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                            CAT TAILS

       "Tails" about kitties, facts, helpful information,
                and fun for people who love cats 

                               ~:~
 
                         ISSN 1552-938X

                      Sunday, June 1, 2008

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Welcome to CAT TAILS Newsletter!

Special greetings to our new subscribers.  Thanks so much for
subscribing.  I hope these mailings will bring you a smile or
chuckle about our favorite subject . . . cats!

The newsletter alternates with a mini version every other issue.
Columns vary, drawing from a variety of topics including a cat
quote or other musing, facts, health and behavior issues, tips
on a wide selection of kitty-related subjects, and a "tail" or
two, sprinkled with a bit of humor and fun.

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It's been a sad week.  Last weekend I took Maxie to the kitty
hospital.  He had been sick for two days, I thought trying to
throw up a stubborn hairball.  Unfortunately, that was not his
problem.  Max has liver disease.  After grieving all last
weekend, thinking it was a death sentence at his age (around
14), I found out last Tuesday the vet thinks he will recover. 
He has been there all week, being force-fed each day.  I so hate
he has to go through that, but it is critical with liver and
kidney disease that a cat gets enough food.  I am to find out
tomorrow whether he will get to come home.  Please pray for
Maxie.  If he is not much better, I will face a sad decision. 
It seemed to come on so suddenly that I am just not prepared for
life without him.  He was eating and acting normally as far as I
could tell, and you know I watch my cats' patterns.  It is so
important to know all their patterns so you can detect a change.

The last time Maxie was sick was in September 2004.  I wrote
about patterns then, and it seems telling, now that I look back.
You can read about it in the Your Healthy Cat column at this
link, shortened because of its length: 
http://tinyurl.com/5uk5og
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/5uk5og">AOL_Link</a>

But, that's not all.  When I got home from taking Max to the vet
and receiving such bad news about him, I found Ginger, my oldest
dog, was much worse and I had to take her to be euthanized an
hour later.  From her behavior the last few days before, I knew
it was time and I had already planned to take her on Tuesday
after Memorial Day.  Bless her heart.  It has been a sad week. 

But, moving on to Cat Tails.  Someone sent me this link and I
wanted to share it with you.  Even though it is not about cats,
I found it very moving and think you will be glad to see the
movie at this link and will want to share it.  It's about a way
to show gratitude to those who give of themselves for the
benefit of others: < http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/index.php>
<a href="http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/index.php">AOL_Link</a>

I found and first published this week's Mewsings in March 2006. 
The author's imagination runs unleashed as he muses about the
mysterious abilities of his cat, Ennis.  I came across it today
while looking for something else and enjoyed it again.  I hope
you do, too.  I didn't find what I was looking for because,
apparently, I haven't written about it yet.  Oops! 

Mews Desk has an article about a final settlement reached among
Menu Foods, other pet food manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada
and China manufacturers with 250 plaintiffs in the litigation
resulting from the pet food recall last year.  It still needs
approval by the court. 

Our "tail" about cats has a story about a hardened "birder" and
cat-hater who learned the beauty and true value of cats.

If you have an unneutered male cat and live in Texas, go to the
Your Healthy Cat column right now!  On June 10, the SPCA of
Texas will be neutering male cats for just a nickel.  That's not
a misprint!  We have their news release with details of the
program and how you can participate.

In the same column, additional information follows that answers
some questions about the myths and benefits of neutering male
cats.

Our witty about kitties is a funny picture with a funnier
caption.

Have you heard about the cat that attended a concert in Tel
Aviv?  The Tail End has the scoop, with links to the video and
the slide show.  :)

Hope you enjoy!

Take care, have a great week, and kiss your kitties for me!

Annette Fincher
Publisher




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                             MEWSINGS                           
=^..^============================================================



                            Cat Theory

Ennis, my cat, studies chaos theory.

As I lie upon my bed, reading, she approaches, nuzzles her face
against the edge of the book three times, gnaws on its corner,
then jumps to the floor, measuring the distance between the
socks I flung there when I first came into the room.  Or, down
in the basement, Ennis stands -- ears pinned back -- before the
noisy dryer during the last of its throes.  When the cycle
stops, and the buzzer sounds, Ennis goes into a jittering tribal
dance, her eyes aflame with something I cannot read.

She is a tuxedo cat -- black and white:  yin and yang; Romulus
and Remus; Jesus and Judas.  From her black face extend whiskers
white as tusks; divining rods; tools of measurement and
analysis.  Her eyes are green as the moon in fairytales; wide,
feral, capable of conducting oceans.  Ennis carries on her work
as I have read Da Vinci carried on his:  taking small meals
through the day and night, sleeping for no more than an hour at
a stretch.  Then she's back on the prowl of projections and
calculations, tabulating elements and currents I cannot see.
Portending disasters in the making; calculating the day the
Rapture will begin.

