Hey everypawdy, it’s me, RaenaBelle. It’s World Spa Day. WooHooooooo Sissy, does that mean we should get massages and fur treatments and pawdicures?
Continue reading “Chatting Cats: Tell All Tuesday: World Spa Day…No, Spay Day”
Tag: #Spay/Neuter
Service Cats: You Asked We Answered
MeOW Welcome one and all to Service Cats and Everything Feline on Furidays. Step right up and get your every question answered. No tickets or green papers required. MOL Me’s just havin’ a little fun with ya’ today. But seriously, today is the day we try to answer questions asked by you, our furiends and readers ‘bout Trainin’, Health, Behavior and Anything and Everythin’ else. Mommy says that all kitty’s, just like children are much happier with a little bit of Training. We know not every kitty out there is going to be a Service Cat, but every kitty out there should be a well behaved and well luvved family member. And, that’s where these post come in handy. Ifin you’ve missed any posts in the series you can ketch up by clickin’ Training Tips and Everything Feline on our Menu above. You’ll find links to all relevant posts there as well as a contact form to submit your own questions or topic suggestions. You can also ask your questions in the comment section of this or any Service Cat post. Let’s get the business outta the way and get on with today’s topic.
The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Everything Feline. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
We often get asked questions that don’t require a whole post, or a variation of questions we’ve already written about. If we’ve already written about a topic and there’s nothing new to add or expound on, we will direct the asker of said questions to the previously written post(s). Please don’t think we’re not taking your question seriously. We take all your questions seriously and expect you to take our response seriously as well. If we’re sending you links it’s because we don’t have anything new to offer.
Anyways, here’s a question mommy A gets at least once a month. “Do you Train other people’s cats/dogs/etc.?” The answer is Yes and No. Mommy used to hold Training classes when she was involved with a Rescue group and lived in a larger city. She has done one on one in home Training when asked. Of course, we live in an area now where people don’t regularly teach their dogs to sit, so there’s not much call for advanced Training and certainly none for Cat Training. That being said, we’d be happy to come to you to assist in Training your beloved anipal; but the cost of travel, lodging and a meal a day would be your responsibility. Depending on the tasks you’re seeking to Train, you may be able to find a Trainer locally. Often times you can find Trainers thru your VET, the shelter or pet stores.
We’re asked a variation of these questions on at least one of our social media sites weekly: “How can you have Service Cats when the ADA says they can’t be? Where did you get your Service Cats?” First and foremost, the ADA does not say Cats can’t be Service Animals; they just don’t recognize them as such. If you’ve read Shad’s story you’ll know that mommy happened to have a cat at the time of her accident who Trained herself. Mommy then took what Shad did and developed Training Techniques to Train other cats. As for where mommy’s Service Cats come from…all have been rescued from one situation or another. There is no specific breed that makes a better Service Cat. And, other than Shad, mommy has Trained each cat herself.
The last question we’re going to address today is about implants. Yes, we actually mentioned those neuter implants the other day because we received a question about them. The question was: “How do you feel about ear cropping, tail docking and the surgeries required to correct floppy ears and other aesthetics for animals? Do you think my male cat would spray if he had implants after his neuter?” That’s kind of a loaded question. We’ll admit there’s nothing quite so intimidating as the look of a cropped, docked Doberman or Pitty; but who is that for? Yes, a floppy eared long tailed dobie isn’t quiet as menacing as his cropped counterpart, but he/she is still the same dog. Humans are so concerned about aesthetics that they often do things to animals that isn’t medically necessary and can cause major health issues.
The neutered cat or dog doesn’t really miss his testicles. Removing the testicles also removes the high production of testosterone. It’s the testosterone that causes a male to mark/spray and not the testicles themselves. The implants don’t actually produce hormones of any kind, so one would assume there wouldn’t be any spraying. But, there is absolutely no need for Fido or Fluffy to have implants. Often times those cropped ears have cartilage breaking resulting in a floppy ear and require further surgeries and implants to make them stand up straight. None of these surgeries are medically necessary for the health and wellbeing of the animal in question. We realize that breed standards may call for these procedures, but that doesn’t make them right. People should concern themselves with the health and well being of the animals and worry a lot less about their appearance. Please spay and neuter your pets. They’re much happier and healthier, and skip the implants.
Well there’s really no Training Tips involved in today’s post, but we do hope we’ve answered these purrticular questions to your satisfaction. These are only our opinions. We have a great post planned for next week about Planning For Kitty’s Future without you. Do you have any purrticular questions about this subject you’d like answered? What kinds of concerns do you have? Do you have a plan already in place? Don’t furget, you can ketch up on any post in this series by clickin’ on Training Tips and Everything Feline on our menu above. Purrlease leave your questions or topic suggestions in the comments below or send us an email via our Contact page. When asking behavioral questions, purrlease be as specific as pawssible. We’re also linkin’ up with Comedy Plus fur Feline Furiday.
