Tabla de contenidos para September 2015 en Pets

Hi PETS readers, Welcome to another issue of PETS. This is one of our absolute favourite issues — the Fabulous Feline special! Yes, that’s right, this issue we’re getting up close and personal with all things cat. We can’t wait to share these fascinating stories with you! The cat is one of those animals that people seem to love or hate. One of the things we love most about them is their ability to surprise you. Cats can be intuitive and pick up on your mood. They can be playful and engage with you in a game for a surprisingly long amount of time. And finally, they can be this beautiful oasis of calm when you need it the most. We loved learning more about cats this issue, including some…

My cat Bayee is so cute and snuggly! My brother Eagle and I play with her all the time. The other night I was in bed and I couldn’t sleep. I felt scared because my room was so dark. I had somehow untucked my blankets by accident and called out to Mum to ask to be tucked in again. Just as Mum opened my door and came into my room, a big dark figure came out from under my bed and walked in front of the wardrobe. Mum and I both freaked out and screamed really loudly! Then Mum put the light on. Turns out it was Bayee! I forgot that I’d left my window open and she must have come in to check on me. Mum and I couldn’t…

PETS recommends only letting your cat outdoors if you have an enclosure, to prevent it from leaving your yard and risking harm to our native wildlife and other animals. Cats should never be let to roam free throughout the neighbourhood. Being natural predators, they can harm our native wildlife, each other, and even risk getting hit by cars. Cats and the outdoors just do not mix. Or do they? Dr Cam Day, veterinary behaviourist, says many cat breeders and experts would say that a cat is best left indoors for its safety. But he’s also quick to point out if you were to ask the cat, it would tell a different story. “They’d probably put their little furry paw up in the air and say please, I’d like to do…

1 DESEXING Desexing is a critically important duty for responsible pet owners. If you’re not planning on breeding from your animal, Dr Josie Gollan from Sydney’s Animal Doctors clinic says desexing is important for any number of reasons. “Firstly, any owner will tell you that an in-heat female cat is a very unpleasant and noisy household member and will suddenly start running away from the house in search of a mate,” Dr Josie says. “An entire male cat may show signs of aggression, also start running away in search of a mate and begin urine spraying all over your property. These reasons alone are often enough to get owners to desex their animals.” Another very important reason to desex is to control the feral cat population. Cats are not native…

Every year in Australia, tens of thousands of kittens are left homeless. Many of them never find homes and end up being put to sleep. Yet there is one very simple thing we can do to change this: desexing. Desexing cats doesn’t just help to manage the feline population and thereby reduce the number of homeless cats, it actually makes cats healthier, happier and friendlier and cat owners enjoy reduced registration fees. And because their cats are less likely to wander and get into fights, owners also have to worry about fewer vet bills! So why are so many people still allowing their cats to have kittens? “A lack of knowledge is the problem,” says Cat Protection CEO Kristina Vesk. “Most people don’t know that a kitten can have kittens!…

NIGHT DISRUPTION Q: Hi Kate, My cat cries and scratches at the front door at night, as if she wants to get out. We don’t want her to leave the house in case she hurts local wildlife or gets into a fight. What would you suggest we do? This behaviour is keeping us awake! Mika, via email A: Hi Mika. Even though pet cats are provided with everything they need (including food, water, shelter, toys and companionship), they still have natural instincts to hunt, patrol their territory and chase away intruders. These instincts are stronger in some cats than others and these cats will often try anything to get outside. You might have accidently taught your cat that meowing loudly at the door sometimes works because occasionally you have let…

The Akita Inu is the largest of the Japanese Spitz breeds and was also known as the Odate dog, named after the mountainous area of Odate in the Akita prefecture on the island of Honshu. The Akita is also Japan’s national dog. Its honourable position is firmly entrenched in the Japanese psyche as many regard the dog as a bearer of good luck and health. Despite its auspicious tidings, the exact origin of the breed is unknown, but representations of a very similar-looking dog have been depicted in drawings and artifacts since the 12th century. In these depictions, the Akita characteristics — erect ears and curled tail — give historians clues as to how long the breed has been in Japan. For several hundreds of years, the Japanese have been…

