Cat kennels can be used to give you cat a place of its own, and that can be invaluable in keeping your cat happy. While they’re inherently very social creatures there are bound to be times when they want to be on their own, and giving them somewhere comfortable to relax in could be one of the best gifts you can give them.

Cat kennels can also be a lot more comfortable than regular cat beds, as you can give your pet blankets, cushions and warmers that they can arrange to their liking. You’ll often be able to get special insulation for individual kennels as well, particularly important if it’s kept outside, keeping your pet warm no matter what time of year it is.

Then there’s the fact that cat kennels can keep your pet safe and secure, again an especially important consideration if it’s to be kept outside. It offers safety, comfort and protection from the elements, offering a real “home from home” scenario.

These are just a few reasons that you might need a cat kennel, and as you can see, they really can be beneficial. They should always be considered for anyone who wants to give their cat the best, and for a great selection make sure to see what we have to offer here at ideas-4-pets.

Litter Box – if your cat spends most of its time in its cat kennel then the chances are you are going to have a litter box situated within it. Therefore, it is very important to keep this litter tray as clean as possible. Add a scoop a day if you can but change the litter tray every 2 or 3 weeks and when you do this make sure you give the tray a thorough clean to get rid of any harbouring bacteria.

Complete Clean – when you do come to clean out the litter tray it is also a good idea to clean the entire cat kennel. Wash down the walls with a non-toxic spray and even the kennel roof if there is one.

Fur – a good way of monitoring whether there are any parts of the kennel that is snagging your cats fur is to look for loose bits of fur within the kennel. If you do find any bits of fur then you should file down that area immediately.

Tightening – every few months you should tighten up the screws of your cat kennel as you will probably find they become loose with time. This is particularly if you have an outdoor kennel as it can become weathered with time meaning screws sometimes need a little adjusting, so be sure to monitor them.

Tip – when you do clean out your cat kennel make sure you put everything back in the same place; bedding, toys etc, as cats can be quite particular about their homes!

At Ideas-4-Pets we provide a wide variety of cat products as well as homes for other animals, such as dog beds and rabbit hutches.

A cat kennel protects a cat from the elements and can specifically prevent him or her from getting too wet. For a cat you don’t want to wander too far, they can have an attached cat run which obviously improves the kennel from the perspective of a pet. A cat kennel allows your cat to be safe and gaze around while relaxing on a warm day. During wet and windy weather, it provides safe shelter.

There is a diversity of cat kennels available these days, even ones with two tiers. These have a specially designed cat ramp that facilitates movement from one room to another. Including a cat scratcher can improve a cat’s experience.

Purchasing a cat kennel can give you a chance to reflect your pet’s individual personality. You could take time to decorate your pet’s cat kennel, but it is not necessarily a good idea to go overboard. A cat kennel is often considered the height of luxury, but excessive decorations may not fit in with the design of a garden or yard. You may just like the reassurance of the safety aspects of a kennel.

We at Ideas-4-Pets are experts at addressing the needs of cats.

At Ideas-4-pets we stock a range of cat products with cats and your new pet kitten in mind, such as cat kennels and cat runs. One of our cat products is a cat ‘starter kit’ which can take some of the hassle out of shopping for everything you want for your new fluffy pet. Included in this set of cat products are a litter tray, twin feeding bowls, scratch post, cat carrier, a fleece cushion and, of course, we can not forget litter liners and litter scoop.

If you prefer to purchase one of our adult cat beds our range includes novelty cat beds, posh cat beds and if you want to really spoil your pet we stock a cat bed heater for the cold winter months.

Kittens have smaller mouths and this means they only need small portion of food a few times a day. Choose your kitten’s food from products that are marked ‘for kittens’. Food for kittens has added vitamins with the proteins, carbohydrates and other nutrients which enable their bones and muscles to grow strong and healthy.

Make sure your kitten or cat has plenty of fresh water every single day. Avoid giving your kitten eggs or cows milk as it will make your pet feel ill. Cat kennels are similar to dog kennels in that they are a great house for your pet, we also sell other pet products including dog beds, rabbit hutches and parrot cages.

