The Siberian is a natural breed that developed with very little interference in their native Russia.  These semi-longhaired, muscular cats are a natural result of their environment.  Their dense all weather triple coat provides protection and warmth during Russia’s winters.

Similar to other forest cats like the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Siberian is a large breed.  Siberians develop into hefty, athletic cats with a somewhat wild, robust look.  They impress with their power and strength, yet have a sweet, rounded face.  These are agile cats and capable of great leaps.

Siber­ian have many endearing attributes, but are true individuals and certainly not cookie-cutter-cats.  Your Siberian will be a unique representative of the Siberian breed.  Some attributes Siberians are known for:

• Greeting you when you come home and following you about the house like a dog
• Playing fetch
• Supreme hunters, able to make great leaps and attack their “prey” with gusto
• Know their name and come when called
• Loving, affectionate and trusting
• Intelligent and independent
• Generally quiet cats, though some Siberians may be fairly talkative
• Many Siberians are fascinated by water and will come running to “watch” you take your morning shower
• May enjoy digging in their kitty litter
• Enjoying chewing and gnawing like a dog, especially when less than a year old. Our Siberians enjoy the occasional two inch piece of dried chicken breast strips.
• Only weekly brushing or combing are necessary

Living with a Siberian cat provides great joy and entertainment. They offer a wonderful balance of interaction through play, vocalizations and snuggles, and independence that makes cat ownership practical.

Younger kittens are more prone to eat things they shouldn’t, but cats of any age may certainly nibble on various plants. If you realize you do have a potentially dangerous plant it is really best to not take a risk and have these plants removed from your home.

The ASPCA has an informative website with pictures, where you can search a specific plant to see if it is safe for your cat at: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants

Food for your Siberian!

Glorious Siberians recommends a RAW MEAT diet for your cats.  We feed a formulated raw meat diet, including supplements, to our cats.  We got our start with a great commercial product:  Rad Cat Raw Food.

http://www.radfood.com

“We produce the highest quality, holistic, natural diets and treats that cater to the obligate carnivore. Even though domesticated cats no longer need to hunt as their ancestors have, their digestive systems remain unchanged. We believe feeding a raw diet closely mirrors what cats would naturally eat in the wild, contributing to true health and vitality. Cats are healthiest and happiest on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. As grains have proven to be an allergen for many cats, we decided not to include them in our recipes. This simple philosophy provides a broad range of health benefits including: natural weight control, healthy skin and coat, and naturally clean teeth. Staying true to the most natural, evolutionary feline diet, we add no fruits or vegetables to our products. Our main ingredients are meats – muscle and organs – which are incredibly appealing to cats’ natural, carnivorous instincts.”

Rad Cat can be found in the frozen pet food section at select stores.

Their link, http://www.radfood.com    Click on “Where To Buy.”

Is Raw Meat Safe?

Cats’ digestive systems are finely tuned to handle things humans can’t. Their stomachs have a highly acidic environment, which is an excellent deterrent to ingested bacteria. In the wild, cats sometimes eat some pretty putrid stuff with no ill effects. Wild cats die more often from infection due to injuries than from food poisoning. However, there are steps you can take if you have concerns about salmonella, e coli, or other bacteria.

• Avoid packaged supermarket ground beef
• Buy “free-range” meat and poultry from a trusted butcher
• Add probiotics (which help maintain intestinal health) to your raw food mix
• Always use safe handling procedures, and take up and dispose of uneaten food within 30 minutes

The Next Best Thing!

If not raw meat, then the next best thing is a diet with NO GRAINS or CEREALS. 
Glorious Siberians recommends Wellness brand CORE Grain Free.

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com

“Wellness® CORE® is based on the nutritional philosophy that cats, based on their primal ancestry, thrive on a diet mainly comprised of meat. Each formula is packed with a high quality concentration of quality animal protein, without fillers or grains, along with a proprietary blend of botanicals and nutritional supplements.”

