The inside scoop on Mäuseroulette

I sometimes find myself afflicted with a sense of insatiable curiosity and must know how things work. Upon reading an account from B., of the blog Ami in Schwabenland, about Mäuseroulette (mouse roulette), I had to know more about it.

She wrote a charming description of the game that was available at the medieval Christmas market in Esslingen. Basically, there is a ring of small medieval-looking houses set up on a table. Bettors place stones on top of the house of their choice. The proprietor lets a pet mouse free and it runs into a house at random. The bettor who had placed her stone on that particular house wins. How cute, huh?

I recently heard the "inside scoop" on the game and was completely thrilled about that because it helped to satisfy my curiosity. I met a German woman who is a seamstress and craftsperson who spends about six months of the year traveling to medieval markets to sell her wares.

Her son runs a Mäuseroulette game at her booth. I asked her if the houses have a snack inside (the word "snack" often makes more sense to Germans than the word "treat"). Oh no, the lady said; the mouse just runs into a house at random because it doesn't like being out in the open.

This family's mouse is not just a tool of the trade; she is part of the family. They have a cat too, and I smiled when the owner told me that they held the mouse up to the cat, saying that the mouse is family and is not to be eaten.

Dog parking at Elisabethmarkt in Munich

I saw this cute dog "parking" spot in the Elisabethmarkt in Munich. There are small buildings for the various food vendors and dogs aren't allowed inside. Instead, one can "park" one's dog outside, as indicated on this sign. I've seen similar things in Kaiserslautern, Heidelberg, Vienna, and more, just to name a few.

Veterinarian Review: Dr. Rahimi, Kaiserslautern

The little tables next to the orange chairs say "for your cat box" so owners can put the cage on top of it :)

Kleintierpraxis Rahimi
Lothringer Dell 48, Kaiserslautern

• Clean, cosy office
• English-speaking staff (at times, you might need to speak a little more slowly for undertanding)
• Open until 7 p.m. (great for those who work)
• Kind veterinarian, who takes the time (and treats!) to help the animal feel more comfortable
• Located in a residential area in the west side of Kaiserslautern
• A few parking spots in front of the practice but mostly street parking
• Cat boarding is available
• Physiotherapy is available for dogs
• Wide variety of medical treatments for dogs, cats, and other small animals, including surgery, laboratory work, dentistry, etc.
• Only cash or German EC (debit card) accepted; payment is expected at time of service

I took Moo to this vet for an appointment and wrote more about it here, but thought I'd give a quick synopsis in this post. I was happy with the service that Dr. Rahimi gave and especially like how he treated Moo.

Moo goes to the vet in Kaiserslautern

 I needed to take Moo to the vet (for a non-emergency) so I decided to try Dr. Rahimi, a vet in the west side of Kaiserslautern.  My friend had taken her cat there and had a positive experience so I thought I'd give him a try.

I was pleased to see that the practice offers evening hours, which are especially useful for those who work. It's open until 7 p.m. every weeknight and on Saturdays from 10-11 a.m. My appointment was at 6 p.m. and the waiting room was packed with people who looked as if they had just gotten out of work. I waited about half an hour until Moo was seen but didn't mind as the doctor worked through the roomful of patients quickly.

I liked Dr. Rahimi and his "Moo-side manner." He was gentle with Moo, seeing that he was a bit nervous. He gave him some kibbles as he was giving him a shot, petted him, did some more procedures, and gave him some more kibbles, mentioning how nice he thought Moo was. I like things like that. I know that vets are busy, but I also know from animal handling and training (especially with horses) that it makes sense to spend a few more seconds initially to make the procedure slightly more pleasant for the animal. Doing so saves time in the long run as it helps to decrease sourness  and anxiety that the animal feels toward the vet.

After he attended to Moo, Dr. Rahimi shook my hand and I returned to the lobby to pay for the visit in cash. Remember that the practice only accepts cash and the German EC debit card (I'm quite sure that my cards with the PIN+chip still wouldn't work since they're not EC).

