Pets are members of our families, and anyone who has ever had a pet go missing knows the heartbreak and anxiety an owner feels when faced with
lost pets. We were unfortunate enough to experience this a couple of years ago when our black Maine Coon cat sneaked out through an open door and disappeared.
My daughter was heartbroken, as he was her special pet. We visited the shelters, and the neighborhood was plastered with fliers with a photo of Lucky on them, begging people to call if he was found. Weeks went by, and our hopes began to fade. We still checked the shelters, and still looked hopefully around nearby neighborhoods, but the chances of getting him back were becoming slimmer.
Unfortunately, we discovered him on the side of the road, a month and a half after he had gone missing. He had been killed by a car. But other than that, he was in good condition. Obviously, someone had taken him in and been caring for him. We never found out how near he was to us the whole time, but perhaps the person caring for him didn't see our fliers. I wish there had been a better way to contact everyone within the nearby area to search for him during that time he was missing.
We have found such a service available, started by another cat owner who hasn't recovered her pet either. (By the way, the photos of her cat on the site show a well-named cat, a very lovely "Cutie McPretty" ... our condolences to Cutie's owner, and hopes that she finds her pet, especially since she is helping others to find their pets.)
The service at FindToto lets owners who have
lost dogs, cats, or other pets fill out an information form about the animal and where it was lost along with their contact information. FindToto then contacts hundreds (you select how many based on the population where the pet was lost) of people in the area by phone to let them know your lost pet's information and how to contact you.
The service seems to be quite effective. I read the testimonial page and was surprised to see how many people
found dogs and cats based on calls from people who had been notified. In many cases, several people call with information about the missing pet, because a number of people will have seen the pet and hopefully someone has taken it in and will also respond. Even in cases where the pet is frightened and hiding, it is possible to find the cat or dog when a neighbor calls to tell you that your pet is hiding in the field near their house.
We thought this was a wonderful service. We hope that you never need to use a service like FindToto.com, but if you do, it's good to know that such a service is available. It's also nice to keep it in mind in case someone you know loses a pet too. I only wish we'd had such a service available when our Lucky went missing. It's been a couple of years now, but our daughter still thinks of him and we all still miss him. He was a wonderful companion.
I just wanted to share a website I ran across with a unique and witty twist ... it's written by a dog!
Gary, the Sensitive Brown Dog, uses his keen dog-sense perspective to provide you with great information about man's best friend!Including everything from Gary's perspective on designer dogs (essentially mutts) to his opinion of homemade vs. commercial foods, and much more. You'll find guidance on choosing your pet's name and dealing with nuisance barking. There are tips on boarding your furry friend while you are away, such as leaving a t-shirt belonging to the owner to comfort your pet. As a rescue dog, Gary encourages those seeking a pet to consider rescuing an animal from a shelter.
I'm not quite sure why the doggie necessities list includes "one toy" ... but I'm pretty sure Gary means it as a minimum. On the other hand, Gary considers doggie clothing a necessity only "if you want your dog to hate you"!
We found the site amusing, and look forward to future developments there.
A
scratching post can offer your cat hours of enjoyment. Depending upon its design, a good scratching post can promote enticing play including both physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Some models provide platforms for cats to rest upon or to hide within, allowing them to choose a spot that is raised up high or one that is secluded, depending upon the individual cat's preferences. Your selection of a scratching post should take into consideration your own cat's personality and needs in order to provide the maximum enjoyment for your pet.
For cats that need to use the post to actually scratch upon, the surface should be rough in order to encourage the cat to dig its claws in. Sisal is a favorite of many cats, but we also thought the rough
cedar scratching posts were a great choice. Carpet-covered posts may encourage scratching, but you run the risk of training your cat to scratch carpet, which may then transfer to your floor carpeting. Our recommendation for most cats is to choose a scratching post that incorporates some other rough surface in addition to carpeting, if your cat is to actually scratch it. Corrugated cardboard is another favorite rough surface that many cats enjoy, and can be used to apply dried catnip directly into the corrugating, though these posts or trays will need to be replaced periodically.
Another important feature to look for when evaluating the entertainment value of cat furniture is toy anchoring spots. Look for the ability to anchor toys that will hang / swing / spin. Another great feature shown in this cedar scratching post is the "mousehole" effect that encloses a small ball that will retreat when a cat tries to reach in for it, but returns to entice the cat to attempt to capture it when released.