Till the next time………………………………………Be Blest!!!
Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses
Deztinee and RaenaBelle
Service Cats: What Age Should Kitty Be Altered & Preparing For A Trip To The VET
MeOW We’re late, we’re late fur a very impurrtant date!!! Welcome to Service Cats and Everything Feline on Furidays. And welcome to all our new followers. We say you’re only a visitor once. After that, you’re family. We open this post each week to give you Trainin’ Tips and answer all your questions. So, ifin there’s anythin’ you’ve been wonderin’ ‘bout, just ask. Your questions can be ‘bout health, behavior, Trainin’, or anythin’ else you wanna ask. Nopawdy knows everythin’. And ifin we don’t have an answer, we’ll find one fur ya’. You can ask via the comments below or by sendin’ us a private email via our Contact Page. Purr requests, we’re no longer statin’ who asked the question. But, there is no dumb question, everypawdy needs help sometime. You can ketch up on all the posts in this series by clickin’ Training Tips and Everything Feline from our menu bar. So, let’s get the business outta the way and get this pawrty started.
The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Everything Feline. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.
So, we’re going to tackle a couple of questions today because they kind of go hand in hand. Here’s the questions: What age should kitty be spayed or neutered?, And: My kitty hates going out in the car/My kitty gets really stressed when he/she has to go to the VET, what can I do to make it easier on him/her?
Regardless of kitty’s age or background, they can be Trained. A really skittish kitty may always be a little fearful, but even they can learn to be calmer and less stressed. And, in the end, that’s all we can ask of them. We gave you Training Tips and Tricks on Harness and Leash Training here. There are numerous reasons to Train kitty to be comfortable with going out/riding in the car. We’ll be covering more of this in a future post. Anyways, we live in something called Tornado Alley; meaning a tornado could appear and wipe out everything in it’s path. Many of you live in areas that could flood or have the ground beneath you quake and open up. Regardless of weather, there are many natural disasters that could occur making it necessary for kitty to have to leave the home and ride in a car. So, Harness and Leash Training are always a good idea. You should always secure kitty inside their carrier with any provided tethers, or by clasping the leash to a zipper, handle or carrier grate. This step will ensure that kitty doesn’t escape even if they manage to get their carrier open. The last thing you need is a scared kitty running loose in an unfamiliar place possibly surrounded by unfamiliar people/other anipals.
We highly recommend keeping kitty familiar with going out throughout their lives. We also recommend taking kitty to places other than the VET. Think about it, if the only place you ever went when you went for a ride in the car was to some place you didn’t like, how eager would you be to continue to go? So often kitties only go out when they need to visit the VET. Even the calmest of kitties will eventually get a little stressed out by these outings. Our prayer would be that no kitty ever got sick or needed regular doctor’s visits, but the reality is that as kitty ages VET visits become more frequent. And, since we can’t all live in areas that have VETs that make house calls, a kitty that’s comfortable going out makes those visits much less stressful for all involved.
Me thinks me’ll take a little nap in here.
Remember, kitty also feeds off your emotions. More than a few times we’ve heard, “My cat seems to know I need to take them to the VET.” The answer is, of course we know. We’ve already felt your stress about having to corral us into our carrier and make the drive while listening to us sing the song of our people. Take control of your own emotions and start sending “positive vibes” instead of nervousness or stress. No matter how small your home may be, we recommend leaving kitty’s carrier/stroller out at all times. The more comfortable kitty is with their carrier/stroller, the less stressed they’ll be when you close them up in it. You should make closing kitty in their carrier a game you play off and on throughout their lives. Once kitty is in their carrier, calmly close it up for just a few minutes at a time. Once kitty is comfortable with this, start taking kitty out to the car and drive around the block and back home again. You can eventually make these trips longer and longer. And remember, all trips in the car shouldn’t end up at the VETs. We often go through the drive thru at the bank, just to say hey to the tellers in the windows. We’ve also gone with mommy to buy gas. We stay in the car while she pumps the gas and then we either go inside with her to pay or go thru the drive thru window. Again, we’ll cover more of this in a later post.
Ifin I’s stay here long enuff, maybe I’s can go fur a stroll later.
