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TALKING TO ANIMALS Monthly Newsletter
"By loving and understanding animals, perhaps we humans shall come to understand each other."
Dr. Louis J. Camuti
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February 2006
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Published monthly for subscribers to Talking To Animals Newsletter
By Charlene Boyd
http://www.talk-to-animals.com
YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO FRIENDS
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In this edition:
1. Welcome!
2. Inspirational quotations about animals
3. Featured Article: A Dog Man Gets a Cat
4. Feline Haikus
5. A story from my files: Sylvester the Cat
6. FAF's (fascinating animal facts)
7. Pet Resources - Top 10 Mistakes By New Cat Owners
8. From the bookshelf
9. Questions Answered
10. The Tail End
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1. WELCOME
Cat lovers gather around! This month's Talking To Animals newsletter is for you! The February issue will be primarily about cats and their care and concerns. Dog lovers will not be forgotten either. February is the month when our thoughts turn to love and relationships. Most of my clients feel that their pets are a primary source of love and affection in their lives. They feel that they not only receive love from them, but they also allow them to love another living being unconditionally. Pets and their owners both have the same need: to be loved with an open and loving heart. It comes as no surprise that studies show that interacting with a pet directly benefits your heart by lowering blood pressure and stress levels. How can you be stressed if you are petting your cat or playing with your dog?
This month's feature story tells of one man's love affair with a barn cat. He had never loved or even liked cats before, but "Mother" changed him for the better. Through his observations of her, he learned to be aware and to cherish the little moments of the day. A story from my files tells the story of Sylvester, a cat whose deep love for his family was extended to a stray cat who was waiting in the wings for a family of his own. We have some cat Haikus and two books for review. (Yes, one is for dogs!) And other tidbits you will enjoy.
Happy reading and may February be filled with love and happy times for you and your animals.
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2. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTATIONS ABOUT ANIMALS
"To bathe a cat takes brute force, perseverance, courage of conviction--and a cat. The last ingredient is usually hardest to come by."
-Stephen Baker
"I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult. It's not. Mine had me trained in two days."
-Bill Dana (William Szathmary)
"Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them."
-Jim Davis
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3. FEATURED ARTICLE: A Dog Man Gets a Cat
This story tells how one man's opinion of cats was dramatically changed and how, unbeknownst to him, a little cat wheedled her way into his life and found a special place into his heart.
I never liked cats much. Then Mother moved into my barn.
By Jon Katz
Before Mother, I was never much drawn to cats. They seemed slithery and remote. I have a farm, and cats didn't appear to be useful.
I am partial to working dogs especially border collies and Labradors that can herd sheep, fetch sticks, hike with me, cuddle on the sofa, and swim in nearby streams. I didn't really get having an animal you couldn't herd sheep or take a walk with.
Then the rats came. They invaded my farm last summer, especially the big barns. They were fat at first. I mistook one for a rabbit-arrogant, and fearless. The farmers told me there was nothing much to be done: Rats, naturally drawn to farms, were smart, hardy, and tough to get rid of, especially with other animals around.
They had countless holes in stonewalls and rotted silos to nest in. They figured out traps. And I couldn't spread poisons around a barnyard full of sheep, donkeys, chickens, and dogs. A farmer friend suggested a barn cat. He was about to weed out his own posse, and had one in mind for me, because she was used to dogs. She was young and scrawny and got her name "Mother" from her habit of caring for kittens, whether they were hers or not.
Where I live in upstate New York, barn cats are mythic. Elusive and reclusive, they prowl barns and pastures, sleep in haylofts, and make war on rodents and snakes.
They die often and frequently brutally, from disease and neglect,from attacks by predators like foxes and coyotes, from target practice by kids or hunters,or from the bites of rabid raccoons. They get hit by cars or, in the worst cases, waste away from starvation and exposure. When their numbers grow, few are spayed or neutered they often are shot. Some of the softer farmers put heat lamps in their barns or let their barn cats into basements and mudrooms on subzero nights. Most don't.
Did I need a barn cat?
Rose, my 2 year-old border collie, ran the farm and didn't like cats. And a farm needs the right balance of animals. But the rat population was booming. So, with many misgivings, I agreed to take Mother. My neighbor drove her over in a cardboard box, a stringy, mottled brown and black creature that looked the worse for wear. I had the distinct feeling that if I hadn't taken her she wasn't going to a shelter.
