Eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos is a part of growing up for most of us. Most of us buy our beloved “pets” at pet shops like they are commodities. Then we keep our dogs chained up even inside the house, make guinea pigs run around the wheel for food and keep beautiful birds in cages. We take pride in wearing wool and silk, gobble up McDonald’s burgers, and go to fishing trips for recreation. We never consider the impact of these actions on the animals involved. Then for what reason should animals have rights?

Animal rights in India? How many people in India do actually know that something called ‘animal rights’ even exist? In a country where fellow human beings are deprived of their fundamental rights laid down in the country’s constitution, how can we even expect people to grant animal rights to their fellow living beings? Can even one person say that they have not seen a sleeping stray dog being kicked or a street entertainer making a monkey dance for money? The plight of cows and stray dogs is a common sight in India. Is it not cruelty to let them roam around on the streets, and let them eat garbage dumped on the road sides, exposing them to being hit by fast moving traffic and also by shopkeepers whose goods they are destroying? When the animal has served its purpose and becomes old, infirm, or diseased the amber abandons it and leaves it on its own to suffer pangs of hunger and pain.

The Animal Welfare Board of India, the first of its kind Animal welfare organization to be established by any Government in the world, was set up in 1962, in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts 1960. Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale pioneered the setting up of the Board, with its Headquarters at Chennai, and guided the activities of the Board for nearly twenty years till her demise in 1986. In 2000, the High Court in Kerala used the language of “rights” in relation to circus animals, ruling that they are “beings entitled to dignified existence” under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The ruling said that if human beings are entitled to these rights, animals should be too. The court went beyond the requirements of the Constitution that all living beings should be shown compassion, and said: “It is not only our fundamental duty to show compassion to our animal friends, but also to recognize and protect their rights.” In 2012, the Indian government issued an extensive ban of vivisection in education and research.

But even today, most Indians do not even recognize their acts as abuse towards the poor animals. Some try to blame it on our culture. Myths, legends and superstitions of black dogs still haunt our collective unconscious, illustrated by the difficulty black dogs often have being adopted from shelters. ‘Never cross the road if a black cat has crossed the road before you’ is one myth, which brings out the meanness of our society.  There is a great amount of fear in people even today when they see a black cat, or a cat crossing the road or path they are travelling upon. I have seen that people stop besides the road, or slow down their car/scooter and wait for another person to cross it, before they do so.  This shows the height of selfishness and meanness to which we go.  I think this is one baseless belief we are still carrying on, without thinking that a healthy animal is bound to move around whether we think it’s a good omen or bad. Animals being discriminated against on the basis of colour gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘racism’! But in our wide ranging mythologies, there are a few stories which teach people to love and care for animals too. Dogs are worshipped as a part of a five-day Tihar festival in some northern regions of India that falls roughly in November every year. It is believed that dogs guard the doors of Heaven and Hell. This is a day when the dog is worshipped by applying tika (the holy vermilion dot), incense sticks and garlanded generally with marigold flower. Sarama, the female dog of the gods, is described as the mother of all dogs. The dog (Shvan) is also the vahana or mount of the Hindu god Bhairava. Yudhisthira had approached heaven with his dog, therefore among many Hindus, the common belief exists that caring for dogs can also pave way to heaven. Cows are revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. They may be worshipped during some festivals or at some places. Verses of the Rigveda refer to the cow as Devi (goddess), identified with Aditi (mother of the gods) herself. Despite their sacred status, cows don’t seem much appreciated in India. Visitors are often surprised to see them walking neglected around city streets, living on garbage from the gutters.

Animals surely deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation. Even animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and motherly love. How can people be so heartless and use these creatures for scientific experimentation, medicines, cosmetics etc.? Whenever we consider doing something that would interfere with their needs, we are morally obligated to take them into account. Every creature with a will to live has a right to live free from pain and suffering. Animal rights are not just a philosophy—it is a social movement that challenges society’s traditional view that all non-human animals exist solely for human use. All living things have a right to live on this Earth but, we, very often become, totally, insensitive to their pain, only because animals can’t speak the language of humans, they don’t have a voice. But they are creations of God too and they have lives which cannot be governed by us, humans.