Now to the question of when kitty should be altered. In recent years all surgical procedures have advanced and become safer. Lots of VETs perform what is called a Gonodectomy (removal of the ovaries or testes) on very young kittens, beginning around 6 weeks of age. Most require the kitten to weigh at least 2 pounds. This procedure is more common in rescue and shelter kittens in an attempt to make sure adopted kitties actually get the surgery and can’t reproduce. While we totally understand the need for this, mommy is personally against this procedure on such a young and small animal. That being said, we also don’t believe kitty/doggy should be allowed to mature and “go thru a heat cycle” before being altered. We certainly don’t believe kitty should have to experience the birthing process. It is not necessary and increases the risk of mammary cancer, cervical cancer and other medical issues. We tend to favor the spay/neuter surgery occur when kitty/doggy is about 5 to 6 months of age. By this time the male testes have fully dropped, the female ovaries have fully formed and there’s less chance of “missing/leaving” behind an ovary or testicle. Altho’ rare, this has and does happen.
Raena’s spay day at 5 1/2 months old.
We were also asked if we believed that a female kitty in heat was in some form of pain and should be given pain meds. Our answer to this is absolutely not. But, that being our opinion, we researched said topic and could find nothing to substantiate that kitty is in actual pain. The yowling and contorting of her body is not due to pain, but her desire to mate. She doesn’t need pain meds, she needs to be altered as does the spraying male tom that’s yowling, fighting and stinking up the house/yard/neighborhood. It is our opinion that we often over medicate these days whether it be human or animal. That being said, kitty should be altered before she has to go into heat. Again, it’s much healthier to spay kitty before a heat cycle. However, don’t let that stop you from adopting a mature kitty who hasn’t been spayed. It’s never too late. And it’s never too late to start Training your kitty. Remember, Training is all about Repetition and Rewards. To revisit Training kitty to go out, you should take kitty out at least once a week throughout their life. This will help insure that VET visits go smoothly and kitty isn’t bouncing off the walls when you take them in the car.
Dezi in stroller in the car.
Don’t furget, you can ketch up or refresh your memory on any of the posts in this series by clickin’ the links on our Training Tips and Everything Feline page in our menu bar. And keep the questions coming, we luv writing these posts and hope you find them helpful. Meet us back here each Furiday fur topics to help make your relationship with the anipals in your life better. We’re also joinin’ Comedy Plus fur Feline Friday.
Till the next time……………………………………Be Blest!!!
Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses
Deztinee and RaenaBelle
Blest Sunday Spay Day Update
Meowllo and welcome to Blest Sunday. Me’s gonna let sis Raena tell ya’ll ‘bout her spa day yesfurday, but me wanted to fank you all fur da purrs and purrayers. They were needed and purreciated. Okay Raena, it’s all yours.
Fank you sissy. Is anypawdy out there? Sissy, Purrlease stop hissin’ at me.
Well, then stop touchin’ me.
That’s enough girls. Dezi, be nice to your sisfur, she’s still a little under the weather. And Raena, be nicer to Dezi, she’s confused today like you were yesterday.
Sorry mommy. Sorry sissy. Anyways, I’s gonna tell everypawdy a meowsy big fank you. I was a little touch and go at one point. But, I’s gettin’ ahead of mines self, so let me start at da beginnin’. We had to be at da shelter in Ardmore at 8:45 a.m.; so no sleepin’ fur mommy da night befur. And did you know dat mommy didn’t even let me have brekky? Seems ya’ can’t eat after midnight befur a surgery. And let me just say, you all dat luv spa days have got to be crazy ifin this is what ya’ll do. Anyways, no brekky fur me. I watched mommy fix up one plate and then I got ushered into da stroller while sis Dezi got da plate of food. Mommy and me said see ya’ to sissy and we was off. It was a long drive, but da car was comfy and cool so I didn’t mind. After all, I was with mommy and on mines way to a “spa day”. When we arrived mommy took me outta da stroller and put me in da Samsonite. Now I started wonderin’ just what kind of “spa day” this was. When we went in, all da peeps made over mines beauty and gawjus eyes. Just repeatin’ what they said. Anyways, mommy filled out some paperwork and they put some pink bracelet ‘round mines neck. Mommy gave another lady some green papers and we went to a table to sit down. They said I was 24. Not sure what dat was, but da numbers went up to 60 fur da day. Mommy said dat’s pawsum, and they had almost as many numbers fur today.
Anyways, mommy got a coke and a donut and sat and ate right in front of me. Hmmph I know mommy likes donuts, but I’s didn’t get any brekky. There was lots of peeps millin’ ‘round and lots more kitties came in. Then some doggies started filin’ in. Now let me tell you, those things sure did get noisy. One of them was so loud everypawdy was hollerin’ at him. Ifin I had known what was ‘bout to happen, I’s might have joined him. Anyways, mommy luvved on me a bit and took a couple of fotos and then suddenly a man came and put me on a big cart with these other kitties. Mommy purrayed over me and da other kitties and I was wheeled off to a trailer outside. I got a little scared, but all of a sudden, I saw mommy and then I drifted off to sleep.
