Plan a Safe Holiday for Your Cat

When it comes to this busy holiday season, there are so many things to be careful of — not to mention keeping your cat healthy, happy and safe.

Below are some thoughtful and helpful tips that can help with just that:

• Provide a quiet place of solitude. Your cat may not welcome your guests as you do, so keep her favorite place free from the holiday hubbub so she can relax.  (Our cat acts out and poops outside the litter box when she is stressed.)
• Keep poisonous and dangerous plants away from kitty. Cats love to chew on plants. Mistletoe and poinsettia are poisonous to cats. Ingested pine needles can block their digestive tract. Keep your cat away from these poisonous and dangerous plants and you just might save yourself a trip to animal emergency hospital.
• Decorate with your cat's safety in mind. A variety of decorations can cause problems for your cat. Ribbons and tinsel are frequently implicated in veterinary emergency rooms. Light cords, when chewed on can cause severe burns, electrocution and death. Prevent these disasters by keeping decorations out of reach.
• Prepare for trips well in advance. Take special precautions when traveling with your cat no matter how you choose to travel. Several days before departing, consult with your veterinarian about how to properly prepare. Some cats may need a relaxant to help with anxiety.
• Table scraps aren't snacks. Holiday foods are loaded with fat and sodium and can cause stomach upset. Chicken bones can easily get stuck in the digestive tract and other foods like onions or chocolate may be poisonous. Chocolate can cause illness and even death in cats so it should be avoided completely. Chocolate contains theobromine, a potent cardiovascular and central nervous system stimulant that is eliminated very slowly in cats.
• In short, people food is for people. Stay disciplined and keep your cat on the right cat food formula such as Life's Abundance Cat Food for optimal health. Consider giving your kitty a wholesome kitty treat such as Gourmet Kitty Treats for Healthy Skin and Coat as a stocking stuffer.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Cold Weather Care for Cats and Dogs - Part 1

Cold Weather Care for Pets - Part 1

(Article obtained from At Home - a special advertising section of the Daily Inter Lake dated Saturday, October 20, 2012.)

When temperatures drop, humans are not the only ones who feel the chill.  Cold weather also can take its toll on animals including dogs, cats, and birds.  Protecting pets when winter arrives involves modifying care tactics.
 
A major winter snowfall or simply a snap of cold weather can cause many problems for pets.  Much like humans, dogs and cats can experience frostbite on extremities when subjected to cold temperatures.  Ears, noses, and paws all may bear the brunt of cold weather, increasing the risk of injury.

Provide Warm Shelter
Although it may appear that pets are well insulated against cold temperatures, fur or feathers do not make pets impervious to the cold.  According to the ASPCA, fur wetted by snow may not dry quickly, putting animals at risk for a chill or even hypothermia.  As a precautionary measure, keep companion animals inside when temperatures drop below 30F.

If yours is an outside cat or dog, be sure that he or she is equipped with dry, draft-free shelter.  A dog house that is too large will not retain heat, so keep this in mind.  Reduce wind chill by placing the dog house where it will not be in the direct line of wind.  You may want to think about keeping the dog in an insulated shed or garage if you prefer not to move the pet inside. Cats can easily freeze while outdoors; therefore, it is safer to keep them inside.  Also, outdoors a cat may seek unsafe shelter, such as under the hoods of cars where they can be injured or killed if the car is started.

Dress Warmly
A mammal’s system for regulating heat can be compromised when there is excessive cold.  No matter its type of fur, a dog or cat may not be able to tolerate long periods of cold weather, unless it is a breed that was specifically bred for remaining outdoors in the cold, like a Malamute or Husky.  When venturing outside the use of a sweater or vest on short-haired dogs, but keep an eye on the pet.  Wearing a coat doesn’t mean he or she should be left outdoors unattended.

Cats probably will not tolerate any type of clothing.  If going outdoors to a vet appointment, use a carrier that is insulated from the cold with thick blankets.
Limit Drafts
Limit drafts around the house, which will increase your comfort and that of your companion animals.  Dogs and cats lie on the ground, where colder air tends to collect.  It may be several degrees cooler near the floor where they reside.  Check windows and doors for drafts.  If repairs or replacements aren’t financially possible, consider the use of draft guards or insulating curtains.  The measures will also protect pet birds.  Most birds that are kept as pets are from tropical climates and cannot tolerate severe cold temperatures.  Reduce risk of illness by keeping birds away from drafty windows and doors that open and close frequently during the winter.

