{"id":482,"date":"2023-06-01T17:37:33","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T17:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=482"},"modified":"2023-07-05T06:43:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T06:43:53","slug":"june-2023-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/june-2023-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"June 2023 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Declawing Cats and Why It\u2019s Not Ideal for Them<\/strong> <\/a>
Treat Enrichments and Fun Games to Keep Your Pets Mentally Stimulated<\/strong> <\/a>
The Importance of Grooming Your Pet Regularly and Trimming Their Nails<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s some controversy around the declawing of cats. Some think it\u2019s OK for indoor cats. Some believe a cat may scratch a person or their child or ruin clothes or furniture. However, declawing a cat is cruel and unnecessary. According to the article, \u201cIs Declawing Cats Bad?\u201d at Petfinder.com, a cat\u2019s claws are important. Not only are a cat\u2019s claws for defense, they help a cat \u201cto establish footing for walking, running, springing, climbing, or stretching,\u201d the article said. A cat also needs to scratch as \u201cit pulls off the old outer nail sheath and exposes sharp, smooth claws,\u201d the article said, while it enables the cat\u2019s need to mark territory. When declawing a cat, there is a standard operation whereby the claw is removed as well as the \u201clast bone of the toe.\u201d The procedure is typically done on a cat\u2019s front feet, and according to the article, it is \u201ccomparable to the removal of the fingers of the human hand at the last knuckle\u201d and there is a lot of pain involved. According to the article, \u201cDeclawing: The Medical Facts\u201d at PetHealthNetwork, after healing, there are some things to watch. While the following may not happen to every cat, the effects are something to be aware of, including: \u2022 Back and joint problems \u2022 Severe pain after surgery \u2022 Problems with the litter box whereby a cat may have trouble walking on litter \u2022 Personality differences \u2022 Declawed cats should never go outdoors There are things you can do as alternatives to declawing, according to the PetFinder.com article, including: \u2022 Get your cat a scratching post. \u2022 Keep your cat\u2019s nails trimmed. Before you decide, do your research. For those wanting a declawed cat, you can go to your local shelter and adopt a cat who is already declawed. When the weather gets warm and the temperature heats up, it\u2019s not always the best idea to take your pets outside. There are things you can do inside to mentally stimulate them. Fun games and treats can keep your pet happy and prevent boredom. According to the article, \u201cEasy enrichment ideas for pets\u201d at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), get your pet ready for fun with a scavenger hunt. \u201cHide some treats in sneaky spots around the house and let your dog use their strong sense of smell to find them,\u201d the article said. Other things you can do with your pet, according to the HSUS article, include: \u2022 Rotate toys. Help make it more exciting and \u201crefresh their collection by choosing three or four \u2018new\u2019 toys and put the rest away,\u201d the article said. \u2022 Solve puzzles and keep your pet\u2019s mind busy. \u2022 Training. It builds skill and you get to bond together. \u2022 Play games, such as fetch, tug-of-war, and hide-and-seek. Step outside the box and do something out of the ordinary. Try an obstacle course, get a box and build a fort for your cat, and more. There are other \u201cfun and engaging activities that will allow your dog to explore their own home,\u201d according to the article, \u201cDog Enrichment\u201d at Animal Friends. According to Animal Friends, you can try the following: \u2022 Blow bubbles. Check out Pet Qwerks Incredibubbles for Dogs, which are great for everyone in the family and are non-toxic. \u2022 Take a paper towel tube and use it as a puzzle feeder. \u201cCut random holes in the tube, add some treats to the tube, and press in the ends to close,\u201d the Animal Friends\u2019 article said. There are so many games and ways to be creative to help spark your pet\u2019s mind. Have fun together! We love our pets, and one of the best ways to show it is by ensuring they are groomed regularly. Grooming is not simply so your pet looks great, it\u2019s also important for their overall health. \u201cGrooming is an integral part of your dog\u2019s health and well-being and even a short-coated dog can suffer from a lack of grooming,\u201d according to the article, \u201c5 Reasons Grooming Is Vital To Your Dog\u2019s Health\u201d at iHeartDogs. You may want to groom your dog yourself or take your dog to the groomer. Just get it done. \u201cThe amount of grooming your pooch will need will depend on their coat type, but adequate grooming is important for all dogs,\u201d the article said. According to the iHeartDogs article, some of the top reasons to groom your dog include: \u2022 Grooming helps prevent fleas and ticks. Bathing will help you spot them so you can get rid of them. \u2022 A good grooming helps alleviate discomfort. Brushing your dog can be like a massage and helps stop matting on those dogs with a longer coat. Don\u2019t forget you\u2019re also removing dirt. \u2022 Trimming nails. Long nails are uncomfortable and unhealthy. \u2022 A good groom helps keep ear infections at bay. \u2022 Grooming helps you spot anything out of the ordinary on your dog. If you decide to get your dog groomed professionally, ask friends and veterinarians for references. A professional will know what to do whereas you may not have the tools or experience. \u201cGrooming your pets isn\u2019t just for show; it\u2019s a responsibility all owners should take seriously to keep their pets healthy, clean, and protected from what could be a very hairy situation,\u201d according to the article, \u201cHair Comes Trouble: Why Pets Need Regular Grooming,\u201d at the ASPCA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Declawing Cats and Why It\u2019s Not Ideal for Them Treat Enrichments and Fun Games to Keep Your Pets Mentally Stimulated The Importance of Grooming Your Pet Regularly and Trimming Their Nails There\u2019s some controversy around the declawing of cats. Some think it\u2019s OK for indoor cats. Some believe a cat may scratch a person or… 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\/482"}],"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=482"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":514,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482\/revisions\/514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}