September 4-13 Royal Adelaide Show Celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Royal Adelaide Show, one of Australia’s finest annual exhibitions. Whether you’re there for the showbags, the rides or the animals, there’s something to keep you entertained. The learning centre is where the PETS team plans to check out lots of exciting animal-related things for you to see and do, including sheep shearing, milking and feeding demonstrations, as well as the BankSA Farmyard Nursery. Cute baby animals? Don’t mind if we do! There’s also an exhibition milking dairy so you can see how a modern-day dairy operates up close and personal. For those a little more serious about their show experience, there are of course the traditional dog and horse competitions. Whether it’s a discipline or a best in breed…

Do you love your pet? Tell us a warm and fuzzy tale about the special bond you share with your best pal for a chance to win a really cool prize. TO ENTER: All you have to do is tell us in 400 words or less why your pet is so special and include a few clear, sharp photographs (1MB or larger) of your friend. Please also include your contact number and mailing address. Send your entries to Pet Tales/PETS, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670 or email your entries to pets@universalmagazines.com.au Please read the terms and conditions on page 82 before entering. Good luck!…

Cats are beautiful creatures that make fabulous pets. And just like with any other animal, ensuring they have a delicious and nutritious diet to keep them feeling good and looking fantastic is essential. However, as with dogs, there are some foods that cats just shouldn’t eat and could prove deadly to them. Of course, one of the most common things cats need to stay away from is chocolate. This is because the delicious food we love to eat contains theobromine, a stimulant that can raise the cat’s heart rate with potentially fatal consequences. Caffeine is another big one that cats absolutely must stay away from, again to avoid becoming over-stimulated. However, did you know that bread dough can be fatal to our feline friends? This is because the active yeast…

Lameness is a reality of equine life but it’s not something to mess with. Just ask Dr Diederik Gelderman, equine veterinarian from Gelderman and Merriot Mobile Equine Vets in NSW, has treated many horses for lameness. Sometimes the lameness is temporary and resolves itself with some rest. But it can also be serious and require immediate veterinary attention, according to Dr Diederik. Lameness can be caused by a number of things ranging from the very simple split hooves to the much more complex bone cyst or OCD (osteochondritis dissecans), a developmental disease that affects the cartilage and bone in the joints of horses. However, the most common causes of lameness include foot abscesses, injuries, founder, sole bruising and cracked hooves, says Dr Diederik. “Ninety per cent of lameness is caused…

Never in my wildest dreams have I ever imagined that I would be cuddling a large cat — at a cat cafe of all places — and survive to tell the tale! The thing is, cats never really liked me since I was a child. I remember my cousin Kristina had a large ginger cat named Boris, who used to sneak up on me and pounce on my legs with a burst of energy, swatting me like a maniac, and then run off to plan the next attack. During sleepovers, I used to hide under the covers to protect my face from being potentially ripped to shreds. Interestingly, Boris always came for me when I was alone. Kristina thought I was exaggerating. Clearly, she didn’t realise he was evil! I…

Developed around 100 years ago in Yorkshire, England, the Yorkshire Terrier is a comparatively new breed. Known to many as the Yorkie, it was developed from a mixture of terrier breeds and was originally bred for controlling rodents in the Yorkshire cotton mills and houses. Today it is well known for its lovable character that makes it such a wonderful companion. “The Yorkie is a large dog trapped in a small dog’s body,” says Karen Russell of the Yorkshire Terrier Club of NSW. “They are extremely outgoing, fearless, and can be very courageous for such little dogs.” While the Yorkie is considered a family-orientated dog, it is not necessarily the best breed for families with very young children. “With the right education and training, Yorkies will come to accept kids.…

It’s not hard to see why the petite and brightly coloured canary is one of the most popular of all pet birds. This sweet-natured creature is tidy, easy to keep indoors and makes wonderful company. THE HISTORY The domesticated form of the wild canary was first bred in the 17th century when it became a status symbol for Spanish and English kings. Later, monks who only sold the singing males bred them. During this period, these little songbirds, a part of the finch family, remained available only to those with money to spare, but eventually local citizens started breeding the birds and soon enough the male canary became popular all over Europe and England. Today there are several types of canary, including the Norwich, Lizards, Border Fancy, Glosters, Yorkshires, Australian…

