General Articles

Shoe Lexicon – Part 1

Shoe Lexicon – Part 1

These days the fashion magazines, blogs, and catalogues are littered with terms that are so alien, so unfamiliar, we simply don’t know what we’re buying anymore. Which is why I’ve put together a shoe lexicon that will serve as your guide when shopping for new shoes.

Peep Toe. As you probably can tell, a peep toe is a style of shoe that shows off a little bit of your toes. Typically, peep toes have a small crescent-shaped opening at the tip of the vamp of the shoe, big enough for your big toe and the one next to it to “peep” through. Although these days, some shoes just have a tiny teardrop-shaped hole big enough to shoe your big toe. Because of its playful design, many consider it the easygoing cousin of the pumps.

Tips When Wearing Peep Toes:

Get a pedicure. Granted that it only shows two of your toes or even less, the fact remains that it shows. So best to get a good pedicure when wearing peep toes. This can also be a great chance to show off your awesome nail color.

Brogues. Brogue shoes are a style of shoes that was extremely popular fashion among men. Also called wing tips, they are low heeled shoes that are ornately decorated with perforations, holes and different kinds of leathers. Just think back to what mob boys would wear for shoes and you typically have an idea what brogues are. However, fashion mavericks like Marlene Dietrich wore brogues that helped it transcend from a men’s shoe to a masculine-inspired fashion for women.

Tips When Wearing Brogue Shoes:

Balance it out. Because brogues are very manly, balance the look out by wearing a very girly A line skirt and a tank top. Don’t forget to add in accessories like a charm bracelet or silver bangle bracelets to complete the look.

Kitten Heels. There are many speculations on how the kitten heels came to be known as kitten heels. My favorite theory thus far is that it earned its moniker because as compared to the killer high heels models wear when they sashay down the catwalk, the modest height of these particular shoes’ heels are just kittens. I don’t know if the theory is true or not, but it’s a rather cute explanation though. However, kitten heels have slowly made their way to the catwalks middle of this year.

Tips When Wearing Kitten Heels:

Show Off Your Shoes. Maybe it’s its 1950s origins that make me want to favor dresses with this style of shoes, but generally wear something that will show them off is a good rule to follow. Bodycon skirts paired with a flowy top and kitten heels is a number one recommendation.…

General Articles

Cat Sneezing Symptoms – 5 Main Causes

Cat Sneezing Symptoms – 5 Main Causes

Kitten sneezing symptoms and cat sneezing symptoms, like human symptoms, are not in and of themselves a necessarily bad sign. However, chronic sneezing coupled with other symptoms can be especially concerning. Let’s take a look at some common cat sneezing symptoms and cat cold symptoms.

1 – Dust, Pollen, Cleaning Supplies, etc

Little Muffy sticks her investigative nose everywhere… in corners, under furniture, in old smelly shoes. Her sneezing may be nothing more than a healthy reaction to a common household irritant such as mold, dust, cleaning supplies or pollen, or some other mild cat sneezing allergies. As long as your cat is not frequently sneezing, mark it up to her curiosity.

2 – Upper Respiratory Infection

Cat upper respiratory infection symptoms can mirror cat sneezing allergies, and are the most common cause for continual cat sneezing. Comparable to the common cold in people, they can usually be cured by good food and rest. If the sneezing continues, a natural application of homeopathic medication can help. Borax and Phosphorous are two elements found to help alleviate kitten sneezing symptoms in cats of all ages. As always, contact a reputable source to obtain these remedies.

3 – Dental problems

The next major cause of sneezing in cats is dental disease. This is not generally something that cat owners think to check, but a disease in Tabby’s teeth can easily creep into her sinuses and infect her there. If your cat has pain when eating, or shows swollen gums, take her to a veterinarian for a dental cleaning.

4 – Feline Herpes

Actually rather common, the herpes virus usually causes cat sneezing symptoms and upper respiratory problems, possibly even cat vomiting symptoms, but only lasts a few weeks, then goes back into hibernation. If this virus inhabits your cat, he will have it his whole life. However, it is rarely a danger to his health. Pulsatilla was used in ancient Greece to cure runny eyes and noses, and is still used effectively in many homeopathic remedies for cats today.

