*Furever Friends*

In my very first blog I spoke of my website Furever Friends.  I would like to take this time to tell you a little more about it.  I have always loved animals and knew from a very young age that I would one day like to do something with them.  My mother is also an animal lover and suggested that we start a shelter dedicated to helping rescue animals find a good home.  In one of my classes we were given the task of starting an online business on something of interest to us, and that is when I decided to start our business early.  I do not currently take in any animals but when I do, I am hoping that this website will be established well enough to effectively help animals in need.

 Our purpose: Deciding to get a pet is often a big decision for a family.  Many times they are concerned for the well being of their home and how a pet will impact their overall life.  Furever Friends is a site dedicated to making it easy for families to find the perfect pets, information about their pets, and give helpful tips on how to care for their pets with the goal to make owning a pet as enjoyable as possible. 

Our mission: To provide animal lovers with free tools and resources needed to effectively adopt, raise, and enjoy their pets in a fun, caring, and easy going environment. 

Donations:  We also accept donations that go to the maintenance of this site and to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA.  The ASPCA’s mission is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”   To learn more information about what ASPCA does, please feel free to visit their website. 

*Sweet Summer Time*

It is finally summer time which means warmer weather and the option to play outside.  Here are some great summer tips you can do to help work off that winter weight and play with your pet.

1.  Where ever you decide to go, please remember pick up after your pets.

2. Precautions-  Be sure to take the necessary precautions for both you and your pet when planning your activity.  For example, some pets (both cats and dogs) have sensitive, light colored skin and require sun block. 

3. Fleas-  Consider putting your dog and/or cat on flea medication during the summer months to reduce the chance of a flea breakout in your home. 

4. Extra Hot Days-  Do not leave your pet in the garage or your car windows rolled all the way up on extra hot days.  They are just as sensitive to the heat and this could cause them to have a heat stroke.  Lots of water, less play, and cool off more often.

5. Walking and/or Jogging-  Be sure to keep your dog on a leash.

6. Hiking-  Keep your dog by you the entire time and be sure to check your dog for ticks when you are done.

7. Swimming-  Some dogs are not good swimmers so make sure yours is.

8. Roller Blading or Roller Skating-  I would not recommend for hyper dogs.

9. Gardening-  Some animals like to play with bees which results in them getting stung.  Try to discourage this because some cats and dogs are allergic to them and could have a severe reaction.

10. Play Catch-  Simple yet fun.

*The Gift That Just Keeps Giving*

There are many benefits to owning an animal, rescue or not.  The top three reasons why I feel everyone should have an animal are as follow.  The first reason is that they bring a lot of joy to a person’s life.  No matter what kind of day you have had (good, bad, depressing, etc.), spending five seconds with them will always make it better.  It has also been proven that people with animals tend to be happier and live longer lives because of the joy their pets bring them.  The second reason I think everyone should own an animal is because they love you unconditionally.  No matter what you have done (past or present, good or bad), they do not care.  As long as you are nice to them and take care of them, you can do no wrong.  The last top reason everyone should have a pet is because they benefit your health.  Studies have been done that shows people with pets are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, stress, high blood pressure, and many others. Studies have also shown that kids that have pets in their homes are more likely to have higher self-confidence than children without pets.  So when you are making a decision on whether or not you should get a pet, remember that you will no only be helping them by giving them a loving home, but they will also be helping you mentally and physically.

Pyrrha

*Furry Friends*

I think it is very important for pets to have other animals in their lives.  We have always had at least two cats and at one point, we also had a dog.  This is important because we can not always be around or give them the attention they would like.  Having a friend around makes it easier on them when the above happens.  I also think this reduces the chances of your pet misbehaving because they are less likely to get bored and curious.  Rescuing Isis is the best thing I could have done for Pyrrha and Pouncer.  Isis and Pyrrha have become best friends and play, sleep, eat; they basically do everything together.  Even Pouncer likes having the other two around when she does get in the mood to play, but that is about it!  Once in a while Pouncer will allow the other two to nap with her.  Obviously you can’t ignore your pet just because another pet is in the house.  They still require a lot of attention from you and your family as well.  With cats, it really does not require that much more upkeep and time having another cat around.  With dogs, it is another story.  They require quit a bit more attention so make sure you are up for the challenge before you decide to get another dog.  If the dog is young enough, you could get a cat and give them the chance to bond early to enhance the chances of them getting along.   



