Mewswire

CatHobbyist.com Guest Chats this Weekend!

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Please join us for our special Chat Month guest chats this weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23!

Friday, February 22

Sandy Arora
Holistic Cat Care
Friday, February 22, at 9 PM Eastern, in Cat Care Central
Sandy Arora is the founder of Holisticat, the first mailing list on the Internet devoted to the care of cats using gentle means. The list, started in 1997, continues to this day and has helped thousands of cats with health, behavior, and nutrition issues. Sandy is also the author of "Whole Health for Happy Cats: A Guide to Keeping Your Cat Naturally Happy,Healthy, and Well-Fed."

Amy Shojai
Solving Behavior Problems in your Multi-Pet Household
Friday, February 22, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
Amy Shojai, author of "PETiQUETTE: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household," is a certified animal behavior consultant and nationally known authority on pet care and behavior. She began her career as a veterinary technician and is the award-winning author of 22 nonfiction pet books and more than 1000 published articles and columns. �I've been an equal-opportunity pet lover since birth. All kinds of furred, feathered, finned and fanged beasts have shared my life, but I must admit that dogs and cats top my list. I'm very grateful for my success as a pet writer, but feel even more fortunate that I truly love my work. Bottom line, I get paid to talk and write about dogs and cats -- wow!� Amy will join us to discuss "Solving Behavior Problems in your Multi-Pet Household."
Get more information here.

Saturday, February 23

Wendy Christensen, The Cat Herder�
Outwitting Cats: Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Persuading the Felines in your Life That What YOU Want is also what THEY Want
Saturday, February 23, at 9 PM Eastern, in Cat Care Central
Wendy Christensen writes and paints at Bobcat Mountain Studios, high on a wooded hillside in rural New Hampshire. She shares her home with her scientist husband, more than 10,000 books (including over 1,000 cat books) and the family of dear feline muses who daily inspire her. She is the co-author of "The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care," and has won numerous Cat Writers Association MUSE Medallions and Special Awards. She's written extensively on a wide range of feline topics -- including veterinary medicine; health and care; behavior; lifestyle; cats in art, history, mythology and culture -- for a wide range of cat-themed publications. She'll be joining us to discuss her newest book, "Outwitting Cats," and offering "Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Persuading the Felines in your Life That What YOU Want is also what THEY Want."

Bob Walker, Making Your House "The Cat's House"
Saturday, February 23, at 10 PM Eastern, in Cat Care Central
Photographer and cat lover Bob Walker is famous for having created "The Cat's House," featured in the book as well as on HGTV. He followed that up with "Cats Into Everything," as well as the design for a feline retirement home/shelter to be operated by the National Cat Protection Society. Come find out how to enrich the lives of your cats, and make your house the cat's house, too!

How to Attend

These events will be held in the chat rooms linked from this page. To access the chats:

If you are a registered user of our site, simply follow the direct link to the chat as given above, and log in with your username and password. (Forgot them? Click here!)

If you are not already a registered user of the site, registration is not required - simply go to chat.pethobbyist.com and use the "Guest" log-in option, then select the scheduled chat room for your event.

There is nothing to download or install, but the system does require you to have java enabled in your browser settings. We strongly suggest you access the room before the chat, so you have time to address any difficulties you might have. You might want to drop by one of our regular weekly chats as a test run. If you have trouble, please visit our Chat Help Area.

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Cat Laws, You, and Your Cats: A guest chat with the CFA's Joan Miller!

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Joan Miller
Legislative Analyst for the Cat Fancier's Association
Friday, February 8, at 9 PM Eastern, in Cat Care Central
Sign up for a free email reminder here!

Joan Miller is legislative coordinator for the Cat Fanciers Association -- the largest feline registry in the world. From Joan: "The cat fancy and CFA's future is impacted by unduly restrictive laws, such as limits on the numbers of cats per household, mandatory spay/neuter, cattery licensing with high fees and intrusive inspection. While detrimental to the hobby of pedigreed cat breeding many laws do not solve community animal population problems. They do keep new people from coming into the cat fancy."

Miller has been an all-breed judge for more than two decades, and is former president of The Winn Feline Foundation, former Chair of the CFA Health Committee and Advisory Board Chair for the Center for Companion Animal Health, University of California, Davis. She was the first president of the San Francisco Revelers Cat Club in the 80s, and instituted the concept of an "educational ring" with events to interest the general public in pedigreed cats. She writes, "Over the years exposing veterinarians, the shelter community and the general public to the value of pedigreed cat breeding has remained a strong involvement of mine. I have been a speaker/lecturer/writer on feline color/pattern genetics, cattery management, breed origins and history and breeding strategies for health."

CatHobbyist.com is extremely pleased to welcome Joan to our Tenth Annual Chat Month, and we hope that all cat lovers, and those concerned with laws attempting to regulate the breeding and ownership of all kinds of pets, will join us on Friday, February 8, at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific.

How to Attend

The event will be held in Cat Care Central. To access the chat:

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An Evening with Nathan Winograd, author of "Redemption"

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An Evening with Nathan Winograd
Friday, February 1, at 9 PM Eastern Time
Part of PetHobbyist.com's Tenth Annual Chat Month
Enter the chat here: The Auditorium
More information here!

Nathan Winograd's 2007 book "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America" set off a firestorm of controversy -- and inspired an army of animal lovers across the country, calling for serious reform of the American shelter system and an end to the use of killing as a tool of animal population control.

RescueNetwork.org is proud to present an evening with Nathan Winograd as the opening event of PetHobbyist.com's Tenth Annual Chat Month. Please join us on Friday, February 1, at 9 PM Eastern Time in the Auditorium.

