Best Cat Food

Best Cat Food for a loving kitty

There are two things I hate about feeding my cat. One is left over soft cat food (oh sure, you can buy the little plastic lids to cover the rest and stick it in the fridge, but do you remember it's in there? When I clean out the refrigerator I usually find at least two) and the other is cleaning out the litter box.

The reason for an exceptionally full litter box is that most store bought cat food contains fillers ( read the bag, if the first few ingredients are wheat gluten or meal, put it back) which go right through kitty, and although leaves the cat feeling full, provides little nutrition. Your cat can eat all day and still not be getting the proper amount of nutrition.

Some cheaper brands on the store shelves are actually dangerous to give kitty. ''Alley Cat" brand has such a high ash content that it can cause urinary tract infections, which gone untreated can cause death. And while it's okay for humans to eat off brand foods, feeding your cat nothing but cheap kitty crunchies can cause ongoing health concerns.

So the best brands to buy for your cat are name brands that you are familiar with. Top name brand cat food must pass more rigorous testing than off brands because it is shipped nationally.

Eukanuba is by far the best premium cat food; at around $14.00 for a small, seven pound bag. While expensive, it contains real meats which are listed first on the ingredient label. Remember that cats are carnivores-they need meat. Thinking that it's okay for your cat to have cheap cat food because he supplements his diet with mice is erroneous thinking because rodents can make a cat sick and they're not catching them for a hot meal anyway, they're catching them because they are inherently hunters.

Better nutrition means no runny stools and less litter box mess. Because Eukanuba is one of the best you can feed your cat less, which will help offset the cost. However, if kitty is used to having a full bowl of food set out all the time for snacking, he may take awhile to get used to the new routine- so hide your shoes until he gets used to it!

Iams is another good brand. Once upon a time you could only purchase this brand from your vet but now it is available at the local grocery store. I like this brand because it is a little more affordable and comes in specific blends to suite kitty's needs. The formula for mature cats provides vitamins to help your cat's immune system stay strong. While corn grits and corn meal is listed third and fourth as ingredients, this brand contains rosemary oil and brewers yeast, which is good for your cat.

Science Diet lists brewer's rice and chicken as the first two ingredients. The rice helps digestion, and this product is made from more natural products than some of the other brand names, another good choice.

A quick word about soft cat food: along with the whole nasty storage part addressed in the beginning, soft cat food does not help your cat's teeth. Dry cat food helps scrape tartar away and is important to keep kitty's teeth healthy, and by the way, giving your cat milk or cream can cause diarrhea. A good rule of thumb is to buy premium dry cat food and feed according to the directions, keep a nice bowl of clean water available at all times, and smother them with love and cat nip.

Cat not eating

Cat not eating - What to do when your cat is not eating

From longhaired registered Persians to domestic mixed breeds called “tabbies”, cat lovers – present in more than one third of American households - know that felines are not just pets but friends and companions. When a cat lacks appetite or doesn’t eat, owners worry because cats are often members of the family.

Remember that unless a cat hasn’t been eating for several days, it’s unlikely there is a problem or medical issue. To understand why a feline friend isn’t eating, cat caregivers must be familiar with normal eating patterns. Cats are, as cat food commercials portray, finicky by nature. All foods are not part of a nutritious, healthy feline diet.

Cats are carnivores, which means that they are meat eaters. A cat doesn’t require fruits, vegetables or grains like their human companions and thrive on an all-meat diet. Table food or scraps should never be fed to cats. Nor should raw meats be allowed in the diet. Outdoor cats or cats allowed to range should be monitored so that they don’t eat raw meat. Hunters by nature, domestic cats will pounce on a mouse but don’t allow a pet to eat their prey.

Improper food is one of the reasons why cats might lack appetite. Stick with meat based cat foods. Never leave moistened dry food or canned out for more than one hour to prevent spoilage. Tainted food can taste strange and cause kitty to avoid another bite. Dry cat foods can be left in a dish for cats that prefer to nibble or feeding can happen at a specific time each day. Cats also require plenty of clean, fresh water so check to make sure that water dishes are full.

