Month: February 2015

Cats meow to communicate. Most often domestic cats are meowing to try to tell their humans something. Usually humans appreciate these vocal requests, being such vocally communicative creatures ourselves. But when a cat is meowing at night when we (and our neighbors) are trying to sleep, that’s not usually appreciated! Cats are naturally nocturnal beings. If you have a cat that is meowing at night and you want him to stop, it typically involves a bit of detective work and trial-and-error figuring out what will be a happy resolution to what is causing the meowing and making him stop. The first step is to try to figuring out why he is meowing. Here are some things a cat’s meow at night could be trying to tell you:

– I’m lonely/bored/stressed

– I’m hungry (or think I’m hungry)

– I’m thirsty

– I want to be let in (if he’s locked out of the bedroom for example)

– I want to go outside

– I miss my mom (most often baby kittens, but older cats too)

Ideally the solution will eliminate the reason for the nighttime meowing before it starts. Once you’ve gone to bed and your cats starts meowing, if you get up to do something about it, you are teaching you cat — or rather, your cat is training you — that if he meows, you’ll get up and do something. That’s rewarding the unwanted behavior. You might want to invest in some ear plugs for your household and neighbors while you give the various solutions a try!

Note: These solutions are not the only possible solutions! They are just ideas to get you started on figuring out the best solution for your household and your cat.

Solution for lonely/bored/stressed: One hour before bedtime, engage Kitty in 45 minutes of playtime and games. The last 15 minutes are spent giving Kitty attention, but of the low-key kind, like talking to him, snuggling with him if he likes that. Some cats loves being read a bedtime story! We are often so busy with our lives, and cats appear to be so low-maintenance, but some cats need more physical and emotional attention that they are getting, which is why they are meowing at night.

If you recently moved or adopted a new cat, they may be meowing because they are stressed. They may be calling out to try to locate their past home, or cat friends. Giving your cat time to adjust to the new home may be all it takes, but you can speed that along and help your cat be less stressed by:

1. Get your cat on a solid steady routine, cats find routine reassuring.
2. Use calming pheremone plugins (i.e. ComfortZone or Feliway) in every room.
3. Give your cat plenty of hiding places, either up high if they like being up high, or under things like under your bed if they are happier there.

Solution for I’m hungry/thirsty: Feed your cat meals instead of free-feeding, if you are free feeding. Or if you are gone most of the day, free-feed while you are gone, but take up the food when you get home.Or use a time-release cat feeder. Then put down the free-feeding dish right before you go to bed. Alternately, feed your cat a bedtime snack of wet food.

Solution for I want to be let in: If you are locking Kitty out of the bedroom because he wants to sleep with his belly across your face, try getting him a super awesome carpet cat tree (aka cat condo) with the U-shaped or O-shaped kitty sleeping perches, and put it right next to your bed, making sure one of the sleeping perches is higher than your head – cats often want to be higher than us. If Kitty is locked out because he attacks your feet as they move under the covers, one hour before bedtime, engage Kitty in 45 minutes of running-around playtime and games, then 15 minutes of mellow winding-down playtime.

Solutions for I want to go outside: This is typically a cat who goes out during the day, or who used to be allowed to go outside, but is now being kept inside at night for his own safety. GiveKitty access to an open but securely screened in window with a kitty perch where he can feel as if he’s outside, or build him a catio (it doesn’t have to be large) and install a cat door so he can go in and out without needing your assistance.

Solutions for I want my mom: Lots of cuddle time before bed, and if you can have kitty sleep in bed with you, that will often solve this problem. If kitty is too small to be safely in bed with you, and you don’t have or can’t get your kitty a real feline friend, a stuffed animal the size of another cat or kitten can help. They even make them with heartbeat noises!

Rarely, cats may have high anxiety from traumatic past experiences that causes nighttime meowing. These cats may need a professional cat behaviorist or veterinarian’s help to stop their night time meowing.

We hope these solutions for your cat meowing at night are helpful!

