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5 Ways to Care for an Elderly Cat
It doesn’t come as a surprise that senior cats have special needs that are different from those of younger cats. But how do you that your feline friend is a senior?
Generally, cats between seven and 10 years of age are considered seniors. With increasing age, changes in their physical needs happen as well. With proper care, you can keep your cat active and healthy, avoiding any disease from developing in your beloved pet’s system. Here are some tips to care for your senior cat.
- Switch Food
Instead of serving dried foods, switch to canned versions as water consumption is necessary to keep kidney issues at bay—a common health problem among older cats. Put out water bowls in different locations around the house and make sure they are changed regularly.
- Keep Them Well-Fed
Worn out muscles is a common issue that ages felines. Keeping your cat well-fed by providing three to four small feedings in between meals encourages muscle repair and ensures they feel energized throughout the day.
- Brush Their Teeth Regularly
As cats age, they are more susceptible to tartar build-up, plaque, and the like. Difficulty in chewing and bad breath could be signs that you need to bring your furry friend to a professional for some dental work.
- Know the Red Flags
Cats—especially those above 14 years old—are prone to cognitive disorders similar to dementia. According to experts, if you notice your cat often hides, sleeps, and misses the litter box, he could be suffering from such mental condition.
- Check the Eyes
If you start noticing that your pet struggles to move around or often bumps into things, he might have vision issues. A cataract, which gives cats an opalescent visual quality, is a common case among senior felines. But this could also be a sign of tumour or retinal detachment, which can only be detected through an examination.
Just like humans, elderly cats do have special needs and require special attention. And as your cat’s carer, your pet’s health and life is up to your own hands. To prolong the life of your feline family member, seek these caring tips for your senior cat.
Travelling in Twos: A Couple’s Guide When Travelling
Now that airlines made travelling cheaper, couples can go outside Singapore not just once or twice but as often as we can. This opportunity should be grabbed while it is there. We do not know when airline prices will hike. Once we are decided to travel, the next challenge is choosing the right destination.
The good news is that regardless of the destination, there are many budget airlines offering discounts and promos. The bottom line here is wherever we want to go, there will always be a cheap seat for us. Travelling together provides more opportunities for the couple to explore each other’s adventurous side.
The thing is, it doesn’t have to cost us an arm or leg. When picking a destination or a perfect getaway, we have to factor in expenses like accommodation, activities and transportation. However, before the accommodation, activities and the transportation, the destination should be considered. Here are some themes that we can work upon when pinpointing the perfect destination:
- Beach bum getaway: If we both love the waves and the sand, we have to consider the beach. If in this case we are into surfing, there are many surfing sights that we can consider. If we have to go out of Singapore to catch the perfect wave, we should. Things will be more enjoyable with our partners riding the waves with us. There’s Thailand and Philippines to consider.
- Day trippers: Day tripping refers to a destination more than three to four hours away from our place. It usually involves driving. Driving the car is less expensive when we want to explore the nearby area. If we only have one day to spare, we should consider the nearest city (in our case, in Malaysia). We have to limit our activities during this trip. We can begin by trying local delicacies and landmarks.
- Domestic travellers: Sometimes, we are a foreigner to our own land. We have to spend time exploring other areas and discover what it has to offer. We can fly from one city to another if we choose to.
- Into the wild: There is nothing like the great outdoors. For outdoor fanatics out there, the ultimate dream is to camp in Africa. If we have enough budget, we should go to places known for their safe wild. Couples usually enjoy nature trips.
This should be enough to help us deciding the right destination. At the end of the day, the destination doesn’t matter as long as we are together, right?
Substance 101: Common Date Rape Substances
We do not ask to be raped but sometimes, there are things that will lead to such horrible action. If we are not careful enough, we will lose everything that we have including our self-worth. Rape is not a light issue and therefore should be taken seriously. Perhaps we heard about date rape these days.
Though date rapes are not common here in Singapore, the fact remains that it happens in some societies. We do not want our society so suffer such horrible act that is why we should educate the population especially the women about the dangers of date rape.
When we hear date rape, we think of substances. This is true. Date rape is eased by drug, alcohol or any substance that can undermine a woman. If inhaled, injected or ingested, a substance can make us numb, unconscious and weak. These feelings will make us vulnerable to rape.
It is mentioned earlier that we should educate the population and we have to start by introducing substances that can facilitate rape. Here are some:
- Alcohol: According to a study conducted by Medical News Today, alcohol is the most common date rape drug. This is the case because of it is readily available in the market. Many women fall to rapists because of intoxication. Alcohol will certainly cloud judgment and physically weakens us and as a result, it is hard to fight sexual advances of men.
- Ketamine: Ketamine is used as an anaesthetic for victims with burns. Aside from that, ketamine is also used in surgery and dentistry. The United States stated that ketamine can be in the form of liquid which can be injected or it can be in the form of powder that can be mixed with drinks or smoke. If ingested or injected, the effect will be after twenty minutes and the effect will last for four to eight hours. If higher doses are combined with alcohol or other drugs, it can lead to coma.
