Alexander Goes Home For Christmas!

Just as we suspected Alexander drew a lot of attention!  We received several phone inquiries and three applications within a week of his arrival at the store.  He went home on Sunday, December 23...in time for Christmas!  He will be living with a cat named Smokey that was also adopted from us in July of this year so he will have some feline as well as human company.

An equally handsome long haired guy arrived yesterday to take over the spot vacated by Alexander.  His name is Dusty and he is a talker!!  He came into the Shelter in late November as a stray.  He is about two years old and will do well in a home with other cats, kids and dogs.  He is the kind of guy that greets you at the front of the cage with a big meow!  Very friendly!  Although we feel he will acclimate quickly at PetSmart please do not rush him!  As always he will start out in his own cage.


Dapper Dusty

I have been working in the 2014 calendar and may change the format to avoid the confusing times that show up for some odd reason.  I can simply use the letters AM and PM - however this will take some time for me to type it all in.  For the sake of my sanity I plan to do it in increments.  Do not worry - it will actually be easer to read once it is done!

The January calendar is almost complete.  Please let me know if you can cover any of the openings listed below:

Sunday, January 12: Adoption Table
Friday, January 17:  AM Cleaning
Friday, January 31:  AM Cleaning

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Our Holiday Open House was a success!  Below is one of my favorite pictures because it shows both a dog (Jovie) and a cat (Gem) adopted from our Shelter and living together now in a very happy home with volunteer Ruthann.  You may recognize Gem...her name was Opal and she was at PetSmart.  If you do not know them or recognize them the elves are two of the Shelter animal attendants  - Jes and Katie.  We had a new Santa this year and he was great!!  For those of you who came by it was great to see you...for those who could not make it we missed you...maybe next year!!

Two Handsome Boys Arrive!

Champ and Olivia left this week - leaving room for Alexander and Binx to arrive!

Champ went home Wednesday night to a man who already has two male cats.  Champ will have buddies to play with!!  Living in the same neighborhood will be Olivia!  Olivia went home on Thursday with our new volunteer, Cindy.  She also gained a big brother!  Cindy has been sending pictures of Olivia's introduction to her new home and her new brother and it is going well. 

Alexander arrived on Thursday.  He is a longer haired orange male and is about three years old.  We are calling him a Persian mix.  He is very handsome! Alexander will do fine in a home with other pets and with kids.  (It looks like his card says the adoption fee is $70...someone please change that to $35!)

Binx is a handsome old man that is over 12 years old.  He came in as a stray but wearing a collar with a bell.  Sadly, no one came looking for him.  He also is longer haired and could be called a Persian mix.  He will do well with other cats, dogs and kids as well.  He qualifies for the Seniors For Seniors program which means his adoption fee is waived for an applicant over age 62 OR the Black Fur-iday special which means his adoption fee is $5.00. 

King Alexander

Handsome Binx


There is a few openings on the calendar left this month listed below.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of them. 
Sunday, December 15, PM Cleaning
Friday, December 20, Morning cleaning
Tuesday, December 24, Morning cleaning
Tuesday, December 31, PM Cleaning

Beginning Sunday, January 5 through Sunday,  March 30 we need a Sunday morning regular.  Deb and Warren are going away for the winter and will resume doing Sunday mornings on April 6, 2014.  If you can be a regular, an every other week, a once a month,  or just a date or two, please let me know.  The store does not open until 10:00am on Sundays so you can arrive a tad later if necessary -  10:30am is fine!

Tomorrow (Sunday, December 15) is the big day!!!  Santa Claws is coming to the Shelter!  Hopefully many of you can make it!  We would love to see you!!

The 2014 calendar will be started in the next week or two.  If you have a regular spot and would like to continue doing what you have been doing there is no need to contact me.  If you need to change something let me know.

Reminder about our microchips...at the Shelter we register the microchip for the new pet owner with Home Again - complete with the information they provide on the application.  This registration is for the life of the pet and is at no additional charge to the new owner.  The new owner will receive information from Home Again and they will offer additional services which do come at a cost.  However...the basic registration is FREE for the life of the pet.  If they have any questions please have them call the Shelter.

Thank you all for everything you do for the Shelter through your help at PetSmart!!  Hope you are enjoying getting ready for the holidays!!  Mason sure is!!  He loves wearing his Santa suit!

Basil and Sis Are Home For Christmas!

Basil went home from the Shelter yesterday.  Her new family adopted her along with her sister, Oregano, who was at the Shelter.  The entire family came in to pick them up and are very excited!

We did receive an application for Champ on Wednesday night.  However there are some concerns that the applicant may have plans to declaw him...which of course we are totally against.  Continue to take applications and I will be speaking to the applicant next week.

Basil's brother, Chives, was brought to PetSmart today.  He looks exactly like Basil...solid gray and adorable!  Chives had been bunking with Oregano so will probably be sad to be apart from her.  He is another friendly guy that will adapt to any home.  Hopefully he gets to go home quickly.  Please give him a couple of days to adjust to the new environment.

Below is a few dates this month that need coverage. 
Sunday, December 15, Adoption Table or PM Cleaning (day of Christmas party)
Friday, December 20, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, December 24, AM Cleaning
Saturday, December 28, Adoption Table
(The calendar seems to have gone haywire again!!  If you have a question on your time please email me!! Hopefully it self rectifies soon.)

