Welcome to the Holiday Edition of the Kitty Times!
 
Here are some links to help you with your holiday shopping:
 
 

 
 
Pet holidays for December:

National Cat Lovers Month
Dec. 15: Cat Herders' Day
(The phrase "herding cats" comes from the common saying that something involving the coordination of many different groups of people is as difficult as herding cats.)
 
Visit my website and get expert advice for solving cat behavior problems
 
PET FOOD NEWS
 
Monitor the latest recalls:
 
 
 
Shelter feed links:

http://bit.ly/Food4Animals
 
 
 
 
Notices
 
Feel free to share this newsletter with your friends. If they would like to have their own subscription, send them to:
TheProblemCat.com to fill out the form on the upper left of the page. This is a private list and is not shared with others, certainly not any advertising companies.
If you would like to see past issues, or are having trouble viewing this one, you may find them at this link: 
https://ymlp.com/archive_gqbyjegjgu.php
 
Disclosure: We may earn small commissions from the sale of t-shirts and other items, which helps feed the cats here. Plus, my books are always for sale at Amazon.com throughout the year.
 
                >^..^<
 
catzgalore@netzero.net
________________________
 
 
My wish for the New Year:
May all who are lost, be found. May all who are ill,
be well. May all in harm's way, be saved. May all
without homes, be loved.
~~Author Unknown
Dec. 7, 2019
The PACT Act - not what many think it is
 
While many people regard Pres. Trump's signing of the PACT Act (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act) last month as a "holiday gift" to all of us who want to protect animals, it's only a step (and a small one) in the right direction. It's not yet the sweeping change many of us were expecting, hoping for and would like to see.
 
Many headlines and social media postings reflect the widespread concern about animal cruelty and the almost universal hope that new laws will criminalize and finally shut down the activities of cruel people in the U.S. Of special interest is the elimination of puppy mills and "mass production" of pets for profit, with no regard for their welfare. Sorry to say, this topic is not even addressed in the law.
 
In reality, it is very limited in scope and could best be considered as an expansion of previous legislation passed in 2010 to catch and punish those who produce what's known as "crush" videos. I won't describe what that is.
 
Also of note is the fact that the matter of jurisdiction determines what this law covers. Yes, it's a national anti-cruelty measure. But jurisdiction is everything. Only federal authorities can enforce it. States cannot, for example, cite the new law when dealing with local issues of cruelty, abuse and neglect. Thus, we must not relax, thinking the government has this one handled. They do not. We still must put pressure on state and local governments to enact local laws. 
 
Read more here:  loveablecat.blogspot.com
 
 
 
 

 
Winter weather tips:
 
Toxic Plants:
A lot of folks like to acquire (and give) plants to create a festive mood in the home. Trouble is, many of those plants are toxic to cats.
 
If you think your animal is ill or may have ingested a poisonous substance, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA 24-hour emergency poison hotline in the U.S. directly at 1-888-426-4435. (PS - They charge a fee.)