Secondhand Cats

Once upon a time, not long ago, there were two cats named Apollo and Bagheera. Apollo and Bagheera were brothers and they had been raised together since they were kittens. Now they are ten years old and somehow circumstances changed for their human family and they weren't wanted any more.

They were fortunate that their family contacted a rescue group that would even give them a chance -- most organizations that would have taken them in would have euthanized them due to their age without any evaluation as to adoptability. That is a sad part of the story because indoor cats can easily live until they are 15 or 20 years old and these boys had no health or behavior problems. The family locked the boys in the basement while they waited for them to be adopted.

APOLLOA very nice family was looking for a cat (or maybe a pair of cats) because their 17-year-old cat had recently died. They searched on Petfinder.com and came across Apollo & Bagheera. The boys were older than they had planned, but they seemed like a good match and they needed a new home as soon as possible. Apollo was described as "an outgoing, affectionate cat who purrs when their two year old daughter "wrestles" with him. He craves companionship: when he finds himself alone in the house, he cries out until someone calls his name." Bagheera "is the caretaker of the family: if his human family members are sick or sad, he immediately knows it and stays close by, preferring to be in their lap. He is also very tolerant of small children."

The family visited the cats and were very sad to see them living alone in the basement, so they brought them home as soon as possible.

BAGHEERAAs is often the case with a pair of cats, one is more outgoing and the other is more shy. Apollo is the bolder and braver of these two brothers and Bagheera is shy, but doesn't let himself get left behind. The former family and rescue organization had been prepared to split up these boys. That would have been so traumatic for them, especially Bagheera, after living together for their whole lives.

Two cats are better than one anyway. They keep each other entertained and comforted. It is always a good idea to start out with a pair because sometimes adding a cat to your household later can be difficult.

EVAN AND THE BOYSApollo and Bagheera have a new best friend. His name is Evan and he is a very small boy. Cats who aren't used to children are often frightened of their quick movements and louder, higher-pitched noises. Apollo and Bagheera were already experienced with children. The family reports that "Apollo adores Evan. Follows him and plops down at his feet-- even when Ev is being a noisy little boy. Bagheera is a little less sure, but he is devoted to Apollo and so follows along." As you can see, they all sleep together in Evan's little bed.

Think of all the happy endings out there just waiting to happen if we can work a little harder to put the right people and pets together. A purebred pet is no guarantee of the good health, good behavior and love you expect from your pet.

When you are thinking about getting a pet, always consider fostering to see if you are ready to make the commitment. And, you just might get a free trial on your perfect pet!

New State-Wide Phone Directory for Spay/Neuter Services

An exciting new service is going to be available to Minnesota residents very soon. A Minnesota state-wide directory of spay/neuter services, this directory will be a valuable service for residents of Minnesota, as well as animal welfare advocates looking to promote spay/neuter services.

This service will be broken down into two primary categories: TNR programs for feral cats and Low-cost/no-cost spay/neuter services for companion pets.

Programs in these categories will then be broken down into different areas of the state, and different service types.

Even more importantly, this new directory will be able to accept toll-free calls from anywhere in the state, and to connect callers to the programs in their area that best fit their needs. Think of it as a centralized, "411" for spay/neuter services.

Currently, there are about a dozen programs around the state that are to be included. Your assistance is requested to help ensure that no program is left out. There is no cost for being listed.

To ensure a program is listed, simply send me an email titled "Spay/Neuter Directory"

In the body of the email, include the phone number used to accept calls from the public regarding spay/neuter services.

Include the name of the organization. Also include a general description of the program including relevant information, geographic area served and other relevant information as you deem appropriate for example, is there an income requirement and, if so, what is it. The information you provide will be used to help ensure that callers directed to your program are somewhat pre-screened for compatibility.

Please share this email with others in the Minnesota animal welfare community to help ensure the directory does not leave anyone out!

--
Mike Fry
Executive Director of Animal Ark

Catcerto -- enjoy!

The engineers present cat yodeling and the cat polka

Bev Kauth's memorial service is Tuesday, July 7

Bev Kauth was dedicated to rescuing animals in Minnesota.

Beverly Ann Kauth of Richfield, MN, died suddenly Sat., June 27, 2009.

Preceded by father, Charles; brother, Bruce. Survived by mother, Jeanne; brother, Gary (René); nieces, Nicole & Pamela; loving extended family & many friends.

Her memorial service is Tues., July 7th at St. Joan of Arc Church, 4500 Clinton Ave S., Mpls. 55409, visitation at 11 AM, service at 12 Noon.

Memorials if desired to donor's choice or Midwest Animal Rescue & Services, 4112 83rd Ave North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443.

Link to her Minneapolis StarTribune obituary and guestbook.

Thank you to everyone aiding discarded pets

I was very touched by this notice on PetFinder.com today

Freda **RIP
Tabby - Grey
Size: Small
Age: Senior
Sex: Female

Notes:
JUNE 2009 UPDATE: FREDA WAS IN HER FOSTER HOME FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. SHE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY IN HER SLEEP. WE ARE GLAD FREDA GOT TO SPEND HER LAST DAYS IN A HOME WITH LOVE.
Freda lived a good life with a family but when one of the children ended up allergic to her, they dumped her at a kill shelter. On her last day to live, Waverly Pet Rescue stepped in so that she would not die. She is now living in a foster home. She is up-to-date on shots, spayed, and declawed.

