Tag Archives: puberty

Do You Need To Neuter Your Pet?

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Tortoiseshell_she-catSpring is here the season of new life, as we all know many animals have babies at this time of year. However, this is not always planned or well received. Many pet owners find themselves responsible for litters of kittens and rabbits unexpectedly. As a result, rescue centres across the UK are struggling to cope with the number of animals in rescue.

67,000 rabbits go into rescue care in the UK each year. Recent figures from the RSPCA revealed that more than 37,000 animals were dumped across England and Wales last year, a rise of 34%, from the previous year*. Burns Pet Nutrition is urging pet owners to ensure they don’t fuel the crisis.

As a nation we need to be responsible for neutering our pets and develop a better understanding of how to manage breeding. Fiona Firth, Head Nutritionist at Burns Pet Nutrition has advice for pet owners on how to take care of their pets and prevent unwanted pregnancies this spring.

Cats

One cat can breed 20,000 descendants in just five years*. Cats Protection neuters 175,000 cats a year but there are still thousands without homes. Your pet cat and any kittens can become pregnant from as young as four months.

The cat breeding season is usually between February and August. If your pet isn’t neutered be aware she will have regular heat cycles when she seeks to attract a mate. Indicative behaviours include, restlessness, an increase in appetite and loud meowing.

Be aware this is her attempt to attract a mate. You may also observe her crouching, pressed
downwards but extending her back. If your cat hasn’t been neutered it may be an idea to keep her indoors to protect her from pregnancy and even diseases from stray Tom cats.

Cats usually experience puberty at around five to eight months but it can happen even earlier depending on the breed of cat. You can neuter both male and female cats from an early age. The vet responsible will advise when they recommend carrying out the neutering operation – usually at around four months of age.

Rabbits

Accidental breeding is one of the main contributing factors to the 67,000 rabbits in rescue. In the first instance, if you are buying two rabbits, be extremely cautious that you have the same sex rabbits. This is a common mistake easy to make.

Like cats, rabbits can breed from a surprisingly young age and can reach sexual maturity between five and eight months of age. A female rabbit can be impregnated again, just hours after giving birth!

This can result in another litter of baby bunnies before the first has even been weaned. A potentially overwhelming situation for your rabbit and you!

Neutering prevents or stops this cycle. This is important to your rabbit’s wellbeing and helps prevent the development of diseases. Spaying is important for your female rabbit in particular, as it reduces the risk of her developing cancer of the womb. Up to 80% of un-neutered female rabbits can develop cancer of the uterus.

Spaying can also assist with your female rabbit’s behaviour as when in heat she may show signs of aggression. Female rabbits can be spayed at around four months of age but again your vet will advise on when to perform the neutering.

Rabbits do like company, beware two rabbits of the same sex (two males) or (two females) will fight if not neutered once their hormones kick in. The best combination for companionship is a male and female pair with both neutered.

For anyone needing assistance, there are friendly pet nutrition advisors who can help select the best diet for their pet contactable via the free-phone number 0800 083 6696.

How To Survive Travelling With Teenagers.

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Thelma & Louise’s Travel With Teens Survival Guide

Members of the women’s online travel community have offered their top tips for avoiding the holiday hell of teenage tantrums

Members of women’s online travel community Thelma & Louise aren’t keeping to the “Mum’s the Word” mantra of old when it comes to dealing with wayward teens on their travels. Travelling with a teenager can bring a host of challenges, but the Thelma & Louise ladies have been sharing their top tips on the best ways to travel without a teenage tantrum in sight.

The women-only website (www.thelmaandlouise.com) has members of all ages, and although the site is a tool to meet like-minded travel companions, many members have husbands and families at home. When a member asked a question about the best ways to family fun, not holiday hell, other mums were quick to share their tips.

Thelma & Louise member Deborah Klaassen, who has also written on this topic for the Airtours blog, said, “Relaxing holidays might seem beyond reach when teenagers are involved, but there is a way to get through travelling with teens. I suggest starting the holiday off on the right foot with generosity and kindness, and make sure teens don’t get bored by bringing games, magazines and other things that they might find interesting.”

“If teens start to act up, try to understand what they’re going through. Don’t be too harsh if you feel that they’re spoiling the holiday by being moody, lazy or difficult. Have some empathy. Don’t make fun of them, embarrass them or tell their secrets. All you can do is address these subjects in private.”

Seeming to join the discussion, Psychotherapist Kitty Hagenbach wrote in The Times Weekend in early November 2011, “Before puberty there’s a huge increase in the number of neurones in the brain. At puberty these are pruned back so we can become ready for the complexities for adult life… The brain is effectively being completely rewired, so parents need to moderate their expectations. You can’t expect someone to behave in an adult way when he or she is in a half-baked place”

Christine Davies, one of the founders of Thelma & Louise knows all too well the trials and tribulations of teen travel. “I was blessed with twins, so had double the trouble when we travelled as a family. Although we had our moments, now my family is fully grown we cherish the times we spent on adventures together. To see Thelma & Louise members inspiring and guiding each other on matters like this brings another great resource to the website – real advice for real women. Long may it continue.”

Inspired by the great advice coming from the members, Thelma & Louise have drawn up a survival guide for travel with teenagers:

1. STAY CONNECTED: For the Facebook generation nothing is more important that staying in touch with their friends. Allow teens an allotted amount of time each day to read their mail and chat online with their friends. If they have this time to connect and chat, they will be more willing to do family activities as well.

2. PRIVACY & SPACE: Give teens some space to be themselves. Consider booking them their own room, or interconnecting rooms so supervision is close but not too close. Give them the opportunity to learn to do things on their own, obviously making sure that they are safe. They should learn that responsibility will bring trust and freedom.

3. CHOICE: Ask teens in advance to make a contribution to the holiday in the form of ideas and suggestions. Ask them to draw up a list of things that they would like to do, and try to dedicate time to activities they’ve chosen. A fresh approach to travel or a new activity might bring joy to all the family.

4. FREEDOM: Discuss your rules with teens, and listen to their objections. Denying them the right to freedom altogether is setting up for a failure. Tell teens where they are and where they aren’t allowed to go, what behaviour is acceptable, and what time they have to be back. Be strict about these rules, but be reasonable too.

5. TECHNOLOGY: Take at least two mobile phones on holiday, ensuring they function abroad, so a teen can carry one if they spend time away from the family. Explain that they’ll have to pay the bill themselves if they use the phone to call their friends back home.

6. WOW FACTOR: Think of a way to give teens a special experience during the holiday, something that they will never forget. If they are looking forward to something that will make their friends say, “Wow, I wish my parent would do that”, their interest will be peaked. Look out for a local concert, a theme park, an adrenalin sport or an activity popular with their idols.

7. CRUISE: On a family-friendly cruise line, life on the ocean waves is a fantastic holiday for teens. Many modern ships are filled with activities, special attractions and experiences that appeal to a young crowd. Encourage teens to make friends as they will be in a fairly safe environment and can be independent for most of the time.

8. PATIENCE: Avoid escalating fraught situations by learning what is really important and what doesn’t matter in the bigger picture. Conflict isn’t always avoidable, but be reasonable and don’t lose your temper. And keep in mind that teens will eventually grow out of it.

As one member said, “I’m sure I was a horrible teenager to travel with, but now I’m really grateful my parents dragged me around lots of incredible places and gave me many amazing memories.”

Thelma & Louise is a free, online community where women, friendship and travel come together. For more information or to become a member, please go to www.thelmandlouise.com