Cats are individuals and tastes vary. When a cat doesn’t eat, try a different flavor of food to tempt taste buds. Try a tuna flavor over a chicken blend or salmon over beef in gravy. Although cats like milk, it is not a necessary part of a healthy feline diet. If a cat gets too much milk, he may not be hungry and will not eat at feeding time.

Loss of appetite or not eating accompanied by other symptoms, however, may signal a medical issue. Dental problems often cause a loss of appetite simply because the mouth is sore. Check for other symptoms of mouth disorders such as bad breath, raised mouth sores, drooling, dark spots on molars, or bleeding gums. If any of these are present along with a change in eating patterns, it’s time to see the vet. He may diagnose gingivitis or peridonitis. Both are treatable.

Cats who have dined on raw liver could be suffering from Vitamin A toxicity. Liver is so rich in Vitamin A that even a small amount can be too much for feline bodies to assimilate. Too much raw meat of any type can leave to a thiamin deficiency as well. The best rule of thumb is to never feed raw meats. If raw meat has been eaten and symptoms are present beyond a few days, consult a veterinarian for treatment.

Common household items that homeowners take for granted can be poisonous to cats. The list of things that pose potential dangers to feline friends is long and includes coffee grounds, cigarette butts, poisonous plants, ant or roach traps, lawn and garden products (herbicides, fertilizers), automotive products, and lead paint. If poisoning is suspected, seek treatment immediately. To prevent accidental feline poisoning, remove dangers from cat level. Parents of young children who have childproofed their home have little to worry about and childless cat households might consider taking the same preventative steps.

Less common conditions that could be characterized by a lack of appetite include toxoplasma, a parasitical disease that is transmitted in raw meat. Again, never feed cat raw meats no matter what the origin.

Feline leukemia and other cancers are the most serious disease that could begin with a lack of appetite. Older cats are more prone to feline leukemia, which can be diagnosed only by a veterinarian. In most cases, additional symptoms would be present.

When in doubt and if more than a few days have passed without a cat eating, it’s time to visit the vet. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment are the best gift to give a beloved cat. Cat lovers are far from alone – more than 39 million cat owners give gifts to their felines each holiday season and more than 13 million celebrate their cat’s birthday. Cats are so special that the ancient Egyptians considered cats to be sacred. Charles Dickens, author of classic works that include Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and A Tale of Two Cities, once wrote, “What greater gift than the love of a cat!”

Cats are special. If a cat isn’t eating, try a little coaxing with love and then seek professional advice to keep that companion nearby for years to come.

Pet Parrots

The Most Popular Parrot Species Chosen For Pet Parrots

As with most animals, the different parrot types have certain characteristics but overall, the most popular parrot species in the larger types that are used for pet parrots are chosen because of their talking abilities.

Parrots make wonderful house pets and if you want a pet that will entertain then a parrot is the answer. They have so many hilarious characteristics and if they are not happy with something they will soon let you know! Parrots are very vocal when it comes to their own needs and comfort. Get several hungry parrots feeding from a food bowl and you will soon know what I mean!

The four most popular larger pet parrot species.

1. African Grey - with lovely shades of grey in its feathers this is a parrot that grows to about 14 inches. This parrot also has either maroon or bright red tail feathers and a touch of the same color at the bend of the wing.

2. Amazon parrot - these parrots come in several colors and are a very loyal parrot. Very popular among them in the parrot owner's world is the yellow headed Amazon parrot

3. Cockatoos - these are a magnificent looking bird, a bird with an attitude! But what fun they are. They are very interactive with their owners, but if upset they can be really destructive.

4. Macaws - what a stunning looking species and those colors! They are just so bright and beautiful. When studying the macaws you are in aw of how something can be created with so much beauty and detail.

These parrots all have excellent talking abilities (though some won't talk unfortunately) and will quite readily learn tricks to entertain. They are active parrots and need to have toys around them so that they can occupy themselves when no-one is around.

It is no mystery that the budgerigar owner would contend that it is one of the most popular species, and in the smaller parrots it probably is, the the four mentioned above are the four top overall contenders.

