What Does Your Cat Think About You? Here's the Answer.

Admit it...you have always wondered what your cat thinks about you. According to The New York Times, a new book has the answer. Titled Cat Sense by John Bradshaw, the book explores new feline behavior and science, translating it to how you can improve your relationship with your cat.

And the work is going to be all yours, according to  Bradshaw, a biologist at the University of Bristol in England. Bradshaw, who has studied feline behavior for the past 30 years, says that cats make up their minds, based on their natural instincts, on how they are going to interact with humans. And, unlike dogs, cats like to maintain their independence.

Of course, we knew all this. But the book is a good read--particularly with a feline friend nearby. According to Bradshaw, cats probably look at us as either a mother substitute or a very large, non-rival cat.

Check out the NYT's article Cat Sense explains what they're really thinking

Or read this excerpt Inside the Cat Brain

Another Hoppy Ending - Panda/Lola

Panda - November 2008

Little Panda was born at Red Door, and adopted by a pre-teen girl and her family.  We thought she was in a happy forever home, but poor Panda had a long way to go before finding her Hoppy Ending.

Red Door was contacted by the girl, who wanted to bring Panda back because she was "going away to college".  A little checking on Facebook revealed the truth - that the girl wanted a kitten and needed to "get rid of" Panda!

Still, a Red Door rabbit is a Red Door rabbit for life, so we offered to take her back.  We received an e-mail from the girl saying that her little brother was going to take over Panda's care. 

Over the next several months, our volunteers received several emails from the brother claiming that Panda was "aggressive" and looking for advice as to how to "tame her".  They pleaded with the boy to just bring her back, but received no response.  Apparently he went off to summer camp, and Panda sat alone in a cage for months, un-socialized and lonely, receiving food and water but starved for companionship.

Panda - February 2012

When the family was finally convinced to relinquish her, she was skittish, unhealthy, and very unhappy. She found the shelter environment very stressful, and was absolutely miserable.  Luckily, we have many angels at Red Door, and one of them is Patti.  She took Panda home with her and gave her loving care, rooms to stretch her legs,  and a quiet space to heal.  After several months, Panda was coming out of her shell and ready for another chance at a forever home.

Jessica had grown up with a Hotot, and loves pets with "lots of personality".  (Some would say "attitude"). When she and her husband decided to adopt a rabbit, fond memories of her childhood companion drew her to Panda.  Now renamed Lola, she shares her home with two feline siblings.  Pixie is the younger cat, nearly the same age as Lola, and the two have become best friends.  Marley, the older cat, seems content to observe and merely seems grateful that Pixie has somebunny to pester instead of him!

Lola and Pixie - Best Friends

 Pixie has taught Lola how to go down the stairs, and she has made the largely-empty basement into her own private bunny-gymnasium where she can run, jump, and lounge in cool comfort.  She has taken over one of the many cat-trees as her daytime napping place, and "redecorated" the doorway for easier and more convenient access.  And woe betide anyone who dares to set a glass down on "her" side table - she will come running to defend her other favorite lounging space

Aaah - that's the spot!

 
Lola would never have found her Hoppy Ending without the tireless work and dedication of our many Red Door volunteers. But there is always more that needs doing.  Cleaning volunteers don't have the most glamorous-sounds jobs, but they are essential to keeping our residents healthy and happy.  Foster-parents take animals into their home for more one-on-one time, a quiet vacation away from the shelter, or just to free up a shelter space for another animal needing rescue.  Donations of money and pet food help keep our Pet Food Pantry running and provide a way to help people on fixed or limited incomes keep their beloved animal companions.  Volunteers staff our events, do community outreach, follow-up on reports of stray or abandoned animals, or just help with the phones and the paperwork.  For ways that you can help see our Volunteer Needs page or just give us a call.

 

I Do, I Do--As Long as My Dog (or Chicken) Is Invited

Of course, we already think of our pets as part of the family, so it is only natural that we would want to have them involved in our weddings. According to an article in the New York Times, more couples are including their dogs or cats in their weddings. One woman even talks of carrying her pet chicken, instead of a bouquet, down the aisle!

