Please come and visit my new website (I've finally made it!!!)

[Kirsten]

In July this year, I started working on "www.catmom.de (http://www.catmom.de/engl/index.html) - living with cats in a responsible way".

This time it's no photo page, the idea was to inform about those aspects that are still afflicted with lots of prejudices. It has been a German page in the first place, but I was working simultaneously on an English version. (The translation may be lousy, btw, since it's more difficult to translate a text than writing in English right from the start).

Anyway, I really put a lot of work and effort into this page, and it would be nice if youwould take a look and tell me what you think (of course, guest book entries would also be appreciated! :D). And when you notice mistakes in the translation, please let me know! :)

I would like to thank those who have helped me with the page in the past, especially Barbara who did the proof-reading of the German version. :)

I also have to thank my girls for willingly being the models for the little pictures... :)

Kirsten

[christa]

Awesome site, Kristen! So informative!

& I have to say that it is very well laid out & easy to use. ;)

Great job!

I'm definitely bookmarking this one!

[jazzzytina]

Your website is awesome!! Very informative and very clean looking. I love it! Great job!

[catnapper]

Your website is great! A job well done!

[PayItForward]

Kirsten ,

You asked for honest comments, so here goes.

The site looks wonderful the style, fonts and images are very professional and attractive.

I like most of the articles with the following exceptions.

http://www.catmom.de/engl/frei.html
Inside/outside cats true life expectancy is between 16 to 18 years, NOT The low figure of five years you quoted. The low figures stupidly include early deaths of strays, ferals and kittens let out too early, ie Well loved cats live much longer.
It is totally misleading to lump these unloved and unsupervised cats deaths in with well cared for inside/outside cats.

http://www.catmom.de/engl/haus.html
Other big dangers to inside only cats are house fires, they can't escape and die due to inhaling smoke, playing in washing machines and tumble driers which are switched on with horrible results, being posioned by eating house plants if not provided with proper house grass needed to purge hairballs (outside cats just eat grass), no road sense so if they do get outside they have a higher chance of being run over or getting lost.

Outside cats do NOT run away unless you are abusive to them or ignore their needs. Some cats may return to an old address but this habit can easily be trained out of them.

http://www.catmom.de/engl/babies.html
Inside only males and females also need altering due to the health benefits of extended life and lower cancer risk, you only mention outside cats in this article.

I have been writing and writing and I am still not happy with any of my articles (http://www.piftails.com/sitemap.html) well I will keep trying.

I am amazed that you have had the time to put together this website in such a short time and in two languages no less. :)

[DJFyrewolf36]

Ive been checking back for updates since you started :D. Very informitive site, and great to look at too. You are really talented!

[kimlovescats]

Kirsten.... GREAT JOB, and your website can and should reflect your own personal views, which you have done well! Congratulations!;)

[catcrazylady]

FANTASTIC!!! I think it is awsome! Very well written and informative. You express throughout that you are not a vet and this is information you have gathered through the internet as well as experience as a cat loving person. I thought it was great! You should give yourself a HUGE pat on the back for a job very well done!!:D :D :D

[catmandu]

I cant wait,to see yournew site,and the Found Cat Angels,are eager too.

[catmandu]

Sadly All I get on the Libray Computer is this Page Cannot Be Displayed! MEEEEW HOOOO!

[Kirsten]

Thank you very much everyone - for your comments and for signing the guest book! :)

Gary, I'm sorry you couldn't load the page, I have no idea why it wasn't working! :(

PIT, I have to admit I simply forgot the thing with the washing machines and dryers, and it's true, it IS a huge danger; a friend of mine has once lost a cat in a dryer. :(

I think I mentioned cat gras somewhere else, but not in the paragraph about toxic house plants, that's true. I'll add that info.

About neutering/spaying: actually I was referring to both indoor and outdoor cats, but maybe I did not point that out clearly enough. I've mentioned indoor cats at the end of the article.

I'm not sure about the average life span of indoor/outdoor cats; I've got that info from a website. We also had a discussion here on this subject, but I guess it's hard to get the correct numbers.

Kirsten

[mina'smomma]

I love the website Kristen. Its very informative and just want everyone needs to know about having a cat in their lives.

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Kirsten
I'm not sure about the average life span of indoor/outdoor cats; I've got that info from a website. We also had a discussion here on this subject, but I guess it's hard to get the correct numbers.
I have also seen many USA sites quote the wrong number of years for inside/outside cats. But I researched this myself for my website and here are the three types cats lifestyle and their potential life expectancy.

An inside only cat has an average life span of 18 to 20 years.
An inside/outside cat has an average life span of 16 to 18 years.
An outside only cat (ferals /strays) has an average life span of 5 years to 7 years. This depends on food and shelter available

These are a couple of English sites, which refer ONLY to inside/outside cats lifespan…
http://www.animals-at-risk-shelter.org/pages/cat_kitten.htm
http://www.valleyvets.co.uk/phc/straycats.htm
http://www.mayhewanimalhome.org/animals/choose.html
http://www.animalfriends.co.uk/press_release040902.html

I also know from real life experience that cats frequently live to 18 years or older in England. My childhood cat dies at 18 years after dying due to kidney disease…nothing to do with her inside/outside lifestyle.

I know you want to promote inside living and that is understandable but you can still do this AND quote the correct figures for inside/outside cat’s life expectancy.

PIF

[NKBurlington]

Great job. Very informative.

[GraciesMommy]

Very nicely done!

[Kirsten]

Thanks, NKBurlington and GraciesMom! :)


And thanks for the links, PIF! :) I'm going to check them out this weekend when I have more time (heve been very busy this week).


Kirsten

[Randy_K]

I like your site! Well done. Some comments:

On poisons: Automotive antifreeze is made of ethylene glycol which is somewhat sweet tasting and very poisonous. Many dogs and cats have been poisoned from drinking antifreeze that has been spilled on the ground from leaking car and truck radiators.

Indoor versus Outdoor: In the past incurable or deadly diseases like FIP and FIV didn't exist so allowing a cat to spend the day outside wasn't intrinsically dangerous. Now days allowing your cat to merely have contact with an unhealthy cat can become a life threatening situation.

Sense of touch: A cat's ability to sense earthquakes (one word) isn't due to a sense of touch but due to their ability to hear sounds we can't. An earthquake is proceeded by many ultra high frequency sounds and they quickly learn to associate the sound the earth is making to the upcoming earthquake.

When I was growing up we had a sweet long-haired female Tabby who lived to be 21 - back in the day when spending her time outdoors during the day wasn't so dangerous. She was a real homebody and didn't wander out of the backyard. She did like to run on the roof of the house... kind of a kitty racetrack. We live in Southern California where earthquakes of all magnitudes aren't that uncommon. She would come tearing through the house and up and over the couch to hide behind it... and a few seconds later an earthquake would hit. She knew. She could hear it coming!

I too was raised with cats. There has been a family cat as long as I have been alive. I really believe our cats see their relationship with us as being on a peer group level. We are family. Dogs are, by design, pack animals and expect someone to be the leader. (One dog trainer said he believed the reason a family dog might suddenly attack a small child in the family is to reposition or maintain itself in the pecking order.) Cats are so social and need so much attention ("solitary", ha!) they are more like children than pets.

[Kirsten]

Thanks for your reply, Randy_K.

I'm going to work through your comments as soon as I have more time (probably that the weekend!) :)

Kirsten