Cat Pause: Your Cat's Favorite Blog!
Cat Toys, Gift Ideas for Cat Lovers, Cat Furniture...
The infographic below shows just how greatly local humane shelters need our help and support. It’s a very real problem and it’s a growing problem, especially here in the States. Do all you can – even if it’s just donating dry food or cans to your local shelter. – Joi (“Joy”)
Some of my cats have lived exceptionally long lives and I can say this – nothing in the world is any sweeter, more enjoyable, or more lovable than an older cat. Older cats do, of course, require extra consideration.
Recently, we had a kitten (Guen) move into the house – a house where a 13 year-old-diva-cat (Alexa) reigns supreme. The entire process has amazed me for several reasons. For one thing, do kittens ever run out of energy?!?!
Naturally we’ve enjoyed outdoor kittens over the years, but this is the first kitten we’ve had in the house in years. The energy level and amount of wonder and curiosity are pretty amazing and I’m loving every moment.
Ironically, caring for (and preparing your home for) a kitten is very much like caring for (and preparing your home for) an older cat.
Basically, this is the time to pamper your little girl or boy more than ever!
One final tip from someone who has had quite a few cats who lived WAY longer than you’d expect: When you look at your cat (whether they’re 10, 15, 20, or 24), do NOT think of “losing” them. Think only of “having” and “loving” them. This is something I realized when one of my cats (Prissy) hit 15 years old. Every time I looked at her, I found my heart feeling heavy – thinking about how badly it would hurt when I lost her. That sort of pain is bad enough to feel just once… when you actually have to say goodbye. Don’t invite those feelings into your life a minute before. Think of how blessed you are to have this little bundle of fur, how much you love her/him, and how you are going to do everything in your power to make them as comfortable as possible.
I caught myself (when Prissy turned 15) and turned my thinking around. She went on to have 5 more birthdays!
Why The Deluxe Easy Entry Cat Bed Makes a Perfect Bed for Older Cats:
This beautiful bed has “easy access” – the older cat doesn’t have to jump in or out of bed, which is something older cats greatly appreciate. The material is incredibly soft and comfortable – perfect for an older cat. I also love that its “walls” provide extra support and comfort. The fact that it’s so darn good-looking (and machine washable) are icing on the cake. Click through Deluxe Easy Entry Cat Bed for more information. This deluxe beauty is just the thing your pampered baby would love to curl up in.
If you’ve read my cat blog for long you know that we have an ever-changing number of outside cats (who we love to distraction) and a diva inside cat (also loved to distraction). Alexa, the Diva, doesn’t see any reason to welcome any of her siblings indoors with her (and traumatizing an aging cat isn’t something I’m looking to do), so our “outdoor babies” remain our “outdoor babies.”
A “colony” of feral cats has joined our family and they are as much a part of our family as the rest of our whiskered cuties. This would actually be the perfect type of blanket or cat bed to provide to feral cats – one they’d appreciate a lot! It could be placed inside a huge crate or box out of the wind and rain/snow.
Fortunately, contrary to what many humans believe, cats love the outdoors! So much to see, do, and explore – they never get bored. We live out in the “boondocks,” so to speak, so they’re perfectly safe from dogs and traffic.
They’re actually as spoiled as any indoor cat.
The only time I get concerned for them is when it’s really cold outside. One of their smaller houses is “heated” as in it has a great heating pad that’s plugged in and activated from inside. We’ve used it for three winters in a row and the cats love it. This particular house sits up off the ground – on top of a much larger house.
I told you they were spoiled.
The larger house is really big, so we’ve been trying to decide how to provide warmth to it. It’s actually so big that if all the cats simply got in there and huddled, they’d keep each other pretty warm! I was looking on Amazon earlier for “thermal warming pads” – the safest heating pads imaginable, since they are “heated” by the cat’s own body heat.
I found the Thermal Warming Mat pictured here (available in Brown Suede and Giraffe Print).
I love the size of this mat – I think three would be ideal for the larger house. I also love how pretty they are because I’d also like to get one for inside for Alexa. Inside cats would love these mats year-round because, very often, our idea of a reasonable “summer thermostat” setting is like a blistery winter day to a cat.
Speaking of summer, there’s even a cool gel insert for the mat (sold separately) that you can buy when the weather warms up.
See Thermal Warming Mat for more information. At just a little over $15, this is a really great deal.
