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	<title>Woman Tribune &#187; Pets</title>
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		<title>Why You Should Consider Adopting a Rescue Dog</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/adopting-rescue-dog</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/adopting-rescue-dog#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:35:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jane</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death of a pet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dog care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dog dental care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greenies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Greenies for dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet adoption]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Petfinder]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training puppy pads]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=14342</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have a dear friend in Connecticut that was with me on my last scuba diving trip. It was the first time I had seen her in several years, and we enjoyed catching up. Since I am such an animal lover, she knew the first thing I would want to know about were her dogs. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Sheltie.jpg" alt="Sheltie" width="250" height="179" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-14355" /> I have a dear friend in Connecticut that was with me on my last scuba diving trip. It was the first time I had seen her in several years, and we enjoyed catching up. Since I am such an animal lover, she knew the first thing I would want to know about were her dogs. I asked her if I could share her story, because it represents so much of what we all go through when we have pets: joy, routine, heartbreak, and the decision to go through it all again!</p>
<h3>Lily&#8217;s Story</h3>
<p>I had Max, my Shih-Tzu/Maltese mix, for almost 16 years when he passed away. Life felt empty without him following me around the house, barking at people walking down the street, even sleeping next to me on the bed. I was sad.</p>
<p>Initially, I thought I would wait quite a while before getting another dog. Then I thought about what I had with Max. We had bonded. It was then I realized that my love for Max didn&#8217;t end when he took his last breath. It was still very much alive and there were thousands of other dogs who deserved loving homes. I wasn&#8217;t replacing Max by getting another dog. I was spreading the joy and love he brought into my life.</p>
<p>I decided to get another dog about three weeks after Max passed. I wanted a rescue. As I scanned <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html">Petfinder</a> for my new dog, I came across a two-year-old red-headed Sheltie mix named Foxy. She had been rescued by a woman who found her in a shelter, pregnant, and about to be euthanized. The woman had taken her into foster care, helped Foxy have her puppies, and now Foxy was ready for a forever home.</p>
<p>Two weeks later, Foxy rode a pet transport up the East Coast with other dogs who had found families in New England. She was home. The first thing I noticed was she had energy. Compared to Max, who had slowed down considerably in his last few years, Foxy was ready to power a city with all her extra energy!</p>
<p>That first weekend we must have gone on 10 or 12 walks just trying to get her to calm down. One of my friends who had owned a string of Shelties told me she would settle in. She was right. Foxy settled into a routine, but still needed hours of attention playing ball, taking walks&#8211;it was as if she was making up for lost time. Pretty soon, it became clear Foxy needed a friend.</p>
<p>Going back to Petfinder&#8217;s website, I spotted Murphy, also at a Tennessee rescue. He was blonde, naturally bob-tailed, and I fell in love. Murphy traveled north on the pet transport soon thereafter.</p>
<p>To say Murphy is unique is an understatement. He has scraggly teeth, a slightly under-slung jaw, the ears of a terrier, a blue and pink tongue, and, as the vet said, resembles an ottoman with legs. He also has a heart of gold. He and Foxy have been fast friends ever since they laid eyes on each other that February day four years ago.</p>
<p>Max had been paper-trained, which was convenient for me. I didn&#8217;t have to worry about rushing home to take him outside if I was a bit late coming home from work; he would just go on the newspaper we put down.</p>
<p>I had the idea we could train our new dogs the same way. Instead of using newspaper, I would going to <a href="http://www.pamperthepets.com/featured/four-paws-wee-wee-puppy-pads-review/">buy wee wee pads</a>, which seemed more sanitary with their plastic backing. At first, Foxy and Murphy had other ideas about using the pads&#8211;they rarely went on them, preferring to hold it until I got home. Had they been puppies when we adopted them&#8211;like Max was&#8211;they may have taken to the pads earlier. But I eventually won the battle!</p>
<p>Murphy definitely needed some assistance in the dental department. His teeth were atrocious! Brushing was impossible. Then I saw some <a href="http://www.pamperthepets.com/featured/greenies-review/">Greenies for dogs</a> at the pet supply. &#8220;Are Greenies good for dogs?&#8221; I wondered, as I looked over the ingredients. As a stop-gap measure&#8211;until he would let me actually brush his teeth&#8211;I decided to buy a bag. He gobbled it up and wanted more. Murphy loves to eat&#8211;anything.</p>
<p>Would I recommend getting a rescue dog instead of buying a dog from a breeder? Absolutely! I am so glad I could save an animal from being euthanized. And the costs were reasonable, especially when the puppy was brought to me. The adoption fee was about $400 each, including transportation, spay and neuter, shots, and a vet check. That was all done before they came home.</p>
<p>Foxy and Murphy are the most loving dogs I have ever met. Foxy loves to sit on my lap, give hugs, and have me kiss the top of her head. I cannot figure out why she ended up in a shelter! Murphy, who turned out to be a Shih Tzu/Australian Shepherd, or &#8220;Shihtzulian Shepherd&#8221; as I call him, is a natural clown, a dog&#8217;s dog who is enjoying the good life. Max would be proud!</p>
