january/february 2013 issue of pet me! magazine

PLUS:The Feral Cat EpidemicManaging Osteoarthritis In The Senior PetIs Feeding Human Food To My Dog Or Cat Safe?The Gift Of Hospice& Much More!

A Healing Place

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Your Guide To All Things PetsJanuary/February 2013

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Contents

Please Contact Us For A Subscription – Annual Subscription By Mail: $12

PUBLISHER AND EDITORBridget Alves

ART DIRECTOR Doug Conboy

COVER PHOTOBy Jim Harris – Photo shows the son of “Caleyndar,”

owned by Esta Bernstein of Saffyre Sanctuary

PUBLISHED BYPet Me! Publications

Find Us On FacebookPet Me! Magazine

4 Saffyre Sanctuary’sAbused Horses Found A Healing Place

10 Managing OsteoarthritisIn The Senior Pet

13 Is Feeding Human Food To MyDog Or Cat Safe?

14 The Gift of Hospice

16 The Feral Cat Epidemic:How It Evolved And How We Can Help Resolve It

22 Directory for All Things Pets

It’s so exciting to be starting a new year and celebrating our third anniversary! This year, I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have met so many wonderful pet advocates. In this issue, two of those selfless women bring to reality the touching and gut wrenching world of rescue.

My visit to Saffyre Sanctuary earlier this month was heart–warming. There is nothing quite like the connection one makes with a horse. Such an intense bond is formed when we put our trust in them and allow ourselves to become one riding together. In my teens I preferred riding without a saddle and most times chose to forego the bit. I was lucky enough to have a horse that graciously cooperated when handled this way. My visit to Saffyre Sanctuary brought back so many great memories. It was a pleasure to meet with Esta Bernstein and share her story of the joy, tears and successes of the many horses she has rescued over the years.

There is no doubt that winter is here; and the homeless pets know better than any about the struggles of dealing without shelter or food during the cold winter months. In this issue we bring awareness to the thousands of feral cats and kittens that desperately need our help and attention. It takes just one small act of kindness to make a difference in whether an animal lives or dies. In this issue Debbie Eskow, Save A Kitty, Inc. talks about how we can help these cats and decrease the feral population.

As always, our magazine is geared to providing the most helpful, current information for pet owners, lovers and advocates. Thank you for your wonderful emails and kind support. We appreciate the privilege of bringing you Pet Me! Magazine.

Peace & Blessings for the New Year!

Bridget AlvesPublisher & EditorPet Me! Magazine

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Saffyre Sanctuary’s Abused Horses Found

By Jim HarrisA Healing Place

Pet Me! Magazine™ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

Esta Bernstein, founder and CEO of Saffyre Sanctuary, uses unorthodox medical and spiritual methods to rehabilitate abused horses. She is closely bonded with the horses she rehabilitates.



Emaciated, looking like a skeleton instead of a horse, Lucky walked painfully into his stall. The owner had stopped feeding him, and the former race horse had no

recourse but to survive on fallen leaves.It was bad enough that Lucky had started life as a race

horse living in a 10-foot by 10-foot stall, worked incessantly, drugged and doped.

“He falls down when we ride him,” said Lucky’s owner over the phone to Esta Bernstein, CEO of Saffyre Sanctuary. “I don’t know what to do.”

The woman had called Bernstein to persuade her to take the horse into the sanctuary. In disgust, Bernstein told her to call a vet immediately and hung up on the woman.

“Then it (conscience) hit me like the proverbial sledge hammer and I picked up the phone, called her back and told her that I would take him,” says Bernstein, the founder of Saffyre.

Four months later the horse, renamed Lakota, has gained back his weight and is happy and healthy. This is due to the efforts of Bernstein’s one-of-a-kind horse rehabilitation pro-gram located on the Summer Hawk Ranch in Lake View Terrace, California.

“Neglect and ignorance are the worse sorts of abuse. These animals suffer, so we bring them here and we treat them as beings worthy of respect. We take care of them physically and

spiritually,” says Bernstein.Counter to the belief of many equestrian experts, Bern-

stein says that horses have the same capacity for love as do humans.

“Everyone wants to be loved and respected—this includes all species,” says Bernstein. “We talk to them, explain to them what we have to do. We ask their permission when we ride them. We spoil them.”

Bernstein says the horses respond to them out of love not fear.

“We spend mountains of time on ground work before we gain the trust of these abused animals,” says Bernstein. “They let us ride because it is useful work for them and a way for them to return the love we have given them.”

Lead Saffyre volunteer, John Navalesi, a veteran horseman, agrees. Navalesi has changed his ideas about horses. “A horse is a mirror of you. I’m not training these horses, I’m being trained,” he smiles.