In addition to authoring "Redemption," Winograd is the director of the national No Kill Advocacy Center. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School, a former criminal prosecutor and attorney, was director of operations for the San Francisco SPCA and executive director of the Tompkins County SPCA, two of the most successful shelters in the nation. He has spoken nationally and internationally on animal sheltering issues, has written animal protection legislation at the state and national level, has created successful No Kill programs in both urban and rural communities, and has consulted with a wide range of animal protection groups including some of the largest and best known in the nation.

How to Attend

This event will be held in chat room listed above. To access the chats:

If you are a registered user of our site, simply follow the direct links to the chat as given above, and log in with your username and password. (Forgot them? Click here!)

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Mewswire Holidays 2007

Mewswire
News from cathobbyist.com

In this issue:

Happy Holidays!
Holiday Pet Loss and Illness Support Chats
2007 Bestsellers in our Bookstore
Tenth Annual Chat... MONTH?
Videos are Here!

__________
Happy Holidays!

We wish a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year to the users of CatHobbyist.com! Thank you all for being part of our community.

Happy Holidays!

Moira O'Connor
Jeff Barringer
Clint Gilders
Christie Keith
And all of us at PetHobbhyist.com

__________
Holiday Pet Loss and Illness Support Chats

The holidays can be a rough time for people dealing with the recent loss of a pet, mourning the anniversary of a pet's death, or struggling with illness in an animal family member. At PetHobbyist.com, we understand, and so our staff and volunteers have made a commitment every year since 2003: We host our pet loss and illness support chats 365 nights a year. We'll be here, just like every night, on Christmas Eve, Christmas night, New Year's Eve, and New Year's night. The schedule, and more pet support resources, are on our pet illness and loss support website, PetSupport.net.

__________
2007 Bestsellers in our Bookstore

What were the top-selling cat titles of 2007 in the CatHobbyist.com bookstore? These are the books you chose:

1.Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat
2. Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds
3. Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative
4. Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook
5. Treasury of Great Cat Stories: A Collection of Tales That Celebrates the Mystique and Charm of Cats
6. Urban Tails: Inside the Hidden World of Alley Cats
7. Whole Health for Happy Cats: A Guide to Keeping Your Cat Naturally Healthy, Happy, and Well-Fed
8. I Am the Cat, Don't Forget That: Feline Expressions
9. The Cat Fanciers' Association Complete Cat Book
10. A Cat Named Darwin

Find new releases, 2008 cat calendars, and books hand-selected by our editors all year round! It's in the CatHobbyist.com bookstore!

___________________
Tenth Annual Chat... MONTH?

Yes, we've all lost our minds at PetHobbyist.com! In celebration of our tenth annual Chat Week, the web's longest running series of animal-related chat events, we've decided to do it all month long! Stay tuned for news of our exciting guests, and as always, if you have guests or topics you'd like to see covered, drop a note to PHFaust.

____________
Videos are Here!

If you haven't checked it out yet, cathobbyist.com is building a video archive of cat-related videos. You can check out the videos here, or submit clips from YouTube -- yours, or just great ones you've come across -- here.

___________________
Copyright 2007 by OnlineHobbyist.com, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. --

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Panel on the Pet Food Recall - Tues May 8 10 PM ET

PetHobbyist.com invites you to attend a special panel discussion of the pet recall crisis, on Tuesday, May 8 at 10 PM Eastern Time.

When Menu Foods, back on March 16, announced its first recall of pet foods due to melamine contamination, the mainstream media was only briefly interested.

To a small group of bloggers, it was apparent from the first days that this story was much larger than most people thought. They began compiling data, comparing information, collecting personal stories, and digging for facts. Since then, there have been dozens of additional recalls, threats to the human health supply, a re-evaluation of international food safety standards, and a rising wave of frightened and angry pet owners.

PetHobbyist.com, on behalf of founder Jeff Barringer and its DogHobbyist.com, CatHobbyist.com, and PetSupport.net communities, invites you to attend an online panel discussion with the bloggers who have been following the pet food crisis from the beginning, to discuss the story behind the recall, what's likely to happen next, and what pet owners can do to protect their pets now and in the future.

Joining us will be:

Gina Spadafori and Christie Keith of PetConnection.com

Ben Huh of Itchmo.com

Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA.com and ThePetFoodList.com

Kim Duke of PetFoodTracker

The chat will be held on Tuesday, May 8 at 10 PM Eastern Time in the Auditorium. To receive a free email reminder of the special chat, sign up here.

More information, and complete information on how to attend the chat, is here, or, if your email program does not read HTML:

http://www.pethobbyist.com/sitenews/index.php?/archives/50-Online-Panel-about-Pet-Food-Recall-May-8.html

We definitely give permission to cross post - in fact, ask you to share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested. The chat is free, you don't need to register for the site to attend, and there is nothing to download or install.

We hope to see you there.

All of us at PetHobbyist.com --

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Mewswire Chat Week Special Edition!

Ninth Annual CatHobbyist.com Chat Week
February 25-March 3, 2007

Sunday February 25

Linda Tellington-Jones
Tellington Touch
Sunday, February 25, at 10 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
TTouch - the Tellington TTouch - is a method based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body. The Tellington TTouch is a specialized approach to the care and training of our animal companions. Developed by internationally recognized animal expert Linda Tellington-Jones, this method based on cooperation and respect offers a positive approach to training, can improve performance and health and presents solutions to common behavioral and physical problems. It also helps establish a deeper rapport between humans and animals through increased understanding and more effective communication.

