Foot Care

Caring for your pet's feet is crucial in the winter.  
Your pets need fresh air and exercise, but when they are outside, they may be exposed to sidewalk de-icing chemicals that can be very irritating to their paws.  

It is a good idea to clean their feet with a wet wipe after every walk.  

Just using a dry towel is not very effective for removing the chemical residue on your pet's feet. 
If it is not remove, this residue could irritate the pads and if your pet licks his/her feet they may ingest these toxic substances.

Additionally, the hair between your pet's toes and in their pads should be trimmed short. 
This is always done during their grooming appointments at Stinky's Kittens & Doggies Too. 
This helps keep the snow and ice from getting packed in the pads and causing problems.

Nail care is very important in the winter. 
Many pets are less active in the cold weather and their nails do not wear down as much as they normally would in the warmer months.

Nails that are too long can easily get caught in carpeting or other fabrics and can tear or break off and then they will bleed - sometimes profusely and require immediate veterinary attention.

To be sure that your pet's nails are always the correct  length and have no rough edges, call our salon and schedule a "paw" dicure for them.  

We will be happy to do this between your pet's regular schedule grooming appointments.

Although you might not expect it, you need to continue checking your pet for fleas and ticks during the winter months.

Protecting them from these nasty little critters is a year round necessity.
That is another reason that brushing your pet daily and inspecting his/her skin for abnormalities really contributes to your pet's overall well being and happiness.

                                                Cold Weather Grooming Tips..

Winter can really be tough on everyone, and that includes your pets.  The harsh old weather, the irritating sidewalk de-icing chemicals, the dry indoor air and more, all can take a toll on your pet's skin, hair and feet.  Some people think that because it is colder outside they should not get their pets groomed as often as they d in the summer.  Actually your pets need for professional grooming may increase in the winter and here is why. 

There are some things that you must consider if you want our pet to have a longer hair style during the colder months. A pet with longer hair will require more maintenance grooming on your part and you may need to schedule his or her grooming appointments more frequently to keep the hair from becoming tangled and out of control.

If you put a coat , sweater or even a harness on your pet it can rub against  the hair and cause friction.  The hair must be kept tangle free or mats will begin to form.  This can lead to extreme discomfort for the pet, causing the pet to rub and scratch and possibly cause sores or hotspots on their skin.  That is why daily at home brushing is so important.  Brushing keeps he hair tangle free and helps distribute the natural oils that are in your pets coat.  It also helps remove the dead skin cells and promotes healthy skin.

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Tips For Keeping Pets Warm & Health Druing The Winter

The winter months can pose a number of expected health threats to pets, ranging from frigid temperature to salt scattered on sidewalks. 

Just as we wear clothes and eat differently when the seasons change, pet's grooming and nutritional needs also vary. By taking some basic precaution, the needs of our furry friends, responsible pet owners can help their cats or dogs make it through the winter in good health.

Water, water everywhere.  If your pet is kept outdoors, be sure it always has a fresh supply of water and check frequently to be sure the water has not frozen.

Open door policy.  Increased numbers of visitors during the holiday season may provide an opportunity for your pet to slip out the door unnoticed. Keep an eye on your car or dog when guests arrive and depart, and be sure your pet has proper identification in case it does get out.

Fatal attraction.  When refilling your car's radiator, be sure to clean up any spilled antifreeze.  Ethylene glycol has a sweet taste to both dogs and cats and is highly toxic.

Dry cleaning.  Do not neglect pet grooming in the winter.  While a regular bath is unwise unless you have a good dryer, coming and even dry bathing will keep your pet's coat clean and healthy and reduce order.  Otherwise see a professional groomer who has the right tools and dryers to provide a professional grooming for your pet.

The big chill.  Do not leave your pet outside for long periods of time.  Low body temperature can quickly result and can lead to death.  If the wind chill index is below 20 degrees, do not take small house pets, older dogs and cat, or short haired dogs outside.  If you must take your pet out in cold weather dress your pet in a knit sweater or fleece jacket which will give your pet an added layer of protection.

Scat cat.  Before starting your car on cold days, honk the horn to scare away any cat that may be hiding in the warm engine compartment.

Your Cat cannot taste things that are sweet...
The taste buds of a cat cannot detect sugar.

Originally kitty litter was made of sand, but in 1948 it was discovered that clay was more absorbent.

Your cat can see in the dark.
Cats can see at one-sixth the light level require for human vision....

Without Taurine, your cat would go blind.

Taurine is an amino acid that most animals produce on their own.
However cats require it in their diet.  Do not worry it is in your cat's food.

Taurine is also an ingredient in most energy drinks.
But this does not mean you should ever vie these to your cat!

Things Worth Knowing About Your Cat!!

Your cat purrs continuously....

by flowing air past the voice box during both inhalation and exhalation.

Your cat's whiskers to gauge whether or not they can fit though an opening. 

Furthermore, your cat's collarbone does not connect to any other bones but instead sits
buried in muscle.

