So you’ve got a new cat, and she needs a checkup. On your first vet visit, your vet will take the lead and give you some basic information, and probably will go through a fairly standard routine.

Upwards of 90% of the information you need, however, will be based on the questions that you ask your vet. Somewhere, typically towards the end of the checkup, your vet will ask you if you have any questions.

Usually, by that time, your adrenaline has been pumping, and you’ve been overloaded. Your cat has been stressed and so have you…. you are both ready to leave. Do not let this opportunity pass you by.

Take this time to take the lead, and ask your questions. What questions? Well, the ones that you’ll forget if you don’t already have them written down. Yes, write them down now.

Much of the information being distributed today on feline diet, health, and cat care in general is either fear based (e.g. raw meat diets, vaccination scares), or profit based (i.e. advertising). It’s important, therefore, to get your vet’s take on some of these issues.

Here is a list of issues that you can use to formulate your questions. This is by no means all inclusive, and you’ll probably have some specific ones of your own.

The important thing is that this will spark a dialogue between you and your vet that will help both of you to better care for your cat.

Here are some subjects to create your questions around…

Vaccination options: there are options for both type and schedule, and there are risks, so be sure to find out what your vet recommends for your cat.

Diet and nutrition: ask about commercial cat foods and brands as they are not all the same. What about alternatives like home made cat food, raw meat diets, and feeding table scraps?

Common cat owner mistakes: ask your vet which common mistakes to avoid.

Emergency procedures: find out what emergency procedures your vet has now, should you need it later.

Indoor or Outdoor: this is a big subject as it greatly affects your life, and the life span of your cat.

Cat litter and litter boxes: many choices can be narrowed to only a few by asking your vet for advice.

Common diseases and their signs: understanding what the common signs of disease are will help you detect problems in your cat early, and may save her life one day.

Use the above list to get started. As you write your questions, more will come to you. Write them down, even if the answers appear obvious. There is no question too small to ask your vet about the health of your cat.

Kurt Schmitt is an experienced cat owner and the author of 7 Questions to Ask Your Vet… A Guide for Cat Lovers. For the answers to all your cat care questions, visit The Website for Cat Lovers.

Choosing a rescue dog can be a difficult choice -all of our Spanish strays are so grateful and lovable, and make such wonderful pets, I wonder why anybody would ever want to buy from a breeder.

If you have made up your mind to take one of our strays, or indeed, any other rescued dog, do think very carefully about which kind of dog would suit your particular lifestyle. The last thing an unwanted dog needs is to find a loving home only to discover that after a short while he is unloved again and considered a nuisance.

If you are at home a good deal of the time and are active, there is no reason not to enjoy long walks with a larger active dog providing you have the space to accommodate him.

Many large dogs such as greyhounds or big heavy dogs do not need as much exercise as smaller highly strung dogs- and greyhounds in particular usually make docile pets.

If you work part-time (you really should not consider taking a dog if there is nobody at home all day) a smaller less active dog would not require such lengthy walks although many small dogs are highly active. You should ask advice to the dog’s particular needs from the refuge where the dog has been looked after.

Don’t expect miracles when your dog first arrives. He will be very confused especially if he is one of our Spanish dogs who may well have spent years in the refuge or tied up somewhere.

With quiet love and understanding he will settle. Just give him his own time and space to adjust. So many people want to make a big fuss of the dog when he arrives, inviting friends and family to meet him – but there will be plenty of time in the future for this. Leave him be, just speaking in a friendly tone to him as you go about the house. The less fuss you make- so will he.

Another consideration when deciding which rescue dog to choose is whether you have time to spend grooming a long coat. If not stick to a dog with short hair as long coats need regular attention to keep them healthy.

Dog or Bitch?

I personally really don’t have a preference.

All our dogs are neutered before arriving in England for rehoming, and they all have distinct personalities.

If you already have one dog it is usually best to choose a second one of the opposite sex, to avoid competion as to who is going to be top dog.

If your reason for taking on a rescued dog is to provide your existing dog with a friend, please be sure that you have the patience and ability to persevere in the event that the first dog does not like or accept his new friend.

A couple of dogs have been returned to me for this reason, not through any fault of their own, just because the owners had not thought it through first, and all it achieve was to make an insecure little dog even more insecure.

