Take Your Dog to Work Day! & Bonus Information for Cat Owners!

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There’s no question that pet-friendly office policies are becoming more widely adopted across the country, and this week at Mars Petcare, their four-legged headcount is up as they celebrate the many benefits of having pets in the workplace ahead of International Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWD) on Friday.

In celebration, they wanted to share some “petiquette” tips for a productive, safe and fun pet-friendly work environment. 

Petiquette Tips:

Come prepared – you wouldn’t leave the house with an infant unprepared, same holds true for your dog. Bring some toys, snacks, water dish and bedding so they can be comfy and stay occupied during the day.

Be your dog’s best advocate – Know your dog and what they like and do not like so you can know what situations they will do best in. If they are nervous, don’t push them too far.

A well exercised dog is a well behaved dog – a good morning run before a day at the office will allow them to settle and you the ability to get tasks completed without as many interruptions.

 "At Mars, we are passionate about pets. We believe they make our lives better by having them as part of our workplace. They not only boost morale, they help foster relationships and build a sense of community. This week, we are celebrating our unique culture by honoring our four-legged friends during Take Your Dog To Work Day, which is something we do all year, too." said Jam Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications, Mars Petcare.

 Now, for that Bonus Information! I received this interesting press release and wanted to pass it along, intact, so that you will have the information in the specific words of the WALTHAM Centre which I have visited in the U.K.

New study reveals cat foods need the perfect combination of great flavour and nutrition

Research by scientists at the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition – part of Mars Petcare -  and the University of Sydney, Australia shows flavour and nutrition both influence how cats choose their food

Brussels, Belgium (15 June, 2016):  A study unveiled today by Mars Petcare has revealed that domestic cats learn to choose their food based on nutrition rather than flavour. The study published in Royal Society Open Science (insert link) today confirms that over time cats learn about the fat and protein content in their food and regulate their intake to reach a target ratio of these nutrients.

Scientists at WALTHAM Centre of Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare, and the University of Sydney, Australia offered cats foods with various ratios of fat and protein flavoured with fish, rabbit or orange. When first presented with the foods, the cats showed a preference based on flavour. However, over time they learnt about the nutrient composition and selected foods in order to reach a target ratio of protein and fat, regardless of flavour. 

Adrian Hewson-Hughes from the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition at Mars Petcare, and lead author of the study said the findings have implications for the development of foods for cats: “This research has enabled Mars Petcare to understand more about developing foods for cats with both appealing flavours and the appropriate nutrient composition that ensures cats continue to eat foods in the long-term. This in turn feeds into what we already know about nutrition – and through our brands such as WHISKAS, SHEBA and ROYAL CANIN we are committed to developing pet foods that first and foremost ensure cats have access to the right nutrition in a format they enjoy.”

WALTHAM is the global scientific research centre for Mars Petcare delivering breakthroughs in pet nutrition and the science of human-animal interactions.

NOTE:  I received no compensation whatsoever for this blog post.  This is NOT an advertorial. It is information that I wanted to bring to my readers.

Foraging Toy Review: Has Your Cat Met Snacky Mouse?

I'm a huge proponent of puzzle, or foraging, toys for pets. They first came on the scene for dogs. As I recall, the first one looked like Rubik's Cube and when pushed around would release treats. It took awhile but finally came the realization that cats are incredibly smart and would be just as happy with a foraging toy as their canine friends. They're probably wondering what took so long!

Mars Petcare's Temptations treats has recently released such a toy and it's readily available in stores everywhere, including supermarkets, mass retail and pet supply stores for a suggested retail price of $6.00.  It comes with a small packet of Temptations treats to get you started. It's just enough to fill the bottom of the toy. There's an opening in the front, in the mouse's tummy.  Kitty pushes the Snacky Mouse around, swatting at it, it rolls and treats fall out. It doesn't take long for your furry companion to figure out how that works.

It's fun, engaging and rewarding for kitty. He has to do something in order to get the treats. Playtime alone has now become more interesting.

NOTE: I received no compensation for this review, just a Snacky Mouse package to test. Testing was done by my 15 year old Chartreux, Aimee, who gave it Four Paws up!

To see how Snacky Mouse works, enjoy the video below: 

Random Acts of Kindness Day!

Did you know that today was Random Acts of Kindness Day?  Frankly, I didn't! However, it's not too late to participate in the Random Act of Kindness of your choice.  Here's one that should appeal to many of you.

MARS Petcare SHEBA brand decided to show their kindness to cats in shelters across the country who are waiting for their forever homes.  To that end, SHEBA brand donated - wait for it - TWO MILLION CANS OF CAT FOOD to animal shelters across the nation. How cool is that!

Sheba Brand is encouraging cat lovers to join them by sharing the video below -  or just share this post  -  with the hashtags #ShebaGives and #RAK and Sheba will donate an additional can of cat food to shelter cats - up to 1 million additional cans!  

Here's the video. Now do your part!




NOTE: I received no compensation for posting this. It was completely my decision to help this campaign.