Monday February 26

Sandra Toney
Freelance cat writing
Monday, February 26, at 9 PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
Sandra Toney is an award-winning writer who has appeared in hundreds of magazines such as Writer's Digest, Soap Opera Weekly, Your Health, Cats Magazine, Woman's Own, Country America, and many others. She lives in Plymouth, Indiana, with her husband, Ray, and four VERY spoiled felines. She is the author of several books, including The Simple Guide to Cats, Feline Behavior, and The Little Book of Cat Tricks. She'll be discussing careers in freelance cat writing.

Heidi Mier DVM CVA (Chi Institute)
Acupuncture for Pets
Monday, February 26, at 9 PM Eastern in the Dog Den
Dr. Heidi Mier practices Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in an Integrative Small Animal Veterinary practice she has developed in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Mier graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988, and subsequently completed an Internship at Cornell University in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. She then went into private practice in Southeastern Michigan. She transitioned into an independent house-call Acupuncture practice in 2002-3, and since last spring has developed an independent Integrative Veterinary practice in an Ann Arbor Specialty clinic. Dr. Mier certified in Small Animal and Equine Acupuncture through the Chi Institute in Florida in 2002-2003, and has completed coursework for Chinese Herbal certification. Her methods of practice primarily involve integrating Western and Ea stern Veterinary Medicine through diet, acupuncture, herbal therapy, and traditional therapy where appropriate. Her hobbies include agility for fun with her Finnish Lapphund, and trail-riding her Tennessee Walker mare.

Tuesday February 27

Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spafadori
Why do dogs drink from the toilet, and do cats always land on their feet?
Tuesday, February 27, at 10 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
Dr. Marty Becker is the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" and is the host of "The Pet Doctor With Marty Becker" on PBS. He has appeared on Animal Planet, and is a frequent guest on national network and cable television, and radio shows. He has lectured at every veterinary school in the United States, and been named Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year by the Delta Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Marty is co-author of the fastest-selling pet book in history, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, and is either sole author or co-author of other top-selling books, including other animal books in the Chicken Soup line, The Healing Power of Pets: Harnessing the Amazing Ability of Pets To Make and Keep People Happy and Healthy, and Fitness Unleashed: A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together! With Gina Spadafori, he is co-author of the New York Times best-seller, Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet? as well as Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?

Gina Spadafori is one of America's top syndicated pet columnists, and author of many top selling books including Dogs for Dummies, Cats for Dummies, and Birds for Dummies. Gina has served on the boards of directors of both the Cat Writers Association and the Dog Writers Association of America. She has won the DWAA's Maxwell Medallion for the best newspaper column, and her column has also been honored with a certificate of excellence by the CWA. The first edition of her top-selling book Dogs For Dummies was given the President's Award for the best writing on dogs and the Maxwell Medallion for the best general reference work, both by the DWAA.

Wednesday February 28

Therese Kopiwoda
Starting your own pet sitting business
Wednesday, February 28, at 10 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
Therese Kopiwoda started her pet sitting career in 2001, when she established LucyGirl Pet Sitting in Austin, Texas. She is also the founder and owner of PetsitUSA.com, established in 2003, which is an online pet sitter directory and industry resource for professional pet sitters, dog walkers, and dog daycares. In addition to running her own business, Therese is the Editorial Director for Wishbones for Pets, a pet sitter sponsored pet charity drive, and past board member of Cyber Sitters United Pet Sitters Conference. Therese has also worked for PetHobbyist.com since 2001. She shares her home with Tequila, a lynx point Siamese; Archie, a border collie; Lydia, an Australian Shepherd mix; and Abby, a Chow/Doberman mix.

Thursday March 1

Pam Johnson-Bennett
Cat aggression issues
Thursday, March 1, at 9 PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant and one of the most well-known experts on feline behavior. She is a clinical member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She is also on the Board of Directors as well as being the Founder and Chair of the IAABC Cat Division. She is the author of six award-winning books on cat behavior and training, including Cat vs. Cat and Hiss and Tell.

Marta Williams
Animal Communication
Thursday, March 1, at 9 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
Marta Williams, a biologist and animal communicator, is the author of Learning Their Language: Intuitive Communication with Animals and Nature, and Beyond Words: Talking with Animals and Nature.She worked for many years as a wildlife biologist and an environmental scientist before she began practicing as a professional animal communicator in 1991. Marta has written articles for the Whole Horse Journal, Natural Horse Magazine, Ride Magazine, and Healing Garden Journal. She lectures, teaches and offers consultations for animals by phone or by email, worldwide. She is a frequent and popular guest on PetHobbyist.com.

Edward Moser, MS, VMD, DACVN (Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist)
Nutrition for Dogs and Cats
Thursday, March 1, at 10 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
Dr. Moser holds diplomate status with the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (where he is an adjunct assistant professor of Veterinary Nutrition) and The Ohio State University. Dr. Moser believes "You are what you eat!" and that incorporating a holistic approach to a healthy, nutritious diet is the foundation of well-being. Dr. Moser has consulted with leading companies in the animal health industry since 1990, indlucing the Wellness brand of Natural Food and Treats for Pets.

Friday March 2

Rescue Panel
Friday, March 2, from 9-11 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
A panel discussion with a number of rescue groups for a wide variety of species, including representatives from Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue and the Dane County Humane Society. Other guests include those involved in dog, cat, wildlife, bird, horse, and exotic/small pet rescue, including TLC Lab Rescue, Adopt a Husky Rescue, Wisconsin Chinchilla Rescue, Small Scale Reptile Rescue and Mid Michigan Herp Rescue.

