{"id":337,"date":"2018-10-01T16:33:10","date_gmt":"2018-10-01T16:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=337"},"modified":"2018-10-01T16:33:10","modified_gmt":"2018-10-01T16:33:10","slug":"october-2018-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/october-2018-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"October 2018 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should You Dress Up Your Pet for Halloween?<\/a>
\nHow to Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy All Year Long<\/a>
\nDebunking the Black Cat Myth?<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Should You Dress Up Your Pet for Halloween?<\/strong>
\nHalloween is just around the corner! It means fall is truly in the air, pumpkins are out in full force, and witches are buying up broomsticks as if they were going out of style. Should you buy a cute costume for your dog or cat?<\/p>\n

Costumes are definitely not for all pets, according to the ASPCA article, \u201cPets in Halloween Costumes: Pro or Con?\u201d which \u201csuggests putting your pet in a costume only if you\u2019re sure he will enjoy it.\u201d Some pets love to wear costumes while others are not fond of it at all. Sometimes it can even cause stress.<\/p>\n

If you know that your pet if OK with a costume, the ASPCA article offers tips:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ensure the costume doesn\u2019t \u201cconstrict his movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow,\u201d the article said.
\n\u2022 Check the costume so there are no pieces that are dangling or that can be easily chewed.
\n\u2022 Your pet should wear ID in case he gets lost or escapes. Remember, \u201ctags or a microchip can be lifesavers,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

In Dr. Marty Becker\u2019s blog, \u201cThe pros and cons of pet Halloween costumes,\u201d take your pet\u2019s personality into consideration. \u201cIf your pet is shy, old or excessively dignified, limit costume capers to a spooky bandana and put your dress-up desires into your own costume,\u201d Becker wrote.<\/p>\n

Ensure your pet\u2019s hearing and sight are not compromised and that the costume doesn\u2019t irritate the skin. If your pet tries to get out of the costume, he should probably not wear one. If you take your pet outside, be visible and use a glow-in-the-dark collar or leash.<\/p>\n

Be sure that your pet doesn\u2019t get into the candy. Have some of his own special treats with you or waiting at home.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy All Year Long<\/strong>
\nIf you have a cat at home, it\u2019s important to ensure she not only is happy, but that she lives a long, healthy life. While we often hear about taking dogs to the vet, it\u2019s just as important for cats to get checkups.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cHow to Have a Healthy and Happy Cat,\u201d at PetHealthNetwork.com, as
\n\u201cthe cat population slowly increases, veterinary care provided to cats progressively decreases. Typically, cats fail to receive the same veterinary attention as dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easier than you think to keep your cat healthy and does not have to be too costly. The article offers tips:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Keep your cat inside as cats left outside alone can be prone to various dangers.
\n\u2022 Keep cats healthy with a yearly physical exam and twice a year for senior cats.
\n\u2022 You\u2019ll need a carrier to transport your cat to the vet. \u201cTeach him or her that it is a safe place and not a torture device,\u201d the article said.
\n\u2022 A microchip can save your cat\u2019s life if she gets out of the house.<\/p>\n

Famous for being independent and curious, cats can sleep up to 20 hours in a day, according to the article, \u201cTop 5 Tips for a Healthy Cat,\u201d at petMD.com. They like to play, too, so be sure your cat has toys, from colorful string to toy mice. Also provide clean water and yummy food.<\/p>\n

Because cats are very particular, make sure their litter box is always clean. You don\u2019t want your cat to potty anywhere else in the house. The petMD article said that a \u201cscoopable litter is great for easy cleaning on a daily basis.\u201d You\u2019ll be able to watch your cat for any signs of health issues such as changes in odor so you can remedy the situation as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Debunking the Black Cat Myth<\/strong>
\nScary. Creepy. Spooky. Those terms have been associated with black cats who have been getting a bad rap for a long time, especially around Halloween. Superstitions abound around black cats including the one about them being unlucky.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the myth about black cats doesn\u2019t do anyone any good, especially black cats, who are more difficult to adopt at shelters because of their unfounded bad reputation.<\/p>\n

According to No. 7 in the article, \u201c9 Common Cat Myths Debunked,\u201d at Petfinder.com, \u201cThere are nearly as many superstitions about black cats bringing luck as there are about them being harbingers of bad luck.\u201d Basically, it depends on who you talk to and their culture and in what part of the world they live.<\/p>\n

There is a type of historical connection with witches and black cats, which then somehow brought the bad luck along with it. And \u201cin some cultures, meeting a black cat can be a sign of good fortune,\u201d according to Petfinder\u2019s article, \u201cCats and Witches: The Magical History of Black Cats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Black Cats and Adoption<\/p>\n

Because of so many superstitions involved black cats themselves have had some bad luck, according to the article, \u201cBlack Cats\u201d at CatHealth.com. A stigma follows them so that they \u201care often overlooked at shelters,\u201d the article said, which may be a \u201cresult of our deep-rooted, long-held cultural superstitions and fears about black cats.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, black cats are simply felines who need love just like any other cat. \u201cThey have their own personalities: some are loving, some are aloof, some playful, and some sedate,\u201d according to the CatHealth.com article.<\/p>\n

Black cats bring love, fun, laughs, good times and companionship. They need homes just like any cat, so taking home a black cat will be a great choice for human and feline.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Should You Dress Up Your Pet for Halloween? How to Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy All Year Long Debunking the Black Cat Myth? Should You Dress Up Your Pet for Halloween? Halloween is just around the corner! It means fall is truly in the air, pumpkins are out in full force, and witches are… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=337"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":338,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337\/revisions\/338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}