By Nancy Holmes 1/2011

Dog nurse II Originally uploaded by overdrive_cz

Many children love animals and will happily approach any dog they see, wanting of course to pet or play with it.

Some parents grab their children and pull them away in fear telling the child to get away from the strange dog. Sometimes this gets a reaction from a dog that might otherwise have been fine with a child. Sometimes the dog’s owner feels badly about the parent scaring the child and teaching that dogs are to be feared.

Some parents encourage petting a friendly seeming dog as a part of their child’s experience of the world. Some dogs like this and some do not.

Some parents tell their children to ask an owner’s permission before approaching a dog to pet it, even if others are already petting the dog. I’m always delighted with such requests and carefully thank children who ask before reaching out to my dog.

I’m out and about with my giant dog and she is quite attractive to children and adults due to her size. I meet many who are delighted to pet her , and some who pat her only after being reassured she is safe, and because she is trained well she handles most situations, including all sorts of people and enjoys the attention she gets. Even so, she sometimes can get a little overwhelmed and look to me for reassurance when it’s a big crowd of kids or someone stands on her tail by accident!

Things I see that commonly disturb dogs, and that parents and children appear to not know is a problem, include petting the fur against the ‘grain’, bonking a dog on the top of the head as ‘patting’, grabbing a body part and pulling (usually really small children do this out of curiosity), and often a child will hug a dog around the neck in excess of affection.

Most children understand about a parent combing or brushing hair the wrong way and it being uncomfortable, so typically I explain to children that petting the fur the wrong way could hurt like that and might make a dog react if it hurt too much. I show them how to pet the fur the way it grows to be most comfortable for the dog.

As for head petting I suggest you try this – tap the top of your own head with the flat of your hand, then do it a few more times. Notice how fast it goes from nothing much to not very comfortable. While petting is nice, for most dogs bonking is not always appreciated. Using their own hands on their own heads children can usually see how the bonking might not be such a great idea if they want to be friendly with a dog.

Senna and Martijn (en Lennen) Originally uploaded by Jilles

Then there is grabbing and hugging. While my big dog is carefully trained to permit grabbing, and simply looks to me for help if something is uncomfortable, for many dogs it is startling, and upsetting, and may cause a reaction as if the child was an attacker, or as if wild rough play was being instigated, which can lead to too much of a rough reaction for a child to handle.

One day I watched my big dog figure out what to do when a toddler insisted on trying to grab her feet and toenails and pick the foot up.  As my dog was on her leash she could not leave so that solution was not available. After moving the foot that was being grabbed away a couple of times, to no avail, my dog settled down to the ground and tucked her feet out of sight underneath her and completely out of reach of the curious toddler. Not all dogs would react that way. Training, plus a personality that simply likes humans and even the ‘short people’ she meets when out, makes her much safer than many dogs might be in a similar situation. Parents need to watch their children to see how they are handling the dog and how well the dog handles their interest.

Neck hugging is particularly dangerous with a dog that is not accustomed to this as affection from a human.  A grip around the neck can be construed by the dog as an attack or as an attempt at dominance. Commonly, in a dominance situation between dogs, one dog will put a leg up over the shoulders and neck of the other indicating superiority.

A child who hugs a dog may accidentally trigger a reaction in a dog that has a high level of self esteem and a low level of training to permit handling by any human. So while your pet dog at home may simply roll its eyes, or wag a tail, at being hugged again, a strange dog might react with bared teeth in rapid reaction at such an unexpected insult.

Teaching your children dog safety with strange dogs as well as their own pets is a good option to limit chances of a negative encounter between your child and mans’ best friend.

www.safekidssafedogs.com is an excellent website to help you improve your child’s and your own safety with strange or family dogs. The author Karen Peak, of Westwind Dog training, does speaking engagements and was on Dogs 101 on the Animal Planet station last October along with her children and her Shetland Sheepdogs.

Karen’s site is full useful information on why dogs bite, how to read dog body language, picking out a family dog plus more, and has some neat quizzes at the bottom of the home page to see how much you and your children know about safe dog handling. There is an e-book available for you for free and some other printouts which can be printed for personal use. Its an excellent resource for you to help your children learn about safe interactions with dogs.

