We’ve been doing the whole ‘rescuing’ animals things for a while and over the years we’ve learned a few things. Before I share, please realize I mean no offence to anyone and these are merely my opinions.

Firstly, the word ‘rescuing’ is in itself somewhat inappropriate. Over the years, I’ve come to see that not all animals need saving. They are perfectly content to roam and hunt, play and rest, mingle and take their chances with other less friendly cats etc. However, this natural life also leads to breeding and unwanted kittens. As a mother myself, it’s hard for me to see mummy cats being chased by amorous males and kittens, starving and ill, killed by territorial males or stray dogs. Aging toms sporting cauliflower ears and mange also pull at my heart strings. We don’t intervene to rescue them but because we can do a little something to help.

Secondly, not all animals want our help. When we first started, we idealistically imagined finding loving homes for every last cat. We soon learned that while we can neuter every animals that has the luck (or misfortune as some may see it) to cross our path, some are meant to return to the streets for either extreme fear of people or just general inability to live in close proximity with so many other cats. Before we were willing to accept what the animals wanted to teach us, we suffered stressed cats, a few noisy quarrels and sleepless nights trying to conjure money from thin air to finance our obstinance. Now, we know that we can only do so much and taking our cues from the individual cats is as important as doing the right thing.

Finally, try not to criticize what someone else is doing especially when you know their intentions are good. Unless you can do it better for them. To sit and moan is to lose hope. Every individual life means something. While I don’t recommend remortgaging your property to save one animal, common sense being a much beloved trait of mine, every little bit counts.

Hence, if every concerned person once a year, instead of bemoaning the sad fate of the starving kitten, picked it up and paid for some basic medical care, a microchip and a desexing operation (at worst spending around RM200), things would pick up pretty quickly. And if said people did this twice a year, the positive impact would be doubled. I am so positive that individuals are what will turn the tide and I wish more would get started.

If we then combine this effort with a little record keeping (say an online catalogue) we could measure our efforts and maybe even impress city councils into supporting their people and not negating our efforts by culling strays.

What can I say? I’m an optimist

Tell us a bit about yourself.

How many cats do you have and can you tell us a bit about them?

Be clear about what your expectations are, and what you can give the animal. Know that it is a lifetime commitment, and that your life from now on must factor in the needs of the animal as well as yourself. But know that given all of this, adopting an animal is one of the most soul satisfying and joyful acts in life. It is pure joy and happiness, love and comfort. It is a wonderful and humbling experience to have a sentient creature living with you and loving you.

Photo1: Milan, the boy.  Independent and very agile and focused.

Photo2: Sicily, female.  Very elegant and has the most intriguing markings.

Photo3: Vienna, female.  Typical red and white, great with kids and great temperament.

The two girls would make wonderful pets for children or a family with kids and they are playful and patient.  Milan would be happy with or without children.  All three are in great condition and we’re really hoping for some Christmas magic for them.

Nevertheless, I do have some photos and my belly can vouch for their playfullness (one literally used me as a cat tree today, sinking her sharp little kitten claws into my jeans, which was OK and then my T shirt, which was painful.  She unintentionally left several little holes in my belly).

At least he did not starve to death in a box without a mother.

What a sad start to our day….

Bagheera nursing with Erela

For those who want to help, please read it.

For those thinking of surrendering their pets, please read this.

For those who think shelters who euthanise are awful, please read this.

More Abandoned Kittens

Luckily, Erela and her kittens are (mostly) happy to share

Angel Erela

Share ah? I thought four was a crowd....

Super Mum

Hi everyone

Smokey is a rescued cat, he was left behind by his owner at a pet shop. He was full of ticks and fleas when left there. His fur were badly matted and he has been groomed short.. Good at grooming table too.He is a persian mix. Big sized cat.

He is neutered and vacinated and dewormed. He is now ready for a forever home. He is very loving, patient with small kittens and get along well with all other cats and dogs. He is a cool cat. Love to be carried and very manja.

He is around 4 yrs plus.

Anyone interested to adopt him please give me a call or email me… thanks.

Please do not sms… thank you.

regards

Smokey

molly

012 5175322

Nail Cutting

All cats should have their nails clipped, especially if they live indoors or are caged.  A cat’s nails grow constantly and they need attention every 10 days or so.  If your cat has outdoor access, then DO NOT clip the back nails.  This is so that they can climb and escape incase some dominant neighbourhood cat or rming dog decides to take an unfriendly interest in your cat.

A cat’s nail is very distinctive and you will be able to see where to clip,  Look at the picture above taken from softpaws.com and then look at your own cat’s nails.  White nails are very much easier but with pratise you will be able to do it easily and safely.  Remember to cut less rather than too much and risking cutting the quick.  That is very painful and your cat will most likely reciprocate by making you bleed too.