One feature of the parrot as a pet is that they do groom themselves quite well. They will preen their feathers every day, keeping them shiny, clean and laying flat. All they require from the owner in the way of grooming is a water spray every day or two and the odd trim of the nails. Not much time involved there, is there?

But, that's the upside. The downside is that they will require more time spent on their living apartment. Most do like their cages, but they are not that house proud. Parrots will chew things up and throw them around with quiet (well, sometimes) abandon and expect the owner to clean up their mess. Didn't I say they had attitude!

Have you ever seen a parrot eat from a seed tray? Once their favorite seeds have been husked they will sweep their broad beak through the tray and scatter seeds far and wide in the hope of finding more of their favorite morsel down below. The mess they can make in just a few minutes will make you shake your head.

A very good way to see more about the different types of parrots is to visit a parrot forum where parrot owners discuss the various parrot types and this will give you an insight as to what parrot you may like, and let me tell you, some of the stories are hilarious. Parrots most definitely take their place in the hierarchy of the family unit.

Training Pet Parrots at Home

Training Pet Parrots at Home

Training pet parrots has a lot of benefits, like teaching some simple commands to handle your parrot easier and strengthening the bond with your parrot. It is not only the entertainment when a parrot can talk and do tricks. Of course the success of training parrots process means lots of praise and attention together with favorite treats.

Keep it Positive

It is very important for the success. There are three principles for parrot training:

1. If your parrot does something well--> give him a reward
2. If he does something unwell--> ignore it
3. Never punish your parrot

In training parrots process your goal is simple- if your parrot behaves the proper way, give him a reward like a favorite food treat or a play session and ignore for bad things. Also even a simple praise or a treasured toy are good motivation for some birds. Do not forget to ignore the bird if the parrot is doing something undesirable. A negative reaction is also attention so if your parrot desires your attention he will accept it as a reward. He may think that negative attention is better than no attention. Ignoring is much better decision and the undesirable behavior will stop soon. This bellow is what your approach training has to be in order to keep the process positive:

• Train your bird only when you feel relaxed because the training takes patience!
• Choose a time when your bird is attentive and not distracted by preening, eating, or household activities.
• Short, frequent training sessions like a few minutes at a time divided into several times a day are more effective.
• Pick a particularly favorite reward
• When your bird does something well, don't give a treat every time otherwise your bird will do it if you have a treat handy.
• End every session on a positive way like giving a treat for a good try or a successful attempt, and move on to something else.
• Training sessions should be funny for your bird.

Very Basic Training Parrots: Step Up and Step Down

Choose one or two things to teach your parrot. They could be training your parrot to step up onto your wrist or finger or even a perch which you are holding in your hand on command, and then he has to step back off again. These are easy but important skills to teach. Stepping up on command is generally easy to train as it is a natural movement for a bird (stepping down is a bit more difficult to teach).

If you teach your bird to step up and step down on command it will make handling much easier and you will be able to set some boundaries for your bird. Then you can return the bird back to its play-gym or cage or remove him easily from areas of home that are not bird-proofed. Even if you have a baby bird to start early with the step up and step down commands is still a good idea. It allows you to give lots of positive reinforcement and it is a good foundation for training your parrots into more skills to in the future.

Dogs and Children

Dogs and Children

What goes on in the mind of your dog when there is a new baby in the family? Do you know how your dog will react if a toddler comes up and gives the dog a hug? Bringing a new addition into the household can be a big change for everyone, including the family dog. Introducing a new dog to a family with young children can also be an interesting challenge. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you have dogs and children under the same roof.

As a sensible dog owner and parent, it is your responsibility to be aware of the interactions between your children and the dog to ensure everyone’s safety. Most pets do not pose any threat to infants because there is not a lot of interaction between them. Toddlers are at a much greater risk of getting hurt because they can move about on their own and may not realize that their actions may be hurting or scaring the animal. All dogs should ideally be introduced to children at a young age and continue to be socialized with them. However, even the best socialization will not guarantee that a child cannot be hurt by your pet. That is why adult supervision is so important.

