Make Your Home Cat-Safe - How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy
March 31, 2008
* Lock things up that could cause harm
* Keep the washer/dryer door closed at all times
* Honk the car horn before starting it up
* Use fire carefully
* Keep all upstairs windows closed or screened
* Store string away tidily
* Keep floors free of small things
* Be constantly aware of what your cat is doing
Curiosity gets most cats in trouble at some point in their lives. As your cat’s caregiver, keeping her safe sometimes seems like a “mission impossible.” With a little foresight and action, however, you can create a “home, safe home.”
When you’re trying to provide the best home possible for your cat, it pays to think like her. Put on some old clothes and get down on hands and knees and take a look around. Is that shiny crystal vase on the shelf a tempting target? Remember that cats will jump onto shelves and tables.
That dangling drapery cord would be fun to leap and grab. What’s in this big pot? In case you need help identifying what might catch a cat’s eye, here’s a list of common household items that are often the cause of cat injuries:
You Can Help Reduce the Number of Unwanted Cats - Spaying and Neutering of Cats
March 30, 2008
Every year, hundreds of thousands of cats and kittens are destroyed because they are unwanted. Animal shelters that take in these animals and try to find them homes are overcrowded. With so many animals in need, they cannot support all animals indefinitely. The solution is not to open more shelters, but for cat owners to become more responsible about spaying and neutering their pets.
A female cat can have two litters of kittens each year. The average survival rate is about 2.8 kittens per litter. If her offspring are not spayed or neutered, the result is 12 cats the first year, 66 cats in the second year, and at the end of ten years, the total would be 80,399,780 cats.
“Spay” is the term used for the surgical removal of a female animal’s uterus and ovaries. When a male’s testicles are removed, it is called “neutering.” Both procedures leave the animals unable to reproduce. Besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, spaying and neutering of pets has other benefits for cats and their owners.
Benefits of neutering a male cat
* Neutered cats are less likely to spray strong urine
* Neutered cats will lose the urge to fight
How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat
March 30, 2008
Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is. So how do you train your cat to respect your home?
All cats can be trained and should have some training from their owners. You will need to train your cat to use her litter box, sharpen her claws on the scratching post instead of your couch, and to stop negative behavior when you say “no.” Cats can also learn to do “tricks,” and the mental stimulation of learning is good for them.
Cats learn the same way dogs and people learn; they repeat behaviors that have a pleasurable result. The best way to train your cat is to reward her when she does something right. The reward might be a small piece of a special food, or lots of praise from you in a happy, high-pitched voice.
How to Ensure that Your Cat is Healthy and Lives a Long and Happy Life
March 29, 2008
Incredible advances in veterinary medicine are making it possible for cats to live longer, healthier lives than ever before. The quality of your cat’s health is the result of a partnership between you and your veterinarian. You must be confident that the vet you have chosen will take good care of your cats.
When you first get your cat, be sure to have your veterinarian examine her within 10 days. In addition to getting baseline weights and measurements on her, your vet will want to check her blood and stools for illness and parasites. If you have never had a cat before, the first visit is a good time to get a demonstration in cleaning your pet’s ears and clipping her toenails properly.
A proper diet and sufficient exercise are key factors in keeping your cat healthy. You must make sure the food you give your cat is of good quality to provide her with the correct amounts of nutrients to keep her systems running. If you are confused by the variety of brands of cat food available, ask your veterinarian for some help. Don’t be embarrassed to tell him how much you are able/willing to spend for pet food. There are some excellent brands that are not very expensive, and some expensive brands that are not very good.
Pet-Rabbit Information ? What Is Domesticated Rabbits? How To Care For Your Pet-Rabbit?
March 28, 2008
Domesticated rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from dogs and cats. They look attractive, lovely, gentle, friendly and cute. They are easy to take care and undemanding in terms of care and housing. They will settle well either indoor or outdoor, at home.
There are 40 species of rabbits and hares worldwide. All domesticated rabbits are originated from European rabbits. The scientific name for domestic rabbit is Oryctolagus cuniculus.
Typically, domesticated rabbits weigh between 2.2-221lb (1-10kg). The domesticated rabbits can be fed on commercially produced rabbit food, pellets, hay, green food, root vegetables, tree bark, herbs and apple.
The gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days and the typical litter size ranges from 6-8 young. The lifespan varies with breed.
Keeping a rabbit as pet requires a good training system to prevent unnecessary destructions or hassle. For example, furniture and carpet chewing problems, pseudo pregnancy symptoms, litter problems, fights, behavioral problems, rabbit-house worries, sickness, fleas, predators and etc. Nevertheless, these challenges can be overcome when the owners have the knowledge and experience to deal with them. Thus, one of the recommended ways to acquire the important knowledge is to read widely and exchange practical information with experienced rabbit owners.
