Keeping Cats Inside-Part I

The great cat debate: whether or not to keep your cat in the house or allow it the liberty of the wider world is one which has genuine arguments on both sides. If it turns out you do allow your cat to wander the city or countryside, here are a few suggestions for caring cat ownership.

The natural behavioural instinct of felines is to prey upon small sized animals, which, after all, was the reason that cats were domesticated in the first place. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why a lot of owners, in particular in Europe, consider that it is cruel to keep a cat in the house. Nevertheless it is worth bearing in mind that typically a single domesticated cat, and one that we can believe is being fed well at home, will kill up to 40 animals every year. Mostly, theses fatalities are small mammals, such as mice, and wild birds.

Of course, the one method to get rid of this issue is to keep your cat in the house virtually at all times. Nonetheless, this can cause separate issues, such as monotony, an increase in weight and health complications that go with it although there are a number of cat toys to help keep them active. Consequently, keeping a cat indoors is not an entirely satisfactory strategy. So, here are a few tips regarding how to reduce your outdoor cat’s hit count.

1. Don’t Let Your Cat Out at Night time

Normally, the hunting instinct reaches its peak in the course of the hours of night. As a result, it is wise to keep your cat indoors overnight. If you are worried about restraining the cat’s natural inclination, it is wise to keep in mind that the less a cat is permitted to hunt, the less likely it will want to.

Additionally, keeping your cat inside through the night will increase its safety, as cats are usually much more likely to be hit by a car during the hours of darkness. Offering them a comfortable cat bed to sleep on gives them even more reason to stay inside! Furthermore, feral cats mostly hunt at night, so keeping your cat indoors will help prevent the likelihood that he, or she, is caught up either in a disagreement or with a member of the opposite sex!

Busy Buddy Dog Toys

Following on from our post earlier this month headed ‘New Range of Interactive Dog Toys’

there were a couple of the Busy Buddy Dog Toys omitted and which we would like to add here.

The Twist ‘n Treat™ is the first and only 2-piece adjustable rubber treat dispensing toy. The adjustable opening allows the Twist ‘n Treat to be filled with a variety of treats and can be twisted wider for easier access to treats or tighter for longer playtime and to suit the interest and ability of the dog. It is made of natural rubber.

The Tug-a-Jug™ provides a multi-sensory appeal to keep your dog engaged and motivated to play. Its unique design allows dogs to see, smell and hear the treats as they roll around in the jug. The Tug-a-Jug not only dispenses treats, it can also be used for obedience training and feeding meals. Treats and dry food dispense as the toy is tipped, tugged and rolled.

The Busy Buddy  Squirrel Dude’s extreme durability holds up well under the toughest chewers and its unpredictable bounce will have pets playing for hours.  The Treat Meter randomly dispenses dry food and treats as your dog plays.  Again, made of natural rubber and ideal for strong chewers.

The Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble™ appeals to a dog’s natural instincts by enticing him to actively engage in mealtimes. Two Treat Meters™ randomly dispense dry food and treats as the ball tumbles around. Features rubber bumpers to minimize noise and marks on walls and floors. Each toy is appropriately sized to hold a dog’s entire meal and unscrews for easy loading and quick clean-up.

The Chuckle™ is a funky noise-maker that’s sure to perk up playtime! Two Treat Meters™ - one at either end of the Chuckle allows the toy to be stuffed with dry food or treats which will be randomly dispensed, rewarding your dog as he plays. It is made of natural rubber and is ideal for strong chewers.

The Busy Buddy Biscuit Bouncers are durable balls that feature the Treat Trapper™ which firmly holds a variety of treats, gradually releasing them as dogs chew. They are compatible with dog biscuits, cheese sticks and jerky.

Wild Bird Seed

Mixed wild bird seed is perhaps the most economic method of bringing in a wide variety of wild birds directly into the garden. Nevertheless, the low cost variety often carries with it a notice of caution. A number of producers and suppliers see this as being an opportunity to generate easy money by cheapening the grade of the seed blend.

For anyone who is alert to what a regular mix of birdseed is supposed to resemble, you won’t have any kind of problems identifying the calibre of the product you obtain. Wild Bird Food is produced with the idea of attracting more than one type of bird to your garden. Even though there are no strict, absolute rules for the ingredients of this mixture of bird seeds, it is necessary to understand that the varieties of seeds in the mix should appeal to birds of all types and sizes. The goal is to get the birds to eat all the seeds with as little leftover as is possible.

