Cats are independent and proud animals. Unlike dogs you will never teach them to obey orders but you can take advantage of their natural habits and use them to build a harmonious relationship.

Dogs are used to live in hierarchic societies and to respect the authority of the leader from the very origins of their species. However, cats are lonely hunters and do not accept any social structures or other authority other than their own. Therefore, you need to get used to the fact that you are not the owner of the cat but a creature he shares his territory with.

Here are some tips that will help you to avoid little troubles you might have living with a cat.

Do not try to change the cat’s attitude. Screaming or punishing your pet in any way is useless. The cat may run away at the moment you scream at him but he will do the same thing again when you will not see him. Above all, never hit the cat because he is a revengeful animal and he will not forgive you so easily.

If your cat scratches your furniture try to create alternative ways for him to scratch his nails. Do not get mad at him. What he is doing it is natural. Cats mark their territory by scratching trees or objects. Today, there are many solutions for this problem. You just need to go to a pet shop and they will help you with this. If you do not want to spend money on special equipment you can build a scratcher for your cat. All you need is a piece of wood without any paint or varnish on it and put it in a vertical position so it will look like a tree. If your cat still prefers scratching your furniture take him to the scratcher with patience and make him pay attention to it. It is likely that sooner or later your cat will learn to follow your scratching policy.

Cats do not eat much in comparison with dogs. Besides they will never eat food that is not absolutely fresh. Therefore, never put a lot of food in the cat’s bowl. When you see that the cat has finished his food, give him more, but if you see that he did not eat it for a while, throw it away and the next time give him less. Make sure that your cat always has enough fresh water. Change his water every day. This is especially important if the cat mainly eats dry food. If you see the cat drinking water from the tap or any other place that might be a sign that his water does not please him, so change the water from his bowl. As for premium food or cat candy, it is not advisable to give him that kind of food very often. If the cat gets used to this kind of food he will reject regular food and will keep demanding candy all the time. You better ration candy and make him associate that type of food with a concrete time of the day. Having a routine is essential to any cat. Never feed the cat with human food because it contains salt and spices that are very bad for the cat’s health.

Take care of your cat’s health by taking him to the veterinary’s at least once a year. Get information on the vaccines and special medicines he has to take throughout the year.

Your dog’s health is important and neglecting possible concerns such as changes in breathing patterns could lead to serious health issues and possibly death of a beloved pet. There are sites that help with the unfortunate event of the loss of your pet and several that even sell pet memorials or pet urns for dogs to keep your loved pet’s memory with you forever.

If your pet is suffering from any of the breathing problems listed above, please consult your local veterinarian for immediate help.

Dog breathing problems are a definite cause for concern. All dogs are susceptible, but Brachycephalic breeds even more so (Brachycephalic breeds are the types of dogs with “snub” noses, such as the Pug, Pekingese, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Shih-Tzu, etc). These dogs should be monitored even more closely for signs of dog breathing problems. Although some of these respiratory conditions may end up being completely harmless, it’s still better to be safe than sorry - take your dog to the vet to ensure all is well.

• Panting is normal as it allows dogs to cool down. However, excessive panting can be a sign of heatstroke, especially if your dog has a bright red tongue and/or his eyes appear glazed. Pain is another reason why dogs may pant more than usual.
• Gasping or coughing can have many causes. Your dog may have swallowed an object that is blocking his airflow. This is an emergency and you will need to take your dog to the vet immediately.Coughing could also be caused by kennel cough, an illness passed from dog-to-dog. The risk of contagion is higher in situations where many dogs are in contact with each other, such as in a kennel.
• Sneezing could indicate that a dog has inhaled a foreign object. Do not attempt to remove an object from the nose - you could cause permanent and serious damage. Bring your dog to the vet instead.
• Tumors in the nose can cause both a runny nose and sneezing. The dog might also paw at his nose or rub it against something. If your dog’s nose bleeds, take him to the vet right away - nose bleeds are not a common occurrence for pets as they are for people.
• Reverse sneezing is caused when dogs quickly pull air into its nose (instead of pushing it out, like in a normal sneeze). The sound of this sneezing / snorting can be scary but the condition will not harm the dog.

There are many causes of respiratory problems, some benign but many serious that cannot easily be diagnosed. Become familiar with your dog’s normal breathing patterns, such as how many breaths he takes on average. This can help you determine whether you have an emergency health problem on hand.