Help Emancipet!

In case you have not heard of or used this organization, Emancipet is a nonprofit that provides accessible and affordable veterinary care to all pet owners, including spay/neuter and vaccination services. These are truly important services that benefit communities far and wide.

State Representative and House Agriculture Committee Chair, Drew Springer, introduced Texas House Bill 3806. If passed, this bill would restrict the services that Emancipet and similar veterinary care nonprofits would be able to provide to communities. Non-emergency services such as dentals and heartworm testing and prevention would only be available who could document that they are indigent, as opposed to anyone. What do you think about these restrictions? For more information, check out HB 3806 and Emanicpet’s plea.

Do you think that veterinary care should be affordable and accessible to all pet owners?

If you don’t like these restrictions and want Emancipet’s services to be accessible to everyone, here’s what you can do about it!

MONDAY APRIL 1: Attend the committee hearing at the Texas Capitol and sign up to testify in opposition to the bill.
Contact the Committee Chair’s office to oppose HB 3806. Their phone number is 512-463-0526.
Contact members of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee and express your opposition to HB 3806
Contact your local Representative. Let of the Committee and your local Representative know you oppose this bill.
Share your story and your support. Your experiences, photos and videos will help us tell the critical story of why this work matters in the fight ahead. Please share on social media why Texas needs non-profit organizations like Emancipet. Please include #Emancipet in your posts so that the organization can find and share them.
Make a donation to support Emancipet. They rely on donations to fulfill their mission of making veterinary care affordable and accessible to all pet owners. Shelters also use Emancipet services.
Share this post and ask everyone you know to do the same. So much is at stake.

What will you do to support Emancipet and other veterinary care nonprofits?

Red-Eyed Monday

Over the weekend Aaron and I noticed that there was a little discharge out of Mau’s left eye and that he looked like he kept winking at us. We hadn’t noticed him rubbing at it but we suspected that it was an eye infection of some sort. On Sunday Mau’s eye was looking red, and we noticed that Mau was more yammery than usual that afternoon. This morning we started to see him pawing at his face. We didn’t want it to get worse so I called the vet and scheduled an appointment for him.

Mau was decidedly not happy by this turn of events and protested when we put him in the carrier. While he was at the vet’s office, Charlie and Garrus were seemingly confused and wandered around the house, mewing as they searched for their buddy. They trotted into my office and looked at me expectantly. All I could give them were pets and scritches.

When Aaron returned with Mau and prescribed eye drops, Mau scampered off to hide under the bed, apparently upset about his experience. Garrus and Charlie immediately went to greet and check on him. Eventually, though, Mau forgave us for subjecting him to the indignity of the carrier and taking him to the vet. Such is life with cats. Let’s see if Mau will assume his scheduled yammering hours and snuggle session.

Happy National Puppy Day

Happy happy National Puppy Day! Of course in my book, all dogs are puppies, regardless of age. As with any pet-centered holiday, take this as an excuse to celebrate your pet (safely!) and have fun!

This royal pupper needs a boop. I can tell.

Here are a few ways you can do this with your canine companion:

ADOPT! You don’t necessarily have to adopt a puppy – they do require work, training, and socialization. It’s important to find the right home for the right pet.
Volunteer at your local shelter. Exercise puppies, socialize them, and/or teach them basic obedience commands. Fostering is also a great way to volunteer and help a shelter animal.
Training your puppy! Ensuring your dog can walk correctly on a leash so that you are walking your dog rather than the dog walking you is super important.
Ensure that your puppy is well-socialized around other people and dogs and exposed to new experiences.
Assist an elderly neighbor or friend by walking their pooch for them or helping them take their dog to the vet.
Have a puppy party! Invite all your friends and their puppies.

Want more ideas? Check out these 50 ways to celebrate and National Puppy Day’s site or Facebook page.

All photos courtesy of Pexels

So Proud of Our Garrusy Cat!

