Memorial Day 2022
Theatre Department names 2022 Koger award winner
Congratulations to Justin Thelen (pictured center) on receiving the 2022 Robert L. Koger Theatre award.
The Robert L. Koger Theatre award is named for a longtime director of theatre at St. Johns High School, Mr. Bob Koger. His passion for theatre and standards for excellence have made him legendary both in our community and in the world of high school theatre in the state of Michigan. Mr. Koger founded the Competition Theatre program, in which St. Johns won its 12th state title this year. This award goes to one senior each year who has had a positive impact on our theatre program, leading by example through their dedication and work ethic.
This year’s phenomenal senior class embodied the passion and excellence our program was founded on and expects. Justin has gained the respect of his peers and directors over the last 4 years through his leadership and dedication to the High School theatre program as well as the Middle School program. He is always willing to learn new things and teach those around them. Perhaps most importantly, he knows how to be an effective leader while also having fun.
He has served as the leader of set construction for all recent shows. He led his team to awards at all levels of competition this year for set design, construction, and stage crew. Additionally, he was singled out for his expertise as “the car guy”. Justin was also voted Technician of the Year by his peers. We are pretty sure that anytime anyone from the theatre program hears “The Hustle”, they will always think of you with a smile.
Remember When – Parades past
Jerry Williams says that he and his wife Roma and I have lived in our home town of Cadillac for the past 53 years, but we still have wonderful memories of when we lived in St. Johns in the 60s. He recently scanned some slides that he took of a parade in 1965 and Soapbox Derby day in 1968, andhe thought they might be of interest here.
Letters – Cub Scout Troop 520 updated and Littles
Barry Bauer once recalled, “That’s Roger Dershem on the left in the back and the guy on the right looks like a Droste. The tall guy in the back is unidentified and appears to be representing the VFW.
I was reading the stories this weekend saw the article about the Cub Scout Troop from East Essex. I wanted to pass along that the guy in back that was unidentified is a photo of my dad, Robert (Bob) Beebee. Dad was the Post Commander of the VFW at the time of the photo.
Roger Beebee
******
It takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a village to neglect a child. Read that again. These are not my words, and I could not agree more.
I had the pleasure of sitting with a little who built an outstanding fort in our lobby. While hiding in the fort, the little told me they would be mad at me all the way up to the sky if I told their parents about the hiding spot. In context of the game, it was funny; in the context of the safety staying silent is not an option.
As I write this, I know there are children and youth we have not yet met; families struggling; and systems who are taxed. We ALL have the power to say something.
* Text 652729 (OK2SAY)
* Report Abuse/Neglect in Michigan 855-444-3911
* 911
* The SafeCenter 24-Hour Hotline 877-952-7283
* Contact our office, we will help connect you
We can ALL say something, you may risk someone be mad at you all the way up to the sky–looking out for each other’s safety is worth the risk.
Yours in Service,
Kelly Schafer, Executive Director
PS We are super excited our friends from The League of Enchantment are again joining us for our
9th Annual Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly!
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Will YOUR cape be ready?
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Cat Spraying: Why Cats Do It and How to Stop It
If you’re a cat parent, at some point, you’ll probably have to deal with inappropriate urine elimination or spraying. These can be frustrating issues, especially if you have an indoor cat.
Urinary issues in cats are complex and can be caused by underlying health or behavioral issues. Peeing outside the litter box is different from spraying in terms of causes, smell, and even the way it’s done.
Determining which your cat is actually doing—urinating or spraying—and why can help you and your vet address these issues with your cat.
What Is Cat Spraying?
With urine marking (spraying), cats will back up to a vertical surface such as a wall and release a small amount of urine. Cats can also spray horizontal surfaces, although it’s less common. Thanks to additional pheromones, sprayed urine is usually more pungent than urine in the litter box.
Cat Spraying vs. Peeing Outside the Litter Box
When a cat urinates outside the litter box, there tends to be more urine, and you’ll usually find the pee on horizontal surfaces like a rug or bed. Inappropriate urination is often associated with lower urinary tract disease or litter texture aversion. Cat spraying is more likely caused by underlying stress or anxiety.
Why Do Cats Spray?
There are a number of reasons your cat might spray. Here are some of the more common causes.
Cats spray to communicate with other cats in the household.