So the next time you see someone stoning a dog raise your voice against him; if you see an injured cow, try to help her or atleast ring up an animal shelter; if you find a baby bird on the ground, put it back in its nest. Making all Indians aware of animal rights and making them regard it as a serious issue will take many years but we must remember that ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’.

The post Who’s the Real Animal? appeared first on Pet Attack.

Since childhood, my younger brother has always wanted a pet. But his demand is not of an average pet like a dog, cat, horse, bird, turtle, fish or any other everyday creature of nature that we think of keeping in our house. He wants to pet a tiger and /or a lion and /or an elephant! Ridiculous, is it not? Since he does not have the means to fulfill his needs (currently), he keeps dreaming of becoming rich and keeping a real ‘Sheru’ at home. Rich people who can afford exotic animals and have a fixation for the same, often fulfill their desires. But is it a wise thing to do? What if your beloved pet turns on you one day thinking that you are its prey? Let me give you an insight into this kind of a lifestyle. These are two cases of what happened when you pet a wild animal.

Folly: Sandra L. Piovesan (50) had nine dogs. Except that they were not regular dogs- they were hybrids between dogs and wolves. Ms. Piovesan also had two Rottweilers that were neither kept nor bred with wolf-dogs. Aside from her animals she’d lived alone in the same house for about two decades and had separated from her husband and her daughter had grown up.Sandra thought that she had a spiritual connection with wolves but since she could not keep real wolves in her house, she decided to get half breeds as pets. She had raised all of them since childhood. She once told a neighbor they “give me unqualified love.”  Ms. Piovesan treated her wolves like children, and said as much when neighbors asked about them. The fenced area in her backyard was about the width of a three-lane road, running the length of her house. The area was divided into sections: one for the wolf-dogs, one for her pair of Rottweilers, another for wolf puppies, with whom she’d play and romp. Ms. Piovesan provided the wolf-dogs with toys — a replica igloo, balls, a plastic playhouse.

Wolves have the tendency to claim leadership of their area once they mature– they want to become the Alpha. The owners of other breeds do not have to think about returning home from work and be scared to confront their Lab, Rottie or Poodle and fight for the Alpha status. Ms. Piovesan was last seen alive on a Sunday evening at around 8pm. Her body was found on Monday morning in a caged rectangular enclosure in her backyard, home for nine hybrids. The autopsy reported that she had suffered multiple soft tissue injuries and had been mauled to death by her very pets. These 9 hybrids were later euthanized while her 2 Rottweillers were sent to foster homes.

Slightly more than 300 people were killed by 403 dogs in the period from 1979-96, a report says. Fifteen wolf dog hybrids were involved in fatal attacks. Number one at 118 deaths was “pit bull types”, purebred and cross-bred; second was Rottweilers with 67 killings, third was mixed breed and fourth was German shepherds. Wolf dog hybrids came in ninth.There are not too many certified incidences of wolfdogs causing human fatalities. On August 1999, 4 year old Cody Tyler Fairfield was killed by his family’s German shepard/wolf mix when the animal crushed his throat and trachea. Another incident involved 8 wolf dogs killing a 73 year old woman whose son owned the animals.

Not a mistake yet: They are one of the most dangerous animals in the world. Yet, one family does not show any fear when it comes to their 7 pet tigers! Despite having no experience with tigers, Ary Borges rescued two tigers from a circus eight years ago, and has since multiplied the endangered species in his home in Brazil. Now he has a total of 7 tigers. His wife, 3 daughters and granddaughter also love the tigers and play with them. The daughters swim with the tigers and the granddaughter rides them around the backyard. The girls feed meat directly into the mouths of the fully-grown cats as they join their human friends in the kitchen for dinner- and they even lounge around the house in the evenings. The girls even walk the tigers on leads. “Every day since they were born we have taken care of them and fed them so their instincts become dormant”, they say. The eldest daughter’s husband is afraid of these big cats and wishes his wife and daughter were not so close to the tigers as they can be lethal. He fears that something will go wrong even after all the safety precautions are being taken, due to his innate fear of tigers, like most people. Ary was forced to abandon a breeding program after being told by officials that he needed a permit. But he now hopes to build a park so his beloved pets can roam free and he can educate others of the plight of endangered tigers. The Borges family is happy and safe so far.

