They dont take up much room, they dont eat much and theyre fairly easy to care for. On the downside, they also tend to have shorter life spans than some other animals, meaning the kids (and adults) who become attached to them face the heartbreak of losing their pet sooner. Remember that they still take care, even though theyre very small. Cages can become very smelly if not cleaned regularly.Hermit crabs These are a recent hit with many people and youll find that hermit crabs are readily available in malls and pet stores. Theyre not cuddly and theyre very shy, but there are some positive points. If handled carefully and often, they can become quite friendly. Children can learn a lot from watching them drink, burrow and change shells. Care is minimal and the biggest routine chore is probably keeping the sponges wet (hermit crabs drink from a sponge). Prairie dogs Quite a few people have discovered that these furry little guys make great indoor pets.

Theyre inquisitive and most have very unique personalities. If raised in captivity, a prairie dog will typically be happy to remain inside with no attempts at escape. They can be litter box trained and many families report that their prairie dogs have free roam of the house. The downsides include the fact that these animals like to chew. If trained well, theyll chew only in designated places, but furniture and clothing can become casualties of their need to gnaw. Remember, theyre wild animals and you should be careful of your source to be sure you have a healthy animal.There are plenty more options that you may not have considered. If youre looking for great pets, dont immediately assume that a cat or dog are your only choices.

Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click. Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 mins a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker.

Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a ClickerOnce you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.To sum up training your cat, important things to remember is have patience, love and the clicker.

2. Groom your cat properly.Cats are in the habit of grooming themselves. You will often see them using their tongue to clean their coat. In spite of this, you should still do your part in grooming your cat if you want to keep them really clean.Brush your cat’s fur regularly. There are several short-haired cats that need minimal brushing. For this, you can use a comb with soft bristles. There are also cat breeds which have long, silky furs and this variety needs a much longer grooming time. Use a wide-toothed comb initially then brush up with a fine toothed one afterwards. You can also use talcum powder in order to separate the hair strands. Make sure that you brush with gentle strokes so that their skin will not be hurt or scratched.Cats are also not that fond of taking a bath. But there are times when your cat would need bathing. This is when they have accumulated a lot of dirt on the skin and coat. Bathing will help eliminate ticks and lice. Also, there might be substances that could cling on the fur which can be poisonous and it is important for them to bathe.

When bathing your pet, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats. Prepare the following before bathing:-a small tub or sink-slip-proof mat -water spray attachment -clean, dry towels -shampoo -combAdjust the water temperature, then place your cat in the small tub or sink before filling it up with water. It is better to attach a sprayer in the faucet rather than pouring water directly onto its body. Apply a liberal amount of shampoo on the cat’s body, and try to avoid the face, especially the eyes and ears. After rinsing, towel them dry and comb the coat. Bathing time should build trust and create some quality time between you and your pet cat. This should prevent your cat from making much of a fuss the next time it needs a bath. Another part of grooming is keeping the eyes, teeth and ears clean. Also remember to keep the paws clean and the nails trimmed. Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean these parts. You can also look for a nail trimmer specifically designed to use on your pet cat.

Ask a professional groomer or a veterinarian so that you can learn how to properly clean your cat’s eyes, ears, teeth and nails.

3. Feed them on time. Another aspect of keeping your cat happy and healthy is by feeding them well and on time. Your feline friends can learn how to “stick” to a schedule with your guidance and training. Make time in your busy day to feed them. You can learn which variety of cat food they prefer by serving different brands and variants. Along with cat food, you should give them plenty of clean water to drink. If you have a lot of pet cats, give them individual feeding plates. If there is just one dish, other cats might not be fed well because dominant felines will take the most part of the food that you serve.

4. Shower them with love and attention.By giving your cats your undivided attention while grooming and feeding them, you are already showering them with love and attention. In addition to this, make their play time a lot more fun by appreciating the things that they do.By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cat and be a contented owner. When we learn, we continue on a path of growth. Therefore, learning about this subject has already helped you more than you know.