We were able to trim Garrus’ nails ourselves today with a towel over his face, a stress reducer to calm him, and patience! (He normally gets his nails trimmed at the vet’s office.) The stress reducer also made him more chilled out and affectionate (!) so he forgave us quickly and repeatedly asked for visits from both of us. He even started talking outside my office door when I was trying to do schoolwork, at which point I took a break and he came in for a desk visit. We were able to pick him up and have lap time with him – and he even purred in my lap! Such huge progress for our Gentleman Cat!

I may have RBF but I am secretly purring.

Valentine’s Day and Pets

I hope you have a wonderful holiday with all your loved ones, including your pets! Here is a handy reminder from Cole and Marmalade about holiday pet safety!

Dogs and Space

Graphic from the Friends of the Pflugerville Animal Shelter

Socializing your dog is an imperative part of being a responsible pet owner. Other dogs may not appreciate an unknown dog running up to them and invading their space, and similarly, people may not not like a dog doing this, even if that dog does this out of overly friendly enthusiasm. Remember, some people are legitimately afraid of dogs because of negative experiences. Service dogs and their handlers need to focus on going about their business and not being distracted by an unpredictable dog.

Be respectful of other people, their dogs, and the spaces of both.

So Dapper

Since we adopted Mau, we purchased a breakaway collar and tag for him. (We also have updated his microchip information.) We debated what color to get for him – should it be red to match Garrus and Charlie or another shade? Ultimately we decided on a vivid cerulean shade to complement his Frank Sinatra eyes. Doesn’t he look extra dapper?

You can see a sliver of his collar in this photo. The light in this photo (taken by Aaron) makes his eyes look a darker shade of blue than usual.

Here you can see his tag!

Mau is doing well. He’s on a medication which will hopefully re-balance the good bacteria in his gut and resolve his diarrhea issue. Whether he is truly a senior at 15 or younger, he’s pretty healthy and active – he loves to play with springs and explore boxes. He gets along well with both Garrus and Charlie, his playmates and snuggle buddies, and continues to be Aaron’s Bro Cat. We’re very happy with our handsome boy.

Do your pets have fun collars? Do they wear bow ties and/or bandannas? Please share in the comments!

Harmony in a Multi-Cat Household Part Two

Some cats prefer to have buddies, as in the case of Charlie and Garrus. Others are happier as solo cats (example: Nala). Still other cats get along better with dogs than cats, as was the case for Boudicca. It depends widely on the cat’s personality, background, age, previous experiences, health, and other factors.

It’s important to remember that cats and dogs have very different social behaviors. Wild cats tend to be solitary, and as a result, they don’t have the complex social relationships and behaviors that other animals, such as dogs, chimpanzees, elephants, and whales, have. Dogs have easily recognized play behaviors, such as the “play bow”. By contrast, cats do not have these ritualized play behaviors. Misunderstandings can occur as a result. Case in point, one cat may chase or swat at another in play but the other cat may interpret this as a threatening action. Consequently, the play session can quickly escalate to a fight.

Garrus, being a bona fide Gentleman Cat, is willing to share the ottoman. Mau takes it as an opportunity to sprawl and flaunt his belly.

In short, cats can be incredibly socially awkward. This has certainly been the case for Mau and, to a lesser extent, Charlie when he tried ever so earnestly to befriend Boudicca every day, regardless of her definite opinions on the subject.

Ahem. Mau appears unaware of the concept of personal space. Garrus, for his part, is again relegated to being another cat’s pillow. (Charlie has done this a few times so this situation is not new.)

