June is Adopt A Cat Month!

Ok, so June is just the official Adopt A Cat Month.  Every month is adopt a cat month, if you ask us.  But, in honor of the occasion, here's an all-you-can-eat buffet of cat facts.  Help yourself!  Go back for seconds!  Cats are fascinating creatures and wonderful companions, and hopefully we can fill folks up with enough cat-love to turn June's Adopt A Cat Month status into a year-round phenomenon.   

History:

• Cats weren’t domesticated by the Egyptians; genetics trace the first domesticated cats to about 8000 BCE in the Middle East. 
• The very first felids (progenitors of big cats and house cats) appeared 25 million years ago.
• The Egyptian Mau is thought to be the oldest breed of domesticated cat.
• Domestication of cats occurred at about the same time that agriculture began to develop, which makes sense: agriculture attracts mice and rats, mice and rats attract cats, cats do humans a service by keeping pest populations under control, humans decide cats are pretty cool and begin to care for them.
• From the original domesticated cat, about 40 recognized breeds have developed.

Biology:

• Felids are the strictest carnivores out of all of the entire order Carnivora – no vegetarian diets for kitties, please!
• Cats are “leapers” – their powerful hind legs allow them to jump up to five times their height in a single bound.  The only exception is the cheetah, which is built for running instead of jumping.
• Cats can run over 30 mph over short distances.
•  Cats do NOT always land on their feet when they fall, but they are often able to because of their “righting reflex;” their eyes and inner ear cooperate to help them keep track of which was is up so they can twist around and land safely. 
• Cats’ hearing is more sensitive than dogs’ (and FAR more sensitive than humans’)
•  Cats’ vision is a mixed bag; their night vision is far more sensitive than humans’, but they don’t see color as vividly.  It’s thought that cats can only see a few of the colors that humans can.
• When cats purr, muscles in their larynx vibrate about 25 times per second.  They can purr while inhaling and exhaling, and purring may even accelerate the healing process.
• There’s a name for the floofy hair that cats have in their ears: “ear furnishings.”  Aside from being cute, it helps direct sound into the ear and keep dirt and disease out.
• Cats can’t taste sweet! 

Care:

• Indoor cats live, on average, 15-17 years; outdoor cats only average 3-5 years.
• Feline leukemia and FIV are common in populations of indoor/outdoor or outdoor cats; both are incurable and fatal. 
•  Cats are notorious for disguising symptoms of illness or injury, which makes it especially important that they be examined by a vet at least once a year – not just when they’re showing signs of illness or discomfort! 
•  Many cats are picky about drinking water from a bowl; some prefer moving water and some get almost all of their moisture from their food.  If your cat is bad about drinking, a canned food diet is important to prevent urinary infection and blockage.
•  Clay cat litter – the stuff that looks like little gray rocks – is a cancer risk for your cat.  It is made out of silica, and the dust that billows up when you pour litter into the box (and every time your cat scratches in it) is a known carcinogen.  Switch to an all-natural, safe litter; there are many on the market!  We use pine pellet litter with our cats.
•  Change is tough for cats, and it just gets tougher the older they get.  Try to make any changes as gradually as you can – from introducing a new family member to moving the litter box.

Behavior:

• When cats rub their faces against someone or something, they are marking territory; they have a scent gland in their cheeks.  Take it as a compliment when a cat likes you enough to “claim” you!
• Unlike dogs, cats are instinctively inclined to potty train themselves!  Their drive to bury their waste is a throwback to their wild ancestry; burying is a way to disguise their presence from possible predators (or prey). 
•  Even the cuddliest house cats are hunters at heart; cat toys let them act out their hunting instincts in a fun way!  If your cat is stalking or pouncing on you, he might be telling you he needs more playtime. 
• Cats are capable of producing about 100 different sounds; dogs can only produce about 10.
• Cats love to perch!  High-up perches are a comfort zone for most cats, where they can feel secure while they scope out their domain.
• Cats love dens and hidey holes!  Ever wonder why cardboard boxes are so popular with our feline friends?  It’s simply because they’re a common (and fun) enclosed spot to sit in.
• Scratching is a natural and essential behavior for cats – it stretches the muscles and tendons in their legs, and allows them to mark territory.  It is impossible to train a cat not to scratch at all, but it is easy to train a cat to scratch on appropriate things…a scratching post, for example, instead of your couch!

