With over 500 submissions, the competition was surely tough for the Wellness CORE RawRev Photo Contest! We asked pet parents to share a fun photo of how they keep their dogs and cats active in celebration of the CORE RawRev Takeover!
Pets that are always on the move, need more protein and CORE RawRev allows you to add raw meat easily and safely with 100% freeze- dried meat pieces to every meal. Combined with the same CORE kibble you know and love this savory, nutrient-rich meal supports strong lean muscle, healthy skin and shiny coats!
You don’t have to be a full-time adventurer in order to want to keep your active pet healthy. An active lifestyle means different things for different pet parents. However, there are some things we can agree on, like how many things there are to consider when choosing a diet for your pet that you’ll feel confident about feeding.
What are the best ingredients to feed your pet? What about the flavor options? Then, there’s your pet’s lifestage, breed size and even unique nutritional restrictions like allergies or medical challenges to consider. It can all start to feel pretty overwhelming. Well, one important place to start when evaluating options is by looking at protein.
Why is it important to pay attention to protein?
Dietary protein is a nutrient that is vital to every dog and cat’s wellbeing. Essential for growth and for the maintenance of almost all the tissues in their body, protein is highly digestible and naturally supplies all the amino acids necessary for a dog or cat to build hair, skin, muscles, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. And on a molecular level, protein is key to the creation of enzymes that put into motion many metabolic reactions needed for day to day life, the hormones that act as the body’s chemical messengers and antibodies that comprise the immune system. Making sure there is enough good protein in your pets’ diet is of the upmost importance to ensure they’re receiving what they need to truly thrive.
How to investigate protein in your pet’s food
When selecting a diet for your pet, there are certain ways to check if the protein content is where you want it to be: 1. Look at the ingredient list and search for named meat protein such as turkey, chicken or salmon. 2. Look at the total amount of protein listed in the Guaranteed Analysis on the back of the bag. 3. Aim for protein levels in the mid 30s for dogs, and mid 40s for cats.
What to expect when switching to a higher protein pet food
Before upgrading your pet to a higher protein food, remember that it’s important to slowly transition your pet to their new food over the course of at least 5-7 days in order to avoid digestive upset. And for certain pets with medical conditions, you’ll also want to confirm your choice with your veterinarian.
Land on a diet with the right levels of protein for your pet, and you’ll soon notice some exciting improvements in their health and Wellness:
Softer, shinier skin and coat within a few weeks’ time
Increase in lean muscle mass
Increased energy levels and more playfulness
Healthy digestion
Smaller, firmer stools—less fillers mean less waste.
Of course, it’s not enough for a pet food to have just high protein. All Wellness CORE formulas ensure that this important nutrient is perfectly balanced with a moderate level of fat and a reduced amount of carbohydrates to optimize your pet’s energy levels. Additionally, we add fresh fruits and veggies for natural sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Making the most of your pet’s new-found vitality
Photo by @wholisticjen
Why does Wellness CORE continually strive for perfectly balanced diets that are rich in protein? Pets are an integral part of our families, and we want to give them every advantage possible to live a long, healthful, happy life. That means more rounds of fetch in the backyard, walks around the neighborhood, and more kisses and snuggles at the end of each day.
How will you celebrate your pet’s healthy new leash on life? Maybe you’ll even be inspired to get on the trail, becoming more active yourself. The possibilities are endless.
How do you have fun with your active pet? Share your photos using @wellnesspetfood and #WellnessCORE for a chance to be featured on our website or social media.
At Wellness, we’re driven each day to deliver uncompromising nutrition for the pets that depend on us. Let’s take Wellness CORE, for example. Wellness CORE, our high-protein recipes for dogs and cats, has become a tried-and-true approach to premium natural nutrition for pets. Wellness CORE offers high-protein, meat-rich formulas with lowered carbohydrates.
Start feeding one of our Wellness CORE foods, and you’ll notice your pet will likely develop strong, lean muscle mass, a silky, lustrous coat, and an improved level of energy to share in all of life’s experiences with you.
