Amy Shojai's Blog, page 85

Pet Holiday Visits? 10 Tips to Keep Tails Wagging

Are pet holiday visits in your travel plans? Family gatherings are a big part of the holidays, and pets double the fun—and the stress.

Most cats hate strange environments, so a pet sitter is usually the best choice for kitty. If you know your cat does well on the road and during visits, plan ahead. Set up a “cat central” room in Grandma’s house with all the important kitty paraphernalia (litter pan, scratch post, etc.). Cats often require many days or even weeks to accept “new” pets, so for shorter visits, giving your visiting cat a private room away from the resident critters offers the best chance of a happy holidays.

10 TIPS FOR HOLIDAY PET VISITS

Many dogs love new places, though. Taking him along can save boarding costs. Besides, pets are part of the family, so we want to share our furry loves with relatives.

But when your King meets Grandma’s Sheba for the first time, how do you keep the fur from flying? How would you like a stranger sleeping in your bed, eating from your plate, or (ahem) using your toilet? Pet introductions can take days, weeks, or sometimes months to be successful, so don’t expect overnight miracles. Follow these 10 tips to keep the pets happy and safe, and stay on speaking terms with your relatives.

The Resident Pet “owns” the house and yard. Therefore, give him continued access to his territory.
Confine the Guest Pet in one room. Provide familiar bowls, beds, litter pans, and toys in the room where the owner sleeps. The owner scent helps keep the Guest Pet calm even when he’s alone, and confinement provides a familiar home base where he’s safe from the Resident Pet. Confining him behind a closed door also tells the Resident Pet that only part of her territory has been invaded. (This works for visiting kitties, too!)
Create good associations. Feed the pets on opposite sides of the closed door, or offer favorite toys or games. This helps each identify the other pet’s presence with “good stuff” and helps relieve tension.
Use baby gates. The see-through barrier allows the Guest Pet to be part of the gathering without trespassing on the Resident Pet’s turf. A baby gate also gives curious, friendly pets (especially dogs) a safe way to meet. Moveable baby gates can divide a hallway or stairs to segregate whole sections of the house when necessary.
Leash the guest dog. This keeps him under control around the resident pet. That’s especially important with a resident cat.
“Potty” dogs separately. Distract the Resident Dog with treats or a game out of sight when the Guest Dog must leave his room.
Supervise yard interactions. Once dogs experience friendly meetings through the door for a couple of days (no growls, or elevated fur—whines are okay), a nose-to-nose play meeting is possible. Be sure each dog’s owner is present.
Leash both dogs. Bring the Resident Dog out first because he “owns” the yard. Remove any toys, bones or other resources they might argue over.
Walk the leashed dogs parallel to each other on opposite sides of the yard, back and forth, slowly bringing them closer. Stop if you see tucked tail, growls, or fluffed fur—they aren’t ready to play. Play bows (“elevator butt” posture) buy the dogs a 5-10 minute off-leash game before separating them. Play time can be extended if they do well.
Don’t force interactions. When an adult kitty visits, she’ll be happy to stay in the room and wait for your visits. A resident cat also may simply disappear to a safe place in the house to avoid contact with strangers (human or furred).

It’s hard to predict first meetings. You don’t love everyone you meet—(especially weird Cousin Cylene!) so why should your pets be any different? If pets will only be together a few days, aim for management or tolerance. There will be time enough over future visits for pet-to-pet love to blossom.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner in the sidebar. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want th e insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

GoodReads GiveAway for Pet-centric Thriller: Show & Tell

ENTER to win one of 10 Paw-tographed copies of the book in the GoodReads Giveaway, below.

Chapter 1

Eighty pounds of German Shepherd vaulted onto her bed and startled September from a sound sleep. She froze, mouse-quiet in the dark. Her heart trip-hammered in concert with the dog’s low, bubbled growl that shook the bed, the vibration more felt than heard.

The downstairs clock struck five times. Clouds moved aside for moonlight to spill through the wooden blinds, casting stark silver and black shadows. The dog leaned closer. White-bright fangs glistened from his sooty muzzle, and September didn’t need to see Shadow’s expression to understand the dog’s warning.

Shadow had good reasons for everything he did. He’d saved her life more than once. . .

Now available for pre-order here.

