PAWS iPAUSE

By Cheryl Reed

The chronology of litters, 1991-1999, based upon my actual records.  


[2010 insert]  Time has passed and things have changed, but, yet, somehow they are the same.  Everything below was done before there was networking and really, before email was a major communication tool and of course before texting & tweeting.  There are still cats, dogs, kittens and puppies to be saved.  Reliable volunteers come and go, continue to rescue and continue to find it nearly impossible to get out of rescue.  How could you look into the face of an adorable pet and turn your back?   We all have to...  Many, many times each and every year.  Every month and every day.  [end 2010 insert]


In the beginning....
I joined the ranks of volunteers with a well establised rescue organization based out of Pasadena in 1991.  This rescue had been established in 1982.  

Each volunteer has many a story to tell about all the litters of kittens they have rescued over the years.  I have been with this family of caring individuals for several years now.  And I have of course seen my share. . .

    During the later months of 1991 one of our volunteers had 13 bottle babies at her home.  I helped her, she worked with me and taught me how to bottle feed & care for orphaned kittens.  I took one of these kittens home to be mine.       
    The tails of the summer of 1992:   My first litter of four week old kittens.  This was one of those classic "trapped between walls" stories.  "Little Joe", "Squeaker", "Pinky", & "Lucky".  Sqeaker was the one who squeaked to the point of rescue for all.  
    Some rescues came from unique sources in 1993.   A gentleman who had adopted from the rescue group contacted us about  a stray in his neighborhood who had had a litter.  The rescue was unable to provide a trap at that time.  Around-about October of '93, he called to say the mom had had another litter and this time she had abandoned them.  And so I had my first two bottle babies.  With regrets "Sheba" passed away at six weeks of age.  Her brother, "Cloudy" was adopted in December.  Before the end of the year I was able to trap the stray feral mom and her two female kittens from her first litter (now at breeding age).  The rescue group paid to have them spayed, vaccinated & blood tested.  They were released back to their neighborhood two days before the 1994 earthquake.  Oops, sorry ladies.
    On a quick break away from our adoption center one Saturday  I went to Target.  Outside was a young boy selling kittens for $2.00 each.  I gave him $10.00 for the two he had left and asked him to wait in the shade, with the kittens, while I finished  shopping.  The black & white six week olds were given the names of "Target"  & "Freckles".  
    Where do I begin & how do I keep the story of "George" & "Georgette" short.  The daughter of one of our volunteers was walking past a very run down, dirty, etc. trailer park.  Inside she saw two boys beating kittens with baseball bats.  She and her friend ran in and snatched the two kittens who were alive.  The boys were reported to the police but as there was no evidence when the police got there the boys were simply warned.  The two kittens were barely two weeks old.  Trust me this is a very simplified version of all that transpired in the rescue of these kittens.
    Two sad stories of litters from Rosamond California mark 1994.  Four black kittens named after the T.V. show "Blossom" and five assorted Tabby kittens found in the parking lot at their American Legion Hall.  Since their adoptions in 1994 we have heard from six families that their six had passed away due to FIP.  FIP and it's usual frustration!!!  Both litters originally tested negative for FIP!    One of the owners of a Legion kitten, Ashley, contacted me as she feared her cat had FIP.  It did, it was in bad shape and  needed to be put to sleep.  So the owner wouldn't have to go see the vet alone I drove her.  You see, she had adopted one of the "Blossom" kittens months earlier and had lost that one to FIP.  Her "Blossom" kitten was in my care as she was fading.  The owner was scared to leave "Blossom" aka Missy home alone.  Missy went downhill really fast leaving both the owner and I to face making a very difficult decision for the welfare of the kitten. . . This was the most difficult visit to the vet that I have ever had to make.  Before going,  Missy, and I spent a beautiful &  peaceful hour sitting in my backyard in the warm March sunshine.
    The year of small bundles in strange places.   1995.    The Dryer Bunch; "Kenmore" and his three sisters, were birthed in a dryer.    The Church group consisted of two separate litters.  The church was their real life safe haven.  A desert fire had broken out in Lancaster.  It burned all the way around the church but never touched the church.  A couple of days later screaming little kittens were heard from under the church.  No mom cats were ever found.  The fire traveled so fast it is believed that the mothers perished in the fire.  
    Petco in Glendale called me twice in 1996 with bottle babies to care for.  "Eilon, Taran & Felice" were about ten days old, found in a cardboard box sitting on a sidewalk.  "Doli" was about four days old, brought in by someone who didn't know what kind of animal it was.  But, Doli was way too clean.  No dirt, no fleas, she was soft and smelled sweet.  I have a feeling there's another truth here.  During the time I was bottle-feeding these four along came a cute black & white kitten wandering around my yard.  These five formed their own support group.
    Once family knows you're involved in cat rescue, look out.   In 1996 my mom's sister in Alhambra found a litter of five in a cardboard box in the alley behind her apartment building.  We named them after the brothers and sisters of the family.  One of my own males quickly decided he was their surrogate Godfather.  
    Motion picture studios are inundated with strays.  "Duchess & Marie" were found at Paramount.  Their looks did not fit the usual studio cat rescue profile.  They are Rag doll/Siamese Lynx point mixes.  And talk about dirty!  I have never seen so many fleas in my life.  These ladies were about six weeks old when trapped and it took four hours, per cat, of bathing and flea combing to remove all fleas (we didn't have Advantage in those days).  As soon as I turned the water on them I was reminded of the Hitchcock shower scene.  Several hours later they were ready for the silver screen.
    Feral colony cats are the hardest to place.  It took a while but all six 1996 Anapet project kittens I took in placed.
    Let's see, where am I, oh yeah, 1997.  I had three early, February,  kittens ("Bunny", "Junie", & "Tuffie").  Tuffie, bless is heart was still here come October.  The silly blockhead had won a place in my heart.  He is now one of my own.  In December I had to put down one of mine; Nimbus, the old man, was fifteen.
      Let's rush through a couple of years:  During 1997 I cared for and placed ten (most memorable were PV & her "Partridge Family" named kittens).  1998 brought 17 to my home ( Popo, the Five-Herbs, & a  very shy Almond).  To date for 1999 I have cared for 10.  My bottle babies this year being "Misty & Stormy", rescued by my son & his girlfriend, and "The All G.G. family" rescue "Geepers" (who I believe I am going to keep as my own - "Merry Xmas to Me"!).  Kitten season 1999 also brought the Battle of Ringworm aka Dermatomycosis Fungus.  No matter how you say it it's a pain in the *## !
    


