Welcome to the Cascade Kennels May 2012 Newsletter
The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.
– Edwin Way Teale
In this Edition:
- Bringing Home My New Kitten, Now What?
- Is a Multi-Dog household for you??
- Pawsitive Alliance – “There’s a Cat for That!”
Chicken Broth Cookies
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast + 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Mix together then roll out on a floured surface. Cut with a cookie cutter (a bone-shaped one is nice) and bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Bringing Home My New Kitten, Now What?
Getting a new kitten is a very exciting time. I can clearly remember bringing my new kitten Meiko home from the pet store with a trunk full of cat supplies. Driving home was an adventure filled with a frantically shaking pet carrier, loud hissing and lots of whining. I began to regret my decision selecting the brown tabby over the calico. My brain was already swimming from the information the pet store had given me about everything from cat supplements to vitamins.
Since this was my first cat, I didn’t understand that kittens and cats are creatures of habit. I learned that even the most even-tempered and laid-back kitten is going to become stressed when changes occur in their environment. I wish I’d researched on a website like PetSolutions in advance of hopping in the car and heading to the pet store that Saturday afternoon.
Don’t make the same mistake I did, learn about how to bring a new kitten home beforehand. Below are a few tips to make the transition smooth and as stress-free as possible. Congratulations on your new kitten and I hope you have hours of enjoyment with your new friend!
Option #1: When introducing your new kitten to other furry family members, check out these tips:
- Go slow! Don’t just let the cat out of the carrier and allow them to explore around your home. Start by putting them into a spare room or small area that can be closed off with a door.
- Try to minimize the amount of changes by using the same cat supplies, litter and food as the pet store. Put those in the small starting area.
- Gradually introduce family members to the new kitten one at a time. Once he/she has met everyone you can start to open the door and allow the new kitten to explore. Remember, cats are naturally curious, so they’ll move from the space when they are ready.
Option #2: If you already have a dog or cat, you should learn the steps to take before introducing your new kitten to your other furry family members.
- Try rubbing a towel on the new arrival to capture scent, and then rubbing that towel on the resident animals. This will help familiarize the resident animals with the scent of the newcomer, and make introducing them to each other easier.
Try the above procedure in reverse order, rubbing the towel on the resident animals first and then rubbing the towel on the newcomer. - For cats: After a few days take the kitten out of the room and put your older cats in the room. This will allow both parties to explore the other area and get even more familiar with the other pet’s scent.
- Feed your cats on each side of the bedroom door. This helps them associate good things (cat food) with the scent of the other cat(s).
- After a few days, crack open and brace the door so that the cats can see each other and can put a paw through. A few days later, open the door fully and let the new kitten roam under your supervision.
- For Dogs: Pick a time when your dog(s) are crated or outside and let the cat explore. Once the cat seems comfortable in the new surroundings, you can introduce the dog. Keep your dog on a leash and then let the cat into the room. If the dog and cat both seem calm, let the cat come over and investigate the dog.
Overall, monitor your pets closely when they are together and do not leave them alone together until you are sure they are getting along.
Is a Multi-Dog household for you??
Are you considering adding a dog to your current pack? Do you feel guilty for leaving your dog at home alone all day and think a little pal might be just the solution for him? I get asked all the time, “Do you think Rover would like a friend to play with while I’m gone all day?” “Would it be a good idea to get another dog to keep him company?”
I am a believer in multi-dog households as I live in one and always have. I actually have a multi-species household (dogs, cats and birds) and love it, BUT it takes an enormous amount of time, money and precious energy to keep it running smoothly. It also takes some natural leadership abilities when it comes to the dogs.
Would you say that your dog(s) is polite, well-trained and likes the company of other dogs? If your answer is yes, then Excellent and you can skip the rest of this section and go directly to the section below on getting a second (or third or fourth) dog. If your answer was…um..I think so… then keep reading (on Maggie’s College of Dog Training Knowledge).
Pawsitive Alliance
“There’s a Cat for That!” Cat Adoption Event, hosted by Pawsitive Alliance
Sunday, June 10th from 1-4 pm
Homeward Pet Adoption Center
13132 Northeast 177th Place Woodinville, WA 98072
The newest smart phone may have thousands of clever applications that claim to do everything, but so far they all lack the most important application of all: a cat.
- Need a frisky play partner? There’s a cat for that.
- Need someone to take a nap with? There’s cat for that.
- Need to hear soothing sounds that instantly relax you? There’s a cat for that.
Multiple shelters and rescues will be on hand so you can find YOUR cat for all your snuggling, playing, napping, petting, and loving needs!
For more information visit www.pawsitivealliance.org or email Denise at info@pawsitivealliance.org.
Cascade Kennels is the premier pet boarding solution for dogs, cats, rabbits, and exotic pets of various types. Cascade Kennels also provides outstanding pet grooming services!
