Breed Profile: Burmese Cat

By Ruthie Bently

I got a tiny kitten for a Christmas present in 1981, and he was a sable Burmese I named Sam. It has been said that they are “little people in fur,” and I agree. Since then Burmese have become available in four colors that are recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA): sable, platinum, blue and champagne. Sam had an apple head, which is a rounded head; now there is a controversy about the head shape, and the apple head is not allowed to be imported into England. The first Burmese cat, a female from Burma named Wong Mau, was brought into the United States by Dr. Joseph Thompson of San Francisco in the early 1930s.

The British Burmese cat has a more triangular head (like the Siamese) and oriental look, and the available colors are greater than the cats here in the States. The history of the Burmese in Britain is a bit different, and didn’t really get started until after 1945 when soldiers coming home from Burma brought them home. The breed was recognized in 1952 by the Britain’s Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). The colors that are acceptable in Britain are the blue, lilac, chocolate and brown tortoiseshells, and the cream, lilac, chocolate, blue, brown and red. None of the allowed colors should have spots or barring, and all colors should be shaded darker on their backs and lighter underneath.

The Burmese has a short coat that feels like silk, and they are a sturdy cat for their size. They are very playful, even as adults. They will tolerate dogs, they like children, and do well riding in a car if trained early. They love their humans and often act more like a dog than a cat, as they will follow you around the house. Burmese cats are extremely loving, and a free lap is one of their favorite places to be – unless you get them involved in a spirited game of fetch! Sam’s favorite toy was the plastic ring from the top of a milk bottle, and he could play fetch until your arm gave out; his energy never did.

Burmese cats are vocal, like their Siamese cousins, and love to talk if allowed. Their voice (even when complaining) is a softer voice than most cats. They will sulk if they get upset, but don’t stay mad for very long. The males are supposed to be more laid back than the females, but all the Burmese cats I met at the breeder’s were very friendly. Sam loved to cuddle like most Burmese and would sleep next to my head on the pillow unless it was a cold night, in which case he was under the blankets.

Most breeders let their Burmese kittens go between three and four months of age, when they’ve had their first set of shots and have had time to become socialized. You will want to visit the cattery to see the conditions the kitten has been raised in. The kitten should be friendly, easy to handle, curious and energetic. Their coat should be healthy looking, their ears should be clean, and their noses and eyes should be clear.

A reputable breeder should give you a health guarantee with the kitten, and will usually provide you with papers of registration after the kitten has been altered. The breeder should be willing to discuss the health and care of the kitten and provide you with their medical records for your vet if asked. If you are purchasing your Burmese cat to show, the CFA disapproves of declawing. The Burmese was recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1936.

If you are interested in getting a purebred cat, a Burmese is a wonderful choice that will bring you years of joy and laughter. They are nowhere as aloof as most cats are accused of being, and truly live up to their reputation as “little people in fur.”

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Have You Hugged Your Pet Today?

By Julia Williams

The importance of hugs should never be underestimated. Without this vital form of touch, our health (both physical and mental) would surely suffer. Many of you may remember hearing the true stories about babies in orphanges overseas who were deprived of touch, and they failed to thrive and grow. Studies have also shown that how we were touched – or not touched – early in life can even impact our immune system later in life.

Touch never loses its force. Hugs never lose that magical ability to transform a crappy day into a great one. Hugging dissolves barriers between people; it melts the metaphorical “ice” around a person’s heart, and helps us cope with pain and sadness.

Can you imagine never hugging your pet? I certainly can’t. Although an animal’s intellectual ability differs from humans, they still have thoughts and emotions, and the basic right not to suffer at the hands of their human caretakers. Unfortunately for pets, the moral rule and the laws on what constitutes neglect are much more lax than with human beings.

A few years ago, I nearly ended a friendship over this very thing. My friend was renting a cottage where the landlord lived on the property. They kept a German Shepherd in a small pen very near the entrance to his cottage. And when I say “small,” I mean small. The poor dog belonged to the landlord’s son who didn’t live on the property. It was rather obvious no one paid this dog a lick of attention other than putting down food and water for it. The dog was never taken out of its pen to go for a walk or get a bath (and it stunk to high heaven!), and who knows when it had received any form of affection.

As an animal lover, it distressed me greatly to see a dog kept in such deplorable conditions. I begged my friend to do something to help the dog. I asked him to talk to the owner about the dog’s care, or ask if we could walk it or give it a long overdue bath, but he didn’t want to get involved. I could’t understand how he could drive up every day, look over at the dog who was crying out for attention, and just go into his house. It broke my heart.

I called the animal shelter to ask them what constituted animal cruelty, and was told that as long as it had food and water, and some shelter (it had a partial makeshift roof over one end of its pen) there was nothing they could do. I was aghast that in this day and age it was still legal to treat an animal like that. However far we’ve come with human rights, it’s apparent we still have a long way to go in regards to our pets.

In the end, I persuaded my friend to speak to the owner, who spoke to his son. He came over now and then to let the dog run in their yard on a very long tether. He also gave it a bath. This wasn’t much, but it was certainly better than what the dog had before. My friend and I could also pet him without needing to take a hot shower afterwards. I wanted so much more for this beautiful dog who definitely drew the “short stick” in life, but it was out of my hands.

If I made the laws, hugging would be a basic right for all animal companions. But since I don’t, all I can do is give my own three cats as many hugs as humanly possible. It’s a win-win for us all. They enjoy the attention and the love, and I get to feel the pure joy that comes from touching (and being touched by) another soul. It doesn’t matter to me that a “fur coat” sets us apart in terms of species classification. A hug is a hug, and it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Have you hugged your pet today?

