Unusual Pet Products

On a recent MSN list of “unusual ways to make a buck,” 5 of the 21 items on the list were about pets. That doesn’t seem like that many, but it’s the largest single category on the list. The pet inventions are Pet Rocks, Doggles, Petite Amande, Pet Butler, and Neuticles. Given the age of that first item, it doesn’t require much explanation; we all know what it is. Let’s look at the other pet products on the list in increasing order of ridiculousness. That means Pet Butler is up next. It might seem crazy – a butler for your … Continue reading →

What To Do about Neighbor Cats

I keep going back and forth on whether or not to let my cats outside. Cole doesn’t have much interest, but Chrestomanci certainly does. I know he’d be happiest as an indoor-outdoor cat, but I don’t know that I’d be happiest with him as one, and I don’t know that it’s worth the stress. One day in the summer when we let him out with us, he wandered off. He came back a few hours later, just as my husband said he would, but by then it was dark and I was very upset until he showed up again. Another … Continue reading →

Introducing Animalle Mundo: A Doggie Love Hotel

Christmas might be a holiday for familial, not romantic, love, but with this notice you might have the time to start planning so your pet can have its romantic getaway. That’s right, a romantic getaway for your pet. If you’re trying to breed your dog and you want to do it in style, consider Animalle Mundo Pet. It’s a hotel in Brazil, one that keeps in tradition with the country’s ritzy amorous motels. The New York Times reports. You can find short-stay hotels all over the world, but Brazil is a leader in both having them, and in making them … Continue reading →

Why Pets Aren’t Good Presents

This goes without saying, but you can never say it too often because it happens every year: don’t give pets as presents. If you’re thinking about gifting a pet to someone you love this year, consider very carefully. Pets are lifelong commitments and responsibilities, not fun presents. Now, I can think of one context in which it could be OK to give a pet for a present: if the person receiving asked for it, knew that’s what they were getting, and understood the responsibilities involved. That means in most cases, it’s not appropriate to get pets as gifts for children: … Continue reading →

Cold-Weather Gear for Your Pet

As the weather turns colder for most of us, it’s time to get our coats out of the back of the closet. Some of our pets require winter apparel as well, and ZooToo has a rundown of some of the latest products out on the market for keeping your pets warm. You can go with the traditional cute little sweaters and jackets that fill aisles at pet stores, or you can try something a bit different for your pets this winter. What you need depends on you and your pet’s lifestyle, so we’ll take a look at three different types. … Continue reading →

Saving Money on Frontline

This week it was time to buy more Frontline medication. I like to buy in bulk, as long as I can be assured that the meds won’t expire before the year is out. I selected 12-month packs of feline and canine Frontline and put them in my virtual shopping cart, and then was amazed at the price. $300? That seems like way more than I’ve ever paid for it before. When my husband came home, I asked him about it. Did he remember their flea/tick medicine costing this much, because I didn’t. He said no, although it was maybe $200 … Continue reading →

Should Pets Be Kept Inside or Outside?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much our views on owning pets have changed. I grew up keeping all pets in the house. Everyone I knew did the same; the most they had were indoor-outdoor cats. Since moving down here, I’ve encountered other takes on pet ownership. A lot of people in my area keep their dogs outside 90% of the time. They might only bring them inside during extreme weather: storms, particularly hot or cold days, etc. A lot of people also keep their cats outside all of the time, which is a more accepted practice. What’s … Continue reading →

Treating Your Pup’s Mosquito Bites

We have a mosquito infestation in our yard. It’s not nearly as bad as it was last year; our dry spring gave the pests less places to breed. Still, once the season’s started I can barely enjoy my yard, even on cool days, because sitting still out on the porch leads to multiple bites in minutes. I’m not the only one susceptible to mosquito bites; my dog gets them too. I think she got a bite sometime last week, because she’s been particularly itchy at one spot on her side. She chews it and scratches it all of the time, … Continue reading →

Fourth of July Pet Safety

On Friday one of the DJ’s for my local radio station mentioned upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, and she warned dog owners about fireworks. She said that she sees more fliers go up for missing dogs on July 5 than just about any other day of the year, all because of the fireworks noise. It’s something that never occurred to me, but it makes a lot of sense. Depending on where you live and how loud noise from fireworks might be in your yard, Independence Day, while fun for us humans, could prove frightening for our pets. If you keep … Continue reading →

Summer Grooming Tips

Today I saw this picture of a fake cat made out of the fur of the real cat it sat beside. The picture really drove it home, as if the hardwood floors I have all over my house hadn’t already: summer is here, and that means so is grooming season. I hate grooming. It’s always just such a trial in my house. But I’m cheap so I hate paying for it more, and because none of my animals do much more try to walk away a little and guilt me a lot for brushing them, I don’t have a great … Continue reading →