Happy is quite happy!!

Happy went home Wednesday night.  He will be the only only pet in the house and is going to be quite spoiled! We knew he would be adopted quickly!

Daisy arrived on Friday.  She is between two and three years old and is a sweetheart!  She is very friendly and outgoing and even does not mind being picked up.  Daisy is not very fond of other cats so be cognizant of this during play time.  Introduce her slowly and give her space if it appears she needs it.  Potential adopters need to be aware of this should they have other cats in the home. She is very pretty!!

I received an email that PetSmart management left a note with instructions concerning the arrival of new cats as well as other things.  I will contact the manager on Monday to get details.  It appears the responsibilities outlined will fall on the shelter staff and not the volunteers.  I will pass on the information as soon as I have it.

For the most part Thursdays and Fridays are now being covered.  It looks like Sunday is going to become my "special" day now!!  Special thanks to Joe B for jumping in this week to cover the cancellation! Below is the dates still needing coverage for April:

Friday, April 6, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 8, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 15, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 22, AM cleaning

Sunday, April 29, AM cleaning

Please let me know if you are available to cover any of the days.  If you can do a regular Sunday schedule that would be great!  It can be once a month, every other, every third, whatever.  It is easier to work around regulars.

Two New Arrivals

Here is the two guys who have replaced Calli and Snowball. They arrived Tuesday afternoon and were placed in separate cages. Both cats should acclimate quickly and will be fine with other cats - however, as always, please watch how they are doing and let them begin to socialize according to their schedule!

Meet Happy! As the name implies he is a happy cat! He an orange and white guy three or four years old. He loves attention and is definitely a lap cat. He even enjoys being picked up! He will make someone very "Happy!"

Our other arrival is a sweet tiger and white female named Francesca. She is also three to four years old. She was living with MANY other cats and four dogs prior to her arrival at the Shelter. Her owner was unable to take care of her any longer. She will do well with kids, also.

Leona had occasion to speak with the new family who adopted Calli and Snowball and both cats settled right in!! Snowball is a lap cat and Calli is sleeping in a bed!! Such good news!

Toni and Irene are back (yay!!!) so, for the most part, Thursdays and Fridays seem to be getting coverage. Also back is Patty and she does every other Thursday. Whew!! That was difficult to keep covered.

There is an adoption event at PetSmart Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 4, 5, 6. Dogs will be brought to the store on all three days from 12:00-3:00pm.

Below are the days in April when coverage is still needed:
Friday, April 6, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 8, AM Cleaning (Easter Sunday)
Saturday, April 15, Adoption Table
Sunday, April 22, AM Cleaning
Sunday, April 29, AM Cleaning

Lydia will be covering the adoption table the third Wednesday in April and May. Starting in June the time slot is open for a regular. Please let me know if you are interested in a permanent spot. It is only once a month!!

I spoke with Jackie, one of the managers, today. She was unaware that store associates would be cleaning the food/water bowls and will check with the other manager, Amanda, to see how this will be accomplished.

Snowball & Calli Go Home!

Thanks to everyone for holding down the fort while I was away! We had two new arrivals that did not receive a proper introduction so I shall do it now!

Raven and Candy are two sisters who came into the Shelter as part of a litter of five right around Halloween. The other three have since been adopted. These two girls are about seven months old and are really sweet. They love to be petted and held and are very playful! They will adjust to a home with cats, kids or dogs. As always, adopt both of them and the fee for the second is waived! (Candy - to the left - is the sibling with less black around her nose.)

Calli and Snowball were adopted together and left on Friday. They will be the only pets in the home and will have a wonderful life together. A mother and her adult daughter met the cats at PetSmart and at the Shelter before making a decision. They did really enjoy Imp and Isis but after careful consideration thought that the two kittens had a better chance at adoption than the older girls. What a thoughtful choice! They brought their application and deposit money to the Shelter on Thursday. At that time they met Snowball's sister Lizzie as well. They just may be back for her! Two new cats will arrive either Monday or Tuesday to take their places.

