Four Fresh Feline Faces!!!

Here are the four new arrivals!  They will be brought to the store tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.

Felix is a big cat!!  He weighed in yesterday at 20 pounds.  He came into the Shelter in May of last year when his owner was incarcerated. He is about three years old. He was adopted out in August of last year only to be brought back the very next day. Yep...the very next day! The adopters stated that "he charged the dog repeatedly." Well, maybe if he had not been put in that situation immediately upon arriving at his new home it would not have happened!!  He is a bit of a bully and likes to be "top cat." He seems to get along with other cats here at the Shelter - just is big and has a presence!  He will be fine with kids.  As far as a home with dogs - if a potential adopter is made aware of what occurred last time and understands the importance of a slow introduction we can look at that application.

Felix

Maxwell is under a year old and is one of a litter that was all named after coffee.  He can be a tad shy but will warm up quickly. He is typical of a cat in that he is not crazy about being held - but how many really are?? He will do fine in a home with kids, other cats and dogs. 

Maxwell

Felicity is a little over a year old and was trapped as a stray.  Initially she was being fed by the home owner, however they did not want to continue doing so and felt the harshness of the winter was too much for her.  She is a bit of a snuggle bunny and does not mind being held. She enjoys a good belly rub!!  She will do fine in a house with cats, kids and dogs.

Felicity

Jinx is older - maybe nine years old.  He is really really sweet and friendly! He will come to the front of the cage and say hi when you arrive.  You can pick him up with no problem. He was neutered when he came to us.  His owner surrendered him to the Shelter because he scratched their one year old child.  They also claimed they "found" him a year ago. 

Jinx

So...there they all are!!  We are putting Felix in the big cage by himself.  He can not fit through the holes between cages and is much too big for a small cubicle.  The other three will be put into single cages until they acclimate.  REMEMBER...do NOT force the new cats to socialize freely with other cats.  It is not what they are accustomed to and can cause stress if rushed into an unfamiliar situation. A stressed out cat inevitably turns into a sick cat as their immune system weakens.  Just as we warn new adopters to do a slow introduction we, too, must do a slow introduction at PetSmart.

Great Week!!! Meow Madness!!

What a great week we have had!!  Spencer went home with his new family and will be the only pet in the house.  They were so excited to get him!  They really wanted to get him earlier but unfortunately I could not arrange it. Snoopy went home to his family as well and will be the only pet in the house.  I spoke at length to the new mom about how to take her time acclimating him to his new home.  Big Snoopy has been in a cage since January of 2013.  As we all know, those cages become a source of comfort for our cats and the new home and open spaces scare them.  Sounds like she totally understood and will do a slow introduction into the household.

Baroness is being picked up Wednesday night.  She is going to live with a multi-generational family including grandmom, mom and dad, and three teens.  She will be the only pet in the house.

Peaches and Sandy are being adopted into a home together and will be picked up at the Shelter. They are going to be joining a seven year old cat and running willy nilly around the house!!  Their new mom is nineteen years old and lives with her parents.  (PetSmart called and said Peaches has a gunky eye so we picked up both cats and brought them to the Shelter.  We can start her on antibiotics and send her home with meds.)

So...looks like five new arrivals are coming your way! The cleaning tonight and tomorrow morning will be a breeze!! (Rikki is doing both.  How about that for good karma?  Rikki jumped in yesterday and cleaned in the morning during the snowstorm and then volunteered to come in and do tonight!  Wednesday is her usual day. Thanks for doing extra this week, Rikki!!) I am going to try to get a blog update out tomorrow introducing the guys.

Remember that vacation I had scheduled in February  that was canceled due to snow? Well, that was rescheduled for this week.  I fly out Thursday morning (March 20) and return Tuesday night (March 25).  The schedule is complete for the rest of this month and hopefully there will not be any cancellations. Should you need to cancel please call the Shelter at 465-8923 and staff will make arrangements to cover.  Remember - any issues email animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net and cc me at daviesdunhour@comcast.net. This will keep me in the loop so I know what happened while away.

Chives was adopted from Pet Pros in Somers Point to a wonderful home!  We have one cage at that pet store and Leslie brings the cat (or cats) back and forth every day.

