C.A.R.E.S. mission is to rescue, shelter and find loving homes for

stray, abandoned and unwanted cats.

www.carescatshelter.com

Phone: 604.532.5632 www.carescatshelter.com

CAT TALES

• A tribute to Muriel • “Break a leg”

Yuna’s story • Feline Diabetes • Upcoming and

recent events • Chatty Catty

On December 9th, 2013, when Muriel

Chimiuk did not show up for her Monday morning shift at the shelter, the crew all wondered where she was. It was not like Muriel to miss a shift without notifying us ahead of time. She would always call ahead to let us know if she could not come. It wasn’t until a few hours later, when a television crew showed up at the shelter to do a personal interest story about Muriel that we learned the devastating news of why she had missed her shift. Muriel, along with her three cats and one dog had perished the night before in a house fire. She was only 64 years old.

Several of us attended the memorial service for Muriel and were touched by the many stories that family members, friends and colleagues shared about her. We learned that Muriel was a devoted wife to her husband Walter, and that she and her husband would always open their home to help others in need. We learned about what a hard worker she always was. We learned that she was an avid reader. We also learned more about what we already knew about Muriel. She was a dedicated animal lover. Before Muriel started volunteering with C.A.R.E.S. in 2008, she had previously volunteered for a number of years with SARS (Small Animal Rescue Society). She also privately helped out a number of animals. We heard a number of stories about feeding birds, raccoons, stray cats, and even helping out a skunk in need! There was no end to Muriel’s compassion to help any animal in need be it domestic or wild.

I was asked to speak at the service on behalf of C.A.R.E.S. I shared how Muriel ended up at C.A.R.E.S. and also how she adopted her 3

rd cat from us. I told the

following story:

A TRIBUTE TO MURIEL CHIMIUK

I had personally known Muriel as a client of mine for several years before she came to C.A.R.E.S. When she informed me one day that she would no longer be volunteering at SARS, she wondered out loud what she would do next. Knowing Muriel had a couple of cats, I told her all about C.A.R.E.S. and the good work being done. She lit up at this news and in no time was signing on as a volunteer.

One day when Muriel came by my house to drop off some papers, I invited her to come and see Sasha, a beautiful long haired Tortoiseshell mom I was fostering along with her three kittens. Of course she had to see the kittens! She immediately fell in love with a beige, blue eyed, fluffy little female kitten and she told me she wanted it. She informed me that her birthday was coming up and that Walter, her husband, could get this as a present for her. I dismissed the comment, as she already had 3 pets and had not discussed it with Walter.

604.532.5632

Claire is still waiting for a forever home. Claire is a friendly kitty who loves attention from humans. She would be very happy to be your only cat. Can you help? Please check out her details on our website: www.carescatshelter.com

Spring 2014

Muriel was a dedicated volunteer who truly loved all animals

Two weeks later, she came back and asked me how her kitten was doing, and then I began to realize she was serious! I wondered if Walter really knew that he was getting Muriel a kitten for her birthday!

Then the day finally came and Muriel excitedly took her new kitten home. I was later told she was appropriately named Trouble for all the mischief she would get herself into. But both Muriel and Walter fell in love with her, trouble maker or not! Even with now having four animals at home, Muriel still had time to help the animals at the shelter. She had a full time job with Superstore, but always tried to ensure that she was never booked on Monday mornings as this was her time to volunteer with the animals.

Every Monday, without fail, Muriel would show up to clean, wash litter pans, do laundry and feed and socialize with the cats. She was 64 years in age, but young in spirit, and was committed to do whatever needed to be done for the animals in our care.

Not only did Muriel help physically each week at the shelter, but she also enrolled in a program each year with her employer whereby the company would donate several hundred dollars to C.A.R.E.S., as part of the company’s policy to give back to the community in which their employees volunteered. Muriel and her husband Walter were also responsible for orchestrating the installation of new flooring in our trailer which is now used for a quarantine area for sick cats. C.A.R.E.S. was very fortunate to have had Muriel on the team. It is because of people like Muriel, that we are able to continue the work we do.

The animals she helped will always be indebted to her for the kindness and compassion that she showed them. As for me, I will miss her not only as a volunteer,

but also as a friend. There is a special kind

of bond between people who love and work for the animals. Muriel, you will forever be missed and will never be forgotten.

Carol Briner, President, C.A.R.E.S.

A TRIBUTE TO MURIEL CHIMIUK continued ….

