by Nomi Berger
 
For decades, designated days have been devoted to an increasing number of awareness raising issues. And since 2005, raising awareness about the crucial issue of cat adoption has had its own designated day, observed annually on October 29th, and fittingly feted as National Cat Day.
 
With that in mind, we encourage our supporters to celebrate the special place your own feline family members hold in your hearts and urge you to pay it forward by helping to save the lives of those less fortunate. The fact that several million cats across North America are euthanized annually because there aren’t enough homes for them has given rise to the famed plea: “DON’T SHOP, ADOPT!”
 
This simple three-word message has fired the imaginations of caring and conscientious communities everywhere, and attracted a growing number of civic-minded individuals, organizations and corporations to the cause. Now, with the spotlight of National Cat Day shining the brightest of lights on this most vital of issues, we invite you to step into and share that spotlight by following some of the paws-itive suggestions below:
 
To “pay homage” to your own purr-ecious pussycat:
* Thoroughly check your home to ensure that it’s cat safe, i.e., chew and claw proof.
* Brush your cat to eliminate excess fur and hairballs.
* Pamper your cat by giving her a calming massage.
* Commit to keeping your cat healthier by buying all natural products -- from food to litter.
* Buy your cat a new toy or cat tree, cat treats or bed.
* Purchase a collar and ID tag to keep your cat safe should she slip outside and get lost.
* Make a window perch for your cat to curl up or stretch out in the sunlight.
* Install a series of wall shelves to form a cat “highway”.
* Take photos of your cat (paws-ibly in various outfits) and post them on OUR Face Book page, or hire a professional pet
   photographer for a fun feline “foto” shoot.
* Commission a painted portrait of your cat.
* Buy or bake some cat-shaped cookies for your family, friends or co-workers, while providing some tuna cookies for your kitty
   as a “purr-k”.
* Celebrate National Cat Day by hosting a party and inviting all of your friends and their felines.
 
To “pay it forward” to help other kitties:
* Consider adding a cat to your own household. Simply click the “Adopt A Cat” button on our home page and view our
   appealing assortment of friendly and fabulous felines.
* Not looking for one right now, but know someone who is? Encourage them to do the same.
* For those unable to adopt, but want to get involved and make a difference, please click on the “How to Help” button on our
   home page and choose one (or more) of the options, including Donate, Volunteer and Foster.  
* Consider making a donation to us in honor of National Cat Day.
* Consider applying to volunteer and/or foster for us. Volunteers and fosters are the backbone of every rescue, and we
   couldn’t function without them.
* Click on the “Sponsor” button and consider becoming one of our much needed and much appreciated Sponsors, Partners or
   Friends.
* Spread the “adoption” message to your followers on your personal Face Book page.  
* Write your member of Congress and ask that he/she support the ban of kitten mills.
 
But remember, although National Cat Day may end at midnight on October 29th, the need to adopt a cat will continue – day after day after day.

by Nomi Berger
 
It’s that time again. For goblins and ghosts, pumpkins and pranks, and things that go bump in the night. But as responsible cat guardians, please ensure that your cherished companions aren’t innocent victims of Halloween’s fun and frolics.
 
Consider the following suggestions to keep your cats safe not sorry.
 
1. Keep candy out of reach of your cats. Chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate, can prove toxic for them. Candy containing the artificial sweetener, xylitol, can also cause dire problems. If you suspect that your sweeties may have ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
 
2. Although pumpkins’ outer shells and decorative corn are considered relatively non-toxic, they can still produce an upset stomach if copiously consumed rather than simply sampled.
 
3. Keep wires and cords from lights and other decorations safely out of reach. If chewed, your cats might be cut or burned or receive a potentially life-threatening electric shock.
 
4. Festive, carved pumpkins with candles inside can be easily knocked over by frisky felines and a fire started. Curious kittens in particular run the risk of being singed or burned by a candle flame. Either keep them unlit, out of reach, or keep an eye on your pets’ wandering whereabouts at all times.
 
5. Don’t dress up your darlings in a costume unless you know that they’re comfortable being decked out -- not stressed out -- by putting on the “glitz”. The safest, albeit less sassy alternative is to opt instead for a Halloween theme bandana draped round their necks.
 
6. Keep all but the most social cats in a separate room when “trick or treating” children come to call. Even then, take care that they don’t daringly dart outside when the door first opens.
 
7. Should your cats “pull a Houdini” and vanish into the night, ensure that they have either been micro-chipped or are wearing a collar and tags for proper identification and a swift return to your anxious arms.
 
With some strategic planning beforehand, you and your precious puss-in-boots can be assured of spending the safest and happiest of Halloweens -- together.

by Nomi Berger

Although less common than their canine counterparts in nursing homes, seniors’ residences and hospitals, special needs schools, libraries and day-care centers, the interest in and demand for therapy cats has been growing by leaps and bounds.
 
Whether slowly and rhythmically stroking a cat or cuddling a purring one close, these seemingly simple actions can have a beneficial effect on an individual’s health. Research has proven that felines can both relieve stress and lower blood pressure in humans, while clinical studies have shown that being near them triggers the release of the “happiness” hormone, oxytocin, thus making people FEEL happy.
 
With paws-itive results like these, there’s no mystery as to the rising popularity of pussycats as therapy cats. But what, precisely, is the process for turning your private, purr-sonal support system into a certified support system for others?
 
While two of the best known organizations that certify pet therapy teams are Pet Partners and Love On A Leash, areas throughout the country have their own local organizations. Pet Partners’ Therapy Animal Program, one of the largest in the U.S., has been training volunteers nationwide since 1990.
 
