Good News about the Shelter Cats!

The Fairhaven Animal Shelter has officially closed. Cause for Paws took out fourteen cats, and all are safe now in foster homes. The Siamese, which I named Coco, has already been adopted, and is living happily in his new Forever Home. The little black kitten has been taken from a porch, which was getting mighty chilly, by a loving family on the Cape. They drove up to Mattapoisett on the Tuesday which was bone-chilling and terribly windy. That is a family which really cares! Cause for Paws hopes to find places to put the others, too, of course. Anyone interested in adoption should call Mary Lou Kobak at 508-758-9202. All the cats may be seen on Petfinder if you put in "cat" and the Mattapoisett zip code "02739".

Fairhaven shelter to hold LAST adoption day 12/13/09

The Cause for Paws organization has been working overtime to get as many cats out as we can before the closing date. We believe that those remaining will most likely be euthanized. The decision as to which ones to take was heart-breaking, but those most likely to be adopted were selected first. (I told the staff that I was reminded of the internment camps of World War II.) My own new little guys are really sweet. I am currently hosting a beautiful dark-pointed Siamese whom I have named Coco after my favorite cat of all time. He is quite shy, but don't worry, I will hug him into submission. No one escapes my clutches without knowing what it is to be loved......His companion is Yum Yum (both names from the "Mikado"), a big orange striped boy. Yummy is extremely friendly and eager to get out of their room and meet everyone else. They will be isolated for a while to get used to their new comfortable arrangements, so different from cages! What wonderful gifts for someone at Christmas...... All the C for P volunteers have their cat rooms stuffed right now. Anyone looking for a fascinating feline should call Mary Lou at 508-758-9202 or me, Judie, at 508-748-1231.

YUN ZI "son of cloud"

The San Diego Zoo announced on Tuesday, November 17, that the little cubbie's name will be "Yun Zi" pronounced yoon geee(soft g). It means "son of cloud". His mother is Bai Yun, or white cloud, so it is very appropriate. The naming ceremony included the deputy consul general from the Los Angeles Consulate, Sun Weide, who spoke about the partnership between the zoo and China. Many of our patrons participated in the voting, so here is the breakdown of the more than 17,000 that were cast:
Yun Zi son of cloud 28%
Xiao Long little dragaon 26%
Xiog Wei extraordinary bear 20%
Yong Xiang eternally blessed 14%
Fu Sheng blissful San Diego 12 %

We've all had a great time watching this cutie's progress. Let's continue to do so and watch him enter the big world with his mother soon!

UPDATE FOR THE PANDA FANATICS

The staff now 'fesses up that we're panda devotees. We have the San Diego Zoo panda cam minimized on our second circulation computer at all times! When we have a moment we all check in to see what's happening. As of October 3rd, we know that it's a boy, and that at last week's checkup he weighed in at a rol- poly 6.4 pounds. At the website you can watch a video of each medical checkup if you want to track his development Last week, he protested loudly when given his first distemper innoculation (who wouldn't), and the vets had to rush and finish since Mom Bear is not too far away, and could hear him bleat. ( Each exam is conducted only when Bai Yun is outside the den eating bamboo, so that she doesn't fret about the cub. After almost two months of nursing him, she feels more comfortable leaving than she did at first, obviously.) She has had four cubs before and is a very experienced mother. I particularly enjoy watching her give him a bath, which usually occurs about noon EST, or 9 a.m. where they are in California. Since he is quite big now, she tosses him around a little like a football-not an inch is missed with that wet tongue! I'm sure it feels wonderful to our little cubbie. A final note: All panda cubs are named on their 100th day, according to Chinese custom. The zoo has not announced whether or not they'll have a naming contest. If they do, you may enjoy participating. Five names, in Chinese with their English equivalents, are usually listed, and it's fun to pick one. Meanwhile, happy viewing, there's no way this little guy won't put a big smile on your face!

HOMER'S ODYSSEY

I have been reading the most fascinating, charming book. NPR thought the same and devoted an entire program to it. The full title is: "Homer's odyssey, a fearless feline tale, or how I learned about love and life with a blind cat." The author, a writer, was asked by a shelter she had dealt with to come see a handicapped cat. Since she already had two healthy, lively ones, she thought what would I do with another who couldn't move or defend himself? When she spoke with the vet, it was explained that the 3 week old black kitten had been brought in, eyes still shut, with obviously severe optic infections. Taking pity on him, it was decided to perform the surgery to remove the eyes to save his life. (Remember, the cat had never "seen" since it's infant eyes had never opened.) Gwen Cooper described her first sight of him as daunting, to say the least, since he had a huge cone, or lampshade, device around his tiny head to prevent him from clawing at the two x stiches on the lids. What instantly bonded her to him was the fact that he immediately started purring and snuggling, and that surprisingly his face did have a lot of expression to it since the muscles around the eyes were still functioning. Once home, the author had to plan how to introduce the kitten to his new surroundings. She hit upon a series of steps, which she still follows if they move or are visiting. First, place the litter box and let him orient from that; then food and water, toys, etc. It is commonly known that people deprived of one sense overcompensate with others. Indeed Homer has extraorinarily acute smell, touch-whiskers- and memory of what is where, e.g. furniture. (He will sometimes circle the walls first). The only thing she must never do is MOVE anything. In the NPR interview she said if she had left her slippers out and he tripped on them, for days he'd avoid that area of her bedroom.....The great lesson of this fabulous tale is that facing life's challenges with little fear is daunting, but a hurdle we must not be afraid to confront. having Homer around as a fabulous example must be pure delight!
Final note: Friends had urged the author to name him Sammy (after Sammy Davis), or Ray (after Ray Charles). It just came to her one day to name him after the blind poet who wrote so beautifully about life's voyage (The Odyssey), from which she quotes frequently.

PANDA-MONIUM!

It's time to power up those panda cam screens once again. The San Diego Zoo is home to a 9 day old little squeaker. It will be a while before zoo veterinarians will be able to determine the sex since the mother and infant are kept in strict isolation to help insure their healthy bonding. Bai Yun seems to be devoted to her offspring, and every hope is that all will go well because this is her fifth offspring. When you zoom in on the den, you usually see Bai in a ball, presumably the baby is between her great black paws. In this posture, she resembles the great Yin and Yang Chinese symbol. Patience, and returning often to the screen, will reward you with glimpses of the teeny one and Mom's gentle re-positioning for more comfort. As time goes by, we'll have more opportunities to peek at the teeny pink bear. Other zoos such as those in Atlanta and Washington DC have been generous in providing cams in the past. Unfortunately, neither had good luck being home to a cub this year. We all wish our local zoos could have a panda, but China requires over a million dollars to have them on loan, and only the largest insitutions can be so fortunate. So, take a trip to one of these great cities and fall in love with these fabulous creatures, as the rest of us have!

Desperate House---cats and dogs.....

I was emailing a friend this summer, and he mentioned that this would probably be the last he spent with his best friend, his Lab, Chip. What to say when you know pain lies ahead, but want to make the next few months the best you can for both of you? So many people speak to me about making that dreaded decision, as I wrote in some detail in "Little Bee , RIP". (Best advice is to share all your feelings with sympathetic friends.) ....... However a new wrinkle has come up. Recently, the husband of a new foster mom said he couldn't stand letting their visiting cat go to his forever home, he'd gotten too attached after only two months. Now, this is a painful dilemma faced by all foster care givers. The whole point of our work is to provide a caring home where animals' social skills can develop in order for them to MOVE ON to their forever home. If we can't detach well, the system breaks down. Now, to be honest, a lot of us do keep animals that for one reason or another we can't bear to part with. (My tortie, Emma, was so sick for so long, that after bottle-feeiding her for weeks, I simply couldn't get her out of my pocket!). ......However, if we don't prepare ourselves to absorb those twinges of loss, we either become hoarders, or give up rescue altogther-both bad prospects. So.....in this time of great need, I urge anyone interested to realize that your pain of loss bears no resemblance to the ache animals feel left in cages at shelters for months, most likely to be euthanized in the end. We must get them ALL out!!! Join foster care groups. It's a labor of love.

