I’m definitely looking forward to autumn after a long summer of hot, humid weather. As an animal advocate, however, I’m aware of impending dangers that come with the season change for our furry friends.
During these upcoming cooler months, the pesky rodents and insects are more interested in coming inside our homes. Many homeowners choose to buy pest-killing poisons or have a pest control service handle the problem with sprays and baits. Unfortunately, not only are these products toxic to insects and rodents, some are very toxic to our pets.
Two of my precious cats were diagnosed with lymphoma, which is a cancer not commonly found in cats. Since they both were (and Grey still is) indoor cats, I could not help but wonder if this was caused environmentally. I stopped having the pest control service do anything inside my home, but instead ask them to spray or bait only the outside perimeter of my house. For any indoor problems, I only use safe, non toxic and natural products. There are several on the market now. You can also create your own using herbs that repel the pesky bugs and mice.
Click here for my favorite guide to safe, effective pest control.
While these products may not be the cause of my cats’ cancer, at least I know I am doing all that I can to protect them.
For those of you who have been so kind to ask about my cat Grey’s ongoing battle with cancer, I will post something very soon about my miracle cat.
Here are a few more tips to keep our furry family members safe in the fall.
Be mindful of your environment. I really enjoy taking my furry friends with me on a walk or hike. I borrow my neighbor’s dog because he and I have become walking buddies. As late summer and early fall is considered “snake season”, I make a point to avoid wooded areas on my route until cold-weather months. And those of you who know me are aware that is not just for the dog. Simply SEEING a slithery beast would possibly require an emergency vehicle to come to my aid. I stay away from all animals without shoulders.
Avoid wild mushrooms. During the spring and fall seasons, you’ll notice an increase in the number of mushrooms you’re accustomed to seeing outdoors.
Though most wild mushrooms are harmless, there are few that can cause life-threatening issues for our furry friends. Even worse, poisonous mushrooms often look nearly identical in appearance to the harmless mushrooms.
The easiest way to keep your pet from consuming a poisonous mushroom is to simply avoid areas where you see mushrooms growing.
Tell Me: What pet safety tips do you practice during fall?
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