The Latest News.....

Time to play catch up and properly introduce the cats at PetSmart and give a wave and best wishes to those who have been adopted!! 

Happy tails to all of you....  Gia and Flower were picked up on schedule at the Shelter and went home.  Their new mom was really excited! As stated in an email I sent a while back Damsel was adopted.  Lovey left last Wednesday and will be joining two cats and two dogs.  Her parents bought her some new food bowls and toys as a welcome home present!! Tracey went home with a family to live in Springfield, Virgina.  The family was looking for a younger cat that would be a good fit for their eight year old son.  Tracey totally fit that bill!  The family has a relative they visit often here in Cape May County and stopped in the Shelter to meet our cats.  Once we heard what they were looking for we sent them down to PetSmart to meet him.  Spencer went to a home where he will have both a canine and a feline sibling.  I think that's everyone!!

I have been receiving a lot of emails and concerns about Dovey and her eyes.  Lovey was adopted so quickly and we were hoping Dovey would too.  They both came into the Shelter in mid-May at about five weeks old and were very sick.  Dovey's eye appears to have developed scar tissue - otherwise she is healthy.  Mid-July the vet advised us to leave the eye alone and just watch it.  For now we will keep her at the store and see how she does.  She is very sweet and hopefully someone will fall for her!  If the condition appears to worsen we will come and get her.

Dovey

Perry is a big nice guy who has fell on some hard times in his life.  He first came into the Shelter in March of 2011 as a stray.  He was adopted a few months later and stayed in that home for over five years.  Somewhere along the line he was de-clawed.  In June of this year he was brought back to the Shelter because his owner was moving and the new roommate is allergic to cats.  He is a big, handsome fella about nine years old.  He is friendly and good with cats, kids and dogs.  He also qualifies for the Senior For Senior Program.

Perfect Perry

Lovely Linda is a sweetheart and is just over a year old.  She came in as a stray.  She cuddles and is a lap cat!  She will do fine in a home with cats, kids and dogs.  She just adores attention and people!

Lovely Linda

These two are breaking the chart on the cute meter!!  Gus and Garfield will be arriving tomorrow afternoon.  They are littermates so it would be nice if they went home together - however it is not required.  They are 3-4 months old and will acclimate to any home.  (Of course Garfield has the orange!)

Cutie Cute Gus and Garfield

I think I speak for everyone when I say Barb Clark is absolutely wonderful for adopting Starburst and Skittles!!  BEST news this summer!!

July is nearly over so please look to August and let me know what you can do. All but one are morning cleanings.  It is every Monday and a few Sundays (Deb and Warren are taking a little trip!  Safe travels, guys!) Below are the dates that need coverage:
Monday, August 3, AM
Tuesday, August 4, PM
Monday, August 10, AM
Sunday, August 16, AM
Monday, August 17, AM
Sunday, August 23, AM
Monday, August 24, AM
Sunday, August 30, AM
Monday, August 31, AM

Adoptions, Arrivals and News

Glitter went home last Wednesday to a very excited little family!  She will have two human siblings, one canine sibling and mom and dad.  They have not had a cat for a couple of years.  Their last cat lived until 18 years old!  Hopefully that is an indication of how well Glitter will be taken care of and loved she will be.  Hopefully she has a similar long life!

Gia and Flower have been adopted together,  however will not be picked up until July 14 due to a preplanned vacation.  They were brought back to the Shelter to await their new family's arrival.  They will be the only pets with a doting mom and a twelve year old daughter. They are so excited!!   They had two cats in the recent past - one lived until 15 and the other lived until 18 years old! 

Noodles was picked up and is being transferred to the Animal Adoption Center.  They are a great little Shelter and he will be fine!  If you would like to know more about their shelter click on the link to the right with the title Animal Adoption Center of Lindenwold.  They also have a Facebook page.

So...you have four new arrivals at the store...Spencer, Tracey, Buffy and Damsel.  Allow me to introduce them...

