Wednesday 22 May 2019

3 Reasons Why Your Cat Should NOT Be Allowed Outside

May 22, 2019 0
In some areas of the world, pet cats are allowed and even encouraged to go outside.  I know, your cat may want and like to be outside but it is not worth the risk!  Here are the main reasons why cats don't belong outside.  

Cat Fights & Illnesses


 There are lots of stray cats around, even if you don't see them.  If your animal obsessed like me, you will be feeding the strays (I feel so bad for them!).  Your cat will almost certainly fight with these cats and there is a high chance of your cat getting hurt.  Whether it is an injured eye or an infected scratch, it's not worth the risk.  

 Another risk for your cat is illnesses and diseases.  This could come from something as small as a tick to rodents and other ill cats.  A high risk for your cat are diseases that come from rats and mice.  Your cat will most likely hunt, kill and eat rodents.  The problem is that these rodents have plenty of terrible illnesses that can spread to your kitty.  


Human Dangers


 Whether by accident or on purpose, humans cause lots of problems for outdoor cats.  A huge number of cats are killed by cars every year (in Scotland you don't even need to tell the owner if you hit their cat, so horrible!).  This isn't just on busy roads, even if you live in the country your cat is still in danger.  If there is one reason that you shouldn't let your cat outside it's because of the danger that cars cause.  

 There are other man-made dangers such as your cat getting poisoned.  Things like anti-freeze, rat poison and types of paint can be deadly for cats.  If your cat does get poisoned while outside, you may not have time to help OR you won't be able to find the cat.  


Predators


 Another huge problem for outdoor cats is their predators.  Wildlife like foxes and badgers (here in Scotland) kill many cats every year.  Unfortunately, people often feed these predators close to pet homes (even if unintentionally) which causes major danger to cats.  Also, if you live close to other houses who have dogs then this is also risky.  I personally witnessed a cat being attacked by a dog after the cat jumped into the dog's garden.  Long story short, both the cat AND dog were put to sleep.  Clearly, this was a terrible situation that I never want anyone else (or any pets) to go through.  Don't risk it.  You never know how a dog will react.  


*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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Monday 20 May 2019

4 Reasons Why Your Rabbit is Scared Of You

May 20, 2019 0

1.  You Have No Bond


 Rabbits need to have a good bond with their owner.  If not, the rabbit will always be scared of you and will have no trust.  Gaining a bond with your rabbit will take a while but will be worth it.  

 Start by sitting or lying down beside your rabbit and let him check you out.  Give him a treat when he comes up to you.  Don't touch or pet the rabbit for a while until you feel that he is relaxed.  Always make sure you are quiet and talk softly to him.  Never pick your rabbit up during bonding sessions.  


2.  He's Scared To Be Picked Up


 Rabbits really don't like being picked up.  this is because their natural instinct tells them that being picked up means danger/a predator.  So, although picking your rabbit up occasionally is fine, avoid it as much as possible.  I like to train my bunnies to go into a pet carrier when asked so I can use the carrier to pick up and move the rabbit.  

 When you do need to pick your rabbit up you must do it properly to avoid injuring him.  Apart from scaring your rabbit, rabbits have very fragile spines.  

 To Pick up a rabbit correctly, do the following.  Get Down to the rabbits level slowly, use one arm to 'scoop' under the rabbit's chest area and the other arm to put under the back feet.  Slowly pick the rabbit up and hold close to your body (without squeezing).  Always support all four feet.  


3.  He Has Learnt From His Buddies 


 Rabbits are social animals and always need a buddy.  So, if one rabbit is scared of you then the other one probably will be too.  This is mostly because of the rabbit's natural instinct.  If one rabbit becomes scared and runs away in the wild then they all will.   So, it is important that you have fully bonded with each rabbit that you own.  


4.  Hormonal Problems



 If your rabbit is not spayed/neutered then you will have a lot of problems.  Sometimes a rabbit that is hormonal will act like he is actually scared.  A scared rabbit can lash out at your hands but so can a hormonal rabbit.  It is extremely important that you get your rabbit spayed/neutered, not only for behavioural problems BUT for your rabbit's health.  

 I remember owning a beautiful black rabbit when I was younger that was highly aggressive.  From the day I got her until my mum got her spayed she would jump at my hands, kick, bite and grow if I tried to pick her up.  Immediately after her being spayed, she was a different rabbit and was my best buddy for a long time.  

*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          
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Wednesday 15 May 2019

5 Reasons Why Your Cat Hates You

May 15, 2019 0

Do you think your cat hates you?  Sometimes we unintentionally annoy our cats to the point that the can become aggressive towards us.   

 Fortunately, you can fix this.  With just a few weeks of switching how you act towards our cats, you could see a huge difference.  

*The Post Contains Affiliate Links, Read About Amazon Affiliate Links here.  Every affiliate link on this page with be marked with stars*

1.  You Annoy him


 Have you ever watched a kid pick up, pet or annoy a cat?  Maybe we don't take it to this level BUT some cats really don't want to be touched unless it is on their terms.  You may just be trying to get your cat some attention but this is a big no-no if he is already showing signs of not liking you.  It is also possible that if your cat won't sit in your knee for a nap, you are moving around or touching him while he tries to sleep.  