As with anything else in life, practice makes perfect and working with your children so they know how to safely handle a doggy encounter is an excellent choice!

Boy and dog praying - Claimed by Flickr user marcelosells

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The Lakes Region Kennel Club will be offering training classes at both the Meredith Community Center and Gilford Youth Center. Training your dog is one of the best things you can do.  Studies have shown that dogs which are trained are much more likely to stay with their owners for their entire life.  For more information about the classes and the Lakes Region Kennel Club, please visit their site.

They are offering classes in the following:

• Obedience
• AKC Star Puppy
• AKC Canine Good Citizen
• Therapy Dog International
• Rally Beginner – Advanced

Their flyers for both classes are below and we have added the classes to our calendar.

LRKC Gilford Taining Classes

LRKC Meredith Training Classes

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Fairly or not, homeowners insurance can be difficult to obtain for owners of certain breeds due to the negative publicity surrounding those breeds.  Starting in 2011, thanks to the American Kennel Club, the Hartford Insurance company is offering coverage to owners of AKC registered dogs who have met certain criteria that includes passing the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test.  From their press release:

“The Hartford and the AKC recognize the importance of responsible dog ownership. In support of this alliance, the Hartford will offer the program to owners of all AKC registered dogs. Owners with breeds historically ineligible for coverage may be eligible if they meet specific conditions demonstrating obedience and responsible dog ownership. This includes passing the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

“We are pleased that The Hartford is leading the way to providing insurance for responsible families that own purebred dogs,” said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. “By promoting the AKC Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy programs, The Hartford is also assisting AKC stay true to its mission of helping families have positive relationships with their dogs.”

Nearly 40 percent of U.S. households own dogs and taking the AKC Canine Good Citizen test has become one of the most popular training programs offered by the AKC. As part of this program, dogs are required to pass a 10-step test, in a non-competitive environment, to evaluate the training and demeanor of the animal. The certification is also confirms that the dog is under the appropriate care of a veterinarian. Each year more than 40,000 dogs take the test nationwide. The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program is designed to get puppies and their owners off to a positive start while building the foundation for responsible care and ownership. For more information about taking the AKC Canine Good Citizen test and the AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Program, visit www.akc.org.”

Cross-posted at nhdogs.org

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Pat Rollins, the outdoor writer for The Citizen, has a column up about the first rabbit hunt of the season.  It describes the joy a dog has in doing what it was bred to do – in this case, a Beagle on a rabbit hunt.

“You should have been here a half-hour ago,” Pete said. “The old boy saw me put on my coat and pick up my shotgun and he went nuts. When I put him outside he must have sprinted around the house a dozen times, barking wildly the entire time.”

“Ohhh, I believe you,” I replied with a laugh. “That old dog is the most intense rabbit dog I’ve ever seen….”  more

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Does your dog seem shy to you? Is your dog afraid to meet new people, new dogs, or walk in new areas? Does your dog jump away when something new is experienced?

Shyness in dogs has many causes. Sometimes it is due to lack of socialization when the dog was young. Those early weeks where the pup is learning about the world are a very important time for the pup to be introduced to as many things as possible so they become comfortable with them.

Sometimes a health issue makes the dog fearful due to a flood of hormones or possibly an illness. You might check a shy dog for health issues if you have not already done so. Thyroid problems, which are seen in many breeds and mixes, can cause behavior changes as can tick carried diseases for example. Checking for a health issue when temperament or behavior suddenly changes can be a good choice.

Sometimes shyness is inherited or possibly learned from the mom during the time in the uterus and the first weeks when mom cares for the pups. A pup that has inherited shyness and doesn’t get much socialization can have twice the problems to deal with.

A good reference site on coping with shyness is here

Often training designed to teach the dog how to cope with or handle new situations is a big help, as is desensitization training where you teach the dog that what was once considered scary can now be viewed as a great opportunity to earn rewards.

One training method that can help with that sort of confidence building is clicker training. You first teach the dog that the click means ‘that is right’ or ‘good’ or ‘yes’ and you then have a way to easily and quickly tell the dog which behavior is what you want. You can see some very good clicker training videos as you scroll down on this page past the ads to get an idea of the way the training works

If you prefer not to use a clicker then positive reinforcement with verbal praise may also work for you.

