On January 1st, there is always an upswing in gym memberships.  People are gung-ho in the beginning about how well they’ll do this year – not like last year.  We went for a hike up to Amicalola Falls and it was crowded, with so many people walking their dogs on the trails.  Fresh air and sunshine is always good, but it’s easier to come by when the weather is beautiful.

One thing to keep in mind: no matter your physical state or amount of free time, be thankful for what you do have.  There are many in the world who have less, human and animal.  Shelter pets long to have a home of their own.  Homeless animals wander the streets, just trying to survive.  Other creatures are subjected to pain and suffering, the likes of which we will fortunately never know.

If you can, be generous and give to those who are in need.  Donate to your local shelter, or support another cause that is close to your heart.  Briarcliff Animal Foundation works year round to ensure that pets who are in need of medical treatment, whether homeless or in a home that is short on funds, get the care that is so essential.  If you can’t donate, volunteer your time.  If you don’t have time, just send up a prayer or a loving thought for the animals who need love.

Above all, be thankful for your blessings, and try to contribute to the well-being of others.  That is what will make it a Happy New Year.

*To donate to B.A.F., please see our firstgiving site.

If you plan to give your child a pet for Christmas, you need to make sure they are prepared to care for one.  It’s not just a cuddly gift – it’s a living being that comes with lots of responsibility.  If you want to get a pet to teach your children responsibility, you may want to start small.  Hamsters and mice are less responsibility and can teach your child how to feed and clean up after an animal.  Dogs and cats, however, are much more work.

Dogs, especially puppies, require lots of time and affection.  House training, several daily walks, and veterinary care aren’t things that can be put aside until a more convenient time.  Cats aren’t quite as much work, but they still need to be taught where their litter box is, what surfaces they’re allowed to scratch, and when breakfast or dinner time is.  If you don’t provide exercise and love for them, both can act out with bad behavior.

The holidays can be hectic too.  With travel and adjusting to different schedules pets can be overwhelmed.  When your child returns to school from the holiday, they may not have time to devote to their new pet.  Try getting one in the summer, when kids need something to fill their time.  The companionship will be welcomed by both parties.

As for giving a pet to someone other than your child, make sure that they really want one.  A good way to gift a companion animal is by writing a nice card offering to pay the adoption fee at your local shelter, and going with them to pick out a good match.  Wrapping up a food bowl, pet bed or other item they would need can also be helpful.

Make sure that you have a plan and budget for a pet before you commit to one.  Many pets are turned in to shelters once people realize that they don’t have the time or resources to care for them.  And if you do decide to welcome a furry friend into your house, remember – there are many dogs and cats who are in shelters that want nothing more than a home for the holidays!

No more lives torn apart – Families wouldn’t have to make the choice of keeping their pet or giving them away, due to lack of resources or finances.

That wars would never start – Our heroic military animals wouldn’t have to make the sacrifices they make on a daily basis to protect us.

And time would heal all hearts – People grieving the loss of their furry family member would find peace.

Every man would have a friend – Shelter pets would find homes as faithful companions.

That right would always win – Animal abuse and neglect would be a thing of the past.

And love would never end – That one is pretty much already fulfilled, since our pets love us unconditionally.

This is my grown-up Christmas list.

Through no fault of their own, these little loves seem less desirable.  When someone is surfing the adoptees on web sites or walking past them at the shelter, the cute kittens or affectionate puppies overshadow the others.  With so many looking for homes, it’s easy to see the cuter ones and forget the ones who need us more.

Blind pets, FIV-positive cats, kittens with cerebellar hyperplasia, animals with mobility problems, older pets, and those with other disorders may take a bit more work than those without.  Often owners say that caring for these pets is more fulfilling.  Knowing that they are really and truly needed can give people a sense of purpose.  And the love that a cat or dog who is dependent on you not just for food and shelter but for smaller day-to-day tasks can feel deeper.

Two of my cats would be considered less-adoptable.  My black cat is one of the sweetest cats I know and is more like a dog in the personality department.  Our three-leg freaks out the neighborhood kids and others who come over to visit, but he’s beautiful and looks like a Ragdoll.  They both add interesting elements to our family:  Panther is the man of the house, but is also a lapcat.  He keeps the others in line.  Bunny is unaware of his missing leg and often tries to get toys or swat the other cats with it.  He also attacks the water in his dish with his one front leg.  Our house would be a lot different if they didn’t live in it, and it would be to our detriment.

We had a patient named Figaro.  He was an older cat, blind in one eye, missing a few front toes, and had kidney failure.  He also wasn’t a fan of coming in to the clinic for his fluid treatment.  I grew attached to him, and each time he came for his treatment they would let me know my buddy was in.  His spunk was endearing.  I tried to give him extra attention when he boarded once, and found out that he *loved* catnip.  It didn’t make him wild and crazy though; he got super affectionate.  His dad told me they’d never given it to him, but they did after that.  When his time came, I was in the room with the owners and the doctor, and I cried with them.  Figaro was their special guy, and I know they miss him.  He’d found a special spot in my heart in the years I knew him, too.

