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	<title>All-4-Cats &#187; Adoption and Rescue</title>
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	<description>Purrfect Education for New Cat Owners</description>
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		<title>Cat Adoption Fee is Low</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/12/cat-adoption-fee-is-low/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/12/cat-adoption-fee-is-low/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:33:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		A cat adoption fee can be as low as $25 or $35 at your local Humane Society!  Certain states such as Arizona have a high kitten season that lasts into October and November.  Thousands of kittens are brought to shelters for adoption.  One way to ensure the cats and kittens are adopted [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>A cat adoption fee can be as low as $25 or $35 at your local Humane Society!  Certain states such as Arizona have a high kitten season that lasts into October and November.  Thousands of kittens are brought to shelters for adoption.  One way to ensure the cats and kittens are adopted is to offer special pricing.  It works because in one weekend 223 cats and kittens were adopted from the <a href="http://www.azhumane.org/" target="_blank">Arizona Humane Society</a>.  The empty cages were a sight to see!</p>
<p>It&#8217;s easy for cats to get adopted when the cat adoption fee is low.  Some people go to a shelter to adopt a dog or puppy, but end up with a cat or kitten.  Dog and puppies have higher adoption fees.  And, people may not be ready for the responsibility of dog; cats are a bit more independent.  </p>
<p>A low cat adoption fee during the holiday season could result in many cats being adopted as holiday presents.  Hopefully, the expectant receivers are allowed to have a cat.  Before you adopt a cat as a holiday gift, make sure the person receiving the warm and fuzzy new friend is allowed to have a cat.  The Humane Society will contact the landlord to ensure that the cat is allowed in the apartment, condo, townhome, or house.</p>
<p>With a low cat adoption fee, many cats will be adopted into homes.  This is the best gift anyone can give.  You&#8217;ll brighten someone&#8217;s day with a great cat which will have a forever home to call its own!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>How much did you pay for your cat?</strong></p>
<p align="left"><a class="tt" href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=Cat+Adoption+Fee+is+Low+http://t83xc.th8.us" title="Post to Twitter"><img class="nothumb" src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-big2.png" alt="Post to Twitter" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Donate to Your Local Humane Society</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/11/donate-to-your-local-humane-society/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/11/donate-to-your-local-humane-society/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:09:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health and Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donations]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=380</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Many people are taking their cats to their local Humane Society because they cannot care for them anymore.  Lost jobs mean losing apart of the family.  It&#8217;s heartbreaking when people bring their pets to the local shelter because they cannot care for them anymore.  The Humane Society and shelters could use your [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Many people are taking their cats to their local Humane Society because they cannot care for them anymore.  Lost jobs mean losing apart of the family.  It&#8217;s heartbreaking when people bring their pets to the local shelter because they cannot care for them anymore.  The Humane Society and shelters could use your support!  </p>
<p>The greatest you can give is to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten from your local Humane Society.  They make great pets and are already spayed or neutered.  You will help save a life and give these animals the &#8220;forever&#8221; home they deserve.  Open your heart and home today!</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Cat_save-a-life.jpg" alt="Cat_save a life" title="Cat_save a life" width="500" height="500" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-386" /></p>
<p>Find out how you can help today so tomorrow the lives of animals will be saved!  I took a flyer that was created by the AZ Humane Society and recreated it so I could put my personal touch on it.  No, I didn&#8217;t have to break apart the PDF (graphic designers know what I mean), I was able to copy and paste the photos into Adobe InDesign.  Having a graphic design background comes in handy!  </p>
<p>For those in the state of Arizona, please visit <a href="http://www.azhumane.org/" target="_blank">AZ Humane Society</a> to find out how you can help.  If you live in Chandler, Arizona, <a href='http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/AZ-Humane-Society-Flyer1.pdf' target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE</strong></a> to find out how you can help.  The Humane Society appreciates your support!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>How will you help your local Humane Society?</strong></p>
