Animal Rescue

The Domestic Ferret

How is the domestic ferret different from other kinds of ferrets? And do ferrets make good pets?

The domestic ferret is the most common breed of ferret in the world. These make good pets, as long as you can take care of them properly. It is necessary for anyone who will be purchasing a ferret to realize that they require a lot of work and attention. However, they do make for interesting pets, well suited for children as well as adults. The domesticated ferret is one which you can feel comfortable adding to your home. You simply have to be able to make the committment to meet its special needs.

There are other ferrets that are wild. These have been used for years to control the rabbit population in various countries. Yet, they are also banned in many countries because of how well efficiently destroy the ecology of the area. The Black-Footed ferret is one that is fighting its way back from extinction today. These non-domesticated ferrets do not make good pets, and should not be used as such.

On the other hand, there are many domesticated versions that are perfect to add to your home. These creatures live for about eight to ten years and will exhibit curiosity similar to a kitten that just won’t grow up. The ferret is a creature that likes to get into things and play. It likes to explore its surroundings, so you will need to insure that your home, or any other areas that the ferret will be in, are safe for it.

There are many important things that you should realize about the ferret. Anyone who is looking for a pet that is full of energy and curiosity, that is somewhat different from the other animals, and that can provide the pet with a good home with lots of entertainment, should consider the ferret. Most people who have owned ferrets have enjoyed them, and would be willing to invite another one into their home.…

General Articles

Ferret Care – A 3-Step Guide For Beginners

Ferret Care – A 3-Step Guide For Beginners

One of the main concerns of ferret owners is ferret care. In fact, browsing online would bring you sites and resources that have something to do with ferret owning and ferret care sheets. It has been proven that some ferret owners tend to seek advice not from professionals but through other owners and friends. This may not be such a bad idea but an expert’s opinion is definitely advised for starting owners. So, how do we really care for our ferrets? Here’s a list of pointers:

1. Ferret nutrition and diets. These are considered basics. In feeding your pets, what matters is the type of foods as well as the nutrients that come with it. For baby ferrets, you can opt to give them special kit or growth foods. On the other hand, once they reached their sixth week, you may also try giving them foods that are similar to the ones you give to adult ferrets.

Cat food is often utilized in terms of ferret care and nutrition. However it is best not to compare your ferret’s needs with that of kittens or dogs. Surely, these commercially-prepared items consist of vitamins and nutrients meant for animal needs. On the other hand, cats and ferrets have different dietary requirements.

2. Ferret shelters and cages are also part of total ferret care. If choosing for diamonds bring us the top C’s which are clarity, carat and color, ferret cages have the following elements. We have the space, security and sanitation.

Go for cages that are spacious and have large doors. Think of giving your pets the easiest access to their nest boxes or litter trays. Provide additional support by placing tiles or cabinet liners to your ferret’s cage floors.

Cleaning your ferret’s cage is definitely a must. Besides, ferret care is all about the general condition and maintenance of everything that would help our pets lead better lives. Make sure that litter trays and basins are clean. You may also need to teach your pets how to use the litter box.

3. Toys and accessories are truly secondary items, but ferret care also includes these provisions in general. Be cautious when shopping for these supplies. Consider the toy’s materials and small parts. Specialty stores usually have an array of items good for ferrets, which is why checking out these shops is greatly advised.

The given list is often referred to by beginners, with hopes of increasing their knowledge about ferrets. Ferret care may be an overwhelming idea but making time to learn them is beneficial in the process. There are other resource sites where you can get great tips, all you need to do is constantly search and digest what’s best for your ferret.…

General Articles

What You Should Know About Cats

Cats are among the most popular pets in the world. They make excellent companions and require much less work than owning a dog. However, it is important to note there you still have several responsibilities to take care of when you own a cat. The article below will show you what those responsibilities are.