Alexa: Spoiled and Loving It
Sometimes in life, beautiful blessings come with sorry side-effects. For example, if you’re blessed enough to live a really long life, you will know aches and pains as well as diminished hearing and vision! If you’re blessed to live a really, really long life, your memories may begin to play hide and seek.
Often BAD rides into town on GOOD’s back.
The same is true with our beloved cats. As they grow older, they very often develop vision problems. Cats over 10 will often have a “foggy” appearance to their eyes and their vision will change.. and not for the better. The good news is that cats adapt beautifully and can often find their way around their home in spite of Father Time’s cruelty.
Of course, some cats have diminished vision and even blindness as the result of accidents or illnesses aside from age. Caring for a precious cat who just so happens to not have perfect vision is both easy (most of it is common sense) and can be a joy. How? It will only lead you to a closer relationship with your furry baby – and that’s always a joyful thing.
In our family, our house cats live a very long time. Since they’re treated and loved like family – which they are – that’s a very good thing! However, we’ve seen, firsthand and firstpaw, that an older cat’s vision can change rapidly.
First Order of Business: Take a Deep Breath and Don’t Freak Out
If you love your cat like I do mine, it’s a love that’s difficult to explain. They are very much like our children, aren’t they? Funny, furry, ridiculously lovable children! When you first see that your cat’s eyes are changing or when you begin to notice that they stand in the middle of a room and “call out” for you rather than walk right to you, it’s easy to… well… fall apart. That’s exactly what I did when my much beloved Prissy lost her eyesight.
I bawled and bawled and bawled. Which, of course, did nobody any good. What I didn’t realize at the time was that she’d go on to live a happy (even more pampered) life after her vision failed.
Now, our much beloved cat Alexa is experiencing diminished vision (again, age-related). As was the case with Prissy, I first noticed it in the eyes – the pupils began to be dilated for the better part of the day and there was (in certain lights) a foggy haze on the eyes.
Prissy, who was known for jumping anywhere and everywhere also began to stop jumping. She’d stand in front of a bed, couch, or chair, and wait to be lifted. Spoiled!
Because Alexa is still able to see (she has more trouble with judging how close/far things are and can’t see in the dark as well as she used to), she gets around find. She still jumps up on her favorite spots and has no problem (at all!) finding her food and water and hasn’t missed a litter box visit once.
At nighttime, for as long as I can remember, we have a routine in our home. My husband and I settle in on the couch in the den and Alexa joins us – she either runs me out of my spot on the couch or she jumps into a big basket that’s all hers. About a month ago, instead of simply coming onto the scene, she began standing in a hallway near the den and “calling out” to us. Then she listens to see where our voices are coming from and slowly joins us.
By that time of night, the house is pretty dark, so that’s really the only time I notice any issue whatsoever.
If you’re experiencing age-related vision loss with your cat (if it’s something different, see your vet), I promise you, it’s going to be fine. You will become even closer to your cat as she/he will now need to be cared for much as a kitten would. This will give you even more opportunities to make her/him feel extra loved and, yes, even pampered.
Below are Tips for Caring for a Cat with Partial or Complete Vision Loss
If you have any tips of your own, please leave comments below.
~ Joi (“Joy”)
P.S. Stay Calm!
Prissy (at 19) Enjoying Whipped Topping from a Starbucks Drink
Below is a great guest article addressing these very needs.
by Paul Mann
Like humans, pets can experience winder doldrums. Even those living in warmer weather regions are still affected by seasonal changes, which can be especially tough on dogs and cats–particularly those that are used to spending time outdoors.
Beyond the obvious challenge of pets getting less exercise during the winter months, dogs and cats often experience less emotional stimulation during this period and can suffer a variety of adversities, including excessive weight gain, irritability, anxiety and even clinical depression. This can lead to a variety of unsavory behaviors and dissatisfaction for all involved. The more outdoor-oriented the pet, the higher probability that these and other problems will present and persist through the season.
Fortunately, there are a few simple things pet owners can do to physically engage and psychologically stimulate their pets and make everyone happier during the long, cold winter months:
Indoor/Outdoor Fitness
Most dog breeds need to go outside 2-3 times a day, not only to relieve themselves, but also to get some form of exercise and sensory stimulation. Dogs are more likely to go outside in nearly any kind of weather and often love a romp in the snow. Taking your dog outdoors will trigger its natural play instincts. Running, jumping and chasing are natural ways to energize your pet, burn calories and boost metabolism. If you’re not up to the task amid Mother Nature, consider hiring a professional dog walker to happily take on the duty. Indoors, tried-and-true games like fetch, tug-of-war and wrestling can also serve as a great workout that also stimulates a pet’s appetite.