This makes it easier for your cat to squeeze through tight spaces.  

Your cat purrs at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine.

This is around 26 purrs per second.

Things About Your Cat & More...

Your cat's ears can hear ultrasonic sounds....

Rodents use these sounds to communicate.  Your cat can hear them but dogs and humans cannot.

Your cat uses whiskers to gauge whether or not they can fit through an opening.

Furthermore, your cat's collarbone does not connect to any other bones but instead sits buried in muscle.  This makes it easier for your cat to squeeze through tight spots.

Your cat purrs continuously...
By flowing air past the voice box during both inhalation and exhalation.

IBD Cats develop an intolerance for common meats they eat regularly - like chicken

They  may do better with less common ones like duck and venison.
Go offers some helpful options, they have a variety of  meats to choose from.  Hounds & Gatos have a variety as well.

If you prefer to feed your cat raw food to constipated cats.

With some cats, constipation is made worse by foods with ground bones  - most raw recipes have ground bones in them.  When that is the case, then you could make homemade raw food with one of these complete supplements.

Please keep in mind that cats can die without enough of certain key nutrients so you need to follow very specific instruction if you want to start a homemade raw diet.

Current Supplement for making homemade cat food:

Alnutrin Supplement:  A good supplement and recipe for bone-free homemade cat food.  You can request a free sample and they will include the recipe.

Feline Instincts Supplement:  They provide a recipe and nutrient supplement, which makes if easy t make  - sure your cat gets what they need.

Natural cat food picks for cats with IBS/IBD Symptoms

Mainstream vet medicine often puts cats with IBS/IBD symptoms on manufactured  hypoallergenic foods like Hill's Z/D, but these odds are often high in carbohydrates (fattening) and low in quality protein..  And according to some like myself and DVM, these food do not always work either  - at least not for long.

For mild cases of IBD, grain -free canned diets are helpful.

For tougher cases, a raw diet of ground meat with cat-appropriate vitamin and essential-fatty acid supplements mixed in is a complete cure ( my opinion.)

I have seen cats ( two of mine) that have done well with food that have a lot of ingredients, even fruits and vegetables.

First Choice:

My first choice of natural cat food with the most simple, digestive-friendly formulas are:

Hounds & Gatos, canned.  One of the higher quality choices out there.  Several different meat formulas. 

Pure Vita canned.  Simple ingredients, grain free  and low carb.

Tiki Cat Koolina Lua and Puka Puka Luau canned.  Very simple recipes, but the only option is chicken.

What Are Feline IBD and IBS?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an inflammatory immune-reaction syndrome in the gastrointestinal tract.  We know healing has been possible for many humans and cats, but the roots of the condition have not been well understood , so doctors have not had reliable solutions.

The symptoms are regular bouts of diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting.  You may also see mucous or blood in the stool.  In some cats the only symptom i weight loss.  Some may stop using the litter box because it reminds them of a painful experience.

IBD has similar symptoms to IBD and  I believe it is a precursor to IBD.  The difference is that IBD is so inflammatory that it causes damage to the intestines.  Besides making everyone miserable, the scary thing about IBD is it can be deadly because:

. a cat can actually starve from a very serious case of IBD
. some experts believe the inflammation it causes can to to the intestinal lymphoma which has
become so common in cats.

By the way sometimes what you think are frequent hairballs are actually IBD symptoms.  If you
have a cat who gags or throws up hairballs more than once a month, consider it suspicious.

When Cats Have IBS, Diarrhea or Frequent Hairball - What to feed them? Part 1

I am hearing from my clients that visit my store and those who are feline lovers who I have cross paths with.
Are in desperate need of help for their cats.

Looking to resolve colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or disease (IBD) symptoms, such as:

diarrhea or loose stools.
constipation.
frequent hairballs or vomiting for no reason.
digestive reactions to certain foods (food allergies, lost of hair etc)

If you can relate, I have good news for you.
Yes allot of good news to share.


I will share helpful ways that I have learned from research
and other similar cases that I have talk to with cat people and vets.

Will start by my best to answer:  What natural food options are around that will  help my cat with these symptoms?

Just to let you know most improtantly I am not a vet.  Get your vet involved in your cat's condition. 
Sometimes these symptoms of intestinal or gastrointestinal cancer and you will want to catch it early.

Happy Halloween Part 2

No great escapes , please.  Be careful your cat or dog odes not dart through an open door.  Keeping a collar or harness and leash on is a good idea. Once a pet is out the door, your familiar neighborhood can become unfamiliar and scary territory on Halloween.  A panicked pet will often run too far from home to find its way back.

Having an adult party?  Never give alcoholic beverages to any pet.  Keep a watchful eye on your party guests; some may think it is funny to get an animal drunk, but it can kill your pet.
Do not and meow do not worry about hurting any ones feelings by telling them to leave the party if their actions are threatening to your pets. it is better than facing the consequences of a seriously ill pet.

