community!^..^!CATalysts TNR network
UCAN LOW COST SPAY NEUTER CLINIC on W. 8th St near downtown Cincinnati.Cat Spay or Neuter - $30.00 and
Dog Spay or Neuter - $55.00 For more details, check out www.ucancincinnati.org or call to make an appointment:
(513) 721-7387 (PETS). NEUTER SCOOTER is coming to Cincinnati once a month! Low cost spay/neuters $40 pre-registered, FERAL CATS = $20.00, FREE Vaccines! To register call 1-866-662-5838 or go to NEUTER SCOOTER! !!!NOW THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO LET YOUR CAT BREED!!! Please help FIX THE FERALS so we can stop the production of homeless feral kittens in Cincinnati!!!
"Be the change you want to see in the world."
~ Mahatma Gandhi
Unfortunately we are so overloaded that we do not have room in our foster homes (we are NOT a shelter) to take in cats from the public! If you need help re-homing a pet, pls check out "How To Find Homes For Homeless Pets" from Best Friends Animal Society. PLEASE, MICROCHIP your pet!!!. Every pet, including indoor-only cats, should wear collars with current tags and be microchipped. Only 15% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats are ever reunited with their families. Please don't let your pet end up as a "stray" in an already overcrowded shelter. Find out why kittens and young cats love to be adopted in pairs ~ companionship for cats is a basic need, just like it is for humans! why CATS IN PAIRS are better and 10 reasons for TWO KITTENS!
"Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission to be of service to them wherever they require it." ~ St Francis Of Assisi We are a network of independent cat rescuers in the Cincinnati area. Our goal is to work together to help nonlethally and humanely reduce and control the feral (wild), homeless, and stray cat overpopulation problem in our city. We do this through TNR ~ TRAPPING, NEUTERing, and RETURNing the cats to their familiar, managed colony so we can help stop the breeding and production of homeless kittens. The cats that we do not return to their colonies ~ tame, kittens, injured, and those that live in dangerous areas where they can't fend for themselves ~ are fostered in our homes (we do NOT have a shelter) until we can place them into permanent LIFETIME homes. Community!^..^!CATS is committed to being the "catalysts" for these homeless cats living outdoors and improving their lives for the better ~ through spay and neuter, by recognizing their right to live in our environment, and by helping change the way feral cats are treated in our city. ALLEY CAT ALLIES, a national advocate for TNR and feral cats since 1990,defines TNR as: "Trap-Neuter-Return is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living outdoors in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats too wild to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of volunteers". www.alleycat.org ~^..^~ The FACTS... Feral (cats that have never had exposure to human contact) and homeless cats are innocent victims of humans neglecting to spay and neuter their own cats. These unfixed roaming and abandoned cats mate with each other and begin the production of homeless feral kittens.
A female cat can get pregnant as young as 4 months old and have 3 to 4 litters of kittens in one year. (^..^) The SOLUTION...HUMAN INTERVENTION (^..^) YOU, yes, YOU can help put an end to the feral, homelesss, and stray cat overpopulation problem in our city by : SPAYING and NEUTERING your own cats. This may sound like "a given", but there are thousands of homes in Cincinnati with unfixed pets. Make sure your home is not one of them! FIX the feral or stray cats you may be feeding. If you don't, YOU are adding to the overpopulation problem. Do not let these cats reproduce...triage and get the females fixed first, then the males. If you feed them, it is your responsibilty and obligation to make a plan and FIX THEM!
SPREAD THE WORD about TNR to friends, neighbors, hairdressers, veterinarians, city officials, humane shelter workers...we HAVE to be the voice for feral cats and make our city aware that trap-neuter-return works. There are thousands of feral cats in our city ~ be the person that has the solution when you hear someone talking about "the cats in the park" or "the cats under my porch". Feral cats do NOT belong in shelters; they are not "adoptable" pets. These cats are wild animals, like raccoons, they deserve to be spayed and neutered and RETURNED to their natural environments. Help us spread the word that Trap-Neuter-Return is THE answer, not trapping the cats and taking them to a shelter or animal control where they will be killed. (^..^) WHY Trap-Neuter-Return WORKS (^..^) ~^..^~Stabilizes the population of feral cats at manageable levels.Eliminates the production of homeless kittens as well as reducing "roaming" cats because their needs are being met at the colony by a dedicated caretaker.
~^..^~ Eliminates annoying behaviors associated with mating; urine spraying, fighting, cat "screaming", etc...
