Kit Goes Home For Chrsitmas

Kit will be home for Christmas!! Actually she left last Wednesday. Initially her new dad was going to take Franny, too. Not having had pets for a long time and living alone he decided to only adopt Kit and see how things went. No worries! Franny was just happy for Kit and very understanding! She will be in a quiet home which suits her!

After Kit left we brought Monty to PetSmart. Monty at the Shelter was super sweet, friendly and loving. A long haired orange and white male - we thought he would be snatched up in no time. Well, our sweet Monty apparently hated PetSmart and had trouble settling in. After three consecutive days of receiving reports of growling, swatting and even lunging at volunteers we decided to bring him back. He was VERY happy when he was picked up.

So, pretty Mistle Toe has replaced Monty. She is so gorgeous! She is a five year old torti blue point with a bit of a Himalayan face. She was definitely someone's pet. She had been spayed when she arrived - brought in by animal control. She was thin and had a lot of fleas. She feels a lot better and she is ready to go home for Christmas! (In her picture she looks a little angry but believe me, she's not!)

Our Holiday Open House & Pet Photos With Santa was a huge success. If you have not seen it please read the article and the pictures that appeared in The Herald. The link is to the right.

I am not going to bug everyone about the calendar until after Christmas! Special thanks to Larissa for covering Christmas morning!!!

May all of you, your family, pets,
friends and loved ones
have an absolutely wonderful Christmas!!
You are all on Santa's nice list!!

Rusty Long Hair Is Out The Door!!!

Well, we knew that wouldn't take long and indeed it didn't!! Rusty Longhair left Wednesday night with a very excited new dad. He will have several feline companions in his new home and shall want for nothing!!

Kit and Frannie have been adopted together however will not be picked up until Wednesday night. Rather than put them through the stress of bringing them back to the Shelter only to be moved again in a few days into their new homw we are going to just let them stay at PetSmart.

Two new cats arrived yesterday - Carmel and Carter. Carter is the black one. These two were left along with Rusty Long Hair at the vet office a few weeks ago. They are both very friendly and outgoing!! Both are males, over five years old and came in neutered and ear tipped. They are sharing two cubicles.

The December calendar is one time slot short of being complete. The last open date is the morning cleaning on Friday, December 23. Let me know if you can cover.

Don't forget our Holiday Open House and Pet Photos With Santa tomorrow! It will be fun!

Say Hello To Rusty Long Hair!

Speckles seems to be suffering from the same eye issue as Ricky so we brought her back to the Shelter. Rusty Long Hair was brought to PetSmart on Saturday to take her place. About three weeks ago Rusty was left over night along with four other long haired cats at the door of Parkway Veterinarians on Route 9 in Court House. All the cats are several years old, spayed/neutered and ear tipped. All are VERY friendly. A couple of them may be over ten years old. We estimate Rusty LH to be about five years old. As you will see he is VERY friendly and sweet!! He will fit in well in a home with other kids, cats and dogs.

Barb A and the crew won another first place prize in the West Cape May Christmas Parade on this past Saturday with the theme "Bow Wow Pow Wow." Below is a picture of the float and one of our participating PetSmart volunteers. Nice job, guys!!!!

Slowly but surely we are getting the December schedule complete. Only two open dates remain - both in the morning: Thursday, December 22 and Friday, December 23. Let me know if you can cover either of them.

Reminder....Holiday Open House and Santa Pet Photos this Saturday, December 11 at the shelter!!! Should be a lot of fun!!!

Let's Get Caught Up!!

Time for us to get all caught up and back on track!! Thanks for taking care of everything while I was away. Seems as soon as I returned we all got caught up in the Thanksgiving holiday and time has flown by! LOTS going on!!

Stevie and Ray FINALLY were adopted and left Friday afternoon. Yes, they went together. They will be joining a young couple and another cat. They are probably rip racing around that house as I type this and will continue to do so while you are reading this!!! The young man adopting them was so excited when I called him.

Ricky was brought back to the Shelter due to a weepy eye. He will be on meds for a short time and will be fine.

Four cats arrived in the last week that did not receive the proper introductions so I shall do that now. Three of the four will adapt well to most homes. The fourth, Bella, is a scaredy cat and needs to be adopted by someone who will be patient while she learns to relax and trust her surroundings.

Johnny is a sweet young male that showed up in the backyard of one of our volunteers. He was already neutered and even has a small ear tip. We were unable to find where he came from and no one has reported him lost.

Little Bella is a brown tiger about five months old and is sweet but quite shy. She is showing signs of stress so please move slowly with her and for now do not force her out of the cage. She will take time. She came into the shelter as a small kitten in June after being found in someone's shed. If she does not adapt to Petsmart we will bring her back to the Shelter.

Madison is a torti about five months old and came into the Shelter at about the same time as Bella. They are very close to the same age. They lived together in a cage at the Shelter so we put them in the big cage. Although they get along they will be fine if separated.

