Nycka, the Nomad ©

How to protect dogs and cats from the cold ? I'm Nycka Nunes, digital and cultural nomad, and I work as a visual artist, fine art photographer and stylist. I believe that personal style is intertwined with lifestyle and personal development, so in this blog I share personal reflections and a little about my lifestyle. I recommend that you follow my profiles on social networks, especially Instagram, where I publish a lot of different content than what I publish on other social networks. My cat Thor has three tips to share on how to keep cats warm in the winter. His tips are: Sleep with your pet human. That way you always stay warm. If you're cold, pester your human until he gets the message. Think of something he would be able to understand, because most humans are not fluent in Meownese. I'm one lucky cat and my human picked up the basics of our language pretty quickly. If you have siblings (other cats or dogs), curl up with them when the humans aren't home or i...

What foods to offer your dog or cat? The most recommended foods are high quality industrialised dry feeds, without dyes. In Brazil, the best ones are classified as “super premium” and are found in pet shops, not supermarkets. There are also wet foods, highly recommended for cats (there are also options for dogs). About offering other foods, there are companies that offer natural (not industrialised) food options for dogs and cats, seeking the nutritional balance necessary for the good health of the animals. I haven't tested any yet. Dogs and cats are carnivorous animals, so if you are a vegetarian or vegan and want a vegetarian pet, don't get a dog or cat. Have a fish, a chicken, a rabbit, a hamster... there is an immense variety of herbivorous animals at your disposal. No need to disrespect the natural diet of dogs and cats. Respect is necessary in any relationship, and it is no different in the relationship between humans and pets. Some dogs and cats eat vegetables like ...

I haven't talked about cats and dogs in a while. So now you have 5 tips for your pet to eat their food. All tips apply to both dogs and cats. Suggestions based on my personal experiences as a dog and cat owner. Buy good quality food, without dyes, and prefer to buy the food in the closed package. Divide the daily dose of food into at least two meals for your pet, depending on your time availability. If you work all day, one dose in the morning before you leave and another at the end of the day when you get home is the minimum. If you want to split it into 3 meals, even if you work all day, you can include a portion just before bedtime. The recommended dose is indicated on the food packaging and varies according to the type of food you buy and the weight of the animal. Try to offer your pet age-appropriate food. Another option - which I use most on special dates - is to include wet food in the pet's menu. I've seen people suggest mixing dry food and wet food. I don...

Today we are going to talk about how to brush your dog or cat's teeth.  Here I talk about lifestyle, and dogs and cats are part of it. Their well-being is important and I share some of my experience and knowledge so that your dog or cat has a quality of life, just like you. To get started, buy the appropriate toothpaste and toothbrush for your pet at a pet store. With my dog ​​I used a toothbrush that fit my finger, because I think it is less uncomfortable and causes a feeling that I am petting him. My fingers are thin. I do not recommend this toothbrush model for those who have thick fingers and cats or small dogs. Getting the animal used to toothbrushing is a process, and in this process a routine is built. Then, I recommend getting the animal used to the toothbrush without toothpaste. That's because the toothbrush and toothpaste are two different stimuli and maybe the animal doesn't have problems with the toothbrush, but doesn't like the smell or taste of toothpast...

Yesterday we talked about how to get a temporary residence visa to live in South Africa as an entrepreneur. Today we talk about how to travel to South Africa with your cats and dogs. A veterinary import permit is needed to import Dogs & Cats into South Africa. Cats are not routinely quarantined on arrival in South Africa. The cat must however have a valid import permit and a correctly completed health certificate, signed and stamped by a government veterinarian of the exporting country. If these documents are not available at the time of the cat’s arrival in South Africa, the cat will be kept in quarantine until the required documentation is presented at the quarantine station. Dogs and cats must have a valid rabies vaccination. In the case of a primary rabies vaccination the vaccination must be given not more than 12 months and not less than 30 days before the date of import. In the case of a booster rabies vaccination the vaccination must be given not more than 12 months bef...