Judy Mc will be taking some time off from every other Monday night starting April 7.  She plans on being back in June.  I'll be asking for fill ins until she is back on the schedule.  (Speedy recovery, Judy!!  I know you'll miss the cats and plan on getting back as soon as you can.)

Spring is less than 48 hours away!!!!  

Goodbye to the Boys!!

Dusty, Adam and Alex all left this week.  Dusty went to a family where he will be the only pet...complete with kids, mom and dad.  One of our staff attendants who knows the family reported that Dusty is doing really well and acclimated quickly.  The two human siblings love him already!! 

Adam and Alex went to a home with a couple who have adopted from us in the past.  They seem to have cats that live forever!! They recently had to say goodbye to one that was 20 years old.  The couple has always had several cats.  At this time Alex and Adam will be the only cats in the house and will be spoiled rotten!! (We did have another application on Alex and Adam however the applicant did not follow through with landlord approval.) Some of you may remember Sonny...a 26 pound orange male that was at PetSmart in may of 2008.  This same couple had adopted him.

So,  three new guys arrived yesterday: Baroness, Peaches and Sandy.  Baroness came from a bad situation along with eighteen other cats...that's right...eighteen.  She is young, under a year old, and a beautiful brown torti.  She loves to play and would do well in a home with other cats, kids and dogs.

Baroness

Peaches, a female,  and Sandy, a male, are littermates and are also under a year old. Their story is one we have heard many times before.  Their mom showed up on someone's back deck one day and the kind homeowner fed her. After a couple of months of continued feeding and hanging around the cat had kittens under the porch.  The kittens were brought into the house and played with for a couple of months and socialized.  Once they were bigger they were all brought to the Shelter as the homeowner did not want to care for all of these cats.  (We can not stress enough how important it is to spay/neuter these cats that are being fed by kind people!! The next step needs to be taken! ) The homeowner did keep one of the kittens and the mother who has since been spayed.  Peaches and Sandy are very friendly and well socialized.  They would do well in a home with other cats, dogs and kids.  Although they are litter mates it is fine if they are adopted to separate homes...though of course ideally they would be adopted together!

Peaches

Sandy

Sadly Cristine and Katie need to take a hiatus from every other Thursday night.  When their circumstances change hopefully they can come back.  I am fairly certain the time slot has been filled and will let everyone know should it become available. In the mean time...Cristine and Katie...please jump in whenever you can!

We are starting a new promotion today called Meow Madness!!  Those of you who are basketball fans will get it!  I am going to email you all the below as a flyer that can be emailed, printed out and distributed.  

There is a couple of openings this month listed below.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of them. 

Tuesday, March 18, PM Cleaning
Thursday, March 20, PM Cleaning
Friday, March 21, AM Cleaning
Sunday, March 23, AM Cleaning

As always...thanks for your continued dedication to this program!!

Carbon Leaves, Snoopy Takes His Place! Welcome to Nicole!!

Carbon went home over the weekend!  He will be joining another older cat adopted from us two years ago.  His mom, a senior citizen, is very excited about having Carbon join the two of them!  Perfect "Senior For Senior" adoption!

Snoopy was brought down today to occupy the room vacated by Carbon.  It is fitting - Snoopy is another big black male cat.  He does have a white tuft on his neck.  Some of you may remember Snoopy.  He spent a very short amount of time at PetSmart in the beginning of May last year.  He had lived in the house with the original black and white Chewy.  Snoopy's eye started weeping and we brought him back to the Shelter.  Let's hope he does better this time!  On January 22 of this year he marked one year at the Shelter.  Snoopy is very friendly!!  He will do fine in a home with kids and other pets.  He is a big guy!  Right now he is on the tier with Dusty and Mona Lisa however his door is shut.  Give him time to settle before opening that door to allow him to mingle.

Snoopy

While dropping off Snoopy today one of the staff witnessed Spencer get VERY upset when one of the kittens - Adam or Alex - attempted to enter his cubicle.  Spencer's door was closed so that can not happen again.  Please leave him alone in his cage as that is what he prefers.  Although he appears to be fine when out with the others he does not like having his space invaded within the cage.  Be careful when you do let him out.  If he feels cornered he will get aggressive.

As we say good bye to Lisa who did Friday evenings for the past year we say welcome to Nicole who is taking over that spot!!  Lisa, thank you for all of your help!  Take care and if you ever want to jump in again you know how this works!  Nicole, welcome to the group and thank you for volunteering in a regular spot. You will get the hang of it quickly!  Remember, text me if you need a quick answer.

