Microchip ID Reunites Lost Cats with Owner

Cats that have microchip identification may get lost but when they are found and brought to the Humane Society or veterinarian's office the cat will be scanned and the identification will be indicated and the owner of cat will be contacted. 

Your outdoor cat may walk to the neighbors yard to see the sights or your cat will explore the entire neighborhood.  Some cats have a fantastic sense of direction, and other cats, especially older cats have a weakened sense of smell and eyesight and these cats usually get lost. 

I have picked up several cats over the years and posted their description in the newspaper, hung found signs around my neighborhood but nobody came to collect the cats.  None of the cats had collars or microchips so I had no idea who their masters were.  

Somewhere there was a woman, man or child missing their cat, but I did not know where the cat lived and could not take the cat to its home.  I took all of the cats to my veterinarian and he scanned the cats for a microchip.  The microchip identification is a way to provide your cat with pet owners contact information. If your cat goes outside to play then have your veterinarian surgically implant a microchip under the cat’s skin. 

It is also smart to put a breakaway collar and a custom pet identification tag on your cat.  Then visually your cat will not look like a stray and if the cat is lost the finder will be able to contact you.

Tips:

• It is best to know where your cat is and to not allow them to explore the neighborhood for days.  Get your cat spayed or neutered and they will stay close to home.
• Prevent your cat from getting lost by getting them a microchip and keeping them indoors.  Microchip is useful for all cats.  If there is a tornado or other disaster your cat may run away because they are frightened. A microchip ID is a identification device that will help your to recover your cat. 
• The gray and white cat seen in the photo bellow was rescued from the extreme cold.  The cat has a microchip but owners never paid the fee to have cat registered.   I am sure his owners are worried about their cat but without a collar with a tag or a registered chip it is hard to reunite owner with cat.

Russian Blue Mix Cat has unregistered microchip

Why do Cats Leave Home

Cats leave their home because something in their home life has changed and they are no longer comfortable.  You can change some things in a cat’s home but you cannot change many things without causing your cat stress and anxiety. 

In February of 2011 a Bombay cat left his home and came to hang out in my yard with the feral cats for 21 days.  He spent most of his time in the winter shelter; an old shed with cat beds and a window heater. The cat had an identification tag on his collar that informed me that his name was Shadow. He was someones cat or maybe he was abandoned there was no way of knowing as there was no contact information.

Shadow outside the shelter with neighborhood cat

I called my neighbors to ask about the Bombay cat with the blue collar and I learned that he lived in the neighborhood in a house that was three blocks away. I also learned that he visited many neighbors for cat food.  My neighbors told me not to worry; Shadow would go home eventually.

Shadow stayed at my cat shelter for five days and on the sixth day he went home  I did not see Shadow for two months and then in April I viewed him walking down the street.  When he arrived at my street corner he stopped, slowly turned and then without hesitation he ran all the way down the hill. When he came to my sidewalk he ran up the sidewalk, past the side porch and when he reached the patio where I stood with my dog, Shadow stopped and approached my dog’s water bowl.  He sat to drink and when he quenched his thirst he came to me and rubbed his body on my legs and then he rubbed on my dog. 

I did not know it at the time but Shadow was living in my yard, sleeping in my shelter and eating from the feral cats food bowl. I thought he was going home at night or during the day, but he wasn't   Shadow hung out in my yard for 42 days and then on the 43^rd day the cat owner came to get him.  

The pet owner told me that Shadow was an indoor/outdoor cat.  He was permitted to eat at all of the outdoor food bowls, stay outside for as long as he wanted. The pet owner told me where they lived and suggested that I bring the cat home if he overstayed his welcome.

Here is a poster I created from a photograph of the black cat that came to live in my garden for six months.  

