daily dose of dogs (aka cats with your coffee)

Last Post of August

I thought I would have time to post today.  As it turns out, I do not.  I’m off to deliver five Winnie’s Wishers for neuter surgeries this morning.  Next week we find ourselves in September.  Andrea’s FUNdraiser (click on it in my sidebar) will run through September.  And the next Winnie’s Wish Walkway brick fundraiser will be launched sometime in September, too.  Over the weekend, I will be in contact with the lady who is now feeding at the feral cat colony we discovered while on vacation.  Keep your fingers crossed that Domino is still alive and might end up with us sometime in September. 

I know Summer doesn’t officially end on August 31st.  But September 1st always seems like the beginning of Fall to me.  My hope is that the coming months will bring not just the continuation of the rescue work here, but the expansion of it.  I still have my BIG DREAM.       I invite you to come along for the ride.

See you Monday.

Gandy and Halo News

Remember this guy?


Gandy’s fate depended on having a place to go until a spot opened at the shelter or until a foster home came forward.  Obviously, Gandy couldn’t wait.  He needed help immediately.  The same is true of the precious souls that end up in “the pound” - having only a matter of days before they are euthanized if an “owner” doesn’t show up to claim them.  (We all know that very few dogs ending up in the pound are ever claimed.)  That is part of my BIG DREAM - to turn my boarding kennel into full-time foster care for dogs who have no place to go while waiting on someplace to go.   Gandy has only made me wish even harder for that dream to come true!  (You can read how Gandy was rescued *here.)  The update on Gandy is not good news, but I have come to terms with it.  AND FOR SURE, if he had not been rescued when he was, the next weeks and months would have found him not just in the nightmare he was already living, but a deeper nightmare even than that.  Gandy has cancer.  The tumor on his leg proved to be malignant.  The first report was that Gandy was a poor candidate for surgery to remove the tumor because he is quite old AND heartworm positive.  The shelter vet said the tumor didn’t look like an easy fix even if Gandy could withstand the surgery.  But the bigger question was whether or not the cancer had spread.  A chest X-ray revealed that Gandy’s lungs are full of cancer. 

The day I was given the news, I walked around in a sort of fog, cursing the previous owners (yes, there were owners!) and stewing about how if Gandy’s tumor had been treated months (years?) ago we would not be in this place now.  But I cannot change the past.  The bottom line is this.  Gandy has only a few months to live.  He was starving, hairless, flea-infested, unneutered, and heartworm positive when we took him in.  Now he is flea-free, growing some fur back, and eating two hearty meals a day.   I would prefer him to be in a home somewhere on a couch, and that request has been made on the shelter’s FB page.  But until then, he has a soft blanket and shelter and food, fresh water, and medication.  He will be given everything he needs in his last months.  At least Gandy got lucky enough to know some comfort in his life.






Next, let me give a brief update on Halo.  She was recently adopted by J and her family.  (You can read that story *here.)   My daughters and I have been holding our breath, fearful that Halo simply would not adjust and she would have to come back here.  But she IS adjusting.  And J says Halo is home for good.  From J’s most recent email to me:

This morning. I was standing the hall way watching the early morning news.  I felt . . . a cat, rubbing up against my legs and then nibble my toes. I was standing still just grinning.. The only cat who nibbles toes is Halo!!   Last night Miss Halo was on the couch - ON THE COUCH - with T (J’s husband) being petted. HA!  And Sunday afternoon she was sleeping on the dining room table after lunch.  Could it get any better? NOPE!

Halo got lucky enough to get a great home.





Gandy and Halo.  So many before them.  So many yet to come.  Every dog and cat deserves comfort and love.  This is why I do what I do.

Of course, doing what I do takes work and money.  My rescue work has morphed into something bigger (with the doubling of the cathouse).   That’s why you see me more engaged now in fundraising.   The thing about my particular rescue operation is this - I was just ONE person out here doing this UNTIL I STARTED BLOGGING.  That’s when I met all of you.  Since starting the blog, I have had your help with finding homes and raising money.  Those are the two things that every rescue requires.  The wonderful thing about that?  It means more animals saved.  When it was JUST ME, I did what I could.  I still do what I can - but now that’s MORE because I have your help. 

