Pet Goddess

Disaster preparedness for Pets

Americans have learned some hard lessions about disaster preparedness in 2008.
But have they all taken their pets into account?

Sadly, no. New Orleans is still suffering from huge pet overpopulation and strays as a result of not spaying and neutering, and displaced animals wandering around freely and doing what comes naturally.

It is sad that they are homeless, and now in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in the Galveston area, this problem is only going to increase.

Make sure you have ID, proof of shots, and muzzle and a carrier or other means of transporting your pet safely.

Make sure it has its own go bag of food and water and any medicines it might require.

If you are not sure what to put inside your own go bag, you will find useful instructions here: http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

Posted October 13, 2008 Comments(0)

Help your new cat adapt to her litter box as soon as possible and you’ll both be happier.

* A litter pan – either a hooded box or a more open one. Check your local pet store for a variety of options.
* An autoscoop pan if you plan to be away for a day or two at a time. We do not recommend leaving a cat alone for longer than that unless you have someone look in on them. But at least they won’t have to worry too much about tending the litter.
* A rug or tray of some sort to help keep the outside litter area neat.
* A slotted utensil like a scooper that you can use to easily scoop the feces and wet litter out of the tray.
* A clumping litter so that even liquid waste can be easily scooped and removed, so your house will not smell like cat urine. But never use one with kittens, as they might lick it off their feet or eat it and get a blockage.
* A stash of plastic bags for quick and handy waste disposal.
* Plastic litter pan liners can be a convenient way to change out the entire box of litter quickly and easily when the time comes.

Put the cat in the tray and let it sniff and observe, and pad around in it. If you can, take one of its front paws and make a digging motion.

If you catch it mid-pee or poo outside the box, either put the pet in the box to finish, or put the poo in the box so it will get the idea.

Posted October 11, 2008 Comments(0)

Here is a useful article about how emotionally difficult it can be to lose and pet, and why:

 Grieving for your Lost Pet

Posted October 9, 2008 Comments(0)

Hill’s Science Diet coupon offer

http://www.feedingisbelieving.com/believe/couponRegistrationForm.jsp

Posted October 7, 2008 Comments(0)

Discovering puddles and little cat “presents” around the house, especially when you get home from a long day at the office, can be an irritating issue.

If your cat is ignoring his or her litter box on occasion, or totally, it could be a health issue, a urinary tract infection in particular.

Or, it could be a behavioral issue. She could be misbehaving for a number of reasons, including a litter box that is unclean for his or her high standards, in the wrong place, or just plain not attractive for a number of reasons.

If your cat was an outdoor cat, it could just be reverting back to its old habits of going at will. Or, perhaps it can’t contain itself. It could also be angry that you are not giving it enough time or attention. There is nothing worse than a pet who pees wrathfully, as we say in my house. (We had a dog who would look at you, throw her ears back, and pee on purpose the couple of rare times she would ever get annoyed by something).

So, if you have ruled out a health issue, and a behavioral one, here are some tips to get your pet back on track using its litter box:

* Place the litter box in a quiet, private location that’s easily accessible. You might want to get one of the ones that looks like a little hut.
* Try not to move the box around.
* Use a clumping litter so that waste can be easily scooped and removed.
* Keep it simple and scoop the litter daily. You might want to get an automated scoop litter box, but keep in mind that you will need to introduce it gradually so as not to scare your pet with this new mechanized box.
* Make sure there’s an adequate number of cat boxes available, and consider more than one box if you have more than one cat.
* Make sure your box is big enough for her to circle around in comfortably.
* Check the level of cat litter; your cat likely prefers a good 3-4 inches of litter for a good dig (my cat used to ‘dig to China’, dig the whole litter box for about 10 minutes, usually in the middle of the night!)
* If you’re using a scented litter, try switching to an unscented variety, or vice versa. I have to say, I definitely prefer the unscented!

Posted October 5, 2008 Comments(0)

Not monitoring your pet/s carefully.
It is important to monitor pets on a daily basis. Pets are so good at hiding their illnesses, that often by the time we notice anything seems odd, the disease may be quite advanced. For this reason,  it is important to look for early signs of problems.  Monitor your dog’s urinations, defecations, attitude and appetite every day. If there is any change, and it lasts more than 24 hours, bring them to the vet for a checkup.

*Not pet-proofing you home properly.
In the same way that a house has to be baby-proofed to avoid a child hurting itself, humans need to keep items dangerous to pets out of their reach. There are many toxins in our home, such as rat poison, anti-freeze, medications (dog and human) or the trash, filled with dangerous items like chicken bones, string, rubber bands, and so on.
The same is true of the garden. Be extra-vigilant about pesticides, ‘repellent’ designed to stop pets from inappropriate urination, and so on.

Posted October 3, 2008 Comments(0)

* Not keeping their dog on a leash.
This is a problem for many reasons. Dogs that are permitted to “run free” often get into accidents, or are aggressive to other dogs, or become the victim of aggression. They can also get into trash, to eat dangerous things like chicken bones. They can also ingest toxins.
Also, they can just plain wander off.
All of this can be prevented by keeping a dog within a fenced yard or on a leash.
For cats, allowing them to be outdoor pets is documented as decreasing their longevity.

* Not keeping a current ID tag on their pet, or embedding a microchip.
Many pets don’t have a current ID tag or microchip. These two items provide the BEST information so your lost pet can be returned to you.
Without identification, many pets can never be reunited with their owners, and are either put up for adoption or in more sad cases, euthanized because they are too old or deemed ‘unadoptable’ in some way.

*Skimping on nutrition, or feeding the wrong kind of food for its age.
A good quality food is important to dogs. Skimping on nutrition can lead to serious problems for puppies, and adult dogs. Dogs need a high quality balanced diet that is formulated to meet their life-stage needs, or breed issues. A single source protein, single source carbohydrate food will help avoid allergies as well. Find a dog that your dog likes and stick to it. Many brands offer coupons now, such as Hill’s Science Diet,
http://www.feedingisbelieving.com/believe/couponRegistrationForm.jsp
while others offer a club, where you buy a certain number of bags, and get a certain number free.

Posted October 1, 2008 Comments(0)