I am a cat lover. I have two cats that share our home. Notice that I did not say that I own two cats; they are the type of animals that take offense with the idea of being owned. Cats are easy to live with. You do not need a lot of cats stuff to keep them happy.
Most of my friends and family members know that I am a cat lover and as a result the cats stuff that I have received over the years is starting to accumulate in our home. Some of the cats stuff is fun and tasteful and other things are not, but I have been keeping all the items that I have received. My husband feels that I need to start sorting through the cats stuff and dispose of some of it and display the rest. To help me with this project he bought me a corner curio.
The corner curio stands six feet tall. The back is mirrored and the front is convex glass. There are three glass shelves and a display light inside. The curio fits in the corner of the dining area perfectly. I decided that the cats stuff that I would display in the curio would be the statues that I have collected since I was a child. I started gathering the statues from around the house and from storage containers. I was very surprised to see the number of cat statues I have. Some are over 40 years old and others have been purchased recently. They are made from all different types of materials. I have several hand blown glass cats. One ceramic cat is very special to me because my mother painted it in a ceramics class that she was taking. That particular statue is of a mother cat carrying a baby kitten in her mouth. My mother did a very nice job of painting the eyes. I also have statues that are carved out of wood as well as stone. When my husband first brought home the curio cabinet I thought that I would have room to expand my collection through the coming years, but I was surprised that the cats stuff that I already have filled it completely. There was cats stuff left over that I needed to return to the areas where they were originally displayed.
When my husband saw that the curio was filled and there was left over cats stuff, he suggested that I no longer purchase any cat things for myself. Considering I have so many things given to me I think I will take his advice. Over the years I have bought cat themed souvenirs when we travel, I will need to decide what my next theme will be.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pet Boarding
Pets add a lot of happiness too our lives. They give us companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love. That is why I find it so disturbing how so many people treat their pets. Basically, pets are treated as mere objects. People leave them at home all day without even considering options like hiring a pet sitter to take care of them. Pet boarding is not just a consideration, it is an essential. Pets have been bred over generations to depend on human companionship, and it should be a two-way street. If we are going to use them for their companionship, we owe them the loyalty of watching over their needs while we are not at home. That is why, whenever I'm going to be gone for more than a few hours, I try to use pet boarding.
There are more pet boarding kennels in most cities than you expect. You see, pet boarding has become a bigger and bigger business. People are just now becoming aware of how much their pets are like them. Animals have emotional empathy, keen intellect, and even a well developed sense of self. Traditionally, pet kennels were only designed for extended trips. People would not board their pets for less than a day or two at a time, counting on the dogs or cats to be able to take care of themselves while their owners were gone. Today, however, there are more and more all day pet boarding places.
Not all pet boarding facilities are the same, and you have to take into account your pet's individual temperament when you choose. For example, if you have a very social dogs – especially if it is a medium-sized or large one – you might want to take it to a service offering day boarding for dogs. Many of these places allow the dogs to socialize together, which can be quite fun for them. For smaller dogs, or especially for cats, you should consider hiring an individual pet sitter. Smaller dogs often feel threatened by the larger ones and do not have much fun with them at pet boarding centers. Cats are often not social creatures and do not do well in group pet boarding environments. Nonetheless, this doesn't hold for all small dogs or all small cats. You need to observe your dog or cat with other members of its own species before you can really make a decision about what kind of pet boarding is best.
There are more pet boarding kennels in most cities than you expect. You see, pet boarding has become a bigger and bigger business. People are just now becoming aware of how much their pets are like them. Animals have emotional empathy, keen intellect, and even a well developed sense of self. Traditionally, pet kennels were only designed for extended trips. People would not board their pets for less than a day or two at a time, counting on the dogs or cats to be able to take care of themselves while their owners were gone. Today, however, there are more and more all day pet boarding places.
