Many common cleaning products can be hazardous to cats. They contain chemicals that can be toxic, and even deadly. Cats are especially at risk because they groom themselves, therefore ingest chemicals on their fur and feet. Additionally, cats can have allergic reactions to the chemicals and fumes found in commercial household cleaning products. Luckily, there are safe and cheap alternatives to these common products that are also environmentally friendly.
Floors Using a non-toxic cleaner on floors is especially important because cats are low to the ground. Use a vinegar and warm water solution on wood, ceramic tile, linoleum or vinyl flooring. If you’re using a carpet steam cleaner, use a water and vinegar solution (one part water to one part vinegar) to clean. Bathrooms and Kitchens Use baking soda to dust surfaces in bathrooms and kitchens, then wipe with a moist cloth or sponge. Another option is to use vinegar and warm water. If you’re trying to remove mildew or grease stains, first spray them with lemon juice, let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a brush to scrub the residue away. Unclogging a Drain Drain cleaner contains numerous chemicals and comes with a multitude of warnings. Instead of a commercial cleaner, use baking soda and vinegar. Pour a few tablespoons of baking soda down the drain, then a cup of vinegar. The reaction of the two products will help unclog the drain. Afterwards, rinse with hot water. Furniture Olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice (two parts olive oil, one part lemon juice) makes an excellent furniture polish. Oven The self-cleaning feature on ovens often release fumes during the cleaning process that can irritate cats and humans alike. Instead, make a paste of baking soda and water, then coat the inside of your oven. Let it sit overnight, and then scrub away the dirt the next day. Dryer Sheets The chemicals contained in dryer sheets, as well as in fabric softeners and laundry detergents, are absorbed by your skin and therefore your cats’ skin as well. These products are known to contain carcinogens and neurotoxins. Paint Fumes Sometimes it is unavoidable to expose our cats to toxic fumes. When it comes to painting, ensure that the area being painted is well-ventilated. One way to do this is with an ionic air purifier. If you don’t have one, set small bowls of vinegar around the room, and change them daily. The smell of the paint fumes will be absorbed by the liquid. Leave these bowls out until all paint odor has dissipated. While these homemade cleaning projects might require a little extra work, you will have peace of mind knowing that not only is your cat safe from toxic chemicals and fumes, but that you are also saving money and contributing to a healthier planet.
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Alley Cat Rescue has been taking care of 11 colonies of cats for many years. We make sure all are sterilized and we feed them daily. Every day, on holidays and even when it rains or snows!
Most of the colonies have declined in size over time, but in just a few instances, new cats have joined the colonies, mostly when the cats are near an apartment complex. Many people move and leave behind their cats “to fend for themselves” ---this is a very bad idea as most cats cannot fend for themselves---many cats cannot hunt, despite the idea that environmentalists have tried to implant in our heads that all cats hunt. Our outdoor cats are always in good condition. We provide them with shelters filled with clean straw (note - NOT hay, blankets, or towels) and feeding stations so the food remains dry. Cats live quite well outdoors, if fed and provided with shelters. Years ago when we heard that often caretakers of cats-- indoors and outdoors -- died or became disabled, and left no provision in their wills for someone to take of their cats, we developed our Pet Trust Brochure. This brochure shows you how to plan for your own cats and for the colonies you take care of should anything happen to you. If you want a copy please email the ACR office at acr@saveacat.org Weaning is the process of transitioning a kitten from a liquid to solid diet. One key component is starting at the right age, as kittens’ bodies are very sensitive to premature weaning. Up until five weeks, kittens should be either nursing or bottle feeding. Around five weeks, kittens’ premolars will begin to come in. This is a sign that the kitten is ready to start trying out solid food. However, some kittens may need more time based on health issues or differences in weight or size. If you observe any changes in the kitten’s health during the process, immediately revert back to bottle feeding.
Having the right supplies is also important. Pick up some wet kitten food, making sure it says ‘kitten’. Kitten food is higher in calories, fat, and protein which will help them grow big and strong. Wet food also provides moisture to help them stay hydrated. Shallow food dishes are also necessary so that the kittens can easily reach the food. Start the transition by beginning with slurry, which is a mix of formula and wet food. Begin by adding a small teaspoon of wet food mixed with formula, which lets the kitten become familiar with new proteins and flavors. As the kitten becomes more comfortable with eating meat, you can begin increasing the ratio of wet food to formula. There are a couple ways to introduce the slurry, so use your judgement on the best way. Some kittens prefer wet food blended with formula then fed to them in a bottle. Other kittens may be able to eat off a tongue depresser or from your finger. Over time, the kitten will learn how to eat the slurry from a dish. During this time, be sure to supplement your kitten’s diet with bottle feeding if you aren’t sure that the kitten is getting a full meal. Once the kitten is comfortably eating slurry on her own, you can switch completely to wet food. Monitor this transition to make sure there are no concerning changes in weight, behavior, or condition. At this time, you can also begin to introduce water in a small, shallow dish. Large dishes can cause a safety hazard to little kittens, so keep the water dish to roughly two inches high. It’s normal for kittens to struggle with water initially, but she should be drinking comfortably within one to three days. While bird advocacy groups are often quick to point the finger at cats for the decline in bird populations, it is becoming increasingly evident that humans are playing a significant role in the death of birds. Oil spills, drowning by fishing nets, and electrocution by power lines all account for accidental deaths of migratory birds, which for the previous decades, was a punishable offense. Under Republican and Democratic presidents alike, killing migratory birds, even accidentally, was a crime, with fines ranging from $250 to $100 million. This served as a deterrent that protected birds and allowed the government to hold companies accountable for environmental disasters.
