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Posts Tagged ‘ Joy of Living Pet Sitting services ’

Are You An Ailurophile?

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Bo, the incredible cat:  Since we were snowed in this weekend, I decided to take it upon myself to do a bit of research to find out some fun and interesting facts about cats.  We are a unique and clever breed, and, in my estimation, perhaps far superior to those other four-legged creatures that run amongst our domestic arenas, commonly referred to as dogs.  Have you ever noticed that when someone is insulting another person, they might say, “You, dog, you!”  Have you ever heard someone say, “You, cat, you?”  At any rate, here are a few interesting tid bits about cats.  Jessie is fast asleep now, so she has no idea that I am elaborating on what will be a delicate subject for her!

*The cat’s tail is used to maintain its balance.

*Ailurophile is the word officially used to describe cat lovers.

*Cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.

*There are more bones in a cat’s body than in a human’s body.  While humans have a mere 206 bones, cats boast a more robust 230 bones!

*The life expectancy of cats has almost doubled over the past 50 years.

*Domestic cats can run up to speeds of 30 mph, which comes in handy when you have just insulted the family dog and need to high-tail it out of there!

*The average life-span of an outdoor cat is roughly three to five years, while an indoor cat can expect to live 16 years or longer.  (I wonder what the life span is for an outdoor dog versus an indoor dog?  Does Jessie really need to be inside all of the time?)

*A cat will sleep for about 16 hours a day.  Yes, we need to revitalize our wonderful brains and bodies.  Speaking of which, it is my nap time.  I hope you have enjoyed these interesting cat tid bits.

For more intersting trivia on cats, or to have someone loving and caring take care of your pets while you are away, contact the cat (and dog!) experts at Joy of Living Pet Sitting Services in Kansas City.  They are Kansas City’s PREMIERE pet sitting service!  Couldn’t you use more Joy in your Living?

(Information for this post was found at www.catsinfo.com)

What do you sense your cat senses?

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Bo, the incredible cat: Finally!  A time for me to take to the podium and inform my loyal readers of important things to know about cats.  In this particular entry, I will commence a series of mini-dissertations about the senses of cats and…

Jessie, the lovable pooch, interrupting: Excuse me, but I was under the distinct impression that cats had no sense!

Bo: I was referring to our senses of sight, smell, taste, etc.  From the looks of you today, however, I see you have no fashion sense!

Jessie: Well, from the smell of you today, I can tell you that my olfactory sense is highly sensitive today.  When was the last time you cleaned yourself?

Bo, to the audience: I am going to pretend I did not hear that and will return to my commentary.  Today, let me focus on cat’s eyes.  (No pun intended there.  Get it?  Focus?  Eyes?  Never mind!)  Cats are blessed with extremely sensitive vision, particulary when the lights are dim.  Our night vision is of Superman strength, too.  In fact, we can functino at just 1/6 the light level required for human vision.

Jessie: So? Are you also going to point out that domestic cats have poor color vision and can only see two colors:  blue and green?  How do you respond to that?

Bo: Just be thankful I am not looking at you in black and blue right now.  Stay tuned for an interesting tidbit about our whiskers!

Jessie: Here we go again, referring to how sensitive you felines are!  I’m going to go take a nap.  I want to experience a little bit of Joy of Living while I nod off.

(Karen Harrison is the owner of Joy of Living Pet Sitting Services in Kansas City and will happily provide excellent care for your pets while you are away.  Advice from Bo and Jessie is optional!)

Tips to Minimize Pet Stress Over the Holidays

Monday, December 14th, 2009

The holidays are seen as a happy time of year.  So much excitement abounds!  The decorations, the lights, the parties, and more are all part of the festive mood.  However, since our pets are creatures of habit, this temporary upset in the balance may cause undue stress on them.  Some of the elements that can stress your pet out at this time of year include the parties, the decorations, the food, the music, the extra house guests, and even lights that stay on for several hours at a time, thereby uspetting your pet’s normal sleep schedule.  In addition, you are probably busier than usual now, and your pet may feel the lack of attention.

Some signs of stress in a pet can include a change in appetite, eating more or even less. There be may changes in your pet’s bowel movements.  Your pet may find a hiding spot and refuse to come out.  He may even bite.

