Why Do Cats Purr?

Purring is a very natural behavior for cats. It’s so natural that most people simply take it for granted. But if you’ve ever stopped and wondered exactly why cats purr, we’re going to answer that question for you in detail.

What in the World Do These Weird Dog Behaviors Mean?

As a dog owner, you probably get a lot of enjoyment out of watching all the different ways your dog reacts to situations. While there’s a long list of adorable things you may notice your dog doing, you’re definitely not alone if certain actions your dog takes seem downright weird. Since there are a handful of fairly common dog behaviors that can seem completely foreign to us humans, we thought it would be fun to dig into several of these:

Why Does My Dog Always Eat Grass?

Dogs have some very interesting habits. With certain habits, owners know right away that there’s no cause for concern. But with others, it’s completely normal to wonder if what your dog is doing is truly harmless. Eating grass is the perfect example of a habit that falls into the category of giving owners some cause for concern.

Can Cats Predict Storms?

Cats are very smart animals. One of the reasons is they pay very close attention to their surroundings. For example, your cat probably knows the signals of when you’re going to fill its bowl with new cat food. While this knowledge is based on your cat understanding patterns, how do you explain a cat that tries fleeing or frantically grooms its face prior to the arrival of a storm?

Humans have noticed these behaviors in cats for several centuries. In fact, there was a time when sailors blamed cats for causing storms. Although cats’ ability to sense storms can still seem quite amazing, scientists can now explain exactly how felines are able to pull off this “trick.”

3 Common Feline Skin Conditions and What to Do About Them

While what we sell is quality pet food, we’re really in the business of helping owners like you take the best possible care of your pets. We believe that by combining great products and education, we can help people throughout Lenexa Shawnee Mission provide their pets with the highest quality of life. 

Since that’s something all pet owners want to accomplish, we’re passionate about being able to do our part to help. With that in mind, what we want to focus on today is the different kinds of skin conditions that affect cats:

Dog-Friendly Car Shopping

Although some people don’t like when having a dog is compared to having a child, anyone who has experienced both knows that there are definitely some similarities. One of those similarities is they both depend on you for care. Another interesting similarity is they affect the decisions you make. If you enjoy taking your dog along with you when you go places, one of the decisions that your pet may affect is the next vehicle you purchase.

Keeping Your Dog Calm at the Veterinarian's Office

Along with feeding your dog a high-quality food like Pet Wants, regular trips to the vet are an important part of keeping your dog happy and healthy. For some owners, a trip to the vet brings with it lots of anxiety. The simple reality is not all dogs are happy when they realize where they’re going. Although this can be a frustrating situation for everyone involved, it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Whether you’ve recently gotten a dog or want to improve the habits of the dog you have, here’s how you can make trips to the vet much more pleasant for both of you:

Calm Vet Trips Start with Basic Training

Training a dog to be obedient and follow commands isn’t as easy as many people think. So if your dog isn’t trained as well as you would like, you don’t need to feel bad or guilty. However, calmer veterinarian visits do start with being able to control your dog, which is why it’s a good idea to find an obedience class or program that you can go through with your dog.

Make Sure Your Dog is Socialized

Have you ever wondered why your dog is fine with everyone in your household handling it but gets very unhappy when individuals like vet office staff try? One potential cause may be that a dog wasn’t fully socialized as a puppy. While that scenario does create a bit of an uphill battle, you can work with your dog by letting people you trust like friends and family handle it in non-stressful situations. On the same note, you can practice the different motions like lifting ears and limbs that your dog will experience during a vet checkup.

Control Your Own Feelings

Dogs feed off the energy of their owners. This often creates a problematic cycle. An owner gets tense knowing what’s likely to happen when they go the vet, which in turn causes the dog to feel stressed and end up acting out as a result. Making a conscious effort to be relaxed and think positively about vet visits can go a long way towards improving these experiences. That’s why it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment when you have plenty of time and won’t have to rush.

Distraction Works

You can go to almost any restaurant and see at least one toddler holding a tablet. Although many of those parents probably said they wouldn’t ever give their little one a tablet, they learned that distraction may be the only option that works in a certain situation. The same can be true for the vet’s office. Don’t be afraid to use a toy or treat to help occupy your dog’s mind during an examination!

