Another dent in the UM cat population

These are the two cats I caught at UM Monday night. Both are all black males, and are about 8 months old. The third of their litter was adopted (hooray!!), and their mother is of course proving hard to trap. But I'll get her!!

At least there are now two fewer kittens making babies on campus, and these sweet guys will now be healthier kitties to boot!!

 

An Awkward Trapping Adventure

Tonight, we trap!

The catch - I'm on crutches.

I'm not entirely sure how this is going to work out, but I do (hopefully) have a few volunteers meeting me later this evening from the Pre-Vet Society on campus. I'll be teaching them how to trap feral cats in exchange for help lifting and placing the traps (what better way to learn than fully hands on?!).
I'll be targeting a colony of littermates near the Science Building, one of whom has already been caught (he was tame enough for the feeder to pick him up and put him in the carrier earlier this afternoon). That just leaves three more spots to fill for tomorrow's sterilizations!!!
Hopefully all goes as planned and we end up with kitties in the traps!!:) It feels good to be back on this side of sterilizations!

UPDATE:
We were able to catch the other kitten by the science building, but the mother was no where to be found... she's a tricky one, but she also just moved herself up to the most wanted spot on my list. I'll be trying for her again later this month (it's easier to trap on campus when all the students are gone for the holidays).
We also caught a small kitten near the Music School, but sadly the trap malfunctioned and baby cat escaped. At least that one will be easy to catch again later (and we have a little more time since it's still too young to start reproducing). That mother is also on the elusive side, but I will catch her all in due time.

After calling it a night on campus I decided to try for a few kittens that live in my neighborhood, just so I could make my number of appointments on the Meow Mobile. Sure enough it only took seconds for two of the four to make their way into the traps, filling my quota. The other two I'll trap in the coming weeks, and any others that I find (I'm working on cleaning up the feral colony on my block - see earlier posts for the backstory).

So now the 4 kitties are awaiting their sterilizations on the Meow Mobile, where they'll also get the rabies vaccine and Revolution to treat fleas, mites, lice and worms. I'll pick them up at 3, take them home for recovery (and get pictures for my database), and then they'll go back to their friends tomorrow!
I'm so glad I was able to catch a good round of ferals, and that the Pre-Vet Society was there to help!! Hopefully they continue with the mission:)

Holiday Shopping

With my holiday shopping in full swing I think the only gifts I never have trouble buying are those for all the animals in my life. The normally spoiled cats are given even more toys, attention and pampering, and the animals of friends get a taste of the same treatment as well (although those gifts are from my fuzzies to their fuzzies).


Here are some of my favorite holiday pet gifts:

These are a HUGE hit with all the cats I know!!

A festive cat scratcher

Fun for humans and animals alike

 And of course no gift is complete without a few bags of treats - Temptations are the big winners in my house, with Friskies Party Mix coming in a close second!!

Cat Christmas Safety

*Just a helpful reminder of things to keep in mind this holiday season to ensure your pets are safe and sound! These tips were taken from Cat World

Tips To Keep Your Cat Safe during the Holidays

Christmas is an exciting time for the family, but it always pays to take some extra precautions with our pets. There are many dangers around, below are some suggestions on how to ensure your cat stays safe during the Christmas period.

Christmas Tree/Decorations

The only fool proof way to keep your cat away from your Christmas tree  is to put the tree in a room the cat can't access. Unfortunately, this is often not practical. So the next best solution is to make the tree as safe as possible.  Real Christmas trees are more dangerous to cats than fake plastic ones. Pine needles can puncture internal organs if eaten, they are also toxic to cats. If you do have a real tree, make sure the drink stand has plenty of water to prevent the tree drying out & losing needles. It is important that your cat isn't able to get to this water & drink it as it could result in poisoning. Ensure the tree has a good solid base so it won't easily be knocked over by your cat. Try not to have the tree near furniture & or shelves which the cats could use to jump onto the tree.

Be careful with tinsel, if you must have it on your tree, place it at the top of the tree where the cat is less likely to be able to get at it. Tinsel can be caught around the base or move down to the intestines & stomach & cause a blockage, which will result in emergency (and costly) surgery to remove it.   A safer alternative are the strands of beads. Ornaments should be securely attached to the tree to prevent them being knocked off. Also place delicate ornaments up high where they're less likely to be knocked off & broken. When there is nobody around, unplug Christmas lights, you may want to try applying a cat repellent  such as bitter apple to the lights to deter your cat from chewing the wires, obviously if this was to happen it could cause a fatal electric shock.

