The right pet supplies can make a great difference in your feline’s health and happiness. Cats love their humans but can be rather persnickety about their food, toys, bedding and even their litter box. If you lay in a supply of essentials before you adopt a kitten or cat, you would be building a solid foundation for responsible cat ownership.

Important Supplies Needed for Kittens and Adult Cats

The bare necessities for owning a cat or kitten include the right food, water and food dishes, a litter box, kitty litter and an identification collar. Your veterinarian will know whether canned, dry or moist food (or a combination) is best. However, unless your cat or kitten has special health needs, the litter box and type of litter for toilet incidences are solely at your discretion. Charcoal granules, wood pellets and non-toxic biodegradable silica pellets are just a few of many choices to consider. An identification collar with your name, address and telephone number is a necessity should your pet feline get lost.

A bed can be an important item to have for your cat or kitten so they have a designated sleep area. Toys, especially those filled with catnip are important to channel their curiosity into more constructive pursuits. A carrier would allow for easier transportation of your cat or kitten, should you have to travel or visit the veterinarian.

Optional but Essential Supplies to Stock Up On

While having the basic bare necessities is important for cat ownership, there are some pet supplies that might be deemed essential for optimal care. Talk with your veterinarian about any vitamin and mineral supplements that may be necessary to ensure a properly balanced diet. Good grooming habits are important for a cat’s health so look to the right brush or comb to maintain that feline fur. Short-haired cats may require a bristle brush and fine tooth comb whereas long-haired cats may need a wide tooth comb and a slicker brush made of wire.

Just like humans, good oral health is important to a cat or kitten’s longevity. Therefore, you should invest in a toothbrush and pet toothpaste to keep your pet’s teeth clean as possible. Nail clippers for cats is important but a good scratching post may also keep your cat’s nails naturally trimmed as well. And while walking a cat is not typical, it is important to keep a harness and leash handy for those times when you want to take your cat out for a walk or a visit to a friend’s home.

Seems the story is the same for humans as it is for our pets. Conventional veterinarians treat the symptoms and rarely address the underlying cause.

Symptoms are like the diagnostic computer mechanics use on your car to find out whats wrong. This gauge is broken & it makes a buzzing noise. So what, put some grease on it so you won’t hear the buzz. That’s what conventional medicine does, puts some grease on it. The gauge is still broken but now you don’t hear it!

So hopefully you find a medication that lessens the symptoms but the main complaint is still there. Too many people don’t even know there are real natural pet supplies and alternatives to chemicals!

The beauty of natural or holistic treatments is the fact that they are more interested in finding out what created your pets symptoms in the first place. You know, the reason they are just not acting normal. They’re trying to tell us something is wrong. A good vet should look for the cause instead of treating the symptom…

It makes me crazy, it’s like you go into your conventional vet with part of your pets femur sticking out of their butt and they say, here’s some morphine and an anti-inflammatory med that will kill the pain, use every 4 hours as needed! The problem is the femur thing, it’s still there, they can’t feel it now, so it’s alright?

Exaggerated I know, but the moral of the story is, if they fix the femur thing, the main problem, pretty soon your pet won’t need those medications anymore and the pharmaceutical companies lose a customer!!! That sucks…. Doesn’t it? For them, not our pets…

The problem is finding real natural pet supplies and remedies. The guidelines for what appears on the label of products, and what is exempt from appearing, has loosened up considerably. My favorite is proprietary blend, whats that mean, is that legal? That could contain 100 different chemicals, but they can lump it all into a proprietary blend?

I know that someday, and actually more and more people are coming around to the fact that conventional veterinary medicine may not be the best approach. Natural, do no harm is finally gaining a foothold in society. People are actually waking up and smelling the coffee! It stinks and our pets are paying a price too!

Seems so ridiculous that people buy into the fact that a symptom relieving medicine is the answer to their problem, remember, our pets are looking to us to make the right decision. We still seem to believe doctor’s have the answer. Then there’s the side effect issue, attention, side effects include; hearing loss, constipation, heart disease, cancer and even death in some animals, but hey, it might relieve the symptoms a little, worth a try? Really?

Herbal and holistic medicine has been around for thousands of years, many informed people around the world still understand the concept that the body is smarter than any scientist, doctor or any other self-professed conventional thinker. They understand that with the proper nutrients and herbs the body will heal itself! The best part being it will heal the underlying cause of the symptom with typically no side effects!

