13 Dec 2007

Sorry that I have not posted in a while. My space bar and a few other keys on my computer are just barely hanging in there so it makes it frustrating to type more than a sentence.

Today I got the the shelter just as it was opening this morning. I haven't been there for about a week and I was excited to get one last visit in before I leave town for the Holidays. The center isn't in the most lavish of areas of San Jose and there is actually a vacant lot right next door that seems to attract a few homeless people. I haven't seen much of them before, but now that it is getting colder and a little wet on occasion, they tend to seek refuge under the covered areas in the front of the building when the facility is still closed. One young man was there today and he made my stomach turn solely due to him blowing his nose into his hand. When the staff unlocked the doors, they invited him in and I assume he used the restroom, but later I also saw him walking around and looking at the animals.

It was a little peculiar when I went back to the cat houses because there was a cat playing loose in each of the play rooms, but no one else was in there. I tend not to like going in through the door when a cat is in the playroom by itself because there is a chance that they might try to escape through the door as I am coming in. Usually when a cat is in there, it means that the kennel attendant is cleaning that cats cage. I walked around to all the rooms and each one had a cat and yet no attendant could be found. So, I decided to go into my favorite room, Purrfect Inn. Tux was already hanging out and being his cute self. He seemed to really enjoy having his belly rubbed today. He was very casual and loving and seemed as if he had been hanging out in that room for a while. My favorite part with Tux was when he was in the little collapsible cat cube. The leopard print fabric is slightly transparent and he seemed to be interested in trying to attack things on the outside of the cube. I placed this one bobble toy which has a fuzzy ball with a bell inside at the end of a long and flexible spring. Every time he hit the wall of the cube, it would push the toy into a frenzy of wobbly jingles. This kept him entertained for and upwards of 15 minutes. You can even see his little claws poking through the fabric as he distorts the cubes shape.

As I went to put Tux back into his cage, Alison was in the cage directly to his left. She was literally doing somersaults trying to get my attention. She is quite vocal and needy for attention, but she is such a sweetheart that its so hard to not just go running to her and snuggle her every time she looks at you with her big green eyes. I never noticed this about her before, but on her Shelter Staff Notes it indicates that she was apparently living with her last owner in a car. Unfortunately her owner passed away and that is how she ended up in the shelter. A car isn't a proper home for a cat but she is defiantly not happy about being in a cage and I hope that she finds a loving home who will give her plenty of love, because she will surely return the favor ten-fold. She has a lot of energy for playtime and will purr beautifully to let you know that she is happy as can be.

I took Domino out of his cage to take Alison's spot in the play room. As I was snuggling with my cuddly pal, I noticed an older lady who I have seen at the shelter before. I left Domino to play on his own and lay in the sunlight and went off to find the lady. She was at the shelter about 2 months ago and she was the first person who I was able to secure an adoption with. She came in claiming to be looking for a cat for a friend with very specific markings, a split face tortie or torbie. Her friend apparently had a cat with those markings which passed away last year. He misses his cat very much and is hoping to find a kitten with similar appearance. We had a cat that met this description and I asked the lady if she would like to meet this cat and see what she is like. She took me up on the offer and instantly fell in love with the darling cat. The lady insisted that she now wanted the cat for herself and that her friend can just be jealous of her new companion. Well she is back, and apparently absolutely in love with her recent adoptee, but she still feels the need to help her friend find a cat for himself. I walked with her around the complex so she can see a couple of the cats that we have that roughly meet her criteria and then she went home to tell her friend of her findings. She was a little sad to see that we didn't have very many kittens at the shelter currently and I informed her that in a couple of months we will start to be getting into kitten season and that would be the best time for her friend to find the kitten he longs for. After she left, I noticed that a lot of the same cats were still in the play rooms that were their earlier that morning. One cat had even produced a present in the middle of the room because he didn't have access to his litter box. The cats have now been in the rooms unattended for over an hour and I decided to go find one of my supervisors to see what was going on. She came out and I told her what I knew and she went back to find the kennel attendant. She informed me that some of the staff are trying to give the cats some extra play time when the rooms are empty. I think this is a wonderful idea! The cats would absolutely love to have an hour or so just to hang out in the bigger room and get out of their cramped cages. But I do think it is important to put their litter box in there with them. We don't want them holding their bladders or bowels, or learning a bad habit of eliminating anywhere other than in a litter box. If the cats are going to be left in there for longer than an hour, I think it is also important that food and water be available to them. After we got that issue situated, I went in and got some more affection from my boy Domino. I was even able to snap a quick picture of his feet to show his extra toes.

