Category: Community Stories

Featuring stories from real pet owners and resources for all thing pets

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Community Stories

Ah Boys to Men – Dog Training with Porkchop

punggolporkchop

We got Porkchop in November 2019 when he was only 2.5 months old. Fresh from the pet shop and brainwashed by dramas, we thought that being a pet owner just meant welcoming a new member into your life. We were okay as long as he peed and pooped at the right places like your typical family member. Being a first time pawrent we were super clueless about the need for training until we met our first hurdle – excessive barking.

How it started

Sometime around February this year, Porkchop became territorial and barked at strangers, neighbours and anyone that walked past the door. He only stopped when the person walked away. Initially we were all trying to adapt to it. I mean it was just doggo doing their doggo duty right? When strangers came they just wanted to safeguard the family and alert the family of impending danger (which happens to be in the shape of a Grab deliveryman most of the time). The only issue was that as the days went by, the alert became louder, more frequent and disruptive.

It also didn’t help when we walked to his playpen to tell him to “quiet” whenever he borked. We thought we were doing the right thing. But in Porkchop’s eyes it meant, “Oh when I make a sound my favourite hoomans come.” Being a super attention seeker, this attention that we gave him led him to learn the negative behaviour and the excessive barking gradually became attention barking.

#ProTip: One of the ways to tackle attention barking is to simply not give it any attention. By ignoring it you are sending an opposite behaviour of “ If you make a sound, I will not come”. However it does take a lot of effort on the pawrent’s end and all family members will need to cooperate, be firm and consistent in order to make it effective.

Everything sounds bad so far right? So hoomum went to ask her best friend, Google for some tips. She also talked to a few other dog owners to understand their experience. After some research, we decided to try what we found on the Internet.

First Try – Teaching the “Speak” command

Okay so the logic was, if your dog keeps barking, you hold a treat up at his nose for a long time and not give it to him until he gets annoyed and starts to bark. When that happens, catch it and tag it with the “speak” command. Once he knows that speak = barking, he will start to learn to speak on command. When he masters this, you then teach him the “quiet” command. Sounds simple, but it was an utter failure for us. We spent 30 minutes teaching him to “speak” using reward based training (rewarding him treatos when he barks) and he ended up barking every time he sees treats…. *shakes head* Maybe we did something wrong with this method but we had to give up in the end and look for alternatives. This also shows that not everything you read on the Internet works.

Second Try – Obedience school

This was one of the methods that hoomum’s colleagues recommended. We then started our journey of researching for a good obedience school for Porkchop and enrolled in a 10 week obedience training course with a local renowned trainer. We learnt how to use leash correction and choke chain during the training and every negative behaviour revolved around pulling the choke chain in a sudden movement.

Practicing sit stay with the choke collar

So whenever Porkchop barked, we pulled the choke chain up and corrected him. It was pretty effective at the start since it was something new for him that he never encountered. The choke chain did provide some discomfort so he stopped when we corrected him and the barking became less frequent. We also worked on our heel work during school a lot and the training also helped to tackle the leash pulling problem that he had whenever he was out. (Yes he’s a boy with many behavioural issues. In our opinion this is not uncommon though)

Taken during one of our practices

Everything seemed pretty good until Porkchop started to get used to it. When he got used to the chokes, the barking came back. Not as bad as the beginning, but if we say we progressed significantly during the course, by the end of the course we felt like the progress had taken a huge step backwards.

Yepp, overall we still felt there was an improvement. We did reward him during this training time but to see our futile efforts going backwards instead of progressing made us feel quite disheartened. On top of that we had been diligently practicing his training every day after work for the whole time, even outside of classes so it was physically exhausting for us. Not to forget this was done when Porkchop was still a puppy. So the hyper energizer bunny became too much for us and we weren’t enjoying our time with him as much as we liked to.

#Protip: Obedience school is a good way to start and get your pets to learn good behaviour. However, make sure you do enough research (Google, talking to owners with similar breeds, forums etc) to decide on which school is right for your pet. each school uses different training methods which may or may not be suitable for the breed you have or the personality of your pet.

Third Try – E-collar training

Obedience school was lengthened due to the circuit breaker that happened halfway so by July we were super drained out. This was also the time where we started to follow tons of other cute local Corgos on Instagram and chanced upon our idols Lion and Bambi. We were amazed at how they were able to do down stay for a long time while their pawrents buy bubble tea or run errands somewhere nearby. Their heel was perfect and done off leash. It was like seeing our dream for Porkchop come true through them. We were amazed and didn’t know that pet dogs were capable of doing this.

After being wowed by their progress, we decided that we wanted to make our dream come true and contacted them for referral. We had a meeting with the trainer and got introduced to the e-collar for the first time. We got ourselves educated while we sent him off for a 2-week board and train programme. When we got him back, the results were impressive.

Previously, I would say we progressed 20% with the choke chain. With the e-collar training we had managed to progress to about 60-70%. While it’s still not perfect, we think that it is a much better tool to correct negative behaviour. It is easy to learn and the execution is much faster and immediate compared to leash correction. It is also much less reliant on the techniques and handling of the leash, which can vary drastically from owner to owner. We also used it to correct his barking and the situation has definitely improved. Of course, it’s still not perfect as training is a life long journey. But to see him improve tremendously these recent weeks has provided us with a great deal of motivation and satisfaction. Walks with him are now more enjoyable. Being able to stroll down the park with him right beside us without a leash and knowing that he won’t run away is the best feeling we have thus far.

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Community Stories

Ups & Downs of Adopting a Rescue – Mayo (part 2)

“How much time is enough time before we decide that this is not going anywhere?”

“I don’t think I can do this. I don’t know how else to help her.”

“Do you think she’ll ever love us?”

“Will she be like this forever? What if this is the real her and she’s going to be permanently this way?”

“What if she likes being a stray more and being at home is not what she wants?”

These are just some of the honest questions that have come up since Mayo came into our lives.

Ever heard of the 3-3-3 rule when it comes to adopting a rescue dog? Do a simple search and google will tell you most rescue dogs follow this 3-3-3 rule.

Credit: rescuedogs101.com

They say the first 3 days the dog would probably be shut down. After 3 weeks the dog more comfortable, and after 3 months the dog is completely comfortable.

We didn’t understand. We watched every Youtube video there was, we even read books, we read 10000001 articles to prepare ourselves but nothing worked. Nothing was relatable and Mayo went against all the rules and training tips we’ve watched/read. Although there was strong support from the Singapore Specials community on Instagram (for which I am so so thankful for), we didn’t come across any account we could really relate with that understood what we went through, or had a dog remotely like Mayo. We felt incredibly lonely in our journey because we had no answers.. There were a ton of doubts and uncertainties, and besides sharing them on Instagram we were pretty helpless and hopeless on most days.