To help your pet deal with the holiday stress, maintain his feeding and hygiene routines.  Do not make any big changes in diet during this time of the year.  Give your pet toys to occupy him when you cannot give him your complete attention.  Limit your pet’s exposure to people and activity.  The key here is to remember to stick to the normal routine as much as possible.  Also, be sure to spend quality time with your pet each day.  He will truly appreciate you for it, and the time spent with him will serve to reduce your holiday stress level, as well!

Remember! The experts at  Joy of Living Pet Sitting Services can provide complete pet sitting services for you during this busy time of the year.

(Information for this post was found at www.drsfostersmith.com)

This dog (or cat!) is in hot water, literally!

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Bo, the adorable cat:  Our Yorkie-Poo friend, Bolt, got bathed yesterday.  He tells us he is not too keen on getting his precious fur all wet, but we have to gently remind him that getting bathed regularly is important for us critters….especially the dogs!

Jessie, the lovable dog  (with paws over her nose):  When was the last time YOU had a bath?

Bo:  We cats are so well-trained and independent that we handle these matters privately.  At any rate, if you have a pet with normal or healthy skin, we have some bathing advice for you.  Some folks will only bathe their dog when the stink becomes too much to bear.  In actuality, your mutt should be bathed more frequently to remove any potential allergens, dead hair, and skin, and excessive oil in the hair and on the skin.  So, in the summer, aim for giving your dog a bath every two weeks, and in the cooler months of winter, perhaps once a month will do.  As for us cats, well, we are highly adept at grooming oursevles and do not need this type of bathing ritual. 

Jessie:  I heard that cats should be bathed on occasion and that it is best to get them used to it while they are still kittens!

Bo:  Well, if that is the case, then please make sure you are very careful about your shampoo selection for me!  As for your canine friends, you should also be selective here.  You need to use a shampoo that will clean the hair and skin but won’t remove the thin layer of oil.  The experts at www.ingleburnvet.com.au suggest using the natural shampoo from Dermacare or Aloveen or Fido’s Everday Shampoo.

Jessie:  Don’t forget the fleas!  You need to get rid of those nasty fleas!

Bo:  Yes, YOU do!  Certain flea shampoos do well at killing fleas, but the effects are usually short-lived and fleas will return after the fur is dry.  You may want to look into a good flea rinse.  I would rather mention what NOT to use, as these could harm your dog:

*Medicated shampoos, unless prescribed by a veterinarian.  These can dry and damage the skin.

*Human shampoo.  You people are 100 tmes more acidic than your dogs!

*Soaps of any kind, as these will only dry out the skin.

*Do not use eucalyptus or tea tree oils.  These will irritate the skin.

*Laundry detergent (huh?  people have tried this?) will remove that thin layer of oil on the skin.

For more information on how to bathe your dog, just ask the pet sitting experts at Joy of Living Pet Sitting Services in Kansas City.  They know their stuff!

 

 

Keep the sugar-free snacks away from your dog!

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Bo and Jessie here!  We have a serious article to share with all of you about the treats you might feed your dogs and how they can be harmful, if not deadly, to your furry friends.

Most everyone knows that chocolate is not good for dogs, but we will let our humans indulge to their hearts’ content!  Now on the scene of deadly ingredients for dogs is xylitol, a common sweetener found in sugarless gum and other sugar-free snacks.  This chemical is safe for our humans to consume, but when a dog ingests it, his or her blood sugar levels drop significantly.  This creates a situation where the brain cannot get enough energy to do its job.  (And Jessie needs to be alert enough to come up with a daily dose of insults for Bo!)  Upon consuming xylitol, dogs may vomit or become lethargic and disoriented.  (According to Bo, Jessie seems to act this way all the time!)  When the blood sugar levels drop dangerously low, this can lead to seizures.  Left untreated, dogs can die.

If you know or suspect your canine has gotten into some xylitol, get him or her to the vet within 30 minutes to an hour.  The vet can administer treatment to elevate the blood sugars back up to a stable level.

For more information, click on the link below.

Stay safe!  Keep the sugar-free stuff away from your pooches!

http://www.pawnation.com/2009/09/08/sugar-free-gum-and-snacks-can-be-deadly-for-pets/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Fsugar-free-gum-and-snacks-can-be-deadly-for-pets%2F