Goodreads Book Giveaway


Show and Tell
by Amy Shojai

Giveaway ends December 15, 2015.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Don’t forget about the BONUS MATERIAL (poster & extra chapter) available, learn more here.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner in the sidebar. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want th e insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Calling All Dog & Cat Lovers: SHOW & TELL Bonuses!

The next book in the September Day series, SHOW AND TELL, will release DECEMBER 22, 2015. Read on to find out how to get your copy of the paw-tographed limited edition poster (above) and an extra dog-viewpoint BONUS CHAPTER.

PLEASE SHARE this post with others who enjoy nail-biting pet-centric stories of suspense.

Now available for pre-order here.

 

An animal behaviorist and her service dog race a deadly storm

to expose a treacherous secret others will kill to protect.

A BLACKMAILER returns to sell a deadly cure.

A MOTHER’S DENIAL dooms millions of children.

AND A DOG shows true loyalty…when he runs away.

With her stalker finally caught, animal behaviorist September Day’s PTSD has abated and she’s begun to trust again. She dares to hope Detective Jeff Combs might become more than a friend, until his investigation into a dogfighting ring leaves her reeling.

Shadow wrestles his own demons. A German Shepherd autism service dog before losing his-boy to a health crises, Shadow found love and his true purpose working with September. Now his-boy is back–but changed–and Shadow fears he’ll be forced to choose.

When a desperate mom demands help, and Combs’s son disappears with his dog, September and Shadow must find the children before a devastating storm hits. But the children have a secret plan of their own. Only when September shows true courage, and a good-dog tells the truth, can they find their way home again.

BONUS #1: WIN THE POSTER

As y’all know, the winners of the have their pets featured in the book–and it’s an incredibly exciting story with tornadoes, flash floods, bad guys, Pit Bulls, and heroic pets & kids. The poster (above) includes pictures of the NAME THAT DOG/CAT winners…yes, the real pets, with their human-mom names as well. This is a limited edition poster that will be paw-tographed.

NOTE: Once posters are gone, they’re gone…so be among the first to enter in order to get your copy.

BONUS #2: WIN THE EXTRA CHAPTER

An extra chapter, written in Shadow’s viewpoint, includes the runners-up of the Name That Dog/Cat contest: the dogs Thor, Buster, Bo and Freckles, and the cats Lucy, Truffle, Caster and Einstein. This chapter also introduces two main characters of my forthcoming Lei Crime Kindle World novella, which will include Keiki, the Rottweiler puppy. There’s no limit on the number of times I can share this bonus chapter.

HOW TO WIN YOUR BONUS

You can win one or both of these bonus gifts. Here’s what to do.

Read the book
Post an honest review to one or more (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads, iBookStore, Kobo, and/or your BLOG).
Note: Reviews can’t be posted to online stores until the December 22, 2015 release, but advance reviews may be posted to GoodReads or blogs
Email me the URL of your honest review with “SHOW AND TELL BONUS” in the subject line.

For all my dog and cat blogger peeps out there–please message me or post a comment here if you’d like to receive an ARC of the book for possible advance review. I hope to have some “exclusives/extras” (excerpts, interviews, Q&A, etc.) for bloggers interested in helping with the launch. :0

THANK YOU PURRS and virtual wags to everyone who has made my fiction journey thus far such a wonderful success. The first book (75 starred reviews and counting!) would not have launched a series without such incredible reader support.

If you’ve not already fallen in love with September and good-dog Shadow, you may want to check out the first two books in the series, LOST AND FOUND and HIDE AND SEEK.

 

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner in the sidebar. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want th e insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

 

 

 

Purina & #BetterWithPets Is A Furry Winner Bringing People & Pets Together

This post is sponsored by Nestle Purina® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the BetterWithPets campaign but Bling, Bitches & Blood only shares information relevant to our readers. Purina is not responsible for the content of this article.

This past Tuesday, November 3rd, I was pleased to attend the 3rd Purina #BetterWithPets event held in Brooklyn, NY. I was able to attend the first one a couple of years ago, and had a conflict last year so was delighted to be invited again. This all day event offered several panels in the morning, followed by afternoon experiential hands-on exhibits (which I’ll blog more about later). Everything was designed with the intention of “Exploring the best ideas for bringing people and pets closer together.”

The whole day was a slam-dunk for cats and dogs, and the people who love them. Bravo to Purina for truly bringing together some for the brightest minds in pet science and culture–and allowing pet advocates, media, shelter professionals and more to mingle, ask questions, and share information to improve pet well being. The event was a who’s who of movers and shakers in the pet world, and I had fan-girl moments all day getting to meet (and reconnect) with my heroes.

Those who know me won’t be surprised that there were quite a few Kleenex moments throughout the day…I weep pretty easily especially when it comes to pet topics. The opening keynote by Dr. Arleigh Reynolds, and the ending short movie that also covered his subject, were wonderful tributes for and about the Frank Attla Youth Program that benefits at-risk students in rural Alaska–and how dogs brought a community back to life when everyone in the family learned they had a role to play in caring for the dogs.

In his talk, Dr. Reynolds said during his studies, he learned about tidal pools where a multitude of different creatures live alongside each other. “If you remove one, before long several others disappear, even though their relationship isn’t clear.” He says the same thing is true with dogs. “Our relationship goes far deeper than what we can define. Humans and dogs are physically and emotionally healthier when we share our lives together.” When you get the chance, take a look at this brief movie:

It was particularly refreshing to have CAT interests so well represented. The first panel was moderated by Hal Herzog, Ph.D. and titled “An Evolving Relationship with Cats?” Dr. Herzog was joined by behaviorist Dr. Sandra Lyn; Mikel Delgado, CCBC; and Christina Ha, the co-founder of Meow Parlour. A few nuggets that came out of this session:

We’re shifting how we work and how we communicate, so makes sense that the relationship may change.
Most of those visiting Meow Parlour are female millennials and found Meow Parlour through social media.
In past dog people could hang out together at dog parks with other dog lovers. Now cats and cat lovers can do the same thing with social media and cat cafes.
31 percent of millennial’s households include cat.
Millennials are willing to spend more on cats than in the past.
Relationships work better when you let the cat initiate the interaction
Dog videos make you cry. Cat videos make you laugh. Can we use that as a platform in how we educate?

The second panel, “Stress, Our Pets and Us,” moderated by Dr. Marty Becker, featured Dr. Ragen McGowan, Heather Lewis, an architect/designer of vet hospitals and animal care facilities, and Dr. Tony Buffington. More nuggets from this session:

Cat and dogs see in different light spectrum, so offer enough space, a quiet place, and colors in their spectrum (blues/greens) that are soothing.
Cats and dogs like pastel colors best
Choice of lighting makes a difference in stress. Incandescent lighting and fluorescent are poor choices compared to the much better LED lights that are perceived more like natural sunlight.
Having a cat at a higher level changes the cat’s attitude and reduce stress–be sure cats get higher cage levels in vet clinics/shelters (and make options available in your home!)
Some stress is GOOD—such as puzzles or something to learn. Pets often CHOOSE to go with the more difficult challenge (a puzzle toy rather than full food bowl).
New “fear free” cages have horizontal bars and a place to “hide” the pet’s face at bottom. Vertical bars obstruct vision for the cats and cause added stress and horizontal provide unobstructed views.
Volunteers visiting pets in shelters for just 15 minutes lowers the dog’s stress significantly

 

The third panel, “Raising Pets and Kids” was moderated by Dr. Zara Boland, and featured Jayne Vitale (North Shore Animal League), Stasha Becker (Photographer), behaviorist Dr. Ilana Reisner and Charley Bednarsh, director of Children’s Services, Brooklyn Family Justice Center. Additional nuggets from this great session:

Dogs have been with people for 35-40 thousand years, in a symbiotic relationship that today goes beyond simple survival.
Are families evolving to fit pets needs, or are pets evolving?
Today it’s vital we teach children empathy as a skill.
Damaged kids identify with shelter pets–both may be orphans, homeless or have suffered terrible experiences. Pets allow kids to voice their fears and experiences
People are made up of memories, and pets can empower people during tragedy that “you can change for the better” and survive.

Stay tuned for the next blog on the “experiential” side of the event. And meanwhile, you can learn more at this link to #BetterWithPets.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner in the sidebar. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

 

Make Hide & Seek Fun and Safe with #NuzzleSmartCollar

Lots of y’all have read my dog-viewpoint thrillers and know how much I enjoy weaving fact among the thrilling fiction, with care, behavior and pet safety at the top of my list. When something I made up in my fiction becomes reality–as with Nuzzle® Smart GPS collar–I get shivers of delight. Read on…

Image courtesy of Nuzzle.

This post is sponsored by The Nuzzle Smart GPS Collar and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Nuzzle Indiegogo Crowd Funding Campaign, but Bling, Bitches & Blood only shares information relevant to our readers. Nuzzle is not responsible for the content of this article.

In my second thriller HIDE AND SEEK, a fictional GPS pet tracking collar is instrumental in nailing the bad guy, with help from my canine hero. The technology was based on then-current kid products that were expensive, complicated to set up, cost a monthly fee, and had a limited two-mile effective range. But let’s face it…if your dog or cat takes off or gets picked up by do-gooders (or nefarious characters as in my fiction), two miles distance is nothing.

The thought of lost pets gives me nightmares, how about you? Magical-Dawg has upon occasion “gone south” on us in pursuit of evil coyotes, teasing bunnies, or who-knows-what. Karma-Kat has perfected a door-dashing escape plan, and we lucked out when Magic managed to track and lure home our AWOL delinquent cat. In her youth, Seren-Kitty disappeared a time or two and gave us heart attacks before we realized she was in the house hiding (and snickering at our frantic antics). In other words, my premise for HIDE AND SEEK arose from real life fears.

Magic loves running…anywhere! and has multiple IDs just in case. Image copr. Amy Shojai, CABC

I’ve got multiple layers of pet ID on all my pets. Magic has an ear tattoo (now faded), and he and the cats have collars with tags and also are microchipped. I’m still a huge fan of these precautions, but for them to work, the pet first has to be found.

Imagine my delight to learn about Nuzzle, a GPS collar tracking system that’s waaaaay better than what my poor characters experienced with my made-up product. If you care about your pets’ safety, you owe it to them (and yourself) to check this out. You can follow them on Facebook here.

Image courtesy of Nuzzle.

Nuzzle uses a cellular network like your cell phone and has NATIONWIDE coverage (at short range it uses bluetooth), that integrates with the Nuzzle GPS Tracker App. You can define a “geo-fence” so the App sends you alerts if your pet moves out of those regions. All you do is put on the lightweight GPS collar, download the app, and then register your pet’s profile. If you prefer, you can also detach the Nuzzle tracker portion from the nylon collar and re-attach to your pet’s own collar or harness.

Even if you have a homebody pet like my 19-year-old Seren-Kitty, you can keep track of activity when you’re away from home to see if she’s napping, or rearranging the furniture. Just imagine, you’ll be able to find your cat’s most secret hiding spot! That’s right, Nuzzle works on cats as well as dogs. The app is another nifty way to keep your pet’s health records in a handy, accessible location.

There are no monthly fees, either. All that’s factored into the one-time price of the collar. In my thriller, the hero worries about battery life in the fictional device. The Nuzzle comes with two batteries so one can always be charging, and each battery lasts up to five days.

Nuzzle offers a great way to find pets that stray.

The pets featured in next book deal with being stolen, surviving tornadoes and flash flood, among other things. They sure could have benefited from a waterproof GPS tracking collar like Nuzzle. In fiction, it’s entertaining to read about heroic people and pets that overcome outrageous odds to survive and bring bad guys to justice.

In real life, though, we want to prevent angst. How better than with the peace of mind of a GPS tracking collar? The Nuzzle collar and Nuzzle GPS Tracker App is currently only available via an Indiegogo campaign here where you can get in on early bird packages. I did–and I can’t wait to get mine!

Has your dog (or cat) ever gone missing? What sort of identification do you have on them? Do you have a plan for recovering your wandering pet? Do tell! And please share this post, with others concerned about wandering pets.

COMING SOON!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

 

Adopt A Dog Month: #BigLove Adoption Pledge

There are many ways people find the dog of their heart…some folks find a needy stray, others research and work to get on a waiting list for their true puppy love, still others rescue. One of the best places to find “second hand dogs” that become your “best in show” pick is your local shelter.