A toddler can be perceived as a threat to your dog as much as a dog may be a danger to your toddler. For example, it is important that children know that it is not right to pull on a dog’s tail because it hurts and it may lead to the dog biting as a result. Many dogs, however, adjust very well to a new addition to the family. It is a good idea to have a separate area or large crate in the same room as the family for the dog to play in without interacting with the baby. This new addition to the family will take up a lot of your time and attention, and your dog will notice that. Ease the dog into the transition by introducing the new area or crate a few weeks before the baby’s arrival. Remember to give your dog the same amount of love and attention as before, because some dogs will become stressed when new changes occur in their environment and they need to be assured that everything is alright.

In preparation for the baby coming home, you can practice obedience skills with your dog. For example, carry around a baby doll and work on the down command to get your dog accustomed to the positions you want him/her to be in while you are holding the infant. Accustom your dog to walk calmly beside the stroller without pulling. Remember, it could take up to several months for your dog to realize that the new baby is a part of the family. Give your dog time to adjust and always supervise. Keep up with the obedience training and ensure the dog continues to get enough attention and exercise.

You do not need to separate the baby and the dog at all times. In fact, it is recommended to teach your dog how to behave appropriately when the baby is present. Letting the dog sniff and interact gently with the baby will help reinforce the fact that this new addition is an important part of the family. Using positive reinforcement, teach your dog to lie quietly nearby when the baby is present. Reward with lots of praise and/or treats when he/she is doing something you like.

Puppies and babies both require a lot of time and care, so it is often recommended that you wait to get a puppy until after your youngest child is old enough to follow instructions and understand that they are capable of hurting the animal. Puppies have a lot of energy and often like to explore and nibble, so they can be a danger to the toddler if they get too excited. When a baby and any dog are together, they should be closely supervised at all times or separated with gates or crates. This prevents both the baby and the dog from being injured and/or frightened.

Most people would agree that we often treat our pets like members of our family. So when it comes to the task of training, socializing and playing with the dog, why not include the entire family? Children of all ages can play an important role in the training of a new puppy.

Children as young as three years of age can help feed and train the puppy while under adult supervision. For example, the dog can be told to sit and stay while the child places the food bowl down. Young children can also toss a toy once a dog has learned to patiently sit and wait for it. During any play session, close supervision is important to prevent the dog from getting too excited or rough. Encourage calm, gentle behaviour in both the child and the dog, using positive reinforcement.

Children aged 5 to 9 can take on responsibilities such as measuring how much food to feed the dog, filling the water bowl, helping with grooming, playing fetch with the dog, or practicing walking the dog in a fenced-in backyard. If you have children of different ages, you can assign an important task to each one so everyone has a responsibility. A young child may not be able to walk the dog on the streets on his/her own in case they come across another strange dog. However, walks can be turned into a fun family outing.

Children aged 10 and older can handle the dog independently (as judged by the parent) and help with the training of the dog. In fact, most children of this age group make wonderful dog trainers because they have the time, patience, and persistence to teach the dog new things. They can also feed, groom, walk, and clean up after the dog. Children of this age can also participate in dog training classes on their own. You can find a kid-friendly training program in your area. You should spend some time and observe a class in progress before registering. Ask if positive methods are being used and see if classes are well-structured and under control by the instructor. The class should focus on the bond between owner and dog and encourage participation from the children. Lots of praise and treats should be used, and misbehaving puppies should be ignored or given more space to work, not punished.

Giving children training tasks and establishing rules when interacting with the dog not only builds the bond between them, but it also helps the children understand the animal and enables them to read their body language. Involving the children in the care of the dog teaches them about what it takes to be a responsible pet owner.

As the child and dog grow older, relationships may change. A young, calm puppy may become rambunctious and easily excitable at 6 to 9 months of age (their ‘teenage years’). A child that was once focused on the care and training of their dog may lose interest in their dog and stop taking responsibility for its care. Parents need to be aware of changes in the relationship and use positive methods to keep the bond strong. By avoiding physical punishment, rewarding good behaviour, and encouraging the entire family to participate in the care of the dog, you and your family will enjoy having a companion for life.

