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Key To Succeed In Cat Training Perfectly


Cat training in 10 minutes…sounds mysterious…it is everyone’s dream yet it seems to be no one’s reality. This is because cat training in ten minutes just doesn’t exist. A cat like a human requires consistency, patience, and rehearsal to fully grasp the concepts behind necessary training. The behaviors of cats can be fun and playful, but at the same time-destructive and menacing. Unwanted scratches in the furniture, broken ornaments, ruined stockings…we all know the drill. The mystery reason behind why cats misbehave is the key to knowing how to stop it. So do you know the answer to the mystery?

While cat training in ten minutes or even twenty minutes may not exist, these tips will put you one step closer to your training dream. It is a well known fact that cats find trouble when they are bored. Sometimes they’re just looking for attention and other times they’re looking for something to spend their time with. your job is to make sure that their curiosity needs are met. The solution to this pesky problem is by giving your cat the behavior he desires. By spending more time with your cat, he will be less likely to destroy the house. It is important that you don’t spend time with your cat immediately following bad behavior because this will lead to an association between bad behavior and more attention. This association will in turn only lead to more bad behavior.

Secondly, cats are naturally nocturnal: This means they are most comfortable being active at nighttime. Activities are more exciting by the light of the moon, but at the same time he can find more trouble when he is not under your watchful eye. The way to fix this is simple. By giving your cat activities during the day, his exhaustion will kick in right as the sun will be going down so he will not be in the mood for any troublesome games. These activities could include so good “one-on-one” time. Playing with a mouse toy or a ball or yarn are great ways to tire him out because those involve physical activity. Also, just doing your own activities during the day that spark his interest will keep him from sleeping the days away. He won’t want to miss out on whatever you are doing! These simple tricks of outsmarting your kitty are great ways to train them. Again, this isn’t “cat training in 10 minutes”, but in the long run it will be more efficient and productive. These training tips for good cat care will ensure happy and peaceful life between you and your feline friend.

Some of the cat training tips: The Basics of Cat Training -Cats can be trained to do a number of things. So, whether you want them to stop bringing mice back to your front door, to use their litter tray correctly, or even to just use the toilet instead, cats can be taught how to behave; you just need to know the basics. Training a cat is obviously very different to training a dog. With a dog you teach them things such as “stay”, “fetch”, and “heel”. However, with a cat you are generally just training them to change their behavior slightly. You do not want them to do anything spectacular (though some trainers have been able to teach their cats to perform); you mainly just want to teach them how to behave in a more appropriate manner. Generally you need to understand your cat before you begin to train them and usually you should find that the following applies:

Cats Will Continue to Misbehave as Long as There is Reward-Firstly you need to understand that your cat does not know right from wrong. They do things because it is a joy for them to do them. An example would be scratching their claws on the sofa. They continue to do it because it feels good when they do it. They will only not do something if it is unpleasant to do. So this means that if you want to train your cat, you have to make the preferred behavior rewarding and any behavior you want to put a stop to, will need to be a negative experience.

Knowing When to Reprimand the Cat-A very common mistake which many cat owners make when it comes to disciplining their cat, is reprimanding them once the crime has already been committed. More often than not we are not with our cats when they actual misbehave and so we try to reprimand them by showing them the problem. The trouble with this is that the cat has absolutely no idea what you are reprimanding them for and so the punishment is not doing any good.

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Aggressive Cat Behavior: My Cat Is Attacking Other Animals! What Can I Do?


Does your cat attack your other pets? Does it attack the new cat you brought home? Or does it fight with your pet dog? Animal behaviorists have different names for each of these behaviors. When kitty attacks your pet mouse, or the bird in the garden, it’s called predatory aggression. It is just following its natural instinct to hunt for prey. Unfortunately, it is difficult to stop this kind of behavior. The best you can do is put a collar with a bell on your cat. This will keep it from sneaking up on its prey. You should also keep your other smaller pets (like your pet hamster) away from your cat.

