Cat Stuff Review

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Multipet Jungle GymBy robertas on Cat Toys

Product type: Jungle gym for catsProduct description: Multipet Jungle Gym is a jungle gym made for cats. The dimensions of this product are 30Hx30Wx30D and it is made from nylon and PVC. It has space saving corner design and it also features vertical and horizontal tunnels, fuzzy, hanging toys, jumping platforms and obstacles.Majority of reviewers were satisfied with Multipet Jungle Gym:“I got this after doing some research, it was really easy to put together, and has so far with stood all four of them on it, the kitten chasing her tail in the bottom level of the ‘tent’ part, and the kitten and her sister playing ‘boxing match’ all over it.”“It was very easy to assemble, did it under 10 minutes. The construction is lightweight but for my cat 10lbs it’s just fine. The vinyl is sturdy and the little mice have already been hours of entertainment. For the price, this is really a nice gym.”“This has lots of play possibilities in all the areas, and my two cats love it. I imagine that it is better suited for more than one cat, because the tube and cut out holes encourage hide and seek, and surprise attack play. As far as its flimsiness, it’s designed for a corner, and probably is much better supported there.”Some reviewers had following issues with Multipet Jungle Gym: It is not sturdy enough Some cats will not play in it Because this product is made from nylon and PVC it seems it is a bit flimsy so it might be too lightweight for heavier cats. Also one reviewer reported his cat did not want to play in it.“My cat hates it, I think he is scare of it, the first time he saw it he was curious like any cat would be but once it was built all he did was go in, smelled it and left. He never played in it at all.”“It was sturdy, but after un-assembling and re-assembling it twice a few of the connecters have broken.”“My kittens absolutely love this thing, but the pieces come apart nearly every time they play on it.”Summary for Multipet Jungle Gym:Overall this product got good reviews. Although it is a bit flimsy as reviewers pointed out it should be placed in a corner. It might not be the best option for pet owners with heavier cats.(Sources: Amazon.com)

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Cat Sitter DVDBy robertas on Cat Toys

Product type: DVD for catsProduct description: Cat Sitter DVD is a DVD you can play for your cats while you are not home to keep them entertained. This product has been featured in Wall Street Journal, USA Today and on the Daily show.Majority of reviewers were satisfied with Cat Sitter DVD:“My two indoor cats are fascinated with it. You can put it on continuous loop (it’s actually recommended that you play it while you are gone, since cats are distracted by your presence).”“She sits by the television every morning and waits for me to press play on the VCR. She sits intently for the entire hour watching.”“Every time we put it in our cat chatters up a storm and goes right up to the screen watching every little movement. It is a sure way to get our cat out of her slumber and into something she really enjoys.”“It has a video loop that allows the DVD to repeat itself continuously. When introducing the video, it is important to minimalize distractions and it may take a few viewings before your cat becomes used to it.”Some reviewers had following problems with Cat Sitter DVD: Some cats were not interested in this DVD One cat became aggressive after watching it Some reviewers pointed out that their cats simply were not interested in this DVD, while others only watched the parts that hold some interest for them. One reviewer reported his cat became over stimulated and attacked him when he got home from work.“My cat seemed more interested in the Cat music video than the rest of it. Overall, I’d say that it keeps him engaged/entertained when he’s in the mood to watch it.”“My cats took one look at this DVD and found something else to do.”“The next day, I left the DVD on Loop while I was away at work for over 9 hours. When I returned later that evening, within minutes, he aggressively attacked me–scratching my legs and foot and viciously biting my hand and arm…He has never acted like that in the past and I can only attribute this behavior from becoming over stimulated, and perhaps frustrated, from watching and hearing all the critters on this DVD and not being able to interact with them.”Summary for Cat Sitter DVD:In general reviewers liked this product and it kept their cats entertained. However a few reported this DVD was not interesting enough for their cats. Also one reviewer reported his cat became over stimulated while watching this and started acting aggressively. It will take a while for your cats to get used to this DVD, however you should monitor them at least in the beginning so they do not become overly stimulated.(Sources: Amazon.com, Petsmart.com)

Cat Crazy Newsletter

 Flowers and plants add beauty to any holiday, and they make great holiday gifts. But if your family includes pets, you may want to learn which plants are safe and which ones you need to avoid.

If you have had a cat for a long time you may be familiar with the list, but it doesn’t hurt to refresh your memory. You can also share this information with friends new to the world of cat, or keep their kitties in mind when purchasing floral gifts.

