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Everything you need to know about pet loss and ceramics
Hand-painted black sleeping cat urn by Farbe Ceramics, curled in the classic crescent sleeping position
Cat Sleeping Positions Explained: What Your Cat's Sleep Really Means
Cats sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day, and the position they choose says a lot about how safe, warm, and relaxed they feel. A cat curled in a... Read more...
Handmade clay dog sculpture in progress at the Farbe Ceramics studio, a custom mixed breed dog memorial being shaped by hand
Are Mixed Breed Dogs Healthier? What Science Says About Mutts
Are mixed breed dogs healthier than purebreds? The short answer is: often, but not always. Mixed breed dogs tend to carry fewer inherited disease mutations and, on average, live a... Read more...
Hand-painted small pet figurine memorial urn by Farbe Ceramics with personalised name
Are Ferrets Good Pets? An Honest Guide for First-Time Owners
Are ferrets good pets? Yes, for the right person. Ferrets are affectionate, playful, and endlessly entertaining companions, but they need several hours of supervised play each day, a carefully ferret-proofed... Read more...
Why Do Cats Purr? What Your Cat's Purring Really Means
Why Do Cats Purr? What Your Cat's Purring Really Means
Cats purr by rapidly flexing the muscles in their larynx, creating a soft vibration on both the in breath and the out breath. Most of the time purring means your... Read more...
Do Dogs Grieve? How to Help a Dog Mourning the Loss of Another Pet
Do Dogs Grieve? How to Help a Dog Mourning the Loss of Another Pet
Do dogs grieve? Yes. Research and the experience of countless dog owners tell us that dogs can and do mourn the loss of a companion, whether that was another dog,... Read more...
How to Find a Lost Dog: What to Do in the First 24 Hours
How to Find a Lost Dog: What to Do in the First 24 Hours
If your dog has just gone missing, act now rather than waiting for them to wander home. Search your immediate neighborhood on foot, tell every neighbor you meet, and call... Read more...
Indoor Cat Enrichment: Simple Ideas to Keep Your Indoor Cat Happy
Indoor Cat Enrichment: Simple Ideas to Keep Your Indoor Cat Happy
Indoor cat enrichment means giving your cat daily chances to hunt, climb, watch, and problem-solve, the way they would outdoors. The good news is you do not need expensive gadgets:... Read more...
Green grey two tone handmade ceramic pet urn, a long-lasting eco friendly pet memorial keepsake by Farbe Ceramics
Eco Friendly Pet Memorial Ideas: Sustainable Ways to Honor Your Pet
Gentle eco friendly pet memorial ideas: biodegradable urns, living tree tributes, and lasting handmade keepsakes to honor your pet sustainably. Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic small pet figurine on a mint green custom urn by Farbe Ceramics
How Long Do Bearded Dragons Live? A Beardie Lifespan and Care Guide
How long do bearded dragons live? Most bearded dragons live 8 to 12 years in captivity, and with excellent care some reach 14 years or more. In the wild in... Read more...
Coping With the Loss of a Dog: How to Grieve, Heal, and Remember
Coping With the Loss of a Dog: How to Grieve, Heal, and Remember
Coping with the loss of a dog is one of the hardest things a pet owner ever goes through, and the sadness you feel is completely valid. There is no... Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic dog portrait urn of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by Farbe Ceramics
Why Does My Dog Follow Me Everywhere? What Your Velcro Dog Is Telling You
Why does my dog follow you everywhere? In most cases it is simply love and instinct: dogs are pack animals, you are their pack, and being near you feels safe... Read more...
Why Do Cats Knead? The Sweet Reason Cats Make Biscuits
Why Do Cats Knead? The Sweet Reason Cats Make Biscuits
Why do cats knead? Cats knead because the motion is left over from kittenhood, when pressing on their mother's belly helped milk flow while nursing. In adult cats it becomes... Read more...
Senior Cat Care: How to Help Your Aging Cat Stay Comfortable and Content
Senior Cat Care: How to Help Your Aging Cat Stay Comfortable and Content
Senior cat care comes down to a few gentle adjustments: twice-yearly vet checks, easy access to water and litter boxes, soft warm places to rest, and a steady, predictable routine.... Read more...
Do Cats Grieve? How to Recognise and Comfort a Grieving Cat
Do Cats Grieve? How to Recognise and Comfort a Grieving Cat
Yes, cats do grieve. When a bonded companion dies, whether another cat, a dog, or a person, many cats show real behavioural changes: searching the house, calling out, eating less,... Read more...
