Animals Unfolded

Flickr by hatch.m I care for a lot of cats in my day-to-day life, and they all have different needs that depend on their health, living situation and stage of life. I find, and rightfully so, that people have a lot to say when it comes to what their cats are fed — and what everybody else's cat should be eating. In my experience, there is a lot more attention to detail when it comes to the feline diet in comparison to dogs. It's no surprise really. Cats can be quite picky and sometimes they have special nutritional needs. By and large, most cats are on a traditional adult feline diet, and the feeding directives are easy. The only thing that I really need to be concerned about is how much a cat is eating, since they can become overweight. Of course, I do ask a lot of questions with regard to the specifics of a feline client's diet, because there are certain situations where a cat may need special consideration when it comes to what they eat. Knowing that this topi...

One of the first things that I ask someone when they call to inquire about my caring for their companion animals is, "Tell me about your pets!" I like to get a feel for what my newfound furry or feathered friends are like before I meet them, and of course when we have our all-important first meeting, I want to know more. Sure knowing all of the breed information, their age, overall health and care detail is important, but I want to know the nitty-gritty stuff: Where's their favorite place to nap? Do they prefer to linger and sniff everything on their dog walks, or are they constantly on a mission? For cats do they like catnip? What kind of naughtiness do they typically engage in — did they like to steal and chew on your socks? Those are the kinds of things that only those that share life everyday with a pet will know. And those things help me to care for them better. Sometimes I'll get a call from a client (or a reader!) about a distressing situation, usually ...

The first word out of my mouth was likely ‘dog’. This probably isn’t at all surprising to those that know me, and my affinity to provide a better life for animals is closely followed by my interest in people. When I meet someone that’s new-to-me, the topic of pets invariably comes up because of my profession: ‘That’s such an interesting way to spend your days… I love dogs [or cats]…’, and the conversation goes from there. What I’m struck by most is learning about the life that the person has with their pet (or in some cases, they might be in-between pets, but they’ll muse about companion animals from their past), and if they’re drawn specifically to dogs, cats or some other species of housepet. It’s fascinating to hear stories of their preferences that have changed over time. Quite often, people become more open to sharing life with a species that may differ from what they grew up with, or what is completely different than they’re used to even much later in life. We’re an amena...

I joke that much of my time is spent not walking with dogs, but waiting for them. Although a big part if what I do is geared to my canine charges out for a good romp in the outdoors for exercise, the all-important potty break is vital. That said, I need to pay attention to answer the questions like 'Will they go? Did they? Was it "productive"??' Knowing the answers helps me keep tabs on how a pet is feeling. For some dogs, finding just the right spot to relieve themselves seems to be a challenge, others get down to business with lightning speed (this past week the cold made it even more challenging for any of them at best). As the one on the other end of the leash, I've developed an insane amount of patience when a pooch is trying to find just the right spot. A new study may explain at least part of the process, and while it may be a bit unbelievable to some, it may be a lightbulb moment for those who have spent enough time in the elements waiting for their ...

It can be easy to misjudge the effects of the elements on our companion animals when the mercury drops. Outdoor adventures can be fun and safe in the cold weather, but still, the details are up for discussion, such as how age affects cold tolerance, what is acceptable when it comes to a canine living outdoors — or what to do if you see a pet not cared for properly as the temperatures plunge. It's good to remember that certain age groups — puppies and senior dogs — do not tolerate the cold as well as healthy adult dogs. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age or even illness or breed type, take the dog outdoors only to do his or her business. Though it can be difficult to understand because we don't recognize non-verbal cues that pets exhibit when they are uncomfortable, be assured that they do suffer as much as we do in the outdoors in the winter if not protected. The plight of outdoor dogs is something that needs to be taken seriously. Some folks see pets as be...

The prospect of a new year offers up a lot of possibilities, and as we are now into 2014, there are things that surely we would love to do better. Resolutions need not only apply to ourselves. We can apply that mindful intention to our pets as well. There are things that could help your pet to be happier and healthier in the coming year and beyond. A weighty issue We love to feed our pets well. It shows with the growth of the pet food industry, and it's great to see that more care is being taken to offer pets a wider range of high quality diets, no matter the species. But because of our affinity for feeding our pets, it's easy to feed them too much -- and they are all too happy to eat as much as we'll give them. Barring any chronic medical conditions (like Cushing's syndrome), the reason for weight gain in pets falls solely on our shoulders. Animals that are overweight are at risk for many of the same diseases that humans are, like heart and respiratory diseas...