The Scratching Post

What Is Your Return Policy

2011-11-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

When PPCR places a cat into an adoptive home, we always hope that the arrangement will be permanent. For a cat who has already been abandoned once, each additional move increases the sense of unease. But now and then, things do not work out as expected.

We assume that, after you take a PPCR cat into your care, you will have the patience for an initial adjustment period. For example, if you already have cats, it is important to introduce the newcomer carefully, over a period of weeks. Rushing this process can have consequences from which it is difficult to recover. Another common problem is for a new cat to hide for a few days. We encounter this phenomenon often in foster care. For some tips on facilitating a cat’s transition into a new home, see this post from our archive: http://purebredsplus.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-doesnt-heshe-love-me-yet-its.html .

If you feel that your new cat is not adjusting well after a period of a few weeks, we ask you to contact us. The foster mom who cared for your cat in rescue might be able to offer specific advice based on her experience with that cat. If nothing comes quickly to her mind, she can appeal to other foster moms for ideas. Our commitment to a cat does not end when the cat leaves a PPCR foster home.

In fact, when you adopt a cat from PPCR, you sign a contract obligating you to notify us if, for any reason, you feel you must give up the cat. We understand that there are circumstances in which there is little or no choice. For example, a child who had previously shown no sign of allergies suddenly develops severe asthma, or it becomes obvious that, even after weeks or months of careful introductions, your resident cat will simply not accept the new arrival.

If a problem becomes apparent within a short time, the PPCR foster mom will almost always be willing to reclaim the cat, although she will probably first try to work with you to solve the perceived problem. Even if we hear from you after a longer time, we will usually try to take the cat back, not wanting any cat previously in our care to live where he or she is unwanted or unsafe. However, given the number of cats in need of our assistance, there are times when we cannot accept a cat because we have no free foster spaces. (We are not like a restaurant that reserves a certain number of tables for walk-ins; we tend to fill our foster spaces quickly, because every time we have to say “no” to a shelter, the life of a cat is at risk.) If we have no space, we will often help you place the cat from your home. This approach has the added advantage of reducing by one the number of moves the cat will have to endure.

Obviously, if your cat has contracted a communicable illness, such as a fungal infection, we will ask you to keep the cat with you until he or she has fully recovered. Most of our foster homes have multiple cats in residence, and we cannot accept a cat who would jeopardize the health of others in our care.

Note that, if you return a cat to us, you should not expect to be able to adopt another cat from us in the future.

For a Limited Time Only

2011-10-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Moby got a nice new cat tree for his birthday. He is eight years old now, and I adopted him just over a year ago, right after the one person who had inquired about him, in the course of three months, had decided not to adopt him. “My husband and I realized that, at best, we’d have him for only ten years,” the woman had written. This retired couple had decided that what they really wanted was a pair of kittens. I sometimes reflect that this is exactly the attitude that results in our receiving in rescue so many cats who have outlived their owners.

I admit that, as I hold Moby in my arms or rub his belly, it occasionally saddens me to think that he is no longer a young cat. He looks and acts like a young cat, and the veterinarian tells me that he is in fine physical condition, but I have his kitten paperwork, and hence there is no mistaking his age. In a few years he will be a senior, then a few years after that he will be old. I have lived with cats for most of my life, and none of them has shown his or her age until after the age of sixteen, but there are exceptions to the rule, I know.

At these moments, I cradle Moby more consciously, focus more intently on the kiss I plant on his head. Ten years is not eighteen years, but it is a good bit of time—longer than many dogs live and longer than many marriages last. How many of us have made each day count, in any relationship? When time seems endless, it becomes easy to take one another for granted. Then so often there are misgivings when our time together ends unexpectedly.

Where I am leading is that, while adopting a middle-aged cat is a good deed—a middle-aged cat has a much harder time finding a home than does a young cat—caring for a middle-aged cat is also a lesson in loving, a reminder that love, even when we are least of aware of the fact, is “for a limited time only.”

In this spirit, I would encourage you to consider adopting a cat no longer in the bloom of youth. Take a look at our website at http://www.purebredsplus.org/ , where we introduce not only charming kittens and young cats but also some wonderful middle-aged cats, and even a few seniors, who would love to be home for the holidays. Open your heart and your home; then luxuriate in the experience of making each day count with someone you love for eight years, ten years, or twelve. Soon you’ll find yourself making each day count with everyone else you love.There is Moby, offering his belly again. A pleasure and a teaching.

Don't All Rescue Cats Have Something Wrong with Them?

2011-10-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Although we do rescue some cats who are ill, or who exhibit behaviors that their owners could not effectively manage, the majority of cats in our care are healthy and have no particular behavior “problems.” Here are several of the reasons cats are placed into our care:

The owner lost his or her home and had to move to a place where pets are not permitted.
The owner lost his or her job and could no longer afford to keep a pet.
The owner died or had to move to assisted living, and no family member or friend was willing or able to care for the cat.
The owner was transferred to a foreign country and could not take the cat.
A child or other member of the household developed severe allergies or asthma.
The owner found a new boyfriend and chose to sacrifice the cat to the relationship.
A breeder stopped breeding cats, for whatever reason, and requested assistance with placing retired breeding cats.
The cat needed a routine veterinary service for which the owner was unwilling or unable to pay. In many cases, the required care is something as simple as a dental cleaning or a course of treatment for a cold. (We do not place the cat until after nursing it back to health.)
The cat did not get along with some other family pet. Unfortunately, animals who have long been friends can sometimes become enemies. Just like people.
The cat was seized by animal control, along with others. In such cases, there are often treatable medical conditions. (We do not place the cat until after nursing it back to health.)
The owner let the cat outside and never spayed it. The cat became pregnant, and the owner chose not to deal with the consequences.
The kitten was born to a cat the owner let outside without having spayed it.

Having made these points, I must still quote one of our most experienced foster moms, who explains that “All these beautiful babies come with some sort of baggage.” Even a cat in the best of health does not necessarily approve of change, and to be abandoned by one’s family is an especially dire sort of change. The person who surrendered my cat Rivers described him as “really lovable,” but he was so reserved and depressed-seeming for the first several months that a friend described him as having “all the charm of a concrete block.” He spent most of each day sitting on a window sill, looking wistfully outside--probably wondering when his former family would finally arrive to take him home again. It is no particular wonder that no one wanted to take a chance on him. Eventually I adopted him myself, and eventually he did start climbing onto my lap and kneading on my stomach in characteristic cat-like fashion. We have many stories like this, of cats who came to us confused and upset and took as much as several months to settle down.

In short, adopting a cat from rescue can give you the best of all possible worlds—a healthy, fundamentally well behaved cat and one whose personality you can watch unfold as you demonstrate that, whatever happened in the past, your furry darling is now safely home.

Do You Disclose Health and Behavior Problems?

