Newsletter
Fairchild ‘Feral Friends' Foundation JANUARY Mews
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Just because the Holidays are over doesn't mean your Cat's Stress is Gone.
While some of the stress scenarios are obvious, some are not, and you may never know why your cat is stressed. Even mundane things such as loud music or traffic can be annoying to cats - they hear much better than we do. Same goes for any odors that they may come in contact with that we may never smell. Commonly seen signs of feline stress may include any of the following:
Aggression towards people or other pets
Urine marking (spraying) or going outside the litter box
Hiding or Less Social Behaviors
Not eating
Hair loss or excessive grooming
Take some time in the New Year to assess your cat's living situation and try to rule out any possible stressors. Here are some places to start:
- Multicat household: give each cat some "space" - a safe place to retreat to, away from other cats, people and pets.
- Multicat household: have at least one litter box per cat, an extra one or two boxes above that is great.
- Multicat household: offer food separately - either in different locations or with cats separated to ensure that everyone can eat in peace.
- Multipet household: ensure that the cat(s) have a place to get away from the dogs or other pets.
- Offer a variety of toys for fun, exercise and general distraction.
- Offer climbing spaces where cats can hid or perch from -- cats often like to be up high where it is "safe."
- For vacations and other extended absences, consider a live-in pet sitter instead of a boarding facility so your cat(s) are not as lonely or stressed about your return.
- For a new baby or visiting guests in your home, try as much as possible to create a gradual introduction with a "safe place" for your cat to retreat to, if overwhelmed.
Book review: The Complete Cat's Meow by Darlene Ardene. Do you want to ensure you're giving your beloved feline friend the very best possible care? Then this all-in-one, comprehensive cat care guide is for you! From grooming to litter box issues to nutrition and much more, this book covers all the bases to raising and caring for kitties. It also shows you how to introduce a new kitten to other pets, handle behavioral problems, and make life comfortable for cats of all ages.
ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TO SHOP @ FIVE BELOW and Help the Cats. 10% of Your Purchase will be donated to Fairchild when you present our flyer. All items in the store are $5 or less!
SATURDAY!!! Finicky Felines Cat Show @ Leesport Farmers Market 9am-4pm. Enjoy a fun day checking out different cat breeds and Stop by to Support Fairchild's Toy Sale. Ring in 2012 with a new handmade Cat Nip Napper or Pheasant Feather Kickeroo for your Kitty Cat! Pick-A-Pop Game!
FRECKLES IN CATS? Black or brown spots that appear on your cats lips, nose, or eye margins are known as a condition called lentigo simplex. In fact, it is completely harmless, just like human freckles. This condition is seen in many cats, especially orange tabbies or calico cats. Most often the spots appear in middle-aged to older cats. Owners usually notice the small spots (1mm or less) on the lips or nose first and then more dots appear as they age and some grow a bit larger. The lesions are flat, are not painful or itchy, and do not have any associated redness or other discoloration. It is always wise to check out any new finding with your veterinarian to rule out something serious, especially if the spots are at all raised, inflamed or causing your pet discomfort. There are many conditions of the nose and lips that are more serious. Your vet can provide a hands-on exam to guide your pet's care.
Got Small Boxes? Starting January Tracey will start re-listing items again for Fairchild on EBay. Please save your small boxes (under 12 inches) for shipping. Also, bubble wrap and packing peanuts can be used. You can drop them off at Bruno Furs on 132 North 5th Street in Reading from 9am-4pm, Monday-Saturday.
FIRST CLINIC OF 2012 is Sunday, January 15, drop off 9am-10am
Volunteer Meeting on Sunday, January 22th @ 2pm at Elly's house in Sinking Spring. This will be our BIG Kick-Off meeting to organize our Annual Bingo Fundraiser scheduled for Sunday, April 22nd @ Grill Fire Company. Tickets will be available to pick up to sell as well as Bingo Flyers to distribute throughout the community. We will also be looking for volunteers to secure donations from local businesses for our Chinese Auction. Basket Sponsors: $75 donation for Small and $125 for Large. Call or email for directions.
A Cat's New Year's Resolutions |
My human will never let me eat her pet hamster, and I am at peace with that. I will not slurp fish food from the surface of the aquarium. I will not use the bathtub to store live mice for late-night snacks. I will not perch on my human's chest in the middle of the night and stare into her eyes until she wakes up. Screaming at the can of food will not make it open itself. I cannot leap through closed windows to catch birds outside. If I forget this and bonk my head on the window and fall behind the couch in my attempt, I will not get up and do the same thing again. I will not stick my paw into any container to see if there is something in it. If I do, I will not hiss and scratch when my human has to shave me to get the rubber cement out of my fur. If I bite the cactus, it will bite back. I will not play "dead cat on the stairs" while people are trying to bring in groceries or laundry, or else one of these days, it will really come true. I will not swat my human's head repeatedly when she's on the family room floor trying to do sit ups. When my human is typing at the computer, her forearms are *not* a hammock. |
Monthly Mews...
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Get Your Holiday Stocking Stuffers @ FIVE BELOW and Help the Cats. 10% of Your Purchase will be donated to Fairchild when you present our flyer. Now until the end of 2011 at Berkshire Mall & Exeter Commons. All items in the store are $5 or less!
Please call 610-763-8382 or e-mail fairchildfoundation@gmail.com to book your surgery appointment.
| A Cat's Christmas |
| 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse 'Cuz the cat had pounced on him and tore him apart - Ate his mousey intestimes and chewed up his heart. Kitty thought he heard sleighbells, which made him take pause- He stopped daintily licking the blood from his claws. "Must be Santa," thought kitty (that quite clever cat) 'Cuz nobody else climbs down the chimney like that. Indeed it was ol' Santa, so jolly and fat With a huge load of presents and all for the cat "Wow, the best Christmas ever!" Kitty thought with a purr, Then he coughed up a hairball and shed some more fur. |