When I've yawned one too many times over my book, I clap my
hands, and call through the house, "Bed time!"  Ennis will
emerge from under the bed where she uses the untreaded carpet
like an abacus.  One look at her and I know her day is not
finished.  The project goes on, ceaselessly.

I may wake through the night, and find Ennis crouched on my
chest, counting my breaths.  Do I somehow figure into the
Rapture's approach?  Into plane crashes as yet uncharted?  Into
winning lottery numbers?

Ennis' eyes glow in the dark -- she seems aware of this fact. 
As she rolls onto the bed beside me, I wish to make inquiries
about my mortality, my destiny, my past.  The cat's eyes glow,
unblinking; taking in readings I can't even imagine.  Quëstíons
rise in my mind, supplanting sleep.  No matter how I phrase my
queries, Ennis watches me as though from another dimension.

Whatever she knows, she's not telling.


~ Matt St. Amand

< http://www.pindeldyboz.com/msacat.htm>
<a href="http://www.pindeldyboz.com/msacat.htm">AOL_Link</a>

About the author:
Matt St. Amand's poetry and fiction have appeared in The Toronto
Review, Kaleidoscope journal, Generation, and Eyeshot.net.  His
first book, As My Sparks Fly Upward -- a collection of short
fiction set in Ontario and Ireland -- was published in 2002 by
The Fiction Works.  Miscellaneous notes:  Matt finished writing
his latest novel on St. Patrick's Day; "St. Amand," Matt's
namesake, is patron saint of bartenders, wait staff, beer- and
wine-makers; Matt is an ordained minister in the Universal Life
Church and a full-time Information Architect with an IT company.





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                            MEWS DESK
=^..^============================================================



          Tainted Pet Food Suit Settled for $24 Million

Menu Foods, other pet food makers and retailers involved in last
year's massive pet food recall will set up a $24 million cash
fund to compensate pet owners, according to a proposed settle-
ment filed Thursday in federal court.

The fund is expected to compensate thousands of pet owners in
the U.S. and Canada who bought recalled pet foods made by Menu
and 11 others.  The products had a contaminated ingredient from
China that sickened dogs and cats.

The $24 million is in addition to $8 million that pet food
makers have already paid to pet owners.  Legal fees and expenses,
which haven't been determined, will come out of the fund.  The
settlement, negotiated over the past seven months, would resolve
more than 100 lawsuits by more than 250 plaintiffs brought in
the U.S. and a dozen in Canada.

If the settlement is approved by the court, the fund is expected
to be set up and disbursed over a period of months.  Unlike many
large settlements, consumers will get cash rather than coupons.

The vast majority of the fund will go to pet owners whose pets
were injured or died as a result of kidney failure, which was
linked to the contaminant discovered in some of the recalled pet
food.

Damages supported by documentation, such as veterinary receipts,
may be paid in full.  Claimants also could get $900 per claim
for undocumented losses, according to the agreement filed in
U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

The settlement requires that eligible claimants' dogs or cats
ate a pet food recalled between March 16, 2007, and now.
Coverable expenses include veterinary bills, pet food costs,
burial costs, replacement pet costs, property damage and lost
wages to care for sick animals.

The fund includes only $250,000 to compensate pet owners for
food purchases, because most people have already been reimbursed
for recalled pet food.  Another $400,000 is allocated for people
who had pets screened that were found to be healthy.

In addition to Menu, defendants include pet-food makers Del
Monte, Hill's Pet Nutrition and Iams; retailers such as Wal-Mart
and importers ChemNutra and Wilbur-Ellis.

The contaminated pet food ingredients, wheat gluten and rice
protein concentrate, were adulterated in China with the
industrial chemical melamine, which would make them appear to be
richer in protein.

The recall was the largest of pet food in history, drawing Food
and Drug Administration review, congressional inquiry and U.S.
attorney investigations.  Within days of the recall, the first
lawsuits were filed against Menu and others.

The FDA never identified how many pets were affected, but it
received more than 17,000 pet-owner complaints.

The settlement document doesn't say how much each defendant will
pay.  The recall covered 180 brands of pet food and treats.

Once it is approved, the settlement will be widely publicized. 
A toll-free number and website will be set up to disburse
information.

The agreement also requires that pet food makers test wheat
gluten and rice protein concentrate for melamine, which pet food
makers already say they are doing, and continue other quality-
control steps.


