Killer Candy & Neon Nightmares

DON'T SHARE YOUR CANDY WITH YOUR PETS!


Just don't - they do not need it.. they probably want it, but what they do not know can hurt them.

CHOCOLATE IS TOXIC FOR DOGS & PUPPIES
The smaller the dog - the higher the risk.

Chocolate  Here is an easy rule to remember - the better for you - the worse for them.
On a scale from Least to Worst
White Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
Dark Chocolate
Bakers Chocolate
Coca Powder

Milk Chocolate is still bad for your dog, but Dark Chocolate is worse.
Bakers Chocolate is horrible - Coca Powder seems to tip the scale to deadly toxic
White Chocolate seems to be less toxic but still not needed.
Below is a very helpful guide - You enter your dogs weight, the type of chocolate and the amount.

For instance : If my 18 lb dog ate a 1.55ounce ( I rounded up to 2ounces) Milk Chocolate Hershey Bar - The result is:

VERY MILD

Your dog may need medical attention - Monitor your dog closely.

Symptoms may include:

• GI Upset
• Vomiting
• Shaking

Symptoms of concern include

• Tremors
• Seizures
• Hyperactivity
• Fast or irregular heart rate

But

If that same dog ate  2 ounces of  Bakers Chocolate :

SEVERE

Seek Medical Advice! Your dog requires immediate medical care and could be in a life threatening state. An emergency veterinary visit is recommended immediately.

Your dog is in danger of the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Tremors in muscles
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Elevated heart rate
• Hyperthermia
• Seizures
• Collapse
• Death

- The idea is not to see how much you can give your dog - Don't give them any!

But if Fido is a jerk and steals your chocolate then you can find out if you just need to prepare for many trips to the back yard, or a trip to the vet.

Chocolate Toxicity Meter

So what is actually in all of this chocolate that can hurt them?
 Methylxanthines (specifically Caffeine and Theobromine)

pdf on Chocolate Toxicity


Dogs are more likely to chow down on random foods then Cats are.
Cats do not have a sweet tooth..but they do seem to have an - I want what your having - tooth.
But ....
CHOCOLATE IS ALSO TOXIC FOR CATS & KITTENS
Smaller the cat the higher the risk.

Chocolate Toxicity in Cats 

There is absolutely NO REASON to give your pets chocolate. 




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Think that neighbour that gives out raisins kinda sucks?
Me too...though if they gave out those awesome toys I would be happy! I think I still have one somewhere.

Raisins are poison to Dogs and Cats - Grapes as well
They can result in kidney failure
How or why?
Not sure - the exact substance that causes the toxic reaction is unknown

I say it's another valid reason to think the neighbour that hands out raisins -on candy day- sucks.
****************

XYLITOL CAN BE DEADLY 
 - a natural sugar free sweetener
Can be found in many things - gum, candies, pudding, mints

Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs



It does not take much:
A 10 pound dog needs to eat just one piece of gum containing xylitol for it to ingest a potentially toxic dose.


I can not find a complete list of products which contain Xylitol
To be safe - 
NO GUM, NO CANDY, ABSOLUTELY NO SUGAR FREE PRODUCTS 
*KEEP THEM OUT OF THE KIDS HALLOWEEN BAGS*
There are also non candy products that contain Xylitol 
Nicotine Gum
Oral Hygiene Products 
Chewable Vitamins
Prescription Drugs 
Baked Goods
This is not a complete list
More Information 

************* 

Neon Nightmares?

• Profuse drooling
• Gagging
• Retching
• Pawing at the mouth
• Redness to the eyes
• Redness to the skin
• Vomiting

 








Kitty seems to find Glow Sticks interesting. 
Though the result of biting into one of these liquid glowing magical sticks is not deadly - it is still not fun for Fluffy or Fido. 

Both Cats and Dogs can be affected negatively by getting any of the liquid on or in them

Cats just seem more amused by these things then Dogs

I do not care how cute or cool it is to see your animal glowing - It is not okay!
****************

Long Story Short - Try to keep your pet safe - It's the least you can do. 