* Has the depth of the litter in the box changed? Some cats like their litter deep, others shallow.* Your cat has outgrown the box and needs a larger one.* The box is too hard to enter and exit. This can be an issue for older cats.Do not put food and water near the litter box. Cats like these two areas kept separate (dont you?).If your cat has picked out a particular room to soil try closing the door to that room if you can or cover the target area with furniture.Put a bowl of food over the target area as cats like to keep their eating area away from their bathroom.Take your cat to the Vet on a regular basis.If you have more than one cat get each one of them their own litter box.Have you recently moved? A cat might smell an area where the previous owners cat urinated.Let the cat alone while it goes so it can have some privacy.If it is a new cat in your home it could take from three to eight weeks to get adjusted to the new environment. Be patient!Was there a recent addition or loss to the family? A new baby, spouse? This is usually temporary until the cat adjusts to the change in their environment.

A change in your schedule can throw off your cat’s schedule as well and cause problems. Try and phase in major lifestyle changes gradually.NEVER EVER punish the cat by kicking, hitting, chasing, screaming or rubbing their nose in their urine (remember the smell doesnt bother them). Cats cannot make the cause and effect connection like we can so punishment after the fact is useless and will only make matters worse.Cats are naturally very clean animals and they know where they are going. It is important to remember this and try and help your cat overcome any stress or anxiety they might be having in a caring and loving manner.

In addition, some on-animal formulations contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) that kill flea eggs on the animal. *Remember to read all insecticide labels, and to follow all precautions and dose directions.The insecticides used for flea control vary widely in toxicity and efficacy. Considerations for selecting a formulation include the size, weight and age of the animal, as well as the species.For example, greyhounds are a very chemical-sensitive breed and are more sensitive to insecticide products than most other dogs. Do not attach flea collars or flea-killing medallions on these dogs. Do not use chlorpyrifos, DDVP, methoxychior or malathion on greyhounds.Cats are more sensitive to organophosphate insecticides than dogs. In addition, cats groom themselves more than dogs and are more likely to ingest an insecticide by licking the residue from their fur.Kittens and puppies, because of their smaller size, require a lower dose than adult animals.

Young animals may also require treatment with insecticides of lower toxicity than adult animals. Pregnant or nursing animals may be sensitive to certain insecticides.Several products are available for especially sensitive pets and other situations that require lower risk chemical measures. These include the citrus peel extracts d-limonene and linalool, sorptive dusts such as silica aerogel or diatomaceous earth, the insect growth regulators fenoxycarb or methoprene, and insecticidal soaps.Theses words may seem foreign to you, but you can always consult a veterinarian if you have questions. They will have accurate information on insecticides and their use for flea control on pet animals. The insecticide label should also contain accurate information on how a particular formulation of an insecticide should and should not be used. *Remember to read these labels before opening the container!When using insecticides for flea control, remember that the applicator, namely your pet and you can be exposed to the insecticides several times.

The label may call for the use of gloves and other protective equipment during application and suggest the pet not be handled with unprotected hands until the treatment dries. All personal protective equipment listed on the label must be worn. As a minimum aspect, chemical-resistant gloves, apron and goggles should be worn while mixing insecticides and during application to prevent insecticide contact with the skin.The working area should be appropriate for containment of the pesticide and should be resistant to caustic materials. A stainless steel preparation table and stainless steel or ceramic tub are ideal. Also, certain parts of the pets body (such as the eyes) may be sensitive to the insecticides and must be shielded during application. When using flea bombs (aerosol cans with a self-releasing mechanism), follow all the precautions and remove the pets from the area being treated. For your information, using excessive aerosols is illegal and may cause fires and even explosions.

The other important part of an integrated flea management program is to control larval fleas in the habitat away from the animal. This can be achieved either mechanically or with insecticides. Mechanical or physical control of flea larvae involves removal and laundering of animal bedding and thorough cleaning of areas frequented by the animal.Using a vacuum with a beater bar and immediately disposing of the waste bag effectively eliminates up to half of the larvae and eggs in carpet. You should also launder animal bedding and thoroughly clean areas the animal frequents and dispose of the vacuum waste bag after every cleaning.Do not put insecticides in the vacuum cleaner bag. This is an illegal and dangerous use of the products and can harm you, your family and pets by creating dusts or fumes that could be inhaled.Another mechanical control measure is carpet shampooing or steam cleaning. This rids the carpet of blood feces, an important food for the larvae, and may also remove eggs and larvae.

