This was taken while standing in my dining room, just as soon as you walk into the back door. The area rug desperately needs to be vacuumed, even though as soon as it is, it will just look like this all over again an hour later since it is the frequent sleeping space of my two cats who, I swear, have to shed an additional small cat a day each.

This is Vincent, who was snoozing on my slipper until I went and stood by him and he immediately woke up. Also, yes, those are yellow shoes on my feet while wearing green pants. It’s a good thing I didn’t grace the outside public with my mismatched presence today, but these shoes are seriously one of the most comfortable pairs of sneakers I own. They are Old Navy Laceless Pop Kicks, and I got them right before Easter when they were on sale for $10 and they had a ton of different colors. Now, they’re $16.50 and come in three colors, so they probably won’t be around for too much longer before they just get taken off the site. I should have picked up more pairs of them.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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Every spring it seems as if everyone I communicate with retreats to their gardens and post plenty of pictures of the amazing things they have grown. Throughout the past few years, I have been remarkably jealous of these people growing their own vegetables and herbs because I had been living in an apartment with absolutely no outside space to call my own, and indoor container gardening was out because I have two cats who have completely destroyed whatever plants we had the audacity to bring inside. This year I stopped being jealous because I was finally able to start my own garden in the yard of our new house. (If you’re an apartment dweller right now reading this with a grimace on your face because you’ve been wanting to start a garden of our own and don’t have the space, I apologize.)

Anyway, while getting some seeds and starter plants for our garden a few weeks ago, I saw cat grass and catnip seeds and immediately got excited about the prospect of growing these treats for my cats and being able to have an inside plant without worrying about it being eaten by the time I woke up the next day because these plants are there specifically to be feasted on by cats. So here is the cat grass that I grew over the past few weeks. I can’t believe how tall it has gotten in such a small time frame. My older cat Devin, who is about six years old, absolutely loves it and munches on it several times a day; Vincent, however, doesn’t care for it much. I have feeling he will be more excited about the catnip, if it ever comes up.

Here’s a bonus picture of Devin and her cat grass.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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My cats, even under the influence of catnip, playing with scratching posts and shoes, with their radioactive eyes and all, can always make me happy. They’re pretty amazing like that; able to bring a smile to my face even while they are merely going about their day full of chilling out, eating, and taking naps. They even manage to make waking up a positive experience, opening my eyes only to find I can’t move my legs because there’s a 10-pound cat between them and another cat trying to scratch their way under the blankets so that they can cuddle up. It is all very cute and endearing, and I am well aware that I have hopelessly fallen into “crazy cat lady” territory.

Also, please don’t mind the random chairs hanging out in the room, which is the dining room. They are chairs to a dining room table that we don’t have in the room yet, so the chairs are just kind of hanging out until we get the room put together.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

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5 Steps to Keep Your Dog Healthy

1. Spay or Neuter Your Dog

   Spaying or neutering your dog protects him against a number of cancers and infections, can improve behavior, and eliminates the chances of your dog having complications in childbirth. It also ensures that you will not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem and that your dog’s puppies will not end up living, and maybe even dying, in shelters. Altering your dog also makes it less likely that he or she will run away, which means you don’t have to worry about your best friend being lost or getting hit by a car.

2. Get Regular Veterinary Care

   Dogs who regularly see their vets are less likely to suffer from chronic health problems because vets may notice problems before owners do. Make sure your dog is up to date on shots, and talk to your vet about any behavior problems you encounter with your loyal pal. Make sure that you stay current with periodic treatments for your dog, such as dog Frontline flea and tick applications, and keep your dog brushed and groomed (unless you own a hairless dog!)

3. Protect Joints and Muscles

   Joint and muscle pain are among the biggest problems in older dogs, and can even lead to serious injury. Give your dog a canine glucosamine and chondroitin supplement daily to protect her from the effects of aging, and avoid overexerting her or encouraging rough and tumble play when she starts to slow down. If your dog regularly jumps onto your bed or into your car, consider getting folding pet steps to make the transition easier and to prevent serious injuries.

4. Train Your Dog

   Well-trained dogs are less likely to engage in destructive behaviors that could injure them, and are also less likely to harm people. Similarly, a well-socialized dog will make lots of doggie friends, which can provide you with many more opportunities to keep your dog active and healthy than you might otherwise have.