The way you would apply this type of training, to say a fear of new people situation, is to have a friend that the dog usually reacts to help you do the training by coming to where the dog can just see the person it fears. This may be a good distance away to start with.

When your friend appears you start clicking and treating the dog with small tastes of a favorite food item. Your friend then walks out of sight and then you cease the click and treat response. Gradually you build up to working the same way with the dog seeing other people, seeing people closer and you reward the dog only when strangers are near. The idea is that what was scary now becomes a source for good rewards. You can do this in your home also by having her on a leash while someone else answers the door for the friend to come in.This is of course only a brief overview and in person training help would be best for specific problems. http://www.apdt.com/ may help you find a trainer to work with or you may want to ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist.

A veterinary behaviorist can not only give you a training plan but may also prescribe a medication for your dog. While meds on their own seldom cure a behavior problem, what they can do is to allow the dog to be calm enough for training to work. A dog can’t learn while petrified, as the mind shuts down with fear, so a veterinary behaviorist could decide the best option is to prescribe a med that reduces stress to allow the dog to learn as well as giving you a specific training plan to help your dog past any fears.

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Once again, microchipping a dog has paid off.

After “Jake” disappeared nearly seven years ago, Brad and Amy Davis and their three children had given up hope that their family’s pet Weimaraner would ever be found. On September 7th, however, Phyllis Arsenault, a recovery specialist from AKC Companion Animal Recovery AKC CAR, the nation’s largest not-for-profit pet recovery service, called the Davises to say Jake had been found as a result of his microchip being scanned at the Estill County Animal Shelter in Ravenna, Kentucky – over 420 miles and 7 hours from their home in Michigan.

via American Kennel Club – AKC Companion Animal Recovery Reunites Stolen Dog with Owner after Nearly Seven Years.

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HomeAgain has a new app for your IPhone – Lost pet alerts.  If a pet is lost in your neighborhood, you receive a text asking you to be on the look-out for it.  If you don’t have an IPhone, don’t worry.  You can go to the Pet Rescuers site and sign up for email alerts.

via PetRescuers by HomeAgain for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store.

Description

Be a hero for lost pets! Between 6 to 8 million pets enter animal shelters in the U.S. each year, including many lost family pets. Download the PetRescuers app by HomeAgain, and you can help keep a lookout for lost pets in your area. By receiving notifications about lost HomeAgain pets, you can help get these pets home to their families and keep them out of overburdened animal shelters.

PetRescuers is powered by HomeAgain®—a leader in the pet microchipping and lost pet recovery. All of the lost pets featured here are microchipped and have been reported missing to HomeAgain by their owners.

Thank you for helping reunite lost pets with their families!

FEATURES

Receive Lost Pet Alerts for missing pets in your area

• Photo of pet
• Species
• Age
• Breed
• Area last seen
• Medical information
• -Personality description

Map all lost pets in your area

Control your alert settings

• Target alerts to a 5, 10, or 25 mile radius
• Default location & mobile alert mode
• Bark, meow & chime sounds

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By Nancy Holmes

There are enough happy endings with adopted pets to make adoption an attractive option in finding your next companion animal. There are enough bad matches, that don’t work out for pet or new owner, to make one wary too.

With the internet it is easier than ever to find a dog or cat etc. that catches your eye, without heading to the shelter to check the adoptable pets out in person, but the internet also causes many to rely entirely or mostly on someone else’s judgment about the attributes of the pet they are considering adding to their home.

Therein lies the problem – can you trust what the people are telling you about the pet they wish to place in your home? Can you trust how much they actually know? Are they concealing an issue in order to ‘move’ the pet along out of their hands and into yours? Are they unaware of an issue that will be a big problem for you?

Of course this is all equally true with breeders, but many people don’t realize they need to apply the same sort of careful consideration, of where and who their pet is coming from, when it is coming via ‘adoption’ as they do when it is a breeder purchase.

Recently I saw a dog up for ‘adoption’ through a group that described the dog as a ‘perfect family pet’. This local group provided a link to another description of the dog, at the shelter where the dog actually resided awaiting adoption. On the second site the description mentioned the dog was food bowl aggressive and so protective of the food bowl he would lay on top of it, once it was empty, growling and lunging at other dogs. It also mentioned he had been fighting through the fence with another dog. Seems this dog was not so perfect after all!

