Category: Musings

In the hustle and bustle of today’s fast-paced world, we have learned to multi-task to accomplish our daily goals. While the kids are at soccer practice, we run errands. Pick up the dry-cleaning on the way home from work. Clean house while doing laundry, and catch up with friends and family on the blue-tooth, while doing weekly chores. At the end of the day, after everything is checked off the ‘To-Do List’ we can allow ourselves some down time. But even then we are still dividing our attention.

While the kids are in the bath there’s just enough time to make a nice cup of tea, and fire up the computer. Yet, this is only in preparation of the short amount of time we’ve set aside for ourselves. Before we can sit down and truly relax, we must get the kids tucked in, and clean up the inevitable mess they’ve made in the bathroom. So, with a sigh of relief and a general feeling of contentment, it’s time for that tea while having a chat with our friends.

Ah… but how could we have overlooked the necessity of spoiling the cat? Leave it to the cat to remind us! We do a quick flash-back, “Yes, I fed you. Yes, you have fresh water. Yes, your litterbox has been scooped.” The cat’s reaction to this is, “It has been two very long hours since you fed me. I require treats now or I may just fade away!” The computer is now being held hostage until we comply with the cat’s demands.

“No treats? No facebook!”

Courtesy: jacarandaanimalhospital.net

Now, back to that ‘just for me’ time we’ve carved out of our day. And the multi-tasking continues. Facebook is open, we have a couple of chat windows open, then the kitten shows up for some much needed attention. “Okay, I can do this while I chat.” Well, the kitten has a different idea. Suddenly the fingers are toys to be batted at. Hence begins the first of the messages from our fellow cat lovers, “Is the cat on your keyboard again or have you done a faceplant?” This is in response to the message they just received that goes something like this, “kdljfldjaldsjkldjfdoi”.

“Fingers! Gimme!”

Courtesy: www.pinterest.com

Well, by now our tea is cold, so once again we have to step away from the computer. An idea strikes whilst in the kitchen, “I’ll take the treats and distract the kitten!” So off we go, feeling very confident that we will now have our keyboard all to ourselves. But we find the kitten gone in search of something else to play with. Well, why not? We took our fingers with us when we went to the kitchen. But there is still a use for the treats we carry, and a need to let our friends know that the cat has usurped the keyboard in our absence. Crafty kitty! She’s messaged a friend, “nmjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj mjAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” We have to follow that with, “Yes, it was the cat, no I don’t need medical attention.”

“On your puter, chattin wif your friends.”

Courtesy: www.sodahead.com

Treats now lovingly hand fed to the lap warmer we are affectionately entertaining we actually do get some “for me” time. But it’s not to last. There’s a crash in the bathroom followed by a streak of something flying by that looks suspiciously like the kitten. “Oh joy! What now?” So we empty our lap of a sleeping cat, fleetingly wondering why we ever got that kitten, and go investigate the source of the crash. “Will I need the broom and dustpan?” Wonder of wonders! No broom needed this time. So, with a sigh of relief we head back to the computer. What we find is another use for the treats we have stashed in the desk drawer. The computer has completely been taken over!

“Go way! Dis private chat!”

Courtesy: www.yummypets.com

Even when we’re not multi-tasking with the cats and computer we still must be vigilant. I still haven’t figured out how my cat hacked my hard drive. A two minute trip to the mailbox resulted in my laptop spending a week in the shop.

“Oh look! Here she comes! She’ll be impressed with my mad skills!”

Courtesy: boingboing.net

And mad skills they are indeed. Hide your credit cards.

“amazon… *click* …cat toys…*click* …nippy mice, pack of 12… *click* …treats… *click* …kitty condos…*click*…Oh wow! Fibe levels! Yesh!…*click*”

Courtesy: www.yummypets.com

With the power of social media at our fingertips we are seeing a plethora of senior cats in shelters. Most people think they are there because of behavioral or health issues, though that is rarely the case. More often than not, it’s due to familial upheaval and sadly, simple abandonment.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners categorizes seniors as being 11-14 years old. With veterinary medical knowledge and practices being what they are today many cats can live to be 18-20 years old. Thyroid imbalances, kidney issues, and some kitty cancers are now easily treatable. Cat owners have also become more savvy in the care of their furry family members. Specialized dietary needs, controlled environments, and safety precautions are now the norm instead of the exception.

