Unlock the Secrets of Animal Footprints GIVE THIS ABANDONED MAMA CAT A FOREVER HOME Become a Nature Detective Open Your Heart
Have you ever discovered a mysterious set of animal tracks? Reading those footprints can be your ticket to uncovering the hidden world of wildlife right under your nose. Whether you’re on a camping trip hoping to spot one of your favorite critters or simply curious about the pawprints you stumbled on at home, we’re here to show you how to become a nature detective. Prepare and Observe You’ll have the best luck spotting tracks or other signs of animal life in places where wildlife is known to frequent. Find watering holes or other areas where animals may feed or gather. Tracks need a suitable medium, like snow, mud, sand, or soft dirt, for them to show. Regardless of where you’re heading, bring a field guide, a map of the area, hiking supplies, and tools for tracking, like a ruler, magnifying glass, and a camera. Count the Toes Your main clues to the owner of these natural calling cards are the number of toe and claw marks on the print. Canines, like wolves, and felines, like cougars, all have four toes, but you can see a significant difference between their claws. Cats have retractable claws, so their pawprints won’t always have claws. In contrast, birds have distinctive tracks with three long, skinny, forward-facing toes. Identify Your Prey When you have identified what animal family left the print behind, you can begin to home in on its exact species. Use a small ruler to measure the size of the track to give you clues. A wolf, for example, has similar prints to a dog, but they are about 2 inches wider. Context is also a crucial factor when you’re tracking. Think about the animals that live in the area. Would there be any domesticated dogs in the woods where you are hiking? Document your tracks with photos and notes in a nature journal. If you’re still unsure, go online and look at various animal tracks. You may find what you’re looking for!
Meet our pretty little mama cat, who is looking for a forever home.
This mama kitty was found by a dumpster, pregnant and hungry. At the end of April, she gave birth to four cute little kittens. Two look just like her. A third is an adventurous little black female, and the fourth is
a tuxedo boy.
This mama kitty raised and litter-box trained all four of her kittens. After they were weaned, they were all adopted by new owners. Now, this mama cat is looking for a home of her own. She is a little shy when she first meets you, but very friendly after she gets to know you. She loves attention and, after you start petting her, she can’t get enough.
She is a young cat, only about 1–1 1/2 years old. She is current on her vaccinations and has tested negative for feline leukemia and FIV. She is short-haired and keeps herself very clean.
So, next time you stumble upon animal tracks, get out your ruler and camera! Those prints could lead you on a great adventure!
If you would like to meet
her or are interested in adopting this pretty little girl,
just give us a call!
– Dr. Susie
2 970-856-4474
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