“Then the day finally came

and Muriel excitedly took

her new kitten home. I was

later told she was

appropriately named

“Trouble” for all the

mischief she would get

herself into. But both Muriel

and Walter fell in love with

her, trouble maker or not”

CAT TALES Spring 2014

Spring will be coming and so will kittens. We will need your help to care for moms and kittens. We are asking you to open your hearts and homes to help C.A.R.E.S. and the kittens. It is much healthier for moms and kittens to be fostered in a private home where there’s less exposure to other cats. We want to give kittens time to develop a strong immune system. You will need: • A warm, dry, safe room away from other cats. • Time to feed, clean litter and socialize and love the kittens. The more attention you can lavish on them in the earlier stages will make them more sociable and easier for us to find them a home.

• To avail your home for 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the age of the kittens. • To provide the litter and C.A.R.E.S. will provide the food from the shelter. You will be able to contact the shelter staff to order and pick up the food. • To be able to transport the kittens for scheduled medical visits that will be arranged by the Foster Coordinator. Fostering kittens is rewarding and fun. If you think you can help, please call Lauralee Porter at 604.532.5632 or e-mail her at adoptions@carescatshelter.com

Muriel’s beloved Trouble

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FOSTER KITTENS

“Finally the time came

in late December 2013

when the last X-rays

were done confirming

both legs had healed.

Yuna was now ready for

adoption!”

“Break a leg" is a well-known phrase in the theatre which means "good luck.” It is typically said to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform. For most people, and in this case one little cat, to break a leg is anything but lucky. Here is Yuna’s story:

In July, 2013 a family from Mission brought their injured cat, Yuna, to Dr. Bath at Willowbrook Animal Hospital. Yuna had been missing for about a week and she had finally come home literally dragging her hind legs behind her. Frantically, the family called around for help, but without enough money, they were turned away by several clinics. The advice everyone gave to the family was to put Yuna down.

Fortunately, Yuna’s owners called the Willowbrook Animal Hospital in Langley and Dr. Bath agreed to examine her. As the family had little money, C.A.R.E.S. was contacted and helped with the cost of the x-rays. The bad news came shortly afterwards that both of Yuna’s back legs were broken, most likely from being hit by a car.

The surgery to repair this damage would normally be a few thousand dollars, or even more if a specialist was needed. Little Yuna was only a year old at the time and appeared to be very loved by her family. She had many years left ahead of her if given the chance. Dr. Bath agreed to do the surgery at a very charitable rate. The family said they would try to raise some funds through friends and family. C.A.R.E.S. posted Yuna’s story on Facebook and thanks to the generosity of our supporters, hundreds of dollars were raised to help pay for the surgery.

The first operation on her back right leg was completed and Yuna had to stay on cage rest for several weeks to allow it to heal. The second leg would not be operated on until the first leg was well on its way to being healed. C.A.R.E.S. staff and volunteers visited her often and amazingly, in spite of her situation, Yuna kept up her spirits and spunk. The healing process on the first leg was going well and Dr. Bath started to consider the second leg.

“BREAK A LEG” YUNA’S STORY

But when X-rays were taken again on the second leg prior to surgery, it was discovered that the leg was actually healing in place on its own. Yuna would not need a second surgery!

Unfortunately, after this happy news came, some not so happy news followed. Yuna’s owners phoned one day to say that they would not be able to take her home when she was recovered. They had decided to move and would not be able to take her with them where they were going. Yuna was now homeless.

So in October 2013, after a three month stay at the vet’s office, Yuna was brought to the C.A.R.E.S. shelter to finish out her recovery. A nice spacious cubby and a cozy bed awaited her and she was certainly happier to have a little more space. Finally, the time came in late December 2013 when the last x-ray was done confirming that both legs had healed. Yuna was now ready for adoption!

Yuna had now graduated to our big main run at the shelter. After a short time settling in and getting used to all the other cats, Yuna’s personality really started to emerge. She became playful, often being seen happily running around or rolling around on the floor or playing with toys. Whenever anyone would come in the run Yuna would get out of her bed and be right there running to greet them and climbing on people’s laps if they sat down on the floor. She would perform and put on a show for shelter guests, rubbing against them and purring up a storm.

On February 15th

and 16th, PetSmart will be

hosting another adopt-a-thon weekend. Yuna will be one of the featured cats and for the first time since coming to C.A.R.E.S. she will have a real chance at being seen with the hope of finding a new forever home. We hope she performs well and puts on a good show for all to which we can tell her in the theatrical sense “Break a leg” Yuna.