~^..^~ It's HUMANE and COMPASSIONATE to the animal...homeless and stray cats are neutered and spayed instead of the inhumane "catch and kill" method.
~^..^~ It is effective! And cost efficient! Promoting stable, non-breeding colonies is far more cost effective than repeatedly going back to the same areas and trapping and killing the feral cats that fill the spots previously occupied by feral cats ("the vacuum effect").
Do you live in Hamilton County and believe in TNR? Please call our county humane shelter, spca cincinnati 513-541-6100, and urge them to enact a non-lethal control program for feral cats through their facility, like many of the progressive county humane shelters do across our country. Our city has a severe pet overpopulation EPIDEMIC ~ it's a PET DEATH CRISIS ~ more than 31,000 animals were euthanized in the Greater Cincinnati humane shelters in 2003, that is almost 75%, or 3 out of every 4 animals being taken to humane shelters are being DESTROYED. Humane shelters do NOT have the space and funding to help all the animals that are taken to them...euthanasia is the number one cause of death for dogs and cats in the USA.
For more information about FERAL CATS, TNR, how to successful manage a feral cat colony, and why "eartipping" is critical, log onto:
Alley Cat Allies www.alleycat.org
Best Friends Animal Society in Utah www.bestfriends.org
Feral Cat Coalition in San Diego www.feralcat.com
Neighborhood Cats in New York City www.neighborhoodcats.org
Eartipping of Feral Cats...visual identification of a FIXED feral! www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/eartipping.html
EARTIPPING: Feral Cat Identification Protocol www.alleycat.org
TNR Checklist from Austin Feral Cats www.austinferalcats.org/list.htm
Feral cats in the news ~ the Feral Cat Blog! advocacy, issues, organizations, etc...www.catsinthenews.blogspot.com/
Great resource guide for Feral Cat Caretakers Coalition www.feralcatcaretakers.org
WHY SPAY / NEUTER? Watch this from a humane shelter in Kentucky...VIDEO
Debunking Myths about Spay * Neuter ~ articles and resources
SPAY USA, a nationwide network of affordable spay*neuter options www.spayusa.org
Listing of low cost or free spay*neuter
programs in the United States
www.lovethatcat.com
CATSNIP, local Cincinnati low-cost spay*neuter incentive vouchers (availability depends on program funding) www.thescratchingpost.org/catsnip.html
Every nine seconds a shelter animal is euthanized...www.everynineseconds.org
Early Spay/Neuter! Shelter deaths are dropping in areas that are practicing Early, or Pediatric, Spay / Neuter (sterilization of kittens and puppies as early as eight weeks of age) earlyspayneuter.blogspot.com
Fun products to promote spay*neuter www.meowsville.com
What is the truth about cats that test positive for FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus? It is NOT a death sentence ~ FIV+ cats can live LONG and HEALTHY lives. There is no need to euthanize an FIV+ cat, so don't let anyone tell you that they should!
Read the FIV TRUTH and the frequently asked questions about FIV. FIV FACTS from "FIV: Catching A Bad Case Of Rumors" by Best Friends Animal Society.
1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.
2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.
3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.
4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.
5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)
6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.
7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.
8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise. LIVING WITH FIV by Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM
from Little Big Cat.
..."Most FIV+ cats could be adopted and live with FIV-negative cats with very little risk of transmitting the disease. Because FIV is only transmitted through bite wounds, a non-aggressive FIV+ cat would not put other cats at risk. Sadly, most FIV+ cats in shelters are euthanized, or segregated and "warehoused" for the rest of their lives with little chance of adoption...FIV is not a death sentence." Is there a cure for feline leukemia? www.felineleukemia.org
Feline leukemia support site www.felineleukemia.com
Marley's Fund www.marleyfund.com
A Winn Foundation Health Article On Feline Leukemia Virus www.winnfelinehealth.org To Test Or Not To Test FERAL CATS www.alleycat.org
Please REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE, neglect, or abandonment if you see it going on. If someone is abusing the animal in the family, it often means that other family members are being abused too. "I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection
by man from the cruelty of man" M. Gandhi (1869-1948) Call the county humane shelter where the animal lives to report the abuse that you see going on. Things to ask yourself when you suspect abuse/neglect:
Does the animal have access to fresh food, clean water and reliable/clean shelter?
Proper space and ventilation?
Does the animal have apparent injuries that have not been treated? Lack of medical attention?