<p align="left"><a class="tt" href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=Donate+to+Your+Local+Humane+Society+http://6eyxc.th8.us" title="Post to Twitter"><img class="nothumb" src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-big2.png" alt="Post to Twitter" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cats Are Vocal Just Like People</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/11/cats-are-vocal-just-like-people/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/11/cats-are-vocal-just-like-people/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:40:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Behavior]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Owner Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Personalities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=137</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Adopting and rescuing a cat from your local humane society is the best gift you can give.  Some shelters have adoption rooms where you can spend time with a cat before you adopt it.  This is a great idea because you get to interact with the cat and check out their personality.  [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Adopting and rescuing a cat from your local humane society is the best gift you can give.  Some shelters have adoption rooms where you can spend time with a cat before you adopt it.  This is a great idea because you get to interact with the cat and check out their personality.  For those of you, who are on the quiet side, make sure you ask &#8220;how vocal is the cat?&#8221;  A vocal cat may not be the best choice for you.</p>
<p>Cats are vocal like people.  They will let you know when they are hungry or want to play.  If you work at home, a cat&#8217;s vocalization may be a distraction for you.  Think about this before you adopt a cat from the humane society.  It would be ashame if you return the cat because she&#8217;s too vocal.</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/cat_vocal.jpg" alt="cat_vocal" title="cat_vocal" width="500" height="334" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-349" /></p>
<p>If you have trouble getting up, a vocal cat makes a great alarm clock!  This can help you save money on electricity.  Wouldn&#8217;t it be better to wake up to your cat&#8217;s voice instead of a blaring alarm clock buzzer?  You cat may also jump on the bed and not leave until you get up.  This will ensure that you get to work on time.</p>
<p>When you adopt and rescue a cat, you get a friend for life.  You may not find out that your cat is vocal until a month or two.  Give the relationship a chance.  Your new friend is communicating the only way she knows how.  Spend as much time as you can with your cat.  Working from home can be tricky because your cat will not understand that you must work instead of play with her.  Be gentle, compassionate, and patient.  Your cat will understand your routine sooner or later.  If not, allow her to sit on your lap while you work.  She can be a great motivator!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>How vocal is your cat?</strong></p>
<p align="left"><a class="tt" href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=Cats+Are+Vocal+Just+Like+People+http://wk9mx.th8.us" title="Post to Twitter"><img class="nothumb" src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-big2.png" alt="Post to Twitter" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Be a Responsible Cat Parent</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/10/be-a-responsible-cat-parent-2/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/10/be-a-responsible-cat-parent-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:21:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health and Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Owner Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mistakes to Avoid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=197</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Before you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten from your local Humane Society or shelter, make sure you&#8217;re a responsible cat parent.  Cats and kittens are no different than children.  The only difference is that they don&#8217;t talk back to you.  Then again, cats will be vocal if you&#8217;re late feeding [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float: right; width: 42px; padding-right: 10px; margin: 0 0 0 10px;">
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Before you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten from your local Humane Society or shelter, make sure you&#8217;re a responsible cat parent.  Cats and kittens are no different than children.  The only difference is that they don&#8217;t talk back to you.  Then again, cats will be vocal if you&#8217;re late feeding them!</p>
<p>When you <strong>adopt and rescue</strong> a cat or kitten from a shelter be aware that they may require more responsibility and need just a bit more TLC than your cat or kitten.  Animals in a shelter are stressed and susceptible to illnesses such as upper respiratory infection.  Make sure you&#8217;re prepared to nurse a sick cat or kitten for about two weeks.  </p>
<p><strong>Tip</strong>:  Make sure you feed your cat the proper nutrition.  Like people, cats are becoming obese.  It&#8217;s not uncommon to read about a 20 lb. cat.  Yikes!  Provide your cat with kitty condos he can climb and give him toys like a stuffed mouse he can chase.  Consult your veterinarian on how you can keep you cat in tip-top shape.  </p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fatcat.jpg" alt="fatcat" title="fatcat" width="500" height="375" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-308" /></p>
