Archive for the ‘Rescue Cats’ Category
Adopt a Feline Friend for Life
by Darcy Lockman
Source: The Daily Cat
When cat owner Amy Morgan adopted her second cat, Ruki, it was strictly the result of love at first sight. “A pet shelter had a cat fair set up on a street corner, and I walked by,” says the 33-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y. homeowner. “Ruki was so runty and adorable, and I had just had a Bloody Mary at brunch! I couldn’t resist. I filled out the paperwork and took him home.”
Seven years later, Morgan is still living happily with Ruki and her first cat, Mashy. But John Van Zante, spokesman for the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Sante Fe, Calif., doesn’t recommend the way Morgan went about things. “Adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment,” he says. “It’s a big decision that is best not made on a whim.” Below, Van Zante, who is also one of the organizers of the upcoming annual international pet adoption fair, Home 4 the Holidays, offers would-be-cat-adopters advice on the steps that should precede that commitment.
Step One: Think Lifetime
“Make sure you and your family are willing to make a lifetime commitment,” says Van Zante, who has seen his share of “surrendered” cats during 17 years at Helen Woodward. “It’s like going into a marriage — you don’t want to be someone who tells himself ‘if it doesn’t work out I can always get a divorce.’” Van Zante suggests talking it out, either among family members who live in the household, or with close friends who know your lifestyle and may have thoughts on whether it can become animal friendly. Part of the discussion should also include economics: Can you realistically afford the upkeep, veterinary bills and feeding of an animal over the long haul?
Step Two: Debate the Merits of Cats
Cats are not the only house pet on the block. Birds, dogs, rabbits, snakes and more are other possibilities, so consider what you and your housemates (if you have them) might truly desire. “I’ve seen it before,” says Van Zante. “Mom, Dad, three kids come in. Two of the kids want a cat and suddenly the third has to have a dog.” He adds, “What should be the fun part — picking out a pet — ends up in a huge fight.” He suggests including discussions about all pet options into the lifetime commitment powwow.
Step Three: Cat Options
Do you want a cat or a kitten? How many do you want? Both of these are questions to pose before you head out to the adoption facility. “What are you or your family capable of?” asks Van Zante. “Do you want a mature cat that already knows the couch is not a scratching post, or will you be able to teach a kitten that yourself?” Van Zante adds that two kittens may be better than one for households whose members are often out. “Two does not mean twice the trouble. They amuse each other.”
Step Four: Where to Go
Animal shelters, rescues and breeders all offer cats and kittens, though breeders come at a higher cost. Van Zante recommends shelters and rescues, and not only because of his employee affiliation. “At a shelter, the goal is to make a match, not a profit,” he explains. Shelter and rescue workers will work with you and your family to determine which of their felines will be a good match. “You tell them about your lifestyle and let them find you a pet that is right for you. If you have two little dogs at home, they won’t let you make the mistake of taking home a 16-pound cat that’s a bully.” Local animal shelters and rescues can be found on the Internet and in the yellow pages.
Step Five: Spend Time With the Cat
If you are hanging out near the cat’s crate in the shelter and your eyes start watering, and not for emotional reasons, pay attention. “If you have to surrender a cat you’ve fallen in love with a week after adoption because of allergies, it’s heartbreaking,” says Van Zante, who is allergic to his own short-haired furball, but puts up with the symptoms.
Make sure all the members of your household — including your other pets — spend time around the cat before the adoption is complete. If you already have a cat at home, for example, you need to know if it will even accept a new cat. For dog owners, does your canine feel comfortable around cats? If the shelter does home visits in preparation for the adoption, ask them to bring the adoptee.
Step Six: Before Bringing Home Baby
Invest in at least a weeklong supply of food. Shelter workers, or your breeder, can recommend a kitten or cat chow. Also have on hand a set of ceramic food and water bowls and a few starter toys. Decide on some basic cat rules with everyone in the household, such as whether or not the cat will have the full run of the house and who will take care of the feeding and litter box maintenance.
Hundreds of thousands of cats are in need of a good home. In six, pre-adoption steps, your own home can fit the bill. A lifetime of purring companionship will be your reward.