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com

overweight cat

Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM, JD – “Feline diabetes is not the natural fate of hundreds of thousands of pet cat’s world-wide. It is, rather, a human-created disease that is reaching epidemic proportions because of the highly artificial foods that we have been feeding our feline companions for the past few decades. Without the constant feeding of highly processed, high carbohydrate dry foods, better suited to cattle than cats, adult-onset feline diabetes would be a rare disease, if it occurred at all.”

http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com

Dr. Joe Demers, D.V.M – “A reason for overweight pets is what we feed our pet friends. Commercial pet food is anywhere between 45 percent to 65 percent carbohydrates (grains). Grains are the least expensive part of pet food and can fill the animal quickly. Dogs and cats are more carnivores than we humans are, and we are feeding them almost as much grain (or more) than we humans eat. I feel that this high-carbohydrate commercial pet food is the worst food we can feed our pet friends. Our pet friends need fresh meats, not dehydrated meat by-products.”

Dr. T.J. Dunn D.V.M. – “The biggest and most common misconception of all…..the promotion of some low priced grain-based foods as being a “Complete and Balanced” diet for dogs and cats!  Having done physical exams on tens of thousands of dogs and cats and learning from their owners what these pets are being fed has taught me that dogs and cats look, feel, and perform better if they are fed a meat-based diet rather than if fed a corn, wheat, soy or rice-based diet.”

Dr. Thomas Londale, D.V.M – “Fat is crucial to carnivores, in maintaining and creating energy, and to produce glycerol. While humans require some carbohydrates for energy and endurance, carnivores need fats, both animal and plant, for creating glucose and developing stamina. Most of the fat used in processed foods can easily go rancid, and need preservatives to help maintain their integrity. Many of these preservatives have been found to be detrimental to the dog’s health and immune systems, most commonly ethoxiquin, BHA and BHT. These can inhibit the production of white blood cells, lower the immune system and block the absorption of glucose. Also lacking in processed foods are the Omega-3 fatty acids, necessary for good coat and skin health. These fats cannot withstand the long shelf life of processed foods.”

Starting to Eat at 5 Weeks

Being imaginative creatures, cats love to play with a variety of string-like objects. Shoelaces, sewing thread, ribbon, yarn and dental floss are most popular, but cats also find great pleasure in playing with curtain pulls, fishing line, rubber bands, and all forms of string. Unfortunately, cats are prone to swallowing these homemade toys and are faced with the potentially fatal consequence of what is medically termed a “linear foreign body“.

Cat’s tongues have barbs which make it virtually impossible for them to “spit out” a string once it is on its way down the esophagus. Signs of a ‘linear foreign body’ can include gagging, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, a painful abdomen, and perhaps a fever. You might even see a string-like object protruding from your cat’s rectum or mouth. Take your cat to your veterinarian immediately. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to pull the object out. You will only be jeopardizing your cat’s life.

Below are some of the most common dangerous linear foreign bodies:

• Many people have small, open trash containers in their bathroom.  Dental floss is a very common danger. Throw used dental floss away immediately in a covered trash container.
• A needle and thread is another common linear foreign bodies that cats ingest, and they are extremely dangerous! Needles that get swallowed will often lodge in the stomach, or may make it further down the GI tract into the small intestine.
• Always clean up carefully after yourself if doing sewing, knitting, crafts, and any other activities that create tempting foreign bodies for your cat!
• Yarn, String, Fishing Line – All of these commonly used materials are very tempting for cats to play with and chew on.
• Many cats will actually swallow these materials, and like the needle and thread, they quickly become life threatening linear foreign bodies that require surgical extraction.
• Butcher’s Twine – Butcher’s twine is the cotton string used for tying up meat products, and this is a particularly type of linear foreign body to see in cats because the twine is tasty and infused with meat juices!
• Make sure that when you unwrap your meat and remove the twine that you throw it away in covered garbage that is inside a cupboard that your cat cannot access.
• Rubber Bands, Hair Elastics – Common items that cats love to bat around and play with: dangerous when swallowed.
• Holiday Linear Foreign Bodies (Tinsel, Ribbon, Easter Basket Grass) – A beautiful addition to any Christmas tree, tinsel is unfortunately also very attractive to cats, and some kitties may go so far as to ingest tinsel; consider alternative decorations rather than risking your cat’s safety over the holidays.
• Be very careful to put ribbons and Easter basket grass into a covered garbage container right away during the holidays. Your cat may be having the time of his or her life playing with these items, but if it should swallow any of these items it could end its life.