Frannie is a gray muted tiger that is several years old. She came into the Shelter in August very skinny and sick from lack of nourishment. We put some weight on her and she looks great! She is a sweetie and will make a nice little companion.

So there you have it...Johnny, Bella, Madison and Frannie...welcome! Also, this Saturday dogs will be at the store 12:00-3:00pm.

I hope you all received my email about the Holiday Open House and Pet Photos at the shelter on Sunday, December 11, 12:00-3:00pm. There will be refreshments. Feel free to bring a friend and spread the word. Hopefully many of you will be able to make it. If you did not receive a flyer and would like a copy let me know and I will email it again.

Reminder...if you want to participate in the West Cape May Christmas Parade it is this Saturday, December 3. Email Barb at gbarbis@comcast.net for details.

Special thanks to Patti, Crystal and Linda for attending the pet photos at the Princeton in Avalon on Black Friday along with dogs Jade and Cody. The event went well!! This is a great picture of all of them!!

There is still some mornings in December that need to be filled so please let me know if you are available to cover any of them:
Sunday, December 4, AM Cleaning
Thursday, December 8, AM Cleaning
Friday, December 9, AM Cleaning
Friday, December 16, AM Cleaning
Thursday, December 22, AM Cleaning
Friday, December 23, AM Cleaning
Friday, December 30, AM Cleaning

Great Week!!!

Such a good week!! Big Ramses went home and so do did pathetic Igloo! Ramses will be the only cat in the house and is going to be spoiled rotten! His new mom first saw him at the Shelter and really liked him but at that time he was sick and could not be adopted. She said she would be back but we did not know her name so could not contact her when he was well. So, when he was ready for adoption he was sent to PetSmart. The applicant's daughter was in the store, saw him and called her mother to tell her about the wonderful cat she thought she should come see and adopt. Lo and behold - it was the same person who originally wanted him!! Now that is a "meant to be" adoption!!! He left Wednesday night.

Igloo left yesterday afternoon. Special thanks to Larissa for making arrangements to send him home mid-afternoon. After knowing how he ended up in the shelter and hearing everyone say the same things - he is sad, drooling, won't eat, won't come out - this ending is even better. His new mom adopted from us last year...an older declawed big fat calico. She met Igloo Wednesday night and loved him. Since she had to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday the poor guy would have been forced to endure yet another week like that. Larissa generously offered to handle things yesterday if the application was approved. It is a quiet household with one person and one other cat. Just what Igloo needs!! I know this will make you all VERY happy!! Most important - it will make Igloo happy!!

So...who took the place of these two big cats? Three cats!! First we have Pumpkin. This is another cat for you all to fall in love with and worry about. She is a big, long haired, beautiful declawed calico that is four and a half years old. This next adoption will be her FOURTH home!! She was first brought to the shelter because she was not getting along with other cats in the house. She was then adopted and brought back to us because she was having accidents outside the litter box. She was again adopted and brought back because the landlord of the adopter said she had to go. So, here we are. She would be best suited as the only cat, only pet actually, in the house. However I will consider other applications if I feel the applicant has the patience and the proper home setting for Pumpkin to deal with stress. Look how pretty she is:

Next we have Rutgers. Ruters is a very friendly tiger striped male. He loves attention and is actually a bit of a lap cat. He is a few years old - two or three. He came into the Shelter neutered and with an ear tip. So, someone cared enough about him to get this done but no one ever came looking for him. He is a super nice guy:

Finally, we have Little Cat. Little Cat is a black and white female and was originally adopted from us as a kitten three years ago along with her litter mate, Fat Cat. Little Cat and Fat Cat were brought back when their owners sold their home and could not take them to their new house. She will do fine in a home with kids, cats and other dogs. She is a sweet cat and just as her name implies she is little!! You would think she is a teenager! Here she is:

So, there you have it...the three new arrivals. Hopefully with this being an adoption event weekend we will see some good applications and send some of these guys home. Dogs are coming this weekend as well!

To honor veterans and to welcome our troops home from Iraq the Shelter has partnered with the Animal Alliance of Cape May County to make their homecoming complete by offering free pet adoptions to military personnel. Details can be found on the right by clicking on "Shelter Supports Military Personnel." Please pass on this information.

Everyone should have received an email detailing how to handle things while I am away. I have no worries! Thank you all for everything!! When I return we shall work on the December schedule...fun!!

Kitty Switch!

Misty has a sore over her eye that we want the vet to look at so she was brought back to the Shelter. Please do not worry!! She will be fine. The two cages she occupied were cleaned out and spayed down with disinfectant for two days as a precautionary measure.

A black male cat that looks like a little panther arrived today! His name is Ramses. He is two to three years old and is VERY friendly! He is a total love that purrs away when you hold him! He came into the shelter as a stray because he was apparently bothering people in the neighborhood. Wait til you meet him. How could he be a bother?? He is such a nice cat!! He did not pose very well at picture time so the below shot is not great but the cat sure is!

