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Derek Pliers asked:


Before you look for a new cat, you should know what you are getting into. Cats are not animals that you can ignore. Unless your are prepared to spend time with them, do not get one. If you have never owned cats, you may not realize that they do certain cat things and need certain cat things. New and unsuspecting cat owners may be surprised when they find their cats regularly do the following.
1. Jump. Cats like to be in high places such as on top of your desk, bookcase, filing cabinet, sofa to watch people and events and gain information about people behavior.
2. Play. Cats need interaction with humans. Be prepared to spend time playing with and talking to your cat.
3. Scratch. Cats have to scratch. Rather than trying to prevent them, train them to use a scratching post and trim their claws regularly.
4. Vomit. While this may seem a bit something on the ill side it is not. Many cats constantly vomit or cough up hair balls and fur balls to clear their throat of them.
Where you live plays an important role in the feasibility of owning a cat, especially if you do not own your own home. Obviously, some landlords do not allow cats so look for apartments that do. One way to find out is to access the internet. You can do searches online for apartments that do allow cats. When you do find a place you want to live, ask yourself the following questions.
1. Does your apartment complex require declawing or require that cats are kept indoors only? If so, you could face unresolvable litter box problems that could eat up your security deposit and living options.
2. Is your apartment or house big enough for one or more scratching posts or litter boxes? Can it handle more litter boxes if a problem develops?
3. Are you on a quiet or a busy street? If you live in a congested area, your cat will face increased risks if he goes outdoors.
Shelters are the best place to find a cat. With thousands of cats being euthanized in your local cat shelters due to lack of homes, adoption is a responsible choice. Shelters put cats through adoption tests so your chance of finding a smart, loyal and appreciative cat is extremely high in practically any reputable shelter in the country.
Kittens less than eight weeks old are often cared for in a volunteer foster home until they are old enough to adopt. In these cases, the shelter may be able to give you an idea of the kitten’s personality and behavior. Try to locate a small, nonprofit cat shelter. Smaller shelters often do not cage or euthanize their cats. Many small shelters are run by people who will sacrifice everything to find homes for the cats they rescue.
At the shelter, you will find strays and unwanted cats and kittens that have been put up for adoption. Even after the stress of being captured, relocated and caged, stray cats can be trained to be well-behaved. If you are thinking of owning only one cat, try to find a cat who is used to being alone. This will probably be an adult. If you want a kitten, it is best to adopt at least two kittens so each will have a friend.

Jim Otto asked:


Cats have a natural urge to scratch. Scratching on a sisal scratch post acts as a sort of therapy or stress release for your feline. It also assists your cat in the removal of layers of their claws for claw regeneration. If you do not provide your feline with a scratching post, you may see the negative results on your sofa or your favorite carpet, etc. Therefore, to avoid any such domestic mishaps investing in a cat condo otherwise known as a cat tree is a good idea for your cat as well as your home. Amuse your pet with cat condosCat condos provide your cat a perfect claw-sharpening outlet, a scratching post. It also provides your kitty friend a source of entertainment and exercise. Your cat can play, climb, hide and scratch. The condos also provide your feline friends a place to rest. There are many types of cat condos, cat trees available on the internet in different sizes, colors, fabric and material. Petsupplyfactory.com is a great source for cat furniture. They also offer a wide variety of cat condos and cat climbing trees along with other cat furniture like cat beds etc.Choose the best cat condo for you petYour pet deserves the best cat condo available. In selecting the right cat condos consider the following:Make sure it is a Sturdy cat tree. The cat condo or tree should be strong to avoid any accidents.Durability is of utmost importance in selecting a cat condo.Make sure the cat condo is durable so that you get true value for your money.Size The cat condo should be of the appropriate size and tall enough so that the cat gets a full body stretch.Maximum weight allowedIt is better to check the maximum weight allowed as some cat condos have limits around forty pounds. These condos are good for a single kitten, but in case you have more than one kitten you need a heavier weight limit unit.Cat trees satisfy your pet’s need to climb. A Cat tree is usually carpeted and often has shelves, along with a scratching post. Some cat trees have carpeted boxes with holes or cat houses, where the cat can play. The taller the cat tree, the wider the base of the tree should be. Cat trees provide your feline friends with elevation, which they love. For the ultimate comfort of your kitty cat we recommend a faux fur or faux sheepskin house with sisal scratching posts. This gives your feline the comfort of the soft surface for knapping and the strength of the sisal rope posts for clawing.Find some of the best cat condos, cat trees and cat beds available online at the site petsupplyfactory.com. Help yourself from getting upset with your kitty cat and get a cat scratching post. This will help you avoid the possibility of your cat scratching your sofas and other furniture. By buying your cat some ‘cat furniture’ you will have a happy cat and a happy cat is a healthy cat. Visit the site petsupplyfactory.com for all of your feline friends needs.

