SPRING 2019 NO. 32

Fat cats may be cute, but there's nothing cute

about being at a higher risk for life-threatening condi-

tions like diabetes and heart disease. The heavier

your cat is and the longer he is overweight, the great-

er the risks to his health.

The truth is most cats become overweight from

being offered way too much food and not enough ex-

ercise. Many pet parents still believe that they need to

give their kitties the all-you-can-eat buffet. Not only

is this an unnatural feeding plan for cats, but it is a

great way for them to consistently gain weight. Cats

are true carnivores that evolved as hunting ma-

chines! They are not grazers. They are built to eat

small amounts of protein followed by a fast, then an-

other meal and more fasting.

A cat's metabolism determines how well his body

uses the calories he consumes. The daily activity of

an obese cat might consist of going from the couch

to the food bowl and back with an occasional trip to

the litter box. These couch potatoes need very few

calories, because they're not burning what they're

consuming. Putting a cat on a weight loss plan needs

to be approached very carefully and should be dis-

cussed with your vet before you begin, to make sure

there's nothing else going on with his health. Keep in

mind that your kitty didn't get fat overnight—it took

months or years.

Gradual weight loss lets his body adjust to the

changes and puts less stress on his internal or-

gans. Never put a cat on a starvation diet. Rapid

weight loss can trigger a fatal liver disease called he-

patic lipidosis. Feed a diet consistent with the nature

of a true carnivore, which is a meat based diet with a

moderate fat content and a low percentage of carbo-

hydrates. Protein is the key nutrient.

As sensitive and caring humans, we always want to

reward our kitties by providing treats. Most treats

have high levels of carbohydrates and lots of flavor

enhancers to entice the cat to eat when it isn't hun-

gry. Stop feeding treats to overweight cats. If you

must reward your kitty, give it cooked chicken or fish

as a natural protein.

Weight loss alone often isn't enough. Increasing

exercise, although challenging in some cats, can be

very rewarding. Cats tend to have short attention

spans, so plan activities that usually don't last more

than a few minutes at a time. Rotating through differ-

ent toys that stimulate multiple senses and the preda-

tory drive of cats can be very beneficial. As little as

15 to 20 minutes a day can help with weight loss.

If your kitty's weight loss program doesn't seem to

be working after several weeks, you should definitely

call your vet for advice. ~Karen Crowe & Jackie Allison

This article is excerpted from Dr. Karen Becker’s video and

full transcript, which can be viewed at https://

h e a l t h y p e t s . m e r c o l a . c o m / s i t e s / h e a l t h y p e t s /

archive/2010/03/03/weight-loss-for-fat-cats.aspx, along with

www.petmd.com. Dr. Becker is a well known holistic veteri-

narian, author, wildlife rehabilitator and more.

6 in 10 Cats Need This Intervention—Does Yours?

This is Bronson. See his weight loss story at https://people.com/pets/iambronsoncat-33-pound-cat-weight-loss-journey/

This is Doughnut. See his weight loss story at https://people.com/pets/fat-cat-doughnut-florida-adopted/

Lady Bug’s Lessons Senior Cats Rule! Older cats are frequently overlooked for

adoption. Some people regard these cats like they are old

cars with little mileage left. Not so! During their "golden

years" they are still inquisitive, affectionate and a real delight

to be around.

So when are cats considered seniors? Most vets consider

age 10 to be the start of the senior years. Keep in mind, a

healthy spayed or neutered indoor cat can live to 20 years

and beyond. Senior cats are fully developed. They have ma-

tured bodies and established personalities.

Caring for an older cat is easy since they are pretty laid-

back. Keeping them happy is a cinch—a cozy bed, scratching

post, clean litter box, regular meals, a few toys, and lots of

gentle petting should do the trick. Like fine wine, cats get

better with age. Those who were feisty in their youth tend to

turn mellow as they mature. The once shy ones gain confidence and become friendlier

while an aloof kitty now seeks companionship and tends to be more tolerant of children.

Once the cat settles in with you, they quickly adjust to your lifestyle. They can better

manage your absences and varying household activities. Through pet care, you will see

improvements in your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Above all, you have the

lasting joy of saving a homeless cat with so much love to give. I hope this will influence

your decision in favor of adopting a senior cat.

Page 2 Spring 2019

1517 Meadow Street

Littleton, NH 03561

603-259-3244

www.secondchancear.org

email: secondchancear.org@gmail.com

Follow & Tag Us:

www.facebook.com/secondchancear

www.twitter.com/SCARLittletonNH

www.instagram.com/secondchancear

SHELTER HOURS Monday through Saturday

Noon to 3pm or by appointment

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jackie Allison, President Karen Gordon, Secretary Carolyn Murro, Treasurer

Judy Abbott Alicia Prater Michael Bettencourt Kim Randall Jan Nadeau Carl Schafer Mark Secord

Veterinary Advisors Whitefield Animal Hospital

Whitefield, NH Companion Pet Care

Littleton, NH

Professional Advisors Mark Secord CPA, PLLC

OUR MISSION To provide homeless animals

with a second chance at life and

companionship in a no-kill shelter.

