Kitty Corner
Keep your feline fine: Kerrie McKeon, Bideawee's Feline Behavior Coordinator shows you how!
Play Therapy
Here at Bideawee, our Feline Bill of Rights includes the provision that each cat and kitten in our care receive adequate and appropriate play time with
staff and volunteers on a daily basis. We encourage our adopters to continue this routine of interactive play with their new feline companions. For many
adopters this comes as a surprise, as they may believe that cats are excellent "self entertainers," who only need to be thrown a few toys and left to
their own devices. While it is true that some cats are naturally more independent than dogs, most cherish their time with us, and interactive play can
help to strengthen this bond.
Cats are hunters, and no matter how much we may pamper them, their very agile brains retain the need to practice and sharpen these skills. Engaging cats
in play sessions using a variety of "lure" toys such as feather teasers ("Da Bird" is a personal favorite), remote control mice, and "Cat Dancers," may
help to curb, and even prevent, problem behaviors such as ankle grabbing and love biting. Be sure to let your cat "catch/kill" the toy at the end of
each session, or you may end up with an over-stimulated puss who will grab the next hand or ankle that comes his way! The successful end of the hunt
is the "kill," including shaking the toy or walking away with it in his mouth. Allowing the whole cycle to play out will leave you with a more receptive,
calm, and confident cat.
For kittens, this type of play will often keep them from using your home as a speedway all night, and older cats will maintain more vitality and
flexibility than sedentary "oldsters." My 18-year-old feline friend, Phinny, still engages in a brief but spirited play sessions with "Da Bird" on a
daily basis!
Be creative! My cats love to "fetch" crumpled up paper balls and cardboard rings that are made from cut-up toilet paper rings! Rotate the toys that
you use often, so that kitty doesn't get bored, and try re-scenting old toys with fresh catnip.
Aim for two short play sessions per day, and you may be surprised with the results!
About Kerrie McKeon, Feline Behavior Coordinator
Kerrie McKeon grew up in New Haven, CT with two loves: performing and cats. The former love (performing) took "center stage" early on and Kerrie graduated from Penn State with a degree in Theater Arts, then moved to Chicago, where she spent eight years working in theater. Eventually, the East Coast called her back and she came to New York, where the latter love (cats), a love that had never waned, inspired her to make a drastic career change and join the team at Bideawee.
Kerrie began her career at Bideawee in the Manhattan Adoption Center as an Associate and immediately impressed everyoneâ€"two-legged and four-legged alike - with her natural ability to communicate both with the cats and with potential adopters. Kerrie quickly became the star of the Adoption Center, embodying Bideawee's mission of getting to know each one of our animals and each and every one of our adopters so that we can make the best possible match.
In the past few years, as Feline Behavior Specialist, Kerrie has spearheaded initiatives to better the lives of our feline residents, such as requiring toys in every cage and encouraging the construction of even more cageless living space for the cats. She regularly holds educational workshops for the public and for staff at all three Bideawee locations in order to improve our understanding and our relationships with our feline friends. As a member of Bideawee's Case Management Team, Kerrie also has a direct impact on the cats living with us, constantly making adjustments and improvements to better the lives each and every one of them.
MORE KITTY CORNER COLUMNS FROM KERRIE:
The Verticle Scratcher
What to do with Kitty while on vacation
Let's Talk Litter!
Let's Talk Litter, Part Two
Getting Kitty Ready for Baby
Moving With Your Cat
How to Get Some Sleep If You Have a Noisy Cat
Playtime for Seniors! Older Cats Are Frisky Too!
Ideas for Inexpensive, Homemade Cat Toys
Sew Velcro strips into the sock opening so it can be closed up and easily reopened. Next, fill the sock with batting, scrap fabric, or dried catnip, and seal shut. In no time, your kitty will have a new favorite plaything!
