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Battling Fleas: a seasonal guide for cat owners

Fleas are a common nuisance for pets and their owners, particularly during the warmer months. However, in certain climates and home environments, these pesky parasites can be a year-round problem. This guide offers detailed advice on how to protect your feline friends from fleas, with a focus on prevention, treatment, and maintaining a flea-free environment. Understanding the flea lifecycle To effectively combat fleas, it’s important to understand their lifecycle. Fleas go through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The adult fleas are the ones you typically notice on your cat, biting and feeding on blood. However, the majority of a flea population (eggs, larvae, and pupae) actually lives in the environment, not on your pet. Why warmer months? Fleas thrive in warm, humid conditions. ...

Catnip: what is it and how does it affect cats?

Catnip has a reputation for being the marijuana of the cat world. However, this may leave you to wonder how safe it is for your pet. You also might wonder how it works and if your furry friend can become addicted. General overview of catnip Catnip is a perennial herb that comes from the mint family. It is native to Asia, Europe, and Africa. It was brought to North America and easily spread from there. Today it can be found in gardens and yards — both planted on purpose, but also growing wild. Your cat will likely prefer the nepeta cataria variety because this is the one that has an active ingredient — the volatile oil nepetalactone — that’ll affect your pet. It even changes the behavior of some other species of cats besides domestic ones. Not all cats will experienc...

Protecting your cat with home security alarm systems

Our cats may be smart, charming, and independent creatures, but all of us can agree that we always worry a little whenever we have to leave them at home for long periods of time. There’s always the risk that our beloved pets can be lost outside of the house or worse, get stolen. According to the American Humane Association, more than 10 million cats and dogs go missing each year. What’s even sadder is that lost cats have a much lower chance than dogs do of being with their pet parent again. So how do we keep our dearest cats safe at home when we can’t bring them with us? If you don’t have a fellow feline-loving friend who can babysit for you, you can make your house itself a secure place for your kitty. And there’s more to that than just having a spy camera. U...

How to take care of an elderly cat

Once your beloved cat reaches senior age, you will need to make changes to his diet and physical activity. This should come as no surprise, since a senior cat’s nutrition and exercise requirements are far different from those of a young cat. At this time, health issues can start to emerge, so you need to be observant when it comes to your pet’s behaviour. When is a cat truly considered elderly? Generally, most cats reach their senior status between 11-14 years of age. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), below are the various life stages for cats according to age ranges: ⦁ Seven to 10 years: Mature to middle-aged ⦁ 11 to 14 years: Senior ⦁ More than 15 years: Geriatric You should know what to expect at every life stage of a senior cat as some will become le...

5 tips to improve the life of your indoor cat

The average lifespan of pet cats has risen in recent years to 15 years of age, but according to some statistics strictly indoor cats can live to 20 years or more, which is a longer life than cats who are allowed to roam freely, or are kept as indoor-outdoor cats. The reason for this varies but generally it is because keeping cats indoors limits the likelihood of them becoming hurt or sick from outside factors like parasites, illnesses, or getting run over by cars. However, simply keeping your cat inside is not enough to ensure that it is living the highest quality of life. Here are some things you can do to greatly improve your cat’s indoor life: 1. Set aside some time to bond with your cat Cats can find ways to entertain themselves. Considering that they sleep most of the day, (cats sleep...

5 ways to bond with a new kitten

You’re bringing your new little kitten home with you and you can’t stop gushing about this new little furball that already fills your heart with love. You envision your future together and want the best for your kitten’s physical and emotional health, so what are your next steps to ensuring the best emotional bond between you and your new companion? Here are 5 proven ways to bond with your new kitten that will have lifelong positive effects for the both of you! 1. Give your kitten a new name When you bring home a new kitten, one of the most exciting things is giving your cat a name. By giving your new kitten a name, you’re essentially telling the world that this is the name you’ve chosen and that you’re going to provide for this sweet new kitten. In some cultures, the naming ritual is a ve...

