Black Cat Syndrome
Black cats: You either love them or you hate them. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. They are the unwitting mascots of Friday the 13th, and they are permanently linked to witch lore and bad luck. Who can think of Halloween without conjuring up an image of the prototypical black cat with his back arched and claws unsheathed?
 Unfortunately, those indelible images have some serious, real-life consequences for black cats.
Among them: Black cats wait much longer to be adopted than other cats, according to animal shelters. Although formal statistics are hard to come by, staff at shelters locally and nationwide estimate that black cats tend to wait from several weeks to six months longer than cats of other colors. One study conducted in California over a nine-month period during 2002 showed that black cats were only half as likely to be adopted as tabby cats, and two-thirds less likely than white cats.
As a result, there’s no shortage of black cats seeking homes. Petfinder.com, which provides listings for shelters and adoption organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, seems to consistently have 18,000 black cats available for adoption. Among the cats it lists for adoption, The Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago has more than 100—a full one-third of its cat population—with black listed as their predominant color.
Sadly, not only do these black beauties live in shelters for long periods of time, but a disproportionate number of them end up being euthanized because they are never adopted.
So why do black cats often languish in shelters longer than their more colorful counterparts? Reasons shelters cite for this center around appearance challenges, superstitions and negative impressions.
Appearance Challenges
Shelters explain that when potential adopters come in, they let their eyes rule their decision of which cat to take home: They are drawn to cats that appeal to them visually. Cats that attract their immediate attention may have:
 Bright or interesting colors
Fun color patterns or features, such as a mustache or boots
Cute or funny expressions
Unique or curious features, such as amazing eyes, satellite ears, a beak-like muzzle or extra-long whiskers
Black cats, however, are often seen as commonplace, uninteresting, or just plain boring among felines whose coats have a variety of colors and patterns. In addition, sometimes black cats’ dark fur masks those little expressions and interesting features that make them special and remarkable.
Plus, without careful scrutiny, adopters can have a hard time distinguishing one black cat from another, so when the time comes to choose, they’ll gravitate toward a feline that they remember better.
What’s more, black cats typically are spurned when it comes to casting felines for TV commercials. That honor predominantly goes to white cats, Persians, ragdolls and tabby cats with distinctive stripes or marble markings.
Superstitions
Burdened with a long list of mythical crimes, black cats are at the heart of many negative superstitions. For example, according to superstition, bad luck will befall you if you:
Have a black cat cross your path
Meet a black cat early in the morning
Have a black cat turn its back on you
Scare or drive away a black cat from your property
Walk under a ladder after a black cat has walked underneath it
Unfortunately for black cats, these superstitions persist and many people still believe the black cat is an omen of bad luck. Shelters report that numerous adoptees cite these and other superstitions when they shun black cats as potential additions to their families.
Negative Impressions
 In literature and pop culture, black cats are considered harbingers of evil and used to evoke images of evil and witchcraft. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” the title character is portrayed as a beast who seduces its owner into committing murder. The TV sitcom “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” featured a sarcastic black cat named Salem.
Black cats also suffer from an unfounded reputation for having difficult personalities. In fact, cats’ personality traits are shaped by environment and genetics, and not by their coat color. Black felines have the same range of personalities as other cats, but stray black cats may be more likely to be targeted for abuse (see Ziggy’s story in Treats & Tidbits, Fall 2006 and an update in Treats & Tidbits, Winter 2006), and abused cats are less likely to make good companions without lots of love and work by the pet parent.
Bringing Light to a Dark Situation
The good news is that many shelters and caring individuals are working hard to dispel the misconceptions about black cats and encourage their adoption. For example:
Many shelters promote the adoption of black cats by hosting special events that feature only black cats, or specifying days when black cats may be adopted for a reduced fee. Locally, Felines Inc. always offers a reduced adoption fee for black cats ($25 to $50 versus the standard fee of $75 to $100). In addition, Tree House Humane Society hosts an upscale Black Cat Ball each year to encourage the adoption of black cats. This year’s gala is Oct. 21, and Cat Hospital of Chicago is a proud sponsor.
Numerous shelters have lifted their bans on adopting out black cats during October. While some still fear black cats will be used as a Halloween prop or decoration and returned or discarded, or harmed in a satanic ritual, other shelters, including Felines Inc., The Anti-Cruelty Society and Tree House Humane Society, are confident in their screening processes and adopt out black cats year-round.
Some shelters ensure that their black beauties have the perfect lighting to show them off and are spacing them apart so that they are seen as individuals.
Shelters and rescue organizations that specialize in black cats have sprung up all over the country.
Nine Facebook black cat appreciation pages have been created. One, For the Love of Black Cats, cites as its mission: “To bring awareness to the world about the joy of living with a black cat, to dispel myths about black cats, and to help black cats across the globe get out of shelters alive.”
Two black cat “holidays” now grace the calendar. Black Cats Appreciation Day is Aug. 17. The origin of this holiday is unknown, but several Facebook pages have been created to promote it. The second, National Black Cat Day, which is Nov. 17, began in Italy in 2007 to dispel the myth that black cats bring bad luck. On this day, black cats are celebrated and cat lovers everywhere are encouraged to do their part to restore the reputation and quality of life of black cats.
Get Lucky: Adopt a Black Cat
Most people who have had the pleasure of sharing their home with a black cat will sing their praises and can’t imagine living without at least one. Despite the black cat’s reputation for bringing bad luck, there are just as many positive black cat superstitions in the U.S. and around the world, including that it’s good luck if you’re greeted by a black cat at your door, if a black cat enters your home and if you meet three black cats in succession. (See Treats & Tidbits, Fall 2010 for more.)
A recent Google search for “reasons to adopt a black cat” yielded 417,000 results. Although most of the top 10 reasons are silly, some of the best reasons are:
Black cats are the least likely to be adopted and the most likely to be euthanized.
Black cats need love and a safe home just like other shelter cats.
Black cats have a variety of fun and engaging personalities, just like their colorful counterparts.
Black cats are truly gorgeous and regal creatures.
Black cats sport a variety of fur coats, including sleek black, fluffy black and soft black. There are long-haired models and short-haired versions.
If you look closely at a black cat’s fur, you are likely to see a multitude of colors—auburn-shaded black, blue-black and black with tiny white highlights.
Some black cats have tabby markings.
The glossy, satin sheen of a black cat is unlike any other. When a black cat’s fur catches the light, it shimmers.
Black cats have beautiful, expressive, colorful eyes that come in green, gray, gold and copper.
Believing that the color of a cat’s fur makes him mystical or evil, or that it will bring you bad luck, is just plain nonsense.
The most important factors when adopting any cat are her personality and temperament—not the color of her coat. A potential adopter needs to know if the cat will be a good fit with any children or other animals in the home. Nevertheless, many black cats never get the opportunity to show people what a perfect addition they would be to the family’s household.
 If you’re in the market to add a feline friend to your family, don’t succumb to black cat syndrome and overlook these sleek, regal beauties. Perhaps another Mr. Mistoffelees—the clever, magical black cat who captured everyone’s hearts in the musical “Cats” —is waiting at a shelter just for you to give him a forever home. You may find that welcoming a black cat into your heart is one of the luckiest things you’ve ever done.
Black Beauties Available to Adopt
Here are some black beauties at area shelters ready to go to forever homes:
 Brandy
Although she is nearly 11 years old, she seems so much younger than her age! Brandy’s foster parents say she is the most playful cat—she liked to run from one end of their apartment to the other with a toy in her mouth! She’s also chatty like a little bird but becomes a great snuggle buddy and can sometimes sit on the couch next to you for hours! The Anti-Cruelty Society became her home in July. (Animal ID 12047893)
 Ericka
With wonderfully soft fur, big green eyes and an endearing personality, Ericka is a doll! This apple-faced beauty is 5 1/2 years old and came to The Anti-Cruelty Society in April, when someone found her and couldn’t keep her. She is gentle and sweet, and clearly loves attention. (Animal ID 12960154)
 Tyson
This special guy is a lover, not a fighter! Big, handsome and loaded with personality, this 6-year-old black kitty sports just a touch of white at his chest, which makes him appear quite debonair! Social and lovable, Tyson enjoys being petted and having his chin scratched. He came to The Anti-Cruelty Society in May 2011 when his owner was moving and couldn’t take him along. (Animal ID 9927934)
 Bruce Wayne
A handsome and mysterious bachelor, Bruce Wayne is a faithful companion who enjoys your attention yet always maintains some mystique. He often surveys our city from the windowsill, waiting to spring into action. He enjoys the companionship of other playful and easy-going cats and loves belly rubs. Feline Friends Chicago became his home last April.
 Charlotte
This little doll’s foster mom says that Charlotte is one of the most pleasant cats she’s ever met. She’s super low-maintenance and happy to play or just relax. She is 2 years old and has been at Feline Friends Chicago since December.
 Rhain
This energetic 1-year-old boy is a frisky, fast-moving blur that repeatedly streaks through the house like a bolt of lightning. Once exhausted, he will puddle in your lap for hours. Always affectionate, he loves being close and enjoys crossing the back of the couch in order to stretch out across your shoulders to nuzzle your neck. He joined the Feline Friends Chicago family last October after he was at PAWS for a while.
 Black Beauty
Aptly named, this beautiful, long-haired black kitty at Felines, Inc. was adopted out but came back about two years ago. He needs one tablet of Prednisone daily and grain-free food, both of which Felines will provide. Active, playful and affectionate, this 16-pound, 5-year-old, golden-eyed cat with a squeaky little meow is amazing with dogs and people, including children, but prefers to be the only cat in the household.
Freddy
A gentle giant and super friendly, Freddy is a short-haired male. This 20-pound, 4-year-old charms everyone he meets. He is at Guardian Angels Feline Rescue.
 Boo
One of the most lovable felines Guardian Angels Feline Rescue has ever had at its facility, Boo will purr up a storm. When this long-haired beauty was rescued, he showed signs of having lived outside and having fended for himself, but he’s fine and ready to live the life of luxury in a forever home. He is probably about 7 years old.
 Mildred
This lovely 9-year-old at Tree House Humane Society is gentle and sweet with a handsome face and black whiskers except for two, which are pure white. Although Mildred doesn’t always come up to people for affection, she is very receptive when approached and coexists just fine with her feline roommates. Although she was found on the street after being abandoned, Mildred has become increasingly affectionate with people.
 Taco
A fun-loving 4-year-old fluffy black cat, Taco was pretty scraped up from a tough life on the streets when he originally came to Tree House Humane Society just over a year ago. He was quickly adopted, only to be returned in April after his adopter’s health started to decline. He is quite charming and outgoing with people, loving human affection and playtime. A special-needs black cat, Taco has tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus, which is a serious but manageable viral infection that is not transferable to humans. Tree House waives the adoption fee and provides a free annual health exam for FIV+ cats who are adopted from its organization. Tree House also offers a health contract so that any health issues related to the FIV+ cats can be treated there at cost to the adopter.
 Crowley
This stunning 6-year-old cat at Tree House Humane Society has a long, lean body and a tail with a crook at the end. He has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that’s manageable with twice daily medication. Crowley loves attention from people and is eager for kind words and petting.
Check out other black cats ready to make your day lucky at these websites or call the numbers listed:
The Anti-Cruelty Society (312-644-8338, ext. 2)
Feline Friends Chicago (312-855-1225)
Felines, Inc. (773-465-4132)
Guardian Angels Feline Rescue (847-931-4535)
Tree House Humane Society – Uptown (773-784-5488, ext. 0)
Tree House Humane Society – Bucktown (773-784-5488, ext. 0)
Your cat can say a lot with her tail. She will swish it when she’s mad, tuck it when she’s scared and hold it up straight when she’s happy to see you. A straight-up tail that’s curved to one side may be in invitation to play.
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Dear Boo:
I was born in 1995, so if my math is correct, I’m only 16 years old. Heck, I can still count my age using the nails on my front and hind paws.
But for some reason, the other cats in my family have started calling me “Old Timer” and “Gramps” lately. My hearing might not be what it once was, but I think they even made a joke about meeting me for an early-bird dinner. The 16-year-old boy in my family is still in high school—any idea why my fellow felines are treating me like a sudden senior citizen?
Looking forward to your response,
– Mr. Button
Dear Mr. Button:
Believe it or not, your housemates are on to something. We cats age at a different rate than humans. In fact, by the time we celebrate our first birthday, cats have aged the equivalent of 15 human years and have reached adulthood. This, of course, is cause for a very big birthday celebration, with a suitable number of treats, and lots of petting and play time.
In our second year, we mature at a rate equal to about 10 human years, so by our second birthday, we’re equivalent in age to a 25-year-old human. From then on, we age about four “human years” for every birthday, so at age 3, we’re equal to a 29-year-old human, at age 4 we’re like a 33-year-old human, and so on. And, when a cat turns 20, it’s like a human turning the ripe old age of 97!
See “Aging Changes in Cats” on Cat Hospital’s website for a full comparison table of feline-to-human ages.
The fact that we age more quickly than people isn’t surprising—after all, we felines are so advanced, aren’t we, my cat compatriots?—but it does present a handful of serious issues for us to consider. Because we reach adulthood and senior citizenship faster, our humans need to be aware of the health issues that come with our older years.
 In your letter, you alluded to one common concern for older cats when you mentioned that you were having trouble hearing your feline housemates. Permanent hearing loss and deafness is common in cats 16 and older. In addition, some older cats have very waxy ears that need to be cleaned regularly.
We cats also tend to take a little less care of our grooming habits when we’re senior citizens, so we rely on our humans to brush our hair a little more frequently (being careful not to brush too aggressively—our skin becomes more delicate as we age!) and to keep a close watch on our nails, because we may require more regular nail trims.
Other common health concerns for older cats include:
Dental disease, with the two most common issues being tartar buildup—and the periodontal disease it can cause—and deep cavities (or “feline resorptive lesions”) near the gum line.
Arthritis and musculoskeletal problems. As many of us get older, we cats either don’t want to—or can’t—jump up onto beds or other furniture like we could as younger cats. Often this is caused by arthritis in the spine or legs. It’s especially important for pet parents to make sure that food, water and litter are accessible for older cats who have trouble moving around.
Certain diseases also are more common in senior cats, including:
Diabetes (more correctly called diabetes mellitus), a disease caused by the failure of the pancreas to produce adequate insulin or by failure of the cells in the body to recognize and utilize the insulin. This is a treatable disease, although it often requires both a time and financial commitment by the pet parent.
Chronic kidney insufficiency (or chronic kidney failure). The condition can be slowed and some of the symptoms can be alleviated with timely and appropriate care, but the kidneys will continue to deteriorate, although often over the course of several years.
Hyperthyroidism, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. This is a very treatable, and curable, disease.
High blood pressure, or hypertension. This is very treatable.
Cancer. Just like with humans, treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
For more information about how to recognize the signs and symptoms of these diseases, please see the “Aging Changes in Cats” on Cat Hospital’s website.
As with all cat health concerns, early detection is the key to treating geriatric medical conditions effectively. It’s very important for all senior felines (those 10 years old and over) to have exams twice a year, so the good veterinarians at Cat Hospital can get an early jump on anything.
Meantime, enjoy your younger housemates, and embrace the fact that you have the advantage of the wisdom that comes with your teenage years. And remember one of my favorite quotes. The great baseball pitcher Satchel Paige was fond of saying, “Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”
Purrs,
– Boo
New and Improved Website is Up and Running!
 Cat Hospital’s new and improved website has gone live!
The new website still has all of the content you are familiar with from the old site, but with a brand new look and additional content, new tools for clients to use, improved search functionality and a quick link to our Facebook page. Cat Hospital plans to add additional user-friendly tools in the coming months.
Be sure to check out the new Cat Hospital website!
Halloween Safety for Cats
Ghosts and goblins, tricks and treats—it’s time for Halloween again! While this ghoulish holiday can be fun for humans, it can be truly scary and even dangerous for your feline friends. Follow these tricks to ensure your cats stay safe while you enjoy a frightfully fun Halloween:
Keep candy contained. Be sure all candy and wrappers stay far away from your felines. Aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed, and chocolate can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Large doses can even be toxic to your cat.
Decorations can be dangerous. Beautiful candles and dangling decorations are often a part of Halloween, but keep them out of paw’s reach. A curious cat (and what cat isn’t curious?) can easily tip over a jack o’ lantern and start a fire, or become entangled in a stringy spider web.
Inside is safest. The safest place for your cat is indoors, away from potential harm. Keep cats inside for several days before and during Halloween.
Secure kitty in a separate room. Don’t give your fast-flying kitty a chance to dart outside when you’re treating your neighborhood witches and warlocks. Keep your kitty in a secure room during trick-or-treat hours. Turn on a radio or TV at a low volume to help keep her calm during the endless chiming of doorbells and general commotion. This also applies if you’re hosting a Halloween party. Even for the most social kitty, the safest place to be is in a separate room.
Have proper ID. In case there is an accidental escape, be sure your cat’s collar has an up-to-date ID tag and/or that she has a microchip implanted. These will significantly help improve the chances that your feline will be returned to you. (See Treats & Tidbits, Spring 2006 and Fall 2007 for more information about microchips and updating your registration information.)
Thanksgiving Safety for Cats
Even though Thanksgiving isn’t as frightful as Halloween, it can be just as stressful and potentially as dangerous for cats. If you’re hosting this year’s holiday feast, follow these tips to keep your cats safe:
 Separate quarters. While some cats thoroughly enjoy visitors, many find all of the noise and activity that goes with Thanksgiving extremely stressful. So give your cats a room of their own.
Extinguish tabletop candles. Decorations with flames can spell disaster for cats and your home. Don’t light candles unless your cats are securely locked in another room. Even better, decorate with cat-friendly adornments, like a cornucopia or an attractive bowl or basket filled with fruit. Another safe option: flameless LED candles, which are less messy and just as cheerful as the real ones.
Be stingy with the spread. Don’t share your Thanksgiving dinner with your cats. Some traditional feast foods are just too rich for cats and will cause tummy upsets or diarrhea. Other foods, like onions, are actually toxic for cats and should be avoided at all times. Sneaking your feline a small piece of roasted turkey while you’re in the kitchen is fine, but avoid giving your cats table scraps.
Feed kitty her feast first. With all of those delicious aromas wafting through your home, your cats just might beg for some of your dinner. To avoid that, feed kitty her own Thanksgiving feast before you sit down to dine. Safe choices are a few bites of turkey and a teaspoon or two of plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix). Not all cats consider pumpkin a tasty treat, but many do, and it is an excellent source of fiber.
Give cats extra attention. Your cats may feel neglected while you’re cleaning, decorating, cooking and entertaining. So schedule at least 15 minutes for quiet time with your cat about an hour before the guests arrive. Enlist a family member to watch the kitchen and check the turkey. You and your felines will be more relaxed, and you will be able to enjoy your family and friends without feeling guilty.
Give thanks for your cats. Be sure to give thanks for the cats who have given you so much. What would we do without their unconditional love, companionship and endless entertainment?
For more cat care tips and information, visit www.cathospitalofchicago.com.
Cat Hospital Getting a Makeover
Big changes are soon to be underpaw at Cat Hospital! This fall, the facility’s treatment area will be totally remodeled to make it more cat- and human-friendly.
The remodeled space will feature:
A dedicated dental suite. Currently, all dental surgery is performed in the treatment room area. This worked well for years, but as technology has improved, and Cat Hospital has grown, a more up-to-date dental surgery area became a necessity. Now, dental patients will be anesthetized in a quiet, private room, rather than in the treatment room area. The new setup will help ensure that patients spend as little time as possible in the treatment room, which can be busy with veterinarians and Cat Hospital staff going in and out all of the time. While Cat Hospital always tries to make sure that cats’ cages are in locations that prevent patients from seeing one another, the new dental suite will further limit the chance for Cat Hospital patients to see each other, because cats now will be taken out of their cages and directly to the dental suite, rather than to the treatment room dental table, where they may get a glimpse of other cats in cages.
 When cats’ teeth are cleaned, some bacteria from their mouths sprays into the air—just like when we visit the dentist. Another benefit of the new suite is that it will limit the bacteria to a separate room, where everyone is wearing appropriate masks and protective eyewear, rather than a more open area.
The dental suite also will enable Cat Hospital veterinarians to perform dental surgeries faster and more efficiently. The dental suite will have two dental tables, which will reduce the time between dental surgeries. Cleaning the dental table and all of the equipment between patients can take 20 minutes or more. With two tables, the next dental surgery can begin almost immediately, which will reduce the time that cats are in the facility.
A separate in-house laboratory. Some of the newer laboratory machines, which currently sit on countertops in the hallway outside the exam rooms, are very noisy and can scare or agitate cats in the exam rooms. Sequestering the machines in a separate laboratory will significantly reduce the noise cats hear when they are in the exam rooms. With the facility’s current setup, if there is a particularly frightened cat in an examination room, or an especially concerned owner, Cat Hospital staff simply does not use the lab equipment until the timing is better for the patient or the pet parent—or the machine is taken to another area of the hospital where the noise will be less bothersome. The new in-house laboratory room will be much more cat-friendly and will allow the equipment to be used much more efficiently!
A separate ward for hospitalized patients. A separate ward for Cat Hospital’s hospitalized patients, apart from the treatment room, will house the majority of the cat cages. The new ward will have glass partitions and doors to allow Cat Hospital staff to easily see their patients. The treatment room is a hub of activity. Patients in for treatment already are stressed because they are in a strange environment—the noise and unfamiliar smells of the treatment room further exacerbates their fear. Keeping cats out of the treatment area when they are not being worked on can greatly minimize their distress. The only cages that will be in the treatment area will be holding cages for cats undergoing x-rays and immediate post-op recovery.
A downsized x-ray area. With the advent of digital imaging, the old darkroom, which was used years ago for developing x-rays, is no longer needed. In the new configuration, the x-ray room will just be large enough for taking x-rays.
In addition, Cat Hospital is developing a cageless place for cats who become terribly frightened or very aggressive when they are caged, so that they don’t have to be so closely confined when they are hospitalized.
All of these changes should help cats feel more comfortable at the facility, whether they’re there for an exam, surgery or long-term treatment, and they will enable Cat Hospital staff to treat their feline patients faster and more efficiently, so they can send them home as quickly as possible!
Feel free to ask if you would like a tour after the renovations are complete!
Front Desk Personnel Changes
In addition to the physical changes at Cat Hospital, some front-desk personnel changes are in the works.
You won’t see Anne at the front desk quite as much as before. As Cat Hospital’s new Office Manager, she will be taking on much of the hospital’s day-to-day management tasks, such as payroll. She will still be the hospital’s Lead Customer Service Coordinator, however.
You also won’t see Deborah at the front desk as often. Because of her strong business management education and background, she will take on a business management role. Additionally, she will lead Cat Hospital’s efforts to become paperless, or at least paper-light, within the next nine months or so.
Ruta will no longer be at the front desk at all. She has been Cat Hospital’s Inventory Manager for years, and she is great in that role. Now, she will be adding Facility and Equipment Manager to her title. She will be responsible for troubleshooting all software and hardware issues, and making sure that any equipment breakdowns are addressed immediately. She will also continue in her role as an administrative assistant to Dr. Currigan.
Cat Hospital clients will see new faces at the front desk, including Nikki, who started with us in July.
Beware of Using Cocoa Mulch
Beware of using cocoa mulch for your landscaping! As you may know, chocolate can be toxic to pets because it contains theobromine, which is lethal to pets. Because cocoa mulch is what’s left over from the cocoa bean roasting process, pets that eat even a little bit of this kind of mulch could be ingesting lethal amounts of theobromine.
New Vaccine May Cure Cat Allergies
A new vaccine to cure cat allergies? Yep. An article in the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association newsletter says a vaccine is being developed and is showing some encouraging results. Unlike immunotherapy injections, which build tolerance to the allergen, this new approach identifies key areas of the protein that cause the allergic reactions. More testing is needed. No word on when it could go to market.
 Older cats don’t taste food as well as they did in their younger years, which can lead to significant weight loss. Cats tend to eat better when they can smell their food—careful sniffing tells them if something is safe to eat. So feeding your senior cat a highly aromatic diet and warming up the food a bit before serving it will make it more appealing to him and encourage him to eat.
…pets can suffocate to death from potato chip, cheese puff or other kinds of snack bags? The snack bags are made from a mylar-like material, and once the pet sticks his head in the bag to lick the crumbs or salt, and starts to breathe, the bag can suction itself to the pet’s head. This happens more often with dogs, but it can happen to curious kitties as well. So be sure keep all snack-chip bags out of animals’ reach.
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