National Cat Day 2010

Posted on October 7, 2010 by admin

When is National Cat Day 2010? This year, National Cat Day is on October 29th. National Dog Week last an entire week, while poor felines are under-appreciated and handed the short end of the leash. Lucky for cats, Colleen Paige, and animal behaviorist and Pet Lifestyle Expert, founded National Cat Day to encourage cat adoptions and to recognize the value of the cat as a human companion. Cats are independent creatures with a free will. No matter how much you beat a dog, he’s going to remain loyal. If a cat is mistreated or simply doesn’t like her home, she simply moves to a better one. Bottom line, cats have personality! Cats also lower blood pressure, helping ease stress and granting their owners peaceful moments. Cast are also filling our shelters. An estimated 4 million cats end up at our local pounds. Out of those millions an estimated 25-50% are euthanized.

This blog celebrates cats every day. Our rescue cats are honored and cared for accordingly. There will be no extra festivities to honor them on National Cat Day, because opening our home to them and making sure all their needs and wants are met is sufficient. What I would like people to focus on this National Cat Day and every day of the year is cat rescue! I may be “crazy” but my main focus for the past several years has been pet adoption of all species, including cats.

If you like cats and have some room for “just one more”, just do it. Let’s help clean out the shelters, and I mean through the front door!

Happy National Cat Day to all the cats in the world. May there be a day when the shelters are empty… Adopt a pet, save a life!

The Crazy Cat Lady

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What To Expect From Your Pregnant Cat

Posted on October 1, 2010 by admin

Your pregnant cat should be allowed to live a normal life, especially during the first stages of her pregnancy. She can even be allowed to venture outdoors to play and hunt. After she is visibly distended, you should restrict her because her center of gravity (due to the growing kittens) will greatly affect her balance.

Do not worry much about limiting your pregnant cat’s activities, as she will innately become more careful herself, searching for her nesting site.

As she gets bigger and the pregnancy progresses, the pregnant cat will undergo an increased level of progesterone, nature’s way of preparing her for the delivery, that brings with it relaxation.

Your cat will start sitting in a prone position as she gets bigger. As she stretches out on her side, she distributes her “load” more evenly, allowing the floor to help her with the stress of carrying all the weight.

Sitting up, the pregnant cat will keep switching positions as she can not get comfortable. Her large tummy will make her look pear-shaped, and the pinking will become more visible as she nears her due date.

To sum up, the pregnant cat does not really need any special care. I’m sure everyone is anxious and wants to do more, but there is no need. You don’t even need to worry about making a fuss about the kittens’ arrival, since for the first couple of weeks they’ll be completely dependent on their nursing cat mom for everything.

So, for those who are completely unaware of when their cat got pregnant, if your pregnant cat seems more “lethargic”, as she slows down more, be mentally prepared for the arrival of her newborn kittens.

The Crazy Cat Lady

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The Pregnant Cat’s Demeanor

Posted on September 18, 2010 by admin

A pregnant cat exudes tranquility, calmness and serenity during her pregnancy, and some would argue after the kitten birth as well. The scientific explanation for her behavior is based on her increase of progesterone, the hormone that prevails during pregnancy and lactation (nursing). The pregnant cat is less prone to fighting with other cats and she becomes affectionate and more relaxed around humans.
During the last days of her pregnancy, as birth approaches, she does not wander away from her home. She stays close to her nest where she will give birth to her kittens.
The progesterone acts like a relaxant that suppresses her fears as it makes her feel more secure. The progesterone increase also helps during the actual birth.
As I said in the beginning, “some would argue”. Allow me to explain. While that may be the case with some cats, my experience is that regardless of the progesterone effects, the maternal instinct will make a new mother cat extra aggressive and cautious. If a nursing cat thinks that her kittens are at risk, she will not hesitate to go straight into attack mode, bypassing the threat phase altogether.
If it’s still too early and you’re not sure whether your cat is pregnant, one of the cat pregnancy signs you can look for is the overall relaxation that accompanies the pregnancy. Remember though, the progesterone takes a few days to kick in as well, so you may want to visit the cat vet for an actual diagnosis, if you don’t want to rely strictly to feline pregnancy signs.

The Crazy Cat Lady

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