wants. The key to making a feral cat happy is to only have as much contact with the cat as it wants.

Also, you need to give the shy ones extra space when they are using the litter or eating. Sometimes it is best to keep their litter and food bowls in low human traffic areas so that they can feel safe while eating or using the litter box.

Vet trips can be difficult because they don't always allow you to pick them up to put them into the pet carrier. However, there are ways to do it. Sometimes you can throw their favorite toy into the carrier and they will run in to get it and then all you have to do is shut the cat carrier door.

Feral cats are well worth the extra work and they are the best pets ever! Also, because they only want limited contact with humans you generally don't have to worry about them walking on your keyboard while you are typing or laying across you newspaper or book while you are reading.

In my opinion there is nothing more rewarding then gaining the trust of these cats, especially if you don't mind taking their special needs into consideration. The reward comes in knowing that you are providing a loving, warm, happy home with plenty of food, water, toys, and veterinary care for these special cats.

For more information about feral cats and cat and kitten information please visit About Cats Online.com

What is California Natural Cat Food made of? Why is California Natural Cat Food so healthy for your Pets? California Natural Cat Food is made only of what is needed for a healthy diet for cats, nothing more. California Natural Cat Food is created with lean meats, essential vitamins and minerals, full meats and tasty extras. California Natural Cat Food has balanced ingredients like herring oil and sunflower oil which have the health supplements Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids which make your cat a shiny coat and healthy skin. California Natural Dry Cat Food combines wholesome and healthful ingredients to provide the perfect key to good health, long life and shiny coat as well as good digestion. California Natural Cat Food? Is California Natural Cat Food Good for your Cats or Dogs? California Natural Cat Food contains NO additives, chemical preservatives, or fillers and has a taste cats love! Not only are most our cats fussy when it comes to eating cat food, but they also need nutrition supplements to make their coat and skin shiny and healthy. There for, California Natural Cat Food has a healthy, nutritious and tasty formula. California Natural Canned Cat Food has the right amount of vitamins and nutrients. California Natural Canned Cat Food uses pure protein sources to satisfy the nutritional need of your cat while providing it with a flavor your cat won’t be able to forget. The entire line of California Natural Cat Food is made with only wholesome, natural ingredients. Even in taste tests, California Natural Cat Food was liked best by cats over all the other leading cat foods. <strong>California Natural Herring And Sweet Potato Formula Cat Food</strong> California natural cat food is healthy and good! California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato Formula Cat Food provides a unique single source animal protein that will sure to please even the most selective cat. California Natural Cat Food contains 100 percent Herring and Herring Meal, used as animal protein source. California Natural Cat Food doen't have any ground bones, chemicals, or crap inside that could eventually make your cat sick or caus diherria. California Natural Cat Food is all healthy, natural (as already the name says),tasty and healthy,for your cats! Is California Natural Cat Food Good Even If My Cat Has Dietery Problems? Yes, for california natural cat Food can meet the dietary needs of cats that cannot tolerate normal cat food ingredients. . California Natural Cat Food is as good as anything you would demand for yourself. Pamper your cat like you'd pamper yourself! get it here: http://catlovingcare.com/california-natural-cat-food

What is California Natural Cat Food made of? Why is California Natural Cat Food so healthy for your Pets?

California Natural Cat Food is made only of what is needed for a healthy diet for cats, nothing more. California Natural Cat Food is created with lean meats, essential vitamins and minerals, full meats and tasty extras.

California Natural Cat Food has balanced ingredients like herring oil and sunflower oil which have the health supplements Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids which make your cat a shiny coat and healthy skin.

California Natural Dry Cat Food combines wholesome and healthful ingredients to provide the perfect key to good health, long life and shiny coat as well as good digestion.

California Natural Cat Food? Is California Natural Cat Food Good for your Cats or Dogs?

California Natural Cat Food contains NO additives, chemical preservatives, or fillers and has a taste cats love!

Not only are most our cats fussy when it comes to eating cat food, but they also need nutrition supplements to make their coat and skin shiny and healthy. There for, California Natural Cat Food has a healthy, nutritious and tasty formula.

California Natural Canned Cat Food has the right amount of vitamins and nutrients.

California Natural Canned Cat Food uses pure protein sources to satisfy the nutritional need of your cat while providing it with a flavor your cat won’t be able to forget.

The entire line of California Natural Cat Food is made with only wholesome, natural ingredients.

Even in taste tests, California Natural Cat Food was liked best by cats over all the other leading cat foods.<strong>California Natural Herring And Sweet Potato Formula Cat Food</strong>

California natural cat food is healthy and good!

California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato Formula Cat Food provides a unique single source animal protein that will sure to please even the most selective cat. California Natural Cat Food contains 100 percent Herring and Herring Meal, used as animal protein source.

California Natural Cat Food doen't have any ground bones, chemicals, or crap inside that could eventually make your cat sick or caus diherria.

California Natural Cat Food is all healthy, natural (as already the name says),tasty and healthy,for your cats!

Is California Natural Cat Food Good Even If My Cat Has Dietery Problems?

Yes, for california natural cat Food can meet the dietary needs of cats that cannot tolerate normal cat food ingredients. .

California Natural Cat Food is as good as anything you would demand for yourself. Pamper your cat like you'd pamper yourself!

Get it here for less: http://catlovingcare.com/california-natural-cat-food

Fats, The Good...The Bad and Omega 3.

This has become a hot topic lately. There is so much talk of fats, the healthy fats, the bad fats, the trans fats. I have done some research on fats, trying to keep it simple for us. Here is some important information I have come up with. Omega 3 has become a favorite topic of mine. It has such amazing health improvement qualities. Remember, this is for your information only, and not meant as gospel nor is it meant for diagnostic purposes.