Not all pet boarding facilities are the same, and you have to take into account your pet's individual temperament when you choose. For example, if you have a very social dogs – especially if it is a medium-sized or large one – you might want to take it to a service offering day boarding for dogs. Many of these places allow the dogs to socialize together, which can be quite fun for them. For smaller dogs, or especially for cats, you should consider hiring an individual pet sitter. Smaller dogs often feel threatened by the larger ones and do not have much fun with them at pet boarding centers. Cats are often not social creatures and do not do well in group pet boarding environments. Nonetheless, this doesn't hold for all small dogs or all small cats. You need to observe your dog or cat with other members of its own species before you can really make a decision about what kind of pet boarding is best.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tips On Pet Care During Summer
Summer is the time for fun, outdoor activities, swimming, picnics and vacations. And, understandably, people love to share many of their summer activities with their animal companions. Unfortunately, every summer many beloved pets die unnecessarily during extremely hot weather.
HEAT exhaustion is one of the most common ailments of pets during the summer months, so pet owners should be cautious. If it's an exceptionally hot day, keep your dog or cat in the house with you and a fan and/or air conditioning. If it's too hot outside for you, it's too hot outside for your pet. Signs of heatstroke may include: hot skin, rapid panting, twitching muscles, salivation, a dazed expression. Wrap your pet in a towel with cool, not COLD water. Cool him down by giving him ice cubes to lick (as cold water will upset his stomach worse and hasten dehydration). Let him lie in front of a fan. To prevent heat exhaustion, make sure your outside pets have access to shade, fresh water and that you monitor them at least several times a day to make sure they're all right.!
NEVER leave your pet in a parked car - not even if you crack the windows or park in the shade. The temperature in the car can increase rapidly and cause heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death. On an 85 degree day, the temperature inside your car, even with the windows open a bit, will climb to 102 degrees in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, it will go up to 120 degrees or even higher!
GIVE your animal companion plenty of cool, clean water at all times. Dogs can only sweat through the pads of their feet and by panting. Evaporation from the wet surfaces of their mouth and nose helps lower their body temperature.
DO not leave your pet shut in an empty house or tied outside while you're on vacation.
NEVER force your dog to run in hot, humid weather. Watch for hot pavement. Sensitive paws burn easily. After a walk or run, check your dog's paws to make sure they are okay.
KEEP vaccinations up-to-date. This is a time when most pets come into contact with other animals at parks, beaches, lakes and campgrounds.
DON'T let your pets roam the streets. Veterinarians see numerous fight injuries and bite wounds in the summer as well as animals hit or run over by cars.
USE Heartworm preventative as mosquitoes which increase dramatically in the summer, carry Heartworm - one of the most deadly ailments household pets suffer. Mosquitoes carry a parasite that causes pulmonary vascular disease that can lead to heart failure. Preventative medication is the best way to avoid this deadly disease.
WASPS, bees and hornets are also a problem during the summer. Although there is no real way for your pets to avoid being stung, they can be treated with antihistamines to reduce the swelling that follows an attack If swelling doesn't subside, see your vet!
WATCH the exercise and diet of your pets. Overeating can result in overheating. Eating less is healthier for them. Do not encourage exercise during the hottest part of the day. Early mornings and evenings are the best times for exercising.
FLEAS, ticks and other parasites may infest your pet. There are many good products available to keep fleas and ticks off your pet. Check with your vet!
WHEN planning a vacation, don't forget your animal companions. Plan for them too. If you are planning on taking them with you, make certain that they will travel comfortably (with plenty of potty and exercise stops) and that they are welcome guests at hotels, homes of friends, etc, and your destination. If you are leaving them behind, make certain you have a well-credentialed pet-sitter or boarding facility. Referrals from trusted veterinarians and animal-loving friends are always helpful. Check them out well in advance of your proposed trip and make reservations, leaving them with a list of medications and instructions as to feeding, exercise, etc. Leave the name of your vet along with friends and neighbors who know your pet. Leave your whereabouts and how to reach you.
ON holidays such as the 4th of July when your pet is exposed to loud noises such as fireworks, make sure he has a safe, quiet place/sanctuary inside your home, that he is in a room from which he cannot escape or run away and that you have either the television or radio on for him to distract or deflect the scary outside sounds. Keep your pet away from crowds of people and loud noises. This will keep him calm and safe!