Even though vet trips may seem like an activity that are always destined to be stressful, putting even a few of the strategies we covered into practice should greatly improve this experience.

Socializing Your Puppy

If you adopt a puppy, there are several things you need to do for your new pet. The most common one that comes to mind is taking a puppy out to the bathroom. While a routine can help potty train a puppy in less time than many people expect. it’s important to understand that small puppies can’t physically resist the need to go for more than a few hours. So if you want to prevent accidents, you and the rest of your household need to take the puppy out quite frequently.

Why It's So Important to Microchip Your Pet

As a dog or cat owner, there are several things you can do to take the best possible care of your pet. One of those things is to feed your dog or cat quality pet food. By giving your pet food that’s made from ingredients that are fresh and all-natural, you can help your dog or cat feel its absolute best on a daily basis.

Another important part of taking great care of your pet is to microchip it. Although it’s not something any owner wants to imagine, the fact is that more than 10 million pets are lost each year! Every pet has over a 30% chance of being lost at some point during its lifetime. And for every ten family pets that are lost, only one is found.

Do Dogs Dream?

Although we don’t currently know with absolute scientific certainty that dogs dream, there is definitely evidence to support that belief. Just about any dog owner has probably watched their dog fall asleep after enjoying a big bowl of delicious dog food and then do things that the dog also does while awake. A twitching nose, whining or wagging tail are a few examples of things you may see your dog do while it’s asleep.

What You Can Do to Soothe Your Dog's Separation Anxiety

What You Can Do to Soothe Your Dog's Separation Anxiety

Although it’s not something anyone wants their pet to experience, there are many different things that can trigger separation anxiety in a dog. Research shows that one out of every five dogs in the United States suffers from some degree of separation anxiety. This problem is especially prevalent in older dogs. Some studies have found that as many as half of all senior dogs experience separation anxiety.

Signs of Canine Separation Anxiety

There are two main steps you can take to evaluate if your dog is suffering from this condition. The first is if you’ve recently changed your schedule in any way that results in you being away from the house more frequently or for longer periods of time. If anything with your schedule has changed, then you’ll want to move to the second step, which is looking for specific signs.

Common signs of separation anxiety in a dog include chewing furniture, house soiling, obsessive barking, ripping the stuffing out of pillows or whining for long periods of time. On their own, those actions may stem from a different issue. But if you have changed your schedule and you then notice any of these issues, there’s a very good chance that separation anxiety is the root cause.

Options for Dealing with Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

If your dog chews your furniture or rips the stuffing out of a pillow, your first instinct may be to discipline your dog. While that reaction is completely normal, it’s not the course of action you want to follow. The reason is your dog isn’t going to understand why you’re mad or reacting with punishment. Instead, this type of reaction will confuse them and cause even more unease.

Since your dog isn’t going to associate punishment from you to what may have happened much earlier, a better approach is to focus on reducing the amount of time your dog is at home alone. While this may require help from your partner, a family member, friend or neighbor, finding a way to eliminate long stretches of time when no one is home with your dog can make a big difference. This type of solution can be as simple as a 10 minute walk in the middle of the day.

Another strategy to lessen the severity of separation anxiety in your dog is to not make you leaving the house an overly emotional experience. You can also help your dog by sticking to a consistent schedule. Doing things like filling the dog food bowl at the same time every day can give your dog a sense of comfort. Be sure you make it a priority for the schedule you establish to include as much exercise as possible for your dog.

There’s no simple way to solve separation anxiety for your dog. But by being aware of this issue and taking steps to help your dog, you can greatly improve the situation.

Do Some Dogs Get Heartburn?

It’s amazing how much dogs have in common with humans. While many of the similarities are good things, there are a few that are less than ideal. One example of that type of similarity is the fact that some dogs get heartburn. If you or a loved one has ever struggled with heartburn, you know how unpleasant this issue can be.

