Cat Food Donations: What is Best? Food or Gift Card

A friend of mine volunteers at our local animal shelter and told me that the animal all have stomach upset from the potluck food that is donated.  I was taken back by what she said and asked why the shelter did not send out a newsletter or post on their entrance what brand and type of food that they needed. Clearly, food consistency is greatly needed or animals will have stomach upset.

My friend responded by saying that they simply could not ask people to buy specific food, that they were grateful for all foods that were donated.  I disagreed and made a point by saying that people will give you whatever you ask for, the last thing animal lovers want is to make the pets sick. 

Do you agree? 

If you are someone who donates food to your local animal shelter then I would recommend that you call the shelter to find out what they need.  Ask if there is a specific brand or type of food that is needed.  Do not accept the reply "any food will be appreciated" because any food will make animals sick.  If you cannot get the shelter to tell you what they need like "Purina Cat Chow" then shop for a gift card from Amazon, Walmart or Pet Smart.  

Donate the gift card to your local shelter so they can buy exactly what they need.

Feeding Rescued Baby Kitten: 3 to 5 Weeks

baby kitten 3 weeks old

This month my husband and I rescued baby kittens. The kittens were put into a Glad trash bag and thrown out onto the center medium of the road during the night hours when the light was poor and the cars sped by.  These baby kittens were newborns as two of them had just opened their eyes and these two out of the five needed help in going to the bathroom. 

We kept the kittens isolated from our cats and decided that due to the trauma that they just endured that we would care for them until they were four lbs.

At first we fed the kitten replacement milk and then when they were 4 week old we shopped at PetSmart for a quality kitten food.  We looked at Blue Buffalo but decided to buy Wellness Core dry kitten food. This is what we are feeding the kittens, a food that will boost their immune system and help them to grow healthy and strong.  .   

Boosting kitten immune system with Wellness Core kitten food

Feeding Baby Kittens, Hairy, Larry, Dini, Molly, and Sally Replacement milk 

At five weeks we were feeding the kitten’s softened solid food because these babies needed to put on weight. We also continued the replacement milk because it was a good way to boost their immune system.

Larry the rescued kitten 5 weeks old

At six weeks the kittens are weighing in approximately two pounds.   The worst thing that cat owner did was take the baby kittens away from their mom at such a young age and then put them in a bag and throw them out like trash.   I am so glad that my husband and I found the babies.

Sickly but beautiful rescued kittens

  

All kittens will be put up for adoption after they get a wellness checkup at the veterinarian and are tested for cat disease, get their booster shots and are wormed.  If you are interested in learning more about these  kittens please leave me a comment below.

Here are some baby kitten photographs.  

Kittens Hairy, Larry, Molly, and Dini eating wellness core kitten food

Baby Dini Kitten 

Trapping an Injured Neighborhood Cat

Part of my duties as a cat caretaker and rescuer is to watch over the cats and to trap them if any of them are injured. 

So when the baby-injured feral kitten showed up at the workshop with a noticeable lump on his upper leg I knew that he needed veterinarian care.

Feral kitten I trapped in a Live animal trap

We tried to catch the kitten but when that failed we decided to set up the Havahart double-door trap that I bought at amazon.com in the workshop and close off the kitty door so he could not exit and other cats could not enter. 

 

The live animal trap was set and baited with Friskies mixed grill canned cat food and I also added some water in a small plastic bowl.  This stinky food should attract the cat into the live animal trap. When the feral kitten enters the trap this evening at least he will have food and water and a soft bed of straw.  I covered the trap with a soft white baby blanket, so the kitten will think the trap is its den. The blanket is a way to lessen any stress or anxiety. 

photo of a kitten in a recovery cage

The kitten entered the trap and was not distressed. His leg needs to be looked at by a veterinarian.  Trapping was successful 

Happy Ending for Rescued Chartreux Cat

After four months of tying to locate the Chartreux cat’s family I finally met someone who recognized the cat and that is when I learned that this cat’s people had passed and that the cat was taken by a neighbor.  

