Category Archives: Cats

We love cats, and we strive to provide all the latest cat news as well as useful cat tips and accessories.

Cats, Dog Health, Dogs, Food Alert

Dog Food with Toxic Ingredients?

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Dog_food_ingredientsDo we feed dog food with toxic ingredients? Can it be that a dog food we all know very well from TV ads, that the manufacturer claims it is healthy, all natural and whole grains,  is in fact toxic?

You’ll have to decide. I don’t have the tools and the knowledge to determine if it is true or false.
On the consumer affair website you’ll find 1714 letters from dog owners claiming Beneful® Nestle Purina’s caused side affects and even killed their dog.  Some examples:

“started throwing up and had terrible diarrhea ”

“Exactly 7 days from start of mixing this food my poor German shepherd who was perfectly healthy died in my arms. ”

“I switched to Beneful dry dog food last spring thinking the commercials were right. I was under the assumption the food was good for dogs. My dog ended up with severe skin allergies and open sores due to the food. I had to take her to the vet’s office 3 different times and spent a bucket load of money on prescriptions. As soon as I took her off any Purina foods, she cleared up.”

You can read all complaints on the consumer affairs site

The issue i do have with the consumer affairs is that while i was on the site reading the Nestle Purina’s Beneful® consumer letters, a pop-up advertising other company’s dog food. In my book that is the last place i expect to see ads, and i ask myself (and you), is it ethical?

The FDA did investigate the food and the three factories where the food manufactured in the USA.  No action taken.

You can read FDA final report from 2013 

What you can take from all of the above? 
WE should not be influenced by ads only. 
We need to check and investigate our-self. Read labels and understand the ingredients and the order they are mentioned. As they say, if any ingredient name is too long that you cannot pronounce it, it shouldn't be there. Move on to the the next food. If meat or fish is not at the top of the list, move on to the next food, and so on. 
After all, all we want is a happy and healthy 4-legged baby at home.

 
**The facts in this article wasn’t checked by me. I am only reporting from the consumer affairs site and the FDA site

Cats, Dogs

Practice Fire Safety Basics for Pets

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Practice Fire Safety Basics for Pets with On Door Note

This article created in recognition of  National Pet Fire Safety Day, (July 15th 2016) Learn some fire safety basic for pets.

let’s take a look at a few simple tips that can both prevent fires and help in case of an actual emergency. A home fire is a traumatic event, and the thought of losing a beloved pet makes it all the more terrifying. Unfortunately, more than 40,000 pets die in fires each year, and well over 500,000 are impacted in some way. Some fires are even caused by pet-related accidents, which makes it all the more important to understand how to prevent fire and how to keep your pets safe in the event of an emergency. 

Be Alarmed

In the event of a fire, every second counts. The early warning provided by well-placed smoke detectors can make a critical difference, allowing you to locate your pets and get to safety. Carbon monoxide detectors are also recommended. For added protection, consider investing in a monitored alarm system, which can alert the proper authorities quickly even when you’re not home. Some services will also notify respondents if a pet is in the house. Or attach a note to you entrance and windows, alerting rescuers that you have pets in house. Mention type and numbers of each animal. (See image above)

Plan It Out

Just as you would for your family, you also need to make plans for how to evacuate your pets in the event of a fire. Determine in advance who will be responsible for each pet and designate a safe location at which everyone should meet. Since they are likely to be startled by the commotion, pets should be evacuated using a leash or carrier if at all possible. To make the process easier, keep collars, leashes and anything else you may need in a single location that is convenient and easy to access.

Tag and Chip Your Pets

Unfortunately, your pet may still escape during a fire despite your best efforts. If your pet does make a break for it, they’re likely to run a considerable distance and may not be easy to find. In order to increase the odds that they’ll be returned to you, be sure that your furry friend is properly tagged and implanted with a microchip. These simple steps will save a lot of trouble by making it much easier to identify your pet.

It’s All in the Preparation

If you’re planning to leave your home for any length of time, a little preparation can go a long way. Begin by keeping your pets near an entrance, where they are more likely to be found and rescued in the event of a fire. Keep Pet carriers and leashes nearby, and if you use a dog kennel, check to ensure that it’s easily opened. Additionally, affixing pet alert window clings to highly visible windows is an excellent way to notify respondents that there are pets inside.

Pet Proof Your Home

While preparing and developing safety plans is critically important, it’s only one side of the equation. It’s also important to practice fire prevention, and that begins by taking a few simple pet-proofing steps. Never use candles or other open flames in the presence of an unrestrained pet, and extinguish any flames before leaving the room. Turn off any space heaters or other potential ignition sources if you’re leaving the house, and keep pets away from them while you’re home. Most importantly, remove your stove’s knobs before you leave the house. A significant number of pet-related house fires occur as a result of pets accidentally turning on a cooktop, and removing the knobs makes this much less likely.

Fire is a destructive and potentially deadly hazard to both you and your pets, but there are many things you can do to mitigate the risk. It’s easy to access additional helpful online resources with even more pet safety information, and the ASPCA website offers free Pet Safety Pack for all families with animals. National Pet Fire Safety Day is an excellent occasion to review your own safety plan and learn new ways to protect your pets, so this July 15, spend a few minutes making sure that everyone in your family is protected from fire – whether they walk on two legs or four.

Cats, Dogs, Puppy Tips

Crating Your Dog

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crating your dog (pet)Crating your dog  is one thing we never used where i am coming from. Europe.  I do understand that the crate can be a good tool for housetraining, and some learning. Especially in the early stage of a young pups.  But when we think of our pets as family members, we spend so much money on healthy pet food, Alpaca sweaters,  orthopedic beds, clever toys and metal cage.

I am not a trainer, and i don’t want to sound like one, or give any advise from training point of view. I only talk about the crate itself.

Pet owners should understand that you can’t just put the pup in a crate and throw away the key.  As it stated on pedfinder.com “The rule of thumb for crating is no longer than one hour per each month of age, up to nine to ten hours maximum … Each session should be preceded and succeeded by an hour of aerobic exercise. If this is too long for your dog, hire a dog walker to exercise him midday.” That sounds nice, but i am sure not many people come home after a work day and take the dog, that was caged all this time, for an hour of aerobic exercise. Nay.

I was working as a Realtor for a while, and i can’t forget this one house, they had a beautiful big German shepherd, in a crate. The only thing he could do comfortably is laying down. He couldn’t fully seat not to say standing. And i am asking you, would you like to be caged  for nine hours like that? Nay.

So, if you feel the crating your dog is a must, be generous with the size and space you give your pet. Weather it’s a cat or a dog, Give them enough space to sleep, seat, stand.

 

Have the wires covered, put a nice mat, if it is winter, you can even have a blanket. Cover the the crate with nice designer crate cover collection to keep the space warmer and to give privacy and secure feeling. It is beneficial for your pet and will look wonderful in your home.

The other option instead of crating your dog, is having a pet gate and preventing them from going places you don’t want them to go in the house. Choose a room (if you have a sun room or den with lots of windows that will be the best choice) and have water , toys and his mat /bed. Use the gate to prevent him from roaming the house. He will be so much happier having the option to look out, bark on squirrels, sleep and play. Would you prefer to be treated that way, if you were a dog? Yap

Again, no training recommendation been intended in this article.