Cats are very quiet and delicate creatures. They can slip past you and sneak into a closet without you ever knowing it. Even though a cat will probably sleep in that closet, it is not good for a cat to be left in a closet all day! So before you leave for work, check those closets! Just a few hours ago, at about 3:00pm I arrived home from work, changed my clothes and opened up my closet. As I went about my business making dinner and getting things ready for work tomorrow, I never noticed that my younger cat Millie was missing. At about 7:30 each night, I give my cats a snack. Millie always comes running when I call them for  their snacks. Tonight when I called, Millie was no where to be found. I checked all of her hiding places but no Millie. Finally, I open my clothes closet and out she popped! She gave me a big yawn and headed to kitchen for her snacks. You never know what to expect from Millie!

Remember, your pets count.

Great music all the time on THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK!

In order for dogs to get along with other dogs and humans, they must be socialized. This can be a dicey process. Most of us believe that dog parks are a dependable place for positive dog socializing opportunities. This is not always the case. Dog parks can be fun but then can also bring about negative interactions by forcing your pet to come up against overly aggressive dogs. Try to avoid situations where this can occur. If it happens more than once, take your dog to a different park. You never want your dog to get into a fight with another dog. This can make socializing very difficult for him in the future, You want your dog’s interactions with other dogs in the park to be positive experiences. The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life. Make sure that your dog is calm around other dogs while on his leash. You may notice that your dog gets along very well with another friend or relatives dog. While this is a good thing, don’t assume that your dog will behave this way around strange dogs. 

Smart socializing can involve  taking your dog to obedience class. He’ll get used to interacting and being calm around other dogs without the “leash greets’ that he experiences while you’re walking him or taking him to the park. He’ll . experience structured play sessions in safe, contained areas with other known dogs.  Dogs are like people in that they like to have a few people around that they can trust. Like humans good friendships come from familiarity  and develop over time.

Remember, your pets count!

Great music all the time on THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK.

Before crating a puppy, was the preferred method of intruding a new pup to his brand new environment, many of us learned the hard way and gave our new little friend the run of the house. What a mistake! Here’s a story of my own experience in 1982.

Many years ago while I was at the office,one of my co workers brought in a small bag. She sat the bag on my desk and it began to move. At first I thought that I was seeing things but then looked inside, I saw the cutest, smallest little Chihuahua I had ever seen. My co- worker asked if I wanted the dog. After thinking it over for about two seconds, I accepted. I began my journey home with my new friend. We had to take the A train than the bus to New Jersey. I got my little friend home without incident. At first I kept him in a vacant room but when he continued crying, I slowly gave him run of the house. I was a little nervous about leaving him on his own the first day when I had to go to work but I thought that he had to get used to his new surroundings. Besides, I would be home and take him to the park for a long walk and some exercise. Little did I know what I was in for. As soon as I arrived home that night and opened the door, I knew there was trouble. I saw toilet paper at my doorstep. The bathroom is upstairs. I then realized that my little friend wanted to help me out a bit buy getting the toilet paper ready for me! I then walked in the living room and thought that the apartment had been ransacked! Feathers were methodically extracted from every pillow in the house and scattered around the room. They were even in the kitchen. All of the magazines were chewed up, every item on my shelf had been removed, broken and scattered all over the floor. I was very upset but thought that this would eventually stop. It did but it was not after six months, lots of money and a continuous supply of aspirins to control my headaches! The nightmare was far from over. One night as I was sitting in my recliner watching one of my favorite TV shows, I smelled something. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. It drove me crazy! I looked everywhere. AAAH! there is was. My dog decided to fertilize my plant with a little poop! As I looked around, I realize that he had fertilized all of the plants!!! A little poop in each plant. Now how did he do that?? He was a little super dog!

What was all of this? It is called separation anxiety. My dog did not want me to leave him. He does this out of boredom and usually within 20 minutes after you’ve gone. All of the rawhide bones in the world won’t cure this problem. So what could you do? Here are some tips.

1. Don’t make a fuss when you leave. Do so quietly.

2. Get your dog used to little things you do before you leave like getting your coat, your keys etc. Do this when you’re home and don’t actually leave.

