Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts

Wednesday, 9 October 2024

Marissa wanted to adopt one shelter cat but came away with two brothers


This is a classic. What I mean is that some kind people can't turn away from the obligation to adopt two cats at a shelter if those cats are bonded. It is a product of kindness and decency. Marissa Monteleone (@mydogsdope), 30, must be both kind and decent and an animal lover. And sometimes it is necessary to adopt two bonder pets together.

She visited the shelter with her husband with the intention of adding a cat to her family. They spotted a cat that they had fallen in love with online but when they arrived they found out that this particular cat had a brother who wasn't listed on the website. She explains:
"The shelter told us they weren't bonded and that they would be fine if we separated them. My husband and I immediately looked at each other and knew we would be leaving with both. We have two dogs already, Pluto and Astra. So, we brought the cats home and named them Rover and Cosmo to stick with our space theme."

The video shows them snuggled up together. Viewers understand why they've been kept together. They have adapted to their new home and adjusted to the new environment and met their canine siblings.


For a while, Marissa kept them separated from the dogs so they could become comfortable in the new home. As it happens, they never left each other's side. Rover is curious and loves to play while Cosmo is very sweet and a bit shy compared to his brother. They are, it is said, opposite but they complement each other.

The story is about going into a shelter to adopt one cat and coming out with two because you want to keep the cats together. This is a great act of kindness in my view and I think necessary if cats are very close which these two are. Of course you take a double the commitment which includes near double the expenses over the rest of the cats' lives.


The story comes from Newsweek. Thank you. 

------------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

Monday, 25 December 2023

Animal shelter has a true miracle at Christmas: empty cages

Brilliant empty shelter at Christmas at the Adams County SPCA in Gettysburg
Brilliant empty shelter at Christmas at the Adams County SPCA in Gettysburg. Image: Facebook

What better Christmas gift for shelter staff than achieving the Holy Grail of sheltering: all cats and dogs adopted for Christmas? None left at the shelter. It is empty except for the staff twiddling their thumbs! Well not quite because there was one tabby kitten (believed) remaining for adoption probably because he came in quite recently.

The shelter I am writing about is the Adams County SPCA in Gettysburg and they announced their miracle moment on their Facebook page.

The post says it all. It is the first time in 47 years that they have been empty (bar one kitten who I hope has been adopted by now).


"It's a true miracle. To say that we are beyond excited is an understatement."
-------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Sunday, 3 December 2023

Quirky, honest advert and good photos get this anti-social tortoiseshell cat adopted!

The story of Quinn, I think, helps us understand how best to ensure that a rescue cat at a shelter is adopted. Quinn is a female cat but to me the name is male but that is an important. She is a tortoiseshell-and-white cat with attitude. And her adoption advert from the Humane Society of Washington County in Hagerstown, Maryland, USA, has been reported on social media.

Quinn. Photo: Humane Society.

Fox News reports it which is highly unusual. They describe the adoption advert as funny and honest. It's quirky. It's different. And I suspect that the person who wrote the advert, a staffer at the Humane Society, had become exasperated because Quinn was the longest-term resident at a shelter run I believe in partnership with the Humane Society.

The advert went viral on Facebook and was picked up by news media. Here's a taster of what they wrote to attract attention:
"Do you want a cat who doesn't want you? Do you crave the feeling of being judged in your own home? Do you need someone who will slap you back into reality without notice? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we have the cat for you. Meet Quinn."
They made it clear that Quinn was not a cat for everyone but somebody might like her icy stare and sudden snacks! And they said that she has "an uncanny ability to make people feel unwelcome in her presence - which is perfect for those who are 'tired of visitors'." 

And further they said that Quinn is essentially a...
 "lively houseplant, because all she really needs a human for is food, water and changing her litter. If you adopt Quinn, you will not be her owner, because Quinn cannot be owned. She will own you, your house, your belongings and everything you hold dear." 
You get the drift. Added to these derogatory words about Quinn which were tongue in cheek, there are some really nice photographs. I think all shelter should produce what I call readable photographs meaning photographs in which you can see the cat clearly. They don't have to be beautiful, pretty pictures but should be clear and clean.

The stark change in advertising M.O. came about because originally their advert was very standard and conservative but nobody get the bait. They weren't interested.

The Humane Society shelter (the Humane Society works in partnership with shelters as I understand it and do not run their own shelters) decided that honesty was the best policy and it certainly is as shown by this new story.

And if you read between the lines you know that you're going to adopt a cat which is a typical domestic cat in many ways. This is a tortoiseshell-and-white. They are known to have a bit of attitude but beneath that personality there is a loving cat waiting to get out.

And on November 24, the Humane Society tells us that Quinn has been adopted.

The lesson from this story is to be honest, clear and forthright in telling the world about a rescue cat to which you add nice, clear and crisp photographs and then you let the cat do the talking because somebody will come along who appreciates the honest direct approach.

Here is a Facebook post from the Humane Society.


-----

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Saturday, 9 September 2023

Animal shelter is heartbroken at the prospect of splitting up mum and daughter cats but should they be?

The news media reports that staff at an animal charity in Warrington, Warrington Animal Welfare, say that they are going to be heartbroken if a mother and daughter duo, Isobelle and Phoebewho have lived at the shelter for a considerable time, are split up. 

