CatsCat Items and Information

Cat Spring Toys

(spring cleaning) How can I put away??

You know the deal, putting things in piles: give away, throw away, ask hubby, trash, put away where it belongs, etc. How can I use a PUT AWAY box when the house does not have anything organized?

My put away box is full of things like lightbulbs, swimsuit, cat toys, etc.

There is NO place in the house where those things typically live.

I end up trying to go clean another cupboard and get overwhelmed.

Because of a busy work schedule, I can only work in 15 min blocks.

HELP!
Thanks for the great ideas. Maybe I didn't explain right. I don't live in a dirty cluttered house, I just hve stuff and it is not at all organized. I don't have al ot of time. So when I do 15 minutes, I find objects that don't yet have a home. Hubby insists no boxes lying around. Maybe I need to maker a MAP first of where things will go? Still confused!

Part of your problem is time management. That contributes to your life not being organized. Everything you have in your house needs a "home" or it should be discarded. Start by organizing one room at a time - leaving in that room only things that belong there. Find a place for everything you keep, and always put things back where they belong when you are finished using them.

How to get over severe homesickness?

I'm 21 and miss my family a lot. I'm about to start my last year of college but I don't plan on moving back to where my parents live after I graduate so I don't know how to help my homesickness. It seems to get worse after every visit (which is pretty much Thanksgiving and Christmas and maybe spring break if I'm lucky).

I have a cat and I started crying in Target today when I walked past the cat toys. I started crying every time I got off the phone with my parents today. I flew back from home yesterday and cried the whole time I was at the airport and on the airplane. I cry every time I think about them and get really sad.

I need some help to get through this. I know it will probably be more bearable when school starts again but right now I can't focus on anything else and really need some advice.

Sounds like you need to have a personal relationship with God. God is our Creator, all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal, holy, love. God loves us and sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, so we can go to heaven if we know and follow Him. Forever means without end -- time on and on without death. Forever is what happens after we die. Either we go to heaven and be with God forever, or we go to hell which is very bad and painful forever. The good people who are saved believers in Jesus Christ go to heaven. The bad people go to hell. We need to know God in this world to get to heaven in the next world. Jesus Christ, God's Son, is our bridge to God. Jesus died on the cross to cancel our sins. We need to accept Jesus into our life as our Lord and Savior forever to receive God's blessing and forgiveness plus go to heaven to be with God forever after we die. This is about being a born-again Christian. Faith in God is a gift from God. You can pray for faith in God. Just speak out and ask God for the faith to believe in Him and to follow Him. Some people find faith in God when they realize the beauty in the world is made by God. Evolution can't explain the world's natural beauty, for example, the parks in the world, animals, flowers, peacocks, sunsets, butterflies, rainbows, etc. After you have your faith on, you can pray a sinner's prayer to be a born-again Christian. This prayer is very important and should be said with a sincere heart and faith in God. This is the prayer: "Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that Jesus Christ is the sacrifice for our sins. I have done the following sins (state these out) and I pray to discontinue these sins. I pray to receive Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and Savior forever. In Jesus' name, amen." You could find a Christian church and try it out. I'm Lutheran and I like the Baptist churches too. Some churches have a weekly Bible study group and these are a fun way to find out more about God and His will for your life. God bless.

