The Beauty of Burmese Cats.

Cats are naturally nosey creatures, but this breed takes it to the extreme. If you are considering getting a Burmese cat, you will need to resign yourself to the loss of all privacy, as your new shadow will want to follow you everywhere, helping you with everything from reading a book to making the dinner. They also love to sneak under the duvet. This curious nature necessitates caution, however, as Burmese cats have been known to sneak into an open window of a van or car and find themselves transported far from home! The name belies the breed’s origins. When the Burmese army invaded Thailand in the 18th century, it is thought that a Thai temple cat was whisked off back to Burma. In the 20th century, retiring naval officer and practicing psychiatrist, Dr Joseph Thompson imported an ancestor of this cat from Burma to the US, so the breed was named after Burma even though they didn’t originate there. The original Thai name for this breed of cat means “beautiful, fortunate and of splendid appearance” – very fitting we think! Their propensity for exploring, coupled with the fact that they have zero survival skills, prompts most owners to keep them as indoor cats. If you want to know more about this breed, we found some great facts on Burmese Cat Club and Cat Time. These little critters are very active and playful, and Burmese owners will be familiar with the “mad half hour” – a period in the day where their little furry friend can be found tearing madly around the house; flitting up and down the stairs, running a slalom around chair and table legs and flipping somersaults. It’s normally at the time of day where you’d appreciate a period of calm – when you first get up, or when you’re off to bed. source

Tips on looking after a cat with Diabetes.

It is never easy hearing the news that your cat is suffering from diabetes. Many of us understand that it is a life-long condition that requires careful monitoring, and you may be worried that your pet will suffer complications as a result. However, the good news is that it can be managed effectively with the right diet and medication – under the watchful eye of your vet of course. Feline diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce insulin, a hormone that converts sugar (glucose) into energy. As it develops over time, the condition can be difficult to spot but extreme thirst is a common sign so it is worth noting if your kitty is heading to the water bowl more often than usual. Other symptoms include weight loss, tiredness and changes in appetite, but in extreme cases it can lead to ketoacidosis. This occurs when the body breaks down the fat reserves, resulting in a build-up of acid, which can cause severe dehydration and weakness. If you suspect diabetes, it is important to speak to your vet straight away because treatment is more effective if it is caught early. Diagnosis is relatively simple and involves taking a urine sample to find out how much sugar they have in their blood. Luckily, if it is caught early enough, feline diabetes is easy to manage and many cats enjoy a better quality of life once the symptoms have been alleviated. You should always try to book regular check-ups with the vet to ensure the condition is not getting worse. more

8 WAYS MILLENNIALS ARE DEFINING PET OWNERSHIP.

8 WAYS MILLENNIALS ARE DEFINING PET OWNERSHIP. A quick glance at pet celebrity megastars like Boo, Lil Bub, Pudge, Tardar Sauce (better known as Grumpy Cat) and Tuna, makes it quite clear that something entirely new is happening in the world of pet ownership. The rise of celebrity pets may not necessarily be news to anyone, but it points to larger, more significant trends in how millennials understand and approach pet ownership. We talked to some of the people on the front lines of contemporary pet culture to see how they’re redefining pet ownership. 1:) Redefining Family Millennials are putting off getting married and having children until much later than older cohorts, and it seems that their four-legged companions are filling the gap. According to a Wakefield study, the average millennial gets a first pet at the age of 21, much earlier than the average boomer, who waited until 29. Both groups think of pets as family, but many millennials view owning a pet as preparation for future adult responsibilities. For them, pets offer both companionship and a sense of duty, but require little maintenance at a time when many millennials’ lives are still unstable. For many young people who are struggling to start careers, find affordable housing and pay off student loans, a family is a luxury that has to be temporarily delayed. 2:) Pampered Pets Pet owners today are more sensitive to the life experiences of their animals. Millennials cater more than other groups to their pets’ comfort, and spend more money on non-essential pet items. They own more pet clothing and toys and prefer enclosures like crates and kennels that allow for exercise, according to the Wakefield study. “[Our cats] sleep in our beds and we spend a lot of money buying them toys we think they’ll like,” says Christina Ha, co-founder of Meow Parlour, New York City’s first cat café. Her guests – predominantly millennials – come to admire a bevy of free-more You will also like this

Dogs; Millennial ‘pet parents’ pay up for dogs to get ritzy human services.