And to take that great nutrition one step further, now there’s Wellness CORE RawRev, formulas that give pet parents the opportunity to feed one of the most innovative advancements in the pet food category.
What is CORE RawRev?
With CORE RawRev we started with our CORE kibble and added 100% freeze-dried raw meat pieces. These pieces are evenly dispersed throughout the bag to ensure every meal contains the savory goodness of raw meat with the scoop and serve safety and convenience that you know and love.
Why is CORE RawRev different?
Meat.
Wellness CORE RawRev freeze-dried pieces are shown on the left.
Wellness CORE RawRev’s range stands out from other brands. Why? We use just 100% raw meat, diced and then freeze dried. With similar products, the inclusions are a mix of ingredients, there’s some meat, but with added fillers and binders. By using just freeze dried meat in CORE RawRev, we’re delivering key protein nutrients such as incremental amino acids and vitamins, with an incomparable taste.
Taste.
For your dog or cat this means that every bag of CORE RawRev delivers an exceptional savory, meat taste for heightened mealtime excitement. In other words, scoop and pour CORE RawRev, then sit back and watch your dog or cat reach a new level of mealtime joy.
With each bite your dog or cat takes, they’re getting to savor the aroma, texture and taste that only comes with freeze dried meat.
With pets becoming more and more fussy today, this makes for the perfect solution for all those fussy dogs or cats. In fact, when it comes to cats, a recent study showed that 9/10 cats loved CORE RawRev, which given how fussy cats can be, it shows just how much pets are loving this recipe.
Has your dog or cat already tried CORE RawRev? Share your experience with other Wellness pet parents who might be curious about learning more by tagging your stories and photos with @wellnesspetfood and #WellnessCORE and we may feature you on our social media or website!
Here at Wellness Pet Food we are committed to making the world a better place for pets everywhere. That’s why we started the Wellness Foundation, with a mission that goes beyond nutrition to help pets be #RaisedWithLove!
As the Official Pet Food Partner of Best Friends, we are proud to provide natural pet food for the animals they rescue, so they have access to the healthiest nutrition possible.
We are also committed to helping the pets at Best Friends find forever homes. And when they do, we want their first meal to be from us, so we send their new families home with FREE Wellness pet food. Because pets deserve nothing less than the most nutrient-dense goodness in every bowl, starting with the first one.
By adopting a pet from responsible, no-kill animal shelters, you’re giving them room to save another pet from unhealthy environments. Adopting not only saves the life of your new pet, but it also makes a spot available for another pet to be at shelters like these.
At Wellness Pet Food we continually updates our products to include the best quality ingredients and adapt to consumer requests and pet needs. Below are the latest changes in our CORE Dry Dog food recipes.
Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate
Historically, we added supplemental glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate to our CORE Dry Dog diets. In doing so, we had to abide by a Texas State Regulation relative to the minimum value of these compounds that we could state in our guaranteed analysis (GA).
Recent testing of our recipes confirmed that the great majority of our glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate in our diets comes, naturally, from our animal proteins. Therefore, we decided to stop supplementing our diets with additional glucosamine & chondroitin and reflect the naturally occurring amounts of these compounds in our guaranteed analysis.
As a result, you will no longer see glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate listed as individual ingredients in our ingredient panel. Instead they are noted as naturally occurring from our animal proteins.
Taurine
We have been supplementing our diets with taurine since 2004, as serious medical conditions can arise when dogs are taurine-deficient. To assure pet parents that our recipes deliver adequate amounts of taurine, we now guarantee a minimum level in our guaranteed analysis.
Since dogs can naturally synthesize taurine from the protein in their diets, AAFCO does not require that dog foods guarantee taurine level in their recipes. So not all brands list taurine in their GA’s, but Wellness does!
