http://qz.com/304236/theres-science-behind-your-inexplicably-close-relationship-with-your-cat/
Thursday, 18 December 2014
There’s science behind your inexplicably close relationship with your cat
Great article looking at the relationship we have with cats, and cats have with the media...
http://qz.com/304236/theres-science-behind-your-inexplicably-close-relationship-with-your-cat/
http://qz.com/304236/theres-science-behind-your-inexplicably-close-relationship-with-your-cat/
Friday, 21 November 2014
Update from the friendly cat with the lump on his leg I took to the vets a couple of weeks ago...
Dropped by the vets today to pick up my crush cage and apparent 'Harry' had a tumour on his leg and they amputated his leg yesterday.
Good news is he is doing well, and no complications. Still sad news, but plenty of 3-legged cats about. It will make him harder to adopt out, and he will need to be an indoor cat, but the little fella shud be fine.
Good news is he is doing well, and no complications. Still sad news, but plenty of 3-legged cats about. It will make him harder to adopt out, and he will need to be an indoor cat, but the little fella shud be fine.
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Help the Bayside Prison cats - the staff and prisoners have been banned from feeding them!
Alley Cat Allies are trying to get the ban lifted as well as feed the cats, but so far have been unable to acheive either of these things.
ACA say say:
We need your help! Please SHARE this graphic to spread the word about the Bayside State Prison cats. We need as many people as possible to take action and tell the commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Corrections to lift the feeding ban and embrace Trap-Neuter-Return: http://www.alleycat.org/BaysideStatePrison
ACA say say:
We need your help! Please SHARE this graphic to spread the word about the Bayside State Prison cats. We need as many people as possible to take action and tell the commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Corrections to lift the feeding ban and embrace Trap-Neuter-Return: http://www.alleycat.org/BaysideStatePrison
Monday, 17 November 2014
It's a lousy job but someone's got to do it...
Working at the Yorkshire Cat Rescue center last Friday, once we'd fed and cleaned out all the pens, I asked if they had anything they wanted me to do. "Are any good with photography?" they asked. Not bad, I said. They told me they needed some new photo's of some of the residents to go on the website and would I do it? What take photo's of cats? Hell, yeah!
It took a while to coax some of the guys round to where we could photograph them, take Flosie for instance. she was really shy to start but then with the help of one of the other volunteer we coaxed her out and then she just wanted to pose, bless her:
Shadow was abit easier, well not really, she wouldn't keep still!
Last but, by no means least Holly. She wouldn't get out of bed at first and just wanted to be tickled and show her tummy. Then when she was up, she was running around so much we couldn't get a good photo:
Like I say, it's a hard way to spend a morning, but someone has to do it....
It took a while to coax some of the guys round to where we could photograph them, take Flosie for instance. she was really shy to start but then with the help of one of the other volunteer we coaxed her out and then she just wanted to pose, bless her:
Shadow was abit easier, well not really, she wouldn't keep still!
Last but, by no means least Holly. She wouldn't get out of bed at first and just wanted to be tickled and show her tummy. Then when she was up, she was running around so much we couldn't get a good photo:
Like I say, it's a hard way to spend a morning, but someone has to do it....
Friday, 14 November 2014
TNR job today
Got asked by LEEDS FELINE FRIENDS to help out a member of the public who has been feeding a tom cat, but he needs neutering and has a problem with his leg.
I arranged to go round this morning, after speaking to them last night and asking them not to feed the cat last night or this morning. Apparently the cat was very friendly would come into the house to eat, before going out again. I got there today and found a very friendly looking tabby anxiously wondering where his breakfast was.
He was very friendly, jumped right onto a chair and let me stroke his head and scratch him under his chin. As reported he had a big lump at the top of his right leg, which didn't look like a wound and looked to be a solid mass, either an break which had healed wrong, or something else. He allowed the gentleman who feeds him to lift him up and just drop him in the crush cage for the trip to the vets.
The is quite a big cat, and when I asked what they called him they said they hadn't got a name for him but had previously called him 'big head'... as he had a big head... true. They didn't know how old he was, but had been coming round for about a year and as he was friendly the assumption is he has been a pet in the past, possible due to looking pretty young an ex-student cat who has been turfed out onto the streets when the students have finished their course. Yes, it happens more than you'd like to think that students get a'cute' kitten for their flat/house and then just abandon them when they leave.
