Archive for the ‘Cats’ Category

I got this list from the Food and Drug Association. It is really important that you know what you’re feeding your pets. We choose a raw diet from the grocery store and high grade pet foods, such as Taste of the Wild, Canidae and Felidae, Wellness, Innova, Blue Buffalo and California Natural. These are grain free diets, and you don’t see many recalls on them. What brand of food do you feed your pets and why?

Here’s the list:

The recalls on this list are primarily Class I. Definitions of Class I, II, and III recalls. Additional information about how recalls are conducted can be found at FDA 101: Product Recalls – From First Alert to Effectiveness Checks.

Note: This compiled list represents all pet food recalled since January 1, 2006. If and when new information is received, this list will be updated. The “Information Current as of” date provided above indicates when this Web page was updated; it does not indicate the date when the pet food recalls listed below were initiated. Once listed, each of the recalled pet food products remains listed, even if there are no new recalls associated with that product. Although we have taken care to make sure the information is accurate, if we learn that any information is not accurate we will revise the list as soon as possible. For initiation dates of specific recalls, click on the brand name and then the recall numbers that appear on these pages. For recalls that occurred before September 1, 2008, a date range might appear in the initiation date field. The date range indicates the timeframe within which multiple recalls of this product were initiated. For recalls that occur September 1, 2008 and after, the actual initiation date of each recall event is provided for each product. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled before September 1, 2008, the food product will be listed again, with the new recall initiation date. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled after September 1, 2008, the initiation date of the new recall event will be added to the previous date listed.

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I’ve gotten this in my email box quite a few times and it never ceases to make me laugh, so I thought I’d share. Obviously this is NOT the correct way to give a pill to cat. I found a few links that do describe a better way to give your cat a pill and will list them below the article.

How to Give a Cat a Pill (followed by How to Give a Dog a Pill)

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm, as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop in the pill. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor, and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw away soggy pill.

4. Take new pill from foil wrapper. Cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force open the jaws and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl, and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees. Hold front and rear paws, ignoring low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand, while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigourously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, and get another pill from foil wrapper. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth, and set aside for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel, and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat’s mouth open with pencil, and blow down straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill is not harmful to humans. Drink one beer to take awy taste of pill. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbour’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage, and replace cupboard door on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot and drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check medical records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw away tee-shirt and fetch another one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrapper.

13. Tie the little sod’s front paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Fetch heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth, followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash down pill.

14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm, and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call in at furniture shop on the way home, to order new dining table.

15. Place “Free Mutant Cat from Hell” ad in local newspaper and ring local pet shop to see if they have any bunnies.

How to Give a Dog a Pill

1. Wrap it in bacon.

Humor put aside, I put a few links together to help you give your cat a pill.

Partners in Animal Health

About.com-Veterinary Medicine

Pet Place

Cats are notoriously sore losers. Coming in second best, especially to someone as poorly coordinated as a human being, grates their sensibility. – Stephen Baker

The Abyssinian [ab-uh-sin-ee-uh] is one of the oldest cat breeds around. You can find them in colors of red, fawn, blue or ruddy. Whatever the color,  the Abyssinian has no markings around the neck, legs, or tail but have beautiful dramatic facial markings.

This beautiful cat’s history is unclear, as there are very few records of where they came from and when, but it has been said that they can be regarded as the nearest approach to the Sacred Cat of Ancient Egypt now existing. The name Abyssinian is thought to have come about because they were first imported to England from Abyssinia, which is now Ethiopia. The Abyssinian made his first appearance in England in 1871 at a show where he won 3rd prize. The early 1900′s is when they were first imported to North America.

The Abyssinian is a very social cat, and it is recommended that they have companionship of some kind. They love their humans, but tend not to be lap cats. They prefer a good ride on your shoulders! These family cats are extremely loyal, intelligent, playful, and full of life. They have been known to teach their owners that dogs aren’t the only ones who enjoy a good game of fetch. If you want a constant companion who will love you and make you laugh, the Abyssinian may be the right cat for you!

