Cats Herd You

Update: Bushler has a Forever Home!

Do you remember our previously featured adoptable kitty Bushler? On a recent morning, we found an unexpected message in our emailbox about him:

Please post this so everyone knows he now has a forever home. I am a volunteer with Candy’s Cats and Bushler’s new life long mommy. He has been with me a little over a week. He is loving and very happy. He has a sister and they are still working things out between them as all cats do. He entertains me every evening with his loud purrs and his expertise in making biscuits. Bushler is well loved and cared for and has a forever home with me.

We couldn’t be happier. Hearing that a sweet, special needs kitty like Bushler has finally found his forever home made our day. Every cat has a forever home waiting for them out there, even if their forever family doesn’t realize it yet.

How does Bushler feel about this? Let’s see…

Do you think he looks happy?

Plush Ashton’s Adventures at MeowWorld

Plush Ashton is home after a long weekend spent visiting our other blogging friends at the MeowWorld/BarkWorld conference in Atlanta.

She rode in style all the way there. Is that safe, Plush Ash? We don’t see any seat belt.

On the way into Atlanta, she stopped to pick up our friends Susan from Life with Cats and Dogs and cats and Alana from Cat in the Fridge from the airport. While she waited, she got to watch the planes taxi, take off, and land.

After a long day of travel, Plush Ashton needed a snack. She found a cupcake ATM near the hotel where you can buy cupcakes 24 hours a day. Talk about a great idea!

After all the excitement of the day, it was time for some shut eye.

The next morning, plus Ashton was ready bright an early for the conference.

A sign told her that it was for social petworkers. The head peep said that sounded a little bit like they were working in a coal mine for their pets. We don’t care where she works as long as she brings home the cat food.

Plush Ashton had some really great roommates. They were foster kittens brought to the conference by our good friend Jeanne from Random Felines. These 10 week old kittens were the first cats she had ever met who were her own size.

At first, little Sangria and her brother, Stoli, were shy.

But they learned that iPads weren’t just for humans to use

Plush Ashton also hd a brush with fame when she met the famous Waffles.

All too soon, after not enough time visiting with our friends, it was time for Plush Ashton to say farewell to Atlanta.

But she brought back a little something to remember the weekend by.

We think that actual Ashton is going to enjoy that little gift from Waff very much as she continues her tradition of species-inappropriate foods.

Celebrating a Happy Halloween

Ashton: The head peep may have packed her bags and skipped town to go to the Cat Writers Association/BarkWorld conference, but we didn’t forget.

Pierre: Lucky for us, in my entire life, there has only been one trick-or-treater who came to the door here, so we won’t have to work Aunt O. too hard answering the door. And we won’t have to hide from people knocking on the door.

Newton: Why do you think they don’t come here? I love visitors, and I would like it if we had people coming to the door tonight!

Ashton: You’re weird, Newton.

Newton: You’re one to talk, miss hides-from-everybody. You don’t know what you’re missing out on.

Pierre: *sigh* You two are acting like a couple of kittens.

Newton: At least Aunt O. won’t try to put costumes on us for Halloween photos.

Pierre: Thank goodness. It’s better if we just have our photos taken for Halloween without all of the extra fuss. No costumes, no silly Photoshop tricks, Just cats, the way it should be.

Newton: Darn right. Have a safe and Halloween, everyone!

Halloween Safety for Cats

How can you keep your kitty safe this Halloween? Depending on how much trick-or-treating happens in your neighborhood and how much you love to decorate for the holiday, these tips can help:

Keep your indoor-outdoor cat inside, at least for the evening. If you have lots of scary strangers walking up the front walk in costumes over and over, it increases the likelihood of your outdoor cat being frightened and going missing or having an accident happen.

Make sure your cat has ID. Since your kitty won’t carry an ID card, both a collar and microchip are suggested to make sure that if trick-or-treaters or Halloween revelers spook your cat and she ends up lost, someone can help her get home safely.

Make a quiet spot away from the front door’s constant ringing and opening. You may want to play some soothing music in the room to help cover the doorbell noises for the anxious cat. If your cat is really anxious about the doorbell and door, consider sitting on your porch to hand out candy so that the bell isn’t causing such agitation.

Be careful with Halloween decor. It’s not manufactured to be a safe cat toy and may have unhealthy components or pieces that are easily torn off by a playful cat, such as gauzy fake spiderwebs, which can cause blockages if ingested. Don’t forget that a candle inside a jack-o-lantern is still an open flame and can be dangerous if knocked down. Consider using a battery-powered, artificial candle instead.

Watch out for Halloween toys that weren’t meant for cats and might be a hazard. Glow sticks, enjoyed by children instead of flashlights while trick-or-treating, can be toxic.

If you’re going to dress kitty up in a costume, even just for photos, do it safely. If your cat isn’t used to wearing clothes, watch for signs of distress and don’t overdo it if your kitty gets upset. Be sure that the costume isn’t too tight for your cat to draw a deep breath and doesn’t obscure your cat’s vision.

Don’t share Halloween candy with your cat. If you have a cat like Ashton who will eat almost anything, whether it’s species-appropriate or not, make sure that candy is stored out of reach or in a sealed container.

Cat in Bag image courtesy pyxopotamus on Flickr
Pumpkin Cat image courtesy libbydorazione on Flickr