For the Love of Rescue Cats E-Book

Tom Colvin

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 252

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

The perfect read before you bring your rescue pet home, For the Love of Rescue Cats is a witty and informative book on all things feline-related. Featuring over 250 stunning pictures of cute cats, this resource illustrates the many facets of their personality, provides tips on training, and explains the best ways to care for a rescue cat. Know how to give them the life they've always wanted as you flip through the pages of this books that's as adorable as it is enlightening!

Leseprobe

For the Love ofRESCUECATS

Carol Griglioneand Mick McAuliffe

THE GUIDE TO SELECTING, TRAINING, AND CARING FOR YOUR CAT

For the Love of Rescue Cats

CompanionHouse Books™ is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

Project Team

Vice President–Content: Christopher Reggio

Editor: Amy Deputato

Copy Editor: Colleen Dorsey

Design: Mary Ann Kahn

Index: Elizabeth Walker

Text copyright © 2012, 2019 Animal Rescue League of Iowa

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

ISBN 978-1-62008-360-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Griglione, Carol, author. | McAuliffe, Mick, author.

Title: For the love of rescue cats : the guide to selecting, training, and caring for your cat / Carol Griglione and Mick McAuliffe.

Description: Mount Joy, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing, [2019] | Includes index. | Summary: “This book discusses all aspects of selecting, bringing home, and caring for an adopted rescue cat, with a focus on shelter cats. Topics include the adoption process, acclimating your new cat to her new home, supplies needed, litter-box and behavior training, health care, and feeding”-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019031716 (print) | LCCN 2019031717 (ebook) | ISBN 9781620083604 (paperback) | ISBN 9781607657576 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Cat adoption. | Cats. | Animal shelters. | Cat rescue.

Classification: LCC SF447 .G68 2019 (print) | LCC SF447 (ebook) | DDC 636.8/0887--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019031716

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019031717

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein. The techniques and suggestions are used at the reader’s discretion and are not to be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect a medical problem, consult your veterinarian.

Fox Chapel Publishing903 Square StreetMount Joy, PA 17552

Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.7 Danefield Road, Selsey (Chichester)West Sussex PO20 9DA, U.K.

www.facebook.com/companionhousebooks

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Printed and bound in China

22 21 20 19    2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Contents

About the Animal Rescue League of Iowa

1Choosing the Right Cat or Kitten for You

2What You Should Know about Shelter Cats

3Bonds of Love

4Bringing Your New Cat Home

5Choosing a Veterinarian

6Litter Training

7Toys and Enrichment for Cats

8Cats and Wild Play

9Scratching

10Communicating with Your Cat

11The Fearful Cat

12Natural Aversives for Cats

13Training Your Cat

14Keeping Your Cat Safe Indoors and Out

15Dealing with Aggression

16Special-Needs and Elderly Cats

17Other Situations

18Closing Thoughts

Index

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

Photo Credits

About the Authors

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all shelter cats everywhere—the ones who are waiting for good homes and the ones who have already found them. To all once-homeless animals, don’t give up on humans. Your unconditional love inspires us to strive to do more, not only for you but also for every animal that will follow you. For years, cats have been portrayed as standoffish, aloof, or even “bad luck.” Those of us who have loved and worked with cats know that these portrayals are unfair to felines. We wrote this book to help those who love cats and those who we hope will learn to adore them for the wonderful, loving, curious, playful, and sensitive creatures they are.

About the Animal Rescue League of Iowa

Founded in 1926, the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa, Inc., is Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal shelter. The ARL serves animals in need across the state, with a focus on Polk County and central Iowa. The mission of the ARL is to promote animal welfare, encourage and strengthen the human/animal bond, and prevent the overpopulation of pets.