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Litter Box Training Do’s and Don’ts

By Julia Williams

Cats are fastidious and intelligent creatures that instinctively cover their waste, which makes litter box training a kitten so much easier than house training a puppy. Score one for kitties in the “cats versus dogs” debate!

If you adopt a new kitten that was raised indoors with its Mama, it will most likely already be trained to use the litter box. However, if you are fostering young kittens for a shelter, raising a litter of kittens, or adopting one that isn’t using a cat box yet for some reason, you will need to do some training.

If you’re lucky, your litter box training might involve little more than placing the kitten in the box a few times. As I said, cats are smart (okay, maybe I am biased just a little) and they generally use their litter box right away. Nonetheless, there are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind. Establishing good litter box habits at an early age is the key to avoiding problems in the future.

Litter Box Do’s

* Choose an appropriate box. My friend adopted a kitten recently, and I went with her to pick it up. When we arrived at her house with kitten in hand, she showed me the litter box she’d bought. It was a splendid covered cat box with a flap door, just like the one I use for my cats. Unfortunately, the entrance is a good 8” from the floor – which is fine for an adult cat but definitely not a tiny six-week-old kitten! We both had a good laugh, and then we went out to get a kitten-sized litter box with low sides that her new little fur-baby could easily climb over.

* Choose the right cat litter. Kittens often taste their litter, and there is concern among some cat lovers that the clumping clay litter can harm their digestive systems. I don’t know anyone who’s experienced that, but if you want to err on the side of caution, there are several natural alternatives you can try. My favorite natural cat litter is made from finely ground corn; others include wheat, sawdust and pine pellets.

*Location, location, location. As in real estate, the location of your cat’s litter box is very important. It should be placed in an easily accessible area that’s relatively quiet and offers some privacy. Make sure the cat box is not located near appliances that make startling or loud noises, such as washing machines or refrigerators. If you have toddlers or dogs, put the litter box in an area that you can make off limits to them with a baby gate. This is to make sure kitty doesn’t get ambushed while doing his business, and also to keep curious hands and mouths out of the cat litter.

* Provide more than one litter box if you have several cats, or have multiple stories in your home that the kitten will have access to.

* Confine a young kitten to a small area until you know they are consistently using the litter box, particularly at night while you’re asleep.

* Take your kitten to the litter box throughout the day, particularly if you see it sniffing around as though looking for a spot to “go.” The first few times, you can very gently scratch the litter with the kitten’s paws to simulate the digging, although it’s not really necessary. When your kitten uses the litter box, it’s a good idea to praise and pet them, to let them know they did a good thing and you’re happy with them.

Litter Box Don’ts

* Accidents may happen. Never, ever punish your kitten by spanking or rubbing his nose in the mess. This only creates fear, distrust, and a cat that will grow up not wanting to be in your company. Be sure to clean the area they soiled with a product containing enzymes which remove the scent.

* Don’t change the type of litter if your kitten seems to like the one you have. If you do decide to try a new cat litter, mix it into the old litter gradually if the type of litter is compatible. For instance, when I switched from clumping clay to corn-based litter which is also a clumping type, I added a little of the new along with the old for several weeks.

* Don’t forget to clean the box regularly. For some cats, that may mean daily scooping.

* Don’t move the litter box to a new location suddenly. If you want to change the location, leave the old box where it is and place a second box in the new spot until your kitten is using it regularly.

* Don’t tempt fate by leaving a large potted plant at floor level. The dirt is attractive to kittens, and they might use it as a toilet or just have some fun digging in it.

Your litter box training should be a breeze if you remember three simple things: start early, stay consistent and provide a suitable environment for your “feline loo.”

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What Does “Responsible Pet Ownership” Really Mean?

By Ruthie Bently

From time to time, CANIDAE puts “freebies” in their bags of food. The first bag of their food I bought had a magnetic calendar in it; the next bag I got had a bracelet in it. On one side it says “CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods” and on the other side it says “RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.” I don’t need to be reminded what that means, however I wear it every day so it is always in my focus. But what does responsible pet ownership really mean?

It means doing everything you can to make sure that the pet you choose (or the pet that chooses you) has the best life you can provide for them. If you pick a puppy, it means regular vet visits for the first year with booster shots, having your puppy neutered or spayed if you're not a breeder, teething and everything else that owning a puppy entails. It means getting into a puppy class for training and socialization so you have a well-behaved dog. High quality food and fresh water daily are on the list too, and should be at the top. You need to provide proper teething and chewing toys for your pet, as well as toys for regular exercise. You may even want to consider giving your dog a job to do, as they thrive on variety in their lives.

Responsible Pet Ownership means dealing with ticks, fleas, heartworms, kennel cough and all the other parasites and diseases that may come along. It means regular grooming, bathing and toenail clipping. It could also include picking burrs and weed seeds out of paw pads and coats, so they do not imbed themselves and cause an infection or a matt in the fur. Responsible Pet Ownership means having a safe place for your pet to play outside, with proper shade and confinement, as well as fresh water.

If you adopt a “special needs” pet, it could mean dealing with daily medications, healing salves, physical rehabilitation, monthly vet visits, even sizing changes for a cart if that is what your dog needs to move around. Responsible Pet Ownership means being vigilant every hour of every day to keep your pet safe from environmental dangers that may be in your home and on your property that you may not even realize exist.

