Make sure your dog or cat wears a collar with updated identification and immunization tags.  Identification tags are very important if your pet is lost or runs away.  People can only return a pet if they know who to contact!  Immunization tags can save your pet’s life if your pet is suspected of having rabies or bites another animal or person.  Up to date immunization tags will reassure others that your pet is safe.

Consider having a microchip implanted in your dog or cat.  If your lost pet is taken to a shelter or veterinarian’s office they will usually check for a microchip.  Unlike collars, microchips cannot be lost or torn.  However, microchips do have limitations, which you can learn more about here.  If you do microchip your pet, make sure the chip registration is updated with your current contact information.

Electronic tracking collars are a good option for pets that are known to run away.  These collars contain technology that allows your pet’s location to be tracked.  You have to pay for a service to track your pets using these collars.

Keeping your dog on a leash, especially in crowded or unfamiliar places, is a good idea.  This allows you to control your dog’s behavior and interactions.  Sometimes dogs become overly excited by a new, crowded, or unfamiliar situation, and this can cause them to act unusually.  Keeping your dog on a leash ensures your dog won’t run away or get into a conflict with another dog or person.

What are the variables?

First, and perhaps most expensive among the variables is the cost of veterinary care.  The prices of veterinary services are not standardized.  Where you live may have a big impact on the cost of veterinary care.  In my experience, veterinarians near a large city will charge more and on average, veterinary services in some states may be more expensive than in others.  Pricing is largely dependent on the market and demand.  Ask a few reputable, local veterinarians for a list of standard procedure and office visit pricing.

Food is another important variable because food prices vary a lot!  From grocery store brands to high-end organics (and everything in between) there is a huge variety of pet food choices.  Before adopting your pet you should research foods and determine the food you will buy.  Your choice of food should be based on nutrition content and your budget.

Before adopting a pet find out if you have to pay an additional fee to your landlord or homeowner’s association.  Sometimes you have to pay a monthly or yearly fee and the amount may depend on the number of pets you have.

Here is a general list of supplies and services you should factor in to your pet budget.

Food

Veterinary Care

Waste management (Litter box, litter, bags, poop scoop, etc.)

Toys

Rental fees

Boarding expenses (if you travel)

Miscellaneous: Brush, comb, food dish, nail clipper, hairball remedy, shampoo, collar, leash, crate, etc.

If you are a first time pet owner this list and the associated costs may seem daunting.  The good thing is that many items such as food dishes, brushes, crates, and other items may last forever or at least a very long time.

African Dwarf Frogs do not have great vision and find their food mainly by scavenging along the bottom of the tank.  When you first adopt your frog observe his eating habits.  Some frogs may be able to find food more easily than others.  Drop food as near to your frog as you can.

You can put your frog into a small temporary container filled with tank water (I use a solid breeder box that hooks to the inner side of the tank) and feed your frog there.  The container method makes it easier for your frog to find the food and also prevents other tank residents from eating all the food before your frog.  Try this method if your frog is having trouble finding food on the tank bottom.

In the past I have tried feeding flake, frog pellets, and frozen bloodworms.  I’ve had the most success with bloodworms, which the frogs love.  Frozen bloodworms are messy.  They come in half-inch blocks that are way too big to feed frogs alone.  Breaking parts of the frozen bloodworm off is not an easy, pleasant, or clean task, in my opinion.

Recently I was at a local pet shop and the “fish guy” turned me on to a product called Tetra Nature Gel Mix with Bloodworms.  The puree mix comes in individual packets that are for a “single serving,” but I use one packet over the course of a few days.  I fold the top of the pouch over and it keeps.

You squeeze the bloodworm mix into the water and it turns into blobs that sink to the bottom of the tank.  It’s a neat demonstration of liquid densities.  My frog has been able to find it easily on the bottom of the tank and also in the temporary container.  He loves this food!  He sucks it up and then bounces around with energy.

If you are on the hunt for an alternative aquatic frog food I highly recommend Tetra Nature Gel Mix with Bloodworms!

We were horrified!  All of our fish were supposed to be community fish.  Sometimes individual fish or groups of fish become aggressive unexpectedly and you are stuck with a tough prospect – what do I do with these fish?

We called Petco and PetSmart first and they told us that they couldn’t take our fish.  I’m guessing this is company policy.  However, Petco/PetSmart did advise us that local pet stores often take fish and may be able to point you in the right direction if you call.

