Texas Dogs & Cats Magazine- Houston's Pet Magazine » cats

The Cats Meow in Furniture!

Admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:32:43 +0000

Are you looking for an alternative to the typical cat scratching posts found in chain stores? One whose quality will withstand years and years of your kitties love for scratching, climbing, playing and lounging? Are you looking for all this AND a price that won’t break the bank?

Everyone, we would like to introduce you to Fandango Pet Furniture!

Nine years ago, Steve McCartney happened upon 2 feral kittens. He brought them home and soon realized what a handful a pair of 8 week old kittens could be. They needed something they could play and relax on, so Steve made them a tree.

As the kittens grew, so did the trees. Each tree becoming more and more elaborate and able to withstand the abuse that Merle & Sugars inflicted upon them! Word spread quickly about Steve’s work and requests from cat owners all over Houston began to pour in! What started as a gift to his rescued feral kittens quickly grew into a thriving business based on quality and comfort at an affordable price!

I can honestly tell you, these are no ordinary trees! Cat Tree Steve can make anything from the most basic scratching post, to the Crème de’la Crème, 6 ft tall Liberty Cat Tree!

Each tree is handmade, right here in Houston and contains a 30 lb. base support. These trees can actually hold a 100 lb. boy! (yes- we tested it)

So cat lovers around, jump on the internet and look up www.FandangoCatFurniture.com and browse the gallery to pick out that tree that your furry little friends will enjoy for years to come. Whether they are playing, resting, scratching, or looking for a safe haven away from the dogs, this is the ultimate in tree houses for Cats.

(Fandango Pet Furniture is also available at Meadowlake Pet Resort in Pearland!!!)

We're hiring!

Admin — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 02:48:22 +0000

Love pets?

Get along well with people?

Ad sales experience?

THIS MAY BE THE JOB FOR YOU!!!

Texas Dogs & Cats seeks a fun going human to help get our name out in the greater Houston/ East Houston market. MUST be able to roll around on the floor with dogs, love tongue lashes (of the canine sorts) and a serious love for the feline sorts!

Email Shannan @ info@TexasCatsAndDogs.com TODAY!!!

Covers for Charity

Admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:51:52 +0000

Give back Katy/ Ft. Bend!

Covers for Charity!!!!

Does your fur-kid have what it takes to be a Cover model/ Centerfold?

We are looking for the best of the best photos of Katy/ Ft. Bend area rescue pets! Dogs, cats, birds, snakes, snails or frogs… we want your pictures!

The winning photo will be featured on the cover of Texas Dogs & Cats along with an article about the rescue group he or she was adopted from!

Please e-mail pictures and a little information about your pet and the rescue group that helped you find him/ her to Shannan@TexasCatsAndDogs.com , or post them on our Facebook page Here.

Rules are simple-

Submit a picture of your pet that was adopted from a local rescue group. Is doesn’t matter how long ago, as long as the group is still active.

You must be in the Katy/ Ft. Bend area to have our photographer come to your pet. If not, then be able to bring your pet to the Katy area to have the Cover Shot taken.

Send the pictures to Shannan@texascatsanddogs.com (please watch the spelling on this) or post them on our Facebook page Here

(Contest only only to Houston rescue pets)

3rd Semi-Annual Wiener Dog Races at Sam Houston Race Park

Admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:36:38 +0000

Event Includes Live Quarter Horse Racing Along with Wiener Dog Races Between Horse Races, Cutest Pet Costume Contest & More

on Saturday, July 17, 2010

Sam Houston Race Park (www.shrp.com) welcomes back Houston’s fastest wiener dogs for a fun-filled family-friendly evening of live racing with the 3^rd Semi-Annual Wiener Dog Races presented by PETCO (www.petco.com) and Bark’s 5^th Avenue (www.barks5thave.com) on Saturday, July 17, 2010. The highly anticipated evening features wiener dogs racing a distance of approximately 25 yards on the dirt track in between Quarter Horse races in an effort to find Houston’s fastest wiener dog! The top Wiener Dog racers will be awarded cash prizes along with gift baskets from PETCO & Bark’s 5^th Avenue.

In addition to racing events, The Park will host the Cutest Pet Costume Contest, open to dogs of all breeds. There is no fee to participate in the costume contest; register on-site to participate. Other activities include a pet social, a variety of pet and people-friendly vendors and more!

