to read the C.A.R.E.S. 2015 Winter Newsletter

CAT TALES
C.A.R.E.S.’ mission is to rescue, shelter and find loving homes for
stray, abandoned and unwanted cats.
www.carescatshelter.com
WINTER 2015
Who Saved Who?
In This Issue:
June 15, 2015, is the day my husband, Tim, and I will remember for the rest of our lives.
It is the day we lost our beloved Tux. He was with me through many life milestones:
moving out of my childhood hometown into the big city, the notorious days of articling at
a Chartered Accountant firm, my days of studying for my Chartered Accountant exam,
moving into our first house and getting married. He even assisted Tim with our wedding
proposal!
• Who Saved Who? ... 1
• Why Adopt Two
Kittens? ................ 3
• Thanks to Our
Supporters ............ 4
• 2015 Fundraising and
Events .................. 8
• Chatty Catty:
Thinking Outside the
Cat Box ............. 10
• Have Yourself a
Purrfect Little
Christmas! .......... 13
• C.A.R.E.S. Pub Night
poster ................ 14
On the way home from the vet on that
sad day, we saw a bumper sticker from
an animal rescue vehicle that read, "Who
saved who?" That was indeed the case
with us and our Tux. Needless to say, he
was much loved, and losing him left us
devastated beyond anything that we had
previously experienced.
As you can imagine, the next few days
were very difficult.
Tux on our wedding day
We were plagued with the loneliness of not having our Tux to hug and cuddle. It left us
feeling empty.
I have been an active C.A.R.E.S. fundraising committee member for a number of years
now. On this particular day, I received an email from a volunteer with a picture of three
adorable tuxedo kittens. One in particular looked like my Tux. I had to see them. Tim and
I drove to PetSmart the next day to meet them. When we arrived, we realized that the
three tuxedo kittens had three other littermates with them. They were rambunctious,
and ran around the PetSmart Adoption Centre swinging from anything possible. Charlie
(formerly known as Smudge) wandered over and sat in our arms. I instantly melted. And
of course, Sophie (formerly known as Fluff), who resembled Tux in appearance, paid no
attention to us. She was having a grand time pouncing on her sisters and brother.
I wanted to take all of them home. But Tim, with his voice of reason, asked me to sleep
on it. It was a hard night.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
Who Saved Who? cont’d
I was torn with sadness and guilt that adopting these kittens would be my attempt at
replacing my Tux. However, as the night went on, I knew that adopting these kittens
and giving them a forever home was the right thing to do. We were not replacing Tux, I
realized, but building a new relationship with some well deserving rescue animals.
We decided that we would get two kittens since we both work and thought that a
kitten would need a partner-in-crime to keep him company during the day. Besides,
what could be better than having a kitten each to cuddle with after we got home from
a long day?
I called Lauralee the next morning and let her know our decision and by evening, Tim
arrived at PetSmart to collect our new little ones. We were a little apprehensive at first
of what raising kittens would entail. Neither one of us had experience.
“The first time we met
Charlie (formerly Smudge)
and Sophie (formerly Fluff)”
We quickly learned that their favourite things weren’t their toys or food but each
other. Where one was, the other one would follow! And if one wasn’t following, the
other would voice their displeasure. With each other side-by-side, they had a blast
running laps in the house while leaving a trail of utter chaos in their wake. And once in
a while, when we didn’t hear the sound of things being knocked over, or of galloping
paws, we would find Charlie and Sophie snuggled up with one another grooming and
napping (we assume it’s due to utter exhaustion).
Although our hearts still ache for Tux, these two have brought a lot of laughter and
love into our lives. They have taught us, in their short time with us, that our hearts are
big enough for many more pets.
Our decision to open our homes to two kittens has proven to be a good one. Not only
were we able to provide two lucky kittens a forever home, we were able to keep two
best friends together.
Again, I ask myself, who saved who?
Submitted by,
Their first day at home
Allison Burton
Best friends!
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
Why Adopt Two Kittens?
C.A.R.E.S. often encourages adopting two kittens together. We do not suggest this to
get kittens out the door, but to make things work better for both the adopter and the
kitties.
They have grown up in a gang of littermate pals, often with a mom to snuggle up to as
well. Imagine suddenly being moved on their own to a new home, with new smells,
people and ways of life. To have a sibling (or sometimes their mom) move with them
makes it so much easier.
