{"id":13191,"date":"2021-08-05T20:57:11","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T00:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=13191"},"modified":"2021-08-05T20:57:11","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T00:57:11","slug":"features-179","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=13191","title":{"rendered":"Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>A look at the 2021 4-H Youth Fair<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Aux3FOYhbZ4\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>National Night Out is back<\/strong><br \/>\nby Maralyn Fink<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vYGRwwtaZyo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I attended the National Night Out at the City Park on Tuesday evening. A large crowd was on hand for this event.<\/p>\n<p>Many displays were available to everyone. Food and singing were abundant as well as things for the kids to do like the bounce houses and Face Painting.<\/p>\n<p>If you missed it, plan on next year as it is a lot of fun for everyone.<\/p>\n<p>It was nice to see everyone able to gather for an event after Covid!<\/p>\n<p>A big thank you to all volunteers, the Police Department and any others who were involved.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>More photos from the 2021 National Night Out<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jMYoFpi2sVM\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n&#8211; <em>courtesy photos<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Band Camp, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/band.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"177\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13192\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Darryl Schmitz&#8217;s drone camera caught a glimpse of the St. Johns High School Band during their annual band camp. Camp was held at home this year.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>S\u2019mores Day is August 10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/smores.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"190\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13193\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Did you know the first s\u2019mores recipe was published in a Girl Scout guidebook from 1927? That\u2019s right, making s\u2019mores around a campfire is a time-honored Girl Scout tradition.<\/p>\n<p>Join them on Tuesday, August 10 at one of the Girl Scout Heart of Michigan Regional Centers and enjoy a variety of s&#8217;mores recipes, go on a scavenger hunt, do STEM activities and more.<\/p>\n<p>If you always wondered what Girl Scouts do, this is a fantastic opportunity to see how much fun Girl Scouts have! This is a free event for girls of all ages and their families, so invite a few friends along to have fun at this extravaganza together!<\/p>\n<p>Find the nearest location and come visit us on Tuesday, August 10:<\/p>\n<p>4:00 &#8211; 8:00 PM &#8211; 13287 Wacousta Road, Grand Ledge<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Remember When<\/strong> &#8211; National Night Out August 6, 2013<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/nno2013.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"291\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13194\" \/><\/p>\n<p>St. Johns city residents were invited to take part in the 20th annual National Night Out event.<\/p>\n<p>The community came together, once again, to get to know their neighbors and join forces against crime. They had the Animals Around the World show, Magician show, a DJ, St. Johns High School Marching Band drum line show, inflatables, games for the kids, food and drinks, ice cream and giveaways \u2013 All Free!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Maralyn&#8217;s Pet Corner<\/strong> &#8211; Are There Actually Cats That Like Water?<br \/>\ncourtesy of LisaBeth Weber<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve seen the videos. One quick search on YouTube for \u201ccats swimming,\u201d and next thing you know, that\u2019s two hours you\u2019ll never get back. Since cats have a reputation for not liking water, we seem to be collectively mesmerized by cats that like water. So what\u2019s going on here?<\/p>\n<p>Certified cat behavior consultant Ingrid Johnson of Fundamentally Feline says it\u2019s rare, but there are some cats that like water. She believes it\u2019s the curiosity factor and says that cats prefer to attempt the experience on their own.<\/p>\n<p>As with many feline behaviors, you can\u2019t expect to simply turn your kitty into a water-loving cat. Turning on the faucet for them to check it out at their own speed is a good start. If they\u2019re forced into it, they will definitely hate it, if they didn\u2019t already.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Feline Evolution<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Johnson cites cat evolution as an indicator of why they may not be drawn to water. \u201cCats are a desert species, so they evolved in dry climates historically,\u201d she says. \u201cWater wasn\u2019t a big part of their life, so it makes sense that it\u2019s not something ingrained that they would naturally like. Some cats have been trained gradually over time in a positive way so it\u2019s not a scary experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cats that like water are few and far between, but for those who do, it\u2019s generally because they were exposed to water at a young age and became desensitized to it, according to Johnson. For example, this could be a show cat who was bathed regularly as a kitten.