Becoming a Cat Parent

If you’re ready to make a pet part of your family, a cat can be a great choice. They will provide you with lots of entertainment, love, and companionship for many years to come. However, they will also need some things from you, including training, attention, patience, and supplies. Before you purchase or adopt a cat, take time to learn more about cats and what their needs are.





The following articles will provide you with information on cats, the adopting or purchasing process, and readying your home for its newest resident.

Is a cat the right choice for you? Are you ready for the responsibility? Take this quiz to find out.
Once you’ve decided a cat is the right pet for you, there are a few other things to determine before you can bring one home. Learn about your options and how to choose the best cat for your lifestyle.
Indoor and outdoor cats can both make great pets. Find out more about them and how to keep your cat safe, inside or outside.
Shelters, rescue organizations, pet stores, and breeders can all be great options for places to get your cat. Learn more about the options and decide which one is right for you.
What seems like a clean and safe home to you can be a dangerous place for your kitty. Find out how to create a safe environment.
Your new cat will need lots of love and attention… and much more! Learn about the supplies you will need to ensure your kitty lives a long and happy life.

Dogs & Travel

So what's better than going on vacation? Going on vacation and taking your dog with you! In order to have the most fun when travelling with your dog, there are a few things you should take care of ahead of time.


One of the most important things to do before travelling with your dog is to make sure he is up to date on all his vaccinations. If you're travelling internationally, you may have to obtain a certificate of health from your veterinarian, but for trips that are closer to home, it's still a great idea to make sure your dog is protected from any diseases you may encounter along the way.









Before it's time to step on to a cruise ship for a few days or climb on to a plane for a few hours, you should make sure your dog is accustomed to his travel crate or bag. If your dog feels at home in his crate or bag, he should have no trouble adjusting to his travelling circumstances, no matter what they are. If you're lucky, he'll curl up and fall asleep for most of the ride.


Decide in advance what items your dog will need for the trip. Some basic things you should have with you when travelling with your dog, include food, water, a collar, his leash, some treats, a pooper scooper, and a small first aid kit. It's also a great idea to bring a picture of your pup, in case he gets lost.


During your trip, it's very important that your dog gets the opportunity to relieve himself whenever possible. He shouldn't be deprived of water or food. Be respectful of other people and places by cleaning up after your dog and keeping him leashed.









If you're travelling in a car in the summertime, make every effort to never leave your dog in the car. If you must leave him there for a short period time, make sure the windows are open to provide some ventilation. Once you're on the move again, either close the windows or keep your dog in his crate to prevent possible injury to his eyes or ears.


By preparing yourself and your dog ahead of time, taking a vacation together can go off without a hitch. And don't forget to have fun with your dog and enjoy the time together!

Selecting a breed of dog

When it comes to choosing a dog, there are lots of things to think about: puppy or adult dog? Male or female? Purebred or mixed breed? And once you've answered all of those questions, you still need to decide what breed of dog you want. Every breed has its own set of distinctive traits, so it's a great idea to do some research on different breeds before making your final decision.

The following are some of the basic traits to consider when deciding what breed is right for you:

Size

From the Chihuahua and Yorkie all the way up to the Saint Bernard and Great Dane, dogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A dog's size can be a part of his appeal (Westies can be at home just about anywhere, no matter how tight the quarters are.) or a deterrent (It's much easier to accidentally step on a Westie than a Rottweiler!). You should choose a breed whose size fits with your lifestyle.

Temperament

While a dog of any breed could be happy to snuggle up in your lap, some breeds are more likely to enjoy spending time like this. On the other hand, certain breeds will be more inclined than others to join you for a run in the park. Before getting a dog, decide what personality traits are important to you and look for a breed that meets your standard.

Trainability

How important is it to you that your dog can do tricks? How much time are you willing to spend training your new pup? Some dogs are more easily trained than others. There are great dogs out there that, try as they might, will never be able to roll over on command. And there are other dogs that can learn several tricks in one day, but they may not have certain other traits that are desirable to you. You'll have to decide which is more important.

Grooming

Are you looking forward to spending hours every week brushing and caring for your dog's coat, or do you feel tired just thinking about that? Are you prepared to get out the vacuum as often as necessary to rid your carpet of tons of dog hairs, or would you rather not have to think about that? The answers to these questions will help you determine what breed is right for you. Maintaining a dog's coat can be a huge time commitment or none at all, depending on the breed. It's up to you to decide what kind of coat appeals to you and how much time you're willing to spend taking care of it.