Saturday March 3

JoAnn Genovese
Purchasing a pedigreed cat
Saturday, March 3, at 8 PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
JoAnn has been showing and breeding Maine Coon Cats since 1989. While she no longer breeds,but she is still active in the show circuit. She shows in ACFA, TICA & CFA. Tonight she is here to explain how to go about choosing a pure bred cat from a cattery: What to look for and what questions to ask to know you are getting a healthy animal, and how to tell the good from the bad. She can also answer questions on getting started in showing cats.

Helmi Flick
Cat photography
Friday, March 2, at 9 PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
It's just not Chat Week on CatHobbyist.com without Helmi Flick. Says Helmi, "Cat Photography is not the most mainstream of career fields. In fact, most folks who ask me what I do for a living have never even heard of a 'cat photographer.' But then, just a few years ago, neither had I. Now I am one. and, looking back, it's hard to imagine that it took me 30 years of my working life - diligently sleepwalking through administrative positions in the legal, medical and computer industries - to figure out what I was really meant to do. I finally got her by a route most people only dream of by turning something I loved to do into a new career." Helmi returns this year with her popular series of discussions on cat photography.

How to Attend All Our Chats

These events will be held in chat rooms listed in the schedule. To access the chats:

If you are a registered user of our site, simply follow the direct link to the chat as given above, and log in with your username and password. (Forgot them? Click here!)

More Information

There will be more information about the chats as it is available at the links in the right hand column. Simply click on the species in which you are interested for a more detailed listing. Some of the chats will even have free email reminders you can sign up for!

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Mewswire Holidays 2006

Mewswire
The newsletter of CatHobbyist.com
Holidays 2006

In This Issue:
# From the Furrie Leader
# A Special Gift
# Making it all Worthwhile
# Unusual? Feline Behaviour: A Tale of Three Kitties
# Interview with a Foster Mom

___________________
From the Furrie Leader

Best wishes to you and your furrie family for a healthy and happy holiday season and the coming new year.

At CatHobbyist we are always looking for ways to provide the information you are looking for. Let us know if there is a particular area or subject that we can assist with.

There are many holiday tips to help with decorating in a cat-safe manner. Just one... did you know that an old wheel with a tire on it can make a great pet safe tree stand? So many of the holiday treats contain things like chocolate or onion which are just two things that can be toxic to cats. Check out the chats and message board for more tips.

We also know that the holidays can be a hard time for those struggling with the loss of a pet, either past or soon to come. Our Pet Loss and Grief Support chat hosts are here 365 nights a year, including Christmas Eve, Christmas night, New Year's Eve, and New Year's night. The complete schedule is here http://chat.pethobbyist.com/schedule.php?site=loss

We will also have special hosted guest chats in Cat Care Central from 9-11 PM ET on Christmas Eve an Christmas ... just click on the link at http://www.cathobbyist.com to join us!

Moira O'Connor
PHAbymom
CatHobbyist.com Site Coordinator

___________
A Special Gift

We wish a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year to the users of Pethobbyist.com! Thank you all for being part of our community.

The staff, volunteers, and patrons of the Pethobbyist.com family of web communities have made a donation of $500 to the Wildlife Warriors Fund, which was established in 2002 by Steve and Terri Irwin to support the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife. This donation was made this holiday season in the memory of Steve, in hopes that it may be put towards the conservation of the animals and habitat that Steve helped us appreciate so much over the years.

Steve's memory will forever live on in the hearts and minds of those that he inspired. The world has lost a spokesman for the animals.

Happy Holidays!

Jeff Barringer
Clint Gilders
Christie Keith
And all of us at Pethobbhyist.com

____________________
Making It All Worthwhile

Every now and then, we get a letter that makes all the long hours our volunteers put in on the boards and in the chats worth it. Here is one such letter:

Dear CatHobbyist.com,

I want to thank this site for making it possible for me to find my new kitten.It was absolutely instrumental, and without it, I'd never have found her.I had lost my 16-and-a-half year old. tortie and white kitty, Jester, on September 8. I was devastated, of course.

After about a month, my vet suggested I look for a new kitten.I only wanted one that looked as much like Jester as possible.That was a TALL order, as she had very unique markings.I looked for a couple of months on other websites.Nothing caught my eye.Out of hundreds of calico and tortie kittens listed, only about two were even anywhere close, but I didn't feel anything for them.

Then, about three weeks ago, I was sitting at my 'puter and for unknown reasons, decided to jump into the chatroom "Calico 'Tude".Don't ask me why I chose that night, I never go into chat rooms. I chatted with one specific chatter the most. Finally, it was late and I left the chatroom. The next morning, I was having breakfast at my 'puter with my other cat Bibi in my lap. As always, I went into the Pet Photo Gallery and clicked on "cat," then "meowchatters".I almost fell out of my chair.Who stole Jester's baby pictures and posted them? The kitten I beheld was the very reincarnation of my late pet.I noted the name of the poster, and in a web search for them, discovered they were the same person I had been chatting with for so long the night before.

Turns out that she is a foster mom for an animal adoption agency in upstate NY and that the kitten I fell for would actually be up for adoption soon.She was a bit underweight from her bad earlier life and so hadn't been spayed yet. This is the only reason she hadn't been on the other sites I�d been checking.

I contacted the person I�d chatted with. I filled out the adoption papers and flew upstate from NYC.The kitten I saw became mine! I never, ever would have found her, under the radar as she was, without your site.

Let me thank you for helping me to find this gorgeous, smart, funny and extraordinarily loving little girl and allowing me to give her the best of loving homes.She deserves it after her rocky start in life, and I deserve her!