So why would you adopt a senior kitty instead a kitten?

When you adopt a senior kitty you know what you’re getting. Their personalities are already developed. With a kitten you really don’t know if it will grow into a lap cat, or a more independently spirited feline. Their size and the type of coat they have will not change. And typically they have already been spayed or neutered, and will not require the complete set of vaccinations and dewormings that a kitten needs.

Now I can hear you saying, “But kittens are so very cute and can be a lot of fun,” and I will not disagree with you.
But they are also a lot to handle in the first months of their life. When you adopt a kitten you have to realize how much time and work will go into getting that precious little ball of fluff to adulthood with your home and your sanity intact. Look around your home, go ahead, I’ll wait. The nice set of drapes you paid so much for are kitten magnets. That new chair that took you so long to find, picture a rambunctious kitten hanging off the side. And your favorite leather couch? Well, let’s not go there. Until they are trained they may prefer your furniture to the fancy new scratching post you purchased.

Training – therein lies one key element, and a strong point for adopting a senior kitty.

Senior cats come pre-trained. They already know what a litterbox is for and have no trouble using it. They’ve almost always been introduced to a scratching post, and those drapes? Well, climbing everything they come across is a thing long in their past.

The activity level in your home will be something else to keep in mind when adopting your new feline friend.

Senior kitties do very well in homes where the humans work (or play) outside the home for long periods of time. They also do well in homes with human seniors. They are more laid back, and napping can be a household activity.

Senior kitties are also great with babies and toddlers. They can be very soothing to a cranky baby and are more likely to endure the occasional ear bending or a tug on the tail from your three year old.

Do you already have a kitten running amok in your home? Are you thinking another kitten for it to play with would be a good idea? Consider instead adopting a senior cat.

They can be a steady and calming influence to your kitten.

They are great trainers! They can show your kitten how to use the litter box, how to take advantage of the scratching post, and will take a firm stand on the kitten’s biting and clawing. They can teach your kitten what is and what is not acceptable.

The best reason to adopt a senior cat is the fact that they are much more difficult for shelters to adopt out.

So many senior kitties will live out their remaining years in a cage, in a no kill facility. And a cage is no place for a cat to spend the last years of it’s life. When senior cats are adopted, they seem to understand that they’ve been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it.

A cat deserves a lap to lay in, a warm spot next to you on the couch when you read or watch tv, a human of their very own to let them know they are loved, and that they do matter.

References:
nextavenue.org
animalleague.org
petmd.com
theanimalrescuesite.com
petfinder.com
felinexpress.com

Pics courtesy of:
www.thesharonicles.com
consciouscat.net
MSPCA via Boston.com

In every aspect of our lives we see stigmas.  They have been created by fear, misconception and misinformation.

stig·ma noun \ˈstig-mə\  a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something

Now just think about that for a moment.  Think about the stigmas that people have that can be deadly to some of the animals that find themselves in a shelter.

One such stigma, in this very modern world of ours, is that black cats are considered bad luck. They are the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized when they find themselves in a shelter [1]. It’s suprising where this myth began, and interesting how it’s been perpetuated through the centuries of time [2]. Even more suprising, our difficulty in overcoming the myth.

 

Picture: BekBek Estes Text: Teresa Harrison Best

Our focus here is to dispel the stigma that FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) is a deadly and highly contagious disease.  Like black cats, FIV cats are often left behind.  In some cases, a diagnosis of FIV is an automatic death sentence to a shelter cat.  In this very modern world of ours we have the ability to call to us so much information. Indeed, it’s right at our fingertips. So why are FIV+ cats still ostracized and killed?  Because the ‘stigma’ of disease holds sway.  How do we stop it?  We educate ourselves and others.  We can begin with three simple truths. These truths need to be made known. [3]

TRUTH: FIV is not a serious threat to other cats, pets, or even humans.

TRUTH: FIV+ cats can live long, happy, fulfilling and healthy lives.

TRUTH: FIV+ cats can live safely with NON FIV cats.

In a post on the Imagine Home page [4] we had several comments from people that are owned by FIV+ cats that live happily alongside their NON FIV housemates. Two such posts:

::Rita S Benlolo “I have 4 of them and they live among my other non fiv kitties. They are all fixed and get along peacefully.”