Lentils
Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein that aid in maintaining optimal cholesterol and energy levels as well as support digestive health. With twice the amount of protein and choline per weight unit as potatoes, we replaced a portion of our potatoes with lentils to deliver more protein without increasing carbohydrates.
Formulas that will now have lentils are: CORE Original, CORE Puppy, CORE Small Breed, CORE Large Breed, CORE Reduced Fat,CORE Ocean, CORE RawRev Original, CORE RawRev Small Breed, CORE RawRev Healthy Weight, and CORE RawRev Puppy.
Chicken meal
We replaced turkey meal with chicken meal to optimize calcium and phosphorous levels in our CORE Wild Game & CORE Raw Rev Wild Game recipes. In addition, dried eggs will be removed from the Wild Game recipe.
Chicken Liver
While chicken livers are a great source of minerals and vitamin A, we found that other ingredients deliver these nutrients at optimal levels so we removed chicken livers from CORE Original, CORE RawRev Original, CORE Reduced Fat, and CORE Healthy Weight to simplify the protein sources in our diets.
Freeze-Dried Meat Size
We heard a lot of feedback from consumers that they wanted pieces of freeze-dried meat in every bite of CORE RawRev food. To better achieve this, we reduced the size of the pieces, which means there will be more freeze-dried meat spread throughout the bag.
Vitamin A replacing Beta Carotene
Beta Carotene is a precursor to the creation of Vitamin A (dogs’ biological systems use beta carotene to make vitamin A), however supplementing our diets with Vitamin A directly better ensures optimal levels of this nutrient. You will notice this change in the GA.
Feeding Guidelines
We frequently test our diets to ensure accuracy of our caloric claims. We recently updated our packaging to reflect the latest results of this testing, which impacts the calorie content and consequently feeding guidelines.
Get In Touch
Have questions about our recipes or not sure which is best for you pup? If you have any other questions or would like more information please call 1-800-225-0904 and a member from our team can assist you. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm ET. You can also reach us by email at info@wellpet.com
Read 12 ways to celebrate International Cat Day on August 8th!
As a cat lover, you view every day as International Cat Day but August 8th is an opportunity to help spread the word to those who may not know about how wonderful felines really are. This special cat holiday was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to help raise awareness for cats and to educate people about how to protect them. It’s also an extra day to celebrate your own cats and the relationship you share!
Here are 12 suggestions on ways to celebrate:
1) Extra Playtime
Engage your cat in an interactive play session today. If you normally do play sessions, offer an extra one or two today. Interactive play is a great way for your cat to completely enjoy being the mighty hunter as you move the toy like prey. Don’t forget to let your cat have several successful captures so the game creates confidence and satisfaction. If you have multiple cats, give each one their own special play session with you so no one has to compete.
2) Cat TV
Set up a comfy place for your indoor cat to enjoy watching wildlife. You can do this by installing a bird feeder in the yard for your cat to view from the window. Another option is to play wildlife videos on YouTube. There are many cat-appealing videos online to entertain your favorite feline.
3) Combine Food and Fun
Puzzle feeders (food-dispensing toys) are a great way to add some fun to meals. As hunters, cats are hardwired to hunt for food and by using a puzzle feeder, they get the reward for a job well done. Puzzle feeders are also good for cats who tend to eat too fast. Search online and you’ll find many types of puzzle feeders or you can make your own. One easy puzzle feeder for dry food is to cut holes in an empty water bottle and place a handful of dry food pieces in there. Make sure the holes are bigger than the size of the food. As your cat paws at the plastic bottle, she’ll be rewarded with a few pieces of food. For wet food, you can place a small amount in each compartment of a plastic ice cube tray. Another way to add fun to food is to create treasure hunts. Hide treats or pieces of cat food in small dishes around the house for your cat to discover.
4) Quiet Time Together
Life can get so busy and it’s easy to come home from work and get caught up in all the things that need to be done before going to bed. Your cat has been waiting for you all day and this time together is special. If your cat enjoys sitting on your lap or lounging next to you on the sofa, don’t be too quick to get up and move to the next thing you need to do. Enjoy those moments of just being together. Even if your cat doesn’t enjoy being petted, she may love leaning up against you and being connected.
