Celebrate Independence Day with parades, fireworks and good food, but keep your cat safe and happy while you celebrate the Fourth of July.
You may be tempted to let your cat out to enjoy the day's events or to prowl around as usual, but in reality, your cat won't enjoy the day as much as you will. You'll both be happier in the long run if you keep your cat inside. Your cat won't get hurt or lost and you'll know that your cat is safe and waiting for you when you get home.
Cats are easily agitated by loud noises of fireworks or sirens, unusual activity of parades and strangers in their neighborhood. What may seem like fun for you, will cause stress in your cat and may cause him to display aggressive behavior which will get him into trouble with neighborhood animals and people. Or worse, your cat might get so spooked that he gets into a fatal situation like in front of a moving car or trapped in an alley where nasty people are waiting for a frightened cat to torture. And the food... there is always something that smells good to your cat that he'll eat but it could make him sick.
Make this a happy holiday for your cat. Keep him indoors with plenty of food and water and a few toys to get him through the day. It will be hot so make sure your cat has shade and fresh or cool air - never leave him in a vehicle or in direct sunlight - cats can dehydrate and suffer a horrible death if they get too hot.
Keep human foods away from your cat, especially sweet things like ice cream and chocolate - chocolate is toxic to cats.
If your cat show signs of aggressive behavior, it's often a reaction to high stress situations. Get him to a safe, quiet area where he can calm down.
If you think your cat might get out, follow our 5 tips for preventing your cat from becoming lost or stray. And also check out Stray Cats: 5 easy ways to protect your cat. Happy Independence Day!
35% percent of pet cats will get lost in their lifetime. And fewer than 10% of those stray cats make it home again. To prevent your cat from becoming a sad statistic like this, there are a number of steps you can take.
1) Have your pet wear a collar with your name address and current phone number on it. Get the metal ones, they don’t smudge and it’s harder to scratch them. There are many pet tag companies out there.
2) Check your home and yard for possible break points. A determined cat can squeeze through a very small space. If you can fit your hand through, your cat can get their whole body through. And doors, cats have learned how to open doors, so make sure they latch securely.
3) Introduce your cat to your neighbors. If your cat gets out, chances are that someone who lives close to you will see him. If they know it’s your cat, they’ll either let you know your cat is out or catch him for you.
4) Put a sign on your door to alert rescuers that there is a cat in your house in case of an emergency. If there is a fire in your building while you are out, a sign on the door increases the chances that your cats will be removed from danger. Let rescue workers know how many pets you have in the house and your vet’s name and phone number.
5) Get insurance for your pet – some policies cover loss or theft and some companies will help you find your pet.
For more information, read 5 tips to prevent your cat from getting lost.
Here are 5 actions to take right now that will help to bring your cat home safely.
No matter how careful you are to prevent your cat from straying, 1 in 3 cats will be lost this year and over 90% of them won’t get back home to you. There are things you can do right now to get your cat home where he belongs.
1) Have copies of recent photos of your cat to distribute, email or fax to any and all of your contacts and local animal shelters. A picture can get you reunited faster and prove that the cat is yours.
2) If you haven’t already done it, get your cat a microchip and registered with a good company.
3) Have a copy of your cat’s medical records and your vet's contact information at home or on your PDA. If your cat is found, you might have to prove that he’s been vaccinated or she’s been spayed. And if the cat has any allergies or illnesses or special dietary needs, it's all there in one place for anyone who cares for your cat.
4) Make a list of emergency phone numbers. The company your cat’s microchip is registered with, your veterinarian and emergency animal hospital closest to you, local humane society or animal shelter, people who you can call on to help find your cat or who can help you treat your found cat that's been injured.
5) Have an Emergency Supply Kit ready with a carrier, food and water, blankets and a First Aid for Cats manual. If you cat is injured you might need to transport him to an emergency clinic right away.
This is the time of year when hundreds of cats get lost or stray too far from home. These steps will help you locate your cat in the event that your cat strays or more accurately, is chased or scared away from you.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
Look at Junior The Cat - Watch more free videos
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
This is a guest post from our friend Anthony H..