The pair are aged four and two respectively. They say that they are the longest staying shelter cats at their rescue and if they can't be rehomed together there may have to be split up and rehomed separately.

Animal shelter is heartbroken at the prospect of splitting up mum and daughter cats but should they be?
Isobelle and Phoebe at Warrington Animal Welfare. Photos by the rescue.

But if they are rehomed separately the staff at the shelter would be upset. But I question whether they should be upset because in the natural course of events, daughters and sons of parent cats become independent at a certain point in time. 

In the wild, they would leave the natal range and find their own home range and thereby find their own home. They would become independent at a certain age after their mother had shown them how to kill prey and bring it back to the den.

So, my argument is that splitting up mother and daughter is not such a big deal as the shelter staff think it would be. I don't think the daughter would be particularly upset and neither would the mother unless there is a particularly close bond between the two for whatever reason but that, I believe, is unlikely.

You get a similar story with siblings. Some people think that siblings should stay together at the shelter and be rehomed together. But the truth is that if they are adopted by somebody before they become fully independent, when they become independent, they might start fighting each other. You can't automatically presume that siblings will get along well. They might but they might not.

Tuesday, 11 July 2023

Great looking cat with a moustache is unwanted at a Blue Cross shelter, UK

This is very strange. The cat's name is Miko and she has a stunning appearance. It's the kind of appearance that would normally attract a lot of attention with people applying to adopt her quickly. If people want a cat that looks interesting this is the kind of cat you would want to adopt. But we are told by the Blue Cross charity in Hertfordshire, UK that Miko has received no applications for her adoption. She appears to be unwanted. She has no behavioural problems and is described as a confident girl.

Interesting-looking Miko is unwanted but why? She is 10 and healthy with a nice character. Image: Blue Cross.

There appears to be no health problems as far as I am aware (please check with Blue Cross). She looks a little bit overweight in the picture but nothing really to report. The key factor might be this: she is 10 years of age. This is not particularly old but it is middle-aged towards old age by some people's standards. 

The reason is that older cats are more likely to suffer from ill-health and you have to deal with the end-of-life complications and pressures sooner. But older cats can be great companions too as they 'know the ropes'.

It is known that older cats are harder to rehome than for example kittens. But you would have thought that her appearance would make up for that age barrier. If you are interested, please click on this link to go to the Blue Cross website to meet Miko on that website.

Location: Kimpton Btm, Hitchin SG4 8EU, UK.

Her description is as follows:

Meet the gorgeous Miko

Miko is a cat who is full of quirk and personality, she has stolen the hearts of all the cattery staff here at Blue Cross Hertfordshire. Miko is a confident girl but she can take a while to build a bond with a new person, however once she has, she is affectionate on her terms and might even give you some licks on your hand. Despite her age, she is full of life and enjoys playing with feathers and rod toys. She especially loves chewing on some cat grass!

Miko is looking for a home with a lovely garden for her to sunbathe in. She needs a home with only adults or older teenagers and no other pets. Miko is a truly unique girl, who likes things her way and will make an amazing companion to someone looking for a bit of company and a furry friend to share their life with.

Saturday, 29 April 2023

Gen Z pet owners (ages 18 to 25) are far more likely than other age groups to have a variety of pets

Forbes Advisor has produced some interesting statistics about pet ownership in the United States of America. Perhaps the leading statistic from this research is in the headline. Generation Z as they are called are far more likely than other generations to have a pet with, for example, 86% having a dog and 81% having a cat. 

It doesn't stop there because 46% have a bird and 30% keep a hamster or guinea pig. By contrast, baby boomers, those born after the Second World War, are the least likely to have a pet; 50% have a dog and 42% have a cat. Only 6% have a hamster or guinea pig by comparison.

Image: MikeB - Gen Z pet owners (ages 18 to 25) are far more likely than other age groups to have a variety of pets.

Big increase in pet owners

So, there's been a massive increase in the number of pet owners in America and the same applies to the UK by the way. And this increase is mainly coming from Generation Z, the country's young people. 

Covid

They are turning to pets and I wonder whether Covid-19 had a major role to play in this. You know those two years when people were stuck at home getting bored and feeling isolated? Well, that's certainly brought about a surge in adoptions simply for companionship.

And they felt that because they were at home working, they had the time to give to a newly adopted companion animal. Perhaps, though, the problem was that they weren't fully prepared. Sometimes they adopted in a self-indulgent way.

These thoughts are, I notice, supported by the Forbes survey when they state that "78% of pet owners surveyed by Forbes Advisor acquired pets during the pandemic".

1988

Forbes say that you would find a pet in the USA in 1988 in 56% of homes. In 2023 the percentage has climbed to 66%.

More dogs than cats

I have read many articles in which the general tenor is that there is an equal number of cats and dogs in the US but these statistics undermine that statement. As at 2023, dogs are the most popular pets in the US with 65.1 million US households owning a dog followed by cats at 46.5 million and freshwater fish at 11.1 million. 

That means the number of dog owning households is 1.4 times the number of cat owning households in America. That's a big difference. Although by itself it doesn't say that there are more dogs than cats in the US.

Although, I just noticed that in this case it does mean just that. They estimated that there are 65.1 million dogs in the US as at 2023 in comparison to 46.5 million domestic cats. In comparison, there are 2.2 million horses kept I presume as pets or companion animals in the US as at this date. 