5. Microchip Your Dog

   A microchip is a tiny device that can be scanned if your dog is lost. Equally important, it also serves as your proof of ownership of your dog if he is ever stolen or ends up at the pound. A microchip requires a quick injection and is usually fairly inexpensive. Make sure you register your dog’s microchip so that it gives information about where to find you, and consider adding a tag to your dog’s collar indicating that he has a microchip.

All of these items listed are beneficial for your dog. It’s our responsibility as pet owners to ensure that our dogs are properly cared for and protected.

Photo by jjgwarren

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What should you feed your dog? What’s in your dog treats? All dog owners have to face these questions sooner or later.

Dogs are omnivores. They’ll eat anything (including things that, to us, shouldn’t be edible). The good thing about Plato Pet Treats, and say, your favorite pair of slippers, is how they can contribute to your dog’s health.

Thinker Treats

They use only the best all-natural and organic ingredients that will assist in your pet’s nutritional needs, without any artificial preservatives, meat byproducts, or meals. This truly makes THINKERS the smart treat for your pet, with a taste that will have their tails wagging every time they see the bag.

Original Plato Pet Treats

They come in three flavors: Salmon, Chicken, and Duck.

• Natural ingredients, fortified with antioxidant vitamins and zinc
• No artificial colors, flavors, synthetic preservatives, or GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms)
• Naturally preserved
• Antioxidant vitamins E and C
• No meat byproducts or meals

New! Farmers Market Treats, with Pro-Biotics!

Farmers Market treats are all-natural, made from ingredients grown right here in the good ole US of A, and as fresh as if you’d hand-picked them yourself at the local farmers market. No mystery meats. Mo meal or meat byproducts. No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or GMO’s (short for–shudder–Genetically Modified Organisms). So next time your dog does one of his favorite tricks, reward him with one of theirs: New Farmers Market pet treats.

Find a Store or buy them online!

Want to treat your dog and win $100 Worth of Pet Treats from Plato Pet Treats? Fill out the form below to enter to win!

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Having a pet in our home is something that enriches our lives in many different ways. Pets in general provide us with a sense of physical as well as emotional well-being. When a pet joins your family, it is not hard for you to realize that a change occurs in the lives of you and your family members, and in most households, pets are treated as part of the family. At least that’s the case at our house.

The Pleasure of Bonding with Your Pet

It is easy to see that pets encourage love and compassion among human beings. Sometimes we tend to be too mechanical in our relationships with other people, and forget the value of them, but our animals do not. We can spend little or no time with our family and friends when we have busy schedules, but when we have a pet that totally depends on us, things will change. Pets rely on us to care for them, and through this dependence, the bonding between your pet and your family begins.

Pets Cherish Relationships

As you care for your pet, providing for their needs can bring you closer together as a family. Sharing responsibilities can create special feelings with your spouse and children. You also make decisions together about your pet, whether it’s determining what is the best diet for the cat, where the litter box should go, or deciding if cleaning the dog’s teeth at home is right for you. Making these kinds of decisions can be educational and fun.

5 Ways Pets Can Nurture Relationships Within Your Family

1. When you first bring the puppy or kitty cat home, everybody will be excited and want to hold or play with the newest member of the family. Be sure that each person has time with the animal so they can get to know each other. This may be a good time to even ask for volunteers in taking care of certain things that your pet will need: feeding, giving fresh water, cleaning the litter box, or changing puppy pads.
2. Proper training of your pet is crucial for both the animal and the family. Everyone can share in learning how to puppy pad train a puppy using wee wee pads, or teach them to go outside to potty.

   They can also participate in puppy education classes, and learn the important commands and a few tricks. To graduate from our class, our dog had to correctly respond to two commands and then one trick. We all worked with him, and thankfully, Ranger passed. It was fun practicing, or at least it was for Ranger–he got lots of treats!

3. Walking your dog or going to a dog park is another way to build relationships. We meet people who have similar interests and always enjoy sharing stories about the kids–both 2-legged and 4-legged ones. We have so many small dogs and kids that live on our cul-de-sac, we can’t decide if we are out there to catch up on the children or the critters!
4. Get outside and exercise as a family as well. Plan fun games or activities that can include the dog, like throwing a Frisbee, kicking a soccer ball, playing chase, or practicing commands like ‘fetch’, ‘drop it’, ‘come’, or ‘roll over.’ Sometimes the kids enjoy the commands as much as the dog. (We constantly work on the ‘come’ command when I am calling them in for the night.)
5. You can even participate in shows and events that are in the area. Most communities have shelters or pet stores that will sponsor a dog or cat show for good causes. You’ll definitely meet interesting people and their pets, and may even come away with a prize from time to time. That activity could go on the “family bucket list.”

