Cats love to chew on many things, especially plants and flowers. Our little explorers will jump to great heights if something looks enticing to them. Therefore, if you like to have plants or flowers at home either inside or outside, it’s important to know which plants or flowers are poisonous to cats. If a plant or flower is poisonous, than parts of the plant are poisonous even if some parts of the plant have higher concentrations of the toxic source than others. Many toxic plant and flowers are irritants: they cause inflammation of the skin, mouth, stomach, and some might affect a particular organ like the kidney or heart. To read more on this story, click here: Watch Out for These Poisonous Plants and Flowers for Cats
People aren't the only ones that get depressed. Pets can suffer from depression too. Depression in pets can be caused by a variety of factors such as grief over the death of a human member of the household or another pet. It can also be the result of a move or other break from regular routine. If you work long hours and your pet is left alone for long periods of time, he can become depressed. There are usually several signs that may indicate your pet is suffering from depression. Many times a pet will get depressed if someone new comes around and they feel replaced, whether it's another pet or a person. So be sure to include your pet in activities with the new person or pet in your life. Don't leave them out. You can also help your pet get use to the new person or pet by allowing them time to get to know each other without you around. Be sure to continue your regular activities with your pet that you engaged in before the new person or pet arrived. Take walks and play at the same time and for the same length of time. If there will be a new baby in the house, get your pet use to the sounds and smells of a new baby as best you can. Some signs of depression in pets may be:
Eating and drinking less often - A depressed pet will begin eating less and sometimes stop eating entirely.
Chewing and destroying things - When pets are depressed, they take up destructive behavior as a cry for help.
Going to the bathroom inside the house or outside of the litter box. This doesn’t just indicate bad behavior in mad or angry pets - bathroom “accidents” may not be accidents at all - your pet may be too sad to get up.
Loss of interest in Activities - Lethargy and lack of interest are telltale signs of depression in humans and animals alike.
Dog is wagging its tail less - Happy dogs wag their tails.
Hiding - When your pet starts making a home out of the dark corners and spaces in your house (closets, under your bed), and takes up residence in an area they don’t usually frequent, this could be a sign that they’re depressed.
Not wanting to be left alone - Like their human counterparts, when feeling particularly sad, some pets do not want to be left alone. Separation anxiety is signaled by excessive crying and whining when you attempt to leave the house. This is often accompanied by #2, chewing or destroying things.
Too little or too much grooming - Cats have a tendency to under-groom when they are depressed, but once in a while, you’ll get a pet that does quite the opposite. Watch out for skin irritation and shedding.
Increased vocalization - If your pet is crying, whining, or barking more than usual it’s possible there is something wrong and they are trying to communicate with you the only way they know how.
One of the deepest sympathies we have as humans is for a mother who is carrying a baby or babies inside her, and that naturally extends to a doggie mother too, but this story tells of a time that such things made no difference at all to the awful decision! The mother, in this case, was a pregnant pit bull, in the Texas area and it was reported that she was euthanized while she was still in labor, we are really shocked, even more than any other time, aren’t you? Well, it seems people are certainly feeling emotive towards this case because it’s going viral all over the place, and that doesn’t surprise us at all! Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare volunteer, Dacia Anderson, posted a photo of the doggie and a story about what was ha happened that day. To read more on this story, click here:Put To Sleep While Giving Birth, Rescue Center Says It Was The Right Call!
Beloved American prize wizard Bob Barker used to give us a daily reminder to spay and neuter our pets but, if this latest trend hits the mainstream, we should probably just start sterilizing all humans. A glittered dog scrotum. That’s where we’re at as a society. We’re so far up Maslow’s pyramid that we’re not even dipping our own nutsacks in glitter. We’ve moved on to our dogs. How far removed from the threat of starving to death to do you have to be to pay to have someone do this? This is the type of thing that’s so unnecessarily extravagant that when the working class sees it they start getting an urge to cut off the heads of the rich. To read more on this story, click here:Putting Glitter on Your Dog’s Testicles is a Trend Now, Apparently
Our relationship to animals has a profound effect on the biochemistry of our brains; here’s how: An oxytocin boost There are documented physiological changes in people who spend as little as 15 minutes with a dog or cat or participate in equine therapy—Their oxytocin levels increase. Dubbed the “love” or “hug” hormone, oxytocin creates a profound sense of peace and comfort. It also slows the heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure in addition to reducing stress hormones. Normalizing brain chemistry A study by University of Missouri scientists documented that petting a dog can cause a spike in one’s serotonin level, the neurotransmitter that most antidepressants attempt to increase. Pets can profoundly change the biochemistry of our brains, so it’s no wonder that pet-assisted therapies help people with autism and those suffering from PTSD and drug addiction. To read more on this story, click here:How Animals Help Brain Chemistry
If more people would just be a little bit braver and do the right thing and give their unwanted animals directly to the rescuers, it would be so much better, this poor little pup was left, we wonder if the person was ashamed? Taking a break from his work at the time, Eddie Olivarez worked at Albertsons, a grocery store in Arcadia, California, he found the little pup. He found the tiny pup in a shoebox left on the ground by the dumpsters, he could have easily thrown the box into the dumpster, not realizing… But his senses took over and he realized that the box had to be opened, and sure enough there was something incredible inside a one pound pup desperately in need of help! To read more on this story, click here:Tiny Little Pup Left In A Shoebox By A Supermarket Dumpster
When Philippines resident Sandra Pineda’s father first saw a picture of the xoloitzcuintle, an incredibly rare Mexican-originated breed of dog, he was immediately in love. The family searched far and wide for a breeder that could sell them a xoloitzcuintle, which are incredibly rare on the East Pacific island. They ended up with Piper, who arrived with her new family at just 8 weeks old—but little did they realize that a photo of their precious new pup would catapult the family to internet fame. The reason? Thanks to a unique lack of fur for the North American breed, people thought the photo was of a statue! The xoloitzcuintle is also known as the Mexican hairless dog, and is common in its native country but incredibly rare around the world. Characterized with incredibly sparse or completely absent hair and a condition known as oligodontia, which causes the dog to lose at least six teeth over the course of its life, the pups are certainly a fascinating specimen. To read more on this story, click here:Incredibly Rare Puppy Is So Shiny That People Mistake Her for a Metal Statue
LOS ANGELES (CBS/CNN) — Get your tissues ready. If the January blues hadn’t already got to you, the world’s cutest dog, Boo, has died of a broken heart. The Pomeranian Boo and his companion Buddy, who died last year, became internet sensations when their American owners started sharing pictures of their adorable antics. His death was confirmed in a post made by his owners to his 16 million Facebook followers. He was 12 years old, in human years. “Shortly after Buddy died, Boo showed signs of heart issues. We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us,” his owners wrote. “He hung on and gave us over a year. But it looks like it was his time, and I’m sure it was a most joyous moment for them when they saw each other in heaven.” “Our family is heartbroken, but we find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain or discomfort,” they added, noting that Boo “brought joy to people all over the world.
