Did you know that the Shetland sheepdog is in fact another name for the Sheltie? Your vet Lawrenceville, GA can tell you these medium sized dogs make great family pets or even farm dogs. The Sheltie is often referred to as a miniature collie, but is in fact a separate breed entirely. Known for their fox like features including pointed ears that bend at the top, the Sheltie is in a league all of its own. In fact, the Sheltie was the inspiration for the Nintendo game Nintendogs. Shelties are excellent bonding dogs as they generally take to their people and tend to follow them around everywhere. They are high maintenance dogs that require routine grooming of their double coat. They also need constant and consistent exercise as they are full of energy. Shelties are generally healthy pups; however, some lines have been known to be prone to epilepsy, hip dysplasia, and eye conditions. Learn more here.

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One of the most important ways of communicating in cats is by making meowing sounds. In fact, there are about 19 variations of meowing sounds which have been identified. These sounds vary in pitch, tone, length, volume, etc.

• Some cats engage in bouts of persistent meowing when they are in pain.  Specific health problems can make a cat feel extreme pain, thirst, or hunger. Vocalizing is a way of getting their owner’s attention, as they seek relief from the discomfort and pain.
• Cats meow to greet their humans whenever they meet each other in the house or as soon as their favorite humans come home.
• Hungry cats may meow relentlessly when hungry, especially when it’s nearing dinner time. This is one type of meow that many kitty owners can easily understand.

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Cats instinctively use scratching posts to satisfy their urge to scratch. Most don’t need to be introduced to a new scratching post but there are those that will need some coaxing and encouragement to try it out. When introducing a new post, never hold your cat and forcibly drag his paws on the surface of the post; some cats can get frightened with this technique of introducing a new scratching surface, and they won’t hesitate to give the post a wide berth.

If your kitty gets curious and approaches a new scratching post to investigate, always be quick to give him a treat and lavish praise. However, if he doesn’t give the post a second glance, rubbing some catnip or hanging a prey toy on the post will certainly pique your pet’s interest and curiosity. 

Talk with your Isle of Palms, SC vet to make sure that your cat is receiving the right amount of exerci ... Read more »

The urge to scratch comes naturally for cats. Domestication has not gotten rid of their desire to run their claws on rough surfaces.

Reasons Cats Scratch

• Keep their nails trimmed
• Mark territory – Paw pads have scent glands that make it possible for cats to leave their scents behind, thus warning other cats to keep out.
• Remove old nails to unveil new ones

Since cats are genetically predisposed to scratching, efforts to put a stop to the behavior remains unsuccessful. The best way to deal with it is to ‘feed’ the behavior by providing “legal” scratching surfaces such as scratching posts or scratch pads.

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Even if cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still possess a strong instinct to hunt. So even if there are no mice or other live preys around, your kitty will engage in “prey-play”, pouncing at anything that catches his fancy and prowling every nook and cranny of the house.

While the behavior cannot be fully erased or eliminated, you can divert your cat’s attention by enriching his environment. Install cat furniture that encourages your pet to engage in natural behavior, such as cat trees and kitty condos. You can also hang prey toys in strategic places around the house to give your furball hours of fun and stimulation. Play prey-games with your pet by dangling a toy mouse or feather tied at the end of a string.

Be sure to have your cat checked by a Mt. Pleasant, SC veterinary clinic. Check out this site ... Read more »

Birman cats are well-loved for their social personality. They are extremely people-oriented and will even be the first ones to greet house guests by the door. Being temple cats in the past, they move around with an air of quiet elegance. They make great pets for families with small kids because they are very gentle and affectionate.

Birman cats that conform to standards set for the breed are accepted to participate in cat shows. The breed standard includes front paws with white gloves that end at or in the middle of the 2^nd and 3^rd joints of the paws. The back paw, including the toes and the back of the hock must all be covered by the gloves, which may end higher than those of the front paws. Birman kittens are born white, with the color points developing much later. The gloves become apparent when the cats are older.

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