Okie Critters
Cat Info
Manx: a natural bobtailed cat with short hair
Cymric: a natural bobtailed cat with long or fluffy hair

~ Characteristics ~
Rumpy: a dent where the tail should be
Riser: a lump of fat or bone where the tail should be
Stubby: a stub for a tail
Some stubby cats have a crooked stub, that is part of the breed
They come in all colors,  and now even color points
(like a Siamese but not recognised by registration or show standards)
These cats have a great personalty, almost dog like, it is not uncommon
for them to play in the water or play fetch with their toys
These cats are real smart and outstanding hunters

Once you have a Manx no other cat will ever due
Health Info

~ What I use ~
Flea drops: Revolution, It comes in 1 - 5 lbs & 5.1 - 15 lbs drops, get it at the vet or online

Feed: Purina basic cat food, kitten chow for the first year (yellow bag), then either the  
basic (blue bag) or Healthful Life (pale yellow bag)
"All cat foods must have meat for the first ingredient not grain"
Stay away from the cheap brands, it has to much ash in it and can cause kidney problems
Can food only as treats, there is not enough protein, cats need around 35% protein and
around 40% protein for kittens

Hair Balls: Give them a pat of butter once a week or so, fluffy cats need it more then
short haired cats.
I mix one pound of butter with a can of cat food or tuna, they love that

Ears: If ears need cleaning put a little baby oil on a Q-tip and clean them
If they have ear mites use Revolution flea drops

Worms: Revolution Flea drops will kill basic worms but it does not kill tape worms
Tape worms are caused by flea bites so when exposed to fleas give them the tape worm
pills, buy 2 pills, give one pill, then 2 weeks later give the other pill
(put them in a soft cat treat, it works most of the time)
Only buy worm meds from your vet or online, never the feed store or wal-mart

~ What I know for a fact kills cats ~
Any HARTZ flea or any of their other products
Yearly shots the vets give
(I have had several people tell me after giving their cats shots that they have died)
(Read the memo at the bottom of this page it came from a magazine article)
Swiffer wet mop spray
Remember if it doesn't say for Cats on the bottle don't use it, some stuff labeled for
dogs only will kill your cat

"If you don't believe me check it out on the web"

Ask about the vet kit for $10
(my cost)
(this is something I recommend but not require)
Counter
These cats are pets, they are raised with kids and other animals. All
have been spoiled and well kept, I don't believe that any cat should be
kept in a cage like a rabbit. I live in the country and my cats have the
run of the place all day long, chasing rats, mice, birds and anything else
they can catch. At night they either come in the house or they are
penned up in the cat house with a large run off to the side, this is for
their protection because of all the coyotes around here. They have their
own heat and air in their house with litter boxes and Purina cat food
and water at all times. All kittens are litter box trained and eating hard
food before they leave. Kittens are just like kids, some are shy, some
won't leave you alone, there's your couch potato and the child that gets
into everything.
Kitty Tips
Bath
Kittens under 12 weeks can be given baths with mild dish soap. Lather them up for 5
minutes and that will kill the fleas. (the fleas drown in the soap) You can use store
bought flea shampoo for cats on kittens over 12 weeks, I like Sergants brand cat flea
shampoo.
"Never use Hartz flea shampoo"

If your kitten is sniffing around some place you don't want them to, just sprinkle a little
red or black pepper there. Cats will sniff a place before they use it, it doesn't matter if it
is on carpet or hard floor.

If you don't want them to lay or scratch of something put duck tape on it sticky side up.

Always dry and spray any missed spots with Febreze spray. Not the store brand spray, it
doesn't work as good.

Add plan baking soda to the litter box to keep the smell down
I use 1 to 2 cups per litter change.

Remember when you take your new kitten home they don't know that is there new
home. Always make sure your kitten knows  you real well and where home is before you
let them outside at all. If you let them out for any reason before they have made there
new home with you they will leave and look for there old home. It does take some cats
longer to get used to you and where home is then others, some will be at home that night
and some may take a few weeks before they figure you are there new family. I
recommend that you leave a cat penned up for a few weeks before they are let outside for
any reason. If you live near a road or in town I will tell you if you let these guys outside
they can be stolen. I have talked to several people and they only let them out one time
and they were stolen. These cats can live their whole life outside or in the house without
ever going outside.
"What to do the first week home with any new kitten"

Give your new kitten a bath if they need it
Use Revolution flea drops, then tape worm them
This will give them the best start possible by killing any fleas, worms or ear mites
( all info about this is listed below)
"This is a copy of a article from Smart Money magazine"

"Vaccinating your pet may do more harm than good."
For years the primary reason for seeing a vet was to get your pet vaccinated against a
host of diseases ranging from distemper to rabies — either with individual vaccinations
or "combo wombo" shots that could cover seven separate conditions.

Indeed, annual vaccinations have been an economic bulwark for many vet practices, but
some veterinarians say they're not only unnecessary, but they can actually be harmful in
some cases. Marty Goldstein, a veterinarian in South Salem, N.Y., says he sees a range of
vaccination-related reactions in animals, everything from cancerous sarcomas to
epilepsy. Another reason to think twice about certain vaccines: The immunity provided
by some of them can last well beyond a year, even as long as the pet's lifetime, Goldstein
says, negating the need for some annual shots.

Both the AVMA and the American Animal Hospital Association now say vaccinations
should be assessed yearly and tailored to an animal's age, health and lifestyle. For
example, an indoor cat with limited exposure to some diseases may not ever need certain
common vaccinations, says W. Jean Dodds, an immunologist and veterinarian with
Hemopet in Garden Grove, Calif.