'Cat Attack' no match for this hunter
Santa brought Shakespeare, my orange and white feline hunter, a remote-controlled Cat Attack for Christmas. The $25 plastic robot can go and come and turn on command, drifting in and out of the hunter's view, dangling a ball and a ribbon on the end of gyrating stick.
Shakes moseyed on over, trapped the ball and commenced to eat the ribbon. He is a compulsive consumer of the potentially deadly intestine twister, so I yanked it away from him.
Disillusioned, he munched on the ball and watched the toyless stick dance in the air until he got bored and took a nap.
Cat Attack came with a spare ball and ribbon, but what's the point? A not-particularly zealous cat can knock it out in a few minutes of uproarious fun.
Cat playgrounds everywhere must be littered with these and similar playthings.
Spoonful of sugar
If your animals refuse to take their medicine, Apothepet can help.
Kenny Kramm, chief executive of the three-month-old Washington, D.C., upstart, says only about 21 percent of dogs and cats actually consume their medicines. The rest is dropped on the floor, projected onto walls and, well, you know.
Here's how it works: Your vet calls the prescription in to Apothepet at 866-961-5666. Apothepet converts the pills into liquids flavored by Flavorex, the same company that flavors medicine for children.
Apothepet prepares the liquid medicine, phones you with the price (you can pay with your credit card) and lets you know it's on the way. The medicine is sent overnight to your door.
This service costs the consumer nothing extra, said Kramm.
I'll be following up with a more complete story in the new year.
PoochPants
Readers of this column know there are more than a few paralyzed dogs among us. If you can get your partially paralyzed dog going in a wheelchair, you still have the problem of incontinence. Incontinence is a real heartbreaker and regular doggie diapers aren't much help.
That's because the bacteria present in urine, called Proteus, starts to multiply and causes a strong urine odor. A new diaper called PoochPants has an antimicrobial agent embedded in the fabric to inhibit its growth, so it's easier to be near an incontinent dog, says PoochPad Products of Celebration, Fla., at www.poochpad.com.
The company makes six sizes of PoochPants, for dogs from 4 pounds to 90 pounds, for $15.99 to $25.99. They need no inserts, the diaper is guaranteed for 300 washes. The company makes a number of other similar products and ships orders over $50 for free. The customer service number is 888-766-2472.
New Year's resolutions
You have a plan for the new year, but what about your creatures?
Robert Goldstein, medical director of Animal Nutrition Technologies of Westport, Conn., offers these tips for the new year:
Resolve to be more careful about what you feed your pet by learning how to read the label on your pet food.
The first 10 ingredients are the key to their nutritional value. The first one is the most prevalent. Chicken, lamb or other meat should be first, followed by whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits and other quality fat and protein sources.
Goldstein likes Blue, the dog food named after the Blue Buffalo Co.'s 10-year-old Airedale. The first 10 ingredients are: Deboned lamb, lamb meal, whole ground brown rice, whole ground barley, oatmeal, rye, rice protein concentrate, alfalfa, sunflower oil, whole carrots and whole sweet potatoes -- but that's 12.
For more information, surf to www.bluebuff.com or call 800-919-2833.
Many canine manuals include sections on nutrition, well worth a read.
Resolve to reduce your pet's exposure to harmful substances. Environmental factors can cause cancer in dogs and cats, who ride low to the ground and easily absorb toxins from fertilizers, pesticides and household cleaning agents.
Be sure to wash your dogs' paws whenever they've been around street salt and potassium chloride or any automotive liquids that might have spilled or leaked onto your garage floor.
I quit using anything at all in my garden oasis in the back yard when I brought Emily home. She is the flower among my weeds.
Resolve to make regular visits to the vet and give your pets plenty of exercise, which prevents obesity and illness. Take your dogs on two walks a day. Cats, well, you have to find their switch.
Shakespeare has an automatic toggle. At 9 o'clock almost every night, he is stricken with an urgent need to race up and down the basement steps with one of his metallic silver pompom balls in his mouth.
The pompom didn't come with a remote or a bot, but it sure keeps him cranking.
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Copyright ©2004 Akron Beacon Journal. All Rights Reserved.
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