5 Great Cat Breeds For Families

Introducing a new pet to your family can be an exciting time for everyone involved! Whether you’re a cat or dog person, we all know that finding the right breed to fit into your family can be a difficult task.

If you’re thinking of introducing a cat into your family, a great place to start is your local pet shelter or rescue organisation. While we at Jetpets believe the humble moggie makes a great family pet, these other breeds do too so check them out!

Ragdoll

With their piercing bright blue eyes, there’s no doubt that Ragdolls are one of the most adorable cat breeds out there! But it’s not just looks that makes the Rag Doll a great family pet, their temperament and personality makes them a perfect fit for young families. Ragdoll’s love to be around people, and are super affectionate! Their loving nature means that they’d shy away from conflict and prefer rather to snuggle up on their owners laps.

Cat Breeds | Family Friendly | Helpful Hints | Jetpets | Tips | Pet Flights Domestic

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian is the perfect breed for those fighting the dog vs. cat battle. If you’re introducing a pet into your family for the first time, it really can be difficult to decide whether a cat or a dog would be best suited for you. Luckily, the Abyssinian gives you the best of both worlds! Their favourite place will be by their toy basket. Grab their favourite toy and they’ll happily play a game of fetch with you! Like dogs, they love attention and affection too, and their playful nature means that they don’t shy away from boisterous toddlers! 

Burmese

Burmese are a great breed for families who enjoy spending time at home! They are active and social, meaning that they would prefer to hang out with you at home, instead of exploring the neighbourhood. Their affectionate personality means that they mix well with children and dogs, (as long as they appreciate when your Burmese is looking for some down time!)

Persian

Persian’s fit perfectly into small families, especially with older children! Known for their short nose and perky ears, a Persian’s favourite place will be on your lap. They don’t require much playtime, so they’ll fit perfectly into a busy family. Just make sure you have time to show them some love and affection at the end of the day! 

Birman

The undeniably cute Birman is a breed that will fit well into most family dynamics. Quiet but intelligent, this curious cat will always want to know what you and your family are up to. Birman’s love to be treated as one of the family, they’ll even let you carry them around like a baby! In the Birman’s books, any attention is good attention, which makes them especially great with children.

What breed did you choose when deciding on a new family pet? Let us know on Facebook!

Cat Breeds | Family Friendly | Helpful Hints | Jetpets | Tips | Pet Flights Domestic

Top Tips for Photographing Your Pets

Having plenty of photographs of your pets is a great way to remember them throughout their lives and to reminisce on some of the great moments you’ve experienced together. However, our pets are always on the move, so sometimes capturing the perfect shot of them is difficult.

Don’t worry! If you’re having some trouble photographing your pets, read on below for our top tips for getting the perfect picture every time.

Top Tips for Photographing Your Pets - Jetpets

Shoot them in natural light:

Taking photographs in a natural light is a great general photography rule that works equally as well with our pets. Natural lighting makes the images look nice and clear so to get this light, go outside, or position yourself near a window. Make sure you avoid using a flash as it can make your pet’s eyes seem red (not to mention it may frighten them.)

Quietly surprise them:

This is one of our favourite tricks. Get cuddly with your pet and keep them calm and relaxed. Then call to them softly and shoot as they look up in surprise. It makes for a great picture.

Show off their personality:

Our pets have unique personalities so it’s essential to capture moments, looks and faces that describe exactly who they are. Think of what your pet loves to do most (maybe it’s sleeping on the couch, or chasing the ball) and photograph them doing those activities.

Capture their eyes: 

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and this counts for animals as well! Animal’s eyes tell a lot about their mood and how they are feeling, so capturing their eyes adds emotion and drama to an image. A great idea is to photograph them just as they are waking up, nice and close, (but without flash so you don’t startle them.)

Get down to their level:

To get the most natural shot of your animals, why not get down to their level? Crouch down on your knees and shoot them up close and personal for all the details you don’t want to miss.

Experiment:

Each animal is different so a huge part of photographing your pets is experimenting with what looks good and how they respond. Start off simple by capturing them relaxing or snoozing, and work up to photographing them catching the ball and running around.

Have you got any great tips for photographing animals or have you taken an amazing photograph of your pet? Make sure you show us on Facebook and Instagram.

Taking A Picture Of Your Dog - Jetpets

Dave’s New Puppy Jet

We’re just in love with Dave’s new puppy Jet (who was actually named after us, what an honour!)

You might know Dave as one of our amazing pet handlers, and the owner of our animal ambassador Sahara. Well now Sahara and the rest of Dave’s crew have a new brother courtesy of the wonderful team at Australian Working Dog Rescue!

