I read somewhere that in order to know your dog and cat better, you can try imagining yourself being your dog or cat, and see how the world looks.

The world can look very different if you just lower your eye level to match your pets. You might see human legs all the time, busily moving around. You could find that the bed and couches are higher than you thought. You may be able to spot more dirt and stains on the floor, and even notice a subtle change of smell in the air you aren't aware of on a daily basis.

I was reading an article on environmental issues the other day. I'm astounded to find that more than 75,000 new chemicals have been developed since World War II -- released into our environment. It's an amazing number of chemicals. More importantly, most chemicals we use daily (such as house cleaning products) and pollutants that are emitted in the air (such as cigarette smoke, car exhaust) are generally heavier than air and concentrated near ground level. That means there is a higher chance our dog and cat (who live closer to the ground) may be exposed to all kinds of chemicals in a more concentrated form than we realize.

It's almost impossible to avoid chemicals in this modern life. The best thing you can do is keep your chemical use to a minimum around the house by eliminating some of the products that are hazardous to our pets, or at least replacing them with more natural alternatives. Using more natural household products is a good start!

It is important to put yourself in your pets' "shoes" to learn a new perspective on healthy pet care.

I always thought that saturated fat in coconut oil would pose a health threat to the body. But this belief was challenged when I read the October 2005 issue of The Whole Dog Journal about coconut oil's multiple benefits for dogs. And by the time I finished reading the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife,C.N.,N.D., my earlier belief was turned completely upside down. I now feel that coconut oil is actually good for our health and also for our pet's health. I learned that eating coconut oil can give you many health benefits.

What makes the saturated fat in coconut oil so different from all the other fats such as animal fats and other vegetable oils is that coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Medium-chain fatty acids are unique in that they are used predominantly for energy production and seldom end up as body fat. They aid weight loss, not weight gain. Medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid -- all of which provide health benefits to our body. For example, medium-chain fatty acids are found in mother's milk to protect babies from getting viral or bacterial infections. It has been reported that the Pacific Islanders who consume traditional coconut-based diet on a daily basis rarely develop degenerative diseases westerners commonly experience. Those islanders have been observed "lean and healthy" in spite of their large consumption of saturated fat of coconuts.

There seem to be countless health benefits you can get from coconut oil. I recommend reading the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife,C.N.,N.D. The author explains in plain words why coconut oil is different from all the other types of oils. You can also visit www.coconutresearchcenter.org for more information.

I learned that there are indeed different kinds of fats. In my kitchen, more coconut products have been added lately. I also share some with my dog occasionally.

If you love your pets dearly as part of your own family, then they are very lucky to have found a loving home! It is also important to keep in mind that millions of dogs and cats end up in shelters, not being able to find loving homes like yours.

There are many things we can do to help these homeless animals and the volunteers involved in caring for such stray cats and dogs until they find loving homes. Such rescue groups and shelters are usually non-profit organizations and they really appreciate your support.

Donating money is one way, but you can also support rescue groups by sending supplies. For example:

• Paper towels
  
• Newspaper
  
• Towels
  
• Blankets
  
• Dish soap
  
• Bleach
  
• Collars and leashes
  
• Pet food
  
• Flea and tick shampoo
  
• Grooming supplies
  
• Toys
  
• Treats
  
• Beds
  
• Food and water bowls
  
• Cages
  
• Cat litter

etc.

Support from individual pet owners like us may be small, but small things can add up, and our contribution today may help another dog and cat find a good, loving home tomorrow!