Friday, November 2, 2012

The Cat Report

So, each week I volunteer one morning (Wednesdays) for Purrfect Pals, a no kill shelter that takes care of cats (and only cats). The main shelter is up in Arlington, but they operate adoption rooms throughout the Puget Sound region (you can see a map on the following link; clicking on any of the cat-faces will show which cats are at each site):

http://www.purrfectpals.org/adopt/BrowseCats.asp

Here's this week's report:



Wednesday, October 31st, 2012: Halloween

Quite a lot of changes in the past two weeks. Congratulations to Callista (Sorsha) for coming out of her shell at last, and to little Dopey for being the means whereby it happened and also benefiting by the change: great news that they're being adopted together.  Hope Mr. Niko and Cecelia get over their colds and are soon feeling better and can rejoin us.  And congratulations, since Wednesday, of sweet little Molly Tamale being adopted!

It really does feel like a whole new cat-room, with seven cats, only three of whom were there as long ago as last week (and they were newbies then). So to GABRIELLA (our little black dust-mop with the twisty tail) and Miss MOLLY (our pastel kitty) and Mr. BROTHERS (our beautiful brown tabby) are now added ASHWYN (a huge white and grey giant of a cat, weighing almost twenty pound and looking even bigger with all that fur), SEECONNIE (a sleek grey cat with a long, siamese-like face), little QUIBBLE (a beautiful tiny Siamese) and TARAH (all black & v. shy)

We started out with walks, as usual: Gabriella loves being carried around the store, purring all the while. When walking on her own feet, she (a) wanted to avoid dogs (they're bigger than me!) and (b) went up to people asking to be petted. Mr. Brothers did great, following a dog at one point, and ranged near and far, charming folks as he went. Little Quibble wanted to be carried, and was much fussed over. The other four were too nervous to try or else immediately wanted back in.

With only seven cats, there was room for everyone who wanted to come out of their cages to do so without being in another cat's face. Quibble and Tarah and SeeCon stayed in, mostly (S.C. did come out a little towards the end of morning), while Gabriella and Ashwyn and Mr. Brother and Molly all wanted out. Molly went into the blankets on the top shelf in the cabinet, which she thought bliss. She's obviously feeling much better, and even enjoyed playing the gopher game. Gabriella claimed the top of the cat-stand furthest from the door and relaxed as only a cat can relax: absolutely limp, deep deep asleep. She was happy to be petted from time to time, but it was being out she really enjoyed. Mr. Brothers did a lot of exploring; he and Ashwyn haven't quite worked out their relationship, but it seems like Brothers is content to be second in the cat-room pecking order and that Ashwyn is willing to accept that. They did have some competition over who'd get to be in the little box I brought (which had some catnip in the bottom); whoever wasn't in it immediately got in when the current resident left, back and forth several times. In addition to the box (which was far too small for him, making for an endearing and amusing sight) Ashqwyn also discovered Sheeba's rondel -- maybe it just appeals to supersized cats? -- while Mr. Brothers enjoyed going Up High.

Tarah was very nervous when taken out so I cd clean his cage: he hid first in the corner by the laundry, then in the bottom of the cabinet. Brothers and Ashwyn were interested in him in the first spot (I put the cat-litter container to block them off) but didn't know about the second. Quibble made herself small (quite a feat, given how small she is already); I put her atop the cat-stand by the door and covered her with a blanket, which seemed to help. SeeConnie eventually came out on his own for a while; he shd be fine once he gets used to the room.

Must say that Ashwyn and Gabriella and Mr. Brothers and little Quibble were all much admired by visitors and by-passers alike.


Health Concerns: don't think Tarah and Quibble feel altogether well -- both very quiet and low-key (though some of that was no doubt shyness). Tarah threw up while hiding by the laundry hamper: digested food and hair mixed together. No other sneezes or throw-ups, but Quibble's eyes look a little watery.  It was great to see Molly feeling so much better, and Gabriella keeping her fur nice and clean.


Also: went up to Arlington on Tuesday to turn over the lost cat I'd been taking care of for a week. His name is Mr. PITT, a v. friendly yellow-and-white fellow. He's a great cat; here's hoping he soon finds a good home.
   While I was there, I didn't get to see Mr. Niko or Cecelia, both of whom are in the sick room, but I did see CINI BON, who's living out her final months as a much-pampered office cat. Checking the website cat-listings afterwards, I see that four cats I remember from Tukwila are currently elsewhere in the system: SWEET PEA in Kirkland, BRIDGET in Bellevue, ELVIRA in Issaquah, and JOSIE in Everett. And of course while there I went into the Feline Leukemia room and petted the cats there, all of whom v. much wanted the attention (as had been the case on my one previous visit, back for training when I first started volunteering -- was it really two years ago?). It's a long drive, but good to have a reminder of all they do at the main shelter on the cats' behalf.

   And that's about it for this week.
--John R.


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