Dogs and cats in popular culture are sometimes seen as enemies. In practice, coexistence is possible. If you want to have cats and dogs at home, living together, you can follow some tips: If you already have adult dogs, bring a puppy cat home. I had a cat that I adopted elderly and was used to on the street, and for her it was difficult to get used to living with other animals, especially the puppy cat and the dog. They, in turn, were afraid of her at first. In the case of puppies, they adapted more easily with the dog. He learned quickly to live with cats, despite being old, because he knew he was loved and did everything to please me. The elder cat got used to it, gaining confidence in me, but it took much longer in this adaptation than the ones I adopted puppies. If you already have cats, a puppy dog will probably find it easier to adapt. A small adult may be a good choice, as it does not have a size that can threaten cats.  I have no personal experience with having cats bef...

Many people have allergies. Some of them are allergic to cats and dogs. What may surprise those who follow this blog and my social networks and know that I have these pets, is that I was diagnosed with an allergy to animal hair in my teens. With this information, the questions “who has allergies can have a dog?” and "who has allergies can have a cat?" theoretically have a yes as an answer. And I say theoretically because I don’t want anyone to buy or adopt an animal and then have allergic attacks, abandon the animal and come and say that I said one could. I'm saying that I managed to have long and semi long-haired dogs all my life without major problems. The last two, both of the Lhasa Apso breed, kept in long hair most of the time, slept in my bed. Thor, my cat, makes my arm as pillow at bedtime. With dogs, despite the medical diagnosis, I never had any problems. When I decided to adopt the cats I went to the doctor and explained the situation of being allergic, never ha...

Those who are not used to traveling or always travel in groups may find it difficult to plan a trip. I have already described the process of writing the script for a trip here on the blog. Today I'm going to give you tips on how to choose your destination, without limiting yourself to trendy destinations, telling a little bit about how I make this choice. Personal taste greatly influences the choice. What do you expect from a destination? What types of attractions are you interested in? The purpose of the trip is also important. For me, in all cases, it is important that the place where I am staying accepts animals (including cats), that has the structure to welcome the animal and me, including cat scratching posts or many cardboard boxes that make the  same effect, because it is very uncomfortable to take a scratching post on a trip and without it, the chances of the cat using the rug and furniture to sharpen its nails are 100%. Prohibiting animals from sleeping in bed is not sm...

I just read a tweet asking what to do with a cat who lives partially outdoors to get used to a new life completely indoors. I have an experience with this and I’ll share it. My Iduna was adopted when she was 8. She was living in a small house where she only entered to eat and sleep. She was free to go outdoors. I live in an apartment with nylon webs in all windows and the balcony to protect my cats. How do you call these protective webs in your country guys? I’m brazilian and I didn’t discover the name for these webs in english nor in italian. You can see the nylon web and Iduna on my Instagram . Well, Iduna arrived in this new environment where she couldn’t go out for fun. And she spent a few days meowing in the balcony at night, very sad. But I gave her a lot of love and helped her to feel comfortable although she didn’t appreciate the two cats and a dog I had that time. In a few days she didn’t meow in the balcony anymore. Some time later she started to sleep in my lap while I was...

Each child is unique and, in theory, each adult should be unique too. But as many parents try to give limits to their children instead of teaching them how to fly and be authentic, many adults are like shadows, sad, grey, trying to be accepted by others and, for this, hiding qualities that they believe aren’t appropriate. Caetano Veloso, a brazilian singer, wrote in his song “Gente” (which means people): “people is to shine not to die from hunger”. But the poet is not talking only about the lack of food. Culture nurtures us. To be recognised for being authentic nurtures us. So, spending all life trying to please others instead of discovering the beauty of who we really are is to die from hunger. Are you dying from hunger? Some years ago I adopted a beautiful cat, like a british long hair, smoke coloured, and she was already 8 years old. Her previous tutor was moving to the apartment of someone from her family who didn’t like cats. I named the cat Iduna, like the goddess who had the a...