Ron's new mom called and said he is now known as Rusty and he is "fabulous!" She said he is doing well with her other cats and has really blossomed in her home. She thanked us repeatedly for allowing this cat to become a part of her life. How nice is that?!!

I know there is a bit of a mis-communication among PetSmart staff concerning the cleaning of our food and water bowls. Ruth washed 48 bowls on Friday so we should be good for a few more days. I need to talk to Amanda as she is the manager who was going to see that this policy was put in place. Hopefully I can get this rectified on Monday. Thank you for your patience!!!

Please look ahead to April and let me know if you can cover any of the available time slots. Also, any takers for a permanent adoption table the third Wednesday of the month?? Let me know!! If you are new to the paperwork I will train you at your convenience. The shelter is open seven days a week so I am sure we can work out a time.

Hope you all had a great
St. Patrick's Day!

Three out & Three In!

Little Ron went home last week!! He will have a nice life living with three other cats of various ages - all females!! Johnny finally got to go home! He will be living with a very nice man who already is taking good care of him. The original applicants were not permitted by the landlord to adopt. They were so sad to see him remain at PetSmart so they convinced a good friend to meet him. He did and he loved him and now they are a family!!

Sabrina was not doing well so we took her back to the Shelter. She was depressed and not eating. Back at the Shelter she is so happy! Don't worry - she 'll be fine!!

Below are the three new cats. Imp and Isis are from the same litter as Ivan and just as nice! They are about seven months old and are both lap cats. They will do fine with other cats, kids and dogs. They are both sweet and playful. Isis is a gray and white female and Imp is a male gray tabby with white.

Callie is a sweetheart! Yes, as the name suggests she is a calico. She is two years old and is very friendly. She is playful and energetic! She will be fine with everything and everyone!

The Shop-A-Holics event in Avalon was great!! It was a three day event at two locations. We received $3200 in donations and a full truck load of linens, pet supplies, food, toys, cleaning supplies, etc. People were so generous! Joyce and Peggy brought several dogs over on Saturday and they were a big hit!

Feline Frenzy February was fabulous! Thirty-five cats were adopted!! This will be an annual promotion for sure!

A young intern from The Herald came into the Shelter last week and wrote a very nice article about the Shelter. Please click on the link to right Shelter In The News to read it.

The March calendar is complete with the exception of the difficult-to-fill Thursday and Friday mornings and one Sunday morning. Below are the dates:
Thursday, March 8, AM
Friday, March 9, AM
Thursday, March 15, AM
Friday, March 16, AM
Thursday, March 22, AM
Friday, March 23, AM
Sunday, March 25
Thursday, March 29
Friday, March 30

Beginning in April someone is needed to do the adoption table on the third Wednesday of each month. The time now is 6:00--8:00pm. I would like to keep the time the same and keep it consistent however if need be I can change it. It would be great to have a regular! Let me know if you are interested. If you are I will arrange for you to be trained on completing the paperwork. It is not difficult!! Do not be afraid of it!! I am always just a phone call away, too.

Feline Frenzie Going Well!!

The February Feline Frenzy promotion is going very well. Lots of cats are being adopted from the Shelter - including some of our friends that spent some time at PetSmart. Rutgers, Petunia and Frannie all have left the Shelter in the last two weeks. Tiggers has been adopted, too!! Her new mom first saw her at PetSmart and then came to the Shelter to complete the application. She will be the only pet in the house and will have a wonderful life. as well!

In addition we had two guys go home this week from the store - Ivan and Ricky. Ricky will be the only pet in a house hold with three young adults. He will have a lot of attention. Ivan went home with a family that Leona (one of our volunteers) knows very well! Three young girls are very excited to add Ivan to their household. He is going to love stretching those legs out!

