Click to Skip Ahead Pests You Might Find in a Litter Box The “Invisible” Pests Getting Rid of Them It’s not the most pleasant job in the world‚ but keeping your cat’s litter box clean and pest-free is essential. Cleaning is imperative alone if just to control odors. It will also prevent other issues‚ such as the infestation of flies and other bugs‚ because a litter tray has many of the elements that makes it a breeding ground for pests. Insects‚ particularly flies‚ are carriers of many diseases which makes it a health issue for you and your pet if lots of flies are in and around the litter tray. Knowing what pests are in your home can help you eliminate them and avoid a re-infestation. We’ll discuss the ones you can see and the ones you can’t. Pests You Might Find in a Litter Box Fruit Flies Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) may be small‚ but they are incredibly annoying. You’ll most likely see them at the end of summer into the fall because they are attracted to ripe fruit and vegetables. They often hitchhike a passage into your house on fresh produce. Rinsing the food can help prevent a problem by removing fruit fly eggs from the surface.  However‚ they can also fly into the house through windows and doors‚ attracted by the ripening food. All that is needed for fruit flies to breed is a moist layer of fermenting material‚ so they can multiply on a washing up sponge‚ a small amount of spilt fruit juice‚ or in the cat’s litter box! An excellent way to eliminate fruit flies is to place a small dish of apple cider vinegar with a drop of dis soap where you’ve seen them. The liquid will entice them‚ while the soap‚ as a surfactant‚ will cause them to sink and drown.  An alternative to the dish soap is a paper funnel through which the flies will go and then become trapped.  They can then be released outside or disposed of. Image Credit: Ant Cooper‚ Shutterstock House Flies House flies (Musca domestica) are another scourge of pet owners. A dirty litter box is a magnet for these pests‚ and if your cat eliminates outside of the box‚ and it goes unnoticed‚ house flies will find it.  Bacteria and mold that exist in huge numbers in dirty litter boxes are also a lure to the house fly. The chances are they’ll end up wherever the litter is if they’ve gotten into your home. They are especially insidious because of their role in the transmission of pathogens.  The best way to control flies is to keep the box clean with daily scooping. You should also replace all the litter weekly‚ or more often than this if you have more than one cat. Don’t wait until your cat stops using it to do this simple task. Wash out the box with hot water and a mild detergent and let it dry before filling it again. Your cat’s naptime is a good time to do this. Fleas If your cat has fleas‚ they can be anywhere your pet goes in your home. These pests can transmit diseases and parasites to you and your family‚ making elimination imperative. Preventing fleas is much easier than getting rid of a problem. It involves cleaning places your kitty uses‚ such as their bedding‚ the carpets‚ and their litter box. Gladly it takes between 2 weeks to 2 months (depending on the temperature) for a flea egg to develop into an adult flea‚ so as long as you clean your litter box out weekly‚ the litter tray should not be a source of flea infestations.  As well as treating the house with an effective insecticide‚ washing the bedding and hoovering the carpets‚ you must also treat all of your pets with an anti-parasitic medication at the same time. Several follow-up treatments are necessary afterward. Image Credit: photowind‚ Shutterstock The “Invisible” Pests Some bugs are especially aggravating because you can’t see them. You may see internal parasites‚ such as tapeworms (or segments of a tapeworm more commonly)‚ hookworms‚ and roundworms when you clean the box. Tapeworm segments look like grains of rice whereas roundworms look like broken spaghetti.  Intestinal parasites are more common in pets that go outdoors or catch prey. If you see them in the litter box‚ your cat has been infected for a while. Deworming your pet is the best treatment. Consult your veterinarian for advice on which deworming product is best for the specific parasite of concern.  Proper hygiene after cleaning the litter box will help to protect you against infection. Image Credit: Todorean-Gabriel‚ Shutterstock Diseases Your pet’s feces can harbor other pathogens that can be really quite nasty.  Cats can become infected by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii from eating infected prey. Infected cats shed oocysts (the eggs of the parasite) in the feces about 3-10 days afterwards.  These oocysts can infect humans through accidental ingestion.  The concern is greatest with pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.  Daily cleaning can reduce your risk of getting this disease because oocysts need at least 24 hours to become infectious once they’ve been shed by the cat. If your cat drinks water from puddles outside‚ that can increase their risk of getting giardiasis. This condition is caused by a tiny protozoan parasite that can live in contaminated water. An infected animal can pass cysts in their feces‚ putting pet owners at risk of an infection. Some cats are asymptomatic‚ whereas others may suffer from weight loss‚ acute‚ foul-smelling diarrhea and occasional vomiting.  Humans can get it from their pets through environmental contamination. Disinfecting the litter tray‚ litter scoop and the cat’s living and sleeping areas with a bleach solution‚ and then allowing it to dry for several days is the best way of eradicating the parasite. Image Credit: Andy Gin‚ Shutterstock Getting Rid of the Pests in the Litter Box Proper sanitation can prevent most issues‚ as we’ve discussed. We recommend daily cleaning to remove waste. The longer it stays in the litter‚ the greater the chances of flies coming in‚ or accidental contact leading to health problems for you. Wet litter creates the perfect environment for bacterial and fungal development. We also suggest rinsing your scoop with a mild bleach solution. You should take care of the area around the box and ensure you disinfect the poop scoop weekly too.  If your litter tray is on a pad‚ wash it periodically. The same advice applies to any litter mats that aim to prevent tracking. Some pet owners find using liners makes cleaning easier‚ although some cats really don’t like them because they rustle. We can’t overemphasize replacing all the litter weekly‚ following the manufacturer’s recommendations. It will cut down on odors and make a more pleasant environment for your cat. It can also reduce the risk of disease and parasites. Final Thoughts Seeing bugs in your pet’s litter box is undoubtedly distressing. It’s a red flag that action is needed to ensure a healthy environment. These problems don’t go away on their own. Instead‚ they typically get worse. Understanding that risks exist even if you don’t see them is essential. It’s also a vital part of pet care. Fortunately‚ proper sanitation can prevent many issues before they become significant problems. Sources https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/giardia-in-cats https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/flies/house_fly.htm https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef621 https://www.cdc.gov/fleas/diseases.html https://www.cdc.gov/fleas/getting_rid.html https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/giardia-in-cats   Featured Image Credit: Seika Chujo‚ Shutterstock The post Bugs in Cat Litter Box: Identification &; Getting Rid of Them (Vet-Reviewed) appeared first on Pet Keen.