Poison Paw image
California Raisins
Chocolate Kitty

Halloween - Hiss & Howl

I am a big fan of Halloween, I even annoy the pets by dressing them up ( only long enough to take an embarrassing picture)

It's funny

They look so cute.. And annoyed.

Leaving an animal in a costume can be a very bad idea. 

Fluffy may be an idiot when it comes to costumes.

They will do everything in their furry power to get out of what ever you put them in.

Fluffy gets stuck halfway out of the costume- head in the sleeve and foot out of the head hole.

There are other versions of escape - some involving speed racer to fly through the house knocking over anything in its path. 

These are the least of your problematic escapes. 

Elastics, strings, small parts - they could all involve choking. 

Nobody wants that!

All you wanted was a silly picture right?

Take the picture then remove the costume.

Or

Leave Fluffy alone- some cats will get stressed out when you attempt to contort them into a costume.

If Fluffy scratches you - good! You went to far. That cat was not cool with the concept and you should have respected that.

Fido tends to be a bit more lenient when it comes to costumes. 

Since we put a collar on them when they first come to us- and continue to do so- they are less surprised at something being attached to them.

Some still hate it.

Many dogs wear coats when it's cold - my dog shivers and that gives me the right to put a coat on her without feeling like I am dressing her up.

She actually likes her jackets - I think - she has not voiced an actual opinion.

She is fine with sweaters over head and being tricked into wearing costumes.

Again - these are only in for a few minutes... Unless it doubles as a jacket.

Fido can still get tangled - hell, humans get tangled trying to put on costume.

Never leave an animal unattended with a costume on. 

Pets are cute but they are not tiny people. 

People in costume - 

Sorry... 

Costumes on humans could scare your pets - I don't know if they are thinking

Wtf is that thing!

Or

Kill it with fire!

Or

Run human I will save you!

Maybe they just think you look like an idiot.

Regardless, be aware that they may not react how they normally would.

If you take them out with your kids or just have them out for a walk - be aware.

The last thing you need is Fido flipping out on some weird ass clown!

Or scaring a tiny princess on her first Halloween as a big kid.

I will be posting more on Halloween - 

Killer Candy & Neon Nightmares 

Because they said so?

But they said it's a myth?

Taken directly from the Purina Pro website

Purina says -

Grain-free diets are healthier.
It’s a myth
Many pet owners believe that grain-free pet foods are easier to digest, provide pets with better nutrition and are less likely to cause allergies than pet foods containing grain.

-Purina 

********
I will colour my comments in blue -I would not want anyone to think this is something I would ever say.

Information that I will link from other sites will appear in Brown and Green
********
I am one of those silly pet owners that believe in the grain free hype.

Can they change my mind?

......highly unlikely.

But let's pretend that I know nothing about pet food or cats in general. 

I will read what everyone has to say , look at their research and figure out fact from fiction.

*******
Properly processed grains are highly digestible.

• While uncooked grains are poorly digested by dogs and cats, (In general - Uncooked grains are poorly digested by everyone. Grains are made to last from season to season - they have evolved to last this way. So they have to be soaked and allowed to sprout or cracked, flaked, popped, puffed or ground.)  properly cooked grains in pet foods are highly digestible.   

 But are they meant to fed in high quantities to Fido and Fluffy?

"In the wild, your cat would be eating a high protein, high-moisture, meat/organ-based diet, with a moderate level of fat and with only  approximately 1-2 percent of her diet consisting of carbohydrates. The average dry food contains 35-50 percent carbohydrate calories.  Some of the cheaper dry foods contain even higher levels."
-Catinfo

• Dogs and cats can digest the carbohydrates from grains with an efficiency of greater than 90%

Good for them - should they?
Because there is a certain enzyme which Cats and Dogs actually lack -Amylase in their Saliva - This enzyme aids in the digestion of Carbohydrates  

 

 'During digestion, carbohydrates start out as polysaccharides, which are large starch molecules that are broken down into disaccharides, which are two, linked-sugar molecules. Disaccharides are then further broken down into even smaller simple sugars, known as monosaccharides that are then absorbed into the blood so that the body can then use them.'

