A Visit For the Dogs & Smitty Goes Home!

It was a good weekend! The dogs were well behaved on both days of the adoptathon. So were the volunteers! Here is pictures of some of the volunteers and our visiting mutts. On the top right is Reecie Cup, a pit bull terrier mix, who spent both days with us and was so good! In the picture with her is volunteers Barb and Judy.

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In addition, Sandy, a terrier mix and older girl, came in on Saturday. Her family no longer wanted to care for her and now she is in the Shelter. She is with volunteer Joan in the top left picture. One of the PetSmart employees completed an application to adopt her. Hopefully it will be a forever home for Sandy. Little Jenna, pictured below, joined us on Sunday. She is a German Shepherd Mix. All the dogs sure seemed to enjoy being out of the Shelter for a few hours!

We also had four visiting cats each day that slept over in the big stainless steel cages on wheels. (Thank you, Joanne, for cleaning up after 13 cats on Sunday morning!) One of the visiting cats, a little girl named Tinkerbell, got adopted. Arrangements were made to pick her up from the Shelter.

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Smitty went home on Saturday! Yippee! His new dad was very anxious to pick him up!

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We also received applications for two of the new cats that were brought down to stay. Both applications were approved and the cats are going home Wednesday night. One is a sweet little calico named Golda who is going to be spoiled by a very happy teen age girl. The other is a black and white male cat named Harley who is several years old. Poor Harley’s owner could no longer care for him and he had led a pampered life. He will be happy to be free to lounge about in a house once again!

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We have added two new cats to our bunch…Ella and Donner. Ella is an all black older cat – at least eight years old. She is very sweet and gentle and loves to be brushed. She appears to be very shy but is very appreciative when you start to pay attention to her. Donner is a black and white male with medium length hair. He is very friendly and also loves attention.

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Good news…on Monday night a hold was put on the boys, Corey and Moe! Hopefully it will be approved and they can go home together.

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Special thanks to those who helped out this weekend…Barb, Judy, Joan, Larissa and Joann!

Here is Ella and Donner....

The Latest on Adoptions and Holds

Well, Henshaw went home last Wednesday night along with Hilde. I hope poor nervous Henshaw has settled in at home and is not too frightened. His new dad seems very kind and patient so I am sure it will work out.

Lots of holds this week! Holds were put on Harry, Sally, Smitty and Crunchy. Crazy Crunchy's applicant was approved and he is going home tomorrow night. A woman put a hold on Harry and decided, with reservations, to also put a hold on Sally as she did not want to see the two separated. However after giving it more thought she elected to only adopt Harry so the hold on Sally has been pulled. The application for Harry was approved and he is going home tomorrow night as well. The application for Smitty is being processed.

The applicant for Corey was notified by the Shelter but he has yet to supply any of the required paperwork. Perhaps we will get him a home with his brother Moe after all.

This weekend is the Adoption Event at PetSmart. Several of us will be there with dogs and additional visiting cats. Dogs will be on hand both Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-3:30pm. In addition four cats will be spending the day with us and two cats will move in to replace Henshaw and Hilde. Let's hope we find some forever homes for these dogs and cats!

Two new cats arrived on Sunday...Snowdrift and Travis. Both are very shy and will need some time settling in. Snowdrift is a young male who is gray and white. Travis is also a young male and is a gray tabby.

Only one opening on the May schedule...the morning cleaning on Saturday, May 31. Please let me know if you are available. Look ahead to June as the schedule is filling up!

Here is Snowdrift and Travis:

A Busy Weekend!

Angelica and Miles went home on Saturday. Both are going to homes that have other cats so they will have company. Angelica went home with a teenage girl who could not be happier. She will be treated like a princess! Miles went home with a true cat lover! Her new mother had recently lost a cat who apparently looked just like Miles. When she spotted Miles in the cage she instantly fell in love with him. I packed him up in her carrier and he was so good about it! She was all smiles when she left the store.

We took two holds over the weekend - one on Henshaw on Saturday and one on Hilde on Sunday. Henshaw's applicant is a single guy who also recently had a cat pass away so he came to PetSmart looking for a companion. He came into the store during the week and saw Henshaw and he told me, "He gave me a double wink and I knew he was the one." Henshaw is so nervous and he seemed to calm down when he met his potential new dad. I think it will be a good match. Both applications are at the Shelter being processed.

Just a reminder....If you take a hold on a cat please make sure it is accompanied by a completed application and let me know there is paperwork that needs to go to the Shelter. I will make arrangements to get it. A hold without an application slows down the process. The next hold is then treated as a second hold yet the Shelter does not have an application to review and evaluate. Even if the people insist they will complete it and take it to the Shelter themselves advise them how our process works and get ALL the forms completed right then. Should they continue to insist have them go to the Shelter during regular hours and complete their paperwork right there. Also, if you take an application please make sure a hold is completed as well.

Three new cats came today. They are litter mates Harry and Sally and a big old tomcat named Smitty. Harry and Sally will be sharing two cages. They are both gray and black tabbies. Initially Sally was a tad nervous but settled in just fine along with Harry. Smitty is a big orange tabby with alot of personality. He was an outside cat for a while and then was brought to the Shelter. You know how long these big orange toms last at PetSmart!! He also settled in without a problem.