Young or Old?

Lastly do consider an oldie if you can. They are usually wonderful pets and great characters. It is so sad that they are forgotten especially when

if like our Spanish strays they have been confined to a refuge for years. Some say they are institutionalised and will not settle but this simply is not true. I have rehomed several (whom were thought to be quite ancient) but am pleased to say they are still going strong after five or six years!

Whichever dog you decide on make sure you have given the matter some careful thought.

Think carefully before taking him

Do not expect too much from him at first

Give him lots of love and you will receive lots in return!

European Animal Welfare rescues strays from Spain.
Please visit we offer animal rescue stories, and Animal pictures.

Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat’s litter boxes.

Here’s some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits.

When you think about cat litter box placement, imagine if it’s a place where you’d like to do your business. We humans generally cherish a quiet and private location. Your cat isn’t much different. She’d like her cat litter boxes placed where she can feel safe while voiding. When animals eliminate, this is a vulnerable time for them, and if your cat doesn’t feel safe and comfortable, she’ll find her own location to fulfill this need.

Depending upon the cat’s age and mobility, an ideal litter box location is someplace where humans don’t tread constantly. Take a look around your house and think about this as you ponder locations. Some ideal places are your basement, rarely-used bathrooms, and larger closets.

If you have a room that doesn’t get much traffic and won’t let the odors waft all through the house, then set up a litter box in that location.

If a family member’s bedroom will work (assuming that person won’t be jarred awake at 3 AM when kitty is busy digging a hole to China to bury her output!), use that as well.

Many cats prefer to have a cat litter box near their favorite hang outs. This way, they don’t have to go far when nature calls.

The most desirable location will be quiet, somewhat secluded, and afford kitty the luxury of time and the feeling of safety to properly eliminate in her cat litter box.

Sometimes your cat will decide a location for you. In my home, my kitty Scout prefers the cat litter box in the exercise room in lieu of the one in the basement (which would be my first choice) and another in a nook off the kitchen.

But she doesn’t like those locations as well, so it’s critical that I keep that cat litter box up to her standards – clean, no deposits left over from her brother JJ, and leaving the door open – even when I’m using the exercise bike or the cross trainer! If I forget any of these things, she lets me in the most direct way possible – by not using a litter box when she needs to eliminate.

If there was ever a case where cats have staffers and hired help, I’m living proof! So take a hint from your cat…try to accomodate her preferred location for successful, consistent cat litter box usage.

Nancy solved the cat urine odor problem in her home, and kept the cat that caused it. Read 18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems to discover your solution.

Click Here to find out more

The September morning that we made our acquaintance, it was unseasonably cold. My breath frosted in the air. It was early — the sun just peeking over the horizon — and I’d just come home from dropping my husband off at the train station.

I was almost inside when I heard it.

Mew.

I ticked off possibilities. I had two cats, one fairly young, but they were both indoor cats. My landlords had three cats, but that tiny me could not possibly have come from them.

Mew.

A stranger at my door…

There, blinking up at me with wide green eyes was a tiny black and white kitten.

My heart melted.

When I knelt down beside him, I could see his ribs. No more than six weeks old by my best estimate, he was shivering in the cold, his tiny body shaking.

I lifted him up and tucked him under my jacket until he warmed up. In spite of everything, I could feel him purring against me.

My dilemma…

I wish I could say that I brought him right inside and we lived happily ever after, but the bottom line was that my husband and I already had two cats in a one bedroom apartment, and my landlords would surely kill me if I even brought this kitten indoors for awhile.

Instead, I scrounged for something this baby could eat, and sat with him on my front steps, trying to keep him warm until it was time for me to go to work.

After work, he was still there, and I knocked on neighborhood doors, hoping to find his home.

No luck.

And each day, this tiny kitten would jump up my steep porch steps and try to follow me inside.

What a little bandit, I would say to the kitten as he looked up at me beseechingly. I’m sorry. You just can’t come inside.

In the meantime, my husband and I made an appointment at a local animal shelter. It was quite a drive, but Saturday, we would take the kitten there and put him up for adoption.

But one morning I went out only to find my little bandit friend gone. I peered behind bushes I checked in the tall grasses across the street. I looked under all the cars.

