If you can't afford to feed all three, at least give your indoor cat the good stuff, since he can't actually go out and fend for himself. And yeah, it's not really dry food vs wet food, it's the quality of the particular product.

Good lord its like a spiderpocalypse.

I'd be concerned about pollution. Per Fish and Wildlife, seawater in summer is a good source of bacteria that can be killed by cooking but will be present on anything raw. They recommend washing all seaweed before eating, and humans are bigger than a Shih Tzu so contaminants could hurt her more.

If she's really eating the seaweed, you may want to avoid the beach until she's graduated from obedience classes.

Your cat likely has a budding desire to kill you, but is hesitant to pull the trigger, so to speak. It sounds to me as though he is murder-curious and there is a distinct possibility this stage will pass. It is encouraging to see that he has poured his curiosity into creative outlets such as drawing. I encourage you to help foster your cat's budding art career while discreetly moving the knife block out of reach. Put crayons, not knives in his paws.

You can get claw-proof window screens at lots of hardware and home furnishing stores (like Home Depot and such). They really work... cats can claw the hell out of them and the screen won't be damaged at all.

They only have two drawbacks: they're thicker than regular screens, thus not letting in as much light, and they're a bit more expensive (although I don't know off hand how much more).

The Edmonds dog park is great! Just check the tides, first. At low tide, you get the most amount of space. The website for the park is http://www.olae.org/home.htm

There are beaches at the Magnuson (Seattle) and Marymoor (Redmond) dog parks, but those can be really intense spots, especially Magnuson. If you have a complete social butterfly, Magnuson is fine. If your dog is mostly cool, but needs a little space at the beach, then Marymoor should do be ok. But Edmonds rocks.

In the winter, your dog can also use the beach in Shoreline: November 09-April 10, Richmond Beach Saltwater park is a dog park. http://www.shoredog.org

Here are some dog park tips: http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/seattle-dog-parks

You really cannot do anything until you find out who the pee-er is. If there is conflict between kitties, an underlying urinary infection, or dislike of litter box, substrate or location -- your approaches to remedying the urinary problem will change.

You can go to the vet and get Flourescein. You can put it in one kitty's drinking water or food -- it is tasteless. Under a black light, the urine will then flouresce with a strong glow.

Then the kitty who is urinating or spraying (spray is usually when a vertical surface is hit and the urine dribbles or drips downward -- urinating is in a puddle or a spot on a horizontal surface) should be taken to the veterinarian and a urinalysis and urine culture should be performed.

You can implement behavior modification more effectively when the above has been done.

I work only with dogs and cats but I think your vet gave you good advice. It is fairly normal for animals to feel a bit lethargic for a day or so after vaccines. I think the pony's reaction is a bit worrisome but if all of the horses are doing well at this point I think they will be fine. Speak with your vet next year and she may take special precautions with their vaccine protocol.

Depending on the airline, there is a bunch of stuff you have to do if you want to bring your cat on the plane. Read the rules carefully so there are no surprises at the airport to minimize stress! Assuming you know what airline you're flying, here are a few links:

Alaska/Horizon
American Airlines
US Airways
Delta
Continental
United

In general, you'll have to pay a fee (about $100) to fly your cat one-way either in the baggage area or cabin. Call the airline to reserve a "slot" for your cat; some flights don't allow pets in the cabin or as cargo at all, or only one of the two. They have to fit in a carrier of particular dimensions with specific requirements (your cat has to be able to stand up and turn around in it, for example) and you should bring a carrier that fits the requirements with you.

You'll need to make a vet appointment to get a Health Certificate and a current rabies vaccine and take the paperwork with you to the airport. You can talk to the vet about sedatives; if your cat is calm she may not need them.

I think it's pretty safe to bring your cat on the plane if she's healthy. If she's too big to fit comfortably in a carrier under the seat, she'll probably have to go in cargo per the airline regulations.

Good luck!

Walking well on leash is something that is hard for people to practice because you have to be very consistent about never allowing your dog to go where they want by pulling.

Dogs do what works, so if they have to drag you to get where they want to go, so be it. If you make it so that they only get where they want to go when the leash is loose, you're set.

I agree with the rest of the people that said a class is a great way to become a walking team with your dog. Ahimsa has ongoing training classes , so you can start whenever you want.

Here's some free info on teaching a dog not to pull on leash: http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/leash-walking

I also really like the Freedom Harness, which allows you to clip the leash in the front (now Physics is on your side) and yet it doesn't mess with the dog's shoulders. The head collars are also good if you take the time to get your dog used to it.

There are also some videos on leash walking here: http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/2008/10/12/silky-leash/

I don't know of any evidence of cats catching viruses from their owners. If your kitty is having occasional sneezing it would be reasonable to monitor for a day or so, and if it continues take him to your veterinarian. Cats can sneeze for various reasons- seasonal allergies, viral/bacterial/fungal infections, growths in the nasal passages, etc... Good luck!!