Lower than I am used to seeing

Note: these figures seem lower than what I read in the past. I've seen figures as high as 80 million domestic cats in the US but clearly these were estimates. And also, on a separate topic, there are many estimates about the number of feral cats in the US and the numbers vary wildly indicating that the experts simply don't know.

Cost

On the issue of costs, typically dog owners spend $339 on food for their dog and $367 on veterinary care, $79 on toys, $99 on grooming and $28 on "other" making a grand total of $912 per year on a dog in the US.

As for cats, a cat owner spends $310 on food annually, $253 on veterinary care, $50 on toys, $18 on grooming, and $22 on other making a grand total of $653 annually on a cat. Note, I have used the singular "cat" or "dog" in those statements. I have made a presumption because Forbes does not tell me whether those are the costs for cats, plural, or dogs, plural. I will presume it must be for one cat or one dog.

Overall, in 2022, Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets which is up 10.68% from the previous year.

Adoption - buying

Perhaps rather sadly, 42% of dog owners acquired their pet from a store which is considered not the ideal route to acquire a pet because when you buy one from a store sometimes you don't know how good the dog is in terms of health and their pedigree. The same of course applies to any animal bought at a pet shop. 

In contrast, 43% of cat owners got their pets from a store. 40% of cat owners acquired their cat from a shelter while 30% of dog owners did the same thing.

Home owners

As expected, people who own their homes are more likely to have a companion animal compared to those who rent.

Better off

Also, the better-off households are more likely to own a companion animal. 63% of households with an annual income of a hundred thousand dollars lived with a dog while 40% lived with a cat. You can see the bias towards dogs here and I would suspect that households with higher incomes are more likely to adopt or purchase a dog than a cat. 

My argument is that higher income families are more alpha in their behaviour and more alpha males, for example, are more likely to prefer dogs to cats. That may be a crude argument but I think it is plausible.

Breeders

7% of cat owners bought their cat from a breeder. In comparison, 23% of dog owners bought their dog from a breeder. This probably reflects the fact that there are far more purebred dogs than purebred cats for the simple reason that domestic dogs have been around far longer than domestic cats. There are more dog breeds than there are cat breeds. Far more in fact as I recall. So, it is far more normal to buy a purebred dog than a purebred cat.

One cat or dog

65% of dog owning households owned just one dog in 2020 compared to 60% in 2016 and 56% of cat owning households owned just one cat in 2020 compared to 53% in 2016.

The best cities for pet owners in the USA

In the following order, the best cities for pet owners in the USA, led by Tucson, Arizona with a score of 100 are: Raleigh, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Wichita, Kansas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Plano, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; Glendale, Arizona.

Tucson had a dog vet cost score of 90, a cat vet score of 89.89, a vet access score of 92.67, a pet friendly spaces score at 78.02. Glendale had a dog vet cost score of 72.22, a cat vet cost score of 71.91, a vet access score of 96.00, a pet friendly spaces score of 80.70 and an overall score of 88.99. Glendale was in 10th place but still of course in the top 10 best cities for pet owners in the USA.

Sunday, 9 April 2023

Can you predict an adult cat's personality from their behaviour as a kitten?

This is a question that is sometimes asked. I think you have to apply a bit of common sense. There would seem to be two distinct personality types (a) confident and outgoing and (b) timid, shy and retiring.

2 main character types for cats
2 main character types for cats. Image: MikeB

Cat adopts person

Sometimes people tell us their stories when adopting a cat from a shelter. They say that the cat adopted them. The same applies to dogs.

When a rescue cat at a shelter comes to the potential adopter in any one of many ways, it indicates that they are a little bit more confident than another cat who stays at the back of their cage. The one that holds back is the more reticent retiring one.

You can tell the difference between two different types of cat in terms of confidence levels. This character trait will be with them all their lives. And that's quite important because the degree of confidence compared to the degree of timidity is quite an important factor in how the other aspects of the cat's character develop.

Developing character

For instance, a confident cat is more likely to come forward, interact and to explore and to have new experiences and therefore become more rounded and more able to deal with strange and novel things.

In contrast, the timid cat will enjoy less experiences and even might hide when anything new happens. Both cat types have their advantages in my opinion. 

But the point here is that you can tell how a kitten will develop on these broad-brush aspects of character namely confidence and timidity.

Confident cats are more popular

Most people like confident cats because they interact more. But the advantages of a timid cat are often not discussed. One benefit is that because they are more retiring and content to be less active, they are more likely to enjoy the benefits of being full-time inside the home.

They are less likely to want to go out and explore. They are, therefore, less likely to come to harm. And if they are indoor/outdoor cats they are less likely to wander away far and wide if they lack confidence. Getting lost is less of an issue.

Timid is better

I think a domestic cat which is slightly timid is perhaps a better domestic cat companion than a confident one.

The trend nowadays is to keep cats indoors full-time particularly if you live in an urban environment. You don't want to live with a very boisterous active cat under those circumstances.

Bengal cat

Example, the Bengal cat is known to be pretty active, confident and lively. Some people keep them in apartments full-time. I don't think that can work.

In fact, when I lived in an apartment block a friend of mine in a nearby block was the caregiver of an F3 Bengal cat, Daniel. This cat was climbing up the walls to get out.

