How to Love a Cat

09•26•16

A cat is easy to love.

They’re cute. They’re so cute with soft, fluffy fur and big, beautiful eyes.

They’re funny. They’re fun to watch because of how funny they can be: leaping, twisting, turning, crouching, wiggling, pouncing… all at invisible prey.

They’re champion snugglers. How can you do anything but love a fur ball who curls up in one sunny window or on one couch cushion and sleep for five, six, seven hours at a stretch? And then there’s the actual stretching! Cats are yoga masters, and their back bends, forward folds, and–yep–even their down dogs spark smiles and inspire relaxation.

A cat is easy to love.

But for us humans, we want to be loved back.

There’s the rub… it’s, well, it’s in the rubbing. And the petting and the hugging and the grubby fingers combing that soft, fluffy fur.

See, dogs are easy. They very often–and often to their detriment–work super hard to keep us happy. Cats, on the other hand, expect us to work super hard to keep them happy.

And it’s worth it to work that hard for a cat. Nothing beats a tiny little fuzz ball rubbing your ankles with her chin, purring away. Nothing beats a curled up, zonked out cat on your lap (unless you have to go to the bathroom, but even then… stay still… enjoy it). Nothing beats meeting a cat on her terms to achieve training goals.

Because you have to work so hard, the reward is so great.

Newt is a difficult cat. Or, at least, she is on the surface.

Newt’s reality is that she’s finicky. She likes things a certain way. She likes being pet a certain way and fed a certain way and cuddled a certain way.

So, how do you love a cat?

You love a cat by taking the time to learn what those certain ways are… and then appreciating them for what they are.

You love a cat by accepting that your cat might not like being picked up… and then by not picking her up.

You love a cat by striving not to bend her to your wants and needs and desires, but rather by figuring out what her wants and needs and desires are and finding ways to help her achieve those.

A cat is easy to love.

We humans? We’re a little bit harder.

But that extra effort is worth the purrs.

This last week of September is “Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet” Week. I’m not hugely fond of that terminology, to be honest, because I think it stigmatizes perfectly adoptable animals. However, I’m fully aware that black cats like Newt and, really, most shelter cats have a super hard go of things. There are far too many homeless cats of all ages, sizes, and health conditions, and they deserve loving homes. Whether they’re considered “less adoptable” or, in my opinion, perfectly adoptable, they deserve a home.

If you’re looking to add a pet, consider a cat like Newt who would be considered “less adoptable” because you will benefit so greatly from her love.

One life matters #AdoptaShelterPet

10•24•14

“It’s just a dog.”

“There are so many starving kids. You should take care of humans before animals.”

“Why bother neutering them? Or feeding them? Feral cats should fend for themselves.”

“Shelter dogs have problems. That’s why they’re in the shelter in the first place.”

If you’re even on the periphery of animal welfare, I’m sure you’ve heard sentiments like that. Heck, you’ve probably heard worse than that. None of it, of course, is true.

The truth is: One life matters.

The life of a shelter dog or of a stray cat is no less valuable than any other, and until we have a bit culture shift to acknowledge that, shelter pets will continue to languish – and die – in shelters and pounds across the country.

Emmett spent two years in shelters. First, in a high-kill county pound, then – lucky him – because someone fell in love with him, he got placed in a no-kill shelter where we found him. Lucas found himself in a similarly lucky situation. Found rooting through the trash in a North Carolina backyard, he was taken to a shelter that had a transfer program. He found himself not in the gas chamber but on a transport to a DC shelter where we found him a couple months later.

There are so many dogs like Emmett and Lucas and stray cats like Newt and backyard-bred dogs like Cooper whose lives are no less valuable than any other, but because of a culture that says “they’re just animals,” so many of those pets will never find a family. They’ll live out what little time they have in a shelter, not knowing the love, warmth, and companionship that comes from a home. As a society, we need to realize that loving life – ALL life – makes us better humans. Any opportunity to utilize our compassion and empathy for someone in need makes us better people, even if that someone is a pet. But there seems to be a gap in our culture that devalues animals. And we’re much poorer for it.

October is “Adopt a Shelter Pet” month.

If you’re here reading, you’re probably one who values animal life, but this month is an opportunity for those of us who pour love and compassion into valuing animals to educate our friends and family. Dispel those myths about shelter dogs and cats, seniors who need homes, FIV+ cats, and all those puppies and kittens born – through no fault of their own – to people unwilling or unable to care for them.

Adopt a shelter pet.

Because one life matters.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BlogPaws. I am being compensated to support Adopt a Shelter Pet Month with an educational post, but OhMyDog! only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. BlogPaws is not responsible for the content of this article.

How fitting! June is #AdoptACatMonth

06•04•14

We got the message loud and clear: June is Adopt-a-Cat Month!

On Memorial Day (so, I guess, not technically June…), John was driving to work and saw a little lump on the highway. A truck was coming. He pulled over, ran out and grabbed her, and that’s how we ended up with a kitten in our bathroom.

She’s smaller than my shoe.

So, I started thinking about this little kitten – I named her Petunia, John calls her Petey – and how finding an orphaned kitten fits in with Adopt-a-Cat month.