Thank you to everyone who signed up for the remaining shifts this month. Let's keep our fingers crossed that there is no cancellations!!

I will be on vacation and out of the country from Friday, November 11 through Friday, November 18. I will have very little, if any, access to email. Before I leave I will email instructions to everyone detailing what to do in the event you need to cancel or you need to pass on information. Please remember that the Shelter is staffed seven days a week during normal working hours. Also, the Adoption Event takes place while I am away - November 12 & 13. If you can help with dogs either day (12:00-3:00pm) let me know as soon as you can. I want to have everything in place by next Wednesday, November 9.

Happy Tails, Cubby!!!

Hip Hip Horray!!! Yay for Cubby!! He went home on Sunday and will be living with a dog that was also adopted from the Shelter a while ago. A young girl is going to make Cubby happy and something tells me that he is going to make her even happier! A room had been made all up with everything Cubby needs and was waiting for him to help make it a smooth transition to the new home. Another perfect match!

Big old Igloo will take Cubby's place and will arrive Wednesday afternoon. Igloo's story is a sad one. This nine year old declawed boy was brought into the shelter in September. We were told he was found in a back yard and was a stray cat. Well, that was not entirely true. Actually the owner brought him in because they could no longer take care of him. He was suffering from a skin allergy at the time - most likely due to fleas. The fleas were treated and he is doing well. He is so handsome!! Please let Igloo settle in at his own pace. Cubby vacated two cages so he has room. He may be a tad ornery at first - like a typical declawed cat. He will be fine in a home with other cats, dogs and kids. Look how cute he is:

This weekend dogs will be at the store on Saturday from 12:00-3:00pm. Help is needed for the adoption table for the cats from 2:00-4:00pm. If you are available please let me know ASAP. We do have three volunteers helping with dogs.

The only other time slot for November that needs coverage is Sunday, November 6, in the morning. Please let me know if you can do it.

The weekend of November 12 & 13 is the PetSmart National Adoption Weekend. I would love to have dogs go to PetSmart on both Saturday and Sunday 12:30-3:00pm. Dog walkers, please let me know if you can cover either day.

I know it seems early but please put the following Shelter Christmas events on your calendars:

Volunteer Barb A and her crew will once again be representing the Shelter in the West Cape May Christmas Parade. This year it is on Saturday, December 3. The theme is "Bow Wow, Pow Wow" and the dog walkers are dressing in Native American costumes. Contact Barb at gbarbis@comcast.net if you would like to participate with the float. Line up is on Seashore Road at 4:30pm.

Sunday, December 11, 12:00-3:00pm is the Christmas Party and Open House at the Shelter. Santa Paws will be on hand from 12:00-2:00pm for pet pictures. Light refreshments will be on hand, too! Please stop by and bring a friend - two legged and four legged welcome!!

Mystic Goes Home, Welcome Speckles and Ricky!

An very happy new family took home Mystic last night! Mystic looked quite content leaving in a carrier sitting atop one of our crocheted blankets. She will be well cared for!

Two new cats are arriving today...Speckles and Ricky. These two are both young - four months old - and although not from the same litter they get along great. They are about the same age - maybe three weeks apart. Speckles is a sweet torti who is very friendly and starts to purr when you just look at her! Ricky is all black and has long hair. He is very handsome! He also is very friendly and purrs as soon as he is picked up. These two really compliment each other. They have been sharing a cage at the Shelter so will continue to do so at PetSmart. Here they are:

We had a bit of difficulty figuring out how to arrange the resident cats so we could then accommodate Ricky and Speckles. After observing kitty interaction for some time it was decided to try Petunia in the big cage with Misty. Please let me know if that is not working. Apparently Misty seems unsettled with Mystic gone and was acting a bit possessive of her apartment and resisting a new roommate.

Below is the open dates for November. All are mornings with the exception of November 5 - which is the Adoption Table AND monthly Dog Day. Let me know if you are available. (If you have been trained to do the cleaning at PetSmart and are interested in doing the adoption table you can be trained on the adoption paperwork at the Shelter seven days a week. Just let me know when you can do it.)

OK...here we go:
Saturday, November 5, Adoption Table, 2-4pm
Sunday, November 6, AM*
Thursday, November 10, AM
Friday, November 11, AM
Sunday, November 13, AM*
Friday, November 18, AM
Sunday, November 20, AM*
Friday, November 25, AM
Sunday, November 27, AM*
(*remember...the store opens at 10am on Sundays so you can get a late start...just arrive by 10:15)

Happy Tails, Coco!!

Lots of good stuff happening!! Coco went home Wednesday night. Her new family applied to adopt her on Sunday and the dad was absolutely thrilled when he learned the application was approved. She will be living with three kids and mom and dad. She is also the only pet in the house so will get a ton of attention. She left the store with a big cart full of new kitty cat products, a new family and a wonderful future!

Mystic is going home on Friday. We received her application last night and it seems perfect! Her new mom was very excited to hear from me today and can't wait to get Mystic home.