And when the owner took Daniel out into the gardens for a walk it was impossible to contain him. If he was off the lead he was gone. The point is that apartment living for the confident boisterous outgoing cat might be too challenging.

But apartment living for a timid retiring cat who likes to hide is a good place to be. There is the advantage.

That argument goes against the general consensus that confident cats are better cats.

Young cats killed on roads

And let's remind ourselves that the cats most likely to be killed on the roads are young, immature and confident male cats. They are the ones who like exploring and taking risks.

What I'd choose

I'd argue that the better cat to live with is a slightly retiring, slightly timid, female. That's what I would choose if I was going to adopt a cat right now. Or even better than that you might adopt a disabled cat like a blind cat because you can then keep them indoors full-time without feeling guilty as you've got to keep them indoors.

Character nuances

As to the finer nuances in character, to go back to the original argument, I think you have to wait to when they become adult to find out what they are. Which, by the way, is one reason for adopting an adult cat over a kitten despite the fact that kittens are the most popular type of cat to adopt from a shelter.

If you adopt an adult cat, you know what you're getting, particularly older ones. When you adopt a kitten, you are adopting a cat companion which you don't know that well.

Hector

There is an interesting story on social media about a woman who adopted a male cat called Hector. When he was a kitten, he was sweet and funny but when he grew up "he became a cat that no one could touch, except me. He was easily overstimulated and would attack one's hand while he was being petted."

So, her male cat went from sweet and funny to too difficult to handle. You don't quite know what you're going to get when you adopt a kitten because you will not be able to really predict their adult character except for the broad-brush aspects as mentioned

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

China - farmer mistakenly adopts an Asiatic leopard cat thinking it was a tabby domestic cat

This has happened before in other countries. I can remember a guy adopting a bobcat kitten in America thinking that he was rescuing a cute tabby kitten until the kitten's behavior made him suspicious that it was something else.

It confirms what I have always said that the cute wild cats and wild kittens can be pretty wild and the sounds they make are sometimes extraordinary. Nothing like a domestic cat.

The Asiatic leopard cat is actually wilder than the bobcat so I expect that this farmer quickly realised that the cute kitten that he had adopted was far too wild to be a stray domestic kitten. He stumbled across the ball of fur while working his hillside farm in south-west China's Yunnan province, we are told by The Sun newspaper.

He had spotted the kitten strolling alone and thought that he or she had been abandoned perhaps and decided to take him home. He quickly realised that this was not a stray domestic cat.

He struggled to care for the kitten as he would have because these little balls of fluff are very wild. And the Asiatic leopard cat is known to be particularly independent-minded.

He consulted the police and realised what he had done. He had adopted a leopard cat. It is an endangered species across the planet and in China. They are protected in China.

He let the police take the cat from him and look after it. The video tells us that the police will hand the cat over to a rescue center where the intention is to prepare the animal for release into the wild.

I am not sure about the way the police are handling the kitten so much apparently, which can only make the task of releasing the cat into the wild harder.

They do look a little bit like tabby cats. Only the markings are a little more intense and you will see white fur next to the dark tabby markings on the head. Although in kittens the markings are less distinct.  But these higher contrast markings indicate wild cat and not tabby. That is a giveaway for me.

They believe that the mother was out hunting while leaving her kitten in a safe place. The kitten perhaps wandered off and then was taken by this man. The mother would have returned to where her kitten was and found that she/he had gone. It is almost certain that the mother had not abandoned her offspring.

Wednesday, 15 February 2023

Being sensible before adopting a cat companion (infographic)

In the army, there is an old adage, "Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted". In a roundabout way, it is applicable to this article. You would amend the adage to, "Time spent in preparation before adopting a cat is never wasted". It's about learning about cat behaviour and the basic health issues that you can encounter which impinges upon the expenses of looking after a cat companion. Budgeting is very important.

Diving in to adopt a cat companion without preparation is unwise. Perhaps that is common sense to most readers but it is not common sense to all people. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, there were some self-indulgent (as I would describe them) adoptions of cats and dogs in order to keep their owner company during long periods of lockdown. I don't agree with that unless these people were thinking about adopting a cat or dog for a long time and had made the necessary preparations.




There is a lot to think about before taking on the responsibility of looking after a cat or dog for their lifetime. It is a great commitment. Cats and dogs alter your lifestyle. Depending upon your connection with your cat and how strong the bond is, cats can prevent you from going on holiday for the entire time of their life. Because taking them to a boarding cattery is problematic and allowing a friend to look after your cat while you are away is also problematic.

That is just one illustration of how companion animals can profoundly impact a person's lifestyle. There has to be a change in one's habits and routines to suit the new member of the family.

There are many other issues such as financing. Looking after a cat or dog is more expensive than some people believe. There needs to be some fat in the family budget to accommodate the expenses. There's the question of insurance. Should I or shouldn't I take it out?

Should I adopt a purebred or rescue cat? The latter is certainly better for many reasons, the most important of which is that you are saving a life rather than preventing the saving of a life if you adopt the former!


The Infographic covers some basic points. This is a cross post from my main website because it's an important topic. It is the kind of topic that needs to be remembered and recycled because it is quite easy to become a little bit careless when adopting a cat.

