MeOW and welcome to our first Service Cat post of 2018. We’ve been chompin’ at the purr-verbial bit to get started. Me wants to point out a few changes we’ve made in an attempt to make these posts easier to find, and easier for you to ask questions. First, take a look at our menu options. We created a whole page with the links to every post in this series called Training Tips and Everything Feline. We will be adding descriptive tags so that you can easily find exactly what you’re looking for. We had hoped to have that done already, but as most of you know, we’ve had a few challenges keeping us busy elsewhere. Rest assured we will be doing that in short order. You will also find a contact form on the page that is completely private. Just fill it out with your questions or post suggestions and we’ll receive an e-mail readable only by us. If you’ve missed any posts in our Service Cats series, you may check this page to get all caught up. As Always you may continue to ask questions in the comments of our posts; we luv, luv, luv hearing from you. Remember when asking behavioral questions to purrlease be as specific as pawssible. Let’s get the business outta the way and get this pawrty started.
The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Everything Feline. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
We had a lot of questions last year regarding the new PowerChair/WheelChair. Just in case you’re new to our blog, let me explain. Mommy’s PowerChair broke last June. One of the motors went out and the chair wouldn’t do anything but turn in a circle. Being over five years old, Medicare wouldn’t pay to repair it; so, we had to go thru the procedures to get a new one. Unfortunately, that process is long and tedious. We finally got approved and received our new PowerChair in January of this year. Here are some of the questions ya’ll asked about the new PowerChair and our Training/Ability to use it:
Old chair, but the joystick is the same on most chairs. It’s made of a
flexible rubber type material.
Q: Isn’t the joystick hard on a cat’s teeth?
A: The joystick is covered in/made of a fairly soft rubberized material, so it’s not any harder on a cat’s teeth than many of our toys.
Q: Does a repairman come out and evaluate the chair, and what steps are required to get a new PowerChair?
A: Yes, a repairman comes to our home to determine what’s wrong with the chair and if it can be fixed. If a PowerChair is over 5 years old, Medicare will not pay for repairs. So, the repairman must take measurements for a new PowerChair. The measurements required are the length of a persons arms, legs and torso. Measurements are also taken of the person’s width between the arms and weight. Other questions that will be asked is if the person has problems with incontinence, diabetes, ulcers or sores on their hiney, and the width of all doors and hallways in the home. Once those measurements are taken, the repairman will submit a request for a prescription from the person’s doctor. The person, (ie: mommy), must then see the doctor for a mobility evaluation, as well as a physical therapist. They will submit their evaluations along with a prescription to the PowerChair repairman who will submit it to Medicare for approval. The approval process can take as long as a year. There are emergency situations that can speed up the process, but it’s always best to expect a bit of a wait.
Q: Does the new PowerChair come with instructions or do we just have to figure it out ourselves?
A: The new PowerChair comes with a packet that explains how to assemble the chair and connect the control panel to the batteries as well as a description of the control panel. A small booklet with care instructions is also included. There’s no instructions on how to drive, which is why mommy ran into everything the first time she powered up.
Q: Why does it take so long to get a new PowerChair and do we have a manual chair we can use in the meantime?
A: We don’t know why it takes so long, but if you ever figure it out, let us know. MOL As for a manual chair, the answer is NO. Medicare and most insurance companies “rent” equipment in a succession based on health. That simply means they start with things such as canes and walkers and move up. Mommy skipped the manual wheelchair step because certain movements required to power a manual chair would cause her to pass out. She went straight from a cane to a PowerChair. So, when it’s broken, she’s left to get around however she can. In her case, that means crawling for several hours a day.
Q: Once the new PowerChair arrives, are we able to drive it or does it require re-Training?
A: Quite a few of you asked this question; but, until the new PowerChair got here, we couldn’t know for sure how to answer it. This is mommy’s third PowerChair, and each have been a little different. The first and second chair rode and drove pretty much the same and required no additional Training. Our new PowerChair however, rides and drives much differently than the previous chairs. The differences are subtle, but they are there. Enough so, that we will both require some new Training. Actually, me should say all three of us need some additional Training. The first time mommy powered on, she ran into everything and even fell off the sidewalk outside.
