Los Animales Care, Food and Preventing Fleas

Cats

Care
Visit www.rspca.org.uk or Blue Cross www.allaboutpets.org.uk for downloading and printing Animal Care Sheets – Cats

Cats need a warm, secluded, soft, safe place to sleep. A clean litter tray containing sand or cat litter granules or access to a safe place outside. Cats are extremely affectionate need human company, combing and stroking. They get lonely so it is advisable to have two cats at the same time, as long as they get on. Toys such as catnip mouse, tin foil ball, or ping pong ball should be given to your pets. Historically in some cultures for example Egypt, cats were protected and adored, considered beautiful, special creatures. They are excellent for keeping mice, rats and large insects out of your home. Males should be neutered and ideally females too together with essential vaccinations. Neutering males will ensure they do not ‘spray’ in the house, where they urinate to mark their territory against other males. Cats can be trained when they are kittens to use a scratch post rather than sharpen claws on furniture. Fit a clap flap in your back door or one of the windows to enable your pet freedom of access. Some cat flaps are available with a lock to stop them going outside particulalrly at night time. Cat flaps are also useful for small breeds of dog. Outside provide a tree trunk for this. They are especially attracting to mature lilac tree branches. Cats and dogs can live together but usually best to get your cat first, so it is metaphorically the ‘boss’. Always feed the cat first at a height where the dog cannot get at its food. This sets the pattern of a ‘pecking order’ and the dog knows that the cat is above it because it was there first. They may become the closest of friends.

Cats should wear elastic collars and have some form of Identification on them in the form of a collar disc, with your surname, telephone number, address if possible or post code. Even better in addition a microchip which can be fitted by your local vet.

Food
Cats are carnivores and must have protein and oils to maintain their health.They can live to the age of 22 years. Serve fresh quality dried food once a day. Best to serve in the evening to set up a daily routine, calling your cat for its dinner. The food must be available at any time as cats browse and eat throughout the day. Always have plenty of fresh water. Dried food does not attract flies and is easy to store.

Treats
Prawns, cooked chicken, cat treats from your pet store and some cats do enjoy a drop of milk but not all. Milk makes some cats vomit.

Preventing Fleas/Ticks & Mosquito Bites
Adults can be treated with ‘Frontline’ or ‘Stronghold’ for cats. First ‘Frontline’ is a liquid in a vial prescribed to match your cat’s weight and is available from your local vet. Remove your cat’s collar and part their fur at the back if their neck so that 5 cm (2”) of skin shows. Pour the liquid carefully onto the skin. Stroke and hold your cat until this liquid has been completely absorbed. The liquid is extremely harmful to your cat if it tries to lick it. Put the collar back on when it is dry. This will protect your cat from fleas and ticks for one month. So write on your calender the date for the next treatment and on the box mark the date of application. Fleas, mosquitos and ticks in themselves are unpleasant to look at but they carry an array of diseases, some of which can be fatal. Cats fleas can also infest soft furnishings so it is advisable to look after the well being of your cat to prevent this occurring. Cat fleas in themselves are harmless to humans so it is just good house keeping. A few drops of lavender oil or cedar essential oil (available from Health Shops or from the internet under Aromatherapy) on soft furnishings, carpets and your pet’s bedding can be used as an insect deterrent. Comb your cat with a flea comb weekly or daily to keep their coat glossy and free of tangle, checking that the part of the ears that you can see is clean. This is the only part of the cat that it cannot clean for itself. A percentage of cats are allergic to flea bites.

Secondly ‘Stronghold’ is similar but more complex. It protects cats from fleas and anything relating to the flea cycle. Also protects cats from worms, ear mites, internal intestinal parasites and external parasites. ‘Stronghold’ does not protect your cat from ticks. So if your pets go outside safely in long grass or countryside they must wear a ‘Preventic’ tick prevention collar which last four months.

Dogs

Care
Visit www.rspca.org.uk for downloading and printing Animal Care Sheets – Dogs

Dogs need a warm, dry place in winter and a cool place in summer, secluded, soft and protected place to sleep. Do not leave dogs alone on roof terraces it is crueland too hot and too lonely for them. All dogs need a minimum of 2 x 20 minute walks per day. Dogs are loyal, pack animals and are affectionate needing human company, stroking and assurance. As they are pack animals (same as horses and donkeys) they get lonely and do not like to be left alone. If this is an unavoidable part of your lifestyle, it is advisable to have two dogs at the same time. Never shout at your dog and never hit it. It will need some training and to get to know its name. Gentleness and persistence are needed certainly for the first six months and better for eighteen months. Give your dog a food treat and lots of verbal praise after it has done anything good or well. A strong verbal NO is all that is needed to show your dog that you are not pleased. They are like teenagers up to the age of 18 months and can be wilful, asserting their personality and even chewing things in the home but they will grow out of this to become most loyal and pleasurable creatures to have as company and as guard dog deterrants. Do not teach them to bark they will find their voice soon enough. Again a strong verbal NO is all that is needed to show your dog that you are not pleased.