Mother was surprisingly friendly. She took to me right away; she loved to be stroked and scratched, and she purred when she saw me. She was always ravenous and seemed astounded by the cans of cat food I ferried out to her in the barn. She was also instantly businesslike, scoping out the rats and the mice the second she arrived.
I took her to the vet and had her spayed, then put a collar on her, so strangers would know she was owned.
Rose was not hospitable. The minute Mother returned from the vet and entered the pasture, the dog roared down the pasture hill to drive off this mangy intruder.
It was one of Rose's rare mistakes. Mother was not like the other animals Rose had encountered and dominated. The cat sat perfectly still until the charging border collie was about 4 inches away, and then she calmly turned and raked the dog's nose with one sharp swipe of her paw. Rose is not one to make the same mistake twice. From that point on,even when Mother was right in front of her, Rose pretended not to notice her.
Mother staked out the barn and the barnyard right away, sashaying back and forth at the pasture gate, taunting the dogs, strutting her stuff, and almost daring anybody to start something. Nobody did. Certainly not my two yellow Labs, who had witnessed the trouncing of Rose.
From Mother's first day, the rodent carcasses began piling up. She left the first right by my back door it was enormous. Daily offerings followed. This caused accompanying minor problems when my delighted, wagging Labs began bringing the corpses into the house. The pest population plummeted. I was impressed. This cat delivered.
Greeting Mother quickly became part of my morning routine. When I left a bowl of dry kibble in an empty stable, Mother was always waiting for purring, meowing, circling, and me. In the evening, I sometimes brought some tuna. I put out a de-icer bucket so that she would always have water, even on bitter cold nights. I learned one thing. As with dogs, sheep, and donkeys, food went a long way toward establishing a good relationship.
Mother seemed quite content in the barn. Unlike a dog,she had no need for or interest in sharing my life or staying by my side. Yet we had a real understanding. As winter approached, I worried about the cold even though Mother was filling out and growing a thicker coat. With a friend's help, I made her a sort of igloo in the barn loft a cozy construction of hay bales with a fuzzy blanket underneath.
Now that the deep winter is here, I sometimes wonder if I should keep Mother in the barn or let her into the house. Every dog I've ever had would come inside. But Mother doesn't seem to care. She's happy in her space and happy to leave me in mine. She is willing to accept occasional gifts such as cans of tuna fish or cups of warm milk but she doesn't need my charity.
Every now and then she disappears for a day or two,and I go out to the barn anxiously, calling her name. You cannot, I realize, have it both ways. A barn cat is not really a pet. In the tradition of barn cats, she eventually reappears,and no one knows where she's been or why.
I have not seen a live rat for months now. Once in a while, when I take out the garbage or leave the dogs behind to stroll under a full moon, Mother appears at my side and strolls along with me. "Hey, Mother," I say. She never looks directly at me. She walks with her tail up, her eyes sweeping the darkness. Sometimes, I think she is keeping me company. And sometimes I get the feeling she is watching over me.
I think this story tells how many of us came to love cats. Cats have a way of gently entering your heart and soul. I was brought up believing that cats and dogs did not get along. When I was in my late twenties,a neighbor asked if my daughter who was home sick at the time, would like a kitten. I explained to my friend that we had a dog and as everyone knew (or I thought they knew!)dogs and cats don't get along. After her laughter subsided, she asked me where that idea came from. I then realized that it came from my parents because they did not like cats. Well, the rest is history. We have always had cats and dogs together. I personally feel that both dogs and cats need to learn to cohabit with each other if at all practical. Our dogs and cats became great friends and have enriched our lives over the years. My feelings regarding cats have evolved over the years thanks in part, to that first little kitten many years ago.
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4. Feline Haikus:
My affection is
Conditional. Don't stand up,
It's your lap I love.
Seeking solitude
I am locked in the closet.
For once I need you.
Tiny can, dumped in
Plastic bowl. Presentation,
One star; service: none.
Cats can't steal the breath
Of children. But if my tail's
Pulled again, I'll learn.
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5. A STORY FROM MY FILES: Sylvester the Cat
I was contacted by Meredith K. to help with the passing of their cat, Sylvester. Sylvester did not like his original home in the neighborhood and began to spend more and more time with Meredith and her husband. He told me that his original home was "ok," but he didn't feel that he was special to them and was receiving minimal care from them. In time, he came to live permanently with Meredith and her husband. Before long,it was apparent that Sylvester had some serious health problems and had developed congestive heart failure and respiratory problems. His new owners gave him his meds,special care, lots of love and anything else they could do to make him more comfortable. On some level,Sylvester sensed that he would receive better care in his new home than he would in his original home.
