How do cats learn their name?

It’s often thought that cats can’t recognise their name at all, whereas dogs are happy to jump up as soon as they hear ‘Rover’ being called. It’s important to remember that cats are motivated when they can see something in it for themselves; dogs are pack animals, whereas cats are free spirits!

Image: https://herbertspoultry.wordpress.com/

If you want your cat to respond to their name, try these few tips – remembering that intonation can help, and if your feline friend isn’t responding to you at all, try stressing a different part of their name.

1. Pick a name that is easily recognisable (Princess Furry Boots II won’t work!) Start to say their name when they are sat with you and seem to be content. This way they will associate being relaxed with their name.

2. If you cat looks up at you whilst you’re stroking them and saying their name, give them a reward like a small treat or something that you know that they enjoy; they are more likely to continue responding to their name in the hope of getting a reward. It may be an idea to give them less food than usual; this way they aren’t in danger of gaining excess weight during their name training with all those extra treats!

3. Use a hand gesture along with the name, like stretching out your hand to show that you’d like your cat to come to you.

4. Once they associate their name with affection, or a treat, practise saying your pets name when they are playing in a different room and praise them if they do indeed respond.

5. Patience is key; get your whole family to join in with the training process and keep it going until your cat begins to respond. Remember that cats don’t respond kindly to discouragement and are likely to develop a negative attitude to the training if affection from you begins to stop! Although you don’t need to dish out treats all the time once the training has started to show signs of sinking in, remember that you should continue to demonstrate affection and praise.

Even with the best training, there will be times when these tips don’t work; keep trying with different incentives that are likely to work on your cats. In some severe cases, it may be a sign that your pet may have a hearing problem. If you suspect this to be the case, call your pet insurance provider who will refer you to a vet for a screen of your cat’s hearing.                                                                                                                              

Cold Facts about Dangers of Anti-Freeze for your Pets

Whether you have already been hit by snow in your area, or the cold temperatures are leaving a pristine layer of ice on your car, you’ll know that temperatures in the UK are steadily dropping and that we are set to see further freezing temperatures leading in to the end of January.

During this time, we’re sure that you’ll try everything you can to prevent snow and ice from effecting your everyday life; from popping a cover over your car, to generously pouring de-icer on the sheet of ice that has formed overnight on your garden features.

Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is a substance - used in car radiators and de-icers - that can prove deadly if your pet ingests the chemicals. Unfortunately for us feline lovers, cats seem to be attracted to the smell and the taste of anti-freeze; they only need to ingest a small amount of the toxic liquid for them to become dangerously affected.

To combat the growing problem of anti-freeze killing an average of 50 cats per month in the UK, try and buy a product that doesn’t contain ethylene glycol, in order to safeguard against both your pets and the distress for other pet owners. Alternatively, keep your products in a sealed container that your pet won’t have any access to and clean up any spills immediately.

Some signs to look out for in a pet that has digested anti-freeze are vomiting, lethargy, going to the toilet more often & drinking an unusual amount. If you know – or suspect – that your pet has come in to contact with the chemical, please contact your pet insurance provider who will let you know the next steps to take.

When is your puppy considered an adult?

With so many products and foods targeted at “puppies” or “adult dogs” do you really know what you should be feeding your pet? 

Making the change from puppy to adult food is as important for dogs as it is for babies, as there is a big change in regards to the nutritional requirements of your puppy as they approach maturity. Feeding a dog puppy food can cause issues later on in life, as puppy food is high in calories causing your adult dog to put on a lot of unnecessary weight, which may be problematic to tackle further on in their life.

There are so many articles out there which provide conflicting information when it comes to making the transition from puppy to adult food, but the important thing to bear in mind that different breeds mature at different rates. Smaller breeds often mature much quicker than larger breeds. It is said that smaller breeds (13kg) mature around 10 to 12 months, whereas larger dogs (35kg) mature at 13 to 16 months.

It’s important to remember that these are only guidelines, and the best guideline to follow is your pets’! If they are already rejecting their puppy food, it may be time to move them along, and if they are having trouble adapting to the new flavours of adult food, try mixing it at first to help them adjust. Add a little more adult food as time goes on and soon enough, you should only be feeding the adult food. This also helps reduce the risk of upset stomachs!

If you would like to seek further advice about switching your pet’s food, contact your pet insurance provider, who will be able to put you in touch with their preferred vet for confirmation of when is best to make the change.

How does my dog see?

A huge misconception when it comes to dogs is the belief that they can only see the world in black and white. Although their vision in colour is not nearly as expert as us humans, they can see some colours due to the two different colour cone cells in their retina – yellow and blue. Dogs, however, can’t fully distinguish between green, red and yellow colours, although this does not mean that they cannot identify them as a colour – so yes, your dog is likely to know the colour between different coloured balls, although it may take them a bit longer if the ball is red, green or yellow!

So my dog’s vision isn’t as great as mine? 

Well, your dog manages to outperform humans when it comes to seeing moving objects in the distance – they’re about 10 to 20 times more sensitive to motion at a distance and can adjust to changes in light much more easily than humans! Dogs have a wider degree of peripheral vision than us humans, and this combined with their fast pace and twilight sensitivity makes them the perfect candidate for hunting down fast-moving pray at long distances. 

Image: barkpost.com

So, next time your dog can’t find that red ball you’ve thrown in to the green grass, remember that their colour cone cells are not as receptive to these colours, and that their world is mainly full of intense blues and yellows! Needless to say, what they lack in visual abilities, they more than make up for in their great sense of smell; their noses are said to be a 100 million times more sensitive than their owners!

Your pet is an important part of the family and with 1 in 3 requiring veterinary treatment every year following an accident, or illness it is vital that you are able to provide the care your pet needs if the worst happens. We offer Pet Insurance for your pets eyes, or any other accidents or illnesses from as little as £3.74 a month.