{"id":9666,"date":"2020-09-03T20:57:57","date_gmt":"2020-09-04T00:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=9666"},"modified":"2020-09-03T20:57:57","modified_gmt":"2020-09-04T00:57:57","slug":"features-132","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=9666","title":{"rendered":"Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Meet the man who keeps the flags flying<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XXzAIy1OvmA\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Judy Winslow says that the gentleman behind the scenes at Mount Rest Cemetery for all of these years has been Jim Rasmussen.<\/p>\n<p>Jim is an Air Force veteran. He does the repairs and oversees the set up of the flags. He checks the trailers and puts air in the tires each spring.<\/p>\n<p>Jim says he is happy doing the work and doesn&#8217;t need any thanks. Well, thanks anyway, Jim. We appreciate all of your hard work and dedication.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>CASA Spotlight<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/voicestaff.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"237\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9669\" \/><br \/>\n<em>CAC Family Advocates and Staff<\/em><\/p>\n<table width=\"75%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tr>\n<td width=\"73%\">Jamie says: Becoming a CASA volunteers is one of the best things I have ever done. We can and do make a difference.<\/td>\n<td width=\"27%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/jamienixon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"250\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9670\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"73%\">\n<hr \/>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"27%\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"73%\">Ashley says: Our work makes me feel like a superhero because we help children feel like their voices are heard.<\/td>\n<td width=\"27%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ashleyroot.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"177\" height=\"250\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9671\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>A Look Back Again<\/strong> &#8211; A 1972 Football Club Donation<br \/>\nby Barry Bauer<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/wyrick.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"378\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-9676\" \/><\/p>\n<p>J.W. Staley, left, and Red Devereaux, right, present St. Johns High School Athletic Director Dwane Wirick with a $600 check from the Football Club to help finance the purchase of a universal weight-lifting machine.<\/p>\n<p>The $3,000 unit will be purchased over three years with the help of the club and the athletic department\u2019s activities. The machine will have 15 stations and will be used by the various teams and gym classes for body building and exercise programs.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Maralyn&#8217;s Pet Corner<\/strong> &#8211; How to Introduce Cats<br \/>\ncourtesy of Lynne Miller<\/p>\n<p>If your cat has gotten along with another cat at some point in her life, you might assume that she will accept any new cat with no hissing or howling. Unfortunately, cats are territorial animals and will not welcome just any feline into the family.<\/p>\n<p>Introducing cats requires patience and sensitivity, so you should prepare for it to take some time for two cats to accept one another.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s some advice on how to find a new cat that your cat will accept and how to introduce them.<\/p>\n<p><em>How to Find the Right Match for Your Cat<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Like finding a roommate or partner, matching up cats requires an understanding of what makes each creature tick. Consider your resident cat\u2019s personality, and look for a cat that\u2019s similar in personality and energy level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe more you can get cat personalities to match, the better,\u201d says Megan Maxwell, a certified applied animal behaviorist in Blacksburg, Virginia. \u201cCats that are similar in personality are more likely to hit it off. A playful cat is a good match for a playful kitten.\u201d And that lively kitten may clash with a calm, older cat.<br \/>\nHow to Introduce Cats<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, the first introduction does not have to be negative. As you prepare to introduce your cat to a new addition, keep the following steps in mind.<\/p>\n<p><em>Don\u2019t Rush the Introduction Between Two Cats <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Before you bring your new cat home, prepare yourself for the introduction. The initial introduction is important, since it can make or break the relationship, says Pam Johnson-Bennett, certified animal behavior consultant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor both cats, abrupt introductions will cause them to go into survival mode, and they will start out their relationship being hostile toward each another,\u201d Johnson-Bennett writes in her book, Starting from Scratch: How to Correct Behavior Problems in Your Adult Cat. \u201cWhile in some cases, that hostility may ease as time goes on, it more often sets the tone for the relationship from that point on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Start By Keeping Them Apart<\/em><\/p>\n<p>When you bring your new cat home, place them in a room that\u2019s not your resident cat\u2019s primary space. Keep both animals isolated so that they can\u2019t see one another, preferably with a solid door between them. Make sure each cat has their own food, water, litter box, and scratching post.<\/p>\n<p>Before introducing the cats, make sure they are both relaxed and adjusting well to the situation. At first, the cats may sniff one another under the closed door, which can help them get used to each other in a nonthreatening, nonvisual way.<\/p>\n<p>You can start to create a positive association by placing their food bowls far enough away from the closed door that each is comfortable and relaxed on their own side. If this is several feet from the door, gradually move the bowls closer to the door until they are very close to it.<\/p>\n<p>This might take several days or more, so don\u2019t rush the process.<\/p>\n<p><em>Use Scent Transfer to Help Your Cats Get Comfortable<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Transferring each cat\u2019s scent to a sock and swapping them will safely allow each cat to become accustomed to the other cat\u2019s scent.