Royal Pet Club Blog

With Christmas a mere few days away, it’s time for that last minute shopping spree – to get all the gifts you haven’t had time to get yet. And sometimes it’s hard to pick the right gift for someone – especially those people who you can’t quite zero in on the perfect gift for them.

Don’t panic.

We’ve put together a quick list of gift ideas for the pet lovers in your life. And we’ve broken it down into categories, too.

Bookworms – They always have a book on them, or they have tons of books lying about their place…the bookworm  is easy to spot. The great thing about books is they make the perfect gift for people of all ages. Animal books abound, whether fact or fiction, there’s something animal oriented out there for the pet loving reader in your life. We love classics like “All Creatures Great & Small” by James Herriot, children’s favorites like “Fantastic Mr Fox” by Roald Dahl, informative reads like “It’s a Dog’s Life…but It’s Your Carpet” by Justine A. Lee DVM, and good old mystery romps like “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards” by Lilian Jackson Braun.

Movie Buffs – A DVD is always a delightful gift. The beautiful thing is if you’re not sure what movie is right, then an animal film is the perfect fit for the animal lover in your life.  Movies make great stocking stuffers or a great cheap gift for those of us on a tight budget. Films we love are “Milo & Otis”, “Gorillas in the Mist”, “The Aristocats”, “My Friend Flicka”, “Madagascar”, “Finding Nemo”, “March of the Penguins”, “Babe”, “Lady & the Tramp”,  and  “Marley & Me”.

Athlete – Owns a dog? A fancy new leash with which to take the dog on runs with is always the perfect gift. And leashes can be cheap or expensive. There are ones with bling, ones that are quirky, bright ones and even elegant ones. Apart from leashes, you can also get matching dog and owner t-shirts for the daily dog run, or even a cool collapsible  water dish for Fido to use at the end of the run.

Pampered Pet – If the pet owner has a pampered pet then the perfect gift is one for the animal. All kinds of options abound. Fancy snacks of organic dried meats, or tasty morsels made by small, artisan companies are a fantastic gift for pampered pets. These snacks are often a bit pricey for people to buy their pet on a regular basis, but cheap enough you won’t break your budget. But anything goes, from fancy cat toys and motorized laser toys, to beds, blankets and carry cases, we say all you need to do is let your imagination,and your budget, be your guide.

Healthy Pet - Pampered and well looked after, these pets look good on the inside and the outside. new, elegant grooming tools are always a handy thing to have on hand, and most of us don’t upgrade as often as we should. Other ideas for gifts are healthy treats, the kind designed to taste good and help make the pet healthier. Supplements like organic wild salmon oil are also a great idea. And with dogs, some high quality organic luxury pet shampoo and conditioner is always a welcome gift.

Happy last minute shopping.

With the holidays coming up we all want to get our loved ones the perfect gift…and sometimes that means making an error of judgement.

Pets are fantastic, but if you’re thinking about giving a loved one a pet as a holiday gift, we urge you to think long and hard about it.

Pets are not frivolous gifts and it’s in the months after the holidays that shelters become inundated with unwanted pets. Kittens and puppies are adorable but they’re also a big commitment. We’re talking years.

So unless it’s something that’s been discussed seriously or you’re in the position to look after the pet come worse case scenario, we say, choose a different kind of gift.

Happy Holidays!

This might seem like a strange thing to say, since as a cat owner, you feed your cat the best food, and sometimes the best little treats, straight from your table to theirs.

In actuality this is not the best idea, since there are foods out there we eat every day but are harmful to cats.  This is because cats are what’s called ‘obligate carnivores’. This means, unlike you, they don’t need to eat their veggies. Their physiology developed to a meat only diet, and the only veg they get naturally in the wild is from the guts of their prey and the occasional grass nibbling session.

So cats don’t have the right enzymes to break down certain substances found in many different veggies (and even fish) that other animals can, and therefore many of these things are toxic to cats.

Here is a small list:

onions & garlic & their family -Onions, garlics, leeks, shallots, etc, all contain a substance called disulphides, which breaks down red blood cells. This is not good for cats or vampires (or any cat vampires out there). Even small amounts of onion fed to a cat in food over a long period of time can cause much damage. So beware feeding your cat any prepared foods or leftovers that may contain garlic or onion. Always read labels on processed and prepared foods. Even better is to stick to real cat food.

avocado -You might find avocado a delicious treat, and it’s very rich in vitamin E. But avocado also contains a toxin called persin, which can be deadly to cats.

milk & cheese -The lactic acid can cause diarrhea and upset kitty tummies. It’s a myth cats need to eat milk. They don’t. Water is what they need.

alcohol -Alcohol needs to be processed through the liver. Cats livers don’t function the way ours do and thus are less able to process toxins. A very small amount is very bad for cats.

chocolate – Never feed your cat even a teeny bit of chocolate. It contains theobromine, a heart stimulant, that’s deadly to cats. Even a small bit can cause confusion and intoxication and damage. Besides, cats can’t taste sweet things and they have no need of it. Keep the chocolate to yourself. It won’t really be that hard…

raw potato -A part of the deadly nightshade family, raw potato contains toxins that are harmful to humans as well as cats. Cooking breaks those toxins down. A little cooked potato is fine for kitty and for you.

To get a complete list of harmful foods to cats, we suggest speak to your local vet.

Visit Royal Pet Club