Advice for Indoor Only Cats?

Question:  Hi, I am a sweet little kitten, sometimes I look outside and see other cats playing and cannot wait to get out there myself, when will my new owner will let me go outside to play?
From Anxious Kitten

Dear Anxious Kitten
Do not be surprised if your new owner decides to keep you indoors a little longer, or if they decide to keep you indoors for the rest of your life.  Many new cat owners ask "When can my kitten go outside?"  and learn that their new kitten should not go outside until it is fully vaccinated and spayed or neutered.  Kittens who are not spayed have many risks, cat sexually transmitted diseases are common and pregnancy in a kitten (if you are female you might go into heat as early as 5 months of age) is very dangerous - cats in heat should never go outside.  You should have also been kept indoors for at least a month so you are familiar with your home. 

New kitten owners are usually told not to let their kitten outside, there are lots of risks to kittens who go outside, including bigger cats, eagles, foxes, traffic, and neighbors who hate cats.  I know the outside looks fun, but it can be a dangerous place for a little kitten.

Question:  I am a big cat, big because I am getting fatter everyday. I like being indoors but have nothing to do except eat.  What can I do to keep thin and trim as an indoor only cat?
From Fat Kitty

Dear Fat Kitty
Do be aware that your size might not be related to being indoors, some outside cats are fat too, in fact obesity is a common problem in cats and is often related to being fed a poor quality food (one with very little meat and lots of filler and fat to add flavor). You might need to be put on a kitty diet.

Of course your weight could be due to lack of exercise as you said you do not really do much other than eat.  This is your owner's fault.  They should try to give you more cat toys and spend more time playing with you to keep you active.  Cats like toys they have not seen for a while so your owner should have a lot of toys but should keep some hidden from you and switch them around regularly.  Your owner can even move your cat furniture around too and should try to engage you in playing more often.

There are many ways to keep an indoor only cat happy and healthy.

Question:  Hello, cats are suppose to be outdoors right, so why does my stupid owner keep me inside all the time?
From Frustrated Cat

Dear Frustrated Cat
Cats were domesticated thousands of years ago, nobody wrote any rules up saying they had to be outside.  In most areas domestic cats are healthier, and safer, if kept indoors only.  Some people hate cats and have found ways to hurt them if the cat comes into their yard.  There are risks of diseases from other cats (even if you are vaccinated) as well as fights.  Plus many cats who go outside become lost, or are stolen.  Many cities actually have laws saying that cats must be kept on their owners property, but problems occur because cats do not follow rules too well.  Sadly when they stray some cats end up in shelters and if not adopted they are euthanized.  Cats are often hit and killed by cars, even if they have gone outside and crossed the road safely hundreds of times before.

Maybe your owner is not so stupid after all, maybe they are keeping you indoors because they love you.

If you can manage to convince your owner to let you outside they would be best to build you a catio or cat enclosure first so that you can remain safely enclosed.  Or they can train you to walk on a leash and as such can take you out safely.

Help for Confused Racehorses

Question: Hello I am a Thoroughbred race horse and I am a little confused. I was born in the spring, April I believe, yet everyone keeps saying my birthday was January 1. Well that is the middle of winter, and I know I was not born in the middle of winter. What is wrong with these people, did they not keep proper records? Oh by the way, I am going to be racing soon, how exciting!

Signed Your Winner

Dear Winner

I wish you the best luck on the track, as well the fact that you said you are going to be racing soon gives a clue to why the people say your birth date was January 1. Race horses run in races against horses of the same age group as themselves. This is made easier by assigning all race horses the same birthday of January 1 of the year they were actually born. If you are in a race for two year olds you know that all other horses were born the same year as you, but not necessarily the same month, some may have been born in February, others in May.

If race horses went by their actual birth day and the race was held in April, a race for two year olds might have some horses born in February, that just turned two years old, and others that were born in May, and are well over two years old, about to turn three, this would be far less fair.

Most breeders try to have their foals born in February, March, April, so they will be a little more mature for racing than those born in May or June, but they do not want to have a foal born too soon because if it is born in December it will be a whole year behind the others in terms of its birthday.

An interesting note is that horses born south of the equator, for example in Australia, are assigned a different birth day since the seasons are opposite, as such August 1 is the official birthday of race horses born in Australia, adjusted only if they come to the northern hemisphere to race.

These birthdays also apply to other racehorses, not just Thoroughbreds, however your registration papers will have your correct and actual birth date on them.

Question:  Hello, I am puzzled about my color, I was bay when born but am getting white hairs. I am a 3 year old Thoroughbred racehorse, some people say I am roan, others say I am gray, what color am I?