The neighbor had no experience in caring for a cat, and thus did not realize that the cat was mourning the loss of his master and was uncomfortable with the new home.

The new cat owner thought the cat had unwarranted behavior issues and put the cat outdoors during.  It was winter when that cat was put outdoors.  There was snow and ice on the ground and the temperature bitter cold.

Being put outdoors caused the Chartreux to suffer as he did not know where to go for cat food or to seek shelter. The neighbor that took the cat did not provide a cathouse or any type of outdoor shelter. 

I am not sure why my husband decided to take a walk in a blizzard, but he did and at two in the morning he discovered the Chartreux cat sitting in the snow and meowing at the top of his lungs.  It was a distress meow and my husband reacted by lifting the cat and putting him under his overcoat.

The cat suffered from a minor case of frostbite. We took care of the cat and he regained his healthy and his spirit.

During the time that I cared for this cat I noted that he did not like women in general and I attribute that to the neighbor and that he may think all women are uncaring.  I worked with the cat every day and came to the conclusion that he would be best suited living with a single man.

At first we were going to keep this cat but he never warmed up to me and he did not get along with other cats. I am happy to say that this Chartreux gray and white cat was adopted today into a forever home and will live out his life as a housecat with a senior citizen man.

Found Tabby Cat at Park Gets a Sponsor

Two weeks ago I discovered a cat in the park lying on a dilapidated picnic table.  I did not know if this cat was feral, stray or abandoned housecat. 

All I knew is that it may be hungry so I went back home to get some cat food and water.  When I returned the cat had not moved so I set up the feeding station with dry cat food approximately 30 feet away, then stepped back to watch.  

The cat was slow to react to the cat food but when the cat came to the feeding station he at the entire bowl and drank water.

Going forward I went to the park every day to feed this cat and to get him dependent on me. My plan worked because today I looked out my back window and saw the cat in my back garden.  Presently the cat is eating in my yard daily and then lying in my irises.

Yesterday I shared my found cat in park news at my feral cat caregiver meeting and one of the volunteers offered to sponsor the cat by paying the cats veterinarian bill for sterilization, vaccines including feline leukemia, de-wormer, and revolution for ear mites, fleas and other animal parasites.  She will then pay for the cat’s food and any shelter costs for the rest of the cat’s life.

This week I will trap the park found cat for veternarian care. 

The images that you view on this post are of the cat that I found at the park.

Purina One beyond Cat Food Review

At our neighborhood cat meeting today we decided to feed the cats Purina One beyond White Meat Chicken Oatmeal cat Food instead of canned food.  We need to make a change because we can no longer feed the outdoor cats Friskies Special Diet canned cat food due to the warm weather and insects.

We researched online found the best prices for this food were at Walmart.com and we stocked up by buying at four 13 pound bag for $23.98. Plus we got free shipping.  Buying cat food in bulk was smart because prices may increase to be the same as other pet food retailers

When it comes to feeding the shelter and outdoor stray and feral cats we think the Purina One beyond White Meat Chicken Oatmeal Cat Food is a good choice because it contains no corn, wheat or other fillers plus there are no artificial preservatives.  Unlike the other cat foods that put corn gluten meal as their first ingredient the beyond first ingredients are white meat chicken, whole oat meal, carrots and fiber for healthy digestion.

Is it the best food for cats?  I like to think that it is best for the neighborhood cats, in fact I would feed my own cats this food. I think Purina One beyond White Meat Chicken Oatmeal Cat Food is best, because it has wholesome ingredients.  the food is high in protein which is good for a cats diet.

Do the cats like it?

I mixed the old cat food with the Purina One beyond and the outdoor cats pushed away the old cat food to get to the new food.  The taste agrees with them, now it is too soon to note any changes to their coat so I will need to report my findings in 30 days.