The kitten was gone.

I’ll admit that a part of me was relieved. It was out of my hands…but I couldn’t help but wonder — and worry — about what had happened to the little bandit that had stolen my heart.

Oh where oh where did that little cat go?

As I prepared for work that morning, all I could think about was that tiny kitten. Did he find his way home, or did something awful happen to him? Did he get hit by a car? Was he trapped somewhere? Was he hurt?

By the time I was ready for work, I was sick wondering what had happened to that kitten.

An answer I didn’t want to hear…

As I was getting into my car, my landlady pulled her car up alongside mine. She was visibly upset, and she told me she’d taken the kitten I’d been feeding to the local pound.

They’d been closed, but had taken the kitten from her anyway, and they’d told her that they were out of space. There was no room for the kitten, so they’d be putting him to sleep before morning’s end.

This was a healthy, feisty, beautiful little kitten. Very adoptable, and they were going to — for lack of space — put him to sleep.

Forget the euphemisms. They were going to murder him.

So what’s the punchline?

The punchline to this, my friends, is that pounds do not always have an animal’s best interests at heart. Your local pound is there to provide a public service. That service is, first and foremost, to take stray animals off of the street.

Now granted, many pound employees love animals and would do anything for them, but they cannot take every animal home with them, and policy is policy when you are an employee of the county government.

So before you take that stray to the pound, thinking you are doing your good deed, I beg you to reconsider.

It doesn’t matter how adorable, healthy, personable, well-behaved, intelligent, or just plain lovable that animal is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a purebreed or a mutt. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny kitten or an aging Rottweiler. If that animal is not adopted, it will — at some point — be put down.

Sometimes, as in the case of my little stray, it’s sooner rather than later.

That precious kitten would never have a chance, even a remote one, of adoption.

Furthermore…

Some pounds will even sell animals to scientific laboratories for research subjects. For me, this is too horrible to even contemplate.

So what are the alternatives?

I’d love to tell you to adopt the animal yourself, or at least keep it until you can find it a loving home — and if you can, then, by all means, do. Put up signs in supermarkets and on telephone poles. Take out an ad in your local paper. The animal may simply be lost and loving owners may be desperately searching for it.

But if you can’t, then call your pound first. Find out their policy on euthanasia and on selling them for research.

Look in the yellow pages. There should be listing for shelters, which differ greatly from pounds in purpose and practice.

Many shelters have no-kill policies. They will not put down an animal unless it is so badly injured or so sick that nothing can be done to help it.

One local shelter where I used to live had many battle-scarred critters. One-eyed cats and three-legged dogs were given ample opportunity for adoption. In the meantime, they were cared for — and loved — by dedicated volunteers.

Again, make sure to check their policies on selling for research and euthanasia.

Check with neighborhood veterinarians or your local animal emergency clinic. Often, if you bring an injured stray in, they will house and feed it until the animal is claimed or adopted.

The Bottom Line

There are options, though some are time consuming. If, like me, you’re an animal lover, then it will be a labor of love.

For those who may be wondering…

My landlady and I went back to the pound that morning. We had to bang on the door since they were closed, and after half a dozen employees ignored us, someone came and opened the door. We were told to come back when they reopened and begin the adoption process. It would cost $40.00.

By then, we pleaded, it will be too late.

The kitten would have been put to sleep.

A shame, we were told — but that was procedure.

Well, with some cajoling, a lot of sweet talk, a dose of common sense, and a few thinly veiled threats, we got the kitten back.

The little bandit that had stolen my heart rode all the way home in my arms.

Bandit…

In case you haven’t guessed, we never kept that shelter appointment we’d made.

Bandit, as he came to be named, is now a happy, healthy senior cat. He is waiting for me by the door every day when I come home from work, and at night, he sleeps on my pillow.

He likes to drink from the bathroom faucet, and he’s so vocal that he often sounds as if he’s singing to me.

A fairy tale ending?

Bandit and I had a fairy tale ending, but many animals taken to pounds do not.