Noel is a very sweet older male kitty. The shelter thinks him to be around 7 years old but he is very gorgeous and doesn't show his age. He looks to be a Russian Blue with white on his chest and paws. He is a bit on the shy side and liked to hide away in the cat condo for most of my visit with him. His shyness did not stop him from purring away when I gave him affection. He also have a very cute meow, which sounds more like a squeak. I tried playing with him with the stick toys, but he seemed totally uninterested. I am not sure if it is due to his shyness and that he hasn't yet opened up to me, or that he is just more of a lap kitty.

Joy was the next to play with me. I always try to brush her because she is just a lovely fluff ball. She seems to enjoy being brushed but doesn't stand still enough for me to do a really proper job of it. After her brushing, she jumped up on the bench next to me for some affection and she licked my arm as I stroked her back and tail. I was trying very hard to get some great photos of this beauty but she seems to think the camera is something wonderful to rub her face against. I got about a dozen shots of her face against the lens. I love petting Joy, but she seems to turn into a different kitty after 10 minutes and then she goes into play mode as usual. Once she is in that mode, I can't seem to get my hands close enough to her without her trying to bite or scratch me. My attempt to tackle this issue with her is by putting her back in her cage once she starts biting. But this process of getting her into the cage takes too long and it seems that she thinks I am playing with her. I usually end up scruffing her by the neck and carrying her back to her cage.

Last up was a new cat by the name of Vanessa. She is a sweet and gentle black and white kitty with the only white being on her belly. Most of her white fur seems to have been shaved for her surgery to be fixed. This first thing is that I noticed she doesn't seem to like other cats. She hissed at each can that came to view as I was carrying her out of her cage area. She looks so darling with her pink toenails. She was wearing those soft paws that are a wonderful alternative to declawing.

Glowing Cats

Read the article here.

South Korean Scientists have apparently cloned cats that glow under UV light. I am still with furrowed brow trying to figure out why on earth this would be an important step in the cloning process, but I guess it is much easier to prove that you have successfully modified the genetic structure of an animal when all you need is UV light to show the outcome. I am just hoping and praying that this does not become next years must have Christmas gift.

I understand the key role that cloning plays in the human desire to "play" with genetic codes in order to eventually be able to erase markers in humans which lead to disease and birth defects. I have a friend who's with a great guy who happens to have diabetes and he is completely wiping the idea off the table of ever having kids because he would never want to pass his struggle onto an offspring. Thankfully, my friend has no interest in having a child, so this situation will hopefully work out fine for both of them. However, imagine that the two of them really wanted to have a child of their own and this disease that runs in his family was the only reason keeping them from that dream. Imagine in the future, that they could go to a fertility specialist who would take his sperm and modify it slightly, or be able to select the ones without the genetic code for diabetes. That would be such a miracle to many people who have similar "genetic flaws" to be able to feel good about becoming a parent, and not having to worry so much about passing things onto their baby such as a high risk for breast cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, or any number of diseases which humans face.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not one who likes the thought that there are many animals out there being used for experiments and their lives are spent in inhumane conditions and forced to go through awful surgeries and testing. But I do think that there is a humane and responsible way that we can learn new medical breakthroughs by cloning and modifying genetic code. We just need to make sure that we don't cross those lines and make animals suffer for the sake of advancement in medicine and technology.

6 Dec 2007

Today is a rainy day in San Jose and I thought it would be a great time to go snuggle with some warm kitties. I hate the thought that some cats sometimes don't get out for a few days in a row so I went and scoped out all the rooms to check if there were cats that did not get out to play yesterday (Wednesday). I did find such a case in Whisker Square house. There were only 4 cats to speak of in this room but since I haven't been to this room in a few months, I figured that it would be good to get to know these cats and make sure they got out today.