The Lows..

It’s hard to pinpoint an exact lowest because everyday seemed to be an accumulation of the whirlwind of emotions we experienced. The first 2 weeks we barely slept. There were nights Mayo howled and cried (?) for hours straight in the middle of the night. Whenever we got up to walk in her direction in first 1 month, she would literally shiver & cower even though we didn’t give any eye contact or said a word. We..just..walked.. She was probably so stressed out that she had violent seizures in her sleep the first month or so. We were worried it was a neurological problem and that made us sleepless and watched the camera monitor every night but thankfully it went away as she got more comfortable.

We are not proud to say this but in the spirit of sharing, we also actually lost Mayo, TWICE, within the first 2 months. She got spooked by a sudden sound, lodged herself behind one of those things along on the road and the leash flew from my hand. I spent 30 mins looking for her under ditches, construction sites, bushes.. but guess what? I got a text from our neighbourhood chat that Mayo was at our HDB lift lobby. Our regular cleaner uncle took her up and tied her to our gate. When I lost her I heard voices of our volunteers in my head, “If Mayo this kind get lost, confirm cannot find one!” But although she was still frightened of us, she chose to go back home – my guess is she knew it was safe and choose us over living on the streets alone. Still blows me away how she knew the way home especially since there have been so many stories of lost dogs that never find their way home.

Photo sent by neighbour who spotted her downstairs.
Cleaner uncle who recognized her brought her up and tied her to our gate.

She definitely regressed especially on walks after that because her confidence was shaken – mine was too. She was constantly pulling on leash and wanting to go home. I was at my wits end and so highly discouraged because it just seem more and more like she won’t break out of this fear cycle. Then one day… a fellow dog owner told me fearful dogs need a confident leader. They can sense our anxiety and i guess she knew. If I could I would avoid walking her because I was insecure and worried that I would lose her again. That afternoon I picked up the leash, puffed my chest, took a deep breath and said ‘Mayo, come!’. Lo and behold, she came. This time I kept my head up, and when she pulled ahead out of fear, I stopped. I took a step ahead of her, deep breath, and continued walking. Like magic, she calmed down and we had a good walk. Positive reinforcement, pack leader, whatever 100001 other training theories bla bla bla – you do you. Mayo was so scared of me she wouldn’t take treats from me – we barely have a relationship yet, so how to reinforce? How to reduce the threshold when she goes from 0-100 in an instant. I can’t predict what & who we meet on our walks. I could only assure her that you know what, I got this. I know where we are going, and I dont need her to worry about bicycles, traffic, runners incoming. Just follow me, you will be fine. #letthemsniff they say.. I would love to let Mayo sniff. When she is confident to sniff, I let her sniff. But i noticed that when she walks ahead of me, she is more easily triggered and reacts in fear perhaps because she feels like she is defenseless and has no clue how to respond to all these new triggers. Now, even though she is so much more confident on walks and typically walks ahead of me, when she sees something that makes her worry, she still comes back to me and allows me to take over in a particularly unsure situation.

But above all, I found it most challenging to see Mayo not being a dog. Don’t get me wrong, she was a good dog! She didn’t whine, she doesn’t bark (well now she does!!), she doesn’t pee & poo at home, she sleeps, she eats. But, she wasn’t a dog. We were told to give her time. But as the days went by and we saw minimal to no progress, we wondered how much time is enough? How much time does she need? What can we do? What if she is simply just like this?

So what made us press on? What lessons have we learnt?

I mean there were days that our anxiety skyrocketed through the roof and it seemed like every tiny thing sends her into a frenzy and we have to walk on egg shells around her for fear of making her regress and more fearful. Some days maybe we took things too far and she was stressed. Some days maybe she was triggered by an aggressive dog. And as humans we become so consumed by our own human worries. But like everybody says, dogs live in the moment. I used to think ‘oh no, Mayo got scared. she hates me. she’s going to hate me.’ NO SHE’S NOT. The next morning, she’s ok already. Give your dogs some credit, and cut yourself some slack! Don’t be too hard on yourself – it’s something I remind myself everyday. She proves to us day after day how resilient she is.

The Highs!

With every low, we have to remember there will also be highs 🙂

Definitely one of the highs was the first time Mayo left her bed to come to the dining table to sniff. We were having curry chicken. Curry seemed to have a magical effect on Mayo – curry makes mayo brave haha. Came to find out later on that actually her rescuer/feeder fed her packets of curry chicken rice occasionally for 6 months! Now Mayo has an upgrade and has doggy-safe curry made with love filled with greek yogurt, capsicum, turmeric & chicken.

During circuit breaker I (mama) had a lot more time to work with Mayo. Started off by tossing yummy treats around the house to encourage her to move around the house. Little by little, I think maybe 3 months into her adoption in May, she started becoming a little more ‘kaypoh’ and confident to come sniff when there’s food on the table. Little signs of her becoming more like a dog.

mayo with her paws on the table demanding for curry

One of my biggest highs, was the day mayo learnt to sit. It took us a grand total of 6 months and because she was so fearful of me, I couldnt use any treats to lure her into a sit like most people do. Neither could I touch her butt to push her down because she was fearful and usually out of reach anyway haha – this dog observes safe distancing very well. I shared on my Instagram that the ‘Sit’ command is literally one of the first things that people teach their dogs. It seems like a no-brainer thing and ya, we were a bit ‘FOMO’ that mayo doesn’t know a single ‘trick’. But hey!!!!!! we took 5 months, but we still got there eventually. Yea we might take longer, but not about the destination but the journey correct? Hehe as at September 10th 2020, she already knows ‘down’, ‘sit’, ‘paw’, ‘chin’, ‘touch’ and ‘bow’. Again, none of these were learnt through luring with treats, or through simply grabbing their paw/chin etc. We ‘captured’ the behavior! Like a camera! Don’t underestimate your fearful dog! Whenever she did the behavior on her own e.g sit, or lie down – we will use a verbal cue e.g SIT and mark it with a marker. Anyway…. ahahaha ok I won’t go into too much detail about the training – next post ok?

Mayo in a ‘down.’

TLDR;

Hahahaha, in summary…… Don’t sweat it if your dog doesn’t follow the ‘rules’. Even after 7 months, Mayo has yet to fully trust us. She still hides from us when we come home but everyday we are seeing new sides of her. But 7 months ago it seemed like an impossible feat for her to me lying beside us. Yet today we can play with her, and she will occassionally willingly lie next to us. If you have a dog like Mayo, I just want to say you are not alone. You might not feel like your dog loves you yet, but remember that it ends with .. YET. Someday I believe they will. I am still telling myself all these everyday while I encourage others. We are all still work in progress and I look forward to the day I can upload a video of Mayo excitedly wagging her tail when she sees us.