Did the owners move and abandon the animal? Hamilton ~ spca cincinnati 513-541-6100 www.spcacincinnati.org
Butler County Humane Assoc *513-867-5727 www.animalfriendshs.org
Warren County Animal Shelter *513-695-1176 www.homelesspets.org
Clermont County Humane Shelter *513-732-8854 www.animalshelter.com
Kenton County Humane Shelter 859-356-7400 Kenton County Animal Shelter
Campbell County Animal Shelter *859-635-2819
www.campbellcountyky.org
Boone County Humane *859-586-5623 www.boonecountyky.org
Dearborn County Shelter *812-926-0910 Dearborn County Humane Shelter Track ANIMAL CRUELTY cases and read about the strong connection between human abusers and animal abusers
www.pet-abuse.com "Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission to be of service to them wherever they require it." ~ St Francis Of Assisi
CAT paws come with retractable claws for many reasons. Claws are tools that are used by cats everyday for walking, balancing, climbing, scratching, catching toys, grooming, raking litter, and very importantly for self-defense. Don't punish your cat or think they are being "bad" when they use their claws for scratching. Scratching is not a behavioral problem - it is an instinctual and normal behavior for all cats done for both physical and psychological reasons...it's a healthy part of a cat being a "cat". Cats scratch just like dogs chew and birds chirp. Just as we give our dogs bones to satisfy their natural chewing desires, we need to give our cats appropriate scratching places to satisfy this natural and healthy desire. Scratching is done for many worthwhile reasons...to exercise and stretch all the muscles in the back and legs, for stress management, to mark their territory ("I was here!"), hone and clean their nails, to communicate ("hey, I don't like that!"), and just because it feels really good. With proper claw management, scratching does not have to lead to furniture damage, scratched flesh, declawing, or relinquishment.
Regular nail trimmings will keep claws blunt and harmless. If a cats claws are ripping flesh or fabric, they are too long! Clipped claws can't dig themselves into anything since they are round and blunt. Cat nail clippers can be bought at grocery stores these days and even human nail clippers work well. Start trimming your cats nails when they are young so they accept it as part of the weekly grooming routine...it's easy! Older cats may require 2 people to get the trimming done or you may need to wrap kitty in a towel or "Cat Sack" and bring out one paw at a time. Also, try doing when kitty is cat napping and mellowed out and follow it up with treats and praise so kitty associates nail trimming with good positive rewards. Email us if you need ideas and help trimming your cat's nails! Make sure
to provide several scratch pads for your cats in different locations. Cats will scratch the furniture when they aren't given proper places to do their scratching. Some cats hardly scratch at all and others need to scratch several times a day. Some cats like horizontal pads, while others like vertical posts. Try different textures too, most cats LOVE sisal posts and cardboard pads. Pay attention to WHERE your cat is scratching...if she scratches in the doorways, an inexpensive sisal mat or scratch pad tucked behind the wall should do the trick. Many cats like to stretch and scratch when they get up from napping, so a scratch pad close to where kitty sleeps is always a good idea. Scratching posts need to be sturdy (don't buy ones that tip over of hang on doorknobs) and at least 30" tall so they can do a full body stretch while they are getting a healthy, rugged, rythmic, clawhold scratch in. Sprinkle fresh cat nip (or use cat nip spray) once a week on the posts or pads to keep kitty interested. Placing kitties favorite toys or treats on top of the post can motivate kitty to climb and scratch it. Also, during play time, run a laser light up and down the post to get kitty crazy about it! There are many products on the market today to help with claw management. Sticky Tape (or double sided tape) can be used on couch corners while kitty is learning where she is allowed to scratch and Soft Paws are soft vinyl nail caps that can be glued over kitties claws for a few months at a time. Do you have kittens that are trying to climb the walls to expend some of their kitten energy? Try the Cat Climber from Kittywalk! It's "vertical high jinks for your indoor cat" - great for active kittens! catscratching.com by Dr. Schelling DVM www.catscratching.com
Why Cats Need Claws by Gary Loewenthal
www.wholecatjournal.com
Think Twice before You Declaw by Steve Dale stevedalepetworld.com
PURRFECT sisal scratching post designed by a vet...HIGHLY recommended! www.purrfectpost.com
CORNER SAVER by Cataround fits around couch corners! www.cataround.com
Super deluxe, cat nip soaked SCRATCH PADS!
www.catclaws.com
How To Build A Scratching Post from
Cats International
How To Trim Your Cat's Claws * trimming claws *
HSUS Animal Sheltering "How To Trim A Cat's Claws" www.animalsheltering.com
check out PetVideo.com's series on cat scratch training petvideo.com
Millers Forge Nail Clippers don't put pressure on paws while clipping nails.