We googled to find the closest local pet store and gave them a call (make sure the store has a fish section before calling!)  The owner was very kind and agreed to take our fish.  We arranged a day and time to bring the fish to the store.

My only concern was that the store or tanks or people wouldn’t seem legitimate and I wouldn’t want to leave my fish once I got there.  Remember, it is okay to say “I’m sorry, I have changed my mind” if you arrive and feel uncomfortable with the situation.  Even though your fish may have overgrown your tank or become too aggressive, it’s important to make sure they go to a responsible place.

Luckily, the local pet store we visited was great.  The tanks were crystal clear, healthy, and the owner was super knowledgeable.  We felt good about leaving our fish there and know that they will go to a good home.

Another option for finding a new home for your fish is to post an advertisement on a site like Craigslist or other community sites.  You can offer your fish for free or for sale and try to find a new home that way.

Most ferret foods are dry kibble, although some canned food is available.  The food you feed to your ferret should be 4% or less fiber, otherwise your ferret will likely develop digestive difficulties, including diarrhea.

When your ferret is a baby you should feed him a few different types of kibble.  This practice will ensure that he doesn’t become fixated on one particular brand.  Feed one brand of food for a few days and then switch to another.  Some people recommend switching between 3-4 brands of food.  You may also want to mix a few brands together and feed as a mix.  Imagine if your ferret only ate one brand and that brand became discontinued.  That would be a serious problem for you both!  By making your baby ferret used to a variety of food, he will be less picky during adulthood.

Ferrets digest food very quickly.  The time between eating and defecating is only 3-4 hours.  Because their systems process food so quickly, ferrets are at risk for developing low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia.  To prevent low blood sugar ferrets need to eat frequently and the easiest way to make sure your ferret eats enough is to make food available all the time.

As with all pets, fresh water should be provided at all times.

There are a few treats that ferrets may eat, but they should be fed sparingly because the ferret digestive system can be sensitive to foods that are not primarily protein.  High protein treats include small amounts of cooked chicken, cooked beef, or a hardboiled egg.

Fruits and vegetables (fiber!) are not easily digested by ferrets and should be fed very sparingly as a treat.  Chocolate can be fatal to ferrets and should be totally avoided!

Kittens can’t produce their own body heat when they are newborns.  They rely on their mother to maintain body temperature.  When a kitten becomes separated from his mother you will have to take on the roll of warming him up.  If you have both the mother cat and kittens in your home be mindful that the mother cat may not constantly stay with her kittens and you should check to make sure the kittens remain warm.

Hold a cold kitten against your bare skin so that your body heat can transfer to the kitten.  Your armpit is a very warm area in which you can tuck the kitten.

Wrapping a kitten in a towel or blanket alone will not help them warm up because no heat is being produced form the fabric.  Using water to warm a kitten is discouraged.  Submerging a cold kitten in warm water may overheat him, cause shock, or make him colder as he dries.

During the first few days to a week of life it is important to maintain a temperature of 85-90 degrees F in the box your kittens are kept within.  At 7-10 days of age you may begin slowly reducing the temperature to 80 degrees F and transition once again to around 72 degrees at the end of the fourth week of life.

Heat your kitten’s box by placing a heating pad on the low setting within the box, covered by a blanket.  There should also be ample room in the box for the kittens to move away from the heat.  Kittens should not lie directly on top of the heating pad (even when it’s covered with a blanket.)  Position your kitten’s box away from cold or drafty areas of your home.

When you have a large litter of kittens you may not need to provide as much heat because the kittens will huddle together and warm each other.  Although they will still need an external heat source.

If you have other questions or concerns about your newborn kitten, call a veterinarian for advice.  They will be happy to give you information to help your kitten grow!

In my experience cats will scratch if they want to scratch.  There may be cats that learn to stop scratching household items and surfaces altogether.  Although I would guess that the majority of cat owners are going to have to live with some amount of scratching.

If you want to preserve your home furnishings then you can try to redirect your cat’s scratching.  Cats are going to scratch, so give them surfaces they are allowed to scratch!  Scratching posts or cat trees are items you can give to your cat and say “scratch away and enjoy!”

Some cats like to scratch horizontal surfaces, such as the carpet.  If this is the case, get your cat a horizontal scratching post and place it where they typically scratch.

Other cats like to scratch vertically.  Think walls, couches, and box springs.  A vertical scratching post or cat tree should be tall enough so that your cat can stretch while scratching.

