#LetsLiveBig

[theoreocat]

Calling all CANADIAN pet owners!

Ode to Canadian Pet People CONTEST: As a Canadian pet owner, how do you stay true to your roots 365 days a year? Whether it be transportation, weather, cottage life or outdoor activities, there are many things that make being a Canadian pet person unique. I have mentioned before how my cats make my life better and bring me comfort and joy through dark times. Canadian winters can be quite trying on many individuals, the dark and the cold can often lead to depression and anxiety. Extreme weather and temperatures can sometimes leave us confined to our homes for days. Having my cats around me helps me to feel less alone during the cold winter months. They help to ward off depression and keep me active indoors. Talking with other like minded cat owners through social media keeps me connected to the world without even leaving my home. IN HONOR OF CANADA 150: From June 19 - July 14, Purina wants to celebrate Canadian pet owners from coast-to-coast with an Ode to Canadian Pet People and a chance to win a trip anywhere in Canada (valued at $5K) plus a year's supply of Purina pet food! HOW TO ENTER: SHARE YOUR OWN PHOTO on social media using hastag #PetPeopleCA and tagging Purina Canada SUBMIT YOUR OWN PHOTO on Purina Canada's website: http://puri.na/2qASOgH Pets don’t just make life better. They make it bigger. Together, we can do the same for them. Blog: http://bit.ly/PetPeopleCA

[christinemcnaughton]

Healthy Aging for Pets #PurinaPetPeople

Healthy aging for pets may not be something we think of when we bring our newest member of the family into our home, but it is very important to consider.

Disclaimer- This post was written in affiliation with Purina Canada as part of the #PurinaPetPeople ambassadorship.  All thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are my own.

When Spike was a kitten, she had this orange stripe down the back…

[thetiniesttiger]

Purina Family Pet Center in St. Louis Children's Hospital #LetsLiveBig

Purina Family Pet Center in St. Louis Children’s Hospital #LetsLiveBig

Opening of the Purina Family Pet Center in St. Louis. Photo by Mary Butkus

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[adayinmotherhood]

Can we all agree that live is just #BetterwithPets? I learned that this is true for Purina too. A big company that really cares about our little fur families! I learn SO MUCH at the Purina Better with Pets Summit last week and I wanted to share it with you!! What questions would you ask @purina #LetsLiveBig Read what I learned---> http://bit.ly/2eRL7Mb AD . . #mydog #lovelydog #sweetdog #bestdog #beagle

[casualcontrast]

Life is better with pets, right?! Read all about my experience at the @purina Better with Pets Summit in Brooklyn last week on casualcontrast.com now! My dog and cat lovers will like this one. PS: all of the @purina employees at the event wore red Converse - you know I LOVED that detail! ✌🏻️❤️🐾 #letslivebig #sponsored #BetterwithPets #purina #dogs #cats #brooklyn #nyc #lblogger #lbloggers #fblogger #fbloggers #casualcontrast

[thenewclassy]

Earlier this week I attended the @purina #BetterWithPets Summit in NYC and I got to see so many cute fur babies!! Here are 10 things that I learned that I just had to share with you! [ad] #LetsLiveBig Follow the blog link in my profile @thenewclassy to check it out or copy and paste -----> http://cheapisthenewclassy.com/2016/10/4th-annual-purina-better-with-pets-summit.html

[animalleague-blog]

Today, our media partner, @news12bk, covered @purina'a #BetterWithPets summit! We hope you learned a thing or two about our @muttigree curriculum! #GetYourRescueOn #letslivebig #muttigrees #dogsofinstagram (at Brooklyn Expo Center)

[davidccl4343-blog]

@super_mew_cat . . . #kittensofinstagram #kitten #zooplus #kitty #britishshorthair #britishcat #Baby #instacat #Mew #New #Pokemon #babycat #followme #frenchcat #catsofinstagram #catlovers #cutepetclub #catloversclub #club_of_cats #bestmeow #LetsLiveBig #Cats_Of_Instworld #cats_of_world (at Paris, France)

[onurollstyle]

Gel de aşık olma! ❤️😽 #catsofinstagram #letslivebig (Aşşk Kahve)

[theoreocat]

How Pets help Mental Health

The companionship that a pet offers is a great way to help reduce stress and anxiety. They can be a great source of comfort and motivation for their owners. In many ways, pets can help us to live mentally healthier lives.