The March schedule looks good!  Deb and Warren will be back next month so I need Sunday mornings covered for just one more month.  Please let me know if you are available for any of them.  Remember...you can go in a little later...just be started by 10:00am.

The only other date in March that needs coverage is Friday, March 21, AM cleaning.

Attention morning volunteers...the general manager asks that if you are finished cleaning prior to 9:00am when the store opens please find the on duty manager before you go so the door can be locked behind you.

Please do not give anyone volunteer applications any longer. I am finding that the majority of people completing the applications do not follow through and the processing of many of these applications is a waste of time. I have changed the process.   Starting in March interested people are to attend orientation FIRST to see if this is a good fit for them.  Following orientation they will be given an application and interest sheet to complete. Orientations will be held on the last Wednesday of the month at the Shelter at 4:30pm.  Refer people to the website for the guidelines.  I am will provide a handout with the guidelines that you can give to interested people. 

Two Boys Leave and Two Boys Arrive!

Chewbacca and Periwinkle went home on Sunday together and are probably running around the house right now.  They will be the only cats in the house however they will have an adopted little canine sister named Chloe, who is a four year old Papillon.  They are going to think she is another cat!!

Two brothers arrived yesterday named Alex and Adam.  Both of these guys are orange and white and are about six months old.  They were part of a group of several litters brought to us as the owner had to go into assisted living.  Although it would be nice if they were adopted together it will be fine if they are separated.  They will definitely be fine in a home with other cats.  They should be fine with kids and dogs as well.  To tell them apart you will need to study their markings!

Alex

Adam

We are doing pretty well with our Feline Frenzy adoptions. Only one more week so hopefully we get more!

Please look ahead to March and let me know if there is any open dates you can cover. Stay warm...spring is coming!!

Odessa Goes Home and Two New Guys Arrive!

Odessa left today and will be home before the storm hits!!  Good for her!  She will be the only pet in the house with a retired senior citizen so will get LOTS of attention! 

Chewey was having some gastrointestinal issues and Chives was having some snotty issues so both were brought back to the Shelter to be checked.  Chives will need to stay and be put on antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection.  Chewey appears to be just fine - perhaps it was just something he ate.  He will be returning on Thursday along with the new guys.

Meet handsome Carbon.  He is a nine year old little panther!!  He is a big love bug!  Sadly, his owner passed away suddenly in an accident and he has found himself here at the Shelter.  Hopefully someone will read his story and take him home.  He did live with dogs so would do fine with canine siblings.
 

Carbon

And then there is little Mona Lisa.  She is under a year old and is so very pretty!  She came from a managed cat colony where the caretaker became concerned for the safety of the cats and now they are here.  You can see her ear tip. She is a little shy so would do best in a home without small children or dogs. She would be fine with other cats.

Mona Lisa

 
The February Adoption Event is this weekend (February 14, 15 & 16) so dogs will be at the store with volunteers Noon - 3:00pm on all three days. 

Also, a reminder... it is February Feline Frenzy...all adoption fees are $14 for the month.  Adopt two cats and the fee is $20.  Of course our Senior For Seniors Program is always on!

There is two openings remaining on the calendar for this month.  Both are evenings - which is rare! Let me know if you can cover.  They are:
Friday, February 21, PM Cleaning
Friday, February 28, PM Cleaning

Milo Joins Sherman and Dusty Returns!

Milo went home Wednesday night with the family that adopted Sherman.  The entire family came to pick him up.  They said Sherman is doing great!

Binx's dad stopped by PetSmart Wednesday night with pictures of him all comfy and settled at home. He loves Binx!!  This adoption is one of those special ones that really makes everything worthwhile!

Look who is back...Dusty!!  He feels better!  Hopefully he gets to go home soon.  He is such a good boy...and quite a talker!

Dapper Dusty

We are doing our February Feline Frenzy promotion again.  Below is the flyer that I will also send to all of you through your email.  Please share it in any way you can.  We need to be ready for spring and are hoping to increase adoptions in the next couple of months to make room for the inevitable influx of kittens.  Click on the picture and it is easy to read.