It is important to ensure that your home is prepared, before bringing your cat or kitten home for the first time. You need to be sure that when your new cat has arrived at your home, that you will be secure in the knowledge that you and your home are ready for it, and you can spend time playing together and getting to know each other in a comfortable environment.

1. Think like a cat

A good thing to do, especially if you have never owned a cat before, is to get down on the floor and survey the room from the kitten’s perspective. Look at the things that may attract the cat. Check for potential danger to the cat. Using a flashlight, check underneath the sofa and look in smaller areas that a human cannot easily reach, but might be tempting for a cat to explore.

2. Remove temptation and hidden dangers

Begin by moving any small breakables, irreplaceable objects, or valuable items out of reach. Remember that cats can climb or jump, therefore out of reach is a term loosely used when considering cats. When possible, store valuables away in a closed container.

Hidden dangers are also everywhere, but one important factor to remember, which many home owners do not realize, is poisonous plants. Cats are often attracted to movement and the leaves on a plant move with the slightest breeze resulting in them investigating the plants by biting as well as pawing. If you have poisonous plants in your house, then be sure to move them to a different part of the house or hang them out of reach.

Remember that cats are also inquisitive about anything that hangs or swings such as blind cords, phone cords, or electrical cords. Cords must be moved out of reach or fastened securely.

It is also vitally important to ensure that there are no pest poisons that a curious kitten can find.

Before she is free to roam the entire house follow these additional steps:

• Make sure there are no dangerous objects or substances the kitten may get into on shelves, kitchen counters, cupboards and hidden corners and nooks.
• Secure window blinds cords and curtains to prevent the kitten from tangling himself up or scratching at curtains.
• Vacuum the floors and look out for any small objects a kitten might eat.
• Keep the lids on garbage bins.
• Cover unused wall outlets and all electric cords.
• Use insect repellents that are safe for pets.
• Use child-proof cabinet locks on cupboards, drawers and cabinets.

3. The Safe Room

The importance of a “safe room” for a newly adopted cat can’t be emphasized enough!  When the kitten has the run of an entire apartment or house there are too many options and places to hide, experiment and get confused. A bathroom is the easiest to set up as a kitten safe room.  You will need to put any draping shower curtains up over the rod, take toilet paper off the roll, remove soaps and cleaners.

Put the litter box along one wall, and food and water dishes far away from the litter box.  Always keep “food in” away from “food out.”

Put a scratching post near the litter box.  A tall, sisal covered post is recommended.  Also recommended is a second, ripple board type scratching box.  These are quite affordable and adored by cats and kittens.  You want to give your kitten the opportunity to learn what the things it should scratch before trying to teach what it should not scratch.

Make the safe room fun with some toys and an empty cardboard box.  Cats love to play in cardboard boxes!

When your kitten is using its litter box faithfully and has bonded with its scratching post, you can increase her territory.  Before increasing her territory you much be sure to kitten proof new areas of the home!

4. Areas off limits

One place that should always be considered as off-limits is the garage, as there are too many chemicals and hazards in there.

5. Shop till you drop!

Food and water dishes as well as a litter box and litter are obvious essentials.

Scratching posts are a very good investment and they are available in various styles and sizes. Cats instinctively scratch to exercise their shoulder and arm muscles, stretch, and to keep their claws sharp for catching prey.

A good investment is a cat tree/condo and the taller the better! This will provide not only fun and exercise for your kitten, but it also provides a place for your kitten to observe and feel safe.

A cat bed is essential, although some cat owners do allow their cats to sleep with them. If this is the case you still need to purchase a cat bed, so that your cat can use this throughout the day, for short cat naps, or at night.

6. Stock the pantry

Continue feeding the same food your kitten is use to.  Sudden changes in diet can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

Food and water bowls should be ceramic or metallic. If you will be out of the house for a long period of time, consider automatic food and water servers.

7. Litter box

The litter box should be placed somewhere with easy access for the cat. Do not place the litter tray close to busy areas.  Do place it out of the reach of any inquisitive dogs or small children. Place the litter box on a hard surface; if you place it on a soft carpet, then they may mistake that carpet for the actual litter! Continue to use the same litter your kitten is use to.  When switching from one type of litter to another, fill half the box with the old type and the other half with the new type.