Spencer and Tracey are littermates that came into the Shelter very recently...July 6.  This is a somewhat typical and annoying situation we see often.  The owner allowed her cat to have four kittens.  Of course five cats in your house is a far cry from one adult cat and four kittens.  Once the kittens become "teenagers" and are no longer little and cute and are running willy nilly throughout their home we are notified and told they are unable to keep so many cats.  So...here we are with Spencer and Tracey at four months old.   They are very nice and have been in a home.  They would adapt to any household...cats, kids and dogs.  They are like having two little boys in your home rip racing about and playing and rough housing! The new family will see this and so will you!  Tracey is buff colored with white boots and Spencer is a tabby swirl. Spencer cries to get out of the cage! I can't blame him!  He just spent the first four months of his life happily playing and exploring. Tracey is the calmer of the two.  Absolutely no need for them to go together.  At the shelter they were in different cages.

Tracey

Spencer

Buffy is about a year old and came from a home where many cats were being trapped and added to an outdoor TNR colony.  She was much too nice to be put outside!  She can be a tad shy initially but will come around just fine! 

Buffy

Damsel is a sweet cat that came into the Shelter in early June as a stray.  She had a scrape like wound on her back so initially spent a lot of time in our sick bay.  Under the expert care of our medical staff and with plenty of TLC she healed and here she is! She is about ten months old.

Damsel

As always please be patient with the new arrivals and let them acclimate to the new surroundings at  their own pace.  Do not force any of them to come out and play with the others.  Open their cage door and see what they do.  If they choose to stay in...so be it.  We so often hear people at the Shelter when choosing a new pet say "they will just have to get over it" or "put them together and let them work it out."  This is certainly not in the best interest of their pets!  As you all know we advocate for a slow introduction to a new home, a new environment and a new co-pet.

Schedule looks great!! One cancellation in July...Sunday, July 26, AM Cleaning.  If you are available please let me know.

Lots of Happy Cats!!

The best news of the last week is....drum roll...Midnight went home with our volunteer, Barb!!  Barb has taken several of the very senior cats home over the years and Midnight became the latest lucky kitty cat to go home with her. Great news!!

Coco went home Wednesday night and will be joining another cat and a little dog.  Powder went home yesterday and will be the only pet in the house.  This is the new mom's first experience with a cat as a pet but she fell in love with her when she saw her in PetSmart.  New mom has a daughter-in-law who has had cats forever so we know she will have support.  All it takes is one cat to turn people into feline fanciers!!

Three new guys arrived over the weekend.  I have heard that they are all doing well and have settled in.  All three are friendly and nice and will do well in a home with other cats, dogs or kids.

Glitter came into the Shelter as a stray earlier this month.  She is gorgeous and loves attention!  She is just about a year old now.

Gorgeous Glitter

Flower is a pretty,  solid gray female about nine years old.  She qualifies for the Senior For Senior Adoption Program.  She came in as a stray in mid-April and was already spayed. It appears she has had surgery other than the spay as well so someone somewhere loved her and took care of her.  Sadly no one has come looking for her.  She is a love!   She must miss her family!

Flower

Gia is just about a year old.  She was found at a TNR colony in Avalon and we suspect she was dumped there.  She loves attention and affection!

Gia

Special thanks to Cathy and Virgina for helping out through the month of June while Rikki was away!  Welcome back, Rikki!!

The calendar for July looks great!  One opening at this time...the morning cleaning on Monday, July 6.

Please make sure that if a cat is by itself in a cubicle (or two) that he or she also gets a cubby.  The cats love having a spot to snuggle up in or to sit on. 

Since the first Saturday of the month is July 4th the monthly PetSmart dog day has been postponed until July 11.

Happy July 4th!!!!

PetSmart Swip Swap

So, lots going on!  Shammy has an approved application and is now at the Shelter.  Her new mom is excited about getting her!  When they met on Wednesday afternoon Shammy's left eye was red and a bit irritated.  Her mom still wanted her and we told her we would have Shammy see the vet before making arrangements for her to go home. We brought her back to the Shelter and had her examined by our veterinarian.  By the time she saw the vet her eye already looked better.  We were told it is a chronic condition that may flare up under stress.  New mom was advised and happy to hear she was ok and will be picking her up from the Shelter on Sunday.

