[blparent] Adopting a Pet

[Amanda Winkler]

I grew up with both cats and dogs and in time they do learn to live with 
each other.  How is your guide dogs attitude towards other animals when he 
is out of harness?  I have found that as long the dog has an even temper and 
good natured towards strangers and other animals the age is not too much a 
problem.  The cat well is harder to tell, you'll have to wait and see. 
Remember that it can take some time for the cat and dog to like each other 
and can take up to a month or more and other times it is love at first sight 
(don't count on it).  I would recommend that at least two adults (no Sarah 
do to her age) be present at the first few times the cat and dog are around 
each other.  This should be for a few minutes or more depending on their 
reactions.    You could experience a shouting match between them for a 
while.  This is normal, just keep an eye on them and from time to time tell 
them to knock it off.  In rare cases one or both will attack the other this 
is when you separate them and you correct the attacking animal.  In the 
event of such of an attack it is not a good idea to have a young child 
present.  Remember that if it is the dog that attacks (which I doubt that 
will happen) it can do more damage in a shorter amount of time to the cat 
than the cat to the dog.  You will want to gradually increase the frequency 
and duration of time the cat and dog spend together.  This will be a 
stressful time but it does get better.
As for the cat and Sarah this is easier.  You should have adult supervision 
at all time when they are together for about a week.  This is to insure that 
Sarah does not play too rough with the cat.  Dogs tolerate rougher play than 
a cat will.  Scratches are inevitable and are not a problem.  If a scratch 
occurs wash the area well with soap and apply pressure if bleeding.  Let air 
dry and check for infection for the next 3-4 days.
Here are some questions your family should decide on before committing to 
having the cat.
Does the cat get spay/neuter or not?  In tacked females have litters of 
kittens and males spray (that sickening cat pee smell), fight a lot so they 
look beaten up all the time, and they do have a habit of disappearing for 
weeks at a time then show up all of a sudden or never.  The younger the cat 
when it is fixed the better.
Is the cat going to be indoor, outdoor, or a combination of both?  If the 
cat is going to be a strictly indoor cat then you got to consider the cat 
box and keeping child and dog out of it.  Some dogs like to eat cat poop.
I can't think of anything else but I do recommend that you get a book on how 
to take care of a cat that both you and Sarah can read together.  If you 
have any other questions feel free to email me off list anytime. 
awcactuscat1 at hotmail.com

HTH
Amanda


--------------------------------------------------
From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at msn.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 9:57 AM
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blparent] Adopting a Pet

> Hello.  Gerald and I are considering in taking a stray cat who needs a 
> home.  The cat is healthy, has had his shots, been checked for worms and 
> leukemia.  He's not fixed or de-clawed.  I don't know much about cats, so 
> I have a few questions.
>
> What do I need to know before trying to introduce the cat to my guide dog?
>
> I'd like to take the cat on a trial basis for a few days.  How can I make 
> it clear to my three-year-old that the kitty is going to stay through the 
> weekend, and then we'll see from there?  Would that idea be too hard on 
> her?
>
> I know de-clawing is beyond the scope of this list, but is it something I 
> should consider doing because of Sarah?
>
> Jo Elizabeth
>
> "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant 
> of the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been 
> all of these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist
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