The puppies, and the cute small dogs have an advantage. I’m all for them getting homes, of course…but it’s the BIG dogs that seem to languish, despite having love as big as their hearts. So this year, the ASPCA’s push is to get some attention to the BIG DOGS!

Magical-Dawg thinks that’s PAW-some! So does Karma-Kat, who believes big dogs ROCK. Seren-Kitty (below) …meh, she’s not convinced any critter should share her home, LOL! But I’m here ta tell you that cats and BIG DOGS can be a beautiful thing.

Last week the blog covered lots of cat-centric topics to prevent cat fights as well as help feral felines, so it’s only fair to give equal time to dogs this week. We’re equal opportunity pet lovers here, and have a particular fondness for the big doggies. That’s only one reason my next thriller features some of the neato-torpedo bestest (and most misunderstood) big dogs around: Pit Bulls.

Each year, the ASPCA promotes October as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month to showcase the millions of gorgeous and worthy dogs who enter shelters each year. For 2015, the ASPCA is raising awareness by partnering with Animal Planet with a social media contest celebrating shelter dogs.

To help bring attention to adoptables during this special month, the ASPCA is doing a big push this year encouraging folks to consider adopting a big dog by running a #BigLove campaign which centers around the idea that it’s not the size of your home, it’s the size of your heart that matters.

For the contest, say why you think BIG dogs rock to be entered to win a pair of ASPCA Party Animal Pillows from PBteen. And if you’re a proud parent of a bigger-sized dog, please share their photo on social media using the hashtag #BigLove and tagging @ASPCA and they’ll share a few favorites!

Share photos of your shelter dog at www.aspca.org/MyRescueDog to be entered. Visit www.aspca.org/BigLove if you also believe it’s not the size of your home but the size of your heart that matters! Ready…set…GO!

SHOW AND TELL, COMING SOON! An animal behaviorist and her service dog race a deadly storm to expose a treacherous secret others will kill to protect.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Be sure to visit my PetHealthyStore for paw-some products for your furry wonders! Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Feral Cats, Our Responsiblity

When I adopted Seren, she also suffered from patches of hair loss from ringworm.

October 16 is National Feral Cat Day. North Texas is home to quite a large population of ferals–wild felines–that would benefit from a formal TNR program.

This is very close to my heart because 20 years ago, Seren-Kitty was dumped on the streets, and then two years ago Karma met the same fate. Had I not found and adopted them, their lives would have been much different.

Feral cats live life on the fringes. They breed, give birth, and raise kittens with little to no human contact. These are not pet cats gone wild (strays)–they are wild animals that really cannot be tamed unless caught as kittens. Even then, they may never be a typical pet cat, but face behavior challenges all their life.

Why should we care? Because if not managed properly, feral cats become a nuisance and health risk to owned cats, and even humans. Felines squabbling outside your window wind up your owned indoor cats and can result in cat fights, as I described in this post about cat fighs. Caring for ferals is also the ethical, humane thing for caring people to do.

What can be done? TNR has become the gold standard for managing feral cats. The acronym stands for “trap-neuter-return,” a program designed to control and decrease the numbers of roaming felines. TNR first appeared in Europe, and became better known once animal welfare societies in Great Britain began advocating the approach more than 30 years ago.

Louise Holton, an early proponent, first learned of TNR in the mid-1970s while living in South Africa. Once she moved to America, Holton founded Alley Cat Allies (ACA) in 1990 as an educational resource for humane methods of feral cat control.

Today, ACA is arguably the best organized of many such organizations and provides incredible support and information to cat lovers wanting to “do the right thing” for the feral felines in their communities. About 70% of cats who enter shelters are killed there, including virtually 100% of feral cats. That’s one reason so many people (up to 10 percent of people in the United States) have fed a stray or feral cat. People care–they often just aren’t sure what to do or where to find help. And simply setting out food only “feeds” the problem, it doesn’t manage or control the situation. But TNR does. I’ve written more extensively about the issue here.

A group of feral cats huddled together to keep warm, near the wall of an old abandoned home. Taken during -28C weather.

Trapped cats receive a health exam to identify very sick cats, which are humanely euthanized. That prevents the spread of disease. Healthy kitties are sterilized and vaccinated, to prevent reproduction or illnesses such as rabies.

Tame-able kittens are adopted while the wild adults live out their lives–sometimes a decade or longer–in the managed colony. Without vaccinations and sterilization, the cats’ lifespans would be much shorter, and they’d produce many more sick kittens destined to repeat the cycle. The removal of one ear tip identifies these cats as managed. The caregiver(s) monitor the colony and provides food and shelter.

Not everyone is a fan. People dislike the noise and mess of roaming cats, and the potential for disease such as rabies. They also may not want to spend funds on wild cats. But alternatives are more expensive.

Feral cats can rarely be tamed or easily contained by fences. Sanctuaries and shelters fill up too quickly and ferals are not good candidates for adoption–most would be euthanized if taken to the shelter.

Simply removing cats from the area that offers shelter and food won’t work. Once the original kitties are gone, other feral cats simply move back into that niche–a “vacuum effect.” But if you maintain the colony and keep it healthy and unable to reproduce, the ferals in the colony keep other cats out. Trap and kill programs have been tried–they were expensive and didn’t work because of this vacuum effect. Besides, most Americans dislike the notion of treating cats as vermin.

Alley Cat Allies and other educational resources have made great strides in educating the public about feral cat solutions. People on both sides of the TNR fence agree that owned cats should be sterilized and identified, and safely confined in some way.

Feral cat programs have impacted our world in an intangible but perhaps even more important way. TNR demonstrates that all cats have a value, even those that can’t be touched. We as human beings now recognized our ethical responsibility toward these community cats and that they should be cared for and treated humanely.

So what are you doing on October 16, National Feral Cat Day? Have you ever feed a “community cat” or adopted one? Does your community have a TNR program in place…or needs one?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Be sure to visit my PetHealthyStore for paw-some products for your furry wonders! Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Cat Fight! What to Do

Karma-Kat and Seren-Kitty engage in what appears to be a cat fight on almost a daily basis. From Karma’s standpoint, he wants to wrestle and play. Seren is not amused, and starts yowling at him to “back off, buster!” at the first hint he’s strolling her direction. Here’s the deal, though…no fur flies, nobody is injured, and Seren always comes back for more.

Thank cod!

Cats usually work out their social standing with posturing and kitty bluffs, and neither kitty gets hurt. However, the lowest ranking cat (often an older, or ill kitty like Seren) can become a target picked on by the other felines. Acting like a victim (slinking around, using submissive body language, hiding) is the equivalent of wearing a “kick me” sign and invites bullies to increase their bluster. Karma weighs more than twice as much as Seren’s 6-lb frame, and at 19 years old, my little Siamese wannabe has become quite frail. So these days, Karma spends time with Magic in my office while I work, and Seren gets some much appreciated alone time.

Cat-on-cat fights can result from any other kind, such as redirected aggression, play aggression, and fear aggression. Most intercat aggression involves intact same-gender cats, and gets worse during mating season. That’s why spaying or neutering before a year old decreases or prevents about 90 percent of intercat aggression.

WHY CATS FIGHT

The top reason for cat fights is improper introductions. It’s a cat “rule” that a strange cat should be kicked out of the territory, so just dumping the newbie in with your crew asks for trouble. Once cats experience an altercation, that can predispose them to future fights because the experience was so unpleasant, scary, painful, etc. Think of it this way: the more cats “practice” being aggressive, the more likely they are to simply trigger into a fight at each others’ presence.

Sometimes cats get along fine, until suddenly they don’t. That leaves us wondering, what happened? Often this is because cats reach social maturity at two to four years of age when many cats first challenge others for status.

Changes to the cat’s social group (new cat arrives or familiar cat dies/leaves) can prompt an increase in face-offs. Environmental changes such as moving or rearranging cat furniture or feeding/bathroom stations, also can cause the fur to fly. Basically, any change in the routine may leave one or more cats so stressed they take it out on each other.

Not enough space predisposes cats to territorial disputes. Cats mark property with cheek rubs, patrolling, and urine marking. Some diabolical felines lure others into their territory and then “discipline” the other cat for trespassing. Feline territorial aggression is notoriously hard to correct, and marking behavior is a hallmark of potential aggression. Outdoor cats are more aggressive on their home turf and the cat closest to home usually wins the dispute.

SIGNS OF CAT AGGRESSION

It’s not all about hissing, screaming and wrestling. Cats use lots of subtle behaviors to control space. I call it “kitty poker” and in the best of all possible worlds, one cat backs down without a fight, and life goes on. Because it’s so subtle, though, you may not recognize power plays until one cat’s had enough and launches into a full-on cat fight.

Cats use verbal and silent communication to elevate their status in the eyes of the other felines. They challenge each other with stares, forward-facing body position, hisses and growls, mounting behavior and nape bites, or blocking access to food, play, or attention. Some dominant cats use “power grooming” behavior—energetically licking the other cat—to make her move away.

Karma simply lies down on top of Seren, sort of a Sumo-Kitty move that makes her crazy and prompts her to give up her preferred bed. Yes, Karma’s a bit of a bully.

Never allow cats to “fight it out” as that rarely settles conflicts but makes matters worse. Manage with behavior modification, counter-conditioning, and sometimes drug therapy. The 10 tips below can help ease the strain and in some instances resolve intercat aggression.

10 TIPS TO PREVENT CAT FIGHTS

Reduce the urge to fight by adding more territorial space so the cats don’t have to share climbing, hiding, and perching areas. Create a house of plenty with MORE toys, cat trees, litter boxes and feeding stations than the cats can use all at once.
Electronic cat doors that can only be opened by the collared victim cat will allow her to access the entire home yet retreat to a safe area the aggressor can’t follow. These pet doors open in response to the magnetic “key” inside the collar. Look for “keyed” pet doors at pet products stores or on the Internet.
Avoid rewarding poor behavior. For instance, giving food or attention to the aggressive cat may calm the angst but actually pays her to be a bully. Instead, catch Sheba before she gets hissy and redirect her behavior with an interactive toy, such as a flashlight beam, to lure her into play in another direction. That can also help her associate good things with the other cat—rather than with being nasty.
If the toy doesn’t work, interrupt with an aerosol hiss. Then once the cat walks away and is calm, reinforce the desirable response—acting calm—by offering a treat, toy or attention.
Go back to basics and treat the aggressive cats as though introducing them for the first time. It’s best to give the victim cat the choice location of the house, and sequester the bully cat in the isolation room.
If you see no significant improvement within a week, talk with a veterinary behaviorist to see if drug therapy may be helpful. Drugs may help control the aggressive behavior in the bully cat, while decreasing the “kick me” defensive posturing and vocalizing of the threatened cat. Drugs aren’t a cure, but can be a tool that helps training work more effectively.
Once the signs of aggression, anxiety, and/or hyper-vigilance fade, begin to gradually expose the cats to each other in very controlled situations. Begin with the cats in carriers, or controlled with a harness and leash, at opposite ends of your largest room or longest hallway.
During each session feed cats tasty foods or engage in play. This helps both cats learn to associate each other with fun, positive rewards.
Interrupt unacceptable behavior (hisses, growls) with a squirt of compressed air or water gun, and toss small stinky treats to reinforce “good” (calm) behavior. Counter conditioning can take months and require much patience and time.
Once cats have learned to tolerate each other and are allowed to freely roam, create at least two feeding stations and two bathroom locations but the 1 1 rule is even better (one for each cat, plus one). Locate them so cats won’t be trapped or surprised when using either.

Thunder and fury with no blood spilled indicates they have excellent bite inhibition but few fights resulting in lots of damage indicate that at least one of the cats either has very poor inhibitions, or seriously wants to kill the other cat. Cats that hate each other and draw blood during fights have an extremely poor prognosis. When all tactics have failed to stop two indoor cats from fighting, then ultimately one cat may need to be placed in a new home or permanently segregated from the other in another part of the house. That’s NOT giving up—it’s making life better for the cats, and you.

Do your cats squabble? How do you manage the disputes?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Be sure to visit my PetHealthyStore for paw-some products for your furry wonders! Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Facts & Fiction

Busy busy busy…just wanted to update everyone on the FICTIONING front, as well as about other projects. I turned in first pass edits last Saturday and hope to soon have a publication date on SHOW AND TELL, woot! Once the book is ARC-ready, my Triple A team will get first dibs on reading previews. I’m hoping to have pre-orders up by the end of the month.

Wouldn’t it be cool to have preorders open up on National Pit Bull Awareness Day on October 24?