- Ativan: Ativan is also called lorezapam. Ideally, Ativan is used to treat insomnia, seizures and anxiety. Ativan is helpful since it has a relaxing property however, it can knock us unconscious for twelve to twenty four hours which is exactly the reason why it is commonly used as a date rape drug.
- GHB: GHB is used to treat narcolepsy and sleep disorder. It is used as a date rape drug because it has the power to put a woman to sleep and it can cause nausea, dizziness and confusion.
We have to know that many of these substances are readily available in the market since they have their legitimate uses. However, they are highly dangerous when abused or mixed together.
4 Diet-Friendly Sweets to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
When trying to lose weight, cutting out sweets can be the biggest challenge to achieving your goal. Eating low-fat or low-sugar desserts may not be as satisfying, and the result can be very strong cravings for fattening and sugary treats. Over-indulging can result to weight gain and will put your diet efforts to waste.
So, how can you satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your diet? Here are some homemade dessert recipes you can enjoy, without causing damage to your waistline.
Banana and Oatmeal Cookies
The healthy ingredients of this recipe make it nutritious and surprisingly satisfying. Use rolled oats instead of regular oats, soy milk as substitute for full-fat milk, and canola oil instead of butter. Add in a few ripe bananas to add dimension to the flavour. These cookies are guilt-free treats as you can enjoy them with natural sweetness from the banana.
Yogurt Parfaits
Low-fat yogurt with fruits and granola make for a filling and healthy snack, and is definitely sweet enough to kill your sweet cravings. You can make healthy parfaits out of frozen low-fat yogurt and seasonally available fruits. Creamy yogurt layered with sliced up juicy fruits, topped with crunchy granola will keep you satisfied and fuelled up.
Rice Pudding
Simple swapping of ingredients can take this recipe to a healthier level. Make sure to choose skimmed milk over whole milk and use natural sweeteners instead of regular sugar. Infuse milk with whole spices, such as cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom, for a punch of flavour and aroma. As a serving suggestion, stir in some apricots, pistachios, and almonds to make your dessert more interesting and lend it with some crunch.
Fruit Smoothie
Still, nothing beats an all-natural fruit smoothie when it comes to satiating cravings while keeping everything light and healthy. Fruit smoothies made of fresh fruits, natural fruit juice, and low-fat milk or yogurt are a nutritious and delicious treat that conquers any sugar craving. And the best part? It only takes seconds to make and you can bring it anywhere with you—while on the way to work, strolling in the park, chilling on the beach, watching TV, etc.
Eating healthily doesn’t mean depriving yourself of the occasional treats. If your sugar cravings kick in, aim for lower-sugar options such as these four healthy sweet treats we mentioned above.
5 Bizarre Eats to try in Singapore
It may look weird, but it’s definitely a gastronomic experience to remember. Other than the world-famous chicken rice and fried noodles, there’s a whole lot more of interesting food offerings that the City of Lion has to offer. Here are some of the most unusual and downright bizarre eats you should try in Singapore.
- Fried Carrot Cake
All of us know what carrot cake is, but “fried” carrot cake? That’s new for many of us. Contrary to its name, Singapore’s version of carrot cake is neither a cake nor does it have even a tinge of carrot to it. Instead, its core ingredients are white radish and rice flour; steamed, then cut into cubes before frying them in garlic, with eggs and chai poh (preserved radish).
- Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream
You’d be surprised of the number odd ice cream flavours there is when you’re in Singapore, but one that we find the most interesting and surprisingly delicious is the salted egg yolk flavour. While it sounds strange, it is a crowd favourite, which most say tastes like egg yolks found in mooncakes. It is not as salty as you thought it would be, and it’s creamier than expected.
- Durian
If you’re a local, you should be accustomed to the pungent smell of durian. But if you’re someone who has never met the King of Fruits yet, don’t dare miss to experience it first-hand. People in Singapore are generally divided into two camps: durian lovers and durian haters. To know which side you belong, experience for yourself how the fruit smells like hell but tastes like heaven.
- Ice Cream Sandwich
This one may not be as odd, but imagine eating ice cream wrapped in bread. Parked along the busy Orchard Street walkways, ice cream carts sell ice cream sandwiches for around a dollar. And if you don’t have the heart to try the fresh durian fruit, you can opt for a durian flavoured ice cream wrapped in bread or served in between wafers.
- Steamed Shark Head
Just throwing away anything is waste, that’s why some Singapore restaurants made a dish out of normally inedible shark head. There is no meat on it, except for some fat and gelatinous cartilage, which is what’s coveted by aficionados. A sweetened soy-sesame sauce is all it needs to add flavour to the dish, though some like it with stronger and more aromatic sauces.
Apart from breath-taking sights and panoramic sceneries, Singapore boasts a realm of unique and unforgettable flavours. Experience authentic Singapore gastronomy by trying some of these bizarre yet scrumptious Singaporean eats.
