More Spring Pet Tips , Dog, Cat and other Pet Friendly Travel Articles

Spring is here and your pets will be interacting more with the outdoors now that the weather is warming up. Warmer days mean more trips to the dog park, hikes, and longer walks at night as the sun sets later in the day.

Here?s a few tips to help them prepare for the change of seasons:

1: Brush your cat. A thorough brushing a few times a week will go a long way to curb shedding around the house and cut down on the chance of a gross hairball on your floor. Cats with long coats may need a de-matting tool as well. If your cat tolerates it, you may even try a bath to help remove the dead fur, condition their skin, and clean off any debris. Just remember, make sure to dry them well, and if your cat won?t tolerate the water, don?t push it.

2: Check that the houseplants aren?t poisonous to your pets. Cats and dogs sometimes chew or nibble plants. Some cats dig in the pots and toss dirt everywhere. If you have pets that think the plants are their ?tiny? garden, consider hanging plants or moving them where your pets can?t access them. If the plants you have are poisonous and can make your pet ill, see if your friends want them and replace them with safer species.

3: As you begin spring cleaning the house, garage, and attic be mindful of the cleaners you have in your house. Some may leave a residue behind that can harm your pets. Check the labels and keep your pets away from the newly mopped and cleaned rooms till everything is completely dry and the chemicals used are put away.

4: When removing the insulation from the windows, check the screens for holes and tears. A cat may lean against the screen and end up outside. You also don?t want flies and other bugs getting into your house. Repair any weak spots in your windows and if your cat loves to perch on the windowsill, think about getting a cat tree with multi shelves that can be placed near the window or a cat shelf that is like a hammock for cats.

5: If you use some pesticides in the house and in your yard, check the labels and think about changing brands to safer ones for the environment and your pets and children. Some types are fatal if your pet ingests them and others may cause extreme sickness. There are green ways to keep pests at bay such as using peppermint oil to repel ants and citronella to repel mosquitos.

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