Pet owners can download registration forms online at www.shrp.com. A $25 registration fee per pet is required; fee includes a commemorative racing shirt for your pet that he/she must wear for their race. Pets must provide proof of current shot records in order to participate. Advance registration is required; space is limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration deadline is WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010. Download registration forms online at www.shrp.com. Email completed registration forms along with a photo of your racer to lrabon@shrp.com. Your racer’s photo will be featured in a special commemorative program designed for the Wiener Dog Races on the day of the event.

Saturdays in July also feature Party on the Patio with $2 Draft Beer from 4 to 8 p.m. and hot food from the outdoor grill! Immediately following live racing events will be the Verizon Wireless Summer Concert Series on the Bud Light stage featuring Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers.

Sam Houston Race Park is Houston’s premier racing and entertainment facility, located 15 minutes from downtown Houston, and offers a variety of attractions including 19 luxury suites overlooking the race track, The Pavilion Centre, and award-winning dining options at the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and the Champion Energy Services Jockey Club. The Park’s newest addition, The Showgrounds, is an all-ages, outdoor, 15,000-capacity venue that hosts annual country, classic rock and contemporary concert events throughout the year. For more information on upcoming shows, events and tickets, visit www.shrp.com.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

3:30 p.m. Live Racing Gates Open/Wiener Dog Racer Check In

5:00 p.m. Live Racing Begins

7:00 p.m. Pet Costume Contest in the Pavilion Begins

8:15 p.m. Concert Gates Open for Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers

8:45 p.m. Concert Begins

WHERE: Sam Houston Race Park

7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West

Houston, Texas 77064

281-807-8700

TICKETS: $19 Party Pack includes: general admission; club level counter seat; live racing program; burger basket or concession entrée; (2) small sodas or draft beers; and (1) $2 wagering coupon per person.

$15 Advance General Admission Concert Tickets/$30 VIP Advance General Admission Concert Tickets*

*Concert ticket prices increase the day of the event for GA and VIP tickets; Concert tickets offer FREE admission to live racing & wiener dog events.

General admission: $6 Adults; $4 Senior Citizens; kids ages 12 and under FREE.

PARKING: FREE General Parking

INFO: For more information, call 281-807-8700 or visit www.shrp.com.

Finding a lost cat

Admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:43:01 +0000

This was sent to me by Jan Perino, the Founder of Copperfield Lost And Found Pets. Hopefully the pointers for missing pets the past couple days will help reunite your with your lost pet should one ever go missing!

It is extremely rare for a cat to go more than 1-1/2 to 3 streets in any one direction from where it goes missing. Within the first few days, a lost cat is usually just over the fence or a few yards down from your home. If your cat was scared by loud sounds i.e. construction or by dogs barking and running, then your cat might have ventured a few more streets away. Networking with your neighbors to be on the lookout for your cat, as well as getting their permission to check their yards, is important.

I highly recommend the following resources: www.lostapet.org – Missing Pet Partnership and www.catsinthebag.org . Many of your questions will be answered about lost cat behavior and how to construct an effective flyer that gets excellent results.

First, do a thorough check of your home to make sure that your cat is not hiding in your home. Cats can hide in garages, entryways and crawl spaces, attics, behind cabinets and appliances, closets, etc.

Cats are most visible between the hours of 8:00 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. Remember to take your flashlight and binoculars. Cats are also on the move between 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Vary the times of day and the directions when you take your walks and do your searches. Make sure to check fencing, shrubs, trees, decks, garages, cars when doing your search. If your cat is familiar with the scent of your family dog, then take the dog for a walk; always ending the walk with your home’s location. Rain actually heightens the scent.

The average time for a cat that goes missing and then returns on its own is 3 – 10 days. It is not at al unusual for a cat to go missing 2-1/2 months before being reunited with its owner. The burden of work is still with the owner. You may have to set a humane trap in order to catch your cat, as outlined in the Missing Pet Partnership link above.

It is extremely important to keep checking the animal control that has jurisdiction for your area to see if your cat has been brought in or picked up. You must plan on visiting and checking animal control and the area shelters. Visiting is important, because volunteers are too busy to break from the phone and check an animal; or a volunteer may be new or on a new schedule. Animal controls hold stray animals for 72 hours. Saturday is considered a 24 hour period of the total 72 hours. For the City Of Houston, it is BARC that is your animal control. Your link to search is www.petharbor.com . When calling them or visiting them, BARC should be able to tell you the Key Map No./Zip Code from which an animal was brought in or picked up. Always make sure that your animal control and the area shelters have three (3) copies of your lost flyer/lost cat report — one copy for the receptionist; one copy for the veterinarian’s area; one copy for the holding/intake area.

Also visit, check, and leave your lost cat flyer/lost cat report with Citizens For Animal Protection (CAP), the Houston SPCA, and the Houston Humane Society. These shelters are NOT “no kill”.