Our organization goes beyond

shelter walls and is committed to:

1) Positive people and animal

relationships and placements

2) Offering affordable spay,

neuter and vaccination clinics

3) Cooperative rescue efforts

4) Animal welfare education

Second Chance Animal Rescue is a

501(c)(3) charitable organization

and our EIN is 27-2815668.

SCAR receives no federal, state or

local tax money; nor portions

of donations made to national

humane organizations.

Cat Tails: Noel “We adopted Noel in December and

wanted to let you know how she is doing. It

took about a week but she came out of hid-

ing and is now a part of the family. She

loves our little dog and they play and sleep

together. She also loves her cat tree and

begging for food. I am looking into an en-

closure for her to go outside when the

weather is nice. No need to worry about

Noel (Gracie) she is pretty spoiled. Thank

you for giving us our little Noel. Ronda T.”

Your Shelter REALLY ROCKS! In 2018, SCAR handled more cats than ever in the history of our shelter. We placed 238

cats in forever homes and returned 9 cats to their owners. With the help of our friends at

Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, another 70 cats were given a second chance.

In addition to our intake of surrenders and rescues, we had approximately 30 kittens

born at our shelter from unwanted or unexpected litters. Based on Maddie’s Fund and the

veterinary literature, even in a caring shelter environment, most kittens have only a 60-85%

chance of survival—in our shelter their chances are 92%. We owe this high survival rate to

the dedication of our shelter manager Jan Nadeau, who ensures illness is recognized and

treated as soon as it appears and vaccinates all of the animals using the ASPCA schedule;

and to our great volunteers who care for the cats everyday.

Part of our mission is to prevent unwanted litters, and in 2018, we spayed and neutered

58 dogs and 447 cats at our low-cost clinics. Thank you to Alicia Prater for these figures.

She is our volunteer keeper of cat records, our computer guru, Petfinder pro, board member

and so much more.

TH

E S

CO

OP

Low Cost Spay & Neuter Clinics Call us at 603-259-3244

to schedule your cat or dog Mar 11, Apr 22, May 20, June 17

Low Cost Vaccination Clinics $15 each, 1:30—3:30 pm

March 23 Bethlehem Fire Dept April 13, Lisbon Town Hall

April 27, SCAR Shelter

ShoeBox Recycling Drop off your gently used shoes

Dining for a Cause Wednesday, June 19, 5-8 pm

99 Restaurant, Littleton 15% of your bill goes to SCAR

5th Annual Tony Ilacqua Chicken BBQ

Saturday, July 13, 5-7 pm Live Music

VFW Pavilion, Littleton

Annual Gigantic Tent Sale Saturday, August 10, 9am-3pm

Home Depot parking lot, Littleton

Page 3 Spring 2019

Cat Tails: Prince “Prince (or I'm naming him Flynn),

is settling in so well to his new home

in Concord! Yesterday he showed us

that he likes tummy scratches and to

fall asleep in my lap watching TV. He's

really enjoying the big sunny windows

where he can watch cars go by. And he

loves wet food! Emily M.”

Mary’s Cat Chats Choose one—or two—of our senior cats highlighted here and

be rewarded with huge helpings of love and devotion!

Joe and Jack—When the

owner of these two old-

er gents became very

ill, the difficult decision

was made to bring

them to the shelter.

This bonded pair has

been together from

kittenhood and they are

now 14. They are black and white with medium long fur, and

Jack has only one eye. They are laid back and sweet and will be

wonderful companions.

Lucky—Here’s a fellow that knows what life

is all about – and that’s sitting in the lap of

your favorite human. Sadly, his person was

recently transitioned to a care facility after

being fortunate enough to share his life for

15 years with this big, beautiful boy. Lucky

is white and black with one ear that is bent

and crinkly, giving him a bit of a jaunty ap-

pearance. Since he was an only cat for so

many years, we feel he would do best con-

tinuing that lifestyle.

Sweet Pea—

This amazing

survivor was

found in a dumpster at the High-

land Center in Crawford Notch in

the middle of the winter three

years ago, and is now a chunky

calico who is between 6 and 7

years old. She is missing part of

an ear, probably having suffered

from frostbite during her time in the wild. She is a shy girl but

with a warm and caring family to love her, we believe a pleasing

and unique personality will emerge. ~Mary Northrop

Finding Her Wings "I love you, I'll help you all

the way through, but to take

the first step, my dear, is up to

you." I can only imagine Ra-

chel Tamulonis' mother saying

this to the youngest of her four

children. Rachel's hero and

mentor has always been her

mom, a hardworking and kind

woman for whom nothing was

impossible.