“You have to understand their mentality. They can reason, cooperate, and communicate,” says Bernstein.

“Horses are going to react to your reactions,” she says. “Once a very uptight friend of mine came to visit and one of the horses closed up, acted uptight and would not inter-act. He switched to his right brain side and became reactive.

By Jim Harris

continued on page 6

A Healing Place

Durina was an aggressive, neurotic Dressage horse who had been shown day and night

seven days a week. The horse bit and wore a path around her stall until Bernstein gained

the horse’s confidence and trust through Saffyre Sanctuary’s extensive physical and mental

therapy program.


Once my friend left, the horse went back to its former, open, relaxed self.”

Bernstein feels that she can communicate with the hors-es and has done so with the help of animal communicator Lisa Larson, a medium (pawstalk.net). Over the phone Lar-son determined that Lakota did not like his original name, “Lucky.”

Larson told Bernstein that Lakota said, “I don’t like my name. I’m not very lucky.” Bernstein renamed the horse “Lakota.”

“Lakota” means “friend” in the tongue of the Sioux Indi-ans, once a horse culture on the Great Plains in the 19th Cen-tury. Like Saffyre Sanctuary, the Great Plains Indians used the same spiritual and physical methods with their ponies; never “breaking” their horses, but working in unison through love and respect. According to Wikipedia, “Horse Whisper-er” Marvin Earl “Monty” Roberts agrees with this method. The website says Roberts “… is an American horse trainer who… believes that horses use a non-verbal language, which he terms ‘Equus,’ and that humans can use this language to communicate with horses…He runs an Equestrian Academy in Solvang, California, and an ‘online university’ to promote his ideas.”

A vegetarian, Bernstein also contends that people who re-fuse to eat meat are more trusted by animals, especially prey animals. Horses are prey animals that evolved by roving to-

gether in close groups for protection against packs of meat-eating predators, she says.

While Saffyre Sanctuary is unusual in its training methods, it is also one of a kind in the way it physically rehabilitates horses.

For example, each horse has a specialized diet according to its needs. An equine nutritionist for the past 20 years, Bern-stein spends at least $300 a month per horse on organic foods for the seven Sanctuary horses.

“Do you know what most people feed their pets?” she asks. “Other horses, dogs, cats—the standardized animal foods get their substance from rendering plants.”

According to the Realfoods. Net website, “Rendering is the process of cooking raw animal material to remove the mois-ture and fat. The rendering plant works like a giant kitchen. The cooker, or ‘chef,’ blends the raw product in order to main-tain a certain ratio between the carcasses of pets, livestock, poultry waste and supermarket rejects.”

Bernstein says the results from rendering are not healthful. “Process feed like this can cause a multitude of health prob-lems”

Saffyre Sanctuary, additionally, uses non-standard meth-ods to restore horses that have been injured by their abus-ers. Bernstein proudly points to a majestic 15-year-old black Dressage horse named Durina.

continued from page 5




“Durina was shown for 10 years, non-stop. She came in here with her back bunched up, her head down, and her shoulders not working, angry, given up on by everyone. She had worn a trench in her stall from endless pacing. She was attacking other horses and people.”

When Durina came to Saffyre, Bern-stein says she could see that there was something physically wrong with the horse. Durina receives Shock Wave ther-apy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care every two weeks.

“Now she’s a model citizen. Durina is friendly, well-mannered, lunges, and does not pace anymore. In fact, we will be riding her in a month,” said Bernstein, smiling. “However, this kind of treatment costs $500 every two weeks,” she added.

To maintain this level of care, it costs Saffyre Sanctuary at least $4,550 per month. And that is without rent. Realizing the value of what Bernstein does for these animals, Summer Hawk Ranch owners Vikki and Nils Brink generously donate stalls on their equestrian ranch for Saffyre Sanctuary.

Still the costs are enormous for Bernstein’s non-profit 501 3C.

The sanctuary accepts tax deductible gifts and money. She is look-ing for other ranches that might provide space to enable her to rehabilitate even more horses. Ranch owners are eligible for the Welfare Tax Exemption based on square footage, she says.

continued on page 8

Bernstein is overcome with emotion as she carasses the emaciated “Lakota” when he first comes to Saffyre Sanctuary. Ironically, the starved and abused horse’s name was “Lucky” at the time.



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In addition, Bernstein is expanding her program with “Virtual Foster Care.” In this program, donors give money toward the care of a specific horse that is housed and cared for in Sanctuary facilities. The virtual foster person is involved with the animal to the degree that she or he wishes.