Lauralee Porter – Adoptions Coordinator adoptions@carescatshelter.com

Yuna in recovery after her

first surgery

Yuna today – recovered and

ready for her forever home

CAT TALES Spring 2014

“The first obvious symptoms

are a sudden weight loss

(occasionally gain),

accompanied by excessive

drinking and urination; for

example, cats can appear to

develop an obsession with

water and lurk around

faucets or water bowls.

Appetite is suddenly either

ravenous (up to three times

normal) or absent.”

FELINE DIABETES

CAT TALES Spring 2014

Diabetes mellitus strikes 1 in 400 cats, though recent veterinary studies note that it has become increasingly common. Symptoms in cats are similar to those in humans. Diabetes in cats occurs less frequently than in dogs.

80-95% of diabetic

cats experience something similar to type-2 diabetes,

but are generally severely insulin-

dependent by the time symptoms are diagnosed. The condition is definitely treatable, and need not shorten the animal's life span or life quality. In type-2 cats, prompt effective treatment can even lead to diabetic remission in which the cat no longer needs injected insulin. Untreated, the condition leads to increasingly weak legs in cats (neuropathy) and eventually malnutrition and or dehydration, and death. Cats will generally show a gradual onset of the disease over a few weeks, and it may escape notice for a while. The condition is unusual in cats younger than seven years old. The first obvious symptoms are a sudden weight loss (occasionally gain), accompanied by excessive drinking and urination; for example, cats can appear to develop an obsession with water and lurk around faucets or water bowls. Appetite is suddenly either ravenous (up to three times normal) or absent. In cats the back legs may become weak and the gait may become stilted or wobbly (peripheral neuropathy). A quick test at this point can be done using urine keto/glucose strips (the same as used on the Atkins diet) with the animal. If the keto/glucose strips show glucose in the urine, diabetes is indicated. If a strip shows ketones in the urine, the animal should be brought to an emergency clinic right away. Testing can also be performed with a home glucose meter by obtaining a blood sample with a lancet via an ear prick or paw prick. Owners should watch for noticeable thinning of the skin and apparent fragility: these are also serious and indicate that the animal is metabolizing (breaking down) its own body fat and muscle to survive. Lethargy or limpness, and acetone-smelling breath are acute symptoms indicating likely ketoacidosis and/or dehydration and demand emergency care within hours.

Diabetes can be treated but is life-threatening if left alone. Early diagnosis and treatment by a qualified veterinarian can help, not only in preventing nerve damage, but in some cases, in cats, can even lead to remission. Cats usually seem to do best with long-lasting insulin and low carbohydrate diets. Diet is a critical component of treatment, and is in many cases effective on its own. For example, a recent mini-study showed that many diabetic cats stopped needing insulin after changing to a low carbohydrate diet. The rationale is that a low-carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of insulin needed and keeps the variation in blood sugar low and easier to predict. Also, fats and proteins are turned into blood glucose much more slowly and evenly than carbohydrates, reducing blood-sugar highs right after mealtimes. Latest veterinary good practice is to recommend a low carbohydrate diet for cats rather than the formerly-recommended high-fiber diet. It is now becoming clear that lower carbohydrate diets will significantly lower insulin requirements for diabetic cats. Carbohydrate levels are highest in dry cat foods (even the expensive "prescription" types) so cats are best off usually with a low carbohydrate healthy canned diet. Some prescription canned foods made for diabetic cats are effective, but some ordinary ones work just as well. Between 3 and 9% calories from carbohydrates seems to be optimal. Humans with Type-1 diabetes are often treated with a "basal plus bolus" method, where long-acting insulin is injected once or twice daily to provide a "basal" insulin level, then shorter-acting insulin is used just before mealtimes. For cats, a "basal" method is usually employed instead—a single slow-acting dose, twice daily, along with a very low carbohydrate diet, attempts to keep the blood sugar within a recommended range for the entire day. In this case, it is important for the pet to avoid large meals or high-carbohydrate food, since they can seriously affect the blood sugar (meals may also be timed to coincide with peak insulin activity).