    Keep in mind these are MY litter tales.  From 1991 to 1999.  Each volunteer and director at each and every rescue have stories, stories, stories...

11/1999
*P.R.*
       

Animal rescue is deeply rewarding yet extremely difficult work.  To survive in this realm, one must find healthy ways to cope with the emotional challenges.

Here are 10 points to ponder.

> >1.  You can't save them all.  Even if you spent every hour of every day working to save animals, you still wouldn't be able to save them all.  Take comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your efforts.

> >2.  Work smarter, not harder.  Manage your rescue efforts like a business.  Organize tasks to make the best use of time.  For example, time spent recruiting more volunteers may make more sense in the long run than trying to do more yourself.  If you find yourself pulled in many directions, you might be more effective if you focus on one rescue facility, one geographic locale, or one species or breed.

> >3.  Just say no. Many people feel guilty when they can't take care of everything that comes up.  Be realistic about how much you can handle!  If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to say, "I can't right now."  Delegate to others when possible, and ask for help when you need it.

> >4.  You are making a difference.  Whenever you question whether you're helping very much, remember the old parable about the man walking on the beach, picking up starfish who have washed ashore and tossing them gently, one by one, back into the ocean.  Another man approaches, notices that there are starfish on the beach for as far as the eye can see, and asks, "What difference can you possibly make when there are so many?"  Looking at the creature in his had, the first man replies, "I can make all the difference in the world to THIS starfish."

> >5.  Celebrate victories.  There are happy endings to many rescue stories.  Rejoice in what is working.  Of course, seeing an animal go home with a loving family is the greatest reward of all.

> >6.  Small kindnesses do count.  It's common to think that small efforts don't mean as much as large victories, but stopping to pet an animal, even for just one minute is worth doing.  Your touch may be the only friendly attention he or she receives that day.  Grooming, holding and comforting, or intoning softly that you care, are activities that many shelters don't have time for.

> >7.  Find outlets for emotional release.  Rescue work can be physically exhausting, emotionally draining and spiritually challenging.  Don't dismiss your feelings or think you're a wimp for being affected by it all.  Talk to someone you trust about what you're experiencing.  Cry when you need to.  Write your feelings in a journal or start a blog.  Text or Twitter your feelings.  Channel your emotions into action by writing to the editor of your newspaper, TV station or your local representatives about the need for animal protection legislation.

> >8.  Take care of yourself.  Make time to do whatever makes you feel good.  Take a relaxing bath, or go out to dinner or let someone else do the cooking.  You need to recharge your batteries in order to maintain mental and physical health.

