Sunshine Kitty, blogger for Cats n DogsHi Folks,

I’m Sunshine Kitty and this is your May newsletter. LOTS of you furry friends and Humans are headed North for the Summer; we will MISS you! If you think of it while you are there, please drop us a line to tell us how you are doing!

At the Global Pet Expo, Nancy & Judi found a whole lot of interactive toys for fun and intellectual development. Do we cats need this? Sure!!! Even if we have our scratching tree. Grrr-eeoww, attach, skritch skritch skritch

Come on in to the store to see how these work, they’re really cool! [Tap on the pictures to see them large]

Furballs & Hairballs

For us Felines, April 30 was “National Hairball Awareness Day”. Most cats know that this is an ongoing concern. Hairballs are unpleasant, for us and our Humans. But they can be a serious health problem too.

We love to groom ourselves with our specially designed tongue. Most of the time any dead hair swallowed just goes in one end and out the other. But sometimes it gets stuck in our stomach. Then, in case you dog owners don’t know, we need to hack and gag to get this thing up and out. It’s when it gets too big that it’s a health problem.

Symptoms: ongoing gagging without anything coming up, lack of appetite, lethargy, constipation or diarrhea. If your kitty is overgrooming, be sure to check for pain or other health issues.

What to do:

  1. Let your Human brush you regularly. Finish with a wipe-down with a damp paper towel to get any loose hair
  2. Try a cat food formulated for dealing with hairballs – Nancy & Judi can show you what we have in the Cats n Dogs store
  3. Add more fiber to your diet. We felines don’t typically need plant fiber, but a little pumpkin, apple, carrot, or cat grass can help. (Suggestion: do #2 OR #3, not both)
  4. Make an appointment with your Vet if your problem persists
PetMD cat tongue facts

Now here’s something I’ll be you didn’t know, my furry canine friends: YOU can get hairballs too! It’s not common, but can happen, especially in long haired, small breed dogs.

What’s Important for May…

May is ‘Lyme Disease Prevention Month’

Dogs and cats can get Lyme Disease, the debilitating bacterial infection from deer tick bites, just like people. Some of the symptoms include low energy, fever, swollen painful joints, dehydration. Your vet will treat you with antibiotics if caught soon enough. This is more a concern for our Snowdogs and Snowcats who live in prone areas, like the northeast U.S. The important thing is, if you feel like this, GET CHECKED SOON by your Vet.

And now for a more fun event for May – it’s National Pet Month

To all of our Humans who love us, we say Thank You!

Did you know that about 80 million homes in America have an animal family member? And about half of those households have more than one? That’s amazing.

There are many good reasons for all of us kitties, doggies and Humans to live together. Just think of all the fun videos on social media about us. Our aim is to make life funnier, more fulfilling for our human families… in return for your love, care, and protection.

It’s also ‘Chip Your Pet’ month – an important suggestion here in FL with Hurricane Season around the corner. If you are not chipped, ask your Vet. Also – if you ARE chipped, consider asking your Vet to check that the information on your chip is up to date.

And…!!

Let’s give a big Wuf Wuf and Meeow Meeow of Appreciation to Nancy & Judi for the Cats n Dogs pet supply store, serving Port Charlotte and surrounding area for FIFTEEN YEARS this May.

The unique foods, goodies, toys and gifts, as well as their expertise and compassion are well-known by us pets and Humans alike.

Well, that’s all for this newsletter folks. Thanks for reading!

Until next month, this is
Sunshine Kitty, Taylor, Buddy & Mango
wishing you wonderful days!

Q: What sports do cats play?

A: Hairball!

Hank & Callie, purr-suasive

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