Big cats (lions, tigers, mountain lions, jaguars, leopards etc) probably provide the most exciting news stories when they attack or fatally maul their caretaker, and the news media never misses a beat reporting on it. So if you can recall the last time you heard of a big cat attack, you will probably realize that they aren’t very common either, occurring on average about twice a year. The victim is almost always the owner or caretaker. Many fear that big cats will be a significant public safety threat should they escape into the wild, however it should be noted that no big cat escapes off the property of the animal’s enclosure have resulted in a fatality thus far.

The post WILD ANIMALS AS PETS: LOVE OR FOLLY? appeared first on Pet Attack.

Your dog is like your child. Only you know the agony you feel when it falls ill. Whether it gets a mild diarrhea or throws up a little, a responsible and caring owner frets and rushes to the vet to get his dog checked up. Although vets tend to burn a hole in the owner’s pockets, it is aptly said, “Better safe than sorry.” One of my dogs recently went through an ordeal for over a month but he is finally back on his feet and is once more the healthy, handsome dog that he was. This illness of his left me so shaken that I researched about all the viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal or parasitic infections a dog can contract. Unfortunately, that list is endless but I want to make people aware of the symptoms, treatment and preventive measures of the four of the deadliest viral infections that your dog can catch. Here they are:

1. Parvovirus: It is one of the worst (in terms of mortality rate and the effect it has on your dog’s body) viral infections your dog may catch.

• Typically Parvo is passed from one dog to another from contaminated feces. But this dog disease may also be carried on fur or paws, thereby contaminating the living space of the dog and any objects he comes in contact with.
• Its symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea (usually bloody). These lead to dehydration and secondary infections. Electrolyte balance can become critically affected. Dogs have a distinctive odor in the later stages of the infection. WBC level falls. These factors can lead to shock and death.
• Treatment includes hospitalization, administering antibiotics, antiemetics and IV fluids.
• Prevention includes giving Parvo vaccines and regular boosters for it.

2. Distemper: It is a virus that is quite similar to the virus that causes measles in humans. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, distemper is the number one disease associated with canine deaths worldwide. 80% pups and 50% adult dogs that contract this virus die.

• It is highly contagious and can be contracted through airborne viruses or contact with saliva or feces.
• Symptoms include the virus affecting the respiratory system as well as the nervous system. It causes fever and fatigue, coughing, nasal discharge, vomiting and diarrhea, and finally seizures. Seizures that look as if the dog is chewing gum are unique to distemper.
• There is no specific treatment for the canine distemper. Like for measles the treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
• Prevention includes giving Distemper vaccines and regular boosters for it.

3. Hepatitis: As with humans, Hepatitis dog disease affects the liver.

• The virus is spread in the feces, urine, blood, saliva, and nasal discharge of infected dogs. It is contracted through the mouth or nose, where it replicates in the tonsils. The virus then infects the liver and kidneys.
• Symptoms include fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, and a tender abdomen. Corneal edema, jaundice, vomiting, and hepatic encephalopathy, may also occur. Bleeding disorders or hematomas may form in the mouth in severe cases.
• Treatment is symptomatic. Most dogs recover spontaneously without treatment.
• Prevention includes giving Hepatitis vaccines and regular boosters for it.

4. Rabies: Rabies is perhaps the most well-known dog disease.Once the most dreaded dog disease, Rabies is a caused by a virus, which attacks the brain.

• Rabies is a deadly disease that will be contracted through a bite from a rabid wild animal, such as skunks or raccoons, as well as bats. Unlike some dog disease, rabies can be passed to humans as well through a bite, or even just a scratch.
• Symptoms include pica (want to eat ice, clay, chalk, dirt, or sand), fever, seizures, paralysis, hydrophobia (dog has difficulty swallowing, shows panic when presented with liquids to drink, and can’t quench his or her thirst), jaw is dropped, inability to swallow and change in tone of bark. Once symptoms manifest, the disease is fatal.
• There is no treatment once the symptoms manifest but before the rabies virus attacks the brain, some injections can be given to kill the virus. But they are not 100% effective.
• Prevention includes giving Rabies vaccines and regular boosters for it.