Recently, wildlife photography aficionado Simon Dell stumbled upon the family of a cute mouse running around his garden. Instead of reaching for the traps, however, he took out his tools. Dell built the mice a miniature village, and they repaid him by posing for adorable animal photography shots. “I was out one day just taking photos of the birds in the garden and having just cut the grass I noticed something moving on the ground,” Simon told Bored Panda. “I pointed my camera at the ground and was shocked but very happy to see a very cute little house mouse standing up just like a meerkat in the fresh cut grass.” To read more on this story, click here:Man Discovers A Family Of Mice Living In His Garden, Builds Them A Miniature Village
Kittens already have cute little whiskers but can you imagine coming across a kitty that has a perfectly, gentleman-like mustache printed on his furr? This is what happened to Dali the cat’s humans’ when they found and adopted him, he stood out with his wonderful stache! Not only does Dali look like a gentleman, he acts the part, being a super chill cat, always watching over his human and just being one handsome kitty. To read more on this story, click here:Family Adopts A Tuxedo Cat With The Most Perfect Mustache
BALTIMORE (WJZ) –– As Maryland deals with an arctic blast for the next few days, pet owners are reminded to bring animals inside. Pets are also at risk for hypothermia and frostbite, due to the colder temperatures. Bring pets in from the cold or have a dry, draft-free shelter for them with access to food and water. The Maryland SPCA offers the following tips to keep your pet safe this winter: Pets should not be left outside for extended periods of time. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. I there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. To read more on this story, click here:Pets Can Get Hypothermia, Frostbite Too
A 15-year-old girl recently lost her “little hero” after someone fatally shot her diabetic alert dog outside her family’s home in Quinlan, Texas. Hannah Westmoreland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 8, but it wasn’t until a few years later that the family raised money to get her a service dog. Her mother, Tina Westmoreland, started a fund that brought in $10,000 from community members looking to help Hannah. Ultimately, a golden retriever named Journey came into her life. “He was my best friend,” Hannah told CBS Dallas about the dog. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Westmoreland family on Sunday when 4-year-old Journey’s life was cut short. According to the local Texas news outlet, Journey was let out for his regular dip in the family’s pond before he was found bleeding from a gunshot wound. To read more on this story, click here: Teen's Service Dog Shot, Killed Outside of Family Home: 'He Was My Best Friend'
Looking for some awesome facts about the Galapagos blue-footed booby? Enjoy these 11 far-out facts about these strange blue-footed birds! Blue-footed boobies are definitely a different sort of bird. The first time I saw them was in the Galapagos when I was only ten. The blue feet and quizzical looks made quite the impression, but the name was what really sold it. If you were ever young, you surely remember laughing like an idiot every time someone said butt, booby or fart. If you're like me and never really grew up… well, then you may still have ridiculous difficulty containing your mirth when you hear such lovely words. Consequently, you end up embarrassing “classy” people that you may coincidentally be acquainted with (because you clearly would not spend time with such boring folk by choice). As many of you already know, the word ‘booby' was used in old English to refer to a dimwit, lunk-head, crazy person, clown, idiot, simpleton, or all around silly fellow. The blue-footed booby's name originally came from the Spanish work ‘bobo‘ meaning ‘stupid fellow.' The boobies walk funny, whistle and honk, and make sarcastic remarks at the tourists, thus earning their name. Okay, so maybe they don't verbalize their quips, but you can see it in their small, beady eyes! To read more on this story, click here:11 Far Out Facts About the Blue-Footed Booby
Two subspecies of giraffe have been listed as 'critically endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Numbers for the mammal have declined by 40 per cent over the last 31 years due to humans encroaching their habitat. In an IUCN report the giraffe has been moved from the list of 'Least Concern' to 'Vulnerable' in their Red List of Threatened Species. Two specific subspecies, the Kordofan and Nubian, have been added to the list of 'critically endangered'. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the Kordofan giraffe is mainly found in southern Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and western South Sudan with just 2,000 of the species existing. Nubian giraffes, mainly found in west central Kenya, South Sudan, western Ethiopia and northern Uganda, and there are 2,645 left. To read more on this story, click here:Giraffes Have Been Added To The Endangered Species List