Cat urine emits a real foul odor and can make your house stink. It can be a real nuisance if the cat urinates on your carpet because it will just seep through the fibers in the carpet and cause mold. So you are now faced with two foul smelling problems instead of on. But your problems worsen if the cat urinates on a wooden floor, because it will sink right through and cause a stench that will just not go away even after you have rubbed the surface off.
While it is best to clean the wet urine, sometimes you may not notice the 'accident' until the smell hits you. In such an event, you might like to try some of these tried and tested methods that will help you to quickly and easily get rid of the cat urine odor and the ungainly stains.
1. Use absorbent cloths to soak up the urine wet area.
2. If you are trying to clean a wooden floor, wipe away the residue with a slightly damp cloth, and then dab dry.
3. Next, use either a household cleaner to remove the stain. Alternately, you can use:
a. A solution of hydrogen peroxide that is diluted to about 3%. Simply spray this over the stained area. Wait for around 5 minutes and blot dry.
b. A mix of baking soda and hand soap to work out the stains and the smell of cat urine.
c. White vinegar that has been diluted to around 25-30%. Just spray it on the affected area and blot after a few minutes.
d. Baking soda to remove cat urine odors from carpets and upholstery. But it doesn't work on cat urine that has seeped through wooden floors.
e. NOTE: Before even attempting to do this on a large area, it would be best to first test it out on a smaller area to be safe just in case it goes horribly wrong.
If you are not looking for home remedies, you may want to try out cat urine cleaners that available in pet stores. Most such products contain ingredients that destroy the bacteria in the urine, and this helps to get rid of the annoying stains or odors.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...
I've been following the growth of the 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs born at the Auckland Zoo. Yesterday, I posted a video of the cubs at 10 days old. This video is of the cubs at 12 days old by themselves in the den while the mommy, Molek is in another den. They are getting so chubby, their little bellies look very full as they nap and wait for Molek to return.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Christian the Lion remembers his human friends after he was released in the wild
Recently, I blogged about the 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs born at the Auckland Zoo. That video showed the cubs when they were 6 days old. Now they are two weeks old and looking plump and cute. Still no word as to the sex of the cubs. Here is a video of the cubs at 10 days old with their mom, Molek.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
Jun
26
Why do my cat's farts smell?
So I'm working on the computer the other night and my cat Maddy jumps on my lap for loving. Nothing unusual here, this happens every night. So I'm petting her and she's purring and everything seems to be all right. Suddenly, a strong sulphuric scent ruined the moment. My cat farted! I've had Maddy for about six years and she's probably farted a handful of times that I know of. This led me to wonder, why do cats fart? Is this a sign of a greater problem?
Here's what my research turned up:
Having said all of this, if your cat is having a consistent issue with passing smelly gas, you might want to take your cat to the vet to have his/her stool examined more closely. My cat rarely farts so I'm not worried about it and I don't think you should be either if it rarely happens. It's always a good idea to talk to the vet just in case though.
Another way to look at your cat passing gas is that he or she is so comfortable with you that it simply flows out of them without any resistance. I've noticed that my cat has only farted when we've been cuddling. I'm squeezing her gently so that might be the issue too! Either way, I look at it is as a compliment.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...
Another reason to keep your cats indoors! Residents near the Orlando Airport have reported that their cats have gone missing. A mysterious animal caught on tape could be the reason. The animal looks like a coyote or feral dog. Coyotes have been known to hunt down cats for food.
Surprisingly, the resident interviewed by Local 6, Leah Smith said she still leaves her kittens outside even though 24 cats in her area have disappeared. "Our older cats stay indoors now," Smith said. "The kittens don't roam around but we do check everyday to make sure we've got everybody back on the front porch."
What? you check every day? a lot can happen to a kitten in 24 hrs! is she crazy? The last thing I would do if there was a cat eating animal in my neighborhood is leave my cats outside! A kitten is just an appetizer, if the coyote finds more than one in her backyard, well it is just a buffet dinner of furry cuteness! What is she thinking?
