How do you keep your cat (and your Christmas tree) safe? Some cat owners use foil, decorative stones or other barriers around the base to discourage climbing. Get a stable stand to keep the tree secure and use jingle bells in the tree as an alert in case your adventurous kitty happens to land on a branch. Consider pricklier varieties of pine trees, like Colorado Blue Spruce or Norway Spruce, which are less appealing to cats. Best of all, make this holiday tradition special for your kitty by getting an alternative tree just for them - a cat climbing tree or perch placed right near the Christmas tree.
How do you keep your cat (and your Christmas tree) safe? Some cat owners use foil, decorative stones or other barriers around the base to discourage climbing. Get a stable stand to keep the tree secure and use jingle bells in the tree as an alert in case your adventurous kitty happens to land on a branch. Consider pricklier varieties of pine trees, like Colorado Blue Spruce or Norway Spruce, which are less appealing to cats. Best of all, make this holiday tradition special for your kitty by getting an alternative tree just for them - a cat climbing tree or perch placed right near the Christmas tree.
Raw freeze-dried treats and toppers provide a powerhouse of nutrition in a very condensed form. This makes them a great solution, especially for the pet who just “takes a few bites”. They come in a variety of flavors and textures. While poultry and beef are common flavors, there are plenty of hypoallergenic options. Pictured around the sides of the bowl are toppers: turkey, elk with venison, salmon and rabbit. In the center are raw rabbit freeze-dried nuggets.
Many years ago when Legend was a pup, we discovered he had knocked a small container of fertilizer off the shelf (it was in a container that was shaped like a tomato so it looked and smelled like food). Luckily we heard the racket and there he was about to lick up the fertilizer off the floor. (We also had to bring him in to ER for ingestion of a xylitol muffin and rat poison at someone’s house.) He was tall as a person, a curious pup and enjoyed rummaging through the shelves! When did these incidents occur? When we had company, during the holidays or when we had important family health matters and weren’t watching his every move.
The holidays are a busy time! Take a few minutes to just make sure that dangerous items in your garage are out of your pet’s reach. Pets are strangely attracted to the smells and will eat them. If you think your pet has ingested anything, don’t wait. Please contact your vet or pet poison control helpline right away. Every second counts.
Today is International Day of Veterinary Medicine, a day to recognize the valuable contributions of veterinary professionals worldwide. The first veterinary school was opened in France in 1762. For hundreds of years, veterinarians have been caring for animals as well as doing significant research to further advance their health and welfare. There are different kinds of veterinarians ranging from those that treat small companion animals to livestock and exotics as well as those who work in research and specialty fields.
Pictured is Legend's holistic veterinarian Dr. David Gordon (with his yorkie Chauncey) from Arch Beach Veterinary Clinic who works tirelessly to help keep Legend and all of his patients healthy. AskAriel would like to thank all of the veterinary professionals across the world who are helping to make the lives of animals better!