Latest / The Hissing Feline / Finding Love in Cats with Special Needs: A visit with Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Mews Animal Foundation

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Finding Love in Cats with Special Needs: A visit with Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Mews Animal Foundation · The Hissing Feline

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: This is the Hissing Feline Podcast, a weekly program that is about everything cats.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: The Hissing Feline features experts and other cat aficionados who share their knowledge and perspectives about dealing with felines.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: From strays and ferals to adoption, health, and cat psychology.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: We hope the topics give you helpful and interesting insight into the world of cats.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here is the host of the hissing feline, Clark Greer.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: Each day, thousands of shelter and rescue cats across the U.S.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_02: are adopted into their forever homes.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yet there are many cats that are considered unadoptable.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: They are felines that are more difficult to adopt out due to various circumstances.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: With me today on the podcast is Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Muse Animal Foundation in Marietta, Georgia.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: Since it started in 1988, the foundation has overseen the adoption of more than 13,000 cats.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: Nikki, welcome to the Hissing Feline.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so excited to be here.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_02: I love this.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: First, tell me something about the mission of the Good Muse Foundation and what makes it so unique in the state of Georgia.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, I could talk about Good Muse forever.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_04: We are a cage-free cat shelter.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_04: Our tagline is finding good homes for good kitties.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_04: So our big mission is to help those in need find their perfect matches and homes.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_04: We also help the outdoor community of cats.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_04: We do TNVR, which is Trap Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return Cats.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_04: We help all of Cobb County.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_04: We will cover the surgery for any outdoor cat that needs to be sterilized and vaccinated for free.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_04: So we try to help the community be healthier.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_04: We also help the people of our community as well by operating uh food pantries in the community.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_04: They're kind of like those free little libraries that you see out in the world.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_04: Take what you can, leave what you can.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_04: So we have a few of those locations out there to try and help those that, you know, it's it can be hard times.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_04: And so we want to make sure they're able to feed their pets, and that's just not another thing on their minds to have to worry about.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_04: We're very different in that we are uh we are free roaming, so we do have some kennels when they are just doing their, you know, their um quarantine periods, make sure they're nice and healthy, get their vaccines up to date, make sure they're sterilized, and then they go into a large space that is um completely open with tons of cat trees, tons of vertical space.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_04: It's just a really nice environment to go into.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_04: We have big bright windows, lots of bird feeders on the outside.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_04: We have a certified wildlife habitat in the back, um, so they can see critters, because even in this environment that is nice and open and and lovely, we still need to have like those enrichments to keep their brains active.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so it's just uh it's a really wonderful place, and um, we are are lucky to have so many volunteers that care deeply about this mission and about our cats.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_04: And so it's a it's really nice collective community that we've built, and I'm really proud to be part of it.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: And and uh and I've noticed on your website, I'm looking at the number of people who do a lot of different things for the facility there, and it really does.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: It takes a pretty good sized team to make sure you've got medical people and technicians and people that just help to clean up and do those types of things around a shelter.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah, we have over 600 amazing volunteers that help us every single day, and then we have a very dedicated staff that help us as well.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_04: Well, we have about 16 staff members total.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure how familiar some of my listeners are with the concept of unadoptable.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_02: And that might seem really unusual to some people, but there are some cats that are at least perceived or deemed to be thought of to be unadoptable.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_02: What is that?
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_04: It's unfortunate, and it's very true, that people do see some cats as being fully unadoptable and and at Good Muse, at least, we don't think that of any of our cats, of course.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_04: There is no unadoptable cat, there's no cat that doesn't have a chance for a happy life.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_04: Um so we, you know, I I think some people just expect that you will take a cat home and they're gonna lay on your lap and they're gonna be very perfect and clean and not cause you any issues in the middle of the night.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_04: And uh they have some behaviors that might have that mark on them that that they just this isn't the right fit, or or that, you know, this this cat can't be in a home for whatever reason.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_04: But we just we know that it's it's due to finding the correct place for that cat.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_04: And sometimes it might not look like what I think most people think a home is for every cat.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: So when somebody adopts a quote, unadoptable, and it's hard to say that because you know, I I I feel compassion for cats that have certain special needs and those types of things.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, but what is the public's perception about adopting cats once they have had a cat that's deemed to be that in their home?
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: What kind of reaction do you get from those people?
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_04: I think the ones that have the patience with those cats, so um, there's there's different reasons why people might think that a cat is considered unadoptable.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_04: But I think the ones that that give them the chance and get a chance to see the cat's full personality um come out because behaviors are gonna come out from cats due to all the stressors in their environment.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_04: So if a cat is hissing at them for whatever reason, like we need to find out what's going on, you know, if they're becoming aggressive for whatever reason, there's something behind that.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_04: It's not just their personality, there's a reason why they're they're acting this way.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_04: So some people do get scared after having a cat that they felt like was not a good match for them.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_04: But once we're able to dive deeper into what the problem was in that home, why they weren't a good match, then we're able to come back and find something that works better.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_04: So if we adopt a cat that's not a good match here, we will take them back absolutely every time, no questions asked, and we'll find you a better match.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_04: You know, it's just it takes time and we gotta get through it.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, our calico, we got uh she's 10 now, and we've had her for about eight years.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: And uh she was a surrender.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_02: And we keep we've we've thought off and on over the years, this is a wonderful cat.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: She lays in my wife's arms and goes to sleep like a baby.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it's giving a cat a chance when they're in a particular type situation.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna talk about some of those in a minute, but I I think that giving giving a cat that second chance, you might call, is really an important thing.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah, big time.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_02: That's wonderful though.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_02: Now there are different situations, it isn't just personality.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we're gonna start there, but there's some different situations we're gonna talk about.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: So let's talk a bit about the personality of a cat that people might be a little shy about uh uh adopting a cat like that.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe we can talk about some of those things and then some remedies that will actually that will actually help the cat so they can stay in that home.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_04: Um, shy cats specifically, we definitely get plenty of those.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and the reality is they're just not comfortable right now, right?
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_04: Like they're either in a shelter, which in a lot of places is a big metal box.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_04: And so all day they hear the reverberations of all the sounds that come through.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_04: They're seeing all the other cats, they're seeing random people walking through, and that is just cats are really delicate, and that is a lot for them.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_04: And so the shy personality is very likely just because where they are this at this time right now, they're not comfortable, they're not coming out of their shell, they're not able to do that.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_04: With us, we we have lots of hidey holes to give them that sense of um safety, but it still is hard for them to come out to meet new people, even even in a different environment, even in this like open shelter environment.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_04: We still will have cats that just hide because it's too much.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they a normal home doesn't have 50 other cats in the same space.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_04: That can be a lot for these cats too.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_04: So, truly, any cat in any um shelter type situation, you don't know what their personality is going to be like until you get them home and you get them comfortable.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_04: Um, some things that we have done, and it it's a good idea for a lot of these um issues, is you encourage them with like play and treats and encouragement and routines so they get used to things, they get used to humans being during this certain time.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we have a program called Cat Positive here, which is started by Jackson Galaxy.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_04: He's uh a big sure.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, right.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: He handles some pretty interesting cats.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_04: Oh yeah.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_04: And so we've noticed that um getting those cats to to learn the interaction with humans is being a positive time.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_04: It's always gonna include treats of some sort.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_04: If they're treat motivated, it's gonna include play if they're more play motivated.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but we it pulls them out of their shelves to get these routines and this this activity that brings them some comfort.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and sometimes, you know, it's just they need to be in a home before they open up.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_04: So we also have like foster homes and that, but that's a better environment for those certain cats.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_04: So everyone's different.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: Does it does it help if they're younger to be able to do maybe some of the socialization, those, those types of uh uh issues?
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, I would say it probably is a little bit easier when they're younger, um, because they they may have not endured something that an older cat has in their lifetime.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um but this the science of like socialization, the the newest one that I've seen come out says about 12 weeks if they don't have some sort of human contact, human interaction, they can't be socialized after that point.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and that's you know, that's all individual cases, so we can't say hard line against them that way.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: Cats are like individuals, they're gonna have their personalities gonna come out somehow.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's just like human children is they get older and then their personalities come out, so cats are very similar to that uh type of cat.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: Now, how about feral cats?