The view seems better from the new chair. And, the arms seem wider.
What are those differences, you ask? Well, for starters, the old chairs had a 360° turn without moving forward or backwards. The new PowerChair moves slightly forward when turning to the right, and slightly backwards when turning to the left. That may not sound like much to you, but due to limited space in our apartment, it can mean the difference in successfully turning around or hitting doors and walls and any other furniture that might be near, as well as falling off the curb. We have a very small kitchen and bathroom, so turning around becomes difficult in this chair. We’ll be doing more “backouts” instead of actual turning around. Mommy also says this joystick is very touchy. One little push or pull and the PowerChair starts moving. Altho’ that’s a good thing, it’s not something we’re used to and will require a few hours of additional Training. After all, we are cats and do find ourselves occasionally re-scenting the joystick with a little face rub. We for sure don’t want to go wheeling through the wall just because we showed the joystick some love. MOL The speed control on the new PowerChair is a dial up instead of a push button. Mommy hasn’t decided yet if that’s a good thing or not, but we’ll keep you posted as we go along. One small detail that others wouldn’t have given a second thought, is that the power button and horn are in the opposite positions from any chair we’ve ever owned. And the back wheels not only touch the floor all the time, they’re also the same size as the front.
So, a lot of little changes mean a lot of extra Training. Remember, altho’ the old chair was broken, we still had some form of Training each day, we just didn’t move. Getting used to moving again, is going to take a little time. However, mommy’s confident we’ll be ready for the races in no time. 🙂
Well, we hope we’ve answered the questions you all had about the new PowerChair. We’ll be posting more about our Training as well as tackling any other questions ya’ll might have. ‘Member, there are no stupid questions. Ifin you’ve been wanderin’ somethin’, you can rest assured you’re not alone. And be sure to check out our menu pageTraining Tips and Everything Feline to get caught up on any post you may have missed in this series.
We have a favor to ask. As you all know, we really want to go to BlogPaws this year. It’s a state over in Missouri. That’s just too close to miss, we think. Anyways, it’s time to submit your favorite blogs fur the Nose to Nose Awards. We fur sure would luv to be recognized and receive one of those pawsum awards. We’d really appreciate your nomination of our blog fur one or more categories. We’ve tried to make this as easy for you as pawssible, so, you can just do a copy and paste of the links. Here’s the categories we qualify for and the information you’ll need to submit us. Purrlease take a couple of minutes and fill out the form here. Fank you all so very much.
Best Written Pet Blog Post: Use the links above, unless you think another post was our best. If you choose another post, purrlease let us know which post you nominated. You may nominate more than one post or blog, it just has to be on a new form. Posts that are qualified for nomination/consideration: Any post created/published between January 2017 through February 2018.
Best Photo on a Pet Blog: We had a lot of trouble trying to narrow this one down. Purrlease feel free to choose one of the following, or you may choose any other foto of us on our blog:
We really ‘purreciate ya’ll takin’ the time to nominate us. If you’ve chosen a post or foto different from the links we provided, just let us know. We’re always innerested in knowin’ what you luv ‘bout us or our blog.
MeOW and welcome to an unService Cat Monday on Service Cat Monday. Which, due to technical difficulties beyond our control is wayyyyyyyy late. Now that was a mouthful wasn’t it? Anyways, fur mommy’s sanity and to furee up some time, Service Cat Monday question and answer and Training tips will resume in the new year. Altho’ mommy did say that our posty today could actually qualify as a Service Cat Monday posty. So, fur that reason, the followin’ will be in human English fur reader and translator ease. Actually, mommy will be doin’ most of this posty herself. But, you know Raena and me have to have our own meows ‘bout everythin’, so we’ll be includin’ our 2 cents too. Fur now, mommy, take it away.
Disclaimer: This is a Sponsored post. We received the Litter Robot Open Air III in exchange for our honest opinion. As always, we tell it like we see it and only bring products we feel would be of interest to you, our readers and friends.