Here are some great rescues and resources that I found online:

Atlanta Abyssinian Rescue

Aksum Abyssinians-State by State Abyssinian listings

And these links are where I got my information for this blog:

Cat Channel

Abyssinian Club

Cat Fanciers Association (CFA)

“I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.” – Hippolyte Taine

The definition of puppy mill according to Wikipedia- A puppy mill, sometimes known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility that is operated with an emphasis upon profits above animal welfare and is often in substandard conditions regarding the well-being of dogs in their care. Similar types of operations exist for other animals commonly kept as pets or used as feed for other animals.

We’ve all seen the commercials showing these terribly sad, poor dogs and cats in cages with Sarah McLachlan as the spokes person. Most of us, anyway. Our hearts break when we see it and we know that this is happening all over America. What can we do about it? The easiest thing for you to do is do not buy a puppy until extensive research has been done on the breeder. There are a lot of puppy “stores” that will tell you that they do not buy from puppy mills, but ask them for the address of the puppy’s breeder and go there. You need to see the surroundings of the puppy and meet the puppy’s parents. Any breeder that can’t allow this or any puppy “store” that cannot give you an address has something very shady is going on.

There are so many wonderful, adoptable dogs that need a home. My Mom, Vicki Lunceford adopted a Lhasa Apso from Atlanta Pet Rescue, Sassy, and she is a puppy mill rescue. She’s coming around very well, but she has a lot of issues that my Mom has had to find answers to. Before rescued, puppy mill dogs are kept in small cages and never let out, sometimes more than one per cage. This makes it more difficult to teach house training and leash training, among other learned behaviors. Patience and understanding are required to adopt one of these  dogs, but to see the pride on one of these dogs’ little faces when something finally clicks is priceless.

Below is a story that I found on the ASPCA site about a few rescued pups that need a home and some that have been adopted.

The Lucky 34—Meet Our Puppy Mill Survivors

On February 7, 34 dogs who once endured terrible living conditions in a notorious puppy mill operation in Holly Springs, MS, were transported to the Big Apple in search of new forever homes. The dogs, many of whom are small breeds, are not the cute, cuddly pups often displayed in pet shop windows, but mothers and fathers who were used as breeding stock at the puppy mill.

These special pups have spent their entire lives confined to tiny wire cages, which inhibit natural behaviors like running, playing and even stretching. Trading the stark environment of a puppy mill for novel sights, sounds and sensations can be tremendously overwhelming for these sheltered animals. Simple behaviors like potty training, sitting on laps or even walking on a leash are challenging activities. Ample recovery time helps, so too does the dedication of a very special adopter—one who will provide lots of love and unconditional acceptance.

Think you have what it takes to care for one of these special pooches? Here are a few of the extraordinary puppy mill survivors who are just waiting for laps to call their own.

Clementine

Check out teeny Clementine. She’s a bit of a nervous Nelly, but who can blame a girl? Clem needs an experienced adopter—are you that pro? If you can help our little Miss Sunshine come out of her shell and experience the world with freedom and love, you may be the perfect pet parent for her.

Lugini

Lugini is a sweet and shy Chihuahua boy with lots of love to give. He just needs a little time to get comfy—after all, he’s seen a lot in his short life. Like most puppy mill survivors, Lugini is a high flight risk as he startles easily and may bolt. It is wise to always keep him on a leash or enjoy playtime in a fenced-in yard. While a true work in progress, this special munchkin is bound to make you laugh and smile.

For more information about adopting one of these dogs, please visit our Adoption Center online and for expert tips on living with a puppy mill dog, visit ASPCA.org.

JUST ADOPTED!

Buffy

Buffy is a sensitive girl from Mississippi—a true diamond in the rough. A sweet little Rat Terrier, Buffy is healthy physically but fairly damaged emotionally. She lived for years in a mill churning out puppies for money. While she needs a little extra time to warm up to strangers, Buffy’s true colors were recently noticed by a visitor to our Adoption Center. We are happy to report this tiny pup is happily settling in to her new forever home!

