Sunday, March 27, 2005

[Courtesy of Linda S -- thank you!]
Felines out of control in Fort Washington
Gazette, MD
For as long as Julia Baltimore can remember, stray cats have walked the streets of her Fort Washington community, giving residents a weary feeling in their neighborhood. They wondered where the cats were coming from.

In Recognition of National Poison Prevention Week ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Lists The Top 5 Deadliest Plants To Pets
Monday, March 14, 2005
Center data finds lily, sago palm and others among the most hazardous plants.
(Urbana, IL) March 14, 2005 -- The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center wants to educate pet owners and veterinarians across the Nation during National Poison Prevention Week (March 20-26) on the five most potentially dangerous plants to cats, dogs and other companion animals. …
…Dr. Khan states that awareness is key in preventing accidental plant poisonings. He also advises that “if a pet owner suspects that their animal may have consumed one of these or any other potentially toxic plant, it is important that they act quickly and contact their local veterinarian or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435) immediately for help.”

From: ASPCA
Subj: Poison Prevention Tips for Cats
Date: 3/17/2005
FELINE HEALTH ALERT: LILIES CAN BE LETHAL
With Easter just around the corner, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) has partnered with the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) in a campaign to educate companion animal caretakers about the potential dangers of some of the most popular springtime plants. Many kinds of lilies—including Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and some species of the day lily—can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested.
Last year alone, the center handled more than 275 cases of cats ingesting a lilium species. Signs of toxicosis, such as vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite, may appear within a few hours, and will continue to worsen as damage to the kidneys progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment, kidney failure can develop in 36-72 hours. "Unfortunately, all parts of the lily are considered toxic to cats," says APCC veterinary toxicologist Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant. "Consuming even small amounts can be life-threatening."
You can keep your feline family members safe and sound by simply removing all dangerous plants from their access. We also encourage you to consider beautiful but safer alternatives to lilies, such as Easter orchids, Easter daisies and violets. To help you identify potentially harmful members of the lily family, the APCC and CFA have developed online informational materials that include photos of dangerous species and a list of nontoxic plants. Please visit APCC or CFA to take a look.

Outdoor life can kill your exploring cat
Orlando Sentinel (subscription), FL
... the outdoor life include contracting infectious diseases from other cats, eating poisonous ... to warm up in cold weather, and predators, including stray dogs and ...

A world of wildlife in her own backyard
Denver Post, CO
... instances in the book, she uses the event as an opportunity to offer nuggets of information, this time explaining that outdoor and stray cats kill millions of ...

Lake Norman Ski Club has kickoff
Charlotte Observer, NC
... of Huntersville and Huntersville police are starting a spay and neuter program for people in areas with a lot of stray, abandoned and nuisance cats and dogs ...

Feline advocacy group's refrain: 'Gimme shelter'
Boston Globe
... ''We're grateful to the group for bringing their concerns about feral cats to our attention, and we'll continue to monitor the issue and work closely with them ...

Fear of attacks by wild dogs grows
San Bernardino Sun, CA
... their dogs and cats.'. Regional statistics are sketchy on free-roaming dogs, and animal control agencies don't list dogs as runaway pets, strays or feral animals ...

Why do thousands of us think we've seen big cats every year?
Independent, UK
... The RSPCA agrees that short-term survival of a big cat is conceivable, as is the possibility of feral cats (and an unneutered tom is larger than the domestic ...

Carnival of the Cats
[Posted weekly on Sundays by 6pm Central]