"We get asked about including dogs in weddings all the time," says Wendy DeCarlo-Young, dog trainer with Dog Obedience Group. DeCarlo-Young, who was named the best dog trainer in the city by Chicago Magazine in 2011, offers some tips for those thinking of including Fido:

First, be sure to check that the venue (church, hall, etc.) will allow a dog in the building, in the grounds, or in the ceremony.

"Then, it all comes down to the dog," she says. "Will the dog feel comfortable with all the people?" she asks. "It's best to have a handler for the dog, and to make that someone the dog is very familiar with. This takes all the pressure off of the bride and groom." It also allows someone to focus entirely on the dogs, she points out.

DeCarlo-Young suggests that that handler then be responsible for taking the dog home after the ceremony--unless, of course, the dog is allowed at the reception site.

 The next issue is training. "The dog should have basic skills," she says. "The worst thing would be to have an over-excited dog who would be jumping on people, knocking things over, or chewing flowers."

And then there is attire. If you are going to dress up your dog, DeCarlo-Young strongly suggests that you practice having the dog wear the special collar or bow tie long before the event.

Follow this advice and you can expect many happy returns!

Here Is What NOT To Do...

For the second time this week, a box has been left at the front door with an animal inside. It's not the first time, and it won't be the last time unfortunately. However, both times, the animal that was inside escaped and the box was empty by the time the staff came in the morning. One of the animals was recovered by someone, the other unfortunately has not been found. If you find an animal, or know someone who has, please do NOT leave it at an animal shelter after hours. Aside from the animal possibly escaping and running into traffic (Red Door is located near a very busy intersection & alleyway), many times left without food or water, the animal is also exposed to the elements outside including rain, heat, snow, predators, insects, and even people who may want to do the animal harm. Also, leaving an animal at any shelter in the city other than Chicago Animal Care and Control is considered animal abandonment and is punishable by law. Understandably, people think they're doing the right thing, or may not know where else to turn.
So what should I do with an animal I find outside after hours? If you can house the animal overnight (spare bedroom, bathroom, etc) you can contact area animal shelters in the morning to check on availability. If you absolutely cannot keep the animal overnight and it's after hours, you can contact Chicago Animal Care and Control, who by law must take any stray animals for a holding period.

Big Black or British Broadcasting?

BBC first came to Red Door in the spring of 2000 as a stray cat. His name stood for Big Black Cat or Basic Black Cat, depending on who you asked. But BBC was anything but basic. He had a birth defect which fused his toes together on one paw, giving him the appearance of having a club foot. Because of that, he developed early arthritis and it could become painful for him to walk. Despite all of that, BBC was adopted a few months after he came in with three other Red Door cats.
His story didn't end there unfortunately. In May of 2003, he was returned with two of the other cats (one of whom was Luna, who you can read about below). They were left in a box with no air holes and no note. All three cats were very dirty. BBC got cleaned up, and despite having a very friendly personality, was overlooked year after year at Red Door. People were often put off by his birth defect or when he became over stimulated and had a tendancy to nip at times.
However, in December of 2010, BBC's luck changed. Red Door Animal Steward, Molly, could not resist BBC's charm, not to mention his lovely vampire fangs. Molly took BBC home to foster, and he quickly became British Broadcasting Cat. Recently, the official adoption paperwork was completed for BBC, and over 11 years after first coming to Red Door, BBC finally found his forever home.
BBC's story really shows that there really is a cat for someone out there, and you never know when that person will come into their lives and give them the loving

home they deserve.

Red Door on 190 North

Jade 9/20/2010

Many volunteers over the years at Red Door know and remember Jade the cat. Originally Jade came to Red Door in 2004, after living on the streets and being cared for over a year by a woman. Potential adopters visiting the shelter over the years were always drawn to her because she was very striking and beautiful. However, Jade was always a bit of a wall flower, very sweet once you get to know her, but very shy to start with. For that reason, Jade was overlooked by adopters time and again for over 6 years.

Back in April, staff at Red Door discovered some tumors on Jade's underside. After having them removed by our vet Dr. Gia, she did a biopsy, and the results came back positive for cancer. The doctor speculated that even though we had caught the tumor, most likely the cancer had metastasized and spread. She said Jade most likely had weeks to months left to live, and it would be great if we could find a hospice foster home for the time she had left.