Declawing:

• Unlike human fingernails, which could be removed without damaging the finger, cats’ claws are fused to the bones of their toes.  The procedure of declawing is the amputation of the full last joint on each toe; it is far more serious than most people realize.
• Cats are digitigrades, meaning that they walk on tip-toes all the time.  Because of this, the practice of declawing – which removes the full last joint on each toe – can seriously impact their agility, balance, and joint alignment. 
• Declawing is illegal or considered an inhumane practice in over 24 nations around the world; in Israel, you can get up to a year in prison for declawing a cat. 
• Studies have shown residual pain in declawed cats’ paws up to 8 years after the surgery (that’s not necessarily when the pain ended, it’s just when the study ended).
• Declawed cats frequently stop using the litter box in the years following the surgery due to the pain in their paws caused by scratching in litter; once the cat has developed an association between the pain in its paws and the litter box, it will begin using softer surfaces that cause less discomfort instead – things like furniture, clothing, and carpet.  This is often the reason that declawed cats are given up for adoption. 
• Another common behavior problem with declawed cats is excessive aggression and biting.  Without their claws as a main line of defense, cats turn to biting as a response to any perceived threat, and because they feel so vulnerable, almost anything can seem threatening.
• Declawed cats are less likely to tolerate the presence of other pets in the home.
• There are many alternatives to declawing, including training, nail trimming, and nail caps like Soft Paws, all of which allow your cat’s feet and your furniture to remain intact!

Overpopulation:

• Cats can reproduce when they are just 4 months old, and have 2 or more litters of kittens a year.  On average, a litter contains 6 kittens.
• In just 7 years, one cat, her mate, and their offspring can produce 420,000 cats. 
• For every person born in the US, 45 kittens are born; for every cat to have a person to care for it, every person would have to care for 45 cats. 
• Every year in the US, 5-7 million pets enter shelters; less than half of them are ever adopted.
• Shelter euthanasia is the #1 cause of death for house cats.  Although we maintain a 90% or higher placement rate at WHS, the national placement rate is closer to 30%; most cats do not get as lucky as the ones in our care.
• Spay and neuter are the ONLY way to reduce homelessness and shelter euthanasia!  Always always ALWAYS have your cats fixed; even one litter adds to the millions of cats waiting for homes in the US every year. 
• Feral – or wild – cats need to be fixed, too!  We take in hundreds of kittens from feral moms every year.  Most shelters and rescues offer Trap-Neuter-Return programs that round up feral cats, fix them, and return them to their original locations.  These programs are almost all free, or extremely low-cost, for the cats’ caretakers.

Adoption:

• Our cat adoption fees range from $20 (seniors) to $50 (kittens); that fee includes a spay or neuter surgery, one or more rounds of vaccines, a blood test for feline leukemia and FIV, deworming, and one or more doses of topical flea/tick prevention – an estimated value of $400-$600.  Adoption is a good deal, no matter how you slice it!
• Black cats wait longer to be adopted than their more colorful counterparts, partly due to superstition, but partly due to simply being overlooked in a sea of “fancier” cats, and partly due to how difficult it is to capture their features in photographs for web postings.
• You CAN find pure-bred cats at humane societies and rescues!  25% of pets who enter shelters are pure-bred.
• Approximately 70% of the animals WHS takes in in a year are cats and kittens.
• Because we have no time limit on any of the pets in our care, many of our cats wait a long time for their forever home to come along.  Our current longest-term resident is Persephone, a black and white cat who has been at WHS since March 21, 2011.  In the past, cats have waited upwards of 4 years to find a home. 
• Making the move to a new home can be very difficult for cats; it is not uncommon for them to hide, decrease their food intake, and duke it out with other pets for days or weeks as they settle in.  Give a new cat at least a week to adjust before you decide it’s not working out!

Got more cat facts to add?  Join in and share them in the comments!  And spread the cat-love around a little; you never know, you might help a cat-lover-in-training make the leap to adopt and give a cat in need a home, just in time for Adopt A Cat Month. 

