Some cats play rough sometimes...

If your cat is playful, that's great! Most cats are, but some cats like to play a little rough at times, usually as they get more and more riled up when you're playing using your hand or arm. Sometimes cats will be wrestling with their toys on their own and try to nip as soon as you go in to give them a pet or two. They're riled up, excited, probably still in wrestlemania mode.
My foster kitty, Mickey, can get bitey, and that's not good when I'm trying to help find him a forever home. In fact, our first prospect lost interest when she saw him play bite. Yikes!
After noticing this was a habit, I turned to Tracey Toole, Co-Founder and Director of A Tail at a Time, for advice. She gave some sound advice that worked for me and my little Mickster:
If kitty is playing with your hand, get a plush toy he can use as substitute for your hand. Try to do this before he nibbles.
If kitty starts to bite and grab the hand/arm, tell him "NO" firmly and get the hand away. Kitty will likely pause and wonder what he/she did. Then you give kitty the toy and encourage them to grab it and play with it.

Make sure the toy is not so small that the cat can't rather hug it and really go at it. So a little mouse toy won't work. And it must be plush, so a plastic bell ball won't really do the job either.

Some tried and true ones are the Kitty Hoots from Fat Cat  found here: http://www.fatcats.com/html_site/cats.shtml My childhood cats' fave was the Newt Hoot!

So in summary, stop the action with a firm but not too loud or angry "No", and give kitty the toy to play with, and play with it a little to show him it's the play alternative.

Lastly, don't use your hand as a cat toy. Cats that develop a connection between hands and playtime may nip and bite anyone that goes in to pet them, such as guests or, if he/she is a foster, prospective adopters.
Mickey loves the feather stick http://youtu.be/pdj0oyt_w_c



Mickey is still up for adoption, so spread the word!
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18698965

by Courtney Kistler, foster and Rational Animal Rep. www.rational-animal.org

A kitten found outside with a herniated bladder. Meet Miguel.

Miguel was rescued from our co-founder's neighborhood where he was a favorite of a person, Miguel, who has fed outdoor cats for more than twenty years. He told us that Miguel had broken his leg at one point. When we took him to our vet he could not find any signs of a fracture but discovered that his bladder had herniated through his back just above his tail. Most likely he was kicked in that area.

The surgery was $500 but is well worth it! Miguel is so young (7 months old) and is such a sweet little black kitten who deserves a loving home.

He is still at Narrows Hospital.
Miguel spent an extra week at the vet because of a slight fever and to monitor drainage from the surgery. He is now recovering nicely in a foster home. He has started to play periodically again and is eating well. He should return to state of good health in the next few weeks. Next stop, looking for a purrmanent home.

Your donation helps us continue to help animals like Miguel. Kitties find outside depend solely on public donations.

If you would prefer call Narrows Clinic to give (718-238-5055).

Or you can mail a check to:
Narrows Animal Hospital
9107 4th Ave.
Brooklyn, NYC 11209

Or you can mail a check to A Tail at a Time:
PO Box 1655
NY, NY 10101

Thank you for saving a life!

Can you give $5 to help pay for Kitten Miguels's surgery?

Miguel is a 5 month old kitten found outside in Bed-Stuy. We can never turn our backs on an abandoned cat so we took him and brought him to our vet. We filed a lost report but noone ever claimed him. We learned that Miguel had a herniated bladder so our wonderful Dr. G performed surgery. The cost was $500 but well worth it. Miguel is a happy, lovable kitten now just waiting for his new home.
We don't want to turn away animals because of finances. With your donation we can pay for Miguel's surgery.

Marathon running for the furries!

On Sunday March  20th, Dave, one of our kitty fosters, ran a half marathon with donations going to A Tail at a Time. Dave we appreciate this so much and thank you for raising money for the furries. Below is an email we received from Dave.
"I  just wanted to let you know that my Dad and I completed the NY Half Marathon yesterday, with no broken bones, shrapnel knees or severed limbs. In fact, we both set personal bests, me coming in 5 and a half minutes better than my previous best at 1:38:56, and by Dad doing it in 1:51:27, 30 seconds better than his previous best - fantastic! It's a brilliant course, and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who fancies doing it next year.

