Greetings!
It's FCCO's busy season with full clinics and kittens mewing. I hope you're having a great summer, and thank you for taking a few minutes to pause to read our July WebTails.
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In last month's WebTails we requested help with kitten food. Wow, did you come through! An amazing 1,739 cans of kitten food were donated!
This time of year we have an average of 50 kittens a week in our clinic. Because of your incredible generosity, we can continue to provide these kittens with extra nourishment. Keeping their bellies full after their spay/neuter surgeries helps with recovery and comfort. All of the kittens thank you for full tummies and a start to a better life!
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10th Annual Catio Tour
Offers 3 Options!
Choose the Tour that Works Best for You and Find Your Catio Inspiration!
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The IN-PERSON TOUR showcases catios in the Portland metro on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 10am - 2pm. You can begin and end your self-guided tour wherever you please... just like your cat! Catio Hosts and volunteers will be available at each catio stop to chat with you about the catio features.
The ONLINE VIDEOS showcase most of the same catios on the In-Person tour and will be available on September 10, 2022. Each will have a professionally-created video tour of the catio plus an interview with the homeowner(s) about their catio’s construction and features. For each catio, you will also get to see photos and 360-degree images so you can really explore the catio. Additionally, you will get a guidebook loaded with details about the catios.
The VIP PACKAGE includes BOTH the In-Person Tour and Online Videos, plus access to a special Bonus Catio, a Pre-Event Gathering with coffee and treats, a Catio Tour T-Shirt, a Swag Bag with goodies, and more!
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We are grateful to the following sponsors of the 2022 Catio Tour! |
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Thankfully we haven't had a repeat of last year's heat dome. However, even when the temperatures are in the 80s it's still hot in the sun, yet it's easier to forget simple actions that we may be prompted to think about when temps are extreme.
Prevention is best!
- Cats can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot or humid outdoors. Outdoor cats should have access to additional water bowls. Consider adding ice cubes to keep the water cooler.
- Whether outdoor cats or cats in a catio, make sure they have a shady place to get out of the sun. Plants and patio covers can do the trick as long as there is plenty of airflow.
- Pavement burns! When walking cats on a leash, be sure they can step on grass or dirt.
- Be careful not to over-exercise pets.
- If possible, keep cats indoors when it’s extremely hot.
- When leaving windows and doors open in cooler weather, be sure indoor pets can’t escape out.
Know the symptoms of overheating
- Anxiousness
- Excessive panting
- Restlessness
- Excessive drooling
- Unsteadiness
- Abnormal gum and tongue color
- Collapse
Some should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible
- Animals with flat faces, like Persian cats (they are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively)
- Senior cats
- Overweight cats
- Cats with heart or lung diseases
For caregivers planning to trap cats for a clinic, please remember
- Do not leave traps unattended while trapping cats.
- Move trapped cats to a cool location as soon as possible.
- Cover the traps with a light cotton sheet only.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Lotus Romey-Yu
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Why do you choose to volunteer for FCCO?
I believe the work that FCCO is doing is important in order to reduce the harm and suffering that feral and stray cats experience. The work is that of logic and compassion.
Who is your favorite band or artist?
My favorite band is Royal Jelly Jive!
Where did you grow up?
East Bay Area, California- Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward primarily.
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?
I have 6 geckos and 2 cats. Geckos: (3 leopard geckos:) Tiger, Spangel, Artemis, (3 crested geckos:) Melony, Belini, Oxy. Cats: Houdini and Pinn.
What is your favorite holiday?
New Years - a special ritual of beginning again.
Favorite place that you have traveled to?
Dharamsala, India
What are you interested in that most people haven't heard of?
Tibetan Buddhism
Do you have any hobbies?
Yes. Gardening, camping, hiking, hanging out with animals, learning my Ukulele, writing, and other things.
What is your occupation?
I am a co-founder and co-owner of SymbiOp. My current primary role in the coop is the Project Coordinator for our landscaping company.
In the photo of Lotus she is literally a volunteer in action handing off bid sheets during the 2022 Furball. We are always grateful for her flexibility and focus with any task, and happiness doing whatever it takes to help the cats.
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Upcoming Events
The 10th Annual Catio Tour
September 10. Tickets are on sale now! There will be an in-person event visiting catios around Portland, online videos for those who can't join us that day, and a special VIP Package. Read more.
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In Celebration of Sandi Richardson Miller |
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It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of longtime supporter and friend, Sandi Richardson Miller.
As a lifelong animal lover, Sandi was deeply committed to improving the lives of animals and she understood the importance of being a voice for the voiceless. In addition to her own generosity, she frequently rallied support from friends and inspired the community to join her in helping animals in need.
Sandi was an engaged and active supporter of FCCO for more than 20 years. She and her husband, Ralph, contributed several matching gifts, including the recent Furball match. She was Honorary Chair of the 2013 Furball, Mew York, Mew York, and she was a lead contributor on our capital campaign for our current building. Sandi had a love of life and a quick wit which made her a joy to know and a pleasure to spend time with. You will find her name on the cat-shaped bike racks near the front door of our clinic as a reminder of her passion and her sparkle.
Sandi will be dearly missed.
This photo of Sandi and Carl Kahler's "My Wife's Lovers" was taken at Portland Art Museum in 2016.
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True Tails of Feral Cats: Noodle Can Canoodle All She Wants Now
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After each spay/neuter clinic, we share our #CatoftheDay story on our Facebook and Instagram pages. If you aren't following us yet, it's a great way to see beautiful kitty faces. Plus, you will learn more about the kind caregivers who are committed to helping the cats, from feeding them to getting them spayed/neutered so they are healthier and not creating more cats living on the streets.
On July 7 Noodle came in with her feline friend Greyboy. Here's their story:
Jody started feeding a cat in her neighborhood in NE Portland. She noticed the cat was an intact male and she named him Greyboy. Last month Greyboy started showing up with a girlfriend who Jody named Noodle. Jody was concerned there would be kittens if she didn't get the cats spayed/neutered soon. Both came to FCCO the same day and Noodle is pictured here before her surgery. Jody will continue to care for both of the kitties and will no longer have to worry about surprise kittens. Purrs of thanks to Jody for caring for feral cats!
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Thank you for all you do for the cats!
Karen Kraus
Executive Director
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* DONATE NOW to help the cats! Learn about our easy monthly giving options, make a gift in honor or memory, see our Wish List, and more!
* JOIN MEW, our monthly giving circle! It's the effortless way to contribute, and we'll send you a window decal to show off your support for the cats!
* VOLUNTEER at our clinics, in our office, and out in the community
* PRINT A FLYER, hang it up, and help spread the word about our services for feral cats!
* OTHER WAYS TO HELP include linking bonuses to FCCO from places you already shop! It only takes a minute, and then every time you shop at Fred Meyer or Amazon.com, or take bottles to BottleDrop, the cats get a reward!
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Can Catnip Ward Off Mosquitoes, Too? |
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Cats don’t just roll over and rub against catnip for the high, a new study suggests. Chemicals in catnip called iridoids also appear to protect them from mosquitoes.
Scientists at Iwate University in Japan rubbed iridoids on the heads of several house cats or allowed the cats to rub the substances on themselves. They then placed the animals near a swarm of several dozen mosquitoes. The upshot: the mosquitoes went for the faces of cats who had not been exposed to the iridoids but largely left alone those cats who had the chemicals on them.
Catnip, in other words, appears to be a twofer for cats, acting as both a pleasure-inducing plant and an insect repellent.
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