While researching the standard traits of a breed can be helpful in making your decision of what breed to purchase, it's important to remember that every individual dog is different. Every dog will have its own quirks, some positive and some negative. Before making your final decision, find a puppy or dog that you love on a personal level—not only because of his breed. And make sure you won't be too quick to give him away if he isn't a perfect match to the breed standard

wing clipping in your bird

          

Wing Clipping

To prevent a parrot from flying very high or very far, some owners trim the lower half of the primary flight feathers (the first ten feathers from the outside of the wing). The procedure is painless and common among pet bird owners but is also subject to debate among others, as there is evidence that wing clipping can frustrate a parrot and even result in some health problems if he isn’t active enough in his daily life following the clip.

        

To Clip or not to Clip
When a parrot loses his ability to fly due to clipping, it can result in neurotic behavior, such as self-mutilation. However, clipping your bird’s wings may be vital for his safety—a free-flighted bird is more prone to injury or escape. 

The decision to clip your bird’s wings is yours to make. If you do clip your parrot, give him plenty of attention and exercise outside of the cage. You should also provide a particularly large enclosure—anything you can do to create the sense of freedom he would normally experience through flight will be beneficial.


If you don’t clip your bird, you must thoroughly pet-proof your home. Make sure that there is absolutely no way for your parrot to escape or injure himself, and never allow him outside of his cage unsupervised

feeding your parrot

 

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide an extensive array of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, they are low in fats. Always wash all the produce you feed your bird thoroughly, and buy organic fruits and veggies whenever possible. Although iceberg lettuce is fine to feed as a treat, it is low in nutrients, so it should not be a staple item in your bird's diet. Other, healthier choices include:


                                                       

• apples
• asparagus
• beets
• bell peppers
• broccoli
• butternut and other winter squashes
• carrots
• cilantro
• collard greens
• corn on the cob
• dandelion greens
• hot peppers (yes, most parrots enjoy these)
• mangos
• mushrooms
• mustard greens
• okra
• papaya
• parsley
• peaches
• pumpkins
• spinach
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes
• zucchini

Basically, any item in the produce department is fine for your parrot. The one exception is avocados, which are toxic to parrots. Feed fresh vegetables whenever possible, although frozen veggies are okay in a pinch

nail trimming

   

          An important part of the grooming process is to trim your cat’s nails. They should be trimmed about once a month. It’s a great idea to take care of this at the start of a grooming session, as the shorter your cat’s nails are, the more likely you will be able to make it through the entire session without being scratched.

 

To start trimming, have your cat sit in your lap. While firmly holding him in place, gently press down on his paw so the nail comes out. Using a pair of cat nail clippers, cut off the tip of each claw, just outside the edge of the pinkish part where the nerves are located. If you accidentally cut into the quick, the nail will bleed. When this happens, apply light, direct pressure to stop the bleeding. This will likely upset your cat, so the rest of the grooming procedure may have to wait until another day when your cat has calmed down.

Finding a lost dog

       

               Not many things in a dog owner’s life are sadder than realizing your dog is missing. It can be a scary, stressful time, and the process of searching for your lost pup can seem overwhelming. Many dog owners don’t have any idea how to get started.

One of the best ways to ensure that your lost   dog makes it home again if he is ever lost is to make sure he wears an identification tag at all times. There are also services that will  microchip your pet as a form of identification. If your pet is lost but he has some form of identification, there is a very good chance that you will see him again.

An important thing to do right away if you’ve lost your pet is to put up flyers in the area where he went missing. List the location where and date when he was lost and add some general information about him, such as his height, weight, and color. Make sure every flyer includes your contact information. You may also need to walk the neighborhood, going door to door, handing out flyers and asking people if they’ve seen your pup. Also stop by the local animal shelter and drop off some flyers.

Today there are many more resources for owners with missing pets than there were in the past. The Internet has provided a lot of opportunities for information sharing on all different topics, including lost dogs. Check out the following sites for more helpful information on finding a missing dog:

www.findfido.com/

This free site, “for dogs and the people who love them,” provides searchable listings for lost dogs and found dogs.

www.1888pets911.org/

This site provides multiple, free ways for a dog owner to search for a lost pet, and it also allows someone who has found a lost pet to look for its owner.

www.sherlockbones.com/

John Keane sells several different options for dog owners looking for their lost pup. Some of his services include pet finder booklets, mailing lists for animal rescue centers and veterinary hospitals, and personal consultations.