<p><small>Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjgwarren/6818890497/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jjgwarren</a></small></p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts:</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/teaching-kids-responsibility-dont" title="Teaching Kids Responsibility: Don’t Go It Alone">Teaching Kids Responsibility: Don’t Go It Alone</a></li><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/animal-themed-summer-must-haves-babies-kids-anniewear" title="New Animal-Themed Summer Must-Haves for Babies and Kids from AnnieWear and 15% Off Discount Code">New Animal-Themed Summer Must-Haves for Babies and Kids from AnnieWear and 15% Off Discount Code</a></li><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/stop-bad-pet-behavior-comfort-zone-feliway-review" title="Stop Bad Pet Behavior &#8212; Comfort Zone with Feliway Review">Stop Bad Pet Behavior &#8212; Comfort Zone with Feliway Review</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Stop Bad Pet Behavior &#8212; Comfort Zone with Feliway Review</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/stop-bad-pet-behavior-comfort-zone-feliway-review</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/stop-bad-pet-behavior-comfort-zone-feliway-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:26:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[all-natural household cleaners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bad pet behavior]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cat care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comfort Zone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housekeeping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kitten care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kittens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moving with pets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet odors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet product reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet scratching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet spraying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pet stress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vincent]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=13973</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have written about our younger cat Vincent here before, and about the behavioral issues we experienced with him from the time he first came to us when he was just 8 weeks old, up until fairly recently. Vincent was the second cat to come into our home. We also have Devin, a female cat [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Vincent-cat.jpg" alt="Vincent cat" width="250" height="333" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13975" /> I have written about our younger cat Vincent here before, and about the behavioral issues we experienced with him from the time he first came to us when he was just 8 weeks old, up until fairly recently. Vincent was the second cat to come into our home. We also have Devin, a female cat who is significantly older than Vincent, so I really didn&#8217;t know what I was getting into when my partner and I were asked if we would be willing to take in a kitten who was very different than the exceptionally-behaved, low maintenance cat we had for years.</p>
<p>Vincent had energy like I had never seen before; he climbed up curtains, scratched our furniture obsessively, was afraid of the lid on his litter box, and would urinate where he slept, whether it was on a particular spot on the floor, on towels and blankets, on the furniture, or in our bed. I just about lost my mind cleaning up after him, but it did lead me to <a href="http://womantribune.com/effectively-clean-cat-accidents-odors-pretty">develop my own all-natural cleaner</a> through a process of trial and error as I experimented with ingredients and found what worked best for cat messes and odors. I also drove myself a little batty as I attempted to figure out why he was acting like he had been possessed by gremlins that were fed after midnight. Much to my relief, he calmed down a bit after being neutered and continued to wind down as he got older, but the occasional urine marking and scratching remained.</p>
<p>A cat&#8217;s nature and instincts are numerous and sometimes difficult to pin down or understand. In our minds, a little thing like moving furniture around in one room is insignificant, but to a cat it can be a major trigger for stress. It is this mindset that gave me a ray of hope for Vincent and his bad behavior, especially when I was being asked by several people why I didn&#8217;t attempt to find him a new home. Cats can&#8217;t help what it is in their nature to do, but there is a product out there that works with their instincts to alleviate bad behavior.</p>
<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Comfort-Zone-with-Feliway-diffuser.jpg" alt="Comfort Zone with Feliway diffuser" width="250" height="237" class="alignright size-full wp-image-13976" /> <a href="http://www.petcomfortzone.com/">Comfort Zone</a> is a line of spray and plug-in diffuser products for cats and dogs that mimic the pheromones secreted by these animals that mark areas as safe and familiar.</p>
<p>I have been using the <a href="http://www.petcomfortzone.com/cats/products.html">Comfort Zone with Feliway</a> plug-in diffuser for cats over the past few months in my home office, where the cats spend most of their time and where we have had the most occurrences of Vincent spraying. For the first month, nothing changed. Not a damn thing. It was as if I hadn&#8217;t plugged in the diffuser in the first place and I frequently wondered if it was actually &#8220;working.&#8221; On a few occasions, while on my hands and knees scrubbing yet another mess up off my carpet, I muttered that I was glad I had been fortunate enough to receive the diffuser and refills as a review product and hadn&#8217;t spent the $50+ on it. I was beyond frustrated, but as the next month rolled around, I changed the Comfort Zone with Feliway refill and yet again waited for something to change. And it did, eventually.</p>
<p>In total, it took nearly two full months of having Comfort Zone with Feliway present in my office for Vincent to cease any and all spray marking and he has only exhibited scratching on my desk chair and only when he is demanding my attention&#8211;he has always been a very needy little guy who is adamant on laying on you and being pet. I have not had to clean up even one Vincent-related mess in over a month, and that has been such a tremendous relief!</p>
<p>In February, my partner and I are moving into a new house. This move will undoubtedly trigger both of our beloved cats and under any other circumstances, I would have already begun to stress out about what I will be put through at the paws of my cats by putting them through the stress of a big move. Fortunately for me, I know I have a tried and tested ally in Comfort Zone with Feliway and you better believe I will have diffusers plugged in at the new house to help make the disruption in their routines just a little more pleasant and a lot less messy.</p>
<p>Comfort Zone products are clinically proven to be effective against most, if not all <a href="http://www.petcomfortzone.com/cats/behavior-issues.html">bad pet behaviors</a>, including scratching, spraying and urinating, adaptation behavior, traveling, and general stressful situations including unfamiliar environments. Comfort Zone products include plug-in diffusers and sprays for both cats and dogs and can be purchased at your local pet retailers or <a href="http://www.petcomfortzone.com/cats/product-locator.html">any trusted online distributor</a>.</p>
