Amy Shojai's Blog, page 132
June 27, 2012
Woof Wednesday: Hot Dogs, Heatstroke & Cool Tips
Summer time fun requires safety issues–even swingers like “Wince.” Photo copr Melissa/Flickr
Summer is here, and she’s in a nasty mood. Temperatures this week have soared into the mid-to-high 90s and yesterday reached 100 degrees. For hairless humans, the risk of sunburn becomes an issue and even the fur-kids (especially those with white fur) can develop burns on the thinly furred areas like ear tips and the bridge of the nose. Some dogs enjoy sunbathing on their backs and get burned tummies!
But the true risk for these hot days is heatstroke. That happens when the body isn’t able to cool off sufficiently. People sweat, but dogs (and cats, too) have sweat glands in their paws which aren’t particularly effective for cooling. Instead the dog relies on panting to cool off–there are also 9 other reasons dogs pant–while kitties only pant when in trouble and more likely lick-lick-lick themselves all over for an evaporative cooling effect. The problem with these techniques, though, is that when the outside air temperature rises to pet body temperature the panting air-exchange won’t work. And the pet overheats and can succumb to heatstroke. Learn more about signs of heatstroke and first aid tips in this heatstroke article.
Those of y’all who regularly read this blog know that the Magical-Dawg LOVES car rides. But cars become deathtraps in even relatively mild temperatures. On a 78-degree day, a shaded car reaches temperatures of 90 degrees but if parked in the sun, it will reach 160 degrees in minutes. Leaving the car running with the AC blowing is no guarantee–even police dogs have died when car cooling systems failed. So for the summer months, Magic’s car rides get limited to brief around-the-driveway morning excursions to pick up the newspaper, or after-dark trips to a drive-through ice cream shop (yes, he gets a taste). I just can’t risk my buddy at any other time.
Magic also adores games of fetch, but in this hot weather, one or two retrieves are enough to leave him gasping–even though he’d continue the game and collapse with a goofy grin and the Frisbee in his dying jaws if I let him. So we’ve had to come up with some alternatives for hot weather SAFE fun. Magic’s favs include:
Hose tag: chasing the water from the end of the hose
Pool digging: trying to “fetch” floating toys out of the doggy wading pool
Pup-sicle treats: chicken-broth “slushies” frozen inside Kong puzzle toys
Paddling in the tank: that’s the mud-hole yucky man-made pond, and means he gets a hosing off after
How do you keep YOUR hot-doggy a cool customer? Are there special summer time toys or games your pets really enjoy? Do they like to swim? Here are 9 more ways to keep dogs cool. And here’s a bit of video of the Magical-Dawg having some summer water-and-Frisbee-chasing fun. Please share your tips in the comments–and share this blog with others so their hot dogs stay safely cool!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, car safety, cool weather tips, dog care, dog games, dogs, heatstroke, keep dogs cool, swimming, www.amyshojai.com
June 25, 2012
Monday Mentions: Cat Books, Pub Tips & The Name Game
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this “schtuff” can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.
I’ll be sending out my Pet Peeves newsletter this next week so if you haven’t yet subscribed, here’s a gentle reminder. That’s where you’ll see the “sneak peak” of the cover for my debut thriller LOST AND FOUND–it’s awesome!–and learn more about the NAME THAT DOG and NAME THAT CAT character contest.
Today I catch up on some books languishing on my TO-BE-READ stack–and more thoroughly reviewed as time permits. But the delay is breaking my heart because these are books that YOU WANT TO READ! Truly. So with very brief blurbs and more to be posted to amazon to help out my fellow cat writer colleagues, please take the time to check out these awesome books.
CAT DADDY is the first book of what I hope will be more from Jackson Galaxy (with Joel Derfner). Jackson is the star of the Animal Planet show My Cat from Hell and Derfner is a New York pet lover and nonfiction author.
This is a hiss-and-tell-all memoir focused on Jackson’s come back from a life of drugs to offering cat advice to millions. The book might better fit in a self-help/memoir slot on Amazon but it’s understandable the marketing team would want to leverage his celebrity with the TV program. But while he credits one special cat with helping him save himself from…well, from himself…the book only peripherally addresses the cat behavior issues that make his show such a success. For fans of Jackson, that’s not a problem and the memoir is very well written and entertaining look into his private life. He includes some general cat care and behavior advice here and there, but the book is about Jackson. Period. I hope that Jackson will follow up this entertaining book with more prescriptive titles focused on his self-taught cat behavior successes.
