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Pets Can Improve Your Health

Did you know that more than 60% of households have a pet – cats and dogs being the most popular – and that the average lifetime cost of owning a dog today stands at around A�16,900 and for a cat A�17,200?

It’s clear to see that these beloved animals have us firmly wrapped around their furry paws; but is it just a one way street? Do we get something from them in return? Apart from the obvious love, companionship and friendship there are other less obvious benefits that can affect our health.

We have seen many cases where pets have healed people physically, emotionally and mentally. But recently doctors have discovered the amazing fact that cats and dogs can help us not only fight disease but also with the way we cope with chronic conditions. Scientific studies have in fact confirmed what we have felt – our pets have a positive impact on our health.

Let’s see what research has discovered.

1. Far from causing a problem, pets can actually lessen the risk of allergiesand asthma. New studies have actually shown that babies and children, who are raised with a furry friend, will be at less risk of asthma and allergies. Researchers have analyzed blood samples from babies immediately after they have been born and again one year late. They were searching for evidence of immunity changes, reactions to bacteria in the environment and general allergic reaction. The results showed that if a dog lived in the house then the child was less likely to show any evidence of pet allergies. It was also found that they also were less likely to have eczema; add to that the fact that they had much higher levels of some immune system chemicals- which is a sign of stronger immune system.

2. We have seen so many times that pets help to reduce stress that it’s easy to accept this fact even without scientific evidence. However a survey carried out by Mindlab International discovered that a huge 55% of people that they studies were more relaxed after they had spent time with their pets and 44% appeared to be less worried about a specific, identifiable problem. The research team concluded that if we interact with a pet it can profoundly and effectively reduce our stress levels.

3. It’s a fact – cats can actually lower the risk of having a fatal heart attack. Researchers have studied nearly 4,500 adults and discovered that those who owned a cat had a 40% lower risk of having a heart attack that proved fatal. The researchers considered that owning a cat could lower anxiety and stress and so guard against cardiovascular disease – the simple action of stroking your feline friend can actually lower your blood pressure.

4. Dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol according to a psychologist from Queen’s University, Belfast. She explained that taking regular walks would partly explain the reason why. You see, just the simple action of taking care of a dog tends to increase physical activity and helps the owner to make social contact with other dog owners. This could improve both physiological and psychological health in the owner.

5. Many doctors now recommend ‘pet prescriptions’ to patients who live alone and who would benefit from companionship. They feel that a pet motivates some patients to exert their best effort when dealing with serious conditions like cancer. Looking after a pet will stimulate them to take good care of themselves too.…

If you’re a cat owner or you want to get a cat in the near future, you’re probably wondering how you can care for it properly. Cats make great pets but they can take a little work to take care of. Read through this article for some solid advice, and this will be something you can do.

Be sure to have your pet cat spayed or neutered by the time it is six months old. A spayed or neutered cat is a more satisfactory pet because it is calmer, quieter and more likely to stay home. Neutered male cats do not spray urine to mark their territory. This is definitely a plus when it comes to cat ownership.

Avoid being kept awake by your cat romping through the house at night. When you first get your kitten, establish a habit of putting it to bed in a comfortable crate with a nice bed, litter box, food and water at night. If you start this early, your cat will appreciate having its own safe, cozy room.

Cats are constantly grooming themselves, and this is why they rarely need a bath. If your cat gets into something particularly stinky, a bath will not hurt them. If your cat does not like water you might want to wear gloves so that you do not get scratched. You might also want to enlist the help of a friend or family member.

Cats and electrical cords don’t mix. If you notice your cat has a habit of chewing on electric cords, try to bundle them up and hide them out of the cat’s reach. If that’s not possible, spray a little bit of bitter apple onto the cords. Not only is bitter apple non-toxic, cats absolutely hate the taste.

Do not assume that because a medication is okay for you to take, that it is safe for your cat as well. Many medications made for humans are lethal to cats, such as acetaminophen containing drugs and aspirin. Always check with your veterinarian before you give your cat anything.

Make sure your cat is not too bored. Cats need stimulation. Sadly, this is overlooked by many cat owners. Bored cats are more prone to depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, as well as many other behavioral issues. Therefore, ensure your cat has enough space for exercising and playing. An indoor cat needs a good scratching post.

Cats can tend to be more nocturnal than not. This refers to the fact that they are usually more active at night. If your cats keep you up at night, kick them out of the bedroom. You won’t be able to hear their sounds as they walk around in the middle of the night.

Pet

When looking for a new cat for your home, contact a local animal shelter. Shelters usually have many cats who need a home, and the fees typically include their shots and spaying or neutering. Adopting your cat at a shelter allows you to save a cat’s life while also helping mitigate overpopulation.

Do not use medicine meant for a dog on a cat. This is especially important for topical medicines. Cats do their own cleaning, and if a dog medicine is used on a cat, your pet can ingest it. There are some medicines that work for both cats and dogs, but only use them if the vet says it is okay.

Your kitty’s litter box should be strategically placed. Many cat owners feel inclined to hide the litter box. Make sure your cat can easily reach the litter box at all times. It helps to make life easy for the cat, as they can be quite picky about things. A litter box located in the basement should be placed on a thick mat or rug.

Pet Adoption

If you are looking for a new home for your kitty, consider registering with an online pet adoption agency. Some of these companies screen applicants, so you will be sure that your pet is going into a good home. This is better than selling him to a creep who lurks around Craigslist all the time.

As you can see now, it’s not terribly difficult to care for a cat. You just have to be patient and everything will fall into place for you. Take the things that you have learned here and you’ll be well equipped to deal with cats. Enjoy your feline friends and good luck!…

Dogs are among the very best pets around. They can give you love and happiness. The more you know about caring for dogs, the better. To become a truly responsible master to your dog, take a look at the savvy advice presented below.

Keep on top of fleas. Not only can fleas cause infection in your dog, if one is swallowed, your pet can get tapeworms as well. Speak to your veterinarian about the best prevention method, but remember that this is not a one shot deal. You will have to continue your efforts over the life of your pet.

Refrain from making the training sessions with your dogs too long. Extended sessions can make a dog tire out and become bored easily when you are trying to teach them new things. Limit your training sessions to 20-30 minutes, as this will help to keep the full attention of your dog.

Take your dog to the vet regularly. This may seem like an added expense that you don’t need, but when you take your dog to the veterinarian, he can screen your dog for diseases and make sure he is in the best of health. This of course prevents problems down the road.

Try to always be aware of how your dog is feeling. If your dog seems to be nervous, fearful, or scared of certain things, you should take note of this and try to avoid putting your dog in a stressful situation. When a dog is stressed or afraid, you could traumatize your dog if you insist that it stays in the stressful situation.

Pet-proof your home before bringing a dog into it, just as you would for a crawling toddler. You need to move anything toxic to a higher shelf and consider the danger that plants may pose if nibbled by your dog. Remember that anti-freeze is deadly and that leaving things like pennies or crayons on floors can pose a choking hazard to curious pups.

Don’t force your dog to eat something. If you got them a treat and they aren’t interested in it, don’t make them eat it. It will take you a little while to figure out what your dog likes and what he doesn’t, but you’ll get the hang of it.

If training has become routine and boring with your dog, consider introducing agility exercises into the mix. These will still teach your dog to obey and be challenging, but they tend to be a lot more fun than the regular commands. Get the whole family involved by making an obstacle course and working the dog through it frequently.

Make sure to exercise your dog often. Your dog has to be worked out to stay happy and healthy. Your dog will get the exercise it needs (and you’ll be a little more active yourself!) from virtually any kind of outdoor activity you share with it. This will create a great bond with your dog when performing these activities.

If you are considering owning a dog, keep in mind the size of your home when selecting the breed. Large dogs do not mix well with small apartments unless you have the ability to walk them frequently. They need exercise and room to roam. In this situation, a smaller barred might be the better choice.

Have a rotating schedule for dog-related responsibilities in your home. It’s not fair for one person to always be taking care of him, and he’ll feel more like a family pet if everyone pitches in. Kids often lose interest in a pet and leave the work to parents, but it’s important that you teach them to keep up the commitment!

