iPad and iPhone Apps for Cats

We can’t leave the cats out when it comes to technology.  If you have a bored kitty and an iPad or iPhone lying around the house, then you might enjoy trying the following apps to entertain both you and your feline.  My cat Bingley, who is a regular visitor to the Morris Animal Inn, enjoyed the following apps:

·         Paint for Cats by Nate Murray

Download from iTunes for $1.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paint-for-cats/id427702410?mt=8

A colorful mouse darts across the screen and when your cat taps the screen or mouse, the mouse will squeak and color is added to the background creating a beautiful painting by your cat.  There are many different palettes of color to choose from, including “Litter Box” – different shades of gray, “Cool Cat” – cool tones of blues and “Hot Paws” – red and orange hues,  to name a few.  When your cat is done playing and painting, you can print out the work of art and brag to your friends that he’s the new “PiCATso”!

·         Cat Fishing by Nestle Purina Petcare Co.

Download from iTunes for FREE

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-fishing/id443833370?mt=8

This is a nice, quiet, serene app for your cat.  A goldfish gently swims across your screen and when your cat taps the fish or the screen it produces bubbles, which just mesmerized my cat.  As your cat taps more and more fish, the speed that the fish will swim increases, which makes it really enticing for your furry friend. The app actually keeps count of how many fish your cat catches. My cat loved this app and actually began purring and staring at the fish in wonder.

·         Cat Piano Jr for iPad by George Talusan

Download from iTunes for FREE

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-piano-jr-for-ipad/id366579803?mt=8

Now I don’t know who enjoyed this more, me or the cat!  This is a fun musical app that offers three different variations of meowing options. You can choose from “Angelic Meow” – sweet meows, “Furball” - high pitched and aggravated meows, or “House Cat” – quizzical and typical meows.   Watch your cat stop in his tracks to locate a potential feline house guest as you strike the piano keys.  My cat got a bit feisty with this app and was trying to bite the corner of the iPad and ended up in a big time play session with some of his string toys that were lying around. Let’s just say the app was a hit and stirred up a playful mood in my cat.

We are pleased to have Jeanne, as a contributing writer for If They Could Talk. Jeanne is a member of our Guest Services team and is a passionate cat owner. We look forward to sharing her contribution on interesting and educational pet topics.

Pet-Friendly Technology

These days, it seems there is an app for EVERYTHING. From apps to help you go green to those addicting games you just can't put down, your smart phone can access information beyond your wildest dreams. It would be pretty impossible to not find an app for whatever it is you are looking for. Fido may begin to feel jealous because he can't play Fruit Ninja on your iPad or send you a text when he's hungry. Well have no fear pet owners, because we found nine apps specifically made for you and your pet!

1. PetMinder

With play dates, vet appointments and of course, Morris Animal Inn Daycare parties, Fido's schedule is pretty packed. With the PetMinder app, you can organize your pup's busy schedule by placing these events into a calender. You receive an email as a reminder prior to the playdate/appointment. It's a great way to keep track of vaccinations and your pup's social engagements.

2. All Pets Radio Player

This radio station allows for all day listening of pet news, facts and stories and more! This app allows you to be 'in the know' of all thing pet-related all the time.

3. Spotlight

This tool is great for those times Fido is a little better at hide and seek than you are! His location is updated every five minutes so you can find him wherever he goes!

4. Pet Acoustics

Does your furry friend run and hide during thunderstorms? Does he get jumpy during car rides? This apps plays soothing music to calm him down during anxious activities. The music is designed specifically for the sensitive hearing of dogs and cats to keep them relaxed.

5. Vet DVM

It's late at night and you have a question about your pet that you'd LOVE an answer to right now. There's an app for that! Use Vet DVM to send audio, text, or video questions to on-call veterinarians. Access answers any time of the day! Of course this app in no way replaces the care, attention and expertise of your trusted veterinarian.

