Category: Humane Society

Humane Society

Home Remedies For Cats With Constipation

Rusty

Is your cat experiencing hard, compacted stools that are difficult or painful to pass, no bowel movement or the urge to move bowels? Is it plagued by abdominal bloating, cramps or abdominal pain and shows loss of appetite? Chances are it is suffering from constipation.

Causes

Constipation develops when waste becomes clogged inside the colon. If waste is not removed and stays in the colon for too long, it can result in toxins and harmful bacteria leaking into the body, causing other health problems. That is why regular elimination of waste products is vital for your cat’s health. Fortunately, there are a number of effective home remedies for cats with constipation which can cure the problem and reduce any discomfort associated with it.

Constipation can result from a number of factors but diet is the most important one. A diet low in fibre and insufficient water intake combined with an inactive lifestyle are often to blame.

You can prevent constipation in your cat by ensuring it eats a healthy diet. Therefore one of the most effective home remedies for cats with constipation is to feed a balanced diet; ideally raw rather than processed food. Avoid dry food altogether for the time being as it contains very little moisture. This will makes things worse.

Adding a tablespoon of olive oil to your cat’s food a couple of times a week helps to maintain regular bowel movements and also keeps the fur glossy. One teaspoon of canned pumpkin or half a teaspoon of wheat bran added to the food will add additional fibre. This helps softening the stool and brings relief. Psyllium husk and green oats provide a similar result. Feeding probiotics will balance the consistency of the stool.

Sufficient liquid intake is also important. Make sure your cat has access to fresh drinking water. Some cats don’t like chlorinated or fluorinated tap water. In this case, give filtered or bottled water. You cannot force a cat to drink, so in order to ensure your cat gets enough fluid, pour some water over the food. Avoid soaking it though as this is not very appetising.

Herbal remedies

Herbal home remedies for cats with constipation can also be used to great effect to cure the condition. One remedy you can easily make yourself is a tisane of wild chicory. Give one dropperful, twice a day. In addition, sprinkle a pinch of plantain seeds into water and give three times daily.

Alternatively, you can give one dropperful of a walnut leave tisane or a tisane made from fennel shoots, three times a day. Fennel shoots can also be chopped and fed raw to your cat. Dried figs coated in honey and given as a pill are another excellent home remedy for cats with constipation.

Hygiene

If your cat lives mainly indoors, keep the litter box clean at all times. Cats are clean creatures and a dirty litter box can discourage it from using the toilet.

Lifestyle

Cats also need exercise. Activity is good as it stimulates digestion of food. If your cat is not naturally very active, encourage it with some exiting cat games. Regular exercise will help not only keep your cat fit and healthy but will help with bowel movement as well.

The above home remedies for cats with constipation will bring effective relief from the symptoms and take care of the problem naturally.…

Humane Society

How To Find A Home For Lost Cats

Rusty

There are situations once we will see a stray cat wandering round the neighborhood and climbing over the cars. Often times these might really infuriate us – but what takes place when one of those cats carries a collar? That is a sign they have lost their way and someone out there may very well be in search of them. Which means that you have to find the better way to bring them back to the worried owner.

The first thing that you will have to do is bring them into your own home or at least into the garage or enclosed porch. You want to be sure they do not bite or scratch you. Who knows just how long they’ve been lost and what form of problems they may have contracted.

Give them some food and water so that they will be well fed. This can even make them feel better about you taking them into your house as well as getting anywhere near them. Just be sure not to offer them cat nip of any type. It’s possible on their behalf to go crazy on something similar to this.

Next you must set up simple signs around your neighborhood and the town that you live in. Put up a picture of this cat plus your phone number. Tell them that you are looking for the owner – but don’t put your address on it. This is never a secure thing to do. Try to look on the collar to be sure that there is no number or address on it.

A lost or found cat is not always an easy thing to return. If no one calls up after a few weeks you could keep the cat. If this is not an option than give it to your humane society or the pound.…

Humane Society

Protecting Your Furniture And Carpets With Cats

Rusty

Those of us who are cat lovers know that our love of felines comes with a little frustration at times. One such time occurs when our kitties employ their claws to acts of destruction on your carpet or furniture.

We have all tried to train our cats to stop scratching the backs of our couches; many of us have experienced this is not a simple matter to correct. While some people resort to yelling or shooting water at their cat’s nose, there is a much more effective way to correct this issue.

If you’ve taken basic psychology, you’ll remember there are two types of reinforcement, positive and negative. Employ both reinforcement tactics to training your cat and you’ll be through the woods before you know it.

Negative Reinforcement � The idea behind negative reinforcement is to take something away to impact behavior. When it comes to your cat scratching in areas you don’t want destroyed, you want to provide motivation for your cat to stop scratching.

One of the most effective ways of providing this motivation is through a product called Sticky Paws (available or your favorite pet supply retailer). To use this product, place the tape on the areas your cat has been scratching.

Positive Reinforcement � Once you use the Sticky Paws, the next step is to provide the place where you want your cat to scratch. This can be as easy providing a scratch post, either large or small. These posts come in two varieties, cardboard and carpet, and either will do the trick.

Beyond just supplying the scratch post, you need to attract your cat to the post. A very easy way to develop this attraction is to spray the post with some Catnip Spray (Whiskercity makes one cats love). This can make for a playful transition from an undesired scratch area to a more appropriate one.