Handmade ceramic chinchilla figurine urn by Farbe Ceramics, hand-painted small pet keepsake
How Long Do Chinchillas Live? What Every Owner Should Know About Their Long Lives
How long do chinchillas live? Pet chinchillas often live 10 to 20 years, the longest of any small pet. Learn what shapes chinchilla lifespan and how to help yours thrive. Read more...
When Is It Too Hot to Walk a Dog? A Summer Pavement Safety Guide
When Is It Too Hot to Walk a Dog? A Summer Pavement Safety Guide
In the UK and much of the US right now, the honest answer is this: if the air temperature is above 25C (77F), skip the daytime walk, and above 28C... Read more...
What Is the Rainbow Bridge? The Meaning Behind the Poem That Comforts Pet Owners
What Is the Rainbow Bridge? The Meaning Behind the Poem That Comforts Pet Owners
The Rainbow Bridge is a comforting idea, drawn from a short prose poem, that describes a sunny meadow just this side of heaven where pets who have passed away wait,... Read more...
Small hand-painted ceramic pet figurine urn in mint green, a keepsake for small pets like budgies
How Long Do Budgies Live? Parakeet Lifespan and How to Help Yours Thrive
How long do budgies live? A well cared for pet budgie, known in the US as a parakeet, usually lives 10 to 15 years, far longer than the 4 to... Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic maneki neko lucky cat urn with grey tabby markings and raised paw
Maneki Neko Meaning: The Story of Japan's Lucky Beckoning Cat
The maneki neko, Japan's famous lucky cat, is a figurine of a seated cat with one paw raised in a beckoning gesture, and it is believed to invite good fortune... Read more...
Pet Hedgehog Care: How to Keep an African Pygmy Hedgehog Happy and Healthy
Pet Hedgehog Care: How to Keep an African Pygmy Hedgehog Happy and Healthy
Pet hedgehogs are quiet, gentle companions that do best with a consistently warm room, a high protein diet, and a large wheel to run on at night. An African pygmy... Read more...
Handmade ceramic dog figurine urn hand-painted by Farbe Ceramics, featured image for a guide on blue-green algae and dog water safety
Blue-Green Algae and Dogs: How to Spot Toxic Water Before Your Dog Swims
Blue-green algae can poison a dog within minutes. Learn how to spot toxic water, the symptoms of blue-green algae poisoning in dogs, and what to do fast. Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic small pet figurine urn in blue by Farbe Ceramics, a keepsake honouring guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other chatty small companions
Guinea Pig Sounds Explained: What Wheeking, Purring, and Teeth Chattering Mean
Guinea pig sounds are a real language. Wheeking is an excited call for food or attention, a low bubbling purr usually means contentment, rumbling is about dominance or courtship, and... Read more...
Painted portrait of a brown and white rabbit, from a guide on how to keep rabbits cool in summer
How to Keep Rabbits Cool in Summer: What Every Bunny Owner Should Know
If you are wondering how to keep rabbits cool in summer, the short answer is: keep them somewhere below 25C (77F), out of direct sun, with plenty of water, cool... Read more...
What Is Kitten Season? Why Shelters Fill Up in July and How to Help
What Is Kitten Season? Why Shelters Fill Up in July and How to Help
Kitten season is the stretch of the year, roughly March through October, when the vast majority of kittens are born and animal shelters fill far beyond their capacity. It builds... Read more...
Handmade ceramic dog sculpture in progress at Farbe Ceramics, honouring the dogs we protect from summer hazards like grass seeds
Grass Seeds in Dogs: Symptoms, Dangers, and How to Protect Your Dog This Summer
Grass seeds are a hidden summer hazard for dogs, especially spaniels and long-coated breeds. Learn the warning signs in paws and ears, and how to prevent them. Read more...
Are Ceramic Pet Urns a Good Choice? An Honest Guide from a Potter
Are Ceramic Pet Urns a Good Choice? An Honest Guide from a Potter
If you are wondering whether a ceramic urn is a good choice for your pet's ashes, the short answer is yes, for most homes it is one of the loveliest... Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic urn with a long-haired cat silhouette by Farbe Ceramics, a keepsake in the likeness of a fluffy Maine Coon style cat
Maine Coon Personality: What It Is Like to Live With a Gentle Giant
Loyal, chatty in the softest way, and playful for life: what Maine Coon personality is really like, how long these gentle giants live, and what they need to thrive. Read more...
Hand-painted ceramic dog figurine with a curious head tilt, a playful reminder of how much dogs love games and mental stimulation
Mental Stimulation for Dogs: Easy Enrichment Ideas for a Bored Dog
Mental stimulation for dogs matters just as much as physical exercise. A dog whose brain gets a daily workout is calmer, more settled, and far less likely to chew, dig,... Read more...