Remember Tony and Toby? Remember Toby was adopted, then the person came back for Tony, then the person brought Toby back??? Well, Toby spent some time with Beau sharing a cage a while back - before Beau went to PetSmart - and they were buddies. A couple came into the Shelter and wanted two cats and liked Toby. When they were told about Beau they decided to meet him at PetSmart. They met Beau last night and it was a go! They loved him. The application has been approved and Beau has been brought back to the Shelter. He and Toby will leave on Saturday.

So, filling Coco's cage is a sweet torti named Kit. Kit is another one of those poor cats left behind in a rental unit when the occupants moved out. Kit was found there in mid-June with a big fat cat we named Kaboodle. Kaboodle was adopted and Kit has patiently been waiting her turn. She is four years old and very sweet and passive. Nothing seems to bother her. The poor girl came in so flea infested it was terrible!! You can still see some bare spots around her rear legs. She must have been so uncomfortable! Perhaps now she is just in a perpetual state of, "Ahhhhh!!!" and just feels so good nothing can get to her! She will do fine with other cats, kids and dogs. This is not the best picture but here she is:

On Saturday two cats will arrive to replace Beau and Mystic. I'll do an update when we know who is going.

Help is still needed this Sunday, October 23, for the adoption table or an evening cleaning. Also, please check out the November schedule and let me know what you can do.

This seems to be the never ending kitten year! If people are interested in kittens we are still getting them. We just took in eight kittens yesterday. In five days they will be tested and available for adoption.

Let's hope the adoptions keep coming!!!

Rex Gets A Home...Cubby Arrives

Rex went home last night with an absolutely thrilled new mom! He was carried out in a big, brand new luxurious carrier. He will be living with another declawed male cat that was rescued from a Shelter. Life will be good for Rex!

Cubby arrives at PetSmart today. He is one of the most handsome tuxedo cats you will ever meet and his story is so sad. He was left behind in the end of August when his owner was evicted. There he sat for several days all alone wearing a flea collar. He had even been neutered already. Animal control thinks he was there for ten days before someone knew. How sad is that? What a terrible thing to go through! He waited for someone to come home and they never did. We estimate Cubby to be about four years old. He came in with an injured rear leg and although he will occasionally limp the vet said the leg is fine. He is a sweetheart and loves attention! Look at that face!!! He is a big guy so he was given the two cages vacated by Rex.

PetSmart management added a large three ringed binder to the adoption cart. There must be a copy of the vaccination records for every one of our animals that are at the store. When cats arrive we will bring an extra copy of the records all ready with the holes punched so the paperwork can be easily added to the folder. Also, in the binder is a list of the cats and when they arrived and then a column for when they leave. Those who work the adoption table...check out that sheet and make sure to put the date next to the cat when it leaves.

Six rolls of brown paper were dropped off at the store last week so we should be fine for quite a while. One was placed in the cage room and five went to the manager's office.

Remember Lady, the orange and white cat, that was at PetSmart for a while? She was adopted this week from the Shelter. A woman came in looking specifically for an inside cat to be a mouser that would also be a nice pet. We showed her Lady and she loved her! We checked up on her after her first night and she was doing great! She was napping on the couch next to her new mom, had used her litter box like a good cat and had settled right in!

Still four openings this month - all mornings. Let me know if you can cover any of them:
Tuesday, October 11, AM
Thursday, October 13, AM
Friday, October 14, AM
Sunday, October 23, AM

Enjoy this fabulous weekend!!!

Busy Week!!

What a week!! Just as we suspected the new guys did not last long! Kodiak had two holds by Sunday afternoon. The first hold was a great home and the applicant anxious so we picked him up, brought him back to the shelter and he went home on Tuesday. His new mom is so excited. The second hold was also approved and that applicant came to the shelter and adopted an older male cat named Heathcliff. (Always take the second hold!!)

One of our volunteers met Othello who worked his magic and home he went!! Othello left on Wednesday night. He will be an easy one to keep track of - thank you, Shannon!!

We received an application on Milo last Saturday from a great family who already have several cats. They do not live here year round so they can not pick him up until next weekend. Milo was brought back to the shelter to await his pick up and journey home.

So, this opened three cages. The new cats arrived yesterday. Coco is a lovely young female that was totally socialized to kids, other cats and dogs in one of our premiere foster homes. She is about six months old and VERY friendly. She and her siblings were brought into the Shelter at the end of May.

Rex is a big old nice male cat about nine years old. He was neutered already when he came in at the end of August. He has one of the older "V" notches in his ear indicating he was part of a managed cat colony. We were very surprised to learn he had also been declawed. Due to his size and to increase his comfort he has two cages!

Beau is an orange and white male tiger that is eight months old. He is an energetic guy who likes to explore and run around like a typical youngster!

Like the last group, these guys should settle right in. Rex and Beau have single cages and Coco has two.

