About Cats: Winter Storm Survival Kit for Cats

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats Our next newsletter will come in October, when we honor black cats. Be the first to submit your Why I Love Black Cats Show and Tell. If you enjoyed this newsletter, consider passing it on to a friend. Facebook | Twitter | Free Newsletters Winter Storm Survival Kit for Cats Although it's still September, it isn't too early to start thinking about cold Winter weather. It takes some time to put together a winter storm survival kit for cats, and help is at hand, assuming a worst case, which would include loss of electricity for an extended period. Photo Credit: © iStockPhoto / Joe Brandt See More About:  preparing cats for emergencies  winter and cats  chronic renal failure in cats Memorial to a Legend: HOSTDru It is with mixed emotions that I announce the passing of a woman who left a legacy of loving care for both her own cats and the cats of the world, and a plethora of joyful, laughable, often raucus memories of her stories on our About Cats Forum. HOSTDru was a longtime member of the forum, almost as long as I have been. Her husband, Chris, announced Dru's passing Sunday, of the Lymphoma she had been battling for some time. His request was, "Light a candle, sing a song, dance , laugh, pray to whatever gods or goddesses you worship. But no tears. She wanted everyone to remember happier times." We've done exactly that on the forum. When Dru became Forum Host she asked permission to put a certain tagline on her signature file. I agreed wholeheartedly, because it is one of my passions too: "4 Million cats are killed each year. Stop the slaughter. Spay and Neuter." That is Dru in a nutshell, and I raise my glass to her memory. See More About:  memorials  loss in the world of cats  about.com cats forum Should Your College Roomie be a Cat? College is in full swing now, and students might be thinking about companionship. Would a cat be a good roomie? There are lots of considerations to think about first. My first consideration is always for the cats. With a full course schedule, a social life, Perhaps a part-time job, you simply may not have the time left for the kinds of attention a cat needs. In that case, volunteering for a shelter would be a win-win solution. You would get your needed "cat fix," and the shelter cats would benefit from your attention and care. Think about it. See More About:  adopting a cat  responsible ownership  vaccinations for cats Cat Picture of the Week: Wakatsuki's Treasure Photo Credit: © Guest, Wakatsuki Tomonao Taking on a senior cat is often a gamble, but most of us never look back, and never regret our decision, no matter how it turns out. Wakatsuki took a gamble when she first met the cat with no name in a park. He walked right up to her as if he knew her. "He was so pure and dignified," Wakatsuki wrote, that she was never able to name him. He had an incurable disease, and too soon, he died. It's been two years, but Wakatsuki still remembers him with love, as he was the only cat who ever lived with her. I knew I had to have this cat as my Cat Picture of the Week, but I refused to use "No Name." Then I read one of Wakatsuki's bits of advice: "Even if you brought up the cat from a kitten, I want you to try to face to the senior cat on an equal footing and you may obtain tremendous treasure." My dilemma was solved. I named him "Wakatsuki's Treasure." See More About:  senior cats  cat pictures of the week  cat rescue Cats Ads Cats Cat Vet Clinic Cats and Dogs Lymphoma in Cats Cat Illness Symptoms Featured Articles Cats for Beginners Cat Care Kitten Care Feline Behavior - Training Cat Food and Nutrition Cat Health   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads The Anatomy of Pet Food Recalls Top Reasons to Keep Cats Indoors Is Your Cat in Heat? Cat Behavior 101 Cat Years   Follow me on: Advertisement

About Cats: Joy of Senior Cats, Attention-Seeking Behavior

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats Don't forget this is Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week. Consider adopting a senior cat, especially if you are a senior. Even if she has a limited time left on earth, you can share a lifetime of love, especially if you record her life with you. And if you already have a senior cat, share your joy with other readers. Please pass this newsletter on to a friend who loves cats. I love to welcome new readers! Facebook | Twitter | Free Newsletters Cat Picture of the Week: Hudson Hudson is a handsome, sleek, blue cat with the eyes that betray his Chartreux background. You would never know by looking at Hudson's photo that he is twenty years old. He has aged well, and his veterinarian says it is because of the Sub-Q fluids for his CRF and the TLC he receives from Ingrid. The two of them have been housemates ever since she first laid eyes on him as a kitten in a pet shop. Photo Credit: © Guest, Ingrid Read more of Hudson's touching story and learn how you can submit your own senior cat's stories and photos. See More About:  cat pictures of the week  senior cats  diseases that target senior cats Attention Seeking Behavior in Cats Cat caregivers sometimes complain about "behavior problems," when there are physical reasons for some of those problems. One example is a cats excessive vocalization: loud meowing or crying, sometimes accompanied by other attention-seeking behavior. Because causes for these behaviors can be either physical or emotional, or both, you need to do some homework on possible causes, so you can help your cat with his distress. Learn more about the various reasons for attention-seeking behavior in cats, and how you can help your cat overcome them. See More About:  cat behavior  inappropriate scratching  stress and anxiety in cats Share Your Compassion Fatigue Experiences Last week, I wrote about Compassion Fatigue in the newsletter. Since then, I've added another section covering compassion fatigue when caring for a senior and/or special needs cat. Today, I am encouraging my readers who have experience with compassion fatigue to share your stories with other readers, by use of the new Compassion Fatigue User Answers tool. See More About:  compassion fatigue  veterinarians  animal shelter workers Cool Cat Photo: Mmmmm Fall is Fun! Two year old Mattie was adopted through the Sarasota County Sheriff's Animal Rescue Program when she shyly invited Sylvia to take her home. This photo was taken when Sylvia and a veterinarian friend were having breakfast at her home. Mattie obviously approved of the table decorations, and it was a photo op moment...read more. Photo Credit: © About.com Member SylviaKornelsen See More About:  cool cat photos of the week  funny cat photos  shelter cat adoption Cats Ads Cats Cats and Dogs Cats Health Problems Cats Health Anxiety Cats Featured Articles Cat Breed of the Week: Manx Poll: Do You Record Your Cat's Life? Thinking of Getting a Cat? Kitten Care Health Concerns Cat Basics   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads Cat Behavior 101 10 Top Mistakes of Cat Owners Cat Years Is Your Cat in Heat? Your Kitten's First Year   Follow me on: Advertisement