Attribution: Fair Use  Screenshot of Purina One Beyond Adult white meat chicken and whole oat recipe cat food

Setting up Comfortable Cage/Kennel for Large Cat

Normally a medium sized crate is all that I need for a small cat that is spending a few nights at my “mom and pop” cat shelter.  But when it comes to a large adult cat that needs more room I needed to get creative so this cat could have a comfortable stay while we searching for his owners.

Large rescue cat in double sized cage

I created a comfortable cat holding cage by using what I had; two medium cat cage/kennels.   I attached the two open cages together with plastic zip ties.  A total of 8 ties were needed to hold the two cat cages together.

Both crates could open on the top which made it very easy for cleaning or putting the cat into the crate and one crate had two side openings and a top opening. 

  

There was room for cat to stretch out and get comfortable on the self warming K & H cat bed and roll around while playing with catnip toys.  There was also a space for the litter box, a food and water bowls.  This comfortable cage was exactly what was needed for the large 15 pound cat.

Comfortable cat in cage

Other cat product posts that you may like by Sgolis

Petmate Pet Taxi Cat Kennel Product Review

Getting Home and Family Ready for New Cat

Cat found in Snowstorm Reunited with Owners

Animal Shelter Has Affordable Cat Care - Spay-Nueters

Due to high pet care costs at my local veterinarian we could only provide the lost, abandoned or rescued cats with a warm bed and food and water.  We no longer could  afford to pay for the cats spay or neuter, tests for feline leukemia - aids or give them their vaccines.

My veterinarian provided me with a discount and it enabled me to get many cats the veterinarian care that they needed.  But times are tough and my veterinarian needed to take back the discount. What this means is one cat  with sterilization, vaccines and disease test comes to $100.00 +

 No discount meant no more trapping feral cats for spay or neuter, disease tests and vaccines.  It also meant we had limited funds for rescued cats and we could not care for them all..  Then another cat rescuer told me to check out the prices at our local Humane Society animal shelter.

Shelter kittens

The animal shelter offers affordable  services  for all cats that are spayed or neutered at the clinic. Which means we will be able to proved  necessary veterinarian services for the cats that are abandoned in the woods by our home; as long as they are sterilized at the animal clinic.   

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Rescued Russian Blue Mix Cat in My Shelter

It is safe to say that we are back to rescuing lost and abandoned house cats and strays as the clinic at the animal shelter has affordable prices. How to the prices compare?  Here is the breakdown: 

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Feline Leukemia and Aids test:  Clinic $15.00 / Veterinarian $49.00

Spay or Neuter  Clinic $35.00 / Veterinarian $55.00 spay $45.00 Neuter

Cat Dewormer Clinic $5.00 / Veterinarian $10.00 (1 dose)

1 dose ear mite Clinic $5.00 / Veterinarian $16.00

1 dose flea- tic Clinic $5.00 / Veterinarian $16.00

Cat distemper - rabies Clinic $20.00 / Veterinarian $37.00


Based on these costs one can fully understand why there are so many pets that are not being spayed or neutered.  I would recommend all pet owners to check their city animal shelter to find out if they have a veterinarian on staff and if they offer services to resident pet owners.

Rescued Cat with Frostbite Gets a Forever Home

The stray (no collar) cat that was rescued during extreme cold weather was treated for a mild case of frostbite on front paws.  This cat was kept in crate located in my heated mudroom for three for recovery.

Rescue Cat in Pet Crate

This cat’s pet owner was located and they confirmed that cats have fur and do not need an insulated shelter.  They expected the cat to go under their front porch that had a foundation wind block and open lattice on three sides.  Pet owner said; “the leaves underneath provided ample insulation when weather was extreme cold.”  I agree that leaves do provide some warmth but they are worthless if they become damp from snow or rain and when temperature is below zero.

The cat did not agree with the pet owner because cat was seen going into the neighborhood sewers prior to my husband rescuing the cat during a snow storm.