October still has some holes in the schedule. Please let me know if you can cover any of these:
Tuesday, October 11, AM Cleaning
Thursday, October 13, AM Cleaning
Friday, October 14, AM Cleaning
Sunday, October 16, AM Cleaning
Sunday, October 16, Adoption Table
Friday, October 21, AM Cleaning
Sunday, October 23, AM Cleaning

Just a reminder...dogs are brought to the store the first Saturday of each month - let customers know should they ask about dogs available for adoption.

New Arrivals!!

Gemini, Leo and Gabbano have settled in at the Shelter. Please do not worry about them - they are in the best of hands! Once they all get a clean bill of heath they can return to PetSmart or hopefully quickly get adopted from the Shelter.

Three cats were brought to the store on Friday - Miro, Mystic and Petunia.

Petunia is a tiny little calico that is very sweet. She loves to be held and purrs away. She is about seven months old and is a delicate little thing. She came into the Shelter as a stray.

One day in June of this year an animal attendant at the Shelter discovered a very thin, flea infested cat hiding in the rear of the building near the dog kennels. We brought him inside, named him Miro and started putting some meat on his bones! After spending some time in sick bay he gained strength and went up for adoption. We have no idea how Miro ended up back there but he has been so thankful ever since! He is a sweet cat and loves attention. We estimate him to be four to five years old. He is a buff colored medium haired guy.

Finally...there is the lovely Mystic! Despite a lot of tough times and a series of bad turns in her life Mystic remains a sweet, gentle cat. She first came to the Shelter in October of 2006. In August of 2007 she was finally adopted and went to live in a home with two other cats and a dog. Life was good for a long time but it didn’t last. In July of 2011 her loving family lost their home and had to give her up along with their two other cats and a dog. What a tragic thing to happen! After five years Mystic found herself right back at the Shelter. The other two cats have since been adopted. Mystic is a pretty torti with a very distinct blaze going right down her nose. She will walk out of the cage and right into your arms.

For now all three cats have their own living quarters. We know Mystic likes other cats as at the Shelter she lived with her two housemates while awaiting adoption. However, as you all well know, new environments present a source of stress to cats so let her settle in by herself initially. Be patient with the other two as well and if it seems they have settled in and will work then they can be introduced to our community living.

The October schedule is shaping up but still has some holes in it. Below are the dates that need to be covered. Please take a look and let me know if there is anything you can cover.
Tuesday, October 4, AM cleaning
Tuesday, October 11, AM cleaning
Sunday, October 16, AM cleaning
Sunday, October 16, Adoption Table
Friday, October 21, AM cleaning
Sunday, October 23, AM cleaning
Friday, October 28, AM cleaning
Sunday, October 30, AM cleaning

Let's hope now that school has been back in session for a few weeks that everyone is settled into their routine and adoptions go on the rise!!

Lots of Cats Going Back & Forth!!

Our chubby girl Della was adopted right after being brought back to the Shelter. She will be the only pet in the house and will will have a wonderful life! Little Aries lasted about 24 hours at PetSmart! She went home on Saturday and will be a little sister to an older cat. Her new parents are so happy to have her!!

Unfortunately the last two litters of kittens we have brought to the store and put together in the big cage have gotten sick and needed to be brought back to the Shelter. Poor little guys are now in our sick bay. Hopefully they will be back in a few weeks. However...some real characters were brought today to take their place.

Kodiak is so handsome!! His is an all white male with blue eyes and is just as friendly as he is handsome. He is about three years old. Often times white cats with blue eyes are deaf - but not this one! Just wait til you see how cool he is!

Kodiak's bunk mate is Othello. He is about a year old and is very friendly, too. He came into the shelter after someone saw that he was injured. It appeared he had a run in with another animal and had a wound on his neck. He was nursed back to health and is as good as can be now. He loves Kodiak and is excited to join him in the big cage! The two look great together!

And then there is poor Misty. She is a petite little sweetheart that someone left behind in a hotel room in Wildwood. She even came in with a little collar on. She is a couple years old and is a nice girl. She was given her own space on the lower level. This picture is a little deceiving. Misty is not short haired...more like medium haired.

These three should have very little trouble settling in however, as always, do not force them to socialize. Watch them all for a few days and see how they are doing - especially Misty.

The adoption event went very well! Thanks to everyone who helped out. It was nice to get the dogs there! Dog handlers, please let me know if you are available for the first Saturday of the month for the rest of the year...October 6, November 3 and December 1.

Remember Toby and Tony were adopted together? Well, Tony was brought back which broke our hearts. During the adoption event Animal Outreach helped us by showcasing our kittens for the weekend and Tony was adopted on Saturday! Thank you, AO!!

I never did introduce Aries, Gemini and Leo. They were a litter brought in as strays at eight weeks old in mid-June. Nice bunch!! We suspect they spent some time inside a house and were given to animal control once they could eat on their own.

There is a couple of open spots on this month's calendar. Please let me know if you are available to cover. I would prefer to have the adoption table open on the below Wednesday night but will be happy with a cleaning as well.