Here is a list of the most common holiday plants to avoid. Remember that ingesting bulb plants often cause the most severe illnesses.

* Holly (Ilex sp.). This plant, commonly found around Christmas time, can cause intense vomiting and diarrhea. Mental depression can also occur.

* Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp). Ingestion can result in vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lack of appetite, tremors, drooling and abdominal pain.

* Mistletoe (Phoradendron spp.). This plant, another Christmas plant, can also cause significant vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, this plant has been associated with difficulty breathing, slowed heart rate, collapse and, if a lot is ingested, death has occurred. Some animals may even show erratic behavior and possible hallucinations.

* Poinsettia (Euphorbia). This plant can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach and sometimes vomiting. It has a low level of toxicity and is overrated as a toxic plant. Many people consider it basically non-toxic.

* Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, Easter cactus (Schlumbergera or Zygocactus). In dogs, if large quantities of this plant are ingested, vomiting, possibly with blood, diarrhea, possibly with blood and mental depression have been reported. With small ingestions, typically there are no signs of toxicity. These plants are considered low toxicity plants.

If you bring plants into your home, make sure they are in a location inaccessible by your cat. They can all cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset if ingested. After all, we certainly don’t need any trips to the emergency clinic and unexpected medical expenses this time of year!

Regards,

Dr. Jon

Dog Crazy Newsletter

Animal medicine is not always cut and dried. Vets, just like doctors, are limited by the capabilities of their diagnostic tests and machines. Animals unfortunately, are limited by their ability to communicate what is wrong to us. Sometimes, it’s just hard to understand what is wrong with a pet or to be certain that anything is wrong at all.

Sometimes the best route to a diagnosis is an attentive owner. When a vet sees your dog, your poor pet is in a new place, uncomfortable and unable to express what if anything is wrong. At home though, a familiar owner might notice that something is off. Recognizing that your pet isn’t well could save his life.

I just read a story from an attentive dog lover who knew that her terrier/Chihuahua mix was ailing, but no one could figure out what was wrong. Gwen Todd in Baytown, Texas writes that the little dog, who normally had a voracious appetite had suddenly stopped eating. She was on a healthy diet and rarely got treats, but she was a scavenger, so there was always the possibility that she had gotten into something that she shouldn’t have. The vet took a look at her, but couldn’t find anything obviously wrong, so he sent her home.

The next day the dog was lethargic and still not eating, so Gwen brought her back. There was still nothing obviously wrong. Even on the third day when the dog had become restless and stopped drinking water, the vet couldn’t find anything wrong other than a slightly elevated blood count and a tender abdomen. She was prescribed antibiotics, but nothing seemed life threatening.

The little dog wouldn’t take her antibiotics though and on the fourth day she could barely walk. Again they went back to the vet. Gwen was certain that her dog was going to die if something wasn’t done. So the vet sent her to a specialist and they wanted $1,800 for the tests and likely another $2,500 for surgery. Gwen was devastated and broke down in tears. There was no way she could come up with that kind of money and something had to be done. Fortunately, the specialists called her vet’s office and talked them into doing exploratory surgery.

The poor little dog had dug a chicken wrapper out of the trash and ingested it. The cellophane had gotten stuck in her bowels, which were bunching up and had perforated in several different places. About 16 inches of her bowel had to be removed and she spent eight days in the hospital. It still cost Gwen $3,500, but her vet agreed to let her make payments.

Gwen says as soon as she paid back the money she got Pet Insurance. She never wants to be in the desperate position of not having the money again. And she says that she will always trust her instincts and that you should too!

Until next time…

Dr. Jon

Alley Cat Allies Sends Letter Urging Senator Boxer to Oppose H.R.767

 Alley Cat Allies – Feral Power! Announcement:

Proposed bill H.R. 767, the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act, seeks to eradicate “harmful nonnative species” in federal wildlife refuges and adjacent private lands. Although the word “cat” does not appear anywhere in the proposed bill, the broad definition of “harmful nonnative species” could leave hundreds of species open to target—including cats.

The proposed bill passed the House of Representatives. It has now been referred to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer, who is generally favorable to animal issues. Alley Cat Allies has sent Senator Boxer a letter, also signed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, urging her to oppose the bill.

