Pumpkin is doing wonderfully in his new home. This beautiful orange tabby cat made himself right at home with his new family. He is a huge attention seeker, looking for nothing but love all day long, and his family is happy to comply. He is also keen at finding the most comfy spots in which to snuggle up and relax.
You may not know this, but there are actually different ways and different food types to feed your pet during the summer. If you have an indoor pet in an environmentally controlled home, where the temperature and humidity stay relatively the same day after day, these tips probably don’t apply. But if your pet loves to spend time outdoors, if you don’t have or use an air conditioner for most of the year, or they reside in an outside kennel space, then these tips work great.
Hydration
The best tip is actually a drinking tip, but it is the most important thing you can do for your pet. Always make sure there is plenty of water to drink on warm and hot summer days. Just like you, pets can become dehydrated out in the heat, and dehydration in animals can be life threatening. Put out a bowl or two of fresh water that is constantly refilled, to keep them hydrated and happy, and that’s the best feeding tip for your pets above all others.
Hot and Cold Food Types
If you didn’t know this, there are actually hot and cold food types. For example, chicken, turkey and pork are considered “hot” meats, and they are best left out of the food plan on hot days. “Cold” foods, like whitefish, beef, rabbit and yogurt are better suited to a pet’s metabolism and won’t get them overheated and lethargic. Making a switch is easy to do, just alternate between colder food types on hot days and hotter food types on cooler days and your pet will be good to go.
Serving Hot and Cold Food
Just like you, your pet likes a good hot meal every so often, but feeding a hot meal on a hot day can quickly overheat them. Serving cold food on a hot day cools them off from the inside out and makes it much more comfortable to eat. Cold food doesn’t have to come from the refrigerator; room temperature is good enough, which will still probably be much cooler than the outside temperature.
Fruits and Veggies
Cooling snacks like fruits and veggies go a long way to keeping your pet cool. Most of these snacks are filled with water, so that’s another good way to keep your pet hydrated automatically. Plus, eating snacks like these are very refreshing on hot days. Adding fruits and veggies to your pet’s diet also represents one of the healthiest ways of improving their diet. Watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and broccoli are all good choices, while grapes raisins and onions are not so good. Just remember that large amounts of any fruit or vegetable will cause diarrhea, and that may lead to dehydration, which is what you absolutely do not want to occur.
Grain Free
Most grains are considered “hot” foods mainly because it takes them longer to digest, so the internal digestion process of your pet works harder and therefore generates more heat. With a grain free diet, digestion is fast and efficient, so there is never any extra and unwanted heat generated from digesting it. Of course, stick with the types of cooler food types as listed above for the hotter days, and your pet will be smiling with every bite.
Shade Feeding
When feeding outside, get them into the shade so they can eat without the sun blaring down on them. You wouldn’t want to eat in full sun on a hot day, and neither would your pet, so do shade feeding in the summer to keep them cooler.
As an alternative, you can bump the feeding time during the evening until dusk or later. Your pet isn’t going to care when it eats, and if you feed at dusk or after dark, you’ll be letting them eat in the coolness that comes when the sun goes down.
Pet Food Only
When you are out and about in your yard with family and friends, the temptation to give human food treats to begging pets can be almost overwhelming. But this is the time to resist giving pets any human food treats. Salty foods, like chips and pretzels, aren’t good for them and chocolate can make them seriously ill. Alcoholic drinks are a serious no-no, and artificially sweetened beverages, candies, cakes and the like can actually cause death.
Kids are serious offenders here, they just want to be involved and love the feeding interaction. If need be, you may have to keep your pet in the house or outdoor kennel while the festivities are going on, just to keep them protected from any kind of dangerous human food that they may be offered.
Feeding pets in the summer isn’t a radical change, but for their health and well being, a summer diet that includes the tips above will go a long way to keeping your pet cool and comfortable all summer long.
Mary Nielsen founded FelineLiving.net and is a passionate cat lover, blogger, and part-time music teacher. She founded her blog to share her ups and downs of being a pet parent to a number of adorable kittens and cats. When she is not playing with them or teaching, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen.
