How To Determine If Your Cat Is Fat Or Just Fluffy

 

Cats' sizes and shapes are different from each other. Thus, it can get confusing to determine whether your fur baby is overweight or she's only larger than average. Here are ways to do it.

●Touch your cat, and if you can easily feel her ribs, she's not obese.

●Short-haired cats' ribs mustn't be visible, but you must feel it when you touch that part.

●Look down at her. You're not supposed to spot what seems to be a waist where her body narrows before her hind legs.

●Look on the side. Her abdomen must slightly tuck up in front of her back legs. Many felines have these flank skin folds hanging down, but these mustn't sway while the cats walk.

It may be true that most cats enjoy the day eating kibbles. Nevertheless, following a planned meal is better than putting her under a free-feeding diet plan.

Work with your veterinarian Louisville, KY in creating a weight loss program for your pet. Read more here.

Poor Hygiene Is An Important Predisposing Factor Of Illness In Pocket Pets

 

Poor hygiene is one of the top factors of many pocket pets' illnesses. For instance, seldom cage cleaning may damage your pet's respiratory passage. It's because ammonia builds up from urine. Then, your pet inhales the respiratory passage-damaging ammonia. With a damaged breathing passage, the animal becomes more likely to acquire health problems. Follow these hygiene tips to avoid this:

 

●Clean your pets' cage or enclosure daily to eliminate leftover food and waste materials.

●Keep your pets' shelters dry and clean.

●Use mild bleach in washing the cages. Dry the enclosures thoroughly before adding new layers of pet bedding.

●You may place a towel-wrapped heating pad under the cage to keep your pets warm during cold weather. Just be sure that you set the heat pad to "low."

 

If your pet is showing any signs of illness, make an appointment with your animal hospital Louisville, KY.

Protecting A Stray Cat From The Freezing Cold

 

Harsh weather makes stray cats suffer. Several stray cats die of cold and hunger due to the lack of sufficient food and a proper place to shelter them during the winter. As a cat lover, you may want to protect stray cats during this time of the year. Well, you can install a cat door in your house's garage. Be sure to consider some essential tips before doing that.

In setting up a cat door, ensure that your garage is cat-proof, meaning it's free from toxic substances that may harm cats. Remove any traces of antifreeze and such chemicals that other felines may ingest. Lastly, keep your lawn materials and garden products in a locked cabinet.

Also, consider the possible ways through which other animals may sneak into your house. Some small dogs or raccoons may get inside and stay because of the cats' food.

Signs of hypothermia exhibited by a cat should warrant an immediate visit to the nearest animal hospital Ellicott City MD.

How To Distinguish Between Female And Male Degus

 

A Degu’s lifespan is typically between 5 and 9 years.  These are very social animals so do not keep just one.  The recommendation is to keep at least two Degus, more if possible, so that a family structure can be promoted.  But do not pair a female degu with a male degu because then they would be prone to fights.  In their natural habitats, Degus live with large family units like prairie dogs would in complex systems of tunnels beneath the earth.  Degus naturally love to explore, dig, and climb around their environment.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to distinguish between female and male Degus from each other, so, awkwardness ensues.  There are instances where Degu owners think they have two male Degus, then weeks later discover that one of the pair is female.  Like most other small rodents, the female of the species could get pregnant again even just after they give birth.  Therefore, if one morning you see baby Degus in the enclosure, separate your adult pets from each other to prevent additional pregnancies.  If breeding Degus is something that you want to do, check with your vet Covington, GA to make sure that your pet is healthy for this.

Winter Pet Safety Tips

Winter may be perfect for building snowmen every day and curling up by the fireplace every night, but it's also a challenging time for "Fidos and Fluffies." In places that tend to snow and get too cold, pets who weren't made for such environments can be in danger. Some products used by people during winter are poisonous, so follow these safety measures:

●Watch out for automotive fluids like windshield washers and antifreeze products. Keep them out during outdoor walks. Likewise, keep canines away from the garage. As per ASCPA's advice, choose propylene glycol over ethylene glycol.

●Wipe your pets' paws free of de-icing products. It can get onto the paws and have your pets lick it. Snow and encrusted ice can also make paw pads bleed. Thus, put booties on your pets before walking them in de-iced areas only. Wipe their paws, stomach, and legs before and after going out.

Your local veterinarian Coral Springs, FL can enlighten you about important health issues that can affect your pet.

 

Do You Want A Pet Hedgehog?

You might have been thinking about getting a new family pet, but something that is non-traditional.  Dogs and cats might be adorable, but then they could be loud.  So you think perhaps hedgehogs might be good pets, so long as snuggling with one at night is not something you want to do.  Pet hedgehogs do not require as much maintenance as cats and dogs, but they still need specialized care.  If you are planning to move up from the typical reptile and small rodent animal companion, then perhaps hedgehogs might be the ideal pet.

Most people assume that hedgehogs are a member of the rodent family.  But they actually belong to the family called Erinaceidae.  The common domestic hedgehog species could measure between 5 and 9 inches, and they usually weigh about a pound.  Another popular assumption is that hedgehogs are baby porcupines.  They are not.  On the subject of quills, porcupines can shoot theirs, but hedgehogs cannot.

Your pet will benefit from regular health and wellness checks at your animal hospital Bourne, MA. Click here to know more about their services. 

Playing With Your Cat

Cats are truly fascinating and enigmatic creatures. They're cute, cuddly, lovable, and affectionate. They're also formidable hunters. In fact, your feline buddy is a fluffy little serial killer at heart! 

This is one reason it's so important to play with your cat regularly. Kitties are hunters by nature. In fact, they take out billions of birds and other small animals every year. In the wild, cats hunt to survive, as do all other predators. Pet cats hunt and play for fun, but also simply because they are following their instincts. 

Take a few minutes a day to play with your feline pal. Use a toy that you can control, such as a wand toy or laser pointer. This will entertain her, keep her active, and score you some points! If your kitty is nervous or grouchy, it will also help her burn off her zoomies.

Be sure to bring your kitty to your local vet Westminster, MD regularly for veterinary care. Healthy pets are happy pets!