Aroma Pets

Dog's Wellbeing

Dogs have a very good instinct for essential oils and even seem to know what is good for them. If you put an oil that is digestive on one hand, and a pesticide oil on the other, a dog with a stomach upset will invariably come forward to lick the hand that will do him most good. Remember though that dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans, so generally aim to use a minimum quantity of essential oil and increase the quantities if and when necessary. It is thought that dogs have about 200 million olfactory recepetors, perhaps twenty times the numbers we have.

The essential oils discourage the fleas, ticks and other minute parasites for which dogs seem inevitable homes. If you shampoo your dog, one of the easiest ways to deal with this problem is to add 1 drop of either lemongrass or citronella oil to his shampoo. Large dogs like Great Danes will require 2 drops. Most dogs seem to like the aroma,  and it gives them a nice fresh smell. Fleas can be as much of a problem  for the rest of the household as for your dog. Here is a remedy that will not only get rid of fleas and other parasites  but will keep your dog's coat in good condition too. The essential oils don't disturb the natural oil balance of your dog's skin and coat and will do  him nothing but good.

Take and old steel brush and a piece of material the same size of the face of the brush. The material needs to be quite thick so a single piece of flannel or sheeting folded three to four times  will do. Pull the material down over the teeth of the brush so that it lies about 20mm above the base, depending on the length of your dog's hair. Prepare a bowl of warm water and mix four drops of Cedarwood or pine oil and soak the prepared brush in this before brushing your dog's coat. This treatment will disinfect the dog, condition the coat and collect the parasites  and eggs in the brush - which must be rinsed out  thoroughly several times during the brushing, in the bowl of essential oil water.

If your dog is suffering seriously from fleas or other parasites, put 4 drops of Cedarwood or lavender oil directly on to a piece of material, as above, and rub the material together to disperse the oil before putting it on the brush. Then use with plain warm water and rinse several times while brushing the dog. If your dog is cut or grazed, bathe the area in a water solution of thyme or lavender oil. Use 6 drops of either essential oil to half a washing-up bowl of water. The essential oils will help clean  the wound as they are natural antibiotics and disinfectants, and you can rest assured that if the dog licks the wound afterwards he won't be taking in any unnatural substances.

It is very important to ensure that all dirt is removed from a cut, but as animals are difficult to confine to bed until healing is complete, you may have to keep attending to the wound. If an animal has a wound which has become ulcerous and weeps pus, the first stage in treatment is to draw away from the wound as much infection as possible. At this stage essential oils applied directly on to the wound would make it heal too quickly and if there was still an infection inside this would clearly lead to further problems. So to draw out the toxins we use the cabbage-leaf treatment. Wrap and ironed leaf around the wound, secure fimly and change the leaf four to six times a day, or until the toxins have been drawn off. Now wash the wound thoroughly in solution of 4 drops of lavender  oil  to 150ml warm water. This is an extremely expensive method of treating bad wounds  and can be applied to any animal - dog, cat, horse or donkey, sheep or cow.

Dogs suffer from coughs, colds and flu, just as we do, and the best essential oils for them in these circumstances are niaouli, tea tree and eucalyptus. You can use two methods - one oil-based and the other water-based - but in either case , have respect for your dog's greater sense of smell  and start treatment with the minimum  quantity of essential oil. increasing the dose slowly if necessary. The following rub should be applied over the chest, all around the rib-cage, around the throat and, most importantly, in a direct line from the ears to the shoulders. For the oil-based treatment, add 2 drops each of any two essential oils mentioned above  to 30ml vegetable oil.

Some people don't like the idea of putting oil on a dog's coat, and with long-haired pets one can see their point. So, for them, make a 'mother tincture' by adding 2 drops of essential oil to 1 tea spoon of alcohol (vodka, brandy, ect) and then adding this to 6 teaspoons of water. You will need to make up a bigger quantity because this, like the oil-based treatment, needs to be applied twice a day for three days. If your dog is very poorly, eucalyptus oil can be used neat and applied lightly to the areas mentioned, for a few days only.

You should also treat the area where the dog sleeps to get rid of the bacteria and the viruses lurking there. Blankets can be washed in essential oils, depending on the size of the blanket 5-6 drops should do the job. If you are washing the sleeping area, add 6 drops of essential oil to half a bucket of warm water. Alternatively, you can use an essential oil and water dilution in a plant-spray around the area. A good formula would be 6 drops of hyssop and 6 drops of eucalyptus oil to 600mls water.

Reference: Fragrant Pharmacy/ V.A. Worwood

Natural Health For Domestic Animals

Besides the improved good health of your pets, there are additional advantages to be gained by using nature's essential oils in their care.

Essential oils are not expensive and you can often use an oil you happen to have in the house already - thus saving on veterinary charges and commercial pet-care products. And pets provide living proof that the effectiveness of the essential oils isn't due to supposed psychological factors. 