Big Boy is a sweet cat with a big heart. He was surrendered by his owner when it was discovered that he is FIV+. His owner was not prepared to provide for him in the way that he needs. We gladly took Big Boy in, knowing that cats with FIV can live long, healthy lives if given the right home and the right care. We also know that many potential adopters are able to see past this “special need” and recognize an FIV+ cat’s true spirit and potential.
Big Boy is loving and affectionate, with a wonderful temperament. He is looking for a family who will provide him a safe and loving home and give him the care that will help him stay happy and healthy for many years to come. Big Boy–with his a big heart– is ready to fill yours with love. Will you open your heart to Big Boy?
My name used to be Sidney, but it’s now Chase. My new family changed it because I love to chase things around. Ants, my new blue puppy, and ducky. I get to chase balls too. Mom takes me for walks everyday in the woods. We walk and walk and then we get to a place called the gorge and I get to play fetch the stick in the water. Mom got me a swimming pool but I don’t really swim yet. I’ve met a few friends. I’ve walked with Puck and Keiko. They’re older and bigger, but I like them. I also have a cousin Banzi. We run in the yard after the ball. He always gets to it first.
Today I went and saw my friend, Dr Shattuck. She’s pretty nice! She gives me treats and checks me out. There was a big tall man there today. He asked how I was doing, and they talked about me peeing on the floor once in awhile. I’m getting better at waiting to go outside. I just get so excited when I see my family. Mom and dad and Ross and Zander who live in the house with me, and Issy, Ike, and Roots. I’m trying to be friends with them but they hiss at me. We go to visit daddy’s mom and family every weekend. They all love me. I’m so lucky!
Chase
You may not have given much thought to wildlife on your property in previous years, but if you’re considering adding a pet to your family then it’s something you’ll want to think about. Having a domestic pet in your home can change your relationship with the wildlife in your area. From squirrels and birds to more invasive creatures like skunks and badgers, wildlife has the potential to be charming but also disruptive. Your goal as a pet owner should be to ensure the safety of the animals you love while trying to treat the creatures who wander onto your property with respect and when necessary, removing them humanely.
Here are some things to consider when thinking about the way you handle wildlife as a pet owner, including useful tips and common mistakes to avoid:
You love your pets, but if you live in an area heavily populated by wild animals, it’s probably best not to feed them outside. Make sure that the treats and meals you provide for your furry friends are done indoors in properly designated feeding spots. This will have two helpful effects. First, it will keep your pets from scavenging for food outside where they could run into wild animals and get into confrontations. Second, it will remove an incentive for wild animals to venture onto your property and steal the food intended for your cat or dog. Since leaving out food for wildlife is illegal in many places, this will also help you stay on the right side of the law.
Wild animals are much more likely to enter a property when there are ample opportunities for them to make homes on the grounds. You can deter many common wild animals (especially rodents) by clearing your yard of dead shrubs, bundles of twigs, and other objects they could use to start nests or burrows.
Despite your best efforts, some animals may become too familiar with your property for comfort. It’s important to remember that wild animals are not “pests”—they’re valuable members of a sensitive ecosystem, and need to be treated as such. If these animals are seriously inconvenient to you or dangerous to your pets, you’ll need to have a way of removing them. Look online for resources who can give you tips on getting rid of tricky animals like skunks or put you in touch with a qualified removalist. These tools will help you remove offending creatures from your premises while keeping them, you, and your pets safe.
Taking care of your pets is important—after all, you’re going to develop significant bonds with them. However, it’s just as important that you treat the animals who come onto your property without knowing any better fairly. Most of them are just hungry or curious, and they aren’t looking to cause trouble. Don’t encourage them with food or let them build homes on your property, but always make sure you exercise caution and restraint if you’re trying to remove them. Respect for their lives will ensure that everybody on your property is well treated.
Stop by DAWS and visit our purrfectly adorable, adoptable cats! Adoption is the most responsible and compassionate way to add a companion animal to your family. If you make a love match at our shelter, we are offering a reduced adoption fee for the month of June.
Thank you for your continued support!
Bristol is a beautiful 6 year-old boy who was rescued after being abandoned by his family. He was a sweet affectionate boy when he arrived but transitioned into a grumpy cat due to the stress of the shelter environment. Stress also caused him to develop lesions on his face that had not responded to medications. DAWS staff and volunteers worked with him to try to find positive interactions that would help him to feel better. The good news is, he had been getting a lot of free time in the “catio” during staff hours, and he appeared to be genuinely content in that environment. A volunteer stepped in and offered to take Bristol into foster and provide him a less stressful environment while he waits for a new forever family. In foster, Bristol has been improving daily, seeking out attention from his foster dad and getting comfortable in his new temporary home.