I would rate the experience as a pleasant one. The practice is clean and the waiting room is cosy with art and plants. Dr. Rahimi was very nice and I like the way he handled Moo, trying to make the experience of being poked and prodded nicer by giving him some treats.

An incorrigible Chihuahua

One of the reasons that I love Germany: while at the biergarten, we saw an owner bring his cute long-haired chihuahua who was eating every scrap in sight, then was cuddled and baby-talked to by some ladies at the next table. For a while he went missing and the waitress came back with him, trying to keep a straight face and look very serious because he let himself into the kitchen. The dog did not look contrite in the least, and his owner scolded him in German, all the while smiling broadly. It was pretty funny.

Jump Around: the Pug Version

We recently found out that our coworker has a Pug. Well, more accurately, we found out that his daughter has a Pug. Of course we wanted him to bring the dog to work. We've been begging him for months and this week he finally did!

What a sweet Pug she is, too. She wandered around the office all day, visiting each employee and begging to be petted.

Then our coworker showed us her "trick." Apparently she gets all riled up when "Jump Around" by House of Pain is played. She doesn't do this with any other song. I even caught a video clip of it. I love Pug Day at work!

Even dogs love the biomarkt!

Biomarkt = store with organic foods; often a health food store

In the past, I've written about "parking" dogs outside of stores. It's not uncommon for Germans to bring their dogs with them all over the place, and it's also common that many places allow dogs. However, supermarkets often don't, probably for hygienic reasons.

When we were visiting Heidelberg, we walked by a biomarkt and saw these patient guys waiting for their owners to return.

Where's the Beef?

 

I stopped by Hornbach, which is a hardware store similar to Home Depot, to pick up some cat litter for Moo the Cat* since the store has one of the better prices on a large bag of it.

I saw a brand of cat supplies with the logo above: Mr. Beef. 

For some reason, I was bothered by this logo. I don't know if it's that I'm feeling like the logo implies that the cat is edible and tastes like beef (I would have guessed chicken, myself) or...I'm not sure! Or, is the food in this brand made of cats so they're like beef?  Or, even more accurately, am I just reading too much into this?

Part of me also finds it funny so I'm conflicted. 

I'm also a hypocrite. I have decided that if I ever own a dog, I would like to name him Bacon Bob Barker. Originally, the name was just going to be Bob Barker - get it, dogs bark, but he's also the host of The Price is Right? However, I think bacon is awesome so if someone said "I love bacon," I could say "me too!" and also be referring to my dog. Considering that it is unlikely that I will ever own a dog (they just don't work with my traveling lifestyle), I might not ever have a furry friend named B^3.

*speaking of Moo the Cat, I was talking to another student in my German class. She was surprised to hear that his name was Moo (which I think is a perfectly lovely and fitting name, btw). She then asked, "is he Muh the Kuh?" (Moo the Cow, in German). Yes, he is! Well, kind of. Cows are female, but whatever. We'll use the term in the colloquial since not everyone knows the proper bovine terms.

Cat toenail clipping in Germany: just say Nein!

Some of my expat friends and I have pets here in Germany. I personally have quickly learned that what one does with one's animal in the first country might not be common, or even allowed, in the next.

Take, for example, declawing cats. It is allowed (but sometimes controversial) in the US but is definitely not allowed in Germany. Imagine the weird looks when I told potential landlords during my apartment search that Moo was declawed. I kept getting these strange looks and thought that maybe it was a language barrier and I wasn't explaining it correctly. In the US, some apartments only allow declawed cats. I received Moo as an adult cat in the US and he had already been declawed. Once I realized that declawing was illegal in Germany, I stopped telling them that my cat had been (legally) "mutilated" in the US. Instead, I told them that he is a good cat and he doesn't ruin things. I figured that would cover all the basis, and it's true. I mean, once in a while, he does run around the apartment and bunches up a throw rug as a result, but that's easily fixed.

