The internet has done us both a favour and disfavour. We have the world at our fingertips, yet, when knowing what our significant other needs to spark their romantic flame, it’s as if we’ve lost the game entirely. If, however, your significant other is a foodie, this makes your life a whole lot easier. You need not even be a great chef to pull this off, all it takes is a bit of imagination and a bit of planning, and you’re set. By adding a small thoughtful gift or card, it’s sure to be an evening for the memory bank.

Cirque de Soleil

For those people who love having pets, but just don't have enough room to keep a dog or cat, you may consider caring for a hamster. Just because hamsters are in a small environment, this does not mean you have no responsibility caring for your pet hamster. Here are several things to make sure you address when you make the choice of adopting a hamster.

1) Housing Environment
Some hamsters are very territorial and can only live by themselves. If placed in a cage with another hamster, they will end up fighting each other until one or even both of them dies. So when you house your hamster, make sure that he/she has the right space. You should only place hamsters in strong wire cages or glass tanks, as they will chew any wood or plastic. Make sure that the cage does not have space enough for your hamster to escape from. If you use a glass tank, place a wire lid on top and secure it in place. When they sleep, hamsters prefer to be placed within a box which keeps them warm and comfortable.

2) Hamster Food
Just like most other pets, you need to feed your hamster on a daily basis. You can purchase hamster pellets and give them approximately one tablespoon per day. If you want to mix it up, you can feed your hamster foods other than hamster pellets. Good choices are fresh fruits and vegetables like a piece of apple, cauliflower or a tiny bit of leafy greens. They also enjoy eating fresh grains, nuts and even sunflower seeds. Make sure the bowl you put the hamster food in is strong enough so they can't chew or flip it. Also make sure to give your hamster clean, fresh water daily. Pet stores sell hamster water bottles that you can attach to their cage.

3) Hamster Happiness and Exercise
Place a layer of bedding on the bottom of your hamster's cage or tank. You have your choice of different materials such as shredded pieces of paper, processed corn or other non-toxic and absorbing materials, which can be found in your local pet store. Don't use any wood shavings with a strong aroma. Place a wheel so your hamster can get some exercise. Hamsters find joy in climbing through tunnels and pipes. It is also important to provide something for your hamster to chew on. This is so that he/she can gnaw on this material and keep their teeth at a healthy level.

4) Cleaning Up
Make sure to maintain a clean environment for your hamster. Take out any uneaten food and remove all bedding that has been soiled on. Replace it with new bedding. On a regular basis, wash the floor of the cage or tank to keep germs at bay. Keep the food and water dishes clean. Your hamster does not have a huge environment to live in, so it's important to keep the space clean.

5) Holding Your Hamster
For the most part, hamsters are good at letting you hold them. If you start when they are very young and hold them in the proper manner, you should not have any problems. You can acclimate a young hamster to you by holding it safely and feeding it special snacks. When you pick up your hamster, cup your hands under your pet and pick him/her up. Make sure to hold your hamster gently so he/she does not feel threatened. Hold you hamster close to you so he/she feels safe.

It is very important for us people to take care of somebody else. That is why from the early age on we have pets. Cats are among the most popular creatures to keep at home. There are several things about cats which you should keep in mind when organizing a place for them at your home.

What you should remember about cats

The first one is that cats like to play. They jump and run around the place several times a day. Most notoriously, they like to do this at night when you are asleep. The thing is that cats need exercise to keep their superb musculoskeletal system in good shape. They are also natural hunters, and that is just what they do.

The second attribute of any feline is that they like to observe. You may have noticed that your cat can freeze and become completely immobile while contemplating some 'inferior' creature, such as a bird or fly. Because of their love for survey and their need to be in the center of everything (while participating in nothing), they have a passion for high spots. Desk surfaces, window sills, book shelves, mezzanine beds are always their favors.

The third feature of cats and kitties is that they like it cozy and comfy. They have a great love for fur coats and fluffy carpets – more than you can imagine! Warming your lap seems to make them happy too!

Why do we need to remember this? Because knowing what your pet likes and needs will help you make them happy. Despite all the popular presumptions, cats are very grateful creatures. They just don't like to show it. You should, however, be sure that they will appreciate your care and attempts to make their life better – through purring in your lap or comforting you at sad times. You may indeed start thinking about things that would definitely bring joy to your cat.