Here they are:

A Handsome Young Man & A Single White Female

Big Sunny and Socks went home on Wednesday night. Sunny's new family brought a carrier so fortunately the big guy did not have to be stuffed into a cardboard carrier. Socks will be joining a home with two dogs so it looks like he will have someone to play with. I know alot of you will miss this rambunctious guy! It is nice to picture him free to run about a house!

Also, on Wednesday night our newest volunteer, Joann, joined Barb A and between them they did some nail clipping. Barb assured me no feline or human blood was shed. Miles, Crunchy, Corey and Moe survived their manicure. Thanks, Joann, and welcome aboard!

If you contacted me with hours you would like to help at the adoption event the first weekend in May then I added you to the calendar. If I made any mistakes please let me know. If you have not committed yet but would like to you are more than welcome to join us!

So, as the title of this post suggests, a young male and a young female cat arrived at PetSmart on Sunday. Angelica is all white and is very friendly and very pretty. She settled right in and did not appear to be the least bit nervous. She actually permitted Crunchy to groom her for a while but then there was some hissing so they were separated. Henshaw, on the other hand, was very afraid. He is a gray tabby with some white. You can see from his picture below that he is a scaredy cat. I know this group can make him feel better in no time!

Since both of the new guys are smaller they are in their own cages for now. As we monitor them this week and get to know them we can decide if the door can be opened between their cages. Right now Milo and Crunchy each have two cages, Corey and Moe are in the big cage, and the rest have separate quarters. I am sure there will be some mixing and matching by the end of the week.

Apparently Hildie showed a bit of attitude on Sunday and growled several times at BlueBell and then cornered her. The door was shut between their cages. Poor BlueBell! When they first arrived they huddled together in the cubicle and comforted each other. Some thanks BlueBell gets, huh!

The May calendar is complete with the exception of the following three dates.
Please let me know if you are available:
Sun, May 18, Adoption Table (yes, I will accept an offer to clean/feed only)
Tue, May 20, Evening cleaning/feeding
Sat, May 31, Morning cleaning/feeding

Meet Angelica and Henshaw:

Webbie, Tiger and Iago Go Home!

Webbie went home Wednesday evening as scheduled. Also on Wednesday night Sashimi's owner, Lavendar, Scout, and Sassafrass's owner, and Traveller, Merlot, and Otto's owner all stopped by the adoption table to say "hi". Barb A said Sashimi (Triscuit) and her owner are very happy! Such good news!

Tiger and Iago left on Saturday. Tiger struggled a bit and did not want to get into the carrier but with the help of her new dad the little girl was packed away and went home. Leona said that Iago was a perfect gentleman and calmly allowed himself to be put into a carrier. I am not surprised! (Kudos to Leona for doing a wonderful job her first day at the adoption table!)

On Sunday Socks got a hold and the application is at the Shelter being processed. I will keep you posted on its progress.

Wait til you see Sunny! I brought him to PetSmart Monday afternoon. He is a massive orange Garfieldish cat! He is 26 pounds and very sweet and gentle. He is nine years old. His owner passed away six months ago and a family member originally took him but for whatever reason it did not work out. Poor Sunny was subsequently relinquished to the Shelter. He has been an inside cat his entire life. He seems depressed but, hey, who wouldn't be! Of course he had to go in the big cage with Socks who welcomed him with open paws. He just arrived at the Shelter so I do not have a picture of him.

Along with Sunny I brought Bluebell, a grayish blue female torti and Hildie, an orange and white female. These two are also very sweet. They were a tad scared and nervous on their first day. They are sharing two cages and seem to find comfort in each other. They both got into one cubicle and then turned their backs to the window. I do believe they will settle in but it will take a few days. For now keep the door closed to Crunchy's quarters until these girls feel more at ease.

PetSmart managers have asked me to pass along a couple of things. Please make sure that all the cats are in the cage area and the big door closed before opening the door to the adoption room that leads to the store. We have had some escapees!! Also, we are going over budget with supplies. There are several scratching pads in cages now as well as some in the cabinets. Please just use what we have and do not take any more of these from the shelves. Finally, some of us are not initialing the Adoption Center Maintenance Checklist. You will find this on the clipboard on top of the cart. We are responsible for the daily pre-opening cleaning duties and the nightly cleaning tasks. Make sure you initial the top block and draw a line to the last block. The managers initial the other areas.

The adoption event at PetSmart will be on Saturday, May 3, 12:00 - 5:00pm and on Sunday, May 4, 12:00 - 4:00pm. If you would like to help out with either day please let me know. Also, please be specific about what hours you can do so I can make a schedule and get everything covered. The Shelter will receive $15 for every animal adopted during the adoption event as well as for any animal adopted during the week preceding it. While you are cleaning and feeding during the week please keep this in mind should anyone engage you in conversation!

Just a reminder...the clear plastic litter pans are doubled up to make them stronger. If the top pan is soiled please be careful and do not throw both away!

The May schedule looks great! There is still four openings (excluding the adoption weekend). Please let me know if you can do any of them.

Here is our new shy girls - Hildie and BlueBell.

Sweet Bettina Goes Home!

Bettina went home on Saturday. She is such a sweet cat and not a bit of trouble. I am sure her new mom will be very happy she made the decision to adopt her.

Webbie's application was approved and she is going home on Wednesday. She is going to a home with no other animals and the family is very excited to have her. She is so shy and timid and this home sounds like the perfect environment for her to find comfort and learn to trust.

Iago has two pending holds. I will keep you posted on how that is going. For now he is bunking with Socks.

