Baby gate disaster Dear Patches, The cats and I love to play chase in the house. Flash is the fastest and he always gets away from me, but he cheats! He will run from the kitchen to the lounge, through the dining room, down the hall and then over the baby gate at Mom’s room. […]
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Many cats can be taught to walk on a leash in the park. It might take time and loads of patience, but if you are determined and your cat is game, you might be the talk of the park soon. Step 1 Get a comfortably fitting harness and a leash with a secure clip. Allow
Teach your cat to walk on a leash in 10 easy steps Read More »
Q: What information do dogs get when they sniff each other’s bums? It’s quite disgusting! A: Sniffing butts is a meet-and-greet on a whole new chemical level. It might be an odd behaviour for us and your friends might not appreciate it when you do this, but it is very natural for dogs, and even
Q & A: Bum sniffing Read More »
Now that you and your puppy have mastered the sit, it’s time to teach him how to lie down on your cue. This is a basic exercise, already taught in puppy school, but it can be a bit of a challenge! This is because dogs are animals, and therefore always aware of their own safety.
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Cat owners know how finicky their feline pets can be. Some cats are real ‘foodies’, while others are snobs who often turn their noses up at food they don’t like. And sometimes, they love a certain dish one day, but walk away from it the next. That’s the life of a cat owner. But here
12 feeding secrets for a content cat Read More »
Scattered cushions Dear Patches, The other day, I got bored and jumped onto the couch. I swear I smelt some treats in the cushions and I started to dig, but I couldn’t find them. I was certain Mom had hidden them from me, so I flung the first cushion through the air. Then I attacked
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You really want a pet and think that a cat is an obvious choice, because they are generally independent and just do their own thing. But this is not true. Although a cat can be independent, she still needs your love, attention and to be taken care of by you, her owner. Do this quick
Quiz: Are you ready for a cat? Read More »
Q: Our four-year-old Dachshund, Alice, has started to poo in the lounge in the middle of the night. She goes out into the garden before bedtime, so we can’t understand this new behaviour. A: As this is a new behaviour at four years of age, the first thing you need to do is make an
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It is a natural behaviour for dogs to be a bit possessive of their stuff. If they were still living in the wild, they would need to protect their main resource, namely food, in order to survive. Resource guarding can be defined as behaviours that discourage others from coming near or taking the item that
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Why not relax and play with your pets every day? It doesn’t matter what kind of pet you have – he needs your attention and will appreciate spending quality time with you. Here are a few ideas for you to try with your pets. Rabbit 1. Build a maze Cut holes in the sides of
Games to play with your small pets Read More »
Let’s see who the superstar pets for January 2025 are! Remember, your pet can also feature in the Crazy Critters section. All you have to do is to send an email with an image of your pet, your contact name and surname and your pet’s name to animaltalk@panorama.co.za.
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The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has launched an investigation to locate the person responsible for yet another act of animal cruelty and then posting the video on social media. This time the victim is a Nile crocodile. Several disturbing videos emerged on 18 January 2025, showing a man teasing and injuring a wild Nile
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