For example, in 2018, the ARL took in more than 11,000 animals from fifty-eight Iowa counties and seven states. Of those animals, 5,857 were cats and kittens, with 3,992 adoptions and 1,364 placed in foster homes. On any given day, the shelter has more than 650 animals in its care at its main facility and four satellite locations. With such a large number of animals to care for and a limited number of full-time staff members for all of its locations, the ARL relies heavily on volunteers to assist in all realms of the organization, from daily care of animals to helping with fundraising efforts. Currently, close to 2,100 volunteers donate countless hours of service.

The ARL is responsible for the care of more than 20,000 animals each year and runs a farm-animal adoption program as well as animal control for the City of Des Moines. The ARL is the only shelter in central Iowa that never turns away an animal in need. This results in a large number of animals and people who depend on the ARL each year. This dependence has grown dramatically since the ARL was founded in 1926.

—Tom Colvin, Chief Executive Officer,Animal Rescue League of Iowa

Tom Colvin

Tom Colvin has been instrumental in animal protection work in Iowa for close to fifty years. He began his work as a veterinary technician in Waterloo, Iowa; went on to become director of the Black Hawk Humane Society (now called Cedar Bend); and then moved to Des Moines in 1993 to become the ARL’s shelter director. He was appointed executive director in 1995 and currently serves as the ARL’s chief executive officer. Tom led the initiative to build a new 43,000-square-foot shelter, which was completed in October 2008. Additionally, Tom started a prison program, called Whinny, at Rockwell City Men’s Prison, which provides extra care and rehabilitation for neglected horses that come to the ARL until they are ready for adoption.

Tom has been president of the Iowa Federation of Humane Societies since 1981, is a member of the Iowa State University External Stakeholders Advisory Group, and sits on the board of the Iowa Wildlife Center. He has also served on the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, Tom was a wildlife rehabilitator and has served on Iowa deer task-force committees. He has done extensive work on animal cruelty and puppy mill investigations, working tirelessly on legislation to strengthen Iowa’s animal-protection laws, for which he has received awards. Additional successes include legislation that prohibits giving pets as prizes, felony animal-fighting laws, and the 2010 passing of the Puppy Mill Bill.

Programs and Services

•Pet adoptions at four Des Moines-area ARL locations as well as numerous affiliated locations

•Pet behavior counseling and training classes for dogs, cats, and rabbits

•Spay/neuter programs, including Catsnip, PitStop, The Purr Project, The Daily Fix, and Spay the Mother

•Humane education

•Lost & found and ID Me program

•Pet intake of strays and owner-released animals

•Pet first-aid training

CatSnip and Summer Getaway

CatSnip is a no-cost spay/neuter program provided by the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and sponsored by Petsmart Charities. It is provided for anyone who participates in any financial-assistance program and lives in certain zip code areas. Any donations given to CatSnip are put back into the program to provide continued funding for this much-needed service.

The Summer Cat Getaway program gives long-term ARL cats a chance to get out of the shelter during the ARL’s busiest time of year and enjoy the home lives they deserve. Approximately fifty new cats arrive each day in the summer, so the Summer Getaway allows the shelter to bring in more cats for adoption.

Betty is one of the ARL’s resident cats and has become quite well known for her regular appearances on the shelter’s Facebook page.

•Cruelty-intervention initiatives

•Disaster planning service for pets

•Whinny program in collaboration with Iowa prison system

•Volunteer opportunities

•Pets in Crisis program, which provides temporary housing for pets of people in crisis (e.g., house fire, domestic abuse, homelessness)

•Temporary Love and Care program for special-needs animals

•Animal-assisted therapy

•Humane euthanasia and cremation services

•Legislation/advocacy for animal-welfare laws

•Contractual relationship with several local governmental entities, including the City of Des Moines, to provide care and all animal-control services to lost and homeless animals found by the public or picked up by ARL animal-control officers

•Horse rescue and adoption program

•Barn Buddy program

•Loyal Friends Club for shelter supporters, which allows them to set up reoccurring monthly donations

HAPPY ENDINGS

Alley

Polk County Animal Control received a call from the local waste-collection company, saying that workers had found a bag of kittens that someone had carelessly put out with their trash. There were six kittens total, but, sadly, only one was alive. The workers who had rescued the kitten gave her a bath before she was picked up by Polk County Animal Control. The kitten, now named “Alley,” arrived at the ARL, was nursed back to health in a foster home, and then was placed up for adoption, soon finding a loving home.

