A BIG Wish for 2015

Yesterday I told you about Nisha and the rest of her West Woods Family all living in the two small rooms in the kennel.  Those four joined the four who already permanently live there.  This is a crowd.  It seems now that I won’t be able to separate these four family members from each other.  They sleep next to each other and all four play together.  So why not move the whole group to the cathouse together, right?  Well, let me keep explaining.

One day in November, I went into the cathouse and couldn’t find Sallie.  I finally found her hiding under one of the couches.  This is not unusual for Sallie.  But it is also not good.  Sallie seems to be a cat who gets picked on.  And then she starts hiding.  I think this makes the “bully” kitties go after her even more.  I’ve had to move Sallie to my kennel office more than once to give her a break from the cats in the cathouse.  Then the problem becomes Sallie.  She ends up bullying some of the kitties living in the kennel office.  Eventually, I move her back to the cathouse.  But then it starts all over again.  Right now she’s in the kennel.

So currently, these two small rooms are home to the four who live there permanently, the four West Woods family members, current foster Sprite, and Sallie.  That’s too many.  In fact, two weeks ago, Duchess started pulling her fur out.  My vets advised me that there is nothing wrong with Duchess – physically.  Her problem is stress.  I immediately knew what kind of stress – TOO MANY CATS.

The question is still – Why not move the West Woods Family to the cathouse?

About a month ago, I started noticing that when I was feeding in the cathouse, all of the cats were gathering around to eat except one.  Peter Pan wouldn’t come down from wherever he was perched.  I also noticed that his sister, Tinkerbell, would only eat in one spot – at the only bowl on a shelf open on both ends.  Each day I would go pluck Peter Pan off his high perch and set him beside his sister at the food bowl she preferred.  They ate.  That was that.

Then about a week into this routine, I saw that someone had urinated right on that shelf.  The shelf is covered in a fleecy material so I knew this would be trouble.  Once fabric is urinated on by a cat it usually keeps happening in the same spot.  And sure enough - each day the same.  I would come in, feed, and all would race to various food bowls except Pan.  I would place him on the shelf with his sister and the two would eat together.  The shelf would be urinated on.  And after a few days of that, we had more than urine in that spot – if you get my drift.  I started assuming that Peter Pan was doing this. 

Luckily, I got the information I needed.  One day while Pan and Tink were eating in their spot, two of the bigger male cats (Peter Pan is a small male) jumped up on the shelf and chased Pan off.  Then they continued to chase him and he ran up a cat tree and perched as high as he could.  So.  I had worried that Pan might be getting bullied.  Here was the proof. 

I have always kept a cat cage in a corner of the second room of the cathouse.  I hate to cage a cat.  But I had to put Peter Pan someplace where he could eat in peace (and feel safe).  What happened when I put him in the cage broke my heart into two pieces.  He went immediately to the water bowl in the cage and drank for five solid minutes.  It hit me.  There are two large water bowls in the cathouse – one in each room.  BOTH are on the floor.  Peter Pan was LIVING as high as he could get in the cathouse.  He wasn’t eating from food dishes on the floor; he wasn’t drinking from the water bowls on the floor; and now I realized he wasn’t going to the floor to use a litter box – he was staying on the shelf.  I felt so bad for him I couldn’t stop thinking about it the rest of that day.

Then, just a few days ago, I watched two of the female cats chase Tinkerbell under a couch.  I got to thinking about how Tink won’t eat anywhere except at the one bowl that sits on a shelf with open ends – so she can escape her predators in whatever direction she needs to.  I put her in the cage with Peter Pan.  If you think a cage is too confining for one cat, it’s even worse for two.  So I came up with a way to build a tiny area in the corner where the cage used to sit. 

Husband built the enclosure for me.

The enclosure is great.  But it’s just not enough.  It’s too small for any cat to live there permanently.  Two cats in the enclosure works, but it’s crowded.  Four cats (as in the case of The West Woods Family) is definitely way too many.  Anyway, I can’t move anyone else into that enclosure while Tink and Pan are there. I could move them to the kennel, but then that area stays overcrowded.    And what about Sallie?

So here it is, Friends.  I need one more room at the cathouse.  I need to add on.  This would provide that ONE more area I keep needing over and over and over for all kinds of situations.  My goal has always been to provide a quality life for whatever cats end up here with me.  The ultimate goal is always a wonderful forever home.  Since I cannot give the Winnie’s Wish cats the home, love, and attention they need and deserve, the least I can do while they’re here waiting is to make sure life is safe, healthy, and comfortable.

I need $5000.  Does anyone out there think it's possible to raise that kind of money?  I’m thinking about researching Go Fund Me and Crowdrise after the holidays.  What Winnie’s Wish needs is One More Room.

 

Have a great weekend.  See you next week.

 

Comments

[shirley]

Where there is a will, there is a way. somehow this will happen Chrystal. i am sure we can think of something(s) that will provide the funding that is needed. sending purrs and prayers!

[Random Felines]

we think it can be done...give it until after the holiday rush....

[Goldie Goodwin]

I agree with Random Felines. Probably not much will happen until after the holidays. I don't know much about it, but I see GoFundMe as a way to raise money, you may want to look into that. Might take some time, but you can't build right now away because it's winter. Maybe a charity auction...

[The Poupounette]

Go Fund Me is pretty good. I think we are all ready to help in any way we can, so a new room it WILL BE!

[John Bellen]

Wow, a tall order, but, I think, a necessary one. Separating cats has to be done sometimes. When I came home one day and found evidence that Kola had been chased almost to extinction by Tucker, I had to start putting the former in the parlour when I was absent for any length of time. Kola knew right away what I was doing, and even though he'd just been hunted for much of the day, he became happy at the thought of safety. A refuge like that enclosure is indeed a small world for a cat, but it's perfect for the little victims. Do you have an even taller cat-tree for it?

But an additional room for your meek ones is a solution. Adoption is a permanent solution, of course!

[Annabelle]

We will contribute! We think it can be done too!

[Mindy Slimmer]

Definitely use go fund me. Perhaps we can do an auction?!? Also, I wrote a post about you last night.
E-mail me with your most wished for items on your Amazon wish-list.
Much Love,
Mindy :)

[ginny & the Fur Family]

I love the enclosure that husband built but you are right it is just a quick fix. You indeed need another cat room. It could happen soon. who knows what could be raised with fund raisers. Maybe an auction or the fund raiser web sights. I have a similar situation with a small crippled kitty. She has began to go in one corner of a room where she can look in all directions. You could temporarily put the cat in the enclosure several times a day and when you feel it is safe let Tinker bell out a while. Have a happy night. Ginny & The Fur Family

[Maria in CT]

Awww Chrystal, you are always thinking of the welfare of your kitties. I will help however I can....you need another room in 2015!

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Oh my gosh! I can't believe I missed this! Yes, I think it can be done! An auction is a great idea, so is one of the fund me sites! I don't know how soon you can build, but I know that after the holidays people will step up. They always do in this wonderful cat community! We can do this!!
While we're waiting, lets get some of these kitties adopted! especially Tink and Pan! Please share them with everyone you know!

[The Island Cats]

You know we'll try to help as best we can. :)

[GD]

Oh Stars!!!! We may have someone who is interested in Sugar Cookie!!!!!

[J Byrne]

The wild woods cats should be let outside if they want to go. They survived outside before. Some cats just are not house cats. Leave the door open, and let them be cats. I live on a ranch with 24 rescue cats. Some just prefer outside. You have shelter for the donkey. Maybe some cats could live there.

[Sandy]

That sounds like a very important wish for Winnie's Wish : )