_______________________
Unusual? Feline Behaviour:
A Tale of Three Kitties
by PHTessie

Once upon a time, many years ago, back when we lived in the country and didn't know the things we know today about cats living as indoor/outdoor creatures, we had a great old tomcat named Oscar. Now Oscar, although a big and burly appearing creature, was really a bit of a wimp. Really more of a ladykitman than a hero. Anyway, one day the neighbors brought home a new dog. Oscar, not being familiar with dogs, wasn't sure what to make of the situation. However, he went on about his business. But that was the last we saw of Oscar for quite some time. Oh he was occasionaly spotted at a distance, but as for coming home, no.

Then one evening ,as I sat on the back porch, I saw an unusual sight. Across the yard came three cats, one nervous and wary, being herded by the other two. Two were easily recognizable, but the third seemed a stranger. They reached the porch and meowed for me to open the door. On closer inspection, I realized, the strange cat was none other than the long lost Oscar, father to the other two. Tired, hungry and bedraggled, they had brought their father home. He had been gone for almost a year.

Once they had him safely inside, the boys went on about their business. Oscar, after a hearty meal , curled up on my lap for pets and skritches, and a nice long nap. Amazingly, he had not turned feral. He seemed to know where he was and that he was home at last...and had no desire to ever go out again.

The Midwife Cat

One time we had a number of cats, among them a pair of sisters. To look at them, on the surface they appeared to be just normal cats..however, one of the girls became pregnant. Not surprising. We didn't know that much about the advantages of spaying and neutering back then. Things seemed to progress normaly until one day, as kitty was crossing the livingroom, a kitten popped out, and mama just kept going as if nothing had happened. Before I could react, her sister raced to her and herded her into a corner of the room. After convincing her to stay put, she darted back to the kitten, picked it up and took it too her. She showed her how to clean up the newborn and set it to nursing. Mama wasn't particularly intrested in the whole event. Sister assisted in the delivery of five more babies, sometimes having to hold mom down physicaly. Poor momcat seemed to have no idea where these furballs were coming from or that they had anything to do with her. Aunty did her best to
explain the situation to mom, without much luck, and had her paws full with the new family. But she never gave up, making sure the babies were fed and cared for. And she did an excellent job, all survived.

Now, we have all heard from the 'experts', animals have no family feeling, don't feel love or think as humans do. They are just dumb animals..all I can say is, the world would be a better place if humans behaved just on instinct as they say the animal world does. At least that is my opinion. I have lived with animals all my life and I have to wonder what these 'experts' are basing their opinons on, it surely can't be the animals I have known. Perhaps animals studied in a clinical situation don't feel or react as animals in a home environment do. Nonsense, they are just dumb animals and don't know the difference the 'experts' would probably tell us. But if that is the case, how do you account for sons bringing home their long lost father? How do you account for a cat acting as midwife and nurse to her sisters family? How do you account for a dog whimpering and crying in his sleep for weeks after witnessing the death of another dog hit by a car, or mourning the loss of
a sibling or parent or human companion? Just dumb animals? What do you think?

________________________
Interview With A Foster Mom
by PHTessie

Kitten season is here again, and everyone loves Kittens. Or do they? Not all kittens are born into a happy home. Many end up in shelters. Some are born on the street. And some end up in uncaring homes. This interview is with one of those people who deal with the unwanted.

CatHobbyist: How did you get involved in fostering?

Fosterer: A friend had a foster puppy that her chow mix was trying to eat so she asked us to foster it.

CatHobbyist: What is your familys reaction to what you are doing?

Fosterer: Our immediate family is all involved. The extended families either think it's great or think we're a bit loony.

CatHobbyist: What is involved in caring for these unwanted babies?

Fosterer: Lots of feeding, warming, bathing, vetting, and snuggling! It's really a group project because the orphans are so labor intensive. I do the nighttime care while the kids will usually get them in the morning so I can get some sleep.

CatHobbyist: What are some of the financial aspects involved and how do you deal with that?

Fosterer: We're lucky in that our rescue group is able to afford the formula, canned foods and vet care that the tiny ones require. Otherwise, it's very difficult to do. A litter can go through a $10 can of powdered formula in under a week. If they get sick, all of them get it, so vet care can be expensive, too.

CatHobbyist: What kind of assistance is available?

Fosterer: Our rescue group does a lot of fundraising. Otherwise, Purina and other companies will donate some products to us. We also get individuals and companies who will sponsor litters from intake through adoption.

CatHobbyist: What is the best part of fostering?

Fosterer: All those snuggly little ones getting plump and healthy and playing.

CatHobbyist: What is the worst?

Fosterer: When they come with FeLV or FIP and don't make it.

CatHobbyist: If one wanted to become a foster, what advice would you give them?

Fosterer: Make sure you have the time to give. Most orphans need a lot of physical care while most older animals need help in trusting humans.

Keep a well stocked first aid kit on hand! You WILL be bitten.

Keep formula, nutrical, and other rescue foods on hand. The animals come to you at odd hours and on strange days. You need to be prepared to rehydrate immediately and to get easily digested foods into them.

CatHobbyist: What else can we do to help alleviate the problem?

Fosterer: Speuter, speuter, speuter, speuter!

Fostering is not for everyone. Those who can do it are very special people. Many of us are not mentally or even physically equiped. And it must be very hard to say good bye to the little ones you have worked so hard with when they go on to their forever homes.

There are other ways we can help. Volunteer at your local shelter. Donate! Money, food, toys. Even things like bleach and towels and blankets are always needed. Adopt! And of course the all important SPAY AND NEUTER!

_______________________________
Mewswire is copyright 2006 by OnlineHobbyist.com unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.
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Special Cat Rescue Chat!