COIL TOYS (LOT of 5 or 10) - Plastic Spring Cat Toys $2.10

COIL TOYS (LOT of 5 or 10) - Plastic Spring Cat Toys $3.73

30 COIL TOYS - Bulk Plastic Rolls Spring Cat Toys $7.56

NEW Omega Paw Cat Kitten Mouse Spring & Jiggle Pom Toy $3.99

Spot-Nips Colorful Springs Coil Cat Toys $3.69

Cat Toys- Spring Mice- Lot of 3 Springy Plush Cat Toys $5.99

CAT SPRING TOYS & WAND TEASER - 4 item combo - NEW $8.25

Spring Mouse Cat Toy $0.99

KITTY BONGO BALL - Bell Spring Carpet Ball Cat Toy $4.99

Spring Thing Koosh Toy + Free Teeny Tiny Koosh Cat Toy $6.79

Lot 4 Spring Cat Kitten Toys Wholesale Pet Supplies NEW $16.99

SPOT COLORFUL SPRINGS WIDE 10 PACK CAT TOY HUNTING NEW $2.25

NEW Cat Furniture-Scratch Paw Pad with Spring Toy $14.99

Crinkle Spring by: CanCor cat toy mylar ball scratch $8.99

Spring & Jingle Cat Toy and Scratching Pad $3.29

NEW! SPRING-FAT CAT-kitty hoots-EEEKS! Catnip Cat Toy!! $5.99

NEW! SPRING-FAT CAT-kitty hoots-EEEKS! Catnip Cat Toy!! $5.99

NEW! SPRING-FAT CAT-kitty hoots-EEEKS! Catnip Cat Toy!! $5.99

Play-N-Squeak Spring Fling Cat Toy new w/ mouse great $13.99

~PURPLE~ Cat Catnip SPRING Toy Adorable! $4.95

~BLUE MOUSE~ Cat Catnip SPRING Toy Adorable! $4.95

~GREEN HIPPO~ Cat Catnip SPRING Toy Adorable! $4.95

Kitty Cat Plush Prey Spring Mouse Small Pet Kitten Toys $1.75

Kitty Cat Plush Prey Spring Mouse Small Pet Kitten Toys $1.75

Kitty Cat Plush Prey Spring Mouse Small Pet Kitten Toys $1.75

Kitty Cat Plush Prey Spring Mouse Small Pet Kitten Toys $4.94

Pet Brands Spring Cat / Kitten Catnip Toy - Monkey $9.13

Pet Brands Spring Cat / Kitten Catnip Toy - Frog $9.13

Pet Brands Spring Cat / Kitten Catnip Toy - Dog $9.13

DOOR HANGING SPRING CAT TOY~I LOVE CATNIP~FUN & PLAYFUL $1.83

Pet Brands Spring Cat / Kitten Catnip Toy - Cat $9.13

Pet Brands Spring Cat / Kitten Catnip Toy - Crocodile $9.13

DOOR HANGING SPRING CAT TOY~I LOVE CATNIP~FUN & PLAYFUL $1.83

Happy Neko Catnip Cat Toy Kitty Green Spring Sunflower $2.99

Go! Cat! Go! Spring Time! Cat toy *NIP* $3.09

DOOR HANGING SPRING CAT TOY~I LOVE CATNIP~FUN & PLAYFUL $1.83

FATCAT SPRINGY WORMS SPRING ORGANIC CATNIP CAT TOY 2PK $3.99

NEW cat toy- deluxe jingle roller & mouse teaser spring $5.49

PLAY-N-SQUEAK SPRING FLING CAT TOY BRAND NEW ITEM BEST $9.99

NEW Omega Paw Cat Kitten Mouse Pom Pom on a Spring Toy $3.99

Animal Spring Cat Toys - Set of 3 - NEW $7.95

Ethical Pet Spot Colorful Cat Springs Cat Toy Wide 10pk $1.99

Ethical Pet Colorful Springs Cat Toy Toys 10pk $1.99

NEW cat toy- deluxe jingle roller & mouse teaser spring $5.49

Colorful Springs Cat Toy - Wide - 10 pk. $1.27 Who knew such a simple toy could be so much fun? Cats go crazy for these bouncing, pouncing colorful springs.Size:Each spring is 2" long x 1" diameter....

Colorful Springs Cat Toy - Thin - 10 pk. $1.27 Who knew such a simple toy could be so much fun? Cats go crazy for these bouncing, pouncing colorful springs.Size:Each spring is 3.25" long x 0.5" diameter....

Spring String Cat Toy $3.79 Spring String is an excellent way to entertain your cat. Simply hang the Spring String on your doorknob and watch your cat play for hours. The Spring String has a plastic hanger that fits over the doorknob. It also has rubber covers on the back to keep from scratching the door and keeping the noise down from the cat playing. The bungee string is about 25" long with a small mouse and feathers on th...

Cat Toy Spring Mouse -- Fur Cat Toy $5.99 ...

Cats Rule Wand - Spring Forward $5.99 Spring Forward Wand is a great way to exercise and challenge your cat...

Catnip Spring Toy Spring mice toy for cats and kittens...Catnip filled felt mouse attached to carpet base...Excellent exercise toy for felines!...

