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Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats: What Helps Now

Pets can get diarrhea too. If this happens, it is important to act correctly so that the dog and cat get better as quickly as possible.

How to recognize and treat diarrhea

Basically, a distinction is made between two different types of diarrhea:
Colonic diarrhea: You can recognize diarrhea by the fact that your cat or dog has very frequent bowel movements. A smaller amount of faeces than usual is produced, and it is not uncommon for mucus and/or blood to be mixed in. Your pet may seem to be constantly straining as swelling around the anus makes them feel like they need to defecate constantly. The swelling often shows up as redness.
Diarrhea in the small intestine: In contrast to diarrhea in the large intestine, your animal does not usually have to defecate much more often than usual. Common symptoms include a growl in the abdomen, gas, and very loose and sluggish stools.

It doesn’t matter what type of diarrhea it is: You can take action against acute diarrhea. One option is to choose a dietary supplement: this thickens the stool and allows harmful substances to be removed. Due to the disturbed intestinal function, the dog or cat usually consumes fewer nutrients, which also speaks in favor of using a dietary supplement. Make sure you use the product correctly and read the package leaflet beforehand.

Be sure to give your dog or cat enough to drink: Due to the frequent bowel movements, he or she loses more liquid than usual. Accordingly, the fluid intake should also be increased. This is the only way to prevent the animal from drying out. The right diet is also particularly important: the intestine loses many nutrients, which is why it is advisable to give the animal smaller amounts of easily digestible food several times a day. A tip, for example, can be the so-called Moro’sche carrot soup: You boil half a kilo of peeled carrots in twice the amount of water for at least 90 minutes and then puree everything into a homogeneous soup. You fill up the soup with hot water to the amount of one liter and add 3 grams of salt.

You should definitely see a veterinarian if the diarrhea persists despite these measures, your pet has other symptoms, or stops eating. Do not hesitate to consult a doctor if the animal is suddenly aggressive, screams when defecation, the diarrhea shows traces of blood or the animal withdraws very strongly. The veterinarian can quickly clarify the cause and thus eliminate uncertainties. In special cases, he*she can also set an infusion and carry out other examinations, such as an X-ray or an ultrasound. This will prevent the animal from emerging from the disease very weak.

Possible causes of diarrhea

The cause of diarrhea in our favorite pets is usually in the small or large intestine. If there is diarrhea in the small intestine, infections caused by worms, bacteria or viruses can be the main reason for the diarrhoea. Another likely cause is intestinal irritation, which may be due to a change in diet or improper diet. Maybe your dog or cat just ate something on the street that wasn’t good for him/her.

If you think it could be due to worms, you should definitely consult a veterinarian: They can examine a sample of your pet’s stool and, after confirming the suspicion, can then professionally deworm the animal. Young animals in particular often have to struggle with worms; you can usually recognize the worm infestation by a bloated stomach (also called “worm belly”). Many vets will also advise you on alternative treatment regimens, such as a dewormer.

Viruses are also a common cause, so remember to have your dog or cat vaccinated against the most common viruses. However, some viruses cannot be vaccinated against: In this case, it is important that you actively try to fight your pet’s diarrhea yourself.

However, if there are other symptoms, in rare cases it can also be an indication of a more serious illness, such as pancreatitis: do not hesitate to ask a specialist for advice.

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Pets and The Climate: Cats and Dogs Cause so Much CO2 – and What That Means For You

The negative ecological balance of air and car travel as well as meat consumption is well known. But dogs and cats also have a significant impact on the carbon footprint of their owners.

What does carbon footprint mean?

Global warming should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius
Binding target values ​​for the emission of greenhouse gases, which are primarily responsible for global warming, were laid down for the first time in the Kyoto Protocol on December 11, 1997. In addition to CO2, other greenhouse gases are listed here, such as methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). Since the Kyoto Protocol expired in 2020, a new climate protection agreement was introduced in order to be able to continue pursuing the international climate protection process after 2020. In 2015, at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, 196 countries agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius — if possible below 1.5 degrees Celsius. In November 2002 the Glasgow Climate Conference (COP 26) took place and ended with the Glasgow Climate Pact. Here the 1.5 °C target was again emphasized and for the first time reference was made to phasing out unrestricted coal-fired power generation and to the abolition of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels.

