The Scratching Post

Rogue

So many wonderful cats were adopted last month, but I can hardly think of two cats more deserving of a loving home and some serious R&R than Rogue and Ravi.

Rogue and Ravi each resided at Tree House for five years, which is surprising considering how funny and affectionate they are. Unfortunately, it can often take much longer to find homes for cats with special needs. Both Rogue and Ravi are positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), a kitty virus that can weaken their immune systems. FIV+ cats can live long, healthy lives when well cared for- just ask Rogue and Ravi who are each estimated by our veterinarian to be at least ten years old and showing no signs of slowing down. Anyone familiar with Rogue and Ravi know how eager they are for attention. As an adoption counselor, I especially appreciated how quick they both were to crawl into potential adopters’ laps as if they understood they were essentially auditioning for a home. Ravi would often jump into the carrier meant for another cat to go home in as if to say, “I’m ready to go anywhere with you!” I would hate shooing him out of the carrier so that I could put a different cat in it.  Sadly, over time I began noticing that both boys had given up working potential adopters and would watch from the sidelines as other cats found their forever homes. Happily, however, that all changed last month when the sweetest woman I’ve ever met decided to give them a home.

Ravi

Rogue and Ravi’s human mamma reports that the boys are doing great and are obviously enjoying being house cats. In a recent email their adopter sent us, she wrote, “Rogue is totally in his element- very confident, outgoing, and constantly playful…Ravi is doing well and is affectionate- the very first night he jumped on my bed and slept closely to me, and he loves to sit on my or my boyfriend’s lap for hours.” Rogue and Ravi are even getting along great with her other cat at home, a sweet girl adopted from Tree House five years prior. In the words of their adopter, “The three of them now often sleep close to each other on my bed or on the couch.” It is clear that just as Ravi and Rogue were fortunate to find their adopter, she was fortunate to find them.

Pimento is the sweetest little brown tabby cat in the whole world. Everyone who visits Tree House is greeted by her cute quack of a meow as she eagerly sits up in her basket upon the counselor’s desk. Even though she seems relatively happy with the little notch she’s carved out for herself on the front desk, we all know she misses having a home of her own. Pimento was returned to Tree House due to no fault of her own over a year ago with a pink basket that her former owner explained was her favorite place to sleep. Poor Pimento was a wreck after being returned to the shelter until adoption counselors started spoiling her by keeping her special bed on the front desk. After Pimento settled into her little world upon the desk she began to feel more confident at the shelter, but often we find another cat in her basket and little Pims curled up in a corner. But Pimento is such a gentle, sweet-natured girl it doesn’t take much more than a scratch on the head and a silly song to lift her spirits. Last night I sang her that great old Roger Miller song, King of the Road, retooling the lyrics as I went along to make them more Pims friendly. If you want to see a cat smile from ear to ear try singing the following Pims friendly version of King of the Road to her. Go ahead; don’t feel silly…this is Tree House not American Idol.

Join Tree House for the first ever Bucktown edition of Angels with Tails this Sunday, August 22nd!  There will be a number of Tree House Spokescats and Kittens available for adoption at Riley, a local boutique who will be hosting us.

Angels with Tails is sponsored by PAWS Chicago; it’s an event that teams up local businesses with rescue groups to forge community alliances and to increase awareness about the plight that homeless cats and dogs face, all the while promoting adoptions!

There will be an open house at the Bucktown Branch, 1629 N. Ashland Ave, from 12-4pm alongside the event.  Please stop by for an afternoon snack and tour of the shelter!

To find out more about Angels with Tails click here.

It seems as though summer just started, yet it’s already August and the days are getting shorter and shorter. The sun still shone brightly on Tree House this July. Forty nine Tree House cats were adopted last month including a number of adorable pairs of cats which is always fun to see.

Let’s hear it for the girls of summer!

