How to Spoil Your Pets

Isn't it fun to spoil your pets and hear their soft purr or see their fluffy tails wagging? From owning pets and hearing ideas from other people, I've learned a lot of great ideas to spoil the pets that bring us so much joy and entertainment:

• Get your dog little boots to keep his or her paws warm on those chilly winter nights.

• Sing your pet a little lullaby. If they aren't howling or complaining, sing till your heart's content!

• Brush your pet often, especially if they shed. Many pets love the attention and it prevents hairballs in cats and keeps dogs comfortable and looking debonair.

• Give them plenty of treats but be careful in feeding human food to your pets. Foods like chocolate and onions can be poisonous and many plants are toxic to cats.

• Give them their own warm cozy chair or blanket or they'll just take over yours anyway.

• Give your cat Catsip milk (it's easier on their digestive system than cow milk)

• Take your dog with you through the drive thru. They love the attention from the employees and you might find a place that will actually give your dog a little something.

• Give your kitty a box to play in or just don't kick them out when they try to jump in any open box lying around the house.

• Play with them lots. There's no better toy for your furry friend than you.

• Get your cat or dog a pet drinking fountain. They'll love the fresh running water.

• Put a window bench near the window or sometimes leave the curtains open on a low window so Fido or Fluffy can stare out the window and hear how cute they are from your neighbors.
  

• Give them little pet massages until their heart is content.

• Dampen and squeeze a wash cloth with warm water and wipe their head and ears with it to comfort them, especially when you're doing something they're not particularly fond of like maybe bathing.

• Regular vet care and dental care.

• Give your kitty a little bit of Tuna. They'll go crazy begging when they smell it

• Take your dog to Mounds or another pet store that will let you bring your dog in. Let them sniff out all the toys and have fun wandering around like a kid in a candy store.

• Put birdfeeders near the windows to amuse cats.

• Take your dog to the doggie park or go on lots of walks outside.

• Let your kitty out into a screened in porch or sunroom if you have one or a room with lots of windows. They love exploring and enjoying all the sunlight. It's great for the indoor cat.

• Tell them everyday you love them. I really think they understand.

Feel free to leave a comment and share all the ways you spoil your furry friends, so we can all get even more ideas for pampering our pets :)

Many Ideas to Recession Proof Your Pet

Veterinary Care:

• Look into low cost or free programs for spaying/neutering your pet. http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html or http://www.petsandanimals.org/spayneuter_services.html
  Altering your pet can prevent certain health problems, so spaying and neutering may be cheaper in the long run. Also, it make keep you from being driven crazy by your pet. I discovered it's no fun when a cat goes into heat or when a dog befriends the visitation pastor's leg.
• Don't neglect preventative care. It can keep your pet healthy and save money in the long run.
• Call your vet when you have questions or concerns. They can let you know whether it's necessary to bring a sick pet in. They can also give you advice to take good care of your pet, preventing unnecessary vet visits.
• Ask for a written estimate for veterinary procedures up front.
• Consider various options for paying your vet bills. Ask the vet office if there's any kind of payment plan or look into using a line of credit to pay your vet bills. It may be a lot more fiscally reasonable than paying with a credit card.
• Think about taking your pet to a vet school for vaccinations. Though veterinary students aren't as experienced, they do have a supervisor. But, don't do anything you aren't comfortable with just to save money. You may also wish to go to a more experienced vet for more complex vet visits.
• Research pet insurance at http://www.petinsurancereview.com. Depending on coverage and pre-existing conditions, this may or may not be worth it for you.

Pet Meds:

• Join the Walgreen's prescription savings club for families. At the family rate, they will cover prescriptions for your pet as well as you and your family. Visit https://webapp.walgreens.com/MYWCARDWeb/servlet/walgreens.wcard.proxy.WCardInternetProxy/RxSavingsRH? and click on drug pricing tool to see how much the prescription savings club will save you. You can also ask a Walgreen's pharmacy employee about the savings with a prescriptions savings club membership.
• Informative how to article on buying pet meds on-line.
  http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_buy_pet_medication_online
  
• Buy pet meds on-line
  Try http://1800petmeds.com or http://www.discountpetmedicines.com

Toys:

• Try household objects for toys.
  FOR CATS: milk rings, a crumpled up paper ball, untied shoes, a box, a paper bag, string (only with you holding it supervising, cat's could choke).
  FOR DOGS: any kind of ball that's big enough to not be a health hazard, empty plastic water bottles, old socks or towels (make sure it's big enough to not be a choking hazard), homework (just kidding).
• Toys don't have to be complicated or expensive to entertain your pet. The best entertainment for your pet is you. It doesn't make much difference to an animal if you have a cheap little ball or mouse or some expensive gadget. Some sellers on Etsy make affordable and fun pet toys. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6941457
• Check out rummage sales and thrift shops for pet toys.

