Solitary confinement in a windowless room  punishes the occupant by a lack of interaction with the outside world. Caring cat people often worry that confining a cat to be an indoor-only pet is a similar type of punishment, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re reading this article, we likely don’t have to tell you about the numerous health, behavior, and safety benefits of keeping your cat always inside your home. So we’re here to help you with five helpful tips for keeping an indoor cat happy which will help keep him healthy too.

Five things you can provide to keep your indoor cat happy:

1. Room with a view: In the photo above, my two foster cats are enjoying bird-watching from their fully-screened-in “catio” porch. In my new house, I haven’t built a catio (yet!) and my windows don’t have cat-width sills. So I arranged my furniture in front of the windows that to provide the best cat-viewing possibilities of the trees, birds, squirrels, and neighbors walking by.  Think of it as cat TV – live! A great view helps keep their mind entertained.

2. Room with a breeze: Cats love to sniff the outside air, but make sure to secure your screens! If you can push on your screen and it pops out, a cat could do that too! My screens were old so I replaced them with stronger “pet-proof” screens and also added screws to make the frames extra secure.

3.  Grass under their paws:  My catio had a grass dirt floor so I was able to put down some sod. Even indoors you can give them a mini grass lawn using a planter! Place it next to your biggest securely-screened in window with the best view using a planter on a table. If sod isn’t a possibility, provide other cat-friendly cat-sized surfaces for lounging at different heights.

4. Sunbathing: Outside cats will spend hours lounging in the sun. Cats can get skin cancer from too much sun and especially if they have light-colored fur or skin, so allow sunbathing in moderation, especially in warmer climates.

5. Exercise: Outside cats get to climb trees, hunt bugs and other creatures, and stalk through bushes and grass. Kittens and younger cats need lots of exercise to take care of this need and stay happy indoors! Older cats may need less, but they still need daily exercise too. Give them plenty of places to climb, hide, run, and jump inside (like by adding cat shelving, carpeted cat trees, cardboard boxes, etc) and encourage them to use them by playing on them with a laser toy and then their favorite toys on a string – make sure you let them catch the toy at the end so they finish satisfied.  Jackson Galaxy has some great articles on playing with your cat and figuring out what games you and she prefer.

We hope these tips help you give your indoor-cat a long happy and healthy life! Come back to our blog next week as we’ll post tips for transitioning an outdoor or outdoor/indoor cat to indoors-only too.

There are so many different styles of dogs leashes, how do you know what is best and safest for you and your dog? A nylon 4′ leash or a 16′ cord retractable leash like a Flexileash? A 6-foot leather leash or a rope slip-leash? You’re a good pet parent and want to keep your pet safe, but the choices can be overwhelming, and you might not be aware of the dangers lurking behind the choice of which leash you use on your dog. Here are ten dog leash tips to help get your walk started on the right foot, er, paw.

1. Leash training: Any type of leash won’t do you much good if your dog isn’t trained to walk well on a leash. If your dog is pulling, try this training article. If you have a puppy or dog unfamiliar with being walked on a leash, try our Teach Your Dog or Puppy to Walk on a Leash article.

2. Leash Material: 1/2″ to 1″ flat nylon is my favorite. Even for tiny 5-pound dogs, I prefer the 1/2″ thickness, as the thinner leashes are just too likely to slip from hand. If you have a bigger or strong dog, don’t skimp on leash quality.

3. Clasp style: Quick snap. The most common kind of dog leash clasp is the bolt snap aka snap hook. That’s the kind that looks like this:

Some heavier-duty leashes use trigger snap hooks, but they pose the same risk in my experience as the bolt snap: the release can get triggered if it gets caught on the dog’s collar or harness and come undone! The safest kind of clasp I’ve seen on a dog leash locks like a mountain climber’s carabiner, like those on the Tuenne leash seen below:

4. Leash length: Depends on the environment and height of your dog. If you’ll be walking your dog along the edge of the road or on a crowded sidewalk, shorter is better. While you can always wrap a longer leash around your hand, having the handle be at a short length makes it much easier to keep your dog right at your side, the safest place to be. For small to medium height dogs, a 4-foot leash works well. For taller dogs, a 2-foot “traffic length” leash may be ideal. If you’re walking on wide sidewalks with or in the country, 6-foot nylon leashes give your dog plenty of sniffing radius.