When you start chewing,(cats tend to inhale their dry food) food is mechanically broken down into smaller pieces. You also produce saliva, which contains amylase that mixes with your food ( But Fluffy can not do this part). Amylase is a digestive enzyme that chewing activates and which hydrolyzes or breaks downs starch into monosaccharides. Amylase breaks down starch in your mouth into a maltose, a disaccharide, which is made up of two glucose molecules. 

-Role of Amylase in Digestion

 "Most mammals produce amylase in the saliva, but dogs and cats do not. This reflects their expected diet of meat and organs from prey. Herbivores and omnivores have flat molars that crush and chew food, but the carnivore’s dentition is perfectly designed to capture and kill prey, and to rip and tear meat from bone. Carnivores don’t spend much time chewing; nor do they consume many carbohydrates, so there is no need for amylase in the mouth." 

 -Digestive Enzymes 

 

 

 Diets containing grains provide excellent nutrition.
In general yes - For Fluffy and Fido? No

• Grains are carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy.

That's fantastic, if only our pets could use them for that.

• Grains also contain fiber, which supports gastrointestinal health and decreases the total fat and calories in a diet.

Fiber is good

• Essential fatty acids and other nutrients in grains contribute to a healthy skin and coat.
• Concentrated protein sources from grains, such as corn gluten meal, can be highly digestible sources of many essential amino acids

Cats do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates.  The metabolic requirement for glucose in the cat is derived from protein (glucogenic amino acids) and fat (glycerol).  Cats are adapted to a protein- fat-rich, carbohydrate-poor diet. -Feline Nutrition 


Grains are unlikely to cause allergies.

• Less than 1% of dogs are sensitive to grains.

How do you know that? seriously when was this study done? can I see it?

• True food allergies are caused by immune reactions to proteins in the diet.

I agree - and you must know that your grains and plants also contain protein

• Allergies to proteins in grains can occur, but are far less common than allergies to other protein sources, such as beef or dairy.

It seems as though the current knowledge on allergies is lacking. If a vet gives bag of 'hypoallergenic' pet food - chances are that if it was a food allergy it will go away.

This is because they hydrolyze the protein - basically they break it down till it can not produce any sort of immune reaction.  ******
Here is Purina HA dry cat food ingreidents 

Rice starch, hydrolyzed soy protein isolate, partially hydrogenated canola oil preserved with TBHQ, hydrolyzed chicken liver, tricalcium phosphate, powdered cellulose, corn oil, hydrolyzed chicken, sodium bisulfate, DL-Methionine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, phosphoric acid, salt, guar gum, taurine, lecithin, magnesium oxide, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, calcium carbonate, citric acid, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, BHA (a preservative), riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

 

 

 

 Here is Royal Canin Hypoallergenic dry cat food ingredients

Brewer's Rice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors, Powdered Cellulose, Vegetable Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Monocalcium Phosphate (source Of Vitamin C), Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Salt, Taurine, DL-alpha Tocopherol Acetate (source Of Vitamin E), Inositol, Niacin Supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, D-calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (vitamin B1), Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, DL-methionine, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite And Rosemary Extract (preserved With Natural Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid)

                                                   

 

                        

   Here is Science Diet ZD dry cat food ingredients

 Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Hydrolyzed Chicken, Soybean Oil, Powdered Cellulose, Lactic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Glyceryl Monostearate, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement , Folic Acid), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

 

*****************

Your pet can not live off of those diets. 

Those companies are making money off of your animals needs - needs that are more than likely caused by foods like theirs in the first place. 

I do not believe any of these foods to be a good option. 

There are other options.

Limited Ingredient Foods can give you a good start in finding a culprit  - btw if your pet does well on those food you can stay on them! 

Stop messing around with your pets health. 

 

It is very hard for me to believe anything that Purina has to say. 

If they did not profit so highly off of their grain filled foods - then maybe I would start to listen.

If feeding a good grain free high meat protein from a named source was cheap then chances are everyone would be on the grain free train. 

But it's not.

It may even be cheaper to create a anti grain free propaganda based website ...

Just saying...

As always - these are just my opinions - it is important to not believe everything you read - think about what that person has to profit off of what they are saying?