Go! Cat! Go! Spring Time Cat Toy $1.69 CT-10295 Features: -Cat toy. -Go! Cat! Go! collection. -Material: Sisal, plastic, feathers, metal, rubber. -Has a suction cup that adheres to most solid surfaces. -Your cat feels like a featherweight boxer as she bats the ball. -Keep cats active and entertained for hours. -Dimensions: 5'' H x 1.5'' W x 4.5'' D....

Peace Sign Sunglasses Glasses Psychedelic Colored Frames with Peace Sign Danglers You'll Be the Hippest Cat in the House Wearing These Multi Colored Glasses with Attached Peace Symbols. $9.99 New sunglasses with yellow lenses.You'll be the hippest cat in the house wearing these multi colored glasses with attached peace symbols....

Cat Toy Tee - Purple ...

Kitty Galore Adult Costume MEOW - this sex kitten loves milk honey so go out on the prowl in this sexy and sassy adult cat costume. This 7 piece Kitty Galore Adult Costume includes a satin top with velvet leopard cups, seperate stretch satin boned waist corset and matching skirt, cat ears headband, neck collar, belt with attached tail, and mouse keychain. This bad pussycat kitty costume will definately get you noticed at yo...

Money Cat Sb

Where can I get Fresh Nike Sb's and Nike dunks in Miami?

shoes like... "Skate or Die's", " Supreme's", "Money Cat's", and "Bloody Sunday's"

Here is Nike SB's store finder:

http://www.nike.com/nikeskateboarding/v3/#storefinder/search/miami,%20fl

But those are all pretty limited shoes, the Skate or Dies cannot be found in any stores (since every place sold out), the best place to find them is on eBay or online consignment stores, such as: http://www.flightclubla.com/p.php?fc=la&c=sb&sc=dunksblo&i=080385

The Supremes are also very hard to find and pretty expensive, you can find them on eBay, but there are a lot of fakes, they have them on here: http://www.flightclubla.com/p.php?fc=la&c=sb&sc=dunksblo&i=080023

http://www.flightclubla.com/p.php?fc=la&c=sb&sc=dunksblo&i=080033

You can also find the Money Cat-lows, mids, and hi's on flightclub, as well as the Bloody Sunday's: http://www.flightclubla.com/p.php?fc=la&c=sb&sc=dunksbhi&i=080351

best online place to find lagit nike sb money cats?(good price)

nike dunk money cats..hightops

eBay would be the best place to get them for a good price, they usually go for around $120 on there, but make sure they're legit...there are a lot of fake Money Cat highs on eBay!

**Also, Foot Locker doesn't sell Nike SB's...

Financial Mistakes of New College Grads: The Seminar $6.99 The average new college graduate spends more time planning a Spring Break trip than their entire future post graduation. It is not the folly of youth: it is the short term focus of the Millenial Generation as a result of our uber connected and over communicated world, combined with social mores against talking about money. The underlying psychology of this Generation combined with the screaming...

Cream, No Sugar (Short Stories by Peter J. Goodspeed) $0.99 Monty Minks hatches a murderous plan to seize his wife's family fortune. But as the scheme unfolds, his own cleverness comes back to bite him......

Animals and Pets Vol. 1 $4.88 In this book, you will learn how to make money ina variety of ways pertaining to animals and pets. Some of the ideas include clipping cat claws, camping dogs, butterfly celebrations, becoming a dog trainer, animal registration service, horse "cents"... and muh more!...

Saber Cat Hd

Cat Key Cap

Glossary of common terms used during the mortgage process.

APR
- This stands for Annual Percentage Rate. It enables you to compare the full cost of the mortgage. Rather than just being an interest rate, it includes up front and ongoing costs of taking out a mortgage. The formula for calculating APR is set by Government Regulations and therefore enables direct comparison of the cost of mortgages.

Capital and Interest Mortgage
- This is when part of your monthly payment contributes to paying off the outstanding mortgage in addition to paying the interest on the mortgage. The payments are structured so that at the end of the term, your mortgage will have been completely paid off. For this reason this type of mortgage is also called a Repayment Mortgage.

