Feline Obesity: An Epidemic of Fat Cats

Here’s a great articles from Lisa A. Pierson, DVM from catinfo.org
Enjoy!

When was the last time you saw an obese lion? How about a chubby cheetah? Or a fat tiger? Have you ever seen an overweight leopard or panther? If you have ever watched nature programs on TV, I am sure that you know the answer to the questions just posed.

The answer is “never”.

The next questions are also easy ones to answer – even if you are like me and turn your head when these scenes pop up on the screen!

Do these wild cats eat a dry food diet that is full of starchy carbohydrates in the form of grains? Do they eat a water-depleted diet in the form of dry kibble? Is their diet one that derives much of its protein from plants (versus meat) as is true of many dry food diets?

The answers are, again, simple: “no”, “no” and “no”.

There is a wonderful program on the TLC channel entitled Honey We’re Killing the Kids. This program addresses the obesity epidemic in this country – starting with what we are feeding to our children. Americans are eating themselves right into an early grave but that is their choice. Our cats, on the other hand, do not have a choice and are stuck with whatever their human caregiver decides to put on their dinner plate and we owe it to them to feed a healthy diet.

Read the full entry

Pet Fashion Week NY for 2009

If you are interested in exploring the pet lifestyle and fashion market, Pet Fashion Week NY 09 is a must see!

In an upscale tradeshow and fashion environment, you will be interacting with the who’s who of the international pet world while viewing the latest trends in high-end clothing, accessories, furnishings, and runway designs.

First will be the debut of our Spring event February 8th and 9th, 2009 at Pier Sixty of NYC’s Chelsea Piers.

We will also be hosting the 4th annual Pet Fashion Week NY Fall event August 22nd and 23rd at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. Pet Fashion Week NY will also be working with the JPPMA show in Yokohama, Japan March 26-29.

For more information visit www.petfashionweek.com for more details or simply Register Online.

Dog Show

Getting tired? Take a break and let your pets entertain you!

Protect your pet from winter dangers

From coast to coast temperatures are dropping. Baby, it’s cold outside and it’s time to protect our pets from the frosty elements.

To learn what you are doing right and what you should be doing differently, read these time-tested tips from the ASCPA.

Until spring rolls around, it’s a good idea to be extra vigilant with our companion animals.

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.
7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.
8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.
9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.
10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Thanks to Casey Cavalier, Dallas Pet Health Examiner
Photo: ASCPA

Me-yow! This cat has a glow — for a good cause

First fluorescent cat in U.S. will aid endangered species … and humans, too

By Michael Inbar TODAYShow.com contributor

For brightness, glowworms got nothing on Mr. Green Genes. And for fright factor, neither do black cats. The 6-month-old feline may look like a standard-issue orange tabby in the comfort of daylight, but he turns a ghoulish shade of fluorescent green under the shroud of darkness!

But there’s no need to get spooked; Mr. Green Genes is not a ghastly creation out of a Halloween horror story. The glow-in-the-dark cat is the result of a genetic experiment gone right, not awry; he was cloned at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans to aid endangered species … and down the line, humans as well.

The phosphorescent feline made his national television debut on TODAY Thursday. The studio went dark and Mr. Green Genes’ ears, nose and eyes glowed under an ultraviolet light.

Continue reading on MSNBC.com Pets

2009 Management Conference & 41st Annual Meeting

Let the PIDA Management Conference help your business thrive in these very dynamic times. Join the pet industry’s best and brightest in Palm Beach, Florida this January.

Thriving in Dynamic Times
January 13-16, 2009
PGA National Resort & Spa
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

CLICK HERE for more information

Executive Conferences—New Expanded Format!

For years, PIDA’s Executive Conference program has been one of the association’s most valuable member benefits. These concentrated, no-nonsense, one-on-one sessions are so important that they have been expanded to a total of 9 ½ hours over two days. Each distributor will have a private, draped booth in which to host their conferences. Each fifteen minute conference demands planning and preparation by both parties.

If you are not already receiving information from PIDA and would like to be added to the mailing list for this event, send an email to pida@ksgroup.org with your request.

APPA National Pet Owner Survey Says

The dog food purchased most often in the past 12 months, by 44% of dog owners, was premium dog food (food with nutrients, less preservatives and metabolized more efficiently than non-premium food). Around one-third consider premium dog food the type they used most often, and eight-out-of-ten owners serve premium dog food in the dry form.

The next most popular type of dog food, purchased by 37% of dog owners, was dog food fortified with added vitamins or minerals. One quarter of these buyers use this food most often and the majority noted they buy the dry form. Also, approximately 3 to 4 million dogs have had organic and gourmet dog food bought for them in the past 12 months.