Which one to choose! If you really need to think about it, I’ll write slower so you can catch up when you decide! Alright, back to the story…

We just love our pets so much, why would we not use the safest, most natural and logical approach to see them happy and healthy. It’s not even a fair question, is it? Of course it’s not… There are real natural pet supplies that work better than their chemical counterparts!

I think we have been brainwashed long enough. I think there are a lot of people who don’t even know that there are alternatives for their pets. We have just grown up trusting our certificate laden professionals. I mean, that’s why they cost so much money, right? Surely they have all the answers!

I’m not saying that in some way conventional medicine doesn’t have anything to offer, they most certainly do have their place, but the best veterinarians should integrate natural and herbal remedies into their practices.

When it comes to making the family unit healthy, a key part of this is making sure everyone stays hydrated. And since our pets are a part of the family, it stands to reason for it to be equally imperative to get them properly hydrated as well. It can be easy to overlook that our dogs and cats are dressed in a permanent coating of fur, so they are known to get overheated even from conditions that may seem cool to us. On top of that the average animal gets a dish of water positioned on the floor that will probably be refilled or changed one time per day. Most pets do not understand they should drink more water, therefore a dish on your floor is just not enough incentive to get them to drink their fill.

Dogs and cats snooze a lot, and that is frequently brought about through boredom because they are left by themselves while we go off to work or go about our business. It is not correct to assume this significant amount of time spent sleeping is simply for the reason that the pet needs that much sleep. Most often it is simply boredom. Why not combine their requirement for action with a way to keep them hydrated along with having fun at the same time? Adding a pet water fountain to your dog or cat’s daily routine can be a great way to make these things a reality.

There hasn’t ever been a better time to shop for a pet water fountain. Only a few years ago these fountains were thought of as more of a novelty than anything else. The range of pet water fountains on the market has experienced large growth in both the looks as well as the sizes available. These increases are absolutely related to the larger interest with these pet water fountains the last few years.

The very first pet water fountains were really not anything more than a dog bowl plus some kind of pump that could recirculate the water. Pet fountains have evolved into not only useful, but extremely classy units that in most cases can be looked at as a element of the home’s decoration.

The major manufacturers of these fountains are Drinkwell, Pioneer, and Petmate. The best known brand is probably Drinkwell, plus they also sell the leading line of pet water fountains. Drinkwell makes everything from small very basic fountains to fountains intended particularly for big pets and also those homes that have more than one pet. For the most tasteful pet accessories for sale, look at the variety made by Pioneer Pets. Their ceramic and stainless pet fountains are among the most trendy out there.

No matter which style of pet fountain you go with, do not worry about being able to obtain new filters or cleaning products because every one of the manufacturers that market these pet water fountains sell those things, along with things like reservoirs with improved capacities. Those large reservoirs can be excellent when it comes to those of you who have very large animals, or are using their fountain for multiple pets.

Over 60% of pets that are seen by vets are overweight. A lot of pets are suffering with hip dysplasia, arthritis, and hip and joint diseases. Another one that comes up is skin problems. One of the first things that a vet is going to recommend if you bring your pet in to them and they’ve got some skin issue or skin problem, they’re going to change their diet. That’s the first thing they’re going to change, because that’s probably the cause of it.

The commercials you see on TV, they don’t care about the health of your pets. They care about moving product. Pet owners see their pet care professionals as being their animal advocate in the new millennium more than the commercials now, more than their vets. The pet food recall in 2007? That was a big wakeup call. That was a really big cloud over the pet food industry for a while, but the true silver lining of that dark cloud is that it brought everyone’s attention to the lack of enforced regulation in the pet industry.

The importance of optimal nutrition can’t be stressed enough. Pets, just like human, require a balanced diet of fresh, natural, nutritious human-grade food. And we do live in a very polluted world. We need to make sure they have a balanced diet, and that it’s fresh. If you’ve ever heard of the BARF diet, the Bones and Raw Food, that’s a great choice.

