“Hey, finish your dinner. We have an invitation. Hurry up.”

by gopal1035 http://www.flickr.com/photos/gopal1035/3265933678/ Noddy and Brownie

Hi Fisher,

I’m so glad I found you. Mr Hey U and I live in the same house, but we are definitely NOT friends. He doesn’t like to play and complains to the human every time I go anywhere near him. I was here first, but he thinks he should sleep right next to her. I don’t think this is fair as he was just a street kid that the human felt sorry for..He tries to get real snooty but he can’t pull it off. I am wondering if he is just jealous because I have a name of royalty and he is just Mr. Hey U. Is this possible?

Your friend
Gussy

Dear Lord Gussy,

You indeed have a royal name! It appears you already held court and sent down a ruling on which one of you is the most worthy of the best spot on the bed. Mr. Hey U has become your subordinate, although he may not see it that way at all. The inherent personality of all cats includes a touch of aristocracy – even in one you refer to as “just a street kid.”

Your royal name suits you well. One can only wonder which came first – the name or the attitude. Little research is done on the tendency of a pet to take on certain characteristics implied by their public name. For instance, Brutus may be a large burly cat with an attitude, but no one will ever know for sure if he would have turned out small, easily intimidated, and somewhat whiny had someone named him Chump.

In truth, a cat’s public name is most likely a reflection on the human who presented it. Names of pets are often taken from human memories of a favorite movie, a cartoon character, or sometimes even a favorite cocktail. Humans are usually very thoughtful in their choices. For example, a pure white cat is not likely to have the name Merlot…or Hangover. Some will need to observe a kitten or cat for a few days before they decide on a name. There are others who can look in a cat’s eyes at first meeting and instinctively know what to call them.

A few things for the humans to consider – maybe even before their cat is found:
1.Remember that a cat can live for 20 years. Choose a name that will grow with him.
2.Choose a name the cat can easily recognize. 2-syllable names are best.
3.Pick a name that fits the full grown cat as well as the kitten.
4.Pick a name for your cat that preserves his dignity as well as yours.
5.There are many sites out on the Internet to help with cat names. I recommend Easy Cat Guide, the ultimate cat name guide.

The best answer for you, Lord Gussy, comes from the wisest cat lover of all, “But above and beyond there’s still one name left over…The name you will never guess. The name that no human research can discover,But the cat himself knows and will never confess.” –  T.S. Eliot
Your friend,
Fisher

A feel good reality film for the weekend.
Have a good one!
Your friend,
Fisher

PLEASE DO THIS ‘FREE’ GOOD DEED – Animal Rescue

Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple… Please tell ten friends to tell ten to tell ten today! An added note: when you visit the site, be sure to sign up for their auto-reminder service. Even the best of us get a little forgetful some times.

The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute (How about 20 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box ‘fund food or animals’ .

This doesn’t cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.  
 
- – -  Here’s the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

The Animal Rescue Site

I'm innocent, I'm innocent!

Dear Fisher,

Help me, Fisher! My human brought a darn kitten home 4 months ago. Her name is Spice. Mom kept us separated and tried to introduce us slowly but I just don’t like her. She is pesky and always wants to play. She keeps jumping over me and playing with my tail. Last week she sat on my quilt! Can you believe it ? I thought she would mellow out but It has been 4 whole months. She usually plays on the patio so I can chill out in the house but it has been cold here in Florida so Mom has brought her indoors. When Spice is inside I like to go hide in the garage. I’m too short to reach the door knob so how do I get rid of her for good? Will she ever mellow out?

Sugar

Dear Sugar,

So the new upstart has gotten you frustrated. This is where the power of patience can play a major role in the quality of life for both you and your Mom. It is not uncommon for both humans and older cats to completely forget how annoying the escapades of little kittens can become. Of course they are adorable with their never ending antics, but does it have to be all the time?

It may help you to think about why you are in this predicament. Your loving human – the same loving human that invited you into the house – may well have wanted you to have a playmate and full time companion. Humans who are on-the-go these days feel bad when they have to leave their pets for lengthy periods of time. Or perhaps, she wanted a new kitten and was very sure you would be welcoming and happy about it. Or, it is possible that your human just thinks if one cat (you) is nice to have around, having 2 cats would be even better.