This weekend I’m finishing up the bonus chapter featuring the

And, I’ve decided to also incorporate in that chapter the main characters to my forthcoming Lei Crime KindleWorlds novella (which will also include “dog POV” . . . actually a Rottie puppy POV!). Read about that here.

I still need to get high quality photos of the Name That Dog/Cat contest winners, in order to put together the promo poster I promised, so I’ll be reaching out to those folks soon. And…if I can manage to squeeze this in as well, I’ll have a book trailer that includes an original song for folks to share.

Did I mention BUSY?!

I’m also in the process of completing my next two nonfiction books–I’ve already shared details about these books, as well as sample covers, with my Triple A Team, and will be sharing this next week with my Pet Peeves newsletter subscribers so sign up now if you want a sneak peak! Hoping to have these books out in time for the holidays:

CAT FACTS:  The Pet Parent’s A-to-Z Home Care Encyclopedia

DOG FACTS:  The Pet Parent’s A-to-Z Home Care Encyclopedia

Finally, in my so-called spare time, I’m directing the local high school musical, Legally Blonde. Hey, staying busy keeps me out of trouble, right?

Who needs sleep?

Do you ever over-commit? Not saying that I do, but…how do you manage it?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Be sure to visit my PetHealthyStore for paw-some products for your furry wonders! Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!

How to Make Pets Vomit

Most often we think of cat or dog vomiting as a bad, scary thing, but learning how to make your pet vomit could actually save his life. I’ve written about this before, but lately, I’ve had a number of messages from frantic pet owners along the lines of:

“HOLY SHITAKE! My dog just ate (raisins, Old Spice deoderant, chocolate, extension cord…) what do I do?”

Of course, a vet visit is needed but pets seem to “indulge” in these activities after the clinic has closed. And frankly, in some cases you need first aid immediately to reduce potential problems or even death.

There are cases where you should NOT make your pet vomit. Sharp objects need a vet’s attention immediately, and solutions like laundry detergent and drain cleaners, or petroleum products can burn coming back up just as much as going down. And it can become a choking danger with some poisons that cause swelling of the throat. Also, the stomach typically empties into the intestines in about 2 hours, and after that, vomiting won’t help.

Small foreign objects may pass within 24-72 hours, and you need to examine the stool to be sure everything comes out all right. *ahem* With swallowed coins, though, do NOT wait for them to pass. The metal made to create coins, once hit with digestive juices, can cause copper or zinc toxicity–these items need to be surgically removed.

But for many toxic substances and non-sharp foreign objects, making them vomit can save pets’ lives. Here’s what to do.

HOW TO MAKE PETS VOMIT

Give him a meal. That dilute poison, delays its absorption, and for solid objects, may increase digestive juices to get rid of rough edges, or simply pad the object. It’s also harder to induce vomiting when the pet’s stomach is too empty.
Give 3% hydrogen peroxide with an eyedropper, syringe without a needle or even a squirt gun or turkey baster. It tastes nasty and foams, and that combination usually prompts vomiting in about five minutes. You can repeat this dose two or three times, with five minutes between doses.
You’d think cats would be easy to induce vomiting (they “whoops” regularly with hairballs, after all) but they can be tough. Don’t wait for kitties if they don’t empty their tummy after one dose. Get them help.
Syrup of Ipecac is effective for dogs. Ipecac takes longer to work than hydrogen peroxide, though, and the dose should only be given once. Give one teaspoon for dogs less than 35 pounds, and up to a tablespoon for larger dogs.
When nothing else is handy, you can try giving table salt prompts dry, onto the back of the dog’s tongue. Only give one teaspoonful at a time for little pups or a tablespoonful for adults. Repeat in three minutes if the first dose doesn’t work.
Call the veterinarian for further instructions after the pet has emptied his stomach. If you can’t induce vomiting after a couple of tries, prompt veterinary care is even more important. In cases of suspected poison, take a sample of the vomit with you to the veterinarian to analyze and offer an antidote or other follow-up measures.

Has your dog or cat ever eaten something they shouldn’t? What was it? And what happened? How did you prevent a repeat of the episode? Do tell!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–click the banner, above. Be sure to visit my PetHealthyStore for paw-some products for your furry wonders! Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook,and get a FREE BOOK when you sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Want the insider info on the latest books and appearances? Join my team and get advance sneak peaks related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!