Volunteer Cheryl Chmielewski of Norwich is a Cat Snuggler and Fur Squad member for the Connecticut Humane Society in Waterford.

She splits her time three hours once weekly among petting, playing and socializing with cats and kittens that have adjusted to being at CHS and earning the trust of those who are withdrawn or defensive.

“It takes a lot of patience” to help the cats “realize that they’re not going to be hurt. It’s okay,” Chmielewski said during a telephone interview. “They don’t understand that you’re there to help them. They’re like all of a sudden, ‘Where’s my family? Why am I here? I don’t understand.’”

“Fur Squads have been at each of CHS’ three locations for many years and are supported by the behavior department. Dogs have the Mod Squad, where volunteers work on similar things for dogs (like socialization and learning to trust humans), and also work on training and commands,” said CHS Marketing and Communications Manager Susan M. Wollschlager in an email.

Winter tips for caring for pets

Wollschlager has much advice for people caring for animals: Just like during the warm summer months when cars can get too hot for dogs, they can get too cold in the winter, which is why people should leave their dogs home with their toys for their well-being – where it’s safe, warm and comfortable.

“I know it’s tempting, because they get bored in the winter. Maybe they love going in the car, but you just want to err on the side of caution and not do that, especially in these really cold temperatures that we’ve been having.”

If you see a dog that seems “like they’re in distress and they’ve been in the car and the cold for a while, I always say to people, ‘See something, say something.’ Report it to that business; you can call your local animal control, police department or 911 and then they can get involved to help make sure the dog is OK — just the same as you would in the summer,” Wollschlager said during a telephone interview.

Even though some dogs really want to go for a walk or play/explore in the yard, “you definitely want to limit” their time outdoors when it’s really cold outside to about 15 minutes, she added. “And that is if your pet is in good health (and) they have a good amount of fluff in their fur.”

Young and very old dogs, especially if they have health challenges going on and their fur is very thin, should “spend even less time outside.”

She said coats and little booties are an option, as long as the dog is comfortable with it. Reinforce with treats “to show them it’s a positive thing.”

There is also a 15-minute tethering law for dogs during certain weather conditions and overnight outdoors.

Those caring for stray and feral cats outside “can use a storage container and cut a little hole in it for the cat to go in and out,” Wollschlager said. She recommended using straw inside the enclosure, which will help keep them warm, rather than blankets or hay that retain moisture.

Also, use a dark-colored enclosure to “camouflage and hide it from predators.” It’s also OK to monitor the cats, their food and water and the enclosure to see if it has tipped over or needs more straw.

Another option if you see stray cats is to call your local animal control department, she said. If you have asked around and there are no missing cats matching their description and “there truly is no owner,” they can adopt them out.

“If the cat allows you to get near it and pet it, it is not feral, because the feral cat is not going to want anything to do with a person. They’re not going to come up to you or ask for affection,” Wollschlager said. Feral cats “need to just stay in their environment in their colony as long as it’s safe and cared for. “Our state is lucky that there are so many people in the community that do that for these feral cats.”

Think it through

Before adopting a pet, Wollschlager said it’s important to think it through and make sure “the whole household is on board.”

Sometimes people give up their pets to be rehomed because of veterinary costs, medical/behavioral issues, moving and not being allowed by landlords.

CTS does not allow people to adopt a pet as a gift, she said. “We want the person or people who will be the main caretakers for their pets to be involved in choosing the animal and making sure that they are ready.”

“So we have conversations with them during the adoption process,” she said, which include adoption counselors and sometimes someone from the CTS medical team, “especially if the pet has some medical issues, like a food allergy, or maybe arthritis, or bladder stones, because we want them to come at it from every angle and be as completely informed as possible. Or sometimes they might even be talking to someone from our behavior team who says, ‘These are some of the strategies we’ve been using for this dog who’s working on leash manners and these are some of the things that you can continue with ... to make sure that it will be successful.’ We want to set up both the pet and the people for success, so that they don’t run into these issues, or if they do, they know they can turn to us for help and further advice so that they can help the pet fully settle into the family.”

Regarding dogs, give careful consideration to the breed and characteristics. For example there might be a “type of breed or mix that is very high energy and really wants to go hiking or be your jogging buddy and then there are other ones that are more relaxed and may be a couch potato, or just not need as much mental stimulation or physical activity. Then you have some dogs that really like to problem solve and have a job/responsibility, and if you don’t give them one, they will find their own. And it might mean destroying pillows,” Wollschlager said.

Also, consider the age of the pet you should get. “Kittens and puppies aren’t for everybody, because they are learning about everything. They don’t know what’s a toy or what is not a toy. They’re going through a teething phase when they want to put everything in their mouth and chew on it. But if you get a pet who’s already an adult, they may be coming with some training; they’re a little bit more mellow. So you need to look at your lifestyle and what will fit best with you and your home and your family.”

Regarding behavioral issues, Wollschlager said, “It’s always a good idea to seek out a local trainer and turn to an expert, because they’ve seen it all. They have a lot of strategies that they can offer to you and maybe past cases that they’ve seen that might be similar to yours. So that’s one idea. And also on our website, we have a whole resource library with different videos and articles about various behavior challenges people might be facing, whether that’s having multiple animals in your home, maybe it’s a litter box issue with your cat, or your dog is very afraid, or your dog doesn’t have any leash manners.”

Additionally, people can lower veterinary costs by scheduling an appointment for care and vaccinations at a vet clinic or one of CHS’ “pop-up” clinics. Two are being planned for the spring in Norwich. CHS also has a pet food pantry at each of its three locations and brings food along when it visits towns.

Chmielewski admits some of the cats she works with “tug at her heart.” However, she cannot take any of them home, because her 16-year-old cat, Louie, whom she adopted as a kitten from CHS, has health issues and is on a special diet.

She said she hopes potential pet owners consider that adopting a pet is “a commitment. It’s their life. You are their world.” Unlike a plant, which you can just water once weekly, Chmielewski said, “You have to have time for this animal” to be attentive and play with it. She also pointed out that while guinea pigs might live two years, a cat can live 18 to 20 years.

Another consideration is when parents attempt to teach their children responsibility by making them responsible for their pets’ care and they don’t follow through. Will the animal be returned to CHS or will parents take over the responsibility, or at least work with the child?

The Connecticut Humane Society’s Waterford branch is located at 169 Old Colchester Road in Quaker Hill. The Humane Society also has locations at 701 Russell Road in Newington and 455 Post Road East in Westport. Because of the pandemic, pets can only be viewed by appointment. For more information, call 800-452-0114 or go to cthumane.org. Jan Tormay, a longtime Norwich resident, now lives in Westerly.