5 – Feline Leukemia

The most dangerous cause of cat sneezing is Feline Leukemia. Leukemia weakens your cat’s immune system, and can cause your cat to contract other more dangerous diseases such as asthma. If the application of other common remedies and medication does not help, take your cat to a vet for a comprehensive checkup.

Cat sneezing symptoms can be early warning signs of a more serious problem, and are more serious when you notice kitten sneezing symptoms because of the youth of your pet, but are generally treatable by the application of safe, non-invasive, natural homeopathic medicines. Always make sure that anything you use on your feline friend is FDA approved and contains no artificial colors or preservatives.…

General Articles

Should I Get Insurance For My Kitten

Should I Get Insurance For My Kitten

If you have a kitten and you are wondering whether you should get insurance for your pet, then the answer is a resounding yes. Kittens are just as prone to things like stomach upsets and ear infections as older cats, and it costs just as much to treat them.

It is always better to get a pet insurance plan while your cat is still young as most insurance policies exclude existing conditions, if you get it before problems can develop then your pet should be covered for everything. If you want the best for your kitten right from the beginning, then you really need to give serious consideration to purchasing pet insurance.

It’s an idea to take a good look around on the internet and at the information board in your local vet’s surgery because they often have some quite reasonable pet insurance plans. Take your time over making a decision because you don’t want to take on a plan and then find that it doesn’t cover everything that you want it to cover. In the UK pet plans have certain terms and conditions, understanding these fully is key to ensuring that your cat is fully covered. There are a number of things that you need to take into consideration when you are looking for a pet plan.

The breed of kitten that you have is important because some cats are more prone to certain conditions than others. Many people think that the alley cat is usually the most hardy but this is not always the case. If your kitten is a pedigree breed then you probably know something about its family history and this could be important when it comes to getting insurance for your pet. Where you live should also be taken into consideration here, cats and kittens are notorious for exploring the area where they live. If you live in an area where there is a lot of traffic then your kitten may be more at risk of being hurt in a road accident than if you lived somewhere quieter.

There are a number of different ways that you can insure your cat and it is easy to get a quote online or over the telephone. Some companies offer a discount when you pay for your cat insurance online and that is worth investigating further, particularly with some of the leading insurers. Before you start asking for quotes you need to know exactly what you want for your kitten and also what you can afford to pay in premiums and in excess.

With most pet insurance plans a higher excess, i.e., what you are required to pay towards the cost, which might be £50 or it might be 10 or 20 per cent of the total cost of a course of treatment. The more that you can pay in excess, then the less you will pay on your premiums – just as you might find with a car. It’s a good idea to insure your kitten once it is about eight weeks old, that way there is less chance it will have a pre-existing condition. Once you know what you want and what you can afford to pay, it is time to start looking for pet insurance quotes.…

General Articles

Did She Miss the Litter Box Again?

Did She Miss the Litter Box Again?

Is “Oops, she did it again…” the new kitty pop song playing over and over in your head? When a cat develops disdain for and avoids the litter box he’s frequented in the past, you might want to consult your pet’s veterinarian.

A new habit like missing the litter box could be attributed to health issues like urinary tract infections, gastritis, or even cancer. Or your cat may be suffering from environmental stress. Moving to a new house, bringing a newborn baby home or introducing a second pet could be stress-inducing events for your cat whose selected protest involves that kitty toilet.

If you have ignored the litter box’s upkeep, your cat may very well ignore it too, choosing to use your shining clean bathtub or your nice, quiet bedroom closet. Think about how you’d feel about your own toilet if it were only flushed every few days. Ewwww. That’s precisely your kitty’s reaction too.

Cats are meticulously clean creatures, and they prefer a tidy quiet place to take care of their toilet needs. If you don’t provide it, they will find their own creative special place.