Till the next time, I hope you take comfort and pride in your own adoption journey.

xoxo,
Mayo’s Pawrents

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Community Stories

The Lost and Found of Rico

I will be sharing with everyone the whole story of how Rico was lost and found, and some measures to take if (touch wood) any of you experience it in the future.

It was just an ordinary day when I was off from work, doing my own things, running errands and catching up my life. I still can remember how Rico greets me when i am back from the errands which was around 5.15pm. After a while around 5.30pm, my grandpa came back home and I also went to my nanny’s house for a chit chat, which was just one floor below mine. I just close the gate door without locking it. Now, the house is left with my grandparents.

“Panic starts to creep in…”

About 6.35pm, I came back home and that was when the panic started to creep in. I felt utterly quiet and Rico did not come forward to greet me at the door. I asked my grandparents and they thought I brought Rico out with me the whole time. I tried to find Rico around the house but to no avail.

Ignoring my grandparents’ nagging, I started off searching the corridor. I was still in disbelieved at the moment, my heart raced very fast. Realizing that Rico was really lost, I went into panic mode frantically searching for her high and low at my housing block. I walked aimlessly to each floor and every unit hoping I could find her. To my dismay, none.

By this time, my aunt had come back home from work and knew about Rico. We soon start to search around the void decks, carparks, parks and places that usually Rico will go to. But, none.

We then went back home, trying to cool down and think of what exactly had happened and ways to find her. We had different views such as:

  • Grandma – “I saw someone at the door playing with Rico while I was in the kitchen. I thought it was one of our neighbours. But I don’t really know who is it, is like some woman wearing dark shirt. Don’t know is it carried away by someone else already.”
  • Grandpa – “When I came back home around 5.30pm, I didn’t saw Rico already.”

It was so hard to figure out exactly what had happened. My grandparents were not very sure about a lot of things and they also did not really pay attention during that timing. Plus, our neighbours would usually come and play with Rico whenever they passed by as Rico is very friendly to humans.

Soon my parents came to help for the search and we also asked for CCTV footage from our neighbor. The CCTV footage only managed to record a woman wearing dark clothing; carried many things, passing by at 5.53pm. This was when we suspected that it might be the same woman that my grandma mentioned and she might have carried away Rico while the door was not locked. We decided to report to the police, hoping police could help retrieve CCTV footage around the block and lifts to see any traces of Rico.

7.30pm at the police station: we gave whatever information we have. However, they cannot investigate as we were lack of information and some do not tally with one another’s views. “What is the timing that your grandma saw the person come and play with Rico?” “Is Rico still around at 5.15-5.30pm before you went to your nanny’s house? Your grandpa said didn’t saw her but you remember she was at home. So which one?” My mind went blank and speechless. The only action they could do was to take note of a lost dog and lookout if any of the public came to return Rico. They suggested to contact AVS and SPCA (which I also knew).

As I was back home disappointed, I call both AVS and SPCA but sadly SPCA was closed for the day. It was then that I decided to inform my friends and asked them to spread and share on social media. My parents will then settle the posters however it can only be done the next day.

With the help of my neighbours, we went searching for Rico again at my housing block. Hoping to attract Rico’s attention this time, we called out her name and using toy. We believed that Rico might be still somewhere in my housing block, maybe one of the units as she do not really know how to climb up/down the stairs. Rico will also get tired out easily, she would not run that far unless it was really carried away by someone else.

Along the way, we got some insights such as a unit at the 11th floor saw Rico running across their corridor, someone saw Rico-lookalike at the minimart. We also met some helpful neighbours who came to help a little. But still, none again.

Soon around 9.45pm, my friends specifically came down all the way to help me out. Taking over my neighbour, we continue searching my housing block. Despite knowing that Rico would not bark when outside, we still try all possible means to catch her attention. My friends also help to deal with the social media sides at the same time and give me suggestions such as animal communication (AC) etc. However, AC was busy at the moment, could not attend Rico’s case.

As time passed by, we felt the urge to get the posters up asap. My friend helped to draft out a few posters to paste near my area so that at least someone would be aware of it. Only by 10.45pm, we then started to put up the posters.

11.20pm: posters were up but still no sign of Rico. We could not continue the search as it was quite late and we afraid that we might disturb the neighbours. My friends all went back, I still did not gave up and just walking around the neighbourhood in hope for Rico.

“Worst day of the life…”

12.20am: came back empty-handed, disappointment, lost. It was the worst day of my life. I did not expect such things to happen on me. A lot of thoughts running through my head now. “Where is Rico exactly?” “Why you suddenly so daring to run away?” “Are you in a safe place now?” “Have you eaten or drink anything?” “Did someone really carried you away?” All I could do was just to pray and hoping Rico could come back home soon. I even placed toys outside the corridor so that Rico can smell her way back home.

2.30am: I was settling the social medias. Seeing everyone trying to help me find Rico and all the prayers from them really warms me. I was touched that so many friends and even strangers were helping me.

“I couldn’t sleep at all…”

4.15am: I was still wide awake, crying. I switched off my silent mode, waiting for any calls or messages to inform me Rico was with them. I even dreamt that I have found Rico.

7.30am: It was raining, I got really worried. Why does it have to rain today! My aunt went out early to search for Rico again. But still no sign.

8.30am: I was fully awake and have taken urgent leave for work. Still, there were no calls and messages. I prayed that the rain could quickly stop but it rain even heavier. The weather was cold, I am afraid that Rico was out without any shelter.

10.30am: Still no calls or messages, I assumed many had not gone out and saw the posters as the weather that day was too good to sleep in. Finally, a full stack of posters was ready to put up. I have told my parents to paste the posters around the neighbourhood while my friends and I would go door-to-door knot in my housing block.

11.30am: My friends and I started the door-to-door knock. Since my block was in a L-Shaped, I decided to start off with the top floor (12th) on right side of the block which the unit had last seen Rico running across their corridor.

“Is that Rico?!”

11.50am: When we were about to go to our 3rd unit of door-to-door knock, I heard my friend gasped loudly. “Is that Rico?!” Shockingly asked me. I immediately went forward and I SAW RICO! She was sitting near the door. WE FINALLY FOUND RICO!!! We were so overjoyed that my friend even cried. Rico saw us too, but she just happily wagging her tail away. I approached the uncle in that unit and he was glad that Rico was found too.

Luckily, the uncle saw Rico loitering outside his corridor and brought her in as he was worried about Rico’s safety. The uncle tried to find the owner but Rico did not wear any collar tag and the posters were not put up yet. I also recalled that we have gone to that unit previously but the door was closed, hence unable to see that Rico was in that unit. Thankfully all this while, Rico was in good hands. She got a proper shelter, the uncle cooked her a good meal (better than mine), he even accompanied Rico to sleep in his living room. In summary, Rico was enjoying while everyone was panicking searching for her. ?