A family did step forward and offered to care for Jade during her last days. They provided over 4 months of love, attention, and care for Jade. They reported that Jade was frequently run throughout the house and loved to play. As you can see in her picture, she was absolutely content in her new home.

Sadly, Jade passed away yesterday. However, we can celebrate the fact that she was able to live in peace and happiness, as every animal should, for a brief time in her life. It really goes to show how living in a loving home environment can change any cats personality. So remember to give that shy or special needs animal a second look next time you're thinking of adopting...you could be looking at a wall flower turned social butterfly.

Special thanks to Jade's foster family and to all of Red Door's foster providers for the work they do everyday. We wouldn't be able to do it without you.

Coraline: From foster to adopt

Many volunteers at Red Door are familiar with Coraline, the cute little cat who showed up on our door one day with four newborn kittens. All of her offspring had been adopted, and Coraline still waited. Finally a lovely couple came along interested in adopting Coraline, but they had some reservations. One of them had experienced allergies to cats in the past, and wanted to be sure that adopting a cat wouldn't worsen those allergies. So they decided to try fostering Coraline first, to see if their allegies became an issue, and also to make sure that Coraline was the right fit for them. Needless to say, and as you can see from the photo, they felt Coraline was a wonderful fit (and she agreed), and the foster parents reported no allergy flare ups. The couple was more than thrilled with her, and they decided to move ahead with the adoption.

Fostering is a great way to try out an animal, especially if you're unsure if the animal is the right fit for your home, or if you're concerned about any issues. The process is very similar to that of adoption, though it's not as permanent. That way, if it doesn't work out with the animal for some reason, they can come back to the shelter, and we can say that they got a nice vacation from the shelter. Of course, everyone's hope is that it does work out in the end, and that their story ends the same as Coraline's.

Of course, some volunteers foster animals, long term or short term, for a variety of reasons. Some foster just to give the animal a break from the shelter, some foster because it helps to create space for more animals at the shelter, some foster because a home environment is always more enjoyable for an animal than a shelter environment, some foster for terminally ill animals or animals with medical conditions, etc. The reasons are infinite. Please consider opening your home to foster an animal in need.

Cookie gets Blogtastic

Check out recently adopted Red Door cat, Cookie (now Boo) and her new blog!

http://booyah.posterous.com/

Cat + Patio = Catio!

Catios--safe outdoor play areas for cats--are in style. Check out the whole trend, plus links to catio suppliers in today's New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/garden/17catio.html?scp=1&sq=catio&st=cse

The cats at Red Door are lobbying for their own catio this summer.

Adopt a Cat Month & Red Door's Memory Wall

I'm Mortimer & I was adopted from Red Door. So you'll be able to see my name on the Memory Wall this Sunday at the Gimme Shelter! Walk for the Animals event. I hear the wall will be over 50 ft. long & will show the name of every animal Red Door has saved in the past decade. Join the cat team at www.reddoorshelter.org

Kitten One-Step, Two-Step

Miriam swears she saw something--right over there!

Maybe what's catching her interest is the cat team for Red Door's Gimme Shelter! Walk for the Animals on June 13th. A very enthusiatic group of people are supporting the shelter's cats this year--and when the money goes to help little sweeties like Miriam, who can blame them?

You can give a secure donation online that will go directly to care for the animals. Check out the cat team (or the rabbit team or the dog team) at Red Door's web site: reddoorshelter.org

Go ahead and choose a team. We know you like all the animals.

Get your tickets!

Spring To Life raffle tickets are in! Be sure to stop by the shelter and pick some up. Tickets are only $1 each, and the drawing is April 24th at the end of Spa Day. Grand prize is a $500 Visa gift card + a bottle of champagne, 1st prize is a case of 12 bottles of "Wines Around the World", 2nd prize is an Olympus FE digital camera, 3rd prize is an ipod touch, 4th prize is 2 books + 2 Vosages chocolate bars! Don't miss out!
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=2187

Aaaaaattt Laaaaaasst!