Franny

Sissy

Franny and Sissy are loving, beautiful and bonded sisters who were returned to Tree House before being adopted together again in July. Tree House adoption counselors try very hard to keep siblings or bonded pairs of cats together, but sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances splitting up families becomes necessity. Franny and Sissy had been through so much together however, never wavering in their mutual affection. The whole adoption staff was committed to keeping the sisters together against any odds. It can be difficult finding homes for pairs of adult cats, but happily it didn’t take too long for a great adopter to fall in love with the sweet sisters. A Tree House volunteer sat across from the girl’s adopter at a restaurant recently and they got to gabbing about Franny and Sissy. Their adopter couldn’t stop talking about how much she loves them and how happy they seem to be in a home together.

I was camping in Turkey Run State Park the last weekend of July, so was surprised to find that Currie and Jacoby, two cats I thought had never met, were adopted as a pair while I was away. Turns out a couple of rough and tumble brown tabby boys had been picking on skinny little Jacoby so the clinic relocated her to another colony where she and Currie hit it off instantly. Jacoby and Currie must make the prettiest little pair, they’re both so petite and girlish-I would have loved to see them together. Apparently they charmed visitors as well because they were adopted as a pair almost immediately. Looks like Jacoby doesn’t have to worry about those brown tabby boys no more.

The boys of summer

Otter Bear

Henry Socks

Speaking of those rough and tumble brown tabby boys, none other than our very own Henry Socks and Otter Bear, were adopted into a fun loving family last weekend as well. While Henry Socks and Otter Bear played a little too rough for Jacoby the boys are a perfect match for each other. The boys love to wrestle and romp, I refer to them as Clash of the Titans. I just know their new family is going to love sharing their lives with such rough and tumble brown tabby boys.

Tree House makes a special point of adopting all kittens as pairs unless the adopter already has a compatible cat companion at home. Kittens have such an abundance of energy and require so much attention that they often develop behavior issues if left alone without a companion to aide in their development. Besides if there’s one thing cuter than one kitten it’s two kittens. Every summer Tree House adopts out countless cuddly kitten pairs, but there is nothing Tree House staff and volunteers like as much as keeping siblings together. On that note my favorite kitten adoption of July has to be the rock and roll brothers, Geddy Lee and Steve Perry. We’d often find Geddy Lee and Steve Perry napping together, purring loudly with their paws wrapped around each other. It’s great to know that bonded brothers will get to grow up together in a loving home.

A life without love is like a year without summer, and if one thing is sure,  summer is in full swing here at the Bucktown Branch, and love is in the air!

Ten amazing cats found their forever homes in July.

Fouzia and Rouletta were the perfect match for their adopter, who came in looking to offer a home and some solace to cats that have been overlooked.  Fouzia is just about the most affectionate and agreeable cat, and had expressed a real affinity for Rouletta, another very sweet and mild mannered girl, who is very cat-friendly, but shy with new people.  They were frequently cuddling and grooming each other, and when their adopter came in looking for a pair of cats, these two fit the bill.  She was also open to the idea of helping a shy cat like Rouletta learn to feel comfortable with her.

Snuggle Fest

Since they’ve been home both girls have really taken to their adopter and are happy as can be. They really seem to have helped each other blossom and we couldn’t have hoped for a better ending for them both!

We are also happy to report that two of our FIV+ cats, Ricky and Engywook, are both happy and well-adjusted in their forever homes as we speak.  Ricky was adopted by a gentleman who shared the same name, which seemed like an omen to bring him home!  He was taken with Ricky’s quiet, laid back affection and wanted to give a cat a chance that is otherwise overlooked.  Ricky is now well-adjusted and getting along with his new human.

