Pet Stress and Pet Behavior Problems

Peaches, the October contest winner won’t be celebrating her first birthday until April 26, 2011.  She’s only eight months old. Phyllis, her owner, bought her as a birthday present for herself in July of this year. What a great gift!

Phyllis told us a little more about Peaches: “She likes to play with her pal Munchkin, who is a Pomeranian just three months younger then her. She also likes to play with the two kitty cats that live with her.”

And here’s a glimpse into Peaches’ feelings about baths: “One day I had her outside for some run off some energy time& she got really dirty. When I looked down at her I was suprised to see her covered in dirt! That beautiful white fur was so awful looking, all I could do was laugh. She went right to the bath, which she was not impressed with.”

This weekend I’ll be travelling with my cousin Susan to visit my sister in Vermont. I’ll be staying at my sister’s house, but my cousin has to check in to a hotel because she is just too allergic to my sister’s 3 cats. In fact, the last time that Susan stayed at my sister’s house she came down with bronchitis a few days later. Her doctor recommended minimizing the amount of time she spends at my sister’s.

I have to admit, Susan is very allergic. She recently told me that last time she went for a massage she started having allergies. She asked the masseur if he had cats. “No” he said, “but I am cat sitting this week and staying at their house.”

Chances are that for those of us who live with cats, we all have a few friends that can’t come over without popping an allergy pill first. For this reason, I was particularly interested in a recent article in the New York Times: “REALLY? The Claim: Dark Cats Cause More Allergies Than Light Ones.” This theory was studied in 2000 on a group of 300 people with affirmative results. However, the article goes on to say that the link between cat color and allergic reaction is not proven. But here’s what the article says has been proven. I didn’t know this: male cats produce more allergens than females. Who knew?

With or without the fun collar, the August winner is one handsome cat.

Deuce turned 6 months old yesterday, and by the look of things in the photos that his owner Sarah sent, these six months have been filled with good times. Here’s Deuce trying to camouflage himself into a fuzzy blanket when he was about 10 weeks old:

Sarah told us that “Deuce’s favorite activity is sleeping and being a trouble maker. He loves to take things and hide them under rugs around the house. He also loves to knock things off of the counters while looking at us when he does it! He also loves to sit in front of the big bay window and watch the birds and bee’s fly by! Even sometimes you will catch him watching television and if there is a bird on, he jumps at the television trying to catch it!”

Its not surprising that Deuce was exploring the dishwasher. Sarah wrote that “Deuce has surprised me by how he can jump so high & how he likes water. If there is room for him he will jump up anywhere. He loves to jump up on the bathroom counter when the water is running. Yes he loves water – he even tries to sneak in the shower when its running!”

Deuce and Sarah

Deuce and his "Dad"

The winning prize money will go to treats, a new collar, and maybe another kitten from the shelter! Soon Deuce might have a partner in crime.

Thanks for your participation, Sarah. And thanks to all of Deuce’s supporters who made him a winner. If you have a fun picture of your pet you can enter it in the September Picture Perfect Pet Photo Contest.

If you are going on a trip this summer and bringing your pet along, the last thing you need is extra worry. Even just skimming our article Pet Travel Tips to Reduce Pet Stress could make your trip easier.

Summer is associated with fun, but it can also pose hazards to pet safety and health. Here are some tips for keeping you and your pets stress free, safe and healthy this summer. Read our article on Summer Pet Safety Hazards>>