Artificial snow is toxic to cats, so is best avoided.

Candles are especially popular over the Christmas holiday period, be careful to make sure your cat can't get close to lit candles.

Please note, your cat isn't a novelty item & it's dangerous to try & decorate your cat with ribbons etc.

Plants

Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias are all popular plants to have in the home at Christmas, especially in the northern hemisphere. These plants are toxic to cats so should be placed where your cat can't get to them. Please see our page on common household toxins for an extensive list on toxic & non toxic plants.

Food/Sweets/Chocolate

Many cat owners enjoy giving their cat the occasional treat of "human" food & generally this doesn't harm the cat.  However, it is important to remember that some foods which are fine for humans to eat can be toxic to cats. The odd sliver of chicken or turkey (off the bone) is fine, however it really isn't a good idea to give them large quantities of such food as this can lead to gastrointestinal problems.  Never give your cat cooked chicken or turkey bones, these bones can splinter & can become lodged in your cat's throat or puncture the intestines & stomach. Chocolate is toxic to cats, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic. Chocolate contains both caffeine & theobromine, which are both toxic. If you suspect your cat has eaten chocolate watch for signs of restlessness & vomiting, if in doubt, see your vet.

Cats will often scavenge for food in the garbage so be aware that if you've covered your turkey with foil & thrown it in the bin, your cat may drag it out & chew on it which could make the cat sick. Cooked turkey bones will also attract your cat. Be aware of this & if possible, take your food scraps etc., to your outside bin.

Xmas ribbons/wrap

Rbbons etc., pose the same problem as tinsel, if eaten, it may lead to intestinal blockages. It's important to ensure all ribbons/wrap etc., are safely disposed of.

Visitors

Some cats love the attention of visitors, others find strangers in their house stressful. Christmas is often a busy time with visitors coming & going. Be mindful of your cat's feelings & give the cat the option of somewhere quiet to escape to should the need arise, this is particularly important if your friends & relatives have young children.

Holidays

If you are going away on holiday, you have several options for your cat. You may choose to put your cat in a boarding cattery while you are gone. It is best to check out the premises prior to taking your cat there so you can ensure the cattery meets your standards. Any reputable boarding cattery will insist your cat is up to date on it's vaccinations, this is important for the well being of your cat & all other cats they have boarding there. Many vets also do boarding for cats but in my opinion this isn't ideal for more than a few days as their cages tend to be much smaller than those you'd expect to find in a boarding cattery.

There are a growing number of pet sitters available these days. They will come over once or twice a day to feed & play with your cat & to clean the litter tray. I find this most suitable when going away for a few days.

If you are going away for an extended period of time you may want to consider asking a friend or relative to house sit.

Whichever option you take, make sure you leave a phone number where you can be contacted & your vet's telephone number in case of an emergency.

Toys

When buying toys for your cat, make sure you thoroughly check them first. Similar precautions should be taken with your cat's toys as you'd take buying a toy for a young child. Make sure there is nothing glued on that the cat can pull off & swallow. As the toy will quite likely be chewed on, ensure that it's made from a non-toxic substance. There are many wand like toys on the market which most cats love, these should be put away safely when not in use because the cat could become tangled on the string. Any toy that is small enough for your cat to swallow is dangerous & should be avoided.

Kittens as gifts

Buying a kitten as a gift is fine as long as the person receiving the kitten has asked for a pet & knows that owning a cat is quite likely to be a 15-20 year responsibility. Never buy a pet as a surprise gift for somebody. Also, because Christmas is usually such a chaotic time, it is best to try & arrange to collect your kitten after Christmas to avoid undue stress on the animal. Please, if you are considering buying a pet as a gift, really think it through before you do so. Pet ownership is a big responsibility & shouldn't be entered into lightly. Any shelter worker will tell you that their most busy time of the year is just after Christmas people bring them unwanted pets. Don't add to the problem by buying a pet for somebody on a whim.

A Big Trip!

The kittens on their way to Last Chance Animal Rescue in Maryland. Thanks to a small army of rescue workers 108 little lives were saved this Thanksgiving... talk about something to be thankful for!!!

 

From the Cat Network Facebook page (including photos):
We are delighted to report that 108 kittens were delivered to our sister group, Last Chance Animal Rescue in Waldorf, Maryland on November 28th. 65 of those kitties are rescued from Miami-Dade Animal Services! A total of 77 kittens were actually pulled from the shelter for the project, but 12 stayed behind due to either adoption or illness. This effort could not be possible but for the assistance of so many volunteers, from the foster parents who cared for the shelter kittens prior to departure, to people who helped on the day of the actual transport. Preparing that many kittens was a massive undertaking and took us a total of EIGHT hours between the time the first set of kittens arrived til the time the transport van left the driveway. This project is yet another example of how team work can help save the lives of the little creatures who depend so much on us.