Life in North Woodstock,

NH was simple for this family

with Lithuanian roots. They

always had a "petting zoo" of

rabbits, chickens, and a tuxedo

cat named Gonzo. Vacations

were spent renewing family

connections, taking advantage

of the local swimming hole and

making new memories on old

hiking trails.

From an early age, Rachel

had always dreamed of going

to college to study Marine Biol-

ogy, Wildlife Conservation, or

Forensic Science. Such ambition would require working part-

time jobs and doing well in school. Her dream came true at

the University of New England, graduating with a degree in

Environmental Science. Today she works with a successful

girl-powered group of environmental consultants that clean

up hazardous sites.

Just as the calendar was about to say "summer" a couple of

years ago, Rachel received an exciting offer. It didn't take her

long to pack her duffel bag with a pair of binoculars, note-

books and pens, and a lot of enthusiasm. She left for Indiana

to spend three months doing avian research. It was a price-

less gift this ornithologist couldn't pass up. It was the great-

est adventure!

This ambitious lady has many layers to her life. For stress

relief, she faithfully comes to the shelter to do cat care on

Saturday mornings. For fun, she loves to cook and bake. For

pride and pleasure, she is a leather craftsman that makes

knife rolls for chefs, in addition to crafting belts and guitar

straps.

We don't have an eternity to realize our dreams, only the

time we are here. Rachel hopes to embark on a journey to

Lithuania to uncover her family history. Lastly, she would like

to travel to South America to view exotic birds and wildlife in

the jungle rain forests. Enjoy life because you cannot depend

on getting a second chance to be in the same place or to do

the same things again. Carpe Diem, Rachel! ~Jackie Allison

Cat Tails: Misty “Misty is doing great,

very friendly and loves

to play. We adopted her

one year ago and love

her very much. Jackie B.”

Join Our Gang

Volunteers make everything we do possible!

Cat Tails: Mittens “We can’t thank you enough for

our big, lovable, crazy nut of a cat.

Mittens is now 18 months old and

weighing in at a hefty 14 pounds!

Looking forward to many years

with our love bug. Megan C.”

1517 Meadow Street Littleton, NH 03561 603-259-3244 www.secondchancear.org

Pre Sorted Standard U.S. Postage

PAID Littleton, NH 03561

Permit No. 39

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

MONETARY DONATIONS SCAR relies entirely on private donations to fund our shelter, rescue and adoption

operations, and community programs. Your donation is 100% tax deductible. Please mail your check today, large or small or

donate securely online at www.secondchancear.org

TRIBUTE GIFTS Tribute gifts can be made in memory of

or in honor of a pet or loved one. A card will be sent upon request.

IN-KIND DONATIONS Help keep our supply closet stocked up year round. See our wish list above, at

secondchancear.org and smile.amazon.com

GIFTS OF STOCK & ANNUITIES Stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares and other

securities, along with transferring of real estate offer alternative ways to donate that

can benefit both you, your heirs and SCAR.

EBAY SELLABLES Donate jewelry, antiques and other estate

valuables and we’ll sell them on EBay. All donations are 100% tax deductible.

WORKPLACE GIVING CAMPAIGNS Many workplaces coordinate charitable giving campaigns for their employees. These campaigns allow employees to

donate through one-time gifts and regular payroll deductions.

VEHICLE DONATION Donating your unwanted car is simple, easy,

and free. We convert your car into cash, which becomes a much-needed donation to SCAR! You are entitled to a tax deduction and you avoid the cost and hassle of repair-ing or selling a car that you no longer want.

DONATE WHILE SHOPPING You shop online, SCAR gets money! For free, with no cost to you! Through either

iGive.com or smile.amazon.com

ESTATE GIFTS Include SCAR in your will, trust or

with a beneficiary designation.

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS There are many ways for your company

to increase its visibility in the community and build positive brand

presences while helping Second Chance.

VOLUNTEER Join us and help the cats and kittens who can’t help themselves. You’ll also make

new friends and have fun! Fill out a Volun-teer Application today.

FOSTER Can you open your home occasionally

to house a mom and her kittens until they’re old enough to be adopted; or house a needy cat on a short term basis when the shelter is full? Call the shelter for more information.

Postage Stamps

Gift Cards

Purina Cat &

Kitten Chow

White Unscented

Clay Cat Litter

Copy Paper

Paper Towels

Wish List

You Can Help We know that you’re swamped with requests for donations. While you support the big national organizations

that help animals, we ask that you first consider giving to your local shelter. You can visit us any time and see

your gift at work, giving the local area’s abandoned and abused cats and kittens a “Second Chance”!

Tag Us! Follow and tag us on

Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram when you

post photos of your

adopted cats or SCAR

events. The links are on

page 2 and our website.