We offered to assist pet owner by making the porch area insulated and a safer shelter for the cat.  They agreed to the assistance but never came to pick up their cat.  So we did what every cat lover does, we found the kitty, that had frostbite, a forever home.  Another cat lover in my neighborhood agreed to take in the cat by allowing it access to their heated and air cooled garage.  The cat will have indoor outdoor privileges on warm days only and will be kept indoors at night.

We are pleased with the results of this cat rescue as this cat it is a happy ending for the rescued kitty that had frostbite.

Frostbite takes only minutes to set in.  Cats are susceptible to frostbite learn more by viewing this video:

Extreme Cold Weather Causes Cat to Get Frostbite

Where I reside the winter has been bitter cold and our city had notified the pet owners with newspaper posts and on the nightly news about keeping cats and dog indoors during the extreme cold weather. So  I was surprised to see a neighbors short haired tabby going into the neighborhood sewer for shelter.  The cat spent 2 nights in the sewer and on the following night when it was extremely cold (5 below zero) we rescued the tabby from the bitter cold weather and brought him indoors.  We dried him off with warm towels and then brought the cat to our heated mudroom where we have cat crates set up. 

Rescue Cat in Crate 

The rescued cat was behaving badly.  He meowed loudly and when he was not meowing he tore up his disposable litter box, knocked over his water and food.   My husband held the cat and I cleaned up his crate.  Lined the crate with newspaper, filled anew disposable litter box and then folded over a towel for cat to use as a bed.

Put the cat back into the crate and he again tore up his litter box, knocked over his water and made another mess.  Once again my husband removed the cat and when I went to clean up his crate I found that the cat had diarrhea and suspected that this could be a symptom of frostbite or stress.

We examined the cat’s ears, nose, scrotum, paw pads and toes, all areas where there is not thick covering of hair.  The skin appeared to be pale and blotchy white on his paws this I knew was a sign of frostbite. 

Learn more about this rescued cat at Pet Owner Leaves Cat out in Extreme Cold Weather

Cat Found in Snow Storm Was Reunited with Owners

The little tabby that I found at 10 p.m. sitting in the snow under my lilac bush spent the night in a pet crate in my heated mudroom.  This house cat was covered with snow and had no claws so I suspected he got out and did not know how to go home.

Cat walking in snow

Normally when I find a lost cat I will post flyers in the neighborhood and put an ad in the classified section of our paper.  But today I did not have to any of that because a women was on my block looking for her cat.

Feral cat in winter snow

I informed her how I found the cat; sitting under my lilacs bush when it was snowing, the cat was covered with snow and did not know how to find shelter on a bitter cold night.  She told me I never should have brought him into my house, that if he got cold enough he would have gone home.  The woman said the cat has fur and can be left outdoors in winter.

Feral cat at feeding station in winter

Many cat owners assume that because the cat has a thick coat that they can be left outdoors throughout the winter months and do not need an insulated shelter.  What cat owners do not realize is that cats are susceptible to frostbite on the tip of their ears, nose, tail and toes.  Cats that are left out in the extreme cold will suffer from hypothermia and this condition puts the cat’s life at risk.   

KH outdoor insulated cat house

I made my recommendation by suggesting a KH insulated outdoor cat house from Amazon.com to the cat owner or to buy an insulated dog igloo medium sized from PetSmart or Wal-Mart and provide the cat with self heating pad.  So the outdoor cat will have a shelter to go to when there is snow, rain, wind or extreme cold. 

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Here are some cats in snow cards that I designed from my photographs of feral cats in my care.  All photographs were captured in the Ozark Mountains.  Enjoy!

Feral Cat Winter Portriat Post Card by Susang6

Feral Cat Sleeping in Winter Shelter Post Card by Susang6

Petmate Cat Taxi Kennel Bennefits

When it comes to a cat carrier I always recommend the Petmate Pet Taxi Fashion Kennel.  This is a small sized carrier that is ideal for a 16 pound cat.

My cat Sam in Petmate cat taxi

What I like about this carrier is that it is quality made; heavy duty plastic that is light weight when you carry your cat in it.  It also has ventilation openings on the sides which allows for the cat to look out and not feel so confined and it also allows for air circulation. 