12.15pm: Rico finally got back home safely, everyone was elated. I was really really relieved that I can reunited with Rico again. Gave the uncle a small token of appreciation and here is his return:

“Thank you for the goodies. And the sweet memories Rico gives me. Take good care of her, I missed her already” – Uncle

We are so fortunate and bless to have met such a kind soul. Without the help from the uncle, we could not imagine how Rico would be like. I am also glad that we are able to make new friends.

Pointers to Note:

From this incident, here are a few points to take note:

  1. Do always wear a collar tag on your dog
  2. Timing is very important. Try to remember as much as possible and the whole timeline should your dog get lost.
  3. Take actions immediately and waste no time. This could help quicken the process of finding your dog.
  4. Report to AVS and SPCA. AVS hotline is 24/7 but do take note of the operating hours for SPCA.
  5. Report to police (optional), unless you have valid informations. They can’t really help much though.
  6. Do up posters immediately
  7. Spread and post up on social media
  8. Try your very best and continue the searching
  9. You may contact animal communication too
  10. Lastly will be the waiting game. It may be very dreadful but please do not give up and continue to pray for it. I see many people have come together in helping to find Rico. I am sure some days your dog could be found soon.
Finally a peaceful night

At last, everything was back to normal, Rico was still her usual self. In fact, I am actually wondering does she even know that she got lost? It is still a mystery how did Rico run out from my house which is on 6th floor of the left side of the block, and ended up on 12th floor of the right side of my block. By the lifts? Or did she really climb up the stairs? No one knows, only Rico does… ?

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Community Stories

Home-cooked Food – Facts and Myths

PSA – I am self-taught and this guide is not meant to be an exhaustive list or replace what your vet/nutritionist advised you! I just want to share some nuggets of information I picked up along the way 🙂

Myth #1: Dogs can eat exactly what humans eat!

Dear hoomums and hoodads out there, do you have the misconception that dogs eat exactly what we eat? For instance, rice, meat and vegetables are sufficient to constitute a nutritious and balanced diet?

Like many of you, when I first adopted Max, that was what I thought. However, after a horrible itchy episode that Max suffered, I realised that what I was feeding was highly inflammatory and not even balanced!

What is a balanced diet then?

A quick rule of thumb is the 80 – 5 – 15 rule that I follow. There are slight variations out there and it all depends on your dog (and any pre-existing health conditions that he/she may have)

Generally, 80% of the bowl should be filled with meat.

Meat includes pork, chicken, beef, crocodile, lamb etc. It can be minced or in cubed form, whichever your dog prefers. Additionally, try spicing up the meat options by adding in different seafoods such as canned tuna in water (do check for salt content), salmon and green lipped mussels.

*Bones of canned fish are edible

5% refers to offals and kidneys – these are essential for balancing the diet!
15% refers to vegetables and grains.

For vegetables, it is advisable to choose vegetables that are low in sugar such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini and cucumbers. Try to reduce the number of potatoes (too much carbs!) and carrots (high in sugar). Additionally, vegetables should be cooked and cut into smaller pieces to aid digestion!

For grains, white rice, white bread and pasta should be avoided (it increases the chances of yeast infections and many dogs are allergic to it). Instead, opt for wholesome grains such as quinoa, oats and lentils.

Myth #2: Dogs don’t need supplements

While it is true that not all supplements are necessary for a balanced meal, it is important to add in calcium to your dog’s home cooked food. The amount of calcium to add depends on your dog’s body weight, and there are lots of online resources to help calculate this. Examples of calcium include finely grounded egg-shell powder and bonemeal powder.

Optional but highly recommended supplements include:

  • For joints: rosehip powder and golden paste
  • For gut health: probiotics, greek yoghurt, kefir and cottage cheese
  • Herbs – rosemary, turmeric, oregano and cinnamon

Do check the dosages of these based on your own dog’s weight!

Myth #3: Dogs do not need oils

While oils are optional, they are a great source of omega-3 and helps with fur growth! These are the 3 common oils that are fed:

  • Fish oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Flaxseed oil – alternatively, flaxseeds can be bought and grounded prior to meals

Summary

Conclusion

While home-cooked food is better than commercial brands because you know what is going into their meals, it is important for their diet to be balanced and nutritious as well.

If you are deciding to switch their diet to home-cooked food, do start slow, especially if your dog has a sensitive gut and monitor their stools as well.

I hope that my advice has been helpful! Max says a big thank you to everyone who has read till here.

If you want to follow Max’s journey, his instagram is @thelazygoldiemax <3

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Community Stories

How did Tuti and Yuki become stars on Tiktok?

How did we start?

We are two sisters who stumbled upon Tiktok in August 2019. Out of curiosity, we downloaded it. We were just scrolling through and came across a “petswave” trend. We found it cute, and thought of trying it out. Within a few minutes of posting, there were already views, likes and comments. By the next day, it was already 20,000 views.

After the first video, we started to grow a huge interest in Tiktok. We decided to try a dance that was trending on Tiktok. We thought to ourselves that since people liked the first video, which was Tuti nodding her head and swaying, people would like her dancing. To our surprise, it got 100,000 views in a day.

What were the challenges we faced?

Even though we did trends and had views for some of our videos at the start, not every video thereafter did well. There were also some videos that did not do well. We did struggle for some time to find our niche. We kept trying trends and never gave up even when we didn’t get views or followers.

Cats are not easy to train, we would reward them with snacks after completing a Tiktok video. To add on, coming up with creative content ideas was tough as well. Not every trend was easy to fit into our niche. Sometimes, we would not be able to execute some ideas and have to think of others.

How did we gain 800,000 followers?

Our account grew slowly. It was only after we found our niche that we were able to grow more. When we did Yuki’s first positive video, we had around 100,000 followers. Yuki’s positive video was what people loved, and finally we found a niche for Yuki! We found Tuti’s niche by doing a trend which showed a point of view of Tuti being a boss cat, and it went viral with over 13 million views!

How do we come up with content ideas?

Content ideas are not easy, and we struggle till today to come up with them! There are also videos that we have done but never posted because we feel like the execution is poor.

It does take up time, Tiktok videos are mostly 15-60 seconds, but it mostly takes us hours to execute just one video.

Why we love doing Tiktoks?

After getting known for Yuki’s positive videos, we would receive messages everyday on our Tiktok and on our Instagram, of how much Yuki’s video has helped them! It is truly heartwarming, as we didn’t expect we could be helping people. People started saying that even Tuti makes them happy!

As for Yuki’s positive videos, we would use our own emotions and feelings to keep it as real as possible.

We are extremely grateful for all of our supporters! It feels surreal that we receive fan arts and fan edits everyday. We never thought we would reach this far the moment we started Tiktok.

