2. Don’t give your puppies or dogs table scraps or real bones. They are hard to digest and may cause bleeding. Purchase commercial dog food. The commercially available varieties are carefully studied to give complete nutrition for dogs.

3. A change in the behavior of your older dog can be caused by a multitude of conditions that appear on the onset of old age. Have your veterinarian check your dog for muscle or joint pain.

4. To make traveling easier for you and your puppy, take your puppy on short playing and treat trips. This will help your puppy become accustomed to riding in cars.

5. Try to be sensitive to your dog’s behavior and moods. Dogs also get stressed so try to cheer up your pet when you think it’s lonely.

6. Know your dog’s common illness, and read up on what you may do when you think your dog has them.

7. Bring squeaky toys and chew bones with you on a trip so your dog doesn’t get too bored being cooped up the car.

8. Fleas love a moist wet environment. Always make sure your dog is dry when it comes into the house. Dry your dog thoroughly after baths too.

9. Check the pet shop or consult with your vet regarding the amount of food you should give your dog. It will vary according to the size and breed of your dog.

10. Talk to other dog owners. They might have tips and tricks on handling your pet.

11. For quick relief from itching caused by flea bites, cover an 8-inch segment of your dog’s coat with cooking oil and rub with garlic powder.

12. Buy dog treats that have calories per serving written at the back. A table of nutrients as well as ingredients is also a plus so you’ll know what your dog is getting.

13. You can eliminate excess gas by elevating your dog’s food dish so your dog doesn’t swallow too much air.

14. A portable exercise pen is a good housetraining tool for pups. You can leave your pups outside without fear that they’ll run into the street.

15. Water should always be readily available to your dog at any time of the day. Dogs don’t have sweat glands and need plenty of water to cool down.

16. Buy dog supplements rich in glucosamine, calcium and antioxidants to maintain healthy bones and muscles on your pet.

17. Make sure balls for fetch and chewing are large enough that they won’t get lodged in your dog’s throat.

18. Chocolate can be fatal to dogs. Make sure your dog doesn’t accidentally eat any. If your dog does, take your dog immediately to a vet.

19. Equal amounts of vinegar and water can get rid of any skunk smell that your dog might get. Just wash your dog with this solution, shampoo and then rinse again with plain water.

20. A microchip implant, if you can afford it, is a great investment if you don’t want your dog to get lost. This is especially useful if you remove your dog’s collars often.

21. Chicken and other bird bones break off into sharp pieces. Never give these to your dog because the bones may puncture your dog’s throat or intestines.

If you are introducing kittens to one another, the entire introduction process can be short, lasting as little as 10 – 15 days. Introducing cats to each other all depends on their temperament and their personality. When you introduce a new cat to your current cat, you should always make sure that you give your current cat plenty of love and attention. This way, your cat will feel secure and know that it isn’t in competition with your new cat for affection.

When you bring your new cat home, you should let it stay in a safe room until you have finished introducing the cats. Your safe room can be any small room in your home, such as a bathroom or spare bedroom. The key here is to use a room that your current cat doesn’t go in. In the room, you should leave your new cat a scratching post, bed, water dish, litter box, and food dish.

At first, your current cat may howl and hiss when it stands at the door, trying to tell the other cat that it doesn’t belong. When this happens you should ignore it, as punishing your cat for its behavior will only lead to more problems. After a while, the first cat will start to act calm when it is near the new cat’s door. As it starts to act calm, you should pet it and give it praise.

When your first cat starts to go by your new cat’s door and doesn’t howl or hiss; you can start introducing them to each other. The best way to do this is to get them used to each others scent. You can start letting them eat out of the same food dish, although you’ll want to feed them at different intervals at first. This way, the scent of each cat will be present at the food dish, and each cat will get the scent when it eats its food.

Once both cats have got used to the scent, you can begin to feed them closer together. To do this, you should keep your new cat in the safe room with the door closed, and your first cat on the other side of the door with its food dish. This time, feed both cats at the same time. After doing this a few times, they should start eating without any hissing or growling. At this point, they are ready to be introduced to one another.

When you introduce them to each other in the same room, a bit of growling and hissing is to be expected. Although they may be used to each others scent; your first cat will still feel a bit awkward with your new cat being in his territory. You should play with them both at first, so they can smell one another and greet in their own way. If they start to fight you should break them up, and give them some time apart.

It may take some time to get them fully used to one another, although once they do – they will become playmates for life. Cats love to be social, although it may be a bit rough at first, especially for your first cat. Cats can be very territorial, especially if you have a kitten around. If you get both of them used to each other early on – it will be a lot easier to add future cats to your home.

When you get a cat, you’ll need to think about the costs.  You’ll obviously need food, and you’ll also need to plan ahead for vet costs.  You’ll also need litter, which can tend to get quite expensive as the years go by.  Your cat will need a litter box, food dish, and water dish.  You should also invest in some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, a pet carrier, and a bed.  You should also look into getting an ID collar as well, just in case your cat ever gets lost.

Feeding your pet will depend a great deal on his age.  Older cats require two small meals or one large meal for the day.  Kittens on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks.  Cats that are between three and six months of age need to be fed three times a day.  Canned food can be fed to cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes need to be disposed of.  Canned food can get expensive fast, and you should always keep in mind that some may need to be thrown away when you buy it.  Cats loved canned food, although it doesn’t have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.

As an alternative plan, you can always leave a supply of dry food out for your pet.  When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that he has enough water.  Dry food costs less than canned food, and it can also help to prevent the buildup of tartar on your cat’s teeth.  When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits, and stay away from generic food.  Even though generic food may be cheaper, it may not offer the nutrients your pet needs.

If you own a kitten, you should only give you kitten food designed for him.  You’ll also need to clean and refill his water dish every day.  Even though kittens and adult cats like cow’s milk, you should avoid giving it to them as it can cause diarrhea.  Treats are fine on occasion, although too many of them can cause your pet to get fat.  Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it in with his cat food.

By themselves, cats stay fairly clean.  Although you don’t have to bathe them that often, you’ll need to give them a brushing at least once a day.  Brushing will reduce the risk of hairballs and keep your cat’s coat nice and clean.  If you are keeping your cat indoors, you’ll need to have a litter box in an area that is easy for your cat to access.  You should always scoop it on a daily basis, and clean it out once a week.  Cats don’t like to use dirty litter boxes, they prefer for it to be nice and clean.

Although cats do require some work, they are great pets that will provide you with years and years of companionship.  As long as you take care of your cat and take it to the vet for its checkups, it should remain healthy.  Even though cats can get sick from time to time – knowing how to care for it will make a world of difference.