During the early 1800′s, the very first Siamese cats began to make their way to England, when they were presented as gifts to a British general.  Following that, they eventually made their way over to America.  Nowadays, Siamese cats are one of the most recognized of the breed.  Siamese cats are without a doubt the most popular short haired cat and among the top 3 in the entire breed of cats.

Even though there are several different colours to this breed, some question what makes a cat a true Siamese cat.  These cats have always been known for their bodies which are lighter in colour, with darker areas throughout.  The more darker areas found on their bodies are normally around the feet, tail, legs, or face.  They can weight anywhere between 6 – 16 lbs, with bright eyes that are normally slanted – which is another clue that the cat is a true Siamese.

Traditionally, Siamese cats are robust, with round heads and a truly muscular build.  They are well known throughout the world for their colour points and unique personalities.  Unlike other breeds, Siamese breeds have a talent for communicating with people.  If you are looking for a cat that is nice and quiet, you wouldn’t want a Siamese cat.  These cats love to play, love to make noise, plus they also happen to be the most social breed of cats out there.

Siamese cats demand a lot of attention, because in their minds, they believe that the world revolves around them.  For this very reason, they can tend be quite dependant on their owners.  They love to play, and crave interaction.  If you leave them alone for too long, they won’t like it.  They like to get attention, love to play, and hate to be left by themselves.

Even though Siamese cats are emotionally high maintenance, they don’t need lots of maintenance They need a minimal amount of grooming, which involves bathing every once in a while, and brushing maybe once or twice a month.  If you like cats with minimal maintenance, Siamese cats are perfect.  Their hair is short to their skin, so a gentle brushing is all you need.  They can get sick however, which is to be expected with any breed of cat.

Siamese cats have a life span that is similar to other breeds, which is normally around 15 – 20 years, sometimes even longer. As long as you feed him on a daily basis and take him to the vet for his regular checkups and shots, he will be around for a long time to come.  Most people who have their Siamese cat for over 10 years, find the cat to be more like a child than a pet.

No matter how you look at it, a Siamese cat is a great pet.  Although the Siamese breed does require a lot of attention, they are outstanding pets that you can spend a lot of time with.  They are great for kids as well, simply because kids can spend a lot of time with them.  So long as you give your pet the attention he demands – he will be your life long friend for as long as you have him.

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Some owners make a 2 pronged strategy when deciding on dog food for his or her animals. They will combine a portion of dry food with canned, essentially giving their dog the “best of both worlds.” If you’re feeding canned food to your dog, you are going to definitely need to supplement it in some way with something the dog can chew and crunch. Chew toys and doggie biscuits or treats can help serve this purpose.

Keep in mind a pet’s wellbeing depends significantly on the nutritional worth of its food. A dog is only as healthy as the food that it eats, in many respects. The food you get for the dog should fulfill its dietary needs as best as possible, regardless of whether it is moist or dry. Unfortunately when it comes to commercial dog food you only get what you pay for. Store brands and generic foods are typically prepared from cheaper ingredients and plenty of fillers. They will feed your dog, nonetheless they might not be the best choices for it. The more costly brand names like Science Diet and Eukanuba which publicise that they are “specially formulated” really, to some extent, are. They will contain higher quality ingredients and are much better suited to meet your dog’s requirements.

Actually, if you are providing an effective way for your dog to work out its teeth on a regular basis, it makes no difference whether you’re feeding them dry food or moist. In the course of normal veterinary examinations your vet will take a look at the dog’s teeth and can alert you if there’s any kind of issue that should be remedied by providing some other type of food or some supplement.

The reason why dogs need to be able to gnaw on hard materials is two fold. It fortifies their teeth and gives a work out to the muscle tissue of the jaw, keeping teeth strong and the jaws effective. Additionally, it provides a kind of dental care. Owners should clean their dogs’ teeth no less than twice a week. If this just isn’t feasible, however, crunchy foods like dog biscuits act as a type of natural toothbrush for the dog, loosening plaque and tartar and cleaning the teeth.

