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Posts Tagged ‘ cats ’

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Does Your Pet Need a Pit Stop?

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

When traveling, we occasionally need a pit stop, but what options does your pet have when waiting at the airport for your flight?

With the number of pet owners that travel with their pets on the rise, many airports are adding pet relief areas or lounges to give pets the opportunity for bathroom breaks and a little exercise.  The pet areas were originally developed to assist travelers with service dogs, convenient relief areas weren’t required until the department published changes last year to the Air Carrier Access Act, which spells out travel rights for people who have physical disabilities.

These pet areas are often outside but within walking distance of the terminal.  A few airports such as Dulles International in Washington DC have indoor pet areas within its security zone, in addition to three relief areas outside. Engineers designed them after studying other dog parks. They contain ventilation and wall-mounted water-distribution systems for cleaning.

If you’re planning to take your pet with you on a flight, you can check petfriendlytravel.com to see if your destination or layover point has a pet relief area, and where it’s located in relation to the airport terminal.

Bon voyage!

Some information for this post from USAToday.com

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Posted in Human Pet Connection, Pet Wellness, cats, dogs, pet care | No Comments »

Cat Craving a Spa Day?

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Many of us like to relax and treat ourselves to a spa day every once in a while.  Did you know there are many resorts across the country that provide the “spa experience” for cats that like to travel?  Statistics from the Travel Industry Association of America indicate 15% of the pets traveling are felines.  If your feline is one that likes to get away for some R&R once in a while, check out these hotel/resorts:

  • Firesky Resort, Scottsdale, AZ.  This facility offers in-room spa services, a “Finicky Feline Pampering Kit”, Yappy Hour, catnip toy, and a map of nearby pet-friendly restaurants and grooming services.  They also offer a Guppy Love program where they provide a fish for your kitty to watch.
  • Soho Grand, New York, NY.  They provide kitty room service, litter boxes, kennels, leashes, beds and even pet toothbrushes and toothpaste!
  • W Hotels, New Orleans, LA.  Pet turndown service including a special treat.  Additional services include in-room pet massages, home baked treats, Evian water, special videos, pet coats for rainy days, pet tags, custom pet beds, birthday cakes and pet first aid kits.
  • James Hotel, Chicago, IL.  Upon check-in you receive a Pet Travel Kit (includes house pet menu, pet spa service menu, special treats, catnip toy, ped bed, food and water bowls with floor mat, and turndown service with truffle.  Room service pet specials include poached salmon, salmon and tuna tartar with creme fraiche and after dinner mints.  They also offer paw-dicures, grooming, pet taxi service and aromatherapy spa services.
  • Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA.  Services include designer pet beds, specialized “heavenly pet bed” duvets and even plush robes.
  • Loews Portofino Bay Resort, Orlando, FL.  Offers a special pet room service menu.  The pet package offers a “Pet Welcome” amenity complete with kitty bowls, place mats and treats, scratch pole, pet video, pet bed, leashes and collars.

Go ahead and take that spa vacation, don’t forget your feline friend!

Some information obtained from Petsweekly.com

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Posted in cats, pet care | 1 Comment »

Does Your New Cat Know the House Rules?

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

Congratulations, you’ve just adopted a new cat!  What sort of gear do you need to keep your feline friend happy and healthy?  The list includes litter and a litter box, bed, food and water bowls, a carrier and an ID tag.  Another important thing to remember is to check with the shelter or breeder where you adopted the cat to check on his/her current diet and eating habits.  Cats can be particular about food and it can cause digestive problems if you change the type of food you feed your new pet.

If you have other pets, it is important to introduce the new addition correctly.  Confine the new arrival to a specific area, being very careful to limit the amount of exposure to the other pets in the home.  Gradually increase the space available and exposure time the new arrival and the established pets.

Is your new addition a kitten?  If so, there are some basic “rules of the road” to enforce that will prevent problems later.

