Luna & Tiger Wish You a Happy New Year

Luna, Tiger and I Wish You a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

Making a Stray Cat Shelter

Two weeks ago we had an unexpected snowstorm. The snow melted in a day but it was a wake up call. I live in an area with a lot of abandoned, stray cats, and yes, we have been feeding them. The Humane Society is overrun with cats and won't take them in; they will be outdoors for the winter. We decided to try and make them some kind of winter shelter. We used materials we could get for free (boxes), materials that could be bought cheaply (space blankets - $1.00 at Dollarama), and Styrofoam packing and plastic wrap (which we already had).
First we made 3 box shelters - covered the boxes in the Styrofoam wrap (for insulation,
then covered that in heavy duty plastic (to keep them from getting wet),
and then with the space blanket to keep their body heat in.
We put carpet squares (bought a box of them at the local recycling centre for a buck) on the floor for comfort. My friend made the most expensive purchases which were self-heating blankets which were put on top of the carpet squares. She also bought a microwave disc which can be put under a blanket in the box and will give heat for up to 10 hours. This will be used when the temperature really drops far below zero.

Then we made the enclosure. There is a shed in the yard with an overhanging roof which made a natural place to set up the boxes. A very kind lady at the dog groomers gave us 2 bales of straw for insulation of our shelter. Thank you Lisa. We made a platform to set 2 boxes on and put the straw bales at the ends of the platform.

After that we put hooks in the side of the shed and hooked a heavy duty tarp over the whole thing.
Its not a pretty site, and until the first big snowstorm hits we won't really know how well it will hold up. But its already being used, so the cats know its there and we hope it will afford them enough protection when the worst of winter hits.

We enclosed one other area. On the back steps landing there is bench area with just enough space for one box. We put a sheet of wood over the benches, a tarp over the wood, and plastic all around the railing.
This box has been in use now for over a month by a pregnant cat. We are hoping to get her into the house and to a rescue shelter before she gives birth, but she is very vary of people and runs when she sees us. So for the time being, she just has a safer, warmer place to stay.

The Cats Have Gone to the Dogs

When they want someone to nap with or sit with, they go to Katie. Katie is a 5 year old Shih Tzu who is beginning to think she's a cat. She spends more time with the cats then with her companion Fiona.

Not that Fiona doesn't get her share of cat affection. Max is especially fond of Fiona and will often rub cheeks with her.
The one thing the cats don't do, so far anyway, is rub cheeks with her other.

A Cat's "I Should Have Stayed in Bed" Day

Woke up this morning. Had to pee badly. Ran to litter box. It was being used. Ran to other litter box, also in use. Ran to litterbox in bathroom. Door was closed. Peed on the floor. Human came out of bathroom and stepped in it. Got yelled at. Not my fault, went to sulk in corner of basement.

Called to breakfast. Didn't get upstairs fast enough, dog ate most of it. Now I only get low fat diet crunchies for the rest of the day. Am really pissed off. Which reminds me, I need to go again. See empty carton lying on the floor in the hallway. Humans are so careless, I'll show them. Peed in carton.

Going to have a nap and put this morning out of my mind. Dog sleeping in my favourite chair. Want to smack him but will probably get yelled at. Going down to sleep in Tiger's bed, I dare him to complain.

Can't nap, Tiger keeps hitting me on the head or jumping up and nipping at my bum. Chased him away but he'll be back. Moved to corner in basement.

Had a good nap. Came up to look out the window for awhile. Saw strange cat on my deck. Yowled, howled, and hissed at him to get out of my yard. Got yelled at.

Had a good supper. Ran around and knocked a few things over. Feeling better until human saw pee in carton. Got yelled at.

Going to bed and pull the covers over my head.
My name is Max and I've had a bad day.

Tips for Travelling With Your Cat

Two years ago my cat and I moved; a 3 ½ day drive. My cat (Luna) is not a good traveler. A 15 min. drive to the vet's was 15 minutes of howling cat. Just thinking about 3 ½ days of continuous cat wailing would give me the shakes. I had visions that by day #3 I would be driving the car into a tree just to put us both out of our misery.

