Purrfect Pets

Thanksgiving is a time in which we take to reflect upon what we are thankful for. But do you ever wonder what your cat are thankful for?

This is what my cats are thankful for:

Milita is thankful for:
*Mom
*Lots of windows to look out of
*Mom letting me hog her pillow every morning
*A warm home
*Food - especially the wet kind!
*Catnip mice Mom leaves for me all around the house

Carmine is thankful for:
*Mom
*A warm bed to sleep in whenever I want
*Wet food
*A house to run around in
*Catnip cherries
*Fishing pole toys

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are your cats thankful for?

Please tell me in the comments section below!

A purring cat can make everything seem okay. It can take away your troubles and relax you. It’s a reassuring sound that seems to remind us that our cats are there to love us. But why do cats really purr?

1. Pleasure: Cats purr when they are happy or are experiencing pleasure. They may purr when nursing, when being scratched behind the ears, or when being pet by their owners.

2. Pain and Illness: Cats also seem to purr when they are in pain or are very ill. Scientists think that purring may have healing effects for cats.

3. Reducing Stress: Cats also seem to purr when they are trying to reduce their own stress or comfort themselves. A cat may purr, therefore, when it goes to the vet, when it is lost, when it meets new people, or when it must spend time in his or her carrier. Mother cats may also purr to calm her kittens in stressful situations.

Cats’ purrs serve different functions in different situations, and as cat owners, it is good to know why our cats are purring in specific circumstances.

Source:

Who What When Were Why?: Why Do Cats Purr?

Adopting a cat or dog is one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have in my opinion, and the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has come up with a fantastic way to promote and encourage the adoption of dogs and cats during the holidays! Every year Macy’s and the San Francisco SPCA partner to encourage the adoption of dogs and cats and to elicit donations for the SPCA with Holiday Windows.

The theme of the 22nd anual Holiday Windows display is “Believe.” Kittens, puppies, cats, and dogs are displayed in Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco. According to the SPCA, each animal is behaviorally and medically checked before being placed in a window for potential adopters to view. Each window is temperature controlled and has places for the homeless pets to play and rest.

Volunteers are also on site in order to answer any questions potential adopters may have.

In 2007, Holiday Windows led to the adoption of 277 homeless pets and $38,000 in donations to the SPCA!

You can view Holiday Windows from now until Jan. 1st from the time the store opens until one hour before the store closes.

Each adopted pet comes with a 30-day certificate for pet health insurance, a leash and collar (for puppies and dogs), a free dog or cat advice DVD, and discounts on many SPCA training classes. Each animal has also been vaccinated and spayed or neutered.

You can also view Holiday Windows live on the San Francisco SPCA website.
Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!

Source:

Cat Channel: Macy’s Holiday Windows Pet Display Unveiled

The Siberian breed of cats has been around for at least 1,000 years, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association and is the national cat of Russia. The Siberian was imported to the United States in 1990, and despite how popular it is, there are not many Siberian cats in the country today. The Siberian was recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 2000.

These cats are available in almost every color. These cats have semi-long hair. Siberian cats are agile and can jump very high.

Personality-wise, the Siberian is very loyal to its adopted family. Siberian cats like to greet their companions at the door and follow them around the house. They also tend to be good at problem solving.

The cost of a purebred Siberian cat depends on its markings, type, and bloodlines.

Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!

Source:

Cat Fanciers’ Association: Breed Profile: Siberian

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is already next week! It’s a time many people spend with family or close friends being thankful for everything that has been given them. However, this holiday also poses some possible dangerous situations for cats, which pet owners should be aware of.

First, if you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, be sure your cat is secure before you open the door to guests. A free cat can run out the door while guests are coming in. You might want to keep your cat in a separate room with the door closed while your guests arrive at your home.

Second, if your cat begs like mine do at mealtime, you should let all of your guests know it is not okay to feed your cat. Some well-meaning guest might accidentally feed your pet a toxic food. Post the ASPCA’s Poison Control Center number on your fridge and/or by your phone just in case: 888-426-4435.