Blue was transferred to Animal Adoption Center in Lindenwald.  As I often say...sometimes a change in venue is the best thing for a cat or dog.  Blue is a wonderful cat and is in good hands.

Simba just was not happy and not doing well at PetSmart so we brought him back.

While cleaning this morning Brianne met people very interested in Coco.  We did speak to them by telephone and advised them to get an application to the Shelter and we would get processing!

So...who is now there?  Three new arrivals...Starburst, Sprinkles and Powder.

Powder is pretty five year old gray female.  She is a very affectionate girl who spent all of her time outside.  A neighbor complaint led to her being trapped and brought to the Shelter.  She was spayed at intake.

Powder

Skittles and Starburst are littermates and are about four years old.  They originally came in at about three months old in December of 2011.  In August of 2012 they were adopted. As we see more often then we would like,  they were returned late May of this year following the birth of a child.  One of the cats started to not use the litterbox AND the new baby is allergic.  The family stated that Skittles was marking in the house and that Starburst did not make mistakes.  What we observed is that Skittles can sometimes bully Starburst about the litterbox and Starburst makes mistakes!  Sometimes what happens with a new baby is that the cats are no longer cared for in the same manner.  They no longer get attention and perhaps the box is not kept as clean.  We would like to see these two stay together as they co-habitated without incident prior to the baby being born. 

Skittles

Starburst

I was told that we need more of the smaller litterboxes for cats that are in single cubbies.  They will be brought down.

Just a reminder...adoption fee on all cats for the month of June is $10.

Brown paper... Four rolls of paper are presently at the adoption center.  Cindy D will continue to cut paper and I will make contact with her and see when this can be accomplished.  I think she is out of town for a bit.  She is not on the schedule again for two weeks.  I know it is a hassle however it is not forever...I promise...but should you need some pieces there are rolls available to be cut.

Look ahead at July and let me know your availability. 

Thanks, all!!

The New Guys!

Three new guys arrived today...Simba, Coco and Shammy.

Simba is such a nice old cat!  He is very friendly and very vocal.  He is a talkative bag of bones!  You will all love him! He goes right to the front of the cage the second he sees a human!  He is 12+ years old.  Simba was living in Wildwood Crest and his owner could not longer keep him. From what we could gather he was an indoor/outdoor cat that would go to the door when he wanted to go out.  We'd like to see this old man live out his golden years safe and sound!

Simba

Coco is a nice, friendly,  four year old house cat that was living with another cat, a dog, and an infant.  Coco's owner became ill and could no longer keep her animals.  Her parents were able to keep one of the cats and  opted to surrender Coco.  Coco was always well cared for and we were provided with a history of vet visits.  She is a sweetheart! 

Coco

Shammy is beautiful! She is a long haired torbi that came in spayed and declawed. Her story is a sad one.  She was found in a pillow case in a dumpster in early May.  Fortunately a Comcast employee working in the area heard crying coming from the dumpster.  She had been put in the pillow case and the case was knotted and discarded in the dumpster.  We could tell she had spent a considerable amount of time that way.  The SPCA, local police and Animal Control were all notified.  Her picture was posted on our Facebook page in an effort to find out who had committed this act of cruelty.  Sadly it appears we will never know.  Now we need to get her placed in a wonderful home and make this all a distant memory for Shammy.

Shammy

Welcome new volunteers...Bridgeen, Virgina, Cathy and Brianne!!  All four are trained and ready to go!  Cathy already started yesterday morning and things went great!  Thank you all for volunteering!  Keep an eye on your email and jump in whenever you can!

Just a reminder...June is Adopt A Shelter Cat Month and all adoption fees for cats are lowered by 50% for the month!! Below is a flyer with all the details.

At this time the schedule for June is complete - yes, I am knocking on wood!!  Thanks to each and every one of you for all you do for the Shelter and for our feline friends at PetSmart!!

Lots of Changes!!

Blush and Muscato went home on Saturday! The applicants were so nice!  They will be the only pets in the their house...along with two young adults.  They are aware that the two have patella issues and plan to obtain pet insurance.  It is so nice to see them finally get out of a cage!

