Posts Tagged Cats

Tomorrow is National Cat Day.  As a dedicated cat lover, I have been asked by my feline overlords to remind you that, while many cats have found loving and attentive human servants, there are many, many more orphaned and starving kittens who are sorely in need of a home.

If you can possibly find room in your home for a homeless cat, the folks over at the National Cat Day website have set up an adoption portal with links to the major adoption resources and sites, all of which are well-regarded.

If you already have a feline master or mistress (or a few), I would also remind you to ensure that you have them spayed or neutered, to prevent the growth of the already over-abundant population of homeless cats.  If you don’t already have a cat, and are in a position where adoption isn’t a feasible option, donations of food, old towels, and such are always welcome at shelters and cat fostering agencies.

If, however, you’re just not certain, well, there are so many things I could tell you about how living with my cats has added something to my life. They are such individual creatures, each one with a different personality.  Among my four are a vain, attention-seeking princess, a gentle giant, a roly-poly clown, and an ever-present helper. When I’m at rock-bottom and none of my human friends can cheer me up, they never fail to offer comfort or make me laugh in some way.

Some cats can be difficult, yes — one of mine can’t stand to be touched, and doesn’t like to cuddle — but sometimes the difficult cats can turn out to be the companions you miss the most.  My first cat, my constant companion for nearly 20 years, was notoriously mean to anyone who wasn’t me… but I still miss her, and stories of her antics still make family stories at gatherings.

Especially at this time of year – when cats, especially black cats, are most likely to fall victim to animal cruelty, and animal cruelty rates rise  – anything that you can do to help is welcome.

And so, I leave you with some pictures of my babies, who will be getting a fresh bag of catnip tomorrow in celebration of their special day.

Everyone wants control of the Box

Brother and Sister Mews

Pippin striking a provocative pose

Trillian loved Norbert The Dragon

Pippin Likes Sinks

Evil Mew In Training

Related articles:

• Halloween, black cats and animal shelters (timesunion.com)
• 3rd Annual Fur & Film Fete – Austin Can Haz Fewer Homeless Pets (austinist.com)
• Help us help them (thepetitionsite.com)

Just a quick reminder before I get to some real posts…  June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month in the US.  Any of you who read this blog regularly know that while I love all animals, cats, in particular, hold a cherished place in my heart.

I’ve been told, after rescuing yet another little beastie, that I can’t save all the cats in the world, but I can save one, or two, or even a few, and so can you.  If you’ve got room for a pet and are in a position where you’d be able to care for one, please consider getting a rescue cat rather than spending for the latest pure-bred trend. What could be better than saving a life?

If you have no room for a pet, can’t afford more pets, or if you cannot have pets in your apartment….consider donating or volunteering for your local no-kill animal shelters or rescue organizations.  They’re always in need of help, and there are things you can give, like food, towels, and such.  Just give them a call and ask what they need.

Every cat I’ve ever had was a rescue, and for the most part weren’t planned for.  They showed up at my house.  They were found, half-starved, in garbage dumpsters.  Never have I regretted my attempts to help any of them, and they have all enriched my life in some way, even if it’s just making me laugh, or offering comfort and companionship.

Due to irresponsibility on the part of humans – failing to get our pets spayed or neutered, abandoning them when we move to a new home, etc., there are homeless and starving animals everywhere.  The more we can place into a loving home, the better, for them and for us.

There are plenty of resources for anyone looking to adopt a pet.  Start at your local shelter, or try any of the following:

• Petfinder.com
• Adopt-A-Pet
• Humane Society Adoption Guide

Related articles by Zemanta

• Adopt a cat in June, fee will be waived (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

And the lists that go with it. Here goes:

Resolutions (ie. The things I need to Start Doing):

1. Update each of my blogs once a week. Even if it’s to say I don’t have anything to say.
2. Write at least 1000 words of fiction every day.
3. Do something involving physical activity at least three times a week. I’ve succeeded at the goal of changing how I eat. Now it’s time for the really hard part.
4. Learn to actually play my guitar instead of using it as a decorative household accessory.
5. Snuggle the cats and the BF more. Snuggle the keyboard and mouse less.

Un-Resolutions (ie. The things I need to Stop Doing):

1. No. More. Cats. Unless they’re outside. You’re bordering on crazy-cat-lady territory already, and can you really afford to buy more 20lb. bags of cat food and cat litter every week?
2. No more procrastination. True, it can wait until tomorrow…but it probably shouldn’t.
3. No more avoiding the hard stuff because it’s easier to just not do it at all.

Things I’m glad I did in 2008:

1. NaNoWriMo. I actually finished this year, and while it’ll take a lot of work to get it to a publishable form beyond the express 50,000 words, my idea seems original and actually marketable.
2. Putting up Yule decorations instead of being all scroogy and grrr during the holidays.
3. Learning to draw. I’m having a lot of fun with it, and getting better with each picture, and it feels like something worthwhile.
4. Discovering just how much I actually love cooking.
5. Going as green as is possible for someone living in a not-terribly-well-insulated house an hour’s drive from anywhere. It didn’t turn out to cost as much as I feared, and even ended up saving me some money in some places.
6. Finally, for the first time in my life, being able to look in the mirror and think “I am beautiful” and genuinely believe it.