Early tomorrow morning, I will deliver FIVE male kitties for their neuter surgeries: Mickey, Maverick, Sunshine, Juice, and Hershey Bear.  When I get back, I’ll post to my blog about the help I received from some special people just in the last week.  Do please stop by.

Have a great day!   

Andrea's FUNdraiser for Winnie's Wish

 

Last week, I mentioned some ways I’m hoping to get a few dollars here and there. *Kevin is working on all of those *newspaper/magazine/blog names you sent (and still can).   I sent *flyers to those of you who requested them.  Many of you are trying to help me get the word out about the *book.  I heard back from Pawlee’s Treats (more later).  And I got help with a book review and a YouTube video from some very special people I will mention before this week is out.   But today . . .

DRUMROLL . . . .


Today’s post is all about a fundraiser that my dear friend Andrea over at Celestial Kitties cooked up.  She sews (something I have no knowledge of).  Andrea contacted me about a cat toy fundraiser for Winnie’s Wish.  It seemed like SO much work for her, but she insisted and started right to work on it.  Andrea sent me one of her packages of toys so that I could get a look at what people and their kitties would be getting.  Andrea said I could give the toys to my own cats since all of the donated toys (unless otherwise directed) go to the cathouse kitties.  I dumped that package out onto my family room carpet and felt the excitement.  I knew these items were DEFINITELY sellers.  I felt loads of happiness looking at those great toys.  My cats were drawn immediately to what I was doing.  I got my camera to take pictures of the toys for my (today’s) fundraiser post.  What followed was a play session like we’ve never had before. My cats are all adults.  No kittens in the mix.  Analeigh and Jazzy are the youngest, at two and one, respectively.  But ALL SIX of my cats got involved in THIS party!     

People - I’ve gotta tell ya.  I would be pushing this toy package to everyone anyway because it will help me keep the rescue work going.  But after I saw how much fun my own cats had with these toys, I can honestly say that YOU are going to be thrilled if you order a package for YOUR kitties.  I’m not even going to say any more about how entertained my crew was.  I’m just going to show you.

This is what I got in my package. (The pink square has been replaced with a heart in Andrea's toy packages.)

This is MY favorite.

My cats started collecting before I could get the toys to the floor.

Jazzy's favorite was the kicker.

Analeigh picked this one.

Analeigh and I had the same favorite one . . .

. . . until she picked the pink one.

Amelia had a favorite -

- the pink one.

No, wait -

- the feather.

Oh, OK. Maybe the kicker.

Even the older cats joined the fun.

Tory played

and played

and played.

DiMarno

Suds is older, too, and almost entirely blind.

But he still wanted in on the action.

The younger three

This is Andrea’s project - her own idea, her own genius and talent at work.  I am going to send you over to HER blog now where you can find out everything you need to know about how to get your own.  Andrea is a constant voice for Winnie’s Wish in terms of looking for forever homes and funds.  Now she has taken this very concrete step to help the homeless by launching her own FUNdraiser.  I hope everybody EVERYWHERE who has one, two, three, four, five, six cats or more buys one of Andrea’s toy packages.  I will keep a graphic in my sidebar for as long as Andrea is willing to keep making toys.  You can click it to find out how to get yours. *Please head over to her place - she has worked SO hard on this.

Andrea ~ THANK YOU! 

My Brick

When I announced my third brick fundraiser, I received an email from Andrea at Celestial Kitties.  She already had a brick for her Star kitty, and a brick for her Leo (a Winnie’s Wish kitty).  But Andrea wanted to contribute (yet again!) and so she had an idea.  I’m going to let Andrea tell you.  Here is the introduction for the last brick in this third fundraiser, in Andrea’s words:

When Chrystal announced that she was doing another brick sale, I knew I wanted in on it. Even though both of my kitties already have a brick. I knew immediately what I wanted to do, so I brought it up to my husband, Greg. He said, we could get another brick, but what would we put on this one. I told him that I didn't think it was right for Chrystal to have this wonderful walkway and not have a brick of her own on it. And of course it would be silly for her to buy her own.. It's a fundraiser after all! I said that I wanted to pay for the brick, but give it to Chrystal as a gift for her to put on it whatever she wanted for herself. Greg just smiled and said that was perfect.

So I'm very pleased to announce that Chrystal has a brick of her very own! I'll let her tell you what it says and why.

