5 Grooming Tips for New Cat Owners
You might think that since your cat spends approximately half their waking hours grooming themselves that they don’t need your help... but they do.
After all, while kitties are excellent at cleaning their exterior grooming, they could use your help with the interior. Plus, they can't trim their nails or teeth very easily on their own.
Why Microchip Your Dog?
If your dog went missing, how would you try to find him? Post “lost” notices on electrical poles and on Facebook? Comb the neighborhood calling for your dog and looking at your phone every three seconds in case someone found him? Call your shelter to ask if anyone had found him and taken him to the shelter?
While all of these are viable -- and common -- practices, there are a few ways you can increase the odds that you'll be reunited with your pooch should the unthinkable happen.
Pets Make Us Happy: The Mental Benefits of Pet Companionship
As a pet lover, you know your pet makes you happy. But you may be surprised to hear that science agrees that those warm feelings can lift your mood and even lower your blood pressure!
In fact, the positives are such that pets are now invited into all sorts of therapy settings, such as hospitals, to soothe and calm the patients. There’s even a name for it: “pet therapy.”
Training Your Cat to Scratch Appropriately
We love our cats, but not what they sometimes do to our furniture! If your cat is doing a number on your new leather couch or oak table leg, there are plenty of options to help limit that behavior.
Contrary to popular belief, most cats can be trained. Owners can reinforce desired behavior in food-motivated pets by applying the treat as the cat completes the wanted behavior. The goal is to elicit the wanted behavior first so that you can reinforce it.
How to Spot an Ear Infection In Your Dog
Did you know that some dogs are more prone to ear infections than others? It's true. Floppy-eared dogs like Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, and other long-eared dogs tend to have more ear infections than dogs with upright ears. So do dogs who swim a lot.
Catnip and Your Cat - What it Is, What it Does, and Why It Doesn’t Affect All Cats
If you’re like most cat owners, you’ve probably bought your cat one of those catnip stuffed mice from the pet store. Maybe your cat rolled around with it in ecstasy and then proceeded to dissect it. Or, maybe your cat gave it sniff and walked on by, tail swishing in the air without a care.
Perplexing isn't it? Turns out either reaction is common and you'll see why in a moment, but first, let's look at the herb itself.
Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?
Have you ever wondered why your dog eats grass like it’s a delicacy? It’s a little perplexing really, your dog goes outside and gulps the stuff down, maybe only to throw it up later.
You may have heard that dogs eat grass to stimulate vomiting when they have an upset tummy. That’s probably true with some dogs though it's not the majority. Others do it because they’re bored...or even… because they like the taste.
It turns out there is a technical term for eating grass and other things that aren’t food. It’s called “Pica.”
Hairballs in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and What You Can Do About Them
If you’ve ever seen your cat gagging and eventually cough up a hairball, then you know the situation. You know they’re no fun to clean up, and worse, they can cause health problems for your cat. What you might not know is what causes hairballs, what symptoms to look for and what you can do to prevent them.