I started with a handsome all black cat named Christopher. He is an absolute sweetheart! The papers indicates that he is black and white coloring but I for the life of me couldn't find a patch of white anywhere other than a dozen or so white hairs scattered around his coat. He is just a cutie pie who loves to be held, even on his back like a baby. He is a bit on the hefty side, I wouldn't say fat, just manly in stature. I can totally see this boy laying beside his future companion on the couch and in total heaven. He doesn't seem too interested in playing, although he did swat at the feathers on a stick a couple times. He just wants a good dose of loving and and cozy couch to hang out on. He will let you know that he is happy with his soft and mellow purr. He didn't mind too much when I clipped his front paws and he absolutely adored being brushed. I was heart broken when it was time to put him back in his cage because he just wanted so desperately to hang out with me all day.

Lancie is a sweet little 1 year old Black and White cat. I would consider her markings to be that of a mask-and-mantle but creeping into the "tuxedo" area. She doesn't seem quite sure of herself but that is probably due to the fact that she is fairly new to the shelter and at the tail end of the healing process of being fixed. She likes to play a little but she really loves being on an elevated surface and looking out the window. Every time someone walked by, she was up on her hind legs with her nose pressed against the glass. The cutest thing was that she has a tendency of leaving her tongue sticking out of her mouth just a little bit. I tried taking a few photos while I was in the room with her to capture her adorable pink tongue.

Trudy is a very soft muted tabby. She is so affectionate and also quite playful. She surprised me a couple of times by jumping vertically and reaching 3 feet off the ground to go after the feathers on a stick. She is a wonderful lap kitty who also knows how to play. She likes to watch out the windows and even shows her affection by licking your hand. This was actually the first time any cat in the shelter has licked me and it is such an honor for her to be so open to me on our very first visit with each other. What a cute face with those black tipped ears, and she has meow to match her sweet personality.


"The man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned in no other way." - Mark Twain

4 Dec 2007

So today I was back into the Purrfect Inn with my favorite buddies. The first thing I noticed was that Tom Tom was not in his cage. I inquired with the Kennel Attendant to see if she knew his whereabouts. In my mind, one of three things could have happened: Adopted, back in the area for sick cats, or (I shiver at the thought) put down. I really couldn't imagine that the latter would be the case since there are about a dozen vacant cages in the front, but he had been there for quite some time, so who knows what rules they have to follow. Thankfully it was the best news I could hear. My favorite pal was adopted by a family who completely fell in love with him. Who wouldn't? He is such a lovely cat! So anyways, that just makes my whole week become wonderful! But I have to say that I did miss him during my visit, no other cat snuggles like him, or take naps with me like he did. Farewell my dear Tom Tom!

First up was Alison who we met last week. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that this was a different cat all together. She no longer growled at certain cat toys, which is very good to hear because that would make a lot of potential adopters very nervous. She is so very soft, I just can't get enough of petting her. Thankfully she LOVES the attention and just wants you to pet her and wants to rub up against everything in sight. Apparently, and according to the paperwork attached to her cage, she was brought in by the police due to the passing away of her owner. No wonder she was acting a little strange last week. She just doesn't understand why she has been put into the shelter and it wasn't because of anything she did. All she knows is that she was taken away by a strange person out of her home and brought to a place that she finds very confusing and I am sure not as comfortable as her previous home. She absolutely loved climbing the cat condo and trying to catch the furry toys that I was teasing her with. The cutest part was that she is so happy that her tail is constantly sticking up. This was especially hilarious when she was stepping out of the light-weight collapsible cat cube and she would drag it behind her with her tail still in it.

Next up was Tux, who has moved up to my #1 position of favorite kitties. Unfortunately for Tux, today was cloudy and he was not able to get baked (laying down in the direct sunlight), which is one of his favorite things to do. Tux is a tuxedo cat, hence his name. He is surprisingly quiet. I can't say that I have ever heard him meow, even when I first enter the room and all the cats are trying with all their might to grab my attention. He is also not big into purring. It is not that he isn't happy, he's just like a typical man, afraid to show any emotion. Today I noticed that he really likes hiding inside things when we are in the midst of playing. He tends not to go hurdling through the air after a toy, or even chasing one around in circles. He is more of the hide and pounce kind of cat. I hope that his future home has a few good hiding spots (ie: under a bed, behind a couch) for him to get comfortable in. I find that Tux tends to be more interested in the string than the toy that is attached to the end of the string. You gotta love Tux, he's my big teddy bear.

