'Tis the Season

OK, it's been over a year since I've posted. But, I have good reasons. Well, not really, but KITTENS. 

So it's kitten season again and it has hit hard this year! As some of you may know, or not know, I am now the Foster Care Veterinary Technician at the Humane Society of Indianapolis, so this time of year I am basically the professional kitten lady. This past month we have set a new record with 250 animals in foster homes at one time, with the majority of these animals being kittens. That is insane! Kittens are practically falling from the sky!! (actually some co-workers rescued kittens stuck in a tree the so they really kind of are falling from the sky)

Just a few of the kittens I had the other day at work

Since we are seeing orphaned kittens turned in at an alarming rate I just wanted to throw out some quick reminders if you find kittens:

 WAIT! mom is probably around somewhere. Moms usually don't neglect their babies (unless they are super sick, stuck somewhere, or she's a new/young mom and doesn't know what she's doing). Please, please, please wait and see if mom comes back before taking a kitten away. Chances are she is in the process of moving her babies to a safe location and will be very sad if she comes back to find them gone. Kittens are so much better off with mom for at least the first month. Not to mention if you leave mom out there she will continue to have babies. We need to get mom cats spayed!! More spays this year means less orphaned babies next year!

If mom does not come back or you have reason to believe she will not come it's important to know the basics of kitten care. Warmth, food (kitten milk replacer/kitten food, please do not give them cow's milk!), and pottying (if too young to go on their own) are the key components. *There is more detailed information in a previous post about how to do all of this. 

If you are unable to care for the kittens and need to surrender them to a shelter please contact or research the shelter first about their policies. Unfortunately, not all shelters are equipped to care for neonates. They require constant care and will typically need to be placed in a foster home until they are old enough to be spayed/neutered. If you want to keep the kittens shelter workers would be happy to educate you on proper care and point you in the direction of the necessary resources needed. 

Luckily this litter of newborns came into the shelter with their mom

Ok, so maybe that wasn't necessarily quick, but it's all super important. Together we can end animal suffering and overpopulation one kitten at a time!



Until next time (and I promise it won't be over a year from now)

Holy Kitten Season!

Well, I think it's offically here...it's 

Kitten Season!

So Kitten Season, it sounds adorable and fun and I can't lie, obviously I adore kittens. BUT Kitten Season is a serious issue. 

What is Kittens Season? Kitten Season is typically April through September/October. However, it seems that Kitten Season has been starting early and ending later! Basically Kitten Season is a time when shelters are FLOODED with kittens. All the boy and girl kitties have been spending a lot of time together and now the ladies are having all their babies. 

The problem with Kitten Season is the central problem for animal shelters overall: OVERPOPULATION. Basically there are more kittens than there are resources and adopters. Also Kitten Season is often a time where shelters, especially the foster programs, see a lot of fatalities. This is because of all the disease potential for little babies. They don't have a fully developed immune system so they are more likely to contract fatal diseases.

Kitten Season is a cructial time for fostering. Shelters without a strong foster program are often forced to euthanize any bottle babies and their kittens are more likely to contract diseases. Fostering allows the kittens to receive the full attention and care they require and a safe home with less potential for diseases. 

So, here's what you can do to help. #1- SPAY AND NEUTER. Your pets, your friends pets, your neighbors pets, the feral cats in you neigborhood, EVERYONE! #2- If you are capable consider fostering for your local shelter! There is always a need, espeically this time of year! 

If you find any kittens alone, wait before you grab them. It is possible mom is nearby and is in the process of moving her babies. Wait a little bit and keep an eye on them to see if mom comes back. Kittens have their best chance if they stay with mom (considering mom is healthy and taking proper care of them). Make sure momma gets good nutrition and once the babies are weaned and independent, SPAY THE MOMMA CAT! 

My First Litter of the Season! 4 Little Kittens!

Cat Toy Tuesday: Scratching Mat

Today I went to Petsmart. I had the urge to go and spoil all of my current furbabies! I came back with a wheel and some chew toys for the ASF rats, some new treats for the foster babies, and a new scratching mat and snake toy for Merlin! It was a successful trip for all! 
So for I figured why not feature one of today's purchases for this week's Cat Toy Tuesday! 

