Published: August 30, 2008 02:14 pm            

Know the feline lowdown before you get a cat

Are you thinking about getting a cat? The average lifespan of an indoor cat is more than 10 years, while cats that live outside survive only two years, on the average.

The great outdoors isn’t so great for domestic cats, who are more likely to be exposed to infectious diseases, fleas and ticks, encounter rabid wildlife, off-leash neighborhood dogs, or get hit by cars. Cats that are left outdoors still need tender loving care. Don’t just leave them to fend for themselves. They need food and water, shelter, grooming, and medical care. Most people who raise cats indoors tend to pamper them more. They give them a nice fluffy bed, a clean litter box, plenty of food and clean water, and take them to the veterinarian for their annual checkup. Why not treat them all the same way?

Whether they live outside or inside, cats still need to be spayed or neutered to prevent overpopulation. Think about this — one unsprayed female cat, her mate and all their offspring, averaging two litters per year, can produce 2,107 kittens in four years.

When trying to decide which kitty will be best for you, the ASPCA recommends only getting a kitten if you are home during the day. These little bundles of energy demand lots of attention.

They are also recommended as second cats if you already have another cat in your home. If you have an adult female, it would be better to bring in a male kitten or vice versa. If you are away during the day, an adult cat is probably a better choice because they’re usually litter-trained and have already graduated from the rowdier ankle-attacking stages of adolescence.

Since cats cannot speak our language, they have many ways of letting us know how they feel. For example, when your furry friend greets you with a purr and rubs its head against you, you know it is glad to see you. A calm and happy cat holds its tail either relaxed or upright and still, not swishing, with its ears alert and straight up. When your cat looks like this, the time’s right for petting.

If the end of your cat’s tail starts to twitch back and forth, it may be annoyed. The ears may flatten and whiskers may be pulled back to warn you that it is irritated.

When your kitty becomes frightened or fearful of something, or trying to scare another animal away, its eyes and pupils will be wide, and it may position itself in a sideways stance. To look more intimidating, kitty’s ears will be held back against its head, the fur on its back may stand on end, and its tail will puff out. At this point, you might need to wait until kitty calms down before offering your affection.

Learning to understand your kitty and its language will give you a very happy life together.

If you need help making a decision as to which pet will be best for you, check with the staff at our new Pittsburg County Animal Shelter. When you adopt a pet, it will be spayed or neutered before it can leave the shelter.

I understand the shelter has taken in 600 animals already and this is the first month they have been open. Be responsible.

Don’t breed your animal and then take the offspring to the shelter because you don’t know what to do with them.

The Pittsburg County Animal Shelter is located at 1206 N. West Street. They are open Tuesday-Friday from 10:00-5:00 and Saturday from 10:00-12:00. The phone number is 918-423-7803.

PAWS has a spay/neuter program that will help with the cost of the procedure. Not enough people in this community are taking advantage of this opportunity. Call PAWS at 470-7297 to see if you qualify.

        

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