Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, December 2, 2017

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 
8JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 2, 2017 
8
PLAY NICE, KITTY! 


I have a new furry, four-legged feline friend namedKingsley. When I first met Kingsley, he was amere 5 months old and undoubtedly one of themost adorable kittens I have ever met.. Kingsleyis a young adult now, but from early kitten-hood,
he loved to spend time with his humans, Jeff andMeagan and ate more like a full grown lion than thetiny kitten that he was; and oh boy, did he love toplay - and still does!

After spending a few days taking care of Kingsleythe kitten while his people were away, they asked if Ihad any ideas on how to get him to stop biting whileplaying and I had to admit I didn’t. Later, I lookedup techniques on training a kitten not to bite duringplay and I found an article by the Humane Societyof the United States. 

The tips they offered seemed to make practicalsense, so I decided to share them with my readers.
Credit goes to the HSUS website for this insightful,
hopefully helpful information. Happy training andbest of luck! 

Learning to Play Nice

A kitten’s first playmates are his mother and siblings,
and from them he learns how to inhibit his bite. A 
kitten who is separated from his family too earlymay not have learned that lesson well enough anddoesn’t know when to stop. Acceptable behaviorcan quickly escalate. If you use your hands and/orfeet instead of toys to play with a young kitten, hemay learn that rough play is okay. In most cases, it’snot too difficult to teach your kitten that rough playisn’t acceptable.

If playing with your kitten evolves from peek-aboo 
to professional wrestling in a matter of seconds,
follow these tips to keep playtime interesting andreduce the number of trips to the first-aid kit.
Don’t let your kitten play with your hands or feet(or any other body part). This sends the wrong 
message.

Use a toy when playing. Drag a toy, preferablya fishing pole-type toy that keeps your handsfrom kitty’s mouth and claws, along the floor toencourage your kitten to pounce on it, or throw atoy for him to chase. Some kittens will even bringthe tow back to be thrown again.

Give your kitten something to wrestle with, likea soft stuffed animal that’s about his size, so he can 
grab it with both front feet, bit it, and kick it withhis back feet. This is one of the ways kittens playwith each other, especially when they’re young. It’salso one of the ways they try to play with humanfeet and hands, so it’s important to providethis type of alternative play target.

Encourage play with a “wrestling toy”
by rubbing it against your kitten’s bellywhen he wants to play roughly-and be sureto get your hand out of the way as soon ashe accepts the toy.

Don’t hit or yell at your kitten when henips or pounces. This will only make himfearful of you and he may start to avoidyou. The idea is to train him, not punishhim. 

by Chris Leclerc 

Happy Tails 
Discouraging “Bad” Behavior

Playing is not bad behavior, but you do have to setthe rules for your kitten; no biting. Everyone in thehousehold has to be on the same page, too; yourkitten can’t be expected to learn that it’s okay to playrough with dad but not with the baby. First equipyourself with the right training tools: toys, toys,
toys, and a water pistol.

A Gnawing Problem: You shouldn’t let yourkitten play with your body parts, but if you’re pettinghim and he starts gnawing on you, immediately say“uh-uh” and carefully take your hands away. Givehim a toy to play with instead, but be sure he’s notgnawing on you when you give it to him or he’llthink he’s being rewarded for gnawing. Don’t try topet him again until he’s tuckered out and no longertempted to “kill” your hand. You can also makeyour hands unattractive by putting a bad-tasting,
harmless substance on them such as Bitter Apple orTabasco sauce. Most kittens catch on quickly.

Gimmie That!: Kittens always seem to want toplay with whatever you’re using-knitting needles,
pencil, telephone, remote control. If yours starts“attacking” your utensils, sharply say “uh-uh” todisrupt his behavior. Then give him one of his owntoys. Be sure he’s not attacking when you give him atoy or he’ll think he’s being rewarded.

On the Hunt: Kittens also like to “hunt” youwhile you’re walking around. They’ll jump out frombehind a door or under a chair and pounce on yourankles. If he doesn’t pounce, praise him with “Goodkitty”. If he does pounce, use your sharp “uh-uh” todistract him and interrupt his behavior, and offer anacceptable toy. Be sure he’s not pouncing when youprovide the toy or he’ll think he’s being rewarded.

Pay no Attention: Withdraw attention when yourkitten doesn’t get the message. If the distractionand redirection techniques don’t work, the mostdrastic thing you can do to discourage rough playis withdraw all attention. The best way to do thisis walk to another room and close the door longenough for him to calm down. If you pick him upto put him in another room, then you’re rewardinghim by touching him, so you should be the one toleave the room. 

Remember, your kitten wants to play with you,
not just with toys, so be sure to set aside time forregular, serious and safe play sessions. 


SUPER SIBLINGS! 


Are these cuties 
or what? BUDDY 
& VIOLET, age 
4 months, are 
tuxedo twins! 
Violet has the 
pointed white 
blaze, and 
Buddy’s blaze is 
more squared. 
They are both 
social and beingfostered together, so would be nice if they wereadopted together. Adoption fee is $100 for both, 
which includes spay, microchip, exam & vaccines.
A great savings! Our cats are negative FELV/FIV

unless otherwise indicated. 