Pet Safety:

• Keep pets away from the following harmful foods and plants
  CATS: Stay away from onions, garlic and related root vegetables, chocolate and caffeine, grapes, raisins, bones from meat, mushrooms, raw eggs,poinsettias and easter lilies. Dairy products and dog food can also be hard on cats over time. There are also many other houseplants and plants that are toxic to cats.
  DOGS: Stay away from chocolate, caffeine, onions, garlic, mushrooms, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, baby food, raw fish, raw eggs, fat trimmings, poinsettias and easter lilies. Cat food and dairy products can also be hard on dogs over the long run.
• Here's a list of toxic plants at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants. It is long and not all-inclusive, so it's best to not keep houseplants around your animals.
• Also, try to pet proof your home as much as possible. From, personal experience, cats and glass vases with silk flowers in them don't mix well. Luckily, my cat was okay. Spray bitter apple spray on electrical cords. It can be a good idea to keep very young pets confined to a room without many electrical cords and other things they can get into when your not home.
• Keeping your cat inside can do a lot to help reduce costs. You could also try just bringing her outside on a cat harness. You may need less vaccinations and it can prevent a tragic vet visit. Not to mention a lot of stress!
• Keeping your dog fenced in can save money by keeping him safe from accidents. Ask your vet if this will reduce the amount of non-core immunizations your dog needs.

Pet Food

• Give your pet plenty of water to drink. Dehydration can cause an unnecessary vet visit.
• Feed your pet a good well balanced pet food.
• Research different brands of pet food. The most expensive brand is not always the best. You may wish to consult with your veterinarian. If you ever change pet food, do so gradually, a ding a little less of the old and more of the new every day.
• Avoid buying pet food from your vet. See if you can find the brand they recommend somewhere else at a better price. Also, consider buying the pet food in bulk at discount and warehouse pet stores.
• Visit your pet food company's web site. Sign up for newsletters and special promotions. Many companies will even e-mail you coupons and special offers.
• For an occasional treat: Bring your pet with you in the car to a drive up and ask if they have any food they can give your cute pet. My parents used to bring Benji with to Frostee Freeze and they got a free doggie cone for him.

Home Pet Care:

• Groom your cat yourself. A good tutorial for cat grooming: http://www.geocities.com/catcare2000/grooming.htm
• Groom your dog yourself. A good tutorial for dog grooming: http://www.allsands.com/pets/dogs/howtogroomy_xcl_gn.htm
• Brush your cat regularly to prevent hairballs. If your cat doesn't like to be brushed, try putting a toy by her that she can bite. This may take some persistence and gentleness to get your cat used to being brushed.
• Brush your pet's teeth. You'll need special toothpaste for dogs/cats. Fluoride in human toothpastes can be poisonous. Here's a web site with instruction on trying to brush your animal's teeth for the brave at heart:
  How to brush your cat's teeth: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=56
  How to brush your dog's teeth: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-brush-your-dog-s-teeth/page1.aspx
• Play with your cat or dog to give them plenty of exercise. Playing with my cat can be good exercise for me too and a good source of entertainment.
  

Pet Freebies:

• Sign up for a freecycle.com account and see if any pet items are being exchanged or given away in your area.
• Pet freebies: http://www.talktothevet.com/FREE_PET_STUFF/
• The latest offers and savings in pet supplies: http://www.talktothevet.com/PET_SUPPLY/index.html

How to keep a cat from biting

First of all, know that you are not alone. My cat, Grace, took up biting as a hobby, but it has gotten better.

Here's some tips that can help curb your cat's biting:

• Don't give them attention when they bite. Especially if it's biting during play. Cats can use biting to get attention or because they think you make fun prey to play with. Walking away or putting them in a separate room can give them the idea that biting you is not fun. If your cat gets in wild moods where they are extremely bitey, a time out either in their crate or a separate room can really help. I've seen my cat become amazingly sweet after 10, 15, 20 minutes alone in my bedroom.
• Spray them with water. Most cat's don't like being sprayed with a water bottle and this can be a deterrant when they try to bite. However, if your cat is in a mood where they keep trying to bite you even as you keep spraying them with water, it's time for a time out for kitty.
• Give them play time where they can act out their aggression on toys instead of you. It is a natural instinct for cats to hunt. They need a little time to be able to act that out in positive ways. It doesn't have to be an expensive toy. Paper bags, milk rings, a piece of string while you're holding it and supervising all work great. Some cats love to chase after the light cast by a flashlight.
• Put Bitter Apple Spray on your hands or feet. My cat used to love to bite my toes as a kitten. It was very annoying. So I bought some bitter apple spray at Farm N Fleet to spray on my feet so she wouldn't like biting my toes anymore. I also sprayed some bitter apple spray on electrical cords just in case. This bitter apple spray I found was marketed for dogs - to keep them from biting at their skin and fur, but it can work for cats too.
• Discourage letting your cat play with your hands. It seems obvious, but I admit I've done this. It's fun for both the cat and me to try to catch my fingers, but it can be a really bad habit to get into.
• Say NO when they bite and move away from the cat.
• If they don't let go quickly when they bite, touch their nose with your finger. Cat's don't like it, and it can make them want to let go.
• Watch their signals. If their tail starts whipping when you're petting them, it's a sign they're getting annoyed or are irritable and they may need to be left alone for a while.
• Investigate the cause of the biting. Is there a new addition to the family? Has their status as king or queen been disrupted? Are they scared? In heat? Bored? Defending their young? Are they just playing? Are they overstimulated? Are they teething?
• Be patient. It takes time. Please don't give up on your pet because of a bad habit. With time and patience, these bad habits can get better. I was almost ready to give my cat away when I first got her, and she has grown into a wonderful cat.

If you have any additional advice or suggestions, please feel free to comment.