The heat is on........

So you think two three-pound kittens can't burn down a library? Wrong..... While "Peanut Butter" and "Jelly" were visiting the library, they stayed in my office, and managed to get into REAL mischief. I was out front talking with patrons for over an hour, and decided to quickly check out to see if they were asleep. Looking in the door's window, all seemed serene as they were smugly sitting quietly on the desk and computer. Fortunately, I decided to go in and give them a pat and put more food in their dishes. However, upon entering I smelled fire. At first I assumed the smell was coming in the open window from someone burning rubbish outside. Then, as I approached my desk, I was horrifed to see smoke rising from my leather blotter! The little monsters had been playing with the dangling cord which turns on my green glass banker's light . Apparently, they had managed to yank on it, which turned it on, and knocked it over. The bulb was rapidly raising the temperature of the blotter to the point of bursting into flame. Good thing I went in, that's for sure. Meanwhile Rosemary, our children's librarian, came running in and raced with the blotter out to the back steps. Whew! We laughed, but the Marion FD wouldn't have found it funny at all. (Especially since they had already rescued one of my other guys-detailed in Emma vs. the MFD. )

ALLEY CATS ALLIED

A headline in the local paper recently read "OFFICIALS TO TRAP FERAL CATS". Reading further, I noted that the healthy ones would be taken to local shelters, and those that were "ill" would be destroyed. There is no question that if a huge colony had been allowed to develop in Freetown, it was problematic as to how to control it or fix the situation. As a rescue person myself, I look at this situation from a totally different perspective. The Marion library is obtaining pamphlets from Alley Cats Allied, an advocacy group, describing what to do with strays in your neighborhood and why killing off ferals will not stop the population from growing once again in an area where there is food (and, of course, is inhumane, except for those who are truly ill). Basically: you are not being kind in just feeding a stray that comes to your door. After inquiring with neighbors as to whether or not he/she is owned, the kindest thing to do is to trap the cat and have it spayed or neutered. ( I will volunteer to have a jar on the library counter to help raise funds. ) Then, release it. As the feral cat advocacy experts say: Ferals like living away from humans. If there is a food source, they will stay in that area and be content. Spaying and neutering all strays, hopefully one by one, will keep the colony from growing. Then, folk may feed them, and even provide outdoor shelter, to their heart's content. I will be writing more about this as events unfold. The Freetown Library, where this is happening, will have information to help their citizens, too. There's a lot of work involved in loving animals, but we can do it together!

R.I. "Pee" Little "Bee"

Yesterday I had to say goodbye to my little black cat . Boston Blackie, known as Bee, was a tiny little girl with front legs that had never grown properly and were too short, so she always walked, and ran, at a tilt. She was my first foster-care baby, and like so many before me, I couldn't give her up. Coming from a feral background, she exhibited many of the traits of her wild ancestors, fearing strangers, and people in general. However, she loved my other cats and soon became a part of the pack, sleeping and eating, and playing with them every day. I could get near her at feeding time, always patting and stroking her to keep up a connection. Over the Fourth of July weekend I noticed she wasn't running into the kitchen to her bowl with the others. I soon discovered her hiding under one of the beds. This is usually not a good sign with any animal because when they're really feeling sick, they hide. As each day went by, I hoped for the best, that she'd be out and about, but by Monday I knew she was seriously ill. The big dilemma was: how to capture her and get her to the vet's. I called upon my good friend Carol, who is a cat caregiver herself, to try to shoo her out one side of the quilt so that I could grab her in a blanket and drop her into a carrier. Bee just screamed and ran. Then we knew we had to get the Animal Control Officer to come help. Sue King warned me that she would have to use a noose on a pole, and , wearing heavy gloves, she dragged Bee, yelling at the top of her lungs, and managed to get her into the carrier. There was no other way.......We drove to the emergency hospital in Buzzards Bay where they are equipped to deal with all kinds of situations. I had to put "she can't be handled" on the intake form.......When we got into an examining room with an ER vet we discussed our dilemma. (Bee was silent all this time, feeling safe in the box.) Dr. Robertson said that in order to determine what was wrong, a cat that was so wild would have to be sedated. All the necessary tests would be very expensive, and then we had the dilemma of how to administer medication if she couldn't be handled at all. Also, since she was very ill, it was most likely that she'd have to come back for re-checks. This meant calling the ACO again and terrorizing B. The decision to end her suffering had to be made, but it was very, very painful because I still didn't know WHAT was WRONG? I did remember that she'd had 10 happy years in my house that she never would have had outside with her mother. The head of Cause for Paws also told me that no one else would have adopted her with those bizarre legs. So, I just had to let go and keep remembering her funny little self. One final note. At this wonderful hospital they have a special way of dealing with the death of animals like Bee who are very frightened of being touched. They kept the carrier temporarily, and Dr. Robertson said it would very gently be tipped into a large glass enclosure where she would lie and fall asleep as gas was administered. Only after this, would the final anaesthetic be given to her. This kind of tender loving care and respect for shy Bee's need to be separate, though loving her caretakers for sure, is rare and wonderful. I am so grateful to the doctors and techs and my friends for all their support and wisdom at this time of sadness. A little black shadow flitted through my kitchen last night-just a glimpse......

MIA GOES TO HER FOREVER HOME

Momma Mia, a little black and white tuxedo girl, was adopted last Sunday. She had been with me for almost three months, and had become a wonderful lap cat, after overcoming her original shyness. Rescued by Cause for Paws from the Fairhaven shelter, her story was a sad one. She had been left there pregnant, had her kittens, and was left behind once they were adopted.

That meant she spent most of her life in a cage. Unfortunately, in this type of situation, when the cats are let out at night to play, by a volunteer, they often fight because they aren't socialized with one another, not forming an inter-active group as they would in a home. Mia was attacked, and her left eye was injured. When we rescued her, it was uncertain whether nor not she would be partially blind. Luckily, the vet said she only had a scratched cornea, and it would heal in time. (She still looks as if she has a contact lens in that eye).



She settled in quickly at my house with her former shelter companion, a big, black cat named Loulou. This "sister" was recovering from surgery to remove a collar which had become imbedded in her neck. Her unkind owners had never removed it as she grew. Infection followed, and she needed medication when she arrived . Recuperating, they both enjoyed lolling on a bed in my guest room, gazing out at the hallway, waiting for the other cats to stroll by and peer in. Eventually, though, their natural curiosity prevailed, and they were soon roaming from room to room, learning to tolerate a Siamese and two Scottish Folds, among others.



When, Juliette, Mia's new mom, originally called about her, I told her a cute story to illustrate the cat's charming personality. M. acts more like a little dog than a feline. She comes when called, particularly for food, and at bedtime runs up the stairs to her room by herself. Loulou insists on being carried up, and Mia races us to their door everynight without fail. On the way, we always pass their foster sisters and say goodnight to all of them. Of course the lure is a snack-treat, which no one else gets. You know they must love getting away with that!



Mia has now been re-named Rosie and sports a spiffy pink collar, as she will be an indoor cat . Juliette brought a fancy round carrier for her, too, and insisted on seat-belting her in the front seat of the mini van. There's no doubt that she is one of the family, and will be doted on and much loved. A wonderful ending to this rescue story, don't you think?

