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By their very nature, cats are excellent hunters who thoroughly enjoy stalking their prey. For domesticated cats, their prey can be something as simple as an insect or a wind up toy. But, is it always healthy and normal for a cat to stalk, or is there ever a reason to be concerned about a stalking cat?

As I commented even domesticated cats have the natural instinct to hunt and to stalk. With an indoor cat, stalking generally speaking is not an indication of hunger. More likely they are stalking their prey out of curiosity or because they simply need to add a little excitement to their lives. Hunting and stalking also helps the cat to get a little exercise and also provides a release for pent up energy.

For the most part, domesticated cats prefer chasing mice or other small rodents. Some even enjoy stalking and catching rabbits and birds and they will spend many hours watching their prey. A domesticated cat that is well fed will generally just play with the prey rather than try to eat it. In fact, it is rare for a well cared for domesticated cat to eat its prey. Many people think cats are cruel because they play with their prey, but this is just simply the cats way of satisfying its natural hunting instinct and of getting exercise.

When a cat uses its stalking skill to hunt for prey, it moves quietly and attracts very little attention. Cats particularly enjoy stalking in areas with high grass because it helps prevent their prey from seeing them. This stalking instinct can be more than a little disturbing for those cat owners who are also bird lovers. If a cat has a tendency to stalk wild birds that the cat owner wants to be left alone, it can be a good idea to tie a bell around the cats neck. This will help warn the birds of the nearby stalking cat although it will of course frustrate the cat who may try to remove the bell!

Negative Behaviours

Besides destroying the wild bird population with their stalking and hunting instincts, some cats can begin to exhibit their stalking behaviours in negative ways. Indoor cats that are the only cat in the household are most likely to develop negative stalking behaviours. For example, a cat can learn the patterns of behaviour of its owner. So, when it hears the owner arrive home, it might engage in stalking mode and pounce on the owner and bite them on the ankle when they gets home. This behaviour is sometimes referred to as predatory-play aggression because it combines elements of play with elements of predatory behaviour.

When this happens, the owner quite understandably becomes upset. The owner might tell the cat off or even spray them with water to attempt to make the cat stop the behaviour. However, this will rarely succeed in modifying the cats behaviour

Modifying Stalking Behaviour

Indoor cats tend to engage predatory-play aggressive behaviour more than outdoor cats. This is because indoor cats are more likely to become bored. In addition, outdoor cats have a far greater number of options for fulfilling their predatory behaviour. These include stalking small outdoor animals, insects, and birds.

For the indoor cat, however, buying some toys that the cat can stalk is a good idea. These give the cat the opportunity to engage in its natural predatory instincts in a healthy way. The cat should have access to toys that both involve the owner and those that do not. Toys that involve the owner help to create a bond between the pet and its owner. On the other hand, cats also need to learn how to engage in solitary play and this includes stalking and other predatory behaviours.

Choosing Toys

Toys that are lightweight and easy to move are the best types of toys to help the cat engage in its stalking behaviour. Bouncy toys are also a good choice, as are toys that hand from the top of doors or from doorknobs. Toys that hang from other items should be moved around the house, however, to help keep the cats environment different and enriching. Toys can even be hidden in places such as laundry baskets to add to the excitement.

Toys that resemble the natural prey of cats, such as mice, are also good choices. In addition, toys should be large enough to prevent choking, but small enough to be easily moved by the cat. The material used to create the toy should also be indestructible. Otherwise the cat, particularly kittens, will destroy the toy. This is not only messy, but also poses as a choking hazard.

A cat that is properly stimulated with toys that allow it to utilize its stalking skills will be far healthier than one that is not. In addition, the cat will be far less likely to pounce on or harm the owner or the owners furnishings!

Paul Duxbury owns a wide range of pet related websites including http://www.basic-cat-care.co.uk

Many new business owners view their potentially heavy competition with a look of apprehension and fear at the prospect of going up against such well established companies.

I mean, you're entering into an industry that already has several companies claiming their stake in the marketplace. How are you supposed to challenge them when they not only have more experience than you, but also have an established customer base?

My point isn't to scare anyone away, but instead to point out that there are ways to succeed, and the first way is to let that very competition give you some good lessons.

One of the hardest parts of marketing is often figuring out what it is that your customers are looking for. You need to be able to give them something they want and give it to them in a format that they'll enjoy and be attracted to. Figuring out what those messages and formats are can be hard for a new company, which is why you need to just step back and look at your competition.

They've already done their research. If they're getting color poster printing done you need to go out and see what those full color posters look like. Doing so will automatically give you a number of effective details.

The first is the type of images that people like. The second is the type of messages that resonate with the customers. And the third is the format that works to draw them. I doubt the company just picked color poster printing at random for their marketing. They chose this after some solid research that said this type of marketing would be effective.

Look at every kind of marketing all of them are doing, along with the differences between each company. Are some companies putting a strong focus on customer support while others are emphasizing low prices? Now you're not only seeing what works but also seeing how the companies are competing.

Okay, so you have all of this information now, but what do you do with it? Just copying the others won't work, so instead you have to then take what you know about them, and figure out some way to improve upon it. Is there something they aren't saying, something that doesn't seem to work as good as it could? Ask some customers about what they think of the store and their marketing.

Now you not only know what your market is like, but you know what areas the competition is lagging in. This gives you a potential edge when you start up your own business, allowing you to grab a portion of the customer base they aren't completely satisfying.

Getting a foothold in the market can be a challenging task. Take the time to look at your competition, and make sure you know exactly how you can improve upon them.

For more information, you can visit this page on poster printing and full color posters