Make a free toy for your cat by placing a little dry rice or a few dry beans inside an empty pill bottle. Close the lid and roll the rattly toy across the floor. Most cats can’t resist the sound and motion. You can also tie a length of twine around the neck of the bottle to make a pull toy or a dangly toy.

Keep a clean litter box. Like you, a cat will generally not use a bathroom that is filthy. Find a quiet area out of the way that the box can stay in, and don’t move it unless absolutely necessary. Scoop solids out a couple time of day. Make sure to dump the whole box, wash it with a gentle detergent, and refill it once a week.

To keep your cat healthy and strengthen its bond with you, always set aside lots of play time. Kittens especially need lots of attention, which you can easily give to them through play. Pull a piece of string around for a fun and gentle way to keep a cat entertained for hours!

Give your new cat some space. Moving to a new home can be stressful on a cat, especially one who is no longer a kitten. To help them adjust, give them a quiet place that they can call their own, such as a spare bathroom or laundry room. This gives them a safe space they can retreat to until they have become comfortable with exploring the whole house. Depending on the cat, this process may take a few days up to a month or more.

Keep your cat indoors. Unlike dogs, it is nearly impossible to confine a cat to a yard. This can lead to many dangers for your cat, from cars, dogs, diseases from feral cats, and simply disappearing to parts unknown. Loose cats also be a nuisance to others, often killing songbirds and leaving unwelcome “deposits” in neighbor’s gardens. If your cat really enjoys the outdoors, they can be trained to wear a harness and leash or you can invest in a specialty cat fence or screened-in porch.

If your cat kicks litter all over the floor, simply use a bigger container. A large, roomy tote with high sides makes a good litter box. A big round tub also makes a good litter box. A restaurant size bus tub is a capacious litter box. Providing higher sides and more space will solve your cat’s litter kicking problem.

Do not feed your cat any kind of human food that contains bones in it. If you are giving your cat chicken or fish, be sure to remove the bones beforehand to prevent a choking hazard. Chop the food that you serve into small bits to make it easier to digest for your cat.

If you want to have your cat for many years, it is a good idea to keep them indoors. While a cat may enjoy going outside, it is statistically proven that outdoor cats live shorter lives than indoor cats. There are dangers to a cat that spends time outside, not least of all other animals.

When training a cat, take the proper approach. Encouragement works better than anger. If you are trying to teach a kitten to use a litterbox, for instance, yelling will only frighten a small cat. When the cat starts to go outside the box, gently place them in the box so they learn.

Animal Control

Keep track of your feline friend by having the animal microchipped. This small device is implanted beneath the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades. Microchip implantation may sting for a few seconds, but the implant is otherwise unnoticeable and will not cause your pet any discomfort. This chip makes it easier for animal control to locate your cat if it goes missing.

As was mentioned in the beginning of this article, owning a cat can be a wonderful experience. However, it is going to require some work on your part. Be sure and use the information provided in this article so that you are taking proper care of your cat. Doing so will ensure that your cat lives a long and happy life.…

General Articles

Understanding Cat Adoption

Understanding Cat Adoption

I have found that many people adopt a cat on a ‘spur of the moment’ decision. They may be vaguely thinking about it, or have a friend with a beautiful new kitten, or just be walking past the pet shop when they see this adorable kitten that just can’t be left there. Sometimes it can be a friend who has a litter of kittens to find homes for and many times it is your children saying ‘please, please’ just one time too many.

Kittens are really like children. Absolutely adorable when they are young and playful but then they grow up. And like children, they are a lot of work to begin with when all the training is needed.

However, just like with children, if you treat your cat with love and respect and train it properly, it will give you much joy and love in return for many years.

I have a friend who loves cats. Like me, she is lucky enough to live in a rural setting on a fairly large block of land. However, she has never had any of her cats neutered or spayed and so they keep breeding. And keep breeding. The last time I was at her house there were well over 20 cats of all ages there. It got too hard trying to count them as they never stayed still.

This is her choice so I’m not criticizing her but for me that would be irresponsible. The feeding of that many cats would be way outside my budget, and the vet bills would be prohibitive.

Because your cat will be a part of your family for anywhere up to 20 years, it would be prudent to make sure you choose wisely and make a considered decision.

Make sure you know what sort of cat you want to adopt before you go into to that pet shop. How much are you prepared to pay for your kitten. Do you understand the ongoing costs of food, toys, litter, vet bills etc? There are also the ‘start up’ costs such as bedding, litter tray, feeding bowls etc.

You also need to take into account the wear and tear on your furniture, especially at the beginning. You will need to train your cat not to use your favorite couch as a scratching post. We have chairs that have been shredded because we didn’t introduce the scratching post early enough. Funnily enough when we finally bought some new furniture, the cats didn’t scratch it.

Are you prepared to invest the time to train your new kitten and put up with messes and puddles for a while? You also need to have time to play with and bond with your kitten, getting to know each other. The more you can understand your cat’s body language, the better your relationship will be.

If you have children, who is going to be responsible for the day to day care of your cat. It is wise to instill in children early on that a cat, or any pet for that matter, is for life, not just while they’re in that ‘cute’ stage. Teaching children to be responsible for their pet will have life long positive repercussions.

Understanding what is involved in cat adoption before you choose your new pet will not only help you make a truly informed decision, it will also help you deal with problems as they occur.…

Pet Rescue

Diabetic Cat Food – How You Can Reduce the Need for Insulin

It is now generally accepted that human diabetes is an immune disorder. There seems no reason to suppose that feline diabetes is any different. This particular immune disorder has the form of failure of the pancreas to produce immune system brakes down because of the burden put upon it, mostly a chemical burden. When you consider all the chemicals most pets are subject to, there is little wonder their immune systems go on strike. Drugs, vaccinations, pesticides in the garden, harsh cleaners in the house, but perhaps worse of all by virtue of it’s frequent ingestion, are the preservatives in their daily diet.A typical cat food is processed and comes in a box, packet or can. The dried cat food must contain high levels of preservative to keep it at room temperature, indefinitely, despite what the packet may say. Believe me, there’s no other way to have such a long shelf are particularly sensitive to chemicals, so readily succumb to them. A stay in a cattery may well overload them, as most catteries fastidiously clean their pens with strong disinfectants or bleach, to ensure there’s no cross contamination.There are several things you can do immediately, to help your cat overcome this serious disease, even if they have had it a while. You never know how much good you can do until you try.

A good diabetic cat food, like any good cat food, is as close to that of a wild cats food as possible. Cats have evolved to efficiently use raw food. They can’t use processed and cooked food in the same way, as they lack the nutrients destroyed by you have your cat regularly eating good quality raw food, she may need less insulin. And if it isn’t too far advanced, there’s no reason why she shouldn’t recover completely. Recovery from serious disease is not uncommon when the cause is addressed. Ensuring your cat only eats a healthy, high quality, raw, diet, at the very least will reduce her need for insulin.…

General Articles

What You Must Know If You Have Cats

Cats combine strength, grace, and intelligence to a superlative degree. Cats are definitely a very common pet and are in every major city. Learning to live in a home with these intriguing animals can sometimes be a challenge. These creative, smart, and agile animals can often be stubborn and need special tactics.

Protecting your cat from household chemicals is something that you may already know, but did you know that protecting them from medications is just as important? Common over the counter medicines such as ibuprofen can be toxic to your cat, even in small doses. Keep your medication safely out of the reach of your cat.

Do not flush clumpable litter in your toilet. This can lead to problems with your plumbing. Instead just lift the clumps and dispose of them in a trash bag. Don’t forget, moisture is what makes the litter clump in the first place! Avoid doing that to your pipes and just dispose of it properly.

Cats are pretty low maintenance pets. They do not need as much attention and one-on-one time as dogs do. Cleaning the litter box is one of the most dreaded chores in the house. Investing in a good self-cleaning litter box can help to reduce the amount of times you have to clean it out.

Are you the owner of a dog and a cat? Dogs will always try to eat a cat’s food. For this reason, you need to place your cat’s bowl in an area that is to high for a dog to reach. This also makes sure that the two don’t fight over water.

You should do regular checkups of your cat between veterinarian visits. A good time to do this is when you are petting the animal. Check the entire body for things like scabs and lesions. Also look in and around the ears for any discharge, which can be a sign of ear mites. Check the cat from head to tail.

While there is nothing wrong with using clumping cat litter for older felines, you should stick with sandy litter when dealing with kittens. The clumping litters are usually treated with all types of chemicals that may nto be safe for smaller cats. Once they are older, you should be able to make the switch with no issue.

Your cat will thrive if allowed to say indoors. Cats who stay inside for most of their lives have a much better life span and are less likely to get diseases and parasites. While cats can get their exercise roaming the neighborhood and squaring off against other cats, they can also get diseases and injuries this way. Vigorous indoor play with an owner is a preferable way to get exercise.

Protect your cat and your kid by demonstrating the proper way to show affection for the animal. Few things are more appealing to children than the sight of a soft, fluffy cat, and they might be tempted to hug or squeeze the animal. Instead, teach your child to allow the animal to come to you rather than pursuing it. Tell them to use a light touch and avoid making direct eye contact with the cat

Try your best not to feed your cat any table scraps, even if you are sure this would be better than throwing the extra food away. Once you feed your cat this type of thing, they will no longer want to eat the cat food that you give them regularly.

Clean your cat’s litter box. Cats will use litter boxes on instinct if they know where to find it. Let your cat go naturally and don’t manually force it to go by putting it in the box or pushing it to scratch the litter. Keep the box in a private place, scoop its contents on a daily basis and give it a periodic wash.

Animal Control

Keep track of your feline friend by having the animal microchipped. This small device is implanted beneath the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades. Microchip implantation may sting for a few seconds, but the implant is otherwise unnoticeable and will not cause your pet any discomfort. This chip makes it easier for animal control to locate your cat if it goes missing.

With the tips provided you can stay on top by outsmarting your cat. They will know what they can and cannot do. Though they are very unlike dogs, cats are very loving animals and very rewarding to own.…

Dog

Getting Your Cat Ready for a New Baby

Having a new baby join your home is a change for everyone there. It is no different for pets that you have. Indoor pets are, especially, affected by the new bundle of joy. They may see a new baby as an intruder to their territory. There are some things you can do to get your cat ready to share the home with a new child.

Before you begin your training make sure that your cat is healthy. A check-up with a veterinarian is a good idea if your pet hasn’t had one lately. A couple other basic things to do are to play sounds of a baby to let your pet get used to the sound of a newborn human and to let him or her explore the nursery. Don’t let the cat set up camp in the nursery, though. This will make the situation worse when the baby starts using the room and displaces the cat.

If the child isn’t born yet and the pregnant woman is the person that does most of the caring for the cat, the responsibilities should be shifted before delivery. Cleaning the litter box should have already been a duty given to someone else for health reasons. Feeding and playtime should also be taken over by someone else in the house. This will keep the cat from feeling as jealous of the baby taking all of the mother’s time after the child comes home.

Get your cat used to the sounds and smells that come with having a baby in the house. Set up the baby swing and let it swing empty. Put some baby powder on a couple blankets and play with some baby toys. Allow your pet to associate these sounds and smells with you or the other caregivers before the child is in the picture.

Crib covers are available to keep the cat from getting into the crib and thinking that is his or her new bed. These can be used after the child comes home, as well. Another idea is to replace the door on the nursery with a screen door. This will allow you to keep the cat from getting into the room but still allowing you to hear if the baby is awake or upset.…