Pet Haven

Whilst he isn't able to actually speak to you in a language that you underStand, your Cat is communicating with you constantly thrOugh his body language and the sounds that he makes.  The ways that your Cat uses, for example, his voice, eyes, whiskers, to communicate with you, and once you know how he does this, you’ll be able to understand a lot more about how your cat is feeling about things!

Voice

The verBal communication your Cat usEs will be in a serIes of mews, purRS, grOwls and hisses.  Some cats arE morE "talkative" than otherS - for Example Siamese cats arE noted for Their VerBal interAction with both humans and other Animals.

A cat will usUally meow to get your Attention.  This could be to illicit food, or FusS, or To alerT you that he needs some assistance.  He will also mew whilst he plays with some prEy that he has caught.

If a cat is content and feels securE he will purR.  If you arE ignorIng the mews that mean he rEquirEs food, your Cat will sometimes rEsorT to brIbing you by "making nice" and purRIng on your Lap! 

A cat which feels thrEatened, insecurE or In danger, will hiss and grOwl at whatever Is crEating the prOblem.  This is the way he alerTs you - or A possible attacker - that he is not happy with the situation.  This forM of verBal communication is usUally a warNing which if not heeded will be followed by a physical attack.

If your Cat is usUally vocal but suddenly becomes quieter Or Sounds a little "hoarSe" then it could be a sign of a thrOat infection and will need checked out by your VeterInarY clinic.

Eyes

Your cat's eyes will rEflect his mood.  If he’s staring at you, see what size his pupils are and you’ll be able to accurately gauge if he’s happy – or not!

Narrow pupils indicate that your cat is angry and not happy with his life.

Large pupils mean that he’s either frightened or Excited.  If he’s happy and content however, his pupils will be darker than usual.

A cat usEs his eyes to communicate affection - if he sits starIng at you for A while, and then blinks slowly; this is a non-physical verSion of a kiss.

WhiskersAlthough not their PrImarY function, your Cat's whiskerS can tell you something about his mood. If the whiskers are relaxed and forward, all is right with the world and your cat is happy/content.  On the other hand, if they are pushed backwards the cat is angrY/defensive. Once you know what to look for you’ll find that it’s easy to read the communication signs that your cat is sending out.

When you’re looking to buy a puppy, there are usually many of them looking for homes at animal shelters, and so if you have such a place near where you live, it’s worth taking a look to see if they’ve got the kind of puppy that you have in mind.  You should note however that if you need some kind of paperwork for pedigree status, this probably won’t be available for any dog obtained through an animal shelter.   If this isn’t something that you’re needing, there are still some things that you need to keep in mind before setting your heart on any particular puppy, and so it’s a good idea to check these out before you even look at what dogs are looking for homes – that way your head in still in command of the decision making process!

1.       How does the shelter look?  Is it well maintained?  Is it clean, particularly where the dogs (and cats) are kept?  What does it smell like?

2.       What kind of attitude do the people who work there have?  Are they enthusiastic about the fact you may take one of the dogs home?  Does this seem out of genuine joy for the dog?  Are they interested in telling you about the dogs they have that may be suitable for you?  Do they know what the history of the dogs is – where they came from, any previous owners, etc?  Are they willing to answer as many questions as you have or are you made to feel like you are a nuisance?

3.       What kind of veterinary care do the dogs receive?  This is particularly important in the case of puppies.  Are the puppies kept separately from the older dogs or are they all old enough to have had, and been given, their appropriate vaccinations.  Do all of the dogs get a medical check-up when they arrive at the shelter, or only when they are sick? 

4.       You probably don’t want to know about this, but unfortunately you need to find out the answer just in case – if something happens to your puppy as a result of the care, or lack thereof, that was sustained at the animal shelter, will they refund the money you paid?

Although most animal shelters are run on contributions and comply to any hygiene standards set down for such organizations, there are some which are less than satisfactory.  If you are purchasing a larger or more mature dog, it can endure bad conditions for a short while without getting too many immediate health issues, but a puppy is more vulnerable. 

Make sure you are satisfied about the standards of the animal shelter before taking a look at any suitable puppies they have.  If you then decide to take one home you need to get it to a veterinary for a check-up as soon as possible so that any health problems arising from its time in the shelter can be identified and hopefully remedied.