Adoption Updates and New Arrivals

Where did everybody go???  Well...Lisa went to a home where she will live with a senior dog, four kids under age 12 and three adults.   Yen and Skittles went to a home with a couple and are the only pets.  They are receiving a TON of attention!  It's nice to know they have each other.  Girli is the only cat living with a single man and spending little, if any, time alone.  The diva is happy!

Four new cats arrived at the store yesterday.

Russ is wonderful senior lap cat about ten years old.  He was living with other cats when his owner died.  He loves humans and will make someone a wonderful companion.  He qualifies for our Senior For Senior Program. 

Russ

Jane is a friendly little lady under a year old. In September of last year Jane and her brother Tarzan were left behind when their owner moved.  Prior to being left behind she lived in the house with cats, kids and dogs. Tarzan has been adopted and Jane is patiently waiting for her turn to have a second chance.

Jane

Prince Harry and Lola will be occupying the big cage. These two siblings are just under a year old and were brought to the Shelter when their owners moved.  They have not had experience in a house with dogs however they did spend time with kids in their former home.

Prince Harry

Lola

We decided to move Bugsy and Daffy to two of the cages rather than the big cage because they were creating quite a mess daily and it is easier to clean out the smaller cubicles - especially when it comes to taking out those big pieces.  Also, Anya and Brody were transferred to a small feline shelter in Lindenwold in Camden County.  They are doing well and are in a wonderful place. Often times the change in location results in a quicker adoption.

Below are the dates coverage is needed for the month of March.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of the dates.
Monday, March 2, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, March 3, PM Cleaning
Monday, March 9, AM Cleaning
Monday, March 16, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, March 17, PM Cleaning
Friday, March 20, AM Cleaning
Monday, March 23, AM Cleaning
Monday, March 30, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, March 31, PM Cleaning

Who is tired of this winter besides me?! Three weeks until Spring!!!

A Pair For A Pair

Due to numerous reports of sneezing Anya and Brody were brought back to the Shelter today.  Just a reminder for those who get sad when the cats are returned...they are FINE!!  Lots of times when we switch things up like this the cats seem happy to be back and also it gets exposure for some new guys.

So...your new pair of boys is Daffy and Bugs and they arrived today to take up residence in the big cage.  These two came into the Shelter as strays last summer from a TNR site.  At that time they were about three months old.  We estimate them now to be about ten months old. They were both so nice we opted to put them up for adoption rather than return them to the managed colony. They have been living together in a cage at the Shelter - however it would be okay if they went to separate homes.  Of course best case scenario they stay together.  Both cats are sweet and get along fine with other cats.  We think they will be fine with kids and dogs as well.  Daffy is a tad vocal when no one is paying attention to him!

Bugs

Daffy

It is time for our annual Feline Frenzy February!  For those volunteers working the adoption table please make sure you know the fees.  Below is a copy of the flyer that shows the various reduced adoption fees.  In addition a flyer was posted at the store. Of course the regular application process does not change. A link to this promotion is on the right.

I am going away next week...Sunday, February 8 through Sunday, February 15.  If you need anything during that time please call or email the Shelter -  animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net or call 465-8923.  The phone is answered and emails are monitored seven days a week.  If you are scheduled at night and need to cancel at the last minute and the Shelter has closed please call PetSmart at 886-7356 and let the manager know.  A store associate will check on the cats. If you are working the adoption table simply process applications as usual and fax them to the Shelter.  Tom and Chrissy know the drill!

I am afraid to say this BUT...the February calendar is complete!  Special thanks to Barb A for jumping in on all those Mondays!

Stay warm! 45 days til Spring!

Welcome Two Handsome Boys!

Misty and Clara left before I had an opportunity to give them a proper introduction!  I wish we always had that problem.  Clara went to a home with two dogs, and two cats.  The two cats had been adopted from us also.  Misty went to a home with a gentleman and another cat - that cat too had been adopted from us.  We love our frequent flyers!!

I am so sad to say that the applicant for Anya and Brody that we were all so thrilled about decided with two dogs, adopting two cats was taking on too much so they only wanted one.  They came to the Shelter today and chose another cat.  Oh well.  This can only mean the absolute perfect home is waiting around the corner for these two! 

Say hello to the two new boys arriving Wednesday:

Skittles is a long haired orange male that came into the Shelter as a stray in November.  He is about eight months old.  Boys that look like Skittles usually get adopted quickly - let's hope that is the case with him.  His adoption fee is $70.  He will do fine in a home with other cats, kids and dogs.