Here it is, Merlin's new scratching mat and snake. He already loves the mat! It has 2 different scratching surfaces and a pocket with a hidden mouse! Merlin has been spending a lot of time playing with the kittens lately, but I know he appreciates having some toys that are just for him!

Pet Dental Health

February is Pet Dental Health Month! Unforunately a lot of pet owners don't realize their pets need dental care. It's more than just clean teeth and good breath, dental health is super important to the animal's overall heath. Dental disease can lead to infections throughout the body including the heart! These disases can be life threatening. 

The best thing to do is prevent this from occuring! How do you prevent it? Regular dental care! This ranges from providing food and treats that help with cleaning teeth, brushing your dog or cat's teeth daily (Be sure though that you use toothpase specially made for pets), and of course veterinary visits. Every animals is different so how often they need a dental cleaning varies, but typically you should schedule their first appointment when they are about 3 years old (your vet should always examine your pets teeth at all wellness visits and will let you know when it is time- but don't hesitate to ask!). Regular dental cleanings helps to prevent severe tarter buildup that leads to infections; and it's much easier, healthier (and cheaper) to prevent disease than try to treat it!

Cat Toy Tuesday: Kittty City

This week's toy is pretty unique because there's actually lots of different pieces you can get and build your own "kitty city". 

I only have one piece now but I plan to get more and build onto it over time! 

I've seen the sets at Target and Walmart, they're not too expensive either! I love all the different options- you can change it up every once in a while to make it feel new for your kitty!

Why Do Cats Do That?

It's no secret, cats are weird. They do a lot of things that can seem strange and hard to understand. So, I have put together a small list of strange things cats do and why they do them. 

Purring: Typically the thought is a purring cat is a happy cat. Well, purring can actually mean a lot of different things. Most commonly purring is associated with happiness and being calm but other times cats may purr due to nervousness and stress. This is why it's super important to understand body language (as I discussed last week) so you can determine what a purring cat is really feeling. Purring has another interesting function. Research has shown that purring can also be used as a healing mechanism. This means a cat that is really sick may purr more as an attempt by the body to heal itself. Pretty cool! 

Kneading: (Or as I like to call it "making buscuits.") A kneading kitty is typically a happy, calm kitty! When a kitty is kneading they are getting comfortable. It's the same action a kitten does when nursing from momma. 

Suckling Fabric: I'm sure I'm not the only one with a cat that does this.  Merlin does this all the time with fleece blankets. He does it for a little bit and then falls asleep. Typically it is also paired with kneading. Again, this is a calming behavior mimicking nursing. I have read that it is more common is kitties that were orphaned at a young age. 

Bringing You "Presents": If you have a cat that spends time outside you may have experienced this. After a kitty has hunted it may present you with it's prey. This is actually a good behavior, the kitty is literally giving you a present. So take it as a compliment, even though it's really gross! 



That's a super small list of some strange things cats do and why. If you have any particular behaviors your cat does that you think is strange leave a comment and I will do another post with even more strange cat behaviors! 

Cat Toy Tuesday: Cheese Chase

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday was one of the many gifts brought by Santa Claws! It's the Petstages Cheese Chase! 

It has a tube on the outside that has a ball to chase around as well as on the inner circle, and topped with a mouse! 

The kittens seem to have a lot of fun playing with it! 

Cat Body Language

Cats can be confusing. They communicate with us all the time through body language but how do you know what they are trying to say? Well, I'm going to touch on some basics to help you understand your kitty a little bit better. 

Cats say a lot with their body language. Knowing how to read them can tell you a lot about how your cat is feeling.

First you can look at overall body position. The the left is a good chart showing increasingly fearful and agressive cats. The top left is a normal content cat. A cat that is a combination of fearful and agressive are the most dangerous kind. It is best to leave them alone to let them calm down. 