More importantly, your donations and support have been absolutely sensational, and to date, you have helped me raise over $2000 for my charity, A Tail at a Time http://www.atailatatime.org/. I just can't tell you how much I appreciate it, and I know that all at A Tail at a Time, from humans to furry creatures will be delighted. The money you have kindly donated will be used wisely and will save the lives of beautiful, helpless animals. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

The sponsorship page closes this week, so if you still wish to donate, you can do so here: http://www.crowdrise.com/davenewyorkhalfmarathon

Once again, thank you - i'm genuinely overwhelmed by your support and kindness."

Below are some photos that Dave and Stacey have fostered for us. They have taken in many kittens, sent us great bios and wonderful pictures, while attending every single adoption event. To 2 great fosters we are lucky to have you! 

Fostering Good “Katma”

Not sure you’re ready for the long-term commitment of pet ownership? In need of extra good “katma” for your dogma? It’s time to consider fostering!  Not only will you benefit from the joy of a snuggly, playful cuddle-buddy but you will also be helping a cat in need.

Hundreds of animals at the Animal Care and Control are put to sleep every day due to lack of space or money. By fostering a cat, you will save a life and reap the rewards of the good “katma” that comes with it!  Watch this video of Harriet one of A Tail's fosters.

Rescued from the euthanasia list and the city kill shelters, these animals were someone’s pets and now are homeless. If you can foster a couple kittens or adult cat you will be saving an animal's life.

Cats and dogs, former pets, are abandoned by their owner.

Please consider fostering and you will be saving one life. And they show their appreciation becoming a wonderful furry companion!

Adoption events are held a few times a month where we try to get your foster pet adopted. This is a great way to have a pet in your life without the permanent commitment. A wonderful way to give a loving animal/companion a home until he or she finds a forever home.

If you travel for business or are here in NYC as an expat this is a great way to bring some fun and happiness into your life while living here in NYC.

This is no cost to you except for food and love. Fostering can be as little as a few weeks or months.

To volunteer or for more info email volunteer@atailatatime.org

A Tail at a Time, Pet Adoption and Rescue is a no kill pet rescue and adoption group. A non profit 501c3 organization, member of the Mayor’s Alliance and Maddie’s Fund.

For more info check out our website www.atailatatime.org

Fan us on facebook  http://www.facebook.com/atailatatime

LEE NEEDS YOU, HE LOST HIS EARS!

Lee lost his ears when he was neglected and found outside in January 2011 in Brooklyn NY. He was only 3 months old. He has worn a cone for many weeks and is dying to take it off. But we can't because we have to wait till the scabs heel over. He scratches and the scabs bleed. Once they heal he will go back to Narrows Animal Hospital, Dr. Giagnola, and he will have a second surgery to remove the scar tissue and assess the internal damage. We desperately need funds for this. 

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

 

*Donate thru paypal on our website www.atailatatime.org

*call Narrows Animal Hospital (718) 238-5055  to make a donation towards Lee's medical bill

*or snail mail PO Box 1655 Radio City Station NY NY 10101

Pets are for life, they are not disposable. 

See Lee here at one of our adoption events.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g4ESKb1TIw

Jen a 1 1/2 year old pup will be put to sleep.

We learned that a few friendly dogs were sent to the ACC in the middle of an individual trying to place them. One of these dogs we are trying to help, her name is Jen. She is 1 1/2 years old. She receives great ratings in her SAFER test at the shelter and she is a total doll.  She was meant to die Monday, Jan 30th in the morning. We called in and we have 48 hours to find her a home or raise enough money to pay for boarding.
As a rescuer we see so many animals that are dying every day because they catch a simple cold or there is not enough space or funding to feed them.  It is extremely frustrating. I don't even look at the lists we receive because it is heartbreaking to know that these cats and dogs, someone's pet, will die because their owner was irresponsible.  Already this year we have rescued 4 cats that were found outside. One of them many of you know, Lee, a 4 month kitten who's ears fell off from frostbite. How can a human do this. Leave a kitten outside, or throw him outside.