A new volunteer, Cindy, is training with Crystal this Monday and will be taking over every other Saturday morning.  Welcome, Cindy!!  We love new volunteers and are appreciative of all the help we get!!

Sadly this month we need to say good bye and safe travels to Toni and to Deb & Warren.  They will all be back in the spring but we will miss them terribly!!!  Thanks for all your help and have a wonderful, WARM winter! 

REMINDER: Pet Pictures With Santa Claws and Open House, Sunday, December 15, 12:30-2:30pm. Yummy refreshments!!  Hopefully many of you can stop in.  Feel free to bring family, friends, and pets!!  Everyone is welcome! (Click on the below picture and you can read the details.)

 

 



 

 

OK...Let's Get Caught Up!

Sorry for the delay in catching up!

First...special thanks to all of you for taking care of everything while I was away!  Great job! 

Second...what happened with Chewey and Jerry???  Well, the man and his wife were in PetSmart and apparently she sees a cat, through the glass, she must have.  The man returns without his wife and informs and says his wife loves Chewey and he would like to adopt her.  He comes to the Shelter and tells us he would like to adopt Chewey so we complete the application.  The application is approved and he is called to arrange pick up.  Of course,  he states he is in a hurry as he is leaving for two weeks and would like to complete the adoption before he goes.  Tom goes to PetSmart, picks up all of Chewey's paperwork and brings it back to the Shelter where the applicant completes everything and now only needs the cat!!  The man meets Crystal at PetSmart (Crystal knows all paperwork has been completed) points to JERRY and says, that's my cat!!  Crystal only knows that her role is to simply hand over a cat that is ready to go - not knowing that all along he was calling Jerry Chewey. He simply shows her what cat he believed he did the paperwork for!  So, off they go...very happy...Jerry and Chewey's paperwork!  Confusing!!  However, all is well that ends well!!  Jerry is settling in and doing well!  We are happy for him!

Now Chewey...the Shelter did receive an application for Chewey however the person indicated she would be declawed.  A vet check revealed that he had already declawed three cats in the past.  After speaking with him at length it was obvious that he would not guarantee the same fate would befall Chewey.  So, his application was denied.  He did donate the $20 hold toward Chewey's adoption fee.  Fortunately another application came in for  Chewey over the weekend and it has been approved! We'll know tomorrow what day she is leaving.

Margo went home the Wednesday before I left for vacation to a very nice young girl who was thrilled to be adopting her!  She will have a wonderful life.

By now you have all met SpeedRacer and Sherman - since both arrived about two weeks ago.  SpeedRacer went home today!!  The application was taken over the weekend and she was so anxious to have him so Chrissy met her today and off he went!

So with SpeedRacer happily running around his new home and Chewey slated to leave soon there will be two new arrivals - hopefully on Friday.  Both are young, sweet, and playful!  There is Champ - an orange male, about four months old, all rough and tumble!!  He needs a family!  Then there is sweet, pretty, Basil - a solid gray female about five or six months old.  Both will acclimate easy to a home.

Basil the Beauty

Champ the Scamp

As most of you know we are running a month long promotion called Black Fur-iday in an attempt to increase the adoption of our black cats. The adoption fee for all black cats is reduced by 75%...this includes cats at PetSmart...from November 28 through Christmas.  Look to the right under links and you will see a copy of the flyer that is in the paper.  We have over 30 to choose from!

More brown paper was dropped off today as the Shelter received an email it was running low.

PLEASE double check ALL cages before you go and make sure every cat has access to food, water and a litter box. 

Special welcome to our newest regular - Rikki - who will be doing Wednesday mornings.  Rikki is also at the Shelter walking dogs.  Welcome aboard, Rikki!!  Special thanks to Toni for showing her the ropes!

There is a couple of open time slots in the December schedule.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any.

Our annual Christmas Open House and Santa Claws Pet Pictures is Sunday, December 15, 12:30 - 2:30pm.  Please stop by and say hi!  There will be wonderful refreshments and lots of four-legged cuties coming in to see Santa! 

We wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your families!  You know what we at the Shelter are thankful for???  YOU!!  We could not do what we do without each and every one of you!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Happy Tails to Tara and Clover! Welcome, Margo and Olivia!

Two little females leave and two little females arrive!  Last Wednesday (October 23) sweet little Tara left.  She will be living with a fourteen year old girl who is so happy to be her mom! Tara's new family left the store with a cart full of things to help her begin her new life.  Clover left this past Wednesday night - adopted by one of the PetSmart store associates.  She will be living with another cat so will have company!

Two young females cats arrived yesterday, Margo and Olivia. Both cats will do fine in a home with other cats, dogs and children.  Margo is just over a year old and came into the Shelter in early August as a stray.  She is a tad aloof but very pretty!  Olivia is just over a year old as well. She came to the Shelter in late August also as a stray.  She is a loving little torbi and is quite friendly!!  As always please give these two a couple of days and see how they acclimate to the new surroundings.

