Do we have hypoallergenic cats??
We get this question a LOT! and NO, we don't - for a few reasons... First and foremost, hypoallergenic cats DON'T exist! Contrary to popular belief, cats that shed less are not less allergy inducing than other cats - allergies to cats come from their "saliva, skin, and urine" (https://pets.webmd.com/cats/features/do-hypoallergenic-cats-exist#1) - NOT their fur! Long haired, short haired, or even hairless cats are not any more or less allergen inducing than the other. Second, even if specific breeds of cats were less allergy inducing - we don't have any cats that are specific breeds - this is a rescue!! And we would never, EVER condone 'shopping' for a cat from a breeder. Breeding animals when so many are homeless and die every day is NEVER responsible. Period. #adoptdontshop HOWEVER, there are things you can do to reduce pet allergens in your home! There are special air filters, human allergy treatments (make sure it's the pet you're actually allergic to!), even a brand new cat food that may help reduce allergens in the home (https://www.purina.com/pro-plan/cats/liveclear-cat-allergen-reducing-food)!! Check out some of these additional resources and learn more about cat allergens (and your own allergies!) before you decide to adopt!
1 Comment
When is the last time your kitty visited the vet? This past year has been crazy for everyone, but did you know - kitties should always see the vet a MINIMUM of once a year for routine wellness exams, vaccinations and preventative care! That is why we require current, up to date records from the vet for any other animals in the home when adopting a new kitty friend. Kitties are VERY good at hiding when they don't feel good - the most common signs are behavior changes, changes in eating and drinking habits, and litter box use. The vet can also detect changes over time with regular visits and 'head to tail' examinations! If it's been over a year, or you're not sure when your kitty last visited the vet, give them a call MEOW! And be kind - our veterinary teams have been through a LOT in the last year and most are operating with minimal staff, doing 'curbside' visits to keep everyone safe, and doing their very best to help us take the best care of our kitty friends! Further resources and reading: - One of the main reasons people don't take their cat to the vet is because it's hard to get them in the carrier/ride in the car to the vet! You can use these and other ways (pheromone spray/wipes, top open carriers...) to reduce stress and get your kitty to the vet! Picture this: you have ONE toilet... possibly shared with a few others in your home... It gets flushed about once a week, and it's in the basement, in the dark, next to a big scary loud machine - sound good to you?? Would you feel comfortable going with that setup? Now picture this: you DON'T indeed feel comfortable with that setup - but nature calls!! What do you do?? Kitties going outside the litterbox is one of the TOP reasons for kitties being rehomed, euthanized, relinquished to shelters, or simply kicked out to fend on their own outside... when all they're doing is telling you SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE in the only way kitties know how. 1 - ALWAYS always bring your kitty to the vet for a checkup if they are having litter box issues! You have to rule out medical issues (urinary infection, pain associated with the litter box/litter (you'll see this a LOT in declawed cats!!!), or other medical issues causing them to avoid the box) before you can consider behavioral issues. Kitties are VERY good at hiding when they don't feel well - the #1 signs are inappropriate litter box use and unusual eating/drinking habits. 2 - Examine your litterbox setup - imagine that was YOUR potty area... how would you feel about going there? Is it private and quiet? Is it easy to get in/out of? Are there enough for everyone? Is it clean? If you aren't sure what your kitty is trying to tell you - they may not like the location, type or smell of their litterbox - try something new! Add another box with another type of litter in a different location and see if they prefer that one! Avoid things like scented litter (yuck - cat's don't need their potty area to smell like lavender, as much as humans may like it - that is something that is 1000% marketed to humans and completely unnecessary and potentially harmful for kitties), covered/too small boxes, noisy/busy locations and tall sided boxes (especially for our senior or declawed friends! DON'T get me started on 'potty training' your cat to use a toilet - this is a HUGE NO NO! 3 - do some research on kitty potty behavior - scent and marking are SO important to cats! Ever wonder why they like to scratch things? It's NOT because they like to ruin furniture. Why they bury their potty? Why they get the after potty zoomies sometimes? The best and most important thing we can do for our pets is to try and understand why they do what they do. Everything is an instinct - they don't pee on your clothes because they're a jerk... they're trying to TELL you something! Listen!! Soon we will be offering cat coaching services (www.kzoocatcafe.com/cat-coaching.html) for kitties with litterbox issues, other behavioral issues like counter surfing, scratching, aggression, introducing new pets, and for pet parents who just want their kitties to live their very best life! If this is something you might be interested in, email us at kzoocatcafe@gmail.com MEOW! Further Reading:
|