~ Julie Schmit, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com
Copyright © 2008 Lee Enterprises





 



~ Picture distributed by Nature Pics, at yahoogroups.com





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                           A CAT "TAIL"
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                    Where the Wild Things Lurk


Right off the bat it's clear that Linda Giglio is a birder. 
Bird feeders of all sorts can be found in various nooks and
crannies of her Angwin garden.

Assorted bird books are scattered on a living room table in the
rustic hillside home she shares with her restaurateur husband,
Jan Birnbaum.

For years, Giglio said, she wanted nothing to do with cats,
which in her view are a bird's Enemy No. 1.  Then she laughs as
she tells the story of how two furry feline hunters came to live
with her.

About the time a nearby property was cleared and planted in
vines, the couple noticed an increase in the bird population at
their feeders.  Next came mice, nibbling on the scattered grain
and making scampering sorties through the house.  Nothing seemed
to stop them.

"Finally my husband and I were making jokes about how we had to
wait in line for the shower because in front of you was a mouse
with a towel over his shoulder," Giglio said.  "We had a serious
rodent problem.  Serious."

A pest control expert confirmed what they already knew — "If you
are going to have birds, you are going to have rodents."

Then Giglio heard about the Savannah Program, started by We Care
Animal Rescue in 2003 to help solve the Valley's feral cat
overpopulation problem without killing them.  To date the group
has saved about 500 cats, said We Care assistant director Anne
Reilley.

Once feral colonies are located, cats are trapped, spayed or
neutered, vaccinated, tested for feline leukemia and implanted
with a microchip for identification.  They are monitored before
being returned to their colony or introduced in pairs to new
homes — barns, sheds, garages and gardens — where their mousing
and ratting skills can be put to good use.  The program was
named for a feral kitty living at the We Care site on Charter
Oak.

"She was a precious life who waited for us each day," Reilley
said.  "She is the spirit of the program and that lives on."

"A lot of people draw a line between feral and domestic,"
Reilley added, "but they are the same, the same heart, the same
creatures who feel pain and cold . . . They should be treated
with compassion."

Five years ago, however, this argument wouldn't have moved
Giglio.  Then two years ago, following the showering mouse joke,
she called We Care to learn about the Savannah Program.

"I didn't care what the cats looked like, what sex they were,"
she recalled.  "I just wanted killing machines."

The cats arrived in cat cages, hissing and growling, and were
taken to a basement area where they were released and
immediately disappeared.  Giglio put out fresh food and water
and a litter box.  In a few weeks she opened the outside door.

"I didn't see them for two weeks and when I finally caught sight
of them I was so excited I started crying," she said.

It took months before they would come near her, though, and many
more months before Killer would allow her to pet him.

There have been adventures — the feline pair once cornered a
large rattlesnake — and gifts — Giglio recently found three dead
mice neatly arranged at the foot of a garden statue of Kwan Yin.

But there are no more mice in the house.

When it gets chilly, the cats sleep on a lounge draped with a
faux sheepskin.  If it's really cold Giglio will warm up a
round, flannel-covered brick for the two buddies.

Giglio, who works with Hospice of Napa County and the Sacred
Dying Foundation in San Francisco, said the cats play another,
equally important role in her life, one she wasn't prepared for.

"Sometimes I come home emotionally drained," she said, "and I
see these cats with their incredible spirit and that brings me
right back to earth again . . . They are beautiful cats."


~ Carolyn Younger, Staff Writer
http://www.sthelenastar.com




=^===============================================================
                         YOUR HEALTHY CAT
=^..^============================================================



        SPCA of Texas Neuters Cats for a Nickel on June 10


WHAT:  In an aggressive effort to curb pet overpopulation, the
SPCA of Texas will be hosting "Neuter Scooter for a Nickel" for
the second time this year.  The SPCA invites cat owners to take
advantage of this opportunity to have their male cats fixed for
just five cents.

WHEN/WHERE:  The SPCA of Texas' clinics will neuter male cats
for just a nickel on June 10.  Cat owners must make an
appointment and bring proof of vaccinations.  If no proof of
vaccinations, Rabies and FVRCP will be administered at an
additional charge on the day of the appointment.  All cats must
be in carriers; no feral cats, please.

Appointments are required.  To make an appointment at either of
the clinics listed below, call 214.742.SPCA(7722).

      *Martin Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic
        4830 Village Fair Dr.
        Dallas, TX 75224

      *Perry Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic
        8411 Stacy Road
        McKinney, TX 75070

      - Cat surgery admitting and discharge times will be
        scheduled upon making an appointment.