Two new cats arrived last night...Clyde and Sabrina. Clyde is a gray and white male who is a couple of years old. He is a very nice affectionate cat and should acclimate quickly to PetSmart. Sabrina is a brown striped tiger and white female with a cute little pink nose. She will sit next to you and purr away and loves attention! She struggles a bit when held but so do most cats! They are both smaller cats so will be fine in a cage alone while they get comfortable in their new environment. Here they are:

Our February promotion continues for six days. Adoption fees are $22 through February 28. On February 29 the adoption fee is $29.

If PetSmart employees do not wash the bowls for a day or two we should be fine as there are plenty of food and water bowls in the cabinet below the big cage. Please be careful not to push the stack of bowls to the back of the shelf where they are difficult to see.

Rationing the food has worked out well and really decreased waste. Thank you!

Please look ahead to March and let me know if you can fill in on any of the open days. Barring unforeseen cancellations we are covered for the rest of this month.

Musical Cats AGAIN!

Tiggers had a weepy eye, was lethargic and had some blood tinged sneezes so we brought him back to the Shelter. Candy was showing pretty much the same thing so she was brought back as well. She was adopted from the shelter shortly after arriving back! Her new family LOVES her! Tiggers is doing well and looks great! Hopefully he will be adopted soon, too.

Lil' Cat and Laura were both adopted from the Shelter and went home today!! Oh, and I just approved an application for Rutgers. See...no need to worry when they come back!

Ron arrived on Friday and as of yesterday (Monday) he was still nervous and afraid. At the shelter he was friendly and social. Hopefully he will come around soon. He came into the Shelter when he was about two months old. He is about eight to ten months old now. If you have not met him already - here's Ron:

Ivan is arriving at the store on Wednesday. He is cute little guy and is very friendly! He is the sort of guy that will walk out of the cage and into your arms. He has been at the Shelter since July and is about eight months old. He is a tiger with very pretty markings. As a result of basically living almost his entire life in a cage you will see that Ivan is a tad bow-legged. Let's make sure he has some time to stretch those legs out at PetSmart. He will be fine with other cats, dogs and kids. He should settle in quickly however look for signs of stress and give him privacy until he appears comfortable. Here's Ivan ( he was difficult to photograph!):

Looks like we have finally figured out how the food and water bowls will be disinfected. Those who clean in the morning will pull all the bowls and replace them with clean ones located in the cabinet underneath the big cage. PetSmart management has set up a cart on wheels for us in the back store room near the mop sink. The soiled bowls will simply be placed in the container on the top of the cart. It is clearly marked. PetSmart employees will clean the bowls and place them to dry on that same cart on a drain board. When you leave the dirty bowls take any cleans one back to the cage room and store them. As for litter pans and toys...we will continue to pull them all on Thursdays mornings and bring them to the Shelter to run through the sanitizer.

As for those little locks on the cages...good news...we no longer need to use them. As long as the first door is locked and the door to the cage room is locked we do not need to use the little locks. Each cage has a little lock still on it secured to a bar. In the event we need one it will be accessible. One less thing to worry about!!

There is a measuring cup in the food canister in the adoption room. In the morning please allot only one half cup of food per bowl per cat. In the big cage put one cup of food in one bowl. It is not necessary to put any more than that in the bowls. If it is properly measured out then the evening cleaners can tell how much was actually eaten. If, in the evening, half of that allotment is still in the bowl then there is no need to add to it. We need to be mindful of waste. Also, if a cat is in a cage by itself we can see if it is eating. The same goes for the litter - please do not overfill the boxes.

The adoption event went well! Thank you to all the volunteers who assisted with it. Our dogs received a lot of exposure!

Our February Feline Frenzy promotion appears to be going well. The month is halfway over - let's hope this continues!

There is one opening this month...next Friday, February 24 in the morning - in addition to this Thursday, February 16, in the evening. (Toni and Irene...you guys back yet??)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

An Adoption and New Arrivals

Jade left Wednesday night. It is always so nice to see the senior guys get adopted. She will be living with other cats and will have plenty of company.

