Cats, For Puppies, New Pet Owners, Pet Care
When choosing a family pet, it is wise to take into consideration your child’s abilities and level of understanding in caring of your family pet. The ASPCA offers some advice on choosing an age appropriate pet for your child as well as pointers on creating a positive relationship between your pet and your child.
Infants- If you already have a pet or if you acquire one while your child is an infant, be sure to closely monitor the time spent between your pet and baby. They need time to spend short amounts of time together in order to get adjusted to each other. The amount of time they are together can be increased over time, as they become more comfortable with each other. Before bringing a new baby home to your pet, some suggest leaving one of the baby’s blankets with the pet, so they can become familiar with the new smell.
Toddlers, Age 1-3- Most toddlers will grab and pull on the ears, fur, legs and tail of your pet. When adopting a new pet, keep this in mind and select a pet that has a high tolerance for this kind of interaction. If adopting an older pet, be sure to choose one with a history of living with children. Also, remember that your toddler will naturally be curious about the food dishes, water bowls, litter boxes, and fish tank equipment. Keeping these things out of reach will allow for a safer environment for your pet and child.
Young Children, Age 3-5– Your young child may be interested in helping to care for your pet and is learning to develop empathy. If you already have a pet, allowing your young child to assist you with feeding, brushing, and cleaning the pet will further develop these skills as well as strengthen the bond between your child and pet. When considering a pet for your young child, ASPCA suggests you consider a guinea pig for your family pet. They generally don’t bite, they love to be held, and they typically squeal or whistle when they are happy, which can be quite amusing for a young child.
Children Age 5-10– Children at this age are very interested in caring for their pets, with a parent’s supervision. As they assist in feeding, cleaning, and grooming chores, parents are encouraged to reinforce good hygiene for both the pets and themselves. When choosing a pet for a child at this age, the ASPCA recommends small pets such as gerbils or fish, as children this age tend to have “inconsistent attention spans.”
Pre-Teen Age 10-13– Preteen youths are often times very engaged in caring for their pets and are fully capable of doing so. At this age, a pre-teen is usually ready to care for a pet which requires a significant amount of care and attention such as: a dog, cat, rabbit, etc. Parental supervision is encouraged to ensure pets are not neglected. When choosing a pet for your child at this age, consider your child’s lifestyle and interests. Active pre-teens should be paired with active pets, such as a playful puppy. Children who are looking for a pet to love, groom, pet, etc. would be better paired with an older dog or cat that is friendly with children.
Teens Age 13-17– Your teen may love pets and be responsible enough to care for a pet on their own. At this age, one thing to keep in mind is that your teen may have a very busy lifestyle, with little time to care for a pet. Also, when selecting a teen’s pet, consider the expected life-span of that pet, and plans for that pet’s care when your teen leaves the home for college. Some pets such as: lizards and fish may be the perfect pet for your teen and their busy, on-the-go lifestyle.
By understanding how to create a positive relationship between your children and pets, you will allow for a happier, safer home for your entire family.
For more information on this topic and many others, please visit the ASPCA website at: www.aspca.org
Cats, Pet Health
Cats and kittens can carry an intestinal parasite known as Toxoplasma in their stool, which does not necessarily pose health risks to the cats but can cause birth defects in unborn human babies. The same parasite can be found in meats that are undercooked or uncooked as well. Pregnant women who own cats should avoid exposure to the parasite by allowing others to
clean their pet’s litter box. Although the disease in cats is rare, it is always best to take extra precautions when pregnant.
For more information on this topic and many others regarding your pet, visit: www.peteducation.com
Cats, Pet Health, TLC News
What to do About Feral Cats in Your Scottsdale Community
The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are as many as 50 million feral cats in the United States. It’s vital to reduce their numbers whether you’re concerned about them, indifferent, or annoyed by them. (HSUS website, 4/27/10)
What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?
A stray cat is a pet that is lost or abandoned and often tries to make a home near humans (i.e. in a garage, porch or backyard.) Feral cats are the offspring of lost, abandoned, or feral cats that are not spayed or neutered. Unlike stray cats which are generally tame, feral cats are not accustomed to people making them fearful and too wild to be handled. Stray cats may be reunited with their families or adopted into new homes. Feral cats do not easily adapt or may never adapt to living as a pet. They live in groups called colonies, and take refuge wherever they can find food, such as: rodents, other small animals, and garbage. “Ear-tipping” is one way to identify feral cats. “Ear-tipping is the humane surgical removal of 1/4 tip of the left ear to let people know that a cat has been spayed or neutered already to prevent any additional surgeries”. (Humane Society of the United States Online Publication, 4/27/10).
Female cats can reproduce as young as 5 months old and have kittens two to three times a year. Many feral cats don’t survive, and if they do, their lives are not easy without humane caretakers. They may only live two years, but with the help of humans they can live up to ten years or more. Feral cats are forced to endure extreme weather, be it cold, rainy, or hot. They also struggle with starvation, infections, and attacks from other animals. “Feral cats also face eradication by humans—poison, trapping, gassing, and steel leg-hold traps are all ways humans, including some animal control and government agencies, try to kill off feral cat populations.” (ASCPA website F.AQ)
There are many things you can do to help improve the health and quality of life of feral cats:
- Take the necessary steps to find the owners of stray cats or a suitable permanent home for them.
- Some may believe that feeding a feral cat is the most humane solution. Instead, the ideal solution for handling a feral cat should be to: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Many who are against feeding feral cats, may assume that if there is no food available, the cats will go away. However, this is not true. Feral cats are territorial animals that can survive for weeks without food, and will not easily or quickly leave their territory to search for new food sources.
- Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane, efficient, and least expensive way of controlling feral cat colonies. TNR entails trapping cats, having them spayed or neutered, vaccinating them for rabies, and then returning them to their colony. Once returned, a caretaker should provide food and adequate shelter while monitoring the cats’ health.
- You can contact www.alleycat.org.com to help you trap and neuter a feral cat.
Communities Benefit From TNR
“TNR helps the community by stabilizing the population of the feral colony and, over time, reducing it. At the same time, nuisance behaviors such as spraying, loud noise and fighting are largely eliminated and no more kittens are born.” (APSCA website, F.AQ) TNR also aids communities by reducing the number of unadoptable kittens ending up in shelters in order to make space for the cats and kittens who are adoptable. In addition, feral cats that have been spayed or neutered may actually benefit communities because they provided a natural rodent control.
In-Home Pet Care, Dog Walking
Scottsdale, Arizona
480-588-1364