If you just fancy adopting a companion animal because you're bored with your life, that is not a good starting point for obvious reasons. I know I am being strict and perhaps a little too organised but these are important points.

The last important point is that before adopting a cat or dog the person needs to know about feline and canine behaviour to enable them to better interact with their companion animal and in doing so to provide the kind of environment where they thrive and feel confident.

Tuesday, 13 September 2022

"Cat breeds I will never own" by an animal clinic worker

An animal clinic worker, Kaylnn, decided to tell us that there are four "cat breeds" that she would never own, and she has decided that she has the authority to tell us this. But her "advice" is hopelessly inaccurate and there are some glaring errors. It is all bollocks. She implies that in handling them at her clinic these cats have been very difficult.

"Cat breeds I will never own" by an animal clinic worker
"Cat breeds I will never own" by an animal clinic worker. It is all pure bollocks

She has produced a TikTok video which, I'm sorry to say, is hopeless as well. For example, she says that domestic longhaired cats are very badly behaved. "Domestic longhaired cats" are not a breed of cat. And therefore, she's got that wrong completely. And she's branding all longhaired domestic cats as being "a$$holes". This cannot be correct. It's impossible to state that and it is completely stupid. It goes against logic and the views of hundreds of millions of longhaired cat owners.

Please click on the video play button twice ✔️😊.

She says that the Ragdoll cat "will bite the $hit" outta u". In other words, all Ragdoll cats are biters and aggressive and nasty. That is also completely mad particularly as Ragdoll cats are bred to be passive and laid-back. Even if they were not passive and laid-back it is still completely incorrect to brand an entire cat breed as being biters. Incidentally, the Ragdoll is in the top 3 most popular cat breeds 👍.

She also says that the Bengal cat behaves like a wild leopard. And she brands the wildcat hybrid cats as being impossible. Well, wildcat hybrid cats can be a little bit more aggressive than your standard domestic cat, but they are still very unaggressive, and they make very good companions albeit more active than the average cat. It is even specified in the cat breed standard for the Bengal cat that they must be unaggressive. And therefore, all breeders of this breed of cat make a particular effort to achieve that goal.

Surprisingly, too, she states that she would never adopt a Persian cat using these words: "h3ll no". Persian cats are known to be passive, and some people describe them as being a bit like the furniture. They can be a little bit nervous which means they have a reputation for inappropriate elimination i.e., not peeing in the litter box. But they do not have a reputation for being difficult or aggressive for any other aspect of personality which makes them poor companions.

That's it. She has picked three cat breeds and one type of cat to state that they are all unadoptable in her opinion. I thought I might chat about it for a while and on this page, you can see her TikTok video above.

Please note, that her video has been downloaded to my desktop and uploaded to this website because this is allowed by the TikTok administrators. It is better to do it this way rather than embed the video on this webpage because sometimes videos on these third-party sites are deleted which stops the video working on this site.

Monday, 22 August 2022

2 cats in RSPCA shelter fall in love

The RSPCA say this about 'Lord and Lady Sugar', two rescue cats in their care who've fallen in love: "A beautiful love story so far for Lord and Lady Sugar. Will you be part of their next chapter?"


Link to the RSPCA on TikTok: rspca_official. For this video and others.

Is there someone out there, ready to adopt them as a pair? You know what they say about adopting rescue cats in pairs it makes life much easier for the human caregiver because they can entertain themselves. 

It takes some of the pressure away from ensuring that your cats are happy and content and entertained. It becomes a shared responsibility which I think is beautiful. If you have a ready-made relationship like this one where two cats get along so well, I think it should be taken with both arms.


Monday, 15 November 2021

Health checklist for all new cat arrivals

Is the kitten healthy? Checklist infographic by MikeB
Is the kitten healthy? Checklist infographic by MikeB

Before you do a health checklist for all new cat arrivals you should have done a checklist as to whether you are in the right place physically, emotionally and monetarily to adopt a cat. I discuss the latter issues quite extensively on another page which you can read by clicking the link below;

Should I get a cat?

If you have adopted from a shelter your cat will have been through their standard checks and vaccinations. You should therefore both be in a good place. Likewise, if you have adopted from a purebred cat breeder, your cat will have been thoroughly checked and vaccinated and you will have received all the papers you need to prove pedigree and ownership et cetera. Once again things should be in place but here's a list nonetheless for those intermediate cases where you've adopted a cat informally and in case there are problems even when buying from a breeder.

Check list

It is advisable to watch your new cat's behaviour closely especially during the first 24-hours in your home. You can watch for potential health problems. The list below is prepared by Dr. Bruce Fogle and if you answer no to any one of the questions you should schedule a visit to your veterinarian on the same day or the next day he says.

  1. Is your cat eating normally?
  2. Defecating and urinating without any difficulty and without signs of distress;
  3. No signs of diarrhoea or vomiting;
  4. Breathing easily with no discharge, noise or effort;
  5. Has nice, healthy pink gums and no unpleasant odours from the mouth;
  6. Has a healthy, shiny coat without flea dirt towards the tail or indeed without any fleas;
  7. Moves around in general such as getting up, jumping and lying down without difficulty;
  8. Alert and active?

Number 4 might refer to lower urinary tract diseases such as typically cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder caused by a bacterial infection.

