March 27, 2020
We all can agree that these are challenging times. We are being asked to suspend all cat shows and events, social distance away from friends and family outside our home, work and learn from home, and the list goes on.
During this time of uncertainty, you can count on TICA to continue to serve you. While our Executive Office staff remain working from home, rest assured, tickets will continue to be processed, so keep an eye on your email in case questions arise about your work request. We have set up a phone number you can call between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CDT) to submit a credit card payment 956-536-0595. You can still request service at submit.work@tica.org. Go to tica.org to learn or any changes.
To give you, our members, a little good news each week we are suspending our monthly newsletter to deliver our weekly TICA GOOD NEWSletter.
Every Friday this newsletter will highlight inspiring stories about clubs helping others during these challenging and uncharted times, offer craft activities in TICA’s Creative Corner, provide tips and advice on how to social distance with your cat, distract you with fun cat videos, and hold a weekly contest where you can win TICA cat swag, including Sturdi Products, Dr. Elsey’s Cat Products including CleanProtein food and litter items, Doc & Phoebe indoor hunter feeding system, Sleepypod products – including some newly launched items, Purrmaids plush and beautiful enamel pins, Royal Canin, PetFusion, PetKing Brands Animal Health’s ZYMOX® Dermatology, Ear Care and Oratene® Brushless Dental Care products, Aunt Bea’s Freeze Dried Treats, ThirstyCat Fountains, and an array of TICA items including upcoming Free memberships and registrations, among others.
This newsletter hopes to help motivate and inspire us is to move through these hard times together so we can come out even stronger.
Thank you for sharing your fabulous felines and helping us create the fun and friendships that makes TICA unique!
Vickie
In This Issue
Going Above and Beyond: TICA Clubs Helping Others in Time of Need | TICA Great Lakes Region Organizes Two “How Can I Help” Campaigns | Enter TICA’s “Cat’s Will do Anything for Food” Contest to Win a 6.6 lb. Bag of Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein Cat Food | TICA Creates Creative Corner for Kids & Adults | Activities to do With Your Cat That Are At Low Risk For Covid-19 | Are Cat’s As Easy to Train as Dogs? | TICA Good News March 20 Contest Winners “Cats Helping Their Families Social Distance”
Going Above and Beyond: TICA Clubs Helping Others in Time of Need
The coronavirus continues to change the way we conduct our lives, our hobby, and life as we know it in general.
While clubs have chosen to or have been forced to cancel shows, some resulting in significant financial burden, to ensure the safety of our members and exhibitors, some clubs are using this as an opportunity to enhance the fellowship between TICA clubs.
One such club – the Ancient City Cat Club in St. Augustine, Florida – did just that.
Due to the coronavirus, the state of Ohio was early in canceling all events that would have drawn significant visitors. Even though judges’ flights were already paid for and exhibitors on their way, there was no option for Showcats: Columbus other than to take a financial loss and cancel the show the day before the event.
The Ancient City Cat Club had worked with Showcats several times and benefited from the assistance and information they provided over the years to help create successful shows. As a result, the club was able to organize five successful annual shows that resulted in a reasonable amount of funds in their bank account.
Showcats was the first club the Ancient City Cat Club knew of that had their show cancelled by the government. This prompted them to pay it forward and donate $1,000.00 to Showcats as a gesture of gratitude and good will and in hopes to offset expenses and keep our beloved hobby going.
TICA Great Lakes Region Organizes Two “How Can I Help” Campaigns
To help members and clubs in the Great Lakes Region amid the coronavirus pandemic, TICA Great Lakes Regional Director Dr. Liz Brown has organized two “How Can I Help” campaigns that focus on members helping members and members helping clubs in the Region. The campaigns were developed in response to the numerous requests Dr. Brown has received with just that question. GL Disaster Relief Committee Chair Nichole Kelland is assisting Dr. Brown with all campaign efforts. Campaigns are as follows:
TICA Great Lakes Members Helping Members Covid-19 campaign focuses on individual members’ needs. The movement reminds clubs to reach out and check on their members regularly to make sure they are not getting down from the impact of social isolation and to find out if they are in need any assistance (human or feline). The club asks for members willing to donate supplies or participate in a phone tree to check on members to contact Nichole Kelland at Emmerscattery@gmail.com or Liz Brown at either TICAGLRD@gmail.com or (636) 734-9233.
TICA Members Helping Clubs & The Region Fundraiser campaign focuses on the financial loss GL clubs have endured as a result of the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic. GL regional clubs Showcats, Great Lakes Friends of Felines (GLFOF), and Wisconsin-Illinois Cat Fanciers all had shows cancelled which poses a huge financial loss to each club. Donations to the TICA GL Fund Raiser could make the difference as to whether these clubs are able to continue in the future.