For the best value in cat furniture, look for a piece that will suit a variety of needs all in one unit. Some of the
Armarkat scratching posts offer some of the best value by offering high open perches, closed in hidey-hole cubbies, staggered tiers for climbing, horizontal and vertical scratching surfaces, and toy anchoring spots all within a single piece of furniture. Their prices also tend to be quite competitive, and consumers rate them as being sturdy enough to withstand their cats' antics.
Having a larger piece of cat furniture can be especially important in multi-cat households. Giving each cat a place within the scratching stand can help cut down on fights and keep all the felines happy at the same time.
To search for scratching posts, we used an
pet product shopping site that returned a lot of relevant results that can easily be searched by category or arranged by price, etc. Pet owners can easily find a wide variety of styles suited to their particular pet just by browsing through such services. It can be helpful to discover products you may not even have realized existed. (On the same site, we discovered that noise-sensitive dog owners can purchase squeaky dog toys that squeak only in the range of doggie-hearing, so the dog can squeak to his heart's content and the owner never has to hear it!)
In response to a reader question, we want to cover the common topic of cats that urinate outside of their litterboxes.
Unfortunately, I can't easily address the problem our reader is having, because there can be a number of reasons why a cat may begin to do this. It is important to find the cause, for the sake of the cat's health and so that the problem can be solved.
The first thing the cat owner should consider is the health of the cat. Today's commercial foods have unfortunately caused a much higher incidence of FLUTD (Feline lower urinary trace disease) ... you might be more familiar with the older term of FUS (Feline Urinary Syndrome). FLUTD causes the cat to have painful urination, which he may then associate with the litterbox. Because he is afraid that going to the litterbox will once again cause the pain during urination, he is likely to seek out other places to urinate. FLUTD also causes more frequent need to urinate, and the cat may be unable to reach the litterbox even if he wants to.
The reason this needs to be considered first is that the health of the cat can be at stake, and if FLUTD is the cause, the condition can deteriorate while the owner tries to determine if other reasons are the cause of the problem. (If you KNOW why your cat is doing this, that may be another story.)
If that is not the cause, then there are other things to consider. First, if you have recently had the cat declawed, he should be given something soft in his litterbox until the wounds heal. Many vets recommend shredded newspaper, but there are products available. You should NOT use clay litter, clumping litter, sand, or any other abrasive substance, as this will be very painful on paws that have just had surgery.
Cats will often urinate to show their displeasure. If they are urinating on a particular person's belongings, bed, carpet, etc., consider whether that person has done anything to upset the cat. Cats can take a long time to forgive, and are masters at holding a grudge!
If you have recently added a new cat to the family, that may be the cause as well. If the new cat is using "his" litterbox, your cat may feel insecure, jealous, or for some other reason unwilling to use the same litterbox. Often multi-cat households must have multiple litterboxes to keep everyone happy.
Have you recently moved to a new home, moved the litterbox, changed the box or brand of litter, or made any other changes? Cats are creatures of habit, routine, and territory, and upsetting any of these can result in problems with urinating outside the litterbox. If things can be returned to normal, that may solve the problem. Otherwise, the cat may need extra attention and might benefit from being confined in a smaller area until he gets used to the new surroundings.
Is the litterbox clean? I used to have a cat that would urinate in the litterbox, but if he used it to defecate, he refused to re-enter it until it had been cleaned. He would then give me a "warning" by going into the bathtub for the next visit, but if I somehow missed cleaning up before he needed the litterbox again, the next time he needed a toilet, he'd visit my bed! Some cats are VERY meticulous. In such cases, it might be wise to have several litterboxes to choose from so he can select one that meets his cleanliness standards.
Cats may also have had some unfortunate experience around the litterbox. Did a broom fall and bang loudly on the litterbox cover while he was in there? Did a strange dog rush in and bark at him while he was using the litterbox? Anything that upsets him while he is in there can make him reluctant to return.
And cats do mark their territories, by spraying urine. This is most common in intact adult males, but neutered males and even females will sometimes do this. If you see the cat urinating, you can tell whether this is what is happening. Instead of the normal semi-squat, a cat who is spraying will stand with his tail quivering in the air and spray behind him -- usually onto a vertical surface. This is usually territorial, but can be brought on by having another cat around, stress, changes in surroundings, a new person being introduced, etc.