Deciding on the best food for your dog is essential, both for the dog’s dietary needs and its good dental health. Should you prefer to offer your dog the tastier soft, moist foods that are sold in a can that’s OK, just make sure you’re also providing something for Rover to actually sink his teeth into.

Whenever you are looking at purchasing pet products, where should you go? Is the high street better, or does internet shopping for pet supplies represent a much better alternative these days?

Clearly when looking to buy products for your pet you will be keen to make certain you get them the very best you are able to, but at the same time you’ll probably be looking to try to help make your money go as far as possible. After all, pet food alone can cost a great deal, and if you’re thinking of buying extra treats like nibbles, toys, perhaps a soft blanket or even a new bed, then you will want to make sure that the budget goes as far as possible.

So is buying pet supplies online less expensive than in high street shops? The fact is that many high street pet stores tend to have much more than simply the pet products, because they often have the pets as well. Much of the costs associated with running a high street shop go into the insurance for the pets, the heating, lighting, housing, feeding and veterinarian costs involved in ensuring the pets are in the very best of health.

Obviously the high street pet shop isn’t a charitable organisation, and consequently the cost of maintaining these animals, sometimes for weeks at a time, is gained through the sale of pet supplies. This inevitably means the costs on the high street are more than online.

No online pet shop has to concern itself with the enormous overheads that conventional shops have to, which is why they can afford to undercut them quite considerably. Of course, the lower cost of pet supplies online means that you have a choice. You can either save money, or upgrade and pay the same as you would in a high street shop, but on a much better quality item.

Treat your pet to the next grade of pet food, or a comfier bed, more toys, a bigger tank or a larger cage. Whatever type of pet you have you surely love them, and by saving money and making your pet budget extend further you can afford to indulge them a bit more!

Buying pet supplies online also offers you the opportunity to search more easily, compare items more quickly and of course the convenience also means you can spend more time playing with your pet than leaving them behind whilst you go shopping.

If your pet could choose, they’d almost certainly vote for buying pet supplies online!

Under no circumstances leave an animal in a car: All pet owners should know the dangers of leaving any pet inside a hot car, even if it’s just for a few minutes. This especially applies to dog owners. Dogs love riding in a vehicle and it is really tempting to let your dog ride to the shops with you. However, pet owners should never leave cats or dogs inside a car during hot weather. Even with the windows open, a car parked in the hot sunlight can easily reach blistering temperatures. Pets left in hot cars can die within minutes or can experience severe dehydration. The preferred guideline is usually to leave your pet in the home in the cool air conditioner through the hot weather. You should also know that if you are a dog owner, that permitting your dog ride the bed of a truck could be very dangerous for a dog at any time of the year. One jolt can send your dog flying out of the bed of the truck, resulting in injury or worse. Even putting your dog without supervision in the bed of a truck in a public place can be a recipe for disaster. Be extra careful with your pet during travelling. If you must travel with your dog or cat, secure your pet in the car and leave the air conditioning on continually. Let your pets take frequent breaks on long trips and provide them with access to plenty of drinking water.

Be Careful Walking the Dog: There are many areas where the temperatures soar in the warm months. In places where the temperatures reach an all-time high, it is a good idea to walk your dog either in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are lower. During the summer months, temperatures will be at the highest during midday. You should refrain from walking your dog during this time. Not only will you and your dog become hot and dehydrated, the hot concrete can burn your dog’s delicate paws. When you do walk during hot weather, take along water for your dog and stop regularly to let your dog drink. Your dog will thank you for this.

Practice Proper Pet Grooming: It is generally a good idea to maintain your pet grooming routine, but it is especially vital during the summer months. If your dog has very long fur, it is like wearing a fur coat in 95-degree weather. It is not comfortable to your pet. Also, keep an eye out for pets that have much of their fur trimmed off, such as poodles. Longhaired dogs can rapidly overheat in the high temperatures. Poodles and other breeds with short cuts can get sunburned. Sunscreen does not protect dogs. With long haired dogs, frequent brushing also helps get rid of the winter undercoat and can help your dog to better regulate its body temperature during hot weather. Regular clipping of long hair can also help keep your dog cool. Even longhaired cats can benefit from a summer clipping. Longhaired cats are easily overheated, even when they do stay indoors.

