30 Useful And Lesser-Known Pet Care Tips By This Vet

With so many fun, colorful and tasty-looking things sold in the pet stores, it’s easy to get lost. Do you really need a bunch of overpriced organic dry foods for your furry friend, or yet another chewy bone to add to your pupper’s collection? Well, the experts say you may be better off without some of them.

So to find what to snatch and what to pass on in pet stores for the safety of our beloved four-legged friends, Bored Panda talked to Molly DeVoss, a certified feline training and behavior specialist who runs Cat Behavior Solutions agency.

“I do not recommend buying a covered litter box—especially in a multi-cat household. Cats worry that they’ll be ambushed when coming out of a covered box,” Molly said and continued: “In the wild, a cat will choose to urinate/defecate in wide open spaces so they can see potential predators coming.” Turns out, covered litter boxes are often a cause for avoidance issues.

Among other things that Molly would suggest avoiding is buying a box that’s too small. “As a rule of thumb, the box needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat (measured from tip of nose to base of tail),” she explained.

Moreover, the feline behavior expert would also avoid buying dry food for cats “because it does not provide adequate hydration. The worst brand of wet food is far better for your cat than the highest quality dry food. Yes, dry food is convenient for you, but it is not what your feline species needs to maintain optimal health.”

And when it comes to cat toys, Molly said it is a lot like buying toys for children; “you want to avoid small parts and pieces that can break off or be chewed off and swallowed. Ingesting toys can create serious intestinal issues and blockages in cats.”

According to her, wand toys are the best choice for your cat; interactive play simulates the hunting sequence and burns off pent-up energy. “Be sure to put the wand toy away—out of reach to the cat—when you’re not using it,” she reminded all the cat owners.

We also talked to Salman Haqqi, a pet insurance expert at Money.co.uk who said that when picking the right toy for your dog, you should consider “the size of your dog, how active they are, their breed and age." Moreover, "Toys that are too small can get lodged in your dog's throat or be easily swallowed so it’s best to buy the appropriate size for your breed.”

And when it comes to many dogs' favorite squeaky toys, the Money.co.uk animal experts warn that the canine “may want to track down and demolish the noise, which could be ingested if left unattended, so just keep an eye on your pooch to make sure they aren't eating anything they shouldn't be.”

“Be careful with rawhide dog chews as they may pose choking hazards, it's always important to check with your vet about the most safe and appropriate toys. We’d recommend Kongs and fun treat dispensers that keep your pet entertained for long periods of time.”

If you’re thinking of getting your pet some chews, you should make sure there is nothing sharp or hard that could damage pets' teeth or cause injury, “anything that could splinter or be a choking hazard.”