Cat door: An effective helper for your pet's trips

If you have a typical cat wanderer, a mini door can be an invaluable helper that will make life easier for both of you. It will spare you a lot of cat meowing and scratching behind the door or window, as well as many reproachful glances for not letting them in or out fast enough. You will be relieved of the endless opening and closing, and your cat will be allowed the comfort of access at its will (and your will, see below). Let's take a look at the types of doors and their functions.

When I lived in a ground floor apartment, my cat had access to the courtyard. I quite quickly set up a door in the window for several reasons. Firstly, I wanted to have the windows open as I wanted, and secondly, I wanted insect nets. Who would want their apartment to be full of mosquitoes and flies in summer, right? In addition, I didn't want to wait for her highness to come home before I can leave the apartment (although it was usually enough to open the refrigerator and I would instantly hear her meowing behind me).

So the selection began. Because I only had windows facing the courtyard, my choice was clear. When choosing a door, you have to consider the material you will be installing it on. Most cat doors can go in both doors and windows, and sometimes also walls, but that's not a given. Every glazier will make a hole in the window without any problems.

Another matter is selecting the correct size. They come in several sizes; for large breeds of cats such as the Norwegian Forest cat or Maine Coon, it is necessary to choose a larger size. For most doors this information is given in kilograms, so it depends on the size of the animal. A basic door won't cost you much, the price starts around two hundred crowns. However, once I decided to invest in a door I didn't want to get the cheapest one. I took a look at everything they can do.

Some have a lock. You can lock them in both directions. This means that if you lock it for opening outward, the cat (or cats) will get in, but the door will no longer let them out. It also works the other way around, and you can naturally lock them for both directions at once. Some doors have a little flag that will show you whether your friend is at home or outdoors. Of course, this only works for households with one cat. And then there's the electromagnetic door. These come with a magnetic collar pendant, without which the door won't open. This is to prevent other cats from coming into your home.

Do your cats have their own door, or are you thinking of getting one? Do you know of any reasons why it's better not to have one? I can't think of any, except perhaps for heat loss, but that's negligible with most doors thanks to insulation. What hidden dangers are there in summer for dogs?

We were all looking forward to summer when we can spend the whole day outdoors, go for long hours in the nature or swim in the lake. But how can we fully enjoy summer without worrying about visiting the vet?

Summer is almost here. Everyone spends as much time as possible outdoors enjoying the warm sunshine and, of course, they don't leave their dog friends to sulk at home. However, there are several hidden dangers that can make a beautiful summer day very unpleasant.

The first thing to come to your mind is probably overheating. It's best to take long walks in the morning or in the evening, stay in the shade as much as you can, and remember to take regular breaks and drink enough fluids. Overheating goes hand in hand with dehydration, which is just as dangerous. If your dog does get overheated, you can read what to do here.

Overheating in the car is a whole separate chapter. Cars can heat up to 65 °C in just a quarter of an hour on a hot day. Not even shade or open windows will help. You should always let the dog out and tie it somewhere in the shade if you have to get out of the car and go somewhere without him.

A dog may get dehydrated even without overheating, but it's easier to get dehydrated in the summer. You should make sure your dog is drinking enough at home and, if necessary, motivate him to drink. Cans or pouches can help with this. You can find more tips on how to recognize dehydration in this article.

Hot days call for a nice swim. This is where another threat to your dog is hiding - cyanobacteria poisoning; these bacteria are often found in natural bodies of water. They can even get poisoning by merely drinking from a puddle. You should therefore always carry water for your dog with you and avoid standing and greenish water. Your dog may also get poisoned by pesticides. Choose safe products for your own lawn, and be careful where your dog "grazes". You can read what to do if your dog gets poisoned here.

Summer is also the season of ticks, so don't forget antiparasitics, and always check your dog after a walk. A species that is particularly dangerous to dogs - the ornate cow tick - is now spreading in our country. See more in the article How to protect your dog against ticks.

I hope we all enjoy our summer even with our furry friends, and with a little caution we can avoid all potential dangers.