Skittles

Yen is a black and white male that is about ten months old. The day before Thanksgiving he came into the Shelter as he was left behind with his brother, Sid, when his owners moved.  Nice, huh?  Poor cats! Sid is on meds and as soon as he is healthy enough we are hoping he can go to Petsmart as well.  Yen's adoption fee is $70 and he would do fine in a house with other cats, dogs and kids.

Yen

A volunteer recently asked how we are to go about cleaning the water/food bowls and litter boxes at PetSmart.  There was a policy a while back where the PetSmart employees would clean the bowls and litter boxes that volunteers would place in the back room.  This never quite got off the ground - I am sure that does not come as a surprise to all of you!!  Our cats mingle at play, in the cages, share food, water, toys and even litter boxes.  For that reason it really is sufficient to spray the bowls and litter boxes with the BuckEye solution and rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry them off.  Usually a simple wiping out with a damp paper towel is fine for the bowls.  Litter boxes are also periodically brought to the Shelter and put through the sanitizer.  If you have any questions please email me.

If you see that a cat has "aged" into a lower adoption fee please feel free to let me know and adjust the fee on their cage card.  The intake paper has the date of intake and the estimated age on that day. You can figure out the age from there.

Coverage is needed for the morning this Friday, January 30.  Please let me know if you are available.

Below are the dates in February where coverage is needed:
Monday, Feb 2, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, Feb 3, PM Cleaning
Monday, Feb 9, AM Cleaning
Monday, Feb 16, AM Cleaning AND PM Cleaning
Tuesday, Feb 17, PM Cleaning
Friday, Feb 20, AM Cleaning
Monday, Feb 23, AM Cleaning

Goodbye Mr Smith and the P Boys!!

Smith went home last Sunday.  Judy said he was dismayed at being crammed into the cardboard carrier!  How undignified! We can be sure he is more than over it by now!  He is joining three other cats - all past adoptions from us.  There is seven people in the household so there is plenty of love to go around!

An application for Pluto and Popeye was approved today.  They will be moving in with a young woman and her four year old boy.  Larissa did the introduction with them on Wednesday and said it was a great match!  The gray brothers alternated between running around and sitting with their new human brother and being petted and snuggled.  These three boys are going to be great friends and will grow up together!

Three litter mates arrived this week and are occupying one of the tiers - Rambo, Murphy and Lisa. They are all about six months old and quite friendly! The original owner was actually on the way to have his cat fixed and she gave birth to these three along with a fourth in the carrier.  He agreed to foster the litter until they could be separated from their mother.  They are hand raised and have never spent any time outside. In early October at about eleven weeks old they were brought to the Shelter to be spayed/neutered and went up for adoption.  It is not necessary they be adopted together.  They are resilient...okay with cats kids and dogs!

Rambo

Murphy

Lisa

Expect new arrivals next week after the gray brothers vacate the area!

Please make sure Girly has her own cage.  She is a typical calico - loves people but not so great with other cats.

There is still several openings remaining in the January schedule.  Please take a look and let me know if you are available to cover any of them

Finally!! A Home For Marilyn and Cerano!

Marilyn and Cyrano left from the Shelter yesterday!  They are going to be the only pets in a home with a young couple who just purchased their house. January 6 would have been one year since they arrived at the Shelter. Prior to that they were in a foster home since October of 2013. So, they waited fourteen months for their home.  2015 is going to be a great year for these two!

Due to the holiday we decided not to bring new cats to the store until Friday.  This should make cleaning pretty easy for the next few days.  I'll introduce them once we decide who is going.


A FEW REMINDERS FOR THE NEW YEAR...

Do not over feed.  One level 1/2 cup of food per cat is all that you need to put into the bowl.  If there is food when you arrive in the evening simply top off with whatever is needed to bring it to 1/2 cup per cat.

Go easy on the litter. Fill the boxes only about one to one and a half inches.  We go in twice a day so filling it any further is not necessary.  Scoop the litter if you can,  however with the pine that can be difficult.  Since entire boxes of litter are being discarded please do not fill too much. It would be a shame if using the pine became too costly for us and we had to go back to that dusty clay that gets everywhere.  Everything is so much cleaner with the pine.

Report medical issues. Email the shelter as well as me if a cat needs medical attention AND note in the book what you observed and the steps you took to contact the shelter.   Make sure to email both so staff can arrange to go check on the cat while I stay aware of what is going on.

Check you email.  Please be in the habit of checking your email prior to going to PetSmart for last minute information or instructions.