Dogs and Their Anal Sacs

Dogs and Their Anal Sacs

Every dog is unique. Some are star athletes, while others are couch potatoes. Some can fit inside a purse, while others can barely fit in the backseat of a car. Some are cute and cuddly, while others are noble and independent. Whether your dog is fast or slow, big or small, affectionate or aloof, there is one thing that all of our canine companions have in common: although it's not a glorious activity from our human point of view, dogs love to sniff each other’s butts.

Of course it seems crude to us of the human variety, but in the dog world, sniffing another’s rear end is simply a social custom. Not unlike a handshake and introduction, or an exchange of business cards, dogs gain valuable information from sniffing around down there. Each dog has a unique scent that is produced by structures called anal glands (or anal sacs). While many owners aren’t even aware that these glands exist, they play an important role in a dog's social behaviour; dogs use this scent to identify one another, as a form of communication, and as a way to mark their territory.

Anal glands are located just beneath the skin on either side of the anus (at positions 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock). They secrete a foul-smelling liquid which travels through small tubules to openings on either side of the anus. Believe it or not, every time your pet urinates or defecates, a tiny bit of this liquid is released as well, contributing to your dog’s personal fragrance. Similarly, when two dogs meet in the park, the action of raising their tails puts pressure on the anal glands, causing the butt sniffing to start in the first place.

The reason most owners are oblivious to the existence of anal glands, is because most of the time, they don’t cause any problems. For the majority of dogs, anal glands go about their business and express their liquid with each bowel movement and under appropriate social circumstances. However, in some cases, anal glands fail to empty sufficiently and can cause a number of issues for your pet.

The most common problem with anal glands occurs when lack of expression (emptying them) results in impaction. This is extremely uncomfortable for the dog who will usually let his owners know that there is a problem. Typical signs of anal gland impaction include scooting (dragging their rear ends along the ground) or licking/biting at their rear end. Some dogs will also present with loose stools. Fortunately, anal gland impaction can usually be cleared up quickly by your veterinarian. Veterinarians (as well as some breeders and groomers) are proficient at manually expressing anal glands to remove all of the secretion that has built up inside them. Often, one trip to the vet’s office will be enough to relieve your dog’s discomfort, however for other dogs anal gland impaction is an ongoing problem.

There are a variety of reasons why a dog might have trouble expressing its anal glands properly. Sometimes it is simply due to the conformation of the particular dog, or breed of dog. Other times it depends on the thickness of the secretion itself which may be too viscous to express easily. Also, the size and consistency of an animal’s stools can affect anal gland function. Stools which are too small or too soft might not put sufficient pressure on the glands to cause expression. For dogs who are suffering from chronic or recurring anal gland impaction, it is important to make sure they eat a high quality food which is high enough in fibre to ensure large solid stools. In some cases, it is recommended that a dog’s anal glands be surgically removed. This is a fairly simple procedure that can permanently solve the problem.

In addition to anal gland impaction (an uncomfortable, but fairly benign condition), some dogs will also suffer from infections and abscesses of the anal gland. This occurs when bacteria travels from around the anal opening through the tubules to the glands. When this bacteria builds up, serious infections can develop. If left untreated, abscesses can develop fairly quickly. In this case, dogs generally experience pain (as opposed to mere discomfort). Dogs will often present by biting or growling when one tries to touch them anywhere in the general area. Anal gland infections can be treated with antibiotics from your veterinarian. If the infection progresses to the abscess stage however, other complications may arise. It is therefore important to bring your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any signs that might indicate an anal gland problem.

For those dog owners who have never had to deal with an anal gland problem, consider yourselves lucky. As unpleasant as it may be to think about, your dog’s anal glands are as much as part of him as his cute little nose and his fluffy tail. Now that you know they exist, it is important to watch for any signs of anal gland problems in your pet.