“You’re saving two
lives instead of
one.”
People ask if it will take away from how the cats are with them. No, we don't find this.
They want their human attention but have each other when you are out. They run off
energy while you are at work so you don't have a kitten in your face at night. You can
put them in a separate room if they are still keeping you up and they then have each
other. While they're young and do daft things or when you cannot watch them, they
can be kept in a small safe room during the day, and they have each other to goof with
instead of getting into trouble all over again.
Each year we have people saying, "We'll try it out and see if he is lonely." And then
they are often back in five months or so, saying we were right and wanting to adopt
another. The best time is right at the start; that's when they really need a pal.
Introducing a new kitten into a home later, with one already there, is much trickier
than just right at the start getting the pair who is already best friends. Here are 10
reasons to adopt two, not one:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. You're saving two lives instead of one.
2. One kitten almost always becomes lonely.
3. One kitten can drive an older cat nuts.
4. Two kittens will "self-train" in litter box skills.
5. When really young, they can be kept in a smaller room, out of harm's way.
6. They help each other burn off energy.
7. The incidence of behaviour problems is lower with two kittens.
8. They act as pillows for one another.
9. Having two kittens is insanely fun.
10. They will each have a friend for life.
If you are considering adopting a kitten, think about your best friend and then ask
yourself whether you would deprive your kitten of the enrichment a friend brings
to life.
Partly reprinted with permission from Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
It is that time again to thank all C.A.R.E.S. supporters who volunteer their time, and
who give us the much needed financial support so that we can continue to care for
the animals in want.
Special thanks go out to our volunteers who either work directly caring for the cats at
the shelter, assist with fundraising, run the website and Facebook, produce our
newsletter, and work the “front lines” in our adoption center at Langley PetSmart.
Our army of cat-loving volunteers is always up to the task of helping to ensure that all
the cats in our care are loved, receive any necessary medical attention and are given a
clean environment, with plenty of food, water and treats, until a forever home can be
found for them. The spirit of this group is fabulous and I am always amazed at what
they will do to protect and serve the animals!
“Without our
volunteers and
generous donors,
the Sherry’s of this
world would not
have a kind
ending.”
Some of these people include: Lisa MacDonald, Tracy Lockett, Donna Healy-Ogden,
Clive Ellis, Chris Kasdorf, Carole Edwards, Tracey Parkinson, Allison Burton, Caroll and
William Giesbrecht, Christy Craig, Katrina Tims, Evelyn Bellay, Susan Phillips, Louise
Steele, Sonja Moore and Ginny Wade, to name a few.
Since the last writing, I was a foster mom to a dear, gentle soul named Sherry, who
had appeared on the balcony of Sherri, a neighbour of the shelter. Sherry was an
older girl and in poor health when she came to C.A.R.E.S. I took pity on her and
brought her into my own home.
We discovered that Sherry had kidney disease and
her prognosis was not good. Nevertheless, we at
C.A.R.E.S. wanted her final days to be as happy and
comfortable as possible—and they were. Sherry
enjoyed just sitting in the sun soaking up rays. She
loved to sit on the back of the couch as we watched
TV. She was a loyal friend to all she met and we were
glad to be able to give her love, medical attention,
and a warm, safe home to live in, in her final days.
Without our volunteers and generous donors, the
Sherry’s of this world would not have a kind ending.
Our supporters have empathy and compassion for the animals in our community. Our
pets are loyal companions and a source of joy to the people who befriend them. They
deserve to be treated with respect and benevolence until the end.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS cont’d
No one knows this better than our supporters, Ray and Ruth Wesenberg (pictured
below), who rescued their beautiful Basenji—who was scheduled to be euthanized at
a high kill shelter, only because there weren’t enough homes. Other compassionate,
and ongoing supporters of our work, are:
Cynthia Kereluk and Paul Rodgers, Lauralee
Porter, Cheryl Larson, Telus, PetSmart and
PetSmart Charities, Gail Suderman, Linda
Davies, Pam Nelson, Susan Roman, Dorlies
Geh, Shirley and Deanna Devitt, Giselle
Baker, Anne Plunkett Rumley, Sharon
Boehm, Maureen McCall, Barb Faucher,
Brent Granger, Donna Evans, Denise
McCluskie, Wendy McPhee, Jeremy Spurgeon, Eileen Ohrling, Corrine Williams,
Chelsey House, Ralph Giuriato, Dr. Gurpreet Bath, Canadian Tire, Jimy Mac Pub, and
Royal Canin.