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
Jun
24
Christian the Lion hugs his human friends after being in the wild for a year - true story (video)
These two guys, Ace and John bought a lion cub from Herod's of London in the 1960's and named him Christian. But Christian, although quite tame, got too big and British officials would not allow them to keep him. So with the help of George Adamson, the first human to establish the idea of wildlife conservations, they took him to Africa to learn how to live in the wild at Kora National Park.
Now this story is already pretty interesting, in the 60's apparently you could buy a wild animal at a department store and take him home with you. But the story gets even better, after this lion was taken out to Africa, and was taught how to be a wild cat, Ace and John went back to Africa to see him. They were told by George, the man who trained him to be wild, that he had not been seen for 9 months. Which means that Christian has fully adapted to life in the wild. They were told that Christian won't remember the two men because it had been so long since he saw them last.
Here is where it gets really interesting. The night before John and Ace were to arrive at the camp out side the conservation area where Christian now lived, Christian, his lionesses and their cubs all showed up at the camp. Christian was waiting for John and Ace on top of a rock! According to George Adamson, who spent significant time with lions in the wild, he believed that lions have a mysterious, telepathic communication ability with humans. This was proof of that, Christian, who had no reason to come back to camp, returned with his pride to meet with his human friends.
This video shows Ace and John meeting with Christian and you can actually see Christians face change when he sees his old friends, then he runs to them and embraces them. This video shows the human like emotions that a lion is capable of feeling. Apparently, after the video, the three friends hung out at camp until the middle of the night when Christian returned to his pride leaving Ace and John exhausted.
Read the full story, complete with quotes and facts Christian, the lion who lived in my London living room. You can also get a copy of the DVD Christian the Lion if you want to see the whole story in a full length movie.
Look for the part when the lion first spots them at 0:35 secs. He recognizes Ace and John immediately! Then as he runs to them, you can almost feel Christian's excitement!
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
A story of three little ferals found by Alma and Nikki, who left a comment here. They found three feral kittens but don't have the time to socialize them properly so they are asking for help.
I was a little surprised to find out that a number of feral cat organizations don't actually provide shelter to ferals that are found. Their focus is on trap neuter and return, which is very noble and a very important part of feral cat care. But what do you do if you find 3 kittens too small for adoption, but that you can't care for? Where do you take them?
Most shelters will euthanize them. They get killed just because they are feral. Horrible. Everyone knows that feral kittens can be socialized and they make great companions. Neo, my own cat was a feral kitten and I have never known a more loving cat in my life!
So what do you do? The first thing, is take precautions, sometimes they carry diseases and if they bite you or break the skin, you will have to see a doctor. But if the kittens are small enough, their hiss is much worse than their bite so you will be safe from any diseases they might be carrying.
But they have to be checked out by a vet right away. It is easy to get attached to found kittens but if they are sick, you may not be able to tell right away and when the symptoms do show up, it will be a very sad day if you have to euthanize them. Sickness in cats from fleas is a big problem for feral kittens.
So here is what you do if you find and catch feral kittens.
1. Handle the kitten with towel. Wrapping a towel around the kitten will keep you from getting scratched and biten.
2. Keep them contained. They are small and can run and hide far out of your reach if they get scared. A dog cage or cat carrier would work well.
3. Groom them using a brush or comb for cats. Their mothers groom them, so if you start, they will transfer their parental dependency onto you which helps them become socialized.
4. Take the kittens to a vet for a complete check up. Your vet might also be able to suggest families that have just lost cats that would be willing to care for your ferals and keep them.
5. If you can't keep them or if you are not around much to socialize them, the only thing you can do is find someone who can take them or contact your local shelter. If the local shelter won't take them and care for them until they can be adopted, they will be able to provide information on the nearest feral cat shelter. But before you take them anywhere, ask what their policies are, you might end up taking the kittens to their death!