Kari Winters
ShelterPetsInk.com
Monday, June 12, 2006 at 10 PM Eastern Time
In Cat Care Central

Kari Winters is an award winning writer and the author of the book Princess Fiona: My Purr-sonal Story. Her work as an RN gives her a unique ability to be able to understand feline diseases and explain them in language that most people can understand. Her particular interest is dealing with death and dying issues. Kari volunteers with Southern CA Siamese Rescue. Her website is ShelterPetsInk.com.

We will be chatting about her book Princess Fiona: My Purrsonal Story, the proceeds from which go to the rescue group, as wekk as Wuffy the cat rescuing dog who volunteers with Siamese rescue. --

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Mewswire Chat Week Special Edition!

Eighth Annual CatHobbyist.com Chat Week
February 26-March 4, 2006

Tuesday February 28

Panel Discussion on Breed Rescue
Kirsten Kranz, Specialty Purebred Cat Rescue
Liz Phipps, Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue
Sal Vitale, Mid-Atlantic Bengal Rescue
A discussion of issues around breed rescue.
A co-presentation with DogHobbyist.com and RescueNetwork.org

Thursday March 2

Susan Little, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Feline Practice), Winn Feline Foundation
Feline Health Research and Advances
Thursay, March 2, at 9 PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
The Winn Feline Foundation is a non-profit organization, affiliated with The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc., which supports health related studies into medical problems affecting cats. Projects funded by The Winn Feline Foundation have provided much of the information that is used every day in all aspects of feline veterinary medicine.

A study on the basic function of the feline immune system

Treatment of feline sarcomas with gene therapy

Complementary therapy for treatment of liver disease in the cat

An investigation into the immune response to feline coronavirus infection

A new method for control of pain in cats

Effects of Buccal Buprenorphine Administration on Stress Hyperglycemia

Early detection of feline gastrointestinal lymphoma

Development of genetic tests for certain cat traits

Investigation of the different strains of Cytauxzoon felis

Development of a genetic test for polycystic kidney disease in cats

A search for a genetic cause for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A new drug for treatment of feline mammary tumors

Dr. Susan Little received her BSc from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada and her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. She has been in feline practice for over 10 years and achieved specialty board certification in 1997.

Dr. Little bred and exhibited pedigreed cats in Canada and the United States for 15 years. She currently sits on the Health Committee of the Cat Fanciers' Association, the world's largest pedigreed cat registry, and sits on the board of the Winn Feline Foundation. She also works with a group of volunteers on a trap/test/vaccinate/release program for feral cats in the Ottawa area. She writes and lectures extensively on pedigreed cat health issues for the public as well as for veterinarians and breeders.

Friday March 3

Marta Williams, author of Learning Their Language and Beyond Words
Animal Communication
Friday, March 3 at 9 PM Eastern in the Auditorium
A co-presentation with DogHobbyist.com and PetSupport.net
"Despite what you may have been taught, it is actually possible to communicate intuitively with animals and nature. I was skeptical about it at first too, especially since my background is in science. I now know that it works, and I believe it is an inherent ability that anyone can learn to develop." Come find out how to intuitively communicate with the animals in your life with animal communicator Marta Williams, author of Beyond Words: Talking with Animals and Nature and Learning Their Language: Intuitive Communication with Animals and Nature.

Saturday March 4

Mary Bruce and Peggy Marks, Guild Certified TTouch Practitioners
Saturday, March 4, at TIME PM Eastern in Cat Care Central
Mary Bruce and Peggy Marks of Mindful Tails are Guild Certified TTouch Practitioners in the Long Island &NYC/Tri-State areas. They work with pet owners, shelters, rescue organizations, and animal hospices, offering TTouch as a gentle, positive, non-invasive way to modify behavior patterns and enhance wellness, while training owners to continue the work.

The Tellington Method of Training and Wellness--or TTouch--uses specific circular touches on the skin, which works on the cellular level to release fear and tension and activates the regenerative intelligence of the body. Other series of gentle touch and awareness exercises are also used to help train pets, modify behavior issues, and in support of veterinary care. TTouch can address such issues as: fear of vet visits, groomers or loud noises; chewing, pulling and jumping up; recovery from illness, injury or surgery; basic obedience issues; as well as promoting overall health issues. Many senior animals have also found the rejuvenating TTouch gives them a new lease on life, assisting with such aging issues as stiffness, arthritis and more. It can also be used as an emergency treatment on the way to medical help. TTouch is for all animals and is now being taught as part of a health care curriculum for people in a leading university.

How to Attend

These events will be held in chat rooms listed in the schedule. To access the chats:

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Mewswire Holidays 2005

Mewswire
The newsletter of CatHobbyist.com
Holidays 2005

In This Issue:

From the Furrie Leader

What's New on CatHobbyist.com?

The Acupuncture Cat

Cat Box Blues

If your email program doesn't display HTML email, you can view this newsletter on the Web in our archive at:

http://news.pethobbyist.com/index.cgi?flavor=archive&list=mewsletter

From the Furrie Leader

Best wishes to all for a happy and safe holiday season for you and your furrie family members. The hurricanes this summer made a severe impact on shelters and rescues across the county. Many have taken in animals to foster until they can be reunited with their displaced families. Now is a good time to formulate a plan to make sure your animals have identification and that you have a plan to evacuate or house your animals in the event of an emergency in your own home or community.

At CatHobbyist we are always looking for ways to provide the information you are looking for. Let us know if there is a particular area or subject that we can assist with.

Don�t forget to check the message boards and chats for tips on holiday decorating and entertaining and keeping the cats safe at the same time.