Once again I had the pleasure of playing with Domino. He is the polydactyl cat that we met last week. Next time I visit Domino, I hope to get a picture of his paws. I tried to count his toes today and found that each of his hind feet have 5 digits (the normal being 4) with the extra being dewclaws. On the front paw I counted 7 digits (the normal being 5) on his left leg (3 within the "thumb"). I had a hard time looking at his right paw due to Domino not liking his paws examined, which is why I had a hard time clipping his nails last week. I am sure he has a lot of people handling him in this manner to examine him for digit counts. I was able to count 5 digits on right leg, but he has a large thumb and could be hiding one or two small digits in there somewhere. He is such a sweet cat and still is very affectionate even after I handle him for inspection. He loves a good head rub and allowed me to get the "schmutz" out of his eyes. I took another look at his mouth today because of the funny smile he has. I noticed that he seems to have some extra gum flaps going on in his mouth and this made me concerned for his ability to eat and drink. I called in the Kennel Attendant to see if she could take a look and let me know if this was something for concern. She was slightly concerned but wasn't able to get a good look because Domino was getting a little tired of all the examinations. She said that she would put a note down for the vet to take a look. We were both very hesitant of doing this because there is always a chance that whatever the vet finds causing the cat to no longer be considered "adoptable". This is one of those catch 22's in the shelter world. You don't want to report non-life threatening issues that you find, because you fear it causing the animal to be put down. Sometimes just having bad teeth will make a cat not suitable for adoption in the vets eyes. But, you struggle with the idea that since its a fairly minor issue, that the vet might be able to do something to easily help the cats quality of life. In this case, you want to report the issue because you fear that whatever the problem is might get worse or be causing the animal discomfort.

I also played with Whitney during this visit. Whitney took the cage that Tom Tom used to be in. She loves to be held in your arms while she purrs away. She also was quite humorous in the cat tube (which is lined with a faux-lamb fur). She would roll around and do somersaults. Such a sweet heart and I can't wait to play with her next time, if she is still there.

There was also a cat by the name of Molly but she wasn't wanting to come out of her cage. She was very friendly and loving the attention I was giving her, but wasn't wanting to be picked up or held. So I sat there and pet her for a little while and then moved on to Joy's cage.

Joy is such a beautiful and fluffy cat. I can't quite tell if she is slightly overweight, or if it is all fluff. She is very playful but doesn't wind down easily after chasing things. She is affectionate before being played with, but after playtime, she wants to attack your hands if you go to pet her or try to pick her up. This made it a bit hard when it was time put her back in her cage, but I gently scruffed her by the neck and was able to carry her in my arms.

We LOVE the Litter Robot II

My husband and I purchased a "Hooded Petmate Purrforma XL Self-Cleaning Litter Box" about 3 years ago. This was our very first automated litter box and we thought it was the coolest thing ever, at least for the first couple of months. In the beginning, it was quiet, and so easy, my only complaint at that time was that you had to buy specialized bags which I felt were too costly. After 3 months, the motor seemed to be a little more sluggish, and it would make more noise like it was straining just to move the rake. After about a year, it would on occasion malfunction in the manner of stopping cold in mid cycle, seemingly unable to move a single clump up to the compartment. We didn't want to give up on it quite yet because we saw that people had very similar problems with theirs and it just seemed to be the downfall in automatic litter boxes.

That was the case until we found the Litter Robot II. We must not have stumbled upon it previously because they tend not to carry this machine in most pet stores, typically you buy it through the manufacturers website. Two months ago, we finally caved in with the Petmate and ordered the Litter Robot II which we were somewhat hesitant because of the price ($299.00 + $30 shipping or you can buy the reconditioned units at a $70 savings), but we had a friend who swore up and down by it, and she was fairly strapped for cash, so I knew she felt that it was a good value. We of course chose the black "death star" version (an off white version is also available), and when the large box arrived at our home, we opened it and were amazed that it was virtually totally assembled. There was the base, and all you had to to was set the globe on top of it, and plug the cord into the base and the unit, and off you go! We added the litter to the machine and hoped that our cat wouldn't be turned off by the machine (there is a money back guarantee that your cat will use it). We added just a scoop of her used litter from the other machine to make sure she understood. Within 20 minutes, our Sophie was inside and doing her thing. It was so hysterical and I couldn't stop laughing at the image of her using it, but she did exactly what she was supposed to do. For a full grown cat, they are supposed to go inside, turn around, and get down to business with their head poking out of the entry hole.