Capped Rate
- This is a mortgage where the lender agrees that the interest charged will never exceed a specific percentage. This deal lasts for a set period of years. After the set period, the rate usually reverts to the lenders standard variable rate. During the capped period, the interest charges can move up and down with the lenders interest rate - but cannot exceed the capped rate.

Cashback
- An amount, either fixed or a percentage of a mortgage, which you can opt to receive when you complete your mortgage. The lender may well claw back this money through a higher interest rate.

CAT marks/standards
- CAT stands for Fair Charges, Easy Access and decent Terms. They were created by the Government in an attempt to provide consumers with simple, clear financial products with straightforward, easy to understand terms. A CAT mortgage will have no arrangement fees, no redemption fees and will have interest calculated daily. It will also have a minimum loan of just £5000, offer you repayment flexibility and the mortgage should be portable should you move home. Finally, you will not have to buy the lender's insurance products and there will be no penalties should you find yourself in arrears but can subsequently catch up.

Completion
- This is end of the house buying process, when the funds are transferred and the keys are handed over. Happy moving!

Contract
- A contract is a binding agreement between the buyer and seller. In the context of house buying, after the contract is signed by both the buyer and the seller it is then 'exchanged' between the respective solicitors for a set completion date. At that point, the contract is legally binding on both parties.

Conveyancing
- This is the legal process in which property is bought and sold. You can do it yourself or hire a solicitor or specialised conveyancer to perform the tasks for you. The buying of a freehold is much less complicated than the buying of a leasehold.

Discounted Rate
- This is where the lender makes a guaranteed reduction off the standard variable rate for an agreed period of time. After the discounted period ends, the mortgage usually moves to the lenders' standard variable rate. Watch out for redemption penalties that overhang the initial discount period.

Early Redemption Charges
- Redemption is when the borrower pays off the capital and the interest on the mortgage and thus owns the property outright. Early redemption fees are the charges incurred for paying off the mortgage early, either to buy the house outright, move or re-mortgage. Always ask about early redemption charges before you agree a mortgage.

Endowment
- Endowments are life assurance policies with an investment element designed to pay off the outstanding capital on an interest-only mortgage. There are a few types of endowments, such as 'with profits', 'unitised with profits' and 'unit-linked'. In the 1980s, these were sold by salesman who seemly suggested that these policies were "guaranteed" to pay off the mortgage at the end of the term. However, the investment returns on these policies have fallen to below what was previously considered to be the norm. Consequently, many policies are not worth what was originally forecast and may not fully repay the money borrowed at the end of the mortgages' term.

Equity
- In housing terminology, equity is the difference between the value of the property and the money owed on the property. So if the property is valued at £200,000 and you owe £150,000 on the mortgage, you have equity of £50,000. If you sold at that moment, you would receive £50,000. Should the value of the home be less than the mortgage outstanding then you have negative equity.

Freehold
- Owning the freehold means that you own the total rights to the property and the land on which it is built.

HLC
- This is the
Higher Lending Charge
(it was previously known as a
Mortgage Indemnity Guarantee)
. It is levied by around three quarters of all lenders on clients who cannot afford to put down a deposit of 10% of the price of the property. In practice it is a type of insurance aimed at protecting the lender should you default on your mortgage when the value of your home is less than the capital you borrowed. The insurance only provides cover for the lender, not you, and typically costs £1,500.

Homebuyers Report
- A property survey aimed at providing more information than a mortgage valuation but less information than a full structural survey. It will help the borrower to decide whether to purchase and help the lender to decide how much to lend.

Interest Only

Mortgage
- This is a mortgage where your monthly repayments only pay the interest on the mortgage. Therefore, at the end of the mortgage you still have to repay the full sum you borrowed. You are advised to have a separate investment vehicle into which you make payments aimed at building up a fund capable of paying off the mortgage capital at the end of the term. Typical investments include ISA's, a pension or an endowment policy.

IFAs
- Stands for
Independent Financial Advisor
. These advisors are regulated by the Financial Services Authority. To be classified as "independent" they have to be able to offer you the full range of products from all financial product providers. They are not entitled to describe themselves as "independent" if they can only offer products from a restricted panel of financial companies. A Financial Advisor can be one man band or work for very large companies. Before they make any recommendation, an IFA must carry out a detailed fact find so they fully understand your financial circumstances. They can then make their recommendations to suit your personal circumstances.

