Former Feral Friday

Hi all! Many of you may know, that almost 4 years ago I was rescued from the sad, short life of a feral kitty.

The woman I now call mommy found me on the side of the road on her way home from work on Nov. 3, 2004. She saw me laying on the road and thought I'd been hit. She stopped to check if I was, well, dead, and I wasn't. She went home to get daddy (cause I was laying only a block from their house and she had no safe way to pick me up). I hadn't been hit, I was just so tired and sick and hungry.

I hung out waiting to see what would happen because I could sense this woman would be a sucker for a cute sad kitty and with enough training I could work with her.

Sure enough, I even "let" the man I now call daddy load me up in the car and they drove me to my now forever home. I was put in the bathroom and fed nummy nummy tuna. The man I now call daddy went to the store and got me a litterbox.

The next day I was taken (by force!) to the VET and it was discovered I had tapeworms, a double ear infection and conjunctivities. Also, sadly, they found out I have FIV. I was also unneutered. Oh yeah, I was a Mancat's Mancat.


BTW, imagine how much trouble my bean had giving a crazy wild kitty meds for eyes and ears! Lotsa scratching and snarling ensued for sure.
I must admit, even for a feral boy, it didn't take long to realize who the food source was...

I was kept in the bathroom the first 2 weeks cause I was so wild it would have been impossible to catch me in a whole room. Then I moved into a very large dog cage and then the bedroom the cage was in. Then, of course, I got the run of the house.

I hope you'll tune in next week when I'll take you thru my journey into being the happy, semi-sweet (hey, I don't have an evil alter for nothin) kitty I am now! Especially when I discovered the joy of nippity nip nip toys.

The first hint of Bendrix trying to escape the bathroom confinement

I hope you've enjoyed viewing the first 4 pictures ever taken of me (note how I wouldn't let mommy corner me in the room for the pics, I had to be by the door in case I needed to run)!

Formally Feral/Foster Friday

Click on image to bigify. Image Info..

Geez....trying to find a feral/foster this week was a bit of a problem. Everyone I have on tap did not qualify (as far as I know).

Huggy Bear was part of a litter of four that was rescued from a feral existence in November of 2004. He went through several named - Bullet, Baby Bear - before they settled on Huggy Bear. He was put out for adoption like the rest of the siblings, but when he was not picked it become too much for Jasper's family and they brought him home from Pets, Inc.

Three and a half years later, he's turned into quite the fellow.

You can find out more about Huggy at Jasper McKitten Cat's blog.



Friday's Events at Cat Blogosphere
Hey you guys, it’s Feline Friday!
Foster Friday started by Kat’s Cat of the Day
Formerly Feral Friday for all formerly feral kitties
Finally Friday started by Gandalf & Grayson
Frootbat Friday for cats to show off their big ears
and it’s Fashion Friday for our furry fashion diva furriends!

Board the Friday Ark at The Modulator(submit your post here)



Weekend Catblogging!

Find Weekend Cat Blogging #149 (Apr. 12-13) is being held at the Cat Blogspher with A Byootaful Life, HotMBC and Kashim and Othello.

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos #40 (04-13-2008) with Astrid, Kashim, & Othello at The Catboys Realm.
Optional Theme - TBD
(submit your post here)

The Carnival of the Cats #213 (4/13/08) is being hosted by Mr Tigger at the M-Cats Club
(submit your post here)

(Only two more weeks and it's our turn!)

Join Photohunters on Saturday. This week's theme is "twist(ed)".



CATS EYES

We cats have excellent vision, of course, and can see an ant at a distance of six meters(!). While looking straight ahead we can also see sideways in an angle of 45 degrees, but only 2-dimensional.

In pitch-darkness our eyes become more like a kind of ears: the pupils actually pick up acoustic vibrations.

Our nose has 17 million nerve cells, which we uses to trace all smells/aromas in our environment. Even the food we eat is chosen by the smell.

A cat who has a cold, doesn't eat because he isn't hungry, but because he can't smell the food.

In Comparison: a dog's nose has 147 million nerve cells; humans have 'only' 5 million nerve cells in their noses.



