Search Results for: pets types of pets cat breeds

Dangerous Exotic “Pets”

Exotic pets have been in the news lately. I define exotic pets as wild or barely domesticated animals that you’d sooner expect to see in a zoo than someone’s home. They’re often illegal to own. Even then the classification gets tricky; I’ve previously written about potbelly pigs and hedgehogs, two uncommon pets, that are sometimes illegal in certain states or counties. In these cases, however, the illegality issue has to do with invasive species; certain types of hedgehogs and pigs are not native to the country and officials want to keep out the non-native breeds. When I’m talking about exotic … Continue reading →

Shelter Cats are Healthier than Pet Store Cats

Research done by PetPlan shows that the cats that are adopted from a shelter are just as healthy, if not healthier, than purebred cats that come from a pet store. The pet insurance company wants to encourage people to give loving homes to the cats who are in shelters, waiting for a new home. Are you thinking about adding a pet to your home? You probably spent some time thinking about what type of pet would be a good fit for your home, and what kind you wanted. Would you prefer a cat, or a dog? Do you think your … Continue reading →

Types of Urinary Crystals in Cats

Urinary crystals can be a serious health issue for cats. There are several different types of crystals that can form. Struvite crystals — magnesium ammonium phosphate — used to be the most common type of urinary crystal in felines. Twenty years ago, approximately seventy-five percent of urinary crystals were struvite crystals! As a result, prescription diets used to focus on preventing struvite crystals. The diets were low in magnesium. It worked — by the late 1990s, struvite crystals were to blame for less than fifty percent of urinary crystal problems. Still, struvite crystals are the most common urinary crystal seen … Continue reading →

Frogs As Pets

Interested in an amphibian for a pet? Don’t cross frogs off your list just yet. A frog can be a long-lived and interesting pet for your family! Things to consider: Lifespan. With proper care a pet frog can live anywhere from four to fifteen years — and some have lived even longer! You may be taking care of your pet frog for a long time to come; this is not a commitment to take lightly. Habitats. Different types of frog need different types of habitat. Many frogs need semi-aquatic tanks (half land and half water) that are difficult to set … Continue reading →

The California Spangled Cat

The California Spangled cat was introduced to the public via a Neiman-Marcus catalogue! Engineered to publicize the plight of wild animals killed for their coats, this breed in all respects resembles a small leopard. The spots are usually blocked or rounded and they are often grouped into rosette patterns. The body is long, lean and muscular and the face is expressive with wide cheekbones and a strong jaw line. Rounded eyes set high on the head accentuate the animal’s “wild look”. But there is no wild stock in the California Spangled cat, which was bred utilizing existing breeds and augmented … Continue reading →

What Your Dog Says About You

I don’t know if this is a new trend or an old one experiencing a revival, but lately I’ve seen a lot of “what does your dog’s breed say about you?” style articles. I’ve even seen a few ones related to romance: what does your boyfriend’s dog say about him, or about his sex life? While I find the latter a bit of a stretch, I think maybe there might be some truth in the former. The breed of one’s dog might say a bit more about one’s living situation than personality, so that two vastly different people might both … Continue reading →

Pet Diabetes on the Rise

Diabetes runs in my family. Even though I’m only in my mid-20s, I’ve tried to start being conscious about what I eat so I can hopefully prevent the onset of the disease, or at least have an easier transition into a diabetes-friendly diet should I need to do so. While I’m prepared for the fact that one day I might learn I have diabetes, it never occurred to me that one of our pets might come down with it as well. That’s right: dogs and cats can get diabetes, and it’s on the rise in canines. MSNBC Health has a … Continue reading →

Adopting When Renting

As I’ve stated many times before, I’ve been an animal lover for as long as I can remember. I began the process for adopting a dog and then a cat as soon as I knew I would be able to take good care of them. I knew that my husband and I wouldn’t have the easiest time adopting a dog because we were renting an apartment. I thought it might help that our apartment was part of an actual house; our landlords were fine with most breeds of dogs and had their own cat. Many rescues in our area, however, … Continue reading →

The Complexities of Pet Insurance

People need insurance, or want it if they can get it, but what about insurance for pets? At families.com we’ve previously covered the different types of insurance one can purchase for one’s pets, but today I’d like to go over whether or not purchasing pet insurance is the right decision for you. I need to disclaim my forthcoming statements: coverage and policies with pet insurance are entirely dependent upon the particular company. Because they are not government mandated (even if some claim to follow government standards), different companies can offer different types of coverage, and problems that occur with some … Continue reading →

Bird Basics: Cockatiels

As promised, I’m reviving the Pets Blog’s series on Bird Basics. Previous bloggers have already covered lovebirds, African Gray parrots, sun conures, and parakeets, so today I’m going to look at one of the other most popular bird breeds: cockatiels. Originally from the Australian Outback, the cockatiel is a smaller bird reaching about 12 to 14 inches in length. It’s actually in the parrot family, though it’s obviously a tiny variety. Cockatiels live on average for 15 to 20 years, though there have been reports of some members of the breed living for up to 30 years. As with most … Continue reading →