Rambo and Murphy were transferred to Animal OutReach in West Cape May.  For those who are not familiar with AO they have a nice little Shelter where the cats available for adoption have free run.  Since opening their place they have really helped us find homes for our cats.  They help us with kittens as well.

Ralph was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable being at Petsmart so we was brought back to the Shelter.  He is fine!  REMINDER: Blue should not have free run with the other cats.  He does not really care for feline company and made that quite clear last week.

So...who do we have now?  April and Midnight!  They arrived at the store yesterday.

Midnight is eleven years old and is a great guy!  This lap cat has such a sad story....  His owner died years ago and her daughter took Midnight.  In September the daughter was forced to give up Midnight when she had to move into assisted living and could not take him with her.  Of course he qualifies for our Senior For Senior Adoption Program.  He is a love bug!

Midnight

April was living quite happily in a campground as part of a TNR colony and had been fixed by and was being fed by a kind person who lived there.  Well, another camper came down and apparently found her presence annoying.  When she was brought in we found her to be nice and sweet!  She is fine with other cats, too.  She is about four years old.

April

Three new volunteers trained on Saturday!!  Welcome Bridgeen, Cathy and Brianne!  We also have Virgina training Wednesday night with Larissa.  The plan at this point is this... Cathy will cover Thursdays through June for Rikki and Virgina will cover Wednesdays.  Rikki is back in July.  I do have two dates in June that still need to be covered and I am waiting to hear from Brianne who may be doing them - June 19 and 20 in the morning.  I'll send an email out if she is unable to commit.

If you missed us on "Shelter Me" on ABC Channel 6 in Philadelphia click on the link to the right and view it.  Our volunteer dogwalkers Joyce and Connie were a big help during taping!

Leona is back this week!!  Yay!!  We missed her terribly on the adoption table.  So happy to have her back and feeling good!

Two Boys Arrive & Stressed Out Girl Returns!

Thalia apparently was quite unhappy at Petsmart and made sure many of you were well aware of it!  Sorry about that!  I was told that there was quite a few entries in the book stating Thalia was stressed and a tad, shall we say,  aggressive with volunteers.  Please make sure to email me at daviesdunhour@comcast.net and Cc animalshelter@cmcsheriff.net so everyone knows what is happening.

Two new boys are arriving tomorrow (Saturday).  Both love human friends but are not too crazy about feline companionship.  They will need to have alone time when it comes to playing!  Please make sure they are alone in their cubbies and the doors remain closed. 

Blue is a beautiful long haired male with great feet!!  He is about two years old.  He was adopted out at one time through the Animal Alliance of Cape May County but was brought back.  He spent a little bit of time in the home of a volunteer but sadly that could only be a temporary situation.  (The below picture is not very good!!  He is actually quite handsome!)

Handsome Blue

The second arrival is Ralph. He was left in a cat carrier in the laundromat at Model Cleaners in Court house.  Nice, huh??  He had already been neutered. He is about three years old and would prefer to be the only cat in the house. Ralph is a big guy and will need two cubbies.  The best place for him is a quiet home.

Ralph

Reminder for those who work the adoption table - and other volunteers as well.  Below is the May/June 2015 Feline Special.  This time of year between graduations, proms and weddings adoptions always slow down.  Hopefully this will spur some interest!!

Below are the dates in May that still need coverage:
Sunday, May 24, Adoption Table
Friday, May 29, AM Cleaning
Saturday, May 30, Adoption Table

Smith Gets Another Chance!

The volunteers have had a light workload lately!!  Between transferring cats to Animal Outreach and other Shelters we have had only a few cages filled lately.  It seems like every time we choose a new arrival for PetSmart we get an application for adoption for that cat at the Shelter.  So, you do have some new guys that have arrived today.  But first...the adoptions...

