Spay Day

Spay Day is today - good luck to everyone for a successful Spay Day!

Missing cats in the UK

Anyone wonder if there's someone trapping cats in this neighbourhood? We know some neighbourhoods (and neighbours) like that in Singapore too. In the end, it's just safer to keep home cats in - though community cats are another issue because they are already home on the streets.

Cat flushing the toilet

This is just too cute :)

Transit for animals

This is a nice story about animals traveling and transiting through Frankfurt - unfortunately I don't think Singapore allows animals on board in the cabin, which some other countries and airlines do.

Happy Depavali

Happy Depavali to all who are celebrating it! For the rest, I hope you had a nice day off work!

Dog risks life for kittens

This is just too sweet.

Air purifying litter box

Air purifying litter box, originally uploaded by dawnkua.

I just saw this today at a pet shop here in the US - I wonder if it really does absorb the smells. This would be a godsend for people who are out for long periods of time, as well as those with multiple cats.

HDB flats

Thanks to Chinky for sending this in which was ostensibly about banning dogs in HDB flats, but again, we see Tan Khuan Khoon chiming in. The man really has an axe to grind and won't see reason. As I tried to explain to him, cats don't need to be trained because they are naturally toilet trained, but where are community cats supposed to use the toilet? Perhaps if he would be willing to set up a sand tray in his garden?

I always wonder how someone can claim with a straight face that they love animals and then proudly proclaim that they have killed so many of them. I also don't believe the SPCA approves of him getting rid of the cats :)

Ebay and Ivory

Good to know that Ebay is banning ivory though how they intend to police it, is difficult to gauge. Whatever it is, a stand against ivory is good no matter what!

Men and cats

I was just having a conversation about caregivers who are men the other day - and here's an article that talks about more men sharing their lives with cats. Interestingly, they found that men said they were more likely to make a sacrifice for the cat than women were.

ACA - National Feral cat day

ACA - National Feral cat day, originally uploaded by dawnkua.

Today is National Feral Cat Day in the US (16th October) and I went down to celebrate with Alley Cat Allies and the people they invited. There was a video, a silent auction and just the opportunity to speak with other feral cat caregivers and advocates.

Adoption

Check out the Cat and Dog adoption videos under the Videos section - one cannot agree more. I just had a friend who just went through a horrendous experience with a shelter here in Maryland. She found a lost dog the other day and not knowing what else to do, took it to a local shelter. She would have taken it home but she has to adopted cats herself. She isn't local and thought the shelter would try and place the dog. When she found out that the dog would be killed within 72 hours, she rushed around trying to find a new adopter, and managed to find one. However the shelter had a long list of criteria. When the new adopter asked to come before work at 10 am, they said they didn't open till noon. When he asked if he could come after work, they said that they closed at 6 pm. When my friend gave up, took time off work and went down, they told her the dog couldn't be adopted till the next day - and then they called her to say that they were going to put the dog down the next day and she rushed down.

Eventually the dog went home last night safely - but one wonders. Many shelters 'blame' the people who give up animals - but if their own policies are so terrible, are just the people who give the animals up to blame? It almost seems as if it would be easier for the shelter workers to put the animals down - and then blame the people who brought them in in the first place.

Nathan Winograd makes the same point in his book Redemption, which I blogged about earlier. Why not just make it easier for people to adopt cats and dogs? Shockingly, they just might end up taking more animals home!

Chimp and Tiger

These photos are just too sweet. I wonder what will happen as they grow older.

These pet shop owners apparently ask potential buyers to sign a contract before selling their huskies. While it's certainly better than no screening, wouldn't it be best if they just didn't sell huskies at all?

ST (10-10-08)

Thanks to Chinky who sent this in. Unfortunately I've heard of a woman in the area and spoken to someone matching her description on the phone. The people I know who sterilise there also have problems with her. One of the people I know in the area who sterilises, complains a woman sprinkles food all over before she goes to trap and so she can't trap the cats for their appointment.

Cat repellent

Cat repellent, originally uploaded by dawnkua.

I bought this Cat Repellent from Daiso at Plaza Singapura the other day - the only question is, what does it actually do? It doesn't say - or rather the information is all in Japanese, so I have no idea how to use it.

One quarter of wild mammals may face extinction

Thanks to Chinky and Eslina for sending this letter in.

Also, very worrying news - one quarter of wild mammal species may face extinction. The reason - mostly habitat destruction and hunting.

Pema, the school cat

Thanks to Chinky for sending in this very interesting article. How the school can have the lack of resources to care for one, sterilised cat is beyond me.

No feeding cats with CWS photos

No feeding cats with CWS photos, originally uploaded by dawnkua.

I saw this sign the other day when I was out and have just sent it to CWS. If they're interested in solving the problem (and I have spoken to some feeders in the area in the past and I do think there is some validity) then this might be a good starting point to work with them. If not, they should at least take those photos off, since those are CWS' photos.

World Animal Day

Happy World Animal Day! Here's hoping that we remember to treat our fellow animals well not just on this day but on every other.

There are events with the SPCA and ACRES this weekend to celebrate the occasion.

Hemingway cats

Some good news - the Hemingway cats get to stay!

Defenders of Wildlife Advertisement

This is certainly very disturbing. Shooting wolves from planes? Factcheck does add some clarifying details, but it certainly seems that most of it is true. Shooting animals is already terrible in my book - shooting animals with an unfair advantage is much, much worse.

Selamat Hari Raya

Selamat Hari Raya to all everyone celebrating today! For everyone else, hope you had a restful day!