Why Cats Flip For Catnip
March 27, 2008
If you’ve ever watched as a cat “flipped” over fresh catnip perhaps you’ve been struck with the question; “what causes Catnip to affect cats that way?” Catnip is indeed an unusual phenomenon among cats, it has the ability to alter your cat’s behavior like nothing else can. So what exactly is the reason for what scientists have coined as “the Catnip effect”?
Unfortunately for such inquisitive minds the exact reason of why Catnip affects cats in such a manner remains mostly a mystery. There is however much that we do know about Catnip and cats even if we don’t have the ultimate answer of exactly “why?” yet answered.
The Science Stuff
Catnip is scientifically classified as Nepeta cataria and is a perennial herb from the mint family and is in fact also referred to as “Catmint”. It is a plant indigenous to Europe but has been exported and is now found all over including the United States and Canada.
The active ingredient in Catnip is an oil; Nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves of the plant. This is the reason you are able to find Catnip in a bottle or spray form in some pet stores.
The Wonderful Siamese Cat
March 26, 2008
This mysterious cat is originally from the country of Siam, now known as Thailand. Siamese cats were highly esteemed by generations of Siamese monarchs, even to the extent that they resided in the royal palace. You wanna talk about the royalty of the cat world! They were trusted to protect the palace as well as monasteries from evil spirits and were also thought to bring good fortune.
In the year 1884, the first Siamese cats made their way to England when the current Monarch of Siam decided to gift them to a top general in the British Army. They made their way from there to America. The Siamese cat is now one of the most recognized domestic cat breeds around. According to the Cat Fancy Association they are the single most popular shorthair cat and the 3rd most popular breed of cat overall.
Although this breed features a variety of different colors, there are some disagreements concerning what makes a true Siamese cat and what does not Still, these delightful felines are well known for bodies that are mostly light in color with darker areas called points. The darker points are generally (but not always) around the face, legs, feet and the tail. Weighing in at between about 8 and 15 lbs, this blue eyed sensation of the cat world has 2 distinct body types.
A Pregnant Stray Cat Adopted You ? And Now What?
March 25, 2008
It happens all too often. A family or cat friend gets adopted by a stray cat. And after a few weeks it turns out she’s pregnant.
In the US alone there must be millions of sweet but homeless cats. And many of them get pregnant several times a year. Nobody really knows why, but pregnant strays often adopt a family instead of the other way round. Maybe they search for support or a good and warm home for their kittens.
Now, perhaps you don’t have the space or time for a cat family. Or there’s another reason that makes it difficult to have these kittens. But you don’t want to throw this stray out. She’s expecting babies, isn’t she?!
Now what can you do?
You could take her to an animal shelter. That’s not always a good idea.
Don’t get me wrong: I value the work of animal shelters. In fact, I got my current cat from one of them, and I’m pretty sure the next will come from a shelter too. But some animal shelters reportedly put a pregnant stray to sleep. You’ll blame yourself forever if you hear the cat you brought in, was killed.
5 Tips For Feeding A Happy, Healthy Dog
March 25, 2008
Do you really know all there is to know about your canine companion’s nutritional needs? Many pet owners think they’re doing what’s best for their dogs when it comes to food, but in reality they rely on pure instinct more than science. Nutrition isn’t a guessing game, even when it comes to your pooch. Think about it ? if you were left to feed yourself based only on what you craved and had no knowledge of what your body needs to function, would you be eating 5 servings of fruit and veggies or would you head straight for the Ding Dong case at the market?
1. Cover all of the bases.
A dog’s diet can be as complex as any human’s (including yours!), and it’s absolutely essential that you, as an owner, hit all of the vital nutritional bases. A deficiency of certain vitamins and nutrients can lead to upset tummies, overly dry or oily skin, brittle bones, weight issues, and, in some of the worst cases, death. A balanced and proper diet is the building block of your dog’s overall health ? if he doesn’t get the right blend of nutrients, the most impeccable care otherwise won’t mean a thing. But with the right diet, his defenses against disease and disorders are infinitely stronger than a dog whose owner hasn’t put much thought into an eating plan.
4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten
March 24, 2008
You spoil your pooch as close to rotten as you can get, don’t you? Hey, who doesn’t? It’s almost impossible not to, with those adorable, big, beautiful eyes, the little lashes, the soft fur just behind the ears? they almost beg to be spoiled. But what can you really do? There are all of those new doggie day spas, doggie day cares, and other doggie luxury services, but how often can you really afford things like that? I mean, most people rarely have enough cash in the bank to get themselves a surprise manicure and pedicure, much less spring for their pups to get a quadripedicure. You give her a few scratches behind the ears, rub her belly, and maybe give her a massage and splurge on some gourmet treats, but you have to pay rent and eat each month. Your budget just doesn’t allow for constant spoiling of your dog?
1. Or does it?
You can make the shampoos, fragrances, and skin conditioners the doggie day spas use whenever you want for a lot less money than you think. Wouldn’t your pup love to have an at-home spa treatment? Give these recipes a shot the next time you want to pamper that pup:
