Can Cats and Dogs Get Along?

Every situation is different, and every animal is different so we can never be 100% sure if a cat and a dog will get along.  Each animal has their own personality and their response to other animals can vary.

Take our house cat Archie.  I chose Archie because of his large size and big jaws.  The shelter needed a chief mouser and he fit the bill well.  He gets along with people of all ages.  But watch out if he sees a dog!  I have witnessed him getting out of his bed, charging across the counter, and swiping at newly arrived dogs.  On the occasion that I have my dog with me at work, he has crouched down as if to pounce but once I get between him and my dog, he stays put.  Archie does like to sleep in my office though and the first time I had my dog with me, Archie did avoid his comfy bed for most of the day.  By the afternoon he must have decided to chance it.  He jumped on my desk (which he does frequently) and I started to pet him.  He dodged my attempts to pet him so I stopped.  He then looked under my desk to check out my dog.  After assessing him for a few seconds, he must have decided that he wasn't a threat.  Maybe it is because Archie is as big, if not bigger, than my dog.  Whew,  crisis averted.

Adopters have sent us lovely pictures of cats and dogs curled up together so I know it is possible to have peace in the household.  My cat at home avoids the dogs because one of the dogs wants to rough house with him. 

Sometimes we know that dogs will not do well with cats; as in they might eat them.  It may be because of their breed, hunting instincts, and/or prey drive.  We can pass that information on to potential adopters to avoid catastrophe. 

But if you like both cats and dogs, I can tell you , it is possible for the right animals to live together in the same household. 

College Students Love Animals

The Lycoming County SPCA is located in an area with three colleges.  We have been the beneficiary of student's help in numerous ways from internships to video documentaries, it is absolutely wonderful!

Most recently I was approached by a student who has been challenged (in a class project) to use only social media to help a non-profit raise funds.  They can use facebook, blogs, gofundit, pinterest, twitter, reddit, and any other type of social media to raise the funds.

Together we have come up with a campaign that should be launched on November 1, 2013.  The students were instructed that they can only begin their project on that date and have 25 days to reach a financial goal. 

I don't want to steal their thunder, but the young lady I met with has some good ideas. 

Watch out social media, the SPCA animals will be helping the students make their pitch.  Be on the lookout!

Bow and Arrow Hunting

The Bow and Arrow have witnessed a resurgence in popularity, most likely due to the hunger games.  The unfortunate outcome of this is that animals are being hunted for sport rather than food.  This week, we had a cat that was shot with an arrow.  Even worse, the cat was left to suffer and no one has any idea whose arrow, or whose cat it was.

We rely on the public to call in crimes against animals.  If you witness cruelty to animals, be sure to get as much information as possible.  For example:  the exact address where the crime occured, a description of the location, names of the perpetrators, what they were wearing, license plates numbers, a descritpion of the animal(s), any other details about the abuse.

Humane Society Police Officers cannot help the animals without your help. 

Cats on the Desk

OK, I work for a Humane Society does that mean I have to tolerate cats deleting my blogs?  Or is this some kind of message?  Today, as I was spell checking my most recent tirade, the cat made it disappear before it was published.  So I put her on the floor so I could look for my recent writing.  She jumped right back up. Now I had the option of petting her some more, try to ignore her (not possible), or type with her nudging my hands and hope that this doesn't get deleted.......

Adopt-a-Dog Month

October is Adopt-a-Dog Month and the Lycoming County SPCA is celebrating with special offers for adopters.  All adult dogs can be adopted for a donation of the adopter’s choosing.  There is a $15 fee for the microchip insertion and registration as well as a dog license.  As an added bonus, adopters may choose a free gift for their new companion.

           October is a wonderful time to consider adopting.  The weather is still mild and it will be easy to help a new canine companion adjust to the home and family.  Then when the cold weather sets in, there will be a warm, fuzzy friend to snuggle up with.

 

            Adopting a pet will provide an adopter with:  unconditional love, tail wagging greetings, a hiking or walking companion, and a confidant who will never spill secrets.  Studies have found that owning a pet helps lower blood pressure, improve depression, helps reduce the need for pain medications, helps improve activity, and helps pet owners live healthier.

 

            All dogs adopted from the SPCA receive flea treatment, vaccines for kennel cough and distemper, a microchip, and a free 30-day pet health insurance policy from with a valid e-mail address.  Adoptable dogs may be viewed on the SPCA’s home page at www.lycomingspca.org.  Once you see their beautiful pictures you will fall in love and want to open your heart and home to one of our homeless animals.

           

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Pets and Euthanasia

It is never easy to let a pet go.  For the majority of pet owners, we think of our pets as part of the family.  I have a childhood memory of a cousin who was unable to have children so she spoiled her cat and lavished it with love.  She had a baby high chair and the cat would sit in the chair at dinner time and receive a bowlful of canned cat food.

Many pets live long, healthy lives with good care and veterinary visits. When the pet becomes so ill that it is no longer comfortable, cannot eat, or cannot maintain its bodily functions it may be time to consider euthanasia. 

