Offering Your Cat To Be Used As A Blood Donor
A variety of conditions can cause severe anaemia in cats and sometimes this results in the need for a life-saving blood transfusion.
Other blood products such as plasma may also be required on occasions for management of some conditions.
Unfortunately, cat blood cannot be stored in the same way that human and dog blood can, so blood banks do not work for cats. This means that either cats have to be kept specially to be blood donors or, in some situations, other pet cats can be used as blood donors.
Although pet cats can be used as blood donors, and you may wish to consider offering your own cat as a possible blood donor, this is not entirely straightforward. Finding a cat that is suitable to donate blood with safety requires important criteria to be met. This article focuses on the implications for the donor cat, and explains what owners can expect as far as the process of donating blood is concerned. If you are interested in offering your cat as a possible donor, talk to your local veterinary clinic about what their needs are, or whether there may be other local clinics that may have a need for donors.
Tips For Keeping Your Pet Healthy And Your Landlord Happy
Remember that as a pet-owning renter, its your responsibility to ensure that your pet is also a welcome addition to your apartment community. If you allow your pet to violate property rules, damage property or make others uncomfortable, not only could you find yourself searching for a new apartment, you could actually ruin prospects for other pet owners interested in moving in. Use these tips to ensure that your pet stays happy and healthy, and that your landlord is pleased to have you and your pet as residents. In addition to the species-specific tips below, check out our tips for all pet owners on affording spay/neuter.
Tips for cat owners:
Crashs Landing & Big Sids Sanctuary
Crashs Landing is a no-kill rescue and placement center that works to put abandoned or neglected cats in forever homes. They also run a second rescue called Big Sids Sanctuary that focuses on taking in cats with FIV or FeLV. This sanctuary works to find forever homes for their FIV/FeLV cats, but will also be a lifelong care facility for any that do not find homes. They try to spread information that fights misconceptions about these diseases that contribute to the stigma of these cats as unadoptable. The facilities are owned and operated by a local veterinarian and staffed with volunteers who absolutely love cats. You can find out more about Crashs Landing & Big Sids Sanctuary here and make a donation here.
What other rescue organizations deserve a donation this year? Let us know in the comments below!
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Support The Cats Of The Dancing Cat
The Dancing Cat’s income, like that of many small organizations, has taken a significant hit due to COVID-19. We trust that you value the work we are doing to rescue adult cats and find them wonderful homes. Nearly 70% percent of The Dancing Cats income comes from individual donations and corporate matching. We appreciate you and would love to count on your continued generous support!
Resident Cat Care
Did you know that the average stay for a cat at The Dancing Cat is one month? During this time, our volunteers and staff care for them all as if they were our own. Day-to-day onsite care includes expenses such as tasty high-quality feline food, flea treatment, health oversight, ample cat litter , lots of toys and kitty grass, and abundant and priceless Tender Loving Care!
Special Needs Cat Care
A key part of what we do is save at-risk cats from the San Jose Animal Care Center. Foster families care for these cats until theyre rehabilitated, at which time they are able to join us at The Dancing Cat. While every cats needs is unique, expenses may include vet checkups, dental care, lab tests, and medications. These veterinary services always lead to a better quality of life for the cats.
An Opportunity for Generosity
We believe every cat has its unique nature and needs they each matter and are worthy of the best possible care. If you agree, and you love the work we do, consider supporting the cats of The Dancing Cat with a one-time or recurring contribution.
Wish List
How Do I Find A New Home For My Cat
Start with your friends and family. Does someone you already know want to adopt your cat? You never know unless you ask.
If your friends and family aren’t able to take your cat, you can make a profile on Rehome. Rehome is a free program that allows you to post your pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of adopters to see.
Signing up for Rehome is easy and free. All you need to get started are photos of your cat, some basic health and behavior information, and a bio that describes your cat’s personality and temperament. Once you’ve entered all this information in your cat’s profile, you can post your cat and will soon begin to get applications from potential new families.
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Items You Can Donate To Your Local Animal Shelter
Check out our list of common household items that can get a second life helping out animals.
1. Used pet accessories
2. Leashes
3. Environmentally friendly supplies
4. Pet food
5. Towels and blankets
6. Collars
7. Laundry detergent
8. Newspaper
9. Hand sanitizer
10. Plastic bags
11. Litter boxes
12. Nursing bottles
13. Heating pads
14. Meat-based baby food
15. Shampoo and brushes
Information For Renters With Pets
Welcome, pet-owning residents! The Humane Society of the United States knows how important your pet is to youtheyre family. We understand the challenges that can occur when renting with pets. Tragically, housing problems are some of the main reasons that pets are given up to animal shelters.
