Heartworms in cats are much more common vets once believed. Since they come from mosquitoes, take this day to talk to your vet heartworm preventive for your cats.
Here’s a quick quiz: What is the most deadly creature in the world?
You might think it’s a cobra, hippo, lion, elephant or great white shark, but all of these animals put together don’t begin to make a dent in the mosquitoes body count. Accounting to the World Health Organization mosquitoes are responsible for one million human deaths every year. Most of these fatalities are due to malaria. They also carry heartworms, West Nile and a plethora of other diseases.
Check your yard for standing water and keep your cat and your dog on monthly heartworm preventative.
You can learn more about feline Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease at Know Heartworms.
International Homeless Animals Day® Is Annual Reminder Of The Challenges Facing Animal Charities
(Tyler, Texas) AdoptAShelter.com, a free and easy to use online cash-rewards mall benefiting animal charities, is celebrating it’s one-year anniversary this week. Since launching four years ago, more than 1500 animal shelters, rescue and adoption groups in all 50 states have registered with the site. Almost 1000 donation checks have been paid since the website’s launch.
“We exceeded expectations therefore more animals were helped,” says Chris Ruben, founder and CEO. “In these tough and uncertain economic times, animal lovers and charities alike are realizing the potential of AdoptAShelter.com as a fund-raising tool to help care for the growing number of abandoned and homeless animals. We want to help animal welfare organizations across the U.S. raise money so that staff so volunteers can focus on the animals.
How it Works
Animal lovers can support the animal welfare organization of their choice at no additional cost.Click through AdoptAShelter.com and connect to over 500 of your favorite online stores, including Amazon®, Expedia®, Kohl’s®, Macy’s®, Office Depot®, WalMart® and over 40 pet-related merchants. Then shopper would complete online transactions as they would normally. Everything you buy earns a cash donation for needy animals! AdoptAshelter.com shoppers always pay the exact same prices as going to the merchant directly. Simply Click. Shop. Donate!
AdoptAShelter.com is an online community where animal lovers can shop at over 500 well-known merchants and service-providers while turning everyday purchases into contributions that directly benefit their chosen animal shelters, humane organizations or rescue and adoption groups. Shelter registration is free and donations are made at no additional cost to the shopper.
Corduroy, the World’s Oldest Cat (Photo: Courtesy of Guinness World Records)
Yesterday (Thursday, August 14), Guinness World Records named a 26-year-young golden oldie named Corduroy the world’s oldest cat.
According to owner, Ashley Reed Okura, Corduroy was born on Aug. 1, 1989. When Okura was only seven years old herself, she picked the longhaired brown tabby boy from a litter of kittens. The now-elderly kitty grew up roaming and hunting the family’s 160-acre ranch in Oregon. Okura attributes Corduroy’s longevity to getting plenty of exercise.
“The secret has been allowing him to be a cat, hunting and getting plenty of love,” Okura said in a statement released by Guinness World Records.
A gourmet at heart, Corduroy enjoys sharp cheddar and mice, according to the statement.
Corduroy claimed the Oldest Cat title after the passing of the previous record holder, Tiffany Two. Tiffany two, a tortoiseshell from San Diego, passed away May 22, 2015 at the age of 27 years, two months and 20 days. The oldest cat ever verified was Creme Puff, who died in 2005 at the age of 38 years, 3 days.
Today is Rat Catcher’s Day. Thank your kitty for all of the special “gifts” he brings you. While you’re at it, don’t forget to order the rat-shaped cake!
Many years ago I was spending Christmas day at my Aunt Beverly’s home. Beverly was a first-time cat owner and, as often happens to compassionate people, Puddy had recently wandered up to her home and moved in. The Russian Blue wannabe worked the crowd as Bev passed loaded plates to the dining room through a convenient service window. Faux fir boughs and a votive candle adorned the window ledge.