> >9.  Don't downplay your compassion.  When people ask me why I rescue animals, often I'm tempted to say, "Oh, it's not big deal" or "Somebody's got to do it," when in reality I rescue animals because I care so deeply about them.  Compassion is healthy, normal and necessary for this work.  Let people know how important this cause is to you.  You just might inspire others to become involved.

> >10. Never give up.  When you get discouraged, it is tempting to throw in the towel.  Despite all your hard work, you may not see real change in your lifetime.  Still, giving up won't make it any better.  Take a break, and come back fighting.  And remember the man and the starfish.

1.    Do you select your friends based on how well your cats like them?
2.    Does your desire to collect cats intensify during times of stress?
3.    Do you buy more than 50 pounds of cat litter a month?
4.    Do you think it's cute when your cat swings on your drapes or licks your    butter?
5.    Do you admit to non-cat owners how many cats you really have?
6.    Do you sleep in the same position all night because it annoys your cats when you move?
7.    Do you kiss your cat on the whiskers?
8.    Do you feed your cat tidbits from the table with your fork?
9.    Does your cat sleep on your head?
10.    Do you like it?
11.    Do you have more than four opened but rejected cans of cat food in the refrigerator?
12.    Do you watch bad TV because the cat is sleeping on the remote?
13.    Will you stand at the open door indefinitely in the freezing rain while your cat sniffs the door, deciding whether to go out or come in?
14.    Would you rather spend a night at home with your cat than go out on a bad date?
15.    Do you give your cat presents and a stocking at Christmas?
16.    Do you put off making the bed until the cat gets up?


Author Unknown
VIN, Pet Care Forum, Cat Forum
"The Mewsletter", August 23, 1998

We had been in the Petco for hours. Many hours. Enough hours that people began assuming my girlfriend and I were volunteers....I've been a cat owner for almost three decades. But as I walked into the Petco I realized that I've never actually gone shopping for one.....I thought I had a pretty good handle on the cat world. Entering the matrix of [the rescue organization at this Petco] it was apparent I did not.  These people were different.  I quickly learned that it takes a special type of cat lover to volunteer at a no-kill shelter. They give up their time to hang out with cats that turn up sick, abused, unwanted or worse... And at the end of the day, every cat needs to be shuttled off to the home where it's being
boarded. Yes, boarded - like little, furry exchange students. These people are cat-obsessed, but then again so are we....We walked into...Petco, where a world of hopeful cats stacked neatly in metal cages awaited us. Each cat has a little index card with its name and other notable facts....On weekends, the place is packed with singles and couples, kids and parents, the young and the old, all looking to add a little fur to their lives. It all seems simple enough. There are lots of people standing around talking in little cat voices; there are lots of cats hoping to bust out of their cages. Supply. Demand.

What's standing between that 3-by-3 cage and cat vomit all over your carpet? The volunteers. And when it comes to the pussy, they ain't playing. The volunteers can be divided into four classifications:

* Alpha volunteers:  The diehards. They run things. They rescue and name the cats (though some alphas find naming the cats sort of wrong because it pre-assigns a name, look, feel, and, naturally, personality to the cats). They decide who gets what cat and later deliver that cat to your home. They are all women.

* Beta volunteers:  They do some of the above, but with somewhat less intensity than the alphas. They are quick to chime in with advice - from the best brand of dry food to organic hairball solutions. They receive birthday cards in the shape of a cat.

* Zeta volunteers:  They get nervous when you ask them a question, like, "Can I hold this cat," and direct you to an alpha or beta, trying their best to stay out of harm's way. They clean the cages. They hum a lot. These are exclusively gay men.

* Dorothys: The lady adorned with a pair of fake cat ears who sits in a chair and yelps, "Pennies, nickels, dimes for the kitties! Pennies, nickels, dimes for the kitties!" She is maybe 100 years old and always wears a purple sweater. She is very present.

You'd think that the job of the volunteers would be (assuming you don't look like the kind of person who would eat, torture, or molest a cat ) to move the animals along. Not so fast, Jack. First, we need to ask you a few simple questions. This is your interview. The volunteers start with some softballs   ("Q: Do you have windows without screens that the cat might jump through, careening down 30 stories to his certain death?   A: No).   Then it gets a little trickier   (Q: How do you feel about declawing?   A: Well, I did just blow $2K on a couch ... I mean, I feel it is wrong and inhumane").   They want to know if we'd be
attentive parents.   (Them: Do you work long hours?   Us: No! We both lost our jobs recently! We're home all the time! No latchkey kitties here!   Them: Excellent.)