ISA
- An ISA is an
Individual Savings Account
, which is a tax-free method of owning shares, building up a cash savings account or a life assurance policy. You can use an ISA to build up a capital sum to repay an interest only mortgage.

Leasehold
- If your property is leasehold, ownership of the property reverts to the Freeholder at a set date. Many houses were originally sold on 999 year leases which means that 999 years after the initial date of the Leasehold, ownership of the property reverts to the Freeholder. Building in multiple occupation such as apartments, are always sold on a leasehold and usually have a much shorter leasehold period - 100 and 125 years is quite common. Often, with a block of apartments, the apartment owners individually own the leaseholds whilst a management company, in which they hold shares, owns the freehold. These days, however, leaseholders who live in the property have the legal right to buy their freehold under terms laid down by UK law.

Life Insurance
- This can also be called Term Insurance or, when specifically linked to proprty purchase, as Mortgage Protection Insurance. It is designed to pay a tax free lump sum in the event of your death to enable your mortgage to be repaid in full. There are a number of variants such as Level Term Life Insurance and Decreasing Term Life Insurance. At the outset you take out insurance for the full sum you have borrowed from your mortgage lender and for the same number of years as you have agreed on your mortgage. These insurance policies do not have any investment or surrender value. The premiums are based on a number of factors - the main ones being the amount of cover you need, your age, health and how many years you want to be insured for.

Lock-In Period
- This is the minimum period you have agreed to stay with the lender. Depending on the deal, it could be as low as six months up to the whole of the term. Should you wish to repay the mortgage or remortgage during the lock-in period, you will invariably have to pay redemption penalties. Always make sure you know how long you are locked in for with your mortgage.

LTV
- Literally means
Loan to Value
. This is a measurement of the mortgage amount against the value of the property or the price that you are actually paying. A £157,500 mortgage on a property for which you paid £175,000 would be a LTV of 90%. Lenders tend to charge a Mortgage Indemnity Premium on mortgages with a loan to value of anything about 75%. Some don't so ask about this.

MIG -
This has now changed its name to HLC. See above.

Mortgage
- A mortgage is a long-term loan taken out in order to buy a property with repayment secured on that property. So if you don't keep to the repayment terms, the lender can repossess the property, sell it and retain the money they are owed. Any balance is then paid to you. If the property is sold for less than you owe your lender, you still remain liable to repay the shortfall.

Mortgage Advisor -
On October 31st 2004 the selling of mortgages in the UK came under the remit of the City watchdog, The Financial Services Authority (FSA). As from that date any person providing mortgage advice had to be registered with the FSA and abide by its rules of conduct, methods of operating and training programmes etc. The objective has been to improve life for the consumer by offering better protection, clear information and access to redress for poor advice.

Negative Equity
- Negative equity is when the value of your home is less than the amount that you owe on your mortgage plus any other loans secured against it. It can happen very easily if you take out a 100% mortgage or if property prices fall. (Also see Higher Lending Charge)

Portable
- This is a measure of how easy it is to move a mortgage from one property to another should a property move be required. This is vital if you are moving during your lock-in-period and wish to avoid redemption penalties.

Repayment

Mortgage
- This is the same as a Capital and Interest mortgage - see above.

Searches
- During the conveyancing process, the buyer has to be sure that the seller has title to the property and identify any matters may affect the prospective owners ownership of the property. For example, whether the property is affected by any proposed road building, whether there are preservation orders affecting the property, is it a listed building and has it been built in accordance with planning conditions and building regulations. Searches will also show whether there are mines under or close by the property. This information is obtained by the person undertaking the conveyancing from HM Land Registry and the relevant Local Authority. These investigations are collectively known as "Searches".

Self-Certification
- Should you have difficulty in providing documentation that "proves" your income to a prospective mortgage lender, you may need a self-certification mortgage. In essence you personally certify what your full income is. If you receive high bonuses, or work seasonally or on commission, or are self-employed this may be your best option. You declare your income plus some evidence that your declaration is reasonable. Ideally lenders want to see as much guaranteed income as possible. To compensate the lender for the increased risk they are taking on a self-certified mortgage, they will charge you a higher rate interest, typically 1% over their standard variable rate.