Dog Collars

Dog Collars - Dog Leashes

Buying a leash and collar for your pet should be simple, right? Like many things in life that seem simple, choosing a leash and collar is not. There are many different types of dog collars, designed around certain personality or medical needs. There are even special collars for cats! Leashes are usually designed to accommodate the lifestyle of the owner. We will look at different types of collars and leashes in this article.

We’ll first discuss the traditional dog collar. It is usually a piece of sturdy fabric that fastens like a belt. Multiple holes in the collar make it somewhat adjustable in size. This is helpful when you have a growing puppy, because you can just loosen the collar as its neck gets bigger. It is also convenient to have a traditional collar as a place to put the rabies and licensing tags.

There are also traditional collars that have been modified for behaviour reasons. For a long time, choke (also known as slip) collars and collars with spikes on the inside have been used to control unruly animals. These collars were preferred on dogs that continuously pull at their leash. The thought is that a choke or spiked collar would provide one quick instance of pain, and the dog would stop pulling. If this technique works, it is a very successful one. The problem is that many times the dog continues to pull. In these cases the collar may damage the neck or may cause the dog to have trouble breathing. If this is the case you may well be using the collar incorrectly and should stop using it until you get advice from your vet or a trainer.

You may also have heard of barking collars. These can be used on dogs that bark too much. The idea behind these collars is that the collar senses the vibration made when the dog barks. As soon as the dog barks, the collar makes something unpleasant happen. Hopefully the dog will quickly learn that barking is associated with something unpleasant. This unpleasant event is usually either a small shock or a spray of citronella. Interestingly, recent research appears to indicate that the citronella collars are more successful at deterring barking than the shock collars. Never just depend on a barking collar- always make sure to work with your dog to decrease barking in other ways too, such as minimizing stimuli and possibly using dog appeasing pheromones.

Cats can wear traditional collars, too. Many owners like to put their contact information on a cat’s collar, in case their outdoor cat gets lost or runs into trouble. However, due to their exploring nature, some cats can get their collar stuck on an object. If this happens, the cat may be stuck somewhere remote and be unable to leave, or even worse may “hang” itself by the collar if it was caught while jumping. This is why breakaway collars were designed. The buckle on a breakaway collar (which looks similar to a buckle on a fanny pack) will open simply if it is pulled hard enough. Therefore, if your cat gets stuck, the weight of the animal pulling on the collar will open the buckle. This can be a lifesaving event.

An alternative to the traditional dog collar is a harness. Harnesses are also popular with cat owners. There are many different types of harnesses, but in general the idea is to transfer the strain of pulling from the neck to the chest. Harnesses are designed to go under the front legs, across the chest, and the leash attaches along the back, just behind the shoulder blades. Some owners feel that they have better control over their pet with a harness. The two most common uses for a harness are to decrease neck pain and to ease breathing. Harnesses are popular options for animals that have had neck surgery or a slipped disc. They are also very useful for older animals that can have pain from arthritis in their neck joints. It is also recommended to use a harness on any breed of dog that already has trouble breathing (for example: pugs, bulldogs). Traditional collars can exacerbate their breathing difficulties.

The last type of collar we will mention is the ‘Haltie’. A Haltie is designed to allow the owner to gain control of the head. The strap goes behind the ears and over the top of the nose, and the leash attaches underneath the muzzle. If you can picture a horse halter, it is somewhat similar. When the dog pulls on the leash, it causes their head to be pulled to the side. When you have control of the dog’s head, you have more control over their pulling. Halties are very popular for behavioural control.

Once you chose a collar for your dog, you also need to choose a leash. There are two basic types of leashes- the set-length fabric leash and the retractable leash. You can choose a leash designed around your lifestyle and your pet’s exercise routine. Don’t forget to personalize your pet’s collar and leash. Your pet’s collar and leash can support your favourite sports team, celebrate the holidays, or make a statement of style.

Choosing a leash and collar can be fun but confusing. Make sure you choose a collar that works best for your pet. Comfort and control are the most important things to take into consideration when making this decision. Some breeds (such as greyhounds) even have breed-specific collar needs. Make sure you talk to your veterinarian about what collar and leash is right for your pet.