Here's another cultural difference: my friend was told that Germans don't clip their cats' toenails (usually). By clipping, I mean just using cat nail clippers to remove the extra tips of the nails that might grow too long into the cat's pads on its feet. I was curious if this is true, so I asked a German colleague. She said that she doesn't trim her cat's toenails, either, and she doesn't know anyone else who does. She has a scratching post and that keeps their nails short enough.

This was very interesting to me. In the US, it seems pretty common to use nail clippers on a cat, even with a scratching post. One of my friends has to do this because the cat's dewclaws, when grown too long, start to curl into the pads of the cat's feet. This is even a cat who uses the scratching post regularly.

In my own experience, I am a "bad" cat owner by US standards, but a "normal" cat owner by German standards. Moo was declawed on his front paws so he does still have back claws. I used to trim them but noticed that he would chew on them himself. I stopped trimming his toenails as a test and have not trimmed them since. He hasn't had any problems. I would imagine it depends on the cat; a friend in the US definitely has to trim her cat's toenails or the poor cat is uncomfortable because of the way they grow.

I asked about trimming dogs' toenails, and my colleague said that people do trim those.

Yoga, Moo, and the dangers therein

Moo has a keen interest in yoga. He is pictured here, seated next to his yoga kit.

I was doing yoga last night.

I'm a bit wobbly since my balance is terrible (all part of the being clumsy thing).

Moo entered the room and was excited to see me.

He knew I was a captive audience.

He made a bee line (moo line?) for me.

When he wants attention, he butts me with his head.

I saw him coming as I was doing a yoga pose, and I was like, dang it, Moo, don't come here and headbutt me and make me fall over!

Then I was laughing so  hard because it made me think of Jaws with ominous music and him approaching.

I was laughing so hard that I ended up falling over anyway.

As I laid on the floor, laughing, he came up and head butted me.

I laughed harder.

The local kitty

I was doing some staring out my window and heard some people exclaiming in happy tones. I looked out and saw a group of people clustered around a car. They were taking pictures of a cat sitting on the car. I found this funny because I had contemplated taking a picture of the same cat before on a different occasion so I took a picture of the people taking a picture of the cat.

I passed the cat later and made some friendly noises at him. He let me pet him so I'm guessing he's someone's house cat who goes out to sun himself on cars.

The subject of the hub bub.

Taking a picture of the people taking a picture of the cat.

He decided he needed a change of scenery so he moved to another car.

Say it ain't so! The Pferdemetzgeri

I was on an exploratory stroll in Kaiserslautern when I came across this meat shop:

I am still very much a beginner in the German language, but I knew that Metzgerei means butcher's shop.

My German teacher taught me early on that Pferd means horse, because it's my very favorite animal (Moo takes a second; sorry, Moo!).

I saw this sign and thought, say it ain't so! I asked in class and it is, indeed, a horse meat market.

However, I am not against people eating horse meat. To each his own...it's not something that I would do, but the one meat I will eat on occasion is pork and many people in the world won't eat that, either.

There has recently been a huge scandal with Ikea; horse meat was found in meatballs labeled as beef and there was a big uproar. Horse meat is probably healthier than cow meat is (it's a very lean meat), but it's a contamination issue if it's not on the label. Also, I could imagine that there are others out there who are okay with eating Bessie the Cow but don't want to eat Black Beauty the horse.

How do you translate cow?

Another place Moo doesn't belong but he helps himself to it anyway.

Since Moo is also party to my mooove (sorry, couldn't help it) to Germany, I decided that he also needs to be immersed in German culture (aside from eating German cat food that's also labeled in Italian, for some reason).

I decided to translate his name. In German, it is Muh. I think it sounds a bit emo, myself, like "meh," which, for the record, is one of my least favorite words/attitudes.

Someone once asked me if Moo is black and white. I was confused why she'd pick that color combination as a guess until I realized that it would make sense that a cat named after a cow theme would look like a cow. Nope, I named him Moo because he would prance around, begging for attention,"mooing" (meowing, but it does sound like a moo).