A perfect place for a kitty

Remember those three feline characteristics from the beginning? Playfulness, observation, and love for comfort. These are three main things you need to be wary of when building a cat house, or a cat tree, as some calls it. It is not a complicated thing to make which requires almost no knowledge of handiwork. Moreover, you can easily construct one from stuff that you find at home.

Most cat houses have a set of essential elements – a house itself or anything resembling a cave or a hollow, a pillar to climb, and a couple of platforms. Most of them can be built of regular household items: a yoga mat, a wicker basket, a bookshelf, a chair, a rag, and even a ladder. You can do anything you like with these, but the main principles you should comply with are below.

– It is best to use wooden a board to build the construction, as wood is natural material, and it will be better for your cat's health.
– Every platform must be soft and comfortable: your pet will spend time sitting there.
– The cat should be able to sharpen claws against the construction or any part of it.
– The condo provides a little daredevil with an ultimate playground. Thus, don't forget to decorate pillars or platforms with cat toys.

There might be a slight problem with all the space that cat tree occupies in your home. Still, your feline needs a personal spot to hang around when it gets tired of people. You should respect that. Just build a house for your creature, and be ready to a portion of cat's appreciation.

We all know the old saying „You can’t teach an old dog a new trick”. And many of us usually tend to believe it. But you can’t be more wrong about it. You can definitely teach any dog a new trick; you just have to know the „trick” on how to do it.

Reward the furry little fellow

You just have to remember that the base of any trick, task or whatever you’d like to teach your dog to do is the reward that comes after he/she does it right. For every little accomplishment give something back, and this something should usually be a piece of snack (dog snack, of course) or just anything he she/likes to eat. This way your dog will know that the next time he/she does the trick right, there will be a nice tasty reward waiting. And this is driving forth the motivation to do just about any trick at any age.

You’ve just got a dog and you’re more than happy playing with your furry friend. When it comes to feeding time you might think: “Well, aside dog food, I can give him/her all of the goodies that I eat”. That’s not right at all, not even by a long shot. Your pet friend has different needs and a different body than you, so he/she gets to eat food that’s good for their system. Yes, there are many things that you can give him, but all seasoned dog owners know there are some which can make their beloved pets feel terribly sick.

Everybody loves chocolate…

Every human, that is. And maybe our furry friends do too. But it is NOT good for their health. Chocolate contains caffeine, which, if eaten by your dog, can cause him/her abdominal pain, severe agitation, muscle tremors and in high amounts can even lead to seizures and death. So you should definitely know better than to leave a chocolate bar or two lying around in your dog’s reach. And if caffeine is the problem, don’t even think about the damage coffee could do to your furry friend.

Pets become a large part of your family dynamic. When you first start seeing the early signs that your pet is aging, this can be a hard concept to accept. As your dog or cat gets older, make sure to carefully monitor their health for physical and behavioral differences. Keep a record of your pet's routines and entertainments. When your write this information down, you will have something to go back and compare any changes to. These are some of the most common changes and conditions that can affect your aging pet.

1) Cognitive Dysfunction
Cognitive Dysfunction, or CD, is similar to the human disease of Alzheimer's. CD can have symptoms such as confusion, changes in levels of activity, socializing troubles and disruptions in memory.

It is beneficial to stimulate your pet's mind on a regular basis. One way to do this is to make use of a toy you can put food in which will cause your pet to have to think in order to get to the food. Doing this will keep your pet's mind sharp.

2) Arthritis
Just like humans, pets can be afflicted with arthritis. There is really no way that is 100% effective in preventing this disease. Your pet can develop weakness in the joints. When your pet has arthritis, he/she will have a hard time when trying to stand up. You may notice that your pet is walking in a different manner. Cats may tend to sleep for longer periods during the day.

To help make your cat or dog more comfortable, install a heat lamp over your pet's bedding. It will also help ease their muscles if you put a heating pad on low to medium setting on your pet's bed, preferably under a thin blanket or towel.

3) Weight Gain
Just like with humans, pets may lose the amount of muscle they have as they age. Metabolism begins to decrease and leads to weight gain.

As your pet reaches a certain age, you can switch to a different food made for senior pets. These foods have higher protein content than foods made for younger dogs and cats. They also have a lower amount of calories, which helps them not gain so much weight. Senior pets will sometimes have problems with constipation, mostly cats. A good solution to aid in the digestive process is to feed your cat or dog more meals throughout the day, but in smaller portions.