Thank you baby. As you all know this blog is all about the girls. And, as special as they are, there are still things they can’t do and require a human touch. Most of you know that I’m disabled and need help with a few things. Let me give you a little back story before we proceed. Dezi came to me as a very sick little girl at the age of 2 1/2 – 3 weeks old. She had one of the worst cases of tape worm I’d ever seen in a kitten her size. And, with all that baby fine fur, the diarrhea, and the worms exiting her little body were constantly getting stuck to her bloomers. My response was to clean the litter box and her every time she exited. I must say, it was definitely the right thing to do, but it had lasting consequences. Long after the worms and diarrhea were gone, Dezi expected me to clean the litter box the minute it got used. As far as she’s concerned, we could have 10 boxes and she would still want the one that was used to be cleaned.
When you think about it, it actually makes perfect sense. I mean, would you want to use a toilet that hadn’t been flushed after it’s last “visitor”? So, as much of a chore scooping might be, I didn’t really give it a second thought. But, c’mon now, all of us kitty parents know the litter box is probably our least favorite thing about being owned by cats. As I get older and my health declines, scooping at certain times of the day gets more difficult. And with the wheelchair broken, getting to the box first thing in the morning is almost impossible. That brings us to today’s topic, Automated Litter Boxes. If you missed our post about Litter Boxes, Litter and Feline Urinary habits, you can catch up by clicking here.
Yep, that’s the right litter this time mommy.
Automated litter boxes have been around for quite some time now. So, I began my search for the “purrfect” automated box that could meet all the needs the girls have and still work for me and my budget and ideals. Ideals being no clay litters. As a Vet Tech I’d seen too many kitties come in with blockages from clay litter, to be comfortable using it especially with long haired cats that get it stuck to their bloomers. That right there, made it almost impossible for us to use one of those automated raking systems. Not to mention the actual box size available for kitty to do their business. But, today’s not about the “bads” of certain boxes, but rather the good and bad of the automated litter box we chose.
After much research, reading reviews, watching videos, and studying how and why the equipment works, we decided on the Litter Robot Open Air III. Now I’ll be honest, it wasn’t until I could actually see a video up close that I decided this was a good product. My initial thoughts were that the litter must end up in the top of the box since it rotates around to empty itself. With that thought, I couldn’t imagine why any cat would want to use it. After all, how would you feel if somebody pee’d or worse on your ceiling and you had to sit under that smell when you went to the bathroom? Thankfully, that’s not the case at all. you’ll see in the video below that the roof of the box stays free of dirty litter and smell. Before we get to the video, let me tell you what we were looking for in an automated litter box.
Covered: Raena occasionally still tries to swat Dezi’s tail when she’s in the litter box, so we have to have a covered litter box for privacy issues.
Size: Dezi is a large cat and Raena will be, so they need plenty of room to get in, turn around, stand, squat, dig and exit.
Works with almost any Litter: I’m not changing my mind and using clay litter, so the box we choose must allow for the litter we currently use: Swheatscoop and/or Garfield.
No Continued Expenses’ beyond electricity and inexpensive filters: Being on a fixed income means I can’t afford to by additional expensive boxes, special bags or trays.
Night Light: Yes I Know it sounds silly, but something happened to Dezi when our apartment flooded and she won’t go to the litter box in the dark.
Easy to Use: The girls must be able to enter and exit with ease.
Easy to Clean: Even the cleanest of kitties and “dustless” litter can eventually get any box a little dirty. But, due to my disabilities, handling and cleaning the size box the girls require must be easy.
Safe: The girls can sometimes get a little dig crazy and curious, so I don’t want anything around that could hurt or cut them.
Flexible Timer: Since Dezi will often pee and then need to poo almost immediately after, we need to be able to set a shorter timer than the traditional 15 minutes.
The Litter Robot Open Air III meets all our needs. If I had to say something negative, it would be about the Control Panel. As most of you know, the girls are Service Cats, and as such they are trained to turn on and off certain equipment. And, as a lot of you may recall, Raena’s been turning on all the power toys since she was about 8 weeks old. So, if I could, I would probably have a small door of some kind covering the buttons on the Control Panel. The thing is, there probably aren’t many other cats out there pressing the cycle button besides Raena; so I can’t really fault the Litter Robot peeps for not thinking about that.
