As you may have seen on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, we were
callously abandoned last Monday and Tuesday as our mom traveled to New
York for the Purina Better With Pets Summit.
We had
initially planned to shun her when she returned, but the things she
learned were too good not to share. (And well, because treats.)
So, take it away, mom!
___________________
We'll get to the doppelgänger in a few paragraphs - believe me, it's worth waiting for, especially if you've read the anthology
Rescued. (think I might have given it away...?) :-)
Until then, let me give you a peek into what went on at the Summit. Some of the content is worthy of a few Monday Medical articles, and I promise you'll get exactly that next Monday. Today l'll give you the broad-brush overview.
Purina brought in bloggers, veterinarians, researchers, and select members of the press to attend this day-long event. The day's topic examined ways we can improve the emotional wellness of pets.
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Cats & Millennials: moderator Hal Herzog Ph.D., Sandra Lyn & Mikel Delgado behaviorists
& Christina Ha, NYC Cat Café. Photo copyright ©2015 Nesté Purina. Used with permission. |
The day began with opening remarks from Purina's CMO, Nina Krueger who said something that resonated:
"Caring for pets in the best way humanly possible is both a duty and an honor." She went on to say that their intent today was to explore ways that we can benefit our pets' lives.
Did you catch that? Usually the discussion is on how we
can benefit
from our pets lives, not how we can benefit
their lives.
The first discussion panel was on "Are Millenials Changing our Relationship with Cats?"
I didn't realize it until afterward, but when the emcee introduced the panel, he summed up its essence really well when he mentioned how he had initially not known how to interact with his newly adopted senior dog.
He said he found himself using recycled compliments he used to give old girlfriends to relate to his dog: "Your fur looks so
nice today, Bizzy." "Is that a new collar? It really brings out your eyes!"
So okay, he was a comedian and probably wasn't actually
that bad at connecting with his new pup.
But his joke's absurdity actually encapsulated one of the most important points the panel made: cats are not miniature humans. They are an entirely different species, and should be treated as such.
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"That's right, lady. As much as you like to anthropomorphize, I am NOT a miniature human."
Photo of black kitten in Purina Cat Experience Room. |
And now I'm going to be nasty and make you wait for the Monday Medical post that details what the panel said about how cats should be treated. I'll also share their thoughts on the actions and attitudes we (yes, even cat people) hold onto that need to change.
The second panel was equally interesting: "Stress, our Pets, and Us." It was moderated by Dr. Marty Becker. A behaviorist, an architect, and a DVM cat stress expert were the panelists. I was especially impressed with the stress expert, Dr. Tony Buffington.
When asked what stress looks like in a cat, he reminded everyone that in many cases, what we're really doing is keeping cats like zoo animals. Think about our shelters, our veterinary clinics. We keep them in confinement in an environment that is not their natural habitat. This is a huge stresser.
The panel shared three changes that have been proven to help: a different approach to kennel design, the importance of location, and redesigned exam tables.
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| "Let's not talk about exams... okay, lady?" |
Cages
A more stress-free cage design turns the cage bars in its side. They're horizontal and not vertical. And the base is recessed a bit, allowing the cat to feel as if he were hiding, while a human can easily see in to monitor the cat. This allows the cat a greater feeling of safety than existing kennels.
Location
Another recommendation would be especially helpful to share with your vet: Moe cats from lower to upper cages. Dr. Buffington said it may be a hard sell - in fact, had he not seen it with his own eyes, he might not have believed how much of an impact this simple move could have on the stress level of a cat. In his case, it actually saved a cat's life.
Small changes but measurable results.
Exam room innovation
A new exam table has a non-skid top that is warm and impregnated with pheromones. Compare that to your vet's cold, stainless steel exam table! Pull-out stairs also allow animals to approach the table under their own power versus being lifted, if they so desire. And now, soft rubber floors that can be sterilized are available, which are a great improvement over a cold, slippery linoleum floor.
Overall, it adds up to a reduced-stress experience.
When the discussions drew to a close, the Experiential exhibits opened for the afternoon.
Each of the 6 stations had its own focus, from nutrition to healthy environments to cognitive function.
The Cognitition station had demonstrations of ways you could enrich your pet's life through mental stimulation.
One of the concepts their research team shared was the benefits of puzzle feeders for cats. They had a prototype of a puzzle feeder that provided tactile stimulation for the cat while foraging for food.
My favorite was the Cat Environment Room.
Which brings us to our doppelgänger, and today's #SundaySelfie ...
Nope, that's not Ryker, the star of the anthology,
Rescued. Ryker was the cat this blog was named for, and the One Who Came Before.
Nope, not him. But he could sure play Ryker on TV. Literally, it turns out!
This guy is one of the many well-socialized cats owned by Cybercat Exotics that populated the room. They also frequent a lot of TV and movie sets.
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| "No autographs, please." |
The Cat Environment was filled with feline stimuli: cat grasses, toys, and loads of vertical space for a cat to climb. And, of course, a ton of adoring fans.
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| Nothing is breaking this little boy's focus! Not even hordes of admirers. |
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| "Okay, I deadded it. Now you can pet me." |
And it served to remind me: no matter how busy I am, I always -
always - need to make time for my four-legged family members. As Nina Krueger admonished so wisely, caring for pets in the best way humanly possible
is both a duty and an honor.
It was a reminder I needed at a time when work is traveling at the speed of a supersonic jet.
So we come to the
real reason the Three allowed me to hijack their blog today: they've been getting an extra portion of playtime since I returned home.
Thanks, Purina, I needed that.
They needed that.
___________________
.This
post was sponsored by Nestlé Purina Pet Care. We are being compensated for writing this #BetterWithPets article,
however regardless of the payment received, A Tonks Tail only shares
content we feel our readers will benefit from. Our posts always reflect
our honest and unbiased opinions.
Nestlé Purina is not responsible for the content of this article.
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We're entering our doppelgänger in the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by the kitties over at
The Cat on my Head.
Head on over and see all the other great entries!