<p>Remember when you <em>adopt and rescue</em> a cat or kitten, it&#8217;s a long-term commitment.  Make sure you find one that fits your personality.  It&#8217;s not fair to the cat or kitten if he or she is too vocal.  Write down the type of cat you&#8217;re looking for.  What color will the cat be?  What gender would you like, male or female?  What about the cat&#8217;s personality, friendly or highly independent?  What is your personality like?  Knowing before you go to a shelter will help you help the adoption volunteers choose a cat that is purrfect for you!</p>
<p>When you adopt and rescue a cat he&#8217;ll become part of the family.  If you&#8217;re personality is one that sees cats as just that and not a family member, you may want to forgo adopting a cat and get a fish instead.  They&#8217;re low maintenance and just swim in a bowl or small aquarium.</p>
<p>Children need to be taught to respect and honor pets.  Before you <u>adopt and rescue</u> a cat into your home, educate your children.  Make sure they know the cat IS NOT a toy!  Bring them to shelters and let them get acquainted with a cat or kitten.  Tell the volunteers and employees that you&#8217;d like to adopt, but want to introduce your children before you bring a cat or kitten home.  Perhaps the shelter has some kind of program where they educate children on pets.  The more they know and can apply what is taught the better for the animal community.</p>
<p>Adopting and rescuing a cat from your local shelter is the best gift you can give.  These animals are stressed out because one minute they&#8217;re with a loving family and the next they&#8217;re in a tiny cage.  Their freedom is taken away and they don&#8217;t know why.  Plus, they&#8217;re hearing new and strange noises they haven&#8217;t heard before in their life.  Be understanding and patient with a shelter cat or kitten.</p>
<p>Cats and kittens are living creatures like you.  They are alive and deserve to be treated with respect just as humans do.  Make sure you&#8217;re ready for the commitment of being a cat owner.  It takes more than time and money; it takes love and compassion as well! </p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>How are you a responsible cat parent?</strong></p>
<p align="left"><a class="tt" href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=Be+a+Responsible+Cat+Parent+http://8r38t.th8.us" title="Post to Twitter"><img class="nothumb" src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-big2.png" alt="Post to Twitter" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Know the Rules before You Adopt</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/10/know-the-rules-before-you-adopt/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/10/know-the-rules-before-you-adopt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:31:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Owner Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mistakes to Avoid]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=141</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Read your lease before you drive to your local Humane Society&#8217;s shelter because you may not be able to adopt a cat or kitten.  Many leasing companies have pet restrictions which include the number of pets and types of breeds.  It&#8217;s better to know before you go!  
Avoid heartache by reading your [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Read your lease before you drive to your local Humane Society&#8217;s shelter because you may not be able to adopt a cat or kitten.  Many leasing companies have pet restrictions which include the number of pets and types of breeds.  It&#8217;s better to know before you go!  </p>
<p>Avoid heartache by reading your lease agreement before you adopt and rescue from your local Humane Society&#8217;s shelter.   When I adopted CeCe from the AZ Humane Society, they called the leasing office to verify that I could have a cat.  Lo and behold, I later found out that the HOA (apt. complex that also has condos) changed the criteria for pets.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a good idea to review your lease agreement each quarter.  Check with your leasing office and inquire if anything has changed.  Make sure you get a copy of any rules and regulations that changed since you signed your lease.</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/heart-frame-with-kitten1.jpg" alt="heart frame with kitten1" title="heart frame with kitten1" width="470" height="598" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-256" /></p>
<p>Adopting and rescuing a cat or kitten from the local shelter is the best thing you can do.  These animals need love and affection.  They&#8217;re confused and stressed because they don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s happening to them. One day they&#8217;re running around in the house and the next day they&#8217;re in a cage surrounded by other animals.  Just think how you&#8217;d feel if this happened to you!</p>
<p>Most apartment complexes will allow you two pets but some are changing the rules and limiting you to one pet.  Make sure you find the right cat or kitten for you.  Spend time in an adoption area and give the cat a chance when you bring him home.  Expect a period of adjustment because your new friend will have to adjust to the new surroundings and you.  Remember, shelter cats and kittens are susceptible to upper respiratory infections.  When they develop this you&#8217;ll give them medicine for about 10 days and they&#8217;ll be as good as new.  It could take a good month or two before your cat becomes comfortable, especially if there&#8217;s another cat in the house.</p>
