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I believe in Hillary Clinton\u2019s statement, \u201cIt takes a village to raise a child.\u201d I used that quote the other day with regard to my aging mother. Yes, we\u2019re finding that it takes a village\u2014at least several caring family\/friends and many resources to keep a ninety-seven-year-old healthy and safe. And it occurred to me that the same is true of our pets.<\/p>\n
Hopefully you learn important tips and care techniques from the research I present here in![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/LilyWindowNew-225x300.jpg\")
the Catscapades blog. You do your own research on behalf of your precious cat, and you talk to friends about issues you\u2019re having with her. And you discover the best solutions to whatever cat questions come up.<\/p>\n
In our neighborhood, and probably yours, everyone watches out for each other\u2019s critters. I told a neighbor yesterday that I\u2019d seen their cat, Moonie, paying a lot of attention to a certain area of her body\u2014that maybe she has something going on there. Emily thanked me profusely for being observant. Well, Moonie is in my yard (which is free of little children) more often than in her own yard and I noticed this.<\/p>\n
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Another neighbor told me about her cat\u2019s suddenly swollen face. I\u2019d seen enough abscesses and tooth problems on the veterinary shows I watch on weekends to know what this could mean. I said, \u201cTake her to your vet now. The poor thing is in pain.\u201d She promised to do so. (I heard later that it was an abscess and the veterinarian had to do some minor surgery.)<\/p>\n
In our neighborhood, we have keys to other neighbors\u2019 homes and we take over the care of ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Lilycatnippaw-e1536148145998-225x300.jpg\")
each other\u2019s pets when need be. I\u2019ve taken care of bunnies, chickens, cats, dogs, fish, wild birds, and, yes, horses. We\u2019ve had neighbors in to care for our fur babies. It\u2019s nice to live in such a village. If you have just moved into a new area and you have pets, it will behoove you to get to know your neighbors. Assess their character, habits, and interest in others and animals, and you\u2019ll no doubt discover someone that you feel comfortable handing over your extra house key and the care of your animals in time of disaster or should you take a trip, for example.<\/p>\n
Make it a habit to speak up when you see a free-range cat with a potential problem\u2014excessive scratching could indicate fleas. A cat can die from flea infestation if he\u2019s in a weakened condition. Maybe the cat is limping or getting thinner or behaving differently. People who let their cats roam, those who work away from home all day, and the elderly sometimes aren\u2019t aware of a deteriorating condition in a cat or they don\u2019t know that a neighbor kid is tormenting their cat or dog, for example. Be a good neighbor. Speak up. Give the cats a voice\u2014be part of the village for good.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I believe in Hillary Clinton\u2019s statement, \u201cIt takes a village to raise a child.\u201d I used that quote the other day with regard to my aging mother. Yes, we\u2019re finding that it takes a village\u2014at least several caring family\/friends and … Continue reading