Members can help by:
Contributing to the Go Fund Me page the GL Region has set up raise money for the clubs who can demonstrate loss of revenue from show cancellations and that aren’t covered by TICA. Funds will be divided by clubs on a case-by-case basis in response to their individual loses. Click here to make a donation now.
Donate directly to the club of their choice, Showcats Columbus richsonrex@earthlink.net, GLFOF PaypalGLFOF@gmail.com, Wisconsin-Illinois Cat Fanciers wisillcat@yahoo.com
Make a donation to the overall Region email TICAGLPaypal@gmail.com.
Enter TICA’s “Cat’s Will do Anything for Food” Contest to Win a 6.6 lb. Bag of Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein Cat Food
Two Finalists to Receive 40 lb. bags of Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter
If you own a cat you know one of their favorite pastimes is eating. That’s why this week TICA is looking for your best photo of cats and food. Photos can be of anything feline and food related, your cats doing tricks for food, kitties in the chip bag, even your feline food coma pictures.
TICA members can enter by emailing a high resolution – 300 dpi preferred – food-related cat photo along with a catchy caption, your name, and TICA Region to newsletter@tica.org. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
One grand price winner and two finalists will be chosen at random and featured with other top entries in the April 3 issue of TICA’s GOOD NEWSletter and on TICA social media pages. The Grand prize winner will receive a 6.6 lb. bag of Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein cat food. Two finalists will receive coupons for complimentary 40 lb. bags of Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter.
CONTEST RULES: 1. Animals and humans in the photos and the photos themselves must be owned/taken by you. If the animals aren’t yours, you must have written and signed permission from the owners. You cannot enter the contest for someone else. 2. Send only previously non-published photos and photos that have not won previous photo contests. (Photos must not have appeared before in a print publication.) 3. All entries must include a caption, your name, email address, phone number, and the pets’ name and breed (if known). 4. Finalist photos will be judged based on production values (in focus, good lighting, high enough resolution — 300 dpi preferred), adherence to the themes and appeal. 5. You must be 18 or older to enter. Employees and relatives of The International Cat Association (TICA) are not eligible to enter. 6. Winners will be announced the following week in TICA’s GOOD NEWSletter. Winners will also be posted on our social media. TICA will have the rights to use all entry photos and winners’/pets’ names, city/state/country plus any text provided in all print media, websites or social media owned in perpetuity by TICA. 7. The photo contest is open to all TICA members. 8. Void where prohibited by law. 9. You must be a member of TICA.
TICA Creates Creative Corner for Kids & Adults
People around the country and the world trying to practice safe social distancing and self-quarantine as we attempt to “flatten the curve” and reduce the spread of the coronavirus. To help make time spent indoors more fun, TICA created a Creative Corner on tica.org to help nurture your imagination with art, crafts, and activities for creative cat lovers.
The page is a friendly community for creative adults, parents, kids, and teachers that will share fun and easy.
This week TICA posted a DIY cat bed made from cardboard and 14 DIY craft Ideas, including how to make cute plush cats, purr-fect slippers, cat ear hair ties, meow-worthy bookmarks and many other fun crafts using many supplies you can find around the house.
Activities will be added each week, so stop by often and remember to email your finished creations to newsletter@tica.org so we can share them with the rest of TICA’s world.
Activities to do With Your Cat That Are At Low Risk For Covid-19
Currently, there is no evidence that pets can become sick with the coronavirus (Covid-19). Infectious disease experts, as well as the CDC, OIE, and WHO indicate there is no evidence to suggest that pet dogs or cats can be a source of infection with SARS-CoV-2, including spreading COVID-19 to people.
While Covid-19 has kept us from socializing and embracing our friends and family, it’s given us an excuse to hug our pets and enjoy extra time with our cats.
With that in mind, TICA thought we’d remind you of some of the activities you can do with your cat that keep you at low risk for contracting Covid-19. Among them:
- Playing with your cat
- Staring with your feline friend
- Unlimited pets for your kitty
- Telling him he’s a “Good Cat”
- Giving your cat treats
- Entering TICA’s Weekly contest and win your cat some cool TICA loot
Let us know the favorite activity you like to do with your cat to help get you through social distancing by emailing us at newsletter@tica.org with the subject “Activity” so we can share with all your TICA friends in next week’s newsletter.
Are Cat’s As Easy to Train as Dogs?
Using a training method called “operant conditioning,” or clicker training, PBS’ primetime science showcase Nova discusses how a traveling troupe of cats have learned an impressive array of tricks.
Click here to watch a portion of the show.
TICA Good News March 20 Contest Winners “Cats Helping Their Families Social Distance”
We’re excited to announce the winners of TICA’s first Good News contest. The theme of this week’s contest was for members to show us how their cat is helping them get through the challenges of social distancing.
Last week’s photo contest received more than 50 submissions from the United States and places as far away as Italy, Austria, Belgium, and Argentina. We thank everyone who entered, and we look forward to your participation in this week’s new contest.
