1. Re-use your empty food containers (sour cream, butter, etc) for pet food bowls. It is not recommended to use them for a water dish, as potentially harmful chemicals might leach into the water.
2. Feed your pet an all natural or organic food. There have been many brands of cat and dog food available for free recently. So take the opportunity to try a few kinds and see which one your pet prefers.
3. Make your own pet toys out of materials you find around the house. For dogs, cut off the legs of an old pair of jeans and tie in a knot to use for a tug toy. Dogs would also like a tennis ball placed in an old sock tied at the end. As for cats, they will play will almost anything, but some of their favorites tend to be: tinfoil crumpled into a ball, a pen stick (with the ink removed), cable ties, yarn tied onto a stick, or a pill bottle or toilet paper tube (ends taped) filled with dried rice or beans. You can also make a cat tunnel by cutting off the bottom of several paper bags and fitting them together.
4. Build a scratching post or scratching pad for your cat. Find a piece of old carpet and a section of wood (2”x4” or 4”x4” lumber works good). Attach the carpet to the wood using a staple gun. If a stand is desired, nail a larger flat board (18”x18” piece of plywood or other) to the end of the carpeted 2”x4” pole to act as a base. For a scratching pad, cut corrugated cardboard into several sections to fit into a shoebox. Pack the pieces in the shoebox with the corrugated ends exposed.
5. Make a dog bed out of re-used items. The inside can be old bed pillows or couch cushions. Depending on the size of the dog, these can be stuffed into a sleeping bag, pillow case/sham, or old sweatshirt (tuck the arms inside).
6. Use an earth-friendly cat litter made from corn, wood, or newspaper. A cheaper option is to purchase cracked corn or ground corn (not cornmeal) from a farm/feed store. This can be purchased for $10 for a 50-pound bag. The cracked corn is fully compostable, after the waste is removed. An easy way is to dig a hole in an inconspicuous area of your yard and bury the used litter. Your cat may take a few days to adjust to the new type of litter. If you find that he refuses to use it even after the trial period, purchase a clay litter that is packaged in a paper bag. The paper bag can be recycled when empty as long as there isn’t a glossy coating on the outside or a glossy liner inside. A few weeks ago, I spotted a generic brand clay litter at Walmart that was packaged in a paper bag.
7. When possible, use biodegradable bags to pick up dog feces. I spotted these bags at a local dollar store recently. Another alternative would be to use paper lunch sacks, although this could get messy at times. If biodegradable isn’t an option for you, reuse plastic shopping bags to give them one last purpose before they’re tossed into the landfill.
What about you: What is your pet's favorite toy? Is your pet picky about the food he eats?
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