Jen and her story fell into our lap and we are now trying to do everything to save her. We are trying to find a foster home. One person was interested but her roommates said no. If you can donate anything it will be used to board her until we find a foster or permanent home.  Don't let Jen die because some human kicked her out.

 I am a co-founder of A Tail at a Time. My 3 cats and one foster cat would not be happy with Jen. Our other co-founder also has too many foster cats. Jen gets along with other dogs, we don't know her history with cats. to help http://www.causes.com/causes/572337-don-t-let-jen-die?recruiter_id=91167444

What happens to a kitten when someone throws them outside in a NY December.

Lee when he first entered the city shelter

 We rescued a kitty named Lee, only 4 months old. He was found outside and brought to our city shelter. This little tiny baby was dumped outside in mid winter. Many people don't realise these kittens are babies. They don't know their way, they get into trouble and their systems are still growing and adapting to their environment.

Lee went straight to our vet and spent about 3 weeks there. Scar tissue has formed over his ears. The people at the vet fell in love with this guy. He has that great orange tabby personality and is such a sweet heart he melts your heart. He is happy to just lay in your arms. 

Jan 17th UPDATE ON LEE earless kitty - the 4 month old kitten lost his ears because of frostbite. Basically they just shriveled up. This is what happens when people throw out animals, push them out the door. There is scar tissue formed but the internal damage still needs to be assessed. We do know that the people at the vet think he is such a sweetie!

Jan 22nd - Lee is in a foster home and learning how to be a kitten. His foster mom, Aileen, told us today he learned how to jump up onto the counter.  Little Lee is finally getting to enjoy being a kitten. 

If you would like to donate to Lee's medical costs you can make a donation thru igive, our website via paypal http://www.atailatatime.org/ or send a check to A Tail at a Time PO Box 1655 Radio City Station NY NY 10101

A New Year 2011

With the New Year here we all make resolutions or goals of some sort. Or maybe you do it for your birthday. Either way it is a good way to start fresh. At A Tail at a Time our constant ultimate goal is to save as many kitty  lives as possible. But there are so many smaller goals to achieve in order to achieve the ultimate goal.

Many pet owners dump their pets before the holidays because they don't want to pay for a cat or dog sitter. Shelters and rescues are overwhelmed. Most rescuers only can take in so many because of space.  Thank you to the many holiday fosters that stepped up and opened up their home for the holidays. It made a world of a difference.
Already with the new year we welcomed 2 new fosters. That means we were able to rescue 2 kittens and another adult cat.

Every month we do a kitty of the month. I chose Mika this month. She is such a sweet,  affectionate kitty and she is declawed. We don't approve of declawing but if someone wants a declaw we recommend they adopt one rather then remove the claws. She is 4 years old, likes to play, likes to be petted and is quite social. Not to mention she is beautiful.

 This is Mika, let's hope she finds a home for the new year.  She deserves it!

If you are interested in meeting her contact us at adopt@atailatatime.org

FOSTER A KITTY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

FOSTER A KITTY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

A Tail at a Time is looking for a few fosters to spread some holiday cheer.  We have a few adoptables that are looking for temporary homes for the holidays while their longer term fosters are away.  The time frame would be 1 to 2 weeks.

1. Fox - She's a 3 yr old sweetheart who gets along great with other cats AND dogs!

2. Terry is a 4 month old male tuxedo rescued off the euthanasia list of a local shelter.  

 3. Jenny is an 8 month old tabby female with a look in her eye like she knows something you don't.  She's very intelligent and loves to be the center of attention - but left to her own devices she can easily entertain herself as well.

4.  Sweetie Pie is looking for a more permanent home.  She's about a year and half and was rescued from a hoarder.  She will follow you around and loves to wiggle on her back.  She does play a little, but is more of a peaceful and quiet little soul.

PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Miss Mia Needs A Home

Mia Helena is a 6 month old female kitten in need of a good home.  She's a beautiful and playful tabby kitty with a white chest and white paws.  Here is a picture:

Mia's  eyelids were formed from birth so that her eyelashes turned inward and abraded the eye surface.   Her previous guardian did not address this. Eye surgery has corrected this so that she is now free of pain and the eyelashes no longer brush against the eyes.  Her eyesight was slightly diminished but is now stable. 


About 9 months ago, I adopted my kitten Maya from A Tail at a Time, who has a similar problem with her vision.  She can see close up if there's a lot of light, but not so well from a few feet away.  I bring this up, because I can understand how many people may be nervous about adopting a kitten that's not physically perfect, but I want to assure anyone who has those concerns, that truly, cats are resourceful and resilient animals and they can get a long just fine in these situations.  There can even be a more special bond between an owner and animal they've chosen to love, despite an imperfection.


Here are a few pictures of my cat Maya, so you can see what I mean:

Here she is lounging on a shelf in my wall unit...

 and in the sink...

and hanging with her brother, Attila.  (Attila, btw, has no vision problems, and yet can be quite a challenge, while Maya is a dream.)

As you can see, she has no trouble getting around whatsoever, and she brings nothing but joy to my life.  I'm sure Mia Helena will do the same for her future owner.

If you're interested in learning more about Mia, you can view her adoption page here: http://atailatatime.homestead.com/news.html.  You can also email adopt@atailatatime.org or call 917-216-1748.

Litter Box Issues? Have No Fear...

One of the most common reasons people give for getting rid of their feline companions is that the cats are doing their business outside of the litter box.  While this certainly can be a very serious problem, the good news is, there are several things you can do to help alleviate the issue, and 9 times out of 10, they work.  Here are the Top 10 Litter Box Tips to help your cat avoid litter box problems:

1. Keep it clean.

No one — especially cats with their ultra-sensitive sense of smell — likes a dirty, stinky bathroom. Scoop out your cat’s litterbox daily, and change the litter weekly.

2. But not too clean

Stay away from harsh cleaning chemicals like bleach, pine or citrus cleaners, which can leave a scent in the box your cat won’t like. Simply wash the litterbox with hot, soapy water and rinse well.

3. If it works, don’t fix it.

A sale on cat litter is a common reason to switch litter brands. Unfortunately, this can trigger litterbox problems. Cats want litter that smells and feels familiar. Thus, if your cat likes his litter, don’t change it.

4. Something old, something new

Some cats don’t like new litter because it doesn’t have their smell. For these finicky felines, sprinkle some old litter on top of the new. This reassures your cat that the bathroom is indeed his.

5. One for each cat, plus one

Another common mistake is having too few litterboxes. Experts recommend one litterbox per cat, plus one more. That means a household with three cats needs four litterboxes.

6. Spread ‘em.

To a cat, two litterboxes next to each other equals one big box. Put litterboxes in different areas of the house, with at least one on each floor.

7. Peace and quiet

If your cat gets startled by a thumping washing machine or rambunctious kids while using the litterbox, she will quickly find a more peaceful place to go. Give your cat quiet bathrooms away from noisy, high traffic areas.

8. Privacy, please

Cats like their privacy, but that doesn’t mean you should hide their litterboxes. Choosing a location where kitty can see who is approaching is important, especially in multi-cat homes where a dominant cat might try to ambush another cat using the box. This is also a prime example of why cats sharing a home need extra boxes.

9. Ditch the hood.

Although you might like to keep it covered, most cats don’t care for hooded litterboxes. Covers keep odors in and don’t allow kitty to keep an eye on the surroundings while taking care of business.

10. Plain and simple

Whether you use clay litter or a natural product like wheat, corn or recycled newspaper, stay away from perfumes and fragrances. These unnatural scents are added to make litter appealing to people, not to cats.

“Cats are attracted to areas where there’s some residual odor of urine or feces,” says Benjamin Hart, a veterinary behaviorist. “They go back to that area because it smells like a toilet area, so it’s kind of an attractive place.”

