Country kitten rescued

Lily at 5 weeks old
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2022

Along New York’s Mohawk River between Rochester and Albany, lies once thriving Montgomery county. Yet the town George and Judy found in 2004 was a dying town. Like many small towns, manufacturing disappeared and jobs went overseas.

Montgomery County has beautiful historic houses from the late 1870s through the early 1900s.

Small towns with historic houses needed some money and a lot of TLC to restore. George and Judy bought such a house, circa 1890. The surrounding countryside is rolling hills and pastures.

beautiful farmlands in Northwestern NY
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2022

Last October, on a day so clear the distant hills defined the horizon, George and Judy took a stroll. They relished the fresh smell of grass and the sound of crickets.

Then, Judy heard mewing.

George and Judy point to where 5 week old kitten was found
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2022

Between a huge pasture edged with bushes and the road, was a narrow trench.

Narrow trench along the road photo by shari smith dunaif © 2023

Lying in the trench was a tiny black kitten.

photo by shari smith dunaif © 2022

They took her home, discussing who could adopt her.

Within days they named her Lily.

The next week George and Judy took her to the vet. Turns out, Lily was only five weeks old when they found her. The vet said she was too young to survive on her own and if they hadn’t brought her home she would have died.

George with 5 week old Lily
photo by shari smith dunaif © 2022

A few weeks later, old friends of theirs agreed to adopt her. But it was too late. Lily is now a part of George and Judy’s family.

happiness is baby and cat together

What makes everyone happy?

Babies and cats! Especially, a baby and cat together. Our niece’s baby, Jameson, is the happiest kid! He’s surrounded by love. His mother and grandmother are attentive and caring. Marky the cat loves him too. Just look at this baby and cat together. Also, we’re reminded about how the baby will benefit from contact with the cat, Marky. Read kids & allergies to cats

Jameson and Marky love being together. So happiness is baby and cat together

make your own cat toy

Cats and toys

Cat toys

photo by shari smith dunaif ©?2019

cat mice toys

photo by shari smith dunaif ©?2019

Cats are smart. We cat lovers know that. They get bored, like anyone would, if they aren’t stimulated. That’s why cat toys are big business. So my cats have several toys. Toby loves the little mice, while Marnie likes the feather wand. But if your cats are like mine, they get bored and want new toys.

 

 

 

 

A new bigger mouse? OK, bought one. Bought another, bigger one. Bought an even bigger one…Toby’s bored with them now.

make your own cat toy

I know cats like stuff like balled up newspaper – our late cat Ludlow loved playing with any paper product. So I cut a 2” piece off of a paper towel roll and tossed it in front of Toby. He batted it around for awhile.

make your own cat toy

photo by shari smith dunaif ©2019

 

 

It morphed into taking

make your own cat toy

photo by shari smith dunaif ©? 2019

 

 

 

 

  • 2”segment of paper towel tube, or toilet paper tube
  • tying shoe laces together, to make long enough
  • attaching the shoe laces through the tube

    make your own cat toy

    photo by shari smith dunaif © 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and violá! A new cat toy!
go play

 

getting a new cat? choosing a male or female cat

getting a new cat?

Yay! But should you consider your new cat’s gender? Choosing a male or female cat may be based on conditions like: you already have a cat or multiple cats, or if you have small children. Another thing to help you decide the gender of your cat is your lifestyle: are you gone all day working? Maybe you also travel a lot. This is also a kitten vs. adult cat consideration.

male cats 
who are not neutered have some undesirable habits. They are very territorial and therefore spray, everywhere, to mark their territory. Their spray stains furniture, floors, upholstery and carpeting. It also smells and is nearly impossible to eliminate.

outdoor cat
photo by shari smith dunaif ©2018

Unneutered male cats want to roam and seek out females and defend their turf: so unfixed male cats are generally more aggressive.

female cats
who are not spayed can be problematic too. Once they are in heat, they’ll howl, a lot, and seem restless and uncomfortable. She’ll want to prowl outside for a mate, and if she finds one, you’ll have a litter of kittens to take care of. Sounds fun, but just go to the animal shelter nearest you to see how many kittens already desperately need homes.

altered cats
This is a crucial consideration: both neutered males and spayed females tend to be more affectionate and relaxed. Neutred males often tolerate being handled better than spayed females, so if you have small children, perhaps a fixed male is best. Another reason to go to an animal shelter to find your wonderful new cat is because most, if not all, animal shelters spay and neuter stray or unfixed abandoned cats as a policy. As mentioned before, if you are gone from home frequently, select an older, mellower cat (or even better, two cats) and there are so many at our shelters.

play g kittens
photo by shari smith dunaif ©2018

Animal shelters have lots of adorable kittens too. Maybe you spend enough time at home to socialize and play with your new kittens. Then you, your family and your kittens will be happy. Small kids and kittens are terrific playmates.

choosing male or female cat for your existing cat 
assuming we’re talking about adults cats, the general conscencious is that the new cat should be younger than your cat who is already living with you. Also, adopting a cat of the opposite sex is typically recommended. An exception may be young (fixed) males because they can play together, especially if they like to roughhouse. As far as kittens are concerned, being littermates is probably more important for their development than choosing kittens based on gender.

think about choosing a male or female cat, but don’t hesitate to go to your local animal shelter to decide.

shelter cat
Biff, male shelter cat
photo by shari smith dunaif ©2018

about Siamese cats

Everyone knows about Siamese cats, including people not particularly interested in cats. Siamese cats have a distinctive appearance and a reputation for being quite talkative. But I wanted to know more about them.