  • Be sure there are the correct number of litter boxes for the number of cats in the home.  The rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one additional box.  Be sure the boxes are in easy-to-reach locations and provide a level of privacy for the cat(s).
  • Offer plenty of toys and interactive playtime to satisfy her instincts.  If she attacks your ankles or tends to bite when you pet her, redirect these behaviors to a feather wand or other toy she can clutch and sink her teeth into.
  • Provide posts and cat trees for scratching, climbing and playing.  Posts and cat trees will satisfy a cat’s natural instinct to climb and jump, sharpen your claws and help protect your furniture.
  • Reinforce good behavior and redirect unwanted behavior.  Cats often like to “counter surf”, a way to prevent this is covering the counter with aluminum foil (cats hate the sound of the foil and how it feels on their paws).  Another trick is to put pennies in clean, empty soda cans and line them up on the counter.  Your cat will be startled by the sound the cans makes when they fall.

Adding a feline to your home can be a plus, but be sure they know and obey the “house rules”.

Information from this post derived from Cat Fancy magazine, April 2010 and The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cat, Cat Breeds & Cat Care by Alan Edwards

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Posted in Human Pet Connection, cats, pet behavior, pet care | 3 Comments »

Did I Adopt My Cat or Did He Adopt Me?

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Interesting question………..eight years ago, as I first time cat owner I wasn’t sure what I was looking for in a feline friend.  As it turned out, I was very fortunate that Bo picked me, we’ve been a team ever since.

Research has been done to study the first interactions between cats and their owners with some interesting results.  Dennis Turner, a renowned cat expert, and Claudia Martens used ethology, the study of animal behavior to gain information on the first interactions between cats and their owners.  Their research study included 240 people and 19 cats, following are some findings.

In the experiment, when the person ignored the cat, 68% of the cats approached the person to within one meter, showing an interest in interacting.  There was more distance between cat and adult than between cat and child, but cats did approach adults more readily than they approached children.  Cats also approached females more than males whether adult or child.

When people interacted with the cat, adults vocalized to the cat earlier than children did, but children approached cats sooner than the adults did.  This shows that vocalizing before approaching the cat to make physical contact was more successful.  Boys tended to follow a retreating cat the more than girls or adults did.

This study shows how we first form bonds with our feline companions.   With this being Adopt-A-Cat month, think about adding a feline to your household, you’ll be glad you did!

Information for this post was obtained from Cat Fancy Magazine, May 2010

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Posted in Human Pet Connection, cats, pet behavior | 3 Comments »

National Pet ID Week

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Every year many pets are lost, with only a very small percentage (15% of dogs and 2% of cats) being reunited with their families.  To dramatically increase the chances of finding your pet if they get lost, pet identification is a must.  National Pet ID Week, April 18-24, brings focus to the importance of identification for your pet.

Microchipping has become a popular form of pet identification in recent years.  Statistics have shown that chances of finding a lost pet are six times greater if they’re microchipped.  Microchips are small, about the size of a grain of rice, and are embedded under the skin.  Each pet is assigned a unique identification that can be read by universal microchip readers at vet offices and many emergency pet care clinics or shelters.

Many animal shelters provide microchipping for pets they have available for adoption.  If you have a pet that has not been microchipped, many shelters offer specials on microchipping at their facility, or at community events.

If worried about adverse effects of microchipping your pet, read “Microchipping of Animals” at the American Veterinary Medical Association website, www.avma.org . Studies tracked reported adverse effects for nearly a decade, and found that the majority of complaints involved chips migrating from their implantation site. There were very few other problems.

On the other hand, dogs have been recovered by owners from hundreds of miles away, or years after they disappeared, when a scanner was finally applied to the dog.

The new AKC mixed breed program automatically enrolls registered mixed breeds in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) system. The 2006 National Animal Disaster Summit post hurricanes Katrina and Rita advised that all animals rescued during a disaster should be microchipped, as chips facilitated the identification of rescued animals.

Other identification methods include ensuring your pet has a collar with up-to-date license, rabies tag and contact information either on the collar itself or on a separate tag attached to the collar.

Even the most responsible pet owner can become separated from their pet unexpectedly, so be sure your pet has identification in the event it happens to you.