Moo & I made it to Germany

I made it to Germany without incident! 

Everything went smoothly with the flight to Germany for my PCS. At the airport, I carried Moo the Cat through security in my arms. It is required that the animal is leashed in some manner as he passes through security. I bought the TSA Fast Pass harness and leash for him, which didn't have metal, so we didn't set off the alarm. The TSA agents helped me push my bins of items through security and once I was through, the agent wanted to do additional screening. He wiped some sort of fabric over my hand and then sent me on my merry way. Moo was good when I carried him; he was definitely curious about being out of his carrier but didn't freak out, which was great. Then again, he's a reasonably mellow and very nice kitty.

Once I was through security, I had several hours to pass. I stopped by one of the airport stores and ended up letting the staff there pet him since they were animal lovers too. Moo stuck his head out of the carrier and they mauled him - too cute! He takes "maulings" very well.

The flight was uneventful, though I only got about 5 minutes of sleep at a time. Moo was quite good in his carrier; for the most part, he didn't complain. Toward the end of the flight, he meowed intermittently. I had been worried that if he meowed, it would bother other passengers. However, the noise from the flight was loud enough that his non-insistent meows weren't really noticeable. Phew!

When I arrived at the destination airport, Frankfurt, I had my veterinary paperwork in order for Moo as well as my orders for my PCS/to work in Germany. I was all set to be grilled about my plans but almost fell over in shock when the immigration agent just waved me through after I answered his asking why I was here with "I am coming to work at the military base." I bet he gets so many people coming through here for that reason that it's no surprise. I didn't even have to submit Moo's paperwork.

Moo and I were super tired after our flight, so I dropped him off at the hotel where I'm staying. Lucky Moo got to nap but I was off to begin my in-processing on base.

It's very tiring to "Moove" to Germany!

 

Moving to Germany: Moo the Cat Comes with Me, Part 2

Moo: I'm going where?!

After I researched airline requirements, I needed to find out what importation requirements there would be from Germany, the US (especially the Department of Agriculture), and the military to bring my cat  with me to Germany. I emailed back and forth with the state veterinarian for the Department of Agriculture and she was very helpful with explaining the requirements; she even sent me a checklist of things to do.

Keep in mind that these requirements are for a pet/companion animal; there would be totally different requirements for a breeding animal or one for sale, I am sure.

Here is what I found:


1. To move to Germany, the cat must have been microchipped with a microchip that meets certain ISO standards (International Organization for Standardization). This microchip can be read by the German microchip readers and are 15 digits long. If your pet doesn't have a microchip that is ISO compliant, but has a different chip, you could, in theory, buy your own scanner and bring it with you so the pet's microchip can be read. However, the microchip scanners can cost quite a bit (sometimes around $100) so it would make more sense to get the pet remicrochipped with a $35-ish ISO compliant chip.

2. The cat must have a rabies shot that is more than 21 days old but less than a year old. Be sure that your cat is microchipped BEFORE you get the rabies shot! The vet must register the rabies shot to the microchip to prove that the correct animal has been vaccinated. If you do it in the wrong order, you will have to get the animal revaccinated. I also found on some documentation that the vet's signature on the rabies certificate must be in blue ink. Even if you think that doesn't apply to you, it might be good to request blue ink just in case you need it for some reason. I believe the blue ink requirement is because it would be more difficult to forge/photocopy something recorded in blue ink. I had some snafus with this step; originally, I had Moo vaccinated at a mobile vet clinic at a pet supply store to save money on a office call. The vet gave me a carbon copy of the papers so the ink appeared black. I had a dickens of a time trying to get ahold of the vet for a certificate signed in blue because she was only a contractor. I was worried about receiving it in time so I ended up taking Moo to another vet and getting his shot redone. What a pain!