CAT WHISPERER REVEALED

Your blogger no longer has a secret identity! I came across this picture of me and Yum Yum when I was weeding out old feline photographs and confining them to their own album. They all needed to be organized with names and dates. Entirely too many of the little guys were all black or orange-"Who was that?-Socksy or Felix-I can't remember." So, each one received a caption on the back for historical purposes.....You might ask why was this particular kitten is pretending to be a mini Dracula? Well, he had come from a litter with a Bad Mom. She apparently lost interest in her tiny brood after a few weeks. The woman taking care of them all was beside herself, trying to feed the little guys with bottles. I've done this myself, and believe me, it's not as cute as it looks on Animal Planet. They scream and get very messy and sticky with formula all over them. (It's off to the sink with a sponge at this point.) Yum came into my possession at five weeks. Most kittens are weaned at about four, but some really love to suck as long as their mother will permit, much as come children can't seem to let go of their thumbs! YY was one of these, and at any opportunity would curl up on my shoulder and latch onto my neck or collar. It seemed to be so soothing that I didn't have the heart to pry him off. Gradually, he grew out of this odd habit, but you know he never purred throughout his whole life. I wonder if that wonderful instinct never developed since he lost his mom way too early--so sad. Otherwise, I'm happy to say that he led a long, happy life and was much doted on by everyone who knew him.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I thought I'd throw open the blog for everyone to send me samples of unusual, hysterical, rhyming-you name it-pet names-perhaps with a brief sentence or two about WHY they are worthy of comment. You may send them to my email jkleven@sailsinc.org, and after I get another list, I'll publish them here. Meanwhile, I'm enclosing my list of laughable and intriguing names that I've come across lately.
Judie's Felines:
Literary: Jane Eyre(Bronte), Emma Woodhouse(Austen)

Siamese: KoKo & Yum Yum (Gilbert& Sullivan's Mikado), Tuptim (The King and I).

Scottish Folds: Robert the Bruce (historic hero), Fiona MacDougal(FEE!), Lorna Doone-
Blackmore(historical novel and shortbread cookie)

LAUGH-OUT-LOUD from Darby Conley's "Get Fuzzy"
Quentin Tabbytino (Siamese is determined to direct a movie)
Meowsolini-Bucky cat is a bossy, overbearing, tan & brown s-i-a-m-e-s-e
Ditto: Kitty Amin, Ghenghis Khat

Others of note:
Entropy-cat who couldn't walk a straight line, or much at all-so was inert, as his name indicates.

Sugar-ironic moniker of library staffer's ball o' fluff who was mean as they come-sister of Pepper & Salt

Snappy-beloved cat of children's librarian-- however lived up to her name-very cranky.

More Cute Names from a reader:
Klause (pronounced Claws in Germany)

Let's not forget our canine friends:

These are real:
Killer- Pekinese
Sweetie-Doberman
Ophelia-Cocker who used to gaze into his water bowl just like Shakespeare's doomed damsel.
Rumplestiltskin, Old Blue Eyes, and Amazing Grace!





Pekinese (tiny)-Killer, Doberman (huge)-Sweetie

ANDY AND DELILAH

Nope, I don't mean "Samson and Delilah". Andy is our Ragdoll, who already has two blogs telling his story up until now. This new tale comes from Carol, one of our foster moms, referred to earlier as my Wheel Man. At any rate, Carol took in D., or Lilah, to save her from being euthanized at a local shelter. She, the cat that is, had a very bad "rep"; she fought with all the other girls and was nasty when people came to visit and she was briefly let out of her cage. D. remained unspayed after nine months because she kept going into heat. Cause for Paws felt this was very cruel, so arranged to have the operation done, and Carol was to provide a safe, quiet refuge for her to recover in. It was expected that the cat would not be much fun, that is not respond to affection, toys, or cajoing with treats, etc. Well......as you can imagine, just the reverse occurred. Carol said Delilah was sweet, charming, delicate, shy maybe, but very easy to care for. We all assumed that having total peace and quiet, no other cats, and Carol to dote on her had made all the difference. Maybe it did, but soon enough a new challenge to all this serenity arrived in the form of Andy (whose new mom calls him Cesar). Carol was doing some pet sitting, and is quite skilled at gauging as to whether or not her charges can get along well. She debated introducing D and C (or A), but then decided to see if they could play together, rather than being isolated. As she tells it, after only one night, she opened both their doors and Andy, who is rambunctious to put it mildly, walked gently up to D. and, like a perfect gentleman gave her a chaste kiss of hello. She readily accepted this overture and for two days they played together and became fast friends. So now we can tell everyone that she is really ready for adoption and can even join a family with another quiet, well-behaved feline like herself! ABRACADABRA

CATS & COLLARS GO MISSING

I posted a sad little poster on Saturday asking if anyone had seen a young black cat with a red collar anywhere around our village. You might think it was good to have this distinguishing feature on the little guy. After all, there are oodles of black cats, but how many sport a brightly colored leather accessory? However, if the cat is not inside the house ALL the time, a collar can be lethal. It can get caught on bushes and branches-not always letting the animal go easily. I myself almost lost my Abyssinian, Missy, permanently when she got her front foot caught in her collar--don't ask.....Back in the day, we used to put flea collars on all our cats and let them out. it took her five days to get back to the house. It is no longer necessary to do such a thing since all vets recommend the drops which are placed on the back of the neck and work very well to rid the cat of fleas and ticks. I hope there are few of these posters this Spring as we all are very much aware of the large coyote population in our area. It's tempting to let our animals out for "fresh air", but I think we need to be thinking in terms of a little gazebo or screened in area to keep them safe and sound.

OCTO-PUS-ONALITY

This is an invitation to all you readers and friends to stop by the library and "name" our octopus. He is the great big purple guy hanging in the children's room-our mascot, created by local artist Lynne Parks Kuhl. So far : Inky, Scylla (Homer's monster which was described as having tentacles), Octie.....More will be added as we get them. After a few weeks, we'll put all the suggestions on a big poster and pick the one the staff feels best suits our" seasonal" guy. (Currently he's sporting flowers, spades and watering cans in honor of Spring.) New suggestions: Octavia, Sophia, Purple People Eater.....

HE'S BAACK---FURTHER ADVENTURES OF ANDY

Well, it's time to update Raggedy Andy's story. I wrote about him earlier, telling the tale of this poor, lost, beautiful white Ragdoll kitten found on the streets of Dartmouth. Once he was seen in the library EVERYBODY wanted him. He had actually been adopted several weeks ago. We were waiting to have him neutered when he developed severe symptoms of an upper respiratory infection-snuffly nose, coughing. He had taken medicine twice before to "cure" him, but apparently nothing worked. A friend, Carol, who is my Cat" Wheels" person, ran him once again to the vet, who prescribed yet another antibiotic in the hopes of curing it once and for all. Unfortunately, right before his neutering appointment, the sneezing started again. His new "mom" has been so patient, waiting for three weeks, but was concerned that there might be some underlying serious problem, so awaited the vet's clearing him to be taken home. Finally, a change in diet was tried-dry food only, using CORE Wellness food , and he seems to be OK, finally. He's back at my house now, making friends again with his old pals. We thought he'd never be able to go to his Forever Home. Needless to say, I would have kept him, snuffles and all, but it looks like he'll join his new brother, Cosmo, on Friday! In 24 hours I've discovered he'll make friends with anybody and loves a bathtub-even with water in it---don't ask.......

ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE LIBRARY

There's a new sign on our lobby door which reads "We welcome four-footed visitors". So many of our patrons bring their pets in to visit that we've decided to honor them by posting their names on a sign. Of course all get treats, so that is a great lure. Some even come right behind the circulation desk because they know where the kibbles are kept! (You know who you are Merry and Honey.....)

We greet by name:

• Lily (has her own library card)
• Merry
• Honey
• Abigail
• Magnus
• Andy (Ragdoll cat)
• Molly (cat)
• Wanda (cat)
• Koby (cat)
• Mason (cat)
• Emma (cat)
• Nicholas
• Annabelle
• Rosie
• Tweety (in absentia-Parakeet)
• Suzie Q (Parakeet-in spirit) and......
  Oodles of kittens..........

HOARDING--A DISASTER FOR PETS

Hoarding occurs when someone keeps too many pets of any kind in close quarters-it could be a house, shed, barn or a combination of all three. (It may not necessarily be a puppy or kitten mill for profit, but denial about good care may be just as harmful.) Usually, there is no effort made to spay/neuter them, so they keep breeding. Since cats/dogs don't recognize family relationships, relatives will mate and the offspring soon begin showing signs of severe genetic damage, or do not live long. The first cat I fostered for Cause for Paws was the result of such a tragedy. Luckily, "Boston Blackie" only suffers from very short front legs. She looks a little like a Chihuahua. Of course this impairment doesn't bother her around the house, but she would never survive outside. Another adoptee of mine, Kodiak, was born with bent front legs and couldn't walk at all. The vet was able to splint them when he was very young and he learned to walk on these tiny sticks with pink covers-looked cute- but hated hobbling around when he should have been running until they straightened out.....What should you do if you become aware of such a situation in your area? The difficulty in confronting a neighbor is that there are legal issues of property rights to consider. However, if you suspect neglect of animals you can contact your local Animal Control Officer or shelter. They have officers trained to handle such situations. Most of us are primarily concerned with the health and happiness of those with no voice. Speak out if you feel you must.

ALL THE BIRDIES GO TWEET TWEET TWEET

I heard a great story from one of our good library patrons. An avid reader. Bob H. often comes in to check out books, and when he does we swap cat/bird tales. Of course I'm always threatening to send a few of my "guys" down his way to deal with his lively birds. Sadly, the female parakeet (at least he thinks " she" was) died a short while ago. The male seems quiet- contented with his lot, and maybe even happier now that he has Bob's attention all to himself. What a paradise-the cage door is always left open so he can come and go as he wants-even to putting himself to "bed" at night all on his own.....The quirk that got my attention today, however, was that Bob said the little chirper now sings along with the radio-loves contemporary pop. However, NO JAZZ-maybe can't scat?? Perhaps the syncopation is too complex?..... I suggested that he turn the dial to classical music-see if Mozart or Bach does the trick. If not, my felines could come down to provide some lessons......Reminds me of the UTube film phenomenon of the parrot dancing to the Back Street Boys. Boy, that parakeet family sure has rhythm. CHIRP, PEEP-and BEE BOP A LOOLAH!

COPY CAT/ or B&W x 2

As you all have surmised by now, the population of felines at my house rises and falls like the tide, depending on the season and crowding of our shelters. Right now, shall we say, I'm at Peak Capacity. Having said that, I will tell you what happened over the weekend. The weather here in Massachusetts has been sunny and much warmer than usual, so I allowed two of my own cats permission to go out on the deck . Later in the afternoon I was surprised to see my little foster Tuxedo (black and white) , Socksy, sitting on the railing looking in the kitchen window at me. My cat, Jane was nearby, so I opened the back door and they both ran in. About an hour later, I
heard great hissing and growling coming from the stairs and headed that way to see which ones were fussing at each other. "Socksy" met me halfway, very upset, and tried to attack my legs. Luckily, I had on jeans and received only a minor scratch , but I told her she'd better calm down, or the shelter's cages loomed. I couldn't figure out why this normally shy and sweet girl was so agitated and agressive. Climbing the stairs, I heard meowing, so I went to check on the Ragdoll kitten and little all-black foster girl. To my GREAT SURPRISE, there was Socksy sitting calmly in the doorway to her room. Uh oh.....Who was downstairs in the kitchen? Doing rapid calculations, I realized that he must be new in the neighborhood, was curious, and came in to see what was going on in this house! After an hour or so, he got scared, and that was why he tried to claw me and was so upset. I ran to the front door, opened it, and luckily he ran out! Now I'm wondering if my house is becoming one of those magnets, attracting all sorts of strays......By the way, did you know that during the Great Depression, when many people were walking the roads looking for work, sympathetic homeowners would come out with soup and bread, even if they could not help them in any other way. The so-called "hobos" would then draw primitive pictures of cats on their fences, telling other travellers that" here dwells someone with a kind heart". I'd like to think that my fence has lots of these drawings-even if they are invisible to the naked eye.....

CROSSING THE RAINBOW BRIDGE....PET LOSS

I'm going to write a story about dealing with the death of pets---putting off the inevitable, finding a sympathetic vet, surrounding yourself with friends who care and have been through it themselves. I'd like to solicit tales from all of you about your experiences. You may send them to my email jkleven@sailsinc.org. I will use only your pet's name in this blog, so that you will remain anonymous. The biggest problem seems to be WHEN to do IT. We all put the decision off too long, much too often, thinking of our own pain (I'm a murderer), rather than the increasing discomfort of our beloved animal. I'm hoping, through our empathetic writing, to help each of us to pass through this process with less pain and hesitation. I'll confess right up front that I waited too long when it was my Siamese, KoKo's, time. After weeks of lethargy and little appetite, and vet appointments, one Sunday morning, I could stand it no longer and took him to the wonderful folks at Buzzards Bay Veterinary Associates. The first thing they said to me was "You're performing a great mercy". I'll never forget that, nor their gently handing him to me wrapped in a soft fleece so that I could hold him until it was time to let him go---forever.
February 13th I just learned that little Bijou, beloved pet of my friend/cat sitter and advisor Carol, crossed the Bridge a few days ago after a long, valiant struggle with Diabetes. They were both so fortunate to share each other's company for many years-even travelling to Florida by airplane. (Beej wasn't too thrilled with zooming through the air, you can bet!)

RAGGEDY ANDY-PURRFECT RAGDOLL READY TO BE ADOPTED

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It was about 10 degrees here in Marion yesterday, when I was given a little bundle of wiggling happiness-a Ragdoll-mix kitten about six months old. This type of cat lives up to its name-it is floppy and friendly, just like a big toy. Andy is creamy white and has the "points'", or colored areas around the eyes and paws, much like the Siamese and Himalyans. Big blue eyes follow you everywhere. The "raggies" are known to be low-keyed, but playful at the same time. This little guy had been in my house only a few hours when he wanted to be in my lap purring up a storm. (I told him he needed to give lessons to my other shy guys. ) The only problem I have now is that he wants OUT of his room to explore every nook and cranny of the house. As I wrote in the blog about adding new animals to a household, PET INTROS., this will happen slowly because the other cats aren't too sure what Andy is all about. He's like the the kid on the playground who just comes up and says, "Let's play now!". Rags are known to have many other dog-like qualities too, such as just wanting to be with you all the time...... What's not to like?....... For more information about R.A. please call CAUSE FOR PAWS at 508-758-9202 or email me: jkleven@sailsinc.org. Monday 2/9/06 update: Andy is all over the house, making friends right and left. He's a little like Speedy Gonzales of cartoon fame. After a few hours of this, it's "nap time" and he is put in his room to quiet down. Every object is a toy, but his favorite is the laser light pen-He can't EVER seem to catch the darn thing!