Number 4 refers to URIs; very typical of rescued kittens. They almost invariably have 'colds'; viral infections of the upper respiratory tract followed by bacterial infections of the eyes (pink eye).

RELATED: Diets to Promote Feline Oral Health

Number 5 is very typical of rescued cats with bad oral health. This is a reference to gum disease. And if the gums are not pink it is indicative of anaemia.

Number 6 is almost bound to be answered in the negative if you have rescued a cat because there will be fleas at the front of the cat and flea dirt at the rear end. You probably know that flea dirt is a reference to flea faeces which is processed blood basically.

RELATED: True or false: ‘Indoor only’ pets don’t get fleas and therefore don’t need a flea preventative

Number 7 is a reference to conditions such as arthritis or if it's a kitten to a congenital problem. It might also apply to ataxia i.e. a lack of coordination. 

Number 8 is a reference to general health and whether the cat is feeling well.

Wednesday, 6 October 2021

UK: Empty nest parents adopt pets to fill the void

In the UK, the extensive pandemic lockdowns experienced by citizens has led to parents becoming closer to their teenage offspring who are now being packed off to university. This is creating a strong empty nest syndrome and in response a survey indicates that parents are considering adopting a pet or allowing an existing one to sleep on their bed. Note: there must be some relief, too, with the food guzzling, messy and noisy teenager out of the way. Not all teenagers fit this description however.

Empty nest parents adopt pets to fill the void
Empty nest parents adopt pets to fill the void. Pic in public domain.

Apparently 93% said being closer to their children during the pandemic had made the empty nest syndrome worse. A poll by a provider of purpose-built student accommodation, Unite, who commissioned Censuswide, also found the following:

  • A sixth of parents cried uncontrollably when their child or children went to university;
  • A fifth said they felt guilty for not making the most of their time they had with their child;
  • A fifth said that they wished that they could have that same time again i.e. the period of lockdown when they were closer with their children;
  • Some feared depression or had suffered physical symptoms of grief including panic attacks and sleeplessness;
  • A third cleaned the house more! This sounds like diversionary tactics or displacement activity;
  • Some turned to alcohol!

It wasn't all bad though because a quarter felt excited about what lay ahead without their children being around and one in six enjoyed bragging that their child was going to university. Some were considering allowing a lodger to occupy part of their home to raise some money. Perhaps, too, this was an attempt to fill the void with another body. They should be careful, though, because although rent from lodges is tax-free up to a certain limit you have got a stranger in your home.

Saturday, 2 October 2021

UK: surge in puppy and kitten adoptions causes delay in booster vaccinations

News media reports that in the UK there is a national shortage of animal vaccines. Cats and dogs are being turned away from the usual inoculations. Some animals are being prioritised while others are having their appointments put back.

Cat Vaccination. Photo: The Answer Vet
Cat Vaccination. Photo: The Answer Vet

In one instance there has been a delay of several months before they can inoculate. Vets are prioritising kittens and puppies, companion animals most at risk of falling ill. It is the booster jabs which are being put off.

It appears that the shortages are affecting all companies providing vaccinations across the UK. And it affects both cat and dog vaccines.

ASSOCIATED: What vaccinations does my cat need in the UK?

An issue which has been raised is that some insurance policies specify that it is only valid if vaccinations have been administered. What happens if an animal falls ill because the booster was delayed by several months? Can the owner still make a claim under the policy? Petplan say that policies will not be invalidated and they want to reassure their customers. 

The problem of a short supply of vaccinations has been compounded by the rapid increase in the numbers of cat and dog owners in the UK, by 3.2 million during the pandemic.

ASSOCIATED: Unbelievable: UK households buy 3.2 million animals in lockdown

And the problem has been further compounded by a shortage of veterinarians in the UK due apparently to Brexit. Many European veterinarians left the UK following Brexit. Comment: certainly, I noticed what I believed was a large number of young continental European veterinarians in the UK at one time. It seems that large veterinary groups (which is the modern business model) hired newly qualified continental veterinarians which they could pay less.

Britain has for a long time relied upon relatively cheap labour from abroad to cover up poor productivity and efficiency. The time has come to change that and the flaws are being exposed by Brexit.

It is not clear if this is a reduction in supply of vaccines or an increase in demand for vaccines because of the increase in the number of cats and dogs. It looks like the latter: a failure of vaccine manufacturers to produce more to keep pace with the surge in new puppies and kittens. That's my interpretation of the report.

Source: i News.

Monday, 30 August 2021

Online adoption hub Pets4Homes clamps down on fraudulent sellers

The website Pets4Homes has decided to clamp down on unscrupulous breeders and fraudsters who use the Pets4Homes website as a portal through which they sell puppies imported illegally or bred under cruel conditions and then sold through the site despite being sick or dying. In short, Pets4Homes want to stop criminals using their website to sell sick animals, particularly puppies which are imported illegally.

Cawley travelling family were engaged in fraudulent practices in conning customers
Cawley travelling family were engaged in fraudulent practices in conning customers. Photo: SWNS

Pets4Homes has employed digital forensic experts in collaboration with the charity Animal Protection Services to secure 85 prosecutions with 35 cases pending decisions. They've used cyber analysts to block 40,000 adverts in five months on the website. A significant percentage of these adverts were created by gangs shipping dogs from abroad and/or using litters from stolen pedigree dogs kept under very poor conditions.

