Results tagged “stray cats” from Face Kitty
Neo snuck out of the house last night. A friend left my front door open accidentally. Neo took the opportunity to escape. He was gone for about 2 hours and I was worried sick. He's not a street wise kind of cat, so any number of things could happen to him. He was born in a feral colony in cottage country in the prairies so he knows the country life, but not so much about the city.
When a friend spotted him (the same friend that left the door open, for those of you keeping track) he was hiding behind a shed and was too freaked out by a dog barking to make his way to the back door. My friend went over to him and Neo walked back to the house taking shelter in shrubs all the way.
With the cooler weather, Neo has been meowing all day and part of the night to get outside. I let him out on a harness as much as I can, but I can't leave him alone. He could get tied up, or break free of his harness and end up who knows where. Not to mention the cars, other cats in the neighborhood and simply the fact that I had a cat get out once and he never came back. I just can't justify letting Neo become an outdoor cat. But my problem is that he loves to go outside. And I do believe that he needs fresh air and sunshine and to chase a few bugs and eat some grass. It's in his nature.
I know this goes against everything I've said before about outdoor cats. And I went on and on about 7 reasons to keep your cat indoors as well as giving you advice on protecting your cat , and tips for preventing your cat from becoming a stray. But I've been doing a little investigating about my options. My brother mentioned to me about a thing called a cat gazebo, so I am doing a little research to see if this is the answer to my problems. I'll let you know what I find out, but in the meant time, if you have any experience with cat gazebos, cat fences or restraints that keep your cat safe outside, please let me know.
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35% percent of pet cats will get lost in their lifetime. And fewer than 10% of those stray cats make it home again. To prevent your cat from becoming a sad statistic like this, there are a number of steps you can take.
1) Have your pet wear a collar with your name address and current phone number on it. Get the metal ones, they don’t smudge and it’s harder to scratch them. There are many pet tag companies out there.
2) Check your home and yard for possible break points. A determined cat can squeeze through a very small space. If you can fit your hand through, your cat can get their whole body through. And doors, cats have learned how to open doors, so make sure they latch securely.
3) Introduce your cat to your neighbors. If your cat gets out, chances are that someone who lives close to you will see him. If they know it’s your cat, they’ll either let you know your cat is out or catch him for you.
4) Put a sign on your door to alert rescuers that there is a cat in your house in case of an emergency. If there is a fire in your building while you are out, a sign on the door increases the chances that your cats will be removed from danger. Let rescue workers know how many pets you have in the house and your vet’s name and phone number.
5) Get insurance for your pet – some policies cover loss or theft and some companies will help you find your pet.
For more information, read 5 tips to prevent your cat from getting lost.
Here are 5 actions to take right now that will help to bring your cat home safely.
No matter how careful you are to prevent your cat from straying, 1 in 3 cats will be lost this year and over 90% of them won’t get back home to you. There are things you can do right now to get your cat home where he belongs.
1) Have copies of recent photos of your cat to distribute, email or fax to any and all of your contacts and local animal shelters. A picture can get you reunited faster and prove that the cat is yours.
2) If you haven’t already done it, get your cat a microchip and registered with a good company.
3) Have a copy of your cat’s medical records and your vet's contact information at home or on your PDA. If your cat is found, you might have to prove that he’s been vaccinated or she’s been spayed. And if the cat has any allergies or illnesses or special dietary needs, it's all there in one place for anyone who cares for your cat.
4) Make a list of emergency phone numbers. The company your cat’s microchip is registered with, your veterinarian and emergency animal hospital closest to you, local humane society or animal shelter, people who you can call on to help find your cat or who can help you treat your found cat that's been injured.
5) Have an Emergency Supply Kit ready with a carrier, food and water, blankets and a First Aid for Cats manual. If you cat is injured you might need to transport him to an emergency clinic right away.
This is the time of year when hundreds of cats get lost or stray too far from home. These steps will help you locate your cat in the event that your cat strays or more accurately, is chased or scared away from you.
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What are cat lovers ordering at Tokyo’s Café Calico Cat?
“I’ll take my tea with a Tabby”
This is a picture of Harumi Kaneko cuddling with "Choco", one of the cats customers can play with for about $8.00 an hour at the Cat Café Calico.
Housing regulations in Tokyo don’t allow pets. So if you can’t have a cat, the next best thing is going to a place like Café Calico Cat. Where you can curl up with a good book, a warm fire and purring cat. It’s a dream come true for Japanese cat lovers. There are three busy cat cafés in Tokyo. All three are filled with lovely, well-groomed cats for patrons to cuddle with before getting on with their busy days.
Which makes me wonder about the 600,000 cats and dogs gassed in Japan yearly? Where are those cat lovers when the gas chamber fills up with gas and the cats scream for their lives? Or later when they aren't quite dead yet and they burn alive?
These seemingly innocent cafés that are beautifully furnished and attract wealthy Japanese are really contributing to the overpopulation of cats in Japan. The cafés don't take in stray cats, they get their cats from breeders. So while a privileged few are being cuddled by people like Mrs. Kaneko, just outside the comforts of the café - poor, lonely, starved cats are being rounded up and taken to gas chambers where they are mercilessly killed and incinerated by the hundreds every day.
Why do so many cats have to suffer when there are so many people in Japan who supposedly love cats? Please sign the Japan's cats and dogs need our help petition. Maybe together we can put an end to the needless suffering of so many cats in a nation that clearly adores cats.
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My name is Melanie Walters and I love cats. I've started this blog to... You can read more about me and this blog in my "About Me" section.