PETS AND DEPRESSION Pets are a great motivator for people. Dogs help encourage owners to get exercise, and this can be highly beneficial for those suffering from depression. Pets also have a calming effect, just by stroking, sitting next to or playing with a pet gives us a chance to relax and calm our minds. Caring for a pet also gives your day purpose, reward, a sense of achievement and helps you feel valuable and needed. ​PETS AND SOCIALIZING Walking a dog will often lead to conversations with other dog owners and this helps owners to stay socially connected and less withdrawn. Having a pet can give you a commonality with another person and thus provide a good conversation starter. Who does not love talking about their cat? It has been proven that people who have more social relationships and friendships tend to be mentally healthier. PETS AND LONELINESS ​A pet is great companion. They give owners company, a sense of security and someone to share their daily routine with. Pets can be especially valuable company for elderly people who are living alone. PETS AND CHILDREN WITH ADHD Children with ADHD can benefit from working with and keeping a pet. Taking charge of jobs such as feeding, walking and bathing, help children learn responsibility. Playing with a pet is an excellent way to release excess energy. Children can walk with a dog or run around with a kitten, making them more relaxed at night. Fresh air and good circulation from exercise increases oxygen-filled blood flow to the brain, therefore increasing the ability to concentrate. A pet is a great listener, offers unconditional love and will not criticize a child for having too much energy. This can greatly aid a child's self-confidence. PETS AND AUTISM Sensory issues are common among children with autism. Sensory integration activities are designed to help them get used to the way something feels against their skin or how it smells or sounds. Dogs and horses have both been used for this purpose. Children with autism often find it calming to work with animals. They help to reduce stereotyped behavior, lessen sensory sensitivity, and increase the desire and ability to connect socially with others. 

MY EXPERIENCE Pets don’t just make life better. They make it BIGGER! Those of us who have a pet to share our life with know how much they can change everything! From the day that they walk into our lives, every moment all of a sudden seems a little bit brighter. They offer us a love like no one else can, completely unconditional. They are there for us in our deepest hours of need; they listen to us, comfort us, keep our secrets and are our best friends. When Oreo came into my life, everything changed almost instantly. This tiny little sick fluff ball who needed me, I mean REALLY genuinely NEEDED me, suddenly became my reason for being. Knowing that he needed me made me feel important and like I had a purpose. ​From a very young age I suffered from extreme anxiety and panic attacks. During my teenage years I developed OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and spent most of my early adulthood battling with both this and depression. Sometimes it seemed they had taken over my whole being and I was incapable of connecting with the rest of the world. I would often be alone, play alone, read alone and think alone even though I was always surrounded by people. I did't like large groups, events, parties and most of the time preferred to stay at home. Then we got a family dog. That was my first taste of what having a four legged best friend was all about and how it could change things entirely. When I moved out of my family’s house to my first apartment, the first thing I did was go to my local SPCA to adopt a cat. I found Sunshine and instantly fell in love. Knowing that she would be there waiting for me when I got home from work each day made all the difference. Slowly I began to feel OK to want to stay home and watch movies alone with my cat. I started to realize that those were the things that made me truly happy. She needed me and I needed her. Now a few months shy of 40 years old, I still occasionally suffer with anxiety, OCD and depression that can often be quite mentally exhausting. I still have problems with large groups and one of the reasons I can no longer work in offices is due to my anxiety and fear or having a panic attack in front of others.

A huge aspect of how Oreo helped me to deal with these issues is with social media. As a more introverted person, I am not generally known to show outward feelings or interact with people. Oreo becoming popular on social media helped me to come out of my shell. I started to feel important and to feel needed by people who follow Oreo’s accounts. When messages from Oreo’s followers started pouring in thanking me for making them smile that day, it really made my heart feel good. It made me feel like I was making a difference somehow. Feeling that helps me to ward off depression, anxiety and helps me to be a stronger person. Being surrounded by Oreo and the other cats also keeps me feeling important and needed. I am able to concentrate on them rather than on anxious feelings. Sure, I still have OCD and I still would rather stay home, but I am OK with that! Having my feline family gives me all the support and contentment I need. It makes me a happier person and in turn it helps me to make others happy, and that’s a BIG thing! Mental illness of any form, be it OCD or others is NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED ABOUT. We all have had moments of depression, or feeling like we've lost control. I am not ashamed of who I am. I am proud of who I am today and all of you out there should be proud of who you are too! Mental illness is no joke, but regardless, it should be celebrated instead of hidden. It takes an extremely strong individual to deal with any type of mental illness. This month is Mental Health Month. It is time to be proud of who you are and show it off! Be mindful this month of those who suffer with mental illness and let them know they are loved just the way they are! We really are not all that different after all! Pet's don't just make life better, they make it BIGGER! Together, we can do the same for them!