Anyway, I dropped him at the vets this morning and then rang for an update on him, along with what they had found around the lump on his leg. I got through to the operating room and they said they had examined the leg and it looked like a solid mass under x-ray, but despite taking some samples were unable to confirm 100% what it was. They couldn't rule out a growth, which may result in the poor fella losing his leg if it is cancerous or looks like it may spread. It didn't seem to be giving him any problems walking or jumping this morning, but I only saw him for a short period of time. I'll ring tomorrow and just hope he is okay. I feel guilty that he may lose a leg because we have 'done the right thing' and took him to be neutered.
The good news is that he should be able to be re-homed due to his calm nature, but not sure what losing the leg will do to this as there will likely be a long recouperation and some adjustment.
I arranged to go round this morning, after speaking to them last night and asking them not to feed the cat last night or this morning. Apparently the cat was very friendly would come into the house to eat, before going out again. I got there today and found a very friendly looking tabby anxiously wondering where his breakfast was.
He was very friendly, jumped right onto a chair and let me stroke his head and scratch him under his chin. As reported he had a big lump at the top of his right leg, which didn't look like a wound and looked to be a solid mass, either an break which had healed wrong, or something else. He allowed the gentleman who feeds him to lift him up and just drop him in the crush cage for the trip to the vets.
The is quite a big cat, and when I asked what they called him they said they hadn't got a name for him but had previously called him 'big head'... as he had a big head... true. They didn't know how old he was, but had been coming round for about a year and as he was friendly the assumption is he has been a pet in the past, possible due to looking pretty young an ex-student cat who has been turfed out onto the streets when the students have finished their course. Yes, it happens more than you'd like to think that students get a'cute' kitten for their flat/house and then just abandon them when they leave.
Anyway, I dropped him at the vets this morning and then rang for an update on him, along with what they had found around the lump on his leg. I got through to the operating room and they said they had examined the leg and it looked like a solid mass under x-ray, but despite taking some samples were unable to confirm 100% what it was. They couldn't rule out a growth, which may result in the poor fella losing his leg if it is cancerous or looks like it may spread. It didn't seem to be giving him any problems walking or jumping this morning, but I only saw him for a short period of time. I'll ring tomorrow and just hope he is okay. I feel guilty that he may lose a leg because we have 'done the right thing' and took him to be neutered.
The good news is that he should be able to be re-homed due to his calm nature, but not sure what losing the leg will do to this as there will likely be a long recouperation and some adjustment.
Thursday, 6 November 2014
Great day at Yorkshire Cat Rescue
Well, that was my first shift volunteering at YCR. What a great day, really made to feel welcome by all, especially want to than L'key (probably got that wrong!) for being a mentor and showing me the ropes. Nothing surprising, started off helping with the morning feed, progressed to cleaning the pens, stroking cats, lunch, replenishing food in the food shed, tidying the main storage area, then more stroking/petty duties... it's a hard life.
Worst part of the day was the damn traffic. Going from Leeds across to Keighley there was gridlock in Shipley as everything came to a standstill passing through one junction. I was tempted to go through Bradford, but it meant going right through the city center and at rush-hour that wouldn't be pretty either. I think it's abit rock-and-a-hard-place situation. I may go over abit earlier next time and see if I can miss some of the bulk of the traffic.
Best was this little beauty, Socks, and her six, yes SIX, kittens.
Right little bundles of energy. You can see them here in the run area as someone is down at the far end cleaning out their pen. This gave the kittens a great new area to explore as well as run round. They loved it.
Here's one of the kittens, exploring, everyone else is hiding off to the left of the picture between the pens. There are 3 kittnes similar to this one, then 3 more that look just like mini versions of Mum.
Last, but not least, this is a shot inside their pen. One of the little black & white fellas is so active, he just plays and climbs the walls all the time. You can see the sleeping area at the back, this has a door which closes to keep the wramth in and give the cats shelter and peace and quioet at night. It can opened to feed/clean the cats.