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_02: I always wondered, we had a cat that we adopted when she was a little, and she passed about three years ago.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_02: She was born outside.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I think we got we adopted her when she was about two months or something like that, but she never really got away from those feral things.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_02: If we had guessed, she'd hiss at the people and those types put her ears back.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: How do you work with feral cats?
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_04: Well, truly we we avoid uh the word feral.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_04: We say they're unsocialized cats.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_04: It's just a negative mark on them.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but unsocialized cats, um, we we focus on the cats' needs versus what we think is easier, as in like we know that if they're scared and if they come from an environment where they're not, they've not had that socialization, it's not fair to expect them to be open to like all the visitors coming in.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_04: But you can always do those um those same types of routines and triggers for those cats where a new visitor comes in, they get a treat.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_04: You know, like if they if they smell something from somebody, they get a treat.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_04: Like get it used to positive interactions with the new environment.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_04: And then that can that can help them come around a bit.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_04: But I would still, you know, I I happen to love the outdoor unsocialized cats quite a bit.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_03: Sure.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_04: And uh I I wouldn't think I would still make it to where the cats have a safe space to go and get away from those people rather than try to, you know, try to make them make them that like greeter type cates just aren't.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's some cats are just not gonna do that.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_02: And after a while, they've kind of kind of developed those things if they're outside.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_02: Some cats have medical issues such as feline leukemia or diabetes or cancer.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_02: What would you say about uh about adopting out a cat with medical needs?
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_04: I would say that you need to take a look in and make sure that is something that financially that you'd be wanting to take on um before committing.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_04: Obviously, they're gonna be great cats, no matter what medical issues, just like people, it doesn't change who they are.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but a lot of the issues that I think people are scared of aren't as bad as, you know, it it almost seems in the world.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_04: Um so like feline leukemia specifically, they can still live very happy, mostly healthy lives.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_04: Um, they're just more susceptible to illness and that.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_04: And so it might be shorter, but they can still have a good life.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and it's it's worth exploring.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_04: Cats with, you know, cancer, um, diabetes, those things in some instances are treatable.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_04: You know, diabetes, insulin ejections just become part of a routine.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_04: It's scary as it seems once you start it.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_04: So yeah, I think I think those cats are still definitely worth a try, but I completely understand that not everyone has you know the time or the the funds to maybe take that on.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_04: But I I think that if you do give those a chance, you're gonna find that they are incredible animals.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_02: There are also cats with special needs, and what comes to mind is the wobbly syndrome, and I don't remember the medical, I'm not a medical person, but there is a medical thing behind that.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: And we've seen cats on YouTube, and I'm thinking, boy, those are really cute cats.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_02: And it's you know, even with uh the special needs and things, uh, those cats still need the type of love that any other cat would need.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and I I love specifically I love the wobbly cats because there's quite a few on like TikTok and Instagram and that that you can follow where the owners have done um some really creative things to help their cats have a better time at it.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_04: Um, like one specifically, and I wish I could remember their names I could say here, but they built like this V-shaped holder so when the cat came to eat, they could they would wobble into the V-shaped holder.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it was really, really cute.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_04: But yeah, these uh we have some now.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_04: Uh we have one named Cisco who is has some neurologic issues, so he's a little bit wobbly, not as you know, wobbly as I've seen.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but he definitely can tumble over a bit easier.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_04: It does not slow him down.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_04: He is jumping, he is playing, he's the sweetest cat.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_04: And there's no as he is great here now, he there's no additional issues with him.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_04: It's it's just that he is.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_04: He's a little off-center, um, but he's happy and healthy otherwise.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_04: So he's doing great.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_04: We also have a cat here now named Jack who is deaf.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_04: And that's a special needs cat that um people need to understand too of Jack.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_04: You can't come from behind, it scares him.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_04: You can't like if he's laying somewhere, you need to give him some heads up that you're walking over to, you know, make little vibrations in the area that he knows that you're coming back.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_04: There are lots of needs out there for these types of cats, and and cats adapt remarkably well um to these sorts of issues.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_04: So they they are as long as they're happy and loved and living as normal of a life as they can.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, these are gonna be, you know, your next TikTok star.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's true.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of those cats are I I'm amazed to see how many likes and how many views some of these cats get, and they're absolutely adorable.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: So uh I I want to talk about senior geriatric cats.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna take a little bit of a break.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_02: I'd like to talk about that in the second half, and uh, let's talk about senior cats.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of people have cats that are senior, or there's cats that are in shelters that need to have a nice home in their later years, and I'd like to talk about that, so we'll we'll visit about that in in just a minute.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_02: You're listening to the Hissing Feline podcast.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, Clark Greer.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: My guest on this episode is Nikki Healy, executive director of the Good Muse Foundation in Marietta, Georgia.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_02: We'll have uh more about what are termed as unadoptable cats, and we're finding out these cats need loving homes as well as any any other cats in shelters, and we'll talk about that in a little bit.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: Stay with us.
