We recently inherited a new member to our family of 5 humans and 6 cats – - – - – 1 dog. We got custody of “Wednesday,” the sweetest dog you could ever meet, when my mom passed away. He was her baby – she absolutely adored this dog! So, needless to say, we’re doing our best to give him as great a life as possible. Thing is, we’re cat people – so we’re still trying to figure out dog needs! One thing I’ve noticed is the fact that the heat is a whole lot harder on him than it is the cats.

He’s like 900 years old, with failing site and hearing – so we keep him on a runner that we fixed in the yard. I move it around to different parts of the yard to keep things interesting for him – and to locate him in the shadiest parts all day long. But one day last week, Steph (youngest daughter) and I were caught out running errands later than we thought and when we got back, he was not only in the sun – but had turned over his water bowl. Steph and I nearly croaked – we took it a lot harder than poor Wednesday did….but he enjoyed all the fussing and the nice cool bath.

I’ve been reading up online about dealing with pets in the summer – I already posted one link to an article here on the blog, and I’ve found another one that I found useful. (I love the idea about an automatic pet waterer.) Here’s the link >>>>>> Tips to Prevent Heatstroke in Your Pet

By the way, Bo is doing great after his ordeal. He’s back to his old, affectionate, playful self…..just a little jumpier than he used to be. I hope to be back to normal one day, too – his disappearance took an awful lot out of me! Pets become such a part of your life and family that it just turns your world upside down when something happens to them. Thankfully, everything worked out okay, and our world was put back right.

Joi

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I love living in an area of the country (Kentucky) where we have four distinct seasons. Each one has its own traits and characteristics that make it special. And just when I think I can say which of the four is my favorite (like autumn with all its apple cider, pumpkins, and falling leaves), I remember something amazing about another season (like spring with its lemonade, daffodils, and budding leaves). Or summer with grilling out, glasses of Summer Julius, St. Louis Cardinal’s baseball, and gladiolas…. Or, winter with its hot chocolate, Christmas music, and NFL!

I’m pretty sure my outside cats have a favorite season – and it would be any season BUT summer. They’re actually campaigning to move to Minnesota – they hear the winters are long and the fishing’s amazing. While I love the land of the lakes, the husband and catfather’s job is here, so we’d better stay put. Besides, as a native, I’m totally fluent in Kentuckian and would be a foreigner that far north.

I’ve been reading alot lately about making pets more comfortable in the heat. Our cats absolutely hate it. The hot weather makes them thisclose to lifeless. Especially Adam and Svenn – for some reason they practically melt in the heat.

I found a really good article about Keeping Pets Safe in the Summer Months. The main thing, obviously, is to provide plenty of fresh, cool water for your outside babies, as well as some shade. (Fortunately, we have nearly 20 trees in our yard, so that’s not a problem!) In addition to hanging out in apple trees, our cats like to have an occasional ice cube to play with and lick on.

Have a fun weekend – go out and buy your cat a new toy, then you’ll both have a blast!
Joi

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