It means living with a sentient creature that loves you just because you are. They don’t care how long you spend away from home and dance around when you get back. They don’t care if you have had a bad day at work, they are just glad you are home. They snuggle with you when you are sick, and cuddle with you on cold winter nights. They will hog the blankets and the bed (if you let them). They get you to exercise and spend more time outside in the sun, the rain, the snow and everything in between. They give unconditional love, are non-judgmental and expect nothing in return. They make us better humans, because they can.

It doesn’t really matter what kind of an animal you choose to spend your life with. Just like us, they have quirks or oddities; whichever word you choose will suffice. That’s not important to them, as they just want to be with us. As a species, we are truly blessed if we have an animal or two (or more) in our lives. They make us better humans.

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Great Ways to Pamper Your Pet

By Julia Williams

My mother once informed me that my three cats were spoiled rotten. At first her comment irked me, but then I realized it was true. I also realized that there was absolutely nothing wrong with spoiling them! People who love their pets want to treat them in a way that makes the animal happy and enriches its life. Otherwise, what’s the point of having a pet? Besides, no amount of pampering could ever equal the amount of love and joy they add to my life.

Then too, what one person sees as pampering might seem like a necessity to another. In my frugal mother’s eyes, feeding my cats a premium food like FELIDAE® is a waste of money. However, I know that this high-quality, all natural food is worth every penny because it improves my cats’ health and extends their lives. So while she may think I “spoil” them with cat food that costs more than the cheap supermarket fare, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Besides feeding your dog or cat good food, there are countless other ways to pamper your pet. Here are just a few:

1. Give them your undivided attention by petting and grooming them, talking to them and hugging them. While some people insist that cats are too independent to want or need attention, I have to disagree. I’ve had many different feline companions over the years, and not one of them was aloof or indifferent to my doting ways. It’s true that every cat has a distinct personality, and some enjoy the attention more than others, but they all enjoy it nonetheless.

The best thing about pampering your pet with attention is that it’s free. Dogs and cats that are petted and loved on a daily basis will be happier and better behaved. A gentle brushing of their fur is something almost every pet loves. Once a week, you could give your pet a soothing body massage, too. Don’t laugh – massaging your pet increases circulation and makes their coat shine – and most dogs and cats really seem to love it!

2. Pamper your dog or cat with a nice cozy pet bed. Since they spend the better part of their day sleeping (or at the very least, relaxing in a half-awake state), providing them with a comfy bed is really not so much pampering as it is a necessity. An added bonus for you is that a bed of their own keeps the pet hair contained to one primary spot. A heated pet bed is great if you have an older, arthritic dog or cat. They're safe to use, and the gentle heat will soothe their joints.

3. Dog sweaters and coats may seem silly and superfluous to some people, but many short-haired breeds do get chilly going outdoors in winter. For these dogs, a sweater or coat is not a fashion statement – it’s a practical way to keep them warm and dry.

4. Treats can be a great way to pamper your pet, provided you don’t overdo it. A fat pet is not a healthy pet, so give them treats only once in awhile, and make sure to factor the treat into their daily food allotment. Bits of plain cooked chicken or turkey, or freeze-dried liver, chicken and fish treats that have no additives or preservatives are the healthiest treats you can give your pet.

Homemade dog biscuits and cat treats are also healthy ways to pamper your pets, and they’re easy to make. I have two “pet recipe” books that I use, and there are some good recipes on the internet as well. If you'd rather buy your dog treats, try the SNAP-BISCUITS® made by CANIDAE®.

5. Toys are an inexpensive way to pamper your pet, and they can help them get some exercise, too. The nice thing about both dogs and cats is that they’re pretty easy to please when it comes to toys. In general, anything that keeps them safely amused instead of looking around for trouble, is a good toy to get.

The main thing to keep in mind is that pampering your pet should be all about what your pet likes, rather than what you want. And you don’t need to be able to speak "dog" or “cat” to tell the difference! Pamper your pooch or spoil your kitty with the things that make them happy, and you'll be rewarded with a lifetime of unconditional love and joy. In my eyes, that’s a pretty darn good trade.

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Grain Free Cat Food - New From CANIDAE

By Ruthie Bently

I am thrilled to be able to impart this news to my readers. CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods is introducing two new formulas to their FELIDAE® line of cat foods, and they are both grain free. FELIDAE Grain Free Cat and Kitten is made with chicken, turkey and fish meals, and fresh lamb. The other formula is FELIDAE Grain Free Salmon and the salmon is wild-caught from the Pacific Ocean.

Like the CANIDAE Grain Free ALS for dogs, both formulas are grain free and the protein comes from 80% meats and 20% fruits and vegetables. Not only that, they also include essential antioxidant vitamins and amino acid chelated minerals. The formulas contain carefully balanced Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids with a 5 to 1 ratio for optimal nutrition, and guaranteed viable micro-organisms and cranberries for urinary tract health. These formulas are a win-win for any cat that eats them.

I have been associated with the pet industry since 1976, and am very happy to be working with a company that pays attention to the needs and requests of its customers and their pets. Jason Castillo from CANIDAE recently commented on the new formulas, “Cat owners have been asking for all natural grain free diets. Since cats generally require a higher level of protein than dogs, we feel grain free makes a lot of sense for felines. So, we’re very proud to once again deliver what our customers have asked for by offering two new wholesome and nutritious high quality cat foods that are completely grain free.”