3. Within 10 days of the flight, the animal must have health papers (for my move to Germany, I am using the form called the "Veterinary Certificate to European Union") signed by a USDA approved vet who certifies that the cat is healthy and fit to fly. You would get this done at your regular vet if he's approved by the USDA. Your vet may have the papers but you can also look for them for the Dept. of Ag. Since I'm paranoid about having the most current edition, I will print them out and bring them myself since my rural vet  doesn't get too many of these cases.

4. After the pet has been checked and has had the Vet certificate filled out with a vet who is USDA-approved, a vet at the USDA must examine the certificate and complete the APHIS 7001 form, International Health Certificate. The certificate will cost $38 from the USDA. The papers can be mailed to the office or you can take them in person. Since I have such a limited time frame, I plan to drive to the USDA offices right after my regular vet does the health certificate and get the papers signed then. I was worried about the papers getting lost in the mail or not being in time for the flight, which is right after holiday closures. Plus, to pay for overnighting the paperwork by mail both ways would cost more than just making the hour drive to the USDA office.

Bring the copy of your cat's rabies and microchip certificates, as well as the veterinary certificate.

Be sure to check with the USDA about their office hours as well as when they're available to do the international health certificate. My state's office only has certain hours that they do this and I made an appointment. The vet even told me that Mr. Moo is welcome to come with me inside; she has been so nice and helpful :) I'm totally feeling like a crazy cat lady at this point, for sure, because I'm happy that Moo gets accompany me for errands and of course, for the move.

Moving to Germany: Moo the Cat Comes with Me, Part 1

Moving to Germany: what to do with Moo?

When I first found out that I was going to move Germany, I realized that I had a huge dilemma: what would I do with my cat, Moo, who has been my companion for the last nine years and is considered part of the family and well known for his Moo antics? At first, I thought that I might need to leave him behind. I was really worried that he would be incredibly stressed from moving. He's a rather mellow cat, so I think that I would the one doing the stressing, but still, it was a definite concern.

There seemed to be many hurdles to overcome with bringing him; my main concern was finding an apartment that would allow him and a secondary concern was how on earth I would get him to Deutschland. After all, it's difficult enough to find an apartment in the States that allows pets; I couldn't imagine trying to find a place in a foreign country. I inquired with my friend/current landlady and initially she was willing to keep him, as she does love the critter very much. It was a difficult decision, but I felt like it would've been better for Moo not to have all the stress of moving, and let's be honest: I was originally relieved to have the stress lifted of trying to find a place and to transport him.

It would've been hard to leave behind my companion & yoga partner!

However, some things changed for my friend, and she was not able to take him after all. I felt a moment of panic, but I was also relieved. I would have missed Moo so much; he's been a sweet and cuddly companion for nine years. Plus, in the last six months we had to put down our family dog of 12 years as well as my horse I had owned for 10 years. It would've been really difficult to lose one more family member/animal in the same year (though it wouldn't have been as bad as him passing away, of course).

Jumping into problem solving mode, I started searching online to see how difficult it would be to find an apartment that would allow a cat.I was relieved to find that in Germany, it's a bit easier to find a place. There might be a pet deposit or the rent might be a bit higher, but it appears that there are more places that will allow a pet. I have heard that Germans are very fond of their pets, so maybe this is why. (An aside: people can often bring their well-behaved, leashed dogs into many restaurants, so that really takes enthusiasm for pets to a new level! I have never personally seen a dog in a restaurant in Germany, but I have seen one in a restaurant in Paris so the French must also be quite fond of their pets too.)

He even helps sort paperwork! He's a very helpful kitty.

After finding that it shouldn't be impossible to rent an apartment that allows a cat, I started researching what a person needs to do to when she wants to include her cat in her PCS, or, Permanent Change of Station (moving), as they say with my employer. Below I will list some of the steps that I have taken; they are up to date as of December 2012, but if you are planning to move your pet, be sure to also do your own research because things change and your situation may vary.

I will start with the steps that I took with arranging to bring my cat with me on the flight; I'll write about other aspects in subsequent blog posts because this will be loooooong!

