Amy D Shojai's Blog
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Aug.08.2011
I live in North Texas where 108-degree weather has everyone hot under the collar. Just imagine how pets feel with a fur coat. Cats and dogs risk sunburn, pad burns and life-threatening heat stroke without proper precautions.
Dogs don't get pad burns very often because they flinch away from...
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Jul.29.2011
Two blogs in two days--and there's a reason for that! It goes beyond back-to-back Paw Nation articles (thanks to Gina Misiroglu and RedRoom.com!). Mostly I'm pretty irreverent in my blog posts and often write with tongue firmly in (furry) cheek as you'll see in yesterday's Seeing Eye to Eye post....
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Jul.28.2011
The eyes of cats and dogs are quite similar to our own, but how are they different? The cat has the largest eyes of any meat eater; if our own eyes were proportionally the same as this Devon Rex kitty in the photo, human eyes would be eight inches across. But it goes beyond the looks-pun...
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Jul.22.2011
Dogs may be "man's best friend," but parrots, cats, lizards and horses also form connections to people. Not only can having a pet cheer you up and reduce your stress levels, but your pet could save your life. These pets may be able to detect cancer, diabetic crises, seizures, migraines...
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Jul.16.2011
I have no doubt that catnip prompted the Cheshire Cat's grin. My cat Seren wears the same expression when she indulges. But why do cats find this nondescript herb so attractive? Is it a kitty aphrodisiac, a harmless pleasure or something more sinister?
Nepeta cataria, or catnip, is a strong-...
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Jul.08.2011
96dpi, Flickr
Legends and myths sometimes arise out of a misunderstood truth, and kitty-correct four-paw landings are one such behavior. Yes, cats have an uncanny ability to fall safely from sometimes death-defying heights and land on their feet, which perhaps gave birth to the "nine...
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Jun.29.2011
Fireworks from July 4th celebration may be festive to you, but can turn your pets into nervous wrecks. More cats and dogs--and even livestock like horses--become lost on this day than any other when pets panic, go through windows, break tethers and leap fences.
Even safely contained pets...
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Jun.22.2011
When a dog or cat can't bear to be left alone they may "act out" and damage your belongings, or even hurt themselves. These pets aren't chewing up furniture, defecating on the bed, or breaking through glass windows to "get back at you." Think of separation anxiety as a form...
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Jun.14.2011
Does your new kitten hide under the bed? Do your adult cats disappear when visitors ring the doorbell? Does the new puppy send your kitty into hiss-terics? Learning why cats act scared helps you know how to avoid fear triggers.
Scaredy cats react with fear to unfamiliar people, places or situations...
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Jun.06.2011
June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, but spring also brings an abundance of needy puppies, cute kittens, and strays. Adding a new pet to the existing furry family can put tails in a twist. Would you embrace that stranger off the street who smells funny, sleeps in your bed, uses your toilet...
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May.26.2011
Today 71.4 million households in the U.S. own at least one pet -- that's 62 percent of the U.S. population. This "pet generation" has long known what science now proves -- pets are good for our health, especially when it comes to stress reduction.
Stress Response
When stress accumulates...
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May.23.2011
Cats become pests with their determination to stay above it all. They cruise kitchen countertops, lounge atop doors and leap to refrigerator tops to ambush treats.
The urge to be the top cat seems a universal cat vice. By understanding why cats scale the heights, cat owners can provide legal...
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May.16.2011
We cherish the cat's fastidious nature. But neatnik behavior goes beyond looking good. How and why cats groom impacts physical, emotional and social health. Kittens learn to lick themselves by 2 weeks of age using copycat behavior, and a slovenly mother will raise kitten slobs. Most times, though,...
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May.11.2011
Last week, I had TWO articles published at the amazing Paw Nation site--one on playtime and how to interact with your cat, and the very next day a second article. But I was on the road last Thursday at a writers conference (check out the Ebooks Helpful Links List) and somehow missed giving a shout-...
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May.09.2011
Just back from the OWFI Writers Conference--an amazing time with great seminars featuring Steve Berry, the keynote speaker, and his lovely wife Liz who spoke on marketing and "book buzz." It's always fun to catch up with friends and connect with new writerly folks.
Yep, that's me in the...
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About Amy
Amy Shojai, CABC, a nationally known authority on pet care and behavior, is a certified animal behavior consultant, a spokesperson for the pet products industry, and the author of 23 nonfiction pet books and hundreds of articles and columns.
She is the...
Connections
Causes Amy Shojai Supports
Cat Writers Association, Winn Feline Foundation, AKC Canine Health Foundation, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
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