5. Leash style: Flat nylon – not retractable. I have to confess, I used to be a retractable leash walker. I would walk my two big dogs everywhere on the longest Flexi leashes they made! When the first squirrel incident sent me to urgent care for the rope burn wound on my leg, even then I only switched from the rope-style to the tape-style… until I watched in horror as a neighbor, walking his dog across the street from us on a retractable leash, had his dog dart unexpectedly towards us to say hello, and was hit and killed by a car.

Retractable leashescan be used safely. If you’re walking to a park or other traffic and pedestrian-free area, please keep the lock securely locked from the moment before your open your front door until you get there. Don’t rely on being able to press the lock with your finger in time.

We hope you find these 5 best dog leash tips helpful in your dog leash selection!

We Love a Good Adoption Story! Don’t You? One of our favorite classic tales of adoption might also be one of your favorites. ANNIE, which made its stage premiere back in 1976, went on to be a Broadway hit the following year, with a movie version following soon after in 1982. Now, all these years later, the inspiring adoption tale is back with a twist. In the new version, little orphan Annie is now a foster child, but one important thing remains the same: Sandy, the adorable homeless dog who stars alongside Annie, is adopted by Annie in all versions! You’ve got to just love that! For more on the Blu-ray™ release of the film or to enter to win a trip (with your dog!) to NYC where ANNIE was filmed, visit www.Annie-Movie.com.

“Thank you to your wonderful search site, we’ve found our little boy, Todd! Todd is everything we wanted and more! He’s very sweet and funny and so well behaved. We feel so fortunate to have him in our life! We had our previous dog, Tasha, for 16 years and when she passed we felt her loss. We were told his original owner was homeless, and Todd was getting chewed on by the bigger dogs. He loved him so much, he surrendered Todd, his 3-year-old best friend, to Brightside Animal Center in Redmond OR to have a better home. Thank you again for helping these sweet innocent animals find new forever homes! Thank you again for all you do! – Kim & Curt.” We love hearing stories about how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped a loving family adopt a homeless pet like Todd. We’d love to hear your Happy Beginnings story too! Send your pet adoption story to info@cms.adoptapet.com with a photo or two, and tell us how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped you with your adoption. Thank you for adopting a pet and saving a life!

The Homes for Dogs Project, which kicked off earlier this month, is a collaboration between Coldwell Banker and Adopt-a-Pet.com and aims to find loving homes for 20,000 of the awesome shelter dogs available for adoption on Adopt-a-Pet.com in 2015. As part of this fun campaign, we recently spent the day with the pet-loving Coldwell Banker team at the Best Friends Adoption Center in Mission Hills, California making this fun video (and meeting some of the adorable shelter dogs who are hoping to find love as a result of the project). Check it out!

Could it be true… is a bag of potato chips dangerous for dogs? Yes! Sadly we know this because of a horrible accident with a friend’s dog. He managed to get a bag of potato chips off the counter while his people were sleeping. When they woke up, it was to find their beloved pet suffocated by the bag. So horrible! He put his head in the bag trying to lick all the chips out, and the bag got stuck on his head covering his face, and he couldn’t breathe. Newer chip bags are made from material that is very hard to tear, and though he must have tried to get it off his head, he couldn’t before he passed out, and eventually died from lack of oxygen. We’re sharing this very sad story as a warning to all dog owners: keep potato chip and other snack bags totally out of reach of your dogs. Keep them closed inside top kitchen cabinets, just like you’d keep plastic bags out of reach of small children and babies. We hope this safety tip keeps dogs safe from the dangers of potato chip bags.

1. Use our website’s search to find pets for adoption!

Adopt a Pet is a website where shelters, rescues, and private owners list their pets for adoption. We don’t have the pets ourselves!