Reference: Fragrant Pharmacy? V.A. Worwood

Feral Cats

What are feral cats?
The term feral describes members of a domesticated species that have reverted to living as wild animals. Feral cats have had little or no contact with humans. They can never be tamed and this should never be attempted because they are very fearful of people and it would seriously compromise their welfare. Feral cats live alone – or in groups called colonies – and are found in towns, cities and rural areas. The best solution for feral cats is for them to be neutered and returned to their familiar environment.

What makes a cat feral?
Cats learn what is normal when they are very young kittens and their brains are developing. The point in a kitten’s life when it is aged between two and eight weeks old is known as the ‘socialisation period.’ Young kittens which have had positive contact with people and are handled during this critical time form a bond with humans and enjoy living as pets. Feral cats are the offspring of stray, feral or abandoned domestic cats and have missed out on these early positive experiences with people.
They should not be confused with stray cats which were raised as pets but have since been lost or abandoned. Although stray cats can be scared of people due to their experiences, they can often be rehabilitated and go on to live life as a pet again.  Sometimes farm kittens will have been handled and treated well by farm workers and children – enabling them to adapt to life in the home. These kittens would also not generally be considered feral.  This means that cats that haven’t become dependent on people can live well in the wild, as long as they have all the things they need.

How do feral cats survive?
Cats are extremely resourceful creatures and can adapt to any different habitats. Unlike pet cats which often don’t get on with other felines, feral colonies will often naturally develop. These are usually made up of groups of related females and the size of the colony is directly related to the availability of food, water and shelter.  Cats within the colony recognise each other by sharing their scent through rubbing against each other. Although they appear close, they are not completely reliant upon each other and will hunt and eat alone. If an unfamiliar cat intrudes on their territory, they will soon see it off.  Feral cats are not always found in colonies – some will live a solitary lifestyle.

Caring for feral cats
Some people view feral cats as pests. Thankfully, many more – particularly farmers, stable owners and smallholders – value them for their role as working mousers that protect grain and feed. A healthy feral colony can really help to keep the vermin levels down.  Despite their wild nature, feral cats still benefit from a certain level of care, including: 

Neutering

This has major health benefits and keeps the colony size under control. Feral cats will need to be trapped before they are neutered because they are too wild to be handled. Once a feral cat is sedated or under anaesthetic, the vet can give it a health check and treat it for parasites. After neutering the cat is released back into its territory as quickly as possible – this is so the cat does not lose the communal scent and end up being rejected by other cats in the colony

Regular feeding
Many feral cats are very resourceful and find adequate food, but it may be helpful to offer them extra help, especially in winter. Only offer food if the feral cats have been neutered.  This is important because feeding unneutered cats increases the number of kittens that are born. It is also not in any cat’s interests to become fat and this is particularly true of feral cats as it affects their agility and chance of survival – so avoid overfeeding. Contrary to popular belief, regularly fed feral cats are better hunters than hungry ones.

Observation
It is helpful to observe colonies, so that any new unneutered, sick or injured cats can be promptly trapped and taken to the vet. Only minor ailments can be treated in feral cats and sometimes they have to be euthanased on welfare grounds if they have significant illness or injury.

What about Toxoplasmosis?
Some farmers may be concerned that feral cats could be the source of a parasite called Toxoplasma, which can cause miscarriage in ewes. Although cats can catch Toxoplasmosis, they quickly become immune, just two weeks after being infected. Cats catch Toxoplasmosis from eating infected raw meat or rodents. The only way the disease can be transmitted is if the ewe takes in the infected cat’s faeces in its feed or water – so the risk to sheep is very is extremely low. Vets agree that there is no risk to non-pregnant, healthy sheep.  A healthy, stable colony of neutered cats is at much lower risk of Toxoplasmosis than allowing a breeding colony which continually produces vulnerable kittens.  A further risk of Toxoplasma to sheep arises from other cats or kittens moving in. A feral colony will guard their territory so instead of maintaining a cat-free area, a healthy neutered feral colony is more likely to naturally keep such outsiders away.

Why not just remove feral cats?
Catching and removing feral cats may temporarily reduce the numbers, but this leads to what is known as the ‘vacuum effect.’ Any cats left behind will continue to breed and others will move into the area which is clearly a good source of food and shelter. The solution is to trap, neuter and return (TNR) the cats. Over a period of years this will reduce the size of the colony. A controlled, healthy and stable colony will deter other feral cats from moving in and will keep vermin levels down. In very rare instances, relocation may be necessary but should generally be avoided. Relocation of feral cats is extremely stressful for them, as they become very dependent on the familiarity of their own environment. Feral cats should not just be released elsewhere, an appropriate habitat needs to be found and the cats need a period of adjustment while they learn where they can find food and shelter. Remember, cats are protected by law and killing a cat constitutes an offence.