Foster Kittens

Over the Thanksgiving holiday Adam and I opened our home to four 7 week old foster kittens. They had been born next to an old bar on Key Biscayne (and I use that term loosely... it's honestly a shack, but that's what makes it so awesome). Shortly after giving birth their mother died, although we don't know any of the details. Enter the stray dog that found the kittens and nursed them, and the owner of the bar who called The Cat Network asking for help, and then fast forward to the amazing rescuers who picked up these lucky kittens and fattened them up (despite the dogs best efforts the kittens were malnourished and covered in fleas).

After a few weeks in their first foster home they came to us, where we treated them for respiratory infections and fattened them up even more. They were four of the most loving, playful kittens I've ever spent time with... running right up to the people for pets and purrs, and having such fun exploring their bedroom!

The foster kittens have since made their way to Maryland where they'll be placed in their forever homes, but since I miss their fun tiny kitten ways I thought I'd share a few photos from the week we got to play together.

Sharing a mid-afternoon snack

Theodore - he was the little teddy bear of the group!

Jimbo - a very affectionate kitty, named after the bar where they were found

Gimpy - he was the biggest lover of all!!

Magellan - She was the only lady of the bunch, and quite an explorer!

Theodore and Magellan stare at the crazy outdoors...

Theodore gets distracted by the blind pull...

 Wrestle time - Gimpy and Jimbo love to play!!

Winter Snuggles

It's chilly in Miami this week, with brisk temperatures in the 60s. I know that sounds like heaven to most people (and I won't lie... it really is!!), but for Miami that's what our winters are like! Everyone breaks out their parkas from 1980 so we have a lovely pastel thing going on all over the city... it's pretty funny (especially if you've ever been somewhere that's actually cold).

With the drop in temperatures towels and blankets are being left out for the feral colony cats all over South Florida, including cardboard boxes they can climb inside to escape from the chilly winds. Indoor cats not excluded, now that the AC is off and the windows are all open the cats have taken to snuggling up in all the quilts and blankets around our house. Arianna weaseled her way under this quilt and had quite the personal snuggle party going on. You'd think with all her fluffy hair she'd be more than warm enough, but I guess she knows how to really enjoy the cold weather (minus the hot chocolate of course).

I steal your covers!

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

I have a feeling our Christmas tree is not long for this world. The older cats have already come to terms with the fact that the tree bites back, but all the kittens seem determined to take down the beast. Splinter in particular has a personal vendetta against the tree, and has torn off a few branches and claimed many of the ornaments as her own in just one day. Fortunately my family has a yearly "competition" amongst the animals to see which one will be the winner in "ruining Christmas" .... not that we really believe any of them ruin Christmas, if anything they keep it interesting, but inevitably one of them always destroys something - whether it be the presents, tree or holiday dinner is the big mystery.
And btw, the ornaments are all felt (intentional cat proofing...) and the base has been designed to stop them from drinking the tree water!!

Tree inspection

Splinter planning her attack

Sizing up the enemy

James goes in for a closer look...

 

A Pet Friendly Thankgiving

With Thanksgiving preparations in full swing for tomorrow's big feast, it's important to keep pet safety in mind!!! There are many foods that are harmful to our 4 legged friends that are in most of our holiday favorites.

Here's some helpful tips posted on Petplan.com:


Posted by Dr. Kim Smyth on November 16 2011
Staff Veterinarian and Pet Health Writer of Petplan

November is a time to count our blessings, and as you’re preparing your Thanksgiving feast and sitting down to eat, follow these safety tips to keep you and your pets far away from the vet clinic this season:

Bird is the Word

Turkey is the main attraction at Thanksgiving, and your pets will put on their cutest faces to tempt you into giving them a bite or two. Remember that raw or undercooked turkey can harbor salmonella, which can cause the same disastrous gastrointestinal affects in our pets as it does in us.

A Side of Danger

Onions and garlic have a supporting role in stuffing and other side dishes, but can be dangerous when ingested by our pets, especially cats. In our feline friends, onion ingestion can lead to hemolysis (or destruction) of red blood cells, leading to dangerous anemia.

Ditch the Table Scraps

We tend to overeat at Thanksgiving, but overindulging our pets with table scraps can lead to severe inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis, which can be severe enough to warrant hospitalization and can be fatal. Too much of a good thing can also cause unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.