Click a link below to….

• Find a dog

• Find a cat

• Find other pets (rabbits, horses, and more)

Type in your zip code and select the type of pet you want, then click the search button.

You will see photos of matching pets. Click on a pet’s photo to see that pet’s information and Adoption Process.

2. How to adopt a pet

If you’ve never adopted a pet before, you may be wondering, how does the process work? How long does it take? How much does it cost? The information below will help give you an overview of how it works to adopt a pet from Shelters, Rescues, or Rehome: Cared for by Private Owner pet listings. Each is different. It helps to understand what to expect, so you can have a better overall pet adoption experience.

 

Adopting from a Shelter

Shelters include public shelters like the city and county animal shelters, animal control, police and health departments, dog wardens, and are often called the pound. There are also private shelters that might use the words “humane society” or “SPCA” in their name. They are all separate, independently run organizations or government offices. Just because shelters have similar names does not mean they are connected — just like different banks might have the word “bank” in their name.

Shelters often have a physical facility, with staff, and operating hours. Some have volunteers and do adoption events around town too. If the pet you see on Adopt-a-Pet.com says that pet is at a Shelter and has an address with business hours, the easiest way to adopt that pet may be to go visit. That’s because some shelters are under-staffed and may not answer all phone calls or emails. Especially if the pet listing says ACT QUICKLY you should go to that shelter ASAP to see that pet!

Each shelter’s adoption process is different. Here’s an example of how a shelter adoption might work:

1. You find a pet you want to adopt on Adopt-a-Pet.com who’s at a shelter.
   
2. On the pet’s page, that shelter’s Adoption Process might direct you to visit the shelter facility during their adoption hours, or to email them for an appointment. You go to the shelter and see the pet. He’s adorable! You ask at the shelter desk and they have a staff or volunteer take him out so you can meet with him. You fall in love.
   
3. You go to the shelter’s front desk, give them your photo ID, pay the adoption fee (average range is $25 to $200), and get copies of the pet’s vaccination records and sterilization certificate so you can get him licensed.
   
4. You take your new pet home!

Adopting from a Rescue

Rescues most often have their pets in foster homes or private boarding facilities, and are run by volunteers. They may have adoption events at pet stores on the weekends. If a pet you see on Adopt-a-Pet.com says that pet is at a Rescue, be sure to read the pet description and the Adoption Process under that, and follow each rescue’s instructions. Some prefer you email them first (click the Ask About Me button on that pet’s page), some prefer you fill out their application before asking about a pet, so they can answer your questions more knowledgeably.

Please be patient when waiting for a response from a rescue, giving them a few days to respond. Rescue volunteers are people just like you and me, often with very full lives in addition to their rescue volunteering.

Each rescue’s adoption process is different. Here’s one example of how a rescue adoption might work:

1. You find a pet you want to adopt on Adopt-a-Pet.com who’s at a rescue.
   
2. You read that pet’s Adoption Process. It says fill out their online application, and there’s a link on that pet’s page to that rescue’s website and application. The next day, one of the rescue’s volunteers calls you and you talk to them more about the pet. It seems like a good match, and agree to come meet the pet at their adoption event in a local pet store that weekend.
   
3. You meet the pet and fall in love. An event volunteer calls a home check volunteer, and you all arrange for a home visit. After the home visit, you get a call from a volunteer to let you know you will be the home adopting the pet! They email you copies of his vaccination and sterilization records. You arrange a delivery day for your new pet.
   
4. Your new pet is brought by his foster volunteer to your home! You sign their adoption contract and pay their adoption fee (usually ranges from $100 to $300 but sometimes more).

 

Adopting from a Rehome Private Owner

If you see “I’m Being Cared for by Private Owner” on the top of a pet’s page, it means that they were listed by their owner through Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Rehome program, so you will be adopting the pet directly from the pet’s private owner. Read all about the pet. If you’re interested in speaking to the owner and meeting the pet, click “Apply To Adopt” and apply. The owner will be notified of your application, so they can review it and call you if they’re interested.