At Ideas-4-pets we recognise your pet will try out you and your family’s patience for a few weeks until he has settled in. However, your new pet kitten needs to feel very safe.

Take your time to choose a bed that will be big enough for him at this moment in time, with a view to purchasing another one as he grows in to an adult cat. Large cat kennels are also a wise idea to get them used to their new surroundings.

We have cat beds that are waterproof for any accidents. We have novelty cat beds, hooded cat beds and a posh cat bed for making a more luxurious fashion statement. With the right cat bed and cat products in your cat kennel, your kitten will soon grow up enjoying his new lifestyle.

A cat bed combined with a cat kennel will be your pet’s own comfortable den where he can snuggle in at any time of the day when he is feeling tired to enjoy one of many cat naps.

A good quality cat bed and cat kennel has a backing that your pet will ‘mould’ into.

Always place a new kitten’s cat bed away from any draughts so they can enjoy their privacy.

If you have another pet in the house, a cat bed is an essential item to stop your other pet trying to make your kitten feel vulnerable. We have supplies for a variety of other pets as well as cats, including dog beds, rabbit hutches and parrot cages.

They usually spend around 14-18 hours per day sleeping and this is split into three 6 hour sections. Ferrets do sleep more than most other pets but they are very active when they are awake and will need lots of exercise to satisfy their energy and curiosity on a daily basis.

Their curiosity very often exceeds common sense in domestic environments and ferrets are good at getting stuck in drains and holes in walls, doors, cupboards or even in and behind household appliances such as ovens, dishwashers and washing machines where they can be injured or killed by drowning and electric shocks. Serious and sometimes fatal injuries have resulted from ferrets chewing on electrical cords. and dryer vents often become escape routes to the outdoors. Because ferrets also like to chew items made of soft rubber, foam or sponge, which put them at risk of intestinal blockage and death if ingested, make sure that any items of this nature are out of reach in a closed cupboard.

For these reasons, owners usually do “ferret-proof” their home, removing items dangerous to ferrets and covering over any holes or potential escape routes. Ferrets are quite clever and can open cupboards or doors that haven’t been closed properly by rolling over and clawing at the bottom edge.  Putting childproof latches on doors is a good idea and keeping your cleaning products in high, out-of-reach places also helps to prevent accidents happening.

Ferrets are very energetic and take a great interested in their environment.  They will actively choose to play with their owners and have both endearing and difficult behaviours for their owners to contend with.  Ferrets love to play hide-and-seek games and predator and prey games involving their owner attempting to catch the ferret or the ferret trying to catch the human. Ferrets also have a strong nesting instinct and can be seen repeatedly carrying small items or food to secret hiding places. They can also form strong attachments to certain objects and will repeatedly try to find and steal those objects to bring to their hiding place.

When ferrets get excited, they sometimes perform a strange little dance which is a frenzied series of sideways hops. This can often be accompanied by a gentle clucking type of noise and has been identified as an invitation to play or a way of showing you he is happy.  Despite how it looks, this behaviour is not at all threatening. His posture tends to become quite rigid and he opens his jaws wide, fixes his eyes on you and then starts thrashing or turning his head vigourously from side to side, arching his back and hopping side to side or backwards.  You might also hear him panting or hissing and this will likely then turn into a chasing game where he will also start to pounce and wrestle with you.

Ferrets can nip you when they are very young babies, but this nipping is done in a playful way and represents mock fighting and sparring.  as they get older, they tend to chew when teething and can have a tendency to start to bite a bit harder. If you’re on the receiving end of a play bite, a ferret will sometimes let out a high-pitched squeal or hiss to let you know of his annoyance or submission. As they get older, ferrets lessen their chewing and if you train them correctly, will almost never nip a human hand or if they do, will only do so very gently. Just be warned though, that some ferrets who have been abused or are in extreme pain may bite you and they are capable of strong bites which will break through your skin.