There are several factors to consider when keeping a multi-cat household, whether it is introducing a new pet to residents or helping housemates get along. There are several actions you can take to keep things peaceful. They can include:

Background. A cat’s ability to successfully adapt to a new home with housemates depends on the cat’s age, personality, prior experiences, health, and other factors. Where did this cat come from? How did the cat react to other cats in the shelter? Charlie, for example, had no such compunctions and would walk right up to a new cat and roll onto his back. For this reason, the director paired him with the well-mannered Garrus. Since Charlie was so affable, he and Garrus became instant friends.
Space. Cats highly value their personal space, and some feel safer high up or in down low in cave-like environments in which to hide. Make sure you provide ample areas for your cats to hide in, sleep, play in, and call their own. We have multiple sleeping areas (including cat beds, couches, chairs, the bed, and the window seat), the cat tree, and boxes throughout the house.
Decreased competition for resources. This is closely related to #2 and #4. Lessen friction by serving food in separate dishes and providing enough litter boxes. Having a variety of options where to snooze, sunbathe, watch birds, and play also helps, as does providing vertical territory and hiding or safe spots.
Feeding arrangements. In the morning, our cats jauntily escort us into the kitchen in anticipation of breakfast. We have learned that putting a dish in its own position and putting it down in the same spot each time keeps the peace. Garrus, for example, sits like the gentleman he is by the end table while we prepare his meals; he beelines to his spot before we set the dish down. Each cat has their own dish so they don’t have to compete for food.
Calm environment. Sometimes using a calming pheromone diffuser like Feliway helps cats relax and get along better.
Attention. Spend one-on-one time with each of your pets. Play with them. Offer scritches and belly rubs. Have a snuggle. Your attention and affection is also a resource. Don’t have your pets compete for it.

Garrus and Charlie like to share the blue elephant pillow and snuggle.

Harmony in a Multi-Cat Household Part One

I’ve considered myself lucky that Garrus and Charlie were already ironclad cat buddies when we adopted them. Charlie is so characteristically sunny that he enthusiastically wants to make friends with everyone, a trait he demonstrated repeatedly in the shelter before he came into our lives. Garrus, being a bona fide Gentleman Cat, is self-possessed, gives other cats space (and appreciates the favor returned), and is adept at reading other cats’ body and vocal language.

When we decided to foster again and brought home Mau, we focused on ensuring that our cats remained happy and that harmony prevailed. We were fortunate that Mau previously had housemates, and we acclimated everyone to one another slowly. However, sometimes it appears that Mau doesn’t always speak the same “cat language” as Charlie and Garrus do. Because Mau isn’t territorial himself, he doesn’t seem to realize that other cats have their preferred spots, personal space, or things they claim as their own.

Mau initially claimed the top platform as his spot while Charlie kept his spot. But Mau would occasionally bop Charlie on the head, apparently in play. Charlie wasn’t a fan though; up until then Charlie had been the one doing the bopping (to Garrus).

Mau took Charlie’s spot! He’s unrepentant about it too.

Charlie and Garrus like to share the car seat, though one could argue that Charlie tends to hog the chair and Garrus gets squished.

I found a most handsome box monster. All the cats wanted to check out this new box but Mau got into it first.

National Disaster Preparedness Month

Disasters happen and they’re terrible, but you, as a responsible citizen, can take steps to prepare for such situations in case they do occur. As a responsible pet owner, you should also include pets into these plans. Here are a few action items to consider:

Proper identification. Microchip your pets and ensure they wear identification tags with current, easy-to-read information.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Evacuation destination. Know where to go where you can take your pets with you. Have a list of options and contact numbers ready.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Stay together. Make sure your dog is leashed when you are transporting them and a few days after a disaster in order to keep them away from harm. Put cats in carriers for their own safety, as scared cats can bolt and hide in unbelievably small spaces.

Photo courtesy of Ready.gov

Emergency pet kit. Make like a Boy Scout and be prepared! Essential items for your kit can include: food, water, extra medication, vet record copies, poop bags, cat litter and pan, leashes, collars, first aid kit (useful for humans too!), list of pet friendly hotels and evacuation centers, dishes, and toys.

Check out additional disaster preparedness tips from FEMA (preparing your pets for disaster, protecting your pets, evacuating with your pets), Ready.gov, Pet Sitters International, and the ASPCA.