So please, please, before you take that stray to the pound, think twice. An animal’s life is at stake.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Maine coon cats are an American classic, a contribution to our history and culture that only Maine could provide. This hardy, handsome breed of domestic cat was established at least 150 years ago, and its unique characteristics developed as it adapted to Maine’s own unique characteristics. And as America has become a nation of animal lovers, the Maine coon has only become more appreciated.

Maine coons are one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and are regarded as a native of Maine. Around the origins of the Maine Coon cat swirls a fog of legend and conjecture as obscuring to reality as the fogs of its homeland, says Marilis Hornidge in That Yankee Cat–the Maine Coon. Of the many legendary tales of the Coon cat’s beginnings, the one most completely discredited is the best known, the mating of the raccoon and the domestic house cat. This is, of course, a physical impossibility.

Most Maine coon breeders believe that the breed originated from matings between pre-existing shorthaired domestic cats and longhaired types brought to America from overseas by New England seamen or by Vikings. We know from history that the old sailing ships kept cats for rodent control, and Maine was a commerce area, so it is not difficult to imagine how this could happen.

Maine coons are tall, muscular, big-boned cats, with a long, rectangular body and deep chest. Males commonly reach 13 to 18 pounds; females, normally about nine to 12; they may continue to grow until three to five years of age. They have long muzzles and long teeth. All of these traits would have given them an advantage against competitors as well as predators.

Maine coons, with their heavy coats, are well suited to the harsh New England winters. Adult Maine coons have a three-layer coat; in winter, their undercoats thicken. They have long guard hairs to keep off the snow and repel water, and a long, bushy tail to wrap around themselves for warmth. Maine coons have large, furry feet (all the better for walking on snow); furry, tufted ears that stay warm against the cold; and extremely long whiskers, which help them stay clear of brush that may entangle their long fur.

According to the Maine.gov website, Maine coons’ voices set them apart from other cats; they have a distinctive, chirping trill.

Initially appreciated for their rodent hunting skills, they were also highly admired by the families of Maine for their friendly personalities and high intelligence, and began to take on an important role as pets. As they became a more important part of New England culture, it became a popular pastime for families to admire, pamper, and brag about their cats.

In the mid-19th century, the Maine coon became a special exhibit at many county fairs in Maine, thus becoming America’s very first show cat. Maine coons come in almost all colors; although the classic brown tabby may be the first that comes to mind, they can be red tabby, silver tabby, tortoiseshell, black and white–almost anything except the Siamese pattern and a few others.

As Cat Fancy Magazine says, Maine coons are a furry piece of American history.

Lisa J. Lehr ? 2006

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer and Internet marketer specializing in direct response and marketing collateral. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health, pets, and conservative issues.
Please visit her blogs at http://mymaine.blogspot.com and http://warmfuzziesanimalrescue.blogspot.com.
If you?re looking for a copywriter, go to http://www.justrightcopy.com. Just Right Copy–because words sell.

When I carried him home, he was this tiny little bundle of fur, approximately three weeks old. He is mostly white, with some mutlicolored stripes, cute beyond belief, but he was being abused and starved at his current home, so I just couldn’t leave him there. I tucked him under my sweatshirt and off we went. My husband and son came home from their respective schools, they both fell in love, we named him Machiavelli, and that was that.

In our home, he found three adult, spoiled and pampered feline friends, one dog who thinks she’s a cat, food bowls that are always full, treats galore, toys in abundance, and fresh water always at hand. What more could a little fellow want? Life is good, for all of us.

I must admit, however, that we were not prepared for how smart he would turn out to be. I thought my other boys were pretty smart, but this fellow takes the cake.

When he was just a few months old, my husband and I were sitting in bed watching television, suddenly we heard him crying. I called out to him, to make sure he knew where we were, and to reassure him of our presence. He cried again so I asked him what he wanted. Well, he decided to show me, he came into our room and climbed up on our bed with his favorite food bowl in his mouth! It was empty, he wanted it filled, and I guess I was to dense for him to make his point the easy way. Of course, after a few months of these antics, the bowl had to be tossed out, alas, it was so full of fang holes that it looked like Swiss Cheese.

Upon the addition of a new bowl, he changed his antics, and now if they are almost empty, he just throws them onto the diningroom floor, remaining food and all. He then leaves the bowl in the middle of the floor, in the middle of the night, so he can be sure you will trip on it, and be obligated to fill it.