Isis and Pyrrha



Pyrrha, Isis, and Pouncer

*It's Toy Time*

Playing with your pet, whether it’s a dog or cat, is very important to their development.  It keeps them in shape mentally and physically.  It also helps to keep them out of trouble.  When my cats don’t feel that they are getting enough attention, they will intentionally do things they know they will get in trouble for.  Our one cat will get on our kitchen counter, which is a big NO-NO, and stay up there until we go by her; and then she runs to her toy!  My friend’s puppy will also misbehave for attention.  She will start to nip at different things (blankets, clothes, fingers) until she gets played with. 

Our cats are very picky with what toys they will play with, so here are a few recommendations if you find yourself searching for the perfect toys.  Pouncer’s favorite toy is a fuzzy pink glove.  She has had this glove for 10 years and still carries it around everywhere with her; throwing it, attacking it, and howling at it.  Isis’s favorite toy is a string from a hoodie.  She will also carry it around with her and hide it from us until it magically reappears somewhere.  Pyrrha’s favorite toys are bottle caps and this string attached to a plastic stick with leather strips attached to the end (I will be posting a picture with her and this toy).  This toy is also my favorite because it requires minimal effort from me.  I can sit comfortably while I play with her, or I can wedge it between the couch cushions and let her play with it by herself. 

Pyrrha with her toy!

*Purrs and Pants (Week of June 12-18)*

This is going to be the first of many *Purrs and Pants* blogs.  Once a week, with these blogs, I will be posting a few cats and dogs of the week to consider for adoption.  All featured pets will be available at PetFinder.com.  Since I live in Illinois, the featured pets will be from shelters near where I live, but you can search for pets near you.   

 

My favorite site for finding rescue animals is PetFinder.com.  This is where I found our cat Pyrrha, our first rescue.  I favor this site over others because their site is easy to use, you can almost always find what you’re looking for (cat, dog, bird, specific breeds, etc.), and they do not promote kill shelters and puppy mills.  They not only post different animals available for adoption, but they also have different resources available regarding pets.  Even if you do not choose to get your pet from a rescue shelter, be cautious of where you do purchase your pets.  Make sure that you either know the person you are getting your pets from or they are registered breeders.  The reason I caution you is because one of my friends purchased a little Teacup Chihuahua from Petland only to have the puppy pass away a few days after she brought it home.  The dog was severely malnourished.  I have heard other people complain of the same thing happening to them after purchasing pets from this store.  Petland has had lawsuits against them for marketing puppy mill puppies to customers.  I do not know if this still goes on at their stores, I just wanted people to be aware that this goes on, even at pet stores that you think you can trust.

On to the featured animals!  This week, all featured animals are special needs and of all ages.

Morgan- Rushville, IL

Peekaboo- Urbana, IL

Samson- Channahon, IL

Lolita- Bloomington, IL

Snowball- Chenoa, IL



Russell- Pekin, IL



*It's Potty Time*

There are two products that I would recommend to help reduce the smell of owning a cat.  The first product is a cat litter called Mimi Litter and it is available at Wal-Mart.  It is made up of Porous Silica Sand and it looks like crystals.  We use to use clay litter at our house until we rescued Isis.  It was then that a friend of ours recommended Mimi Litter to us because we were having a problem with the clay litter covering up the smell of her poops.  There are other cat litter brands that make similar products; this is just the cheapest one we have found that works.  While this did help some, we still had to do something else to help reduce the smell of her poops, which brings me to my second recommendation.  The second product I would recommend is cat food made by The Blue Buffalo Co.  This is a holistic brand of cat food that does not have any chicken or poultry by-product meals, no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors, and it does not have any corn, wheat, or soy.  While this brand of cat food helps to reduce the smell of her poops, it is also very healthy for cats.   

  

I also have a few recommendations for helping with puppies when it comes time to go to the bathroom.  I know I currently do not own any dogs, but I have before and I have also interviewed friends of mine that do have dogs to come up with some of their top recommendations.  The first two recommendations go hand in hand, and that is to always praise your puppy when they are going to the bathroom and pick one word (potty, bathroom, etc.) to use while they are going.  The one word helps to promote a connection between the word and going to the bathroom so that eventually you can let your dog outside, say the word, and they will go to the spot and do their business.  The third recommendation is to always take your puppy to the bathroom (still following the above recommendations) after you feed them, after they get out of their kennel (if you are kennel training), and every few hours after that.  The larger the dog, the longer you can wait.  The smaller the dog, the more frequent you have to take them.  The final recommendation is to feed your dog Fromm dog food.  This is a holistic brand of dog food that promotes healthy digestion and if you choose the hard food, it helps keep their teeth strong.  When choosing the flavor, switch up the protein selection (duck, chicken, salmon, etc.) so that your puppy or dog is getting a variety of proteins.