Archive for the 'Cats' Category

A Short Review on the ASPCA

September 1st, 2010, Posted in Cats, Dogs

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has long battled against the maltreatment of our domesticated companions. For over a century, they have helped hundreds of poor animals and have put them out of harm’s way. They are mostly focused on pet dogs, but they also provide assistance for feline pets as well. As part of their goal, they have added to their services insurance for pets. This is another way for them to help stop animal maltreatment. They are offering five plans to their clients: safety plan, primary plan, advantage plan, premier plan and sterling plan. The safety plan is the cheapest of the five, while the sterling is the most expensive.

The ASPCA is an organization aimed for the betterment of our animal friends. There are a number of ASPCA pet health insurance reviews circulating in the internet telling about how good they are at their job. For the millions of pet lovers around the world and for ASPCA itself, insuring animals is one way of saving them from cruelty. Every time insurance is purchased, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals gets a small percentage and they use this as additional fund for their ongoing battle against animal cruelty.

As what has been mentioned, there are a number of ASPCA pet health insurance reviews available in the internet. Some of these focus on providing helpful insight about the costs of the plans offered by the society. For example, one review gives a detailed rundown of the coverage and costs of the five aforementioned plans. This can be of assistance when one is planning on applying for insurance in ASPCA. Nevertheless, going directly to or contacting ASPCA personally is also advised, so that you will have first hand experience of their customer service. When you get the information from them, you are guaranteed that it is true and accurate.

Using Flea Bombs

September 1st, 2010, Posted in Cats, Dogs

There are so many options to prevent or kill pests today that most people can do it themselves without much trouble. Pesticides come in a variety of forms and will affect a variety of insects.  Using the right one for your situation is only a matter of investigation. Flea bombs are a rather efficient way to get rid of that pesky little mite if it has made its way into your home.

How it got there, from the dog or a walk in the bush, doesn’t matter as much as how to get it out. Much like a typical bug bomb, you will need to use enough of them to hit every room in the house at the same time. Check the square footage on the label to make sure you have enough canisters and make sure that they have the ingredient IGR in them.

Ensure that all of the dishes are protected or removed and that food is sealed tight. If possible, move furniture off the carpet so that the bugs do not have a place to hide from the spray and get everyone out of the house when youre ready to start the process. Be sure that anything you do not want affected is covered or out of the area.

Finally follow the instructions on the product itself and make sure to air out the entire house for one or two hours after the time allotted on the product. Wash anything that could be used for food or that will have contact with your skin such as sheets and counter tops. The residue is harmful to humans as well as the critters youre trying to get rid of so precaution is necessary. A flea bomb is a great way to get rid of the pest if proper precautions are taken.

The Pet Fountain For Multiple Pet Homes

August 25th, 2010, Posted in Cats, Dogs

If you have more than one dog or cat, you might be wondering if there is a pet fountain that can handle the workload that multiple pets will bring. Well, the answer is a resounding yes with the Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Pet Fountain. Drinkwell fountains have been the top of the line and best selling for years, and the 60 fountain is one of the only fountains specifically made for pet owners who have more than one pet. Now that this fountain is available in stainless steel, it is sure to quickly rise to the top of the best sellers list of pet fountains.

The reason many people prefer stainless for their choice of pet fountain material is because stainless is naturally anti bacterial when compared to other materials like plastic. This simply means that bacteria cannot survive for nearly as long on the surface of stainless as it can on plastic. On top of that, stainless will not develop gouges like a plastic fountain will from normal use and run ins with your pet’s claws. Those gouges are the places where bacteria can take hold and even thrive.

The 360 fountain, as its name suggests, is round in shape and can be approached by your pet from any direction. There is a tower in the centre of the bowl, and the water is pumped up through that tower and allowed to fall back to the main bowl in the Drinkwell patented 5 inch stream of falling water. The fountain includes multiple attachments that will change the flow and type of water streams that come out of the tower. There is also a small valve that adjusts the overall flow of water. When toyed with in combination, these features allow you to adjust the streams until you find the one your pets prefer.

The initial release of the 360 stainless fountain was very successful, and Drinkwell is planning the full release to happen very soon. If you are in the market for a fountain for multiple pets you will find that there is currently no stainless version available. that will all change very soon when this fine addition to the Drinkwell line is released fully.