Betty and Wilma

These sugary-sweet sisters endured some rough times at the Mississippi puppy mill before landing in the Big Apple—and their lack of experience shows. Both tend to lag a bit behind on walks—like most mill dogs, they have never experienced walking on a leash. And neither of the girls are potty trained—also common with mill dogs who have been forced to relieve themselves in their cages for years. Despite these minor setbacks, these two sisters wowed potential adopters with their sweet-as-pie kisses and have recently been adopted!

We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form.  ~William Ralph Inge, Outspoken Essays, 1922

You may remember the story about my husband and me taking in the meanest little feral that we’ve ever met. She was rescued from an alley in Lawrenceville by Penny from Huff’s Flowers, along with the mama cat and also a little boy cat. The mama and brother came out of their feral state fairly quickly, but Nancy held strong to her hissing, spitting and claw swinging ways.

It was quite a journey with Nancy (who was named after the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist, Sid Vicious). On the advice of many folks that are experienced with feral cats, we kept Nancy in a bathroom to get her used to living indoors. That should have been only for a couple of weeks, but as I said, she held strong to being fearful and literally aggressive. Every day, 4 to 10 times per day, Denny and I would try to interact with her, going in the large bathroom, playing with her toys, luring her with treats, etc. Not much progress was made.

I was at my wit’s end, not knowing what else to do. It had been 3 1/2 months, and we were afraid to let Nancy out of the bathroom to interact with our 3 dogs and other 3 cats. We didn’t want her to get hurt or get lost in the house, basically being an indoor feral. One of my best friends convinced me that the only way Nancy will ever “come out of it” was to let her out of the bathroom, and see how domesticated cats act. Well, Denny and I discussed it and neither one of us was crazy about the idea, but we didn’t know anything else to do. We opened the bathroom door and went out into the living room to see what was going to happen.

Nancy slowly but surely came out of the bathroom, growling and hissing as loudly as possible. Then, she made her way upstairs, which is where our “cats’ room” is, where fresh food, water and litter boxes are (she also had those things in her bathroom, of course) and we didn’t see her again for 2 days. I was so scared that she was going to find a way to get into the attic or into the ventilation (there’s no way, I was just concerned about her to no end).

Of course, our two small dogs were really curious about what this little gray, growling and hissing animal was up to. We keep a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs so that the dogs don’t get into the cats’ room and eat their food or “kitty crunchies,” so they just stared up at the loft for days. Finally, Nancy showed her little face, peeking over our living room from the loft, and then jumped down onto a large wooden decorative shelving piece that we have in our living room to observe us.

Now, months later, this little kitty is another member of our family. My friend Allison was right, she just needed to interact with the other cats to see what it’s all about. There was a lot of growling and hissing from our other 3 cats at first, but now they are all buddies. Nancy follows me around in the morning at feeding time, big fluffy tail up in the air, just meowing away with our other morning beggar, Comet. She and Chili play non-stop, getting pretty rough, but still just play. They run up and down the stairs, just going completely crazy. Nancy even gets up on the couch and asks for attention from Denny and me now. She is very skittish and probably always will be, but she is as normal as a cat can ever be at this point. Nancy has come a long way and we are very proud of her! Now, if I can just find a way to teach her that she is not allowed on the kitchen counter!!!

“The phrase ‘domestic cat’ is an oxymoron.” – George Will

Feral cats are descended from domestic cats but are born and live without human contact. The difference between a stray cat and a feral cat is that strays are homeless descendants of domestic cats, but unlike feral cats, have had prior contact with humans, therefore exhibit temperament similar to that of a domesticated cat.

The average lifespan of a feral cat that survives beyond kittenhood is about 2 years for individual cats and about 5 years for those who live in a managed colony. Indoor domesticated cats live on average from 12 to 18 years, but it isn’t unheard of for them to live to their early 20′s.

There are programs called “Trap-Neuter-Release” or “TNR” that can help reduce the feral cat population. They help improve the health and quality of life for the feral cats by vaccinating and sterilizing them. This helps prevent the spread of disease and also prevents more litters being born into this harsh way of living.

Listed below are some TNR programs, rescue groups and other resources that can help you learn more about ferals and what you can do to help.

