Christinas Blog http://www.christinas.co.uk/blog Christinas Blog en-gb Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Copyright: (C) Christina Radisic 8 Christinas Blog http://www.christinas.co.uk/images/spacer.gif http://www.christinas.co.uk/blog Cat Litter Tray To Fit a Corner in a Room with a Hood Cat Litter Tray To Fit a Corner in a Room with a Hood
Smudge is 20 in July and I've been noticing he is having difficulty with certain things.  He doesn't like to go out in the cold, he loves sleeping right next to a heat source, and wants his food and water brought to him.He no longer meows to let me know he needs me to open a door, and I was horrified when I walked into the utility room yesterday to find him standing in his litter tray urinating up the wall! I've seen him doing this outside but never indoors, although he has only started to use a litter tray this winter.  The litter tray has never been near a wall before either.I've just ordered a corner hooded cat litter tray.  Hopefully the hood will stop yesterday's accident happening again; and the shape of the litter tray will fit nicely into a quite corner of the utility room.Has anyone else used one of these letter trays and would like to tell us in the comments below what your experience has been?I will be coming back to review the product once Smudge has had time to use it.Christina

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/Cat_Litter_Tray_To_Fit_a_Corner_in_a_Room_with_a_Hood Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:08:00 GMT Cat Behaviour http://www.christinas.co.uk/Cat_Litter_Tray_To_Fit_a_Corner_in_a_Room_with_a_Hood Spotting Disease in Older Cats Spotting Disease in Older Cats
On average, cats have a longer lifespan than dogs.  Cat's are also very good at hiding problems so you need to look for the little signs your cat may display.Cats just like us can suffer with a slow down of bodily functions, their senses will eventually start to deteriorate, leading to impaired vision, hearing, taste and smell.As a cat owner it is important to keep an eye out for signs of disease.  Weight loss is common in older cats but can also be a sign of a bigger problem.  Here are the most common problems to look out for in your aging cat:
  • Kidney disease: look out for signs your cat is drinking and urinating more than usual, other signs are weight loss and vomiting.
  • Hyperthyroidism: an over-active thyroid gland causes your cat to lose weight, eat and drink more
  • Hypertension: high blood pressure can occur when there is an underlying kidney problem, a sign there could be something wrong is your cat yowling at night
  • Diabetes: Usually causes an increase in drinking and weight loss
  • Osteoarthritis: Results in a reduction in activity, reluctance to jump onto surfaces and litter tray accidents
  • Cognitive behavioural dysfunction: (Similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans), signs consistent with senility including disorientation and inappropriate vocalisation
  • Cancers: Harder to spot because cancers are so varied, growths are one of the easier ones to spot.
  • Dental disease: Cats start to suffer with this quite early, so learning good dental hygiene at your vets is a very good idea.  You'll know when your cat is suffering with dental disease when you spot them chewing on one side of their mouth or taking longer to eat their food.
Any sign in a change of behaviour can be caused by one of the underlying problems mentioned above.  Its always a good idea to pop your cat along to a vet if you notice changes.

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/Spotting_Disease_in_Older_Cats Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:51:00 GMT Cat Behaviour http://www.christinas.co.uk/Spotting_Disease_in_Older_Cats Tips on Keeping Your Dog Dry this Winter by Christinas Pet Store Tips on Keeping Your Dog Dry this Winter by Christinas Pet Store
The majority of us humans dread the damp, wet, cold weather but it feels even worse when you have just got in from work and you have to take your dog our for a walk.  Remember it's not just you who hates the cold weather your dog will too.  Having the right equipment can make the world of difference for both of you.The best way to keep your dog happy this winter is to wrap them up as well as yourself, keeping you both dry and warm.  You can now buy jumpers, wind and rain proof coats, even booties for your favourite pooch.  When you get in you'll need a super absorbent Towel and a lovely warm bed so your dog can relax and dry off as soon as he gets in without jumping over your sofa to dry off.Knowing your dog is happy and safely tucked up in his own bed, leaves you to go off make that hot cup of tea and relax in front of your fire and watch some TV.

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/Tips_on_Keeping_Your_Dog_Dry_this_Winter_by_Christinas_Pet_Store Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:44:00 GMT Dogs http://www.christinas.co.uk/Tips_on_Keeping_Your_Dog_Dry_this_Winter_by_Christinas_Pet_Store Cat Toys for Christmas from Christinas On Line Pet Store Essex Cat Toys for Christmas from Christinas On Line Pet Store Essex
Cat Toys for Christmas Like many cat owners I have purchased a lot of cat toys in the twenty years I have had both Smudge and Pebbles.  The majority of the cat toys get ignored, and I end up running around like a right idiot trying to get their interest to no avail.They always seem to love their scratch pads and boards or places to hide but many of their toys end up in the bin.However, I have consistently found both Smudge and Pebbles love the small cat toy mice you often see in Tesco's or Sainsburys.  I did stop buying them after the producer started to put pins into the eyes, not very clever, but I now pull them out before I give the toy mice to the cats.I don't know why they love them so much, but I will certainly be trying out this new cat toy as I hope it will save my vacuum from finding missing mice.Why not treat your cats to Cat Island Interactive Toy, not only will your cat have some fun, you will not have to go on the hunt for missing mice.

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/Cat_Toys_for_Christmas_from_Christinas_On_Line_Pet_Store_Essex Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:57:00 GMT Cat Toys http://www.christinas.co.uk/Cat_Toys_for_Christmas_from_Christinas_On_Line_Pet_Store_Essex Pet Shop Essex Cat Food Advice Pet Shop Essex Cat Food Advice
Cat Food Advice from Christina's online pet shop.You've probably been there yourself, every time a new food product comes out for your cat or dog you try it out and your pet seems to love it for a couple of weeks then starts to leave it.  You keep changing between flavours to try and add variety.I worked out it was cheaper to buy a chicken and basic can's of tuna then purchase Felix or Whiskers cat food.  I was also guaranteed cleared bowls at the end of Smudge and Pebbles meals.However, I was concerned of only giving them meat and decided to try the older Felix Canned Food.  I haven't looked back, not only am I saving money in these difficult times, but both Smudge and Pebbles clear their bowls after each meal.I would love to hear from anyone with similar problems with either your cat or dog and what you did to solve their fussiness.

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/Pet_Shop_Essex_Cat_Food_Advice Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:13:00 GMT Food http://www.christinas.co.uk/Pet_Shop_Essex_Cat_Food_Advice How to Stop Your Cat Spraying How to Stop Your Cat Spraying
FeliwayFeliwayThere is nothing that can be done to stop a cat spraying, but you can make things better by using Feliway feline facial pheromone spray.I suffered this problem after moving into an apartment with an open stairwell where all the neighbouring cats could get in.  My cat hating neighbours decided it was all my cats doing, so to keep them happy I went to my vets for advice.  He recommended I wash the area with hot soaping water, not bleach as this would attract the cat even more.  Then to spray the area with Feliway.It actually worked! I moved on a few years later and have never come up against the same problem again, but if I did I would buy Feliway right away.Christinas Pet Store

]]> http://www.christinas.co.uk/How_to_Stop_Your_Cat_Spraying Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:04:00 GMT Cat Behaviour http://www.christinas.co.uk/How_to_Stop_Your_Cat_Spraying 10 Top Cat Photographers from around the World 10 Top Cat Photographers from around the World
Absolutely loved these pictures and any cat lovers out there will love them too!