In his book “The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them”, Wayne
Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, lists 50 ways
to help the animals. Here are just a few of them:
•
adopt a friend-for-life from a shelter
•
support a local animal shelter
•
volunteer time and help, at your local animal shelter
I wish to personally thank all of the above and the many others who have given of
their time and money to help lessen the suffering of our animal friends and to defend
their rights to a happy existence.
Respectfully submitted by,
Carol Briner, Treasurer
HANNAH
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS cont’d
Caroll Giesbrecht, Thomas Lowry, Aiden Lowry, Dalton Vegh, Diane Rogers, Julian
Rogers, Julianna Lukan, Dylan Knight, Donna Healey-Ogden, Clive Ellis and Steve Vegh
Hard at work, shoveling
gravel for the Shelter‘s
driveway
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS cont’d
I’m so pleased to
report that this
event raised
over $12,000!
C.A.R.E.S. 2015 Walkathon
Caroll Giesbrecht, Caroline Orfali, Allison Chapman, Mike Scott
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
2015 C.A.R.E.S. Fundraising and Events
By now, most of you know about C.A.R.E.S.’ efforts to meet the increasing demands in
our community for rescuing, sheltering, feeding and providing medical care for the
homeless cats and kittens.
Unfortunately, the numbers seem to grow each year, and it is only with the help of our
volunteers, staff and the generous donations from institutions and people like you,
that we can meet that need.
Since our last newsletter, we have held our annual Walkathon at Derby Reach. The
weather was very good to us this year and I’m so pleased to report that this event
raised over $12,000!
Presently, we are preparing for our Pub Night in November—always a favourite with
our friends. Do check with us to see if there are any tickets left when you read this.
We were pleased to receive a lot of help on our buildings from the 2nd Brookswood
Eagle Scouts and later a team from BDO, who all worked famously to clean, paint and
repair our shelter, runs, and trailer.
Royal Canin generously continues to support us with cat food, and we’ve been
fortunate to receive a substantial donation from Ruth and Ray Wesenberg –loyal
supporters of C.A.R.E.S.
We have applied again this year for a Gaming Grant and the Township of Langley has
made a donation to us. Cedar Rim Nursery, Langley Superstore and Save-On-Foods also
donated gifts “in kind” to us.
This year we held five Adoptathons, thanks to the continued support of Langley
PetSmart store. Food drives were held at the store throughout the year and over 5,000
cans of cat food were collected for our shelter!
Our “Trap, Neuter, and Release” program is a significant part of our operating expense,
and continues to meet the constant demand in the Fraser Valley.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
2015 Fundraising and Events cont’d
Two new volunteers are now looking after the C.A.R.E.S. Website and Facebook and
are doing a marvelous job. Thanks Allison and Christy! With the talents of both, we
are confident that we will be able to better present more about our operations, and
cats for adoption. Watch that space!
Thank you, our Friends and Supporters, for the gracious things that you do, the time
that you give and the financial support that you donate—all to help our kitty family!
We’ve had excellent support from the local media, and plan on expanding that
support in the future.
Rosie is still waiting
for her forever home!
Can you help?
Once again I’d like to acknowledge the members of the Fundraising Committee—Carol
and Chris Briner, Marian Haney, Caroll Giesbrecht, Allison Burton, Christy Craig, and
Donna Healey-Ogden—as well as the many wonderful volunteers who work tirelessly
at the shelter and the adoption centre in PetSmart. They all help in Fundraising, since
they provide all of the hard work and time on a volunteer basis.
We also thank our Friends and Supporters for the gracious things that you do, the
time that you give, and the financial support that you donate—all to help our kitty
family!
We all—furry and otherwise—send our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.
Submitted by,
Clive Ellis, Chair,
Fundraising Committee
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
Chatty Catty: Thinking Outside the Cat Box
Hi everyone, Zoe here. Can we talk? There’s something I have to get off of my furry
little chest and it’s mighty important (even life or death) to all of us cats. It’s about
litter box issues. Did you know that one of the biggest reasons that cats get put to
death, tossed out or surrendered to shelters is because of litter box issues?