Signed Faded Out

Dear Faded Out

Your correct color would be said to be gray however in the racehorse industry sometimes a horse who is in the process of turning gray is said to be roan. Really roan is a permanent color (not actually seen in Thorougbreds but common in Quarter  Horses), it never changes from birth to old age, but gray horses are born solid and gradually get more and more white hairs until they are completely gray, which by the way is not the same as being white, because white horses are rare and are actually born white. So to clarify you are gray, but might be called roan until you have more white hairs.

Advice for Animals Confused by Enrichment

Question: Hello I am a sheep, one of many in a small flock. They other day a strange orange object was thrown over the fence. Right now I am just playing with it, pushing it around with me head, I don't know what it is but it sure smells interesting. I am wondering is this thing safe?

Signed, Blackie Sheep

Dear Blackie Sheep

The orange object is a pumpkin and they are very good for you, and your friends, to eat. Pumpkins are loaded with nutrition and are very good for you to eat. They are excellent for your digestive system and even help get rid of some worms (although a proper wormer is still needed to get rid of all worms). Pumpkins are great to help your eyes stay healthy, and the seeds have oils that will help you stay young looking.

A lot of people give pumpkins to their animals in the fall. Even the zoos will give their zoo animals pumpkins, not only are these for the zoo animals to eat, but they provide enrichment in their lives; something new and different!. As you have already discovered they are fun to play with, but you can safely eat them too, they are tasty, full of nutrition, and add variety to your diet.

Question: I am a horse. Recently my owner threw a tire over the fence into my pasture. A tire, really? I am a horse, I don't drive, I don't even have a car, for Pete's sake what is going on here?

Signed, Tired Horse

Dear Tired Horse

Your owner is providing enrichment, the tire is for you to play with, not to put on a car and drive. Sometimes horses get bored and bored horses often develop stable vices such as chewing the fence, or cribbing. The tire is something to play with, you can pick it up in, and try to toss it around. It is pretty hard to find good toys for horses, although some stores sell balls for horses, it can be cheaper for a person to find a tire and see if you enjoy that first before they buy you a more expensive horse toy.

Toys, such as tires and rubber balls, are really good for horses that live alone and don't have a lot to do in the day.

Advice for Pets at Halloween

Question:  Help, I am normally a sweet natured dog, I know it is late in October and this happens every year.  My owners dress themselves up in costumes and try to dress me up too.  They seem to like it, I do not.  What can I do to prevent this yearly torture?
Signed Dog in Disguise

Dear Dog in Disguise
The end of October brings a holiday called Halloween.  Many people enjoy dressing in costumes and some dogs are okay with this too, but some dogs do not like it.  The costume is not designed to hurt or frighten you, and should allow for proper movement and vision.  If wearing a costume scares you then your owner should not dress you up, or should practice a few days ahead of time, and offer you treats as they train you to accept the costume.

One thing pet owners need to realize this that not only can it be frightening for a pet to wear a costume but when out it is hard for other dogs to "read" the body language of a dog in costume, so owners who dress their dog up need to be aware of this even if a dog is comfortable wearing a costume.

photo source

Question:  Hello, I am one very unhappy cat.  Every year at this time my owners keep me inside, I normally go out when I want.  How can I get them to let me out?
Signed Blackie the Cat

Dear Blackie the Cat
Your owners are probably just trying to keep you safe for a few weeks as pranksters have been known to take cats at Halloween time.  Sometimes the people just want a black cat to use for their party, other times they may play cruel pranks on the cat.  Black cats in particular are at risk, but all pets are vulnerable to pranks.

Also Halloween night itself can be very frightening for a cat that is outside, there are children running around, and lots of noises including fireworks.  You might be scared and run and hide.  You will be safer indoors for a while, many people will actually put their cat in the basement or bathroom the night of Halloween to prevent it from running out the door.

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Question:  Hello I am a small dog, every year my owners take me Trick or Treating, but they never share the chocolate and candy.  I think this is unfair.  What can I do to get my fair share of the candy?
Signed Treats

Dear Treats
I know it seems unfair to do all that work and get none of the candy.  However some things that people can eat can be deadly for you.  It is just not worth the risk of letting you have even a small piece of chocolate.  The other candy could cause you to have diarrhea or tummy cramps so they are not good for you either, some have sweeteners that are toxic to you.  Hopefully one of the houses you visit this year will give out dog treats, or your owner will have some at home to give you afterwards.

Happy Halloween!

Advice for Bored Cats

Question:

Hello, I am a cat, I am so bored. My owner does not play with me, I am not allowed outside, I have had the same stupid toys for years, I am getting fat and sleep all the time. My life is boring, what can I do to spice up my life?