See more pictures, videos, adoption info & 


application on our website, www.lifelineforpets.org.
Call 626-676-9505 for a Meet & Greet. Can’t adopt?
Visit our website for our easy ways to support ourrescue. GOOD NEWS: Orion has been adopted. 


THE JOY OF YOGA 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
WHY STUDY MORE? 
Top 5 Reasons to Take a Yoga Teacher Training 

Whether you are a

long time practitioner

of yoga or new to

the practice, I’m 

guessing that there is
some part of you that is in awe of yoga’s vast wisdom andadvanced practices. In group yoga classes, there is a limitto what we can practice and what the teacher can explain.
However, each time the student attends, they get snippetsof information and experiences of the concepts in practice.
This is just enough to spark curiosity and the physical,
mental, emotional benefits are just profound enough tohave an impact on one’s life. If the student practices yoga orstudies ancient texts on their own, there may be a missingingredient –the guidance and shakti (power) received froma teacher.Here is where the experience of a yoga teachertraining comes into play. Yes, you do learn to teach yoga in ateacher training, but the content is a compilation of materialwhich includes everything from philosophy and in-depthbreakdowns of the postures to powerful practices that sparkpersonal transformation. The whole process has a powerfulway of re-shaping perception of the world around us andempowering the deeper parts of our being. On that premise,
here are my top 5 reasons to take a yoga teacher training.
This forum for experiential learning may be right for you if:

1. You want to know where the ancient wisdom 
comes from and how to apply it to your life. Theory andApplication…what is the backdrop to this beautiful practice? 
THE MISSING PAGE 
Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual 
IT’S THE HOLIDAYS LEAN 
TOWARD KINDNESS 

We are nearing the end of another year and it is a time forreflection. Our growth and development require that wepause and take stock.

We are here for the lessons. Every life experience comes tous packed with information for our growth and development.
When we have the feeling that life is happening to us andthat we are repeating an unpleasant experience, it is wiseto re-examine the event for the lesson. We are here to live 
mindfully, joyfully and with awareness. That doesn’t meanthat we won’t have difficulties, but we can learn to modulate 
our responses.

I awakened this morning with an insight: I want to bethe person whose default is kindness, and I am welcomingthat type of person to my life. I am not here dish outunpleasantness or to be ready with the cutting payback.
I have put them all in cold storage. I’m not interested, andI have retired from sarcasm. I am working not to have toapologize for my speech or explain that I was just kidding. Iwant to be kind and to surround myself with loving people.
There is a Maya Angelou quote: “When people show youwho they are, believe them.” It’s repeated because it’s true.

I once met a man that said something very unpleasant 

2. You want to revolutionize your physical practiceof yoga. Discover correct alignment in poses, integrateimpactful pranayama (breath practices), prevent injury, andchange the way you carry yourself in the world.
3. You are seeking change and transformation in your life.
Personal or professional transformation, yoga, meditation,
and self-study provide established tools for living.
4. You are longing for new friendships, community, andsupport. Students from all walks of life connect throughyoga and self-discovery in profound ways. This connectionfosters lifelong friendships as each person grows.
5. You want to deepen your spiritual growth and practicesthrough ancient lineage and a teacher-student relationship.
It takes an experienced, insightful teacher to illuminateand pass down the deeper teachings of yoga. This teacher-
student relationship is a wonderful dynamic and the way theteachings were handed down originally.
Keep practicing and consider bringing the ancientwisdom of yoga into your everyday life. There’s no timelike the present! The next 200 Hour Foundational TeacherTraining at Yoga Madre begins January 26, 2018 .
Registration is open. Satisfy your curiosity and check out thedetails at www.yogamadre.com. Please email me personallywith questions or if you want to sign up: keely@yogamadre. 
com. 

Thank you and Namaste, Keely Totten, E-RYT 500,
Teacher Trainer @ Yoga Madre 


within the first few hours of our first 
date. I confronted him immediately,Lori A. Harris 
and we both laughed it off; however,
that was a pivotal moment that I failed to recognize. I laterlearned that this person’s default is to be mean. He hasto concentrate and work hard to be kind; it doesn’t come 
naturally to him.

I would not trade my friendship or experiences with thatperson for anything, but I can work on being more cognizantand recognizing the clues before me.

We are responsible for the energy that we bring and ourresponses to circumstance. Never give away your power andexercise your respond-ability wisely.

People are always waving their flag; it’s our job to payattention. 

During this holiday season, remember to take your time.
Slow down and offer a bit of kindness to your neighbor. You 
have no idea what they may be experiencing at this moment.
is is a lawyer and coach. You can schedule a discoverysession with her at her website www.LoriAHarris.com/chat ifyou’re contemplating making 2018 your best year ever signup there for a session. 

 
Walter Cailleteau, DVM Free Exam! 
927 N. Michillinda Ave. For New Clients 
Pasadena, CA 91107 Bring this coupon to save! 
(626) 351-8863 


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