I can personally attest to the palatability of the new FELIDAE formulas. I was lucky enough to be able to try the new formulas on my own cats. When I first put my AmStaff Skye on the CANIDAE Grain Free ALS, I couldn’t keep the cats out of her dish. I had to feed Skye in her crate, so I was delighted when I got small bags of the FELIDAE Grain Free formulas to try on the cats. The cats knew that what the delivery man dropped off was for them, and I could not keep them away from the boxes containing the new food before they were even opened.

I tried to gradually introduce the new formulas one at a time by mixing them in with the regular FELIDAE Cat & Kitten that my cats were eating. They decided that they wanted the new formulas rather than what they were eating, and started picking out the new formula, even though it was mixed in with their regular food. I do not free feed my cats and they get a bowl of food in the morning and one in the evening, and the queue at the feeding dish would have been an unbelievable sight if I hadn’t known what had been the cause.

So if you get the chance the next time you are in your local independent retailer of CANIDAE, stop in and pick up a bag of the new FELIDAE Grain Free Cat & Kitten food; I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Animals Can Warn of Danger

By Ruthie Bently

Have you ever wondered how your dog or cat knew there was a storm coming? How animals sensed the approach of the Indonesian Tsunami? Or how pets in California know when there is an earthquake coming? Living in Minnesota, I am very glad that I live with animals. You see, Minnesota is on the northeast corner of what is known as “Tornado Alley,” and when we get severe weather here everyone knows about it. Our house is in a valley upon a slight rise in the land; there is a meadow to the east of the house and a river just beyond that. The river seems to attract a certain amount of lightning and we get some spectacular thunderstorms here. I am happy to say that I can usually tell if they are going to be bad or not depending on how the animals on the property behave.

I can feel changes in the weather coming when it is turning cold and damp and have read that some people can tell when it is about to thunder because they feel strange, but I wondered how my animals knew there were changes coming. When there is a bad storm coming the animals all go to ground. The wild birds and animals retreat to their hiding places and get very still and quiet. The chickens that don’t usually go into the hen house until around dusk, go in several hours early and won’t come back out. Skye and the cats will go to the open door, give a sniff and turn around and retreat back into the house.

I even remember seeing a story on the local news after the tsunami in Indonesia several years ago, that mentioned a little girl who was saved by an elephant, as he took her to higher ground with him. So how do they do it? How do animals know the weather is changing, that California is in for another trembler or that an earthquake on the ocean bottom created a tsunami? I was discussing it with a friend of mine one day and he said that our animals actually sense the changes in atmospheric pressure. Because they can also sense changes in the temperature and humidity levels they are aware that a storm is coming and go take cover. I was reading about animals and weather recently and learned that they can smell changes in the ozone levels and as ozone levels change during storms, they would be even more alert to the bad weather coming.

According to scientists, because animals have such physiologically highly developed senses they are able to feel changes in magnetic fields, electrostatic and chemical changes as well as touch, vibrations and sounds that may be too low for our human range of hearing. Because a dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 to 100,000 times better than ours, it is possible for them to smell the chemical changes in the air before an earthquake. However, there are several opinions about how animals tell that an earthquake is coming. As most of the evidence is anecdotal and hard to duplicate in a laboratory, the scientific results are inconclusive, so this will probably be an ongoing project.

However you look at it, our pets are more connected to our world and more aware of changes than we are. It makes sense to me; they are connected to the earth through their feet at the very least. I am very glad that I have such a well functioning animal early warning system here where I live.

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Gardening with Your Pets in Mind

By Ruthie Bently

Now that the snow has theoretically left Minnesota it is time to get our garden started. I have been told it has actually snowed somewhere in Minnesota every month of the year, which is a statement I can well understand after living here for over 10 years. We have a garden every year, but with all the animals we have to be careful how and when we use machinery, fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides.

So how do you have a garden and animals at the same time? It is relatively easy; it just takes a bit of planning. Skye has a dog yard that is fenced in so she can go outside and enjoy the sunshine while we are outside to watch her. We don’t use commercial pesticides or insecticides on our plants, as the animals are in and out of our garden all day. They may not always be as careful as we are to walk between the rows. If we were to use pesticides or insecticides they could get whatever was sprayed on their feet. Both Skye and the cats are cleaning themselves all the time and they could ingest the chemicals they might walk through, which would make them sick. Some chemicals used on lawns have been linked to canine cancer, and I had a client in Illinois who lost a German Shepard for just that reason.

We are lucky to have chickens, which make great walking insecticides. You don’t need a rooster for hens to lay eggs, so if your city allows you to have chickens, you may want to consider investing in a few. They are relatively easy to take care of and you get fresh eggs too. If chickens aren’t your thing, look into companion planting. Certain plants will drive away bugs; marigolds or chrysanthemums for example, which is where natural pyrethrums come from. While we didn’t use this method last year, we have used it in the past with rousing success.

One of my favorite pastimes is weeding, which relieves my stress and makes my garden look better. My favorite time is right after a good rain because then the weeds are easier to pull. I even have one of those rotary human powered tools with discs on it to help cut up the weeds. After that, out comes the rototiller to get rid of weeds that are too stubborn to pull or dig up. Did you know that the definition of a weed is a plant that is growing where you don’t want it to?

I am happy to say that the cats avoid anything in our yard that makes noise (i.e., the rototiller, lawnmower, weed whacker). When we have to mow Skye’s dog yard she stays in the house, unless she has to go potty and we have a separate gate so she can’t get into the larger part of the dog yard. I unfortunately have personal experience with a dog and a lawn mower, and am very careful that Skye will not have an issue like that.

