Toys have been a part of almost every child’s life. It may come in different sizes, shapes and materials but all are design to give a particular child the satisfaction and imagination they need in order to succeed in life. When it comes to the two most common and loved domesticated pet, toys are like the next best thing since their master is not always around to play with them.

For Dogs
If you are a dog owner you probably experienced losing a pair of good shoes from you’re your dog’s chewing activity, which often makes you disappointed with your dog. But when you think of it, it’s not solely your dog’s fault; after all they don’t have a high thinking capability like their masters. Dogs always seek attention and because their master cannot always be there for them, they end up playing with anything that has a scent of their master to satisfy their desire for attention. This includes shoes, socks and slippers which they can easily get and play with when unattended. Furthermore, when it comes to puppies, chewing on something hard is a natural act to help them remove their puppy teeth and give way for their permanent adult teeth. This usually happens between the age of 12 weeks and 6 months.

Now whether you want to teach your dog not to chew on your belongings or you just love your dog, why not give him dog toys that will definitely make him satisfied especially at times where you can’t play with them. Choosing the best dog toy for your dog may vary on size of your dog. Remember not to give your dog a dog toy that is too small where he doesn’t need to chew it before ingesting, because a piece of that toy might end up choking him.

For Cats
House cats, especially young kittens are known to love playing with anything that moves such as curtains and strings; much like in some cartoons and photographs where the cat cannot resist playing with the ball of yarn. Even though cats love to play with strings and yarns, it is recommended to only give them certified cat toy to avoid health complications. Furthermore, cats sleep for as much as 16 hours per day, which is why a cat toy is essential for its physical and mental exercise. Aside from exercise cat toys also relieve boredom and release anxiety which is commonly experienced by indoor cats. If you have several cats, a cat toys are also a perfect bonding equipment to prove that cats are not solitary animals.

In choosing the best cat toy your cat deserves, of course you need to consider the size of your cat. Don’t forget that cats has sharp teeth and claws that can torn their toy easy, so it’s better not to buy cat toys that has strings, buttons and ribbons and other small parts. You also need to observe your cat’s behavior to determine what things attracts him the most so that the cat toy which you bought will be enjoyed by your cat.

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Tags: house cats, kitten

A Garden for your Pet Cat Cats enjoy roaming around in gardens, investigation and getting into mischief. Why not set aside a piece of garden to bring pleasure to your cat(s).

We have two house cats, a Ragdoll and a Persian Chinchilla, that love to go out and play in the sun. We set aside a part of the garden to the rear of the house which would be 3/4 lawn and the rest a planted raised bed.

We cleared the area concerned by taking down half a dozen 15ft conifers, some of the trunks were retained to build a cat climbing frame. The stumps and roots were poisoned then covered with pvc then a layer of weed suppressing material.

The raised bed was constructed first using natural materials, soil and compost. We installed a water fountain which the cats drink from. Other items included timber, stepping stones, rocks and ornaments. Plant were sourced from a number of garden centres and planted out. The cats quickly took to the fragrant plants like lavender and the herbaceous mint, thyme and Basil. Some of the blooming plants attracted in insects - something for the cats to play with, apparently.

The soil for the lawn area was dug over and prepared for some new turf. The turf was unrolled and cut to size, within a couple of weeks the grass was growing, within a month the first cut was given on a high setting. The lawn is now well established and lush. The lawn also acts as a play pen with climbers and tunnels for the cats to explore.

Other ideas for your cats include planting out terracotta pots with herbs. Keep a lookout at gardening centres for large broken terracotta, buy them for a song, remove any sharp edges, place around the garden for your cats to explore or find shelter in.

The cats now cannot wait to be out and enjoying the freedom of the garden, although our Chinchilla, Mikey, patrols around looking for and finding escape routes. See the Adventures of Mikey

Syd Graham is Editor and content manager for the AboutMyArea DH1 Community Website in Durham, England - aboutmyarea.co.uk/dh1 aboutmyarea.co.uk/dh1

He has written small articles on many subjects and, where required, provided his own photography. He also creates his own graphics, animations and Flash for content and advertising.

He also designs web sites for other companies and provides content (stories, photos, animations, graphics, and manipulations) for UK based satire sites.

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Tags: house cats

Domesticated cats have been gaining in popularity in the United States. It is projected that by the year 2010 there will be far more cats than dogs. Noted for their independence, cats can also be loving and loyal to their owners. They adjust well to indoor living, take great care in grooming themselves, and are easily trained to use a cat box. Cats, when they’re not asleep, are observers. They stare into corners and spend hours sitting in windowsills. They don’t bark, they don’t whine; they purr. Occasionally, they scold.

