One Nation Under Dog

I just got through watching an HBO special named, "One Nation Under Dog:  Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal."  When I saw the commercial promo for this show, I was not so sure it would be good for me to watch.  My husband thought I would like it so he DVRed it for me.  I don't think he knew what the show was really about.  Otherwise I know he would have not recorded it for me.

So I am hanging out with Tiger, Motor and Jack, trying to find something decent to watch on TV.  Couldn't find anything so I decided to try the special.  In my head I am thinking, "I can turn this off at anytime if it is too sad for me."  But there is another part of me that knows, once I start watching it, I will not turn it off.

I cried through practically the whole show.  Part of the special showed a husband and wife making the decision to euthanize their dog because it repeated bit people.  The next part was a monthly grieving group for people who have lost a pet, telling their stories of how their lives have changed and how much they miss their pet companion and friend.  Another part was a rescue at a puppy mill where the owner really neglected the dogs and left them without food and water in awful conditions.  The last part was about dogs being abandoned by their guardians, being brought to shelters, some of them being rescued, others being left to be euthanized.  That was heart breaking.

I am a person that is very sensitive to any and all types of injustice, abuse, neglect, abandonment, and in the case of animals, euthanizing them just because there is no more room in a shelter.  I could go on and on about the need to spay and neuter cats and dogs, and the need for people to educate themselves before they bring home a pet, and then decide they do not want it anymore.  A pet is not a piece of furniture that you just dispose of when you get tired of it. 

That was my little rant.  I'm done now.

I am signed up to go to an orientation presentation at one of our local animal shelters.  This is to start volunteering there every couple of weeks.  At first I thought it was a good idea.  I love animals.  This way I can be around them more and help the shelter try to get them adopted.  My husband has all ready talked to me about no more pets for us.  In my dreams, I think I would like to live on a ranch and rescue as many animals that needed care and shelter.  I all ready know taking care of 3 animals is time consuming enough.  So the ranch idea is really just a dream.  At least for now.

But back to volunteering.  I'm not sure I can do it.  I don't think I am strong enough to be able to witness the homeless animals in the shelter, waiting to get adopted.  It will break my heart.  I don't feel I am strong enough emotionally to work at the shelter.  The HBO movie showed footage of animals in cages at a shelter.  They looked very sad to me.  And I would be very sad too.

I think I will find another way to help homeless cats and dogs.  Raise money and donate it to an organization all ready established like the Humane Society or the ASPCA.  I think my efforts would be better used that way.  That is one thing the HBO special really brought home to me.  And a lot of other things to think about.       

  

Heating an Outdoor Cat Enclosure in the Winter

It's that time again.  If you have any outdoor cats that you care for, then you will be thinking about how to care for the in the cold winter months.  Because I have Smokey, I search the internet repeatedly to find more ideas on how to take care of her.  We don't get snow, but we have a lot of rain, and it gets pretty cold.  Actually both have all ready started.

Smokey stopped using her outdoor shelter when other outdoor cats came to check it out.  They may have even gone inside.  I'm not sure.  So my plan is to clean the enclosure and the blankets and try to insulate it again.

While searching the internet, I found this great idea for heating  the inside of your enclosure.  It is from a website called "Instructables."

This web article suggests attaching rope lighting to the top of their enclosures. The lights are kept on day and night through the cold weather to keep the enclosure warm. I also like this idea of using a ice chest for the enclosure. It is a good size and is all ready insulated.

There are some great minds out there with many different ideas on taking care of strays. If I find any more good ideas, I will definitely share them here.

And now, onto Smokey's shelter.

More Winter Shelters for Cats

So with my concerns for Smokey, I decided to do more research on the web.  There are a lot of caring people with similar concerns for outdoor cats and a lot of good information.  This is some of what I have found.


I found a great resource for outside winter shelters for cats.  The website is called "Neighborhood Cats" and they have great ideas for building your own or purchasing one all ready made. 

They also have good info for creating feeding stations for outside cats.