There’s no more special bond than the one between a child and a pet that grow up together. For those of us who love animals, we have special memories of times spent with our pets, sometimes alone and sometimes as a family. I still have pictures of my first dog, Lady, in the backyard sitting next to me in one of those small inflatable kid swimming pools. I tried to get her to get in with me, but she was content to protect me from dry land!

These special relationships are not just in the movies–they are actually real life and we are better people for having loved a pet, and receiving their unconditional love in return.

Photo by jjgwarren

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Growing up, I was the child who frequently begged for that doggy in the window, only to have all dreams shot down with one ‘no’ after another. So when my daughter asked for her first puppy, those painful memories came creeping in, likely impacting my reasoning for saying yes! But influenced or not, that yes came with an expectation–she had to learn responsible dog ownership and understand the lifelong commitment that came with it.

And so began my efforts at helping my daughter learn what it meant to have a puppy.

1. Understanding a puppy’s needs. The first step was to help my daughter understand exactly what a puppy needed to stay healthy and grow strong. As with most parents, we can list off reasons left and right and most of the time our children will even say ‘okay’, but do they really understand?

   Instead of “telling” my daughter, I decided to show her through volunteering at our local shelter on the weekends. We were allowed to come in during feeding time and assist with the morning meals, giving puppies baths, and cleaning up the messy kennels. My daughter was given permission to play with the puppies in the outdoor run as a reward for her hard work. After a few weeks of volunteering, I had no doubt that my daughter truly understood the work involved in owning a puppy; including cleaning up those nasty messes!

2. Understanding how to train in preparation for a dog. The next step, and quite possibly one of the most important things for children to understand, is the importance of properly training your new puppy so it will grow up obedient and friendly. We researched several dog training websites and talked about the various areas our dog would need to be trained.

   Then, we sat down with what we learned and decided on rules and what we both expected from a dog in the house. We had learned that everyone needed to have the same expectations if any kind of training was going to be effective. Then we talked about the supplies we would need to have on-hand for teaching our puppy from the very first day of his or her arrival.

   My daughter’s active participation in this conversation gave me confidence that she was ready to put forth the effort required to care for a dog through thick and thin.

3. Selecting the right dog for us. The next thing we did was really break down various characteristics of different dog breeds and what they brought to the table. She mentioned that we liked to sit around the house a lot and maybe shouldn’t get a dog that wants to run all day. I mentioned that she has lots of little toys she treasures so we might want to consider a dog that won’t chew so much after they get older.

   Back and forth we outlined traits that fit with our family and traits that did not until we finally narrowed down the breeds that best fit out lifestyle and expectations.

4. Choosing a training method. The fourth thing we considered was how we planned to train our new puppy. Considering time availability, my daughter’s social skills, and my level of interest in bringing someone to my home, we decided on utilizing dog training forums instead of bringing a person in one-on-one.

   In our time volunteering at the local shelter, my daughter had the opportunity to work with the trainers there and we were both very confident in teaching our new puppy all the basics of good manners.

5. Getting our puppy! We spent about 6 months preparing for this moment, and I have to say, my excitement was just as big as my daughter’s. I had helped her understand how important it was to provide proper care and how to teach her puppy good manners. Now it was time to get our puppy and for us, we knew right where to look–the local shelter!

Teaching our children responsible dog ownership in a way that sticks doesn’t have to be a mind-grilling task. With a little creativity, you can gauge your child’s interest and motivate them to learn.

What are some other ways you can think of for teaching responsible ownership? Perhaps you’ve recently brought home a new pet as well. I’m curious to hear what you think.

Photo by terrie.zeller

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As a mom living in suburbia, though, I’m not always sure at what age to assign chores and which assignments to give. However, I’m learning that even very young children can contribute. I’ve noticed that my young kids, more than anything else, just want to be near me. If I’m dusting the furniture, all I have to do is give them a dust cloth and they’ll “help.” I finally bought a small, functional vacuum that was light enough for my children to use because they always wanted to help vacuum.

As children get older, their enthusiasm for chores wears off, and it’s tempting to let them off the hook. Not a good idea. I used to think it was my duty to give my kids a comfortable, easy life. I’ve since learned that it’s my job to train them to be responsible, contributing adults. As Dear Abby once said, “If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some weight on their shoulders.”