PET INTROS. NO MATCH.COM

So you've decided to add a pet to your household.....It could be another cat, or maybe a dog to a feline household. Number One Rule----Be patient! The new pet must be isolated in a separate room for several days, or up to a week, before meeting a new "sibling". Family members should spend a lot of time with Fluffy or Fido, insuring that he/she will begin to feel at home. Then, by going back into the rest of the house, carrying the pet's scent, the other four-footed member(s) will be aware that something new is in town...... The STANDARD TIMES recently printed an angry letter from a rescue worker who was responding to a previous column. Apparently, a rescued Retriever had chased the new owner's cat mercilessly. As she said, "It is absolutely absurd to expect a strange animal let loose in your home to instinctively understand how to behave correctly." From my experience, this goes for multiple cat households, as well as dog/cat mixed ones. We Cause for Paws workers are always at the end of the phone with gentle suggestions as to how to accomodate our curious/fearful/in-your-face/bouncy/friendly rescues and to get them integrated calmly and successfully. The article's author, Liz Fay, also added a website to help with canine/feline peaceful interaction: http//www.canismajor.com/dog/dogscats.html. Good luck to all you new owners with hearts and homes big enough to care for the many, many homeless animals in need of much TLC!

EMMA VS. THE FDMA

Emma is a Tortie. That is, she has black, brown, white and a few orange stripes and the very lively personality of this type of cat. I acquired her due to very unusual circumstances. Her mother, brothers and sisters were rescued from a shelter, and my job was to care for them until they were ready to go to their forever homes. When they arrived, it was an extremely hot September day, so I opened the window. They all settled into my cosy"kitten room" and seemed happy to be there together away from cages and prying eyes. The next morning, while it was still dark, I went into the room to check on them and couldn't find mom. She wasn't with them, on the couch, in the closet.....Then, I looked at the window. She had pushed out the screen, apparently run along the eaves, climbed down a tree and run away! Though several of us searched and called over the next few days, she was never found again.

The dilemma now was: How to feed five hungry little mouths.....Luckily, I had a bottle left from a previous litter and one can of kitten milk. I put calls in to the head of Cause for Paws and my cat-savvy good friend, Carol, and said "Help!" Then, I packed them all up in a carrier and took them to the library, where teams of friends fed them in my office. It was a pretty crazy time....Long story short--I ended up keeping Emma because she became ill and stayed with me for ten weeks, and of course I was very attached to her.

According to the vet, bottle-fed kittens tend to be behavior problems because we humans don't discipline them the way the mother cat does. Emma is very naughty, not bad, just naughty. She climbs curtains, digs at furniture, wakes me up, jumps on the other cats.....but she sure is cute!

When the weather is good, most cats want to be outside. When it's warm I let mine go into the backyard for a while around noon on weekends. They really love running around in the grass. This past Fall, after playing, Emma did not come in. For several days she did not appear. I feared the worst- that the coyotes in the woods had gotten to her since that is always a danger around here. Finally, I went out on the deck , called one last time, and heard a faint "meow" from the top of the trees. She was about 30 feet up and no way was she coming down for me or food.

My gardener said he didn't have a ladder that high. I then called the vet's and they said to call the fire department. I said, "You're kidding". The tech laughed and said,"They really might help." So.....I called and explained who I was and that I was REALLY EMBARASSED. The Chief was really helpful and said he'd send out a detail to my house right away. ( He never even hinted that he knew the old axiom that you never see cat skeletons in trees.) I told the library staff that I was heading for home, and after we laughed a lot, I met three firefighters backing into my neighbor's driveway. How they moved that huge rig so precisely is a mystery to me.....

The backed right up to the tree, and then began moving a huge, moveable ladder (for tall buildings) into place. It reminded me of a scene from the TV show "Rescue Me". One of the guys took Emma's carrier with him on the high platform. Soon it was swinging back down again, and he said, "She bit me right through my glove!" Apparently, the noise had terrified her, and she actually jumped down to the ground as the ladder was descending. Whew! Talk about nine lives. At this point I think Emma has used up about eight of hers. She's confined to the house, and now no longer climbs trees, just curtains. Oh well.....

STATIC GUARD

JK, who is a great reader, in the library a lot, and one of my orphan cat adopters, asked a good question yesterday. (Her mother was concerned that she had been given poor advice by a friend). She wondered " Is it OK to pat your cat during the cold winter since you might administer a shock and hurt them?" Now that is indeed a problem, but there are solutions. We've all walked across the carpet and reached out to a pet (not just cats) and given them a little shock, even seen a spark fly occasionally, particularly in a dim room. One thing to do, of course, is NOT to pat a pet after strolling across the rug! Sit down, wait a minute or so, and then haul them into your lap, perhaps using a brush to interact with all that fur. Another easy solution, according to our Children's Librarian, is to wet your hands in the kitchen sink first (just a little bit). Bottom line: physical interaction with your pet, be it cat, dog, ferret, hamster, is important for its welfare and your happiness. So........during these very cold days, just be a little bit thoughtful and patient. Don't reach and grab-go slowly.....If there should be a tiny shock, it won't hurt anyone-----I promise.

TOOTH "HURTY"

No, not a time of day, but a little laugh about a "sore" topic. My Siamese cat, Tuppy, has been turning his nose up at his kibbles, rather than diving in like his brothers and sisters. Since dry food is best for them, that is all I usually provide. One day recently he even pushed them all out of his bowl onto the floor. I began to be very suspicious at this behavior, and worried about his not eating. So, after he had rejected a few meals, I went to the pantry and found an "emergency" can of Fancy Feast. Well, he practically dove in. That told me that there was nothing wrong with his appetite or tummy, rather it must be a sore mouth. ( Obviously, kibbles would really hurt aching teeth or gums. ) The vet had told me a year ago that Siamese are notorious for bad teeth, and at 10 years old Tuppy was due for some serious problems. He will probably have to have a few taken out, unfortunately, maybe even one fang. .....This leads me to today's lesson: Watch for changes in your pet's behavior. Some injuries are obvious, like a limp or cut, and can be attended to quickly. Others, like Tuppy's, are difficult to diagnose since animals can't "tell us where it hurts". Also, unlike little children, they don't cry to let you know of their discomfort. My rule of thumb is to observe for a day or two. Sometimes the odd behavior: running to the litter box constantly, not eating, sleeping ALL day-not just their usual 15 hours or so, will stop and they'll resume their natural rhythms. Either way a chat with the vet or tech is always reassuring. In order to decide whether or not a visit is needed, they'll ask some questions, so it's up to you to listen carefully to what is unspoken, unmeowed, or unbarked!

TAZ and PEACHES

MB, who is twelve, is sharing her stories with you all...... Our family dog, Taz, earned his name after the Disney character "Taz". Our Taz would always drag my dad's "stuffed Taz" up and down the stairs. He would drag it to the top, and let it drop. Therefore my Dad figured out the perfect name. Wouldn't you know it? We chose Taz!

Our ferret's name used to be Peaches. But then we changed it to Riki Riki. (Yes, two times.) My sister was singing part of a song from a cat commercial. Every time she said "Riki, Riki" our cat would look up. So, we changed her name from Peaches to Riki Riki. The funniest part is that she will NOT respond to just Riki. It has to be Riki Riki.

HOPE THE YELLOW COCKATIEL "Squawk!"

A.H., one of our young patrons, contributed this story........ Hope was a Cockatiel. My sister's name was Sam. She got Hope. Everyone took care of her. She was a yellow Cockatiel with red cheeks. I thought she was the best bird I'd ever had. But one day we had to give her away. I was very sad when she left.