Placing multiple scratching posts or cat trees around your home, and specifically in places where your cats likes to scratch (such as the bedroom or living room) provides your cat with approved scratching options.

There are also toys such as the Scratch Rattle and Roll Mouse toy for cats.  Toys like this one can sit on the floor or hang from a door handle.  Scratching surfaces come in a mind-boggling array of materials and shapes.  Sisal, wood, and rough carpet are common materials.  Shapes include flat, curved, standing straight, and inclined to name a few!

Check out this wall corner scratcher! Brilliant!  If your cat insists on scratching a favorite corner this is a great solution!

We all know that cats are head strong, so don’t get frustrated if your cat doesn’t immediately stop scratching your furniture and walls.  Read about Why Cats Scratch and How To Prevent Scratching.

I do have some advice for those of you who do want to save your furniture!  Making favorite scratching surfaces undesirable is step number one.  Your cat may like scratching fabric, or carpet, or wood.  They enjoy the way these surfaces feel and how effectively they can be “marked” by scratching.  Here are some effective ideas for making those surfaces less appealing…

Preventing Scratching

Tin Foil – Many cats dislike the sound of tin foil and it is certainly not fun to scratch.  Tin foil is an inexpensive solution that works particularly well on banister railings, the legs on furniture, or anything else you can wrap it around.

Double Sided Tape – This can be a good solution for flat surfaces such as a wall or door frame.  Your cat won’t like the stickiness of the tape.  Make sure the tape is non-toxic in case your cat chews on it.  You can buy tape specifically made for cats at pet stores.

Anti-scratch sprays – I don’t have any personal experience with these sprays, but you may find them effective in your home.  It is certainly the least visible option.  Pet specific anti-scratch sprays can be found at pet stores.

In addition to trying these suggestions, you can also provide approved scratch-able items to your cats.  Read more here soon!

My personal belief is that declawing should never be done.  If you want an animal that never scratches your walls, furniture, carpet, or other belongings, then a cat is probably not the right pet for your family.  I believe that humans must respect the natural behaviors and instincts of our pets in order to have the healthiest and happiest relationship.

Cats scratch to communicate with other cats and animals, including you!  Naturally, cats are territorial animals and they have many ways to mark their territory.  Even when cats live exclusively indoors, they consider that space their territory.

Scratching the walls, carpet, box spring (my cat’s favorite!), or furniture is your cat’s way of defining their ownership of the space.  Cats often scratch to mark their territory even if they are the only animal living in the house.  No one knows exactly what cats are communicating with their scratches, but they are probably saying things like: “Stay away, this couch belongs to me!” and “Watch out, I protect this house!”  Scent glands in the paws help reinforce these messages.

Cats also scratch to maintain their claws.  Have you ever found those thin claw ‘husks’ lying around your home?  These thin, opaque, claw shaped shells are shed from your cat’s claws.  Scratching helps your cat to remove these claw husks.  Scratching also helps to file your cat’s claws.  In the wild cat claws must be maintained by scratching against rough surfaces such as trees, otherwise the claw would curve around and poke into the paw pad (which will also happen to domestic cats if their claws are not cut regularly.)

Sometimes cats scratch simply because it’s fun or provides them with good exercise!

Learning why your cat scratches can help you find solutions that benefit both your home and your cat.  Soon I will be writing about safe ways to deter your cat from scratching your belongings.

Milk replacements may also be fed to kittens that are nursing from their mother, but need additional nutrition.  Sometimes there is a smaller kitten in a litter which is unlikely to survive without extra food.  Supplementing their diet with a milk replacer can help that kitten survive and grow.

Kitten milk supplement may also be fed to the mother cat while she pregnant or nursing.  This may help with her nutrition and milk supply.

A highly rated brand of milk replacer is PetAG KMR Milk Replacer for Kittens.  KMR Milk Replacer is available in cans as a liquid or as a powder that you mix with water at home to create the formula.  The formula should be fed to your kitten according to the package instructions.

Other Positively Rated Brands Include: Just Born® Highly Digestible Milk Replacer for Kittens and GNC Ultra Mega Premium Milk Replacer for Kittens.

Ask a veterinarian for assistance in choosing a brand of milk replacer if you have questions or concerns.

How do I feed the milk replacement to my kitten?

You will need to buy a newborn nursing kit, which includes a bottle, different sizes of nipples, and usually a brush to clean out the bottle.  A bottle with measurements will be most helpful so that you can control and track how much milk your kitten eats.