For fertilizer we use aged chicken manure. In the spring we clean out the chicken house and put all the pine shavings from the floor into a compost bin. We also compost whatever kitchen scraps and weeds cannot be fed to the chickens, as well as the weeds we pull. You can buy organic fertilizer at most home garden stores, just make sure it is aged, as fresh manure is too strong to put right on the plants. Last year was the first year we used chicken manure, and we put up about 60 quarts of tomatoes from just half a dozen plants.

Watering is easy too, as I have barrels and tubs around the house under all the downspouts to catch the overflow that the gutters cannot handle. If you decide to collect rain water, make sure you keep your water mosquito free by using “Mosquito Dunks®” or something like them. They are made from a larvicide that won’t hurt birds, fish or any other animals that drink the water. They short circuit the life cycle of the larva, and the larva die. They have been on the market for over 15 years and have been used in many applications. There are also other insecticide products made with beneficial nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) that will kill almost all pests. They are a worm-like parasite that prey on and eat other bugs in the soil of your yard. They can be used in most applications, and are not harmful to earthworms, pets, people or plants.

For dealing with the flies in the yard we use a wonderful dome-shaped fly trap that you put attractant in and toss when it is full. We have used these for many years, and have re-used them for more than one season, though you have to bring them inside after they have been emptied for the year. This year I was stung by a wasp and as my dad is very allergic I could become that way too. So we began to use a wasp trap. While I am normally a “live and let live” kind of gal, this bothers me a bit. Since the wasps are primarily in the vicinity of where we sit in the yard and exercise Skye, the safety of my pets and my family are more important. The wasp traps also use an attractant (the one we have uses 3) to attract the wasps to the trap; they go in and can’t get back out.

Some of the things we do may seem time consuming to you, but we feel the need to make sure that all the animals and people we love are able to live a safe and happy life together, and this system seems to be working well for us. My last American Staffordshire Terrier, Smokey Bear, was almost 20 when he died of old age. This is just one more way to live as peacefully as we can without making any big changes that may do more harm than good.

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Does Your Pet Have Allergies?

By Ruthie Bently

Did you know that dogs and cats can have allergies? Many people don’t realize that, just like people, their pets can be allergic to numerous things. Does your dog scratch at its ears a lot, even after you’ve ascertained they don’t have ear mites? Does it look like your dog has developed a case of acne or blackheads? This may not just be a dirty face; they could be allergic to their food bowl, or the food it contains. Allergies can also cause hot spots, skin rashes and hair loss. Your dog could actually have a case of irritable bowel syndrome, which can be attributed to a food allergy.

Most food allergies are caused by corn, soy and wheat products used in pet foods. By eliminating these items from your pet’s diet you can often relieve the symptoms of the allergies you are seeing. Even if you have been feeding the same food for several years, your pet can still develop an intolerance to what they are eating. CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods makes two grain free formulas for dogs, which are formulated with a ratio of 80% meat proteins to 20% fruits and vegetables. None of the CANIDAE dog and cat formulas are made with any corn, wheat or soy products, and can help animals that may be allergic to what they are eating.

Signs of allergies to plastic can be manifested in a case of “dog or kitty acne,” which looks like pimples or blackheads on your pet’s chin or lower face. If your pet is allergic to their plastic food bowl, change to a ceramic or stainless steel one, which has less chance of causing an allergy. I prefer the stainless steel bowls myself, as they are easy to keep clean, and they are usually unbreakable. If you choose to use a ceramic bowl, remember that they will break if dropped, so if your kids are helping fill the food or water dish, you may want to get one they can handle easily.

Another thing many people may not realize is that our pets are coming down with more environmental allergies than they used to. I had a client with two Labrador Retrievers, and after putting cedar closets in their house, they found out their Labs were allergic to them. Cedar is great for keeping insects away from clothing, and cedar shavings have been used for years in dog beds. However, if your dog begins sneezing or snorting and doesn’t want to use their bed, they may have developed an allergy to the cedar shavings inside if that is what you use to fill it with. What may smell pleasing to us may not be so pleasing to our pets, as their noses are so much closer to the source of the odor.

By considering our environment and how it affects our pet’s way of life, we can make it a more pleasant experience for us all. After all, as members of our families, don’t they deserve the best we can provide for them?

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Separation Anxiety: Theirs, not Yours

By Ruthie Bently

I just got back from a vacation shortened by weather. But I was pining even the week before I left – I was already missing Skye and she hadn’t gone anywhere yet. You see, she was going to spend her time at the breeders, as I could not take her with me. I was having separation anxiety before the fact. Did you know that animals can also have issues with separation anxiety? Not only that, I discovered after this recent trip, that there can be separation anxiety issues between animal species.

I had a client, “Mrs. Jones,” whose daughter went away to college, and their Golden Retriever began to misbehave. Mrs. Jones came in and asked what she should do because she was baffled. This was a dog that had gone through obedience classes and was a wonderfully behaved dog. So what was going on, why was her superbly trained dog misbehaving? Any time anyone comes in to see me about a specific issue, whatever it is related to, I always ask what has changed in the pet’s environment. We don’t necessarily see changes in our households as major changes, but our pets can and often may. Any changes we make in our lives can affect our pet’s lives as well.