The top two ingredients you never want to see in your pet’s food are:

• By-product. By-product could be any part of any animal, and it’s not fit for human consumption. That just goes back to if it’s not good enough for us; it’s probably not good enough for our pets.
• Beet pulp or peanut shells. Beet pulp is sugar beets and they truly have beaten all of the sugar out of it, it’s just pulp. It has no nutritional value whatsoever. It’s added to create firm stools. They know what you pet parents are looking for, and they know that in general pet parents like to see their dogs or cats take big poops, because they think that’s a good thing.

If you don’t supply a constant supply of cool, fresh, clean water for your pet, they’re going to find it somewhere. And we don’t want them drinking it out of the toilet. That’s not healthy. But also the studies are showing that our dogs and our cats are not drinking enough water. The majority of our pets are suffering from dehydration.

Recent months have proven to be nothing short of an evolving period of crisis for the American food industry, dealing first of all with the nightmare of contaminated spinach. Soon afterwards, deadly microbes began showing up in peanut butter, of all things. And, then came the contamination of tomatoes and imported melons. But, this latest outbreak, involving tainted pet food has not only contributed to the illness or death of reportedly thousands of family pets, more importantly, it’s revealed a food safety system in America that’s remarkably dysfunctional.

Confidence in the FDA couldn’t be lower. What we’ve depended upon to be our first line of defense in protecting the safety of our food has instead revealed itself as an agency that’s chronically under-funded and forced to utilize severely outdated methods of scientific research and analysis. But, even more disappointing is the realization that it actually has very little enforcement authority, even within its own poorly structured regulatory framework. So, it comes as no real surprise that today’s “post 911″ FDA is only geared toward reacting to situations, with nothing in place to stop them from occurring in the first place.

Former FDA chief, Dr. David Kessler in testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was quoted as saying “We have no structure for preventing food-borne illness in this country. The reality is that there is currently no mandate, no leadership, no resources, nor scientific research base for prevention of food safety problems. There is no one in the executive branch with the clout and Authority to prevent food-borne illness”.

Many argue that we’re using our pets as guinea pigs, testing the safety of ingredients and unknown additives imported for the production of pet foods. The greater concern should be that much of those same ingredients are finding their way into foods consumed by us humans. Not surprisingly, I have an increasing lack of confidence in the suggestions of “experts” or food labels advocating “Safe For Human Consumption”. Precisely who is it that we’re supposed to trust?

As concerned Americans, this has to be our wake-up call. It’s time to strengthen the FDA’s ability to ensure the safety of our food supply by providing the desperately needed resources and by unifying and elevating food safety leadership between the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. It’s time to once and for all put an end to the growing number of high profile, and deadly breakdowns in the nation’s food inspection system.

We can’t bring back the beloved pets we’ve lost, as a result of the current lack of oversight, but we can take measures to prevent the tragic consequences of future outbreaks. Our message to Congress should be that it’s no longer “ok” to rely on a broken system with the embarrassing capacity to inspect only 1 to 2 percent of our increasing levels of cheap imported food products. And, we need action now, before our concerns once again, begin to erode with the passing of time.

There are literally thousands to choose from these days. This article highlights just some of the innovative products aimed at improving your kitten or cat’s welfare and health.

Cat Collars – new snap opens designs

Cat care organisations have advised for a while that traditional collars maybe dangerous. Elastic straps can stretch and move to under the cat’s ‘armpit’ or around the jaw, causing injury. New safety release designs have plastic ‘snap open’ fastenings that release the collar, leaving the cat free from injury if the collar becomes caught on anything.

Although popular to alert birds to predatory cat’s movements, traditional bells are actually not such a good idea either. Similarly, dangling tags on collars can become caught on objects, or the cat can get its claws stuck in them. Collars can be made now with your contact details printed into the collar.

Anti stress innovations

Cats can suffer from stress in some situations – in a multi-cat household, when travelling in a carrier box, when moving into a new home or even if you’re moving furniture around redecorating (basic motto: familiar is good, unfamiliar not so good). Two products aim to make the surroundings more familiar-feeling and reduce stress:

Synthetic Feline Pheromone diffusers: these look more like a ‘plug in’ style air freshener. The diffused liquid should be odourless & undetectable to all except your kitten or cat. Its designed to mimic naturally occurring facial pheromones, the chemical ‘scents’ cats use to denote their territory with.

Synthetic Feline Pheromone sprays: Can be used to spray furniture aiming to deter urine marking, scratching; to make travelling more comfortable and to spray the floor of a cattery or cat-sitting friend’s house while you are on holidays.