Cats communicate with each other through urine spraying. In general, a lot of cats are very solitary creatures, and even with multiple cats in a household, they will seek out areas to claim as their own. If one cat in the household feels like another cat is moving in on their space or trying to take their resources (food, toys, cat trees, litter boxes, etc.), they may spray urine.
Cats spray to communicate with neighborhood cats or stray cats.
Indoor cats that live where there are neighborhood cats around may also spray. The presence of cats outside the house creates a territorial threat to the indoor cat, who will spray to tell the outdoor cat this the territory is occupied. The idea is to discourage the outside cat from hanging around.
Cats spray when they are stressed.
Changes in a cat’s routine or environment can contribute to stress. Some stressed cats may urinate outside the litter box, while others will spray urine on vertical surfaces in the house. Stress may be caused by any changes in daily routine, new pets or people in the home, or things like remodeling or construction.
Cats spray to attract mates.
Urine spraying is more common with intact (not neutered or fixed) male cats, but female and neutered male cats can do it as well. Intact male cats spray to attract mates or communicate with female cats in the vicinity.
It’s normal behavior for cats living outdoors, but it creates some issues if you have an intact male cat living indoors.
Urine spraying is more likely to occur in both male and female cats when they reach sexual maturity, around 6 months of age.
While spayed and neutered cats can also spray, it’s less likely if the cat is in a stress-free environment and feels that their social and emotional needs are being met.
How Can I Stop My Cat from Spraying?
Most importantly, never punish your cat for spraying (yelling, hitting, spraying with water, etc.). This will not reduce the behavior and will make them scared of you and more stressed.
If your cat is spraying, here are some techniques that may stop the behavior.
Rule out underlying medical conditions.
If your cat is spraying, the first step is taking your cat to the veterinarian to rule out an underlying medical issue.
Your veterinarian will likely recommend testing that includes a complete blood count, chemistry, and urinalysis. The purpose of the testing is to look for possible medical conditions such as urinary tract infections, crystalluria, bladder stones, kidney disease, or other conditions causing inflammation of the urinary system.
If one of these conditions is diagnosed, treating the issue should help reduce the spraying.
Have your cat spayed or neutered.
If you have an intact male or female cat, getting them spayed or neutered can also help reduce urine spraying.
Help reduce your cat’s stress.
Stress can trigger urine spraying in indoor cats. To help your stressed cat, start by identifying and eliminating stressors in your cat’s environment. Any small changes can create stress for your cat, including changing feeding times or moving the litter boxes.
You can also use pheromone sprays such as Feliway sprays and plug-in diffusers, and provide additional hiding places and elevated areas such as cat trees.
Anxiety-reducing supplements such as Zylkene or Purina Calming Care can also help manage your cat’s stress. If you feel that your cat has severe anxiety and none of these things are helping, ask your vet about anxiety medications.
Address conflict between cats.
Tension between cats in a household can contribute to urine spraying. If spraying is an issue in your multi-cat household, make sure that each cat feels like they have the necessary resources available to be at ease.
Be mindful of the number of litter boxes, food bowls, and elevated areas—each cat should feel like their needs are being met. Make sure you have as many litter boxes as the number of cats, plus one. If you have two cats, you should have three boxes, and they should be located in different areas so one cat can’t guard both boxes. Each cat should have their own eating areas and bowls, and their own perches or cat trees.
Always gradually introduce new cats to give the resident cat a chance to adapt. If the inter-cat tension turns into physical fights, consult with your veterinarian for further resources such as prescribed medications.
Keep neighborhood and stray cats away from your yard.
If your cat is spraying as a way to warn off outdoor cats, try these tricks:
– Cover any windows with blinds or curtains to block your cat’s view outside.
– Install motion-detection sprinklers near windows to deter outside cats from coming into your yard.
– Place Feliway diffusers inside your house in areas where your cat has marked.
– Use white vinegar or citrus-based sprays in the yard where outdoor cats have marked.
– Keep a log of your anti-spraying program.
Note the place and number of times your cat sprays, along with the steps you’ve taken to curb the behavior. This will give you a record so you’ll know if your strategies are working.
How to Get Rid of Cat Spray Smell
Any time you are cleaning areas that your cat has marked, use an enzymatic cleaner to neutralize organic debris and smell. Do not use an ammonia-based cleaner, which may attract your cat to continue to mark the affected area.