I have a cat and a dog – both of them are getting on in years and just last weekend, we had a family member visiting, who also brought her one years old puppy with her. That reminded me to add some helpful pet tips here – we can all use some help when it comes to out furry friends!

1. How to Prevent Doggy Turf Wars:

To ensure that your dog doesn’t feel put out by a visiting new playmate, make sure you fill his bowl first – before feeding the visitor. And the key is also to pet your dog first – always – that will establish him as the dominant pet and reassure him of his importance in your household.

2. How to Make you Dog Come to You Every Time:

If you have one of those happy puppies who master all commands except the one you want him to – to come to you when you call him, try this: Ask him to “Come”  then walk backwards a few steps and say “Come” again. As he starts to walk towards you, praise him by saying “Good boy” And as he reaches you, give him a treat to reinforce that he is doing the right thing.

3, How to Stop Your Cat’s “Love Nipping”:

This happens quite a bit – each time you pet your cat, she may bare her teeth and give you a little “Love bite” It may not be pleasant and you have to worry that she will do it to children as well. To stop this behaviour, fill a tin can with pennies and as soon as you see your cat getting ready to nibble on you, rattle the can. The noise will distract her and pretty soon, she will associate that unpleasant noise with biting and it should stop her actions for good.

4. How to Solve Hairball Problems:

Not only are you tired of cleaning up hairball mess, you may also wonder how to help your cat to prevent from choking on a hair ball. And the best is a natural way – here is homemade cure: Mix about 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) into her food every day – the pumpkin fibre helps fur pass through the intestines.And unlike other remedies – like petroleum jelly, it will not impede nutrient absorption.

Hope these tips were helpful to you – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

If you have a cat and you are seeing some unusual behavior, don’t just take it as signs that the cat is getting older. Your friend will be giving you signs when something is not quite right – and reading those signs can make all the difference in the world. I am listing just a few and if you have others or if you have experience that should be shared, please do that!

Have a Healthy Cat:

Sign: Cat is grooming all the time. So much so that you notice bald spots in his coat and his paws have spots on them.

What it means: Compulsive over-grooming can be a sign of emotional disorder that may require an attention from a veterinarian or animal behaviorist. It is important to take your cat for a check up to that a professional can determine the cause and provide treatment.

Sign: Repeated cold symptom and/or repeated upset stomach:

What it means: It is quite possible that there is something stressing your cat. If you have added another pet to your household – especially another cat, your old friend may be stressed trying to remain alert. If you noticed the above mentioned symptoms and if your cat has stopped grooming itself, it is important to consult a professional, before the problem becomes very serious. Stress in cats can turn into respiratory or intestinal infections quite quickly so seeking help is a definite good idea.

Sign: Overweight cat

This is not an unusual situation. There are car who just love to eat and start gaining weight quite rapidly. If you cat is gaining weight and you are giving it human food, you need to stop that immediately. Feed your cat only commercial food and pick up the weight control one – that will be a good start. And like humans – to loose weight, your cat will need some exercise – not an easy task! But playing with your friend even for a few minutes a day, chasing a toy or the cat itself will make a difference!

Sign: Fading coat colour

This is quite common especially with black cats. The coat will start loosing its luster, and in black cat, start having rusty sheen to it. If it happens in the summer, it could just be that your cat is getting too much sun. If you cat is getting older, it is loosing some of the coats pigmentation. If neither is the situation, changes in coat colour could mean something else – like bad nutrition or parasites. It is always a good idea to have your cat checked out properly by a professional who will suggest a treatment.

Hope this information was helpful to you and as always, I will more than welcome your comments!