All of these are just to give you some ideas of some of the most common reasons cats may begin to avoid their litterboxes. Knowing the cause is the first step in solving the problem.
There are some general guidelines to follow whatever the reason may be. The first step is to find a litter your cat likes. Many cats like the fine clumping brands, and don't usually care for heavily perfume ones. The cheaper clay brands are, unfortunately, not popular with cats (nor do they do a good job of absorbing odor or offer easy clean-up). Make sure the litterbox is large enough, and the cat can comfortably and easily get in and out. Place the box in a quiet location so that the cat can be relatively undisturbed and have some privacy. Some cats like the covered boxes, while others do not. If you have multiple cats, make sure you have boxes for each cat (and an extra or two is a good idea too). Scoop the box frequently ... at least once a day. Change the litter completely once a week or so, and wash the box as well, rinsing well too, if you don't use a liner.
You will want to thoroughly clean the place the cat used outside the litterbox, to cover the scent so the cat won't be tempted to return. As our reader mentioned, ammonia-based cleaners (or those that contain any ammonia) can make the problem worse, because when the cat smells the ammonia, he will usually want to urinate over it to give it his own scent.
If the urine is fresh, you may be able to take care of it simply by blotting it up, wetting the area, blotting again, and cleaning with vinegar or baking soda.
First, blot the area with a clean white cloth, removing as much of the urine as possible. Follow with a warm-water rinse, and blot that up. Repeat if needed. You can then sprinkle baking soda over the area and rub it in (a toothbrush works well) and allow it to dry, and then vacuum it up. If you'd like to try vinegar instead, go through the same blot-and-rinse process, then add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to a quart of warm water and apply that to the area (test first on an inconspicuous spot). Place a white towel over the area and apply pressure (you may want to place something very heavy there and leave it for a few hours.). Blot it up again after a few hours. Hopefully one of these methods will take care of fresh urine. However, if it has set for a while, soaked in, or stained the area, you will need a specialty product.
Cleaners are available to remove the urine scent ... check with a local pet shop or veterinarian for the best chance at locating one. Look for a product that uses enzymes and/or bacteria to "consume" the odor rather than a simple detergent-type product that you might find at mass outlets (like Wal-Mart). It is worth it to buy a product that will accomplish the job rather than have to keep cleaning the same mess and meanwhile having your cat more and more convinced that he should be urinating outside his litterbox.
Several such products include Just for Cats (Nature's Miracle), Urine Off, Urine Gone, Outright Pet Stain Eliminator, and Pet Oops Remover.
Abyssinians may be one of the oldest breeds of cat ... so much so that their true beginnings are lost to history. As fitting such an ancient breed, they resemble the wild African cat assumed to be the ancestor of domestic cats, and also have the same physical characteristics of ancient Egyptian portrayals of cats with their lithe, muscular bodies, large pointed ears, smooth coats, and exotic almond-shaped eyes.
Abyssinian cats should be muscular, of medium size, with slender legs, oval feet, and a long tapering tail. Ear tufts are desirable, and the eyes may be amber, hazel, or green but should be deeply hued. The short coat must have the Aby ticking, which again makes them resemble wild cats. There are, of course, much more detailed breed standards available as this is just a generalization.
As pets, Abyssinians are outstanding. Highly intelligent cats, they are also very people-oriented, though not in a sit-in-your-lap-all-day kind of way. Instead, Abys have ample curiosity to go along with their intelligence, and prefer to be around people but actively exploring and getting involved with their surroundings. Carolyn Osier of the Abyssinian Breeders International describes Abys as, "a cat that likes to be with people, a cat that wants to know what you are doing - then wants to help."
The short coat makes
cat care simple where Abyssinians are concerned. Brushing regularly will keep the coat clean and free from mats and remove any loose hairs. Attention to the teeth is also recommended, to keep them healthy. If you are purchasing a purebred Abyssinian kitten, ask the breeder about the occurrence of PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) in any cats related to the breeding stock.
Abyssinians are intriguing pets and, once you have been owned by one, you will probably never want to be without one. Along with a few of the other breeds we have profiled, Abys are outstanding in their devotion to their owners -- almost more doglike than catlike in that characteristic. For this reason, we believe that Abys combine the best traits of pet dogs and pet cats in one elegant package.