Fear aggression is yet another instinctive behavior. How do you recognize when kitty is frightened? It hisses, bares its teeth, and crouches low with its tail and legs tucked under its body. It flattens its ears against the head, the pupils dilate, and the fur stands on end. To the person triggering this reaction, it almost seems as if your cat has doubled in size. Just the same as a puffer fish doubling its size to frighten its enemies away. Push kitty any further and it may attack.

So, what can you do? For a start, you should not try to pet or console your cat when it displays this frightened yet aggressive behavior. Petting your cat in this situation not only could get you hurt, it reinforces in kitty that this behavior is okay. You do not want this to happen. Even though it seems uncaring, it is better to ignore kitty in this mood.

Where possible, you want to gradually desensitize kitty towards this trigger. Treat it like a phobia in a human being. Expose kitty to the fear trigger a safe distance away for short periods of time, and reward it with treats when it does not show aggressive behavior. Once it gets used to the trigger at a certain distance, gradually decrease the distance. Eventually, like a human being, your cat will stop being afraid.

The other kind of aggression which causes kitty to attack other animals is called territorial aggression. This mean that kitty will chase or fight with the new cat which you bring home. It is trying to protect its territory. If this happens, you will need to take their introduction to each other slowly.

First, you need to confine both of them to their own quarters. Let them hear and smell each other, but do not allow any physical contact.

Once they get used to each other like this, switch their quarters. Let kitty investigate the newcomer’s smell, and let the newcomer investigate kitty’s smell and its new home.

After this, place them in the same room, but at opposite ends of the room. Let them eat, in order to condition them to associate food with each other’s presence.

Slowly bring then closer to each other.

Finally, free them from their carriers and feed them, while making sure they cannot attack each other.

If they eat their food and remain calm at this stage, then you are successful. Be warned that this could take weeks and even months.

In the end, there is no single way of keeping your cat from attacking another animal. You need to be patient and use a complete process.

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The Hidden Benefits of Playing With Your Cat


Playing with your cat probably is not something you think about very often. We all enjoy playing with kittens. But once those little bundles of energy grow up, cat owners tend to stop playing with them. Maybe that’s because they think cats are independent and prefer being left alone. And to a certain extent that is true about a cat.

But playing with your cat is actually an important part of responsible cat care. Besides being fun, playing with your cat is an excellent way to give your pampered pet some exercise. And the cat will not even realize it!

Playing with your cat helps keep your cat from becoming bored, too. That is really important because a bored cat is more likely to develop behavioral problems. Chewing or scratching furniture, aggressiveness, and a tendency to shy away from others are just a few of the problems bored cats develop. A well-established cat care routine can keep this from happening.

Believe it or not, playing with your cat benefits you, too. It is a great way to relieve stress. Throwing a small ball or fuzzy mouse around or dangling some string to see how high your cat will jump is all it takes to start relaxing. Give it a try tonight and you’ll see.

Don’t be surprised if one result of playing with your cat is a closer bond between the two of you. Cats might be independent, but they need love and attention.

How much time should you spend playing with your cat? A few minutes a day, a couple times each day is sufficient. Even if you are busy, it should not be hard to work that amount of time into your daily cat care routine. And don’t worry. When your cat is ready to stop, it will let you know by simply walking away.

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Top 8 Must Haves For The New Kitten In The House


Bringing home a new kitten is exciting. Be sure that you prepare your home with the essentials before picking up your new arrival. Here are the top 8 must haves.

1) Bed

Kittens are happy just about with anything soft and cushy. You can get a fancy bed, but even a soft pillow in a box will suffice. Small beds aren’t that much, but make sure it’s one that you can wash if you do choose to buy one.

2) Food & Water Dishes

If you only have one kitten at home a couple small, shallow bowls will work fine. Be sure the water bowl is sturdy enough that it won’t tip over. Clean them regularly. Water bowls tend to start building up residue around the sides. Make sure they have fresh water to drink at all times.

3) Brush and Comb

For a long haired kitten you can use a long toothed metal comb and a brush. They should be brushed at least once a day to help keep their fur free of mats. For short haired kittens a bristle brush will work. You don’t have to brush them as often, but it’s good to keep brushed regularly. Be sure to start this while they are young so they get used to it.