Zoe
I was recently reminded of this again when two really cool cats (and remember I
don’t like other cats that much) came into our shelter. Their names are Memphis
and Pi. These two nice, healthy young cats were transferred to our shelter from a
city shelter as they were to be euthanized. Why? They were considered
“unadoptable” as they had “litter box issues”. We were told that both cats peed
outside the box and couldn’t be adopted. What a crying shame to euthanize two
young beautiful animals – and more of a crying shame that this happens to millions
of cats all over the nation! The thing is, that with a little detective work and effort,
the “issues” can often be solved, lives can be saved and heartaches spared.
So everyone, Zoe’s class session of “Thinking
Outside the Cat Box” is now in. Pull up a chair and
listen up. One of the questions we ask potential
adopters on the Adoption Application form is, “If
your cat started to have accidents outside the
box, how would you handle this?” Oh boy, do we
ever get a range of answers—everything from
“just clean it up” to “sticking the cat’s nose in it
and saying ‘no’”.
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
It’s time to learn things the right way, folks, and to
do this, sometimes you might have to imagine
yourself in your cat’s paws and look at the issue
from our point of view.
Memphis
Pi
Let’s talk about some of the most common reasons why we cats may stop using
the litter box in the first place:
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
Chatty Catty (cont’d)
Pogo is still seeking his forever
home! Can you help?
Underlying Medical Issues: NEVER assume that a cat has a “behavioural” problem
if it stops using the box. We can have a number of health issues such as kidney
disease, diabetes, urinary tract infection or crystals or hyperthyroidism (to name a
few) which may make us stop using the box. Why? Well firstly, the cat may not
make it to the box in time due to discomfort. Secondly, the cat may associate the
pain/discomfort it’s having with peeing with the litter box itself and therefore,
avoid using it. Always have your kitty checked out by your veterinarian for any
possible health issues causing him/her to urinate outside the box. Never scold the
cat for urination outside the box. It could be a medical problem which kitty can’t
help! Scolding will only add to the stress and make things worse.
Declawing: NEVER declaw your cat! It’s a painful and cruel thing to do to any cat.
From a litter box point of view, declawed cats can have more of a tendency to stop
using the box as their paws can remain sensitive for the rest of their lives. The
texture of some types of litters is uncomfortable for the cat and it may choose a
nice, soft carpet to do its business on instead. There are so many reasons not to
declaw a cat, and this is just one of them.
“We cats have a very
keen sense of smell”
The litter box itself: Here are some golden rules about cat boxes kids: Keep ‘em
clean, keep ‘em open, and . . . location, location, location! Firstly, keep them clean.
Would you want to use an unflushed toilet? No? Well neither do we! We cats are
very clean by nature, and if the box is too dirty, we may just find somewhere
cleaner to go, like on your bath mat or carpet. Scoop the box daily and wash the
box completely at least a couple times per month. Don’t be skimpy with the litter
either. Put at least three inches of litter in the box and keep the level consistent.
Next, keep it open. Covered litter boxes are one of the biggest, non-medical
reasons why cats won’t use the box. You may like them, but they are generally not
cat-friendly. They’re confining and can actually create more odour because air
doesn’t flow as well to dry the soiled litter. We cats have a very keen sense of smell,
and when odours remain in these covered boxes, we may stay out! My biggest
complaint about them is in multi-cat household situations. There’s only one route
of escape if we are inside it and if another cat or dog comes along, we may feel
trapped and then avoid using the box from then on. Incidentally, any home which
has more than one cat should also have more than one litter box. Ideally, you
should have one box per cat, plus one extra.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
Chatty Catty (cont’d)
Lastly, the location of the box or boxes should be all about convenience for the
cats, and not about what is appealing for the cat owner. Don’t put the box/boxes
near the cat’s food. Would you like to eat dinner next to your toilet? I should say
not! Don’t put the box near household appliances (such as the washing machine)
which might scare your cat, especially if the cat is timid by nature. If you have a
multi-level home, then I suggest you put a box on each level. Also, don’t put the
litter box inside a closet, or garage or other unappealing places.
“She thought there was
no choice but to
euthanize her cat.”
We once got a call from a lady who was about to take her cat to be euthanized for
the ever dreaded litter box “issue”. She did love the cat but just could not deal with
the pee in the house any longer. She said the cat was tested at the vet’s office and
there were no health issues. The cat was labeled to have a “behavioural” problem.