Watch out for Insects: Insects can be bothersome for your pet during the warm, summer months. Spring and summer are when fleas and ticks are at their most active. Mosquitoes are also in abundance during this time of year. It is always a good idea to make sure your dog and cat are getting their monthly flea and tick preventative. Your dog also needs to stay current on heartworm preventative, as mosquito bites can cause heartworms. Also, keep a pet first aid kit handy for bee or wasp stings.

Outdoor safety: Summer is the season when people spend a great deal of time outdoors. Be it taking care of the garden, going to the lake or swimming in the pool, you’ll want to take additional safeguards when your pets are with you outside. If you mow your lawn or put chemicals on the grass, make certain your pets are inside and removed from the hazards. Also, if your dog enjoys the water, keep a close eye on your pet. Most pets are capable swimmers instinctively, but it is always a good idea to keep an eye on them. If you enjoy taking your dog out boating, you can buy life preserver vests for your dog to wear. You can never be too safe when it comes to safeguarding your much loved furry friend.

Giving your family dog a bath – not a problem. More than likely cleaning your dog’s teeth wouldn’t be an issue. But trimming doggie’s nails, no way! Ok, listen up. This can be done. It’s not nearly as challenging or terrifying as it appears.

Claw trimming in dogs can be done easily enough if you understand how. It may be beneficial to watch someone else (vet, groomer or friend) who is skilful in nail trimming demonstrate first. Some dogs won’t need to have their nails trimmed. Many will naturally wear the nails down or the dried up ends of the nails will merely flake away without you even being aware. But certain breeds, in particular Basset Hounds and Dachshunds may need your assistance with keeping the toe nails moderately short. As much as you’ll never want to, you might as well just count on cutting a nail too short on occasions. It just happens at times, even with experienced groomers. The nail will bleed if you cut it too short, so just be ready for that eventuality.

Get yourself a good pair of dog nail clippers. Ask a veterinarian or the staff in the pet shop which sort they suggest. Place the primary part of the trimmer in the palm of your hand and the moveable part is controlled by your fingers. You need to be able to see the small cutting blade which slides when you squeeze the handle.

Ensure that you aren’t cutting from the top downward; but rather from underneath. Slide the opening over the end of the nail whilst staying in the whitish part of the claw. The pink region of the nail is the live part and has blood vessels throughout. Ideally you should be able to see where the pink part starts.

If your pet has dark nails you may not be able to see any pink to recognise where the live part of the nail starts. Simply do a bit at a time with the dark nails. Examine the end of the nail. The dead area generally is whitish and when you cut further into the end of the nail you will start to see a dark area. That dark area is where the live part starts.

When you’re ready to cut, and you are sure you are not at the live, pink part of the nail make a smooth, quick squeeze on the handle while holding the trimmer steady. Don’t try to "pop" the end of the nail off; it will fall away by itself. You can file the edges or just let your dog wear the nail smooth. Taking your dog for a walk on the street can help them file down.

Understand that at some time you will cut too short. When this happens, position a tiny piece of tissue paper firmly against the end of the nail and hold it for a couple of minutes. Better yet, have some cornstarch or flour available and put a small quantity against the bleeding end of the nail and hold it there with your finger. This works right away. Or you can do nothing and the bleeding should stop in about 5 minutes. If it persists in bleeding much more than that, give your vet a call.

You can do this!. Play with your canine’s feet first to get them used to the idea. If you do it once a week, it won’t seem like such a tragic event. If you can only do one paw daily, that’s alright also. Man’s best friend needs you to do it for him. Relax and enjoy your dog!

So, how can your dog speak to you without saying a word? Unless you are Dr. Doolittle, the barks are just noise, but how he moves when he barks is the clue.

