cat safety Archives - Page 3 of 4 - MyThreeCats.com CatBlog

How To Trim a Cat’s Nails

If you’ve ever tried to trim a cat’s nails, you know that it’s a task that’s not for the faint of heart. But it is possible to make these necessary nail-trimming sessions an enjoyable time for both you and your kitty.

The first step is to develop a routine. If you and your cat can get into a rhythm of clipping the nails every ten days to two weeks, you’ll have established an ideal schedule.

Next, make sure your cat is comfortable with the sound of the clippers before you attempt to trim her nails. The ASPCA recommends putting kitty on your lap and putting a piece of uncooked spaghetti into the clippers. While massaging your cat’s toe, gently press her toe pad extend her nail, and then clip the spaghetti with the clippers. Do this a few times and the cat will come to associate the sound of the clippers with the gentle massaging of her toes.

See the rest of the ASPCA’s recommendations here.

Most of all, throughout the entire nail trimming process, it’s important for you to stay calm. Your kitty will be more inclined to relax and not become scared when you maintain a gentle demeanor. When you’re laid about the process, she’s more likely to be, as well.

Do you trim your cat’s nails? We’d love to hear about your experience in a comment below!

10 Tips for Flying with Your Cat

Now that warmer weather is here, you might be starting to think about planning a vacation away from home. Whether it’s a spring break trip or a summer vacation, one thing’s for sure: you’ll either have to make arrangements for someone to care for your cat while you’re away from home, or maybe you’ll choose to take her with you.

If you’ve never flown on a commercial airplane with a cat, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the airline’s pet policies in advance. You’ll also find some very helpful tips in the infographic below.

If you’ll be traveling with your pet by car, you might want to check out this great article with tips from Petfinder.

Have you ever traveled with your cat? We’d love for you to share your experience with our readers in a comment below.

How To Create a First Aid Kit for Your Pet

Do you have a first aid kit for your pet?

If not, you might want to consider putting one together. You might also want to make a second one to keep in your car. I carry a million things with me in my big ol’ purse and think it could even be a good idea to have a mini one in there as well. Better safe than sorry!

A few items to keep in your kit include an eye dropper, some antiseptic cleansing wipes, a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and some gauze bandages and pads. Some leather gloves to keep your hands safe are also a fantastic idea, as is a pet first aid book. For a more complete list, definitely check out this post from Petfinder on recommended items for your kit.

One thing I personally think is missing from that list is Benadryl, though be sure to check with your vet on the correct dosage for your pet! When my dog had an allergic reaction last year, half a tablet cleared up his hives within a couple of hours.

What do YOU think? Have you ever been in a situation where you wished you’d had a first aid kit? Is there anything you think the list is missing? Let us know in the comments!

Do You Know Which People Foods are Harmful To Cats?

With all the delicious food that can be found during the holidays, it can be tempting to treat your kitty to human foods. But so many people foods are harmful to cats. Did you know that even tuna, which is used in many commercial cat foods, can be bad if your cat eats too much?

Dairy is another no-no for kitties, so that means no sharing leftover holiday party cheese and no sharing of Santa’s cookies and milk.

Speaking of holiday parties, it should go without saying that alcohol is toxic to cats and should be avoided at all costs. That means we must be careful of leaving holiday drinks unattended because even a very small amount of alcohol can be dangerous to pets.

For a comprehensive list of foods that are bad for kitties, please read this article and play it safe! If your cat gets into any of these foods and shows signs of lethargy or sickness, call your vet immediately.

Do you know of other foods that are dangerous for our pets? Leave a comment and let us know!

How Safe is your Cat from your Christmas Tree?

I don’t know about you, but I start getting excited to put up my Christmas tree around Halloween, but I somehow manage to restrain myself until after Thanksgiving. One thing I almost never think about is how deadly my Christmas tree potentially is to my pets. Thankfully, the internet exists and is filled with lots of great pet care resources so we can learn all these important safety tips before anybody gets hurt. Phew!

These 5 tips for a pet-safe Christmas tree were a real eye opener for me. For instance, did you know that if you’ve got a live tree standing in water, you must make sure that your cat or dog can’t get into the water because the tree is preserved with toxic chemicals that seep into the water?

And so much for tinsel on the tree. Tinsel can cause severe damage if swallowed by pets. This news will make my husband happy because he hates tinsel, not because he wants pets to swallow it!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so let’s make sure it isn’t a tragic time. Be sure to check out the full infographic here and then let us know in the comments if any surprised you! Is there anything you think the list is missing? How safe is YOUR cat from your Christmas tree?