There is also a link for making a feeding station that will keep raccoons out.  I have that problem in my yard so I find this information helpful.

Just found another good link for making winter shelters.  This one is from the Humane Society.

And these are some good general tips from Alley Cat Allies:

Maintenance: Shelters should be checked regularly to ensure their optimum quality and function. When deciding what kind of shelter to use, remember that some of the low-cost suggestions will need to be checked and replaced more frequently than some of the more permanent and professionally built shelters.

Doorway: Make sure that the door is only big enough for cats. The door should be 6-8" wide to keep out wildlife and larger predators. The opening should have a flap or an L-shaped entryway to keep cold air from blowing in. If neither option is possible, make sure the door faces away from prevailing winds or faces a wall. Some caregivers prefer shelters that have two doors so cats cannot be cornered.

Protection from the Elements: You can ensure that the cats are protected by making shelters waterproof, windproof (especially in cold climates), and elevated off the ground. Discarded pallets from shipping firms or hardware, farm supplies, or pet stores are a good option for elevation. The space beneath the shelters should be blocked from drafts. Insulation is a good material to use.

Bedding: Straw resists the wet and keeps a shelter warm, and is the best choice for insulation and bedding. Do NOT use blankets, carpeting, fake sheepskin, or any material that holds moisture. You can also use hardwood shavings (not cedar or pine), but keep in mind that softwood shavings are not suitable due to possible toxicity. Some caregivers in locations with long, cold winters use Mylar blankets as bedding. Mylar is a product that retains body heat. The generic term for Mylar is Polyester Film or Plastic Sheet. These sheets can be purchased from survival and outdoor stores as thermal safety blankets, or online at websites such as Amazon.com.

Camouflage: Shelters should blend in with their surroundings so that they are not obtrusive to neighbors. Cover them with leaves or other brush or paint them a dark color. Moving shelters into wooded areas away from buildings, parking lots, and other high-traffic areas is also a good idea for cat safety and to avoid neighbor complaints.

Tiger's Wit and Wisdom-Advice for Cats and their Guardians

Hey, Mom has finally handed over the keyboard to me so I can share what being a cat is all about. I want to educate all the Kitty Moms and Kitty Dads out there with my wit and wisdom. This is my advice column. So if you have any questions for me, go ahead and ask. I will try to answer as many as I can. Or as many as my Mom will let me since she is letting me share her computer.

My first question comes from Motor, my kitty brother.

Motor: Tiger, why do you shred the curtains and climb on the furniture that Kitty Mom doesn't want you to?

Tiger: Motor, I have a lot to teach you. You see, if you are not getting the attention you want, this will surely get Kitty Mom and Dad's attention. Yes, they will use your name sternly, clap their hands loudly, or even spray you with a water pistol, but after that is done, you know Kitty Mom will feel bad. She will then come over and scoop you up and you will get the attention you were looking for in the first place. It works every time.

How to Make a Winter Shelter for an Outdoor Cat

This blog entry was originally posted 1 year ago. I have added additional commentary and photos that I thought may be helpful.

We did it! We did it! We made Smokey, our outdoor cat a winter shelter. I was/am so concerned about her welfare outside that I did some internet research and I found instructions on the Spay and Stay website. While we were making the shelter, my husband suggested making a video of the process. So here it is. I hope this is helpful for other cat lover's that are in need of the same information. Credit for the original instructions goes to Jim and Nancy at Spay and Stay.



Additional Comments to the Original Blog Post on 12/9/10

So we had this shelter out last winter and Smokey would not go in it. I think we may have made the tube opening too small for her. That or she was just too spooked to try it. I have had feedback from other cat owners, though, that have had their outdoor cats use it. My sister in NY told me she had a female cat that just had kittens and that the whole family stayed in the shelter for the winter. So it does work.

Here are some photos of my cat Motor, showing us how it works.

First, we have to have our older cat Tiger, make sure his younger brother Motor has made it inside safely.

Yes, he sure did.


