Another year later....

I see it's been a year since I last posted here. I really never think to update this blog, I'm usually on Facebook where everyone can follow every move I make with the cats every day. I have cats to take care of so updating a blog isn't up on my list of things to do.

Just like last year, this summer has been terribly busy with more unwanted cats and kittens than we can possibly care for. It's unreal the number of phone calls I get every day, asking, begging, pleading for me to take in cats and kittens that people just don't want or can't keep any more.

Since I can't take them all, I know some will go to the SPCA. Not everyone wants to bring their unwanted cats there because the SPCA is a kill shelter and everyone knows it. They don't keep feral, unfriendly or sick cats around to put up for adoption. Then there are the people who just throw their cats and kittens out like trash. They throw them in the woods, in the river, along side roads, or in dumpsters. Yes, there are a lot of people who just don't care and throw them away. What makes me furious are the people who do that because they don't want the SPCA to kill the cats. I rather know that cats are euthanized humanely at a shelter than left to fend for themselves outdoors, getting squished by cars, eaten by fishers, coyotes, hawks, or shot by idiots who hate cats.

We can only do so much. :(

This past year we've taken in a record number of cats again. Adoptions are slow throughout the summer and picking up a bit now that it's fall. I hope to get most of the spring and summer kittens out of here and into their new homes very soon.

We're still low on funds, which also happens every summer. Just have too many mouths to feed and vet bills. There have been several very sick cats and one injured cat that have wiped out the bank account and drained the food supply. We're also low on health care products such as L-lysine, Ivermectin, wormer, FortiFlora as well as gauze pads, q-tips, absorbent under-pads (Chux). Capstar, Frontline and Advantage are always needed.

Food donations are always needed. We feed most of our adult cats 4Health All Life Stages from Tractor Supply. Kittens eat Purina Kitten Chow and Blue Buffalo (for kittens who need more calories). Some fussy cats arrive who only eat one certain type of food, so we accept donations of all brands. The cats and kittens also eat canned food, 4Health, Friskies Turkey and Giblets Pate, Fancy Feast kitten are what most of them eat. But again, we have cats who only eat certain things, so we'll feed them whatever they like.

Donations for vet bills are always appreciated. You can donate through the PayPal link on our website, or directly to the vet which is Pet Street Station in Norwich NY. We have hundreds of dollars in vet care a month.

We've jumped a huge hurdle on our quest for a building. The place we want the most should legally still be a commercial building, not residential. This means we can still move forward in trying to purchase it. We still need a ton of money to do this, but at least I know now I can buy it and put cats in there.

Well this is around a years worth of babble for now. Same as last year, bottom line is, we need money to continue to do this. Lots of money. It's a lot of work, frustrating, exhausting, and expensive. I'll continue doing what I can to help the cats and kittens until I stop breathing, but I need help. Nobody can do this alone, certainly not me. If anyone would like to volunteer to do some of the dirty work, let me know. We need foster homes, grant writers, people to help with fundraisers. If you want to help, we'll find a way to keep you busy.

Thanks for all your support last year and in the previous years. We can't do it all without you.

We have depleted most of our supplies this summer. Kittens have been arriving infested with fleas which we have to get rid of before they're allowed to mingle with the other cats. We treat them with Capstar then Frontline or Advantage. We use a lot of L-Lysine on the cats who arrive with colds and eye infections. As can be expected, we go through a LOT of litter pans, food and litter. I use at least 100 pounds of kitty litter every week.

 If you'd like to help us out by donating some of these things, we'd really appreciate it.
Amazon wish list

If you're local and have any supplies to donate, just give me a call at 843-4040 and we can make arrangements to pick it up. We do most of our cat shopping at Tractor Supply so gift cards are always welcome.

Thanks from the little ones at Little Mews Rescue!

back again!

It's been months since I've updated this blog. I'm usually posting on Facebook and forget this exists.
Little Mews always has news! We have kittens, lots of them. It's been a busy kitten season, which has lasted all summer and continuing into the fall. I still get calls every day from people who need to get rid of their unwanted cats and kittens, as well as from those who find them dumped along the road.

If only everyone would spay and neuter their cats, this madness would end someday. It's amazing how cruel some people can be to their animals. Creating more litters of kittens which are born only to die is just wrong.

We have some beautiful cats available for adoption and so many kittens, new ones arriving every single day. Check them out on Petfinder.com

Pathetic

I really can't stand liars.

Which cat or kitten to choose?