No, Jackson does not have a degree or certification in cat behavior–but has graduated obviously from the “school of hard-case-kitty-knocks.” I’m delighted that the show, and his book, reaches millions of cat lovers who otherwise might not realize that a “cat problem” in fact can often be turned around.
Your Cat: The Owner’s Manual comes to you from awesome vet author Dr. Marty Becker (Good Morning America and Dr. Oz Show contributor) and pet journalist Gina Spadafori (Cats for Dummies and more)–you can’t find a more knowledgeable and FUN writing team anywhere!
Savvy cat owners will recognize lots of the advice in this book, which offers a prescriptive approach and tips for finding cats and adoption advice, home care and safety issues, some common behavior challenges, and healthy cat information. There are a LOT of cat care books out there. Marty and Gina, though, deliver with humor and trademark furry affection, and the format of the book makes it easy to find the tips you need. And yes, I can call ‘em Marty and Gina because I’ve known both of these folks for years and they’re just as thoroughly nice people in purr-son as they are on the page. 
There are two parts of the book I particularly want to offer as a shout out. The Acknowledgements offer a who’s who of the cat care/behavior world and, as the authors so eloquently point out, no book is ever the product of a single person. Kudos to this team–some I know personally and others by reputation, and listing these folks offers even more credibility to the material offered in the book. Further, readers will treasure the value-added Resources section listing Internet contacts for some of the best cat gear and problem solvers available–that alone is worth the price of the book!
MORE PET SCHTUFF
Inspiring Lost Cat Story from RomeoTheCat and Robin Olson
City Pays Panhandlers to Care For Puppies is this a good idea? what do you think? It’s raising some hackles.
Catalysta Musings, new blog from the Catalyst Council!
Kent Butler’s Awesome Catnip Chronicles this also could be a writing home for some of y’all yearning to publish some kitty schtuff.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
The Espresso Book Machine prints your POD book in minutes! Is this the wave of the future?
How To Get Love from Indie Publishers
Animoto Book Trailers, a kewl tool shared by my friend and awesome thriller author Karen Dionne
Free Program Spots Cliches & Overused Words
Writers Conference in Denton, Texas July 21-22
Nifty Keyboard Shortcuts from the awesome Jenny Hansen
Recommended Book Writing/Publishing Suppliers from Dan Poynter
Literary Challenge–Contest looks interesting. Be sure to always read all rules and conditions before entering any contest.
Should Writers Plagiarize Themselves? crap, I’m in trouble…
Short Term Profit Vs Long Term Readership? Interesting discussion about is it either/or …what do you think?
Author Solutions Intro’s BookStub a discussion of this awesome (expensive!) program from WriterBeware
OTHER-ICITY TOPICS TOO KEWL TO NEGLECT
Coffee Wards Off Dementia–hell yes, I’m there!
Meditation Changes Your Brain I need all the brain changes I can get (do we have a theme going here?) Wonder what meditation whilst drinking coffee would do?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG and NAME THAT CAT character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Uncategorized
June 22, 2012
Feline Friday: “Kitty’s Corner”
“Let me OUT!!!!!!!!”
Announcement time–I’m pleased to be the new cat behavior blogger over at MrChewy.com where I’ll be offering a weekly post on all-things-cat. Oh, I’ll still be providing Feline/Furry Friday posts here as well. There’s more than enough kitty content to go around!
“You go first. No, after you. No really…be my guest. I think YOU should take the plunge…”
Since June is Adopt A Cat Month, the first posts over at Kitty’s Corner (doncha love that title?!) are about bringing a new fur kid into the home. Predicting Feline Personality offers a few guidelines for choosing the purrr-fect cat companion–or recognizing the ideal match if/when kitty chooses you!
The milk bar is open…
The second post is all about that SEXY CAT…and how and why to nip romance in the bud. Sure, kittens are cute. Of course, your lovely pets would make gorgeous babies. And KNOCK IT OFF already–just don’t go there. Instead, go here to learn about Cat Sex 101.
For more about Sex & the Single Cat, check out this in depth article with insights from professional breeders, originally published in another version in Catnip (Tufts University). You’ll find some SQUEEEEE cute kitten pictures there, too. 