What do I have to profit?..well it does give me a warm fuzzy feeling to think an animal may suffer less because someone read a post of mine - decided to do their own reading and found a way for Fluffy and Fido to feel better in less time...with less undue stress on their bodies. 

Boo!

Human
Sebby
Willow
Cubby
Onyx
Molly


*************

How come we never get to go out trick or treating ? 

Uh... 

You could carry us.

Um..

All I want is the chips, you can have the rest.

Hmm..

What would you go as?

Sup...

And you can't say Super Sebby

Boooo

I could go as a human. Walking around pretending to know everything. 

How about a donkey with a diploma ?

Huh?

Smart Ass. 

Ha!

Change the diploma to a dunce cap!

You shut up Dumbass!

I'm surprised he got that one.

What one?

Ha never mind.

What would you be Willow? 

A Dog. I would just drool.. Say duh a lit and sniff people in inappropriate places.

That's funny.. Its not nice.. But funny.

Onyx? 

Maybe a Ninja.

I go- grab the candy and am gone in a flash.. Ohh maybe I will go as the flash!!

Thor. I will be Thor.

You would make a great Thor Sebby. 

Onyx I can absolutely see you as the flash!

Cubby? 

Naw.

Naw what?

I don't wanna go. It's cold.. I'm tired. It would be the perfect time to nap. Bring me back some sour cream and onion chips. 

Ok.. 

Molly? 

Uhh... 

What is something that is there but nobody can see it? 

Well there are a few things.

A Ghost

A Ninja

Wait I know!!

Okay Willow.. What? 

Polkaroo!

Hahaha I love it!

What the heck is a poker root?

Kids these days.. Polkaroo! 

From the Polkadot door?

Human post a picture.

Polka Dot Door!

I'm not being a clown dino dog!

Why does he have a target on his neck? Nope.

Fine.

What about the Invisible Cat?

That exists!

On Halloween everything exists!

Awesome! I pick that!

Okay so..

Sebby is 

Thor

Willow is a

Dog

Onyx is 

The Flash

Molly is an

Invisible Cat.

Cubby is..
 Old..

Hey!

What its true!

I change my mind

Give me a bag.

What?

Give me a bag.

Now im Super Sebby.

Wait.. It needs something.

Can I borrow the dunce hat?

Sure.

I'm Super Stupid Sebby!

I'm gonna get you for that!

Cubby take that off its not nice.

Fine. I'm a stay at home Cat. Now go away.

Okay.. Moving on..

What about you?

Me, I don't need a costume.

Why not?

I would be carrying 4 cats in costume.

I think Crazy Human would be an implied costume.

Touche

I still want the sour cream and onion chips. 

Pet Food Ingredients - XYZ

XYZ

X-ray

Yankee

Zulu

Me?

No not you Zulu.

Oh.. 

There are no interesting xyz food items to talk about - that I have not already covered in other posts.

So what should I do instead?

How about comparing 3 major brand bags of cat food?

Hills Ideal Balance

Purina One Beyond
 







Orijen
-all grain free
-all fish type

 

Ingredients
Hills Ideal Balance

Salmon, Potatoes, Pea Protein Concentrate, Yellow Peas, Chicken Fat, Potato Starch, Dried Egg Product, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Natural Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Lactic Acid, Vegetable & fruit blend (Green Peas, Apples, Cranberries, Carrots, Broccoli)

 

Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Fish Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, Taurine

 

Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement)

 

Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

Ingredients:

Purina One Beyond

Ocean whitefish, chicken meal, pea protein, pea starch, cassava root flour, dried egg product, beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, dried yeast, canola meal, pea fiber, natural liver flavor, dried sweet potatoes

Phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, salt, sodium bisulfate, choline chloride, taurine, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, calcium carbonate, 

Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

Ingredients:
Orijen 

Whole salmon*, whole herring*, salmon meal, herring meal, Pollock meal, whole flounder*, boneless walleye*, boneless northern pike*, boneless lake whitefish*, salmon oil, herring oil, chickpeas, red lentils, green lentils, green peas, pea fiber, canola oil, sun-cured alfalfa, pumpkin*, butternut squash*, spinach greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, cranberries*, mixed tocopheral.