(But before she does, please think about making a donation using the button on her sidebar. I'm sure all that brick money is used up by now and she has so many more kitties who need money and attention! Buy her book too! And adopt a kitty! Or get your friends to buy a book and get a kitty! Please help where you can!)


Andrea introduced the brick and said she would let me tell you about it - why I picked what I did for my very own brick in the Walkway.  But as you can see, the brick tells its own story.  As I’ve lost pets over the years, and even just since the Walkway came to be, I could never pick just one or two or however many names I might cram onto one brick.  There have been too many.  In addition, there are new faces coming here all the time.  What about the sweetheart kitties in the cathouse who haven’t been chosen in all this time.  What if some of those NEVER get picked?  And what about the dogs and cats I haven’t even met yet?  Far, far too many to memorialize by name.  But this brick - well, it says it all.  I have loved (so deeply loved) SO many.  I love the ones with me now.  And I will love just as deeply those souls yet to find their way to me.  So this brick is for every single furry one ever to touch my life -past, present, and future. 

Andrea ~ THANK YOU.

Normally, this is where a brick post would end. But as luck would have it, the person who gifted this brick to me is having quite a party at her place today.  I have a special interest in this particular celebration.  IT’S LEO’S BIRTHDAY!!  I hope you go right over to *Celestial Kitties and wish Leo a Happy Birthday! 

Tomorrow’s post is tied directly to Celestial Kitties, too.  You simply MUST stop by.  See you then.   :)

Jo-Jo's Story

The plan for today’s post was to do the next-to-last brick story from the third fundraiser.  The very last brick story is planned for Monday and there is a special reason for that.  But the person who bought the brick I would have written about today has had a VERY busy Summer and hasn’t had a chance to get a story to me.  If she is able to do that at some point in the future, I’ll still be glad to do that story.  I am a person who understands BUSY. 

This left me wondering what I would write about today.  Since the plan was for a brick story, I had not put together anything else.  I decided to do an update on Gandy and Halo.  But Life offered a story - just in time for today’s post.

At just after 6am yesterday morning, our phone rang.  It doesn’t usually ring that early.  As soon as Husband and I got awake enough, we both realized that a phone call that early couldn’t be good.  Husband listened to the message, there was no family emergency, and so we slowly started getting out of bed.  But my heart was heavy.  The voice mail was from B, the lady who has alerted us to so many feral cats and kittens over the years.  I knew what I was going to have to tell her.  Even if I had the money to take on a litter right now, I don’t have the space. 

Husband got on up, and I just kept lying there, feeling SO bad about what I knew I would have to tell B.  And feeling SO sad for whatever cat and kittens this was about.  With Older Daughter working at the nearest no-kill shelter, I already knew that they did not have one single spot anywhere for more.  They were having to turn away cats and kittens too.  I also knew that EVERY shelter anywhere around here was packed full of felines.  Already this Summer, I have been unable to help two people with homeless cats and kittens.  There is not enough money to take on more.  But even if there was, my cathouse is full. 

My aunt knew of six feral kittens in her neighborhood, and I couldn’t help her with them.  And my friend, Mere Lyn, walked into another nightmare a few days ago - a half dozen unaltered dogs, and at least two unaltered cats, one of which was greatly pregnant.  I told Mere Lyn that my heart nearly broke when I had to tell my aunt I couldn’t help.  And my heart broke all over again for the cats (and soon to be kittens) at this home my friend has been called to.

You know I try to stay positive on this blog.  And there have been SO many wonderful things happen here.  But somehow we have GOT to do something in this country about our homeless dog and cat problem.  The situation for dogs is a nightmare, and the cat situation is even bigger.  Being on FaceBook, and being “friends” with loads of animal people, I see daily beyond my own little world.  There are dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, dying in pounds all over this country in numbers too great to fathom.  This is a national crisis.  Clearly, I am hardly the first person to ever make this observation.  But I sit here, in my little corner of the world, and I wonder what we will ever do, as a nation, about this problem. 

I told myself the starfish story over and over yesterday.  It definitely helped.  I guess I wish I was powerful enough, wealthy enough, influential enough to make gigantic headway in this area.  In my dreams, I picture this country taking a GIANT step forward and passing a federal law requiring the spay/neuter of every pet unless the owner is licensed otherwise.   So many wonderful people and organizations are working towards that end. 