If you MUST treat your four-legged friends to a taste of Thanksgiving, stick to a bite or two of pet-safe veggies like broccoli or carrots, or a small taste of plain turkey. Consider putting these morsels into a Kong or other food-releasing toy while the family sits down to eat. Your pet will get a treat, and you’ll get to enjoy dinner without a beggar at your feet! For even more healthy fun, you can try your hand at preparing one of these pet-friendly Thanksgiving recipes.

Take Out the Trash
Keep track of the trash. Pets are notorious for trying to “clean up” after us, so make sure the lid stays on the trash can. If you’ve partaken in the new trend of deep-frying your turkey, keep the used oil way out of reach of your pet. One patient I will never forget is the dog who discovered a vat of used turkey-frying oil. What a mess!

Be thankful for the things you have, including the health of your four-legged family members. Follow the tips above to help stay thankfully away from the nearest veterinary emergency center!

Holiday Rescues

The Cat Network has an amazing program pulling kittens from Animal Services and transporting them to a rescue group in Maryland where they are adopted into loving homes. Since cats don't breed year round up north like they do in South Florida, there is always a need for more kittens up there (with one of the best adoption rates I've seen). On November 16th 86 kittens were pulled from the overcrowded shelter and transported to Maryland, where they have since been adopted. The rescue is asking for more kittens as soon as possible, so a last minute trip has been planned for the Sunday following Thanksgiving. Because of the holidays there is a shortage of foster homes available, without which these kittens cannot be rescued from the shelter and given the happy homes they deserve. So, in the spirit of the holidays, Adam has agreed for us to foster a litter for the week until they can be transported up north. We'll get a bundle of about 4 kittens, anywhere from 8-12 weeks, who have all been fully vetted. I can't wait for our kitten package to be delivered tomorrow, and to be able to help these little fuzz balls on their way to their forever homes. It's such a simple way to help, but it means the world to the kittens (their life depends on it!)!

Here is a picture of the last batch on their way to Maryland:

And some of the kittens on earlier trips this year:

To learn more about the amazing rescue in Maryland, visit: Last Chance Rescue
Donations are always more than welcome, and go to helping save these animals from horrible fate!!!

A Thief Among Us

It's quite possible that I spoil James too much, but as the sole survivor of his litter I feel it's my duty to do so (mostly because I'm so thankful to have him!!). That being said, he's become a bit "assertive" for lack of a better word. Not only does he cry like he's dying if he's ever left alone without his humans, but he also thinks it's perfectly okay to climb up on you while you're eating and steal the food right out of your hand (and sometimes out of your mouth as you're about to bite down... that was more than a little weird!). We've started using the "penny jar technique" with him - making noise with a jar filled with pennies when he's attempting to steal food, in the hopes of scaring him off (cats don't like the loud sound it makes). At first it worked well, but then he got too fearful, and now he pretty much doesn't care about the jar anymore. Soon we'll be looking for new ways to keep James at bay while we're eating (Adam says I need to push him away and then ignore him, but if I'm being totally honest I do actually like the attention... James loves to snuggle up to whoever he's trying to steal food from). In the meantime, I saw this picture and totally thought of James (although seriously, James doesn't ask like this cat - he just takes what he wants and runs off before you can catch him):

Catvertising

It's true, I have seen a lot more ads with cats in them lately, but honestly I thought I was one of the "special few" who actually really enjoyed seeing them. Turns out I was very wrong (which is probably why I'm not a wildly successful ad agent)!!! The cats are making a big furry leap into mainstream advertising, with surprising results. Now if we could only find some way to translate the advertising success into sterilization and adoption success!!!

CATVERTISING IN ACTION

Traveling Cat

Have you heard of the world traveling cat?? It's so cute I can't stand it, and I dream that one day one of my kitties will be so kind as to travel the world with me!! It would be so awesome, although I don't think any of my current fuzzy freaks would sit still for that long...!!

World Traveling Kitty

• Written By: Susan Thixton

Kitty is perhaps the most adventurous cat in the world. She is the beloved cat pet of a French couple/explorers, Guillaume and Laetitia who are on a mission to travel from Miami, US to Ushuaia, Argentina purely on foot. They are currently in Columbia, heading south.  Pictures and video of Kitty's adventures.

Their cat, Kitty, is often seen resting in the backpack carried by Guillaume while they are hiking down the road. They even set up a little umbrella on the backpack to give the kitty some shade from the sun.

If you can read French, you can visit the couples website and read about their adventures.  http://www.turnoftheworld.com/

The Adventures of an Adoptee....

