Fear Free Happy Homes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Scratching. It’s a perfectly normal, natural cat behavior that meets grooming, exercise, and communication needs. But while cats enjoy the sensation of scratching and use their scratch marks to send messages to other cats—“Blinky was here” or “Look how big I am!”—the destructive nature of the habit can put owners and cats at odds with […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes How do I know my pet loves me? I get asked this question a lot! I suppose first I need to address whether or not pets can love. They certainly do have emotional capacity, as Temple Grandin, Ph.D., pointed out in her book, “Animals in Translation.” Others have demonstrated the same regarding the similar brain […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes Has your pet come face to face with a coyote recently? Even if you were right there, it probably struck fear not only into your pet’s heart but into yours as well. As urbanization sprawls into canyons, woodlands, and other areas that until recently have been home to animals only, confrontations between wildlife, humans, dogs, […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Who doesn’t like to have a friend along when facing a frightening situation? Dogs are no different. They are better equipped to face their fears in the presence of a friend, and that friend’s company can make them less likely to panic during scary circumstances. Whether your dog’s best friend is a person—you!—or another dog […]
Reading Time: 3 minutes A half-century ago, most cats lived outdoors, rarely visited the veterinary clinic, and lacked any commercial toys designed to encourage them to play with a purpose. The year was 1968, and there was not a single cat-only veterinary practice in the country. Funding for feline behavioral research was essentially nonexistent. You’ve come a long way, […]
Reading Time: < 1 minutes Have you thought about what makes your cat happy? Maybe you should. Today, we will talk with Dr. Lynn Bahr who is a veterinarian and Feline Enrichment Specialist. Dr. Bahr loves to share ways you can use what you have to make cat friendly spaces and she even innovates cool cat products herself! Be the first […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you have a fearful pet or you simply prefer that he stay in familiar surroundings while you’re out of town on business or vacation, you likely have hired or considered hiring a pet sitter. That’s smart. Dogs and cats thrive with a routine, so when their family leaves on a trip, it can turn […]
Reading Time: 4 minutes You probably don’t think about it as you’re filling up your kitten’s food dish, but what you feed and the way you present it affects more than just growth: it’s the foundation for a healthy, happy future. A nutritious diet is important for development, but the amount of food and how your kitten eats it […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hunting feeders are the 2018 buzz words for cats. When you understand the science, it’s easy to see why. Cats have an innate need to hunt, catch, and play with multiple small meals every day–not eat from a bowl. Cats kept indoors are safer from infectious disease and accidents, but when we fail to meet […]
Reading Time: 2 minutes Does your dog whine, wiggle, and wet whenever you come home? That could be excitement related or even fear related to your homecomings. Of course, you don’t want your dog to be scared, but the wet floor ratchets up your stress levels, too. What does it mean, and what’s a caring pet parent to do? […]