General Articles

Getting to Know Your Cat’s Sleeping Habits

Rusty

Getting to Know Your Cat’s Sleeping Habits

When it comes to sleeping, cats are truly the experts. Any cat owner will tell you that their cat sometimes seems to sleep more than it does anything else! But, what they may not know is that there are a number of interesting facts regarding cats and sleep. Here is a look at a few of them.

Where Does Your Kitty Sleep?

While some cat owners will swear that their cats will sleep just about anywhere at any given time, cats actually do have their preferences. According to one survey that was conducted online, for example, older cats seem to prefer sleeping at the foot of the bed when they sleep with their owners, while younger cats seem to prefer sleeping on the pillow. Regardless of age, most cats are simply looking for a place that is warm and cozy for their naps. If it is warm outside, however, your cat will likely look for a shaded place to sleep. In the winter, on the other hand, it will seek out a heat source or a ray of sunshine to cuddle under. While temperature is important, the cat also wants to feel safe and comfortable in its chosen spot, which is why so many prefer to snuggle up next to their owners whenever they can.

Speaking of sleeping in bed with their owners, about 96% of those who participated in the survey admitted that they allow their feline friends to sleep in their bedrooms. Only about 50% of those cats, however, are allowed to sleep in the bed and about 38% of the cats actually sleep on the pillow.

How Long Does Your Kitty Sleep?

It may seem like your cat sleeps away its entire day because it does actually sleep for the majority of its day. In fact, experts estimate that the average cat sleeps anywhere from 13 to 16 hours per day. The exact amount of time a cat sleeps, however, varies from cat to cat. The age and personality of your cat are two of the biggest factors that determine how long your cat will sleep. If it is an older cat or one that is generally inactive, for example, it will likely sleep longer hours than one that is younger and likes to keep busy.

Despite the long hours of sleep that they clock in, it should be noted that cats generally do not sleep through an entire night. Therefore, if you allow your kitty to sleep in bed with you, it is possible that it will disturb you early in the morning when it gets up and decides it wants to eat or play while you are still trying to sleep.

If your cat is causing too much distraction during the night and making it difficult for you to sleep, you might want to consider setting up a sleeping space for it in another room. Keep in mind that cats like to sleep on top of something, so purchase a feline bed or simply fold up some blankets for your kitty to rest upon. This way, you can both get the rest you are looking for.…

General Articles

Cat Litter Trays

Rusty

Cat Litter Trays

By the time your new bundle of fluff arrives home she will already more than likely have learnt how to use cat litter trays by copying her Mum. Your kitten will have followed her Mum to the litter tray and mimicked her. If however your kitten was removed from her Mum too early chances are she may not have yet learnt how to use the tray and it will be your job as her new adopted Mum to train her.

The first most important thing to consider is the positioning of the letter tray. Ideally the tray should be placed away from her sleeping and eating area and in a quiet area of the house. Your kitten won’t use her tray is there are too many people around and will more than likely go and find somewhere quiet to attend to her needs. The general rule of thumb is to have one cat litter tray per cat and an extra one but you may want to consider having more in the house whilst your kitten is still young. During her first few months whilst her body is still developing, her bladder will be weak and if she is too far away from her tray she may not make it in time.

Another important factor to think about is the fact that cats are by nature extremely clean animals. Waste should be scooped out of the tray daily, the cat litter should be changed often and the actual tray should be cleaned regularly. You shouldn’t use strong smelling detergents as it will deter little kitty from using it, hot soapy water should do the trick. If you don’t maintain a regular schedule of keeping things clean the chances are your kitten will find a cleaner spot in the house to go.