They recently launched the Litter Robot Open Air Connect. If you already own a Litter Robot Open Air, you can purchase the upgrade equipment and install it yourself without voiding any warranty you may have or having to purchase a whole new system. The app connects your Litter Robot to your Apple iphone or ipad and allows you to monitor the waste drawer levels, usage and you could even trigger it to cycle if you have a kitty like Dezi that just peed and now needs to poo and can’t wait the 3 minutes.
The Litter Robot Open Air III sells for $449.00, with the Connect upgrade it’s $499.00. Trust me, I realize that’s a lot of money. I don’t make this recommendation lightly. But, after all the research I’ve done, and after having the unit in our home, I must say, the Litter Robot is worth every penny. The company sells replacement parts for the entire unit, so that you can replace only what may break or wear out in the future. They do sell reconditioned parts and units as well, so that may be another avenue to consider. Yes, it’s an investment, but, aren’t your cats worth it? Aren’t you worth it? As cat owners, most of us scoop the litter box without even thinking about it, but it’s really nice not having too. I definitely give the Litter Robot Open Air III 2 thumbs up. I’ll let the girls tell you how they feel.
Fanks mommy. Me luvs PB. It’s pawsum to always have a clean pawtty no matter the time of day or what you might be doin’. It’s an all paws up from me.
Is it mine’s turn now? Well it’s a bout time. I’s luvs, luvs, luvs PB the Litter Robot. I’s luvs to ride the rim sometimes. It’s so much fun. I’s still tryin’ to figger out how to make sissy go ‘round and ‘round like a ferris wheel. Fur some reason, it won’t cycle with her in it?. Other than that, I’s give it 4 paws up too.
(Dezi shakes head.) That’s a safety feature Raena. Fankfully, PB has better sense than you do. Cuz guess who’d be getting’ the whacky paw ifin you did send me ‘round and ‘round?. Anyways, we sure are glad PB’s working in our house. Ifin ya’ have any questions, thoughts or comments, purrlease leave ‘em in the comments section. And, any purchases thru the links in our posty mean we make a few green papers. Our Blessin’ today fur the Blessing Train is Health. We have been blest with good health. Yeah Raena’s eyes might be a bit purroblematic, but overall she’s healthy and we’re both happy.
MeOW Welcome to a brand new Service Cat Monday. We’re really behind today, but we think when ya’ get to the end, you’ll furgive us. We have quite a few questions regarding the wheelchair that we’re holding until the new chair gets here. In the meantime, we’re runnin’ low on your other questions. ‘Member, the only dumb question, is the one that’s not asked. Everypawdy can’t be a seasoned pet pawrent; ya’ have to start somewhere. So ask us anythin’ and we’ll do our bestest to help out. We’re tacklin’ a good one today. Let’s get the business outta the way and get to it. The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat Monday posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Feline Behavior. Ifin you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover, purrlease let us know in the comments section or send us an email. When asking behavioral questions, purrlease be as specific as pawssible. And, ifin you’ve missed any of the posts in this series, you can ketch up by clickin’ the links at the end of this post. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
So, what’s the hot topic today that every kitty pawrent wouldn’t want to miss? Well, every living being on the planet has 4 basic functions they must do in order to survive: Eat, Drink, Sleep and Eliminate (urinate and defecate). Today, we’re going to focus on kitty’s need to Eliminate. We call this a hot topic because inappropriate Elimination has been the cause of so many kitties losing their furever homes. Problems arising from kitty’s inability to Eliminate can lead to illness and even death. And as every inside only kitty parent would probably say, the litter box is the least favorite part of being owned by a cat. But, it’s necessary. The litterbox isn’t something you or your kitty can live without. Now we know that some have trained kitty to use the human toilet, and some have kitties that go outdoors, but, ideally kitty should have access to a clean litterbox to use for their Elimination needs.
Me’s not usin’ this thing. Me wants a real box.
We’re not going to spend much time on the alternatives, but we would like to quickly address kitties using the human toilet. As we prove each week with our Service Cat Monday posts, cats are extremely intelligent, but even cats have limitations. Mommy had once thought teaching kitty to use the toilet would be wonderful. However, watching sis Lexi’s mobility and balance decline over the last year of her life has totally changed her mind. We Do Not recommend toilet training any cat.