Knight Pierce Hirst asked:


Our first pet was a cat. As newlyweds, John and I were cat people more by convenience than by choice. We were busy and cats don’t have to be walked. We were spontaneous and cats can be left alone for hours. We were poor and cats are cheaper to feed.

We didn’t take on the responsibility of having a dog until after we’d had a family - until after we’d settled down, traded most of our spontaneity for children and saved more than a penny for a rainy day.

Our first dog was a brown, non-allergenic, toy poodle named Godfrey. I named him that because I don’t like nicknames and the name Godfrey seemed nickname-proof.

Wrong. After Godfrey’s first vet appointment, the vet escorted us back to the busy waiting room. In an attempt to be chummy he said, “Be a good boy, God. I’ll see you next month”. Needless to say, there was an immediate hush and a room full of shocked stares.

Godfrey, however, didn’t think he was God. Because no dog intimidated him, he thought he was a size-challenged pit bull.

When we traveled, Godfrey stayed with his dog sitter. Well, he usually stayed with her. Three times that little, five-pound adventurer managed to get out his sitter’s gate and come home - much to the amazement of our neighbor, who would hear him barking indignantly outside our front door. Yes, a half mile is a long trip on four, little legs.

Once when the sitter was walking twelve, little legs - eight belonging to her two Boston terriers - a man driving by yelled, “Hey lady, why don’t you trade all three for a real dog”.

The driver was right. Godfrey wasn’t a real dog. He was family. Cat’s are like guests in your home, but a dog that pulls his carrying basket off the shelf whenever he sees you’re going out is family.

When Godfrey left us, he left a hole in our hearts. Now Zachary, a black, non-allergenic, standard poodle lives with us. Zachary doesn’t walk - he struts. When other dogs want to play, he chooses to converse with their owners.

Zachary is thirteen. His black coat is salt and peppering, but inside that Cary Grant’ish body is my soul mate. Why did I give Zachary a nicknameable name? Because I’d gotten to the end of the alphabet before I could find a name that suited him.

cuthere1979 asked:


I want to make my pets (I have a dog and a cat) treats at home, but I want to make sure the ingredients are both safe and healthy for the animals. I want ingredients that will fortify and boost their health, rather than just something they think is yummy. What are some good ingredients? Please have reputable resources to back up your claims.

Jay Jacovitz asked:


What you do not know about probiotics deprives you, your dog and other pets of a huge health advantage. Probiotics are destroyed during heat processing, which is standard in the pet food industry. The manufacturing process not only destroys probiotics but changes or destroys many important nutrients — up to 100% loss of certain vitamins, up to 60% loss of certain amino acids, up to 10% loss of certain fatty acids. Probiotics and enzymes benefit dogs, cats and people by helping prevent chronic health problems. Probiotics benefit your dog by reducing toxins, strengthening organs, removing bound decaying matter, and fortifying your dog’s system with important nutrients lost with processed foods, antibiotics, illness or stress. Probiotics should be selected based on the health and stress level of the animal, and compliment any veterinary therapy.

Proper nutrition is a vital bridge between the living body’s cells and the microorganisms that inhabit a healthy gastrointestinal tract (GIT), which extends from the mouth to the anus, hosting approximately 400 different microorganism species called endogenous flora or microflora.

Required by all mammals, these beneficial organisms and biologically produced substances create a hospitable environment so they can take up residency, for necessary health and proper functioning of the GIT.

You may ask, why is cancer the number one killer of all pets?

Our dogs and the rest of us are deprived of these valuable organisms and nutrients we need to metabolize because of processed foods and stressful environments.

Endogenous microflora play an intrinsic role in your dog’s digestive issues: gas, bloat, bad breath, stool eating, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, chronic skin problems and allergies. Included in the list are life-threatening vaccine reactions, parasites, worms, endurance fatigue, hypertension and joint problems, especially for elderly dogs, and immunology. The microflora and the immune system are intrinsically connected. What hurts one negatively affects the other. Few diseases are isolated in nature, and repercussions throughout the body are probable.

Endogenous microflora attached to the walls of the GIT are killed off by cessation of nutrient flow in your dog or any mammal, stress, and pH changes due to antibiotics. As a result, areas within the GIT are stripped of the naturally protective microorganisms, creating an open invitation to opportunistic pathogens that can make animals sick by competing for available nutrients and starving the beneficial microorganisms or, more seriously, through the production of toxins. Food poisoning often involves bacterial toxins. The smallest amount of toxin can make an animal sick to deathly ill, and it can happen quickly.

Probiotics may assist in the dog’s faster recovery.

Probiotics for our dogs and other mammals act as replacements until the endogenous microflora, decimated by antibiotics or stress, can recover.

