Mewdy Blue's Story - a video

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I should have posted this a long time ago but I think I can still brag about it a little. Back in April the Cat Behavior Associates held a contest for the best video describing your cat’s behavior problem and how you solved it. Being the proud mama I immediately thought of Mewdy Blue.

When he was a kitten he excelled at slipping out the front door! It scared me to death because my front door leads to a sidewalk that leads to the street. The first couple of times he did it he didn’t get far. But one day he made it all the way to the middle of the street where he simply sat down. I knew I had to do something and quick.

This video describes my attempts to leash train him as well as my discovery of his ability to learn tricks very easily. Eventually Mewdy Blue became a champion agility cat. During the 2006/2007 show season he became the very first cat to win the award as Best Agility Cat in the CFA Midwest Region.

I’ve never produced a video before so I had a lot of fun using Apple’s iMovie to create what I think was a pretty good first attempt. We didn’t win but my video was one of the runners-up. You can see the video (and the other two winners) here:

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/my-cats-story-video-contest-winner-announced/

I’ve also uploaded my video to YouTube so you can always see it there if you are so inclined J Hope you enjoy it.

Have you ever created a video of your pet? Have you ever shared a video on YouTube? I spend way too much time on YouTube watching funny, cute or touching cat videos. How about you?

The Iowa Pet Alert

Here’s what things have been like around Iowa this spring:

But now we’re getting a taste of sunshine! Unfortunately that means our pets are also getting a taste of sunshine by slipping outside unattended.

This year I’ve been working with a group of pet lovers in central Iowa to help reunite missing pets with their people. The group operates under the umbrella of The Pet Project Midwest but the lost and found branch of this tree is the Iowa Pet Alert. Through the IPA website people who have lost pets of any kind can post an ad for free and people who have found a pet can post an ad for free.

The internet is a magical thing. It can unite us from all over the world. But here at the Iowa Pet Alert we are bringing Iowa people together with their pets.

Lady Butterfly safe at home

When I first found the IPA website I started comparing lost ads with found ads and searching craigslist ads for similar descriptions. It was extremely rewarding to help someone find their pet reaching out from the comfort of my own home. I expanded my efforts by contacting rescue groups as well for those animals that weren’t claimed by their owners.

A dog that was "found" twice!

But then I decided I should become more involved. When the IPA decided to start a newsletter I volunteered to write “some” of the articles. Little did I know that I had volunteered to become the editor! I love my new role and truly believe in our mission.

Have a look at the website here. Do you know of any similar programs in your area? Have you ever done anything to help reunite lost pets with their owners? I’d love to hear your stories.

Sniffing for Cancer

Another way to “Be Kind to Animals” is to give them a job, make them feel wanted, useful, and yes loved. Here’s a program at the University of Pennsylvania where they’re training dogs to sniff out ovarian cancer:

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/At_Penn_dogs_will_sniff_out_ovarian_cancer.html

For years we’ve been reading anecdotal reports of dogs who have found tumors on their owners or the people around them. Now someone is finally doing something official with this ability.

Dogs are famously sniffing out drugs, explosives and contraband every day now so we know how sensitive their noses are. Researchers have also found that cancers put out a unique odor but don’t worry, people can’t smell it. Isn’t it only natural that dogs should also be employed to sniff out life-threatening diseases?

So the next time you visit a doctor don’t be alarmed if you see a dog sitting sentry at the doorway. It might be there for your health.

Be Kind to Animals Week

This week is National Be Kind to Animals Week so I thought I’d share some ways for you to participate. In this article people are helping members of the military by fostering their pets when they are called to action.

It has to be a heart-wrenching decision to make when a military member must either find a new home for the pet or turn it into a shelter when they are activated. I’m sure it’s hard enough to ponder the situation they themselves will be exposed to let alone the fate of their pets. Let’s help take some of the worry out of their lives by offering to foster their pets. That way they’ll still have their much-loved pet to come home to.

If you decide to foster pets for a military soldier be sure of the following things:

•  Get an agreement outlining who will be footing the bills for the pet and giving you permission to treat the animal if necessary during their deployment
•  Make sure you have the health records of the pet
•  Understand what the owner’s wishes are in case of health problems
•  Ask the owner about the pet’s preferences in food, toys, exercise and any idiosyncrasies
•  Unfortunately you will also need to have an agreement about the disposition of the pet if the soldier doesn’t return (e.g. a friend or family member who might want the pet or a contract that gives you ownership of the pet) 

Fostering animals is always a rewarding pursuit. Helping our military is just one way to foster. Check with the military branches near you to see if they have any soldiers in need. It is possible that a group may already exist in your area and they would know of such a group.

The Final "Question"

I was staid, going through the motions, handling business and I thought I was going to be just fine. The plan was to pick up the supplies, pay my bill and then ask for them and leave. I thought I was doing fine…….until she handed me his ashes with that sympathetic expression. I felt the tears well in my eyes and I headed for the door. By the time I was sitting in my car I was full-out crying.

Question died on February 26^th. The snow was just beginning when I carried him out to the car and started toward Dr. Tammy’s clinic normally a half hour drive. That snow was coming down hard, though and the roads were progressively worse as I headed north. I believe it took me 45 minutes but I was in such a bad way that I don’t really know.