Two days ago on Woof Wednesday I posted information about Pet Sitter’s International’s Take Your Dog To Work Day® (TYDTWDay)–and that’s TODAY! Why not include your well-socialized Christopher Columbus-type kitty, as well? Not all cats enjoy a change of scenery so you’ll know best if your feline friend is a candidate to go to the office. The annual event encourages employers to experience the benefits and value of pets in the workplace, and to support and celebrate the pet community. Pet Sitters, animal shelters, and business of all kinds join in this fur-tastic Friday event.
So what kind of purr-sonality is your kitty? At what age did you have him/her “fixed?” And is your feline a candidate for visiting you at work? I’m lucky, because Seren allows me to share HER office each day.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG and NAME THAT CAT character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat adoption, cat behavior, cat books, cat care, cat personality, cat sex, cats, cute cat pictures, kittens, MrChewy.com, www.amyshojai.com
June 20, 2012
Woof Wednesday: Take Your Dog to Work Day-Week-YEAR!
“Whatcha doing? Can I help? Can I, huh huh huh?”
I’m incredibly fortunate that I get to share my office space every day with my cat Seren(dipity) and Magical-dog every day all year long. When I’m having a particularly hectic day, getting a purr fix, or doggy wag of encouragement does wonders. Surveys indicate that one in five companies allow pets in the workplace. People who bring their pets actually work longer hours! You can get started on this pet-revolution this Friday.
TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY!
Pet Sitter’s International’s Take Your Dog To Work Day® (TYDTWDay) was first celebrated in 1999, and created to spotlight what terrific companions dogs are, and encourage adoptions. The annual event encourages employers to experience the benefits and value of pets in the workplace, and to support and celebrate the pet community. Pet Sitters, animal shelters, and business of all kinds join in this fur-tastic Friday event—or bring cats or other pets any day during PSI’s Take Your Pet To Work Week™ June 18-22.
PSI offers a number of reasons why it’s a good idea to “go to the dogs” this Friday. TYDTWDay offers a positive, unique opportunity to increase community involvement and establish new community ties. Businesses can partner with a local animal shelter, rescue group or humane organization to host a special event.
DOGS IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY–I AIN’T A-WOOFIN’ YA!
Studies have shown that dogs in the workplace increase productivity and creativity, decrease absenteeism and improve co-worker relationships. Participation in TYDTWDay is a fun, low-cost “pet perk” to offer employees at a time when some businesses are forced to cut jobs and decrease benefits.
TYDTWDay is for a good cause—to promote pet adoption. This fun day of celebrating the great companion your dog makes could encourage co-workers to adopt a new best friend of their own. Besides, pet lovers love to show off their dogs!
ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATIONS
Even if you can’t have dogs in the workplace, consider alternate celebrations such as having employees bring photos of their pets. How about asking your company to host a fundraiser for an animal shelter in your community? Think about hosting contests, such as best pet outfit or owner/pet look-alikes (for pictures) or best trick (if dogs get to attend). Maybe a hot dog luncheon or a Pet First Aid “Lunch and Learn” session would be appropriate.
Ask a local shelter or rescue organization to join your event. Invite them to bring adoptable pets or information to your workplace. Maybe you could hold a silent auction or other fund raiser to benefit the shelter—or set up a “Good Samaritan” fund for people unable to afford emergency pet care during these times of financial challenge.
TYDTWDay is the perfect opportunity to educate employees about all things pets. Maybe a local veterinarian, PSI member or other pet professional could present a pet care session or offer dog-walking service during the event. Visit PSI to find a member in your area.
If you’re fortunate to be able to bring pets on Friday, be sure to handle the pet situation responsibly. Dogs should be kept on a leash, or otherwise confined in the employee’s office or area. Baby gates work well to cordon areas to keep pets confined. You can also designate “pet free zones” such as the lunch room or bathrooms.
For more tips how to convince your boss, set up a program, and celebration ideas, visit www.takeyourdog.com/get_involved. Now excuse me…I’ve got to go consult with my furry office mates.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, dog behavior, dog books, dog care, dog training, dogs, take your dog to work day, www.amyshojai.com
June 18, 2012
Monday Mentions: Blonds, Pirates & Two-Legged Cats
Fresh fruit right off the tree just tastes better than anything you can buy in stores. We had a bumper crop this year on our little peach tree. And last night I turned some of those peaches into cobbler–yum! Today’s blog also has some “fresh picks” that I hope will be just to your taste.