This week, and throughout the year, if you’re looking to adopt a pet, think about bringing home someone who will appreciate you more than you can imagine.  Adopt a cat with special needs, or a dog with black fur.  If you can give them what they need, they will certainly give you all the love they have.

Courtesy of petfinder.com

Help us spread the word!

Celebrating the pets we love dearly is always a fun thing to do.  Our dogs and cats have personalities uniquely their own, but many more people get to see our dogs.  When we take them out for walks, go to the park, or even bring them with us to sit on a nice patio when we’re going out for dinner, passersby get to pet them and we regale them with stories of their cuteness.  Cats don’t usually get that type of attention, unless you’ve trained them to walk on a leash (which is a feat in itself!).  This will provide an outlet for us to share their stories and their quirks with others.

A friend of ours, very much a dog person, once told me that he didn’t like cats because they don’t have personality.  After visiting us for an hour or so, Panther had won him over.  Our alpha cat had decided that this friend needed to have his lap warmed and his hands occupied with ear scratching.  Granted, Panther acts more like a dog than a cat.  He comes when you call him, and he’s dog aggressive.  He’s chased two large dogs out of our house on three separate occasions, once while wearing an e-collar (a.k.a. the cone of shame).  He’s also not what you’d call the most nimble of cats, being around twenty pounds.

We rescued from an acquaintance, whose cat had had kittens that were headed to the shelter.  We also got his sister, a tuxie named Boodus.  The black and black-and-white duo run this place.  They take their turns sleeping with our older daughter, and tolerating the open-mouthed kisses and too-tight hugs from the 1-year-old.  I have two other cats who were adopted from Briarcliff Animal Clinic, both with special needs, but that is a post for another day.

Since Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat was in June, but kitten season is still alive and well, I think Global Rescue Cat Week is a great idea!  It not only tells the stories of rescued cats, but it brings attention to the joy that adopted kitties can bring to a home.  There are still many cats and kittens out there who are looking for homes who may have missed the campaign a month ago.  That doesn’t mean they should be forgotten.

What is your rescue cat’s story?  Do you have room in your heart and home for another kitty?

Panther is so elegant.

Boodus's favorite napping spot as a kitten.

We have two kids and four cats.  My husband is allergic to dogs (but not cats!).  One of our cats likes to chase dogs that come over, and he’s a big boy – the canines usually lose those battles.  We don’t have the time to train a puppy, or go for several daily walks (but we have a decent-sized fenced yard).  Our house is thick with fur already; no need to add to it.  The reasons for us not to get a dog are seemingly endless.

Those arguments really don’t bother me.  I guess it’s how some women feel when they say they have “baby fever” – I have “dog fever”.  Seeing other people with their dogs makes me a bit envious.  Their companionship is unmatched, and I really want my kids to grow up with a dog.  I’d feel like I was depriving them if they didn’t.  They absolutely love dogs.  And we would have no problem finding a rescue dog to adopt.

I know we could make it work, but it would be an undertaking.  There would definitely be an adjustment period but we would never neglect a dog.  We all need more exercise and this would ensure that we get it.  What was your deciding factor when you got a dog (or dogs)?  Did you go against better reasoning and get one in spite of the responsibilities and time involved?  Have you regretted your decision at all?  Tell me your story, so I can get my husband to agree with me!

Photo credit: carterse

Approximately 2/3 of American households have a pet.  Many of them have more than one companion.  The work to care for our pets can almost be equated to caring for a human child.  We have to make sure they are clean, fed, and sheltered.  On top of that, we make sure they are groomed (thankfully cats will take care of this themselves, but some may need help), get any medications they need, and see their doctor on a regular basis.

The love our pets give us is unconditional.  Although they have an adolescent stage, they don’t usually treat us the way teenagers treat their parents.  Dogs anxiously await our arrival home after a day of work, and cats are never happier than when snuggling in our laps.  My cats have never asked me for the latest video game or a cell phone, nor have they given me the cold shoulder when told no.  They would much rather play with an empty box or a ring from the milk jug.

Many pet owners give their furry children gifts on holidays and a growing number of people sign their pet’s name when sending a card.  So why not let their mom know how much they appreciate her?  If you’re a single father, make sure your pet celebrates you next month!

How about you?  Will you be doing anything special to mark the day with your adopted children?

Sparta and Mommy

1. There is a tool from the American Animal Hospital Association that searches the databases of several participating microchip manufacturers to find owner information.  The site is www.petmicrochiplookup.org. This created a central place to input the microchip number and search for a found pet’s owner.

2. Microchips can’t fall off, like a collar can.  They have been known to occasionally move around under a pet’s skin, but will remain intact.  A full scan of the pet should find the microchip number even if it’s moved.