4) Carrier

A carrier is important to have right away since you will be taking your new kitten in to the vet for check ups and shots. Any kind is fine as long as it is ventalated and large enough for them to move around. Throw something soft in it for them to lay down in. Don’t let your kitten loose in the car because they can climb all over the place, under your feet, around your neck, or even up on the dashboard which is unsafe.

5) Litter Box, Litter, Scooper & Mat

The litter box needs to be kept clean and fresh litter should be added regularly. A mat or piece of carpet placed outside the box is recommended to catch the loose litter they may have in their paws while exiting their box. If you have dogs keep the litter box out of their reach since some dogs will eat the kittens fecies.

6) Collar with Name Tag

Even if your kitten is strictly indoors it is still good to have a collar with their name and your phone number on a tag. You never know when it might sneak out the door and get outside. Get them used to wearing one while they are young.

7) Scratching Post

A kitten uses the scratching post more for exercise than it does to sharpen it’s claws. They like to stretch out while clawing down their post so make sure that it is tall enough for them to do so. They come in all shapes and sizes. You can get one that they can climb up or one that is simply a post with carpet or rope wrapped around it.

8) Toys

Toys are a must as kittens as they love to play. Just be sure they are strong toys and can’t be torn apart or swallowed. Kittens love mice, catnip, boxes to climb in, balls, etc. A ball or a soft mouse hanging from a string off a door is always a favorite.

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How to Stop Your Cat’s Urination Problems


Having your cat urinating all over your home can be extremely troublesome. Especially when it happens after you thought you had successfully litter trained your cat. Rather than getting angry, it may be more appropriate for you to be worried. You should strongly consider taking kitty for a check-up at the vet. There are a number of diseases which can cause your cat to suddenly start urinating uncontrollably. One of these diseases is a urinary tract infection which could be potentially fatal if left untreated. As a matter of fact, any sudden change in kitty’s behavior merits a visit to the vet, just in case.

While kitty peeing outside the litter box is an obvious clue, you should also be on alert about your cat’s urination habits. If you notice kitty making more trips to the litter box than normal, or releasing a greater than usual volume of urine, or its urine having a different smell, etc, all these are warning signs of illness. If you truly love your cat, then you need to be vigilant about its health.

Once ill health has been ruled out, you need to look into environmental factors. The most obvious one is moving house. There are one or two cat owners who somehow failed to realize that their cats became confused and could not find the litter box in their new homes. Or simply did not like the new location of the litter box. In any case, if you move house, be prepared to litter train your cat all over again.

Any number of factors could cause stress to your cat and cause it to urinate away from its litter box, even something as subtle as a change in your working schedule. On the one hand, this is rather inconvenient to you. On the other hand, a part of me would be happy, because this shows that kitty misses me and cares about me. It’s nice to know that you are more than just the person who fills kitty’s food dish, isn’t it? Anyway, if you cannot remove the cause of kitty’s stress, you will just have to toilet train your cat again. Besides this, you may want to learn cat massage. Just like for humans, massage can soothe away some of your cats’s stress. If all else fails, you may need to get a something from your vet to help soothe kitty. However, I strongly advise against aromatherapy or the use of massage oils unless your vet can recommend a safe brand. Cats are often sensitive to such oils and scents. There have been cases of poisoning reported.

Something that few people think about is the litter. Just because you still buy the same brand does not mean the manufacturer is still making the litter exactly the same. There could be major or even just minor changes to the final end product, and it could be noticeable to your cat. Remember that its sense of touch and smell is much better than yours.

The problem could even be the litter box. Are your cat still using the same litter box as when it was a kitten? Or has your cat grown old… You may need to try a different-sized litter box.

Did I mention that smell is important? Did you change the cleaner you used to wash the litter box? Are you cleaning the area around the litter box with a different cleaner? Perhaps kitty hates the smell of the new cleaning product and that is why it is urinating elsewhere. Or did you use a different cleaning product for your house. The new cleaner could be confusing kitty.

