Why does my cat lick itself all the time?
Cats like to keep themselves clean and groom themselves by licking themselves and other cats. Grooming has other benefits as it is a stress buster for cats. Mother cats groom their kittens and cats in general groom each other as a social activity. This kind of grooming forms bonds among cats. A cat may also lick you as a sign of love and affection. It is a bonding activity for cats and it is recommended to groom the cat back by brushing its fur.
I’ve heard that cats are actually allergic to milk? Is this true?
It is a common myth that cats love and should drink milk. Actually, most cats are lactose intolerant and while they might fancy a bit of milk every now and then, the lactose in the milk is not good for the cat’s digestive system and can cause stomach problems. In fact, most cats will not drink milk unless they are very hungry.
Would it be necessary for my dog to have a litter before I get her spayed?
No. Absolutely not. All the medical evidence suggests a dog should be spayed before her first heat. It’s much easier for her then because it’s a much easier surgery at that time. And the problem with letting your dog have a litter is you’ve just instantly contributed to the pet overpopulation problem. Now you have to find homes for all those puppies. And for each home you find, there’s one less home for a dog that was already born. Plus, you can’t be responsible for what the new owners do. So unless you spay or neuter all the puppies before placing them, the new owners may let their dog breed as well. Now you’ve added even more dogs to the pet overpopulation problem.
My Labrador has become a glutton. He wants to be fed all day and makes a lot of noise if I don’t give him food frequently. I know it’s not healthy for him but it’s hard to control him when he’s throwing a tantrum as he barks and barks and wont let me do anything. What should I do?
Dogs are like children. They fall into patterns of bad behavior if you allow them. Stop giving any snacks but give enough food three times a day at the same time and place –9 am, 3 pm and 8 pm. You need to make sure your dog gets the required exercise daily. Lack of it coupled with poor eating habits may lead to diabetes. If you refuse the dog then it will gradually stop asking for more than it needs.
Should I let my dog/cat meet other dogs/cats?
Socialization makes a huge difference in a dog’s outlook on life. Instead of reacting fearfully to new experiences, the dog is comfortable when encountering new things, animals and people. This helps the dog and everyone else, since the most common cause of unprovoked dog aggression is lack of proper socialization.
Socialization is introducing and familiarizing a canine to new experiences – including people, places, objects, other animals – in ways that help the dog learn how to respond to and interact with these experiences appropriately and without fear. Therefore it is important to let your dog meet other animals and people when it is young, preferably 4 to 14 weeks of age. This will make sure that it doesn’t become aggressive later when it is faced with new experiences and is therefore, beneficial for the dog and also others around it.
Cats are formal creatures. They too need socialization and without it they have anxiety when they meet new people or new animals and their reactions may be aggressive. It is therefore important to have cats meet and interact with other animals from an early age and it should be made sure that these interactions are positive.
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