Engy & Ricky became friends as they awaited their forever homes

Engywook, another handsome FIV+ boy also went home in July.  He is now living it up right around the corner from the Bucktown Branch and his family is simply head over heels for him!  He is comfortable owning the space in his home, and each morning he gently approaches his adopter and affectionately paws at her face!  She loves that.  Engywook will be surely remain pampered for many years

Another sweet pair of cats that went home were sisters Aida & Alma.   Their adopters were charmed by the simple sweetness of both girls, and liked how well they balanced each others’ personalities.  Aida was a spunkier, more energetic version of her sister, who often wanted nothing more than a lap to curl up on.  It’s been a nearly a week since they’ve gone home, and we are sure that both of them are enjoying their new frontier!

Aida (front) & Alma (back) are a sweet pair!

Other cats that found forever homes in July were Ravenswood, a friendly already-declawed male, Gary a quirky little guy who was rescued from a farm in the suburbs, and Zwena a zweetheart of a cat who loved laps and being brushed.  So far, reports are good and everyone is happy and healthy in their homes!

For now, we will continue to celebrate summer while we can- with sun drenched days and starlit nights- and many kitty cats to help us enjoy it!

-Olga S.

As a self-proclaimed cat-lover, I’ll be the first to agree that cats are some of the smartest animals, and that they can interpret a human’s mood and feelings.  They often have interesting behaviors that keep us entertained and interested in really knowing whats going on in their furry little heads.

Here is a brief list of interesting facts about cats that may surprise you! Read through through them and you will quite possibly be amazed by these lesser known facts about our furry friends!

DID YOU KNOW:

-The cat was seen as a sacred animial in ancient Eqypt, and the history of domestic cats dates back to as early as 8000 years.

-The biggest breed of domesticated cats are called a Maine Coon cat and can weigh up to 25 lbs.

-The average cat sleeps between 12-14 hours a day.

-White cats with blue eyes are quite often born deaf.

-Cat urine glows in the dark if a black light is shined on it. This is a good way to detect cat urine in your home.

-Organic Catnip is more potent than commercial catnip.

-The word for Cat is Chat in French, Gato in Spanish, Neko in Japanese, Katze in German, and Gatto in Italian.

- As a cat drinks water, he/she uses the tiny barbs on their tongue to scoop up the water backwards to swallow.

Thanks to Tufts University’s Catnip Newsletter for these interesting Catnip Tips, along with this interesting site!

…Still interested?  Check out these Cat World Records!

Oldest Living Cat

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest living cat is a Burmese called Kataleena Lady who lives in Melbourne, Australia. Kataleena Lady was born on March 11th, 1977.

Oldest Cat on Record

The oldest living cat was Creme Puff of Austin Texas. Born on August 3rd 1967, Creme Puff celebrated her 38th birthday in August 2005.

Heaviest cat

Himmy who lived in Cairns, Queensland, is the heaviest recorded cat, weighing in at a staggering 46.8lbs! Himmy, a tabby died at the age of 10 of respiratory failure

As of February 2003, there is a new contender for the world’s heaviest cat. Five year old Katy, who lives in Russia reportedly weighs 44lbs. Katy’s owners had hoped to have her recognised as the world’s heaviest cat with the Guinness Book of Records; however they are no longer accepting  nominations in this category as they don’t want to encourage pet owners to overfeed their animals. (We here at Tree House agree that this was a wise move on GBR’s part!)

Lightest Cat

The world’s smallest cat is a Blue Point Himalayan by the name of Tinker Toy from the USA. Tinker Toy was just 2 ¾” tall (at the shoulder) & 7 ½” long (about the size of a check book).   Tinker toy weighed 1lb & 8oz. Tinker Toy was featured in an article in the August 31, 1993 issue of National Enquirer. If anybody has a copy of this magazine I would love to hear from you!  Sadly, Tinker Toy passed away in November 1997.

Smallest Cat

Mr Peebles, a 2 year old domestic cat of Central Illinois holds the Guinness Book of World Records award for the smallest living cat. Weighing in around 3lbs he is 6.1 inches high. Apparently his small stature is due to a genetic defect.