Signed Bored Kitty

Answer:

Dear Kitty

It is up to your owner to make your life more stimulating and interesting. Sadly some cat owners just forget how important it is to play with their cats. Cats do suffer from boredom, although this is more common in dogs, no offense but this is because dogs are a bit smarter than cats. People tend to address the issues of boredom in dogs more directly, because if a dog is bored, it often becomes destructive.

I am not suggesting you become destructive in order to get your owner's attention, but you do need to do something. I realize your toys are boring, but perhaps if you play with them your owner might be motivated to buy you new toys. Most cat owners fail to realize that cats like toys they have not seen for a while. You might look at the same toy for days, but if your owner hides it for a few weeks then brings it out, you may show a sudden sign of interest in the toy.

Some cat toys are better than others. Most adult cats like cat nip toys (young kittens do not notice cat nip), but if you are overweight this might not be a good idea since cat nip is also an appetite stimulant. I suggest honeysuckle toys. These cat toys might be hard to find but are excellent. Your owner should have a variety of cat toys and should rotate them often, keeping some tucked away and swapped out on a weekly basis. Your owner should try to engage you in play from time to time too, as that will make your life more interesting.

A well placed piece of cat furniture can be a good idea. Cats like to look out the window so a cat tower with a resting spot near a window is great. Of course you will probably sleep there too, but cats do sleep for 16 hours a day.

Another thought is that your owner might consider adopting another kitty pal. Cats typically object to having a new cat introduced unless it is done slowly and correctly, but usually having another cat in the house does provide some interest, and is a good idea for owners who are not home often.

Related Reading for Cat Owners

How to Exercise a Lazy Cat

Advice for Breeding Betta Fish

Question:

Hi, I am a pet female Betta fish, and I always thought it might be nice to raise a little fishy family, but it seems impossible if I cannot be put with a male without worrying that he will try to fight me. How do we have a family?

Signed, Betta Babe

 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_betta_fish_breeding.jpg

Answer: Dear Babe

As you know male Bettas often fight, which is why they are also often called Siamese Fighting Fish. Female Betta fish look an awful lot like a wild Betta male, it is just that through breeding, the pet Betta fish have just been bred to be fancier. As male Betta fish are very territorial a male will fight even the prettiest Betta babe, that is, unless she is in her breeding pattern.

In order to breed you, a female Betta, must be put into a roomy tank where the male lives. There should be a divider between you and the male, but water should flow between. This way you will both pick up each other scent in the water. If fed a good diet, eventually you will enter your breeding phase (as pictured above), often changing colors to show vertical stripes which will indicate to him (along with the scent) that you are a female fish. You may also start to get plumper and eggs with form within you.

The male will usually build a bubble nest. Some do this anyhow regardless of if a female is there or not.

At this point your owner can put you with the male, but you need to be supervised in case the male Betta gets rough. He will usually wrap around you and this is when spawning (fish mating) takes place. You will release the eggs and he will start to collect them and scoop them up into the bubble nest. At that point your owner needs to actually remove you, I am afraid the family will not be as you expected.

The male Betta fish is the one that looks after the eggs, picking them up if they fall out of the nest, he would fight you just to keep you away, and you might even eat the eggs yourself. The little fry (baby fish) will hatch in about two days, and three days later they should be able to swim on their own at which time the father Betta is removed so he doesn't start to eat them.


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Advice for Dogs with Vestibular Disease

Question:  Hello I am an older poodle, I was recently diagnosed with vestibular diesease.  I noticed I was not feeling well, I thought I must have eaten something bad, I was dizzy as heck.  I started falling over and couldn't seem to focus my eyes on things, I felt really sick.  My owner took me to the vet who diagnosed me with Vestibular disease, what does this mean?

Signed, Wobbles and Falls Down

Answer:  Dear Wobbles,

It is good that you have been diagnosed.  Vestibular disease looks a lot like a stroke in dogs, but is sometimes less serious, both problems are more common in older dogs than younger ones.  Vestibular disease is basically a problem with your inner ear and the nerves that run to the brain.  This causes dizziness and other symptoms, such as falling over, poor balance, and so forth, you may even find you are holding your head at a tilt.  When a dog feels dizzy they often do not want to eat, and may vomit.

Your vet might give you medication to help with the nausea.  They might be able to treat the problem causing your inner ear to be such a trouble maker for you, this could be an infection, or other cause.  Sometimes vestibular disease starts all on its own and goes away on its own, but this could take weeks or months.

I know that as a human, or dog, being dizzy is no fun.  You need to take it easy, go for short walks in safe places.  Do not go up or down stairs without help.  Try to stay calm, and relaxed and hopefully you will be feeling better soon.

Vestibular disease is not deadly, but it is very stressful, and difficult to experience, you may have some long term side effects (such as a permanent head tilt) even after you are well.

Dog owners can read more about Vestibular Disease to learn how to help their dogs, and what to expect.