Your cat is a sensitive creature of habit. First, you need to eliminate health problems as the cause of your cat’s urination problem. After that, it takes time and patience and loving care to investigate the cause of the problem. A case study published by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (JAVMA, Vol 224, No. 10, May 15, 2004) reported that they took several years to resolve the problem. Partly it was because the cat in question had health problems. The vet needed to try different medications which would both clear up the medical conditions as well as not cause the cat to urinate uncontrollably. At the same time, there was no stability in the home environment. The owner got a divorce, and found a new boyfriend. And apparently some stray cats moved into the neighborhood.

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Cat Urine Removal Tips


For cat owners, learning how to remove cat urine is something that’s important to learn. As we all know, the odor and stains from cat urine can be overwhelming at times and getting rid of the cat is certainly not an option. You can try your best to train your cat to use the litter box, but the truth of the matter is that cats have a mind of their own sometimes.

When cats age they start to have more accidents and can’t help it. Unfortunately as they age their kidney function also reduces causing their urine odor to be especially potent. If you rent your current home it very important that you remove all of the cat urine before you move out or you could end up with a big bill for cleaning. Finding a permanent solution to cleaning cat urine is important. Of course you could call a professional to clean your flooring and furniture each time your cat has an accident but of course this is not practical. If your cat had just one accident per week, this could really add up to a lot of money.

If you own your home it’s equally important that you keep your home free of cat urine odors and stains. If ever you want to sell your home, there’s no guarantee that a prospective buyer is going to be tolerant of your cat urine issues. If they are not cat owners they certainly will not understand why your home smells of cat urine. Professional cleaning is quite expensive and unless you have money to spare, this is most likely not an option for you.

What you really need is a lasting solution to your cat urine issues. Even though your cat thinks that they run your house, you can’t allow the cat urine issues to take control. You can have a nice home, free of cat urine stains or odors.

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Orphaned Kittens - Homemade formula and care


Volunteering with the local animal shelter and the rescue groups, I have sadly come across orphaned kittens more than I want to think about.

The kittens have ranged in minutes in age on up. Depending on exactly how old they are, the first thing I do is start with an anti-bacterial bath. It is good to get whatever they might have on them OFF! This is especially important when getting them from the shelter. If they are newborns, I wait until they are a bit older.

Always keep the kitten warm and dry using licking like rubs. Have you ever watched a mama cat clean her babies? I try to intimidate the same process. Small strokes over and over again even around the face. I do this quite often throughout their growing stages. Not necessarily the bath but the cleaning process. And this can be replaced using a damp warm rag.

Most important is feeding them.

The formula is very simple and cheaper and healthier than buying pre-made mixes.

1 can of evaporated milk 2 small jars of meat baby food (stage 2) 1 plain yogurt 2 egg yolks 1 T of Karol syrup Mix all together and add enough water to make 1 quart.

Depending on the age of the kittens they will need to be feed every 2 hours. But like any mother will tell you eventually you can get them to sleep through the night and feed first thing in the morning and regularly throughout the day.

I actually use a surrogate mama cat that happens to be one of my own. She didn’t start out that way. She was my first pregnant foster mom from the shelter. She is like 100 years old, rotten teeth and not exactly what I call eye candy. Even though she does not have milk, she tends to all of the other needs like bathing, and trust me, the first time you notice the mom cleans the hineys of the babies you might re-think using one too. But if this is not an option for you here are a few other tips:

· They need their mama, and in this case that is you! So be there.

· Carry them around, especially when very young inside your shirt next to your skin, let them feel you and smell you. Keep them warm.

· Clean and sterilize your hands in between other pets in the home. You do not want sick babies! And remember to even have clean clothing when being around them.

· If you do have a sick kitten, it is very important to see your vet

· I used a bottle so that my kittens got to experience the sucking just like mom. But in some cases a small syringe will do the trick.

· Use a damp paper towel to “lick” the back ends and tummies of the kittens to stimulate the potting process. Do this after every meal.

· At about 4 weeks, you can introduce kitten food and the litter box. Use unscented, un-clumping brand. Your kitten’s health depends on it. You do not want them to lick anything with too many chemicals in it.

I loved the changes that occur right down to watching them learn to walk, and soon explore my home.