3. Having a microchip implanted is no more painful than a normal injection.  The needle is a little larger than injection needles in order for the microchip to pass through it, but the procedure does not require sedation.  It only takes a few seconds, so if your pet is uncomfortable, at least it’s over quickly.

4. There are different types of microchips that work on different frequencies.  Most shelters and veterinarian’s offices now have scanners that can read all of them to ensure that if a microchip is present, it will be found.  Found pets are automatically checked for microchips when they are brought in to one of these facilities.

5. While tattoos can be used for identification purposes, the practice has been eclipsed by microchipping.  Someone who finds a dog won’t usually check for a tattoo, and they can fade or be covered by hair if it is not kept trimmed.  Although owners can register their pet’s tattoo, there is no centralized database for the information.

6. If you are having a surgical procedure done on your pet, such as a neuter, a microchip can be placed without your pet ever knowing about it!

7. A 2009 study showed that dogs who have microchips are returned to their owners almost twice as often as those who don’t, and cats who have them are returned nineteen times as often as cats who don’t.  (Yes, nineteen times as often.)  Most of the time, pets who had microchips but were not returned did not have their current information registered.  That means that owners either didn’t initially register when they had the microchip placed, or didn’t update their information when it changed.

8. Microchips do not replace identification or rabies tags.  Vaccine information is not transmitted by the microchip.

9. The current technology does not track your pet.  Microchips use Radio Frequency ID technology.  When a scanner is passed over the microchip, radiowaves send back a number to the scanner.  The person that has found the number then enters it into the database to find the owner’s information.

10. Side effects of microchip placement are rarely reported.  The British Small Animal Veterinary Association keeps track of reports of problems related to microchips.  Since 1996, There have only been 391 adverse reactions reported, out of over 4 million microchip placements.  The microchip moving from its original site was the problem reported most often.  More severe side effects, including tumors, were reported, but only in a handful of cases.

There is a minimal annual fee to be registered with the manufacturer’s database which varies by company.  Considering the much higher rate of return of pets, the small cost is easily justified.  The benefits of having your pet microchipped far outweigh the small chance of side effect.  If you have any questions or concerns about having a microchip placed, be sure to talk to your veterinarian.  They are the experts!

The second cat I brought home was only three weeks old.  He’s almost eight now.  A kind soul found him and his sister; their mother had died.  We took them in at the clinic, and tried to get them healthy so that they could be adopted.  His sister, Pepper, died after two days.  She had what is termed fading kitten syndrome.  It’s basically a failure to thrive.  We bottle fed, cleaned, and loved on both kittens as much as we could, but she needed her mother.  She stopped eating, and passed away.  The next day, when the little orange boy stopped eating, I took him home to give him more personal attention.

We named him Tiny, for obvious reasons.  Over time, and with a young child, it has morphed into TaunTaun (if you haven’t seen Star Wars, for shame).  We bottle fed him for a while, but as soon as we started him on wet food, he was all for it.  He was even food aggressive toward our three other, much larger cats.  The problem was that he wasn’t properly weaned.  He would just suck on that wet food like it was his mother, and we constantly had to clean off his food mustache.

Since he wasn’t weaned, he doesn’t know how to eat.  This little boy would inhale all the wet food or kibbles in one go, only to throw it all back up two minutes later.  He still does it, if we don’t sprinkle the food around on the floor, forcing him to eat it one piece at a time.  I’ve heard of other cats who do it sometimes, but he does it EVERY DAY.  One of our other cats, who is quite greedy, follows him around after he’s eaten.  Yuck.  So he gets his own dinner time, away from the other cats.  We shut him in our room and sprinkle food all around the floor.

He has another personality trait that I put down to being hand-raised, although it could just be that he’s like that.  TaunTaun is not a very friendly cat, but when a new person comes over, he tries to make them think that he is.  This sneaky guy will come sit right next to you, even on your lap, but as soon as you raise your hand to pet him, he’ll swat you.  Not with claws, mind you.  But he’ll swat and hiss and raise his hackles, just like a feline Cujo.  With myself and my husband, he’s the sweetest thing.  He sleeps between our pillows or on my ankles.  He just does not like outsiders.

There is a caveat to his bad attitude: kids.  He learned early on with our first baby that he would have to put up with lots of things from small people.  We teach our kids to be gentle with the cats, and they know that if they’re too rough with the cats, they will defend themselves.  But you can only do so much with kids.  Our friends are amazed to see our 3-year-old carrying “the jerk cat” around the house, head down, without a reaction from him at all.  Especially those friends who have been stalked around the house, selected as targets for his unfounded rage.

Hand-raised kittens can become very attached to those who raise them.  I didn’t know that they could be so cranky toward people who didn’t raise them, but again, that could just be him.  You have to put in a lot of work if you take in such a young thing.  They’re worth it, though.