Furry Little Animals

As an ode to Halloween, check out this Finnish photographer who captures other-worldly images of wildlife in abandoned country cottages. What a perfect spot once winter hits.

http://www.kafa.fi/pages/the-house-in-the-woods.php

The Rewards of a Rescued Kitty

 

Dorothea, pictured above in her back yard, is a bright, beautiful kitty who might easily have become a free-roaming feral cat living on the streets of Seattle. She was clearly abandoned and hanging out with two older, friendlier male cats. I came upon Dorothea when I met up with friends for lunch. We inquired at nearby apartment buildings and the people we chatted with said they had seen the cats outside for days and that the cats didn't seem to belong to anyone. A rental house that had recently been vacated posed a possible answer as to where the kitties had been living. We will never know if the three had lived together prior to losing their homes or formed an impromptu family when they discovered each other. The boys were easy to pick up and put into carriers to transport; Arthur, the kitty whom Dorothea still lives with to this day actually implored us to help them all. "Little Doe" was frightened however and we had to resort to a humane trap to safely removed her from the alley.

 

All three kitties went in for health checks and neuter/spay. One of the boys was a handsome Siamese and not as bonded as Dorothea and Arthur were. He was adopted out to a couple. Dorothea and Arthur remained in their "foster home" and eight years later I am thrilled to sit them when their daddy goes out of town. While Arthur may have been taken in eventually by a neighbor, he also may have faced sad and hungry times ahead as a former companion kitty accustomed to an indoor life now living outside. Dorothea however, being shy and lacking Arthur's outgoing demeanor and human experiences would likely have become a feral cat. "She was so damaged by the experience of being abandoned at that tender age that she almost gave up on accepting human contact," says her daddy. He patiently extended unconditional love, safety, warmth and quality cuisine and she blossomed into a sweet and precious little soul. Dorothea's story reminds us to treat each kitty as an individual and never accept the black and white dichotomy of the term "feral."

 

While some feral felines are born outside and never socialized to humans, others have lived in homes as companions yet are forced outside due to no fault of their own. Sometimes unfeeling people will take a dog with them when they move yet put the cat (or cats) outside and drive off. Was the trio we rescued waiting for their guardian to return or had they reached a point where they simply did not know what to do or where to go? Truly feral cats can have a quality life with a regular caretaker who feeds them daily and provides shelter and health care when necessary. But no cat, especially an indoor cat who has depended upon his person for everything, can live a safe existence completely on his own in a busy city environment. National Feral Cat Day is October 16th and an excellent time to educate others about free-roaming cats and being a responsible cat guardian.

Pity the Kitties in Edmonds, WA

http://myedmondsnews.com/2013/08/keep-tabs-on-your-tabby-or-face-a-fine-council-votes-to-include-cats-in-animal-roaming-law/

The first I heard about an outright ban on outdoor cats appears to be a done deal in Edmonds, WA. This archaic attitude towards free-roaming felines smacks of intolerance and ignorance; evidence proves that catch & kill does NOT work the way that trap/neuter/return does to control populations of community cats. Even worse, the city of Edmonds apparently won't even give a break to obviously domesticated kitties wearing collars and tags sunning themselves out of doors. Frightening to think that one of my cat's favorite activities, peeing outdoors just because he can, would become a life or death proposition if Big Brother were watching.

Looks like Edmonds city council members have no compassion for felines OR for those individuals seeking medical marijuana to alleviate their pain, as there is an existing moratorium on dispensaries. Guess progress can be scary for some folks. Next, the city councilmembers will be hating on squirrels, crows and blue jays. And pesky little children. Fortunately I live in Seattle and never need patronize any businesses in the small minded and hateful city of Edmonds.

Just as there are not strictly indoor or outdoor cats, remember that not all free roaming felines are feral cats. Check out the article below for a recap on how you can tell subtle differences amongst kitties you might encounter.

http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/article/Am-I-Dealing-With-A-Feral-or-Stray-Cat532?origin=FK_Trivia_08-29-2013

 

 

The Secret Life of Cats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9MPO2caIk

In this fascinating BBC program about cat behaviors kitties were fitted with GPS devices and small cameras on their collars to see what their days and nights are like. These often solitary animals manage to keep the peace in their picturesque village while roaming outdoors, hunting, and even pilfering neighbors' meals. The last household featured offers evidence supporting multi-cats as the healthiest and most harmonious. Shamley Green appears an idyllic community for felines and the people who love them. This hour-long show is definitely worth the watch.

No Fireworks please!

http://now.msn.com/fourth-of-july-cats-illustrate-great-moments-in-us-history

The 4th of July can be stressful for both domestic animals and wildlife. The noise and smoke from illegal neighborhood fireworks is terrifying to beings with such acute senses. Sadly, many pets go missing in their attempts to "get away" from the source. Indoor cats may end up not eating their usual amounts and hiding. To add some levity to the holiday I've included a link for a little kitty cuteness that's educational as well .

Other things you can do to help companion animals this weekend:

• Give your animals extra TLC and talk to them in a soothing tone. Hang out with them wherever they are hiding so they don't feel as frightened.
• Keep classical or smooth jazz on in your home at a low volume (but not talk radio - cats hate it).
• Be sure they drink lots of water. I always advise against feeding only or mainly dry kibble and in the summertime it's even more important that cats get food with a high water content.
• While you are out on the roads and in your neighborhood this weekend, watch for stray animals! Remember that any vet can scan for a microchip at no charge if the animal doesn't have a tag on.
• If you have guests over, keep kitty confined in a quiet room with a "do not disturb" sign until the party is over. Not everyone is careful about shutting doors and you can relax more if you know your fur kids are safely confined.
• Use Feliway Comfort Zone plug-ins to reduce stress at anytime (they last one month is you leave them plugged in continuously). Dog pheromone sprays, plug-ins and wipes are also available for nervous pooches.

Special needs kitty inspires a non-profit

http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/custom-leggings-help-disabled-cat-walk?utm_source=Freekibble&utm_medium=Quiz&utm_campaign=June27

Check out this lovely story about a cute kitty with a permanent disability who inspired her adoptive mom to start a new venture for disabled companion animals!

Another pet food recall...

http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/natura-pet-food-recall-2

 

More dry kibble recalls due to salmonella - be sure to check your bags at home!

 

Rutger