Feral Cats

Everyone loves cuddly kittens and household felines that lounge around on the sofa, but what about those cute cats that run free in the wild? Have you ever seen a stray kitty and wondered about taking it home? Be careful, it might prefer the wild over your house..

Feral Cats are domestic cats that are free roaming and were born in the wild. Feral Cats colonies benefit our community by minimizing rodent problems. Also, individuals who cannot take on the full time commitment of adopting a cat can participate in programs to help feral cats. This provides an alternative to irresponsibly buying an animal that you aren’t ready to take care of.

Did you know there are people that help take care of these cats? Here are some ways that you can pitch in:

• Set up a feeding station or shelter at a feral cat colony. They’re relatively easy to set up and inexpensive, but both have a great impact on helping those furry felines.
• Help get these cats spayed and neutered. If left unaltered, these free roaming kitties will reproduce and add to the homeless cat population, but if we spay and neuter them, fewer unwanted and homeless cats will be taken to shelters and euthanized.
• Donate. anything helps, make a donation to the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project

 Here in San Antonio, we have the San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition which recommends the trap-neuter-return approach. They suggest trapping a feral kitty, taking it to one of their spay/neuter clinics and then returning them to their colony. Usually at these clinics they will snip the corner of the cat’s ear so that in the future, you’ll know what cats have been spayed/neutered. The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition offers 4 classes a month on how to trap cats safely, in depth instructions on the TNR method- how and why it works, and laws covering the care and feeding of outside cats. You’ll receive a handbook with written instructions along with community resources, spay/neuter clinic info, recovery protocols and more. If you attend one of their training classes, you’re eligible for free trap loans and low cost spay/ neuter services for life! Registration is not required.

For more information, you can visit their website at sanantonioferalcats.org. 

- Katie's Kibble for Thought

Don't Let Fido Be A Hot Dog

It’s finally summertime and that means fun in the sun. Pets love running around and playing outside, but the heat may be doing more bad than good to your pet. Here’s the stuff you need to know....

First things first, always make sure you dog is hydrated. If you’re out on a run with your pup and you’re feeling thirsty, your pooch is probably craving some water too. Make sure that you have fresh water for your dog to drink. If you ever need to cool down your dog, pour some water on its neck, belly and paw pads; these are the best places to cool a dog down.

Living in Texas means a lot of heat during summer months and can cause problems for all types of dogs, but specifically long haired dogs. An old myth suggests that a long coat will keep dogs insulated and cool but this isn’t true. If you have a long haired pooch, consider trimming its coat during summer to prevent him or her from over heating. If you have a smushed-faced dog (ie. bulldogs) be careful! These dogs have soft tracheas and long soft palates, which decrease their ability to cool themselves.

Another thing to remember is to use caution when using muzzles--they eliminate the ability for a dog to pant which is a large part of a pooch’s ability to cool themselves down.

If you’re leaving your pup at home make sure they have shade, water, and preferably a small wading pool filled with cool water. Dog houses are good for shade, but are usually built to prevent air movement and can get very hot.

Lastly, if you ever see a dog left alone in a closed car, please call the police. They will help locate the owner. It may sound a little over the top, but if it’s 100 degrees outside, the inside temperature of the car can get to 140 degrees in just 15 minutes!

We all love summer time, including our pets, but just make sure that you’re being safe and staying cool.

 

-- Katie's Kibble for Thought