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• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: You're listening to the Hissing Feline Podcast.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, Clark Greer.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: Today I'm visiting with Nikki Healy, Executive Director of the Good Muse Foundation in Marietta, Georgia.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_02: Our topic is what is known as unadoptable cats.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: We're finding out that cats that are perceived to be unadoptable because of health issues need homes that are loving and caring as much as cats that you would adopt from a shelter that maybe doesn't have some of these issues.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: We were talking uh before the break about different situations cats have, and one of them is senior or geriatric cats.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: And I've seen those on different uh websites that might be shelter websites and some sites that are uh dedicated to adopting out cats.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_02: Tell me something about the quality of geriatric cats.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_04: Oh my gosh, they those are one of my favorite.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_04: Everybody wants a kitten that's gonna run around and go crazy, and but I really love senior cats more.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_04: Um, they're they're in my opinion, those are those ideal pet cats that people want.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they want the cat that's gonna be low energy, they're gonna be sitting in the sun rays and sitting on your lap.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_04: Um, they're less destructive.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, they just they need a place to rest for the rest of their days.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_04: They I I love senior cats.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_04: We um I'm fostering one now named Violet, and she's 12.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_04: She does not like other cats.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_04: That's her thing.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, she's setting her ways.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_04: She really is, so she has her own space.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_04: But every day when I go down to see her, um, because I have cats, so she has to be separated.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_04: She's got her own space in her own room.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, all she wants to do is snuggle.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_04: She just wants to sit on my lap and she just wants to be pet and brushed.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_04: And and these are the cats that just they just need to rest now.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_04: They've been crazy, they've done that stuff.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_04: They're ready to to relax and and just need someone to to help them during that time, just like we do.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and older cats can be really sweet.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_02: We had a cat that lived to be almost 21, and she still had some of her honri personality with her, but as she got older, she became a lap cat.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: I'm thinking, wow, it only took me 15 years to have this cat lay in my lap.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_02: So but you never know what you're gonna get.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_02: And I I think uh senior cats really give back a lot.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, so if people are considering adopting, even sometimes those for a short amount of time because of the cat's age, they can really do something for the cat and for themselves.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, what are benefits of adopting cats that might have a hard time being adopted?
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: What are the benefits to both cats and their humans?
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um, I would say, firstly, health benefits.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_04: I always say health benefits.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_04: It reduces uh your stress and the cat stress.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_04: Getting the cat out of a shelter in general reduces stress.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but when you when you have these cats that need a little extra patience, need a little extra time, I think there is an extra sense of pride when you get to see those cats in their true personality.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_04: Not everyone is going to see, I mean, we don't get to see the true cats that are in our facility now.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_04: We're seeing how they react to new humans every day, how they react to 50 other cats in the room.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_04: But you will get to see who the cat really is.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_04: And it's um, I think it's a really eye-opening and incredible experience to be part of.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_04: We get a lot of responses from when we have a harder cat to adopt um come back with the the updates of how great they're doing and how much they love their person.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_04: And it's just it's incredible to see a complete turnaround.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_04: And I think that that's it really helps you as a person um, you know, see a chance in cats and in people, I bet.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_02: What do adopters need to know about cats that have some type of issue?
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: It could be personality things we were talking earlier about being shy or on the other side aggressive, uh, or special needs cats or health issue cats.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_02: What are some things that adopters of those cats, at least people considering that to help those cats, are there some things they need to know?
