When Allsort disappeared in 2003, she was devastated, certain she would never see him again.

Despite posting “missing cat’” flyers everywhere and conducting an extensive search, there was no sign of the black cat.

Imagine her amazement this week when she opened a letter from a local vet, telling her that Allsort had found. Not only that, but he’d been living just five streets away.

Amy said, “It was one of the worst days of my life when I realized Allsort had gone. I was absolutely beside myself, it was horrific.

“I had given up all hope of ever finding him, it was terrible. I never thought in a million years I’d have him back.”

Allsort, who was only a year old when he disappeared, was taken in by an elderly couple who thought he was a stray. They made a fuss over him, but later he moved on to different owners. When the new owners they took him to the vet, an ID chip was discovered. Scanning it, the vet discovered that Amy was Allsort’s owner.

She added: “I had seriously thought he was gone forever and that he was dead.”

Although this story has a happy ending and demonstrates the value of microchipping your cat, it also demonstrates the value of keeping an ID tag on your pets. If Allsort had worn a tag, the elderly couple who initially found him would not have assumed he was a stray, and he could have been reunited quickly with Amy, sparing her six years of grief.

[LINK: TheSun.co.uk]

Here’s a fun time-waster quiz coupled with a warning. You’ll never look at the litter box quite the same way again.

First up, the reader photos. The first two are photos of Freya the Dog. The first is with Smokey and the second is with Utu:

And now for the rest:

Today, we’ve got three essential summer tips to keep your cat comfortable, healthy and safe as we enter the dog days of summer. These tips boil down to three little words: Hydrate, Furminate and Educate. Here’s how:

HYDRATE

Just as humans are encouraged to drink lots of water when the weather heats up, so, too, should cats. Always keep fresh water available in several different spots in the house (and outdoors, if your cats spend time outside).

Outside water dishes should be placed in spots with daylong shade. I throw ice cubes into our water dishes when it is super-hot, to ensure that the water stays cool. If you’re away from home during the day, freeze a plastic dish of water overnight, and put it out in the morning. The ice will melt during the day, providing a continual source of cool water.

During hot weather, consider adding an additional water source by putting a water dish in the bathtub (or sink), with water slowly dripping into it, and train your cat to use it as a water dish.

Consider a cat fountain with an add-on reservoir which ensures your cat will have a continual source of fresh water. Many Drinkwell fountains have the option of adding a reservoir.

Senior Cats Have Special Hydration Needs
It’s especially important to keep senior cats hydrated. They often have compromised kidney and thyroid functions, and keeping them hydrated can save you a trip to the vet. Like many geezer cats, my 18-year-old, Rocky, will nap all day, looking like a melted pool of butter, not stirring to eat or drink. I make a point, every hour or two, to take the water dish to him, and encourage him to drink, which he usually does with gusto.

Eliminate Unhealthy Water Sources
When your cat is thirsty, she’ll try to drink anything, whether it’s safe for her or not, so eliminate any dangerous sources of water. Indoors, this might include a toilet, if you use chemical self-cleaners (or if family members are lax about flushing), so keep the lid down. Outdoors, empty any standing water receptacles that can harbor dangerous bacteria and parasites.

External Hydration
Not necessarily popular with cats, it does provide a temporary respite from the heat. Soak a medium-sized towel with water until it is saturated. Drape it around your cat, then squeeze out the towel’s water onto the cat, and rub a bit so that the water reaches the skin. The towel method is less traumatic than a bath, and quicker and easier to administer.

FURMINATE

With each heat wave, your cat’s body is likely to shed mountains of fur. This is prime hairball season, so take care to groom your cat daily with the FURminator® or other deshedding tool. There have been cases where hairballs the size of baseballs were removed from the stomachs of cats, and most of these cases are preventable with regular grooming.

Signs of a major hairball problem and possible impaction are retching, inability to poop, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or a swollen abdomen. See your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat is impacted.

EDUCATE

Keep tabs on your cats during hot weather, and monitor them for signs of heatstroke. Take a minute or two now to educate yourself about the symptoms and emergency treatment for hyperthermia. Heatstroke is life-threatening, and knowing proper first aid can save your cat’s life.

The symptoms of heatstroke in cats include:

• Rapid panting
  
• Bright red tongue
  
• Red or pale gums
  
• Thick, sticky saliva
  
• Depression
  
• Weakness
  
• Dizziness
  
• Vomiting - sometimes with blood
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Shock
  
• Coma

According to Drs Foster and Smith:

A cat with moderate heatstroke (body temperature from 104º to 106ºF) can recover within an hour if given prompt first aid and veterinary care (normal body temperature is 99.5-102.5°F). Severe heatstroke (body temperature over 106ºF) can be deadly and immediate veterinary assistance is needed.

