Keeping your cat cool this summer

We can’t be the only ones begging for air con to be installed in the office and asking for extra ice in all of our drinks? We long for summer during winter, yet crave that icy breeze during the hottest summer days! No pleasing some people, eh?!

As the sun stays out for longer, so do cats. Our household mogs can spend much longer in the heat than is good for them and, like other pets, they are sadly susceptible to sunburn – and in extreme cases skin cancer.

Cats with pale colouring, particularly white cats and cats with pale patches on their noses and ears are at a much higher risk of sun damage. To avoid risk, get your kitten checked regularly. If you ever notice any pink area on your cat, or swelling of the skin it’s best to consult your vet as any real issues are best managed in early stages.

Use sunscreens on your pet’s nose and ears, but check that it’s sensitive and non-toxic as - we’ve learnt from experience! – that they have a tendency to lick it off!

Something you may not have considered before is that your cat could be affected by harmful rays whilst still indoors. Sunbathing on windowsills can be just as risky as lying on an outside patio with the sun beating down!

Sunny days can also lead to cats suffering from heat exhaustion, so it is important that you make sure they are not confined into very hot environments, such as a shed, or conservatory. Try to provide shady areas if you can – get creative; just a cardboard box will provide adequate shade! Even being extra careful to open a few more windows than usual.

It’s pretty important to keep a check on all of your furry friends – if they seem to be panting a lot and constantly restless, it may be a tell-tale sign of heat exhaustion. If you suspect that your cat is experiencing this, wrap a soaked, cool – but not freezing cold – towel around her. You should contact your vet as soon as this happens to avoid the situation worsening – with Petwise’ 24 hour helpline, contacting a vet quickly has never been easier..

Pet hay fever; is my pet suffering?

Yep, it’s that time of year again. We may have all rejoiced when the longest day of the year meant summer was officially here, but it was a bitter sweet situation for many of us. Hay fever season has arrived once more and as the temperatures soar, so does the dreaded pollen count!

Sadly, it’s not only humans who are affected by the allergy; our furry friends suffer too.

What are pet hay fever symptoms?

Perhaps your pet is combating pet hay fever without you realising just yet – it can be difficult to tell if it’s just the heat making your pup uncomfortable or whether there are real signs pointing to an allergy that need to be picked up on.

Many tell-tale signs include constant paw licking and eye rubbing. If they seem a little under the weather and not themselves, perhaps pet hay fever is the culprit and a trip to the vet should be considered.

Fighting the symptoms of pet hay fever:

If you suspect your pet is suffering, it may be an idea to consider changing their bedding often. You can also attempt to alleviate the pain by wiping their paws and fur to remove any clinging pollen that is left upon them. We’d recommend sensitive baby wipes – these are gentle and hopefully won’t cause extra irritation. Do check there isn’t anything within these your pets are allergic to.

If your pet has long hair, summer is a time to really keep them groomed with regular trims and brushing. Weekly baths can help rid any pollen sticking to their fur and there’s an abundance of specialised pet hay fever shampoos and products on the market that can help keep them extra clean. If your pet does need medicine to combat pet hay fever, your pet insurance may be affected.

All that’s left is to enjoy the sunshine with your pets!

TV's Top 10 Lovable Cats

You’ve already heard the premiums that we’d give our favourite fictional dogs, now it’s time for TV’s sassiest cats to steal the limelight! Here’s Petwise’ list of Top 10 fictional felines and the premium that their owners could expect! 

1. Salem

World domination and money making attempts are just a few characteristics of this American shorthair cat. Making a name for himself in sitcom, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Salem is portrayed to have a liking for Lizard flakes; a high cholesterol, fattening cat snack. 

Sorry Salem, those fatty snacks & evil plans are paving the way for a high premium!

Image: adventureswithcupcake.blogspot.com

 2. Garfield

We have SO much in common with this popular kitten; we hate Mondays too! Not sure we are quite as partial to flower eating mind... Garfield is quite the prankster and is often in the centre of harassment claims.

Sorry Garfield, we don’t think we could handle the pet insurance you’d hold, you cheeky chappy!

