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4A Daily News – Saturday, May 26, 2012 healthPetsactivities & Spring brings too many new kittens; how to care for them By Kathy Antoniotti Akron Beacon Journal (MCT) It must be spring if the "free kitten" signs sprouting up on tele- phone poles are any indication. enough demand to keep up with the supply. It is estimated that it costs Americans $2 bil- lion a year to impound, shelter, euthanize and dispose of homeless ani- mals. It's another season for millions of breeding cats to produce unwant- ed kittens, adding to the numbers of homeless pets. If you are contribut- ing to this senseless suf- fering by allowing your cat to remain unaltered, well, shame on you. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that in seven years, an unspayed female cat and her kit- tens can produce 420,000 cats. and volunteers diligent- ly work to stamp out the problem by spaying/neutering and vetting cats and trying to find them new homes. This time of year, Animal rescue groups Quite simply, many of them don't make it. Cats and kittens in America are killed by the thousands each and every day of the week because there is not many agencies are bursting at the seams with cats that may very well live out their lives in a small cage or worse. As a culture, we must adopt an attitude that irresponsible pet owner- ship goes against accepted societal mores. So, please, folks, do your part to put a stop to this unnecessary cruelty. If you are thinking about bringing a new feline family member into your home, please consider adopting from one of the shelter or res- cue organizations. You will get a cat that is spayed/neutered and fully vetted. The price might be more expen- sive than "free," but look at all the advan- tages — especially the one in which you get to feel good about your- self. study released by the ASPCA. ___ BRINGING A NEW KITTY HOME According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruel- ty to Animals, potential cat adopters are much more sensible about the reasons they choose a particular cat than dog adopters. While dog lovers go for physical appearance, would-be cat owners believe behavior is more impor- tant, according to a new If you do adopt and are confused about how to care for and train your new kitten, the folks at Hill's Pet Food, makers of Science Diet and Prescription Diet food for pets, have some answers for you. They suggest that you take a little extra time to shape the behaviors and per- sonality you want your cat to have as an adult. Early training goes a long way in keeping your new little friend out of trouble and in your home. To begin with, it goes without saying that you should provide safe and nutritious food for your new friend. It will require precise levels of essential nutrients to stay healthy throughout life. Secondly, realize that punishment does not work. Plain and simple, harsh behavior on your part will damage your relationship and lead to more serious problems. Never, never hit a kitten. Interrupt the bad behav- ior, such as scratching furniture, with a spray of water or a sharp noise. Don't make the cat afraid of you. It is counterproductive. Make sure the kitten's bedding is soft, wash- able and placed in a bas- ket or small box in a cozy or sunny corner. Cats sleep up to 18 hours a day. Provide toys. They don't even have to be purchased. Papers and ping-pong balls are great toys. Think noise and anything that moves easily. Travel with cats by placing them in a cat carrier. Provide an identifica- tion tag and required registration information such as rabies tags on a collar that has some slack but doesn't slip provide two litter boxes, especially if you have a two-story home, and scoop out waste daily. Put it in a quiet, out-of- the-way place and don't move it. Use natural clay or clumping litter. Scented corn, wheat, pine and other litters are unnatural to cats. Call the vet if your cat goes outside the box. It might indicate an illness. Introduce your new cat to other animals in the household calmly. Make sure you have a "safe room" for at least two weeks where the animal can feel safe from other pets. The room should include the cat's food, litter, toys and scratching equip- ment. Play with your new cat in the room, giving it one-on-one time with you. It will help the cat feel accept- ed and forge a bond between the two of you. Keep your cat indoors. Outdoor living is dangerous. Remove dangling dangers such as threads and other things a kitten might eat. Keep it away from toxic plants and other hazards. For more information over the cat's head. For a one-cat home, on how to raise a healthy and happy cat, visit www.hillspet.com/index .html. Microfiber Sofas $ 399 Microfiber Reclining Sofa & Loveseat Set $ 999Set reg. $ Crandell $ 698 Serta Toledo EuroTop Queen Set Rialto $ 2499 Pinnacle $ 469 Recliners from$ 299 235 S MAIN ST., RED BLUFF 530 527-1657 FURNITURE DEPOT $499 HOURS: MONDAY thru FRIDAY 9 AM - 6 PM SATURDAY 9 AM - 5 PM SUNDAY 11 AM - 5 PM 398 Forte $ 598 could save your bird A reader sent in a letter that said his aging Amazon par- rot had died suddenly. I replied that older birds and other animals can succumb unexpectedly from heart attacks and strokes, just like humans can, and that only an autopsy from a vet could actually provide closure on why the bird had died. Carbon monoxide detector I then heard from a few other readers who said that they also had a bird or birds that died suddenly, and that right after the birds died their carbon monoxide detectors had gone off. The house was slowly filling with gas, and that's why the birds had died. This underlines the need for a car- bon monoxide alarm and suggests that if a bird suddenly dies in a home without one, you should have your utility company check out the situation. Fumes from the over- heating or burning of a Teflon pot or pan, or a self-cleaning oven that is allowed to overheat can also be toxic to birds. ___ time next week. They will be there for seven days, and I am very anxious for them. I have no idea if they will be afraid of the people who work there or perhaps they may not eat. They are well socialized and have no problem at the dog park, but I am worried anyway. I chose the kennel because it is a small place and a person is there all night long. I would appreciate any advice or information you can give me. Q: I am leaving my two dogs at a kennel for the first few days, others tolerate it and still others are miserable. It is usually the fear of the unknown that makes them so unhappy, so the best way to address this issue is to ask the boarding kennel if you can pay to leave your dogs there for just one day. A: Some dogs enjoy being at a boarding facility for a evening, the equivalent of a shift at doggy day care. If you have time, do this for a couple of days before you go away. The dogs will be happier, as now the unknown is familiar to them and, hopefully, they will enjoy seeing and smelling so many new things all day. ___ Drop them off in the morning and pick them up in the Q: My 8-year-old golden retriever loves to eat the beach grass that grows in my yard. I cannot stop her from doing it. She always throws it all up an hour after she eats it. Why does she eat it when it makes her so sick? A: Dogs eat grass just because they enjoy the way it tastes. They cannot digest grass and if they eat a small amount or if the grass is very fine and soft, then it will come out in their stool. she throws it up. If she threw it up right after she ate it, she may figure out that eating the grass is causing her to vomit, but since it happens so long afterward, she does not have the cognitive ability to figure this out. As long as she has access to the grass, she will continue to eat it. ___ Q: Can you tell me what bird sings in my neighborhood all night long? I thought that birds could not make noise in the dark. Whenever I cover my cockatiel's cage, it stays quiet until I uncover it. The neighborhood bird has a very loud song and seems to sing three or four different songs. A: Many neighborhoods are not actually that dark at night, between all the streetlights and cars. In the spring when their testosterone level is high, many male birds in suburbia will take advantage of this and sing the night away. I have heard robins and cardinals singing in the dark- ness, but the prize goes to the mockingbird. Most likely that is what you have been hearing, especially if you have heard it sing several songs. They are called mockingbirds since they mock or mimic the songs of other birds and incorpo- rate them into their own. Beach grass is coarse and wiry, however, so that is why