Newsletter

The Cats Meow

Paws and Purrs Humane Society was founded in February, 2006, by a handful of cat lovers. It is a no-kill, not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding good homes for homeless cats and kittens. We are a small, all volunteer group providing veterinary care, socialization, and lots of TLC to our animals until they are matched with their forever guardians.

Board of Directors: President Norma Gobert V.P. & Secretary Kim McKay Treasurer Dave Chrestenson

PNP Volunteers Natalie Neitzel Brianna Miller Michael Neitzel Jennifer Mitchell John Gobert Brenda/Jeff Stombres Bob Swanson Janie Frances

Friends of PNP Marti Barton Petco Foundation Andrea Bateman Debbie Paton Dee Schneider Fran Stabosz Pat McBride Susan Herink Burhops Market Carol Tibbie Anna Halverson LaDaune Trierweiler Linda Jardin Judy Weisman Kathy K & family Kevin/Diana Fricke

PNP Veterinarians Aurora Cat Clinic Aurora Critter Care Plano Crossroads Animal Hospital Plainfield Darien Animal Clinic Darien River Heights Vet Clinic Oswego Timberline Animal Hospital Joliet Willowgrove Pet Clinic Willowbrook

From the President

By Norma Gobert

Economic times are tough, donations and adoptions are down. I want everyone to know that 100% of any donation goes directly to care for our animals. We own all of our own cages and supplies that go inside them: bedding, bowls, toys, etc. Approx 90% of dry food is donated by Petsmart Charities and Petco Foundation. All of our personnel is made up of 100% volunteers, we have no paid staff. Most of the kitties are in foster homes that provide the consumables such as litter and canned food, not to mention provide the gas for all the running around to vets, adoption days and fundraisers. We have only a few monthly bills, a phone line, storage garage (to keep the donated items until they are used) and the all important vet bills. We are a not for profit and have 501c3 status with the IRS. All of your donations are tax deductible, so let us know if you would like a receipt for your donations of money or materials. Thank you so much for your support.

Adopting an Adult Kitty

By Kim McKay

"Kittens are cute…but healthy adult cats need homes too"

You want to adopt from a shelter or rescue group to give a kitty a home, but you've decided a kitten may not be the right choice for you. Kittens are great fun and quite entertaining, but they can be a challenge. They are busy all the time, getting into things you never thought possible and they can be destructive while they are learning to be cats. A young kitten's personality has not yet truly developed, so you don't know whether you're going to have a snuggly "lap kitty" or a cat that prefers interaction on their own terms. A kitten also will become a "cat" one day–sooner than you think.

Adult cats are generally calmer, which doesn't mean they don't love to play or investigate, just that they've matured a bit (they're not toddlers anymore). Their personalities are already formed, so you know whether they are that cuddly kitty you're looking for or the more independent type that enjoy the occasional petting session, but are not "in your face", demanding attention 24/7.

So now you've decided to adopt an adult kitty from your local shelter or rescue group. It's important to listen at this point to the group you're adopting from. Some cats have lived in cages for as long as they've been at the shelter. If you're adopting from a rescue group that utilizes foster homes, these cats have most likely lived in a "foster room" during their stay. Whatever the case may be, this has been the cat's home for this period of their life.

Unlike most young kittens, adult cats are more sensitive to change. They are not used to the sounds, smells and activity of a "new" place, but they will adapt if given a little time and patience. Remember, the cat has been used to being confined to a small space, usually a bedroom, in the case of foster homes. Most have never seen a television, a mirror that they can see themselves in, or have not experienced people coming in and out of their new home, sometimes talking loudly. All these new things can be very scary and overwhelming compared to being in their own familiar, relatively quiet space.

So now you're bringing your adult cat home–what do you do?

1. Provide a safe, small place, like a spare bathroom, where you can put a litter box and food and water for the kitty and they have no place to hide. Don't put them in a bedroom where they will be able to hide under the bed. You'll be calling to have their foster parent come to coax them out. Be sure to put their food and water as far from the litter box as possible in the safe room.
2. Visit the room often and reassure them in their small space that everything will be fine. Give them lots of attention, treats and talk to them softly. Bring in an interactive toy to play with them, and make sure they have a couple of toys to play with while they are alone.
3. If you have other pets, please take introductions very slowly–especially with dogs. This is very important, since it can make or break the future relationship between them.

