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feral cats

To the Rescue: How to Make Friends With a Friend's Cat
Advice

To the Rescue: How to Make Friends With a Friend's Cat

While my house is feline-free, I've got plenty of friends with kitty housemates.
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While my house is feline-free, I've got plenty of friends with kitty housemates. Most of the time, they're pretty receptive to my overtures, but here's an easy tip I've learned the sharp way.

When reaching out to pet a cat, approach with fingers tucked under and fist together. Open hands with spread fingers can look a bit too much like unsheathed claws to some cats, and they could perceive your gentle petting desires to be a sign of aggression and lash out. Ouch. Move slowly — so you're not a moving target — and show the cat your hand first to sniff your scent before reaching in for a rub.

If you've had this problem, or other issues with animals, big and small, share your questions and concerns with our Pet Peeves group — I'm only here to help!


Source: Flickr User FriaLOve

It's Feral Cat Day — Have You Ever Seen One?
Poll

It's Feral Cat Day — Have You Ever Seen One?

Today's National Feral Cat Day to honor those felines that live in the wild.
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Today's National Feral Cat Day to honor those felines that live in the wild. Before you start wishing they all could be rescued and adopted, know that many of these kitties are better-accustomed to living on their own terms in the wild. In areas around the country where this is common, Trap-Neuter-Release plans are enforced to keep a handle on the population.

On a personal note, these kitties have a special place in my heart from my college days, when they were frequently found, fed, and even adopted out whenever possible right on campus. Our pals over at Paw Nation dedicated several posts to this cause, including an interview with comedian Marc Maron about his feral cats:

"You know, I'm not a cat guy, but I'm a 'my cat' guy. If I go to your house, I'll pretend to like your cats, but secretly I'm thinking what a fat, stupid, ugly cat you have. That cat's an indoor cat; my cats are animals. Your cat can't even muster up the gumption to play with that fake mouse you bought it. It's days away from hanging itself on its scratching post. Or dying of ennui."

Don't worry, he's kidding. (I think.) Ever spotted a feral feline out and about?


Source: Flickr User edbrambley

What's Your Take: Did JFK Cats Receive a Death Sentence?
Cats

What's Your Take: Did JFK Cats Receive a Death Sentence?

I remember the story of the "JFK cats" from last year: back in October, the Port Authority announced that they were rounding up the feral cats surrounding the New York airport and sending them to shelters.
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I remember the story of the "JFK cats" from last year: back in October, the Port Authority announced that they were rounding up the feral cats surrounding the New York airport and sending them to shelters. That, of course, caused an outcry as shelters cannot really handle any more animals . . . especially the virtually un-adoptable feral cats. Animal advocates called for a more humane trap, neuter, and return process to save the animals' lives and allow them to remain in their habitats. However, the authority recently decided to halt that program and focus on rounding up the cats instead.

"They are telling folks that they are trying to adopt these animals out, but that is patently not true," said Patrick Kwan, New York state director of the Humane Society of the United States. "These animals cannot be adopted out. This is an extermination program that sentences them to death."

The authority originally said that the cats pose a threat to aircraft operation and that the 5,000-acre airport is no place for these feral felines. While I can understand the dangers of – and to – the cats if they remain, I have to agree that gathering them up and placing them in shelters does not seem to be a final solution with a happy ending. How do you feel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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