A question constantly asked by caring pet owners is what to do with their four legged family member when they are going on vacation. Bringing your dog can mean fun times, great total family pictures, no extra costs like dog kennel boarding or pet sitters. On the other hand, hotels that allow pets are harder to find, and your pet might limit the type of activities you could do. A family should consider several aspects before taking time off.

Where you are going, do they have options for pets? Places like Las Vegas are tourist-centered and pet hotels and activities abound. While there isn’t a casino yet that allows dogs in, there are tons of activities that won’t be hampered. Shopping is easy so if dog food or supplies run out, a store is easy to find. There are many veterinarians in the city to help if there is a medical emergency. For the most part, your dog might not even realize he is away from home. However, if you are going to an exotic ski resort, your food and lodging options are not so plentiful. You will have to handle most emergencies by yourself and bring all supplies. If the only thing you are doing is skiing, do you know how your dog relates to the cold and snow?

If you do decide on leaving your pet at home, the first option is a pet sitter that comes to your house and provides services like walking and feeding your dog. There are many local companies that have been doing this for years, and they should be able to provide references of previously satisfied customers. This could be the best option if your dog doesn’t travel well since his food and daily routine won’t change while you are gone. If there is a medical issue, he will be taken to his usual vet.

While there have been horror stories of what happens in a dog kennel while boarding, most kennels are clean and safe. Searching online for reviews of local establishments and visiting a few kennels before making a decision will help to ensure you pick the best option for your dog while you are away. A proper kennel should have a vet in-house or that makes daily visits. If your dog has special diet needs, they should be able to handle most special requests within reason. It is very likely that your dog will interact with other pets in one way or another so if your dog is pro or anti-social should be taken into account.

For the most part litter boxes for cats are pretty standard and your kitty will get used to the litter box that you supply them with but sometimes a cat can be hypersensitive to the texture, smell and even the shape of it. If you have the luck of having one of these overly sensitive animals it is your job to find something that you little kitty will be able to live with.
Covered Cat Litter Boxes

There is a wide variety of different cat litter boxes on the market these days, many of which have covers. These covers help to reduce the ammonia smell that arises from the box with extended use, but in order to get you cat to use the enclosed smell factory it might take a little training. Pay attention to your cat and take note on whether they appear to be claustrophobic as this could cause a problem for kitty if you decided to use a covered box. In many cases though, cats prefer to have covered boxes.

Hidden Litter Boxes

If you don't particularly care for the look of litter boxes for cats, there are a lot of new hi-tech litter boxes available to buy. One type of litter box, a hidden litter box, is one that is produced and designed to blend into any of the furnishings that your home may have, keeping it out of general eyesight, which in my opinion is a real good thing. These designs also keep the litter confined to the box by not allowing the cat to spread the litter all over the floor, most often they are contained in small cabinets with double doors for your easy access.

Automatic Cat Litter Boxes

There are many different types of automatic cat litter boxes as well these days. Gone are the days of manually scooping the litter out of the smelly box unless you choose to do it that way. Two examples of self cleaning litter boxes that are on the market today are the litter maid cat litter box, of which the the lm 500 and the lm 900 are two distinct models worth looking at. The other type of box worth looking at is called the litter robot. Both of these styles of cat litter box make use of sensors that tell them when it is time to clean itself. The Littermaid style works by an automatic rake that scrapes the kitty rocca into a waste container that is a part of the unit. The Litter Robot on the other hand uses a patented sifting system that removes the wast into a nice and tidy storage area for ease of cleaning and disposal. You don't have to worry about your cat using them and having them turn on either because the sensors will not allow it to turn on while it is in use.

Pine Cat Litter

A really great alternative to using many of the granular and clay brands of kitty litter is Pine cat litter. The reason that it is such a good alternative is because it doesn't have the dust problems that normal cat litter suffers from. It is also 100% completely biodegradable and can be used as garden compost if you have a backyard garden. Pine cat litter is also highly absorbent and with the pleasant odor of pine it really does a nice job of cutting down on that nasty ammonia smell associated with litter boxes.

Whichever system you choose for your kitty cat, you need to make sure that there is plenty of room for it to move about a bit. When you fill it make sure that you have at least 3 inches of good clean litter in the bottom. Make sure that you regularly clean the box and after the initial cleaning be sure to use scalding hot water so you get rid of all the smells of any disinfectant that you might have used. You don't want your precious little friend being exposed to the harsh smells that many disinfectants leave behind.

It is a well known fact that some cats are finicky.A couple of mine are. You simply need to make sure that the system that you use agrees with your friend. If your cat is not wanting to use the box try different kinds. All cats are different and no matter which method or brand you choose it has to be agreeable with your cat. Your pal will love you for it so make sure that you keep it clean and fresh. This will both benefit you and him.