This Old Cat

Many may recognize the line about smiling "at the old days," having been "beautiful then," from the song "Memory" from the musical "Cats." How appropriate it is for our furry friends that spend most of their days napping and looking out windows. You can almost read their minds and see the longing in their eyes for their younger days. Not to worry. With age comes wisdom and the sense to slow down. We all know how quickly youth flies by. Thank goodness! Now we can relax.

Animal Welfare Society has a Senior Cats for Senior Citizens program that was started five years ago by one of our long time shelter volunteers, Maryanne Gardner. Maryanne wanted to do something to help generate the adoptions of our senior cats, and she came up with this idea. Any person 60 years of age or older can adopt a cat 6 years of age or older with no adoption fee. We ran ads advertising and asking for funding to help get this program off the ground.  As usual, our community came through for us, and we have been able to place many senior cats in loving homes. If you would like to donate to our senior fund please contact our shelter or visit our Web site, www.aws-shelter.org. We all know that 60 is not old, and the same goes for our 6-year-old cats. They have many, many more good years left. It is a proven fact that seniors that have pets live longer, healthier lives. 

When I first started volunteering at the shelter, I was worried seeing all the adult cats. I thought how are they going to find a home when we have so many kittens looking for homes. My fears were short lived. One after another adult cat went home to loving pet parents. We had blind cats, cats with one eye, cats on medications for one issue or another. All went to their forever homes. I remember the first time I saw an adoption take place. The new owner came in to pick up her new friend.  The collar went on, nails were trimmed and we all said our goodbyes.  I had to walk away because I was starting to cry. I still cry thinking about  it. Thank goodness you can't see the tear stains on my paper. This still takes place over and over. When we come in to the shelter in the morning to feed and clean the sweetest words ever are "Guess who got adopted yesterday?"!

The most amazing story of a cat adoption was when Cocoa got adopted. We had taken in a beautiful brown cat. If you know anything about cats you know that is almost unheard of. Cats are rarely brown. She was this gorgeous shade of brown, hence the name Cocoa, and her facial features blended in perfectly. Her nose was a pinky brown and she had goldish brown eyes. She would lounge in her cage looking very regal with paws crossed in front of her. One day a woman came in and explained she was looking for a cat for her mother. She said she knew she was asking for the impossible but her mother had a dream about a brown cat. Our manager said we have just the cat and showed her Cocoa. The woman called her mother and said you're not going to believe this but I found you your brown cat! In the carrier Cocoa went off to her forever home.

Over and over, the stories continue. People seem to understand the value in an adult cat. Another favorite cat of mine was recently adopted out to an elderly gentleman who wanted a lap cat for a companion. This particular cat had come to the shelter because her elderly owner had passed away. We could tell she had been his little princess and it would take a special person to replace the owner she lost. She was at our shelter approximately five years, and during that time she became a favorite of the volunteers.  We couldn't understand why she was never adopted. We found the answer when this gentleman’s needs were known. It was as if she was waiting all this time for this particular gentleman to be ready for her. Now we are kept up to date on how she is doing, and if pictures could talk we would hear the purring from both of them.

Never under estimate what an adult cat has to offer. I came upon a poem awhile back, “This Old Cat” by K.C. Bigamon. Look it up online, as I think it says it all.

April is cat-care month.  Do something nice for your furry friend. Kindness will come back to you tenfold. Something as simple as an extra hug or rub tells your cat it is special and means as much to you as you mean to it.

Meow.

Take the Pledge

"Where is that good smell coming from?"  "Over there."  "Where?"  "Over there in that odd-looking box."  "You go first."  "No, you."  "OK, I'll go. I'm so hungry I'll eat anything."  "Wait for me—I'm starving too.”

SNAP!

“Uh-oh, what just happened?  There's no way out." "Someone’s coming toward us. What'll we do?" "Hiss at her—that usually works."

Not this time... .  In steps Jill Franco, who heads our Trap, Neuter and Return Program (TNR, for short).  Jill has been trapping our area feral cats for some time now.  Once they have been spayed or neutered, they are released back to their caretakers.  Those caretakers are usually a select few people in our community who feed the area feral population.  We know where the feral colonies are, and Jill and the other volunteers have been spending a lot of time and energy trapping and having the cats receive medical attention and then they are released.

If you know of any stray cats or colonies of cats, please contact our shelter.  It is important that we get these cats spayed and neutered before we have an even larger problem. A few people find strays in their back yards and feed them only to call us later to tell us now there are kittens. If we are notified sooner, this cuts down on our kitten population come springtime.

Some of the cats that have been trapped aren't feral at all. We believe their owners may have left them at the colonies thinking this is the best place for them.  It is not! Cats that have been born into homes don't know how to survive in the outside world.  They need people for their survival.

True feral cats are very afraid of humans but need other cats. A lot of feral cats that stay at our shelter will eventually find homes in neighboring barns.  If we are able to catch the very young cats and kittens, there is hope we can rehabilitate them and they will eventually be able to be placed into loving homes.

We have volunteers at our shelter who take these kittens home and give them constant care and attention. It is nothing short of a miracle when we see the transformation when they are brought back to the shelter ready to be adopted. Amazing!

You can help fund our TNR program by a donation or becoming a sponsor of a TNR cat. Check our web site, www.aws-shelter.org, for further information.

It is estimated that approximately 10 million to 20 million pets are destroyed in the United States every year.  Of course a lot of this can be avoided by responsible pet ownership.  There are lots of organizations that work  together developing awareness programs specifically designed to reduce the  number of strays and abandoned pets.