4) Incontinence
A common symptom of your aging pet is a problem with controlling his/her bladder. If your pet is suffering from persistent urination or numerous accidents, a grave illness may be the cause. Your dog or cat could be dealing with the onset of kidney failure or brain tumors.

Check with your vet to find out what you and your pet are dealing with. To help prevent accidents, place more litter boxes and pee pads in your home, generally near places where your pet tends to rest.

5) Hearing/Vision Loss
As your pet ages, you may be noticing that he/she is not reacting to your voice anymore or lacking the ability to see hand commands.

For those pet's who are having vision problems, speak to them more often than using non-verbal cues. Make sure to provide an adequate amount of light in your home, so your dog or cat can use whatever sight they have left to its maximum potential. If you are dealing with a pet with hearing issues, consider the use of a flashlight to make him/her aware of what you are wanting.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we like to include our pets in with the festivities. Some may feel that Fido or Whiskers should have a special meal as well. However, you have to be aware of the human foods that you could be feeding your pet. It is vital to understand that not all human food is safe for pet consumption. If you feed your pet the wrong food, it could have a serious and life-threatening effect. When considering whether or not to feed your dog or cat some turkey, stuffing or cranberry sauce, please check out this information first.

1) Herbs found in stuffing, put on the turkey or in other Thanksgiving side dishes can be poisonous to your pets. Sage is a popular herb that is used during the preparation of Thanksgiving meals. This herb, along with many others and even essential oils that people may infuse their foods with can have harmful effects on your pet if they ingest them. These herbs can cause an upset stomach as well as other unwanted side effects. Be sure to research any oils and herbs that are in the foods you may be thinking about giving to your pets before you do so.

2) Onions are widely known as a food to never feed your dogs. If you frequently feed onions to your dogs, it can lead to serious complications which may be irreversible. Thanksgiving dishes such as stuffing generally contain onions. You should not feed onions to your dog because it can cause a life-threatening aspect of anemia. This disease can even go on without any noticeable symptoms until your dog is no longer able to recover. You don't want to make the mistake of having it be too late for your pet, so do not feed your dog onions.

3) Everyone knows that dogs love bones. However, you should not feed your dog bones that have been cooked. Cooked bones become fragile and easily breakable. As your pet chews on the bones, small and sharp pieces of the bone can become lodged in his/her windpipe and cause your pet to choke. These bones can also lodge themselves into your pet's intestines. So just be sure to throw away all scraps from your Thanksgiving turkey.

4) Many may not even consider this to be harmful for pets, but gravy can also lead to health complications. Foods that are rich in fats, like what can be found in gravy, have been shown to lead to pancreatic. This is a condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. This organ is located near the stomach, which causes your pet to refuse to eat or vomit. Pay attention to the early warning signs and find out what you can do to help ease the pain and get rid of the affliction.

Typical Thanksgiving foods that are good to feed your pets consist of turkey, cranberries, pumpkin, yams and plain mashed potatoes. Make sure to only give your pet small size bites of turkey without the skin. The white meat is also better than the dark meat for your pet. Prepared cranberries that do not have a lot of sugar will make a nice treat for your dog. Only give your dog a small amount, though. Cranberries have Vitamin C and antioxidants, which are beneficial to your pet. Canned pumpkin is very healthy for your dog. Only give it to him/her prior to adding it into your pumpkin pie recipe, though. Do not feed your dog pumpkin pie, just the canned pumpkin itself. Yams that have been prepared alone, not in a dish or covered in herbs or oils are great for your dog. They contain lots of fiber, which is great for your dog.

Those of us who have dogs as pets know that they can sometimes be escape artists. Maybe they figured out how to unlatch the gate or there was a hole under the fence they climbed out from. The fact is, sometimes dogs can get loose. When you try to catch your dog, this may prove a difficult task as he/she may not want to be caught. Your dog may also think you are playing a game and continue to run away from you and wag his/her tail every time you come near. Here is how to make this little game they play easier and more effective at catching and collaring your dog.

1) Instead of running after your dog, do the opposite. Stop what you are doing and simply sit or lie down. Your dog will not know what to make of this action. He/she will tend to be inquisitive and come to you. Maybe your dog thinks something is wrong with you and he/she is trying to help. In any case, you have put an end to your dog playing a game of running away from you.