How can Cats Protection help?
Adult feral cats cannot be tamed or rehomed in the domestic environment as they are wild animals. Cats Protection may be able to set up humane traps – similar to cages – and safely capture feral cats and take them to be neutered. This is mainly done during the evening and the traps are collected quickly to minimise stress to the cat.  The trapped cats are taken swiftly to a veterinary surgery to be neutered, a straightforward procedure which will prevent the cat from breeding. At the same time, they will also have their ear ‘tipped’ – where between half and one cm of the tip of the left ear is removed under anaesthetic. This serves as a permanent visual mark from a distance to show the cat has been neutered, to prevent the same cat being trapped for neutering in future. After neutering, the cats will be returned back to their territory.  Trapping and neutering a large feral colony can take weeks and regular monitoring is needed to make sure that no cats are missed. Ideally, any breeding females are trapped and neutered first, to avoid growth in colony size while the process is taking place. 

Very young feral kittens can sometimes be socialised with humans through gentle handling and positive experiences before they become too fearful of people. However, genetics also plays a role in the confidence and friendliness of cats, and it can sometimes be better for the welfare of feral kittens for them also to be neutered and returned to the wild.  Responsible ownership and timely neutering is important, as feral colonies originate as the offspring of unneutered stray or abandoned domestic pet cats. Financial assistance from Cats Protection may be available to help with neutering.
If you are a landowner seeking advice about feral cats on your land, you are worried about the welfare of a feral colony, or you have the ideal habitat to offer a feral cat an outdoor home, please get in touch with your local Cats Protection branch.

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Feral Dogs

A Pennsylvania city instructs police to shoot strays, opening a sad window on animal care in the age of austerity 

The city of Harrisburg, Pa., learned this last week when an internal police department memo went public, instructing officers of the cash-strapped city to stop bringing its growing number of stray dogs to the shelter. Instead, it said, they should release them in another area, adopt them themselves — or just put a bullet in them. Now that’s the new austerity.

Amid the predictable outcry, the city promised it would reconsider the policy. But the controversy also illuminated a serious — and largely ignored — urban issue: the soaring number of feral cats and dogs, and cities’ decreasing ability to deal with them. “The problem is way worse than people assume,” says Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. “It’s a topic nobody talks about, but over the past 20 years it’s become an underground epidemic in most cities.”

There are lots of reasons for this — reduced animal control, the resurgence of dogfighting —  but at base, the feral explosion has coincided with our ever-rising demand for furry little friends. America is turning into a nation of pet hoarders. In 1970 we had 30 million pet cats; today we have 90 million. Dog ownership has tripled since the 1960s. And the more we take in, the more we drop back on the street, where they procreate at a speed that would make Rick Santorum beam. The exact number of feral dogs and cats is unknown, but there are certainly well over 100 million at this point.

The epidemic has gone largely unnoticed because urban feral dogs and cats have extraordinary skills at remaining invisible. Grim, a fixture in St. Louis who’s been working with feral dogs there for decades, says the dogs emerge from alleys and abandoned buildings to look for food in early dawn or bad weather. “They understand how to survive. Most of them spend only 10 percent of their time being visible to people.”

Same goes for cats, says Jeff Horn, who completed a groundbreaking study of feral cat behaviors last year. Horn fitted 42 cats with radio tracking collars in the neighboring Illinois cities of Champaign and Urbana. “Some of the male cats are really only active for a small portion of the night,” he says. Females, on the other hand, are so often either pregnant or nursing that “they were active up to 20 hours a day just to find food to survive and feed their young.” And Horn was surprised by how large a range the cats staked out. Together, they prowled a region of some 6,286 acres, and a single cat roamed over 1,351 acres, an area greater than one-and-a-half Central Parks.

That territory included everything from forest to concrete jungle — feral dogs and cats are remarkably adaptive to different environments. Moscow’s feral dogs even use the subway to expand their territories. “They orient themselves in a number of ways,” Russian animal behaviorist Andrei Neuronov told the Financial Times. “They figure out where they are by smell, by recognizing the name of the station from the recorded announcer’s voice, and by time intervals.”

But many feral dogs in cities ultimately gravitate toward impoverished and abandoned neighborhoods, where hiding places and accessible garbage are more plentiful, and people are not. In depopulating Rust Belt cities, where nature is reclaiming entire swaths of the landscape, packs of dogs and colonies of cats are living in a world that’s nearly their own. New York Times Magazine writer Benoit Denizet-Lewis, who’s writing a book about dogs, spent time with Grim in East St. Louis and describes a world where people are scarce and dogs live wild once again. 

“You’d have these abandoned buildings in grassy areas, an urban prairie that’s a perfect spot for these dogs,” he says. “You have dogs who were born out there who have had almost no contact with humans at all. We’d see them roaming in packs in the distance.” Grim says he’s seen some of these packs stick together for more than 20 years, spawning new generations to replace the old.