CAT TALES Spring 2014

Once-daily doses are not recommended since insulin usually metabolizes faster in cats than in humans or dogs. For example, an insulin brand that lasts 24 hours in people may only be effective for about 12 in a cat. Cats and dogs may be treated with animal insulins (pork-based is most similar to a dog's natural insulin, beef-based for a cat), or with human synthetic insulin. The best choice of insulin brand and type varies between pets and may require some experimentation. In most cases, it is possible to induce remission (a temporary or permanent freedom from insulin-dependence) in type-2 diabetic cats. This appears to be unique to cats. There is growing agreement among experts that a combination of a low-carbohydrate healthy diet, long-lasting insulin, and well-chosen dosage plans can in many cases partially heal a damaged pancreas and allow the cat's blood sugar to be controlled entirely by diet thereafter. (A low carbohydrate diet is usually required for the remainder of the cat's life.) Remission is a realistic goal for treatment of type-2 diabetic cats (that is, 80–95% of all diabetic cats) that are properly regulated quickly. Chances of success are highest in the first few months after initial diagnosis, due to ongoing damage from glucose toxicity caused by hyperglycemia. This limited time window is a good reason to start with low carbohydrate diet and very slow-acting insulin, the most successful known combination, right away. If blood sugar is well controlled over a period of 2–3 months, glucose toxicity and amyloidosis cease to attack newly generated tissue, and many cats are able to regenerate some of the damaged pancreatic beta cells and slowly resume insulin production.

FELINE DIABETES NEUROPATHY

“Regular testing of your

cat’s blood sugar at home

will decrease the chances

of mis-dosing insulin.”

The weak legs syndrome found in many diabetic cats is a form of neuropathy, in particular caused by damage to the myelin sheath of the peripheral nerves caused by glucose toxicity and cell starvation, which are caused by chronic hyperglycemia.

There are other conditions that can cause weak legs too. Consult your vet before assuming neuropathy. Most common in cats, the back legs become weaker until the cat displays "Plantigrade stance", standing on its hocks instead of on its toes as usual. The cat may also have trouble walking and jumping, and may need to sit down after a few steps.

Some recommend a specific form of vitamin B12 called methylcobalamin to heal the nerve damage. Neuropathy sometimes heals on its own within 6–10 weeks once blood sugar is regulated, but anecdotal evidence points to a faster and more complete recovery with methylcobalamin supplements.

Source for this article: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia “Diabetes in Cats”

The best way to advance the rights of animals is by continuing to support animal rescue groups. These groups are working to change hearts, minds, and policies in favor of animal welfare. We cannot continue to do this without the help of others. To this end I wish to thank our financial supporters.

Again we thank our top guns Ray and Ruth Wesenburg and also Paul and Cynthia Rodgers. Donations made by them were used to build the outside enclosure for the cats. We can hardly wait till Spring when the cats will get to go outside and play!

We wish to thank the following people and corporations who continue supporting us:

PetSmart Charities

Royal Canin

City of Langley

Canada Tire – Langley

Sheryl Larson

Provincial Employees Community Services Fund

Barbara Sewell

Diane Anthony

We give an ongoing thank you to the Langley PetSmart store where our adoption centre is located. Since its opening in 1998,

THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS

Langley PetSmart has donated valuable space to us to show our cats and kittens. Thanks to the great exposure the store provides for us, so many more animals are finding loving homes.

Thank you to Jimy Mac’s Pub for allowing us to hold our weekly meat draws mat their establishment.

We also continue to thank Royal Canin for their shelter food program. Royal Canin donates all the dry food for the shelter, saving us thousands of dollars each year. They also donate a food package and coupons to all new pet parents so that they can start their new furry companions on a good quality food.

To our landlord, the Langley Heritage Society, we would like to extend our thanks for the kind donation of one month’s rent.

Lastly, we cannot forget our precious volunteers. They give over 400 hours of their time each month working at the adoption center, fundraising, preparing newsletters, updating the website and keeping the shelter clean and the cats cared for. Without their dedication and commitment to the animals we would not be able to fulfill our mission.

Carol Briner, President, C.A.R.E.S.

We will be hosting our 10th annual Fun Family Bowling Night on March 8th and we are in need of prizes for the silent auction. Do you have any unused gift cards or other items that you would like to donate? If so, please contact Carol at 604.202.0713 or e-mail donations@carescatshelter.com. All donations will receive a tax receipt.

CAT TALES Spring 2014

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

As in all previous years, the C.A.R.E.S. Fundraising and Events Committee remains focused on the continued growth of our charitable mission, which is to rescue, shelter, and find loving homes for stray, abandoned and unwanted cats. We see this as an ongoing process, none of which we could achieve without our invaluable supporters, volunteers, and staff, all of whom give so willingly of their time and money. The benefits are immense. We continue with our Trap, Neuter and Release program, headed up so well by Lisa Macdonald and Lauralee Porter. The need for this program in the Fraser Valley seems to increase each year.