 

Bombay Black Cat Print Print by Susang6
 

Shadow goes home for a Family Visit:

A child came to get Shadow for a family visit.  Shadow was gone for a few hours and then he left his home again. Before arriving at my home, Shadow the Bombay cat stopped at my friend’s house to eat from her outdoor cat food bowl and then he continuing his journey to my house.   Shadow walked three blocks and crossed two streets to arrive at my home. 

Why do cats leave home?

1. Some cats will leave home because there is new pet, person, or the household has changed from peaceful to turmoil.  If the cat is no longer comfortable then they will leave their home for long periods of time. 
2. In Shadow's case it is due to improper socialization of the new cats that were brought into the home.
3. Other cats wander away from their home and get lost.  If they are found and have no identification then the finder will not be able to contact owner.  Many cats do not intentionally leave their home, they forget how to go home.To visit with other cats.
4. To eat from another homes outdoor cats bowl.
5. Unaltered cats will leave home to mate.
6. To find peace and harmony.
7. Some cats will leave their home they are suffering from stress and anxiety.
8. Many cats leave home because they are being neglected or mistreated.
9. Outdoor cats leave their home unintentionally because they get lost in the neighborhood. 

I learned from the pet owner that Shadows was uncomfortable with the new queen cat that the family  had adopted.  The new cat had kittens and the queen cat was aggressive with Shadow.  He was not welcome in the home or in the yard.  It took only a few cat fights for Shadow to leave his home.  I also learned that the pet owner was remodeling their home.  Cats do not like change and will leave the home if they have access to outdoors.

 

Shadow chose my yard to be his other home. He lived at my cat shelter and in my lily garden for the entire summer from April to October 23, 2011; he was with me for six months.   In that time he visited his family 4 times.

On October 23, 2011 Shadow went back to his home, his pet owner came to get him because the weather was turning cold.  I never saw Shadow again. 

You can bring the cat home and think that the cat is yours but the truth is the cat chooses the person that they want to be with.

 
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Caring for Cat after Miscarriage

Care for your cat after the miscarriage by setting up a safe room.  This room should be a small room like an office or a guest bathroom. The room will allow the cat privacy in a tranquil setting without the worry of being chased by the family dog or in a room with family activity.  Now is the time for her to heal and to do that she will need some privacy.  If you do not have other animals it is still wise to keep the cat quite and to confine them so that there is no climbing or jumping excessively.  The cat that has had a miscarriage needs to rest and regain their strength.

Set up the safe room to have a cat bed, litter box and food and water and a cat scratching post.    You can also add optional items like a window seat.  Keep the safe room thermostat at a comfortable setting as you do not want the cat to be too cold or too hot. For the next five weeks your cat will need rest and relaxation with no stress.

You can help her with the healing process by attending to her needs; keep her litter box clean, her bedding clean and disinfect her safe room with a vinegar and water cleanser. After a miscarriage the cat is weak and it is easy for her to get sick.  Take steps to rid the room of germs.  Before you enter the playroom wash your hands with antibacterial soap and take off your shoes.

Feed your cat a high quality canned cat food as this food will help to keep her hydrated and always give her fresh clean water.  

Spend time quality time with the cat by holding her, petting her and talking to her softly.  Never be aggressive with her and do not speak loudly. Keep with the routine and avoid change. Your cat will feel stress if you put her in another room or if you avoid visiting her.  A nurturing lifestyle is needed to help your cat heal after a miscarriage.

Tips:

Care for your cat after their miscarriage by cleaning them.  Watch your cat for the first 24 hours for any discharge of blood.  Report to your veterinarian if there is a discharge as this may be sign that there may be  kittens remaining.  If that is the case your cat will need emergency veterinarian care. (Light spotting 24 hours after the miscarriage is normal.)

Communicate with your veterinarian by informing them of the cat miscarriage. Ask your veterinarian for specific instructions.  The veterinarian may want to examine your cat, if so take your cat in for medical care.

Plan on getting the cat spayed in four to five weeks or when your veterinarian tells you it is safe.