It's important to look at other specific body parts for clues on how they feel. The key things to look at are their face (eyes, ears) and tail. Other things can give clues too but those are the main ones that are easy to remember and focus on. 


Eyes
The pupil size is one of the first indicators a cat is fearful/agressive. This is due to basic physiology. As a cat gets stressed their sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) kicks in which causes dilation of the pupils. So if you see a cat with super dilated pupils (in a well lit room) they are stressed. Don't just look at the pupils though, also look at the spae of the eye and eyelids. A cat with wide eyes is alert and more likely to be fearful or agressive. A calm cat usually has their eyes half closed. One of my favorite forms of cat communication is the slow blink. Some call it the cat "i love you." You can slow blink at a cat and if they slow blink at you that means they are comfortable and content! It may take time to get a cat to reciprocate the slow blink, but be patient- it's really rewarding when they do! 

Check out Ariya's eyes. You can see she is very relaxed based on her normal pupil size and her eyelids are partially closed. 

This is former foster Hazel. She was terrifed the first day she came home with me. You can see her pupils are dilated and her eyes are very wide. Also her ears are pointed to the side (see below about ears)

Ears
The ears are also used a lot to indicate how a cat feels. Erect ears are a sign of a content kitty. A more fearful or aggressive kitty with have their ears straight out, pointing back, or pinned back on their head. These are all signs to go slow and be cautious. 
Tail
The tail is another good indicator. The most content cat will walk with their tail up and a slight swaying of the tip. This is a confident happy cat! The lower the tail is dropped, the more fearful the cat is. They may hold their tail closer to the body and toward the ground. An aggressive cat will typically fluff out their tail. This is called piloerection (the hair stands up). This is a big indicator that a cat is angry and likely to be aggressive. 

Minnie had a big scare when her little foster brother (literally 1/2 her size at this time) jumped out from behind a shoe and startled her! This is a good picture showing piloerection.

So thats a super basic review of kitty body language. Next week I am going to continue the behavior theme and answer common questions about what certain behaviors mean. If you have any that you would like for me to answer leave a comment and I will be sure to include it in next weeks post! 

Cat Toy Tuesday: Go Cat Go!

This weeks cat toy is the Go Cat Go! collection! I have 2 toys from the brand and they are some of the kittens' favorites- even Merlin loves them! 

I have "da bird" which simply looks like a feather wand, but it's super awesome! it is weighted so when you make it "fly" it actually resembles a bird flying. All the cats I have use it with go CRAZY for it! 

The other one I have is the "cat chaser" which again looks like a super simple toy. I don't really understand it but the cats can't get enough of this one! I have found Merlin on several occasions stealing the toy and playing with it on his own! 

So if you are looking for a toy to tire your furbabies out I absolutely recommend da bird or the cat chaser! 

They are sold online or you can visit Petco! 

Keeping Pets Warm in Cold Weather

It has been ridiculous kinds of cold here in Indiana. When it gets this cold out I can't help but think of all the homeless animals, ferals, and pets that are stuck outside. So if you have outdoor pets or a feral colony here are some tips for keeping them warm: 

Bring Them Inside!!- I know this doesn't work for feral animals but if you have a pet that spends time most of it's time outside please consider bringing them inside your house when it is this cold. You may think its cruel to keep them inside because they love being outside but trust me, in this weather  they're better off inside. 

Insulated Shelter- If bringing an animal inside is not an option please give them a warm shelter they can stay in. This could be a warm/heated barn or garage or simply take a box and insulate it with another layer and  straw (picture below). 

This design uses 2 thick storage boxes and straw. You can also use a syrofoam cooler or insulation instead of an inner storage box. 

Heated Water Bowls- If you have animals outside that you are feeding please get a heated water bowl for their water. In cold temperatures the water in regular bowls will freeze and the animals will not be able to drink. Severe dehydration is fatal so it is crucial they get their water!
Heated Blankets/Mats/Anything- A good addition to the insulated shelter is heated blankets or mats. This can give them an extra warm place to sleep and stay safe and comfortable. 

So when you are inside snuggled up in a blanket with your hot chocolate don't forget about the animals suffering in this cold weather, too.
Tip: dogs and cats make excellent cuddles buddies when it's cold!  


***Don't forget- your car can seem like a warm shelter to outdoor animals. Before starting your car check for any sleeping kitties! Also make some noise- bang on the hood of the car- to encourage them to get out. Turning your car on with kitties using it as shelter is deadly to them. 

New Year=More Blogging

I'm back! Sorry for the long hiatus, with the holidays and moving I have been super busy! But now I am all settled into my new place and ready to get back on track! The plan is to have new posts Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays will continue to be Cat Toy Tuesday (and other types of cat products) while Thursday will focus on a variety of topics. I am excited to get back into blogging and hope you all enjoy! 

If you have any reccomendations of topics you'd like me to post about or any awesome toys you recommend please comment on here or Instagram/Facebook!

So Today's Cat Toy Tuesday isn't so much just one toy. Some of you may not know I just moved to Indianapolis at the begining of the year to start my job at the Humane Society of Indianapolis (I still have one more semester of school left and am commuting once a week for classes on campus- the rest are online). So when looking at apartments it was super important for me to have a extra room for-you guessed it- KITTENS! So the apartment I have is super awesome and has a loft that I have turned into Kitten Playground! 

I made this sign that is now hanging at the bottom of the stairs leading up to Kitten Playground!

Panoramic View! Hard to tell but all the pictures on the back wall are of all my former foster kittens!

I love having a separate room to keep all things kitten! There is space for multiple kennels and of course tons of toys! I love that I can let kittens out to play more often and not have to worry about them getting into stuff they shouldn't. Being a loft as opposed to a closed off room I had to do some kitten-proofing. One of the walls is actually a 1/2 wall and looks down to the stairs. As you can imagine this could be dangerous if kittens get curious and decide to jump onto the ledge. So I (with help from my awesome mom) came up with an idea to seal it off. It's pretty simple- we just got some fabric and nailed it to the ceiling and the wall- and voila no tempting ledge to kittens to jump onto. Another problem was that there is no door. Currently I am using a tall pet gate to block off the stairs when kittens are out. Eventually I plan to install a more permanant gate/door. 

Kitten Playground also doubles as my office! You can see the fabric "wall" behind my desk

There's also a 1/2 bath and big storage closet attached which is super handy! I love the storage closet, it has lots of space for all my extra kennels and other supplies. 

I got an awesome storage shelf for in the closet for all my kitten supplies!




For all of you wondering about Merlin- don't you worry! He is loving his new home, in fact he has his own "room!" Check out Merlin's Man Cave located under the stairs!

Preparing for the Holidays: Gifts

For some reason a lot of people thing giving a pet as a Christmas gift is a good idea. In some cases it can be a good gift, but usually not. If the recipient wants the pet and a lot of thought and consideration has been put into it, it can be a good idea. However, if a puppy or kitten is given as a surprise, they usually end up being returned. 
Puppies and kittens are cute, but they are a lot of work. Giving a puppy or kitten as a gift is like saying "here, take this pooping machine that is going to requre a lot of care and a lot of extra money." Unforunately most of the time these animals find their way back the the shelter after Christmas. 

I have a couple ideas that can give the gift of a puppy or kitten, but without the year long commitment. 
1. Volunteer at the Shelter! If you know someone that would love nothing more than to get doggy kisses and play with kitties Chirstmas morning, go volunteer! It's a perfect way to get your animal fix and also give the animals a special gift of love! 
2. Foster of Course! Why not foster over the holidays! There's nothing like waking up doggy or kitty kisses Chirstmas morning! It's also nice to be able to give a homeless animal the gift of a home on Christmas! I'll be spending my Christmas with my fosters Tinsel, Noel, and Stevie-- they even have their own stockings!
3. Donate! I love the idea of making a donation in someones name for Christmas. Some places even let you pick a specific animal to sponser and they will send pictures and information about the animal. When I was younger I "got a koala" for my birthday and it's still one of my favorite presents I ever got. I did this last year for my sister with a donkey rescue (she loves donkeys). She absolutely loved it and the rescue really appreciated the support. 

So please think it through if you are considering adopting an animal for the holidays. If you do decide to do not make it a surprise. Everyone in the family needs to be on board and prepared for the life long commitment.

Noel is Dreaming of Santa Paws!

Preparing for the Holidays: Food

This week's post is about making your holidays pet friendly is about food. It's pretty similar to the Thanksgiving post, but it's a good reminder! Remember, if you aren't sure if a food is safe for your pet just don't feed it! The best thing for your pet to eat is food properly formulated for them. 

So here's a list (it's almost identical to the Thanksgiving one) of foods to avoid feeding your pets: 
1. Turkey skin, drippings, bones, etc. 

The skin and drippings can cause inflammation of the pancreas and intestines from all the fat in it. Also bones are commonly swallowed and the animal is uable to pass it. That requires foreign body surgery which is not cheap or a good time for your pet.

2. Onion and Garlic- these are toxic to your pets! Avoid giving anything containing these products.

3. Rasins and Grapes- again these are toxic to dogs, so just don't 

4. Anything high in fat- mashed potatoes, candied yams, etc. animals shouldn't have a diet high in fat and it can cause issues like pancreatitis. 

5. Chocolate- again, toxic. Baking chocolate is the most toxic type followed by dark chocolate. If you are baking with chocolate keep your pets away from it!

6. Alcohol- Alcohol will cause toxicity 

7. Bread Dough- ok bread dough does two things in the animals body that makes it bad. First of all when it mixes with the warm temperature of the animals body the dough begins to rise. This becomes a problem and causes bloating and possibly impaction requiring surgical removal. Also as it rises a chemical reaction is happening causing fermentation which results in alcohol toxicity 

stay tuned for more Holiday tips! And wish me luck on my week full of finals coming up!

Preparing for the Holidays: Decorations

I've been a little absent from the blog lately but trust me, I've been very busy with foster kitten related things! But now I am back and ready to talk about all things Holiday related!!!

So the holidays are a super exiciting time, but it can be a little overwhelming for pets! For the month of December I am going to talk about preparing for the holidays with kittens including topics like decorating, food, and family. 

Former Foster Kittens Lily and Olive Love the Christmas Decorations

After Thanksgiving everyone is getting ready for Christmas and decorating! Some decorations that are pretty to us can be dangerous to pets. 

Here is a breif list of common decoratons that may be dangerous for kittens.

1. Christmas Tree: As you can imagine, a Christmas tree can be seen as a fun toy for kittens! If you have a kitten that likes to climb and scratch it may be smart to keep your tree out of reach of kittens or teather it to the wall. After you first put up the tree keep an eye on your kittens and see how they react. 

Olive Had to Check Out the Tree!

2. Tinsel: Avoid using tinsel for decorating if you have pets. Kitties LOVE to play with anything shiny, so tinsel is gold for them. Unfortunately ingested tinsel can be very dangerous for kittens and require emergency surgery. 

3. Ornaments: Be mindful of what ornaments you hang on your tree. Anything breakable should be placed closer to the top out of reach of curious kittens. I also recommend using ribbon instead of metal hooks for hanging them. 

4. Lights!: Again, it depends on the cat, some cats love to chew on wires, so cats don't care. If yours chews a lot them keep wiring out of reach!

5. Holiday Plants: There is a lot of confusion when it comes to what holiday plants are poisonous; here is the scoop. 

     Amaryllis: Toxic

     Christmas Cactus: Not Toxic 

     Poinsettia: Not Toxic (I know a lot of people think so but no they are not) 

     Holly: Berries- Not Toxic, Leaves- Toxic 

     Mistletoe: Toxic 

Although some plants are not toxic they can still cause some GI upset, so you should still keep all plants out of reach, but don't panic if they happen to nibble on a non-toxic plant. 

If you have any questions or tips on kitty proofing for the Holidays leave a comment! 