Before the trip I read every article about traveling with cats that I could find. Looking back, these are the most important things I learned.

1. Get the Best Carrier You Can Afford

Luna’s carrier was roomy enough that she could stretch out to nap and stand up to turn around. It had a Plexiglass front so she could see out easily. Not that Luna was interested in the passing scenery, but I would face the carrier towards me so that I was in her sight at all times.

The handle on the carrier was made so that a seat belt could easily go through it and the carrier was secure on the seat.

It came with food and water dishes that could be set into place inside the carrier; she could eat or drink without having to be let out. This seemed like a good idea at the time but she never ate or drank anything while we were in the car.

2. Carry an ample supply of your cat’s regular food and water.

Fill a container with water from your home, enough to see your cat through the trip. Now is not the time to risk cat stomach upsets. Keep it cool. You may not find your cat’s regular food while traveling, so bring it with you.

3. Bring a small kitty litter pan, one that will fit on the floor of the car.

Most cats won’t use the litter box while you are on the road, (mine didn’t) but just in case they need to, best to have it ready. You will need it when you stop for the night.

4. As much as you can, prepare your cat ahead of time.

I took her, in her new carrier, for short drives around the city. When we got back home, she got treats.

I used Rescue Remedy. I started putting a few drops in her water about 3 days before the trip, and a few drops inside her ears. I also added some to the container of water that I carried with us.

If I were to do a trip like this again, I would add spraying the inside of the carrier with something like Feliway. Any product that helps soothe makes the trip easier.

This was Luna’s first long trip. While we were driving, she didn’t eat, drink or use the litter box. This is not unusual.

On the first day she wailed for the half hour it took us to get out of the city. Once we hit the road, she was quiet for the next 8 hours. When I took a break at highway rest stops, I let her out of the carrier to walk around inside the van, to stretch her legs, use the litter box if she needed to, but after a short exploration, she was happy to go back into the carrier where she felt safe and comfortable.

The first night in a motel, when I let her out of the carrier, she ran and hid under the bed. Sometime during the night while I was sleeping, she came out and ate the food left out for her and used the litter box.

By the second and third nights, she was exploring the room and lounging on the bed. My cat is leash and harness trained and we went for short walks on the motel grounds.

A word of caution: when you leave your motel room, make sure your cat is locked in her carrier. Anyone opening the door while you’re not there, and your cat could go streaking out.

The trip went quite well. Other than the first half hour there was no wailing. I was prepared for the fact that she might not eat, drink or use the litter box while in the car, so that was not a worry.

I doubt Luna would want to do this trip again, but we got to our new home without any mishaps, both of us tired but fairly relaxed.

Cat Behaviour - Does Your Cat Give Itself Jobs?

My oldest cat has a very definite sense of herself. She has rules of behavior - for herself and for me when dealing with her. She takes herself quite seriously.

When she was about 2 years old, just getting totally past the kitten stage, she started assigning herself duties.

At the time, I was working a midnight to 7 am shift. I got up at 10 pm. After a while I noticed that if I wasn't up within 10 minutes of my alarm going off, Luna would be there working at waking me up. She started nicely, licking my eyelids and if that didn't work she progressed up the pain ladder - a few slaps across the face - up to the one that always worked - a claw inserted into my nostril and pressed down.

When I left that job and started working 2 part-time day jobs - with different starting times, within a week she had my schedule down pat. She knew what time I usually went to bed and if I didn't make any moves, she would start patting me on the leg, meowing and trying to lead me to the bedroom.

She knew what times I got up on different days, and once again I got 10 minutes leeway from the time the alarm went off to get up. After a while I didn't need an alarm, she knew the time and got me up. I was never late for work.

The only unfortunate part of this is that cats don't know about statutory holidays, and I was always woken up even when I could legitimately sleep in.

I never get sick - have never had the flu, can't remember the last time I had a cold, so this came as a surprise to me. One evening I ate something that was off - spent most of the night with my head in the toilet. During the whole sorry episode Luna was with me. When I was hanging over the toilet, she was there. When I staggered back to bed between episodes she stretched out on the bed beside me. And when I was running to the bathroom, she was running with me. She never slept or left my side the whole time. It was very sweet and totally unexpected.