• Wagging the tail – When your dog is happily wagging his tail and his tongue, he is in a playful mood. He may even lower the front of his body to the floor and raise his little hind end in the air. He is probably full of energy and ready for play time.

• Ears standing up – Something has caught his attention. He may stop wagging his tail and even lean his head to the side to pay closer attention to whatever is catching his eye. This is not necessarily a call to alarm, but that he has found something new.

• Bearing his teeth – This is considered a show of aggression. He may do this with strangers or when confronting an animal that he feels threatened by or that may be threatening you.

• Lying on the ground with tail down when he greets you – This is a way of greeting you that shows loyalty also. When you walk into the house, your canine companion may lower himself on the ground. This pose is also referred to as an “active submission.” He doesn’t feel threatened or fearful. It is an act of friendship, realizing that you are the boss and a friend.

Now, your dog makes other noises besides barking. Barking can have many meanings in itself, so we are going to talk about other sounds that your dog may make that you kind of want to be aware of.

• Growling – Your dog shouldn’t be growling at you, but he may growl at strangers. It could also be in response to his sensing that you are uncomfortable with someone. If your dog does growl at you when you take something away from him, it could be a play for the alpha position.

• Whining – This is such a cute gesture. Unfortunately it can also be annoying if you are trying to get him to do something that he doesn’t particularly want to do, like go to the vet. In these times, ignoring the whine lets him know that it won’t get him out of doing his duty. Whining can also accompany their show of loyalty and greeting.

Are any of these gestures and sounds familiar? If they are, now you can communicate with your dog more effectively. You can “speak” his language.

People often purchase rabbits from a breeder. Such a breeder who has a litter of young rabbits available for sale can be found in the newspaper classified ads listed under "Pets" or "Livestock." Some can be found through rabbit breeders’ club publications or through rabbit-related magazines, which often include a breeder listing. With the advent of the Internet, many breeders publicize their stock online.

Finding a local rabbit breeder is generally preferred to shipping rabbits over long distances, as it can be traumatic for the animal. Many pet shops nearly always carry smaller breeds of rabbit such as the Netherland dwarf, the Holland lop, and the Mini-Rex. These breeds, although smaller than ‘normal’ rabbits, still live long and healthy lives. A point to note is that often smaller breeds of rabbits are prone to teeth problems such as malocclusion.

Rabbit rescue organizations or a local humane society are increasingly common places to find adult rabbits, who may already be spayed or neutered and docile from handling. Though most rescued rabbits are healthy, some may well require special care for health conditions or behavioural problems resulting from prior ill-treatment.

Training and Play

Pet rabbits can be trained to urinate and defecate in a litter box or on a newspaper in a specific corner of a room. The litter box may also be placed inside the rabbit’s cage or the rabbit can be trained to treat the cage itself as the litter box. Litter training becomes much easier once a rabbit is spayed or neutered.

Rabbits cannot learn voice commands like a dog, but can distinguish different patterns of the voice. For instance, If a rabbit is disobeying, for example biting, just make a high pitched noise, or an extremely bass noise and the message will be conveyed. Rabbits can be taught their names, although they recognize the pattern of the noises more then the words. Rabbits are intelligent, and enjoy games and toys.

It is possible to permit a rabbit to roam freely in the house if rooms have been rabbit-proofed (i.e. dangerous chewable items such as electric cords are removed from the pet’s reach). Rabbits have a tendency to chew on items in their space, particularly wires, although they can be trained not to chew.

It is important that if a rabbit is permitted to wander in a house that it be impossible for the rabbit to chew or get into hazardous or valuable items. They do not enjoy the same comprehension as a dog or a cat, and often don’t understand if punished physically; rather they will become frightened or perplexed if some kind of punishment is used, as they do not see the damage they have done. If all this is taken into consideration, rabbits make excellent house pets.

