Do you simply dread the thought of taking a car trip with your cat? First, you must be clever enough to catch the wily feline. Then — after they are safely in their carrier — you must brace yourself for the wailing and thrashing that will begin either from the moment of capture or, at the very latest, once the car begins to roll. Here are some tips to help you and make the trip enjoyable for your cat:

Teach your cat to like their carrier; Make it comfortable and feed them once they are inside the carrier.

Put your kitten inside the car for 5 minute intervals without going anywhere, sit in there with them, play with and cuddle them.

Once the kitten is accustomed to the car, take some short trips. Don't drive too fast and don't make the first trip a trip to the Vet.

Give the kitten some small meals once in the car.

Try not to rush things. Some cats will take to this quickly, while others will take a very long time to lose their fear. It is much easier if you can start to train your cat whilst they are still young. Be sure your cat is micro-chipped though, just in case they run away! Always praise your cat and give them their favourite treat every time they do well. If they do not do well, remember that they are frightened; don't punish them, but speak calmly and soothingly to him and pat them reassuringly. In no time you will be purrrrin along.

In Store Day.

Come and say hello to some of our staff who are conducting an In Store day with the fantastic staff at PetStock South Melbourne. 211 Ferrars St South Melbourne. The Pets Hotel gang will be there from 11.00am until 2.00pm on Saturday 10th September.

Footy Finals Party

After an overwhelming response to our winter wonderland event we are preparing for our next big event. In celebration of the upcoming Footy Finals we are going to have a Footy Finals weekend. There will be loads of photos of pets in footy gear, some footy games and of course some footy food as treats for the pets. This weekend will be full of fun…no tanking, no biffo and definitely no sledging allowed. First Bounce is on the 24th September and Final Siren will be on the 25th September. Good luck to all the players involved in the Football Finals Series.

Docklands Dog Day Out!

The Pets Hotel has accepted an invitation to participate in this years Docklands Dog Day Out. Come join in the fun at Victoria Green, next to 825 Bourke Street in Docklands (entry via Import Lane or Geographe St) on Sunday 25th September, from 10am to 12noon. See you there!

Lumps and bumps-

don’t ignore them!

One of the golden rules at any vet is early detection and treatment of problems such as lumps and bumps. Early detection offers a better chance of resolving the issue rather painlessly and safely. Regular health examinations of your pet are a key part of this approach. In addition to this, frequent grooming of your pet allows you, as an owner, to keep an eye out for any problems that may arise. If your pet develops a limp there are several possibilities including allergies, abscesses hernias and of course tumours. Tumours may be benign;- these tend to be slow growing and remain in one place, or they could be malignant- which invade the surrounding tissue and are far more serious. So if you do find a lump on your pet it is therefore, very important that it is examined by a vet to allow for any possible treatment to begin as soon as possible.

Pet Of The Month

Meet Sam!! He is a 2 year old Miniature Pinscher who loves to chew on his Mum, Lisa’s, thongs (shoes!!) and his favourite place is the St Kilda Dog Beach. Sam’s best friend is Gia the French bulldog and he loves to eat Chunkers. He has once stared at a wall……..not because he was in trouble and sent to the naughty corner but because there was a photo of the bush there! He is a movie fan and has watched Marmaduke from start to finish. He has been in trouble for running away on the road but we are all glad that he came back!!!!

Hotel Humour

A man and his dog walk into a bar. The man proclaims, "I'll bet you a round of drinks that my dog can talk."

Bartender: "Yeah! Sure...go ahead."

Man: "What covers a house?"

Dog: "Roof!"

Man: "How does sandpaper feel?"

Dog: "Rough!"

Man: "Who was the greatest ball player of all time?"

Dog: "Ruth!"

Man: "Pay up. I told you he could talk."

The bartender, annoyed at this point, throws both of them out the door. Sitting on the sidewalk, the dog looks at the guy and says, "or is the greatest player Mantle?"