A Few Chores Kids (of All Ages) Can Do

Ages 3 to 5

• Begin making their bed
• Dust the furniture
• Feed and water pets (with supervision)
• Put away laundry
• Take non-breakable dishes to the dishwasher

Ages 5 to 8

• Run the vacuum
• Rake and bag leaves
• Take care of/train the dog (use the best puppy training pads to make house training easier)
• Wipe kitchen counters
• Put silverware away (take the knives out first)

Ages 9 to 12

• Load dishwasher and clean kitchen
• Sweep and mop the floor
• Walk the dog; help with cleaning the dog’s teeth
• Clean bathrooms and toilets
• Fold laundry
• Clean windows

Ages 12 and up

• Cook simple meals
• Help with the lawn mower
• Do laundry from start to finish
• Care for younger siblings

Of course, every child is different and you’ll need to make decisions based on your individual child. Teach children how to accomplish each task and don’t expect perfection for a while. Express your appreciation sincerely, and point out how hard they worked. The goal is to help children develop pride in themselves for a job well done, rather than expecting an external reward.

Photo by jjgwarren

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Lily’s Story

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.

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’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’t replacing Max by getting another dog. I was spreading the joy and love he brought into my life.

I decided to get another dog about three weeks after Max passed. I wanted a rescue. As I scanned Petfinder 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.

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!

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–it was as if she was making up for lost time. Pretty soon, it became clear Foxy needed a friend.

Going back to Petfinder’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.

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.

Max had been paper-trained, which was convenient for me. I didn’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.

I had the idea we could train our new dogs the same way. Instead of using newspaper, I would going to buy wee wee pads, which seemed more sanitary with their plastic backing. At first, Foxy and Murphy had other ideas about using the pads–they rarely went on them, preferring to hold it until I got home. Had they been puppies when we adopted them–like Max was–they may have taken to the pads earlier. But I eventually won the battle!

Murphy definitely needed some assistance in the dental department. His teeth were atrocious! Brushing was impossible. Then I saw some Greenies for dogs at the pet supply. “Are Greenies good for dogs?” I wondered, as I looked over the ingredients. As a stop-gap measure–until he would let me actually brush his teeth–I decided to buy a bag. He gobbled it up and wanted more. Murphy loves to eat–anything.

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.

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 “Shihtzulian Shepherd” as I call him, is a natural clown, a dog’s dog who is enjoying the good life. Max would be proud!

Photo by jjgwarren

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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 develop my own all-natural cleaner 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.

A cat’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’t attempt to find him a new home. Cats can’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.

Comfort Zone 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.

I have been using the Comfort Zone with Feliway 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’t plugged in the diffuser in the first place and I frequently wondered if it was actually “working.” 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’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.

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–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!

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.

Comfort Zone products are clinically proven to be effective against most, if not all bad pet behaviors, 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 any trusted online distributor.

I received a Comfort Zone with Feliway product for review. No other compensation was received, and opinions are my own.

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“The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.”
-Henry Warren

When I was a child, I put “puppy, kitten and small zoo” 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’s no universal perfect pet. Instead, it’s important to take into account your child’s age, responsibility level, and unique personality. There are good pet choices for almost every child, and here are five of the best.

Small Furry Animals

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’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’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.

Dogs

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, potty pads for dogs, toys, treats such as Greenies dog chews 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’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.

Cats

Cats can make excellent substitutes for dogs if you’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’t need a permanent best friend.

Reptiles

Reptiles are frequently overlooked as pets for children. Parents’ 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’re not terribly interested in spending a lot of time with your child’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.

Exotic Pets

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.

When contemplating getting a pet for your child, remember that you’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’ll have years of happiness and fun times together to look forward to.

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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’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!

You see animal rescue isn’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!

It All Begins with the Litter Box

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’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’ll be leaps ahead of kitty odor.

But it’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!

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.

No More Cat Hair? It’s All in the Way You Vacuum

If you’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’re done.

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 “swept” up all the hair along the edges of the carpet.

She had to laugh when I showed her how much was there. After this demonstration she happily confessed that she figured since our allergy vacuum was so good it would get all the hairs by itself. Such a simplistic view I always admire.

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.

Lending a Hand with Odor Control

It wouldn’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’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.

When my daughter brought home her foster kittens we had already select which air purifiers 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’s capacity to clean from the air.

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’t use filters) and how to assess if we might want to consider adding an extra purifier to the mix.

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!

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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.

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’s litter box problem complete.

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.

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’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.

So, you’re probably wondering how we removed all of Vincent’s little “accidents” 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’s messes and odors.