Rehome asks private owners to reply to you promptly, and most do within a few days. However some owners are in difficult situations, so please allow up to 14 days for an owner to respond to you. Rehome is only the listing website. It is up to the owner to choose who to contact and who will adopt their pet. It is up to you the adopter to ask lots of questions about the pet on the phone with the owner, then meet the pet in person before paying safely through the Rehome website to adopt a private owner pet.

Read more about how Rehome works in the Rehome help center for adopters here.

 

Shelter vs Rescue vs Private Owner

Some of the advantages of adopting from a shelter are you might be able to see many pets for adoption all at once at their facility. Many shelters have a very easy or no screening process, and will let you take home whatever pet you want the same day. Adoption fees are often lower than a rescue’s, but you may need to pay for additional vet care after adopting.

Some of the advantages of adopting from a rescue are they often know a lot about each of the pets in their care, since the pets may be in foster homes. A rescue might have a more involved screening process, which can take more time, but can help you adopt a pet that is more likely to be an easier match for your home. Adoption fees are often higher than a shelter, but often include vet care that would cost more if you paid the vet yourself.

Some of the advantages of adopting directly from a Rehome private owner is the owner may know a lot about their pet’s behavior and health. The pet will be going straight from a home to your home, which can be less stressful than being in a shelter. Private owners are not as experienced as shelters and rescues at doing adoptions and each private owner will be very different in how they handle communicating with applicants, and very different in what vet care they’ve been able to provide for their pet.

 

We hope this overview and these examples help you better understand how you can adopt a pet. If you’re ready to start looking for a pet to adopt, click on the “Find A Pet” menu above to search for dogs for adoption, cats for adoption, or other pets for adoption like rabbits, horses, and more.

Thank you for adopting a pet!

If you are a SHELTER or RESCUE, sign up here. Individuals looking to find a pet a new home, click here.

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Curtains and blinds make great cat toys… said no cat owner, ever! Plenty of cats and kittens do find the swaying curtain pulls, shimmering sheers, and horizontal mini-blinds not only irresistible for hiding, pouncing, and batting, but they also are clearly thinking, “Why does my human keep putting them in the way of my view of the fascinating things going on outside?” Finding “kitten-proof” window treatments that will work for what you want them to do on your windows and not have your cats destroy them can take compromise and detective work. We present you with example number one, in the photo above. In the photo you see James, my 8-month old foster kitten, who has not only managed to wrap himself up in the sheer curtain, but figured out its a great way to make batting at the almost-cat-proof plastic plant even more fun. I managed to snap the photo just before he executed a perfect jelly roll move that took him and the tension curtain rod tumbling to the ground. Mini blinds seem to suffer the worst, with the metal slats being so easily bent and plenty of cloth cords to be chewed on too! So are there cat-proof curtains? Yes! Read on for some ideas.

Don’t forget that most cats LOVE to see what’s going on outside. Please don’t deprive them of that pleasure! When planning your window coverings, include kitty window perches where they can see out unobstructed.

1. Vertical blinds. Before you shudder at the 70s flashback, vertical blinds have come a long way since their motel beginnings. Check out the gorgeous modern vertical blinds on Houzz for example. Many use larger panels of fabric, so choose ones that are smooth and less likely to be a scratch temptation.

2. Wooden shutters.  Virtually indestructible, especially if made of a smooth hard composite material. You can also open them enough so kitty can see out, but still keep out most of the light and still protect your privacy.

3. Wood or faux wood blinds. These look like thicker mini-blinds, but because of their weight and heft, are often not as easily destroyed by playful cats. Make sure you keep the pull cord securely wrapped up and out of kitty’s reach!

4. Any curtains you want, just keep Nail Caps on your cat! Most curtain damage is done by the cat’s claws. If you keep soft kitty nail caps on your cat’s front claws, the damage they can do with their paws is eliminated. As long as you don’t have a chewer, this could be your least expensive solution.