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Community Stories

Planning your dog’s sterilisation

To sterilise or not to sterilise, that is the question that many pet parents face at some point in time. But what happens after the decision is made?

So you’ve finally come to a conclusion after weeks and weeks of researching the pros and cons of sterilising your furry mate. The tough part’s over, right? Not necessarily!

To ensure that the surgery and recovery process is as smooth as it can get, these are some of the things that all pawrents should consider during the planning process.

When to do it?

We often hear advice like “You should spay her after a few rounds of heat” or “Let her experience motherhood first” or “Male dogs don’t need to be sterilised” etc. Then there’s the other recommendation that it’s safe to sterilise puppies from 4 months old.

Personally for me, I spoke to three vets about this issue and all of them gave me differing advice. Even within veterinary science, there are different schools of thought. Initially I had planned to spay Duoji at 6 months, then it was pushed back to 8 months cos she just looks so young and baby-ish. I didn’t have the heart to subject her to surgery. Ultimately she was spayed at 13 months old, after she reached adulthood. Incidentally, she had her first heat at around 9 months old. In a way I was reassured that she had developed properly physically before surgery.

At the end of the day, every furkid is different and there’s no right timing to do it. There are some underlying conditions, such as undescended testicles, of which sterilisation is recommended but otherwise, best to seek a trusted vet’s opinion and make an informed decision.

Where to do it?

For something as important as a surgery, it would be unwise to just waltz in to any vet clinic. I strongly recommend all pawrents to begin searching for a trustworthy and reputable vet in the early stages, before you trust them with any operation procedure.

Check online reviews or chat with other pawrents. Better still, visit them for a simple check-up or vaccination – you’d want to assess the clinic, its staff and facilities, whether it’s a good experience overall, before you make your final decision.

Location is also an important consideration. Not only would you save time travelling to and fro (or $$ for those who don’t drive), the journey would also be more comfortable for your furkid. This is particularly important for furkids who get anxious when travelling in cars. Imagine having to endure a long car ride while feeling groggy and in pain after surgery.

Sterilisation fees vary across different vet clinics as well, so if price is an area of concern, best to call up your shortlisted clinics to enquire before confirming the appointment.

Checked in at the clinic

Any add-ons?

During the procedure, your furkid will be under general anesthesia so why not plan the sterilisation surgery to coincide with procedures that you may want/need? Common ones include dental scaling, extraction of teeth etc. This way, you’ll only need to subject your furkid to general anesthesia once.

E-collar

Wearing an e-collar is a must for furkids post-surgery as it helps to prevent them from licking or disturbing their wound. Most incisions are held together by self-dissolving threads which can come apart when in contact with their saliva, putting the wound at risk of infection.

If your dog is fussy, it’s best to get him or her used to the feeling of wearing an e-collar at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. Ease them into it by keeping the initial duration short, then slowly extending the time, with plenty of treats in between, of course.

During this step, you can also take the chance to check the fit of the e-collar. The last thing you want is for your furkid to reject the e-collar or try to shake it off and risk aggravating the wound. Or worse, to find out that the e-collar doesn’t fit on the day of surgery and you have to scramble to get a replacement.

Trying on the first collar, which was too small. Duoji’s not pleased.

Grooming

Post-surgery, you won’t be able to shower your furkid for around 10-14 days so do plan a shower before the appointment day to keep your furkid clean and comfortable. I strongly recommend sending your furkid to full grooming before that – a shorter and neater fur coat can come in handy especially since you won’t be able to shower or brush their coat much during the recovery phase.

Setting up a confinement area

During recovery, your furkid would have to minimise movement and get plenty of rest. That means no running, jumping about or rough play. If you don’t already have a playpen or crate, the next best way is to set up a temporary confinement area in a spare room. This would be the space that your furkid is confined in for the next 14 days, ideally, so make it comfortable with soft blankets/pillows etc.

But if your furkid is as active as mine, then you will have to devise some additional ways to keep them safe and out of trouble. You might even want to pre-plan these stop measures and test them out first to make sure it’s foolproof.

In Duoji’s case, she was actually almost normal by the 3rd day after surgery, which means it was impossible to keep her confined for long periods of time. I ended up allowing her to have some pockets of free roaming time under close supervision from day 5 onwards but with makeshift barricades (think rows of chairs to block the stairs, leg massager and random metal tins to block the sofa etc) around the house to prevent her from accessing areas that I deem dangerous.

Trying to get past the chairs blocking the stairs.
Blocked. She eventually figured out how to open the gate so I had to use a carton of drinks to secure it.

Caregiver

After the surgery, your furkid will be weaker than usual and require extra care. Hence it’s best to have someone responsible and attentive around to take care of them round the clock, especially for the first few days. For working pawrents, that means you might have to make arrangements to work from home or plan your leave days around the surgery date.

In my case, I planned the surgery on a Wednesday so I’ll have Thursday through Sunday to take care of Duoji before I head back to work on Monday.

Just discharged.
Another reason to go for full grooming is so that the shaved leg wont look too weird.
Tired and listless

Fasting

The night before surgery, your furkid would be required to fast so do remember to stop all food and treats by the stipulated cut-off time. Don’t forget to keep the water bowl too.

Keeping record

So you and your furkid have made it through the surgery and all safety measures are in place. What’s left is to ensure that the wound heals properly. It’s very important to keep the wound clean and dry – follow the aftercare instructions given by your vet closely.

As an additional step, you might want to keep a record of your furkid’s healing progress. Check for open/split wounds or signs of infection like pus and bleeding. The easiest way is to take a photo of the wound everyday, ideally using the same device and under similar lighting conditions. This way, you can compare the progress and show your vet if you suspect anything amiss.

By day 5, Duoji’s wound looked almost closed up and the swelling and redness had gone down already. Eventually the incision wound will fade away and be covered by the belly fur. Now, almost 7 months on, I cannot even locate the scar anymore.

Hopefully the above tips are helpful to pawrents who have upcoming surgeries and are unsure of what to expect.

Until the next post!
@duojipoodle

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Community Stories

How to plan a great barkday pawty for your dog

We planned a birthday party for Milky back in July to celebrate his 2nd barkday & recovery from his entropion surgeries.

Planning a party for your doggo can be TOUGH. But since I’ve done this already, I’m going to detail my checklist here to make things as easy for you as possible! Here we go ?

Let the planning begin!

1. DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

For us, we decided to co-host a birthday party with another Chow Chow owner whose dog’s birthday was the same month as Milky. Your budget will go towards:

✅ Location – any min. spending mandated by the cafe?

✅ Decoration – are you decorating the cafe?

✅ Food – are you buying food for your guests, both humans and dogs?

✅ Goodie bags – are you preparing door gifts for your guests?

✅ Cake – birthday cakes for your dog?