8. Toys

Cats are born hunters, and they also like to play. Playing offers you, as the owner, the opportunity to bond with your new cat and help kittens develop. There is a wide variety of toys available in all pet stores. Purchase toys based on your budget, your living situation, and what your new cat’s preferences might be. If you cat likes to chase things, then purchase a ball, or if it likes to lie on its back and claw things, then purchase dangling toys. If it is an older cat, small toys will be more effective, as an older cat is not always interested in chasing toys. But with a kitten, the sky really is the limit!

9. Cat carrier

A cat carrier is a necessity, even if you are planning on keeping your new cat indoors. Trips to the vet are necessary on numerous occasions also, requiring the use of a carrier. A cardboard carrier can be used as a short-term solution, but it can’t compare to a sturdy plastic carrier that will give your cat comfort and security during travel.

10. Grooming

Grooming is one of the most essential parts of your cats’ lifestyle. It is important to groom your cat on a weekly basis. Grooming is very important to your cat’s health, as it helps to prevent hairballs and overgrown nails which can be problematic. You need to ensure that you purchase a fine-toothed comb and a rubber-backed pin brush for brushing. You’ll need to purchase nail scissor which are especially designed for cats. If your cat is accustomed to grooming, then it will enjoy it as much as playing.

Once you have established all of the above things, then you will no doubt have hours and hours of fun and enjoyment playing with your new pet cat. A cat is a very peaceful animal to have in your home and it delivers a vast amount of affection.

By Joan Masterson http://www.catbasics.co.za

Kitten Play

Stay Well With Your Animals

Most pet owners don’t need reminding. Animals make people feel good. But we’re talking about more than feeling glad they’re around. Your favorite animal can make you healthy and help you stay that way. You may be surprised at just how many ways a pet can improve your health.

Pets Are Natural Mood Enhancers

It only takes 15 to 30 minutes with a dog or cat or watching fish swim to feel less anxious and less stressed. Your body actually goes through physical changes in that length of time that make a difference in your mood. The level of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered. And the production of serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. Reducing stress saves your body wear and tear.

Keep Blood Pressure in Check

You still have to watch your weight and exercise. But having a pet can help you manage your blood pressure. In one study of 240 married couples, pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower heart rates during rest than people who did not own a pet. That held true whether they were at rest or undergoing stress tests. Another study showed that children with hypertension lowered their blood pressure while petting their dog.

Help for Lowering Cholesterol

To manage cholesterol, doctors still recommend that you follow guidelines regarding diet, exercise, and medication. But owning a pet has the potential of making it easier to avoid the dangers of cholesterol. Researchers have noted lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in people who own pets compared to people who don’t. However, this could be attributed to lifestyle factors of pet owners.

Cats and Dogs Good for the Heart

Research has shown the long-term benefits of owning a cat include protection for your heart. Over the 20 years of one study, people who never owned a cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack than those who had. Another study showed that dog owners had a significantly better survival rate one year after a heart attack. Overall, pet owners have a lower risk of dying from any cardiac disease, including heart failure.

Pet an Animal to Fight Depression

Therapists have been known to prescribe a pet as a way of dealing with and recovering from depression. No one loves you more unconditionally than your pet. And a pet will listen to you talk for as long as you want to talk. Petting a cat or dog has a calming effect. And taking care of a pet — walking with it, grooming it, playing with it — takes you out of yourself and helps you feel better about the way you spend your time.

Make Your Pet an Exercise Buddy

If you exercise with your pet, you’ll both benefit. Shine a flashlight on the wall or wave a string while you do a step aerobics routine. Your cat will get a healthy workout chasing the light, and you’ll be thoroughly entertained. And nationwide, there are yoga classes for people and their dogs, called doga. Call your local gym or ask your vet if there are similar programs in your area.

Fewer Strokes Among Cat Owners

Researchers aren’t sure why. But cat owners have fewer strokes than people who don’t own cats. It’s partly due to the effects owning a pet can have on a person’s circulation. But researchers speculate that cats may have a more calming effect on their owners than other animals do. It may also have something to do with the personality of a cat owner. Cats often become the focus of their owner’s interest, which diverts them from other stressful worries.