Altered Feral State: Walton, Newton & Rockdale Counties

Athens Area Humane Society: Athens

Atlanta Cat Rescue: Atlanta

CampusCats: University of West Georgia, Carrollton

Carroll County Humane Society: Villa Rica

Cat Zip Alliance: Athens

CatLanta: Atlanta

Cat Nappers: Albany

Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen: Lawrenceville

For Paws Sake: Conyers

Furkids: Atlanta

Georgia Humane Society: Sharpsburg

Humane Society of Forsyth County: Cumming

Island Feral Cat Project: Savannah

Lifeline Animal Project: Avondale Estates

Project Catsnip: Atlanta

Spay Georgia

The Milton Project: Savannah

The Sterile Feral: Northwest Georgia

University of Georgia: Athens

Whiskers Project: Blairsville

This information was gathered from The Humane Society and Wikipedia

Prowling his own quiet backyard or asleep by the fire, he is still only a whisker away from the wilds. – Jean Burden

This is a fantastic article from www.all-creatures.org

EXCELLENT GUIDELINES to SPOT and PREVENT ANIMAL CRUELTY!

1. Be aware. Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn’t know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU–that’s why it’s so important to keep your eyes and ears open. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you’re more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly–a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms that we see in many of the cases we investigate:

· Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal’s death.

· Wounds on the body.

· Patches of missing hair.

· Extremely thin, starving animals.

· Limping.

· An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.

· Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.

· Dogs who have been hit by cars–or are showing any of the signs listed above–and have not been taken to a veterinarian.

· Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.

· Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

 

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. We’re lucky here at the ASPCA in New York City, because we have Humane Law Enforcement officers who have the power to investigate and arrest perpetrators of animal cruelty in the state of New York. But every state and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact your local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren’t sure where to report cruelty, you can search our Humane Law Enforcement directory online or ask your local humane organization.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME–and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state’s animal cruelty laws. They vary from state to state, and even from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA’s website and get a wallet-sized printout with outlines of the animal welfare laws in all 50 states.

7. You can fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.  It’s frustrating when I have built a strong case against someone who has been arrested for cruelty to animals and the judge treats it like a simple violation. But with stronger laws, they’ll be more likely to receive tougher penalties. You’ll receive e-mails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws–and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve. But it’s more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And I always give my own pets lots of hugs when I get home!

9. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. I regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn’t treating the family’s pets right, I tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day, or if they spent some time playing with them. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, I’ll say, ‘You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can’t do that. Don’t you think he’d like a nice warm place to go, too?’ I know of families who watch Animal Precinct together, and I think it can help children realize that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness. You can see these emotions on the faces of the animals on the show.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Before I even knew that police for animals existed, I was volunteering at an animal shelter. It’s a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area with our National Shelter Directory.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -Mahatma Gandhi

I see awesome pets all over Gwinnett County in cities such as Lawrenceville, Snellville, Suwanee, Lilburn and Grayson. I know that most pet owners love to occasionally go all out and do something extra special for their pets, so I’ve collected some recipes that I’ve found online for tasty treats that you can make yourself!

DOGGY MEATLOAF AND VEGETABLES

From www.allrecipes.com

As a pet sitter in Gwinnett County, I do quite a bit of driving all over the many cities, including Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Snellville and Grayson. Being that so much of my day is spent on the roads, it’s hard not to notice how many unfortunate kitties are hit by cars. If you do allow your cats to go outside, please make sure that they are up to date on vaccinations, spayed or neutered, have collar with ID, and are micro-chipped.

Although cats love to go outdoors  for many reasons, the truth is that outdoor cats have an average life span of 3 to 5 years, when indoor cats have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years old. That’s quite a difference! Being owned by 4 cats of my own, I know how it is to have a cat constantly yowling to get outside. Besides the guilt, it can get pretty loud when you’re trying to sleep or concentrate! There are a lot of things that you can do to “compromise” with your cat. I’ve compiled some good ideas for you to try out with your frisky felines:

Fence: Ok, ok, so keeping a cat in a fence can be nearly impossible. They can jump it or find holes. It’s definitely not fail proof, but to limit escapes, you can hang wire mesh at the top of the fence at a 45 degree angle. This would probably work best on a high, wooden fence. There are also invisible fences that use collars that as the cat gets closer to the boundary that you don’t want them to cross, it will tingle and as they near closer, it will actually give the cat an electric shock to tell them to stay away. Obviously the wire mesh is a bit less harsh.