Sometimes our pets get adventurous and search our homes for things to sniff and eat. And sometimes, they find things that pose a hazard to their health — food in the kitchen, in particular. It’s important to store food out of our pets’ reach to prevent them from getting sick and requiring an emergency trip to the veterinarian’s office. Consider these quick storage solutions for pet-hazardous foods:

#1 Avocado

Should your dog or cat ingest an avocado peel, it will likely result in an upset stomach.  However, should a pet happen to eat an avocado pit, it can harm the gastrointestinal tract and require an emergency trip to the vet. Avocado seeds contain a toxin known as persin. Persin can cause respiratory problems which can lead to fluid buildup around the heart — and sometimes even death — for animals.

Where to store: Pet owners should store fruit in a refrigerator drawer. However, avocados often require some time to ripen on the countertop. Since cats are particularly agile counter-jumpers, take the added measure of storing avocados in a container with a plastic top on the windowsill. It might slow the ripening process, but it will protect your cat from getting near the peel or pit.

#2 Chocolates, Coffee and Caffeinated Beverages

These three items are grouped together because they contain something known as methylxanthine, found in cacao seeds. Ingestion by your pet of any of these substances can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, thirst and urination, tremors, seizures and in extreme cases, death.

Some things to note:

• Dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate.
• White chocolate is the least dangerous.
• Baking chocolates are the most dangerous because they have the highest concentration of methylxanthine.

Where to store: Keep coffee in a dog-proof canister and store it away in a pantry for added safety. Store chocolate in the refrigerator, pantry or freezer — and keep unopened caffeinated beverages stored in the refrigerator or pantry. Also, keep open caffeinated beverages far away from prying noses and paws.

#3 Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages can negatively affect human beings, but it’s even worse for an animal. Some effects include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Decreased coordination
• Difficulty breathing
• Tremors
• In extreme doses, death

Where to store: Keep alcoholic beverages in the refrigerator or cabinets. Some cats are particularly good at opening cabinets; if yours is this way, consider buying and installing a childproof lock. Also, consider putting the alcohol in the pantry. The doorknob will prevent your dog or cat from pushing it open.

#4 Salt

While your pet may like fries and chips, excessive amounts of salt can lead to results like:

• Frequent urination
• Poisoning from sodium ion
• Vomiting
• Depression
• Elevated body temperature
• Seizures

Where to store: When you aren’t using salt, store it as far away from your dogs and cats as possible. If you have a particularly adventurous pet, put salt in a pantry with a doorknob or store it in a cabinet that has a childproof lock.

#5 Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic include a compound harmful to dogs’ red blood cells. Depending on its strength, it can be very toxic. Never feed dogs any onions or garlic, not raw or in concentrated soup mixes or powders. Some side effects include weakness, exhaustion, and orange or red urine. Should your dog ingest onions or garlic, take it to a veterinarian for potential blood transfusions immediately.

Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor

photo credit: Rubbermaid LunchBlox – Lunch Containers via photopin (license)

Today, we have a very special Happy Beginnings story to share with you. It’s one filled with the glitter of the Hollywood lights and even a red carpet! The story starts off pretty sad, with little Max abandoned and alone. He was found as a stray in a field and then brought to an animal shelter in a part of California where animal homelessness is not uncommon. But what is uncommon is Max’s amazing turn-around. We’re talking a story fit for the big screen. You see, little Max not only found love when he was adopted by Kelly – an advertising executive at Siltanen & Partners, a firm that works with Coldwell Banker. He also found himself starring in a commercial for Coldwell Banker’s newest passion project, Homes for Dogs, which will make its television debut this Sunday, February 22nd during the Academy Awards! Yes, that’s right – Max will be starring in a commercial during the Oscars! How’s that for awesome?
Here’s what Kelly has to say about her loving relationship with Max:

“I found him on Adopt-a-Pet.com as I was looking for a male dog to rescue/adopt of that sort of breed and age. As soon as I saw his picture I just knew he was the pet for me. I contacted the Dexter Foundation and arranged to go and meet him in person the next week at a local pet adoption event. I fell in love with him immediately…we soon fell into a routine and it’s been bliss ever since. Now, I couldn’t imagine life without him. He comes to work with me almost every day and has become part of the S&P family. He has a spring in his step every day now that he is in a healthy, loving environment he can truly call home. It was kismet that we came into each other’s lives and some people inquire, “who rescued whom?!!”