Assuming a supervisory position, Puddy lept up on the ledge and paused over the candle. Everyone in the room noticed the kitty straddling the flame. A chorus of, “Oh no!” and “Move Puddy” filled the air. With all the screaming and panic, Puddy didn’t move a whisker. Before anyone could grab him, his pewter fur began smoldering. More human hysteria, more freezing. Well-intentioned rescuers reached him; and chased the terrified cat around the house.
Fortunately, only his fur and his pride were singed. It could have been much worse: Puddy could have died a horrible death and the house could have caught fire.
That night I went home and threw out all of my candles. That Christmas day I learned: if pets can get into trouble, they will, a fact backed up by National Fire Protection Association statistics. The organization estimates that 1,000 house fires are started annually by pets.
Since today is National Pet Fire Safety Day, I thought I’d share some suggestions for keeping your
pets safe in the event of a fire.
Be prepared and include your pets in your family fire evacuation plan.
When you hold family fire drills (and if you don’t, you should) or practice escape routes, do it with your pets. Keep leashes and carriers in a handy place. (Don’t try to carry your dog or cat in your arms. A panicky pet could injure you or wiggle out of your gasp and become lost.)
Place a Pet Alert sticker on a front window or door and keep the information current. Update it whenever you get a new pet or say goodbye to a companion.
Use flameless candles. (Remember Puddy.)
Don’t leave your pets unattended around an open flames. Extinguish candles, stoves and fireplaces before leaving home.
Pet proof your home. Can the puppy or kitten chew computer wires? If you have cats, consider fire hazards in 3-D.
Keep young pets confined when you are away from home.
Get a stove knob shield or remove the knobs when you aren’t around. (You can get the stove guards in the baby section of any store including Lowes.) This is where most pet-associated fires begin.
I want you to keep your pets safe this weekend. Back in the early 1980s I learned the hard way that more pets go missing over the Independence Day holiday than any other time of year. I had an adorable tabby named D.B. who was an indoor/outdoor cat. He disappeared the night of July 4th. I searched the neighborhood for months and no D.B. I was a new cat owner and simply didn’t know better. More than 30 years later, I still feel guilty.
For the most part, dogs and cats panic at the sight and sound of fireworks. Then there’s Independence Day “mischief.” People who believe it’s okay to commit acts of cruelty just because it’s a holiday. Seven years ago I cared for the most wonderful foster cat, Edwina (who later was renamed became Zeki by her new owner). Edwina was attacked by some maniac with a knife who tried to skin her alive. So please take a few steps to keep your pets safe this Independence Day.
Make sure your pets have ID tags, especially cats who go outside.
For added insurance, get your pet microchipped in case the collar is lost. Make sure the chip is registered with a national pet registry database.
Keep a photo of your cat or dog on your cell phone as proof of ownership. It will also be helpful if you ever have to make a lost pet poster.
Keep all pet inside July 4 night. Put your kitties in a quiet room with their litter box and food and water bowls.
Use a Comfort Zone® with Feliway® diffuser or a SENTRY® GOOD Behavior® Cat Calming Collar and/or plugin. Comfort Zone and SENTRY also make products for dogs.
If your pet is especially sensitive to the sounds of fireworks, talk to your vet about medication to keep him calm.
If you have have a party or guests, put a Do Not Open Door sign on the pets’ sanctuary.
When traveling over the July 4th weekend, board pets in a kennel or hire a petsitter to stay with them. Imagine how scary it would be to be home alone with fireworks going off nearby.
Even after 30 years I still cry about D.B. on July 4. Don’t make my mistake. Plan ahead and keep your pets safe.
Almost a month ago someone dump sweet this kitty at Dallas Animal Services. Her crime: she had two kittens. Shortly after she and her babies arrived, two more kittens showed up. The folks at DAS put the babies with Bellabelle. Like any good mom cat, Bella said, what’s two more. She raised Grayson and Scooter as her own. It’s time to find families for the family.
When I got her, Mamma looked like a skeleton with calico fur, but her four kittens were fat and sassy. She was a great mom. Very protective of young ‘uns. She gets along with our kitties. When she’s not tending to her growing youngsters, she’s cuddles next to us on the couch. Bella loves human attention. Perfect litter box manners. Tolerates nose kisses.