What causes Siamese cats markings?

Siamese cats are pointed cats, which creates their distinctive look.

      • a pointed cat is a cat that has a face, paws, and tail darker than the rest of their body. This coloring are on the extremities of the cat, hence the “points” of the cat.

The pointed colouring is from a mutated enzyme used in the production of melanin. This enzyme is sensitive to heat and becomes active in the coolest parts of the cats skin. This means that the breed have dark coloration in the coolest parts of their body (the face, paws and tail). The breed differ in colour depending on the climate. Hot locales generally produce lighter coats than cold climates.

from the-cat-guide.com

     Siamese cats are generally healthy, but are more prone to cancer, caused by neoplasia, than most other breeds.

There are four primary types of Siamese cats based on points and body color.  The early Siamese cats were all seal points and in 1906 the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) recognized the breed as one of the first pedigree cat. Initially, even after other variations of point colors were bred, the CFA only recognized seal points.

seal point Siamese cat

Seal Point Siamese

  • Seal Points have dark or seal brown, nearly black points. Their body color ranges from light brown to ivory

Chocolate Point Siamese cats
from siamesecatspot.com

    • Chocolate Points have milk chocolate points and legs, their bodies taper a pale white
    • Blue Points have blue-gray points, the body is light gray or beige. Recognized by the CFA (Cat Fancier Association) in 1934

      Blue Point Siamese cat

    Lilac Point Siamese cat

    • Lilac Points have pink-gray points and a white body. They were recognized by the CFA in 1955

    All Siamese kittens are completely white when they are born. The points that display which type of Siamese they are appear about the same time their eyes start to open, which is about three weeks. .
    When kittens open their eyes, all breeds are born with blue eyes, but Siamese keep their blue eyes as adults.

    The original Siamese cat was quite different from modern ones. The earlier Siamese were rounder, stockier, and looked sturdier. Their heads were rounder, and all were seal points. Once Siamese were exhibited at cat shows the standard changed for competition. Siamese cats look became slim, elongated, more delicate.

    modern Siamese cat

    These days there are also red pointed Siamese, tabby pointed, tortie pointed, plus cream, apricot, cinnamon, and a whole range of other colors. Although many people are returning to the older Siamese characteristics.

    traditional Siamese cat

    Where did Siamese cats come from?

    Siamese are considered the earliest breed of cat. It’s believed that Siamese are descended from the sacred temple cats in Siam, now called Thailand. A Siamese manuscript Cat-Book Poems, written sometime after 1350, had pictures of a Seal Point cat.
    The first documented import of a Siamese cat shipped to an American was to Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes, wife of President Hayes, by the U.S. Consul, stationed in Bangkok, Mr. David B. Sickels. Here’s a letter from Mr. Sickles to Mrs.Hayes, written November 1, 1878.

    Dear Madam,
    Having observed a few months ago in an American newspaper a statement that you were fond of cats, I have taken the liberty of forwarding to you one of the finest specimens of Siamese cats that I have been able to procure in this country. Miss pussy goes to Hong Kong, whence she will be transhipped by the Occidental and Oriental line, in charge of the Purser, to San Francisco and then sent by express to Washington. I am informed that this is the first attempt ever made to send a Siamese cat to America.

    I am very respectfully,
    David B.Sickels, U.S. Consul.              from cat-o-pedia.org        

    In 1884 a breeding pair of Siamese cats was brought to the UK by the British Consul-General in Bangkok as a gift for his sister. The breed soon spread to other parts of Europe and Asia and were appearing in English cat shows almost immediately and in American shows by the early twentieth century.
    One of the first American women to start a ‘cattery’ in this country was Adele Locke, wife of the rector of Grace Church, Chicago. She is recorded as the purchaser (or broker) of ‘Lockehaven Siam’ while visiting France, for breeding.

    about Siamese cats

    Siam was imported for breeding

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Lockehaven’s registration states he was born in 1897 and was directly imported from Siam to France. He was shown as an adult at Mrs. Locke’s Beresford Cat Club in January 1900. Mrs. Locke was the president of Beresford Cat Club.

     

     

     

     

     

    Siamese cats grew in popularity and are one of the most recognizable breeds in the world. In addition to the distinctive coloring of Siamese cats, they are also known to be friendly, intelligent, outgoing and talkative. They are wonderful cats!

     

     

     

    cfa.org