MSI Press Blog

One of the most impressive cat advocacy and assistance organizations, Alley Cat Allies , may be far less known than their ability to help those who are casting about for help -- or for cats languishing or being killed in shelters. They are a wealth of information, connections, and guides to resources.  They also truly advocate, especially on behalf of cats in kill shelters. It is so unfortunate that many pet owners who can no longer care for their cats for reasons of health, finances, regulations, and the like often turn to shelters, assuming that their cat will be re-homed. All too often that does not happen, but, rather, the cat is euthanized. SPCA, for example, euthanizes, yet most people I know do not think that they do. People tend not to check out shelters in detail but operate on hope and assumption as if it were fact. Alley Cat advocacy is so needed for these situations. The following is from their "about us" page, but all their pages are equally rich. If you love cat...

  Jack and Sophia playing on the cat tree. Is It Play or a Fight? How to Tell When Cats Are Just Roughhousing It’s not always easy to tell whether cats are playing rough or heading toward a real fight. The line can be thin, especially when the action is fast, noisy, or dramatic. I’ve seen this firsthand with Bobolink, who used to sprint the entire length of the hallway and launch himself onto Happy Cat—his chosen role model and best friend. They’d tumble together in a flurry of paws, tails, and mock bites, purring all the while. To the untrained eye, it might have looked violent. But to those of us who know cat dynamics, it was clearly joyful play. So how do you know whether cats are fighting or just having fun? Here are some guidelines to help you read the situation accurately. 1. Watch for Reciprocity In play, both cats take turns being the “chaser” and the “chased,” the “pouncer” and the “pounced upon.” If one cat is always on the bottom or trying to escape while the other conti...

When a cat is returned to a shelter, it doesn’t just go back to a holding cell. It carries invisible luggage: confusion, mistrust, and the sting of rejection. And yet, these cats are not broken. They are paused. Waiting for someone to listen rather than label.  Behind the Return: What’s Really Happening Shelters often record the reason for return in terse notes — “too shy,” “not kid-friendly,” “aggressive.” But beneath these phrases lies unmet expectation and emotional disconnect. Most returns happen not because of inherent flaws in the cat, but because the human misunderstood the pace and language of feline adjustment. Without a gentle runway for integration, fear takes over, and the bond never gets off the ground. Returned cats often appear withdrawn, defensive, or aloof — but many are simply introverts forced into loud, unpredictable spaces. A cat isn’t a dog. It doesn’t rush into joy. When cats are overwhelmed by sensory input — barking dogs, shouting toddlers, clanging dish...

Bobolink's last loving and painful minutes, nestled against owner, Luna .   Integrating New Cats When Older Cats Are Dying Integrating new cats into an established cat family is always a delicate dance, but it becomes even more complex when one of the older cats is nearing the end of life. The emotions in the household shift—grief, vigilance, and quiet respect settle in—and the dynamics between the cats can change in ways that are subtle, profound, or both. In most cases, the cat who is dying has been part of the family for many years, often serving as a social anchor. The newcomers, in addition to finding their place among the living members, must navigate the emotional space left by the one who is leaving. Snyezhka, Happy Cat, and the Distance of Newcomers When Snyezhka was dying from breast, liver, and lung cancer, it wasn’t the new cats who stepped in to care for her—it was Happy Cat, her longtime companion and the beta heart of the household. Happy Cat washed her when she coul...