Pros:
So easy to use.
Very well designed.
Uses any standard garbage bag (much cheaper than the specialized bags for other units)
Massive collection compartment
Easy removal of waste (our other covered litter box required you to remove the dome in order to get to the waste bag)
Doesn't make a mess (but I would recommend you place a small rug in front of the machine to capture any litter stuck to your cats paws.)

Cons:
A little louder than I hoped, but not too bad
Pricey (but well worth it in my opinion)
Kittens/Cats under 5 lbs can't use it because they wont trigger the weight sensor
You can't leave waste in for much more than a week without it smelling even though there is plenty of room to collect one cat's waste for 2 weeks

Litter Robot II On-line Demo

Here is a YouTube video that someone took of the Litter Robot in action for its whole cleaning cycle. The camera is pointed just inside the entry so so you can see how everything works inside:

Holiday Hazards for your Cats

With Christmas just around the corner, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding the health and safety of your cats.

Poinsettias, Mistletoe and Holly: Although these plants are favorites for holiday decor and festive feelings, they are toxic when eaten by your pets. Please keep these plants out of reach from your four-legged friends.

Christmas Trees: Trees are easily knocked over, so please make sure that your tree is secure and steady with a firm stand at its base. It is not a bad idea to attach your tree with monofilament fishing line to a hook placed on the ceiling. The water reservoir in the tree stand should be covered. Any chemicals added to the water for preservation, in addition to tree resin/sap is toxic to your kitties. Avoid using tinsel, angel hair, loose ribbon or string as decoration. These are very attractive to cats and are very dangerous as a choking hazard. If they swallow these items, it can cause a blockade in your pets intestines. All ornaments should be kept out of reach for your pets, place them on higher limbs of the tree so that your kitties don't play with them and cause them either to break or to pull the tree over. Also, keep the area around your tree clean from fallen pine needles, broken ornaments, or ornament hooks. If your can chews or swallows any of these it could cause intestinal injuries. Therefore, keep your tree well hydrated to prevent large amounts of fallen pine needles and routinely vacuum to area around your tree to clean up those that have found their way to your floor. A great tip that I found here, suggests putting a layer of aluminum foil under the tree to prevent the cat from venturing up and into the limbs. Cats tend to hate to walk on foil and its a quick, easy, and cheap deterrent. You can also stack empty aluminum soda cans with a few pennies inside as a barrier. If the cat bumps into them and knocks them over, the noise will startle them and they will hopefully avoid this area.

No More Open Door Policy: Post a sign on your door (on both sides), if you are having guests over, that reminds them to close the door securely. This way your animals will have less opportunity to slip outside. An ID tag and collar are especially important even for indoor cats. If you have any worries about this possibility, you might want to consider moving your pets into a separate room with their food, water, and litter box to keep them safe and secure. Unless you have the most social of animals, they will want to be hidden and not disturbed.

Giving Animals as a Gift: Never give an animal as a gift! Becoming the owner/caretaker of an animal is a large responsibility and one that could be a 20 year commitment. This commitment should be made by the person themselves. If you really believe that an animal would be the perfect gift, try buying an adoption gift certificate. Many rescue groups and shelters now carry these for this specific reason. This way, your child, friend, or family member can go and pick out their companion themselves, or they may make the choice not to, either way is better for your and the animal.

Emergencies: In case of an emergency, make sure you know of your local veterinarian and/or emergency clinic.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Nail Trimming

I never realized that there are so many people who have cats who are terrified of trimming their cats nails and insist that it can only be done by a vet, which I am sure runs a high price. Even other shelter volunteers look at me in awe when they notice the pair of clippers that I bring with me in my efforts to control the out of hand claw lengths at the shelter. You see, most of the cats will get their claws trimmed during their initial vet checks when coming into the shelter or when being placed in the adoptable areas. However, with the sheer number of animals the shelter sees, they just don't have time to keep up with the regular maintenance of the nails. That is where I come in. Now granted, it isn't an easy tasks, and there are some cats that I just wont try to do this on without the aid of extra hands, but I attribute this to my limited time with the cats and their lack of trust in me.

I found that the SPCA of San Francisco has a nice .pdf regarding the trimming of your cats nails. I will copy the relevant portion below, or you can read the full version.

From the San Francisco SPCA Cat Behavior Department

Nail Trimming

First of all, keep your cats’ nails trimmed short. This is easy to learn to do, and should be considered an essential part of your grooming responsibility. Have your vet show you how to do this the first time. This will prevent cats from damaging furniture (or skin!) as much if they do sneak a scratch.