First, though, stop for a sec and read this super helpful guide: What to Do (and NOT Do) If You Find a Newborn Kitten.

OK, so you’ve spotted a kitten (it is kitten season, after all) and you followed the steps outlined in the article. You’ve determined that there’s no mama cat coming. Well, then, pick up your new kitten! 🙂

Petey was about four weeks old. We were in over our heads but committed to taking care of her. That decision is not for everyone, and no one should ever feel bad about not jumping on board to care for an orphaned cat. If you choose to care for the kitten, skip ahead a bit.

If you can’t, which – again – is totally a guilt-free decision, you should take a few steps.

First, find out if there is a cat rescue in your area. Many of these organizations have extensive fostering networks, which is what is required for a newborn kitten.
Call your vet’s office and get recommendations for rescues and shelters. Heck, your vet may have a cat foster family in his or her network already.
If there are no other options nearby, call your local shelter. Explain the situation. Be prepared to keep the kitten for a day or two until they can line someone up.

If you do decide to keep the kitten, whether as a foster family who then finds her a home or as a forever pet, the first thing you need to do: Drive straight to your vet. This is crucial, but it’s especially important if you have other animals in the home.

Petey had fleas and worms. She also had a rotten tooth that had to be pulled, and we had to get her on antibiotics because she had some gross rotting tissue in her tiny mouth. She’s quarentined in our bathroom until she can be tested for FIV and feline leukemia. In the meantime, she’s getting dewormed and we’re giving her a nightly flea bath. I researched intensely that first day.

If you find yourself in this position, I recommend this Guide to Raising Orphaned Kittens. Our vet gave me suggestions for feeding her and said that if we’re careful we can introduce her to the dogs. We’ve been doing that (more on that in another post!) in an attempt to socialize her to dogs. Whether we keep her or not, it can only help!

Picking up an orphaned kitten is certainly a nontraditional way to honor Adopt-a-Cat month, but orphans need families, too! I hope these tips and resources help if you find yourself in this situation.

Tell me: Have you ever encountered orphaned kittens? How did you proceed?

(BTW: Everyone keeps asking if we’re going to keep Petey. All I can say at this point is… it depends. It depends on if we can find Molly a forever home. It depends on if she has any of those transmittable cat diseases. It depends on if Newt is comfortable with another cat in the home. It depends on if a super awesome adopter crosses our paths before we figure out all those other decisions. It just depends. But be sure I’ll keep you posted.)

This post is sponsored by BlogPaws. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Adopt-a-Cat month, but OhMyDog! only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. BlogPaws is not responsible for the content of this article.

Adding a third dog

06•25•12

I’ve gotten a few emails asking about how to add a third dog to a two-dog house, so I wanted to put together a post about my experience. But I realized that I need to start out with one qualifier…

Adding a third dog? Piece of cake.

Adding a third dog who’s a puppy? Not as easy.

39542_167714743257643_1121064_n — “Hello up there? Are you guys my family?”

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Some of you might remember, Cooper started out as our foster. Then we failed, and we adopted him. The big boys were a little put off when they realized he wasn’t going to leave, but it didn’t take them long – a few weeks or so – to welcome him into our family. But it hasn’t been seamless. There have been two fights, one between Lucas and Cooper (Cooper went after a toy that was VERY valuable to Lucas) and one between Emmett and Cooper (Cooper pushed his buttons too many times for too long).

In hindsight, the biggest challenge we faced wasn’t adding a third dog to our family – they sort of work that out among themselves – but adding a puppy! A high-energy puppy who’s a chewer! Most of our extra time and energy was spent on puppy stuff like redirecting to appropriate toys, house training, and so on. And I would say that our biggest mistake was that we didn’t build in time for Cooper to have quiet time in his crate while we doted on Emmett and Lucas. (Honestly, that proved to be impossible: Cooper, the escape artist.)

We tried to spend time with each of them every day, but I think there would have been less jealousy in the beginning if we had done a better job with that. If you have older dogs in your house and you’re thinking about adding a third dog, I would suggest considering a dog who is past the puppy stages because it’s just one less thing to manage during the transition.

In the end, having three isn’t much harder than having two. It’s an extra scoop of kibble to pour and another dose of heartworm medicine to buy, but it’s also another playmate for your existing dogs and another life you saved.

5 ways you can make the transition easy:

Maintain routines. If you’ve taken your first two dogs on a walk every single day at 6 AM, take them for a walk every single day at 6 AM even if it means your new pup gets crate time. Over time you can integrate the new pup into that routine or slowly tweak the routine to what you want for three dogs. But in the beginning, it’s important to maintain your routines.
Spend one-on-one time with all three. Set aside a few minutes – 5 will do it – to play with or scratch each dog individually. You’ll reassure your existing dogs and bond with your new dog. Then spend time playing with all three together so that everyone knows that you will share equal time, attention, and love.
Supervise EVERYTHING. I can’t emphasize this point enough. When you’re adding a new dog, you must watch play, feeding, naps, and so on. They will work out who’s who among themselves – but it may not be a seamless process. Until you’re sure they’re comfortable with each other (which can take many months), supervise everything. Hot zones to watch closely: food and water dishes, toys, and dog beds.
Budget for an increase in pet care costs. Monthly meds, food, toys, grooming supplies, veterinary care including routine checkups… Plan on spending around 30% more each month than you spent on two dogs. Know that going in, and it won’t be as big of a shock. One NOTE on the toys: Not even joking, buy three of the same puzzle toys for when you need to keep everyone buys and happy. We love these KONGS or these Squirrel Dudes, which you can stuff with peanut butter and freeze, then dole out–in separate spaces to be extra safe–to keep the herd happy.
Have fun! Having three dogs definitely turns you into an even crazier dog person. 🙂 Enjoy it! It’s like having a miniature dog park in my living room. When they snuggle in bed with me, I have nearly 200 pounds of dog keeping me warm.