Helping your pet cope when allergies strike

Ahh, spring!  The trees are blooming, the grass is growing, and I am sneezing.  A lot.   When we think about pets and allergies, we tend to focus on the allergies they cause, but pets suffer from allergies, too – yes, even the very same seasonal allergies that are such a drag this time of year. 

CURSE YOUR MAJESTIC, SNEEZY BEAUTY, SPRING

Those of us blessed with a wide variety of allergies can tell you that they come in many forms, and the same is true for pets; a pet who is inexplicably itchy, sneezy, sniffly, gassy, or patchy-haired from time to time could be suffering from seasonal, contact, food, or flea allergies.  We’ve got a few tips to help you make them a little more comfortable when those allergies strike. 

Pollen, our arch nemesis

Seasonal allergies cause some of the same respiratory symptoms you might experience this time of year – sniffles, sneezes, coughs, mucus.  Reducing exposure can be tricky, because pollen gets absolutely everywhere, and for dogs in particular, staying indoors 24/7 isn’t really an option.  If you know your pet is sensitive, try to keep windows closed as much as possible when the pollen count is high, and make a point of dusting and vacuuming regularly to keep the stuff that does find its way in under control.  After an outdoor romp, take a damp cloth and give your pet a good wipe-down to remove any pollen that might be hanging out in his fur…and although your pet may disagree, a weekly bath routine is helpful during allergy season.  Use an oatmeal shampoo or something similarly soothing to avoid drying out his skin.  

Similar symptoms, although not necessarily seasonal, may also be caused by dusty or dander-y environments (like an adoption center full of pets, despite our constant cleaning); if your pet seems to be constantly just a tiny bit sniffly or weepy-eyed for no evident reason, that might be the cause.  Try establishing a more frequent vacuuming routine, especially in the areas your pet frequents, and that may be all it takes to see improvement in their symptoms. 

Contact allergies, our other arch nemesis

Contact allergies, for those of you lucky people who don't have them, are allergies that affect the skin when it comes into physical contact with the offending "something," and they are tricky.  This is probably the most difficult allergy to treat, because it can be very difficult to pinpoint the cause.  Symptoms of contact allergies include itching, skin irritation, and patchy hair loss - anything from a few tiny spots to a whole naked underbelly.  The most common place we see contact allergies is on the feet, legs, and tummy on pets who are allergic to something in the grass they run through.  If you suspect contact allergies are to blame for an itchy, patchy pet, a trip to the vet is in order; the odds of you figuring out exactly what your pet is allergic to on your own are pretty slim.  Once you know what's to blame, minimize exposure as much as possible, and do the same wipe-down routine described above.  Although this, and other allergies that cause itchy skin, may seem like more of an annoyance than a hazard for your pet, the real harm comes from the risk of secondary skin infection that, if left untreated, can become serious. 

To flea or not to flea. That is the question. (And the answer is always "not to flea," duh.)

Flea allergy dermatitis - an allergic reaction to flea bites - is super common.  There's also really no excuse for letting it happen, because it is super easy to prevent.  Symptoms include scabby, itchy, inflamed skin and hair loss, usually around the butt/base of the tail area and around the face and ears.  If we see these symptoms, and see evidence of live fleas or flea dirt (little dark specks in the fur that are, essentially, dried blood that the fleas have digested and pooped out), flea allergies are almost a given.  Again, the real risk of flea allergies is not the allergy itself, but the secondary problems it creates.  First of all, fleas spread disease and parasites, so if your pet is infested with fleas, it's at risk for much larger problems.  And secondly, skin infection is extremely common in conjunction with flea allergy dermatitis.  Luckily, there's a very simple solution for this problem: start a monthly flea and tick prevention regimen and stick with it.  If you apply one treatment and assume your problem is fixed, you're in for a rude awakening.  And please, if you're trying to pick out the right parasite prevention product, talk to your vet.  Products bought at the grocery store (and particularly Hartz brand products) are mostly ineffective and often toxic; not only will they not solve your flea problem, they might actually kill your pet.  