What is the carbon footprint?

The carbon footprint indicates the amount of greenhouse gases released by a specific activity, process or action. This means that every product also has a CO2 footprint, which is made up of the sum of emissions that come together through manufacture, use, recycling and disposal. But the CO2 emissions can also be determined for activities such as air travel, car trips, hotel accommodation or events. The carbon footprint accounts for about 60% of the ecological footprint. This indicates how sustainably a person, a company or a country deals with global resources. According to Welthungerhilfe, the world’s population would need 1.7 earths to cover the need for resources. Earth Overshoot Day, the annual deadline when all ecological resources of a year are used up, was already reached on July 27th in 2021.

Calculate your own carbon footprint
The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) provides a carbon footprint calculator on its website that you can use to calculate your personal carbon footprint. The Federal Environment Agency also offers a CO2 quick check, which also takes pet ownership into account, among other things. Questions about the following areas of life are asked here:
Your shopping behavior for fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat and fish
The proportion of organic or fair trade products you consume
How often you throw away food
How many car trips, plane trips and cruises you take and how often you use public transport.
What type of heating and water heating you use in your house or apartment
The standard and size of your house or apartment
How many people live in the household
Which energy efficiency class your household appliances have and how many small appliances you own
The type and frequency of laundry washing and drying
The money spent on clothes and shoes, leisure, consumer electronics, furniture, restaurant visits, overnight stays away from home, consumer goods and pets.

Why do pets also have a carbon footprint?

So far, there are only a few studies that look at the environmental impact of a dog or cat’s life. In 2020, the Technical University (TU) Berlin examined the entire life cycle of a dog in this regard and identified food, urine and faeces in particular as the main influencing factors. The environmental impact increases with the size, weight and lifespan of the dog. Animal and plant life are negatively affected by urine and the feces of the fur friends can make the trees more susceptible to diseases. For a dog weighing 15 kilograms that lives for 13 years, an average of 1000 kg of faeces and almost 200 liters of urine could be determined. With regard to dog food, the greatest burden was caused by the high proportion of beef and poultry and the packaging materials.

Are there too many dogs and cats?

Many pet owners may wonder why their beloved four-legged friend causes so much CO2. It is not only the CO2 emissions of a single animal that is decisive, but the large number of pets. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the number of dogs in Germany has more than doubled within 20 years. In addition, the Industry Association for Pet Supplies (IVH e.V.) states that 15.7 million cats and 10.7 million dogs lived in Germany in 2020, the number of which has most likely increased further in the course of the pandemic. 47% of all households had at least one pet. Justifications that dogs ensure more exercise for their owners and can encourage children to take more responsibility should not be included in the considerations.

The feed has the most harmful effect on the climate

Dog and cat food is largely based on meat and meat by-products. According to a report by Galileo TV, which documents a long-term experiment with vegan dog food in cooperation with the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, meat-based dog food accounts for 90% of a dog’s carbon footprint. Around 1 million tons of meat are consumed annually for the 26 million dogs and cats in Germany. It would theoretically be possible to feed dogs on a purely plant-based basis, as Volker Wilke from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover explains in the article. This would reduce CO2 emissions for wet food by 35% and for dry food by as much as 70%. So far, no adverse effects have been observed with feed made from peas, lentils, sweet potatoes or soya supplemented with vitamins and amino acids. However, the changeover should be carried out under expert supervision so that the dogs do not suffer any organ damage or muscle atrophy. However, the origin of the vegan feed is also important. Because if the feed is made with soy from Brazil or other countries of origin, it can be much more harmful to the climate than dry feed made in this country.

What is the life cycle assessment of dogs, cats and horses?

