Hello, Cat Lover!
Here's what's in this issue:
Cat has face repaired...
Winter hazards...
Winterizing for cats...
Cat Trivia...
Latest video...
I hope you all are having a great holiday season so far,
and that you are ready for the big day of the holiday that
you celebrate at your house. Enjoy the festivities, the
family feasts and gift giving, your friends, and most of all,
I hope you get to be with your loved ones this year.
===================================
NEWS FOR CAT LOVERS
===================================
Earlier this month, a cat had its face repaired after being
severely torn, presumably from a car's fan belt. The 4-year-old
cat had disappeared from her home and was gone for 3 days.
When she returned, her injury was so horrific, her owner
passed out when she saw it.
The owner recovered and then rushed the cat to her vet.
After a one-hour surgery, her face was reattached with
about 35 stitches. She'll need to be on antibiotics for a
while, but the vet said she will heal just fine.
http://tinyurl.com/9j8duh
-------------------------------
Now why would I tell you such a heart-stopping story?
Well, it brings up an important issue about cat care
for this time of year.... at least in this part of the world,
where winter is in full swing already, and animals are looking
for shelter.
Cats are small and often seek warmth under the hoods of
vehicles that have recently been running and are still warm.
While most cats under hoods are killed instantly by the fan belt
or blade, some survive, but often with terrible injuries.
I had such a cat myself many years ago (like, 40). The fan
blades sliced the top of her head, leaving 3 deep gashes
between her ears. (Didn't know this until later...)
She darted out from under the car and ran off, blood
spraying in all directions. I could not find her and, with
a deep snow all around, there was no way to search.
The blood trail ran out, and with fresh snow, there
was no trace of her.
Weeks later, I found her in the basement, huddling
under some boards. I set up a spot for her in my kitchen
where she could heal and I could keep an eye on her.
She survived and healed competely, but was never quite
"right" emotionally after that.
The point I need to make here is that winter is a hard
time for animals that live outdoors. It is up to us to help
them get through the season, if possible, and housepets
should not be left out there.
Getting under a car's hood for warmth is one very good
example of the many hazards that claim animals, especially
cats, in winter.
One precaution we can take is to slap the hood of the
car before starting it, or, if you can, open it and see first
if anyone is in there!
------------------------------
Here is an article I wrote a while back on how to "winterize"
things for any outdoor cats you look after:
http://www.theproblemcat.com/articles/wintercare.html
And here is a website where you can get lots of information
on making your yard into a wildlife habitat, and even get
certified by the National Wildlife Federation if you like:
http://www.nwf.org/backyard/
http://www.nwf.org/backyard/tipsheets.cfm
===================================
A SMILE FOR YOU (MORE CAT TRIVIA)
===================================
Not many folks know this, but when Louis Pasteur
discovered germs, it was a boon to the cat and a
bane to the dog. Seen as dirty, people at that time
took to touching their dogs only with gloves on, and
kicked them out of the house. Cats, on the other hand,
were seen as very clean, since they were always
grooming themselves, and were allowed to live indoors.
~^^~
The largest collection of cat literature is in the Glendale
Public Library in California, with more than 20,000
items on the shelves.
~^^~
In 1948, the U.S. rounded up and sent thousands of stray
cats to Europe to help protect the food being sent over
as part of the war relief effort. The cats were responsible
for keeping the rats out of it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the video on my website, at the bottom of the page.
http://www.theproblemcat.com
===================================
Do you have any interesting stories to share about your
cats? Send them in and I'll put them here in
this newsletter. (Include your name and website
if you have one, and I'll give you a "plug" for
your website. Or, anonymous is OK, too. It's
up to you.)
===================================
If you ever want to review past issues,
here is where they are stored:
https://www.ymlp.com/pubarchive.php?catsgalore
We will NOT rent or sell your info. You are
subscribed to a free email newsletter from
R.J.Peters, "the Cat Lady." You can unsubscribe
anytime.
If you know someone who would like to read
this newsletter, please feel free to forward
this one to them. If they want to sign up to get
their own, refer them to my web site, here:
http://www.theproblemcat.com/ (use the signup form)
or go directly to:
http://www.theproblemcat.com/optinpage.html.