<p>Before you go out the door and visit your local Humane Society&#8217;s shelter, call your leasing office to make sure you&#8217;re allowed to have a cat or kitten.  Inquire about the breeds and the number of pets you can have.  Once you do this you&#8217;ll be on your way to adopting a wonderful cat or kitten who will love you every day in every way!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>What does your lease agreement say about pets?</strong></p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Be a Responsible Cat Parent</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/09/be-a-responsible-cat-parent/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/09/be-a-responsible-cat-parent/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:52:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Behavior]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Getting Started]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Owner Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Personalities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mistakes to Avoid]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=234</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Before you decide to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you&#8217;re a responsible cat parent.  You may want to adopt a kitten but may not have the time to spend with it.  Kittens need lots of play time and attention.  Maybe your job will not allow for much time [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Before you decide to <strong><a href="http://adopt-a-cat.adoptapet.com/" target="_blank">adopt and rescue</a></strong> a cat or kitten, make sure you&#8217;re a responsible cat parent.  You may want to adopt a kitten but may not have the time to spend with it.  Kittens need lots of play time and attention.  Maybe your job will not allow for much time to spend with the kitten.  You may want to think about what it means to be a responsible cat parent.</p>
<p>Adopting and rescuing a kitten or cat is a huge responsibility.  They are like having children.  You&#8217;ll have food and medical costs, provide shelter, engage in play time, and provide lots of love and affection.  Assess your life and ask yourself, &#8220;&#8230;How will this extra responsibility fit into my life?&#8221;  This will help you decide whether or not you&#8217;re ready for the additional responsibility of owning a cat.</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/women-with-cat1.jpg" alt="women with cat1" title="women with cat1" width="500" height="506" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-243" /></p>
<p><strong>Questions to consider before you adopt and rescue</strong></p>
<p>Think about these questions before you <em>adopt and rescue</em> a cat or kitten.</p>
<ul>
<li>Who will be the main caretaker?  </li>
<li>What is your personality?</li>
<li>What is the right age of a cat for you?</li>
<li>How much time do you have to spend with a kitten? </li>
<li>What is your estimate of veterinarian costs?</li>
<li>How much do you think it costs to provide for a cat/kitten?</li>
<li>What is your living situation?  Rent?  Own?  Roommate?</li>
<li>When you travel, who will watch your cat or kitten?</li>
<li>What breed of cat and personality are you looking for?</li>
<li>What types of allergies do you have?</li>
</ul>
<p>These questions will help you make the best decision for you.  Being a responsible pet parent means you&#8217;ll put aside some of your interests to <u><a href="http://www.adoptapet.com/" target="_blank">adopt and rescue</a></u> a cat or kitten.  When you adopt from a shelter there&#8217;s a good chance that the kitten or cat may develop an upper respiratory infection.  You&#8217;ll be responsible for dispensing the medicine which can be tricky.  Remember when you were a kid and your mom had to give you cough medicine or penicillin?  The label may have stated bubble gum flavor but it really wasn&#8217;t!  Try opening the mouth of cat or kitten to get the medicine in them, it&#8217;s not that easy.</p>
<p>Before you drive to the animal shelter to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you&#8217;re ready for the added responsibility both financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  It&#8217;s not fair to the cat if it doesn&#8217;t work out.  Returning her to the shelter will be stressful for her and you.  Avoid this situation by being ready for a pet.  Do this and you&#8217;ll have a happy ending!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>How educated are you about cats?</strong></p>
<p align="left"><a class="tt" href="http://twitter.com/home/?status=Be+a+Responsible+Cat+Parent+http://gqwmz.th8.us" title="Post to Twitter"><img class="nothumb" src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-big2.png" alt="Post to Twitter" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Adopting 2 Cats at Once Is Easier</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/adopting-2-cats-at-once-is-easier/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/adopting-2-cats-at-once-is-easier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Behavior]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Getting Started]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Myths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Owner Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat Personalities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=58</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		I recently adopted a female tabby cat from the Arizona Humane Society.  Before I adopted CeCe, I inquired as to whether it was better to have two males or a male and a female.  I wanted to find a cat that was compatible with my cat Benny.  I was told it didn&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>I recently adopted a female tabby cat from the <a href="http://www.azhumane.org/" target="_blank">Arizona Humane Society</a>.  Before I adopted CeCe, I inquired as to whether it was better to have two males or a male and a female.  I wanted to find a cat that was compatible with my cat Benny.  I was told it didn&#8217;t matter.  I&#8217;m beginning to think it does because Benny has become aggressive towards CeCe which has surprised me.  He&#8217;s really a big teddy bear but for some reason he&#8217;s been acting up.</p>