Finally, kids may or may not know how to deal with cats. Even some adults don’t know how to read cats’ body language. Kids who don’t understand when a cat wants to be left alone might get scratched. If you cannot supervise kids playing with your cat, it might be best to keep your cat in a separate room while the kids are at your home.

Thanksgiving presents its own unique challenges to cats. As cat owners, it is important we be aware of these so that we can do our best to protect our furry friends.

Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!

Source:

Suite 101: Holiday Hazards for Cats and Dogs

Unfortunately, in this time of economic struggle, animal shelters are also struggling - they need more donations to help care for homeless pets. Cathy Grace took in two cats, which have inspired her to create a website devoted to thinking of ways in which people can help homeless animals. She has come up with 20 ways in which kids can help homeless pets this holiday season.

Some of the examples she gives on her site regarding how children can help homeless pets this holiday season include:

1. Have a holiday bake sale and donate the profits to a local animal shelter.

2. Have a school competition where different classes try to raise the most money or bring in the most pet food to donate to a local animal shelter. The winning class could win a pizza party or something similar.

3. Include kids in visiting the elderly with pets. If your shelter regularly visits nursing homes, assisted living facilities or homebound seniors, invite kids to come along with the pets to provide some companionship to seniors. To make the trip even more special, your shelter can include a treat for the pets, the kids, and the seniors.

4. If your shelter sells items that benefit the homeless pets you care for, encourage kids to buy from your shop for family and friends this holiday season. Here in Denver, the Cat Care society has a great shop with gifts for cats as well as animal T-shirt, coffee mugs, glasses, keychains, earrings, and more. All the profits from the sale of these items go to helping the homeless cats they serve.

5. Have a wish-list drive. Shelters can partner with churches, schools, or local businesses to coordinate a wish list drive kids can participate in. Wish liste items might include cat and dog beds, cat and dog food, water and food bowls, paper towels, cat litter, trash bags, and so forth.

These ae just five of the ways in which shelters, churches, schools, and local businesses can involve kids in helping homeless pets this holiday season. If you are a parent, check with your local animal shelters in order to see if they have any events kids can participate in this holiday season or volunteer your time to help your local shelter coordinate events kids can take part in.

Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!

Sources:

Animal Shelter Tips: Tips for Animal Shelters, Rescue Groups, & Volunteers: Ideas for Helping Homeless Pets

Cat Channel: Kids’ Holiday Activities Designed to Benefit Pets

Cats, like humans, have blood types, and if mixed they can lead to dangerous circumstances, including death. Cats have three blood types: Type A, Type B, and Type AB (which is very rare).

According to WebVet, 95% of domestic cats in the United States have Type A blood, but pedigreed cats can vary by breed.

If you are a cat owner, knowing your cat’s blood type in an emergency can save the vet precious seconds and even your cat’s life. Blood transfusions must be done with the same type of blood your cat has; if your cat has Type A blood, he or she will need a blood transfusion with Type A blood. A transfusion with Type B blood can lead to troubling circumstances, and even death.

If you are a cat breeder, you need to know the blood types of the cats you are breeding. If you breed a Type A cat with a cat with Type B blood, the kittens will have Type A blood as it always dominates when breeding.

When a mother with Type B blood is bred with a male with Type A blood, the kittens will have Type A blood. When the kittens nurse from the mother with Type B blood, anti-A antibiodies are passed from the mother to the kittens through first milk. The antibodies then attach themselves to the kitten’s red blood cells, which results in the destruction of red blood cells. Unfortunately, most of these kittens die from Neonatal Isoerythrolysis after nursing from their Type B mothers.

Symptoms of Neonatal Isoerythrolysis include: a lack of nursing activity, jaundice, tail tip necrosis, failure to thrive, respiratory difficulties, and reddish-brown urine.

If you are a breeder and know you have bred cats with different blood types, take the kittens away from their mother immediately and bottle feed them for two days. After the initial two days, the kittens can be returned to their mother to nurse as the antibodies can no longer be absorbed by the kitten’s intestines, according to WebVet.

Thus, it is important for both cat owners and cat breeders to know their cat’s blood type. You can ask your vet to test your cat for its blood type so that you have this inromation available when you need it.

Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!