Image:www.bluelight.org

3.Snowbell

Persian puss Snowball is a cat with a split personality; the Little family think of him as a shy and retiring house cat; in contrast, during their first meeting, Snowball attempts to eat Stuart. Despite this, he is fiercely protective of his clan and let’s no harm come to them.

The lovable coward seems to escape trouble and always finds his way out of tricky situations. We think Snowbell could roam the streets of New York with a low premium under his collar (complete with bell!).

Image: pixshark.com

 4. Crookshanks

Her`mione’s ginger pet cat is actually only half cat! The other half of him is ‘Kneazle’ – a mystical creature introduced in the Harry Potter series.

His ability to problem solve without aid and the fact he can sniff out a baddie a mile off  means Petwise would be pretty confident to let Crookshanks enter the Muggle world with a low premium! Hoorah!

Image:alohamora.mugglenet.com

5. Puss in Boots

Shrek’s BMFL, Puss in Boots (Sorry Donkey), is the self-confessed hero of the 2001 film. Forget puppy dog eyes, he takes kitten eyes to a whole new level – attacking guards when they, naturally, fall for his cute ways! 

We think Puss in Boots knows how to handle himself. Definitely the tough cookie of the group – low premium! 

Image: shrek.wikia.com

6. Cheshire Cat

Smile! It’s the Cheshire cat! Even Petwise aren’t quite familiar with the breed of this mog; we think it’s the pink and purple stripes that have us stumped! What we do know is that the mischievous cat from Alice in Wonderland is completely bonkers, admitting “you may have noticed, I’m not all there myself!”

We’d be worried that he’d snap at any time and do something silly – we think we’d have to give him a high premium! 

Image: www.monologuedb.com

7. Sylvester 

Sylvester James Pussycat Senior is a male Tuxedo cat who’s known for his persistence and perseverance… and his lisp. He also appears to die and then be reborn in a new Loony Tunes series.. 

I mean “Sufferin’ Succotash!” Petwise can’t argue with the ability to be reborn… low premium!

Image: www.picgifs.com

8. Tom 

Thomas cat is part of lovable Duo Tom & Jerry. The domestic short-haired cat was appears as a bit of a mute throughout the cartoons, however always seems to be in the midst of fights and arguments – usually leaving him sadly defeated. 

We’re sorry, Tom, your feisty persona would leave you with a high premium! 

Image: degrassi.wikia.com

9. Mr Jinx

Beloved Himalayan house cat, Mr Jinx has a tough old time in Meet the Parents. He is pivotal to many of the strange occurrences in the Focker household; most poignantly, when Greg loses him and later attempts to pass another cat off as the family pet…by painting his tail.

Being the pride and joy of the family, Mr Jinx can flush the toilet himself and waves. He’s clearly pretty capable of looking after himself so we’re happy to report a low premium!

Image: www.pinterest.com

10. Snowball II

Snowball II was named after the first Simpsons cat, Snowball…obviously. The family give the pet the same name to save money on the first-hand food bowl that already has ‘Snowball’ engraved upon it!

The black cat’s starring role in the show comes as she ironically saves Homer from a burning treehouse during the 14th season – we think her heroic nature earns her a low premium!

Image: www.sodahead.com

5 Owners Reveal the Truth About Owning a Pet

This week marks National Unwanted Pet Week. There are many things to consider and what better way to highlight the truths of owning a pet then from the owners themselves. Some of the Petwise family reveal the truth about owning a dog or cat. It isn’t just waggy tails and cuddles, reality steps in…

Ben, 3 Dogs

“Every dog is different. You almost have to treat them like a human. Some are possessive, some are moody, some get jealous, some just want attention….

Rooney (3yrs old):  Is very territorial and wants to be in control to the point everyone who comes to the house is made very aware of this (despite the fact he is tiny and weighs the same as a feather!). Rooney needs constant attention and has to know that he’s the Don!

Poppy (11 months old): Is an absolute nutcase – she just never stops. It’s like she has 3 red bulls every morning! It’s a case of playing with Poppy all the time and being as energetic as she is.

Scooby (7yrs old): Is very shy and doesn’t like any drama. As soon as someone comes in, he just buggers off and hides. So basically, LEAVE SCOOBY ALONE.