From all this research, the conclusion that I drew was that vaccines are the most important preventive measure. Other preventive measures include that your pet should not be allowed to mix with strays or other pets with infections. Do not let it sniff other dog’s feces or get into a brawl with other dogs. But even after all preventive measures are properly followed, your pet might still catch any of the above mentioned infections. Take your pet to the vet immediately if you notice more than 2 or more than 2 symptoms of any of these infections. If you think that your dog will recover on its own, well then sorry to say, you are not fit to be a pet owner. The unconditional love that you receive from your dog is the best thing in life and taking care of that angelic creature is your duty once you have brought it into your house.

The post Growing threats to our Pet Dogs appeared first on Pet Attack.

All parents keep complaining about how tech savvy their kids have become and how they would rather spend time with their gadgets than with them. Have you ever realized that this is the exact same thing that your pet could be thinking about you when you are posting away on Facebook/ tweeting/ instagramming, playing on your XBOX or PS, or simply talking or texting via your phone? Being tech savvy is not all bad when it comes to pets though. Today, the average pet owner spends a fortune on the well being of his cuddly buddy. Keeping this trend in mind, the innovative technological industries have come up with many gadgets that could make your pets life better, let you monitor your pet when you are away, alert you about any impending illness etc. Some of the coolest ones are:

1. Pet’s Eye View Camera: It is a lightweight digital camera that can be attached to your cat or dog’s collar. It takes up to 40 photos at 5, 10 or 15 minute intervals. When you come home, you can load the pictures onto your computer to see what your pet has been up to all day. Although, there is another word for this – spying on your pet!

2. Doggles: These sunglasses for dogs screen out UV rays and protect against foreign objects like bugs, grass seeds and wind. It is also ideal for dogs that are sensitive to light due to an eye disorder. Doggles include shatterproof, anti-fog lenses with 100% UV protection and two adjustable elastic straps to keep it secure during any activity. This way, your dog can protect his eyes and look cool at the same time!

3. Poop-Freeze: Do you wish that you didn’t have to clean up the mess every time your pet vomits or has diarrhea right on your carpet or floor? Poop-Freeze is an emergency aerosol pet product that “freezes” vomit/poop into a single entity that can be picked up easily and discarded. The frosting process is said to rid smells immediately, making it ideal for pets undergoing potty training. It can be used both on carpet and vegetation.

4. Hydro Horse: Don’t have time or space to exercise your horse? Get a Hydro Horse Submerged Treadmill System, a combination treadmill, whirlpool and swimming pool, and all your problems of horse petting are resolved. The horse is partially buoyant in a water-filled tank, and the temperature-controlled water with Jacuzzi jets that are designed to relax muscles and eliminate stress on joints. Wish you could get one of these for yourself right?

5. Hydro Surge Rapid Bath Dog Bathing System: Isn’t it hard to drag your dog into the bathroom to give him a bath? H.S.R.B.D.B.S. can take this problem off your hands! It is an “all-in-one” wet, wash and rinse dog-bathing solution. The shower jets provide a massaging action, and the product’s patented Inject Air technology draws shampoo and oxygen into the water to create instant soaping and rinsing. The nozzle’s comb head allows you to remove loose hair and dander whilst untangling fur. Pretty cool, right?

6. ReptiPro 5000: are you into keeping lizards and other oviparous reptiles as your pets? With the ReptiPro 5000 incubator, you no longer have to be a breeder to raise your bird or reptile pets from their egg stage. The small, electric incubator allows you to regulate the temperature up to 140°F, and like an oven, it comes with an interior light on/off switch in the front, a drip tray and a see-through window so you can watch your pet being hatched. I can feel my senses going ‘Jurassic Park’ again!