Was at first just considering going across one a month, then maybe fortnightly... now, I fancy going every week. It's that kind of place.
If you want to help cats and can't foster or donate money, at least try to donate your time. It's free and both you and the cats will get plenty out of it. Trust me.
Worst part of the day was the damn traffic. Going from Leeds across to Keighley there was gridlock in Shipley as everything came to a standstill passing through one junction. I was tempted to go through Bradford, but it meant going right through the city center and at rush-hour that wouldn't be pretty either. I think it's abit rock-and-a-hard-place situation. I may go over abit earlier next time and see if I can miss some of the bulk of the traffic.
Best was this little beauty, Socks, and her six, yes SIX, kittens.
Right little bundles of energy. You can see them here in the run area as someone is down at the far end cleaning out their pen. This gave the kittens a great new area to explore as well as run round. They loved it.
Here's one of the kittens, exploring, everyone else is hiding off to the left of the picture between the pens. There are 3 kittnes similar to this one, then 3 more that look just like mini versions of Mum.
Last, but not least, this is a shot inside their pen. One of the little black & white fellas is so active, he just plays and climbs the walls all the time. You can see the sleeping area at the back, this has a door which closes to keep the wramth in and give the cats shelter and peace and quioet at night. It can opened to feed/clean the cats.
Was at first just considering going across one a month, then maybe fortnightly... now, I fancy going every week. It's that kind of place.
If you want to help cats and can't foster or donate money, at least try to donate your time. It's free and both you and the cats will get plenty out of it. Trust me.
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Saturday, 1 November 2014
Want to help support cats in Spain?
'Help for street cats' is an Indiegogo campaign in order to help the abandoned cats which live in the streets of Veronica's village. Let her tell her story, she can do it better than me:
My name is Verónica. I am from Seoane, a small village in Galicia (Spain). I am trying to raise money in order to help the abandoned cats which live in the street in my village. Until now the only help that I have received was from a NGO called Mascoteros Solidarios, but now they said that they almost have money. So, doing campaigns like this is my last resource.
Now I am going to explain my situation and the situation of the cats. There are a lot of cats in the streets of my village. Some people consider them a plague. What is the reason of this large amount of cats? Simple. Most of the people are not aware that the female cats must be sterilized. If a neighbour has a female cat and the cat has kittens, the solution for the neighbour is to abandone the cat or to kill the kittens. As a result of this the number of cats in the streets is increasing and lots of innocents are killed. And they are killed in a very cruel way. They are knocked or drown or thrown alive to a container like they were rubbish. It is urgent to stop this. The solution is to sterilize the female cats.
In addition, the cats which live in the street are not safe. They can be knocked down by cars or they can eat rat poison, and they also have a high risk of suffering feline leukaemia and feline AIDS. Besides, sometimes people shoot at the cats with pellet shotguns. So they often need veterinary assistance (if they are still alive). PLEASE, CHECK OUT THE THIRD PICTURE OF THE GALLERY: "RITA".
My mother (María Carmen Parada Jato) and I have been helping the cats since almost 7 years ago. Our story with the cats began at the New Year's Eve in 2007 when we saw 3 street cats near of our house and we give them the leftovers of the dinner.
We are having many great expenses. I am not working at the moment and, in Spain, currently, to find a stable job it is not easy. So I don't have enough money to help the cats.
how you can help... You can follow these guys on twitter at @HelpForCats and show appreciation for the work they do.
Recently at the end of their 3rd fund-raising they sent out perks to everyone who donated.
I got mine, to a great postcard, hand sent, and hand signed, just to say 'Thank You'. These small groups of people are doing a their bit, large and small to help improve the lives of cats all over the World. If you think you can't help, you're wrong!
As the slogan for a British supermarket says... 'Every Little helps' and this case it really does.
My name is Verónica. I am from Seoane, a small village in Galicia (Spain). I am trying to raise money in order to help the abandoned cats which live in the street in my village. Until now the only help that I have received was from a NGO called Mascoteros Solidarios, but now they said that they almost have money. So, doing campaigns like this is my last resource.