Now that February is officially here there is some openings in the calendar...always happens that way!  Below are the dates that need coverage.  Beginning March 1 there is a steady opening for the PM cleanings on Friday.  If you are interested in that steady spot, or steady every other Friday please let me know. 
Friday, February 14, AM Cleaning
Friday, February 14, PM Cleaning
Friday, February 21, AM Cleaning
Friday, February 28, PM Cleaning

The mid-winter adoption event is Friday through Sunday, February 13, 14 & 15.  Volunteers will bring dogs to the store each day Noon-3:00pm.

Three Out and Three In!!

It has been a good week!!  Vito went home with a happy little boy and his mom and dad!  Mom had never had a cat before but dad, being a cat guy, convinced her what a great pet Vito would be for their family.  Binx went home with an older gentleman who just fell in love with him!!  He called the Shelter during the week to say how wonderful Binx was doing.  Apparently this is a perfect match - Binx came out of his carrier and adjusted right away to the new house.  Sherman left yesterday and is joining a family with several kids, mom and dad, and two other cats.  This family had been coming into PetSmart and looking at all the cats and were thinking about adopting Binx.  Once they saw he had gone they chose Sherman.  It looks like they will probably be back for Milo as well! 

So, the new arrivals are all boys and are wonderful! Chewbacca is under a year old and is a love bug!! He will purr away when you hold him! (We tend to call him Chewy which may confuse you guys because the other Chewy just left!)  He has been sharing a cage with his adopted brother Periwinkle.  Although they are not littermates they are friends!! Both came in over the summer as strays.  It would be wonderful if they left together, however it is not necessary.

Chewbacca - aka Chewy



Periwinkle aka Perry

 

And then there is handsome Spencer!  This four year old long haired boy would be best in a quiet household - as an only pet would be ideal but we will consider all the circumstances. Spencer was originally adopted from our Shelter as a kitten.  He was brought back as he was showing signs of stress in his present environment which consisted of two dogs and five kids - ages 7, 9, 10, 12 and 15. Please give Spencer time to settle in before mixing him in with the others.

Spencer

In February we will be doing a an adoption promotion to help alleviate overcrowding at the Shelter and in anticipation of the inevitable influx of kittens in the Spring. We are going to promote February Feline Frenzy and have different reduced adoption fees for the month.  Details will be provided along with a flyer that can be printed out and shared.
 
The February schedule is complete with the exception of one day - Friday, February 21, the morning cleaning.


FINALLY...Home For Mira!!

Yes, it is true!! as you all know Mira arrived at PetSmart on March 22 of 2013 along with Jerry.  Wow...10 months!!  She finally went home on New Year's Eve.  Looks like 2014 is going to be her year!  She was adopted by a nice young couple who saw her in PetSmart and after reading her story really wanted to give her a home.  Although she arrived at PetSmart in March of last year, she actually arrived at the Shelter in July of 2012 as a seven week old kitten.  Your kindness and patience finally paid off!  Every day as you all cared for Mira you helped her to trust the human touch.  As a result she became more trusting and more adoptable every day!  Now she has her own home!

Poor Dusty has been sick so he was brought back to the Shelter on Wednesday.  We are hoping he gets to come back. 

Two new cats arrived today, shy but sweet Odessa and friendly, "I will be all over you" Milo!

Milo is a four year old male that has been at the Shelter since the beginning of July.  He came in with the telltale ear tip indicating he had been neutered and vaccinated.  We knew immediately he was very accustomed to humans.  He is so friendly and would do well in a home with other cats, dogs and kids.  He should settle right in at the store.

Milo

Odessa, a buff colored female about two years old, is sweet but can be shy.  She came into the Shelter in the beginning of July as well. The below picture does not do her justice.  She is really pretty!  Please take your time with her.  She will love the other cats and love to play but may shy away from you as you reach for her.  Give her a few days, if not a week, to settle in.  Let her move at her own pace. Initially the PetSmart environment  may intimidate her so be patient.  She is a real sweetheart!!

Odessa

Thanks to those who jumped in on the open time slots!  The January calendar look good!! Please look ahead to February and let me know if you can cover any of the open time slots.  You will see that I changed the calendar to reflect  AM (morning) or PM (evening) cleanings rather than a time.  Only the adoption table reflects specific arrival and departure times.  Hopefully this will be easy to read and solve that weird time problem.

 



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!