The good news is that you do not have to spend a lot to keep your cat entertained. There are many things that you can do to accomplish this, some of them free. In addition, there are other organic alternatives to the bought in store toy. For example, you can use pinecones or nuts in their shell, such as walnuts, in place of a ball. Seashells work well too. These are natural and organic options and they do not have dyes or harmful chemicals. Tie a ribbon and bell to a long pinecone and you have an instant mouse. Bird feathers are also a good idea. Tie a bird feather to a string on a pole and you and your cat will have hours of fun – an alternative to the pricey store version. A lime or lemon can become a ball, but make sure to retrieve it before it spoils under a piece of furniture. Wooden sticks in curious shapes will amuse your cat. Take a walk in the park or the beach and see what alternatives you can find.

You can also use objects that you already have at home. Old socks can be made into a ball, so does hosiery. Baby socks make good tiny mice and you can fill them with catnip, sew them at the end. Golf or ping-pong balls are perfect too. Are you ready to throw away your old winter gloves or pom-pom hat? Do not; cut the pom-pom balls out and use them as soft balls for kitty. Fill your gloves with catnip or cut the fingers and make mice out of them.

Another item that you can use is large round plastic caps, such as the ones in juices or coffee creamers. They bounce a lot and cats love it. Make balls out of tissue paper or wrapping paper or any type of paper that does not have ink on it and let kitty play with it.

An empty box provides hours of fun. Are you ready to throw away your old pair of sneakers? Take the shoe laces out first, your cat will love to play with the laces. Same goes for your old feather duster, cut the handle (file so there are no rough edges) and give your cat the feathered part.

Your cat also welcomes things that roll, such as hair rollers or an empty tube of toilet paper. An old computer mouse will make the perfect object for your cat to toss around. Cat scratch posts and da bird cat toy are also great.

There are many things that you can use, but most important avoid items with pointy or sharp edges. Inspect all toys (homemade and store bought) regularly and check for signs of wear, which can be harmful to your pet is swallowed. Toys are good, but your cat will appreciate the love and attention that you give it the most.

Start leaving food and water in a safe area of your backyard or around your home, away from other people who may disturb the cat. Let him observe you while putting the food and stay at a distance when the cat is eating. The stray will glance at you a couple of times while eating, to make sure it is safe. Keep your distance. Do this every day at feeding time (usually twice a day). Soon the cat will learn that if he keeps coming you will feed him. Do not attempt to get near for some time, let him observe you and gain trust.

Eventually, the cat will start coming closer to you when you bring the food. In the beginning, it will stay at a short distance, until one day it will get next to you, waiting for the bowl of food. When you see that you just placed the food and the cat does not care if you are still standing next to the food, it is time to attempt addressing him – do not pet yet. Just talk softly to the animal, smile and call him. Do this from now on at every feeding. Soon the cat will rub his head on your legs, now it is time to pet. Gently pet the head, no sudden movements, and slowly progress to other parts – like scratching the back. Repeat this for a while at every feeding until you see that you have gain more trust. Move the bowl of food during this process closer and closer to your home, or to the entrance. The next step is to pick the cat up, but not completely up in the air, just lift the front paws and leave the back legs touching ground. In the beginning you will see some resistance or freeze, but this is just because the cat does not know what to expect; he has learn to trust you, and knows you are harmless; most likely he will not run away. Do this more often. At every step let him eat and retreat to your home and stay watching. There will come a time when you will be able to pick him up, and the next step will be to invite the stray inside your home.

Since you have been moving the bowl closer, now it is time to let your door open but the bowl still outside. If lucky, the cat will be curious about your home and will go in but will come out right away. Do this a couple of times. This is assuming that you do not have other pets that may get out. The next couple of feedings, move the bowl inside, and let him eat inside, but with the door open. Keep petting. Your goal is to get to close that door, so practice and see the reaction, if he panics and attempts to get out climbing everywhere maybe you need more time. Sometimes it is just an initial reaction and it will stop. If he is going to be an in-out pet, then you will have accomplished your goal. If you want the cat to be an inside pet, then you need to work a bit more, but you are almost there. Petting is key here, spend time with the cat on your lap and eventually you will be able to close that door.

Once the stray is inside, let him know the surroundings well, provide a litter box, and show him where it is. In addition, where the food and water will be from now on. Wait a week or two, and schedule a visit with a veterinarian to make sure the cat is in good health and to treat for fleas. Remember to mention to your veterinarian that the animal was a stray, so the necessary precautions are taken during the examination.

If you have other pets this process will vary as you need to get your pets to know and accept the cat slowly. Also, do not let them near each other until the veterinarian has examined the cat, in case there are any illnesses you may not be aware.

So there you have it, a step-by-step process to get that stray safe inside your home. Now, it is just a matter of providing tons of loving and good care, and do not forget things to entertain him, as he won’t be chasing birds and mice anymore.

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Another misconception is that people think they are rodents – they are not. They are carnivores. Ferrets also will enjoy veggies and fruit, but just as a treat as this should not be offered as a main diet. A ferret’s main diet will consist of meat. In today’s market, many commercial food blends have all the nutrients that ferrets need. They usually come in the form of crunchy pellets, similar to cat food. There are more items geared to the care of ferrets these days than in previous years as this pet has become more popular in American households. You can also feed them dry or moist cat food.

In Europe, ferrets were used as hunters – to hunt rabbits from holes, mainly due to their long and soft bodies. They can squeeze thru an inch opening. Their big ears and nose make for good hearing and smell, which aids them in hunting. A ferret’s coat is very shiny and soft if in good health. They have been used in the making of coats, a practice that still goes on today. Their colors range from a variety such as Albino white with red eyes, chocolate, silver, black, black sable (dark ash black-brown), warm deep brown (sable), champagne (tan), white with black eyes, and cinnamon (reddish brown). The colors change depth and richness with the seasons. A dark mask resembling a raccoon is a characteristic of a sable ferret. Like little thieves, they enjoy stealing objects – anything they may be attracted to and catches their interest. They will proceed to store these items in a location of their choice and will pile them. If you have ferrets and are missing some items, do not be surprised if you find them altogether under a piece of furniture or other secret location.

Ferrets are very playful and they like to sleep for long hours – usually on top of one another. They make funny noises when they are playing. They will chase you or anyone around looking for play. They also like to wrestle with each other. Other things that they like to do are digging for things, especially if you have potted plants. They like to groom each other and move objects around or carry them. They enjoy digging into things, or moving things around. Never leave a ferret unattended, as they are very curious animals and will get into trouble. In addition, they are sensory stimulated animals and should not be left unattended with babies, toddlers or other small animals.

Their central nervous system is located near the nose area; never correct a ferret by tapping the nose. Ferrets can be litter trained, like a cat. They will choose the corner of a litter box and will back up to defecate. You can also buy a special litter box for ferrets. It is made triangular to fit on a corner. If you use a regular litter box, make sure it is a very low one or cut an entrance in the front so they can access it. Ferrets have short legs. Ferrets do not like a dirty litter box, and they will find another place to relief themselves.

They also like clean beds, and love to cuddle to sleep. You can buy hammocks, and small tents at the pet shop. If you have your ferret in a cage make sure that there is plenty of room to play and move around when you are not home and that you layer it with soft bedding or shavings. Keep it clean at all times and have a bottle of water attached or a very heavy bowl, since they will try to tip it with their noses.

The normal life span of a Ferret is 7-9 years. However, with proper care, love and a healthy diet they can surpass their life expectancy. Due to fast and irresponsible commercial breeding, two illnesses have become common in ferrets – adrenal disease and insulinoma (a type of cancerous tumor(s)). Surgery is required and if not treated the animal will die. Common signs are hair loss, or unhealthy brittle hair, weight loss and yellowing of the nose or skin. Sometimes the ferret can become bold.

Naturally, ferrets have a strong musky smell but when sold at pet shops they are de-scented – their odor glands are removed. If you get them from a private breeder, they may or may not de-scent them. When choosing a ferret consider this.

In addition, they need affection and contact, as they are very happy to play with you. There are many ferrets in shelters being offered for adoption. This type of pet requires a loving and responsible owner and is not for everyone.

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Before traveling with your pet, consider what is best for your pet and not for you. Is your pet going to be more comfortable and at ease at home? Is it possible to hire someone you trust to feed and care for your pet? Is your pet old, fragile, or has health issues? Will your pet be too stressed out? These are things to consider before putting your pet thru traveling just because you may feel guilty by leaving it alone. In addition, if you are taking your pet on vacation, make sure that you bring all the meds with you, if it requires any.