Four new cats came from the Shelter on Sunday. They are brothers Cory and Moe, Miles and Tiger. Cory and Moe are young male tabbies. You can tell the difference by their noses. Cory has a pink nose and Moe has a dark nose. They are both easy going and settled right in. Needless to say they shared accommodations at the Shelter and will continue to do so at PetSmart. Hopefully they will find a home together. Miles is also a male tabby. He looks allot like the brothers. He, too, settled right in and has an easy going disposition. Tiger is a young female tabby and the poor little girl is very shy. She is very pretty and has long hair. Please be patient with her and help her become adjusted. She was very afraid on Sunday.

No need for me to even comment on the April schedule! It's complete!

Here's the new guys: Cory, Moe, Tiger & Miles

Yes, They Broke The Mold.....

As you can see from the featured kitty our old friend Cassie has gone home! Barb A, who has a heart of gold and an understanding husband, adopted Cassie after her upper respiratory infection cleared up. Barb said that after hiding under the bed for a little while Cassie is now eating and doing well. Of course Barb had to first find a food that our finicky friend would eat! A big round of applause for Barb and Cassie!!

So, some of us did not even get a chance to meet Mistoffelees or Grady. Both cats went home with families who completed all the paperwork at the Shelter the day after the cats arrived at PetSmart. They both went home last Wednesday night. As much as I would have liked for you guys to meet them I am glad they basically flew out the door!

Shelley Belly is going home tonight. She sure is sweet and received allot of attention during her stay with us.

Our girl Bettina finally got a home!! The application has been approved and Bettina hopefully will be picked up over the weekend. She is the definition of a lap cat! When her new mom came in to meet her Bettina settled right into her lap and purred away.

The hold on poor Webbie has been pulled. It just was not meant to be. Webbie is a shy one and the perfect home will come her way. For now she needs a little extra time and TLC.

We have a new volunteer among us! She trained with me last Saturday and is taking the last couple of open shifts we had in April to include the adoption table on Saturday, April 5. Welcome, Leona!! Brave woman taking on the adoption table! Thank you for your courage!

PetSmart is hosting a Spring adoption event the weekend of May 2-4 (F/S/S). I do not have any details yet but will need help between the hours of 12-5 on Sat, May 3 and 12-4 Sun, May 4. I am hoping to have dogs and additional cats come from the Shelter. Right now nothing is definite but the date. Let me know if you will be available at any time during the event - even if it is just a few hours.

The Boys Are Back In Town!!

Busy, busy weekend at PetSmart - four boys arrived and three holds were taken. The new arrivals are Crunchy, Grady, Iago and Mistoffelees. Yes, they are all boys! It seems we have had a run on females lately so this is a nice change.

Crunchy is a gray tabby, Grady is an orange Tabby, Iago is another gray tabby and Mistoffelees (feel free to call him Mister) is a big multi-colored beast! He has some brown, black, gray and alot of white and he is a big boy - say about 20 lbs!! You are gonna love him! Actually, you are gonna love all these guys. They arrived on Sunday and Tracey reported they settled right in. Shortly after being put in their cages they were all at the cage doors asking to look around the place. Tracey let them all out at once to look about and they did just fine and all got along quite well.

There are holds pending on Webbie, Shelly and Grady. The Shelter is waiting on paperwork for all three. In addition another hold looks promising for Grady that was taken at the Shelter. Let's hope Easter weekend brings alot of people into the store to meet our guys!

I need help for Saturday, April 5. I had signed up for the adoption table but now have a family committment and will not be able to be there. Let me know if you are available to do the table that day. Saturdays it is very important to have a representative from the Shelter actually open the table. If worse comes to worse I will settle for just having the cages cleaned but hopefully someone will do the table. Believe me, it is not difficult and you can always call the Shelter if you have any questions as they are open on Saturdays. Also, coverage is still needed for Thursday, April 17 in the morning.

Meet the boys....

Goodbye Clairy, Gossamer & Jellybean

Two long timers left us recently. Clairy went home last week and Jellybean went home Wednesday night. Good for them!! Gossamer went home last Saturday. It seems he has been on quite a journey. If you remember, he was with us in the fall and was adopted last October only to be brought to the Shelter a short time later because he allegedly did not get along with his feline roommates. That was probably because he knew he had a home and just wanted to get back to it!! Then he came back to us at PetSmart. Well, it seems his owner has been in Wildwood Crest all this time and missing him! He was spotted in PetSmart and his name is actually Carl. So, big Carl went home on Saturday.

I spoke with the Shelter today and got an update on our girls Cassie and Glory. Cassie is suffering from an upper respiratory infection and is resting comfortably. She could not smell her food because of a stuffed up nose so wasn't eating. She is doing well. Glory is no longer in quarantine and is doing fine. She just does better at the Shelter than she does at PetSmart so she is going to stay there. Hey, I suppose we are not every cat's cup of milk! She is fine, though!

Four cats will be arriving on Sunday. I will let you know more about them when the Shelter makes a decision as to exactly who will join us.

Remember Katherine who was our regular Monday morning cleaner/feeder? Well, after spending the last few months in Mexico she has decided to move there for good. She was a big help over the last 18 months and I will miss her. Adios y vaya con dios! Fortunately we have a new girl stepping right in on Mondays in the morning...welcome Cristina!! One door closes and another opens!

March AND April schedules look great! The only open date is Thursday, April 17 in the morning. You guys make my job easy! Thank you for your continued support and commitment!!