If you follow these guidelines, your cat’s litterbox will be that attractive place. You’ll say goodbye to litterbox problems and hello to a happy, well-trained cat.

The above article is by Helen Jablonski, originally posted here: http://www.catchannel.com/Magazines/CatFancy/august-2008/top-10-litterbox-tips.aspx

Tips to Keep Your Cat Off Your Counters

My kitten, Attila, is OBSESSED with my kitchen counter.  And who could blame him?  I live in a small one bedroom  apartment with not a lot of space for him to jump, climb, and play, so it's only natural he find this to be an excellent spot for exploration.  Unfortunately, I eat off those counters and rather prefer to not find cat hair in my food.  As such, I've been doing some research to try to find solutions to these problems.  Here is an excerpt from an article I found helpful:

"Cats jumping up on counters or tables in the kitchen can be a nuisance, plus very dangerous for the cat if he happens to jump on a hot stove versus a counter. Cats love to jump.  It is in their nature.  They love being in high places and they are also naturally curious about the unknown.  This is a common behavior problem that many cat owners seem to face.  Fortunately, there are some things you can try to help rid your cat of this undesirable behavior.  

One of the first things you can use to deter your cat is noise.  It is important however, that you disassociate yourself from the noise so the cat doesn't know it is coming from you.  If the cat cannot determine where the noise is coming from, it should quickly learn to stay away from the area whether the owner is present or not. Cats do not like loud noises and will associate the noise with the behavior and avoid it. Throwing or shaking a metal can full of pennies or popping a balloon are two of the most common noise deterrents used.

Another method you can try (that doesn't require you to be there to catch your cat in the act) is to place various items on the counter or table that your cat will dislike.  You can place double sided tape along the edges of the counter.  Cats hate the feeling of sticky tape, and will be discouraged after one or two tries.  You can also place aluminum foil along your countertops.  Not only do cats dislike the feeling of the aluminum but they also hate the noise as well.     

You can also try a combination of the two methods.  This is done by popping a balloon if front of your cat a couple of times.  Your cat will soon learn that he dislikes balloons a lot.  Then you can tape some filled balloons along your countertop.  The cat will associate the balloons with the noise they heard previously and will want to avoid them.  There may be other items your cat does not like because of the sound they make. Placing several of these on the counter within visual range of the cat, may also persuade your cat to stop jumping up.

 

It is also important to try to redirect your cat's attention away from the areas by giving him areas he is aloud to jump on.  You may want to invest in a climbing tree or cat tower to help satisfy your cat's urge to jump and climb.  Make the tree more desirable by placing toys on it or rubbing catnip on the posts.  Window seats may also help deter your cat by allowing them to jump up to the window and being able to explore what is outside.  Make sure to praise your cat when he uses the designated jumping areas.

There are also several commercial products specifically designed for this type of behavior problem.  One type of product is motion detectors, these products detect your cats movements and emit an alarm.  There is also a product called X-mat which  has hundreds of raised bumps, creating passive discomfort that teaches your cat to steer clear of kitchen counters without the use of alarms or electricity."

(The above was taken from this website: http://www.best-cat-tips.com/catbehaviorproblems.htm.  There are plenty of other helpful tips that can be found their as well.)

In addition to what's mentioned above, there are a couple of other products I've read about that might be worth trying if you have this problem - I have not yet tried either so I can only share with you what I've read from customer reviews.

Two Products to Keep Cat's Off Counters:

1. Ssscram - This is a motion sensor that detects when your cat is in range and emits a puff of odorless, colorless, and completely harmless gas in the cats direction that scares them so they leave the area.  All the customer reviews I've read say that it works.  The downside is, you have to keep replacing the cartridges and they're expensive.

2.  CatScram - This device also has a motion sensor and supposedly emits a sound that cats don't like, but that is inaudible to humans.  About 50% of the reviews I read said it worked, the others said it was bogus.  I like the idea that the only thing you need to replace are the batteries, but it's $35 on amazon.com and I'm not confident that it actually works - seems like it depends on the cat.