My other cat is still too young to feel the need to do anything but eat and play, but I'm wondering if eventually he too will decide to give himself a job, or whether Luna is unique in this way.

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Walking Your Cat - Stay Alert

No matter how well your cat is walking on a leash never let your guard down, especially if your cat has been a strictly indoors cat. There will be sounds that are new to them. There will be experiences they've never had to deal with before.

Doesn’t matter how laid back your cat was inside the house, don't assume that she will take the great outdoors in stride. Be sure that your cat is wearing the most secure harness you can find and afford and that you are always holding the leash securely. The last thing you need when your cat is panicked is to have the harness come off, or the leash slip out of your hand, and your cat running madly and blindly out into the street.

These are three experiences I've had with my cat outdoors.

1. New (to them) Sounds

Until my cat went outside I had no idea that she would be panic struck at the sound of the ice cream truck - not the van itself - but the music that it played. At first I didn't know what it was that was terrifying her. Only when the music got louder and she became more frenzied did I realize. Even when she is just in the backyard she can hear the jingle from a couple of blocks away and will immediately start running, trying to find a place to hide.

After that first experience of trying to hold a frightened, struggling cat and getting thoroughly scratched, we learned not to go walking when its ice cream truck time.

The truck comes around about the same time every day so we can avoid this problem, but there are the out of the ordinary sounds.

2. Unusual Sounds

One day my cat was in the backyard on her long leash, enjoying the sunshine, when one of those big advertising balloons came overhead. Not for the first time, but this time it let out air or gas or whatever they use that makes a loud whooshing sound. My cat froze in place, her eyes widened and bulged and she peed on the spot. When it made the sound again, she started to run, making a horrible wailing sound, peeing the whole time.

Luckily, being in the yard she could run into the house. If we had been out on the street I would have been scratched, bitten, and peed on. And there is really no way to predict when or if this is going to happen.

3. Dogs Running Loose

My cat lives with dogs. Meeting a dog on the street that's on a leash doesn't bother her at all. She will either ignore it or sometimes (rarely) go up to say hello.

But an unleashed dog, galloping up to her - even if he's friendly - has her back hairs up, hissing, spitting, with claws fully extended. The only thing I can do is try to keep the dog from getting close enough for a fight (not easy), and hope that its owner is close by and will call it away.

Twice in the past year we have been confronted with this situation. The first time the dog decided it had better things to do than tangle with a cat and left on its own. The second time the owners realized their gate was open, the dog was gone, and they came out to call him home.

My cat has been going for walks for many years now; loves her walks; demands to have a walk everyday. But experience has taught me to keep a close eye on what happening around us, and to always be monitoring her reactions. Never assume you know how your cat will react in new situations. They always manage to surprise you.

Tiger - A Full Grown Cat

Tiger is now 1 1/2 years old. He's a full sized cat but theres still a lot of kitten in him.
He wakes up in the morning at full gallop, and will leap on anything that makes the slightest movement.
He still occasionally forgets and plays too rough, but at least now he knows when he has gone too far. He immediately starts licking the area he scratched or bit, and looking at you to see if its okay now.
He is very much a people cat, wants to cuddle and stay close to someone. If there are no people around, he will curl up on a dog. Not a cat that likes to be alone.

Tiger has been harness trained - will wear it without thought, but the leash training has not gone too well. For one thing, so far he has shown next to no interest in going outside. If he's happy as a completely indoor cat, than that is what he will be.
Luna, my first and number 1 cat,
has accepted him, but only as long as he stays at the other end of the bed.
When he starts trying to work his way up to get close to her, a lot of hissing goes on, and back down he goes.
I am very lucky with my 2 cats. Thought they look very much alike, except for the eyes (Luna-large, round yellow and Tiger - slanted green), they have very different personalities. They are both lovely, loving, and a pleasure to have in my life.