Mrs. Jones mentioned that her daughter had gone off to college, but was home recently for the Thanksgiving break and to do laundry. The dog followed her daughter all around the house and would not stop. If they crated the dog, she whined the whole time. It took me a bit of time to figure it out but I did; the dog loved the whole family, but had apparently bonded to the daughter. Her owner asked me what I thought she should do. “Laundry” was the key word for me. I asked Mrs. Jones if her daughter came home with laundry on a regular basis. “No” was the answer, so I suggested she give the dog a pair of her daughter’s dirty socks and see what happened. That solved the problem, because since the dog had grown up with their daughter and she went away to school, the dog was pining for her. All pets can suffer from separation anxiety, though some may have more issues with it than others.

Some obvious signs of separation anxiety are pets following you around the house or yard and not wanting to let you out of their sight. Our animals are smart enough to know that something is going on; they just don’t have the particulars yet. Your pets may want to go outside and then want to come right back in, because of their fear that you might leave and not let them in again. Sometimes the same pet will stay outside so you can’t leave, because they realize that if they delay your time of leaving that gives them more time to spend with you. (These issues can arise either before or after you actually take your trip.) Your pet may start pacing around the house or yard; they may start whining and crying for no apparent reason.

I explained to Skye before I left why she could not go with me, and told her when I would be back to get her. The last time Skye went to the breeders, one of her cousins was an agitator and would get Skye going. But Skye did fine – I was the basket case!

Some things you can do if you are leaving your dog in a kennel while you are gone are to take a few of their favorite toys or a favorite blanket from home to help them settle in better. Some kennels offer extra exercise for a fee, which can help keep your dog’s mind off your absence. You could also speak with a homeopath about using an herbal remedy for calming your pet while you are away.

I even learned something new after I got home – the cats missed Skye as well. How do I know? They wouldn’t let Skye out of their sight, and followed her around the house whether she was inside or outside. Two of them, Munchkin and Mouse, actually put their front paws around her neck and began kneading her fur, and then they began giving her love bites. Munchkin even spent the first night we were all home together sleeping on Skye’s back with her front paws wrapped around Skye’s neck to prevent her from moving without Munchkin knowing. Skye being the long suffering dog she is, took it all in stride.

The most important thing to remember is that your pets love you and can’t always understand why they can’t go along. Have patience when dealing with their “acting out” and try to be a bit more understanding of their possibly odd behavior after you get home; it will pass in time.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

Being Your Pet’s Advocate

As pet owners, we are responsible for our pet’s care and feeding. This includes veterinary care as well. While we don’t actually provide the care itself, we are responsible for making sure our pets have regular vet visits, that their vaccinations are up to date and that their overall health is good. You don’t need to use the most expensive vet you can find, but you need to make sure the vet you pick understands your pet and their specific individual needs. 

If you have children, you probably looked long and hard to find a pediatrician to fit their needs. You should look at your pet’s veterinarian in the same light. For example, will the office hours fit in with your schedule? Do they have emergency hours or are they open on Saturdays? Are they open to alternative forms of treatment, if that is what you are interested in? Will they listen to your explanations or will they expect you to follow what they want you to do?

On Easter Sunday evening I found a lump the size of a medium sized egg under Skye’s jaw. I was flabbergasted as I had just put a new collar on her four days before and there was no lump there then. After calming myself down, I immediately called the breeder to discuss the situation. The breeder felt that it was probably an enlarged lymph node. We discussed the options, as Skye’s regular vet is about an hour an a half away. So we decided that I would call the local vet I had used for my other dogs and see if he could see Skye on Monday morning. 

Here is where being your dog’s advocate comes in. I kept Skye’s original vet because they knew her history and when I had an initial interview with my local vet about Skye when she first came to live with me, he was questioning why she was not on more modern drug therapies for her seizure issues. The local vet felt that Skye would be better served if she was on a more modern drug and not one that had been used since the turn of the twentieth century. I felt that you use what works and if an older drug was keeping her from having seizures, I was not going to play with her medications. So I personally felt more comfortable with going back to the original vet Skye had and we go back to him every six months for her blood tests.

I was able to get Skye in to see my local vet on Monday afternoon. I have gotten to know Skye’s body language pretty well and she was uncomfortable about being at the local vet’s office. While we were waiting to see him, Skye began pacing around the exam room like a tiger in a cage at the zoo. Not only that, she began to shed profusely, not just a few hairs here and there but lots of hair. It looked like I had never brushed her at all. Pacing and shedding are both signs of stress, so Skye my normally calm, people loving dog was not having a good time; and we hadn’t even seen the vet yet.

When we got to see the vet, he aspirated the lump under Skye’s jaw and after looking at a slide determined that it was not a lymph node, but an encapsulated abscess with no draining tracts, as he found pus in the sample. In laymen’s terms, Skye had gotten something under her skin and her body trying to protect itself, walled the foreign body off much like an oyster with a grain of sand in itself does. I was told that it had probably been there for two to three weeks. I found this hard to imagine and explained about the new collar and the fact that I would have notice something to the vet but he felt that I could have missed it.

Now I am having doubts about my care of this wonderful dog and how could I have not seen something? I asked the vet what he would suggest and he felt that the lump should be removed. The vet put Skye on amoxicillin for the infection. So I scheduled Skye for surgery for two days later and went home with her. I called the breeder as soon as I got home to discuss what the vet had mentioned. I discussed my misgivings and feelings and she said she would call the vet that Skye had been seeing and would get back to me.

Please remember this: As your pet’s advocate you are entitled to a second, even a third or fourth opinion, whatever it takes to get and keep your pet healthy. Don’t stop at just one if you are having doubts or issues with what you are being told. The hardest part is that you have to get past your own emotions and do what is best for your pet, and if you are not happy with the first diagnosis or have questions, get a second opinion. As your pet’s advocate you have this right, and this is the most important thing to remember.