Wednesday, September 21, Adoption Table or PM Cleaning
Friday, September 23, AM Cleaning
Sunday, September 25, AM Cleaning

Now that summer is over and school is back in session let's hope adoptions pick up!!

Finally An Adoption!!!!!

Toby was adopted today!! Yay! Hopefully this breaks our dry spell. He will be living with a dog and two women and will have a nice life. The application was received on Sunday and the new mom was very anxious so we arranged pick up today at the Shelter.

You will see big changes at the store when you go in next. I know it is sad and a tad upsetting when we bring cats back to the Shelter but it simply had to be done. We have so many young altered kittens and we need the space at the Shelter. I am hoping the ones that arrived today will move quickly. Please do not worry about the guys we brought back – they will be fine!!!

Piper and Shiloh came back to the Shelter and are in a cage together. Siam came back also as well as Domino. Both Siam and Domino seem to do better here anyway.

Get ready for this….SIX kittens arrived today. By kittens I mean under six months old. All have been altered (of course!!) and microchipped and are ready to go.

In the big cage is a litter of three named Suzy, Sahara and Saboo. They came from a hoarder type situation and were relinquished to the Shelter in June. As a matter of fact their plight will actually be part of the A&E television series Hoarders in a few months. Initially they were very sick and they remained in our quarantine for quite a while. They were finally old enough and well enough to be altered in the beginning of this month. Sahara is the calico, Suzy is the black and white one with more black, Saboo is the other black and white and is a male. All three love each other!! They are all good with other cats, dogs and kids.

On the top row we now have litter mates Stevie and Ray. These two are the same age as the other three. They were brought into the Shelter by a woman who had not altered an older cat that had subsequently had kittens and she could not care for them. We did see that mom was finally spayed!! These two are gray tigers that look a lot alike!! Stevie is the one who has white reaching higher up between his eyes and also has more white on his chest. These two are very friendly and will do fine with other cats, dogs and kids.

Jasper is a Siamese mix lynx point and is sooooo cute!! He is the same age as the others and came in as a stray. He is another friendly guy who will get along with everything and everybody!!

All the new kits were wormed today, nails trimmed and ears cleaned and treated. If you see stuff in or around the ears it is the medicine doing it’s job!

Della has two cages on the bottom row and Gabbana has two cages on the top row. Jasper and Tony have their own cages on the bottom row. Steve and Ray are sharing two cages on the bottom row. Jasper and Tony initially did not get along so please keep the door shut for a few days. If they appear to be okay we can eventually open the door. If not, both are small enough to remain in a cage alone. PLEASE give it a few days. Placing a cat with another one and no escape can cause stress which inevitably will lead to illness. Do not rush introduction and communal living!!

REMINDER: The disinfectant bottle was filled with glass cleaner. Please ask the manager for help when refilling the bottles.

Volunteers are needed at the store for dogs on Saturday, September 3, 12-3p, for the regular monthly visit. Please let me know if you are available.

The annual PetSmart Fall Adoption weekend is Saturday and Sunday, September 10 & 11, 12-4pm. Volunteers are needed to help with dogs on both days 12-3pm. Please let me know if you can help.

Now that summer is winding down let’s hope adoptions start to kick in again!!

Below are the dates that still need coverage in September. Please let me know what you can do.

Sunday, September 4, AM cleaning

Friday, September 9, AM cleaning

Thursday, September, 15, AM cleaning

Friday, September 16, AM cleaning

Wednesday, September 21, Adoption Table

Friday, September 23, AM cleaning

Sunday, September 25, AM cleaning

Thursday, September 29, AM cleaning

Friday, September 30, AM cleaning.

Jack is adopted!!

Jack went home last night! His new parents were in the store and fell for Jack after reading his story and seeing he was an older homeless cat. He will be living with a couple of other cats and will have a great life from here on out.

At the shelter we did receive emails that Gabbano and Toby were sneezing and that Della's eyes were weepy. Staff went down to the store and gave some meds to Gabbano and Toby. Della's eye is a chronic condition and although she had dirty ears it was not mites. If you clean her eyes please use warm water only. Wipes being used specifically stated on the directions not to be used for eyes. Please carefully read the directions on any products you buy!! Also, please take a minute or two to read the notebook and note observations made in the last few days prior to your shift to see what has previously been reported and addressed.

Two new arrivals were dropped off at the store today...Domino and Siam. Both are very friendly!! Domino is a black and white long legged male who is gonna have a lot of fun playing outside his cage. He is about a year and half old. He came into the shelter as a stray. Siam is a black female that was surrendered to the shelter when the owner's landlord told him she could no longer stay. She is two years old. Both cats will do fine in a home with kids, dogs and other cats.
Siam & Domino:

The August schedule looks great but still has a few openings. Please let me know if you are available to cover any of the below dates:
Sunday, August 7, AM cleaning
Friday, August 12, AM cleaning
Sunday, August 14, Adoption Table
Sunday, August 21, AM cleaning

The 7th Birthday Party at the Shelter was a great success!! Thanks to all who attended! We received very good press coverage as a result. Please see the link to the right Shelter In The News for one of the many stories that appeared in the local paper and pictures of a couple of our PetSmart volunteers!!