2011-10-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got a very short electronic mail message from a dear cousin of mine. Earlier this year, she had lost her beloved dog, a rescued Golden Retriever mix that had been very much the center of her life. My cousin has never had children and has never worked outside the home. She has always had a dog, and much of every day has been occupied with grooming the dog, walking the dog, playing with the dog, watching television with the dog, and so on. Family funds are prioritized to ensure that the dog has good medical care, including visits to specialists an hour from home. What my cousin lacks is physical strength--she is not the sort of woman who could hold back a dog that wanted to lunge--so she has wisely limited herself to beagles and small Golden mixes.

When their dog died, my cousin and her husband were crushed, and at first they thought it would be a long time before they adopted another dog, but it wasn't long before the house was just too empty, and so they adopted a female mixed-breed dog from a shelter that had posted a charming video of the dog playing and nuzzling. They were smitten.

During the first weeks, they discovered a growth on the ear that needed to be surgically removed, but far worse than that, they discovered that their new dog was highly dog-aggressive, sometimes aggressive against people, and so prone to separation anxiety that she would chew the doorframes and furniture whenever they left the house for even an hour or two. Commercial baby gates were no match for the ingenuity of this dog; my cousin has shared YouTube videos revealing just how the dog managed to unlock each style of gate. Because the dog was too dog-unfriendly to go to a group class, they hired a trainer, bought books and tapes, and got one of those crates that some dogs actually find comforting, but the dog's anxiety and destructive tendencies only worsened. This past week, after four months of failed efforts, my cousin and her husband sadly took the dog back to the shelter. My cousin is devastated--too devastated, in fact, to speak to me.

I am also, obviously, sorry for the dog. I suspect that the shelter will not seek to find some more appropriate family. What the shelter did, I feel, was analogous to placing, say, a feral Savannah with a frail older lady who thought it was cute…

As I brooded over this story yesterday, I also remembered an incident that arose the last time I took my own cats to the veterinarian. There I was, sitting right under one of our PPCR monthly flyers, when another person in the waiting room commented admiringly on one of the cats, and I admitted that I am a member of PPCR. Then the person asked me a question I am sure goes through many other people's minds also: If a cat has health or behavior problems, does the rescue disclose those to the adopter?

The answer is that PPCR does disclose health problems of which we are aware. Every adult cat placed from foster care is tested for feline leukemia (Felv) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and we make the results available to potential adopters. Every kitten is tested for Felv but not necessarily for FIV, because test results are not meaningful for kittens below a certain age. Most cats we place from foster care have been examined by a veterinarian, either at the shelter or in connection with medical care we ourselves have provided. Exceptions include cases in which a cat is surrendered by its owner or breeder along with recent medical records. Any medical records or information we have is turned over to the adoptive family, except that we white out the name of the previous owner.

However, as a non-profit rescue, we are not in a position to order genetic analysis or extensive physical screenings—blood work or imaging--for asymptomatic cats. If a cat shows symptoms that call for expensive tests, we gratefully accept donations in support of those procedures, and of course we share the results of any such procedures with potential adopters. For example, as I write this message, we have in our care a magnificent purebred American Shorthair whose recent medical exam revealed a heart murmur; given that the cat is a senior, we plan to arrange for X-rays and an echocardiogram, even though the costs of those procedures will far exceed the fee for adopting the cat! (As a member of PPCR, I just mailed off a donation for part of the cost. If you read this post while we are still collecting money for “Clancy,” do consider pitching in along with me.)

As far as behavior is concerned, absolutely YES, we are very candid about behaviors that an adopter would need to manage. Usually, even the cat’s biographical sketch on our website indicates whether he or she is shy, doesn’t like other cats, is a “diva” (not entirely easy-going), or especially craves interaction. We would not characterize any of these traits as a behavior problem, in the absolute, but recognize that some families prefer a more active cat or a less active one, and that some are readier than others to wait for a cat to demonstrate affection. And YES, we also disclose litter-box irregularities. Feel free to ask the foster mom more questions, or more specific questions, regarding the behavior and social needs of the cat that has caught your fancy.

Of course, just as we cannot guarantee that a given cat will not develop cancer, say, we cannot predict with certainty how a cat will behave in any particular home environment. One of the great advantages of housing a cat in a foster home is that we can observe cats in some home environment, but a cat that gets along with my cats will not necessarily get along with yours, and a cat that shares my taste in music might not share yours. We do try very hard to make good matches, on the basis of the information you provide to us in your application and during your interview, and again, you have probably noticed that a cat’s biographical sketch on the website often contains language such as “would prefer a quiet home” or “tolerates other cats except dominant males.”

I can think of various reasons why some hypothetical animal-care organization might take the risk of misleading an inappropriate adopter into taking a challenging animal, but at PPCR we try never to take such risks. We are committed to disclosing all relevant information we have about each cat, not just because being honest is an ethical way to treat human beings--our adopters--but mainly because we want to attract an adopter who will give each cat the care it needs, and to deter an adopter who isn't right for the cat. Every time a cat is forsaken--and being returned by a dissatisfied adopter is another abandonment--the cat is further traumatized, and our goal, in relation to each cat, is to lift the weight of loss, not to add to it

Brush My Cat's Teeth? Really?

2011-09-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Periodontal disease is the most frequently diagnosed illness in cats and can cause all manner of other health problems from infection to organ failure and heart disease (specifically the dreaded bacterial endocarditis). In rescue we occasionally receive cats who need tooth extractions or who suffer from chronic dental problems or oral diseases such as stomatitis. Some breeds are more predisposed to dental problems and gum disease than others: Abyssinians and Somalis are notoriously susceptible to gingivitis, while Siamese, Persian, and Himalayan cats have high rates of tartar accumulation and receding gums.

A Personal Perspective

I personally have been lucky with my cats’ oral health. Rivers, who is 7 years old, has never had a dental cleaning; I know, because although he came to rescue just a year and a half ago, he was surrendered by his owner, and I was able to obtain complete medical records. When I took Rivers’ companion, 8-year-old Moby, for his annual checkup last month, the veterinarian recommended hand-scaling of his teeth, which she could do then and there. This procedure was like the sort of teeth-cleaning you and I experience on a routine basis, in contrast with a full dental cleaning performed under general anesthesia. At eight, Moby is still two or three years away from being a senior cat and many years away from being a geriatric cat, but according to my vet, she would rather not subject any cat to general anesthesia for dental cleaning if the cat has only a modest accumulation of plaque and tartar and will tolerate the procedure. I was dubious, given that Moby is a big cat at 17 pounds and has his own opinions, but sure enough, the vet swaddled him in a large towel, had a technician hold him, and within a short time had done the job. Moby just looked bemused during the procedure and calmly accepted a tribute of cuddles afterward.

