Different reasons may lead you to make meals for your cat such as the safety of commercially made food if you fear that it may be contaminated. The health of the cat may result to the need for homemade food in order to prevent risks such as urinary tract infections or heart disease. You may also want to give your cat home meals so that you can control the ingredients used. Whatever your reasons, the first thing you should do is to know the nutritional needs of your cat. Know the nutrients they require and from which foods. You can also consult with a veterinarian or a certified nutritionist before making the diet. Show the vet the recipes you intend to use to ensure that the cat will be getting a balanced diet.

Nutrients required in the cats foods

Make sure that the meals you will be preparing for the cat has all the nutrients the cat requires. Essential foods that you should include are:

Pet collars are used for many purposes including protection, training, and identification.  Most pet owners, make use of the collar to attach the leash, used in walking pets. There are numerous styles and types of the leashes in the market such as leather, nylon, and cotton. Nevertheless, it is important to install the collar appropriately, so that your dog feels comfortable and does not choke. There are many reasons why you will need a collar. To begin with, it acts as an anchor for attaching leashes, to facilitate ease walking of the dog. It also plays a great role in ensuring the safety of the animal. For example, if your pet gets lost, it will be easy to find it, as compared to if it did not have the collar. Hence, a pet collar can be used as the identification badge, where it contains all the necessary information of the owner. Pet collars are also used for training dogs on how to follow their owners.

Cats are not appropriate candidates for pet collars. They are quite mischievous. They have the tendency of getting their paws and jaws stuck in the collar, as they try to disentangle from the collar. If you want to protect the cat, a surgically installed chip, will help to trace the cat, when it runs away. Pet collars are available in cloth, leather, and nylon materials. They also feature metallic, slip or buckle closures. The nylon and cloth are cheaper and they come in different styles and colors. On the other hand, leather is durable and it softens with time. There are many collars including walking collars, training collars, traditional collars, and martingale collars among others. All these pet collars, restricts the pet from moving its head out easily, and can be used as head halters and harnesses.

Halters and harnesses come in handy, on pets who like pulling on the leashes or display symptoms of respiratory problems. They are designed to put no pressure on the chest or throat area.  In addition, there are bark collars, which are used to restrain the dog from barking unnecessarily. Some device is placed in the collar and remote based, is hidden on the inside of the collar, to ensure it is hardly noticeable. In as much as, they are unlimited options of pet collars, the one you select must be fitting well on the dog. It is important that you put the size of your dog at the back of your mind, when choosing the collar. Of course, you will not carry your pet to the market, hence, take the measurements of their neck, and leave an allowance of 2 to 3 inches. Once you have bought the collar, you should be able to put two fingers under the pet collar. If this is not possible, you may consider getting another collar for the pet.

Dry skin condition, does not only affect humans but also pets. It is even better for humans since they can put their flaking skin in check by applying moisturizers and lotions. However, for the dogs, such as luxuries are hard to come by. Dry skin comes because of intensive exposure to the dry indoor air and the chapping impacts of the cold air during the winter season.  A few DIY treatment options can help regain the dog’s skin and the natural glow of its skin. A daily brushing will be a good place to start, since some of the itchiness, is caused by lack of natural oils on the skin of the dog. This causes the fur to appear dry and brittle. The brushing catalyzes the production of these oils, facilitating their fur to regain its natural look, while reducing the itchiness.

Bathing the dog can also help to soothe an itchy skin. However, ensure that you do not overdo it, since it can remove the very oils, you are trying to stimulate, their production. Use medicated shampoo for dogs, with oatmeal protein, which you can make by putting 4 cups of ground oatmeal in a lukewarm bath. Gently, wash the dog in the bath. Once you are done bathing the pet, rub its fur with baby oil, olive oil or fish oil and cover it with a towel, until the oils are completely absorbed by the skin. Sometimes, poor dietary habits may be causing your pet‘s skin to break out. While dry skin problems are popularly associated with climate conditions, a little diet change can make a difference. Use a tablespoon or two of olive or flaxseed oil, for two to three times weekly, to help in replenishing some of the vital elements, the dog requires keeping its skin from flaking. Other foods, which can help in rejuvenating the skin, include a raw egg or one sardine dipped in olive oil. Do note that, these two are very rich in nutrients, hence, give the dog only once per week.