Ferrets can be trained to use a litter box, just like cats but they aren’t always completely litter box trainable. They instinctively spread their waste to scent mark a wider foraging territory for themselves so it’s sometimes a good idea to provide them with multiple litter boxes.  As with cats, their litter boxes will need to cleaned out on a very regular basis.

Unlike dogs and cats, many ferrets display little homing instinct and don’t thrive as strays so some ferret owners train their ferrets at a young age to respond to clicker toys, squeaky toys or to the sound of their own food being shaken as a means of tempting the ferret to come back. This is a good way of keeping your ferret under some type of control as wandering ferrets can easily be injured or killed by other animals, local wildlife or passing cars.

The ferret’s small size and speedy nature makes it easy for them to be stepped on so it is adviseable to walk slowly and not shuffle your feet off the floor higher than the height of your ferret so that you don’t tread on him. A ferret’s long spine is very delicate and can be severely damaged if stepped on and care must also be taken when handling him to avoid injury.

Some owners may prefer to house their pets outdoors in sheds, and not indoors. This is becoming more popular, and we at ideas-4-pets have sold many outdoor cat kennels which have been slightly altered to suit the needs of the ferret.  If your ferret is to be kept outdoors, the outside kennel is ideal as it keeps them contained and stops them from placing themselves in dangerous situations or escape situations.

Ferrets can make good pets for some children, but usually don’t make good pets for the very young. As mentioned before, ferrets are capable of delivering a strong bite which can be almost as strong as a domestic cat, so should never be left unsupervised near small children.  Children have been known to accidently hurt a ferret due to rough handling and the ferret will see this as an attack and fight back, so you must make sure that your child learns how to handle the ferret correctly and safely to prevent this from happening.

Once you have decided whether to keep your ferret indoors in a ferret cage or outdoors in a kennel of some sort, then you must consider what to feed him on.  A ferret’s natural diet used to consist of whole small prey, including any feathers and fur and some ferret owners feed their ferret with a meat-based diet consisting of small animals like mice and rabbits along with raw chicken or beef. However, there are some good quality commercial ferret food on the market and your vet would be able to advise you on the best type to purchase. 

Ideally, ferret food should contain a minimum of 32% meat based protein and 18% fat with a maximum of 3% fibre.  Ferrets also particularly enjoy raisins, bananas, peanut butter and certain breakfast cereals but the the high sugar content of these types of treats has been linked to ferret insulinoma and other diseases. Vets tend to recommend that you don’t feed these types of foods to ferrets at all.

As with all pets, make sure that you ferret has easy access to clean, fresh water and keep his kennel or cage scrupulously clean at all times to ensure that your pet remains fit and healthy.

Many of our customers who have house cats have realised that their cats are missing out on the great outdoors but have been reluctant (and rightly so) to just let their cats roam.  Some of our customers own expensive pedigree cats and others have standard “moggies” but all are loved and cared for.  These owners have told me that they are just so very frightened that something will happen to their cats if they let them outdoors unattended.

They can roam far afield and get lost, they can be stolen, they can be injured or killed on the roads, they can be attacked by dogs or foxes and I have even had reports of them being shot at and tortured by cruel people who seem to find it amusing to hurt defenceless animals.  And so these caring cat owners are purchasing cat kennels with runs so that their beloved cats can be allowed outdoors in safety.  

ideas-4-pets have cat kennels with cat runs to suit all requirements.  They can be made in many sizes and are available as a standard pent cat kennel or a chalet type with an apex roof.  The cat kennel areas are large so your feline friends have plenty of room under-cover – just put their favourite cat bed in there and they will be warm and secure and protected should the weather turn.  The cat run areas are also large and can accommodate from 1 cat to probably about 6, dependant upon the size you choose.  Just put some cat toys like a cat scratcher, a cat scratching post, a cat activity centre or even a large tree branch  for your cats to climb and they will be happy and amused whilst in their cat run.