They each have their own personality and you have to treat them the right way. Then they’ll be happy and I’ll be exhausted

Rooney, Poppy & Scooby all looking very innocent!

Christine, 1 Cat

Socks oblivious to the cost of his flea solution!

Socks (9yrs): “When I first got my kitten (2006), my first shock was that he had to have an annual injection and prescription flea treatment. I thought a one off injection would suffice and I could buy a cheaper brand of Flea Solution from (wrong!). Didn’t think about worms, ticks etc. Let alone the expense of him being a fussy eater!!

I was also shocked when he first bit me after 8 years… the vet said he was “unhappy at home” – I felt SO bad. We found out the cat next door was coming into our home when no one was watching and marking his territory. This resulted in the expense of changing our door so a micro chipped cat-flap could be inserted and give Socks a lot more attention as he was being bullied.”

Richard, 2 Cats

“Animals like humans, can be resilient, and can overcome their past. I was apprehensive assuming that they would be damaged in some way, and in a number of ways; harder work.

Polly (7yrs old) & Melody (13yrs old): Initially they were easily scared/startled, but after a bedding in period of a few weeks, were very much happier than they had been at the rehoming centre. Almost 5 years on, and they are completely different characters to the scared little balls of fur we met at Bluebell Ridge.

How attached you get to them! They all have particular personalities and when you live with them, it’s like living with kids or teenagers.“

Polly & Melody much happier after being rehomed.

Jenna, 1 Dog

Rio wanted us to know who was boss

“When I first moved in with my partner I took on his pet dog too ‘Rio’.  There was a clear war at hand to establish the new ranking within the household - I bonded well with ‘Rio’ but Rio had not forgiven my partner quite as easily for the inclusion of this third party. 

Rio (11yrs): In those early weeks I rushed to the scene of ‘yelping’, not from Rio but from my partner. Rio was hanging from my partners’s top lip with no sign of letting go! The incident resulted in a trip to A&E for a Tetanus injection.

We went to speak to the local vet who armed us with lots of advice on how to establish a harmonious household. This took time and effort!

What surprised me was the level of commitment that having a pet required and the emotional effect that it can have on all members of a household.”

Celine, 1 Dog

Riley (4years): “I rehomed him when he was 6 months old, because the family he was with had another dog and the two of them didn’t get along.

You really have to consider everything when getting a pet. You can plan/budget things as much as you want, but there are always going to be surprises along the way.

Riley suffers from Vasculitis and was referred to a Dermatologist a couple of years ago. He had all sorts of tests done, each consultation alone was about £190, so the costs soon raked up to about £2,000 – luckily I had pet insurance, but for anyone who hasn’t taken out any insurance and hasn’t got a backup, I can imagine this being a pretty traumatic time!

Turns out it was his food allergies causing the problem, so now he’s on special diet food, which is more expensive than ordinary food.

It took him a good 6 months to settle into his new home and during that time, he was chewing furniture, bedding, doors etc., while being left on his own.

As for the amount of time you have to dedicate - it really is like having a child. It’s not just a case of feeding them and walking them a couple of times a day. You need to play and interact with them too. You need to arrange for someone to look after them when you go on holiday, or even just for an evening out. And arrange for a dog walker or someone to stop by during the day.

So I would advise anyone considering to buy a pet – always make sure you have time for it and that you’ll be able to afford to keep it, in all eventualities!”

Playing and interacting is integral to having a happy dog, like Riley!

If anyone has any pet stories, or pictures of their loveable mogs or dogs to share, please email us at petwise.bdml@gmail.com

Fictional Dog Insurance – High or Low?

Countless dogs have featured in episodes of our favourite television series, books and films as dependable sidekicks, lovable rogues and heroic protectors. Here’s Petwise' list of our Top 10 fictional dogs… and our estimation of a premium that their owners could expect!

1. Marley

For those who have missed THE SADDEST FILM OF ALL TIME, the narrative is based on the tale of extremely cute (but badly behaved) Labrador, Marley and his lengthy life alongside John Grogan & his family. 

He’s depicted as a spritely puppy, however a little bit of a rogue – watch out for those cables, he’ll eat them. 