Keep Them Leashed
Many dogs like to frolic in the snow, but snow can cause a pooch to lose his scent on the ground and get lost.  A dog also may run off and get smothered by tall snowdrifts or slip through the ice when not being able to gauge its surroundings.  It is best to keep dogs on leashes during any type of inclement weather.

(Part 2, coming soon.)

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Today's posted suggested by kitty food.

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Feline Feeding Behavior

Feline Feeding Behavior and Why It Matters
Credits: July Lifes Abundance Newsletter, Thursday, 26 July 2012 16:53 by Dr. Jane Bicks 

Cats are enigmatic creatures.

Having an appreciation for their motivations will not only help you to develop a deeper bond, it could make your cat healthier, too.

Feeding your feline optimal nutrition not only requires an understanding of your cat’s unique nutritional needs, but also of their feeding behavior. In fact, understanding the nuances of feline consumption can help combat one of the most common feeding disorders in cats - obesity.

When it comes to feeding behaviors, domestic cats aren’t vastly different than their wild cousins.

Felines are so fundamentally predatory that they will actually stop eating a meal to initiate a new hunt. This instinctual strategy evolved in the wild over the course of millenia to maximize food availability. This is why, if a cat even sees a mouse, she feels compelled to catch it.

Domesticated cats exhibit this same hunting impulse, and sometimes pet parents mistake feline hunting behavior as an expression of hunger. However, it’s simply a manifestation of their predatory instinct.

It might amaze you to learn that cats in the wild consume 10-20 small meals per day! And 40% or more of the diet of feral domestic cats consists of small rodents, but the typical mouse only provides a tiny amount of the daily energy requirement of an adult cat. In order to obtain enough calories, a cat must hunt throughout the day and night.

Generally speaking, domesticated cats demonstrate similar behavior, ‘snacking’ throughout the day on their kibble and canned food. The significant difference here is that prepared food features substantial calorie counts, especially compared to a field mouse.

With many indoor kitties adopting the couch-potato lifestyle, a sizable portion of the U.S. cat population is overweight or obese. A major concern that affects overall health, obesity was nearly unheard of in cats 100 years ago.

In a relatively short period of time, cats have gone from outdoor predators, constantly searching for small prey, to indoor loafers with a nearly constant supply of freely available food! No longer subjected to the daily hardships of environmental dangers (such as predators, rampant disease, increased risk of traumatic injury and at the mercy of the elements), cats are not only falling prey to obesity, they are suffering from collateral disorders like arthritis and diabetes. Simply by adopting new methods of providing sustenance, pet parents can not only help their indoor cats avoid obesity but also boredom … talk about a win-win scenario!

Unless your cat is hyper-vigilant at regulating her caloric intake, the amount of food for the day should be measured out to prevent overeating. Resist the temptation to ‘feed the empty bowl’.

A good reality check is readily available in the form of the Suggested Daily Amount listed on the back label of Life’s Abundance food bags. It’s important to note that neutered and sedentary cats have lower energy requirements than outdoor hunters or extremely active kitties.

Food intake should be adjusted according to a cat’s activity level, to help maintain an optimal body condition. Remember, a cat is at a good weight when you can feel ribs, but not see them. It’s always a good idea to discuss weight management issues with your veterinarian. Feeding your cat in a manner that mimics hunting can result in positive health benefits. Doing so will decrease boredom and increase exercise levels, helping to trim fat and build muscle tissue.

We encourage you to employ some of the following suggestions, provided by from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (catvets.com):

• Use a puzzle feeder or food ball to dispense food as a challenge. Or make your own homemade puzzle feeder by cutting holes into a taped-shut shoebox or empty two-liter bottle, either with holes large enough that she can paw kibble out, or kibble-sized holes that will dispense food as she bats the container around. Begin with easy-to-solve puzzles … as your smart kitty works out the chow challenge, introduce new, more difficult mealtime mystifiers. *Hide food throughout the house … be creative and change up locations frequently, effectively recreating a ‘scavenger hunt’.
• Throw kibble for your cat to chase, to mimic pursuit of prey.
• If you feed treats, make sure the calories for those treats are reflected in the total daily counts.
• Make sure all the members of your family are on the same page when it comes to curtailing feline obesity. That means, no duplicated feedings or treating.
• If your kitty stares at you with longing eyes during meal time, then feed the largest meal during that time to prevent begging.
• If your kitty pounces on you at night demanding to be fed, then feed the largest meal right before bedtime.