In the meantime, I have a small cathouse.  I have enough of my own money, along with the help of many of you, to save the lives of a few precious souls.   I can scan down my sidebar and smile at the faces who now live in loving forever homes.  I always say things like - “That will have to be enough,” but deep inside, it is NOT enough. 

Sorry for the crushing honesty today.  This story actually has a happy ending.  As it turns out, B wasn’t asking us to come out and start trapping wild little kittens scattering all over the place.  She didn’t need a feral mom trapped and spayed, with kittens that might or might not ever tame well enough for a home.  Nope.  She had one little calico kitten.  It had strayed into her yard, enticed by the smell of the cat food B leaves out for the couple of spayed feral cats she feeds.  And the good news - besides the fact that it was ONE - is that this little girl is completely tame.  We don’t know why.  If she was in better shape physically, I would be telling you that she is already ready for a home.  A quick exam yesterday revealed a much-too-skinny body, crusty eyes and nose, and fleas, fleas, fleas.  But cower in the corner?  This one runs TO us.  Even though she eats ravenously when food is put down, she can hardly concentrate on that necessary sustenance for wanting our attention so badly.  She runs back and forth between food dish and the hand that will pet her or the leg she can rub against.  She rushes over, pushing up to tip toes, and arches her back - making her little self as accessible as possible to whatever human is in the room with her.

Here she is, a new little Winnie’s Wisher.  My husband named her.        Meet Jo-Jo.

Very hungry

With Jazzy

Amelia meets Jo-Jo

Feels good not to be homeless.  Carpet is so nice.

Cat trees are great!   Day One of the Good Life

Quick note before I close for the weekend.  Mindy at Pugs and Purrs had a weight-guessing contest with my book as the prize.  Mindy asked me to let everyone know that the winner already had the book so she has donated the cost of the book to Winnie’s Wish.  Mindy, THANK YOU.

Have a great weekend!

The Island Cats

This brick celebrates those wonderful cats - Wally, Ernie and Zoey.  But not JUST those three.  The brick also memorializes a past kitty from this household - Scooter (1998 - 2006).

The Island Cats

Scooter

You can visit *The Island Cats by clicking here.  Sue, the human who lives with the current group thoughtfully entered us into a contest last November and we won the random drawing.  Then, this very human held a commentathon to end the year, and we were one of the winners.  In an email just the other day, she said this - I got this brick to honor my current Island Cats as well as my original Island Cat, and to help you continue to do all the good work you do for the animals!

Sue ~ THANK YOU.

The Sherwood Bunch

Well, I think you will all know where this brick came from.  ML, who runs the Cat Blogosphere, has been loads of help to me over the two years I’ve known her.  She has a blog for her own kitties and this is the brick recognizing that group.  I know you all visit there anyway, but in honor of her brick, here’s the link. *The Sherwood Bunch. 

ML ~ THANK YOU.

 

Thank you to everyone who said YES to a flyer.  I will get those to you THIS week.  I REALLY appreciate it.

Funds and Fundraisers

We have six new Winnie's Wish kitties in the cathouse.  Isis, the beautiful calico with the giant eyes, is the only female in the group.  I got her spayed very shortly after I took her in.  The other five newbies are kittens - all boys.  Well, it's time to start getting these guys neutered.  Because they were all kittens when rescued, the boys had to have the series of THREE kitten vaccinations.  There is one vac left in the series at this point.  However, I did not have enough vaccines to get them through the series.  I had to order vacs between the first and second inoculations.  Then over the weekend, one of the two air conditioners in the cathouse quit working.  In the meantime, the only way to keep the new group (Isis and the boys) safely in the cool is to have them in Winnie's Room with the established cats.  Isis and the kittens had been in the blue room, separate from the regular crew.  I wanted to get the kittens through their vaccination series, keep them on kitten food, and get them through their neuter surgeries before introducing the two groups.  But the blue room is steamiong hot without an air conditioner.  We are going to get one this week.  I need to get the two groups separated again asap.

The common denominator here is funds.  Vaccinations, air conditioner, neuter surgeries times five.  I continuously do everything I can to keep this work going.  You know that Kevin has volunteered to help me with marketing for my book.  If my book starts selling, that will be a (needed!) source of income.