NOTE: Sometimes one encounters the argument that hand-scaling without anesthesia cannot be effective and can even be dangerous. Often this argument is articulated by someone who derives personal benefit from performing dental procedures under general anesthesia. In this and all other cases where your cat’s health is at issue, the wisest course is to find a veterinarian whom you trust and follow his or her advice.

The only one of my cats whose teeth I brush on a regular basis is Akashi. I first took her to the veterinarian within a week after adopting her from a shelter. At that time she was apparently two years old but was still small and frail, presumably from lack of adequate nutrition. A year later, after eating plenty of grain-free, mostly raw food, she had blossomed into a lovely, medium-sized Ragdoll girl with an opulent coat and a large fluffy tail. However, when I took her to the vet for her annual visit, I was chastened: there was nothing badly wrong, the vet told me, but Akashi had more plaque and tartar on her teeth than would be expected of a cat her age. Before hand-scaling Akashi’s teeth, the vet gave me three options for ensuring that Akashi did not develop more serious dental issues in the future:

Switch from feeding Akashi mainly finely ground raw meat and bones, and consider incorporating a tartar-control kibble into her diet. This step I was reluctant to take. I had hoped that the raw diet, in itself, would have benefits for Akashi’s teeth, but even Lisa Pierson, DVM, one of the luminaries of the feline raw-feeding world, remarks on her webpage that “Unfortunately… I have been ignoring my cats’ dental health when using finely ground meat and bones and they are paying for it with unhealthy mouths.” She recommends feeding bigger chunks or gizzards, but I am reluctant to do so; I suspect that the experience of single-handedly-- in fact, bloody-handedly--saving the life of a dog who was choking on a bone left me forever skittish on this issue. And I would be uneasy feeding Akashi any significant quantity of kibble, because she drinks so little water.
Try dental treats, such as Greenies®. Akashi adores them, but they give her diarrhea. I have tried the experiment twice. I will not do so again.
Brush her teeth. Okay, I’ll try that, I said. I think my alacrity took the veterinarian by surprise.

How to Brush Your Cat’s Teeth

The good news is that it is not nearly as difficult to brush a cat’s teeth as one might imagine. The following video, from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, describes and illustrates a phased approach to establishing a tooth-brushing routine:

http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/fhc/brushing_teeth

I have only a few points to add to the video. (Well, the first two points are made in the video also, but I want to draw particular attention to them.)

Before undertaking a tooth-brushing regimen, have your cat’s teeth examined by your veterinarian. Many cats who have periodontal disease exhibit no symptoms, and there might be an existing problem your veterinarian should address before you start brushing your cat’s teeth. (As with people, brushing is a prophylactic procedure. It does not remove existing tartar buildup, for example.)
Do not brush your cat’s teeth within the first ten days after a dental procedure.
If your cat exhibits any evidence of mouth pain, definitely do not try to initiate tooth-brushing. Instead, work with your veterinarian to determine whether tooth-brushing makes sense for your cat. For problems such as stomatitis or oral disease that has systemic causes, different sorts of management protocols are likely to be in order.
Do not expect to be absolutely thorough. For the first several weeks of actual brushing, I did not even try to brush all of Akashi’s teeth at every session. Rather, I thought of her mouth as being divided into four quadrants—upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left—and would aim for one quadrant at every session. Over time, we increased the number of quadrants per session.
Do not complicate the task by trying to brush the inside surfaces of the teeth. The cat’s tongue does that job reasonably well. Try to brush the outside surfaces, especially those of the upper molars.
Be prepared to waste a bit of money trying different flavors of toothpaste until you find one that your cat likes. Akashi likes the malt-flavored enzymatic toothpaste. Fortunately, it is very readily available. Do not use toothpaste meant for people or toothpaste containing fluoride.

At Least It Works

After a year of brushing Akashi’s teeth almost daily, I cannot say that she looks forward to the activity, and although I make a show of enthusiasm—“Time for teethies!”—on every occasion, I secretly do not enjoy the process either. One never does feel one can be thorough! But I can say that the exercise appears to have helped: at Akashi’s last annual checkup, the vet said her teeth did not have a notable quantity of plaque or tartar, and that her gums look healthy. Huzzah!

How Can I Keep My Cat from Biting Me?

2011-06-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Cats bite for several different reasons, and the best approach to curbing the behavior depends on the reason for it.

Overstimulation

This common term refers to cases in which a cat tolerates a certain amount of patting or handling before suddenly chomping into the hand that pats him. For example, what a person might intend as an affectionate rub is interpreted by the cat as an invitation to play. Having watched my two furry boys bop each other in the stomach as a prelude to a wrestling match, I don’t tend to regard this sort of biting as a “behavior problem.” The challenge is to make your own intentions clearer to your cat.

My big Ragdoll, Moby, likes nothing better than a belly rub. Often he will roll or even hurl himself onto his back when I approach, in the hope that I will grant him his fondest wish. On these occasions, I am careful to stroke his belly slowly and gently, establishing and maintaining an ambience of luxury and relaxation. If I were to rub vigorously--as one would a small dog, for example--Moby would almost certainly interpret the gesture as an invitation to play and would give me a playful nip. I have lived with several other cats who behaved in the same way, responding to slower patting with relaxation and purring and to more vigorous patting with play behavior.

Another consideration for avoiding bites in the context of patting is to approach the cat when he or she is already in a relaxed state. If your cat wants to play, he or she is less likely to settle down for a pat than if you initiated a caress at a more relaxed moment.

If your cat does bite you in connection with patting, it is usually best to walk away, indicating to your cat that if he or she bites, you will not play. (When you reflect in tranquility on an incident of this kind, consider whether you are offering your cat enough opportunities for play, and be sure to initiate play sessions with toys he or she can bite or grab, but do not initiate a session immediately after a nip, unless you want your cat to signal the desire for a play session by nipping.)

Grabbing Behavior

Cats use their mouths not just to bite but also to carry and grasp things. A declawed cat is especially likely to use the mouth for grabbing, given that he or she doesn’t have claws for this purpose. I believe that this behavior accounts for many of the cases in which a cat bites at the moment when one stops a patting session or tries to walk away.

One of our foster moms adds that some cats, whether declawed or not, are just mouthy. She has cared for numerous Maine Coons who gave her light “love bites.”

My girl Ragdoll, Akashi, is likely to grab at my pant leg or my ankle with either her claws or her teeth when she feels that I have ignored her for too long--for example when I have spent more time with her feline brothers than she thinks they deserve! I am reminded of toddlers who tug on their mothers clothing to drag them away from the telephone or a conversation with a neighbor. In these cases, I have discovered a gesture that works well with Akashi, for reasons I do not understand: I bend over, look into her big blue eyes, and point my finger at her face. Invariably she stops in her tracks, and usually she sniffs at my finger. I have no idea why my finger is such a powerful distraction, but I certainly am not complaining! At this point, I usually do sit down on the rug and spend time with Akashi, because I agree with her that, as the evening draws to a close, she really is entitled to quality time with her Mommy.