Click to Skip Ahead Cat Water Fountains Wild Instincts Proper Hydration Using a Cat Water Fountain It never seems to be a problem with dogs; they’ll drink water from anywhere‚ including puddles on the sidewalk and the sink if they can reach it. But cats are different. You may not see them drink from their bowls often. Some pet owners have found that a water fountain encourages them to consume more liquid‚ which can keep them hydrated and healthy. Cat water fountains keep the water moving‚ which makes them more enticing to felines. Many also have large capacities that are well over what your pet should drink weekly. However‚ that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change the water frequently‚ even if they have a filter. So‚ how often do you really need to change the water to keep it fresh? At a minimum‚ once every 5 days‚ but we recommend it more frequently if you have more than one cat. Cat Water Fountains Cat water fountains work by circulating water through a filter‚ usually containing activated charcoal. A pump provides the power to keep it moving. The premise is that the sound of the running water will encourage your pet to drink more often‚ as running water is usually fresher water (in the wild). Several factors will influence how much your cat should drink‚ including their life stage‚ activity level‚ and diet. The frequency of changing the water lies with its cleanliness. The filter will help clean the water of debris which will reduce the bacterial growth.  It will also filter out chlorine‚ heavy metals and pesticides (depending on the filter type you use) but the filter won’t get rid of bacteria that will inevitably grow. We must also think about the fact that a playful adult cat or kitten will undoubtedly play with the stream of water‚ further contaminating the water. Some cats enjoy a drink straight after eating‚ so food contaminants will enter the water. It’s these factors that might make you consider changing the water in their fountain daily. Image Credit: Lightspruch‚ Shutterstock Wild Instincts You may wonder why a water fountain would be necessary. After all‚ cats can obviously sense when they’re thirsty. It’s more complicated than feeling the need to drink. Our pets are descendants of the African Wild Cat (Felis silvestris lybica) which has a very wide distribution.  It is found throughout most of Africa‚ southwest and central Asia into India‚ China‚ and Mongolia. This feline migrated to other areas during the ages‚ occupying various but marginal habitats. Water is often scarce in these places‚ so the African Wild Cat‚ and thus our domesticated cats‚ evolved to manage with minimal water supply. The other factor is the species’ feeding habits. Felines are obligate carnivores‚ meaning they cannot meet their nutritional requirements through plant proteins alone; they need animal proteins to survive. Their natural diet (mainly consisted) of freshly caught small rodents which used to fulfill most of their water needs‚ so this impacted the cat’s drive to seek water. It’s worth noting that our domesticated cats have hardly evolved from their wild predecessors with changes in only 13 genes reflecting the influences of domestication‚ so their drive to drink water is still low even though their diets have changed hugely in domestication. Evolution and adaptation to a desert-dwelling lifestyle has allowed felines to adapt physically to get most of the water they require from their carnivorous diet. However‚ domesticated pet cats are not usually fed whole‚ fresh carcasses‚ and therefore are required to drink more‚ especially if they are fed a kibble diet.  A water fountain can tempt a domestic cat to drink more often‚ helping to keep them hydrated and healthy. Proper Hydration The other consideration of how often you change the water in a fountain is a cat’s hydration needs and how often they use it.  Your kitty should get about 4 ounces of water per 5 pounds of body weight. However‚ that figure varies depending on your pet’s diet. For example‚ canned foods can contain 70–80% water‚ which can go a long way toward meeting your cat’s daily needs.  Therefore a cat eating wet food is likely to only visit the water fountain occasionally. Conversely‚ feeding your pet strictly dry food will increase the amount they should drink since dry diets typically contain only 10% moisture. Therefore‚ usage will play a role in the maintenance of a water fountain‚ and the speed at which the water gets dirty. It also is a factor when deciding what size to get. Don’t let the amount of fluid be the only condition for changing the water. The less you refresh it‚ the more likely it is for bacteria to develop. Image Credit: Vershinin89‚ Shutterstock Using a Cat Water Fountain We suggest getting your pet used to the fountain without the circulation feature first. Some cats are wary of anything new in their environment‚ let alone something with moving water. Once your kitty seems comfortable with the replacement‚ turn on the fountain. If your pet is scared of it‚ give it another go later. After all‚ it’s essential that they drink enough clean water so we don’t want to scare them off completely! You might consider leaving the regular water bowl out and running the new fountain at the same time. Curiosity may get the best of your cat‚ and at least get them to explore it on their timeline. Final Thoughts A cat water fountain can provide enrichment for your pet’s mental well-being and an enticement to drink more often. It’s helpful for cats that eat a dry diet to ensure they get enough fluids. Proper hydration will help keep your kitty healthy. It’s essential to keep the product clean. We recommend a full clean and water change every 5 days‚ and changing the filter in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines. If you have more than one cat‚ you will need to change the filter‚ the water and clean the fountain more often. If the water is ever looking dirty‚ don’t wait for the 5 day mark‚ make sure you change it immediately. Sources https://www.nature.com/articles/s41437-022-00568-4 https://www.livescience.com/53466-carnivore.html https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1410083111 https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hydration https://www.petmd.com/cat/symptoms/why-your-cat-wont-drink-water-and-what-do https://wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/africa/african-wildcat/#:~:text=This%20wildcat%20has%20a%20very‚east%20and%20southern%20African%20countries. Featured Image Credit: Bianca Grueneberg‚ Shutterstock The post How Often to Change the Water in a Cat Fountain: Vet-Approved Advice appeared first on Pet Keen.