::Patty Shabrou “I only have one FIV+ kitty, but just try telling all four of mine that they shouldn’t be living together. They play together, wrestle, romp, chase moths, eat and sleep together. Where one goes, they all go.”

Let us together help spread the word and save the lives of FIV+ cats.  Please click on the links below. You will find them very informative.

[1] http://blog.petsforpatriots.org/stigma-plagues-black-pets/

[2] http://www.reviewjournal.com/life/pets/black-cats-dark-myths-bad-luck-and-truth-behind-it-all

[3] http://www.fivcatrescue.org/fiv-myths.html

[4] https://www.facebook.com/imaginehomeorg/posts/799645170080022

http://bestfriends.org/Resources/FAQs-About-Feline-Immunodeficiency-Virus-FIV/

http://www.animalleague.org/expert-advice/health/articles/everyday-health/truth-about-fiv-cats.html

http://www.care2.com/causes/as-it-turns-out-fiv-positive-and-negative-cats-can-happily-live-together.html

Many pet guardians don’t realize that problems often develop slowly and cats especially don’t show symptoms until a disease is already advanced. If you can detect things early, you have a much better chance of addressing a problem successfully, and you’ll also save yourself money by avoiding costly veterinary fees for treating an advanced illness. (Read more.)

One kitty in need, and more people than I can count on his side.  But it wasn’t always so.

It was never learned how he got there, just that he was, and he was in dire need of help.  Apparently downtown Los Angeles is a repository for homeless kitties, too many to count. Brownie was one such kitty. But he was seen by the right people, angels of mercy and love, they came to his aid.  Let’s start at the beginning of what we do know.

Shannon had just started a job in an office in downtown LA and  some of her co-workers came to her desk talking about a cat outside the building.  In the late afternoon she went to check on the cat and cried when she saw him.  Being a kitty person herself, she had food in her car.  She took him 2 cans of food and said that he was so hungry that eating was painful.  He whimpered while he ate.

In steps our second angel, Melissa.  She had seen Brownie and had started taking food to him.  She took canned food but also took some dry food and would shake the bag to get him familiar with the sound so he would associate it with being fed.  Being concerned about the predators that would and could and did harass Brownie, she lured him to a bush and taught him to stay there out of sight to keep him safe.  Between the dogs, the hawks, and a certain very mean homeless man Brownie was constantly in danger.

 

Shannon only worked downtown 2 days a week.  So she enlisted some of her co-workers to feed and watch over Brownie when she was not able to be there.  She also enlisted a homeless man to feed and watch over Brownie when she could not be there and went on the weekends to make sure he was fed. Melissa was there 5 days a week.  Well, it just stands to reason that these 2 strangers should meet.  One day Shannon saw Melissa in the bush, feeding Brownie.  She approached Melissa and so began their joint efforts to save this beautiful homeless kitty, as did their friendship.  In the 6 months that they cared for Brownie, they also spent time contacting rescues and fosters to try to get him in a safer place.  They tried to find Brownie a home.  On this front they were woefully unlucky, at least at that time.  Then, in desperation, Shannon posted about Brownie on the Crazy Cat Ladies Unite Forum.  Now watch carefully, for here enters our third angel. All the way in distant Montana, Michele sees Shannon’s desperate post.  She begins to talk with Shannon while searching for a place for Brownie to go.   Things began to tumble in a veritable wave that was building in an exhaustive effort to save Brownie.  Moving quickly now, our fourth angel appears on the scene.  Michele knows a lady in Illinois that is a respected rescuer and well known cat lover.  Michele reached out to Chris to see if she could take Brownie in.   Well, I don’t think I have to tell you what Chris said.  But Brownie now must be captured, vetted and made healthy enough to travel. That was not as easy as it sounds.  Brownie, though trusting Melissa and the homeless man that fed him enough to let them pet him, he still did not trust them enough to be picked up or held.  On the day they went to capture Brownie, another lady showed up with a trap.  She is an independent TNR person, and had hoped to capture Brownie, neuter him, and release him into a colony where he could be kept safe and was assured of being fed.  She loaned her trap to Melissa and Shannon and it took them 3 days, hours of laying in the dirt, never leaving the trap, to entice him into it.  Once they had him though it was straight to the vet.  Brownie was taken to an amazing vet, Dr. Odama of Veterinary Health Center. They donated all the boarding and spent lots of time rehabbing him to be social.  Shannon’s co-workers even donated money for the vet bill.  It was then that we learned that Brownie is FIV+.

