Pet Grooming Orange County

Introducing a Cat Into a Home With Children

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Spending time with animals is invaluable to your child’s development. They can learn emotional skills ranging from empathy and compassion to responsibility and care. However, the transition to having animals can be a bit tricky. Many parents are nervous to introduce new animals into their homes for this reason. Follow these tips to help ensure a safe and comfortable transition for you, your children, and your new feline friend.

Why Cats?

Cats are quite like toddlers themselves; they love to play, eat, and sleep. Dogs require more involved care that takes them away from the home, such as walks and potty breaks. Cats, on the other hand, stay in the home, making it easier for young children to take on some responsibility for them.

However, it is important to note that (also like children) cats can be temperamental. This can teach children lessons about discipline and gentleness, but parental guidance is always necessary.

Kittens vs. Adult Cats

Kittens will learn and grow with your children, and they can be in your family for up to about twenty years. New pet owners usually choose to adopt kittens for this reason. However, kittens are much more likely to be temperamental than adult cats. They are growing into their personalities and may experience hormonal phases such as biting and overt playfulness. Children may find themselves afraid of a kitten’s unpredictability. Furthermore, kittens are smaller and thus more fragile. You as a parent will need to take extra care with a kitten, perhaps limiting their access to young children.

Adult cats, on the other hand, have already done their growing. They are the much safer option, as they are larger and less likely to act unpredictably. As a result, adult cats require less attention and can usually spend long periods of time with children. However, some parents are hesitant to adopt a cat they know they will have less time with. The cat has already been socialized a certain way, and so acclamation may be somewhat more difficult.

The best cat for one home may not be the best cat for yours. Always meet an animal before you decide to adopt.

Your Role as Parent and Pet Owner

As mentioned before, parental guidance is of the utmost importance in ensuring a positive transition. Speak to your children before bringing home any animals. They should demonstrate relatively calm demeanor and compassion. When selecting a cat, involve your children in the process. Bring them along to meet any potential adoptees. This will make them feel important and start early kinship between cat and child.

Kids can learn valuable skills such as feeding and cleaning up after a new pet. If you are giving your child any responsibilities, understand that you are ultimately in charge of the animal. Children can learn discipline from taking care of an animal, but your cat should not suffer as a result.

Consider adopting your new cat or kitten at Claws N Paws Day Spa. For more information about adoptions or our other services, visit our location in Fountain Valley, California or contact us at 714-962-1005. You can also follow us on Facebook for photographs of currently available cats.

How Pumpkin Can Help Your Cat or Dog

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With fall just around the corner, pumpkin is everywhere. You can find almost anything flavored or scented with pumpkin. This year, consider including your pet in the fun. Pumpkin has several hidden health benefits for your furry friend that will persist past the autumnal trend.

Health Benefits

Pumpkin contains both insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps constipation by drawing water into the GI tract and softening stool. Meanwhile, soluble fiber helps diarrhea by draining excess water out of the GI tract when there is too much. This delicate balance works to regulate an otherwise healthy animal’s bowel movements. For this reason, many pet owners turn to pumpkin for weight management.

In addition to fiber, pumpkin contains many other nutrients that will leave your pet feeling fantastic. Vitamins A and C build immune system health and support vision. Zinc promotes healthy skin and coat. Cucurbitacin has been known to fight intestinal parasites.

While other foods may contain the same nutrients, many pet owners choose pumpkin. This is because its taste and texture are more palatable to even the pickiest of pets. In some cases, mixing pumpkin into a new food can motivate a fussy eater to try it. That being said, some pets have different taste. Not every pet will enjoy pumpkin as a meal supplement.

Introducing Pumpkin to Your Pet’s Diet

Pets can eat canned or fresh pumpkin. Do not give them pumpkin pie filling or anything with added sugars. For cats, start with a single teaspoon and increase as needed. For dogs, do the same with a tablespoon. The issue at hand is also important; constipation requires more pumpkin than diarrheal problems.

Not An End-All Solution

Although a tasty and healthy treat, pumpkin will do little for a sick pet. It is not a “cure” so much as a relief to troublesome symptoms. Monitor your pet’s health and behavior. Diarrhea accompanied by weight loss or dehydration is likely a symptom of something more serious.

Additionally, pumpkin cannot be used as a meal replacement. Dogs and cats cannot survive without meat in their diet.

Claws N Paws in Fountain Valley, California provides professional grooming services to both cats and dogs, as well as boarding services in our cats-only boarding facility. For more information, call us at 714-962-1005.

Himalayan Salt Lamps: The Hidden Danger for Pets

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The use of Himalayan salt lamps in the home has become increasingly more popular in the past few years. They have been said to create a more comforting atmosphere, reducing anxiety and providing a unique sense of warmth. However, they pose a serious threat to cats and dogs.

The Problem

A Himalayan salt lamp may not look like food, but some animals may be curious to taste it. This is mostly true with cats, but dogs may also develop this curiosity. Read here for more information on feline compulsions to lick or eat inedible items. Cats are also at more risk of licking salt lamps due to their ability to reach higher places in your home. As with humans, the taste of salt can be addicting to your furry friends. A bit of natural curiosity can easily become an obsession.

The problem with this is that salt is toxic to cats and dogs. They can consume about 16.7 mg per day, but any amount exceeding this can lead to salt poisoning. Salt poisoning has a wide variety of symptoms, including but not limited to vomiting, diarrhea, a change in appetite or thirst, tremors or seizures, and potential kidney damage. If left untreated, it will become fatal. An animal dedicated to licking salt lamps can easily consume over the recommended daily amount and develop salt poisoning.

