 The
Cat's 
Meow
|
| Issue 32, Vol. 3 | September 20, 2004 |
|
Welcome!
To
subscribe or unsubscribe, please follow these links: |
|
Thoughts Of A Feral |
|
|
Dedicated to all the kind and caring people |
I sit beneath the bushes as she fills my dish each day, |
| Reprinted from PetRescue.com |
|
Think Twice Have you ever tried to give an injection to a moving target? This is what I have to do daily for my foster dog, Owen. It is really awful. He hates getting them as much as I hate giving them to him. I have never given an injection to anything or anyone and this has truly been a trying experience. I have to give Owen injections, as well as medicine for hookworms and toxemia daily. He can only eat a special prescription food from the vet in small portions 4 times a day. When Owen first came into the program he spent the first night in the vet's office on IV's because he was so emaciated and dehydrated that he could not hold food or water in his stomach. He weights 53 lbs and he should weigh in the 80's. Every time I have to give him medicine or injections I get angry all over again. You see, I am angry at his former "owners", and I really use that term loosely. I wonder why they would not feed him and give him water and take him to the vet to be treated for worms. It was not until he was picked up by animal control and we rescued him, that he got the medical treatment he needed. When he was picked up he had a rabies tag on that was 3 months past due, and animal control tried to contact them but to no avail. Whenever I am fixing his dinner, he sits right beside me with his paw up ready to shake my hand in exchange for food. This breaks my heart because I wonder if he did that with his former owners ... and did they just ignore him? Was he tied up in the yard and fed only when they felt like it? Was he at the end of his chain begging for attention as people just walked on by? These are all images I have in my head every time I give him medicine and feed him. I wish people would carefully consider owning a dog or a cat and not just buy the "cute little puppy or kitten in the window". I really wish they would think about the food and vet expenses they are going to incur. I know in a perfect world that would happen, however this world is not perfect, so the people in rescue will keep trudging on trying to save one more forgotten member of someone's family. As my friend and fellow foster mom Jen says of Owen, "I don't know what it is about Owen, but when you meet him, he a young dog with an old, gentle soul. He's playful and sweet, but when he gets your attention and looks at you with those eyes......it's almost captivating. I can't even see what he looks like, only what he's going to be." © Angela Walker |
|
| Furnished To The Cat's Meow by the author, Angela Walker See Angela's website |
|
||
|
||
| Announcements |
|
THE CAT'S MEOW
would love to hear from you! Visit Our
ARCHIVES
for all issues of The Cat's Meow! www.the-cats-meow.com is now online! We have many new features on our website. Be sure to see our new Marketplace! |
|
IMPORTANT!!! |
|
|
|
|
|
Taming the Tiger |
Okay, you’ve been feeding that scruffy cat in your backyard all summer and winter is coming on, with no takers for adoption. What to do? Why not bring the cat inside and assimilate it into your household? First, consider and accept the risks. Taming an adult feral cat or older kitten must be undertaken with your understanding and acceptance of possible consequences. (A friendly word of warning: Do not attempt to confine and socialize an adult feral if you have children or an elderly person in your household who might be tempted to handle the animal before it is ready to be handled.) Before you undertake taming a feral cat, accept the following:
With that understood, I sincerely hope you decide to go right ahead. Adopting a feral cat or kitten into your home is not a bad or foolish thing—it is an act of pure kindness and ultimate responsibility. What’s more, it is amazingly rewarding. It is an indescribable pleasure to watch a scrawny, terrified little beastling ever so slowly transform into a gleaming, disdainful house cat (or house feral, as the case may be). Read the rest of this very detailed article to learn how to catch and socialize the feral cat. Equipment you'll need and what to do at the vet are also covered. |
|
Find A Pet To Foster |
|
| If you'd like to help reduce the number of abandoned pets roaming about in our world and creating homeless offspring, here are a few sites to get you started. |
More Information On Fostering A Pet & Pet Adoptions |
|
If you'd like to share The Cat's Meow, 
|
|
Privacy Notice: We do not sell or share our subscribers email addresses. Disclaimer: All articles and images in this newsletter are believed to be reprintable. Where a source is available, it has been stated. If you believe a mistake has been made or know the source of an unattributed article or image, please email: JC@online-thecatsmeow.com... and a correction will be made!!! Artistic Angel: Chelle Thompson www.inspirationline.com This publication originates at Mattoon, IL 61938 USA and is hosted by: |
 |