Switching Things Up A Little...

In an effort to move some of the kittens out of the Shelter we are switching things around a little today.  We are bringing Igloo and Sherlock back to the Shelter and bringing two kittens, Sweet Pea and Jewel, to the store.  Now, I know some of you feel bad when we bring cats back to the Shelter.  Please do not feel bad!!  Often times this will jump start adoptions.  Also, kittens do get adopted quicker and we need to make room.  Believe me, Igloo and Sherlock will be fine! 

Sweetpea and Jewel are littermates and are both girls.  They are about three months and one week old.  They have been fostered since late April when they were about one week old. They are part of a litter of four and are very socilaized.  In foster they lived with three dogs and numerous other cats.  They will be fine in a home with kids as well. They were part of a litter of four.  Of course if someone is in the market for two cats littermates are always the best bet...however they do not need to go together.

Sweet Pea



Jewel

Someone called the Shelter VERY interested in Toby and will be stopping in the store on Sunday to meet him.  Let's hope it works out!!  It is a very nice woman.  Her and her husband have a number of cats and Toby caught their eye!

Good news...Mona Lisa is doing very well in her home!

The August schedule looks great!  At this point there is two openings that need to be filled.  Please let me know if you can cover either of them.
Tuesday, August 26, PM Cleaning
Thursday, Augsut 28, PM Cleaning

There is also a regular evening cleaning available for Tuesday evenings beginning in September.  If you are interested in that spot let me know.

Back to Normal - I Hope!!

OK...I think I may have figured out what happened and why I have been unable to post until now.  I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

I am going to reiterate what I said in the email when I introduced the new arrivals as well as give you some new information.  It is easier to find information on the blog than it is to search your emails and I know some of you use this blog as a reference point.

As I said in the email the following cats were adopted: Jasmine, Mona Lisa and Walnut.

Jasmine went to a home with a dog and another cat - the other cat is a Himalayan.  The family was advised that Jasmine is not fond of other cats and they are slowly introducing her.

Mona Lisa went to a single woman who had never owned a cat before!  She had dogs throughout her life but never a cat.  After seeing our pretty Mona Lisa sit for so long at PetSmart she decided it was time she adopted a cat!  She has a close friend with cats so has plenty of guidance as she becomes familiar with feline behavior!

Walnut went home with a young family who could not wait to get him!!  He has two human littermates now - one is three years old and one is five years old.

Watson somehow hurt his leg and went to the vet for xrays.  Well, it was determined he has a fractured tibia on one of his back legs.  He had surgery and three pins were implanted. Dr Hirsch at Parkway Vet was taken by Watson and so has him recovering at his office for now.  He is expected to make a full recovery - however it will take time.

FOUR new cats arrived to replace Watson and the three adoptions.

Dusty - you should remember him from being with us before. He is very vocal!! He was brought back because apparently he is nocturnal and he meowed all night long. I know - seems like a silly reason.  Dusty had some discrepencies in his paperwork so was brought back to the Shelter until that could be rectified.  He is back now! 

Dapper Dusty

Mittens is a female, about four years old and is friendly and sweet. She lived with another cat. She will do best  in a quiet home.

Mild Mittens

Snowball is amle and he is great!  He is quite friendly. He and Toby are friends. They did not come in together but they have grown to like each other.

Mr. Snowball

Toby is a young male. He is friendly but be careful as he likes to play rough! Warning: Does NOT like his belly rubbed!! Not at all!!

Don't Tickle Toby

So, there you have it!  I think we are back on track! 

Below is the dates still needing coverage in August. Let me know if you can do any.
Tuesday, August 12, PM Cleaning
Friday, August 15, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, August 26, PM Cleaning
Thursday, August 28, PM Cleaning
Friday, August 29, AM Cleaning

Thanks for your patience while I worked out the problems with the blog software!

Finally - An Adoption!!

Finally an adoption went through!!  It has been nearly six weeks since one of our cats from Petsmart was adopted.  June can be so slow but this has been really slow! Let's hope Fester jump starts adoptions!

Fester was brought back to the Shelter over the weekend and his new family picked him up along with a kitten - a little female named Winky.  These two lucky ones are joining a family that has two children and an older cat (age 11).  It was nice to see them choose a kitten and a cat.

Sad news...our boy Dusty was returned to the Shelter.  He seems quite happy to be here and settled right back in.  We were told that he cried constantly in his home and did not use the litterbox.  We do not see either behavior here!  He is in good hands here and hopefully will get to his real forever home soon.

On Wednesday we are bringing down a beautiful Himalayan mix named Jasmine.  She is three years old.  She was found in September by the family who surrendered her to the Shelter but that did not work out.  There is four kids in the house - three of them under the age of ten (9, 6, 1.5).  Jasmine was not particularly fond of constantly being handled or chased.  She will do best in a home with adults and older kids only who admire her from a far!  She does not like other cats so keep her cage door closed!  She would be fine with a mellow dog as a house mate too. 

