Scratch This: Thinking of a pet as a holiday gift?

Us animal advocates continually emphasize that pets aren’t presents any more than promising a new baby for Valentine’s Day is a present (did I just write that?). Nonetheless, humans of all ages will always plead for pets for birthdays, Christmas and other gifting holidays.

So, the best thing we can do is to help get the pet into a forever home without objectifying them or making them a “surprise” that the recipient may either not want or bond with because they didn’t choose the pet themselves.

Every year at this time, I fly the certificate at the beginning of the article. If someone you know wants a pet as a holiday gift, you download it, print it out, and present it to your friend or family member. Then, you plan a time when you all can hit a shelter or a rescue to find the new buddy.

While the lucky human is meeting the animals and baby-talking to them, you watch until they find their new love. If there’s no success at one location, hit another. You then pay the adoption fee and maybe take a shopping trip to buy toys, treats, litter boxes, leashes or anything the new family member might need.

A full listing of local rescues and shelters is first up on the resources link at the very end of the column.

This certificate is good only for shelters and rescues. If you buy online, from a flyer stapled to a utility pole, or from a backyard breeder, which is the same thing, the certificate will self-destruct (no, of course it won’t, but a lot of hearts will, mine included). Those sources comprise part of what fills shelters and rescues to overflowing — details here — so make an unwanted pet’s day at a shelter or a rescue and eliminate the expensive middleperson.

Remember: We’re as much gifts to pets as they are to us.

Thanksgiving note

I’m thankful for all the heroes of animals who inspire these articles, for you guys who read them, and my houseful of freeloading cats. They, too, will be enjoying their usual holiday meal for which they express their gratitude by allowing me to share my bed with them.

Remember, have a safe place for the pets to stay so that they don’t charge the front door when guests arrive for Thanksgiving dinner or if they’ve had enough of the family. They, at least, should have that refuge, even if you can’t. Most important: Certain holiday food is OK to give to your pet in small amounts, but certain types should never be fed to them. Nibbles of ham, turkey, vegetables and pumpkin are fine, but grapes, raisins, alcoholic beverages (watch the inquiring whiskered snouts), skin, gravy, chocolate and dairy — never. Cats.com has published an engaging detailed article, ”Can Cats Eat Thanksgiving Food?,” about friendly and unfriendly food for cats. The article applies to dogs as well. Try a few of the “recipes” for holiday meals that the author suggests for your pet. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner should always be that easy!

Yours drooly

The Little Lion Foundation is one of the many rescues listed in the link below. Their volunteers work nonstop to save and support kitties in our community, no matter how small, no matter what issues they have. The nonprofit’s Little Paws Project kitten nursery takes in tiny neonatals from shelters, where they otherwise might be euthanized, and turns them into healthy, furry, playful kittens ready to be adopted. Sometimes, the momcat gets to do it herself, like Mama Jay did.

To adopt Mama Jay or any Little Lion, follow the directions on the rescue’s adoption page. You’ll see myriad adoptable moggies there as well. Donation info is available on the website, and to have a fun time supporting The Little Lion Foundation, attend their Whiskers in Wonderland event! Details in Tail-waggin’ and nose-boopin’events.

Hello, I'm Mama Jay! I've had the joy of raising three adorable kitten nuggets, but now I'm ready to find my forever home and embrace my playful side again. I may start off a bit shy, but once I feel at ease, I love to stretch out and relax. I enjoy receiving pets, and my foster mom says I'm quite the little chatterbox!

I’m Lyra. I get my name from one of the favorite fantasy series of one of our volunteers. I pride myself in being strong and independent but also very sweet and cuddly. I was honored to be the face of a Little Lion foundation fundraising campaign. In this photo, I’m out and about at local shops enjoying the attention and curiously exploring the vinyl, looking for a disk by the Stray Cats or maybe Pussy Riot. My favorite pastimes include riding in a pet stroller, chasing wand toys, and curling up next to you at the end of the day and purring.

Hi, I'm Falcon, and yeah, my name sounds fast, but honestly, I'm more of a professional napper. Speed is overrated when there's a cozy spot calling my name! I may be blind, but trust me, I've got super-senses when it comes to finding my food bowl and pouncing on my rattle-mice toys. Wrestling with my foster siblings, Robin and Autumn, is basically my cardio, and after that, I'm all about getting pampered by my fellow cats. Who doesn't love a free spa day, am I right?

So, if you're looking for a laid-back, snack loving cuddle buddy who also enjoys some playtime, I'm your guy. Let's nap and snack our way through life together! Check out more videos/photos of my cute face on Instagram @luckys_fosters. If you have any questions about a blind kitty being the right fit for your home, reach out to the adoption team at TheLittleLionFoundation@Gmail.com!

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Locals-Only Art Show at Cool Cat Collective

The Cool Cat Collective is part shop, part gallery and all-cat dedicated, including to the adoptable cats in their little play area. Cool Cat is using art to help local cats find homes for the holidays with its first open-submissions, all-ages art show that features artwork from a wide range of artists depicting adoptable cats from nonprofit 501(c)3 animal rescues located in Los Angeles County or Orange County. All proceeds from sales will be donated to the rescue organizations where the featured cats are located.

Little Lion Foundation’s Whiskers in Wonderland

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and The Little Lion Foundation is putting on a do for you on the water! Share an evening filled with fun, compassion and the joy of making a difference in otherwise hopeless little lives. Enjoy whisker-licking hors d’oeuvres and drinks, play Pick a Prize, with dozens of kitten-themed prizes; sign up for the silent auction; and go for a Duffy Boat ride — you can bat at the fishies in the bay. Meet some of the adorable Little Lions who’ll benefit from the proceeds to get the care and nurturing they need to have a good, happy life in a forever home! Can’t attend? Bid on the silent auction here!

Whiskers in Wonderland takes place Sunday, Dec. 1, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. at Boathouse on the Bay, 190 N. Marina Dr., Long Beach. Tickets are $76.54, Duffy Boat rides $28.52, all available here.

CAMP low-cost mobile vaccine clinic at Zoom Room

Long Beach’s favorite playground and learning center for dogs welcomes the Community Animal Medicine Project (CAMP) to its parking lot so that your pets can get their vaccines and stay healthy. After, you and the dogs might want to check out the Zoom Room for its great services! The cats will more than likely want to get the heck home. No appointments — just show up. Details about the types of vaccines, cost and clinic schedule for other parts of the city are available here.

The CAMP mobile clinic will be at the Zoom Room Dec. 20, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. The Zoom Room is located at 100 E. Willow St., Long Beach.

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.