5) Physical Touch
This includes petting, and, if your cat enjoys it, grooming. Take time this day to focus on how you pet or brush your cat and become aware of those special spots she loves. Does scratching under the chin cause her to purr? Does she love long strokes down the back or does she prefer you to limit your petting to only the back of the head? Be mindful today of the ways in which your cat most enjoys physical touch.
6) Exchange Cat Kisses
Many people believe that when a cat gives you a slow blink, it’s actually a cat kiss. A slow blink says the cat is comfortable and relaxed. If your cat gives you a cat kiss, return it by doing a slow blink in her direction. Keep your gaze soft and don’t stare. A direct stare can be viewed as a threat, but a soft, slow blink is an expression of trust and affection.
7) Break out the Good Catnip
Not all cats react to catnip but if your cat does, have a catnip party. If you only have catnip-filled toys around the house, they’ve probably lost their potency. Stop at the pet supply store and get a container of good quality loose catnip. For the catnip party, you can either rub a toy with the catnip or simply sprinkle the loose, dried leaves on a paper plate and place it on the floor. To release the volatile oil in the dried herb, rub it between your hands before offering to your cat. If your cat doesn’t react to catnip, there are other options, such as silver vine.
8) Get Down on Your Cat’s Level
If you can, sit or lounge on the carpet so you’re at the cat’s level. This is especially nice for cats who are less mobile and don’t tend to jump on furniture or beds. If you spend some time on ground level, you may enjoy some head bunts, chin rubbing or flank rubbing. When your cat gives you a forehead bunt, it’s not only a way of leaving her scent, but also a gesture of affection. This is a common behavior display cats engage in when they are closely bonded. Chin rubbing and flank rubbing are also affectionate gestures.
9) Spruce up the Vertical Environment
Cats live in a vertical world and the more territory you can create that allows them to climb and perch, the better. Vertical territory can be as simple as a sturdy cat tree, some window perches, or you can get a little more creative and install cat shelves and walkways along the wall. Vertical territory doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be sturdy, comfortable and easy for a cat to access. If you have multiple cats, the increase in vertical territory can be a big help in maintaining harmony.
10) Create Play Tunnels and Hiding Places
Make tunnels out of paper bags. Cut the bottoms, roll a cuff on each end and then tape some bags together to make a homemade play tunnel. Toss a couple small toys or treats in there for your cat to discover. If you prefer to not make a tunnel out of paper bags, you can purchase soft-side tunnels at your local pet product store. If you have a timid cat, tunnels provide extra hiding options and allows a scared kitty to feel invisible so she can relax.
11) Introduce Interesting Scents
This is especially appealing for indoor cats. Bring in a couple of leaves from outdoors, or maybe a very small branch. If you happen to find a bird feather on the ground, bring that in for your cat to do a scent investigation.
12) Share the Love
Take pictures of your cats to document this special day and share them on social media. It’s a great way to get people talking and sharing about the joy of living with cats. And, who doesn’t love sharing pictures of cats!
Read the 10 ways to pamper your pup all day long for #SpoilYourDogDay!
Being the loving pet parent that you are, there is no doubt you love and cuddle your dog every day! However it’s time to pull out all of the stops and indulge your dog for #SpoilYourDogDay. We came up with ten puppy-approved ways to spoil your dog silly!
1) Treat Your Dog to Some Extra Treats
While normally we wouldn’t suggest extra treats, by #SpoilYourDogDay is only one day, so throw a few extra treats your dog’s way. If they are healthy treats that your dog loves, then you won’t feel as guilty pulling them out a few extra times and will be able to enjoy the moment as your dog leaps and barks for joy.
2) Indulge Your Dog with a Doggie Massage
Dogs love and benefit from massages just as much as people by improving circulation. Spoil and pamper your dog by watching a YouTube video (or three or four) and learning how to relax you pup!
