Cat First Aid Kit.

I never thought about it but I am sure a first aid kit for my pets would make a lot of sense. So to make your own get a see thru plastic container. On the inside of the lid place a list with the following number. The Animal Poison Control number, Your Vet's phone number, and the Local Veterinary Hospital. Also have handy in a plastic bag your pets health records. Keep in mind that a lot of things we have in are homes are toxic to our pets. The following are handy to have in your pets first aid kit. 1) Tweezers to remove splinters. 2) Nail Trimmer. 3) Scissors, handy for hair clumps or foreign objects tangles in their fur. Be careful not to cut to close. 4) Betadine Sponges for cleaning wounds, with an antibacterial cleanser. 5) Saline Solution to remove dirt or foreign objects from eyes. 6) Peroxide. Only use if instructed by an Emergency Animal Hospital. This induces vomiting. Do not use on wounds. 7) Triple Antibiotic Ointment.. 8) Sterile Telpha pads, non sticky, these are to place under bandages, so as not to stick to the fur. 8) Bandages. Well this isn't a hard list to gather up, and as always it is best to consult with your vet when in doubt. Happy Healthy Cats.

Hanukkah Safety.

We found this interesting article about pets and Hanukkah, and wanted to share. Hanukkah brings excitement with rich foods, toys, gifts and the beautiful Menorah. It can be easy to forget these traditions as well as Christmas traditions are not always good for our pets. Plan ahead to insure the safety of the fluffy members of your family. 1)Donuts, also known as Sufganiyot, are made of fried dough filled with artificially colored red custard or jelly and sprinkled with powered sugar. This pastry sounds yummy but is loaded with fat, sugar and lots of calories. A pet ingesting a Sufganiyot could suffer severe gastrointestinal distress. 2)Latkes. Oh so delicious. We use to make these at Christmas when I was a child. My mom sometimes tried things from other cultures at Christmas, this was a favorite. These are made with shredded potatoes, eggs, and fresh diced onions, fried and topped with sour cream or applesauce. Fresh onions can cause Heinz body anemia in pets. Onions are toxic to dogs as well as cats. 3)Chocolate Gold Coins. At Hanukkah children eagerly await to receive these foiled covered chocolate coins. Leaving them in places pets can reach and eat them can cause severe toxicity in pets, as well as foil ingested can cause major problems. 4) Dreidel. These are really neat four sided tops. The top spinning can draw the attention of your family pet. Keep these and other small toys out of reach. 5) Menorah. This is the symbol of Hanukkah. Over eight days the candles are lit until the Menorah is fully ablaze. Keep pets away for home, human and pet safety. Happy Hanukkah.

Top Ten Holiday Decorations to Avoid.

This article is Jinx approved. There are always things to avoid during any holiday, it just seems as though Christmas may just have a few more to be careful of with pets in the home. 1)The Tree Itself. Make sure your tree is secure especially if you have a real tree. Dogs jump cats climb. Finding the safest place to put your tree may not always prove to be easy. Do your best. I am lucky that my furry ones stay out of the tree. 2)Imitation Snow. Not such a good idea. It sure is pretty but very toxic to your pets. 3)Preservatives On Your Tree or in the Water. Water is tempting to your pets. Chemical preservatives are sometimes used on trees to keep them fresh longer. This can leach into the water bowl, so cover the water bowl with a tree skirt, aluminum foil, or anything that will keep your pets out of the bowl. 4)Edible Ornaments. The cute little ornaments that Susie made in school are wonderful on the tree. But they are dangerous to Fido. Candy Canes are fun as well but not so much for your pets. Place them high just like the cute ornaments. 5)Lit Candles Oh the season is so much better when the house smells good with a beautiful burning candle. Left unattended they are one of the most dangerous items you can have in your home. This is true of children and pets alike. Keep the candles in a safe secure place. 6)Christmas Lights. Make sure those lights are securely tucked in the tree and on windows. Secure extension cords as well. Chewing on the lights not so good. Maybe you have seen National Lampoons Christmas Vacation movie, when the cat chews on the Christmas lights and gets fried. Not really funny. 7)Holly Berries, and Holly. Beautiful but toxic to children and pets alike. If you enjoy having this as a decoration, keep out of reach of pets and children. 8)Angel Hair. This is a blast from the past. You could use it to decorate your tree, oh how pretty but it made you itch. It is no longer on the market, but you may have some vintage ornaments that have it on them. Place this securely in a display case or leave packed away. 9)Delicate or Treasured Ornaments. Make sure these are placed securely high on your tree. Shattered glass ornaments can end up in your pets eyes, fur and stuck in a paw. 10)Tinsel. Skip the tinsel. It just creates such a mess, and you find it for weeks after the tree is down. Ingesting it can cause your pet a intestinal obstruction which can be deadly. Opt for garland and secure it well and not to low. I hope you found these tips helpful. I know it is a bit late in the season, but we have been very busy. Happy Cats.

