C10 - Wednesday. October 19, 1983 - North Shore News OR cecaveel | Se | WHO TAKES CARE OF THE CATS? Travel is tricky when there are ties at home I CAN EASILY see why sO many people begin to streamline their lifestyle as their families grow up and move along. Travel is a relatively simple business for people who can walk out of an apartment where the resident manager will coliect mail and keep an eye on things while you’re gone. Then there is the rest of us - we've got house plants, gardens, lawns to mow and water, kids, cats, dogs, tropical fish, gerbils - in short, all the nuisances of a farm without a hired man. DEAR BARBARA: We know that you are acal fancier — we've read with delight your occasional! **non-travel’’ column featur- ing one of your cats. We sull laugh about Timmy, the coon chaser and Keno from the Bucket of Blood Saloon. Do you sitll have these old friends? Qur question is: How do you care for vour cats when yOu gO away, as we presume you must do often? We have three elderly moggies that are spoilt to a fine degree. Until this year, our daughter was working but sall living at home. Now she’s left for Quebec and can't cat-sit. Our winter holiday is coming up and we'd like some advice. ANSWER: As | write this, Timmy is crashed-out on the chair next to me and Keno just travel- wise by Barbara McCreadie sauntered through, hoping for an accident in the kitchen (he isn’t proud — pork chop bones taste fime from either Limoges or Lino) For readers who. aren't familiar with some of the Mc- Creadie cat family, Timmy detests raccoons and will chase any he sees. He’s all bluff and no brains but the coons haven’t caught on yet and avoid him like herpes. Keno was rescued as a kitten from the saloon in Virginia City, Nevada, and has been an illegal immigrant for over ten years. We call him the ‘‘Ugly American’’ when he does something atrocious but he’s a fine big black one-eyed beast who loves kids, dogs and postal persons. And, other cats — just as long as they’re ours. He’s been chew- ed, as has Timmy, to racket by a particularly ugly stray that has been haunting our neighborhood for the past year I bring this up because we always leave our cats al home when we go away, under the care of someone responsible Along. with regular doses of Cat Chow, Puss in Boots and fresh water, the cat sitter promises to round-up all beasties every day and check for injuries It’s rarely our ladies that get Into scraps but one never knows The other major worry 1s that a cat may. get chased or injured and end up miles from home Some well- meaning person may pick up Personal service _for animal owners | A NEW VOLUNTEER pee yout has been underway since carly this yeat Beginning im April, animal adopted fttom the Vancouver Shelter of the BO Souety for the Preven thon of (SPC A) has visited by oa cach Croclty to Anaearals hotne member of the been Adoption bBollow up Program Nooluntcer woes proces tebe tow rs Rutan fo Owners with a personal SPOA VEINGEE the and that thre aAdeetnal ots ECC LB presepyas care abn Prearteanne breaceie tt NX telephone follow up system oto remind Owners from DISNEYLAND BUS from * 349 ), A titer feet RENO AIR qcop A oeveters, HAWAII AIR DISNEYLAND AIR Adanac Tours Pot aA UY 5 s6'6701 when autos time fo have thea ew pets neutered bs anim portant part of this program and is capected to help reduce the numbers of unwanted kit tens and puppies that are born cach veat Many annals are adopted Shelter trom the Nancouses ZOLIONSDAL TE “’ OFF $5hQ0° REGULAR GREAT Ob TDOORS = 980 3313 rn , oe 7 of We re the Creme canantry oxnpacrts bs residents of North and West) Varnecouset and adel tional volunteers who live on the North Shore are needed Wfoovow Cate about animals and have some time cach week to devote to this work call Mey Nuctbach at 264 S46 “19! rar nd me? the cat and bring it to the SPCA. If an animal isn’t claimed within a certain period it goes to the big sand- box in the sky. If the sitter cuddles each beastie every day — and takes a nose count — it isn’t so likely that one of our pets will be unclaimed at the pound. All black cats look somewhat alike and are more recognizable to a friend. Cats sulk. We've been punished by avoidance for days after we’ve left them for a vacation. They can usually be coaxed out of the grouches by plenty of T.L.C. backed up with fresh shrimp and pieces of cheese. Cats can sulk themselves right into a serious decline if removed from their home and caged for an extended period. | tried this once when we had only two cats. The Tomcat bounded into the house, delighted at our return, and purred himself silly. Little ‘‘Sister’’ had starved herself to a bag of bones. To get her right, she needed a return visit to the vet for a Mgh enema and force feeding. She survived the trauma to live on to a ripe old age. 1 don’t think she ever forgave me. Our house has a cat door entering from a high-fenced back yard. The cats always Sunshine Coast e Arthritis Lodging breakfasts medical baths OFFER * Kheumatism * Bach Allments lunches & JS doctor visits GO mudbaths © massaqyes o SPECIAL WINTERCURE Keqyutar SPECIAL SAVE $1432 $1099 9333 Ofer tn cfhect during: October 24th until December Ebth January 9th until February LOth have a safe place where they Can swear al passing dogs and bolt from nasty strays, coons and other wildlife. If I could, I'd segregate their ins and outs to one part of the house — preferably the basement. Cat sitters aren’t happy with the job of checking through the house for the dead mice most cats hike to bring home for bunch and lose interest in. Of course, the best solution is to have someone move night in. A friend who is temporarily between = ad- dresses is marvelous. You might have good luck by advertising your home, rent free in exchange for general upkeep and cat care, in a prairie newspaper. Many people want to make a mid- winter getaway but can’t af- ford Puerto Vallarta. Van- couver isn’t all that cold and might interest someone. Often friends may know about relatives who want to move nearby for a short time and would be delighted to mind your house for you. It’s crucial, too, to get a working agreement with your vet. Should a cat be sick or injured, the sitter may not be able to pay the bill. If trans- portation ts a_ problem, assure the sitter that you'll Pay taxi fares to and from the vet. PLEASE, provide a cage or cat carrier that can be used SAVE*333 SPEND 2 WEEKS IN OUR MUD(moor)! Canada’s Ist Moorbad (mudbath) Now Open In Sechelt On The Sunshine Coast What is a Moorbad (mudbath ?) Its a hot healthbath made trom specially prepared peat gathered on the An old Furopean treatment Why take a Moorbad (mudbath?) TREFAIMENT Id UNDER THe SUPERVISION OF PHYSICIANS & CPREMFIFO BATH ATTENDANTS BOOK OUR WINTERCURE PACKAGE NOW! Two Weeh Pachage Includes (branes known by the Romans and Ancient Greeks it has high curative powers. As prevention a mMoorpac kage will speed the healing process and act as a prevention against disease * Cireulation Disorders * Female Pelvis Disorders ° Sterility for safe transport. And, if you must, call home when you know the sit- ter will be there. There's nothing worse than a nagging worry to spoil a holiday! [ must admit to making a com- plete ass of myself talking baby talk to my own special cat, Emily, over long distance from Italy. She knows my voice and talks back, as most Siamese will. The Italian operator must have thought I had a few shingles missing off the roof but Emily en- joyed the conversation. So did I. WAIKIKI Alr only WAIKIKI $479 8 Days. 7 Nights Ai & Hotel LAS VEGAS $305 5 Days, 4 Nights. Air & Hotel RENO 285 5 Days. 4 Nights. Air & Hotel TORONTO 199 Departures starting Oct 27 MAPLE LEAF - TRAVEL 736-3555 Reg. 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