Common cat allergies and what to do about them

Anyone who has ever had an allergy knows they can make life miserable, and our feline companions are no different. Therefore, it is important to recognise the symptoms of your cat’s specific allergy so that you can take the appropriate steps to eliminate the allergen, or at least alleviate their symptoms. There is a wide range of allergens that can cause allergies in cats, but they can be divided into four categories. Flea allergies Flea allergies are very common in cats. While a normal cat experiences little to no discomfort from a flea bite, a cat that is allergic to fleas will have a severe reaction caused by a single flea bite. The main symptom of a flea allergy is intense itching which will likely cause your cat to scratch and bite the affected area to such an extent that it wil...

How clean is your cat: a guide to cat hygiene

Owning a cat is wonderful. Your kitty brings love and joy to your home and you simply can’t stop pampering your little ball of fur. However, considering that your beloved kitty has fur, you have to be prepared for dander, dirt and lots and lots of mess. Of course, keeping your home clean is important due to health hazards that can be dangerous both for you and your kitty. But have no fear, we are here to help. This guide will help you keep your home clean and your kitty healthy. Clean bed and bedclothes It’s normal to clean your bed and wash the bedclothes every ten to fourteen days. However, when you’re a cat owner you have to clean two beds. Every week you have to devote a part of your time to cleaning your beloved kitty’s bed. Why? Well, their beds collect just as much, if n...

Cats Need a Balanced Diet Too

Whoever called it “puppy eyes” clearly hasn’t seen a cat staring at them while they eat. The sad little meow, or even the violent glare of “how dare you not share food with me, human!” is not an easy thing to escape. And then they put their little paws on us and we just turn into mush and hand them whatever we were eating. A lot of cat owners are a little guilty of giving just a tad too many treats to their beloved pet, but even if you’ve learned some restraint, your cat could still benefit from a balanced diet and specially prepared meals for them. If you want to make sure your fluffy ball of cuteness is fit and healthy, we’ve got a few nutritional tips just for you. Protein and other necessary nutrients Cats need to eat meat. It’s absolutely essential for muscle development and stamina; ...

When cat meets dog: adding a cat to a dog loving home

Even if your home has a dog or two, chances are, somewhere in you there’s a person wanting to release their inner feline side and introduce a cat to the family. However, if that’s what you are wanting to do, don’t just rush out and get the first cat you can find and bring it home with you. To make sure you get the best results that keep your canine and feline happy, give some thought to the best ways you can bring these opposite animals together in a peaceful fashion. If you’re ready to take the plunge and have a dog-cat household, here are some great tips you can use along the way. Have a well-trained dog If your dog hasn’t been to obedience school or perhaps needs a refresher course, now would be the perfect time to act on this. By doing this before you intr...

Changing trends in cat care

The times are changing, and it would seem that our pets are becoming even more important to us than they ever were. The number of households owning a pet cat is rising, and this doesn’t seem all that surprising given the fact that cats are pretty amazing. They’re our furry balls of snuggle and excitement, and we want to give them the best possible care. The depth of their loyalty and affection for you is so pure and honest, that it’s very difficult not to count your kitten as one of the family members. Want to know how to better care for your darling kitty? Then let’s take a look at the popular trends and novelties in the world of cat care. Travelling with cats Our pet is generally the first family member we start to miss when we go away on vacation. More and more people don’t want to leav...

Petcube Play review

Earlier this month we were contacted by Petcube asking if we would review their latest product called Petcube Play. Petcube Play is the next-generation of the Petcube Camera, the original interactive pet camera launched by the San Francisco startup in 2014. It helps cat owners to see, talk and have fun with their cats from their smartphone anytime, anywhere. Redesigned to be more compact, Petcube Play promotes real-time play and exercise with an optimised laser toy, and autoplay mode enables regular playtime when owners’ busy schedules get in the way. Petcube Play’s wide angled camera comes with features, including clear 1080p HD video, 24/7 video recording, 3x digital zoom, two-way audio, sound and motion alerts, and night vision. Petcube started selling Petcube Play in mid-November 2016,...

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