 Instead, try using a toy to allow him to play right beside you without any touch.  This is a great way to gain trust and get your cat to eventually like you.  


2.  You Scare him


 This is something that my cat has gone through.  He wasn't handled properly as a kitten so he was naturally timid.  A year later as he is still scared of some people in the house if they move too quickly or make a loud noise.  It may be that you have not gained his trust or you have done something to break that trust (I hope by accident).    

If your cat is scared of you there are a few things to do.  First of all, you need to start being very thoughtful while around your cat.  Be careful to stay quiet and avoid moving to fast.  Next, again you should start to play with your cat with his favourite toy.  This is great for creating trust.  If you have another cat then encourage that one to play too.  

3.  No Bond



Cats who aren't bonded to their owner really don't have a great life.  They have no trust for their owner and they don't have the security of an owner who protects them.  They have no desire to be around you or play with you.  This means they will have a boring life and will not like you being around.  


4.  You Play Too Much


 Yes, this is possible with cats.  sometimes, your cat may not actually hate you, he is just in the habit of playing rough with you.  I would always recommend NOT playing with your cat with your own hand.  This makes your cat learn that it is okay to bite or scratch you.  Obviously, this isn't what we want and it can turn into a habit quickly.  

 Take a break from playing for a few weeks and then you can introduce a *new toy with a long handle* to play with.  


5.  He is Missing Out On Something



 Cats get the same frustrations as any other animal.  This could be because the cat is not spayed/neutered and is also not mating (NOT recommended, please spayed/neuter your cat).  If this is the case, you will see a big improvement when he has been done.  

 Another big issue that causes aggression in cats is stress.  Depending on what is making your cat stressed, it is easy to treat.  Start by getting *cat shelves* and *wall hides* that hang on the wall.  This will give your cat somewhere high up to hide.  Then you will start to remove the things that are making that cat scared.  

*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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Monday 13 May 2019

How Hydrotherapy Can Save Your Dog Life

May 13, 2019 0


My dog's Back story & Experience 


Hugo was born on 1st of June 2016 and is a red fawn bullmastiff.  He was diagnosed with severe elbow dysplasia and a loose vertebra which was causing wobbly back legs and 'wobbler syndrome' symptoms in January 2018.  They had no idea how my sweet boy was even walking because he basically had no elbow joints (no over-exaggerating).  

 We then spent the next 6 months and thousands of pounds (thank god for insurance!!) at different specialists to be told every time 'put him down'.  We were got very annoyed at one vet who charged us £2500 for one day and then heartlessly told us he needed to be put down.  

 I really couldn't believe it, Hugo was still walking, playing and happy.  He was only 1.5 years old.  I wasn't about to put him down unless he stopped enjoying life.  


Hydrotherapy


 In the summer of 2018 we found a canine hydrotherapy business on Facebook near us.  Honestly, I didn't know what to except and the first day didn't go so well.  Hugo was booked into the water treadmill and he couldn't walk on it.  It was the combination of not understanding that the floor was moving AND being so weak.  

 The next few weeks we changed it about and found swimming.  He really only floated about and did a few tiny doggy strokes but that week we saw a difference.  After that, it has been a blur of my beautiful boy getting better.  We started with about 5 months of only swimming with the occasional physiotherapy appointment.  He got strong enough to go back to the treadmill and now alternates each week between swimming and treadmill.  

 He quickly lost fat and gained muscle to help with his elbows.  He quickly got control of his back legs again too.  This was an actual miracle!  


What Hydrotherapy can and can't do


 It is first important to know that although our hydrotherapy was and still is amazing, it completely depends on the dog's condition and the place you take them.  

 Hugo has gone from 4 gabapentin tablets PER DAY to zero (although he does still get CBD).  He has changed from hardly being able to turn around without falling over to an almost normal dog.  He is now 3 years old and loving life (and his weekly hydrotherapy appointments).  

 Another thing that is important for me to mention is that we never really know how long this will continue to help our dogs.  Sometimes it will only last for a year or so before the dog starts to go downhill again.  Other times, it could completely cure your dog's problems.  Again, it really does depend on your dog's condition.  

 Hydrotherapy improves the movement of joints that may be fusing or already fused (Hugo's elbow and shoulder joints were are almost fused and now are almost the same as a normal dogs range of motion) and it builds muscle to help the joints without high impact.  


*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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Monday 6 May 2019

3 Dog Commands That You Can Train Your Cat

May 06, 2019 0


Cat's are never trained in the way that dogs are BUT they are just as smart.  The problem with cats is that they don't care about pleasing you so they seem harder to train.  


1. Sit 



This is super easy to train your cat and is the first thing I taught my kittens Salvester and Marmalade.  I use dreamies as my cat's treats which made it easy to train them.  