He also astounded us by outsmarting our resident bully. Mr. Whiskers has been in charge around here for five years, until Machi moved in that is. This little fellow just refused to be intimidated by anyone. The fist instance occured at the waterbowl in the kitchen. Mr. Whiskers was getting a drink when Machi decided he was also thirsty, he approached the bowl and Mr. Whiskers hissed at him. Well, Machi, still being tiny at the time, just strolled right under the much larger cat and went on to get his drink. The big bully ended up being the one to freak out and run. Guess he didn’t know how to handle someone who just didn’t care in the least about his attitude, or seniority.

Machi still won’t let Mr. Whiskers bother him, when he cops an attitude, Machi just stares at him, then slowly starts circling around the older, and larger cat. Drawing every closer and closer. He won’t hiss, swat, or growl, just stare, and slowly diminish his circle. It never fails that Mr. Whiskers gets freaked out and runs off to hide.

On night when he was approximately seven months old, Machi came into our room, hopped on our bed and meowed at us. We tried to figure out what he wanted, but it remained a mystery until my husband pulled aside the bedclothes and found one of his toy mice. He made sure that Machi saw it in his hand and then tossed it out the door so he could go play. Surprise! This turned out to be a fun game, so Machi brought the mouse back to be thrown again. We ended up playing fetch with a toy mouse that night for nearly an hour, and ever since, this has become one of his favorite games.

Now, I am sure he thought he was really entertaining us silly people, and this was fine with us, until the evening he caught a real mouse. Yep, you got it, he tried to bring the bloody corpse into our bed so we could play fetch with it. He just couldn’t understand why we didn’t want his new prize toy in our bed. I finally had to pick the thing up and take it outside to the garbage to end the problem.

There are many other escapades where he has shown off his intelligence, including learning what the television remote is for, and not being shy about using it when he doesn’t like what we are watching, or leaving small toys in our shoes, because he enjoys the reaction when we have to pull them back off to figure out why they suddently don’t fit right but none astounded me as much as my most recent discovery.

If I hadn’t witnessed this one for myself, I would never have believed it in a million years. It started over the winter, I would find the house getting chilly for no apparent reason, and at other times heating up like we lived at the equator. I wasn’t sure what was going on, for quite awhile, I just assumed my husband had adjusted the thermostat for some reason, I set it to a comfortable temperature and thought nothing of it. Then one day, after my husband had left for school, and I found myself freezing, I called him on his lunch break to ask why he had to mess with the silly thing, when he knew he was leaving the house soon. He denied having touched it. So, I thought maybe our son had done it.

When he returned from school that afternoon, I asked him about it. He denied touching it as well. Being a ten-year old, he of course hates to get in trouble, so I must admit, I just assumed he was denying to cover his butt. When it happend on weekends, after company had left, I just assumed one of them had done it, I would reset it and forget about it. That is, until one day, when I knew for a fact that I had just done fixed it that very morning and no one else was home, and suddenly, I felt like a turkey basting in the oven. At this point, I was very perplexed. Was something really wrong with the thing? Did we have a ghost who had its own ideas of the most comfortable temperature?

Then, one day, I was having a lot of pain from my back problems, so I had taken some pills and hit the bed for a nap. I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I was walking through the diningroom, what did I see? Why, a Machi, of course, balancing atop a door we had leaning against the wall, stretching up as tall as he could, and moving the thermostat. I quietly watched to see what he was doing, if it was just something interesting to play with, or if he had really figured out what its purpose was. I watched as he slowly slid it to the right, a higher temp, he paused after sliding it a little, cocked an ear and when he heard the furnace turn on, he jumped down, and ran into the kitchen. I then found him in the bathroom, laying on the heat vent, getting ready for a nap. He certainly had figured it what it did.

Another time, after sleeping on the heat vent for awhile, I am assuming he woke up a little too warm. I watched his balancing act again, but this time, he moved the dial to the left, a lower temp. As before, he moved it a little, cocked an ear to listen closely, and when he heard the furnace shut off, he was satisfied and jumped down to continue on with his day.