<p><em>I received a Comfort Zone with Feliway product for review. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.</em></p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts:</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/great-moving-debacle" title="The Great Moving Debacle">The Great Moving Debacle</a></li><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/adopting-rescue-dog" title="Why You Should Consider Adopting a Rescue Dog">Why You Should Consider Adopting a Rescue Dog</a></li><li><a href="http://womantribune.com/psychology-color-infographic" title="The Psychology of Color [Infographic]">The Psychology of Color [Infographic]</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Choosing a Pet: The 5 Best Pets for Children</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/choosing-pet-5-pets-children</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/choosing-pet-5-pets-children#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jane</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=13864</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.&#8221; -Henry Warren When I was a child, I put &#8220;puppy, kitten and small zoo&#8221; on every birthday and Christmas list I ever made. Children love animals, and many of them spend months and even years pleading with their parent for a pet. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/young-girl-with-dog.jpg" alt="young girl with dog" width="250" height="188" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13865" />
<p align="center"><em>&#8220;The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.&#8221;</em><br />
-Henry Warren</p>
<p>When I was a child, I put &#8220;puppy, kitten and small zoo&#8221; on every birthday and Christmas list I ever made. Children love animals, and many of them spend months and even years pleading with their parent for a pet. For their part, parents are often unconvinced that their children will be able to properly care for a pet. Choosing the right pet for your child can be challenging, and the truth is that there&#8217;s no universal perfect pet. Instead, it&#8217;s important to take into account your child&#8217;s age, responsibility level, and unique personality. There are good pet choices for almost every child, and here are five of the best.</p>
<h3>Small Furry Animals</h3>
<p>Small animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits are popular classroom pets. because they are inexpensive, many parents assume that they are great pets for children. These animals can make wonderful pets for children who can&#8217;t care for dogs and want a furry pet. They are also ideal choices for kids who love dogs and cats but suffer from allergies. But small animals aren&#8217;t without problems. These animals are generally best for older children who can play gently. Small animals also require weekly cage cleanings and annual veterinary care.</p>
<h3>Dogs</h3>
<p>Dogs are the classic pets of childhood, and for good reason. Dogs provide unconditional love, can teach children responsibility, and can even protect your child in an emergency. Dogs require supplies which can include a crate, <a href="http://www.pamperthepets.com/featured/four-paws-wee-wee-puppy-pads-review/">potty pads for dogs</a>, toys, treats such as <a href="http://www.pamperthepets.com/featured/greenies-review/">Greenies dog chews</a> and an assortment of collars and leashes. A dog, then, is only a good pet for a child when the parent also likes dogs. No child is responsible enough to provide all of the care a dog needs, and dogs also require veterinary care and the proper food. If you&#8217;re considering getting a dog for your child, the dog should be a project for the entire family. When dogs are family pets, they can substantially enrich life, but a dog left to the care of a child will be an unhappy dog.</p>
<h3>Cats</h3>
<p>Cats can make excellent substitutes for dogs if you&#8217;re unable to provide daily walks and training sessions. Cats adopted as kittens will bond strongly to their owners and are generally friendly with children. Although they are generally less expensive than dogs, cats require annual veterinary care as well as spay and neuter costs. Cats are also unlikely to respond to training and are generally uninterested in long play sessions with children. These animals make good pets for children who want an animal they can occasionally cuddle but who don&#8217;t need a permanent best friend.</p>
<h3>Reptiles</h3>
<p>Reptiles are frequently overlooked as pets for children. Parents&#8217; unease with slithery animals may cause them to preclude these animals as potential pets. However, reptiles can make excellent pets for older children. They require minimal care and, although they can bond with their owners, do not require daily love and attention. Reptiles are ideal pets if you&#8217;re not terribly interested in spending a lot of time with your child&#8217;s pet, and if your child is old enough to properly handle her reptile. Generally speaking, reptiles are not good choices for children under 10.</p>
<h3>Exotic Pets</h3>
<p>Exotic pets include a diverse array of animals including sugar gliders and chinchillas. These animals are excellent substitutes for dogs because they bond strongly with their owners and are highly intelligent. Much like dogs, however, these pets should be taken on as a family project because they require daily care. Even very young children can learn to properly handle small exotic pets as long as they receive careful adult supervision.</p>
<p>When contemplating getting a pet for your child, remember that you&#8217;re getting a pet for yourself too. If your child is unable to care for the animal, responsibility will fall to you, so choose an animal with whom you are comfortable. Pets can bring lots of love into a family and provide valuable opportunities to spend time together training, playing, and caring for your pet. If you treat your pet as part of the family, you&#8217;ll have years of happiness and fun times together to look forward to.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts:</h3><ul class="related_post"><li>None yet, check back soon!</li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>How I Taught My 10 Year Old to Manage Animal Hair and Odors</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/taught-10-year-manage-animal-hair-odors</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/taught-10-year-manage-animal-hair-odors#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mikki</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housekeeping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=12688</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have worked in animal rescue a long time. One thing that I&#8217;ve learned is how to effectively minimize animal hair and odors on my own. You see I have a system, and it works. The only flaw in my system is that I&#8217;m the only one who does it. The kids, well they tend [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kittens.jpg" alt="kittens" width="250" height="164" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12693" /> I have worked in animal rescue a long time. One thing that I&#8217;ve learned is how to effectively minimize animal hair and odors on my own. You see I have a system, and it works. The only flaw in my system is that I&#8217;m the only one who does it. The kids, well they tend to make themselves scarce when animal needs arise. That was until my youngest daughter came to me and asked if she could rescue a little of homeless kittens.</p>
<p>To her helping homeless animals is a natural part of life so when she saw five little babies heading to the local animal shelter she knew right away what fate they had in store. She also knew that mommy doesn&#8217;t offer to help too many kitties and so she offered to take full responsibility if I said yes. What she saw was an opportunity to save five kittens. What I saw was an opportunity to teach!</p>