Even after the thorough scrubbing of all cages and the entire adoption area a couple of the cats showed eye irritation this week and were brought back to the Shelter. Mo and Laura showed the same weepy eye we keep seeing. Hopefully they will be back shortly. Lotti did not show any eye issue so we left him. Please, for a few days, keep him isolated from the rest and see how he looks.

While Mo and Laura convalesce at the Shelter these four cuties will be at PetSmart. Zazu and Carlos are wonderful littermates who spent the first couple of months in one of our best foster homes. Both are males. They lived with other cats, dogs and kids. They should adjust just fine in any home. These two love each other so much that we are requiring that they go together. Once you see how they interact you will understand why. The below is not a great picture but you will get a glimpse of them at least. Zazu is the medium haired black one and Carlos is the gray guy. They are in the big cage. They are a a tad nervous right now but should be fine in a day or two.

The other two, Candy and Tiggers, are not litter mates but we had them together at the Shelter because we needed the cage space. They are now sharing two cages at the store. They will be just fine if adopted separately. Candy is a black and white female about six months old. She was surrendered by a family who could no longer take care of her. She is soooo friendly and sweet! Tiggers is a white and tabby male about the same age as Candy. She was a Christmas gift given to someone who could not keep her so they brought her to the Shelter. Both of these kittens will adjust to a household with cats, kids and dogs.

Remember we have special adoption rates through the month of February. There is a flyer posted in the adoption room with the rates and you were all emailed a copy of the flyer. Our existing policy stands for these rates...the adoption fee is waved if you adopt a second cat. These rates still apply to the reduced fees. In addition Hartz has donated cats toys to the Shelter. Every cat gets a "Kitty Casters" when they go home. These are in a litter pan on one of the shelves above the cages.

Hartz also donated beautiful large dog bowls to the shelter as well as flea control, dog toys and vitamins!

I spoke with Stacey at PetSmart and they have not set up the new system for sanitizing the food and water bowls. I'll let you know as soon as that is up and running. The system in place for sanitizing the toys and litter pans is working well.

Kitty was picking up a couple more rolls of brown paper and dropping them off on Wednesday. I assume they made it there! Thank you, Kitty!

Seems no one likes to volunteer on Thursdays and Fridays - except Christine S, of course!! Please hurry home, Irene and Toni!! Patty H, we miss you, too!! Below is the days that still need coverage for February:
Feb 9, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 10, Fri, AM Cleaning
Feb 16, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 17, Fri, AM Cleaning
Feb 23, Thurs, AM Cleaning
Feb 24, Fri, AM Cleaning

Reminder: this Saturday the dogs will be at PetSmart from 12:00-3:00pm.

Return of Two Old Friends

Two old friends were brought bcak to the store which brings us again to full capacity...Johnny and Petunia! To refresh your memory their pictures are below. Petunia is a sweet calico that was initially brought to PetSmart in September. She actually had a home but was sick and we suggested to the applicant that Petunia be picked up when she was well. The applicant had applied for two other cats as well and decided that three was too many. Petunia is a year old now so her adoption fee is $35. Johnny is a black and white male that spent some time with us at PetSmart right up until the holidays. We waited to bring him back due to an eye infection. After two weeks of meds he is doing just fine! He is about three years old.

Remember Ethan who was at PetSmart some time ago?? He was adopted last week from the Shelter!

Thanks to Tony and Larissa the last two time slots in January were covered. Below is the open times for February. As always it all mornings. Once Irene and Toni are back from their respective trips Thursdays and Fridays will not be such a problem. One date below is a Sunday. If you could volunteer for just one of these days it would be a big help!!

Thursday, Feb 2, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb 9, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 10, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb 16, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 17, AM Cleaning
Sunday, Feb 19, AM Cleaning
Thursday, Feb, 23, AM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 24, AM Cleaning

Next weekend (Feb 7) is Dog Day Saturday!! Chcek the calendar to see if you are scheduled. The following weekend is the mid-winter adoption event held annually at PetSmart. Dog handlers are needed for both Saturday and Sunday 12-3pm. Let me know if you are available.