Choline Chloride, Vitamin A, vitamin D3, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, Sodium Selenite.

*delivered fresh


It may be an unfair match up. 

Hills Ideal Balance, Purina Beyond, Orijen 

So two brands that I highly dislike and one brand that I can not get. 

I think it is a great match up - it shows you the difference between a company that will not expand its operations just to make more money - and two that would probably run over a reindeer for 5 bucks. 

I have not tried any of these foods personally. 

Meaning none of the cats or foster cats have tried any - I would probably never actually eat cat food. 


So here we go !

Round 1 - Best Protein

In round 1 we have 

Hills - Ideal balance - Grain Free - Salmon & Potato - Adult Cat


Protein: 33%
Fat:      23%
Carb:    35.7%
Fiber:    0.9%


10 to 15 lb Cat to eat - 3/8 to 3/4 cup  - A Day
First Ingredient - Salmon
Main Ingredient - Peas



Purina - Beyond - Grain Free - Whitefish & Egg - Cat


Protein: 35% - Min
Fat: 14% - Min
Carb: - not listed
Fiber: 4% - Max

10 to 14 lb Cat to eat - 2/3 to 1 cup - A Day
First Ingredient - Ocean Whitefish
Main Ingredient - Peas


Orijen - Six Fish - Cat

Protein: 42%
Fat: 20%
Carb: - not listed
Fiber: - 3%

9 to 13lb Cat to eat - 1/2 to 2/3 cup - A Day
First Ingredient - Salmon
Main Ingredient - Salmon/Herring - Fish (Named)

*****************
Winner of Round 1 - With 42% Protein - non plant protein 

round one goes to Orijen
*****************

Round 2 - Most informative Website 

Hills

• "We make every bag of our dry dog and cat food in our own U.S. facilities with the highest quality natural ingredients from North America and Europe"

• There is an abundance of information available on the Hills website

• Pet Health Questions to ask your vet - not the answers... its what you would bring to the vet and ask them. 

• If you have any questions the will provide you with the right direction - to their food.

• They have special offers
• A large amount of different available products

Purina 

• "95% of Beyond^® products are made in our own factories, all located here in the United States."
• Offers a product comparison  - sort of - limited to what they have already picked to compare.
• Not a lot of useless information - on the Beyond site - the linked Purina site - has a vast amount of information.
• They state Honesty In Pet Food - claiming to aid in helping pet owners understand the myths and truths of their product. 
• You can chat with a pet adviser right from the website

Orijen

• They state that they never outsource their ingredients

• If you want to know where their ingredients are from - Meet their farmers 
• They do not offer a wide variety of items - Just a few foods - and a few treats
• Impressive awards 

• Information is minimal - but useful - explaining Biologically Appropriate foods 

*****************

Winner of Round 2 - with an almost endless amount of information

Round 2 goes to Purina 

*****************

(though personally I do not want or need most of their information)

Round 3 - Over all quality for Cat

Would I feed it?

What about their other products, would I feed them?

Ignoring personal preference - and personal dislike - name one bad and one good thing about each company 

Hills 

•  No I would not feed this to my cats - but I have before (prescription)
• I would probably not feed any Hills products to my pets based on personal preference
• Good thing - They have fantastic marketing skills
• Bad thing - They have fantastic marketing skills

 

Purina 

• No I would not feed this to my cats - but I have previously 
• I would probably not feed and Purina products to my pets because I highly dislike the company in general 
• Good thing - They have been around for a very long time
• Bad thing - They seem to spend more money are marketing then making a better product 

Orijen

• Yes I would feed this to my cats
• I would feed Orijen products to my pets 
• Good thing - They make Biologically Appropriate pet food
• Bad thing - Availability - smaller company 

 

**************

Winner Round 3 - Over all Quality 

round 3 goes to Orijen

**************

Winning round 1 and 3 makes 

 

Orijen the over all winner

In reality this comparison was not all that equal - it was like comparing Apples to Pop Tarts. 

       

Kitty - the bad - the good - the strange

Sometimes, when you have a revolving foster kitty house - problems arise. 