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this “schtuff” can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.
I also urge you to check out last week’s and blogs for a chance to have YOUR pet’s name featured in my upcoming thriller LOST AND FOUND.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Desk Posture Conundrum–Sitting Straight “Bad” for Backs?
Class Action Suit Against PublishAmerica as reported by WriterBeware
Conan the Librarian from the fun blog of Myndi Shafer
Timeline Help from ScribbleCode when you have plot points that require detailed info to get it right! This looks awesome
World’s Smallest Artificial Heart should be great jumping-off point for you fiction authors
Dangerous Compassion–writing villains from real life experience. Scary blog post you’ll want to read!
Why I’m Trashing My “Blond” Card from the awesome writer August McLaughlin
Writing Treasures from Gene Lempp’s terrific blog, links to all-things-writerly
Facebook Friendly How to get FB to “pull” the right content in your posted links
Online Pirates & How to Send A Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown Notice thank you Diana Capri for the link
PET SCHTUFF
PetFinder Is Hiring looking for a digital associate producer–love animals? love writing? Check out the link!
Litter Box Issues–Free Online Chat from certified cat behavior consultant Marilyn Krieger
National Dog Party Day June 22 from my colleague and awesome paw-ty animal Arden Moore. It’s also National Take Your Dog to Work Day sponsored by Pet Sitters International
Alley Cat Rescue National Feral Cats Survey
Golden Retriever Lifetime Health Study helps cancer issues, bravo to Morris Animal Health! Enroll your Golden today.
Training Bras–for Cats? lessons from a true cat-aholic!
Elephant Care & Protected Contact, thanks to awesome dog trainer Gary Wilkes for sending the links to this article.
Finally, two videos that bring a smile to my face, and I hope to you, too.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, blogs, cat behavior, cats, dog training, dogs, pets, publishing, writing advice, www.amyshojai.com
June 15, 2012
Feline Friday: Name That Cat!
A Maine Coon kitty plays a major role in the thriller!
On the there was a mention about my debut thriller LOST AND FOUND to be published this fall. This week has been full of thriller-icity because I not only sent back edits, but also scheduled a photo shoot for a possible “cover dog” representing one of the main characters.
Why do I talk about thriller fiction and dogs in a Feline Friday blog? While one of the main character in the book is a nine-month-old service dog, one of the supporting characters is a Maine Coon cat who helps nail the bad guy in the end!
Does your kitty friend have “star” power? (Copr. Missy/Flickr
How does the kitty do this? Aw c’mon, you have to KNOW that a cat could outwit, out-maneuver, out-do any bad guy on the planet, right? This lovely kitty, though, also has been trained by the animal behaviorist main character. You never know when a kitty “trick” can be turned to your advantage.
My blog followers, Facebook friends, nonfiction book readers and pet writing colleagues have been so much a part of this fiction journey, I want to include YOU in the book, too. This Maine Coon kitty has a major role in the book but there’s also a second feline mentioned as well as a number of other dog mentions.
Every cat is special…what makes YOUR cat stand out from the clowder?
I’d like to give y’all the opportunity to name those kitty characters–name them after YOUR furry wonder, for instance, or a beloved pet that has passed on, or a friend’s dog or even a human relative–your choice. Many of y’all already subscribe to my Pet Peeves newsletter, which hasn’t gone out in a while due to other deadlines 
. I’ll post a reminder in the next several blogs about this to subscribe to the newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT CAT in the forthcoming Lost And Found thriller.
Those who win the naming opportunity will also receive a free copy of the book, and a mention in the acknowledgements. Oh, and let me know in the comments–does your cat do tricks? My kitty hero in the book will sit, sit up, wave, walk on leash, leaps to the top of the refrigerator on command, and will “kill it” (a toy…or bad guy!). The cat was clicker trained.
So please suggest names. Tell me why YOUR cat should be the “hero” feline, or describe what makes your kitty name the purrr-fect choice?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat training, cats, Lost And Found, Maine Coon, Thrillers, www.amyshojai.com
June 13, 2012
Woof Wednesday: Name That Dog!
Some of y’all know that my debut thriller LOST AND FOUND will be published this fall. Last night I sent back edits to my publisher and now we’re working on cover design. It’s a challenge because–well–it has to be right!