And then there's this:

Them: What are your thoughts on kitty litter?
Us: We like it.
Them: Uh-huh.                                                      
Us: But we don't eat it.
Them: How do you feel about clumping?                   
Us: What?
Them: How do you feel about the litter that clumps?  
Us: Oh, we don't like the clumping kind.
Them: Why not?                                                   
Us: It's gross.
Them: Uh-huh (as they then scribble down some notes on our four page application)


Get a question wrong and you're in deep doo-doo. I suspect we could get a firearm with a lot less sweat....   Three visits, eight hours, $175, one 25-minute conversation about the miracle of making cat food from scratch, 126 individual conversations with 42 cats in 3-by-3 cages and one home visit, and we scored too. Wayne and the Lady Bunny - amazing siblings born four months earlier in the mean streets during the worst winter in years - were home.

Now if they would just come out from under the bed.



Larry Smith has written for ESPN magazine, the New York Times,
Teen People and other publications.
This story was originally published in Salon.

Everything we do, every keystroke, every piece of paper, every photo, every lift of a little finger makes a difference.  Most rescuers never plan to rescue for a lot of years.  Most rescuers put in ten or more years.  We are called crazy cat ladies / gents and we smile.   We are called wacky dog folks and we smile.  We know.  We know why and we know why we do ALL of it and put up with the remarks.

Have you ever gone into a shelter and rescued an animal, ever rescued one off the street or from an abuse situation? Have you ever volunteered in a kill shelter? Ever spent time walking the dogs there or spent time with the cats and kittens? Have you ever tenderly looked into their eyes knowing the kindness you show them might be the last they ever know? Have you ever been ecstatic with joy at finding a good home for an animal that was on death row? Have you ever felt the peace of fostering a shelter animal, buying it crucial time? Have you ever felt the anguish knowing that pet overpopulation is killing dogs, puppies, cats and kittens each second in this country? Have you ever prayed on your knees and begged God that our leaders would want to do something to change it?

Rescue people have....we have walked down the aisles of dogs and cats desperate for any human contact, a look, a touch, just to be noticed. We've seen dogs and cats begging and pleading for their lives. Dogs and cats suffering the heartbreak of abandonment. We have witnessed their incredible, unspeakable suffering. Believe me, they know what is happening to them. To witness it is almost unbearable. To work to try to save them is what we dedicate ourselves to, we live our cause. We have taken a lucky one out to foster and find a home for, and had to walk past the rows of eyes pleading and begging. We have heard the cries and yelps begging us to not leave them behind. Have you ever lain awake at night haunted by their eyes, faces....their voices? Lain awake sobbing for the ones you could not save? Cry till your eyes burn for the ones too terrified to meet your gaze, huddled in a cold corner?

Have you ever seen a dog fighting the leash, desperately scrambling not to be taken to the
euthanasia room in a shelter? Have you ever heard puppies screaming inside a gas chamber?  No I don't think you have.   Most of the comments you read here come from the hearts of rescuers.  We know first hand the tragedy.

This we do without question and we are told how much we are appreciated. Blink twice and we are insulted, we are criticized, we are misunderstood, we are obsessive, compulsive, possessive, bitchy and an ass at times. Rescuers will act without thinking of the reaction to the action-word or deed. We disagree, even with each other. At those times we find rescue difficult and we ask ourselves why. Rescuers wear their hearts on their sleeves and at times fail to see the big picture. Everything becomes stressful and a point of contention.

But late at night, when all is quiet and we can stay awake no longer... we have our pets curled up with us ... our own and our fosters... Why do we endure this?  Why?!  Because we see the faces of those we save. Because we see the faces of those we have held as they die. Because we see the faces of those left in the shelters or out on the streets. Because we know there is just one more person out there, there has to be!, looking for just the right pet. We know we do it for the pets because of two words ...... UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.  The pets love us unconditionally and they deserve the respect that such generosity deserves.

So, YES  "I AM an animal rescue organization volunteer!!!"



mistyblue + Paula

Stroll placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in a long tranquil nap. As far as possible, without being in any way humble, be on good terms with all creatures – with the obvious exception of dogs. Meow your desires loudly and clearly and occasionally listen to others, even your human, for she may be calling you for diner. Avoid the company of fleas they are vexations to both spirit and body. Enjoy your achievements – particularly wallpaper lovingly scratched and pieces of string thoroughly chased. Keep interest in your career, there will always be a need for good mousers in the changing fortunes of time. Be yourself; especially do not feign affection – except when you need a warm lap to sleep on. Neither be cynical about love of cream, for through your charmed and enchanted existence it is as perennial as the grass it comes from.