Bad for me - good for you!

One of the unique benefits of foster homes for cats prior to having them adopted is learning about any behaviour or medical issues. 

When we get these meows, it is generally a rather stressful time for them. They could have been abandoned, homeless, injured and most of all scared.

All new fosters get a vet check. They are treated for fleas and worms - sometimes more than once due to the various parasites that could be affecting them.

These are not always happy kitties. 

The lack of trust for humans is sometimes very great- which we absolutely understand. 

The change over from possibly eating garbage- or licking the coal in a bbq ( happened) to a good quality food on a regular basis - can be a shock to their systems. Is a shock to their systems!

We generally have no way of knowing what an animal has been eating - well there are a few ways but we wont get into that.

I currently have my house on a high quality grain free dry food and high quality wet and grain free wet food. 

A starving cat or kitten does not know when to stop eating - and limiting them feels like you are doing something wrong - but it has to be done or they will have ...very sore tummies and a rather dirty litter box. 

Then their intestines are all inflamed - this takes time to calm. 

Some cats take longer than others to realize there will be food again the next feeding. Very understandable because for them there may not have been.

Once the fleas, parasites and food issues have been addressed - its time for behaviour. So much fun. 

Sometimes it is fun, Purrcy a new foster came to us with such a sweet personality. So loving and trusting and docile. He is just a fantastic little kitten that loves to play and cuddle. 

They are not generally like this. 

I get the fun hisses and growls. Swats and avoidance. Mad dashes away from the evil human!

It's okay, I get it! Trust is hard.

It has to be earned. 

Some kitties are feral - getting a feral adult cat to trust you and stop climbing the walls. Not easy - sometimes - a lot of the times - there is just not enough tine or space to devote to a feral cat. Even if they trust you its not a trust in humans - its a singular trust. Adoption is not always an option.

These meows go to one of our friends who have farms. These people are fantastic and devote their time to caring for cats that may never return the affection shown to them. 

The farms have their own steps towards making the cats a permanent fixture. 

Back to the foster meows- 

Recently I have been dealing with a very unpleasant situation - a cat that urinates on blankets and beds.

If you know who it is then its simpler. 

I have a group of 3 that are suspect.

Who is it?

One of the kittens? 

Do they just need to be confined in a roll away cage for a bit so they can re learn the litter box?

Do they still have parasites and this is their way of informing me that they feel weird?

Or is it the adult. 

If it is the adult then I believe she is ticked off at me. 

This could be personal. 

Its my bed - she can't actually talk.

Is she telling me she is upset because I removed one of the kittens? 

Because she smelled another mother in the house?

Has one of my guys been taunting her through the door?

Does she not feel well?

The joys of dealing with an animal with whom you can not question.

These things are never ignored. We do not just adopt out a cat and hope it changes its behaviour. 

We figure out whats wrong - to the best of our non cat ability - and we fix it.

If we can not fix the situation then we do not adopt out the cat. 

What happens to the cat? 

It depends. 

If the cat has a medical issue like FIP or Leukemia then we search for a special person who is willing and able to adopt a special needs kitty.

If the cat has a behaviour that we can not modify then we may relocate it to a farm where certain behaviours will not effect their new home.

Each situation is teaches us new things. 

We will not euthanize a healthy animal.

Neither should you. 

All animals have worth.

They all deserve a chance to be happy. 

Finding that happiness is key.

We can not guarantee how an animal will be once they are placed for adoption. 

But.. We will not adopt out an animal prior to dealing with the issues.

Regardless of where a cat is from - the potential for unpleasant behaviour is there. 

I will list some helpful links:

House Soiling

Cat Scratching


I am against declawing - it is inhumane and unnecessary. 
Sometimes kitty can be destructive.

Night Meowing 

I am currently dealing with a senior cat - my kitty - Cubby, he is meowing his silly head off at night.

New Kitty 

What about the first issue - Introducing a new cat.

Why they do what they do
If you have not found this out yet - cats are weird. Awesome - but strange.

If you have questions about any of these things - ask your Vet! 
Just because you think it is annoying - and it can be - you may be missing a sign of an illness.