3. Give your dog more exercise in the morning before you leave for work. Take him for longer walks and make him run around a bit.

4. Leave toys around so he won’t get bored.

5. You may want to consider crating him.

My dog eventually got over this and was fine but it took lots of patience and advice from my vet.

Remember, your pets count!

Enjoy your weekend with some great music.

Oldies from the 50’s 60’s 70’s and 80’s  – EDGEWATER RADIO

Todays hot country, new releases and classics – CONSTANT COUNTRY KRS

Soft Rock from the 60’s to the 90’s – MOVIN EASY NET RADIO

Dance and classic disco – DANCE FEVER 54

American Popular Standards – STARLITE 365

Alternative Hits and Classic Alternative – THUNDER ROCK 101

Click on any one of them listen and enjoy for free!

I’m sitting down reading the newspaper and relaxing. My cat Molly jumps up and begins to push her paws up and down on my legs. I might add that her claws are included in this process. Why is she doing this?  This  ritual of felines rhythmically pumping their paws up and down begins at birth. Newborn kittens push their paws around their mothers nipples to hasten the flow of milk. This makes sense doesn’t it? Then why do grown cats do it?  Even after kittens are weaned, they remember the happy feeling of a full belly that came with kneading and nursing.  Kneading on humans gives them a feeling of comfort. It is a way for cats to show that they are happy to have you in their lives. To avoid the pain of having her stick her claws in you while in the process of kneading, make sure that you keep her nails clipped. Lots of pain will be avoided and both you and your cat will feel cozy and comfortable.

Remember, your pets count!

Listen to the great music on our internet radio network. Listen for free to any of our stations at the EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK. Tell your friends! It’s great at work!

You are always giving love and affection to your pets but you still have more to give. How can you help dogs and cats in need? You can start at your local animal shelter. Many times they really need volunteers to walk dogs and pet and play with cats or even to provide foster care to some kittens or puppies until they are old enough to be adopted. There are rescue organizations for almost every breed of dog and for cats too. Animal sanctuaries need volunteers to help with care and feeding. After a natural disaster, like the earthquake in Haiti, or Hurricane Sandy, many pets may need foster homes and a warm dog or cat bed until they can be adopted. This is very vital at this time of need. To find a place to volunteer in your area, check the yellow pages or search online under animal shelter or animal rescue. You help is greatly needed.

Remember, your pets count!

If you like alternative music, check out THUNDER ROCK 101 or if you prefer oldies, give EDGEWATER RADIO a try! You can find both of these stations plus four others on THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK. Tune in for free!

Ear Miles are tiny parasites, they are small enough to fit on the head of a pin. These parasites incubate and grow inside the canals of your cats ears. They are like fleas in that they are extremely itchy which causes your cat to constantly shake his head and scratch his ears. If your cats ears are full of mites, they may give off a foul smell. Your may see brownish black spots resembling coffee grounds in the ears.

Ear Mites are very common and can spread easily from cat to cat.  The good news is that mites are easy to treat. Visit your vet and he’ll flush and clean your cats ears. Your cats tail will also be cleaned as mites can migrate to a cats tail area.  Your vet will administer ear drops and in a few days, your cat will feel as good as new!

Remember, your pets count!

Six great internet radio stations an be found on THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK!

When Sandy hit several years ago, many people who owned pets were not properly prepared. You should always provide for the safety and well being of your pets as you would with other members of your family. Pets can become disoriented, frightened, or be injured during a time of a disaster and being ready can avoid a tragedy. Be aware that the way your pet reacts in time of disaster is based on instinct and fear.  Loud noises, moving ground if you live in an earthquake prone area , flashes of lightning and thunder,rising water levels, etc., can cause your pets to  abandon their usual places of safety to find new ones. For this reason, it is important to increase the chances of your pet being located and returned to you as the disaster event eases:

Here are some things that your should start doing right now!