Airline travel may be a bit stressful and overwhelming when traveling with pets. First, you must know all the requirements of the airline you are choosing for traveling. Each airline may have different regulations. You must acquire all necessary veterinary health certificates to be able to take your pet with you. Next, you will have to obtain the carrier that is allowed by the airline. If you are taking your pet with you on the plane, (which is not guaranteed by the airline when you get there), you must pay for the pet air ticket. If your pet is going in the cargo area, learn as much as possible about the airlines procedures and mark the carrier as well as you can with destination and necessary contact numbers or addresses. Ask your veterinarian to see if he/she can give a light sedative to your pet to relief stress. Try to take a direct flight, as changing planes may be too stressful for your pet and for you as you worry about it.

If you cannot take the idea of having your pet in cargo or leave it at home, then consider a road trip vacation. You can drive with your pet, and there are many hotels that accept pets. Such pet hotels are inviting and make it a point to make the pets and their owners feel at home with all the comforts for your pet, and of course you too. Bring all appropriate leashes and pet carriers for when you are on the road.

Check any other mode of transportation that you may use such as trains, ships, or busses. Most will not allow pets, but in some cities, a few will. Check well your routes and ask before you go.

Plan the vacation for your pet as well as yourself. You want your pet to enjoy some activities and not follow you around only. Parks and beaches where pets are allowed are a good choice and even pet restaurants. Traveling with your pet can be fun if you follow certain safety rules.

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BARKING

Barking is normal behaviour for dogs. It is a means of self expression and communication. Dogs will bark to ward off intruders, to communicate with other dogs, to express excitement and pleasure during a ball game, when their owners arrive home, or prior to a walk. This is all perfectly normal and neighbours should accept this in moderation just as they accept that children will scream and shout when playing in the street after school.

Barking becomes a problem when it is excessive. It is probably the behavior least tolerated by people, especially in urban areas. Excessive barking in a normal dog usually results from boredom or territorial (guarding) behavior. Dogs that are left at home for long periods of time with nothing to do and are not walked daily will become extremely bored. Even if their backyard is huge, they know every inch of it and it simply isn’t exciting anymore.

When dogs are bored they become hyper-reactive, and will then bark at the slightest stimulus. Birds in the trees are a favorite, and any faint noise may easily provoke them. These dogs need to have more exercise. They should be taken out twice daily for 30 to 60 minutes. They should also have interactive play sessions as well as some good obedience training. A sandpit in which they may dig provides good interactive play. Remember also to rotate toys on a daily basis to stimulate their interest. Providing a canine companion for a bored or lonely dog may decrease its motivation to bark as the animals can play together and keep each other company. Some dogs are excessively territorial and will probably bark frequently during the day in defense of heir territory particularly if their owner’s property looks out onto a busy pavement.

These dogs are to be differentiated, however, from those that bark incessantly in a monotone during the day from the moment their owners leave the house as they may be suffering from separation anxiety. These dogs need professional help. In fact, all problem barking needs to be properly evaluated, and behavior modification, in addition to novel stimuli, needs to be implemented. Note that anti-bark collars should not be used as a quick-fix treatment. The case of Ronnie the barking Border Collie is a good example of how nuisance-barking may be treated. Ronnie was a seven year old Border Collie whose owner contacted the behavior clinic because the neighbors complained about the dog barking during the day.

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Now, what can you do to make him stop barking at you? Dogs bark if they see any stranger or feel that it is some kind of danger. Try to check out the condition yourself. This will further enhance bonding of you with dog. These are the following tips you can apply to make sure that your neighbor’s dog will not bark.

• If you have good relationship with your neighbor then it is quite possible that you can make the dog a friend. The dogs are generally lacking love, show him some love and you will notice it stop barking.

• From time to time give him something to eat and mind that food you are giving to dog is of good quality. Next time, the dog should definitely notice you in a friendly way.

• Dogs are of curious nature. Try to play with them at least once in a week. This will make sure that they recognize you. Let the dog smell you and learn that you are a friend.

• If you are having tough time with the neighbors. You can file a noise complaint at your nearby police station.

• You can ask your neighbor to train their dog to stop barking. By means of training, it will make sure that a dog will understand who to bark at or not.

• Some breeds of dogs try to bark more openly. And this habit can grow further more if they bark more than others. Try to tell owner to find out if dogs barking habit is normal or not.

• Always remain calm and patient in front of dog, this will give a good signal to dog about their barking nature.

• Try to make use of technology if you know how to deal with the dog. There are certain high sound emitting devices available in the market which can silent dog for their barking. Consult your local vendor for such things.

• Always keep in the mind that a dog is an animal. It’s best to try to behave gently and you will notice that the dog will like you.