We’re so happy for Max and Kelly and we can’t wait to see his adorable face on TV this Sunday! Watch the Oscars on Sunday and be on the lookout for Max in the new Coldwell Banker commercial. Then, let’s hit Twitter together to talk about it using the #HomeRocks hash tag.  You can also get a sneak preview of the commercial on the Coldwell Banker site (and learn more about why pet adoption is important to them!)

It’s no surprise that we believe that every loving animal should have a loving family and a warm, snuggly place to call home. But we’re not the only ones! Our friends at Coldwell Banker Real Estate, the home experts with 108 years of experience helping people find their homes, are doing something really special to make that a reality for the shelter pets on Adopt-a-Pet.com. Starting this week is the Coldwell Banker Homes for Dogs Project, a national campaign that aims to help 20,000 dogs find loving homes to call their own! To kick off the challenge, Coldwell Banker has released a fun new commercial that makes its debut during the Oscars onSunday February 22nd and shows the joys of coming home to your dog. Check out our sneak peek of the commercial, called “Home’s Best Friend,” and show Coldwell Banker some love for their support of this awesome cause by using #HomeRocks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

To celebrate the season of love and to help more people realize that true love awaits them at their local animal shelter, Adopt-a-Pet.com is hosting the 3rd Annual Great American Pooch Smooch & Kitty Kiss, kicking off on Saturday, February 14th – Valentine’s Day!  To join in and help influence others to adopt a pet from their local animal shelter:

1. Just post your favorite photos of you and your loving pets locking lips along with the hash tags #PoochSmooch or #KittyKiss in social media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Google+.
2. Make sure to tag @AdoptaPetcom and tell us why you’re so glad you chose adoption over other options.
3. Challenge your friends to do the same!

And starting on Saturday February 14th, you can browse all of the #PoochSmooch and #KittyKiss photos here:www.adoptapet.com/poochsmooch

Bulldog puppies are so cute with their wrinkled little faces! You can find Bulldog puppies and dogs for adoption across the US and Canada on  Adopt-a-Pet.com here. Like Pugsley in the photo, who’s for adoption as of the posting of this article. He’s 16 weeks old, super sweet and super smush face! Finding a purebred Bulldog puppy might take a bit of searching and patience, especially one local to you. The good news is Bulldogs are super cute at any age! Plus if you adopt a young or adult Bully instead of a puppy, you’ll be more likely to know what kind of personality and health issues you’re getting, which you can’t see fully or at all in a puppy. Plus you won’t have to worry about puppy messes, puppy training, and puppy chewed up shoes! Bulldog mix puppies are super cute too! So what should you know about Bulldogs before you adopt them?

First let’s talk about the breed name. Bulldog is the exact same breed as English Bulldog aka British Bulldog — the AKC uses Bulldog as the breed name, but you might see breeders and rescues using the name English Bulldog. They just different names for the same dog breed. There are three different dog breeds with “Bulldog” in the name too. They are American Bulldog, French Bulldog, and Olde English Bulldog also spelled Olde English Bulldogge. There’s also the Boston Terrier which looks so much like the French Bulldog it can be hard to tell them apart! The American and Olde English breeds are bigger and taller than a regular Bulldog, while Frenchies and Bostons are smaller. What about Miniature Bulldog or Mini Bulldog breeds? The breed name “Miniature Bulldog” is not recognized by the AKC and so it is not officially considered a separate breed. Mini Bulldogs are either just very small Bulldogs or sometimes a mix of a Bulldog and a smaller breed dog.

Colors! Bulldogs come in a wide variety of colors. You’ll find Bulldogs that are red brindle, all other colors of brindles, solid white, solid red, fawn, and piebald. Many of the Bulldog colors have patches of white too.

For Bulldog tips, we defer to the Bulldog experts for information about personalities, training, and health: Bulldog Rescues! Even if you buy a purebred Bulldog puppy from a breeder, you can benefit from the knowledge that Bulldog Rescues have learned from helping so many abandoned Bulldogs, so that you can keep your Bulldog happy and healthy for their entire life. Thanks to Love a bull English Bulldog Rescue www.arizonabulldogs.com for letting us share their excellent article “What you need to know about rescue bulldogs” which we’ve reprinted below!

