One very clever kitty and his two well trained humans.
Friday Fun: Simon’s Cat As Alarm Clock
Continuing the theme from last Friday, here’s a funny installment of an alarm clock in feline form.
How To Test Your Diabetic Cat’s Blood Sugar At Home
Our cat Sage has a wonky pancreas it seems. She has become diabetic twice now with a remission in between. And each time, it wasn’t until she was pretty bad off that we could tell anything was wrong. I plan on getting a glucose meter so we can take better care of her and so we can save some money with fewer trips to the vet.
Here’s a great video on how to test your cat’s blood sugar levels. It shows what you’ll need and where the best place on the ear is to get the tiny bit of blood you need for the meter. (Note: I saw another tip that warming up the cat’s ear with a warm washcloth or by rubbing it also helps to get a bead of blood.) It also shows how to use the meter. Cool.
Keeping Your Pets Cool
Lord it’s hot in the Pacific NW lately and most people don’t have air conditioning in their homes, so we’re wilting a bit. Here are some ideas for keeping your pets cool.
First, water, water, water. Don’t underestimate how much fresh water your pets need in the heat. Provide water in the yard, in your house, and when you take your dog out.
Inside:
- Let them have access to a bathtub, shower, tile floor, or basement to lie on.
- Keep the air moving with fans and ventilation. Placing a styrofoam cooler filled with ice in front of a fan can help cool things off.
- Maybe try putting some ice in the water dish.
For dogs:
- If you don’t have enough good shade in your yard, stick a beach umbrella in the ground to provide more. You can get smaller, less expensive ones at Costco, Target, etc. Your dog will need more than a tiny little patch of shade.
- Get a plastic kiddy pool. (Unfortunately for us, Saffron is still very cautious about hers and won’t lie down in it. She will get in it for treats. Silly girl!)
- An elevated bed will provide air circulation to keep your dog cooler.
Breezy Bed (this one has an awning for protection from sun & rain)
- Cooling beds filled with gel or water will help a hot dog.
- Cooling jackets work either by water evaporation or reflection.
- There are also cooling collars and bandannas.
- Try some frozen treats. You can stuff a Kong with peanut butter, cheese whiz, even broth. You can also freeze broth or water in a plastic container—stick some treats in it before you freeze it to keep your dog interested.
Friday Fun: Wake Up & Feed Me!
An insistent cat + sleeping guy + camera = Friday Fun. Right between the eyes—what a little fiend!