Etta James couldn't have said it any better herself. Long time resident Gabriel was officially adopted on Saturday to his forever home. Gabriel was a favorite of the staff and volunteers at Red Door, and was well known to people in the neighborhood as "that big gray Maine Coon in the window". Gabe was often known as "King Gabriel" for his regal attitude and big furry coat. Not to mention the way he was respected like a king by the other cats in the shelter. Gabriel was adopted and returned an astonishing 3 times, and fostered & returned once. Most people didn't understand Gabriels true nature, and didn't want to give him the time, patience, love, and respect he deserves. His new home offers him that and so much more!

Gabriel's new mom adds:

"He has this new routine when I get up in the middle of the night. He will crawl up me when I get back into bed, and lay partially on my shoulder and pillow and then he'll head butt his forehead against my chin or back by my ear, with his wet nose pressing against my neck, all the while purring very loudly. It sounds kind of wierd when I describe it, but its really quite sweet."

Everyone at Red Door is really happy for Gabriel and his new companion!

Boots adopted!

Boots the cat has been a resident at Red Door since 2003. He was originally found living under someone's front porch. He was extremely shy when he 1st came here, and wouldn't even allow anyone to touch him. Over time Boots warmed up, and he's become a favorite of the Red Door staff and volunteers. Most importantly, he was the gentle giant, and father figure in the kitten room, and was frequently found with his "harem" of cats snuggling with him. Earlier last month Boots was adopted to his new home! Here's what his adopter had to say:
"Boots is doing very well. He was a bit shy the first couple days, but he was eating and exploring right away. He and Kai are now to the point where they are chasing each other around all night! He does like attention when he gets up from naps and loves to be brushed."

As you can see from the picture, he absolutely loves his new friend, and his new home. :)

Hooray for Boots!

Consider becoming a Red Door Foster Home

There are a lot of great animals at Red Door that could use a "break" from shelter life. A couple of our cats, Gerri & Brenna, for example have been putting on a lot of weight and could use a foster home that would be able to encourage play and excercise. We are also always looking for foster homes for many of our rabbits, and potential foster homes for any dogs that find their way to Red Door. Check out the website or call the shelter for more details!

Have a Heart Art Auction

Join us at Woman Made Gallery, 685 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, for a wonderful art show. The work is bound to make your heart beat faster! Auction of art work ends the evening--with all proceeds going to the animals at Red Door. Admission is free. Cash bar for wine, soda, and heart-healthy pomegranite martinis--with proceeds going to the shelter animals.
Red Door cat Jade does her best DaVinci impersonation, showing off her tipped ear.

Sweet Home Chicago

Red Door took a call in December from a shelter in Colorado about a cat they claimed was chipped to us. As it turns out, it was a Red Door cat named Cassie. She had been adopted from Red Door in 2001. At some point her adopter had moved to Colorado, and eventually lost their house to foreclosure, and surrendered Cassie to the nearest shelter. Cassie had literally one day left to live at the traditional shelter where she would have been euthanized in order to make room. A woman in Colorado answered an ad to be a temporary foster home for Cassie, then with the help of volunteers and friends of Red Door, we were able to get Cassie transported back to sweet home Chicago. Come and visit this sweet girl and let her know how glad you are to have her back home!

Santa Baby! Photo Session Dec. 14 Benefits Red Door Animals

This year, get a great holiday photo of your pet! Come to Sit! Boutique on December 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. for a photo-with-Santa pet session. All proceeds from the photos benefit the homeless animals at Red Door. Also that day: elves! refreshments! cookies! Sit! Boutique is a great place to buy quality cat and dog food, toys, and pet beds. The boutique is located at 2316 W. Leland, Chicago, in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Ramona officially adopted at Red Door

You might remember reading about a poor kitty that came to Red Door almost one year ago today. Her name was Ramona, and in her 5 years, she had been through alot...prone to kidney and urinary stones, shot with a BB gun, living in a household with a dog that made her stressed and miserable. After she came to Red Door she perked up, got healthy, relaxed, and became the ultimate (and we do mean ultimate!) lap cat. We're happy to say that Ramona has officially been adopted this week! She's fitting in wonderfully, and has no worries in her new loving home.