In outdoor areas, cleaning up the places where animals like to rest reduces eggs and larvae and removes blood pellets. In yards and kennels, flea larvae can be found in cracks at wall-floor junctions and in floor crevices. These areas must be thoroughly cleaned and then maintained to prevent another infestation.Recently several ultrasound devices, including collars, have entered the market claiming to control or repel fleas. Several scientific studies have investigated these devices and found absolutely no basis for the manufactures claims. Ultrasonic devices do not control flea populations. It is unnecessary for you to buy these equipments.Chemical control of flea larvae can be achieved with insecticides. Organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethrin, pyrethroid and growth regulator (hormone mimic) insecticides as well as certain minerals are available for flea control in the environment These insecticides are formulated as coarse sprays, foggers and dusts or are micro-encapsulated.

All but the growth regulators kill flea larvae on contact. Insect growth regulators prevent flea larvae from developing to the adult stage. Growth regulators may also inhibit egg hatching. A good flea larval control program will incorporate sanitation, contact insecticides and growth regulators for good results.Flea management requires patience, time and careful planning. Vacuuming and cleaning areas frequented by dogs and cats should be routine. The same applies to kennels. If an infestation occurs, insecticide applications on the animals or in the environment may have to be repeated according to the label. The need for retreatment and time intervals between insecticide treatments will vary with the kind of insecticide and the formulation.Flea control will not be successful if only one approach is used. The animal and its environment must be treated simultaneously, and that treatment must be combined with regular sanitation efforts. Read all product labels carefully.

Do not overexpose your pet by combining too many treatments at one time, such as a collar, a shampoo and a dust. Pesticides have a cumulative effect. Be aware of each products toxicity and do not endanger yourself or the animal by using excessive amounts of any one product or by combining products.To end, please remember that flea control will only be successful when you treat both your pet and the environment simultaneously. Hope this article is useful in helping you manage flea problems.

Going away for weekends or holidays also becomes easier for your neighbor – instead of asking someone to clean out the litter box, all they need to do is flush your toilet once in a while (when they come around to water your plants and feed your cat).How to toilet train a cat (do it yourself):Toilet training your cat depends entirely on the cat’s personality. Toilet training sociable cats that love being praised make the training task much easier. You might want to adapt the toilet training technique described below to fit your cat’s personality. Training your cat to use the toilet can take anything between 2 weeks up to 3 months, depending on the individual cat’s personality.Cat toilet training basically consists of a simple procedure: gradually moving your cat’s litter box closer and closer to the toilet, finally placing a bowl with cat litter inside the toilet, and removing it altogether when your cat is comfortable and used to it.

Toilet training a cat is a gradual, step-by-step process, consisting of making small changes to the location of the litter box and only continuing to the next step when your cat is entirely comfortable with its current situation. You might have to wait anything between 2 days or 3 weeks before moving on a next step in cat toilet training. You might even have to go back a step once or twice when it turns out that your cat wasn’t ready to move on to the next toilet training step. Beware – cat toilet training takes a lot of patience!Cat toilet training steps:1. Start gradually moving your cat’s litter box nearer to the toilet until finally it should be next to the toilet. Ensure that your cat is always comfortable and sure of its litter box’s location.2. Now start elevating the cat’s litter box. Put something non-slippery like newspapers or cardboard underneath the litter box. A normal rate to increase the height of the litter box would be about 5cm a day, but be very attentive to signs that your cat is not comfortable with the current height, and adjust the pace of raising the litter box accordingly.

The cat litter box should be raised until it is at a level height with the toilet bowl. Throughout this process it is very important to keep the toilet lid open and the seat down, because your cat will get used to it and might even start climbing on the toilet seat in order to reach its litter box.3. Move the litter box to rest on the open toilet seat. Keep it there until your cat seems comfortable with this arrangement.4. Buy a metal bowl or tray that will fit snugly inside the toilet bowl. It would be advisable for the metal bowl to have small draining holes. Fill the bowl with cat litter (preferably the flushable type). Now remove your cat’s litter box entirely. If you have reached this step successfully you are very close to having a toilet trained cat!5. While your cat is using the metal bowl inside the toilet, be attentive to where its paws are. The goal is teaching him to squat with all four paws on the toilet seat rim. You can move the cat while it is using the toilet and praise it (or reward it) when it is sitting in the correct position.