Cat guardians interested in becoming the human half (known as the “handler”) of a cat therapy team must first determine if their cherished companion has the proper temperament to work with people. Ideal candidates are laid back and friendly, are comfortable around dogs and enjoy being handled by strangers from a very young age. They must also get used to wearing a leash and harness, traveling in a carrier, be at ease with loud noises and in unpredictable situations, be micro chipped and up to date on all vaccinations.
 
Most organizations have a minimum age for participation. Pet Partners, e.g., requires that a cat be at least a year old and know his/her handler for at least six months. They also require that a cat NOT be fed a raw protein diet. Why? These diets put people -- particularly those with compromised immune systems -- at a greater risk for infection.
 
If the organization is satisfied that you have met all of their requirements, you can choose to undergo a training course either online or in person. Once the course has been successfully completed, you and your cat will be evaluated by an expert before being taken – as a team -- on a number of supervised visits to the facility you’ve chosen as yours.
 
Then, with the trial period over, you and your freshly certified therapy feline will be ready to bring a smile to a senior’s face, make a student’s day brighter, reprise a cherished memory, or soothe a restless soul.

by Nomi Berger
 
Although cats are predominantly carnivores, most felines fancy a side of greens with their protein. As cat guardians can attest, their pets have a particular propensity for ingesting the leaves of indoor houseplants and gorging on grass when outdoors.
 
While researchers may not agree on the reason behind this kitty cat craving, they have proposed several theories. Some believe cats require certain enzymes and/or nutrients found in greenery. Others surmise that the fiber content in green grass possesses “stomach cleansing” properties and helps a cat’s digestive process by promoting the passage of “hairballs” through stools or vomiting. Still others maintain that some cats simply LIKE the taste and texture of crispy green leaves and crunchy green stems.
 
Because outdoor cats have more than ample opportunity to indulge in all things green and growing, pet guardians must take added precautions when using fertilizers and weed and pest control products on their lawns as they can prove highly toxic to cats.
 
To keep indoor kitties safe from indiscriminate snacking, the ideal solution is to create the purr-fect “pussycat garden” for them. The simplest method is to place a few pots of fresh cat grass throughout your home. Although cat grass is easily available through most seed companies and pet supply catalogs, it can also be found growing and pre-potted at many pet stores. To add variety to the mix, consider such feline-friendly grasses as alfalfa sprouts, bluegrass, Japanese barnyard millet, oats, rye, ryegrass and wheat.
 
For those with more ambition and an accomplished green thumb, why not construct your own, homemade “salad bar”? Start by placing a two-inch thick layer of potting soil in the bottom of one or more pots or planters. Add just enough water to moisten the soil and cover it completely with a thin layer of seeds. Lightly cover the seeds with a handful of soil and then loosely cover each pot or planter with plastic wrap, thereby creating a “greenhouse” effect. After three or four days, the seeds will have sprouted, and you can safely remove the plastic wrap. As the grass grows, water it as needed to keep the soil moist (NOT soggy), and mist it daily with a spray bottle. Once the grass reaches a height of two inches, place the pots or planters wherever it’s most convenient for your cat to safely and contentedly “graze”.
 
Grass can induce vomiting in some cats, and if yours is prone to vomiting, keep her away from her “garden” immediately following a meal. If she continues to vomit after eating the grass, consult your veterinarian before allowing her to have more. 

By Nomi Berger

Throughout history, cats have not only been prized, worshiped, and treated as part of the family, but in countries like Japan, they have represented good luck for their owners.

Consider then, the Maneki Neko, a famed feline figurine, rich in background and folklore, that literally means, "beckoning cat." Whether it's called a charm or a talisman, referred to as the "welcoming cat", "money cat", "happy cat", "fortune cat" or "Chinese lucky cat" (due to its popularity among Chinese merchants), it traditionally depicts a Calico Japanese Bobtail cat with an upright paw.

Whereas most scholars agree that the "beckoning cats" first appeared in Japan during the Edo period (17th to mid-19th century), the legends behind them are legion. The most popular one, however, asserts that a colony of cats lived near a monastery, but were never permitted inside. One day, the monks went to gather food, leaving one monk to guard the temple. When he himself came outside, he noticed a small cat sitting across the road. Although he called to the cat, the cat remained seated, raised a paw, and beckoned the monk over instead. At first, the monk hesitated, then ultimately crossed the road. No sooner had he reached the cat than the temple came crashing down. Thanks to that beckoning cat, his life was saved, and from then on, cats weren't simply welcomed into the monastery, but were treasured and considered to be lucky.

Today, ceramic statues of the Maneki Neko cat appear worldwide in various guises and garbs since they're still thought to bring their owners good luck and fortune. Familiar sights in the windows of restaurants, stores, and other businesses, they're used to attract customers and are usually depicted with a coin around their necks to invite prosperity. Other forms of neck decoration are a neckerchief or scarf, but the most common is a collar, bell and decorative bib (likely in imitation of those worn by cats in wealthy households during the Edo period). Thought to bring good health and happiness as well to one's home, large statues of the "beckoning cat" will be placed in the entryway.

As to the significance of the raised paw? If the left paw is raised, it's supposed to attract customers to one's place of business. If the right paw is raised, it's meant to invite good fortune and money. If both paws are raised, it connotes protection. As for colors and color combinations? While the most traditional color combination, calico (white with orange and black spots) is considered the luckiest, other colors have their own significance. White denotes happiness, purity, and positive things to come. Gold represents wealth and prosperity. Black wards off evil spirits. Red signifies success in love and relationships. Green reputedly guarantees good health.

And yet, regardless of legend, raised paw or color, the most dedicated feline fancier will, undoubtedly, choose the purr of a living lap warmer over a representation of one every time.