If you believe that your cat is suffering from heat stroke, you must first take immediate measures to cool her down. Move her to a cool area, apply wet cold towels or immerse in cold water. Apply ice packs to the head.

Remove the cat from the hot area immediately. Prior to taking him to your veterinarian, lower his temperature by wetting him thoroughly with lukewarm water, then increase air movement around him with a fan. CAUTION: Using very cold water can actually be counterproductive. Cooling too quickly and especially allowing his body temperature to become too low can cause other life-threatening medical conditions. The rectal temperature should be checked every 5 minutes. Once the body temperature is 103ºF, the cooling measures should be stopped and the cat should be dried thoroughly and covered so he does not continue to lose heat. Even if the cat appears to be recovering, take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible. He should still be examined since he may be dehydrated or have other complications.

Allow free access to water or a children’s rehydrating solution if the cat can drink on his own. Do not try to force-feed cold water; the cat may inhale it or choke.

Keep in mind that cats who suffer from heatstroke once increase their risk for getting it again and steps must be taken to prevent it on hot, humid days. Snub-nosed breeds (like Persians and Himalayans) are especially vulnerable.

More Information on Catster:

• Catster’s Summer Fun Forum
  
• Join the FURminator Group on Catster.
  
• More about heatstroke in Catster’s Cat Health Forum
  
• Got a question about heatstroke? Ask Dr Barchus.
  

First up, the reader photos, starting with a shot of Tabby the Cat and a dog she met in a park. Says her mom, “This dog loves cats and used to live with one, so he kept on wanting to give Tabby kisses, even jumping in the stroller once to give her a full-body kiss! Tabby loves dogs, and befriends them wherever we are.”

Here’s Armani the Cat, sharing a secret with Gauis:

Of course, a great perq to good interspecies relationships is being on the receiving end of the occasional massage:

Got a cute cat-n-dog photo of your own? Send it to me and I’ll post it. (Please, only send personal photos to which you own the rights.)

And thanks to those of you who sent cat-only photos - we won’t use them for this series, but may post them at a later time.

Last month, LaVeeda Krumm took the feral cat to Harborside Animal Clinic, after she noticed a problem with the cat’s overgrown nails. At the clinic, tests revealed that City Kitty had advanced arthritis and hyperthyroidism, a common affliction in older cats.

The vets at the clinic ministered to City Kitty, but the price tag was a steep $439.

Dr. Ruth Eisel, a vet at the clinic, said that when City Kitty was brought in, the clinic was told people would be pitching in to help cover the costs. Unfortunately, the funding didn’t materialize and the three doctors in the practice had to pay the expenses themselves.

“When it came to chip in, there was no one there except for LeVeeda Krumm,” said Eisel. “The doctors said to ourselves, (the cat) was promised help, so we put our own money toward the cat.”

Two weeks after the visit to the vet, Councilwoman Penny Taylor sent a memo to her colleagues asking city employees to pitch in to help offset the medical expenses.

“We love her,” Taylor wrote. “We need help with this bill and a collection station has been established at the volunteer desk in the downstairs lobby of City Hall.” Unfortunately, donations have been very slow in coming in.

Taylor said she was relieved to learn that Krumm took City Kitty to the doctor.

“I’ve been worried about her,” Taylor said. “She’s very wily.”

City Kitty is just one of several cats that lives near City Hall, said Naples Mayor Bill Barnett. Barnett estimates she’s been around City Hall for about 15 years.

“I’ll tell you it adds a personal touch,” Barnett said about having a city pet. “This is not a bleak gray drab atmosphere around here. We’re filled with good old normal people. It’s a warm fuzzy.”

An overactive thyroid means City Kitty needs to take medication twice a day, which is hard to do with an feral cat. But Krumm said she’s doing her best to make sure City Kitty gets it at least once a day.

Being the City Kitty has its perks: In 2006 city employees built her a cat house to keep her out of the elements during bad weather.

Donations for City Kitty’s medical expenses are being accepted at
Naples City Hall,
735 Eighth Street South
Naples, FL 34102

[LINK/PHOTOS: NaplesNews.com]

The 365 Cat Ladies Blog is sponsoring a great giveway for July: THREE crazy cat ladies (or lads) will win the Peaceable Kingdom print shown above. All you have to do is drop by the blog and leave a comment in the giveaway entry post describing your cat’s favorite game. Winners have the option of a “with text” or “no text” version.

Entry Deadline: 31 JULY

Here’s Sophie with Sallie:

And now the rest…

Got a cute cat-n-dog photo of your own? Send it to me and I’ll post it. (Please, only send personal photos to which you own the rights.)

And thanks to those of you who sent cat-only photos - we won’t use them for this series, but may post them at a later time.

Lyndi and Twinkie

Sadie and Raja

And now the rest…

Got a cute cat-n-dog photo of your own? Send it to me and I’ll post it. (Please, only send personal photos to which you own the rights.)