KittyStar is open for business

It's official, KittyStar Services for Cats is a Neighborhood favorite! That means people have recommended us to others on sisal media, but I am always happy to personally provide references of current and past long time Seattle clients whom you can chat or email with if you have specific questions. 

It's been a difficult year and and a half for traveling and many kitties are now used to having their people home 24/7. There are some things you can do to alleviate your cats' anxieties once you decide to travel. Comfort pheromones, such as Feliway, can be used around your home. Flower remedies, such as Bach Rescue Remedy, available in alcohol free formulas at pet supply stores such as Mud Bay may also help. New toys, scratcher pads, and viewing activities such as bird feeders outside your windows can all enrich your cats' days while you are away. 

Hiring a cat savvy/cat only sitter is also a good plan. KittyStar Services for Cats has been catering to cats only for over 20 years. We look forward to meeting you and your feline family!

The 4th of July is just around the corner but fireworks are already being set off on private property in rural areas. Your kitty might be experiencing stress due to the nature of the noise. There are things you can provide your kitty to help combat this stress. At the same time try to remain as nonplussed by the fireworks as you can so that your kitty doesn't pick up on your stress. These tricks can help is other stressful times as well, such as when you have houseguests or take on remodeling projects.

Some cats feel safe in a high spot; they can keep an eye on things and feel in control. Other kitties prefer to hide in a cupboard or closet and come out after the noise has stopped, and maybe even hours afterwards. Make it easy for your cat to access his view point or hiding spot and allow him to spend however much time he wants there. If it's meal time and he won't come down or out, take his food to him. He may eat less if he's feeling anxious, but as long he eats a little and stays hydrated he should get through it okay. Offering meat baby food or a special nutritious treat might help him eat. Adding a CBD for pets product in your cat's food, Zylkene, a calming supplement, or gabapentin (available by prescription) is a good idea if he is eating normally. A Feliway Calming diffuser is a good idea, or you can spritz Feliway around the areas your cat frequents. Rescue Remedy for animals (no alcohol) can be put in drinking water or rubbed onto ears. Many folks also play soft classical or "easy listening" music. You can stream music for cats that is very relaxing too.

If your kitty goes outside at all, play it safe and keep him inside over the holiday weekend. Any animal outside can get disoriented and panic from the noise of fireworks. They may run and get lost, even if they normally stay close by. It's commonly known in all animal shelters in the U.S. that the 4th of July is the number one time for lost and missing pets. Wildlife too suffers from fireworks (can you tell I am not a fan of fireworks?!). Be prepared for your kitty to hunker down and hate life with all the noise that happens. Hang in there!

The Pandemic and your Pets

In light of the current pandemic, I wanted to share information from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. (Keep in mind that many area shelters are closed to the public at this time and may not be accepting new volunteers.)  What you can do to help keep yourself and your personal pets safe: Prepare a one-month supply of your pets’ medications, litter and food (if possible) along with up-to-date copies of your pets’ vaccination records.  Avoid crowded dog parks, veterinary offices and trails, and be sure to bathe your pet after exposure to those environments. Wash pet bedding, leashes, collars, dishes and toys the same way you would clean other surfaces in your home. Consider creating a complete pet disaster preparedness kit as you put together your household readiness plan.  Refer to further disaster preparedness guidelines for additional best practices.  Visit Best Friends’ resource page for additional guidance.  What you can do to help local shelters and your community: Foster or adopt a pet to help ease the burden on shelters as they experience fewer people visiting. (A little fun four-legged company can also be a welcome distraction from things!)  If you have neighbors who are self-quarantined or otherwise in need of help, offer to walk their dog or take pets for routine visits. (Be sure to follow the CDC’s guidance on interacting with quarantined individuals.) Consider volunteering at your local shelter or rescue group to help support animals and staff members. Use social media channels like Facebook and Nextdoor.com to help return lost animals to their homes in order to ease the burden on local animal control officers. Consider fostering a stray animal in your home rather than taking the pet to a shelter I would add that environmental enrichment is extremely important for companion animals who are staying at home, as cats usually do anyway. Interactive play time, and new toys (homemade ones such as cardboard boxes, socks stuffed with catnip, or a ball in the bath tub) are crucial to reducing feline boredom. Bird feeders outside the windows can be entertaining too.  KittyStar Services is continuing to operate as usual and our services include picking up their food or medication if you are unable to, as well as transporting kitties to vet appointments. However, some veterinary practices are advising that clients skip routine check-ups right now and only bring their animal in if it's an emergency. We would like to be a community resource for your companion animals' needs, so please contact us if you need help caring for your pets. Stay well! Lottie

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Upcoming Free Presentation on Disaster Planning for your Pet

We don't like to think about it either but...
will you and your animals evacuate or survive for days or weeks without water and power in a disaster zone?