Note: I still have to clean up the contributers' section, but I know of a number of Panthers out there that aren't contributing members. So in talking to Not the Mama, we've come up with a new section called "Honorary Members". These are Panthers that we know and love on the Blogosphere, but which, for whatever reason, choose not to accept an invitation as a contributor.

Contributing members will now be called FULL members. I hope to generate a bit more interest in the group this way. This also opens up the club to Panthers on Catster that do not wish to get Blogger addresses, but which would still like to belong to the group and display our badge on their page.

If you know of any Panthers that should be added to our list of Honorary Members, please drop me an e-mail and let me know!



Want to join House Panthers? Our membership is open to members of the black, grey (Russian Blue) and dark brown (Bombay) clans. Ask Not the Mama to e-mail you an invitation!

Don't Forget! Monday is Midnight Monday here at House Panthers! Show off your beautiful black coat!

Find a new friend at Petfinder.com, the temporary home of 245,845 adoptable pets from 11,827 adoption groups. Over 9,000 house panthers are available around the country!

Formally Feral/Foster Friday

Click on image to bigify. Image Info..

Hockey Puck is the youngest of the Felines at Petronious the Arbiter. The last post we was from Petey, which was in February of 2008 saw the Puckster all grown up!



Friday's Events at Cat Blogosphere
Hey you guys, it’s Feline Friday!
Foster Friday started by Kat’s Cat of the Day
Formerly Feral Friday for all formerly feral kitties
Finally Friday started by Gandalf & Grayson
Frootbat Friday for cats to show off their big ears
and it’s Fashion Friday for our furry fashion diva furriends!

Board the Friday Ark at The Modulator(submit your post here)



Weekend Catblogging!

Find Weekend Cat Blogging #148 (Apr. 5-6) is being held by Bad Kitty Cats (Who did not yet get last weekend's Festival of Chaos posted)!

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos #39 (04-06-2008) with Ms. Mog & Kitty Cats at Mind of Mog.
Optional Theme - TBD
(submit your post here)

The Carnival of the Cats #212 (4/06/08) is being hosted by Amar and Luna of CatSynth
(submit your post here)

Join Photohunters on Saturday. This week's theme is "glass".



The Whisker Response

The paws and face are highly tactile and are used to investigate the texture, size and shape of an unfamiliar object. Whiskers, called vibrissae, are both tactile and protective.

Cats sport about a dozen whiskers on each upper lip - along with smaller ones on each cheek, above each eye, a few on the chin, and on the underside of each front paw.

Although whiskers may look analogous to a bushy beard or moustache, human whiskers have little in common with those of a cat.

Whiskers are usually thicker and stiffer than other hairs, implanted in a special follicle and sealed in a capsule. Connected to muscle, whiskers can be moved backward and forward.

The position of feline whiskers varies according to mood and desired communication. Fanned forward during inquisitive or friendly investigation, whiskers are held backward when a cat is on the defense, frightened or angry.

Used as locators, her whiskers can get her into or out of tight spots. By judging how wide an opening is before entering, whiskers help to determine her ability to fit through small spaces and openings.

Cats do a lot of exploring with their faces. It's the first thing that goes into a hole, or around corners, or when cats navigate behind and around furniture:

Typically, cats don't see any better in the dark of night than humans, but whiskers may give them an extra advantage by sensing air currents deflected by objects that assist cats in movement.

With the ability to navigate and hunt in low light settings, these nocturnal hunters excel at catching their prey and avoiding being someone else's lunch.



Win a FURminator!

If you haven't been FURminated yet, you don't know what your missing. It gets all the extra loose hair out of your coat, gets all the itchy places scratched good AND makes your coat incredibly soft and silky.

PetsitUSA.com is giving away a FURminator. Two FURminator packages will go to cats and two to dogs. Visit their contest page to find out how to sign up!

Good luck and happy deShedding! Contest ends April 11th, so don't delay!



Want to join House Panthers? Our membership is open to members of the black, grey (Russian Blue) and dark brown (Bombay) clans. Ask Not the Mama to e-mail you an invitation!

Don't Forget! Monday is Midnight Monday here at House Panthers! Show off your beautiful black coat!

