National Feral Cat Day

October 16^th was National Feral Cat Day and this year’s theme is All Cats, All Communities. As a community we all have a responsibility to help where we can. Day to day living is difficult for feral cats, who often deal with disease, parasites, and hunger among other things. The population of feral cats has risen steadily, but dropping these cats by the shelter may not be your best bet. Unfortunately, many of the feral cats put in shelters are euthanized because they are nearly impossible to adopt out to the public.

 

Feral cats tend to live in colonies that can inhabit communities in rural, urban, and, suburban areas. These cats must not be handled. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is one of the only humane method of controlling the feral cat population. This program focuses on sterilizing humanely caught feral cats in the communities. There are a number of organizations you can get in touch with that will guide you through what to do if you should happen upon a community of feral cats living near you. Some organizations to contact include:

• Metro Ferals in Arlington
• Richmond SPCA in Richmond
• Cat’s Cradle in Harrisonburg and surrounding areas
• Angels of Assisi operates throughout Virginia

Quite a few organizations in Virginia offer free spaying or neutering for feral animals and some even vaccinate them against rabies. Once cats are sterilized many of their disruptive behavior lessens or halts altogether. Any cats that are sterilized and returned to the community will have their ear tipped to alert anyone that happens upon them that they have already been spayed or neutered.

Our furry friends depend on us to take care of them; feral cats may be even more in need of love and understanding than the furry friend you have safe and sound at home. Everyday they face the dangers of living on the street without food, medical care, or love. With the assistance of everyone in the community we can manage the volume of feral cats in Virginia.

 

http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/local/feral-cats-a-hot-button-issue/article_0d2e8d86-150c-11e3-823d-001a4bcf6878.html

http://voicesforanimals.org/resources/virginia-spay-neuter-programs

http://www.spayva.org/index.php

http://www.alleycat.org/take-action/

 

Meet Goose.

Katie adopts Goose!

Katie, our Social Media Manager, recently welcomed a little kitten named Goose to her family.  Katie already had a 7 year old Plott Hound named Mazi, 8 year old orange tabby named Phoenix, and 6 year old gray tabby named Talin, so she knew she had to introduce her little one to the pack with care. Slow introduction is key but sometimes it’s not enough to keep your older cats happy and comfortable as you bring an adorable but hyper kitten to the house.

 

 

 

Talin

Phoenix

 

One of Katie’s biggest fears was spraying, often seen with male cats. She knew this was a way that male cats showed that they were feeling threatened and it was a common way for them to mark their territory. The first day Katie brought Goose home, the two older cats hissed and puffed up at the sight of him. They seemed grumpy, stressed and overall unhappy about their new brother.

Goose

Luckily her dog instantly warmed up and you could say it was love at first sight for those two. Mazi and Goose have enjoyed hours of playtime and snuggling! Goose was still a baby and often tried to nurse from the other animals, making the older cats grumpy and even more distant. After Katie saw that the cats were instantly dismayed at the sight of her new kitten she knew she needed something that would make the whole household safe and comfortable. Here comes Feliway MultiCat Plug-In Diffuser to the rescue!

Mazi couldn’t resist Goose.

Katie bought two plug-ins for the two main areas of her house. Within an hour of plugging this device in, she noticed the entire mood of the house transformed. The hissing and hiding stopped and suddenly her two older cats were excited and interested in the kitten. Within a few hours, the older cats had advanced from being slightly interested in the kitten to full out play mode. The new kitten enjoyed chasing the other cats around the house as Phoenix and Talin joined in with excitement and joy!

Mazi & Goose were instant friends.

Phoenix loves playing with Goose!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Feliway Multicat Diffuser dispenses an odorless vapor mimicking the pheromone that is released from a mother cat to her kittens. This pheromone helps the older cats recognize the kitten as something to care for, not be threatened by!  It is clinically proven to help reduce tension and conflicts between cats in multi-cat homes.

Stop by the clinic to purchase a Feliway Diffuser!

Goose is still in his own separate area for the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition. Since Katie started using the plug in the two older cats actually wait outside the kittens door meowing until he comes out to play. Goose has truly been welcomed into the pack with barely any stress to Katie’s current animals. Katie plans on using the plug-in for the next 3 to 6 months to ensure everyone is happy and settled.

 

 

 

If you’re thinking about getting a new cat or kitten, Katie highly recommends Feliway MultiCat Plug-In Diffuser to ensure a smooth, peaceful and happy transition for all your furry friends! 

Welcome to the family Goose!

 

You can now find Phoenix and Goose snuggling together for their daily cat naps.

 

Your Overweight Cat

It may look cute but being overweight can put your cat at risk for a variety of ailments.

Here are some great tips on how to help your cat shed those extra pounds.

• Feed two to four small portions daily and control the amounts fed so that over a period of time the cat does not gain weight.

