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by Omer Ashraf
American Wirehair is a domestic feline that was first seen in the mid nineteen sixties in United States when two otherwise normal cats produced kittens with curled 'wiry' hair. An interested breeder took to their development and after some years of dedicated efforts, litters with consistent physical and behavioral traits were born. Registration came soon afterward and the cat was accepted for championship status by the late seventies. Even as the cat has been exported to European nations, its spontaneous mutation occurred only in the United States, a fact that surprises some geneticists. Since American Wirehairs evolved from a single ancestor, they are periodically outcrossed with American Shorthairs to maintain diversity in their gene pool.
Physically the pretty cats resemble American Shorthairs to an extent. They are well built cats with good physical development. The wire-like hair are often not seen uniformly in litters. They may even change in character with age. Coat can range from short and dense to curly and spiked. It is generally very soft though and may occur in any color like the eyes. Cheek bones are well developed, giving the eyes a slanted appearance. Even the whiskers of the American Wirehairs are like curled up wires.
Owing to their wiry hair these cats are prone to an oily coat. They also get allergic readily and may lose hair under stress, and thus require regular grooming and maintenance. It is best to keep them indoors. Also it is suggested that their ears be swabbed regularly since they often accumulate wax.
American Wirehairs are very people oriented and affectionate. They totally adore their owners and shadow them everywhere they go. Like most cats, they have a pleasant temperament and are tolerant of other pets. Active and vigorous animals, American Wirehairs just love to play and have fun in a calm indoor environment.
About the Author
The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on American Wirehair cat.
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Rising Heat Means Rising Risks For Pets - 5 Tips To Pet Health Safety
by Yves Marie Danie Baptiste
For most people, the start of the summer is a happy event. There will be pool parties, barbecues, and many trips to amusement parks. But for our beloved pets, facing rising temperatures without precautionary measures in place could lead to premature death, one that could be avoided.
Our pets are just as eager for some fun in the sun but just like for humans, we must remember to take some careful measures to ensure they can withstand the summer heat to avoid a host of other potential problems. Below are some life-saving tips:
Beware Of Lawns:
Neighboring lawns or large fields at parks should be one of the biggest concerns for pet owners, especially dog owners. The reason for this is due to pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides being used by many homeowners to protect their lawns when warm weather arrives.
Plants:
There are certain plants and flowers, if ingested can be quite harmful to pets. As reported by the Humane Society of the United States, more than 700 plants has been named as producing toxic substances that can be harmful to animals.
You may even have some of them in your very own backyard such as apple trees (seeds can be harmful to an animal's health) and holy shrubs (berries fall into the poisonous category). Although it may be impossible, as a pet owner, to avoid lawns entirely, be very mindful of the surrounding whenever you and your pet are out taking a stroll around the neighborhood.
Certain Temperatures Must Be Avoided:
It's only natural to want to take your pet along with you on routine errands once the warm weather returns. Taking car trips to the supermarket and the post office may seem relatively harmless but, in fact, it can turn into a very dangerous situation for your pet.
It doesn't take long for cars to heat up even when parked in the shade. The temperature inside a car can reach 120 F in a matter of minutes, as this is common on a hot day. Pet owners will more than likely have the air conditioning on while they're driving but the AC is typically turned off once getting out of the car.
This leaves pets to sit in what rapidly becomes sweltering heat. The consequences are many: heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and even brain damage can occur. The safest route to take is to, in general, during summer months, to leave your pet at home as you go out to run errands.
Heart Worm Protection/Symptoms Of Dog Worms:
During the winter, many pet owners stop giving their pets heart worm medication. You will find that most veterinarians are accepting of this because heart worm is transmitted through mosquitoes, which aren't present during the colder months.
A dry cough can sometimes be a sign of heart worm. Other worms might cause a decrease in weight or difficulty in gaining weight. Be sure to check your pet's stool as it may also contain worms as well.
Pet owners should resume giving their pets the heart worm medication again once the weather heats up. The reason for this is because heart worm is a blood disease that can be very painful for pets. At the point of infection, the heart worm lava can grow and turn into worms, which then live in the blood vessels surrounding the heart and lungs.
