Feline Wellness Magazine

Purrfect Products

Third hand smoke
You’ve heard of the dangers of second hand smoke. Now it turns out that third hand smoke is just as risky to you and your animals, according to a study done by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and reported by Mulligan Stew. Third hand smoke is comprised of the toxins that settle on surfaces such as carpeting, walls, upholstery, clothes and even skin and hair. While second hand smoke is inhaled, third hand smoke is absorbed into the body by skin exposure, dust inhalation and ingestion. Cats and other animals are especially at risk, because they’re closer to the surfaces these toxins adhere to.

Star helps ferals
Tania Gunadi, star of Disney XD’s Aaron Stone, is supporting Alley Cat Allies’ campaign to press the city of Los Angeles to restore spay/neuter funding for the city’s feral cats, and resume the promotion of existing programs. “I’ve spent my life caring for cats and advocating for their humane treatment,” says Tania, who plays girl-next-door Emma Lau aka weapons specialist Dark Tamara in the hit action-adventure series.

Los Angeles formerly embraced a Trap-Neuter- Return program, and for the last 15 years provided low-cost spay/neuter vouchers that helped support and sustain many community volunteer programs. But late last year, an LA county judge ordered the city to suspend spay/ neuter funding for feral cats, and stop community education about TNR.

“This is a dangerous time for feral cats in Los Angeles, and we are grateful that Tania is lending her support to raise awareness about the terrible threat they are under,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies. “If Los Angeles does not restore the funding soon, thousands of feral cats will face certain death in animal shelters.” Becky adds that Alley Cat Allies has been working closely with local feral cat groups and individual caregivers in urging the city to reinstate support for this lifesaving program.alleycat.org/LosAngeles

To the vet we go
Even the healthiest kitties can end up at the vet sooner or later. According to Veterinary Pet Insurance, the most common cause of vet visits among cats in 2009 was lower urinary tract disease. The next most common problems were gastritis/vomiting, chronic renal failure hyperthyroidism and diabetes.

Raw for cats

Want to transition your cat to a raw diet, but not sure how to start? Bravo! Beginnings for Cats has the answers you need. This new 18-page booklet from the Bravo! company takes you step by step through the process of switching your feline friend to a healthy raw food diet. Topics include cat nutrition basics, raw diet benefits, how to introduce the new food, supplements and more. Ask your Bravo! retailer for a copy or visit bravorawdiet.com.

Photo finish
June is Adopt-a- Cat month, and Petfinder.com currently has over 122,000 cats available for adoption. From June 1 to 21, the organization is holding an online photo contest to highlight some of these beautiful adoptable felines. Petfinder.com members will nominate their top kitties in categories ranging from “Best Comedic Performance” to “Fluffiest”, and visitors will be able to vote for their favorite finalists – and visit their profiles if they’re interested in adopting.

We’re on Facebook!
Good news! Feline Wellness is now on Facebook! Just type in “Feline Wellness Magazine” to join our interactive community of cat lovers. You’ll find all kinds of tips, photos and fun videos, and we invite you to share your own images and stories with us, or start a discussion with your fellow readers. See you there!