Stamp Duty

Land Tax
(commonly known simply as
Stamp Duty
) - You pay Stamp Duty Land Tax on property like houses, flats, other buildings and land. If the purchase price is £120,000 or less, you don't pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax. If the price is more than £120,000, you pay between one and four per cent of the whole purchase price, on a sliding scale.

Upto £120,000 - No duty payable

£120,001 to £250,000 - 1% duty payable*

£250,001 to £500,000 - 3% duty payable

£500,001 and over - 4% duty payable

*If you're buying a property an area designated by the government as 'disadvantaged', you don't pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax if the purchase price is £150,000 or less.

Did you know? Stamp Duty was originally introduced by William of Orange when he was King of England.

Structural Survey
- The most thorough report you can get on the condition of the property you are considering to buy. The surveyor will look in detail at the inside and outside of the property and will tell you if the property is structurally sound. All major and minor defects in the building will also be listed and should tell you what maintenance work may be needed either now or in the future. You should make sure the scope of the survey is agreed in writing before you commission it. Should the survey identify problems, use them to negotiate a reduction in the price before you exchange contracts.

Variable Rate
- This is when the interest rate you pay on your mortgage can go up or down depending on changes to the lender's standard variable rate. If you have a variable rate mortgage your monthly mortgage payments will change whenever the lender changes the interest rate.

Valuation
- This is where a valuer appointed by your proposed lender, visits the property in order to estimate its current value. This value is then used by the lender as a basis for its security and to calculate its Loan to Value Ratio. The borrower never sees the valuation. With some mortgage deals the lender absorbs the cost of the valuation but in many cases the borrower has to pay upfront.
About the Author

Michael Challiner has 15 years experience in financial services marketing at senior level. Michael now works as the editor of
Kings Remortgage Brokers

Futher reading
Mortgages Home Page

Futher reading
Mortgage Topics

Replacement key caps for Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop...?

I got a brand new laptop for christmas (a Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop) and today my cat popped off the left arrow key...he also chewed it, so now there is a tiny hole and a tiny bump on the key cap. Is there anywhere that I can get just that key cap? I don't want to buy an entire replacement keyboard; just the left arrow key cap. If anyone has any possible way to help me, I would really appreciate it! I don't want to own something that looks ruined for the rest of the time it is useable. Thanks in advance! I really need this! =/

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7SUNA&q=dell+replacement+keys+1525&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title

Floral Flower Tulip Wall Hook Key Peg Rack Home Decor $4.70 Decorative Tulip Wall Hook Help your little one keep her things in order with this precious wall rack. Adorable, vintage looking tulips painted in bright colors. An inexpensive way to add a little color to your decor. Four pegs, each the perfect size for her little hats, mittens, caps, or light weight sweaters. Use it for the dog leash near the door, a place to store your keys, or in the bathroo...

Hello Kitty Key Cover: Cat Hello Kitty collaborated with animals! Very cute key cover for idenitfying your personal keys!Material: Rubber, Metal ChainProduct Size: 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 x 1/4 inches....

The Best of Jive Vocal Groups #1 Ltd. Ed. Japanese Import CD of RARE 1940s & 50s Vocal Group harmony tracks; now RARE & Out-of-Print...

Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat Key Cap WDKC0047 $4.99 The Alice in Wonderland key cap is made of rubber and fits over most standard size keys....

Aeromax Jr. Airline Pilot's Cap $9.95 Jr. Airline Pilot's CapNow ready for departureOfficial airline pilot's cap...

Skelanimals Kit The Cat Red Black Striped Key Cap SAKC0015 $5.95 The Skelanimals key cap measures about 1 inch and fits over standard size keys....

Kittykeys 6 Cute Kitty Cat Keycaps Keycap Covers $4.99 Your fur was standing on end. It had been a tiring day, all you wanted to do was get home and grab a quick cat nap before meeting friends out at the Kit-Kat club. Walking up from the subway, the strap on your clutch broke, dropping it to the ground & spilling all your everything everywhere. Passerby stepped obviously over you as you scrambled to gather your goods. Standing in front of your apart...

