Posts by Wendy Welch

Adopting a Fearful Cat

Adopting a Fearful Cat

May 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Adopting a Fearful Cat

[print-me] Why Are Some Cats Fearful? Fearful behavior in cats can be caused by various factors. Insufficient exposure to humans and/or a variety of stimuli during kitten hood as well as traumatizing events in their lives can teach them to react fearfully towards people or new situations. Cats can also be genetically predisposed to being fearful. How to Introduce a Fearful Cat to a New Home Fearful cats usually do best in relatively quiet homes. They are often not suitable for young children as children can easily scare them with loud noises or sudden movements. Many fearful cats slowly become
Read More

Petting-Induced or Overstimulation Aggression in Cats

Petting-Induced or Overstimulation Aggression in Cats

May 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Petting-Induced or Overstimulation Aggression in Cats

[print-me] Many of us have had the pleasure of petting our cat, when all of a sudden; the cat bites your hand and runs away. This is called petting induced or overstimulation aggression. It’s a common behavior in many cats, and is something that can be both frustrating and frightening until you learn how to manage this behavior with your cat. What causes this behavior? Cats are normally not as social as dogs, nor do they have as much physical contact with others of their species. They may groom each other and sleep close to each other, but have few
Read More

Adopting a Fearful Kitten

Adopting a Fearful Kitten

May 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Adopting a Fearful Kitten

[print-me] What Does “Fearful” Mean? A fearful kitten is generally one that has not had full socialization. If a kitten does not have much contact with people when it is between the ages of 3 weeks and 7 weeks, it is likely to be scared of strangers it meets. Depending on the individual temperament of the kitten, what it has observed from its mother, and how old it is, it may hiss, spit or strike out – or may simply attempt to run away. Some fearful kittens learn to trust people quickly, others can take a long time. This depends
Read More

Keeping Cats off of Countertops

Keeping Cats off of Countertops

May 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Keeping Cats off of Countertops

[print-me] Why Do Cats Like to Climb? Cats climb for several reasons. They seek out high vantage points, like countertops and shelves, to survey their territory. They can leap onto bookshelves or scale curtains to escape from another household pet or from something that scares them. Tables and the top of the refrigerator often provide warm, sunny places to snooze. Cats can learn to patrol or “surf” countertops, stovetops and tables in search of tasty tidbits left behind. Alternatives to Climbing on Countertops and Tables It’s best not to stifle your cat’s normal jumping and climbing behavior. Your cat will
Read More

Introducing Cats to Children

Introducing Cats to Children

May 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Introducing Cats to Children

[print-me] Cats are the most prevalent family pet in the United States and it’s no wonder. They’re quiet and easy to care for—a perfect match for busy families with kids. Raising children with pets provides many benefits. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, pets can: Teach empathy and compassion Provide love, loyalty and affection Foster self esteem Promote physical activity Teach responsibility Provide valuable life lessons Provide a connection to nature What cat lover wouldn’t want to share these wonderful values with their children? Children are naturally drawn to cats, but it’s important to lay some
Read More

Allison: Young adopter gives back

Allison: Young adopter gives back

May 8, 2018 | Comments Off on Allison: Young adopter gives back

In honor of her two cats adopted from HSHV, Allison asked for animal toys, blankets, food, towels and gift cards for HSHV instead of gifts for herself. She loves her cats and wanted to pass the love on to the homeless animals of HSHV. Thank you Allison!
Read More

Christina and PCEP Key Club: Youth committed to helping animals

Christina and PCEP Key Club: Youth committed to helping animals

May 3, 2018 | Comments Off on Christina and PCEP Key Club: Youth committed to helping animals

Christina recently started volunteering at HSHV and wanted to help make some different types of dog enrichment for the dogs to enjoy. She is a board member on her after school Key Club group, and she suggested they make braided dog toys. It was very successful, and now the dogs of HSHV are going to enjoy some fun new toys. Thank you so much Christina and the PCEP Key Club for your awesome donation!
Read More

Ali: Lemonade love

Ali: Lemonade love

April 30, 2018 | Comments Off on Ali: Lemonade love

Ali loves animals so much and wants them all to find a good home. She started a lemonade stand in her neighborhood and sold snacks and drinks to raise money for the animals of HSHV. Thank you Ali for your hard work and dedication!
Read More

Silver Springs Girl Scout Daisy Troop: Animal journey

Silver Springs Girl Scout Daisy Troop: Animal journey

April 30, 2018 | Comments Off on Silver Springs Girl Scout Daisy Troop: Animal journey

The girls of the Silver Springs Girl Scout Daisy Troop sold cookies and used some of their proceeds to buy fleece to make animal blankets. They made many cat blankets, dog blankets, bandannas, and cat toys. The girls are working on an animal journey that focuses on the care of companion animals. Thank you so much Troop for your amazing donation!
Read More

Brownie Troop #40632: Cookies to cash

Brownie Troop #40632: Cookies to cash

April 30, 2018 | Comments Off on Brownie Troop #40632: Cookies to cash

Brownie Troop #40632 loves animals and wanted to do something to help the homeless animals of their community. They sold girl scout cookies and donated a portion of their proceeds to HSHV. Thank you so much for your amazing donation!
Read More