There aren’t Bad Dogs but there are breed-specific needs and temperament issues that owners need to be familiar with to successfully care for their dogs. The idea that “breed is irrelevant!!!” to a dog’s behavior is very foolish and leads to a lot of unhappy pet/owner combinations. We have spent thousands of years breeding dogs for specific traits and instincts and it’s our job to manage and accommodate those behaviors as responsibly as we can.
okay but that argument gives a platform to those who wish to ban breeds of dogs (i.e pitbulls) because of a few bad eggs. Last time I checked, which was a long time ago to be fair, a pitbull could be put down for biting someone in the state of Florida. So in a sense, you’re right some dog’s by design have different personalities but as with all pets it is the owners responsibility to raise them appropriately so why should the breed of dog matter? I’ve had two Labrador retrievers in my life and one was happy go lucky and the other was nervous and wouldn’t leave my side. It’s a case by case basis and generalizing the breed because of historical goals in genetics doesn’t do anything besides give those who fearmonger a foundation to terrorize.
It matters because care requirements differ wildly between breeds. Failing to care for a dog’s specific needs or provide appropriate outlets for their instincts means the dog will likely become destructive and may need to be rehomed.
I have only met one border collie in my entire life that was not an unhinged, unstable mess of a dog with emotional and destructive issues. That happened to be the one border collie I’ve met that actually lived on a farm and had an outlet for its herding instincts and extreme intellect. They can be great dogs, but their threshold for boredom is much, much lower than other common companion breeds, and someone who chooses a border collie as a pet but cannot provide a higher level of mental engagement is doing a disservice to the dog and setting themself up for heartbreak. My own dog is a German shorthair pointer, and the only reason we are able to keep her is because she is able to free-run for hours each day—if we lived in suburbia, getting her the exercise she needs would be next to impossible.
Cairn terriers were bred to hunt and kill vermin. They’re good dogs and these are situationally desirable traits, but if you work at, say, an animal rehab center, a high-game terrier is a piss-poor decision for a pet. A Doberman can also be a great dog, but if you run an AirBnB and have new batches of strangers coming in and out of your house all the time, a breed inclined towards protectiveness, a strong sense of loyalty, and suspicion of strangers is a bad idea.
Of course every individual dog is different, but way too many people treat breed like nothing more than an aesthetic choice. Lots of dogs do not meet the standard temperaments of their breeds, but breed should be treated as a “what to expect” and factored into dog-acquisitions accordingly. Sometimes instincts can be trained out, sometimes not! Failing to do so doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bad trainer—dogs from working breeds flunk out of training all the time and become family dogs.
every other comment on this is “just let them outside” like…. no
letting cats outside is dangerous for them, and horrible for the local ecosystem
cats are great but domestic cats are an invasive species
this is a really good way to let cats enjoy the outdoors without letting them wreak havoc on the local ecosystem
Oh my goodness what an amazing inexpensive catio idea!!
Whenever I recommend catios (in addition to leash training and supervised walks) as an option for cats that like to spend time outside, in the back of my head I know that that’s not an option for some people who have budget constraints or don’t own their home.
But this, or something bigger but similarly made out of a frame with mesh over it, is way more practical and temporary for people that can’t build a full blown catio.
I fucking love this! I support the shit out of this!!
A person I respect very much was talking about how they disapprove of crossbreeding like ever except in VERY SPECIAL CASES and brought up the Norwegian lundehund as an example where it was “justified”
But
Like. Is letting a dog breed GET to that point not actually cruel? Do we really have to wait until the animals all have 383625 health problems and are dying at age 6 of fancy bastard disease BEFORE we intervene re: outcrossing/crossbreeding? How bad does it have to get before it’s “justified”? Is this not something to prioritize PREVENTING with responsible introduction of more diverse genetics like… on a regular basis??????? And not JUST when there is a crisis of genetic diversity??? IS WAITING UNTIL A DOGS LEGS ARE FALLING OFF TO GO “HMM THESE DOGS HAVE AN INBREEDING COEFFICIENT OF LIKE A BILLION MAYBE WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOU THAT” NOT ACTUALLY… ANIMAL CRUELTY ??
