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Spoil Your Cat!
June signals the beginning of summer vacations, road trips, and other exciting outings. Most likely, this means poor kitty is home alone more than usual. Check out these easy-to-make entertaining toys and treats to keep your cat happy and engaged, whether you are at home or away.

Turn everyday items into fun toys:
Cats are predatory animals by nature. They also have extremely keen eyesight, even in low light, so shapes and noise excite them. It doesn’t take much to engage them!

- Rescue an empty toilet paper roll or paper towel tube from the recycle bin. Loop some string, feathers, fuzzy toys, bungee cords, or other scrap items through it, or cut holes and tie them on. Be sure to attach everything as securely as possible.

- Turn empty plastic bottles into intriguing chase toys. Remove any labels, put bells or LED lights inside, close the top securely, and watch your cat go crazy!

- Paper bags and cardboard boxes—either on their own or filled with exciting trinkets such as crumpled paper or pingpong balls—can keep cats busy for hours. Be sure to remove any tape or staples, and never use a plastic bag.

- Use a stick, wooden dowel, or any other sturdy rod as a “fishing pole.” Attach a heavy duty piece of string to the end. At the other end of the string, secure feathers and other fun, creative lures such as bells, crinkly balls, or even a stocking stuffed with catnip. When you can’t be there to hold the pole, get creative and attach it to a doorknob or elsewhere so kitty can bat at it ‘til his heart’s content.

Perfect perch:
In case you haven’t noticed, our feline friends love being high up. Creating a custom kitty condo requires a bit of effort, but the extra time is worth it. Measure the area where you want to hang the perch (such as the wall or a window), and cut a piece of wood to size. You can have this done at a big box home improvement store. Purchase a scrap of carpeting bigger than the wood—a remnant should be perfect. Wrap the carpet around the piece of wood, folding the corners neatly, and stapling it to the underside of the wood. Install brackets on the wall or window, and secure the piece of wood, checking to be sure it will hold your kitty’s weight.

Healthy treats:
Cats love eating greens. No one knows for sure, but it is believed that cats seek out extra fiber in their diets to help them get rid of hairballs and maintain a well-balanced digestive system. To deter them from eating your houseplants—which can make them sick or even be poisonous—plant kitty a garden to call her own. Some safe grasses/herbs for your cat include catnip, oat grass, wheat grass, barley grass, and rye grass. You can find these plants as seeds or already started in a pot.

Terrific tuna treats:
For a delicious snack after kitty plays hard, your finicky feline won’t be able to resist these yummy, healthy treats.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup tuna packed in oil*
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 large egg, beaten

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour and powdered milk. In a separate bowl, mix tuna and egg together, mashing the tuna to a smooth consistency. Add the tuna mixture to the dry ingredients, adding the water a little at a time, until mixture forms a slightly sticky dough. Using two spoons or a melon scoop, create balls and place them 1-inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before serving to your pet.
*You may substitute tuna with ground, cooked chicken and 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil.

Stored in an airtight container in a cool place; the tuna treats will last a few weeks.

Happy Weekend pet lovers! It’s finally Saturday, and that means it’s time for our Weekend Pets Photo Contest! The theme for this week’s contest is “Silly Pets.” Post your photos of your pets acting their silliest on our Facebook wall and you could win some cool TAILS prizes and be featured on our site! Are you a Twitter fanatic? You can also Tweet us your Weekend Pet photos using the hashtag #weekendpets.

And congratulations to Julia Tipograf, winner of last week’s Weekend Pets contest–”Sleepy Pets!”

Good luck! Woofs and wags!

Our pets are a huge part of our lives. However, they are not the only part of our lives, and that means that sometimes you will be busy and your pet will be bored.

Boredom manifests itself through bad behavior. A bored dog may chew on things he knows he’s not supposed to, bark excessively, or dig up your yard. A bored cat, meanwhile, tends to act aggressively, eliminate outside of the litter box, and constantly be grooming and scratching. Boredom is not uncommon in dogs and cats, but it is potentially harmful if it goes too long without being addressed. Excessively bored pets can become aggressive, depressed, or even ill.

Maybe your pet isn’t acting out, but is simply staring at you begging for attention when you really need to get something else done. Either way—there are some simple things you can do to deal with and prevent pet boredom.

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Months ago, reader Kerri A. contacted us for extra copies of our article: Breed Specific Legislation Punishes the Innocent, Not the Guilty (Nov, 2011). She thought they might help in efforts to remove breed bans from her city.

We recently received this note from Kerri:
After over 15 yrs of Pit Bull BSL, the Wentzville (MO) Board of Aldermen voted 5-1 to remove the current animal ordinance. The new ordinance does not refer to specific breeds and stresses owner/guardian responsibility.

I am proud to live in Wentzville where our aldermen are receptive to change. There was such tremendous support for the removal of Pit Bull BSL, not only through e-mail and social networking, but also through attendance by constituents (both Pit Bull and non-Pit Bull people).