Like our fingernails, cats’ claws grow continuously. Some cats may only need clipping every few months. Others may need it every few weeks. It is important to check your cat’s toenails at least once a month. It is easier to clip often, taking less of the claw than to wait too long and have to deal with little daggers. For us to trim our own nails regularly is usually a fairly simple, stress-free procedure. Doing the same for our cats can be more difficult.

Cats who stay indoors may need their nails trimmed more regularly than cats who go outside—even if they use their scratching posts often. Scratching on a post helps to remove the “dead” parts of the nail, thus making the nail thinner and sharper. Nails that have not been trimmed for a long time may grow in a circular shape causing the tips to grow into the cat’s paw pad, or they may become too thick which sometimes happens with older or less active cats. In this case the sheath doesn’t get removed so the claw becomes too wide and starts growing into the cat’s pad. This can be extremely painful and may require medical treatment and minor surgery. It can also lead to infection. This is why regular trimming is essential.

Some Important Tips

· Handling your cat’s paws regularly, when he’s relaxed will allow him to become used to the feeling of having his paws touched. He may then be less upset at claw clipping time.

· Ask someone to help you; it is much easier than trying to hold a struggling cat and wield clippers simultaneously. A “scruff-hold” can be used to restrain the cat. This involves firmly, yet gently restraining the cat by holding his or her scruff and supporting the rest of the cat’s body. While one person holds, the helper can do the actual clipping.

· Before you attempt it on your own, have your veterinarian demonstrate nail trimming for you.

· Choose a time when your cat is calm—naptime may be the best. It is possible that you may only be able to do one toe at a time, especially at first.

· Get appropriate clippers for cats’ claws – do not use human nail clippers or scissors!

How To Do It

· Check the cat’s paws for dirt; although they usually keep their own feet clean, you will want to be able to see the claw clearly. You can extend the cat’s nail by picking up the cat’s foot and gently applying a little pressure on the top and bottom of the toe just behind the nail.

· Make sure there is enough light. Having the cat’s paw between the source of light and yourself makes it much easier to see where you need to cut.

· Keep the clippers perpendicular to the nail. Look for the “quick” in the cat’s nail. Notice how far into the nail the quick extends. (The quick is a vein. You can see it as the pinkish area inside the nail.)

The clipper is best placed about 1/8 inch forward of the quick. If your cat will sit still long enough, you may want to gently file the tips after cleaning.

If You Trim The Nail Too Close

Your cat may give a cry and try to pull away from you. You may observe a small bit of blood on the end of the nail. Wipe the blood away with a tissue or paper towel. Dab some super glue, corn starch or styptic powder (available in pet stores) on the tip to stop the bleeding. In the future, you will want to cut the nails a little further away from the quick.

Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Programs in the Silicon Valley

The San Jose Animal Care Center accepts feral cats for surgery on Tue, Wed, and Thur (8am-8:30am) as walk-ins. They do not take appointments for feral cats. Feral means that the animal will not allow humans to touch it and therefore if it is in a trap, it is required to be completely covered by a towel in order to reduce stress on the animal. Humane traps may be borrowed from the Center for up to 1 week with a $40 refundable deposit.

Tame cats need an appointment by calling (408) 361-6602. Please bring your cat in its own carrier.

Rates (Tame or Feral)
Male: $5 for Residents* / $20 for Non-Residents
Female: $10 for Residents* / $30 for Non-Residents
*of San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas or Saratoga

To view this info on the facility's website, please visit: http://www.sanjoseanimals.com/spayNeutProg.asp

For other low-cost spay/neuter programs in the Silicon Valley area:

Animal Birth Control Assistance Inc. (408) 244-8351
St. Francis of Assisi Low-Cost Clinic (San Martin, CA) (408) 683-0866
Palo Alto Animal Services (650) 496-5933
Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (Campbell, Monte Sereno, Santa Clara)

Are you still hesitant to get your cat fixed due to negative changes in your cats behavior? If so, please read what Animal Planet's cat guide says about the issue:

Spaying and Neutering

Most veterinarians, animal-welfare organizations and even animal-rights advocates strongly recommend sterilizing all pets to prevent reproduction, ideally before they are sexually mature. It is probably the one subject on which there is such widespread agreement. In addition to controlling the cat population and reducing the number of unwanted, homeless felines, sterilizing also benefits the individual cat.

