-
How to make your cat’s carrier a friend, not foe
Choosing the best kind of carrier for your catChoosing the right carrier is fundamental to your cat’s comfort and sense of security—so make sure that your carrier is sturdy, quiet and provides easy access to your cat. Top loading carriers are easiest to access for you and for your veterinary office staff. There are both “soft shell” and “hard shell” carriers available and your choice depends on your preferences. I prefer a hard plastic carrier that is easy to take apart and has a door on top that can be opened for easy access to your kitty, but also makes it a lot easier to place him in the carrier…
-
Spaying or neutering your pet
Part of being conscientious pet owner is considering the importance of spaying or neutering your dog or cat. If you’ve ever visited an animal shelter, you’ve seen some of the thousands of pets each year who are homeless. You can’t save them all, but you can help prevent pet overpopulation by spaying or neutering your own pet. Need more reasons to “fix” your pet? Besides preventing unwanted litters, spaying or neutering helps prevent many life-threatening diseases and can head off some irritating behaviors. Although it’s commonly referred to as a spay, this surgery is actually a complete ovariohysterectomy, or the removal of both ovaries and the uterus. Spayed dogs are at much lower risk for mammary gland tumors (breast cancer), and their chances of developing ovarian…
-
How bad is it?
How bad is it to spray a cat with water when you’re training her? Cats don’t generally like getting wet and they are quite sensitive creatures. Surprise spritzes with water can really stress them out. Your best bet may be to provide a distraction and redirect your kitten’s attention to an approved activity. Some kittens may even think that a water spray is a game and continue the action that elicited the watery fun. So to prevent scratching on the sofa, place a scratching post or another scratching surface nearby to discourage destruction of your furniture piece. When you catch your furry friend clawing up the sofa, move her to…
-
Parasite Prevention in Your Kitten
The right parasite preventatives will help keep fleas and other menaces off your new furry friend. The most important thing you need to know about parasites: You usually can’t see them, and they can cause big trouble before you even realize that they’re there. Some parasites have evolved to be able to hide inside the mother cat and come out specifically to target her kittens, so no matter how well cared for mom is, the kittens are still at great risk for intestinal parasites. Can I tell if my kitten has worms? Intestinal worms, like hookworms and roundworms, can cause signs like vomiting and diarrhea, but they can be present…
-
5 Myths About Cat Nail Caps
If you are like me, you want to protect your furniture from cat scratching, but you don’t want to put your kitten through the terrors of a declaw surgery. When I had my first 2 cats, I refrained from getting furniture that was any fun to scratch and that worked beautifully for me. However, after almost 10 years without a cat in my home, a lot of furniture changes, and a new kitten arrival, I had to come up with a different solution. Enter nail caps! I love them and they work perfectly for my Lancelot. I use the VICTHY Nail Caps from Amazon and they’ve been working very well…
Cat & Dog Doc
one vet's tips and tricks