Bernstein’s passion for helping horses came from a violent incident she witnessed as a child. She watched two inexperi-enced wranglers tie a petrified three-year-old quarter horse to a tree and beat it with a chain until he was too scared to move. In their attempt to geld the stud colt they failed to tranquilize him properly, and threw the horse to the ground and cut off his testicles with a kitchen knife, says Bernstein.

The next day, she said, “I cried on his neck, feeling help-less in the presence of this beaten, depressed, and confused horse.”

As a ten-year-old, she saw the “…inhumane treatment that rental horses were exposed to at the hands of inexperi-enced people.”

Renters beat them with sticks, kicked and pulled them and rode them “non-stop…in the heat and humidity of the sum-mer months. They (the rental horses) rarely felt the caress of a brush, and never saw a warm bath or an occasional kind word.”

In her 20s, Bernstein saved her money and bought Ca-leyndar, a lame Arabian stallion. She knew she could reha-bilitate the Arabian’s severe ringbone. Ringbone is an arthritic condition in which the right front leg pastern and joint are almost fused. Vets told her that the stallion would not live to the age of 15.

She spent two years researching and found a way to cure him. At 28, Caleyndar is Bernstein’s trail horse and has sired

two colts that she shows.Caleyndar, in fact, became world famous. In 2004, he won

the “Most Classic Contest” ran by the Arabian Horse Times. The stallion was featured in Robert Vavra’s “Horses of the Sun” and in the National Geographic documentary “The No-bel Horse.” Artist Kim McElroy has painted the horse’s image for portraits, note cards and “Leanin’ Tree” publications. The horse’s likeness can be found on Ron Kimball’s screensavers and wallpaper.

Because of her success with Caleyndar, Bernstein is known across the country for equine holistic nutrition and rehabilitation.


A fully restored Lakota after of months of rehabilitation at Saffyre Sanctuary. Bernstein stands behind Lakota and her lead volunteer John Navalesi, a veteran horseman who says “A horse is a mirror of yourself.”


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Approximately 1 in 5 adult dogs in the U.S. are affected with osteoarthritis (OA). It is the number one cause of chronic pain in dogs and approximately 10-12

million dogs in the U.S. show signs of OA.The symptom we know we can recognize immediately is

when one of our pets is limping. Unwillingness to use a leg is most often due to pain. With dogs and cats each having four legs, it makes it very easy for them to compensate with the other three legs without us even knowing it is going on. Sometimes a lameness is not so obvious to us until we compare muscle mass and notice one leg’s muscles are much smaller in comparison to the other side. This tells us the pet was not us-ing that leg even though there was no obvious lameness noted by most owners.

In the early stages of arthritis, as previously mentioned may go unnoticed, with progression of the disease, there is more discomfort which may be now noticeable with move-ment and bearing weight. In the later stages, the pain will affect nearly all of the pet’s activities and behaviors.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis can include behavior changes such as urinary or fecal incontinence, aggression, “laziness” or lethargy, not using the litter box for cats, panting, unable or unwilling to jump, or go up the stairs, no longer socializing with the family unit, anorexia or lack of appetite, decreased grooming behavior, licking or biting at a specific joint, rest-lessness, insomnia, seeking warm areas or wanting to sun

By Evelyn Vega, DVM, Happy Pets Veterinary

themselves – all potential signs of discomfort or pain.Pain control is the goal for treating OA. Non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, are the foundation for treating OA, however their potential to cause organ damage has led in the growth of alternative treatment options

With OA, a joint loses cartilage which is what cushions the ends of bones. Cartilage is a slippery tissue that is composed of four components: water, chondrocytes, proteoglycans and collagen. With age, the amount of water in cartilage decreases in turn causing the cartilage to “dry up” and become brittle. Proteoglycans are large molecules that help hold on to water molecules in cartilage to make it sponge like. Lastly, collagen forms a mesh which is like the “skeleton” of cartilage.

GlucosamineNormal cartilage cells make glucosamine which in turn

stimulates the production of collagen and proteoglycans. However once arthritis develops, chondrocytes can no longer produce glucosamine which leads to a decreased production of proteoglycans and decreased amount of water in cartilage. So now our once sponge-like tissue, has less water, making it dry and brittle and no longer that “cushion” that protects the ends of bones in a joint which leads to OA pain. Oral supple-mentation helps to replace the glucosamine that cartilage cells no longer can produce and it helps keep the cartilage that is still available moist like a sponge again.