6. Pet First Aid

Jam-packed with videos and illustrations, Pet First Aid gives instruction on how to address cuts, bruises and other health related issues. Also, you can track your pet's vaccinations and vet appointments!

7. PetSnap

We know your phone is filled with pictures of your pets and PetSnap can help when you pup just doesn't want to look at the camera. PetSnap is built with 32 sounds to attract your pet's attention for the picture. You can then pick from seven frames to finish your picture and share with friends!

 

8. iKibble

From investigating the food Fido accidently eats to finding dishes both you and your pet can eat together, iKibble is a great resource for finding the proper and improper foods for your pet!

9. Rate My Puppy

Get your pup using social networks with Rate My Puppy. You can get opinions from others on how cute your pup is and comment on other dogs!

Have a favorite pet-related app you don't see here? Share it with us!

Source: www.AppAdvice.com

Petnology: 5 Great Apps for Pet Owners with Smartphones

Chances are, Fido is not clamoring for the newest iPhone nor is Fluffy obsessed with playing Angry Birds all day.  You,  on the other hand, might want to tap over to the App Store as fast as your fingers can type, if you happen to be the lucky owner of a sleek Smartphone and a fluffy pet. You name it, there is an app for it. Unfortunately, many are frivolous and downright questionable. One app claims to be able to decode your dog's bark and tell you what Fido is thinking. That would indeed be amazing, if it were true! The following is a list of the best and most useful applications (with mention of their shortcomings) for pet owners with Smartphones.

PetMinder

Does your dog need a personal assistant? With all the pet play dates, Morris Animal Inn Doggie Daycare Parties, and vet appointments to attend, it’s enough to make any pooch’s tail spin. With the free PetMinder app for your iPhone you can keep track of all of your pets’ appointments and obligations by entering them into a calendar. An e-mail will be sent you provided as a reminder. Now you no longer need to remember when it is time to update your dog or cat’s vaccinations, simply schedule a reminder and PetMinder will make sure you are on top of it.

All Pets Radio Player

For anyone that can’t get enough information about pets, the All Pets Radio Play is an internet radio station for your iPhone that constantly streams juicy tidbits, facts, and stories about all things pet related. Tune in to this internet radio station at anytime of day to feed that insatiable appetite associated with all things furry, whiskered, and wet-nosed.

SpotLight

Use your iPhone or BlackBerry to locate your dog or cat if they are lost. You will need to buy the Spotlight GPS Pet Locator, (a collar with a tracker attached to it that uses GPS tracking information). Your dog’s location is updated every five minutes; however, it is important to note that a running dog or cat can cover a lot of ground in that amount of time. A good thing about the app is if you encounter any technical difficulties or other issues finding your pet, you can call AKC Car Recovery Specialists free of charge at any time of day to help you track down your pet. The team of specialists can provide you with turn by turn directions. If someone finds your pet, there is a Rescue button on the collar that they can press which will send you an emergency message alerting you that your pet has been found and where your pet is located. Critics of the app claim it is over-priced and won't help if you lose your pet in an area with no clear location indicators, such as the woods.

Pet Acoustics

If your dog has a tendency to get the jitters when riding in the car, at the vet, or during a booming thunderstorm, try playing soothing music for your pet. With the Pet Acoustic app, it can be played on your iPhone or iPod Touch. It is an easy solution for anxiety ridden animals. Specifically designed with the hearing sensitivities of dogs, cats, and horses in mind, the tranquil music should leave you and your pet relaxed, calm, and ready to handle any situation.

Photo Courtesy of Tobyotter

Vet DVM

Vet DVM application for your iPhone allows you to ask a vet any question no matter the time. You send an audio, video, or text question which acts as a virtual office visit to any of their on-call vets. Unfortunately, there is no telling whether the response will arrive in minutes or 24 hours. The response time is based on the difficulty of the question, how many vets are currently volunteering to respond, and how many questions are coming in at the same time.

What are your favorite Smartphone pet applications?