Normally the cat will first sit entirely inside the metal bowl, then with front paws on the toilet seat, and finally it should sit with all four paws on the toilet.6. Start using less and less cat litter. This can get smelly, so be sure to clean the bowl after every time your cat uses it. Cats scratch in sand or cat litter to cover up the smell (this is out of instinct), so if the bowl becomes too smelly your cat won’t be comfortable using it (and you probably wouldn’t be comfortable with using your toilet either). Using flushable cat litter makes cleaning the bowl very easy – just throw out the contents in the toilet and flush down, rinse out the bowl, refill with correct amount of cat litter and replace. A handy tip is to place newspaper on the floor around the toilet to help keep the room clean should your cat scratch in the cat litter. Decrease the amount of cat litter in a pace that your cat feels comfortable with.7. When you basically don’t use any cat litter inside the bowl anymore, start gradually filling the bowl with water.

The water will also help mask the smell so your cat will be more comfortable using the toilet. Be attentive to your cat’s behavior through this whole process – if your cat stops using the bowl inside the toilet, you may be moving on too fast and might need to go back a couple of steps.8. When the water level in the bowl has reached about 4cm and your cat has no problem using it, it is time to remove the bowl entirely. Your cat should now be toilet trained. Remember to always leave the toilet seat up and flush regularly!Products to assist you in toilet training your cat:There are several cat toilet training kits available on the market. They basically consist of a tray that fits inside the toilet, and with a hole in the middle that you can gradually make bigger. When choosing a cat toilet training kit, ensure that you buy quality. The cat training kit should not be flimsy and should be able to support your cat’s weight even when the hole becomes large.

Be aware of cheap, flimsy products you buy at toy stores or pet stores, because if your cat falls in, it might loose interest in toilet training completely.The disadvantages in toilet training your cat:Not everyone agrees that cat toilet training is such a great idea. They argue that it is unnatural for a cat to use a toilet, as it goes against their natural instincts to cover up their smell. Toilet seats can also be slippery and there might be the risk of your cat injuring itself. Even if your cat doesn’t fall in at all, he may become anxious whenever he uses the toilet and going to the toilet can become an unpleasant task.A litter box also has the health benefit in that it’s easier to monitor your cat’s urine for signs of infections or sickness.Moving locations will also be harder for the cat, because a litter box can be moved easily but the cat will first need to get used to using the new toilet. With some cats this is no problem and they can become comfortable with the new toilet very fast, while other cats might be less adaptable.

Things to remember when toilet training a cat:The most important thing to remember is that the toilet training should be done gradually. Be very patient and never rush to the next step until you are sure that you cat is completely comfortable with the current setup. Make using the toilet as easy as you can for the cat. Always remember to keep the toilet seat up and the bathroom door open. When you have guests, ensure that they also know about considering your cat. Flush the toilet regularly as cats do not like using smelly toilets.For more information about interesting facts about cats, cat urine problems and cat urine removers see cat-urine.net.

Heartless sadistic actions of cruelty inflictors needs to stop, where is the fun I ask you? In chopping off a kitten’s tail or severing the neck of the swan by embedding an arrow through it.Then we have the so called pet lovers who starve the family pet dog till his skeletal bone structure protrudes through its limp flesh.I hasten to add at this point this is not directed towards the genuine animal lovers out there.Perpetrators behind the killing and the maiming of innocent animals for no reason has to be brought to justice just like that of a murderer taking human life. This is about pain and suffering so an eye for an eye whether it be man or beast.People who encourage and enforce inhumane acts to take place on defenceless animals in their absence are just as guilty as the person who takes life from any animal. This also goes for audiences of onlookers who may just as well be holding the murder weapon.How can we help put a stop to this?Eventful nights like Bonfire night where fireworks are used make sure to keep your pet indoors.

Be more vigilant where crowds are, gangs mobs yobs get there kicks out of kicking cats. Once again this does not apply to all.If a friend/relative of yours has a sadistic streak where they force you against your will to watch or join in on an evil deed to cause unnecessary pain towards an animal, then call the Police or RSPCA. This person has to be warned that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated. He/she’s next victim may not be of our four legged friends but that of a human.If inflicting pain is in their blood, ask yourself do you need to hang out with this so called friend. Friends feel pain too and the next on their list to endure pain and suffering may well be you.Remember back to how mums and dads told us at a young age that when we die we go to heaven and come back down to earth as an animal. Now I don’t know how much truth there is that, but what I do know is that God works in mysterious ways and if it is comeuppance time for the sinner.

Then I rest my case.

