It seems like sometimes it’s hard to find a better friend than your pooch or household cat. While these loyal companions can be a handful sometimes, they pay you back with affection and partnership. Animals really can be part of the family. That said, we should always try to take the best care of our fuzzy friends.
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Here are five simple tips to cozy up your own and your pet’s life.
1. Feed Them Well!
Just like us humans, cats, critters, and dogs all need to maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet. So, what do you choose? Wet or dry food? To be honest, there is no real consensus over which one is better, and nutritionally they can be about the same. Wet food tends to contain more protein and less carbohydrates than dry food, but at the same time it also contains more fats, preservatives, and other chemicals.
One option is to buy organic pet foods, which can be found at any local grocery store or specialty pet shop. These, like organic foods, tend to have less of a presence of chemical residues. Another option is a raw food diet (Yes! A raw food diet for your pets!). While there are some dangers associated with the raw food diet for pets, specifically the presence of Salmonella and E. coli in meat, it can be tremendously healthy for you fuzzy friend. A typical dinner might include a hearty bone to chew on, ground beef with organ meat, eggs, fruit and veggies, and then a dash of supplements .
2. Exercise Daily
Okay, so this may be harder for those of us with cats or small animals like ferrets, but exercising daily is great for both your pet and you. Nearly 35 percent of household animals are overweight today, increasing their chances for serious illnesses. Unfortunately, we Americans aren’t doing so hot in the weight category either. With that said, put on your jogging shoes and start running!
Whether it is hiking with your dog, getting your cat to run around after a light while you do crunches, or running up and down stairs, any activity will help you both.
3. Spay And Neuter
The fact that there are 6-8 million homeless animals entering shelters each year should be compelling enough. While it can seem cruel to do this to your pets, it is for their own good and the good of their offspring, which would be likely to end up in shelters or even dead. Suck it up Fido, it’s well worth it!
4. Watch Your Chemicals!
We all know how dangerous pesticides and household cleaners can be for humans. That same danger is real for pets, too. Pesticides aim at disrupting the nervous system of the pest, and while they usually don’t pose an immediate threat to humans, they can have harsh effects on your animals well-being.
The same goes for the chemicals under the sink. While these may be stored away and less accessible, whenever you take them out for cleaning be sure the pets are outside or somewhere where they can come take a big whiff. An alternative option is making your home free of chemicals.
5. Indulge In TLC
Everyone loves a little special treatment. Try out some organic catnip for your feline friend. For the dog lovers, find a hearty all natural chew toy or even make some homemade dog treats. Experiment, have some fun, and please your pets!