Yes, food bowl aggression is something that a dog can typically be trained out of, but that can take quite a bit of work and may present a hazard to other pets or small children in the household before training is completed. Yes, altering might reduce the dog on dog aggression, but it might not also. What a shock for someone adopting a ‘perfect family pet’ if any of these behaviors were an issue for them!

The enthusiastic local person, who hoped to facilitate the rescue of this dog, to ‘save’ the dog from euthanasia, by placing an ad, overlooked some potentially serious canine behavior issues in their description of an appropriate home for this particular pet. To me this violates the primary goal of rescue, which I believe is ‘the right pet in the right home for life’ not ‘any pet in any possible home’ just to ‘save’ it.

Another animal recently up for adoption, from the original owner, was a friendly, wonderful cat, that was listed as box trained and indoors only, healthy, good with people and kids etc. Then you got to the reason for placement. They thought the new baby in the home was stressing the cat and causing him to urinate all over the place. They wanted a home with no babies for the cat. Now this behavior issue could be due to a medical problem, which the owner should have checked out first with their vet, but if it actually was stress related, then changing homes would most likely really stress out this cat and might bring about the same or even worse behavior issues!

Many of the rescue groups and shelters are not at all adept at determining breed or mix of the animals they are rehoming that come to them from out of state or as strays. This means you cannot rely on the general breed description for a particular breed when evaluating them as a potential fit for your home. Any quick cruise through adoption websites by a knowledgeable person proves breed identification by shelters and rescues is erratic at best.

As an example, I see a lot of Irish Wolfhound mixes up for adoption that obviously (to me) have no relationship to a Wolfhound, beyond a whiskery face which likely was passed down by a terrier or poodle ancestor. There is a huge difference in temperament (as well as size) between Wolfhounds and terriers. Even the biggest poodles or terrier type breeds are no where near the size of a Wolfhound. So what you expect to get and what you really get can be quite different.

Another common ‘error’ in identification is that some rescue groups or shelters may try to hide the likelihood of the dog being a particular mix such as a smooth coated terrier mix, i.e. a mix of pit bull type dog and another breed, or any other breed not currently thought of as a ‘good pet’ by some. Again the big issue is not what the dog’s ancestry really is, but that the expectations based on breed heritage may not work out for the new owner if the mix is not represented properly.

A boxer mix (a common choice of words used instead of pit bull terrier) is apt to have a far different attitude about other dogs and animals than a pit bull type mix could have as it matures. Either dog might be perfect for the right home, but honest representation of the dog or pup’s underlying breed heritage makes it easier to match the right home with the right dog.

A poodle mixed with a shedding breed may be presented as ‘hypoallergenic’ or ‘non shedding’ when in truth once you mix a poodle with a shedding breed the resulting pups are extremely likely to shed. As there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, representing a dog as being one is also deceptive. Humans are allergic to dander and saliva proteins, not the hair, so even a hairless dog can cause allergy issues in an allergic person! Some people do react less to lower shedding dogs but there are no guarantees!

Cats are often misrepresented too. Frequently cats will be represented as being a particular breed or mix of a breed based on color alone and not all gray cats are Russian or British Blues, just as not all cats with a loud voice are Siamese. People may be disappointed in the color, size, coat length, activity level or personality of their chosen pet if the breed or mix (when known) is not represented correctly.

Misrepresentation may not be intentional but merely the result of inexperienced people making decisions and judgments about the animals that they are not quite qualified to do.

Back when I started doing rescue the majority of rescuers who were pulling pets from pound or shelters for rehoming, or taking in dogs relinquished by owners, were actually breeders with strong knowledge backgrounds in their breeds and years of experience in behavior, training and in placing dogs in homes for life.

Nowadays, well meaning animal lovers are frequently going into rescue work with little to no background in animal care, behavior modification training, rehoming by screening adoptive homes etc. and that leaves room for many errors as they learn how to best judge both the pets and the people to make a good match. It’s a complex field and based on those people I’ve mentored in this over the years, it does take some time for people to learn how best to approach the work and how to handle and recover from failures and errors.