Bigger dogs like labs are a little pricier to insure, so we’d expect a high premium for Marley! If you have yet to see it, grab yourself a big box of tissues *sniff sniff* 

Image: www.jessiemarie19.wordpress.com 

2. Scooby Doo

‘Scoobert’ Doo is introduced as the cowardly Great Dane who has been helping his trusty companions fight evil since 1969 (and is perpetually hungry). Starring alongside the self-confessed star of the show are fellow Great Dane puppies, Scrappy (Dappy!) Doo and Scooby Dum who are less sandwich-eaty, but equally as foolish! PUPPY POWER!

Given the unhealthy diet, we fear Scooby would be a high premium for any insurer.

Image: www.imgkid.com 

3. Santa’s Little Helper

Flashback to Christmas 1989… Homer discovers that he has no money to buy his family Christmas presents (D’oh!), so does what any sane person would do - takes an abandoned greyhound home which Marge and the gang deem the Best-Christmas-Present-Ever! (naturally). 

Sadly, the lovable dog has a growing list of health problems which would add to the Simpsons’ dog insurance premium – they say a dog isn’t just for Christmas…

Image: www.simpsons.wikia.com

4. Lassie

Border collie, Lassie, is everyone’s favourite pooch protagonist! The world-famous dog has been one of our favourites since 1943 when originally portrayed on screen by rough collie actor, Pal. 

Lassie made insurance history in 1982 when being covered by the very first pet insurance policy ever sold in the US! 

Sensible and heroic, we imagine Lassie would’ve had a low premium!

Image: www.rsroleplay.wikia.com

5. Dug

The only dog in Muntz’ pack not to be named after a Greek letter, Dug! 

The overweight and lovable dog is imagined to be a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador – he’s considerably over-excitable and you should probably expect a few broken mirrors with Dug around. 

An overweight, energetic crossbreed would likely equate to a high premium – sorry Dug – at least you found the ball!

Image: www.pixshark.com

6. Brian Griffin

Brian - or BEE-RY as Stewie says - is the fictional character from family guy; an anthropomorphic dog who drives a Toyota Prius… obviously. His human attributes receive little acknowledgement or explanation, although his affliction to dry martini’s is of paramount interest in the shows plot. 

Sadly, Brian is outed as an alcoholic, although his twenty-a-day smoking habit progressively worsens. 

Not sure even Petwise could cope with the premium on this Labrador retriever!

Image: www.boiseweekly.com

7. Benji

This classic cocker spaniel cross border terrier has been pulling at our heartstrings since 1974. The canine character is a lovable pup who seems to have a knack of being at the right place at the right time to help other characters overcome tricky situations! 

Given his heroic nature, his ability to safely get out of danger and the fact he’s such a small breed, we reckon Benji could have a pretty low premium!

Image: www.dogingtonpost.com

8. Shadow

Homeward Bound wouldn’t have been the same without this protective and obedient golden retriever. Throughout both films, Shadow is seen as the carer of the family and tends to keep them all out of trouble, despite being mocked – in Chance’s words - for being an “old timer!” 

We’ve seen him fight off countless mean stray dogs and even tackle a mountain lion! Top marks to Shadow – low premium! *thumbs up*

Image: www.themoviescene.co.uk

9. Lady and the Tramp

The lovable duo are made up of a beautiful looking American Cocker Spaniel (Lady) and Tramp. The film sees Lady falling head over heels for Grey Mutt, Tramp and touches upon popular themes; when Lady is introduced to the families newborn baby, however it’s the super-cute spaghetti scene that is famously parodied. 

Cuteness aside, Lady is depicted as being pretty naïve and the duo tend to be in the midst of tricky situations on a regular basis – a fairly high premium?

Image: www.isamaras.wordpress.com

10. Gnasher

Dennis the Menance’ pet (& sidekick) since 1948, Gnasher is definitely unrecognisable in terms of breed – just look at those teeth!

His awful manners and ability to find himself in trouble at any given opportunity would unfortunately heighten the premium for any insurer; we’d probably say the premium on Gnasher would be pretty high! 

“Gnash, gnash, gnash..!”

Image: www.dennisandgnasher.com