The calendar for 2015 has been set up on line.  Please take a look and let me know if I have made any mistakes.  Kitty returns to Tuesday mornings on January 6!!  Yay!!  Welcome back, Kitty!!

Below are the dates that still need to be covered:

Monday, January 5, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, January 6, PM Cleaning
Friday, January 9, AM Cleaning
Monday, January 12, AM Cleaning
Monday, January 19, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, January 20, PM Cleaning
Monday, January 26, AM Cleaning
Friday, January 30, AM Cleaning

Thank you all very much for your continued help with our cats at PetSmart.  I do not think I can say it enough...this program is vital to the shelter and all of you are truly making a difference!!

Best of Health & Happiness to all of you, your families, and your pets!!

Good Week!!

Two cats were adopted this week!  Jester left from the Shelter on Thursday.  He was adopted into a cat loving household and will be joining four other cats! They are so happy to add Jester to their feline tribe!  Poe was adopted by a young couple who are thrilled to have him.  He left the Shelter today.  He will be the only cat in the household and will have a ton of attention and affection! (Our volunteer Leona has known the man in this couple for his entire life and gives this adoption a big thumbs up! I met them and must say I agree with Leona!)

We have an application for Marilyn and Cyrano together!!  The applicant is moving into her new home in two weeks and pick the pair up then!  Hip hip hooray! 

Two new cats went to PetSmart today.  Both are friendly and will adapt to any household - dogs, kids, other cats.  Although we do not anticipate any problems please still let them settle in before giving then freedom to romp and play with the others.

Girly is a gorgeous calico just under a year old.  She came into the Shelter as a stray in late September. She is a flirt and will love to spend time with anyone!

Flirty Girly

Smith is a big handsome male about four years old.  He was found in the woods off Goshen-Swainton Road in early October .  He had been neutered so someone should be missing him!!  He is sweet and friendly!

Handsome Smith

Just a reminder...Sunday is the annual Holiday Open House and Santa Pictures at the Shelter...12:30-2:30pm.  If you have time please stop in!  Also let your family and friends know as all are welcome!  It is always a really fun time!

Thanks to all of your who braved that cold weather and participated in the West Cape May Christmas Parade!!

The December calendar has a few vacancies so please let me know if you can cover any of them:
Tuesday, December 16, PM Cleaning
Friday, December 26, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, December 30 PM Cleaning

Kitty will be back doing her Tuesday mornings in January!  Yay!  We have missed her!  (Special thanks for handling two very important pet transports in the meantime!)

Safe travels to Deb and Warren who have headed for warmer climates until April.  Thanks for doing those Sunday mornings - it's a tough spot to fill!  See you in the spring!  In the meantime,  Joanne Wildman will be covering Sundays.  Thank you, Joanne, for picking up that morning.

Adoptions & Arrivals!!

Thank you all very much for carrying on without me while I went on vacation!!  I truly appreciate how everything moves along even without me!  Like a well oiled machine!

Good news...Gouda and Darlene went home Wednesday night together. They are joining a family with two other cats and a dog as well as kids.  Each cat settled into the arms of a human sibling and seemed relaxed and ready to go!

Based on several reports that Raven was not settling in and seemed very stressed out she was brought back to the Shelter yesterday.   As I often remind everyone - not every cat can handle the Petsmart environment.  She and Eliza could be sisters, I suppose!

Poe was moved down to the lower tier so he can more easily be picked up and put back into the cage, or should he either choose to jump down or be put on the floor.  Marilyn, Cyrano and Jester are all doing well and were put on the top tier.

Two handsome all gray brothers, Popeye and Pluto, are on the lower tier with Poe.  Please leave Poe's door closed.  P & P are litter mates that came into the Shelter in early August as young kittens - maybe seven weeks old. Poor boys had a rough start and were very sick.  They are fine now and really cute!  You will be able to tell them apart by their collars.  They do not need to go together.  When dropped off they were very wary and afraid.  Please be careful letting them out for a few days.  They are very nervous and squirmy.  Hopefully they settle down soon.

Popeye and Pluto

Anya and Brody are in the big cage.  Sadly these two were last year's Christmas presents and now have been returned.  They are about a year and a half old.  They are not siblings however they are bonded and love one another. We are hoping they go home together.  Brody is not crazy about being picked up - few cats are though! They are nice, friendly cats and would do well in a home with other cats, kids and dogs.  Their family was moving and could not take Anya and Brody.  They did live with a dog

Anya

Brody

Special thanks to Cindy David who is taking over the cutting of the brown paper!!  Rolls were left on the shelf for her to take home.  Cindy, please ask a store associate to take a roll down when you need it.  Be careful!