There are some things you can do to prevent or limit chances the pet you are considering is being misrepresented to you:

• You should plan on meeting the pet, in person, with as many family members present as possible, before placing any money down on adopting it.
• Do not send money for transport or vet care to anonymous groups, or private individuals, as many scammers on the net are selling phantom pets and simply sending out sad stories and pictures to dishonestly get people’s money.
• If you do choose to pay transport money, find out if you can refuse adoption if the pet is not as represented and make sure any money you pay out you can afford to lose if it vanishes.
• If you have a specific breed in mind, consider a breed specific rescue, rather than a general all animal rescue, to get a good match, or good advice on a match, from someone who knows the breed well.
• Make sure any rescue or shelter is legitimately licensed with the state.
• Be sure you are comfortable with the group you are planning to work with to find your next pet. Groups that do not represent themselves honestly in their ads may not be safe or reliable to deal with.
• Ask for references. There is nothing wrong with wanting to find out if others are happy with the adoption procedures, matching processes, fees, and policies of any group you may be dealing with.
• Read any contracts carefully. Find out if you will get your money back if the pet is not as represented and if you can return the pet. You should know what your options are if the adoption does not work out.
• Make sure state laws on health certificates, rabies vaccinations, vet exams etc are complied with and that means you should know what those laws are ahead of time.
• Read up on dog or cat breeds so you can try to recognize if a pet is being represented honestly or not.
• Learn in general about behavior and health issues in the type of pet that is your choice, and find out how they are usually resolved, before getting a pet that may have issues from excessive stress, changes or genetic issues. And yes mixes actually have more potential for genetic issues than purebreds do as they have a wider mix of genes including those that produce different canine health issues.
• Read too about introducing a new pet to a home so you can go about it the safest way right from the start.
• Listen to what is said about the pet in terms of needs for training, housing, confinement, socialization, grooming etc. and be honest with yourself about what resources you have available. If the pet arrives and is immediately ill (and transport or home changing stress can bring out illness in any pet) are you going to be able to afford vet bills after paying an adoption fee? Quite often love is not enough – cash and time are frequently required for the help a pet needs.
• Watch out for the too good to be true pets. Free Yorkshire terrier puppies, exotic cat breeds, or English Bulldogs, for example, are a common scam. People send money thinking to adopt these pets and never get a pet they just lose their money.
• Read as many ads as you can to help you spot the resellers who are picking up free pets they know nothing about and selling them as ‘perfect pets’ to unsuspecting ‘adopters’, the rescues which are avoiding telling anyone what group they represent etc. Reading ads over several days or weeks can be a good way to get to know who is placing animals in your area.
• Watch out for groups that don’t want to tell you who they are, don’t feel comfortable giving references, don’t seem to know much about the animals they are rehoming and are more interested in your check being good than in checking you out.

When talking with the people who have the pet you are considering, check to see if they are finding any home perfect for that pet as they try to ‘unload’ it or if they are being careful about where the pet goes.

In addition, you can write out what it is you need and expect from a pet. Make a list for yourself of behaviors and health issues you know you can’t deal with in terms of the others living in your home and your own time and money resources. You may love fluffy dogs but can you commit to grooming time or paying someone to groom? Do you really have time to housebreak a puppy or attend training classes? Will a hound really fit into your apartment complex if it bays with a big deep voice? If the puppy doesn’t stay small will you be able to keep it where you live? Can you commit to training to change behaviors you are not happy with? Can you tackle care of health issues should any show up?

While it is very easy to be swayed by sad stories, pathetic or cute pictures, or glowing descriptions of ‘perfection’, in a pet someone else can no longer keep, it is important that you get in person hands on interaction with a potential companion animal before it comes to your home unless you are 100% sure that the person who is choosing your newest life companion has the best interests of both you and the pet in mind and the skill set to make that choice be as accurate as possible.

If the person who is ‘selling’ you the pet has never met the pet in question, then I’d be concerned that they cannot accurately match you with that pet. You should be concerned too. It may not stop you from adopting the pet, but you might be ready with plans for training classes, vet care, or professional help of some sort, no matter what is needed, when your new pet arrives at your home.