What you need to know about rescue bulldogs

Please read entire article before considering adoption.

A Bulldog may not be the right choice for every family. Living with a Bulldog can be very rewarding, but you must be committed to meeting the Bulldog’s particular needs.   They are, in my opinion, the greatest dog in the world! (I am bias!)  With that said, they are a lot more work than other breeds of dogs.  They want to be with you all the time.  They are wonderful companions, but if you do not have the time to dedicate to a bulldog, do not apply to adopt.  Remember: these dogs are rescue dogs.  They are going to need extra special care.

Some things to consider:

Bulldogs are perpetual children: they never grow up. A Bulldog does best in a loving environment, free from fear and neglect. They are happiest when with people and require lots of attention from people. When left alone, Bulldogs can be very destructive. They may chew throughout their lifetimes. They may need to be crated when they are not being supervised. A Bulldog should never be left unattended in your backyard. Not only is it dangerous to your Bulldog’s wellbeing, but Bulldogs are often targeted for theft.

Please keep in mind that rescued Bulldogs are not always happy, healthy or well adjusted. If you are considering adopting a rescue it should be because you are committed to giving a homeless dog a second chance.This means having the time and patience to work with social, emotional and behavioral problems. In some cases, a health issue is present. Many rescued Bulldogs don’t get along with other animals and some can’t be placed with children. If you’re seeking a rescue as a way to obtain a cheap Bulldog, you’ve come to the wrong place. You must be passionate about the breed to accept what baggage comes along. Also, rescue is not the place to be looking for a puppy.  We rarely get in dogs under 2 years of age. IF YOU ARE WANTING A HEALTHY, YOUNG BULLDOG, YOUR WAIT WILL BE A LONG ONE.
Danger of Overheating:

Bulldogs are extremely intolerant of heat. They must be kept in an air-conditioned area with limited trips outside when the outside temperature is over 80 degrees or the humidity is high. Close supervision is required during outside activity, especially in spring and summer to prevent over-exertion leading to over-heating. They also are not usually capable of prolonged physical activity whether the temperature is very warm or cold: a Bulldog is not for someone who enjoys taking a dog for long walks through the countryside.

There is a limit to how much strenuous physical activity a typical Bulldog can safely tolerate. Their short muzzles and narrow windpipes, relative to the size of their bodies, limits their oxygen intake and causes them to become easily winded. This can result in acute respiratory distress and sometimes death. Like it or not, most Bulldogs do not have great physical endurance. They are more like short-distance sprinters than long-distance runners. Bulldogs don’t realize this; your own common sense must prevail.

After Adoption:

Although all Bulldogs that we place are subjected to a thorough veterinary examination and are evaluated for soundness of temperament, we do not guarantee that they will not have any problems in their new homes. In fact, a period of adjustment is expected during which the Bulldog and the new owner will be getting acquainted with each other, and the Bulldog will be “settling in” to a new routine.   Most rescues will have potty training issues in their new home.  You have to be ready to deal with that.  I will be more than happy to discuss what works for me, but you have to know that there will be accidents.

If we have any doubts about a Bulldog’s ability to deal with certain situations, we put restrictions on the type of home in which it will be placed (for example, by requiring no young children and/or no other pets.) We also provide guidelines for the new owners to ensure that they are aware of any special treatment the Bulldog may require. With the application of a little common sense in following the guidelines, new owners will find the transition into owning a rescue Bulldog to be relatively simple.
NO SWIMMING

You may have heard Bulldogs do not swim.  You are right.  I cannot tell you how many people I have known or heard of who have lost their beloved bullys in a pool.  Just like children, most bulldogs love to swim.  They will jump right in before you know it.  They sink like an anchor.  This is why at rescue, we do not adopt to homes with unfenced pools.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS. 

Ready to adopt a Bulldog? Find Bulldogs for adoption near you using Adopt-a-Pet.com.