Cat survives long haul from Utah

By MATT HAGENGRUBER Billings Gazette | Posted: Sunday, March 7, 2010

billings_cat_story

Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter director Chris Anderson holds a cat that was found in an Albertson's semi truck that was unloading groceries in Billings. The truck had been on the road from Salt Lake City. Photo by LARRY MAYER\Billings Gazette

BILLINGS –She has wounds on her back and maybe a broken hip, but a stowaway cat from Salt Lake City has a new chance at life after she was found inside an Albertsons truck Wednesday morning.

Workers at the Albertsons store at 1212 Grand Ave. were unloading pallets from a truck when they heard a noise from under one of the pallets. The employees found the cat, which was barely moving, and put her under some milk crates in the back of the store. They called city Animal Control, and Animal Control Officer Nancy Lindstrom showed up about 8 a.m.

“I was expecting a cat in bad, bad shape,” Lindstrom said. “She appeared that way, but she hissed at me and growled at me. When I got back to shelter, I opened up the box, and I was talking to her and she let out a little tiny meow. Feral cats won’t meow at you.”

Lindstrom gave the snowshoe Siamese cat to the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, the city’s animal shelter. Executive Director Chris Anderson put the cat into a warm cage, and it didn’t take long before the cat had filled its belly with food and water. The cat, estimated to be about 10 years old, was very dehydrated, Lindstrom said.

“Holy cow, she gobbled down food right away,” Lindstrom said. “The people at Albertsons didn’t think she was in the truck for long, but we think she was. Cats hide in amazing places, so she could’ve gone unnoticed for a long time. They’re survivalists.”

Albertsons employees weren’t allowed to talk about the cat, so it’s unknown how long the cat was in the truck or if she was accidentally injured while unloading the pallets.

Anderson said the cat would be checked out by a vet and may be ready for adoption soon. She could also wind up returning to Salt Lake City if an owner can be found, or she may become a shelter mascot who spends her days lounging in the shelter’s office.

“We’ll get this girl going and get her rehabilitated, and maybe she’ll just be an office kitty. Who knows?” Anderson said. “Or maybe somebody will want to take her on.”

When asked if the cat had a name, Anderson asked other shelter staffers for ideas. Lucky? Albertson? Alberta?

“We’ll call her Ally. Ally short for Albertsons,” Anderson said. “She wants to live. She wants to live in the worst way.”

The real solution to unwanted pets: Spaying and neutering

The real solution to unwanted pets: Spaying and neutering

Guest column | Posted: Monday, February 1, 2010 8:00 am

In 2009, the Humane Society of Western Montana received 363 unwanted puppies and kittens. Fortunately, each and every one that entered our adoption program found a home. However, it is estimated that 3.7 million pets will be euthanized in shelters across the country this year; that’s one every 8 seconds.

Pet overpopulation is the No. 1 killer of pets in this country. Even though HSWM is able to place all adoptable animals, it can be a struggle. Caring for young animals is a tremendous drain on our resources because they require extra veterinary care and medications, special diets, and hundreds of volunteer and staff hours. Many animals come to us in ill health and need extensive care before adoption. Despite a significant reduction in the number of surplus pets in our community, the fact remains that we are still taking in unwanted puppies and kittens almost every day. In fact, the day this letter was written we took in 10 four-week-old kittens.

Spaying and neutering exponentially reduces the number of unwanted animals. It also reduces many common pet “problems” such as urine marking, roaming, and aggression. There are also numerous health benefits including a reduction in certain types of cancers. And if your pet is neutered, he/she will be less focused on finding a mate and more focused on bonding with you and your family.

The 16th annual Spay Day USA takes place on Feb. 23. Spay Day USA is promoted nationally by many pet welfare organizations that share a common goal: to end the needless euthanasia of companion animals in the United States. We join these organizations in an effort to inspire people to save lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats. Spay Day officially takes place on the last Tuesday of February – but events will be running throughout the month.

The Humane Society of Western Montana recently received three grants totaling $8,500, and the funds will be used to host small- and large-scale low-income spay/neuter clinics during the month of February. On Feb. 6 and 7, a mobile spay/neuter fleet will be at the 4-H building in Superior for a large-scale clinic. This is the first such event in Mineral County in over a decade. Mineral County desperately needs our help; many residents live below the federal poverty line and there is no veterinarian in the county. HSWM’s clinic will have the capacity to spay/neuter and vaccinate approximately 250 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.

HSWM and Missoula City-County Animal Control will also offer low-income clinics throughout the month. If you can afford to take your pet to your own veterinarian, please do. If you need help, check out the low-income clinics in western Montana. Do your part and spay/neuter your pet!

Mineral County: 4-H Fairgrounds in Superior, Feb. 6 and 7; call 546-3858 for an appointment.

Missoula County: Feb. 10 and 17 for cats and kittens; call 549-HSWM for information. Feb. 11 and 25 for dogs and puppies; call 549-HSWM for information. Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23 for cats and dogs; call 541-PETS for an appointment.

