The cat’s finely tuned sense of balance is regulated by a specialized organ found deep inside the ear. Balance allows Kitty to travel great heights and effortlessly leap long distances. It is the cat’s uncanny flexibility and motion control, coupled with intricate balance sense that allows the falling cat to land on her feet. Find out how…
At the risk of hissing off men, and with tongue firmly in cheek, I had a lot of fun putting this list together of 10 reasons pets are better than men. Frankly, most items could be applied to women, too–or kids. Or (fill in the bank). What do you think? Have I missed anything?
If you’re a cat owner, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of finding your beloved feline using your sofa, furniture, or even your curtains as their personal scratching post. While scratching is a completely natural behaviour for cats, it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your furniture. (Sponsored Guest Post)
Getting cut/fired, told you’re not wanted, hurts but bleeding is good for writers and pets. Anything truly beautiful and worthy of our passion has the power to cut. And anyone truly open to change and growth must be willing to sacrifice for their art–and yes, bleed….
Have you ever used flower essences for dogs and cats? Do you think they’re effective? Or is this “woo-woo” stuff just a hoax that works, if at all, with a placebo effect? Here’s what you need to know.
Do you have potty buddies? Do your cats love bathrooms? Does your cat follow you to the bathroom, paw-pat under the toilet door, yowl for attention when you want privacy? What’s up with that?! Why do cats love bathrooms? And yes, dogs do this too…here’s all the reasons why.
When dog shedding and cat shedding creates hairy tumbleweeds, it creates a fur-ocious mess you need to manage. At one time, our German Shepherd Magic’s fur shedding turned our cream carpet to gray. Today we live with two short-haired pets. But Karma-Kat’s silver fur and the Shadow-Pup’s undercoat become furry dust mice on the kitchen’s slate floor, float through the air, and cling to upholstery and clothing. Knowing what to do goes beyond keeping the house clean. Proper fur care can prevent skin problems and also help manage hairballs.
Exposure to sunlight or artificial light determines the timing and amount of shedding. “It is a normal process which can be accelerated under certain circumstances,” says Steven Melman, VMD, an internationally known expert on veterinary dermatology and the founder of DermaZoo.com. In fact, indoor pets exposed to artificial light shed nonstop, even during triple-digit summer or frigid winter months.
Whatever time of year shedding occurs, it’s aggravating, and a nonstop cleaning challenge. Why do pets shed fur, and how can we manage the mess?
Pets shed in both the spring and fall. Shadow-Pup leaves mini-drifts of fuzz I sweep up daily, all summer long. Karma-Kat’s URK-factor (hairballs) increases with pet shedding season. Yuck! The fur flies about the same time as allergy season begins. If you suffer from allergic reactions to your cat or dog, check out these pet allergy tips.
Dog Shedding Time!
Cat and dog shedding may be a big hairy deal—but it is normal. Magical-Dawg used to leave drifts of black fur everywhere. Although Shadow-Pup’s medium-coarse fur, and Karma-Kat’s short light fur isn’t nearly as noticeable, they also shed.
Year-round floating fur increases the challenge of keeping dry cleaned apparel in a Fido-free zone. You can’t stop pet shedding. Unless you’re a passionate pet lover who considers pet hair to be a condiment, understanding how to tame the hairy mess will keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy and simplify housecleaning…
Dog Hairball Prevention, Not Just For Cats!
Hairballs are the bane of cat owners but hairballs can also affect dogs. Yes, dogs can get hairballs, too! How many of y’all have discovered Fluffy’s “gift” by walking barefoot late at night? That cigar-shaped slick nasty “squish” disgusts pet owners, and though it’s quite common for cats to urk up the occasional hairball–it is NOT normal. Dog hairballs happen, too. Learn all about dog hairballs and ways to prevent them…
Many years ago (in dog years, I should be dead!) I began this journey to guide pet parents by writing about dogs and cats. Basically, I created dog lover guides and cat lover guides to help folks make informed decisions about their fur kids’ health, care, fun, and partnership. Here are some of my favorite resources.
Yes, cat separation anxiety affects many felines. When school restarts, and the kids go back to class, your cats (and your dogs) may suffer from separation anxiety. The signs of distress are very different, though. I encourage you to read on to learn about tips for helping your furry family members adjust.
More recently, with more folks working from home, the cats have finally settled into a new routine. But just about the time Kitty gets used to your new schedule, the world changes again if you go back to the office. That may make them more prone to developing separation behaviors when you go back to work or kids return to school and leave them alone.
We very often hear about doggy angst during a beloved human’s absence, but what about cats? Yep, it’s exactly the same—only different. Here’s how.
WIth back to school this month, you may wonder how to deal with dog separation anxiety. Whether the adults change work schedules, kids have less time to play with Fido, or college and classes means routine goes out the window, dog separation behaviors cause stress for everyone. Will canine separation anxiety become a problem for your dog? After summer vacation with the kiddos, dogs left behind at home can mope and feel awful…and so can cats. Any kind of absence might result in canine separation anxiety. Here’s what you need to know.
I’ve recently had a couple of requests for some insight into a very common dog behavior–one my own Shadow-Pup indulges (see picture above). That is, why does my dog paw my arm? Here are two requests…and then we’ll get into the reasons behind the behavior.
For cat lovers, one of the most common feline poses can be puzzling. We know that cats communicate not only with meows and purrs, but also scent and body position. A comical posture of happy, healthy cats, something I call “elevator butt,” actually communicates different information.
The pose looks similar to the canine play-bow, and in some circumstances, has a similar meaning. The cat lowers her front end toward the ground, while elevating her nether regions and tail. Kitty looks sort of like a race car revving her engines…
Ever wonder why cats won’t eat, or why your dog snubs the bowl? All pets lose their appetite once in a while. It’s normal if pets won’t eat for a meal or two.
When you live with and love pets, a certain amount of crappiocca comes with the territory. That doesn’t mean you must LIVE with a spraying cat. You need to understand why do cats spray before you can stop the behavior. Here’s what you need to know.
Do you know how to introduce dogs to cats? Or how to choose the right pet for your existing pet home? This past week’s behavior consults included a family with two cats wanting to introduce a young German Shepherd to their life. The couple has had lots of dog and cat experience but wanted specific tips to smooth the transition and keep their kitties happy and safe.
It’s Check Your Pet Microchip Day on August 15! If you ever wondered how does a dog microchip or cat microchip work for pets, read on! Your cats and dogs are microchipped, right? When he was (ahem) neutered, Shadow-Pup got his microchip. Both Bravo-Dawg and Karma-Kat already had microchips so that if the worst happens, we’d be reunited. I don’t even what to think about losing my pets.
It goes beyond checking for the chip, too. Keep your pet info updated. When I added Shadow to my pet account, I also adjusted for Karma’s weight (he’s shed some poundage, good kitty!). I changed Bravo’s picture once he became a tripawd dawg and then, sadly, let them know he’d passed away.
And of course, I also have tags on my pets, to give ’em every reason to be found. Here’s everything you need to know about microchipping pets.
Dogs can contract tapeworm from ingesting fleas during self grooming, or eating a dead animal. Here’s what you need to know to protect your cats and dogs from tapeworms.
Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author. You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website.
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