What is the lifespan of a cat?

Typically, an indoor cat will live from 15 to 20 years (and more!) Indoors-only cats live longer than cats who remain exclusively outdoors or who travel in and out because of the lower risk of abuse and injuries from traffic, humans, dogs, and other cats. Also, the danger of contracting certain diseases and parasites are lessened when a cat remains inside all the time.

What do I do if I have a specific health-related question about my cat?

We strongly encourage you to talk to your veterinarian. While MyOnLineCatStore.com is an excellent resource of information provided by cat lovers, your veterinarian can provide the best care for your individual cat. Take your cat to the veterinarian at least once a year for a regular check up and shots.

There is absolutely no medical or behavioral reason for a cat to have a litter of kittens before she is spayed. It offers no benefits of any kind, and increases her risk of developing mammary cancer.

Lift up the tail. If you can see a vertical slit that nearly (but not quite) reaches to the anus (like a lower-case letter “i”), then you have a female kitten.

How soon can I get my kitten fixed?

The general answer to that question is 16 weeks, or about 4 months of age. Kittens in shelters get spayed and neutered even earlier. Your vet can tell you more about what’s right for your particular kitten.

Should I declaw my cat or clip her nails?

Please do not declaw your cat. It is very painful and unnecessary. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.

• Provide scratch posts for your cats to actively claw. Clipping your cat’s nails is not only good for your furniture, it is also good for your cat.
• If your cat is ignoring her scratching post, it may be too short. Cats like to be able to reach up above their heads and anchor their claws for a good stretch along with a scratch.

How many litter boxes should we have?

• If you have one cat and an average size house, one litter box will do.
• If you have a house with many levels, a litter box on each floor is best.
• Do you have more than one cat? The best plan is one litter box for each cat because some cats refuse to share a litter box.
• Make sure your cat can easily get into and out of the litter box.

Is it ok to feed my cats milk? I have heard differing opinions on this.

Because most cats are lactose-intolerant, avoid giving your cats milk because they may have trouble digesting it (For instance, excess gas, vomiting or diarrhea may occur.)

Provide your cat(s) with plenty of fresh, clean drinking water.

Is catnip good for my cat?

• Whether your cat reacts or not to catnip, don't worry. Catnip is nontoxic and non-addictive to cats. If your cat eats a large quantity of fresh catnip you may observe some vomiting or diarrhea, but this is rare. If your cat experiences this, you might want to limit the amount of catnip you give it, or contain the exposure to catnip toys.
• We all know that if you give catnip to the right cat it can cause an amazing intoxicating reaction, which we find dramatic and humorous. Your cat may lick it, chew it, roll in it, lay in it, and probably go nuts for 5 to 15 minutes--while other cats appear to become very sedate after exposure. The the cat will seem to lose interest in it and walk away (and probably take a nap). A little while later the cat may come back to the catnip and start all over. The reaction to the catnip only lasts a few minutes, until the cat gets acclimated to it. It usually takes an hour or two for the cat to get to the point where the same reaction will happen when he/she is near the catnip again.

My cat is always chewing on my plants.  Is this dangerous for him?

My cats are home alone for long periods of time.  Is there anything I can do to relieve their stress?

Let the TV or radio play while you’re gone to work all day. The background noise can soothe separation anxiety.  Also be sure to have an assortment of toys available for your cat to play with.