There is easy access to the cat kennels via a full sized door and there is the option of a safety porch on the larger models if you have a cat who thinks he’s a good escape artist !!  There is a cat bench in the sleeping area with a cat flap and ramp to lead into the run area and there is also an access door directly into the run via a mesh door. 

Don’t forget to ensure your cats have access to plenty of fresh, clean water and their favourite cat food and you’ll find that once they’re used to their new surroundings you will have peace of mind knowing that they are outdoors but safe and sound.

Our cat kennels are delivered and fitted free by professional fitters within 7 working days so once you have made your mind up you will not have long to wait and with the summer approaching now is a great time to make arrangements.  All you need is the available space in your garden and a concrete or flagged base and off you go …….  Decking would also be suitable to erect the cat kennel on.  ideas-4-pets also have a smaller version of the cat kennel and run called the Kitty Shack which is ideal if you have just 1 or 2 cats and you intend to keep your cats outside for shorter periods of time.

Take a look at what’s available and give your cat a taste of the outdoors – let him smell the garden and see the sky and breathe in some fresh air !!

Although a cat who has never known the outside won’t miss it, the chance to feel the sun oon their backs and smell the outdoors is something they will love.  They can amuse themselves in the cat run if you provide them with cat scratching posts, cat activity centres and cat climbers or a tree branch that they can climb and sharpen their claws on.  Place their favourite cat beds in the cat kennel area to rest and sleep in  and make sure they have plenty of fresh, clean water and your cats will be happy.

You will also have peace of mind knowing that although they are outside, they are safe.  They cannot get themselves run over or bitten by another animal and they cannot be injured or stolen.

Cats are generally inquisitive and curious creatures and so a cat run makes the ideal place for the cats to either hang out on a lovely, warm summer afternoon or evening or a placee to climb about in and chase each other round.  Most of the cat runs and can kennels have shelves for the cats to jump up on and you could also hang a few cat-friendly plants around and of course some catnip to add to their pleasure.

There are some really attractive cat kennels with attached cat runs around and at ideas-4-pets we have one called the Burley Cat Chalet which looks like a summer house or a Swiss Chalet.  The cat kennels and cat runs we have can usually be built to your own specification and can be as large as you can manage in your garden.  You can also have them with a safety porch if your cats are great escape artists !!

Spring is around the corner so why not think about purchasing a cat run and cat kennel for your feline friend so that she can see and feel the sun too!!

It’s always adviseable to do your homework before making the all important decision of what type of cat to purchase.  You might have some preconceived ideas of which particular breed of cat you want or that you must have a kitten instead of an adult cat, but there are many factors involved in choosing a cat and you might not have even considered some of them.

For instance, families with young children are aware of the responsibility that bringing them up takes and a new cat will be much like having a new child in the family.  This means you must be prepared for the costs of looking after a cat.
 
Small children usually love kittens, but if you bring a very young kitten into your home you may find them loving it too much by squeezing it to death -literally.  Alternately, a small kitten could inflict some very painful scratches on a curious child.  If you have small children you may be better off either getting an older cat that’s used to being around small children or maybe waiting a couple of years until the children are older and more responsible.  It’s worth knowing that most older cats tend to make the transition into a new home easier than kittens do and older cats are much more grateful!  The benefit to the older cat is that most of these cats tend not to find loving homes because most people naturally gravitate toward the kittens. 

If your furniture is important to you but you still want a cat, then make sure you have a good scratching post or your new cat will use your furniture to sharpen his nails !!  A good, clean litter box is also an essential item along with the necessary training to go with it.
Make sure your new cat has a quality soft, warm and cozy cat bed to snuggle up in and maybe a cat carrier for if you have to take her to the vet or to the cat kennels when you go on holiday.  Your cat will also need grooming, so you may need to look at a grooming table.   Cats love the outdoors but it isn’t always safe for them if you live near a busy road so look at an outdoor cat kennel with a cat run attached so that your cat can have the benefit of the outdoors sometimes but within the safety of the cat run.
  