7. Go Dog Go : Are you that busy that you cannot play fetch with your dog? You should not be a dog owner (just saying!). But just because you’re busy doesn’t mean your dog can’t play fetch. Go Dog Go is an automatic fetch machine for dogs that shoots out tennis balls. Using the remote control, you can set your Go Dog Go to any one of three modes: the two automatic modes launch a ball every seven or 15 seconds, and the manual mode launches a ball only when you press the button.

8. Zen Dog : Want to turn your dog into a peaceful pet? Zen Dog is a kit designed to provide therapy and relaxation for your dog through calming music and massage. The product aims to cure fears of vacuums, thunder and other loud noises. It can also help with separation anxiety, hyperactivity, inability to walk calmly on and off a leash, and poor interaction skills with people. Each kit contains two CDs, a brush for massaging and grooming, and an instruction guide.

9. Ionic Waterless Bath Pet Massage Brush : You no longer have to bathe your pet every time you want him or her to smell clean. This brush massages and silently circulates 100 trillion air-cleansing ions per second through the animal’s fur to remove odors and reduce dander and shedding. This is an alternative for those who don’t enjoy messy baths – pets and owners alike.

10. Komfort Pets Carrier : Ever wondered how it would feel to roam around with your own personalised heater on cold winter nights or carry an A.C. with you on a hot summer afternoon? You cannot have it, but your dog certainly can! Komfort pet carrier is automatically programmed to heat or cool your pet as needed. The carrier’s temperature control system is designed to complement the natural methods by which a pet regulates its own body temperature, using conduction and convection simultaneously. Even Paris Hilton owns one for her famous Chihuahuas and Pomerians!

11. Peticure Nail Groomer : Do you get yourself manicures or pedicures? Well, you can atleast get pedicure for your pet! Clipping your pet’s nails can cause problems like ingrown nails, torn skin, foot injury and sharp nail edges. The Peticure provides a controlled, safe experience for filing your pet’s nails, making them rounded, smooth and not too short. The electric, rotary filing removes excess nail by filing down enamel in controlled increments. Prices range according to the size of the file, which comes in petite, elite and power.

12. Positive Identification of Pet (Mobile App): Pet owners can register their animals with the app, which stores a photo and basic information about your furry friend. If your pet then goes missing, you can activate an alert, which prompts PiP to contact you for more information about your situation, as well as broadcast the information to animal shelters and veterinary clinics within a 15-mile radius of the pet’s last-known location. If someone finds a pet, he or she can upload a photo of the animal’s face and PiP will check its database to see if the picture matches any pet profiles.

These are just a handful of pet-techs available! There are more like video games for your pets, Pet Emergency Evacuation Jacket, The Canine Treadmill, Remote Pet Feeder, Litter-Robot etc. Pretty groovy, right?

The post Pet-Techs: Technology for our Pets! appeared first on Pet Attack.

A friend of mine had Mimi, a female cat, who got pregnant without anyone discovering her condition until the day she went into labour. She quickly gave birth to three gorgeous female kitties and one handsome male kitty. She only left their side to visit the litter box and have her meals. But as her faith in her humans was immense, she started venturing outside the house once her kittens were 3 weeks old. This led to an unfortunate event – Tim, the male kitten, got electrocuted while he was trying to chew a wire and died. After his funeral, my friend decided to research on how to take care of kittens. I helped her with it, and I learnt quite a few surprising things in kitten care. I hope that if you plan on having a little-wittle kitty-ku (getting carried away with their cuteness… Sorry, I meant little kitten) in your house, you need to know a lot of things.

Here are the things to do when kittens are born at home:

1. Before their arrival: If your cat is pregnant and you know it (which every responsible owner should know, unlike my friend), you should prepare a comfortable place for her to give birth in. You could take a big enough cardboard box and lay tissues and old newspapers in it and put a clean towel on it. This way, when blood and other substances come out of your cat along with her kittens, the towel and papers can soak it up. Immediately after the birthing process is over, change the papers and towel. This box should not be placed near chemicals, tools, machinery, wires and other such potentially harmful things.

