The odds are against her! ... 71% of cats that enter shelters are euthanized!

We received notice last night of the loss of a well-loved Cats Forum member, Leroy (lwittemire). Leroy had a droll sense of humor, but was no-holds-barred where it came to his deep love of cats, not only for his own, but for all cats.

Leroy's passion for cats was demonstrated during Operation Holly, a forum-wide rescue for adoption of a beautiful little foundling cat who showed up at the doorstep of Jeannie, a longtime, very popular forum member. Jeannie could not keep Holly because of issues with her other cats, but was caring for her in her garage until a loving home could be found for her. Jamie, another well-liked forum member, had a co-worker who was interested in adopting a needy cat. The problem was getting Holly from Arkansas to Pennsylvania. Options were discussed: air cargo transport vs a ground relay team. All the missing links were eventually closed, and Leroy volunteered for the second relay spot, from Ohio to western PA. The photo shown here is Leroy with Holly during a stop at his home in Mansfield, Ohio.

All who knew Leroy, knew of his passionate dedication to cats, including people who worked with him. He was a role model for men who love cats. Leroy was also extremely devoted to his wife, Valarie, and to his Mother. He will be sorely missed by all who shared his life, and I offer my deepest condolences to Val and the rest of his family. Please join the Cats Forum members in a Celebration of Leroy's Life. We all love you, Leroy.

Loss of a Good Cat-Man originally appeared on About.com Cats on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 12:41:45.

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More Wordless Wednesday

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Wordless Wednesday: TABby Cat originally appeared on About.com Cats on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 02:50:59.

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Getting your first cat is a monumental decision which should not be entered into lightly. So you think you might want to get a cat, and don't know where to start. You no doubt have dozens of questions running through your mind: "Should I get a male or a female, a kitten or an older cat?" "I'd really like a purebred (name your favorite breed), but maybe I should adopt a mixed breed instead." This tutorial helps answer those questions, as well as a few you haven't thought of.

Perhaps you've wanted a cat for a long time, but just recently have found your conditions "right" for a cat. Or maybe you've never been exposed to cats, but have fallen in love with a friend's cat and now want your own. In either case, please do not rush to a pet store that sells "kitten farm" "purebred" kittens. Do your homework first. I'll help you decide whether you're really ready for a cat, what kind of cat to get, and where to go to find your ideal cat. (I'll also explain why that pet store "kitten farm" kitten is a poor choice.)
_{Photo Credit: © iStock Photo/Daniel Bobrowsky}

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Before You Get Your First Cat originally appeared on About.com Cats on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 00:10:10.

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Amy Shojai, CABC is not only a noted book author of 22 books on cats and dogs, she is also an excellent behavior consultant for matters relating to cats and dogs. Amy designed the H.I.S.S. Test as a means of getting to the crux of behavior issues when working with clients' cats. The acronym H.I.S.S. stands for "health, instinct, stress, and symptoms, signs and solutions." For the benefit of About.com readers, Amy divulges the details of each area of the H.I.S.S. test in this new article.

I've always counseled readers to "do your homework" when working out problems with cats. Amy's article gives you a useful formula for that homework. In fact, the questionnaire in the Ask Amy Submission Form is based around the H.I.S.S. Test. Note: This form is only for behavior questions, which is Amy's "Queendom" on this site. Please see this document for emailing any other questions about cats.

From Amy Shojai, CABC: The H.I.S.S. Test originally appeared on About.com Cats on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 14:56:24.

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With its glorious long-flowing coat and sweet face to match its disposition, it is no wonder the Persian is the favorite cat among all pedigreed breeds. Persians require a secure, serene environment, but once they feel safe, they will be a constant source of pleasure to the lucky household that is owned by a Persian. The Persian requires regular maintenance to keep the beauty of that coat, so consider carefully before making what should be a lifetime commitment to this glorious cat.

Also see the: Persian Cats Picture Gallery for more photos of these beautiful cats.

Cat Breed of the Week: Persian originally appeared on About.com Cats on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 01:07:34.

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Cold winter weather makes for excess cat hair, which is copiously shed in Spring, as demonstrated by this pile of cat fur brushed from HOSTDru's five cats
_{Photo Credit: © HOSTDru}. It also makes for excess hairballs, which can be avoided with regular brushing. The FURminator is an excellent tool for gleaning out all that loose undercoat.