Fewer Allergies, Stronger Immunity

Researchers have noted that when children grow up in a home with a dog or cat they are less likely to develop allergies. The same is true for kids who live on a farm with large animals. In addition, they have higher levels of certain immune system chemicals indicate a stronger immune system activation, which will help keep them healthy as they get older.

Cats and Asthma Prevention

It sounds counterintuitive. Pet allergies are one of the most common triggers of asthma. But researchers have studied the effects of having cats in the homes of infants at risk for asthma. What they found was that those children were significantly less likely to develop asthma as they got older. There is one exception. Children whose mothers have a cat allergy are three times more likely to develop asthma after early exposure to cats.

Snack Alarm

For people with diabetes, a sudden drop in the level of blood glucose can be very serious. Some dogs can alert their owner to a dangerous drop before it actually happens. They may be responding to chemical changes in the body that give off a scent. The alarm gives the owner time to eat a snack to avoid the emergency. About one in three dogs living with people with diabetes have this ability. Dogs for Diabetics is training more dogs to help more people.

Working With a Counselor

Some mental health therapists use a dog in therapy. A dog in the office may help someone be more at ease. But that’s not all. A remark to or about a dog may reveal what’s really on a patient’s mind. One therapist tells about a couple in his office who started bickering. The dog, which usually just slept during the session, got up and wanted out. He used that to help the couple see how their fighting affected others, especially their children.

Partners in Better Cancer Care

Cats and dogs both get cancer, and both benefit from research on human cancer. But more and more the opposite is also true. Humans are benefiting from research on pet cancers. Dogs and cats can get the same kinds of cancers humans do. For example, studies of prostate cancer in dogs have led to a better understanding of how it develops in older men. And preventing cancer in pets can lead to new prevention strategies for their human owners.

Overcoming the Limitations of ADHD

Kids with ADHD can benefit from working with and keeping a pet. Taking charge of the tasks on a pet care schedule helps a child learn to plan and be responsible. Pets need to play, and playing with a pet is an excellent way to release excess energy. That means an easier time falling asleep at bed time. And because the bond between a pet and a child is unconditional love, pets help children with ADHD learn about self-esteem.

Autism: Addressing the Senses

Sensory issues are common among children with autism. Sensory integration activities are designed to help them adjust, for instance, to the way something feels against their skin. Or it may be how they react to certain smells or sounds. Dogs and horses have both sometimes been incorporated into these activities. The children typically find it calming to work with animals. And animals easily hold the attention of children with autism.

Stretching With the Cat

If you have arthritis, you know its important to stretch. You also know it can be hard to know when you’re stretching enough. An article in Arthritis Today advises cat owners to take a cue from their cat. Watch how many times she stretches every day, and when she does, you do it too. If you can, get down on the floor and go through the same motions. If you can’t get on the floor, sit on a chair and follow along by stretching your upper body.

Managing Arthritis Together

If your dog has arthritis, you can use the effort to manage his to help manage yours. When you make an appointment at the vet, also call and make your own doctor’s appointment. Regular exercise is important for both of you, so walk with your dog. Keep your medicine in the same place you keep the dog’s. That way you’ll see it when you get his. And if you can, coordinate taking your medicines at the same time you give him his medicine.

Relief From RA

People with rheumatoid arthritis derive benefit from movements like walking and throwing a Frisbee with their pet. And pets provide a distraction that can help take your thoughts off of your own condition. But perhaps the best help comes from those dogs or cats that seem to be super sensitive to people who aren’t feeling well. Sometimes just their presence can provide a relieving comfort.

A Calming Presence

People with AIDS are less likely to be depressed if they own a pet, especially if they’re strongly attached. And with an animal in the home, people with Alzheimer’s have fewer anxious outbursts. The animal also helps the caregivers feel less burdened. Cats seem to be particularly helpful since they require less care than dogs.

Withdraw play if things get really rough and the kitten begins to bite or scratch you. Just as a kitten learns from his siblings and mother he will also learn from you. If he bites or scratches and becomes overly aggressive you simply end the game. Tell him in a stern voice ‘NO’ and with a loud clap of your hands walk away from the situation and ignore him.

