HEALTH FOR CATS

Thursday, 7 March 2013

About Cats: End of Life Decisions

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From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats

Today's offering includes a topic which is uncomfortable for all of us, but essential to know in advance. I've balanced it with another piece designed to bring a smile back. Much more in store for March, and here's a recap from February in case you missed one:

Have a wonderful week and make every day Hug Your Cat Day!

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Making End of Life Decisions for Your Cat

Photo of tabby cat Bubba It is heartbreaking to have to decide whether or not to let your cat go when he or she is very sick or critically injured. These end of life decisions are the hardest we'll ever have to face.

I had to make that decision for my Bubba, pictured here. Although the writing was on the wall, I delayed too late, and a thrown blood clot made Bubba's last day alive a nightmare for both of us.

I'll never forgive myself for delaying, but armed with that memory and the knowledge I've obtained from researching for this article, the next time I intend to make the right decision in a timely manner. I hope my readers will also gain the knowledge needed to make your own cats' end of life decision when the time comes.

Search Related Topics: euthanizing a cat quality of life veterinarian costs

If Pets Had Thumbs Day

Who in the heck dreamed up "If Pets Had Thumbs Day?" I don't really care, but when I received the monthly e-newsletter from Catalyst Council today, my only thought was... Read more

Search Related Topics: polydactyl cats cat humor

Help Convert a Reluctant Lap Cat

A follower on my Facebook Page asked me about training his new adopted cat to be a lap kitty. He wrote:

"I have a question? I have a new cat. She is 3 years old, [and I] saved her from the shelter. She is so sweet. But is there a way to train a cat to be a lap kitty? She is ok when you hold her but does not like sitting on my lap. How do you make a kitty a lap kitty?"

My reply: "It's not easy to train an adult cat to do something she's reluctant to do. Just as some cats are not comfortable being hugged, some just don't like to sit on laps. You don't know what her...read more.

Search Related Topics: new cat shelter cat adoption how we love cats

Cat Picture of the Week: Urrow

Image © Guest, Mesila

As soon as I saw Urrow's photographs, I knew she was destined to be a Cat of the Week in March. Reading her remarkable story clinched the decision for me, starting with the series of calendar date coincidences which led to Urrow's adoption by Mesila. Urrow has such an unusual coloration that I can't recall ever having seen it before in a tabby cat, a combination of red and gray in her striped pattern. It's as if Mother Nature combined the best of both worlds in designing her: the tabby stripes of the oldest cat color pattern, and the hues of the tortoiseshell, the most colorful of those patterns.

Read more of Urrow's story, and learn how you can submit your own tabby cat's photos and story.

Search Related Topics: cat pictures of the week tabby cats tortoiseshell cats

Thursday, 28 February 2013

About Cats: I Could P** on This

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From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats

I had to PG the headline this week to avoid all those email censor programs. This is a family-friendly site, after all.

Last week, I was so excited by my 16 year anniversary with About.com, that I missed my J-Boys birthday by two days. It's hard to believe that they're now 11.

Finally, hug a cat or more today, then have some fun with the poll.

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Review: "I COULD PEE ON THIS"

Photo of book cover: I Could Pee on This.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabber

As soon as I got word that "I Could Pee on This" had been published, and got a look at the book cover, I absolutely knew that I must read and review this book. I won't even try to hide the fact that I love, love, LOVE this book. I'll even go so far to say that, if after you've read my review, you buy the book and don't like it, I'll give you a free copy of my weekly newsletter. How's that for a guarantee? (wink, wink)

Search Related Topics: cat humor cat picture books litter box problems

Happy Birthday Jaspurr and; Joey!

Photo of 4 day old kitten After my beloved red cat Shannon left me in 2001, for the first time in several decades, I found myself without a "Sunshine Boy." It took six months to find one, in the form of baby Jaspurr and his brother, Joey.