The Dog Owner’s Guide to Grooming

Proper grooming is essential for helping your dog look and feel great. Not only is it much more enjoyable to live with a clean dog instead of a smelly one, but grooming plays an important role in a dog’s overall health. In terms of what grooming involves, baths, brushing, trimming nails and haircuts are the main activities. Let’s take a closer look at each one of those in detail:

Bathtime

Although consistent baths are just as important for dogs as they are for humans, one big difference between the two is dogs don’t need to be bathed as often. While the exact frequency will depend on the breed of a dog and its living environment, the main rule of thumb is to do a maximum of one bath a week. The other key difference between baths for dogs and humans is it’s important to use soap & shampoo specifically formulated for dogs.

Brushing

Being consistent with brushing will help keep your dog’s hair and skin healthy. Brushing on a regular basis is one of the most effective ways to prevent skin irritation in dogs. For dogs that shed a noticeable amount of hair, brushing will help minimize the amount that ends up around your home. In terms of brushing frequency, you’ll want to research the optimal interval for your specific breed of dog.

Trimming Nails

Some dogs are so active outside and on other hard surfaces that their nails don’t ever get to the point of needing a trim. However, that’s the exception rather than the rule. For most dogs, a trim every one to four weeks is necessary to keep them from getting so long that they run the risk of breaking. Of all the activities involved in comprehensive grooming, nail trimming is the one that generally gives dog owners the most anxiety.

That’s why there’s nothing wrong with leaving this task in the hands of an experienced professional. And if you would like to trim your dog’s nails yourself but aren’t sure which technique is best, you can ask a groomer to teach you. If you are going to do any trimming yourself, be sure to invest in a quality pair of clippers designed specifically for dogs’ nails.

Haircuts

If your dog has certain areas of hair that grow faster than others, it may make sense to invest in scissors so you can trim those spots on your own. But for full haircuts, it’s almost always worth paying for a groomer to do the job. By taking time to ask for recommendations and finding a groomer that you feel great about, you’ll be able to keep your dog’s hair trimmed to the ideal length all year long.

When combined with a healthy diet like Pet Wants that contains all the nutrients necessary for healthy skin and hair, a consistent grooming routine will keep your dog looking and feeling its best!

What Can Cat Owners Do About Hairballs?

As a new cat owner, it’s completely normal to have a lot of questions about your pet. One of the most common issues that comes up is that of hairballs. To fully understand this topic, it’s important to start with why they develop in the first place. Cats are very particular about their grooming. It’s why they have no problem carefully licking their coats for hours. And once they finish, a cat may choose to promptly start again.

Because cats spend so much time licking their coats, it’s only natural that they’re going to end up swallowing some of their fur. Fortunately, this isn’t a new experience for cats, which is why their digestive systems are usually capable of easily passing small amounts of fur without any issues. However, there are times when hair can get trapped in a cat’s stomach.

When this first happens, it’s usually not a problem due to the small amounts of hair. But if the hair continues to build up inside a cat’s stomach, it can form a hairball. Since a hairball can be uncomfortable for a cat, they will usually try to gag and hack in an attempt to vomit it up.

Despite the fact that a cat may not look very happy when they’re trying to throw up, the good news is most hairballs are not a serious issue. If a cat stops retching within three days, you generally don’t have to worry. In the event that retching does continue or a cat has constipation or refuses food for more than 24 hours, it may be a sign of an intestinal or other digestive blockage. That type of blockage can be deadly if it’s not addressed, so getting your cat to a vet is very important.

In cases that don’t involve a hairball causing a blockage, we’ve got a few helpful tips to make it easier for your cat to pass a hairball or even prevent them from forming in the first place:

Check for Fleas

If you notice your cat is grooming more than normal, it may be a sign of fleas. You can reduce your cat’s need to groom by eliminating the fleas.

Be Consistent with Brushing and Combing

Cats can shed a lot, which is why it’s worth brushing and combing on a daily basis. This is especially true during the warmer months of the year. It’s also helpful to use a wet wipe after brushing to get rid of any lingering loose hairs.

Give Your Cat a Distraction

Some cats have a compulsion to lick. By regularly playing with your cat and providing other forms of entertainment, you can help reduce your cat’s urges to constantly groom.

Increase Fiber Intake

Fiber can make it easier for cats to pass hair and even hairballs. Experts recommend a food blend with at least 3.5% fiber, which is exactly what Pet Wants has in its adult cat formula.