12/12/2014

        Birdwatching: Enrichment for cats


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Cats do best when they have a variety of stimulating activities to choose from during the day. Toys and playmates are two great options, but a strategically placed bird feeder may end up one of the most popular choices in your home’s toolbox of cat stimuli. Since many indoor cats enjoy bird watching, take advantage of the free, natural entertainment our feathered friends provide.
Setting up your own bird feeding station is simple, not to mention a safe, healthy way to arouse your cat's prey drive (provided you keep your windows closed). And though you may not become a birder yourself, you'll love watching your fascinated feline wiggle his butt and make those clicking-chirping-chattering noises cats do when “hunting.”
Bird feeder varieties
These days bird feeders can be found in a range of styles of styles, from modern to traditional, elaborate to inconspicuous, and in three basic types:
· Feeders that hang from trees, poles, or rafters
· Ground feeders (chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits may use these as well and they are really good outside sliding glass doors because they are at the cat’s eye level)
· Feeders that attach to the outside of a window for really close up viewing
Bird seed is also available in a variety of options. Most include millet and sunflower seed, though the proportions vary and fillers may be used. Your local bird store or bird-oriented conservation organization should be able to advise on you on the best seed for where you live and the time of year.
You can decide how often to fill your feeders – you don’t need to fill them every time they are empty, even if the birds are giving you the evil eye or your cat is begging you to bring it on. Don't feel guilty if you don’t have the time or resources to fill the feeders every day. Feeders generally supplement the birds' natural diet so feeding them is not life or death, though quite helpful in winter in places where it gets cold. For the birds’ health, it’s best to wash feeders from time to time as well.
A word of caution
If your cat goes outside or neighborhood cats visit,, your home does not make for safe bird feeding territory. It’s just not fair to turn the birds into bait.
Unfortunately, in some areas there are so many free-roaming cats that bird feeding becomes impossible without creating a bad situation for the birds If that’s the case in your neighborhood, you may want to explore why there are so many cats, talk to your neighbors and look into Trap-Neuter-Return.
Bird lists and identification books
If your bird feeding habit really takes off (for the sake of the cats of course!) you can buy bird identification books to figure out who it is that is visiting and keep checklists of those that you see. Just don’t expect the cat to keep track for you!
Here is the link if you want to read more articles: http://cattime.com/kittens-what-to-expect.html

Thank you so much to everyone for your generous gifts from our Amazon wish list!!

Carrot in his bed!

Amazon often does not put packing slips in the boxes and they never give us your contact info so we are not able to personally contact you to thank you.  Please know that we deeply appreciate your kindness and are very grateful to you for your support!

This list is from several days of boxes :)

 
Honey, Camille and Oreo all laying together!

Thank you Cheri Grubbs for the towels and treats!
Thank you Cheryl Fisher for the cat food, scratch and rest!
Thank you Constance Condit for the litter!
Thank you Deborah Wass for the laundry enhancer, cat toy, cat food and litter!
Thank you Erin Morris for the cat toy!
Thank you Erin Murphy for the cat food and cleaner!
Thank you Gary Mertz for the cat toy!
Thank you Judeth Moore for the dry food!
Thank you Kaci and family for the treats and mouse toys!

Carrot in his new tent bed!
Thank you Karin Burns for the chocolates and cat food!
Thank you Miss Irene Noble for the steam mop! 
Thank you Patricia de la Bretonne for the scratch and rest and cleaner!
Thank you Sandra Masciarelli for the cat tent bed!
Thank you Sheefa Fijiwala for the motion toy!
Thank you Susan Cain for the cat toy, charcoal filters and motion toy!
Thank you Susan Dockerill for the milk thistle!
Thank you Unknown for the cat food!
Thank you Unknown for the cat food, litter, cat food and cat beds!

Carrot

                        Don't forget tonight we open tour and boxes tonight at 6:30 P.M.


                                                                                                       
Thank you to the wonderful people who share their auctions with the cats! 
 You may find lots of them at 




Here is an auction Star Trek set. She is donating 100 b% of the auction with the cats!! Here is the link: 


One vote every 24 hours. 
Treasure hopes you vote everyday!
NEW CONTEST - Snicker says please Help the cats win $1,000 and You win a $100 package too  Please put Blind Cat Rescue under the shelter block   Here is the link: http://www.dailykibble.com/promo/SpreadtheLove2014/
Thank you for helping!!
Gallie thanks you for your votes!


New Contest (#3) Please Help the cats win 10,000 meals from Halo  (that is lots of food!!  http://tinyurl.com/k5kf2v9 )put in shelter name, Blind Cat Rescue, town St Pauls, NC Thank you for helping the cats!!!! 
Casey is happy that you are vote for us!


NEW CONTEST, Please vote for Snicker  One vote a day 

http://www.shopforyourcause.com/click-to-donate
They will donate cash to each group based upon the amount of votes so each group wins something 
Thank you for helping
Jellybean thank you for all the votes!



We are now taking orders for the Calendars!!!!
We are now taking orders for calendars and will try to ship them in December. We will try to get them to you by Christmas if your in the US if your international we hope you will get it by then (if not we are sorry), Please order by December 19th 2014. They make great Christmas gifts and what a great way to start the new year with one!






Don't forget we have our annual Christmas tree decorating fundraiser! It makes a great gift for someone who has everything! Here is the link:  http://blindcatrescue.com

Do you walk or run?  The Droid app is finally ready.  If you pick Blind Cat Rescue as your charity,  every time you walk/run  they will donate to the cats!

CFC #67324







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