Christmas Safety Tips

It's almost the holidays. We think the following are important tips to keep your pet safe and happy this holiday season:

1. Don't feed your pet the dinner feast. I just learned that turkey skin is not good for dogs and cats, nor are the spices that are generally found in many holiday dishes. And, don't forget, keep the bones away from your pets, as they can shatter, splinter or break, and can cause damage to your pet's throat and/or digestive system.

2. Keep ribbons and other wrapping materials in safe places away from your pet.

3. Do not let your pets ingest Christmas tree "icicles" (tinsel). This material can cause major problems for your pet, that would require a visit to the vet.

4. Be sure you know where there is a 24-hour emergency vet clinic, in case of an emergency, as extended holidays hours by your vet may require that you make a visit to all-night clinic when you can't get a hold of your regular vet. I ran into this problem many years ago, when my cat, Pussytoes, became sick on Christmas Eve, and we had to go to an emergency clinic for help. Unfortunately, they were only open when regular vet offices were closed, so we had to pick up Pussytoes from the emergency clinic and take her to the regular vet during the day, but then take her back to the emergency clinic at night, as that was the only way to give her 24-hour care. She did not survive, however, and we lost her at 3:00 am on December 27.

5. Keep holiday cheer - such as punch, liquor, wine, beer - away from your pet as well. The alcohol is not good for your pet and can make them quite sick.

6. Have a safe, quiet place for your pet to stay when you have holiday parties, with lots of strangers coming in and out of your home, as the constant activity may be over-stimulating for your baby. Don't let all the guests overwhelm your pet at one time. Let your pet approach whomever they want, when they want. Your pet may not want to be picked up and kissed by all the "strangers", even if they are family to you.

7. Have an extra warm blanket available for the much cooler temperatures now becoming evident. Many times if you see a lump in your bed, look under the covers, and voila, your baby appears.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday, including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. May Santa Claus be good to all of you.

Pit Bulls and Parolees : TV : Animal Planet

There's a new television show on Animal Planet on Friday nights at 9:00 pm CST (10:00 pm EST) that is focusing on giving Pit Bulls a second chance. Along with Rescue Ink and The Dog Whisperer, which are on National Geographic Channel, as well as It's Me or the Dog on Animal Planet, this is another of our favorite shows. This show just started last week, so be sure to check it out at the link below. Whatever we can do to spread the word about how wonderful Pit Bulls can be, despite some of the bad publicity, is an important step to acceptance.


Pit Bulls and Parolees : TV : Animal Planet

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New October Member of Topcat's Panel of Experts

We want to welcome our newest member of Topcat's Panel of Experts that joined this month. His name is Duffy, and he is an 8+ year old, 17 pound Cairn Terrier (like Toto in the Wizard of Oz). He lives in Homosassa, Florida, with his mom, Judy. We think he is a very handsome boy, and know that he's in charge of the condominium development where he lives. He tells us that he is looking forward to seeing his "snowbird" friends soon, and hopes that they bring lots of doggie treats with them. Welcome to our family, Duffy, we love you.

Happy Halloween - Keep Your Pets Safe

Happy Halloween!!

While everyone gets excited by the idea of all the candy that is available for Halloween, be sure to keep your pet safe, and keep the candy away from it. Chocolate is very toxic to both cats and dogs, so don't let your baby have any. In addition, there are ingredients in "candy corn" which is also not good for cats or dogs.

Be sure to keep your pets inside during Halloween trick-or-treating, as many times animals can be "spooked" by all the activity going on outside with trick-or-treaters, or others that may not have such a benign agenda. Many pets get stolen during Halloween (especially black cats), and many times these animals are abused or harmed by those that are unbalanced, cruel, or just being stupid.

Consider keeping your pet in a quiet room during trick or treat hours, as the continuous ringing of the doorbell can upset some pets, or get other pets too excited. Repeatedly opening and closing the door might allow your pet a chance to get out the door, and then to get lost, which would be a horrible way to end your Halloween.

As to costumes, well, it's your call, but in my opinion, many pets do not like to be dressed in costumes. Of course, your baby might really love it, and then, just be sure that your pet's costume is safe. Never have the costume fit too tightly, and don't cover their eyes or paws, so they can still see clearly and be able to move freely. In my experience, leave the cats out of costumes, as they don't like them at all. If you insist, keep the costumes away from their heads. If you must, try a "tutu" or such decoration which does constrict their movement. Make sure there are not strings, ribbons, or other similar items that could get your pet tangled.

If you want to give your babies some special treat for Halloween, try their favorite dog or cat treat, or give them a holiday-themed toy. But keep most human food away from them.

If you light candles, be sure that they are not in reach of your pets, as a cat can easily brush a candle with its tail, and either burn themselves, or knock over the candle and start a fire. If you are planning on leaving your house, be sure that all candles are extinguished.

Those are our tips for a safe and happy Halloween. Enjoy your candy, and enjoy the companionship of your cats and dogs.

Fundraising for the 2009 Walk for Farm Animals

It's almost time for the 2009 Walk for Farm Animals, organized by the Farm Sanctuary, in DeKalb, Illinois. The walk will be on October 25, 2009. One of our friends, Cindy Mattera, is walking in the 2009 Walk for Farm Animals, along with some of her friends. We've donated to this walk through her website at First Giving. Will you join us in helping this cause. You can click on the widget in the top right corner of this blog to donate through Cindy's page. Together we can work for better conditions for farm animals, so they don't have to keep suffering.

Way to go, Cindy and training buddies. We are so proud to support you and this very important cause.

New September Members of Topcat's Panel of Experts

During September, Topcat Pet Products, Inc. welcomed three new members to our Panel of Experts.




Mocha lives in San Jose, CA, and is celebrating a birthday. What a beautiful dog. Welcome to the family. We love you.



Jackson and Sophie live in Orlando, Florida, and are beautiful Maltese. They also joined our Panel of Experts in September, and we are very lucky to have them with us. We know that Santa Claus has them on the "nice" list. These cuties couldn't be on the "naughty" list.

We can't wait to add your pets to our Panel of Experts. Just e-mail your pet's pictures, and I'll add them to the website as soon as I can.

Fall/Autumn Tips for your Pets

It's October, and the weather is changing in Illinois quickly. It's been down in the 40s already, and will probably keep getting cooler as the days shorten.

When the weather gets cooler, it's always a good idea to get your dog groomed prior to winter, as they go through a shedding phase before their winter coat comes in.

Now is also a good time to think about a sweater or coat for your dog or cat, although they already come equipped with their own fur coat. Especially small dogs, or older dogs, and pets with arthritis can benefit from a sweater. It will help keep them warmer and more comfortable.

Another idea is a thermal pet mat/bed, that reflects the pet's own body heat back to them. These thermal mats do not require any wires, and are perfectly safe to use all around the house. We have these in our pet products store, and TC wouldn't want to be without them during the fall and winter. Here's the link or click here:

http://www.shop.TOPCATPETPRODUCTS.COM/Thermal-Cat-Mat-or-Bed-ZW9243.htm

Although the cooler weather is a nice change for many people, if you are now keeping your windows open to enjoy the cooler weather without the air conditioning, be sure that all screens are secured and locked, so that your pets can't get out of the house, or fall from any upstairs windows. Pets can easily push out a screen that is not secured.

Be sure that when you are ready to fire up your fireplace during this season, that you keep your pets well away from the open flames. Most fireplaces have screens that will help to keep your pets safe, and also think about hearth rugs that are fire-resistant, in case in sparks fly from the fire. Be sure that your flue is open, as well, as the carbon monoxide is harmful to both humans and pets.

I'll post again soon.