 First I hold the treat above the cats head so he has to look up at it.  Then I slowly move the treat backwards towards the cat's tail.  When the cat sits give him the treat.  

 If the cat jumps up to grab the treat while you are trying to treat sit, pull the treat away, wait for the cat to land then try again.  


2.  Lie Down



 This was a little harder for my cats to understand but they got it eventually.  I first get my cat to sit (which needs to be already trained) then I start to pull the treat across the ground away from the cat.  I make it low so the cat has to at least bend down and I pull it just far enough away that he can reach it if he lies down.  

 I start by rewarding when the cat just slightly lies down and slowly build up to the full lie down.  


3.  Paw



 First, get your cat to sit down and reward.  Then say 'paw', pick your cat's paw up, pause and then reward.  You will then do this a few times.  You can then build up to touching the leg (which will hopefully make the cat life his leg) to just putting your out and saying 'paw'.  

 *Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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Friday 3 May 2019

4 Reasons Why Your Cat won't Use The Litter Tray

May 03, 2019 0

If you have indoor cats you know how annoying litter trays are BUT we put up with them for our cat's safety.  What is WAYYYY worse is when your cat decides that your brand new carpet is a MUCH better toilet!  

Luckily, your cat hasn't just decided to make your life worse, he's doing it for a reason.  Here are some of the reasons that your cat isn't using his litter tray and some tips on how to fix this problem.  

1.  Marking


 If you notice that there is cat pee that is off the ground and sprayed up walls it is because he is marking.  This is usually because your cat is not spayed or neutered (females spray too).  This is an easy fix by getting your cat spayed/neutered (which should always be done anyway) BUT some cats can still spray.  

 If your cat is fixed and still spraying this is usually because they are being territorial either with other animals in your home or if they can smell other cats outside.  Give your cat at least one litter tray to himself and set up an area in your home for him to relax by himself.  You should aim for at least one litter tray per cat but the more the better.  

2.  Dirty litter


 I find that a lot of cat owner only clean the litter tray out once per day.  To me, this is nowhere near often enough!  I spot clean my cat's litter tray every time they use it and swap the cat litter twice per day.  
If you leave the litter tray dirty for too long your cat will not use it.  

3.  Too Many Cats


 As I said above, you need to have enough litter trays if you can multiple cats.  I would say one per cat in the minimum to avoid problems.  Some cats simply will not use the same litter tray as another cat.  Others won't use the litter tray if their buddy has been marking near it.  


4. Area Not Being Cleaned Properly


 If your cat had an accident on the floor and continues to use that same area it is probably due to you not cleaning properly.  

 Cats are similar to dogs in the way they go to the toilet.  In fact, most animals use this thought process.  They will always go to the toilet in the same place.  How do they find this place?  They smell it.  So if your cleaning isn't up to scratch, they will continue to use the same place.  


*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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Wednesday 1 May 2019

How To Feed Your Rabbit The Perfect Diet

May 01, 2019 0




Check the type of food you are feeding


 Do you know what your rabbit needs?  Have you ever checked the back of the food bag and had no idea what you were looking for?  It is pretty easy.  

 So, rabbits need at least 18% crude fibre BUT the more the better.  You will be aiming for 12-14% crude protein for an adult and around 16% for a growing rabbit.  You always want to keep the crude fat/oil to below 4%.  

 So a perfect rabbit food should look like this - 

 Crude fibre 20% 
Crude protein 13% 
Crude Fat/oil 3%

 You should also look for a forage based pellet, timothy hay pellets for adults and alfalfa pellets for younger rabbits.   

Amounts for food


 The main part of your rabbit's diet should be made up of hay.  Offering unlimited hay and apple tree twigs will make sure your rabbit is completely healthy.  

 Pellets should be limited to only give him the right nutrients each day.  The amount of pellets fed to your rabbit decreases as your rabbit gets older.  

 The amounts of pellets to feed your rabbit are as follows - 

 7 weeks to 7 months - unlimited pellets (unless the rabbit eats pellets over hay, then limit to encourage eating more hay).  

 7 months to 1 year - 170g per 3kg of bodyweight

 1 to 5 years - 85g per 3kg of bodyweight

 6 years + - Maintain 85g per 3kg of bodyweight unless the rabbit struggles to keep weight on.  If this is the case, give unlimited pellets.  


Fruits and Veg


Feeding your rabbit fruit and vegetables is great for increasing the nutrients that your rabbit gets and will help your rabbit get a varied diet.  It is, however, important to feed the correct amounts and types to ensure that your rabbit doesn't become unhealthy or overweight. 

 Here are the amounts of fruits and veg you should feed your rabbit daily - 

 12 weeks to 7 months - Slowly introduce only vegetables from 14g to the adult amount.  

 7 months + - Feed 300g of chopped veg per day.  You can also introduce up to 50g of fruit per day.  

*Disclaimer*  

 I am not any type of animal expert but instead only an animal lover who wants to share her tips.  Please consult relevant animal specialists and do not only take my advice.

  The Rider's Pets

                                                                                                                          

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