 

 

In the mean time, plans were being made to get Brownie to Illinois.  How was that to happen?  Well, Chris reached out to the only person she knew that could possibly be able to pull off such a feat.  Yes, I’m the next one in line. Chris was still willing to take Brownie in spite of his FIV status but I contacted Jessica of Keeper Kitties Rescue in Michigan and she stepped up to the plate.  So now we had a place for Brownie to go.  He was spending his time getting fat and sassy at the vet’s office but we had to be able to get him to Michigan.  My next plea went out to Davica, our angel in the skies.  She quickly agreed to accompany Brownie from LAX to O’Hare. As part of a 27 hour transport, saving the lives of 2 kitties, Davica arrived in Chicago at 10:50 pm on Friday, December 6, 2013.  It was a close call though due to delays coming out of New York but Davica had help making her connection.  Brownie got a police escort so he could make his flight! This is what Davica posted to us, ” Someone who works at airport remembers me from a blind dog I transported out of LA..he saw me running and told a lot of people to run with me to get attention so they hold flight..POLICE SAW AND AIRPORT WORKER SAID ITS CATLADY CATCHING FLIGHT FOR KITTY AND POLICE WENT IN FRONT WITH SEGWAY TO TELL THEM CATLADY IS COMING LOL..we made flight”

 

 

Our next angel, Karen, is there with her husband to meet Davica. Once in her safe keeping they headed home to Gilbert, Illinois for the night to spend time snuggling our brave boy Brownie.

 

 

The very next morning found Brownie on the road to his next angel, Teri.  Teri had the distinct honor of taking Brownie to PawPaw, Michigan to meet Jessica! Perfect place to make a transport transfer!

 

 

Brownie has now made it to Michigan. He is enjoying the comforts of Jessica’s home and resting up while she is out shopping for a special bed. Shannon had bought him a bed that he loved but it would not fit in his airline carrier so had to be left behind.  He will make his way to an extended foster tomorrow.

It really does take a village.  One very scared, emaciated, sick and lonely kitty is now safe and he did a wonderful thing.  He brought together all these people.  It started with 2 strangers, scared and anxious and in tears for him much of the time. It snowballed as the efforts grew more intense and desperate.  Friendships and lasting bonds have been made in the saving of Brownie’s life.  He will  never know what he brought together.  But I can tell you that he is grateful all the same.

 

www.goodshomedesign.com/diy-outdoor-cat-shelters-cold-season/

When was the last time you saw an obese lion? How about a chubby cheetah? Or a fat tiger? Have you ever seen an overweight leopard or panther? If you have ever watched nature programs on TV, I am sure that you know the answer to the questions just posed.

The answer is “never”.

The next questions are also easy ones to answer – even if you are like me and turn your head when these scenes pop up on the screen!

Do these wild cats eat a dry food diet that is full of starchy carbohydrates in the form of grains? Do they eat a water-depleted diet in the form of dry kibble? Is their diet one that derives much of its protein from plants (versus meat) as is true of many dry food diets? … (Continue Reading)

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/a/CW-FelineHCM.htm

http://oregonvma.org/care-health/how-tell-if-your-cat-sick

http://dailyinfographic.com/the-healing-power-of-cat-purrs-infographic

http://consciouscat.net/2011/05/09/how-to-prevent-litter-box-problems/

www.petmd.com/cat/emergency/common-emergencies/e_ct_heat_stroke#.UcrIU4_D-M8

www.cat-world.com.au/heat-stroke-in-cats

www.catbehaviorassociates.com/redirected-aggression-in-cats/

http://animalendocrine.blogspot.com/2011/05/top-10-signs-of-hyperthyroidism-in-cats.html

www.catinfo.org/?link=felinehyperthyroidism

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2013-10-03/news/declawing-cats-surgery-onychectomy-banned-paw-project/

http://notesfromadogwalker.com/2013/09/07/self-care-is-not-optional-how-burnout-ended-my-career-at-the-shelter/