If the kitten catches you unaware and latches on to your arm or leg you might not have a toy at the ready for diversion. In this case, quickly blow in his face but not too hard, and tell him NO, then walk away. Make it clear to the kitten that you will not be a party to these rough-house games.

Be consistent and don’t give your kitten mixed messages. Don’t allow aggressive behavior one day and then the next day punishe him for it. You need to get the message across to your kitten that this behavior is not acceptable each and every time he gets rough.

Use techniques such as squirting the kitten with water from a spray bottle only as a last resort if nothing else works. This is a harsh a punishment for a little kitten! Loud clapping and a sterb NO should be enough.
You will soon begin to notice certain behavior signs that your kitten is leading up to an attack. A pointed stare, laid-back ears, dilating pupils, swishing tail and the wiggling rear end. If you see these signs stop what you are doing, say NO, and walk away from the situation.

Kittens Pouncing and attacking

Ambush and surprise attacks are common and one of a kitten’s favorite games! Heaps of fun for kitty but it often scares the living daylights out of you. The best advice here is to get to know your kitten’s favorite ambush spots and be aware when you enter the danger zone. If you see the kitten waiting to pounce, give a loud clap of the hands and a firm NO. You could also try putting a bell on his collar so you always know where he is at all times.

Give your kitten lots of attention! That is what he craves. Praise him when he is gentle and scold him if he bites and scratches you.

Playing with your kitten is one of the best ways to bond.

Using a feather for play

Glorious Siberians does not permit declawing for many reasons:

1. Scratching is necessary

The gripping, pulling, stretching exercise a cat gets through scratching is essential to the development of his skeletal and muscular structure.

2. Declawing is NOT Just Nail Trimming

Declawing is the surgical amputation of the first joint of the cat’s toes. Whether this procedure is accomplished with a scalpel, a guillotine-type cutter or a laser, it is major surgery, and not to be undertaken lightly.

3. Declawing Does Nothing to Benefit the Cat

You will sometimes hear the disclaimer, “It’s better than putting him to sleep.” This is a fallacious argument, and usually offered only to soothe the owner’s conscience. Only the cat’s owner can make the decision to kill her cat because of scratching problems. He or she can also make the decision to let him keep his toes. Unlike neutering, which does benefit the cat, both health-wise and behavioral-wise, declawing simply does nothing positive for the cat.

4. Declawing Robs a Cat of His Chief Weapon of Defense

A typical counter-argument is, “My cat is indoors-only.” Even indoor cats sometimes manage to escape. A declawed cat does not stand a chance against a large dog, a bigger cat, or a predator.  His avenues of escape are greatly compromised without claws to scale a tree or fence.  Although he still has teeth, by the time he gets in close enough to bite, it may be too little, too late.

5. Declawing is Painful Surgery

Think of it as 10 amputations (if only the front feet are declawed). Pain meds may help initially, but phantom pain may last for weeks or months, as nerve endings heal. Dr. Nicholas Dodman describes the pain following surgery: “Unlike routine recoveries, including recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful, declawing surgery results in cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery cage because of excruciating pain.”

6. Declawing May Lead to Litter Box Problems

Declawed cats often associate the pain when digging in litter with the litter box itself, and will avoid it, choosing softer carpeting instead.

7. Declawing Sometimes Leads to Biting Problems

When cats lose their ability to give a quick warning scratch, they will often resort to their second line of defense: a good, hard bite. The cat’s owner may sometimes find himself the victim, just when he thinks his cat is enjoying a petting session.

8. Cats Need the Exercise Their Claws and Toes Provide

Watch a cat stretch, whether horizontally on a carpet or vertically with a tall scratching post. He will grab the carpet or sisal with his claws, using the resistance to pull and stretch his muscles. Cats’ claws actually play a large and positive role in their amazing muscle tone and agility.