So, whether you have a new kitty, one kitty or ten (or more), you’re going to need a litterbox. The rule of thumb is 1 box and a spare for each cat in your home. As most people with one or two cats will likely tell you, they’re getting by with just 1 box. But, be aware, the fewer boxes you have the greater chance you have of inappropriate Eliminating. Now, we’ll get back to choosing the right box in a minute. We’d like to talk Litter for a minute.
Multi Cat
With all the different types of litter on the market, it can be confusing. Especially to the novice cat owner. But, even long time cat owners can get overwhelmed at times. To Clump or not to clump, that is the question. If only it were that simple. But, that is the first question you need to ask yourself. We prefer Clumping. Mommy says she can’t even remember the day of non clumping litters and is thankful for that memory loss. MOL The next question you might ask is, natural or not? The truth is, clay is just as natural as corn, wheat or grass. The difference is how it reacts in the litterbox and inside kitty’s tummy. Make no mistake, kitty is getting some litter in their mouths. And just about anything that goes into kitty’s mouth is going down their throats, due to the nature of their tongue barbs. (we’ll cover that in another post if you’d like). Cats are such fastidious groomers, that anything left on our furs or between our paw pads is going to get licked and may be ingested. Here is where the natural difference comes in. Clay and it’s clumping additives are not naturally edible and don’t easily pass thru kitty’s intestines. Instead they do inside kitty the same as they do in the litterbox…form clumps and cause blockages. While there may be little nutritional value to corn or wheat in a cat food, it can certainly pass thru the intestines with ease.
The next question to ask is, Scented or Unscented?. The smell of cat urine is like pouring a bottle of amonia in a bowl. It can quickly cause burning eyes, burning and/or itching in the nose and throat and just plain be unpleasant. Many litters on the market add things like perfumes, baking soda and other scented additives to make the litter smell more pleasing to the human nose. Notice me said human nose. When was the last time you saw a kitty of any size looking for the closest lavender field to urinate in? Kitties have very sensitive olfactory senses (noses). We kitties prefer a totally Unscented place to Eliminate. Remember, cats are both Predators and Prey; and anything that draws attention to us could in our minds put us at risk of becoming something bigger’s meal. And hey, if you’re scooping like you should be, there shouldn’t be any lasting smells. (we’ve only posted a few different types of litter. there are many many more to choose from)
Another thing we’d like to bring your awareness too is Litters/Additives that can help one keep an eye on kitty’s urinary health. In recent years crystal type litters have gained popularity due to their lack of color or color changing crystal additives. These help humans identify Urine pH levels or blood in the urine easier. We’ll tell you that for this reason, we really like the Garfield Cat Litter. It’s completely clear, clumps well and keeps down odors naturally. It has minimal dust and a texture most cats like. It comes in two formulas, small grain and large grain. We prefer the small grain, as it’s very soft and easy on the paws. It feels a lot like sand. We think it would work great for older, paw sensitive and declawed cats. (PLEASE Do Not Declaw your cats!!!). Stay tuned at the end of this post, we’re giving away a couple of 10 pound bags.
Let’s talk about scooping for a minute. No matter how many cats and/or litterboxes you have, you should scoop the litterbox at least once a day. Me personally, thinks it should be scooped every time a deposit is made. Yes, mommy spoiled me and me never grew out of it. But, one day when she was mumbling about scooping so me could go poop, me had just peed and so the box must be cleaned ASAP; she thought to herself, “I wouldn’t want to use a potty that hadn’t been flushed after the last use so really…why would I expect my girls to use a dirty potty?.” When ya’ put it that way, it makes total sense. She doesn’t mumble as much anymore. MOL Anyways, for the rest of the world, we say at the very least, once a day. The cleaner the box, the less chance you’ll have of Inappropriate Elimination. Remember, us cats really like clean.