Now I am going to explain my situation and the situation of the cats. There are a lot of cats in the streets of my village. Some people consider them a plague. What is the reason of this large amount of cats? Simple. Most of the people are not aware that the female cats must be sterilized. If a neighbour has a female cat and the cat has kittens, the solution for the neighbour is to abandone the cat or to kill the kittens. As a result of this the number of cats in the streets is increasing and lots of innocents are killed. And they are killed in a very cruel way. They are knocked or drown or thrown alive to a container like they were rubbish. It is urgent to stop this. The solution is to sterilize the female cats.
In addition, the cats which live in the street are not safe. They can be knocked down by cars or they can eat rat poison, and they also have a high risk of suffering feline leukaemia and feline AIDS. Besides, sometimes people shoot at the cats with pellet shotguns. So they often need veterinary assistance (if they are still alive). PLEASE, CHECK OUT THE THIRD PICTURE OF THE GALLERY: "RITA".
My mother (María Carmen Parada Jato) and I have been helping the cats since almost 7 years ago. Our story with the cats began at the New Year's Eve in 2007 when we saw 3 street cats near of our house and we give them the leftovers of the dinner.
We are having many great expenses. I am not working at the moment and, in Spain, currently, to find a stable job it is not easy. So I don't have enough money to help the cats.
how you can help... You can follow these guys on twitter at @HelpForCats and show appreciation for the work they do.
Recently at the end of their 3rd fund-raising they sent out perks to everyone who donated.
I got mine, to a great postcard, hand sent, and hand signed, just to say 'Thank You'. These small groups of people are doing a their bit, large and small to help improve the lives of cats all over the World. If you think you can't help, you're wrong!
As the slogan for a British supermarket says... 'Every Little helps' and this case it really does.
Friday, 24 October 2014
Gis a job...
On dropping Bella at Yorkshire Cat Rescue today, I was proud to be asked if I wanted to 'join the team' as an on-call trapper/transporter for them. Wow, big honor. I jumped at the chance and said of course I would. This means I am on their books as one of a list of people who they can call on when a cat needs trapping, or transporting to/from the vets. These guys do great work, as I shave said before and it will be awesome to be involved.
I also asked about volunteering at the center, just to help out with odd-jobs and again they said they'd be pleased to have me.
Sam also showed me round the new pens (cheers, Sam!), which I didn't see properly the last visit and they are amazing. Airy, light, with under-floor heating they are just right for mums with kittens or nervous cats. The oder pens mean the cats can see each other and for nervous/timid cats this can be a problem. In the newer pens the sides protect the cats from seeing each other and they can always 'hear' staff approaching so are not surprised when someone appears outside their pens.
I can see me spending a good few days there over the coming months and years :+}
I also asked about volunteering at the center, just to help out with odd-jobs and again they said they'd be pleased to have me.
Sam also showed me round the new pens (cheers, Sam!), which I didn't see properly the last visit and they are amazing. Airy, light, with under-floor heating they are just right for mums with kittens or nervous cats. The oder pens mean the cats can see each other and for nervous/timid cats this can be a problem. In the newer pens the sides protect the cats from seeing each other and they can always 'hear' staff approaching so are not surprised when someone appears outside their pens.
I can see me spending a good few days there over the coming months and years :+}
Another trip to Yorkshire Cat Rescue...
Through a series of events, this is Bella. We took her two fellow cats to YCR the other week and everyone thought Bella was staying with her owner. It would have been fine except for her owner's husband showing back up and causing a big scene. Turns out he brought one of the other family cats with him and when things got ugly and the police were called, they had to move the owner and her 'cat'. Well, they got the wrong cat and poor Bella was left in the flat on her own for a week, trapped behind some furniture, before a kindly neighbough realised and went in to look for her. She was rushed to the vets and luckily has suffered no permanent damage, despite being without food and water for nearly a week.
Luckily YCR have agreed to take her in and reunite her with her kittens (not really kittens, now they're fully grown). I collected her from the vets today and she is a sweet thing. No fuss, just the odd 'where am I?' meow in the carrier on the way there. She looks abit fierce in the one of the below pics, but that's just her mid-meow. For what she's been thru she is in remarkable spirits and still doesn't appear to fear strangers. She was happy for me to stroke and talk to her thru the carrier without shying away. Bless her.
