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[azcoyote]

Claire,

Another great article. And the correlation of saving animals with saving humans is not something I had really ever of thought before. But it makes perfect sense.

However...i just got another stray kitty that needs food. Yeah, I may end up being the lady with 80 cats, that keeps mom awake at nights, but I cant' let a kitty starve. This new guy is young but unneutered. Do I spend the money to get him fixed? I might have to, even though he's not MY cat. But at least he won't father more unwanted kitties that might end up being gassed by the Humane Society. They mostly do good work,  but they can only do so much.

Animals dont have choices. WE do. The fight against making the population no more than stray kitties is a fight worth waging, in my mind.

Coyote

[Scarmiglione']

Really ironic morning articles considering I had to finish off a young bird that had been abandoned yesterday.  The kids got a nice close look at the bird, just seconds before the dog jumped up and chomped on it.   *sigh*  Send the kids in, drape a cloth, give it a twist.  Circle of life.

[dogsledder54]

We live in a mobile home. We started out with 3 cats that a co-worker couldn't keep anymore. I didn't want to split them up, so I took all 3. (I had lost all my cats previously in a house fire.) Then the co-worker's daughter-in-law had 2 that her 2 yr old girl was too rough with, and she feared she might get scratched or bitten. So we took them. Since then, we have adopted every stray which could be coaxed into the house. One cat snuck into the house through a hole where the water pipe for the washer was, every night for 2 months, to eat and drink, before deciding to move in with us permanently. We saw her several times, but assumed she was another cat who has similar markings. So our rep must be good with the stray cats around here.  Others live under the house. I recently made beds for each of them, and a couple of extras, out of pillows in cardboard boxes. We have taken 2 of the male outdoor cats in to be fixed. We still find kittens, from some unknown male source, but far fewer now. * (edited for anti-data-mining purposes) Luckily, we have plenty of room, and each one has his/her own areas, hiding places, etc.  All the males are fixed, and we fix the females as we have the money. Sometimes, we find one outside that is sick. We take them to the vet, and care for them even if they are terminal. We love them and make their last days as comfortable as possible.
When we move to the country, they are all coming with us. Then I will get another dog. We have had dogs in the past, and both of them co-existed well with cats, as long as the cats don't get too jealous, that is.

[spatter]

Just brought three more into my "Kitty Rest Home" on Thursday.  Because of the economy, adoptions have completely dried up in New Mexico and Colorado and the shelters may have to start euthanizing cats.  I can't save every kitten, but I can give the older guys a place to live out their lives.

Tiger is a 9 year old Abyssinian.  His owner couldn't take care of him any more...although she really didn't take good care of him before.  His ears show that he fought 9 years of tom cat wars before the shelter neutered him in September.  They also had to remove all his teeth.  He is VERY smart and sweet...and he seems to prefer dry food to soft stuff (go figure).

Bruiser and Sissy are 11 year old siblings.  Bruiser is a big gray guy and a bit shy.  He's still hiding most of the time.  Sissy arrived with a "The Queen has Arrived" attitude and generally pissed off my 4 girls.  She has settled down and everybody is coexisting.  Their parents moved to Mexico and couldn't take them.

If any of you are so inclined, please think about adopting older cats (and dogs too).  As long as there are no serious behavioral problems, older cats are VERY easy to take in and take care of.

I didn't go looking for new cats, but somebody gave the shelter my number, so here they are.  I don't know what my realistic maximum is (I'm up to 14, all indoor), but it's getting close.  Concentrating just on older kitties helps.

Spatter

[dogsledder54]

Good job, Spatter !  And BTW, thanks for the idea about the pillows in boxes.  ^_^Our outdoor kitties thank you...purrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[MsSage]

Just brought three more into my "Kitty Rest Home" on Thursday.  Because of the economy, adoptions have completely dried up in New Mexico and Colorado and the shelters may have to start euthanizing cats.  I can't save every kitten, but I can give the older guys a place to live out their lives.

Tiger is a 9 year old Abyssinian.  His owner couldn't take care of him any more...although she really didn't take good care of him before.  His ears show that he fought 9 years of tom cat wars before the shelter neutered him in September.  They also had to remove all his teeth.  He is VERY smart and sweet...and he seems to prefer dry food to soft stuff (go figure).

Bruiser and Sissy are 11 year old siblings.  Bruiser is a big gray guy and a bit shy.  He's still hiding most of the time.  Sissy arrived with a "The Queen has Arrived" attitude and generally pissed off my 4 girls.  She has settled down and everybody is coexisting.  Their parents moved to Mexico and couldn't take them.

If any of you are so inclined, please think about adopting older cats (and dogs too).  As long as there are no serious behavioral problems, older cats are VERY easy to take in and take care of.

I didn't go looking for new cats, but somebody gave the shelter my number, so here they are.  I don't know what my realistic maximum is (I'm up to 14, all indoor), but it's getting close.  Concentrating just on older kitties helps.

Spatter

its been a bit over a year have you found your maximum yet? LOL
I only have 3 all indoor. I got all as kittens 2 were sisters sorta....they think LOL and the other was too cute for words and wouldnt leave me alone. Dad kept my 2 dogs......he has always had doxies and since gizmo was too cute he kept her too LOL
Now I have for "supposeably" a couple more days Shoers dog...blue heeler/kelpie who is terrorifed of the cats LOL

[spatter]

Still at 14.  Three passed away. 

Since I wrote, I've taken in...

Sage, who was kept in a garage for 10 years because his "owner" had allergies.  It's taken Sage a LONG time to settle down, but he's now eating with the others and (maybe) using the pan. 

Reggie, a foster kitty, who hates other cats and is VERY territorial.  Sage almost starved to death while Reggie staked out the kitchen.  She (Reggie is a girl) is now in another room and I'm  looking HARD for a home for her where she's the only cat.

Winken, who was 3 weeks old when somebody "rescued" him from his feral Mama.  His brothers Blinken and Nod diidn't make it, but Winken is a major league survivor.  He's about 9 weeks old now and loving life with all his grandpas and uncles and aunts.  He's one lucky kitten.  More on Winken at http://www.northcountrybulletin.com/Joomla159/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=77 - second story on the page.

I think 14 is definitely enough (maybe more than enough).  If anybody in the general vicinity of the Southwest would like a really sweet, beautiful kitty who loves people but hates other cats, let me know.  Here's more info - http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13976548
.  The pictures don't really do her justice.  We'll find a way to get her to you.

Spatter

[amagi]

Can male cats be neutered with a rubber band like calves?  Parts too small?  I have the general theory on castrating livestock with a scalpel, but I'd not do it unless I had to.
It occures to me if things go the way we all seem to think they will, it would be a good thing to know.

[dogsledder54]

In another threat, I posted about our (then) latest , Sheba. We have had her for 7 weeks now, and she is healthy, happy, and nearly twice her former size. Although she is currently a Mommy's girl, I am trying to fix that. ;-]   Today we were at a yard sale, and Mrs. S saw a kitty there in a cage with a sign that said "Free". She (the cat) was a beautiful, striped tabby with unusual markings on her sides. She reminded me of a cat I had years ago. She is about 3/4 grown, and Mrs. S named her Stripes. She has been here about an hour and a half, and is sleeping on the couch, after checking out the nearest food and water bowls and doing a little exploring. She is not scared at all, and will fit perfectly in our family. She already met Gremlin and they hissed at each other then began ignoring each other. All is well.

[icbkr]

Can male cats be neutered with a rubber band like calves?  Parts too small?  I have the general theory on castrating livestock with a scalpel, but I'd not do it unless I had to.
It occures to me if things go the way we all seem to think they will, it would be a good thing to know.

I'm relatively certain you cannot do cats with a rubber band, because they can get at it and claw it off or hurt themselves.  I'm not vet, but I've seen them freak out hard enough to hurt themselves, and a rubber band castration would probably set that off.

My three rescue cats were done at the vet (that's Booger in the jester cap).

[dogsledder54]

Update- Noticed that Stripes was a he. Also, Stripes was too common a name for him, after a couple hours he became "Slinky". He is at home already after only one day, he already has his fave hangouts in the living room and in teh kitchen. All is groovy.

[velojym]

Try http://www.pilotsnpaws.org/

We're involved in moving rescue animals via private aircraft, sorta like a furry Angel Flight.
On the forum, rescuers and pilots can work to transport animals to where they may find a home.
Win for the animals, win for the rescuers, and heck... win for pilots who need to fly to stay sharp anyway.

[Nedda of the Hill]

Haven't read Claire's writing yet.  Will do soon.

Has anyone considered feeding their cats that birth control medicine they have?  Can't remember what it's called, heard it wasn't too expensive, and only has to be fed a certain intervals to keep kitties from conceiving. 

Might be a cheaper alternative to fixing all those cats...

Just a different take on the animal rescue thing, but I had a horse taken away from me a few years ago.
22 years old, very hard keeper in the middle of winter.  I was doing everything I could for him -- read on the internet, asked at the feed store -- nothing would get him to gain.  Vegetable oil, beet pulp, best feed, etc.  He looked bony and scruffy.  Neighboring horse person who rescues horses came onto my property while we were not there, called the Sheriff, called my husband (who wanted the horse gone anyway) and took the horse.
She could have helped me and the horse by offering to help instead of inserting herself between us.
She only lives about a mile from us but I can't bring myself to go down there and even visit over the fence.  If she still has him.
Still hurts...

N.

[gaurdduck]

I guess you really can herd cats.
 

[Bennie]

We can't take care of all the animals that get dumped out where we live. My hat is off to all of you who do so much for the homeless......it is a shame what they go through and certainly not their fault. We do have 3 that we currently care for here at the house.

There is a no-kill shelter, about 30 miles from us,  that we have used. It costs $20 to surrender an animal to them....we hope it gives the dog or cat a chance for a loving home. The first time we used it, my wife cried for 2 days at giving up this sweet cat. We went back and adopted the cat back. After surrender fees, neutering costs, and adoption fees, Miss Kitty costs us about $150 ! She used to keep good control of the moles in the yard but gave that up for a life of luxury. And, the wife is (and always has been) allergic to cats.