Coverage is needed for one day next week - Wednesday, November 26, AM Cleaning.  Please let me know if you are available to cover.

At the beginning of December I will be setting up the schedule for 2015.  If you have a regular time and need to make a change please let me know.

We are again doing our Black Furr-iday cat adoption promotion.  We have 39 black cats available for adoption.  Fees are 75% off until Christmas.  Please share the below flyer with anyone who may be interested

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends - four and two legged alike.  Of course what we are most thankful for is all of you and everything you do for the Shelter and our precious cats and kittens!!

TJ & Colby Get To Go Home!

Since PetSmart employees were trained to help with adoptions we have seen an increase in the number of cats going home!!  TJ left last week and will be joining an elderly cat - 19 years old - and a hamster named Phineas. He will also have an 11 year old human sibling!  Sounds like a nice home for TJ!

Colby is leaving tonight. A young woman came into the store on Friday and met him and loved him!  She said she would be back on Saturday to do an application and left.  How many times have we heard that?  Well...this one did come back!! Yay! Colby will be the only pet in the house and will be quite spoiled!

Gorgeous Raven arrived today!!  She is a long haired torti and is beautiful.  She may remind you of a long haired Eliza but do not be afraid!  She is a friendly girl! She came into the Shelter in early August already spayed. We estimate her age at four years. Should someone recognize her check the paperwork and if it appears she belongs to them or they know where she belongs have them call the Shelter.

Raven



We will be doing our Black Furr-iday Special again this year.  All black cats will be 70% off from Friday, November 28 through Christmas Eve.  You will all receive the flyer via email to share!!

Dare I say that only one day needs to be filled on the November calendar?!  Special thanks to Toni for picking up Tuesdays through the month to cover for Kitty!  Right now Monday, November 17, AM Cleaning is the only open spot. If you can cover it let me know.  If you are reading this after Friday afternoon and can do it please call the Shelter. The below paragraph explains why!

IMPORTANT: I will be away from Friday evening, November 7,  through Saturday night, November 15.  I get home at 3:00am on Sunday morning, November 16.  During that time period if you need to cancel a day you are scheduled call the Shelter at 465-8923. If you have any information you need to pass on to the Shelter you can call or email animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net.  Remember...the Shelter is open seven days a week and the phone is answered until 4:00pm.

Should you need to cancel immediately and the Shelter is not open please call Crystal Blackburn and she will take care of getting the time slot covered.  Her phone number and email address were included in the email that accompanied this blog update.

I am sure this program is in good hands while I am away!  Thanks for everything!

Eliza Brought Back...Three Young Arrivals

Well...Eliza made it quite clear that she does not feel comfortable at PetSmart.  At the Shelter she was sweet and happy.  Perhaps the sensory overload was too much for her.  She did take a while to settle in at the Shelter when she first arrived and we assumed she would be ok.  She does appear to be having an allergic reaction to something - perhaps it's the litter.   Poor girl!  Maybe she was temperamental because she did not feel well.  We shall give her the benefit of the doubt and say that!

So...we did some rearranging to accommodate three new arrivals.  Big Poe will continue to have two cages.  Marylin and Cyrano will share the two cages vacated by Eliza.

The below three youngsters now occupy the big cage.  Although they all came in from the same location we can not be sure which are litter mates.  In early August nine cats and kittens came in from one area.  While at the Shelter these guys spent some time together and some time apart - based on their health and cage availability.  It is not necessary for any of them to be adopted together. They are all somewhere between 5-7 months old. All will acclimate well to a home with other cats, kids or dogs.

Darlene will walk right out of the cage and into your arms!  She hugs! She is so friendly!!

Darlene

Colby is a purring machine!!  Put him in your arms and you will hear his little engine!

Colby

Gouda is the shy one of the three.  She is a pleasant, sweet little girl and is quite playful.  Give her a day or two to warm up!

Gouda

The November schedule is filling up.  Below is the dates that still need coverage.  Special thanks to Cindy D who will be covering Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 4, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, November 11, AM Cleaning
Monday, November 17, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, November 25, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, November 26 AM Cleaning

Also, beginning on Saturday, November 1, the Adoption Table on weekends will be 1:00-3:00pm.

New Guys Arrive!