Give Second-home Cats a Second Chance
by Natalia Macrynikola
Source: The Daily Cat
Ten thousand humans are born each day, and for every human birth, 45 cats are brought into the world, according to the Animal Rescue League of El Paso. The result? Three to four million cats and dogs euthanized each year due to overpopulation.
“The last thing we want to do is to put the animals down,” says Richard P. Gentles of New York City’s Animal Care & Control (AC&C). Opening your home to just one shelter cat can help wipe out the discouraging statistics.
To Adopt or Not to Adopt
When you decide to share your home with a shelter cat, you not only save a feline life and free up shelter space; you also gain a loving companion. “Adopting from a shelter was a no-brainer,” says Cara Anselmo, a nutritionist who brought home her own cat from the AC&C in 2002. “I wanted to adopt an animal that might not have otherwise had a chance at a life,” she says.
After a few visits, Anselmo noticed that only kittens were getting adopted; that’s when she spotted the perfect older cat, Maggie.
Could a match with a cat like Maggie work for you? Consider the following pros of adopting an adult cat. Older cats:
- Require less supervision Older cats are less destructive than energetic kittens. They are litter box-trained and don’t do a lot of scratching. “Staff and volunteers socialize the cats before they get adopted,” says Gentles, so a cat that has been at the shelter for a while will already have basic social skills.
- Make great companions If you spend a lot of time at home, an adult cat is more likely than a playful kitten to sit on your lap while you watch TV. If you are usually away, consider adopting two cats: They will entertain each other without requiring your full attention when you return.
- Have a fixed personality Adult cats have already grown into their personality, so no new traits will surprise you along the way. A kitten, on the other hand, may evolve into a very different creature than the one you originally fell in love with.
- Are safer for children An adult cat is more likely than a kitten to have been exposed to children and other pets, and therefore may adapt more easily around them. A kitten that hasn’t learned to be around people yet may get frightened easily and scratch your over-eager child.
- Save you money Aside from needing initial vaccinations and spaying or neutering, kittens have weaker immune systems, which may raise your veterinary bills. Adult shelter cats, however, are usually up to date with their shots and are already spayed or neutered. Some organizations, like the AC&C, even waive fees for adult cats. “It doesn’t devalue the animal’s life in any way; it’s just a creative way to get them adopted,” says Gentles.
The Matchmaking Process
Are you ready to take the leap and welcome an adult shelter cat into your home? Here is a suggested five-step process:
- Explore your resources Locate shelters and rescue groups near you through the Petfinder Web site. For a larger selection of pets, visit various shelters and rescue groups.
- Consider your needs Since adopting a cat will affect everyone in your household, “do your research and understand your lifestyle and the needs and interests of any family members,” advises Gentles. Consider personality type and such preferences as gender, color, breed and hair length.
- Get to know kitty Before you adopt, spend some time with your potential pet. Ask the shelter staff if you can visit with the cat in a more private area, and bring your family to make sure they get along with the cat.
- Be patient The approval process may be lengthy at times and may include an application, interview, references and fees. “Don’t get discouraged; it’s worth it,” advises Anselmo.
- Know your cat’s health Ask if the cat you want to adopt has a medical condition. If the condition is long-term, be sure you’re ready to attend to special needs. Also, get a copy of the cat’s health records. A few days after adoption, introduce your new pet to the veterinarian, who will ensure its health and administer necessary shots.
By advocating adoption, Gentles hopes that one day, euthanasia will come to an end. “It’s going to take a lot of work and community involvement,” he says. As for Anselmo, she and Maggie are still a happy pair. Says Anselmo: “Maggie is brave, affectionate and intuitive. She is my all-around best little friend.”
Rescuing Animals in Need: Pet Shelters in the Spokane area
Animal shelters are your best source when looking for a pet. Animal shelters have a great selection of adult animals for adoption, and many of them also have kittens, puppies and purebred animals. On average, purebreds account for about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter’s dog population.
Did you know?
Many pets at your local shelter are waiting for new homes because they were obtained by people with unrealistic expectations of the time, effort, and money required to sustain a lifelong relationship with their pet. National figures indicate that about half of the animals in shelters are euthanized for lack of good homes. Animals at your local shelter are just waiting for someone like you to give them a new home.