Those of you with three (or more!) dogs, anything to add? Is anyone thinking about adding a third – or fourth or fifth – dog to your house?

How to introduce a new adopted dog to existing dogs

11•15•11

Last year, I wrote about welcoming a foster pet into your family…

Well, turns out I adopted that foster dog! (Can you blame me?! Do you see that face?!?) Cooper joined my other two pups, Emmett and Lucas, a year ago. He’s been a great addition, but had I known we were going to officially adopt him, I might have arranged their introductions a little differently.

Here’s the thing: Dogs, just like people, can feel jealous. They experience that same sometimes-combative sense of displacement that an older sibling can feel upon arrival of a new baby. The trick is in orchestrating that first meeting – and the subsequent days and weeks – to make sure that new and existing pups feel welcome, happy, and comfortable!

But where to start? Here are 6 steps on how to introduce a new adopted dog to your existing dogs!

1. Start before you adopt!

If possible, arrange an introduction with your potential pup and your existing dogs. While it’s ideal to get a sense of how they’ll get along before you sign the adoption papers, there’s one big, huge caveat. Not all dogs in shelters behave the way they will once they’re home. They’re stressed. Most don’t get a lot of time or attention. Many don’t have much in the way of formal training or maybe even healthcare. Introduce them to make sure there aren’t huge problems, but know that you can work with and overcome many challenges.

2. Meet-and-greet on neutral ground.

Yay! Congratulations! You’re bringing home your brand new adopted dog! As exciting as it is to rush home, don’t go there first. Instead, have a family member or friend walk your existing dog to a neutral location – say, an unfamiliar park or hiking trail. Meet them there with your new adoption. No one will feel threatened, like their territory is being hijacked. Dole out tons of treats equally and give lots of praise and pats. But, again, you know your dog better than anyone else. Lucas, for instance, HATES unfamiliar places, so I would never have introduced him to Cooper anywhere other than home. That’s an oddity, I know. Emmett does much better in a Green Zone.

3. Maintain whatever “normal” is for your family.

So they’ve met. That’s huge. Next up is bringing your new pup home. Even though you know how much your life has changed, it’s critical to maintain normalcy for existing pets. Keep the feeding and walking routines the same. Did you play fetch every night after dinner? Play fetch after dinner! Even if it means your new pup has some crate time or spends time with a different family member, keep your dog’s routines the same while slowwwwlllly integrating the new dog into those routines. Set aside extra special time to shower your pet with attention – and squeeze in one-on-one time with your new pet, too. It’ll be a busy few weeks until things start to fall into place, but don’t allow resentment or jealously to build in the early days.

4. Build those bonds.

This goes for the you/existing pup, you/new-pup, and all pups combos. You need to spend time playing, training, and snuggling with each dog individually and together. You need to arrange (and supervise!) daily play and walks with all your pups together. While I hate to put a timetable on this, experience has shown that it takes lots and lots and lots of time (almost a year for the Emmett/Lucas introduction; three to six solid months for the Emmett/Lucas/and-now-Cooper combo) for real bonds to form.

DSCF3268 — Hey, Emmett? Are we bonded? ‘Cause I love you! Can you move over now?

5. Watch the “hot” zones.

Feed them separately until you know they can eat side-by-side. Dedicate separate water bowls until you know they can sip in solidarity. Monitor play time until you know they can share toys nicely. It may not be perfect every moment of every day, but it can be fun and full of love.

DSCF2347 — Can I play? Guys, can I play? Guys?

6. Give some wiggle room.

Okay. This may not be advice you hear everywhere, but I say you have to allow a little growling or corrections. This goes doubly if you’re bringing a baby into your house. Your existing dog (Ahem, Emmett.) may not want to share his bed at night. And that’s okay. If you allow him to try to correct the unwanted advance, it may nip the behavior faster than if you step in every time. Of course, you don’t want full blown fights to erupt. But, really, it’s okay to let them work it out amongst themselves.

E and C — Emmett was okay with sharing his bed… as long as Cooper didn’t touch him!

Bringing home a new dog is an exciting, happy time! With a little planning, time, and attention, it will be as seamless as it is fun!

What other recommendations do you have for introducing a new adopted dog to your existing dog?

How are they getting along now? Check out some follow-up advice on adding a third dog to your herd, along with some of the accommodations we’ve made for Cooper’s particular brand of dog-ness!