Ash

Ash was found by a Good Samaritan who saw her struggling to crawl out of a burning bush pile. He rushed her to the ARL so she could have a chance at survival. The kitten, estimated to be only three weeks old, had burned her ears, paws, and tail but was otherwise doing remarkably well. The medical staff treated her wounds and placed her in foster care with a staff member for around-the-clock care until she recovered from her wounds and was old enough to eat on her own. Her foster mom bottle-fed her every day while her German Shepherd gave the kitten comfort, warmth, and love—the dog even licked Ash’s wounds to clean them each day in a true demonstration of compassion.

Ash stayed in her foster home for about eight weeks. Parts of her tail and ears had fallen off due to the burn damage, but she was otherwise a happy, healthy kitty who loved other cats and dogs of all sizes. She was soon placed up for adoption and found a forever family and her very own bed.

1 Choosing the Right Cat or Kitten for You

An Easy Decision?

It seems like a simple decision: You decide you want a feline friend to add to your family. You go to the shelter, you find one you like, and you are done. But it is not that simple, and, quite honestly, it should not be that easy. The cat you choose will be a member of your family for an average of fifteen years. If you decide to add a feline to your family, do it with the intention that it is for the lifetime of the cat—no exceptions.

Cats end up in shelters for a variety of reasons, the most common being litter box or behavior issues. With just a little effort and retraining on the part of you—the owner—you can solve many of these issues. If your cat has behavior issues, be committed to solving them.

What to Consider When Choosing a Cat

Your lifestyle. Are you a homebody, or are you gone much of the time with work and other activities? Do you have other pets? Do you have children at home or plan on having children in the future? Often, people want to adopt a kitten because they believe that the kitten will bond with them better than an adult cat would, but that is just not true. Adult cats absolutely bond with their new families, just as kittens do.

People often choose kittens because they are cute. But, as we all know, kittens grow up to be cats. And if you find that your lifestyle keeps you away from home a lot, a kitten will become lonely and bored; this is when behavior issues start to surface. For someone who is away from home often with a busy lifestyle, a mature cat is the way to go.

DIDYOUKNOW?

Many times, black cats seem to be passed over for adoption in favor of lighter-colored cats. There are different theories behind this; for example, maybe because their facial expressions are harder to see, there isn’t an instant connection. No matter the theory, the fact remains that black cats are the most commonly overlooked cats in shelters. Cats come in all sorts of sizes and colors, and each cat has his or her own unique personality. It is this personality, not the color of the fur, that draws people to a particular cat. Remember this the next time you are looking to add a new family member. Take a good look beyond the fur at who is in that kennel. You might just find your new best friend.

With kittens, we encourage people to adopt two at the same time. The kittens will bond with the humans in their lives, as well as with each other. They will keep each other company when their family is away from the house for long hours. At night, when their people are trying to sleep, they will play with each other.

Children. Children are a big consideration when choosing a pet. Consider the ages of your children and their activity level. If your child is five years old and likes to wrestle and play hard, an eight-week-old kitten probably is not the right pet. A cat that has already been around children is always a good choice.

A child is a great friend for a cat but should not be the pet’s primary caretaker.

An adult cat can adapt to an owner’s busy lifestyle if the owner finds adequate time to spend with the cat.

At the shelter, we often hear potential adopters say, “I told my child that she could get a pet, but she will have to take care of him.” That is an unrealistic expectation that often results in the pet being returned to the shelter days, weeks, or months later. It is hard for pets to go in and out of homes. They bond with their humans and, when they find themselves at shelters, they become stressed at being taken away from their homes and the people they love. When we make an “easy-way-out” decision to give up a pet, we are teaching our children that animals can be given away or abandoned at the drop of a hat. Therefore, if you are considering getting a cat or kitten, go into it fully aware that the adults in the home will be responsible for the majority of the pet’s care.

