Tip from Bordon Therapy Cat Circle Trick

Cats are so lovable, but they’re also so strange! Let one into the room and within a minute, they’re meowing to get back out again. They’ll try to get you to rub their bellies then bite you for doing it too long! And that’s just the normal behavior!

One kitty owner recently discovered a weird cat quirk that’s quickly becoming an internet sensation, and when you see it you’ll have to try it, too!

It all started with a stray cord laying on the floor in a circle. This owner noticed that his cat would go straight for it every time and sit in the middle of the circle. Odd!

So he tried an experiment and made a red circle in tape on the floor. Again, the cat sat inside its center, as predicted.

The cat loved the second circle just as much.

He shared the results of his adorable experiment on the web and soon cat owners everywhere were trying it and sharing their results.

These Suet Recipes are from Birds & Blooms Website.

Tropical Treat:

Attract woodpeckers, as well as chickadees and nuthatches, with this suet recipe made with coconut. The best part is this suet mix won’t melt when it’s warm outside.

• 1 cup lard
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1⁄3 cup coconut
• 2 ½ cups oats
• 2 ½ cups cornmeal
• Raisins, nuts or birdseed, optional

Melt lard and peanut butter. Stir in coconut, oats and cornmeal. Add optional ingredients. Pour the mixture into a pan and chill in refrigerator over-night. Cut into squares and wrap in plastic for easy storage and removal. -Rebecca Beiler, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Out on a Limb:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ¾ cup water
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup lard
• 1 cup raisins

In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Then add the water, and mix. Put peanut butter and lard in a small bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Add to the cornmeal mixture along with the raisins. Refrigerate for about two hours. -Naomi Manalo, Middleton, Delaware

Bird Cake:

Make this “bird cake” treat and hang it from trees or bird feeders in mesh bags.

• 1 cup lard
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• 2 eggs

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. -Mary Hochstetler, Milford, Indiana

The Tick Twister is really easy to use!

There are a number of different types of tick found in the USA including the Wood tick, Dog tick, Relapsing fever tick, Pajaroello tick, Deer tick, Black-legged tick and the Lone star tick. Tick Twister® is THE most efficient set of tick removal tools for removing ticks, any location on people and animals:

• without leaving the mouth-parts of the tick implanted in the skin
• without compressing the abdomen of the tick, minimizing the transfer of infectious agents (Lyme disease, Babesiosis, etc.)
• without ether or other products
• in a few seconds, without pain

Here is another way to remove ticks:

Remove tick with liquid soap & cotton ball, wait 18 sec. lift away
Works in those places where it’s sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball.

Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20)

After 15-20 seconds – lift away – the tick will come out on his own and be stuck to the cotton ball.

There is a rattlesnake vaccination for dogs.  It technically works better in cats but as of now it is not available through vets.

A decision to vaccinate your dog should balance the risk and consequence of a venomous snakebite with the risk and consequence of vaccination. We recommend that you talk with your veterinarian about these risks.

If your dog is bitten by a rattlesnake then get them to the vet ASAP as it is an emergency – even if they already had the vaccine.  Six weeks after being bitten your vet may administer the rattlesnake vaccination.

More information from Red Rock Biologics and Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Here are some tips from Cesar Millan on Avoiding Snakes:

• Keep your dog on a leash in areas where snakes may reside — woods, marshes, grasslands, and near bodies of water. While in these areas especially, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your dog at all times. Don’t allow her to dig through dirt or riffle through leaves where snakes may be hiding.
• When hiking and exploring outside, stick to paved trails where the visibility is better.
• Avoid hiking or walking through snake-infested areas at night. Many types of snakes, including varieties of rattlesnakes, tend to be more active once the sun has set.
• If your dog becomes startled by something, back away until you know what exactly he has encountered. If you hear a warning “hiss” or “rattling” sound, slowly retreat from the area as this could be a rattlesnake’s way of telling you to back off.

In an article from the Portland Press Herald about Seaweed being the Ocean’s potion also mentions that it might help cure toothaches in dogs.  Some of the medicine that is prescribed by vets for Dogs with tooth problems has the same ingrediants that comes from seaweed.

Read Full Article.

Many cat owners do not realize how important heartworm prevention is for cats. Infection with adult heartworms nearly always causes death of the cat.  Did you know one mosquito can cause a fatal heartworm infection in cats?

If you have a picky cat like we do then they might not eat the Heartgard pill.  There are other options.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs are oral tablets that can be fed to your cat by hand or mixed with food and might be worth trying if your cat doesn’t like the Heartgard.  It also can be given as a pill form.

Advantage Multi is a topical solution for application to the cat’s skin once a month.

Revolution is applied to the skin surface once a month.  It has minimal absorption into the body but cats tends to lick their skin and this will increase absorption.  Selemectin is the main ingredient and it might not be as effective as other products for heartworm prevention.

See your vet first to get a heartworm test before treating.  It must be negative before you start any heart worm prevention.

This article by heartworm.com lists the best prevention products for cats along with some valuable information about heartworm prevention.

This is a reminder that Easter Lilies are extremely poisonous to cats, and just 1-2 leaves (or even the pollen) can kill a cat! Even small ingestions can result in severe kidney failure.

Sources of poisoning: Many plants of the Lilium and Hemerocallis species are very poisoning.  Read more from the Pet Poison Helpline.

Read article posted last year on Betty’s Tips about Peace Lilies

WGN TV article in the news 2 days ago

The Pet Rx article from Martha Stewart Magazine explains that pet ownership can be associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and also a boost to your physical health.  Pets are great for your Psyche as well!

According to the article, “Pets might even give you a happiness high. According to research from “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” pet owners report feeling greater self-esteem and more joy, and being less fearful than people who don’t have animals. Pets also help ward off depression, another risk factor associated with an increased risk of heart disease” – read full article here.

An article from Delicious Living Magazine titled ‘Pet Projects‘ has information on feeding Dogs and Cats (which are the new kids now).  Below is a section from the article regarding lean protein but be sure to check out their website for the entire article.

Also, Harvest Market Natural Foods has a list of natural pet food and treats that they sell on their blog.

“Because protein costs a lot more than low-quality carbs like corn, many mass-produced pet foods rely on entirely too much cheap grain. As a result, your dog or cat may get too many carbs and not enough protein. Dry pet kibble typically includes 15 percent to 30 percent protein, but you’ll find some fresh or freeze-dried natural products packing up to an impressive 80 percent protein.”

“Protein quality can vary greatly between conventional and natural pet foods,” notes Townshend. “Foods that use higher-quality proteins typically have higher digestibility, meaning that a higher percentage of nutrients are absorbed into the body and used for fuel.” Early on, natural pet food companies made products stand out by using hormone- and antibiotic-free meats; newer companies up the game with free-range, organic, or human-grade proteins. And because pets can develop allergies to proteins, such as chicken and beef, you’ll see unique alternatives such as bison, venison, kangaroo, duck, and cod.”   Read Full Article Here

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