Companionship

Other rabbits

Unneutered rabbits often fight when paired with an additional rabbit of the same gender. Generally fighting is a result of sexual mounting, which is engaged in by rabbits of both sexes upon other rabbits of either sex; this behaviour stresses the rabbit being mounted and can make it aggressive toward its cagemate. Unneutered rabbits of opposing sexes will reproduce quickly, so a pet owner should not leave them together, even if they do not fight.
Because of these problems, it used to be preferred to keep rabbits caged individually.

However, it is becoming customary to spay and neuter pet rabbits allowing male and female rabbits to live together. Fighting can result even from pairing altered rabbits. Keeping rabbits in pairs can curb behavioural issues (such as general aggression, biting or withdrawal) which may occur if rabbits are kept single.

Pairs of bonded and desexed rabbits, usually one of each gender to a pair, can often be adopted from animal shelters. These have usually already had all their major expenses taken care of (desexing) and they will rarely fight or harass each other, taking the trouble out of bonding two separate rabbits.

Guinea pigs

A number of books propose keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together to meet their social needs. While some people have seen success with this technique, the current consensus is that rabbits should never be kept in the same cage with guinea pigs. A rabbit can easily harass or injure a guinea pig; this can lead to severe distress or even death for the guinea pig. It may be accidental or due to being startled, since the rabbit is larger and stronger so can gravely injure a guinea pig.

They also have differing dietary requirements, so it is therefore preferable that rabbits and guinea pigs are given small animal treats independently. Guinea pigs require additional Vitamin C in their diets that rabbits don’t and a lack of Vitamin C may lead to scurvy.

In addition, guinea pigs typically show very little interest in social activities necessary for the rabbit’s well-being, such as grooming; this limits the intended benefit of housing the guinea pig and rabbit together in the first place.

Dogs and cats

It is usually recommended that dogs must on no account be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Cats, on the other hand, can become close and safe potential companions if properly introduced to the rabbit and they are of at least roughly corresponding size. In fact, when the cat is introduced in a home with a resident rabbit, the rabbit every now and then will show aggression to confirm his territory and the cat, which does not have such concerns, will typically concede the point to the resident.

From an early age, kittens learn to pick up things in their mouths. It is an instinct, just like using their claws. When a cat plays, they like to grab and bite into their toys. Let us look at the toys listed above. A cat tower is a terrific way to coach your cat where it is appropriate to climb. It will keep them off the blinds or curtains while giving them hours of fun. There are numerous types of cat towers from the two story towers to the ones rising to the ceiling.  The answer to your question is, the more levels they have the more fun and enjoyment they will receive out of a cat tower. A cat will use the tower for play as well as sleep.  They love to bat at ropes and other items dangling off the tower as well as going through little tunnels up to the next level. If you have two cats you will have fun watching them give chase to the top often trying to knock the other off. A cat tower can also be convenient because they will scratch at it rather than your couch.

Stuffed mice are also important to any kitty’s playtime. Not all mice are the same; most cats prefer the small leather mice with the multi colour fur and long tails. These mice come in twelve packs or three packs, and believe me if they are anything like my kitty they will tear them apart. Cloth mice are typically second during playtime. If you find your kitty to be uninterested in mice you might want to check the type of mouse you have bought them.

Catnip toys are incredibly popular. Catnip will cause your cat to be more rowdy, which can be a plus because they tire more quickly. Catnip before bedtime is a great means to get your cat to sleep for quite a while and leave you to get some shuteye. Catnip should be given out sparingly. You do not want to give your cat catnip everyday because it can have adverse affects on their behaviour. They can start to depend on it and have mood swings.

I have found the best toy could just be your old stuffed animal lying around the house. My kitty will bring me a stuffed animal when she is ready to play and she has stuffed animals in her toy basket. There is nothing more entertaining than watching my kitty brings me a stuffed animal bigger than she is and proceeds to toss it in the air and pounce.  Cats like the feel of certain things in their mouths that is why they chew on paper, plastic and even your blankets. The feel of the material in their mouths allows them to clean their teeth or, when they are teething, help reduce the pain. The stuffed animal can work in much the same way and keep them away from harmful products.