On one occasion 'travellers' in the UK made at least £300,000 by selling sick and dying cocker spaniels, schnauzers, Chihuahuas, springer spaniels, Labradors, beagles and poodles. Six members of the Cawley family, from Milton Keynes, together with seven accomplices were convicted.

These enterprises have been fuelled by market forces because of the Covid pandemic which encouraged people who were socially distance to impulsively adopt dogs forcing up prices resulting in criminal activity to take advantage of the market.

The administrators of Pets4Homes decided to take action because of a series of abuses in recent months. Their software now prevents fraudsters from selling animals when they do not possess those animals.

They check the IP addresses of those who are advertising in order to establish the veracity of the advert. They want to make sure that people who are selling these dogs live in the country and at the address listed on their account. Also, pictures of puppies for sale are scanned by software to show that they haven't been duplicated.

Another person who was prosecuted is John Lawrence from Liverpool. He sold two German Shephard puppies who died shortly after being purchased. He was convicted of knowingly selling seriously ill puppies. He was jailed for eight weeks.

Further, Animal Protection Services brought a private prosecution against Leonard Greenough from Salisbury. They used information supplied by Pets4Homes. He was selling poppies worth about £16,700 without a licence.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021

An opportunity to adopt blind rescue cat brothers Arthur and Gabriel

Brothers Arthur and Gabriel are both blind and they are going to make somebody very happy. There are a lot of advantages to a cat caregiver in adopting a couple of blind cats who are best buddies. That may sound strange but I have a strong feeling that it is true.

Arthur on the left and Gabriel
Arthur on the left and Gabriel. Photo: RSPCA

Firstly, you will have to keep Arthur and Gabriel inside all the time. That's a great relief to a lot of people. You won't need to trouble yourself about letting your cat outside to live a full life while being tormented about the dangers that there are outside the home. That decision is off the table. They will be full-time indoor cats and they will be happy because they can entertain each other.

A great problem with full-time indoor cats is ensuring that they are fully stimulated but being blind they have challenges which they cope with very well. But these challenges stimulate the brain and because they come as a twosome, they can also stimulate each other. I would expect them to live really nice lives; contented lives. Their human caregiver can feel relaxed about what they're doing. And blind cats cope incredibly well as mentioned. They almost act as if they have eyes once they have settled into their new home and know where everything is. Ideally objects in the home should not be moved once they are familiar with their locations.

CLICK FOR SOME PAGES ON BLIND CATS

Gabriel is the timider of the two. He is a ginger tabby and Arthur is a ginger tabby-and-white. He is the more adventurous. He is very affectionate and loves to be petted and close to his human caregiver. Ginger tabbies are known have nice characters. They almost always males because their coat type is sex-linked.

They are both at the RSPCA. Arthur gets into trouble whereas Gabriel tends to be more cautious and sleeps or snoozes more. They will need a good and experienced caregiver who appreciates the advantages of looking after a couple of blind cats.

They were both rescued last Christmas from a building site in Peterlee, UK by the RSPCA. They weren't born blind but they got cat flu which appears to have developed into a secondary bacterial infection in their eyes which can often destroy the eyes. This is what appears to have happened.

If you are interested you can click on this link which takes you to the relevant RSPCA cat rehoming hub page. That link will eventually stop working as and when the brothers have been adopted.

Sunday, 22 August 2021

Pets overwhelm vets in the UK?

NEWS AND COMMENT: There is a report in The Sunday Times about the coming together of three events which has resulted in vets being overwhelmed in some parts of the country because there are too many pets to deal with.

Pets overwhelm vets in the UK?
Pets overwhelm vets in the UK? Photo: Pixabay.


Brexit

It appears that Brexit - the UK leaving the European Union - has resulted in a smaller number of qualified veterinarians coming over from the continent to practice their veterinary skills in UK clinics. One of the problems is that continental veterinarians who want to practice veterinary medicine in the UK have to pass a language test which apparently is quite difficult. This is restricting the number of immigrant veterinarians into the UK. This in turn is causing a shortage of veterinarians at a time when there has been a surge in the number of pets adopted in the UK.

Covid

Another factor is that a lot of employees are being told to stay in isolation as they have been in contact with a person suffering from Covid-19.

Surge in adoptions

The newspaper tells me that the UK has 3.2 million more pets than 18 months ago due to Covid social isolation but there has not been a similar increase in terms of percentages of veterinarians to treat these companion animals. A senior veterinary surgeon in Scotland said that a lot of their veterinary practices have closed their books and restricted opening hours because of severe staff shortages.

The surge in pet adoptions is remarkable because it represents something in the order of a 30% increase in pet ownership in the UK over a period of about 18 months. My gut feeling is that a lot of these companion animals are going to be relinquished to shelters once there new and sometimes inexpert owners have decided that they can no longer cope on their return to normal office work.

Normally more than 50% of veterinarians registering to practice in the UK each year are qualified in the European Union. However, between January and May 2021 Britain welcomed only 155 EU vets, down from 533 in 2019 (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons).

James Russell, the President of the BVA, said that there is an increasing number of veterinary clinics saying that they are currently unable to take new patients. He remarked that this is very unusual. But he encouraged anyone thinking about adopting a companion animal to be aware of these potential shortages in veterinary care.