The Adoptions Became A Tad Difficult to Keep Up With!

Wow!! Cats were flying out the door lately!! It all got a bit ahead of me. I'm not complaining though!!

Clancy laft last week - on Wednesday night. He was adopted specifically for a young girl who is VERY happy! Rizzo replaced Clancy on Saturday. I never had an opportunity to introduce Rizzo because he left Monday night!! Last night Sweetie went home which left poor Oreo all alone. Not for long though!! Oreo's application was approved today. The applicant adopted one of the dogs from Louisiana we helped to place last summer. It is a nice family!! That's four in seven days!! Wow!!

We moved Shiloh and Piper into the big cage so they could stretch out and hopefully become more social. Poor cats have been at PetSmart a long time.

Two adult cats were brought to the store today. Both are solid gray and both are really friendly. Hopefully they will move quickly and get homes!!

Jack is a twelve year old declawed male. His owner apparently moved and simply left him behind outside. A kind neighbor noticed he was getting beat up daily by her outside cats and had trouble getting to the food. She took him inside for a few days but could not keep him. This old guy needs to spend his golden years in a loving home not fending for himself outside with no claws!!

Hear is Jack:

Della was found living under a trailer with a male cat that appeared to be the same age. Both are approximately eight years old, were altered and appeared to have been well taken care of. The male cat was adopted but we still have Della. She is...well...a big girl! She is a fatty and very lovey!! She also is a talker. This is Della:

I spoke with Stacey, the head manager of PetSmart today. She has been advised by her higher ups that some new procedures are going to be initiated. It really does not appear to be anything that will effect most of the volunteers. It is a new system of documenting when cats arrive, when they leave and proof of vaccinations. It may be something the adoption table workers will need to be aware of. I was told this is happening because of incidents which have occurred in other stores involving other Shelters. Stacey assured me she sang our praises to her district manager. I assured Stacey that she can expect our full cooperation as we are all aware how important this partnership is to the Shelter. More details will follow in a week or so.

Don't forget our big birthday party tomorrow at the Shelter!! It begins a week of reduced adoptions fees, microchipping and nail clipping. Spread the word!! Channel 40, the Atlantic City Press and The Herald will be on hand to cover the party. Publicity always results in increased traffic at the Shelter and increased adoptions and donations!! We hope to share birthday cake with a lot of you guys tomorrow. The staff does not interact with the PetSmart volunteers in person very often and we love to show our appreciation when we can and give you all much deserved hugs!!!

Two Adoptions This Week!

Jeffrey left Wednesday night. He is going to have a wonderful life!! His new parents are great "cat" people and are very excited to add Jeffrey to the crew. They originally liked Marmalade but were just as happy to adopt Jeffrey and were thankful Marm went to a good home. Yes, the orange cats are very popular! Let's hope Sweetie and Oreo get some attention now!

Tammy left on Friday. She left in style - in a large, soft, cat carrier with a very nice couple and their daughter. Seems they had trouble telling her apart from Toby and Tony but finally got it right. The boys are going to miss her but they know it's for the best!!

You will love Clancy, the white and orange male that arrived on Saturday. He is young - about five or six months old - and is so friendly. He'll walk right out of the cage and into your arms. He will be sharing quarters with the Tony and Toby so I'm sure they will all have a lot of fun!! Meet Clancy:

We have a couple of openings for this month - all in the morning. Let me know if you are available to cover any of them:
Sunday, July 10
Thursday, July 21
Sunday, July 24

It is working out well bringing dogs to the store the first Saturday of the month! I need one more person to help on Saturday, August 6. At this point two volunteers will be there so one dog can go - but it would be better exposure for the dogs to have two there.

Remember the Shelter birthday party on Friday, July 15, 1:00-3:00pm. We will have cake and light refreshments. I hope a lot of you can stop in. We rarely all get to see each other so it is nice to get together once in a while and chat with kindred spirits!! The party kicks off a week of free microchipping and nail clipping and our adoptions fees will be reduced by fifty percent. We should be getting some good press prior to the event.

Have a Safe and Fun July 4th!!!!

Are You Ready for FIVE Youngsters??!!

Marmalade left last night. As predicted he did not last long at all!! He will be living with another cat and an old dog. His new mom is THRILLED! Marmalade is gonna have a nice life!!

Marmalade's two litter mates were brought to the store today and joined their third mate, Oreo, in the big cage. Jeffrey is the orange male and Sweetie is the black and white female. These two are super friendly purring machines just like Oreo and Marmalade! I suspect the three are gonna LOVE that big cage. Here they are:

In addition we brought down a litter of three named Tammy, Tony and Toby. This litter is all grey tigers and tabbies and are gorgeous!! We were told they were "stray" and were brought in by animal control. Um...yea, right....they were in wonderful condition and totally socialized and appeared to have been living in a house!! They are just a few months old. All three will be sharing the top row of cages. Good luck telling these guys apart!! I don't have a picture of Toby but here is the other two...