You can of course see where this new skill can be a problem, he has fur, Sometimes when he is warm, we aren’t. Sometimes when he is cold, perhaps from sleeping near a drafty window, or door, we aren’t. But you know what? He is just so darned cute, that we have never had the heart to move that door to a new spot!

Verleen Wonderly is a published freelance writer. She has worked for the website http://www.dealofday.com since it’s inception in 1999.

As a respected art and science, animal communication has been around for perhaps 100 years, although most people may have heard of it only recently. An understanding of animal communication–interspecies communication between humans and their pets or other animals–must begin with the understanding that animals, like humans, have personalities and feelings, preferences, opinions, and misperceptions; they think and make choices; they, like us, want to be happy.

What does an animal communicator do? Think of an animal communicator (who will be a she here, for simplicity’s sake) as a facilitator or mediator between the human and the animal. She has an intelligent conversation with this sentient being who cannot communicate through human speech–but can communicate nevertheless.

She may be called upon to assist with a variety of situations, including behavioral problems; relationships with people and other pets; stressful situations such as a move, the family going on vacation, or the death of a human companion; or, often, when a pet is lost and her skills are needed to locate it. In this case, if the pet has died, the animal communicator will be able to determine this, too.

Animal communication can occur in person, over the phone, or through e-mail; each animal communicator will have her preferred method, although other variables, such as distance from the client, may factor in. She will need the name, age, species, breed, and description; she may ask for a picture of the animal. Some animal communicators prefer to work with the pet alone, or the human client may play an active part in the communication. The animal communicates through the communicator and back to the human client in pictures, emotions, and words.

Does it work? If you need convincing, I suggest you check out the websites of any number of animal communicators and read the stories and testimonials yourself.

However, says animal communicator Rev. Nedda Wittels, M.A., M.S., on naturalhealthweb.com, Unfortunately, no telepathic communicator–no person–is one hundred percent accurate all the time in any work. Error can occur because the telepathic connection is weak; because the human client has emotional and/or mental blocks about the situation; because the animal is lying or choosing not to communicate fully; because the meaning of the communication does not fit easily into the backdrop of information available to the human communicator; or because the telepath simply misconstrues the meaning.

Each telepathic communicator brings her own emotional and mental baggage to any session: belief systems, expectations, past experiences and emotions. Being able to drop this baggage and to be a clear channel is an important part of the process of doing the work. The best among us do this on a regular basis, but all telepaths, as all other psychics, do filter the information somewhat through their own perspectives on reality. It is part of being human.

For example, I heard of one case where a communicator was called upon to find a lost dog. As it turned out, the dog had been killed, but he was reluctant to reveal where he was because he’d run away and gotten into trouble, resulting in his death, and knew he’d been naughty.

If you decide to get in touch with an animal communicator, it’s easy to find one; simply do an Internet search for animal communicator. You may choose one over another based upon any number of individual preferences, although distance need not be a factor; as I mentioned, most can work long-distance. Of course, an animal communicator does not substitute for veterinary care or obedience training. Have a list of question ready that you’d like to ask; if she charges by the hour, you can be sure to get your most important questions answered within your time frame.

Would you like to become an animal communicator? Anyone with a gift for relating to animals and good listening skills might choose to nurture them and become a certified animal communicator. Begin by searching for workshops and correspondence courses. Then set up your own website and tell us your success stories!

? Lisa J. Lehr 2006

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer and Internet marketer specializing in direct response and marketing collateral. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health, pets, and conservative issues.

Please visit her blog at http://warmfuzziesanimalrescue.blogspot.com
If you?re looking for a copywriter, go to http://www.justrightcopy.com Just Right Copy–because words sell.

You know how annoying it can be when you have an itch, but you can’t reach it to give it a scratch? Well, when your cat has fleas it’s like your problem, just multiplied a hundred times.

If your cat has fleas or ticks, you need to take action. If they are scratching or have irritated skin, your cats need you to bring this problem under control because it can become a much larger problem if you do not.

Even clean cats can end up with fleas. All it takes is a stray animal to come close enough to the cat. Or, the cat can pick them up outdoors as well. Even just one flea can leave many eggs and cause a full scale attack on your pet.

To stop them before they start, you can use a product such as Frontline or Advantage. These are pre measured liquid treatments that are applied directly to the cat?s skin and coat. When fleas get onto the pet, these products kill them before they can lay eggs. Those who want preventative measures for keeping the cat safe should use these.