This story has a happy ending. I was able to get Skye in to see her regular vet. It was not an abscess, it was an enlarged lymph node and Skye did not have to go under anesthesia, which could have sent her into a seizure, though I did not know that at the time. We still don’t know what caused the infection, but now my little girl is just as sassy and demanding as she was before she got sick, and I learned first hand what being your pet’s advocate means.

Ruthie Bently

Pets and the Economy

Let’s face it, the economy isn’t just hard on the human population these days. Many animals are being left behind or abandoned on the streets or given up at shelters because their owners can no longer afford to take care of them. This is a sad fact of life. However there is a bright spot for our unfortunate animal friends, there are places like Cat Adoption Team. In October of 2008, CANIDAE Pet Foods donated several hundred pounds of dog and cat food to the Cat Adoption Team for their shelter.

Cat Adoption Team has a monthly Cat Food Bank for cat owners who find themselves in need. Since the food bank began in June of 2008, CAT has distributed 4,500 pounds of food according to Kim Christiansen who is CAT’s Development Manager. She goes on to mention, that amount of food feeds an average of 69 cats per month. The lines at their food bank every month is evidence that the financial downturn is affecting pet owners.

Even despite a snow storm that shut down the shelter for four days, CAT was able to make their adoption goal of 3,250 cats. Not only that, by being able to team with donors, more cats can stay at home with their owners, and costs in the shelter are kept down with food donations and the fact that they are able to assist the pet owners in their community. By performing almost 3,000 spay/neuter surgeries CAT is also serving the community, as there are less feral cats on the streets and less kittens taken to shelters, because their owners can’t support them.

If you are an animal lover like me, you can contact your local shelter to see if they need volunteers. If you have extra space in your heart and home, you might even ask them if they have a foster program you can get involved in. Sometimes even a donation of old towels you don’t use any more can make a difference. The point I am trying to make is that no matter what you have, whatever you can give can help, even if it is just cuddling a little bundle of fur that needs a hug.

If you would like to donate to Cat Adoption Team, or would like more information about them, visit their website at www.catadoptionteam.org.

Ruthie Bently

Why Do Cats Spray?

Both male and female cats are capable of spraying and it is done as a form of scent communication. When cats spray they leave pheromones behind for other cats to find, and they are usually marking their territory. Cats will mark their territory more in times of stress or if they feel threatened. Marking is done by spraying a small bit of urine on a vertical surface and male cats can begin marking as soon as they reach sexual maturity, which can be as early as five months of age.

Unfortunately, what they feel is their territory can include your house, car, yard or your neighbor’s yard, even if that neighbor is several blocks away. While male cats tend to spray more than females, females are capable of spraying as well. While some believe that spaying or neutering a cat may solve the problem that is not always the case. I have a large orange cat, Marmalade that was neutered before he was an adult, and he had never sprayed anything in his life. However, when the males in the neighborhood come into our yard and leave their scent markings, he will endeavor to cover them up by spraying on top of where the other cats have gone. It would be the same as you marking your belongings with a permanent marker to let others know that they are yours.

I was recently talking to someone who mentioned that the cats in the neighborhood are frequenting his yard and marking on his property. In reaction, his cats had begun spraying in the house. This can be a common occurrence especially in the spring when males are looking to mate, though a cat can and will spray all year long. A female will sometimes spray if she is ready to mate and this lets the male cats in the neighborhood know she is available. Even a spayed female can attract the attention of an intact male just by marking her territory.

There are several reasons that your cat may be spraying. If there is a strange cat in the neighborhood, your cas may feel the need to mark his own territory. Introducing a new cat to your household can be another reason for spraying, and your cat may spray for as simple a reason as they don’t like the litter you are using in the litter box. Cats may also spray if the litter box is not clean enough for them. If your cat is spraying while in the litter box and if you have a litter box without a cover, you might consider getting one to keep the walls around the box from getting sprayed. Stress in the household like a new baby, visitors or even taking a vacation or business trip and coming home can make a cat spray as well. Other reasons for spraying could be a loss of a family cat, a student going off to school, moving household furniture or a change in your schedule if the cat is bonded to you.

You can use a black light to find the spots where the cat is urinating. Some pet shops even have them for rent. Then you want to use a cleaner that uses enzymes to clean the spot. You do not want to use ammonia to clean the area, as the active ingredient in cat urine is ammonia and that defeats the purpose. If your cat continues to spray in one area, consider putting a covered litter box there to help alleviate the situation. I have also heard that if you put vinegar on the spot after it is cleaned, that may help. The purpose of the vinegar is to replace the cat’s scent with your own, and the vinegar represents your own urine. 

I have one male, Rocket that has been spritzed so many times with our handy water bottle dissuader, that he will actually come and tell me he wants to go outside to spray. While he will still spray inside the house on occasion, it is usually in a place that is easy to clean. While I am not complacent about the situation, I have accepted it for what it is: communication pure and simple. Spraying urine is a natural function for a cat, though it may seem distasteful to us, especially if done inside the house. We all love our animals, and with understanding can come change.

Ruthie Bently

My Pet Went Over the Rainbow Bridge

I have lost several animals that were in my life; five dogs, numerous cats, two cows, a goat, numerous chickens, geese and ducks; along with several parakeets, goldfish, tropical fish, and a hamster, which were the usual childhood pets in our household. Some I grew up with and some I have owned myself. Through the vagaries of old age, illness or disease they have passed over the Rainbow Bridge. 

