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Attention, Alabama and Tennessee residents!
The North Alabama Spay Neuter Clinic is now open in Huntsville. They charge $35 for feline neuters, $45 for feline spays, $55 for canine neuters, and $65 for canine spays. The only cost above the basic charge is $10 for the rabies vaccination if you cannot provide proof that your animal has been vaccinated in the past 12 months.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANYONE CAN USE THE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC. You do NOT have to qualify! There is no extra charge for weight or if the cat/ dog is in heat. Ear tipping for ferals is free.
The clinic also provides FeLV/FIV test and heartworm tests for $20 and the other vaccinations for $10, but those are completely optional. They’ll also do fecals!
The North Alabama Spay Neuter Clinic web site is here.
Please please please pass the word. I know there are so many people who are unfortunately put off from having their cats and dogs spayed and neutered by the potential high cost. The fewer unwanted kittens and puppies who are brought into this world, the better.
Maybe one day there’ll be no such thing as unwanted cats and dogs. Wouldn’t that be lovely?
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I have a cat, Emma. Emma is 8 yrs old and I have had her since she was about 1.5 – 2 yrs old. She weighs 12.8 lbs and the epitome of a quiet little angel with wings and a halo. Emma is the most submissive of kitties and, no matter what, she is at the bottom of the totem pole. Then, there is Sidney. He is 1.5 yrs old and a complete mama’s boy. He is 8.5 lbs and all boy-kitten. The problem is that he dominates Emma. He thinks he owns the world even though she was there first. He will charge after her to run her off from the food dish, from MY lap, and oh the tortures in the kitty box. In no way is Sidney aggressive or mean in that scary kitty way as it almost looks like play. I do know that if she chased him he would love it. He just knows that she will back down and he will get whatever he wants. I scold him when he tries to dominate her and I will not allow him to push her off my lap (jealousy). But of course, I work and am not always there. Sidney is not hateful or anything (he is actually incredible precious) but I would like him to be more accepting of his big sister and not act like a little Napoleon. Any suggestions?
I don’t have any good suggestions on this issue, but I KNOW someone (or several someones!) out there has some great suggestions. So let’s hear it, y’all! Leave suggestions in the comments, please.
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Okay, wait. Who is… THAT?
Hint: It’s not Moxie.
That right there is Dodger, the newest addition to the MMMs. Yeah, I know that his name doesn’t start with “M”, but Dodger’s such a perfect name for him that it’s going to stay. Dodger was found by Winnie and Kathie, a pair of Challenger’s House foster moms – the same ones who found Moxie and Melodie! He ran across a busy road right in front of them, dodging three cars along the way. As it turned out, he was living under a local business and they were feeding him leftover chicken fingers.
Poor baby.
I brought him home yesterday morning, and when I opened the carrier he walked out, spotted Martin, and head-butted him so hard that he almost knocked Martin over. It was SERIOUSLY sweet.
He was a little freaked out last night, but this morning he followed me around the kitten room while I scooped, and then sat in front of me and let me pet him and pet him.
He’s actually changed the dynamic in the kitten room a little bit – Melodie has suddenly become friendlier and less skittish. And there’s been a LOT more playing in there.
He’s about 9 or 10 weeks old, is the vet’s guesstimate, and he’s smaller than Moxie and Melodie, but bigger than Martin. He’s a sweet boy and a fine addition to the MMMs!
You know I was wildly waving a cat toy around to get their attention, right?
He’s got his pink fuzzy toy. What else does he need?
Miss Melodie, in my lap again.
Another shot of Moxie’s gorgeous eyes.
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I put this box by the door to take out to the garage and put with the other recycling. Then when I went to grab it to actually take it out…
“Shhh….”
“Don’t tell her I’m here!”
“I’m DYING to get out that side door!”
No luck this time around, Bolitar, you sneaky little brat.
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I was coming out of the foster room the other day, and Jake went running in. I had an armload of stuff and didn’t want to put it down to chase him, so I made a mental note to go back and get him after 10 minutes.
Three hours later I was all “Huh. I wonder where Jake is?” and then remembered.