With the provocative book title “Time to eat the dog?” (Is It Time to Eat the Dog?), two New Zealand authors caught the attention of many pet owners in 2009. Is the ecological paw print really that bad?

No more than 2 tons of CO2 per year

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), every inhabitant of the earth should not cause more than two tons of CO2 per year, so that the climate would not be further burdened. The amount of two tons of CO2 corresponds to the capacity that the earth could absorb naturally. The actual values ​​significantly exceed these two tons, depending on the country. According to Statista, in 2019 an average of around 30.68 tons of CO2 was produced per capita in Qatar, around 14 tons in the USA and around 7.8 tons in Germany.

What is the carbon footprint of dogs and cats?

Researchers at the Technical University (TU) Berlin have examined the life cycle assessment of dogs. Among other things, the production of feed and the consequential damage to the environment caused by urine and faeces were included. The result shows that the popular pet causes significant amounts of CO2. For example, a dog weighing 30 kilograms produces around 1,050 kilograms of CO2 a year, as reported by the Tagesspiegel. Thus, with just over a tonne of CO2, this dog causes about the same amount as a one-way flight from Berlin to Washington. With an estimated lifespan of 18 years, the dog’s CO2 emissions would increase to 19 tons.

The life cycle assessment for cats was determined in 2019 by the Swiss eco-balance institute ESU-Services. In addition to feed and environmental pollution, domestic conditions such as heat loss when installing a heat flap were also taken into account. According to this, a cat weighing 4.2 kilograms produces about the same amount of CO2 per year as a 1,165-kilometer car journey, which roughly corresponds to the distance from Berlin to Venice.

Horses are climate sinners too

A study examined all important effects on the life cycle assessment of pets. This included, for example, feeding, housing, faeces, trips by car to the veterinarian or even going for a walk, as well as all necessary purchases for the pets. The authors compared the results with the environmental impact of a car trip. The results showed that horses had the worst environmental record. According to the calculations, the annual cost of keeping a horse corresponded to an annual car mileage of 3700 km. Overall, the scientists came to the conclusion that the larger the pet, the greater the environmental impact.

This is how you can optimize your pet’s carbon footprint

Remove legacies left by four-legged friends

Dogs defecate and urinate when they go for a walk. A researcher determined in 2017 that the dogs and cats kept in the USA alone produce a good five million feces a year. It is not possible to get rid of the urine, but you should collect the dog poop in a waste bag and dispose of it. Thus, the environment is less polluted, because the amounts of phosphorus, nitrogen and heavy metals contained in the feces contribute to freshwater eutrophication and freshwater poisoning. In addition, disposal companies have to collect less manure, which also saves CO2. Also against the background that the production of the manure collection bags is less harmful to the environment than the entry of manure into nature. At the same time, walkers are happy when they are spared stepping into a dog pile.

Adjust the amount of feed as needed

Since many pets are overweight, CO2 can certainly also be saved with regard to the amount of feed. Keep your pet at a healthy weight and avoid overfeeding. As a dog owner, you should also consider that the production of dog food also requires factory farming, because dog food rarely comes from organic farms.

Reconsider BARF feeding

Biologically appropriate raw feeding, or BARF for short, contains 75% high-quality raw meat and is therefore a much more climate-damaging form of feeding than ordinary wet food. This doubles the CO2 footprint. The BARF feeding is considered to be particularly adapted to the needs of the dog as a descendant of the wolf. In the meantime, however, the opinion is becoming more and more widespread that dogs have adapted their digestive system to carbohydrate-rich food in the course of their development and that such a high protein intake is therefore no longer absolutely necessary.

A simple calculation illustrates the dimensions: A meat ration of around 300 – 500 grams per day is recommended for a medium-sized dog weighing 30 kg. This adds up to 150 – 185 kilograms per year over the year – per dog. And this does not include meat consumption for cats.