3) Go Shopping for a New Toy Together
If you have a playful pup, then there is no time like Spoil Your Dog Day than to visit the pet store and to let your dog find a new toy that makes them want to run, jump and flip for joy.
4) Clear Your Afternoon to Your Dog’s Favorite Things
Time is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone you love. Call the office and clear your afternoon then go pick up your dog for a long, impromptu afternoon of all of your favorite things whether it is dining out, strolling the sidewalk, visiting the park or discovering a new hiking trail.
5) Take a Nice, Long Drive Together
Have you ever noticed how the happiest dogs are the ones hanging out of their owner’s window as they drive down a sprawling stretch of empty roadway? If it’s one of their favorite things, take your dog on an extra-long drive to wherever the heart desires.
6) Upgrade Your Dog’s Accommodations
Don’t you feel like royalty when you get a new mattress or a new set of sheets? Your dog feels the same way. Upgrade his or her food and water dish and bedding to something ultra-cozy and (most importantly) brand new.
7) Go for a Swim Together
One thing about the dog days of Summer is that they are hot, hot, hot. If your dog knows how to swim, take them to a pool or a beach where you can both dive in, swim around and cool off together.
8) Schedule a Doggie Playdate
If you have an outgoing dog who loves hanging out with her friends or at the doggie playground, then schedule a playdate with her favorite canine friends, or take a long afternoon at the dog park. Give her the social hour she deserves.
9) Get a Puppy Pedicure
While not all dogs love visiting the groomer and getting fur washed and nails trimmed, it feels like heaven for some dogs. If your dog loves a spa day, then schedule one on Spoil Your Dog Day and splurge on the deluxe treatment.
10) Let Your Dog Get Dirty
This last way to spoil your dog may be in sharp contrast to taking your dog for a luxury pampering session, but for the dogs that love to get dirty, nothing will please them more than taking them to the backyard or happy place where they can frolic and roll around in the dirt like no one’s watching.
On Spoil Your Dog Day, we at Wellness Pet Food endorse a few extra treats. Treat your dog guilt free with Wellness Pet Food’s WellBites, WellBars or Puppy Bites snacks. All of Wellness’ snacks are made with natural ingredients, just like our other dog food recipes, so your dog gets treated while staying healthy!
Assistance dogs, also known as service dogs, are professionally trained and certified dogs that help people with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. These dogs are the eyes, ears, and protectors for their owners who could not function without them. This year, International Assistance Dog Week falls on August 4th–10th. Join us in celebrating them and giving them a round of “ap-paw-se” for all their hard work.
Assistance Dogs Go Through Intense Training
Assistance dogs are definitely a form of the canine elite. They are disciplined, intelligent and compassionate. Often selected as puppies for the noble purpose of becoming assistance dogs, these pups begin learning their trade from the very beginning.
Assistance Dogs Are Capable of Anything
Typically, there is no limit to what assistance dogs can help their owner with. At minimum, assistance dogs need to be able to assist their owner with two or three tasks. These can be things as important as helping their owner safely cross the street to getting help if their owner has a seizure or more simple tasks such as helping their owner take out a load of laundry or opening the door for a visitor.
Assistance dogs are being used increasingly with owners who have suffered PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) or abuse. In such cases, assistance dogs intuitively create safety barriers around their owners, enabling them to perform normal, daily tasks like going to the grocery store without suffering from aneixty or a panic episode.
What to Do When You Meet an Assistance Dog
Because assistance dogs help their owners engage in day-to-day functions, it is likely you will see one while going about your business—eating at a restaurant, shopping, visiting a friend at the hospital, etc.