I walked into the foster room, and Jake was in the condo on the cat tree, snuggling with Melodie’s “baby”, all nonchalant and “What?”
The kittens didn’t seem to care at all that Jake was in their territory.
Someone asked earlier this week if Jake and Elwood are our version of Charlene Butterbean. I guess they kind of are, though I think they’re probably rougher with the kittens than the sweet Miss Bean. We’ve always called Tommy our ambassador because he’s good with the fosters, but whereas Tommy mostly puts up with the fosters, Jake and Elwood actually seek them out and play and snuggle with them and really like them.
It’s funny, because I had SO hoped that Miz Poo would be the kitten lover, but she wants nothing to do with any of the fosters (she’ll grumpily put up with them after a while – they have to wear her down, though!). None of our girl cats have any desire to be motherly with the fosters, not even Kara or Maxi, who WERE mothers.
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Previously
2009: The True Bloods!
2008: Living dangerously.
2007: Mister Boogers is OBSESSED with being in the chicken yard.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Do Jake and Elwood ever seem sad or disappointed when the fosters leave, or do they just take it all in stride?
Dodger is totally adorable. The video made me sad.
Suggestions for Emma’s momma based on my skittish/submissive-ish cat:
My cat Leya has gone through a lot of moves/stuff and a few years ago she was turning into total scaredy-cat for no good reason. She’s already the submissive one. Our youngest cat, Tank, (newest to the household) is half Siamese and you can tell if you know anything about the attitude of a Siamese… he’d tear around chasing her. That doesn’t help. Feliway helped Leya. We’ve continued to use it any time we move or she seems to be regressing. She’s less skittish/submissive. Things that make her feel better about herself make her more likely to stand up to being chased too.
As far as the dominant cat? I’d do what we did with Tank. Whenever Tank is feeling a little too dominant he gets scruffed, growled at, or bitten (NOT HARD!!). Like if he gets annoyed cause he can’t go in the closet he might take it out on one of the other cats. That’s when we step in. Basically, we treat him like we’re cats. It has helped him calm down a bit. The Feliway makes him less of a spazzzzz too. Also, it’s important to remember cats will have their own totem pole no matter what we do.
The catnip is always greener….
I think my two cats would love the idea of roaming out on their own and eating yummy fried chicken fingers and their wild caught prey rather than being stuck in a temperature maintained condo with the same old boring (but expensive) cat food doled out in careful dollops through the day.
Too bad. Instead of adventures dodging cars they get to dodge pillows on my bed. Which, admittedly, don’t move very fast.
As far as the dominant thing goes, I’m still struggling with the dynamics in my household but I’m finding that two bowls, two water dishes, etc. have helped defuse the issue somewhat. Also tried two different litter boxes but that’s hard to maintain spacewise and the kitten still pounces when she can.
You can also find some uh, mood stablizers at the vet. Not depressants or anything but some pheronome chargers/atomizers which might help the general atmostphere.
omg ray and light!!! <3 <3 <3
moxie and dodger make a GORGEOUS pair!!!!!!!
Thanks again for posting about Ray and Light. <3
And the MMMs + Dodger are so adorable! I think it's cute how much Jake & Elwood enjoy hanging out and playing with the fosters. It makes for some great (and hilarious) photos. 🙂
Awww hello Dodger!! My goodness what a way to be found dodging cars like so! Oh he is adorable and it’s so good to know he is getting along with the MMMs and even helping Melodie relax a bit! Martin and his pink fuzzy toy, Moxie and her gorgeous face, sweet Melody and Dodger! 🙂 Lovely!
Awwwww Bolitar is lovely!!!And sweet Jake and Elwood – they are so good with the fosters really! Hugs to all your other Permanent Residents too!
take care
x
Thanks all! I do step in when he gets too rambuncious. (is that spelled right?) This morning I was giving my girl “mama time” and he was soooo jealous but I wouldn’t let him chase her off. I think she got the message, because when I was done SHE chased and jumped HIM. I don’t think he knew what to make of it. Today has been a bit calmer. I did read somewhere that if you show the submissive one that you do not support dominance over them, they will start to stand up for themselves. Maybe this was a babystep. We will see. 🙂