<p>You see animal rescue isn&#8217;t all about fun and playing with cute babies. In fact there is a huge amount of responsibility in their care, feeding, hygiene and vetting prior to adoption. Until now my 10 year old spent her involvement on the play side of rescue. Now was my opportunity to get her involved on the more demanding side, and that included helping maintain a clean, odor- and hair-free living space!</p>
<h3>It All Begins with the Litter Box</h3>
<p>What many cat owners may not realize is the majority of your cat odors come from the litter box. Either odors seep from the box or particles stick to your cat&#8217;s paws and fur when using the bathroom, later to be tracked all through your house. If you can properly maintain your litter box you&#8217;ll be leaps ahead of kitty odor.</p>
<p>But it&#8217;s not just odors we are preventing when it comes to a clean box. Failure to remove dirty litter can actually lead to diseases such as urinary tract infections. When you have five kittens this becomes five times more important!</p>
<p>So my daughter and I sat down and discussed the frequency it would take to ensure our home smelled clean and our cats stayed healthy. We agreed to scoop the box twice a day and a complete change out once a week. After showing her how to clean the litter box I turned the complete responsibility over to her, with a little reminder if it needed to get done.</p>
<h3>No More Cat Hair? It&#8217;s All in the Way You Vacuum</h3>
<p>If you&#8217;ve ever assigned vacuuming to your children then you are probably all too familiar with their haphazard approach to sweeping the floors. I am always amazed to see my children push the vacuum in a zigzag back and forth over the same spot then wrap up and claim they&#8217;re done.</p>
<p>This type of sweeping will never remove the fast-accumulating cat hair from these five kittens and it was important that my daughter understood that. To begin I let her vacuum her way for a week. Then at the end of the week I took a broom and &#8220;swept&#8221; up all the hair along the edges of the carpet.</p>
<p>She had to laugh when I showed her how much was there. After this demonstration she happily confessed that she figured since our <a href="http://www.theallergyspot.com/miele-s7-upright-vacuums-take-the-work-out-of-cleaning/is-your-cat-or-dog-driving-you-allergy-crazy/">allergy vacuum</a> was so good it would get all the hairs by itself. Such a simplistic view I always admire.</p>
<p>It only took one time showing her how to make sure she covers the entire floor and the speed in which she should move the vacuum to ensure picking up as much hair as possible. After a few practice runs she was ready to take charge again and I was more than satisfied with the end result.</p>
<h3>Lending a Hand with Odor Control</h3>
<p>It wouldn&#8217;t be fair to put the entire burden of odor control on my daughter. After all we do have other rescues in the house that she didn&#8217;t ask to bring in. This is where part of my system comes in handy. Remember I said I have a proven system that worked? A huge portion of that is of course how I clean on a daily basis, but one portion is definitely lending a hand when those sneaky odor particles get past our efforts.</p>
<p>When my daughter brought home her foster kittens we had already select which <a href="http://www.theallergyspot.com/alpine-air-technology-naturally-eliminates-indoor-allergies/">air purifiers</a> we would need to manage all the pollutants and odors that float around our home. Adding the kittens and their litter box was well within the air purifier&#8217;s capacity to clean from the air.</p>
<p>So that my daughter could be part of this aspect too I showed her how to monitor the purifier and determine if it needs service (we don&#8217;t use filters) and how to assess if we might want to consider adding an extra purifier to the mix.</p>
<p>By allowing my daughter to take responsibility and foster her first litter of kittens I not only encouraged her passion to save a life, but I also got a helper in the daily routine of controlling animal hair and odors. After all, life gets easier when you have someone to cut your chores in half!</p>
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		<title>How to Effectively Clean Cat &#8220;Accidents&#8221; and Odors Out of Pretty Much Anything</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/effectively-clean-cat-accidents-odors-pretty</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/effectively-clean-cat-accidents-odors-pretty#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home & Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housekeeping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=12321</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About a year ago my partner and I took in an 8-week-old kitten that we named Vincent; he is one of the cutest and most affectionate cats I have ever met, but for as snuggly and super cute as he is, he has also been just as frustrating. In the first month we had Vincent, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12322" src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Vincent-and-Devin.jpg" alt="Vincent and Devin" width="250" height="332" /> About a year ago my partner and I took in an 8-week-old kitten that we named Vincent; he is one of the cutest and most affectionate cats I have ever met, but for as snuggly and super cute as he is, he has also been just as frustrating. In the first month we had Vincent, I realized how well-behaved and low maintenance our older cat Devin is. We have it good with her, which could be due to two things; either because of the different breeds they are or because Devin is female and Vincent is male. Since adding Vincent to our household, I have been told numerous times that male cats are more difficult and higher maintenance than females; isn&#8217;t that odd considering how it is mostly the opposite in our human world?</p>
<p>The source of most of our frustration with Vincent has been the litter box. He has historically been so off-and-on with using it that I could not figure out what, exactly, his problem was with it.</p>
<p>I first interpreted his litter box problem as spraying and marking his territory because it started when he was so young. A few weeks before he was six months old we had him neutered; what he lacked in age he made up for in weight, so having the procedure done before he was exactly six months was still completely safe. Phase one of narrowing down Vincent&#8217;s litter box problem complete.</p>
<p>We then started going down the list of factors that could cause cats to have this particular problem. He did not have a urinary tract infection, he had no reason to be overly stressed, the litter box was cleaned daily, and we changed litters hoping to find one that he liked more than the others. Through this process, Vincent began urinating where he was sleeping most often. Unfortunately for my partner and I, this meant our bed and any blankets we had laid down anywhere for the cats, whether on the couch, chairs, or on the floor. Needless to say, there has been a lot of cleanup needed around our apartment. My partner had seriously considered trying to find a new home for Vincent, but I got attached to him and believe strongly that if an animal is experiencing a problem that we cannot figure out, it should never mean that the animal loses its home. It should never work that way.</p>