Alley Cat Allies has spoken to Senate staff members who report that the Committee will take no action on the bill before the end of December. At this time, we aren’t calling for any citizen action, but we will do so if the bill progresses any further.

Read more about the proposed bill.

Read the text of the proposed bill.

Read the letter Alley Cat Allies sent to Senator Boxer

If you have received this email from a friend and are not already a member of Feral Power!, click here to sign up

Helpful Links for Those Caught up in the Washington Flood

These next two posts contain links for those affected by the flooding in Washington State. If you know of anyone who has been, please pass along those links.

W. Wash. storm clean-up continues

 10:59 AM PST on Monday, December 10, 2007 CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News

Near Doty, west of Chehalis, Lance and Joann Wrzesinski’s belongings are still strewn about.

CENTRALIA, Wash. – The work continues outside Centralia in Lewis County. Homes and garages are still covered in mud and water after the Chehalis River came knocking.

Near Doty, west of Chehalis, Lance and Joann Wrzesinski’s home is drenched. Their cars and other belongings are still strewn about.

“Unable to sleep at night, too many questions, the unknowns,” said Lance.

Roads are also a mess. The wild waters tore apart the asphalt on many roads and collapsed a bridge.

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Gov. Christine Gregoire says she’ll ask the legislature to fund a new $50 million dike project to prevent future flooding in Lewis County.

And federal help is finally on the way for residents here and in Grays Harbor County, where residents were battered by the wind and water.

“Dave Paulsen, the head of FEMA called, and said individual assistance to help these people out was authorized this morning. We’ll add more counties as the days come ahead,” Gregoire said.

More than 1,300 homes and 170 businesses in Lewis County were damaged by the flooding.

In Seattle, Nathan Hale High School is back open after hallways and classrooms were flooded.

FEMA has a phone number set up for residents to call to get help with lining up federal assistance. The number is 1-800-621-FEMA.

Residents of Lewis and Grays Harbor counties may be eligible for rent payments for temporary housing, medical and dental care, funeral assistance, grants to replace personal and business property, unemployment assistance for up to 26 weeks for those who lost their jobs because of the storms, and low-interest loans to pay for repairs not covered by insurance.

On Saturday, President Bush declared Washington’s flooding a major disaster, making federal recovery aid available to state and local governments. On Sunday, that aid was expanded to help individuals and businesses in the two counties. Gov. Chris Gregoire said Kitsap, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties may be added to the list after teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency finish assessing the damage.

Grays Harbor PUD customers who are still without power today are advised to call the Grays Harbor PUD Outage Hotline at 537-3721 or 1-888-541-5923 to get updated information on existing outages and to report their outage to ensure crews are aware of the outage. The utility hopes to have power restored to customer by late today.

Gov. Gregoire Frustrated About Federal Response to Flood

05:35 PM PST on Monday, December 10, 2007

KING5.com Staff and Associated Press

Raw: Gov. Gregoire opening statement on flood recovery

 

Raw: Head of DSHS talks about food stamps and crisis counseling

Raw: WA Employment Security commissioner talks about aid

Raw: Public warned not to burn their flood-damaged property

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Gov. Chris Gregoire, increasingly restless about the pace of the federal response to Washington’s flood disaster, on Monday said mop up and restoration will take months, not days or weeks.

“It will be tough sledding,” she said.

While waiting for federal relief to flow, the governor and her cabinet announced an array of direct services, including emergency food stamps and unemployment checks, in some of the affected areas in southwest Washington.

At least six people died in stormy weather last week, hundreds of farm animals were killed, Interstate 5 and scores of other roadways were closed for days, and hundreds of homes, farms and businesses were destroyed or heavily damaged. State officials have said damage could tally in the billions.

Gregoire said non-governmental aid will also be crucial. Neighbors have been helping neighbors with immediate relief, including shelter and help with mop-up, and Gregoire said that effort has been “nothing short of amazing.”

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But she quickly added, “We can’t think it’s over. We’re in for a long haul. This is not about days or weeks; it’s about months of recovery.

“I hope our Washingtonians will be able to help us get through the coming weeks and months.”

Gregoire heaped praise on state and local responders, but for the first time made it clear that she was frustrated at the pace of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response.

The governor said she had expected FEMA to get a White House emergency declaration last Thursday, believing that it was “greased” by the state and FEMA Region X office with clearly documented damage figures and video.