Princess Jasmine

Just a reminder...June is Adopt A Shelter Cat Month and all cat adoption fees are reduced by 50%.

The July calendar is looking good.  Once I hear from Judy M and Leona the adoption table slots will be completed.  Below are dates that need to be filled:

Wednesday, July 2, AM Cleaning
Thursday, July, AM Cleaning
Friday, July 18, AM Cleaning

Handsome Arrival!!

Handsome Igloo was brought to the store today.  He came into the Shelter three weeks ago and had been neutered.  You will see a line across his body where it appears perhaps his front leg became caught in a collar and rubbed for a long time. We think that somewhere along the line the collar must have broken allowing the leg to finally be free.

Igloo is a couple of years old - maybe three.  He is friendly and will make a wonderful family pet!  He will be fine with other cats, dogs and kids.  Give him a few days to acclimate and he will be fine.

Igloo

Sadly Diane and Kayla will no longer be doing every other Tuesday night beginning June 3.  If you know anyone interested in a permanent evening spot let me know.  I do have some emails out right now checking with new volunteers.

Coverage is still needed for the morning cleaning on Monday, May 19.

Have a wonderful weekend...and for all you moms...Enjoy!!

Successful Weekend!!

The first tent event at PetSmart proved to be successful!  Special thanks to everyone who helped both with the dogs and the cats!  Three cats were adopted and one dog.  In addition cats were adopted from the Animal Alliance.

Trudy went home with a young family and it is a perfect fit!  The young mother literally waited for hours for me to arrive to process her application.  Trudy will be the only pet and will live with a toddler and an infant.  They will all grow up together! Smokey is also going to be part of a family.  He will join a dog, a cat, mom and dad and four kids!  Mom is a vet tech at South Paw Animal Hospital so Smokey is in good hands.  She was so excited to take him home this weekend.  And gorgeous long haired Whiskers will be the only cat in the house with a senior citizen.  She will receive non-stop attention and tended to like a queen! For those of you who did not meet her...she just arrived this week - we knew she would not last long!

In addition to the three cats one of the dogs, Bo the Beagle, was adopted!  He will be joining a wonderful family and gaining a big beagle brother named Skeeter.  The family can't wait to get Bo home!

Three new cats were placed at PetSmart - one on Thursday and two yesterday.  They are all tigers so you will have a tough time telling them apart!

Walnut was the first to arrive.  He is probably just about a year old.  He arrived at the Shelter in March.  He was trapped in a colony of cats that have taken up residence in Belleplain State Park.  The management of the park want all the cats removed. Walnut seems to be a domestic cat that was probably dumped there as he is so friendly.  When he came in he was very thin.  He is doing well now!  He is loveable and friendly and a staff favorite!! You will love scratching his big head!!

Handsome Walnut

Watson and Sherlock came for the weekend and got to stay because Trudy and Smokey left. These two arrived at the Shelter in late March.  The gentleman who brought them in said he found them in an apartment next door to him when the tenant moved out.  Coincidentally this same young man lives with a woman who brought a cat to us a few weeks prior to this because it did not get along with her iguana.  Hmmm.  So, these two domestic, friendly guys found themselves under our care. They are probably just at a year old.  It is not necessary that they go home together.

Sherlock

Watson

There is a clean cage ready for a new arrival.  We will bring one down this week so please keep the door closed.

The Meow Madness promotion has ended but we have replaced it with yet another one!!  Click on the below for further information.  June is National Adopt A Shelter Cat Month so we will be lowering adoption fees for all cats and kittens for the month of June.  In addition to that we are doing an Early Bird Special for the month of May.  If you choose to adopt a cat over a year old prior to June 1 the adoption fee is only $10.  Right now every cat at PetSmart is $10 since all are a year old or close enough.

Toni came to the Shelter today and picked up a lot of pre-cut paper.  It will all be spread open and held down with several cans to make it easier for you all to work with.  Please do not automatically change paper.  Only do it if it is soiled and can not be swept up.  The paper is very expensive.

I did notice yesterday that the lock on the inside door is temperamental, tricky or just plain broken.  If you have trouble it is not you!  Get the manager to help you.  Hopefully this gets fixed soon as it is somewhat aggravating.

The calendar for May is complete with the exception of one open date, Monday, May 19, PM Cleaning.  If you can cover it please let me know.

And here is some great news...Mary Catherine and Nod have settled in and are doing well. Nicole's lab is grooming Mary Catherine and they love each other!  Nod is still shy and hiding a little but hopefully being a part of this household will lessen his fear soon and he will get to be groomed by the dog as well! 

Adoptions, New Arrivals & Updates!