Cats also love to pounce and play, and if they’re stuck in the house you can easily brighten their day with 10-15 minutes of play each day. String, laser pointers, objects on strings and other enticing toys dragged around get your cat into chase mode, keep her busy and burning energy. Find or install a perch by a window where your cat can watch the birds. For those cats that pine to be outdoors, the marketplace has an abundance of outdoor enclosures that also allows cats to run, roam and prance freely in the invigorating fresh air. Of course, moderate the time spent in these enclosures based on the winter weather conditions.
For both dogs and cats, keep a set of toys and laser pointer handy for an energized and sustained play session, either indoors or out, at least once daily. When outdoor play just isn’t an option, there are a number of motorized animal treadmills on the market today that are entirely enjoyable and effective for exercising both Fido and Felix.
Counting Calories
If your dog or cat doesn’t get outdoors as much in the winter as they normally do, it likely doesn’t need to eat as much food. Reducing food and calorie intake generally means less weight gain and more energy. If you often give your pets treats, consider hiding them inside toys, such as freezing kibble inside a “Kong,” to give them prolonged busy work.
As with humans, weight maintenance is all about portion control. Feed your pet using a designated measuring cup so that you know exactly how much food they’re consuming each day. If you still aren’t getting the desired results, call the pet food company for dietary recommendations to ensure you aren’t over-feeding—especially as seasonal dietary requirements change when a pet becomes less active. Automated pet feeding systems are also helpful. These tech tools utilize a wireless tag attached to a pet’s collar to regulate and monitor one or more pet’s food intake to ensure the pet isn’t eating too much or too little at once or throughout the day—also keeping multiple pets away from each other’s food.
Let There Be Light
Pets react to illumination just like humans do. Their energy level increases when the light is brighter. According to Animal Behavior College, “The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals found that approximately 40 percent of dog owners saw a considerable downturn in their pet’s moods during the winter months” and that related symptoms in pets “typically manifest as behavioral changes such as inappropriate soiling, aggression, lethargy and separation anxiety.” The report notes that “Light is intimately tied to the functioning of the pituitary and endocrine glands, and can stimulate the body to release hormones that have an uplifting effect on mood.” If it’s too cold to go out, simply open the drapes and let the natural light in, turn up your indoor lights, and consider replacing bulbs with the full spectrum or daylight variety to better simulate a daytime environment. A company called Pawsitive Lighting, has even developed a light box to help conquer those wintertime blues.
Animal-Rousing Aromas
Scented toys can really engage an animal’s interests and natural stalking instincts, also keeping them occupied and mentally focused as they try to find the source of the smell. Luckily dogs respond to a variety of smells and there are seemingly infinite availability of toys that engage canine olfaction—alone and in combination with other senses that can be concurrently engaged. A game of hide and seek can go a log way with your pooch!
For cats that respond well to catnip, there are catnip and other “play sprays” that can be squirted onto indoor climbing structures, cardboard boxes, and scratching posts. A multi-story cat climber or “tree” with strategically placed low-cal treats or scented play toys can readily get kitty jumping from level to level and its heart pumping in kind.
With just a little planning, you can help ensure your pet’s winter season remains happy and healthy, with a great quality of life for everyone in the household.
Paul Mann is the Founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care—the nation’s largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting, dog walking, and pet fitness/exercise services—serving thousands of pets and pet parents throughout the United States from coast to coast. He may be reached online at: www.FetchPetCare.com.
Source: http://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/blog/does-wintertime-blues-effect-your-pet/
In the picture above, Svenn seems to be saying, “You want me to get into that death trap and go where???” That’s pretty much every cat, everywhere’s attitude toward travel. The article below gives great (as in sanity-preserving) advice on traveling with cats.
Jordan contributes to this blog as well as Coops and Cages. He has taken his own cats and dogs to trips himself and would love to share his insights on pet care to fellow pet lovers. He desires to educate them on safety travel tips when bringing along cats during trips through this article.