Unfortunately there isn't that much support for feral kittens who need shelter. It is up to the people who find them to take charge of their futures. Make sure they are healthy and provide food and shelter and socialize them. And in some cases, find a new home for them. There really is a void out there for people like Alma and Nikki, who find kittens and want to help them, but can't keep them.
I'll keep you posted on the outcomes of these 3 kittens.
Figuring out if it makes sense to give your cat cantip or not? Here's a couple of factors to consider:
So if you have a young kitten or an older cat, there's a chance that your cat may not feel the effects. The bottom line is that catnip is not harmful to your cat in any way. I'll actually be giving my cat catnip for the first time next week, I'll post the video for you guys to see its effects. In the mean time, check out this YouTube video showing cats on catnip. It's pretty funny actually.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...
It's a good week for tigers in the news! Yesterday, it was revealed that three Sumatran tiger cubs were born at the Auckland Zoo. Today, the Alaska Zoo announced the arrival of two Amur Tigers. They had three Amur tigers that died of old age and received these two 4 year old brothers Korol and Kunali yesterday. Amur Tigers or Siberian Tigers are one of the 12 endangered big cats.
They were on the "red-eye" from New York to Alaska and arrived in a bit of a grumpy mood as you'll see in the video below. But the zookeepers are confident they will like their new home because it more closely resembles their natural environment of the Russian Far East. Amur or Siberian Tigers are the largest of the wild cats at up to 500 pounds and they live 15 - 20 years. Here's to the long life of Korol and Kunali! Read the full story about Alaska Zoo gets 2 new rare Amur tigers from N.Y.
Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
You may have heard that the Sumatran Tiger is on the endangered species list and is expected to become extinct by 2020. But thanks to Molek, the female Sumatran tiger at the Auckland Zoo, the Sumatran Tiger Population increased by 3 cubs less than a week ago. The zoo had 2 Sumatran tigers, Molek and a male named Oz who is the father of the cubs. Now they have 5 healthy and happy Sumatran tigers.
The keepers have stayed away from Molek and her cubs for the past week so that they will have a chance to bond. But yesterday, the keepers went inside the tiger enclosure to get the first footage of the tiger cubs. Molek is a very confident and content mom as you can see in this video.
The Auckland Zoo has a Web Camera they call a CubCam so you can watch them grow and interact with each other and their mom. Read more about New Zealand zoo reports birth of 3 rare Sumatran tiger cubs.
Iowa is under many feet of water and the Humane Society of the United States together with local shelters has been working to rescue people and their pets. See a slide show of some of the rescued pets and their people.
But there is so much more to be done. The animals need your help. Here is a list of donations as of today. But this list will keep changing. Check Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center for updated lists of needed items.
Donations List: The most urgent need is for large outdoor kennels for dogs, the chain link kind. Please drop kennels off between 12-3 at Barn #1. These don’t have to be new kennels, but in good working condition. Other needs are: medium, large and extra-large dog collars and harnesses; 6 ft. long heavy (1”) nylon dog leashes; cat havens; small (ceramic is best) food and water dishes for inside cat cages; copy paper; photo paper for Kodak Easy-Share camera; hand sanitizer; liquid hand soap; kitchen sponges; towels and sheets to use as bedding/cat cage covers; monetary donations to purchase medications, medical expenses, and care for animals with special needs.
Donations can be dropped off at the Fairgrounds between 10:00AM and 5:30 PM daily. Donations to the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation for both regular and emergency animal care can be made online or mail to Friends of the Animal Center Foundation at PO Box 1345, Iowa City, IA 52244-1345.
Routine Number: 319-356-5295
Phone Number for Emergency Animal Rescues Only: (612) 219-8510
It is so important to have an evacuation plan ready before these disasters happen. Find out how you can prepare your cat for evacuation.Other posts I think you might be into:
12 cats that will be extinct by 2020
Six diseases caused by dry cat food
My name is Melanie Walters and I love cats. I've started this blog to... You can read more about me and this blog in my "About Me" section.