Do your homework the same as if you were contemplating buying from a breeder. Plan on making some decisions yourself on the suitability of the group you plan to work with or the pet you ultimately choose.

Be ready for a wonderful pet to join your family, but also be careful who you let help you find that pet and know what you can do if the match just isn’t the right one.

Even the best ‘matchmakers’ know they can make mistakes, so any adoption group should be just as ready to help you with support, advice, or even the return of the pet, if your adopted pet does not work out, as they were ready to help you acquire a new companion animal.

My experience has been that pets that have been fostered in a real home often have the very most accurate information available to help them get placed in the right sort of home to meet their needs.

Pets coming straight from a shelter or rescue that doesn’t do any professional personality evaluations, or from a previous home anxious to have the pet move on, require a bit more basic animal knowledge on your part to ensure that you get the pet you expect, instead of an unexpected and perhaps undesirable surprise along with your new companion.

There is more to adoption than picking a cute face in a picture, or a sad story that moves you to compassion, and you will need more than just love to make an adoption work, but with the right tools, the right resources, a careful review of the available pets, and an honest look at your own abilities, you may find the right ‘pre-owned’ pet is out there just waiting to join you and your family.

A Few Resources – many more found online:

Dogs

• Dog breed info: http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds
• Puppy aptitude test: http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php
• Introducing a new dog: http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/dog-intros.pdf
• For dogs Nothing In Life is Free: http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/nilif.pdf

Cats

• Cat breed info: http://www.cfainc.org/breeds.html
• Introducing a new cat:
  • http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm
  • http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/catintro.pdf

Birds

• Bird Species info

Choosing a Rescue group

• http://www.healthyspotonline.com/blog/?p=89
• NH animal laws
  • http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XL/437/437-mrg.htm
• Licensed Rescues and Shelters in NH
  • http://www.nh.gov/agric/divisions/animal_industry/documents/licensedfacilities.pdf
  • http://www.nh.gov/agric/divisions/animal_industry/documents/shelters.pdf

Places to Look for an Adoptable Pet

• Petfinder
• Craigslist pets column
• AKC breed rescues list

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Its that time of year again when free or inexpensive pups and kittens are available but many people don’t think beyond the purchase price when it comes to costs of adding a new pet to the home.

Recently I went on the search for a free kitten and as luck would have it I found a great one to join our home that was sadly missing the recently lost 20 year old cat.

The former owner was quite shocked as we parted when I said, ‘Oh, I expect a free kitten to run about $200 the first week.”

I had some definite criteria when looking for a kitten. I wanted a male. I wanted a slightly older kitten 3-4 months old. I wanted one that had been in a home and been handled. Early handling and training is what helps make a kitten friendly and gentle as well as interested in people.

I felt fortunate to spot one that was the light color we prefer here to help reduce allergic responses in the resident cat lover. As an added bonus this kitten was already wormed once and Frontline treated once though he had never seen a vet.

When I went to the home I saw that he had no ear mites (another big plus) was friendly and gentle and showed no signs of upper respiratory infection commonly seen in unvaccinated cats. And he had no missing spots of fur which reduced chances he had ringworm.

He was a little love even when handled by a stranger and the 2 year old in the house had not a scratch on him which told me the kitten was gentle most if not all of the time and all those were indicators he’d fit in our house.

So the first thing I did after packing him up to go home was call my vet. They were too busy so I called my other vet and found I could get the new kitten seen in an hour or so.

Why was this important? I didn’t want to bring home any illness or parasites that I hadn’t been able to spot on my own!

So off to the vet with the free kitten for an exam, first shots, worming pill to clear the tapeworms as I saw segments under his tail area, a second check for skin and ear parasites, a double check on his age as he was huge but still had all his baby teeth, a check for ringworm with a black light, and shots including distemper and rabies! I did one more thing to make sure the kitten was safe to bring home and that was to run a blood test to check for FeLv, FIV which also included a heartworm test (he was too young for that last to be positive but it comes with the three way check for disease). The vet office offered a complimentary dose of Revolution which would clear fleas, ticks, ear mites and worms but I declined that and opted to worm again at home and use Frontline instead.