My aunt suggested that I create a flyer about the book and then ask people to take it to work and to their veterinary clinics or their gyms, or churches, etc. - anywhere there is a bulletin board.  We worked on a flyer and I have one ready to go.  I had some trouble attaching it to an email, but I  think I have that worked out now.  So - for anyone who is willing - I would love to get a flyer into your hands.  I can attach it to an email to you, or I can print one off and mail it to you.  For the price of a stamp, I might sell a book.  Not a bad trade-off.  Plese let me know if I can send you one via email or U.S. mail.  If you are able to get one through email, and download it, and if you are willing to use your own printer ink and copy paper, you could potentially print off as many as you could think of places to hang them.  It seems I keep depending on you guys.  But SO many of you have told me that you want to help; I'm trying not to feel bad about continuing to ask you to help me keep this work going.

Between the magazine and newspaper names you sent and the possibility of flyers going out all over the place, just think . . .  If my book ever ends up in the hands of a thousand people, YOU will be the handful of folks who helped get it there.  Thank you.

I've also had a couple of other ideas come along that I want to share with you.

I received an email from Pawlee's Treat Company.  Here is what that email said:

Pawlee's Treat Company offers all natural treats with human grade ingredients made in the USA.  We have a program in place called "Paws to Rescue" that donates 10% of net profit for products purchased on our website to animal rescue organizations and shelters.  We are proud to offer this program to help support and fund efforts to save the lives of animals every day.  No matter what size rescue, we realize the cost involved in keeping it all going, from veterinarian care, food, supplies, transporting, advertising, and the list goes on.  By signing up your group or shelter you will receive 10% of net profit on every purchase made by customers that select your organization during check out.

I have applied to be on Pawlee's list.  I'll keep you posted.

There are two more fundraisers to mention.  I will be finishing up the brick stories this week from the third brick fundraiser.  The Walkway has room for 25 more bricks.  It is possible that my fourth brick fundraiser could be the final one (depending on how well it does).  I will launch it sometime this Fall.

Finally, I have a really exciting fundraiser to announce about a week from now.  I'm going to make a REALLY big deal out of it because it is going to be SO neat! The entire thing is the creation of a fellow blogger who wants to help me.  I'll try to keep it a secret until next Tuesday.

Please let me know in a comment or an email if I can send you a flyer.  Thank you.

 

August 17

I believe I mentioned that I recently got the newest batch of bricks into the Walkway.  We had a couple of beautiful cool evenings, and I took advantage of the weather and went to work.  Younger Daughter stopped by and found me on my hands and knees.  She caught me mumbling to myself, reading each brick in dedication as I placed it with love in the Walkway.   I had not yet filled in with the sand that holds the bricks in place, but we stood back to admire the Walk and to notice its growth.  As we scanned the bricks, reading one here and one there, Younger Daughter read the cornerstone - Winnie’s Wish August 17, 2010 .  We looked at each other, and I said - Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s been two years.  We thought back to the day we found little Winnie - it was *August 15.  She died on         *August 17 - it was the end of her short earthly life and the beginning of her legacy.         *Winnie lives on. 

In honor of Winnie, we now have the Winnie’s Wish Walkway - full of bricks memorializing and celebrating the lives of treasured pets and ALL animals really.  Also in honor of Winnie is Winnie’s Wish - our adoption campaign and home for the homeless until forever homes come along.

Now let me break away from Winnie for a moment.  I discovered during one of my scans of Facebook that August 17 is . . .     drumroll . . .  (oh, I haven’t done that in SO long) . . .          Black Cat Day!  I absolutely DID NOT even know that such a day existed.  I am THRILLED that there is a Black Cat Day.  (I think we need a Black Dog Day as well.)  As you know, and as I’ve mentioned on the blog many times, black cats (and black dogs) are the hardest to place.  So a Black Cat Day is a WONDERFUL chance to sing the praises of black cats.  And of course from MY perspective - a perfect day to ask someone to adopt a black cat FROM ME.  Before I show off our two black kittens in the hopes of securing homes for them, let me celebrate Black Cat Day with all of the following.  Join me in celebration, won’t you?