As we believe at TAILS, there is nothing like the power of community! We congratulate Kerri and the city of Wentzville, and we look forward to hearing more successes such as this one.

For more check out “Another One (BSL that is) Bites the Dust!”

Reggie has recently decided she is afraid of thunderstorms. I’m not that surprised—I know the exact moment that it started.

Reggie watching a storm from window (in braver times)

Last Sunday we were having a particularly intense storm. I was sitting at my desk working, and my boyfriend was trying to get in a few more minutes of sports-watching before the inevitable loss of satellite signal.

I saw it go down, and I couldn’t stop it in time. One large thunderous boom outside, and my boyfriend reached over, picked up Reggie, hugged her and kissed her and told her everything was going to be okay. Meanwhile, I look over, see what’s happening, and immediately everything turns to slow-motion as I go, “Nooooooooooo” and fall back in my chair with grief.

Because here’s the thing with dogs—they are manipulative. Behind those adorable puppy eyes and floppy ears is a brain just teeming with ideas for how to suck you in.

And so Reggie, who previously could not care less about storms, at this point makes a connection between those loud booms outside, and her Daddy coddling her. Eureka! I imagine she shouted in her mind, Thunderstorms are awesome for getting attention! And better yet—we live in Miami, which means there is a 50% chance of storms everyday from now until October!

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With wedding season upon us, more brides and grooms are planning to include their furry friends as guests of honor on their special day.

“A pet plays an important role in a couple’s life and for many pet parents, family festivities would not be complete without their pet’s involvement,” says John D’Ariano, president of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS). “It’s becoming more common for couples to customize their wedding parties to include family, friends, and furry companions.”

If you are thinking about including your pet in your wedding celebration, here are some tips from NAPPS:
• Consider your pet’s behavior. Is he obedient and well behaved? Will your pet feel comfortable around your guests?

• Confirm with your ceremony facility that pets are welcome.

• Don’t jeopardize style for safety. If you plan to accessorize your four-legged flower girl with wedding attire, be sure it fits properly and does not create discomfort for your pet.

• Notify your photographer so she can capture your pet in action. You’ll want to remember the moment he walked down the aisle and “sat pretty” during the cake-cutting ceremony.

• After the ceremony, hire a professional pet sitter for the duration of the reception. This allows newlyweds the time and flexibility to socialize with their guests, without worrying about the needs and comfort of their pet.

Meet Andrew Puccetti: animal rights advocate, high school student, and new guest blogger for TAILS! Though only fifteen years old, Andrew has already shown immense dedication and passion for the well-being of animals. Every other week Andrew will be here talking about the relationship between young people and animal rights–how they can make a difference, how they are already making a difference, and how important it is for kids to continue the fight for our animal companions.

From a young age, I remember going to vet offices and animal shelters and asking to volunteer but being told I was not old enough. I was eager to help the creatures I loved, but I always got the same response: “Come back when you’re older.”

This went on for what seemed like an eternity, and after a while it started to dishearten me. Over and over again I would repeat the same thought in my head: “Why are they keeping me from protecting animals when all I want to do is help them?”

Many people love animals as children and grow out of their passion as they age.  Fortunately, this did not happen to me. Over the years, I discovered how happy it makes me to help animals, and how the experience of aiding the helpless fulfills me. I decided to work towards the humane treatment of animals, and I declared that I would not let age stop me from doing anything.

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Happy Wednesday pet lovers — for today’s Wordless Wednesday we want to see pictures of your pets with their best “smiles”! Post your photos on our Facebook wall and your photo could be featured on the TAILS site!

Another day, another Diamond Pet Foods recall. The company has recently announced that their list of recalled pet foods has been expanded to included some select types of cat food as well.

The cat foods added to the recall are:

• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula

Like with the dog food, the cat food is being recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. This is just the latest expansion of the Diamond Pet Foods recalls, which began in early April.

For a complete list of recalled pet foods, click here.

Here are our previous posts on the Diamond Pet Foods recall:

May 10, 2012: Up-to-Date Pet Food Recalls

May 1, 2012: Another Diamond Pet Foods Recall

“If man is not to stifle his human feelings, he must practice kindness towards animals, for he who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” – Immanuel Kant

Last week we told you about the USDA’s proposed changes to the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. You can check out that post here.

This is just an update to let you know how YOU can speak out in support of these changes and help bring about a world where all animals are treated humanely.

• Click here to send a message to the USDA thanking them and expressing support for the proposed changes. It takes less than a minute!
• Stick up for puppies everywhere and sign the pledge to stop puppy mills.
• Support the stores that don’t support puppy mills. To view a state-by-state list of puppy-friendly pet stores, click here.
• If you’re thinking of adding to your family with a new pet, check out these tips for responsibly getting a puppy.

We all have voices—let’s use them to bring an end to animal abuse!