#1 NEUTER YOUR PET Unless you are a professional animal breeder, have your pets spayed or neutered. These procedures will help your pets live longer, healthier lives. They will also eliminate unwanted and unplanned litters of kittens and puppies. Millions of unadopted spring puppies and kittens have to be destroyed by overburdened animal shelters every year. #2 VACCINATE! Warmer weather brings out more house bound pets and more wildlife which can carry rabies, distemper and other contagious diseases. Make sure your dogs and cats are protected. Visit your veterinarian and get your pet vaccinated. There are vaccines that will help reduce the risk of distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis, kennel cough and rabies. #3 START OBEDIENCE TRAINING Spring time is a great time to begin obedience training fore your puppy or young dog or to brush up training for your older more mature dog. An unruly out of control dog is a danger to himself and others. Good citizenship requires that dog owners have their pets under control whenever among other dogs and people. An obedient dog is a happy and healthy pet. #4 SCREEN YOUR WINDOWS! Its great to feel the fresh air and gentle breezes entering your home through opened windows. But make sure your windows are screened. Thousands of pets are killed or seriously injured each year in falls from opened windows in single family suburban homes and large urban apartment buildings. #5 LEASHES, DON'T GO OUT WITHOUT ONE If you are going outdoors with your pet, make sure it is on a leash. Your pet must be under control at all times when it is out among other people and pets. The firm grip you maintain on the leash is the best safeguard you have to insure that your pet doesn't spar with other animals or gets loose and runs away. Your pet should also always wear a collar with an identification tag. #6 NEED A JOGGING PARTNER? Running with your dog can be great exercise for both of you. Keep your dog's age and over all health in mind when you choose a distance and course. Be careful not to stress your pet to the point when it is injured. Keep away from hot tar or paved surfaces that can cause burns to your pets foot pad. #7 STOP FLEAS & TICKS The same Lyme disease (carried by ticks) that ravages healthy people can do enormous damage to pets. Check with your veterinarian for new, easy-to-use flea and tick products. Only use the flea and tick products recommended by your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter products can be toxic and pose dangers to your pets. #8 CAR SICK PETS Car sick pets can make a long car ride an excruciating journey. Make thing easy on everyone. Don't feed your pet for 8 to 12 hours before an extended car trip. You can give water up to two hours before. Plan several stops along the way to let your pet and other passengers relieve themselves. Bring some water from home and give just enough to your pet to quench its thirst. #9 USE PET ID TAGS Avoid the heart ache that comes when a pet is lost. Make sure your pet has an identification tag on its collar. The tag should have your daytime and home phone numbers or email address. Use the implanted ID chip system too. It can help your identify pet if it is turned into an animal shelter. Tens of thousands of pets are lost each years. Unfortunately too many are euthanized because they lack ID and are not adopted. #10 PET FIRST AID KIT Most serious injuries to pets occur in the spring and summer months when we spend more time outdoors with them. Be prepared if an emergency strikes. Have a well stocked first aid kit handy. can be the difference between life and death. #11 PLAN VACATION TRIPS If you plan to travel this summer and bring your pet along make sure you plan ahead. Nothing will ruin a vacation faster than finding out as you check in that your hotel doesn't allow pets. When booking accommodation make sure your hotel or vacation resort permits pets. Check with and make arrangements well in advance with your airline, train or bus line. AAA and other travel services have lists of hotels and transportation systems that are pet friendly. #12 A BUMPY RIDE One of the most dangerous places for pets is the back of a pickup truck. Pets can be thrown from the truck if the driver has to make a sudden stop or turn, or they can be hit by shifting cargo or flying debris. Dogs and other pets should ride in the cab either in a pet carrier or secured by a pet safety belt. #13 STILL WATERS AREN'T SAFE Children aren't the only ones who drown when left unsupervised in backyard pools. Pets are also vulnerable. Never leave your cat or dog alone at or near a pool.

Choosing the Right Cat You may have heard the saying, "You own a dog, you feed a cat." It's true that cats value their independence a bit more than their canine counterparts. But if you've ever been around cats, you already know they crave and require love and companionship. Cats make wonderful pets and most will easily adjust to a variety of lifestyles and living spaces. Every cat is a true individual, though, so it's important to take the time to choose a four-footed friend who's right for you. A cat's personality, age, and appearance, as well as the kinds of pets you already have at home, are all things you should keep in mind when making your selection. Choose a Personality Stroll past a few cat cages at your local animal shelter, and you'll notice that some cats meow for special attention, while others simply lie back and gaze at you with an air of superiority. There are as many different personalities of cats as there are cats in the shelter. Which disposition is best for you? You have to decide. But regardless of individual personality, look for a cat who's playful, active, alert, and comfortable while being held and stroked. At the shelter, ask an adoption counselor for assistance when you wish to spend some time with individual cats. Keep in mind that, because they are in an unfamiliar environment, some cats who are usually quite social may be frightened or passive while at the shelter. Adoption Advice Check out ww.Proud2Adopt.com for information on everything you'll need to know about the adoption process. Kitten or Cat? As a general rule, kittens are curious, playful, and full of energy, while adult cats are more relaxed and less mischievous. Kittens also require more time to train and feed. When you're choosing a cat, keep your family in mind. Young children usually don't have the maturity to handle kittens responsibly, so a cat who's at least four months old is typically the best choice for homes with kids. Short-haired or Long? Cats can have long, fluffy coats or short, dense fur, and the choice between the two is chiefly a matter of preference, availability, and your willingness to devote time to regular grooming. You'll see more short-haired cats at the shelter since they're the most popular and common cats. Keep in mind that long-haired cats require frequent grooming to be mat-free. Felines with short coats also require brushing, though less frequently. Most cats enjoy a regular brushing and will look forward to this daily ritual with you. Room for One More If you already own a cat or dog, you're probably wondering how easy it is to add a cat to the family. The good news is that cats can get along with other cats and—despite the common stereotype—most dogs can get along with cats. The bad news is, introducing a new cat to a home with other pets will require some patience on your part. The best way to handle adding a new cat to the home is to provide time for a period of adjustment. You can do this effectively by isolating your new feline in a room of his own for a while—something that's a good idea for a new cat anyway. After several days, supervise meetings between the animals for periods of increasing length. Most cats will soon learn to accept each other, and some may quite possibly become the best of buddies. Some dogs simply won't tolerate the presence of a cat, but by carefully introducing them, most problems can be solved. For more information, check out our page on introducing your pets to a new cat. Be Responsible! Regardless of the cat you choose, you'll want to start being a responsible pet owner right away. The easiest way to do that is to keep your cat indoors with you from the very beginning. If you don't let your new friend outside, he'll never miss it, and will have a much better chance of still being around to sit on your lap a few years from now. The other big staple of responsible cat ownership is having your female cat spayed or your male cat neutered. Spaying or neutering will ensure that your cat never adds to the millions of animals born each year who never find a good home. It'll also help him or her live a longer, healthier life. Adopt a Cat for Life Finally, remember that you're making a commitment to love and care for your new pet for his or her lifetime—which could mean 10, 15, even 20 years. So choose your new pal carefully and be a responsible pet owner. In no time at all, you'll know how wonderful sharing your home with a cat can be.