Julia K Cole

The Polar Vortex is making it's way across the nation.   During this time, the neighborhood cats seek a warm place.  Meaning under the hood of parked vehicles. So Please remember to TAP the hood of your vehicle before getting in.   DO NOT BLOW YOUR HORNS! Cats have very sensitive ears.   So PLEASE do not blow your horns.   Just TAP real hard on the hood of your car once or twice.  That will be enough to wake the kitty up and send him/her on their furry way.   *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Please pass this information on to everyone you know!  

ALL the kibble raised today, will be donated to care for dogs & cats impacted by the mudslides in Washington - spread the word! Click HERE to play!

A Portland, Ore. family called 911 after their baby was attacked and they were held hostage in their own bedroom. The attacker was Lux: the family's 22-lb. cat. Teresa Barker says the cat scratched her 7-month-old in the face, and when he was kicked for that, everything changed. The family grabbed the baby, their dog and ran to the back bedroom. That's when they called 9-1-1. "He's charging us," one of the family members said on the 911 call. "He's at our door. Our bedroom door." A moment later, the sound of a cat screeching wildly can be heard on the recording. "Did you hear it?" one of the family members says. "That was the cat!" "One moment, okay?" the dispatcher replied. "Yeah, I hear him. Keep your door shut, okay?" Police used a snare and were able to get the cat behind bars in its crate. The family is talking about getting rid of the cat. The baby is okay. Sources:   WDRB News   ...

Extreme Cold Weather Regions... PLEASE REMEMBER  TO TAP THE HOOD OF YOUR VEHICLES BEFORE GETTING IN! Cats often take shelter under the hoods of cars where it's warm.  So PLEASE...Remember to Tap the hood of your vehicle before getting in.  Or at the very least make enough noise where it will scare the cat out.  DO NOT BLOW YOUR HORNS! Blowing your horns can cause damage to the cat's hearing and/or cause it to harm itself while trying to hurry out.   Remember To  Leave Food and Water.  And to check on the water supply.  In these freezing temps the water will freeze up rather quickly.  So check often throughout the day. Use Straw to line shelters or to put where strays and ferals take shelter like under your house or porch.   Learn more about what you can to do by visiting The Humane Society's website.   Just click HERE

While winter weather poses many threats to animals, perhaps one of the most serious dangers occurs when cats and other small animals seek warmth from the engines of parked cars. One such unlucky cat was Flapjack, a tiny kitten found on the side of the road in New York City last December. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan spotted Flapjack and brought him to the ASPCA Animal Hospital. It was clear that Flapjack had been caught in a car’s engine. He was suffering from multiple serious injuries, including a fractured lower jaw, a severe tongue laceration and other wounds. ASPCA Veterinarian Dr. Maren Krafchik says the hospital staff performed the first of three surgeries on Flapjack that same day, including using wire to repair his jaw and inserting a feeding tube to help him eat. This brave little kitten is now happy and healthy with his foster parent, an ASPCA veterinary technician. He had his feeding tube removed and can now eat normally, and the swelling he experienced as a resu...

1 in 3 pets will go missing during their lifetime! Are you doing EVERYTHING you can to protect your pet??   Our partners at TagaPet are donating $0.50 of every tag sold to No Kill Louisville. Head on over and check out their new site and get your tag today! Visit Tag A Pet at   www.tagapet.com

The feisty felines found their way into the Great Meadow Correctional Facility and there they have stayed.    The reason they haven’t been kicked out may seem unlikely. It turns out the inmates like them.  And the feeling seems to be mutual. The kittens were in poor physical shape when they first “broke in to the prison. But one prisoner quickly built them a “kitty condo” from scraps and began to care for them. Now Bruce Porter, the electrician for the pen, takes care of the animals during the week. Porter told The PostStar.com, “I’ve got a soft heart for any sort of animal. I don’t mind helping them out a bit.” On weekends when Porter is not there,  an inmate known as the cat whisperer watches after them.  But Doc, Meadow, Annie, and Comstock -- as they have been named -- won’t have a life sentence in the big house. The kittens will soon be adopted and have homes of their own. Source: KRMG Talk Radio   Story by Ri...

Article by  Christie Germans Dog, cat, chinchilla, hamster, ferret, fish, bearded dragon, parakeet, pig, monkey – whatever your choice, pets really make us feel good, better even, as we live with chronic illness and disability. Not only can they provide physical assistance, they also warm our hearts and make living with MS a bit easier. I am reminded of this as the winter temperatures drop and my cat, Hans, now cuddles more. (Yes, even in California, it gets cold. It dropped to the high 30’s the other night, which is cold for us, really, really cold. Brrrr!). There is nothing better than a good snuggle with Hans to warm me up. On the days I do not feel well, Hans just seems to pick up on this and cuddles with me even more, even closer. How wonderful this is as he distracts me from the  pain  I feel, the burning in my legs, the extreme  fatigue  I battle. And, there is more to it than just the snuggles. Having pets in our lives has a wide range of benefit...