When you see an assistance dog, here is what you should know and what you should do: • Greet the owner. Do not greet the assistance dog. Speaking to the dog could be distracting. • Ask the owner if you can pet their assistance dog if you want to, but do not be offended if they say ‘no’. After all, when the dog is out with their owner, they are at work and need to remain focused. • If your pet is with you, keep them away from the assistance dog. Though well-trained, assistance dogs are animals and could get upset if overstimulated by another dog or animal. • Follow the assistance dog if it is alone. A lone assistance dog is often a signal that its owner is in trouble and needs help.
How to Support Assistance Dogs
Your instinct to celebrate assistance dogs may be to pet and to provide effusive positive feedback assistance dogs you meet on the street, a better way to help celebrate assistance dogs is to provide support for assistance dogs programs.
Here are things you can do: • Find an assistance dog training program that you support and make a donation. • Find and donate to a fundraiser for an income-restricted person in need of an assistance dog. Many people who need service dogs cannot get them due to lack of adequate insurance or to financial instability. • Spread the word about how to interact with and how to celebrate assistance dogs on social media. • Volunteer time or donate food or supplies to an assistance dog training program in your area.
While all dogs are incredible and deserve to be celebrated, assistance dogs play a vital and important role to their owners and—thus—in our society. Celebrate them by learning more about the incredible work that they do, by educating yourself and others on how to interact with them and by supporting causes the help assistance dogs find the people who need them.
We at Wellness Pet Food believe assistance dogs (and all dogs) deserve to be celebrated every day of every week year in and year out, which is why all of our foods, snacks and treats are made using original recipes comprised of natural ingredients. Celebrate your dog the Wellness way.
Our friend @fishingjosh and his pup Koda love to explore! Check out their Top 5 Summer Adventures to take with your dog!
Summer is in full swing in PNW and that means it’s time for adventure! It can be hard to think of new ways to get your pup outside with you, so here are some of Koda’s favorite summer activities.
Camping
Camping might be Koda’s absolute favorite part about summertime, and your dog will love it too. He loves spending the whole day outside, snuggling into our sleeping bags with us, then waking up… OUTSIDE! We have so much fun taking Koda camping with us, and we can see how much fun he has too. The biggest thing we’ve learned camping is to always pack more food than you think your dog will need. Your dog will be burning far more calories than usual running, playing, and sniffing out a new adventure! Always be sure to be mindful of other campers and if you pack it in, pack it out!
Hiking
If you don’t have a full weekend to spend exploring, hiking is a great way to get outside for a few hours and exercise your pup . There are trails and hikes for all levels and websites and apps can help you find dog-friendly and off-leash areas. Koda and I are lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest where we can explore a new place every weekend. Koda gets so excited when we fill up his backpack with treats and toys before a hike!
The Beach
The beach is one of the best places to bring your dog. There are so many fun ways to enjoy the beach. Koda enjoys running in the tall grass, chasing seagulls in the sand, and playing in the waves. Bring a frisbee or toys that float to really wear out your pup! Koda usually sleeps for two days straight after a beach outing!
Fishing
Taking Koda fishing with me is my personal favorite way to spend time with him outdoors. Together, we enjoy everything that the water has to offer. Koda has been fishing with me since he was a tiny puppy and still gets just as excited every time we head down to the water. Fishing with your dog takes patience! Koda used to get a little too excited when I’d hook a fish, but now, Koda no longer tries to jump in after fish or eat them – they sure do smell like his favorite Wellness treats! He does like to give them a kiss before we release them back into the wild!
Boating
Boating can be a great way to spend time with your dog outside this summer! Koda loves to stand at the bow, ears bellowing in the wind. He has so much fun grabbing sticks out of the water and isn’t afraid to jump right off and go for a swim to cool down. Older dogs can enjoy a relaxing boat day by laying out in the sunshine. Be sure to pack snacks, water, and a life jacket for your dog!
Koda loves summertime and I treasure every minute I get to explore with him by my side. Combine any (or all!) of these activities for a weekend getaway your pup will love you for! Bonus brownie points from your four-legged explorer if you bring a backpack full of Wellness treats!