You can depend on responsible shelters to assess the animals’ health and temperament in order to make the best adoption matches possible. When animals are relinquished by owners, the shelter staff makes every attempt to collect a thorough history of that pet. Then, while caring for animals, staff and volunteers try to learn as much as they can about these animals, as well as those who come to the shelter as strays.
Waiting for just the right one
Don’t be discouraged if, when you first visit the shelter, there are no animals of the breed or type that you want. Shelters receive new animals every day. Your shelter may also have a waiting list and can call you when an animal matching your preference becomes available. Before choosing your pet, you can even speak with an adoption counselor about whether your choice of a particular type or breed will be best for you.
Shelter advantages
In an effort to make good matches between people and animals and to place pets in lifelong homes, many shelters provide adoption counseling and follow-up assistance, such as pet parenting and dog-training classes, medical services, and behavior counseling. Or they may be able to refer you to providers of these services.
Another advantage to shelter adoptions is that the fees are usually much less than the purchase price of an animal from a pet store or breeder. And your new pet is more likely to be vaccinated, de-wormed, and spayed or neutered.
Text: The Humane Society of the United States
Spokane Humane Society
6607 N Havana St, Spokane -
| (509) 467-5235 |
From their website: “The Spokane Humane Society is a 501c3 non-profit local public charity dedicated to the welfare of companion animals. Since 1897, we have acted as a refuge for animals in peril by providing care, shelter, and placement for tens of thousands of lost, neglected, and unwanted animals in the greater Spokane area. The number of animals we serve has varied over the years based upon our mission and role as animal control or in our current role as a companion animal adoption shelter. We place between 2500-3500 animals annually through our adoption program and we reach out to tens of thousands of individuals promoting the importance of animals in our lives and the need to reduce the surplus animal population through spay & neuter programs. By mandate of the Spokane Humane Society’s board of directors in January 2006, the SHS stopped euthanizing animals due to lack of space. Limited resources and available kennels made it impossible to continue to accept unlimited animals and made it necessary to work with our community partners in animal control and breed specific rescue evolving to our current day “Reservation required” shelter. This change initially reduced the number of animals we served each year but increased the number of animals being permanently placed into loving homes and improved placement rate from 52% to 79% from 2006 to 2007. As a part of this policy change, strays are referred to their appropriate animal control facility and are being transferred back based upon the needs of the animals/partner agencies and our space available. In 2008, we had a placement rate of 96%.
Since 1897, the Spokane Humane Society has extended the hand of kindness to stray and unwanted animals in the greater Spokane Area. The Society shelters and cares for companion animals, transfers stray animals from animal control when they are out of space, operates a low-income spay and neuter clinic and educates the public about humane issues and responsible pet care.”
SpokAnimal Care
710 N Napa St, Spokane
| (509) 534-8133 |
From their website: “SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. was incorporated in 1983 and has operated an adoption center and contracted for Animal Control for the City of Spokane since that time. We currently handle over 700 animals per month. The animals in our Adoption Center are a combination of strays and owner turn-ins. Animals may be turned in for a variety of reasons, but national statistics show that the #1 reason for owner release or euthanasia is behavior, usually caused by lack of training, supervision and socialization. Our officers investigate reports of cruelty and neglect.
SpokAnimal strongly advocates the spay and neuter of pets to prevent overpopulation. We have a spay/neuter clinic which performs around 500 surgeries per month. In addition, we work with all local veterinarians to subsidize part of the cost of sterilization through our contract to issue City Spay/Neuter vouchers with a fund of approximately $100,000 raised annually through the sale of City pet licenses.”
SpokAnimal also has an Educational Outreach Program that reaches 4,000 children a year and a Pet-Assisted Therapy program that brings animals to hospitalized people.
Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS)
521 North Flora Road, Spokane Valley
(509) 477-2532
From their website: “SCRAPS meets the animal control, protection, and care needs of residents and the community with deputized animal protection officers extensively trained to enforce animal laws, investigate animal cruelty complaints, and respond to emergency situations. SCRAPS is also active in educational and community outreach programs and is dedicated to our continued investment in innovative behavioral programs. These lifesaving programs are supported by donations from the community. SCRAPS currently handles approximately 7,000 animals a year. SCRAPS is looking at a bright future and anticipates expanding to allow for providing the City of Spokane with animal protection services.”