Mommy says not to pay ‘tention to her, she didn’t have on her
makeup. She did attempt some in da foto editor tho’, and fur sure
used da wrinkle remover.
Da next thing I’s ‘member is bein’ so cold. I could barely hear mommy. I knew she was there, I could feel her arms ‘round me, but mines eyes couldn’t focus and I just couldn’t wake up. It was sooooooo cold and It took so much energy to breathe. Mines heart seemed to be missin’ a few beats here and there. I could barely hear it, but I knew mommy was purrayin’. Furinally mommy kissed me and I heard her clear as day. She said, she luvved me and she would never leave me. And she hadn’t. Mommy had kept her purromise and she never left mines side. It was like mommy was breathin’ fur me and her heart was beatin’ fur mines. Da warmth started comin’ back to mines body and I was able to pull mines tongue back in mines mouth. When I could hold mines head up a bit mommy had da nice lady next to her look after me fur a minute and mommy opened up da stroller and put me in it. I was a lot bit wobbly and confused, but again, da peeps were all makin’ over me. I could hear lots of peeps callin’ mines name. One of them even wanted to take me home with her. Yeah, dat’s never gonna happen. I’s not ever wanna be anywhere without mommy. Mommy got to eat a little lunch and we were off. Mommy purromissed special treats, so we went to da Wallyworld. And then we were on our way home.
When we got home and I furinally got outta da stroller, mines legs didn’t work so good. And everythin’ seemed to be closin’ in on me. Mines heart was racin’ and I didn’t know what to do. I cried and cried. I wanted up in mommy’s lap one minute and down da next. Mommy wouldn’t let me jump anywhere. ‘Course, dat might have been a good thing. I couldn’t quite focus on da tree, or anythin’ else fur dat matter. I was pacin’ from one room to da next. And I couldn’t get enuff mommy luvvin’ I would rub her legs, arms, hands anythin’ she would let me near. Until suddenly, I’s just attacked her. I don’t know why I did it. All I wanted was to luv mommy and yet all I could do was bite her and jump at her. Mommy got out one of those toys she put back da other day and gave it to me. Fank catness, I quit attackin’ mommy and started carryin’ dat toy ‘round while I paced da floors.
As da night went on mommy noticed dat I would get in da pawdee box and pace ‘round and squat, then get in da other box and do da same thing, but never left a depawsit. You all know by now what a worrier mommy is, and dat’s ‘zactly what she did, worried. You also know dat we believe in purrayers too, so mommy began to purray. All da while, I just wanted to be as close to mommy as I could get. Y, I even jumped up on da human potty rim while mommy was availin’ herself. she said she didn’t know how I did it or where there was room, but there I was. And no, there’s no foto purroof. Seems it’s okay to take fotos of us peein’ but not mommies. I just couldn’t seem to settle down last night, but mommy was so tired, she furinally had to turn in. Sis Dezi sure wasn’t purrleased with me, but mommy says it won’t last. I sure hope she gets over it soon.
Anyways, I furinally went to da pawdee box and left a huge depawsit this meownin’. Mommy was so happy, she almost danced. And let me tell ya’ dat’s a feat since she can’t even walk in da meownings. I’s eatin’ good and drinkin’ purrlenty and back to scalin’ da tree and anythin’ else I want today. So fank you all fur your purrs and purrayers. Mommy says I’s gonna be a real sensitive kitty and dat hopefully I won’t ever need to be put under anesthesia again. So there ya’ have it, dat “spa day” was really a spay day. Seems da doctor took away somethin’ inside me and now I will never have babies. But dat’s not a bad thing. It also means mines risk of certain cancers are decreased and dat I shouldn’t develop bad behaviors. I do have some stitches and somepawdy knicked a couple of mines teets and they’re kinda sore, but I’s gettin’ back to normal. Hopefully sis Dezi and me will start gettin’ along again soon. I don’t understand why she doesn’t like me, but she sure is mad at me right now. Ifin ya’ don’t mind, we could use some extra get along purrayers.
Yeah we could at dat. We need to wrap it up fur now. We’re also joinin’ da Kitties Blue fur Sunday Selfies. Me might not be so fond of Raena right now, but me is grateful she made it thru and is back home. We’re so fankful fur those who helped make her spay day pawssible with green papers, and all your purrs and purrayers. We are so blest to have you all in our lives. ‘Member to take a minute today and everyday to give thanks fur da blessings in your lives. And we hope you all have a wonderful day.
Till da next time…………………………………Be Blest!!!
Dezi: Vibrant Blue
Raena: Navy Blue
Mommy A: Black
Service Cats U.S. 