Monitor the visitors, by supervising young children; allow them to hold and to pet the cat gently.  Keep all other household pets away from the cat as she may feel anxious or feel stress.  

Do not allow the cat to go outdoors.  A cat that has had a miscarriage will go into heat a few days after miscarriage.  Now is not the time to breed her.  Now is the time for your cat to heal and to get healthy. 

 

Foster Cats When Disaster Strikes

When a natural disaster; tornado, flood, fire or hurricane strikes your community many cats will be homeless.  It is up to you to lend a hand to your community and to your friends to foster the cats.

Many homeless people will go to the red cross shelters however they will not take in pets. The homeowners will turn to the surrounding areas kennels, however they may be full to their capacity. Cat owners may walk the streets with their cats in their carrier, they had no home, they needed to find a shelter for themselves and their cats. 

Whenever there is a serious disaster the ASPCA and the humane society may set up a shelter for the animals that are victims of the natural disaster, the pets are in kennels and are awaiting their masters return.  While this situation is helpful, what happens to the cat that has anxiety or stress, this cat in my opinion would do better in foster care. It would better for the cat to lie on a sofa or to cuddle next to a person than to be kept in a crate. 

Last summer a tornado touched down in a city close to my home and left thousands of people homeless. Three of my homeless friends asked me to please foster their beloved cats, I did not hesitate and I said yes. My friends call me daily and I tell them about their cats.  I know they are glad that I am watching their cats and giving them personal care.

If you love cats then you should volunteer your services to foster a cat by contacting your area Humane Society. You can also inquire at your church to see if anyone needs temporary care for their cat.  Communicate with your neighbors and your friends that your foster care services are available and maybe there will be someone in your community that will need special home care for their cat.

When disaster strikes your city, your town, or your neighborhood the community must look out for the cats that are in need of care.  Say yes to foster care, help your friends and your community by providing personal and loving care to the cats that are separated from their owners during a disaster.

Can a Five Month Old Kitten Get Pregnant?

Can a five-month-old kitten get pregnant, the answer is yes. The small 5-month-old kitten that I rescued yesterday had a miscarriage today inside my garage.  

This young kitten was left by people on the side of the road a few weeks ago.  While outdoors she needed to learn how to forage, find shelter and save herself from being chased by dogs.  My neighbors and I tried to catch her by trapping but she was frightened and ran into the woods toward the feral cat colony.  We did not see her for a week and then one day she appeared on my front lawn.   

The kitten was skin and bones and had a scratch on her nose and a bite wound to her ear.  I fed her and gave her water but could not get close enough to her to grab her.   From that day forward I fed the kitten every day at the same time and on the third day she allowed me to pick her up.  Once I had the kitten in my arms she snuggled up close to me and purred loudly.

 I put the kitten in my garage and provided her with a bed by the window, fresh food, water, and a litter box.  I checked her at 9:00 pm and then told her it was lights out and time for bed.  The following morning I went out to check on her and heard her meowing loudly from behind the sofa.  I needed to move the sofa away from the wall and that is when I discovered that this very small, malnourished kitten had a miscarriage. The kitten fetuses were very small and looked to be less than a few weeks old.

This little kitten seemed very frightened and she came to me and showed signs of wanting to be helped. I wrapped her in a towel and brought her indoors.  There I cleaned her and held her in my arms to comfort her. 

My husband used an antibacterial cleaner to scrub our enclosed front porch so that there would be no germs.  He then fixed a bed for her and installed a window seat for her.  Then he added a litter box and a feeding station with kitten food and fresh water.  I brought her to the room and she went right to her bed  

I watched her for signs of distress or for blood discharge as that would be an indication that there were more kittens and she would need to be taken to the veterinarians for emergency care. 

I spoke to a veterinarian technician and she advised me to provide regular feedings with fresh water and to allow the kitten to recover indoors, with no access to outdoors.  The kitten must heal for the next several weeks and then she will be spayed, wormed, vaccinated, and tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS.