If you want to get serious about preparing 

for a catastrophic earth quake or other disaster,

Attend an upcoming free presentation: 

Keeping your pets and livestock safe 

on Thursday January 9th, 2020, from 7-9 pm.

at Fire Station 99, 8117 267th St. NW in Stanwood

Byron Wilkes is an experienced first responder who specializes in the search and rescue, evacuation, transport and safe sheltering of people and their pets/livestock in natural and man- made disasters.  His over thirty years of experience includes deployment and responses to floods, mud/landslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes/tsunamis worldwide. Mr. Wilkes has a hands-on understanding of the needs of a wide variety of animals. In his presentation, Mr. Wilkes will outline both preparedness processes for you and your animals prior to a disaster, as well as situational challenges you may face. There will plenty of time for questions, plus reference materials will also be available for you to take home.

This free event is sponsored by your North County Community Emergency Response, a group of volunteers local to the Stanwood area who have organized to train and educate within their communities in the event of a disaster. This FEMA-backed course provides training to the general public to assist in recovery after a disaster by giving volunteers basic training in assessing building safety, search and rescue, medical triage and first-aid to help our first responders have a head-start. Check their website for other free programs: NCCERTwa.com

Feeding your Cat

Lottie waits for dinner in the kitchen

Most house cats know that their food comes from the refrigerator or pantry and often they can simply go into the kitchen and food will magically appear (their human is a mind reader!). But think about what a cat in the wild would be eating, a cat in his prime with keen senses and all his teeth. He would hunt and if successful enjoy a mouse, vole, rabbit, or if very successful a small bird. He would consume most of the body, leaving only the truly indigestible parts. Many feral cats probably eat better than our house cats these days.

Grocery store cat food may be "100% nutritionally complete," but it's often filled with carbohydrates, artificial colors, preservatives, and factory farmed meat. I am not a fan of foods sold by veterinarians either (cats often dislike them too). Veterinary formulas work in an acute health crisis, but long term I believe there are better ways to promote a healthy immune system and prevent urinary problems, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Dry kibble was invented because it is convenient, doesn't require refrigeration, can sit out for days without spoiling, and doesn't make a mess. Give your kitty a raw chicken liver on the other hand, and there will be blood everywhere as he drags it around and gnaws on it. But there is SO much more nutrition in that organ and offal! Your kitty will be satiated for much longer and will probably take a long nap as he digests all the goodness. Liver isn't ideal for every meal of course, but what a great treat and regular supplement for most kitties. The next step might be a raw diet, one that is more balanced than just liver. Or feeding a bit of raw on top of some grain-free canned food, or perhaps canned for breakfast and raw for dinner. Maybe some goat milk or full fat yogurt now and then.

Do you eat the exact same food and quantity for every meal? No animal does. We consider our companion animals to be members of the family, yet do we fully understand their needs? They are obligate carnivores, no matter how cute and cuddly they are with us. I encourage you to do your own research and source foods you can feel good about feeding your kitty. Check out this excellent resource: Feline Nutrtion Read about how the founders at the Big Cat Sanctuary really did their homework and hit upon the right combination of foods to make their resident felines happy and healthy. Visiting the Big Cat Sanctuary and seeing some of their magnificent felines in person sounds like a dream trip to me, but for now I am completely satisfied with the kitties I take care of (and I don't have to make blood popsicles for them).

Cozy Home Improvements

Just as parents with young children generally have kid paraphernalia in every room, my house is filed with cat "stuff." The kitties have scratchers of course, flat cardboard ones, a very sturdy sisal post, and various carpeted condo styles. Comfy beds, both open and cabana style abound. Chair cushions are covered with fleece kitty blankets, plus step stools are placed in front of these chairs to make it easy for my senior kitties to get into the chair. (One of my kitties who isn't even very old needs steps because she has a BB lodged in her spine and cannot jump.) There is a wicker trunk with a heating pad and kitty bed on top that gets direct sun next to a large window, making this a coveted spot. An iron daybed, also with a heated bed and multiple pillow, is placed under another window. Multiple kitties can enjoy this sunny spot. Heated beds are so important for kitties as they age and often suffer from arthritis and kidney disease, as warmth can make them feel better.