Cat with the most toes

Eighteen toes is the normal number for cats. A five year old boy from Ontario, Canada is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the most toes. Jake has a total of 27!

Cats with more than the “normal” number of toes are called Polydactyl. Poly comes from the Greek word “polys” which means many or more than one. Dactyl also comes from the Greek word “daktylos” or finger. Polydactyl’s are also known as Hemingway cats.

The Largest Pet Litter

On 7th August, 1970, a four year old Burmese called Tarawood Antigone, who was owned by Valerie Gane of Oxfordshire, UK, gave birth to nineteen kittens. The surviving fifteen kittens consisted of 1 female & 14 males.

Longest Non Fatal Fall

Andy, who was owned by a Florida Senator by the name of Ken Myer holds the world record for the longest non fatal fall. Andy fell from the 16th floor (200 feet) of an apartment building.

Most Cats

Jack & Donna Wright of Kingston, Ontario made their way to the Guinness Book of Records for having the highest number of cats. According to the Guinness Book of Records they have 689 cats.

Wow! What a bunch of  statistics! We just may win the award for most interesting blog >^..^<

-Olga S.

Before my cats and I lived with Patty the dog I was under the assumption that cats and dogs do not get along like many people who grew up watching cartoons. To my surprise my cats quickly adjusted to life in the dog house. It was actually easier to introduce a dog into my household than a new cat. The Dr., Luna, Runabout and Bucko correctly assessed that dogs are large, lumbering, graceless creatures with the misfortune to have not been born cats, thus lesser beings. Patty was happy to let Dr. rule with an iron claw and sometimes cuddled and frolicked with the other cats. Runabout and Luna loved to lie down beside Patty, nuzzling and smelling her stinky feet.

Patty was rescued as a stray, but we were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to get to know her over the course of many months because she was a patient at the school where my cousin was getting her veterinary technician degree. Before we brought Patty home I was able to observe her in the clinic interacting with cats on many occasions. On every occasion Patty was gentle, indifferent and even submissive to cats. We were fairly confident that Patty was going to be safe around the kitties at home, but since most dogs have the ability to harm or even kill cats we carefully followed Tree House guidelines for introducing dogs to cats. Patty and her person live in Wheaton now and sometimes despite what I learned watching cartoons as a kid, I think my cats miss her or at least her smelly feet.

How To Introduce Your New Dog to Your Resident Cat

Dogs and cats can usually live together peacefully, although creating a harmonious “blended family” requires some planning, patience, and careful guidance on your part. In some cases your dog and cat will become best friends (see picture, above). Some dogs unfortunately will be too dangerous for your cat, and one of the most important points of this article is that you need to recognize when this is the case.  This sheet specifically is about introducing a new dog to a resident cat; a separate (though similar) sheet will talk about introducing a new cat to a dog.

Before the Introduction

You will have better chance of success if:

Your dog is a puppy. A puppy who grows up with a cat is likely to see the cat as part of the pack.

You will have less chance of success if:

Your dog has an aggressive or predatory nature. An aggressive dog can seriously injure or kill a cat.

Your cat is a small kitten, or is declawed, handicapped, or elderly.  A kitten can be injured by an overly playful dog. Declawed, older, or handicapped cats are less equipped to defend themsleves.

Preparation steps – important!

Get to know your dog and cat well. Be able to interpret their body language and sense their moods.

Your dog should be well-trained, and respond to commands to come, stay, and sit. ö You should also know how to blend mild discipline and positive redirection to gently influence your cat’s behavior.

Do not proceed with the introduction until you have completed the steps in this section.

The Introduction

Beforehand, exercise your dog and feed him a nice meal; put him in a relaxed mood.

Put your dog on a short leash or in his crate. ö Put your cat in her carrier if she’s a scaredy-cat by nature; otherwise let her walk around. Be armed with lots of treats for good behavior.

Let dog and cat check each other out at a distance. Pet and talk to your dog soothingly. It’s not time for dog to approach cat just yet. Give your dog and cat some treats and praise as rewards.

