#pet care

[fischotterkunst]

my brother had a brilliant idea that i wanted to share with other people who have four-legged family members: he trained our two cats to go directly to the door when they hear the fire alarm.

obviously at first the fire alarm sent them scrambling for cover, but he started slowly by giving them treats whenever it went off, when someone burned food or forgot to open the fireplace flu. he then progressed to calling them to the door to offer treats immediately after the alarm went off. and it actually wasn't too long before the cats voluntarily started going to the door upon hearing the alarm.

i think this was genius because in the event of a real emergency we know exactly where the cats will be and we will not have to waste precious time trying to find them to rescue them. i think this method would work equally well with dogs and probably other free-roaming pets such as rabbits, ferrets, etc. and i certainly encourage others to give it a shot!

[alpinechamomile]

TIP for any fellow disabled folks who have cats ❣️ if you got chronic fatigue or back pain or POTS where you cant bend down easily or even if you're able bodied and just feeling sick get one of these shits ↓↓↓

It's got one huge sifter so after your cat(s) use it you just grab it, shake it side to side a little, dump the poop into a bag, put the now clean litter in a fresh box (this one gives you two litter boxes for this reason) and pour the clean litter in the box on top of the pan. You can put the second box under it to keep it out of the way for when you switch over again.

This Arm and Hammer one was only 15 bucks on amazon and it's so much easier to clean. It is heavy to lift up the full pan and dump the cleaned litter into the second box so keep that in mind, but it's so much faster and less arduous than shoveling the caked up cat shit for 10 minutes and having your back screaming in pain, numb feet, and a head rush from bending over 😭 i didn't know these existed until now so that's why I'm talking about it anyway if you see this you should pet your cat for me maybe give em a kiss on their stupid little forehead 🤎🐈🐈‍⬛

[catswarmth]

Bathtime for cute kitty 😍🐱

[itsdetachable]

I really am begging ppl to not get pets if they're not able to provide the basic necessary care for them.

I am extremely sympathetic to anyone who is poor but listen - if you cannot provide proper housing, food, and care and a safe environment for the pet you want just don't get it.

Sometimes I see posts where ppl post their inadequate setups and they're saying they can't afford better, and I can't help but think "then why did you get the pet?" And I know that might be harsh but. Just. Don't? I can understand sometimes a situation turns bad and you mightve been able to care for a pet before but not at that very moment. But if you cannot afford the proper care but go ahead with getting a pet...I just, cannot accept that.

[thehmn]

Just a quick post because I got some comments talking about trembling being a chihuahua trait which is true but not for the reasons you might think.

Yes, they might be cold, scared or exited, but it’s also very likely that they have low blood sugar. They have very high metabolism like most small mammals so if they’re seemingly trembling for “no reason” try giving them a snack.

Last time I noticed this with my chihuahua was on Christmas Eve. She had been running around all day and was sitting on the sofa trembling. People at first started joking about trembling chihuahuas except the host who was pretty worried about her. I asked if she could have a bit of the cooked meat they were preparing and she stopped trembling almost immediately.

So next time you see a trembling chihuahua show some kindness and give it something to eat.

[thepetcares]

Car’s engine is running

Source: instagram.com

[kingofthedarkwoods]

Okay it's almost 2023, I think it's time we talked about the "vegans" who purposely inflict suffering onto animals by feeding them incorrect diets or not doing correct medical care. I think any good vegan who geniuely believes in the betterment of animals would NEVER purposely go out of their way to force feed incompatible pets vegan diets that can later cause suffering, illness and death. It is only ever done for their own personal ego and gratification and I personally see that as worse than using by-products. You're actively inflicting harm to cats, dogs and lizards when more suitable pets like rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters are RIGHT THERE. Who are already compatible with your belief system.

I own a cat who is under my care until he passes. I will ensure as he is a care dependent that I am maintaining his welfare and health by feeding him a meat diet even if I personally am vegan. He can not change his diet and I have owned him for over a decade so he will not be punished for my changes in life. After he is gone, I will likely rescue more rabbits (I have had 3 so far) as they fit my lifestyle and beliefs much more. But I will NOT enforce suffering on my cat just because his existence conflicts with my personal diet. I just won't own another cat after he is gone.

To me that is the true Vegan way. If you can go for alternatives in food then you can pick a different pet. If you are already committed to the care of an animal who needs to eat meat then it is more vegan to ensure the optimal health, wellbeing and happiness for the animal. Not to cause unnecessary harm and stress to an animal just because YOU personally do not like something. If you really find it distressing then rehome the animal to owners who will put their wellbeing and life above all else.

