If you think pet sweaters, nail polish and ribbons are strictly for the Paris Hiltons of this world, be advised that many chic kitties and yuppie puppies actually belong to people old enough to be Hilton's grandmother. The elderly are the current biggest proponents of the pet pampering tend, and, interestingly enough, coddling their furry companions is now proven to have positive mental and physical effects on elderly pet-owners as well as benefitting pet health.
According to the Canadian Paper Lifestyle, while pet spending continues to increase, "All this is money well spent, according to the Ontario Veterinary Association, which.... documents (that) pet ownership is both physically and psychologically beneficial."
Who could so cruelly endanger the pet health of this poor kitty? This cat is being held ransom, but the right caption could save it's life! Not really, but it could win you fame and acclaim, and possibly a future headline-writing gig.Submit your caption in the comments below for a chance to win! Our Caption: "Go Ahead: I've Got Eight More." Update: Last week's caption contest was considered a draw. Matthew wins Most Creative and Jarrod wins Most Deranged. Congratulations to all!
I don't know if this woozy little kitty was just hitting the catnip too hard or what, but this cat is totally out of it! Watch it nod off and then jerk back awake like a bored employee in a board meeting. Hilarious! Have to say, such erratic sleep can't be good for pet health....
Few things are more endearing, aggravating or amusing than the sleeping habits of cats. One of the most baffling and admirable qualities about cats is their ability to create a comfy bed no matter what chaos surrounds them. Christmas presents, moving boxes and couch crevices are just a few of the places you might find a cat dozing smugly, oblivious to bulldozers outside or crinkly tissue paper rustling every time they move.
My cat Ferdinand sleeps in the swankest of all cat beds now: the Dolce Vita DuoTemp bed. Naturally, being named Ferdinand, my cat firmly believes he is the king of the world and has had no problems adjusting to his new regal digs.Ferdinand is in his silver-fox years now so I have to think more about pet health and pampering than when he was a frisky little kitten. Thus a Dolce Vita DuoTemp is where he makes his current furry home.
Truthfully, I feel like his nice new Dolce Vita pet bed is reparations for the pet bed boot camp he went through when he was young. As a kitten Ferdinand would literally sleep anywhere. Read on for a few more illustrious examples....
This video is like the Cirque de Soleil of cats! Cats on their hind legs. Cats fearlessly jumping through water. Cats squeezing themselves through impossibly small crevices. It's all here! Check it out.... Warning: Trying these at home could be hazardous to your pet health.
Announcing a new feature here on the Dolce Vita pet blog: Each week we will post a cute cat picture just begging to be captioned by you, our most creative readers! Picture subject will range anywhere from animal antics to pet health, to just general cat craziness.And if you have a particularly cute picture of your kitty in a Dolce Vita pet bed, send it in and we'll caption that as well! The winning caption will be featured the following week, so don't forget to check back. To enter, just leave a caption in the comments section below. Here's our first fabulous cat pic, with a caption by us just to kick things off!
"I can't believe The Craiglist Ad said become the next Tony the Tiger" "I can't believe The Craiglist Ad said become the next Tony the Tiger"
This slow motion montage of flying dogs and lasers (what could be more awesome) is way better than all those cheesy kissing scenes that use emulate this technique. Check out the art film Birds aka Flying Dogs here.
According to this cautionary post from Tales and Tails of New York, the answer is an adamant 'no', so read on to hear why!
The Tragic Myth of the "Outdoor Cat" (or Dog)
This is a powerful reminder why we all have to be outspoken advocates for keeping companion animals indoors. Sure, dogs and cats are reasonably intelligent, but just as with human children, we don't trust them to wander the streets alone. They have little or no comprehension what rules and protocols our society goes by (I.E., a road is for cars, not dogs or cats). Just last week, the bar owner down the block lost their "bar cat" to a car on Warren St. Don't assume that people are paying attention, what with their iPods, iPhones and daydreaming while they drive. Don't even assume that they care enough to stop or slow down.People have changed.
It's not just cars either. There are wandering vicious dogs, cat fights, and mean rotten people. There are all kinds of pollutants (city "road dust" contains high amounts of lead for example) and disease vectors (ticks and mosquitos). And of course there's Parvo, FIV, FIPS, etc., etc. Even when there are vaccines, they're not perfect. Studies show time and again that pets let outdoors tend to have radically shortened lives.
There's no such thing as an "outdoor" cat or dog. Both are creatures brought about by humans (traditional animal husbandry), and as such have no ecological niche. The harm they do to wildlife is hard to calculate, but in many places including NYS, cats are considered the top reason for songbird decline. If you've ever seen a cat stalk and kill a bird or chipmunk, you know that like man, cats hunt for sport. By letting these domesticated animals outside, we not only put their lives at risk, but other animal lives. People are fooling themselves if they think their Precious wouldn't do such things. Why should wild animals have to die so Fido or Patch can play outside? As with responsible parenting, we have to be guardian-parents, not friends. We have to do what's best for all animals, not what seems nice or convenient. Some people claim their animals will be miserable if they can't go outside. Ask them, "How miserable will they be if they're run over or set upon by a large dog or rotten kids, or contract FIV? How miserable will you be during an emergency trip to the vets?" Sure, there's an adjustment period as you wait for them to stop yowling to go outside. All life learns to adapt - that's the history of life and evolution.
This article definitely gives one pause. On the one hand, it is a New York-based blog, so Big Apple life is probably tougher on animals than say, the rurals or suburbs. Also, certainly some breeds are at less risk than others from outside adventures. A Basset Hound may be just fine bounding in the woods, whereas a Pomeranian should perhaps stick to being Princess of the Pet Bed. What do you think? Are Indoor Cats just Inmates? Or is the Great Outdoors looking not so great? Weigh in here on whether indoor life or outdoor life is ultimately better for pet health and safety!
L.A. canines and their owners are invited to the first Cool Canine Beat the Heat in store event to battle the Dog Days of Summer along with heat stroke and stress in pets. Dolce Vita is launching the new ColdHeat Pet Index, a personalized pet calculator, which gives owners an online resource to check their pets’
likelihood for heat stress or stroke on any given day throughout the country. By simply plugging in your zip code, as well as some personalized information about your animal such as breed and age, the ColdHeat Pet Index will provide the level of risk for your pet and some possible solutions to keep them out of danger.
The ColdHeat Pet Index can be viewed online at www.coldheatpetindex.com and at www.petco.com. This event will educate as well as treat canines and their owners with a variety of “cool†treats including:
Dog Wellness – Learn how to use the ColdHeat PetIndex while your dog lounges in the chilled Dolce Vita DuoTemp pet beds. Vets will be on hand to answer pet owners’ heat health questions.
Doggie Salon – “Hot†summer cuts and Pooch Pet-icures in the PETCO Grooming department
Dr. Karen Halligan of the SPCA-LA will be on hand to answer pet owners’ questions and give tips to help pets beat the heat in the summer months. Star 98.7 will also be on hand with a radio remote to garner additional attention. The event will also showcase the new Dolce Vita DuoTemp pet bed, the first pet bed to deliver both therapeutic cooling and warming in a comfortable, calming environment for dogs and cats of all sizes and breeds.
Date/Location: Wednesday, Aug. 1, 4:30 – 6:30 PM PETCO West Hollywood
508 N. Doheny, West Hollywood, CA. 90048
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