I've put some thought into creating areas kitties will be able to lounge in comfort. It so satisfying to see happy kitties! I'm certainly not alone in "catifying" a space. I've seen so many ingenious ideas for kitties who like to get up high, hide in cozy caves, or simply have a small area all to themselves - like their own little clubhouse. Just pay attention to where your cat wants to be - it may be the busiest area of the house so they can be involved, or it may be a "panopticon" position where they can observe everything, such as the top of the refrigerator.

 My decorating style is more shabby/flea market/granny chic, however I was excited to learn that IKEA has a whole new line of dog and cat related furniture items. Of course it's a well known fact that cats love plain cardboard boxes, but with items this cute and reasonably priced you can splurge. No matter what your style, there are cool ways to make your home more fun for your kitty. Your feline is a member of your family, so embrace cat stuff!

Sidney snoozing in his armchair

How to have an Old (& Happy) Kitty

It's been said that getting old is not for sissies. Your eyesight and hearing diminish, your joints hurt, your digestion can suffer... you get the picture. As your kitty's guardian however, there are many things you can do to help him or her age gracefully. Keep in mind, I am not a veterinarian and your cat's doctor may or may not agree with my (free) advice. 

1. Feed your cat a high protein/high moisture diet. Yes, some veterinarians still subscribe to the lower protein prescription diet they can sell you. They might truly believe this is an ideal way to ease the burden on senior kidneys (and they also make money selling you this food). I think that belief is fortunately not as popular now, since most cats I met who had to eat that food really hated it. I advocate a raw food diet for cats who enjoy it and can digest it. If your cat won't touch it or vomits it up, stick to canned food and supplement with digestive enzymes and probiotics. Canned, grain free food is always preferable over dry food since your kitty needs the moisture to keep this kidneys hydrated. Adding extra water to make the food as soupy as they will tolerate is helpful too.

2. Build your kitty a catio! My darling orange tabby Roy was the last free-roaming cat I will ever have. He joined our household when he was about 9 months old and even though he was neutered, he acted like a Tom cat. He was very unhappy staying inside and I didn't have a catio at the time. When I later had a catio, other cats he disliked occupied it most of the time. My point is that I worried about Roy every single day he went outside. He always came in at dusk, except the first warm night of spring every year. When he was diagnosed with diabetes during the last year of his life, he would run inside at "shot time" because he knew I was taking care of him. Roy passed away at 17 1/2 YO from the pancreatitis which caused his diabetes. We were very lucky he was never hit by a car or attacked by a dog or shot at, or any of the horrible things that can happen to a cat alone outside. Now we have several catios that are basically bear/eagle/coyote/human proof. I don't have to worry about the kitties getting the sunshine and fresh air they need.

3. Rethink annual vaccinations. There is a ton of information on the Internet about the dangers of vaccinating animals every year. I personally know cats who got cancer and had to have amputations, or suffered twitching/tumors forever after, and most commonly, are sick for days afterwards when they ere perfectly healthy before the shots. Obviously if you have a kitty who is outside a lot, such as a barn cat, you would want an initial rabies vaccination. But for a cat who lives a strictly indoor life, consider the risks of vaccinating once they are grown. And never vaccinate a cat who is already sick (yes, I once a vet try to do this on a kitty with a high fever).

4. Choose a "Muttigree." Purebred cats have more health issues, from my experience. 

5. Sadly, cancer is a common killer in companion animals and we don't really know the role chemicals have in contributing to different cancers. Avoid as many chemicals in your home as possible, such as scented litter, fabric softeners and air fresheners. Your kitty is likely in your home 24/7 and breathing those chemicals into his tiny little body at a much higher concentration than the average human. If your cat's litter box stinks, chances are it needs to be cleaned! There are many good natural and clay-free litters available now. Buy a scoop for each box, keep a little covered waste can, whatever you need to make it EASY to clean a few times a day. Also, open the windows to ventilate as often as possible and keep healthy houseplants that filter the air.

6. Help your kitty with extra steps/ramps and rubber backed throw rugs if he has trouble getting up on furniture or slips on the floor. Keep heated beds in multiple locations to soothe his aching joints (kidney kitties also seek heat to help themselves feel better). Don't let your cat become obese in middle age, which may later translate into joint problems. Keep your senior kitty's nails trimmed so the nails don't grow into the pads or cause his gait to be off. Help him stay groomed with brushing or combing more frequently, since older cats often don't groom themselves as frequently. 

Sure, young kitties are cute but I enjoy meeting senior kitties, who often have unique preferences. If we are lucky, we all get to grow old. 

Lottie (left) and Paddy (right) enjoying an after breakfast sun bath

Hannah sitting in her zen pose.