Merlot Joins Two Old Friends!

Merlot left Saturday afternoon and joins two of our old buddies, Otto and Traveller. Remember Otto?? He was adopted the first weekend we brought cats to PetSmart in June of 2006. He was joined by Traveller last year. His new parents had been looking for another black cat with golden eyes. Remember, both Otto and Traveller are black cats. They had met Merlot before but she was shy and would not come out. On Wednesday night they met her again and Merlot walked out of her cage and curled around her new mom's neck! Judy M said that Merlot talked the whole way out of the store on Saturday! Good luck to the Three Musketeers!

Clairy is going home tomorrow (Wednesday) night! Her new mom had two senior cats who recently passed away and when she saw Clairy she knew it was time for a new friend.

I am sad to say the Glory was brought back to the Shelter on Sunday. She has had allot of difficulty settling in. I have been assured that the staff and volunteers at the Shelter will continue to socialize Glory and see if she can come back to us. I know we all hate to see a cat go back to the Shelter but PetSmart is a unique environment and not every cat will do well there. There is so much activity and so many different people in and out and dogs brought up to the window and non-stop noise, etc. The cats we have there need to be able to be handled by different people every day. Glory does not like being handled and let many of us know that. Thanks for your patience with her and hopefully our resident cat whisperer at the Shelter can help her along.

I heard tell there is a new daily form that needs to be completed at PetSmart. I spoke with Concetta about this and she advised me that it is a corporate mandate and management tool that actually was manadatory at the start of this program. Please complete it as best as you can and ask the manager if you need help. Do not let it stress you out!!

Four new cats were brought to PetSmart on Sunday. They are Shelly, Webbie, Socks and Gossamer. Remember Gossamer? He was a tiger striped male that we adopted out last October. He was brought back to the Shelter in December and we were told he did not get along with the two resident cats that he had joined. He appeared to settle in fine on Sunday. Let's hope his next home is truly forever. Socks is a young gray and white female who is very friendly and asked to look around the place after being put in her cage. Shelly and Webbie are both shy and scared and will need some TLC. Shelly is calico and Webbie is a gray and white female. Shelly likes her own space so monitor her before opening up the doors between cages. Webbie is particularly shy and afraid but should come around with time.

The March schedule WAS complete but I have some cancellations that need to be filled. Please let me know if you are available. They are: Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 14 in the mornings and Monday, March 17 in the evening. The April schedule looks great! The only open days are Saturday, April 5 and Thursday, April 17 in the mornings and Sunday, April 13 for the Adoption Table. You know the deal....let me know!

Here's the new guy and girls:

Lavender and Letitia Go home!

Big old solid Lavender went home Wednesday night. She will be joining Sassafras and Scout. Remember them? Letitia went home on Saturday. She had three holds at once! She will have alot of company at her new house. Her new family had adopted another cat from us in the past and they also have two dogs.

As most of you know Jellybean has been having litterbox issues. Earlier today Joanne put a different litter in her box to see if that made a difference. It appears to have done the trick! There is a separate box of litter to use. Let me know if Jellybean continues to use the box or if she goes back to her old ways.

Concetta has asked that we be more conservative with the pine litter. Apparently we are over budget in this area. We both agree that using the sand will result in the cages looking messy so would like to see if we can save money by being more careful. Scoop the litter when you can. Also, it is not necessary to fill the litter pans very high since we are cleaning up after the cats twice a day. Fill the pans 3/4 to 1 inch high. I am sure that by being more careful we can lower this cost.

Remember little old Senora who I renamed Pumpkin? I spoke with her mom today and she told me Senora, now known as Malibu Kitty, is a happy spoiled cat. She also told me that she had to have EIGHT teeth pulled but is still as spry as ever. I could tell she is very devoted to her Malibu. We did very good with this match!!

There is only one opening on the calendar for March which is Thursday, the 20th, in the morning. Let me know if you are available. Don't be afraid to look ahead at the April schedule!

Goodbye Marigold!

Marigold left as scheduled on Wednesday evening. She was very cooperative and did not make a fuss when put into a carrier. I am very happy she finally gets to go home. She has been living in a cage since mid-July!

Two new girls arrived at PetSmart today. Cassie is orange and white and is eight years old. She was relinquished to the Shelter by her owner in November. She is sweet and gentle. I was told at the Shelter that she loves her bed so I brought it with her. She was nervous when she arrived but I think she will settle in just fine. Merlot is black and is a talkative youngster. She is approximately eight months old and first came to the Shelter in August when she was just a few months old. She is also a sweetheart. She was very scared when she first arrived and tried to hide beneath the litter bin. Please be patient introducing Merlot and Cassie to the others.

The March schedule is just about complete! Coverage is needed for the morning on Thursday, March 20 and for the adoption table on Sunday, March 23 (Easter Sunday).
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Here's Merlot & Cassie....

Good App For Marigold!!

Good bye, Lena! She went home last Wednesday night. Apparently she went wild her last day at PetSmart. When Larissa arrived to open the adoption table Lena was free and running around the room! Gotta watch some of these smarter cats. They are figuring out how to open those cage doors!!