We also know that the holidays can be a hard time for those struggling with the loss of a pet, either past or soon to come. Our Pet Loss and Grief Support chat hosts are here 365 nights a year, including Christmas Eve, Christmas night, New Year's Eve, and New Year's night. The complete schedule is here.

Moira O'Connor
PHAbymom
CatHobbyist.com Site Coordinator

NEW At CatHobbyist!

Our CatHobbyist.com bookstore editors have outdone themselves this holiday season! A terrific newsletter full of reviews, gift ideas, and book news, 2006 cat calendars, new releases, and of course, our monthly top ten bestsellers list!

1: Cats In The Sun 2006 Calendar
2: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrates Cats and the people who love them
3: I Am the Cat, Don't Forget That: Feline Expressions
4: Manx Cats: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Grooming, and Behavior
5: Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats
6: The Manx: The Cat With No Tail
7: This Is the Abyssinian Cat
8: Abyssinian Cats 2006 Calendar
9: Your Cat's Just Not That Into You : "What part of Meow don't you understand?"
10: The Exotic Shorthair Cat: Everything About Acquisition, Care, Nutrition, Behavior, Health Care, and Breeding

Also new on our site, a weekly "Angels Among Us," a special memorial chat for our lost pets. Hosted by our own PHKitKat, it will begin on Thursday, December 7, and be held every Wednesday evening at 9 PM Eastern in the Haven.

The Acupuncture Cat
And Other Amazing Animals
By Christie Keith

I once had a cat named Jezebel. She was the kitten of a pregnant stray I found in the street, and she was a rough and tumble little hoyden of a cat. But she had one odd trait that set her apart from any cat I've had before or since. Jezebel was an acupuncture cat.

At first it seemed that Jezebel was just a "kneader." Like many cats, she would work her claws in and out of you while you were petting her. But in time, she began to be more methodical, inserting just a single claw into one spot, sitting and looking very intently at the spot as she did so. She would "puncture" odd locations, not just in the legs or arms as most cats do when they are purring. And she would always purr when she did this.

I developed a very bad sinus infection while on a trip to Europe, made much worse by a freezing cold winter and a long airplane trip home. When I got back, a friend of mine, Kelly, who was an acupuncturist, agreed to make a house call to treat me. He walked in the front door with his little case full of needles and herbs, and suddenly Jezebel came flying from the back of the house. She escorted him into the living room, and nosed around his case. As he got out the needles, she put her nose to each one, and literally nudged him as he inserted them. She sat on my lap and touched her nose to the needles in my face, purring, with her eyes squinted. Now and then she would reach up and insert a claw, very precisely and carefully, in some other spot on my body. Kelly said he had never seen anything even remotely like it.

Every time Kelly came after that, Jezebel would run in from whatever she was doing and assist him. Her fascination with acupuncture did not ever lessen, nor did she ever miss a single visit Kelly made. None of the other cats showed the slightest interest in the process. This was Jezebel's unique domain.

Cats often do things we don't understand; it's part of the mystery of the cat. How can anyone really explain Jezebel's interest in acupuncture? Was there something about the smell of the acupuncture points that attracted her? Was she sensitive to the energy released during acupuncture? Was she the reincarnation of an acupuncturist's assistant, as Kelly believed? Who can ever know? I do know that Jezebel had another sensitivity: she always, always knew when I was crying. I was once standing at my bedroom window, sobbing over the death of a friend from AIDS. I saw Jezebel appear about five backyards away (this was many years ago, before I became a convert to keeping cats indoors for their safety), pause on the fence, look right at my window, and then fly home. She came in the cat door, raced up the stairs, and began to paw at my leg. The window was closed, and there was no way she could have heard me from where she was.

In her book Animals as Teachers and Healers, Susan Chernak McElroy tells the story of another animal with a special sensitivity, not unlike Jezebel's. Sonja Homstead Nadeau was mauled by a dog as a child, requiring 400 stitches in her face. As an adult she suffered from fears, and a Native American spiritual advisor one day tells her it's time to face them. It's time, he said, to meet Waluna, his timber wolf.

Nadeau entered Waluna's pen, terrified. The huge wolf raised herself up and set her paws on Nadeau's shoulders. "The wolf leaned forward and began making these little tiny bites all along the scar line on my face," wrote Nadeau. "She went all along its length with these tickling little nibbles, very slowly and very gently. I knew instantly that in her own way she was mending my face. I stood, not moving a muscle, my eyes squeezed shut. Then, something told me to open my eyes, and when I did, Waluna began licking the scar and licking my face. There really are not adequate words for this: I felt a tremendous healing ripple run through me. It wasn't just my face that Waluna made okay, it was the fear that had been with me for years. In that moment, it just melted away."

Animals don�t always reserve their acts of healing or amazing abilities for the benefit of their human companions. A tiny cat named Scarlett gained international fame after a fireman found her moving her five kittens out of a burning building. Singed fur, eyes burned so badly they were blistered shut, skin so injured by the fire that her hair was permanently lost, Scarlett dragged herself back in that building five times, leaving each of her kittens outside and then going back for the next. Where did that incredible courage come from?

We may never truly understand the other species with whom we share our world. We pride ourselves on being the superior species; perhaps we are, at least by our own standards and definitions. But just when we think we have it all figured out, some creature we have called pet or beast surprises us with senses or motivations we can't really understand, or are afraid to admit we might understand all too well.

Cat Box Blues:
When your cat doesn't use the litterbox
By Christie Keith

There's a reason so many TV ads for air fresheners feature litterboxes in the "before" scenes. When it comes to pungent odors, there's nothing quite like the smell of cat urine. And if you're ready to get rid of your cat due to litterbox problems, you're not alone. Problems with feline elimination are the number one reported behavior problem in cats, and the number one reason they are surrendered to shelters.