Some information for this post was gathered from www.examiner.com

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Posted in cats, dogs, pet care | 10 Comments »

Spring favorites can be deadly to cats

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Bo, the astute cat:  I love that Spring is here!  It is the best time of year!  However, if you are tending to a beautiful garden or are a flower enthusiast of some sort, I am here to caution you about one of the most gorgeous flowers around:  the lily.  As stunningly beautiful as they are, they are a health risk to your cat.  Members of the plant genus Lillium, which includes Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Rubrums, Japanese show lilies, Stargazer lilies, and Daylilies can pose a toxin risk to your cat.  When cats chew on the leaves of these plants, they can sustain kidney damage or even death.  All parts of the plant are toxic, and your cat can become ill just chewing on one leaf.

I have always known that we cats are unique in an abundance of ways, but we are also unique when it comes to lilies.  Dogs, rabbits, and rats do not seem to respond to the toxins in lilies as cats do.  While dogs may experience some minor tummy troubles from eating the leaves off these plants, they typically do not get renal damage.

Cats who are afflicted with the toxins of these plants will first present with vomiting, usually wtihing two to six hours after ingestion.  While the vomiting may stop for awhile, it will usually return over the course of the next few days.

If your cat has ingested any part of these types of plants/flowers, please get him or her to your veterinarian immediately.  If you postpone treatment more than 18 hours, your cat is at risk for kidney failure or death.

While we may enjoy the visual delights of these flowers at a distance, please keep them away from us.  If you love lilies so much, but also love your cat, consider just posting photos of lilies in your home.  Sure, not the same thing, but you will still have the pleasure of our company!  Besides, a lily will not crawl up into your lap and snuggle!

(Information for this post was found at http://www.care2.com/greenliving/lilies-deadly-for-cats.html)

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When Spring Cleaning Has Gone to the Dogs!

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Jessie, the neat and clean dog:  I am so excited that spring is here!  I love the fresh, warm air; the calming breezes; and the smiling sun.  It does my heart good to celebrate in this glorious season. However, along with spring comes that dreaded spring cleaning ritual.  Sure, it makes us all feel good to get it done, but what a pain it can be.  Plus, with pets on hand and underfoot, we can add to your work load.  I tend to be rather neat and clean, but I have seen the work that my canine colleagues have done to their humans’ homes, so I am here to offer some tips to reduce that spring cleaning work load.

First, get rid of any and all house cats.  They are the worst offenders.

Bo, house cat extraordinaire:  I beg your pardon?  It seems to me that the DOGS bring in the most dirt and grime.  Cats are simply self-cleaning machines.

Jessie:  I was just kidding.  I only wanted to see if you were paying attention! So, back to business.  If you want to avoid muddy pawprints all over your clean floor this spring, teach your dog to stand at the door so you can wipe his paws before he comes in.  Be sure to use a soft, damp cloth…and remember to clean between the toes, too!  He could soon come to see this as some sort of paw massage or paw-dicure!

If you don’t want your muddy dog to roll all over your floor or your furniture while he is covered in mud, put slip covers on any furniture your dog is normally allowed to sit on.  Floor runners and mats can protect your carpets.

Many breeds of dogs shed all throughout the year.  It might become more obvious in the spring time as they begin to shed their winter coats.  To tackle this problem, brush your dog more frequently all of that fur gets stuck in the furniture or in the carpet.  You have enough work to do with pets….who needs dust bunnies?

Now is a good time to wash your dog’s bedding.  Use a commercial laundromat for the bigger beds.  Or, if you are lucky and you have a doggie bed with a removable cover, just stick that cover in your home washing machine.  It is best to use a non-scented detergent and do not use dryer sheets, as they can irritate your dog’s skin.

Those are my spring cleaning tips for the day!  I hope I have kick-started your week. (Looking around now…)  Speaking of kick-starting, where is that mangy cat?

(Information for this article was found at http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/howpetownerscanembracespringcl-1548.)

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Posted in Pet Wellness, cats, dogs, pet care | 11 Comments »

Beautiful Flower, But Deadly for your Pet

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Bo and Jessie have taken the holiday weekend off and left me in charge of their post for today.  With spring now here, many of us are planting spring flowers and plants. Our pets, like us, enjoy beautiful plants and flowers.  Pets, however, sometimes like to nibble on the ones they find most appealing.  This habit could have serious, even deadly, repercussions.