ANGEL AND RUGBY NEED HELP

Today's little refugees may have odd names, but they're very sweet and have had a hard life. They come from a hoarding situation where a man and his wife simply had way too many cats. Cause for Paws worked with them, spaying and neutering all the adults, and placing the many litters of kittens that they had produced. (There were so many, as a matter of fact, that three mom-cats looked after them all helter-skelter. The babies simply crawled to the nearest one for a "milk-shake") A & R were two left over, and have been taken in by one of our rescue families. They need a new home, however, because the resident cat does not like them at all. Because of this, the two sisters must stay in a small room. They have each other for company, but need to get out and stretch their "eight" legs after months in such tiny quarters. They are quiet, laid-back, and friendly. Do you know anyone who might like some new friends-great companions on those long winter nights? Call Cause for Paws at" 508-758-9202.

THE DAY I GOT MY DOG

Bitsy Lonergan, who is 10, wrote this story for our blog.

This story is dedicated to my dog RUSTY.

It was a dreary January afternoon about 3:30 on a Wednesday. It had been about 2 years since our black lab Chuckles had died. After school Maura and I wanted to go to the library but my mom said we had to make a stop at home first. We went home and when we walked in we saw my dad with his arms around a small object. I didn't think it was a big deal it's probably just a box or something. When I saw my grandma with the video camera, I knew something was up. I ran around the room and stopped where my dad was sitting. Just as I thought in his arms was a tiny puppy. I started to jump for joy, but I stayed quiet because I knew the puppy was scared. I sat down and my Dad handed me the tiny puppy. When Maura saw the puppy she exclaimed"O MY GOSH!!!" and wanted a turn next, same with Fiona. He was so light I could lift him over my head and carry him around that way. We decided to name him Rusty. It was a good name for a golden retriever and his coat is the color of rust.

To this day Rusty is a happy healthy dog and is very energetic. he loves to play, but hates to swim. His favorite thing to get, is a belly rub. The definition of a dog is a man's best friend. That means to me that he will always be there for me, and I will be there for him. His is one of my very best friends.

LOONEY TUNES AND "MERRY" MELODIES

Today's story comes from Shay, the daughter of our Circulation Supervisor Donna. She wants to tell you about her Sheltie, Merry. First of all, you should know that Merry loves to come to the library because she always gets treats (from behind the desk....) When she's outside, her favorite thing to do is to chase squirrels. ( S. says, she never catches any, however.) For some reason, she likes to eat the snow-and we have plenty of it right now! She even likes to play Frisbee and football on the ice with her Dad. At home, our little Sheltie sleeps, watches TV with me, and begs for food a lot. "One time I left some ravioli out while I went in my room, and she jumped up on the table and ate it." ( This was amazing when you know how short her legs are . Shelties' legs are small in proportion to their bodies)..... When I lived in Newport, we had twelve horses. Merry used to herd them, which is what her ancestors used to do. Right now, Merry is my Best Friend and I love her a lot!!!!!!!

GOT MILK?

People ask from time to time if it's OK to feed their cat milk. Of course we all know that for the first four weeks of life or so kittens feed on nothing else--from their mother. At about that time, they begin to have a bigger appetite, so we introduce them to kitten kibbles. (In the wild, the mother probably brought home small prey for them to begin eating, much as the mother lion does. I have noticed that my moms begin to leave them alone more at about this time, and it is thought that this type of behavior reflects her original hunting routine.) Usually, the biggest in the litter sticks his/her head in the unfamiliar bowl, makes a mess, and manages to get a piece or two where it belongs. Soon, though, the other follow suit, and its a madhouse of flying kibbles-I put down mats......Gradually, the mother allows them to feed from her less and less, jumping up on furniture, or leaving the room. The kittens become accustomed to a solid food diet between 5 and 8 weeks. It is tempting at this point to want to put down a bowl of milk or cream to wash down all that dry stuff--not a good idea. Cow's milk is not at all like a cat's, so the little ones may suffer from digestive problems, especially diarrhea. I know that in many story books the cats do drink the stuff, but not in real life. A bowl of water is all that is needed placed right next to the dry food. They WILL drink it eventually. Note: When they're older they do love a little bit of non-dairy creamer, if you use it in your coffee. My guess is that it tastes rich, like cream. One caution, though. They quickly learn that the sound of coffee percolating=creamer, and come running and meowing.......

"MEMORY" ---CATS

I've been rehearsing a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs lately, so had that title on my mind when I saw Socks hiding behind the potted plants in my bay window yesterday. I was remembering just how many of her predecessors had done just that. Of course I was happy that she was there because, as a new rescue, she had been hiding in her room for over a week. Amazingly, she had found the courage to navigate her way downstairs, through the living room's perils of resident cats snoozing and playing, and into the kitchen. Apparently, Socks had made it to her new sunning place safe and sound, and was now peering out at the snowy woods from her hiding place behind fronds and leaves. Later, in the evening, I heard a scuffle in the dining room and discovered that she had pried open a door in the bottom of the hutch , finding a refuge inside where she could relax among the place mats and tablecloths. I realized that this is one imaginative, rescourceful cat, that's for sure! Luckily, it is much too cold for the little guys to venture outside, but once the temperature goes up, I have a feeling Socks is going to make a beeline for the door and escape into the Great Unknown-----not if I can help it!

BOOTIES-NOT JUST FOR WUSSES

I saw an interview the other day with the head of emergency services at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital. The veterinarian was talking about the dangers of this extremely cold, damp weather in relation to our pets. Cats should simply not be allowed out--period. The perils are myriad-buried in snow, trapped in trees, injured by ice----lost forever. Dogs present different kinds of problems since they do have to be walked (if not let out in back yards). Most owners who let little dogs out briefly keep one eye on them, so presumably they do not disappear into snow drifts. However, from my experience, most dog owners attempt to walk their critters along badly shovelled sidewalks, or by the side of the road. All of this is hazardous for both man and beast, but there is a particular problem which should be addressed--that of injured FEET. The vet said that all four of them should be inspected after every venture out. Not only do icy particles and rock salt become imbedded in the pads and between the toes, but there may be cuts from these small sharp objects. I have not seen any dogs around here wearing booties, but I'd like to suggest that someone start a trend. The dogs that do wear them are mighty tough, hearty guys-for example those running the Iditerod in Alaska. (As a matter of fact, racers must stop at pre-determined spots along the route and have vets check the dogs' feet to be sure they are not injured). The other famous use of booties was at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks. Those brave rescue and cadaver dogs developed serious, debilitating foot problems due to the shards of glass and hot metal they were walking on. A wonderful story emerged of a woman in Minnesota who made booties for dogs in her bitterly cold climate. She got volunteers together to make thousands of these foot-savers for the brave animals helping at such a desperate time. Sooo---if you add these items to your pooch's wardrobe, you are not imitating Paris Hilton, that is, unless you add a diamond necklace or cashmere sweater!