So, after two days of soaking and disinfecting a couple of handsome males arrived today - TJ and Jester! Both are friendly males, about three years old and arrived this summer as strays.  Since both of them are a bit bigger they will each get two cages on the bottom tier.  Once they become acclimated we would like to reduce them to sharing three and bring a smaller cat down to occupy one cage.

TJ

Jester

Tiger left as scheduled from the Shelter with a very excited young lady!! Lacey left today also.  She will be the only cat and living with a nice young couple. The other guys are all doing fine at the Shelter!

Coverage is needed for Tuesday, October 28, AM Cleaning. Otherwise October looks good!

The November schedule was just about complete but due to some unforeseen circumstances that is no longer the case.  Below is the dates that need coverage:
Tuesday, November 4, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, November 11, AM Cleaning
Monday, November 17, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, November 25, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, November 26, AM Cleaning
Thursday, November 27, Thanksgiving - time to be determined - one cleaning

PetSmart will let me know when their employee will be in on Thanksgiving Day to take care of their pets.  Our volunteer will need to go at that time.  If you have availability let me know.  It is always in the morning.

Good Week!!!

We had a good week at PetSmart!  Molly the Diva went home Wednesday night to a wonderful older couple who are thrilled to have her.  They will tell her daily how pretty she is and lavish attention upon her and she will not share them with any other pet!  That will make Miss Molly happy! 

Tiger was taken to the Shelter where he will be picked up in a day or two.  The young woman adopting him was so excited to pick him up on Wednesday and then at the last minute learned she had to wait.  She was devastated!!  Her landlord did approve a cat in her apartment -  however at the last minute he decided he wanted pictures of the apartment taken prior to Tiger's arrival.  He will not be able to come down until today or tomorrow to take the pictures.  Once that is done Tiger will go home.

We do have some interest brewing in Bridget as well.  Hopefully that pans out.  It is someone related to our connection in Connecticut.

So...let me introduce our new arrivals!  They were brought to the store last night.  The pair now in the big cage are a tad scared but will come around. No new divas in this group!

Cyrano and Marilyn are growing up in the Shelter system.  They arrived on January 6 after being in a foster home for almost three months. They are about a year and half old now.  They are affectionate and outgoing and both enjoy a good belly rub! They do love one another and it would be wonderful to see them leave together. They were a tad nervous their first night so make sure you take some time to say hi!

Miss Marilyn

Sir Cyrano

And then there is big Poe.  This poor older fat girl was surrendered to the Shelter following a divorce.  The dog was given away first and then Poe was given to us.  The house was sold and the husband could not take Poe to the place he is renting. She is around 7 or 8 years old and is sweet.  She will do well in a home with other cats, dogs and kids.  She gets two cages because she's a big girl!

Pretty Poe

We are aware that Lanie has a sore on her shoulder blade area and medical staff will go down today to look at it.

Due to vacations and holidays the November schedule has some additional openings.  Everything is listed below.  Let me know if you are available to cover any of them:
Tuesday, November 3, PM Cleaning
Friday, November 14, AM Cleaning
Monday, November 17, AM Cleaning
Tuesday, November 18, PM Cleaning
Friday, November 21, AM Cleaning
Monday, November 24, PM Cleaning
Friday, November 28, AM Cleaning

Thanksgiving Day will be one cleaning as we have done in the past.  Rikki...I have emailed you personally concerning scheduling.

Two Beauties Arrive!!

So, here is our two new arrivals...both are gorgeous females with a bit of an attitude!

Molly came into the Shelter as a stray back in June.  She is just about two years old.  While at the Shelter we discovered she does not care for other cats - at all!!  She will need to be the only cat in the house.  Typical calico!  She does not care for dogs either.  When you let the cats out to play make sure no one invades her space! As you can see she is really pretty though - and she loves humans!

Miss Molly

Eliza is a three year old torti that arrived at the Shelter in late February.  She was already spayed and even microchipped.  Unfortunately the microchip was not registered so we could not track down the owner. When she first arrived Eliza did not care for other cats.  Over time while caged in the front of the Shelter where the side by side cages are only wired, she became more tolerant of other cats.  That being said...do not force her to socialize with the others.  Let her settle in and socialize with the others on her own  terms. She does like people though and will sit with you and snuggle!

Both of these cats are "2014" models so their adoption fee is $29.99.

Eliza

We decided to move little Bridgette onto the first tier so she could have company.  She is now with Tux, Laney and Lacey.  The two new divas are on the top tier with two cages a piece.

Help is still needed for the morning cleaning on Monday, September 29.  Please let me know if you are available.

Little Sick Guy Picked Up

After receiving a report that Boy and Bridgette both had runny eyes we went to the store today to see how they were doing.  Boy definitely has an eye issue.  Bridgette looked fine.  So, we brought Boy back to the Shelter.  In the mean time Brandon is doing better. 

I was asked what happened to the applications we received for Tiger.  I think there was some confusion...two different people expressed interest in Tiger at the adoption table and took applications with them. Sadly neither party followed through.  There is no pending applications on Tiger.

I was also asked if it was okay for Laney and Lacey to be adopted separately.  Yes, it is.  Ideally someone would take both of them, however it is not necessary. 

We do have cages ready and will be filling them tomorrow - Tuesday.  Most likely it will be with adult cats.  I'll introduce them once the final decision is made!!

The Princess Goes Home!

Princess Sophia went home on Wednesday night to a family of five - all adults.  She is the only pet in the house so will be lavished with love and attention!  The family recently lost their cat of ten years and have missed a feline presence in their home!

Poor little Brandon showed signs of an upper respiratory infection so was brought back to the Shelter for some meds. As you will recall he has one eye that is chronically weepy so he looked particularly pitiful.  He actually looked one hundred percent better in 24 hours after receiving antibiotics.  The plan is to bring him back after the weekend to join the others.

Two cages are clean and ready for new arrivals.  Please make sure they stay ready.  Our goal is to have at least one adult brought down immediately.

I had a cancellation for the morning cleaning on Monday, September 29.  If you available please let me know.

On Monday I trained four PetSmart employees on our adoption process.  They will now be able to show our cats, interview people and take adoption applications when the Adoption Table is not open.  We are hoping this increases our adoptions.   All four of the employees love our cats like we do and will be committed to helping us find homes. 

If you have not seen it yet - below is the latest promotion for adoptions.  Please share it with anyone you know who may be interested!

 

Early September is always slow as families re-establish the school routine. Once everyone settles in the adoptions tend to pick up again.

In the mean time...Fall starts on Monday!  Enjoy the crisp air and the vibrant colors!
                                   

Weekend Update

Dogs were at the store all weekend and behaved quite well!!

 

Brandon and Bridget needed to be wormed so that was done Saturday afternoon.  Do not be alarmed if you see anything in their litterbox as a result.  Judy M reported that Brandon appeared lethargic and kept to himself and possibly does not feel well.  Please let me and the Shelter know if that behavior continues.  

Tiger and Boy appeared to do fine for a while on Saturday and then Tiger seemed to have had it.  Boy was then moved to the cages with his littermates Bridgette and Brandon.  Today Boy was put back in the big cage with Tiger.  Please watch and see how that goes.  If it appears Tiger does not have the patience for him he may go back to B & B. 

Judy M also reported Tiger is sneezing.  Undoubtedly he is stressed out.  Let's hope he is strong enough to fight off a full fledged upper respiratory infection.  He is generating a lot of interest.  At least two people took applications this weekend and said they would be returning it completed to the Shelter.  Hopefully a good one pans out! 

We did receive an application for Princess Sophia that seems like a good one!  Chrissy will do the vet check tomorrow and hopefully she will go home soon.  Although Sophia may do ok with B & B when the cages are open and they are out playing - however, once confined she seems to lose patience just like Tiger. Keep her separated from those two!

 

A new volunteer was trained on Saturday and she will be doing the last two open spots in September.  Welcome, Rachel!!  We always love newcomers and are thankful for the additional help!  Rachel will also be helping with cat socializing at the Shelter.

Pip Goes Home & Gains Siblings!!

Fast turn around for our Pip!!  She went home Wednesday night and will be joining two other senior cats adopted from the Shelter in February of this year named Mocha and Nikki.  Pip's new mom is so excited to get her!  She did laughingly remark that Pip outlived her last two owners and she hoped nothing would now happen to her!!

Tiger seems lonely in the big cage so we are going to try a young, male room mate for him tomorrow and see how it goes.  Boy, a four month old kitten, came into the Shelter in May at twelve weeks.  He was bottle fed in a foster home along with Brandon and Bridgette.  In the foster home was three dogs and other cats - both young and old.  We are hoping he is just what big old Tiger needs.  Staff will be at the store with dogs tomorrow as well as handling the adoption table.  Boy will be put in the big cage and they will monitor things and make a decision on whether or not to leave him.

Princess Sophia continues to show her disdain for kittens!  Keep her door closed and away from the youngsters!