Managing

in the Senior PetOsteoarthritis



chondroitinChondroitin sulfate is also found in healthy cartilage. It

is one of the components that make up the proteoglycans in articular cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate is what holds on to water component of cartilage thus creating the “cushion” that protects the ends of bones. Chondroitin Sulfate also helps to maintain the structural integrity of cartilage by stimulating collagen synthesis. It also helps to prevent collagen break-down.

msmMethylSulfonylMethane is used to manage pain, inflam-

mation and as an antioxidant. It occurs naturally in some primitive plants, is present in small amounts in many foods and beverages, and is marketed as a dietary supplement. Re-searchers are not sure as to why MSM helps with OA. One theory is that patients may be deficient in Sulfur and MSM is a natural biologically active source of sulfur which the body can use to make other chemicals such as the Chondroitin. Some researchers have suggested that MSM has anti-inflam-matory effects and that is why it helps to alleviate OA pain.

omeGa three Fatty acidsOmega three fatty acids derived primarily from cold wa-

ter fish sources have been found to have anti-inflammatory

properties and many dogs with OA have benefitted from fish oil supplementation. At least one month of supplementation is needed in order to see positive effects.

adequanAdequan in an injectable supplement that is both a chon-

droprotectant and chondrostimularoty agent. It helps protect cartilage cells by inhibiting various destructive enzymes as-sociated with OA. It also stimulates cartilage cells to produce proteoglycans and collagen. It also promotes the production of synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant in all joints. Adequan in given as an injection and it is spread via the blood stream to all the joints, but it seems to have an affinity to damaged joints. The injections are given 1-2 times a week usually for a month before the pet is started on maintenance doses.

Overall neutriceuticals are used to provide the nutritional building blocks needed for cartilage repair and maintenance, to help with inflammation, or to act as an anti-oxidant to help fight free radicals that destroy healthy tissue. Used together with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help control OA pain, we have a multimodal approach to managing os-teoarthritis in our senior pets.

Other treatment modalities available for OA include acu-puncture, laser therapy, and rehabilitation therapy.



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Is Feeding Human Food To My Dog or Cat Safe?Studies have shown that, generally speaking, lean dogs

and cats live longer, healthier lives as compared to obese dogs and cats. Obesity is always a concern for any

dog or cat that receives human food as part or all of its diet. Obesity has been shown to be associated with higher risk for osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, respiratory disease, skin infections, fatty liver disease, feline lower urinary tract disease, constipation, and even increased anesthetic and surgical complications. If your pet is obese and you do not feed human food, you may be feeding too much pet food.

In addition to the aforementioned diseases, feeding human food to your dog can potentially lead to a life-threatening condition known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas which often times is incited by a high fat diet. The pancreas is the organ in the body that is responsible for producing digestive enzymes used in the breakdown of ingested food. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, it begins to auto digest itself. This is extremely painful and can lead to serious life-threatening consequences such as multiple organ failure, abnormal heart rhythms, and various forms of shock. Pancreatitis should therefore be treated immediately following diagnosis. Unfortunately there is no specific cure for pancreatitis, so therapy is mainly aimed at supporting the function of all the organ systems and monitoring those systems for malfunction or failure. The main signs of pancreatitis are: Anorexia, vomiting, weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dehydration. Treatment duration, expense, and outcome are all highly variable. These patients often require intensive hospitalization for several days to a week or more and, as you might imagine, this can be relatively expensive and may not be successful.

If you must feed people food to your pet, please consult

with your veterinarian first and determine what amounts and types of food would be relatively safe to give. Always remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you think your pet may need emergency care please contact All Creatures Emergency Center at (661) 291-1121.

Billy was dying. As he lay beside me on the floor, it slowly occurred to me that was what must be happening; quiet now, between spasms. But how could that be? The medications

had kept his condition in-check for many months according to the recent ultrasound. No one had ever said the ‘D’ word. He had been acting a little agitated all day. That was something new. Confusion seeped in. OK. Wait a minute. Focus. Think. You need to do something. But what? Load him into the car and take him to the Vet? No. Clinic’s closed now. Besides, car rides are his worst nightmare; what would be the point? I watch him breathe. I promise him no car trips; touching a damp washcloth to his forehead; his mouth… I wish I had some kind of pain medication. Another spasm. “it’s tough…” he sighs. “I know..” I whisper “I’m so sorry… it’s OK for you to go… I love you… I will so miss you… but I’ll be OK… “ My heart aches with helplessness. And so 12 long hours passed. But, I must have dozed; awoke with a start. Billy was gone. He’d somehow managed to crawl into the closet… his ‘safe place’ … and there he’d left his precious little body…

In the years that have passed since that sad night, I’ve learned a few things. It has also been my privilege to stand in the forefront



of a burgeoning movement toward hospice care in the veterinary community. Through the dedicated perseverance of the Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets, Assisi International, and Spirits in Transition, the First International Symposium on Veterinary Hospice was held on the campus at UC Davis in the Spring of 2008. The two successive 3-day Symposiums were also held there; and the 4th is already in the planning stages. We are fortunate to have decades of human hospice experience to draw from for both definition and protocol. For many it may seem to be a radical shift where our animal companions are concerned; particularly for older generations who were taught to regard euthanasia as normal.