Kitten and Cat Toys

o Boingy string toys -a ‘wand’ for you to hold, a length of soft elastic and something for the cat to chase.

- Catnip toys – around 70% of cats react to the aromatic oil nepetalactone contained in catnip, making them blissfully intoxicated for a few minutes. Be aware though, some exhibit aggressive behaviour ‘under the influence’. Avoid catnip products altogether if this is the case.

o Valerian toys – valerian is a herb that specifically acts as a ‘nervine’ for cats and may help cats to relax.

o Cat Tunnels – essentially dinner-plate diameter fabric tubes held open by rings. Cats may like to hide in, ‘hunt’ in, and relax in. Available in many finishes – crinkly, plush, felt, with or without mobiles, with or without a hole to ‘hunt’ through, hidden ‘rustling’ foils…

o Automatic toys

- various battery powered designs, generally featuring moving string and/or something for kitty to catch. Check for saftey, and do not leave unattended – could be popular but not a ‘kitty babysitter’!

o Cat gyms – usually multi-level, covered in carpet fabric or similar, and designed to encourage the kitten or cat to climb and prevent boredom. The one group of cats these bring to mind is indoor cats – who must get plenty of exercise and stimulation to stay healthy and contended.

o Laser toys – you hold and move it around to spin a laser light around for kitties to chase. Most products carry warnings to not shine directly in the eyes as this can cause permanent damage.

Last year the Pet Food Recall had many people outraged. With the growing awareness of what is actually in pet foods, people are looking for a safe alternative. Millions of pet owners need to hear the truth about pet foods.

It’s extremely unfortunate that pet food corporations still include ingredients that are inferior like corn, wheat and corn gluten, substances that are used to boost the protein value of lower quality foods, adding by-products, chemical preservatives, sugars, or artificial flavors and colors.

Have you ever wondered why so many of our pets are dying of cancer, thyroid problems, kidney and liver disease? And why so many have allergies like sneezing, coughing or scratching all the time, an ear infections that won’t go away. The answer could probably be in their food dish and over use of vaccines, but that’s another subject.

We all heard about the recent Chinese pet food recalls, and the staggering numbers of pets that were severely affected by the ingredients contained in the food.

How many trusted these companies? How many lost their best friends because they did not know what was really in the food they were giving them. It was unfortunate that it took one unknown chemical to bring attention to our pets food. The fact is the food we were feeding and some still are feeding their pets were unhealthy before all the recalls happen and still are.

People are being misled by clever marketing tactics regarding which food is best. The unsuitable and harmful ingredients that are used, how long it is stored before it is ever placed on shelves for sale. (Most the time it’s 6 – 18 months.) It’s time to stop trusting the well being of our pets to just anyone who makes a pet food.

We are losing our pets due to tainted or harmful pet foods. Unfortunately this has happened to the point of massive recalls for well known brands of dog and cat foods and is STILL happening.

You can make a difference in your pets’ life and help other pets as well? Are you interested in helping pets live longer, healthier lives?

Do you have a pet or know anyone who has a pet?

Do you know anyone who has a pet that doesn’t feed them?

Do you know anyone who has a pet that wants to feed them old,

spoiled, Non human quality products…intentionally? Of course not!

Are you a motivated, passionate person who wants to earn an incredible residual income by simply recommending a exclusive product line. By offering pet owners healthy solutions to common pet problems, you can help animals live a longer life, which also allows you to earn a monthly residual income for life.

The endless cat and mouse chase has been immortalized in literature countless times. And what makes this prey and predator relationship tick also finds relevance in the diet and nutrition of felines. Ever heard about cats chasing grains, or fruits and vegetables? Felines are carnivorous creatures that find nourishment over a few pounds of meat protein daily and a steady supply of water to supplement a dry diet. Moreover, nature bestowed felines with shorter digestive tracts that would not be able to handle carbohydrate enriched foods as well as plant fibers efficiently. Thus, an omnivore diet would only render your pet obese or perhaps devoid them of the nutrients vital to cat health and this sets the stage for serious pet health problems. Likewise, feeding your pet with meat by-products often laden with preservatives and other inorganic substances does not help to this end either.