The ASPCA has developed a list of some the most common pet poisonous plants:

  • Lilies-especially toxic for cats, ingesting even a small amount can lead to severe kidney damage
  • Marijuana-causes depression of central nervous system, increased heart rate, seizures, even coma
  • Sage Palm-Seeds or “nuts” are especially toxic, can cause liver failure or seizures
  • Tulip/Narcissus Bulbs-may cause severe gastrointestinal irritation or cardiac abnormalities
  • Azalea/Rhododendron-Severe azalea poinsoning may lead to coma or death from cardiovascular collapse
  • Oleander-Can cause hypothermia, abnormal heart function and death
  • Castor Bean-Severe cases of poisoning can cause dehydration, seizures, even death
  • Cyclamen-Main source of poison in the roots.  May cause serious gastrointestinal irritation, even death in extreme cases
  • Chrysanthemum-May cause vomiting, diarrhea or loss of coordination
  • Pothos-Can cause swelling of oral tissues and other parts of gastrointestinal tract
  • Amaryllis-Can cause depression, vomiting, tremors or abdominal pain
  • English Ivy-May cause hypersalivation, vomiting or abdominal pain

 

Liven up your indoor and outdoor living space with beautiful plants, but keep your pets in mind when making your selections.  For more information on this subject, see www.aspca.org

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Is Your Pet Fit or Fat?

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Did you know about 44% of dogs and 57% of cats are overweight?  Being overweight leads to a higher risk of arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and behaviorial problems in dogs and cats.

Not sure if your pet is fit or fat?  A fit dog or cat’s ribs can be felt and there is a slight waist when viewed from above.  In overweight pets, the ribs are difficult to feel and there is no waist when viewed from above.  When pets are obese, their ribs are very difficult to feel and when viewed from above, there is no waist and a broad back.

For those pets battling weight issues, it is possible to still give them treats.  Following are some healthy pet treat options:

  • Cooked or raw carrots or green beans.  Dogs love the taste!
  • Reduce the size and/or number of treats given
  • Reserve a portion of daily food allowance to use as treats
  • Stuff hollow toys with morsels of food.  Pets will work off energy trying to get the food out of the toy

 

Another way to help with your pet’s weight management is to get them moving.  A game of Find the Treat works for cats and dogs.  Hide treats at various locations and your pet will search until they’ve found all of them.  This works especially well for cats using small bowls of food.  Their natural predatory instinct will kick in and they will hunt the food throughout the day.

Many pets will chase remote-controlled toys.  Look for ones that are pet-friendly and do not contain small parts that could be swallowed.  A variation on this for cats is a red laser light.  Many cats love chasing the light and this game provides a good amount of exercise for them.

With warmer weather on the way, swimming is a good exercise, especially for dogs with joint injuries or arthritis.  Playing fetch is also a great exercise option for dogs.

All of these exercise options are a great opportunity to bond with your pet.  Have fun and get moving with your pet today!

Information for this posting from Healthy Pet Magazine, Fall 2009 & Spring 2010

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Positive Aspects of Pet Adoption

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Many potential pet owners are not aware of how many pets are available at shelters. They might also have the misconception that pets are shelters might be there because there was a problem with the animal.  In some cases animals are lost and never found by their owners.  These animals are healthy and very eager to please. 

Some people are seeking purebred animals or puppies and think these are not available in shelters. In fact, nearly a quarter of all animals in shelters are purebred. Often someone buys an expensive purebred animal and then attempts to breed that animal to recoup their money. If these puppies or kittens are not placed in homes, and end up in the shelter.  

Often, potential pet owners are looking for a kitten or puppy, but when an owner adopts an adult animal, they can see his/her size and temperament.  Adult pets are very often housetrained and past the behavior issues associated with kittens and puppies.

Adopting a pet can be an important lesson to teach your children– both about the value of life, and also about civic responsibility and even recycling- in this case recycling a living and loving animal into a new home. 

When looking for a pet to add to your family, consider a shelter or rescue pet.  My pets (and regular bloggers here) Bo and Jessie were both adopted from area rescue groups.

For more information on pet adoption, check out http://www.adoptapet.com

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