We couldn’t be happier for Dave and we can’t wait to hear how little Jet settles into his new life.

Meet Dave’s New Puppy Jet - Jetpets Pet Transport

Fun Ways To Include Your Pets In Christmas Celebrations

Christmas is a great time to have fun with the whole family and that includes our pets! No matter what your plans are for the festive season, it’s important to involve your pets in the Christmas celebrations to ensure they have a memorable holiday as well!

Read below for some great ideas on how you can include your pets in Christmas celebrations: 

Take Photos With Them:

This has to be one of our favourite ideas! Ask a friend to be your photographer (or hire one if you like!) and take a family portrait with all your of furry friends. Add a Santa hat to the top of your dog’s head or tie a cute (but loose) red bow around your cat. Have one of your family members hold the animals and smile!

Fun Ways To Include Your Pets In Christmas Celebrations - Jetpets

 Dress Them Up in Holiday Outfits: 

There are plenty of Christmas themed holiday outfits or cute accessories you can put on your animals to get them in the holiday mood! A Christmas sweater (if the weather isn’t too hot) is a great idea, or you could even tie a red, gold or green ribbon around their neck (just make sure it is loose enough). If you want your own mini Santa Claus (or Santa Paws), a Santa Hat looks great on dogs, just purchase a kid-sized hat for smaller animals. Another fun idea is to dress your animals up as a present by decorating a red or green t-shirt with ribbons and glitter. Make sure you cut a big enough hole on the neck and the arms so it is not too tight.

Buy Them Gifts:

Gifts shouldn’t just be for humans! Pets are part of your family too so treat them to a special gift you know they will just love. Get a stocking or wrap up a few presents and place them under the tree for you to open with them on Christmas morning. Gift ideas could be toys, treats or snacks or even a new outfit! If you want to, you can splurge on something big that your pet needs or ‘wants’, like a new kennel or comfortable bed to welcome the New Year in.

Make Them A Delicious Treat:

A huge part of the Christmas season is sharing delicious food with family and friends. Include your pets in this tradition by cooking up some pet friendly treats they will be thrilled to eat. Cheesy bites, tuna treats or cookies are fun options, so they can feast while you do too! Make sure you cook animal friendly recipes to ensure you don’t feed them anything they shouldn’t be eating.

Try these tuna treats for your cat:

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of tuna
  • 1 cup at flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon oats

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix together thoroughly.
  • Roll into small balls and place on the baking paper. Press one finger down the centre to slightly flatten.
  • Bake for 7 minutes or until golden brown. You may need to flip the treats to ensure they are cooked throughout.
  • Remove from oven and let the treats cool.
  • Once cool, break any larger pieces into a bite-sized pieces and serve to your cat.
  • These cookies last when stored in airtight container in refrigerator for a few more treats throughout the Christmas period!

Do you have any holiday or Christmas traditions that involve your pets? Pop over to our Facebook page and let us know!

 

New Year’s Resolutions

The New Year is a great time as a pet owner, to make resolutions to improve the health and happiness of your pets. From simple things like grooming and measuring your pet’s food, to mixing up your exercise and play time with your pet, there are many ways you can improve the time you spend with your animals in 2016.

If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make some great changes for your pets, here are some tips below:

Measure Your Pet’s Food:

Measuring your pet’s food is vital to ensure that your pets are getting the adequate nutrition they need (as well as not being overfed.) If you’re unsure of how much you should be feeding your pets, the back of the bags or cans of food will have a recommended feeding guide that will help you.

Try A New Activity With Your Pet:

It’s easy to get stuck going to the same park at the same time each week when the craziness of our lives kicks in throughout the year! However, why not make a resolution to try a new park, walk, location or even game at least once a month to keep your pet happy and engaged. Trying a new activity with a pet is a great way to bond, and you will both reap the rewards of getting physical and exercising while having some fun!

New Year's Resolutions - For your pet! Jetpets

See Your Vet:

Our schedules can get demanding so sometimes it’s difficult to find time to fit in a visit to the vet, especially when nothing is noticeably wrong with your animals. However you should always see your vet at least once a year for annual vaccinations, health checks and to ask any pressing questions about behavioural issues, food, weight and more.

Daily Grooming:

Depending on the breed, daily grooming is essential to remove excess fur and to keep your animal’s coat looking healthy and shiny. Grooming is also a great bonding activity between you and your pet and is a good time for you to share some cuddles as well!

What are your New Year’s resolutions for your pets? Is there something you’ve been meaning to try? Let us know on Facebook!

Dog Grooming - New Year's Resolutions for your pets