<p>In the end, we found that Vincent is afraid of litter boxes that have a cover on them causing him to simply avoid the litter box. I actually found this revelation to be kind of cute, thinking that he is afraid of the dark and of venturing into a litter box he can&#8217;t assess first from the outside. By simply removing the cover of his litter box, we have not had any problems since. I wish I had thought of this before the months of frustration ensued.</p>
<p>So, you&#8217;re probably wondering how we removed all of Vincent&#8217;s little &#8220;accidents&#8221; up until the time we finally figured out what the problem he was having with his litter box was. Here is a little recipe for a natural cleaner to get rid of your pet&#8217;s messes and odors.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3>You Will Need</h3>
<ul>
<li>Hot water</li>
<li>Vinegar</li>
<li>All-natural, all-purpose soap</li>
<li>Baking soda</li>
</ul>
<h3>Directions</h3>
<ol>
<li>Fill spray bottle with hot water, two tablespoons of vinegar and a generous squirt of all-natural, all-purpose soap. Shake well.</li>
<li>Spray cleaner over area until it is soaked completely. Let cleaner set into area for about an hour while periodically soaking up excess water with a towel.</li>
<li>When area is dry, cover with baking soda and let sit. After about an hour, vacuum up the baking soda.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>This has worked much better than any other pet cleaner I have ever bought, which makes me just a little ticked off that I wasted a good amount of money on cleaners that never worked half as well as this natural cleaner I made at home did!</p>
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		<title>It&#8217;s Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/adopt-lessadoptable-pet-week</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/adopt-lessadoptable-pet-week#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=8027</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Petfinder recently conducted a survey of their shelters and rescue groups and found that 95% of them currently have adoptable pets that are going un-adopted and who they are having an extremely hard time finding forever homes for. Also, 33% of their adoption groups have had pets who were posted for adoption on Petfinder who [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet-Week.jpg" alt="Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week" width="528" height="81" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8028" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/">Petfinder</a> recently conducted a survey of their shelters and rescue groups and found that 95% of them currently have adoptable pets that are going un-adopted and who they are having an extremely hard time finding forever homes for. Also, 33% of their adoption groups have had pets who were posted for adoption on Petfinder who went one to two years without being adopted and 27% have had pets who have waited more than two years to be adopted and to have a forever home of their own.</p>
<p>In response to these sobering and quite heartbreaking statistics, Petfinder launched <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/promotions/less-adoptable-pet-week">Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week</a> on September 19th that will continue up until September 25th. The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about less-adoptable pets and to find forever homes for these animals, who are just as wonderful and rewarding as the younger pets who are often adopted over them.</p>
<p>According to the shelters and rescue groups who are trying to find homes for these less-adopted pets, they found that 30% of the pets not being adopted are because they are older pets, 15% are pets with medical problems, 13% are victims of breed prejudice, 10% are shy pets and 10% are those who need to be the only pet in the house.</p>
<p>There are currently 458 pets posted in Petfinder&#8217;s <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/less-adoptable-pet-week-2010/gallery">Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week gallery</a> and while the initiative will end this week, it is important to keep checking back and see if there is a pet out there who you could provide a forever home to.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts:</h3><ul class="related_post"><li>None yet, check back soon!</li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>IKEA Releases 100 Cats in Store for New Commercial</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/ikea-releases-100-cats-store-commercial</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/ikea-releases-100-cats-store-commercial#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:46:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=7921</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[IKEA recently conducted an experiment of sorts by releasing 100 cats into their Wembley, England store after hours to see what they would do&#8211;where the cats would roam and where they would eventually find rest. They had no idea what to expect from the cats since they weren&#8217;t trained for film, but rather just ordinary [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p align="center"><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Ikea-cat-commercial.jpg" alt="Ikea cat commercial" width="590" height="331" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7922" /></p>
<p>IKEA recently conducted an experiment of sorts by <a href="http://www.doobybrain.com/2010/09/09/ikea-releases-100-cats-into-its-uk-store/">releasing 100 cats</a> into their Wembley, England store after hours to see what they would do&#8211;where the cats would roam and where they would eventually find rest. They had no idea what to expect from the cats since they weren&#8217;t trained for film, but rather just ordinary house cats and their humans.</p>
<p align="center"><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCB7RqGS684?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCB7RqGS684?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></p>
<p>While there was at least one animal handler on the scene, they&#8217;re pretty lucky the cats didn&#8217;t decide to have a 100-cat brawl and the commercial is really unbelievably cute.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts:</h3><ul class="related_post"><li>None yet, check back soon!</li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>9Lives Advanced Nutrient System Review and Cat Lovers Prize Pack Giveaway (Closed)</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/9lives-advanced-nutrient-system-review-cat-lovers-prize-pack-giveaway</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/9lives-advanced-nutrient-system-review-cat-lovers-prize-pack-giveaway#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:13:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Contests & Giveaways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=7903</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This giveaway is now closed. If you talk to anyone who has a pet, or if you have one yourself, you know very well how close you can feel to your pet in a seemingly short amount of time. With that being said, I really, really love my cat. Her name is Devin, she is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This giveaway is now closed.</strong></p>