Hot weather brings days of swimming, sunbathing, picnics, playing outdoors, grilling and just enjoying many sunny days. For cats, however, especially ones who have access to the outdoors, hot weather can also mean discomfort and potential danger. Even indoor cats can suffer during hot weather months
Here are some tips to help you keep your cat cool and comfortable when temperatures soar.
1. Water
Make sure your cat always has access to cool, fresh water. For indoor cats, place several bowls around the house to encourage more drinking and to make it convenient for less mobile cats to easily get to a water bowl. If your cat goes outdoors, place bowls in several shady locations and replace the water several times a day to keep it fresh.
2. Shade
For outdoor cats, make sure there are shady locations available. If you have an outdoor enclosure or “catio”, there should be shade available as well as the ability for the cat to easily return back into the house should they get too hot. Even indoor cats need shade. If your cat loves their cat tree or window perch and it sits in a sunny window, close the curtains or provide an alternate elevated location in a spot that doesn’t have sun streaming in.
3. Temperature Control
If you keep your cat indoors you are more easily able to control temperature in the environment. If you don’t have A/C , run the ceiling fans or place several standing/box fans around that are safely away from the cat. Just having air circulation can make a difference in temperature and in the comfort of the interior.
4. Avoid Sunburn
You may not realize this but cats can easily get sunburned, especially on their ear tips. On very sunny days, the best way to avoid sunburn is to keep your cat indoors.
5. Grooming
Daily grooming is a good way to help keep your cat cool. Matted fur doesn’t allow for air to circulate to the skin. Brush your cat to remove loose hair to allow for the cat’s body to more efficiently cool.
6. Access to Cool Resting Spots
For an indoor cat, that may mean being able to move to a cool tile floor. If you close off certain rooms, make sure your cat has access to other rooms with cool floor surfaces in case her normal napping areas become too warm. Another thing to consider is to use a self-cooling pad. These pads get cool as the pet sits on them. Important note though: any time you use a pad for either coolness or heat, the cat must be mobile enough to be able to leave if the temperature becomes uncomfortable.
7. Schedule Your Play Sessions
Playtime is important in a cat’s life but you don’t want to get your cat overheated during hot days. Time your playtime sessions for early in the morning or in the evenings when the temperatures are lower.
8. Window Safety
If you don’t have A/C and will be leaving windows open, keep in mind that screens aren’t sturdy and a cat could easily push through one, especially if she spots something interesting outside such as a bird or an unfamiliar cat in the yard. Open windows only far enough for air circulation but not enough that a cat could slide underneath and push through the screen.
9. Keep Food Safe
In warmer temperatures, food can spoil more quickly. If you leave food bowls outdoors, keep in mind that they will soon become popular with ants and other hungry insects.
10. Paw Pad Safety
Outdoor cats are at risk of having paw pads get burned from exposure to hot sidewalks, driveways and asphalt. Cats walking on grass are also at risk of getting stung or bitten by insects. Check your cat’s paws regularly. If you treat your lawn with pesticides or fertilizer, that will also be a hazard as the cat walks on the grass. Keep your cat indoors on days your lawn is being treated.
11. Car Safety
If you will be traveling with your cat during the warm weather, keep in mind how quickly the temperature in the interior of the car can rise. Do not leave your cat (or any pet) in the car no matter how quick you think you be.
12. Watch for Signs of Heatstroke
Heatstroke can happen quickly and the result could be life threatening.
Signs of heatstroke include: • Panting or rapid breathing • Dark, red rums • High body temperature • Wobbly gait • Vomiting • Drooling • Glazed look in the eyes • Lethargy • Collapse
If you suspect heatstroke, wipe your cat down with a cool, damp towel or place a cool compress on their neck and contact an emergency veterinarian immediately.
For cats that normally stay indoors the Summer offers them a chance to explore! While making sure they stay cool, also remember that nutrition is key to fueling your kitty’s adventure! Check out Wellness Pet Food for a variety of cat recipes.
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