You Will Need

• Hot water
• Vinegar
• All-natural, all-purpose soap
• Baking soda

Directions

1. Fill spray bottle with hot water, two tablespoons of vinegar and a generous squirt of all-natural, all-purpose soap. Shake well.
2. 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.
3. When area is dry, cover with baking soda and let sit. After about an hour, vacuum up the baking soda.

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!

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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 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.

In response to these sobering and quite heartbreaking statistics, Petfinder launched Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week 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.

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.

There are currently 458 pets posted in Petfinder’s Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week gallery 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.

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IKEA recently conducted an experiment of sorts by releasing 100 cats into their Wembley, England store after hours to see what they would do–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’t trained for film, but rather just ordinary house cats and their humans.

While there was at least one animal handler on the scene, they’re pretty lucky the cats didn’t decide to have a 100-cat brawl and the commercial is really unbelievably cute.

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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 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’t like what they’re doing, well, that’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’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.

Obviously, my connection to my cat is a very strong one and I think rather highly of her, so I was pretty excited when MyBlogSpark informed me that they were working with 9Lives to spread the word about feline nutrition.

When 9Lives recently surveyed “feline pet parents” (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 lactose intolerance 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.

The 9Lives survey found that 92% of feline pet parents would switch cat foods if it would improve their cat’s health and 91% would switch food if they could add years onto their feline’s life. That’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.

I had the opportunity to let Devin try out the 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System Daily Essentials dry food, 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’s very healthy and I like knowing that the food she is given is completely balanced and full of all the right nutrients.

Devin also very much enjoyed her new cat toys. One in particular has pretty much become her go-to toy and it’s probably because it’s a toy full of catnip. She has been playing with it so much that I couldn’t help but take a little video of her.

Giveaway

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!

Required Entry

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. That’s super easy, right? I know I could talk about my cat all day (and if I don’t end this post soon, I just might!) so I’m eager to hear about all of the other pets out there bringing their caretakers joy every day.

Extra Entries

Leave a comment for each additional entry.

• Head on over to 9Lives.com and learn a little more about the Advanced Nutrient System and leave a comment here telling us what you’ve learned.
• Subscribe to Woman Tribune
• Follow @WomanTribune on Twitter
• “Like” Woman Tribune on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway. Feel free to use the following tweet or write your own. [Can be done once per day.]
  

  Attention cat lovers! Win a 9Lives Advanced Nutrient System prize pack from @WomanTribune & #myblogspark: http://t.co/wnvglCM ends 9/16

• Leave a comment on any other Woman Tribune post and come back here and leave a comment telling us what post you commented on.
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to 9Lives.com. [5 entries, so leave 5 comments.]

This giveaway ends Thursday, September 16th at 11:59PM EST. 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.

Full Contest Disclaimer

Disclosure: 9Lives provided me with a bag of 9Lives Daily Essentials dry cat food, prize pack, information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark. All opinions expressed throughout this post are 100% mine.

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Dinovite has paid close attention to what all the other brands lack and have created a dog shampoo that simplifies the chore of washing your dog, letting you get in, get out and have no regrets!

Dogosuds is an all natural dog shampoo that contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural healing properties. It’s great on your dog’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.

Dogosuds comes in four different varieties; two unscented including the straight-forward Unscented blend if you don’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’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!

This is most definitely the all natural dog shampoo to check out if you’re a green family, and especially if you’ve been looking for that perfect dog shampoo since your dog has been a part of your family but just can’t seem to find the one that works for you and for your dog.

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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.

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.

While I especially know how compelling pet toys can be, especially considering every time I’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’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.

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.

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Greenies, like most companies, started off as most other great ideas do–Trying to find a solution to a problem–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.

Greenies are also the makers of the Pill Pockets we posted about last month.

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’m traditionally used to the Pounce cat treats with cute colors and even multi-colored snacks, but Greenies doesn’t use any artificial coloring or flavors and the color didn’t put my cat Devin off one bit, she loved them and even eats them up faster than she does the Pounce treats I’ve been giving her since I got her. In fact, Greenies are kitty tested and approved!

To get your own free sample of Greenies dental treats, head on over to their website and request yours!

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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–and she didn’t like it much, either.

I recently found a great item that makes giving pets medication easier than ever–Pill Pockets. Staying true to hiding capsules in food, Pill Pockets, made by Greenies, are treats for pets that you can easily put a pill in and feed to your pet. They are made for cats as well as for dogs and would most definitely be an asset for any person having trouble with giving their pets medication.

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