Younger Daughter is a Black Cat Lover.  When she moved out of our home and into her own, she took her cat family with her.  I’ve mentioned this before on the blog.  Yes.  Her ENTIRE kitty family is black.  In addition to that, as fate would have it, she is fostering sweet sweet Shadow, the shelter cat with the damaged shoulder.  Shadow is being showered with love, along with Younger Daughter’s own four black kitties.  And here they are.

Magic

Stormy

Samuel

Hansel

Shadow

 

Besides Younger Daughter’s five Black Cats, there are three other Black Cats living the good life.  Each of these cats started out with me as a Winnie’s Wish kitty.  I am SO pleased to be able to share TODAY the pictures of these Black Cats in their very own forever homes:

Kat's Lady Audrey (Sparkles in my sidebar) from Kat & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde

Cat's Kip (Bagheera in my sidebar) from Cat's Cats

My Sister and Brother-in-Law's Boris (Handsome in my sidebar)

Now how amazing would it be to combine Winnie’s Wish with Black Cat Day and get our current two Winnie’s Wish Black Kittens into perfect forever homes.  Take a look folks.  Wouldn’t one of these babies make the perfect addition to your family?

Hershey Bear

 

Maverick

 

We always need homes.  But in honor of Black Cat Day and in honor of our Wonderful Winnie, isn’t there someone out there who will offer a forever home to one of these little Black Cats?

 

Before I send you off to your weekends, Mindy over at Pugs and Purrs has a contest going on.  We find it QUITE interesting . . .

Have a great weekend.  Let me know if Hershey Bear or Maverick needs to move in with YOU!

Frankie, Daisy, and Jasper

 
   Candace already has a brick in the Walkway for her wonderful *Poppy.  Candace is a freind and supporter of my rescue work.  This time around, she is celebrating her current group of kitties.  In Candace's words:

Living with Frankie, Daisy, and Jasper is like being surrounded by benevolent dictators.  They control my life down to how much I sleep and what corner of the bed I get to sleep on to where I might safely put a vase of flowers or set down a glass of water.  Their rituals must be honored whether it's Frankie's morning twirl of the toilet paper roll, Jasper's treat right after his breakfast, or Daisy's bedtime petting session.  Ignoring any of their habitual demands may result in relentless yowling, pestering, or shunning.  What do I get out of it all besides plucking cat fur out of my teeth, a fastidious habit of cleaning litter boxes, and a furry backside?    Deep satisfaction and love . . . that is what.  Living with cats seems to just be an innate preference for me, and, I imagine, many of you feel the same.

What could be cozier than a stormy night with cats purring stereo around your head?

Around my house there is nothing funnier than watching tough guy Frankie swing in mid air from a cupboard door as he tries to climb to greater heights . . . his proud bushy tail swaying to and fro for balance.  My grand daughter discovered him, 4 weeks or age, in a horse trailer.  He was so tiny he fit in a Kleenex box.  Frankie is the love of my life . . . bad breath and all . . . and he knows it.

Frankie

Daisy was born in a lumbar yard on my birthday.  She and her brother, Jack, came to live with me when they were 8 weeks old.  We lost Jack suddenly when he was 2 years old to cardiomyopathy.  This was a low blow to us both.  Now she could do without her current companions, preferring to have me to herself.  Sitting at (or should I say sitting ON) the kitchen table over tea with the ladies is one of her favorite activities.  She loves to be around company . . . always in hopes of a tasty morsel or a scratch under the chin.  She is VERY soft.

Daisy

Jasper is a heart melter.  His sad eyes and marmalade furry chest contain a heart so big and vulnerable that we really must tread softly and give him extra love.  He arrived a year ago and with a secret past.  Once again, my grand daughter was the perpetrator of another adoption when we saw him in the feed store one day.  (Having immense influence on me, Madeline is now pushing for a tuxedo cat but 3 is my limit. )  The other cats and I know that Jasper needs to be treated gently and when he is, he gives of himself unreservedly, grooming all of us until we are squeaky clean.

Here's Jasper. Oh, wait.

There we go.

I feel so blessed to live with these 3 dear friends and I am grateful to Chrystal for creating this site where we can all share the love of our animals.  I enjoy reading about all of your Winnie's Wish stories!

Candace ~ THANK YOU.

 

quick note - I don't usually post on Fridays, but tomorrow is a VERY special day.  Please stop by.