A Cat Toilet

July 5th, 2010, Posted in Cats

There can hardly be a cat owner anywhere who has not dreamed of having their cat use the toilet.  While it is true that there are a great many innovative new cat litter boxes, these boxes still have to be changed to one degree or another.  Regardless of how often they are cleaned or changed, there will still be some odors attached to them.  However, a very new type of cat toilet has been developed that can actually free the cat owner from nearly every aspect of cat box care.

The CatGenie Self-Flushing Cat Box is a high tech litter box that sits on your toilet.  Knowing how important scratching after going to the bathroom is to cats, the makers of this cat box have filled the bowl with washable, permanent granules.  Hooked up to your cold water tap, this cat box will free you from the task of ever changing a cat litter box again, or handling cat waste products at all.

After your cat has used the CatGenie, the liquid waste is flushed away while any solids are removed and also turned to liquid for easy disposal.  A device called the GenieArm will then descend upon the bowl, swirl the granules around while they are being washed and disinfected, then withdraw.  Hot air is blown over the granules to dry them, and the toilet is ready for the next use by your cat.  A replaceable cartridge holding the cleaning solution and disinfectant will provide for at least 120 flushes.

This product is somewhat expensive, but a somewhat similar product, the CatSeat Cat Toilet Training Seat is another alternative that the frustrated cat owner might like to try.  This seat also fits over the toilet, but relies on the cat using the toilet in basically the same way that a human does.  The cat will need to be trained to use this seat, and it is suggested that this seat be placed over the regular litter box for a period of several weeks.  This will allow the cat to become accustomed to it.  After the cat has accepted the seat, it can be moved onto your toilet for the cat to use there.

Not every cat will be able to adapt to using either of these cat toilets, some cats are more confident or more intelligent than others.  A timid cat might never be able to adjust to using these seats, but for most cats and their owners, these seats provide a way to eliminate the cat litter boxes in your home and provide for a cleaner and more germ-free environment.

Malaseb Pet Shampoo Treats Seborrhea

June 2nd, 2010, Posted in Cats, Dogs

Does you dog or cat scratch all the time and nibble incessantly at their skin?  Then they may have an irregular skin condition known as seborrhea.  Symptoms of this skin irritation problem include dry, flaky skin or oily skin combined with itching and possible infections.  Malaseb pet shampoo is one of the few products designed specifically to treat this problem in pets.

Seborrhea can be found in two classes:  primary and secondary.  Primary seborrhea is an inherited skin condition that can be very difficult to treat.  The more common form is secondary which is most often caused by Malassezia, this is a yeast which is found on the skin and in and around the ears of dogs and cats.  Bacteria’s can also lead to the secondary form of this problem

Malaseb shampoo is a great antidote for the alleviating the irritating symptoms of sebborhea.  It contains an anti-fungal called Micnazole which is designed to rid the pet of yeast and fungi and it also contains an anti-bacterial agent which has been proven to be a great germicide and bactericide.  These two ingredients offer a one-two punch which can eliminate most secondary cases.  An added benefit of this particular shampoo is the fact it is free from artificial scents and dyes and it also will not remove essential oils from the pet’s coat.

This shampoo does clean the coat and offer added comfort along with the removal of the fungi and bacteria which can cause the initial itching.  The medication in this product can also help in the treatment of psoriasis (inflamed and scaly skin) as well.

One warning note is the manufacturer recommends being very careful to keep the shampoo out of the eyes, nose , and mouth of your pet as it can cause irritation in these areas.  As with all medicated products, be sure to consult your veterinarian before starting any medication.  The layman can often times confuse one condition for another and thus treat the wrong problem.  Malaseb shampoo can be very effective if it is used for the correct problem.

Should You Buy A Pet Insurance?

May 19th, 2010, Posted in Cats, Dogs

When you consider purchasing pet insurance, you should first look at what the plan covers. Some pet insurance policies will only cover expensive health care services while others can also cover preventive measures, like vaccinations. Pet insurance may or may not include other routine care aspects such as medications and diagnostic testing. There are also policies, which come with an annual cap on payment, which means you may have to pay if your pet’s expenses reach its yearly limit. Therefore, when looking at a policy, make sure to carefully check its monthly payments as well as the deductibles. There are pet insurance policies which come with a yearly deductible, while others have a per-event deductible.