Purebred or Mixed Breed?

Many purebred cats find themselves in animal shelters. If you are looking for a specific breed of cat, be sure to check out the cats at your local shelters before looking elsewhere. While animal shelters do get purebred cats on a regular basis, consider adopting a mixed breed cat. Cats, whatever their breed, are fun and curious creatures and can form a bond with the humans in their lives. Whatever type of cat you choose, a cat you adopt from a shelter is sure to give you many years of joy.

Other pets. You must also consider the other pets in your household when choosing an additional pet. Some people question whether they should even get a cat with a dog already in the home. Cats and dogs can be friends. In fact, they can be great friends. The belief that they are natural enemies has been portrayed in fiction for years, but it just isn’t true. While not all cats and dogs will get along, many cats and dogs will form relationships, even sleeping together, grooming each other, and taking care of each other. We have seen this happen at the ARL. Opie, an American Eskimo Dog, and Elmo the cat were brought to the ARL by the same family. When they arrived, the staff took Opie to the dog kennels and Elmo to the cat cages for evaluation. Over the next few days, both were depressed and refused to eat. Opie got to the point where he wouldn’t even raise his head when the staff came to feed him. The director suggested taking Elmo to the dog kennels and putting him in with Opie. Instantly, both were happy pets. They slept together and ate together—all was good as long as they were together. The ARL adopted out this dog and cat together as “bonded buddies” to a new home. Such events are not uncommon, and they certainly show the bond that animals can form with each other.

MEWSINGS

Add Another Cat?

Q:Betty called into the Companion Connection radio program one Saturday after hearing us discuss the benefits of adding another cat to a one-cat family. Betty wasn’t home much due to her work schedule, and her cat, Boscoe, was alone a lot. At the time, Boscoe was a neutered, five-year-old male and was still playful. Betty was looking for suggestions on finding a good match for Boscoe. She was wondering if she should get a female, as she had heard that two males in the house might be stressful. She was also hoping to get a kitten.

A:Betty should consider getting an adult cat between the ages of two and seven instead of a kitten; sex is not an issue. For cats, it isn’t about sex but more about age and personality. Does your current cat want to play all the time, sometimes, or never? Try to find a second cat that matches your resident cat’s personality, energy level, and playfulness. Similar personalities will enable the cats to make an easier connection.

Consider the Mix

Amy found a kitten and fell in love. She took the kitten home and named him Hershey. However, Amy already had three Whippets. The Whippets were certain that this new kitten was a toy for them. Being sighthounds, Whippets love to chase and often cause harm to small furry things that run away from them.

For two years, Amy had to keep these pets separated. She gradually introduced them to each other, tethering the dogs to her so they couldn’t chase Hershey and cause harm. Gradually, this process worked, and now everyone lives in harmony. The Whippets have learned that Hershey is part of the family.

This is an extreme example of what you need to consider with pets already at home. Are you willing to go to such lengths for however long it takes?

Sighthounds, such as Whippets, have an inherent drive to chase small animals.

Age of the cat. Consider the age of the cat you want to adopt and the ages of the other members of your pet family. People sometimes prepare for the loss of a senior cat by adopting a kitten. The last thing an older cat wants is a young kitten that pesters and bugs him. While the sex of the cat you are adopting isn’t an issue, age certainly is. Look at the age and personality of your current cat and get a playmate that will complement her.

DIDYOUKNOW?

Whether you adopt a cat or kitten, spaying and neutering is a must. Spaying and neutering help control the overpopulation of cats in this country. It can also help with some behavior problems.