For most though, it takes seeing the fleas to get them to start fighting them. If you see tiny black or brown insects on your animal, these are no doubt that your cat is flea infested. If you do see them, realize that the problem is already a big problem.

What you need to do is make sure to check your pet for fleas all the time. You can do this with a flea comb. Carefully comb through the cat?s hair and pay attention to the hair around the cat?s head and his belly. These are the ideal places for fleas to hide including the ears, eyes and the nose. And, they like to burrow in the creases where the cat?s legs and body meet.

When combing your pet, if you find a flea you know they are throughout his body. But, if you end up with a few black or brown specks, this too is a sign that they are hiding somewhere on the pet?s body.

To find them, run your hands over the cat?s body. Look for raised spots on him. If you find one or more, check it closely to see if it has little legs. If so the cat has ticks. You?ll need to ask your vet about having the tick removed as you can not do this yourself without risking the tick?s head staying behind in your pet?s skin.

In order to get them under control, you?ll need to use one of the liquid flea and tick treatments. You can also use flea or tick collars and baths as well. If the fleas are in your house, as they probably are, then you will need to use a powder or spray for the bedding and upholstered furniture too. As a last resort, you can use a flea and tick bomb in your home. But, in this case, the animals will need to stay out of your home for at least 24 hours.

Fleas are a serious concern and you need to keep them from affecting your pet. If your pet has them, also talk to your vet about treatments he can provide as these are professional strengths that can help. Before they make your pet sick, take measures at the first sign of trouble.

Niall Kennedy is a lifelong pet lover and has worked in several pet sanctuaries. Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you information about many aspects cat health. You will also find great deals on flea medication for cats such as Frontline, Advantage and Revolution. http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info

Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

We all know that good food, a loving home and plenty of exercise will go a long way in giving your dog and cat a happy and healthy life. But what about those times when some minor illness suddenly appears and it’s 10 pm in the evening with no veterinarian available? (For those of you who have small children…you understand how this works).

Just like humans, animals can and will occasionally get sick. Considering some of the things animals get into, it’s truly amazing our dogs and cats stay as healthy as they do. There are a lot of potential dangers out in that big wide world.

Child Proofing Your Home For Your Pet

Pets are just like children. They are curious explorers that love to check out what’s in that overflowing garbage can or see if they really can reach the toilet bowl for a drink before someone catches them.

Here are a few guidelines to help you pet proof your home:

* When you use any pesticides, herbicides, antifreeze, or household cleaning products, make sure they are stored safely away after use. Wash away any extra waste that might have spilled immediately.

* It’s preferable that you don’t let your cat roam the neighborhood. Some people put out rat bait and other such poisons in their gardens and in their garbage. Why? Well, they may have mice in the area which they want to get rid of. They may also be tired of your or someone else’s cat constantly getting into their garbage or defecating in their gardens. Believe me, this is a slow, painful death for your pet. I learned the hard way with a much beloved cat of mine. Since then, all of my cats are indoor house cats.

* Keep your garbage can lids closed tight. Animals love smelly garbage to explore to find what great human tidbits might be in there. However, that food may have some toxic cleaner spilled on it. Those yummy chicken bones are cooked…and splinter, which could cause serious intestinal problems. You get the idea.

* Be sure all electrical cords are kept covered or unplugged when not in use. Although not recommended normally, if you have a small puppy or kitten, run the cords under carpets, behind cabinets or heavy furniture that they can’t crawl behind. Young pets love to chew…and wires and cords are enticing.

* If you use a toilet bowl cleaner that stays in toilet to clean with each flush keep the lid down. Animals, especially dogs, love to drink from the toilet for some bizarre

reason that only they understand. The chemicals in the cleaner can poison and/or kill.

Stocking The Medicine Cabinet

So, what to do when your dog or cat gets sick with a minor tummy ache, diarrhea, or some minor infection, including itchy skin? Stock your medicine cabinet with certain human medications that are perfectly fine to give to your pets in the proper dosage. However, you should always consult your veterinarian if possible before administering any type of medication, including dosage amounts of each for each of your animals. Keep a list handy near the cabinet for quick reference on dosages.