But in part due to President Trump’s interior secretary nominee, David Bernhardt, the protection provided to these birds is being severely undermined. Bernhardt pushed a December 2017 legal opinion that declared the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) only applies when companies kill birds on purpose. This new policy has resulted in a significantly more ‘hand’s off’ approach when it comes to human action resulting in the harming or killing of migratory birds or their eggs. For example, when a tugboat spilled oil into Great Harbor in Massachusetts, which resulted in the death of dozens of birds. “As this spill involves the incidental take of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, there is currently no enforcement action planned,” according to an email from a Fish and Wildlife agent. This new interpretation of the century-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act places birds at an increased risk, but also could potentially further harm cats’ reputation as well. As cats have long taken the brunt of the blame for bird deaths, an increase in numbers of deaths could also be falsely attributed to cats. Therefore, it is in the best interest for both birds and cats that the MBTA is restored and strengthened to what it once was. Cats are well known for their varied, and often feisty, personalities. Some are shy, some anxious, others playful. But what does it mean if it seems like your cat is acting depressed? Can cats even suffer from depression? The answer is a bit more complicated than yes or no. While cats can exhibit depressed behavior, it is generally accepted that they do not share the same emotional changes with depression found in humans. In humans, depression is diagnosed by self-reporting, but as vets cannot ask cats how they feel, it becomes more difficult to determine. Instead, we must rely on the clues they provide us through their behavior and activities and make assessments based on those criteria. Clinically, the way depression in cats manifests is loss of appetite, avoidance behavior, decrease in activity, and abnormal behavior, such as hissing. Some cats may exhibit changes in litter box usage, while others may have a disturbance in their sleeping patterns. However, most of these symptoms can also be caused by other underlying medical conditions. Many diseases can mimic depression in cats, so it is important to take your cat to the vet to rule out other options. According to experts, pain is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in cats, in particular senior cats, and is one of the premier causes of signs of depression. An accurate diagnosis and treatment can greatly increase your cat’s quality of life. Vets begin the evaluation by taking a full history of symptoms and completing a robust physical exam. Tests will likely be suggested by your vet in order to determine a good overall picture at your pet’s health and organ function. Changes in behavior due solely to stress and anxiety can be difficult to differentiate from medical conditions, so vets often have to rely on process of elimination to come to a diagnosis. If your cat gets the all-clear, your vet can help you determine potential external stressors. Cats can suffer from anxiety dues to changes in routine, feeling threatened, or the addition or loss of a family member. Anxiety is one of the leading behavioral issues seen by vets. Hair loss, aggression, or changes in litterbox usage are often symptoms of anxiety. If the stressors can be eliminated, it is likely that your cat will return to normal over time. In more severe cases, vets can prescribe anti-anxiety medication, which is useful for some cats. Another option is to visit a veterinary behaviorist, who deals primarily in behavior issues and can help manage the problem through behavior modification as well as medication. Any cat showing signs of depression can benefit immensely from an evaluation by your vet. By evaluating them from a cat-friendly perspective, there is often a lot that you can do to make your cats happier and healthier. Declawing is an inhumane and incredibly painful procedure for cats to endure. It can lead to lifelong pain, discomfort, and behavioral issues. The procedure involves removing the first joint of the cat’s toe, equivalent to amputating the tip of a person's finger from the first knuckle on. As a result, cats can suffer from symptoms such as chronic foot pain, infection, arthritis and difficulty walking.
Owners may declaw their cats in an attempt to prevent unwanted scratching, but sometimes the declaw procedure will actually cause cats to exhibit new problematic behaviors. Declawed cats are more likely to urinate outside of the litter box because the litter becomes painful to walk on, and declawed cats may be more likely to bite because they can no longer use their paws and claws for protection. Furthermore, scratching is an important natural cat behavior that helps them exercise and tone their muscles. Proponents of declawing claim that the practice keeps cats in homes. However, data from U.S. cities that have banned declawing shows a decline in the number of relinquished cats since the bans were enacted. Because of the problems that declawing can bring, it may actually make an owner more likely to relinquish their cat. Effective and humane alternatives to the declawing exist, and ACR implores you to explore these alternative options and refrain from this torturous procedure. Becoming a TNR volunteer is easier than you might think. If you want to help cats, becoming involved in TNR is a simple but impactful way to save cats lives.