Despite the necessary caution, Halloween  can be a fun time for people and pets alike.  Pets are more easily frightened than the rest of us at this spooky time of year since they have no clue what is going on.  Be sympathetic and treat them like you want to be treated if you were them!!!
#Halloween #black cats  #tick or treat

New Products At Stinky's

We have new products for your pet along with dog & cat grooming service.

Thanks for watching and please stop on by at 110 Bristol Rd. Somerville, MA in the Ball Square Area...

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Happy Halloween Part 1

Halloween is that eerily favorite time for children and people who have children at heart.
It is time to get into the spirit of the occasion and dress up to go Tick or Treat.
It can be fun for everyone including your pet.

But Halloween can also be a traumatic and even dangerous time for your pet.

Do not leave pets out in the  backyard on Halloween.
Keep cats and dogs inside your home for the night.
Please remember that black cats are specially vulnerable at this time of year.

Know when to say no!!  Your pet may beg but remember Trick or Treat goodies are not for pets.
Chocolate, especially is poisonous to pets, but other candies can be dangerous as well. 
Hard candies can be hazardous if swallowed.
Tin foil or cellophane wrappers can get stuck in your pet's digestive tract, causing illness or death.

Costumes or not?

You may love to dress in a unique costume, but realize that you are not a dog or cat.  Think things throughly before putting your pet in a Halloween costume.  If you do make sure the cotume is not tight or unsafe for pets.  Be careful not to obstuct their view.

Can cats be pregnant by 2 different fathers?

Yes they can!!  Female cats mate with many different toms in the same heat cycle and they ovulate new eggs each time.  This leads to superfecudation:  one pregnancy from more than one mating.

What is interesting is that you can actually detect superfecudation by examing the kittens in a litter.
It is possible to calculate the date of a kittens conception (within a day or two) from the date when the first adult teeth come in. So if two litter mates start losing their baby teeth on different days then there is a decent chance they have different fathers.

So for example if you have two kittens that are brown tabby and two that are tortoiseshell from the same litter, than the mother has mated with more than one cat.

Heart Disease - Prone Breeds

Some breeds develop heart disease more often than others.

Boxers and Dobermans pinschers lead the pack as breeds with the most heart disease-related claims, including cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Domestic medium hair cats. Cavalier King Charles spaniels and domestic long hair cats also made the list of breeds likely to suffer from heart disease an umbrella condition that also includes endocardiosis valvular disease and stroke.

Symptoms of heart disease include fluid retention, faster or slower heart rate, weakness, lethargy and weight loss.

Purr Fect Vacations For The Feline In You.....

While the Japanese have the highest per ca pita cat ownership in the world, there are people crazy for cats everywhere.  Cat love has resulted in some strangely charming places where travelers can stop to pay tribute to felines....

These vacation idea are the cat's meow....

Cat Cafes Tokyo

Japan's obsession with all things feline is well documented. After all this is the homeland of You Tube star Maru, a Scottish Fold whose antics have amassed, more than 200 million views. Tokyo itself counts more than a hundred neko or cat cafes , where patrons come to sip lattes an socialize with numerous cats who lounge around on chairs, sofas, baskets and the laps of their human fans.  

Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Key West Florida  

Cat fanatics who are also Hemingway fans will find nirvana at the writer former Key West home.  The grand plantation style limestone house is the domain of around 50 cats descended from Papa's original Maine coon, Snowball, who was given to him by a ship's captain.  Hemingway named many of his cats after famous people and the estate carries on the tradition today; look for Lionel Barrymore and Hairy Truman.

Moscow Cats Theatre

This second generation founded by Yuri Kuklachev and his son Dmitri in 1990 , performs in Moscow when the troupe which includes around 120 cats is not touring the world.  Shows feature a revolving series of madcap acts with unique cats.  Expect to see the furry stars performing stunts: walking a tightrope, teetering on a rocking horse and posing on top of a mirror ball.

Kuching Cat Museum - Malaysia

Cats are considered lucky in Malaysia, as in many Asian cultures, and the Kuching Cat Museum in Sarawak pays respectful , if slightly wacky , homage to these fortune bestowing felines.  he piece de resistance: a 1,000 year old mummified Egyptian kitty.  The museum is on a hill, with great view of the city of Kuching, which translates as "cat city".

Dominque & His Flying House Cats - Key West Florida

Dominique LeFort is one of the more idiosyncratic locals and in Margaritaville that is really saying something.  The performer and his troupe of trained house cats entertain, regularly  at Sunset Celebration a nightly arts festival at Mallory Square Dock.

Hello Kitty Theme Park - Tokyo

A pilgrimage to Tokoyo's Hello Kitty theme park, know officially as Sanrio Puroland is a must for fans of the cult cat character.  The park attracts 1.5 million annual visitors of all ages who come from far and wide to watch Hello Kitty themed musical, take a spi on cat-tastic rides and visit Hello Kitty's house.