Sometimes I find texts or questions about what age would a cat or dog be if it were human. Often I see people worried about how to look younger. This post is about these things linked to age. Age is one thing, maturity is another. Observing from this point of view, we start observing human beings. We can observe 100 different people with the same age and we’ll find different levels of maturity among them. We can observe 100 people with different ages and it wouldn’t be a surprise to find some young people more mature than many older ones.  So, about what would be the age of an animal if it were a human, I say it’s not a wise question. The chronological age of humans say nothing important at all. Considering this, how to look younger is a minor problem. People should consider how to be more mature, how to find themselves quickly and how to communicate the best of themselves through their appearances. Because when we discover our own beauty, a beauty much more valuable than an...

To tell my story with cats and their influence on my life I must start telling you a bit about my story with dogs. I had dogs since I was a child. The only periods I remember I didn’t have a dog was from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008. When I moved from Montes Claros to Uberlândia in 1998, I had a grey poodle called Nick. He was very sweet and friendly but my grandmother didn’t allowed him to travel with me, and later she neglected him completely, so, the dog died. My father was a farmer and in the farm there were cats, but they only came close to us to eat. They weren’t like companions. Then, in 2003, my mother bought another dog for me. I called him Beto. It was supposed to be a Lhasa apso. In 2004 I moved to Porto Alegre and my mother took the dog to Montes Claros and gave it to an aunt of mine. Later I discovered Beto grew up like a sheepdog! He became enormous! In Porto Alegre I knew two women, mother and daughter, who had a dog called Junior, a Bichon frisée. They di...

Everyday the “niche” of people who have cats and dogs as if they were members of the family increases, but the number of pet friendly hotels, restaurants, museums, malls, boutiques and many other businesses is not increasing in the same proportion. Considering the cultural nomads, which are my focus here, to know about this large “niche” not having their needs fulfilled is enough to consider the possibility of having a pet friendly business. You must understand the market, but it’s cheap and easy to discover what these people need. One step is to follow and read this blog, as it shows the point of view of a potential customer with high standards about the well-being of my four legged companions. Other reasons to change the way your business deal with cats and dogs, or to start a pet friendly business are: I’m aware there are people who dislike animals, but they are, by far, a small group compared to the ones who love or accept cats and dogs. Many animals are quieter than childr...

Cats and dogs have emotions and needas, as ourselves. Before to buy or adopt, buy or accept one as a gift, you should consider this. Dogs need daily walks outside, not only to exercise but also to meet different dogs, to have a social life. Some dogs need mor exercise than others because they have s lot of energy to spend. The cats like to have some company, more than one cat at home. But cats must be kept safe indoors. Dogs and cats must only go outdoors with their tutors and tutors must take care of the health of their animals, offering vaccines, veterinary care and observing the signs the animal gives of their sufferings and dissatisfactions. We must never scream with them. To be aggressive through words, actions or negligence is the wrong way to conquer their respect and it harms their health and well-being. A tutor can only have the respect of their animals refusing to be aggressive with them. The animals can obey an aggressive tutor for fear, but living in fear causes suff...

There are various movies with dogs having important positions and causing strong emotions. I don't know many movies with cats being as lovely and intelligent as they are, so, I listed 3 and in 2 of them the cats are not in a central position. If you know others, tell me. • Shrek • Garfield • Alice in Wonderland Nycka, the nomad

What do you do to make your pets happier during the holidays? I think if you plan to travel, you include them, looking for hotels where they're accepted as well as yourself. Don't you? If you stay home and organise a party or a meeting with family and friends, do you ask them to bring their pets the same way they'd bring their children? Or do you left the dog alone in the garden or the cat closed in some room not to disturb the guests? Here, at my house, it's easier I ask someone to get out than to isolate my pets because they bother someone. Think and tell me what you'll do during next holidays with your cats, dogs or both. Nycka, the nomad.