Combing

If you are blessed with a short haired cat, then life just got easier.  Your choices range from goats hair brushes, rubber mitts to simple metal combs.  Whatever you choose, the aim is to remove the dead hair (best done with a fine toothed metal comb or one of those rubber mitts) and then enhancing the sheen of her coat.  If you intend to bathe your cat, do this (sheen enhancing) last.

If you have chosen to take on a long haired cat, get ready to pay attention.  There are generally three types of long coat.  A cat’s coat is made up to two types of hair, a strong straight and shiny hair, usually called a guard hair or a fine fluffy and often dull type of hair commonly known as undercoat.

Most Persian type cats eem to have mostly undercoat and this type of hair requires the most work and it tangles easily and discolours too.  Comb with a wide tooth comb EVERYDAY, especially around the back legs, under the stomach and the armpits and behind their ears.  be patient as these coats are fragile and the hairs break  and tear easily.  Once you are done, reeat entire process with a finer comb.  Lift the hair in one inch clumps as the short cut way of combing the top only leads to matting underneath and a potentially matted cat.

Cat’s with a combined coat will require raking to thin out the undercoat (which is usually short) and combing with a medium toothed comb to maintain the gaurd hairs.  Maine Coons are a good example of a cat with this type of coat.  Raking also enhances their markings but don’t go overboard as removing too much undercoat can lead to a flat look coat.  Combing shuold realistically be done twice a week to prevent matting.

Some cats have long long guard hairs and not much undercoat.  These are usually Persian crosses with lots of DSH blood.  While they don’t look as glamourous, this type of coat is the easiet of all the long hairs to care for.  Just comb with a medium to fine toothed metal  comb.  As  guard hairs are more resilient, they rarely matt and tangle.  Combing serves mainly to remove dirt and debris from ther long hairs.  These cats require only weekly attention.

NOTE:  All long haired cats should use NON CLUMPING litter and NEVER CLAY.  See this excellent post by Kate Benjamin of ModernCat for more information.

Bathing

Most  cats dislike water.  Intensely.

Lots has been said about bathing cats but our advice is this.  Prepare your shampoo by diluting it with water.  Usually 1 part shampoo to 15 parts WARM water is about right.  Use more shampoo is your cat is very dirty.  This step allows you to skip the wetting the cat stage If you have a long haired cat, do not attempt to wash the hair like a humans and scrubbing it with your fingers.    Pour the shampoo on and smooth it into the coat.  Keep the hairs as straight as possible of you will tangle it up badly!  Once your cat is all lathered up (properly), then rinse.  Having someone to hold your cat while you do this is nothing to be embarassed about.  Again, use warm water on a gentle spray.  Be careful around their eyes and ears.

NOTE: Cats and dogs have skin that is more sensitive that that of newborn human babies. Sadly, most pet shampoos smell really good (to us but awful to our pets) but do not list the ingredient lists.  Furthermore, they use extremely harh surfactants like SLS which can also be used to clean barnacles of boats!  If you can, use a certified organic or natural product designed for babies on your cat (or dog).  They and the environment will thank you in the long run.  We like Buds for Baby.

Drying

Use a chamois towel to remove as much water from your cat’s coat as possible.  A chamois towel is what you use to dry your car.  The best ones are very expensive but worth every penny.  This step really reduces the trauma of blow drying.  If you have a short haired cat, then you can get away with leaving her to her own devices after a good pat down with this type of towel.

However, a long haired cat should be placed in a carrier and then blow dried on COOL setting.  This can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour depending on the profuseness of the coat, the thickness fo the undercoat and how thorough you were with the chamois towel.

NOTE: When using the towel, do not rub your cat like a child.  Pat and squeeze gently but never rub as you risk damaging the hairs or worse, getting it tangled!

I hope this helps.  And remember each cat is individual.  Some hate bathing but allow nail clipping.  Some are OK with their nails being handled but cannot abide water.  Project calm assertive energy and be firm but gentle.  Start as young as posible and be confident.  We’ve bathed over 300 different cats and have only had to sedate on and turn 5 away.  Pretty good going.  And Olly and I have luckily escaped with only a few scrathes and a couple of nips. So far

My conclusion is that if you need to deal with your cat’s toilet while pregnant, just wash your hands afterwards and you’ll be fine.  And having cats cannot prevent/delay/affect conception.

Toxoplasmosis and Human Pregnancy

What is the Risk to an Unborn Child?

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A human with an acute Toxoplasma infection experiences varying degrees of illness: fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle stiffness, joint pain, swollen liver, and spleen (manifested as a sore upper abdomen). These symptoms may be so mild as to go unnoticed. Illness lasts 1 to 12 weeks and is often dismissed as a bad cold or mononucleosis.

However, if the person infected is a pregnant woman, the Toxoplasma organism may cross the placenta. The amount of damage done depends on the stage of pregnancy at the time of infection. Infection in early pregnancy may result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Infection in early pregnancy may result in a child with varying degrees of blindness (due to inflamed retina) and/or various severe neurological conditions including hydrocephalus, microcephaly, and retardation. Sometimes problems are not evident at birth and show up late in life.