If your dog bolts toward your cat, correct him with the leash. If he shows any signs of excessive excitability, calm him. If this doesn’t do the trick, cut the visit short and try again later.

Repeat these short visits several times a day, gradually giving your dog more leash as appropriate.

Do not move to the next phase until you have several consecutive days of incident-free visits in which both animals demonstrate to your satisfaction that they are comfortable with each other.

Proceed with Caution

Once your dog and cat consistently get along during leashed visits, you’re ready for the next step. Take your dog off the leash, and supervise the two closely. If you see problems, and they don’t abate with a few simple voice commands, back up to the previous phase for a few days. Gradually make the no-leash sessions longer. Do not leave the cat and dog alone until you’re sure they’re both fully comfortable with each other and there will be no trouble.

Make sure your cat has places she can jump to for safety. Make some private space in your home for each animal. Use cat doors or baby gates if practical, as well as gentle discipline and rewards to enforce the rules. Keep kitty’s litter box and food bowl out of your dog’s reach. Now relax and give these guys some hugs.

When it Doesn’t Work Out

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, it wasn’t meant to be. Some dogs are simply too dangerous to be around cats (occasionally the reverse is true). If your gut is telling you that this isn’t working out, respect that message. The humane thing to do in this case is contact the shelter or breeder so that you can find a good cat-free home for the dog. In the interim, keep dog and cat separated and give them both lots of love.

In the tradition of Beezie Week, we will be bringing you Nostradamus Week come the second week of August 2010. It will be Nost-tastic. Nostradamus has resided at our shelter since September 2006. He developed skin allergies and some potentially stress related issues like vomiting some time after and has been living in the clinic office where he receives a special all wet food diet.

He’s a back-flipping, stubby tail wagging, moose of a cat with a surprisingly sensitive and contemplative side. Nostradamus likes other cats, in fact he’s been putting up with play dates with a lonely kitten, yet we feel he would be equally happy as an only cat.

Adoption Counselors are now soliciting fun, wacky, outrageous, gimmicky ways to promote Nostradamus Week. Beezie Week was such a success it only lasted one day! Even though we were thrilled she found a home so quickly, I must confess adoption counselors were a little bit bummed because we had so much planned for Beezie Week. If you recall there was a Beezie boutique, Beezie balm, Beezie bubbles, Beezie trivia and Beezie giveaways, but my personal favorite was Beezie brand beans.

Help adoption counselors find Nostradamus a home before the first week of September. Not only will September mark Nostradamus’ four year anniversary at Tree House, but a long time employee is leaving the state and needs to know Nostradamus is in a good home before she leaves. I think every one of us involved with Tree House can relate to having a special cat that you just wish you could take home, but we can’t adopt them all…Finding Nostradamus a home would be the greatest parting gift to someone who has served a tenure taking care of Tree House cats.

If you have any suggestions to help make Nostradmus Week a success please feel free to tell a counselor in person, telephone, email or leave a comment to this post.

It’s always exciting to hear from our adopters about how well the cats they took home are doing, and especially when they send photos our way!  We thought it would be fun to share some of our follow up photos here on our blog. All of the cats in this post were adopted from our Bucktown Branch, but some of them also lived at Uptown for some time.  Check ‘em out!

Almond & Pocket, kitten siblings recently adopted

BFF! The kittens in this litter were quite shy upon arrival, but now look at them!

Rhubarb

Rhubarb was another kitten from the litter mentioned above. Such a sweety!

Rhubarb (now named Harrison) and his new sister Stella, have become fast friends.  Stella has taken him under her wing, and they groom each other, cuddle, and play constantly.

Guppy

Guppy, now aptly named Lovesparkles, is a sweet treat of a cat. She may look like a kitten, but she’s actually over a year old now and living happily!