You are what you eat; don't be "allergens"

It's amazing what a good diet can do for your pet.  With the right knowledge, you can pick a food that promotes heart health, reduces shedding and dander, keeps ear infections at bay, helps regulate insulin production, alleviates arthritis, makes weight loss and management easier, boosts their energy, creates less poop (seriously), and even cuts down on farts.  What do we call this magical super-food?  Well, allergen-free, for one thing.  The most common ingredients list villains for pets who have food allergies are corn, wheat, and soy.  Write that down, don't forget it.  If your pet has sporadic stomach upset or diarrhea, excessive gas, dry, flaky skin, struggles to maintain a healthy weight, or suffers from frequent ear infections, guess what: those three baddies are most likely to blame.  

Almost all dogs and cats, to some degree, will struggle with allergies to corn, wheat, and soy.  So why to pet food companies keep using them?  Because they're cheap.  Corn and wheat are cheap byproducts of the grain industry, and make great fillers if you're trying to take up a lot of volume and not spend a lot of money.  But they're also extremely difficult for pets to digest, and provide no nutritional value.  Soy is a cheap way to bump up the protein content in pet food without spending money on meat, but cats and dogs can't digest it well enough to get the protein they need from it.  It's basically a way to meet a protein quota, or make a food appear to be of higher quality without actually doing so.  Unfortunately, it's the pets who pay the price for the cheaper ingredients.  

The short version of how to pick a good pet food is this: no corn, no wheat, no soy, no by-products.  This applies to both cats and dogs, and to both canned food and dry kibble.  Read the long version here.  You'll pay a little more for a higher quality food, but it's worth it to give your pet a longer, healthier, and allergy-free life.  

Meds

Pinpointing the cause of an allergic reaction can be tricky, especially since the itchy-scratchy-scabby-hair loss symptoms can crop up in one way or another with almost any allergy, so a trip to your veterinarian would not go amiss, regardless of the type of cause of your pet's allergies.  It is absolutely essential if your pet needs medication to alleviate symptoms.  Much the way we allergy sufferers are emotionally bonded with our flonase and allergra, allergy medications can make the difference between "miserable" and "pretty ok" for your pets during an allergy outbreak.  And there are some over the counter allergy medications that are safe and effective for pets, but don't make that decision on your own; one medication that may be safe for dogs may not be for cats, and overdosing can be very harmful.  It is never safe to prescribe or dose human medications for your pet without vet approval. 

What difference does one pet make?

A friendly reminder from us to you, here in the midst of kitten season, to always have your pets spayed and neutered...because yes, one pet does make a difference.  

DIY Pets: Make Your Own Pet Poop Composter

In honor of Earth Day (Happy Earth Day!), here's one way to make your pets a little more eco-friendly: compost their poop!  Yeah yeah, even the staff here gave me weird looks when I brought it up.  But here's the thing: if you care about your pets' impact on the environment, the waste they create is a big stinkin' deal.

The two ways people generally choose to deal with poop are as follows:

1. Bag it up and throw it away
2. Leave it where it falls and try not to step in it later

There are problems with of these approaches, unfortunately.  In #1, you're taking something (#2, to be precise) that would normally break down very quickly, tossing it into a plastic bag that will take a bazillion years to break down, and then shipping it off to sit in a landfill, which it will probably continue to do long after we've all died.  If you, like me, live in an apartment, have no yard, and must by necessity bag up poo, that's ok!  Just use biodegradable bags, so the poo isn't still around when your grandchildren have dogs of their own.  If you're having trouble finding a source of biodegradable bags in your area, consult the internet; you'll find them in a jiffy.

Poop solution #2 - the ignore it and it'll go away approach - seems like a better solution, right?  It doesn't involve plastic or landfills or anybody's grandkids.  Unfortunately, though, it does involve a whole mess of diseases that can wander out of that poop and into the water supply: fecal coliform bacteria, E. coli, and giardia, to name a few.  These gross little critters are unhealthy for anybody coming into contact with them, obviously, but they're also damaging to aquatic ecosystems.  So letting poop disappear on its own isn't a very eco-friendly (or healthy, or aesthetically pleasing) approach, either.  If you're not in the habit of picking up poo every time it happens, try and make a point of tidying up every few days (with biodegradable bags, of course!).  Or, better yet, try out Poop Solution #3 (and, conveniently enough, the subject of this post):

Make Your Own Pet Poop Composter!

