Embrace Pet Community blog

Part 1: Traveling with Pets

It wasn't until BlogPaws East in April that I really thought about what it takes to travel with a pet in tow.  I met Ronnie and Rex from Bella's Pain Relief, and realized that Rex had made the trip all the way from New Jersey to Ohio, and then camped out in the hotel while Rhona worked the conference.  Fortunately, Ronnie had the foresight to hire a dog sitter to visit with Rex in the hotel room while she was out and about, so Rex wouldn't feel anxious in a strange room.

Embracer Carrie posted an article at Examiner last month, with 5 helpful points that you might not have considered before you travel with your cat or dog in tow:

1.  Book a pet friendly hotel.  Dogfriendly.com has a terrific list of pet friendly hotels, complete with a list of any additional charges or stipulations that may be required for bringing your fuzzy family member along for each hotel. Dogfriendly.com also lists campgrounds and RV parks that welcome pets.

2. Plan pet-friendly activities for your family and your pet.  Many beaches and parks allow dogs, but you will need to check ahead of time to be sure your four-legged companion is welcome.  Dogfriendly.com has a list of beaches, parks, stores, even outdoor restaurants that welcome your pets. 

(Read the rest here.)

I was recently pondering a roadtrip with Lyger- about 8 hours from Cleveland to Philly to attend a conference.  I thought it seemed like it might be an American adventure, a bonding experience for a girl and her dog.  But, It would have been long days for me, and longer days for an anxious dog, so I opted against it.

What sorts of tips do you have for people that might be planning to travel with their pets?

Official Take Your Dog to work Day

Start packing a lunch for your dog, because tomorrow is Take Your Dog to Work day!  Pet Sitters International is hosting a fun photo contest, and offering an action pack for people and businesses setting up a dog friendly workplace.

Embrace has a pet friendly policy for dogs and cats.  It's fairly informal, we just coordinate who is coming a day before, so that we don't mix cats and dogs, or have too many furry friends at once. 

In honor of the day, upload your pet at work photo to our Facebook!  We want to see them enjoying all the perks of a pet friendly workplace!

Therapy Pet Week: Making Rounds With Oscar

Many nursing homes and hospice centers are fortunate enough to have cats that serve as residential therapy pets.  Oscar, is one such cat, but he offers a unique service:

From Delta Society Blog:

A few hours before a resident passes away, Oscar climbs onto his or her bed. He purrs and refuses to leave until the patient dies. His predictions are always right—he never lingers unless the person is within a few hours of death. His unusual talent provides an early warning system, giving caregivers precious time to alert family members that their loved one is near the end of life. Steere House residents and their families are grateful to Oscar for the comfort and companionship he provides during this difficult time...

read more or check out Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat

Green Goods for Modern Cats at Olive

Cats love few things more than cardboard scratchers, and sometimes they prefer vertical surfaces, which is what makes the Marmalade Wall Scratcher great.  It can be wall mounted or used on the floor.  Nicer still is that it's made from post-consumer materials, and is 100% recyclable.

I also love their cool cardboard furniture, just for cats.  The Cheeky Chaise ($130) and the Sweet Lounge ($150) are both pet beds and scratchers.  The more your cat scratches, the softer the cardboard becomes, making it a soft, cozy space for your cat to hang out.

Lovely modern furniture and more for Cats (and dogs) can be found at Olive.

Fish Oil-coat care for canines

After meeting this handsome black Labrador recently, I had to know what was making his coat look so shiny.  His dad let me in on the secret: Fish Oil.  I had heard that fish oil helped to reduce shedding, but after further investigationit does much more than that.  In addition to cutting down on dander and itchy skin, it reduces inflammation associated with arthritis, and even improves brain function.   It seems that dosage does depend on the pet's specific size and needs, so check with your vet.

And as with most products that are produced for both pets and people, the "people product" is cheaper, but is just fine for dogs.  I found some bottles of fish oil tablets at a pet store chain for about $25, but you can also find them "buy one get one" at Puritan's Pride for about $8. 

Do any of you (or your pets) use Fish Oil-and what do you think?

Backyard Cats

Do you want to keep your cat off of counter tops and curtains?  Maybe you'd like your cat to stay safely in a fenced in area, without jumping or climbing the confines. The Backyard Cat harness system is a creative solution to both of these feline health and safety concerns.  In essence, the tool is a small harness, attached to a one pound sachet that drags below your cat's abdomen.  The extra weight deters cats from jumping by disrupting their timing and balance, so they are less likely to jump and climb.

So your cat goes outside, without a leash or kennel to confine them, and this training aid helps to curb their desire to explore beyond the fence.  Pretty cool!

After a few training sessions, your cat will hopefully stop feeling the desire to jump up or climb, and the tool will no longer be necessary.  3 sizes are available, starting at $19.99, and all of them include harnesses.  Check out their FAQ for more info on how it works and the recommended usage.

Kitty Walks

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and your cat is stuck indoors? Hardly seems fair that the dog gets to go for regular walks, right?  Let's see if we can't help you get your kitty some exercise in the great outdoors.

First, you need a harness-not a collar, because these can be slipped out of pretty easily.  The Cat Connection has a cool harness and bungie combo(from the makers of the Gentle Leader).  With a bungie leash, your cat is less likely to become tangled, but it allows a little give if your cat pulls.  $14.95

Most trainers recommend starting by putting the harness on the cat, and allowing them to just get used to the feel of it around the house.  Once acclimated, try attaching a short piece of string or leash to the harness, so they can understand how the leash pulls or drags.  (I bet you they love playing with that string in the meantime!)

Start out on walks during quite times, away from traffic or strange dogs that might startle the cat.  After a few tries, your cat will come to enjoy the walk, and all the sights and smells that come with it.

Calming Collars-they work, naturally!

Calming Collars offer aromatherapy that's wearable for cats and dogs, and help pets with several forms of anxiety, including fear of thunder, separation, or car rides.  The collars are custom made with a pouch contains the aromatic herbs, and helps to take the edge off.

The collars come in over 40 patterns, and start at $32.  The herbs are "human grade" and won't harm your pet if they become ingested.  They can be worn as needed or 24-7 and last for several months. 

They've got some very satisfied customers.  Read their results here.

Litter Chest at BigFatKittyCat.com

When the folks at Fat Cat Creations designed the Litter Chest, they used a little common sense and some nice design touches to make their very practical litterbox containment furniture.

Firstly, it really looks like quality furniture (it's sturdy enough to double as a seating bench), is available in over a dozen stain finishes, as well as a wainscotting option.  There are quite a few opening options, so you can customize the piece to fit right where it needs to go.

Secondly, it's offset dividers work together to reduce litter tracking and deter dogs and children from invading the litterbox.  It's got a hinged lid for easy cleaning.  What more could a cat owner look for?

Litter Robot

What you see here is not a kitty spaceship, but a Kitty Litter Robot.  The Litter Robot has a special waste receptacle drawer that uses a standard kitchen trash can liner or large grocery bag to store the waste until you change it.  The container stores about 3 days of waste so you can go away or not worry so much about the litter box getting nasty.   

There are no rakes to jam, and because it cleans and sifts the litter regularly, users report up to 40% litter cost savings, as the litter lasts longer when it's not being dumped out regularly.  The craftsmanship is appliance quality, with a 60 day money back guarantee and 18 month warranty. It's $329 and available at Litter-Robot.com

After watching the demo, I'm pretty convinced.  Do any of you own a Litter Robot?  Do you think your cat would use it?

Like Robots that help pet owners?  Check out our user review of the Roomba vacuum