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_04: Um, I would say the biggest thing to keep in mind is patience.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_04: Everyone and every cat needs patience.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_04: You don't know what they have been through, and giving them the time is the biggest factor, I think, when adjusting.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_04: Otherwise, I'd also encourage, you know, to go find the resources that are out there.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_04: There's, you know, um, even on our own website, we have resources for cat adjustments.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_04: I would join groups online of people experiencing the same thing, get some information.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_04: From each other, reach out to your local rescues, see you know what they have to say.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_04: Um, there are behaviors out there that could help you with certain um issues.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_04: And if you're seeing a problem behavior and something is new, always ask a vet first.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_04: I think um cats are so good at hiding their pain.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_04: So I would immediately take to the vet about something new.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_04: But um yeah, just just patience, time, understanding.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_02: What are some comments people have made after adopting cats that have certain types of needs?
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe they went into the shelter thinking that they would get a cat that in their eyes were perfect, but they adopted a cat with some type of need.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: What types of responses do you get?
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_04: It is unreal, the excitement that comes from those stories.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_04: And we get a lot of success stories from a lot of our adopters, which is wonderful and great.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_04: But seeing the difference in um reaction to those that knowingly took home a cat that wasn't um, you know, a kitten or actively on the shelter, but somebody who was a little shy is is incredible.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, it it truly they speak to how much it helped them personally like understand, you know, the difference and the patience needed.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_04: It's a really exciting experience.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_04: And I've never seen one regret it.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_04: You know, like once they get through those initial like hard times of you know, the the 333 rule that they talk about with adjustment periods for normal cats, but even for these it's gonna be a bit longer.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_04: It's um it's really it's magical to to see.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's amazing to see what cats can do for people.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: Even especially cats with certain types of needs, what people can learn from those types of situations.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_04: Oh yeah, big time.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_04: It's uh a home is is different um depending on what your cat needs.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_04: So even, you know, we say you cannot have indoor outdoor cats because outdoors is unsafe, but there are cats that lived outdoors first and that's what they need to be happy.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_04: And it's just important to know what what your cats needs are and safety.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: You were talking just a little bit ago about educating themselves on on different types of things about cats because they they're they might be really surprised what types of capabilities cats have.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_04: Absolutely, and things change so frequently that I encourage anyone who's you know, even the uh we've had cats all our lives, um, still reach out and look.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, I learn things every year, new things are coming out about cats and and their personalities and things we learn.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_04: So just stay updated on education, it will always always help.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: Could you recommend some resources for a potential adoption of these cats?
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I know that your website has some information.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: Are there other resources that you would recommend?
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, there's a lot of resources out there.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_04: Um, American Association of Feline Practitioners is a big group for cat specifically behavior.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_04: Um, that's really good to have.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um, I would look out for these other, you know, nationwide facilities like Alley Cat Allies is really helpful.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_04: There's a lot of good information out there, but I also will always say to check the references.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they're gonna tell you where they got this information and check that and be your cat's advocate.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_02: Good suggestion.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: Well, this has been a really great episode talking about adopting cats that are older or have special types of physical needs, uh, maybe behavioral types of situation.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_02: I hope this show has encouraged people to see that adopting overlooked cats can be a rewarding experience for humans as well as the cat that they're adopting.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_02: I want to thank Nikki Healy for joining me on today's podcast.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_02: This is great.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_02: Be sure to tell your friends about the hissing feline and click the follow button where you listen to this podcast.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: And please leave us a five-star rating to help other people find the hissing feline.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_02: Join me for the next episode of this podcast when my guest will be Will Braden, director of the Cat Video Fest.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_02: Have an awesome week and remember to keep hurrying.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: Content on the Hissing Feline Podcast is for information and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical, veterinary, or legal advice.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: Please consult your veterinarian and local and state authorities before dealing with feral and stray cats.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: Opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and not necessarily those of Duracho Cat Media LLC.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: References to products or services do not imply an endorsement.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: The Hissing Feline podcast is a production of Duracho Cat Media LLC and has been blessed by our rescue cats, Bridget and Maddie.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: All content is used with permission or under fair use.