Do you garden?  Do your pets poop?  If you answered yes to both of those questions, poop composting is for you!  Here's how to build your own pet poop compost bin.

What you'll need: 

• A plastic trash can or bucket with lid - 2 gallons or more.  You're basically going to destroy this thing, so don't spend a lot of money on it; if you can get it second-hand, go that route.  Beat up is ok.  As for what size you'll need, consider 2 things: the quantity of poop you'll be composting, and the fact that you're going to have to dig a hole big enough to sink this thing into the ground.  The size and quantity of your pets should be a deciding factor.  And you definitely want a lid.  Don't forget a lid. 
• Gravel
• Septic Starter
• Box cutter or some other sharp implement that you can use to safely cut the bottom off of your trash can/bucket
•  Drill
• Shovel

What you'll need to do: 

1. Prepare your trash can: drill drainage holes in the sides and cut out the bottom. 
2. Pick a location!  Look for a flat area, a good distance away from any water supply and from any fruit or vegetable gardens; poop compost is great for flowers, trees, shrubs, etc. but shouldn't be used on anything you're going to eat.  If you're already composting non-poop materials, place your poop compost a good distance away from your other compost, too, to avoid any poop contamination.
3. Get diggin'.  You need to sink your trash can/bucket into the ground so that it sits with the top just an inch or two above ground level. 
4. Place your trash can/bucket into the hole and fill in around it until it's well-planted and stable.
5. Pour in a layer of gravel/rocks for filtration - 5-6" deep is a good ballpark.  How much gravel you'll need for that layer will depend on the size of your can/bucket.
6. Toss in your poop collection!  Smaller chunks break down faster.  I'm not saying you have to mash up the poop, but you'll see results quicker if you do.  
7. Add septic starter (you can find this at most hardware stores).
8. Add enough water to make a good, soaked poop-soup.
9. Put a lid on it!  It may be a good idea to decorate the lid in some way that clearly marks what's inside so that no curious passer-by is tempted to interfere.  
10. Toss in poop as it happens, plus any of the following items as you see fit: 
• Cat poop (ONLY if you use an all-natural litter, which you should be anyway if you're an eco-conscious pet owner...say no to clay litter!) 
• Grass clippings
• Leaves and plant matter
• Sawdust (this is a bonus if you use pine cat litter)
• Straw or hay
• More septic starter as needed to break stuff down
11. Add some water once a month or so - you don't want the bin overflowing, but water does help keep things moving. 

You should start getting some great soil from your compost bin within about a month of getting started!  Garden away, secure in the knowledge that your pets' poop is not only not hurting the environment, it's making your flowers prettier.  Just flowers, though; remember, poop compost is not for edible things. 

If you're interested in learning about some other ways to make your pets eco-friendly, clickity click on over here!  It's not all about poop, after all.  It just seems like it, some days.

Understanding Animal Hoarding

When a story about animal hoarding breaks, it’s news; animal hoarders collect dozens, sometimes hundreds, of animals before they are exposed, and by the time help arrives, many are dead or dying.  Cases like this are shocking.  They are also shockingly common.  At an estimated 250,000 animals affected annually, the Animal Legal Defense Fund calls animal hoarding the most prominent crisis facing companion animals today. 

Most people react to stories of hoarding with outrage and disgust, but hoarding is a complex and difficult problem to address.  Individuals who hoard animals are mentally ill; most take in animals out of a desire to “save” them, but are unable to provide even the most minimal care.  They experience a complete disconnect when it comes to perceiving the harm that they cause, and refuse help when it is offered, because they truly believe that they are doing what is best for the animals in their care.  It’s hard for outside observers to understand, when to us, the neglect is so evident and so extreme; but railing against and demonizing animal hoarders will not solve the problem.  Animals can be seized and people can be prosecuted, but without psychiatric help, someone who is compelled to hoard animals will almost always relocate and begin the cycle again.  At present, the legal system in most places (and certainly not in Kentucky) doesn't throw its weight around when it comes to animal cruelty cases, and it almost never addresses the mental health problems that underlie the cruelty itself. 