Her owner is happy she is safe and well, and God bless YCR for coming to the Rescue, once again. Anyone that thinks that domestic violence doesn't affect pets is naive. Pets can suffer just as much as humans, sometime more so when they become the focus of someone's anger/rage/jealousy. Pets aren't always lucky enough to survive the situation and if they are can be separated from their owners, for one reason or another, either temporarily or as in Bella's case, permanently. I have had previous experience of having to rescue animals from a bad environment, sometimes at very short notice. Right or wrong, humans understand what is happening. Animals do not.
Luckily YCR have agreed to take her in and reunite her with her kittens (not really kittens, now they're fully grown). I collected her from the vets today and she is a sweet thing. No fuss, just the odd 'where am I?' meow in the carrier on the way there. She looks abit fierce in the one of the below pics, but that's just her mid-meow. For what she's been thru she is in remarkable spirits and still doesn't appear to fear strangers. She was happy for me to stroke and talk to her thru the carrier without shying away. Bless her.
Her owner is happy she is safe and well, and God bless YCR for coming to the Rescue, once again. Anyone that thinks that domestic violence doesn't affect pets is naive. Pets can suffer just as much as humans, sometime more so when they become the focus of someone's anger/rage/jealousy. Pets aren't always lucky enough to survive the situation and if they are can be separated from their owners, for one reason or another, either temporarily or as in Bella's case, permanently. I have had previous experience of having to rescue animals from a bad environment, sometimes at very short notice. Right or wrong, humans understand what is happening. Animals do not.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Yorkshire Cat Rescue
Today was the first time I had been to Yorkshire Cat Rescue, out near Howarth. It's set out in the country, in a secluded area with great scenery and the facilities for the cats are superb. Some really nice pens, both indoor and outdoor spaces to each area for the cats and good clean facilities. The sanctuary looked pretty full, half of it with either kittens or Mums with kittens. yes, we're still seeing kittens coming into shelters, even at this time of year. For anyone looking to adopt the cats I have to say all the animals were friendly and eager to press up against the cage side for a stroke or a sniff, so that was really positive and it just needs the right person to visit and give them a furever home.
Here are some the guys I saw, as I said great bunch of little critters and I could have spent all day there chatting and photographing the various antics of the kittens and charm of the older cats.
Please visit the website - http://yorkshirecatrescue.org/ - where you can see the cats, check out fund raising events or even get involved in volunteering.
If I lived nearer, I would certainly get more involved myself. A great bunch of people, some great cats, what more do you want from a rescue center?
Here are some the guys I saw, as I said great bunch of little critters and I could have spent all day there chatting and photographing the various antics of the kittens and charm of the older cats.
Please visit the website - http://yorkshirecatrescue.org/ - where you can see the cats, check out fund raising events or even get involved in volunteering.
If I lived nearer, I would certainly get more involved myself. A great bunch of people, some great cats, what more do you want from a rescue center?
Transport job
Got a job yesterday to help take Rosie the cat across to Yorkshire Cat rescue near Howarth as soon as we could in the next few days. Her owner is moving into sheltered acommodation and has sadly had to re-home her other cats. YCT have taken the other cats and whilst some are very timid due to their previous environment, YCR are working with them to bring them round and make them adoptable. Rosie's sister, Gracie, went across yesterday but Rosie couldn't be picked up and put in a carrier. YCR supplied a trap and I lisased with Kath's friend on how to set up he trap this morning so the could get the little girl. We starved Rosie over night and sure enough, 10 minutes after the trap being set the little cat was in, trapped and safe. As Rosie was a house cat this made things alot easier and I knew it should be quite a quick job as we near the cat would be nearby, hungry, and likely to feel safe in her own space.
The drive across from Leeds took around 30 minutes and Rosie was put in the same pen as her sister, Gracie, so the two can feel a little more secure in their new, and what must be frightening and strange, environment. They are in a safe environment, will be well looked after,a nd hopefully sometime down the road will find a new forever home together.
The drive across from Leeds took around 30 minutes and Rosie was put in the same pen as her sister, Gracie, so the two can feel a little more secure in their new, and what must be frightening and strange, environment. They are in a safe environment, will be well looked after,a nd hopefully sometime down the road will find a new forever home together.
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