Of course, if your cat responds to a pointed finger by nipping it, the approach I use with Akashi might not work for you. Here are some other ideas:

Point, or do something else distracting with your hand—make bunny ears?--from a safe distance.

Flick the cat GENTLY on the nose. One of the most experienced foster moms at PPCR is successful with this method. Remember that the goal is to distract your cat, not to punish him or her for what was likely to have been an affectionate gesture. Never hit your cat, for any reason.

Aggression and Fear

Of course, there are cases in which a cat bites because he or she is angry or fearful. Unfortunately, even a normally friendly cat can bite if an action, such as grooming, causes discomfort. But again, the best approach is to regard this sort of biting as a signal to take things more slowly. It can take weeks or even months for a rescue cat to be trusting enough to allow handling, let alone grooming, and often it is both a kindness to the cat and in the interest of bonding to have the cat partially shaved (in a “lion cut”). Once the two of you have bonded, you will find it easier to wield the comb, especially if your first grooming practice sessions occur while your cat’s hair is still growing out. This approach is likely to be most necessary when a cat was surrendered to a shelter or rescue badly matted, or when there is evidence of past trauma related to grooming.

What to Do If You Are Bitten

In most circumstances discussed in this article, the bite your cat gives you is likely to be a surface scratch that you can wash and treat with a topical disinfectant such as Neosporin. But in the event of a deep bite, you should certainly call your doctor. In fact, if the wound is a puncture, it is especially important for you to call your doctor, because cat bites become infected very easily, and some of the possible infections can be quite severe. As minor as it might look, a deep cat bite really is cause for a call to your doctor the same day or the next; preventing infection is a simple matter of starting an appropriate antibiotic, but you must do so very promptly after the biting incident.

On the Bright Side

Many of us have found that living with cats is a splendid way to cultivate patience, and biting of all the kinds mentioned in this article usually does stop as you cultivate better communication with your cat.

Why Doesn't He/She Love Me Yet? It's Already Been Four Days!

2011-05-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

You find yourself in an unfamiliar room. No one has explained to you why you are there or how long you can expect to stay. The room has several doors, none of which you are able to open, and beyond them you hear noises: rustling, scraping, music, and voices speaking in an unintelligible language. You are alone, or seem to be alone, but of course you are alert. Any of those doors could open at any time, and you want to see whoever comes in before he or she sees you.

Suddenly a latch turns, and a very large person walks in--a giant. He comes over to you and says something in the same foreign language you’ve heard through the doors. In fact, he smiles and nods as if you should understand his gibberish. Then, to your horror, he approaches. You cower, but the giant grabs you with his terrible, long fingers! Depending on your disposition, you might try to fend him off. Perhaps you begin to hyperventilate and struggle to awaken from the nightmare. Perhaps, at this point, Rod Serling’s voice tells you you have entered The Twilight Zone…

This scenario is, of course, much like the one faced by your adopted cat for the first few days, weeks, or months after you bring him or her home. If your cat is especially easygoing, and you take care to isolate him or her at first from other pets or small children in your home, then maybe the transition from wariness to mutual trust will take almost no time. Some adopters send us joyous emails within just a few days. On the other hand, if your cat is sensitive and was recently traumatized--whether by the sounds and sights of a county shelter, or by suddenly losing a comfortable home and beloved family, or by spending days or weeks outdoors as a stray after a foreclosure--the transition might take much longer. I personally have one cat who took to sprawling all over me after one day of hiding behind the futon, and another who didn’t climb into my lap for more than six months.

Kittens often adapt to a new home more quickly than adult cats do, and they typically adapt more readily to life in a multi-cat household, but even a kitten needs to be welcomed with care and patience. We sometimes see, on an internet forum, a posting in which a person has acquired a kitten of a breed known for its affectionate nature and then complains, after only a few days, “The kitten doesn’t like us!” Last year we had a kitten returned to us after only a week because the kitten did not like being carried around as much as the family’s children were inclined to carry it. Try not to expect too much, too soon, after introducing a cat of any age into a strange environment.

In the case of an adoption from PPCR, the foster mom should be able to give you advice based how your new family member behaved in foster care. For example, a cat who quickly adapted to a foster home, possibly with children and probably with other pets, has a good likelihood of adapting quickly to your home also. However, even in such cases, it makes good sense to be patient. Remember that the resident pets in a PPCR foster home are accustomed to welcoming new arrivals; your own pets might be less ready or willing to put a new arrival at ease. In addition, many of our foster moms have worked in rescue for years and have become expert at interpreting feline signals.

Even if your cat appeared on first meeting to be relaxed and confident, be sure to follow these guidelines to help him or her adapt to your household:

Keep the new arrival isolated in a small space for at least one week before allowing access to the rest of your home. Spend time in the space, but keep interactions relaxed. Let the cat approach you. Move slowly, and do not force physical interaction.
If you have other cats, wait at least two weeks before beginning introductions. Give your new cat and resident cat(s) plenty of time to grow used to each other’s smell through a closed doorway before meeting face to face. Then give each cat a chance to explore the other’s space without the risk of an actual meeting; for example, sequester your resident cats in the kitchen while your new cat visits the living room for the first time. Even once you have opened the doors, make sure your cats have separate bowls and litter boxes, and provide nooks and crannies for refuge. Bring the cats together at times when they are most likely to be calm—after a meal or play session—and supervise all interactions. It can take many months for cats to become friends. Some cats never do make friends, but most can coexist with other cats in a household. (We try to identify, in advance, those “divas” who will not tolerate other cats.)

Most importantly, try to remember that, like any significant relationship, the bond between you and your cat will need time to develop. Paradoxically, the greater your haste, the longer the process is likely to take.

If I Have Adopted from Petfinder in the Past, Do I Still Need to Fill Out an Application?

2011-05-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

The short answer to this frequently asked question is yes. Petfinder.com is not a specific adoption agency or umbrella organization. It is an online database used by hundreds of different shelters and rescues, each with its own adoption standards and screening processes.

You can find a copy of the PPCR adoption application on our website at http://www.purebredsplus.org/. (There is a link to click near the upper right hand corner of our home page.)

Can a Person with Allergies Live with a Cat?

2011-01-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone has at least one friend or family member who is allergic to cats. The severity of such allergies can vary quite a bit, with symptoms ranging from sniffles to life-threatening asthma. Some allergy sufferers react only when a cat is quite close to them, whereas others react even upon entering a house where a cat once lived. So the question of whether a person with allergies can safely acquire a cat—or whether a person who adopts a cat and then develops allergies can keep it—is impossible to answer in a general way. Most rescues simply will not place a cat in a home where someone has allergies, but then sometimes we place a cat in an allergy-free home, only to have the cat returned to us a year or two later because someone in the household developed an allergy from exposure to the cat.