She thought there was no choice but to euthanize her cat. Fortunately, she decided
as a last ditch effort to call a shelter. Upon talking to her, our Intake Coordinator,
Lauralee Porter, discovered that the litter box provided for the cat was in the
garage. The cat had to go through a cat door flap from the laundry room into the
cold dark garage where a covered litter box was placed in a corner. Hmm . . . would
you want to go through all that fuss in the middle of the night to get to an
undesirable toilet? It was obvious to us that the cat didn’t.
We suggested that she bring the cat box at least into the laundry room and to take
the lid off. For good measure, it was also suggested she purchase some of “Dr.
Elsey’s Cat Attract Litter” which is available in many pet stores such, as PetSmart.
The cat started using the box right away! The woman called us the very next day
with tears of joy and thanked us profusely for the advice. She cried, thinking that
she almost put her young, healthy cat to death due to her own human error!
The lesson here is that the more obstacles you put in our way to get to the toilet,
the bigger the chance is that we won’t use it.
Memphis, getting adopted!
So, class, my time with you is ending. There are many other hints and suggestions
you can find by looking on the internet under litter box issues. Just remember to
shrink yourself down and put yourself into your cat’s paws. Look at the box and say
“Would I want to go in there?”
Until next time, Zoe.
PS: At the time of this writing, Memphis has found a new home, and Pi is waiting
for hers at our Adoption Centre in the Langley PetSmart Store.
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CAT TALES
Winter 2015
HAVE YOURSELF A PURRFECT LITTLE
CHRISTMAS!
Christmastime is fast approaching and it will be time once again to “deck the halls
with boughs of holly”. Those of us with furry family members need to take extra
special care when we decorate our homes. Most of us know that Poinsettia plants
can be hazardous as they can cause irritations to the mouth and throat as well as
induce vomiting. But there are many other plants to watch out for. Some of these
can cause violent illness and even death in pets.
They are: Holly, Crown of Thorns, Christmas Roses, Jerusalem Cherry (with the
pretty red berries), and Mistletoe. The Japanese Yew (which looks like a pine tree
with dark green needles and appealing red fruits can cause almost immediate death
if ingested.
Plants aren’t the only things to think about as safety hazards for our pets. Here are
some things we can do to prevent possible injury to our pets at Christmastime.
Wrap aluminum foil around exposed Christmas tree light cords as a
deterrent to chewing them.
Take steps to prevent your cat from knocking down the tree. Use clear
fishing line to tie the tree to an eyehook affixed to the ceiling or wall stud.
Try to hang breakable ornaments higher out of reach and secure firmly.
Hang wooden, plastic, or stuffed ornaments on the lower branches.
Avoid using garland, icicles, tinsel or angel hair. All no-no’s! If ingested,
these can be deadly for kitty!
Don’t leave pieces of ribbon or bows lying around which can be ingested by
your kitty. Give the kitty a toy to play with to distract him while you are
wrapping your gifts.
Do not leave candles unattended with your kitty around. No further
explanation needed here. The reasons are obvious.
Feed kitty special people treats in real moderation. Some of our rich
Christmas foods can cause kitty to get sick! Be especially careful of turkey
bones and skin which your cat could choke on.
From our shelter to yours, we wish you and your pets a safe and purrfectly
wonderful Christmas!
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YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US AT
JIMY MAC’S NEIGHBOURHOOD PUB
19935 96 Avenue FRA
Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 6:00 PM
C.A.R.E.S. PUB NIGHT
Come and join your fellow friends of
C.A.R.E.S. at our Jimy Mac’s Pub Night for
an evening of good food, good cheer and
good fun.
Tickets are only $25.00!
This will include a Jimy Burger, fries and a
sleeve of draft (Canadian, Coors Light, Bud
or Jimy Lager), house wine (red or white), a
bar highball, juice, pop, coffee or tea. All
burgers (either beef or veggie) will come
with mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion on the
bun. Chicken burgers can be ordered and
cost $1 extra. In addition, there will be
50/50 draws and many great items to bid on
in our Silent Auction as well as
entertainment by Laughter Zone 101, a
comedy troupe. It is going to be great fun.
For tickets, please contact
Clive at 604.533.4007 or e-mail
fundraiser@carescatshelter.co
m
Tickets are limited and will sell out
quickly – get yours today!
Jimy Mac’s is located at
19935 96 Avenue, Langley
Must be over 19 years of age to participate.
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www.carescatshelter.com