PET TALES

Come on into the library and tell us all about your favorite pet! A big basket, labelled "Pet Tales" sits on the front desk. Nearby are pens and cards for you to use. The most unusual stories will be published right on this blog for everyone on the internet to read and enjoy. The staff jumped right in with stories of their own. From Peg: I never received the name picked by my parents because my brother got there first, naming his cat "Katherine". Margaret, it had to be......Her brother also insisted on calling the family's big English Sheep Dog-"Sunny Gool" . No Halloween creature (ghoul) he. Rather, he was named after a place regarded as great fun, requiring no sharing of toys with a kid sister-- Sunday School....... Our Children's Librarian Rosemary wrote of her pets, named after flowers--Lily and Snappy. Lily, a tiny Papillon, visits the library often, and even has her own card! Snappy, for Snapdragon, was aptly named, it would seem, because she was a very beautiful cat, but had a "dark" side. We all were sorry when we heard that she had crossed that famous Rainbow Bridge, and was put to rest very appropriately in the family garden.....More stories to come from our patrons who love their pets,

"CESAR" SALAD

Did you know that you could email Cesar Millan, of Animal Planet fame, and ask him questions about dog behavior? One of our patrons asked me to do just that this morning and we did. I just googled "Cesar Millan" and up popped his website which had an interactive contact center. There is a space to describe your problem with your pet and ask for help. Hopefully, he'll email you back relatively soon. Today's dilemma had to do with the difficulty of restraining a Boxer while out walking, a definite problem since Marion has a leash law. Obviously, all animals would like to run free and enjoy the great outdoors, but even cats should not be allowed to do so since the coyotes are just waiting to pounce....

BAGHDAD PUPS

One of our staff members, who formerly served in the Navy, brought me an article from a magazine about bringing canine friends home from war zones. It describes how soldiers take care of local homeless dogs, and find that providing for their everyday wants, from food to affection, helps them deal with the terrible stresses experienced while fighting and living in constant danger. A new organization, "Operation Baghdad Pups", run by the SPCA International, helps ship these loving comrades back home. Their website is: http://www.baghdadpups.com/.

You may have seen human interest stories on the evening news about these rescues, often accompanied by tearful reunions in crowded airport settings like LAX or O'Hare. One such tale was made into a book, which we have at the library, "From Baghdad with Love", by Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman. this heartwarming story is filled with photos of the officer and his comrades in full battle dress , the little dog Lava right in the midst of them all. As the author states, he may have rescued the dog physcially from a life of certain starvation or injury, but he was rescued right back from the emotional toll that fighting took on him. It was not an easily-accomplished journey with miles of redtape, but now they both live happily in California, part of a happy. loving family.

PUSS IN BOOKS

I've taken today's title from a fascinating documentary that we have at the library about cats in libraries. It was filmed long before "Dewey" became a best seller and the cinematographer went all over the country to see how cats enhanced patrons' experiences with books. There were many buildings with felines lounging on circulation desks, and sitting with kids who were reading with great enthusiasm. Obviously, the "allergy controversy" had to be explored, too, on the negative side. It was found that there were few towns that objected to a pet living with the town's books, but occasionally there was great objection and the librarians simply too the cat home. One side story of interest to me concerned the mascots of the huge Baker and Taylor Company, which for years supplied most libraries with their books. These two Scottish Folds graced all correspondence , catalogs, etc. and soon became iconic. Since the breed is somewhat rare, we all were fascinated with their charm--round heads and bodies with flat ears...... As a member of SF Rescue myself I can attest to both their beauty and gentle personalities. Mine-Fiona Macdougall and Robert the Bruce-were driven up here from New Jersey. I learned of their plight-highly allergic little children-from an internet alert. A breeder whom I knew was part of the effort and vouched for me as a good candidate for adoption. Susan agreed to drive part-way with the little guys. So, the owner drove the first leg to Connecticut, and then she drove to Sturbridge where a friend and I met her. The guys were very quiet until we got home . Robbie settled in, but Fi---well she managed to get into an opening for pipes in my daughter's closet. Thought we were going to have to tear out the wall......lured her up and out with food. Now my little red guy is happy anywhere you put him, and Fi ,at 5 whole pounds, bosses everyone with a tiny, kind of whiney voice, looking like a little white snowman. (If you're interested in breed rescue, go on-line, there are many listed. You will have to register and be vouched for by your vet, but these organizations really do amazing work, pulling cats out of shelters). Mutt cats are great too! Don't forget them!

SOCKS-NO, NOT THE ONE THAT LIVED IN THE WH

The other day, a library patron approached me in Uncle Jon's Coffee Shop and asked if the "lost kitten" flyer on the bulletin board referred to one of mine. I immediately went to see what it said. A Good Samaritan had apparently rescued a small cat from a tree on Green Street and was hoping to find its owner. I was reminded of a posting from Best Friends Animal Society about what to do in just such a situation. First of all, they say, look for a tag or microchip. Obviously, most dogs have collars and tags, which makes it fairly easy to contact an owner (unless the collar is lost), but cats do not. If it's a weekday, most veterinarians can scan for a chip which many cat/dog owners now have imbedded for just such an emergency. Calling the local Animal Control Center (in Marion the police dispatcher may handle this) and describing the animal can be very effective as many owners call there first and leave information. Leaving your name at a shelter or all local veterinarians also helps since owners might check in there, also. Yet another approach is to contact local newspapers which usually give free ad space, so you could post an ad as "found". If, for the present, you must surrender the animal to a shelter, you can claim" last rights". This gives you adoption privileges if the animal is not claimed within a given time period and would be put down. (You will want to keep in contact with them, however, because sometimes the animal is euthanized in spite of your original interest. ) Sadly, this happened to my daughter. Yup, the duck saver---nothing escapes her...........All of this is a lead-in to my story about SOCKSIE. She's about one year old, black with white booties -pretty and petite. Currently, she's in foster care at my house, waiting for a Forever Home. Having just outgrown the baby stage herself, she was left at a shelter, pregnant at six months old. (This is what happens when owners do not have their pets spayed or neutered between 4 and 6 months of age, unfortunately.) She was apparently not developed enough to produce healthy kittens, and sadly all 5 died. I think little S. probably was really not aware really of what happened to her, and once she felt more like herself, just got on with the somewhat boring life of a shelter cat. No one stepped forward to adopt her, however, so she now is learning to trust people as caregivers who provide warmth, food and safety, but also teach her how to play, too. She, like much younger kittens, is learning that balls and catnip mice and the red laser light pen are just for fun. It's OK just to be happy--that's her only job right now. Mine is to find her a wonderful family who will make up for a very grim beginning and allow her to grow into her own funny little self, which is emerging more and more each day.......She is listed on www. petfinder.com as "Mamma Mia" at Cause for Paws-Mattapoisett.

DUCK AND COVER

This tale came from my daughter in Chicago ........ Erica, even though she is in graduate school, and very busy, often drove North of the city to a nursing home to visit with her grandmother on Sunday afternoons. On one such occasion, as she was crossing the parking lot, she was surprised by the sight of a mother duck, followed by a line of ducklings, coming towards her from the pond nearby. Smiling to herself, she went inside and spent a few hours trying to cheer up Grandma Polly and relieve her loneliness a bit. As she went to get back in her car, she noticed that the mother duck was now frantically waddling around a large rain drain in the parking lot. Worse, there seemed to be a smaller number of ducklings. She quickly went over, having done the calculation of mother+ducklings+sewer, as a sum that did not bode well. Luckily, she had on jeans, so she lay down on the pavement and peered into the grate. Sure enough, she could see a duckling inside on a projecting pipe. (I should mention that Erica is a social worker, so of course had to immediately go into rescue mode. ) She managed to pull, in spite of its wiggling, one little critter out. Then, she realized that the numbers still did not add up. Reaching down once again, she did retrieve several more, but she feared other babies were still trapped. Her cell phone came in handy at this point, as it occurred to her to call the nursing home, just across the lot, and ask for help from the maintenance staff. She said she was never so happy as when she saw two big, strong men coming towards her, who were able to use crowbars to pry up the grate. Soon, all the little guys were back with their mom, heading once again to the pond....... Now you know where that expression "circling the drain" comes from!