[orchidvioletindigo]

It's possible I'm just not on here enough to see people talking about this but I have yet to see any posts going around mentioning the new canine respiratory virus that's making the rounds in the United States. Here's a non-paywalled news article on the virus.

Symptoms include tiredness, fever, eating less, a wet cough, a runny nose and/or runny eyes, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.

Steps to take to protect your dogs include making sure they're up to date on all their vaccines and practicing doggy social distancing. Avoid play groups, group training classes, kennels, daycares, any other situations where your dogs are in close contact with lots of other dogs, and definitely letting your dogs drink from the same water bowls as other random dogs.

[indagold-orchid]

Some things I wish I knew when first getting a rat:

You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a cage. Rat owners get so pissy over getting name brand fancy cages that can survive 12 world wars when you can actually just stack some cheap larger rabbit/guinea pig/ferret cages. I put a $60 dollar cage on top of my fancy ass $200 ferret one and my rats love it. No injuries or spontaneous exploding into smithereens like rat owners think will happen. I line the sides with cloth and it helps a lot.

If you're American, Oxbow is your friend. I used them with my rabbits years ago when I had them and they're great.

DIY decorations are fun but it gets exhausting after a while. If you want to play it safe, just using hides, hammocks and chew toys work!

All natural cages are cool if it's like an aesthetic thing but in reality they rot, get stinky and gross very fast. Very nasty and smelly.

Rats DO NOT like chew toys for cats or dogs. They love paper, wood, cloth, sticks, pumice, etc.

A rat injuring another rat is not by default always aggression. Only time I've seen it happen is either 1) They're sick/in pain, super grumpy and you need to get them to the vet or 2) You're still bonding them and someone got angry because they're still strangers. Best to rule it out both before neutering or seeking other options for aggression.

[shiftythrifting]

a cat scratch pad in the shape of a couch that i did buy for $2

[naomiknight-17]

I hate that I am sitting in the living room and the cats and Jon are all sleeping and my baby kitten is locked alone in the hallway

I was just out there playing with her til we were both worn out, and she tried to follow me back in here, but Tim and Leon are not quite ready for her to be integrated into the main living space yet

... but they're both napping...

Maybe if I'm very very sneaky I can bring her in without them noticing...

[nyxsealia]

With Easter approaching, just a little PSA not to buy or give rabbits for Easter.

Yes, they're very very cute, and yes, you can get some adorable pictures of them in Easter baskets. But rabbits are not toys. They are little living beings. They need to be cared for and not discarded. They are not starter pets, and they are not good pets for children. A child cannot be the primary caregiver for a rabbit. They're very fragile, have complicated diets, and can be quite expensive. Rabbits can live to be 10+ years, they are not a short term commitment. They are not low maintenance, and can't live in the kind of cage you most often see advertised for rabbits. They either need a large exercise pen or to be free roamed, aka let them live in your home with you like you would a cat or dog. They are very easily litter trained and can become a member of the family just like any pet if taken care of properly.

Rabbits are very social animals and require a lot of attention, they can't be left in a small cage until your kid comes home from school or you come home for work to play with them for an hour. Rabbits are also not cuddly. They're prey animals, and slow to trust. Getting picked up scares them and they need a lot of time to warm up to you. A rabbit that's constantly picked up or grabbed can become aggressive out of fear, you need to approach them differently than you would cat or dog.

The majority of rabbits given as Easter gifts are either surrendered to shelters or abandoned outside. Please please never set a domestic rabbit free in the wild. Domestic rabbits are not wild rabbits, they do not know how to survive. They will likely die within days of being released.

They can be wonderful pets, but there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstandings about how to care for them, and there are a lot of abandoned rabbits. Most toys and treats marketed for rabbits in pet stores are actually not safe for them.

If you are considering getting a pet rabbit, I am begging you to do your research. Understand the commitment for what it is. A few great resources for learning about proper rabbit care are:

The House Rabbit Society

The Bunny Lady

Sincerely, Cinnabun

101 Rabbits

[catswarmth]

Cute cat just found a new toy 🥰🐱

[jacky93sims]

Grooming Bather for Dogs Functional for The Sims 2

This is a 4to2 conversion from Arounthesims. It comes in different colors and is functional to bath your dogs. 2960 poly

DOWNLOAD HERE

[birdhism]

#6 Keep any potential bathing areas clean and tidy, especially w/flighted birds.

#7 Birds have a very effecient yet sensitive respiratory systems. Febreeze, and other heavily scented items can cause serious health problems.

Learn More