On the right under "Shelter In The News" is the press release about Feline Frenzie February. Please feel free to share it!!

Sarah Is Adopted & Jade Arrives!

Sweet Sarah was adopted this week and left Wednesday night. She will be living with another one of our cats named Dusty who was adopted two weeks ago. She will also have two canine siblings! It is a nice family and Sarah will be happy there!

The second application received for Ricky was not approved. The applicant has a dog that apparently is aggressive toward other animals to the point it requires muzzling when brought to the groomer. I was assured the dog would be carefully watched and kept away from Ricky but that is a chance I am not willing to take. Too many things can happen. So, Ricky again has no holds!

Jade arrived on Thursday. She is an older quiet girl - 10 plus years old. She was living in a car at the airport in Erma along with another cat we have at the Shelter named Oreo. She is a polydachtal that was already spayed when she came in. She will take some time to settle in so please do not drag her out or force her to co-mingle. Let her assimilate on her own terms. For now she will need privacy.

In February we will be offering reduced fees on cat adoptions to make room for the inevitable influx of cats and kittens in Spring. We are calling it February Feline Frenzy! The adoption fees for the month will be posted so everyone is aware of them. The fees increase from $12 for Lincoln's birthday to $14 for Valentine's Day to $22 for Washington's birthday to $29 for leap year.

I have been getting a lot of positive feedback from everyone concerning the cleanliness of the adoption center. Very good to hear!!! Thank you all for your cooperation. This week we began to pick up litter pans and toys, sterilized them at the Shelter and returned them.

Gabbano's application has been approved and he will become the prized possession of a 7 year old girl!

Last night Ruth took a hold on Steel and the application has been forwarded to the Shelter. It will be processed once we receive confirmation that the landlord allows pets.

I have three open dates this week so PLEASE let me know what you can do:
Tuesday, January 24, PM Cleaning
Thursday, January 26, AM Cleaning
Friday, January 27, AM Cleaning

Once Irene and Toni get back from extended vacations we can get the Thursday and Friday mornings covered a lot easier! Until then please let me know if you can help.

Big Cage Gets Filled and Old Friends Get Adopted!!

Two young sweeties are in the big cage now...Laura and Lotti. They were born under a deck back in August and have been at the Shelter ever since. These siblings are very friendly and don't mind being held! They will love to curl up and snuggle with everyone they meet. Laura is a tiger striped female and Lotti is a black male. We really would prefer they go home together as they are totally bonded to one another. Adopt one and the fee for the second is waived!

Great news!!! Carter was adopted yesterday from the Shelter! The applicant originally put a hold on Ricky at PetSmart. Then she met Carter at the Shelter and fell for him. No worries - Ricky is a love and will get adopted quickly, I'm sure. Keep your fingers crossed - an application was received for Gabbano yesterday. We are still waiting on supporting paperwork and hoping for the best.

Welcome to three new PetSmart volunteers who were trained Friday afternoon...Robin, Irene and Kathy! We are happy to have you!!

OK...the dreaded new procedures...I don't think it will be so dreaded or complicated after all. I think we are just about under control and it should not be difficult. I met with Stacey yesterday and everything will be set up and implemented February 1. A two gallon bucket will be placed in the back room on a shelf along with two dish racks. The evening cleaner and adoption table cleaners will simply fill that bucket with one gallon of water and watchdog NF - a line will indicate on the bucket where that is. You then insert a hose that leads from the disinfectant into an injector on the side of the faucet and turn the water on. The system itself will automatically provide the proper ratio of disinfectant. The bowls will be placed in the bucket to soak for a minimum of ten minutes, rinsed and then left to air dry on the racks provided. (It is important to remember to disconnect the hose from the faucet or you will be rinsing with disinfectant.) The bucket is then emptied right there. If you are not able to pick up the bucket and empty it a store associate or manager will gladly do that for you. Any questions please let me know. I apologize for any inconvenience!! By the way...the new District manager was in the store on Thursday and inspected the adoption center and was very impressed!! Kudos to all of you!