For us, our budget was to spend below $200. This means that we can’t choose a location that has a min. spending.

Since I am co-hosting with another owner, I did up an excel sheet to keep things clear and transparent. You can use my template here!

You can duplicate the excel sheet to your own google drive here

2. DECIDING ON A LOCATION

We don’t drive, so we wanted somewhere nearer to home (west) for easy transportation. We shortlisted Turf Club since it was along Bt Timah and had a few pet-friendly cafes there, namely WOOFTOPIA & AH B CAFE.

Eventually, we settled on Wooftopia because I’ve been there before and since we would be inviting quite a few big dogs, we wanted a larger place. I also liked that they do not have a min.spend, but reserved the tables for us.

They have 2 areas – so the large dogs (Chow Chow) were kept inside that area whereas the other smaller dogs roam at the outer area.

This is how the outside seating looks like (source: google)

? Tips!

  • Use the FAVE app for cashback. Get cashback when you pay via the app. Just a note that the cashback can only be redeemed on your next purchase, so what you can do is to order separately.
  • If possible, celebrate on a weekday. The last I was there, they were running a 30% discount off their mains if you go on a weekday. It was really empty so I guess these promotions might help to pull in some crowd!

3. PLANNING GOODIE BAGS

The fun part – because who doesn’t love buying stuff for our pets? ? But it can be a logistics nightmare if your guests are on different diets and/or has allergies on certain protein.

(a) Do up a google sheet and get your guests to fill it in.

(b) Plan your shopping! I was on a budget so I hopped onto Fave (no, this article is not sponsored by them haha) and bought the $30 Perromart voucher for $10 … and used another email address since it’s only for new customers (I realised they increased it to $20; it was $10 when I bought it).

I bought Absolute Holistic treats and also got some dental treats from Happy Doggi (btw, Woof Agency do sponsor treats for goodie bags. You can sign up here).

(c) I bought these Kraft Paper Bag Ziplock Resealable Bags & Brown Kraft Paper Bags from Shopee. Total cost was around $12 after using my shopee coins – I packed for 20 – 25 dogs if I am not wrong.

Zanel (the other owner) was in-charge of decoration and cake! The balloons were around $15, but the cake was pricier ($95). We got it from Onicupcakes, who is also a friend and fellow Chow Chow owner!

You can see the decoration on the wall (just balloons for Milky & Rug’s name!)

4. HAVE FUN & TAKE LOTS OF PICS!

It’s very fun, but also SUPER tiring. Just imagine it as a kid’s birthday party and you need to make sure everyone is playing nice (whilst not peeing & pooping) and your human guests are having fun.

I would highly recommend that you have another person to help around, and invite peeps who know each other so that they won’t be too bored alone!

(Left to right) Nugget, Milky, Maki, Kawaii & Bun Bun
Family photo with our little boy
Some behind-the-scenes with the cake and trying to get a good photo (VERY HARD)
Let the celebration begin!

Planning a barkday party is both fun and tiring. But what I really love is the smile, laughter and running after your pets that makes everything worth it.

Just look at the boy with all his birthday presents – how blessed is he! ❤️

Milky with all his birthday gifts – what a lucky boy!

A huge thanks to everyone who attended Milky’s birthday party and being part of his life. It’s not easy being a pet parent, but the community and friendship makes everything better.

Have fun planning! xoxo

Sleeping after a long day of celebration; till the next pawty! x

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I work to give Milky a better life.

Kopi girl at The Woof Agency and Pawjourr, where we hope to build a community for pet owners all around the world!

You can reach me at Jane@thewoofagency.com or find Milky at @milkythecloud on Instagram!

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Community Stories

Cheap and good deals on Truffle’s recommendations! Part 1

Who am I?

I am a shopaholic, love Shopee and managed my dog’s Instagram @truffleruffel . My blog posts will be filled with awesome deals on Shopee and product reviews.

Truffle and I

Truffle is on home cooked food hence the need for good quality containers for storing, which led me to find many other amazing kitchen tools/ dog accessories on Shopee.

Generally, I look for products that are

1) Good quality
2) Effectiveness
3) Affordability

Join my telegram group for more recommendations! https://t.me/joinchat/DTxdXRudKXYs1GxCGe0hPQ

1. Storage

Silicone collapsible containers.

Silicone collapsible containers

https://shp.ee/9gxwbqw

This is my go to container for home cooked food storing! It is collapsible so it saves a lot of space. The lid is pretty air tight as well, no leaks. Silicone are lightweight, able to withstand extreme variations of temperatures, non toxic and the list goes on. A must have product!

~

Reusable zip-lock bags

Reusable zip-lock bags

https://shp.ee/ezwpd5u

I am not a fan of plastic waste and prepping home cooked food takes up a lot of freezer space, this is compact and reusable.
Very thick and good quality, also suitable for raw feeders to store bones!

~

Ice cube tray with lid

Ice cube tray with lid

https://shp.ee/8zs3y94

I use this to freeze my bone broth.

The bottom part of the ice cube tray is quite soft and made of silicone, easy to pop the cubes right out. Just squeeze a little and bam!It is also BPA-free and stack-able.

~

2. Pet related products

Snuffle mat (1)

Snuffle mat (rectangular)

https://shp.ee/cymrjg4

This snuffle mat comes with straps to fasten it against the table/chair to prevent slipping.

Colorful and different elements to engage your fur-kids. Very cheap compared to other retails and the size is big too.

~

Interactive puzzle

Interactive puzzle for pets

https://shp.ee/7p7ynj4

Interactive toy puzzles are beneficial in ways such as developing problem solving skills, prevent anxiety, prevent dementia in older pets and many more.

I highly recommend getting 2-3 different types of interactive puzzle or snuffle mats and switch it around!

~

Zippy Paws burrow toys

Zippy paws burrow toys

https://shopee.sg/Zippypaws-Burrow-Dog-Toy-i.239260607.4326224042?deep_and_deferred=1&pid=partnerize_int&af_click_lookback=7d&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=7d&af_installpostback=false&af_sub2=SHOPEE&clickid=1011lgPsPUm2&af_siteid=1100l171822&utm_source=1100l171822&utm_medium=affiliates

This is another interactive toy for your fur-kids!

Zippy paws toys are of good quality, squeaky and colorful. Truffle love burrow toys and I often hide small pieces of treats and can keep him entertained for 5-10 minutes.

~

Soft plush bed

Round soft plush bed

https://shp.ee/r2s56kt

This bed was popular among the Instagram community for awhile. The reviews for this seller is pretty good and there are many colors available too!

Instagram worthy bed.

~

Dog brush (Fine pin)

Pet grooming brush

https://shp.ee/ccevptu

THIS IS SUPER GOOD. It combs out Truffle’s poodle curls and he look super super fluffy every time after combing.