Tammy:

Tony:

So how are we able to fit all these new guys? Well, after much deliberation we decided it would be best if Ethan and Lady came back to the Shelter. Both did so much better there than they have been doing at PetSmart. The environment at the store does not agree with every cat. I'll keep everyone posted on how they are doing.

Hopefully all of you received the flyer about the birthday festivities and happenings at the Shelter beginning Friday, July 15. We are excited about it!! Please spread the word!!

Duncan & Blackout go home - FINALLY!!!

Yes, it is true!! Duncan and Blackout went home last night! They will be joining three other cats in a large home where they will run free and create havoc! Their new mom is a frequent visitor to PetSmart and saw them week after week still in the big cage. Recently two of her cats passed away so she decided she had the room after all. (She adopted the big Maine Coon cat named Huey last year.) Duncan and Blackout happily walked into her carriers and off they went!

The two young cats that arrived today are so sweet and nice!! They came from the same home but do not have to be adopted together. They will adapt to any home quite easily - with or without one another. Their owner had several unaltered adult cats and - surprise, surprise - then had litters of kittens! We have been working with them to have the adults spayed and neutered and have the younger cats and kittens adopted. All the cats from their home were well taken care of and very well socialized. These two both love to be held and are purring machines!! They will walk right out of the cage and into your arms!! Both are about six months old.

Marmalade is orange and white and Oreo is black and white (I know, I know - not very original name!!) Here they are:

Kittens, kittens, have we got kittens!!! If anyone is asking please send them to the Shelter.

An adoption application has been approved for Lolli and she will be picked up tomorrow (Sunday).

Two new volunteers trained this week (thanks, Joe!!) and they will be helping out in the mornings. Welcome, Toni and Sarah! We are always happy to have more help!

I am so happy with how adoptions have been going at PetSmart! This program is so important and really helps to get our cats out of the shelter and into loving homes. I can not thank you all enough for your commitment to this program and your compassion for our kitties!!!

Ginger & Priscilla Go Home!

Ginger went home with a very happy little girl on Saturday! She will be living with two other kids, two adults and two dogs. Sounds like a nice family for Ginger!!

It sure didn't take Priscilla long - exactly one week from arriving at the store to leaving for home! She left Tuesday night and will be living with two feline roommates. Her new mom is very excited!! If you go to the Shelter facebook page you will see a picture of Priscilla all sprawled out just loving her new home! It is so nice to see these long term residents get to go home - especially during kitten season.

Two new cats arrived today. Both are friendly and will settle in with no problem. Lolli is about nine months old and came in as a stray in late April of this year. She is a sweetheart!! She is a gray, black and brown tiger with beautiful markings. She will be fine with kids, dogs and other cats. Here's lovely little Lolli!

Gabbanna arrived today as well. I call him Gabe - it's easier. He is three years old. He is white, black and brown with some tiger striping. (Sorry...I do not have a picture right now!) He is also very friendly and loves attentions. He lived with another cat named Dolce (get it?) who is at the Shelter. The two did not really get along very well so it is not necessary to adopt them out together. The two have been bounced around for years. Initially they were adopted from a Shelter in Delaware. That owner had them about a year and gave them to her mother. Mom had them about two years where they were inside/outside cats. She then moved and could not take them with her. Hopefully the third time is indeed a charm! (Side note...you should see Gabe's old housemate Dolce...he is a BIG handsome fellow...weighing in at 21 pounds! He can't even fit in the little cages!)

This weekend we will have dogs at the store from 12:30-3:00pm. If you are on the schedule to help with the dogs please be at the store no later that 12:15pm. We also will have the adoption table covered from 12:00-2:00pm as well as from 2:00-4:00pm to help with both cats and dogs.

The June schedule WAS complete until a little earlier today. Thursday, June 9, PM cleaning still needs to be covered. July looks great but still has some openings. If you are interested in a permanent spot for July and August every other Sunday is available.

As you will see PetSmart changed the cage cards - they are bigger now and easier to see.

New Arrival - Long Time Shelter Resident

Ok, everyone, we have a project. Our new arrival at PetSmart is Priscilla. She is a little chubby - weighing in at fourteen pounds. She has been at the Shelter since April 5, 2010. Yep, that's right, over a year. Ruth was adopted quickly and hopefully Priscilla will be, too. She is about three years old and is missing her top K9 teeth. This makes her always look like she has a little Elvis-like lip curl! She is not crazy about being picked up - but how many cats really are?? She will make a nice companion and will sit with you and enjoy brushing and petting. She would do fine in a home with dogs and other cats. We will consider a home with young children based on a review of the application and on meeting the children.

Priscilla:

Can someone tell me if the properly marked bottles for the disinfectant have arrived yet from the PetSmart management?

Have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend!!!