Make sure to ALWAYS offer a Reward, No Questions Asked in all of your flyers and in your website notices. Cats are not visible like dogs; you want to reward all efforts made on behalf of trying to find your cat.

Post your cat on www.craigslist.org (only the Lost And Found category — the Pets category has a lot of scamming), www.petfinder.com, the Houston SPCA.org lost and found pets web page, and www.tabbytracker.com .

Please be sure to leave your lost cat flyer/lost cat report with your area vets. You can post a lost cat notice at your PetsMart and Petco.

If your cat has an owner registered microchip, then the vets, shelters, and animal control will scan for the microchip and allow for a quick reunite.

What to do when your pet is missing?

Admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:20:06 +0000

Spring is here in the Houston area and as many of us open the doors/ windows to air out/ clean out the house, sometimes our pets can slip out un-noticed.
My house had just this thing happen last week. I was cleaning out the attic for a garage sale and sure enough, somehow our beloved cat J.J. got out. One minute he was there- I was chasing him out of the attic. The next minute he was gone. Between all the hustle and bustle of cleaning out 15 years worth of packed up junk (why did I move this stuff?) and the garage sale that followed (doors open, closed, left open, etc…) I hate to admit, I didn’t realize what had happened until my other cat started howling at the door to be let in!

Tips I’ve learned the hard way (thank you to all the groups below for giving me these pointers!)

-MOST pets will be found VERY close to their homes! Check every bush, shrub, garden, etc near your house! Take a flashlight out at night and shine it on EVERYTHING! Look for eye shine.

-If your pet is chipped- notify them. If your pet is not chipped, please have this done as soon as possible! Keep this information up to date!!

-Keep collars and tags on ALL your animals! Inside cats do get out and a found pet cannot give his address.

-Call, fax pictures, e-mail your local shelters! You would be amazed at how helpful they are when it comes to a missing pet! Many shelters list pictures of stray pets on their websites. Please remember- with some shelters you only have 3 days to claim your fur-kid before he/ she is put to sleep! Time is everything! I’m posting a list of shelters below for quick reference.

-Have fliers printed! Post them EVERYWHERE! Mailboxes, local vets, groomers, grocery stores, anywhere and everywhere you can find a spot! OFFER A REWARD! No questions asked! Tell the neighborhood kids about the reward! (see the note below though!)

-Talk to the kids in your in a neighborhood (GET THE PARENTS PERMISSION FIRST!). You would be amazed at what the neighborhood kids know. My son can tell you the age, name and breed of every critter on my street. He’s not alone in this. Kids and animals have a bond adults will never understand and they are a huge resource in helping to find a missing pet. Don’t forget to talk to neighbor’s that jog, walk their dogs, are outside often during the day!

-Check local rescue groups! You can find a list of local rescue groups on Texas Dogs & Cats website Here, find them in Texas Dogs & Cats Magazine on pages 24- 25 or Google a local group in your area.

If you loose a pet in the Katy/ Ft. Bend area- here is a list of local shelters to contact.

Houston Humane Society (HHS)
14700 Almeda Rd. (not Almeda Genoa)
Houston, TX 77053

713-433-6421

http://www.houstonhumane.org

E-Mail; lostandfound@houstonhumane.org

Houston SPCA

900 Portway Drive

Houston, Texas 77024

713-869-SPCA (7722)

http://www.houstonspca.org

(Has an online database for missing pets)

Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP)

11925 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77079-1609
(281) 497-0534

http://www.cap4pets.org

E-Mail- lostpets@cap4pets.org

(Has an online database for missing pets)

Harris County Animal Control

612 Canino Road
Houston, TX 77076-1145
(281) 999-3191

http://www.hcphes.org

(Website is updated with pets brought in at 12:15, 7:15 & 10:15 DAILY- keep checking!)

Ft. Bend County Animal services-

1210 Blume Road
Rosenberg, TX 77471

281-342-1512

http://www.fortbendcountypets.com

(Website updated daily with pets brought in)

Missouri City Animal Control

3849 Cartwright Rd
Missouri City, TX 77459-2443

(281)-403-8707.

Rosenberg Animal Control

1207 Blume Rd
Rosenberg, TX 77471-4071

(832)-595-3490.

City of Stafford Animal Control

2702 S Main St
Stafford, TX 77477-5599

(281) 261-3950?

Sugar Land Animal Services

101 Gillingham Ln
Sugar Land, TX 77478

(281) 275-2596?