BY following these tips, there is a high probability that you and your animal companions will enjoy a safe, healthy and happy summer!
HEAT exhaustion is one of the most common ailments of pets during the summer months, so pet owners should be cautious. If it's an exceptionally hot day, keep your dog or cat in the house with you and a fan and/or air conditioning. If it's too hot outside for you, it's too hot outside for your pet. Signs of heatstroke may include: hot skin, rapid panting, twitching muscles, salivation, a dazed expression. Wrap your pet in a towel with cool, not COLD water. Cool him down by giving him ice cubes to lick (as cold water will upset his stomach worse and hasten dehydration). Let him lie in front of a fan. To prevent heat exhaustion, make sure your outside pets have access to shade, fresh water and that you monitor them at least several times a day to make sure they're all right.!
NEVER leave your pet in a parked car - not even if you crack the windows or park in the shade. The temperature in the car can increase rapidly and cause heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death. On an 85 degree day, the temperature inside your car, even with the windows open a bit, will climb to 102 degrees in 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, it will go up to 120 degrees or even higher!
GIVE your animal companion plenty of cool, clean water at all times. Dogs can only sweat through the pads of their feet and by panting. Evaporation from the wet surfaces of their mouth and nose helps lower their body temperature.
DO not leave your pet shut in an empty house or tied outside while you're on vacation.
NEVER force your dog to run in hot, humid weather. Watch for hot pavement. Sensitive paws burn easily. After a walk or run, check your dog's paws to make sure they are okay.
KEEP vaccinations up-to-date. This is a time when most pets come into contact with other animals at parks, beaches, lakes and campgrounds.
DON'T let your pets roam the streets. Veterinarians see numerous fight injuries and bite wounds in the summer as well as animals hit or run over by cars.
USE Heartworm preventative as mosquitoes which increase dramatically in the summer, carry Heartworm - one of the most deadly ailments household pets suffer. Mosquitoes carry a parasite that causes pulmonary vascular disease that can lead to heart failure. Preventative medication is the best way to avoid this deadly disease.
WASPS, bees and hornets are also a problem during the summer. Although there is no real way for your pets to avoid being stung, they can be treated with antihistamines to reduce the swelling that follows an attack If swelling doesn't subside, see your vet!
WATCH the exercise and diet of your pets. Overeating can result in overheating. Eating less is healthier for them. Do not encourage exercise during the hottest part of the day. Early mornings and evenings are the best times for exercising.
FLEAS, ticks and other parasites may infest your pet. There are many good products available to keep fleas and ticks off your pet. Check with your vet!
WHEN planning a vacation, don't forget your animal companions. Plan for them too. If you are planning on taking them with you, make certain that they will travel comfortably (with plenty of potty and exercise stops) and that they are welcome guests at hotels, homes of friends, etc, and your destination. If you are leaving them behind, make certain you have a well-credentialed pet-sitter or boarding facility. Referrals from trusted veterinarians and animal-loving friends are always helpful. Check them out well in advance of your proposed trip and make reservations, leaving them with a list of medications and instructions as to feeding, exercise, etc. Leave the name of your vet along with friends and neighbors who know your pet. Leave your whereabouts and how to reach you.
ON holidays such as the 4th of July when your pet is exposed to loud noises such as fireworks, make sure he has a safe, quiet place/sanctuary inside your home, that he is in a room from which he cannot escape or run away and that you have either the television or radio on for him to distract or deflect the scary outside sounds. Keep your pet away from crowds of people and loud noises. This will keep him calm and safe!
BY following these tips, there is a high probability that you and your animal companions will enjoy a safe, healthy and happy summer!
