With the new year starting, and the kiddos heading back to school soon, that conjures up a mixed bag of memories. Have you ever reinvented yourself? Or staged a do-over? What does that “door” mean–a lost opportunity, or does it open into new possibilities? I’m revisiting an older post with some new thoughty-thoughts.
Merry Christmas! A song for the holidays!
Here’s your musical Merry Christmas wish! Yes, that’s me singing…may all your holidays be bright!
Holiday Pet Books, Time to Order!
This year, Amazon has delayed nearly every book order I’ve made. That’s incredibly frustrating when “gifting” for the holidays. I see books ordered TODAY not expected to arrive before December 24 at the earliest, eeeek! Order PAW-tographed copies NOW to get ’em in time for the holidays.
Why Is Your Cat Obsessed With Phones & Tablets
When the phone rings, does your cat come running? At our house, until recently we still have a land line with a long cord, in addition to our cell phones. My Karma-Kat tried to bite through the long red spiral cord whenever I’m in a conversation. Some cat lovers report that their kitties become aggressive around the telephone. Here’s what’s going on…
Why Dogs Love Your Underwear!
Watch this Ask Amy Youtube video to answer this question!
Amy Shojai To Speak at Denison Publishing Panel
Mark your calendars for Saturday Feb 8 from 10-2:00. The Denison (Texas) Public Library is hosting the first ever Denison LitCon on February 8th from 10am-2pm. There will be costume contests, voice actors, authors, VR gaming (for ages 13+), caricature art, trading card games, and more. You won’t want to miss it!
After the morning publishing panel, Amy (and others) will have books available to sign. Come on out and ask questions, hang out, learn about publishing, and maybe “adopt” a paw-tographed book!
Happy Holidays!
I’m taking the rest of the week off…and hope you can, too. May you have a marvelous holiday season, no matter how you celebrate. Click the picture (above) or this link for a quick and fun animated holiday greeting — I’m so glad you’re part of my world! Click the link (inside) for a fun dog and cat holiday card.
THRILLER LARGE PRINT FORMATS ARE HERE!
Now available, large print editions of the September & Shadow Thrillers. You can get these in paperback or hardcover, at a deep discount, from Amy’s store. Or… learn how to get them into your library! Read on…
AAFP Updates Name to Feline Veterinary Medical Association
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has changed its name to Feline Veterinary Medical Association. Learn more about the change here.
Recent Posts
Next Shojai Thriller Update (and other schtuff): Shitake happens
Here’s an update on the next thriller… along with some fun podcasts, a cello experience, and a “thrilling” (NOT!) medical emergency. All is well… read on for details.
Why Dogs Chew Your Best Stuff
Dogs use their mouths like people use our hands. That means nearly everything goes into the puppy’s mouth as he explores the world, and teething pups chew to relieve the discomfort. Dogs never outgrow the gnawing habit, though, and that can get them in trouble.
Here’s why they target your favorite things…and what you can do to reduce the risk.
Pet Dehydration? Causes, Symptoms & First Aid for Dog Dehydration and Cat Dehydration
Cat and dog dehydration refers to the excessive loss of body water. Pets are prone to dehydration when the weather gets very hot, and they don’t have access to enough water. As a result, they can develop heatstroke. More often, though, dog and cat dehydration happens from vomiting and diarrhea.
Here in Texas, we’ve had weeks of triple-digit temperatures. I worry about the outside pets, but even indoor cats and dogs can suffer from dehydration. Normal water loss occurs in the pet’s bathroom deposits, through moisture exhaled with the breath, and through sweat. These fluids get replaced when the cat and dog eat and drink.
Any illness may prompt pets to stop eating and drinking, and prolonged fever increases the loss of body fluid. Specific disease conditions or injuries like diabetes or kidney disease may cause excessive urination that also causes of dehydration.
Cats evolved as desert creatures and have an amazing ability to conserve water, but cat dehydration can still kill. Even though cats seem to prefer to drink water in the weirdest places (the sink? your glass? the TOILET?!) they most often just don’t drink enough water. Here’s what you need to know.
Pet Rescue Breathing & CPR Saves Cat & Dog Lives
Do you know how perform Pet Rescue Breathing and pet CPR? You can save your dog or cat’s life by knowing how to do pet CPR and how to perform rescue breathing. Pets suffer brain injury and death if oxygen is cut off for only a few minutes. When minutes count, rescue breathing can save your pet’s life.
How to Find Lost Pets
July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. More pets disappear over the July 4th holiday than any other time, because they get so scared about the noise. But pets get lost all the time. Both Karma-Kat and Shadow appeared as lost babies. Please bookmark this site for tips how to find lost pets.
Scaredy Cat? Teaching Shrinking Violet Shy Cats
Do you have a scaredy cat? Working with fearful and scared cats can be a challenge. Does Sheba hiss at strangers? Does Tom dive under the bed when the doorbell rings? Do your kitties attack other pets (or humans)? What can you do to stop bad behavior if even a mild correction sends the cat into fearful meltdown? Here’s help.
Fear of Fireworks & Thunder? How to Calm Pet Noise Fears
Does your dog fear fireworks? What can you do for a cat or dog scared of fireworks? What about earplugs for dogs? Cats aren’t immune so New Year’s celebrations, Memorial Day (or graduation hijinks), July 4th fireworks, and thunderstorms can turn pets into shivery bundles of fur when BOOMS, bright lights, or even wind and rain noise fill the sky. Pets can be scared of all kinds of loud noises, and I get asked for advice all the time.
I share this information twice a year in time for July 4 fireworks, and the New Year fireworks. No matter the time of year, always pay attention to pet safety. . .
9 Tips for How to Keep Pets Safe Around Water
If your summer fun means time spent at the lake, swimming and paddling about to stay cool, do you take your pets? How do you manage pet water safety?
First Aid for Pet Drowning
Swimming comes naturally to most animals, but pet drowning happens just as easily. Many puppies leap before they look, or simply fall into the swimming pool, hot tub or break through ice on the lake and can’t get out. Dog paddling may be instinctive, but they can still drown if they can’t climb out and get too tired to float. Learn how to treat dog drowning and save pet drowning victims…
Pets & Sunburn: What You Need to Know About Sunburn Pain and Solar Dermatitis
Long sunny days can bring misery for people—and their pets. You can keep them safe with these tips. Yes, pet sunburn is real, and can not only cause painful nasal dermatoses in cats and dogs, but sometimes leads to skin cancer. ..
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