Saturated fats
Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your saturated fat intake to 7–10 percent of total calories (or less) each day. If you have coronary heart disease or your LDL cholesterol level is 100 mg/dL or greater, your doctor should recommend the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) Diet. It recommends 25–35 percent of calories from fat, with less than 7 percent coming from saturated fat. Cholesterol is limited to less than 200 milligrams a day.

Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants.
Foods from animals — These include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole milk. These foods also contain dietary cholesterol.
Foods from plants — These include coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.

Hydrogenated fats
During food processing, fats may undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation. This is common in margarine and shortening. These fats also raise blood cholesterol. Use hydrogenated fats only if they contain no more than two grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. The saturated fat content of most margarines and spreads is printed on the package or Nutrition Facts label.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats — Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They're found primarily in oils from plants.

Polyunsaturated fats — These include safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, corn and soybeans, many nuts and seeds, and their oils.

Monounsaturated fats — These include canola, olive and peanut oils, and avocados.

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated fats in your diet. But a moderate intake of all types of fat is best. Use polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils — and margarines and spreads made from them — in limited amounts. This is recommended in place of using fats with a high saturated fat content, such as butter, lard or hydrogenated shortenings.

Since their discovery in the 1970s, the omega-3 essential fatty acids have generated thousands of studies and clinical trials. Essential to life and good health, they protect against disease and can treat illness.
Dr. Barry Sears is a research scientist and creator of the world famous Zone Diet. His most recent book, The OmegaRx Zone - The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil, is the culmination of 20 years of research on the benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil. In fact, Dr. Sears pioneered the development of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, a highly refined nutritional supplement rich in DHA and EPA. This work continues his life long dedication to using diet to help people maintain their state of wellness.
Yet few people understand what they are, what they do.

When it comes to heart disease, prevention is your best bet. High blood pressure and hypertension put undue stress on the heart, blood vessels and other organs. A person can get excellent heart health through a variety of ways, especially through a good diet.

Certain foods have been shown to be healthy for the heart. Fish has the proven benefits of omega-3 oil. Omega-3 may lower the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and reduce the cohesion of blood cells, which make them less likely to form clots and block arteries. Omega-3 seems to be particularly beneficial to people already at risk for heart disease and those who have experienced a heart attack.

Olive oil is a healthy choice over other fats such as butter, palm and coconut oils because olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that does not increase levels of cholesterol and triglycerides

The following information on trans fatty acids is Information from the Food and Drug Administration

Q: What are trans fatty acids?

A: Trans fatty acids (or "trans fat") are fats found in foods such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and many processed foods.

*-additional information from me: Fats that are artificially created through a chemical process of the hydrogenation of oils. This solidifies the oil and limits the body's ability to regulate cholesterol. These fats are considered to be the most harmful to one's health. The Federal Drug Administration has mandated that the amount of trans fats be labeled on food products by 2005.

Q: Why should We care about trans fat?

A: It's important to know about trans fat because there is a direct, proven relationship between diets high in trans fat content and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and, therefore, and increased risk of coronary heart disease – a leading cause of death in the US.

Q: Aren't all fats bad?

A: No. There are "good" fats and "bad" ones, just like there's good and bad blood cholesterol. Saturated fats and trans fat have bad effects on cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats and monosaturated fats (such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and corn oil) have good effects.

Q: How much trans fat is too much?

A: There is research currently under way to determine this. However, it is true and accurate to say that the less saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol consumed the better. Trans fat while pervasive in many of the foods we eat is not "essential" to any healthy diet.

Q: How can consumers know if a product contains trans fat if it's not identified on the nutrition label?

A: Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the ingredient list on the food label. If the ingredient list includes the words "shortening," "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" or "hydrogenated vegetable oil," the food contains trans fat. Because ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list.

Q: Do restaurants have to list the fat content of their foods?

A: No. But it's a good tip to always ask which fats are being used to prepare the food you order. (I read in the rumour mill that Restaurants in New York are being asked to voluntarily cut down on their trans fat usage* my own comments)

Q: Why is it important to read labels?

A: Labels provide valuable information. An informed consumer is able to make better, healthier choices.
"The American Heart Association recommends healthy people eat omega-3 fatty acids from fish and plant sources to protect their hearts. Have you heard of this miracle?
OmegaRx Fish Oil, quoted as being close to a Medical Miracle in our Century! Omega 3, The Good Fat, Is on your side, they contribute to your good health. They are also a big part of Dr Barry Sears Zone Diet.
Omega-3 (you may sometimes see it written as n-3 or w-3) is the name given to a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The parent omega-3 - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) - is described as 'essential' as, like vitamins, it must be obtained from diet. It is polyunsaturated and has 18 carbon atoms and 3 double bonds (18:3).

There is no doubt that the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to health.

Omega-3 oils -- found in fatty fish, like salmon and tuna -- help lower blood pressure, fight heart disease and even battle depression.

Omega-3 fatty acids work against depression. Recent studies suggested that consuming omega-3 rich foods such as oily fish can help prevent depression. Omega-3 fatty acids have already been found to offer a myriad benefits to human health. Notably, intake of omega-3 fatty acids or use of oily fish reduces the cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are found richly in oily fish such as salmon fish and tuna. Plant sources such as flaxseed oil and canola oil also offer certain amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids or oil can be purchased as nutrient supplements.

There is no doubt that the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to health.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure any disease.

It is very definitely to your advantage to study further the wonderful benefits of Omega3.