Why do I talk about thriller fiction in a Woof Wednesday blog? Because a main character in the book is Shadow, a nine-month-old German shepherd being trained as a service dog for a young boy. Like most authors, I truly KNOW what my characters look like, how they talk and act, and what they feel.
Even Shadow, the dog. Especially Shadow. He is, in fact, one of my viewpoint characters. At a recent writer’s seminar on pitching (a shorthand way of describing the book) I described the book like this:
“In LOST AND FOUND an animal behaviorist and service dog must find an autistic child lost in a blizzard in this adult thriller with the medical tension of Robin Cook and the heart of The Art of Racing In the Rain.”
Hey, I can dream that readers will agree!
Meanwhile, tomorrow I have a photo shoot with a potential cover-dog model for the book. You see, many of the stock photos available of German shepherds either aren’t the right color (black) or the wrong age. And nope, Magical-Dawg is too big/mature for the right look (shhhh, don’t say that out loud or you’ll hurt his doggy feelings!) but one of his relatives might have the right look. Get a load of this gorgeous GSD, already with a tracking dog title at 6 months old, wow!
My blog followers, Facebook friends, nonfiction book readers and pet writing colleagues have been so much a part of this fiction journey, I want to include YOU in the book, too. Shadow is already a main character in the story. But there is a second tracking dog featured, as well several other “relatives” of that canine that are mentioned.
I’d like to give y’all the opportunity to name those dog characters–name them after YOUR furry wonder, for instance, or a beloved pet that has passed on, or a friend’s dog or even a human relative–your choice. Many of y’all already subscribe to my Pet Peeves newsletter, which hasn’t gone out in a while due to other deadlines . I’ll post a reminder in the next several blogs about this to subscribe to the newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG in the forthcoming Lost And Found thriller.
Those who win the naming opportunity will also receive a free copy of the book, and a mention in the acknowledgements. Oh, and let me know in the comments–have you ever won a similar “naming” contest? How’d that work out? I know that the Thrillerfest folks auction off naming characters as ways to raise funds for charity but this time around, I want it to be free–and fun for you, too. How should I pick the winner? Please weigh in with your thoughts.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter for your chance to NAME THAT DOG character in the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Dog Training & Care, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, autism, behaviorist, dog books, dog training, dogs, german shepherds, Lost And Found, pet books, Thrillers, www.amyshojai.com
June 11, 2012
Monday Mentions: Thrillerfest, Pet Whisperers & Veterinary Hospice
That’s me with Allison Brennan at last year’s Thrillerfest–time to get new sparkles. *s*
After an exhausting but exhilarating opening weekend of the show Fiddler On The Roof, I’m ready to return focus to the writer-icity schtuff. Oh, the show runs every weekend this month so I’ll have that to look forward to.
But meanwhile I only have a bit more to go on the thriller edits before sending back to my editor. AND I got my panel assignments for Thrillerfest where the awesome Allison Brennan will again be panel master. Our topic focuses on HOW DO YOU CREATE A SPELLBINDING SERIES CHARACTER? Other folks on the panel include:
Allison Brennan (Panel Master) is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 18 romantic thrillers and multiple short stories, and the author of the Lucy Kincaid series.
Jan Burke is a critically acclaimed and national bestselling author of fourteen books—twelve of crime fiction, a supernatural thriller, and a collection of short stories.
William Dietrich is the NY Times bestselling author of 15 books, including the Ethan Gage series of Napoleonic adventures that has sold into 28 languages.
Jack Hoban served as a US Marine Corps officer and is a subject matter expert on close combat who “trained” Nick Heller of the Joseph Finder thriller series.
Avalon Books published Victoria M. Johnson’s fiction debut. As a filmmaker, Victoria writes and directs short thriller films. Her upcoming thriller, The Sea of Cortez, introduces Connie and Jeff York.
Sharon Linnéa is the author of the bestselling Eden Thrillers, featuring Army Chaplain Jaime Richards. These Violent Delights is the first of her new Movie Mystery Series.
Amy Shojai is the award winning author of 24 pet care titles, and channels her “inner bitch” to write in dog-viewpoint in her debut thriller LOST AND FOUND which introduces series character animal behaviorist September Day and Shadow, the service dog she’s trained.
Debra Webb is a multi-published, best-selling author who writes spine-tingling romantic suspense and has just launched her first thriller series, the Faces of Evil, with the debut novel OBSESSION.