2. During their influx: Cats usually do not need any help in child birth but once you realize that your cat is in labour, keep a vigilant eye on her and her well being. Sterilize a pair of scissors in case you need to cut the umbilical cord of a kitten which could get wrapped around its neck. Wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap before attempting to go near your cat or her offsprings.

3. After the delivery: Do not touch kittens within the first week of their birth as they are very prone to infections. Do not attempt to feed them any other kind of milk. Their mother will fulfill their lactose needs herself. Feed your cat well and she will be able to feed her young ones properly.

4. Rapid growth and movement: By the time the kittens are about 3 weeks old, they would have opened their eyes and take in everything they can see. As the saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat”, cats are born curious. So they will start jumping around, climbing on things, clawing things, chewing things. Since you made a safe place for them, you need not worry. At 4-5 weeks, they can be given canned kitten food. A litter box should be placed close to them and their mother will educate them in that field. You just need to clean it regularly.

5. Play safe: Kittens love to play! Play with them, cuddle them, pet them, but only after you wash your hands with soap. Their immune systems are not strong enough yet and you do not want them to catch any illness or disease.

6. Clean and clear: Once the kittens start venturing beyond your house and into your garden, they will inevitably get dirty and most probably catch fleas. They need to be bathed or atleast sponged once a month. Do not scrub them. Gently rub their back with a soft cloth to remove all dirt. Use anti-tick cat formulae.

7. Give them away (conditional): If you are planning to sell the kittens or give them away, wait till they are atleast 8-12 weeks old. Educate the new owner about vaccines and shots and kitten care techniques.

Here are the things to do when you bring kitten/s home:

1. First day and first week: As soon as you take the kitten home for the first time, show it where the litter box and food/water are. Kittens do not usually need to be potty trained. Keep the kitten in one room and away from your other pets for the first week until it gets acclimatized to that room and gets friendly with you.

2. Food: Feed it 2-3 times a day. Keep water in a bowl for it as kittens dehydrate quickly.

3. Play safe: Get some cat toys or make homemade cat toys like yarn, wool ball etc. Play with them, cuddle them, pet them, but only after you wash your hands with soap.

4. Sleep well: Kittens are very active and due to their small size, they tire quickly. Do not wake a kitten at your whim. Buy it a cat bed. But it might need warmth and comfort and might still to choose to snuggle with you. So be careful not to squish, kick or injure your little kitten while sleeping.

5. Vaccines: Take your kitten to the vet timely and get it vaccinated. Do not forget to follow up on boosters. Do not let it out of the house until all the shots and their boosters have been given and the vaccination process is complete. You do not want your cat to catch any infection as cats are vulnerable to many.

6. First time venture: When you let your kitten out for the first time, keep a close eye on it until it returns to the safety of your home. Show it food when you need to call it. This way, it will know where to go back to after its outdoor adventures.

Happy cat-ing!

The post Written Kitten: Kitten Care! appeared first on Pet Attack.

When anyone sees the adorable countenance of a cuddly cat, they want to take it home. But unlike popular belief, a cat needs a lot of maintenance. It may constantly groom itself but that doesn’t mean that the owner is exempt from keeping it clean. It needs to be taken to the vet regularly, its litter box needs to be kept clean and it has to be bathed atleast once in a couple of months. We hear people saying, “I’m not ready for a baby!” Well, your cat would be like your baby. So think wisely before adopting a cat. As a cat owner, I have learned that pets acquired by impulse quite often don’t work out. Here are some of the things one must keep in mind before bringing a feline friend home:

1)      Money Meow-ters: One should be financially prepared to provide the cat with atleast the minimum basics which are:

a)      Food

b)      Safe indoor environment

c)       Cost of spaying/ neutering

d)      Core vaccinations

e)      Emergency visit to the vet

2)      Catty Commitment: Cats can live upto the age of 10-14 years but some cats reach into their 30s too (oldest known cat, Creme Puff, died at the verified age of 38!) This is great news for people who are committed to love their cat for so many years, but fickle minded people who won’t look after their old cat when it needs them most should stay away from adoption centers.

3)      Kiddies and Kitties: If you have a toddler in your house, do not adopt a kitten, unless you can keep them both under complete observation all the time. Young kids may accidently hurt your little kitty and alternatively, could get bitten or scratched nastily. If you must, then get an older cat that has had en experience of being around tots.