The papers weren’t signed until Saturday and relief for individuals and businesses in hard-hit Grays Harbor and Lewis counties not until Sunday, and only after the state’s congressional delegation flew FEMA officials around the district. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Rep. Norm Dicks, all Democrats, are budget powers in Congress.

“We pushed as hard as we could,” Gregoire said, clearly frustrated.

Gregoire, who took daily flights over the area and met with families in most of the affected communities, said state agencies were “on the ground” from the very beginning. “We’ve been out there,” she said.

She drew a contrast with FEMA and the federal bureaucracy.

“I guess they’re from Missouri. They had to be convinced, be shown, about the tragedy that has befallen so many of our citizens,” she said.

The head of the state National Guard and the top state emergency management leader, Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, said a joint field office will open by Wednesday or Thursday, more than a week after the worst flooding, and pointedly said the timing is FEMA’s call. Typically a response center is operating within 72 to 96 hours of the emergency declaration.

Mike Howard, spokesman for FEMA’s Region X in Bothell, sought to downplay any criticism. He said the government was moving promptly, released emergency declarations over the weekend and had an on-site federal coordinating officer.

“Both state and federal officials are interested in providing support to the state of Washington as quickly as possible,” he said in an interview.

Gregoire’s spokesman, Lloyd Brown, said the governor has been trying not to criticize FEMA publicly, but said her news conference made her point.

“She was surrounded by her cabinet and the message was, `We’re not going to get caught up in bureaucracy. We’re going to get services to the people in a timely manner.”‘

Lowenberg said more than 100 National Guard troops were still involved in recovery work, including delivering supplies and directing traffic. Troops did 1,000 home checks, brought in portable showers and supplied tarps to cover roofs.

He said troops also were still conducting welfare checks on people, especially along the Pacific coast, where about 700 utility customers were still without electricity.

The state still was assembling damage estimates and would try to get more counties added to the federal declaration so more relief can start flowing, the general said.

Secretary of Social and Health Service, Robin Arnold Williams, said she expects to receive approval from the USDA to operate a temporary disaster food stamp program in Lewis and Grays Harbor counties.

Wiliams said it will allow the state to be more flexible in the eligibility for food stamp assistance.

“People who would not normally be able to access them will be,” she said.

Food stamps will be available not only to people who live in Lewis and Grays Harbor counties, but also to those who work in those counties.

In addition, she said “They do not have to be displaced totally from their homes to qualify.”

Williams said people must apply for food stamps in person at one of two offices:

- Aberdeen – Community Service Office, 415 W. Wishkaw

- Centralia – Temporary office is at 3401 Galvan Road

Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, tomorrow and Wednesday.

Williams said crisis counseling services are also available to flood victims.

Alysha Reynvaan

Damage left behind after trees fell on a Montesano house.

Unemployment services are also available to people who have lost their jobs and to small business owners who usually wouldn’t qualify.

Gregoire said the state will issue a “call out to Washingtonians” for the kind of assistance or help that is needed that government can’t provide.

 ”We need the cash, the volunteerism, the generosity of the people of the state that has been amazing,” she said.

Is help getting to those who need it?

Those still digging out from the mess in Lewis County say food, water and clothing are getting to those who need it.

“And that’s, what I think, is the glue that’s holding this community together,” said Chris Paulson, son of one Curtis flood victim.

A Red Cross service center in Chehalis has seen over 100 people seeking money, housing and more since it opened Sunday.

Jacqui Linden lost everything but the clothes on her back.  She says until now, finding help hasn’t been easy.

“Salvation Army.  We went to United Way.  We went to DSHS today and they just said ‘we can’t help you right now.  Just go to American Red Cross,’” said Linden.

Frustrated by the red tape of well-intentioned relief agencies for things like gas vouchers, some are no longer waiting for the Red Cross or FEMA.

Well before the floods happened, Tom Hulbert set up a 501C3 foundation to directly help community members in times of crisis, bypassing the bureaucracies.   With so many farms and low-income families in the area, the need has never been greater.

“Their gas bills are coming due.  Their PUD bills are coming due.  Their phone bills.  They don’t have the money.  They’re going to need some money and we feel it’s incumbent upon us to get them that money in a timely manner.” said Hulbert.

People who would like to donate to help people in Boistfort in Lewis County may send their check to the Boistfort Valley Community Foundation, c/o Post Office, Curtis, WA 98538.

(KING 5’s Eric Wilkinson contributed to this report)