Beautiful Bridesmaid (now named Elle) was abandoned on the doorstep of the headquarters with a number of cats. She and her friends were on the shy side, but now that she’s in a home, she has totally blossomed. She is affectionate and playful

Bridesmaid (Elle)

Dottie was a darling if I’ve ever met one!  She was adopted just over a year ago, and is well adjusted and happy in her new home!  Her new name is Zoey and her dad loves her very much.  She is a loyal and sweet companion.

A bit dark, but look at that pose!

Jairis (son) & Fluff (mom)

Jairis and his mom, Fluff, were adopted together over a year and a half ago and are getting along splendidly!  They are clearly a bonded couple of cats, and Fluff (a semi shy resident) has really come out of her shell over time

Glimmer is as silly as she is sweet.  After living at Tree House for nearly four years, she has found her forever home with a very nice young woman who loved her personality and really wanted to help out a cat in need.  Glimmer was one of our FIV+ residents, which tend to be overlooked.

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates about our adopted cats!  It’s always fun to see and hear how well they are doing in their new homes, and we are excited to be able to share the news.  Thanks to everyone who has worked towards helping our cats make it this far!

Even though my cats enjoy basking in the sun or lying on radiator covers until their fur is hot to the touch, extremely hot and humid conditions leave them sprawled out on the wood floor like rugs. I do my best to keep them safe and healthy during the hottest days of summer without the aid of air conditioning. I keep the lights in the apartment dim, run ceiling fans and provide plenty of fresh water. ASPCA provides great hot weather tips for house cats while Alley Cat Allies offers important summer weather tips for feral colony caregivers to consider.

The ASPCA asserts that even healthy cats can suffer during excessive heat, but older or overweight kitties and those suffering from heart or lung disease are most at risk and would benefit from air conditioning when the temperatures rise. It is always mandatory that pets have access to fresh water, but even more so during the summer months. I’ve added a bowl of water to almost every room in my apartment this summer and change them often as I know my cats will be more likely to drink water if it is fresh. Feeding wet food is great for hydration as well. I’ve noticed my cats tend to graze a little less on dry food during extreme heat so I feed them double portions of wet food which they always appreciate.

The ASPCA also advises pet owners to take special precaution testing the durability of screens if windows are gong to be open and never open any windows without screens. During warmer months ASPCA warns that there is an increase in injuries and even death occurring from cats falling out of windows that lack or contain faulty screens. Even if cats are not directly injured falling out of windows they may become lost and possibly never found. A good friend of Tree House actually almost lost her cat after he fell out of a faulty screen while she was at work, broke his leg and was brought to Tree House as a stray. Even though her cat spent months recovering from his injuries, she still counts herself lucky that her cat was found at all. Many house cats, especially ones who suffer an injury will crawl off to impossibly secluded hiding spots and die rather than be found.

Alley Cat Allies wants to remind colony caregivers that outdoor cats face special challenges during warmer months as well. Insects are particularly troubling in the heat so it is recommended that caregivers be diligent about picking up uneaten food after thirty minutes and keep clean feeding stations. To thwart insects Alley Cat Allies has a list of suggestions online including surrounding food bowls with a ring of baking soda or placing food bowls on a tray filled with a half inch of water. Food and water stations should ideally be in shaded areas to help prevent water from evaporating. Just like your kitties indoors it is important to put out extra water for colony cats during summer months to encourage them to drink more.

Lastly Alley Cat Allies wants caretakers to remember to take special precaution if trapping cats in excessive heat. Make sure cats are not left in traps too long as they can die from heat stroke or become sick and needlessly stressed. It is also advised to not trap on surfaces that become very warm in the sun like concrete. Trap in cooler, shaded areas as much as possible and keep in mind that the metal from the trap can absorb heat from the sun and even burn cats if they are left in them too long.

Hope you and your pets enjoy a safe, healthy and happy summer. Please check out Alley Cat Allies and ASPCA online for more hot weather tips.