Your current cat definitely feels the loss and isn’t certain how to cope with it. Going off of observations of cat colonies, losing a member causes the others to sort of… re-shuffle themselves. Surviving members often form new close bonds with other cats, even allogrooming members that they didn’t seem particularly close to before the loss. It’s been very interesting to observe. I don’t think it’s grief as humans experience it, but I think it’s a reaction to stress.
The best thing you can do for him is be there, just as you’re already doing. Spend time with him, cuddle and pet him, etc, etc. I’d also add more interactive toys to his routine—- things like feeder toys can help distract him from missing his son, or catnip/silvervine if he likes those more.
When you leave for work or school, you can make sure he has access to some clothes you wore recently. This can greatly reduce separation anxiety.
Me: *posts that someone literally said it was better for their cat to die from a car than be kept inside, and that that is fucked up.*
Outdoor cat owners:
-You’re treating cats as prisoners!
-But they’re bored!
-But this one cat once didn’t die from something like that!
-But this one cat came home every night until the night he didn’t and he was a whopping 10 years old!
-Cats are unique special intelligent creatures that magically know how to avoid all that shit!
-You can teach your cat to not get run over by a car!
-There are totally no predators around where I am… except foxes, owls, and other birds of prey.
-If they’re inside they’ll live to be an old age and die agonizingly on your floor from some old age disease because vet care and euthanasia don’t exist I guess?
-Life isn’t 100% safe therefore taking any basic precautions is stupid!
We switched out the ceiling fan, the original was an unknown treated wood with exposed bulbs so we changed it to one with covered bulbs that don’t release much heat (won’t burn the birds) and made of lightweight bird-safe metal so if they do land on it they won’t manage to injest something they shouldn’t. The fan will never be turned on but we have to keep one there for resale value, etc.
Installed stainless steel hooks in the wall studs so they’re strongly in place and bird-safe
We cut some single-ply cardboard in to discs to cover the wall around the hooks so no one gets an easy access spot to chew drywall.
Set up a misting humidifier to keep the room at a constantly humid state which is good for their skin, respiratory system, etc. Of course the HEPA air filter is in the opposite corner keeping the air good and clean for the beans!
Then we’ve got the rack on the back of the door that stores all their treats and pellets, I need a couple more jars to properly hold everything but it’s good enough for now!
The rest is mostly just hanging some unoiled sisal rope and toys all over the place, along with a good sitting spot right by the window of course!
Lastly we put a draft reducer under the door so Newt will stop jamming his body under the door and escaping, we’ve got to get some pins to keep it secured to the door but for now it’s doing its job!
I still need to find a good spot for their UV light but other than that I think we’re done!
After humans, cats are the number 1 cause of species extinctions, worldwide. They are hunters and indiscriminately kill native species and damage their ability to reproduce. As the article states, cats are now the most common source of rabies transmission to humans–dogs used to be the most common source, but we no longer let dogs roam freely anymore.
I have six cats and I love them to pieces–every single one of them is 100% indoors only. Despite my commitment to keeping my cats indoors, I constantly have to deal with my neighbors cats wandering into my yard and killing the birds and cotton mice that enjoy the habitat I have worked my butt off to provide for them. Every single day for the past several weeks, I have had to run into my yard and chase off three separate cats, one of whom has possibly destroyed the Lincoln’s Sparrow nest I was overjoyed to have in my yard.
Last year, when I had to deal with cats stalking the birds, the only solution that worked was cutting all of the grass down to ground so they had no place to hide, but this also destroys nesting habitat for birds like the Lincoln’s Sparrows, and I already have a pair trying to nest in my yard this year. I shouldn’t have to remove nesting habitat so I can scare cats out of my yard more easily!
Cats are domesticated animals with no native habitat anywhere in the world–everywhere they exist, they were introduced by humans, and they disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem. That doesn’t mean your cats need to be bored, though! I have lots of bird feeders up, many of which are stationed close to their favorite places to perch by the windows. They spend all day chasing birds, safely separated by glass (and sometimes the birds harass them on purpose!) And another one of my cats is so large I have to take him to the vet on a leash, which means after his vet visits, he gets rewarded with after-vet “sniffs through the garden,” because that’s really all he wants to do.