About Cats: Compassion Fatigue

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats All of today's features correspond with compassion fatigue in one way or another. Let's face it, loving cats has its down sides eventually, and we embrace those sad times as the price we must eventually pay for enjoying their unconditional love. Next week is Petfinder's annual Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week. I encourage those readers who find yourselves temporarily "catless" to find one of those very special cats for your own with the knowledge that compassion fatigue goes along with the incomparable joy that comes with giving an "unwanted" cat a forever home. Facebook | Twitter | Free Newsletters (Tell a Friend) Compassion Fatigue Although "Compassion Fatigue" is a fairly common term used for caregivers of humans with special needs, it has not yet been widely recognized with reference to cats. Compassion fatigue is difficult to define adequately. I suspect, however, that once you have a better understanding of its causes and symptoms, many of you will say, "Yes! I know those feelings exactly." Photo Credit: © iStock Photo/Julia Pivovarova One of the more common areas of compassion fatigue is the result of either volunteering part-time or working as an employee at an animal shelter. Working at a shelter can be a joyous, gratifying experience when adopting out a cat or kitten to its new "forever home." However, it can also be a heavily painful and sad time when older cats or special needs pets must be euthanized to make room for a new crop of kittens during kitten season. These are times when compassion fatigue moves in. Learn more about compassion fatigue, what it is, the effects it has, and how other cat lovers cope with it. See More About:  compassion fatigue  spay and neuter  euthanasia Preparing Your Cats for Disaster Since it is human nature to panic during a disaster, such as an earthquake, hurricane, or fire, it is important for us to prepare ahead with a plan for evacuation, needed supplies, and the knowledge we need to act quickly. We and our cats may even need to evacuate our homes, and it is important not to telegraph our fears to our feline compions. Read more about preparing your cats for disaster to help keep your cool when you most need it. The recent Hurricane Isaac claimed at least nine human lives in the U.S., and displaced hundreds of pets. The HSUS has sent an Animal Rescue Team to the Gulf Coast region, where team members are working with local humane societies. . .learn more See More About:  cat emergencies  hurricane isaac  first aid for cats The Clumping Clay Litter Controversy Many readers are aware that clumping clay litters have come into disfavor in the past several years. While, to my knowledge, there have never been any scientific studies proving the hazard to cats of clumping clay litters, there has been a flood of anecdotal testimony that clumping clay litters may be hazardous. Indeed, I personally have considered it important to warn cat lovers about the potential danger of using clumping clay litters containing sodium bentonite, particularly for young kittens. . .learn more See More About:  cat litter  clumping clay cat litter  asthma in cats Cat Picture of the Week: Jilly (R.I.P.) Although previous Cats of the Week have passed on, this is the first time in the history of our Cat Pictures of the Week that a cat has gone on to the Rainbow Bridge just days after receiving this title. There was no "cause and effect" here. To quote a favorite old song, "To everything - turn, turn, turn, There is a season - turn, turn, turn, And a time for every purpose under heaven." It was simply Jilly's time to go. After you have read Jilly's Cat Picture of the Week page, please join me in sharing your support and condolences to her human parents, Tricia and Graham. See More About:  cat pictures of the week  senior cats  burmese cats Cats Ads Cats Cats and Dogs Burmese Cats Cats Health Health Cats Featured Articles Cat Care Kitten Care Feline Behavior Cat Food and Nutrition Cat Health Litter Box Essentials   More from About.com Free Children's Books How would you like to have access to a free online public library of books from around the world for kids 3 to 13? Read more...> Best Water Parks Better pack your bathing suit -- here are our recommendations for the funnest, wettest, splashiest water parks around. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads The Anatomy of Pet Food Recalls Top Reasons to Keep Cats Indoors Is Your Cat in Heat? Cat Behavior 101 Cat Years   Follow me on: Advertisement