Don't let your thoughts go beyond the state of your information. You have a vet visit scheduled and answers you will have in a few days. This could turn out to be an infected or blocked gland or some other situation that needs to be addressed, but is not a fatal illness.

Gus Gus is a lucky guy to have an owner that is looking out for him.

My cat tipped the scales at 16lbs when we adopted him about six months ago, and last week the vet told me she's have liked to see more weight loss thus far. It doesn't sound like you're free-feeding them, but is it possible McFatty is sniping food from her roommate?
Try reducing the amount of canned food she eats - I mix mine with a bit of water to supplement both the volume and water intake - cats usually don't drink enough water - and it tricks him into thinking I've fed him the same amount. Don't want her to get the beetus later in life!!!!

The cats I've known tend to be kind of wary of anyone who comes on too strong. Cats are basically very friendly creatures, but they don't tolerate long and drawn out interactions. They like to nuzzle/cuddle you for a few minutes and then go do something else, like a toddler with ADHD.

They're also pretty smart animals and figure out how human behavior affects them pretty well. Thus, they tend to dislike people they identify as likely to want to kidnap them and be all "awwwwww kitty" for the rest of afternoon. The fact that allergy sufferers tend to have a body language which does not threaten them with hugs and kisses and being named George makes you all an attractive target for a quick cuddle.

At least that's my theory.

Well, Fnarf would suggest taxidermy, but I think you're better off with the towel. You could get a shitload of those chamois towels they sell at Costco - a gazillion for 15 bucks - that are super absorbent and just keep 'em on hand for when Kitty wants to gets his love groove on.

You'll find the yellow towels in the automotive section. I use 'em on baby drool, which is even more copious than feline drool.

It's not the solution you're looking for, but it's probably your only real option.

Mr. Griffin and I use Viralys powder to help control drippy eyes in our former stray. It seems to help control the symptoms, but it doesn't cure it.

However, a kitty in respiratory distress needs to go to the vet. Drug her if you have to (Xanax or Ace) but get her in.

With a skin issue such as this it would be a good idea to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have it checked out. The most likely cause of your cat's skin issue is some sort of allergy. If there is something in the environment in the spring (for instance a certain pollen or mold) that your kitty is allergic to, this could cause her skin to become scabbed and itchy. Another thing to think about would be a flea infestation. Fleas are more prevalent in the warmer months and can sometimes cause little bumps or scabs along with hairloss. Again, I do recommend having her seen by a vet, as often both of the conditions I mentioned are very itchy (thus the licking) and your vet can help with that. Good luck!

I agree with your veterinarian regarding bathing. Cats are fastidious animals who typically keep themselves clean. I have five cats whom I never bathe and they do just fine. If your cat does get himself/herself into something icky or smelly, then by all means, bathe away!

The heart of each and every kitty contains a quantum singularity, bending space and time to its will. Except for the can openers, which somehow resist. Otherwise cats would have disposed of us years ago.

There is actually a dog park in Capitol Hill. It's not very well known, apparently.

As I recall, it is kind of oddly shaped. Sort of narrow, but long enough to let a dog run up a good lather in it.

Having had a roommate while living in New York who had a large and completely insane dog, I'm generally opposed to it. Maybe if the dog is small, and calm. But HoJo scared the crap out of me, and everyone else. Locking him in that apartment all day, with one quick spin around the neighborhood in the morning and another in the evening, was not conducive to doggy mental health. He was a biter. And if anyone came into the apartment, he'd watch you, and if you tried to leave he'd literally chew the shoes right off your feet. It didn't help that his owner was the sort who'd shout "no, HoJo, no!" and then giggle hysterically. But that dog was insane.

Rainier Vet Hospital is pretty reasonable... Also if you can schedule the appointment out more than a month, the Seattle clinic (over in Interbay) is REALLY cheap. And, they even have a sliding scale if you are too poor to pay regular price.

http://www.poopbags.com/

shit they are even biodegradable you hippie

they make all sorts of things like this for dogs

dogs bark in excitement, but not in pure happiness. when dogs are simply happy to be outside, they sit or lie down and stare into the distance, a smug little look on their faces.

what does the barking sound like? is it a slow, steady "arf! [pause] arf! [pause] arf! [pause] arf!"? that's the ultimate bored-dog bark. it can be translated as "something happen! something happen now!" i don't think dogs think thoughts as complex as "i feel neglected by the person who owns me"... but boredom in itself can do irreparable harm.

i have a dog who was driven crazy by boredom in his first home: he was an un-neutered male australian shepherd, and he was left on a chain in the backyard all day and night. he's an absolute madman now. do you have an opportunity to intervene for this dog? if you can, that would be a great favor to the dog, the neighborhood, and the universe as a whole.