You need to make sure if your female dog is not fixed and is in heat that she doesn’t come into contact with a male dog so she does not get pregnant. Male dogs can pick up the scent of a female dog in full heat up to five miles away. This causes fights as well as sexual behavior.

Nothing can match the unconditional love of a loyal dog. However, if you really want to have a great relationship with your pet, you have to learn what you can about them. Following these tips will start you on your way to becoming an experienced and knowledgeable dog owner. Don’t hesitate to seek out more good advice that will make you an even better owner for your dog.…

Vintage Prom Dresses: Be A Flapper Girl

The ideal prom dress is the one that makes us feel totally comfortable in ourselves, and yet takes us from the everyday to the truly special. It therefore needs to have an element of theatricaility to it; a magic, transformative feel. We don’t need to pretend that prom is about being a princess for an evening. Frankly, real life princesses get a pretty raw deal. What you’re interested in being is yourself – nothing but your amazing, real self. To find the perfect piece you need to be in tune with what styles and references speak to your personal tastes, in both a practical and aesthetic sense. This means considering whether you are truly comfortable in heels, or what kind of makeup suits you, or how you might style your hair. All of these things come together with your dress and accessories to create an overall look that should tell people something about who you are, and about the awesome night you want to have!

The 1920s Flapper Dress is an inspired style to consider, because it is both classic, and different enough for you to make a style statement. If you want to stand out from the crowds of floor length satin gowns in hot pink and baby blue, the Flapper is for you. It is sophisticated, luxurious and, most importantly, it is absolutely the best style of dress to dance the night away in. Flapper dresses tend to come in two lengths, the mini and the midi: both are practical and stunning, with the options for detail and embellishment limitless.

You’re likely to have seen your fair share of flapper dresses, so you will be familiar with the kinds of detail they tend to feature. Common designs are tasselled, for a hypnotic sway, or encrusted with shimmering beads and sequins for a stunning effect. Both are gorgeous, but for prom – when you want the best photographs possible of your night – shimmer might be the best way to go. A simple silhouette and enchanting detailed design is truly a winning combination that will look incredible in everyone’s images.

Another advantage of going with such a detailed dress is that you can afford to be simple with the accessories. Sequins and studs mean that jewelry can be kept minimal; you can even go with just a hairband or simple cuff. With shoes both heels and flats work, but don’t go too high if you want to retain some of the authenticity of the 1920s style. At the time most women wore flats or kitten heels, both of which you can easily find in a range of colors and styles; you don’t have to sacrifice style for practicality. Go for a clutch in a complementary shade to your dress. This doesn’t mean matching! For example, a dark blue dress will benefit from a grey, silver or purple clutch. Look at the pieces together and if they seem right, go with your instincts. The most important accessory for a Flapper girl is her dazzling smile!…

Why It’s Safe to Shop For Shoes Online

When it comes to shoe shopping, the thought of trudging through your local shopping centre, trying to find the perfect pair of shoes, can be a little off-putting. So much so in fact, that many people never venture into the hectic world of the shopping mall at all. What the majority of these people have learned is that online shopping is a lot more convenient. Well-informed individuals realise the advantages of shopping online. Yet, there are many people who would never shop online for women’s shoes boots online and there are several reasons why:

Firstly, people are afraid to enter payment details on the internet. These same people never take advantage of online banking either. The reason for this is that they have overestimated the likelihood of falling victim to identity theft or fraud. They cannot be blamed for the fact their fear of crime is greater than the statistical likelihood of falling victim to fraud or theft – this is largely due to media hype and the overzealous advertising of the manufacturers of fraud prevention products, such as anti-virus software.

The chances of falling victim to these crimes is in fact a lot smaller than the media would have you believe, and there are ways in which we can protect ourselves further. Making sure that we only shop for women’s shoes boots with sites that provide secure payment methods – such as PayPal, Google Checkout, SagePay, and RBS WorldPay – means that personal banking details are kept secure using the latest protection afforded by modern technology. The probability of identity theft occurring due to online shopping is less than that of forgetting to shred a utility bill at home. It is a misconception that online shopping will result in theft.

