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The Goathouse Refuge has many incredible cats in need of loving homes.

Behind the Scene

Special Stories of Special Cats Your Support Helps

Donate

Tax deductible donations and gifts of goods to help run the refuge are always welcome.

Helpful Info

Pet Dangers

 

 

  • If you use SERESTO Collars for your pets, you need to STOP and read this article!

Seresto works by releasing small amounts of TWO pesticides on your pet. Through January 2023, the EPA has received more than 75,000 incident reports related to the collars, including nearly 1,000 involving human harm (rashes and seizures) and at least 1,698 reports of PET DEATHS! Please find a safe alternative, non-collar prevention for your pets.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/03/02/seresto-dog-cat-collars-found-harm-pets-humans-epa-records-show/4574753001/

 

  • Do you use essential oils in your home?
    If so, please make sure that the ones you have are not toxic for your pets. The vet and the poison control are saying that they see these cases often now that the popularity of essential oil is growing.     According to veterinarians here is a list of essential oils not to use if you have a cat or a dog at home. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin OR used in diffusers and they can be different for dogs and cats.
     
    Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
    Birch (Betula)
    Bitter Almond (Prunus dulcis)
    Boldo (Peumus boldus)
    Calamus (Acorus calamus)
    Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
    Cassia (Cassia fistula)
    Chenopodium (Chenopodium album)
    Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
    Garlic (Allium sativum)
    Goosefoot (Chenopodium murale)
    Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
    Hyssop (Hyssopus sp. with the exception of Decumbens)
    Juniper (Juniperus sp. with the exception of Juniper Berry)
    Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
    Mustard (Brassica juncea)
    Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
    Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
    Red or White Thyme
    Rue (Ruta graveolens)
    Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
    Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
    Savory (Satureja)
    Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
    Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
    Terebinth (Pistacia palaestina)
    Thuja (Thuja occidentalis)
    Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
    Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
    Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

 

 

 

  • Products in the  “SOL” FAMILY are TOXIC TO CATS!

    What is in Lysol that is toxic to cats?
    Phenol is especially toxic to cats as their unique physiology makes their livers ill-equipped to clear it from their system. In addition to cleaners like Lysol, many essential oils such as thyme and tea-tree oils contain dangerous amounts of this chemical compound.
    https://pets.thenest.com/phenol-cats-5429.html

     

  • Pet Poison Prevention
    Every year, hundreds of thousands of cats, dogs, and other animals in the United States experience accidental poisoning from many common foods, liquids, household supplies, plants, and other objects. The effects can range from mild discomfort to serious injury to death.
    resource page from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/potentially-dangerous-items-your-pet

    The top 10 list of poisons:

    • Over-the-counter medications, including vitamins, pain relievers, and supplements
    • Human prescription medicines
    • Food (most common issues were protein bars and shakes, xylitol, onions and garlic, and grapes and raisins)
    • Chocolate
    • Plants
    • Household toxins, including cleaning products and toxins
    • Veterinary products, including chews that your pet may find and overconsume
    • Rodenticides
    • Insecticides
    • Gardening products, including fertilizers, which dogs love

    Pet owners should also be aware of the potential risks posed by blue-green algae found in ponds, lakes, and other water sources. These blooms can become toxic.. Pet owners should keep pets away from water with visible cyanobacteria. If a pet consumes any cyanobacteria, owners should immediately wash the pet and monitor for symptoms over the next day or two. The CDC lists the following symptoms: loss of energy, loss of appetite, vomiting, stumbling and falling, foaming at the mouth, diarrhea, convulsions, excessive drooling, tremors, seizures, or any unexplained sickness.

     

  • Don’t Mistake These 10 Poisonous Plants For Their Harmless Look-Alikes (housedigest.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behavior

 

 

 

9 Best Cat Trackers  (Click Here)

What To Do If Your Indoor Cat Gets Outside (Click Here)


 

 

 

  • Inside the Mind of a Cat: a Netflix Documentary Featuring the Cornell Feline Health Center.
    This unique film examines the physiology, behavior, and history of our furry friends and their special bond with people, and is currently available for viewing on Netflix
    Inside the Mind of a Cat 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • In today’s busy society, cats are much safer being indoor only. If you have a screened porch, cats can enjoy the best of both worlds by getting fresh air while still being safe from cars, other critters, fleas, ticks, and diseases or just chasing after something and getting lost. If you don’t have a screened porch, how about building a catio?
    https://www.humanesociety.org/news/catios-great-outdoors

 

 

  • How about installing some indoor shelving for your cats to climb on? What cat wouldn’t love this!

