VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2

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shirts.  Randy Jennings of San Jose created the design for the front of the shirt  --  a bright orange tabby wearing blue athletic shoes.   

After the 5K walk through Folsom, the walkers gathered at Yager's Tap House and Grille on Sutter Street in Folsom and enjoyed lunch, congratulatory speeches, and a "Hello, Kitty" theme dessert cake.  Tracy Kirsten introduced her CatWalk Committee Members, Laurie Rich, Daphne Belshaw, Julie Carruth, Christy Drewry, Janet Bennett, and Shirley Brown, and thanked them for their hard work.  Raffle prizes were distributed to those with winning raffle tickets and prizes were also distributed to the top three pledge gatherers.  FFR Volunteers Laurie Rich, Kaity Stuehm, and Sharon Franck brought in the most pledges, respectively.

John Bennett, President of FFR, thanked all the walkers who brought in pledges and all the business sponsors who gave monetary donations or raffle prizes.   The business sponsors were Blue Ravine Animal Hospital, Folsom Telegraph, Douglas Ranch Supply, Trader Joe's, Pacific Western Traders, Cat Clinic of Folsom, Cloud's Porcelain, Rainbow Bridge Jewelers, Reigning Cats & Dogs, Yager's Tap House & Grille, Beachouse Deli, Snooks Candies & Ice Cream, Dog Show Specialties, and Raleys & Bel-Air.  John asked the group to patronize the businesses that sponsored the walk.  John then challenged the group to have an even bigger event next year and double the amount raised!

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The curtain cord issue is one that is often overlooked and is basically just an accidental death waiting to happen. I for one was almost a victim. Sure, we felines are smarter than humans but sometimes we loose our "street smarts" when we see something as inviting as a curtain cord. We start to play, we stick our head through the loop, we move in various directions, we become tangled up, and soon thereafter our air supply is cut off and we choke and die. Or even better, we are playing with a curtain cord while standing high up on a piece of furniture and we become entangled, jump down, and hang ourselves.  Graphic I know - but I'm not trying to sugarcoat anything here people!

There are several things you can do to prevent your curious cat from becoming enticed by the curtain cord. 1. Tie up curtain cords to keep them out of kitty's reach. 2. Cut the cords. Duh! 3. Place the cords in a protective covering (see examples in the "electrical cord" section of this column). 4. Don't put curtain or Venetian blinds in the house. Us kitties would prefer that anyway - then there would be nothing obstructing our view!

So what other dangers do string look-a-likes present? Well, long pieces of string, yarn, tinsel, dental floss, drawstrings on clothing, shoelaces, bra straps or rubber bands can end up tied tightly around tongues or may end up wrapped in a ball and blocking the intestines. Unless it balls up, the digestive tract has a hard time moving a long string-like object through, especially if one end is wrapped around the base of the tongue. Signs of "string ingestion can include gagging, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, a painful abdomen, and perhaps a fever. You might even see a string-like object protruding from your cat's rectum or mouth. Call your veterinarian immediately, but don´t jeopardize your cat´s health by attempting to pull the ´string´ out.

Now what about those electrical cords? Electric cords can be particularly tempting, and bitten cords can result in severe burns or even death. My advice is simple. Get rid of as many electrical cords as possible, and check remaining wires regularly for signs of chewing.   Cords can be covered easily and cheaply with automotive vacuum hose or clear or colored neoprene fuel line available in various diameters and purchased by the foot at most automotive supply stores. Flex tubing is another cheap options and is sold at most hardware stores.  Cords can also be taped to the floor to keep them from moving (and reduce Kitty's temptation to bat and bite them). The last thing any of you

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