It’s time of the year that your cat is looking forward to – the time when you take him out of the house and with you to new places. Cats like to travel as well. They like seeing the countryside. They are not satisfied with just staying home.
The problem is some cats hate cars. They are not as behaved as most dogs when you get them into the car. You have to train them on how to behave when you are traveling with them. Teach them not to scratch the car seat and better yet, not to pee. But as a cat owner, you also have to remember that a the first cat car trip aren’t always that pleasant, simply because, cats as much as they like venturing into new places, the getting there is not that exciting for them.
Here are tips on traveling safely with your cats.
Take the time to train your cat in the carrier
Since you will be traveling for long hours, train your cat to stay in his cat carrier for long periods. Condition your cat to become comfortable as well as teach him how to go in and out. Do some practice runs of driving around your area and having the cat in the carrier. This should be a gradual process. Some cats get upset when you turn the car engine on, especially those who haven’t traveled.
Familiarize your cat in the new environment
Cats are sensitive to the environment as well as their territory. Place a blanket or towel with the scent of your cat on the car seat. In that way the car would not be a totally foreign area for him. Allow your cat to explore your car and rub and spread its scent on it. Do this a couple of times for the next few days.
Air Travel for Cats
Most major airlines accept cats as passengers. Cats that are under 15 lbs travel in the cabin. If they are heavier, they must be booked in cargo or they should be in cat carriers. There are some seasonal restrictions so it is better to check with the airline what these are. When booking your flight, inform the representative that you have a feline with you. Get a locator number associated with the seat for your cat. This is a necessary security precaution. If this is your cat’s first time to fly, it is better that it is a short distance. Observe how he acts and behaves during the ride. You will be asked if your cat has its rabies and other pertinent inoculation. Various requirements exist for each airline and just accommodate to them as best as you can.
Feed the cat at the right time
Once the cat is calm in the car, give him his meals. Offer high value treats for cats that he doesn’t normally get at home. In that way, he is more motivated to behave. You can also give him cat nip and also indulge with his favorites during the car traveling times. He should also know you are there beside him so he shouldn’t be scared.
Don’t forget your pet identification
This is a necessity especially when it is your first time to travel to new places. Tags and collars are an excellent for quick identification. A microchip is something you can also order and it provides the essential information needed once the tags or collars are lost. Keep the microchip registered and updated.
Check with hotels if they allow cats
When you book for your trips, check if they have the “pets accepted” symbol on their homepages and if they allow cats in hotels. When checking, be sure to inform the front desk that your cat is traveling with you. Many hotels also provide snacks and bowls for your cats. They also have sitting services. Some hotels have “pet in room” door tag which let the maids know that they should leave the door open so the pet cannot wander out. You can keep cats secure and safe by having them in a safe and sturdy cat crate. They should just be the right size because you wouldn’t want your cat wiggling out of the cage. Make sure that the room for the food and the litter box are separate. Get the crate with the sides so that the litter cannot be kicked out.
Pack a travel bag for your cat
The bag should also contain medication (if your cat is currently on), plastic bags (for soiled litter), litter scoop, grooming supplies, treats, pet wipes, toys, towels, as well as the cat’s food and water bowls. Treat it as something like a baby would have. Your cat is your baby and he too needs a travel bag.
Positive Reinforcement helps
The minute that your cat is calm in the car, start giving him catnips. If that motivates him, let the cat indulge for a while in the car. By positively reinforcing your cat that he is doing a good job, he will enjoy traveling more and more.
Don’t forget to make the cat go potty
The cats’ trip begins and ends in the bathroom. Before leaving your house, make sure that your cat has gone to the bathroom. The first thing you also do after you alight is to let your cat out for a few minutes. With your guidance, he should poop or pee before you even check in the hotel. If your crate is the one that has the litter, clear the poop and pee. Potty breaks are also included. If it is a drive, stop at restaurants or gas stops and bring your cat with you. Take him out and see if he has to go or not.
Feed your cat four hours before leaving
The cat has to have eaten a light meal before you put him in the carrier. If your trip would take long, feed him just the right amount. You wouldn’t want him pooping and peeing a lot. This wouldn’t be sanitary inside the car, worse, on the plane.
Whether it’s including your cat while running errands around town or visiting relatives in another side of the country, you can make him happy by bringing them with you. Train your cat on how to become more comfortable when traveling in the car with you. It will take some time and a lot of patience but it will be totally worth it.
