PET TIPS

Never give your cat junk food.

It's best to keep your cat on a steady, healthy diet, usually combining wet and dry food. Remember our furry friends are carnivores even if we're vegetarians. It's best to find a high-quality, or even organic food at your local pet store. Also, for treats, make sure the salt content isn't too high because this can lead to health problems. Many of the large pet food companies put a lot of preservatives and salt in their products, so remember to check labels.

Healthy foods for your pet

According to the ASPCA here are a list of healthy foods, safe for your pets, although most cats aren't interested in fruits or vegetables:

Lean Meats (cooked without spices)

Brown Rice & Boiled Chicken (can be good to soothe an upset stomach)

Raw Carrot Sticks

Green Beans

Cucumber Slices

Zucchini Slices

Baked Potato (but never raw potato or potato plant)

Apple Slices (w/o seeds)

Banana

Oranges (w/o seeds)

Watermelon (w/o seeds

Toxic foods to avoid

According to the ASPCA here are a list of toxic foods, not safe for your pets:

Here is the phone number for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 888–426–4435 and it is always good to write this down with your vet's number in case your animal ingests something toxic.

Here are foods to avoid:

Raw Eggs or Raw Fish (bacteria)

Coffee, Tea, and caffiene of any kind

Alcohol

Milk or other Dairy Products

Avocado or Guacamole (the chemical persin in avocados is toxic for dogs)

Grapes or Raisins (can cause kidney failure in dogs)

Onions and Garlic (can destroy a dog's red blood cells)

Mushrooms

All Spices

Sugar, Candy, Gum

Salt

Chocolate

Macadamia Nuts (can be fatal for dogs)

Yeast Dough (before baked)

Plums, Peaches, and Persimons (The seeds have chemicals that can make them sick, and choking on seeds is a risk factor.)

Chicken Bones (or any other bone that can be choked on, splintering of bones)

Fish Bones

Fat Trimmings from Meat (can cause Pancreatitus)

Toxic plants to avoid

Here are some plants to be aware of whether indoors or outdoors. Most of the springtime blooming plants should be avoided at all costs.

Poinsettias (These plants used for decoration during the holidays are toxic for all pets.)

Lilies (All types are toxic for cats.)

Tulips

Hyacinth

Daffodil

Easter Cactus

Easter Daisy

Orchids

Azalea

Crocus

Rhododendron

Foxglove

Narcissus

Morning Glory

Ways to keep your cat entertained

Cats love to sit or lay in windows to watch birds, squirrels, and people. Make a comfortable spot for you cat on the window sill where they can relax and enjoy the scenery.

Empty boxes are favorites for cats to lay in and play in---get creative and cut holes for cat exploration.

Cats like to be up high. Build a platform with steps leading up to it.

You can train a kitten to fetch just like a dog and it's great exercise for them. The plastic rings on milk containers work well because cats can pick them up easily. Flick them across the floor and watch your cat run for them. Eventually they'll start carrying them back to you.

Never use flea medicine made for dogs on your cat!!!!!!

There are chemicals used in flea medicine for dogs that are TOXIC to cats and can result in death. Please read all labels to make sure the product is designed to use on cats before applying.