Cats and dogs can be great pals, but if they aren't introduced properly, it can be a disaster. Your dog may like cats, but that doesn't mean that your new cat has ever met a dog, and even if they have, they're never met your dog! Imagine yourself being new and alone in a strange place, and some loud (barking), strange smelling, large furry thing is in your face. It's pretty intimidating–your cat will either be terrified and run and hide (not good) or may use it's claws to defend itself, which can cause injury to your dog (not good either). Put something in the safe room that has your dog's scent on it, so the new kitty can smell it, and give the dog something with the new kitty's scent on it. Allow the dog and cat to smell each other under the door, or by opening the door a small crack. Take your guidance from the cat. If it growls, it's time to back off. Wait until they seem ok with a step before moving on to the next.

The first face-to-face introductions should be closely supervised. Try putting the cat in a carrier and bringing it out of the safe room. If the dog is the small to medium variety, put the carrier on the floor or low table, so they can be at eye level. If your dog is large, the dining room or kitchen table may work better. Nothing is scarier than having a large, unfamiliar creature standing over you! Do this at a time when your dog is calm and relaxed. Don't worry if kitty hisses a bit. Repeat the procedure until both seem relaxed and curious about the other. You can also use a baby gate in the doorway of the safe room if your dog can't get over it. Put the dog on a leash, and open the door so he can see the cat. It's helpful to have another person in the room with the cat. Even if they seem to have initially accepted each other's presence, do not leave them unsupervised until you feel absolutely comfortable. It's a good idea to have the gate situated so that a fleeing cat can jump over it to escape, but the dog can't follow. Never feed them in close proximity and don't leave food bowls on the floor after feeding time.

If your other pet is a cat, introductions still need to be taken slowly. Your resident cat may feel threatened by the newcomer. Try taking a towel and placing it under the closed door of the safe room. Feed both cats on opposite sides of the door. Then switch towel around so that each cat can "smell" the other one. Repeat this process for the first few days, so they get used to smelling each other's scent. For first introductions, you can use the baby gate and helper method too. A little hissing is normal on first sight. Repeat this process over a few days, until the cats seem comfortable and curious with each other. Reassure both cats, and supervise their first meetings. Make sure to have a large towel handy, in case you need to break up a fight. Never get in between two cats rolling around on the floor together! This is also a good time to communicate with the foster parent of your new pet. They can tell you how they think kitty will react as they had to go through this process at their house as well.

Whether you have another pet or not, when you let kitty out of the safe room, they may still want to run and hide, since your home will still be new to them. Minimize hiding places by closing bedroom doors–under the bed is a favorite place to go. If the cat is hiding, relax. Don't try to chase them out–make sure that food, water and a litter box are close by. If they have gotten into a room that has a door, close it so you know where they are (but you may have to move a litter box, food and water in there depending on how long they stay in there). They will come out in time, once they feel comfortable. As long as they are eating and using the litter box, all is well. Spend time in the room with them, sitting on the floor with a toy, speaking softly and encouragingly. Trying to chase them out will only scare them more.

The important thing is to listen to the people you are adopting your cat from. They already know the cat's personality, and can help make the transition to your home easier for you and your new cat. It is also important to nip any bad habits in the bud as opposed to trying to change a behavior that has been going on for a while before asking for help. Adopting an adult cat saves lives. It frees up room in the shelter or rescue organization to be able to help more cats. Most foster homes only have one room dedicated to fostering. By adopting that adult cat, their foster room can be freed up to house a whole litter of kittens. Plus, you will have a grateful and loving companion to share your home.

To our adopters-please call us with any problems you have. The sooner we head off a situation, the better. Don't forget to register your microchip! Call us if you lost your info and we can supply it for you again.