City of Houston Animal Control

3200 Carr St
Houston, TX 77026

(713)-229-7300

Brazoria Animal Control

3602 County Road 45
Angleton, TX 77515-9575

(979)-849-5711

I’m sure I’m missing many helpful tips and tricks! Please post ideas you have found successful in finding your missing pet! (tips for finding missing cats to come!)

Wiley's Story

Admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:55:38 +0000

Several of our neighbors saw him wandering from house to house. Rubbing is face in the different yards as we went. All discussing what kind of dog, where did he come from, did anyone know who he was, was he a coyote? One of them called and asked if we would come out and look at him. Had I ever seen him before? Upon going out I see this small brownish dog sitting on someone’s porch and as I walked closer he got up and came to me.

Crossing the street and sitting on the sidewalk so nicely – Like he belonged there. We snapped a few pictures and he posed so well for them. I put him on a slip leash and took we took him into the neighbor’s back yard. She doesn’t have dogs, where as I do. Immediately posting his picture to Facebook and a few other places. Trying to find him somewhere to go. Someone to help us help him.

As you can see his poor face and feet are very raw, bloody, infected and sore. He is underweight and scared. Dumped on the streets by someone to shallow to care for him correctly. Someone that dumped him vs. treating him. I don’t think he’s been a “street” dog long. He has not been shy to people or kids. He wants nothing more than to petted and sit in your lap. After a few phone calls, emails and posts & re-posts from several people; Shannan of Texas Cats & Dogs, Teresa of Urban Dog Boutique, Laura of 20th St. Grooming & Doggie Daycare and many others, many that donated in his name to Urban Dog for food. Tiffany S. & Jamie R. (people we pet sit for) donated food and supplies. We had help & we still need more help. People donating to help pay for food, medical care and much more. Pat from Husky Haven graciously took him in under their care. Full to the brim with other Huskies – Husky Haven is still helping him. Now we are still asking for help. As I said Husky Haven is Full and has many dogs in need. Please Donate to help with his Medical.

A trip to the vet – Demodectic Mange, a Severe Infection to start with. He needs daily doses for the Mange, weekly medicated baths and 6 weeks of Antibiotics. He gets a shot of antibiotics in the office. We get him back home and get his started on medications. Now he won’t eat…What stray won’t eat when offered food. So onto the fight to get him to eat. His fever is high but not to bad. He’s miserable and in pain. After a day or so his fever is rising…It makes it to 105. Another trip to the Vet in 5 o’clock traffic on a Friday night. Another shot this one to bring down his fever. Get home and put him in the tub to help cool him off. He sleeps better and his fever comes down some. Now he is eating, but only a little.

A few baths later and lots of medication his face and feet are healing. He has new spots coming out and still has a long way to go. Though we are helping him, he is still very stressed and chewing on new spots. He now is wearing an e-collar to stop him from chewing on his body or scratching at his face.

He still needs vaccinations, neutered, micro-chipped, heartworm test & preventative, continued treatment and care for his current condition. The neighbors children decided to call him Wiley the Coyote. Only because they all thought he was a coyote and were going to call Animal Control. I’m glad we were able to stop them before that. He would not have a had a good chance there. Now he has a chance to heal, get healthy, learn to be a dog and someone’s pet one day.

For now he is being kenneled till he heals. Please Donate to help Wiley. You can donate here

(Publisher’s note- Its very rare that allow a post asking for donations to Texas Dogs & Cats website. Wiley has wormed his way into so many people’s hearts though and the response by local businesses has been truly heartwarming. I was shocked when I received the call from Misty asking for help with this guy and even more shocked when I saw the pictures. If you can help Wiley, please do. If not, I hope your heart is also warmed by the love this little guy is receiving!)

Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine Open House

Admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:12:43 +0000

If you ever wondered what it was like to be a veterinarian or you simply love animals, join the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for their annual Open House on Saturday, March, 27th, 2010.

To learn more, click here.

Breed all about it!

Admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:19:32 +0000

Do you have the best of the best? The Prim de la Purebred??

Texas Cats & Dogs Magazine wants your pictures! Beginning in March, Texas Cats & Dogs will be featuring a different breed in each monthly issue. From Bulldogs to Siamese- if your pet has what it takes, send us a picture!!

Pictures can be sent to info@TexasCatsAndDogs.com.

Please send a high resolution picture, and include your pets name, breed and a few tid-bits about him or her.

Chowtime Productions Offers Unique Pottery for Pets

Admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:55:24 +0000

Are you looking for a special present for your dog? Chowtime Productions creates original pottery for dogs (and cats too), so why not treat your best friend to a personalized dog frame or doggy bowl?

To learn more, click here.