I took the BEST hold on Marigold today! I am so excited! A woman came in and told me she had completed an application and put a hold on Marigold on Friday, February 1 and had been patiently waiting for the Shelter to contact her. Every day since she has returned to PetSmart to see Marigold. Finally she called the Shelter and learned that her application had never reached there. I still do not know who took the application and where it is. Apparently it was a PetSmart manager. I am trying to track it down. She also told me she had yet to actually meet the cat. So, I took her in to meet Princess Marigold. I explained that she could be tempermental and the applicant answered, "Of course she can! That's exactly what I would expect!" I opened the cage and coaxed Marigold out. I closed the door to the cage area and sat on the floor of the adoption room. Marigold walked about like she was a show cat and then proceeded to sit right in my lap! The applicant and her daughter were totally enthralled and kept remarking on how beautiful she is. I explained that Marigold will let you know when she has had enough attention and wants to be left alone. When it came time to put her back in the cage she carried on as usual and the woman said, "I wouldn't want to be put in that cage either!" She absolutely loves Marigold despite her Marigold ways! It was great! Should this adoption be approved Marigold will be the only pet in the household. It appears to be a match made in heaven! She even had her rental lease with her. I am taking all the paperwork to the Shelter tomorrow.

I introduced another woman to Lavender and Bettina. She decided she loved Lavender and completed all the paperwork. She left to go to a nearby ATM to get the hold money and never came back! In the meantime another family wanted to put a hold on Lavender but decided not to as they saw this woman had already completed an application for her. I tried to talk them into completing the application anyway but they thought it was useless. They decided to go to the Shelter. What a shame! Poor Lavender! Maybe the first applicant will return. She seemed sincere. Maybe something happened. Just in case she does return I left all the completed paperwork in a folder and put it on the bottom shelf of the adoption cart.

There are new coupons now to give when the cats go home. PetSmart replaced the booklet with a single sheet of paper that has three coupons on it. These papers are on the bottom shelf of the adoption cart.

Remember Napolean, the big tuxedo guy? He was adopted in early 2007. His mom is Melissa, one of the managers at PetSmart. It seems old Napolean weighs 22 pounds and is doing quite well!

Please look ahead to March and let me know if you can do any of the available shifts.

Gaia & Sheer Khan Go Home!!

Gaia and Sheer Khan went home on Saturday. Gaia has been living in a cage since April so this is absolutely wonderful news! Her new mom promised to be patient and slowly introduce Gaia to her new surroundings. Can you imagine what this must feel like for Gaia? Finally she will be able to stretch out and run around!

Sheer Khan's new parents were so excited to be taking him home! I lent them my big carrier to make him comfortable for the ride. Should they bring it back and you see it in the adoption room please let me know.

Clairy seemed to be having an ear issue yesterday so today she went to the vet. She was treated for ear mites. The vet cleaned her ears and applied medication. For the next four or five days please do not let her out with the other guys. She is free to roam on her own, though!

Tracey spoke with Sashimi's dad on Sunday. Sashimi is now known as Triscuit and is doing really well. Tracey was told that when she first was brought home she hid under the bed for only about fifteen minutes. Then she came out and has been a wonderful companion ever since! Isn't that great news?!!

Three new cats arrived on Sunday. Lena is a black and white female and is a sweetheart. Letitia is a torti and is also a sweetheart. Both settled right in and started to play right away. Letitia and Lena are under a year old. The third is a black and white female about two years old named Jellybean. She was a little nervous on her first day. She just needs a little time to settle in and will be fine. Jellybean is the one with the white stripe between her eyes.

The Short Man Goes Home

Yea!! Shortie left for his forever home on Wednesday night! He is such a great cat and will be a loving addition to his new family. We all knew it was inevitable that he would find a good home. He deserves it.

An application for Sheer Khan has been approved and he will be picked up on Saturday. I am hoping to have some new guys brought from the Shelter on Sunday.

Here is a helpful hint on removing hair from the fleece blankets. Get a paper towel damp - not wet, just damp - and brush along the fleece. The hair will all sort of move forward and you can pull it off. The fleece does not absorb the moisture. Thanks to Barb and Larissa for bringing blankets home to wash on Wednesdays!

The February calendar is complete! It is always nice to see every shift covered this far in advance!

Three Leave - Three Arrive

Eanie, Meanie and Miney all went home together Wednesday night. They will be living with three little girls and two dogs. Sounds like mom and dad are going to have their hands full!! The family originally came into PetSmart for one cat and after reading their story decided to take all three kittens. How great that the litter is staying together!

Marigold, Gaia and Lavender arrived on Friday. Marigold and Gaia are both in the Open Your Heart And Home Program. Marigold is a long haired pretty girl. She enjoys being petted and held and brushed but will let you know when she has had enough by gently biting your hand. Between her and Sheer Khan there is alot of brushing to be done!

Lavender is a gray tabby and is a real sweetheart. She is friendly and loves attention. She is also solid as a rock! Pick her up and see what I mean!

Gaia (pronounced "Guy - a") is a big sweet black cat. She appeared to be scared and nervous when she first arrived so please give her a chance to settle in. She enjoys being petted and groomed but will sit next to you rather than on your lap.

For now keep these three alone in their cages until they have settled in. All of them have been in the shelter for several months and have not been sharing cages with other cats. See how they react when exposed to the others and then we can determine which doors to open. I think Gaia and Lavender will be able to share eventually. In the shelter they had side-by-side wire cages. I am not certain how Marigold will do with the others.

So far I think the blankets are working out well and the cats sure seem to enjoy the comfort. To give them more room I replaced the larger litter box with the smaller thin plastic one if the cat is occupying only one cage. If you see the need for the bigger one replace it.