Even if your pet never leaves your house, sterilization is better for your cat's health. Sterilized cats tend to live longer, healthier lives than their sexually active counterparts. Obviously, diseases of the removed organs are completely prevented, and the risks for a host of related diseases, including such things as mammarian cancer, are reduced. Contrary to popular belief, “fixed” cats do not become overweight, lazy or depressed. These conditions are due to overfeeding and lack of exercise.

More importantly, this operation will help preserve your sanity on a day-to-day basis. Have you ever tried to sleep while a female cat in heat paces incessantly around the house, yowling in apparent distress? Or have you ever smelled the pungent urine of an intact male? Even in the litter box the odor is enough to make your eyes water, and if he begins spraying urine around the house to mark his territory the situation can become unbearable. Sadly, through no fault of their own, many unfixed males are dumped off at animal shelters because of this very problem.

There are some other benefits: Cats not focused on finding a mate generally transfer their attention, and affection, to their owners. Sterilized outdoor cats won't roam far and wide looking for mates, and so are less likely to get lost. Neutered males stay out of the violent competitions for females that often lead to wounds and abscesses. Indoor cats, particularly males, will also show less aggression toward other cats.

29 Nov 2007

I went back to the Furrville room where I haven't been for quite a while and got to see many new faces. The kennel attendant was just about wrapping up with the daily cleaning in the room so AJ was out in the play room entertaining himself. I didn't want to interrupt AJ's adorable act of pouncing on the little furry toys scattered across the floor and picking them up with both front paws and tossing them into the air. His dance was reminding me of those little snow foxes in the arctic how pounce repeatedly on top of a thick layer of snow chasing their prey. AJ is a black and white, medium length hair cat around 1 year old but still plays like a tiny kitten. So while AJ did his thing, I went inside the other room and chatted with the kennel attendant about the other cats I played with the day before, especially Domino and his extra toes.

While talking, Bonnie (gray tabby and white short hair) decided to snag the attendant with her front claws. Apparently she was very interested in the broom that the kennel attendant was moving around in front of her cage, but missed the broomstick and got the attendant on the arm with her sharp claws. I typically bring a pair of nail clippers from home and so I decided that Bonnie would be the next to come out and play, with my mission being to trim back those nails. So, AJ went back into his cage and I went to take Bonnie out, and boy did I get a surprise. Bonnie has a stub for a tail. Now, I am not sure if Bonnie was born this way, or if it had to be amputated at some point, but either way, I have yet to get over the quirkiness of a cat without a tail. Thankfully Bonnie's classic pink nose, and being a total sweetheart helps one forget about the lack of a tail. I am sure that with time, a person will completely forget about the "shortcomings" just as the cat sure as heck doesn't mind. I had a grand time flicking the cat toy on a stick through the air and watching Bonnie catch them in mid flight. I managed to snip off a few nail tips in between her cartwheeling around the room.

Next was Christian, this stunning brown tabby. His markings are so striking with his brown/silver coloring and dark black stripes. He even his a broad black stripe down his back and tail. What a sweetheart. He purrs non stop and loves to be held, pet, or cuddled. His left ear has a little notch at the tip, but you would never know how he might have earned such a mark with his gentle disposition. To top it all off, he knows exactly what a scratching post is and how to use it. I just wanted to hold him in my arms like I do with Tom Tom, but he didn't want to be held for too long, so no napping for me today. I was also able to trim some of Christian's nails while he lay exhausted on the carpeted stairs after and entertaining chase with the cat toy on a stick.

The next kitty down the line was this gorgeous gray cat named Taloola, but she seemed a little shy and didn't want to venture out of the cage. I stood at her cage and pet the very gentle cat who seemed quite happy that I was there. I was hoping to coax her outside for some exercise and some playtime, however, she began eating and I decided that she was just happy where she was. I surely do not want to force a cat out where its not comfortable, especially on my first visit with the kitty. If I see this cat again, I will give it about 10 minutes to adjust to me and then try to pick her up to take her out to play. I have been known to wait for 30 minutes in front of a cage just waiting patiently trying to earn the trust of a cat who is terrified of leaving their cage. Poor little things, who knows what they have been through.