Find a new friend at Petfinder.com, the temporary home of 245,845 adoptable pets from 11,827 adoption groups. Over 9,000 house panthers are available around the country!

Formally Feral/Foster Friday

Click on image to bigify. Image Info..

William is a soon to be (April) 5-year-old domestic short hair. He was abandoned as a kitten by some irresponsible people along with his mother, who was pregnant with another litter and his sister. They live in the Albequerque, New Mexico, and had to fend for themselves in the 100 (give or take a few) degree heat. He was taken in as a rescue and was supposed to be a foster, but ended up staying while his mother birthed her litter of kittens.

Today he lives with two sisters, Olivia and Caroline, and a brother, Russell, with the family that rescued him. He earned the "mass destruction" part of his name when he bravely dispatched a very evil roll of toilet paper and saved them all from an unspeakable doom. He still likes to destroy toilet paper when he can get his claws into.

You can find William online at William of Mass Destruction.



Friday's Events at Cat Blogosphere
Hey you guys, it’s Feline Friday!
Foster Friday started by Kat’s Cat of the Day
Formerly Feral Friday for all formerly feral kitties
Finally Friday started by Gandalf & Grayson
Frootbat Friday for cats to show off their big ears
and it’s Fashion Friday for our furry fashion diva furriends!

Board the Friday Ark at The Modulator(submit your post here)



Weekend Catblogging!

Find Weekend Cat Blogging #146 (Mar. 22-23) is being held by Kashim & Othello at Paulchens.

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos #37 (03-23-2008) with Samantha & Tigger at Life from a Cat's Perspective.
Optional Theme - Easter Edition
(submit your post here)

The Carnival of the Cats #210 (3/23/08) is being hosted by Chey's Place
(submit your post here)

Join Photohunters on Saturday. This week's theme is "metal". (I think that is what my Bean listen to?)



Time After Time: Essentials for the proper care of an aging cat

(Part 1 of 3)

As much as we try to deny it, just like humans, cats age. The older we get, the more care we need to ensure our comfort. Sometimes it's hard for our caretakers to pinpoint when their feline friends begin showing the signs of aging, and whether they're doing everything necessary to ease our senior years.

Put your worrying behind you. With these expert tips uou can ensure that you receive all the pampering you need, to help you both enjoy these golden years.

Seniority Rules - Though the age of 8 or 9 is quite young for humans, the same cannot be said for their feline friends. In fact, during these ages, we cats slow down and often are labeled as aging. .

"There is no one age that defines a cat as a senior, but the years 8 to 10 are very common for senior diseases to show up in cats," says Mike Karg, a veterinarian at Frederick Cat Vet in Frederick, Md.

"(Caretakers) should look for changes in activity and ability to jump, increase or decrease in appetite, or increase in water consumption and urine output. These are just a few of many common changes that often show up very gradually," Karg says.

"Many cats live very affectionate and playful lives into their late teens and even twenties, so any change should not be dismissed as simply growing old," he says. "A complete physical examination by your veterinarian, followed by appropriate laboratory testing, can reveal problems for which there is often a very straightforward treatment."

Comfort Inn - Admit it, we all love to be comfortable when we're feeling ill. When we begin aging, your humans should make sure that you are always comfortable. Arthritis might set in, causing you to require special bedding, or pet stairs to help you reach cozy sleeping spots.

Making your way up flights of stairs to the food dish or litterbox also might become a difficult task, so those items should be placed in an easy location for you to reach.

A litter box with a lower lip might help as well, so it is not so hard for you to climb over. Hammocks, such as the ones Forty Paws has, are a very comfortable resting location for aging bones.



Want to join House Panthers? Ask Not the Mama to e-mail you an invitation!

Don't Forget! Monday is Midnight Monday here at House Panthers! Show off your beautiful black coat!

Find a new friend at Petfinder.com, the temporary home of 245,845 adoptable pets from 11,827 adoption groups. Over 9,000 house panthers are available around the country!

Formally Feral Friday

Click on image to bigify. Info on the piece can be found Here.