Animals like Bristol are often overlooked in a shelter environment. When stress causes them to disengage from potential adopters, their chances for a quick adoption decrease. Thanks to our donors and supporters, animals like Bristol will get the help they need and have the chance for a happy life in a loving home.
Join us on Sunday, June 11 at the Annual Walk for Animals and show your support of animals like Bristol. You can help make a difference in the lives of animals. YOU can help save lives!
What are the benefits of having a cat in your home? Cats used to be considered the choice of pets for old ladies who live alone. These days, however, more people are discovering how sweet felines can be, and they are becoming a more popular choice for pets.
Cats are lovable companions that bring happiness and joy to the lives of many pet parents. If you don’t consider yourself a “cat person,” why should you consider taking care of a cat when you can have a dog or another pet? Here’s a quick list of why a cat in your home could make a big difference:
Cats are good companions
Cat ladies are right about one thing–they are great companions. Yes, cats can fill the void when you are living on your own, and these animals can be as much fun as another human. Cats can keep you company, and they can be great buddies who will be there for you no matter what.
Depending on your cat’s breed, you might have a feline who loves sitting on your lap or a shadow who will follow you wherever you go. Irrespective of your cat’s usual behavior, you can count on them to be waiting for you at the end of a tiring day.
Felines are good listeners
Aside from being around all the time, cats can also be the best outlet for 
your woes. Cats can serve as your outlet when you need to talk to someone but you are not sure who to trust. You can rest assured that cats will keep mum on the subject.
After pouring your heart out and shedding a few tears, the only response you would probably get is a purr. Don’t think that you are crazy for talking to a cat because you might be surprised about how relaxing it is. For all you know, that cat is purring or meowing to reassure you that everything is going to be alright one day.
Purring Helps You Heal Faster
Studies reveal cats don’t just purr when they are happy; felines do this when they are in pain too. The question of why has been a big issue among researchers. Sine findings indicate that a cat’s purr may have healing abilities—and this applies to humans, too.
If you have an injury and need to mend your bones, petting a cat and the sound of its purring might help you heal faster. If you pay enough attention to your feline friends, you might have noticed that after having a tough day, cats tend to purr a lot. This was also seen as a cat’s way to heal itself.
Cat Owners Have a Healthier Heart
Science reveals petting a cat has real health benefits. Thanks to its relaxing effects, you are bound to have a healthier heart when you have a pet cat.
A study reveals that there is a 30 percent chance that people who own cats can dodge stroke and other heart problems compared to those who do not own felines. Plus, felines can make you less agitated since keeping them as pets take less effort than having dogs.
Kids With Pet Cats Become More Responsible and Healthier Adults
When you are responsible for someone other than yourself, your sense of responsibility develops. This is not just applicable for dogs, but also for cats. In fact, children who raised pets have been shown to become more responsible adults than those who didn’t.
Cats Make Men More Datable
If you are having a hard time attracting women, pets could be the answer. It seems babies and dogs make men more appealing to women. However, a survey reveals women feel men who own cats are nicer than those who have pet dogs.
Final Thoughts
If you don’t want a lot of fuss but you want a companion, cats could be the pet you are looking for. Having cats as pets has a lot of advantages, from making you healthier to potentially helping you find a partner.
Shower your kitty with love, and soon you will realize why these animals are the some of the best pets out there.
Diana Hutchinson is the founder of Tinpaw.com. She is a pet lover, who firmly believes that, “a home without a pet is just a house.”
No one puts Baby in a corner! And we’re hoping that Baby won’t need to be in her own little “corner” at DAWS for very long. Baby is an adorable 5 year-old girl who loves lots of pets and cuddles. She will lean into your hand and enjoy every rub you’re willing to offer. Unfortunately her family couldn’t keep her due to their allergies, so she is patiently waiting to find a new loving forever home. If you are willing to open your heart to this sweetheart, she will return the kindness by curling up and cuddling with you on a warm blanket.