A new study revealed that people with so-called "woke" ideologies tended to be more unhappy‚ anxious‚ and depressed compared to others. The study – published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology last week – found that individuals with attitudes geared toward critical social justice were less satisfied with their lives.The first study examined 848 adult participants – 382 staff members and 266 students of the University of Turku in southwestern Finland as well as 64 staff and students from other Finnish universities‚ two from foreign universities‚ and 134 not associated with a university. A second study included 5‚030 Finnish citizens aged 15–84.To determine the "critical social justice attitude scale‚" the study inquired about seven very progressive ideologies: “If white people have on average a higher level of income than black people‚ it is because of racism.”“University reading lists should include fewer white or European authors.”“Microaggressions should be challenged often and actively.”“Trans* women who compete with women in sports are not helping women’s rights.” (reverse scored)“We don’t need to talk more about the color of people’s skin.”“A white person cannot understand how a black person feels equally well as another black person.”“A member of a privileged group can adopt features or cultural elements of a less privileged group.” (reverse scored)Study author Oskari Lahtinen‚ a senior researcher at the INVEST Research Flagship Centre at the University of Turku‚ told PsyPost‚ "The gender divide was probably most surprising to me. Three out of five women view ‘woke’ ideas positively‚ but only one out of seven men. This was the case in Finland‚ at least."The research found female participants to be far more "woke" than their male counterparts. The study noted‚ "Overall‚ male support for scale items was much lower than female." The study found that women "expressed more than twice as much support" of the progressive ideologies. The research found‚ "Regarding the extent to which select study subpopulations accepted‚ felt neutral about‚ or rejected scale items‚ people with 'other' gender‚ Left Alliance voters‚ Green Party voters‚ and female social science students accepted most scale propositions. Men and male medicine students rejected all but one scale item and male humanities students and Finnish voters rejected all scale items." The study also discovered people in STEM fields and conservative thinkers had lower agreement with the progressive beliefs.The significant difference in gender approval of the woke ideologies also carried over to overall happiness‚ according to the study. The study revealed that those who embraced the woke ideologies suffered from heightened instances of unhappiness‚ anxiety‚ and depression.Those who subscribed to the woke ideologies were reportedly suffering 67.9% higher for anxiety‚ 32.5% higher for depression‚ and 4.5% higher for unhappiness.Lahtinen said‚ "I had been paying attention to a development in American universities‚ where a new discourse on social justice became prevalent in the 2010s.""While critical social justice (or intersectional or ‘woke’) discourse draws mainly from dynamics within American society it has now surfaced in other Western countries as well‚" he noted. "The arrival of a critical social justice (often called ‘woke’) discourse sparked much debate in Finnish media in the last couple of years."“This debate was largely data-free and it could thus be considered a worthwhile question to study how prevalent these attitudes are‚" Lahtinen said. "No reliable and valid instrument existed prior to the study to assess the extent and prevalence of these attitudes in different populations‚ so I set out to develop one."The author added‚ "The studies were quite robust with a sample size above 5‚000 and good psychometric properties. However‚ the scale would need to be validated in North American samples in order to know how these attitudes manifest there. I encourage colleagues in the United States to study the prevalence of these attitudes in the country where they originate from."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Are Chinese automakers benefitting from the Inflation Reduction Act's tax credits for new electric vehicle purchases? Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo says "no." "What we see to date is that the companies that are taking advantage of it are American companies who are using it to make the investments that they need to be able to build out the cars of the future‚ which are electric vehicles‚" Adeyemo said at a hearing on federal EV incentives held by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. "My problem is not with EVs. My problem is with my administration's crusade to convert everyone over to an EV ..." What role Chinese automakers play in this future depends on how strictly the Biden administration enforces a provision that blocks tax credits for new EVs that contain battery materials from foreign adversaries such as China. More than 7‚000 dealers registered to offer point-of-sale EV tax credits for 2024 under section 30D of the Act. But since January 1‚ any new EV using battery components made or assembled by a "foreign entity of concern" (companies or subsidiaries owned or controlled by China‚ Iran‚ North Korea‚ or Russia) have been ineligible for these credits. In 2025‚ the exclusion will expand to include the use of any critical minerals that are extracted‚ processed‚ or recycled by one of those entities. The Truth About Chinese Automakers and EV Tax Credits youtu.be Ostensibly the regulations try to strike a balance‚ leaving some room for Chinese involvement as automakers reshuffle their supply chains into compliance. A too-strict interpretation of the term could have prevented any EVs from qualifying‚ while a too-lenient approach could risk national security and undermine domestic automakers. That said‚ the requirements are strict enough to have slashed the number of qualifying models from 25 to just 13‚ according to federal data from FuelEconomy.GOV. However‚ some automakers such as General Motors have said they expect more EVs will qualify as they adjust sourcing. “Section 30D is helping Ford and GM be able to be in a position to not only compete with Chinese automakers … but to win not only here in the United States but around the world‚" Adeyemo said. The Biden administration has faced harsh criticism for its implementation of the EV tax credits‚ namely from Republicans — none of whom supported the Inflation Reduction Act — and Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) who held the key vote in passing the law and helped write it. Manchin‚ who chairs the Senate Energy Committee‚ has blasted the administration for not going far enough in preventing loopholes that could benefit China‚ which dominates the EV battery supply chain. At issue‚ in part‚ is the Treasury's foreign entity guidance‚ which includes a temporary transition rule through 2026 that gives the industry time to develop standards for tracing materials that account for less than 2% of the value of battery-critical minerals. "My problem is not with EVs‚" Manchin said at the hearing. "My problem is with my administration's crusade to convert everyone over to an EV regardless of where the battery came from or what the law actually says." Republican senators on the panel‚ including ranking member John Barrasso of Wyoming and Josh Hawley of Missouri‚ also scrutinized the administration's implementation of the tax credit and the potential for Chinese participation. "Your rule allows Chinese companies to get the tax break. It loosens up the restrictions‚ so now we are subsidizing our rivals‚" Hawley argued. Deputy Energy Secretary Dave Turk‚ who also testified at the hearing‚ defended the administration's approach. "I would strongly disagree with that‚" said Turk‚ citing how fewer EVs are now eligible for the credit as automakers scramble to adjust their sourcing and meet the requirements. Manchin‚ who last year said he would sue the Treasury over how it was planning to interpret the EV tax credit's critical mineral and battery component provisions‚ again threatened legal action. He said‚ ”I will support any entity that goes to court to correct the illegal liberalization of this law with an amicus brief to set the record straight on the bill Congress actually wrote.”

Midway through the Apex Legends ALGS finals in North America‚ it appears that several players have been hacked mid-match‚ leading to the match being "postponed" due to the "competitive integrity of this series being compromised." Continue reading Huge Apex Legends hack ends ALGS finals‚ and it’s a mess MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide‚ Apex Legends skins‚ Apex Legends season 17 release date

Recent accounts provide even more evidence of the brutality of Venezuela’s regime.

The president’s fatal conceit in dealing with global threats is one against which NR has railed since its founding.

We’ve seen her like before.

Whether human embryos are human beings is a question resolved by human embryology and developmental biology.

The industrial revolution and markets — not government — have allowed people to earn more for less work.