- 10 Realtime And Reliable Photo Search Engines http://t.co/HoGUk218 via @zite
- Here they come to save the day! 10 Pet Heroes http://t.co/y3eMGNA2 via @zite
- Check out this article: Kemper’s director leaves http://t.co/CE7Usqk0
- This would've been very cool, I think....Steve Jobs' Dream Of iCar Revealed (VIDEO) http://t.co/ANCjjpwi via @zite
- Dogs helping their people..Dog Is Lifesaver for 3-Year-Old with Diabetes http://t.co/8HUXJWYW via @zite
A Lean, Mean Running Machine
Obesity is becoming a real problem for pets like it is for us, but Road Runner the cat is taking steps to stay in shape. Check this out……
Weekend at the Expo
I participated in the Great KC Pet Expo this past weekend and made some great connections. Followoing are some of the products, services and organizations I learned about through the Expo.
In the booth next to me was a team with a pet product line called Smoochable Rupert. The product originated in the Kansas City area and is manufactured locally as well. Products include pet dental spray (for both dogs and cats) and pet shampoo (unscented). I’ll be writing more about them in the near future, but if you’d like to check them out now, go to www.smoochable-rupert.com.
An organization I wasn’t aware of until the Expo is Johnson County Animal Response Team (JoCART). This is a nonprofit dedicated to helping animals after a disaster. They set up temporary veterinary relief shelters in disaster areas, work to reunite lost pets with their owners and coordinate animal evacuation activities. For more information on JoCART, go to www.jocartks.org.
The Knnsas City Ferret Hotline information on care of ferrets, fostering for homeless ferrets and helps coordinate boarding for ferrets whose owners are out of town temporarily. For more information, go to www.ferrethotline.com.
I also met a couple of great ladies from the KC area that happen to blog about pets. Emily Hawkins authors a blog called Waldo Bungle and you can check it out at www.waldobungle.wordpress.com. Crystal Wayward authors a great blog called Wayward Dogs, check it out at www.waywarddogs.com.
Here are some of the people and dogs seen at the Expo
It was a great time, met lots of nice people and pets and learned a lot too!
Keeping the Peace In a Multiple Cat Household
Having multiple cats can be fun but it also has its challenges. Following are 
ten tips to maintain order and keep all the feline residents purring:
- If you have one cat currently and are now adding another, choosing a new cat of the opposite sex can reduce fighting among them.
- If your current cat is older, rather than adopting one kitten think about adopting two so they can keep each other busy.
- Never leave a new cat alone with the resident cat(s) until you are certain they won’t fight.
- Never give treats to one cat and not another.
- Window perches create space and allow your cats to sun themselves and give some personal space.
- Grooming your cats regularly can help reduce their stress and yours.
- Do not allow play between cats to become aggressive.
- If fighting occurs between cats, do not attempt to separate them by hand. Distract them by making a loud noise and put them in separate locations.
- Learn to understand feline body language.
- Make sure each cat’s needs are met and that each cat is treated as an individual member of the family.
Enjoy your feline family members and have a purr-fect day!
Funny Pet Video of the Week
This cat is determined to get the hang of dribbling a basketball……check it out
Chip Bags Can Be Deadly
I just finished reading a story on the PETA.org site of a woman whose dog suffocated because of a mylar potato chip bag.
It seems Blue was quite a mischievous fellow, escaping when he got the chance or getting into the trash when his people were gone. One day, while his mom was at the store, Blue decided to raid the garbage can and found a real treasure, an empty potato chip bag with some crumbs left inside.
He stuck his head into the bag all the way to get the crumbs and the bag got stuck on his head. In his panic to get air, the mylar bag became a suction and he was unable to get it off. He eventually lost consciousness and suffocated by the time his mom got home.
The danger of mylar chip bags to pets and children is not widely known. Blue’s family is hoping to bring focus to this issue in the hopes chip companies will begin putting warnings on the bags and eventually change the bag materials.
In the meantime, if you have empty chip bags that are made of mylar, please cut them into pieces before putting them in the trash. Blue’s family has established a Facebook page to enlighten people on the danger of mylar bags. Check out their page at https://www.facebook.com/PreventPetSuffocation
Veterinary Malpractice-A Different Ball Game
We’re all familiar with the term “malpractice” when it comes to medical care, but when dealing with veterinarians the laws are quite different than they are for medical doctors. Examples of veterinary malpractice include incorrect diagnosis, prescribing inappropriate medication, following a wrong course of treatment or abandonment of treatment altogether.