Margo

Olivia

Below is a list of time slots that need coverage this month.  Please let me know if you can cover any of them:
Wednesday, November 13, PM Cleaning OR Adoption Table
        (can change times of adoption table if need be)
Saturday, November 16, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, November 27, AM Cleaning
Thursday, November 28, ONE CLEANING: 8:00am 
Saturday, November 30, AM Cleaning

Ashley, Pet Care Manager at PetSmart, will be at the store at 8:00am on Thanksgiving for approximately two hours to take care of PetSmart's pets.  Someone is needed to meet her and take care of the cleaning and feeding of our cats.  There is only one cleaning on that day.

A roll of brown paper will remain at the store however we will continue to cut the sheets at the Shelter as needed.  When you see the pre-cut pieces getting low please contact the Shelter and we will cut more.  In the event circumstances prevent us from getting paper there and it runs out completely there will always be some to cover you. 

In case you missed the email...Barb Allison is again coordinating an entry for the Shelter in the West Cape May Christmas Parade which is Saturday, December 7.  If you are interested in being a part of the parade contact Barb at gbarbis@comcast.net.  The theme this year is "Military Salute" so expect to see dogs and humans dressed in various military attire!

For some reason the Yahoo calendar is three hours off!  I am trying to figure out how to fix it.  When I sign in to make changes the times are correct - however in "share" mode (which is how you all view it) the times are showing wrong.  I have looked at the time zone settings and that is not the problem.  It may be a glitch that just one day goes away.  In the meantime I will keep trying!!  If anyone else uses Yahoo calendars and knows what is going on please let me know!!

 

Good Bye, Whiskers!!! Hello to the Trio!!

Whiskers went home last night...REALLY WENT HOME!!!  Her family has been sad since mid-May when Whiskers, who's real name is Miffy, got outside and they could not find her.  They knocked on doors, asked neighbors and even came to the Shelter but no one had seen her.  Just the other day a boy who lived with Whiskers and loved her dearly saw her little face at PetSmart and recognized her immediately!!  His mom emailed us a picture and sure enough every little marking matched up!!  Our Whiskers was their Miffy!!  Our volunteer, Larissa, was lucky enough to witness the reunion last night when Miffy went home with her family.  Whiskers/Miffy meowed at her mom and kissed her and was so happy to see her!!  How wonderful is that???  We have since learned that she is 14 years old.  This poor old girl must have missed her family so much.  Now she is home where she belongs!!

Three new guys arrived today...Mary Katherine, Nod and Tara and are in the big cage.   These three littermates came into the Shelter in mid-June as kittens.  They are all happy, playful and will make great pets!!  Although they have been living together they can be adopted separately and will be just fine!

Mary Katherine

Nod

Tara

Coverage is still needed for the below dates this month:
Friday, October 11: AM Cleaning
Sunday, October 13, AM Cleaning
Thursday, October 31, PM Cleaning

Latest Adoptions and Shuffling of Cats!!

I have had a difficult time keeping up lately!!  Zazzle and Dazzle were both brought back to the Shelter due to what appeared to be intestinal issues and have both since been adopted!!  Of course this is not surprising as they are both such phenomenal cats!!

Cupcake and Waffles both left this week, to separate homes.  Waffles was adopted by a multi-generational family and will be the only pet.  She will never be lacking company or attention!!  The same goes for Cupake.  She was adopted into a little family -  mom, dad and two children - and is also the only pet. 

On Thursday Vito and Clover arrived at the store. Both are resilient young cats that will make wonderful family pets!

Clover is a young calico who lived with kids and dogs prior to coming to the Shelter. Sadly, her owner was involved in a motor vehicle accident and could no longer take care of her pets. 

Clover

Vito is a cute little male kitten that was found in the engine compartment of a car at about seven weeks old. He then went into a foster home with other cats, kids and dogs.

Vito

With Cupcake, Waffles, Dazzle and Zazzle leaving we have room for two more cats.  Hopefully they will arrive in time for the adoption table tomorrow (Wednesday) night. I'll let you know who they are when they go...I promise!!

We have a permanent spot open for every other Saturday morning starting October 19.  If you are interested in doing it or know someone who is please let me know.

A new volunteer mother/daughter duo is taking over every Thursday night starting October 17!  Welcome Christine and Katie!! Special thanks to Jen & Lauren, the mother/daughter (and son Ryan on occasion) that have been doing Thursday nights since this program started in June of 2006.  Thanks for all your help over the years!

We have a couple of openings in the schedule for this month.  Please let me know if you can can cover any:
Friday, October 11, AM Cleaning
Sunday, October 13, AM Cleaning (store opens at 10:00am)
Saturday, October 19, AM Cleaning
Thursday, October 31, PM Cleaning

All the Kittens Go Home!

Well, it has been a good week for kittens!  Drake and Michael were adopted together and will be living with another cat and two five year old twins boys!  Sounds like a good match!  Victoria is also joining a household with other cats and kids.  Primarily she will belong to a seventeen year old girl who is extremely excited!!  (Funny story...Johnny, Austin, Michael and Drake were named after the four boys who belong to the woman who found them.  Coincidentally John was adopted first, followed by Austin - which is the humans' birth order.  Then Drake and Michael were adopted together.  The human Drake and Michael are inseparable and always always together!! Very interesting how they followed their human counterparts.)

Dudley has a wound on his back so he is back at the Shelter until it is better.  He is fine so do not worry about him!!

