3/1/2014

Good morning,  39 and chilly.  Supposed to rain.

Boxes

Thank you for the gifts from our wish lists!

 http://blindcatrescue.com/wishlist.htm

Thank you Sandra Morin for the undercover mouse!
Thank you Cynthia Crisafulli for the food!
Thank you Maureen Marchand for the food!
Thank you Colinda Messerschmidt for the cat litter!

Thank you Ruth Molenaar for the batteries!
Thank you Tammy Murphy for the water fountain and food!
Thank you Linda Wolter for the water fountain!
Thank you Carole Kraehenbuehl for the car bed, blanket, kickeroo toy and tunnel!
Thank you Alice Malinowski for the water fountain and filters!
Thank you Jill Anne Sparpany for the beds!

Thank you Maureen Marchand for the  toys and food!
Thank you Kevin Kendall for the food and toys!

Backyard Entertainment for your Cat – Keeping it Safe!
By Jill Anne Sparapany

Does your cat sleep almost all day? Does your cat have things to keep him entertained when you can’t play with him or when you are away from home? The more engaged your cat is in play and expending energy in appropriate ways, the less mischievous your cat may be! If cats don’t have activities to entertain themselves, they will discover their own fun!

Some cats like to rip paper or paper towels and drag them all over the house and they learn the immediate attention – good or bad – they receive when you come home is your undivided attention! Something they have missed while you were gone.

We know cats are hunters and love to watch birds. In fact, many cats will chatter when their attention is focused on the birds.

It’s very easy to hang one or two bird feeders around your patio or outside large windows. Placing a taller scratching post with couple of perching levels will let your cat replace boredom with entertainment. The perches will satisfy his need to be in high places.

A birdbath will encourage birds to drink water and to splash around to cool off during hot summer months. My cats love to watch the birds splash in the water. The birds chirping while splashing brings my cats to the patio right away…even when I thought they were sound asleep!

Bird-watching is very enjoyable for people as well as cats! There are many types of feeders for mixed birdseed, thistle seeds, nut mixes and suet. They can be hung from eaves, tree branches or from free-standing birdseed hangers.

There are advantages to encouraging birds to visit your home, in addition to the hunting entertainment for your cats. When the windows are open, the songbirds – cardinals, chickadees, gold finches, purple finches and wrens – have beautiful songs for your ears and for your cats. After the busy-ness of your day, it can be very relaxing to listen to the birds. It’s fun to watch the hummingbirds buzz in and out and hover at the nectar feeder*.

Birds also eat bugs! All kinds of bugs – including mosquitoes! Mosquitoes can carry heartworms, which are fatal to infected cats. Birds are a very eco-friendly bug control method and reduces your need to spray harmful pesticides around your patio and other outdoor areas.

Blind Cat Rescue has many bird feeders in their backyards so their cats can enjoy the songbirds. Their cats enjoy the live feathery entertainment – so can your cats!

Be sure to keep the feathered friends safe from other cats and predators in your backyard. Enjoy!

*  If you hang hummingbird feeders, most of them have red on them to attract the hummingbirds. The nectar does not need red food coloring! The dye can be harmful to the birds.

Hummingbird nectar recipe:

1 cup tap water

1/4  cup granulated pure cane sugar
To make your own mixture, bring tap water to a boil and stir in granulated pure cane sugar. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before adding it to your feeder.
To yield larger portions, mix at the ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. The solution will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Change the nectar solution every 2-3 days during hot weather. Do not allow mold to grow in the nectar or feeder. Between nectar changes, be sure to clean the feeder well. Ant traps are available to keep ants from the nectar and cost less than $6!

Please help the blind cats win in TWO contests, both daily votes:
1. http://www.shopforyourcause.com/voting-challenge(category LARGE RESCUE Shelter, Blind Cat )
2. http://www.shelterchallenge.com/ 
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