Black is a 18-or-so-year-old formerly feral cat that lives in Hawaii with Pumpkin, Bebe and Tiger and a woofie named Benson. She's the only female feline in the household. Blackie is believed to have had two litters before she was caught and spayed. She's still very health for being such a senior citizen, and while she wants nothing to do with the boys, she still enjoys played with catnip toys and running sprints across the house. She also loves cat grass and always gets first grazing rights when a new batch comes in.

Usually you can find the grand ol' dame asleep on top of "her" cage. When she's awake, she blogs at Pumpkin's World.

Friday's Events at Cat Blogosphere
Hey you guys, it’s Feline Friday!
Foster Friday started by Kat’s Cat of the Day
Formerly Feral Friday for all formerly feral kitties
Finally Friday started by Gandalf & Grayson
Frootbat Friday for cats to show off their big ears
and it’s Fashion Friday for our furry fashion diva furriends!

Board the Friday Ark at The Modulator(submit your post here)

Weekend Catblogging!

Find Weekend Cat Blogging #145 (Mar. 15-16) is being held at Cat Blogosphere.

Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos #36 (03-16-2008) with Pet & the Bengal Brats at Pet's Garden Blog.
Optional Theme - Toes or Claws
(submit your post here)

The Carnival of the Cats #209 (3/16/08) is being hosted by This, That and the Other Thing.
(submit your post here)

Join Photohunters on Saturday. This week's theme is "I Spy", which should be purrfect for Spying Cat!



Given the bounty on feral cats in Randolph, Iowa, I wanted to share this article which appeared in the June 2007 issue of Cat Fancy Magazine. It was written Cimeron Morissey, a freelance writer and co-founder of Project Bay Cat, and explains why the killing of ferals does not work to reduce the population problems.

(KC notes that the Bounty Hunt is officially over.)

COMMON GROUND

For years, the sound of a gunshot meant one thing on Mare Island: Another home­less cat was shot by an exterminator hired to keep cats away from sensitive wildlife. The approach was controversial, not only because residents found it brutal and inhumane, but also because it was costly and ineffective. Today, the gun is silenced on the small island in Vallejo, California, thanks to a new effort to humanely control the cats while protecting the population of endangered California clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mice that live there.

HUMANE COEXISTENCE

Wherever feral cats and wildlife mix, heated debates ensue about how to protect sensitive species, which often result in cat removal programs.

"Killing cats doesn't take care of the prob­lem, since more just come and fill the space," says Vallejo city councilwoman, Stephanie Gomes. She notes that since the city's Predator Control Program was initiated in 1999, Vallejo has spent $245,000 in an unsuccessful effort to eradicate the homeless cats.

"There are humane ways for cats and wildlife to coexist peacefully. One species need not be eradicated in favor of another," says Jessica Frohman, program manager for Alley Cat Allies, which advocates non-lethal methods to reduce outdoor cat populations.

Nancy Peterson, feral cat program manager for The Humane Society of the United States, agrees. "Create buffer zones," she suggests. "Sterilize feral cats and establish feeding stations away from vulnerable wildlife to keep them separate."

HUMANE EFFORT

Volunteers from Solano County Friends of Animals launched a humane program in March 2007 on the campus of Touro University on Mare Island with hopes to expand to the rest of the island. The effort is being modeled after that of Foster City, California's, Project Bay Cat, which faced a similar challenge and solved it by spaying/neutering the feral cats to halt colony growth and keeping the cats away from environmentally sensitive areas.

"Project Bay Cat is working very well, and a lot of that is due to having a core group that has common goals and that works together to oversee the program," says Robin Smith, conservation committee chairperson for Sequoia Audubon Society, who collaborates on the program with the Homeless Cat Network and the City of Foster City.

"We can be creative to protect cats, birds and mice together - it doesn't have to be 'either/or'" says Gomes. "Feral cats are a part of our society, and they deserve our help. We're thrilled to launch our new humane program!"



Want to join House Panthers? Ask Not the Mama to e-mail you an invitation!

Don't Forget! Monday is Midnight Monday here at House Panthers! Show off your beautiful black coat!

Find a new friend at Petfinder.com, the temporary home of 245,845 adoptable pets from 11,827 adoption groups. Over 9,000 house panthers are available around the country!