Two year old Bellabelle will be spayed on June 3 and will be able to go to her new home. She’s current on all of her shots, wormed and negative for feline leukemia and FIV. She’s also on heartworm preventative. She also has a microchip.
Don’t you want to give this big-hearted girl a home? After everything she’s been through, she deserves a family of her own. Please tell your cat-loving friends. She’ll make the best companion.
Fill out an adoption application at Animal Allies of Texas. Her adoption fee is only $110.
Great news! There’s a new fibrosarcoma treatment for cats. This immunotherapy provides hope for kitties fighting fibrosarcoma and vaccine-associated sarcomas.
The USDA granted a conditional license toMerial Animal Health for Feline Interleukin-2 Immunomodulator, an immunotherapy that delays return of fibrosarcoma in adult cats with stage 1 disease.
Fibrosarcoma is an aggressive cancer of the cat’s fibrous connective tissue. Some of these cancers have been associated with the injection of feline leukemia vaccine containing adjuvants. While these fast-growing tumors rarely spread to other parts of the body, they usually return after being surgically removed.
Feline Interleukin-2 Immunomodulator uses a weakened canarypox virus to insert IL-2 genes into cells around the tumor site. This stimulates an antitumor immune response, fighting the tumor using several approaches including natural killer cells that target the cancer. This is not a stand-alone treatment, but is provided in addition to aggressive surgical removal of the tumor and possibly radiation therapy.
The treatment is given via subcutaneous (under the skin) injections at multiple locations around the surgical site. The first of six injections is given the week before the cat’s cancer removal surgery. Following injections occur one to two weeks apart. A European field trial indicated that IL-2 used in additional to surgery and radiotherapy significantly reduced tumor recurrence and increased the period before relapse.
In the U.S., Feline Interleukin-2 Immunomodulator can be used by veterinary oncologists or internal medicine vets. Other trials are being conducted which would expand use by general vets.
Consider going your nearest shelter and checking out the amazing animals they have available.\r\n\r\nWe all have certain looks we love, but like a human life long companion, a relationship is more than about blue eyes or luxurious long hair. It’s about affection and enjoying time together. Think about your lifestyle when considering a cat (or dog.)
Are you at work for long hours? If you’re away from the house during the day or you travel frequently, a mature pet would probably fit better into your lifestyle. If you want a younger pet, consider bringing home siblings. That way they can use up some of that crazy kitten or puppy energy on each other. Kittens, with their strong predatory drive, will wrestle with each other rather than attacking ankles or fingers.
Do you have toddlers? Ah, we all have romantic images of our babies growing up with the puppy or kitten, but kittens are fragile and puppies are rambunctious. Most shelters have a 6/6 rule: no adoptions of kittens under six months to families with kids under six years. A kid can drop or fall on a kitten or small pup and seriously injure him. Conversely, a kitten or puppy struggling to get away from a four-year old who’s holding him too tightly may bite or scratch in self defense. Consider a mature cat or dog. The shelter receives so many family pets who are used to being around kids.
I’ve spent the last 25 years trying to find families for homeless cats. Oftentimes cats and kittens end up in shelters for reasons that aren’t their fault:
Moving
Don’t have time for the pet
New spouse or boy/girlfriend doesn’t like the pet
I’m suddenly allergic
Can’t afford him any longer
Many of these excuses are bogus. The families have simply lost interest in the cat and can’t be bothered. The animals sit in a cage at the shelter, frightened and bewildered. These are wonderful pets who only want the same thing you want: to live, to love and be loved. Is that asking so much? Please go to your local shelter on this National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day and adopt a homeless cat.
You’ll save a life and receive unconditional life.
Heartworms in cats are much more common vets once believed. Since they come from mosquitoes, take this day to talk to your vet heartworm preventive for your cats.
You can learn more about feline Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease at Know Heartworms.