Soft Claws * vinyl nail caps for kitty are an excellent training tool! www.softclaws.com Sticky Paws * sticky tape for your couch corners...cats's don't like that their paws touching anything sticky! www.stickypaws.com Thinking of "DECLAWING" your cat? Please read the facts about what this surgery really entails and the possible risks, complications, and physical, behavioral, and psychological consequences before doing this irreversible surgery to your cat. You never know how a cat will react to having the last digit of their toes amputated and left without their first line of defense until it is too late. Even if there were no risks to this surgery, do you really want to deprive your kitty from the physical and emotional benefits she gets from scratching with her healthy claws? If you really feel you can't live with cat claws, please consider adopting an already declawed cat ~ there are thousands of them that need homes!
* Did you know the word "declawing" is really a misnomer? The surgery actually carves out, and completely amputates, the 3rd phalanx joint bone (knuckle bone) of the cats toe including healthy tendon, nerves, and muscle. It is NOT claw removal, but last digit of the toe removal. See a recovering declaw patient lying next to the "grisly evidence of bone, claw, and fur" and real pictures of a declaw surgery ^ - - ^ taken by a vet tech.
* Did you know the possible physical risks of this amputation surgery include "excruciating pain, damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, painful regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye, and chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken." (http://maxshouse.com). Cat guardians have also reported "declaw horror stories" and more "declaw horror stories" where kitty had personality, psychological, and behavioral changes after the surgery.
* Did you know that according to some national shelter surveys and testimonies, 70% of cats that are relinquished to humane shelters with stated behavioral problems (litterbox avoidance and biting/aggressive personalities) are declawed cats?
* Did you know declawing cats is ILLEGAL in more than 20 countries? The amputation, or dismembering, of healthy bone, joint, tendons, nerves, and muscles is considered grossly inhumane and a form of animal cruelty and pet abuse in these COUNTRIES. In the United States, W. Hollywood, CA enacted a declaw ban in 2003 ~
www.adoa.org.. * Did you know The American Veterinary Medical Assoc , the American Assoc of Feline Practitioners, the American Animal Hospital Assoc, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, and the Cat Fancier Association all agree that scratching is a natural behavior for all cats and it is medically unnecessary to declaw a cat? Declawing is not intended to be a preventative or routine surgery, yet the U.S. vets turned it into a 3 million dollar a year industry and routinely encourage the surgery and cross-sell it at the time of spay/neuter, not informing their clients of the details and risks of the surgery. Amby.com ~ Declawing Issues and Alternatives
The Facts About Declawing ~ What You Need To Know
declaw.lisaviolet.com Lisa Violet's Declaw MENU
A vet's view...Dr. Christianne Schelling, DVM
You Can't Declaw with Love Dr. Paul Rowen, DVM
Declawing: A Rational Look Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM
declaw.com List of VETS WHO DO NOT DECLAW!
Declawing: Do You Really Understand What This Means?
A clearinghouse of declaw websites www.de-clawing.com
"Declaw = Detoe", Stray Pet Advocacy
"The Price Of Convenience", Best Friends Animal Society
Top 9 Reasons NOT to Declaw a Cat from About.Cats.
“Laser Declaw…is it really any better?”
^- -^ NALA's story ^- -^
www.pawproject.com,The Paw Project (501c3) promotes public awareness to the dangers of declawing. This project was founded by Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM who helped to pass the 2003
West Hollywood, CA declaw ban! In 2005, community!^..^!CATS helped launch the PAWS NEED CLAWS campaign in Cincinnati to ask the area veterinarians and cat rescues to provide education about the possible dangers and risks of declawing to cat parents who may be thinking about declawing their cat. Email us if you would like a PAWS NEED CLAWS brochure!