Many landlords are understandably nervous about renting to pet owners. After all, there are people who allow their pets to damage property, disturb neighbors and generally give pet-owning renters a bad name. But as it turns out, these tenants are the exception. It is vital for landlords to see that the overwhelming majority of pet owners are respectful of rental property and ensure their pets never become a nuisancerenters just like you!
Use the resources on these pages to show prospective landlords that you and your pet are exactly the kind of renters they want living on their property. And if youve done all you can to be a great pet-owning renter but still encounter problems, this information can help you diffuse conflict with your landlord while keeping your family intact.
Please note: When dealing with any landlord-tenant issue, seek professional legal assistance. The materials provided here are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.
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Can You Leave Wet Cat Food Out
Leading pet food manufacturer Purina suggests removing uneaten wet food after one hour, while Hills says its safe to leave the food out for up to four hours at room temperature. Anywhere in between in a cool room is probably safe. Many cat owners leave wet food out for the day with no harm to their cats.
Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a group dedicated to bringing an end to the killing of shelter animals. They also run the nations largest no-kill animal sanctuary for companion animals. Through adoption events, education campaigns, and fundraisers, they work with other rescue organizations to find forever homes for cats, dogs, and other animals in need and raise awareness. They operate Trap Neuter Release programs to help regulate feral cat populations and prevent more cats from ending up in shelters. You can find out more about Best Friends Animal Society here and make a donation here.
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Donate Now And Help Us Transform The Life Of One More Cat Or Dog
Your donation, in any amount, is greatly appreciated and will directly benefit animals in need. Note: Some employers offer a donation matching program. Check with your employee benefits department to see if your employer offers such a program and increase your giving power!
Colony Cats is a 501 non-profit organization.
One-time Donation
Donate Part Of Your Wedding Or Event Registry
Planning a wedding or throwing a big party? Consider sharing the love with adoptable pets. Instead of a traditional party favor, consider gifting your guests a donation in their honor. Or forgo the china set for the sake of adoptable pets. Give your guests the option to donate to a shelter or rescue group rather than buying you a customary wedding gift. Its a rewarding experience for you, the shelter and your guests and its a great way to remember the meaning of your wedding! Read about two couples who set up donation registries on our blog.
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A Note On Neutering The Most Important Activity Of Any Cat Charity
We are happy to accept donations of any size that will be stipulated specifically to neuter stray and unwanted cats. Please let us know at the point of donating that you exclusively wish to have your donation used towards neutering.
All public donations for neutering will go exclusively towards neutering. We also help with low cost neutering to those who may be finding it hard to cover the private vet fee and offer donation-based neutering at our North London Cat Clinic under the C4 Scheme.
Trouble Affording Your Pets Care
Anyone can experience an unexpected financial crisis. Dont panic: Many national, state and local organizations provide assistance with pet food and other essentials, behavioral advice and training, and low-cost or free spay/neuter and other veterinary care.
Your local animal shelters or rescue groups can also be a great resource for free or low-cost pet assistance. Find your local shelters and rescues by visiting The Shelter Pet Project and entering your zip code.
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What Happens If You Leave Wet Cat Food Out
Even if your cat prefers to eat their food in a few sittings, dont be tempted to leave wet food out all day, as this increases the risk of disease-causing bacteria developing. After a maximum of four hours, throw out the old food and wash the bowl properly with soap and water before refilling with fresh food.
How Do You Store Leftover Cat Food
Your pets bowl should be emptied of moist or canned food not eaten by your cat or dog within 4 hours if the ambient temperature is above 50°F. Opened cans should be stored in the fridge, at temperatures between 40-45°F, for a maximum of 5-7 days. Any cat or dog food remaining after that time should be thrown out.
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Community Cats Need Your Support
There is finally movement on the Los Angeles T/N/R injunction. A draft environmental impact report was recently released, and decisions that come from this process will impact policies in the City of Los Angeles and across the country for decades and generations to come.Community cats need your voice!Support cats and TNR efforts by signing our petition!Let the nation know that ALL cats deserve to be safe, healthy, and valued!
What To Do When Your Landlord Says Your Pet Must Leave
As long as you follow your rental propertys rules and take care to ensure your pet doesnt cause damage or become a nuisance to others, there should be no conflict between you and your landlord. But even the best pet owners sometimes encounter challenges that are beyond their control. If you have done all you can to be a great pet-owning renter but are still facing a threat of eviction from your landlord, its important to know that you do have legal protections available that can help keep your family intact.