Much has happened since little Lemur was adopted by her forever family... she's completely made herself at home among her two humans, three puppy friends, and mentor pirate kitty. She's also gotten into a bit of trouble, and claimed her rightful place as princess!

Here are a few pictures of Lemur being Lemur - a strange little kitty with a funny personality and a beautiful look!

Lemur loves IKEA

Helping with Construction Work...

Enjoying a little dog food and taunting the dog at the same time....

Lemur loves to craft!

Crafting...

 

 

and more crafting!

As you can see Lemur is a very helpful and creative kitten! I think it's also pretty plain to see she's an incredibly happy cat:) I'm so glad she went to the best home possible, and more importantly that it also happens to be my BF's house so I can visit my little Lemur whenever I need some kitty kisses!!
Hooray for fantastic adoption stories!!!!!!!

Yeap...

I admit it, I'm a huge dork. I have a serious love (bordering on obsession) with Harry Potter, and as such I'm incredibly excited for the release of the last movie on blu-ray. I know it's not much, and that I've already seen it multiple times in the theater, but it's all I have left so I'll cling to it with everything I've got.
I know I'm also not alone in this love, so I won't bother justifying it here. Instead I'll just post some of my favorite Harry Potter cats while I rush out to get my movie and re-watch all 8 of them in a row...

And seriously, how amazing is this... someone had The Burrow custom built as a house for their cats:

Nope

You can't do the dishes on my bed ...

Kitty Rules:

What do you do when you want to lie down but someone else is lying in your spot? You simply lie on top of them of course...!!  

 

This beautiful, smart, independent girl is looking for her forever home too... how could anyone resist such a forward thinker like Ari??!!!!

A good deed in time for the holidays...

The Cat Network is the featured organization on Groupon this week, with all $10 donations going to help fund the foster-kitten care packages!!

More than 60 million cats currently live on the streets in the United States, according to data collected by the Feral Cat Coalition. If these cats are not spayed or neutered, they can act out with violence and breed rapidly, prompting many shelters to trap and euthanize them. The Cat Network of Florida supports the live sterilization of rescued cats and kittens, and finds them permanent homes with adoption-referral efforts and a comprehensive system of cat foster care.

To help improve the live release rate of feral cats in the Miami-Dade County area, The Cat Network’s transfer program places cats from shelters into foster homes, and then removes them to animal-rescue groups with high adoption rates. Foster families shelter cats for 10 days, feeding them, playing with them, and providing any necessary medical treatment. The Cat Network would like to provide kitten care packages to help foster families ease the cats’ transitions into their temporary homes. Each kitten care package contains a blanket and enough canned and dry cat food to feed between six and eight cats for a week.

Join G-Team and donate $10 to help foster families care for feral cats and kittens. If G-Team members raise $300, then The Cat Network of Florida can fund 15 foster-kitten care packages with food and blankets. Each additional $20 raised will fund another foster care package.

To help fund this noble cause, please visit:

Unlike traditional Groupon deals, G-Team campaigns typically don't offer you a "discount" or "savings." So "buyer" beware—when you click "Buy" to donate your time or money to a worthwhile G-Team cause, the only discount you may receive is 100% off free, priceless karma.

Tailgating

What do you take with you to the game???

Open a cooler in the kitchen in our house and Zadie will climb inside and make herself at home. I don't know what it is about coolers that she loves so much, but it never fails that her internal "cooler radar" will go off as soon as one is in the house and she'll come running. Fortunately for her this one was still empty, but she has experienced the post-game cooler full of melted ice water.... funny for us, not so funny for her.

Birthday Awesomeness!!

Yesterday was my birthday (I will leave out my official age) and I got the most amazing present ever (according to people and kitties alike)... my Mom and Adam got together and bought me a fancy pants iPad, which I haven't put down since. James also took a shine to the pretty new friend, and helped me test out the picture app.

iPad and kitty snuggles... who could ask for more??!! 

 
Well, I could ask for better picture taking skills, but this was just a test after all....

Shut the front door

Now that the air has gotten a little cooler (hooray for fall weather.... with lovely low 80s/high 70s temperatures) we've been able to turn off the AC and open all the doors and windows.The cats have all taken on a new level of excitement with this crazy outside world and all the crazy smells and sounds that come with it. The front door seems to be of particular interest, including climbing the screen all the way to the top for what I can only assume is a better view.

Little piggies

Fourth meal is a favorite in our house, with all the kitties lined up like little piggies for their midnight feeding. 

All in a row...