The first few days for your kitten in her new home can be quite daunting for her, with all the new smells, noises, people to get used to and she certainly won’t know where her tray is. One of the first things you should do when she arrives home is pick her up and place her in the tray. You should routinely do this particularly after meal times and sleeping. Even if she doesn’t need to go, which she more than probably will, it is a constant reminder for her of where the tray is. Move the litter around with your fingers as she will associate the noise with toilet time. When she does use the tray give her plenty of praise and attention or even a small treat. If she has an accident and you catch her going outside of the tray don’t shout at her or reprimand her simply pick her up and place her in the tray. Remember she is only young and is still learning.…

General Articles

A Ferret Toy – The Secret For Your Pet’s Happiness

Rusty

A Ferret Toy – The Secret For Your Pet’s Happiness

Most owners keep their ferrets inside their cages since they are very active animals. But if you have at least three hours a day of your free time to supervise your ferrets and allow them to play with their ferret toys, your pet will be able to stay happy and healthy at all times. You can also use this so-called playtime to clean their cage or groom your pets. The more time of play you give to your ferret, the better it is for them. This is because they love to engage in recreational activities and they are truly one of the most mischievous creatures that you can bring home with you.

Ferrets are excellent jumpers so you can opt to give them some interactive cat playthings that are appropriate for them. An example of this is the kitty teaser, which is made up of a simple wire or a toy that is attached to a plastic string. These items are securely connected to a feather or other similar objects. This is great for your pets since this will bring out the hidden gymnastic abilities in them. You can also have any of those rubber toys that allow you to fill them up with peanut butter or any other mixture. This will give the ferret an opportunity to enhance their mental powers because they need to find ways on how they can effectively get the little food out of the toy.

You do not have to buy those luxurious toys if you do not have the budget. Ferrets will truly appreciate their owner’s effort to give them the tuff that they want. A simple interactive ferret toy will bring out the best in them and sure enough, they will be able to have some fun time. You can purchase these toys in stores or if you want to save money, you can go online and search for the one that you think they will like. There are a lot of sites that offer a wide variety of toys with affordable prices.

Whether you would like to give them some interactive toys or those that are squeaky so that they will b able to respond to the sounds, what matters is that you give them enough playtimes. They will be able to perform plain tricks such as rolling over or even standing up so that they can reach for a treat with the help of a simple yet efficient ferret toy.…

Puppies for Adoption

K9 Advantix Only Needs To Be Used Once A Month

Rusty

There are many problems that can occur from pets being left unprotected from the parasites that populate the earth. Simple mosquito bites can end up being deadly to a dog. Fleas can cause all kinds of problems to the animal and can even infest a house creating a lot of problems to the family as well. Then there are ticks that carry an array of bug born illnesses, including Lyme disease. While many of these illnesses and diseases caused by these parasites can be a challenge to get rid of, many of them are simple to prevent. One of the best and easiest methods of preventing these problems is to use K9 Advantix.

K9 Advantix is a simple product to use. And anything that is simple to use will be commonly used. The reason this particular product is gaining popularity is because it so easy to use and so effective against so many different parasites. This is a topical medication that is dispensed from a single use tube and squeezed onto the back of the pet’s neck, in between the shoulder blades. The natural oils in the pet’s skin then help to disperse the medication and allay a host of problems. Best of all, this product, K9 Advantix only needs to be used once a month.

When K9 Advantix is used, it prevents mosquitoes from biting the pet. Without the worry of mosquito bites, there is less worry of the pet being infected with heartworm from the bite. Heartworm, when left untreated and undiagnosed, can be deadly to the pet. In addition, the K9 Advantix kills fleas and ticks. When these parasites are no longer a concern the pet owner has far less worries.

While there are plenty of products on the market that will kill fleas, few kill fleas, ticks, and prevent mosquito bites. That makes K9 Advantix much sought after. And because it is so much easier to use than practically any other product of its kind on the market, it will continue to gain popularity among pet woners.