Three kittens and one adult were brought to the store yesterday.  (As I am sure you are able to tell we have quite a few kittens at the Shelter!!)  The four that arrived are littermates Darla and Dolly, Ronin and the adult named Baby.

Darla and Dolly are female littermates about four months old and came into the Shelter in mid-June.  They are very friendly, outgoing and love people.  They are very well socialized.  If a potential adopter is interested in two cats they would be perfect together - however it is not mandatory.

Darla

Dolly

Little Baby is a personal surrender.  She is between two and three years old and will walk right out of the cage and into your arms!  She is a total love bug!  She had a litter of kittens and her owner did not have the means to take care of her or her babies.  She will do well in any home.

Baby

Ronin is one of those highly adoptable cats - an orange male.  Everyone loves the orange male and Ronin typifies why!  He is four months old and very very friendly.  He will do well in any household as well.

Ronin

There is a regular opening for every other Satuday in the morning beginning September 7.  In addition there is some adoption table dates on the weekends that need to be covered.  Below is the dates needed so let me know if you can do any:
Saturday, September 7, AM Cleaning
Saturday, September 7, Adoption Table 2-4pm (also Dog Day)
Saturday, September 21, AM Cleaning
Saturday, September 21, Adoption Table 2-4pm

Adoptions have been slow at the Shelter.  This is probably due to the fact that families are focused on preparing to get kids back to school, college starting, etc.  Hopefully in a few weeks things will pick up again.  Thankfully PetSmart cats move along at a somewhat steady pace and help relieve some of the pressure. The Shelter has all of you to thank for this!!  Again...thank you, thank you, thank you for everything you do to help us help these cats.

Chewey Is Back and You Got Kittens!!

Chewey is fine so he came back today.  Along with him came three kittens - Michael, Austin and Drake.  These three are approximately four months old and are fabulous!  There was a fourth however he was adopted. They will do fine in a home with other cats, dogs and kids.  It is not necessary for them to be adopted together.  However, if someone adopts two the adoption fee is waived for the second one.

Here's what we did...  Dudley was moved into one of the tiers and has two cages.  The three kittens were put in the big cage.  We are hoping their antics get them adopted quickly!!  Right now we have a lot of kittens at the Shelter and we need to start placing them. These three are the youngest we have that have been spayed and neutered.  They came into the Shelter in very early June.  As a precaution...please do not allow these guys to socialize with Victoria for at least one week.   AND be extra careful to sanitize between handling them and her.  The youngsters are more prone to the upper respirator issues and the conjunctivitis in the eyes.   

Austin

Drake

Michael

All the recent cancellations have been covered.  Special thanks to all who offered to cover and to those who are now on the schedule!

Smokey Goes Home and Other Updates!

Smokey went home last Wednesday night.  He will be living with a nice little family...mom, dad and two children ages four and eight.  Dad called the Shelter after day one and reported they already LOVE Smokey and he did great his first night!  He also said they just may be in the market for a feline sibling for him!

Little Viola had a weepy eye so we brought her back to the Shelter.  She is doing great and the eye is clearing up.  Hopefully you will see her come right back.

Chewy was brought back to the Shelter for an eye issue as well.  However, we suspect his issue was due to a swat from Dudley!  The eye looks great and he is fine. He is coming right back.  For now we want Dudley to be by himself in the big cage and not allow him to bully the others. If he is let out to play make sure he is monitored or he is by himself.
 
We are considering bringing larger cats we have one at time and putting them in the big cage.  Right now we have a few and they would not fit in the smaller cages and definitely would not fit through the holes. We have a large male (23 pounds) named Oreo who is a love bug and would probably be adopted very quickly from the store.  You will be told when that could start.

Little Victoria arrived on Friday.  She is a riot!!   She is four months old and would make a fabulous addition to any household.  She likes other cats and would do fine in a home with dogs and kids.  She came from the same house as Viola where they lived with 19 other cats.  Three mommy cats - Viola being one - and eighteen kittens came from the same house.

Victoria

The schedule looks great for the remainder of July and even for August - knocking on wood!!! Right now the only openings are below:
July 31, Wednesday, AM Cleaning
August 7, Wednesday, AM Cleaning

Adoptions Continue!! Three Newbies Arrive!

Thankfully adoptions continue to go well!  Alex, Fefe and Sassy all went home this past week.  Sassy now lives in an adult only home with three other cats.  Alex also went to an adult only home and will be joining another cat.  Fefe went home with a little family - mom, dad and a four year.  Fefe's new parents came into the Shelter and chose a feline companion for her named Mallory.  Great week!

Three new guys arrived Wednesday afternoon. They are all below...

Whiskers is a sweet older calico that was living outside in a neighborhood and was reportedly "bothering the dogs" that lived there.  She was trapped by animal control and brought in.  She may be about seven years old.  She was already spayed so someone should be missing her but sadly no one ever came to claim her.  She can have a bit of an attitude toward other cats, however, surprisingly she seems to like the group at PetSmart. Perhaps she is just snobby!!  Keep an eye on her, though, as other cats can make her cranky!

Whiskers

Viola is a sweety!!  She is little, however she is about a year and a half old.  She came in when her owner could no longer take care of her.  She had been living in a house with sixteen kittens and two other adults...so we know she gets along with other cats.  She is friendly and should be fine in a home with dogs and children, too.