Mine is type B (Fine pin) ?
Easy removal of fur due to the self cleaning function.

Good handle and brush quality, comes with cap to protect the brush.

~

E-collar

Elizabethan collar

https://shp.ee/qzp9ypg

Truffle bite/shake off other e-collars but only tolerate this e-collar.

This is soft, comfortable to sleep in and wide enough to prevent fur-kids from licking/scratching their wounds.

Get one to set aside for emergencies!

~

Paw shaver

USB paw shaver set

https://shp.ee/mbh6ycu

I shave Truffle’s paws every 1-2 weeks using this, the sound is not very loud and the blades are not too sharp to the point where it will cut the paws.

It is very important that paw pads are shaved and clean to prevent skidding and bacterial growth.

~

YU oriental dry clean spray

YU Oriental Natural Peony Anti-Bacteria Dry Clean Spray for Pets

https://shp.ee/pa7s3jy

My favorite scent on Truffle!

We are using the Peony dry clean spray and he always smell so good and kissable.

It contains Peony extract + Epilobium fleischeri extract + Witch hazel + Allantoin. All of which is safe for pets. Peony essence controls bacteria and prevents skin infections.

145ml.

Stay tuned for more of Truffle’s recommendations!

Follow us for more wholesome contents-

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE3FR7hj6GJ/?igshid=hin1g5fkipz

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Community Stories

Boo’s journey as an IVDD survivor

What is IVDD?

IVDD: Intervertebral disc disease
One of the most common neurological disorders of dogs and it is the most common spinal disease of dogs.

Do you know?

Chondrodystrophoid (dwarfed) breeds of dogs whose normal cartilage development have been altered genetically for the purpose of a short, stout appearance – i.e.: Dachshund, Beagle, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, and Pekingese — are most commonly affected.  Other chondrodystrophic breeds that may be affected by IVDD include Corgis, Cocker Spaniel, Pekingese, Shih-Tzu and Poodle. Nonchondrodystrophic breeds that are commonly affected by IVDD include German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and Doberman Pinscher. Obese dogs of predisposed breeds are especially likely to suffer from IVDD.

 

BOO’S STORY

I wish I could turn back time.

Boo’s mom.

She is perfect in my eyes. Nothing can replace her. We have each other and that is enough. I wouldn’t mind burning my salary all on her, it was worth it. You can say I am the worst kind of pawrent, but I wouldn’t care. I give her my best.

I recalled 8 months back, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about Boo’s condition. Boo was diagnosed with IVDD days before Christmas. Retracing the memories, I wish I could turn back time. There was so many regrets, so many things where I wish I knew. I wish somebody knew. There were so many sequence of events that I wish I could change, maybe Boo will be better. But who really know? Who was actually prepared for this?

French Bulldog has always been my love. I recalled 3 years back, I did the necessary research; finding a true frenchie breeder, research on their possible medical conditions. Oh boy, found her and that was it. I got her from a reputable breeder. The chances of lesser medical issues is getting from a reputable breeder where you know the complete bloodline of the pedigree, you know the prerequisites. To me, first step complete with additional coverage to getting her an insurance.

Trust me. French Bulldog are not for the faint of the heart. They are highly expensive. It is never the initial cost but the maintenance of it. Imagine getting a printer and the inks are hella expensive, oh sorry wrong. More like getting a Ferrari, and the road tax and the petrol will kill you. Well, we are here on IVDD, so let’s keep it as that.

Definitely it was my fault, I allowed her to jump. It was difficult. We slept on the same bed, she takes the stairs, she loves playing fetch, occasionally I’m lazy I didn’t use a harness but instead a collar. Whatever it is, she was a very happy hyper dog. Nothing could stop her. She was invincible. There are so many wrongs here that I did not stop.

Honestly, all the research in the world, how the hell would you even know how does IVDD look like? When you probably noticed, you are posssibly going downhill. Trust me, google ain’t helpful by then. You can only guess and assume. It was terrible. I remembered I brought her home after a playdate. She was restless. I thought ok maybe she was tired. I carried her, she screamed in pain. I left her. She was dirty, I decided to bathe her. I probably shouldn’t have. I lifted her up and put her down, she screamed again. Oh god, it was bad. It hurt her so bad that she pooped.

She was shivering. I thought maybe she was cold from bathing. She didn’t want to sit at all. She was eating as per normal. It didn’t affect her. I left her alone with heat pad and towels surrounding her. Until 2 hours later, she peed and poop where she slept. This was not normal. It was 9pm. I couldn’t find a place where I could go. I didn’t want to pay extra for overnight consultation. I decided to go to where Boo’s always go. I was so dumb, I should have rushed her to a specialist.

So many mistakes, I didn’t even know where to begin. My emotions was taking over all my decisions. I couldn’t stay sane. I see pain in her eyes, it was terrible. My heart was breaking at every minute. My happy little girl became a 360 change within 12 hours. Honestly up to date, I wish I could turn back the clock.

I should have brought her to a specialist. Don’t bother on saving money. It cost the same end of the day. Or maybe I wasn’t smart enough or maybe the vets I went all charges crazily high.

Reasons to go to a specialist

Going to a specialist, you get your diagnose quicker. Time is the essence for IVDD. Every minute counts as the dog can lose the ability to walk, control their bladder, or even have any sensation in their legs. There are 5 stages of IVDD, 5 being the worst.

Personal experience

  • Some clinics do not have all the equipment. You will end up transferring your pet from vet to vet. – It was too painful and stressful for both parties. Imagine, you want to know what was the condition but it was all you can get is only a suspected diagnosis because they do not have the full amenities for a proper diagnosis.
  • After many times saying no, the vet continued to insist on the dog to be in something because it will be easier for them to do the scan or they probably learnt it that way. – it was too painful to watch. Boo freaked out, couldn’t recognise me, she blanked out. They dropped her at that moment, Boo was rolling on the floor non-stop, went into a panic attack and bit me till I was bleeding non-stop at the vet. It was terrible, the only pain I could feel was my heart.

Anyhow, only about 4 days later. Boo was operated on. Did not go to a specialist. It was said we need a miracle if she ever walks again. We bit the bullet and proceeded anyway. She was diagnosed with stage 5 of IVDD with no deep pain sensation and being incontinence. We are still ongoing physiotherapy weekly and she only shows improvements of her core.

Total damage:

Surgery + Mis = ~SGD$14,000K
Physiotherapy = $180 per session


Boo used to go intensive physiotherapy 3 x week for Dec to Feb
Which cut down to 2x week for March to May
Currently: 1 x week for June to Aug
Think it’s cheap, think it’s easy? Do the math….

Above are some of the little glimpse of Boo’s story on her facing IVDD. I wished I could be of more help on the signs. But one can never be so prepared for it. What are we? We are still humans. Nobody expected this. Nobody wants this. However, trust me. If i could turn back the clock, I promise you I will do it better.

I see many people owning Frenchies these days because of certain trends etc, but do they really know the cost? Do they know what they got themselves into? I see Frenchies being abandoned due to medical issues. I got Boo from a reputable breeder, but shit still happen. Are you really prepared for these cost? Do you have minimum SGD$20,000 set aside for emergency? Oh btw, credit card extension isn’t allowed on vet bills – It is not approved by MOM. Bank loan isn’t immediate also. BTW, vet will ask for 60% downpayment of the estimated bill before admitting the dog in. Will you dedicate your time to assist them if things go downhill? Are you willing to sacrifice your personal live for them? Are you really? I see people thrashing me previously, but really what will you do if you were living in my shoes?

Getting a pet is a commitment. It is a responsibility and sadly, love isn’t enough. It cost money. To older generation or people who don’t own a pet, might think it is just a dog/cat/animal, but it is a life. A life you hold. Remember in these 10-18 years of commitment, you have many responsibilities or milestone things coming your way, but your pet only have you. Please don’t abandon them if you are not ready for the cost or the hefty bills or not willing to part with it. Pets only understand love but love alone isn’t enough.

XOXO,
Boo’s Mom
Insta: @boo._thefrenchie

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Community Stories

Adopting Brownie, a Foster Fail

Brownie claiming the master bed to herself

I’ve always had a fascination for cats from the time I was little. One of the many cat-related stories of me as a child was how I catnapped several kittens without my dad’s knowledge. We were followed by what seems to be their mother and rightfully so, I had returned them to her.

Fast forward to when I met my then boyfriend (now husband), I found out he had dogs most of his life and loves cats too, naturally we would often fantasize about having pets, and how many fur kids we’d have in our household.

Re-enactment of how I catnapped several kittens. I could only find 1 for this.

Expectation…

The moment we’ve successfully applied for our HDB flat, and started moving in, plans for pawrenthood slowly began taking shape. Because of his lifelong experience with dogs and family drama of not having everyone on board, he was rather adamant about ensuring I was prepared for a life with pets – as I’ve never lived alongside cats or dogs while growing up.

It’s clear as day we’ve been bewitched by cats.

We were determined to go by the adoption route as we both have strong opinions on that.  From following our local Facebook cat groups, we’ve gleaned lots of information and made plans to find a cat at an adoption drive or from a Cat Welfare Society (CWS) or SPCA related event. 

From their Facebook pages and friends, we understood that they have rather stringent adoption guidelines about the readiness of your home: especially if your home has been cat-proofed with the necessary window hardware for pet safety in highrise apartments, or houseplants that pose a risk to cats, etc.

An important laundry list of considerations before thinking about having a cat.

We’ve also been concerned about the realities of cost and how we would be involved with the cat’s life. Whether we could give the best to the cat and that we may not be ready for a long time. Day to day costs and medical costs may be borne by the fosterers alone. So on top of time and effort, money is also an important factor in our decision.

…Reality

It was August 2017. After boarding our flight and waiting for the plane to take off, I was thumbing through my Facebook feed when I came across a friend’s social post, looking for somebody to help foster an abandoned cat. 

I turned to my husband seated next to me:

“You’ve always wanted a Siamese cat…?”

Just before takeoff; the idea took off.

He had a good look at the pictures, and shrugged, “Well, if it’s just fostering for the time being, why not?”

At that time, we had thought fostering this brown kitty would be a great opportunity to learn about cat ownership, before committing to adopting one. Little did we know, we were wrong in some ways. ?

Once we returned home, I reached out to my friend to offer our help. After being added to a Whatsapp group with a direct line to Brownie’s rescuers, we finally arranged a day for this brown cat to be transported.

Day 1: Brownie Beckons

The rescuers understood we are first-time cat owners, so they had kindly packed a “starter kit” to help make the transition smooth. The starter kit included a tiny litter box, feeding bowls, about 2 weeks worth of kitten kibble and canned food, some toys and a scratching board.

Til this day, we’re using this particular feeding bowl for dry kibble. Stainless steel for the win.

Before Brownie was put in our care, we read several articles suggesting keeping new cats in one room for a couple days before letting them go about. This was to ensure the cat had enough time to adjust to her new surroundings before showing her the rest of the place. Brownie took off on her own and claimed every conceivable spot for herself in just a couple days. We then decided to purchase extra supplies should her next forever home take some time to happen. 

“Are you SURE this is gonna last…?” – Brownie

It was then, while shopping for extra supplies, my husband had made up his mind – because he felt it wasn’t fair for Brownie to be bounced from home to home if we were only fostering for a month or slightly more. Also, it happens that he often works from home by himself and boy, does it get lonely. 

A day in the life of a lonely man, begrudgingly accompanied by his feline companion

We were so transparent when asking for deals on pet supplies, the rescuers immediately caught on we were going to keep her long term. Though at that point in time we were still iffy about this big decision, the rescuers know we’ve been caught hook, line and sinker.

A week or two 2 months had passed, and we announced Brownie as our own. She has officially become what among cat circles is dubbed as a “foster fail”.

Day 1: “I love this place, thank you uwu”
Day 60: “Kneel before me, lousy peasant”

We also kept her name Brownie, to pay tribute to the rescuers who had christened her as such.

Til this day, we have never regretted having Brownie by our side.

“BUT WHAT ABOUT ME?! I regret the day I had no say in my furrever family!!!” – Brownie

From here on out

I can only write what I know through the experience of other friends who have successfully sent out their foster cats to loving homes. 

In a normal fostering situation, the cat moves out of the foster home to their furrever families. The fosterers and rescuers will be communicating regularly to keep each other current on what’s happening. 

Before COVID19, adoption drives were often organized, and hopefully we can return to that soon. It is the responsibility of fosterers to ensure the cats are healthy, disease & parasite free and well groomed so they can be put out to furrever homes in the best condition. 

The new normal for adoption drives, in the current COVID19 situation.

If fosterers are inclined and well connected, they could get spots in adoption drives on their own, or they can easily coordinate with rescuers to secure spots for their cats. 

The actual adoption process itself may be less straightforward, and dare I say such a process requires the alignment of the stars. Potential adopters may need to be screened, have their living conditions checked and past adoption history reviewed. However that topic is an entire series of articles on its own and I’m sure we can expand more on that in the future.

Once the adopters have been screened and the papers signed, it is time to bid teary goodbyes to your foster cat with whom you’d probably have bonded over the last few weeks or months. But don’t let that stop you from fostering. Fostering is a worthy cause, and it has a positive impact on both the cats, and the communities at large.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna’s a cat slave to three ex-street cats Brownie, Beth and Boba.

Holla at Brownie and the gang at @brownbethboba on Instagram!