The most important tip I can offer is to please be sure your pet has a current ID tag on his collar. This is critical. You may be thinking your dog is safe because he has a microchip but someone walking or driving by your lost pet will not have a chip reader. Maybe a nice person will pick up your lost dog and take him to the vet to check…but maybe not. Do you want to take the risk?
If you have a current address and cell phone number on a visible tag, in my experience, 9 out of 10 people will stop and gladly make a call. If you don’t have a tag you may see your dog again but one thing is sure, you will be reunited with your pet a great deal faster if you arm him with identification.
Petco has an easy-to-use machine that can crank out an ID tag in less than five minutes. Don’t wait for your fancy ID tag order that takes a week to arrive, get a tag immediately. If I had waited even one week, I would have lost my dog Cookie.
After I adopted my dog Cookie from the East Valley Animal Shelter the first thing I did was go to Petco to get an ID tag. I didn’t know Cookie’s history and I didn’t know if she would get spooked and try to run away. I wanted to be prepared. This proved to be a very smart move.
I didn’t recognize that poor Cookie was going through separation anxiety each time I left her alone. I later realized that she would claw at the window trying to come after me. I noticed scratch marks but I had no idea how serious she was about getting it open. One night all her clawing worked and she managed to slide open the window and jumped through the screen. I only had her for less than a week.
Thank God Cookie didn’t get very far. A terrific woman named Andrea was driving down my street when she saw my dog and pulled her car to the side and approached her. Cookie was standing right outside my building and this saint of a woman knew she had the right place because thankfully Cookie’s tag had the correct address and phone number.
Unfortunately, I made one mistake. I put only my home number on Cookie’s tag so I didn’t get Andrea’s messages right away. A few hours later I came home to find my dog missing. It was a terrible feeling that I hope you never have to experience. Then I checked my messages praying that someone called about Cookie. I had five messages, all about Cookie! She was safe at a neighbor’s house. Andrea let my neighbor hold on to Cookie until I got home. If Cookie didn’t have her collar and tag I fear I would have lost her.
Later I played back the times that the messages came in and the first one was only minutes after I left. Cookie was right behind me and if I had put my cell phone number on the tag, I could have turned the car around and been there for her immediately.
Seven years later Cookie and I are still together and occasionally we run into Andrea. We always thank her.
The following are tips that I have picked up over time having fostered kittens.
Always try to be aware of where your kitten is in the house. When they are very young between five and 10 weeks old they should sleep in one room and only be out in the main part of the house when supervised.
Kittens can get into a world of trouble. It’s very much like letting a two-year-old toddler in the living room unsupervised--you would never do it. A child can get hurt and so can your kitten.
Warnings:
Toilet lids--
Keep toilet lids down. It’s gross but kittens will try to investigate and can get hurt if someone isn’t paying attention. Please keep toilet lids down at all times.
Plastic bags--
Kittens love making noise and rolling in and on plastic bags. Again, it’s like having a toddler in the house, you would never let your two year old play with a plastic bag, please don’t let your kitten.
Keep all bags out of reach and in a safe place.
Kitchen and bathroom cabinets--
Please be aware when you leave these open. A kitten can sneak into a cabinet in seconds. You don’t want to close a cabinet with your kitten inside, then go to work. You may come back to a big mess and an ill kitten. With no food or water and no litter box, you have put your kitten in harms way. This can be avoided if you’re always aware of what you’re doing and where your kitten is at all times.
The Refrigerator—
Please look inside it before you close it. Like the cabinets, kittens will jump in the refrigerator if the door is open. Kittens are naturally curious and like to follow you around. Again, just be aware of where your kitten is and what you’re doing.
Your shoes--
Take off your shoes! This is particularly important if you have a very young kitten. They can get under your feet so easily. If you’re not wearing shoes you have a much better chance of feeling your kitten’s presence before you put all of your weight down on a little paw or tail or worse.
Cat litter—
Clumping litter can harm a kitten’s intestines. Please use traditional litter until they are at least five months old.
Please think of everything and be aware of your kitten or cat’s surroundings. Be the most responsible pet owner you can be!
