How to care for cats and dogs

Purchasing a cat. The easiest way to adopt a cat or kitten is from a homeless animal shelter. There they will always tell you how to care for her. When choosing a kitten, check whether it is healthy and whether its ears, eyes and teeth are clean. The baby should be cheerful, brave, keenly interested in what is happening around him and play with contentment. You can take a cat or kitten from the street. Animals are often offered to be placed in “good hands” by people you know. Of course, if an adult cat is used to living in the wild, she may not like it within four walls.

At the veterinarian. Your cat should be taken to the veterinarian regularly. He will check her health and give you advice on caring for the animal. Two-month-old kittens receive their first vaccination against some dangerous infectious diseases. If you adopted a cat from the street, you should definitely show it to a veterinarian.

Cat care. The cat is a very independent animal. But you must feed her every day, keep her tray clean, and play with her. All cats and kittens love to play. They are happy to catch a simple wad of paper, especially if it is tied to a rope. The health of cats depends on regular and proper nutrition. A purebred long-haired cat needs to be brushed more often.

Raising a cat. Training a cat is much more difficult than training a dog. However, in order to live among people, she must learn certain rules. It is necessary to accustom the kitten to “go” to a special tray as quickly as possible. This is not difficult - cats are very clean by nature. It is enough to provide her with a tray with a special filler that absorbs moisture and odors and change it daily. And the tray should be disinfected periodically. The cat needs to “sharpen” its claws. To prevent her from scratching furniture and walls, give her a “claw picker.” The cat often steals ("gets") food. You can wean yourself off this only by catching him in the act. Cats don't like to travel. The animal must be transported in a special bag, to which it is better to accustom it in advance. A cat usually gives birth to three to five, sometimes more, kittens. She carries them for nine weeks. Kittens are born blind and deaf. However, they recognize the smell of their mother, can crawl, and find nipples with milk by touch. It is better not to take the kittens away from their mother for much longer. In the first months of life, it is she who teaches them all the necessary wisdom. The curiosity of kittens and their natural dexterity can cause inconvenience to their owners and even threaten the lives of the babies themselves. They climb anywhere, run around and fight. You need to keep an eye on the kids - they can do stupid things, for example, hide unnoticed in a refrigerator or car. It is very difficult to train cats, and yet some cats appear in films and even perform in the circus.

Cat communication. Cats communicate with each other and with us, and also express emotions using various sounds: they meow, purr, growl, hiss, and sometimes shriek. If a cat rubs against your legs and meows, it feels lonely and is clearly asking for attention. The cat sat down, lowered its tail and pulled its head in: it was scared. If a cat arches its back and its fur stands on end, it means it is angry. If the tail moves from side to side, the cat is nervous.

Getting a dog. Before adopting a dog, you need to think carefully. After all, for the next ten plus years she will become a member of your family. Ask the puppies' owners to show them their parents. The mother dog should be friendly to guests and allow them to pet their babies. Do not choose a lethargic and timid puppy - you need one that is vigorous and cheerful. If you live in a city apartment, it is better to choose a small indoor breed dog. A large dog will feel uncomfortable in your apartment; it would rather be in a separate house with an area where it can run around to its heart's content.

At the veterinarian. The seller is obliged to give you a dog passport from a veterinarian with information about the dog’s health and vaccinations given to it. Be sure to give your dog an identifying tattoo (such as your phone number) in his ear or on the inside of his thigh in case he gets lost.

Dog care. When you get a dog, you immediately have a lot of responsibilities. It is not enough to feed the dog, you need to work with it. To keep a dog healthy and cheerful, it must go for walks with its owner regularly. Try to run and walk with her more. You need to feed your dog at a certain time. Don't give her a lot of sweets, it is very harmful to her health. Bathe your dog occasionally, and wash his paws every time after a walk. It is not always possible to take your dog with you on a long journey. Fortunately, convenient cages for transporting animals are sold.

Raising a puppy. Training a dog needs to start as early as possible, otherwise it will develop bad habits that will disturb everyone around it. The puppy must understand that it is forbidden to “mess” wherever he wants. It is important to teach the puppy to immediately run when the owner calls. You can encourage his correct actions with treats, but the best reward for a dog is your affection and verbal praise, and the worst punishment is a harsh “Ugh!” A dog carries its offspring for 63 days. Usually 2-4 babies are born, sometimes more or less. Puppies are born blind and deaf, but with well-developed senses. Their eyes open after two weeks, and after another week the puppies take their first steps. Puppies and children get along great. However, the child must respect the animal’s wishes and not squeeze it or cause pain.

Pets are the best psychologists and helpers

For children, animals are the best psychologists and assistants in matters of social adaptation. Sometimes an animal becomes a “link” between a shy child and his potential friends in the yard. The dog contributes to the child’s contact with the environment. And walking the dog together can bring even the most taciturn and problematic children together. After all, the fact that a dog listens to you increases self-esteem, which can subsequently have a beneficial effect on communication with the outside world. Everyone knows that communicating with an animal relieves stress and improves family relationships. Communication with a pet can encourage a child to explore the world around him and nature.

And a dog can teach a child to read: here’s an example: an 8-year-old boy who could read only 45 words per minute doubled his reading speed in one month thanks to a dachshund. The dog visited the struggling student at school every week and patiently curled up on the boy's lap while he read aloud. No one corrected the child, did not interrupt or make any comments. In such a nice company, previously hated reading turned into pure pleasure. The calming effect of communicating with pets has long been known. Teachers say that children, when they see a friendly four-legged listener, change right before their eyes: fear, anxiety and uncertainty disappear. Hence the excellent results.

Pets foster a sense of responsibility.

A pet will teach a child to be responsible for himself and for the creatures close to him. Doctors, psychologists and teachers recommend a child to have a pet as a friend, which gives him not only closeness, but also recognition and communication, as well as an understanding of being responsible for himself and for the creatures close to him. The child will understand that a four-legged friend is not a teddy bear; he needs to be fed, looked after and walked regularly. These skills will greatly help the child in adulthood; he will learn to control himself and be responsible for his actions. At different ages, the degree of responsibility of the child in relation to the animal should vary. At 3 years old, a child can help pour food, stroke it, and walk it with you. At the age of 7-9, a child can begin to walk a dog on his own, and at the age of 13 he can become the owner and take responsibility for the pet.