So, you’ve chosen a litter and are ready to go. How do you pick a litterbox? The box you choose must be large enough to accommodate kitty. Most kitties are going to want to turn around a time or two, dig a little and then pick a spot and squat. Of course there are the kitties who forget to squat. If you have one of those, be sure to look for a box with high sides or maybe a lid. Just be sure the lid is large enough for kitty to be able to stand up straight in. If you’re using an enclosed litterbox, regular scooping becomes even more important. Most of the smell is trapped under the lid. We shouldn’t have to explain walking into a stinky bathroom, we think most everybody already knows about that one. You may also want to look into an automatic litterbox. They’ve come a long way in the last few years. Stay tuned, we’ll be giving you the scoop on our pick next week. The last step is to place kitty’s litterbox in a quiet place with easy access in and out. You don’t want kitty to feel trapped or cornered.
Hmmmmm I’s don’t know sissy, what do you think?
So, you’ve done everything right. The box is the perfect size, you chose the best unscented litter with a texture kitty loves and placed it in a quiet location, but kitty’s still Inappropriately Eliminating. Here are a few tips to get kitty and their pee and poop back in the box where it belongs. Do Not Punish kitty!!! Remember, all successful Training is about Positive Reinforcement, Repetition and Rewards. First things first. Clean the area well with an odor neutralizing cleaner. You don’t want to mask the odor, but eliminate it altogether. Take kitty to the VET to rule out any medical reasons such as Urinary Tract Infections, Kidney or Bladder Stones, etc. If kitty gets an all clear, try placing a litterbox over the area kitty is using temporarily to entice kitty to use it. Sprinkle a litter attractant, catnip, silvervine or valerian on the litter and the lip of the litterbox. If you see kitty start to use the floor, say in a firm voice, “NO” and move kitty to the litterbox. Each time you see kitty use the box, praise them and reward them with hugs or treats. Always set kitty up for success and you’ll have a much happier home. Remember, you might like the scent of all those scented litters, but you’re not the one trapped inside a small enclosure with them. The litterbox should be attractive to kitty, not necessarily you.
Litter Robot Open Air III with Garfield Cat Litter.
Whew, That’s a lot of infurmation and we just barely scratched the surface. MOL But, we’ve got a give away to get too. So, tell us ‘bout your litterbox or favorite litter in the comments and then paw the Enter Here graphic fur your chance to win a bag of Garfield Cat Litter fur yourself. And don’t furget, you can ketch up on any post you may have missed by clicking the links below. Send your questions to us by commenting below or sending us an email.
Don’t furget the Blessing Train sissy. Our blessing today is the wonderful companies that allow us to pass a blessing along thru give aways. And, a pawsum mommy who cares more ‘bout us likin’ our litterbox than her.
MeOW Welcome to Service Cat Monday. The holidays are upon us. Here in the U.S. we’ll be celebratin’ Thanksgiving this week. And in me’s house, we’ll be celebratin’ me’s Gotchaday. Anyways, we thought we’d take today to point out some helpful Tips to help your furries enjoy the holidays too. We are often asked ‘bout nutrition and human food safety fur kitties. We know it can be confusing, especially when you have V-E-T’s who really push prescription diets and commercially purrpared pet feeds. But, food isn’t the only pawssible danger that arrives with the holidays, so let’s have a little chat. The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat Monday posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Feline Behavior. Ifin you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover, purrlease let us know in the comments section or send us an email. When asking behavioral questions, purrlease be as specific as pawssible. And, ifin you’ve missed any of the posts in this series, you can ketch up by clickin’ the links at the end of this post. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
Let’s take a look at Thanksgiving. For most people it means a big feast, family get togethers and the beginning of Christmas parties and decorating. A traditional Thanksgiving feast might include a turkey tom lurkey, dressing, cranberries, potato salad, possibly a ham and much more. So, are any of the foods you’ll be preparing safe fur kitty to have? We do love us a big ole bite of real live cooked turkey. No seasoning required. A nice raw turkey neck, altho’ messy, is good fur helpin’ keep kitties teeth clean. But only if it’s raw. If you try to cook it, the bones become brittle and can be dangerous. What about the side dishes? Dressing/Stuffing often contains onions and other spices that can be toxic to your cat/dog. Altho’ we’ve also learned that stuffing actually cooked inside the turkey cavity may very well be dangerous for humans as well (possible e coli or salmonella poisoning). So, skip stuffing your turkey and leave it off your furries plate as well. Garlic and Onions can damage kitty’s red blood cells. You might think about making a small amount specifically for kitty/doggy. Avoid spices and seasonings when preparing foods for your pets.