<p>I <a href="http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/introducecats.htm">introduced the cats slowly</a>.  In fact, CeCe developed an upper respiratory infection even though she was only at the Arizona Humane Society for four days.  I kept her separated from Benny for over one week.  As she got better, my vet said it would be all right for her to be around Benny.  He was ok at first, but then all <em>holy hell</em> broke loose.</p>
<p>Benny was an only cat, and I recently found out that it may be better to have a one cat household.  I was taken aback by this because most people have two or more cats.  Plus, I&#8217;ve read on the internet that it&#8217;s best to have two cats so they don&#8217;t get lonely.  Is this another myth about cats?  I was told at the Arizona Humane Society that cats are territorial.  If they&#8217;re territorial, how could you have two cats?</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/King-Benny-and-CeCe1.jpg" alt="King Benny and CeCe" title="King Benny and CeCe" width="500" height="375" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67" /></p>
<p>If you want to adopt a cat, you may consider getting two from the same litter.  This way you&#8217;ll have a brother and brother or a brother and sister.  Your life will be much easier versus going and adopting a cat from a Humane Society and praying to God that they get along.  </p>
<p>Unfortunately, adopting a cat isn&#8217;t like adopting a dog.  The Humane Society allows you to bring your current dog with you to see if he/she will be compatible with a dog you&#8217;d like to adopt.  They won&#8217;t allow you to bring your current cat because they are territorial and it may be too stressful for them.  I&#8217;m not sure I agree with this.  Then again, there is the upper respiratory infection to consider.  But, dogs at a Humane Society are known for getting &#8220;kettle cough.&#8221;  Go figure!</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re considering getting a cat, you may want to get two from the same litter.  It may be easier than getting one cat and then deciding further down the road to adopt another one.  When introducing a new cat, be patient.  It will take time.  It&#8217;s just like bringing a new born baby home to meet its older brother or sister.  Things may not go smoothly at first, but eventually it will get better!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
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		<title>TLC for Cats from the Humane Society</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/cats-from-the-humane-society-need-tlc/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/cats-from-the-humane-society-need-tlc/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:23:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health and Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips and Tricks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=19</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Adopting a cat from the Humane Society can be a very rewarding experience, but it can be stressful at the same time.  Your new cat could develop an upper respiratory infection.  If you&#8217;re a new cat owner, it can be daunting because you don&#8217;t know what to expect.  Make sure you find [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Adopting a cat from the Humane Society can be a very rewarding experience, but it can be stressful at the same time.  Your new cat could develop an <a href="http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_upper_respiratory.html" target="_blank">upper respiratory infection</a>.  If you&#8217;re a new cat owner, it can be daunting because you don&#8217;t know what to expect.  Make sure you find an excellent veterinarian with an excellent staff as well who can help you every step of the way.</p>
<p><strong>Upper respiratory infections</strong> in cats from the Humane Society are common.  Why?  Cats are constantly handled by people, and they are in and out of their cages daily.  If the air quality is not that great, they&#8217;ll be more susceptible to catching the upper respiratory infection.  This can be mild or severe to the point your new pet could develop pneumonia.</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Cece-1.jpg" alt="Cece 1" title="Cece 1" width="500" height="375" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-26" /></p>
<p><strong>Tips and Tricks</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Use a humidifier so your cat can breathe.  Having a stuffy nose is not fun.  A humidifier can alleviate some of the stuffiness for your cat.  This is one household item that will pay for itself;</li>
<li>Keep your new cat away from its new siblings.  Some people will allow their cats to be together; it&#8217;s better err on the side of caution.  Nursing two or more cats can cause you and them unnecessary stress.  Keep you new cat in a spare bedroom or bathroom until she&#8217;s feeling better;</li>
<li>Do your best to open your cat&#8217;s mouth to dispense the medicine.  It may not be easy to get the medicine into your cat.  Take small steps because she&#8217;s probably scared.  You would be to if someone was pointing a syringe filled with pink liquid that you didn&#8217;t know what it was.  Try to enter from the side of your cat&#8217;s mouth.  Get someone to help you if you can;</li>