If you want to experience kittens, instead of allowing your cat to have kittens, foster a pregnant mom from the shelter. There is no short supply of them unfortunately. And they are happy to move them out to a safer, cleaner atmosphere. Not that our shelter is by any means, not clean. But you have animals coming and going. And you don’t know anything about them or what they are bringing in to the shelter.

Most of all enjoy the process. They will be excited to see you. And before long you will be saying goodbye to your babies as they find their first real forever home.

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Adopting A Cat From A Shelter


Animal shelters bear the consequences of reckless breeding practices, the failure of pet owners to responsibly spay and neuter their pets and the heart-wrenching acts of neglect and abuse. In addition, abandoned pets and strays are taken in at a rate that often exhausts the capacity of the shelter. Reputable animal shelters deserve our attention and financial support.

It is advantageous for a cat lover to adopt a pet from a shelter. Shelters offer a wide array of companion pets for all sorts of individuals and families. While animals receive adequate care in a shelter, nothing compares to the everyday comforts of a warm and loving home.

Adopting a cat at a shelter is the best possible way of ensuring the mutual satisfaction and love that both the pet owner and the pet deserve. In addition, cats in shelters have developed personalities that allow a person to more accurately choose one that will best suit one’s lifestyle. It’s tempting to want to start with a kitten. However, in addition to the unexpected inconvenience, chores and energy of dealing with a kitten, there’s no guarantee that the ultimate personality will suit your lifestyle or home situation. Contrary to your first inclination, kittens are not the best choice for young children. A cat that is at least one year-old offers the best chance of giving a young child a positive experience with their first pet. Mature cats are much easier to care for, and more predictable in their behavior. Shelter workers are genuinely interested in helping you find the right cat for your personality, demeanor and home situation, and will assist in helping you make a wise decision and investment.

Adopting your cat from a shelter is also substantially more economical. A majority of shelter cats are of a mixed-breed, without the inherited health issues many times associated with particular full breed cats. Shelter cats are usually spayed, neutered and vaccinated. Special discounts are often available for spay or neuter programs if your cat is adopted at a young age. You can also adopt a set of cats that have bonded, or litter mates at a lower price. This is often a very rewarding experience that enhances the quality of life for the cats, as well as the companionship one ultimately enjoys. The price of adoption can vary. Certain shelters ask for approximately $100 for a cat, but it can be substantially less. In addition to spay and neutering, the adoption fee from a reputable shelter will usually include vaccinations for distemper and testing for both feline AIDS and feline leukemia. The average cost for feline AIDS and leukemia treatment is $45-$75 for each disease. Spaying or neutering can run up a bill of $45-$90 and vaccinations typically cost $150-$300. Adopting a cat from a shelter not only relieves the burden of overcrowding that many shelters experience, but it’s obviously the more cost effective choice.

If one is insistent about a particular breed, the selection at a shelter includes most every breed at one time or another. In addition, there are many organizations that specialize in the rescue and adoption of specific breeds. Most of these can be located online or by referral of your local shelter. The employees and volunteers of the shelter want what’s best for the cat and will work together to help you find the best possible match.

Shelters are in special need during the spring and early fall seasons. These are the breeding seasons, and shelters are generally overrun with kittens that need homes. If you’re an experienced cat owner, capable of the responsible ownership of a kitten, and committed to the life-long care of a cat of uncertain personality and health, a kitten can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience.

To locate an adoption center in your area, check your phonebook or with a local veterinarian; or contact the Humane Association of the United States. Millions of cats who do not get adopted are humanely euthanized annually in the United States. By taking a feline companion into your home, you will be saving a life, and making room for other cats to have a chance of living a full life in a nurturing environment.

Remember: pet ownership is a life commitment. Consider the long-term care and expenses of the cat, and be willing to accept the difficult times as well as the memorable experiences and priceless companionship your cat will return to you.

Finally, support local and national shelters as well as the many organizations that provide badly needed services and ensure the humane treatment of our valuable animal friends.

Cat ownership is a serious decision. Taking an animal into your care will require knowledge, cat nutrition and the the proper supplies

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Introducing a Second Cat to a Household


As cats are inherently territorial, introducing a second cat to the household can be an awe-inspiring task. Here are are some tips and tricks to make life a little easier. A cats home really is his castle. One of the first things your cat will do when introduced to a new environment is mark his territory. She does this by leaving smells at the point of each object. When a new cat comes along the smell of another cat will send the message “Back off! You’re trespassing!”