Old habits die hard � More so for us, the human, than for our cats sometimes. If you’ve been caught yelling at your kitty, this can be a difficult habit to break. You may have become accustomed to hollering every time you hear your cat scratching. When you put both the Sticky Paws as well as new scratch post in place, you’ll want to become very intentional about checking where you kitty is scratching before open your internal megaphone.

Keep in mind all three of these areas. If you provide either the negative or positive reinforcement, you will be ineffective. To be successful you really need both. Likewise, if you continue to holler at your cat when they start scratching at your preferred scratch post, you’ll prevent them from forming the habit of scratching at the right spot.…

Humane Society

Pet Wellness: Twice-annual Veterinary Visits Keep Pets Healthy

Rusty

Most people have heard the old saying that pets age much faster than we do-seven pet years for each of our human years-but few of us consider what that really means for our pet’s health care.

Consider that most dogs and cats reach adulthood by age 2, and by age 4 they are middle-aged. By the age of 7, most large dog breeds are entering their senior years. And as these “dog and cat years” pass quickly by, serious health issues can arise in a similarly shorter amount of time. Dogs and cats are prone to many of the diseases and disabilities that we are-cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease, to name a few-but they will develop health problems in “pet years,” too.

For this reason, during National Pet Wellness Month, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reminds pet owners that they should take their pets into their veterinarian for wellness checkups twice a year. If you take your pet to the veterinarian only once a year, this is equivalent to you seeing your own doctor just once every seven years.

These regular visits will give your veterinarian a chance to detect serious health problems earlier and treat them to extend and improve the quality of your pet’s life. During a twice-annual visit, pet owners should mention to their veterinarian any of the subtle changes they’ve noticed in their pet’s behavior, such as changes in weight, water or food consumption, elimination or anything that seems new. Pets have no way of communicating to their owners that they are having discomfort or other health problems. Cats, in particular, are known for hiding any distress they may be having, so pay close attention. Your observations may help your veterinarian determine if there are any problems, provide an appropriate treatment or prevent problems before they start.

It’s also important to remember that a healthy pet can also ensure that you and your family will remain healthy as well. Some diseases, called zoonotic diseases, can be transmitted to your family by pets, and others are equally threatening to pets and humans. These diseases include rabies and cat scratch disease, which can be transmitted from pets to humans, and Lyme disease, which can be transmitted to pets and humans via parasites. Taking extra precautions to make sure your pets are healthy with regular veterinary visits also helps ensure that you and your family remain healthy as well.…

Humane Society

Dog Care Tips And Tricks For The Beginner

Rusty

No one is perfect. Not you, not I, not Caesar Milan! What is perfect is the loving relationship between dog and owner, and the fact that you’re seeking out advice shows you adore your pet. Keep reading to learn about how you can give the dog an amazing life via a few simple tricks.

When giving your dog a bath, make sure that you only put on shampoo that is intended for canines. Using lukewarm water, get the entire body wet and then begin applying the shampoo to their face, working your way down their body. Wait a few minutes and then take a washcloth and wipe off the suds from your pet’s face. Wash off the rest of the shampoo as well.

Choose a dog in that can easily and happily blend into your lifestyle. A good example would be if you are a runner. A dog that can keep up with you while you run would be a good choice. Similarly, if you’re quiet and stay at home, small dogs might be better suited to you. You will be much happier when you make a choice that is complementary to your lifestyle.

It is important for you to take your dog in to see the vet on a fairly regular basis. Just like humans, dogs can develop health problems like toothaches, arthritis and weight gain. Do not wait until you think your dog is sick before taking him in to be seen.

If your dog is still getting used to the grooming process, only work with him or her in short bursts. Groom for about five minutes and then stop and move on to another activity. Eventually, start adding on two or three minutes to your total grooming time until your pet is able to handle a full session.

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.

Pet boarding and day-care services are a billion dollar business, so make sure you get your money’s worth if you have to leave home without your dog. Although kennels offer interesting opportunities to socialize, your dog will be happier with familiar surroundings. Thoroughly check references for a sitter-service and keep him in his own home if at all possible. Otherwise, put him in a reputable kennel and check up on him oft

If your dog has long hair, make sure to take the time to trim the fur around his feet. If you allow your dog’s hair to grow too long, they can get things stuck in their fur. This could lead to injuries between the pads of the feet and around the nails.

If you do not have any ear cleaner solution on hand, you can use a baby wipe instead. Simply wrap it around the tip of your finger and wipe the inside of the ear’s surface. Only go as far as your finger can easily fit. Do not use Q-tips as they can injure the ear.

If you’d like to be a dog owner, but think you might not be able to handle the commitment, consider fostering dogs. There are many less than fortunate dogs in shelters that would love to find a forever home. Fostering an animal will help animals and help you decide whether or not you would like to keep a dog of your own.

To make your dog happy and increase the bond between you, try learning how to give him a massage! It’s been shown in recent studies that structured massages are highly beneficial to a dog’s health and can improve their overall well-being. This activity can also be very relaxing for you as well.

While perfection is elusive, the simple ideas you have read here are easy to implement, bringing benefits immediately. When you have more questions, seek out the answers online on forums or by reading other articles. As long as you continue to try to be the best dog owner you can, you will achieve it every day.…