<li>Patience is a virtue.  The <em><a href="http://www.sheltermedicine.com/portal/is_feline_upper_res.shtml" target="_blank">upper respiratory infection</a></em> is just like the flu and it must run its course.  This can seem like forever, but you cat will start to feel better in 7-10 days.  Make sure your cat finishes the medicine and stops sneezing <strong><em>before</em></strong> you allow her to around other cats.</li>
</ul>
<p>When your cat develops an <u>upper respiratory</u> infection, don&#8217;t panic.  Cats may develop it because of stressful situations like introducing a new cat or you have a baby.  You cat may be given nose drops and some form of antibiotic.  It will take a good 7-10 days to work itself out of your cat&#8217;s system.  If you have other cats in your house, it&#8217;s a good idea to isolate the new cat from them. </p>
<p>If your cat starts to &#8220;gag&#8221; don&#8217;t panic, unless it is severe.  They do this because just like humans their noses drain and that drainage goes down their throat and they try to clear it.  Gross!  Unless your cat does this each day, there&#8217;s no need to rush her to the emergency vet.</p>
<p>The upper respiratory infection will soon be over in 7-10 days.  If symptoms progress, take your cat to the vet.  It&#8217;s better to be safe than sorry.  Give your cat lots of TLC because that is just as important as the medicine from the vet.  Be patient and keep the faith!  Your cat will be purring away in no time.</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>What experiences have you had with adopting a cat from the humane society?</strong></p>
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		<title>Adopting a Cat Requires Time and Patience</title>
		<link>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/adopting-a-cat-requires-time-and-patience/</link>
		<comments>http://all-4-cats.com/2009/08/adopting-a-cat-requires-time-and-patience/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:07:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adoption and Rescue]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://all-4-cats.com/?p=3</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
		
		
		
		Adopting animals from a local Humane Society can be rewarding for both you and your family and the cat or kitten you bring home with you.  However, you must be know what to expect when you adopt animals from a Humane Society.
First, you just don&#8217;t go to the Humane Society, choose a pet, and [...]]]></description>
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		<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Adopting animals from a local Humane Society can be rewarding for both you and your family and the cat or kitten you bring home with you.  However, you must be know what to expect when you adopt animals from a Humane Society.</p>
<p>First, you just don&#8217;t go to the Humane Society, choose a pet, and go home.  When I adopted CeCe (female tabby cat) from the <a href="http://www.azhumane.org/" target="_blank">AZ Humane Society</a> located on Dobbins Road, I was able to spend time with her and other cats and kittens.  After I made my selection, I had to fill out paper work.  This is pretty<br />
standard.</p>
<p><img src="http://all-4-cats.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Cece2.jpg" alt="Cece2" title="Cece2" width="300" height="275" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-106" /></p>
<p>Second, after you fill out the paperwork, the workers ask you to call your landlord to make sure you can adopt a pet and bring it home.  After you make the phone call and receive the o.k., they will call to verify that you can have a pet.  Remember, these are not-for-profit organizations.  They will not refund your money so you want to make sure you choose the right cat/kitten and that you can bring the pet home.</p>
<p>Finally, you meet with an adoption counselor to go over the paperwork.  They make sure you know what to expect and give you guidelines to introducing a new cat/kitten.  You also sign an agreement to take care of the cat/kitten.  If it doesn&#8217;t work out, you cannot give your new pet away to anyone.  You have 14 days to decide whether or not to keep your new cat/kitten.  However, cats are territorial so it may take longer than 14 days.  Patience and time is what it will take before your new cat/kitten becomes best buddies with your current cat(s).</p>
<p>Before you decide to adopt a cat/kitten from your local Humane Society, call them and ask questions.  Here are some examples of questions you may want to ask:</p>
<ul>
<li>What are the procedures for adopting a cat/kitten?</li>
<li>What are the fees?</li>
<li>Are cats/kittens spade or neutered?</li>
<li>Can I bring my current cat(s) with me to meet a potential new buddy?</li>
<li>When will I be able to bring my new cat/kitten home?</li>
<li>What can I do to introduce my new cat/kitten to my current cat(s)?</li>
<li>How much time will it take for my cat(s) and the new cat/kitten to become acquainted?</li>
</ul>
<p>Adopting a cat/kitten from your local Humane Society will do two things.  First, it will help the organization to keep rescuing and taking care of the animals that come to the local animal shelters.  Second, you&#8217;ll be giving a cat/kitten a new loving home where he or she can be a happy and healthy cat.  You&#8217;ll be best friends before you know it!</p>
<p>Rebecca</p>
<p><strong>When have you adopted a cat from a local shelter?</strong></p>
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