Replicating feline diet in the wild becomes the likely key to optimal cat health. Consequently, cats require natural forms of medication, as much as they need animal protein. Know that most pet illnesses are typically food based, borne of nutritional deficiencies that manifest in the form of allergies or instances of hormonal imbalance. Most likely, the overuse of antibiotics and multiple vaccines in the name of disease treatment induces more harm than healing and can breakdown your pets immune defenses. In matters of cat healthcare and disease prevention, your pet would truly achieve sustained healing from a treatment of herbal extracts, or perhaps a pet herbal supplement formula.

While veterinary medicine is known for its cunning ability to swiftly heal symptoms, the chemical substances put forth in its manufacture can also compromise cat health through the undue impairment of pet immune defenses that makes them susceptible to the antigens of chronic infections. The administration of a pet herbal supplement formula will not damage the functions of vital antibodies nor produce side effects detrimental to cat health.

Pet health products, and specifically, herbal supplement products, are manufactured from a safe and therapeutic blend of herbal and homeopathic ingredients intended to mildly clear the symptoms of an infection while probing deeper into the disease in order to correct an imbalance or systemic disorder that may actually be causing the onset of an infection.

What can you do to improve the health of your dog, its coat, and its skin that is cheap and effective? Grooming that’s what! The small investment of time and money involved for grooming can yield numerous benefits for your dog’s health!

Is your dog’s coat looking dull, tatty and matted? Is your dog’s sad looking coat causing you to worry about his/her overall health? Sometimes the simple things can often provide very effective benefits, and in the case of the health of your dog, grooming is one of these simple measures that can yield big results.

Dog health and grooming go hand in hand as the act of grooming has numerous benefits that can help prevent many dog health problems before they arise. Like humans, regular grooming and attention to changes in the skin, eyes, and teeth can help maintain health and prolong the life of your pet, as many indications of possible health problems are noticed and addressed before they progress to something more sinister.

Health Benefits of Grooming

• Grooming removes dead hair leaving only the healthy hair behind, which immediately looks better. It also lets air circulate through the coat better reducing any odor, keeps the dog cooler, and looks cleaner. It is also a good idea to bath your dog regularly with a quality dog shampoo to further improve the benefits of general grooming.
• Grooming stimulates blood flow, which in turn improves blood supply to the hair follicles working wonders for the health of the overall coat.
• Grooming also stimulates the lymphatic system, thus having a positive affect on the dog’s overall health in the same way that a massage does for humans.

Residual Benefits of Grooming
Aside from the more obvious physical health benefits of grooming there are other benefits such as: -

• Bonding with your Dog – While grooming your dog you are helping to create a bond between you and your pet because of the physical touching and interaction. This also has a positive effect on the dog’s emotional state as it feels more comfortable and safe in your hands. Dogs always love the attention they get during grooming.
• Knowing your pet – While grooming your dog you get to know your pet better and know what he/she likes or dislikes, and its favorite and least favorite places to be touched or brushed. Knowing your pet will help you to notice any changes that may indicate a health problem, for instance if your dog suddenly flinches when touched in an area where it usually loves to be touched would alert you to investigate the cause of the tenderness.
• Spot Possible Health Dangers – While grooming your dog you can check the skin for possible skin rashes and problems like hair loss or lumps. Also check for signs that your dog has been scratching a certain area of the skin which would indicate some sort of irritation such as worms, fleas, mites or ticks. Ticks in particular can be deadly if left undetected and a thorough visual check of the dog’s skin should be a regular part of your dog health and grooming strategy. It is a good idea to check the eyes for any signs of sight or health problems while grooming your dog. Also check the pads and nails of the paws for problems that may require attention along with the teeth for signs of decay or gum problems.

Possible Bonus Benefit for you

If you find that you enjoy grooming and become quite competent, you may consider starting your own dog grooming service to make a few extra dollars or perhaps turn it into a full time business. Dog grooming services are in high demand and can be very profitable. There is nothing better than making a living doing something that you enjoy.

What You Need to Start?

It is important to get the right grooming tools and information on grooming techniques. The internet has is a wealth of information about grooming along with numerous sites that sell a range of grooming tools. Other sources are local pet supply stores or alternatively most towns and cities have a local dog association where dog lovers can meet and exchange ideas. Public libraries may also have books on dog grooming.