To answer my above question you do not have to go to great expense to entertain your cat, however when you spend a little on toys, you keep your kitten from getting bored.  You might even choose to hide a few toys and reintroduce them after a few months to keep from purchasing new ones all the time. Just make sure it is not the favourite toy of your pet or they may find other ways to entertain themselves that you do not find amusing!

The problem faced by taking the pet out of its environment is that they become stressed out. In case of travelling before reaching their new ‘temporary’ destination they can also experience travel trauma. So arranging to have your pet, or pets, looked after by someone else in your absence is a far kinder arrangement.

It is always a good plan to conduct a pet sitter interview before hiring them for the job. The interview can be arranged on phone or in person although it is generally better if the interview takes place at home as the ability of the pet sitter can be tested with the pet. The pet sitter should be qualified and should have completed appropriate educational coursework. The coursework should include pet care, nutrition and health along with business and office procedures. It is a bonus if they have taken care of animals similar to the pet you have because not all pet sitters can take care of all types of pets. Every pet sitter is generally specialised in looking after a certain type of pet and it is very rare to find a pet sitter that has knowledge about all kinds of pets.

The pet sitter should also have an insurance policy in case of accidents and this policy should be checked prior to engaging them to ensure that it is current and valid. They should also be asked for to provide references from previous employers to ensure that their previous work experience is up to your required standards.

The pet sitter looks after the food and water needs of the animal. They maintain the normal routine of the animal. This can also include giving medication to the pet if required. Some even provide special services such as injecting insulin; administering subcutaneous fluids, and checking blood pressure and glucose levels. In such cases, the knowledge of the pet sitter should be assessed with the vet of the pet.

Some pet sitters also provide pet walking services. This service is used by people who are old or have some kind of disability and are not able to provide the adequate exercise that their pet needs. They may also be able to drive the pet to the vet, groomer or trainer. Pet sitters also pick up pet supplies such as food and medicines. All the additional services are optional and not provided by all pet sitters. They also play with the pet and maintain the litter box.

Pets such as dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, ferrets, lizards, guinea pig, fish, and hamsters can utilise the services of a pet sitter. But some of the exotic animals are very fussy and shy; they accept pet sitters whom they are familiar with. If this is the case, then pet owners should try to develop a bond between the pet and the pet sitter beforehand, in their presence. The most common method of bonding with the animal is by feeding them. After the initial bond is formed, the pet can then be left alone with the pet sitter.

For cat lovers, Fatboy catbags make the ideal gift for your pet. These designer pet beds come in a wide range of colours including black, lime green, orange, red, and turquoise, making them the perfect fit for any decor. These comfortable cat beds are made of an easy-to-clean nylon material and are 65 x 10 cm. Your cat will enjoy lounging in one of these designer pet beds at any time of the day, making this a real treat for the cat in your life.

If your dog is your best friend, you’ll want to check out the Fatboy doggie lounge. These designer dog beds are the perfect gift for your dog and come in a wide selection of colours to complement any room of your home. Available colours for these dog beds include black, red, sand, brown, orange, pink, line, and camouflage. The dog beds also come in large and small sizes so that you can pick the perfect Fatboy doggie lounge for your pet.

The best thing about the Fatboy line of designer pet beds is that they are a great value. With washable material and a wide range of colours and sizes, you’ll be able to find the perfect dog beds or cat beds for your home at a very reasonable price. In fact, you may want to stock up on designer pet beds and purchase one for all of the main rooms in your home. Your pet will be able to be comfortable no matter where you are in your house.

When picking out one of these designer pet beds, keep your pet in mind. Even if your dog is considered a small dog, one of the large dog beds offered by Fatboy may be a better fit and provide more comfort. You should also consider your cat’s preferences when buying one of the Fatboy cat bags. If you have more than one cat, you should consider buying more than one catbag so that all of your pets have the chance to lounge around in comfort.