Viola

Poor Smokey was surrendered to the Shelter because "he cries too much." We are not quite sure what that means!  He is a couple of years old - two maybe.    He does get along with children and seems to be okay with other cats as well. He is friendly and tolerant so would probably be fine in a home with dogs too.

Smokey

As you already know Lucy was brought back to the Shelter for some medical issues.  She is doing just fine!!

Just a reminder...Tuesday, July 16 is the Shelter's 9th birthday.  From 1:00 to 3:00pm we are having an open house/party at the Shelter to celebrate nine years of saving lives and serving the pet population of Cape May County!  Of course there will be the traditional birthday cake as well as other light refreshments.  Please stop by if you can!

Hooray For Sandy II and Tabby!!!

Finally!!  It seems poor Sandy has been waiting forever!  She went home on Saturday where she will be living with two young boys, their mom and a lion rabbit.  (The rabbit is really cute!!!)  On Tuesday Sandy's new mom reported that she is sleeping at the bottom of her bed at night and has already made herself at home on the living room couch during the day.  Her mom says she is "a real love bug!"  Yay!!  So many of you grew fond of Sandy...so worry no more!

Tabby went home on Saturday, too.  He will be the only pet in the house with a single older woman.  This is a good fit for Tabby as that is the life he was accustomed to prior to coming to the Shelter.  His new mom called and said that he hid for the first two days under a dresser in the bedroom but now has ventured out.  He will be fine!

Three new cats are arriving today or tomorrow.  They are all females...Lucy, Sassy and Fefe.

Sassy came in as stray in late April of this year.  She had already been spayed so someone should be missing her, however we never received a phone call.  She is a young adult...just over a year old.  She is a sweetheart!

Sassy

Lucy came into the shelter in September of last year as a stray.  At that time she was under a year old - so today she is approaching two years old. She is a friendly girl who stays right up to the front of the cage!  She pays a lot of attention to what is going on around her!

Lucy

Fefe is a lover!!  She will walk right out of the cage and into your arms! She is so friendly!! Her owner brought her to the Shelter in February - he was moving and Fefe couldn't go with him.  He had been feeding her as stray for over two years and did not know how old she is.  We think she is older...somewhere between seven and eight years old.  So, she qualifies for the Senior For Seniors Adoption Program.  The fee is waived for those over the age of 62 who are approved for adoption.  However, the actual application process remains the same.

Fefe

All three of these girls have been fine with other cats while at the Shelter.  As always do not automatically set them loose among the other cats and do not open the doors between their cages.  Give them a few days to settle in and see how they do.  Remember, the setting at PetSmart is quite different than the setting at the Shelter.  PetSmart can be overwhelming.  It is louder and busier than the Shelter.  Cats are sensitive creatures and some get more afraid than others. 

I am almost afraid to say this...the July schedule is complete.  As always emails will be sent out requesting coverage should any cancellations be necessary.

For those of you who are not regulars please note that when you cover for someone and need to pass on information to the Shelter, including medical concerns, email me at daviesdunhour@comcast.net and Cc animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net. 

Hopefully graduation, wedding and family vacation season is drawing to a close and adoptions will pick up!!  If anyone is interested in kittens please have them come to the Shelter.  Kitten season has begun!

Thanks again for everything you do for the Shelter! 

Jasmine and Belle Go Home Together!

Jasmine and Belle left Wednesday night and headed to their new forever home!  That did not take long at all!  They were a surprise for two children ages 6 and 3 who could not be more excited!! They will be the only cats in the house however they will be joining a nine year old dog.  It's the perfect family...a dog, two cats, two kids, mom and dad!

Studley Dudley was brought to the store Friday afternoon.  He has a handsome gray and white cat and is super friendly. He was brought into the Shelter as a stray that had been hanging around the property for some time.  He was already neutered so someone somewhere should be missing him!  He will do fine in a home with other cats, kids or dogs.  He is a bigger cat so we are giving him the two cages vacated by Jasmine and Belle.

Dudley

We continue to get reports that Sierra is doing well and has settled into her home with two feline roommates and a dog.  Good for her!!

The June schedule is complete.  The only opening that needs to be covered as of today is Sunday, June 16, in the morning.  Please let me know if you are available.

Have a fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend!!!

Fast Track For Candy!

After being at the Shelter for ten months Candy goes to PetSmart and is adopted in a week!  Her new family is extremely excited!  She will spend almost no time alone and will receive a ton of attention!  We are so happy for this pretty girl!

We waited for Candy to go home so we could being two young, smaller litter mates down that can share two cages.  They will arrive tomorrow - Wednesday.  This will bring us back to our full capacity, which is eight cats. The two new arrivals are seven month old females, Belle and Jasmine.  They are very friendly!!  They have lived their entire lives indoors and were handled from birth and are very social.  They will do fine in any home.  Although they are close to each other it is not required that they go home together.  Of course if someone is interested in two cats litter mates is always the best bet.  Also, if adopted together the fee is waived for one of them...so $70 for one or $70 for both.  How will you tell them apart?  Jasmine has a much fluffier tale than Belle.  Here they are:

Belle and Jasmine

Sierra update!!!  Sierra's new mom (Rita) calls the Shelter every few days to let us know how things are going.  She knew we were all concerned.  Well, Rita listened to all of our advice and Sierra started off in a bathroom with all of her stuff.  Rita would periodically sit with her and just talk to her.  After two days Sierra would get up to see Rita and say hi.  Then Sierra graduated to a bigger room - an extra bedroom.  She would sleep on the bed and not hide if Rita came in.  After two days of that she now has run of the house and enjoys sitting in the window and watching what ever is going on outside.  She sleeps on Rita's bed at night. She is doing very well!! 