There is a lot of information to pass on and some wonderful news! 

First are the most recent adoptions.  Maxwell was adopted by one of the vet techs from Parkway Veterinary Hospital.  He will receive wonderful care and joins an animal loving family!!  Gomez joined a man and his son who are both very excited to once again have a cat in their household. At this time he will be the only pet.  I did try to talk him into taking Fester as well however he did not feel ready for two cats.  He did say he would think about it. 

OK...so here is the BEST news!!  Remember we had an application on Mary Catherine and the woman failed to pick her up, saying she was sick and had forgotten?  Well, after not contacting the Shelter for at least two weeks she called again.  I decided that based on what appeared to be a lack of commitment or understanding on her part I would not pursue this adoption any further.  Well, our very own volunteer Nicole who is the regular cleaner on Friday nights will be adopting both Mary Catherine AND Nod together!!!  They will be picked up from the Shelter on Thursday.  What wonderful happy news for the cats and for all of us who care so much about them!!! These two have been waiting so long! 

As most of you are aware we work closely with a small no-kill animal shelter in Connecticut and often transfer cats and kittens there.  We may be transferring Felicity there.  We will make that decision this week.  Please do not let this stop anyone from placing an application on her, though. 

Jinx was having some issues with vomiting and diarrhea so he was brought back to the Shelter.  He is doing fine!!  Sometimes a cat is just better suited for the Shelter over PetSmart.  Maybe the environment was too stressful for him.

I don't think I ever introduced Smokey who arrived a little while ago.  He is a year and half old and was surrendered to the Shelter at the end of January.  His owner was having surgery and could no longer take care of him.  She stated he is "loveable" and "likes to cuddle." This definitely appears to be true! He will do fine in a home with other cats, children and dogs.  Hopefully soon he will be cuddling with a new owner in a home that lasts forever.

Smokey

Arriving today is three little girls...Trudy, Lanie and Lacie.

Lacey & Lanie

 Lanie and Lacie are littermates that came into the Shelter in early August from a managed TNR colony. We think they are just over a year.  We would love to see them adopted together!  Often times the black cats get left behind which is so sad.  Let's not let Lanie be left behind!!  As always...adopt two cats or kittens and the adoption fee is waived for the second one. 

Trudy



Trudy had a terrible winter!  She was found outside and was sick and having a terrible time fighting the cold in her condition.  She spent quite a lot of time in sick bay before being healthy enough to be adopted.  She is very sweet and appreciated all the fuss made over her at the Shelter! She is just over a year old as well.

Next weekend is a Tent Event at PetSmart.  A large tent will be placed in the parking lot and our Shelter, along with four others from the county, will bring pets that are available for adoption.  We plan to have four to five dogs there each day.  Click on the below picture for more details. We will bring cats or kittens also if we feel they are resilient enough to handle the stress.  Cats are so different than dogs.  They do not enjoy being removed from their familiar environment and more often than not get sick following being moved around. 

The May schedule is just about complete - however I do have some openings.  I am still looking for a regular to do every other Monday evening cleaning until Judy Mc returns in late June.  Below are the dates needing coverage in May.  Please let me know if you are available to do any of the them.

Monday, May 12, PM Cleaning
Friday, May 16, AM Cleaning
Monday, May 19, AM Cleaning
Monday May 26, AM & PM Cleaning
Friday, May 30, AM Cleaning

 

Big Fat Felix Says GoodBye!

Big Felix went home on Saturday and his new mom could not have been more thrilled!!  Apparently she has what could be Felix's long lost twin at home already.  She came to the store with a carrier that opened on the side and Felix walked right into it.  We are so happy for him!!

We did have an approved application for Mary Catherine.  After much deliberation I decided I would allow the adoption to go through even though I really preferred that she go home with Nod.  So, Mary Catherine was scheduled to go home on Saturday.  However the applicant failed to show up.  She was telephoned and stated she "was sick and had forgotten." She was advised to contact the Shelter if she was unable to pick Mary Catherine up on Sunday.  Well, she again failed to show up and also failed to contact the Shelter since.  All that being said... It appears fate has intervened and I should have gone with my initial feelings.  So, I have decided that Mary Katherine and Nod need to go together.  Should anyone go to the store and claim they have been approved and may take Mary Katherine please tell them they need to call the Shelter. 

Two new younger boys arrived today for the big cage.  Fester and Gomez are litter mates that arrived in October at about five months old. They are amusing to watch and hopefully will be adopted together - however it is not mandatory.  Gomez is the more outgoing of the two but both are friendly.

Welcome to new volunteer Marianne who starts this week on her own every other Thursday!! 

There are a few openings in the April schedule listed below.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of them.

Friday, April 18, Morning Cleaning
Tuesday, April 22, Evening Cleaning
Monday, April 28, Evening Cleaning 

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!!