<\/p>\n<p>Water could have become a positive experience, or at least something the cat has become acclimated to being around. Still, Johnson thinks that about 90 percent of cats will dislike water.<\/p>\n<p>Marilyn Krieger, certified cat behavior consultant from The Cat Coach and author of the book Naughty No More, corroborates what Johnson says. \u201cThe theory is that cats have ancestors who lived in a desert environment, and they didn\u2019t have a need or opportunity to swim. Most household cats still retain this behavior, and there hasn\u2019t been any reason for them to evolve into swimmers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Krieger says another possible reason for water aversion is that cats don\u2019t do well with change. \u201cThe feel of water on their fur can be uncomfortable and cause stress.\u201d She says training cats to like baths is possible, but it needs to begin while they are kittens.<\/p>\n<p><em>Coat and Scent Factors<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Another reason why some cats usually steer clear of water has to do with their coats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe reason it is more common for certain breeds such as Turkish Van and Turkish Angora cats to like water is that their coats are more water-resistant than other breeds,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cAs a whole, a cat\u2019s coat holds water, and it takes them a very long time to dry off, which makes being wet very unappealing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cats also don\u2019t want their natural scents to be washed away from their fur.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson says, \u201cThere is comfort for cats in being saturated in their own scents. Water actually grooms away their natural odor. When grooming, they deposit their own saliva on their coat. Water dilutes their natural odor, so they lick to get their own scent back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Cats That Like Water<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Krieger has seen many cats that like water, but most of them enjoy playing with water from faucets or fountains. They will often bat at dripping water, while some fully immerse themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Some breeds are known to like water more than others. Krieger says that cat breeds that like water include Bengals, Turkish Van cats and some Savannahs are partial to water, though it\u2019s not a guarantee. Johnson says that Maine Coons are especially known to like water, but she says it really depends on the cat.<\/p>\n<p>To encourage your cat to like water, Johnson suggests trying a cat water fountain or a motion sensor that turns the faucet on so it doesn\u2019t drip constantly.<\/p>\n<p>A cat water fountain, like the Drinkwell 360 stainless steel pet fountain, is fun for cats because of the continuous flow that mimics water in a stream or river. If you have an adventurous cat who will swim in open water, you may want to get them a life jacket in a small size such as the Paws Aboard Pink Polka Dot dog life jacket.<\/p>\n<p>To provide enrichment for a water-inclined feline, Johnson suggests putting pieces of meat in ice cubes for cats to find in a water bowl or filling the bathroom sink with water and adding ping pong balls or bath toys for the cat to play with.<\/p>\n<p><em>These Pet Parents Have Water-Loving Cats<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you ask around, you\u2019ll find plenty of pet parents with stories to share about how their cats love water.<\/p>\n<p>Hope Muller\u2019s cat Bonzo loved to jump into the tub during bubble baths. \u201cHe was mesmerized by bubbles. He wouldn\u2019t eat them; he would just bat them around with his paws. Bonzo was a very playful cat and actually jumped into the toilet by accident once! After that he would use his paws to smack water running from the faucet, and lean inside the toilet bowl to splash in that. I think he just liked water.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kimberly Rolzhausen\u2019s cat \u201cMichael Bolton\u201d is not a swimmer or a wader, but she is a splasher. \u201cShe likes to stick her paws in water and fling it about. She\u2019ll do this in her water bowl, at the water faucet if it\u2019s running, and also has no problem sticking her paws in your water glass!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the most surprising was Abigail Sisson\u2019s cat Pumpkin who loved to swim in the bathtub with her sons when they were little. \u201cHe took baths with the boys a few times a week ever since we got him! If we didn\u2019t put him in, he would jump right in on his own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cats like Pumpkin, who love taking a dip, might enjoy their very own Cool Pup Splash About dog pool\u2014who says dogs get to have all the fun?<\/p>\n<p>So why do some cats like water but others don\u2019t? When it comes to cats and water, the bottom line is you can lead a cat to water, but you can\u2019t make them swim.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A look at the 2021 4-H Youth Fair National Night Out is back by Maralyn Fink I attended the National Night Out at the City Park on Tuesday evening. A large crowd was on hand for this event. Many displays were available to everyone. Food and singing were abundant as well as things for the <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=13191\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13191\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}