Antibiotics can kill probiotic microorganisms. Probiotics for dogs on antibiotics regimen should be given at twice the usual rate with doses staggered to maximize benefits. Antibiotics may or may not kill the initial invading microorganisms, but they indiscriminately kill beneficial probiotics in dogs. Probiotics help control infections and prevent secondary infections, not in the GIT but by stimulating the immune system. Probiotics benefit our dogs by improving their microbial balance which includes bacteria, yeasts, and fungi that protect against pathogens and allow the endogenous microorganisms to recover.

To help your dog get the best probiotic protective coverage, rather than opportunistic pathogens, use a wide-spectrum probiotic, containing required amounts of the widest selection possible of different species. No one probiotic species is the best for every requirement or need and it can take 10 to 14 days for probiotics to fully activate in your dog’s system. More concentrated forms begin working within a few hours.

An effective probiotic is Lactobacillus acidophilus, meaning “acid lover”. It’s a lactic acid-producing bacterium that lives in the stomach. It prefers acid and will secrete enough of its own acid to maintain a pH that is uncomfortable for many opportunistic pathogens. Other probiotics prefer the less acidic environs of the large intestine, and will successfully pass through the stomach and continue to the colon. There are always some probiotic microorganisms that succumb to the extreme conditions in the stomach, and that is why initial doses should be higher. The mechanisms are not completely understood, but probiotics act as regulators of the intestinal microflora, as a source of digestive enzymes, and as a positive stimulant to the immune system.

Giving probiotics to your dog helps produce natural antibiotics, which fight harmful bacteria. Probiotics benefit the dog’s digestion of food, and aid in absorption of nutrients, antioxidants, and iron from food digested. Probiotics can help your dog with food intolerance while aiding in absorption of B vitamins, biotin and folic acid. Probiotics for dogs assist in controlling the growth of yeast, regulating hormone levels, stimulating the immune system, reducing inflammation and increasing energy levels.

Buying from a distributor or retailer, do you really know what you are getting?

Storage and handling of probiotics for your dog influences the actual quantity of viable microorganisms consumed. The package you buy may have had the CFU (colony forming units) of the various organisms listed on the label when it left the manufacturer, but are they there in the same amounts when your dog gets the probiotic? The most effective probiotics are the freshest ones that spend the least time away from the manufacturer.

See our carefully researched product recommendations HERE

Daniel Millions asked:


You’ll never stop them from doing it until you figure out why they’re doing it. You can tell a lot from where they’re digging and the types of holes they dig.

Holes By The Fence: Holes by the fence mean that dogs are digging to escape - sometimes because something is intriguing them, but mainly because they’re bored and looking for action. Pets who haven’t been neutered, of course, have more compelling reasons to get out.

Holes Near The House: Holes by the house are a sign that dogs are lonely and want to get inside where the people are.

Holes Scattered Around The Yard: Shallow holes scattered around the yard usually indicate that a dog is trying to get comfortable. Holes are cool in summer and warm in winter.

Supplying a wading pool filled with cool water or, in winter, giving dogs a sheltered place with a warm bed will often stop them from digging. These dogs are just trying to get comfortable, and they’d be perfectly content to not have to labor for their comfort.

Happy Diggers

It’s quite easy to recognize dogs who dig just for the thrill of it. They look happy. In addition, dogs who have a specific purpose in mind usually dig when they’re alone.

Happy diggers, on the other hand, will do it any time. In fact, they may be more likely to dig when people are around, because they want to share their excitement.

It’s not impossible to teach dogs to leave the dirt alone, but it’s an uphill fight - and the dogs are usually the winners. Compromise is usually a better choice than confrontation.

We all want our dogs to have nice, complete lives and If digging is their passion, you can help them find a way to do it that doesn’t destroy your property.

1. Pick an acceptable spot. Unless your yard is the size of a postage stamp, there’s sure to be a place where you wouldn’t mind having a few holes. It can’t be too far out of the way, however, because dogs avoid places where they feel isolated.

It has to be a place where they feel comfortable. Look at the holes your dog has already dug to get clues about her choice of terrain.

2. Bury something good. Dogs aren’t going to start digging just because you point to a spot and say, “Dig.” You have to make it worth their while. Dig a small hole yourself and bury a bone or one of your dog’s favorite toys.

Let her watch while you do it. This will give her the idea, and it won’t take long before she notices a familiar, intriguing scent wafting up from the ground. Then she’s on her own.

3. Cheer her on. Once she starts tunneling, encourage her. Act excited. Maybe get down on all fours and dig a little yourself. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Your excitement will let her know that she’s on to something, and she’ll keep digging to get more of that good energy.