Author Bio:
Jordan is the lead content curator for Coops And Cages as well as a couple of other pet related blogs. His passion for animals is only matched byhis love for ‘attempting’ to play the guitar. If you would like to catch him, you can via Google+ or Twitter: @CoopsAndCages.
Author Bio:
Jordan is the lead content curator for Coops And Cages as well as a couple of other pet related blogs. His passion for animals is only matched byhis love for ‘attempting’ to play the guitar. If you would like to catch him, you can via Google+ or Twitter: @CoopsAndCages.
The picture of Alexa (above) was taken after a huge clap of thunder! It took about ten minutes (and about 7 cat treats) to coax her out from behind the couch. The article below is all about keeping our pets safe in the event of a natural disaster – as in something more serious than a huge clap of thunder.
Baseline pet emergency preparedness how-to’s
When a natural disaster threatens, or actually occurs, the ensuing chaos and confusion can make it difficult to ensure pets are aptly safeguarded for the event both physically and emotionally, and that a pet owner’s home duly equipped for the crisis at hand. In fact, when pets are involved, the gamut of related crisis management concerns can aggravate an already worrisome situation.
While pet owners want to ensure their pets do not experience any bodily harm when a natural disaster presents, it’s also important to remember that many domestic pets are very much in tune with the environment and their immediate surroundings and can become unusually stressed under circumstances surrounding a natural disaster. As such, it’s imperative that pet owners are prepared to mitigate physical danger to a pet as well as psychological distress like nervousness, fear, and anxiety—and how these emotions may be outwardly expressed (even when contrary to a pet’s normal personality and behavior), which may include hiding, scratching, biting, noise-making, attempts to flee and disregarding commands.
To help keep pets safe, and their homes duly supplied, for an impending—or in the actual event of a—natural disaster, Paul Mann, Founder and CEO of FETCH! Pet Care, spotlights these fundamental yet crucial pet emergency preparedness tips offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
1. Get a kit of pet emergency supplies. Just as you do with your family’s emergency supply kit, think first about the basics for survival, particularly food and water.
Consider two kits. In one, put everything your pets will need to stay where you are and make it on your own. The other should be a lightweight, smaller version you can take with you if you and your pets have to get away.
2. Make a plan for what you will do in an emergency. Plan in advance what you will do in an emergency. Be prepared to assess the situation. Use common sense and whatever you have on hand to take care of yourself and ensure your pet’s safety during an emergency.
3. Be prepared for what might happen. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an emergency supply kit for yourself, your family and your pets, is the same regardless of the type of emergency. However, it’s important to stay informed about what might happen and know what types of emergencies are likely to affect your region. Be prepared to adapt this information to your personal circumstances and make every effort to follow instructions received from authorities on the scene. With these simple preparations, you can be ready for the unexpected. Those who take the time to prepare themselves and their pets will likely encounter less difficulty, stress and worry. Take the time now to get yourself and your pet ready.
“Sometimes assistance is needed to care for a pet when emergencies present, like during an evacuation when a shelter or lodging facility does not allow pets. In such instances, it’s prudent to have a backup plan in place to ensure you can secure proper care for your pet. As FEMA notes, one option is to ‘consider family or friends outside your immediate area who would be willing to take in you and your pets in an emergency.’ However, when you don’t want to burden or impose on family members or friends, or subject a beloved pet to kennel boarding to avoid what can be serious health concerns, highly trained and reliable professional pet sitters to visit or board a pet can be pre-arranged or are available on-call to ensure a pet receives protection as well as love, attention and skilled treatment while apart from the family. That kind of peace of mind is priceless.”
Paul Mann is the Founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care—the nation’s largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting, dog walking, and pet fitness/exercise services—serving thousands of pets and pet parents throughout the United States from coast to coast. He may be reached online at: www.FetchPetCare.com.
If you’re like me, your cats aren’t just pets, they’re family and the thought of anything happening to them doesn’t just break your heart – it shatters it. Obviously, the same is true of any furry or feathered family member – cat, dog, bird, rabbit, guinea pig… For that matter, some beloved pets don’t even have fur or feathers. Iguana parents can relate to that.
We provide our pets with clean water, healthy food, warmth, comfort, and love. We also want to make sure that our pet doesn’t wander off, get lost, or “taken” from us. Below are a few tips to, hopefully, keep you from ever having to search for your pet – because finding a small animal in a large world is as tough as it is painful.