Olive Thought the Christmas Town was Missing Something!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

In honor of the holiday known for eating lots of food I'm going to go through so foods you should not feed your pets today. I know it can be difficult to say no to their adorable face, but many of these foods can be very dangerous. 

1. Turkey skin, drippings, bones, etc. 

The skin and drippings can cause inflammation of the pancreas and intestines from all the fat in it. Also bones are commonly swallowed and the animal is uable to pass it. That requires foreign body surgery which is not cheap or a good time for your pet.

2. Onion and Garlic- these are toxic to your pets! Avoid giving anything containing these products like stuffing

3. Rasins and Grapes- again these are toxic to dogs, so just don't 

4. Anything high in fat- mashed potatoes, candied yams, etc. animals shouldn't have a diet high in fat and it can cause issues like pancreatitis. 

5. Chocolate- again, toxic. Baking chocolate is the most toxic type followed by dark chocolate. 

6. Alcohol- Alcohol will cause toxicity 

7. Bread Dough- ok bread dough does two things in the animals body that makes it bad. First of all when it mixes with the warm temperature of the animals body the dough begins to rise. This becomes a problem and causes bloating and possibly impaction requiring surgical removal. Also as it rises a chemical reaction is happening causing fermentation which results in alcohol toxicity 

So those are the main food you may be serving today that you need to keep away from your pets. Also If there are other foods you aren't sure about the best thing to do is assume it's not safe. Just keep some dog/cat treats on hand so they can enjoy a thanksgiving day treat. 

Throughout December I am going to write educational posts about how to get through the holidays with your pets. This will include more toxic substances to keep the away from, decorating with pets in mind, and keeping your pets stress free with guests. So get pumped! 

Cat Toy Tuesday 11

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is an exiciting one! Santa Paws came early this year for foster kittens and delivered their present-- a brand new kennel!

The kennel is awesome! It is just as wide as the old kennel but it's super tall! There are 3 shelves and ramps. And also an adorable hammock. 

Killian has been the only kitten to try out the new kennel so far (being blind I have decided to house Stevie separately- I don't want him falling and hurting himself--but he and Killian still get play time together!) and he seems to really love it. It's awesome how it allows different levels for litter box, food, and bedding. And lots of room to run and jump. 

Even Momma Merlin has gotten some use out of it!

I did a ton of research and price shopping to pick out the perfect tall kennel. I am very happy with my choice and think this is the perfect upgrade for my kitten crew! 

I'm Back!

I have emerged from my cave of studying!! First of all I passed by VTNE *wootwoot*. So once it's all offical I will be an RVT! 

But to more exciting news and why you are here in the first place, I have a new foster kitten! If you follow me on Instagram you have already seen my adorable new baby! His name is Stevie (previouslyHammy). He is a sweet little ball of fur and just happens to be blind. One eye is completely ruptured and the other has severe scarring over it making him unable to see anything but light through it. Once is big and strong he will have surgery to have both eyes removed. This may seem extreme but not only are the eyes not functional, keeping them can serve as a risk for furture infections and problems. Plus I'm sure it's not very comfortable for him. When I first got him he was a terrifed little thing (can't blame him) but he's now a typical crazy kitten! You wouldn't even know he was blind when watching him play!

Meet Stevie!

Merlin is such a good momma!

Don't panic! I still have Mr. Killian. He isn't quite ready for a forever home with his bad attitude! The little man was definitely feral in his past life. But he is improving! He is great with me, Merlin, and his new little brother Stevie! He is still hesitiant and scared around new people but that is improving with time.

Here's Killian and a Sneak Peak of my new kennel! It will be featured on the next Cat Toy Tuesday!

On Tuesday my kitten crew and I are heading home for Thanksgiving. So stay tuned for some special posts about keeping your pets/fosters safe over the holidays! 

Cat Toy Tuesday 10

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is the fish! (or the one-eyed fish in my case)

My mom actually got the fish for her kitten's from Drs Foster and Smith. When it came it was missing an eye so she called the company and they sent her another one for free and let her keep the one-eyed one. So of course I had to rescue the poor one-eyed fish!