<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/9Lives.gif" alt="9Lives" width="213" height="206" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7904" /> If you talk to anyone who has a pet, or if you have one yourself, you know very well how close you can feel to your pet in a seemingly short amount of time. With that being said, I really, really love my cat.</p>
<p>Her name is Devin, she is a mostly-black Tortoise Shell with hues of brown going through her and she is gorgeous. She has been with me for almost four years now and it has been great seeing her personality develop and come to terms with the fact that I am not the ruler of my own house because as anyone with a cat knows, they very much do as they please, when they please and if you don&#8217;t like what they&#8217;re doing, well, that&#8217;s just your problem. Devin is very true to that statement and I also often wake up to her batting me in the face with her paw not because she&#8217;s hungry, because she has had food every time I have woken up at an obscenely early hour because of her, but because I think she just thinks I should be awake.</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Devin.jpg" alt="Devin" title="Devin" width="590" height="443" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5156" /></p>
<p>Obviously, my connection to my cat is a very strong one and I think rather highly of her, so I was pretty excited when <a href="http://myblogspark.com/">MyBlogSpark</a> informed me that they were working with <a href="http://www.9lives.com/">9Lives</a> to spread the word about feline nutrition.</p>
<p>When 9Lives recently surveyed &#8220;feline pet parents&#8221; (How much do you love that title? I know I do.) they found that 94% of people who had a cat were confident that they fed their felines the most nutritious meals possible. They also found that 48% of feline pet parents fed their cats table scraps an average of seven times per month and that 30% of people surveyed knew that giving cats milk may not be healthy for their cats due to the common incidence of <a href="http://www.emersonanimalhospital.com/538169.html ">lactose intolerance</a> in adult cats. Furthermore, 23% of people believe that it is healthy and beneficial for cats to be kept on a strictly vegetarian diet, however, that may actually be harmful because vegetarian diets do not provide cats with the nutrients they need for a long, healthy life.</p>
<p>The 9Lives survey found that 92% of feline pet parents would switch cat foods if it would improve their cat&#8217;s health and 91% would switch food if they could add years onto their feline&#8217;s life. That&#8217;s where the 9Lives new Advanced Nutrient System comes in, a cat food that contains essential nutrients cats need to help promote healthy skin and coat, strong muscle growth, a healthy immune system and heart and clear vision.</p>
<p>I had the opportunity to let Devin try out the <a href="http://9lives.com/dryproducts/daily-essentials">9Lives Advanced Nutrient System Daily Essentials dry food</a>, which I received from 9Lives through MyBlogSpark. I also received a magnetic picture frame, pet food scoop and cat toys. She seems to really like the dry food, there is no change in how much or little she eats as opposed to her food prior to 9Lives and I will definitely continue to give it to her. Devin has always been on the small side; I think she must have been the runt of the litter and I was very concerned about her not putting on much weight although she eats very normally. Our vet explained that Devin is just small and will most likely stay small, but she&#8217;s very healthy and I like knowing that the food she is given is completely balanced and full of all the right nutrients.</p>
<p>Devin also very much enjoyed her new cat toys. One in particular has pretty much become her go-to toy and it&#8217;s probably because it&#8217;s a toy full of catnip. She has been playing with it so much that I couldn&#8217;t help but take a little video of her.</p>
<p align="center"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/81bGBdhrgLQ?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/81bGBdhrgLQ?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></p>
<h2>Giveaway</h2>
<p align="center"><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/9Lives-Prize-Pack.jpg" alt="9Lives Prize Pack" title="9Lives Prize Pack" width="590" height="470" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7905" /></p>
<p>To help spread the word about 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System, we are giving away a bag of 9Lives Daily Essentials dry cat food and prize pack that should delight cat lovers everywhere!</p>
<h3>Required Entry</h3>
<p><strong>To win the 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System prize pack all you have to do is leave a comment telling us a little about your pet.</strong> That&#8217;s super easy, right? I know I could talk about my cat all day (and if I don&#8217;t end this post soon, I just might!) so I&#8217;m eager to hear about all of the other pets out there bringing their caretakers joy every day.</p>
<h3>Extra Entries</h3>
<p>Leave a comment for each additional entry.</p>
<ul>
<li>Head on over to <a href="http://9lives.com/advancednutrition/nutrientsystem#">9Lives.com</a> and learn a little more about the Advanced Nutrient System and leave a comment here telling us what you&#8217;ve learned.</li>
<li><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/womantribune">Subscribe</a> to Woman Tribune</li>
<li>Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/WomanTribune">@WomanTribune</a> on Twitter</li>
<li>&#8220;Like&#8221; Woman Tribune on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Woman-Tribune/299948005127">Facebook</a></li>
<li>Tweet about this giveaway. Feel free to use the following tweet or write your own. [Can be done once per day.]<br />
<blockquote><p>Attention cat lovers! Win a 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System prize pack from @WomanTribune &#038; #myblogspark: http://t.co/wnvglCM ends 9/16</p></blockquote>
</li>
<li>Leave a comment on any other Woman Tribune post and come back here and leave a comment telling us what post you commented on.</li>
<li>Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to <a href="http://9lives.com/">9Lives.com</a>. [5 entries, so leave 5 comments.]</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>This giveaway ends Thursday, September 16th at 11:59PM EST.</strong> This giveaway is open to all US residents over the age of 18 at the time of entry. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours (2 days) to respond to that email or another winner will be picked.</p>
<p align="right"><a href="http://womantribune.com/contest-disclaimer">Full Contest Disclaimer</a></p>
<p><em>Disclosure: <a href="http://9lives.com/">9Lives</a> provided me with a bag of 9Lives Daily Essentials dry cat food, prize pack, information and giveaway through <a href="http://myblogspark.com/">MyBlogSpark</a>. All opinions expressed throughout this post are 100% mine.</em></p>
