How can I get my cat to tolerate trips to the vet?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have trouble taking my cat to the vet. She runs from me and then when I catch her to put her in the carrier, she gets all her claws out and lets me have it. Help! Is there an easier way to do this? Also, once she’s locked in the carrier, she pees and poops all over herself. Makes for a nice visit to the vet. ~ Syndie Siouxsie: Well, Syndie, most of us cats don’t like the carrier or trips to the vet. But we know there are times when it’s necessary. To make it easier for both you and your cat, you’re going to have to…
How can I make sure my cats are safe in a new country?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: We are going to have to give our beloved cats, Kala and Bansi, away because we are going to Afghanistan to work with an NGO on a humanitarian relief project. We really want to give my cats to my father-in-law, who lives in a different country, because we know he adores animals and will move heaven and earth to take care them. This is a home where pets are in charge and cosseted in the most shameful ways, and I know that if they can adapt to their new life, their living situation will be superior to the cramped life of a New York apartment cat. The problem is…
A most extraordinary cat: An interview with elderkitty Asti
Today we’ve got a special treat for you! Our kitty friend Asti Spumanti is celebrating her 20th birthday today. She’s the oldest and most well-traveled cat we’ve ever known, and we want to share some of her wisdom and tales of her amazing life, so we interviewed Asti and her person, KK. We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed talking to them.
How to create an evacuation plan that includes your cats
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I recently had to evacuate my apartment temporarily, with my two cats, as a result of a fire in the building next door. It occurred to me later that even though I got the cats out OK and I have an idea of how you’re supposed to prepare for evacuating with cats, I don’t know everything. I think it would be a great service to your readers (and to me, if I have to evacuate with my cats again) to write about what cat caretakers need to do in order to be prepared for disasters. ~Adrianna Siouxsie: You make a very good point, Adrianna. This is really important information,…
We’re moving from Africa to Ireland. What should we do to help our cats adjust?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My name’s Aggie – together with my fiancée we live in Botswana. We have three cats. The oldest one already lived in the house to which we moved. She’s a very nervous cat. We adopted two younger cats–Roscal (age 1-1/2) and Tyson (age 1). We will be moving back to Europe in May ’09. We’d like to bring the cats with us but we’re not sure how will they respond to such a long trip and six months quarantine. Will they be able to adapt to the much colder climate in Ireland? Is it better to leave them here–which would be a heartbreak for us–in good care? Will the…