Stories about Bonding

For those of you still skeptical about the bonds between animals, let me share a couple of stories involving my own pets. Spirit was a Greyhound/Collie mix and Zorra was a tortoiseshell cat. One day, Zorra was trying to jump up onto the coffee table. She was a little uncoordinated and didn’t always complete her jumps. After watching Zorra try three times, Spirit got up and lifted Zorra onto the table with her nose.

Another example of a friendship between a dog and a cat was between Azzurro and his canine housemates. Azzurro, normally an indoor cat, escaped one night when the dogs were let out. Once back inside, the dogs immediately started barking and whining, circling around, and going up to the door. We couldn’t figure out why, so we went to see what was going on. When we opened the door, the dogs ran straight outside, directly to where Azzurro was, and began nosing him back toward the door to come inside.

2 What You Should Know about Shelter Cats

We’ve mentioned that shelters provide a fascinating mix of adoptable cats: purebreds and one-of-a kind mixes in a variety of ages, from kitten to adult to senior. Adopting a cat from a shelter is generally less expensive than buying from a breeder. Adoption also helps reduce the number of cats being bred for profit.

Shelters can provide you with information on the temperaments and personalities of the cats available for adoption because the staff and volunteers handle the cats daily. This helps keep the shelter workers apprised of each cat’s condition and also helps maintain the cats’ sociability with humans. Some shelters also have cats living together in “cat condos” or “community cat rooms,” which allow them to interact with each other. This can be beneficial when they move to new homes that already have cats. For owner-released cats, shelter staff may also have current medical history or pet history from previous guardians. If you are interested in adopting more than one cat, look into the cats that were brought into the shelter together or have become great pals and bonded at the shelter.

Some cats in shelters can be stressed due to a sudden change from the familiar environment of their homes to the unfamiliar shelter environment. They may not be used to cages, and they may miss the “normal” things in their lives as well as their human families. Some of these cats may need extra patience, assurance, and guidance after adoption. The shelter staff will be able to help you with this transition, but always remember that any cat will need some adjustment time, and your love and patience will pay off.

Myths about Shelter Cats

People often think that owner-surrendered cats ended up in shelters due to behavior problems, but this is not always true. Pets are surrendered for many different reasons. Many of the cats in shelters have no behavior problems, and the reasons for their surrender have more to do with the owners than with the cats themselves. Furthermore, most behavior problems are fixable, and the issue that brought a particular cat to the shelter may never show up in a new home environment.

Socialization

If you adopt a kitten, it’s important to encourage her to have good social skills by socializing her as much as possible when she is young. This means having as many people as possible pet, play with, and hold your kitten. You want her to get used to being handled by as many people as possible, which includes being picked up, brushed, and petted by people other than her own humans. One great way to do this is to have friends and family visit, especially right after you get your kitten. Provide toys, such as ping-pong balls, cat fishing-pole toys, or paper bags, so people can play with your kitten. See chapter 7 for more games and enrichment activities for kittens and cats of all ages.

A good shelter tries to provide comfortable accommodations and enrichment opportunities for the cats.

DIDYOUKNOW?

At many shelters, all cats are spayed/neutered, microchipped, dewormed, and vaccinated before they are adopted.

As your kitten continues to grow, you should continue to handle her often, at different times, and for different lengths of time. Also, have people touch your kitten’s tail, ears, and paws so she is accustomed to being handled all over. You want your kitten or cat to be social and to want to be with humans. At the very least, she should never put her teeth on you, even in play.

Behavior through the Ages

Acquaint yourself with the various general social and behavioral traits of cats throughout their lives so you know what to expect no matter the age of your newly adopted cat.

Reward Good Behavior

Like all animals, cats learn through association. If the cat is rewarded for a behavior (whether by her human or by a self-rewarding behavior, such as scratching), she is more likely to repeat that same behavior (desirable or undesirable) in the future. To get rid of an undesirable behavior, you will need to teach your cat a positive alternative behavior; for example, scratching a post instead of the sofa. By rewarding the post-scratching with high-value rewards, such as favorite treats, the sofa-scratching will fade away. Be careful to not unintentionally reward actions that might seem fun or cute at first but will become problematic. Remember, the more we reward appropriate behavior, the better behaved our cats will be.