Awards for veterinary malpractice vary dramatically from medical malpractice. In most cases, if the court rules in your favor in a vet malpractice case, you recover only the costs you paid for your pet’s treatment. If your pet dies, most state laws allow for only the “market value” of replacing your pet. Damages for “pain and suffering” are not considered.
It’s best to settle vet malpractice cases out of court whenever possible, mediators can be a great help in keeping emotions on both sides in check and coming to a solution workable for both sides.
Veterinarians are licensed in the state where they practice and it is possible to lodge a complaint with the state licensing board if malpractice is suspected. Once a complaint is filed with the board, they will investigate and take whatever action they feel is appropriate. Normal sanctions include fines, suspension or revoking the veterinarians license. Some licensing boards offer a dispute resolution service which can be more cost effective than a court case.
Info for this post from Whole Dog Journal, March 2012
Could YOU Be Making Your Dog Bark????
Party Marty, the amazing and phenomenal cat, here once again, dishing out the advice and dispensing the wisdom as only I know how! Boy! Do I hate dog barking! It makes my ears bleed! Does your dog bark excessively? Did you know that your dog’s barking may be attributed to YOUR behavior and mental state of mind? I’m just saying….
According to cesarsway.com, dogs bark for many reasons, but I found it interesting to discover that sometimes dogs bark in response to its owner’s negative energy. Yep! If you are frustrated over something, your dog will pick up on that sensitivity and let out that pent-up frustration by barking.
What to do? Quit that internal barking of your own and simmer down! I know…easier said than done, but if your dog barks and you can’t figure out why…no one at the door, no one outside the window, already went outside to conduct its business…that sort of thing…then look inward to see if he is barking at YOU! Hey! It could happen!
By the way, cats don’t bark! I’m just saying…
How to Keep a Cat from Becoming Bored
Party Marty here, still a little worn out from watching that NCAA basketball game last night: So, Kentucky won. Oh, well…what are you going to do? Let’s play! That’s right! Play! As a cat, it sometimes can get boring sitting around all day, waiting for the occasional belly rub or treat. I need more stimulation than that. Just because I am no longer a cute kitty, I do need more mental and physical excitement, if anything, for my state of mind and well-being. After all…would YOU just like to lie around all day and do nothing? No worries? (Don’t answer that!)
Unlike dogs that usually get a walk or two each day, all we live for involves eating, sleeping and, well, pooping. Boring after a while, wouldn’t you think? Let’s switch things up a bit! Take a few minutes out of your busy day and play with me! You just need the right playthings. C’mon! I’ll show you!
Cats love to play! If it involves chasing, swatting and pouncing, we’re in! Besides, just imagine the entertainment value it will hold for you in watching us have fun. Try this one: Tie a feather to a string and then attach it to a stick. As if you were fishing, dangle the feather above your cat’s head and watch him swat for it. Raise it up a bit higher and see what he does. Be sure to let him catch it and “win” a few times or he’ll just get bored and walk away.
Why not make a ball out of a few pipe cleaners? Throw it a few feet away from the cat and watch him go for it…and then try to pull it apart.
Next time the bagger at the store asks you, “Paper or plastic,” opt for paper. I don’t know any cat that cannot resist an empty paper bag. Put it on the ground on its side and watch your cat explore the bag. Scratch the outer surface of the bag when your cat is in there and watch him try to paw your hand from the inside. For more fun, cut a few holes into the bag and poke a feather or pipe cleaner in them to see if he will lunge for them! Just be careful not to poke him in the eye!
Thanks to pets.ca/cats for this great information! Now that March Madness is over, I need a new interest!
Does Your Dog Need An Attorney?
Due to the ever growing status of pets in our society, animal law is now a rapidly growing field. Half of the American Bar Association approved law schools now offer courses in animal law. Although any licensed attorney can handle animal law cases, it’s best to find out that has chosen this field as a specialty.
Following are some areas that would typically be considered an animal law case:
- Veterinary malpractice
- Pet injury or death
- Tenant/landlord disputes
- Custody and ownership disputes
- Dog bites
- Estate Planning
- Contractual Disputes and consumer complaints
On Wednesday, we’ll delve into veterinary malpractice and how the law views it.
Info for this series from Whole Dog Journal, March 2012
Cats and Dogs Working Together To Find Lost Pets
This story was featured on the Animal Planet Show Must Love Cats. Cheeto the cat helps train dogs to help find lost cats. Check out Karma the Pit Bull Detective…..this is a cool story!
Follow Us!