So one ‘free kitten’ with first shots etc was $117 (my vet as they’ve known me well for years gave me a break on part of the fee too that saved me $35 or it would have been more). He still will need second shots and to be neutered in the next couple of months which will be more money. Not bad for this extra wonderful (of course!) new family member! And of course we aren’t even adding up the costs of toys, food, and cat litter!

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I am of two minds on this issue

I understand that there are farm cats and that there can be an issue of cats being dumped on ‘farm homes’ and with reproduction getting out of hand in some locations. I also know some rescues offer colonies of altered cats to farm homes so some do think this is the best option for feral cats accustomed to wild living.

I have no problem with farmers killing sick or injured animals including dumped cats. One of the farms I know of feeds the cats, has no problem with the new ones that move in from time to time, but will kill any cats that are aggressive, ill or badly injured if they cannot be touched or approached to be helped. They want the cats able to be handled so they can get rabies shots – strictly to ensure they and their livestock are not exposed to rabies.

Some people say the outdoor or farm cats are all sick with fleas and intestinal parasites. Fleas and worms are actually a natural thing in animals. We humans don’t like to live with either but there is evidence that flea allergies in pets may be due to lack of exposure to fleas and that neither worm nor flea infections get out of hand in healthy animals in the wild – i.e. the flea ridden raccoon you might see is likely sick with something else too. Nature has a balance which we frequently disrupt.

With cats, as with other animals, if there is already a population in place, then new ones cannot and do not move into the territories successfully. So in the case of colonies of neutered vaccinated cats, the healthy alter population essentially keeps new ferals from moving in. Without queens to draw them for mating there is less chance of new cats moving in anyway though food, water and shelter can be a draw. In areas where TNR (trap neuter release) is done the evidence shows that the population stabilizes and the animals remain pretty healthy.

Yes baby animals and inexperienced animals get killed by cars and other animals. This happens to other ‘wildlife’ too. It is normal for a population of a species to get thinned down by a variety of things including foolish behaviors and it goes on every spring when new life arrives in the woods and fields. The smarter, or more cautious, or maybe even the luckier ones live. In my area we now have enough fishers and coyotes that feral, as well as pet cats, have to be pretty fast and smart to keep from being snacks, same as goes for any other wild resident. I do believe in natural selection and the cycle of life which makes it hard for me to feel the consumption of the cats is wrong – no matter how little I would like the cat involved to be one I know.

Having seen the way some animals are kept in ‘homes’ I am of two minds about whether a shorter life with possible death by car, wildlife or other means is preferable or not. There are reasons why so many landlords do not allow cats – smell and destruction of the rental property for example. Is a reeking litter box OK and better than the outdoors? Plus just look at all the obese cats sitting in windows wishing they were out – is that mental torture? Is completely stopping all natural behaviors a plus for cats? Look at how many cats are declawed for human convenience.

My cats are indoor cats due to the fact I prefer them alive instead of acting as lunch for the local wildlife, but I cannot be convinced that this is done totally for them, as there is a good possibility they are indoor pets completely due to my personal selfishness. Any time the windows are open the cats are right there wishing with all their might to explore their more natural world. We keep the cats in for us, not them.

Is a long, boring, unfulfilled life better than a short exciting one? I really can’t say. I can say my selfish desire to avoid loss leads to my cats being indoor pets only, same as it keeps my property fenced for the dogs’ safety. The presumption that any sort of life is better than death is a really huge one, and one I’m not sure I totally believe in. We just lost a 20 year old cat who was on fluids the last three years, plus he took thyroid meds. All that care was not, in my opinion, done for the cat, but for my husband who could not bear the thought of losing his old friend, though three extra years did not make the inevitable loss any easier.

Even though I do not choose an outdoor life for my cats that doesn’t mean it is not possible for cats to be healthy, content, and even long lived if they live outside or as in and outdoor cats. When I lived in the city my indoor/outdoor cats lived to be 16 despite all the hazards of dogs, cars, and kids in the neighborhood.

So when I say I am of two minds I mean it. There is the naturalist part of me who believes in the cycle of life, and in a natural as possible living style for the cats, that says this is the way of the world and it’s right and good for the species, and there is the emotional pet owner that says ‘nope not my pet’. I’m not sure there is a right or wrong point of view and the darn cats aren’t talking!

Administration note:  The above was sent to us for publication.

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