The thing I am trying to get across here is that inviting the darn kitten (Spice) to live with you is not meant as a punishment. Four months should be enough time for you to adjust, but since that has not happened, I would like to recommend an old and established procedure called “Go Back to Square One.”

• Re-establish separate space for you and Spice. Choose times during the day when one or the other is separated from the rest of the house.
• Toys, food and water bowls, and bedding should be separate. And, if you have undone it, re-do the separate litter box technique.
• Equal time and attention given to each by your human, preferably within view of each other should teach that you are both special.
• Whenever either one of you exhibits bad behavior toward the other, your human should gently place you in your space behind the closed door.
• Learn more about kitten wants and needs at West Hills Animal Hospital.

I have one last piece of advice for you, Sugar. If it looks like the Go Back to Square One option is chosen, start campaigning for the master bedroom. Good luck to you.

Your friend,
Fisher


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Seemingly small occurrences can make such a huge difference in a life. One day I received this photo of boy and dog praying their little hearts out. Two days later, I received a newsletter full of answers for many who are in the throws of economic disaster.

Everything is abuzz with the trouble in our economy. The solutions often seem to range from the surreal to the nonexistent. The Humane Society of the United States tells us that pets by the thousands are ending up at local pounds and rescue shelters. We hear horror stories that some animals are left in vacant houses as the family drives away. Animal lovers everywhere are angry and heart-broken over the new homelessness of family pets, all the while hoping their situations do not take that horrible turn. Desperation leads to desperate actions.

But, when the chips are down the humans come together to help each other – and in doing so, help the pets. That is the silver lining. My heart seemed to swell up a hundred times over when I received my latest newsletter from Patricia Collier, editor of NewsPetter™ from
Florida Pets. Ms. Collier writes, “Thinking about this was making me crazy. So I decided to do something. I’ve compiled a list of resources for people who are struggling to keep their pets in spite of the nation’s economic turn down. From low-cost spaying and neutering services to free pet food, I’ve tried to find people and places that can help. And I hope to grow this list, by finding more resources myself and by readers like you letting me know about others. I believe it’s vital for people to be able to keep their pets, especially during times of stress and uncertainty. And it’s vital for pets to be able to keep their homes. I hope this information will help someone through a difficult time.”

With the help of other pet-lovers, Ms. Collier organized lists of help for people and their pets in hard times. She suggests you start with your local groups. Contact
Florida humane societies for help with pet food or medical care, or check with your local animal control. They may have plans for help. If you do not have a shelter in your area, contact The Humane Society of the United States for suggestions. Please note: You will need to qualify for the programs listed below, so please call for their qualifications before applying for assistance.

Florida Pets gives great information for those who need help and for those helping others:

Foreclosure problems?
No Paws Left Behind, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to bringing awareness to and finding solutions for the growing phenomena of “foreclosure pets“, today announced the launch of their organization and Web site, intended to help foreclosure victims find shelters for their pets. They direct visitors, based on their zip code, to local animal shelters and other alternative housing providers for pets in need.

Hungry?
We All Love Our Pets (WALOP), is a Meals on Wheels program to help seniors feed their pets as well as themselves. Contact your local Meals on Wheels or senior center for details.

On medication?

1. Publix offers a free prescription program for one of seven oral antibiotics for both people and pets. When veterinarians prescribe one of the drugs, consumers can take the prescription to Publix where they can get a 14-day free supply of one of seven medications, including Amoxicillin; Cephalexin, generic of Keslex; Penicillin VK; Ciprofloxacin (excluding Ciprofloxacin XR); Ampicillin; Erythromycin (excluding Ery-Tab), and Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP).

2. CVS. An official from CVS Pharmacy said they too have a program where they provide certain antibiotic drugs for people or pets at no charge.

The list goes on. Florida Pets has done an excellent job of finding help for those in need: low cost spaying and neutering , general veterinary care, help in an emergency, injuries and illnesses. I encourage you to visit Florida Pets and subscribe to NewsPetter™ for a wealth of information.

Please let us all know what is happening in your State and neighborhoods to help the helpless animals. Please write with any suggestions that will help those in troubled times.