Write to PETS! Do you have an amazing pet story or a hilarious animal joke to share? How about some feedback on one of our articles? Or did you recently get a new pet? PETS would love to hear from each and every one of you (and your furry buddies). Drop us a line at Paws for thought/PETS, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670 or email pets@universalmagazines.com.au with “Paws for thought” as the subject heading. Letters, poems, photos, collages and drawings are also welcome. Be as creative as you like! PETS A PLENTY Hey PETS, My name is Ariella and I am 11 years old. I have 16 pets. To start with I have got two loving Golden Retrievers, Elliot (16 months old) and Theo (12 months old). Ellie…

SNAPPY TOM Snappy Tom is celebrating 50 years of being “the cats of Australia’s choice” cat food. Known for the famous jingle “The cats of Australia have made their choice”, Snappy Tom now has a new 85g pouch and multipack available at independent retailers. Snappy Tom contains real natural fish and meat, is free from meat by-products, is 100 per cent of your cat’s daily nutritional needs, and contains healthy omega oils. Feed your cat real meat and fish as nature intended. For more information, visit snappytom.com.au KITTY KONG Content your cat with the fabulous Kitty KONG. Similar to its canine counterpart, this toy can be stuffed with treats, kibble, catnip or even a KONG specialty product designed to entice your feline. Then, offer the KONG to your cat and…

When you say the words “feral cat”, most people imagine a vicious, behemoth feline with huge teeth and claws, prowling under the cover of darkness for tasty morsels such as birds and mammals. Dr Tony Buckmaster, a feral cat researcher at the University of Canberra, dispels the myth. “A feral cat is simply a domestic cat that lives in the wild and does not depend on humans for any of its needs such as food and shelter,” he says. “Cats were domesticated more than 3000 years ago but they still retain all the hunting skills and instincts that their ancestors had before they were domesticated.” Feral cats are simply hunters doing their thing, it seems — tracking and killing small mammals, birds, lizards and frogs to eat, rather than purring…

The movie world’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — those justice-loving mutants named after famous Italian painters — have done much for the pet turtle cause. Of course, a species like the Murray River short-necked turtle (or Macquarie) isn’t a lab experiment gone wrong. You won’t have to keep him down a sewer under the city either. And you won’t have to feed him pepperoni pizza! This darling of the reptile world is a wonderful choice for those who don’t want a pet with fur or feathers. Stacey Denovan, education officer at the Australian Reptile Park, says it’s important to consider how much room you have for the Murray River turtle. Out in the natural habitat of the Murray-Darling river system, this fella can grow fairly big. “Turtles do make great…

The Australian Mist is a dinky-di Aussie cat through and through. In fact, it is one of the only feline breeds that has originated right here in Australia. But word is getting out about this friendly and affectionate breed and the Australian Mist is now being bred in the UK and USA. This gorgeous cat was developed 36 years ago by breeder Dr Truda Straede from a genetic mix of the Burmese, Abyssinian and Australian moggie. The resulting breed is lively and lovable and makes a great companion animal and family pet. Breeder Patricia Beech from Artumblom Australian Mist says they love to chase things and fetch, just like a dog, and they are very extroverted. They also like people — a lot. “If someone comes to the door, my…

Adding seahorses to your aquarium instantly gives the space a talking point. These incredible marine creatures do require a little more maintenance than your average fish, but their beautiful appearance and uniqueness in the marine world will make the extra effort well worth your while. CHOOSING YOUR SEAHORSE As the owner and senior biologist at Seahorse Australia, Rachelle Hawkins has had a lot of experience with this unique species and advises prospective owners to seek out captive-bred seahorses for their aquarium. “There are some wild-caught seahorses on the market (sourced from Western Australia, which is perfectly legal) that are prone to feeding issues and disease problems. So ask your live fish shop the questions — “are these captive-bred?” As much as you will want to get your new friends home,…