Most of the September schedule is complete.  The remaining openings are below:
Friday, September 19, AM Cleaning
Friday, September 26, PM Cleaning

Important Logistical Information!!

Stacey (PetSmart Manager) was having difficulty locating the vendor that supplies the hand sanitizer for the dispenser in the adoption room.  The vendor was located, the product ordered and received and the dispenser is now full and functioning!!  Yay!!  The small bottle of sanitizer was left on the table for those who choose to use it.

Over 40 sheets of cut paper were left at the store today and layed out so they will not roll up.  Please do not automatically replace the paper every time you clean.  Only replace it if absolutely necessary.  Filling the water bowls half way, rather than to the top,  helps preserve the paper as the cats are less apt to spill it.  Also, if the bowls are filled up to the top when we open the cages the water spills out onto the paper. 

For those who do the Adoption Table: When a cat goes home please give the adopter the cage card as well.  There is no need to save them and the adopters can keep it with their records.

There is a bald spot on the back of Tiger - between the shoulder blades.  Medical is aware of it.  It appears he had a reaction to the flea control. Tiger also is one of those cats that destroys his cage at night.  He definitely seems a bit sad or stressed.  So far no urine outside the box...which is good news.  Many customers are remarking on his size and expressing interest so hopefully he gets to go home soon.

Pip has been approved and will be leaving Wednesday night.  Princess Sophia does not seem overjoyed by the presence of the kittens - Bridget and Brandon - so do not open the door for the three to share the top row.  We will be bringing a smaller cat to fill one cage and giving the kittens two cages to share once Pip leaves.

Coverage still needed for all the Friday evening cleanings this month as well as the evening cleaning on Tuesday, September 23.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of them. Just a reminder...for the evening cleaning you may arrive any time between 3:30 and 8:00pm.

Please remember to check your email and read the blog prior to going to PetSmart for your schedule volunteer time so you are up to date on any issues, information or changes.  Once at the store and prior to starting to clean read the volunteer notebook so you are up to speed on what things have transpired since you last saw the cats.

Thank you!!!

Post Cleaning Cats

Hopefully you all are enjoying the fresh new look and smell of the adoption center!  I did learn that some of the newly placed labels were falling off.  They were all reinforced with double sided tape on Sunday.

Ava went home from the Shelter.  She will have a canine sibling, a feline sibling and two human siblings. The two human siblings were so excited!!  In advance of taking her home one of them embroidered a blanket with her new name on it - Eva!

Please try to use a lot less litter.  On Friday afternoon we opened a 25 pound bag and put it in the bin.  This morning...less than 72 hours later...it needed to be replaced.  We all prefer this litter over the dusty old clay so PLEASE be careful!  If this litter becomes too costly PetSmart will have us go back to the clay.  Remember, just like the food, do not over do it.  Someone comes in twice a day.  Do not put any more than one level scoop of litter in the box.  It should look like about 3/4 of an inch (if that) covering the bottom of the box.

Also, after lining all the cages with the brown paper we trimmed about an inch or so off of each side.  They will now be cut to smaller sizes so can more easily be placed in the cages.

As you read the cage cards you will see that the ages of the cats appear as "12 mo or older" OR "Adult" OR "K" OR something else - rather than the actual age.  Why? Although I will agree with you all that it would be better to have an exact age on the card,  PetSmart district managers require that the cards say EXACTLY what appears on the rabies vaccination certificate.   The actual age of the cats can be found in their paperwork.  Please note that the paperwork will say INTAKE DATE.  Take that into consideration when calcualting the age.  This is the age the cat was when it came into the Shelter.  Some cats have been with us close to a year if not more. 

Here are the arrivals. You will recognize a few!

Lanie and Lacey were at PetSmart before.  Hopefully this time is a winner for them.  They are litter mates however may be adopted separately.  They are both sweet and we are baffled as to why they still remain with us.

Lacey and Lanie

Tiger is a big boy and needs the big cage to house his girth! He weighs over 23 pounds.  He is 4-5 years old and was surrendered to the Shelter due to litter box issues. This is really not uncommon for a cat this size.  Hopefully he can get some exercise at PetSmart.  Please let me know if he is urinating outside his litter box.

Big Tiger

Pip is a an 11 year old declawed calico that sadly has outlived two owners.  We do already have an application on her so some of you may never get a chance to meet her.

Pip

Tux is a six year old male and is a love bug.  His owner came upon some hard times and can no longer take care of him.  He was always kept indoors.  He did live with another cat, too.