Review your lease. Typically if a lease does not mention pets at all, then you are allowed to have pets. Some communities and public housing authorities have laws and rules banning certain types of animals or breeds of dogs. Be sure to check if any local laws or rules are in effect, as these outweigh your lease.
Contracts like leases cannot be changed without both sides agreeing, unless there is already language in the document that allows the change.
Your landlord cannot go into your apartment and remove a pet or show up and force you or your pet out. Landlords have to follow the law and go through a legal process to remove tenants or their pets. Generally the landlord cannot even enter the home without giving the tenant notice except in an emergency, unless the lease specifies otherwise.
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Monthly Donations And One
Your donations really do make the difference and allow us to carry on our work to ensure a bright future for all the cats and kittens in our care. Whether you choose to set up a monthly donation or a one off-gift, donating to Cats Protection saves the lives of cats – no matter how big or small. Your donation will help us provide food, shelter, care, veterinary treatment and enables us to find new homes for cats and kittens in need. Please donate today.
Don’t want to donate online? Check out our Other ways to donate page for how to donate over the phone or by post as well as other options.
Why Should I Think Twice About Surrendering My Cat To A Shelter Or Rescue
Shelters can be very stressful environments for pets. When a cat is used to living in a home they know and are comfortable in, moving to a shelter or rescue with other pets and people they don’t know may be a big adjustment. It’s also possible that a shelter or rescue will have limited space, causing additional stress for your cat.
To give your cat the best possible chance you can at finding to a new home, it’s best to try to find them a home yourself. If your cat can stay in your home during the search for a new family, they will be less stressed and most likely have an easier adjustment to their new home.
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What Can Be Done To Minimise The Risks Of Blood Donation
A series of checks should be performed to ensure your cat is suitable for use as a blood donor:
General checks before blood donation
Your cats weight, age and health status should be carefully assessed at the veterinary practice. Donor cats should ideally weigh more than 4 kg , aged between 1 and 8 years , have a calm temperament and not get unduly stressed when visiting the veterinary clinic.
Health checks the vet will perform should ideally include:
- A full clinical examination of the cat
- Measuring the cats blood pressure
- Ideally a heart ultrasound to rule out occult/hidden heart disease
- Blood tests to check the cats red and white blood cells especially the PCV , which is a measure of the quantity of red blood cells in the cats blood
- Blood tests to check kidney and liver function
- Blood tests to rule out certain infectious disease
A donor cat should be free of any significant illnesses and be fully vaccinated. An ideal donor will also be an indoor-only cat, as this significantly reduces the risk of many infectious diseases that could potentially be transmitted to a recipient cat. Donor cats should also not already have donated blood in the previous four weeks.
Giving your consent
Precautions during and after blood donation
Donations Of All Type Help
As a registered Canadian Charity we can issue official tax receipts for charitable giving. Please ensure to include your mailing address so that we can send you a receipt. Receipts are sent out twice a year, generally in the spring and fall.
*Please note that we do not have a shelter facility nor business office. Our mailing address is:
Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue
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Fundraising And Temporary Credit
- Ask if your veterinarian accepts Care Credit, a credit card specifically for health care expenses, including for pets.
- Try a fundraising platform such as GoFundMe, which enables you to create a personal fundraising page.
- Consider Waggle, a pet-dedicated crowdfunding solution that channels funds directly to verified veterinarians for a pets care.
Can I Give My Cat To Petsmart Answer: No
PetSmart is not a pet shelter, and they do not have a policy of taking in unwanted animals.
If you take it there they will only refer you to your local animal shelters and turn you away. There isnt a financial advantage in taking in new cats, and the only reason they feature pets for sale in the store is to make money.
If they started taking in animals they would be inundated in a short amount of time and it would end up costing them money in maintaining these pets until they are sold. Thats why they leave that part to the shelters and only get what they can sell quickly.
Better OptionsIf youre made the determination that you cant keep your cat, you should give it to your local animal shelter.
This is where PetSmart selects the pets that are featured in their stores, so its their best chance at making it in. The large majority of cats that are given to shelters do not end up finding a home, so its important that you exhaust all of your resources before you go this route.
There are a lot of time tested ways of finding a home for an unwanted pet, and pretty much announcing this fact to those around you is enough to find an interested party.
Go SocialAsking around to family and friends is probably the best way to go.
A simple post on Facebook with a cute picture of your cat could be all that is needed to find them a good home. If enough interest is generated it will likely not take long for someone to say theyll take it.
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