This is not the ideal situation, as you can see from the following example. The Franks are a real family where the dog runs the house. King didnt want the role of leader, but no human stepped up as leader so he felt he had to. His “pack” consisted of dad, mom, and two kids. Being leader was a big job–keeping track of the pack, teaching them the rules (which King made up), and enforcing the rules was a 24-hour job. He successfully taught the family to stay away from his food and toys (growling and snapping when they got too close), not to disturb him if he was napping in main traffic areas like the middle of the kitchen floor, that certain pieces of furniture were his and his alone, and that he decided who got to come into the house. The young boy became a playmate whom he could nip and jump on; the older child and the parents were there to care for him. Any infractions of these “rules” were quickly and severely disciplined by King with growling, biting, snapping, baring teeth.

If Kings household is like what you experience in your family, weve got some gentle and positive dog training tips to help you take back your leadership role. Put these simple steps into your dogs daily life and watch the dog behavior changes. Each of these steps shows your dog that YOU are the leader. Lets start simple, with 3 very basic and easy (for you) new dog training ideas. Once youve mastered these, in the next article, Ill introduce several more. 1. Show me your tummy! Make it a positive experience for your dog to roll over for that yummy tummy rub. This submissive posture indicates a deferment to your leadership. 2. Praise, praise praise! Praise for being a good dog. Any dog behavior you like and want to keep, praise it and give a small treat occasionally. This focus on what you want is much more successful than a focus on what you dont want. No free treats or praise for the dominant dog.

If your dog wants to be petted, have him sit first! Everyone wins and the dog is learning manners at the same time. 3. Get out of the way! A leader gets respect. For Scout, that means no lying in high traffic areas (hallways, middle of living room or kitchen), no sitting on your feet, and no refusing to move out of the way. Gently scoot your feet in the direction you want to go while using excited tones and waving your hands to get him up and moving. For a dog, trying to live with everyone “just getting along” does not work. Dogs live in packs with hierarchies, not democracies. Remember, no human leadership means Fifi will take over and set the rules. Its time for you to step into the leader position. If you do, you will notice positive changes in your dogs behavior right away. You and your dog will begin working as a team. Be the leader–your dog will love you for it and youll be surprised how hard hell work to please you.

Get started using these 3 tips and check back in a few weeks for the next set of easy dog training steps for outstanding dog behavior!.

At around twelve midday the cats then come in for some lunch, yet more cat food. I often wonder how they do not get bored eating the same type of food, day in, day out. They will then sleep somewhere around the house for the next few hours before asking to be let out to do their business.At around 5pm they have some more food and then decide to become a little more sociable. They would then normally join the family in the main living room and curl up to sleep some more, normally on somebodys lap. Each cat is quite funny as they seem to have a favourite member of the family whose lap they would prefer to sit and sleep on. My two children really love our cats especially during the evenings.The three cats will then wonder out again at around 10pm before asking to come back in around an hour later. What a life this is, if I am able to come back to this planet after I die, I would like to come back as a cat please.The cats have really been no trouble at all and we are planning to let both of our children have their very own cat to look after, for Christmas.For the record if any of you are interested out there, our current cats are called, Tom, Ben and Pip. They all get on really well together and very rarely fight. Maybe I am just lucky but when talking about the subject of cats with my family and friends, they all tell similar stories to mine.Our family now also owns a dog. Her name is Cassie and even though she requires a lot more attention as in the way of walks, she has also been a dream. In my opinion however you can not beat the cats and their lifestyle.

Maybe a less costly solution? Thanks. Enjoyed the book!Willie Mae & DeAnneDear Willie Mae & DeAnne:When the cats run, they are triggering your dog’s prey drive. This is instinctive. However, it is also natural for a dog to defer judgement to his pack leader.What this means is that: You must act like the pack leader.In other words, if you tell you dog to lay down, you must USE THE TECHNIQUES in the book (timing, consistency and motivation) to keep the dog in a down-stay.I personally LOVE having cats around when I’m training. What could be better to proof your dog around?Remember, your dog should stay down UNTIL you give him the “Take a break!” command. If he gets up to chase the cats, then you’ll need to correct him back into the down position.If he gets up again, it’s a sure bet that your corrections lack motivation. (Correct more firmly. Make sure you’re getting slack in the line. If the dog’s body is moving when you correct him, then you’re using muscle instead of technique.

not good!)You don’t need an electronic collar. Just a $12 prong collar and a six foot leash.Once you get your dog to hold a down-stay around cats using nothing more than proper timing, consistency and motivation, your friends will think you’re a genius. Or the lost love child of Sigmund and Roy.Now if you can just get those darn cats trained!That’s all for now, folks!Adam.