I was raised in Louisiana, and I've spent some time on farms that raised and trained Thoroughbreds for racing. My cousin worked with the young horses, and I used to enjoy watching them exercise and train. I've seen different methods used to exercise horses, but I have to admit the
horse exerciser I saw online today is in a class of its own, and very interesting.
Generally, the farm owners have had two options for exercising the horses that I have seen. One is to pay an employee to work each animal and assure that each one receives enough exercise. This is great practice for the horses, but expensive in terms of payroll. It can also be difficult to find enough employees that are light enough not to put more stress than desired on racers if the farm is a large one. The other option involves some kind of mechanical horse walker.
While some farms use a type of treadmill, the horse walkers I am familiar with have all been spokes radiating out from a central hub, with the horses each tied to one of the spoke ends. The horses walk around in their pattern, either with the machine turning, or else providing the energy to move the equipment themselves, but either way they had to be tied to the spoke.
This
horse walker has such an innovative design, allowing the horse to move more freely because he is not tied at all. Instead, a partition is attached to the spoke and the partition is moved around the circle, which is enclosed by fencing panels, allowing the horse to walk naturally around the pattern. This freedom of movement is safer for the horse, alleviating the strain caused by the position the animal is brought into by being tied to the other type of walker. I can also easily see that this is the perfect conditioning for an animal who will need to be able to enter starting gates and to negotiate turns well.
I was really impressed by the idea. Another great part of this is that these
horse walkers are available for rental as well as purchase, so anyone who is considering purchasing some new exercise equipment, hiring a new exercise boy, or just interesting in improving his methods can easily try one out and evaluate it before committing to buy one.
This is another one of those great products we love to share with our readers. For those of you in the market, take a look at this equipment!
Just like pet dogs, cat breeds also vary in their personality and looks. Some cats are more laid-back and accepting, while others can be more demanding. Some cats are large and spend a lot of time napping compared to other breeds which are active and curiously explore everything they can poke their noses into or fish out with deft paws.
Siamese Cats are among some of the most popular cat breeds, for very good reason. They are very distinctive in their personality ... this means that they are not a breed for everyone, but for those that enjoy Siamese, many wouldn't want any other kind of cat.
Siamese are very intelligent cats, and very social. Because of this, they are not well suited for homes where they will be left alone too much of the time. They need to be actively involved with people or at least other pets for a portion of each day. A Siamese cat won't let you wonder whether or not they are pleased either ... Siamese are among the most "talkative" of cats and will express their opinions and feelings about everything going on around them. They are great companions for this reason though. One can hardly feel alone with a playful and friendly little sidekick that goes everywhere with you about the home and comments upon everything with a wide range of vocalizations that the owner will easily learn to distinguish.
Siamese are also very lithe, limber, and active cats. Their bone structure is very fine and they tend to be athletic. They don't do well being closely confined, and it is a good idea to secure any items you don't want them investigating. However, they are also very intelligent and can easily be trained to respect the boundaries you set for them, especially if they are happy with their lives otherwise.
Among all of the
cat breeds, Siamese are also perhaps the most recognizable. Their slender bodies are a white or cream color, with darker points on the face, ears, tail, and legs. Traditionally, these points should be chocolate, seal, blue, or lilac. Other colors of points are made by crossing out to other breeds of cat and may be red, tortoise, tabby, or cream. Tails are long and thin, and eyes sapphire-colored and are a slanted almond-shape.
Many people will remember Siamese cats as being more robust than the cats one commonly sees today, and with a lot of contrast between the dark and light areas. When I was growing up, almost all Siamese cats I knew had kinks in the tails as well. These are some of the characteristics associated with "traditional" Siamese cats, which may still be seen, but most of the cats bred today have the lighter body frame and un-kinked tails. The personality is quite similar, though.
Training of Siamese cats is much like training any other cat. Being very intelligent, the basic training is usually accomplished very simply. Just showing them the litter box is usually enough to let them know, although you may want to hold their paws and gently show them how easy it is to dig in the litter. The most important thing about raising and training a Siamese kitten is to keep them with you, interact with them, and talk to them. They will learn your tone of voice and be more interested in interacting with you than getting into trouble. The best method of discipline is often to say "no" and turn away from them, ignoring them for a bit. This is especially effective if they play too roughly with you.