At this point, Manda, who was in the cage right below Taloola was pawing me apron and was desperately trying to get my attention. Manda has been a resident at the shelter since July. She is a brown tabby with the cutest dusty rose colored nose. She is so adorable and has way too much energy to be kept in a cage. She loves to talk to get your attention and purrs continuously. She is very gentle and would be great with kids who can keep up with her activity level. She loves to catch flies and will jump after toys, once caught, she will take her toys off to a quiet spot where she can keep an eye on them and make sure they don't fly again. If you aren't busy playing with her, she will just walk around rubbing up against anything and everything. Thankfully she understands the meaning of a scratching post.

28 Nov 2007

I went to the shelter today after a long absence for my Thanksgiving vacation. I was so excited to get back and see the kitties! Recently there was a large adopt-a-thon at the shelter and its nice to finally see some empty cages. I assume that means that all of the cats that are fit for adoption are up and strutting their stuff for the visitors to see. As a volunteer we don't really get to know how many cats are in the back, or how many are just waiting for a spot in the public areas. I went to the Purrfect Inn room where it usually houses 12 adult cats and found that 5 cages were completely cleaned and empty, awaiting a new occupant. One small cat, who couldn't even be a year old, had one of those green medical cards attached to its cage. This means that he is off limits to me and I am not allowed to take him out to play.

The first one I took out to play with was Tux. My favorite standby. He never gives me trouble and he is just an all around great cat. According to the shelter, the previous owners gave him up because one of the family members discovered allergies towards the cat. They said that Tux is a "very good cat, likes people, loving and sweet. Chases toys, pounces and uses scratching post." So far, all their statements have rung true in the 6+ times that I have played with Tux. He just goes with the flow and doesn't complain, other than when its time to go back in his cage, which I only worry about the cats who eagerly jump back in their cage. After about 20 minutes of play time, Tux just found a sunny spot in the play room and laid down, very content.

Tom Tom is by far my favorite cat at the moment. He has been at the shelter since July. He is just so handsome, but above all, he is my nap time kitty. He is completely different than the other cats in the way that when I take him out into the play room, he doesn't immediately jump out of my arms so that he can stretch and explore. There are times when these cats don't get out to play for a few days at a time, and you know that they must be just so tired of being in their little cages where a full grown cat can't fully stretch out their muscles. But this is not stretching time for Tom Tom, he just LOVES to be held. So I just take my pal over into the corner where a little sunshine hits his fur, I put my legs up and hold him in my arms. He will typically turn around a few times to find that sweet spot to lay down in my arms, and then, it's nap time! But not without him testing me with his "love bites". I am fairly new into the cat world, but I have noticed that there are a few out there who seem to think that nibbling on your skin is a loving thing to do. I am working to correct his behavior, but I think that it is just in their nature to do so. He is so loving and as I hold him in my arms he purrs continuously and rubs his face up against mine and if I am not paying attention, I will find him open-mouthed, with my chin inside his jaws. He doesn't bite down hard, but its definitely not something that should be allowed. I am sure the sentiment was just lost in translation, however, after a firm "no" from me and he goes back to curling up in my arms and we go back to our nap. I really hope that someone who is understanding of cats comes and falls in love with Tom Tom. I don't think that children would be a good companion for Tom Tom because they might not be in tune with his "love bites".

Domino is a new cat, who came in the weekend before Thanksgiving. He is fairly large in stature, and seems like he's been through a lot. Maybe he was a stray for a while. He's a sweet cat and loves to climb up to the top of the carpeted cat condo that recently found its way into the play room. I spent most of my time trying to trim back his nails. You see, he has more toes than normal, otherwise known as polydactyly. This is the first time I have noticed a cat at the shelter with this condition. These cats are especially important to keep their claws trimmed because they don't wear evenly on account of the the extra toes being slightly higher up on their paw. He definitely wasn't enjoying my attempt at snipping his claws, but I did manage to trim back most of his front ones. I can't wait to play with Domino again soon so that I get to know him better.

Alison is a beautiful tabby who has a peculiar annoyance towards certain cat toys. Any type of the wide banded strings or boa-like cat toys on a stick that loosely resemble a tail makes Alison growl at the toy, she calmed down and rubbed up against me. It was somewhat amusing and I wasn't totally sure if she was just confused because the hair on her back didn't stand up on end and she never took a defensive posture. I then played around with another stick toy with a puff ball on the end with a ball inside and she got much enjoyment out of this. She is a very sweet, gentle and a well-mannered kitty with the most stunning eyes.