Smith and Bugs went together to a very nice older gentleman.  He had come into the Shelter looking for two cats - preferably siblings.  He loved every one of the cats at the Shelter!  We took his application and told him to advise us when he had made a decision.  He decided on Bugs and Daffy and called us.  By that time they had gone to PetSmart and Daffy was gone.  We all were so sad!!  So, after giving it more thought he decided on Bugs and Smith.  He called today to say that Smith has taken over residence in his recliner!  He did say that the two are getting along well and chase each other playing tag.  Smith better continue to behave himself!

Here are your two new arrivals:

Noodles is just about three years old.  He first came to us in the fall of 2012.  He and his brother Max were left overnight at the Shelter.  When staff arrived in the morning they found the two cats left at the front door.  At that time we estimated them to be about five months old. A short time later they were adopted together.   Sadly their owner passed away and they were brought back to the Shelter in October of 2014.  They shared a cage at the Shelter and patiently waited for home number three. That came along about two months when Noodles and Max were adopted together again.  About five weeks later we were heartbroken when Noodles was returned.  The new adopters said he did not get along with their dog and was aggressive toward it.  So, poor Noodles is now in the market for home number four.  He will do okay in a home with other cats however not kids or dogs.  Perhaps that is all just too much excitement for him.  Also, keep him caged alone.  He did at times bully Max when they were in the cage together at the Shelter. He has an old eye injury that does not bother him at all.

Needy Noodles

Thalia is an older girl and qualifies for our Senior For Senior program.  We think she is about eight years old. She came into the Shelter in August as a stray.  She is a pleasant old girl and will make a nice companion.  She is a lap cat!

Thalia

 

 

Thalia and Noodles make six cats at PetSmart.  Two more should be arriving soon!

Rikki is back so we are covered on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for almost the entire month of May.  She will be away at the end of the month so there are a few that need coverage.  Below is a list of what needs to be covered.  If you can cover any of them please let me know.

Monday, May 4, AM Cleaning
Monday, May 11, AM Cleaning
Friday, May 15, AM Cleaning
Monday, May 18, AM Cleaning
Monday, May 25 AM Cleaning
Wednesday, May 27, AM Cleaning
Thursday, May 28, AM Cleaning
Friday, May 29, AM Cleaning

As always...thanks for your help!!

Three new guys and an old friend!

Emma and Daffy went home on Wednesday.  Both are going to homes with other cats so they will have company.  Several of us attempted get the family to take Bugs along with Daffy but they felt they were at their max of cats.  (Um...Daffy makes two for them...huh??!!)  Bugs will be fine!  He is now going to room with Rambo and Murphy and we are hearing they are having fun!

Jade is leaving on Saturday.  We all know she can be a diva and have an attitude toward her fellow felines.  In her new home there is other cats.  The new adopters know that Jade needs a nice, slow, special introduction.  They really really want her so it is certainly worth a try.  Lets all keep our paws crossed for Jade!

Four cats arrived at the store yesterday.  You will recognize one of them.  Our boy Smith was brought back to the Shelter after three months in his home.  The adopters stated he did not like their other cats at all.  He was aggressive toward them and marking territory. Looks like Smith needs to be the only cat.  His last home did not have a dog so we are not sure how he would do with them. However, he was good with their kids.

Smith

Bixler is cute as a button and will probably have an application in no time.  She is about six months old and is all kitten!! She will do well in a home with other cats, dogs and kids.

Bixler

 

 

Mascato and Blush are litter mates and are a little under a year old.  They have been at the adoption center at Shore Veterinarians for several months but sadly no one adopted them.  Both cats have knee problems so do not be overly concerned if you see a limp here and there.  Blush has more of an issue than Mascato.  They are both wonderful and very socialized and accustomed to being on display.  These two MUST go together!!  Let's leave them in the big cage where they can show off, sell themselves and get home!!  Although the cage cards indicate the adoption fee is $75 it should read $8 as they are considered to be "special needs" due to the knee issue.  Someone PLEASE neatly correct the card.