Insect-based dog food as an alternative

The latest trends include food cans that contain insects as a protein source. Insect food producer Tenetrio reports that insect protein-based dog food contains all the amino acids that dogs need. In addition, dogs are very good at splitting and utilizing the insect protein. A study that examined compound feed containing larvae of the black soldier fly came to the conclusion that the feed was very well tolerated by the dogs even if they suddenly switched. However, the price here is still far higher than for dog food containing meat, which is due to the high production costs.

Vegan dog food possible, but expensive

Feeding a dog meat-free sounds strange at first. It is also not in line with a dog’s natural diet and requires some additives to keep the dog from becoming ill. In fact, it is possible to provide the dog with all the nutrients, even if no animal protein is included. Vegan dog food consists of vegetable protein in the form of legumes such as lentils or lupins, supplemented with vegetables, millet, taurine, L-carnitine, iron, minerals, vitamins or algae. The disadvantage, however, is that the price is currently three times higher than that of conventional dog food. In addition, the current study situation does not yet allow an unrestricted recommendation for special phases of the dog’s life, such as growth or age.

Cats are more difficult to change their food

So far, there are hardly any studies that have examined the effects of vegan diets in cats. The option remains to choose a feed that contains more animal by-products or to offer more dry feed.

Conclusion: Every hobby entails a certain amount of CO2 emissions. Whether it’s a pet or the sports car in front of the front door. Here you have to decide for yourself where you see savings potential. Several pets, a lot of air travel, high meat consumption and cars with high fuel consumption are perhaps too much of a good thing. If you keep a dog as a pet, you can reduce your dog’s CO2 footprint by consistently collecting the droppings in poop bags and by changing the diet.

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Easy Brushing of Teeth in Cats

Even our sweet darlings’ teeth have to be kept healthy and clean so that they can “bite properly” in old age. Soft cat food will soil teeth over time; they turn brown, become brittle, and eventually wither.

With proper hygiene, a cat can keep healthy teeth for a lifetime. You can have them cleaned during a routine visit to the vet’s office, but you can also affordably clean them naturally by occasionally placing a chicken wing in the kitten’s food bowl as a treat. By biting off the meat and crushing the chicken bone, the teeth will clean themselves. But be careful: you should only give the cat a cooled chicken wing. it should never be too hot.

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Tips for Repelling Cats

Tips and remedies for repelling cats and driving cats out of the garden. Our effective cat repellent tips will help you get rid of unloved cats.

Cats may be one of the most popular pets, but for many gardeners, these cute animals are a thorn in their side. If you have a well-kept garden with flower or vegetable beds, then a cat, for example, can cause considerable damage to the plants with an unpleasant scent; in the worst case, the plant can even die.

Keep cats away

However, there are effective methods to keep cats away from the garden or to drive them away. You can rest assured that these methods are safe for both the landscape and the cats. Although cats drive away rats and mice, cat visits to neighbors’ yards are often undesirable. There are many ways to convey this to cats:

1) Orange peel

Some cats hate the smell of orange peel and orange oil. However, this scent needs to be redistributed very frequently as it is not very persistent.

2) Repel cats with water and a garden hose

Another well-established remedy is to drive the cat away with a jet of water from the garden hose. However, avoid pointing the water jet at full power at the cat from close range. It is enough if you direct the water jet from a certain distance to the cat. If you practice this several times, the cat will remember this unpleasant experience and will no longer visit your garden, because cats are known to be extremely afraid of water.

3) coffee grounds

The smell of coffee grounds is also not well received by cats. Spread over the flower bed, the coffee grounds also act as fertilizer. Also, note useful home remedies to drive away rats.

4) bark mulch

Another smell or taste that cats dislike is the fermented bark. Put a 1 cm thick layer of bark mulch on the soil of your flower beds. The bark mulch must be re-spread twice a year in spring and autumn to maintain the effect.