Insurance For The Pet Cats
Pet is dear to all. Once a person brings a pet home, it becomes an important member of his family. He or she takes care of it like any other family member. People usually prefer to have a cat at home. Cat is a very sweet creature and a person feels happy enjoying time with it. He enjoys its jumping and various other activities. After a long tiring day at work, when a person returns home, he feels relaxed on spending some time with his pet. Cats are very sensitive and they require extra care. Without your notice, your pet may meet with an accident or may eat some rotten food. In this case, it requires immediate treatment. Sometimes, a person may not be able to bear the expenses of the treatment and hence, he opts for the cat health insurance.
Cat health insurance provides reimbursement coverage for your pet's eligible medical treatments, surgeries, lab fees, X-rays, prescriptions and more. Whenever, your pet suffers from any sort of diseases, it is always wise to consult a veterinary doctor. It is beyond the capacity of the owner to understand the problem of his pet and to suggest any medicine. Before the disease of your pet becomes chronic, you should immediately take it to a good veterinary doctor. Proper care can only help your pet to get rid-off its problem quickly. Many a times, your pet incurs various diseases and sometime the cost of treatment of those problems may be very high. And, if you are not in a position to bear the expenses of the treatment then cat health insurance will be a great help.
With cat health insurance, all your worries of providing a good medical treatment to your pet will be solved. You will feel tension-free and would not panic on your pet's treatment. With this insurance, you can undertake any sort of treatments. Your pet entertains you and at the same time provides you loyalty, love and companionship. So, it is your key responsibility to provide it with the best treatment at the time of necessity. You feel really annoyed and guilty if you are unable to bear the expenses of the treatment of your beloved pet. One always wants their pet to be in a good health and eat and drink properly.
There are many insurance agencies that provide cat health insurance. You can get the information of those agencies on the internet. You can also apply for the insurance policy online. Before applying for one, you should understand all its policies. An insurance agency understands the needs of his client and provides various treatment facilities to the pet owners. Pet insurance helps you cover the rising costs of veterinary care, so you need not have to choose between your pet's well-being and your finances. Whenever, his or her cat suffers from any pain, the owner can understand its pain by its facial expression and gets it treated from a good veterinary doctor. The treatment of some diseases of a cat may be very expensive and a cat health insurance can help the owner in this case.
Cat health insurance provides reimbursement coverage for your pet's eligible medical treatments, surgeries, lab fees, X-rays, prescriptions and more. Whenever, your pet suffers from any sort of diseases, it is always wise to consult a veterinary doctor. It is beyond the capacity of the owner to understand the problem of his pet and to suggest any medicine. Before the disease of your pet becomes chronic, you should immediately take it to a good veterinary doctor. Proper care can only help your pet to get rid-off its problem quickly. Many a times, your pet incurs various diseases and sometime the cost of treatment of those problems may be very high. And, if you are not in a position to bear the expenses of the treatment then cat health insurance will be a great help.
With cat health insurance, all your worries of providing a good medical treatment to your pet will be solved. You will feel tension-free and would not panic on your pet's treatment. With this insurance, you can undertake any sort of treatments. Your pet entertains you and at the same time provides you loyalty, love and companionship. So, it is your key responsibility to provide it with the best treatment at the time of necessity. You feel really annoyed and guilty if you are unable to bear the expenses of the treatment of your beloved pet. One always wants their pet to be in a good health and eat and drink properly.
There are many insurance agencies that provide cat health insurance. You can get the information of those agencies on the internet. You can also apply for the insurance policy online. Before applying for one, you should understand all its policies. An insurance agency understands the needs of his client and provides various treatment facilities to the pet owners. Pet insurance helps you cover the rising costs of veterinary care, so you need not have to choose between your pet's well-being and your finances. Whenever, his or her cat suffers from any pain, the owner can understand its pain by its facial expression and gets it treated from a good veterinary doctor. The treatment of some diseases of a cat may be very expensive and a cat health insurance can help the owner in this case.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Pet Care Health Insurance Services
Statistics show that people are willing to foot the growing medical bills for their beloved pets, making the need for pet health insurance a real concern. Advances in pet health care can leave owners with big veterinary bills. Pet health care insurance is now affordable and available for dogs, cats and exotics.
If you would not think of being without insurance for yourself and your family, that should include your pet companion as well. Pet insurance is not as expensive as human insurance and might come in handy.