Like in a typical insurance for humans, pet insurance policies will not include pre-existing conditions. Thus, pet owners should consider buying a pet insurance right away, since the older a pet gets, the more prone it is to health problems. Likewise, purebred pets are predisposed genetically to certain health conditions. In this case they may not be covered by a pet insurance. Likewise, pet insurance policies, whether premium or low cost pet insurance plans, usually do not include protection against cancer, which happens to be a top cause of death among pets. Therefore, if you are shopping for a pet insurance, you should find out if you could avail of additional coverage for cancer.

Low cost pet insurance policies are now becoming aplenty in the market, but the key is getting the right insurance provider. Like in purchasing any insurance policy, it helps if the pet owner would find some time to research on the background and financial strength of the prospective insurer.

Applying for a pet health insurance policy is a practical decision that any pet owner should make. Doing so will allow them to ensure that their pets will be in perfect health. Moreover, this will allow them to provide their pets with the best preventative care possible.

Buy Litterbox Furniture To Hide Your Cats Litter Tray

May 11th, 2010, Posted in Cats

Even though you love your pet cat dearly, sometimes the litter tray just gets on your nerves. This is partly because the litter tray is an open unit and is always in view, not only to you but to all the people who come to your house to visit. Sometimes, if kitty has done a bit of a mess and left a foul stench, it can be quite embarrassing. There is a great way around this problem though, unknown to many known as Cat Litterbox Furniture.

Litterbox furniture is a wonderful way to cover over and hide you cat’s toilet. There are two main styles; that of a little house which simply covers your cats toilet and allows them some privacy, or something that actually looks like a piece of furniture and fits perfectly styled into any room of your house. These pieces of cat furniture also offer some great advantage s to the humans in your household too. You can get some models that double up as seating, some that look like an end table where you can place a reading lamp or vase of flowers, and some that even double up as a book case. Many come with interchangeable panels so you can vary their look easily or you can buy a number of different styles that fit perfectly into any style of home decor such as wicker, oak panelled, beech panelled or rattan style.

They are also easy to access for cleaning time, often with whole panels on hinges so you can clean with ease. As these pieces of furniture hide the litter tray, they also hide the pungent smells that you would associate with them. This mean s your house will remain smelling fresh and clean as long as you keep your kitty’s litter tray covered with one of these units.

To help mask the odours you can insert special packets within the furniture that hold volcanic rock which absorbs foul odours. These packets can then be taken outside and they secrete the odour back out and recharge so that they are good to go again.

You can also be safe in the knowledge that most of these litter box furniture units are manufactured in the USA and they are made from highly sustainable timbers, often with a veneer on them for styling. They are usually made by highly skilled tradesmen who work with wood on a daily basis so you know the quality will be there and the piece will have a long lifetime.

So, if your cat needs some privacy when using the toilet and you want to hide away those nasty smells and unpleasant views then cat litter box furniture could be just the thing you are looking for.

Cute Pictures of Cats Make Us Want Them to Live Long, Healthy Lives

May 3rd, 2010, Posted in Cats

Most pet parents strive hard to keep their cats healthy to live longer. Yet not too many cats can outlive their pet parents. It is surely nice to keep pictures of cats to let them stay with their pet parents for as long as the pet owners live. Bad health of pets cannot be avoided in some cases. Just like human beings, being affected by some kind of ailment is a part and parcel of our pet’s life.

The life expectancy of cats is around 15 years. Indoor cats survive a few more years longer than outdoor cats. This is due to better conditioning and health care. In order to ensure that your cat lives longer, you need to take care of his health. There are lots of measures you can incorporate to ensure that your cat will stay healthy and live longer. Giving a healthy diet is the key factor that contributes towards good health. Let’s have a look at the different measures you can take to ensure healthy and long life for your cats.

1) Have a regular check up and vaccination
It’s important to have your cats checked up by a veterinarian at least once a year. They should have complete body check up including the eyes, teeth and cat skeleton. Giving your cat’s vaccines is always considered a wise move as this will keep them away from some of the most common diseases.