Above: Satin waits for birds at the feeder and Oliver sniffs around the front yard
Keeping your cats inside is better and safer for them, too! Cats have a much harder time getting fleas (and subsequently, tapeworms, which are carried by fleas) when they are indoor cats, and when they are indoors, they do not have to worry about getting hit by cars, attacked by other cats or wild animals (possibly with diseases), hunted by predators, caught in traps, ingesting poisoned mice (which can kill them!), getting caught in extreme weather, and all sorts of other hazards and dangers.
The actual difference in lifespan is hard to determine, but they are greatly different for indoor and outdoor cats. Here’s one example figure:
Cats who are kept indoors can reach the ripe old age of 17 or more years, whereas outdoor cats live an average of just two to five years.
Source: pets.webmd.com [link] (yeah I know, not the best but I’m tired and this is just an example)
Other figures I’ve seen are outdoor cats average around 5 years, and indoor cats average around 15 years (but these are very rough estimates). If you’ve had an outdoor cat, and it “ran away” one day, I’ll bet you your cat did not actually run away.
There is a way to keep native habitats, vulnerable species, and cats safe! And that’s by keeping cats indoors!
if only anti-livestock people were as vocal about not keeping endangered exotic animals or highly intelligent parrots in your house as they are about the existence of cows and poultry. I guess when you keep these animals as pets you “love” them unlike those evil farmers, even if the animal in your care is being extensively poached and forced to live a lifestyle it wasn’t designed for, also most of which die decades prematurely from owner neglect.
Good luck! If at all possible, I highly recommend looking into compounding oral medications into flavored liquids. Wedgewood and Roadrunner Pharmacies are both good for this. It’s more expensive than typical medications, but they are a lifesaver when it comes to difficult kitties.
If they can’t be compounded (like if they’re eye drops or ear drops or something), then you’ll need to rotate treats. Even the highest value treat will lose value if it’s given 4-6 times a day.
Tuna (can be addictive! Make sure it’s in water, not oil)
Mackerel (likewise, look for something packed in water, not oil)
Anchovies (water, not oil)
Sardines (w a t e r)
Whipped cream (for lactose tolerant kitties only)
Freeze dried beef liver (usually sold as dog treats, but most cats love it)
Cat food roll (you know those like… weird tubes of dog and cat food? that’s this stuff. This tends to be REALLY calorie dense, so keep track of how much you offer)
Salmon or tuna crack (just google “tuna crack dog treat” and you’ll find TONS of recipes for this)
Skitten has received extra pats AND a dab of whipped cream!
Everyone knows that dark/baking chocolate is bad for dogs, but here are some others that can be dangerous! These are also dangerous for cats, although cats may be less likely to eat them.
1. Milk and White Chocolate: While milk chocolate isn’t as dangerous as dark/baking chocolate, 1 ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight could still be deadly.
Theobromine—the toxic component in chocolate—can be found in white chocolate as well.
2. Candy Corn and Other High Sugar Candy:
Candies that are made with pure sugar can cause severe gas and diarrhea. The sugar not only provides a great source of food for gut bacteria to indulge on, it can also pull water into the colon and cause a bad case of diarrhea.
3. Bite-Size Hard Candy: These treats pose a major choking hazard for pets. Hard candy becomes slippery when mixed with saliva and it can be inhaled into the wind pipe, causing a choking hazard.
4. Chocolate-Covered Raisins:
Chocolate is toxic to pets and can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Raisins (and other grape products) can cause severe kidney failure. The two of these combined is the ultimate toxic nightmare for pets.
5. Sugar-Free Gum and Other Candy: Sugar free candy often contains the sugar substitute
Xylitol, which can be deadly to dogs and cats.
Xylitol causes a very severe drop in blood sugar that can happen within minutes after ingestion. Pets may become lethargic, unable to walk and start having seizures. If they survive the initial symptoms, they often will have severe liver damage and potentially fatal liver failure.
ifesbob 