Some of the coldest weather in years will move over much of the eastern half of the nation into the first part of the week. Please take these steps to protect your community cats. * Cold weather can increase a cat's energy and nutritional needs. Don't forget extra water to prevent dehydration. Check it often and place in an area protected from the wind to minimize freezing. * Wet food in insulated containers is ideal for cold-weather feeding-because it takes less energy to digest, that's more energy for keeping warm. Cats need more food for energy in the winter. * Use two storage bins (like Rubbermaid). Line the bins with Styrofoam and cut out a doorway to create an instant shelter. Visit http://alleycatadvocates.org/resources/creating-winter-shelters/ for other ideas. * In a Pinch, a cardboard shelter is better than no shelter. To keep it from getting wet, elevate off the ground, line with newspapers and cover the lid with plastic (a garbage bag will...

When the weather outside is frightful, these winter pet tips can keep your precious pets snug, safe, and warm. Keeping Warm: Fur Isn't Flawless We may admire our pets' plush coats, but as beautiful as fur is, it's not a perfect insulator, especially when it's very cold. In winter, pets can suffer from the weather extremes "for the same reason that mountain climbers can get hypothermia no matter what type of protective clothing they are wearing," says Oregon veterinarian Marla J. McGeorge, DVM. "Mammalian systems for heat retention and regulation can be overwhelmed by excessive cold." And, if an animal's coat gets wet, the fur loses much of its insulating ability, McGeorge tells WebMD. For cats and dogs with short fur, the protection is even more minimal, "sort of like wearing a T-shirt when it's below freezing."  Click HERE to Read Entire Article

Design Basics There are many ways to build adequate shelter will all good designs sharing two qualities: strong insulation and minimal air space. The insulation is needed to trap the cats’ body heat, effectively turning the cats into little radiators. Empty air space needs to be eliminated in order to keep the amount of space that needs to be heated to a minimum. A well insulated large dog house will not work because there will be too much air space for the cats to warm. Likewise, a tight fitting space with thin, uninsulated walls won’t work either because the cat’s body heat will pass right through. Smaller Shelters Provide Warmth – Build More, Smaller Shelters With these design factors in mind, it is better to build two smaller shelters which will each hold three or four cats than one large shelter to house six to eight felines. With smaller shelters, even if only one or two cats go in, enough heat will be generated. But with the larger shelter, if only a small number of the c...

Real men love cats! A tiny stray kitten found a Baltimore police officer to be his human dad for life. Officer Boyer “Officer Boyer came to the rescue twice today. First when he came to the aid of a stray kitten and again, a few hours later, when he adopted him. (That now makes Officer Boyer a kitty dad times six.)” Read Entire Story By Clicking HERE Meowy Christmas Everybody!!

Design Basics There are many ways to build adequate shelter will all good designs sharing two qualities: strong insulation and minimal air space. The insulation is needed to trap the cats’ body heat, effectively turning the cats into little radiators. Empty air space needs to be eliminated in order to keep the amount of space that needs to be heated to a minimum. A well insulated large dog house will not work because there will be too much air space for the cats to warm. Likewise, a tight fitting space with thin, uninsulated walls won’t work either because the cat’s body heat will pass right through. Smaller Shelters Provide Warmth – Build More, Smaller Shelters With these design factors in mind, it is better to build two smaller shelters which will each hold three or four cats than one large shelter to house six to eight felines. With smaller shelters, even if only one or two cats go in, enough heat will be generated. But with the larger shelter, if only a small number of the c...

The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to present holiday gifts for the animal lovers in your life from The HSUS online store, within The Animal Rescue Site. Get a head start on your holiday shopping and receive $ 5 off when you make a purchase of $25 or more using the code HSUS5OFF through November. Even better, 20 percent of your purchase will go directly to animal protection programs at The HSUS! Browse some of our best sellers in apparel, jewelry, and accessories , get stylin' in our HSUS gear or shop for your pet! With our unbeatable prices, international shipping, and $4.95 standard U.S. shipping -- you're sure to find something for everyone on your list. Check it all out by clicking HERE Merry Christmas!

Halloween can be a fun event for families and their pets. However, if safety precautions aren’t taken, it can also be a hazardous time for our four-legged companions. According to Dr. Justine Lee, a critical care specialist and associate director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline, calls increase by 12 percent during the week of Halloween, making it the call center’s busiest time of year. Here are some practical yet potentially life-saving tips that can help protect your pets on Halloween. 1. Dangerous Pet Costumes Your safest choice in a pet Halloween costume would be a loosely tied bandana; however, if you choose to dress up your pet, outfit your dog or cat with a simple approach. Pets can become tangled in elaborate, tight-fitting costumes with strings, ties, belts and sashes. Difficulty in mobility can lead to bodily injury, including strangulation. Never leave a pet unattended while wearing a costume. Small (or large) parts of a costume can become chew...