Millennial ‘pet parents’ pay up for dogs to get ritzy human services. When shoe designer Vanessa Noel brought home two poodle puppies recently, she knew she had her hands full. Left to their own devices, the brothers would no doubt make short shrift of prized designs, not to mention the furnishings, in her Upper East Side home. “I’m a terrible disciplinarian,’’ the 55-year-old said. “They’re divine little dogs, but they can’t be chewing on my shoes or alligator bags.’’ Her solution: Lexi Beermann, who whips puppies into well-mannered shape in one week of boot camp. The cost is a cool $4,600, with the option of adding ongoing maintenance for $8,000 per month. Beermann either moves into a dog owner’s home for the week, or brings the pups to live with her.“I’m like Mary Poppins for dogs,” the trainer, 39, said. “I’m off to Jamaica for a week, and Lexi will live in my house and take care of Rasta and Reggae,’’ added Noel. “When I come back they shall have Park Avenue manners Actress Carol Kane, who lives on the Upper West Side, keeps her dog pain-free with the help of Trish Dean, who charges $75 for a chiropractic visit and $100 for a massage. “She is treating my rescue, Johnny. After a session he is relaxed and able to move around more easily,’’ said Kane. “I treat anxiety, aggression, fear and depression,’’ said the Brooklyn doc. “Most depression involves dogs being left alone, and is often associated with separation anxiety.’’ He charges $650 per case, which usually includes one visit as well as follow-up phone calls. more

How to use modern dairy heat detection systems .

Modern heat detection systems, which monitor cow movement and activity levels, do work according to the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise’s (CAFRE) Dr David Mackey. Increasing numbers of farmers will now inseminate cows on the back of the data they are picking up from their heat detection systems, he said. “But it is also important to use the traditional method of observing cows throughout the day.”Mackey confirmed that heat detection rates are traditionally higher in exclusively spring calving herds than on units where cows are calving the year round. more

Bowery farming.

Agriculture heads indoors with new farming startup Bowery Farming.The term “farmer’s tan” may soon lose all significance, as the ancient art of cultivation moves indoors. A startup called Bowery Farming has caught the attention of investors and food experts alike, and as the urban farming industry grows, so too do these new companies’ wallets. Bowery Farming has just raised $7.5 million to help grow more food inside, even within a city. It’s all contingent upon some pretty snazzy technology, including robotics, LED lighting, computer vision, sensors, and data analytics, TechCrunch explains. At the heart of Bowery’s operations is what it calls “post-organic vegetables.” Basically, all of the company’s produce are grown sans pesticides and depend upon a high-tech

Music help farmers raise quality chicken.

Taiwan's government has introduced methods developed in Australia and New Zealand to allow chickens to listen to music throughout the day, which is said to help locals raise top-quality chickens. This method has been used in different countries to boost production, in Australia a farmer has incorporated classical music into his poultry routine to boost production in the farm. Music help farmers raise quality chicken, this new innovation can work for all types of poultry see A chicken farmer in Yunlin County, Taiwan, was struggling with the high cost of chicken feed. Earlier he received assistance from the government in the form of music piped in to serenade the 40,000 chickens in their coops for 3-4 hours during feeding time. The farmer stated that he noticed the positive effect the music was having on the chickens in just a short period of time. In the past, he said, it took over 90 days to grow a chicken to a weight of 3 kg. The period shortened to 80 days after they introduced the music, which means savings of over NT$100,000 in feed costs for each batch of chickens. Additionally, the owner said that not only do both the cocks and hens exhibit even temperaments, but the chickens even produce better meat. Moreover, they are sold out when they hit the market. The birds also received certification for the chickens' being raised with music and sold without pharmaceutical residues. Their popularity has even prompted Singaporean buyers to request them. The farmer said that on the trip he made to New Zealand and Australia in 2007, he discovered that pigs and cows that had been treated to music there were larger than those that weren't. This is becoming so popular that Universal Music Group was reportedly hired to put together a compilation of tunes, and airing the music at the chicken farms here has been a complete success. more