Treating your cat or dog as part of the family means looking after their wellbeing. As we become more aware of natural alternatives to nurture, heal and look after ourselves, we want the same for our beloved pets. After all, they do enhance our quality of life and bring us so much love, laughter and companionship.
Extending your pet's longevity and quality of life could be as simple as using natural products and healing methods similiar to those you enjoy yourself. People aren't the only ones at risk of exposure to stress and toxins. Dogs and cats experience similiar health complaints to us because they share our living environment.
If there is one pet that knows the true benefit of aromatherapy, it would be our beautiful aromatherapy cat Kai. Kai came to us believe it or not from one of our massage clients who just happened to move from Townsville NQ, my home town, to the Gold Coast. Our client had told us that she had inherited Kai from her daughter who could no longer have animals when she moved into her new unit. As our client lives out at Tallebudgera Valley, snakes and ticks are common and she has already lost two cats. Kai is a domestic short hair and found it very hard to cope with no longer having a dog or young child to chase her around and keep her active. She now enjoys all our aromatherapy products, and we enjoy sharing her house with her! We are strong believers that cats don't belong outdoors where they kill native wildlife and birds, so Kai is indoors ALL of the time. Her diet consists of (IAMS) dry cat food which is an Australian Company and it is higher in protein than common brands found in supermarkets and whilst it is a little more expensive, she doesn't need to eat as much to feel full (although she just has to look up at David with those eyes and he feels obliged to feed her some more). We also have cat grass which you can get from Bunnings which helps with their digestion. She also lives like a princess and has her monthly shampoo, blow-dry and nails done from her friendly grooming lady. I just think that is the best $20 I spend all month and saves me the stress of dealing with her temper at having to have a bath and the skin remains on my arms.
Exercise is very imporatnt and we make sure she has plenty of stimulation so that when we aren't at home she can amuse herself. Her favourite toy is a 30c cap off one of our Energy Oils that she flicks with her paw and chases for hours. She has a very strong personality and likes to play 'chase me' where she runs, we chase, she runs some more, we get tired and she's still hiding! I love it, not sure who gets the most amount of exercise though! We do like to take her outdoors for a walk but she remains in our arms as I'm sure the chase game would be taken to a whole new dimension if we were to let her go.
Here are some 'green', environmentally responsible ideas to help your pet live healthier for longer, and ways your can connect and deepen your bond.
Nutritional Supplements
Natural pet-care products make up a growing proportion of the animal health industry. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, people spent $34.4 billion on their animals in 2004.
Animal wellness companies like Pure Animal Wellbeing (PAW) are creating natural healthcare products for pets with lifestyle, age or environmental problems, and that may suffer side effects of medical treatment. PAW's Osteocare range has been designed to maintain dog's joint health in the form of two different-sized biscuits suitable for large or small breeds. Giving health-care in treat form means it's fun for owners to give and palatable for pets.
Organic Food and Treats
Many vets recommend vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements off the shelf from healthfood stores and pharmacies for dogs and cats. Owners should enquire with their vet before giving supplements to their pet because their are some subtle differences in human and animal physiology and different dose rates. For example, zinc and biotin and/or omega oil supplements can reduce skin irritation in pets caused by allergies.
Healthfood stores are now stocking pet supplements such as The Missing Link line of superfood supplements with essential fatty acids like Omega 3. Independent research findings report that, on average, conventional dog foods delivered 74% of their total fat content as 'bad' staurated and monounsaturated fats and only 26% as polyunsaturated ('good') fats. The Missing Link supplements intend to correct this ratio by supplying 69%polyunsaturated fats.
Natural Skin and Coat Care
Dog soaps with pest repelling essential oils to help deter insects are now available. Look out for The Thames Natural Soap Company from New Zealand which has a herbal dog soap with olive and coconut oils and Lavender, Lemongrass and Patchouli.
Owners of dogs and cats with sensitive skin and skin allergies can benefit from using our Scentual NRG Aromatherapy Shampoo. We have had pet owners who are so concerned about the chemicals in pet shampoos that they are now opting for more natural alternatives to avoid the harmful toxins.
Pet products are not required by law to list their ingredients, so it's important that owners are made aware of the potentially harmful chemicals that may have an adverse effect on your pets. In particular, check that products are sulfate and propylene glycol free, and that they contain no artificial fragrances or colours, petroleum by-products or animal derived ingredients.
Professional pet grooming services are now using Scentual NRG's blends of Energy Oils diluted into a Aromatherapy Pet Spray, to spray over cats and dogs as the final touch in their cleansing treatment. I was horrified to learn that a pet spray I had tested was nothing more than a carpet deoderiser. This then lead us to create these pet sprays which also have a therapeutic benefit to your pet. The essential oils used can help your pets immune system heal itself by working with the animals body chemistry helping to maintain a healthy balance. Dogs and cats are emotional creatures, and can experience the benefits of our Energy Oils for peace of mind and better health.
For more information on healing your pets on a more holistic level, visit any of the following websites:
