Second Chance: Cats, The Other Humans + Highlights!

27 Oct Second Chance: Cats, The Other Humans + Highlights!

Second Chance Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center and Thrift Shops have been serving San Miguel, Ouray & Montrose Counties for 27 years. Call 626-2273 to report a lost pet, learn about adopting a homeless pet, or about our Emergency Response, Community Medical, Spay/Neuter, Volunteer, or other services. View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.

Go here  for more options from Second Chance.

Auggie

Hi, my name is Auggie and, although I look like a cat, I am actually a human. I prefer dogs to cats and people to dogs. I like to go out and explore the world. So, I have decided to just be a person instead. As cats share 90% of our genes with humans – true, plus dogs only share 81.9%! – I don’ t think it is too much of a stretch. Particularly when you consider the many other similarities cats share with anthropoids…

Let’s start with our brains. According to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, professor emeritus, Tufts University, cat brains, like humans, have temporal, occipital, frontal and parietal lobes of their cerebral cortex.

“Cats seem to think in the same pattern as humans, too, partly owing to the similarity of neurotransmitters … Cats receive input from the basic five senses and process that data just as humans do.”

As such our brains allow us short- and long-term memories like humans, as well as the ability to learn from every single experience, compartmentalized as either positive, negative or not relevant. That’s right, people are often not even aware of how much they are shaping their cats’ learning in everyday life. Like humans, cat learning also uses mimicking or modeling and we copy what we see others do and get rewarded for.

Also, like people, despite being stereotyped as aloof, we are social beings needing affection and companionship. Similarly, we display these needs in unique and individual ways. Not all people enjoy physical contact or affection and often show it in “their own way,” such as thoughtful actions or kind words. It’s easy to miss ways cats show subtle affection, such as simply being nearby, purring or giving slow eye blinks.

Cats resemble humans in our health challenges as well. We suffer similar afflictions such as obesity, diabetes, heart, thyroid and kidney diseases and cancer. And we can suffer from many of the same psychological issues too such as anxiety, phobias, depression, and even obsessive-compulsive disorder.

As such we also react with similar emotion to loss. We grieve when we lose people and other furry members of our family we were connected to. And like humans the way we display grief, emotional pain and loss varies and shifts.

So, why do I want to change that last 10% of my genes to be a human? I guess just because I like doing human things more than cat things. I like to go on walks outdoors, meet new people, hang out with dogs, and be adventurous.

Or maybe it is due to seeing Tuna the Cat still here at the shelter after so long. It makes me sad and I want to get my own home and adopt him. (Yes, that was my less than subtle plug for Tuna who all the staff here at Second Chance have been working hard to find a home for…).

Or maybe I am just letting you know that, like people, cats need love, safety, nurturing and fulfilling lives (and homes). I know I will be adopted quickly because I am more human than cat, but let’s not forget about the Tunas of the world. Mostly, I encourage you to relating to cats as the true human counterparts that we are.

AND… To continue the new Second Chance Highlights section we wanted to share these uplifting stories

Subaru Loves Pets! Many thanks to Flower Subaru for hosting the Subaru Love Your Pets adoption event.

Thank you to all who came out and gave our shelter pets forever homes!

The event was made possible by the ASPCA and @subaru_usa Grant Program. #SubaruLovesPets Flower Subaru.

Ten Years and Thousands of Lives!

We are celebrating the ten year anniversary of Katie O’Leary as our huge-hearted, hard-working, uber-committed and critical member of our Shelter Staff.

Katie’s devotion to every animal that arrives has made each transition into the shelter much more loving, comforting, and enriching. Her care has allowed our pets to thrive in our shelter environment and find homes more quickly. Our animals, organization and community are so fortunate to have her showing us what compassion truly is.

Thank you Katie for all you do and give every day!