4)      Claws and Carpentry: It has long been assumed that when cats scratch objects they are sharpening their claws. It turns out that this is only a secondary reason. Research on cat behavior suggests that the major reason for this behavior is communication. By roughing up the bark of a tree or the leg of your favorite chair, the cat is letting other cats or people know where she is and what she is up to. So this is expected behavior and you cannot stop it completely. But it can be reduced by providing it with a good scratching post and a regular nail clipping. NEVER get your cat declawed unless suggested by a vet because it is a painful and inhumane procedure. No cat lover can let their cat go through such agony. Get a cat only if the cat will matter more to you than your furniture.

5)      C-at-tention Seeker: Contrary to popular opinion, cats are very social animals and love attention from their owners. Your bond with your cat will last for a lifetime. A lonely, neglected cat will get into all kinds of mischief to amuse itself. In reality, you don’t have to be a slave to your cat. 15 minutes a day of play time and petting will mark the difference between a happy cat and a nuisance. You should keep in mind that you have to spend family time with your cat otherwise it will end up feeling unloved, lonely and moody.

6)      Feline grooming: Get a cat only if you can be responsible for it. You have to be patient with grooming your cat in the beginning. Cats don’t have a water resistant coat and becoming wet makes them uncomfortable. You have to be tolerant with your cat’s tantrums. You will have to regularly check for ticks and fleas or matting in long haired cats.

7)      Love: Of course, you have to have it in your heart to love your wittle (little in a pampering tone) kitty!

While you are going to be pouring your love on your pet kitty, you might think that unlike dogs, cats do not and/ or cannot show their love towards you. But ask the old bachelor who lives with his 27 cats about the love that they give him that no human could ever give. There are many ways a cat displays it’s love for it’s owner. Unlike dogs, cats don’t lick your face or jump at you when you return home. Instead, they profess their love through very subtle signs which most humans are unaware of. Some of these signs are:

1)      Purring: A cat purrs to express many things. But if it purrs while you are petting it or sitting close to it, you can be sure that it is expressing it’s love for you.

2)      Rolling: Cats don not like to feel vulnerable (but then who does?). If it throws himself at the ground at your feet and rolls around, consider it a loving gesture plus a way to seek attention.

3)      Sleeping: If a cat chooses to be vulnerable in your presence by either sleeping on your lap or next to you, it is really love.

4)      Bunting: When a cat cheek-rubs you, head-bumps your face, or pushes against you, it leaves its scented signature called bunting. They show their love in this way to other animals as well as humans.

5)      Scratching: If your cat scratches your favourite chair or favourite spot on the sofa, it is love.

6)      Kneading: Kitten paws knead against the mother cat’s breasts to induce milk to be released. Adult cats continue the behavior when they’re feeling most relaxed and content and loved, and that’s often when being petted on the owner’s lap. Kneading is an obvious expression of adoration.

7)      Gifting: From frogs to mice to pigeons, my cat has brought me a gift atleast once a week. Gifting its owner is a sign of love and gratitude.

8)      Playing: Kittens play out of excitement but cats play with only trusted people.

9)      Meowing: This is the special language through which cats communicate with their owners. If it didn’t love you, why would it put in efforts to talk to you?

10)   Grooming: Kitties that groom their owner by licking their skin or hair, or even nibbling or sucking on their clothing, indicates great affection. This spreads familiar scent and helps mark them as an important part of its family group.

11)   Tails: High up tail is a sign of respect and love that kittens show to their mothers and cats to their owners.

12)   Eyes: Cats that place their faces and wide open eyes near a human express great trust and love. A slow “eye blink” from across the room is considered a cat kiss.

13)   Butts: The “elevator butt” pose invites you to give special attention. Simply scratch her above the tail.

14)   Spraying: that cat will spray urine on their owner’s belongings so as to mark them with its smell.

Happy Petting!