The approach of another cat onto her territory will immediately cause heckles to rise, however sweet and harmless the cat newcomer maybe. So how can you introduce a cat to the household when there is already a dominant cat?

The accepted method is to do it by degrees. This is the method we used when we were introducing three month old Ellie, our blue Burmese girl to Louie, our red Somali boy. Lou was 7 months old and had been in the house for one month.

Both cats need to get used to the sight, smells and presence of the other. A safe way to do this is to create a small territory for the newcomer. This could be a spare room perhaps that you can stop the resident cat going into. Spray it with household smells and allow the newcomer to mark his territory. This gives him a place to retreat to if things get a little rough - a safe harbour.

The next step is to put the newcomer back into the cat box and take him down to another room where the resident cat is. Place the cat box down and leave the two cats in the room together. They will not be a threat to each other because they clearly can not get to each other. But it will allow them to get used to the sight, smells and presence of each other in a safe environment.

The next step is to place the box in different places in the room and then the house. After this stage swap where the two cats are. In other words place the resident cat into the box and let the newcomer roam free in the room. The more this is done and interchanged over a long time as possible, the more they will get used to each other without feeling the other is a threat. The last step is to open the box in a room where you can supervise what is happening and allow the newcomer to retreat to his own room if necessary. Often by this time , the cats will have accepted each other and tolerance may even turn to friendship! A good sign is when the cats are eating together. As all cat lovers know there will always be “spats”, but they can usually work things out themselves without any harm.

There is always a possibility that the resident cat is far too dominant and territorial to allow the newcomer in. This indeed may lead to quite aggressive behaviour. In which case the owner should seek professional help or consider not introducing a second cat at all.

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Which cat should I buy?


So you’ve decided to buy a Cat. First of all there are probably two different routes you can go down. Either you decide to get a cross-bred cat or “moggie” or you decide to get a pedigree cat.

I have never liked the word “Moggie”. It tends to send messages of a lesser class of cat. This, as owners will know, could not be further from the truth. They can be as affectionate, playful, unpredictable, irritating, exasperating and as beautiful as any other of his/her feline cousins. The real difference between the two is when you buy the latter you have a better chance of guaranteeing the looks, temperament and personality. In this way you can be more specific about what you would like your cat to be like.

The cross-bred is more likely to have unique looks and unpredictable character which some would say makes them all the more endearing. Because they are not pure-bred and also have not been through what I would call the “stable system”, they are not so expensive. Often they are advertised free via Newsagents windows, church magazines, or such like when the queens brood proves too expensive to keep.

But other places to bear in mind are the RSPCA or Animal or Cat shelters. They will not always have kittens available but you may well be helping to re-home a desperate cat who can offer much affection in return.

When searching for a pedigree you will probably have a breed in mind already. Expect to pay between £300 (average) and £1,200 for the rare oriental breeds. Be very wary of breeders who are offering kittens at ridiculously low prices. There is a danger these cats have not been looked after properly, not been given the correct vetinary input and questionable whether they are pure-bred at all. If ever you are buying kittens from a private owner and you are suspicious they are not being looked after properly, contact the RSPCA. You may well be saving a lot of heart-ache in the future.

Take into account the cats temperament, and personality. Are they likely to be too demanding? Will they yearn for the out doors too much? Do they get on with other cats? Cats such as Burmese, Tonkinese, and Siamese are very demanding and almost need to be played with at times like you would a dog. How will this affect your everyday family life? The British Blue is more your traditional lap cat. Eat sleeps and keeps to himself.

Cats differ quite significantly in size. The Maine Coon, British Blue and Norwegian Forest are all quite massive cats when fully grown; the deven or Cornwall Rex are both quite small. Is your home big enough for the bigger cats if they are going to be kept in? Finally be aware that a long haired cat takes a lot of grooming.

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Posted in A second Cat, Breeder or Adoption?, Deciding for a Cat, Your CatComments (0)

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