Whisker fatigue and your finicky cat

If you have ever had the joy of being owned by a cat, I’m sure you noticed what sophisticated eaters cats are. Cats, unlike dogs, are solitary hunters. Dogs hunt in packs and have to wolf their food down quickly to get a fair share, whereas cats eat a few bites and they are full.

Cats are carnivores so they need high-quality canned food for the moisture and protein content.

One reason cats are so picky about their diets is they lean toward whatever food they received as a kitten. They identify with the food and develop lifelong preferences.

My cat Troutie was the fussiest eater in the world. Occasionally, she would eat canned cat food, but mostly she liked tuna and not the cheap brand. She had an interesting way of eating because she batted the food out of her bowl. I suspect she did that to avoid putting her head in the bowl.

I recently read about whisker fatigue and fussy cats. Whiskers are like little antennas that collect information from the environment. They help cats protect themselves, detect predators and find food. When whiskers hit the side of a bowl, it’s stressful. The repeated stress leads to picky habits. A whole new industry has sprung up making whisker-friendly cat bowls. The theory is, bowls that compromise a cat’s whiskers can stress the cat out.

The whisker-friendly bowls are about one inch deep and four or five inches wide. Some of the bowls have rounded corners so the food doesn’t get stuck. They don’t require a cat to smash their whiskers on the sides so there is no stress when it comes to eating. You can check out Dr. Catsby Whisker Relief Cat Bowl at Chewy.com. I’m sure Troutie would have loved one.

IN NEED OF

Aluminum cans, which we recycle to augment our shelter funds. We are now able to pick up cans from you! If you have cans to pick up, call 775-423-7500.

Volunteers to walk dogs and play with cats. Contact Karen at 775-423-7500.

SHOUT OUT TO

Rema White for donating cans. A Paws Up Salute to You!

All the folks who have donated cans. We are so thankful for your help!

Gaby for taking such good care of CAPS during Karen’s vacation. You put a smile on everyone’s face.

COME SEE US

CAPS will be at Walmart on June 16 with the Kissin’ Booth and a puckered-up pooch. Come by to get your pooch smooch. We have colorful caps and shirts, so be sure to check out the merchandise after you have loved on our pup.

DON’T FORGET

June Pet Holidays: Hug your Cat Month.

Flower Tree Nursery will again be raffling a 20-gallon tree on June 15, and the winner doesn’t have to be present. The raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree, and they are $1 for one ticket and $5 for six tickets.

SNAPS is a program offered through CAPS that provides low-cost spay/neutering for cats and dogs. To qualify for SNAPS, you need to have one of the following: Medicaid, a child enrolled in NV Check Up Program, food stamps, 2017 tax return stating income is less than $30,000, or veterans disability card including a photo ID. Also required are a Churchill County ID and a co-pay. For information, call CAPS at 423-7500.

CONTACT CAPS

CAPS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, 89407. CAPS’ phone number is 775-423-7500. CAPS’ email address is caps@cccomm.net. Please visit the CAPS website (www.capsnevada.com) and Facebook page (Churchill Animal Protection Society). Be sure to “Like” CAPS on Facebook because we are really likable.

CAPS is open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Do you have questions, comments or a great story? Contact me, jkwmil@outlook.com.

Kathleen Williams-Miller, is a CAPS volunteer.