To better understand mental health issues and their effects visit: www.cmha.ca  Additional resources: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health BLOG: http://www.theoreocat.com/blog

[theoreocat]

Kitty Crunchies: Making your pet happy can be done in many different ways! One of those ways is making a special tasty treat just for them! Quick and easy, our Kitty Crunchies are sure to make your cat's day purrfect!

Ingredients: 2 cans of Fancy Feast ( or 1 can of Friskies​ ) - We used Fancy Feast "Cheddar Delights" 1 cup of all purpose flour 1 cup of oats 1 tbsp of Olive Oil 1 egg

Method: Preheat the oven to 420° (F). Place the flour and oats in a food processor and pulse a few times until uniform. Add the 2 cans of Fancy Feast (or 1 can of Friskies), the egg and the olive oil. Process about 10 seconds or until a rough dough forms (it will look like cookie dough). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, spoon the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, turning the cookies over half way through. Let cool and serve to your cat!

*this recipe makes quite a few treats! You can freeze them to preserve freshness!

For more fun cat treat recipes check out Oreo's cookbook "The Kitty Chef: Easy Family recipes available via: theoreocat.com

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Kitty Crunchies: Il y as différentes façons de rendre votre animal heureux! L'une de ces façons est de faire un gatterie spécialement pour eux! Rapide et facile, nos "Kitty Crunchies" vont faire plaisir à votre chat!

Ingrédients: 2 canettes de Fancy Feast (ou 1 canette de Friskies) - Nous avons utilisé Fancy Feast "Cheddar Delights" 1 tasse de farine tout usage 1 tasse d'avoine 1 c. À soupe d'huile d'olive 1 oeuf

Préparation: Préchauffer le four à 420 ° (F). Placez la farine et l'avoine dans un robot culinaire et appuyez quelques fois jusqu'à l'uniforme. Ajoutez les 2 boîtes de Fancy Feast (ou 1 boîte de Friskies), l'oeuf et l'huile d'olive. Traiter environ 10 secondes ou jusqu'à former une pâte rugueuse (elle ressemblera à une pâte à biscuits). Liner un bac à pâtisserie avec du papier parchemin. À l'aide d'une cuillère à café, cuire la pâte à biscuits sur la plaque à pâtisserie. Cuire au four pendant 8 minutes, en tournant les biscuits à mi-chemin. Laissez refroidir et servir à votre chat!

*Cette recette fait quelques gâteries! Vous pouvez les congeler pour préserver la fraîcheur! 

Pour autre recettes comme celle-ci, consultez notre livre de recettes "The Kitty Chef: recettes familiale faciles" disponible via: www.theoreocat.com

[theoreocat]

Playtime = happy time and happy = smiles 😸

[theoreocat]

Be My Valentine? If there is anyone in my life who deserves something special on Valentine's Day, it's my cats! My cats are the ones responsible for making me smile and laugh each day. From that brush up on my leg when I get out of bed every morning to the soft purring under the covers at night, their love is unconditional. Valentine's Day does not just have to be one day a year, it can be every day of the year! Do something to make everyday as special to your pets as they are to you!

What makes your pet smile? Although a smile may seem small many of us know that it’s a BIG thing. Making someone smile can be like magic to many. As part of how we will Live Big this year, smiles are on my daily to-do list. Whether it’s by cuddling, playing their favorite game, giving them their favorite meal or brushing them in that special spot, my vow to my cats is to make them smile each and every day. Pets don’t just make life better. They make it bigger. Together, we can do the same for them. So to my four fluffy Valentines ~ I love you 💘

Read more on our website blog 

[christinemcnaughton]

Things to Consider When Feeding Your Cat #LetsLiveBig #PurinaPetPeople

What are some things you think about when feeding your cat?

Isn’t it funny how all cats have such different personalities?  Chloe, our childhood cat (who sadly, passed away a few years ago at the age of 18) had very discerning taste buds.  Feeding your cat can be a challenge for some.  Chloe was finicky when it came to the dry cat food she was offered, but loved all of the flavours of wet cat…

[christinemcnaughton]

Last days of summer #LetsLiveBig

Last days of summer #LetsLiveBig

It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the last days of summer!  I’m usually a “glass is half full” kind of person, but let’s be honest.  August is just flying by at warp speed and soon the kids will be back in school.  What better way to cling onto savour the last days of summer than spend as much time out on the lake with our pets?

When our precious canine baby, Chance was still alive, he…

[casualcontrast]

Working on my post about the @purina Better with Pets Summit - it should be up on casualcontrast.com later today! Seriously, it was a great time and I can't wait to share with all my pet parents out there❤️ Of course, I also really enjoyed the @nespresso bar at the event!☕️ #letslivebig #BetterwithPets #nyc #coffee #lblogger #lbloggers #casualcontrast