And below is a picture of our old friend Mr T, now known as Ollie.  He looks so handsome in the window, doesn't he?!!!  Gotta love that face!! It's nice to see our friends in their new homes!

Mr T

Due to a cancellation there is one opening remaining on the May calendar...Sunday morning, May 19.  Please let me know if you are available to cover it.  And remember...you can sleep in a tad as the store does not open until 10:00am.

If any customers at PetSmart ask about kittens have them call the Shelter.  We are starting to see this year's litters.

Let's keep these adoptions going!!

We Need To Get Caught Up!!!

Wow!!  We really need to get caught up!!  I promise to be better with updates in the future!  So, here is what happened this week...

Coco went home on Saturday to a young couple who took a lot of time choosing a new pet.  They were torn between Coco, Sierra and Tabby (he is one of our new arrivals).  They did express interest in adopting Tabby after a week or two however that is not definite. We are not going to let that deter us from placing him an a home.

Caramel and Eddy left on Saturday to a wonderful home.  They will be joining an older cat.  The couple adopting them understand that they will need time to settle in and get comfortable.

Sierra left on Sunday!!  Yippee!!  She is joining a home with two cats - both a little older - and a small dog.  I spoke with Sierra's new mom twice so far and she is settling in just as we expected!!  She is being slowly introduced to the household and is presently in a bathroom with everything she needs.  Periodically her new mom goes in and just sits with her and talks to her.  She did jump up and out of the tub to greet her on day two when she entered the bathroom! 

Poor little old Howard came back to the Shelter as he did not acclimate well to the PetSmart atmosphere.  He is fine here...eating, drinking, using the box, etc.  Maybe it is more mellow here and the activity of PetSmart is just too stressful for him.

Chewey and Snoopy were brought down on Sunday.  Both of these guys came into the shelter along with five others when their owner was evicted.  Sadly, Snoopy only spent the night at the store.  He has a chronically goopy eye however the stress of the move to Petsmart seemed to irritate it more.  We picked him up Monday afternoon. Chewey is black and white and is so cute!! He will do just fine with other cats and is quite friendly! He is about two years old.

Chewey

Three new cats are arriving tomorrow...Wednesday.  We will only have seven cats for a while as opposed to the usual eight because one new arrival is...shall we say...a big girl...and she will need two cages! Her name is Candy and she is a gorgeous calico somewhere around 4-6 years old.  She came into the Shelter in August of last year.  She is definitely a lap cat and loves attention.  She is a tad iffy with other cats so please keep her doors shut!  She probably will not want to come out and play with the others but will demand personal attention!

Candy

Tabby is a love bug!!  He is about 6-7 years old and came into the Shelter in February after his owner died.  Poor Tabby was alone in the house for a while and a neighbor could see him in a window.  Knowing the owner had passed away the neighbor knew he had to be alone so started to bring him food.  Shortly after that animal control was notified and he was brought to the Shelter.  He has been enjoying stretching his legs and running about in our main cat room with the others.  He should have no problem acclimating to PetSmart and any home.

Tabby

Alex has been at the Shelter a looong time.  He arrived in September of 2011and was very nervous and afraid.   Please let him take time settling in.  He is now friendly and happy, however remember the Shelter and his cage have been his environment and his home for eighteen months.  He does like to stretch his legs and is fine with other cats.  When he first came in we estimated his age to be about eight months which makes him about 2 1/2 years old now. Just watch him and let us know if PetSmart is too much for him.

Alex

So, there we have it!!  It was nice seeing four cats go home last week!!  Let's hope it keeps up!!

Happy Tails, Paige and Claus!!

Busy week at PetSmart!!  Paige left last night with a perfect match!!  Since she is over eight years old she qualified for the Senior For Seniors adoption program.  She will be the only pet living with her new mom, a human senior citizen!  We already received an update...Paige settled in immediately and is totally enjoying looking out the window and watching the world go by! 

Just a reminder...the adoption fee is waived for applicants over age 65 should they adopt a pet over age eight.

Claus was adopted however he will not be picked up until next Thursday.  He was brought back to the Shelter to allow another cat to get exposure at PetSmart.  He is doing just fine!!  He was put in an large cage and has plenty of room.  He was always a staff favorite  so will not be wanting for attention. When he goes home he will be joining an adult only household with another cat - a male, two years old, adopted from the Cumberland County SPCA.  A good fit for Claus!