We are often asked whether any breed of cat is hypoallergenic. The answer to this question is an exceedingly cautious yes, insofar as some cats, such as purebred Siberians and Balinese, seem to have less of one specific cat allergen—FEL D-1—in their saliva than do other breeds of cat. However, cats produce five different allergens, so even if a cat does produce less FEL D-1 than some other cat, an allergy sufferer might react to one of the other four allergens. In addition, to say that cats of a particular breed produce less FEL D-1 is to concede that they produce some, so whether a theoretically hypoallergenic cat, such as a Siberian, will cause symptoms also depends on how much of the allergen a sufferer can tolerate.

Many people falsely assume that a hairless cat, such as a Sphynx, will be hypoallergenic. In fact, whether a cat causes an allergic reaction has nothing to do with how much hair the cat has. The two most troubling cat allergens are secreted by the sebaceous glands of the skin or expressed in saliva. As rescuers who have taken in many Sphynx, we are sadly aware that some people with allergies react even more strongly to Sphynx than to other breeds.

All of this being said, about 10% of cat owners—including at least three members of our rescue--have allergies, which they manage either with medications of various kinds, or by taking steps to reduce the quantity of allergens to which they are exposed. One member of our rescue treats occasional symptoms with Benadryl, wipes the cat with a wet paper towel once a day, avoids letting the cat lick her face, and sleeps with a washable blanket or sheet over the top of the bed. Another takes Flonase (a nasal spray available only by prescription) every day, and a third has pulled up carpets and uses HEPA filters in an air cleaner and the vacuum cleaner to reduce the concentration of cat allergens in the air.

Although no one at PPCR would advocate that you risk your own health, and we certainly would never suggest taking chances with the health or safety of an asthmatic child, we offer the following sources of advice to those with merely bothersome symptoms who might want to try a technique or two before choosing to part with a cherished companion. We wish you and your cat the best of luck in this project.

http://www.petfinder.com/journal/index.cgi?article=1049

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=18&cont=236

Bringing Kitty Home to a New Litter Box

2011-01-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

“Inappropriate elimination”…the politically correct way to say Fluffy thinks your entire home is a litter box. When bringing a newly adopted kitty home, some will hesitate to use a new litter box. The Internet is filled with articles on the subject. Most concentrate on three major categories:
          1. Medical issues
          2. Litter box preferences
          3. Environmental concerns
Fortunately, cats adopted from Purebreds Plus Cat Rescue should be in good health when they leave for their new homes. If your newly adopted bundle of fur comes home and doesn’t use the litter box, it is unlikely to be a medical issue. You can double check with your foster parent before investing big money in veterinarian expenses. Your foster parent is an invaluable resource and one advantage of adopting from a rescue program.

The more likely causes are either differences in litter box or the new environment. Have you ever used a toilet in rural Asia or Africa? Even if you don’t host a PBS travel show, I think you get the idea. Cats like familiarity. Start with the same litter material used in the foster home. Double check with the foster family on what they were using. Most cats accept plain unscented, clumping clay litter. If you want to use something different, remember you aren’t the one using the litter box, but you are the one cleaning the carpet. Start by duplicating what the foster family used and then make the transition slowly. For example, if your foster family wasn’t using silica gel litter in a motion-detecting, auto-cleaning litter box, then don’t start with that. Get things working first; then get fancy later.

Even if you use the same litter and the same size pan, one factor I’ve seen overlooked is litter depth. The instructions on the sack of litter often say to pour three inches into the pan. That’s fine if you’re selling litter, but some cats don’t like sinking into the litter or having particles stick to the fur around their feet. If you see kitty with her front paws on the edge of the pan, or trying to balance precariously on the edge of the pan that’s a fair indicator she doesn’t like the way the litter “feels." Several people had success by grading, or sloping, the litter lengthwise in the pan. One end of the pan is bare bottom and the litter gets deeper as it gets to the opposite end. The deep end should be about two or three inches deep. The sloped litter gives kitty a choice of where to stand. This technique works best when kitty has her own litter box and requires a lot more owner attention, but it’s easier than cleaning up the carpet, the closet, or the bed….

If that doesn’t help, then it is time for all the Internet articles about how many litter boxes to have, making sure the box is in an accessible but secluded area, properly introducing kitty to the rest of the family, both human and four-legged, reducing stress, etc. You can spend days reading all the litter box articles on a website like "about.com". At the time of this writing, The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has a good article at http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/healthinfo/brocuhre_housesoiling.cfm

Most of the “new home” litter box issues are solved by making sure kitty has familiar litter material, box size, and “feel”. Remember my overseas toilet analogy. When it comes to wanting things familiar, most suburban American cat owners aren’t that different from their cats!

Welcoming the Christmas Kitten or Cat

2010-12-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

Best wishes to those of you who have made the momentous decision to welcome a new feline family member during the holiday season.

It is hard not to be ambivalent when asked whether the holidays are a good time to adopt a cat or kitten. Every cat or kitten in a rescue or a shelter deserves to go home as soon as possible, regardless of the time of year, and the significance of Christmas to most families gives a magical aura to the new arrival. Yet adaptation to a new household is a challenge for a kitten or cat at any time, and Christmas is often an especially noisy, hectic time during which the attention of family members is more than ordinarily scattered.

If you have just adopted a kitten or cat or are planning to do so between now and Christmas, please keep the following points in mind:

Every cat or kitten needs to be isolated in a small space, away from any other family pets, for at least ten days. Make sure the room is kitten-proof and easy to clean. There should be at least a few nooks—for instance, a cuddly bed or a cat-sized space under a chair--where the kitten can feel secure, but no crevices in which he or she can get stuck.
During the isolation period, check on the cat or kitten every few hours, no matter how busy you are with food preparations or household guests. Visits should preferably be made only by the cat or kitten’s new immediate family members, and in a relaxed mood. Strongly discourage children from bringing each of their friends in turn to view the new arrival. During visits, respond to the cat or kitten’s requests for attention, but do not hurry interaction, especially physical interaction. Even a cat or kitten that was friendly in the foster home might be more reticent during the first few days in a new environment. Sit in a chair near the cat and read a book, sing a lullaby, or putter, giving your new family member a chance to observe you without any pressure to interact.
If you have just brought home a kitten from a shelter, as opposed to a foster home, be aware that many cats show symptoms of colds or have diarrhea during the first few weeks after leaving a shelter. Lay in a supply of an enzymatic cleaner so that you are prepared to deal with messes. A cat from a rescue such as Purebreds Plus will already have gone through quarantine and is less likely to have diarrhea or sniffles but should still be secluded in a small space for psychological reasons and to ensure that he or she quickly learns the location of the litter box.
Consider whether your house is much noisier than usual during this season, and insulate the new cat or kitten from the bustle by keeping him or her enclosed in a place that is relatively quiet.
Ensure that neither the new cat or kitten, nor any other cat in the home, has easy or unsupervised access to ribbon, tinsel, string, dangling electrical wire, or toxic plants such as poinsettias.
As tempting as it might be to give cats or kittens special food treats, try to avoid doing so, especially if you are also trying to introduce your new family member to a cat food other than the one he or she was eating at the foster home or in the shelter.