I'm always getting inquiries from people who want to adopt a special type of cat or kitten. I get lots of calls asking for particular breeds such as Siamese or Maine Coon cat. Those two breeds seem to be the most popular, I rarely get calls for Persians or any of the other breeds. Most of the cats we take in are your average domestic short hair mixed breed cats.

Most people seem to want to choose a cat by color. There's one woman who's called often to check back with me to see if I have a long hair orange male kitten. I've had a lot of calls for all white cats. Another called saying she wanted a pair of Seal Point, apple head, male, Siamese kittens, from the same litter. Sorry, but that's a tough order to fill.

I've had adopters want to adopt a certain color because their last cat was the same color. Some who have had a cat for a very long time and it dies, want a new cat exactly like the old cat. Some want something completely different. The reasons are so varied, but I ask so I can try to match cats to those who want them.

Since I post the adoptable cats and kittens on Petfinder and Adopt-a-Pet, everyone has the chance to see a photo and read a brief description. I do try to describe the cats and kittens and let people know who's cuddly and who prefers to be left alone. Also which cats should be adopted in a single cat home, that's important.

Last week a mom and two children stopped over to choose a kitten to adopt. This family had adopted a kitten from me two and a half years ago and thought it was time to adopt another. The mom said they didn't want a black and white cat because that's what the other cat is. They wanted  a different color. They liked the tortie/white females they saw on Petfinder.com.

They thought they had their mind made up based on photos they saw online After they arrived and played with the cats and kittens for a while, they had a difficult decision to make about which kitten they wanted the most. The mom fell in love with a cute  black and white kitten who purred in her ear. The son wanted to take home our senior cat, Lily, who is our own permanant resident with skin issues and not for adoption. The daughter sat on the couch with around five purring kittens piled on top of her, totally undecided on which one she loved the most. Every time a different kitten climbed on her, she loved that one too.

 I reminded the mom that she didn't want another black and white cat, which we laughed about several times as the little black and white kitten and his tuxedo sibling snuggled in the moms arms, wooing her with all their charm.

This family was here almost two hours, trying to decide which kitten they wanted to take home. While they were here, all their original ideas of age, sex, color, were tossed aside. They only wanted a cuddly, lovable cat or kitten, nothing else seemed to matter. If the son could have taken home any cat, it would have been Lily, our oldest cat in the house. He wanted to stay here and play with her all day. The mom and daughter would have taken home at least five different cats!

The finally chose one, Rose, one of the tortie sisters, who's around 6 months old and has had some health issues. Great choice. Rose is the perfect lap cat, they'll be happy with her.

Fall adoptions

Now that it's fall, adoptions are starting to pick up again. Summertime is usually a slow time for adoptions. People are busy in the summer, going on vacations, children are shuffled between parents and grandparents, just not enough time to consider adopting a new cat.
Another reason is that in the summer there is an over abundance of kittens. Every spring thousands of unwanted kittens are born around here. Every day the paper is loaded with ads for free kittens. The shelters and other rescues are packed to the rafters with kittens. There are just too many out there to choose from. All the youngest kittens are usually offered for free in the paper, that lowers the odds that someone will adopt from a rescue or shelter that asks for an adoption fee.
When kitten season is over and the youngest kittens are taken, we start getting calls from people who couldn't find homes for their free kittens. That's the time we start filling up with older kittens and momma cats that nobody wants. Many of them are sick, starved, crawling with fleas, worms and who knows what. We take them in, clean them up and start looking for homes.
In the fall, we have a large assortment of great older kittens and young adults ready for their new homes. After being here a while, the kittens are used to being held and played with and much more cuddly than when they are young. They're friendly, happy, and very affectionate. This is the best time to find a new cat or kitten.

A poem by Tigerose for Halloween

One cold and windy night
Feeling the homeless blight
A human came into my sight.

A tall black hat upon her head
I felt not an ounce of dread
As she took me out of my meager bed.

You are my own, my only one
Together we shall have such fun!
We will not ride into the Sun,
But to greet the shadows afore we are done!

So perch thee upon the stick
Mind the straw, for it can prick

Today we go about the town
None shall see,
None shall frown

It is our task, our duty fine
To keep our troth, it is a sign

When they shall see a shadow upon the moon
Not to sigh, not to swoon.

But know them well, that here we be
To keep safe all that we can see!

I spake unto the witch so rare
I am thy servant, true and fair.

tigerose 10/29/11