Also, we have changed litter. This new litter does not appear to generate as much dust.

PLEASE...since bowls will be emptied every day it is very important that we not over feed. One half cup per cat in the morning should be plenty. If there is plenty of food left in the evening please do not throw it out - simply transfer it to the new bowl and make sure that bowl goes back to the exact same cage.

Calendar dates still open:
Jan 20, Friday, AM cleaning
Jan 24, Tuesday, PM cleaning (recent cancellation)
Jan 26, Thursday, AM cleaning
Jan 27, Friday, AM cleaning

The next adoption event at PetSmart is the weekend of February 11. Dogs will be at the store on both days. More detail will follow as the date gets closer.

We Are Back In Business!!!

Happy New Year, Everyone!! We are officially back in business at PetSmart. When you arrive you will see that for the most part we have new arrivals. I know everyone gets attached and hates to see their favorites go but don't worry! They are fine at the Shelter.

Caramel was adopted right after Christmas. We did receive an application for him and Carter together on Christmas Eve. After a week and numerous attempts to contact the applicant - including knocking on her door - we received a second application for Caramel. Caramel was approved and went home where he will be the only pet and will be spoiled rotten. Three days later the original applicant finally called and advised she had seen a missed call on December 28! Well, you know what they say...things happen for a reason!

Two of the cats returning you already know. Remember Ricky?? He is a long haired black mail and is a sweetheart. He came into the Shelter in late July at twelve weeks old. He will be wearing a blue collar because another long haired black male is scheduled to come down this week. Here is Ricky if you don't remember him:

Also returning is Johnny. He left the Wednesday after Christmas and had developed an eye infection. He has been on meds since and hopefully will be back this week. A cage is reserved for him! Feel better soon, Johnny!

Snowball is a black and white female about five years old who came to us in late October. Her owner was evicted and was living in a car with her. She is sweet and loves attention but does not necessarily like being picked up. Then again...how many cats do?? Meet Snowball:

Steel is gorgeous!! He is just over a year old and is gray male. It appears he was shot by an arrow and you can see the scar on his side. You will love him!! Here is Steel:

Sarah is a four year old friendly torti who is a sweetheart. She loves getting attention and will purr away and let you know how pleased she is!! She came into the shelter in late September.
Here is Sarah:

Last but not least is our boy Mo. Mo came into the Shelter in August because of the reason we hear so often..."the baby is allergic." He is only two years old and is a playful little guy. He may appear to be shy at first but he comes around. He still is trying to figure out what he did wrong than landed him in the Shelter! Hi, Mo!

So, there you have it...the new line up for 2012. Please keep the doors between cages closed for now as these guys are all singles. Let them settle in and see who likes what and who. Remember...a stressed out cat often turns into a sick cat. Being forced into a living situation with no control and no ability to find solitude can stress a cat out. They are delicate animals!!

The big cage is empty but not for long. The two slated to go looked like they may have a slight eye infection so we decided to wait on them.

The following dates need to be filled this month - yes, most are the dreaded Thursday and Friday mornings!
Thursday, Jan 12, AM cleaning
Thursday, Jan 19, AM cleaning
Friday, Jan 20, AM cleaning
Monday, Jan 23, PM cleaning
Thursday, Jan 26, AM cleaning
Friday, Jan 27, AM cleaning

Let's hope 2012 is a great year for adoptions!!!!

Kit Goes Home For Chrsitmas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rusty Long Hair Is Out The Door!!!

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

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

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

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

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

Say Hello To Rusty Long Hair!

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

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

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

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

Let's Get Caught Up!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Great Week!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kitty Switch!

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

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

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

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

Happy Tails, Cubby!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mystic Goes Home, Welcome Speckles and Ricky!

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Tails, Coco!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let's hope the adoptions keep coming!!!