Cats, by nature, are uncommonly nosy. If they hear, smell, or see something intriguing, there’s just no way they can keep from investigating. My experience with cats has taught me that if you have an inside cat, it’s best to make her exclusively an inside cat – as in NO trips outdoors. Over the years, we have always had one (sometimes two) cats who live indoors and at least one who calls the yard and carport home.
If your cat (or dog) is an inside pet, your chances for ever needing a LOST PET sign are just about as low as they can possibly get. To make the odds EVEN more in your favor, here are a few suggestions.
If you have kittens, outdoors, pay VERY special attention to where each one is at all times. These little buggers WILL crawl up into your vehicle and – if they live through the trip – may end up miles away from home. I had this happen once with a beautiful little kitten named Bo and I’m pretty sure it took years off of my life, my husband’s life, and at least one daughter’s life. The story had a happy ending – but he rode about 5 or 6 miles away from home while (somehow) up inside my Dodge Caravan. Late that night, as it was beginning to storm, I went out to make sure the momma cat “Carly” and her babies were all in their carport bed safe from the storm. When I saw that one (“Bo”) was missing, panic set in – just as the storm did. We began looking everywhere around the property, only to realize what had happened. We drove to where I’d gone earlier in the evening and asked everyone in the vicinity (each store, each restaurant…) if they’d seen a tiny white-ish kitten. FINALLY, someone said they’d seen one earlier beside Taco Bell. I found him crouched down, scared out of his wits, beneath a tree beside the Taco Bell. I was scared he’d bolt – because his nerves were shot out (we live in a “rural, country” setting far different from all the lights and sounds he now found himself in). I begged my heart to quit racing so he’d think I was calm and I was able to 1/2 crawl, 1/2 walk to him and scoop him up. My youngest daughter didn’t put him down for a week.
If you have kittens in your family, give yourself at least 10 extra minutes before leaving and do a “head count” before ever starting the car. I also tapped on the hood of the vehicle before pulling out as well. Crazy thing is, that particular night, I tapped and banged as usual and no kitten came out. Apparently “Taco Bo” was sound asleep!
Keeping pets safe and keeping them from wandering off is a lot like keeping children safe. You pretty much have to look at every possible scenario, then do everything in your power to prevent it. You have to think like they would and look at the world from their viewpoint.
July is Lost Pet Prevention, which is something I’m excited about. Lost pet signs always make me feel like crying. As someone who loves her cats like they’re family (which they are, of course), the thought of anyone helplessly searching for their furry little loved one breaks my heart. Been there, done that, and hope to never walk in those shoes again.
Below is a great article that was generously shared with Cat Pause’s readers. I hope with all my heart you’ll never need the advice, but here it is, just in case. In honor of the month, I’m currently working on an article, “Ways to Keep Your Pet From Ending Up in the Lost and Found!” which I’ll post asap.
Even if your pets are safe and secure, read the article because the advice is priceless – and even if you never, personally, need it, you may one day know someone who will. I would add posting on Facebook and Twitter to #6. Bottom line is you want to put as many animal lovers on the case as possible. My youngest daughter and I once spent a couple of hours on a hot summer afternoon looking for a lost dog for someone. Fortunately the little cutie was found – dirty, exhausted, and greatly relieved to see his family!
I’d also add this: when looking for your cat or dog, having one person in the car and one or more walking is ideal. Most pets actually know the sound of the family car and (especially dogs) may respond to it as quickly as they will the sound of your voice. Also, walk slowly as you call – giving them time to respond. Cats, especially, go through quite a “thought process” before making a move.
Nearly one in five lost pets goes missing after being scared by the sound of fireworks, thunderstorms or other loud noises, according to a survey by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And, while losing your pet can be a traumatic experience for both you and your pet, have hope as 93% of dogs and 75% of cats reported lost are returned safely to their homes according to another survey.
If you do lose your pet, here are 10 top tips to help reunite you with your furry friend as quickly as possible:
About the Author: Paul Mann is the Founder the CEO of Fetch! Pet Care—the nation’s largest and most trusted franchisor for professional pet sitting, dog walking, and pet fitness/exercise services—serving thousands of pets and pet parents throughout the United States from coast to coast. He may be reached online at: www.FetchPetCare.com.