Take a stand against declawing too! Buy and wear an "ABOVE ALL, DON'T DECLAW" t-shirt and tell the world just how you feel! www.cafepress.com/communitycats
~^..^~~~~~~~~CAT~~~^..^~~~CARE~~~~~~^..^~ Top 9 Mistakes of New Cat Owners cats.about.com
PAWS Chicago...excellent resource! Pets Are Worth Saving
Cat Basics 101: A Beginners Guide To Being Owned by a Cat Cat Basics 101
Helping Cats and Cat Owners...need help better understanding your feline?
www.catsinternational.org
Pet Care Information Tips ~ www.animed.org
For the Love of your Cat www.cathealth.com
Vet Formula Feline Supplement www.vetsformula.com
Be PREPARED for a DISASTER ~ United Animal Nation checklist
Living with a DISABLED CAT ~ www.messybeast.com
Alternative remedies flower essences www.itsfortheanimals.com
Looking for a vet for your kitty that does House Calls (no more long car rides for kitty!)? CAT CALLS House Calls For Cats =^..^= 513-600-8191. FLEA TREATMENT ~ Frontline sold at Anderson Twp. Family Pet Center, 6666 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244 *513-231-7387*. Fully stocked pet store, Doggy Daycare, grooming & training too!
LOW COST VACCINE CLINIC for dogs and cats every Saturday provided by CAT CALLS House Calls For Cats. Call Anderson Twp Family Pet Center to schedule an appointment 513-231-7387. ~~~~LOST and FOUND~~~~help lost pets find their way back home! THINK LOST, NOT STRAY or dumped when you see a wandering animal~ do not assume that they are "stray" just because they are dirty, hungry, and exhausted. They may be hopelessly lost from home. Please check Wildwood Pet Network lost and found pet registry for Greater Cincinnati lost and found pets ~ they need your help to get back home! www.wpnpets.petfinder.com
If you find a lost animal, please list them as FOUND in the newspaper, the county humane shelters, the local police department, vet offices, and post big, bright colorful FOUND signs to help the owner find their missing pet. making LOST and FOUND signs ~ www.lostapet.org/createsign
Cincinnati Enquirer Lost and Found Registry ~ www.cincinnati.com Petfinder's Lost and Found Classifieds ~ www.petfinder.com/post/classifiedshop.html
Pets911's Lost and Found search~ www.pets911.com
Free LOST CAT EXPERTS help you find your CAT catsinthebag.org
Missing Pet Partnership ~ services and resources for lost and found pets www.lostapet.org
Professional PET PROFILING service www.catprofiler.com
ADOPTION IS FOR LIFE...yours and the animals!*~..~*! Before you adopt an animal, please read these:
"PLEDGE FOR LIFE",
written by Diane Leigh and Marilee Geyer, authors of "One at a
Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter" click on the PLEDGE FOR LIFE in the left hand column and "HOW COULD YOU?" written by Jim Willis "How Could You?" "FREE KITTUNS" written by Jim Willis "Free Kittuns"
~~~ BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS ~~~ We need you to GET INVOLVED! If you believe in a cause like Trap-Neuter-Return, spay/neuter education, the no-kill movement, banning the declawing of cats, or exposing animal cruelty, become an ADVOCATE for the animals, the voiceless. Your voice and involvement CAN and WILL make a difference. "Be the change you want to see in the world."
~ Mahatma Gandhi Join the Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Online Forum www.bestfriends.org/nmhp/forum.html Alley Cat Allies ~ Feral Cat Activist Newsletter www.alleycatallies.org The Animal Spirit works to end abuse and exploitation of sentient beings through compassionate dialogue and public outreach.
www.theanimalspirit.com "Compassion. If you have men who will exclude any of Gods creatures from shelter of
compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their
fellow men." ~ St Francis Of Assisi STRAY PET ADVOCACY...to speak for those who have no voice www.straypetadvocacy.org No Kill Solutions: putting Nathan Winograds expertise to work saving animals www.nokillsolutions.com Chained dogs...do something if you don't like it...www.dogsdeservebetter.com Animal People: News For People Who Care About Animals www.animalpeoplenews.org Kinship Circle: BEAR WITNESS. SPEAK. DEMAND. ACT.
KINSHIP CIRCLE Letter Campaigns ~ Literature ~ Action For Animals
www.kinshipcircle.org "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
---Mohandas Gandhi Thinking about adopting a shelter DOG with your new cat? Check out Sheltered Paws Rescue Sheltered Paws fosters dogs from a local humane shelter ~ check them out!
"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." ~Etienne de Grellet~OUR ADOPTABLE CAT LIST
Our Featured Pet...
Cats can get pregnant as young as 4 months old and have 4 litters a year...SPAY TODAY! 7 out of 10 cats in humane shelters will be destroyed because there are not enough homes for all of them. Help stop the breeding...NEUTER NOW!
Happy ADOPTION Tails!
Who We Are