Elyse Grau asked:


Proper nutrition is the number one protection against disease in dogs and cats. Feeding a high-quality dog food or cat food will keep your pet healthy and in good condition throughout its life

How do you know what dog/cat food is right? For many the choice is a homemade diet. If you have the time and the resources, I agree that this is the preferred way to go. This is usually the best, and occasionally the only choice for animals with multiple food allergies. The choice is yours whether to go cooked or raw, with bones or without.

Basically, a homemade diet should consist of 40-60% meat for dogs, 60%-90% for cats, 20-50% vegetables (dogs, or 10%-40% for cats), and the rest, optionally, grains. The choice within each category is vast, and depends on your budget, availability, and what the dog or cat prefers. Food allergies often dictate what is used.

Each dog and cat is unique and what is best for one may not work well for another. Feeding a variety of foods is the best way to provide all or most of the nutrients that your pet needs.

A good quality multi-vitamin and calcium supplements will help make sure the diet is complete. Because it can be tricky to get the right balance of calcium and phosphorus when making your own pet food, you will need to add a calcium supplement.

If you like the idea of homemade pet food, but lack the time, there are pre-mixes available, or complete ready-to-serve meals. Pre-mixes come freeze-dried, dehydrated or frozen. Usually they are grain and vegetable mixes, along with some supplements such as calcium, to which you add the meat. Ground meats, sometimes with bone, are also available where pet foods are sold. You can then add your own vegetables and/or grains if you so desire.

Complete raw-foods diets are also sold as frozen, dry or freeze-dried. Some areas may have local entrepreneurs who make and sell these diets fresh. They may also custom make meals to your pets specifications.

If you prefer to feed a commercial product, choose one of the many premium dog foods now available. though the cost may be higher than grocery store brands, what you save in vet bills will more than make up for the difference.

Whether to feed canned or dry pet food will depend on you and your dog or cat. Canned food is usually more expensive, kibble is more convenient. Pets usually prefer canned foods and some need the softer, wetter consistency. Canned pet foods generally contain higher quality proteins than dry pet food, and a higher percentage of protein and fat. The higher moisture content of canned foods can be beneficial to dogs and cats with kidney or urinary tract problems. Dry pet foods contain more preservatives. Some people choose to use both.

The most important criteria in choosing a pet food is the list of ingredients. Whole meats are always better then meat meals, and meat meals are preferable to by-products. Single source meals, such as beef meal or chicken meal are more wholesome than those marked simple meat or poultry meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catch-all term for anything that doesnt fit the other meal definitions - avoid these at all costs!

Look for the meat source (or sources) to be listed first on the label. If grains are included (which they always are in kibbles), they should be whole grains, rather than fractions, such as wheat bran, brewers rice, etc. Watch out for multiple listings of grains, they may add up to be more than the meat portion!

Avoid foods containing artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Colors are added for your benefit, not to appeal to dogs. Artificial flavors are added to enhance palatability or cover up off tastes of poorer quality ingredients. Most natural foods stores and holistic pet supply stores will carry premium brands of pet food. If you are unable to find a satisfactory dog food in stores near you, many of them can be found on the internet.

Lauren G asked:


This is the fourth time I have planted chia seeds on my chia pets and for some reason this time they are only growing on certain parts. I rotate, water, and mist them daily. I have always grown them in the fall and winter; could it be something with the season?

francesco speciali asked:


Our pets depend on us about their feeding, here we have some remedies.
If they were wild, our animals would be forced to obtain food by their own according to their tastes and needs. The right food according to their instinct and attitudes, moreover according with the season.
Staying with us, we become their “leader”, so we are the ones that have to supply their nutrition. The veterinary research, daily, moves forward with new discoveries in nutrition field so to maintain pets in good shape for the rest of their life. The research is particularly focused on natural food for dogs and cats.
Food for dogs and cats has become very similar during the last years; the main ingredients change among the two but the nutritious are similar.
The most known foods for dogs is without any doubt the croquettes, easy to be supplied and above all with the advantage of being an extremely balanced food; this means that it can be given in little amount but already enough to equilibrate feeding our dog. Moreover it seems to be the favourite food by the…dog’s owners! In fact it is easy to be supplied, it doesn’t soil and it has no contraindications, it enough to supply the amount suggested by the veterinary. Today almost the 25% of pets get fed with dry food above all croquettes .
For cats is almost the same situation; in fact even for cats food it has become usual the supplying of specific croquettes for cats . The typical food for cats has always been the meat in cans; today, cans food, considered as wet food, integrate the cat diet in particular periods of the year or during some physical disease requiring a specific alimentation.
Whatever is your pet, the main thing is to supply a complete diet in any period of the year and in any health condition; only in this way it is possible to guarantee to our pets a long life time with us.

Girl In Space Suit asked:


It is on my pets skin. It has reallly sensitive skin so what should I use>
Its my pet rat. It was to close up a wound but it dribbled down to her privates……….eek!
But i think it might be covering her pee hole…..