Training them to stay out of an area should first be done by removing them and saying "no." If that doesn't do the trick, you can later resort to a means such as spraying them with a tiny stream of water or canned air, but be aware that Siamese will quickly come to realize that you are the source of the spray and will avoid the forbidden area only if you are around. If they don't expect to be caught, they might feel free to explore what is off-limits. Also, many Siamese are actually fond of water and may not be deterred by this method in the same way that many other cat breeds would be.
We will discuss more tips for cat training in a later post.
Increasingly the use of alternative medicine for humans is crossing over and helping to benefit the health of our pets as well. One interesting development is the use of
massage therapy. Advanced massage therapy training is offered at a variety of schools, such as
http://www.sanford-brown.edu/, for use on humans. Often pet massage therapists learn massage at such an institution.
However, they may also learn (or continue their education) at a school intended just for massage therapy of pets. The uses of massage and alternative treatments for pets are widely varied. Massage can be especially helpful for
handicapped pets, for example. A number of other resources regarding pet massage are available on
dmoz. Dogs and horses are the two species most commonly mentioned regarding pet massage therapy, but we were interested to find that a book was written about
massaging your pet rabbit.
Pet massage may be practiced by holistic veterinarians for health concerns, or by massage therapists at shows, obedience events, etc. for the relaxation of competing dogs. More and more pet sitters are offering pet massage as part of their services to help calm and relax animals that are left behind when their owners are away. Groomers also offer massage more and more frequently, both as a means of calming animals stressed by the grooming experience and also as part of a spa-like treatment to be enjoyed by the dog as part of his overall grooming session.
Sometimes it's almost impossible to find a good dog bed, particularly if you own a large or giant breed or your dog has special orthopedic needs. We were pleased to find a website that caters to owners of big dogs and offers furniture-quality
luxury dog beds.
"Mammoth" seems a suitable name, with beds as large as 50 to 60 inches. Now large breeds can enjoy the comfort of a bed sized to fit them and ease the stress on their skeletal structure and pressure points while resting. Dogs with special orthopedic needs can benefit from the special support provided by the orthopedic dog beds, though all of the beds featured on the site have orthpedic properties.
We were impressed with the quality construction too, with the durable beds being made of industrial strength canvas, memory foam, and other quality materials. These beds are furniture quality and should give years of comfort to your pet.
Ease of cleaning is often high on the list of factors most pet owners consider. All covers are removable and can be machine washed and dried. The fabrics are treated with anti-odor Scotchgard and are stain, mildew and soil resistant and water repellant. Beds feature polypropylene liners and are antibacterial. Bolsters and many cushions are reversible. The foam is antibacterial and does not clump.
A large number of designs are available to suit any dog, from simple mats, to large donut-style bed, to couches with wrap-around bolsters for your dog to rest his head upon, tufted styles, and more.
Lastly, even though you might think you would have to sacrifice style for the sake of such a high quality dog bed, the additional good news is that a wide variety of designer colors are offered, making it possible to choose a dog bed that will look stylish in any room of your home. Personalization is even available.
We are especially pleased to have been asked to share an offer from Pearl Paradise with our readers.
Pearl Paradise is celebrating their ten-year anniversary with a admirable program called "
Giving Back" in which they are donating pearls to non-profit groups for fundraisers. A total of 2,007 pieces of fine pearl jewelry, each worth around $500.00, will be donated to non-profit charities. The pearls are to be used as fund-raisers in silent and live auctions.
We have been asked to share this information on Pets-n-People because Pearl Paradise is especially interested in helping animal rescue groups. It is our hope that in sharing this information with our readers, qualifying animal-rescue organizations will hear about this program and apply to receive a donation of pearl jewelry to help in their upcoming fundraisers. We plan to directly notify deserving animal rescue groups in our area and among our online network as well. So if you know of a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a fundraiser coming up within the next 3 months, please pass this information along to them.
Pearl Paradise is interested in other kinds of charities that benefit society as well, and has expressed particular interest in societies helping disabled children, environmental groups, those involved with cancer research, and groups involved with cruelty prevention. So please help spread the word and help Pearl Paradise give back and make a difference!