How Long Do Hamsters Live? Lifespan by Breed and How to Help Them Thrive
How Long Do Hamsters Live? Lifespan by Breed and How to Help Them Thrive
How long do hamsters live? Most pet hamsters live 2 to 3 years, though the exact range depends on the breed: Syrian hamsters usually reach 2 to 3 years, dwarf... Read more...
Handmade ceramic custom pet sculpture, hand-painted from the owner's pet photos, by Farbe Ceramics
How to Take Good Photos of Your Pet: Simple Tips That Actually Work
Simple pet photography tips from Tammy at Farbe Ceramics: the best lighting, phone camera tricks, and gentle ways to get cats, dogs, and small pets to look at the camera. Read more...
Senior Dog Care: How to Keep Your Old Dog Comfortable and Happy
Senior Dog Care: How to Keep Your Old Dog Comfortable and Happy
Senior dog care comes down to three things: comfort, routine, and a little extra patience. Most dogs are considered seniors around age 7 to 10 depending on their size, and... Read more...
Handmade ceramic sleeping cat in calico colours, stretched out in the relaxed sprawl cats use to stay cool in summer, by Farbe Ceramics
How to Keep Cats Cool in a Heatwave: A Cat Owner's Summer Guide
Keep cats cool in a heatwave with shade, water stations and cool surfaces, learn the signs of heatstroke in cats, and know when to call the vet. Read more...
Pet Sympathy Gifts: What to Give Someone Who Has Lost a Beloved Pet
Pet Sympathy Gifts: What to Give Someone Who Has Lost a Beloved Pet
The most comforting pet sympathy gifts do one simple thing: they say "your pet mattered." In the first few days, practical comfort helps most, a handwritten card that uses the... Read more...
Handmade ceramic cat shaped urn for pet ashes, hand painted to match the cat's coat
Pet Urn Size Guide: What Size Urn Do I Need for My Pet?
The one cubic inch per pound rule, urn sizes for dogs and cats by weight, and gentle answers to the sizing questions pet parents ask most often. Read more...
Helping Children Cope With Pet Loss: What to Say and How to Remember Together
Helping Children Cope With Pet Loss: What to Say and How to Remember Together
The kindest way to help a child cope with pet loss is to be honest in simple words, to let them see that you are sad too, and to give... Read more...
Handmade ceramic rabbit urn for ashes, hand painted with brown and white bunny markings
Rabbit Memorial Ideas: How to Honor a Beloved Bunny
If you are searching for rabbit memorial ideas, you are likely carrying a grief that others may not fully understand. Meaningful ways to honor a beloved bunny include keeping their... Read more...
What to Say to Someone Who Lost a Pet: Words That Truly Comfort
What to Say to Someone Who Lost a Pet: Words That Truly Comfort
If you are wondering what to say to someone who lost a pet, the kindest message is simple and true: acknowledge the loss, use the pet's name, and let them... Read more...
Pet Memorial Ideas: Gentle Ways to Honor a Pet You Have Lost
Pet Memorial Ideas: Gentle Ways to Honor a Pet You Have Lost
The most meaningful pet memorial ideas are usually the simple ones: a keepsake box with their collar and favourite toy, a small garden planted in their name, a paw print... Read more...
Keeping Pet Ashes at Home: Is It Okay, and How to Make It Feel Peaceful
Keeping Pet Ashes at Home: Is It Okay, and How to Make It Feel Peaceful
Keeping pet ashes at home is completely okay, and it is far more common than most people realise. More than half of pet owners who choose cremation keep the ashes... Read more...
How a Custom Hand-Painted Pet Urn Is Made: From Your Photo to the Kiln
How a Custom Hand-Painted Pet Urn Is Made: From Your Photo to the Kiln
A custom hand-painted pet urn is made in four stages: the vessel is thrown on a pottery wheel and fired in a kiln, your pet's portrait is painted by hand... Read more...
Coping With the Loss of a Cat: Gentle Ways to Grieve and Remember
Coping With the Loss of a Cat: Gentle Ways to Grieve and Remember
Grief after losing a cat is real, valid, and often deeper than people expect, and the kindest way through it is to let yourself feel it, keep small rituals of... Read more...
How to Choose the Right Pet Memorial Urn
How to Choose the Right Pet Memorial Urn
Choosing a pet memorial urn comes down to three things: the right size for your pet's weight, a style that feels like them, and the personal details that make it... Read more...