As of now the Shelter plans on sending dogs to PetSmart this Sunday during the hours the adoption table is open. Shelter staff will be staying with the dogs. Hopefully this will become a regular occurrence on weekends.

The February schedule is just about complete. Coverage is needed for the following mornings, Thursday 2/7, Monday 2/18, Thursday 2/21 and Saturday 2/23. Someone is needed for the adoption table on Saturday 2/16. Let me know if you can take any of these dates.

Here is Gaia (can't really see her) Marigold and Lavender.

Litter of Three & Big Boy

On Friday three siblings arrived at PetSmart and now occupy the big cage. They are Eanie, Meanie and Miney. The three are approximately sixteen weeks and have been in foster care since the first week of October. Eanie and Meanie are female gray striped tabbies. Miney is a male and is solid gray. They wrestle and play and groom each other and sleep in a big ball. They put on quite a show all weekend. A hold was put on all three by the same applicant on Saturday as well as a second hold on Meanie. Both applications are at the Shelter being processed.

On Saturday big Sheer Khan arrived. He is a big long haired guy and is VERY vocal! You will love him! A hold was put on him on Sunday and that application is at the Shelter also.

A vet tech from the Shelter checked Clairy's eye and she was given the okay to remain at the Adoption Center. In addition Shortie's eyes were cleaned and he, too, was given the okay to stay. I can not believe Shortie is still with us! He is a great cat!

Crystal from the Shelter stopped by and trimmed the nails of those cats who would cooperate. Glory wanted none of it so did not get a trim. Clairy ceased to cooperate after one paw. Sheer Khan had a big mat on his tail which Crsytal cut off so do not be alarmed by what appears to be a bald spot on his tail.

A new volunteer is being shown the ropes tomorrow night. Welcome, Sue!!

Meet the litter and the big guy:

Since I've Been Gone...

Wow! Everyone did great in my absence! As I said before...you guys don't need me! Hazel and Sugar went home on Saturday and Scout went home on Sunday. Hobo is doing well and will be joining Sugar in a few days. Arrangements are being made for new guys to come to PetSmart on Friday.

Shorty got a hold on Sunday and the application is at the Shelter being processed. I will keep you posted on how that goes.

I have gotten several reports that Clairy may have an issue with one of her eyes. The Shelter is aware of this and someone will be down to look at it and get her to a vet if necessary. Remember, if you see something that looks like it needs to be brought to the attention of a vet tech call the Shelter during normal business hours seven days a week. Note in the book what you observe and that the Shelter is notified. If you see it in the evening send me an e-mail and I will call the Shelter in the morning.

Larissa's mom has been kind enough to custom make fleece blankets for the cages. They will be put in for the first time this week. I think the cats will appreciate the comfort! As you know I am concerned about how a soiled blanket will look and smell. I am going to see if soiled ones awaiting cleaning can be kept in a container in the back storeroom. Several volunteers have said they will take the blankets home for washing as needed. How I will miss cutting that brown paper!!

The January schedule looks great! The only coverage needed is for the adoption table on Sunday, January 20.

Special thanks to Tracey who jumped in for me on the adoption table at the last minute when I got stuck in Atlanta!!

Lucy Goes Home and the Girls Arrive

Lucy went home on December 26 as scheduled and three new guys arrived the very next day. Joining us at PetSmart is three new girls named Clairy, Bettina and Glory. Clairy is a gray and brown striped tabby, Bettina is black and white and Glory is a gray striped tabby. Tracey said they were a little nervous with the new surroundings but otherwise seemed to settle in just fine.

Hobo was taken back to the Shelter and a vet looked at the sore on his mouth that had been progressively getting worse. It is an abcess and he will be staying at the Shelter for a week or so where he will be given antibiotics. Once it clears up he will be back.

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Okay, I will see you all in 2008! Don't forget to call Anne or Jenny if you need coverage. Happy

New Year!!

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Say hello to the girls:

Sashimi Gets Her Christmas Wish!!

Yes, it's true! Sashimi went home last night! Joan S gave her a kiss goodbye from all of us and sent her off with her new dad. She will wake up in a house Christmas morning! I know how thrilled all of you are that a forever home finally found Sashimi. I think Sashimi is right - there is a Santa Claus! Her new dad has already made a vet appointment for her so we can rest assured she is in good hands.

A hold was put on Hobo and Sugar together. The application is at the Shelter and is being processed. Remember, Lucy goes home this Wednesday. The wheels are in motion for a couple of new guys to come to PetSmart by the end of the week.

Just a reminder... When completing paperwork for holds and adoptions please consult the steps listed on the top of the adoption table. I know it is a tad tedious but the Shelter has rules to follow. Hold receipts are copies of the hold agreement itself. Staple the cash to one copy and leave it in the cabinet. Complete a SECOND hold agreement and give it to the person for a receipt. The shorter cash receipts (in triplicate) are ONLY completed when an adoption is finalized and the balance of the fee is being paid. Make sure the applicants are aware that on average the adoption process takes three-five days. Explain that rental agreements or home ownership is verified and vet references are checked. After that the Shelter Director does a review of the application and makes the final determination on the approval. Applicants with animals who are not current on vaccinations will not be automatically denied however they will not be approved until the animals are brought to a vet and the vaccinations administered. If you have any questions you can always call the Shelter seven days a week during the day. Do not hesitate to call me as well.