Tips to Train Your Aggressive Kitten

My aptly named kitten, Attila (after the Attila the Hun - the warrior/conqueror) is the light of my life.  He loves to cuddle and to come sit up on my lap, purr and play.  However, I have had some struggles with him, starting from when I got him at 6 weeks old, regarding his aggressive behavior.  He often comes up wanting to play, with his claws out in all their glory, and the result is deep scratches and bites covering the arms and legs of whichever human he's set his sights on.  He also sometimes gets angry, if you push him away, not wanting to play, and at that point will go straight into attack mode, not stopping his pursuit until I either squirt him with a water bottle, or put a door between us.  Given the situation, I've done some research on what to do in these situations and what I have learned has really helped temper Attila's behavior.  He's only a year old at this point, and not yet perfect, but he's certainly come a long way from where he started.

1.  Training your kitten - Hands are Not Cat Toys

Scratching and biting by kittens is commonly caused by poor play habits early on. It is very important that you do not "roughhouse" with your kitten in the manner you might use with a dog. Playing rough with your kitten will teach him that hands are toys - a lesson that will be harder to break later on. 

* This was something, had I known, I would have stressed to my boyfriend, who loved to watch baby Attila "rooster kick" his little feet and sink his tiny teeth into my boyfriend's hand - cute when he's 6 weeks old - not so cute at 3 months.

2. Trim his claws

Hey, Rome wasn't built in a night, and it will take some time to retrain your cat. Meanwhile, you might as well protect yourself from damage. Claw trimming should be done regularly, anyway. There is no need ever to declaw a cat because of scratching behavior. Here is a detailed step-by-step instruction for trimming your cat's claws.

3. Use Soft Claws

(Or Soft Paws - the same product as sold by veterinarians.) Soft Claws are plastic "Nail Caps" for cats, which take the sting out of scratching and minimize damage to furniture.

4. Give Him "Time-Out."

You can either leave the room or take him to a small quiet room and leave him there with the door closed. He may just be overstimulated and in need of some quiet recovery. Open the door after 15 minutes. If he is asleep, which is often the case, leave him alone for awhile. If he is awake, he may be needing some loving attention. Forget the play for now - just pet him and tell him how loved he is.  

*This one works really well in my experience.

5.  Yell "Ouch."

Don't scream it, but say "Ouch" loudly and clearly. While you have your cat's attention, slowly remove your hand from his clutches. Don't yank it away or he'll think play is on, and he'll grab it again. Instead, gently push your hand against the cat, then pull your hand away.

6. Redirect His Attention

If your kitten is focused on you as the play toy, it usually helps to give him something else to focus on.  I have a lot of stuffed cat toys (and Q-tips, which he loves) laying around the apartment, so when he does jump at my hand or foot to attack, I will quickly remove myself, and put a toy in his mouth.  He almost always then redirects his attention to the toy and I'm able to walk away.  He also learns that toys are for chewing on, and human hands are not.

7.  Curing your kitten's boredom

Often playful biting of hands or feet occurs simply because your cat is bored, and is looking for a play object. A few things that helped for me:

• I got him a playmate.  When I originally got Attila, I adopted him by himself.  A couple of months later, due to his over-active behavior, I adopted a second kitten, Maya, from A Tail at a Time.  Now he often chooses her as his playmate instead of my hands and feet. As a note, this is one the reasons A Tail at a Time will not let you adopt only one young kitten - two kittens are really about the same amount of work as one, but they amuse each other, instead of driving you crazy looking for entertainment.
• I try to play with him with an interactive toy every day.  He loves Da Bird, which is a bird that flies around the room on string and the feathers move like a real bird.  I also just got him a laser-beam, which is great for me, because when I'm feeling lazy, I can just sit on the couch and he can chase it all around the room.
• Cat trees, scratching posts, hanging things that dangle around the apartment - anything that your kitten can climb on or bat at, will help him expend his energy.