Personality-wise, there really isn’t a lot of difference between male and female cats if they are neutered.  Whole male (unneutered) cats will usually fight for territory if they are outdoors and will liberally spray their strong scent on walls and curtains indoors to mark their territory.   Not a good choice if you value your furnishings !!  Neutering will stop this behaviour and will also prevent unwanted pregnancies in the area.

Did you know that whole (unspayed) females will also spray on occasions and will make themselves and their owners miserable each time they go into season with their loud wailing and bizarre body gyrations.  Another good reason for neutering.

After spaying, a cat’s personality will usually improve which means that both male and female cats will become loving and loyal towards their owners.

It’s always a good idea to bear in mind your own age before purchasing a cat.  If you’re 65 years old or older it’s always possible that you will not outlive your cat, so an older cat would be an excellent choice. You might even want to adopt a disabled cat, one that is blind, an amputee, or otherwise “unadoptable.”  These cats can make wonderful companions and compensate for their disabilities with a wealth of love and devotion for their human saviour.

Whichever cat or kitten you decide upon having done your homework, make sure that he is more important than your furniture and be prepared to change your lifestyle somewhat.  It would be terrible to adopt a kitten or a cat only to want to get rid of it because it is too much “trouble”.

Firstly, be aware that sudden noises can cause a blind cat to be extremely frightened, so if a member of the family drops a large toy or a pan or even if there are loud noises from a car or machinery outside, make sure you reassure your cat so that she knows all is well. 

Ensure that you keep her food and water bowls in exactly the same place all the time so that she can work out exactly where to go to eat and drink and if you don’t have your blind cat outside in a cat kennel or cat run and she is in the house all the time, then ensure that her litter tray is easily accessible and kept in exactly the same place all the time.  You will of course have to keep the litter tray clean and hygienic for your cat just as you would for a sighted cat.

If you don’t have the inclination or the room for an outside cat kennel or cat run, then why not invest in a cat carrier so that you can take your blind cat out safely for short periods of time to get her used to the sounds of the outdoors.  We at ideas-4-pets have just added a fantastic new product to our range of cat carriers – it’s called a Sleepypod and is a cat bed, cat carrier and will also fix into the car so your blind cat will have the safety and security of her own cozy bed which will help to reduce her stress levels. 

If you have to move any furniture around in the house, then give your blind cat time to adjust – you may need to help her to find familiar things until she gets used to the changes.  Turning the TV on whilst you are helping her to find her way around will help her to find her bearings and bear in mind that it could take her quite some time to get used to the changes you’ve made.

If you have to go out and leave your cat in the house, then it’s good practice to leave a radio or the TV on as she might be afraid of the silence.  When you get back to the house, make a big fuss by calling her name and pick her up to reassure her of your presence.  Talking to a blind cat is very important as she will need to hear your voice in order to feel safe.  She may also want to follow you everywhere you go because she will want your company often as a constant reassurance.

Don’t leave any outside doors open and make sure any visitors that call are advised to close the doors behind them.  Carelessness can cause your cat to be lost as she would never find her way back to your home and she could even be killed by walking in front of a moving vehicle.  It is also likely that if she is not used to being outdoors that she will panic and run even further away.
                                   
A blind cat will tend not climb or jump onto things that are high or unfamiliar like a sighted cat would, but if it is something she has got used to, like the chair or the bed, then she may try to jump up.  She will almost always love the safety and comfort of her own special cat bed because just like most cats, she will want to have her private space and just curl up and sleep in a cozy place.

Your blind cat will want to play, but will tend not run around like a sighted cat.  She will enjoy toys that make some sort of noise or rolled up paper balls that will crackle.  If you have some dangling toys then carefully sew a bell at the end of them so that your blind cat can hear where they are when she paws it around.

Your blind cat will love to feel the warmth of the sun and will lie in it’s rays either near the window or outside in a cat kennel with a cat run.  She will probably try to catch flies as well, because she will be able to hear their wings when they fly past her. 

Adopting a blind cat will mean that you will probably have to make some adjustments to your life and your home but you will be well rewarded in the long run if you are prepared to make the commitment.