Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Why Adopting an Older Pet Makes Sense

The Old Town Crier has been a long-time supporter of King Street Cats and we're happy to share their (pet-related) articles on our Blog. Their current issue has an article with the above title that we would like to share with you.

One of my cats is now, technically, a senior. She just turned 9 in December. (For all of you keeping score, the new-fangled math for cat-human years puts her at 53; you can find the calculator here.) I still remember the day I brought her (and her brother who's been gone almost a year) home from the shelter. They were the only cats that seemed interested in me, so it was a no-brainer. I also remember the first time I saw the following sentence on their surrender form:

My new apartment building doesn't allow pets.

There's all this talk about forever homes and no one seems to have any forward thinking in these terms. You see it all over Facebook, people posting/sharing quips about pets being a long term deal (which is true, of course), but if I were in that situation, I'd take the simplest approach: I'd find a new apartment! I know, I know, it's generally not that simple, but that's always been the first thing I checked for in the handful of times I've moved. Pet friendly, followed by washer/dryer in unit, followed by balcony. Those were my top 3.

Back on topic, I can't argue with any of the points in this one. My favorite, though, is the one that says that older cats seem to understand they've been rescued. I never realized how true that is until I read it there.

Happy Reading!

~Jason

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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

A quick How-To on trimming cat claws

Ok, the title is a little misleading, I know (there's no 'quick' way to do this), but I tried to make this post as quick to run through as possible. So, here goes!


  1. Get a comfortable spot in a well-lit room and have everything ready and within arms reach (clippers, astringent powder/pencil, a treat for when it's all over).
  2. Hold your cat firmly (you need to make sure the package is secured) and take a paw and gently squeeze to extend the nail.
  3. Position the clipper a comfortable distance from the quick (if you're unsure, better to clip just the tip) and clip vertically (you should be cutting INTO the curve of the nail, not on the side) to prevent splitting. Do it in one smooth motion.
  4. Reward your cat (and then go wash the blood off your hands*, YOUR blood...).
If your cat is consistently anti-trimming, you may want to try it while she is groggy from a nap. If it's easier to have a friend hold your cat while you trim, do that. Just ensure you praise and give a treat. 

Alternatively, you can do what I do: Bring her to the vet. My vet (their vet, I guess) charges $15 to do it (best money I've ever spent!).

* Just kidding

Click here for the original link.

Jason

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