But euthanasia is not ‘normal.’ Ideally it should be reserved for only those truly desperate situations of pain and breath. And although this is often not realistically feasible for various reasons, perhaps a little thoughtful contemplation is in order. The evolution of the veterinary profession in a mere 250 years is almost startling. What began as basically livestock-maintenance now largely deals with companion animals. Realizing that animals feel physical pain, providing palliative/comfort care, and recognizing the profound bond that commonly exists between them and their human families are very recent developments. This did not come from waxing anthropomorphic. It came from acknowledging animals

The Gift of HospiceBy Sylvia Hathaway, Acupressurist & Reiki [email protected]



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as sentient, sensitive beings who share our lives. Hospice is a logical next step for veterinary medicine. In fact, both the AVMA and AAHA already recognize it in concept.

At this point it is imperative that we become more precise in our definition of what is and what is not hospice. For instance, although all hospice includes palliative care, not all palliative care is hospice. Palliative care may also be included alongside various other treatments being given to an animal known to be terminally ill; until it the animal euthanized. In true hospice all medical intervention stops; only comfort-care continues. There are no frantic attempts to prop-up one failing body system after another. Rather, we are allowed to recognize and accept that there is a dying process underway; there are signs of a body gradually shutting down. And when you recognize what is happening, you can support and ease it. Hospice seeks to neither hasten nor postpone death. For, prolonging the process should be unthinkable; being the very embodiment of torture. I find this a particularly gruesome concept and an unfortunately widespread practice.

When we shift our focus, we can shift our perception. Hospice is the acceptance of death as a natural part of the cycle of life. There is no cure for it. Hospice frees you from struggling against the inevitable and shifts your focus to the miracle of life-itself. The intense caring that defines hospice keeps you in the here-and-now; to savor every precious moment you may be given to share with your beloved companion. Allowing them to disconnect from the physical at their own pace frees you from the guilt of deciding for them; adding a profound depth to your bond. This is the gift of hospice.


The Feral Cat Epidemic

They live in the shadows—the alleyways, empty lots and condemned buildings—of almost every neighborhood. Their lives are short and usually harsh. They struggle to

find food and water in an environment filled with the constant threats of disease, starvation, cruelty and predation. They are the abandoned, the lost and the wild….and they need our help.

Did you know that an estimated 70-100 million feral/stray cats live on the streets in the United States? That equals the number of household-owned cats. Did you know that a breeding pair of cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 cats over a period of seven years and at least 25,000 cats and kittens are killed in United States’ shelters every day? Not every year, but every single day, 25,000 innocent little beings’ lives are snuffed out because of overpopulation. This is beyond heartbreaking. If a single disease was wiping out 25,000 cats a day, it would make headline news, but this disease goes virtually unnoticed, and this disease is preventable. In an attempt to help resolve this problem Save A Kitty, Inc. became active in TNR: The Trap, Neuter and Return of feral cats to their colony.

How It Evolved And How We Can Help Resolve It So what is a feral cat and how did this problem evolve? Cats

were domesticated thousands of years ago by man for mans’ own reasons. Be they out of companionship or need; the need for granaries in ancient civilizations to be free from rodents and, likewise, these same rat-catching skills were invaluable aboard sailing ships. Our ancestors cultivated cats to aid in their own survival. Without the cat, rodents multiplied, contaminating food supplies and spreading disease.

Although we currently have an epidemic of homeless cats in this country, the domestic cat is not indigenous to the Americas. The migration of cats across the world can be attributed to the sailors aboard the trading vessels of ancient civilizations. Cats arrived in the United States from Europe with the early settlers and pilgrims. Although also not native to Europe cats had been ensconced there long before being brought to the American continent. It is believed that the house cat evolved and was domesticated in the Middle East.

The cat has aided man in controlling rodent populations for thousands of years. However, from 1230 to 1700, cats fell from grace in Europe, as pagan superstitions swept across the lands; cats were denounced as being spawned of the devil.


By Debbie Eskow, Save A Kitty, Inc.



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We Welcome Dr. Elysa Braunsteinto Our SRVC Family!