The trouble with many cheap quality bird seed mixtures is the fact that they contain inedible product that most wild birds are going to ignore and leave as waste on either your yard, garden, bird table or patio area. Usually, the seed blends are a mixture of seeds in many different sizes to appeal to birds of different sizes and preferences. Sometimes, the objective is to provide all the essential dietary elements to the birds and with a choice of different types of seeds, the birds will get a balanced diet complete with all of their energy requirements.

This is why the quality of the seeds is extremely important and in the event you frequently discover leftovers of your mix of wild bird seed uneaten, the best option may be to change the product in to an all new one of higher quality that contains minimal or no inedible filler product.

A high quality blend of bird seeds often contain high quality wheat, black sunflower seeds, niger seed, striped sunflower seeds, rape seeds, and corn along with millet. A high quality mix should not contain broken or crushed seeds or unappetizing husks of seeds. Make sure that you do a careful examination of the seeds prior to you making your purchase as the accumulation of wasted filler products will only be a nuisance for you to clean up and can result in the formation of dangerous toxins whilst also being unappealing for your garden birds.Home Pet Shop has an excellent choice of quality wild bird seeds and peanuts at their online pet shop supermarket.

New Range of Interactive Dog Toys

Dogs, just like people, can get very bored with routine and just a small variation in their day can make a big difference. Home Pet Shop is pleased to offer their customers a new range of treat dispensing and holding dog toys by the Busy Buddy Brand and you can order them all from their online Petshop supermarket.
Dogs will have hours of enjoyment with these Play & Challenge Toys though that’s not all. They will benefit in several ways once they play with this collection of toys, whether it’s improving their health or keeping them watchful and active. They’ll even be rewarded with delicious snacks dispensed as they play.
Busy Buddy toys are designed for longer enduring playtime! Each one is made with an alternative and different chewing experience in mind so helping redirect potentially destructive gnawing behaviour into positive playtime.
Stimulate your dog using the interactive Bouncy Bone™ toys. The design of the tough nylon bone & rubber ball provide dogs with a prolonged chewing experience as the Gnawhide® treats last longer than giving treats alone & dogs are stimulated to chew the toy some time after the tempting treats are gone. The toy unscrews to load treats and clean. Supplied with three sets of Gnawhide treat rings. Additional Gnawhide treat rings sold separately.

The Waggle’s™ super flexible middle allows the toy to be playfully “wagged” and shaken. Dry food and treats are randomly dispensed from the Treat Meter™. Manufactured from natural rubber and perfect for powerful chewers.

The Busy Buddy Bristle Bone is the dental toy dogs love to chew! The durable nylon bristles and rubber nubs of the Bristle Bone provide a unique chewing experience. The irresistible, replaceable Gnawhide treat rings guarantee long-lasting enjoyment and are easy to replace. The design of the Bristle Bone makes it impossible for dogs to stuff themselves on snacks. The toy unscrews to load treats and clean. Supplied with two sets of Gnawhide treat rings.

Pet Bedding

Dogs and cats spend a good deal of their lives sleeping. With regard to older dogs and cats, sleep becomes the main “activity”, with a lot of elderly family pets doing not much more than consuming food and snoozing as they head towards their later years. One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of a pet’s life is to give them the very best possible pet bed though many owners barely take into account this particular and very important aspect of their pets’ lives.
Most cats tend to find their own comfy area, choosing to curl up at the end of their owners’ duvets, on a sofa or in a warm quiet corner spot on the carpet. Their decision is generally logical and simple, they like warmth, softness and quietness.

It tends to make good sense to provide a safe, soft, warm bed in a relaxing spot for your cat. A wide selection of cat beds and bedding is readily available from Home Pet Shop at their online pet shop supermarket. Choose a spot that’s accessible to your cat but away from the active places in your house, and you’ll discover that it soon turns into a favourite sleeping spot.

Dogs can be similarly fussy regarding their choice of sleeping quarters. There are lots of people who’ve gone to the trouble of providing comfy and cosy, bedding for their dog, simply to discover it thrown out of the way, with the dog choosing to sleep on bare floorboards or linoleum instead. It’s a case of experimenting to work out precisely what your dog wants, but the very same rules of warmth and softness generally do work.