The fish is super cute and has a soft pad on the inside. Killian likes to lay in it but he also like to play climbing all over it! 

The Humane Society of Indianapolis

Today I am going to talk about the lovely organization I foster for, The Humane Society of Indianapolis. 

So I first started working with HSI this past summer for my vet tech externship, but I first discovered them my sophomore year. I was already researching potential externship oppurtunities my sophomore year (the externship takes place the summer before senior year). I always had interest in shelter medicine so I did research on various shelters. I came across a lot, but HSI really stuck out for me. They became my first choice and I got it! 

The Shelter is so Welcoming!

What really drew me to HSI in the first place is their mission. I really liked that they focused on all the aspects necessary to provide good welfare and increase quality of life to all animals including medical treatment, behavior training, and of course fostering. 

"OUR VISION: 
All central Indiana animals are treated with dignity and respect and live free from cruelty, harm and neglect.

OUR MISSION:
The Humane Society of Indianapolis is the leading voice for the welfare of animals and improving their quality of life. IndyHumane is the first choice in providing direct services for shelter cats and dogs, including adoption, foster home placement, behavior training, appropriate medical care, and affordable spay/neuter services. As the voice for the animals, IndyHumane brings together like-minded, animal-focused individuals and groups to educate the public about animal welfare issues and concerns. For over 100 years, it’s all about the animals."
-From the IndyHumane Website http://indyhumane.org/index.php/about_us/vision

Once I met the people at HSI I loved it even more.  They absolultely live by their mission. Everyone there is truly passionate about the work they do. They always give 110% to every animal. To them it doesn't matter where they came from, it's about their potential and giving them the best life possible. I have seen them take some animals that would be considered "unadoptable" or "a hopeless case" and get them completely turned around and adopted into lovely forever homes. They strive to give all animals a fighting chance. 

HSI also works to help the community through community outreach and education. They offer a low cost vaccine clinic and low cost spay/neuter surgeries. There is even a special program for community cats and TNR. 

IndyHumane has 2 Locations; One is the Main Shelter Campus and the Other is the Animal Welfare Center. The Animal Welfare Center Offers Services Such as Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Community Cat Packages, Low Cost Vaccine/Wellness, and Community Outreach. 

Just like all rescues/shelters, IndyHumane cannot do all of this alone. They rely on donations, volunteers, and foster parents to help them succeed. So, if you are looking for somewhere to volunteer, donate, foster, or adopt I highly recommend Indy Humane. I cannot say enough good things about the organization and the people that work there. 

Here is a link to their website 
http://indyhumane.org/index.php

I'd love to hear from others what organizaitons they foster/volunteer/work for. It's important to remember that all shelters/rescues are working toward the same goals, so we must work together in order to accomplish them!

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween! 

Not gonna lie, my favorite thing about Halloween is all the black cat decorations. Is that weird? Probably...

Well, black cats are awesome. However because of silly stories about being bad luck and their association with Halloween black cats don't get a lot of love. In fact they are less likely to be adopted, which is ridiculous.

So if you are looking to adopt don't overlook these sweet kitties. You never know, you may be lucky enough to be loved by a black cat!

My former foster Olive is showing her Halloween spirit! And a bonus: When you have a black cat you can save money on decorations! 

Halloween can be lots of fun but it can also be dangerous for pets. So, here are a couple tips for keeping your furry friends safe this Halloween

1. If you plan to take your pups out for trick or treating be sure to keep them on a secure leash and if your pup doesn't do well around kids and crowds leave them at home to celebrate.

2. If you're staying home to pass out candy be sure your pets are safe. With the constant opening of the door they are more likely to get out.

3. And don't forget the candy! Chocolate and other ingredients in candies like artificial sweeteners are very toxic to cats and dogs, not to mention the wrappers are commonly eaten and require surgical removal. Keep all candy out of reach!

So have a happy and safe Halloween!

My friends and I dressed up at black cats (queens!) for the vet tech Halloween party at school! 

Merlin's not a black cat, but he thinks they're pretty cool!