What comes next is the adult worms begin to mate and circulate throughout an animal's bloodstream. Since the cost of prevention is relatively low, many veterinarians are amazed at the prevalence of heart worm. Although heart worm is indeed treatable once an animal has been infected, such treatment can be excruciatingly painful for the animal.
But there is good news: This fate can be avoided.
How?
Although heart worm is most commonly transmitted to dogs, it can infect cats, too. Heart worm medication should be given long before the start of spring. To be on the safe side, continue the medication all year round.
The responsible pet owner will be careful to take mental notes of how much activity their pet can handle in warmer weather. Dogs with thick coats, short-nosed dogs, and senior dogs generally experience great difficulty handling a lot of activity as they normally do in other seasons.
This of course, is not a license for them not to exercise, but pet owners should be very mindful about when these types of pets get their exercise. The best times would be early morning or evening hours because the temperature is at its coolest.
Avoid Summer Carnivals/Fairs With Pets:
For many pets, heat can cause them a great deal of stress. And if you add on the mixture of large crowds and loud noises, this can cause your pets to suffer from anxiety.
To be on the safe side, it is generally a good idea to leave pets in the home when attending such gatherings and this includes celebrations such as: Fourth of July fireworks as this can trigger anxiety in pets and should be avoided.
To learn more about caring for pets during the summer season or pet care in general, visit http://www.DogsDontDrinkCoffee.com
About the Author
Yves Marie Danie Baptiste is an expert publicity marketer and writer who takes great passion in using her skills to bring light to issues she feels needs greater awareness such as eradicating homelessness in the lives of children, fixing a broken veterans' benefits system, and last, but certainly not least.... the humane care of our furry loved ones. Visit: http://www.DogsDontDrinkCoffee.com
Introducing a Kitten to a Dog
by Catherine L. Conway
While dogs and cats can get along fine, things don't always work out the way we'd like. Care must be taken to introduce a cat to a dog in the best way possible, especially if you're adopting a kitten.
The important thing to remember about dogs is that they have a pack mentality, and many dogs have prey instinct. Your dog may at first think of your new kitten as a prey animal or a fuzzy toy you bought just for him. You have to avoid reinforcing this kind of mentality. Dogs have been known to kill kittens when the owner wasn't paying attention. The sad thing is that the owners often blame the dog and get rid of it as a result. The reality is that the dog is just being a dog.
Before you introduce your kitten to the family dog, you should let the kitten get used to her new environment for a few days. If you have more than one dog, you should introduce the kitten to each dog one at a time. Two or more dogs equals a pack, and a pack will be more inclined to go into hunt mode.
The dogs need to see cats as members of the pack--not as toys, possessions or prey. It's also very important for the dogs to see your kitten as a dominant pack member. You must not allow your dog to show aggressive tendencies toward the kitten.
Introduce the kitten to your dog when your dog is on a leash. However, don't shove the kitten under your dog's nose; simply allow them to be in the same room together and let the kitten approach the dog when she feels like it. Talk reassuringly to your dog. Make sure your kitten has plenty of escape routes and hiding places should she feel vulnerable or scared.
Tell your dog "no" firmly if he lunges for the kitten or shows any aggression. However, don't fawn over your kitten or make a big deal about its presence. Don't let other members of the family do it either; this will encourage your dog to see the kitten as a possession, something they can try to steal from you later.
Don't make the introductions go on for too long. 30 minutes at most is adequate, but the visits should be cut short if your dog is reacting aggressively towards the cat.
Be aware that some dogs have such a strong prey drive that they won't see cats as anything more than prey animals. This is not the case for all big dogs, certainly, but it's a possibility you should bear in mind. If your dog can't learn to accept the kitten as a member of the pack, your kitten's life will be in danger.
Training a dog to accept a kitten can only work out if your dog looks to you as the alpha, and the rest of the family as dominant members of the pack. If your dog stubbornly insists on his own way or doesn't respect your lead, you have more problems on your hands than just getting him to accept a new family member. Consider consulting with a professional dog trainer to see if this can be remedied.
About the Author
Catherine L. Conway has made quite a study of cats: She can tell you why cats spray, why they bite, and what you can do about it. Visit her web site at http://changecatbehavior.com to learn more.
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