For more information or to purchase K9 Advantix, visit http://www.nomorefleas…

Adopt a Dog

Xingyiquan – Twelve Animals Kung Fu and Applications

Rusty

Okay, I’ll admit that one of the first things I noticed when reading the back of the DVD cover was that the DVD was 45 minutes long. The reason this stood out is because I’m so used to YMAA DVDs containing two and three hour programs. Even with the shorter length, “Xingyiquan: Twelve Animals Kung Fu and Applications” with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming and Master Liang, Shou-Yu is an informative and well produced DVD reference on this Chinese internal martial art that can be translated to “Shape-Mind Fist.”
The program begins with an introduction explaining what Xingyiquan is and some basics regarding the history and art. This is taught with a voice over and subtitles and you see demonstrations of movements without instruction and some charts to illustrate points. This brief introduction also points out that this DVD accompanies the book Xingyiquan by Master Liang, Shou-Yi and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. While the DVD provides good information, using it with the text will provide a much more complete understanding of this art.
The program progresses in the same way, with a voice over explaining certain movements and concepts and on the screen mainly students demonstrating. While the program and book were written by Dr. Yang and Master Liang, Dr. Yang does not appear in the DVD except for some still photographs near the end. Master Liang is shown in some scenes demonstrating certain movements, but he doesn’t “teach” to the camera. The only speaking is done through the voice over, and the program is demonstration, not instruction.
A person is not going to learn Xingyiquan from this DVD. It is however, a good demonstration of the art. Fundamental postures, explanations of the postures and their relationship to the Five Elements, two -person Five Phases Matching exercise and Linking sequences are demonstrated. Movements based on the twelve animals; Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Water Lizard, Chicken, Harrier, Swallow, Snake, Chinese Ostrich, Eagle, and Bear are demonstrated along with martial applications of the movements.
I see two groups of people who will find value in this DVD. The first group are those who are learning this art and want an additional resource for home. The book accompanied by this DVD would be good to review if you are already learning the art. Again, you won’t learn it from this DVD, but it will assist you if you are learning from a qualified instructor. The second group would be people like myself. I enjoyed learning a bit about the art and seeing the movements demonstrated for a better understanding of the art for my global perspective on martial arts as a whole. I like to learn about all arts, and once in a while borrow things to include in my training which has the Korean art of Hapkido as its core. I don’t anticipate trying to learn how to perform these animal forms, but I enjoyed learning about them. The video is a little slow to watch repeatedly, but I liked watching it to just find out more about this art.
It’s a well produced DVD, but I think it has a limited audience. You must enjoy learning about all martial arts like I do, or be a practitioner of Xingyiquan to gain value, and for deeper instruction and information you need the book that this DVD accompanies. And to learn the art, you will need a qualified instructor.…

General Articles

Supply Checklist For Bringing Home Your New Kitty

Rusty

Supply Checklist For Bringing Home Your New Kitty

* Food

* Treats

* Food and Water Bowls

* Litter

* Litter Box

* Collar

* Name Tag

* Kitty Toys

* Kitty Bed

* Grooming Tools

* Scratching Post

* Kitty Carrier

* Lint Rollers

I recommend a higher quality of food for your kitty. It is more costly but is also more nutritious, which means your kitty can live a healthier life. You will notice a difference in their skin and coat when using a higher quality cat food.

I usually buy the cheaper kitty treats because I know that it is just a treat and is not something they need to live off of.

It is fun picking out the food and water bowls, but be mindful of its function. The plastic food bowls can harvest more bacteria then ceramic or glass. Ceramic and glass are also easier to clean in the dish washer.

Finding the right litter is very important. There are so many types, clump-able, non-clump-able, corn and even crystal. I have tried all of them but the choice is yours. Are you going to clean the litter box out every day? Then use the clump-able. If not use the non-clump-able. Do you have the litter box in a room you use all the time, if so I would use the corn or crystal litter for the smell. Whatever litter you train your cat on is what you should stick with. If you change the litter type your kitty may get mad and refuse to use the box.

There are many varieties of litter boxes, corner ones, covered ones and plain ones. I use a plain one because I have scoop-able (clump-able) litter and it is much easy for me to scoop it without the hassle of a lid. However covered litter boxes do help more with the smell.