The Sunday Times states that the veterinary training schools can produce about 900 vets a year but Charles Hartwell, chief executive of Eville & Jones, a provider of veterinary surgeons, said that the country typically requires about 2,000.


Friday, 20 August 2021

A stray kitten decided to follow me home the other day…so I guess I’m a cat dad now?

A stray kitten decided to adopt this man as their human caregiver on the streets of LA. It happens all over the world all the time. The outcome obviously depends on how the human reacts. In this case it was the right reaction! You wander where the kitten came from. Just turned up. Where is the owner? Or the feline mother?

A stray kitten decided to adopt this man as their human caregiver on the streets of LA
A stray kitten decided to adopt this man as their human caregiver on the streets of LA. Screenshot.

Here is the TikTok video which may well disappear one day and probably will because that is the way the internet works. Sorry if is gone. It is quite nice. The beauty of it is that this kitten has been lucky enough to have found a life. There was next to nothing for him on the streets. I guess he made it happen by having the courage to walk up to a stranger.

Monday, 16 August 2021

Stray cats ask passers-by to adopt them

Is it fair to say that sometimes stray cats literally ask passers-by to adopt them? They don't do it in an overt, noisy way. They follow the person, perhaps meowing which sends out a clear signal. Of course, domestic cats, with a home nearby, might also do this and therefore you have to be careful. I guess you'll make some enquiries to find out whether a cat who followed you lives with a human caregiver.

Stray black cat asked to be cared for by passing person. They responded. Photo: u/CreditConsistent2878 on Reddit.
Stray black cat asked to be cared for by passing person. They responded. Photo: u/CreditConsistent2878 on Reddit.

My mind was turned to this topic because on the Reddit.com website one of the members of that site posted a photograph with the title: "I found him outside the gym, kept following me, what should I name him?"

The picture shows him comfortably ensconced on the person's sofa inside his or her home. So, within that title there is a subtle statement that she adopted him. She got the message that he wanted a home. This kind of encounter throws up a plethora of potential problems but also a stack of delights. I think that people can sense when a cat is homeless. I hope so. But you don't want to adopt someone's companion animal, do you? Although, I sense some cat owners wouldn't mind losing their cat because they've lost the connection between themselves and their animal. 

But the point of this post is that stray cats do go up to people and asked to be adopted. They remember what it was like to live in a home. The security, safety, the food and the warmth push them into approaching a strange person. That takes courage for some cats. Can they tell whether the person is going to be kind-hearted or push them away, perhaps violently?

Do cats sense whether a person is good or bad? That is an unanswerable question in my opinion. But I sense that stray cats can quickly learn whether a person is going to be helpful and is therefore kindhearted. They do this by approaching a person and judge their response. In turn they will respond either by interacting more intimately or running away.

Associated: Courageous Belgian woman during World War II fed stray cats with prime fillet steak

This discussion also points to another issue with respect to the human-to-cat relationship which concerns the misapprehension by many hard-working people that their cat will be fine while they are away in the office for 10 hours. It's a nice thought but it is untrue. Depending upon the individual cat, they hate being alone all day often in an apartment which gives them no room to entertain themselves outside albeit with a lack of security.

Associated: Fines for tenants in luxury Dubai development if they feed stray cats

You will find videos on the Internet of domestic cats waiting by the front door for hours on end for the return of the human companion. It is not a good thought. Dogs are even worse. They really do suffer with separation anxiety and stress. Thank God for the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm being facetious but the one great benefit of this horrible pandemic is that it has changed working practices permanently allowing pet owners to stay at home.

There are going to be many millions of happy cats from now on because many businesses are changing their work policies permanently to allow employees to at least spent part of the working week at home. This will plug that awful gap in the lives of many millions of domestic cats who are socialised to be with people. Domestic cats are not aloof and independent. They are dependent on the companionship of their human caregiver.

Tuesday, 3 August 2021

Animal shelter cleared out after all the pets are fostered and adopted



Animal shelter cleared out after all the pets are fostered and adopted
Animal shelter cleared out after all the pets are fostered and adopted. Celebrations. Screenshot.

This shows a Palm Beach animal shelter kennel totally empty and the staff celebrating. The number of staff there seems to be quite large so it must be a large shelter. It shows one of their three kennels. The video was posted to Facebook but it seems to have been removed because it was used by the news media who I guess wanted exclusive rights to it. The kennel that we see I believe serves as the shelter's stray housing and adoption overflow unit. They have animals for adoption at their main kennel.

It is always brilliant to see these images and videos because it means that a lot of animals have been rescued and rehomed. It represents success in a way although behind that, the back story, there is failure because in a perfect world, in a truly successful world with respect to humankind's relationship with animals, there would be no animal shelters! That is an ideal. It is unattainable but arguably animal shelters are a symptom of failure.

I believe the success is down to Covid-19! An increase in adoptions over the lockdowns. Amazing that there is at least one brilliant silver lining to the pandemic. There have been some downsides though such as a surge in puppy mills to feed new adopters.

The video on this page may well stop working in the future. This is because it is held on another website and the administrators of that website might delete the video in due course. In which case, it will disappear on this page as well.

Featured Post

i hate cats

i hate cats, no i hate f**k**g cats is what some people say when they dislike cats. But they nearly always don't explain why. It appe...

Popular posts