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Written by: DJ Geribo

Category: Petpourri

Do you have a dog? or a cat? or both? If both, do they get along? When my sister's kids were growing up, they always had dogs and cats. Her daughter, who was allergic to cats, loved cats. The cats, as it turned out, thought they were dogs and hung out with the dogs as part of the pack. But when they have never been around each other growing up, they have a natural instinct to dislike each other. To assure that your cats and dogs don't 'fight like cats and dogs', follow these rules and you should be ok.

1. Puppies and kittens have the best chance of being buddies. Just make sure that your over-enthusiastic puppy is gentle with the much smaller kitten (especially if you have a big breed dog). But when they start off being friends from day one, they most likely will be life-long friends.

2. Some dogs, like terriers and hounds, are trained to hunt small animals so they probably are not good candidates for sharing a home with your cat. Ask your vet or your humane society which dogs make good pairings with cats.

3. Make sure you take your time introducing your new dog to your cat and speak in quiet tones to not alarm either one. Don't rush the introduction - let them approach each other at their own pace.

4. Put one or both pets in their respective cages and definitely, if out of their cages, keep the dog on a leash. Neither should feel trapped or forced to connect if they aren't ready to do so.

5. Make sure your cat has a safe room, away from the dog. His litter box, toys, food, and water should be within reach without having to have any contact with the dog.

                                                                                  ......More tips next week......

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Written by: DJ Geribo

Category: Petpourri

I've often asked my vet if my dogs can catch my cold or do they get allergies. Although they cannot catch my cold, they do have allergies and can share some of the same symptoms that we get. With the latest deadly Ebola virus in the news, many people are wondering if our pets can catch the virus or if we can catch the virus from our dogs or cats.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the chances first of all of our dog or cat getting the Ebola virus is rare since there are no known cases of a pet having the virus, nor is there a known case of a dog or cat in South Africa where the virus is present having the virus. Our pets would have to come into contact with the blood and body fluids of a person sick with Ebola. Therefore, the chance of a pet getting the Ebola virus is very low.

Of course, if a dog or cat lives in the home of a person with Ebola, the animal should be in the care of a veterinarian who will handle the case on an individual basis. It is not known whether the Ebola virus can be transmitted via a pet's fur or paws to spread to other animals or people. Just keep your animal safe, as you would yourself, and avoid exposure to anyone with Ebola.

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Written by: DJ Geribo

Category: Petpourri

This is another popular myth that people think applies to their cat, especially if they have fallen out of a 2nd story window and survived. The truth is, cats only have one life. To ensure that your cat's one life is a healthy life, take them for regular check ups with your vet. And do not believe those myths by testing any of them out on your cat. It would be a hard and painful lesson to learn the truth about your cat - that it does have only one life. Make it a good one!