Note:  It is normal for a cat to go into heat at five to six months however sometimes a kitten will go into heat when they are four months old.  A four-month-old kitten is not developed enough to carry the kitten full term, they may miscarry or have stillbirths.  There is also a high risk of a complicated birth as the kittens may be too big for the mother cat.  

My veterinarian said that 4- 5-month-old kittens are not good moms as they do not have maternal instincts.  It is better for the cat to breed them when they are mature adults; a year old or older.


 

Abandoned Aegean Kitten Rescued

Every spring kittens and cats are abandoned at the side of the road.  I am not sure why people do this but I can tell you that in many cases a house cat that is left to survive outdoors is usually a fatality.  Some abandoned cats will survive a week or two and during that time they may be chased by a stray dog, tormented by humans who take after them with brooms and some may become fatalities.  The life of an abandoned cat outdoors is terrifying.

Last week my neighbor called me to tell me that there was a white and gray Aegean kitten approximately four months old that was left at the side of the road close to their yard.  My neighbor put out a bowl of food and fresh water.  The kitten was stressed and was meowing loudly and we decided to rescue the kitten by trapping.  

We set up the trap and waited all day for the little kitten to go inside the trap, but instead the kitten laid down in a cube that was on my fiends porch.  We tried to trap it inside the cube by putting a board in front of the opening but the kitten leaped from the cube and ran into the woods.  None of us saw the kitten and presumed that it had perished.

They say that cats have nine lives and it certainly is the case for the white and gray Aegean kitten.  On Friday May 6 four days after the kitten went missing I noticed a feral tomcat sitting in my Hosta Garden at the base of my maple tree.  He was looking up into the tree.  I raised my eyes to see what he was looking at and sure enough it was the Aegean kitten.

The  kitten was in an uncomfortable situation because the feral cat that had chased him up the tree and was snarling at the base of the tree.

The feral cat was relentless, and pursued the cat in the tree; the kitten climbed very high into the tree and was balancing 30 feet off the ground.

I did what any cat lover would do I made the feral cat uncomfortable by walking toward him, he did not snarl but he did look worried…I followed him into the woods all the way to the thicket and when he laid down I was satisfied that he would go to sleep.

I then addressed the kitten up the tree situation and put out a bowl of food and water close to the base of the tree however the little kitten was so frightened that he stayed in the tree for the remainder of the day.   I stayed in the front yard by working in the gardens and eventually the kitten climbed out of the tree.  

 This abandoned Aegean cat was suffering from anxiety and she was meowing loudly and was stressed.  At dusk the kitten came down from the tree and ate the entire bowl of food.  I was unable to get close to the kitten as it was afraid of me and ran back into the woods.

The following day when I was weeding my gardens I heard loud meowing and I followed the direction of the mournful meows.  I went to my backyard and walked toward my garage and there was the little kitten sitting next to the shed door.  I quickly went indoors to make up a bowls  kitten food and fresh water.  When I approached the kitten it ran, so I set the food down next to the garage door and returned to the garden. 

Ten minutes later the kitten approached me.  I did not look directly at the kitten, I lowed my eyes so the kitten would not be threatened.  I waited for the kitten to make the first move.  

The kitten rubbed on my back, and then came to my side and climbed through my arm to sit in front of me.  That was it; the kitten trusted me and knew I would not harm it.  I sat down on the ground and the kitten climbed onto my lab.  I then spoke softly to the kitten and petted the kitten lovingly.  I allowed the kitten to tell me everything and all the while I petted the little Aegean kitten.

 Within an hour I was able to remove all of the ticks and the little kitten followed me around the yard.  For safe keeping I put the kitten in the garage for the night.  We have an old sofa in the shed and the kitten climbed up onto the sofa stretched out and went to sleep.

Note:  It is not a good idea to abandon a cat at the side of the road.  If you cannot keep your cat then you must take the steps to find the cat a new home or to surrender them to a no kill shelter.