My husband and I live in the beautiful southern United States. While we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, we sometimes get excruciatingly hot during the summer months. We aren’t the only ones that get hot at our home though. Our beautiful dog Lucy also gets hot. I’m constantly searching for effective ways to keep her cool while she’s outside. And during the winter, it can get oddly cold at times. Do you have loving pets at home? Consider purchasing a small plastic pool for your pets to splash around in. And when it's cold, make sure to monitor them very carefully while outside. On this blog, I hope you will discover ingenious tips to help you care for your pets during any extreme weather.
Cats are mysterious creatures. They may bring dead rodents to your lap as a gift or go to great lengths to chase a red dot. Maybe you marvel at their ability to bliss out on catnip. A beloved feline companion is entitled to her secrets. However, there are some things you should understand about cats in order to take the best possible care of them. Pet owners cannot afford to misunderstand the following things about their cats.
Face #1: Outdoor Cats Face Greater Dangers
Many pet owners may be tempted to let their feline companions be outdoor cats. However, unless you want to be taking out a lost cat listing, it's probably best to make your cat an indoors-only pet. Cats who are left outdoors face dangers from cars, cat-hating humans, and sometimes even other animal predators. Play it safe and take great efforts to help your cat be happy staying indoors.
Fact #2: Declawing Should Never Be an Option
While declawing was once done to stop cats from scratching furniture and other valuables that pet owners may have, it is now widely considered barbaric. In fact, the Humane Society of the United States has spoken out against it, and it is banned in many countries. Declawing is a lot more than the trimming of fingernails would be for a person. When a cat is declawed, the last bone of each toe is removed. That's the equivalent to all of a human's fingers being removed at the last knuckle. Ouch!
Declawing is amputation that is very painful and confusing for a cat, and it can have very serious consequences beyond its cruelty. A cat who has been declawed may experience pain in one or more of their paws. They may also experience back pain, lameness, and worse in the aftermath of this surgery.
The truth is that scratching is simply a natural activity for cats. You can redirect them from scratching up your valuables by setting certain rooms as off-limits. Also, you can keep a cat's claws regularly trimmed, and you may get some inexpensive plastic caps for your cat's nails. That can protect your furniture while not hurting your beloved feline companion.
Fact #3: Cats Can Easily Become Obese
While there is a war on fat in this country, it mostly pertains to the human population. However, around 50 percent of all cats that are kept as pets are obese. Don't blame you or your cat. When a cat is in the wild, they spend most of their waking hours actively hunting and expending a great amount of exertion (and calories). Domesticated cats are typically content to relax on furniture and enjoy a good dose of catnip.
This growing problem needs to be addressed. If you think that your cat may be obese, don't ignore it. Take your cat in for your veterinarian's opinion and ask about healthy diet options for your portly feline companion. If you don't address obesity in your cat, it can lead to a big bouquet of health troubles for your cat now or in the future, including diabetes, osteoarthritis, and hip dysplasia.
Finally, keep in mind that your cat may sometimes do things that puzzle you. If your cat is acting in a way that may compromise their overall health or wellness, call your veterinarian. They can help you determine whether your cat is simply being a typical feline or whether you need to take your pet in for an exam.
For more information, contact local professionals like Animal Lost and Found.
Share7 November 2016
