Pussyfooting around with Me and Ow

 Me and Ow here. Watson is on vacation, foot loose and fancy free, so he asked us to write about paws. Our paws are cute, colorful, and amazing. That said, paws have serious jobs and increase our odds of survival.

Just like dogs, cats have a dominant front paw. One study found that gender plays a part with paw dominance. Most male cats prefer to use their right paw and females go with the left.

You may have noticed that we walk tiptoed and that is because we are digitigrades, which means we run on our toes. In fact, we navigate the world on tiptoes. You could say we are ballerinas. Actually, it’s about survival. Walking and running on toes ups the odds of a successful hunt, because it is faster and quieter.

A word of warning here: we hate having our paws fiddled with or rubbed. Our paws are extremely sensitive! Cat paws contain concentrations of nerve receptors, which are finely tuned sensory organs that aid in hunting and balance. We can feel texture, pressure, and vibrations through the paw pads. Hot pavement or frozen sidewalks can injure pads.

Paws are also flexible allowing us to climb trees. Our front paws turn inward to allow us to sink claws into branches. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help with the descent. We back down trees because our front claws face the wrong direction for a downward climb. Cats are stuck in trees because the front legs and paws are weaker than the back legs.

Scratching objects allows us to mark territory by depositing pheromones (hormones) secreted from glands located between the paw pads. You may think it is your home, but we have already claimed it. That might give you pause to recognize how important paws are.

XOXO Me and Ow

LOOKING FOR A HOME

We have two adorable puppies and kittens. Call 775-423-7500 for details.
Policy, however, prohibits adopting out puppies or kittens under the age of six months to a home with children under 5 years of age. This is to protect both the children and the animal.

IN NEED OF
IAMS Puppy food.
Aluminum cans. If you have cans to pick up, give us a call (775-423-7500) and we will come get them. You can also drop them off at CAPS.
Folks to sign up for AmazonSmile program the details are below.

Folks to donate to the Rotarians fundraiser. You can contribute by contacting Withers at proudpony@cccomm.net or Young at junethebookie@gmail.com.

 
SHOUT OUT TO
All the folks who donated to the Rotarians fundraiser. All tails are wagging for you!
Everyone who adopted a cat this past week. You are the cat’s meow!
Junior ROTC for their help. A pooch smooch for you!
USA Cash for their generous donations. A four paw salute to you!
 

COME SEE US

CAPS is open. We suggest appointments for adoptions, SNAPS, and food pantry. We are accepting volunteers. Call 775-423-7500.

 

DON’T FORGET
March Holiday: Professional Pet Sitters Week.
Due to rising costs in shelter and veterinary care, we have adjusted our adoption fees. Dog adoptions are $100. Cat adoptions are $60. All adoptees are healthy, spayed/neutered, and have all necessary shots.
Register in the AmazonSmile program, a website operated by Amazon. Customers enjoy the same selection of products, low prices, and shopping features as on Amazon.com. The only difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organization selected by you.
CAPS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, Nev., 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 likeable.
CAPS is open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kathleen Williams-Miller is a CAPS volunteer. Contact me at jkwmil@outlook.com.