Thinking of Declawing? Read This First

By Kathy Keding

My good friend, Marie, decided she wanted to adopt two kitties from a humane society. I started to say, "go to our humane society" when she indicated that she would be declawing both of them-So as to save the furniture. I am so adamant about NOT declawing a cat, that I told her to find another humane society, (and yes, I went through with her all the reasons NOT to declaw):

*Declawing is not like a manicure-it is serious surgery. A cat's claw is not a toenail-it is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's toes. *www.declawing.com

Marie did go to another humane society and did adopt two kitties. But, an interesting thing happened enroute to completing the adoption interview. The adoption counselor picked up one of the kitties my friend has chosen. She gently and carefully trimmed the nails on the cat's right paw. Then, she gave Marie the clippers and said, "Now it's your turn". Marie trimmed the cat's nails on the other paw-and an inspiration hit her…I can do this. This is simple. Fast forward to this week. I just spoke with Marie. It has been two years since she adopted her kitties. She assured me that all was well with her two kitties-and yes, she religiously trims their nails every three weeks. And the furniture is JUST FINE. How does she do it? Marie waits until her kitties are resting. She brings cat treats in, as her backup. She gently does the front paws of the first cat-and then the same with the second. As they start to awaken and fuss, she pulls out the treats. What a great association for a cat-trimming nails means yummy treats. Once she gets the front paws done, she takes a break and allows Angel and Sugar to relax. The back nails are a bit trickier, she admits. So, she has her oldest son gently pick up Angel, give her a treat and those back nails get done quickly. It's the same game plan with Sugar.

The reality is….declawing is WRONG. If my friend Marie can make a change like this with Angel and Sugar-then you too can try trimming a cat's nails. Last night, Marie said to me that she is so glad that the adoption counselor gave her a trimming lesson and had her actually trim nails while right on site in the adoption area. Won't you please give it a try-Your cat will thank you…

No Check Required

There is a really simple and painless way to contribute to PNP for those readers who browse the internet. You simply go to www.goodsearch.com to register. Select PNP as your cause. Thereafter, whenever you browse the web through Goodsearch, a penny is donated to PNP. When you buy through Goodshop, PNP receives a % of what you spend (% varies by participating store).Also you can join iGive (www.iGive.com/PNP) As with Goodshop, we receive a percentage of purchases through participating stores. Mission Fish is related to Ebay, sellers and buyers can pledge to donate a certain percentage of their purchase/sale to any of the registered charities. If you frequent Ebay, please choose us!

Volunteer of the Year

This year we want to recognize our fabulous volunteer Bob Swanson as our volunteer of the year. He is “Uncle Bob” to all of us. He’s the one who takes all the amazing photos of our adoptable kitties to put online and in the newspaper. He has to take the photos, edit them, and change them to the different formats required by both the newspapers and the websites. Then he waits till kitties get adopted to find out what their new name is, if it’s changed, and prints out wonderful portraits for the new adopters with their kitty’s names on the photo. In his own special way, he gets the kitties to look at him for the photos, which is not easy. Almost all the photos on our website have been taken by him. When you compliment him on his handiwork, he will say “God made the beautiful faces, all I do is press the button”. If only it were that easy……

Despite having some health problems, he always makes it to every adoption day we have at North Aurora and Oswego Petcos, furnishing us with coffees and chocolate to keep up our moods. He also designed and maintains our website www.pawsandpurrs.org thankfully, because the rest of us are great with cats, websites, not so much. He also handles our ink cartridge recycling program, keeps track of “what cartridges are worth how much” in refunds, packages them all up and sends them in. We have boxes in several locations that need to be monitored and emptied regularly. He is a garage sale fanatic, and is always on the lookout for carriers and cages for sale, also frames for all the photos and posters he makes for us for adoption days and fundraisers. And he also fosters 2 rooms of kitties at his home. We love you Uncle Bob and couldn’t get along without you!!

Memorial Gifts The following people have made donations in loving memory of our dearly missed volunteer and foster mom, Susan Z Laird: Constance Jelke, Fred Wilburn, Pat McBride, Thea and Tim Roessler, Elsie Williams, Robert, Kathy and Bobby Keding, Dee Harrigan, Kay Aurigemma, Frances Fluke, Jane Harries, Joann and James Zalud, Ruth O'Brien and Marlene Hensrud, Andrea Bateman and Debbie Paton, Carmen Graham

Kitties we know who have gone to the Rainbow Bridge. We keep your families in our thoughts and prayers. Sasha, Babycakes, Holly, Rachel, Alice, Hope, Waffle, Roland, Julie, Minnie, Frankie 2 ,Troy, Mysty.

We Like Dogs Too

Paws and Purrs fully supports the adoption of all companion animals from shelters or humane societies. If you or a friend or relative is interested in adopting a dog, we suggest contacting: Rover Rescue PO Box 4074 Aurora, IL 60507 Phone: 630-897-7454