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		<title>Dog Shampoo</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/dog-shampoo</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/dog-shampoo#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:54:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=2449</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief? No matter how much of a part of the family your dog is, chances are that on more than several occasions, you have been beside yourself when trying to battle the simultaneous chores that a dog brings into your life. There are a multitude of different [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/cutepuppy.jpg" alt="cute puppy" title="cute puppy" width="250" height="174" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2995" /> Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief? No matter how much of a part of the family your dog is, chances are that on more than several occasions, you have been beside yourself when trying to battle the simultaneous chores that a dog brings into your life. There are a multitude of different dog shampoos on the market from dozens of different brands, and they&#8217;re all giving you their promise that they will be the brand to stand out among the rest and give your dog (and you!) some much-needed relief. Not only is giving your dog a bath a tremendous chore (just think of all the sopping wet towels covering your bathroom floor once you&#8217;re done giving your dog a bath and they hop out of the tub and conveniently coat your entire bathroom in a layer of water) but using a shampoo that isn&#8217;t the absolute best it can be can make this chore even more tedious, since you&#8217;ll have to adapt to a certain regimen that gives your dog time to heal from their bath! Prime example, do you have to wait weeks between bathing your dog because their skin gets so dry and flaky? In most cases, dog shampoos are so littered with unnecessary chemicals, perfumes, and fillers that they may give you the illusion that your dog is shiny and clean, but they are really doing more harm to your dog&#8217;s skin than you may notice. Another problem that arises when giving your dog a bath is that the bath never seems to end because no matter how much you rinse after scrubbing the shampoo in, you can&#8217;t get your dog completely rinsed!</p>
<p><a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=41807&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dinovite.com" rel="nofollow">Dinovite</a> has paid close attention to what all the other brands lack and have created a <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=41807&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dinovite.com%2Fdog_shampoo.html" rel="nofollow">dog shampoo</a> that simplifies the chore of washing your dog, letting you get in, get out and have no regrets!</p>
<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dogosuds.jpg" alt="Dog O Suds" title="Dog O Suds" width="176" height="379" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2997" /> Dogosuds is an all natural dog shampoo that contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural healing properties. It&#8217;s great on your dog&#8217;s coat and skin and is even ideal for dogs with sensitive skin, leaving your dog clean and smelling wonderful for a long time.  The shampoo lathers and rinses beautifully, and what I find to be its best quality, Dogosuds is a natural flea deterrent. If your dog (and by extension, your house,) has ever been infested with fleas, you just did a little happy dance.</p>
<p>Dogosuds comes in four different varieties; two unscented including the straight-forward Unscented blend if you don&#8217;t like your dog running around smelling like fruit, as well as the Essential Oil Blend, a natural flea and tick deterrent with soothing and healing properties.  They also carry Lavender, which is naturally good for your dog&#8217;s skin and coat, as well as Peppermint/Tea Tree, which is also a natural flea and tick deterrent with soothing and healing properties. Because we all know that dogs can get into mischief by doing just about anything, if your dog happens to have a run in with a skunk, either of the two scented Dugosuds shampoos will eliminate skunk odor in just one wash!</p>
<p>This is most definitely the all natural dog shampoo to check out if you&#8217;re a green family, and especially if you&#8217;ve been looking for that perfect dog shampoo since your dog has been a part of your family but just can&#8217;t seem to find the one that works for you and for your dog.</p>
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		<title>The Economy May be Hurting Your Pets</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/economy-hurting-pets</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/economy-hurting-pets#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jan 2009 05:06:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=1455</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[USA Today has reported that animal shelters are experiencing an increase in pet intakes. As we&#8217;ve seen throughout the past handful of months, home foreclosures are affecting middle-class Americans everywhere. In addition to home foreclosures, money in general has been dwindling for average families which could have a negative effect on your pets. Many families [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/postimages/catdog.jpg" alt="cat dog" align="left">  <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-03-24-foreclosures-pets_N.htm">USA Today</a> has reported that animal shelters are experiencing an increase in pet intakes.  As we&#8217;ve seen throughout the past handful of months, home foreclosures are affecting middle-class Americans everywhere.  In addition to home foreclosures, money in general has been dwindling for average families which could have a negative effect on your pets.</p>
<p>Many families are finding that their income is hardly covering basic necessities, leaving more and more pets unable to be given the care that they need and deserve.  It is very heartbreaking to have to give up a pet, especially a pet that has been such a beloved part of your family and even more heartbreaking is the fact that animal shelters can only have so many pets and as more animals are being given up, animal shelters are becoming overcrowded and pets, again, are not given the care and especially the attention that they need.</p>
<p>It is important that we, as middle-class Americans take precautions in order to ward off our homes being foreclosed or finding ourselves even deeper in debt than we are already.  There are also a set of precautions a family must take in order to ensure that your pet is given the care that they need and also to ensure that you are not faced with having to give your pet up.  We know that the cost of living is increasing while our salaries are diminishing and anyone who has pets knows that the cost of pet ownership can also become a bit harder on our budgets as jobs are lost and salaries are cut.  Just as we look for frugal living tips, it is possible and sometimes necessary to cut costs when it comes to taking care of our pets.</p>