Pet health care insurance is similar to human health insurance. Like all insurance, you hope you never use it. Pet health care insurance will pay or reimburse for veterinary services that are covered under the plan. Medical treatments and technologies used for humans are now being used for pets.
If your pet needs an emergency surgery it would be nice to know that cost is not a factor and you won't have to pay for everything on your own. The insurance is just sensible.
Purchase insurance coverage ideally when your pet is still young before pre-existing conditions develop. You can enroll as young as 8 weeks. Some plans only allow enrollment up to age 10 for cats and age 8 for dogs (age 6 for some breeds). Once enrolled, your pet may stay in the plan for the rest of its life.
Because of their natural adventurousness and high activity level, very young pets are famous for getting hurt and needing emergency care.
There are many pet insurance companies to choose from, and many different plans available. Read the fine print. Some companies have veterinarians that belong to their network. Under those particular policies, you pay a co-payment up front and the insurance company pays for the covered services. The downside is you have to find a veterinarian that is in the pet health care insurance "network". Each policy is different and there is no one plan that fits everyone's needs.
Services covered under many policies include spay surgery, neuter surgery, annual vaccinations, flea preventative, annual heartworm preventative, heartworm test, annual dental cleanings, accidents, illnesses, cancer, x-rays, and surgeries. In many cases, pet health care insurance will cover even more in maintaining the wellness of your loved pet. Your coverage may also include prescription foods, boarding, euthanasia, accidental death, recovery of lost pets, and micro-chip identification. Pet health insurance can prove to be invaluable.
Additional facts to consider when enrolling.
Are pre-existing conditions covered, and what constitutes a pre-existing condition? If a pre-existing condition is covered, what are the deductibles? Does the pet health insurance policy you are interested in cover prescription costs? Will my premium go up over time, as I file claims, or my pet gets older? Does the plan cover chronic or recurring conditions? What are the financial limits of coverage? How are they applied? Do you have more than one pet that could benefit from insurance coverage and are there multi-pet discounts available? Does your particular policy require monthly or annual payments? Talk to your veterinarian about your pet's health and question the insurance companies about the limits of the pet health insurance coverage before purchasing a particular plan.
Necessery Pet Care Services
Don't have the time to take your pet to get necessary services? These days, it is no problem. The vendors will come to you.
The home pet care field is a rapidly expanding industry that has answered a very pressing need in society. The modern life style is fast paced and often hectic. This has caused many potential pet lovers to pass up the joys of owning critters because they are unable to give the attention and care that is really needed. The pet industry has provided an excellent solution to this dilemma. There are several different types of services available and they are geared to the pet owner's individual needs.
The most common service is pet sitting. Even the national organization that monitors and certifies care providers uses "sitting" in its name. The idea of the pet sitter is the same as the baby sitter. It is a reliable person that is simply filling in for the owner for a short period of time. Unlike a baby, a pet can be left alone for an evening, but when the absence is going to extend beyond a day, the pet will be neglected unless someone cares for its food and water needs.
The pet sitter replaces the neighbor and friend that are asked to "look in" on the pet. The difference is that the sitter is reliable, trained, and is being paid to do this service. This also eliminates the need to take the pet from the home to a boarding service which is usually expensive and takes the animal from its comfortable surroundings to an often frightening experience in a strange place. The pet does not need to be transporter to and from the boarding facility.
Some services go a step further than simply sitting. These could provide a full time house sitting service. Not only is the pet given attention and care, but the house retains a lived in look that discourages break ins and vandalism. The pet is not only fed and watered, but could also be exercised and provided with company. If the pet has any medical needs, the home pet care providers are generally trained in animal first aid and endorsed by local vets.
It is not even necessary for the pet owner to be away from home. Many vendors will provide daily exercises such as walks for pets whose owners are working regardless of if the work is at home or away from the home. These services are a way to provide the care, love, and attention your pet needs and deserves when for any reason you are unable to provide it. The several different types of providers allow almost any pet care need to be met.
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