Freda is about 12-years-old. That is still young because cats can live to be 20+! She is a very nice quiet lady. Very soft and cuddly. She likes to have her fur brushed, but will tell you when she has had enough. Loves to sleep close to me at night and can be found napping in bed during the day too. She would be a great pet for an older pet owner as she isn't always running under my feet. Gets along fine with other kitties and has wonderful manners.

This pet is up to date with routine shots.
This pet is already house trained.
This pet has been altered.

Waverly Pet Rescue
Waverly, IA

waverlypetrescue@mchsi.com

Annual summer crisis of homeless cats & kittens

Can't afford the cat anymore? Neither can the shelter.
More animals. Smaller donations. Wrenching stories of homes and jobs gone. The economy's toll mounts for those who care for abandoned felines.

By Bob Shaw
PIONEER PRESS
Updated: 06/13/2009 01:58:53 PM CDT

In good times, there are lots of clicks in Vickie Lachelt's office.

It is the sound of people hanging up after hearing the recorded message that Feline Rescue's cat-saving programs are only for low-income families.

Now, the hang-up clicks are gone. Thanks to the recession, the callers have less money and qualify for help. Day after day, they leave a stream of messages about their unwanted cats.

"It is never-ending," said volunteer Lachelt, "and it is heartbreaking."

Cats — and the groups that rescue them — are victims of the economic downturn. Animal rescue groups are staggering under the burden of thousands of cats, turned in by people who have lost jobs or houses.

At the same time, donations to the cat-saving groups are dropping. Several groups are pulling back or failing — making more work for those that remain. This, in turn, increases stress on those who love cats.

After 31 years of caring for dogs and cats, Rita Knudson recently shuttered the Brooklyn Park-based Lucky Dog Rescue. "We just couldn't take it anymore," she said.

"I do not want to drop dead with a leash in my hand. It's stressful when the phone is ringing seven days a week, night and day."

For shelter workers, the cat glut isn't just about money.

It rattles their faith in humanity. It makes them bitter to think that kindness to animals only prevails when the stock market is up.

"There is so much more neglect now. So much more cruelty. I don't understand it," said Laura Johnson, president of the cat-rescue group SCRAM, based in Shoreview.
"I get these calls. I say, 'We only have so many hands. Can't you put this animal in your garage? Is there any way you can help?' " Johnson said. "Nine out of 10 say no.

"The suffering I have seen in the last nine months ... I have nightmares."

ABANDONMENT BURNOUT

Johnson saw a Siamese cat that had been set ablaze with lighter fluid. She has seen several cats turned loose after having been declawed on all paws, which renders a cat unable to feed itself.

"A cat like that doesn't have a chance in hell," Johnson said.

"People get mad because (cats) are killing songbirds. That is sad but true. Nature is cruel. But how are these cats supposed to survive?"

One reason Knudson quit was burnout over the increase in abandonment and cruelty.

She was called after kids in Minneapolis shot guns near a chained-up dog — as a training exercise.

"They said they were making it a police dog," Knudson said. "It was the stupidest thing I have ever seen."

Other times, stress comes from listening to owners abandoning pets they love.

"A young gal called me to see if any assistance was out here," said Erin Hauer, director of Our Paws Cat Sanctuary in Wyoming. "She said her cat was hungry. She said she was hungry."

This June is a perfect storm for unwanted cats, said Deb Balzer, spokeswoman for the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.

Winters are steadily becoming milder, so the cat-breeding seasons are longer. "They used to have one or two litters a year. Now they have multiple litters," Balzer said.

The recession compounds the problem. The river of unwanted cats is swamping the Humane Society.

"We average 75 cats a day, more than 500 cats a week," Balzer said. Last summer, the Humane Society took in 10,000 cats. About half were adopted. The other half — old, diseased or unadoptable — were euthanized.

The national average of cats euthanized after being admitted to shelters is 71 percent, according to the Humane Society.

FEWER CATS OR MORE HOMES

SCRAM's Johnson said calls for help have doubled in nine months. "We are averaging 30 to 40 calls a day, because of this economy," she said.

The economic downturn hurts other animals, too.

Because of a foreclosure, the Humane Society recently received an entire petting zoo. Later, a goat named Billy was taken from a foreclosed farm in Woodbury.

But cats are by far the most common abandoned animals. The ultimate solution to an abundance of cats, rescue groups agree, is an aggressive and cheap spay-neuter program.

Many such programs already are in force. For some cat owners, SCRAM charges a rock-bottom $33 for neutering and $69 for spaying — procedures that normally can cost $300.

The Humane Society's Balzer said people need to learn that they have a responsibility to spay and neuter their cats.

"We hear people say, 'Oh, I never got around to spaying and neutering them.' Then it's 'Oh, look at all the cats running around here,' " she fumed. "Pretty soon they are giving away free kittens at their kid's lemonade stand."

Another solution?

"People need to open their homes," Johnson said, "and take in another cat."

Bob Shaw can be reached at 651-228-5433.

Animal welfare groups need money and volunteers to help with the rise in abandoned cats.

The Animal Humane Society, five metro locations; animalhumanesociety.org, 763-522-4325. Its programs include spaying/neutering, placing cats in foster homes and offering one cat free to anyone who adopts a cat during the summer (for most cat adoptions, fees are $80-$120).

Animal Ark No-Kill Shelter in Hastings; animalarkshelter.org. Programs include spaying/neutering.

Pet Haven of Minneapolis (pethavenmn.org), Feline Rescue of St. Paul (felinerescue.org) and SCRAM of Shoreview (petfinder.com/shelters/MN178.html) match cats and dogs with foster homes.