Pass the cranberries please. That’s right, cranberries are a great source of vitmamin C, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Cranberries are used in many of the UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) prevention foods, treats and supplements. Kitty may or may not like them, but they are safe to offer. As for all the other sides and salads, kitty can skip those. Cats are obligate carnivores and can’t actually digest most fruits and vegetables. And, Raisins and Grapes, often found in salads and deserts can lead to kidney failure in cats/dogs. Here’s a quick list of some human foods that are NOT safe for your pets: Avocado, Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine, Citrus, Grapes, Raisins, Nuts, Onions, Garlic, Xylitol, Yeast dough and Alcohol. Mommy says a good rule of thumb to help you remember what plants or foods might be toxic is: If the plant has a bulb, avoid it. While pumpkin is great fur kitties and doggies, pumpkin pie should be avoided, as well as pumpkin pie filling in the can.
Fanks Wikipedia Commons
For a lot of peeps, Thanksgiving is just a precursor to Christmas. Christmas trees and other decorations are often brought out and the decorating begins. Remember, not all anipals enjoy the hustle and bustle of parties, so be sure to set up a Decompression Room beforehand. Even if your furry does enjoy the party, it’s always nice for them to have a quiet place to get away if it becomes overwhelming for them. Christmas trees, real or faux mean dangling wires from lights and decorative balls. If you’re not sure how kitty/doggy will react to a tree, you might want to skip the antique decorations and place plastic or other non breakables toward the bottom of the tree. Remember, always set up kitty/doggy to succeed, not fail. Avoid Tinsel, Flocking (fake snow), Edible Ornaments, Lit Candles, Holly Berries, Mistletoe, Angel Hair or PVC Decorations and Ribbons.
Make sure all guests know not to feed kitty/doggy. This will help to insure begging doesn’t start and kitty/doggy doesn’t eat.drink anything toxic. Alchohol, Marijuana, and all other drugs/medications should be kept away from kitty/doggy as well. If you use Potpourri, essential oils or other air fresheners, keep them out of kitty/doggy’s reach. Many essential oils can be toxic or irritating for kitty/doggy and even some human guests.
Now for a few Training Tips. Redirection is Key to training kitty/doggy to leave holiday decorations alone. While catching kitty in the middle of the tree might make for a “funniest holiday moments” video, it can also be harmful. Remember all those live wires entwined on the branches? Electrocution is not fun for anybody/kitty. Getting wrapped up in cords or hung is no fun either. A lot of real trees have been treated with toxic chemicals to help prolong their life inside the home. If you have a live tree, be sure to cover the water dish with foil so that kitty/doggy can’t drink the water. If kitty attempts to play with the tree decorations, Redirect them immediately with a favorite toy. If kitty attempts to climb the tree: say NO in a firm voice and move them to an appropriate place (cat tree, cat shelf, etc.). Keep Poinsettas and other Christmas plants out of kitty/doggy’s reach and think about growing them their own pot of grass or catnip.
The holidays can be fun for everyone with a few safety precautions implemented. And don’t forget to keep the V-E-T’s number handy. It might be a good idea to keep the Poison Control Hotline number close by as well: 888-426-4435. You can check the ASPCA website for a more comprehensive list of foods, plants and other items to avoid for your pet’s safety. The last thing you want to do at the holidays (or any day for that matter), is to have to rush your furry friend to the emergency clinic/hospital because they ate or played with something seasonal. Something that could have been avoided.
Well, we’re gonna wrap it up fur today. We hope we’ve helped you and your furry with some suggestions fur a happy, healthy and safe holiday season. We wish you all a pawsum Thanksgiving. And remember, ifin you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, leave them in the comments or send us an email. You can ketch up on any post in this series, by clicking the links below. Come back Wednesday to help me celebrate me’s 8th Gotchaday.
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