Tux

Princess Sophia is a one year old torbi.  A Good Samaritan found her on the street and brought her to the Shelter for medical help.  They said they would be back for her and sadly never returned.  She is a love and will make a wonderful companion!

Princess Sophia

Bridgette and Brandon are litter mates well under a year old. It would be nice to see them go together however it is not required.   They were fostered togethered in a house with three dogs and several other cats.  They are resilient and love everyone!  Brandon has a chronic eye thing going on.  They came in as very small kittens without a mom.  As a result Brandon did not have her to continually clean him and help him to get his eyes opened. Unfortunately the eye is permanently damaged. 

Bridgette & Brandon

So...there you have it!!  All of the cats just waiting to meet you and to get placed into forever homes!

On Monday, September 15, at 11:00am I will be going over the adoption process with a couple of the PetSmart employees.  Moving forward a select few of them will be permitted to show cats and to take the adoption applications.  If you are interested in learning how it works let me know and feel free to join us.

And now the September schedule...below are the dates that still need to be filled.  Please let me know if you can cover any of them. Wes till could use a permanent every other Tuesday evening and a permanent something on Friday evenings.
Tuesday, September 9, PM Cleaning
Friday, September 12, PM Cleaning
Friday, September 19, PM Cleaning
Tuesday, September 23, PM Cleaning
Friday, September 26, PM Cleaning

I hope you all had a wonderful summer!  Temperatures will be dropping soon as fall is around the corner.

Adoptions, Transfers & Arrivals

As the headline of this post says we have had adoptions, transfers and new arrivals since the last post.  Toby was adopted by an older feline loving couple and will have lots of company!  They presently have six cats - the majority of which are over 10 years old.  The husband fell in love with Toby during their regular trips to PetSmart.  Toby is going to be very happy!

Sweat Pea and Flurry were having some intestinal issues so were brought bcak to the Shelter so they could be given meds.  While arranging their pick up we received an application for Sweat Pea. Her application was approved and she went home on Monday to a young family.  We are keeping our paws crossed that they return for Flurry.

Dusty is in foster for the remainder of the summer and will be going to the shelter ROAR in Connecticut after Labor Day.  His foster mom says he is totally enjoying his time with her! She loves him! We did receive an application for him however it was denied as the applicant showed a long history of de-clawing.  She has three cats and all are de-clawed.  The last one was done in May of this year.  Although she assured me she would not do this to Dusty I just was not convinced.  It must have been fate as the foster from ROAR called me that day and said she had room for one adult cat. We have such success with them adopting our kittens to great pet owners that this seemed a perfect fit.  It is about time Dusty settled in somewhere.

So...new arrivals...Mister and Misses, Ava and Squirrel!

Mister and Misses are litter mates and quite attached to one another.  It is not required they be adopted together, however it would be so nice!  They are about four months old. Both are very friendly kittens!  Misses appears to love kids!

Misses



Mister

In addition sweet Ava has arrived! She came into the Shelter as a stray in early May.  She is very affectionate and likes to be held.  She loves other cats and would be fine with dogs and kids as well.  She is just about a year old.


Ava

And there is Squirrel! He is about a year old.  He was in a foster home with other cats, three dogs and lots of human company.  He is very resilient and will adapt to any home!

Squirrel

So...there you have it!!  Lots going on!

There is a few openings in the schedule still remaining this month.  Let me know if you can cover any of the below dates:
Tuesday, August 26, PM Cleaning
Thursday, August 28, PM Cleaning
Friday, August 29, AM Cleaning
Sunday, Augsut 31, Adoption Table or PM Cleaning

Sweet Little Jewel Quickly Goes Home!

As we suspected Little Jewel has come and gone!  She went home on Saturday and will be joining an adult household and a three year old cat.  She will be one happy kitten!

Joining Sweet Pea is another one of her sisters named Flurry.  Flurry, just like the others,  is very social and will do fine in a house with other cats, dogs and children.  

Flirty Flurry

We have an approved application on Toby!!  A message has been left for the applicant to call the Shelter so we can arrange when he will be picked up.  Toby will have many feline freinds to play with in this new home!

We continue to need help for evening cleanings this month while the mornings are all filled. That's actually out of the ordinanry!  Below are the dates that need filling - all are evenings.  Please let me know if you are available to cover any of them.

Friday, August 8
Friday, August 15
Friday, August 22
Thursday, August 28
Friday, August 29

Brown paper was replenished yesterday!