Yes, I’m feeling seriously outclassed and hope to learn a LOT from the other panelists. I’d encourage y’all to post any questions you might have for the panel and I’ll pass them on to Allison, and give a recap after the conference in July. Incidentally, the Craftfest classes and Agentfest (speed dating with agents!) will again be awesome this year.
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this “schtuff” can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
WANA INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES! the brainchild of Kirsten Lamb, this is a community of and for artists with more than 40 online instructors, a great resource for stay-at-home writers who can’t attend conferences. I’ll be teaching “virtual” classes here in the future.
What Does “Content Abundance” Mean and should you care?
BlogPaws Registration, a social media marketing conference especially for pet writers (do you channel your inner fur-kid?). And don’t miss voting for your Petties (pet blogger awards)
Facebook Counts “Viral” Shares
Pinterest-Friendly Blog Posts from the terrific August McLaughlin
Whispering Prairie Press contest info
How Amazon Saved My Life a great essay from a traditionally pub’d author (and daughter/co-author with mom Susan Conant of the dog lovers mysteries)
KOBO Self Pub’ing Program Launched I understand this is similar to the Kindle program
Interesting Survey of Self Pub’d Authors, who does it, what’s the success rate, and more
10 Facebook Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
PET SCHTUFF
The Dog Whisperer Show Cancelled
Dogs In The City trainer a fraud? hoo boy…is it too much to ask for the “experts” to really be experts???
CATS.About.com Franny Syufy Interview, now here’s a REAL expert!
Feral & TNR Facts interesting schtuff here
Pet Requiem offers house call veterinary service and end-of-life care for pets, what a compassionate and innovative practice!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with excerpts from the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Writing Advice & More Tagged: agentfest, Alison Brennan, Amy Shojai, book promotion, cat behavior, craftfest, dog training, pet books, pet care, Thrillerfest, writing advice, www.amyshojai.com
June 8, 2012
Feline Friday: Kitty Falls & High Rise Syndrome
Summertime means screen doors and open windows–and lounging cats. Yes, cats have an uncanny ability to fall safely from sometimes death-defying heights and land on their feet. But that doesn’t mean they’re immune to injury. With warm summer weather enjoy your cool breezes but be sure you keep kitty safe.
How Cats Land On Their Feet
Paw-perfect landings result from the cat’s intricate balance sense. The vestibular organ deep inside the cat’s ears keeps kitty informed about which way is up or down, even if you try to confuse and make him dizzy first. This specialized organ also allows the cat to instantly determine acceleration as she falls.
The vestibular organ contains tiny fluid filled tubes and structures called the semicircular canals, utricle and saccule, each lined with millions of microscopic hairs. Chalk-like particles float in the fluid inside these structures so that whenever the cat’s head moves, the the hairs also move like teeny kitty antennae. That sends information to the brain about body position, and speed of movement.
The balance mechanism can’t do it alone, though. Once partnered with the yoga-like muscle control of a Houdini master contortionist, the cat twists from side to side during a fall, to right herself.
FALLING PROBLEMS
Ear infections can affect the cat’s balance so she misjudges height or positioning. Tiny kittens can be injured in falls that might not hurt an adult cat, so kitten-proofing balconies and keeping baby cats “grounded” can help keep them safe.
Falls from short distances—like from a child’s arms—may not allow enough time for the righting mechanism to work. Landing on her feet does not prevent Kitty from sustaining serious injuries during falls. Be particularly vigilant with kittens. When Seren was little, she decided it was a good idea to ledge-walk along the OUTSIDE of the stairway/balcony…and fell. Thank goodness she “bounced” on the hardwood and didn’t break a leg. Learn more about kitten care in the book.
High Rise Syndrome
High rise syndrome refers to cats who fall great distances out of windows, balconies or open doors. Often the cat lounges on a favorite windowsill, and accidentally pushes window screens out and falls.
Falls from the first through fourth floors are least dangerous because the cat can “right” herself and doesn’t have time to reach top speed of 60 miles per hour—terminal velocity. She won’t fall any faster, no matter the distance. This speed is reached during any fall from higher than the fifth floor.
Falls from the fifth through ninth floor are the most dangerous and result in the worst injuries. The cat falls with legs braced in front of him, and lands rigid. His legs hit first, then his head, and both can suffer terrible bone-shattering injury.