What a difficult decision!  If only they could tell us if they are suffering.  Even when they are limping around their tag still wags, or they still purr when they are petted.  No one knows their pet better than the pet owner.  Once the decision is made it is time to let go and say goodbye.  Non-pet owners do not always understand that pet owners do grieve the loss of a pet.  But grieve we do. 

Luckily, we have wonderful memories of our pets.  And if you are as lucky as I am, you have an entire shelter of pets to share your love.  And when you are ready to open your heart and home, you can once again share the love with a pet that only a pet lover can understand.

Call About the Wild

We don't usually get calls about snapping turtles, but this particular one was found in a downtown area.  To add to his woes, he had a fishing hook in his mouth.  Luckily for this snapper, a volunteer  (with her husband's assistance) was willing to remove the hook and release the turtle to their farm pond where they already hosted other snappers. 

A Good Story

A young student wrote the following story.  I was impressed by this student's touching tribute to her pet.  I think you will agree.

By: Rachael Moore

2/20/12

Beloved Companion

My grandmother was wearing her fashionable red lipstick; she arrived at my house at around ten one Saturday morning. Every month she took my ten year old brother Taylor and me to Toys R Us. We’d spend over an hour walking down the enormous aisles looking at Barbie’s, Pokémon cards, jump ropes, and puzzles until we made our final decision of our monthly selection. The aisles always seemed so big, almost like skyscrapers filled with my favorite characters. I loved going to the toy store because of the bouncy, peppy music and the bright colors.  This specific trip to the store was special because it was my birthday and I was turning six. Usually my grandmother only let us pick one item, but because it was my birthday that month I got to pick two treasures. After spending a little over an hour in the store, I finally decided on two Polly Pocket toys to add to my collection at home. Even though I would spend over an hour looking around, I always picked Polly Pockets. My brother picked a Pokémon video game that he could play on the purple Gameboy he had permanently attached to his hand.

            Satisfied with our purchases, we hopped back into my grandmother’s red Chevy and headed back to my house. As I sat in the backseat listening to the inevitable country music and watching my gram’s brown hair blow in the breeze, I felt that today couldn’t get any better. I was so eager to get home, eat red velvet cake and confetti cake ice cream with my family, and play with my new toys.

            As soon as we pulled into the gravel driveway I quickly got out and ran up the concrete steps. Before I could get in the door my grandmother said, “Don’t go in yet Rachael; wait for us.” I didn’t understand why I had to wait, but I stood on the front porch impatiently. My brother and grandmother were like dogs that stopped and sniff everything on a walk.  As they plodded up the steps, I opened the old yellow front door. Walking into my living room, I saw a small stuffed dog wearing a red handkerchief. At first, I didn’t recognize the stuffed animal, so I just assumed it was my brother’s, but when the stuffed animal started to move, I then realized what it was. I squealed with excitement and ran over to the black and white speckled animal. Looking pleased, my parents said, “Happy Birthday” in unison.

            Sitting on the hardwood floor, I stoked my new companion’s thick coat and let her dull teeth bite my hand.  She was almost as small as my dad’s shoe; she looked so fragile. After rambling off a list of names like Brittney, Cocoa, and Spot, my brother and I finally decided on Freckles.

            Throughout the years Freckles and I have taken numerous long walks to the pond down the road. She jumps up and down at the first sight of her green leash. As soon as we arrive at our destination, she chases every bird she sees. In the winter when the fireplace is ablaze and the big snowflakes are falling, I’ll come downstairs to see Freckles and Tom, my cat, cuddled up by the fireplace.

A few years after we got Freckles, we realized she had a medical problem. One time, my mom was taking a photograph of my brother and me by the fireplace. It was a dark winter night, so she needed to use the flash. When my mother finally captured a picture that she thought was suitable, we noticed Freckles in the corner of the room shaking uncontrollably and not able to walk. The veterinarian later told us that the bright light of the flash caused her to have seizures; since then we haven’t used the flash setting in the house.

 One evening this year, after basketball practice, I came home to my mom searching the yard for Freckles. Unable to find her, my mom and I drove up and down the streets yelling out her name. Defeated, we decided to go home. My mom said, “Don’t worry Rach, she’ll show up.” As I pulled back into the driveway, we saw her crossing the street. It was a hazy winter day and it was hard to see. As I put my car into park, I saw a large brown Ford truck barreling down the road. I screamed because the truck wasn’t slowing down. At the last possible second the driver slammed on the brakes; you could smell the burnt rubber from the tires. Shaking, I ran to Freckles, scooped her up in my arms, and carried her inside as the careless driver sped away.

            Over half of my life has been spent with Freckles. She isn’t as rambunctious as she once was; she has trouble getting up and down the stairs and she’s nearly deaf. Although she’s getting older, she still waits for me by the door when I’m gone and makes the difficult journey up the steps just to sleep with me. Looking back on it now, I am so grateful that I have been blessed with such a great companion.  Although some may say she is just a dog, she has been a part of many memorable experiences for me.