 8.  Feliway

I haven't had a chance to personally try this product yet, but it's been recommended to me.  It is supposedly affective at calming cats down so they are less likely to scratch you and your furniture, bite, etc.  Here is the website: http://www.feliway.com/us


Acknowledgments:  Many of the above tips were taken from Franny Syufy's article in the About.com Guide.  You can find the original article here: http://cats.about.com/od/faqsbehavior/f/scratchbitekit.htm

Missing Cat Returns Home After 5 Months Thanks to Microchip

 I love stories with a happy ending so I wanted to share this one with all of you.  In addition to being a heart-warming tale, it also highlights the value of getting your pets microchipped.  When you adopt from A Tail at a Time, microchips for your new pet are always included in the modest adoption fee (along with spay/neutering, vaccinations, etc.).

The following artcile was written by Sarah Scott for the Sunday Sun.  The original posting can be found here: http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2010/10/03/missing-cat-home-after-five-months-79310-27387067/

Missing cat returns home after five months

Oct 3 2010 by Sarah Scott, Sunday Sun

MOVING from one end of the country to another can be traumatic enough without losing a beloved pet on the way.

But that’s exactly what happened to Olivia Hatcher when her pet cat made a dash for freedom while being put into the back of a car for the big move up North.

But, five months later, the missing moggy and owner have been happily reunited . . . thanks to a microchip.

The cat – whose name is deliberately misspelt Pheonix – was taken to a vet who scanned him to reveal Olivia’s contact details.

Husband Andy made a 10-hour round trip to collect Pheonix after they heard the news.
Olivia said: “Pheonix spent the first night back with me sleeping on my pillow. It was wonderful.
“I know I am just so lucky to have him back. Thank goodness I had him microchipped or we never would have been reunited.

“I don’t know where he has been but he looks like someone has been looking after him,” she said.
The 34-year-old was making the move from Farnborough in Hampshire to Middlesbrough, Teesside, for a new job with the RSPCA when Pheonix made his escape.

He burst out of the car and made a run for it in the direction of the high-speed railway.
Olivia’s husband Andy, also 34, ended up staying down in Hampshire for several weeks, trying to find Pheonix, while his wife set up home in Middlesbrough with their other cats Mishka, Bobo and Nermal.
She said: “We decided we just couldn’t live apart anymore so we had to give up.

“A lot of people would say it’s just a cat but he is part of the family. I have had him 10 years and it was not his fault he ran away, he just got scared.”

Olivia, who is now working as deputy manager at the RSPCA Great Ayton Animal Centre in Middlesbrough, rehoused Pheonix and his sister Mishka more than 10 years ago after they were found abandoned on an old building site.

The RSPCA encourages owners to have their pets microchipped as it believes it is the most reliable way of finding them if lost or stolen. Around half a million animals have been microchipped in the last five years alone.
The quick procedure places a small chip, the size of a grain of rice, under the animal’s skin.  The owner’s details and a code are stored on the chip and can be revealed by a special scanner used by RSPCA inspectors and branch staff.

Art Dogs and Cats?

 A Tail at a Time partners with Pet Health Store on the Upper Westside. Pet Health shares their space every other Saturday and every Thursday so we can have adoption events.  The store and their employees have a wealth of information and knowledge regarding pet health; the best foods for your pet. They are committed to promoting the adoption of rescued cats and dogs. We are fortunate enough to be a recipient of a fundraiser they are having this fall.

   The Art Dogs & Cats of NY is a benefit exhibition of animal friends hand-painted by New York’s most exciting emerging artists. These unique, life-size statues of felines and canines will be auctioned on October 21st to raise money and awareness for five local animal rescue organizations. In 2009 close to 4500 dogs and 9000 cats were euthanized in NYC. The Art Dogs and Cats of NY is a celebration of those groups who work tirelessly to find loving homes for so many of New York’s homeless animals. The twelve Art Dogs & Cats will be on rotating exhibition at Pet Health Store (440 Amsterdam Ave. at 81st) from September 8th to October 20th. Come see The Art Dogs & Cats of NY and support animal rescue!

The Auction

SoHo (3rd floor, 548 Broadway at Prince) on October 21st for the live auction and gala celebration! The statues will be available for bidding at the auction party or sign up for phone bidding if you can’t make it.