Literally millions of cats were hunted down and killed. This genocide nearly caused their extinction in Europe. Without cats, the rat population exploded. Along with that came the bubonic plague, wiping out half the population of England alone. When it was discovered that rats were the culprit of the plague, guess what? Cats were pardoned. They were exonerated, welcomed back into favor and even protected by law. Yes, it was cats to the rescue!

It is ironic to think that many of us living here in the United States have European ancestry. If it were not for the cats, we might not be here today. So, back to the feral cats of today whose ancestors may have arrived on the Mayflower with yours. These feral cats, although classified as “domesticated animals” are living in an undomesticated state, unsocialized, for want of a better word, wild. They are usually one or more generation removed from a home environment. They normally live in a group or “colony” usually close to a source of food and shelter. Abandoned/stray cats have a higher mortality rate. The harsh reality of having to fend for themselves on the street takes its toll.

Contrary to common belief, cats do not fend well for themselves. Even though these feral cats are wild, they are not wild in a true sense. Life is very tough for them on the street. If they survive kittenhood, they will be lucky to reach three years of age, compared to a life span of twenty-plus years in a home environment.

Feral cats are often accused of spreading disease. This is an exaggerated misconception. They are often referred to as pests and a nuisance. The truth is there are very few zoonotic diseases that one can catch from a cat. The biggest finger-pointing is to toxoplasmosis, but this organism is also harbored by many mammals including raccoons, opossums, horses, and yes even dogs. The list goes on. The majority of reported cases of toxoplasmosis are documented as to having been contracted through eating uncooked or raw meat and NOT from contact with animals. You would literally have to eat the feces of an infected mammal to be infected with toxoplasmosis by them. That is pretty remote. You are more likely to catch something in the supermarket from another human being or eating out at a restaurant.

In the twenty years that I have worked with and have had direct contact with feral cats, I have never contracted a disease; neither have any of my colleagues. That being said, something does have to be done to curtail the breeding of these unfortunate homeless street kitties whose lives are miserable. So, just what do we do with all of these feral cats?

A feral cat taken into a government shelter has zero percent chance of ever getting out. They are considered unadoptable, and therefore, will be killed. Equally, a feral mama with her kittens will all be killed. The shelter is not equipped or staffed to have the time or means available to properly work with

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even young feral kittens. Often time’s people will find kittens in the bushes with no mama kitty in sight. It is best to leave the kittens put, unless they are in danger, and to watch for the mama to return. The best solution for keeping the cats and/or kittens safe is to contact a rescue and enlist their help.

Many people think if they don’t see the momma cat for a

few hours, the kittens have been abandoned. Momma cats do go off to forage for food. They usually do not abandon their babies, but, sadly, accidents do happen, and in the event that a litter of young kittens becomes motherless, you need to take immediate action to ensure their safety. Please remember that the shelters do not have the resources to bottle-feed unweaned kittens and sadly they will be killed. You need to find a rescue to help or take it upon yourself to save these lives. Information on raising unweaned kittens is available on our website (www.saveakitty.org).

How do we prevent these litters from being born?The best we can do is what we rescuers call TNR

(trap, neuter and return). This is the only humane method of reducing overpopulation. We trap humanely, we sterilize, and we release back into the colony. This, along with ongoing education, in regard to the importance of spay and neuter, is the only hope

we have of making a dent into this heartbreaking epidemic. Trapping is a huge part of rescue. If we go into a colony and are able to trap and fix 20 cats, we have done an amazing job at preventing thousands of kittens from being born, and you can do it too. If everyone began to get involved, even just a little, we could really start to make an enormous difference. Traps are available to the public from many rescue organizations and




pet shops. Most rescue groups will be able to instruct willing individuals on humane trapping methods. Involvement is not limited to trapping. You can help to educate, volunteer, foster, network and/or donate.

Once a feral cat has been fixed, it is customary to tip the right ear. This way we can identify who has been sterilized in a colony.

So now we have a colony of fixed cats. Some of these kitties are really feral, and some seem like they want to interact with us but are just too scared. These may be the kitties that were once owned by someone and are now abandoned. Once knowing some kind of a home and then being discarded is so heartbreaking.

Feral colonies also have caregivers who feed them. Hundreds of kindhearted souls across the United States go out night after night to feed these hungry cats, and believe me; these cats wait for and rely on their caregivers. They know the sound of their caregiver’s car, and in the dark of the night, they will come scurrying out from under the bushes, under cars, and yes, even out from the sewers to get a desperately-needed meal, probably the only food that they will have eaten that day, and the only food they will have until their dedicated caregiver will come again the following evening.

