801-581-0725

October 2006
Hi Everyone,

Hope you enjoy the newsletter for this month and that it finds you well and happy!

Well fall is now here and winter is just around the corner. This month we celebrate the very spooky Halloween! Remember to keep pets in and safe during the spooooky festivities particularly cats. There are still sick people out there that like to use animals in cruel ways to enjoy their Halloween. Plus many cats and dogs are disturbed by some of the spoooky costumes and decorations. Others enjoy dressing up! Aren't we cute! If you would like to share photos please email them to me!

Training Tips for Dogs - Asking your dog to perform a behavior that he/she knows well such as sitting before you offer them any type of attention or affection will help your dog be better behaved and well adjusted overall. Don't forget those at your side leash walks daily.

For Our Feline Friends - Cats should be provided with plenty of items to entertain them especially in single feline homes. It doesn't have to be expensive. Here are some ideas using items around the house.

Try wadding up a piece of tin foil loosely and toss it on the floor. Cats love to bat it around.

A small flashlight can provides tons of entertainment for both you and your cat. Move the light around the floor and up the walls. Watch the kitties follow and chase it. My Trikey will do this endlessly.

Take a basic cardboard box and put on the floor or if you want to make it more interesting cut holes in it in various places so the cats can grawl through it.

Take an old cotton sock and put cat nip it and tie a knot at the end of it.

Life on the Wildside! - For those who don't know what I am talking about let me explain. I do wildlife rehabilitation as a sub-permittee through Utah Wildlife Rehabilitation - A Non-Profit Organization. We work in association with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resource. All of the work I do with the wildlife is charity. It is my way of giving something back to the community and the universe.

Updates - The little momma tree squirrel and baby are doing great. The little baby boy is getting so big and is eating on his own but still nurses on mommy. He is very active and
curious. They play together with him riding on her back a lot of the time. He loves the water bottle.

The baby pigeons have successfully joined the flock now which consists of 5 pigeons. They pretty much around my place and always come at night!

Here is a great story about another adult pigeon that was in my care only for a short time. A very sweet girl named Kim has a flock of pigeons at her home. She has diligently been watching out and caring for them. One of the pigeons came to her with a hurt wing. This pigeon was given the name of Lucky. Evidently it had been shot most likely with a pellet gun. Kim actually took the bird to a local vet who prescribed some antibiotics for the bird. The vet thought it would be unlikely if the bird would be able to fly again. Kim was worried about providing the type of care the bird would need. She was referred to me by another friend/client. She asked if I would take Lucky, and of course I told her I would.

Lucky was not very fond of me at first. She was always pecking as hard as she could at my hands and fingers not realizing it really doesn't hurt. I kept her in my office in a very small cage to recuperate. I began letting her out of the cage and allowing her to roam the office. She eventually starting taking small steps in flying. She was getting higher and higher so I decided to take her outside to the larger cage where she could fly. She made friends with my flock and they often hung around the cage making her feel welcome and part of the family. The other evening I decided to let her out and what a surprise she could fly as high and as well as the other pigeons. I was pretty confident that Lucky wouldn't stay here. She wanted to go home to her own family. Off she went. I wished her well and told her to go home.

I debated about calling Kim to tell her what I had done for fear maybe she wouldn't make to Kim's house. Within 48 hours Kim called me to tell Lucky had come home! Her family was so happy to see her. That is how Kim knew she was back because of all the commotion going on. What a Lucky pigeon!

Thanks for reading! Have a safe & fun Halloween!

Kandy Thomas
Kandy's Kritter Kare & Consulting