We at Purebreds Plus Cat Rescue wish you joy in your new companion. Good luck with the transition, and Happy Holidays.

What Is a Good Choice for Cat Number Two?

2010-09-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

It is very common for us to receive an application from an adopter who already has a cat. In such cases, people sometimes ask what age, breed, or gender of cat will make the best companion for the resident cat. Although there is no substitute for observing an individual cat--or learning its social history, if that information is available--there are certain guidelines useful for predicting whether two cats will get along.

Probably the most common recommendation is to select a kitten of the opposite gender: a female kitten if the resident cat is an adult male, or a male kitten if the resident cat is an adult female. But an article at http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/getting_a_cat/choosing_the_right_cat.html makes some other interesting observations, excerpted here (in italics):

• If you have an adult female who has been an "only" cat for some time, it is best to get a younger female. Males, even friendly ones, can over-power and frighten females. Male kittens, while more easily dominated by the female, still grow up to be rambunctious teenagers that engage in a style of play that involves pounce and wrestle (not a female's idea of fun).
• If a young, active male is your family pet, he would really enjoy having a male buddy who shares his enthusiasm for vigorous play.
• A laid-back, older (neutered) male cat may enjoy "mothering" a kitten--male or female. They usually make better mother substitutes than spayed females. Females, in general, are less accepting of newcomers.
• Males tend to bond with each other unless both have dominant personalities. (A dominant cat engages in a lot of rubbing--scent marking--behavior, likes to rest in high places (for surveillance purposes) and in doorways (to control the entrance to certain rooms), and shows little or no fear.

Factors other than age and gender can also come into play when one considers cats of different breeds. For example, a cat of a more sedentary breed, such as a Persian, is unlikely to enjoy the high-spirited company of an Abyssinian. Here is a list of breeds currently or recently featured on the PPCR website, grouped by typical activity level. (This list is adapted from information in Barron’s Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds.)

Sedentary: American Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Ragdoll, Scottish Fold, Nebelung

Moderately active: American Curl, Bombay, Cymric, Havana Brown, Maine Coon, Munchkin

Very active: Abyssinian, Bengal, Egyptian Mau, Savannah, Siamese, Sphynx, Tonkinese, Turkish Angora

Of course, there is quite a bit variation from one cat to the next, but the energy level of an individual cat is usually clear by the time the cat reaches adulthood. Factors such as illness, trauma, or obesity can sometimes obscure a cat’s underlying nature, but for any adult cat you see on the PPCR website, http://www.purebredsplus.org/, the foster mom can give you a very good idea of how active the cat is.

In addition, there are “diva” cats who do not care for feline companionship at all. Some will ignore any other cat, whereas others respond aggressively when another cat is near. Often a cat who has had a negative experience in a multi-cat household will be slow, or unwilling, to accept overtures from any other cat. Then there are “victim cats,” individuals who, for whatever reason, are so ready to be tormented that even a normally sociable cat will make an exception in their case. A cat who hisses and runs will often be chased even by a cat who would, in other circumstances, not be dominant. If you have a fearful cat--a high-strung princess or sensitive darling who needs a lot of time to be comfortable around a stranger—it is often best to adopt a lower energy, older cat who is either friendly to all other cats or just too lazy for the chase!

We urge you to read the “bios” on the PPCR website and ask our foster moms any questions you have about likely compatibility between your resident cat and any one of ours.

Important Note: Even cats who will ultimately become the best of friends must be introduced slowly and carefully. There are many excellent articles available on introducing cats to one another. The Tallyville website has links to some of them, at http://tallyville.com/owners.html#Introductions.

Why Is Your Adoption Fee Higher than at My Local Shelter?

2010-09-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

Our President recently wrote the following letter on this topic to a prospective adopter:

"Hi (prospective adopter),

I want to let you know I received your application last night. It sounds as if you are concerned about our adoption fee being higher than the fees charged by some of the shelters in your area.

Our $175 adoption fee and donations are what allow us to continue rescuing cats. Our group is made up of all volunteers who are never paid for what we do. If you look at the "before and after" section or the "Rescue 911" stories on our website, you will see some of the especially needy cats we have rescued over the years. We have spent hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars to save these felines. When a purebred cat comes into our foster system, we take care of it as we would our own pets, providing sometimes extensive and costly veterinary care. They are never euthanized unless they have been determined to be terminal.

We have no state grants or assistance other than adoption fees and donations. Since we rescue purebred cats, the medical costs are always higher than for domestic cats. Our adult cats are tested negative for FELV and FIV, and our young kittens are tested negative for FELV. (The FIV screening test does not provide valid results for very young kittens.) Our cats are microchipped, spayed and neutered, and vaccinated. They are fostered in individual foster homes and not caged. We get to know their personalities and are able to give them the love and attention that we give our own pets. We are also very selective to make sure the cat is a right "match" for their new family and also the right "match" for the adopter.

We do not consider the adoption fee to be “what the cat is worth.” Many of these purebred cats were purchased for much more by their original owners. In addition, with rising veterinary costs, an exam, combo testing, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and microchipping can easily cost more than our $175.00 adoption fee.

Let me know if our adoption fee is an issue for you financially. If so, we can direct you to a shelter near your area."

Rivers Goes to Fat Camp: Episode 2, Counting Calories

2010-09-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

The guardian of a chubby cat needs to know how much to feed on a daily basis to lead Chunky Monkey carefully down to his ideal weight. Is it reasonable to feed the amount recommended on Chunky's favorite cat food? Is it best to feed the amount a veterinarian would recommend for a cat of Chunky's ideal weight? Does it make most sense to feed more--or less--than the amount a thin cat would eat, in the interest of helping Chunky lose weight steadily but safely?

Opinions vary widely on the topic of how many calories the average cat needs to maintain a specific body weight. Even accounting for differences in age and activity level among cats, it is easy to find authors who cite a range of 15-25 calories per pound per day and others who cite a range of 20-30 calories per pound per day. The only statement on which almost everyone agrees is that, unlike manufacturers of foods meant for human consumption, pet-food manufacturers tend to label products with a serving size somewhat larger than is conducive to a svelte figure.