If you feed your cat Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food and Instinctive Choice Premium Canned Food, you obviously care about improving the health of your cat. Just keep in mind, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

I truly believe that if you make the commitment to alter your feeding habits, you can make a big difference in the long-term health of your furry best friend. Thank you so much for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jane Bicks

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The quality of cat food you feed is important to your Kitty's health and well-being. Healthy, happy cats make fewer trips to the Vet, too. We feed Life's Abundance Cat Food. It's healthy, wholesome and does not contain artificial colors or flavors. It does not contain animal byproducts, corn or what gluten. Your kitty will love Life's Abundance Kitty Food.

>>> Learn More and Order Lifes Abundance Kitty Food.

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If Ticks were Human Sized

If ticks were human-size, they’d be one of the scariest creatures on the planet.

Even though ticks are tiny, they’re still an awful nuisance, especially if you don’t know how to minimize contact and the damage they can inflict if contact occurs.

Over the course of the last couple of decades, large swaths of the U.S. have been churning out bumper crops of ticks, even in urban areas, and tick season is right around the corner.

Thank goodness we have Dr. Sarah on-hand to clear up misconceptions about these little blood-suckers and to share helpful tips for dealing with these creepy-crawlies.

If you and your companion animals plan to spend any time outdoors over the next few months, be sure to watch the latest episode of Pet Talk right now. And, please, share this video with your friends and family!

Click the following if you cannot see the video below:  Tick Video



Click for all the Lifes Abundance Cat Food and Products

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My Senior Cat is Pooping Outside her Litter Box

Our senior cat, Naughty, Age 15, has recently started to poop outside her litterbox.  She pees in her litter box but for some reason she poops on the floor.  It is so frustrating!  I don't understand why she poops on the floor when she pees in her box.  So I looked on the internet to find out what's up.  I found the following "Question and Answer" from the Cat Channel.  I have decided to follow this advice.  I will keep you posted if the suggestion below works.
 Q: We have a 20-year-old female cat who pees in her box (she has four) but poops on the rug or under the table. This pooping has begun only in the past few months and has gotten worse. Now she never poops in the box at all. On at least one occasion I caught her getting ready to poop on the carpet, two feet from her living-room box. I put her in the box, and she got out and proceeded to poop on the carpet.

A: You are lucky to have a cat who has lived 20 years, free of major medical ailments. Treasure her, she sounds lovely. Older cats are wonderful but at times they need special considerations since they can suffer from behavior and medical challenges that are age related.

Before determining this is a behavior problem, please take your cat to a veterinarian for a geriatric exam. It is important to rule out any possible medical issues that she might have that could be causing her not to use the box. She might have parasites, or she may have constipation issues that are causing her to associate the litterbox with pain. It is also possible that she has arthritis and is finding it painful to defecate in the box.

Another concern is her fur length. If she has long or medium-length fur, consider giving her a trim under the tail area. Cats are very clean; they do not like the feel of litter or other remnants sticking to them.

It is not uncommon for elderly cats to develop varying degrees of incontinence and sometimes confusion as they age. Add new and different types of boxes for her. Instead of using conventional litterboxes, provide her with large storage boxes (the type used for stoage under the bed) that have no covers and are shallow. It is important that you leave the existing boxes in their original locations for consistency. Later, after she’s using the new boxes you can slowly take away the unused boxes. After putting fresh litter in the new cat boxes, add a couple of cups of used litter from the original boxes. Her new, shallow boxes need to be located in different areas of the house so that they are near her when she gets the urge.

If your cat continues not using any of the boxes for defecating, consider investing in puppy piddle pads and placing them in front of the cat boxes. The pads are made out of a soft absorbent material that doesn’t leak and make accident clean up fast and easy.

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If you are looking for a wholesome, nutritious cat food that has never been on a recall list, check out Life's Abundance Cat Food .

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