<p>While I especially know how compelling pet toys can be, especially considering every time I&#8217;m at the store I find myself in the pet aisle looking at toys and knick-knacks that I am positive my cat will be delighted over, your pet can be just as happy with less expensive toys and even homemade toys.  Veterinarian bills are prone to stack up over the years and fast if you have a cat or dog that roams freely outside.  Keep your pets safe by keeping them on a leash while walking outside so they are less prone to accidents.  You can also consult your veterinarian and tell them that you are on a low budget, that way if your pet needs medication, they can prescribe a medication that will work for your pet that also costs less.  Just like humans have health insurance so if we do become ill and have to go to the hospital, we know that we don&#8217;t have to foot the entire bill ourselves, it is also beneficial to look into pet health insurance to minimize costs in cases of unexpected illness or injury.</p>
<p>These are just starting points, of course.  You can also cut pet costs by buying cheaper pet food and other supplies and I am sure that there are cheaper options available for just about anything that you find yourself purchasing for you pet, such as treats.  In the economy we are living in now, it is important to cut back when we can and to also ensure that our families, pets included, are getting what they need.</p>
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		<title>Kitty Tested: Greenies Dental Treats</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/kitty-tested-greenies-dental-treats</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/kitty-tested-greenies-dental-treats#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2008 10:59:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=68</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I received <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com/en_US/whatsgreenies/">Greenies dental treats for cats</a> as a free sample from their website.  I have been interested in introducing natural and organic products to me and the boyfriend's life and after seeing their website, I realized that people aren't the only ones who can get a little greener.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I received <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com/en_US/whatsgreenies/">Greenies dental treats for cats</a> as a free sample from their website.  I have been interested in introducing natural and organic products to me and the boyfriend&#8217;s life and after seeing their website, I realized that people aren&#8217;t the only ones who can get a little greener.</p>
<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/Devin-Greenies-treats-1.jpg" alt="Devin Greenies treats" title="Devin Greenies treats" width="250" height="253" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4019" /> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com">Greenies</a>, like most companies, started off as most other great ideas do&#8211;Trying to find a solution to a problem&#8211;The problem being animals with bad breath.  Greenies make their dog and cat treats with nothing but their health in mind and when they were put to the ultimate test by participating in a third party dental test, it showed that using Greenies dental treats and chews once a day resulted in a 69% reduction in tartar and a 10.5% reduction in plaque versus pets who ate the same food as they did all the time, but did not have the Greenies dental chews.</p>
<p>Greenies are also the makers of the <a href="http://womantribune.com/giving-pet-medication-easier">Pill Pockets</a> we posted about last month.</p>
<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/Devin-Greenies-treats-2.jpg" alt="Devin Greenies treats" title="Devin Greenies treats" width="250" height="222" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4021" /> I received the feline dental treats in the ocean fish flavor and at first glance, I was a little put off by their color.  I&#8217;m traditionally used to the Pounce cat treats with cute colors and even multi-colored snacks, but Greenies doesn&#8217;t use any artificial coloring or flavors and the color didn&#8217;t put my cat Devin off one bit, she loved them and even eats them up faster than she does the Pounce treats I&#8217;ve been giving her since I got her.  In fact, Greenies are kitty tested and approved!</p>
<p>To get your own free sample of Greenies dental treats, head on over to their website and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com/en_US/FreeSample/">request yours</a>!</p>
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		<title>Giving Your Pet Medication Just Got Easier</title>
		<link>http://womantribune.com/giving-pet-medication-easier</link>
		<comments>http://womantribune.com/giving-pet-medication-easier#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:52:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Holly</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://womantribune.com/?p=45</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Giving medication to your pet is sometimes worse than getting your child to swallow that disgusting spoonful of cough medicine. They refuse to take the medication willingly and in most cases, pet owners must resort to holding their pet down and slipping a capsule into their mouths and hope they don&#8217;t just take it into [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://womantribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/pillpocketscats.jpg" alt="Pill Pockets for cats" width="166" height="235" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2753" />  Giving medication to your pet is sometimes worse than getting your child to swallow that disgusting spoonful of cough medicine.  They refuse to take the medication willingly and in most cases, pet owners must resort to holding their pet down and slipping a capsule into their mouths and hope they don&#8217;t just take it into another room and spit it out.</p>
<p>I got my cat spayed about a year ago and while still at the vet office the next morning, she had ripped all of her stitches out and within a few days of bringing her home, she had an infection from the stitches and the vet having to restitch her.  In addition to the normal medication I had to give her, I also had to give her an antibiotic for the infection.  Now, I have an unnatural love for my cat, I treat her as well as people treat their children and seeing her in any kind of pain or discomfort at all had me welling up with tears, so giving her the two medications twice a day was agony for me&#8211;and she didn&#8217;t like it much, either.</p>
<p>I recently found a great item that makes giving pets medication easier than ever&#8211;Pill Pockets.  Staying true to hiding capsules in food, Pill Pockets, made by <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com">Greenies</a>, are treats for pets that you can easily put a pill in and feed to your pet.  They are made for <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com/en_US/products/felinepillpockets.aspx?Product_ID=">cats</a> as well as for <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenies.com/en_US/products/dogpillpockets.aspx?Product_ID=">dogs</a> and would most definitely be an asset for any person having trouble with giving their pets medication.</p>
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