2) Another similar way to get your dog to stop running away from you is to stop, lie down on the ground and get yourself into the fetal position. This behavior will make your dog stop and wonder what you are doing. As you are lying there and being very still, your dog will not interpret this behavior as threatening. He/she will be more likely to come over to you and try to figure out what could be wrong. When your dog comes to you, the opportunity to collar him/her is there.

3) If your dog thinks you are playing a game when you are chasing after him/her, then the chase will go on and your dog will continue to have the upper hand. However, if you turn the tables and run in the opposite direction your dog may feel like it's his/her turn to chase you, in a playful manner. As you are doing this and your dog begins to chase after you, try going to a location that will make it easy for you to collar your pet.

4) Along the same lines of stopping and lying on the ground, you can also sit on the ground with your back to your dog. This can signify an action that is out of the ordinary to your dog. He/she may feel more inclined to check this out and see why you are behaving in that way. You will not seem like such a threat to your dog if you are seated in this manner. Prior to sitting down, it will also benefit you to make a short and spaced out path of treats leading right to you.

5) Dogs who love car rides can be tricked into thinking you are going for a ride, even when you are simply trying to capture him/her. You may feel like this is a sad thing to do to your dog, but when you are desperate and trying to catch him/her you will try just about anything. This method may prove to be an excellent way of getting hold of your dog again.

TORTOISES AS PETS

If you are looking at keeping a tortoise as a pet then be kind.  Select an indigenous variety that is familiar with your climate.  To choose an exotic tortoise will be unfair to them if you live in a cold climate and want to source a pet from a tropical climate, unless you have the means to imitate their natural environment.

Having said that it will still be preferable to house a tortoise outside and build an enclosure that imitates its usual environment unless the tortoise is not in optimal health or is laying eggs – in which case it is fine to provide more protection and move them inside. Tortoises need a lot of room to roam around so a big garden area is preferable. When housing them outside ensure that you build a safe fenced enclosure that is large enough to accommodate their wandering behavior. The size of this enclosure may need to be increased as it grows in size. Build a few shelters within the enclosure as most tortoises enjoy a space where they can sleep or escape the business of daily life. Some are also diggers so do not place them in an area with a concrete surface. If your enclosure contains a lot of grass be sure to provide them with dryer areas too as too much moisture may cause shell rot. They will also require a shaded area and protection from predators. Some need to hibernate and some burrow so be careful in selecting a tortoise as a pet and do sufficient research to ensure you are able to meet its needs. These pets are also a lifelong commitment as the can live anywhere from fifty to a hundred years.

Feeding your Tortoise

All of us cat lovers out there know that our furry loved one has to always have everything he needs in order to be energetic, lively and happy about his playground. This is up to you to provide for him to be in the best of shapes. And then, having fun together is certain to happen!

What are “must have” items?

As with every little creature that you allow living inside your house, provide shelter and care for it, your cat has some basic needs that you must take care of for him/her to be healthy. Most basic are fresh water and food, but there is also need for a litter and a small napping place. Fresh water and food are really important, so that your furry friend can quench his/her thirst whenever need arises, and also to be able to eat to keep his strength and heath. You don’t want a canary chase throughout the house, do you?

When you want to go that extra mile for your precious pet and the budget is just not playing along – a DIY microwavable heated cushion may be the answer. These easy to make warmers are really useful for adding a little extra heat to a cold day or when your pet has a muscle injury. Laying one of these on the injured spot will help to relax the muscle and alleviate some of the discomfort. Not only can they be used for your pet but you can make one for yourself too.

Making Microwavable Winter Warmers

You can decide on a variety of shapes from squares, tubes or rounds in whatever size is suitable for your purpose. You may want a larger item for a bigger pet or prefer to make several smaller ones in different shapes and sizes to keep him snugly in winter. All you need are some scraps of unused material. If you have old suit shirts, T shirts, denims or unused towels in the back of a cupboard somewhere these will fit the bill or an old pair of socks will do the trick. 

You may think you’re taking good care of your snake if you feed it and provide a proper place for it to live.  But if your snake doesn’t have a hide box, it will become stressed, which makes it more likely to become ill.  A stressed, sick snake is not a good pet.

Why a Hide Box?

So, what is a snake hiding from? Actually, snakes are secretive animals, and hiding is part of their instinct. Snakes are not tame, domesticated animals. To keep from being found by predators, they have two choices. They can run, or they can hide.  Running takes up a lot of energy.  Hiding is more energy-efficient. (Think about the number of snakes you see outdoors.  Now think about the number of birds, squirrels, chipmunks, or other animals.)Snakes go from one place to another, remaining hidden while searching for food. At the same time, they’re trying to keep from being eaten.

When someone says, “Oh, rats!”, they may not be horrified or upset.  They may be admiring real rats.Domestic rats have been bred for nearly a century.  They are curious, intelligent, and very social with other rats. 

Buying a rat

Because rats are social animals, it’s best to get two or more rats so they can have company.  If you get a male and female together, make sure they are spayed and neutered.  Unentered males and unsprayed females will breed.

Pet turtles, unlike their ninja counterparts, are slow and hide at the hint of danger. But pet turtles are relatively easy to care for.  They need food and space to move around. Creating space for a turtle to live is your job, and there are many ways to do this. 

Things to Consider for a Turtle Home

Before creating a turtle home for your pet, here are some things to consider.  How big is your turtle? If you have a baby turtle, how big will it grow? Your turtle home needs to give your turtle plenty of room to move. A baby turtle can live in an aquarium of at least ten gallons or larger, but a full-grown turtle will need a home at least twice that size. 

Is your turtle aquatic or semi-aquatic? Aquatic turtles spend the vast majority of their time either in or near the water. Semi-aquatic turtles spend much more time on land, but periodically will go into the water. Semi-aquatic turtles need a larger land area in their turtle tank.

Once you know the type of your turtle and how big it is likely to get, you can start creating a home for your pet.

Making a Turtle Home

Turtle owners can build a custom-made aquarium out of acrylic or glass. You can find on the Internet many instructions on how to construct an acrylic or glass container to house your turtle. 

Some turtle owners use plastic storage tubs as a turtle home. 
Plastic tubs range in size from two gallons up to 50 gallons, and are priced anywhere from $3 to $25. If you use a plastic tub, measure it first to determine if it’s the right size for your turtle.  Examine the tub to make sure there are no holes or cracks where water can leak.

Some turtle owners use stock tanks as a turtle home. Stock tanks can hold up to 300 gallons of water, cost less than a glass aquarium, and give your turtle plenty of room to move and to grow. 

No matter what materials you decide to use for your turtle home, there are certain things it will need. All turtle homes need a filtration system to keep the tank clean. It’s recommended to get a filter that’s rated for a larger size tank than you actually have.  A tiny fish tank filtering system is not going to keep a turtle home clean. 

Turtles also need a basking area, a place for them to sit outside of the water. You can make these from cork bark or driftwood and wedge it into the tank. Or, place it atop PVC pipe or rocks located at one side of the tank.

Turtles also need an appropriate heating/lightning system. Use UVA and UVB lighting for your turtle’s home. A heat lamp over the basking area will give the heat your turtle needs.

These ideas should give you a start on creating a home for your turtle.

The experience of watching a dog have an epileptic fit for the first time is a very frightening experience. Owners not only are gripped with panic and shock but they also feel helpless as their best friend struggles against an unseen foe.

Even when owners are experienced observers of this nerve-racking problem it is very difficult to come to terms with let alone get used to but it is important for their and the dog’s sake that they learn to manage. It is thought to be much more common in dogs than in humans and so it is not a rare problem at all, No cure but it can be controlled.

It can’t be cured but it is possible for it to be controlled. The frequency of seizures can be cut down and those dogs that suffer the infliction can still lead happy and active lives.
To describe epilepsy as a brain disorder sounds like the dog has mental problems but this is not the case. It just means they suffer seizures; which unfortunately keep recurring through the dog’s life. The seizures are caused by excitement that triggers sudden electrical activity in the brain.

No pet bird likes to be kept cooped up in a cage all day long with nothing to do. Toys keep a bird amused, prevent boredom, and keep his mind active. But keeping a bird happy with toys can soon strain a bird-lover’s budget. When that happens, the answer is do-it-yourself toys. Creating your own bird toys can save a lot of money and satisfy your bird’s need for activity and stimulation.

