My Bestfriend

Have you ever heard your cat creating “hacking” sounds and trying to cough up cylindrical (cigar-shaped) masses on the floor or furniture? If your answer is yes, your pet might be experiencing hairball problems and is trying to expel the mass out of its throat. Hairballs are formed when a cat grooms itself and swallows hairs. Hairballs are not only disgusting (especially if you stepped on them at night in bare feet!), they can also cause serious problems and discomfort to your feline companion. Since hair is not easily digested, it can compact with undigested food in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. Impactions are serious business, and sometimes must be removed surgically. In lesser cases they can cause painful constipation. Other symptoms of hairball problems include dry and matted coat, frequent dry coughing or hacking particularly after meals, lck of interest in eating, and dpression or lethargy.

My friend and cat lover friend, Shaun Olmstead, shares tips on how to avoid hairballs on the floor and in your cat:

Aside from the bonding that develops between you and your cat, brushing get rids of all loose hairs that could end up in your kitty’s stomach. Shaun even uses the vacuum cleaner after brushing sessions to completely take out all loose hairs. He says his cats enjoy the vacuuming, and it’s like having their own personal spa.

Giving your cat a small amount of butter (about 1/2 teaspoon) two or three times a week can also help as well as giving teaspoon of canned pumpkin (non-flavored) or baby food squash. Cats generally enjoy these extra “treats,” and they may help by adding lubrication or soft bulk to help hairballs pass. The pumpkin or squash are also sometimes used to help with constipation or diarrhea, because of their added fiber.

i don’t know either

Do you shriek in shock and pain when your beloved kitty pounce and bite your ankle? This behavior is common to kittens and is most often associated with predatory aggression. According to my cat lover friend, Shaun Olmstead, your feline companion’s ankle biting attacks are due to the strong natural desire to hunt. There isn’t much to satisfy this desire inside the home so cats make do with what they have - ankles and other moving body parts of their human companions.

Most cats will outgrow this behavior by the time they are a couple of years old. But you can’t just let them attack your ankle for the next couple of years. To solve this “painful” problem, provide a more appropriate toy to satisfy the predatory urge of your cat. You can use furry balls on a string and tied to a stick, or attached to a small fishing rod which you can “cast away” and reeled in to amuse your feline companion. A remote controlled car may also work. Some people just tie a toy on a string to their belt to provide a better target then their ankles. This also provides a lot of exercise which is a good release of the pent up energy in many kittens. If your cat doesn’t respond to these, it might be a good idea to consult with a certified animal behaviorist to address the problem.

During President-elect Barack Obama’s victory speech, he mentioned his desire to give his daughters the pooch that they’ve been hankering for the longest time. Obama even told reporters that the dog must be hypoallergenic, because one of his daughters is allergic. These statements created a huge buzz among dog lovers: which breed will be the next Top Dog?

My friend Shaun Olmstead and I created a short list of hypoallergenic dog breeds that could join the incoming First Family as they come home to the White House.

Poodle and Poodle Hybrids
This breed come in various sizes, colors and coat lengths. Recent cross-breeding with other breeds, such as cocker spaniels and Labrador retrievers, has been popular. Generally speaking, poodles shed less hair and dander, and therefore cause fewer allergy symptoms.

Schnauzer
Schnauzers come in three sizes: Miniature, standard and giant. All types are good choices for people with dog allergies.

Portuguese Water Dog
The Portuguese Water Dog is a close relative of the poodle.

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
All varieties of the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier appear to be good choices for people who suffer from dog allergies. The various varieties include Traditional Irish, Heavy Irish, English, and American types.

Maltese
The Maltese belongs to the toy-size class of dogs, and it does not shed. It has been suggested that the fact that these dogs are frequently bathed/groomed helps to reduce their ability to cause allergies.

Lhasa Apso
Lhasa Apsos are another small breed of dog that does not shed its coat. The fact that these small dogs are frequently bathed may be one reason why people with dog allergies have few symptoms with owning this breed.

Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terriers, or Yorkies, as they are frequently called, is another toy-sized breed of dog. Their reputation as a hypoallergenic breed may be in part due to their small size.

Shih Tzu
Shih Tzus are yet another small breed of dog that likely owe their hypoallergenic nature to their small size and need for frequent bathing and grooming by their owners. They also don’t shed much.

Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniels somewhat resemble the appearance of a poodle, with similar hypo-allergenic coats.

Kerry Blue Terrier
Kerry Blue Terriers are another breed recommended by the American Kennel Club as a good choice for people with dog allergies.