5) Cats drive away with pepper

One of the oldest remedies against cats is sprinkling pepper. If the weather is good, i. H. it is not raining and there is no wind, you can scatter the pepper on the beds. If you don’t have hot pepper at hand, you can alternatively use other hot spices. Cats have a habit of carefully sniffing the soil before setting the scent mark. The pepper or spices will deter the cat, which has an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Another alternative is also the distribution of coffee grounds; The cats are also sensitive to this smell and run away. You can also fertilize your beds with coffee grounds; So this method has two advantages.

6) Haven shrubs from the garden trade

Another popular remedy for a number of years has been the port shrub, which is often offered in specialist garden shops. This plant, also known colloquially as the “piss off the plant”, contains essential oils such as menthol. The cat is also extremely allergic to this smell and immediately retreats. You can simply plant the harbor shrub in the middle of your bed. So you also have a new plant in your bed that is quite attractive.

7) Alarm sounds like a cat scare

In our new high-tech world, of course, electrically operated devices have recently also been offered as cat deterrents. These devices produce an extremely unpleasant sound for the cat, mostly based on ultrasound. Such devices have an integrated motion detector, which then immediately emits the noise when the cat approaches. Although these devices have a certain purchase price, they are also very effective.

High-quality products can also remain outdoors all year round and in all weather conditions. You can also combine such a cat scare with a water jet instead of a noise. The corresponding product is then simply placed in the ground and connected to a garden hose. If the motion detector is activated, a jet of water shoots out of the hose immediately and drives the cat away.

8) cat repellent with cat granules

As an alternative to the variant with the pepper and the coffee grounds, cat granules are also recommended. This product is available from specialist retailers and is also aimed at the cat’s sensitive sense of smell. The cat will avoid your garden in the long term due to the very intense smell of garlic in your bed caused by the granules.

Also, note our guide to catching mice and driving away mice. Further, the guide to fighting moles in the garden.

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Home Remedies for Fleas on Cats

Cats often get fleas, which can be controlled with simple home remedies. Instead of buying expensive chemical products from specialist shops, simple home remedies can be used. We show you the most effective antidotes.

Cat fleas infest our darlings and make life difficult for them. Not only house cats that like to be outside can be affected by fleas, but also indoor cats. Because it can happen that flea eggs are brought into the house unknowingly. Then quick and natural help is needed. We show you the best home remedies for fleas.

How do I know if my cat has fleas?

You can usually spot cat fleas with the naked eye. These are 1.5 to 4 millimeters in size. They also have a brownish color. This makes them easily recognizable on a white background. You should also pay attention to your cat’s behavior. If she scratches more often and more intensely than usual, this is the first sign of a flea infestation. Even if she seems more restless than usual, it can be a sign of fleas.

Since not all cats react to a flea infestation in the same way, you should carry out the flea test with a flea comb. Brush your cat’s fur with a flea comb. If you spot dark balls while doing this, wipe them off with a damp cloth. Then crush these. If these then show a reddish-brown color, then it is most likely flea droppings. As a result, you should start taking countermeasures. Also, note the tips on fighting fleas in dogs.

What damage is my animal threatened by flea infestation?

Many people are disgusted by fleas since they belong to earlier societies. And not only that, but they also have health consequences for your animal. Therefore, a flea infestation should be eliminated quickly.

Home remedies for cat fleas

Once you’ve identified a flea infestation on your cat, you should remain calm. Of course, this is a worrying matter. Because the fleas can also infest the owner. In addition, the small parasites can survive for about two months without food in the cracks and corners of the home. That is why quick action is required. The following home remedies can help you fight fleas on cats.

1) Rosemary against fleas

With the help of the effective medicinal plant rosemary, you can drive away fleas on cats in any case. For this, you have to boil 3 fresh sprigs of rosemary or 3 tablespoons of dried rosemary in some water. After the mixture has cooled, you need to sieve it. Then you can fill it in a spray bottle. And then spray the fur of the animal with it. To prevent the spread of fleas in the apartment or house, the floor can also be wiped with it.