TNR helps prevent kittens from being born on street and over burdening our shelter system. How can you get involved? The basics of TNR are divided into three phases: planning, trapping, and treating. First, establish a feeding time, then count the number of cats. Next, make an appointment with a clinic for the spays/neuters. Obtain traps and other supplies that you will need. Have the person feeding the cats withhold food for a day. Prepare the traps with newspaper and bait. Next, set the traps and wait for the cats to enter. Once trapped, cover with a towel and transport them home for the evening. In the morning, take the cats to the clinic so they can be spayed/neutered, ear tipped, and vaccinated. After the recovery period, return the cats back to their colony. If that process seems a bit too overwhelming, there are many other ways to get involved. You can volunteer to help transport cats, trap cats, fundraise, foster kittens and much more. Action Alert
HELP STOP THE ABUSE OF CATS IN LABRATORIES Between 20,000-25,000 cats are abused in U.S. laboratories each year. These cats end up in shelters, or come from Class B dealers, who then sell them to universities for use in painful, torturous, and often deadly experiments. Universities are one of the biggest perpetrators of these cruel acts; cats are frequently used in neurology research to study spinal cord injuries, as well as problems related to vision, sleep, and hearing. This is because experimenters know so much about their neurological functions. This type of research is particularly cruel and invasive, and nearly always results in the euthanasia of the cats. Now is the time to take action to protect these cats from cruel and inhumane treatment. The Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences (HEARTS) Act, introduced in February 2019, will help “ensure that non-animal methods are prioritized, where applicable and feasible, in proposals for all research to be conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health.” The bill goes on to state that animal welfare oversight “is generally weak and little heed is paid to the use of non-animal methods or the avoidance of duplication, thereby unnecessarily subjecting animals to pain, suffering, and death.” Now it’s up to you to contact your federal Representative and ask that s/he support the HEARTS Act (H.R. 1209). Tell him/her that there are alternatives to animal testing! Alley Cat Rescue operates a Working Cat Program, which places cats in local businesses, backyards, offices, barns, and warehouses to help combat rodents and pests.
Working cats are would be stressed out if adopted into a home, but they thrive spending time in a warehouse or patrolling around a store. There are numerous benefits to having cats in the workplace. For warehouses, cats can provide a non-chemical and environmentally friendly rodent control solution. Even just having a cat around a building can scare rats and mice away. In an office environment, not only will cats provide pest control, but they also offer a good dose of office morale and a way to de-stress while at work. Working Cat programs are growing in popularity across the country. There are currently programs such as ours in most major cities in the US, and ACR has placed thousands of cats in working environments throughout the greater Washington, D.C. and area and Los Angeles County. If you are a business or barn owner who is interested in adopting a working cat, please contact us at acr@saveacat.org. All of our working cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Adopters must provide the cats with food, water, shelter, and long-term vet care. It is also recommended that cats are adopted in pairs. Adopters should also prepare for the necessary transition period; ACR will provide assistance. Despite all their differences, house cats share over 95% of their DNA with tigers. One major difference is the fact that thousands of years ago, Felis catus was successfully domesticated by humans. Domestication is no easy feat – out of 148 terrestrial herbivorous mammals, only 14 were able to be domesticated.
According to the author Jared Diamond, there are six criteria that must be met for successful domestication. First, the animals must be easy to feed, second they must grow and mature at a rate that makes economic sense, third they have to breed well in captivity, fourth they need to have generally nice temperaments, fifth they must be relatively calm, and sixth they must have a strong social structure. Thousands of years ago, cats met all of these criteria, though precisely how domestication is still up for debate. The timeline for domestication is unclear. There is evidence that suggests cats in Cyprus were domesticated around 9,500 years ago; however, a separate study and genetic analysis indicates that domestication began closer to 12,000 years ago. One interesting theory is that wildcats actually domesticated themselves, after one of the cat species had a genetic variance that made them approach humans and stick around, while others were potentially caught in order to hunt mice and other pests. By keeping cats as rodent hunters, humans may have provided them with desirable amenities such as warmth and food. Over time, this mutual relationship produced the breeding of slightly tamer cats than their wildcat relatives. However, even today’s cats still retain some of the behaviors of their wild cousins. Sometimes they couldn’t care less about you, yet you care deeply for them. Humans do nearly everything for cats; clean their litter boxes, pet them, feed them – but unlike dogs, they do not constantly seek our approval or aim to satisfy our needs. Which begs the question – who has domesticated whom? |
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