Do Cats have Separation Anxiety?

Yes they do. Just ask me I have personally viewed this first hand. My Momma cat Jezz is the Queen of Separation Anxiety. This is one cat who knows when I am going to visit relatives. I don't even have to say the words, she just knows. I suppose the extra activity on my day off my be a clue. Jezz will follow me as I pack a bag, will sit on the bathroom counter as I brush my teeth, comb my hair and put on makeup. All the while she will be rubbing up on me and meowing very pitifully. I feel really bad but I do have family to visit and with five cats I do make sure everything is in place, but with Jezz no one is as good as Mom. I don't have any real solutions to this problem, other than just to make sure everyone is comfy before I leave and that I personally feed and water everyone before I go. I spend a few minutes with each cat and a few extra with Jezz. I am never gone long, but to her it must seem like an eternity. My son makes sure she stays out of harms way, this is the one who thinks all of the other cats are evil, and makes her own trouble. So yes separation anxiety is real. Think of your furry babies like children, and try to make everything as calm as possible when you must go away. Well I have an emergency, Mr. Pees a Lot dragged my bath mat off the side of the tub and peed on it. Good Grief.

WOW we must of gotten lost.

Well I have only one excuse. It is the holiday season and boy have I been busy. You know decorating cats, baking with cats, shopping with cats. You get the picture. The tree went up and I had lots of help sorting out the color coded branches. Jinx scattering one pile and Sophia laying on another pile. It took twice as long to get the tree up because I had to resort all of the branches. Then we started on the lights. Around and around I go along with Jekyll and Phantom getting in on the act, then Jezz wants to help but the boys wouldn't let her. So she goes and sulks in the corner. Then comes sorting out the ornaments for the tree, no one cares so I am left in peace for a bit. I get the ornaments on the tree and then get out the wide velvet ribbon I use instead of garland, this is grabbed by Sophia and out to the kitchen she goes. When I get it back and on the tree it is time to repack everything we don't use. I have to keep taking cats out of the packing carton, and when I finally get it packed it goes to the shed. Thinking I am safe to head out the door, out sneaks Jezz. I drop the box and start after her when the screen door swings open and here comes Miss Sneaky Jinx. I have to grab her or she runs off to explore, Jezz is happily munching on grass. I let her and store the boxes, then grab Jezz which makes her very unhappy. The tree looks really nice and we sit down to enjoy it. Happy Cats.

Naming your New Puppy.

What's in a name? Plenty I tell you. Just as naming our children, which they have to carry the rest of their lives, naming a new puppy is important. How do you figure out what is the best name? Sometimes naming our pets can be very complicated. I know that when Sophia came home I didn't name her for two or three weeks. She grew into her name. But more importantly the naming of a new puppy can be difficult at best. There are some things to take into consideration. One of those is the fact is easier for a dog to understand two syllabled names. Some examples are Bella, Buddy, Cosmo, Lucky and Rocky. The name you give your dog is one of the ways that you communicate with them. So the more complicated the name the less your dog will understand that you are calling them. I know show dogs have long drawn out names for their pedigrees, but at best they are probably called some shortened version. So there are plenty of places to look up names for dogs, and make sure it is a simple two syllabled name so when you communicate with your new family member they will understand who you are speaking to. Also the way you speak to your dog is important as well, they do pick up on the tone of your voice. This is a Jinx approved article. Happy Cats.

Tips to keep Pets safe this Holiday

Be careful when you deck the halls. Trees with decorations low to the ground tinsel and garland are all so inviting to cats and dogs. So if you love your pets and care about your special ornaments be careful where you place them. Buy the kitty or dog a new toy and hopefully it will help prevent them from being in the tree. Be wire conscious. When hanging lights make sure that they are tucked into the tree real good and if you use an extension cord make sure it is secure as well. This goes for outdoor lighting as well, make sure wildlife cannot get tangled either. Save human treats for humans. Fido or Miss Kitty may beg for a treat you are having this holiday season, but don't give in, grab them a special treat when you go grocery shopping, and keep that on hand for those moments. Bundle up. When taking the pooch out for his walk keep in mind some of our furry friends do not have a very thick coat, so a coat that is lined or quilted is ideal for your furry friend. Boots help as well. Get your pet in on some holiday fun. Take a walk around your neighborhood or the local park and check out the decorations. This not only gives you some time with your pet and helps you to wind down, but your pet gets some exercise. Also they will pick up on the excitement in your voice as you ooh and ahh over the decorations. Put your pets on the nice list. Pets need Christmas presents as well as you. It is a great time to replace those old and worn out toys, and get some special treats. Create a quite space for your pets. If having friends and family over for the holidays have a space set up for your furry babies to rest and get away from all the merriment. They will thank you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.