2) Fight flea infestations with vinegar

You can also use the miracle cure vinegar. To do this, mix two small cups of apple cider vinegar with two small cups of water. Then, put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray your cat’s fur until it’s very wet. But beware, be careful not to apply this mix near your cat’s eyes and nose. Finally, you need to comb your cat with a flea comb. This will also remove the flea eggs.

3) Lemon juice against fleas

Similar to mixing with vinegar or rosemary, using lemon juice also works. Just boil some lemons in warm water. Then let the mixture cool and pour it into a spray bottle. Then spray your cat’s fur with it and comb it out properly. A great home remedy for fleas on cats.

4) Flea trap with lamp

Another natural remedy for fighting cat fleas is dish soap and a small lamp. Accordingly, you can fill a flat plate with water and a few drops of washing-up liquid. Then it is placed near the cat’s sleeping place. Then the plate is illuminated with the lamp. Since fleas like the light, they will automatically fall into the filled plate and die. Also, see our tips for removing the odor from cat urine.

5) Detergent against fleas

You can also mix some water with detergent. And then spray your cat’s fur with it. The surfactants in the detergent will definitely kill the fleas. Again, be careful not to spray your cat’s eyes or nose. Then you have to comb the fur properly to get rid of the fleas. Incidentally, the washing-up liquid is also an effective household remedy to drive away aphids.

6) Homemade flea collar for cats

Of course, it is also advisable to put a flea collar on the cat. To increase the effectiveness of this flea collar, you can attach a small bag of mint leaves to the collar. Because fleas don’t like mint and will not infest the animal with this simple home remedy. Or you can make your own flea collar for your cat. Simply chop peppermint or rosemary leaves and wrap them in a cotton cloth. Then you can put it on your cat. Also works great on dogs.

7) Clean apartment against fleas

If your cat suffers from fleas, you should always clean your home thoroughly. The household remedies presented will not only help you with fleas on the animal but also prevent parasite infestation in the apartment. Also, note our tricks and home remedies for removing animal hair.

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Feeding Cats: This is How You Feed Your Cat Sustainably and Healthily

The choice of cat food is huge. But how can you feed your cat well and sustainably? We give you tips on what you should consider.

Feeding the cat: nutritious nutrition for four-legged friends

Cats need a lot of nutrients that they can only get from food. The composition of a balanced cat menu consists of:

high-quality animal proteins,
fats,
phytonutrients,
vitamins,
minerals and
Water.
Carbohydrates are difficult for cats to digest. This is also one of the problems with conventional cat food: grain is often added to it, which can cause problems for cats. Of course, this isn’t the case for all cats, as many cats’ stomachs have become accustomed to even small amounts of grain over time

Ingredients for the cat food: what goes in it?

There are many foods that cats absolutely cannot tolerate: dairy products, onions, garlic, strong spices, grapes, raisins, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate. Under no circumstances should these products end up in the feeding bowl.

The composition of purchased cat food is particularly problematic. In principle, it doesn’t matter to your cat whether it’s “meat waste”, but it depends on the proportions. Too many hooves, claws or feathers can harm your cat just as much as too much grain, fat or meat components. Category 3 animal by-products may be further processed into animal feed, but are not suitable for human consumption. The quality of conventional cat food is therefore often inferior and enriched with additives, sugar and flavor enhancers. The cat can become really dependent on it. For this reason, your cat is better cared for with organic food. Here the quality is assured and the ingredients are sometimes even specified in exact quantities.

In addition to incompatible ingredients, there can also be residues of antibiotics and mercury (especially in fish) in cat food – even more reasons to use organic quality or even to prepare your own cat food.

Avoid cat food waste

If you buy cat food regularly, there is also a lot of packaging waste.

With dry food, you can buy as large a quantity as possible in one sack. If this is too much for your cat alone, you can simply share it with one or another cat owner in your circle of acquaintances.

For large cans of wet food, you can try reusing a matching lid from another product and using it to seal the can when you put it in the fridge. There are also bowls with lids, so that you can divide the large can into them immediately after opening and pre-portion everything.

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