I am going away (yes, again!) from December 28 until January 5. I will be back to work the adoption table on Sunday, January 6. Should you need coverage for your shift in the morning please contact Anne. Should you need coverage for your shift in the evening please contact Jenny. I will send you their e-mail addresses and phone numbers in a separate e-mail. Should you get REALLY stuck and can not contact either one of them call the store and ask for the manager.

I owe Sugar an apology! I mistakenly told you that she is a he. Sugar is a female! Sorry, Sugar!

Can't ya just picture our sweet Sashimi sitting quietly on a window perch! Thank you, Santa!

Have a wonderful Christmas!!

Richard and Athena Go Home - Sugar, Scout and Hazel Arrive!

Another busy week at PetSmart! As you can tell I am having trouble keeping up with all the adoptions! Isn't it great! Athena went home on Saturday and Richard went home last night. Lucy is being picked up next week - on December 26. Remember, her application was approved a while back but the adopting family could not pick her up until then.

Now, keep your fingers crossed...Sashimi got a hold! The application is at the Shelter being processed. Barb A met the applicant last night and said the home seems perfect for her. The gentleman applying wants a mellow cat and already has a window perch in his house. He had an older cat that he recently lost to cancer. He lives alone in a quiet house and wants a quiet, low maintenance cat. He spent some time with Sashimi and she stayed with him and purred and happily accepted treats from him. She is so sweet and not a bit of trouble! I am hoping to get the process expedited so she can go home tomorrow night. If any cat deserves to be home by Christmas it is Sashimi. I will keep you posted!



Seventy-two people came to the Shelter staff & volunteer dinner at the Golden Inn on Monday night. Thank you to all who attended and helped to make it a success! While there a group photo was taken of those who participated in the West Cape May Christmas parade this year on a float with their dogs. The purpose of the float is to bring attention to the Shelter and to homeless animals. The group, organized by Barb A, marched their own dogs in the parade dressing in a "beachy" theme. This year again they won an award - 1st place in the comic division. In the picture from left to right ( rear) Larissa S and her husband Matt, Joanne R, Joan S, Barb A & husband Glen...from left to right (front) Jess F and Alex C. You can see the big trophy being held by Joanne. The trophy will be placed on display in the lobby at the Shelter. You, too, can be a part of this prestigous group next year! Mark your calendar now and bring your dog next year!!

Three new cats were brought to PetSmart on Sunday. Sugar is a sweet male tiger stripe, Scout is a friendly black male and Hazel is a big old calico. It is a nice group!

Just a reminder...30% of the cats adopted from the Shelter in 2007 were adopted through the program at PetSmart. Your compassion and commitment to this program truly makes a difference to the feline population at the Shelter! Thank you for another successful year! It is truly a pleasure and an honor to work with all of you! Enjoy the holidays!

Here is Sugar, Hazel and Scout...

Finn and the Boys Go Home!

Finn went home Monday night. He will be joining Buster, a dog from the Shelter, in a home with another dog and another cat. Sounds like he will have alot of company! His new family is so excited about this adoption. They saw Finn at PetSmart and when they went to the Shelter to complete the paperwork they fell in love with Buster.

Caramel and Taffy went home last night. They are going to a house that presently has no pets. Their new family had a dog and a cat for years and both passed way this past year. They have been waiting for the right time to adopt again and saw these two in the big cage at PetSmart. I am sure they will have a great life! How lucky they are to get to stay together!

I am in the process of arranging for new guys to come down to PetSmart to replace the recent adoptees. I will let you know when they arrive.

A District Manager came to the store last week and reviewed our operation at the adoption center. Although the DM approved of our use of the PetFinder bios they also would like us to utilize their cage cards. So, from now on we will be displaying a combination of the PetFinder pictures and bios and the PetSmart cage cards.

January schedule looks great!! Only the following two mornings are still open: Saturday, 1/12 and Saturday, 1/26. Only one afternoon/evening/adoption table shift is still open: Sunday, 1/26. You know the drill!

Last call for the dinner at the Golden Inn on Monday night, December 17!! If you have not responded please let me know immediately if you would like to attend. I will be giving the Golden Inn my final head count Friday, December 14 in the early afternoon.

Great Job While I was Gone!!

When I returned I was so happy to hear that four guys had gone home in my absence! Great job! You guys are awesome! You don't even need me!

Emma left on Wednesday, November 28. Leila, Mae and Bagheera all left on Saturday, December 1. Leila and Mae went home together. How great is that!! Bagheera was adopted by an older gentleman who had just lost his 25 year old cat. Bagheera will be splitting his time here and in Florida - yes, he will be a snowbird!

Lucy has a hold and the application has been approved. The adopting couple can not pick her up until December 26. Per the Shelter, should someone else show interest in adopting Lucy you can take the application, however explain that she has a pending application and if the couple do not come through she may be adopted.

It looks like the two holds on Finn and the one on Shortie are not going to go anywhere. The Shelter has continued to attempt to contact the applicant of Finn's first hold however no one answers the phone and there in no answering machine. As far as the second hold on Finn, the applicant does not want to complete the paperwork required by the Shelter. The applicant for Shortie has not contacted the Shelter since November 12 which is telling in itself. Don't worry - good homes will find them!