There are other ways to help if your pets are already spayed/neutered:

• Enter the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest (photocontest. humanesociety.org) and vote for your favorite pet! Each vote for photo costs just $1, and you choose where the donation can go.

• Sponsor a dog or cat’s surgery; go to www.myHSWM.org.

• You can also help all year long by organizing raffles, bake sales, “spay-ghetti” dinners and benefit concerts.

• Don’t forget to talk to your friends and encourage them to participate in Spay Day USA.

Thank you for spaying or neutering your pet. Remember, it’s good for you, your pet, and your community. Together, we can ensure that every pet enjoys a long and healthy life in a loving home.

Lora O’Connor is the executive director of the Humane Society of Western Montana, and has been working for HSWM since 2000.

Cold Weather Pet Care

Horses can withstand extremely cold temperatures, but care should be taken to ensure they get properly heated food and water. DAVID ERICKSON - Ravalli Republic

Cold weather pet care
by DAVID ERICKSON - Ravalli Republic

With nighttime temperatures set to dip below zero early next week, livestock and pet owners in the valley will need to take precautions to ensure the safety of their animals.

Starting tomorrow night, temperatures are expected to drop to the single digits at night, and snow showers are expected over the weekend. A low temperature of around 3 degrees below zero is expected for Monday and Tuesday nights.

According to Dr. Andy Cross of the Missoula Veterinary Clinic, horses and other livestock are built to withstand cold temperatures, but some safety measures should be taken.

“People are asking us all the time about horses dying in the cold weather,” he said. “Actually, they can handle really cold weather. The main thing is that they have some sort of a windbreak. If it is snowing, some sort of a break over their head. If you go out on a cold, nasty windy day, you will see horses standing out in the middle of a field with their behinds facing the wind.”

Cross said that a common misconception about horses is that their feet will get frostbite from steel shoes.

“Their feet are designed to not get frostbite,” he said. “They have enough blood flow so that their feet will not freeze in metal shoes.”

A healthy horse that is in good physical condition will not ordinarily need a blanket, according to Cross.

“They will develop a hair coat for winter that insulates them very effectively,” he said. “An older horse that is over 20, and not doing so well physically, they may benefit from a blanket. But to be honest, they can get to below zero and be fine.”

The main concern for livestock out in the cold is that they are provided with proper water and feed, Cross said.

“Horses do prefer a little bit of a warmer temperature for their water,” he said. “They have done studies, where they took water at different temperatures to horses. The horses will actually drink more at around 40 or 42 degrees. With super cold water they don’t drink as much.”

The more horses drink, Cross explained, they more they will eat and therefore have enough fuel in their bodies to generate internal body heat.

“It’s a vicious cycle,” he said. “I know some ranchers in the Bitterroot just break ice over water, and I can’t really blame them for that at all. That’s usually fine, but they have shown that warmer water improves their water consumption. It helps them get through the really cold nights.”

Sheep, cows and other livestock are similarly resistant to cold, Cross said.

“Dogs and cats are a little bit different story,” he said. “They can get frostbite of ears, frostbite of paws and toes. When it starts getting below 10 degrees, they need a heated dog house. Or, they should be brought back indoors.”

There is no easy way to tell if an animal is suffering from the effects of frostbite, Cross said.

“It’s real similar to humans,” he explained. “The fingertips lose that nice tissue feel. They get real dry. They will literally get super cold and they start moving slow.”

Contrary to popular belief, Cross says he and other veterinarians don’t typically see a spike in weather-related illnesses to animals during cold spells.

“Thankfully not,” he said. “People around here are sharp enough. When we have bad cold snaps, most people have enough common sense. Thankfully, we don’t see a huge increase in people bringing animals in. The biggest one we see is horses. If they don’t drink enough, they get an impaction inside them.”

There are several steps people can take to ensure the safety of their pets and livestock during cold weather.

Salt and chemical de-icers should be avoided where animals are kept because of their toxicity. If pets are kept in the garage, care should be taken to ensure the small animals don’t lick up antifreeze or curl up in the engine. Arthritic pets should be handled carefully in cold weather, and given proper medication to manage pain.

According to the Weather.com Web site, long-haired dog breeds, such as Huskies, will fare better in cold weather than short-haired breeds like Dachshunds. Obviously, cats and small dogs that have to wade shoulder-deep in the snow will feel the cold sooner than larger animals. Conditions like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and hormonal imbalances can compromise a pet’s ability to regulate their own body heat. Animals that are not generally in good health shouldn’t be exposed to winter weather for a long period of time. Very young and very old animals are vulnerable to the cold as well.

According to local veterinarian Dr. Joe Melnarik, a wool sweater is a good idea for most small dogs.

“Fortunately, people are fairly vigilant,” he said. “A lot of what is important is to keep horses out of the wind. Making sure horses and other small animals have plenty of water to drink.”

Reporter David Erickson can be reached at 363-3300 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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