It is important for families who are making the decision to get a pet to do their research and consult with reliable sources about the realities of owning a particular animal.

While in Florida, I came upon an organization called United to Prevent Stray and Abandoned Pets. It has developed what it calls its Pet Owner’s Pledge.  There are essential elements of a successful pet-human bond embodied in the pledge.

Pet Owner’s Pledge

I recognize that to have a pet to love, enjoy and respect is a privilege.

A pet is a living animal with whom we share the earth, not a "throwaway" item.

My family and I are aware of the daily responsibility, the care needed for the pet and the changes this will make in our lives.

My pet needs a safe shelter, fresh water, proper nutrition, grooming, proper veterinary care and, very importantly, training. I will learn about these and provide them to the best of my ability.

When selecting a pet I will take into consideration the life expectancy, physical characteristics and behavioral differences among the types of pets.

I will properly socialize and train my pet beginning at eight weeks of age or as soon as possible if the pet is older.

I will control my pet's ability to reproduce in order to prevent the cruel overproduction of unwanted animals that will be abandoned and very possibly euthanized.

I will know and obey all laws pertaining to my pet in order to prevent it from being a burden to society and annoying or being dangerous to others.

My pet will be properly identified in the best manner at all times. If my pet becomes lost I will make every effort to find it.

If for any reason I can no longer keep my pet I will not abandon it. I will find it a suitable home, take it to an animal shelter or, if no other choice exists to a veterinarian for assistance.

I will think of the life I am offering a pet and put myself in its place.

AWS is all about helping to produce more knowledgeable and responsible owners who are committed to their pets' well-being. Producing happier pets and happier owners. In doing so, the chance of these animals being abandoned in the future is less likely. We all have to understand that animals are living, breathing, feeling creatures that deserve to be treated as humanely as possible.

Don't be afraid to give us a call with any problems you may have with your animals. We do not judge! We will do everything possible to help with any behavioral or economic problems you may be having regarding caring for your pets.

The best place for your animals is staying in your home with you. Together we can work it out.  

Happy Dance

What a day it has been! You finally drag yourself home and the second you walk through the door it begins. You know it’s coming.  You’ve waited all day for this and here it is! Let the dance begin!  It never starts slow, it’s always full force. Round and round they go with tongues hanging out and tails wagging. You can see the smile on their faces reflected from the smile on your face. All is right in the world, especially your small part of the world that includes your animal family. Your pets don’t care that you were late for that important meeting or the reprimand you received from your boss for the big mistake you made today. Forget about the disagreement you had with your friend. None of this matters. In their world, you are the greatest thing since catnip and rawhide bones.

This scenario occurs over and over in millions of households throughout our country every day. Imagine (if you can) the thousands of cats and dogs in shelters just waiting for a home of their own so they can do the happy dance for their pet parents upon arriving home.

I am a pet parent of a recently adopted Chihuahua from Animal Welfare Society. Pita is a rescue from a puppy mill down South.  She was used for breeding, and when they were done with her she was discarded. Thank goodness for Companion Pet Rescue and Transport in Tennessee. It steps in and rescues these unwanted dogs and transports them up to Connecticut to area shelters for adoption. Every dog that has come to our shelter from Companion Pet Rescue has been quickly adopted into a forever homes. I can’t even think about the fate of my wonderful little girl if CPR hadn’t been there for her.

Animal Welfare Society in New Milford is a no-kill shelter and our main goal is to care for our communities homeless animals until we can find the perfect pet parents for them. At no time are their lives in question. If no match is found for a cat or dog, it will stay at our shelter and live out the rest of its life there. The staff and volunteers consider such cats and dogs as residents of our shelter family. We know their likes and dislikes and what gets their motors going and tails wagging. We work with training the dogs and socializing the cats and always give them extra attention.

We are in great need of responsible adult and young adult volunteers. There are many ways one can help with volunteering: from hands on feeding and cleaning to walking dogs and assisting with fund-raising. Please look into our Web site at http://www.aws-shelter.org/ and see the many ways you can volunteer and help our shelter help our community animals. However you choose to volunteer, please understand we will be counting on you and your commitment to our shelter family.

No spare time to give? No problem. Another great way you can help our shelter animals is by becoming a sponsor. You pick the dog or cat you want to sponsor, or we can pick one for you. Visit our Web site or stop by for a visit and meet the animals in person. Then choose the level of sponsorship you prefer. All the details and payments are available online.

Want to get  more involved?  Become an Animal Welfare Society member.  For just a $20 tax-deductible donation, you can become a member of AWS. Your donation will help with food, shelter and health care for our animals awaiting adoption.

Come and have your say at our monthly members’ meetings. We value your input. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month. Check our Web site regularly for more info, updates and important messages regarding how you can better our shelter and make the wait for new pet parents go by quickly.

Of course our number one way of maintaining care and shelter to our animal friends is by your generous donations. AWS is a non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. Every cent goes directly to the care of our residents in the form of food, medical and upkeep to our shelter. You know what your monthly expenses are like so you can imagine what ours are like.

We have been blessed with a very caring community, and I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it: Thank you! Together we can make a difference in the life of a homeless animal.

It has been my experience that animals that are rescued from shelters seem to have a sense that they were saved and are extremely devoted to their new owners. With every lick and  purr, they seem to be saying thank you, thank you, thank you! I know I will spend the rest of  my rescue dog’s life making up for the first five years of her life.

Spoiled, you say… . You betcha!