Your Fundraising Committee planned several events during 2013: Adopt-a-thons (held in the Petsmart Store in Langley - who have been enormous supporters), Bowling Night, Gaming Night, the Garage Sale, Flatroof Manor Wine Sales, the annual Walk-A-Thon, a Library presentation in Port Coquitlam, and a Pub Night, as well as the always popular photo with Santa Claws event in December. In addition to these events, we apply for Government grants, both at the municipal and provincial level.

We should add that at each one of our events, we auction off items to our guests, attendees and their families. We continue to actively seek donations from our friends, members and supporters to help us in this endeavor. Tax Receipts are issued for donations and in-kind donations (Gift

RECENT FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Santa “Claws” at PetSmart

February 15th & 16th: Adopt-a-thon at Langley PetSmart.

March 8th: The 10th Annual Fun Family Bowling Night, 6:30 – 9:30 PM Willowbrook Lanes, Langley.

May 17th & 18th: C.A.R.E.S. Annual Plant Sale. Date and location to be announced.

C.A.R.E.S. Crazy Cat Ladies’ Cookbook – on sale now for $15.00. Purchase online through Paypal.

cards, items for gift baskets, etc.). If any of you can help us by making donations, it will help us considerably with our fundraising.

In conclusion, I am pleased to report continued growth in our fundraising ideas and projects, and in our first meeting of 2014, the Committee will have a brainstorming session to discuss new ideas. Your opinions, suggestions and thoughts would be most welcome.

None of this would be possible without the commitment, hard work, team effort, advice, and ongoing support by our Fundraising Committee; Carol Briner, Marian Haney, Donna Healey-Ogden, Allison Burton, Caroll Giesbrecht and Chris Briner. Many, many thanks as well to each one of our volunteers at the shelter and to Lisa Arsenault who so looks after our Facebook sites, Instagram account and our soon to be new and improved website.

And finally, our sincerest thanks to each of you, our members, friends and donors. As we grow and handle an ever increasing number of cats and kitties, without your help, we could not achieve all that we have accomplished so far nor move forward with our plans for the future - the months and years ahead. Your kindness and generosity is always needed, very gratefully received.

Clive M. Ellis, Fundraising Chair

fundraising@carescatshelter.com

Garage Sale

UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENTS

CAT TALES Spring 2014

Click here to make an online

secure donation. Tax receipts

are issued instantly.

.

Hi everyone, Ariel here. Can we talk?

It has been a few months since we last chatted so I will bring you up to date on a few news and mews and share some thoughts.

Firstly, I am happy to report what a great year we had for us cats getting homes. In spite of the challenges we faced last year to do with the ringworm quarantine, C.A.R.E.S. amazingly still managed to do “business as usual” and found loving homes for 375 cats and kittens. That’s over a cat per day and up from the 368 adoptions done the previous year. Not bad at all. I always say that an adoption a day keeps the homelessness away. But for as many of us who find homes, there are always so many more which are losing their homes. Sometimes the reasons we are given up by owners are valid, but more often than not, they are not!

One unfortunate reason we see our fellow felines arrive at the shelter is because the owners have had a baby and for a number of reasons, things don’t work out and the owners can’t manage to have both a cat and a baby in the house. I just want to cough up a fur ball when I think that so many colleagues of mine are unnecessarily surrendered because of this!

So let me talk a little about how you can prevent this from happening to you. Just like the Boy Scout’s Motto says, you must “Be prepared”.

What do I mean by this you say? Well, to put it simply, you must prepare for the baby’s arrival way before the baby even arrives! You see, we cats are not big fans of change and our worlds can get turned a little upside down when change happens. We need to be able to have time to get used to the idea and that is why you can help us out a lot by preparing us for it.

Here are a few tips of things you can do before baby arrives:

* Play tapes of baby sounds so kitty can become familiar with and not scared of gurgles, squeals and cries.

* Let kitty smell items such as soaps, lotions, powders and detergents which will be associated with the baby. Give treats, play with and give affection to your kitty during this time so she has a positive connection with these items.

* Let the kitty explore the nursery to help settle their curiosity. Play with and give affection and treats while the cat is in the area to create positive associations with the nursery.