There are some common signs to look for if you suspect that someone you know may be hoarding animals.  Hoarders often will say that they have many animals, but will not provide specific numbers (and in fact may not even know how many animals they have).  Their homes are often deteriorated on the interior, with evidence of built-up feces and urine; they may refuse entrance to outside parties, or continually find excuses to prevent others from viewing the property.  The animals will show signs of health problems, but the hoarder will always have an excuse that diverts blame from themselves; they may also state that the animals are happy and healthy, even though it is evident that they are not.  

One of the scariest aspects of the hoarding mentality, from the average animal lover's perspective, is that hoarders often pass themselves off - very successfully - as rescuers or pet care professionals.  Many even achieve 501c3 non-profit status.  So how can you tell if the person you are considering entrusting with your pet's life is on the up-and-up?  First, insist on seeing the "facility;" if the rescuer, boarder, or pet sitter won't allow you to do so, don't go any further.  Ask for specifics on how many animals are in the individual's care, how long they stay, what veterinary care will be provided, and what efforts are made to adopt them out.  Check veterinary references. 

If you suspect that someone in your life is an animal hoarder, please seek help immediately; this is not a problem that will resolve itself, and for the sake of both the person and the animals involved, it cannot go unaddressed.  Don't wait - report suspected hoarding situations to your local Animal Control agency, and continue to make reports until something is done. 

I love you, now feed me: Decoding the purr

Whether you’re a cat person or not, the purr is a pretty interesting thing.  “What’s the big deal,” you might ask; “it’s just a cat’s word for ‘happy.’”  In actuality, a cat’s purr is much more…and it can even be used as a form of kitty mind control!  Read on to unravel the mysteries of the purr.

The physical act of purring is a vibration of the muscles of the larynx; cats can do it whether they’re inhaling or exhaling, and purr at a frequency of 25-150 vibrations per second.  Big cats purr, too, but the little ones do it more, perhaps because they've learned that it gets good reactions from their two-legged servants.  Most of us see purring as a sign of contentment, and it frequently is; cats often purr when they’re enjoying friendly attention, and a purr can definitely be a friendly gesture. 

But cats may also purr when they’re injured, afraid, or in pain – female cats often purr during labor, and many cats purr as they pass on.  Clearly these aren’t happy purrs, so what gives?  Well, the purr may be a lot more important to cats than we’ve given it credit for.  Researchers have theorized that the frequency of the cat’s purr – 25 vibrations per second – may function as a sort of built-in physical therapy for a cat in distress.  As it turns out, that same frequency of vibration is used to help humans heal faster; although it’s not yet proven, a cat’s purr may help it heal faster as well. 

If you gave birth to 6 babies at once you'd need built-in physical therapy, too

And now for our favorite purr: the solicitation purr.  Cat owners, you may recognize yourself in this section; I certainly do.  As it turns out, cats are extremely tuned-in to their owners, especially in a single-person household where the cat and the owner have lots of one-on-one time.  They observe us and learn from us, and yes – dog people have been saying this for decades – they even control us.  Does your cat ever sit on your bed (or directly on you) in the morning and purr to get you up and on your way to the food bowl?  That, cat-lovers, is an entirely unique type of purr: the solicitation purr.  It’s a higher frequency purr peppered with meows.  Over years of domestication, cats have learned that just meowing at the Food Bringer is less likely to achieve the desired results; but who among us can resist a hearty purr, even if it’s 4am?  This is also the most persistent purr.  I can say from experience that a hungry cat is not a cat who gives up easily. 

Can't you hear the purr right through your screen?

Although there’s still a lot that scientists don’t know about purring, one thing is for certain: it’s part of what makes us love our feline friends.  Maybe we’re just comforted by that magical, healing frequency; maybe it’s just nice to have an audible “I love you,” even if it’s actually an “I love you, now feed me.”  If you’re looking for a purr to call your own, get in touch with us at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org and ask about our adoptable cats!