1. Decide how your cat will be making his way to the new country. Basically, there are three main ways of doing this: bringing the cat as your carry-on baggage on your flight, having him ride in the cargo area of the plane during your flight, or having him shipped separately. The first two options aren't cheap, but the last option is probably the most expensive way of going; I believe that I read that one company charged $600! I chose the first option; the flight I am taking doesn't even allow animals in the cargo area because it's not climate controlled. I have heard some horror stories of animals dying in the cargo area because they weren't suited for the climate in it, but I haven't heard of this from anyone that had experienced this directly.

2. Be sure to book your cat's plane travel right away! Do it right when you book your flight, or immediately after. If you book online, depending on the airline, you might need to call the airline to amend your reservation to include your cat. Airlines limit how many pets are allowed in the cabin, for example, and these spots fill up quickly. I booked my flight ticket through my employer's travel agency right around Thanksgiving, and then it dawned on me that I needed to book travel for Moo, too. I thought that I had enough time because it was more than seven weeks before the flight, but I called Delta anyway. I was glad that I did! The flight only allowed four pets in the cabin for the flight, and Moo took the last spot. I would have been out of luck had I not reserved that space because the particular plane for that flight did not allow animals to fly in the cargo area.

3. Start preparing yourself for sticker shock for how much everything will cost to get your beloved furball overseas. Moo, as "carry-on luggage" (which I'm sure he isn't looking forward to!), is a crisp $200 fee for the international flight (which I booked on the phone but will pay for in person when I check in for the flight). That's grating on my nerves a bit because I'm going to have to stick him (inside his carrier) under the seat in front of me and consequently I won't have any legroom. Even worse, of course, is that he's going to be rather squished! It's crazy to have to pay $200 for this "privilege," but it is just something I'll have to accept (and by extension, he will, too -- poor Moo!).

4. Make sure that your pet, his carrier, and his accessories will meet all of the requirements for the flight, as well as those of the destination country. For example, some airlines have blackout dates when animals can't travel in the cargo area because of extreme temperatures. Some smooshed-face breeds have restrictions because of concerns of them being able to breathe. Particular breeds may be banned in your destination. Learn about this ahead of time to avoid major problems and heartbreak. There are many rules related to the carrier/cage, feeding the pet, tranquilizing him, etc. Check with your airline as well as with the Department of Agriculture. There are so many things to check; this is just a start! For example, certain types of pet crates are forbidden in the cargo area or you may have to replace the flimsy hardware on them with more substantial metal parts. Most airlines require that the animal be able to stand up and turn around freely without his head touching the top in the crate if he is being flown in the cargo area. For animals going as carry-on baggage, it's okay for their heads to touch the top of the carrier, but they still must be able to turn around in the carrier. The carrier must meet carry-on size requirements. Don't just go by the tag that says "airline approved." Actually check with your particular airline because their requirements vary.


5. Find out what you must do with the cat at the airport and on the flight. The first part of this would be to find out about TSA screening requirements, and definitely check their website for the latest information. At the time of my search, I learned that I must remove Moo from the carrier and walk through security with him. If I don't do that, I would have to take him in his carrier to a separate screening area to be checked. I'm not sure what that would entail so I'm going to put myself in peril of being scratched by a panicked cat and walk through security with him in arms. Being a smarty pants, I noted that it's unfortunate that I can't wear my coat and oven mitts to avoid being scratched, but that would probably be viewed as a security risk itself so I'll avoid doing that. The animal must be leashed during this process, which brings up another problem: metal on the animal's collar might set off the alarm. Thankfully, there is a way around this -- I bought a metal free harness and leash from a pet supply store that specializes in pet airline supplies (which I'll review in another post).

Once you get into the airport itself, it should be easier sailing. Just don't remove your animal from the carrier if you can avoid it. You won't be allowed to remove him during the flight, either, so avoid envisioning Fluffy chillin' on your lap as you wait for beverage service.