For example:

The feeding guidelines for one premium kibble state that the daily serving size for an adult cat weighing 10 pounds should be ½ cup. The food in question is almost exactly 600 calories per cup. Thus the guideline is equivalent to 30 calories per pound, which is high on any scale I’ve seen mentioned anywhere, except…
The feeding guidelines for one premium wet food state that one should feed one can for every 6-8 pounds of body weight. This loose recommendation might lead a consumer to feed a 12-pound cat two cans, for a total caloric intake exceeding 500 calories per day, more than 40 calories per pound!

The guideline I chose to follow for Rivers’ weight loss project appears on the website of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (at http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/askDr/fatcat.htm). That guideline reads as follows:

“Daily calories needed to maintain ideal weight have been calculated in a few different ways. An equation commonly used is: 30 times body weight in kilograms, plus 70.”

30 times body weight in kilograms corresponds to a little more than 13.5 times body weight in pounds. Rivers’ ideal weight is estimated at 13 pounds or less, so the number of calories needed for him to maintain that weight (should he ever reach it) comes to:

(13.5 x 13) + 70 = 175.5 + 70 = 245.5 calories

But how many calories should he consume now in order to reach that weight? Like most cat enthusiasts, I have read about the risk of hepatic lipidosis, a life-threatening complication of anorexia or precipitous weight loss in an obese cat. Here is what the Cornell article recommends as a weight-reduction plan:

“…a cat will lose weight slowly, steadily and safely if given about 70 percent of the calories needed to maintain ideal weight.”

70 percent of 245.5 calories is…only about 172 calories!

Looking at the calorie counts of Rivers’ familiar grain-free foods, I realized I could not bring myself to reduce his consumption so drastically, so I decided to see whether he would lose any weight at all if I simply fed him the amount required for maintenance of his ideal weight. For a month I fed him the following quantities daily:

¼ cup of kibble, for about 150 calories (yes, it’s the fattening kibble)
¼ cup canned food, for about 50 calories
1 ounce of raw food, for about 50 calories

Yes, those quantities come to a little more than 245.5 calories, but given that he started the month at 14 pounds 14 ounces, I guessed he would lose some weight.

And indeed he did! At the end of one month, he was down to 14 pounds 9 ounces, for a weight loss of 5 ounces. Any amount up to 8 ounces would have been safe.

Next episode: No more equations, I promise!

Why Do Kittens So Often Have to Be Adopted As a Pair?

2010-08-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

Many rescues insist on placing kittens in pairs or allow a single kitten to be placed only in a home where there will be another kitten or young cat for company. Another California rescue, The Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty (IBOK) Rescue, has posted a thoughtful and well-written explanation of this principle at the following location:

http://www.ittybittyorphankittyrescue.org/info/display?PageID=2743

At PPCR, we prefer to place most kittens in pairs but occasionally have a kitten that would do well, or even do best, as a single cat. If you are interested in a specific kitten and the kitten's web page does not make clear whether that kitten needs to go home with a friend or to a friend, be sure to get clarification from the foster mom or contact person listed on the kitten's web page.

Rivers Goes to Fat Camp: Episode 1

2010-08-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

One expects a Havana brown to be a muscular, athletic cat, but when Rivers arrived in rescue, he looked like this:

A weight-reduction diet was obviously in order, but helping him adapt to a new environment was a higher priority. Havana browns tend to be closely bonded with their guardians, and Rivers seemed obviously distressed at being discarded by his: for several weeks he was so wary, I could barely touch him. In order not to add stress to an already stressful situation, I decided that the only change I would make in his feeding plan at the outset was to shift his diet, over the course of several weeks, from a low-quality kibble to a combination of grain-free kibble and canned food. I also observed his feeding habits, and especially the fact that, whereas his bonded companion Bogy took a nibble of food and walked away, as so many cats do, Rivers quickly gobbled up his own meal, then helped himself to whatever Bogy hadn’t immediately eaten.

Eventually, starting about two weeks after “the boys’” arrival, I started picking up Bogy’s bowl whenever he walked away from it, then putting it down again when he seemed ready to resume his meal. It was difficult to watch Rivers’ obvious disappointment at these new arrangements, so I made a point of distracting him, first with toys, then--as he grew more amenable to handling--with pats and cuddles. Having made only these adjustments, I didn’t know whether to expect any weight loss when I took the boys to the veterinarian after three months, but I was gratified to learn that Rivers, although still “a big boy,” had lost half a pound. Specifically, he had weighed 15 ¼ pounds when he arrived in rescue and now weighed 14 ¾ pounds. According to the veterinarian, he should weigh somewhere between 12 and 13 pounds.

Now that I have adopted Rivers, I plan to work with him on reaching his target weight, and to share the experience with readers of The Scratching Post. Obesity has become a significant problem among pet cats, and if you happen to be working with your own cat on a weight-loss regimen, I invite you to write to the blog to share your experiences. Let me also direct your attention to the useful articles posted under the heading “Nutrition” on the PPCR resources page, at http://www.purebredsplus.org/links/links.html. Cat guardians open to raw feeding might also be interested in the content related to feline obesity on Lisa Pierson’s website at http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity.

Next Episode: Counting Calories.

Can I Train My Cat Not to Keep Me Awake at Night?

2010-08-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

It is natural for a cat to be active in the evening and early morning hours, and this pattern can fit very well into the lifestyle of a guardian who works full time. Early in the morning, your furry companion is happy to see you finally awake, to chat over breakfast, and to help you choose a pair of socks or earrings to match your outfit. While you are at work, he or she whiles the hours away, dozing or looking out the window. Then, as soon as you come home, the furry one is ready for action again, eager to supervise dinner preparations, leap for a feather, chase a ball, read your email over your shoulder, enjoy a brushing or a belly rub, and generally remind you of why you decided to share your life with a cat in the first place.

Most cats also wake up occasionally during the night. My own cat Akashi is a classic night squawker, hallway racer, and racket maker. I personally find such indications of her vigor reassuring.

But what if you’d rather have a cat who is awake by day and who sleeps at night? What if evening and morning activity is fine, but nighttime athletics or meowing interferes with your preferred rhythms or a baby’s sleep?

If you haven’t yet adopted a cat, consider welcoming an older individual, who is likely to be more sedentary at all times of day and night. If you are adopting from a rescue where the cats are in foster care, be sure to ask the foster mom whether the cat that interests you is especially active at night. One of the most valuable services a rescue like PPCR can provide is help in choosing a cat whose personality is a good match for your own. Consider adopting two cats as a pair, so they can keep each other company at times when you would rather not be disturbed.

If, however, the cat in question is already a part of your life, do not despair! There are numerous articles, on various websites, with suggestions for dealing with nocturnal behaviors. Links to several such articles are available at the following location:

http://tallyville.com/behavior.html#Nightime

(Look around while you’re there. You’ll find a treasure trove of information on a wide range of subjects.)