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Friendly, loyal, sweet, intelligent, playful, exuberant, mouthy, mischievous, naive, curious, loving and protective are some of the adjectives we use to describe dogs. But then some dogs are labeled dangerous, ferocious, aggressive, savage, vicious and unpredictable. This thought has mainly developed based on the fact that some dog breeds have a history of being violent with animals as well as people. Since big dogs create bigger wounds they’re reported more frequently and this causes the medical data to be skewed inaccurately toward big dogs. Truthfully, all breeds can be provoked to bite. Whether or not a dog actually bites is generally a result of how well it’s been trained and treated. Nevertheless, it can’t be helped that some dog breeds have more potential to cause serious harm to a person if the dog were to decide to attack. But why would a dog, man’s best friend, decide to attack? Here are some of the most common reasons:

1)      The dog is protecting or thinking that it is protecting its owner.

2)      The dog is protecting its owner’s property.

3)      The dog is protecting its puppies.

4)      The dog is guarding its food.

5)      The dog is provoked by the actions of the victim like pulling its tail, hurting it by mistake etc.

6)      The dog is not properly trained and does not interact well with strangers.

7)      The dog is having a bad day, is irritable and its tolerance level has fallen.

8)      The dog’s sixth sense tells it that the person/ animal has bad intentions.

9)      The dog is in pain, injured or sick.

10)   The dog is involved in rough play with the victim and gets overly excited.

11)   The dog does not know how to bite and does so by mistake.

Dogs are intelligent creatures and do not like to assault without reason or warning.  A dog bite rarely happens without warning, so chances are these warnings are being misunderstood or ignored. The best way to avoid such a situation is to learn a dog’s language and respect its boundaries. A dog could be humungous in size or have very large teeth but could be very docile while a small and petite dog could suddenly bite! A dog’s disposition should not be judged by its looks or its breed. Every dog is different. But like humans speak with their mouths, dogs express themselves with their body language. Some of the warning signs before a dog becomes fierce and aggressive are given below:

1)      Pleading eyes: The dog looks at you with a pleading expression.

2)      Physical Retreat: The dog takes a few steps back. One must not try to approach it.

3)      Head turn: The dog turns his head indicating that it does not want an altercation.

4)      Yawning: Dogs yawn when they are nervous and try to calm themselves down. Although a yawn is not always for this reason.

5)      Licking: Incessantly licking either you or itself could be a request to back off and give it space but you might also taste very good!

6)      Whale eyes: Seeing the whites of a dog’s eyes, also known as “whale eyes”, a fixated look and dilation of its pupils is a serious warning sign.

7)      Body Language:A hard stare, ears back, head lowered, fur standing and most of its body weight on its front legs is a sign of an aggressive or threatened dog.

8)      Tail position: A wagging tail is not always a friendly sign.

9)      Growling & Snapping: Critical warning point i.e. just before the attack.

10)  Two or more signs together: If any of the above signs are combined, most probably the attack is imminent.

I am a proud owner of a Doberman pinscher a.k.a. Doberman. She is about 11-12 months old but is quite big in size already. She is the friendliest dog I have ever petted. She does not bark at strangers unless she senses that they are a threat to me. She only barks in defense and so far she has never growled or snarled. But still sometimes, she shows one or more of the warning signs above while we are just playing or running around. Since she is still a pup and is in her training period, I say ‘No!’ whenever she gets aggressive. My training and my upbringing will design her temperament. Same goes for all the other dogs and their owners. Some of the other dog breeds, including Dobermans, that are considered more aggressive and dangerous than the others are:

2)    Rottweiler

3)    Pit bull

4)      German Shepherd

5)      Boxer

6)      Presa Canario

7)      Dalmatian

8)      Giant Schnauzer

9)      Bull Terrier

10)   Alaskan Malamutes

One must know that no dog is minacious without some kind of provocation. The reason for an attack could have just been perceived by the dog rather than an actual reason. That is why the owners as well as other people should be wary of the signs a dog displays. One must know how to read a dog’s body language. Dogs are one of the best creations of nature. They are cute and faithful. No dog should ever be punished. Pain should not be inflicted on any dog to train it or teach him a lesson. Dogs are creatures full of love and no lesson can be taught better, than with love. Happy petting!

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