Key Cap - Skelanimals - Kit the Cat with Bolt $5.95 Licensed Key Cap...

Cat Aging Years

Adopting An Aging Pet

Adopting a senior pet can be just as rewarding, if not more, as bringing a puppy or kitten home from your local shelter. There are some great benefits to adopting an aging dog or cat and most health issues surrounding senior pets can be easily overcome.

Mike Fry, Executive Director at Animal Ark Shelter in Minneapolis, MN shares his thoughts about adopting senior pets. His shelter has several successful programs to encourage people to take home an older pet.

Q: What are the reasons that older pets do not get adopted as easily as puppies and kittens?

A: I think, primarily, it is due to misconceptions about older animals.  That old myth "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is part of a greater notion on the part of many people that adult or older animals are set in their ways.  Plus, puppies are just so darn cute that they pull at people's heart strings very easily. People can fall in love with a puppy simply by seeing its picture.  An older animal may take some time to meet and connect with.  They are, however, well worth the time spent!

Q: What are the benefits to adopting senior pets?

A: Very often these dogs and cats come well trained!  That whole phase of chewing, potty training and terrorizing can be bypassed by adopting older animals.  The older animals require less exercise, less energy, less food, and are generally a LOT easier to ease into a home.  Plus, because an animal's personality is somewhat determined genetically, and is not fully expressed until adulthood, it is often easier to know what personality a dog will have if an adult dog is adopted. Additionally, senior citizens who adopt senior dogs find they have lifestyles that are more consistent with the needs of senior pets. Adopting a very senior pet does not involve making a 20-year commitment, something some seniors are not prepared to do.  However, they may be able to make a 3 - 6 year commitment. And a senior pet is perfect in that case.

Q: Why do senior dogs and cats make good companions for senior citizens?

A: Research has proven that people with pets live longer, happier lives.  The health benefits of owning pets can extend a person's life and dramatically increase the quality of life.  I have heard many seniors say that a pet gives them something to do each day, which is important if you are retired, have no kids at home, etc.  They provide love, activity and stimulation.

Q: How does a senior dog's health play into the situation?

A: As a general rule, I don't think health is a big problem.  The general ailments of older animals are fairly easy to overcome.  The key is to get people to connect with an older pet. When they do, the minor ailments of age usually mean little. An animal in pain can, understandably, be more aloof, or downright cranky.  We have observed, therefore, some general personality changes in dogs when we put them on FlexPet with CM8. This helps them to present their "best side" when meeting perspective new families.

There are lots of misconceptions about adopting older animals and since puppies and kittens are so precious, it's easy to see why people migrate to them. But Mike suggests taking the time to meet older animals and connect with them.  They are well worth the time spent!

For more information on Animal Ark Shelter and the programs they have available, check out their website.

About the Author

Flexcin & FlexPet are all-natural Joint Pain Supplements. The primary component of Flexcin & FlexPet is CM8, which relieves joint pain at its source, reduces inflammation and irritation of the joints and tissues. It has been helpful for many sufferers of arthritis, gout, bursitis, sports injuries and fibromyalgia. Flexcin and FlexPet are proudly manufactured in the United States in a state of the art facility under the strict guidelines of the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices.

brown spots in the eyes of my cat aged 10 years?

spots are fine, But as soon as your cats eyes get foggy, that is a sign that it will pass on soon.

Caring for Your Aging Cat: A Quality-of-Life Guide for Your Cat's Senior Years $5.75 Since cats have a natural talent for looking better than they feel, it may surprise owners to learn that felines are considered “senior” at 7 and “geriatric” at 14. This invaluable guide explains such things as how to help an older cat with grooming, how to recognize the diseases that come with age, and how to tell if the animal is in pain or discomfort. Here, too, are the many different s...

Pearls for Baby Boomers (Wisdom Not Included) $0.99 Conventional wisdom says Baby Boomers should be retiring soon, but the world has gone slightly insane. Conventional wisdom is out the window. Travel is hard, money is troubling, doctors are annoying, and people are just plain rude. In a world where we are still too polite to speak our minds, Tor Richardson offers a pair of essays that might just do a little of that for us.This edition includes ...

Your Aging Pet: Making the Senior Years Healthy and Rewarding $4.95 ...