Most articles on nocturnal activity in cats include suggestions like the following:

(Most Important) If you want your cat to sleep through the night or most of it, try to ensure that the cat is as active as possible by day. Make a point of scheduling a lively play session before you go to sleep, so that your cat is actually tired at bedtime, and discourage evening naps.
If your cat wakes you in order to be fed, consider serving dinner late or leaving food out for midnight snacking.
If your cat thinks 2am is a splendid time for conversation, play dead or otherwise desist from responding. Lavish attention and affection on your cat during the evening hours, so that he or she is less likely to regard the wee hours of the morning as the only time you are not “otherwise occupied.”
If necessary, do not allow your cat into your room at night, and create a buffer area to prevent your cat from knocking on your bedroom door. Some people create a comfy nest area for the cat somewhere away from the bedroom, and certain manufacturers sell soft, luminous toys for quiet nighttime play.

A few articles also suggest spritzing the cat with water by way of connecting an unwanted behavior with an unpleasant consequence, but remember that any action that the cat construes as punishment—any action that increases the cat’s anxiety--might result in other behaviors such as inappropriate elimination, which most cat guardians appreciate even less than a midnight serenade!

Of course, it is important to consider whether the behavior is new for your cat and, if so, what recent change in the environment might account for it. Is there a neighborhood cat or raccoon on the prowl outside? Are there mice scampering in the area? Does the cat show any signs of physical discomfort (an especially important consideration if the cat seems unsettled not only at night but also during the day)? You might need to take steps like closing the drapes, in the case of night prowlers, or scheduling a visit to the veterinarian to rule out illness.

Most importantly, try to be patient. Remember that your cat is not being naughty; he or she is being asked to make a challenging accommodation to your preferences. Every step toward the goal—for that first meow of the morning to sound at 4am instead of 2am, for example--is reason to feel encouraged.

How Does the PPCR Adoption Process Work?

2010-07-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

The adoption process usually consists of the following steps:

1. You see a cat that intrigues you on our website at http://www.purebredsplus.org/, or you know you want a cat of a certain breed and would like us to be on the lookout for one for you.

2. (optional) You call the rescue phone line or the contact person listed on a cat’s web page. The person who takes this call asks you a few questions, and if it seems that we might have a suitable cat or are likely to have one in the future, you are advised to fill out a web application.

3. You fill out the application, which includes questions about your living situation, your experience with cats, and your thoughts on various subjects. We also require references, including contact information for a veterinarian who has seen your current or previous pets.

4. Several rescue volunteers review your application. If you applied for a specific cat, the application is forwarded to the foster mom who has that cat. If you indicated interest in a breed rather than in a specific cat, the application is forwarded to any foster mom who might have a cat that would interest you.

5. Depending on the cat or breed in which you have expressed an interest, the application is sent to at least two other people: a foster mom who will conduct an in-depth interview by telephone, and another volunteer who will call the references listed on your application.

6. Someone contacts you to let you know that your application is being processed.

7. Over the following few weeks, your in-depth interview occurs, and your references are checked. We try to move as quickly as we can, but sometimes it is difficult to get in touch with references, and sometimes we get a large number of applicants for the same cat.

8. If the interview and reference check go well, your application is approved. Then in most cases, the foster mom calls you to set up a meeting with the cat. If you seem like a wonderful adopter but someone else was ahead of you on the list for that particular cat, the foster mom will contact you and possibly propose a meeting with a different but similar cat.

9. Foster moms vary in how many members of an adoptive family must come to meet a cat. For example, many foster moms insist on observing the interaction between an adopter’s children and the cat. The adoptive visit can have several possible outcomes:

• Your family loves the cat, the cat loves your family, and you take the cat home.

• Your family loves the cat, the cat loves your family, but the cat cannot immediately go home because of an outstanding issue: for example, you still need to get an appropriate carrier, or the cat is not quite old enough or has caught a cold and needs to recover before going home.

• Your family and the cat turn out not to be a good match. In this case, we’re happy to explore whether some other cat might be more suitable.

It does happen, now and then, that we decline an application. In such cases, we often make specific suggestions as to where you might look for a suitable cat.

Do You Have Other Cats, In Addition to Those Visible on the Website?

2010-07-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yes. Most cats that come into rescue do not appear on the website immediately. Kittens, for example, are not ready to go home until they are at least 12 weeks old. We usually do not post information about them until they are almost ready for placement.

In the case of adult cats, when we get a call from a shelter or when an owner asks us to place a cat, a volunteer picks up the cat and takes it to one of our foster homes for at least two weeks of quarantine. This “ISO” period gives us time to discover whether the cat exhibits any signs of infection or has any other problem demanding veterinary attention. Cats who need veterinary care receive it; in addition, all cats receive routine shots and are screened for immune deficiency disease. Finally, almost all cats are de-wormed during the ISO period, whether or not they show evidence of worms.

Unfortunately, some cats come to us in such poor physical condition that a two-week isolation period is insufficient. Cats that require extensive rehabilitation go to special foster homes where some of our most experienced volunteers minister to their needs.

It is usually only after the ISO or rehabilitation period that a cat’s photograph and biographical information are posted on our website at http://www.purebredsplus.org/.

What Does "Adoption Pending" Mean?

2010-07-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

People often ask what it means when a cat is listed on our website as Adoption Pending.

As a general rule, if a cat is available for adoption, we ask that an adopter make their choice upon meeting the cat and take it home. In some circumstances there is some veterinary need that should be resolved prior to the cat going to its new home. At that point, the adoption fee is paid, and then the cat goes to its home in a few days or in a few weeks .. whenever the cat is ready to go. This will happen often with kittens, as we get multiple applications for the same kitten but only one home can adopt that kitten. So we may have some awesome applicants waiting for kittens, and when a kitten meets their profile, we'll let them meet that kitten a week or so prior to the altering appointment. For some rare breeds, we may have a small wait list that we can pull from when a cat comes in. Then the cat just needs to wait for the quarantine period to be over prior to going home.

If there are kittens or cats that you find of interest, do check on them to see how firm the adoption is. There have been times when an adoption has fallen through, so it's great for us to know what type of cat you're interested in. Also, if you're approved and we don't have a cat that is just perfect for you, we might be made aware of a cat that meets your needs that we couldn't normally take into our system.

Where Is Your Shelter?

2010-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

Purebreds Plus does not operate a shelter. Instead, cats live in foster homes in various locales in Northern California and parts of Nevada.

The number of cats in a foster home is highly variable. Some volunteers care for only one or two cats, while others care for more. To find out where any available cat is currently living, look at the cat’s individual page on http://www.purebredsplus.org/. In almost every case, the biographical information about the cat includes a sentence telling in which town or geographic area the cat is currently fostered.

Note that applicants are screened by telephone, and references are checked, before a prospective adopter is invited to visit a cat in its foster home.