Jill, a forum member (later Forum Host) knew I was looking for a red tabby kitten, and emailed me a Petfinder.com story about their litter. The kittens were four days old when I made that fateful phone call, and the first time we were able to see them was when they were 11 days old - a week later. Wendy, a volunteer for a shelter/rescue group...read more.

Celebrate Tabby Cats in March

March is one of my favorite months because we feature the remarkable tabby cats then. Look at cat photo collections almost anywhere, and I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the pictures will be of tabby cats. They've been around throughout history, and can be found in many of the most popular cat breeds, including the glorious Maine Coon. Almost all tabby cats' foreheads are marked with that mysterious "M," and there are legends and stories about how that M appeared. Although tabbies are the most commonly found color pattern, in my book, there is absolutely nothing "common" about the tabby cat.
_{Photo of Trudy, Photo Credit: © James Mitchell}

Read About the Tabby Cat | Brag About Your Tabby

Search Related Topics: tabby cats profile cat colors and

Poll: How Often Do You Hug Your Cat?

I once saw a web site with a list of all the pet-related holidays throughout the year. I was happy to see "Hug Your Cat Day" on the list. . .then again. . .and again. . .and again. I did a Google search and found at least six different dates listed in one place or another as Hug Your Cat Day.

In my opinion, all cats deserve to be hugged as often as they'll tolerate, on a daily basis...read further, vote in the poll, then add your comment to the ongoing list.

Thursday, 21 February 2013

About Cats: Are You a Responsible Cat Parent?

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From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats

I don't know why we've picked the shortest month of the year to promote dental care, spay and neuter, and responsible pet care. All are important enough to deserve an entire month.

One more thing though: Yesterday marked the 16th anniversary of my writing about cats for this website, and I'm sharing one of the first articles I wrote, back in the day. Celebrate with me: Hug a cat or two, three...

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How NOT to be a Responsible Cat Owner

Photo of Family With Cat Since this is National Responsible Pet Owners Month, some may wonder exactly what it means to be a responsible pet owner. I found it easier to describe ways NOT to be a responsible cat owner to help those with questions.

Many of us who weave our lives around our cats prefer to call ourselves cat parents, rather than cat owners, as we consider our cats to be members of our family. If you are curious enough to read further, you'll find a program with all the ingredients necessary to be a responsible cat parent. You will then experience a long, meaningful bond with one or more of the critters we all care so much for.
Photo Credit: © iStockPhoto/Dmitriy Shironosov

Search Related Topics: responsible cat care unconditional love

Feline Telepathy

A reader from Nottingham, England emailed me a few years ago: The subject of feline telepathy came up recently and I amongst others was dismissive of the existence of such a thing. However, on the day that I had to have my own cat put to sleep after almost 16 years, a cat very similar to my own visited the garden shortly after i had buried him. He walked around briefly, then departed. I had not seen this cat before (or since.) Thinking little...Read more

Search Related Topics: feline telepathy do cats have souls feline-human bond

Loss of a Special Cat: Pitypat

I received an email last week from Shirley Jedele, the human mom of Pitypat who had rescued her from the woods near her home several years ago. Pitypat was our Cat Picture of the Week in October, 2009, and I remembered her well, not only because of her beauty, but because of her rescue story.

The reason for Shirley's email was to let me know that Pitypat had died - the victim of a coyote from the forest she had been rescued from. Unfortunately, Pitypat had never accepted the use of a litter box, and had been allowed outside briefly morning and evening to...Read more

Search Related Topics: wildlife dangers to cats predators coyotes

You've Gotta Be Smarter (Than the Cat)

This was one of the first articles I published circa 2/20/97, when I was the Cat Lovers Guide, and today, on my 16th "GUIDEiversary" I'm celebrating by sharing this article with my readers.

The subjects of this article (Asa and Bubba) are both deceased now, romping together at the Rainbow Bridge, as I know their bond continues in another dimension. My writing style has changed somewhat since then, as has the look and feel of our web pages - we were known as "The Mining Company" back then. Our page colors were a puce green, and blogs were unheard of.

Are any of us actually smarter than our cats now? Bet me!