Here are some items you should keep on hand:

* Buffered Aspirin is good for lowering fever and relieving minor aches and pains in dogs. Most people prefer to use baby aspirin. Use approximately 80 mg per every 10 pounds of weight, usually no more than twice a day. NEVER give aspirin to a cat as it’s extremely dangerous to them. Also, do not use Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen, as they are also dangerous to pets in general. Stick with the aspirin.

* Keopectate is good for soothing stomach troubles and diarrhea in both dogs and cats. A recommended amount would be 1 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of weight roughly every 4 hours.

* Gravol for motion sickness if you need to travel with your pet. Administer the tablet one hour before you leave. You should give no more than 12.5 mg to a cat or a small dog. A medium to large dog can handle between 25 to 50 mg. Do not give this to any animal that has bladder problems or glaucoma. Again, check with your vet to be sure if it’s safe and what dosage is recommended for your pet.

* Pepto-Bismol, that good old pink stuff, is fine to give to your dog if they are having tummy trouble, such as vomiting or a rolling, noisy belly. One teaspoon every 6 hours per pound of body weight should be sufficient. This is another medicinal product that should not be given to cats.

* Hydrogen Peroxide and Polysporin for minor cuts and scratches. These will help clean out the wound and hopefully prevent any infection from occurring.

All in all, checking up with your vet and keeping some specific medications on hand should help you deal with any minor illnesses you may encounter with your dog and cat.

==========================================
Rose Smith is the author and owner of Caring For Canines, a web site that provides information on natural dog health care. To learn more about dog medications, vaccinations and first aid, please visit us at: http://www.caringforcanines.com/herbal-medications.shtml

You can?t train a cat, like you can a dog. If you try to, you?ll probably cause behavioural problems later on. But you can teach it not to perform bad habits. But most times the owner will have to change to fit in with the cat.

Every one in your house, should agree with what you are going to allow the cat to do. Do not change the rules when you?ve decided them, as this can cause difficulties.

?If your cat trusts you, it will probably do what you want, so speak in a calm tone.
?Your cat can tell if you are anxious, so don?t worry if things go wrong. Keep calm and start again.
?Don?t force training on your cat, only attempt it when it seems happy to do so.
?Don?t move too quickly, or the cat might misunderstand.
?When teaching a kitten only do it for ? hour a day and only repeat a few times. As an annoyed kitten will not learn anything.
?If you are forbidding something, be consistent. Don?t change your mind, and stick to the same command.
?If you?ve caught your cat doing something bad, give it a quick squirt of water from a plant sprayer. This will soon curb the behaviour.
?Never hurt or shout at your cat, or it will associate you with the unpleasantness. Instead put some dry beans in a tin and shake it briefly if you cat is being bad.
?When the cat obeys, praise and stroke it.
?Treat your cat with food when it does well, it will learn to associate a good behaviour with food. But don?t over do it, it will soon so it without help.
?Do not ignore your cat when you are mad at it, cats do not understand this behaviour and will feel insecure.

Your cat will not know from the start that it has to use a scratch post to sharpen its claws. You need to teach it to do so.

If your cat beings to attack the furniture, clearly say ?NO?. Then take the cat to the scratching post and put its paws on it. You can scratch with your own nails too, as the noise will make the cat curious.

If your cat refuses to use the scratch post, then it may not like the fabric that covers it. Try putting an old piece of clothing that smells like you over the board; put some hemp rope around the scratching tree, or put down some straw mats, cats often like these better.

Make sure where your cat sleeps is quiet and comfortable. Provide your cat with a covered basket, with a soft filling such as a blanket or towel. You cat can get away in here and feel safe, but still be able to see things going on.

Don?t let your cat beg, once it has formed this habit, you won?t be able to break it. Don?t give in to a meowing cat! Keep your cat away from the dining table!
?Don?t offer your cat food from the table.
?Don?t give treats outside of feeding time, just because it wants them.
?Don?t put your cat on your lap when eating dinner at the table.
?Set your cat certain feeding times.
?Feed your cat when you eat, so it will be occupied.
?If you cat jumps on your lap or the chair next door while you are eating say ?NO? and place it far from the table.

http://www.caringforyourcat.info