Should Outside Cats Use A Collar

Most cat owners find themselves in a quandary over whether or not to use a cat collar on their outdoor cats. The debate still reigns over the pros and cons of outfitting an outside cat with a collar, but many veterinarians and cat experts agree that collars are the best way to go. However, before you decide, take a look at these pros and cons:

Pros:

• Cat collars can hold identification and registration tags. This is critical in case your outdoor cat becomes lost or is picked up by a concerned individual. Also, collars can hold bells or other noise generating items to scare away potential prey.

• Many cat collars are equipped with reflective material. Whether the collar is made completely out of reflective material or only contains a small strip, this will help your cat to become more visible in the dark. Cats, especially those of dark color, can become invisible at night, which is a potentially dangerous situation.

Cons:

• Cat collars can easily snag and cause your cat to become hung or stuck on branches, fences, or anything else in the great outdoors. Some cats have actually been strangled when their collar has gotten caught and cut off the animal’s air supply.

• Your cat may not be comfortable wearing a collar or the collar may be too heavy for the animal.

Given these pros and cons, consider choosing a collar that will maximize the positives and minimize the negatives. For example, there are many collars on the market that are specially designed to break away or unclasp when the cat is hung. These collars are considered strangle-proof and release when approximately seven pounds of pressure is applied. This way, the cat can break him—or her—self free from any snare.

Furthermore, there are many different types of collars on the market. Bring your feline friend with you to the local pet-friendly pet store and try on several different types of collars until you find one that best fits. Avoid choosing a harness for outdoor cats unless you plan on walking the cat on a leash. If this is the case, only allow your cat to wear a harness while supervised, as most are not snare-proof.

On a whole, collars are encouraged on cats that spend their time outside and inside. In addition to providing visibility to your animal, the collar will hold valuable identification information that will protect your cat and assist you in finding your pet.

Considering Exotic Pet Adoption?

You are certainly not alone in considering an exotic pet adoption. Each year many people decide that just the every day cat or dog isn't the pet for them. There are many different types of exotic pets available that there really is a pet that goes well with almost every type of personality.

However, adopting an exotic pet can be kind of frustrating, too. Read these tips to help you decide which kind of pet you want.

Exotic pet adoption is such a big ordeal, make sure to take time during the process to think everything through. We have all seen beautiful pets and wanted to take them home right away.

However, in a few days if you realize that you bit off more than you could chew, you might not be able to give the pet back. Rather than taking a pet home right away, go home and spend a couple of days researching.

Take the time to research the type of food you will need to feed it, what sort of home it lives in and any health conditions you should look out for on your new exotic pet. Find out the prices of these things as well. You need to know how much money you are going to be investing.

Try to find out what their natural character traits are. Do they stay awake all night and chatter, chirp, or make some other kind of noise that will keep you up all night?

Find out if the exotic pet you want needs loads of attention, or prefers to be alone. Does the pet need any sort of special diet to stay healthy? Fully research everything.

This way, you will know exactly what to expect from your exotic pet adoption. Decided that you still want the pet? Then go for it!

How To Look After Your Fish Aquarium

Purchasing a fish aquarium may seem like an easy task however tropical and saltwater fish need special care and attention to live a happy life.

The first thing you will need to decide is whether you plan on keeping fresh water fish or saltwater fish. Generally speaking freshwater fish are a lot easier to keep so if this is your first fish aquarium I would advise a fresh water fish aquarium would be a good place to start.

You will need to make sure you do not add too much food to your fish aquarium, research the type of fish you are keeping before throwing in too much or too little food, adding too much food could be harmful to your tropical fish as they can over eat, also adding to much food could potentially pollute the tank.

Having a balanced diet is essential for aquarium fish, I would recommend that you buy any fish food in small bags or containers rather than bulk buying, this is because over time the vitamin content will gradually decline so to keep your fish food in optimum condition and as fresh as possible buy smaller bags and keep them in a cool dry place.

Anything that is introduced into your fish aquarium should be properly taken care of and monitored, it is important to keep the water in the tank clean by checking for parasites, fungi and bacteria.

Although maintaining a fish aquarium is an ongoing task certain fish can lighten the load, it is well worth investing in fish that scavenge as they will clean the tank for you however it is vital to research the type of fish you buy to ascertain if they can live peacefully with the other fish residing within your tank.

It may be a good idea to create yourself a daily monthly and weekly 'to do' list so you can be sure that you have made all the necessary checks on the temperature control, lighting and feeding.

Toxic and harmful products can be caused by the breakdown of protein, investing in a protein skimmer can be extremely effective, a protein skimmer will remove impurities and residue from the aquarium and will purify the water.