SHELTER FROM THE STORM

Today I am thinking about the many cats and dogs turned into our over-crowded shelters. The MSPCA reported that there was a 45% increase in pets dropped off this year. We know that most of these "surrenders' were the result of the housing crisis. Many families had to down-size, perhaps renting in no-pet homes, or move in with relatives in already crowded situations. An alarming impediment to a safe drop-off is that many shelters require a "take-in" fee for as much as $50. It doesn't take an economist to figure out that if an individual, who may have lost his job, or a family abandoning their homestead, had an extra $50, they might not be leaving a pet behind. Rescuers have been overwhelmed with stories of pets left behind in yards or on porches. The latest horror tales are about dogs apparently dropped off in state parks. It's not clear if former owners believe they will be found by campers and fed, or if they actually think they'll hunt for food. A similar fate often awaits cats, who are thrown from cars "out in the country". The presumption is that they can hunt for small rodents and survive on their own. As a friend of mine, who has rescued many desperate animals, said, "They would have been better off left with a can-opener since that's the only way they know food has been provided."......So.....If you yourself, or a neighbor, stranger or friend, mentions a dilemma with a pet, try to get in touch with local rescue groups which may have suggestions as to temporary care. Many are listed on http://www.petfinder.com/. No-kill shelters are full. Community-based organizations have strict guidelines as to how long they can keep animals, as we all know. At least, if you must use a shelter, provide all medical information with your pet. That way, a potential owner will feel more assured that the pet is ready to be adopted. It will give your special critter a fighting chance to end up in a loving home...... ( Cause for Paws is the group I work with in Mattapoisett. You can contact them at Petfinder or at 508-758-9202.)

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT

I've been writing about cats, dogs and goats so far, but, as promised, this is a "paws and CLAWS" blog. .....There are so many informative, funny, and wonderfully readable books about birds that I thought I'd devote this entry to them. An older, but immensely warm-hearted, title is "That Quail Robert" by Margaret Stanger. Taking place on Cape Cod, it tells the tale of her actually raising a wild quail in her home. The bird was so tame that it slept in one of her hats and visited with everyone who came to her house....A more recent title is "Wesley the owl", another befriending of a seemingly wild bird.....Irene Pepperberg's "Alex and me" takes a relationship with a feathered creature to a whole new level. She has been involved in very complex language and comprehension studies with Alex and other African Grey Parrots. Over the years she became emotionally attached to him and she writes of her struggle to keep perspective on the ground-breaking work they were doing. Pepperberg mentions the sign language studies which had been done with Koko, the gorilla. Scientists had no idea that parrots could use language skills to an even more complex degree, way beyond naming objects, and solving problems, to actually expressing ideas. Her descriptions of Alex's conversations are fascinating and charming. The only sad note is that she wishes she could have treated him more like a pet and shown more affection. Reading her narrative, though, the two really did become friends on some levels as they worked together re-formulating the way we think about the intelligence of the creatures who share our world...... I'll end with a final book recommendation. To be published soon: Temple Grandin's "Animals make us human-creating the best life for animals". Call the library for suggestions ----we have lots of great reads about the furred and feathered world out there!

BILLY THE KID

This story came to me from a friend in North Carolina. He's a retired professor living in a big city, but grew up in the very rural area of Platte, North Dakota. Of necessity most of the animals worked alongside the farm crew, but occasionally one could just be a pal ...... I love his description of this colorful goat who was his great companion.. ........Billy had a harness and was supposed to pull a wagon. He was not very good at it and I never really enjoyed riding with him. Usually, as soon as he was attached, he would jump a fence so he would end up with his legs up in the air on one side, with the wagon on the other. He would bleat pitifully until someone freed him. "Stubborn as a goat". He was a great playmate, though, joining me in games of "king of the mountain" pushing each other off my parent's bed. (We re-made it over and over and they never found out!)...... I also remember that Billy loved cherries and would stand way up on his hind legs to pluck them from our trees. After he had a mouth-full, he would lie down and eat them all, leaving a small pile of pits as the only evidence of his theft. These memories of a simpler time are 60 years old, but still bring a smile.......

A NEW LEASH ON LIFE

While traveling to a family reunion this past Christmas, my daughter and I stopped at a coffee shop. While waiting in line, I saw two men come in together, one of whom was accompanied by a Black Labrador Retriever with a special harness that he was gripping tightly. The man walked easily, with assurance, so I really wasn't sure whether or not he was blind. I commented to Erica, once we were back in the car, that I thought it helped if assistance dogs wore some kind of insignia stating that they were "working". I worried that if people did not know that the dog was on duty that they might approach and try petting or talking to the animal. Seeing Eye dogs are trained to ignore such overtures and pay strict attention to the person in their charge. This can be confusing, especially to children, who are merely being friendly and curious. ( Parents need to be aware of this and explain the role of these wonderful animals, giving the gift of freedom to go out into the world safely.) ..... We had a charming dog in the library a few summers ago who sat right down with his mistress at the card catalog. He wore a bright orange vest with "Deaf Assistance"on it. All the patrons smiled at the two of them, one looking up books to read, and the other alert to any danger or difficulty that she might not be aware of. The woman's husband said, as they left, that they were heading to their boat in the harbor. I've never forgotten the wonderful picture of this lively threesome heading back out to sea.

EXIT 20 IS LUCKY FOR MASON

For many years I have been working in local communities to help rescue pets, especially cats. Gradually, this work has begun to overlap with my library duties to the point that sometimes I can't tell them apart. When I realized that librarian Vicki Myron's library/cat tale "Dewey" was sitting on top of the New York Times Best Seller List, I thought maybe it was time to tell some stories of my own. Let's start with a rescue from last summer. Marion is a lively place from June to September, with a doubling of population. The library reflects this, especially increasing its use by children, all busily taking part in our creative programs. Picture the front desk lined with adults and kids, all checking out books and films, two librarians trying to keep up with it all. All of a sudden a tiny kitten is deposited in the midst of piles of returned books, tapes, etc. It appeared, seemingly, out of thin air. Then, my custodian, Donna said over the hubbub, "We found him by the exit from 195-he'd been thrown out of a car". This 1 pound little critter proceeded to wend his way among the hands reaching out, listening to all the "oohs" and "aahs". Several patrons said they might be interested in adopting him. One young lady stood out, though, as being sincere in making a life-long commitment to taking him. R. consulted with her parents, summer residents, and the next day little, soon-to-be-named Mason, went home with them. When the family comes to Marion on holidays and vacations, we check in. He leads a very cosy life, that's for sure, and is sophisticated enough to have seen and listened to R all the way from Singapore, where she was living this past Fall, via computer. Mason sure has come a long way.......

WORDS OF WISDOM

Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". I would add to this that it all begins with YOU. Of course all of us cannot have pet(s) at home. Family members may have allergies, or we may live in a small house or apartment. There are many things you CAN do, however. You can volunteer at a local shelter. Donate food or money to help out. Pet sit for neighbors who must go out of town. (Cats especially are always happier in their own homes.)...... Become aware of issues you can influence such as the recent vote against racing greyhounds. (Lots of adoption opportunities there since the dogs make wonderful pets and live as ultimate couch potatoes). Bring children to the library to read books about pets-how to choose and care for them, for example. Often, I will bring in cats for a hands-on program at either our story-times or at the natural history museum upstairs...... Get involved if you see an animal being mistreated. Call your local animal control officer, or speak up yourself, if you feel comfortable. Remember that cruelty to pets is indicative of very serious underlying psychological problems. Early intervention by authorities may not only save the animal's life, but the young (or old) person's as well. Respect for the creatures who share this planet starts with the very young. Books, audiotapes, and movies, such as the wonderful new "Marley and me" or "Tale of Desperaux" can't help but urge all of us to share in the enjoyment of our four-footed and winged companions along the way.....