Unfortunately, Dr. Tammy was already in surgery and couldn’t leave but both of her associates were able to help me through my decision. My sweet Cutey-Q was dying before my eyes and we couldn’t do anything for him except end his suffering. He trusted me, he always had and all I could do was help him to die. I felt so helpless. He was so brave.

Q during one of his few cat show appearances

Out of all my cats during these last several years Q was the only one who ever stayed visible when someone visited. He had to be in the middle of things, to know everything that ever went on in his home. He tried to help the furnace guy check out the furnace and instructed the plumber on how to fix the plugged drain. When someone came to the door, he was right there to greet them while the other cats scrambled over each other to escape upstairs.

The vacuum cleaner didn’t bother him, nor did the dog. Out of all of my cats, Q was the only one who consistently came running when I called his name. He was an indoor only cat and never once acted like he was interested in going outside, at least not until that last week of his life. Suddenly, when the weather turned cold one day he tried to follow the dog outside. I decided to go ahead and see where he would go figuring he would simply turn around and come back in when he realized how cold it was. Instead he kept walking, right down the sidewalk toward the gate!

Question and his brother Sky Voice

I brought him back inside then and for the next few days I had to pick him up and hold him whenever I let the dog out. The night before our snowy journey he stayed close by me but didn’t want to be held. I stayed up with him most of the night worried that he wasn’t acting well at all. He’d been ill but I really hoped he would pull through.

Then, early in the morning he jumped up on my bed, though I don’t know how. He never moved again. I had to carry him downstairs because he couldn’t stand anymore. That’s when I called the clinic and told them I was coming.

Ironically just a short time ago I thought I was losing my precious Mewdy Blue. But he recovered, miraculously, and Q got sick. Part of my grieving included the feeling that fate was paying me back for praying for Mewdy Blue’s recovery by taking Cutey-Q. Another part of me feels guilty for ever taking my cats anywhere possibly exposing them to who knows what. Perhaps I should have kept them in a bubble where they’d never be exposed to the toxins and pathogens present everywhere in our world. But what kind of life would that be?

The mind and heart plays these games with our psyche shooting our emotions out of the realm of reality as we come to grips with a loss such as this. Someone must be blamed. We’re sure it is all our fault, or maybe it’s someone else’s fault or he’s not really gone, or maybe, just maybe I can bring him back (I’ve actually had a dream where we’ve euthanized one of my cats accidentally and I was able to counteract the euthanasia solution to bring him back).

Question

So today I look at the cats before me and realize that I no longer have any blue and white cats. All but two of Effie’s family are now gone. Besides Lady Butterfly (18), Effie’s sons, Mewdy Blue and Sky Voice (16), are the only ties left to the first colony of feral cats I ever worked with. The only ties left to so many spirits. Perhaps it is appropriate that they are both blue.

Character of Color

Ineffable (Effie) 1992?-2008

What kind of character does your household have? I’m not talking about the design of your house or the way you’ve decorated it inside. No, I mean what kind of a feel do you get from the animal “hues” around you?

There was a time when two blue cats, four blue and white cats and one silvery brown and white tabby resided with me. It gave me a cold feeling for a very long time. Their colors were cold, just the colors not the cats. I also had one red tabby, a brown-patched tabby and white and a couple of tortoiseshells but the number of blues outweighed their warmth.

Blizzard and Isis

Over the next several years the blue and white cats have left me and more red tabbies have joined us (along with a fiery calico and a quiet tortoiseshell). Now the household feels warmer.

Much warmer, huh? This is Mulberry Spot, Gooseberry and Strawberry

Now this is not to say that those blue cats were cold or snobbish, or that the more recent red tabbies are any cuddlier. I only mean that the atmosphere within my house reflects the colors that fill it.

Have you ever thought about the colors of your pets and how they affect the very air around you? Could they even affect your mood at times? Have you ever adopted a pet based on its color? Or do you find yourself attracted to certain colors without consciously having a preference for it (I mean you might “like” red tabby cats but find yourself looking more at calicos for some reason)?

Question, my Cutey-Q, 1997-2013

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the color of your pets might affect you. Just drop me a line in the comments section.

Adoption News

Great news! That beautiful girl, Twix has been adopted. After all the time she has been at the shelter I'm so glad that she finally found the home she deserves.

Frito, my favorite chip!

Now we need to get a home for Frito my favorite girl. Boy, if only I had room.......................

Libby, a very discerning girl

and for Libby another long-time resident. Libby is a black, longhaired adult spay with beautiful gold eyes. You can see that her ruff is a smokey black but very full. She will need to be groomed daily with that long, full coat. Libby doesn't seem to like other cats so it would be best if she found a home where she is the only cat and probably allowed to be the boss!

She doesn't think much of my photo skills

Let's find these two great homes soon.

The shelter is located at:         975 W Lincoln Highway
Nevada, IA 50201
Ph: (515) 382-3338

Their hours are:                       M-F 11 am to 4 pm

                                                Closed on holidays and weekends

You can see more of the pets awaiting adoption at the shelter website  and updates at their Facebook page.