If you have a second cat, you might want to consider a second box for kitty litter. Make sure that your pet’s litter box is placed in a quiet, cat-friendly location away from the main traffic of your home. A bedroom or bathroom would work well as long as the cat has easy access and isn’t accidentally shut out from her necessary room.

Missing the litter box isn’t vengeful on your pet’s part and may signal a problem your vet can pinpoint. Book an appointment today and consult with your vet about your pet’s changed behavior. Your observations combined with the experience of the vets can provide the solution your cat needs.…

General Articles

Bring Your Kitten Home

Bring Your Kitten Home

Before bringing a cat home

You need to make your house cat proof, it’s not just for the their safety but helps protect your goodies too. Make sure there are no loose wires they can get themselves tangled up in such as blind cords. Tidy away and electrical cables, I’ve known kittens who love trying to chew through them. Check if your house plants are poisonous to cats, as many are. If they are, you can guarantee your cat will try to eat them (after all curiosity killed the cat), so give them away to friends or family. Your cat will see areas of your home you haven’t seen in a long time so get down on the floor and see if there are any hazards at that level too.

Just before bringing them home make sure you’ve been shopping and have everything your they need. This is just a basic shopping list, there are extra things that you will need very soon after you’ve brought your new addition home such a scratching post and outdoor cat house.

litter tray

cat litter

grooming brush

food

toys

litter scoop (if you get clumping litter)

litter tray liners – changing the cat litter tray so much easier with these

carrier to carry your new cat home in and take to the vets

food and water bowls

Things to organise before bringing a cat home

You need to find a good vet and arrange an appointment for your new friend to have a check up and to discuss their vaccinations. It might also be an idea to arrange some time off work so you can spend time in the day with your new kitty – think of it as the cat owners alternative to maternity leave!

Actually bringing a cat home

When you get home, only allow your them to explore a very limited number of rooms so it’s not too overwhelming. Also make sure they have everything they need and they know where it is, so take them to their food and water. Pick them up and place them in their litter tray, they don’t have to stay there until they use it, just allow them to familiarise themselves with it.

If your kitten hides when you first bring them home, then leave them be and let them venture out in their own time. Try not to scare to them, don’t be too noisy and don’t invite everyone round to look at your new furry friend. If they’ve has been hiding for hours try to coax them out with a toy, food or catnip.

If they still don’t venture out move their food nearer to them and leave them for a while longer, once they get hungry enough they’ll come out for a munch. Don’t forget to move it back to where it belongs after they’d had this nibble as it’s important to show your cat where their things belong. It’s important to find out what brand of food your cat was previously on and stick to that for the time being, you can always change it later when they are more settled.

After a few days you’ll find they begin to come out of their shell and you should spend time interacting with them and develop a bond, but don’t pester them all the time, just like us they like to be left alone for a while as well.

You might find that after their visit to the vets for their check up, that they’re not too happy with you once you bring them home again, after all you did just put them in a little cage and take them to be prodded and poked, don’t worry, they’ll soon be demanding attention again.
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General Articles

A Startled Ball of Fur

A Startled Ball of Fur

Something was moving down in the tall river grass of the jungle. I looked at Pedro, but his wrinkled face showed he knew no more than I. Again those tasseled tops of grass waved curiously, but the brooding stillness of the Mexican jungle remained unbroken. Expectantly we waited. It might have been many things. It might have been wild pig; those fierce little fearless devils that once had kept me perched in a mahogany tree throughout a long, sunny afternoon. Or it might have been alligator, or tapir, or even one of those half pygmy people of the poisoned darts. And since in jungle wisdom the unknown lies always close to the realm of danger, we kept very still behind our screen of low bamboo. And now all movement had ceased, and suddenly a cry, a kitten’s cry, thin and wailing, rose to our biding place.

Downstream a lurking alligator heard and cruised hopefully toward us as again, plaintive and despairing, came that whimpering cry. In two strides I was beside the riverbank and looking down upon a small, spotted face, from which two blue eyes blazed up in mingled fear and defiance. Behind me came Pedro’s grunt of surprise. “Tigritol A jaguar kitten!” Then he looked about in quick misgiving. “A poor place to meet the mother, senor.” But I was watching that startled ball of fur and life at my feet. He couldn’t have been more than two months old, perhaps less.