2) Control hairballs
Hairballs are prevalent problem that most cat parents experience amongst their cats. It is due to the presence of excessive hair in the cat’s stomach. You need to groom your cats properly in order to avoid such condition.

3) Control excessive licking
Cat’s excessive licking can pose several health issues. You need to consult a veterinarian to determine the exact cause of this behavior. They are allergic to certain food items. You need to eradicate such food items from your cat’s diet upon suspicion. They also resort to excessive licking because of stress. You will need to eliminate the cause of stress to avoid the excessive licking behavior in your cats.

4) Control obesity
You may love to feed your cat with the best of food very often to show your love and affection. But think twice before overfeeding them. An obese cat is more prone to diseases like diabetes, arthritis and cardiac arrest. This will eventually shorten their life expectancy. Play around with your cats whenever possible to burn out the excess calories.

5) Keep your cat indoors
Indoor cats are estimated to live longer than those which stroll or stay outside for most part of their lives. They are less prone to get affected by allergies, injury, accidents and other infection. They also get better nutritious food in comparison to other outside cats.

You should always do your part of research before laying your hands on any pet. If you treat your cat like one of your family, then you would certainly want and pray that he lives long. So it’s important that your cat stays healthy. This is in order to enjoy a disease free life, and to live long. Then, you’ll be able to get more pictures of kittens and cats.

Reasons for pet grooming your cat.

January 3rd, 2010, Posted in Cats

Pet grooming care for your cat’s coat is very important as this aids in the removal of loose and discarded undercoat, prevents hairballs, improves circulation, prevents parasitic infestations, is a good bonding experience and promotes frequent health checks. Different breeds require varying types of grooming. Some need brushing and combing daily, others less often. Most cats spend a large part of their day grooming themselves.

Start getting your kitten used to being groomed from a very young age and slowly increase the amount of time you spend grooming your kitten until it is quite happy to allow you to brush it. Soon the kitten will love being groomed and will come to see it as part of its daily routine. If you approach grooming as a chore then so will your cat.

When you are grooming your cat don’t forget to check its ears, nose, mouth, eyes, nails and feet. It is also a perfect opportunity to check it over for any bumps and lumps. Check the skin by parting the hair, to see if your cat has any skin problems such as fleas or any red, sore or inflamed areas that may require treatment.

A cat’s hair can be short or long with different degrees of coat type within these two types. You will need to give the coats of long haired cats a lot of attention, brushing them at least once every day. Use a wide toothed comb to remove any dead hair. When you find a knot or matt in the fur, separate it with your fingers, gently and slowly from the root up. Try not to resort to scissors, but if you have to cut into the middle of the knot and try to loosen it again by hand. You may have to have a very matted cat shaved by a veterinary surgeon under general anaesthetic or sedation. If you decide that you would like a long haired cat then you need to be completely sure that you are willing to put in the time pet grooming it. Far too frequently these cats have to attend the vet’s because their coats are matted.

You won’t need to spend anything like as long pet grooming a short haired cats as the long haired varieties and you will probably only need to comb the cat thoroughly once a week. Use a short toothed comb or a rubber brush to remove the dead hairs. Some short haired cats have delicate coats and skin so be cautious when using combs and brushes that you are not damaging the cat in any way.

Loosen dead hairs by hand before you begin to use a brush or comb on your cat. Run your fingers through the fur in the opposite direction to the way to the hair grows. This stimulates the skin’s natural oils to give a nice, healthy shine to the fur. After doing this then you can use the pet grooming equipment best suited for your cat’s coat type.

It is really not necessary to bath a cat as, if it has been thoroughly and correctly groomed, the natural oils in the cats fur will always give it a shiny gleam. Bathing a cat will only make matts and knots worse, making the fur totally unmanageable.

If your cat has a specific skin complaint or is suffering with fleas that traditional remedies can’t clear the ensure that you use shampoo that is suitable for your cat’s skin. Use a specific cat shampoo bought from a pet store. These cat shampoos are easier to rinse out and make less lather. Make certain that you wet the coat completely before adding the shampoo.