Source:

WebVet: Determining Your Cat’s Blood Type

A game show all about cats and their owners premieres this Saturday, November 15 at 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time. The show, called Meow Mix Think Like A Cat Game Show, airs on the Game Show Network.

The show’s host is Chuck Wooley who said the show is about people who think they know what their cats are thinking. He went on to assert that the show was created to prove or disprove that owners do or do not actually know what their cats are thinking.

The game show’s staff said taping went pretty well except when one cat decided to hide behind the show’s set and refused to come back on in front of the camera. A stuffed cat had to be used in its place for the rest of the cat’s camera shots during the show.

The show is 30-minutes long, and features cats and their owners as contestants. Meow Mix Think Like A Cat Game Show premieres on Saturday November 15 at 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the Game Show Network. If you miss the premiere, however, you can catch the first episode at 1am EST on November 16, 9pm EST on November 21, 1am EST on November 22, and at 4:30pm EST on November 23.

Source:

Cat Channel: Meow Mix Think Like A Cat Game Show Premieres

Friday November 14 is World Diabetes Day. It’s a reminder to pet owners that not only can children and adults get diabetes, pets can as well. In face, approximately one out of every 400 cats and dogs suffers with diabetes.

According to Cat Channel, while certain breeds of dogs as well as females get diabetes more often than other dogs, all cats, no matter what gender or breed are equally at risk for developing the condition. While the disease tends to affect pets in middle age, it can affect younger and older cats and dogs as well.

Pet diabetes is on the rise, and no one is sure why, but the rise is obesity is one hypothesis. Today 25% of cats and dogs are considered to be clinically obese, according to Cat Channel.

I have already discussed the signs, symptoms, and treatment options for diabetes in this blog; however, as a quick review, here are some early signs to watch for in a cat that may have diabetes:
-Drinking water excessively
-Wounds that are not healing or do not heal well
-Increases in appetite, eating more than usual
-Increases in urination, urinating more than usual, and/or urinating outside of the box
-Weight loss

Treatment options include:
-A balanced diet, divided between morning and evening feeding times
-Regular visits to your vet to have your cat’s blood glucose tested regularly
-Checking your cat’s urine glucose on a daily basis
-Insulin injections
-Oral medication
-Weight management
-Exercise

To read more about signs and symptoms of feline diabetes, please visit my post on Feline Diabetes Signs and Symptoms. Please visit Feline Diabetes Treatment to learn more about treatment options for cat suffering with diabetes.

What do you think? Please tell me in the comments section below!

Source

Cat Channel: World Diabetes Day Promotes Awareness of Diabetes

Are you or is someone else in your house allergic to cats and you think you cannot have one because of it? That may or may not be true, depending on how severe your allergies are. I am not suggesting you get or keep a cat if you cannot breathe around cats or go into anaphylactic shock or anything, but if your allergies are mild enough that you can reasonably cope with them, you might be able to reduce your cat allergy symptoms with a few simple tricks I learned from a great allergist!

1. Keep your cats out of the bedroom/s if you can. Keeping your cats out of the bedroom where you sleep will help you reduce the amount of cat allergens you come into contact with.

2. It isn’t always possible to keep the cat out of the bedroom - mine won’t stand for it, for instance. If you cannot keep your cat out of the bedroom, cover your bed with a sheet during the day when you are not sleeping in your bed. That way, your cats can lay on your bed, but their fur will collect on the sheet instead of on your bed linens you sleep on.

Wash the sheet you use to cover your bed every other day if you can.

3. Get a hepafilter. A hepafilter will help keep some of the pet dander out of the air, meaning you won’t be breathing in as many cat allergens as you would if you didn’t have one.

4. Wash your hands after petting or playing with your cat.

5. If you are doing these things and still have allergy symptoms, you may want to take an allergy medication, such as Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, or Allavert. There are also prescription nasal sprays you can use for nasal congestion and symptoms, such as Nasacort, Flonase, and Nasonex.

Cat allergies don’t necessarily mean you have to avoid cats, unless they are severe or unmanageable. I hope these tips help you and/or your loved ones if you have allergies and have or would like a cat.

Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!