<\/p>\n<p>Wipe the resident cat\u2019s face, especially the mouth and cheek areas, with a sock, and place it in the new cat\u2019s area. Then wipe the new cat\u2019s face with a different sock and place that in the resident cat\u2019s area. The following short video, by Johnson-Bennett, describes this process.<\/p>\n<p><em>Give Your New Cat Some Alone Time to Explore<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Your new cat needs to be able to safely investigate the rest of the home. This will help them feel more secure in their new surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>Twice a day, with your resident in their room, open the door to the new cat\u2019s room for an hour. This will allow the new cat to explore on their own terms and learn about their new environment.<\/p>\n<p>In doing so, your new cat can deposit their scent (as it walks about and rubs on items) and also encounter the resident cat\u2019s scent.<\/p>\n<p>This is nice extension to the scent swapping that was started with the sock.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure each cat is relaxed and calm before moving on to the next step.<\/p>\n<p><em>Bring Them Together With Positive Reinforcement<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Put a tall baby gate in the doorway of the new cat\u2019s room and cover it, leaving a few inches uncovered at the bottom. A temporary screen door, partially covered, can also be used in the doorway.<\/p>\n<p>Several times per day, feed each cat treats for just a few seconds with the resident cat across the room from the gated doorway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey get a quick peek at each other, and they are rewarded for it,\u201d says Matthew Wildman, pet care issues manager and resident cat expert at The Humane Society of the United States. \u201cIt\u2019s got to be a treat that each one really loves, or it\u2019s not going to be a positive experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Continue this daily until the cats are relaxed and not reacting to each other\u2019s presence when they see one another. Then uncover more of the gate so they can see each other better, and continue in this gradual fashion until the gate is entirely uncovered.<\/p>\n<p>Mealtimes can be fed this way, too. Close the door after each session. Gradually increase the time the cats are exposed to each other, and gradually move the treats or food closer to each side of the gate.<\/p>\n<p>The goal is to get the cats to associate each other with good things like treats and food. You can also try petting and brushing, depending on the cats\u2019 likes.<\/p>\n<p><em>Encourage Playtime<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Assuming things are going well, you can add in play using interactive cat toys such as prey-type toys dangling from a teaser wand.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re more comfortable, you can start out with the gate still in place. There can be two people, each playing with one cat, or one person standing at the gate or between the cats, with a toy in each hand and playing with both cats simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p>Keep sessions short. Always end these sessions before any negative interactions can occur.<\/p>\n<p>If things are going well, increase the amount of playtime. After a while, if the cats enjoy playing and there\u2019s no hissing, hard staring, or other hostile reactions, you can try playing with the cats without having the gate between them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the cat\u2019s laying down, purring, and casually glancing at the other cat or rubbing against the gate with her body, those are good indicators to move to the next step,\u201d Maxwell says. It is also great to reward these behaviors with treats.<\/p>\n<p><em>Supervise the Cats Without a Barrier<\/em><\/p>\n<p>By now, if all has gone well, your cats should be eating and playing peacefully in close proximity to one another. Remove the barrier between them and let them spend time together under your close supervision.<\/p>\n<p>You should, however, keep a barrier nearby; something handheld, like a large piece of cardboard. If there\u2019s the slightest sign of stalking or hard staring, you should distract and redirect the cats by showing them the fishing rod toy or other toys or treats. Be prepared to respond quickly to any potential aggression using the cardboard to separate them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you feel there\u2019s a chance they\u2019ll have a fight, it\u2019s better to have a piece of cardboard to put between them if the fight breaks out rather than reaching down with your hands,\u201d Maxwell says.<\/p>\n<p>End playtime on a happy note by rewarding them with treats. You can gradually increase the amount of time you allow your cats to be in the same area together, but always keep them under close supervision.<\/p>\n<p>It may take a while before you feel comfortable leaving them unsupervised. Until then, in between supervised sessions, the new cat is closed in their room, but continue to allow the new cat some private time to explore and move about the house daily (with the resident cat contained in another room).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want things to work out, but it may take more time than we think,\u201d says Wildman, noting that you may have to go back a few steps in the process. \u201cPatience almost always pays off with cats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If one cat hides more than usual, urinates outside of the box, or grooms herself to the point of hair loss, those are signs that she is unhappy or stressed, and you may need to spend more time working on positive reinforcement with the baby gate between your cats, Maxwell says.<\/p>\n<p>If problems persist, consult a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet the man who keeps the flags flying Judy Winslow says that the gentleman behind the scenes at Mount Rest Cemetery for all of these years has been Jim Rasmussen. Jim is an Air Force veteran. He does the repairs and oversees the set up of the flags. He checks the trailers and puts air <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=9666\">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-9666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9666","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=9666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9666\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}