Cats survive falls from higher than nine stories with fewer injuries. Falls from these heights apparently allow the cat time to relax, empty the bladder and “parachute” the legs outward so that the wind catches the loose skin in the thighs and armpits and slows the fall. Landing spread-eagle allows the chest and abdomen to absorb most of the shock, rather than the head and legs.
Keep open windows and balconies off limits to cats. Remember that screens are designed to keep bugs out, not keep cats inside. So protect your cats and windows with secured screens or pet-safe barriers.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with excerpts from the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat falls, cats, high rise syndrome, how cats land on their feet, solving cat behavior problems, www.amyshojai.com
June 6, 2012
Woof Wednesday: Hot Dogs & Summer Safety
Magic loves to stay cool playing “hose tag.”
I live in N. Texas where 108 degree weather has everyone not under the collar. Just imagine how pets feel with a fur coat. Cats and dogs risk sunburn, pad burns and life-threatening heatstroke without proper precautions. These tips can help you prevent problems, or even save your pet’s life with first aid advice–more info in the first aid book, of course.
PAD BURNS
Dogs don’t get pad burns very often because they flinch away from heat. But cats love heat and often lounge on surfaces up to 126 degrees. They won’t feel themselves getting burned. Both dogs and cats can suffer pad burns from walking on hot pavement, especially when not offered the option for cooler pathways.
Do the barefoot test. If pavement feels too hot for you, it’s also a problem for pets. Prevent pad burns by making shaded and/or grassy pathways an option. For pad burns, apply an aloe vera ointment three to five times a day to help shorten healing time. It’s safe for pets to lick off in small amounts, too.
SUNBURN
Fur protects most dogs and cats from sunburn, but thinly furred ear tips, bridge of the nose, and the tummy can get burned. White pets are at highest risk. Dogs who sleep on their back and sun-worshiping cats seem affected most often.
Sunburn isn’t a medical emergency, but it can be painful. The skin turns red, can blister, become crusty, and peel.
Cold water spray from a plant mister every half hour or so works great to soothe sunburned dogs, but cats hate getting sprayed. Witch hazel helps cool inflamed skin by evaporation and doesn’t sting like alcohol. Dab some on affected areas with a cotton ball three or four times a day to soothe the burn.
Sunburn dries out the skin. Aloe vera creams not only moisturize but also help heal burns faster. These products often contain vitamin E that speeds healing and soothes burns. Learn more about dog sunburn prevention and care here.
HEATSTROKE
Pets don’t sweat. To cool off, dogs pant so the moisture evaporates off the tongue. Cats lick fur and evaporation keeps body temperatures at a safe level. But for grooming or panting to work, the outside air must be a lower temperature than the pet’s normal body temperature (101-102.5 degrees). When self-cooling fails, heatstroke kills in less than 15 minutes.
Cars become deathtraps. When the temperature reaches 78 degrees, cars sitting in the shade reach 90 degrees in no time. But if parked in the sun on a 78-degree day, car temp soars to 168 degrees within minutes. That cooks the brain, leaving irreversible damage.
Signs of heatstroke include rapid panting, a bright red tongue and gums, sticky saliva, and body temperatures of 104-106 degrees. Severe cases of heatstroke may prompt body temperatures of 110 degrees or higher.
Unless you live only five minutes away, give first aid before heading to the emergency room. To save your pet’s life, reduce body temperature to 104 degrees and then get follow-up medical care.
Prevent heat stroke by providing shade for outside pets, along with plenty of cool water. Specialized attachments turn outside faucets into 24/7 pet drinking fountains so you won’t have to worry about spilled bowls. Misting fans and aerosols lower the temperature and keep pet fur damp to cool fur through evaporation. Misters can be placed on the porch, deck or near your dog’s pen.
Invest in cooling bandanas and collars, body wraps, and pet mats from pet products outlets. Or just provide a child’s wading pool, fill it daily with cool water and let the water-puppies splash to their heart’s content.
Prevent problems altogether by keeping cats and dogs in air-conditioned spaces when the temperatures become dangerous. The most dangerous times of day for sunburn are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. so schedule cooler times for outdoor excursions.
How to you protect your hot dogs? Have your pets ever suffered from sunburn–or overheated in hot weather? What kinds of kewl cooling devices to you use? Please share!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with excerpts from the forthcoming THRILLER, LOST & FOUND, and pet book give-aways!
Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, dogs, first aid, heatstroke, hot weather safety, pets, summer safety, sunburn, www.amyshojai.com