Leash: There is nothing I love more than harnessing my cats and taking them in the backyard. They don’t really know how to act and it definitely takes some training to get them used to it. You want to make sure you have a well-fitted harness, snug but not tight, and perhaps a retractable leash to give your kitty more free reign. Patience is necessary to leash your cat, that’s for sure! When you start, I suggest starting at a quiet time of day, like early morning or evening.

Cat Door: Our cats have a window that they go out of into our screened porch. We have lattice work around the bottom of the screen so that they can’t claw their way out. They love it out there and we think that they are mostly satisfied with this “outdoor” time, although Comet never stops trying to fly past us as we’re going out or coming in! Some things never change. A fenced yard with the wire mesh on the fence is another place that the cat door can lead to.

Runs and Pens: You can use a wire dog crate to let your cat have some time outside, but there are great alternatives to that. There are a number of habitats, pens and runs that you can buy or build yourself at a huge range in prices, from cheap to extremely expensive. I’ll list a few of the companies and their websites at the end of this blog post.

A few things to keep your indoor cat happy besides supervised out doors time are cat grass and cat nip that you grow yourself (make sure that what you buy is for cats; for a list of poisonous plants to cats, go to http://www.bestfitpetsit.com/archives/201 ), cat trees that they can climb, window perches and boxes, and lots of interactive toys that you and your cat can play with together.

Here are a few of the companies that I found online that sell great enclosures so that your cat can enjoy the outdoors safely:

Habitat Haven

Cages By Design

Purr…Fect Fence

Kittywalk Systems

Safecat Outdoor Enclosure

Cats-On-Line.com

Drs. Foster and Smith

Wild Whiskers

Cats On Deck

C & D Pet Products

Prowling his own quiet backyard or asleep by the fire, he is still only a whisker away from the wilds. – Jean Burden

Our little feral kitten, Nancy, continues to grow, but is remaining pretty darn wild and fearful. For those of you who aren’t sure what the definition of feral is: existing in a natural state, as animals or plants; not domesticated or cultivated; wild (Dictionary.com).

We had her spayed and her 2nd round of vaccinations (I hate all of these vaccinations, but that’s another subject) this past Wednesday at the Spay and Neuter Clinic in Lawrenceville in Honest Alley. I’m afraid that the little bit of progress that I had made with her has disappeared because of the stress of being crated, taken to the vet, spayed and then brought back. We did have her in a very small bathroom and have moved her to our larger master bathroom, so that probably didn’t help, either. At least this way, we have more room to hang out with her for longer periods. We’re going to bring chairs in and a t.v. and watch some movies in there a couple of times a week. This will get her used to humans and the usual sounds of general home life.

I had gotten to the point before where I could pet her when she was distracted by a toy and she actually purred a couple of times. I can’t tell you how much my heart leapt when she started purring! Eureka! It’s going to take a lot more time, patience, and persistence, but Denny and I really believe that we will get through to her one day. We’ll slowly but surely have to introduce her to the rest of the pack. That’s going to be quite interesting, I’m sure, and a far way down the road.

Needless to say, I have a lot of scratches and scars from attempts to pet her before she was spayed. I haven’t tried again since then, because she has such a look of fear on her little face. I’m just keeping the faith in hopes to get through to her.

Do you have experience or stories with feral cats? I’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your stories, thoughts, comments, questions, and experience.

I’m only a cat,
and I stay in my place…
Up there on your chair,
on your bed or your face!

I’m only a cat,
and I don’t finick much…
I’m happy with cream
and anchovies and such!

I’m only a cat,
and we’ll get along fine…
As long as you know
I’m not yours… you’re all mine!

Author Unknown