Five new cats came to PetSmart today. They are a great bunch and all their names are easy to say!! Caramel and Taffy are two orange and white young brothers who moved into the big cage. They are sweet, friendly and playful! It is going to be difficult for someone to separate them! Hobo is a young black male kitty who is vocal and friendly! I put him on the first row with Finn and Sashimi. I did not open his cage however should you see that he mixes well with the other two feel free to open the cage. Richard is a young orange male and is very playful and friendly. He is sharing cages with Athena, a young black female. Yes, all the guys this time around are youngsters!

I know I have addressed this before but just a reminder...please do not put beds, blankets or towels in the cages. I know that you are trying to provide comfort on the cats' journey to their forever homes and I certainly understand why you want to do so. However, under these circumstances keeping beds, blankets and towels clean presents too many challenges. The cloth gets dirty quickly and absorbs odors. The washer and dryer at the Shelter operates constantly as the towels and blankets are washed daily. The number one turn off to people entering an animal shelter is smell. Clean, uncluttered cages are more "customer friendly." Please keep in mind that at PetSmart we are essentially "marketing" our cats and the Cape May County Animal Shelter. I removed the beds and blanket that were in the cages. I will wash them and put them in the cabinet when I work the adoption table this weekend.

Please take a look ahead to the January schedule. You will see that Monday and Thursdays mornings need coverage. Also, if you did not get the e-mail about this Saturday (December 8), Judy M needs coverage. Please let me know if you are available.

Remember the Christmas Dinner/Meeting is Monday, December 17 at the Golden Inn in Avalon. If you have not RSVPed please do so! I really hope to see all of you there!

Meet Athena, Taffy, Caramel, Hobo and Richard

Smudge Left Last Week!

Smudge did not get a proper send off here on the blog due to the Thanksgiving holiday. She actually left the night before Thanksgiving. I was fortunate enough to meet her new family and they were very nice and very excited about adopting Smudge.

Emma is scheduled to be picked up tomorrow night.

Hopefully you have all received the invitation to the annual volunteer and staff dinner. Again it is being held at the Golden Inn. It was a very nice event last year so if you missed it please make sure to attend this year. It is a great opportunity to spend time with people of like minds.

The December calendar looks great!! The following morning shifts are still open: Saturday (12/15), Thursday (12/20), Saturday (12/29) and Monday (12/31). The following adoption table slot OR evening shift is still open: Saturday (12/29). Please let me know if you are available for any of these shifts.

Barb A is again entering a float in the West Cape May Christmas Parade this Saturday, December 1. Last year Barb's float was a prize winner! Everyone is welcome to bring their dog and walk in the parade along with Barb. I will send you her phone number and e-mail in a separate e-mail. If you are interested in joining the parade please call her. The float is entered to raise awareness for animals sheltered throughout Cape May County. If you need a dog to walk in the parade she has a few extras!!

I will be away for a few days this week (Wednesday, November 28 until early afternoon Sunday, December 2). Should you have reason to need coverage for your shift in the morning please contact my mom, Anne, and should you need coverage for your afternoon/evening shift please contact Jenny. I will send you their phone numbers and e-mail along with Barb's.

Little Boys Go Home & Big Boys Arrive!

Tinker and Tailor both went home according to schedule. Wait til you see the size of the boys who took up residence now in the big cage!

Bagheera (named after the panther from The Jungle Book) is a big brown and black male tabby who is as gentle as he is big. He has a gigantic head and big paws and looks like a mountain lion. You will love him! His roommate, Finn, is a big black and white male who is just a tad smaller than Bagheera but very big also. He has a black nose in the middle of his white face. He also has a sweet disposition. After arriving yesterday Bagheera ate and immediately settled in for a nap. Finn was a little nervous and hopefully has settled in already. Bagheera is an older guy - maybe eight years old or so - and is considered special needs. For this reason his fee is $8.

Along with the two big boys came Lucy. Lucy is under a year old and is an orange tabby. She is sweet and acts like a kitten! She is friendly and has no fear! Her antics immediately drew a crowd!

The November schedule is complete! Thanks to everyone for their help! Please look ahead to December......

Meet the big boys and their little sister. The pictures of Bagheera and Finn really are deceiving. You have to see them in person to appreciate them!

Tinker & Tailor Going Home Today & Tory Adopted

Tori went home quite quickly and unexpectantly. I received a call at home from the Shelter Director that someone wanted to adopt a cat that had been declawed. Tori immediately came to the minds of the Shelter staff. The application was processed and approved and Tori was picked up that night while Jenny G was doing the evening cleaning. Good for Tori!

Tailor is scheduled to leave the Shelter today. He did his time and is now a free feline! Tinker got a hold last Saturday and his application was approved today. He is scheduled to be picked up at PetSmart tonight. Poor Mae! We did get a hold on her during the Adoptathon however the applicant never followed through with the Shelter. Hopefully Mae's forever home is just around the corner.

I do have someone available to do the evening cleaning on Sunday, November 11, however not the adoption table. If someone is available to do the adoption table that day let me know.

Arrangements are being made to get additional cats down to PetSmart on Friday or Saturday.

Please tell your friends and family and mark your calendars...Santa Claus is coming to PetSmart on weekends in December for photos with pets! This year PetSmart has upgraded to digital photographs. Remember, PetSmart donates half of the proceeds made through the photos to the animal welfare organization that provides volunteers and staffs the event. This year the Animal Welfare Society will be represented on December 1 & 2, Cape May County Animal Shelter Alliance will be represented on December 8 & 9 and Animal Outreach will be represented on December 15 & 16. Last year this was a very successful fundraising event for all involved organizations. Please spread the word and let's help make it successful again this year.