Cats are also predatory, and some are very good mousers. In a flourishing society of condominiums and high-rise apartment buildings, many landlords ban dogs and accept cats. One building manager puts it like this: “As long as the cat doesn’t wander through the halls and annoy others, I don’t see any problem.”

Cats, more than any other mammal, exhibit similar attributes and actions, no matter if they are wild or tame. Lions, tigers, leopards, wild cats, panthers, and house cats look similar and act very much alike–they are all predatory, nocturnal, fastidious, and defensive, but the domesticated cat is much smaller than its wild relatives. How did the wild cat first become domesticated, and where did it happen?

Origin of Cats

Looking back to the Late Eocene epoch (43.6 to 36.6 million years ago), it has been discovered that the “cat pattern” was already well established in the evolution of modern mammals. The earliest cats were easily recognizable as the ancestors of present-day felines. Other mammals had not yet evolved into a recognizable form. Typical cats (subfamily Felinae) appeared about 10 million years ago and have changed very little since that time.

The Anatomy of the Cat

Why is it that cats are able to curl up on the narrowest ledges, squeeze under the smallest spaces, or disappear at will when they sense an intrusion. The anatomy of the cat gives it great elasticity. It has a flexible spine and uses its tail and inner ear to maintain balance. Because of its inner-ear balance, it almost always lands on its feet when it falls and can jump from and to great heights without injury. For this reason, the cat is said to have nine lives.

The Historical Background of Cats

The history of the cat lends itself to drama, controversy, heroism, and mysticism on a somewhat uneven road from its domestication around 1500 B.C. to the present. From the moment the dog became domesticated, humans accepted it as a loyal and loving servant of man. The cat, however, has not been so blessed. It has been an icon of worship in ancient Egypt, a rat-catching hero during the plague years in Europe, and labeled a familiar for witches in Puritan America.

While dogs have been trained to assist humans as hunters, guides, companions, and enforcers, cats have no obvious purpose other than their presence in one’s life. They’re simply not very trainable. Yet, the art of relaxation has been mastered by the cat, and this attribute is assimilated by its human owners. Nursing homes often have a resident cat who is there only to be petted by the residents.

The Cat in Literature and Art

The cat is not as independent as it appears. It wants to be loved and cared for, and the contradictory interaction between humans and cats has been the subject of many children’s books, novels, poems, and plays over the years. From fairy tales to Wanda Gäg’s classic “Millions of Cats” (1929) to the long-running broadway show “Cats,” based on T. S. Elliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” (1939), to “The Marble Cake Cat” (1977) by Marjorie and Carl Allen; from Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) to B. Kliban’s contemporary cartoon cats, the cat has long been a fascinating subject for both children and adults.

Breeds of Cats

Many people believe that the Siamese cat originated in Ancient Egypt, but it actually is from the Far East and thought to be a domestication of the Asian wild cat. The 30 to 40 recognized distinctive breeds of cats can be grouped into two general categories: the long-haired Persian and the domestic shorthair. Most cats, however, unless they are show cats, are mixed breed.

Cats Around the World

In America, cats as pets have long been popular. In most families where there are cats as pets, there is only one, possibly two cats. They’re not pack animals and don’t adjust well to living on their own outside the home. Stray cats tend to be loners. In other countries, cats are not as pampered as they are in American homes, and are sometimes a source of food.

Marjorie Allen is a free-lance writer/editor, who has had several award-winning books published. She has taught writing and offers initial editing free. Check her website marjorienallen.com marjorienallen.com. Marjorie and her husband spend winters on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico and summers in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.

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Tags: groom, house cats

Training with treats and other food based rewards is a great way to motivate your shih tzu and speed the training process along. Most shih tzu are highly motivated by food rewards, and treat training using this kind of positive reinforcement is used to train all sorts of animals, including tigers, lions, elephants and even house cats.

Before you begin a treat based training session, however, it is a good idea to test the shih tzu to make sure that food will motivate him through the session. Begin around the shih tzu’s regular meal time by taking a piece of its food and waving it in front of the shih tzu’s nose. If the shih tzu shows an enthusiasm for the food, now is a great time to start the training. If the shih tzu shows little interest, or none at all, it may be best to put off the training until another time. Don’t be afraid to delay the start of meal time in order to pique the shih tzu’s interest in training. The advantages of proper training will far outweigh any delay in feeding.

It is generally best to get the shih tzu used to regular feedings, instead of leaving food out all the time. Not only does free feeding encourage the shih tzu to overeat and increase the chances of obesity, but a free fed shih tzu may never be fully motivated in reward based training.

The come when called command
Once your shih tzu has shown interest in the food offered to it, it is time to begin the training. Since you already got your shih tzu’s undivided attention by showing it food, now is a great time to start. Give the shih tzu a few pieces of food right away, then back up a few steps. While holding the food in your hand, so “come here”. When the shih tzu comes to you, praise him effusively and give him a few pieces of food.