Do you want your kitty to wear a collar? If so you will need to buy a collar that is designed for cats. It will be a break-away collars, so if your cat get the collar stuck on a fence it can still get away without choking itself. The collar does not do any good unless you also buy a name tag (*with a phone number*). This will be the only hope of getting your kitty back if it escapes.

Toys are a must if you have a kitten, they will help socialize the kitten.

Kitties also love their beds, however the kitty usually chooses where it wants to sleep all by themselves. I have several kitty beds, I put them in shots that my cats have already chosen to stay. For example, Madison loves to sleep on top of the dog kennel so she can look outside and enjoy the sunlight. I put a bed on top of that kennel and you will find her there most days.

Cats usually groom themselves, but sometimes their hair can get matted and will need to be brushed out. Cats with long hair will need to be brushed out more often then short haired cats. It may be best if you had a selection of brushed to use.

Is your kitty declawed? If not you will want a scratching post. If you don’t have a scratching post it will be very likely that you will have some torn up furniture in the first few month of owning a cat or kitten.

Your cat should always be transported in a carrier. When buying a carrier make sure to get it big enough that your cat fit into it as an adult. No need to waste money on a carrier that will be to small in 6 months.

Lastly, I would purchase a lint roller cats can shed a lot and you don’t want to go to work in a nice black suit and have white kitty hair all over it.…

Rescue Dogs

Llama and Alpaca Normal Vital Signs and Physical Examination Parameters

Rusty

– Heart rate: 60-90 BPM, found by listening (ausculting) with stethoscope at fleece-free area under elbow. Heart rates can be increased due to exercise/exertion/excitement, stress, fever, or pain. Arrhythmias are common in SAC’s-generally no big deal.
-Temperature: Varies from 99.5 to 102F. Neonates are unable to thermoregulate and have a wider temperature range. Ambient temperatures can greatly influence body temps. SAC’s are prone to heat stress and care must be taken to ensure cooling systems (shade, misters, and fans) are utilized.
– Resting respiratory rate: Varies from 10-30 BPM, can be difficult to hear with stethoscope due to fleece. Watch for rise and fall of chest/flank area or place hand in front of nostrils to feel warm breath.
Respiratory rates can be increased due to exercise/exertion/excitement, stress, fever, illness (ex. pneumonia), obstruction, or pain
– Mucus membranes and capillary refill time: Check non-pigmented areas of the gums, should be light pink, moist and when pressed with the fingertip color should return in 1-2 seconds. Vulva may also be examined if pigment covers entire oral cavity.
– Temperament/attitude: Each animal will be different so your observations are vital! Be aware of “normal” behaviors for individuals as well as the herd. Watch for isolation, failure to compete at feeding, excessively quiet animals, sudden aggression…anything unusual
– Body condition: Ideally animals should be weighed throughout the year. Fleece can hide even a severely emaciated condition, so a thorough palpation of the body (esp. bony parts) should be performed as able.
– Gait: Is the animal moving all limbs normally in the walk, pace, trot and gallop? Failure to weight bear on a particular limb likely indicates pain or injury.
-Conformation: When evaluating for health pay close attention to head and neck carriage. A weak, sick or depressed SAC will hold the head lower (extended) or arch it back over the thorax.
– Eyes, ears and mouth: Eyes should be wide open and clear. The globe should be smooth. Squinting and tearing are signs of a problem. Ears should be in a normal position and move according to stimulation. A drooping ear (esp. with a head tilt) or foul odor indicates a potential problem. The mouth should be symmetrical and functional. Observe animals during feeding to ensure normal chewing and swallowing behaviors.
– NOTE: Everyone (!) should own a thermometer dedicated to animal use. Additionally know where it is, and be comfortable using it. An inexpensive stethoscope may also be handy. Always have basic wound care supplies on site (betadine or novalsan scrub, triple antibiotic ointment, vet-wrap, non-stick pads, saline eye irrigation, clean washrags or towels…) if you have multiple animals discuss common medications you may want with your veterinarian.…