• Ensure that your pets are tagged or microchipped to make ownership clear.
• Always keep your pets’ ID tags current with their name, your phone number, and your current address, including your email. Add both a landline and a mobile phone number.
• Take digital photos of each of your pets. Print a copy for each pet; this will help you to ask others if they’ve seen your pet if you’re separated. It is also recommended to include a photo of yourself with your pet, in case you’re separated and people need to match you to your pet.
• You can purchase a flashing collar or id tag. This can help locate your pet at night.
• Always be aware of your pets hiding places. These should be checked first. You may find that your pet is in one of his common hiding areas.
• Keep your pets immunization up to date. This is essential for protection of disease during an emergency situation.
• Make a list of your pets’ medications. Write down the exact names of the medications.
• Prepare a pet first aid survival kit.  It should be ready to grad at any time. The kit should include any medication, at least three days of food, water. When planning for emergencies, always include the amount of water for your pet as well as your family.
• Harnesses and safety leashes.
• Travel bowls for food and water.
• A can opener for canned foods.
• Photos of you and your pet in a plastic bag.
• Emergency contact numbers.
• Litter trays or bags for your dog.

Disasters are stressful for both us and our pets. Some come on without warning such as a fire. Be prepared. It could save your pets life.

Remember, your pets count!

Great Music, be our guest and give any of our six radio stations a listen! THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK!

Feline Panleukopenia virus (FPV), also commonly referred to as feline distemper, is a highly contagious and life-threatening viral disease in the cat population. Many years ago, I adopted a young kitten from one of the animal shelters in North Jersey. I was very young and didn’t think to ask if the kitten had been vaccinated. Being so young, I never thought that anything could be wrong with the kitten. I took him home and the next day noticed that he was listless. He then began vomiting  and developed severe diarrhea. That night, the kitten died. I was devastated!  All shelters should provide the proper vaccinations for all animals but you must always check before adopting any pet. Distemper is deadly as I learned with my little kitten. It doesn’t waste any time. the disease moves very quickly and can kill your kitten in a matter of a few days.T his causative virus is very resilient and can survive for years in contaminated environments, so vaccination is the best preventative available. Kittens between the ages of two to six months are at highest risk for developing this severe disease.

Here are all the symptoms to watch out for. This information was provided by Pet Md.

Symptoms and Types

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea/bloody diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• High fever
• Anemia (due to lowered red blood cells)
• Rough hair coat
• Depression
• Complete loss of interest in food
• Some cats may hide themselves for a day or two
• Hanging head over water bowl or food dish but does not drink or eat
• Feet tucked under body for long periods
• Chin resting on floor for long periods
• Neurological symptoms in those cats in which virus attacks brain (e.g., lack of coordination)

Remember, take care of your pets because your pets count!

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Your cat is arching his back, puffing out his hair and bouncing all over the room. What’s happening? If your cat perceives that he is in a fearful situation, his biochemicals begin to go to work. Adrenaline is flowing through his body causing his hair to stand up on edge, his back begins to arch and his tail puffs up. You could snap a picture and put him on a Halloween card. Cats pose like to this to look bigger and menacing to an approaching threat. Your cat will turn sideways toward the proposed attacker to further magnify his appearance. He may look tough on the outside but on the inside, he hopes the attacker will turn and go away. This position may look strange to us but it’s very real to your cat. Maybe that’s where the phrase “Scaredy Cat” came from.

Remember, your pets count

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the day, 9:00 am in the time of the debut of the new THUNDER ROCK 101 – All Alternative. Your Alternative connection to all your favorite music. Check it out! It can be found along with five other great radio stations on THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK!

Do you believe that one cat year equals seven human years? If you do, you are incorrect. It can be a frustrating experience trying to figure out your cats age in human years. Here’s a chart that may help out.

Cat Age     Comparable human age           Age of cat                   Comparable human age

1                                   15                                                    12                                             64

2                                   24                                                   13                                             68

3                                   28                                                   14                                             72

4                                   32                                                   15                                              76

5                                   36                                                   16                                              80

6                                   40                                                   17                                              84

7                                    44                                                   18                                             88

8                                    48                                                   19                                             92

9                                    52                                                    20                                            96

10                                   56                                                    21                                             100

11                                   60

Your cat may not be as old as you think!

Remember, your pets count.

Great music on our six internet radio stations. Check them out at THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK