National Cat Day

National Cat Day

If you didn’t already know, October 29th is National Cat Day. It was founded to help the public recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued. It also encourages cat lovers/owners to celebrate the little furballs in their lives. It was created by Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige, in 2005. Here are some ways you can celebrate this joyous day with your furry and non-furry feline friends thanks to Blue Buffalo.

Nifty Ideas

There’s the obvious, adopt a cat from your local shelter or cat rescue, donate blankets, food and toys to animal welfare organizations, or volunteer at your local shelter and offer to play with some cats available for adoption, clean cages and litter boxes or anything else they need help with. You could always write your Congressman and ask that he/she support the ban of kitten mills and gas chambers in your state.

Have a National Cat Day party and invite all your friends and their cats! Paint your face, wear kitty ears or dress in cat-related fashion, buy your cat a collar and tag with your name and number, just in case they get outside and happen to become lost, hire a professional pet photographer for a fun photoshoot, or commission a custom portrait painted of your cat. Bake some cat shaped cookies for your kids, friends or office and bake some tuna cookies for your cat.

You could give your cat some fun exercise by putting up some walls shelves specifically for him/her, make a window perch for your cat to lay in the sun. Give your cat a calming massage, rush your cat to eliminate excess fur and hairballs, and make a commitment to your cat’s health and buy all natural products from food to litter, such as BLUE Naturally Fresh Cat Litter made from walnuts.

Diamonds in the Ruff

There are so many ways to celebrate the cat in your life and help those without a family. A simple photo posted on Facebook shows the love you have for these animals or buying an official National Cat Day Tee here and sport it proudly is also another way. Since Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate founded this day, it has helped save the lives of more than one million cats. Our staff at Diamonds in the Ruff can appreciate this beautiful day. Another way you can show your love and appreciation for your cat is to send them here to us. We now have a new cattery open with all the amenities they will love. If you are in need of a cattery in Abilene, come by and see us or visit our website at www.diamondsintheruffpetboarding.com.

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Pets

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Pets

We are not the only ones who can enjoy Halloween, our furry pets can (and do) enjoy this spooky night as well. The ASPCA came up with a few helpful tips to keep our pets safe, happy, and healthy until November hits.

Stash the Treats

There are several popular Halloween treats are toxic to pets. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs, and sugar-free candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause serious problems in pets. If you think your pet has gotten into anything toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.

Watch the Decorations and Keep Wires Out of Reach

Pets, big or small, can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are especially at risk of getting burned or singed by a candle flame. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered relatively nontoxic but can produce stomach discomfort in pets who nibble on them.

Be Careful with Costumes

Because pets may become stress wearing a costume, the ASPCA recommends that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it. Be sure the costume does not restrict their movement, sight or ability to breathe, bark or meow. Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting your pet wear his or her “birthday suit” or don a festive bandana instead.

Keep Pets Calm and Easily Identifiable

Halloween brings a lot of activity with visitors arriving at the door. So keep in mind that too many strangers can stress out your pet. If your pet is not quite social, you might want to keep them in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. While opening the door for guests, be sure that your dog or cat doesn’t dart outside. And always make sure your pet is wearing proper identification—if for any reason he or she does escape, a collar with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost pet.

Diamonds in the Ruff

We love this holiday and especially love seeing your pets dressed up. Just keep these tips in mind and your Halloween night with be spooky and fun. If must leave your pet behind, but don’t want to leave them alone, we suggest leaving them at a trusted boarding facility. Diamonds in the Ruff offers a great, clean, and trusted boarding facility for your cat or dog. Come by and see us or visit our website at www.diamondsintheruffpetboarding.com. We have everything your pet needs to feel safe and happy at our dog boarding facility or cattery in Abilene.

Frida the Rescue Dog

Frida the Rescue Dog

METRO- During the natural disaster that devastated Mexico, hundreds have killed hundreds of people and trapped several others under the rubble. Hundreds of rescuers worked frantically digging people from the rubble after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Mexico City. One of those rescuers is Frida, a Labrador retriever that helps the Mexican Navy locate people from natural disasters in Mexico.

So far Frida has managed to rescue 53 people, including 12 people in life-threatening situations after the 8.1 magnitude earthquake that devastated Oaxaca September 7. Now she is back at it again working hard trying to save people trapped in debris after a deadly earthquake that killed at least 245 people and injured more than 2,000.

It’s not yet known how many people Frida has been able to rescue this time around, but she is doing her best, and we are all grateful for her heroism. Frida works for the Mexican Navy’s (SEMAR) Canine Unit. Appreciation and many “Thanks” to Frida’s work have been pouring in from all over the world, many telling her she’s been a very good girl while sharing photos of her getting ready for rescue operations – with tiny doggy boots and special dog-sized goggles.

She’s even been thanked by the President of Mexico, who tweeted earlier this month: ‘This is Frida. She belongs to SEMAR and has helped save 52 lives in various natural disasters at national and international levels.’ It comes after people in Mexico were left glued to their tv’s watching the delicate effort to reach a young girl buried in the rubble of her school. The rescue ended up stretching into a daylong vigil for the country. Rescue workers can be seen continuing their search in rain and darkness in the early hours of Thursday morning. The sight of her wiggling fingers in the school became a symbol of hope that drove thousands of professionals and volunteers to work frantically at dozens of other destroyed buildings in Mexico City looking for survivors.

Diamonds in the Ruff

There are no words to explain how grateful our staff is for the hard work the people of Mexico City, Frida, and the Mexican Navy put forth in helping their fellow man. It is people and animals that give hope to the rest of the world and show that there are great people willing to give a helping hand. From all of us at Diamonds in the Ruff in Abilene, thank you for all your hard work and heroism.

New Cattery in Abilene

New Cattery in Abilene

Hey there everyone! We are EXCITED to let y’all know that we have extended our facility to accommodate our new addition… a Cattery!!!

That’s right, we now have a place for your feline family member to play and relax while you are at work or away for a few days. Our cat condos can accommodate small and large cats.

Here are a few things to remember when you bring your fur baby in:

Please bring All cats in a carrier where they will feel secure. We will remove them from their carrier when they have safely reached their awesome personal condo. Our condos are perfect for cats who have not boarded or have had a bad experience boarding in cages. Every guest will be allowed playtime in our specially designed playroom. Upon arrival, we will evaluate the socialization level of your best friend and determine what will best suit their personal needs.

So come by a visit our facility today or visit our website at www.diamondsintheruffpetboarding.com for all your cat boarding in Abilene.