Never keep your tank in direct sunlight, this will increase the growth of green algae making your tank unattractive and hard to see into. Having a fish tank in direct sunlight will also cause the water temperature to rise making it harder to control

The bigger the fish aquarium the easier it ill be to maintain a stable water temperature, having a larger tank will also give your fish more room to move, it is also very important to give them lots of places to hide, believe it or not the more places they have to hide the less they will hide.

If you can keep on top of the maintenance then you are sure to have a clean and happy tank.

Obedience Training: Why Your Puppy Will Love You For It

Despite their rambunctious behavior at times, puppies are eager to please and they desperately want your love and approval. Much like a newborn baby, puppies need to be taught right from wrong and they need to learn in a way that involves both patience and understanding. Not only can effective puppy training lead to a better relationship between you and your four-legged friend, but it may also save your pet's life one day.

One of the most popular types of puppy training techniques involves housebreaking, which will teach your pet the difference between his/her home and bathroom and why the distinction is so important. By nature, your puppy will not want to relieve itself in his/her home and will appreciate having a separate area for that sole purpose. When your puppy has structure, he/she will be much happier and healthier.

Obedience training is another important goal of many pet owners. Puppies are especially energetic and, if not trained properly at a young age, can grow into an unruly dog. In order to prevent this from happening, obedience training should begin as early as possible and may either be done by you at your home, or by an instructor. In many cases, your puppy will respond better to you and your commands because he/she is already familiar with you. If you enroll your pet in an obedience training class where other animals are present, your puppy may become anxious or disruptive. If possible, it's a good idea to train your pet at home by using your own puppy training techniques that will give you full control over methods, treatment and effectiveness.

When it comes to any type of training, your puppy will appreciate the ability to understand your commands. Dogs who never seem to obey their owners lack both discipline and structure. They may never understand the importance of "stay" in the face of oncoming traffic or the "off" command to be used to prevent your pet from jumping up on guests in your home. An unruly pet cannot be taken out in public, may never enjoy a stroll through the park and may have a very difficult time at the veterinarian's office. While your pup is young, he/she is small and will be controllable. The real problems start when a puppy grows up without being taught how to act in public, how to react to other animals and how to respond to your commands.

Puppy training is most effective when used in conjunction with the reward method. This involves giving your puppy a treat when he/she does something on command and should be followed by loving strokes and praise. Your puppy will learn to respond to the tone of your voice and he/she will love hearing positive tones because this means that you are pleased. Although they seem to be nothing more than a ball of energy at times, your puppy is really hoping for your approval. This desire will especially show through as he/she begins to mature and, with the proper training, your puppy will become very familiar with what "good dog" means. Not only that, but he/she will also know how to earn the title.

There are many great resources for dog training available on the internet. One of the best ways to find these resources is by reading independent reviews and comparison rankings. In this way you can be confident your pet is getting best training possible.

Does Your Dog Suffer From Allergies?

Dogs can get allergies for a variety of reasons, but there are a few culprits that lead to a state of a weakened immune system. Once a dog has a weakened immune system, he may start having allergic reactions to things that would not normally bother a healthy, strong dog. And he may develop a serious autoimmune problem like inflammatory bowel disease or hyperthyroidism.According to Richard Pitcairn, these things may lead to a dog developing a weakened immune system:* combination injections used a lot* excessive use of cortisone drugs* commercial dog food dietsThe latter is an interesting point, as even in miler cases of allergy, dogs may be allergic to some of the commercial foods we feed them. He suggests switching to a special healing diet, made from food you prepare yourself, for about 2 or 3 months. If after this time there is no improvement, then it is safe to safe that food is not causing the allergy. Dr Pitcairn's recommended allergy diet includes grains like brown rice, bone meal, meat, and vitamins. Once the dog has been on this diet for a few months, you can start introducing foods that he used to eat, gradually. It's best to introduce the foods one at a time, so you have a chance to see whether a reaction occurs after he eats it. Once a food, or ingredient has been identified, the option exists to find a good quality dog food that doesn't contain those ingredients. There exist special foods that are formulated for dogs with skin conditions, and these might be more suitable.Foods are not the only substances that can trigger an allergy however. Your dog may be allergic to:* chlorine or other household chemical agents* cleaning chemicals, either in your house or yard* gases released from chemicals in our furniture or buildings* synthetic carpets* plastic food bowls* some types of grass or plants* regular dog care products like heartworm or flea products* flea bitesThe symptoms of a dog suffering from an allergy could be one or more of the following:* itchy skin* skin eruptions (especially at the base of the tail and on the lower part of his back)* inflamed ears* too much licking of the front feet* problems in the digestive tract including gas, gurgling of the stomach, loose stools or diarrhea* inflammation of the toes* his rear end is irritated* licking and dragging his rear end on the floorReferences: Dr Pitcairn, Complete Guide To Natural Health For Dogs And Cats