And he is looking pretty comfortable in there.


But now it is time to come back out.

You can see that the original outdoor shelter has a lot of insulation to it to keep a cat warm.
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I had a comment left on You Tube by Catweedhigh that I thought might be helpful:

"I use plastic flower pots, for the tunnel in, the vinyl bigger ones plants come in from nurseries, and cut the bottom out, leaving about half inch around the perimeter in the bottom. That lip left in the bottom can be used to secure it with screws or bolts to a wooden feral housing unit or even a plastic storage container. Or, you can reverse it, since they're usually tapered, bigger at the top than bottom, and insert the bottom through from the inside, which makes it also easy to secure."
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Since Smokey is spending this winter in our yard again, I had to come up with something, at least to protect her from the winds and rain.

So here is outdoor shelter #2. No styrofoam and hay for insulation, and no tube entrance. But a larger opening and lots of dry blankets to sleep on. This one seems to be working out better for Smokey. She is actually using it.

And here is Motor again, modeling how the newer shelter looks.




And hanging out with our 3rd indoor cat K.C. on a sunnier day.

Hope this is helpful information for all you cat lovers out there.

The Making of Our "Catio" (Outdoor Enclosure for Our Cats)

Ever since I decided to keep Tiger inside, I wanted to try to figure out a way for him to still go out but not roam our neighborhood. I searched the internet looking at all kinds of outdoor cat enclosures. Wow, there are some pretty impressive enclosures people have made for their animals. And some people enclose their whole yard. I wish I could do that for my cats! I know I don't have the energy to take that on.

So after lots of research and thought, I remembered that I had used PVC pipe to make an art booth for a craft fair a couple of years ago. The booth size was 8'x10' and I still had the PVC so I decided to use this for my outside cat room.

First thing I had to do was figure out how to put the PVC structure back together again. That took me about 4 hours. I must have put the pieces together together 4 different times before I got it right.


I put the PVC bottom together first, then the PVC top. After the 2 halves were constructed, then I wrapped chicken wire around the structures on 3 sides. The 4th side is my house. My back studio door is inside the enclosure so the cats can go in and out as they please. Tiger has always liked doing that. That way he can come get me, or just come in to find out where I am.






After the top and bottom was wrapped, the top was lifted by me, my husband and nephew and placed into the PVC piping on the bottom. I was going to hammer the piping together to tighten the connecting parts but my nephew, being stronger than me, just tightened the PVC by muscle power.


This is the final structure. Not as pretty as many I have seen on the web but it is functional. Actually I will take more photos so you can see what I have put inside the cat room for the cats to climb and relax with. My idea is to add on to this original room with an enclosed path for the cats to walk to a larger space in the yard. I just haven't totally figured out how I want to do that.

It's Me, Tiger

Since I have been getting so many comments on CatMom's blog, she decided that maybe I should take over and write to my new friends. I always knew this blog would be MINE in the end. I have so much to talk about.

First, I would like to thank all the other kitties who have stopped by to visit The Very Best Cats. It's nice to know there are other cats out there that write. My little brother Motor likes to write too so I MAY let him once in a while.

But what should I tell you about me? I will tell you the story of how I came to live with CatMom. She likes to tell me this story over and over. One saturday afternoon, CatMom and Dad were out taking a walk. CatMom knew she wanted a new kitten but she wasn't sure she was ready yet. My oldest, grouchy sister, K.C. was the only cat in the house at that time and CatMom wanted to talk to the people in the "pet store" about bringing a new kitten home.



But I was all ready waiting for her. When she got there with Dad, I was outside with "Friends for Life," (my adoption home). CatMom saw me and it was love at first sight. She took me home right away and my life has been good ever since. Well, except when she takes me out in that cage and the man pokes and prods and sticks me with needles. She calls him "the vet" and she always tells me we will get home right away. Or when CatMom won't let me go out because she says "it is too cold outside Tiger." OK, so most of the time, life is good.



It is time for me to nap so goodbye to all. I'll be back!