In 9 years, 2 cats (and their babies) can generate more than 11,000,000 kittens

In 9 years, 2 cats (and their babies) can generate more than 11,000,000 kittens, according to the Greenville Humane Society. That's a lot of kitty!

How is that possible, you ask? Well, cats will have approximately 3 litters per year, if not spayed, with about 4 kittens per litter. So that's 12 new cats, which could potentially each create 12 new cats, and each one of them 12 more cats and on and on and on...


Eeek! Make it stop!

Unless you are some kind of cat lady, the thought of 11,000,000 uncontrolled cats roaming the neighborhood is not an attractive one (I have frequently expressed my feelings on cats).

How can you prevent 11,000,000 cats from being generated over 9 years? As Bob Barker always said...



If you have adopted a pet that is not spayed or neutered, contact the shelter you adopted it from to find out about discounts. If you purchased your pet, contact your vet. If you live in the area, try mine.

Doggy paddle was the first swimming stroke

Doggy paddle was the first swimming stroke, thought to have originated by early beings mimicking the technique of animals. It is one of the easiest strokes, and is the first style taught to children when learning to swim.

In case you never learned, or forgot, here is how it goes.

1. Get in water
2. Lay belly down with head out of the water (great for keeping hair pretty)
3. Cup hands and move (frantically) in a circular motion
4. Kick legs
5. Move forward in water (if sinking occurs, acquire swimmies and return to step 2 )

And now, a demonstration:



Note that Encyclopedia Branigan videos are now housed on YouTube - Check them out on the TheLBranigan channel

There are more possums in New Zealand than people

There are more possums in New Zealand than people - 70 million of them, which is a disturbing ratio of 20 to 1. The Australian brush-tailed possum was introduced to New Zealand in 1873 for fur trading (someone call PETA).



Unfortunately for the Kiwis, the possums found abundant food and had no natural predators, so they quickly multiplied, and now run a muck of the countryside, spreading disease and eating everything (one little fur ball can eat up to a half a pound of vegetation a day) including endangered Kiwi eggs.

I came face to face with a possum this evening while walking my beast. Here in NJ we don't have cute little big eared possums, we have these evil burnt rat looking creatures...



There are some things on this planet that should clearly refrain from procreation.


For more information on possums, click here.

A special thanks to Katie Foley for editing my posts for grammar.

A morsel of chocolate will not kill your dog

A morsel of chocolate will not kill your dog, but larger quantities can be deadly. It isn't really the chocolate that is bad for the dog, it is a stimulant found in cocoa beans called theobromine, which can also be found in cola beverages, tea and acai berries.

Theobromine is tolerable for humans, but for dogs can cause poisoning, even death, because they are unable to metabolize it, and it can remain in the bloodstream for up to 20 hours. Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching and frequent urination.

It is very important to not give in to your dog, no matter how much they beg, whine, whimper and look up at you with those big (green devil) eyes for chocolate.

Just say NO

Dogs are affected differently by different kinds of chocolate. For example, here is how much of the following chocolates it would take to poison Chloe, my 20 lb Jack Russell-Beagle mix...

• White chocolate - 250 lbs would cause signs of poisoning
• Milk chocolate/Semi-sweet - 1 lb or 4 - 6 candy bars would be poisonous
• Sweet cocoa - 1/3 lb would be poisonous
• Baking chocolate - 2 oz would be poisonous

If you suspect your dog (or cat, bird, horse etc.) is showing signs of theobromine poisoning, take it for medical care immediately. Some websites offer tips on how to care for a poisoned animal, but personally, I'd rather leave it to the professionals. If you are looking for emergency animal care in NE NJ, I would recommend Animal Emergency & Referral Associates (love them), otherwise check your local Google search.

Other human foods that are bad for dogs include avocado, macadamia nuts, onions, grapes, raisins, garlic, foods high in fat, salt or artificial sweeteners, and alcoholic beverages...

Oops.

For more info on dog and cat care visit Pet Place.

Smart people pet proof the holidays

Every year emergency animal hospitals are packed with pets suffering from holiday related injuries. Here are a few holiday hazards to avoid to insure you and your pet a smooth season (don't end up like me, flying to the emergency animal hospital because the dog has a taste for shiny glass balls).

No ham for you dog...

• Watch out for holiday foods. Many of our favorite holiday meals are filled with fats, and can lead to pancreatitis and other side effects that you will not want to clean up.
  

• Pets love eating plants, but Christmas flora can be deadly for pets. Make sure to keep mistletoe, holly berries and poinsettias far away from your furry friend's reach.

• Oh Christmas tree! Oh Christmas tree, your ornaments look so...yummy! The bright colors and flashing lights of your tree look just like something your pets a promoted to play with -- their toys! Make sure to buy pet-safe plastic ornaments, not glass ones which can cause the pet to internally bleed if ingested (they will look just as pretty without the trip to the doggy ER). Also, be sure to tether your tree to the wall. Christmas trees can easily be tipped over, possibly causing damage to you, your pet and your pad.

• You may wait to unwrap your presents until its time to open, but your pet wont, especially if the shiny pretty package is filled with tasty treats like chocolates. Don't let your perfect wrapping job be ruined by a prowling pooch -- keep your gifts out of their paws.

If you have a holiday related pet emergency, be sure to visit your nearest animal hospital ASAP. While a late night visit might be costly (I know what I am asking Santa for this year; pet insurance), it could save your best friend's life.

Your pooch probably isn't a fan of holiday dog clothes either.

For more information, visit the ASPCA.

Smart people adopt pets

A year ago today I adopted an eight week old puppy named Chloe from the Jersey Animal Coalition.


On our one year anniversary I would like to remind everyone of the importance of adoption. There are millions of pets out there without homes and unless they are adopted many of these helpless animals will be put to sleep.

It isn't easy having a dog but it is very rewarding. While I may not have gotten to sleep late in this past year, and the beast has eaten many of my possessions (most recently my iron; not the cord, she actually removed the buttons and left the rest intact), I am so glad she is mine and I can't imagine my life without her.




To find a shelter near you, visit Pet Finder.

Who has better dreams, your dog or a duck-billed platypus?

Ever seen your dog start to wag, whimper, or wiggle around during sleep? That means your dog is dreaming. Dogs are mammals, and like other taller, less furry mammals (humans) they experience REM sleep, the section of the sleep cycle where we dream.

The duck-billed platypus experiences more REM sleep than any other mammal. They also lay eggs. And have bills. Go figure.

What does your dog dream about?

Mine has a reoccurring dream of becoming a smurf...


Beat that platypus!