When I use this cat carrier for the stray or house cats being transported to the veterinarian the animals are calmer.   I think it is due to the air circulation and because the cats can look out the sides.  

Another feature is that you can put the carrier away in your closet and it does not take up a lot of space or you can slide it under a bed when it is flat as it collapses easily, this is good if you have limited space.

Tips:

1.  This size carrier can also be used for dog or other small animal.  A baby raccoon fits well and also an adult rabbit. 
2.  My Siamese cat Sam loves this carrier and I have trained him to go into it as his "safe place".   I  set up the kennel by lining with a soft fleece blanket. and when it rains or he is scared he will go into the kennel and is comfortable.

Setting Up KH Outdoor Heated Cat Houses for Stray and Feral Cats

For tonight the weather advisory is for 80% snow and bitter cold temperatures, this winter storm makes it difficult for the feral and stray cats to find shelter.  One of my neighbors gave me a KH outdoor heated cat house and I am setting it up on cement blocks in area that will provide a wind block.

Normally I would set up the outdoor cat shelter in an area way from human traffic but the directions stated that is was not advisable to plug the electrical cord for the heated pad into an extension cord.  I needed to set the cat house up on patio, close to the electrical outlet.  This of course is not the best location because feral cats prefer to be hidden. 

Hopefully the feral cat will enter the house out of desperation and will find that the heated bed will provide them with warm comfortable heat and shelter from the wind.

Features that I like:

1. What I like about the KH outdoor heated cat house is the two doors; an entrance and exit which keep an outdoor cat safe.  If a predator comes to the front door they can exit out the back.  
2. The entrance and exit also has a clear plastic door flap which keeps snow, wind and rain out.
3. The low voltage heating pad is not hot to the touch; the heating unit responds to the pressure of the cat, warms the bed when cat lies on the pad.  

Reasons Why Men Abandon Cats

My studies indicate that in the last five years more men have abandoned cats than women in my neighborhood.  Many times the cats are left behind because the husband is mad his wife or boyfriend angry at his girlfriend.

Abandoned cat hides behind tree

The sad truth is that the housecat is being used to hurt women.   I know this to be true because many distraught women show up with the men at the entrance of the woods calling for their beloved cats and then say that had a bad argument with their husband/boyfriend but everything was on the mend and they really wanted their cat back.

Other reasons for leaving the cat is most men think the housecat will adapt to the wild and will be able to survive in the woods they assume that this is better for the cat.  

Some men leave cats in a park close to a neighborhood because the park will provide food and shelter and eventually the cat will be found and adopted by a family in the neighborhood.  They honestly believe that the chances of survival are greater for a housecat than being turned over to the animal shelter where so many cats compete for adoption. 

Note:

1. Less than 5% of the abandoned cats that were abandoned to my woods were reunited with their families.
2. I believe that fewer cats would be abandoned if pet owners were better educated on the responsibilities of owning and caring for a cat as well as the proper ways to re-home a cat when they can no longer care for their pet. 

Reports of Missing Cats

The end of November I noticed that many of the feral and stray cats that we care were not showing up at the feeding station.  We assumed that they were hanging out at a kindly neighbor’s garage that was opened to them for a shelter throughout the cold winter months.  We also thought that the cats had gone to another feeding station.  

Orange tabby lying on the snow

This was a reasonable explanation for the missing cats however we continued to walk the neighborhood looking for the cats and calling for them.  Several of us went into the woods and found 3 cats at the thicket colonies but 6 feral and stray cats are still missing.

Tuxedo cat sitting by branches

Last week the cat caregivers volunteer meeting it was reported that 6 feral and stray cats were missing and that community residents were seeking their housecats as well.  This of course was reason for concern as it now seemed that foul play may be the reason why the feral stray and housecats are missing in our neighborhood.

We suspect the a resident that lives close by may be luring the cats into traps and then calling animal control to report cat nuisance on his property.  We are looking into the missing cats more seriously.