Dogs are inclined to be muckier animals compared to cats, and if you’re not mindful, a dog’s bedding can turn into a strong-smelling area of dog hair thus a frequent freshening in the washing machine is a good idea. This is a factor why it’s well worth deciding on a dog’s bedding with some thought. A normal dog cushion finishes up becoming uneven and lumpy after several washes but if you carry out your research properly, you’ll find that superior quality dog bedding is obtainable that’s designed to repel body oil and hair, and to preserve its original properties following weekly washes for some time to come.

Rabbit Hutches and Runs

When you actually first decided to get a rabbit, you might not have considered where it was going to live! So for your bunny's protection you may decide you will require a rabbit hutch or cage. When considering what kind of hutch or cage to buy, you will need to keep a few points in your head, such as the hutch is to be your rabbits retreat, a haven and home. Then there are a couple of plans to hold in mind such as the financial cost and the dimensions of the rabbit hutch and, exactly where is it likely to go and from what it should be made. Home Pet Shop has a great choice of rabbit hutches at their online pet supermarket.
For starters, if your bunny is of the small variety and might not become any bigger than 8 pounds, you should manage with a hutch from a minimum of 24 inches by 36 inches whilst the larger sizes, at the very least, really want a hutch which measures 30 inches by 36 inches. Consequently it figures that your bunny needs a home which is at minimum four times its size.

Second you need your bunny and yourself, space to move around whilst the hutch or cage is being cleaned. Apart from the standard things for instance a food bowl and water drinker, the hutch must have space for your rabbit to move around. To keep your rabbit from becoming bored, supply him/her some toys and nibble snacks.
Thirdly, if your rabbit is confined to the hutch for extended periods of time, you really require lots of room for him/her to move around and a good idea would be to invest in a rabbit run made from wire meshing which attaches to the hutch.

Fourth point to think about is exactly what type of base does the hutch/cage have. Should it have wire, think about adding a more stable area for the bunny to rest. When putting in some kind of small pet bedding, it is best to choose straw or wood shavings.
Finally avoid housing more than one bunny in the same hutch since, unless the bunnies have been spayed or neutered, you might get more than you bargained for as rabbits are prolific breeders and the bucks (males) are inclined to fight with one another as well as the does (females) for either space to have babies or to breed. The only time which the rabbits ought to be together is in a neutral area and should be watched over.

Chicken Coops

There are a number of different types of hen houses on the market but, with English weather as it is, investing in a quality chicken coop is the best option as you don't want it falling down in a couple of years. Here are some chicken houses which are available at the online pet supermarket of Home Pet Shop.

1.This great chicken coop and nest box from Chicken Shack is supplied flat-packed and is constructed from weather proof quality wood making it straightforward to put together. Dimensions are:

1196(D) x 800(W) x 1090(H) mm

It also features:

• Animal friendly wood stain.
• Has six removable perches for simple cleansing (3 perches on either side, tiered down)
• Removable floor so also well suited for ducks
• Lifting top over the nesting box for easy removal of eggs & for maintaining purposes
• Side is removable & can be easily taken off by twisting the togs to clean purposes
• Venting holes at rear of hen house
• Pull out metal tray for straightforward cleaning
• Wooden handles on front , back and side panel for ease of removal.
• Front ramp for your hens quick access to the house

2.

This particular Chicken House is an excellent looking hen house with a separate
run which may be fastened permanently to the coop or just pushed up
against it, providing your chickens with a safe, as well as secure, outside area as well as offering you full control of your birds when you require it. This particular chicken coop and run is ideal for medium sized hens.
A thick slatted all-wood roof will always keep your hens warm and dry
It is also delivered flat-packed, made out of weather proof quality wood and is very easy to assemble
There is a large lockable rear door enabling you easy access to your coop from both sides and a front ramp for the chickens makes it easy for them to get into their home with ease
Special sliding ventilation window along with strong hot dipped zinc galvanized wire
mesh allows you to regulate the temperature inside according to the time of year.  There is also:

·         2 detachable internal perches.

·         Detachable sliding metal tray for straightforward cleaning.

·         A fast raising lid makes it easier to gather eggs

·         Put a metal lock on the nesting box to secure hens during the night.

·         Elevated floor off ground along with adjustable feet for preventing damp.

For more chicken coops please click here.