In some cases, you may consider changing the dog’s food, but be sure to consult with your local vet, on the best feeds for your dog. There are several varieties to choose from, which are manufactured for maintaining the pet’s skin oily and looking nice. While at it, always ensure the dog is hydrated. Other options include use of supplements and vitamins. Ensure that the supplement you choose is laden with fatty acids such as Omega -3 and vitamins including, B3, A and E. These nutrients are all responsible for ensuring a soft skin and lustrous fur on your dog. If your dog’s dry skin condition keeps on repeating or deteriorates, it is an intelligent move to take it to the vet. However, this will only happen, if you do not feed and clean the pet appropriately. The above guide can help you keep a healthy pet while preventing the buildup of allergens in your indoors.

Some animals are shy, owing to lack of good introduction to people, things, or places, when they are developing from puppies to mature pets. Other causes for the timidity displayed by such animals include physical abuse, emotional trauma, and inadequate social interaction. If such emotions in the animal are not addressed, the pet may result into biting and aggression.  You can rescue your dog. To begin with, set up situations for helping the dog, to learn new positive responses. If you have a helper, lay out some guidelines on how to handle the dog. For instance, tell the helper to avoid eye contact with the animal and ensure to stand by its side, while keeping a safe distance. Do not try to force the dog, to get close to the person. The helper can maintain the same level with the animal and with the help of pet treats; the dog will be lured to the helper.

As the helper, performs the exercises, you should be at a closer range, showing your approval of the stranger. Avoid comforting the dog, in case it feels threatened, since, this will only reinforce the bad behaviors. You may need to repeat this set –up session, to give the dog enough time, to shed off its timidity. Help your dog to get accustomed to all types of people and experiences. For instance, if you find that the pet shies away from men, have a man prepare its meal, and takes it out. As time passes by, they will get used to the people. On the other hand, if the dog has a problem, with a member of the family, who either invokes fear on the animal or speaks in a loud voice, they will have to change their behaviors, when around the pet.

You cannot be adequate company for your dog. It needs other animals for emotional stability. Hence, if it displays fear and timidity, when around other dogs, start by introducing the calmer dogs and then, afterwards release it bond with other big dogs. In addition, furnish the dog with agility and obedience skills. These small tactics, will help the dog in forming lasting relationships with the members of the family and with any other person, they meet. The more skills the dog will learn, the more it will gain confidence. Your method of training will make a difference between a fearful dog and a confident pet, which will be a love of many. Be sure, to maintain gentleness, when handling the animal and reward it with treats.
Lastly, take the dog outdoors, from time to time.  Ensure to introduce to the neighbors and pets from the neighborhood. This way, it will become confident and make friends.  A shy dog can be a challenge to deal with, since we all want a playful pet, which will make our days and color our evenings. However, it is not the end of the world that your pet is fearful and shy. You can make it better by using the above strategies.

Ticks thrive on animals and your pets may fall victim. This may result to a tick infestation in your home that can endanger the animals if they get tick related diseases. In case you have a tick infestation, it is important to control it as fast as possible to get rid of the ticks. The tips below will help you to clear the tick problem without using harsh chemicals. Check the pets for ticks on a regular basis. If they have them, have them treated immediately. This will help to reduce the chances of the pet reintroducing the ticks to the house. It is also important that every time you take the pet outdoors, you should check it for ticks and remove them.

Vacuuming can help to get rid of ticks. Vacuum all the areas that the pet goes often. Pay close attention to where the pet sleeps, on the window frames and baseboards. These areas should be vacuumed at least once a day until there is no more infestation. Make sure you get rid of the vacuum bag immediately after the first cleaning so that the eggs do not hatch inside. To prevent the carpet from harboring the eggs and ticks, you can steam it using a steam cleaner or by using the services of a professional cleaner. This is especially important if the carpet is thick and likely to hide the eggs. The steam penetrates the fibers and kills the eggs. You can also steam fabric sofas to get rid of the eggs. Another area that can easily harbor ticks and their eggs are where the pet sleeps. Wash the pets beddings using hot soapy water and use high temperatures to dry them. This will help to kill ticks and their eggs.

Cracks on the window frames and on baseboards can be a hiding place for the ticks. Seal these cracks and any other cracks in the house so that the ticks will not find a place to lay eggs or hide. In addition to the cleaning, ensure that you create a hostile environment in the house for the ticks by using fans and dehumidifiers. This will ensure the house does not have damp air that the ticks prefer. Continuous cleaning is also important in dealing with an infestation. This will help to break the cycle, especially when keeping in mind that tick eggs may hatch after 30 days. These measures will help you to deal with indoor tick infestation. If the outdoor is also infested, you should also get rid of the ticks to prevent them from getting back in the house. Get rid of all the overgrown areas and shades where the ticks may thrive. Trim the grass and clear the leaves and debris that may be on the yard. Prevent animals that carry ticks such as deer from getting into your property by using a fence. Check if the fence is infested, in which case, you can use insecticide on infested areas.