When we encounter kittens in a colony, it depends on how old they are, as to whether or not we will take them in and

ready them for adoption. Feral kittens are just as hissy and snarly as their parents, so if they are under twelve weeks,we will take them in and try to socialize them. The younger they are, the easier to tame they will be. If they look old enough to be fixed, they will go in the next morning with the bigger kitties to be sterilized. We do not get the ears tipped on the kittens that we take in, in the hopes that they will eventually become cherished pets in loving homes.

Few people realize when they see these gorgeous, clean, friendly, healthy little kittens lounging on their fleece blankets during adoption events what it took to get them there; whether they were trapped or literally grabbed by us from the bushes, they are always dirty, usually have fleas and parasites, and are often sick with upper respiratory infections. This article would be another twenty pages if I went into detail about the care and socialization of these little feral kittens. The first thing I do when I get the kittens home is to bathe them. It does not matter if it is 2:00 in the morning; I want to get those feral smells off them right away. A word of caution: Unless you are experienced with handling feral kittens, please do not try to bathe them yourself. Both you and the kittens could be hurt. Kittens have sharp teeth and claws. If you absolutely have to bathe them, contact a rescue or go online for help. You cannot imagine what it is like to bathe a squirming little being that is

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intent on trying to do you bodily harm! But as I dump them in the warm, soapy water, I laugh to myself because I know in a few days... or a few weeks, they will probably be putty in my hands. I find myself telling them “resistance is futile.” Though these kittens are tiny they are strong and have sharp claws and teeth and are very frightened. Take precaution to go slow, be in an enclosed area with towels nearby and make sure that the water is not too warm or too cold. As soon as I get the little ones dry, warm and snug, they usually start to wash themselves and get cozy with each other. At this point they are just shooting me dirty looks. The bath has humiliated them beyond belief, I am sure at this point they are thinking “what else could possibly go wrong”? They look at me with utter contempt. I bring them dinner, they eat, but all eyes are riveted on me. God forbid I should take another step closer. I leave them be for now. The road to acceptance, trust and love requires patience.

So what does all of this tell us? What it tells us is that we owe the cat. From ancient times through today, we have depended on the cat. I still get asked for barn cats and mousers to this day. Dogs might be man’s best friend, but the cat has been our savior, especially during the middle ages.

Cats have enhanced our lives in so many ways. Just the sound of their purr has been scientifically proven to reduce stress. They are special little beings and they do not deserve to die in the thousands every day. They deserve our help. Let us not turn our backs on these little angels. Please be proactive in finding out how you can help trap and perhaps foster a litter of kittens. Remember, rescue groups do not have a magic wand. We need help from our communities to help our furry friends.




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DirectoryPetsfor all things

All Creatures Emergency Center22722 Lyons Ave # 5Newhall, 91321-2876(661) 291-1121www.all-creatures-emergency.com

Animal Medical Center25848 McBean ParkwayValencia, 91355(661) 255-5555www.AMCValencia.com

Animal Specialty Group4641 Colorado BoulevardLos Angeles, 90039(818) 244-7977www.asgvets.com

AV Animal ER & Critical Care1055 W Columbia WayLancaster, 90039-1105(661) 729-1500www.avanimaler.com

Canyon Country Veterinary Hospital18840 Soledad Canyon RoadCanyon Country, 91351-3772(661) 424-9900www.canyoncountryvet.com

Cinema Veterinary Centre23460 Cinema Drive, Unit LValencia, 91355(661) 253-9300www.cinemavet.com

Happy Pets Veterinary27550 Newhall Ranch RoadValencia, 91355(661) 295-9972www.happypetsveterinary.com

Seco Canyon Animal Clinic27935 Seco Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, 91350(661) 296-8848www.secocanyonanimalclinic.biz

Sierra Veterinary Clinic17755 Sierra HighwayCanyon Country, CA 91351(661) 252-3333www.sierravets.com

Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center25832 Hemingway Ave.Stevenson Ranch, 91381(661) 799-0655www.srvc.com

The Cat Doctor & Friends26055 Bouquet Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, 91355(661) 259-5288www.catdoctor.com

Animal Aftercare

Cal Pet Crematory(310) 278-0633(818) 983-2313(323) 875-0633www.calpet.comGuardian Animal Aftercare(818) 768-6465www.guardianaftercare.com

Great Groomers

Chris’ K9 Clippery19413 Soledad Cyn. Rd. Canyon Country (661) 251-0011www.chrisk9clippery.comSo Cal Grooming28011 Seco Cyn. Rd. Santa Clarita, 91390 (661) 513-0778 www.socalgrooming.comPrecious Pets27737 Bouquet Cyn. Rd. #124Saugus, CA (661) 296-2020