* Start passing kitty duties normally done by mom over to dad so that the cat learns to depend on someone else for feeding, litter cleaning and grooming.

* Adjust the cat’s sleeping arrangements, especially if kitty is used to always sleeping with mom. Encourage kitty to cuddle more with dad or get a nice cuddly bed for kitty to sleep in to help her become a little more independent and less reliant on mom to sleep with.

* Don’t give your kitty extra attention prior to baby’s birth. It will be more of a letdown for the cat after the baby comes home and she suddenly gets less of your attention.

After the arrival of your new baby, here are a few steps to follow:

* Have someone bring home a blanket from the hospital which the baby has been held in. Allow the kitty to smell the blanket and give her positive reinforcement while she is getting used to the scent.

* Introduce the baby and kitty for the first time during a quiet and calm moment. Make sure there are no other noises or distractions that may scare or stress your cat during the meeting.

* After baby comes home, try to keep kitty’s schedule consistent. Keep feeding times the same and ensure litter boxes get scooped. Schedule some daily one-on-one attention and play time.

* Always supervise your kitty and baby when they are together. Never leave your baby or toddler unattended around an animal. Accidents can happen!

CHATTY CATTY ‘S CORNER

“You must prepare for the baby’s arrival way before

the baby even arrives.” Ariel

The “Chatty Catty”

CAT TALES Spring 2014

Here are a few additional and hopefully helpful tips to help for a successful transition:

* Provide several kitty perches around the home so that when needed, your cat can retreat and relax out of a toddler’s reach. Or perhaps you could even create a safe room for the kitty to go to and relax. Provide food, water, litter perch and toys for the kitty to enjoy.

* Move kitty’s litter pans to quieter places which are not as accessible to a baby or toddler. But make sure that they are still easily accessible to kitty or she may not want to use them! Litterbox 101.

* If you have any concerns about kitty scratching the baby, you may want to consider trimming the nails and putting on nail caps called Soft Claws. They are available in most pet stores and come in different colours. Makes a great conversation topic when guests notice the fun looking colours on your kitty’s toes!

* Always praise your kitty when she calmly sniffs your baby.

* Never punish / scold kitty if she hisses or swats at the baby. Calmly remove her and take her to her safe place. Yelling or making a big fuss will only stress your kitty and she will connect negative things to the baby and begin to resent the baby.

Lastly, I’d like to talk about Toxoplasmosis. Many newly pregnant women are told to give up their cats because of this and I’d like to tell you that you do not need to part with your cat. What is Toxoplasmosis you say?

Toxoplasmosis is a disease which is caused by a parasite. Cats can get it by killing birds or mice which might be infected with it. They can also get it by coming into contact with an infected cat’s feces in the garden. When a cat is infected, the parasite multiplies in the intestine and then lays eggs which are shed in the cat’s feces. The cat can shed these eggs for up to two weeks after infection.

CHATTY CATTY ‘S CORNER

Humans cannot contract the disease by direct contact with the cat itself, but rather by coming into contact with infected feces. If a pregnant woman does come in contact with infected feces, then there is risk of severe injury to the unborn baby, and hence the reason why cats get surrendered. But hear this: You have more of a chance of contracting Toxoplasmosis by drinking contaminated water through unhygienic handling of raw or undercooked meat!

There are several things you can do to prevent Toxoplasmosis. Firstly, keep your cat indoors. Indoor cats rarely ever come in contact with the disease. Try to make sure cats which go outside don’t kill mice or birds. Wear disposable rubber gloves when scooping the litter box. Scoop the box twice per day and wash hands after finished. For pregnant women, you can use this as an excuse to get dad to do the box instead. Don’t feed your cat raw meat or don’t eat undercooked meat yourself. Have your cat tested for Toxoplasmosis by your vet and make sure they explain the results to you.

It isn’t necessary to part with your cat if it does have Toxoplasmosis. Simply practice good hygiene and you and your kitty can live together safe and healthy.

Well, that’s about all for now.

Until next time,

Love from me, Ariel.

Oh, and I know I may have mentioned it before but I am still looking for my forever home!

Adoption Centre PetSmart

20015 Langley Bypass Langley, B.C.

Mailing address 505, 8840 210

th St

Langley, B.C. V1M 2Y2

Phone

604.532.5632

E-mail info@carescatshelter.com

We’re on the web!

Visit us at: www.carescatshelter.com

@carescatshelter #carescatshelter

CAT TALES Spring 2014