Partners For Pets
8901 E Trent Ave, Spokane Valley -
| (509) 893-9829 |
From their website: “Our organization rescues dogs and cats scheduled to be euthanized, provides them with any needed veterinary care including sterilization, and then works to find them permanent and loving homes. For every animal that we place, we are back at the shelter rescuing another one.”
Pet Rescue of Spokane
P.O. Box 924
otis orchards, Washington 99027
Phone: 509-534-6316
Post Falls Animal Control
1717 E Polston Ave, Post Falls, ID -
(208) 773-3517
Second Chance Pet Rescue
2425 N Government Way, Coeur D Alene, ID -
(208) 664-4106
SCRAPS Cat Adoption Special!
Now is the perfect time to adopt that new cat or kitten you’ve been thinking of. So many of these winsome companions are euthanized for no other reason than overcrowding in local shelters. Don’t let this opportunity to save a life and bring home a new friend pass you by.
September 22-25 all cats and kittens at SCRAPS are only $25 to adopt or two for $40! All cats and kittens will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, licensed, microchipped and will receive a free vet exam!
SCRAPS is located at 2521 North Flora Road in Spokane Valley, WA. You can visit their wesbite here or call (509) 477-2532.
Second-Hand Cat, First-Rate Pet
By Timothy Brill
Source: The Daily Cat
When Jack and Debi Roney of Vienna, Va., decided to get a kitten, they set their sights on a lively, energetic animal. But that was before they met Minnalouche, a calico that a local humane society fostered. “She seemed to need a lot of love and warmth,” Debi recalls. “When I picked her up, she snuggled under my sweater. She seemed to really need me.”
Feeling needed appealed to the Roneys then, just as it has in the 13 years since they adopted Minnalouche. Steve Aiken, an animal behaviorist from Wichita, Kan., understands why. Adopting from a shelter, humane society or rescue group “means helping a cat who’s already there and needs the love of an owner,” he says.
The Joy of Adopting
When you adopt a cat, there’s the obvious benefit that you’re providing a home for the animal. But there are more advantages, including:
- Socialization Many shelter cats were previously owned and socialized, so they’re more likely than strays to make a happy adjustment to your household.
- Expert advice The staffs at animal shelters can help take the guesswork out of choosing the right pet. Since they interact daily with the kittens and cats, they have a feel for their moods.
- Lower costs Adopting a cat is less expensive than buying one. You can save money in medical costs too. Many cats have already been spayed or neutered and if they haven’t, shelters usually reimburse a portion of the cost when a spay or neuter is requested.
Despite the advantages, shelter animals can have higher stress levels. “Shelter cats have been in another home, snatched up and brought to a shelter with the strange sights and sounds of many other animals, and then snatched up again and brought to their new home,” says Aiken.
But that’s no reason to look down upon the animal. “The idea that a shelter cat has something wrong with it is outdated,” says Nancy Peterson, Human-Animal Bond Specialist for The Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C. “It’s more likely something was wrong with the previous owners — maybe they weren’t as committed to the animal as they should have been.”
Making the Match
To make the adoption work, here’s what experts suggest:
- Do your research Find out as much information as possible about adoptions. Check out the Humane Society of the United States’ Web site and local humane societies and animal shelters.
- Ask questions Find out everything you can about the kitten or cat. Is it good around kids? Has it ever lived in a multi-cat or multi-pet household? How does it get along with the other animals at the shelter?
- Take your time Peterson compares the adoption process to dating. “You just don’t meet your soul mate the first time you go out with someone,” she says. “You shouldn’t have those expectations when picking a cat either. It’s worth the wait to find exactly the right animal.”
- Be realistic Talk to cat owners and read books so you know what to expect. “If you’ve never had a cat before, some of their habits, such as shedding or scratching, may surprise you or may annoy you,” Peterson says.
- Seek help Both you and your pet need time to get to know each other. If you have problems adjusting, call the shelter for advice. “The nice thing about adoptions is that the staff is committed to a lifetime match,” Peterson says.
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