Toward the end of his life, a new cat began hanging around. They tried shooing him away for fear he would upset Sylvester who was their first priority. The stray cat was unusually persistent in his efforts to use his winning ways and charm to ingratiate himself into their life. In my communication with Sylvester,I asked him what he thought of the new cat that was so pushy and determined to stay. Sylvester told me that the new cat did not threaten him. He knew he would always have a special place in his owner's heart. He told me that his family knew how to fix or heal a needy cat.
Sadly, Sylvester passed, but Meredith and her husband adopted the cat that had been hanging around and trying so hard for a new home. Since that time, the new cat that they named Norman has helped fill the void left by Sylvester. Sylvester's owners ordered a special rock for their garden with the inscription,"Sylvester's Garden, Love Never Dies" with a pair of cat paw prints.
Meredith told me recently that Norman seems so very happy...still a little anxious when they go away. He gets that "hey,where ya going guys? Don't leave me!" look on his face. He has provided them with some great laughs and his personality is wonderful. He is really a ham.
I'm always amazed at the wisdom and love animals have for us. Our pets that know us so very well are not only willing to, but can be instrumental in bringing new animals into our lives at the time we need them the most. As Sylvester's garden rock so eloquently states, the love and the bond we share with our pets is truly eternal.
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6. FAF's (fascinating animal facts)
There are about 100 breeds of cats.
The average outdoor cat has a lifespan of only 3 years. Indoor only cats can live to be sixteen years or older. (I worked with a cat recently that was 26 years old!)
Whiskers are very sensitive, even to small changes in air currents. The upper two rows can move independently of the bottom two rows.
A group of cats is called a clowder; a group of kittens is called a kendle.
Cats roll on their backs to show affection. They expose their tummies like this only when they feel totally secure.
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7. PET RESOURCES - Top Mistakes by New Cat Owners
I know that many of you readers have cats that came to you through a variety of ways... I came across this information and I feel that it is good for all cat owners, whether this is your first cat or you are an experienced cat owner. Cat ownership is a big responsibility. It means more than a bowl of food and a corner in the garage. By following these suggestions you can have a rewarding long-term relationship with your cat or kitten.
1. Adopting in haste.
If you buy a blouse or shirt on sale and it doesn't fit or is the wrong color, you can return it. If you adopt a living animal with feelings, with the intention of it becoming a family member, its a different story. If you adopt a cat, it should be a commitment for the life of the cat.
2. Failure to spay or neuter a new cat.
There is a serious problem with cat overpopulation. Millions of cats are euthanized or abandoned because there are just not enough homes. By spaying or neutering, you can avoid health problems and male cats spraying on furniture or bedding. Ugh!!
3. Not getting proper veterinary care.
Vaccinations head the list of preventative care. Be observant of your cat's behavior and gently examine their entire body once a week, feeling for any unusual lumps or skin problems. Regular dental care can forestall tooth and gum problems.
4. Buying inferior grade cat food.
Buying cheap food is false economy. There are excellent foods available at specialty pet and major retailers such as PetSmart and Petco. Read the label and buy foods that are made from human grade ingredients. Yes, they may cost a little more, but you will save it in vet bills.
5. Declawing Without All The facts.
If at all possible, don't declaw your cat. It is the equivalent of cutting off the first joint of your fingers. Ouch!! Studies have proven that cats that have been declawed have a higher incidence of litter box problems.
6. Allowing A Cat To Roam Free Outdoors.
A cat that stays indoors has a greater chance of living to a ripe old age. Cars, coyotes and other predators can kill cats that are allowed outdoors, especially at night. Unfortunately there are sadistic people who will deliberately maim or kill outdoor cats.
7. Neglecting Litter Box Maintenance.
Most cats prefer a clean box and clean litter. Some cats do not like scented litter. If there is a lapse in litter box use, have your cat checked out by your vet to rule out a urinary tract infection. Many times cats will act out relationship problems in the home by not using their box.
8. Not Allowing A Cat To Act Like A Cat.
Cats are not dogs! They have very unique ways of relating to humans and to their environment. Yes, they are more independent than dogs, yet they can be just as charming and affectionate as dogs. When you see them sharpening their claws on your furniture, remember that this is instinctive behavior, not something they do out of spite or stubbornness. Provide them a scratching post to redirect this behavior.