Many people take drastic steps without exploring the many options for feline elimination problems. They assume the cat is being bad, or punishing them, or has simply become "untrained" to use the box correctly. This is never the case. There is always a reason why the cat has stopped using the litterbox, and while there are incurable cases, the overwhelming majority can be solved quickly and easily.

The First Step

If you have a cat who isn't using the litterbox reliably, the first thing you need to do is take him or her to the veterinarian. The leading reason cats start eliminating outside their box is urinary tract infections (UTIs), urinary tract obstructions, or other health problems.

As anyone who has had a bladder infection knows, there is often a feeling of constant urging even when the bladder is almost empty, as well as pain and burning accompanying urination. And kidney and bladder stones are among the most painful of all conditions for any species. This pain and frustration � and exhaustion � can create such negative associations for the cat that he or she is basically being trained not to use the litterbox by negative reinforcement. Curing the underlying health problem usually ends the unwanted behavior.

Behavioral Issues

If your cat gets a clean bill of health, or if a health problem is diagnosed and treated but the problem still persists, it's time to look at behavioral issues and training.

For the cat who has developed negative associations with the litter box due to pain from a now-treated UTI or obstruction, the best solution is to re-train your cat to use the box using a simple confinement process. Every kitten is trained to use a litterbox by his or her mother, and you can simply repeat this early education to train your cat to use the box again. Put your cat in a small space, such as a laundry room, bathroom, or other comfortable space. Ideally, it will have a window with a perch for your cat to sunbathe and bird watch, and is a room where you can spend some time with the cat, too. Put in as many litterboxes as is necessary to complete cover all floor space, and keep them scrupulously clean � scoop them numerous times a day. It's helpful to use a new kind of cat litter and perhaps even a different style of litterbox, to help convince the cat that this is not the same as the box that "hurt" so much before. If soiling occurs, used special products made speci fically for neutralizing cat urine odors. Most common household cleaners simply don't do the job.

It's essential that during this time you keep the litterboxes absolutely clean, even if it means scooping them ten times a day. Gradually reduce the number of boxes. When you get down to two litterboxes and no accidents, let the cat have access to one more room, plus the original space where the boxes will remain. After you are sure the cat is using the box reliably, you can gradually increase the amount of access she or he has. Make sure there are litterboxes in at least two areas of the house, and always have one litterbox more than you have cats. Continue to keep the boxes clean, cleaning them at least once daily. This is all it will take to eradicate this problem in nearly all cats.

It may be tempting to let up on the scooping after a while, but don't do it. After health problems, dirty litterboxes are the leading cause of elimination problems. Think about how you feel when you go into a portajohn that's overdue for service on a hot day, after being used by too many partygoers, all of them drunk, and you'll get an idea of how cats feel about using soiled, smelly litterboxes. Have some compassion for these animals, whose sense of smell is much more acute than ours, and for whom godliness comes a very distant second to cleanliness.

Many people have found it helpful to experiment with different types of cat litter, and different types of litterboxes. Most cats hate scented litter (which is made for our benefit, not theirs. Control odors by cleaning the box more often, not by masking it with fragrances). If your cat might have arthritis, consider a cat box with one side that is lower than the others, to make it easier for him or her to get in and out of the box. Also be sure that the litterboxes are in out of the way areas, where the cat can relax and not feel threatened. Sometimes keeping a box in a laundry room with a baby gate or cat door, so that children and dogs can't get in, solves elimination problems.

If none of these measures control the problem, then it's time to dig a bit deeper. Do you have multiple cats, and is it possible that you have targeted the wrong cat in your re-training efforts? Your vet can use dyes to help you color the urine of your cats, and by a process of elimination you'll be able to determine which one is having the problem. You might be surprised.

Territorial Marking

Perhaps you've misunderstood the problem. Is your cat failing to use the litterbox, or is your cat marking territory? Cats who are marking territory will urinate on vertical surfaces, and if you actually see them doing it, you'll see that their tails are up and they vibrate a little bit while spraying. Cats will spray when they are made anxious or insecure by a routine change, a loss of a family member (including other pets), moving, stray cats in the neighborhood who are marking your yard and doors as their territory, or any form of stress.

Territorial marking can almost always be eliminated when the cat is spayed or neutered, as well as by removing or minimizing the sources of stress. However, if it persists, or has commenced when the cat is already altered, it's time to go back to the vet, who should be able to offer medical and behavioral solutions.

On the medical front, there are products that can help address this problem, such as Feliway, a pheromone spray applied to soiled areas, or anti-anxiety medication such as Valium, BuSpar, or even Prozac. Consult your veterinarian about these treatments, as dosages for cats are very different from human dosages, and fatal liver damage will occur if they are used incorrectly.

If all else fails, ask your vet to refer to you a qualified animal behaviorist. You can also contact the Cornell Feline Health Center at 914-473-7406 for advice and referrals. Don't just accept that your cat's house soiling is something you have to live with, because in nearly all cases, it's not.

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Older Issues of Mewswire

We recently upgraded our mailing list software, and had to move our back issues to another archive. They can be viewed online in our Back Issues Archive Index, here:

http://cathobbyist.com/articles/Mewswire.html

If you still have old issues bookmarked, those bookmarks will no longer work, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

We hope you'll enjoy taking this walk down memory lane while you wait for the newest issue of Mewswire, which will be out very shortly, with lots of great new information and some fun events on our site!

PHAbymom
Site Coordinator
CatHobbyist.com

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