Three to Eight Weeks

What to expect: A kitten’s social play begins and increases steadily. She starts to use the litter box, play with objects, and explore climbing, running, scratching, and predatory behavior.

What you should do: Introduce your kitten to frequent, gentle handling and play with various people, including men, women, and supervised children. Take kitten socialization classes, if available in your area. Reward your kitten’s appropriate friendly behavior toward humans and all other animals using treats and play. (Note: Always use toys to play with your kitten. Never use your hands and feet because this teaches your kitten bad habits.) Provide litter boxes with low sides for easy entry. Be sure to provide toys and scratching posts. Teach your kitten to go into a carrier.

Nine to Sixteen Weeks

What to expect: At this stage, your kitten continues to learn social skills. A kitten’s social play peaks during this time, and you will see her more vigorously exploring the environment and climbing.

What you should do: Continue socializing your kitten. If she has not had previous social education, initiate it slowly. Kittens that have not had adequate experiences during early socialization may not have good social skills and may require extra effort to acquire them. Your kitten may need a larger litter box at this age. Provide vertical space and climbing structures.

Seventeen Weeks to One Year

What to expect: Social play will decrease. A kitten is more likely to be subordinate to larger adults, but she may also challenge these cats for status.

What you should do: Provide food puzzles and food toys. Be sure to continue to play with your cat and reward friendly behavior. You may want to reevaluate the size of the litter box again as well.

DIDYOUKNOW?

If you notice any behavior changes in a cat of any age, consult your veterinarian to determine whether medical issues could be contributing to the behavior issues. If the cat is healthy, consult a veterinary behaviorist or an animal behavior specialist. Behavior problems are best treated early.

One to Six Years

What to expect: Your cat may start to slow down during this time frame, so watch for weight gain. If your cat gains weight, check with your veterinarian before changing her diet. Your cat will mature socially approximately between two to three years of age; her personality can be strongly affected by genetics and early life experiences.

What you should do: Continue to play with your cat and reward friendly behavior. Provide your cat with enriching and entertaining activities.

Seven Years and Older

What to expect: Changes in appetite can occur. A decreased activity level may lead to decreased social interaction with you or other animals. The occurrence of medical problems can increase with age.

What you should do: Continue to play and interact with your cat. Your cat may not be as active or interactive as she once was, but this still is important. Monitor her appetite and water intake, and contact your veterinarian if you notice increases or decreases.

The Five Freedoms

The welfare of animals encompasses both physical and mental well-being. The Five Freedoms are a set of internationally recognized animal-welfare standards that outline what responsible owners and animal-welfare organizations must provide. They were first set forth by the Farm Animal Welfare Council and then adopted by many other organizations. We must do these things to keep our pets happy and healthy.

1.Freedom from hunger and thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain health and vigor. This means that every animal must always have access to clean, fresh water. Provide your pet with a sufficient amount of nutritious food to help keep her in good health and at a healthy weight.

2.Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area. Giving your pet adequate shelter is very important. For cats, most of which live indoors, owners must provide warm, comfortable places to live.

3.Freedom from pain, injury, or disease by prevention through rapid diagnosis and treatment. Know the signs of illness in your cat. The number-one sign of illness is the animal acting lethargic, tired, or sluggish. Another way to help your cat is to keep her environment clean and free of any hazards that might cause injury.

4.Freedom to express normal behavior by providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal’s own kind. It’s easy to know your pet’s normal behavior when you spend a lot of time with her and give her a lot of attention. But just like people, animals can become bored and lonely. Provide your cat with a cat tree to climb or access to a window where she can watch the birds. Toys are also a great way to keep your cat mentally stimulated.

5.Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment [that] avoid mental suffering.