Recently, I travelled out of country to renew, refresh and revive. After several days of lounging in the sun, I decided to join a tour group to visit the local shops. Missing my human, feline and canine family terribly, I sauntered from store to store with a pasted smile on my face. Rounding a corner, I spied a local sitting on a storefront porch and beside him, sat a cat. Leaving several of mine at home, this black cat was a welcome sight. After spotting him, I smiled, kneeled down and squealed  “Hi Kitty” in my high-pitched, motherly voice. The cat looked at me and then looked away. As I waved to him, the more ‘refined’ travellers I was with during the tour, looked at me like I had, well, more than one head. Quickly I gathered myself together and followed blindly behind the tour group. But before turning the corner I stopped, turned around, and went back to find black cat. He was on the same porch where I found him, lounging in the sun. Gingerly I walked over to him and patted him several times. I told black cat how happy I was to see him and told him how much I missed my feline family. He sat stoically straight and accepted each lingering pat I gave him. After several minutes, he decided that I was indeed embarrassing myself {and him} and he strolled to the other side of the porch. Feeling full in my heart, I asked a passerby about this cat. The friendly islander told me that her name was Black-Cat. Black-Cat had lived in the retail district  for as long as she herself came to live on the island, some 15 years ago. Black-Cat was a marina cat that was cared for by all of the vendors. She had two feeding stations set up and visited the shops through out the day. I asked about stray cats on the island and I was eagerly told about several veterinarians who banned together and spayed and neutered animals for $20.00 for those families who struggled financially. They also practiced spaying and neutering feral cats and abandoned cats for free. 

 Are you looking for the perfect gift for the animal lovers in your life?  I thought I would remind you that SHAID has its own online shop with lots of items bearing our gorgeous new logo. From pins to sweatshirts, mugs to aprons, dog/cat dishes to clocks and much, much more.  The SHAID Shop is located at www.cafepress.com/shaid 

This is but a few of the items offered. Have a look!

If possible, give your cat his own room with food and litter for about a week, especially if your new pet is shy or if you have a multi-pet household. Visit often for cuddles and play. If he hides, don't worry. When the food is disappearing, all is well. Other pets will become accustomed to the newcomer's smell through the door. If you are particularly concerned about the adjustment of other pets, you can even change places after a week or so. Allow the new animal out into the home and place the old-timer in the room where he or she will have a great time sniffing. After preparations such as these, there is usually little fuss when the door is finally opened.

Cats are much safer when kept indoors. If you decide to allow kitty to go out, be sure he is wearing ID on a break-free or elastic collar which will release if he should become entangled. Bring him in for supper and keep him in. Never allow a kitten outdoors until she is spayed.

Nails can be easily trimmed and it helps protect your furniture. Just remove the portion that rounds over. Provide several scratching posts. Heavy plastic tacked to tempting corners of your furniture may help divert his attention to a nearby scratching post.

Declawing is not supported by SHAID and other humane societies and should only be a last resort when euthanasia is the only other alternative.

There are so many cats and kittens waiting patiently in shelters across Canada. Please consider giving them a chance to live. Allowing any cat to breed, for any reason, is cruel to the entire species. Hundreds of thousands suffer for want of a home, or are mistreated becasue they are seen as disposable. Anything that is too plentiful tends to be considered unimportant.