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When thinking about how to build a koi pond, there is one important thing that is a must before starting. You must know which one you thinking about getting before you even get the materials, are you looking for a simple design or something that is really going to wow everyone when they visit. Also, are you looking for an above ground koi pond that is beautiful or one that is just to get started with since your neighbor told you about them and you think that they are going to be like a goldfish.

If you are looking to make a koi pond look great then you will have to really dish out some money as when thinking about how you want it to look then you will need some high end materials that will be able to stand up to the water, wind and sunshine over time. When I did a search to see what kind of koi ponds their are, I found some great guidelines.

• One that is really nice and is really big and it holds 35000 gallons, which means they either have a lot of koi fishes and have the area where they found to build a koi pond at. When you are thinking about building a koi pond like a waterfall, you need to know how to build the koi pond the right way.

• Start with getting the pond liner set up first as this is the most important material when building a koi pond.

• Once you get the pond liner done, next is getting the pond skimmer filter and getting it installed so that you don’t have to really spend a lot on having someone come out and clean it for you.

• After that you will need to get a heavy duty pump as this part of how to circulate the water from the top of the waterfall to the bottom of fall.

• There are the two more important materials you will need to get, which is the filter, and then the UV sterilizer. The filter and sterilizer will prevent cloudy fish water.

Once you get all those and get those certain requirements done then you can have a koi pond.

There is a new contender for the world’s heaviest cat. Five year old Katy, who lives in Russia reportedly weighs 20kg. Katy’s owners had hoped to have her recognised as the world’s heaviest cat with the Guinness Book of Records however they are no longer accepting nominations in this category as they don’t want to encourage pet owners to overfeed their animals.

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Cloudy fish tank water

Their are several reasons why your fish tank water is cloudy. Let’s start with the basics.

If your starting a new aquarium, this is normal. Fish require certain bacteria in the water to live. Add the proper chemicals according to your tank size and fish.I recommend not doing any water changes for at least a month. After about two or three weeks the water will have developed and start clearing up. Change only 25% to 30% of your water at a time. Changing the water weekly is not required unless you have a high ammonia content.

Overfeed Fish

One of the easiest ways to get cloudy water in an established tank is to overfeed your fish. The feed dissolves and mixes with the water; this mixture creates a diluted effect. Your fish should have consumed 90% of the food in 1-2 minutes, anything extra, is waste. Do not feed so much that the food has a chance to fall to the bottom of the tank.

Too Much Lighting

Too much lighting is another cause of cloudy water. If your tank is by a window or exposed to a lot of light, this will accelerate algae growth and cloud your tank. Try blocking the sun in certain areas of the tank to shade it. To test for you much lighting, drape a thick cover over the tank for 24-48 hours leaving the aquarium light on for maybe 10 hours a day. If lighting is the problem, this should give you dramatic results in water clarity.

Not Properly Cleaned

Failing to properly clean the tank can be another cloudy issue. It’s recommended you clean your tank once a month and no longer than once every 2 months. You should use a syphon to remove waste and excess food from the bottom of the tank. Remember to remove no more and 25% to 30% of your water at a time. I recommend you stir up the bottom gravel when your about to finish, and let your filtration system clear up the water. It will take about 24 hours for it to clear up, but you get much better results. Change your filter once it’s clear.

Plant Care

Real plants can cause a mess in your tank. Bits and pieces fall off and decompose, clouding up your tank. This is similar to extra food that the fish don’t eat. Clip off any leaves that look dead or dying. Remove any plants that are not fresh or healthy. I do not prefer real plants myself because they require a lot of sunlight which leads to algae. If you get real plants, try finding some that require little sunlight.

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See Your Groomer/Vet

Have your dogs teeth brushed and cleaned; this is a very effective method of removing plaque. Like humans, bacteria will build up in your pets mouth. Some dog food claims to clean there teeth but nothing will as good as brushing. Brushing your pets teeth will prevent tooth decay and keep your pet in good health. A decaying tooth could be the problem. Untreated dental problems can lead to far more serious health issues in dogs just like humans.

Toys, Bones & Biscuits

Mint-flavored durable dog toys can help freshen your dog’s breath. Tough, solid rubber toys help satisfy your dog’s natural urge to chew and eliminate bad breath. They come in many styles and sizes for every dog. Dog biscuits, rawhide bones or the equivalent, and good-quality kibble dog food are also essential for healthy teeth and gums.

Really bad breath could indicate a further problem within, you want to check with your local vet and make sure your dog doesn’t have something seriously wrong.

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