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8. Questions Answered
Q. We have a female kitten (8 months) and a male kitten (11 months) that are wonderful during the day and get along very well but at night they do not let us sleep. If we shut our doors they scratch constantly and if we leave the doors open he meows softly as he leaves and enters the room, which always wakes me up. Also, sometimes just as I am going to sleep, he sits at the end of the bed and meows 4 or 5 times, which gets me completely awake. She will start to play either with him or with anything that makes noise at about 4 or 5 in the morning. We have play sessions at least once a day, which they love. We are at our wits end. We love our kittens but are feeling terrible all the time from lack of sleep. Is there any solution to this problem, other than giving them to someone who has a bigger home. We live in a two bedroom condo, which is pretty small. Please help!!!
A. You have to remember that cats, even kittens are more nocturnal than dogs. I would make sure that they had received plenty of exercise i.e. laser light or toys on a wand, and a light meal before bed time. They will outgrow this in time!
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9. From the bookshelf
Cats rule, dogs drool is the perspective of Arden Moore's informative and entertaining book on cats. Her newest book is "Fifty Simple Ways To Pamper Your Cat." Arden Moore is an award-winning author of over 30 books on cat and dog care. She is a regular columnist for Dog Fancy and Cat Fancy. This book is written in an informative and entertaining format. It gives you simple, fun, natural ways to pamper your cat and improve their life and your relationship with them. The topics include cat and kitten care, choosing a cat sitter, indoor vs. outdoor cats, elder cat care and indoor cat games and a myriad of other topics. This is an excellent "how-to" book for anyone owned by a cat.
Other books I reviewed by her include "50 Ways To Pamper Your Dog" and "Dog Parties: 101 Ways to Celebrate with your Canine Companion. Is everyone ready to party??" I just love the title!
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10. THE TAIL END
I hope you enjoyed this month's newsletter. We are all blessed with the love and companionship of our animals. Our pets are happiest when they are with their person or family. Hurricane Katrina left thousands of animals and their owners in limbo. Sadly, many will never be reunited. I have worked with several despondent owners who have no idea where their pets are or even if they are still alive. Some know they are in foster care, but many are being fostered all over the United States. They do not have the resources either financially or in their living arrangement to keep them. It is hard for us to imagine the amount of money needed to maintain boarding facilities, veterinary care, food and upkeep to house and treat the stranded animals. A donation to help with the on-going rescue efforts is a gift from the heart that benefits so many needy animals. In keeping with the spirit of Valentine's Day, a donation to the following animal rescue groups is deeply appreciated to the volunteers who are giving so selflessly of their time and efforts.
Noah's Wish:
http://www.noahs-wish.org
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary:
http://www.bestfriends.com
Petfinder.com Foundation Disaster Fund
http://www.petfinder.com
I came across this on a spiritual website and wanted to share it with my readers. "Dear God, protect and bless all beings that breathe, keep all evil from them, and let them sleep in peace. Amen."
Albert Schweitzer, "Memoirs of Childhood and Youth"
Until next month,
Charlene
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Mission Statement:
"I feel that my primary role as an animal communicator is to speak the truth for the animals. By speaking their truth I am able to share with their owners their unique perspectives and spiritual philosophies. The special bond that companion animals share with their owners is one that is built on love and trust. Through this special relationship both owners and their animals have an opportunity to experience love, trust and mutual understanding. It is the key to all relationships we develop with our pets. As we become more sensitive to our pets, we learn that we are all One, created by the same Divine spirit. Our ultimate goal is to live in harmony and joy with the animals we love and cherish."
Charlene Boyd
To all my readers, I always look forward to hearing from you and I do answer each and every email I receive. If you would like to email or call me to talk about your pet and any help I might give, my number is 877.907.1741 or charlene@talk-to-animals.com.
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TALKING TO ANIMALS Monthly Newsletter, talk-to-animals.com and Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator are trademarks of Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator, Coto de Caza, California, USA Phone 877 907-1741.
Copyright 2005, Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator.
You are welcome to forward this entire newsletter to friends.
Please visit my website for articles you may publish and share freely!
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To find out more about animal communication and to visit our newsletter archive, please go to our website at www.talk-to-animals.com. To contact Charlene regarding a lost animal, animal behavior problems or the death of your pet, email her at charlene@talk-to-animals or call 877 907-1741.