Take kindly the council of the years and rejoice in the fact that you have nine lives.

Nurture arrogance of spirit to shield you from sudden misfortune such as getting stuck up a tree. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born out of getting less than twenty hours sleep in a day. Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself and groom yourself frequently. You are a cat of the universe, so much greater than humans and dogs; you have a right to be served. And even though you may sleep through most of it, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. With all its snacks, adventures and peaceful dreams, it is truly a beautiful world. Be content. Continue to be happy.


(From The Secret Diary of Adrian Cat by Stuart & Linda Macfarlane)

I'm being taken somewhere but I don't know where.
It's dark inside this box.
I hear a door and know we're in some kind of building.
I hear dogs barking and cats crying. It's very hot.
Someone is opening the box.
It's the girl that found me in the street and brought me here.

I used to have a home. I felt loved there.
Then something happened.
They opened the door and put me outside.
Then they closed the door.
I couldn't get back in. I don't understand.
The girl is crying now. She picks me up and holds me. It feels good.

I'm placed in a cage.
It's not that small, but I don't like it.
The girl leaves me here.
I look around and see other cats, just like me, in cages.
What is this place?
Where is my family and why wouldn't they let me back inside?
Another cat looks at me. He's very sad.
I don't think he was ever loved.

Maybe it's better that way.

I've been here for hours. People walk past me and they coo and sigh,
but they leave too. I think I know what's happening.
This is where we're put when no one else wants us.
Why did my family take me in the first place?
Underneath me is a new mother nursing three kittens, or are there four?
Why are they here? The kittens are barely a week old.

The girl who held me comes back and opens my cage.
She holds me again, and again, it feels good.
She puts me back and gives me a blanket and some food.
There is a tear in her eye. She's sad.
She wants to help, but there isn't much she can do.

It's dark now. Someone comes in and takes an older cat from his cage.
From somewhere in the building, I here him crying. He doesn't come back.
I've been here three days now. Every day, they bring in more cats.
Where did they all come from? I'm scared.
The mother only has two kittens now. Two of them are dead.
The dogs keep barking, but I can't see them. People keep walking past.
Some of them stop and stare at me. Once, I was held. But I'm still in this cage.
I feel lonely and frightened.
More cats are taken away and they never come back.
I hear them cry, and then it's silent.
I don't understand. Why don't people do something?
They have the power to stop this.
But they don't. Don't I count?
Doesn't my life matter?

It's dark again.
Someone comes to me and takes me from my cage.
I'm placed on a cold metal table. There is a girl with me.
She's holding a needle. And she's crying.
I guess it's my turn now.
I won't be coming back


(Anonymous)

Shaggy lost her home, but, she didn't lose her love for people.  This sweet girl was a loving and loyal companion to her family for 12 years.  Just when Shaggy should have been settling into a secure and happy old age, they dumped her at the pound and left her to die.  Shaggy was just the perfect dog!  A big happy bear of a dog.  She was good around all sizes of other dogs.  She was good with cats and children.  Already command trained.  Happy, healthy and ready to prove that older dogs often make the best pets.  But she was dumped and older dogs just don't stand a chance at the pound.  Through the online social networking of at least three rescue organizations Shaggy was saved.  It took a few weeks but a new family for Shaggy was found.  And they had a doggie buddy for her.
 

I saw Galvin's face early one morning on my computer at work.  I saw the terror and loneliness in this kitten's eyes.  I wanted to save him from his impending death.  He deserved to have a chance at life and I was going to give it to him.

 I waited for my boss to leave for lunch, finally, my opportunity to make the call.  I was so excited that I was going to save his life. The shelter worker said, "Hold on, let me check his Impound number status", and he put me on hold.  He came back and said, "I am so sorry, they killed him an hour ago".   I felt a cold chill go from my head to my toes, he was dead?  I was going to save him, and he was dead!  I started sobbing and said "Thank you for letting me know" and I hung up the phone.

 If I had only called when I first saw his face, he would be alive.  It haunts me to this day, if I had only called sooner. I let him down, just like the people who took him to the shelter. I will never forget Galvin. I cry every time I see his picture. We never knew each other, but I only wish he knew that he did die with someone caring, someone wanting to give him a chance at life.

Please adopt a shelter cat. Do not forget about them.  Do it for Galvin!

By Georgyne