Cats are companions for life, and, thanks to improvements in veterinarian care, many cats live into their twenties these days. They give us their love and deserve our love and care in return. Cats are no longer wild predators that fit into an ecosystem, but are dependent on humans, receiving the things they need to live from people. [Note: click on graphics for more information about sources.]

Vaccinate your cat:

Take your new family member to a vet as soon as possible to begin the vaccinations that every cat needs. These will protect your cat and lead to better health and enjoyment of life. Vaccination is as important for indoor as for outdoor cats. Cats may have contact another cat through a window screen and can be exposed to disease while in the vet's waiting room.

Keep your cat safe - indoors:

Your cat will live a healthier, happier life indoors. Unlike d*gs, who need to be taken outdoors to fulfill their "hunting instincts", cats are imaginative enough to entertain themselves happily indoors with a little help from you. You should spend a minimum of twenty minutes a day interacting with your cat in order to develop socialization skills and to monitor its health. Don't know what to do? The Humane society has some ideas in the article Keeping Indoors Cats Happy.

Spay or Neuter:

There is absolutely no reason not to spay or neuter your pet as soon as it is old enough. It's ignorant to believe that cats need to breed in order to reach their full potential. Such statements reveal more about the human speaker's sexual insecurites than about a cat's biological needs. I have no patience with such nonsense. It leads to cruel and painful deaths due to overpopulation.

Don't declaw:

Related Cat Care Resources:

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Has been working since 1866 to improve the lives of animals through legal and educational initiatives. Has searchable National Shelter Directory.

American Veterinary Medical Association
Care for Pets page is your gateway to a lot of information on choosing and caring for a pet and on finding a good veterinarian

Animal Legal Defense Fund
USA animal rights law organization working to defend animals from abuse and exploitation.

Cornell University Veterinary Medicine
Information for cat owners, owners of other animals, and pet loss support hotline.

Hugs for Homeless Animals
Has worldwide directory of shelters, humane societies, and rescue organizations.

Humane Society of the United States
Site has information on various programs and legal status of animals in US and global. Valuable articles on care of cats and other pets. FAQ.

International Wildlife Coalition
Working to protect endangered species, protect wild animals, and protect habitat and environment.

SPAY/USA
National referral service working to provide affordable spay/neuter programs. Call toll-free number, 1-800-248-SPAY, to receive information about the nearest affordable program.

The "I Can't Keep this Cat Because ..." Quiz
Common excuses and sensible answers from the CatStuff site. The site also has graphics that you can use on your site such as this one --

~~~ Orbit's Lytel Herball ~~~

Origin of Disease & Medicine	Materia Medica	Herb Pages	Tea Pages	Old Wives Lore
Cherokee story has truth and wisdom. go there	What part of plants to use; how to collect and prepare. go there Plants toxic to cats. go there Plants not reported as toxic to cats. go there	~Catnip & more~ Pages about herbs to use and enjoy. go there	~Tea and Cakes~ Leaves, brews, and recipes to accompany. go there	Old wives knew a lot; that's how they lived to become old. go there

~~~ My life as a cat ~~~

I am Manager of Bitsy's Whackers gurlz baseball team Click for photo of team executives. Click for game against boyz	I am happy to be a memfur of the Circle of Charms gurlz club.

~~~ Around the Web ~~~

Caring for Cats	Awards Won	Webrings
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. go there	Recognitions that keep my whiskers alert. go there	Kindred spirits teleporting around the galaxy. go there

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