• Limit treats for overweight cats.

• While the feeding instructions on your cat’s food is helpful, be sure to adjust to your own cat’s needs and activity level.

• Have multiple short sessions of interactive playtime with your cat. Whether that means chasing the laser pointer, a feather stick or simply rolling around with you, any way you can get your cat moving is helpful.

• Visit your vet! Don’t forget, we’re here to help too! We can help you find the right food for your overweight kitty and work with you to come up with a weight loss plan!

http://www.vetstreet.com/healthypet/help-your-overweight-cat-lose-extra-pounds

http://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/evr_ct_obesity_in_cats_and_what_to_do_about_an_overweight_cat

Catnip & Love Cat Toys For Sale!

Fancy Paws Cat Clinic is excited to announce that we are now selling cat toys handcrafted by Catnip & Love! 50% of all proceeds are donated to a local shelter, so stop in to grab a few for your curious cat!

Whether shopping for your own kitty or buying for a friend, these catnip-filled toys will provide hours of stimulating playtime. Catnip & Love uses only the best quality yarn and all toys are made with 100% organic catnip.

 

Catnip & Love was founded in 2014. With a unique love for shelter cats, they donate 50% of all proceeds to our local shelter. 

Show Your Love Giveaway

Do you love Fancy Paws Cat Clinic? Get ready for a contest that lets you share your love for us and win big! Introducing our Show Your Love Giveaway!

 

It’s easy to enter! 

1) Please leave an honest review on one of our many social media pages.
2) Easily choose from our Yelp, Google+ or Facebook Page.
3) Each review counts as 1 entry, so leave a review on all three websites to increase your chances of winning!
4) The winner will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Fancy Paws Cat Clinic to use for services or products.
5) The lucky winner will be chosen on June 1st!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with our hospital.

https://www.facebook.com/fancypawscatclinic

https://plus.google.com/+FancyPawsCatClinicAshburn

https://www.yelp.com/biz/fancy-paws-cat-clinic-ashburn

Fancy Paws is now on Instagram!

We are excited to announce that Fancy Paws Cat Clinic is now on Instagram!  Follow us at Our Instagram Page to keep in touch with all the exciting happenings with our patients and our hospital.

Stephanie is the newest addition to our cat family here at FPCC and has been an amazing asset to our Client Care Representative team. She is thrilled to be heading up our Instagram and we know she is going to do amazing things to enhance the strong bond between our hospital and the community!

Stay tuned for more great updates on all our social media sites!

https://www.facebook.com/fancypawscatclinic/

https://www.instagram.com/fancypawscatclinic/

https://fancypawscatclinic.wordpress.com

Sincerely,

The Team at Fancy Paws Cat Clinic

 

Our Fancy Paws Giveaway!

Fancy Paws Giveaway 2015

Introducing our Fancy Paws Giveaway! Our beautiful patients inspired the name, Fancy Paws Cat Clinic, and it is our turn to say “Thank You!” Enter our giveaway to win this oh so fancy gift basket, inspired by your fancy cat!

Contest Rules:

• Contest starts on October 5th and ends on October 26th.
• Simply post a photo of your cat’s fancy paws on our Facebook page. All photos will then be moved into an album with all the other entries.
• Voting will be open from October 26^th– November 2^nd.
• The photo with the most “likes” wins this beautiful gift basket created just for your fancy cat!
• Share, share, share! Encourage friends and family to vote!

Thanks so much for all your amazing entries!

Fancy Paws Refer-a-Friend Program

Fancy Paws Refer-a-Friend Program

Refer a friend and get $25 off your next visit!

We appreciate the confidence placed in us at Fancy Paws Cat Clinic and know that the greatest compliment is when our valued clients recommend us to their family, friends and neighbors. As a thank you for your referral, we will mail you a $25 certificate after your friend’s first visit.

Click here to learn more!

Thank you for your continued trust and support in our team!

National Capital Cat Show 2015 Pictures

Thank you to everyone who came out to the National Capital Cat Show this weekend! We had such a wonderful time meeting all the lovely cat owners in this area. To view more pictures from the Cat Show, please visit our Facebook page!

We are now Fancy Paws Cat Clinic!

Today is the big day for Feline Medical Care Center as we say goodbye to our old clinic name and logo and embrace this new exciting chapter! We are beaming with pride as we announce our new clinic name to you, our loyal clients.

Feline Medical Care Center is now Fancy Paws Cat Clinic! 

Inspired by each unique and beautiful cat we care for, we are excited to change our name to one we believe better suits our love of all things feline. Remember, our hospital will remain the same practice you have grown to love with the same dedicated staff! The only change will be our name and logo design.

Thank you for your continued support as we make this transition. Stay tuned as we work diligently this week to transform our online presence to Fancy Paws Cat Clinic!