Next, many women will worry about the quality of women’s shoes boots if they are not able to physically inspect the shoe. This is a legitimate fear, but online shoe stores do protect us from such eventualities. For instance, a good shoe store will offer a returns policy, so if upon arrival of your chosen shoes, you find they are not up to standard, you can simply return them. From this angle, to protect yourself when shopping online, make sure that you shop with a store that offers a returns policy. Alternatively, if you have a specific brand of shoe in mind, and you are already familiar with the quality provided by that shoe, then buying that particular brand ensures that the quality of the shoe will be as expected. If you find a pair of shoes online that you really like the look of, but you are not familiar with the brand, you can do a little research about the website to find out what others think. If the site has many positive reviews, then it is a sure sign that they sell decent footwear.…

How to Shop For High Heels That Are Both Comfortable and Fashionable

Some of us refuse to wear any shoe that isn’t a high heel. Yes, we know that wearing heeled shoes isn’t good for our feet, legs, and spine. Yes, we know that we should wear flats and that there are lots of casual shoes on the market that are both comfortable and fashionable, but none of that seems to phase us. We are going to wear our high heels and we don’t care what anyone else has to say about it.

If you are one of the thousand’s of women who refuse to go out in public without a pair of high heels, you should know that it is possible to find a pair of high heels that are comfortable and fashionable.

The next time you go shoe shopping, you need to get it into your head that you aren’t going to fall in love with the first pair of stilettos you see. This time you aren’t going to purchase any pair of heels that aren’t comfortable and fashionable.

Even though flats are always going to be better for your health than heels, if you simply can’t give up your heels, you should at least try to lower the height of your heels. Shoes with kitten heels can be very comfortable and fashionable and they won’t put the strain on your body that higher heels do.

Try to find a pair of heels that you can slip off. Being able to slide your feet out of your heels whenever possible. Taking your shoes off will give your feet a chance to breathe and also take some of the strain off your skeletal system.

Make sure that the high heels you purchase properly fit your feet. Shoes that are to big will slip and rub your skin, and shoes that are two small will pinch and crush your feet.

High heels with a rounded toe are going to be more comfortable than shoes that have pointed toes.

If you are really determined, you will be able to find a pair of high heels that are both comfortable and fashionable. It just might mean that you have to go to several shoe stores first.…

Cat Folklore

There have been many tales and legends about cats that have existed through the years. Here are some that have been passed down.

Noah did not take any cats on the ark because they did not exist at that time. When the ark started to be overrun with mice and rats, a lion sneezed and out came two cats from its nose. They quickly destroyed most of the mice and rats.

The Chinese believe that a cat is a crossed between a lion (dignity) and a monkey(curiosity and playfulness).

An Italian legend says when Mary gave birth to Jesus, a mother cat had kittens in the manger. Many artists have shown this event in their paintings.

Japanese sailors believe that cats having combined colors of red, white and black can predict storms.

The Chinese and Japanese believe the cat was excluded from the zodiac because a cat did not weep when Buddha died and killed a rat against Buddha’s orders.

Russians believe that the cat Ivanovitch reigned over the animals in the forest.

A Polish legend says when a litter of kittens was thrown into a river to drown, the willows join their branches together so the kittens could cling to them. The buds on the willows in springtime are like cat fur hence the name pussy willows.

In the Brittany region of France, it is said that every black cat has one white hair. Finding the white hair brings good luck.

A Great Britain folktale tells of a poor orphan who sends his cat on a journey on a ship. The cat returns with a fortune for the orphan. The orphan marries his master’s daughter and becomes lord mayor of London.

In the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, a woman who receives a marriage proposal and cannot decide, takes three cat hairs from a cat’s tail. She wraps the hairs in white paper and leaves them on her doorstep. The next morning, if the hairs form the letter “y”, it is yes and if the hairs form the letter “n”, it is no.

When a black cat crosses one’s path it is bad luck in the United States, good luck in Great Britain.

Owning a black cat is good luck but meeting one is bad luck. Stroking a black cat three times will bring good luck.

A cat born in May is bad luck. If a cat leaves the home of an ill person, that person will die.

If a cat sneezes near a bride on her wedding day, the marriage will be a happy one. If a cat sneezes three times in a row, members of the family will catch colds.

Fishermen’s wives believe their husbands will return safely if a cat is kept in the house.…