WHY:  Spaying and neutering results in the prevention of
millions of unwanted births.  Neutering also reduces a cat's
chances of developing testicular cancer, diminishes roaming
tendencies and decreases the urge to mark territory by spraying.
If left intact, two unaltered cats can produce more than 80
million cats over a 10-year period, and one male cat can sire an
unlimited number of kittens in his lifetime.



------------------------------ ~:~ ------------------------------



          Neutering Male Cats Can Help Save Their Lives

In my opinion, the absolute best thing you can do to keep your
male cat happy and healthy is to have him neutered.

By nature, male cats are fighters, lovers and roamers, and too
many of them die from feline AIDS, infectious feline leukemia,
dog fights, bullet wounds or being hit by cars.  Just this one
simple procedure can drastically reduce your male cat's risk for
all of these tragic events.

Here is a list of the most common concerns owners have about
neutering their male cats and the reasons why you definitely
should do it.

•  Isn't it painful?  Many people are resistant to the idea of
having their male cat neutered.  Men in particular will often
give me a pained look when I suggest scheduling a neuter for
their beloved male kitten.  I always explain to them that a
routine neuter is a fairly minor procedure, taking only about
five minutes.

Under painless general anesthesia, a small incision is made in
the scrotum.  Each testicle is extracted in turn and the vessels
and spermatic cord are tied upon themselves.  The incision,
usually only about one to two centimeters long, is left open to
heal on its own.

With modern anesthetics and advanced pain medications, more than
90 percent of cats go home the same day as if nothing has
happened to them.  Minor discomfort at home can be controlled
with oral medication your veterinarian will dispense.

•  Will my cat become a wimp?  No.  One of the most important
reasons to neuter your male cat is to curb his fighting and
roaming instincts, but it won't make your cat a wimp.  Neutering
simply removes excessive dominance behaviors and often increases
social interaction with humans.

As far as hunting instincts go, females cats are much better
hunters, so neutering isn't much of an issue there, either.

•  Will my cat know he's a "He"?  Absolutely.  Another important
reason to neuter your cat is to stop the powerful urge to seek
out females.  Many intact-males will end up at the vet's office
(or worse) after being shot by a protective neighbor or hit by
an oncoming car in their search for love.

Long before most cats are neutered, their brain is masculinized
and gender identity is in place.  Sexual urges are simply more
controllable in a neutered male.

A neutered male will be significantly less likely to roam, but
if a female in your home comes into heat, he may still show her
sexual attention and courtship behavior.

Neutering your male cat will also eliminate urine marking in the
house.

•  Will my cat get fat?  That's up to you.  While neutering does
slow the metabolism to a small degree, a sensible diet and
moderate exercise should keep your neutered male cat fit, trim
and athletic.

•  What about health benefits?  In the past, veterinarians were
taught that neutering reduced the risk of prostate cancer.  More
recent research has proven this to be untrue.

Neutering, however, does aid in prostate health by virtually
eliminating the risks of benign prostate enlargement and the
more dangerous and painful condition known as prostatitis.

The risk of other types of tumors is definitely reduced or even
eliminated by neutering.  These include testicular tumors and
some tumors of the anus.

•  What is the best age to neuter my cat?  Cats can be neutered
at virtually any age.  Many animal shelters and rescue agencies
will neuter male kittens as early as 8 weeks old, most
veterinarians at about 5 to 6 months.  Adult cats are equally
good candidates for neutering and will reap the same benefits as
younger cats.

The benefits of neutering far outweigh any minor fears or
reservations you may have.  If you still have concerns, talk to
your veterinarian.  Discuss the reasons for your reluctance and
listen to your vet's expert advice.


~ Dr. Melissa Wheeler/Special to the Times-News
http://www.thetimesnews.com

Dr. Wheeler owns Central Carolina Veterinary Hospital and 24-Hour
Animal Emergency in Burlington, North Carolina.





=^===============================================================
                          A KITTY WITTY
=^..^============================================================



                          Mooning Cats



 



~ Picture distributed by Nature Pics, at yahoogroups.com





=^===============================================================
                           THE TAIL END
=^..^============================================================

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                      Cat Crashes Concert



               



An audience in Tel Aviv broke into laughter and applause as a
cat gatecrashed a concert to the amazement of the orchestra.

A full house of nearly 3,000 people had gathered to listen to
the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Zubin Mehta.

He joked that the cat had crept in through the beggar's
entrance, and blamed the condition of the hall.

The cat was not the only special guest at the concert - US
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi also voiced her surprise at the
feline interruption.

Video of the cat:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7410043.stm

Slide Show:
http://www.nbc10.com/slideshow/news/16337430/detail.html

©2008 NBC Universal, Inc.




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