Cat Snip

07/09/2025

Did you know that neonatal kittens must be stimulated to urinate and defecate either by the queen or caregiver until they are at least 3 weeks of age? Although urination occurs at each stimulation, a kitten typically defecates only once every 12-24 hours. An orphan kitten caregiver must mimic the queen when stimulating kittens for elimination. Learn more in our article, Understanding the Causes and Treatment for Constipation in Kittens - https://zurl.co/KittenConstipation

07/04/2025

Happy 4th of July! 💥

07/03/2025

It's ! 💙🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛💛 Do you encounter shy or defensive kittens or cats in your TNR or other animal rescue work? Want to learn how to bring them in from the streets and out of their shells? If so, our free webinar on Wednesday, July 16, is for you!

Using videos of successful techniques, combined with insights into the biological development of kittens, we will teach you how to tame and socialize feral kittens quickly and efficiently so they can be adopted into indoor homes. These techniques also work on low-confidence tame cats as well as some older ferals.

Can't attend on 7/16? No problem! Everyone who registers will receive links to the webinar recording and handout the next day.

Register: https://bit.ly/BFCITFKR

06/24/2025

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine's
(UW Shelter Medicine Program ) recently posted Neonatal Vaccination Recommendations address use of modified live vaccines in neonatal puppies and kittens in shelters and high-risk environments. Their key guidance: "When meaningful risk is present, both vaccination at the earliest possible time and minimizing exposure should be used in combination to the greatest extent possible." Learn more about these recommendations by visiting, https://zurl.co/neonatalvaccination

06/23/2025

Warmer Weather Means Higher Tick Risk for Cats in Indiana. From late spring into early summer, the risk of tick exposure increases, and with it, the danger of feline cytauxzoonosis, a potentially fatal tick-borne disease. Once thought to be absent from Indiana, this disease has now been confirmed annually since 2018 by the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) in cats from the southern part of the state.

Veterinarians can test for cytauxzoonosis and other vector-borne diseases using ADDL’s Vector-Borne Diseases Targeted NGS Panel. This test can be run on ante-mortem samples like whole blood, lymph node aspirates, or ticks. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical—they can be lifesaving.

American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Purdue University American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) IVMA: Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Indiana State Board of Animal Health National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) Indiana Veterinary Technician Association (IVTA)

06/22/2025

People say, “Just stop feeding them. They’ll leave.”

But here’s the truth:
🚫 They don’t vanish.
🚫 They don’t “go back to the woods.”
🆘 They get sick, suffer, or reproduce.

If they showed up, they were already surviving.
If they stay, they’ve found the only kindness they know.

💜 If you're one of the quiet caregivers… you’re not alone.
👉 Grab our free Community Cat Toolkit for scripts, flyers, and real support.
https://www.pawfectadminco.com/community-cats/free-community-cat-organizer-kit

06/17/2025

Do you know what are the two most common species of coccidia found in cats? They are Isospora felis and Isospora rivolta. Coccidia live in the intestines. They are not worms but rather, they are protozoan (single-celled) parasites. Coccidia can cause an intestinal tract infection called Coccidiosis. Coccidiosis can be serious or even life-threatening in kittens due to their underdeveloped immune system, health status, concurrent illness and parasite load. Learn important symtpoms and treatments in our article, 'Coccidiosis in Kittens.' https://zurl.co/CoccidiosisInKittens

06/12/2025

LEARN TNR THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 14
https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160
Neighborhood Cats
TNR Certification Workshop
Saturday, June 14, 2025, 2 - 4:30pm ET
(or watch the recording)

Become part of the solution for feral and stray cats in your community! Learn how to do Trap-Neuter-Return at our popular virtual training.

In this session, you’ll learn:
*What TNR is and why it works
*Prepare for trapping and handle challenges
*Communicate effectively with neighbors whether they like the cats or don't want them around
*Manage feeding stations and provide winter shelter
*Organize and conduct large-scale trapping operations

What’s included:
*Interactive training format with real-life video footage
*Extensive handouts and resources
*Certificate of attendance upon passing a short quiz
*Access to a dedicated TNR networking group on Facebook
*Optional live Q&A with our instructors

Instructed by Bryan Kortis and Susan Richmond of Neighborhood Cats, hosted by the Community Cats Podcast and sponsored by Tomahawk Live Trap. Participants receive a Certificate of Attendance and animal control officers are eligible for Continuing Education Units from the National Animal Care & Control Association. $10 course fee.

Can't make it live? To become certified, register for the June 14 session and view the recording by June 21. Follow the link above to reserve your spot today!

06/09/2025

"If we want better outcomes for cats and communities then we need to start treating feeders not as outliers, but as early responders in a system that needs to work better for everyone."

Community cats exist in the vast majority of human population centers, yet if care is provided at all, it is usually through an unorganized, and unappreciated system of feeders.

06/06/2025

Cat Snip will be closed for the remainder of June. We highly recommend our friends at Lebanon Veterinary Clinic for your spay/neuter and full service veterinary needs. Looking forward to seeing everyone and their kitties again in July. Happy summer!

06/04/2025

New research suggests earlier kitten spay/neuter does not affect bodyweight in later life. This is good news for programs seeking to curb cat overpopulation by spaying and neutering before cats begin breeding as early as 5 months of age.

A lifetime study that prospectively followed more than 500 cats from kittenhood through their senior years reports that cats sterilized at 4 months old compared to the traditional 6 months old are not at any greater risk of weight problems as they age, new research has found.

While cats sterilized at 7-12 months had slightly lower risk of weight problems, dietary weight management is an important consideration for keeping cats healthy after neutering, regardless of the age at surgery.

Overall, the authors concluded, "By neutering cats from four months old, the veterinary profession can help to significantly reduce the number of unplanned litters and potentially homeless cats. At a time when financial constraints and issues with capacity are facing both owners and vets, a move to neutering cats at four months old may be an effective way to manage cat populations.”

Read the full paper: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.5433

06/02/2025

Mission Meow grants are given to small feline focused non profits for use towards a specific well-defined initiative or purchase with defined milestone and completion date.
Keep in mind, Mission Meow does not provide financial assistance for rent, medical bills or monthly expenses such as food, litter and basic supplies. Grants currently average $7-$15k.
Grants are given quarterly: January, April, July and October.
July grant – Applications accepted the first 2 weeks of June. Apply Now!

Grant Applications