June 27, 2006
What's in This Issue:
- New Pages Added This Month
- ChooseIt! Tool
- Fostering Cats for Rescue Organizations
- Fleas - YUCK!
- A Beautiful Maine Coon Cat needs your help!
- Satellite Internet?
- Your Deals and Steals Page along with Special Announcements
New Pages:
In the last month, I added a resource page for websites that are semi-related to my theme. I also added a page about cats who feel grief and what to do to help them. I hope that helps some of my visitors.Also are 2 new pages related to cat first aid. They are under Veterinary on the sitemap.
Cat First Aid Kit
Cat First Aid
ChooseIt! Tool
I've been having a lot of fun with a new, FREE tool called "ChooseIt!" This thing is amazing! YOU put in your question, possible answers and what they mean to you. It asks a couple of simple questions and then spits out the answer for you. This is NOT the simple Yes/No that you might expect. This gets to the heart of the matter really quickly.The information you put in goes NO WHERE except right back to you! Nothing - and I mean NOTHING is tracked by using this tool. If you want to keep the results, print it out. Try this new tool and tell me what you think about it. ChooseIt!
Fostering Cats for Rescue Organizations
When you foster cats for rescue, it's the same as bringing a new cat home to your existing cat family. However, you will be giving the cat(s) up when it's time for them to move on - either to their next foster home or their furrever home.There are a couple of interesting things I've learned doing this necessary work for cats.
- I end up with a broken heart because I love the cats
- I know they are going to a good place
- My cats don't care much for this
I know to love Beasley and Princess as much as ever, if not more, while we have kitty guests. That doesn't always do enough, but it's a good start. They like to hiss and show displeasure, but they know that our visitors will move on. The visitors actually help to make Princess more secure, since she never goes anywhere!
The visitor kitties need love, food, litterbox, water, security, a bed, and companionship. They need me as much as anything else I can give them. These babies are S-C-A-R-E-D! They recover quickly, but really need attention that first night - and sometimes for many days.
I put the visitors in the bathroom with all necessities and leave the light on as I close the door on them. They usually don't say much, just look around and get into stuff. I make sure the room is secure and nothing will get dropped or broken before I leave them.
As I close the bathroom door, I use the pump bottle of hand disinfectant I put there to remind me. I don't want to pass any diseases over or have my cats smell the visitors on me. I then go out to my kitties and love and talk to them. I give extra food and attention. I do what chores I need to do and don't worry too much about our guests.
A couple of hours later, I go into the bathroom and talk to the cat(s). I offer cuddles and often get some, too! They like the attention. I spend as long as I can, depending on other demands on my attention (phone calls, knocks on the door, etc.)
I go in and out of the bathroom as I need to, and always wash my hands after handling the visitors on the first day. By nightfall, my cats know we have a visitor and are getting curious.
The next day, I introduce the cats. I let the visitors out in the bedroom, which is adjacent to the bathroom, and they get to run around my room while I go to work. When I come home, I check on the visitors and put them back in the bathroom. I feed my cats then the visitors. I cuddle my cats and then the visitors. This time, I don't wash my hands, so my cats and the visitors can get the scent of each other. I keep to this schedule for a couple of days to be sure everybody is comfortable when they finally meet face to face.
I have to switch off who gets to sleep with me, so the first night it's Beasley and Princess, the next night the visitors. My cats don't care for this at all, but they accept it because they know they get my attention in the morning.
By the fourth day, everything seems pretty easy, and the visitors are anxious to meet my cats. Beasley and Princess are pretty interested, too, so I let every body out to see how things go. I watch, but don't interfere unless I have to. Nobody gets to fight, but hisses are OK. I tell Beasley and Princess not to, but I know they will anyway. If fights start, the isolation begins again. If they just hiss and talk, everything is OK.
From here on in, the visitors get run of the house. I still feed them in the bathroom, and they still have their litterbox in the bathroom. Beasley and Princess will end up using it, but that's OK, too. The cats trade off food bowls, and as long as everybody gets enough, it's fine.
Now comes the fun part! Beasley likes to sit on my lap or chair with me while I watch TV in the evenings. Sometimes, one or more of the visitors wants my lap, too. Beasley doesn't share all that well at first, so he will "talk" to the visitor and become depressed. Eventually, they are both on my chair with me, and all is well.
Too soon, the visitors have to leave, and I take them where they are supposed to go. If the foster has been longer than a couple of days, the cats are attached to me and talk all the way. It's really heartbreaking!
I know these kitties are going to a good place, whether to another foster home or to their furrever homes, so I try not to take it to heart. I'm just a stop on the way. I deal with their insecurities and provide a lot of love to help the cats over the hump. I love every one of them!
Fleas--YUCK!!
Flea Control Measures are really needed at this time of year. Here are some ideas for you:Flea Prevention Also of interest is the FurminatorTM Tool. You can find it at http://www.furminator.com
This tool stops shedding by mechanical means, and you don't have to give your cat a bath! Just brush with the tool. It pulls the first time you use it, so only do small areas at a time, and move to an adjacent area later. Once you use the Furminator all over your cat, it becomes easy to use, your cat will like it, and the shedding will STOP!
There is an interesting special going on right now at PetCare Rx. They say you can save up to 50% on flea preparations, and they give you $5 off any order of $25. If you purchase your flea stuff online, they are certainly worth a look.
News Items of Interest
There is a beautiful Maine Coone cat named Cordelia up for adoption by it's owner. They have to move. The rescue network is willing to help with transport, so if you aren't in the area, that should not be a problem.You can see her at http://www.wtfm.com and look under "Pets".
I was asked to write an article for another website about Cat First Aid. You can read it on Knoxville Businesses.
Satellite Internet?
There is a new vendor I'm working with:Hughes Electronics. What does that have to do with cats, you ask???
Well--- Think of losing your internet service because of service interruptions or technical difficulties. That's what. These folks have a Satellite-Based system for internet. You can have the Dish Network or other TV provider, but these folks are much better!
I've been having telephone problems since I had DSL connected so that I could do the website. Since I now have to pay for cell service to stay connected, as well as the telephone that doesn't work, I've been looking for alternatives. This one works!
Available Everywhere - HughesNet Satellite High Speed Internet
Deals and Steals, Special Offers and Announcements
As a thank you for subscribing, your June Deals page is here. Not on that page is a special by Dirt Devil. You can find the products on the Products to Help with Allergies page. Enter the code 10PERCENT just like that and you can take 10% off anything you purchase. That means bags, belts and other accessories, too!Stay tuned for a real neat contest next month! No hints, but YOU know it's coming!
I'm now running a few ads on Google. See if you can find them! Write to me with your search term and get a special gift!
Folks, I want to answer your questions in this Newsletter! Please write with your questions or suggestions for topics.
Spread the word about For the Love of Cats dot com, forward this link to your friends. Your best bet is to copy and paste this paragraph in an email to your friends.
Morgen