Three new guys arrived at the store today bringing our total back to eight cats - our maximum occupancy.  Here they are:

Thomas is a male around nine years old so he qualifies for the Senior For Seniors program. If the adopter is younger than 65 years old the adoption fee is $20.  Thomas is a four paw declaw.  That's right...every one of his toes was amputated.  It appears one may be growing back in a rear foot. Thankfully all the trauma he faced has not seemed to dull his spirits.  He is a sweat heart!  He does get along with other cats and would also get along with kids.  We are not sure how he would do with dogs, however at his age that may be a tough transition.  He came into the Shelter as a stray in early March.


Thomas

Eddy is adorable and a highly desirable orange male just under a year old.  He is another friendly guy that likes other cats and would do fine with kids and dogs as well. We have had him since late August of last year.

Eddy

Caramel is a gorgeous torti that is just turning one year old.  Her adoption fee should now be $35. She shared a cage with Eddy at the Shelter so we know she will do fine with other cats.  At PetSmart she and Eddy will continue to room together.  She is slightly younger than him...maybe a month or two...her adoption fee is $70.  She may be a little scared initially.  She was a scaredy cat when she first came to the Shelter in late July so you may see her revert a little.  She and Eddy are not littermates and it is not required that they be adopted together.  If they do go together of course it would be great, though!

Caramel

Adoptions have been picking up (knock on wood) in the last week both at PetSmart and at the Shelter.  Let's hope it continues!

The calendar for the rest of this month looks great...only two openings remain...both in the morning:
Friday, April 19 and Sunday, April 21. 
Let me know if you can cover either one.  (By the way...it is wonderful to have Toni back!!!)

This Saturday is the monthly dog adoption day at the store.  Peggy, Arlene and Linda will be there Noon-3:00pm with two of dogs.




Three Happy Tails and Four Welcomes!

OK...so, here's what has been going on...  Keith and Charles were adopted together by a very nice young couple who are so exited to have them!  They will be the only two pets in the home and will have a wonderful time!  Bell was adopted by a nice young man that lives with his parents.  They have two dogs as well so Bell will be in a lively household!

CC was brought back to the Shelter because she just did not seem to be doing well. She was not eating and not using the litter box.  She is one of those cats that just seems happier in the Shelter rather than the PetSmart environment.  All that noise, people, other animals, and different volunteers every day can be stressful on a cat.  Don't worry about her...she will be fine with us!

Mira and Jerry came down to the store first and went into the big cage.  They do not need to be adopted together.  They were not together at the Shelter and are not litter mates.  Mira came in as a very young kitten back in June. Jerry came in a way back in December of 2011.  Poor guy has been growing up in a cage.

Mira

Jerry

Coco and Paige went to PetSmart today.  Coco is a torbi and is a little bit over two years old.  What a lovebug!!  She is a total lap cat!  It is always amazing when we see cats like this continually get overlooked. She quietly sits and wait for someone to notice her and they don't.  You guys are gonna love her!  She loves attention and loves people.

Coco

Paige is an old girl that purrs and loves attention!!  Very friendly!!  She is over 9 years old and qualifies for our "Seniors for Seniors" program.  Her adoption fee is waived for applicants over age 62 yaers old. 

Paige

Toni comes back this month!!!  Yay!!! Welcome back!!  Special thanks to newcomers Jess and Mike for covering some Sundays while Deb & Warren are away.

Spring has sprung which means kitten season is right around the corner.  Please encourage everyone you know and everyone you come in contact with to spay and neuter their cats.  Many low cost and no cost options are available in Cape May County.  Tell people to call the Shelter or call the Animal Alliance of CMC for advice and guidance.  There is a clinic every Thursday next door to the Shelter.  It is very easy to remember the phone number for the Alliance: 465-NEUT (short for neuter).  Very helpful and very accomodating!!!

The April schedule looks great.  Below is the dates that still need to be filled:
Sunday, April 7, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 14, AM Cleaning
Friday, April 19, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 21, AM Cleaning

Thank you all very much for taking care of everything while I was away. It is nice to have such committed and reliable people volunteering.  You all truly make a difference!!

Mr T and Midnight Go Home!!

We are all so happy for Mr T and Midnight!  How wonderful that they finally got to go home and they will stay together!  They were adopted by a very nice man who has adopted from us in the past so he also has other cats.  They are going to have a nice life!!

Charlie and Keith moved into he big cage on Thursday.  They came into the Shelter with other littermates back in October.  They may be a little shy until they settle in but both are sweet and friendly.  They are well under a year old.

Charlie



Keith

Hopefully everything is going well with the pine litter.  Everyone seems to feel the same way - it is easier to clean but we seem to use a lot as it disintegrates easily.  Please make sure not to overfill the boxes. 

I will be going away from Wednesday, March 6 through Tuesday, March 12.  Right now the schedule is complete for that time period.  If you need to cancel please call the Shelter so arrangments can be made to cover you - do not email me nor call me.  If it is after 4:00pm and you are due in that same night please call the store and tell the manager you can not make it.  If you observe any medical issues, need more paper or have any questions at all please make sure you call or email the Shelter.

Special thanks to Barb A, Barb J, Judy M, Judy Mc, Lydia, Connie, Joyce and Peggy for helping with Shopaholics!!  It was a huge success!!  Our donations doubled what we took in last year! 

Coverage is still needed for Friday, March 15 in the morning.  If you can cover it let me know tonight or tomorrow otherwise I will send out another email next week.