Mascato & Blush

You all did so well filling up the April schedule!  Thank you so much!  Below are the dates that still need coverage so please let me know if you are available:
Wednesday, April 15, AM Cleaning
Friday, April 17, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, April 22, AM Cleaning
Wednesday, April 29, AM Cleaning

Don't forget Artist On The Rocks!  If you are interested in participating in this event on Saturday, April 18, at 6:30pm please click on the below link:
http://www.artistontherocks.com/Calender/Submit/cmas041815.html

Happy Tails, Daphne!!

Fun loving little Daphne went home last night to a totally animal friendly family!  She will have three feline siblings and one canine sibling in addition to her human mom and dad.  They adopted their dog from us as well.  Prior to heading home they bought lots of good stuff for their new arrival. As soon as Daphne's cage is filled you will all be introduced to her replacement.  The cage is clean and ready.

There is a lot of openings in the April calendar so I am sending the dates out early. If you can jump in an extra day or two it would be great.  Rikki does two mornings a week (Wednesdays and Thursdays) and has a family obligation for April.  As you can see she will be missed! So, in a nutshell, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings need coverage, as well as one Friday.

Wed, April 1, AM Cleaning
Thur, April 2, AM Cleaning
Mon, April 6, AM Cleaning
Wed, April 8, AM Cleaning
Thur, April 9, AM Cleaning
Mon, April 13, AM Cleaning
Wed, April 15, AM Cleaning
Thur, April 16, AM Cleaning
Fri, April 17, AM Cleaning
Mon, April 20, AM Cleaning
Wed, April 22, AM Cleaning
Thur, April 23, AM Cleaning
Mon, April 27, AM Cleaning
Wed, April 29, AM Cleaning
Thur, April 30, AM Cleaning

An Adoption, Three Girls Arrive and Two Transfer Out

Prince Harry went home on Sunday.  He will be the only pet in the house and the couple are very excited to add him to their home. We did ask that they consider Lola as well however they were hesitant to have two cats.  What's the big deal, right???!!!

You will see a few new faces at Petsmart and bid goodbye and good luck to two great cats - Russ and Lola.  Both are being transferred to ROAR in Connecticut.  Just to remind you...ROAR is a wonderful, small animal shelter in Ridgefield, Connecticut.  They do good work and screen all adoption applications very well.  They were looking for an older friendly cat to be their mascot and greeter and Russ sure fits that bill!  He will be a wonderful advocate and ambassador for homeless cats and will show everyone just how great a cat can be!!  Lola is a sweetheart and will be adopted quickly.

Below are the three new arrivals - all females:

Jade, a three year torti, will make a great pet.  She will do well in a home with cats, kids and dogs.  Jade, formerly known as Katniss, was adopted from our Shelter in 2012 to a young couple.  A few months ago the adopter called us to say they they needed to bring her back and they were told when to do so.  She never showed up.  In mid-February a cat showed up in an entirely different town on someone's back porch.  A microchip check revealed it was our Katniss/Jade.  We were never able to contact the original adopter to see who she decided to give our cat to. She is a real sweetheart!

Jade

Daphne is a young female - about five months.  She is incredibly playful and will be quite a handful.  She would do well with a dog and kids!  She was living in a house and was surrendered to the Shelter right after Christmas. We suspect they kept her just to have a kitten around and they no longer wanted her.

Emma is a young female - about seven or eight months.  She is part of a TNR situation where the  "N" part was being ignored!  Sadly several litters were born.  She came into the Shelter at six weeks old along with several other kittens and even another litter.  The adults were all spayed and neutered and are safe back in their colony. The kittens were fostered and put up for adoption.  Emma is the last one of the bunch.  She is shy but will make a nice companion.  She is better suited for a quiet household or one where the adopter understands Emma will need a little bit of time to acclimate.

Emma

We are running our Meow Madness special again!  If you work the adoption table please be aware of the reduced fee schedule.  If you have any questions just shoot me an email.  The special starts on March 17 and will run through April 7. 

At this point the March schedule looks fine. Special thanks to Barb A for taking all the Monday mornings! I will need help covering Rikki on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for the month of April as she needs to fulfill a family obligation.  (We will miss you, Rikki!!) 

As the weather changes our old friends return...Deb and Warren and Toni.  Feel free to jump in you guys!!  What a winter we had!!

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!!