Fortunately, only 30% to 40% of infections in pregnant women result in damage to the fetus.

The problems described above occur only when someone is infected with Toxoplasma for the first time; that is, a person who has already had the infection is not likely to get sick again nor is she likely to transmit the organism to an unborn child. (It is estimated that one third of the U.S. population has already had toxoplasmosis.) In general, people who do experience more than one acute episode are severely immunosuppressed (as from AIDS or cancer therapy.)

How do People get this Disease?

There are two basic forms of toxoplasma organism: the oocyst, which is shed in the cat feces, and the Toxoplasma tissue stages, which live in the flesh of such food animals as hogs and lambs. A person who inadvertently eats either of these forms of Toxoplasma is liable to become infected.

If my Cat has Toxoplasma, won’t he be Obviously Sick?

Not necessarily. The form of infection which is contagious to humans is the intestinal form in which the cat sheds oocysts in its feces. The cat may or may not show diarrhea.

Cats may experience an acute illness similar to that which humans experience, however, in adults cats, symptoms are usually mild and go unnoticed. This form of infection is not contagious to humans, though a pregnant cat could transmit the disease to her kittens.

How is my Cat a Risk to me?

The cat has probably been over-emphasized as a carrier of toxoplasma; most human infections result from eating tissue stages of Toxoplasma in undercooked meat.

Usually a cat will only shed oocysts after the first infection of Toxoplasma; a cat that has already had a toxoplasma infection usually will not re-shed the oocysts unless its immune system has been compromised (as through the feline leukemia virus infection or drugs.) Cats shedding oocysts generally do so for 5 to 14 days.

Oocysts require 24 to 48 hours to sporulate; that is, grow into a form which is dangerous to people. For this reason, the cat’s litter box should be changed daily or twice daily. Dangerous oocysts when gardening. Note that freezing weather will not reliably kill dangerous oocysts in soil nor will freezing meat kill the dangerous tissue forms.

Your cat may be tested to see if he/she has already had toxoplasmosis; a cat that has already been infected is unlikely to shed dangerous oocysts in the future.

Can I “catch” toxoplasmosis from my cat?

Because cats only shed the organism for a few days in their entire life, the chance of human exposure is small. Owning a cat does not mean you will be infected with the disease. It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat, because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. It is also unlikely that you can become infected through cat bites or scratches. In addition, cats kept indoors that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat are not likely to be infected with T. gondii.

People are much more likely to become infected through eating raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables than from handling cat feces.

How are people infected with Toxoplasma gondii?

Contact with oocyst-contaminated soil is probably the major means by which many different species-rodents, ground-feeding birds, sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle, as well as humans living in developing countries-are exposed to Toxoplasma gondii. In the industrialized nations, most transmission to humans is probably due to eating undercooked infected meat, particularly lamb and pork. People also become infected by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. The organism can sometimes be present in some unpasteurized dairy products, such as goat’s milk. Toxoplasma gondii can also be transmitted directly from pregnant woman to unborn child when the mother becomes infected during pregnancy.

There are two populations at high risk for infection with Toxoplasma gondii; pregnant women and immunodeficient individuals. Congenital infection is of greatest concern in humans. About one-third to one-half of human infants born to mothers who have acquired Toxoplasma during that pregnancy are infected. The vast majority of women infected during pregnancy have no symptoms of the infection themselves. The majority of infected infants will show no symptoms of toxoplasmosis at birth, but many are likely to develop signs of infection later in life. Loss of vision, mental retardation, loss of hearing, and death in severe cases, are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis in congenitally infected children.

In immunodeficient people-those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., for cancer or organ transplantation) or those with an immunosuppressive disease such as AIDS-enlargement of the lymph nodes, ocular and central nervous-system disturbances, respiratory disease, and heart disease are among the more characteristic symptoms. In these patients-especially those with AIDS-relapses of the disease are common, and the mortality rate is high. In the past, immunodeficient people and pregnant women were advised to avoid cats. However, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now advises that this is not necessary.

What can I do to prevent toxoplasmosis?

There are several general sanitation and food safety steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming infected with Toxoplasma:

• Do not eat raw or undercooked meat. Meat should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F for 20 minutes.
• Do not drink unpasteurized milk.
• Do not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables.
• Wash hands and food preparation surfaces with warm soapy water after handling raw meat.
• Wear gloves when gardening. Wash hands after gardening.
• Wash hands before eating (especially for children).
• Keep children’s sandboxes covered.
• Do not drink water from the environment unless it is boiled.
• Do not feed raw meat or undercooked meat to cats. Also, do not give them unpasteurized milk.
• Do not allow cats to hunt or roam.
• Do not allow cats to use a garden or children’s play area as their litter box.
• Remove feces from the litter box daily and clean with boiling or scalding water.
• Pregnant women, and persons with suppressed immune systems, should not clean the litter box.
• Control rodent populations and other potential intermediate hosts.

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