Matching A Toy To A Bird

Birds, like people, are individuals. What one bird may like, another bird may hate. It may take time and practice to figure out what your bird likes to play with. And birds can change their mind about what kind of toys they enjoy. A favorite toy one week may be ignored the next.

Pet snakes all need one thing: a place to live. If you want a pet snake, you need to figure out what kind of cage it needs. Going to a local pet store, or ordering a cage online, may not be the answer. For one thing, commercial cages are often too small for a pet snake. Also, prices of commercial cages range anywhere from under $10.00 to over $300. So, if commercial cages aren’t big enough and too expensive, what do you do? Well, with an investment of time, elbow grease, and a little money, it’s possible to create your own snake cage. 

Before Building Your Snake Cage

There are plenty of ways to build a snake cage. Some of you may want to build your own cage from scratch. Others may use existing items such an old aquarium cage. Some creative reptile owners have even taken old furniture and re purposed it for a reptile cage.
But before building your snake cage, ask:

Pet owners when asked what they most fear about warm times of year invariably identify those pesky little insects: fleas! These insects are dark brown and small and love temperatures in the region of 65 to 80 degrees and humidity levels of between 75 and 85%. Cats and dogs can become infested simply through the contacts they have with the fellow animals, but they can also come across them in their environment - i.e. in the home! The flea's back legs are strong, which means they can leap from animal to animal or from the house onto the pet.

Fleas can't fly

It's worth noting that contrary to a widespread popular belief fleas can't fly - they don't have wings. Whatever, a flea’s bite is going to cause itching or worse. In some flea-allergic pets the itching can be severe and over scratching can lead to inflammation, hair-loss, and secondary skin infections. Some hypersensitive pets can itch all over from just one bite of a single flea!
To identify that it's fleas that cause the itching – formally known as pruritus - have a look to see if you can spot the tiny insects scurrying along your pet's skin surface.

It is no wonder that dogs suffer from problems with their joints. They do take a lot of pounding. All that weight on those thin legs chasing after balls, leaping out of cars, jumping up onto the steps and ledges.

For some dogs it does take a big toll. More injuries come from more use and more injuries can lead to more problems, including osteoarthritis and anterior cruciate ligament tears (ACL). These are not only painful for dogs they can do a lot of damage to your wallet too when the vet fees come in.So what is new in our knowledge of canine joint problems and more importantly what is the latest way of treating these all too common problems?

Crucial cruciate

Kittens are known to commonly bite when they are little and young. It’s just one of the ways they use to explore the world in which they find themselves living.

Older, more mature cats use biting as a defense at times when it feels agitated or threatened. Some people worry that it is a bad habit that needs to be stopped before it becomes dangerous. The technique for stopping your cat from biting is also useful if you ever want to be able to examine your cat without the fear of being bitten. You may need to check his or her paws in case the cat has been injured.

The feel good factor

To prevent your cat from biting your cat needs to learn that being handled is something to enjoy and that receiving a petting actually feels good.

This learning must take place without the cat feeling threatened in any way. To do this practice picking up and cuddling your cat everyone is relaxed including the cat. It is useful if you can find those ways your cat likes to be handled and those various places where they like to be petted.

For a start try petting your cat behind his or her ears, while gently stroking the fur.

Begin the process by concentrating on a small furry area rubbing lightly and working your way into bigger, longer strokes. Overtime, it should be possible for you to stroke your cat everywhere including all the way down to the tail.

When your cat rolls over onto her belly, it's a very strong sign he or she is totally relaxed. But when going to stroke her tummy, it's a good idea to keep the cat calm by using a soft, friendly voice and giving him or her lot of praise.

Roll me over

By the cat rolling on his or her back, exposing the stomach, he or she is showing that the cat is submissive. It is then up to you to develop this keep this powerful bond of trust. It may be a good idea to reinforce the bond by offering the cat a treat at this stage.
There are certain sensitive areas where a cat does not like to people touching him or her. This can be the ears, paws or tail. But the cat will let you know which areas are off limits as you get to know each other better performing exercises like these.

Putty in your hands

To find out how to handle these sensitive areas, start with the cat's ears and paws. Hold one of the front paws, and scratch behind one of the ears. It's advisable to give your cat a welcome treat at this time, but immediately let go and ignore the animals for a short while.

Repeat the exercise a few minutes later. If you can practice this a few times a day, your cat will be looking forward to having her paws held and ears scratched in a couple of days.