Bringing Home Baby... Kittens that is

Whether you're a first time cat owner or a seasoned cat guru, it's hard to resist Sparta's cattitude. He's adorable. Hands down. But being bitten by a kitten, while cute, gets kind of old and painful as kitten gets bigger. So, in honor of Sparta and the Tobes Man (aka- my own "mean" kitty), here are a couple of ways to keep kitty happy and playful... only without the scars...

• Play with your cat a little each and every day. All cats, but young ones especially, have tons of energy to expend and giving them a safe avenue to release that energy will keep your relationship strong and your furniture intact.
• Never "wrestle" or play with your cat with your hands. This teaches them that scratching and biting people is ok. Instead, try to always keep a few toys around that you both can use (Tobes' favs include cat wands and laser pointers) and reserve hands-on contact for gentle tasks like petting or headbutting.
• If kitty does bite or mouth you let out a high, sharp squeal and stop play or contact immediately. Eventually your kitten will learn that playing rough gets them ignored and that's no fun at all!

So here's to keeping kitty's cattitude (and your skin) intact for many years to come! Need some more advice? Check out Petfinder's Top Ten Tips for a contented kitty here.

An Introduction

Meet the Tobes Man, a.k.a Toby, the Tobster, America's Fat Cat and Mr. Man to a select few. I'm starting this whole thing with Toby because, really, he's the reason I'm here... and maybe why you're here too. You see, while I've had the honor to have many many wonderful animals in my life (my parents got very used to the sight of me at the front door with "can I keep him...please?" written all over my face), it's the one who made things the hardest that reinforced a life-long passion and turned it into a profession.

Let me explain. Tobes, my ten year old, 15lb, neutered Maine Coon mix, has another name... my problem child. A loving yet demanding boy, my Maine man has been the source of many calls to the behaviorist, vet and friends due to his amazing personality and all the stubborn traits that go with it. (Think pooping in the tub and breaking things for attention to name a few.) Well, after nine years with me, both Tobes and I have learned a lot and I've become thoroughly, enjoyably entrenched in the animal welfare field. Who knew?

So thank you to Tobes and all the other lovable, crazy-making critters out there who inspire and educate us. You make all the difference.