9. Altered Gait May Lead to Later Joint Problems

Domestic cats are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes. Walking with an altered gait because of the lack of the first digit of the toes can affect all the joints of the leg, resulting later in arthritis of the hip and other joints.
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Appropriate Scratching link

http://www.pawschicago.org/pet-resource-center/cat-care-information/training-your-cat-to-scratch-appropriately/

Reducing Allergies in Childhood
Early childhood exposure to cats, dogs, and other animals has been shown to lower the risk of developing allergic reactions later in life. One study of more than 800 children in Switzerland found an inverse relationship between contact with dogs and diagnoses of hay fever and asthma, whereas children who had “early and current contact with cats were associated with reduced risk of wheezing and grass pollen sensitization.”(8) Another study of more than 8,000 children, ages 5 to 7, determined that those who had been continuously exposed to cats from the time that they were 1 year old were 67 percent less likely than other children to develop allergic asthma.(9) In some countries where cat companionship is high, epidemiological studies have shown a relatively low prevalence of cat allergies.(10)

Medication May Be a Solution
New medications can make living with allergies much more comfortable. A wide variety of nasal sprays, antihistamines, decongestants, and inhalers can help control allergy symptoms. Immunotherapy is composed of a series of shots given over time that can help desensitize you to allergens. Your allergist can help you choose the right plan for you.

Certain nutritional supplements and herbs can also help to minimize an allergic response, including vitamins A, B6, C, and E; bioflavonoids such as citrin; flaxseed oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids; MSM (methylsulfonylmethane); and the herbs stinging nettles, grapeseed extract, and ginkgo.(11) Check with a holistic health-care practitioner for more information.

What You Can Do
First, be sure that it really is your animal who is provoking your allergic reaction. If you’re allergic to an animal, you are probably allergic to other things as well. By decreasing other irritants, you’ll reduce your overall symptoms. Avoid tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust, and other irritants that can inflame your airways.

You can have a happy, healthy life with your pets, even if you’re allergic to them

The benefits of having a pet usually outweigh the drawbacks of pet allergies for many people. You’d be surprised to know how many people, with non-life-threatening allergies, live with pets despite having allergies to them!

It’s not you, it’s me

Any and all cats and dogs may cause reactions for people who are allergic to animals. Cats tend to cause more reactions than dogs for allergic people, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than cats. Contrary to popular belief, there are no “non-allergenic” breeds of dogs or cats; even hairless breeds may cause symptoms.

Dogs with soft, constantly-growing hair—like Poodles or the Bichon Frise—may be less irritating to some individuals, although this may be because they are bathed and groomed more frequently. One dog or cat may be more irritating to an individual allergy sufferer than another animal of the same species.

What to do

If someone in your household has been diagnosed with a pet allergy by an allergist, carefully consider whether you can live with the symptoms before you bring a new pet home. Except in the case of children, who sometimes outgrow allergies, few people with allergies become accustomed to pets to whom they are allergic. Too many allergic owners obtain pets without thinking through the challenges of living with allergies.

If your or a family member’s allergies are simply miserable, but not life-threatening, take these five steps to reduce the symptoms:

1. Create an “allergy free” zone in your home—preferably the allergic person’s bedroom—and strictly prohibit the pet’s access to it. Use a high-efficiency HEPA air cleaner, and consider using impermeable covers for the mattress and pillows.

2. Use HEPA air cleaners throughout the rest of the home, and avoid dust-and-dander-catching furnishings such as cloth curtains and blinds and carpeted floors. Clean frequently and thoroughly to remove dust and dander, washing articles such as couch covers and pillows, curtains, and pet beds.

3. Bathing your pet on a weekly basis can reduce the level of allergy-causing dander (shed old skin cells). Cats can get used to being bathed, but it’s critical to only use products labeled for them; kittens may need a shampoo safe for kittens. Check with your veterinarian’s staff or a good book on pet care for directions about safe bathing, It’s a good idea to use a shampoo recommended by your veterinarian or other animal care professional.

4. Don’t be quick to blame the family pet for allergies. Ask your allergist to specifically test for allergies to pet dander. Many allergy sufferers are sensitive to more than one allergen. Reduce the overall allergen level in your environment by concentrating on all of the causes, not just the pet allergy.

5. Try treatments. Additional treatments for allergies to pets are include immunotherapy (allergy shots), steroidal and antihistamine nose sprays and antihistamine pills. It is important to find an allergist who understands your commitment to living with your pet. A combination of approaches—medical control of symptoms, good housecleaning methods, and immunotherapy—is most likely to succeed in allowing an allergic person to live with pets.

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Allergy Products Link

http://www.achooallergy.com/pet-dander-allergy-solutions.asp