PawpularPet Suppliers

Bird Bungalow21021 Soledad Canyon RdCanyon Country, CA 91351(661) 284-6200www.birdbungalow.comCanyon Pet Center19154 Soledad Cynd. Rd.Canyon Country, CA(661) 250-7356Fox Feed17028 Sierra HighwayCanyon Country, 91387(661) 252-9790www.foxfeed.comPet Stop26870 Sierra Highway Santa Clarita, CA (661) 251-3867www.petstopsantaclarita.comPet Supply Santa Clarita26831 Bouquet Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, 91350-2372(661) 296-2654www.petsupplysantaclarita.com

Dermatology for Pets

Amy Shumaker, DVM, DACVDValencia Veterinary Center23928 Summerhill Lane Valencia, CA 91354 (661) 855-4870www.dermatologyforanimals.com

Animal Control Centers

Castaic Animal Shelter31044 N. Charlie Canyon Rd.Castaic(661) 257-3191www.animalcare.lacounty.gov

Lancaster Animal Shelter 5210 W. Ave. ILancaster, CA 93536(661) 940-4191www.animalcare.lacounty.gov

Rescue Organizations

Brittany FoundationAgua Dulce(661) 713-5240www.brittanyfoundationonline.org

Citizens for Sheltered Animals, Inc.26893 Bouquet Canyon Rd. C-318(661) 513-9288www.citizensforshelteredanimals.com

Forgotten Angels Cat Rescue(661) 273-9822www.forgottenangelsrescue.org

Ratz Nest Rescue (661) 303-7872www.ratznest.weebly.com

Saffyre Sanctuary(Horse Rescue) Sylmar, CA www.saffyresanctuary.org

Save A Kitty, Inc.(818) 825-3096www.SaveaKittyCA.org

PetSave FoundationBunny Rescue(661) 478-7360www.petsave.org

St. Bonnie’s Sanctuary/ Lange Foundation27567 Oak Spring Canyon Rd.Canyon Country, CA 91387(661) 251.5590http://langefoundation.com

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Trusted Vets In and Around SCV

Advanced Care Animal Hospital19406 Soledad Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91351(661) 263-4334 www.advancedcareanimalhospital.com

Valencia Veterinary Center24036 Summerhill Ln.Santa Clarita, 91354(661) 263-9000www.bestvalenciavet.com

VIP Veterinary Services26111 Bouquet Cyn. Rd.Suite D-5, Saugus, CA 91350 (661) 222-PETS www.VIPVeterinaryServices.com

Best Boarding Facilities

Canine Country Club20341 Blue Cloud RoadSanta Clarita, 91390-1259(661) 296-0566www.cccofscv.com

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Pampering Pet Sitters

Kyle’s Custom Critter [email protected](661) 305-4981www.kylescustomcrittercare.com

Heirloom Pet Portraits

Santa Clarita Photo Studio(661) 775-0890 www.scphotostudio.com

Dog Trainers

Dog Gone HappyTami Cox (661) 310-4133

K9 Manners MatterColleen Lange B.S., ABCDT(661) [email protected]

Alternative Medicines & Healing

Sylvia Nahale HathawayAcupressurist & Reiki Master(661) 378-8612 [email protected]


Pet Me! Magazine™ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013!

Interested in adopting? Visit our website at www.saveakitty.orgEmail us at [email protected] or call (818) 825-3096

Awesome Adoptables

HAIZY

Hi, my name is Haizy, crazy name but my foster mom gave it to me. I am a neutered 6-month-old male, current on my shots and negative for FIV/FELV.

I am very affectionate and love to be loved. I love to play with my siblings, so if you have a big brother or sister at home for me to play with that would be great. I am told that I am very handsome and every one comments on my gorgeous coat.

MICKEY

Hi, Mickey here on the left sitting with my Bro Haizy. My foster mom kept trying to snap me on my own but I like to do things with my brother. I am a 6-month-old neutered male current on shots and negative for FIV/FELV. I am a little shy but with an understanding kitty lover I know that I will come out of my shell. I love my siblings and if you adopt me I would need a brother or sister to play with, one of my own would be just amazing! as you can see I am jet black and my eyes are a light amber, my foster mom says I look like a Bombay! I myself think I resemble a black panther.

GUSSIE

Hi, my name is Gorgeous Gussie, that is because I am gorgeous! I am a 6-month-old spayed female Tortoiseshell. All Torties are little girls, but you knew that, right? I am current on my shots and have tested negative for FIV/FELV. I am a little shy, but my foster mom says I have it in me to blossom into a lap cat! I think she is right.



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