After the shih tzu is coming to you easily, add a sit command and hold the collar before you give the food. After the sit command is mastered, other commands, and even some tricks, can be added. Food based positive reinforcement training is the best way to teach a variety of important behaviors.

One good exercise is the sit, stay, come when called exercise. This exercise can begin with the owner walking the shih tzu, then stopping and asking the shih tzu to sit. After the shih tzu is sitting quietly, the owner backs away and asks the shih tzu to stay. Ideally the shih tzu should continue to stay until called by the owner, even if the leash is dropped. At the end of the exercise, the owner calls the shih tzu. When the shih tzu comes to the owner, it receives food and praise from the owner. This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog is reliably coming when called.

It is important to keep the training sessions short, especially in the beginning, to keep the shih tzu from becoming bored, and from consuming its entire meal in the form of treats. After the shih tzu has been responding regularly, the treats and food rewards can be slowly reduced. It is important to still provide these food rewards, but it may no longer be necessary to provide as many. After awhile, as well, it will not be necessary to give the shih tzu treats every single time he responds as requested. In general, it should only be necessary for the shih tzu to receive a food treat one out of every five times he comes on demand. The other four successes can be rewarded with praise and scratches.

Once the shih tzu understand the basics of the “come here” exercise, the basic exercise can be expanded, and many games can be created. These type of games can be great fun for owner and shih tzu alike, as well as a great learning experience. Some off leash work can be introduced as well, but it is always best to start with the shih tzu in a safe environment, such as a fenced back yard. For variety, you can try taking the shih tzu to other safe environments, such as a friend’s house, a neighbor’s fenced yard or a local dog park. Try turning the shih tzu loose in these safe places, and practice the come when called exercise. Always praise the shih tzu extensively, scratch him behind the ears and tell him what a good shih tzu he is. The goal should be to make coming to the owner a more pleasant experience than whatever the shih tzu was doing before he was called.

Connie Limon is a shih tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

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Tags: house cats, shih tzu

Nobody likes needles – and if your four-legged feline knew what he was in for, he’d probably go scampering up a tree! Still, as a loving pet owner, it’s up to you to keep your cat’s shots current. But how many are they supposed to have? How often? Will they harm my pet? These are not easy questions. And many pet owners feel like they’re in the dark about what vaccines to give – or not give – their pets. After all, things are ever changing in the world of cat vaccinations!

Your best bet is to talk to your veterinarian about it, but here’s a little guide that should put you on the right track:

The Basics: Yearly Shots

• FVRCP – This is a standard vaccine which stands for feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia virus. (OK, so it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue!) But all you need to remember is that the first two types of viruses cause upper respiratory illness, while panleukopenia is a life-threatening disease that leaves cats suffering with severe diarrhea as well as depletion of bone marrow and white blood cells.

• Rabies – Most cats should get this safe, life-saving vaccine every year or every third year. The only exception is a cat that lives exclusively indoors and couldn’t possibly get out. In some states, even indoor-only cats have to get them (let’s face it, cats are known to slip out the door.) Just one “night on the town” and your cat could be exposed to the virus. Also, if your cat happens to bite someone and you have no proof of rabies shots, you might have to surrender your cat to have his brain tested for rabies!

Optional Vaccines

• FIP – This stands for feline infectious peritonitis, a viral disease that’s almost always fatal, but thankfully, not very common.

• Ringworm – A non-core vaccine reserved only for cats at high risk

• FeLV – A feline leukemia vaccination that got a bad rap initially because it was frequently ineffective and many breeders believed it to increase the risk of FIP. Experts argue over whether this has changed much with time. The good news is that owners with older cats may opt not to get this one, since mature cats are already somewhat immune to the disease.

• Bordetella – This bordetellosis vaccine is designed to prevent the respiratory tract disease that cats often develop in animal shelters (similar to kennel cough in dogs.) House cats can occasionally pick it up, too. This vaccine is best for a cat who’s about to be boarded or who was bred at a cattery. For the average pet, opinions vary.

Owners are often worried about the possible side effects of vaccinations, which can include everything from allergic reactions to something called “fibrosarcoma,” a cancerous tumor that cats can develop at the site of the inoculation. Because of these side effects, some experts have started to recommend giving fewer vaccines. Your best bet is to sit down with your vet and discuss whether the benefits outweigh those risks.

One thing most everyone can agree on is that your cat should have a wellness checkup and physical exam every year. So if it’s been awhile since your vet has canvassed your cat, it’s time to make that appointment! You can find out more information about this and minimum age requirements for vaccinations on

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Tags: house cats