Dogs need to be taught to be clean and house trained immediately. This starts as soon as your get your 3 month old puppy home. Keep your puppy in one room when you first get it home, usually the kitchen as it is a warm and sociable room. Using a ‘child gate’on the kitchen door or at the bottom of the stairs will restrict your dogs movements around the house until 18 months old. Your puppy has just left its mother so it will cry the first night or two. Give it lots of reassurance. Go down to it and stroke it – do not let it jump up. This will be worthwhile because it will deter your dog from jumping up when it is adult and it will also protect its hip joints while they are growing if it grows to be a medium sized or large dog. Start as you mean to carry on and be consistant. Provide your puppy with his bedding probably in a three sided box first, food and water. Feed 4 or 5 times a day visit website www.rspca.org.uk Animal Care Sheets for full information. Immediately after each feeding time take your puppy outside to urinate or do its business. They can be trained to go in a certain area of your garden making it easy to clean and keeping your garden protected. Patience, gentleness, persistence and lots of praise are needed. This can be very useful when you are travelling with your dog in the future. A dog can live for an average of fifteen years and who knows where your life may be then. Think of a command – one word.

Dogs need a favourite toy with which you can have a daily game. A large piece of chew rope a ‘Ragga’ from your local pet store or a squeaky toy, but supervise this so that they do not chew out and swallow the squeaker part. When your dog is in its bed this is its sanctuary. Do not let children hassle it when it is in its bed. Tell the children to call its name and to ‘come’ if they want to play with it. If it does not want to come then that must be respected. Sometimes dogs get tired and do not feel well, so their beds are their safe place. Also a good place to send it when it has been naughty or under your feet.

Males should be neutered and ideally females too, together with essential vaccinations. Dogs and cats can live together but usually best to get your cat first, so it is metaphorically the ‘boss’. Always feed the cat first at a height where the dog cannot get at its food. This sets the pattern of a ‘pecking order’ and the dog knows that the cat is above it because it was there first. They may become the closest of friends.

Dogs should wear collars and should be trained to walk with a lead to prevent road traffic accidents. They should have some Identification on them in the form of a collar disc, with your surname, telephone number, address if possible or post code. Even better in addition a microchip which can be fitted by your local vet.

Food
Dogs are not totally carnivorous like cats and can get some of their nutrition needs from vegetables. Feed dogs twice a day. Always have plenty of fresh water available. Dogs can live up to 15 years of age and quality dried food is lighter and easier to store. Dried food is especially useful in the future, should you travel with your dog. Their droppings will also be more fibrous and easier to clean up. Do not feed dogs at the table encouraging them to beg. They will drool and become a nuisance and possibly overweight when they are older.

Treats see web page on Training They are part of the family and need to know what is expected of them and what is not tolerated. They will reward you with their intelligence and friendship.

Chews
Chews are good for teeth health and as a daily activity and treat for your dog.
Choose a wide range of reasonably priced chews in order to rotate the ones you give on a daily basis.

The following five are recommended:
Kong
Pressed rawhide chew
Rasks
Dental chew
Rawhide Twist

You can give them to your dog in rotation, for example;

Monday Kong with dog biscuits inside - rawhide twist
Tuesday Pressed rawhide chew – rask
Wednesday Dental rawhide chew
Thursday Kong with cheese spread inside
Friday Rawhide twist – Pressed rawhide chew
Saturday Kong with Markies biscuits inside
Sunday Pressed rawhide chew – dental rawhide chew

Preventing Fleas/Ticks & Mosquito Bites
Adults can be treated with ‘Frontline’ for dogs. The liquid is in a vial prescribed to match your dog’s weight and is available from your local vet. Remove your dog’s collar and part their fur so that 5 cm (2”) of skin shows. Pour the liquid carefully onto the skin. Stroke and pat your dog until this liquid has been completely absorbed. The liquid is extremely harmful to your dog if it tries to lick it. Put the collar back on when it is dry. This will protect your dog from fleas, ticks and mosquito bites for one month. So write on your calender the date for the next treatment and on the box mark the date of application. Fleas, ticks and mosquitos in themselves are unpleasant to look at but they carry an array of diseases, some of which can be fatal. Dog fleas are only passed between other dogs not humans. A few drops of lavender oil or cedar essential oils (available from Health Shops or from the internet under Aromatherapy) on soft furnishings, carpets and your pet’s bedding can be used as an insect deterrent. Using cedar wood to line bedding is also an insect deterrant. Dogs cannot clean themselves they are completely reliant on human beings so it is important to brush and comb your dog weekly or daily to keep their coat glossy and free of tangles, checking that the part of the ears that you can see is clean. A percentage of dogs are allergic to flea bites.

Secondly ‘Stronghold’ is similar and more complex. It protects dogs from Heartworm which is deadly and has no cure. It protects against fleas and anything relating to the flea cycle. Also gives protection from worms, internal intestinal parasites and external parasites and earmites. ‘Stronghold’ does not protect your dog from ticks so it is essential they wear a ‘Preventic’ tick prevention collar which last four months.

Important: Please read the Vaccinations page