Trillium Time in Ontario

I live a 10 min. drive from a large conservation area. On one of the trails, there is an area called the Trillium Pass. It is lovely. Masses of trilliums, mostly white, and some with shades of pink, are now in full bloom. On the day I took these photos, the mosquitos were also out in full force, but is was still a lovely walk.

Cats and Dogs

If the other cats don't like you, make friends with the dogs.
Tiger hasn't had much success making friends with the other cats. Maybe they have longer memories - of being bitten on the bum by him, or maybe the dogs are just more forgiving. The other cats tolerate him and thats as far as it goes.
The dogs will play "chase me" with him, play ball, and he lets them help clean up any plates with leftover cat food on it. So he's got someone to play with and at 1 year old, thats important to him.

Cat Emergencies – Choking and/or Eating Toxic Substances

It seems the younger the cat, the more likely it is that they will ingest something they shouldn’t. My older cat wouldn’t touch chocolate – very toxic to cats - but the younger one has yet to taste anything he doesn’t like.

It also seems to be true – the same way that your car goes dead on the Sunday of a long weekend or on a country road in the middle of nowhere - that your cat will only get themselves in some major life-threatening situation in the middle of the night, or after regular vet office hours, or when your car is out of commission.

Knowing how to help your cat right away can make all the difference.

Three things you should always have in your medicine kit:
3% Hydrogen Peroxide,
Activated Charcoal.
A dose syringe or plastic eyedropper.

Toxic Substances:

If you know or suspect your cat has ingested chocolate, chewed on your poinsettia, or ingested any other known toxin:

1. Call a Vet immediately.

If the suspected poison is not a caustic or petroleum product:

1. Start to induce vomiting
Give your cat approx. 5 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide every five (5) minutes until the cat vomits.
Note: ¼ oz = approx. 7 ml.

A plastic eyedropper or dose syringe is the easiest, fastest way to get the liquid down it’s throat. A small baster (as in turkey baster) will do the trick in an emergency.

2. After you’ve made your cat vomit, give it activated charcoal – it may absorb some of the toxin.

Caustics include battery acid, corn and callous remover, dishwater detergent, drain cleaner, grease remover, lye, and oven cleaner.
Petroleum products include paint solvent, floor wax, and dry-cleaning solution.

Choking:

You hear your cat coughing or gagging, pawing at his mouth, acting frantic. You know or suspect something is caught in its throat.

1. Open the cat’s mouth by grabbing the cat’s head so that the palm of your hand is over the cats head, and your thumb and index finger are behind the canine teeth.

2. Tilt the cat’s nose up and use the index finger of your other hand to open the mouth.

3. Put your finger on the lower teeth and gently push the jaw downwards.

This is not something you want to be doing for the first time in an emergency situation. Practice on your cat now so that if in the future you need to do this procedure, you will at least have an idea of how to do it and how your cat will react.

4. Look in cat’s mouth and remove object.
In most cases this also means getting scratched and/or bitten.

PLEASE NOTE: If you see a piece of string, ribbon, thread, anything wrapped around the cats tongue. DO NOT PULL ON IT OR TRY TO REMOVE IT.
You could very well do some serious damage to your cat.
GET IT TO A VET IMMEDIATELY.

If you see something embedded in the roof of the cat’s mouth. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE IT. GET YOUR CAT TO A VET IMMEDIATELY.

5. If your cat struggles too much for you to see inside its mouth or if you cannot see or remove the object:

a. Pick your cat up by its hind legs so that it’s hanging upside down.
b. Shake the cat.
c. Slap the cat on the back while you’re shaking it.
This may help to dislodge the object.

6. If your pet is too large or heavy for you to pick up

a. Lay it on its side.
b. Put your palms behind the last rib on both sides of the cat’s abdomen and press your palms together quickly 2-3 times.
c. Repeat rapidly until object is dislodged.
d. Continue trying to dislodge object even if your cat loses consciousness.

7. If your cat loses consciousness, you should also start mouth to nose rescue breathing.
a. Make sure tongue is not blocking airway.
b. Close the cat’s mouth
c. Breath into its nose – one breath every 3 seconds