The hardest thing to explain to someone who has never had a pet; is the grief you feel when you have lost a pet. It can be as strong for a pet, as it can for any human member of your family. After losing one family pet that I had grown up with, I had a dream about her. She was a Boxer and her name was Duchess, and I dreamed I answered the door one night just after dusk and she was standing there bathed in the glow from the porch light with all my previous pets sitting on her back, or perched on her head. I felt as if she were trying to tell me that she was OK, but that didn’t make the loss any easier to take.

The most important advice I can give you at this point is that you are allowed to grieve and should let yourself do so. Do not deny yourself that period of mourning, for a wonderful companion that you spent so much time with. I go through stages when I lose an animal friend that I hold dear. Depending on the situation, I get angry, and ask why a lot; or I get sad and cry a lot. According to the experts I am not alone; many people feel guilt, anger and denial along with their grief. They mention that your deep sadness on your pet’s passing can turn into a temporary depression. Just because they are an animal with four legs instead of two, the grief can be just as crushing. 

Because I live in the country, we can bury animals on the property and we have a place in one end of the yard where we hold our funerals and burials. Then I plant flowers and place a stone. If you live in a city and are not allowed to bury your animals at home, you do have alternatives. Your can have your pet cremated and the vet can give you the ashes to either take home or bury. Or you can buy a casket for your pet and there are now pet cemeteries where you can hold a funeral service and burial. You could write your own service and have members of your family share their memories. If your own clergy-person feels uncomfortable about officiating at a service for your pet you may now even hire an animal minister or chaplain to conduct the service. There are also many counseling and support groups for owners of pets that have passed on. 

I would like to pass on something to you that someone passed on to me after the loss of my first dog Nimber. It helped me, and it is called the “Rainbow Bridge Poem”.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

Author unknown

I keep promising that I will not get another dog, and then a higher power intervenes and I find myself with a new bundle of joy. I now keep a journal, where I write about the daily comings and goings of the animal cast of characters on the farm. Then I have something to look back on and smile about after the next one passes on. So I will go through the joys, tears, laughter and sorrow of living with a dog again. I know I will see them all again when I pass over the Rainbow Bridge and can be with them once more.

Ruthie Bently

Why Do Cats Hunt?

Has your cat ever left you a present on your door mat that you stepped on by accident? Has your cat ever presented you with the remains of a mouse or bug? The best thing to do in this situation is to praise your cat and make a happy fuss over the remains, before disposing of them as discreetly as you can without your cat seeing you do it. Believe it or not, all cats hunt whether feral or domesticated, outdoor or indoor.

Yes, even those wonderful purring machines that love to sit in your lap and cuddle, hunt. My cats never used to go outside, so I was presented with all sorts of odd things when they were “hunting” in the house. They would bring me twist ties, buttons, pencil stubs, bottle caps, and the occasional fly or ladybug that had been unlucky enough to get in the house. They brought whatever they happened to find that they could carry to me. While I thought this was very entertaining, I never really gave it much thought. After all, I had taught them to fetch toys and things, so I thought that was what they were doing, except that some of the things they found I had not tossed for them. Now I know better, they were bringing me the bounty of their hunt.

There are a few schools of thought as to why they will bring you their prey. Ethologist Paul Leyhausen proposes that cats adopt their humans into the social group. As humans, he believes that we are at the top of the pecking order and therefore rate to share the “kill”. Desmond Morris, the author of “Catwatching”, believes on the other hand that they are trying to teach us to hunt much as they would one of their own kittens. Still a third idea is that this behavior is a relic of a kitten trying to gain the approval of its mother, as to its hunting prowess.

There are also some misconceptions about cats hunting. A cat that has been declawed can still hunt, I know I owned one. Keentya used to bat any mouse that entered his domain with his front paws. It seemed to me that he had stunned the mouse with this activity. It never went farther than that if I was around; I would rescue the mouse and put it outside. But Keentya was no slouch when it came to hunting without front claws.

While mother cats (queens) teach their kittens to hunt, the instinct to do so is hard-wired into the kitten. The mother teaches the kitten to hunt, to augment their skills and become a better hunter. I have seen orphaned kittens that are unbelievable hunters, using just as much stealth and cunning as their adult counterparts.

Cats do not necessarily prefer birds or mice; they hunt where the opportunity presents itself and will hunt the trail of least resistance. For example, if my cat Munchkin can get to a mouse on the ground, she will do that as opposed to climbing up the barn roof to try to catch a pigeon that can fly away from her. We have had an issue with the occasional bird, but thankfully those events are few and far between, as the cats know I am displeased when they bring a bird home.

Living in the country now, I spend as much time outside in nice weather as I can and so do the cats. They hunt grasshoppers and other insects, mice, voles, elephant shrews, and rats. Sometimes I am gifted with an entire mouse, sometimes just a bit of what is left. I don’t think they are trying to teach me to hunt, I think they are bringing me a trophy. They don’t seem to be distressed after the trophy is missing; they just go and get another one. 

I have become philosophical where the cats are concerned. If I continue to let them outside they will continue to hunt, no matter how well-fed on CANIDAE Cat and Kitten they are. However, they are ridding us of vermin that are not welcome in our garden, chicken house or home. Because of the skills of my feline family I don’t need to use chemicals or bug repellants to get rid of the mice, rats or other things we find around the farm and for that I am truly grateful.

So if your feline friend brings you home a treasure one day, remember to smile and show how proud of them you are. They could just be saving your pantry.

Ruthie Bently