 

 

 

Health

 

 

 

  •  Telemedicine is helping to connect pet owners with providers and additional tools and care options for their pets after hours and during challenging times.  OnlineDoctor.com a health services news website investigated the most popular online pet care and veterinary services platforms and identified the highest quality and most convenient options. You can view their selection here:
    https://www.onlinedoctor.com/best-online-pet-care-veterinarian-services/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Human Connection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book –Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die by Jon Katz

 

Book –The Heaven of Animals by Nancy Tillman

 

  • If Something Should Happen To You, Do You Have a Plan For Your Pet? 
    Your pets are part of your family and estate! Every animal deserves a lifetime of care, love, and security, and when you adopt an animal, you are promising a commitment to them for their lifetime.  Without a proper plan in place for the future care of your pet, they are at risk of an uncertain future. What if you have more than one pet? Does your pet have specific needs? What about exotic animals or horses?  It is extremely vital for you to plan ahead and don’t assume a family member will take them. Here is a great resource to help with questions and planning:
    https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-planning/frequently-asked-questions

 

 

Animal Welfare

 

  • Tips & Tricks for People Helping Outdoor Cats
    Anyone with a passion for helping outdoor cats is encouraged to log on and learn from trappers who have been in the field for more than 20 years. Beyond the basics of trap-neuter-return (TNR) this webinar will cover some tips only the pros can teach you – from using clear rear doors, to the benefits of Spam as bait, there’s sure to be something for everyone in this engaging presentation.
    https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/?mc_cid=7f7b1b4695&mc_eid=d8184c128d

 

  • The Community Cats Website 
    Offers podcasts, an informative blog, a grant and mentoring program, online conferences, and networking and sharing opportunities.
    https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Who WILL Let The Dogs Out?
    Shelters all over this country are struggling in unprecedented ways in the wake of the pandemic and the ongoing economic and housing crisis. We visit shelters and rescues in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky to shine a light on the huge number of animals and the amazing heroes fighting to save them. The problem doesn’t exist because people don’t care, but because they don’t know.
    http://www.whowillletthedogsout.org/

 

  • Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Animal Sheltering in the United States
    A Podcast Series

 

  • Animal Laboratories and Experiments
    What’s it like to be a dog being experimented on in a laboratory? A cat in the kill room of an animal “shelter”? A cow in a slaughterhouse? A mouse on a glue trap? A deer being hunted? A pig on a factory farm?
    For Whom The Bell Tolls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles & Videos

 

 

  • Breaking the Chain, from executive producer Anjelica Huston, tells the story of PETA’s dedicated fieldworkers who help neglected and abused dogs, cats, and other animals.
    https://www.breakingthechainfilm.com/

 

  • STRAY is a powerful film for dog lovers….in fact the Variety Magazine review refers to it as “a love letter for dogs”.  STRAY won coveted awards at Hot Docs and Tribeca and is garnering great reviews.
    http://straymovie.com/

 

  • EARTHLINGS is a 2005 American documentary film about humankind’s total dependence on animals for economic purposes.  Presented in five chapters (pets, food, clothing, entertainment and scientific research) the film is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, featuring music by Moby, and was written, produced and directed by Shaun Monson.
    http://www.nationearth.com/

 

 

 

 

  • Facts about Wolves: the ancestral family of our beloved canines, addressing the various myths behind the incredible drive to slaughter them that still persists, especially in some States. The wolves really need our help.
    https://environmental-action.org/

But what are wolves really like? It’s time to put the myths aside and get the facts on gray wolves.

Myth: Wolves live in packs defended by ferocious “alphas.” Myth: Wolves are dangerous to humans.
Fact: Wolves are wary of humans, and with their keen hearing and smell they are very good at avoiding people, buildings and roads. Attacks are extremely rare. In the 100-year period between 1900 and 2000, there were no documented cases of wolves killing a human in North America.1

Fact: The idea of highly structured wolf packs led by “alphas” that fight their way to the top is based on research that was done on captive wolves. We now know that wild wolves in their natural state do not structure their packs this way. Instead, wolf packs are typically more like our own families: A pair of wolves and their offspring living together.2


Myth: Wolves kill too many elk, deer and other prey species. Myth: Wolves only belong in protected parks, deep forests and distant wildernesses.
Fact: Right now, we associate wolves with places like Yellowstone National Park and far northern forests in Canada, but the truth is that gray wolves once roamed from coast to coast in the United States. The historic range of wolves covers every U.S. state except Hawaii, and habitats from cold forests to windy plains to dry deserts.3

Fact: Wolves don’t destroy these prey species’ populations — they actually help to stabilize them! When wolves returned to Yellowstone National Park, the elk population there became more stable and resilient because wolves helped to thin out weak and sick animals.4 Wolves kill to eat, not for fun: They bring balance.


Myth: There are plenty of wolves in the wild right now.
Fact: There were only an estimated 6,000 wolves left in the Lower 48 states as of 2020.5 Since then, wolves lost their Endangered Species Act protection and deadly hunting expanded in states like Wisconsin, Montana and Idaho. The wolves we have left need our protection to help their population grow and thrive.

By combating common misunderstandings about wolves, we can help build more support for the vital task of wolf conservation. We all need to raise our voices to ensure that wolves will be safe to live and thrive in the wild places of the U.S. for centuries to come.

1. “Wolves and Human Safety,” Colorado State University, last accessed March 4, 2022.
2. Elise Kjorstad, “Wolf packs don’t actually have alpha males and alpha females,
the idea is based on a misunderstanding,” Sciencenorway.no, April 26, 2021.
3. “Gray Wolf,” Yellowstone National Park, last accessed March 4, 2022.
4. Christine Peterson, “25 years after returning to Yellowstone, wolves have helped stabilize the ecosystem,” National Geographic, July 10, 2020.
5. Associated Press, “US wildlife officials aim to remove wolf protections in 2020,” ABC, August 31, 2020

 

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