But what do you do with all that cat hair? Inspired by HOSTDru's photo, HOSTPat started a new Discussion on Clever Uses for Cat Hair. Of course using "cat hair as a condiment" makes for funny conversation, but HOSTPat suggested gathering the hair and distributing bunches of it outside among tree branches as nesting material for birds, a great idea. Other forum members discussed the concept of spinning cat fur into yarn, which is not all that far-fetched. I have an exquisite knitted shawl, made from dog hair, spun with died mohair. At the time I purchased it, several decades ago, we were exhibiting Afghan Hounds, and I accumulated 15 paper grocery bags of the soft undercoat of those dogs. I didn't pursue the idea. However, now there is a company called VIP Fibers, which will spin your dogs' or cats' hair into yarn. It's fairly pricey, starting at $14 for one ounce of sport-weight yarn. But what a wonderful way to have a keepsake of your cat, in the form of a knitted cap, gloves, or other apparel. You could even copy that old saying, "Cat fur makes kitten britches," which my dear mom use to reply when I asked her "What fur?"

Surely there must be other uses for recycled cat fur. Let's put our collective heads together and come up with some original ideas. I'll accumulate the best of the bunch in a new list for this site. You can post your comments here or in the forum discussion.

More Recycling Ideas: Uses for Cat Fur originally appeared on About.com Cats on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 14:06:54.

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Nancy originally sent Max's photo for the 2010 Tabby Cat Gallery, along with a fairly short description of adopting Max. I knew this cat had strong possibilities, and asked Nancy to please write a lengthier story, and when she complied, I knew my suspicions were confirmed. Max had IT - all the ingredients for Cat of the Week status: a prize-worthy picture and a heart-warming story. Nancy wrote:

Two months after I had to have my wonderful 16 year old tabby cat, "Mookie", put to rest, I felt ready to adopt again. I saw Jake's picture, listed only as a DSH. The first time I went to look at him, he was not there. Because I had only allowed myself time for a quick look and they were getting ready to close, I left. Two weeks later when I took a few days off from work, on a whim, I decided to take a ride back down to the shelter. I walked in and "Jake" was in one of the large cages in the reception area.

We seemed to have an immediate connection in that he woke up and kept looking at me and when I put my hand down to his cage, he reached up with his paws and was very gentle with his claws retracted. Enjoy the rest of Nancy and Max's story.

You may submit cat photos by following the Photo Submission Guidelines. Sorry, but I will be unable to publish your photos without all the requested information.
_{Photo Credit: © Nancy Brunette}

Cat Picture of the Week: Max originally appeared on About.com Cats on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 20:50:40.

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Billy was born seven years ago today, to a stray or abandoned cat in my own community. I know the exact date because he was fostered by a caring guy named Dick, who worked with CC4Cats in my county, and Billy's mom gave birth in Dick's care. My late husband, Asa, and I first saw Billy in our local Pet Food Express on Adoption Day. I had seen Billy a couple of weeks earlier and was quite taken by his poignant little face. His expression was so sweet I thought he was a girl, and he peered beguilingly through the bars of the cage at us. Asa hadn't been particularly interested in him (her) at first.

However, on July 23, 2007, when we revisited Pet Food Express, we both stopped to look at him again, then I proceeded toward the back of the store to pick up cat litter. Five minutes later, I looked up to see Asa walking down the aisle toward me with Billy cuddled in his arms. "Friendly little guy, isn't he?" Asa said with a smile. I smiled too, as the words echoed a deja vu in my mind. They were the exact words he had said when our son, Lance, had brought home our beloved Bubba, more than a decade before.

I proceeded to the check-out stand, paid for the cat food, kitten food, cat carrier, and sundry other goods, then joined Asa at the Adoption Event table where he was writing out a check for Billy. As we were talking to Dick, another shopper came by and she asked if we were taking him home. When we said yes, tears streamed down her face and she said, "Oh, I'm so glad! I've been so worried about him."

Bill was in sad physical shape. It looked as if he had a URI because he had watery eyes and was sneezing. When we got him home we isolated him in Lance's room to protect the other cats. Early Monday morning we took Billy to the vet, first thing. At close to five months old, he only weighed 2.8 pounds. Because of that and because of his tooth development, our vet estimated his age closer to three months. However, Dick had supplied us with photos of the litter, soon after birth, and he had documented their birth date.

Today, looking at his photo, he doesn't look like the same cat. Billy is fat and sassy with a personality that screams "Catitude." He has adopted Lance as his person, and nips at the other cats, including Jaspurr (which we nicknamed "Thor," if they try to intrude into his territory. I'm so happy that we adopted him, both for our sakes and for his. I'm convinced he wouldn't have lived long, otherwise.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILLY!

Happy Birthday, Billy! originally appeared on About.com Cats on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 20:34:35.

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