Effects of Catnip

by Lori Teller DVM DABVP CVJ February 1st, 2012 | Animal Health, Ask the Vet, Cats
Does catnip have any long-term effects on cats?

Catnip is quite the treat for many cats! Approximately half of all cats will be genetically predisposed to enjoy this herb. Catnip is a member of the mint family -- actually there are several different types of catnip, but what makes cats so in love with this herb is a chemical in the leaves known as nepetalactone.

Young kittens, less than 3-6 months, will not be attracted to catnip, but once they pass that age, they will go gaga for it. When you first give your kitty some fresh or dried catnip, you
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Keeping a Pet Frog

by Jacob P. February 2nd, 2012 | Amphibians
When pet care websites, such as petco.com, place frogs under the reptiles category, it grinds my gears.  I know it is trivial, but they are amphibians.  This would probably not happen if amphibians were more popular pets, but they are not currently part of the "in crowd.''  I do not know anyone who owns or has owned a pet amphibian.  People think they are gross or hard to care for, but it is actually quite the contrary.  Keeping a frog can be quite fun.

  1. It still isn't going to be simple.  Keeping any animal other than fish tends to take
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Effects of Catnip

by Lori Teller DVM DABVP CVJ February 1st, 2012 | Animal Health, Ask the Vet, Cats
Does catnip have any long-term effects on cats?

Catnip is quite the treat for many cats! Approximately half of all cats will be genetically predisposed to enjoy this herb. Catnip is a member of the mint family -- actually there are several different types of catnip, but what makes cats so in love with this herb is a chemical in the leaves known as nepetalactone.

Young kittens, less than 3-6 months, will not be attracted to catnip, but once they pass that age, they will go gaga for it. When you first give your kitty some fresh or dried catnip, you
Read More

Cats Can Make Humans Ill

by Lori S. January 31st, 2012 | Cats
Even though you love your cat, you must realize that there are some potential dangers to pet ownership. For example, cat scratch disease and toxoplasmosis are two very real illnesses caused by cats. As a cat lover myself, I knew about these two diseases, yet I was unaware of the negative health effects that they actually cause until after I had owned cats for many years. Read on to learn more.

Cat Scratch Disease

I got the phone call while away in college. “Your mom is in the hospital with cat scratch fever,” my dad lamented. At first I thought he
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Easy Ways to Support Pet Adoptions

by Lori S. January 26th, 2012 | Pet Adoption
The Humane Society of the United States vividly brings to light the sheer number of animals waiting to be adopted. Consider the following statistic: “6–8 million pets end up in shelters each year; half of those will probably not be adopted.” What can an animal lover do to help these precious animals if you already have a house full of cats and dogs, or if you live in an apartment complex that won’t allow furry friends?

There are several ways to assist with this important cause. By doing one or more of the following things, you can help give a
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How to Deal with a Bird that Bites

by Anna P. January 24th, 2012 | Birds
Birds are docile animals and that's something that adds to their appeal. But there will be times that your little feathered friend isn't feeling so chummy. Are you feeling the effects of a bird bite? Find out how to stop it from happening.

The first step to solving this issue is to figure out why your pet is biting you. Is her bite more like a nip that doesn't really hurt? Does he show signs of frustration when you're trying to put him in his cage? If the bite is more like the former, chances are your pet is sending
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