Pets! We love our cats and dogs in Seattle. It’s true! News stories have been written about it. Now that summer is here, let’s practice pet safety and keep our furry pets safe at home and in the outdoors.
Tips for Cat Safety
- Keep your kitty indoors. Wherever you may live, cats are in danger of being hit by cars attacked by a predator. Sadly, it has happened in our family twice now.
- If kids, visitors, or workmen are coming in and out of your home and doors are left open, secure your cat in a bedroom or laundry room.
- Keep your kitty current on flea and tick treatments. Apply the treatment every 1st of the month and put a recurring reminder on your calendar to help you remember when the next treatment is due.
- Secure pet care as a part of your vacation planning. Ask a friend to visit your kitty while you are away. We employ a teenage cat lover to hang out and take care of our cat when we go away for short trips.
- If your cat is lost, try reaching out to your neighbors right away. We discovered Nextdoor.com, a private social network for neighborhoods, when a family on our block lost their kitty. One of our neighbors on Nextdoor.com saw the kitty in their yard, and she was returned home safely.
- Give your cat different ways to cool off on superhot days. Put a couple of ice cubes in her water. Turn on a fan and let kitty enjoy the breeze. Give your kitty access to the coolest area of your home.
- If your kitty loves the outdoors, consider installing an outdoor cat enclosure. We’ve seen a cat patio attached to a home with a cat door leading in from the house.
Tips for Dog Safety
- Secure pet care as a part of your vacation planning. There are many options found online, but book ahead of time, to be sure you get a spot for your pup.
- Repair any broken fences so that your dog can’t get out and unwanted critters can’t get in.
- Dogs are in danger of being attacked even in their own yards so keep your pet indoors at night.
- Keep your dog current on flea, tick and heartworm treatments. Never use DEET products on your pets.
- Bring water and a water dish when you take your pup on a long walk or hike.
- Aim for morning and evening walks during the hottest days. Dogs can get heatstroke on very hot days.
- Leave the air conditioning on (maybe at 76 degrees) for your pet. Be sure they have plenty of water while you are away.
- Never leave your dog in a car on a hot day.
- Dogs with a very short coat and white dogs, can be in danger of sunburn. Keep your pet in the shade and consult with your vet about sunblock.
- Keep your dog indoors on 4th of July. Loud fireworks (and summer thunderstorms) can be very scary for your pet. Try playing classical music when the fireworks start, this can be soothing and distracting.
- Check out this blog for winter time tips. We do get snow in the PNW and dogs love playing in it!