The Exhibition

Dates: September 8th through October 20th 2010.
Location: Pet Health Store, 440 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

The Party

Date: Thursday, October 21st 2010, 6:00 – 9:00 PM.
Location: 3rd Floor, 548 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
For tickets call Pet Health Store at 212-595-4200

Walk to help homeless animals

On  Sunday Sept 26th A Tail at a Time will be joining Best Friends Animal Society for Strut your Mutt. The 1.8 mile walk will begin and end at Pier 84 on the Hudson River. Time is at 8:30 a.m. This is located near the Intrepid on W 44th. Not only is this a great fundraiser it also is a festival of doggie activities! 

       Belly Rub Hub (free doggie massages to participating pooches),
       Downward Dog (you and your best friend can practice your Dogi moves) 

       Canine Cafe (free yummy treats from local bakeries).

Plus don't miss training demos, contests, games, photo opps, pet psychic, food, music and more!

Our team, the dog pack, are looking for walkers. If you don't feel like waking up at the crack of dawn (8 am) then be one of our sponsors by becoming a dog dozer or a cat napper. Donate as little as 10.00. Every dollar helps! 

Did you know that $5.00  can feed 5 cats or dogs for a day?

$25.00 is enough to get a cat or dog fixed. In NYC over population is a major problem. You may not see it but in certain areas of the city there are cats and dogs that are thrown out like the garbage once they go into heat. Eventually them and their babies land at the Animal Care and Control. The ACC has to take every animal that comes to their door. Last year approximately 15,000 pets were euthanised. They were killed. 

Come have some fun with us for a great cause! 

To join our pack or sponsor us go to 

Best Friends Animal Society National Events @BFAS  
  Source: bestfriends.donordrive.com  

 

Urgent Foster Needed

We desperately need a foster for Daisy, a beautiful cat that needs a new temporary home by Friday!

Can anyone help us? Please e-mail info@atailatatime.org as soon as you can!

Thank You!

Thank you to all that came to our Adoption Event on Saturday! We can't continue to do what we do without your support and donations, which keep us going! Thank you to our volunteers who were at the event as well. Without you, we cannot continue to have events!

We hope everyone had a fabulous weekend and has a wonderful week. We'll see you not this coming Saturday but the one after that at Pet Health and Clark Street Pet Food.

In the meantime, check out our Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/atailatatime

Be sure to 'Like' us once you visit, and tell all of your friends too! We could use a little more support on our Causes page as well. Just an FYI, you can donate to A Tail At A Time through our Causes page as it directly links to our account.

To those who have already donated -- a HUGE THANK YOU! We greatly appreciate it as it keeps us alive, quite literally! We rely on donations to supply vet care for our animals, as well as the spay/neuter costs, vaccinations, microchipping, and FIV/FELV (Combo Test) testing that all of our animals up for adoption receive. We also provide food and litter to our foster homes if they cannot financially support the animals they graciously provide temporary homes for.

Lastly, we wanted to say THANK YOU to those that have adopted a shelter pet -- not only from us but from all shelters and rescues! You are really doing an amazing thing by saving the lives of shelter animals. If you live in Manhattan you should visit and/or volunteer for the AC&C up on 110th Street between 1st & 2nd Avenue. There are shelters in Brooklyn and Staten Island as well that could use your help! Thank you all for saving their lives, and as always, don't neglect to SPAY OR NEUTER your pet. It cuts down on shelter overpopulation and the amount of euthanizations that the shelter has to do every day.

Help us create National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day!

Help us create 

National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day!

Tails has officially launched our "Letters for Pets" campaign, requesting a Presidential Proclamation from the White House to declare every April 30 National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. To sweeten the deal, Ellen DeGeneres' pet food company Halo, Purely for Pets wil donate one meal to a shelter pet for every letter sent, and Mimi Ausland from Freekibble.com will help us deliver up to 50,000 meals to shelter animals in need. So please visit LettersforPets.com to help us deliver our message and feed a shelter pet today. You're just one click away --- send your letter now!

Warm regards,