What You Can Do

Many pet owners simply place their Himalayan salt lamp out of their pets’ reach. This is more possible in homes with dogs because they are not quite as nimble as cats. However, due to the unpredictability of animals, it might be ultimately safer to opt for a mood lighting lamp. If this is going to be in the reach of animals, ensure that it is heavy enough for them not to knock it over.

If you are looking for the atmospheric uplift associated with salt lamps, there are many alternatives that are safe and even beneficial for your pets. For example, growing cat grass indoors is a great way to increase the natural air flow in your home while encouraging safe chewing habits.

Claws N Paws Day Spa provides extensive grooming services to both cats and dogs. Additionally, we operate a cats-only boarding facility. Visit our location in Fountain Valley, California or contact us at 714-962-1005 for more information.

 

Is It Worms?

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Worms are extremely common in pets. In fact, most pets will have worms at least once in their life. Fortunately, worms are easily treated. All it takes is a trip to your vet and a pill given twice within a two week period.

How Pets Get Worms

Puppies and kittens can get worms from their mother. They can also get them later in life from playing outside, digging in dirt, grooming themselves, eating raw or undercooked meat, and eating infected insects and pests.

Symptoms of Worms

Worms get bigger over time and symptoms can range from mild to severe. Many pets show no signs of infection. Common symptoms include:

  • Bloody stool
  • Diarrhea
  • Excessive licking of the hindquarters
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Poor appetite
  • Poor growth
  • Potbelly appearance
  • Rice-like segments found at base of tail
  • Visible worms in vomit or stool
  • Weight loss

It’s important to note that many of these symptoms can indicate another disease. This is why it’s so important to have your pet seen by a qualified vet. A simple stool sample can help determine if worms are causing the problem.

Types of Worms

Dogs and cats can become infected with a wide range of worms. The most common types include:

Roundworms – Roundworms are the most common form of worms. Most pets become infected at a young age.

Hookworms – Hookworms suck blood. These parasites can cause severe blood loss in pets.

Tapeworms – Caused by ingesting infected fleas, tapeworms are flat, segmented worms. You can tell if your pet has tapeworms by inspecting their tail. The segments look like little grains of rice.

Whipworms – Considered a highly infectious worm, pets infected with whipworms are at high risk of reinfection.

Final Thought

It’s important to remember that having worms isn’t a reflection of the care you give your pet. Pets can get into a lot of things and worms take advantage of this opportunity. If you suspect your pet has worms it’s important to have them seen by a qualified veterinarian. Diagnosis is typically quick and easy and treatment is as well.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers grooming for dogs and cats. Please contact us at 714-962-1005 to schedule your next grooming appointment.

 

 

 

Can Dogs and Cats Live Together?

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It’s commonly known that dogs and cats don’t get along. However, this isn’t always the case. As Orange County’s premier grooming salon, we’ve seen several families where dogs and cats are best friends. It’s important to note that this doesn’t always happen overnight. It often takes a lot of time and patience to convince household pets to tolerate each other. Sometimes they never become friends but they do learn to share their space.

Start Young if Possible

The best cat/dog relationships start when one or both pets are young. When introducing a dog into a household with cats, it’s generally best to start with a puppy. This will seem less threatening to your cats and gives you an opportunity to train the dog not to chase. This can take some time as dogs have a natural instinct to chase and cats will instinctively run, making it even more satisfying for your dog.

If you decide to bring home a kitten to play with your dog, you must take care to ensure it doesn’t get hurt. This can be difficult if your dog is large. You will need to watch them very carefully together. Just one grab and shake could seriously injure or kill your kitten. It is up to you to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Enforce the Rules

It’s important to ensure that both the cat and the dog understand the rules. Do not let them chase each other or steal each other’s food. This might take some time as both must adjust to their situation. Rewarding good behavior lets them know they’ve done something right. This is a much better approach than punishing your pet for bad behavior.

Make Sure You Spend Time With Both Pets

Even if the transition goes smoothly, your pets may feel left out if you spend too much time with one and not the other. Make sure that you set aside plenty of time for both pets.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming from our full service salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.

Why it’s Important to Get Your Cat Vaccinated

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It seems like every year more and more illnesses claim the lives of our pets. Fortunately many of these illnesses can be prevented. Modern medicine makes it possible for humans to treat and prevent numerous diseases that previously wiped out massive populations of pets.

Your cat depends on you to keep them healthy and comfortable. They rely on you for everything they need from food and water to shelter and medical care. They cannot tell you when they need to go to the vet. That is up to you to decide.

Regular vaccinations help keep cats safe from dangerous diseases such as feline leukemia and FIP. Unfortunately, vaccines are only good for so long. You can’t just get them once and hope your cat will be ok. Vaccines must be repeated at regular intervals to provide the highest level of protection.

Preventing the Spread of Disease

One of the greatest benefits of vaccinating your cat is that it helps prevent the spread of diseases. Even if your cat spends its entire life inside, you still put other cats at risk by not vaccinating. Cats are notorious escape artists. Even the most content house cat can find its way outdoors. If this occurs, an unvaccinated cat can easily contract a number of diseases from coming in contact with the feces of other cats, fighting with neighborhood cats, or even drinking contaminated water. Once infected, your cat can spread disease to even more cats.

If everyone vaccinated their cat, these diseases might cease to exist. If nothing else, they’ll become a lot less common.

Other Considerations

In addition to vaccinating your cat it’s also extremely important to have them spayed or neutered. Having your cat “fixed” prevents them from reproducing, reducing the number of stray, unvaccinated cats around. This is better for everyone, especially the cats and kittens left to fend for themselves.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming as well as cat and kitten adoptions from our full service grooming salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about our services.