Watching me narrowly, he tried to draw back his lips and snarl and look very fierce, but he wasn’t quite equal to it, and finally, giving it up, he sank back on his haunches. I knelt beside him and held out my hand, but he raised a diminutive soft paw to tell me he was not to be trifled with. Very slowly I moved my hand nearer, and after a time his gesture of defiance faltered. Instead a look of interest crept into his eyes, and the bewhiskered nostrils twitched. Now he took a step forward, another step, and at last I felt his cold, wet nose touch my palm. Then a rough, red tongue emerged and scratched eagerly over my hand and along my wrist. It was tempting to accept this as a gesture of friendship, but I knew it was the taste of salt that drew him, probably the first this kitten had ever known, for he was still too young to have tasted blood.

For a time we watched each other, then very slowly I reached forward with my other hand and lifted him from the ground. He gave a faint hiss of fear, and I felt his claws close over my arm, but beyond that he made no move, and in another moment I was carrying him back toward camp. Disconsolately the alligator returned to his nap downstream. All the way back I could hear Pedro grumbling. What would the senor be doing with a jaguar kitten?…

General Articles

Deafness in Cats

Deafness in Cats

The ears of cats are sensitive and delicate; as such, they are prone to being damaged or infected, sometimes leading to deafness. Cats can also be deaf right from birth through a genetic defect. Deafness in cats isn’t terribly common of course, but it is more common in blue eyed, white haired cats. Cats can be deaf in one ear or in both ears and your cat has to be tested in order to check for deafness and how prevalent it is. There are two forms of deafness in cats: conduction and neurologic.

Conduction

Deafness through conduction is caused by things like wax build up, infections and damage done to the delicate membranes in the ears. Conduction deafness usually comes about if the cat’s ears aren’t cleaned routinely, they come into contact with a lot of bacteria, which is transferred to the ears or if your cat gets sick and has a lingering infection in the ears.

Conduction deafness is, for the most part, temporary. The best way to deal with it is to clean out the ears and apply any antibiotics needed for any infections. Letting it go for too long though will result in damage that will be more long term and permanent, so make sure to keep your pet’s ears clean!

Neurologic

Neurologic deafness is more serious and long term. This form of deafness is caused by damage done in the sensitive parts of the ear, as an example, the cochlea or abnormalities found anywhere from the ear to the brain. This form of deafness can be inherited and is also caused by things like toxicity or simple old age. Neurological deafness cannot be cured or reversed and though hearing aids can help, most cats don’t want anything to do with them, so they simply put up with the deafness instead.

Diagnosing a Deaf Cat

There are a number of signs you’ll get that something is amiss with your cat’s hearing. The most obvious way is that your cat won’t respond to you when you call his or her name, but since some cats live to ignore you, this is not the best test used to determine deafness. Other ways to tell if something is awry is if your cat is sleeping more than usual, your cat not responding to a noise in another room, or shaking and pawing at ears in discomfort. These are all good indications that something is wrong with your cat’s ears.

Living with a Deaf Cat

If your cat is diagnosed with deafness, either in one ear or both of them, then your pet’s life need not be over; you just have to take special care of your furry friend. Make sure to carefully supervise any outdoor excursions of your cat because the slightest thing can cause injury to him or her. Also make sure to keep your cat’s ears clean no matter what the cause of deafness was because a build up of wax and toxins will make your cat even more uncomfortable and irritated. Finally, make sure to apply any antibiotics as needed.

Deafness in your cat need not be the end of the world for your pet. In fact, it takes little more than a lifestyle adjustment for your pet and for yourself. With some care and attention, your cat can go right back to living the life it always lived, deaf or not. As with anything, when you’ve got a chronic illness on your hands, it’s recommended that you maintain a good relationship with your Vet. New therapies are developed all the time for pets and your Vet can continue to advise you as your cat advances in age.…