Juliet Gets A Proper Goodbye!

I have been remiss in saying goodbye to Juliet!  She left last week and now lives with one of our volunteers.  Adopted with her was a cat at the shelter named Katrina.  They have new names now - Teagan (Juliet) and Branna (Katrina).  They have settled into their new home!!  Thank you, Judy McL, for adopting these girls!!

Our last arrival at PetSmart did not receive a proper hello!!  Her name is Genevieve and she is VERY pretty!!  She came into the Shelter a little over a month ago and was already spayed.  We are still so surprised no one was looking for her.  She loves attention - loves to be brushed and loves her belly rubbed!  She could be described as a lap cat.  She is fine with other cats and would do well in most households. We think she is about a year and half old.

Lady Genevieve

Votes are in...looks like we are sticking with the pine litter.  Almost everyone feels it is easier to keep the area clean when not dealing with all that dust.  I always thought it looked better with the color of the cages and the brown paper. 

Again...a reminder...go easy on the litter and food.  Only put a half of a cup of food in the bowls.  At night if you see most of the food is still there do not add another half of a cup - just add whatever appears to have been eaten.  There should never be more than a half cup in the bowl at any give time. As far as litter...only use about an inch. Remember, we are in there twice a day.  We really need to be cognizant of waste.

Thanks to all who have volunteered for a time slot for Shopaholics.  There is a few spots left.  I'll send out an update schedule this week.

Someone is needed to cover the adoption table next Wednesday, February 27, 6-8pm.  I can change the time if earlier is better.  If no one volunteers for the table I will be looking for someone to just clean.


The March calendar is shaping up but there is still many open slots...all mornings.  Please let me know if you can cover any of them.
Sunday, March 3, AM cleaning
Saturday, March 9, AM cleaning
Sunday, March 10, AM cleaning
Friday, March 15, AM cleaning
Sunday, March 17, AM cleaning
Saturday, March 23, AM cleaning
Sunday, March 24, AM cleaning
Friday, March 29, AM cleaning
Sunday, March 31, AM cleaning

Hey, Toni...you back yet???



  

OK...we're back in business!!!  Eight cats were brought back to the store after everything was stripped and cleaned not once but twice.  Bell, Sandy II, Midnight and Mr. T returned.  Newcomers are CC, Juliet, Sierra and Claus. 

So, what happened to the rest? Winston was adopted and went home over a week ago.  He is going to be the only pet in the household and is going to be spoiled and happy and never lacking for attention!  Book went home also and will be living with a dog and three children!!  He not only got a home...he got a whole family!!  Ruby, Amethyst, Tyler and Cuddlebug are all doing well at the Shelter.

Wonderful news about the change in litter, huh?!!!  This should make cleaning a lot easier and should make the entire area looked neater.  The pine litter was placed in the canister yesterday.  Again...I beg of you...do not use too much of it as it is more expensive than the clay.  If this becomes cost prohibitive we will go back to the clay.  Scoop when you can! 

Here is the new guys:

Sierra is a pretty blue cream torti that unfortunately has been bounced around lately.  She was first adopted from us a few years ago and had a lovely quiet home.  Sadly, her owner died and she was brought back to the Shelter last March.  She was adopted shortly after that but was returned eight months later.  An infant moved into the house and the disruption was a bit much for Sierra.  This is something we actually see quite often - cats that come from quiet homes often do not react well when circumstances drastically change.  Please make sure potential adopters are aware she needs a quiet home and individual attention.   She is over five years old so her adoption fee is only $20.

Sierra

Juliet is so precious!!  She lived in a home with four other cats and is very friendly!!  Her owner moved into assisted living and Juliet and the rest could not go with her.  sSe is very affectionate and just loves being held and fussed over!  She is about three years old.

Juliet

Claus is a handsome young man who came into the Shelter as a stray in mid December.  He is another friendly guy and will be a wonderful companion!  We estimate he is just at a year old. 

Claus

CC is a doll!  She is special as an orange female is not very easy to come by! She also came from a multi-cat household.  She was surrendered to the Shelter along with six others when her owner was evicted.  She is lovely!!  She is five years old.

CC

So, here is the set up...Sierra has two cages.  Remember, she did best in a quiet home and a change upset her. Do not force her to mingle as the stress may be too much for her.  Juliet and CC are in singles and need to stay that way until we see them settle in.  Bell and Sandy II are sharing three cages because we know they will do fine with each other as they are returnees.  Claus is a single and also needs to stay that way for now. Big Mr T and Midnight are in the big cage.  Slow introductions for the new guys, please!!

We are working on the air filter system.  Hopefully we will get that done soon.  In the mean time let's hope the thorough cleaning did the trick.  Thank you for your patience!

There is a few openings this month listed below.  Please let me know if you can cover any of them:
Sunday, February 17, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, February 20, AM Cleaning
Saturday, February 23, AM Cleaning
Thursday, February 28, PM Cleaning

The Animal Alliance of Cape May Couty has received grant money from PetSmart Chairities to spay/neuter and vaccinate stray and free roaming cats in any area with the 08260 zip code...that includes all of the Wildwoods.  The surgeries will be done at no expense to the pet owner!  If you know anyone who needs help in that area please have them call 465-6388 or the Shelter for more information.